I'll start by saying this: I am not someone who typically writes reviews. In fact, I'm known among…read moremy friends and family as a very critical eater--some have even jokingly called me a food critic. So for me to take the time to write this says a lot. From the moment we walked into Oceanview Diner, we felt at home. There was an immediate warmth--like stepping into what America is supposed to feel like--people talking, laughing, and genuinely connecting over good food. The attention to detail was impossible to miss. Fresh-cut flowers sat on each table, adding a simple but thoughtful touch. Before our meals even arrived, we were served homemade herb focaccia with olive oil--an unexpected and appreciated gesture. And yes, even the water stood out. Being near the ocean, you often get that slightly earthy taste, but this water was clean, crisp, and clearly filtered. Now, the food. I ordered the Parmesan-crusted chicken with roasted potatoes and collard greens. The chicken was juicy (not dry at all) and cooked perfectly--something that sounds simple but is rarely executed this well. The collards were good, though I personally would've liked just a touch more salt and a splash of vinegar to bring them fully to life. My partner ordered the fried flounder with asparagus and mashed potatoes and had nothing but praise. Not a single morsel was left on the plate, which tells you everything you need to know. Oceanview Diner delivered not just a meal, but an experience rooted in care, pride, and hospitality. Thank you for an amazing visit--continued success to you, and a huge job well done to the kitchen staff.

Good home style breakfast. Fast service…read more I have to come back for lunch. I got their skillet, which is scrambled eggs, cheese over hash browns. I ordered mine with bacon. Got to my table in less than 5 minutes. Now that's a real short order cook.

Don't forget that on Wednesday's it is Wine Wednyand it is half off of bottles of wine! If you…read morecan't drink it all (tsk, tsk), they will bag it for you to take home. On this occasion we sat at the bar and enjoyed a lovely dinner. I had the white chicken chili and my husband enjoyed the always tasty Igloo burger. Our white wine, the Zenato, was delicious and accurately described as "crushable" on the menu. It was a porch pounder for sure. Our bartender was lovely, attentive and friendly. The hostess who greeted us was welcoming. A lovely Wednesday night in a great setting.

Food is good but the star is the bread pudding. The bread pudding will ruin you for all future…read morebread pudding to come. They have rotating favors every week. In terms of entrees my favorite is the pulled duck BBQ. Their menu is rotating but this is one of the dishes that stays Drinks were always good and refreshing Service was good. Never had bad service there.

Five stars for the scallops! One of my favorite meals during our summer in Norfolk…read more We didn't dine in at restaurants much because it's tricky with a toddler, but we got plenty of delivery and takeout. I enjoyed the seafood pasta and my husband enjoyed the seared scallops so much I ordered them again several weeks later. We'd probably be regulars if we stayed in the area.

Last weekend, we went to Swell at OV for dinner. I've driven by it several times and I have…read moreapparently been missing out on some great food. The interior had a clean modern look. We were greeted and seated quickly after arriving. I selected the St. Jacques Scallops for my meal! It was wonderful! The scallops tasted fresh and the sauce that went with it tasted amazing. For dessert, I had the strawberry cheesecake! It was rich and delicious! I would recommend trying Swell! The food, service, and overall experience is worth it!

Ok Cap' Ron's is BACK! And it's better than ever! I am so happy the smoke smell is GONE!…read more They still have some more clean up to do, per the bartender. However, the food was amazing, the drinks were too. Everyone working was friendly and inviting. Everything was great except for some older customers oogling a young server. He told a older manager looking man that he would come more often if the staff looked more like the young girl. The manager replied with, and that's why I didn't hire anymore.

It's kinda a weird vibe in here, although I came with some of a softball team on a Sunday afternoon…read morepost games. You have to order at the bar for food & drinks and they bring it out to you. We chose to sit outside and enjoyed the oscillating fans that misted water. We did not enjoy the extremely LOUD music that was playing, even outside. It was a bit much. The food was good, bar service was good, and we MAY come here again. I think it needs a thorough clean up and maybe is more of a bar/club/nightlife type of feel- it has that icky, sticky sort of feeling to it. Just kinda rundown. The food was good though, so it kinda balanced out, I guess. I'll come back if a group of my friends are, but most likely not on my own.

