Anthony

Had a chance to visit Vertical in Tyson's and was lucky to have the gym to myself early in the morning. Was excited to give this place a try since I've only been to Sportrock and Movement.

The Facility: Nice and spacious building. Has a nice variety of walls for you to choose from (Cave, overhang and moon board). They also have a small little fitness area with dumbbells, barbells and some cardio equipment as well. The mats are are well cushioned too, to catch your falls and there are plenty of cubbies to store your gear and be put out the way.

The Routes/Grades: Their routes are on the v-scale and were somewhat accurate to the grades from what I've seen. I saw a mix of grades that I did and didn't agree with, and I can see this being a little hard for some beginner climbers. But, my biggest problem with this gym is that the holds here are all old and dirty. For the most part, the whole gym was kind of dirty and didn't looked well kept. For some of the routes I was on, the holds didn't make it enjoyable as dirty holds left me slipping off my feet. They were quite dusty and full of rubber shavings and the whole gym didn't look well kept at all.

The Staff: Staff here are very friendly! They were helpful with any questions I had and were respectful.

Overall, a 3/5. Was quite disappointed with my experience here at Vertical. For the amount it cost for a day pass, I would look elsewhere like Movement or Sportrock.

Was in the VCU area, so why not venture back to the old Kokonut Grill I used to eat at while on campus. Some things have changed, and it's just become an average food spot now.

The Food: I went with the "Box" option for my visit. 1 protein, 1 sauce and 3 sides. I went with the Spicy Garlic Chicken, White Rice, Spicy Fries and Sesame Noodles (Chilled). The chicken wasn't that flavorful or tender when I was eating it. The spicy garlic flavor wasn't fully there, so it was almost plain. The fries had some spice seasoning topped on it, which was good, but nothing noteworthy. The chilled sesame noodles were good though, nice subtle sesame flavor that was chilled hit nicely. Overall, a just an average cooked meal. I also remember them serving mac salad, that was a fan favorite amongst myself and a few friends, kind of sad its gone.

The Service: Service was good! Staff here are friendly and welcoming. And, my order came out in a timely manner.

The Atmosphere: Not a lot of seating inside. It's mostly a takeout kind of food spot. But still has the nice decor, paired with the nice college/RVA feel.

Overall, a 3/5. Just an average food spot now. Maybe its nostalgia trying to make me like this place, but the quality from what I've seen has gone down. I probably won't be returning here unfortunately

5/5.

Olive Garden is always a good pick for dinner, especially if you're craving some good pasta. This location has always been consistent with the quality and service.

The Food: I went with the "Create You Own Pasta" option. Went with the Rigatoni, on the Creamy Mushroom sauce with some Crispy Chicken Fritta and a side of meatballs. The pasta was cooked perfectly, the sauce was incredibly delicious and flavorful. The chicken was a little more cooked than I'd like, but still tasty. The breadsticks and endless soup is always a plus as well.

The Service: Service was great! Staff were very friendly and attentive to our small group. Water refills were consistent as well.

The Atmosphere: Very spacious restaurant. Clean and nicely decorated. Parking can be a little tricky for people who haven't been here, as it's behind the restaurant in a garage.

Overall, a 5/5. Food was consistent and delicious. Definitely recommend this location

5/5!

Was in the Santa Cruz area and had a craving for some tacos. So with a few minutes of just browsing Yelp, I stumbled upon Los Primos, and it was only a 20 or so minute walk from the boardwalk.

The Food: I went with a Lengua Super Burrito and one Lengua Taco. The burrito was huge and filling! Had tons of meat and other ingredients in it. The meat was tender and juicy. The taco was portioned very well, all it came with is the meat, onions, and cilantro. That's really all that is needed for a delicious taco. I was so full, but honestly wished I got more tacos because it was so good.

The Service: Service was great! The staff here were friendly and got our orders out within a timely manner. Prices here are also very affordable. Loved it

The Atmosphere: Whole in the wall spot. A decent amount of seating. And, they also have a Salsa bar for you to grab what you like!

Overall, a 5/5! One of the best taco spots I've had so far. The food was absolutely delicious! Highly recommend! I know I'll keep this bookmarked for next time.

Was in Japantown on a busy Sunday and had to stop by here since a friend of mine told me that they had some Onigiri's an Mitarashi Dango!

The Food: I went with a Spicy Salmon Onigiri and the Mitarashi Dango. The Onigiri was quite filling. It was bigger than what I'm used to getting in my area, which was quite nice. The salmon filling inside the Onigiri was plenty and flavorful. The Dango was good! However, I wish it was heated up when we got it. It was a little cold when I picked it up.

The Service: Orders will take a while if it's busy. I waited about 30-40 minutes for some onigiri's and dango. Staff members are friendly though. It's just the wait times that is frustrating.

The Atmosphere: Can be very crowded at times. There are some seats and tables for you to eat at, but not much since it's at an open court area.

Overall, a 4/5. Definitely recommend stopping by and giving this place a try. But only if you have the patience to wait about 30-40 minutes.