Waterman's
Beachwood Grill. 415 Atlantic Avenue,
757-428-3644. Food-4. Service-3. Atmosphere-5. Prices you'd expect for
oceanfront dining... $17 for seafood entrees, 4 pasta dishes available for
less. Chicken and steak for land lubbers are priced accordingly and
appetizers run about $6. The beer choice is limited and at $5.50, a glass
of house cabernet is only average. A top-shelf Margarita is $6.50. You can
eat
outside next to the boardwalk or in the spacious dining area. Inside
seating is in tiers... everybody has a great view of the ocean. Valet
parking sometimes gets backed up and expect a slight wait for seating.
Reservations accepted. Lunch & Dinner. April 06
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Rudee’s on the Inlet.
227 Mediterranean Ave. 757-425-1777
F-3; S-3; A-3 Large array of appetizers - $6.95-$15.95;
soups and salads ( $3.25-$9.95); burgers and sandwiches – $6.95-$13.95;
seafood, pasta, steaks, and platters average $20, ranging from
$9.95-$29.95. We were disappointed in the She Crab Soup which was rather
flavorless and had very little crab meat. It also arrived just barely
tepid and had to be reheated. Steak was excellent and cooked as ordered.
Large dining area with dockside atmosphere and harbor views in the
enclosed sunroom, which in this reviewer’s opinion raises the atmosphere
level up in the summer. They have a unique, large
outd
oor
dining area with padded gliders and a glass enclosed bar.
Valet parking. Reservations not accepted. This is a local’s favorite
year ‘round. Sunday
brunch; lunch, and dinner. Dec 07
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Big Sam’s Inlet Café. 300 Winston Salem
Rd. 757-428-4858 Food-4. Service-4. Atmosphere-4. Dockside restaurant on
Rudee Inlet. Raw bar and small dining area where most seats have dockside
view. Seafood entrees average $16. Value meals and baskets-$10. Appetizers
about $8. We were impressed with the hefty portions even with the Value
dinners. Check out their Signature dinners. Small parking lot.
Reservations not accepted.. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. May 04
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Mahi Mah's.
615 Atlantic Ave (in Ramada Hotel). 757-437-8030. Food-4. Service-4.
Atmosphere-4. There are 22 entrees averaging $19, eight appetizers at
about $8, and sandwiches, about $8. Some pasta, chicken and steak entrees.
Great salads and a menu page devoted to sushi and sashimi. They boast an
award winning wine list… the house cabernet was excellent. Large selection
of beers. There are two dining rooms, a large bar and a raw bar. The décor
is elegantly paneled in mahogany with large windows for a good ocean view.
Outdoor dining available with
entertainment on oceanfront stage. Valet parking. No reservations in
summer. Great lunch menu; breakfast buffet Mon-Sat $5.99. Early dining
discounts. One of the managers visits each table to inquire about
satisfaction with service and food. Nice touch. April
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One Fish, Two Fish.
2105 West Great Neck Road, Long Bay Point Boating Resort. 496-4350.
Food-4. Atmosphere-4. Service-4. Who would have ever thunk of putting
garage doors in a restaurant and it’s still at the top of the list for
dining elegance in VB! Situated at the end of the dock, the sides roll up
to provide open air dining when the weather permits. Great views of the
very busy Long Creek with traffic ranging from canoes to massive ocean
going cruisers. It’s Manhattan on the water with no traffic lights and
rarely a collision Entrees are limited to 10 choices sans chicken or
vegetarian selections. Appetizers are also limited to a selection of 10,
but it’s the selection that will impress. . Even the water is at "5", 99%
pure, bubbles cost extra. Average entrée, $19, Appetizer, $9. April
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Dockside Inn.
3311 Shore Drive. 481-4545. Food-4. Service-3. Atmosphere-5. Half the fun
is sitting in Dockside watching all the boats go by or rating the captains
as they dock 35 to 100 foot monsters in the nearby slips. Atmosphere and
view are unbeatable with seating choices that range from the open air on
the dock, a covered rain forest motif with open sides or inside seating
around a huge oak bar. The wine choice is the largest in the area and the
seafood choices abound. Over 34 main dishes (average $16) to choose
including vegetarian entrees. Appetizers are scrumptious with 17 (average
$7) to choose from; order an assortment and call it a meal! Nine dinner
salads at $12.99 and sandwiches and lighter fare available. May
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Ellington’s.
