The Most Flavorful Bars in Virginia Beach

The Smithfield Inn Restaurant & Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.6 (91) • $$

"Stopped in for a few drinks and to warm up and overall enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks! Drinks: The pumpkin patch- a cocktail with espresso and liquor and I can't recall what else but no milk or cream. Very good! English Breakfast Tea- including a full pot of tea, cream, sugar. It was delightful! Ambiance: We had our drinks in the bar area and it was nice and comfortable. Went into the main sitting room and they had a fire going. Bathrooms were clean. Service: Hostess who sat us, was nice and sweet. Waitress was very attentive and kind.Bartender checked to see how we enjoyed the cocktail and was very friendly."

Leone's Italian

★★★★☆ 3.8 (353) • $$

"Verrry elegant place definitely a date night smasher menu very short but everything that came out that kitchen 5/5 they water even tasted amazing lol calamari cooked with the chilis top tier and that lasagna!!!! You might smack ya grandma if she touch it if u been trynna impress ya mate this is definitely the spot will b doubling back on my 757 tour"

Cozzy's Comedy Club & Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (59) • $$

"This is still by far my favorite comedy club I've ever been to! I'm super sad that they no longer have their delicious burgers anymore however I understand why (their exhaust went out so they can no longer use the grill). Our server recommended the ribs and OMG they were amazing!! The comedians never fail to make you laugh and the drinks are delicious! If you're looking for a great date night, I highly recommend checking out Cozzy's!"

Stripers Bar & Grille

★★★★☆ 3.8 (236) • $$

"Really hit and miss. Waited 20 minutes for 4 mimosas and didn't get our food order taken during that time. Almost made us late for my family's next outing but my cousin drives like the wind! Fried Green Tomatoes; AMAZING, best thing we had! Crab Benedict: disappointing Grits: inedibleFrench Dip: DeliciousLobster Bisque: Freaking delicious!!Everything else was fine, but due to the inconsistency we probably won't be back."

Session

★★★★★ 4.8 (58) • $$

"Best brunch spot in Hampton Roads! Excellent service, caring & friendly owner, tons of vegan options on the menu, and supe vibe! I absolutely love the breakfast burrito made vegan. The lemony greens salad it's served with is so delicious. Their hot sauce is fantastic! Skip the coffee and go for the mimosa flight. Atmosphere inside and out is really cute and comfortable. I love that you can bring dogs to the patio outside."

KC's Crabs and Cues

★★★★☆ 3.7 (49) • $$

"We went to KC with some out of town friends for dinner and pool. Since it was Valentine's Day they had a special menu which 3 of us ordered off of. I myself ordered a burger at the recommendation of our waitress, Heather. Not only was the service outstanding but the food was AWESOME! We enjoyed our evening so much. The food there is much better than some of the higher end restaurants in Kilmarnock. I highly recommend KC's Crabs and Cues."

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill & Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (14)

"Great food, service and value! Guacamole was best I've had. All portions were very generous and delicious."

Skeleton Key Bar and Grille

★★★★☆ 4 (92) • $$

"This bar was fun.I went in not knowing what to expect but was very hungry. I was immediately greeted with a warm hello from the bar, and a kind waitress seated me.I checked out the Yelp reviews and ordered the crab soup and a deluxe cheeseburger. OH BOY! I hit the jackpot. The KEY Crab soup was amazeballs, and the burger was juicy. I ate everything with joy.The customer service was terrific. I went there on Friday for lunch, and I was alone. I plan to return with my girlfriend because she loves crab soup, and I enjoy seeing her smile. This location would be a great place for a Friday date night with the hubby too. I am excited about coming back for a mixed drink and a dinner entree because their chef uses spices the way I use them - Yummmy!"

