Picturesque environment, the food was fantastic and the service was great! A little pricey but a great place. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Had a delicious experience here the other night and really enjoyed my second visit to the restaurant! Don't let the location (it sits far off the road) nor the fact that it's at the marina fool you, as this place is a great romantic restaurant with a fabulous menu! The ambient lighting and great service tops off the fact that the food is really delicious and the experience overall is special! We began with drinks, an Irish coffee for me and beer flight for him! We were pleasantly surprised that beer flights come 3 for $6 and were large pours! Bread was also immediately brought to our table and the whipped basil butter was very tasty! We went through a basket and brought some home! For an appetizer, we did the fried jumbo shrimp which were delicious especially in the unique cocktail sauce! "A" also went for the caesar wedge salad which was really good and quite a portion too! For our main dishes, I had the manicotti and he had the ravioli! Both dishes were really good but we both agreed the mushroom ravioli in the light Alfredo sauce was our favorite! The flavors were out of this world and worked so well together! Their dessert menu looked amazing but we were just too full this time so it's on the to-so list for the next visit! Overall, the Amber Lantern is a great place to go to for special occasions, date nights, dinner parties, etc.! It's an upper scale restaurant that has a casual vibe as well and boasts great food! read more

Never disappointed! Great atmosphere! Excellent service! Staff is pleasant and professional! read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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It's official . . . as a society we have accepted mediocrity as the new normal! The fact that this business survives supports that. To say they are located off the beaten path is an understatement. As you near the location, you question the integrity of your GPS. The stench from the neighboring grain processing plant or whatever you drive through en-route makes you question your destination. You tell yourself a restaurant this far out has to be worth the trip. The entrance is awkward at best. It's located on a dreary stretch of the Elizabeth River where the view is uninspiring. A photo of the four of us reading the menu with our flashlight app would be comical. The food was disappointing; however the prices are definitely high end. The only upside in this experience was dining with a couple of great people. We'll do that again; however we'll select a different venue. Hampton Roads offers many better choices. read more

I have been to Amber Lantern many times, never a disappointing visit.. Everything is well seasoned, marinated and presented.. The desserts have also always been fabulous. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - The Coconut cream Bombe Cake w/ a dollop of mango pudding... yummy!!! And Lemon berry Mascarpone Cake... delicious !!! - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Not impressed in the least. I had a lobster shrimp linguine.However I think the lobster missed the boat.There was supposed to be 4 tiger prawns and 3 oz lobster over Linguini pasta.They were actually just Butterflied shrimps. Then there's the portion size. I got a child's size portion. Why do I say that well I also ordered Alfredo linguini for my grandson. His bowl of pasta was the same size as mine. I just got 4 shrimp and a stealth lobster for 25$. And a boat load of salt. My wife got some gnocchi dish. Just as mine small portion for 20$ I think they can do a lot better but then again maybe that's why the restaurant was empty other than a large party. I was really disappointed in the dinner I hate going away from the restaurant hungry. We won't be back and hopefully after you read this you won't waste your money or time. read more

This place has always been one of my favorites. The service is great, beautiful location & atmosphere, and the food is simply delicious. Sometimes they might make a mistake in the kitchen (aka meat slightly underdone or food does not come out hot) but this has only happened to myself or family/friends on a couple busy occasions. Most importantly, they always make it right so every guest is satisfied. The filet is my favorite anywhere, so I had to go for my birthday dinner and it was a wonderful experience per usual. Until next time! read more

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Went there with a family crew while on vacation, food was good, service was bad and no management presence. Another family member wrote a review on another site and the owner replied ' try golden corral' Pretty much tells you how the restaurant is run. read more

I was a little nervous about where my GPS was taking me. I even said to the Mrs. "There is NO WAY a restaurant is down this street!" However, tucked way back on an industrial street you will certainly find Amber Lantern. A really clean and mid to upper scale restaurant on the second floor, great atmosphere, bar, booth and table seating. Great for large parties, however they are a on the pricey side. Average meal $25 and up, average appetizers $10 and up. I had the grilled pork-chops they were ok, lacked flavor but I did ask for the fig sauce dressing on the side. The vegetables were a little too salty for me but I did enjoy the Mozzarella tower my wife ordered. I also had the crab bisque, it had a few pieces of lump crab meat but again it lacked flavor. Overall I would give this restaurant a C+ but I would not return because I was not impressed for the amount of money they expect for their dining. read more

I ordered the Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes. The food was absolutely delicious and service was fantastic! Will be going back soon.

