Ventured into this place about 9:15 PM on a Thursday only because they are the only option that still serves food this late in Cape Charles on a Thursday... man, I am glad I did! The bartender was very friendly and the food was fantastic... definitely not what you expect walking into a pub. Most notably, a special they were offering, which I know is seasonal, softshell crab bites-- OMG, absolutely amazing, and in my opinion, far more tasty than my typical softshell crab sandwich, which can sometimes be a little bit too crabby with every bite. Also had another special; blackened shrimp tacos with a side house salad. Also amazing. Definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Partially eaten softshell crab bites. - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

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Another fantastic meal at AJ's! When we camp (which is most weekends), we always reserve one night to go check out local restaurants. Our favorite park is Kipptopeake State Park on the Eastern Shore of VA. We go there 5-6 times a year and have tried a couple of places in Cape Charles (an amazingly beautiful town with some fantastic places to eat). And then we found AJ's 2 years ago. WOW! I keep thinking we should maybe try the others on our list, but AJ's keeps drawing us back. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Don't let the "bar and grill" name fool you. Yes, the bar is amazing![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Great drinks, every time. I have tried several cocktails, but that Marshmudtini has become my "go to." But when one hears "bar & grill," it's natural to think the usual bar food. That's where AJ's stands out! This is NOT your typical bar food friends. There is a big time chef standing back there in the kitchen! For example, I give you our experience last Saturday night. We were greeted like family at the door. This has happened every single time we have been there (even though I am sure they don't know us - they treat everyone like local regulars). We were seated fast and greeted by our server. We ordered the Everything Pretzel Braid, because it is so yummy! They have specials all the time (the servers are always well versed - I mention this because the app special was the pretzel with crab meat last weekend). Hubby ordered the sirloin, rare as is norm) I ordered the wedge salad and French onion soup. This time I got the wedge "AJ Style" for the first time (candied bacon and pickled red onions). As usual, our meals were amazing! Here's why - that "AJ Style" wedge was outstanding! It was their usual fresh wedge with fantastic dressing, lots of blue cheese, etc. But those pickled onions and candied bacon pushed it over the top! And the French onion soup - let me tell you about that! I love French onion soup, but I am hesitant to order it in a restaurant. So many places serve it overly salty probably because it sits there all night overly reducing, (and as a salt fanatic, for me to say that is saying something), so I rarely order it anymore and just make it at home. But this??! AJ's FOS was amazing. Not salty at all, in fact it had such a deep beefy flavor! Just unreal!!! Hubby's steak was cooked perfectly (which so many restaurants struggle with when it is ordered rare). But the star of the night for me? His green bean side. These were not cut green beans from a can. No, these were whole FRESH green beans. And they were seasoned SO well! I don't know honestly with what, because I was eating them off his plate pretty fast (as he watched football on one of the many well placed TVs around the restaurant- haha). Imagine! Well seasoned fresh green beans at a "bar & grill!" That's all you need to know. PS - roll those through that melted steak butter they use on the sirloin. You're welcome! [[HIGHLIGHT]]So yes, friendly atmosphere, great knowledgeable servers, spot on bartenders and AMAZING food will keep us coming back here again and again.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Fabulous! Food and staff are amazing. The food is high quality and portions are satisfying. Menu offers casual and fine plates. There are seasonal specials that should be tried. Owners make from scratch desserts. All that's needed is more seating as their secret is out and is a local favorite! read more

My wife saw AJs on our drive into Cape Charles. Checked it out on Yelp and figured it would be a good spot for a casual family lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated upstairs in a comfortable booth.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was solid throughout the meal, our waitress was personable and professional. On a whim, I ordered a dozen oysters because I had seen them being carried into the restaurant as we arrived. Can't beat that freshness! It was fun to have family members try oysters for the first time or the first time in a while. I certainly loved the quality! I also enjoyed a nicely prepared blackened shrimp salad. Everyone at the table enjoyed their lunch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Definitely a nice place to eat in Cape Charles![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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I'm writing this review real time I've eaten her 3 times and food is a little above typical bar food. Waitress overall good. But a bloated supposedly wealthy dude came in and was spouting off about traveling to Galapogos bla bla bla the waitress ignored us. I tried to order the fresh catch bit they were all out even though the " rich guy " got his order in She had no idea if I was a rich guy or not Really stupid she'll never know read more

Terrific food and friendly services. Tried various menu items and loved all of them. Love the hot honey chicken. read more

We stopped in for cocktails and appetizers. We had chicken wings habanero and the old bay yummy and the seafood quesadilla and the seafood nachos. Everything was delicious and packed with seafood. The 4 of us were so stuffed we didn't need a dinner. Big portions. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun spot we haven't visited before.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The US Women's Soccer Team was playing for the gold so we took a few hours out of our day to have a light lunch and watch the game. We ordered beverages of course. IPA for my husband and a dark and stormy for me. For food we ordered the shrimp quesadilla, which was tasty. It could use some pico on the side. The description said it was on the quesadilla but all I tasted was shrimp, bacon and cheese. Don't get me wrong, it was really good. I'd eat it again and order jalapeños and pico on the side with it. My husband got the oysters. They were good too. The bartender was really nice and watched a little bit of the game when she could so we could talk about it. I really liked this place and will be back. read more