Pixels Pints & Bytes

★★★★☆ 4 (112) • $$

"Philanthropic restaurant who supports our sons' little league. Visit on a Saturday afternoon earned 4/5 overall. Some challenges with parking and 1 waitress for the entire second floor (she was hustling though). My sons were with me and enjoyed the old school video games while we waited (a long time) for food and drinks. Good variety of beverages. Food menu had surprising number of options; prices on par w Ghent area dives. Hot chicken sandwich was better than expected, though I envisioned more than 5 macaroni noodles when I read the description. Tots looked good but found to be meh."

Outer Banks Brewing Station

★★★★☆ 3.6 (979) • $$

"This place was great, we had omnivores, a vegetarian and a vegan! Everything was lovely. Someone had a cocktail, someone had a mocktail, folks had sodas, cold cider, and a hot cider.We ate out back at the picnic tables, wrapped things up with a cornhole game!"

Ballyhoos

★★★★☆ 3.5 (124) • $$

"When you walk in Ballyhoos it has a dive bar feel to it but I love it. Casual dining. We had a great time. And the food was Excellent. Shrimp cocktail are nice size shrimp. They even had lumpia. My friends drink was really good. She let me take a sip. They did not have it on the menu but I got a mocktail, Pineapple with sprite. It was so nice of them to make for me and I liked it so much I drank 3 of them. The bathrooms could be a little cleaner. Pretty good parking. I would say a great place to meet friends and have a good time."

Gran Rodeo

★★★★☆ 4.3 (89) • $$

"Delicious lunch- I had never been here and normally went to La Parrilla- no more, now that I know this is here. They have a huge vegan/vegetarian menu, and I ordered the vegan aqua tacos. They are MESSY, but very delicious! They come hot, including the warm lettuce, but they are very good! I finally feel like I'm not overstuffed when leaving- I feel somewhat healthy with my choice!I will definitely be back and will make this my main Mexican."

Sami's Korean Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 (103) • $$

"Sami's has consistently surprised and surpassed my expectations. I've come here a few times; the most recent visit was with my mom. She had the bulgogi, which I've had here before and was delicious. I recommended it to her. I had the bibimbap which was a 10/10. Seriously amazing. I put the kimchi in the bowl along with the sauce too, which made it soooo good. I ate the entire bowl, my sides and my moms sides. It was that good. My mom told everyone about Sami's that day too, she really loved her beef bulgogi. You can definitely taste the wok on the meat. I keep thinking about the food and I plan to go back to get the same dishes and try new things. I highly recommend this Korean restaurant!"

Revel Market and Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (52)

"Loved everything about my first dining experience at Revel! I've been putting off going here for months and I'm so mad I did because I was definitely missing out. Unfortunately I filled up on the small plates so I had to miss out on the larger plates (I had my eye on the prawns hehe). Still, all the small plates we shared were delicious and filling. Oh, and the tiramisu?! BOMB. And I'm not even a dessert girly. Ariel was our waitress and she was great and very personable. Took us out back to see the set up since it was our first time and talked about upcoming plans for the patio!Looking forward to coming back and checking out their happy hour!"

Georgia Deans Restaurant and Bar

★★★★★ 4.6 (67)

"Very lively atmosphere. Busy place. Friendly and welcoming. Staff is prompt and efficient. The suffer scallops are delicious. Perfectly prepared. The fried chicken sandwich is as big as my head. Seriously a very large and very tasty sandwich."

Don Valerio's

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (40) • $$

"We've been here twice and both times we enjoyed it. The waitresses are super attentive and friendly. The food is decent - I ordered chicken chimichangas. The food came out really fast and warm. The restaurant looks really clean and the bathrooms are nice. They have beer specials here too and always seat us immediately. They also provide masks and have hand sanitizer due to COVID-19. Local spot but worth stopping by! Good lunch prices. The regular meal prices were a bit higher than most Mexican spots."

