Vola’s Dockside Grill and Hi-Tide Lounge

What a good lunch at Volas ,I'm definitely coming back!!The bartender was charity, she have really good knowledge about the menu and she recommended the best appetizers on the menu.The people around and the ambience is nice and warm for this cold weather.Nice management, Fredy was also great.

So recently I traveled out to VA for a conference and knew while I was out that way, I had to have me some east coast oysters. I found 2 locations that were the highest rated (Hank's & Vola's) and couldn't decide between the two, so I decided to go to both and write a review for each. Aka if you're trying to decide between the two, be sure to check out my other review to compare.My second stop, was Vola's. Parking did not look like it was going to be fun to find. I thankfully pulled in right as someone was pulling out, but since this is literally at the dockside... I can imagine during weekends and good weather seasons, this being pretty rough. Strolled along the dock before walking over to Vola's, which was fun. Walked in and immediately greeted by the friendly staff. Larger interior and more seating than Hank's. Also looked like they had a second seating area outside of the restaurant. I can definitely see this place getting packed. They also had a bar inside too. Sat and immediately got water from my friendly waiter. There are similarities in the menus, but definitely differences. So I would suggest looking at menus for both places to see which one fits more your preference. I didn't like that they didn't have a half dozen order and instead you order separately. Also, they only had 5 options. I again went with trying 1 each of what they had and told my OCD to cool it down, cause I wasn't going to double up to make 6 haha. Their oyster menu is more fixed and they only rotate 1 of the 5 options they have. To drink, they had a lot more specialty cocktails that were up my alley, so lots to choose from. I went with the recommended Painkiller. I wish I was hungrier to try the po'boy, but I stuck with oysters and a drink for this spot.Painkiller: woah! This drink was amazing! Mixed well, good balance of alcohol and flavors on point! Looked like a fancy Hawaiian drink. Definitely recommended.Oysters: This place separated the meat from the shell, so I was very happy with that. Also served with the typical cocktail sauce, horseradish, and lemons + vinegar mix. I preferred Hanks vinegar mix to this one. I also did not like the horseradish here, it was shaved and didn't have much kick. Nonetheless, they did offer me Tabasco too, so I added that here. Mixed up my concoction of condiments and slurped it down. These were very fresh and oh so yummy! My favorite, the James River. Absolutely amazing and plump meat.Overall, I'd give this place a 5 star. Fresh oysters and good drinks, what more could you ask for :)Again, if you're looking to decide between Vola's and Hank's like me... be sure to check out both reviews to compare! Cheers and hope you have a great experience!

Perfect waterfront find!My grandma requested seafood for her 84th birthday and we wanted to try something new and not in DC proper. I came to Yelp to do my research and landed on Vola's as it had a variety of seafood options.We arrived during happy hour so we started with oysters and crab hushpuppies which both had specials. I had the spicy margarita which was delicious. There were a number of drink options on the happy hour menu. For entrees, we got the Cajun market fish & shrimp, shrimp & grits, fish & chips, and sautéed shrimp tacos. Everyone loved their meals which was great. I went with the fish & chips which is unusual for me but I'm happy I did! I tried my mom's Cajun market fish & shrimp which was pretty tasty and the portion was great!To close out the evening and celebrate the birthday girl, we had tiramisu. It was a nice sized portion and very delicious!Needless to say, I'll be dining at Vola's Dockside Grill and Hi-Tide.

My partner took me to Vola's Dockside Grill for a seafood brunch in Old Town Alexandria, and it was an amazing experience! From start to finish, the service was impeccable. Our server Ronnie was on point--attentive, knowledgeable, and full of great recommendations. My water glass was always full, and he suggested drinks that perfectly complemented our meal.We indulged in the lobster roll, peel-and-eat shrimp, and calamari--all absolutely delicious! The seafood was fresh, well-prepared, and full of flavor. Even though I was completely stuffed, our server Ronniehighly recommended the chocolate dessert, and I'm so glad I listened. It was the perfect sweet ending to an incredible meal.The ambiance at Vola's is unbeatable. The music set a great vibe, making it feel lively yet relaxing. And the waterfront view? Absolutely stunning--a perfect setting for a date. To top it off, the GM, Freddie, was so friendly and accommodating, ensuring everything was just right.If you're looking for a seafood spot with fantastic food, great service, and a beautiful view, Vola's is the place to be. Can't wait to come back!

Love loved the seafood here! The oysters were a bit pricey but worth the try! The clams were so yummy I could order two of these plates and be satisfied. My only drawback is sometimes we found empty ones?? So that was a let down, but otherwise quite delicious. The sandwich isn't worth it, I wouldn't get it again. The pasta was quite yummy too! This is an expensive dinner so be mindful of that. I would reserve ahead of time as it does get quite busy here. The service was incredible, our server was very patient and kind to us. The ambiance isn't anything too remarkable, but it can be a bit loud and busy.

