The food, service, and location were great. The crab cakes were delicious with no filler.

The restaurant overlooks Bennett's Creek so grabbing an outdoor table when it's nice out to watch the sun set is a great accompaniment to the meal. Decoys, along with River Stone Chophouse and Vintage Tavern, is more of an upscale dining-in experience than your generic chain restaurants are. We're local so we try to time our visits to Decoys when it's less busy, but even when they're hopping the service has always been punctual & professional. The menu offers something for everyone, but is not overwhelming; the focus is on quality dishes. As the name suggests, seafood is the main theme. We particularly enjoy the cheese curds and fish-N-chips, but pretty much anything you get here will be good. read more

Great food, ambiance and polite service. Definitely recommend this place for date nights, out of town friends.

Had lunch today. MIA was our server. We ordered shrimp poboy & cheese burger. Poboy had plenty of shrimp but the bun failed( too wimpy) and the shrimp kept falling off. Their aoli made the bread soggy. The burger was the reverse, cheese was overcooked as the burger ( ordered med-well) it was a brick. The bun was left too long on the grill & was left with that awful charcoal taste( not in a good way) They were not too busy but it appears the cook was not attentive. By the time the server came back. She seemed unfazed, but did offer to have it cooked again. The meal we had last week was better.​ read more

Decoys Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

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We met some friends at Decoys this afternoon for the Crush Fest. They were really busy but we were still able to get great service from Kim the bartender. They had a DJ cranking up the music, plenty of people were dancing and everyone was having a great time today. We decided to go for the Chicken Wings with Mango Habanero sauce and also the Crunchy Fried Shrimp. Both were piping hot and delicious. This is a great venue to meet up with friends or to make new ones! read more

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Great weekend visiting. The weather is scrappy. We ordered.the seafood platters, the asparagus,, broccoli, fish and chips. The food was absolutely great. However, the asparagus was overdone and a bit soggy. The service was nothing less b than fantastic. An extra touch, the management staff made it a point to visit every table to check in. The ambieance was family oriented. read more

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Nothing like family time on any good ole Sunday! I ended up seeing this place advertised over Facebook. Decided to send it to my man and he made arrangements for us to check it out the following Sunday. Let's talk about the fact that Decoy's sits off on water which gives a small marina type vibe. Small boats come in and out. They tend to pass by so gracefully. I love water because it brings me so much peace and serenity. To be able to eat my food and look out on the water made my entire day. Let's start with how well the hostess showed phenomenal customer service upon arrival. As we entered we noticed that the inside of the restaurant was busy so we were asked to wait ten minutes. About three minutes passed before we were being escorted to our table. The magnificent guy we had as our waiter went above and beyond. He made sure we received piping hot food and didn't let us go without. Decoy Seafood offers AYCE(All You Can Eat) crab legs ONLY ON SUNDAYS! I'm literally a crab connoisseur in real life. lol! I ended up ordering the snow crab legs. My man ordered steak and grilled shrimp. We ended up getting the buttered pasta with a side of grilled shrimp for our little one. Everything was delicious. My only complaint is that the crab legs were on the smaller size. They were seasoned and steamed to perfection; just a little too small to my liking. The atmosphere amongst us was as to be expected. Everyone was chatting amongst themselves and just enjoying their time together. After eating we went out on the patio to enjoy the live music playing. The guy was really good! He was playing all ole school music via his instruments. We ordered drinks while listening and the vibe was life. I will continue coming here overall. You should check it out if you're reading this as well. read more

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I went with high expectations, keeping in mind that high expectations are hard to meet. I would have settled for mediocre and left this establishment feeling 'okay' about the time and money spent to be there, but that was still too lofty of a goal based on my experience. Let's get started... Valet service was the only good thing here...although they really need to figure out which way we're 'coming or going'...but at least they hustled. Once seated, our server eventually greeted us and she was very nice...but after that initial order, we had to 'gain attention' to get things (e.g. straws, more water, food orders, etc.). Granted, it was a 'busy' evening, but not so busy that you can't attend to your tables...especially at this price point. There was also a point, when we had decided that this place wasn't for us and wanted to GTFO, we asked another server to take the stack of plates that we had already cleared and cleaned (because that's what people who have worked in restaurants do)...she said "no" and walked away. 1 star for service. When we received our food, I was extremely disappointed. The quality was 'meh'... this is not at the fault of any employees...I would blame it on management, because if this is what you're dishing out and charging for, you should care about the quality of the food. Zero stars for the food. The drinks were 'okay'...at least the first round. When you have a limited cocktail menu, and the main item is something containing watermelon juice...you'd keep that 'in stock', right? Our first round took a loooooong time because they had to 'make more' watermelon juice. That was a red flag. The second round was served in a totally different cup (the first was in an actual 'signature drink' glass, the second was in a standard water glass) and tasted gross. We also had no water refills. 1 star for drinks. To add insult to injury, the cost of the food, convenience fee (which makes no sense because people use credit cards all the time, especially when you are spending a significant amount of money), AND added gratuity for 'large parties' (we were a party of 2 families, 4 adults and 4 kids), it felt like we were preemptively charged money before service. Nobody likes to be 'okie-doked'. When the service is sub-par and the food is bad, we still pay and tip...albeit begrudgingly. When you are 'forced' to pay MORE to 'receive' the above, it hits worse. I've never written a negative review, but this was significant enough to do so. Beautiful location with a lot of potential...but I will never return to this establishment. read more