2901 Atlantic Ave.. 428-4585. Food-3. Service-3. Atmosphere-3. On the
ocean front, inside the Oceanfront Inn, Ellington’s is possibly the best
family restaurant at the beach. Its huge indoor heated pool can entertain
older children while the parents enjoy cocktails and appetizers. Eight
dinner entrees range from $13-20, average $18; 7 pasta entrees average $1
4;
10 appetizers averaging $8. 25 sandwich selections ranging $6-8 make it a
great luncheon spot. It has a large outdoor dining area and a number of
window seats overlooking the ocean. May
If
you wonder why bicycles and jitneys keep ringing their bells at you,
you're probably walking on the bike path instead of the boardwalk.
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Laverne's/Chix Cafe.
7th & Oceanfront. 757-428-6836. Food-2. Service-2. Atmosphere-3. Laverne's
is the restaurant-side; Chix Cafe is the 'smoking allowed' bar/cafe side,
which serves the same menu. Prices are average for oceanfront setting...
$18 for entrees, $7 for sandwiches. $8 for appetizers. But our food was
bland. Of 20-odd entrees, 11 are seafood, 4 are pasta, 4 beef, 2 chicken.
9 sandwich varieties, including a Garden Burger. Our fish dinner was
presented cold and the choices were to heat
it up, resulting in overcooked, or to receive a 10% discount
.
Good selection from the bar. There are lots
of tables but this and narrow
rooms can make for a noisy environment.
Outside dining
available. Some parking spaces, more at the adjoining hotel lot. Close to
the municipal garage. Lunch and dinner. May 03
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Rent a
bicycle or one of those jitneys and see the strip from one end to the
other.
Tautog's
Restaurant. 205 23rd Street. 422-0081.
Food-4. Service-4. Atmosphere-4. Cozy seaside cottage atmosphere a half
block west of Atlantic . Local's favorite. Not your usual seafood menu.
Well-flavored entrees with a varied cuisine. Several local catches
available. Presentation is a 5. One chicken and one beef for landlubbers.
Entree average $12. Appetizers, $6. Sandwiches, $6. Outstanding value for
price. 20 wines available, most by the glass. Attentive service by
multiple servers. Tasty homemade desserts. Small parking lot in
rear… metered on-street parking available. Limited inside dining but
several screened porches are inviting. This was, after all, a cottage.
Interesting blend of background music... from jazz to bluegrass...but not
obtrusive. Reservations suggested. May
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Chick’s Oyster
Bar. 2143 Vista Circle. 481-5757.
Food-3. Service-3. Atmosphere-4. If you like "Sittin’ on The Dock of
the Bay" on a picnic table, this place is for you. Two of the dining areas
are right beside the Lynnhaven Inlet. But ‘bar’ is the operative word in
the name. 16 wines, 37 brews with 6 on tap, and most any mixed drink you
can name. Even though there are entrees, average $16, sandwiches, average
$7, and pasta, average $12, Chick’s abounds with munchies. $7 appetizers,
and bunches of raw or steamed shellfish… clams, oysters and shrimp…even
crab legs. Chick’s caters to the younger adult crowd and tends to be a bit
noisy, but the food is good, the service agreeable and the atmosphere is
great. The homemade desserts aren’t too bad either. May 03
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Rockafeller's Restaurant. 308
Mediterranean Avenue. 422-5654. Food-4. Service-4. Atmosphere-3. Great
place for a crowd. All food was properly prepared and presented hot. Only
two chicken and vegetarian dishes out of their selection of 25+ seafood
entrees, The ribs were the best one diner could remember eating. Great
flavor and very tender. The Rudee Inlet views are somewhat boring as boat
traffic was non-existent. Service was good and the staff friendly, but get
there together if your party is large; no partial party seating.
Reservations are recommended. Valet parking. Ten appetizers tempt the
palate
at an average of $8. Prices range from $12-30 with chicken and pasta at
the $12 level, no surprises there. Kids menu from $3-$6. The desserts will
make you put off the diet till tomorrow. Dec 03
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Fish Bones Restaurant.