We visited on a chilly Saturday evening. I requested a table with a view and was treated to a high top table located in a corner with windows on both sides overlooking the riverfront park. The trees and buildings in Old town Alexandria are still lit up tastefully after the holidays and we were treated to a beautiful view of this are busy with pedestrian traffic. The dining area has a long (fully stocked) bar and a couple TVs that were showing my football team playing. Although the game was on, it still was a quiet dining atmosphere. Our server Francine, was delightful.! She greeted us & familiarized us with the menus and specials. My wife and I enjoyed talking with Francine. She suggested the Mango Wheat beer which, I highly recommend. Francine gave us time to decide on drinks and apps. The entrees were plentiful, slightly spicy, wonderfully balanced and a tasty treat!Volas offers a diverse menu of oysters from various area and a detailed description of the unique flavors. Drinks, apps and dinner arrived perfectly paced. We had a fantastic experience at Vola's Dockside and look forward to coking back!

Vola's is in contention for my top three restaurants I've ever been to. Everything top-down was the definition of a 5 star experience. Absolutely phenomenal and a must go to.Pros:- The Food. Everything was delicious.- Our server was great and had great recommendations- Very affordable. My entree was $25. You can't beat that.- Fresh. I'm from South Carolina and I know fresh shrimp. It is here.- Great view of the river from where you sit.Cons:- NoneOur appetizer was cheddar jalopeno hushpuppies. That was pretty amazing. They melt in your mouth and it's hard to put into words how good they were. I got the creole shrimp pasta and man...that was dynamite. Huge shrimp, thick pasta, spinach, tomato, and a creole sauce. It's like that was made for me or something. Very fresh and I can tell the food was made with intention. Absolutely recommend. My wife got crab cakes and she loved them. Side note - she had old bay fries as a side and they are as good as they sound.Wow. Now this is a place. This is why I do Yelp and this is why I try to help people on Yelp. It's because of places like this. I always want the best food when I visit a city and that happened with Vola's.

Our friends were visiting Alexandria and wanted to eat seafood near their hotel. I decided to give this place a try as it was recommended by an old friend in our building. We came on a cold winter Saturday evening - as you can imagine, it wasn't crowded and it was quite dark. No outdoor seating as it was 20°F with wind chill. Nonetheless, the lighting from outside really illuminated our table which was pretty cool. Our server was super attentive. The moment our drinks were half filled or close to empty, it was immediately replaced. Since she knew we had an "allergy" (I'm gluten sensitive), she went the extra mile to make sure that I had alternatives for the dishes we ordered. When we got crab dip, she made sure that I was able to partake in the appetizers with some veggie crudités. When we got pepperoni mussels, she made sure we had a plate to place the shells. She also made sure to ask if we were celebrating something special. We weren't but it's super awesome how much our server went the extra mile. Really makes me want to come back.Now for the main event (no pun intended), I can see why our old friend recommended this place. I have ZERO complaints about the food we ate. In fact, I LOVED everything. Everything was prepared, seasoned, and cooked to perfection. APPETIZERSChesapeake Crab Dip: delicious, a bit salty, but complemented the veggie crudités and the bread that was provided; my favorite app! Highly shareable app Chopped Salad: loved the honey mustard dressing used. Harder to share but still nice to have Pepperoni mussels: what an awesome take! Shareable and super delicious. ENTREESCreole Shrimp & Grits: shrimp and grits are such a guilty pleasure of mine. The creole seasoning and the sausages was a new take and it took me by surprise. One of my most favorite shrimp and grits I have ever orderedCreole Fettuccine: I only had a little bit but the fettuccine noodles were THICK and tasted homemade. The creole sauce was the same from the shrimp and grits. 10/10 would order over and over again if they made this gluten freeHerb crusted Rockfish: I didn't have room to try the rockfish, but the brussel sprouts were the sweetest and tastiest Brussels sprouts I've ever tasted. SIDESOld bay fries: crisped to perfection, seasoned with old bay. Highly recommend dipping them in your creole sauce if you get creole grits or fettuccine DESSERTSVanilla bean trifle: the best dessert; was the first time I had a trifle. Loved the butterscotch tuile and the fruit compote that topped the dessertChocolate fudge cake: right amount of richness for a chocolate cake, not too overpowering. Loved the crunchies on top Key Lime Pie: not too sour, but enough key lime pie factor which I love As my friend did for us, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND VOLA'S DOCKSIDE GRILL! I'll definitely try to come again when it's warmer out and when there's outdoor seating.

Today I received amazing service from Susana R at Volas Dockside in Alexandria. She is so patient and her customer service is remarkable. I will definitely be back to Volas, sooner than later. Thanks for making my experience wonderful

Our food was delicious and our server Jennifer was amazing!! She was very attentive and kind, giving us another great experience at Vola's! Will definitely be returning and hope to have Jennifer as a server once again!