Casby's Kitchen & Tap

★★★★☆ 3.9 (117) • $$

"The food here is so good and the customer service is excellent as well. I originally found this place on Yelp. I was driving through the shopping center 'starving' in search of food. I parked and peruse through yelp for a restaurant that was open and highly rated that I may be interested in. As it turned out I was parked right behind Casby's. I recommend they get some sort of identifying signage on the back because you cannot identify the restaurant when driving through the shopping center. You can only see it from the street.I've been here for take-out and for dine-in. All experiences enjoyable.During my dine-in experience my mother and I had the most attentive and knowledgeable server. Alex's excellent customer service was very much appreciated on what started as an incredibly stressful day. The cauliflower fritters are delish-crispy and creamy and the perfect way to eat this vegetable. / The shrimp appetizer is also a winner, expect about 5 large shrimp-if you get more it's likely because one of your shrimp was a bit small. / The $3 fried plantain side is the reason I'll come back again and again (yes I've made them myself since I was a kid) because they make me happy. / The Brie pasta is flavorful and creamy; I prefer it without mushrooms but the second time they forgot and gave me mushrooms. / The Brie appetizer (like a dessert) put a smile on my face despite being unexpectedly small. There weren't any pics on yelp so I wasn't sure what to expect. What made the Brie appetizer a winner was the cherry glaze-it is heavenly. I'd probably have enjoyed it even more if I had it served dine in but I didn't eat it til I got home.I haven't had a single disappointment so yes I'll be back and I hope to see your review on Yelp soon."

Fish Hawk Oyster Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (27)

"Location is at the Tides Inn pool side services. Situated on the waterfront with views you would fall in love with. The food was good we just ordered oysters and crab cake sandwich. I was disappointed that they only had one type of oysters that day. The service will be something I would never forget! We sat at the bar and Brian was our bartender. He was engaging, fun and so accommodating. My husband had mentioned movie trivia's and I guess Brian overheard and turned the tv to movie trivia's and we sat there for the longest time having a blast. Other customers stopped by to order food/drinks and even joined in. Like I said this was an epic experience and it was all thanks to Brian. Thank you so much, we so enjoyed it! Sorry didn't take pictures of the food we were so focused on the trivia."

Sandbar Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (35) • $$

"Drinks were pricy but it is worth it to get the 14 dollar sandbar because its 8 dollar refills when you come back in with the cup. The place is fun great music with a DJ and you can play cornhole. Bartender was nice and I could not decide on what to drink so he surprised me with his own twist on things. Cant' wait to go back"

Keland's

★★★★☆ 4.1 (29)

"Great food, loved all of it. They even gave my wife a tiny bottle of champagne for her birthday. The service was absolutely top notch. Like the waitstaff would fit in at Victoria and Albert's."

Roadside Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (400) • $$

"The food was delicious and the service was fabulous!! If you're lucky enough to have Claire be your sever, you are in for a treat!! She was perfectly attentive and so pleasant - it truly made the evening SO enjoyable. Thank you, Claire!!"

Hot Tuna

★★★★☆ 4.3 (725) • $$

"Love Hot Tuna! We probably go there once a month. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is delish. Can't wait for summer to have their succotash! It's our favorite."

Sanctuary dmz

★★★★☆ 4 (17)

"This location is bigger than their other. It was a little hard to find, however. Still great food and atmosphere."

Derl'z Restaurant & Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (12)

"My boyfriend and I have been trying to eat at the local spots the last few weeks. Our friend Mike told us how good the food is here. So today we looked at the menu and placed a take-out order.We ordered a blue cheese burger with crinkle fries. What a tasty delicious burger. Then we ordered the 3 appetizers plate. We mulled over the choices and ended up ordering potato skins, fried pickles and mac n cheese bites. I was not real sure about the Mac n cheese bites. What a wonderful surprise. We will definitely eat here again!!!"

Pier 88 Boiling Seafood & Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (95)

"The food is wonderful! The menu is very large and varied. The peel and eat shrimp were deveined! You choose your seafood, sauce and degree of spice. Plenty of wet wipes, too! The service was great! Quick and efficient . Checked on us without being intrusive. Mgr Kyle was so friendly and capable. The prices were remarkably low! Great bang for your buck. We will be going back!"

