Vivify Burger & Lounge
314 William St, Fredericksburg, VA, 22401
Vivify Burger & Lounge Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Fredericksburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Fredericksburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Fredericksburg for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
314 William St
Fredericksburg, VA, 22401 - Phone (540) 656-2500
- Website https://www.vivifyburgerlounge.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Sat, Sun
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
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Maryann S.
Pretty nifty little spot with some non-traditional flavor combos. Judging by the different menu photos on Yelp here, it looks like they change up what they offer on a regular basis, and that alone is pretty cool. Not a lot of places downtown seem to do that. They may consider themselves a lounge, but the food here is a little more artisan and trendy than typical burger joint. There are several Korean-inspired dishes on the menu this Summer 2015. I had a rice bowl that included barbecue pork belly, rice, fresh avocado, and kimchi that was absolutely delicious. The homemade kimchi had a good spice balance that leaned on the sweet side, and it worked perfectly with the barbecue. I've wanted another ever since. They definitely know how to balance flavors overall, so I'm not surprised at the other reviews complaining about no substitutions. It's the price you pay for unique flavors. Were I a restaurant owner, I'd rather be dinged for no substitutions than have a customer call my food gross because a key balancing factor was swapped out. The rice bowl is a chief example of this-- kimchi can be an acquired taste, but I think a lot more people would like it in Vivify's rice bowl. The shakes are great, the root beer floats are pretty good (they give you a lot more ice cream than root beer), and the food is good. They're a little on the pricy side, but for how fresh and delicious their ingredients are, you're paying for premium ingredients, not an obnoxious price markup. It's worth it at least to try the cool stuff.
(4)mark b.
veggie burger was mush and not seasoned. Cobb salad was all mixed together unlike traditional Cobb, and honey mustard dressing had a heavy yellow mustard taste that was unappetizing. my daughter had the turkey burger which was uninspired and not seasoned. disappointing.
(2)Tiffany D.
So after being referenced Vivify by a coworker , my husband and I decided to try it. My husband also loves burgers so I thought this would be a nice treat for him. I also read some of the other reviews from the other yelpers so I was excited to try it because the reviews were so mixed. Welp...I have to say I was a little disappointed. There are something's I agreed with other yelpers on and some that I disagree with, but more on the agreeing side. 1. Location/Look of the Lounge - I do agree that the location of the lounge and the idea of the concept of the lounge is very cute. It looks like a cute little burger joint and I love the fact that they have an upstairs sitting area. However, I also agree that the view from the top is not a good view. It would have been nice to be able to see out into Williams St. of downtown Fredb. I won't complain about the other roof views bc I mean well....a....considering it is a rooftop view I guess you will be looking at other roofs a little. 2. Cost - I will agree with the other yelpers that the cost of this place is ridiculous for what you are getting. The look of the food is equivalent to Five Guys (not as good as Five guys, but we'll get to that in a min.). There is nothing fancy about these burgers for them to be so expensive. I don't mind paying if it's good, but these were not. My husband and I ordered 2 combo meals and it was $27. A combo included a burger,fries, & a drink. Easy enough right....or the same combo every burger place has. My husband got an extra patty but it still shouldn't have come to $27.I also got a turkey burger (single patty) with pineapple chutney, avocado, Swiss cheese and cilantro.I can see paying extra for avocado bc most places charge extra for that but that was the weekly special ** Still not worth $27 dollars. 3. The Food - The food was not that good, so much so I ate probably 5-7 fries (yes I counted) and took like 2-4 bites of my burger and left the rest. My husband did eat his entire plate , but to me his wasn't good either. I had the Burger of the Week which was a turkey burger (single patty) with pineapple chutney, avocado, Swiss cheese (added) and cilantro with a drink and fries. My husband got the Farmhouse Burger 2 patties add bacon with a drink and fries. So there are 2 things I have to disagree with before agreeing with other yelpers for my experience at Vivify. 1 The burger patty size to the bun was good. Some yelpers said the patty was small. The patty was the perfect amount of meat for the bun size. Although the food wasn't that great to me I still like to give ppl credit where it's due. I don't like a burger with 1/2 lb of meat or more. So that part was good for me. 2 Everyone on yelp complained about the not being able to make changes. I didn't get that experience bc I guess my husband and I went at a good time. We were able to make small changes bc they were not at peak hours and super busy. They don't allow changes when they are busy. ...NNNNOOOWWW it's time for the AGREEING moments 1 The food was not anything special. When I hear of a burger joint on my mind the thing that pops up is "The best DA*N burgers" ... Why....Because that's what the heck they specialize in. Kind of like an ice cream parlor, you can't have sorry ice cream when that's what the heck you specialize in over anything else whether you sell other small desserts or not . Ice cream is your main focus and seller so make some good. bomb. a** ice cream. Same concept here make some good, party in your mouth burgers. That expectation was not met here. The patties weren't really seasoned and it just wasn't that good. Point . Blank . Period. 2 The whole concept of no changes and the way the chef has the ingredients set up on a specific burger makes it good. NOT TRUE! Yes, I normally order the same things at certain places, but I don't mind trying new stuff. My burger was nothing special even with the so called "creative" approach of what was on it. All I tasted was the pineapple chutney. It was a little over powering and bc it was spicy it was more of the spicy flavor I rather than a balance of sweet (bc of the pineapples) and spicy. I didn't taste the cilantro at all, and instead of cleaning the leaves from stem they just through the leaves connected to the stem on my sandwich. Not cool, so when I bite into it I was pulling out stems. Not sure if at another restaurant this would have been good but if so this was poorly executed. The flavors were definitely not balanced. I can't comment much on my husbands burger combo bc it was your basic American burger without the flavor. No special combination. 3 The fries were greasy. Others yelpers also made this comment and some said they like greasy fries * well I don't! The fries were saturated in grease and were so lifeless. You pick them up and can see and feel the weight from the grease. GROSS! No crunch or anything that soft mush texture. Overall, I won't be back bc there are better burger places.
(2)Kobeyashi M.
I was a bit thrown off by the large menu in the wall being incorrect. I wanted the advertised shroom burger but it is no longer an option. The tater tots were good and they do have Crispin cider.
(4)Kim M.
Great Atmosphere! Little expensive and skimpy on the portions. But friendly staff and good drinks!
(3)Bertha C.
Had the Viv and hubby had the hotdog. Both were okay. Burger was nice and juicy except for I asked for it pink versus non-pink as the menu stated. Did not have time to re-order, but it was okay.
(3)Ryan S.
I believe they use all grass fed burgers and they're really good burgers too. Its has a good ambience especially if you eat on the back patio or the roof. They have coke products, Im more of a pepsi than a coke guy but thats just a preference (mainly cause im a Mtn Dew guy). But yeah, good food! Reasonably priced.
(4)Katie S.
Fun vibe, reggae music on the rooftop bar. This was my firsy visit in the daylight and The food was good but not anything over the top fancy. We had the burger of the week and fried pickles and they were yummy.
(4)H N.
We love this place. Mainly for the awesome atmosphere and killer adult milkshakes. The burgers are awesome. And you can't forget those cheesy mozzarella sticks. Yum! I've had the Korean bowl. It was ok, maybe just my particular serving of the dish. The meat was a tad dry, but it was flavorful. Overall, definitely a place to go to!
(3)M S.
