Best Restaurants in Chesapeake
Chesapeake, Virginia, a city known for its rich history and natural beauty, is also a culinary hotspot that offers a wide array of dining options. From seafood shacks serving the freshest catch of the day to upscale eateries offering gourmet experiences, the city's food scene is as diverse as it is delicious. This article will guide you through the best restaurants in Chesapeake, each offering unique flavors and exceptional service. Whether you're a local looking to explore new dining options or a tourist seeking the best the city has to offer, this guide will help you navigate Chesapeake's vibrant culinary landscape.
El loro mexican restaurant
4.3
(1064)
Strip-mall bar/eatery with a warm ambiance offering a large menu of traditional Mexican specialties.
Reviews:
Food came out hot and delicious. Server was a little out there and didn’t mind too much attention to the table. Otherwise good and still glad we visited.
Pantelis Galatoulas
This place is ok. Chips and white sauce were good. My burrito was meh. Red sauce meh. Service good. Has a cool bar. Would probably only go back for drinks at the bar.
Matt Henry
Don't order the small cheese dip to go. You get this tiny samplee size thing for almost $4. Very small portion for fajitas as well.
Ryan
We eat here a few about 3-4 times each year, and this is the first time since 2018 that the food hasn't been excellent. It was fine, but it just seemed a little off and should probably be considered good, but not any better. Hopefully, it was just an off night. However, the service was great as always, and the fresh, made to order, tableside guacamole was great. We'll definitely be back, but on this night, the food was a little more average than on previous visits.
John S.
The margaritas are amazing...I got California burrito it was yummy.our waiter was kind. Very very clean place.
Randy Burnett
801 Volvo Pkwy Ste 114, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
The barrel room
4.2
(513)
Easygoing pub with a wide selection of craft beer on tap, comfort eats & weekend live music.
Reviews:
Online the food looked good so husband and I decided to give it a shot. Food was very over-priced and basic. I ordered the bourbon street pasta and my husband ordered a burger with fries. Had the price point been lower, we would have considered giving this place another shot, but unfortunately $27 for pasta that was not very flavorful or well seasoned for the little flavor it had is a bit much. My husbands' fries were pretty good, but it's just a basic flat top cooked burger with no extra flare or twist to it ($15). Our water cups were cute but being a server in my past life, I have to say I felt bad for the serving staff because of how many times they would have to refill drinks throughout the night😬. Also, the diet soda I got at first was really flat and the waitress offered to give me a new one which was better, but overall, $4 for a small drink and a final bill of ~$50 after tax is a little much. Server was sweet, but only checked back on my husband and I once...after we had already finished eating. Overall, I don't think we will be returning.
Cindy
The chairs are extremely uncomfortable, unless you're sitting at a table top. Just hard, little tiny chairs. Our wait staff was phenomenal. The kids steak for $10 bucks was shockingly delicious. The BLT for $10 was absolutely beautiful. The drinks seemed flat and they drank weirdly in those mason jars (just get a regular cool-looking glass, not, a mason jar) The salad had skimpy toppings, but was good. My wife had the hamburger and says it's one of the best she's eaten in quite some time. And she's a hamburger gal. The dinner menu seemed a little pricey, but I'm just speaking directly of the lunch menu which was fabulously priced. It's definitely worth a go.
Joseph Clevenger
I had a recent reservation to have dinner at the Barrel Room in Chesapeake with a group of friends. The room presence a dim ambience, along with pub seating by the bar for those interested in beer, cocktail, and or wine. The servers were incredibly friendly and accommodating, making sure that our party of seven was comfortable and well taken care of throughout the evening. The atmosphere of the restaurant is warm and inviting, with a cozy and rustic decor that makes you feel right at home. For appetizers the shisito peppers and the brussels sprouts were good beginning dishes. The rest of my party all had dishes that they all enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed the ahi tuna with rice and asparagus. They seared mines well enough to taste the flavorful seasoning that covered my ahi tuna. I also tried the ahi with the garden salad. I dipped my ahi with soy sauce and honey mustard dressing.. it was a well needed element that went well with my salad. The sriracha sauce and wasabi aioli complemented the dish. The finale to our meals were dessert! I had to say, I was overjoyed with excitement seeing nightingale's ice cream sandwich on the menu. It is my ultimate favorite ice cream sandwich and my guilty pleasure. I ordered the raspberry donut ice cream sandwich. I was obsessed and couldn't contain myself. I got my girlfriends hooked and they had to order ice cream sandwiches of their own. The $8 ice cream sandwich is mindblowing and a game changer.
shakathomas512
This place would be fine for just drinks at the bar. I had been here once and was not impressed. We decided to try it again and it was worse than the first time. My husband got a burger medium it came out rare had to send it back. I got the fish and chips when my platter came out it was the worst fried fish I have ever had just a bunch of batter and no fish. I didn’t touch my meal. The server was so clueless she never asked how the meals were. Bad food and clueless server.
