Location

Home
Boardwalk

Boonies
Off Boardwalk
Hilltop
Lynnhaven
Rudee

Cuisine
Asian
American
Caribbean
Deli - Grill - Pub
Greek
Hispanic
Italian
Seafood
Steak

Spanish

F - Food
S - Service
A - Atmosphere

Average Meal
$- under $12
$$- $13 -$18
$$$- $19 and up

Ratings
1. Forget It
2. Not Too Bad
3. You're Going To Like It
4. You're Going to Love It
5. World Class

Click to Check Winter Hours

Visitor's Comments

 

 

 

 

Seafood

 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 eatWaterman.jpg (92613 bytes) 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

Return to Top of Page

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 outdoor 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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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 withMai Mai.jpg (69550 bytes) 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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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 $14; 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.

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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!

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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?

Return to Top of Page

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.

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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

Return to Top of Page

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.

Return to Top of Page

Terrapin. 3102 Holly Road. Pinewood Square, Suite 514. 321-6688. Food: 5; Service: 5; Atmosphere: 4.  Tucked away in a little shopping complex, Terrapin is a gem worth discovering. Chef Rodney Einhorn, formerly Executive Chef of ’39 Degrees’ in Aspen, uses fresh local produce to concoct enticing entrees on a menu that changes seasonally. Our visit was enhanced by the attentive wait staff. There are 12 appetizers running $6 - $14; 8 mouth-watering desserts (loved the bruleé); those attractively-presented entrees costing $20 - $33; and a full-service bar with an extensive wine selection. As Terrapin’s is a small restaurant, a reservation is recommended.  Eating at the bar is encouraged. From there, you can glimpse your meal being prepared in the open kitchen. Terrapin’s is open for dinner; closed Mondays.

Return to Top of Page

 

 

   


Award winning DVDs on tips to increasing your catch rate


 Fishing Charters and Ocean Tours for young and old.

 


Emmy award winning TV, video & DVD production.