Donnie Glass has a plan.
In a 2021 interview on the “Eat It, Virginia” podcast (of which I am co-host) Glass spoke candidly — and precisely — about how he was shaping his next culinary venture.
At the time, he had already opened Grisette (2019), he and wife Megan’s debut restaurant, and their first notable foray into the Richmond dining scene. Tucked into a busy Church Hill corner, Grisette is intimate and frequently filled with regulars. It serves an excellent steak frites and stands as an indisputable feather in Richmond’s culinary cap.
Even then, Glass hinted that he wanted more. He spoke with casual enthusiasm about accessibility, collaborative partners and — especially — wine.
Months after the interview, Jardin opened in the former Baja Bean location, a longstanding but faded Fan institution known more for cheap beer and long lines than for food. Glass and his team embraced the building’s well-worn history (with a few well-placed jokes), then reimagined it. The result: a wide-ranging wine bar with an approachable staff and, increasingly, hard-to-get reservations.
Three years pass and Glass stays steady — in method and in madness — then, serendipitously, an iconic Fan bar sits vacant. But this isn’t just any bar. It’s the former Commercial Taphouse, the cradle of Richmond’s early craft beer movement. Once again, the water is warm and Glass is willing to dive in.
Enter Beaucoup, a love letter to the French raw bar. While some elements of the former grimier haunt remain, there are intentional and smart updates. The front-left kitchen is still tiny but feels wider and brighter. The long bar remains to the left, ending in a shaved-ice station for oysters and other shellfish. On the right — where moody, black-on-black décor once ruled — closely packed bistro tables make the room hum with life. It feels French (ish) with some of that Virginia swagger.
The menu is a compact, evolving one-pager with nightly chef-driven specials. The burger (single $15, double $19) — served pink or not, per today’s trend — is medium in size, meaty and modestly adorned with onions and cheese, most recently a nice gruyere.
Red meat dishes rotate frequently, like culinary magic tricks. One night, you might find a rare dry-aged cut; the next, it’s poof! A more frequent staple, the coulotte steak (a top sirloin) is often cooked to a perfect medium-rare and served with sauces like a vibrant, herb-forward Café de Paris or a rich, fatty Bordelaise — both nestled against crisp, skin-on potatoes tossed in parsley.
A moules frites ($24) gets the summer treatment: bright and aromatic, redolent with green herbs, lemongrass and ginger. While a few gritty bivalves made their way into the bowl, they were quickly long forgotten when a few pieces of bread arrived—perfect for dredging the super verdant sea likker.
The panisse ($9) is arguably one of the best appetizers in the city. A dark, crisp plank gives way to a lush, creamy chickpea center. It’s simple and elegant.
There’s little better than a razor-sharp clean oyster, fresh and briny in its own sea liquor—and here, there are many (prices vary). Glass has said that oysters and wine should be something you can enjoy easily, affordably and often. Whether “easily” and “affordably” apply on any given night is up to the diner to judge, but the selection is undeniably solid.
A large chalkboard at the back lists a rotating cast of oysters, all with distinct terroirs. The list is long and varied—diners can find oysters from the Puget Sound to Cape Charles—and well-executed. Order a few. Then order more: raw, fried and roasted.
In a city where dessert is often an afterthought, Beaucoup brings whimsy and intention to the final course. Like the savory items, sweets rotate: a rich, umber-hued chocolate Basque cheesecake is decadent without being overly dense. If you’re offered a small pour of Capitoline red vermouth (from Washington, D.C.) to accompany it, say yes. The pairing — a nibble and a sip — is a swooner. Perhaps a slice of cheesecake is too much of a commitment? Spring for a chunk of “blue cheese and something sweet” ($8) with the “sweet” ever changing.
Though the food is very well-done, it would be a mistake to overlook the bar. The cocktail program (selections, prices vary) is clever, playful and deeply layered. The Long Story Short features vanilla-infused Fernet, bitter Campari and apple cider. It’s a warm hug with a sharp smack on the back.
The Juliet’s Balcony is a visual and flavor trick: a vibrant pink pomegranate foam floats above blanco tequila, dry vermouth and Strega. The first sip is citrusy and electric, the finish, boozy and balanced. The drink list reflects the same thoughtfulness as the food—serious but never pretentious, rooted but adventurous.
Beaucoup hums and on most nights, it’s sonorous and social, like any great European bar should be. The table next to yours might become your new best friend. There’s a tangible sense of generosity. The very close bar guest might slide an oyster your way. A bottle of Champagne begets an order of salty frites.
On my very first visit, the neighboring table shared their bubbly and salad. In return, we shared our fries and our stories. That’s the kind of place Beaucoup is.
Donnie Glass has a plan. And it appears he’s implementing it — one oyster, one steak, one cocktail at a time.
Beaucoup is located at 111 N Robinson St. and is open Monday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m., on Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight and Saturday, 2 p.m.-midnight.
