Keegan Z.
Yelp
I come to Three Notch'd since the board game group I'm a part of uses it as a meeting place, and it works well in that regard. However, I should note that very recently they have moved from the typical "order at the bar and sit where you like" to full table service, which turns it into more of a restaurant and makes it less accessible to group visits.
Parking is quite tough in Scott's Addition in general, and with this place's limited parking lot (maybe about 6-8 spaces total), you will either need to come early or hope you get a spot within walking distance. They have quite a bit of seating both inside and outside which gives you flexibility based on what the weather is like that day. The ambiance is roughly what you get at most other Richmond-area breweries: industrial theming with exposed ceilings, and all the echoing sound issues that come with that.
The service here has always been very polite and friendly, and they usually have a decent selection of beers (as well as the Uncool series of non-alcoholic drinks for those who opt not to imbibe). I'm a big fan of stouts and porters and they seem to have at least one if not more of those at any particularly time. Prices are... well let's be honest, with inflation and craft breweries, who can even say what a "fair" price is anymore? That said, their pricing is in line with other similar breweries.
It's hard to choose between a 3 and 4 score here because of the split between the attributes of the brewery itself and the great beer/service here, so for now I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and go with 4. That said, they REALLY need to terminate this full table-service experiment. Going out is already an expensive endeavor, I would appreciate them keeping the bar-service going to help keep the tipping portion of the cost under control.
Overall: 3.5 stars
-----
Pros:
- Great selection of beers (and non-alcoholic drinks too if you're into that), with some delicious-looking food too.
- Lots of inside and outside seating gives you flexibility.
- Surprisingly large amount of space for group events in the "big room".
- Excellent and polite service.
Cons:
- Like most other Scott's Addition spots, private lot parking is limited and is mostly luck of the draw.
- Prices are elevated, like at most area craft breweries these days.
- Open ceilings and industrial design theming amplifies noise, less fun for folks like me who spent most of their youth destroying their ear drums at concerts.
- I'm not a fan of this new full table-service experiment, and I don't plan to come here outside of the board game events so long as it continues.