All American burger= great Cheesesteak= fing great Tater tots= mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Service= so awesome! Shotgun Betty Hefe = pretty good! I had a 2nd Moo cow farm beer?= so fing awesome!
(5)Frank P.
"Meh" is probably the best way to describe the food at this place. The employees were nice, but the food was lacking. Fries were uninteresting and not hot. The burgers and sliders were pretty skimpy. My "Farmhouse" burger came out with a slice of pork belly - no kidding - about the size of a quarter. I mean, come on. The house made ketchup and mojo sauce were pretty tasty, though. Maybe the appeal of the place is more for the rooftop deck (closed due to being filled to capacity) or the courtyard? Who knows. But next time I'm in the mood for a burger, I'm much more likely to go to BGR, Bobby Flay's, or even Five Guys.
(2)Jasmine D.
If you're bougie, beware, this place is uber casual. We sat at the rooftop bar and ordered all American burgers, which you have the option to add a second patty for like a dollar more. The burgers don't come with a side, unless you make it a combo, which includes either fries or tater tots and a canned soda (coke products). You choose between "pink" or "no pink" for your 1/4 pound burger, instead of the usual rare to well. I asked for tots,I but instead received fries, which wasn't surprising because the bartender didn't write down my order-- I was not disappointed though, the fries were hot and didn't have an overabundance of salt, which was pleasing. The bun was deliciously buttered and crisp,which helped make the burger as delectable as it was! Their pickles looked homemade, but I don't eat pickles, so I picked them off. They have a condiment called mojo sauce, which is a southwest mayo. I don't like southwestern spices, so I asked for regular mayo. The bartender accidentally swiped my credit card for an order that was 3x the price of my own, but realized her mistake quickly and remedied it immediately. All in all, it was a pleasant experience, aside from the heat and humidity, but that was our own fault for sitting on the roof!
(4)Ric T.
Very good food, produced locally, the hamburgers are excellent, the beer selection is very good (lots of microbrew varieties) service is fast and cordial. If you like single malt scotch try the Tomatin in the Bar.
(4)Chvonne R.
Great vibe. Super chill rooftop lounge area. Drinks were pretty cool but the bartenders are great. Will definitely return for a Friday night hang out.
(4)Anthony I.
Such a cool space, wonderfully creative menu with delicious burgers and great sides! The rooftop is my favorite place in town to have a meal and a drink! Awesome!
(4)Emily C.
Been twice now, and the best part is the venue - very fun, but the food was nothing special. We tried the pork sliders, fried pickles, burgers, and kids meals. Probably won't be back since there are much better burgers in town. (Try Sunken Well!)
(3)Danielle T.
One word amazing!!! My husband and I stopped in for lunch while in downtown Fredericksburg, I'm not normally a burger person but I ordered he farmhouse and it was mouth watering good!!! My husband enjoyed his so much he ordered two and ate both!!! We especially loved the rooftop seating definitely a trendy and cool place to be
(5)Sean R.
I don't usually trust 5 star reviews, but hear me out. I felt I needed to counter the dude who's wife said he made better burgers and the people complaining that there are no substitutions. That first part is just funny, but the second is rather important. I have found that when places do not offer substitutions, that means the chef has thought out the ingredients that should be included. If you like your food one specific way and only that way, go make it at home. Don't go to a place with thought out combinations and complain. Maybe try something new. On to the actual review. I had the farmhouse burger and wings. Both were delicious. The burger was on par with the boutique burger bars in SF, only cheaper. The wings were better than most, due to both the sauce and how tender they were. If you come here, get both of those things. On to the service. I sat at the bar and both girls working had a lot of energy and we're, in general, awesome.
(5)Kris H.
Mom: Do you smell that? Me: No. Mom: Doesn't it smell delicious? Me: What? Mom: Doesn't it smell delicious? Me: (slightly irritated and really confused) What are you talking about? Mom: The burgers. Don't they smell delicious? Even after my mom pointed out the fact that we were standing in front of a burger joint I could still not smell the hamburgers, which to me is a red flag. If I can't smell the beef smoking on the grill, then there is nothing in the kitchen that I care to eat. However, it was her turn to pick where we would dine for the afternoon so I didn't object when she begged for us to have lunch at Vivify. Glancing over the menu I was a little disappointed. I'm a true carnivore and lover of hamburgers, and found that my options for a true and genuine beef, lettuce, tomato, and mayo burger would run me about $9.00 (and that's not including fries and a drink). But being the open-minded person that I am, I opted for the burger of the week which consisted of: one relatively thin beef patty, fried oysters, lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese, and a spicy sauce, which in fact made the burger. My mom on the other hand, keeping to her vegetarian diet, ordered a falafel burger. Service was quick and the burgers were made with quality ingredients. My mom kept exclaiming how her bread was sticking to the roof of her mouth, which she claims is a good indicator of whether or not the bread is fresh. While my food was enjoyable, I found the burgers to be rather small and just not as great as the previous reviews claim them to be. I will admit that Vivify does serve a "healthy" burger when it comes to portion and taste, but come on people! I want a REAL BUURGEEER. You know that kind of hamburger that you bite into and tomato sauce and other gunk starts dripping from your mouth and down your arm? That kind of burger where you find yourself licking the sides of your mouth and fingers hours after you've finished? That's the kind of burger I love. That's the kind of burger I wanted. That's the kind of burger that wakes me from my dreams late at night. That's the kind of burger I expected. Although Vivify didn't meet my expectations, the establishment is hip and the workers are friendly. Vivify offers both an outdoor area to lounge and eat. They also have two bars, one on the main level and one on the rooftop. Did I mention they also play good tunes? With a mouth full of fried oysters and blue cheese, I was singing along to music from the 70's and reminiscing with my mom about times she used to play the same artist growing up. Overall: Burgers: 2/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Price: 2/5 Portions: 1/5 (I left hungry. Major NO-GO!)
(3)Sam S.
I don't understand how this place is still in business. Food is ok, WAY overpriced, especially beer. They fill the little boats with fries or taters MAYBE halfway. Burgers are SO small. The rooftop lounge has no view other than of another roof. Useless. The management needs help and to stop yelling at their staff in front of guests. So disrespectful and awkward. The idea of this place is fantastic but it was very poorly executed. I vote they sell it to more respectable owners who aren't such cheapskates.
(1)Sherry W.
Love the parking. Love the upstairs area and I don't drink. The music up there is great and there is a cool feel to that area. My black bean burger with sun dried tomatoe jelly was good but....I want more options on the menu for vegan eaters and I want more salad options.
(3)choochoo t.
So I didn't have a burger here. I had the banh mi slider (pork belly slider). It was phenomenal!!! Had pickled jalepenos on it and they weren't that spicy. They were more sour. The mojo sauce is not very spicy at all and paired well. The guy who brought us our food asked if we wanted any sauces. Get the mojo if you're having banh mi sliders. The pork belly was yummy. Not a lot of pork belly but pork belly is not suppose to be eaten in big portions since it's so rich. I had the combo, which is two sliders and side of tater tots. Came out to a little over $9. It was a good portion for lunch, not too much and not too little. Tater tots were fried mashed potatoes. Being a lover of normal tater tots, I was a bit disappointed. They were fried to crispy perfection though. But I miss the textured potatoes in regular tots. They have a soda fountain and cups for water. I am definitely coming back here for the pork belly sliders!!!!! P.S. They have a their own parking lot! Shared with Bistro Bethem. *update* Came back here once more. Fried pickles were indeed very good with a light batter. We got a lot for one portion. Hubby wasn't too impressed with his burger. I think he'd much rather go to Cheeburger Cheeburger or Bonefish grill for a burger. Also, there are some differences on their online menu versus menu at the restaurant. I had wanted the chicken confit online but they don't actually have it at the restaurant (at least not anymore). Hubby may come back to have a hot dog but will most likely forget about it.