Yesterday, we attended a 70th birthday luncheon for a close friend at a restaurant we've never been to before. Decoy's Seafood Restaurant is located on the water in Suffolk, VA and, after meeting and greeting everyone, we sat down to enjoy the beautiful view of the boats on the water. The place was crowded and, though they don't take reservations, our group was seated rather quickly. The waitress sat us down and began to take our orders. I got the Decoy's Seafood Platter, including fresh flounder, large sea scallops, wild-caught shrimp, and crab cake served boiled, while my Grubbing Buddy had some deliciously looking fish tacos. The seafood, the view and, mostly importantly, the wait staff were fantastic. I'd like to thank them for making our first visit a memorable one. read more

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So we have stayed away from this place for over a year due to several factors. Let me say that they have remedied the issues that we have had. Service was great, we ordered, my wife got a cheeseburger and it was good. I ordered the salmon and shrimp over risotto. Wow it was very tasty and fresh. Right kind of seasoning very tasty and good sized servings. We will be back. We did ask the management about the changes, knowing it is a chain I give it some space in my reviews. They have changed the chef and management to make it better and it's working. read more

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Tiki kitchen overwhelmed. Friendly staff but struggling to keep up. The oven and frier were not clean and was clearly visibly dirty. Who's checking standards? Food safety and quality at risk. The food came out cold and wings were so over fried you could barely get by the crunch of the first bite. I did speak with a manager who was not very interested in feedback. He just looked at me as if to say what do you want me to do about it. When he finally broke the awkward silence he said he would take care of the cleaning and my food. When we I went to pay my bill he gave me 25% off for cold fries and terrible wings and food not removed from my bill as he said he would. read more

Great location and venue here. Service is adequate. Food is mediocre at most and well overpriced.

I wish I could give it zero stars. We tried to stop by about a month ago for the first time and we waiting 20 minutes just to talk to hostess and then we were told we would need to wait an additional 40 minutes to each. So we left. We tried again, another disaster!!!!! Tuesday night and not even busy and was on a wait again!! The host was nice but seemed clueless. She sat us on patio and we sat there for at least 5 minutes while a server walked by us several times and never gave us the time of day. No one greeted us at all. Finally I grabbed my family and left after telling a manager. All he said was oh I wish I saw that. Don't go here to eat you will be VERY disappointed! read more

New management and thought we would try again. Nothing has changed. Small drinks and big prices. They also restarted applying 3 q/2% for using credit cards. Overall this place just continues to be stuck below average. If it weren't for their tiki bar, they would probably go under. read more

The food was fresh and prepared wonderfully. My waitress was a terrific waitress. The sourounding where nice and cool to look at.

Decoys sits on Bennet's Creek and it's a beautiful setting. I think the food has improved and the service has always been great. It gets crowded on the evenings, so get reservations. It's mostly seafood, but you other types of types of food. They have a pool and sundeck where they have entertainment. You can also come by boat and tie up. read more

Decoys Seafood has great food and friendly service! I had a seafood platter, and everything was cooked to perfection. Although the outdoor area has a beautiful ambience, the mosquitoes were terrible I would not recommend sitting outside. Definitely better to dine indoors to fully enjoy the experience. read more

After moving away from Virginia Beach six months ago, I found myself back in Suffolk for a personal matter and decided to give Decoy's a try. After a four-hour drive, I was excited and starving. Expectations were high. I ordered the broiled seafood platter, and at first glance, it looked promising. Unfortunately, the taste didn't match the presentation. The flounder had no flavor beyond an aggressive coating of Old Bay seasoning. The crab cakes were mushy and forgettable, the scallops had the texture of rubber bands (and frankly, I think the rubber bands might have had more flavor), and the mashed potatoes were so bland that not even salt could save them. The shrimp were just... there. Mediocre at best. Surprisingly, the asparagus was the highlight of the meal and that's when you know things have taken a turn. On the bright side, the service was excellent and the restaurant itself is beautiful. Sadly, the food just didn't deliver, and for over $100, I expected more at the very least, maybe a piece of bread? I won't be dining here again, but hey, at least the asparagus tried its best. read more

