North Pole

The North Pole is the BEST place to get a Steak, Seafood, or Italian Pros: Meat,Seafood, and Italian more

Tucked away in a little corner of Goochland County, in the Big City of Crozier, is an outstanding eating establishment called The North Pole. Its atmosphere is unequalled for its quaintness and eclectic furnishings. They have the best steaks in Richmond and the soft-shelled crabs are in season, theirs are the best I've eaten in Richmond. The salads, appetizers, etc. are great and the wine list is short and sweet, but has excellent wines(the Cabaret is even served at the right temperature!). more

We moved to Crozier about 8 years ago in a snow storm, we tried the North Pole and have been devoted fans ever since. The steaks are by far the best I have ever had, far beyond the Ruth Chris and other over priced chains. The seafood is wonderful and don't miss the homemade spaghetti! Pros: Best steaks & seafood you will get anywhewre - No exception! Cons: None!!!! more

Great relaxed but still somewhat formal atmosphere. Food is unbeatable for the price. The rooms are hardwood walls, and well lit. The wait staff is attentive and on the ball with service. I have never left this place 1) Still Hungry and 2) Unsatisfied or annoyed. Pros: Great Steak but Reasonable Prices Cons: Kind of in the middle of nowhere more

Visited the North Pole about a month ago with a few old friends. I had heard it was a great place and had wanted to dine there for a while. Very dissappointed. The service was great but the food was way overpriced for what we got and the taste. We got separate checks with out any problem. I had the stuffed shrimp. Shrimp was a little rubbery and the crab was OK but not worth the price. There were only 3 shrimp. The bathrooms were freezing!!!!!!! I don't think I will spend my money there again. more

A small,dingy linoleum- enshrouded dining area. In truth, the steaks are quite nice, but the service is plain awful. Maybe it's a Richmond thing, I have seen it before - when the decor is sub par, and the service is not quite professional, then 'attitude' is substituted. Server announced herself as the manager, and eye-rolled with every visit to the table, without any provocation - reminded me a a visit to the 'Sizzler' for 2 or 3 x the price. The experience is easily replicated in many other close-by venues for the same money without the strangely sef-important and arrogant vibe. For example, they ran our credit card for over $100, after presenting a bill for $40, and then took high offense when this practice was questioned - Hello, REALLY? Tried to make it work 3 times at an average tab of over $100 for a dinner for 2, and have given the place up -take our advice and don't waste your time or evening on it. Some locals are devoted, sheerly out of a sense of rural community spirit, I guess. Pros: can't find a pro, seriously Cons: arrogant, Not customer oriented more

Kim, they do take reservations at least they took mine. I guess I will find out out if they honor them. I have eaten there numerous times and have always been pleased with the food & service. Pros: Steaks Cons: Would like more vegetable options. more

We go to the North Pole all the time, we have never been disappointed. The food is great, no matter what we have ordered and the service has been great. The steaks are wonderful and aren't heavily covered with a sauce or rub. The quality of the steak comes through with out needing a sauce or rub. Have never gotten a fatty piece of steak from them. The shrimp cocktail and calamari are wonderful. can't wait to go there again. Would recommend for most. Not a big kids menu or great place for kids... Pros: peppercorn dressing really good Cons: long drive to get there, but worth it more

Obviously s2m8 wasn't at the North Pole, because everyone knows the North Pole doesn't take reservations!! Whatever... it's a great 'joint' for a fabulous steak or a wonderful pile of snow crab legs, nice bottle of vino and a romantic evening with your loved one complimented by friendly service. My kids enjoy it as well, though that always decreases my dining pleasure...! With Steve Bassett showing up regularily, there is lots of fun to be had in this old tradition on this historical site. If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't get it. And you shouldn't go! ! Pros: casual, fun, consistent food Cons: if you have too much fun, it's hard to get a cab! more

We've been there quite a few times and the food and service was always good until last night. They did not honor reservation requests made 2 months in advance. When questioned, the staff told us that it was the ""bartender's"" fault - sorry, nothing we can do. We overheard people talking while waiting in line for the ladies room later and came to understand the real reason for our seating arrangement - a case of ""who you know"" here. We were seated in a MOST undesirable setting for six adults - the booths are very skimpy and uncomfortable and the table so small that trying to put six drink orders on it is a challenge - let alone dinner plates and acoutrements! Try cutting into a steak when you are elbow to elbow with either the wall or your companions! The prices are very high for what you get. The steaks are good quality, which is good since there is no seasoning, no marinating, no sauce, no rubs. I ordered the filet - rare - it was. But the ""chef"" needs to learn the difference between sear and burn. Being optimistic, we tried dessert. No real reward there either. Service was fair - not good. It seems like another case of charging exhorbitant prices for an item somehow gives it status and appeal? Never again. Dinner for 2 at the cost of $150 plus tip should be a positive memorable experience - not regret. There were six of us - the restaurant took in about $600 from our table - and none of us left happy. Come on guys! You gotta give something better than this to justify your prices - cause it ain't coming from the ambience! P.S. - you need to do some repairs on the sub-floor of the ladies room before one of your patrons goes through it! All in all - another ""average"" restaurant. Why bother driving so far when there are some really excellent ones in town? Pros: blue cheese dressing Cons: over-priced, uncomfortable seating more