(4)Michael L.
This is my favorite burger place. The burgers aren't the largest, but they're definitely tasty. Fries are tasty with the creamy sriracha sauce. The best part is their milkshakes. You'd expect vanilla to taste plain but it's actually very flavorful; it's my favorite. You can even add in shots of liquor to flavor them up and make unique combinations like brownie blast with godiva or vanilla with raspberry schnapps. The rooftop is a great place to enjoy the weather and hang out with friends, too.
(5)Stephanie T.
The food isn't anything special, but the upstairs deck has a nice ambience. Go for a beer and good company, not a burger.
(2)Jean M.
My mother and I came here on our last night in town. I was craving a veggie burger and fries. Vivify's black bean burger was yummy but needed a little salt. I appreciated how the woman behind the bar told me that the bun was not vegan before I even asked so I could get a bed of lettuce instead. It's hard to get a vegan veggie burger, believe it or not. The little cups of guacamole and tomato relish (?) were a nice touch. The fries were greasy and delicious - just what I wanted. My mother had the all American burger with bacon which she liked. Her vanilla milkshake was a winner too.
(4)Hark T.
We stopped here on a road trip heading down I95. We were looking for a burger and this hit the spot. The main dining area is cozy and they have two outdoor areas to eat or drink. We sat in the window to do some people watching. My baby girl got a wave and smile from a local guy who was mad-dogging as he was walking down the sidewalk :) Vivify has several options for burgers but I went with a make your own burger. I also splurged and got a pork belly slider. The slider was just okay The burger was tasty and the bun was soft and delicious. My daughter finished her burger before I was done with mine! The cheese fries were different. Pretty good but the sauce didn't taste as cheesy as I would have hoped. We had some friend pickles chips which were amazing. Some fried pickles are too pickley but these were the perfect balance. We splurged on a couple shakes. They used cocoa powder in their chocolate shakes which was different but okay once we figured out what it was. I love pizza and burgers and would definitely return. I gave them 4 stars because the food was good and they were different than many of the upscale burger joints. I think with a few tweaks to the menu they would be a hands down 5 star rating.
(4)Kristyn S.
The food here is pretty good,not the best ever but decent. The shakes and drinks however are AWE-MAZING! Defiantly a great place to hangout and enjoy a spiked shake!
(4)andrew j.
Had a burger and beer for lunch on the roof top and it was great. Burger was juicy and tasty and they had a number of different and appealing combinations. Roof is great.
(4)Jack F.
There were some really good and really odd parts to our visit here, so they wound up canceling each other out, and resulting in this three star review. First, when we ordered, things were really confusing. According to the person working at the front, we weren't allowed to customize our burgers AT ALL. So even though they offer cheddar cheese on other burgers, my wife wasn't allowed to get cheddar on her All American burger, instead of American cheese. She did love the homemade tater tots though. On the other hand, my Mother Earth burger tasted great, a nice combination of ingredients with the goat cheese, portobello and avocado. They use local, grass-fed beef which was of good quality, so that does account for the increased price of the burger. It was strange to have a burger place with no soda machine; they have very expensive cans of soda instead. However, they do have a pretty good beer list, and some nice craft beer choices are not much more expensive than the domestic beers. The rooftop bar was too crowded to hang out and eat in, so this was a disappointment, although the ground level outdoor area was a decent place to eat. Overall, worth a try, although there are a few things they could improve on.
(3)Amy B.
Great find on our way through town. The Viv burger was tasty ands was black bean burger. Fries and milkshakes also well done. Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. Good prices for gourmet burgers.
(5)Lauren M.
My drunk fiancé came in with a group and the entire place was amazing. Caleb the bartender was so accommodating and friendly, plus the food was freaking ammmmmazing. The wings were fresh and hot, and the burgers were thick and juicy! Plus the drinks are strong and cheap.
(5)Brandi F.
I'm really surprised to see how negative some of these reviews are! It's a good burger place! The atmosphere is awesome, beer is (of course) fantastic, and the burgers are great! I only had one issue and it was that the pork belly was undercooked on one hamburger, but they fixed it without a problem. My service has always been great! I enjoyed my birthday lunch with my family here, and they brought me out a little dessert and it was just wonderful.
(4)Jessica S.
Tonight was the first night I tried Vivify, and I think I'll stick with Five Guys for a quick burger fix. The burgers received barely filled half of their respective buns. The patties were roughly two and a half inches in diameter - no exaggeration. For two burgers (one double), fries, and a water totaling $20, this is unacceptable. Especially considering that the buns were Martin's rolls (delicious, but not expensive). The flavor was good and the atmosphere was nice, and I want them to succeed, so I'll probably give them another shot in a few months... but next time I hope I get my money's worth. Edit: I came back to see how Vivify's reviews were doing, and noticed that some people are surprised by the negative feedback. I've attached a photo of the plain cheeseburger we received. It's blurry, but you can easily see that the patty was as small as described. Soft opening or not, grass-fed or not, you can't expect people to be happy when this is what they're getting. Especially when Foode is around the corner offering a hearty 1/2 lb grass-fed burger (w/ doneness and cheese options!) for $10.
(2)T.D. S.
My wife and I went on the recommendation of a friend- not a yelp review. I only read the yelp reviews after eating there... what a bunch of frickin' whiners. Our experience was much more entertaining, satisfying, and enjoyable than the food critics that seem to have downplayed this place. I had a most delicious roast beef burger of the week accompanied by a side of hand made, hand battered tater tots that was washed down by some amazing, freshly made Sangria. My wife had the catfish sandwich with tater tots and a spiced pear cider. We paid about $30, left a $5 tip. Under $40 for two people to eat, and imbibe in some delicious alcoholic drinks. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was quite interesting, and the waitstaff was friendly- always checked in on us to see how we were doing. Even one of the owners stopped by to check on us and let us know the chef there was also the chef for Bistro Bethem next door. I'd go there again in a heartbeat. The morons that have posted negative or on the fence reviews of the place are just expecting way too much for way too little. You want a $4 burger ordered to your exacting culinary specifications while someone pats you on the head and tells you how good you are? Go to frickin Burger King jacka55es. You want to smell the burger you're about to eat from the street as you walk by the place? Go get a burger from a tailgate or a pool party- I'd rather not walk out of a place smelling like the food I just ate- it's called kitchen exhaust fans people... You're going to whine about getting a small cup of lemonade or tea but neglect to tell people the refills for both are free and are clearly labeled on the wall? Get some g0dDam glasses f00l. You're so addicted to syrupy coke or pepsi that you knock a place for not having soda that comes in a 64oz bladder buster bucket? Go see a doctor and get your diabetes diagnosis. Vivify is an awesome place in the heart of the 'burg that is locally owned and unique. You're missing out if you havent tried it.
(5)Sheryl B.
