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Thyme on The River is more than just a restaurant. It’s an experience. We are inspired by true love for food, social environments and our customers. The menu is a balance of comfort and innovation, celebrating food that appeals to both novice and extreme foodies with a twist; combination of Caribbean and Creole Cuisine. Just imagine fine dining, live music with outdoor seating looking over the Elizabeth River, we present you Thyme on The River.
Hours
| Monday | 11 AM–9:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–9:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–9:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1 High St, Portsmouth, VA 23704
Phone: (347) 570-1010
Website: https://thymeontheriver.com/
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Reviews
L3gendary Art
First off…the customer service is the first thing that made an impression. Tammy was extremely nice and hospitable from the moment we walked in. She greeted my table and welcomed us in. The drinks were flowing and the food amazing. The seasoning was noticeable and welcomed. The gumbo had fresh shrimp with Chuck’s of chicken. It’s more on the watery side but the flavor is loud in every bite. It also had a nice kick to it as well. I had the cabbage and the curry notes really put it over the top. The Mac and cheese also got high reviews from our table. They also helped us accommodate a baby. Overall from the music, vibes, customer service and food…this place is a keep in my book. Keep doing great work!
… moreTish C
This is a late review. I visited the restaurant in March. I was looking forward to trying their oxtails, but when they arrived, it was a big disappointment. The oxtails were not tender & the meal was cold. I did not eat my food. There were two other adults with me. One who was also disappointed but one who loved who ordered the sliders & loved them.
I also ordered the salmon bites which were different than expected but were ok.
I think this may have just been an off day because they were understaffed. A large group walked away after waiting too long for assistance.
… moreI also ordered the salmon bites which were different than expected but were ok.
I think this may have just been an off day because they were understaffed. A large group walked away after waiting too long for assistance.
Melissa Stewart
I don’t say this lightly—this was hands down the best cabbage, mac and cheese, and catfish I have ever had.
The cabbage tasted like it was kissed by angels—perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of soul. The mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and comforting in that “somebody’s grandma loves you” kind of way. And the catfish? Perfectly battered and fried—crispy on the outside, flaky and seasoned just right on the inside. Not greasy, not heavy… just flawless.
Every bite felt intentional and made with care. This is the kind of food that makes you close your eyes for a second and just appreciate life. I will absolutely be back, and I’ll be bringing people with me.
If you’re on the fence—don’t be. Go hungry. ignore the missing bites. I couldn’t wait to dig in.
… moreThe cabbage tasted like it was kissed by angels—perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of soul. The mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and comforting in that “somebody’s grandma loves you” kind of way. And the catfish? Perfectly battered and fried—crispy on the outside, flaky and seasoned just right on the inside. Not greasy, not heavy… just flawless.
Every bite felt intentional and made with care. This is the kind of food that makes you close your eyes for a second and just appreciate life. I will absolutely be back, and I’ll be bringing people with me.
If you’re on the fence—don’t be. Go hungry. ignore the missing bites. I couldn’t wait to dig in.
Maggie Clem
Thyme On The River from the outside appeared to be a good place to try so we walked in a little after noon to try their food. There was no one to greet us at the wait stand. After maybe 10-15 minutes a young lady appears who escorted us to a table. We placed our orders and waited for what seemed an unusual amount of time. There were other guest. A group of about 10-15 older ladies who seemed to be celebrating something. We understood it was busy but still felt neglected. All of our food came out cold except the jerk chicken egg rolls. In fact, out of all of the food those were the best things we were served. The rice and ox tails was disappointing because there was no meat on the bones. You can see from the picture how much oxtail we got. Oh there was plenty of cold rice though. The cabbage tasted alright but it was cold too. That is not Jamaican jerk chicken. It doesn’t look like nor taste like that. Look at the black plate. It was food splatter all over it and no one in the kitchen thought to wipe it off.
I thought restaurant food had to be served at a certain temperature???
We paid our 73.00 bucks to the waitress who apologized about the food and left all that food you see in the picture on the table and walked out. Never again. Some may question why we would pay for food that was totally disgusting and I’ll tell them this… we paid for the experience to never be a patron again. Some times we must pay for our mistakes and it was a mistake to go there. I hope they do better.
… moreI thought restaurant food had to be served at a certain temperature???
We paid our 73.00 bucks to the waitress who apologized about the food and left all that food you see in the picture on the table and walked out. Never again. Some may question why we would pay for food that was totally disgusting and I’ll tell them this… we paid for the experience to never be a patron again. Some times we must pay for our mistakes and it was a mistake to go there. I hope they do better.
Laniya Legette
I ordered the Rasta pasta and added chicken and salmon. Some parts of the pasta were a little cold, but overall it was really tasty and full of flavor. The drinks were also on point—definitely a highlight. Overall, it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area!
… moreMichael Naab
We had the jerk Chichen wings and jerk chicken egg roll and jerk chicken with rice and beans and Mac and cheese and Chichen sausage crab and shrimp gumbo. Everything was pretty good, and the wings were 6$ for 6. The wings were crispy and sauced up. The egg roll was crunchy with a spicy mustard dip. The main course chicken pulled off the bone and was juicy and spiced up nicely, and the gumbo was so good I should’ve gotten that as my main dish. Would come back for the wings and gumbo
… moreMike Whitaker
My wife and I recently had a date day at Thyme On The River, and it was absolutely fantastic! The location is perfect, with a parking garage conveniently close by.
