“...821 serves up lo-fi, hipster cool and a solid menu of high quality, down home comfort food...” Richmond Magazine
 
“...Instead of sleeping in till noon, daylight-averse hipsters come to eat at 821 Café. Past the band flyers in the window, through the ancient, continually slamming screen door, there’s a small oasis of vintage kitchen tables, original, rotating artwork, and musical eclecticism (anything from Herb Alpert to ’80s hardcore)...” Style weekly
 
 
“...warmth, good, cheap food, and a well-thought-out beer selection...”  Style Weekly
 
 
“...nightcrawlers have to leave by 10 p.m., but if they’re still up the next morning at 8, they can alleviate nascent hangovers with the standard egg/pork/toast-or-a-biscuit breakfast, augmented by rosemary potatoes or creamy, long-simmered grits. Even better is the enormous breakfast burrito, brimming with black beans, scrambled eggs, potatoes and superfluous pork or veggie sausage. Skip the meat and ask for extra homemade salsa and Sriracha hot sauce to cut through the morning gloom. And if it’s your birthday or you really need a carb-intense excuse to face the day, the banana pancakes, high and fluffy, have just the right amount of crisp around the edges, while the caramelized slices of banana inside catapult ordinary breakfast fare into addictive culinary territory...” Style Weekly
 
 
 
“... a good happy hour isn’t always about drinks:  It’s nice to have a little atmosphere to go along with your bargains, and this low-key, artsy neighborhood spot fits the bill...” Richmond Magazine
 Editors Pick 2004 Best and Worst:  Best Happy Hour Deals Richmond Magazine
...A crab and spinach omelet, chocolate chip pancakes, bagel and lox, and a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich. This kind of selection should come from someone's doting grandmother, not a hip eclectic Fan restaurant. Thanks to 821 Café, you can have your grandmother's cooking without your grandmother. And the best part is the option to have it delivered, too...” Richmond .com
 
“...Tomato Parm soup and a toasted PBB at 821 Café
The soup isn't a regular menu item but it should be. Not too thick and tomatoey but very flavorful and perfectly garlicky. And the PBB? That's a peanut butter and bacon sandwich...and don't knock it until you try it. This is the best lunch combo in Richmond. And no, I'm not pregnant."...” Richmond.com
 
 
“...start the day with breakfast at 821 Cafe, where there are plenty of vegan selections and a $3 mimosa is served in a pint glass.  The biscuits with soy sausage gravy are on par with grandma’s.  Plus, you are likely to see the same folks you partied with the night before...” BUST Magazine
 
 
 
 
“...Best diner food in town.  It’s a small restaurant good for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Art on the walls and a good atmosphere.  One of the best low-key restaurants in Richmond...”Skateboarder Magizine
 
“...The best vegetarian breakfast in town until 5 p.m. daily, except Mondays when the restaurant’s closed. With mimosas, veggie sausage biscuits and gravy, portabella brie wraps as well as daily specials, this is a great brunch place. It’s also a first choice for casual dinner with friends for vegan pasta or an eggplant Parmesan sub with choice of vegan chili, orzo or fries.
..” Style weekly