Food was super good but the service wasn't great. We were a group of 7 for a birthday dinner. From the start the waitress seemed to not be friendly, felt very rushed and didn't check up on us for more drinks. We were finishing up at 9. They made us feel like we needed to get out, it wasn't convenient to order dessert when they close at 10pm. read more

We ate at Blanca last night. Every bite was better than the last one! Chef has a way with flavors and boy does it all work together for the best experience. The meat and fish was cooked to perfection and the dressings were delicate and full of flavor. We recommend for any occasion. The dining area was decorated with lighting perfect for the space. The service was the best we have had in years. read more

Blanca - Veggies were fresh and locally grown at Fritillary Farm in Suffolk Va. - Wine Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Amazing meal and great ambiance. The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. This spot is a gem.

I really hate to give this place three stars! I love how close it is to my house and that the executive chef and owner is a woman! However, my husband and I had really different experiences and it averaged out to a three. He started with the kale salad. He was not pleased. It was bitter (even for kale) and $9.00. The prices came up a lot for him in his rating. He also had the risotto. It was supposed to have lamb sausage, but it had about 6 small pieces. It was $18 and he thought it was as bland as the brown color it was in the bowl. He was really disappointed and I'll never get him back here. I had the mussels which I liked a lot. I enjoyed the acidic tomato broth and the mussels were plump and clean. My only critique is that you don't get a ton and two of my guys weren't open. I also had the monk fish in a brioche sauce with mushrooms and celery. Again, I really liked this dish. I liked the silkiness of the sauce and loved the earthy mushrooms. However, it was $27 (as my husband pointed out.) We ended with the olive oil cake. I will recommend this. It's citrusy and delicious. The menu was simple food elevated. The entree's were chicken, monk fish and hanger steak. None of these are great proteins, and for the price, they weren't elevated enough. I will add one more strange observation. I've never seen this. The chef tested the internal temp of the meats with a cake tester that she would insert into the protein and then touch to her lips. I have now read that this is not uncommon. I just am not sure it's sanitary. Kind of weirded me out. read more

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This place was magical. It had a chef to table vibe. You could taste the love in the food and watch it happening all at the same time. Everything we ate was an explosion of flavor in your mouth. I hope to be in the area again one day so I can visit the place again. Small, quaint, outstanding service (rare these days) and the most wonderful meal I've had in years. read more

We were excited to try this place because of the good reviews, but were disappointed. The food looked great however the dishes weren't very flavorful. The ingredients did taste fresh though. The other thing was the service was horrible and to top it off the waitress was wearing a crop top with her stomach in our faces. read more

This place was so quaint and cozy! We had an amazing server and the food was absolutely delicious - the focaccia was to die for! We will definitely be returning. read more

Ah-Mahzing! The most incredible fish & lamb. Gorgeous wine list & impeccable service. We got the extra treat of watching the preparation in this incredible kitchen. They have it down to a science, but treat it like art. Must add to your Norfolk list! read more

Blanca - Wine Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Very mixed experience at a restaurant I wanted to like and have been waiting forever to try. We finally got a reservation and walked over. Pros: Salmon was perfectly cooked, and the accompanying grebiche and vegetables were a perfect pairing. Octopus appetizer was tender and flavorful. Cons: Microscopic portion sizes, astronomical prices. Over $100 for two appetizers, two entrees, and one (teensy-tiny) cocktail. Probably between 3-4 oz of salmon. Chicken dish (one small breast, one small thigh) was good, but nothing particularly noteworthy. Blanca appears to be competing in the Voila/Le Grand/Clementine's space with substantially smaller portions and higher prices, and with at least two items on a limited menu that don't stand up. read more

Blanca was excellent ! I went out to dinner with 5 other ladies and we had several dishes and cocktails. Everything came out in a timely manner and was definitely high quality . I had the Duck Ragu and this dish sent me home googling how to make it! It was outstanding. read more

Blanca - Duck Ragu , amazing dish with tender duck , and fresh pasta. - Wine Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

High marks across the board on food, service and ambience. The wines are delicious but the cocktails are sometimes uneven.