Two and a half stars. This review written within one day of opening. Cute little restaurant with a nice casual decor. Full bar inside downstairs and two additional levels of outside seating. The top level on the roof which includes a bar with 3 beers on tap, umbrellas for shade at the bar and a variety of other tables. This area looks like a fun place to hang out. Order at a window up front, seat yourself and your food will be delivered to your table. The menu is hamburgers, veggie and cheeseburgers, hot dogs, fries and tater tots. We ordered a classic burger and cheeseburger, and were kind of disappointed in the quality and size especially being it's the main menu item. A variety of toppings are offered as well for an additional price. The french fries are thin, fresh-cut and very good, but we ordered a "boat" of fries expecting enough to share but it really was just one serving. The prices are reasonable for the limited menu selection which is a plus. However, we've had much better burgers at area restaurants where the burgers are just one of many sandwich selections on the menu. Kids meals were also burgers, no other kiddie favorites like chicken nuggets or grilled cheese. There were healthy side options however. The potential is there for a nice casual place to hang out but the menu and burgers need to be tweaked. We really expected a competitive burger. Tastier, tender and larger.
(2)Yetta L.
I went here today for Fredericksburg Restaurant week. I ordered the Farmhouse Burger, tots and a brownie blast milkshake. I was very disappointed. The burger wasn't good at all. No seasoning and it was a premade patty. The tator tots were in the same boat. They are homemade but are just mashed potatoes shapped and deep fried. No seasoning. I literally threw my food away after 2 bites. The milkshake was tasty. Not the best but not the worst I've ever had. It had nice big chunks of brownie which was a plus. Save your money and go around the corner to the other grass-fed burger place (Foode). Their burgers are delicious and handmade. If you are low on cash, Vivify has $3 burgers on Wednesdays. That's a plus. Gave an extra star for the shake.
(2)Mike L.
Great place to get a beer and a burger, hands down. This is the type of establishment you want to see do well in your town and with the addition of a rooftop bar, it really is over the top. The design of the interior is modern, artistic and well thought out. As for the food, the beef banh mi burger exceeded my expectations and my girlfriend's Flounder Rounder fish sandwich was probably one of the best I've had anywhere. We will definitely be repeat customers...
(5)Carly M.
I've moved out of the area, but come back once a month to run a support group at the hospital. The VRE train gets in with just enough time for me to grab a quick bite. Vivify has become my go to spot to get a quick, tasty meal in downtown Fredericksburg. Around 5 pm, it's typically empty or close to it. The girl working the front counter is friendly and helpful (last time she brought 4 dipping sauces to my table for me to try without my having to ask). They now offer happy hour specials on both food and alcohol. I've settled on two pork belly sliders and a side of tater tots as my favorite meal, but they have some menu additions that I'll try eventually.
(4)Aviv G.
This is a burger joint. BUT they don't offer a plain burger. They do offer a cheese burger but despite our pleas they wouldn't put cheddar cheese on it because it is supposed to come with American cheese!!! They do have cheddar cheese. And swiss. And blue. But those are reserved for other types of burgers!!! Really, no substitutions? How hard would it be for the chef to move his hand three inches and grab a slice of cheddar from stack A instead of stack B? Perhaps they are discriminating against real burger lovers since they DO offer your choice of cheese on the falafel "burger". They just don't get it.
(1)Jessica D.
We had a very strange experience here. After looking at the menu, my friend asked if she could just have a plain bacon cheeseburger, which was not on the menu. We got a very long speech about how they don't usually allow substitutions off their menu but since they had just opened for the day and no one was there, they could make a one time exception, but to not expect that again. Then she made a big production of yelling back to the chef about this "custom" order. Really? Over a bacon cheeseburger? At a burger restaurant? After all that drama, I expected for our food to be amazing. To say it was underwhelming was an understatement. Very bland and ordinary. They need to get over themselves and actually make a decent burger.
(2)Wayne J.
I so wanted this to be a good eating experience but unfortunately it wasn't. I'm in favor of small businesses trying to make it with something that's a little bit different, tasty, and fun to visit. Bottom line is that the food has to taste good and the dining experience enjoyable. This wasn't. We ordered two hamburgers, a side order of tater tots, french fries, a bottle of water, and a lemonade. That cost us $26. The lemonade came in a plastic cup two thirds full with no ice or a straw. The french fries were not included with our order. I had to walk downstairs two flights of stairs to ask the cook to bring me the fries which he said they would do. 20 minutes later when we were finished with our meal they still hadn't shown up. In spite of all the good things they say about the food it really was just at the end of the day ordinary. That's not worth $26.
(2)John R.
Was lookn for a good burger with my wife and kids and this place gets it done. Get the Viv burger and tater tots. Amazing combo. Staff was friendly and service was good. Cool rooftop bar for getting a beer and hanging out.
(5)Shelly M.
Mediocre at best. The tots were not what I expected. There were overcooked and $3 for 15 small shaped like really small hush puppies. The burgers were bland and overcooked even though we ordered them pink. We will not wasting $25 again for another mediocre place downtown. Disappointment.
(2)Rodrigo M.
After this place opened, I was not super impressed. Since they've been open for a year, they've made great improvements to their menu and who've that got back in the kitchen. Their burgers have gotten progressively better since I've been coming, but I wouldn't limit yourself to trying only those. The fried mozzarella, waygu beef hotdogs, fried pickles (which taste homemade), and the Dirty Bird chicken sandwich (oh god the Dirty Bird. Ive had 2 in one sitting) is the best Chicken sandwich in town.
(5)Jess M.
Too many good places to eat in Fredericksburg to settle for a mediocre burger. Thought it tasted fine, the burger reminded me of the frozen patties I can get in the grocery store. The meat looked grey (with a bit of pink) rather than the jucy delicious warm pink center promised by the lady at the counter, with little to no crusty searing on the outside. The siracha ranch dressing was good, but nothing else about the burger stood out. Oh, other than the roll which seemed pretty similar to the Martin's potato roll I get at Giant. As for the hand cut fries--they were nicely cut and fried, but zero flavor. They needed salt, pepper and at least some paprika! Service was just meh...I was one of two guests in view and the folks behind the counter were more interested in chatting than cooking. Great concept, poor execution.
(2)Jarrell W.
I have been to Vivify on 3 different occasions. The atmosphere and service are excellent. Everything looks so cool and contemporary, hard to believe its actually in Fredericksburg VA. As for the burgers each time I have gone I tried something different and wasnt really all that blown away. The burgers are pretty small for the price and flavor is a little lackluster. I will say their toppings are indeed fresh, their mojo sauce and sriracha mayo are delicious and yo the homemade tots are the business! Beer selection is nice too!
(3)Cindy M.
I still love the shakes, but what happened to the tots? Someone must have forgot the seasoning and also forgot to add half of my order to my basket! The items are way too pricey for what you get. I will probably will just visit for shakes in the future.
(2)Sarah T.
I'm so confused as to why Vivify doesn't get better reviews. It's one of my favorite spots in Fredericksburg! My fiancee and I LOVED our (extremely well portioned, although we did order doubles...but there was no way I could finish mine) Mother Earth and Farmhouse burgers--absolutely delicious! If you go, you MUST try the tater tots....YUM. The rooftop bar has an ambient, chill vibe, and is such a unique and fun addition to the downtown area! Perfect for a casual summer night out with friends. The bartender was friendly and service was prompt...what is there not to like? We'll definitely keep visiting this establishment.
(5)Jen R.