Came here with my fiancé was very impressed with the food I had steak with the most flavorful risotto I've ever had he had the rack of lamb and it was cook perfectly. For appetizers we had the Brie, crab cake and bisque. Everything was extremely tasty. read more

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Fantastic service, as they are timely, responsive, and polite. The food is beautiful, yes beautiful, delicious and savory. The ambience is quaint, cozy and comfortable with outside seating to boot. Finally the management believes in leadership- checking on the performance of their personnel, and providing instant feedback to reinforce the continued behaviors of these winning individuals. If you GO HERE, you CAN NOT GO WRONG . read more

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Went for my 16 year anniversary/ best friends birthday and it was incredible. My husband and I ordered the crab cake dinner and split it (averagr cost is about $25 per person per plate). It was melt in your mouth delicious. We had the mini margs to drink and they tasted like liquid jolly rangers. The waitress was fantastic. The only downside was the insane amount of "no see'ms" little natty bugs. We asked the restaurant if they happened to have a citronella candle, which unfortunately they did not. Overall, I would definitely go again. Maybe even give gift cards so my family can go with me. read more

This is my second visit. Took my wife and daughter there Saturday night before Mother's Day. We started off with calamari appetizer which was overcooked. Entrees are nice but really no choice in sides. I tried the shrimp and lobster pasta dish and the lobster was way overcooked. My daughter got the filet and like I said you get mashed potatoes and their mixed vegetables. read more

Been here twice, first time for a company dinner, second for Mother's Day. Both occasions the food and service was good. Both times our waitress was attentive and made sure to check on us and see if we needed anything. The table ordered a few appetizers which all were really good. It took no time for them to disappear. The first time I ordered the swordfish which was really great. I also was able to taste some of the lamb and that was great. The second time I went we had the calamari appetizer which was great. The crab soup was pretty good, the flavor was nice and the pieces of crab were just rights. The portion was also pretty big even though I ordered the cup, it came in a cute little kettle. I had the lobster ravioli which was a nice portion size. The flavor was ok but I still enjoyed it. Afterwards we had the lava cake which was wonderful. I will admit, the only issue I had was with the hostess. When we entered she didn't really great us or come off as personable. I also noticed she didn't offer my mother a flower when we walked out even though I saw her offer it to others when they exited. It may not be a big deal but I think it's important to be courteous to patrons. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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We were surprised by our first visit. Took a bit of finding and in an industrial section of Chesapeake but when we went inside were very pleasantly surprised. It is a large and elegant upscale facility with a wide menu of choices. Each of our party of 4 had a different main course and all were excellent. We has the calamary appetizer and it rated as high as any of us had ever eaten. Reasonable prices for the quality and we will be back. Excellent date night choice in Chesapeake. read more

Really enjoyed the meal and the ambiance. Very odd and out of the way location. A bit creepy. Decor is beautiful and food was a. Amazing! Loved the appetizer calamari and appetizer spinach and artichoke dip. My stuffed shrimp were wonderful and on par with what I get in Louisiana. read more

After hearing rave reviews about Amber Lantern, my husband and I checked it out one evening. We made a reservation earlier that day thinking it would be a busy place. When we got there, the restaurant was empty which we thought was odd for a weekend night. We ordered an appetizer of the seared tuna, which was great. I had the salmon and my husband had duck. While both of our meals were good, neither stood out as being amazing. I doubt that we will be back for dinner but I would like to try them for lunch during the summer when their patio is open. read more