Went here on a Sunday around sunset for dinner. I was expecting it to be more empty but there was actually quite a lot of people there. There wasn't a wait time to sit so that was nice. Also I absolutely loved the location and scenery outside. Def made sure I took some cute pics before going in! Now, though I really loved the location and had high hopes, I was very much let down when it came time to order. First, we ordered the crab dip which is supposed to come with pita bread but the waiter informed that they didn't have anymore pita so we were given tortilla chips instead (6/10) I really didn't care for the dip at all and it didn't have a strong crab flavor either. Next I had originally asked for the blackened salmon and shrimp but they were all out of salmon apparently....so I got the jambalaya instead (8/10) though it wasn't what I originally wanted it actually tasted pretty good, I'd get it again. I also had a spiked strawberry lemonade (5/10) just tasted like regular strawberry lemonade barely tasted any alcohol in it honestly. I can see myself returning but probably just to experience one of their specialty days like their $1 wing Thursdays. My overall rate of experience : 6/10 read more

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I went with my family and parents friends and son and when we sat down there was already waters down. So when I already drank my water I asked for another and my brothers got sherlie temples and the waitress just never gave me my water. So I had to drink my younger brothers water. I ordered the fish and chips were good but when I saw the check I was very surprised when I saw it was about 200 dollars and we got 3 meals 1 appetizer and 1 thing of steamed shrimp which look very sad. The actual oysters inside the shell were very, very small. We asked a waitress to clear our table because we were about to leave and she had a tray in her hand and was opening the door and she looked at my dad almost with a disgusted expression and said "no". It took a while for us to be seated when there was no one outside. My parents got a watermens crush and I stead got a watermelon crush and they said "it tastes like soapy dish water". The valet was just pure chaos there was 2 guys that were I will say working very hard but just the layout of it was just not smart. When we asked for them to get our car there was a truck that was at the entrance and they couldn't move it until our car got at where the entrance is. So basically you would enter through the entrance and leave through the entrance. 1 star for the decent view. read more

Went last night for my boyfriend's birthday and everything was delicious and the service was TOP TIER!! it only took a second to be seated the waiter made sure we had our drinks as soon as we were seated he brung us the complementary hush puppies fresh! The ambiance of the place was very pleasant great views and just overall amazing. I had the blacken salmon and shrimp with fresh veggies and mashed potatoes everything was perfectly seasoned and hot and fresh! 10/10 I highly recommend. read more

Decoys Seafood - Blacken salmon and with blackened shrimp with mixed vegetables with mashed potatoes. - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

Horrible in every way. I waited over ten minutes and no one spoke to me. Finally went to a server and asked how do I get seated and got a nasty response. Lost any interest in this filthy restaurant that looks like a dump! read more

Came here today, of course as it's sunday, there was a bit of a wait. They have valet parking, and it operates on tips instead of a set payment. The valet parking is in a smaller parking lot -- and they have street parking, if you decide not to do valet. The views are amazing, as the restaurant is on a marina. The food was okay, but a lot of it was unseasoned. The crab and spinach dip was not flavorful at all. The calamari was really good as well as the fries. I'm unsure if i will return, but i just might for the sake of the views and ambiance. read more

Used to be a lovely location for lunch or dinner, now poorly organized with poor communication. A 30 min wait turned into a 2 hour wait with the hostesses saying, "we are cleaning the table off"1 leading to another hour. Professional communication and organization go a long way. read more

They were so accommodating to our party of 10. They made special seating for us on the deck. It was beautiful. Everything we ordered tasted fantastic. Fried oysters, crab cakes, ribeye steak, scallops, gumbo, shrimp, hushpuppies. The drinks were very good. The staff could not have been better. I highly recommend Decoys and we can't wait to go back read more

Decoys Seafood - Family all together at around the table. It was a happy time of reunion with great food in a beautiful setting. - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

Fantastic! My family and I visited last night for my great aunt's 98th birthday party. Everything was perfect. The party room upstairs is a great size. It has a balcony with a really beautiful view. The service was excellent. Everything went smoothly and all the guests seemed really happy. The food was wonderful, especially the mac and cheese. The food was very southern and home-cooked style. The fried chicken was very good as well. I'm a pescatarian, but I had to try a bite of the chicken. Can't wait to come back and try the regular dinner menu. read more

Decoys Seafood - Upstairs Balcony View of Sunset - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

The food was amazing! We went for the all you can eat crab legs on Sundays. They recently got new owners, and every aspect of the restaurant has been elevated, from the food, service, entertainment, everything it seems but the prices! I would have paid more just for the view! It's minutes from Norfolk and Chesapeake, but you feel like you're a world away watching the sunset on Bennett's Creek. The outdoor tiki bar and deck gives you sunset views that are second to none in Hampton Roads. What a great experience. Congratulations to the new owners! We will be back again and again. read more

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Good food, beautiful views, pleasant service. Had an early lunch with a friend and we were able to have a conversation.