I know for a fact that the people that work there would not waste their time voting over and over again.i know because im good friends with them.only thing that might be bad about tNP is the rolls are kinda dry, but everything else is great. Pros: good food, good people and nice enviroment Cons: dry rolls maybe more

I just moved to town from New York and i talked to some people to find a great steak. The person I talked to spoke very highly of The North Pole, said it was a great place to take a date. MY girlfriend and i decided to go out, and give it a shot. The expectations we had were vey high, and they surpased all of them. I got the strip and it was cooked to a perfect mid-rare!!! The meat was tender and the portion was huge. My ladie got the stuffed shrimp. The presontation looked great and her food was delicious. The stuffing on the shrimp was very flavorful and using over the sides of the shrimp. I am going to go back on a regular basis. If you are new to town and looking for the best steak around, look no further than The North Pole. Pros: great food, casual atmoshpere Cons: none(the drive is so worth it) more

For the review that review that is titled ""How do they win"", I can tell you. The owner gets one of his staff members to vote for an entire night, over and over during the contest. That is all she comes in to do. The food and atmosphere use to be great, but is far from that now. The North Pole is highly over rated and the over all experience is not worth it. Pros: The history Cons: The owner and wait staff only want to service the high class rich guest. They make rude comments about the middle class guest. more

Dont waste your time going to this ""hot spot"" After all that I heard about this place I thought i might as well check it out. When i arrived I was not greeted at the door,instead the waitstaff and bartender just looked at me and went on with what they were doing.I could understand if they were busy,but they were not.The bartender was wiping down things and talking to the cook,There was no hostess and the waitstaff were huddled around the corner.I decided to sit at the bar and I asked for a beer.The bartender looked at me and after finishing her sentence she got me a beer and went right back to talking with the cook.I asked for a menu and checked it out ,the prices were high but that was ok.I asked the girl about ordering and she took my order and went right back to talking.When my steak came out i was dissapointed to see that it was full of fat and gristle by this time I did not even care i ate what i could and paid my bill.There were plenty of other things that i noticed but all in all this was an awful experience.I would not advise this place to anyone! How did it become an institution? more

Possibly the worst dining experience of my life. When the person who greets you at the door is rude, you should just leave. But, I didn't. I decided to give it a try. The waitstaff was rude and unhelpful. They actually seemed bothered that we were there. The steak I received was not even the slightest bit pink, and I ordered mine rare. It was also tough and fatty. When I pointed this out to my waitrees, I was told that the kitchen was busy and there was nothing she could do. Needlees to say, that is when we decided to leave. Don't waste your time or money. Fast food would be a far better option. Pros: I can't think of anything good to say. Cons: Everything!!! more

Over the years, I've made the long drive to go here. The food was always great and usually the atmosphere as well. It was one of my favorites. Now, it's just pretty good food with a lot of hassle. Pros: Great steaks Cons: "Up yours" staff more

Save your time and money eat somewhere else. This is one place where the reviws seem to be put in by the owners family and friends. This place made me rethink using he internet to find a good place to eat. more

I invited friends to gather for a good meal and music for one's birthday. My steak was tender and tasty. My friend's steak was average with lots of gristle. The scallops were good. The dining room is small. The atmosphere was nice until a very obnoxious male friend of the owner began yelling and grabbing customers at other tables. So I would say save your money for a better (and safer) meal elsewhere. Pros: Fillet, music Cons: Sirloin, rude customer, parking more

The food was excellent and the service was even better. I was a little skeptical at first since I found this restaurant off of city search, but I was delightfully surprised about about how wrong I was. The service was the best I personally ever had. Every arrived in succession of one another. Once we sat down our orders were taken and in less than 5 minutes our salads were on the table. Just as we both finshed our salads the food arrived. The atmosphere was also great, the fireplace in the middle of the room added somehting to it I have not found anywhere else. If you want a great meal, service, a lower bill than you would expect, and a Romantice dinner on top of that, the North Pole Restaurant is where you want to go. Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Reasonable Prices Cons: Parking more

I've been eating steaks at the North Pole for many years. Dick Rossi serves a steak cooked exactly to order. That is, for people who appreciate a properly cooked steak. All steaks are individually inspected by chef Rossi and served hot right off the grill. Servers at the Pole make sure your steak is served sizzling hot. With various nooks and crannies available for intimate seating, the North Pole is a very romantic place for just that special occasion. You won't go away hungry. The North Pole is a steakhouse for all seasons. Bon appetite. more