We enjoyed a special dinner during the week there. When we arrived, there was a large group of 10 having some sort of organizational meeting, and 2 other tables eating. By the time we finished, it was just us and a few patrons in the bar area. With the place being so dead, I did not understand why our service was so slow, and why we were seated so close to this organization having their meeting. We were in a room that could have been easily left for this group and move the other diners to the other area. It was very distracting to listen to their meeting, nominating officers, taking notes, etc. Our service was extremely slow. We had to wait at least 10 plus minutes to get our drinks. All we ordered was water, white wine and a tea. In the 5 minutes we sat waiting for our friends to arrive, she could have easily brought our drinks, but did not. SHe waited until our friends arrived, took their orders and then we still had to wait 5 minutes for the drinks. Keep in mind, no one ordered drinks from the bar that had to be made. Tea, water, soda and a white wine. Nothing difficult. Our food was excellent, but the timing was off. We were not able to finish our appetizer before the meal was done. After the meal was dropped off, our waitress disappeared and we had to wait an extended time for drink refills. With the prices and the ambiance, I would love to say I would go back, but I doubt it. read more

My third review and the second time with a bad dish. Last time it was the duck which did not resemble the dish others have raved about. This time it was the Fruite de Mare. My wife had the wonderful ravioli and our fried oyster appetizer was terrific - how did they make the oysters slightly crispy with no thick breeding. Now to my dish. One there was very little seafood. It did have 4 mussels but hey these are cheap. The giant scallops were good but there were only 4 thin slices. Every time I found what looked to be a seafood morsel, it was artichoke. All this could be forgiven but the oily sauce was unforgettable. Just too much oil made it seem drowned rather than properly sauced. Our service was first rate and the wine list good and reasonably priced. Overall the prices were reasonable. The McWilliams Cabernet was delightful. Carmelo the chef came out to greet the next table but walked right past us without a glance - we were the only other table occupied. Maybe he was having a bad night? read more

My boyfriend, after purchasing a new (used) boat, recently selected Top Rack Marina as his dry storage provider. Since becoming members, we have found that the staff, dock hands, crew, and manager are exceptional! Amber Lantern is the restaurant on the Marina premises. After spending a day on the boat we paid a visit to the restaurant. My first impression was the lighting. If you like dining in restaurants that set a romantic mood, I would highly recommend you visit. The lighting is dim without being too dark. The décor style is very comfy, yet classy. The wait-staff was very professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. They have an outdoor patio (2nd floor), overlooking the Elizabeth River. The view is beautiful! This particular evening we came with friends and ordered a few dishes to split. We shared the calamari (Some of the best I have ever had), the crabcake (filled with lump crab meat, barely any filler), the Lobster Tortellini (Delicious & Flavorful), & the Spinach Artichoke Dip (Creamy). We were impressed with the presentation, quality, & service. I will definitely be returning to try some of their seafood entrees! read more

I will keep this short and sweet... I decided to stop here on my way home after work one evening for a quick bite and a cocktail because I have heard great things about the place. Well in all honesty it was beautiful inside the restaurant with a gorgeous view from the patio over looking James River but... The wine selection was extensive and the menu looked great. The service was spot on but the appetizers were very disappointing. I would suggest going there for the view or to have cocktails but not the food. read more

Went Mother's Day and sat outside. Gnats were horrible BUT, the food was delicious as always. Love the baked brie. Highly recommend it as an app. :) read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

The food was great the server was very friendly but the service was slow. You will definitely have time to enjoy the view. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

This place is on the expensive side but was definitely worth it. The quality of the food was outstanding and the presentation was just as good. It had a beautiful water view so its a popular place for prom dinners, anniversarys, etc. I had a raspberry topping fish to die for! Its pretty tuck away in Chesapeake but if you find it, you wont be disappointed. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

