The Hard Shell

Based on a recommendation from the hotel concierge, I walked down to Shockoe Bottom to go to The Hard Shell. The concierge recommended the Crab Cake Entree, and he was spot on! I sat at the bar and enjoyed one of their classic cocktails during 'Happy Hour'. The bartender was very friendly, and ensured that my meal was delivered quickly. Highly recommend...I will be back!

I came here on Valentine's Day, in which the restaurant's atmosphere was great for special occasions. The crab dip was delicious and the soft bread paired well. The shrimp pasta was delicious, and though the portion does not look large - it's very filling. The service was amazing and made for a positive experience at The Hard Shell.

Omg!!! I had one of the Best steaks ever!!! I got the ribeye with shrimp and it was cooked perfectly! I didn't need any seasoning. It was juicy, tender, and full of flavor! I also had asparagus, delicious as well! The French fries were ok. My daughter loved them, but they were too stringy for me.

I've been to The Hard Shell many times and have never been disappointed. It's a great place to take a date or for family and friends to get together. The staff is always friendly and helpful and willing to make good suggestions. The patio is a great place to relax and enjoy your meal when weather permits. We've enjoyed their Happy Hour as well as dinner and lunch. The restaurant is located in trendy Shockoe Bottom with convenient parking right across the street. One note of warning: Not all of their house wines fall under the Happy Hour pricing. I ordered Chardonnay which isn't included in "house wines." Our server aplogized for the misunderstanding and agreed that it was confusing. She adjusted the price for us on that particular visit. The bottom line is The Hard Shell offers quality seafood and great atmosphere.

The service here was great! The young man service us was so nice and personable. We came as a group and he was so welcoming and answered all of our questions with a smile! The lobster was overcooked to my liking but we really enjoyed the oysters.

The food was very tasty. The variety of foods in one plate is what makes Richmond such a fun place to explore for your taste buds. The portions were good and the prices are even better. The atmosphere is very professional and relaxing. I highly recommend.

*Restaurant week review* We had a really great experience at the Hard Shell downtown during restaurant week! They served their normal menu as well and the server was upfront that the restaurant week menu portions would be smaller but a great deal to try different things. All the food and drinks were really good and the meats were all so tender, especially the fried calamari - I've never had calamari so tender. The only critique I have would be to clean the clams more as there was some sand or grit still in them. Reservations can be made on OpenTable. They validate parking in the garage directly across the street daily after 5pm. Overall, we left stuffed and satisfied and we would come back!

Yum! I was visiting the RVA area from California for a work trip and heard that VA was known for their oysters. Naturally, I had to try them and I found out The Hard Shell serves Chesapeake and Ruby Salts oysters. We ordered the oyster sampler, my boyfriend ordered the lobster roll, and I got the grilled lobster tail. I also ordered the she crab soup. Everything was super yummy and fresh. The oysters weren't as briney like I'm used to but they were still very delicious. Also they were huge! It was about $25 for a dozen, the price wasn't bad.The drinks they make are also very good. I ordered a refreshing cocktail, the blackberry bramble.Service was very friendly! This restaurant is perfect for a date or for small groups.

I traveled to Richmond for work and located a seafood place in downtown Richmond. I choose to try The Hard Shell because of the ratings and have to say that overall, I agree! Service was prompt and friendly (shout out to Taylor!) and ambiance nice: good music, nice size bar, a mix of tables and expansive booths as well as outdoor patio searing. The menu is a mix of fish but-as the name suggests-shell fish dominates. They have selections for meat eaters-I started with the BBQ ribs followed by the shrimp pasta; the BBQ rib appetizer was fantastic: highly recommended-fall off the bone tender! Choosing an entree was hard-lots of good choices, but I went with the shrimp pasta-which I have to say was just Ok. Think a blush or vodka sauce as opposed to what seemed a heavy cream sauce would have added the punch I sought. But presentation, serving size, ambiance and value were all there! I had a late evening reservation so didn't linger for dessert but I'll be back when next in town and recommend you do as well!

Wow! I wish I would've discovered this place sooner. From the great service offered by Malachi to the great accommodations offered by the manager to the amazingly delicious food that weee a seafood lovers dream, I had a wonderful first time at Hard Shell. The vibes were perfect for a nice catch up session with my best friend. I will highly recommend this place to everyone I know!