I've been here a few times since they've opened and they have made an effort to improve/expand their menu. I think there is still some room for improvement. Here's my take so far: The Good: The milkshakes! My favorite is the salted caramel milkshake, but they recently had a seasonal blackberry milkshake that was also very good. Pistachio is also a favorite. While I've been the pregnant DD for my husband, I recommend Vivify so they can enjoy their alcoholic drink of choice and I can have a milkshake. The tots are also delicious, but I wish the serving size was larger. I also like the interior décor and the rooftop bar set-up. The Ok: The burgers have been hit or miss. With their old menu, you could customize your burger. Now there are only specialty burgers with no substitutions. Their burger size has improved from the original small size, but they are less juicy. They seem to still be trying to find their perfect burger, so I'll continue to try them. I also tried their pork bbq sandwich, which would have been amazing if it had more sauce! Ask for extra sauce! The fries are a bit too skinny for my taste. They're ok. The bad: I haven't eaten anything I would consider "bad", however, I do find the no substitution policy bad. I don't mind paying extra for more expensive subs, but not being able to customize a burger for a specific type of cheese annoys me. Hopefully they'll change this policy.
(3)Dawn D.
I have been to this Vivify on several occasions and any review from when a spot first opens should ALWAYS be taken with a grain of salt. It takes a few weeks to get all of the bugs worked out. Since opening Vivify has improved on their burger sizes, and has added additional menu items. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the AMAZING milkshakes. My boyfriend and I will often go there instead of the 'burg's other ice cream spots. I love the atmosphere, the colors and bar. The rooftop is a fabulous place to be on a sunny afternoon.
(4)Michael G.
I give or 4 stars for a unique environment. 2 stars for the smallest 8 dollar burger on the planet. It was also cooked well to well well to done. This place has potential. It's so hard to see places that pop up in the burg that you know could do well, but you know they will disappear.
(2)Taylor H.
I stopped in Fredericksburg to get my oil changed and visit the old college town. After dropping my car off at Merryman's, I started to walk downtown, thinking I'd hit up Hunan Garden or Castiglias, as I often did in college. While making my way down William Street, I came upon Vivify and felt like a burger would hit the spot. After saddling up to the bar, I quickly made the acquaintance of Jim the bartender, a Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson) doppelganger. He gave a great rundown of the business and what they are striving to do (quality, locally-sourced burgers). I ordered two beers, a burger, and the tots with cheese sauce. As a beer enthusiast, I appreciated the diversity of offerings, though would have loved to see the local Blue & Gray on tap. I ordered a single patty burger, topped with bacon, a fried egg, and the sriracha ranch. I thoroughly enjoyed the burger. The use of a potato roll adds an additional taste that your won't get at Five Guys (or Shake Shack, Elevation Burger, BGR, or Smash Burger). I will caution those of you that like a fried egg to specify how well you would like the egg cooked. I was a bit surprised to bite into my burger and find an over easy egg. Egg yolk exploded out of the burger and all over my tray and the counter. I've never received an over-easy egg on a burger, it was quite the surprise! The tater tot portion was small than I expected for $3, but very tasty. Jim explained to me that they mash potatoes and mix it with sour cream before hand rolling the mixture in panko breading. They taste delicious and the beer cheese sauce is excellent. These aren't your OreIda chunked tater tots. These are fresh! In review, I will be stopping at Vivify more often when I'm in Fredericksburg or driving along I-95. For some people, it might seem expensive, but you're paying for locally-sourced, quality meat and produce. The meat is grass-fed beef from just north on Route 17 in Fauquier County. The produce, when available, is from Sneads. Not only are you getting meat that is healthier for your body, but you're helping local farms!
(4)Lauren N.
I'm writing this review to give a shout-out to Jim who was our bartender. I think he made the experience for us. Inside it's like a futuristic meets vintage diner . It has a really cool L-shaped bench area that has a built in table to set your drinks/food on. & I enjoyed myself at the bar. The dining area is pretty small..but as others mentioned they have a rooftop bar (which i did not get to see, it was raining!) Jim, the bartender , told us all about the place ;how the wood beams across the floor were repurposed from the old building & even the bar table was repurposed wood- the bar table was made by a local artist. We enjoyed the history...and Jim explained to us how most everything was housemade! house-made ketchup, potato bread & the beef was from a local farm. We were impressed with his knowledge & the resteraunt's devotion. We got our burgers, and didn't mind spending the 6-7 $ they cost, knowing all the effort that went into it. However, when i ate them i thought they tasted pretty dry...they were either very lean or dry because they were not juicy like a burger should be. My husband got the mojo sauce on his burger & he enjoyed it though he said he'd had better...however i was not impressed! Maybe if they work on their burgers they could become a 4-5 star place. We didn't have the heart to tell Jim. Oh but my husband had some homemade chiccarones (pork rinds) they sold & he said they were AMAZING...so they did something right. Also i liked how they served us water in mason jars (nice touch). But, thinking back I realize I would not have really enjoyed this place had it not been for our bartender. He gave us personalized service. Asked each one of us what our names were & kept calling us by our names...wow! something from the 50s. If they fix their burgers, they could be a GREAT place!
(3)Alyson W.
I was excited to see a cool new burger place in downtown F'burg. But, ultimately, I was disappointed. I would really like to see them succeed, because F'burg needs more places like this; hopefully they will tweak the awkward spots and develop a niche. Pros: Decent beer list & tasty pork sliders; friendly staff Cons: Overpriced, awkward ordering & service system, disappointing tots & fries The decor seemed modern and clean, and the menu in the window looked delicious. Burgers and beers? Sounds perfect. To start, this is probably one of the most inefficient ordering processes I've ever seen. There is no clear indication of whether you should seat yourself, order at the bar, or walk up to the ordering window.* But, hey, the menu looks good and the beer list is pretty decent and reasonably-priced, so I can overlook a little awkward ordering system. But $40 for a burger, two sliders, "boats" of fries and tots, and 2 beers? Maybe just a tad overpriced. The burger was just something we could have made at home on a Martin's roll, and the $1 upcharge for all the toppings (onions? really?) was a bit much. Just FYI, you can get pork belly or kim chi on your burger, but the only cheese choice is American. The "boats" of tots and fries were more like half-filled orders that had been sitting under the heat lamp. To boot, the tots were just... weird, like extruded mashed potato nuglets. We both ordered the "beer cheese," which we thought would be warm and poured over the fries / tots, but actually came in cold dressing cups. Mine was... meh; okay. Probably not worth the 50 cents. My boyfriend's was congealed to a different texture than mine, and as we were finishing, we noticed that the date on the lid of his cup was from over a week ago. Kitchen hint: use the dated cups so you don't send out old stuff. The pork belly sliders were pretty delicious, I'll give them that. But one menu item and a decent beer list is probably not enough to make me go back. I would really like to see this place succeed, because downtown could really use a great new restaurant like this. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon. _______________________ *When I was seated, I had a good view of both doors, and I saw no fewer than 6 parties of people come in, sort of wander around and say things like, "How do we order?" "What do we do?" "Should we seat ourselves?" and so on. Some simple direction will help this situation a lot and make guests feel more welcome (and help to streamline the service).
(2)Nathan B.
We've been to Vivify twice now as a family and both times have had an enjoyable experience. The food has been excellent and full of flavor. As many have mentioned some of the sandwich sizes are smaller than you would think but the innovative recipes using quality ingredients make the cost worthwhile. The atmosphere is also pretty unique and a well needed addition to old town Fredericksburg. Thanks Vivify.