Our server, Zoe, greeted us with a warm smile and was incredibly helpful in answering our questions about the menu. Her service was exceptional and added to our great experience.
The food was outstanding. My wife ordered the gumbo, which she highly recommends. It was extremely flavorful and had just the right amount of spice. I had the jerk chicken with sides, and it was cooked to perfection with amazing flavor.
The ambiance is perfect for a date day or any special event. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. This place is a must-visit!
… moreOur server, Zoe, greeted us with a warm smile and was incredibly helpful in answering our questions about the menu. Her service was exceptional and added to our great experience.
The food was outstanding. My wife ordered the gumbo, which she highly recommends. It was extremely flavorful and had just the right amount of spice. I had the jerk chicken with sides, and it was cooked to perfection with amazing flavor.
The ambiance is perfect for a date day or any special event. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. This place is a must-visit!
Zy’Aira Allen
I usually don’t do these type of reviews.. but this time I HAD TO! We celebrated my sister’s birthday at Thyme On The River in Portsmouth last night & the customer service was UNACCEPTABLE and VERY disappointing! This is a black owned restaurant and it did not meet the expectations AT ALL! We got there at 7:15 pm for a reservation and was seated. Shortly after, our waitress came over to place our orders. We were told immediately that they were out of just about ALL items on the list (including oxtails, grits, red beans & rice, ALL desserts,etc). side note: KEEP IN MIND.. it was Restaurant Week in Portsmouth & they were advertising a 3 course meal for $34.99 (including appetizer, main course, & dessert). How IRONIC.. you’re missing several items on the menu but advertising a deal SHAME! Some ordered appetizers along with their food and alcohol beverages. Time goes on, it is now after 8 pm and drinks were still not served and appetizers were not out. Meals started to come out before appetizers.. which should NEVER happen! One meal in particular, the SMASHburger was ordered & it looked like a McDonald’s burger & we were charged $17 for a burger that was not advertised as shown (CC). At this point, we requested to speak with the manager. The manager came to the table and we had informed him of the terrible service and dissatisfaction of certain meals (catfish- no flavor, burnt taste). He proceeded to apologize for the service & state that he was helping out in the kitchen due to a cook walking out. We asked that the whole table be discounted due to the lack of customer service from the waitress & the duration of time it took for our drinks and food to come out. After being there for over 3 hours, at this point everyone was fed up & ready to leave & to NEVER return! Another waitress had served another table, a slice red velvet cake and vanilla cake.. we all were confused as to how a table who came in after us had desserts when we were told originally they were all OUT of desserts!! OVERALL, we rate Thyme on the River -10000/00 DO NOT RECOMMEND ‼️ DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! Our waitress came to close our tabs & no discount had been applied. We requested to speak to the manager again, however, he REFUSED to come back out. At this time, the waitress took it upon herself to apply (10%-12%) discounts to each ticket. The waitress even stated that she did not blame us for being upset & that SAYS A LOT! Tickets were over $100 and the service and food was not worth that AT all.
… moreA Smith
I have to say we’re on the fence with this restaurant. We went there tonight about 6:20pm. We walked in, and the woman at the counter was on her phone. We stood there because we weren’t invisible but we stood. I then excused myself and asked her if we should seat ourselves. She said, ‘No, but we only have outside seating’. (But there were plenty of empty tables.) We said fine. She said, ‘You go out the door to the left’ and went back to her phone. Okayyyyy, I’m keeping it cool, BUT that’s ONE. On TWO, I usually take my money elsewhere, but we want to support our local community. Fortunately, when we went over there, we met the waiter Rodney . He was working hard trying to accommodate those of us outside. However, we didn’t get our appetizers until 7:30pm. Tables of other customers were leaving upset. The salmon bites we ordered did not deliver any Caribbean flavor, which was disappointing after that wait, but the jerk chicken egg rolls had a nice kick. By 8:20, that was TWO, and we were leaving too. We felt soooo bad for Rodney because it wasn’t his fault. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to us when we got there, they were hosting a party. They had all the food and were partying good. The food that was being served looked delicious though as it passed us. We were really hungry . Rodney was so apologetic and nice to us, we WILL try again. BIG BIG THANK YOU TO RODNEY FOR SUCH GREAT SERVICE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES! I’ll keep you all posted, but if you go before my update…PLEASE make sure no party is going on BEFORE you order.
5/31/25: We went back. Bartender was very nice. Ordered and received to go the jerk chicken and mac n cheese, yams, and jerk chicken egg rolls. 6 out of 10.
… more5/31/25: We went back. Bartender was very nice. Ordered and received to go the jerk chicken and mac n cheese, yams, and jerk chicken egg rolls. 6 out of 10.
kimberly deaton
I was on the fence about trying this restaurant, but boy am I glad I did! The crab cakes were my absolute fave, and the vibe, food, and service were top notch . The owner, Malik, was really friendly and came over to chat, sharing some cool history about Thyme On The River being the first black-owned restaurant on the Elizabeth river in Portsmouth. 10/10 I definitely recommend!
… more