The food was amazing! I had the flounder with rice and it was so flavorful. I have never had flounder taste so good before! My husband loved his dish of the risotto with lamb bolognese. Everything was excellent! Definitely recommend! read more

I'd like to start by saying as soon as i set foot into this place i was overcome with a sense of warmth and coziness that a lot of restaurants these days lack. Immediately upon opening the door I smell focaccia and other amazing food cooking. I was dining solo so I took a seat at the bar. I got the pleasure of watching the chefs cook and the bartender make cocktails. The amount of love I watched go into each of the dishes tonight was incredible. I watched the chef Alex try each sauce to perfection and it was not only impressive to see so much care go into a dish but, inspiring. Passion is not only seen in the food but also in the drinks. Veda I believe her name was encouraged me to try a basil infused tomato gin&tonic she came up with and it was quite possibly the best twist on a cocktail I've had in ages. I will be daydreaming about this cocktail for the foreseeable future. Everyone was so nice and I really enjoyed my time here even dining alone! 10/10 this is my new favorite restaurant in the 757. read more

From the host's greeting to the server's friendly and professionalism down to the service and taste......fantastic! We will definitely be back - SOON! read more

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This wasn't our first visit tonight. We called for reservations yesterday. The only place available for two was at the counter. We have wanted to sit there since Blanca opened, so it was automatic. The counter overlooks the kitchen which is a tight, but entertaining space. We ordered drinks to start. My wife had a Bee's Knees and I had the savory tini. Both were excellent. We had the olives and brilliat savarin. They arrived promptly and were very good. The wine list was excellent and we found a wonderful Cabernet to go with our entrees. The spaghetti limon and roasted chicken were awesome. We saved room for the unbelievable cheesecake and espresso. This wasn't just a meal, this was an experience. It was incredible to watch the well oiled machine that is the kitchen staff. We loved it! read more

We love this place! It's our go to for date night when we want a nice quiet place and a good bottle of wine. Their food is always excellent! I recommend a high too by the bar for more personal service and being able to watch the food preparation. read more

Service is amazing, food is phenomenal, and it's a cute little spot totally unassuming from the street but makes you feel like you've picked yourself up and walked into a little restaurant somewhere in Europe. We love this place and go as often as we can. read more

Another delicious meal. Hot olives, Cabbage and farro salad, short ribs, flounder, cheesecake. Yum!! Perfect service and great food!

My wife and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Blanca! Everything is fresh and cooked to order. Only been to Blanca twice, but both times were outstanding! read more

In my book it's more like 3,5**, but I rounded it to 4** because of the nice service. The menu is quite limited, the food is good, but not great (and in point of dessert just boring), the ambiance not remarkable or comfortable (the chairs were very uncomfortable to sit on), the service was good, and the prices were too high for the quality and the quantity (tapas size portions) of the food. No reason for us to return. read more

Delicious food and superior service. A quality restaurant all around. Looking forward to a return visit.

This place is a gem. The food is always delicious and the ambiance is very cozy and intimate. I always start my meal with their unique warm olives appetizer. Whatever you order, you will not be disappointed! read more

Food and service are top notch, recommend to everyone. Great atomsphere, no matter if it's your first time or your fifth time.

First time here for my friends and I, we were not disappointed!! The atmosphere, service and drinks were on point. Well def be back

Pictures looked great online, I checked out the menu and knew exactly what I wanted. My date arrived before me and she couldn't find the entrance, she directed me once I got there. They restaurant was outside in a large tent. Wasn't very spacious, the menu wasn't the same from the yelp menu. According to the waitress the menu changes every month, the menu only have maybe 7 options. The food was okay, wouldn't be my first choice to return. read more

The menu is short but the food is not! We came with another couple and ordered a lot of food, all which was extremely delicious! We cleared every single plate on our table! The owner is an incredible chef who has created the perfect menu selections in the most charming of restaurants! We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Blanca! read more

Easily one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. Everyone from the servers to the chefs were knowledgeable, kind, and approachable. The food was out of this world. My wife and I had the hot olives, Frito Misto( Tempura vegetables with a delicious green goddess's dressing), Risotto Al Lamb Bolognese, Lamb shank, and a delicious almond flour desert. It was made fresh from local ingredients. They even have a rotating menu throughout the seasons. The best seat in the restaurant is at the bar, you are right up close to the kitchen and get to see all of the dishes being made. I cannot recommend this place enough! Because of Blanca, I know from now on, the the Norfolk food scene is in good hands. We can't wait to go back. read more

The food was absolutely amazing from start to finish!! The Chef along with the kitchen staff executed a stellar meal. The ambiance is just amazing. And SIERRA!!! She was on point 100%. Our party was originally a five top.. which turned into a six top, and then a ten. She handled us with ease, and pristine professionalism. She was patient, informative & knowledgeable. We all could not have asked for a better server, kitchen staff, & experience. Congratulations BLANCA!!!! YOU KILLED IT!! We will be back!!! THANK YOU!!!! read more

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Fantastic place for a date night. The spaghetti Al limone is unlike anything I've ever had and the old fashions are so good! Lovely ambiance too, will definitely be coming back. read more