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Food and service, menus selections are all very good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Atmosphere is a bit rough nd the noise level is typical of most Eastern Shore restaurants.... TOO LOUD.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Place is clean, popular spot with the locals, ample parking and you don't have to back in!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Thank you to our GREAT bartender all week, Katie!!! And the two ladies at the front door are fantastic hostesses!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food, fun vibe and just overall highly recommend for a delicious meal and a staff that makes you feel welcome!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Ed won a round of music bingo!! Super fun night! - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

Every thing was amazing! Food and service. Friendly staff after we explained terrible service at Shanty's. Just go where you're treated right. read more

Wonderful experience! We got there right before they closed but they were still so accommodating & made me a delicious French 75. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Really cute little venue.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Perfect French 75 - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Good place to catch games![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Little on the small side.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was great. Try the wings. Good draft beer specials. read more

We ended up here after a disappointing experience at another popular local restaurant we had been to for years. We'll just say, this is our new place! Can't say enough good things about the Bayside Nachos! Service was beyond amazing. Definitely give it a try! read more

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Everything was great! Very friendly with great service! The scallop po boy special with waffle fries was delicious. We had the shrimp quesadillas that hit the spot. I had the house salad with house made balsamic and ranch. The chicken and dumplings soup was very yummy. A great dinning experience. We will be back. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - I had the chicken and dumpling soup... delicious! The house salad with their in house made balsamic and ranch dressings... - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

We came by twice while visiting the area. First meal was a mid-week lunch. Bartender was attentive and nice to chat with. He shared great ideas of things to do in area. Second time was a Saturday evening. It was busy but staff were pleasant and hospitable. The blackened shrimp tacos are delicious. read more

We went there past 9 PM, hungry and craving for some good food, (I was craving a good burger) They did NOT disappoint at all.. service was on point had a great hazy IPA, AJ's Smashed burgers, our friends got steak and cheese and a wedge salad with clam chowder soup and everyone left so happy and more than satisfied. Loved the service, everyone was so friendly. I highly recommend! read more

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The best hamburger I've ever had in my life and that covers a lot of burgers. The fries were also delicious, as was the homemade ranch and burger sauce. It was an amazing lunch. If you are in Cape Charles, this place is a must. read more

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Other than a small issue with the hostess forgetting to add us to the list, the food and our waitress were great. It was a busy night but we still had pretty quick service. We ordered the chili nachos, smash burger, and a chicken bacon sandwich. The food was super flavorful and we will definitely be back on a less busy night. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Chicken sandwich with bacon - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

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The food was pretty good! I had the raw oysters, wedge salad, and French onion soup. The service was prompt and attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The only downside was that the restaurant was very loud.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's not a place that's good for a party over 8 people as it's a small restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Everything was perfect. Loved the menu. The food was delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat at the bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The bartender was fantastic. She was very friendly, made suggestions, and was very warm and knowledgeable. Loved that they are open later than every other place in town. read more

The philly cheese steak was amazing. Friendly staff who answered all our questions! Definitely a must visit in cape charles!

Food and serviced was great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was a good environment[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and our food did not take long to come out. read more

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What a great place to take a break. Not only was the atmosphere inside inviting and fun, the young lady who met us at the door was friendly. We chose to sit upstairs where we had a great view of the restaurant. We had the sweet potatoes fries and wings with old bay and a salad. The food was worth 10 stars. Literally as we were eating the wings, you get 8, we ordered 8 more. The best wings I have ever had. The flavor was perfect and they were meaty too. The salad and potatoes were great too. This was our little monthly get a way for a day, took an hour and a half to get here, before we left we knew we would be coming a couple more times this year back to Cape Charles to AJ's for their Old Bay wings. Fantastic. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - A Birds Eye view - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

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We found this because of a recommendation from a local bed breakfast. We came in late and were hungry. There is currently construction outside of the restaurant on the roads so parking is a mess so plan to walk. Service was prompt and professional. Ordered an old fashioned and a glass of wine. Ordered French onion soup and an entree to share. The waitress was knowledgeable, friendly and fast. The bill was under 100 with a tip. We didn't partake but they offered great weekly specials and it was $10 wing night Thursday but I would have if the shrimp special didn't sound so good. Glad we went. read more

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This is a nice refurbished restaurant nestled on a side side street. I had the clam chowder as an appetizer and it was delicious. The portion size of the fish on the sandwich was huge and cooked perfectly. I will definitely return. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Happy Hour menu - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

Service was great while our food wasn't anything to rave about I'd for sure try other things on the menu, [[HIGHLIGHT]]love the local bar vibes![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Awesome oysters and drinks. Very friendly staff and amazing drinks. Gets packed and parking is limited in the tourist season. read more