This is an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant! The food tastes very close to what my mother used to…read moremake. We started off with the Pastel wrapped in banana leaves, Alcapurrias and relleno de papas. I give the pastel a 4.5 out of five. The relleno de papas a 4 out of five and the Alcapurrias a 3 out of 5. Keep in mind I am comparing this to my mother's home cooking. The pastel was almost perfect. The meat as seasoned very well but not as tender as what my mother used to make. The masa was perfect! The relleno de papas was seasoned very differently than what I am accustomed to but still very yummy. The Alcapurrias were lacking in flavor. My son ordered the Bistec Encebollado with Rice and beans and he was so happy that this dish was very close to our family recipe. My daughter in law ordered the Pernil sandwich which she absolutely loved. My son tasted it and said it was the best he'd ever eaten! My husband ordered the Cuban sandwich which he said had a Puerto Rican flair to it. Puerto Rican Pernil is much different than Cuban Roast Pork which is what he is used to as we live in Miami, FL I only had the appetizers as I was not too hungry to begin with but I was able to taste everything and this restaurant is being added to my favorites list! I will be coming here every time I visit my family. The service was quick and very friendly!

We went for lunch on a whim, and I'm so glad we did! Our waitress was a little inattentive, but…read moreour food and drinks came out in a reasonable amount of time and was delicious! We will definitely be back! This is a great casual/business casual dining experience in a really cool location!

This was a great dining experience with great food, a nice atmosphere and a very good server!…read more We stopped into try a few bites and loved the food that we tried: The mojo pork taco The shredded Jamaican jerk chicken taco The spring rolls Everything had great flavor and was fresh! Want to go back and try more of their delicious food! It's not overly large inside so coming at an off time (right at 4) we were able to get a seat but I bet it can get busy! They do have outside dining so if it's not too hot or cold there is that option!

We visited on a Wednesday evening around 7pm with a party of three. We ordered two Sapporos, a…read moreshrimp sandwich, an order of Vang rolls, and two garlic noodles. The restaurant was fairly empty, with only three other tables occupied, so we were surprised by the length of the wait. Our two canned Sapporos didn't arrive until about 30 minutes after ordering. The shrimp sandwich took approximately 45 minutes, and the Vang rolls arrived after about an hour. After waiting an hour, we were informed that the garlic shrimp for our garlic noodles was unavailable, despite it being part of our original order. Unfortunately, the Vang rolls were so salty that we couldn't finish them. Throughout the meal, our water glasses were never refilled, and there was little communication about the delays or unavailable menu items. After roughly 90 minutes of waiting, multiple delays, and learning that several items were unavailable, we decided to pay for what we had received the two Sapporos, the shrimp sandwich, and the Vang rolls, which came to about $70. Perhaps we visited on an off night, but the combination of the slow service, poor communication, unavailable menu items, and disappointing food quality made for a frustrating experience. Based on this visit, I don't see myself returning. +1 Vibe +0 Taste +0 Presentation +0 Service +0 Value

I stopped by Chef's Kitchen & Cocktails on a Saturday around 6:30 p.m. and was surprised it wasn't…read morevery busy. I was dining solo and was seated immediately. First things first: the entire front-of-house staff was stunning. Everyone looked polished, well put together, and genuinely welcoming. For drinks, I ordered the Berry Bliss Mojito and the Blackberry Mule. The mojito was excellent, refreshing, balanced, and easily my favorite of the two. The Blackberry Mule leaned a little too sweet for my taste. One thing I really appreciated, though, is that they appear to take their cocktail program seriously. Their margarita is made the way I like to see it: tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime, with any additional flavors complementing the drink instead of masking it with a bunch of cheap mixers. For food, I had the Chef's Bisque and the Oxtail Lasagna. Everything was outstanding. The lasagna isn't what you might expect. It isn't layered in the traditional way. Instead, it's made into pinwheel-style rolls, which was a nice presentation. The sauce absolutely stole the show. It was rich, flavorful, and tasted like someone in the kitchen genuinely cares about what they're serving. Joy was my server, and she truly lived up to her name. She was attentive, friendly, polite, and had a genuine smile the entire time. Empty dishes disappeared quickly without interrupting the meal, and the service felt effortless. A couple of things to know before you go: there's an automatic 20% gratuity added to every check, not just large parties. There's also a dress code, so I'd skip the sweatpants and distressed jeans. Lastly, this is an adults-only establishment, which I thought was a nice touch for anyone looking for a quieter dining experience. Overall, this was a fantastic experience. Between the thoughtful cocktails, excellent food, and warm service, I'd happily return.

I can't express how disappointed my last visit was. My wife and I brought two friends because we…read morewere anxious to show off this restaurant. I got adventurous and ordered the oxtail lasagna. This dish was a complete failure, while also being one of the most expensive dishes on the menu. The disappointment I expressed to the waiter was met with silent disregard. No offer of replacement or compensation. No offer of apology. Just a bill. Later I messaged the owners through the web site. No response. Failures happen and can be tolerated. The lack of responsiveness to the failure is unacceptable. What a disappointment.