Honey and Hooch

★★★★★ 4.6 (50) • $$$

"Let me start by saying, all and all, my experience was excellent. The only reason this restaurant is rated a four stars and not five is... 1. We arrived at 4:00; in time for the "Social Hour," which runs through 6:00 pm. There is a 50% discount on ALL menu items, but you have to sit at the bar. The three of us attempted to, at the edge of the bar where we would all be able to converse and see each other. We were told that, that particular section was "reserved." How are Bar seats "reserved?"2. I asked, given those seats were "reserved," that we be allowed to sit at a table, and the "Social Hour" prices be honored. The Manager agreed, and said that we could be seated in the back, on the other side of a curtain. Huh? What? He must have deciphered the look of bewilderment on my facial expression, because he immediately said we could sit directly across from the bar. 3. When the check arrived, the discount had not been applied. It's a good thing I actually looked for, and noticed it. The waitress had no idea. The Bartender (Cheyne), corrected the bill.Ordinarily, "three strikes, and you're out." In this case, because of "Cheyne" (pronounced "Shane"), the ambiance, and the food, four stars are still given.I don't want to say that this happened because I am NOT a "Pilgrim." I did however observe that ALL the other "Pilgrims" were seated up front. The only other non-pilgrims - other than my party - were seated at the table we would have been seated, had not my "non-verbal" expression not occurred. I will patronize again. Ideally they'll position all staff to be equitable, and inclusive. This will be a stretch though, given it's Chesapeake.Again, the food, ambiance, and our server were exceptional, as was "Cheyne.""

Paul's Deli Downtown

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (165) • $$

"Where to eat (that is of course open after 10pm) after a long winter day at Busch Gardens. To YELP we go! Found Paul's and we figured it was a bar type place due to being open till 2am. We were a little wary of what the neighborhood would be like but it was in a nice location and the outside was nice. We entered and it did not disappoint that it was indeed a bar...very loud and crowded. We were seated on the heated patio...Ahhh! Nice! Our server was really good and steered my hubby to the Holly (Roast beef, turkey, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle). I got the Turkey Club Sub (Turkey, bacon, swiss, lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle) but opted for white bread instead of a roll. We ate it all and were so glad we came here! PS. do not use the bathroom here...go before you come here. It is a typical bar bathroom and could possibly ruin your meal."

Murdochs

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (16) • $$

"Wife and I had a late lunch here after playing golf one afternoon and then dinner after another afternoon of golf. The first time eating we sat at a table it wasn't very busy, everyone was very nice and talked with you even the locals asking how. you played and more. The second time we sat at the bar because it was truly busy some special dinner evening for the members. Our server was the same for both visits she was very good very attentive and took good care of us. We will definitely eat here again."

Steak & Tonic

★★★★☆ 4.1 (172)

"I personally think this place is ok. Service was excellent, drinks were delicious, lots of different cuts of meat choices and the place is beautiful inside. So why am I giving only 3 stars? The food was ok. Appetizers were better than the dinner. Form being a "steak & tonic" place you would think the steak would be perfect. I was excited to try the Wagu ribeye $110. Ordered medium rare. Had to send it back twice for them to put it on longer. It still wasn't cooked right. So I just gave up. And the steak was more fat than actual meat. I was told there are different chefs that work daily, apparently that night the chef we had must've had a bad day. I see this spot as a great drink appetizers spot. Bar was busy and the drinks were great."