Aspen Mihalyo
Wonderful little gem with American fusion style cuisine. Multiple tasty options for gourmet burgers, with fine mac and cheese. The drinks menu is solid, with a mix of unique and classic cocktails. Family friendly with a very attentive staff - though not overmuch.
Jeremy Mitchell
236 Carmichael Way #322, Chesapeake, VA 23322, USA
Judy's sichuan cuisine
4.6
(629)
Reviews:
Food was great! We ordered two appetizers, the steamed wonton with chili oil and steamed vegetable dumplings. The wontons were super good and could easily be shared with three people. The dumplings could have use salt internally, but paired with the dumpling sauce boosted the flavor without the need for salt. The entree we orders was twice cooked pork that was absolutely delicious and quite perfect. We will gladly come here again for not only the food was great, but the customer service was astounding!
Payton Daily
This place is the BEST HANDS DOWN! OMG, 1st item was wonton in chili oil (AMAAAAAAZING) I cam drink the chili oil all alone. 2nd item was pork dumplings, tasty and flavorful sauce! 3rd item was special fried rice, sooo much flavors going on. 4th item was Scallion Pancakes, they were flaky, crispy and soft, sooo good! 5th item was a water spinach dish....and let me tell you, THIS DISH ROCKS YOUR MOUTH AWAKE! I was ready to become a full blown vegetarian if all vegetables tasted like this. Like who goes to a restaurant saying, "OMG, I CAN'T wait to bite into those veggies!" I don't know who did that....but I know who WILL from now on....THIS GUY! last dish was Salt and Pepper Shrimp. I left defeated with Togo containers. Come and try all staff recommendations.
Omar Navarro
My parents took me to this location, I had never been to any Judy's before. The dumplings were great, and the general tsos chicken. I only didnt enjoy one dish, it takes an aquired taste. But my stepdad really liked it. Great atmosphere, very nice overall. Highly recommend!
Christa Faison
The food was very diverse, high quality,and presented well. They focus on Chinese cuisine rather than 'asian in general' and their specialization pays off. The circular table we sat at had a giant lazy Susan in the center making sharing a breeze. Also, great the next morning, which isn't always the case with rice dishes.
Brenden 1
We usually eat here for lunch. The service is usually there for us during this time. We can sit down and order drinks or an appetizer very quickly. But last night we went here during dinner time. I was accommodating a few people who wanted Sichuanese. Don't get me wrong, the food here is the absolute Best! Food in the area for Sichuan. IMO. But I knew the service would be slow. Anyway, we didn't know it was going to be how it turned out to be. Our party was offered a table in the front, quickly the owner I believe, or the oldest one of them. Came and said no, and to seat us in the back at a booth. I told the lady that we were here to drink, she looked confused then sat us in the back booth.. after seated the waitress was already half way across the restaurant. I turned around and kept staring at them trying to get their attention but they never came back. Not for a very long time because of the capacity of customers. But then I realized that the older lady and the other "waitress" were both not doing anything at all to help our waitress that apparently was handling ALL THE TABLES 😱 I could not believe that they were being so mean to her. I assume they all are family, but either way I got the feeling that they did not care if the waitress was handled everything; drinks, orders, food retrieval,etc.. when she finally came back we ordered a lot of drinks, this took a long time again but she managed to make it back and she is so quick to turn around and she had people helping us at this time,finally. But we assumed the waters would be coming but by the time the older lady was leaving our table we noticed the routine was back in action. Later we finally got to order food and water and then once the food arrived we obviously enjoyed the food experience but we could have been doing that, and drinking normally before if they had accommodated our request in the beginning to drink and sit somewhere closer to being seen instead of the back. ( Also I would like to add, we weren't rowdy.) I guess... What I'm trying to say is it made us a little bit sad, upset. We felt this to be unfair to be made to feel like we had to work to get every item ordered, but also we felt so very bad for our waitress and that she was going through that sort of work situation. We let her know we noticed 🥺 Please always tip your server.
Charles Norris
1434 Sam's Dr, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
Black pelican seafood co. greenbrier
4.3
(2053)
Contemporary, nautical-themed seafood specialist serving regional fare & wood-fired pizzas.
Reviews:
The food was great. The stuffed mushrooms were fantastic. My pasta dish was excellent. The chowder was good. Different than I'm used to. Too salty and my wife couldn't eat it. The service was a bit inattentive. Had to call their phone number to get a waitress to come back to our table. I recommend this place overall because the food was worth the irritation.