I was curious about barbecue in Norfolk so we got some takeout from The Fishin' Pig…read more I decided to get the fried green tomatoes and the beef brisket platter with extra brisket (because two people were sharing), collard greens, and green beans. I had a few allergy-related questions and was able to get answers quickly because the cashier checked with the kitchen. Unfortunately my questions were focused on dairy so we were surprised by the bacon on the beans and other meat (probably pork) under the collard greens. My husband doesn't eat pork so he ended up only eating the beef. The cashier said the order would only take about ten minutes so I enjoyed a quick drink at the bar while waiting. If we get a chance to return I'll probably get the fried green tomatoes and just beef brisket (no sides).

The best thing we had and the only thing we'd probably order again was the green beans. They were…read moreflavored so well - a nice bit of smokiness, good about of pepper, and perfectly salted. A couple specific food problems were: 1) Friend green tomatoes. Given the presentation, we asked our server if they were fried pickles. Nope! Okay, that's fine. At first. Thought they were just super hot and need a minute to cool down. But they were drenched in oil from the fryer. At first I tried dabbing them in the basket. Then, realizing that was doing no good and the breading was just going to be soggy, I took them out and blotted them on the brown paper table cover. We only at a few. Not good. 2) The meat - pulled pork, brisket, and Alaskan haddock - were all lacking flavor.

Sleepy Karla's Beach House does not disappoint. It's a bar…read more It's a breakfast place. It's a lunch place. And doing it all at the same time. 2 times in 3 days. Greeted by enthusiasm and busy dining. I could go on about the menu but the absolute bomb is the simple corned beef hash. I will try lunch the lunch menu but I'm stuck on the hash.

Everything about this place was exactly what I was looking for. Delicious classic American "diner"…read morestyle offerings. No frills service just good old hospitality. Definitely hope I have the chance to visit again soon

I came to The Baker's Wife for a solo dinner date, and I think I may have just found my new go-to…read morespot for a girls' dinner or an evening out by myself. I started with the Blood Orange Moonmosa which was bright, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. Later I tried the Lychee Martini, and it was equally impressive--crisp, smooth, and just sweet enough without becoming overly sugary. The cocktail program alone is enough to bring me back. For my first course, I had the Gem Salad with strawberries and strawberry vinaigrette. It was fresh, beautifully presented, and the sweet-tart vinaigrette worked wonderfully with the greens and cheese. My only tiny critique: some freshly cracked black pepper would have taken it from very good to perfect. Then came the lobster and caviar, and this was easily the highlight of dinner. The lobster was beautifully prepared, the pasta was tender, and that sauce was absolutely superb. I am not exaggerating when I say I contemplated asking for a spoon so I could finish every last drop. The caviar added just the right salty, luxurious finish without overpowering the dish. I would order this again without hesitation. For dessert, I chose the red-wine-poached pears. The pears themselves were delicious and beautifully prepared. The ricotta accompaniment wasn't quite for me--I found myself wishing for something a little smoother and lightly sweetened, like a whipped cream or mascarpone-style cream, to complement the richness and acidity of the pears. That's entirely personal preference, though, and certainly didn't detract from an otherwise excellent dinner. The atmosphere was stylish and intimate without feeling stuffy, and I felt completely comfortable dining solo. Between the cocktails, presentation, thoughtful menu, and that please-just-bring-me-a-spoon lobster sauce, The Baker's Wife has earned a return visit. 5 stars. I'll absolutely be back--and next time I'm bringing the girls.

A friend of mine scheduled a get-together at this restaurant located in the Phoebus area of Hampton…read morelast Friday. It's high-end, which I barely touch due to pricing, but it does not hurt to try something new. Let's see how the evening went. After our entire party arrived, we were all promptly seated. Inside, the decor is perfect. From the bar to the dining area, everything was spotless. You can tell the staff really cares about keeping the place tidy. And they had New Orleans-style music playing through the sound system. Very relaxing. After looking through the menu, I was ready to place my order. I chose their fish special, which was salmon with veggies and a sauce (forgot the name). This dish was very good. It was probably the best cooked salmon I've ever had. When you see seafood with the perfect crust and a lot of flavor, you're in heaven. It did have a small bone and I felt it lacked the amount of squash and zucchini, but again, a wonderful meal. There was one situation which resulted in only a 4-star review. Out of curiousity, I saw on Facebook that they offered $5 discounts. I did let my party know and we were all ready to use them when the bill was ready. But the staff told us the discount was to be used on a table rather than an individual ticket. When we looked both on Facebook and our personal emails, none of that verbage was mentioned. Not trying to sound harsh, but please be sure to state every detail foe customers. We do want to find ways to save some cash out of our wallets. Except for the discount mishap, the visit turned out well. I can say I'll be back to give them anothee go-around. Till next time :)