1211 Atlantic Ave. 422-4557. Food-2. Service-3. Atmosphere-3. Fish Bones
is actually two restaurants with the same kitchen. This one borders
Atlantic, has a café type dining room and a pleasant dining porch along
the 13th street pedestrian mall that runs from Atlantic to
the Boardwalk. Entrees are reasonably priced, averaging $17. Appetizers
average $8 and there are many sandwiches which average $7. The salad bar
is nice and comes with entrees. The food is filling but a bit bland. It’s
not bad, but for $17 you would expect a little flair. There is plenty of
free parking on the deck inside the Surf Side Hotel where Fish Bones is
located. The jewel here is the $24 buffet which is located in another
dining area on the Boardwalk. (See next review.) May 03
When crossing the bike path, look both
ways! The bruise you save may be your own!
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Fish Bones Buffet.
13th & Oceanfront.
422-4557. Food-2. Service-3. Atmosphere-4. Fish Bones is actually two
restaurants with the same kitchen. The Oceanside half has ample indoor
dining and an outside porch overlooking the boardwalk. Although some of
the entrees are available from the Atlantic side restaurant, most dinners
here opt for the $23.95 buffet. Choices include fish, raw and steamed
shellfish, crab legs, chicken and steak dishes, a salad bar with seafood,
hush puppies, corn bread and a dessert bar. The food is filling but a bit
bland. It’s not bad, but we’d like a little more seasoning. However you do
get your money’s worth. There is plenty of free parking on the upstairs
deck inside the Surf Side Hotel where Fish Bones is located. (See
previous review) July 03
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Lynnhaven Fish House Restaurant. 2350
Starfish Road. 481-0003. Food-4. Service-4. Atmosphere-5. A Bay
institution, this place has won all kinds of travel club stars and awards.
Built on a pier suspended over the sand, there is not a bad dining view.
No reservations accepted but they are able to handle large parties without
a long wait. Plenty of wait staff, each covering only a few tables. An
abundance of entrée averaging $20+. Appetizers - $8. The complementary
hush puppies are tasty and the delicious fresh baked bread comes in a warm
little pot. Valet parking, a private dining area for up to 50 and filtered
water help make this place a dining pleasure. Lunch is served from 11:30
to 3, and averages $9. Choose from 20 items, which come with hush puppies.
June 03
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Ocean House Waterfront Seafood Restaurant
(formally Island Republic ). 19th & Boardwalk. 425-8600. Food 1.
Service 3. Atmosphere 5. Upstairs is probably the best outside dining view
at the beach. You overlook the boardwalk to a panoramic view of the ocean.
Old style wooden booths and bench tables. A great place to drink. Just
don’t be tempted to order the food. Even the she-crab soup was tasteless.
Dinner seafood, steak, and chicken entrees average $17, and appetizers $8.
Lunch platters average $12, appetizers & salads $7, burgers $7, and
sandwiches $8. Kid items $6. Early bird specials 4-6, live music nightly
and oceanfront dining on 2 levels. Outside downstairs dining atmosphere is
a 4. Parking at the 19th street lot. They also get the award for having
the longest restaurant name at the oceanfront. June 03
You never see many seashells on the beach.
So how come there are so many for sale on the strip?
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Ocean Eddies on the Pier. 15th St .
425-7742. CLOSED Food-2. Service-2. Atmosphere-4. Ocean Eddies is
literally on the beach. Well, actually, over the beach. The outside
dining porch offers a great view no matter where you sit. However,
the beach music, while enjoyable, was too loud for easy conversation.
Food was a disappointment. The fresh fish tasted like it was frozen
too long, and the shrimp was tough. The crabcakes were tasty.
Appetizers ranged from $3.25 to $10, sandwiches $7-8. Dinners,
steamed platters, and seafood specials averaged $16. One meat selection
was $23. Try to avoid using the bathrooms unless you must check out
their automatic towel dispenser, which was empty in the men’s room.
Parking lot in front by the amusement park. “Guppy” menu; lunch and
dinner; no reservations accepted; and entertainment nightly. June 03
For dessert, try
the ice cream shop on the pier across from Ocean Eddie's.
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Bubba’s Crab House.