David G
Fried catfish, smoked Gouda mashed potatoes, and collard greens. With an Old Fashioned, Maple Bacon Bourbon cupcake, and an Oreo Cookie Cheesecake to go. This lunch was absolutely amazing! I didn’t expect this meal to be so savory and well-flavored. I love the inside setup of the restaurant! Very welcoming and a comfortable environment. The staff is very nice and takes great care of their customers. I highly recommend this place for a casual date night or a family meal.
Darrell Rice
Service was a tad slow to start but was a little busy. The food, drinks, and dessert made up for it!! Had the Gulfstream Tuna Bites (blackened) to start. Medium rare and delicious! Got the Wanchese Fisherman’s Risotto and it’s was absolutely amazing. Super full after that meal so decided on a key lime pie to go and it was one of the best key lime pies I’ve ever had.
David Bowling
I had the sampler appetizer and Crabcake sandwich. They were good and large portions. Unfortunately I didn't leave room for dessert and the desert menu looked really good. .
Tricia Clements
Nice restaurant. Walked in and was seated as soon as we stepped in. A saxophone player was at the entrance playing playing nice sounds, which set the atmosphere. Hostes staff was very nice. Had a great variety of wines, beers, and mixed drinks. Order the Station Keepers from the menu.which consisted of ribeye steak, garlic potatoes, and asparagus. Steak was not seasoned as it was the first time I visited. However, it was still ok. The sides were very good. I will return!
TAHIRIH TERRELL
1625 Ring Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
Pirate's cove restaurant
4.3
(2426)
Upbeat eatery with a broad menu of local fish, steaks & casual eats in a colorful, family setting.
Reviews:
Wonderful service provided to us. Plenty of seating to accommodate larger parties. The She Crab Soup is full of crab with a nicely balanced flavor! If you order the Pile of Pollock, expect to get a "to go" container.. LOL!!! The Flounder was delicious, as well as the fried shrimp dish!!
Dwayne Blackwell
The food here was good. The fish was cooked well, the baked apples were good, thr coleslaw was good, and the cornbread was good. Service was slow at first, but it got better after. This was my first time here. Not a bad restaurant. I recommend this restaurant for good eats.
Quinton McDonald
My friends have been trying to get me this established for a while. We finally made it today after a very enjoyable girls spa day. However, the mood and environment changed very quickly: We were very disappointed in the food and service. The crab dip was more just cream cheese minus the crab, the fish was mushy, cold hush puppies but the fry’s were amazing. Kylie was our hostess for the day. I’m giving her a pass if she’s new. However, if she wasn’t she needs some customer service and food handling training. She dropped a plate glass condiments which liquids and glass spilled everywhere. Accident happened, the problem is never acknowledged the accident, it took very long for them to clean up and we had to recommend them put down a wet floor sign. Even 30 minutes later on of my friends found glass on her shoe. (See attached) They used bleach to clean up the vinegar spillage; which agitated my asthma. We ask for a manger because our waitress never came back to assist us. I never do bad reviews but today was too much. We spent almost $200 in this establishment today which equates to waisted time and money.
Karon Scott
Don't go starving! The service is slow here, no fault of the servers, they definitely try their best. It's just way understaffed. But, nevertheless, service was just fine. Really kind and cheery service from Shannon. She was super accommodating. Surprisingly, the food was out quickly once we were able to order! That was great. Good quality was so-so. The crab meat YESSSS. Nothing like coming home to the coast and being able to order food with real lump crab. And they ain't stingy with it either. Stuffed mushrooms were packed til they were bursting lump blue crab 🦀 😋 It wasn't as hot as I would've expected, seeing as though it didn't take long to come out. We ordered the pick 2 (fried flounder and shrimp, sides: fries and green beans), oysters Rockefeller, and the stuffed mushrooms 🍄 The GREAT: The Shrimp 💥 The underwhelming: The Green beans w/ meat 😒 Overall, the food was ok. If I had any complaints, it would be food temp. Hushpuppies weren't awesome either. But 🤷🏾 eh, I'd go back.
Customer Support
Only the second time I have eaten here but I enjoyed both times. Although a little a little slow it’s worth it. The broiled sea food has zeros flavor. Everything else seemed ok
Mario & Luigi
109 J/K, Gainsborough Square, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
The egg bistro
4.6
(3031)
A sizable breakfast menu by day, American bistro fare by night in a bright, sun-colored room.
Reviews:
Ate here visiting my boyfriend’s mom and it was a great experience. Plenty of open seats and attentive waiters too. Service was amazing and very sweet as well! The wait staff all had coordinated leggings which was nice and Halloween festive too. Loved my healthy nut meal with fruit and the pumpkin pancake was delicious too. I would recommend this place for breakfast!
