1 of 5
Riverside Tavern opened in the former Forest space in Westover Hills a few weeks ago.
2 of 5
Riverside Tavern owner Blair Manning.
3 of 5
The bar inside Riverside Tavern.
4 of 5
Outdoor patio at Riverside Tavern.
5 of 5
Riverside Tavern is located at 5057 Forest Hill Ave.
As a respite that provides an immediate sense of relief, from the second you pull back a chair to the intuitive bartender who knows exactly your balm of choice, a neighborhood bar is a place you visit often. It's familiar and easy, like those friendships that pick up right where they left off despite time and distance, and it's a spot to unwind and be free of judgment.
For Blair Manning, the owner of the recently debuted Riverside Tavern, that’s exactly the type of establishment he set out to create.
A contractor at heart, he's the brother of Longoven chef and co-owner Andrew Manning, and he debuted his idea of a local watering hole last month at 5057 Forest Hill Ave.
“From the get-go, it’s always been a neighborhood bar,” he says. "This is the place you stop three or four nights a week, have a couple beers."
Pouring Richmond brews on draft, including a double IPA from The Veil Brewing, alongside a classic lineup of domestic beers such as Modelo or Coors Light, Riverside Tavern is a blend of the past and present, paying homage and staying true to the roots of a neighborhood bar, while also beckoning in a new era that embraces that local touch.
The space was formerly home to long-established dive bar The Forest — one of the last spots in the city that allowed guests to light a cigarette inside — which closed in early December. Manning says he saw potential in the shuttered space.
Previously the owner of Butch’s BBQ, a food truck in Manakin-Sabot, the 43-year-old father of four had been searching for a less nomadic, more permanent culinary venture. In early 2021, his cousin reached out and said the space was available. Days later, Manning signed a lease.
“It took a lot of vision,” says Manning, who owns a number of businesses, from painting to power-washing. “But I was kind of like, 'Man, I love this space, you don’t see bars like this anymore, and the patio is perfect for our times.' To me, this is what a neighborhood bar should look like.”
Inside, the space has been adorned with a fresh coat of paint, and the long wooden bar top, the original, has been refinished and is dotted with a dozen black stools. A TV sits perched in the corner, and a few feet away, a chalkboard lists daily specials ranging from smoked buffalo and lemon pepper wings to a New York strip with candied sweet potatoes and garlic spinach.
In the few weeks since opening, Manning has already welcomed a slew of regulars and memorized their standing orders — a test of any neighborhood bar. There’s the gentleman who always gets a draft Falcon Smash IPA with a shot, or the imbiber who works up the street and stops in post-shift for their routine Jack Daniels and Coke.
“People are already coming in three days a week,” he says. “That's what we’re looking for, and it’s nice.”
He also recently ordered a spirit after a customer was asking for it.
“He requested a certain scotch, and by Thursday it was on the shelf,” Manning says. “You want it, you drink it, and you’re gonna come see us, we’ll get it for you."
That familiarity is the type of foundation Manning is aiming to build upon at the no-frills, laid-back tavern.
“You know everyone behind the bar, you know everyone in the kitchen, you know the servers, and the menu is made in a manner you can eat here many times a week and afford it, and have something completely different very night," he says. "To me, this is the epitome of a neighborhood-type spot."
The restaurant's name is an ode to the nearby James River and its close proximity to the Westover Hills area, and the menu leans slightly seafood-centric, while also touting traditional bar bites. The kitchen is helmed by first-time chef Evan Robish, and dishes range from masa-battered chicken strips to garlic and fire-roasted sugo mussels, in addition to a house chili and a handful of salads. Sandwiches include a cheeseburger featuring Seven Hills Beef on a Flour Garden roll, a traditional club sandwich with avocado mayo, and a sliced brisket cheesesteak topped with grilled onions and house-made whiz.
“It’s a bar, it’s a tavern and we’re not trying to be Alewife or Longoven,” Manning says. “We’re not trying to get crazy with food … just trying to keep things simple. Everyone can feel at home, and that’s what it was always set out to be.”
Rocking a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, Manning has an approachable and casual demeanor that serves as a metaphor for Riverside Tavern.
“It was always designed to just be a good neighborhood [spot], a place where you can eat and just feel comfortable, and the guy who just got out of court can pull his blazer off and come here and have a beer, or the guy who’s been cutting grass all day — everybody can come and feel comfortable and feel at home.”
Riverside Tavern is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
