Nick’s Picks: Make Bodillaz your next late night food stop

Nicholas Barahona, Staff Writer

Welcome to Nick’s Picks.

Join me, Nick Barahona, on our journey through the city of Richmond where I review and showcase the different cuisines and restaurants in close proximity to campus, from the lens of a VCU student. I welcome you to an exciting time ahead filled with great deals and good eats.

Searching for good late night eats brings us to a restaurant with the self-proclaimed title “Famous Quesadillas.” Today we check out Bodillaz, a departure from usual late night spots like McDonald’s or Cookout.

Bodillaz is located at 916 W. Broad St., right next to the VCU School of the Arts building — a short, five-minute walk from Monroe Park.

Bodillaz offers a wide variety of all-star fast food options such as quesadillas, wraps, burgers, sandwiches, wings, fries, nachos, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders.

Their most loved and bestsellers are featured in the menu as “RVA Favorites,” which consists of three different selections: the “No Way José Quesadilla” with breaded chicken, onion rings, fries, bacon, ranch, barbecue and the restaurant’s bo sauce; the “Shrimp Quesadilla” with onion, green peppers, buffalo and cajun spice; and the “620 Wrap,” with fried chicken, bacon, onion rings, fries, lettuce, cheese, ranch, barbecue and bo sauce.

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., but what separates Bodillaz from other restaurants in its proximity is that it is one of the latest ones open on Friday and Saturday night. Friday hours are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Saturday hours are noon to 3 a.m., making it a hotspot for college students and locals to enjoy a bite after dark.

As you enter Bodillaz, you are immediately faced with the kitchen, which makes up almost half of the space and resembles a bodega setup. There are a few tables and seats for dine-in, though the restaurant is more suited for takeout. Just like the colors on the Bodillaz logo, the restaurant is filled with red, green and yellow. 

I ordered six wings and the “No Way José” quesadilla. The wings come in four different sauces: buffalo, spicy barbecue, honey barbecue and a combination of all three sauces to make the “TRIPPS” sauce.

The wings were about $7, which is reasonable for a half dozen order. The value you get for the price is great, as the size is large and there is plenty of meat and sauce on the wings. The quesadilla cost me about $12, which is relatively high, but its size was significant. Filled to the max with chicken, onion rings, fries, bacon and sauce, this is a meal you will have a tough time finishing in one sitting.

I was equally happy with the combined taste of the chicken and sauce. There was no dryness to the protein and definitely no hold on the sauce. The addition of ranch was the finishing touch needed to make these wings some of the best I have had in Richmond.

The quesadilla comes in four servings. It had a lot going on inside of it in terms of filling and taste, so it was a tad bit overwhelming for me. However, the sauces added a delightful flavor to the mix.

You can’t ask for much more from a restaurant like Bodillaz considering that its service goes through the late nights on Fridays and Saturdays. Even during its regular hours, there is something for everyone.

If you are tired of the same old fast food options around campus, I suggest that you give this place a try. Though you may not find incredibly cheap prices, for the value and location you are still getting one heck of a deal.

Bodillaz is a Richmond staple that is an easy thumbs up and a 4.5 out 5 stars overall.

As always, eat up!

For all things food, feel free to check out @nxreview on Instagram and TikTok for many more recommendations and reviews around town.