Brian Copes
Fast and quick place for breakfast! Food: your standard American diner foods that’s average priced. They do offer adult beverages along your regular drinks. The country fried steak was decent, but their grits were a little watery and bigger cut than what I was used to. Service: quick and efficient. The wait staff were attentive and it was good for a faster meal. Atmosphere: it’s a seat yourself style which was nice. Had a nice bright flare and colors.
Jonathan Chua
Egg Bistro never disappoints! The food is always high quality and delicious with lots of menu options. I prefer almond milk in my coffee and they are one of the few breakfast places that offer it. They also carry Speedy’s hot sauce, a local favorite. The servers are always friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is beautiful and festive. If you haven’t been you must try this locals favorite!
A G
Love the food and drinks! It is plentiful and delicious! The waitress was very attentive, came back several times to make sure we didn’t need anything.
Adriene Liggins
It was a good experience. This was our 2nd & and most successful visit. The 1st time we tried to go, the wait was too long. Today, we arrived before 8 am. There was no wait. The Big Bloody Mary was a meal by itself. Lol. It had shrimp/ sausage skewer, asparagus wrapped in bacon, veggies & boiled egg. I gave 4 stars on the food because the grits were very bland. They had no flavor. The corned beef was good, but too many potatoes. We will DEFINATELY return!!!!
theresa Anderson
501 Kempsville Rd, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA
Cork & bull chophouse
4
(224)
Reviews:
The food and drinks were amazing! Everything was very well prepared and presented. The portions are generous. Even though we couldn't possibly finish, we ordered dessert as well and we were not disappointed. Also, AMAZING! The atmosphere is great for date night, girls' night, or just because you want to treat yourself.
LaCresha Williams
Modern style chop house in Chesapeake. I call it the Chesapeake Town Center. It has a relaxed yet classy vibe. There is a nice lounge area with comfortable seats where you wait for you table. They have a couple different dining areas. There is a private dining room and a section in the back for events. The staff was friendly and very helpful. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with the menu. They specialize in choice steaks cooked to preference but offer other options as well. We started with the buttered shrimp and lobster dip along with a round of drinks. We were served complimentary rolls with smooth butter. I had the 55oz tomahawk special serving with whipped potatoes and asparagus. I sure tried to eat it all but could not. It was cooked just the way I asked, juicy with great flavor. The prices are on the high side but worth it. I had read the reviews before our visit so we knew of the 3.5% service fee for credit card transactions. We had a nice visit and would go back.
Douglas Arterburn
I spent the evening here for datenight. From the start, our experience was topnotch. The host was friendly and welcoming. Our server made the night feel really special. The halibut was cooked to perfection. It should definitely be an everyday menu item! I would come back more often! The pecans on the wedge salad were a great touch! For the size, it deserved just a little more dressing on the side, in my opinion. I am a bartender, and I love try different drinks. The NY sour was phenomenal! I will be revisiting!
Sing Brittany Simmz
Had this place recommended and went for my birthday dinner. It started off strong with a great charcuterie board. Then it fell flat. Food was ok at best. Steak was fine but lacked flavor, spare rib was tender but again lacked flavor, fish special was good but wasn’t aware the it was fried in cornmeal, cabbage for the pork was underdone. Chocolate cake was dry but the bread pudding was fantastic. Service was fine but it was the service time that was terrible. Not the staffs fault at all as our wait staff had about a dozen tables. Great atmosphere but probably won’t go back.
J P
This is a new modern style chop house in Chesapeake. It has a relaxed yet classy ambiance. They have a clean, roomy, and comfortable dining room. They have a private dining room as well. The staff was friendly and very helpful. We had the best waitress. She was knowledgeable, personal, and patient. They specialize in choice steaks cooked to preference but offer other seafood and protein options as well. I tried the cocktail called Garden of Eden, and it was unique and delicious. They serve complimentary rolls and cooked salmon on crackers. These definitely complemented our entrees. I had the steak fillet with lump crab Oscar. I was not disappointed. We were a party of six celebrating a milestone birthday. All of us really enjoyed our selections. I actually had room for dessert and went with the creme brulee, which did not disappoint. The birthday girl also ordered a creme brulee, and they brought hers out with a lit candle. A nice touch. Their prices here are on the expensive side so if i return it will be for another special occasion, I'm carrying cash, or just to visit the bar. I left one star off because they do charge a 3.5% service fee for credit card transactions. They have a full bar with plenty of choices; signature cocktails, wines, and beers.
John Hannan
600 Belaire Ave, Chesapeake, VA 23320, USA