We tried the Amber Lantern Restaurant for the first time on Friday, November 27th for dinner. They are only open for dinner, so we had to leave a voicemail that morning to reserve for our group of 12. They promised a confirmation call which we received around 3pm. We were a bit disappointed upon arrival because the exterior is not very impressive. A large parking lot and fairly nondescript building housing a marina on the lower level and the restaurant above. There are both stairs and an elevator to the restaurant. When we stepped off the elevator, however, we were pleasantly surprised by the elegant and homey decor which felt very welcoming. We dined early at 5pm due to an infant and two toddlers in our party, so weren't surprised that the place was quite empty. By the time we left there were several other parties. The wait staff were very friendly and proficient, and took very good care of us without being intrusive. Service was prompt, and the appetizers and meals came out in good time and well spaced. All of the food was delicious, but there were a few standouts. The spinach and avocado dip was exceptional! Smooth and creamy. . .the best I've ever eaten hands down. The rack of lamb was juicy, delicious, and cooked perfectly. The lobster tortellini was delicious but rich. We enjoyed our dinner with a lovely view of the water and sunset, and had a very enjoyable evening. We will return soon. I highly recommend you give the Amber Lantern a try, and don't judge until you are inside and eating. read more

Enjoyed a relaxing dinner which included excellent service, great food and a sunset over the inter-coastal. I had been hearing good things about this place and have wanted to try it out for a while now. We ate inside because the sun shining on the deck made for rather hot al fresco experience, but we snagged an after dinner drink outside when it was cooler. We had the Blue Mussels appetizer, which were prepared perfectly. I followed up with the grilled salmon special and my husband had the crab cakes. The presentation was lovely and the food was delicious. I am not a big cooked vegetables person, but they had an interesting mixed vegetable medley with peppers, squash and edamame. I loved it. We were too full for desert, but the table next to me ordered a monstrous piece of coconut cake. Maybe next time! I love being on the water, and was pleased to find a place with good food and ambiance. The view is a bit industrial in places, but overall it is very relaxing to watch the boats come in and see the sunset over the trees. Note to bartender: this is one bar on a short list of restaurants I have found that really know how to make a fantastic Manhattan:) _Laine read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

Trying a new spot...we enjoyed it. Great atmosphere , really really good food, a tad pricey....but perfect for a special occasion. I highly recommend. read more

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Love the atmosphere of this restaurant. The lamb chops are delicious. I did visit the restaurant one day last week to havr drinks and dessert and they were closed an hour before the stated closing time. When I called the hostess she said that they close early if the don't have anyone in the restaurant. So if you are ever going there after 730 please call first. Other than that, Amber Lantern is highly recommended read more

This is an unexpected little gem in Chesapeake! Thank goodness I had my GPS or I would have never found Amber Lantern. I came with a large group of 10 for a business dinner. Had a client in town and didn't want to travel too far from the Greenbrier area, but also did not want to frequent a chain restaurant. A friend suggested Amber Lantern and after checking out the menu we decided to give it a try. It was a bit hard to find. It's located near Top Rack Marina at the intersection of Dominion and Bainbridge. There's an elevator that takes you up to the second floor restaurant entrance. The restaurant was comfortable, nice bar area and outdoor seating over the water. We had a reservation and were seated right away. We started with cocktails and appetizers, seared ahi tuna, shrimp cocktail and a cheese plate to share. Cocktails were made well and the appetizers were tasty - off to a great start. I had the filet mignon and it was cooked as I asked. The accompanying fresh herb and garlic demi glace complimented my steak nicely. Others in the party had seafood which they enjoyed as well. The one standout was the Gnocchi Carbonara which didn't have the flavor expected. Desserts were large and pretty tasty. We enjoyed the coconut cake, tiramisu and crème brule cheesecake. If I had the opportunity to go back, I would because the food and atmosphere were decent. I wish they would extend their wine list offerings a bit. Selections are somewhat limited, especially by the glass. read more

It's not the easiest place to find, but it's worth visiting- especially if the weather is nice outside. Food is consistently good and ambiance is quiet but nice. read more