This place is very nice. It is nestled in between two large spots and is easy to miss when driving down granby st. However, once you give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised. I don't reccomend taking kids here because the food is high class. The reason I gave 4 stars is because finding it is difficult and parking is very tricky. Also, the prices are a bit high. read more

This is such a terrific restaurant. It's our second visit and completely worth the drive from the beach. Blanca's chef Courtney always produces a unique mix of cocktails, tapas and entrees. I had a wonderful pasta with duck ragu and my husband had the roasted chicken. He believes a chef's roasted chicken is a true test of cooking skill. It was perfectly cooked - Terrific use of spice and a wonderful sear to it! Our server, Nate, helped us select a terrific wine and answered our questions about the dishes unfamiliar to us. We brought a friend with us to get the word out about Blanca and she agreed. Great restaurant! Hint: While perusing the menu, order the delightful warm olives. read more

Love love love Blanca! Food and drinks are great and the staff always has huge smiles.

We had a fantastic experience at Blanca. Sitting at the bar and watching all the food preparations was a joy to behold, listening to the chef/owner plan future dishes with her staff, drinking superbly created cocktails, but mostly enjoying food that knocked our socks off! We created our own 6 course meal (see attached pictures of everything except the dessert): -Negroni and Rosemary Bread/Butter -roasted french onion dip and house made potato chips -endive salad w/ walnuts, Parmesan, and blood orange -spaghetti al limone (my favorite course) -lamb risotto and some lovely chicken dish that I don't remember the name but the flavors were to die for -Biscoff semifreddo with cinnamon whipped cream It was such an exciting night for us to have found this gem - do yourself a flavor favor, skip lunch and go to Blanca for a big dinner! read more

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The food is excellent. The chef is so creative with the dishes. Great restaurant. We just love what dishes she creates. Always so delicious read more

If you are an epicurean that loves to eat and try new places, then I highly recommend Blanca. The food are drinks are delicious!! However, I struggled with only wanting to only give them 4 stars because of the limited menu and seating options, but I cannot justify lowing their stars for something that I would prefer. With that said, I highly recommend that you call ahead to see what the main entrees are before you decide to make a reservation. Also, this is not a "last minute," or "drop by" kind of place, they don't have the seating capacity for that. However, there is an outdoor seating area that I think they take advantage of when during times of more agreeable weather conditions like spring and fall. In regards to the limited menu choices, that is because they have a small open air kitchen, so what they are serving for the day is very fresh and cooked on the spot. Everything that we ordered from the drinks, to the fresh bread, to the appetizers, to the main entrees were delicious. One last note, if you have children that cannot stay seated, or are picky eaters, this might not turn out to be an enjoyable evening for you. The atmosphere here is romantic....and I'm pretty sure there were no nuggets and fries on the menu. Not Baby Yoda (Grogu) approved. read more

Service was very good, waiter was all over it. The food was just ok. Maybe it's just me but I got the lemon spaghetti and it was totally overpowered by what looked like an entire lemon that was used to season it. Be warned it's also very expensive (again on my opinion) compared to other high end restaurants in the Norfolk area. read more

In our opinion, this is a talented Chef who is giving us quality, delicious, and creative dishes. A charming small restaurant with an extremely small kitchen so the number of choices reflect the Chef's ability to actually prepare quality food. I've read some complaints on portion size and I just don't agree. I find the sizes perfect. This restaurant holds its own in comparison to any fine restaurant world wide. We consider ourselves lucky to have this quality food preparation in our hometown. read more

Unexpectedly awesome! Never had anything like the candied tempura vegetable appetizer

Like going to Europe without the jet lag. We've been there twice, and both times we came away excited to go back. Friendly staff, appreciative chef, and incredible food/wine. Such a gem in Norfolk. read more

Absolutely delicious. My boyfriend and I went for our anniversary and everything was perfect. Our server was so sweet, every course was hot, perfectly executed and seasoned. To start they give you fresh focaccia bread that has love in every nook and cranny. Our tortilla espanola was a great, it went so well with the tomatoes, anchovies and aioli. The spaghetti a limone was to die for, the pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce had just the right amount of bof lemon. We both ordered the steak with bernaise and potatoes, absolutely delicious, the steak cut like better we both were almost convinced it was sous vide'd. We then lastly ordered both the semolina cake and semifredo and it was the best ending to our night, the semolina cake was a beautiful cross between like a flan and bread pudding with super tart cherries and perfect whipped cream. The semifreddo was so creamy and a perfect chocolate & vanilla combination. The chefs made it an awesome experience also, the sous chef made it a point to come thank us for complimenting her focaccia bread, everyone was so humble and loved doing what they do. Thank you for an amazing anniversary, we'll definitely be back soon! read more

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