(5)Diane E.
Went to see a band and have a burger and fries. The band was great, the food subpar. I ordered a single Farmhouse and Fries, $12.80. There were no condiments on the burger, though it was supposed to have Sriracha - you think I would have noticed that. The fries tasted as though they were soaked in a salt bath, fried and then re-salted. The burger was a great concept and I would like to try it again but if it is that dry again, I will be getting my money back.
(2)David S.
I am giving Vivify 1 star - primarily for the food. Mrs. Dave and I went there last night for dinner, very excited to try the new burger joint in the 'burg. We were very disappointed. When we arrived, the line was practically out the door. In most cases, this is a good sign. I quickly realized there was a line because the ordering process was ridiculously slow. Why? Because at the dinner hour, they decided to train someone. Note to the owners: train your people on your time, not your customers. After about 15 minutes we were able to order. We ordered two singles, one with ketchup and mustard and one with just Gulden's spicy brown mustard. We also ordered some Tater Tots and fries. When our order came, it was on one tray -- which was not big enough for both of us to use at the same time, so I'm not sure what they are expecting people to do. Take turns? They also forgot the fries, so I had to flag down the server to bring them. First impression: is there a beef patty on these burgers? I have never seen flatter, more unappealing burger (that I didn't cook myself). I know, it's just a burger, but it literally looked like the toppings were thrown on without consideration that your customers would have to reconstruct the burger at the table so they could eat it. The buns? Meh. Maybe you could warm them up? The tater tots looked like someone had already eaten half of them before they brought them to the table. For $3+ you'd think they could put more than a dozen in the basket. Plus they tasted like they were only half cooked. The fries tasted fine, but I think one of the servers grabbed a handful of those before they brought them to the table too. It wasn't all bad. The vibe and decor get 4-5 stars. The rooftop deck is just what FXBG needs -- 5 stars for that. In fact, if you take away the burgers, fries, and tater tots, this place gets 4.5 stars easy. But it's advertised as a burger joint. If I want a burger, I can get one that is far superior at 5 Guys or Red Robin. Or I can walk over to Foode, Sammy T's or J. Brian's and get a fantastic burger and fries. This place really needs to up their burger game. I don't care if the owner knows the cow the beef patty came from personally and grew the tomatoes and lettuce himself.
(1)R. M.
Such wasted potential. Downtown needs more casual dining options with simple, affordable menu items that are available after 10 pm. Vivify could easily fill that niche and I have been so ready to like them. But after a handful of experiences that have ranged from okay to awful, I'm ready to air my grievances. My ladyfriend and I showed up very hungry around 1:30 pm today (Saturday) to grab a quick bite. The menu showed a few options for burgers with different topping combinations. She wanted a simple cheeseburger with cheddar instead of American cheese. The cashier explained that they could only do "subtractions, not substitutions" and gave her the option of ordering a burger that was several dollars more expensive and subtracting the fried egg and bacon because "that's the one with cheddar on it". When she asked for no tomato, the cashier explained that to leave off the tomato, she would also have the leave off the lettuce and pickles. Her best option, the cashier helpfully explained, would be to pick the tomato off. Easy enough, I guess, but aggravating when we are already giving them too much money for our food. She stuck with the basic cheeseburger with American cheese. Already annoyed, I decided to keep it simple and also ordered the cheeseburger. We both ordered our burgers "pink" as "pink or no pink" are the two temperature options. We paid $25 for a single cheeseburger, a double cheeseburger, two drinks, and a single side of fries and sat down to patiently wait for our food. 30+ minutes later, our burgers are delivered. We are famished so we dig in. All of our burgers are extremely overcooked. To the point of an unpleasant chewy crispiness. There was nothing pink anywhere close to these burgers, and instead the inside was a sad gray in the void where the flavor use to be. If I hadn't been starving already and already contended with a 30 minute wait, I would have refused to eat it. Rather, I choked down 2/3s of it. When I mentioned the state of my burger to the food runner, she simply said "thanks for bringing that to our attention" and walked away. It was clear I was just one of the many complaints she'd receive on the day. I keep my expectations in check when I am dining at a casual place at particularly busy times. I'm not sure if the new ordering system and "no substitutions, only subtractions" thing is a primetime service policy or what, but it's unacceptable. And, if you are a restaurant with the word "burger" in your name, customers should be able to order a cheeseburger with cheddar cheese and no tomato without hassle. And, if I'm paying a premium for said burger and waiting 35 minutes to receive it, it shouldn't have the gross pallor of public school cafeteria food. I will make a mistake. I will have two too many beers at J Brian's, probably a few times this summer, and I will walk into Vivify in search of something to fill my stomach. But I won't be going there sober, and I won't be recommending it to anyone until they start getting the basics right. I wish them all the best, because it's in my best interest that this business model succeed. In the meantime, I'll just pray that someone else with a better idea and better food decides to fill the late night dining void in downtown Fred.
(1)Andrew T P.
OK, been keeping an eye on Vivify for some time as we are fans of the owner's other establishment, Bistro Bethem. A Friday night happy hour opportunity arose so we decided to finally give Vivify a try. The comments about the Jim are spot on, guy works hard to ensure that your visit is a good one. It appears the Bethem's took earlier reviews to heart and tweaked the food. As an example they modified the ground beef recipe to make the burger more appealing, or main stream if you will, as they added a bit more fat to make them less dry. The flavors found at Vivify are pretty darn good, from the homemade ketchup, mustard and other sauces. And for God's sake try the homemade tater tots, ever hear of such a thing? They are good. So, the food is good, no worries. Vivify has an ABC license you can have beer, wine, and mixed drinks. They rotate the tap beers and try and keep one going from a VA brewer. So, end result was a couple of beers with tasty food. I understood Vivify to be a late evening place to get food in Fredericksburg, you know burger and a beer as you wind up your evening. Nice of the Bethems to think about those who patronize downtown after hours. But, I am still troubled by the whole thing. Here is why. First, the weather did not allow for checking out the roof top, I think this is what will make the place because the downstairs just doesn't do it. The décor is confusing, Jetsons meet disco meet retro diner with a touch of ski lodge. Shining CD bar, brick wall with gas pipe and burnt 2 x 12 shelves, same for a table near bar, the futuristic chairs and tables, and the stainless bar front. It does not look like a burger joint, it looks more like a yogurt shop in an eclectic neighborhood in LA or Hollywood. And this is what struck me the most. On a Friday night, 7:10 pm as I was walking to my car, the 2 restaurants next to Vivify, were packed, crowded, crowded, crowded. There were three of us in Vivify. So, if you are from out of town and walking down William Street, where to you think you are going to stop and eat? A restaurant or a yogurt shop? I think that was answered by all the folks in the other two restaurants, it was clear that Vivify was not a destination dinner establishment. But back to the original theme behind Vivify, late night food for the late night crowd. I guess if you are good with the lunch, I understand it is great for lunch, and late night crowds, and they keep you in business then fine. Just seems a shame to squander the opportunities that the pedestrian traffic affords. I never thought anyone of my reviews would channel John Taffer and Bar Rescue, but this reminds me of a constant theme. "What is this place? Can you even tell what they serve here?" I know heart and soul went into the design of this place, I don't mean to offend, I truly hope this place succeeds. I am only providing insight related to my experiences. Go a bit more main stream, look like the burger joint that you are, the food is over the top you don't need the décor to be. Just trying to increase your traffic is all. If you are good with where you are at, then you are succeeding, congrats.