Last minute pick where to eat for an early Father's Day dinner since I have to work this coming Sunday. Thank goodness for Yelp, we stumbled upon this cozy and elegant restaurant. Though it says " fine dining ", we still went dressed up in shorts and jeans. I must say I came out of this place happy and satisfied.. from the ambiance ( overlooking the Elizabeth River ), the service and excellent food selection. Our pick were the ahi tuna, shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, lobster tortellini and tale of the sea.. all delish and the portions were just right. The spinach artichoke dip with lump crabmeat only lasted a minute on the table. To end it all, creme brûlée and chocolate lava cake. A taste of the sea so close to home and didn't have to drive all the way down the beach. Excellent food and dining experience. Will highly recommend this and we will definitely be back. Impressive place, service,food quality and ambiance. And BTW, this is at Chesapeake. Not really visible to many but Yelp where it's at and you won't be disappointed. read more

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Very good, little pricey but good. This place is hard to find if you're not from the area, our GPS was getting very confused because there is so much road construction in that area. The filet is delicious and also the lump crab spinach and artichoke dip. read more

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Food was tasteful, prepared fresh, with a clean presentation...however for the price I think the portion could have been a little larger. Their crab dip is delicious. read more

Amber Lantern Restaurant - Food was tasteful, however for the price I think the portion could have been a little larger. Their crab dip is delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Chesapeake, Virginia

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This Place Was AMAZING!!!! So we were looking for a seafood place around Virginia Beach but not on the beach itself (because it was too far) and we found this place! At first it took us a while to actually locate it because there was construction and the road to get there was closed, but after calling the extremely nice hostess and getting directions from her we were able to find it! Upon walking up the stairs of a marina like building, we were welcome by such a nice interior and a really amazing wait staff. We were seated outside, there were only two other families around us and it was such a pretty view over the Elizabeth River. Then the food came!!!! Which was so great. The quality of the seafood was so fresh and everything tasted perfect. Truthfully this was the best place we ate in during our whole stay in Virginia. So if your looking for a high quality and yummy seafood place, this is it! read more

Docked overnight at Top Rack Marina, and had a good dinner at the Amber Lantern. Our server Emily L. was as nice as can be; and an attentive waitress. Thank you! read more

If your having a party or celebrating a birthday - this is NOT ... and I mean NOT the place to celebrate. When it was questioned as to why - the answer was "it's frowned upon by management ". Wouldn't recommend the steak - it was dry. Server was good though and the overall feel of the restaurant was nice too. The worst part which is why I'm even taking the time to review this on yelp is when reviewed on Facebook by a friend of mine about this interaction - she was called childish for posting it by the restaurant. A management team that takes the time to comment on a review and call someone childish is not somewhere I'd EVER recommend anyone I'd know to visit. read more

Best filet minion I've had in a LONG time. Not super child friendly but very accommodating nonetheless. Waitresses and hostess were very warm and friendly. The view wasn't too shabby either. Overall my entire group had an amazing experience. Would highly recommend this place for a special occasion or even a date night. read more

Could have been worse, but also could have been much better. I ordered the swordfish (a special our waitress told us about). The main course was nothing to write home about. The 'brocolini' side was tasty, but way over-salted. The risotto was delicious and probably the only thing I would actually order at a restaurant. Most of my party had similar comments about their meals (generally over salted, nothing spectacular, flavor-wise). The one exception, however, was the Ahi Tuna. The ginger sauce with the fish was incredibly tasty, and the dish was well-prepared. For dessert, the creme brulee was very good, but the lava cake was only so-so. The star was definitely the home-made fruity whipped creme. Ultimately, a bit of a let down given the prices. read more

If we lived in Chesapeake, we would do our best to keep this place a secret. A wonderful hidden gem. We were expecting to find the typical fried seafood and cold beer marina restaurant, but found fine dining instead. Our server, Aliyah, was an absolute gem, with just the right attention at exactly the right times. The menu was interesting without being overwhelming. Same with the wine list. And every course was spectacular. My wife had the ahi carpaccio as a starter and it was really good. The entrees were amazing, and the lemon berry marscapone cake was out of this world. We would be regulars if we lived here! read more