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What a fabulous restaurant! We were immediately greeted by the host who was so friendly and had a great personality. The food was fantastic, the drinks were delicious, the service was fast. I loved sitting upstairs and looking out on the whole restaurant. Overall, it was an awesome spot that I can't wait to revisit! read more

Hidden Jem. We arrived just after happy hour started and they had $1 oysters. Large clean and delicious and so good we ordered two dozen. We sat at the bar and they changed the shrimp quesadillas to chicken and had no problem with changing. Staff are super friendly and very attentive on service which seems to be a rarity in today's world. read more

I want to preface that this review will be updated bc we did not drink anything but oyster shooters and water and had appetizers. The half dozen oysters were $16 for laughing king oysters. The laughing kind oysters are salty as soon as they hit your tongue and have a sweet finish. Not super meaty but they were cleaned and shucked well. Oyster shooter with vodka was very thick with cocktail sauce. But of course, the oyster was good I got half dozen oysters. He got the special rock shrimp which were maybe 15 popcorn shrimp served over slaw and chipotle type mayo sauce. They were good but a bit underwhelming when it came to quantity and presentation. We will be back to eat a real meal and try their specialty drinks. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Drank menu - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

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Had raw oysters twice at AJ's Bar&Grill in two consecutive days. The size was perfect for eating raw, not too big, not too small. Having eaten at many oyster bars in East coast, West coast and the Gulf, AJ's oysters were very fresh, the shucking was outstanding: the muscles were cut from the shells, no broken shell pieces in the meat, and they were not drowned in ice water. Last but not least, Sherry was friendly and attentive making the visit so enjoyable. AJ's is a gem in Cape Charles - it's definitely worth a 5 min detour from hwy 13. read more

We went here with a party of 7 - 4 adults and 3 kids under 6. The hostess was very friendly and seated us immediately at 530pm Tuesday in early April (spring break, but still off-season). We ordered (spoiler alert - everyone was great) Soft shell crab bites (special) Raw oysters: local oysters, 6 for $15. They were some of the best I've had and I usually order them if I'm in a restaurant that has access to fresh local oysters. Nachos: I was hesitant about shrimp and scallops on nachos, but this is now a family can favorite we're going to likely get every time. Wedge Salad: nothing crazy here. Just a great wedge Salad Italian beef sandwich: let me preface by saying this is a knockoff of the Chicago sandwich. I was very happy with the half I split with my wife. Maybe needed a little more giardiniera and jus, but it was a quality sandwich. They had a cheesesteak version of the sandwich that might be better Smash Burgers: this was the star of the show. A local recommended this to me and it's the whole reason we can't. A double smash burger on a brioche bun. I added bacon. My favorite burger in town! AJs Pasta: I did not try this, but the person who did said it was tasted very good. Multiple drinks - all we're amazing. The house margarita for $6 during happy hour is hard to beat! The route 13 was also excellent. Service was very fast and attentive. We did not wait long for any dishes, plates were cleaned quickly, water was refilled, they stopped by and talked to/entertained the kids... Everything was great. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

AJs was there for us in our time of need with a great bartender, some nice bevs, and delicious food. We came over after a dicey dinner elsewhere hoping for some actual sustenance and left happy! The crab cake appetizer special (the remoulade!!) was especially delicious. Thank you for saving our night! read more

My girlfriend and I had the chicken salad, Philly cheese steak and sweet potato fries. It was delicious! Plus the local beers were very good too. Nice atmosphere and friendly service. Glad it was open on a Sunday evening. read more

AJs Bar and Grill - people sitting at a bar - Bars Near Me - Cape Charles, Virginia

Update: We have made happy hour at AJ's a mandatory stop every time we are in Cape Charles. The $1 raw oysters are a must. Food is consistently excellent and the service is always friendly and fast. And if I can rate a place's clientele, [[HIGHLIGHT]]AJ's gets five stars for that. Sitting at the bar we have always found someone interesting and friendly to talk to[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The vibe is sublime.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] So skip the shanty and slip onto a stool at AJ's. You're with friends. read more

This was a great place with good food we both had specials the soup and salad and the smash burger

Wow what a great find !! We were heading home after a week in Virginia Beach and wanted to hit up somewhere for lunch . The food was absolutely amazing . My family all had the smash burgers . All said it was one of the best burgers they ever had . I had the crab cake BLT special . It was so good . Had this spicy delicious sauce . The hostess was so sweet and so was our waitress Raven . The vibe was very chill , the drinks were nice and strong . Sad we live so far away I'd go here all the time . read more

I could not have enjoyed my visit to AJ's any more on Father's Day. The entire experience made it a very special day for myself and my brother in law as we watched the final round of the us open and enjoyed the incredible oysters, cocktails and well curated draft beer list. read more

Had dinner here twice this week. Both times exceptional service. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Highly recommend the wings,especially the old bay/hot honey wings. Everyone loved them!! Waffle fries were great. Smash burgers were great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very friendly place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more