(4)Meghan C.
I went here once on a Sunday evening in the summer. It was not crowded (our group of 4 was the only one there when we ordered), and we aren't particularly difficult customers. There were more employees than customers, and it looked as though they had a bunch of teenagers running the joint. Even so, I felt that our food took a long time to come out, and when it did, it was poorly done. You would think a place that specializes in burgers would be able to differentiate between well done and medium. Alas, they cannot. We asked them to fix our burgers, and though they did, there's no reason that should have happened in the first place. It also took a long time to find someone to fix the mistake, and they weren't exactly speedy about that either. Now lets get on to portion size and pricing... For what you get, you're overpaying. Yes, I get that it's local beef, and I get that you have some slightly non-traditional toppings. However, when I pay that much for a burger, I'd like something that isn't a dinky, smashed-flat patty with gristle chunks in it. I kind of want a little more meat than that...because it's a burger. I can go down the street or around the corner from this place and get way bigger, far better burgers for close to the same price. The bun was nothing special, and they positively overloaded my burger (and everyone else in my party's) with condiments. When I bite my burger, it shouldn't hemorrhage mustard. And if it IS going to ooze, please don't let it be cheap yellow mustard. At least give me some stone ground or dijon? The fries were OK, but I've had better. And the beverage situation...kind of pricey. The shakes weren't bad, but again, I'd rather just drink water and go to Carl's on my way home. I won't ever be back. There are far better places nearby that I would rather spend my money at instead.
(1)Andrew B.
It took about 25 mins to get 2 burgers and fries, for 24 dollars including canned sodas. This was a bit ridiculous IMO.
(1)P. Shawn F.
Just got back from eating here--Saturday night on Memorial Day weekend. The place was pretty busy. Burgers and fries were really good. Milk shakes were awesome. Though we got our shakes about 30min before the food. It took about 40 min for our party of five to receive our meals. Everyone there was very polite, but the kitchen needs some help with processing orders more quickly.
(4)paul d.
Was headed with my son to Castiglia's for lunch when we came upon Vivify. Something glittery in the "Jetson's" style decor caught my son's attention so we thought we'd try it. Interesting little place that looks like it would be a cool place to have a beer and burger at the bar with some friends. Too cold for the rooftop seating still but I would love to try that next time. The food? Hmmmmm, locally sourced beef transformed into a less than average experience. Fries were average. Bottom-line: If you want to be a burger place - be a burger place! Deliver a belly-bustin' burger with a buffet of imaginative trimmings and charge whatever you want for it! If you build a damn good burger, we will come! Source it from Food Lion if you like! People love burgers! If you want to be trendy, locally sourced and do it well, see "Foode".
(2)Tommy K.
2.5 Stars - atmosphere is pretty cool as is the beer selection. The rooftop bar is a huge plus for this area as downtown Fredericksburg has needed something like this for quite a while. I was pretty impressed with their choice of beer which is primarily served in cans to go along with the retro theme which I can appreciate. However, I was not overly impressed with either the burger or fries for the price and was disappointed that the rooftop views were mostly obstructed. Either way I will still be back on nice days to enjoy some beers on the rooftop.
(2)Anne W.
We just stopped into Vivify to have some lunch. Although we had recently heard from two different friends that they had seen the cook wiping his sweaty head and then sticking his hand in the food, we decided to be daring and give it a try since we wanted to sit on their rooftop deck. Thank goodness we had to stand in line and watch the cook, because there he was, sweating like a pig. Up went his hand, wiped his forehead and immediately stuck his hands in some food. Why this man isn't wearing a hat or scarf on his head is beyond me. They have lost our future business until we see that dude get that nastiness under control. I generously gave two stars because of their rooftop deck, which I would only enjoy a canned beer on now.
(2)Stephanie H.
My family visited last Saturday during the busy lunch hour. We ordered 2 Farmhouse burgers, a classic, a kids Frank, fries, and tots. The outside seating was neat and the staff was friendly. The food took about 10 minutes; which was totally reasonable and actually pretty fast for it being prime time for lunch. The food came out hot and it was really good. Everyone loved what they ordered. The kids Apple sauce was in a 2 oz plastic cup, kind of small and my kid won't eat it anyway, but it was so delicious. Also, you HAVE to try the tots! They are perfection and you won't want to share! We will be going back sometime soon.
(5)Eugene T.
Good burger and great atmosphere. Neat place to hang out and just relax. If you like burgers and hanging out on roof tops, this is the place to be.
(4)Laura F.
Really enjoyed our time at Vivify. We sat on the rooftop bar and were warm but comfortable. Justin served us and made us feel welcome. Just three beers on tap but numerous american and interesting beers available. The burgers were delicious. I got the farmhouse and it had so many awesome qualities! My fiancé had the Viv burger and enjoyed it as well. It was a laid back, beachy atmosphere and we will be back again.
(5)Chris P.
The staff were very friendly and personable. We ordered a cheeseburger, a frankfurter, two fancy beers, and one side of hashbrowns. Everything was served on plastic baskets. Price: about $40 after tip. These are decent hamburgers, but honestly nothing special. At this price, there should be fries automatically included, or else the quality of the burgers (and dogs) should be vastly improved. Otherwise, these are DC prices but not DC quality. It costs the same as a meal at a place like The Burger Joint, Holy Cow, or Good Stuff Eatery, to which it is very much inferior. You can get burgers and hotdogs of comparable quality without spending this much. I hope this place alters its business plan, so that it can survive in the culinary graveyard that is downtown Fredericksburg, even after its novelty has worn off.
(2)Connie M.
Went here for the first time last Saturday which was a gorgeous day. Foode had a huge wait so we needed another option. I loved the place, especially the rooftop seating. My sons and I each got cheeseburgers and they also tried the fries. All of us were happy. One son could have had the bigger burger but they are a bit pricey. They don't have a huge selection of toppings but all were fresh and local. I didn't try a milkshake but I was tempted. Friendly staff.
(4)Thomas B.
First impressions are everything. Been wanting to go to Vivify since they opened, but was weary due to the reviews it has gotten. When we first got there, we were welcomed by a lady sitting behind the cash register. She was very friendly and explained their menu to us. Once we decided, we went ahead and placed the order - I had to repeat my order several times because she could not retain it. "A cheeseburger, with lettuce, to at and mayonnaise, a tuna burger and two Stellas" - a very complicated order I guess... She also asked how I wanted my burger, pink or well done, if requested pink. After paying, we noticed that nobody was going to bring us our beers, so we had to ask for them again. Our food came out about 10 minutes later. The tuna burger was missing the guacamole that normally comes with it, and my burger had no mayonnaise... My wife went back to the ordering counter to get the guacamole put on her burger, I opted not to bother with the mayonnaise. I took my first bite, and the burger was rare... Not pink. Ugh...! How hard can it be is it to get such a simple order so wrong? Went ahead and ate it anyway. Overall, the food is good, but I found it way too expensive for what it was. Two burgers, two beers, puts tip = $40... If you consider that the orders came out wrong, then it's way way overpriced. If you have extra cash, want to eat at a pseudo trendy place, and don't mind so so service, then you'll be ok eating here.
(2)A H.
We ordered the bahn mi slider, fried pickles, double burger with beer cheese and veggie burger. Service is fast, helpful and fun. Food was super tasty!!! Fried pickles are made from homemade pickles- sweet and tangy. Will definitely return when I'm in town!!