Catch 31 Fishhouse and Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.4 • $$

"I've lived in Virginia Beach for 10 years and have always wanted to try Catch 31 so my daughter and I decided to dine in on a Thursday evening and I'm so glad we did. As soon as we walked in, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the interior was. Since we wanted to sit outside, we were told that the outdoor dining area was first come, first serve so we ventured outside to grab a table. I love how close the outdoor dining area is to the beach, the views were so nice! Our server, Nyada, was super friendly and helped us decide on what to order. My daughter ordered the Margherita Flatbread with a side of Broccolini and I decided on the Clam Chowder to start and the Pan Seared Scallops with a side of Truffle Mac & Cheese as my entree...along with a margarita, of course! The soup and the Margherita Flatbread came out fairly quickly! The Clam Chowder was amazing!!! It was very hearty with an abundance of clam pieces. The Flatbread was also just as good and very flavorful. The Pan Seared Scallops were cooked perfectly and paired wonderfully with the creamy orzo! I could not stop eating it! Unfortunately, the server forgot to put in the Truffle Mac & Cheese but since I was super stuffed, I was okay with that. Just another reason to return! The food at Catch 31 was definitely a 10/10!!! The margarita was also just as great! I highly recommend stopping in and trying their amazing food! I will definitely be returning!!!"

FishTails Restaurant and Bar

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (31)

"We stayed at the Ramada Plaza for VBJeepFest and having a restaurant in the hotel was a wonderful option after a long day on the beach having a blast. Initially I had my doubts due to the low rating but we took a chance and I'm glad we did. We did enter the restaurant to an empty hosting stand all 3 visits but we sat where we wanted and they found us. A few of the visits we found the tables needing a wipe down and the air still on but the servers were quite friendly and our drinks and food arrived fast, hot and all in a timely manner. In all 3 visits (Friday night, Saturday night & Sunday morning) the place was sparsely occupied but once we got seated, it filled up.As for the good-both nights I had the French Onion burger with a side of mayo and bacon jam (I could it that jam as a dessert!) and it came out perfectly cooked to my liking (no pink) and it was beyond delicious! Juicy, flavorful with the bacon jam and mayo. The fries are seasoned and while shoestring still enough to be filling. The only fail for me was the stuffed FT. It wasn't really stuffed with anything as much as layered with sugary sweet cream that was gritty and not very tasty. I took most of it off and ate the toast without it. The fresh fruit was yummy but the breakfast star was the potato hash. Not so much a hash as home fried. The seasoning was spot on with tinier than normal sea salt with onions and peppers. Really really good potatoes. The drinks are overpriced-my OJ was $6 for a small. If we ever go back it's water all the way.All in all, for me our 3 visits were a win. Servers friendly-food came fast-delectable dining.Take a sweater if you'll be there in November and don't be put off by the empty host stand."

Tooley's Tavern At The Boathouse

★★★★☆ 4.2 (25)

"Loved the atmosphere and cool vibe. The food was really good and the servers were very attentive. Will be back!"

Damon & Company

★★★★☆ 3.8 (55) • $$

"They have the best breakfast and brunch. Even when the place is packed they have great service. Go early on the weekend if you don't want to be the one waiting"

Industrial Taphouse

★★★★☆ 4 (352) • $$

"Food was great-- easy stop off of 95. Service was great. Big biscuit-- though I can't rate it because it was under the eggs etc. The arugula was a very nice touch on the Southern Benny (pork belly Benedict). The fruit was very good even though it's the middle of winter. Tasty black coffee. Lots of fun breakfast items like strawberry shortcake pancakes and winter drinks to try."

The Hive Farm Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.4 (27) • $$

"This is a really great additive to the farm. We were so happy to see a restaurant be located at the farm, rather than just a farmers market.The food is fresh and delicious. I absolutely love their sweet potato fries. The chicken sandwich was also really great, as well as their barbecue sauce, it has blueberry in it and it's really unique. They have a limited menu, but anything you choose from the menu taste really good.Every time that we have gone, the waitresses are always really nice. I love that. It's all open, so you can look around at the farm. We went during the fall time, so it was pumpkin season.There's red tents above your head to keep the sun out, but if it is raining, it's not the best option. Tables are wooden outside and pretty comfortable for the most part! We will definitely be back for more."