3323 Shore Dr.757-481-3513. Food 3. Service 3. Atmosphere 4. This is a
casual waterside restaurant. We sat dockside at plank tables with lots of
boat traffic for entertainment. (You can arrive by boat if you want.) This
elevates our 'atmosphere' rating to a '4'. There is air-conditioned
seating indoors. Our seafood meals were average in taste and presentation.
The Fish of the Day and crabs are fresh from the dock. The menu was lacking
in non-seafood offerings. Entree choices were Teriyaki or blackened
chicken. Hamburger and chicken sandwiches come with crabmeat. The house
coleslaw was delicious, as was the blackened chicken. The fresh fish is at
market price, while other seafood entrees range $15-$17. Soups, fresh
salads, appetizers and desserts are available, as are beer, wine and liquor.
June 04
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Catch 31. 3001
Atlantic Avenue. 213-3001. Food-4. Service-3. Atmosphere-5. Bar type dining
experience… a bit on the noisy side, but conversations possible. A variety
of seating options, either at the bar, the raw/steamed bar or café tables.
Outdoor eating terraces overlook the Boardwalk and Neptune’s Park with fire
pits for cool weather. Plenty of fresh seafood on the menu (average $24)
along with steak ($30), chicken ($19) and prime rib ($23); pizza ($10) and
pasta ($18). 4 appetizers average $10; and 4 desserts average $7. Basket of
breads outstanding. Soups, chowder, stews and salads offered. Buffet
breakfast. Dress casual. Adjoining Salacia restaurant more traditional and
upscale. Ground floor of Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront. February 06
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Croakers. 3629 Shore
Drive. 363-2490. Food-5. Service-5. Atmosphere-3. Reservations suggested.
This is a popular local’s hang out with a dozen starters for about $9 each,
a seafood salad for $18 and dinners averaging $20. Choose from 19 seafood
entrees including five pasta dishes, two steaks and a chicken or beef stir
fry. You can even order a spicy Creole dinner…shrimp scallops &
lobster in a tomato based Cajun spice sauce. In addition to the
dinners, there are ten other specials, also averaging $20. A half-dozen
sandwiches average $9 and consist of seafood, steak and chicken. Not fast
food. Items are prepared after you order. Ok wine list with beer and mixed
drinks. Cozy dining. You’ll be waited on by three or four people. (See
comments section.) April 06
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Courtyard Cafe.
2501 Atlantic Ave. 491-6222. Food - 5 ; Service - 4 ; Atmosphere - 4. The
Cafe offers the expected appetizers, soups and salads to occupy you before
your entree arrives. These, as well as the entrees, lean towards seafood
and chicken. For the beefeater, there was a New York Strip steak amongst
the entrees. For lighter fare, there are six sandwiches, again with an
emphasis on seafood. (The ocean is a few yards away, after all!)Our
entrees were all attractively presented and all were enjoyed. The chef
invented a vegetarian dish for one diner, which earned a '5'. The main
dishes ranged from $10.95 to $23.95. Sandwiches and wraps: $6.95 to
$10.95. Salads: $4.75 to $9.95, which can include chicken or seafood added
to the greens. The food items are available from room service if you are
staying at the Marriott.There was only one server (on a slow night in
September) who was efficiently attentive. There is a boardwalk and ocean
view from the nicely decorated dining room. November 06
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The Galley. 1401
Atlantic Ave. 491-6478. Food: 3; Service: 3; Atmosphere: 3. The Galley is
tailored to the seafood lover, featuring a buffet for $24 with at least 10
seafood entrees. These include favorites like devil crab, crab-stuffed
mushrooms and crab legs. The raw bar with oysters is included as are
mussels, shrimp and very tasty she crab soup. For the landlubber, the buffet
carried lemon pepper chicken, ribs and pot roast on the night we dined.
Dessert is included but not your beverage. From their menu you can order
more seafood and two regular steak meals; 6 pasta dishes from $10 - $26 and
6 kid-friendly items from $3 - $5. There are soups, salads and appetizers at
moderate prices and full bar service. The same menu is offered in-season in
their companion dining room facing the boardwalk, with some patio tables.
November 06.
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Terrapin.
3102 Holly Road. Pinewood Square, Suite 514. 321-6688. Food: 5; Service: 5;
Atmosphere: 4.