(5)MT U.
We've eaten here twice now and enjoyed it both times. There is room for improvement though. Other reviewers have said the same things we did. Everything was tasty and there is a great vibe. It's a little overpriced, and only American cheese is offered. With so many other topping choices you would think other cheeses would be an option, even if it's only a special cheese every week. The pork belly is not to be missed.
(3)Matt R.
The service was very attentive and the decor was very cool and trendy, but the biggest problem with this place is the burgers. The actual burger looked and tasted like it was some mass-produced meat disc trucked in from somewhere else. I really want this place to do well, but they need to work on the quality of their burgers here at their burger lounge. A better burger would have gotten this place four or five stars easily. The fries were excellent.
(2)precious s.
Hmmmm I am kind of shocked that yelp already filtered 3 previous reviews I read about Vivify, hmmm strange but anyway. My family and I went there last weekend. My 13 year old son loved it, my better half wasn't impressed and me I am not a big burger eater but I do try to support local places and that was my main reason on why I wanted to check them out. Now I have to admit 41 dollars for 3 combos is steep when, and I understand they use local products, but for those prices, they will not draw families but I see that place more like a date night kind of place. Also another thing if a combo is going to be 11.99 shouldn't your drink come from a machine and not a can of soda.. Ok the burgers...I figure they are small because they are made from scratch but they are kind of dry, I figure a made from scratch burger would be like juicer, like you know how you do at home, like I said my son who is 13 loved them, my better half who loves burgers said he wasn't impressed, I would like to go back and try their spiked shakes and I would probably just get a burger because to me the combo is just not worth the price.
(3)Guy S.
When I saw that this restaurant had opened up in town, I wanted to try it. I had read reviews on the place and in some of the reviews the prices kind of scared me away. In my luck they took a part in restaurant week!! 2 combo meals plus 2 milkshakes only $20.14! My wife and I we both ordered the single cheeseburger (No Pink). When it came out I was ready to dive into it, but I tried the fries first and they were perfect. It was actually kind of quiet inside of the restaurant, they had the NBA game on the television, steady traffic inside the restaurant, pretty cool atmosphere. The burger was good a tad bit on the dry side, but I would try it again with Pink instead of No Pink to see if that changes things. It was milkshake time, I'm guessing they added a Peppermint flavor, since it wasn't on the menu, so we mixed it with the Chocolate and it was smooth. Carl's shakes cannot touch this. I say Vivify has thee BEST milkshakes in Fredericksburg!! The staff was also friendly!!
(4)J R.
I go here frequently on my days off, and I have to say it's what Fredericksburg has needed for a long time! Quick food, quality ingredients (you can't beat grain finished beef in my opinion), a scratch kitchen, and the humble, craft-driven beer selection seals the deal. The staff are all quite young, but full of positive energy; not something I see too much these days! It took me a few visits before discovering the owners of Vivify also owned Bistro Bethem, a fantastic fine dining restaurant here in Fredericksburg as well. It all made sense! I was in one Thursday evening and the couple next to me seemed to be having quite the issues with their meal. When a young lady came by to ask them how they were doing, they were honest; their food was messed up. The young girl apologized and brought back the food, and within a matter of ten minutes the CHEF himself brought their food out, along with desserts and a gift certificate. Why can't all customer service be like this? These folks seem to really take pride in what they do, and make sure there staff does as well. As I read these other reviews, I think to myself, "maybe I missed the kinks?". I haven't had a bad experience here yet. For those of you who have, from the reviews Ive read above, I would keep an open mind and try it again. Ill tell you myself, I think about these burgers when I'm eating a ham sandwich at work, wishing they delivered. Hmm possibility Vivify?!
(5)Christie H.
I was very skeptical about trying Vivify based on the reviews, but I'm a huge fan of the owners other restaurant in town, Bistro Bethem, so I knew that I was going to try their burger place. I went towards the end of November not having very high expectations, but the food was really great! Their homemade tater tots are wonderful (don't go in expecting your run of the mill taken them out of the freezer and deep fry them tots, because they are much better than that), and their burgers were great. I know that a number of people have complained about the size, but I found that a single patty burger with a side of tots was more than enough to fill me up. They have a great selection of beers in cans, but only two beers on tap (on the rooftop deck, I'm not sure what their draft beer on the main level looks like), which was a bit of a disappointment. I will say that the ordering at the rooftop bar for food was rather tedious and took way too long. I'm also not a fan of the fact that they only have cans of soft drinks, but that's a minor point.
(4)Jacki A.
Hands down the best burgers in town. Since they have opened I have seen some improvements to portion size which was one of my initial complaints. My burger is still not consistently cooked to pink (sometimes it's a bit overcooked) but the toppings, bun, fries, and ketchup are sooo good. especially the fresh made ketchup. my kids really enjoy their shakes too. The service has always been really great. I have made vivify a frequented lunch spot and really recommend you give it a try.
(5)Eric M.
Totally misses the point of pairing good ingredients and value. Unlike other sandwich shops like Taylor and Shake Shack, the options are few, portions are small and the prices are high. This place is simply too expensive for what you get: a small, lackluster burger, a handful of fries and a can of soda costs ten bucks. To add onion, an egg, bacon, pork belly or one of a few condiments made in-house you're looking at between 50¢ and $2 per addition. The restaurant makes a point of advertising their use of quality ingredients: local meat and produce, and house made condiments (pickles, mustard, ketchup, and the unfortunately-named Mojo Sauce). The only available cheese, though, is a slice of processed American. And the fact is nowhere to be found on the menu. I hadn't had a slice of this fake stuff in years and it was an unpleasant surprise. I realize they're still in their soft opening stage but my experience wasn't tarnished by service or preparation. They will have to change prices, their menu and the portions to get me back in there.
(2)Lisa C.
I'm surprised at all the negative reviews for this place. We loved it! I'm a big organic person so I loved the fact their meat is all farm raised beef and cage free chicken. They make a lot of their own sauces in house too. If you want to splurge do not miss out on the tater tots...they are special. They did mess up a few of our orders but we were a pretty large party. The bartender, Jim is amazing. He was a huge help! We will definitely go back!
(4)Deborah B.
"to make more lively or intense" - Well the burger and fries that I had were not that great. The burger was a very thin formed patty, with nothing-special taste, and the fries were-limp. I hate a limp french fry. They were thin cut, and nicely salted and hot, but not crisp. I hate to say this, but you can get a better burger and fries at Five Guys. Maybe not as "cool" but tastier.
(2)Frank G.
This place has improved their burgers and their prices. Their falafel burgers are really good, and fresh. They also increased their burger size as well. The rooftop is super cool and they are open late later on in the week. Good beer too!! Live late night music on Thursdays!! It's definitely worth a try.
(4)Becky M.
I would love to say that i've given this restaurant 3 stars because of the burgers, but unfortunately that's not the case. The Salted Caramel Milkshake and the house cut fries were the hightlight of our trip. I was feeling a little adventurous so I took the advise of our server and ordered the single with fried egg, beer cheese, portabellos, and bacon. Note to anyone out there....this is NOT a good combination!!! The beer cheese made the whole overdone burger taste sour. I couldn't even eat half of it. Not to say I won't try it again and make my own decision on a burger, but this trip left a "sour" taste in my mouth.
(3)