They got everything right with this place except for the food. The fish tasted like the oil hadn't been changed and the burger tasted like it had been cooked from frozen. To add insult to injury jury my crabcake looked like someone had taken a bite out of it. Won't be back read more

Decoys Seafood - Burger with crabcake on top. I swear someone took a nibble out of the crabcake - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

Came here for a birthday dinner and the place was absolutely beautiful! Loved the private upstairs very accommodating and comfortable! The server was knowledgeable and did amazing getting everyone food and drinks out! The food was just ok very bland special the food looked good but was disappointing. The crab dip was watery and everything lacked flavor! The food wasn't worth the price in my opinion! read more

Decoys Seafood - Salmon and shrimp dinner - Seafood Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

My husband and I came to dinner around 630 on Saturday. Valet was amazing and quick. Upon entrance, a guest of the restaurant approached me and immediately body shamed my 28week pregnant body. Leaving my husband and I speechless. We sat down and waited 20 minutes for a someone to show up. People sat after us were getting their drinks already. My husband had to get up and go to the host stand and ask for a server to come help us. We ordered an appetizer finally and the tuna bites were great. While waiting for the main entree other guests were standing DIRECTLY behind me talking loudly on the phone leaning over the railing, when there was plenty of open space in other places further down that had no one there. The surf and turf was absolutely horrible and just solidified that I won't be spending $$ on steak in public. You can get a better steak with MORE than 3 tiny shrimp at Texas Roadhouse. The steak was so thin, and full of gristle and so salty I couldn't hardly eat or chew it. Overall, the tuna bites was the best thing we ate, and decoys definitely attracts a weird crowd of people who have no boundaries or filter. And the communication and service was not good. We will not be returning. read more

My family and I just learned about this place. Love the food, especially the Decoy's Seafood Platter and Fried Oysters bucket and hush puppies. Atmosphere with the windows is also a plus. I always have great waiters/waitresses with good service. I just wish the menu had a large assortment of offerings. read more

Cool spot, especially on a warm, sunny day (sit outside if you can!!). Their menu used to be small and not appealing to me (a flexitarian who eats fried chicken tenders and other meats 5-year olds also enjoy), but their menu has really gotten much bigger in the years I've been coming to just drink. On my most recent visit, I was mostly drinking, but also had the fried cheese curds (YUMMY!!), which were sprinkled in Parmesan cheese. Our server outside was the guy with glasses & a little pony/low man bun. He was super thorough, but never over the top- a perfect server I would say! I'm definitely eager to return and will more often, since their menu has way more variety than before. read more

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Had a great experience at the restaurant first time there the was excellent it was about twenty in the party service was very good I recommend you his to any was likes steak and seafood you can have very beautiful experience. read more

we waited an hour and they had no clue how to seat us...the restaurant wasn't busy either

This is my favorite restaurant and I stand on that. I live close by, like extremely close by, so I stop into Decoy's about once every two weeks. Although they tend to get busy, I'm always seated quickly. The staff is always friendly and everything on the menu is so delicious. Coastal Virginia is the seafood capital of the U.S., and I will not tolerate any slander! The seafood here is always fresh and tasty. I'm a little obsessed with the crab dip and pita chips. The Cajun seasoning really makes this a flavorful, punchy treat that's great as an appetizer before a meal or the meal itself! Yes, you read that correctly. The dip and maybe another app or just the crispy hushpuppies that Decoy's serves can standalone as a meal. I've also enjoyed the jambalaya pasta and the fried shrimp dinner (I think it's called boom boom shrimp)/ I always have great food and service. I've heard mixed reviews from others about the service, but I've NEVER encountered hostility or any issues with diversity (you know where I'm going about that.) I have a few friends who have told me that this place isn't friendly, and they thought it was due to their identity, but I've always felt welcomed, and the staff has always gone above and beyond to be extremely friendly and hospitable. read more

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I was taken here to have lunch for my birthday. Sitting out on the deck was perfect. Such a pretty view. The decor is simple and eloquent, love the theme. Food was excellent and our server was wonderful. Will definitely visit again. And the deck is dog friendly! Huge bonus. read more

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Outside dining on the deck overlooking the canal mariner. Starters included fried octopus, calamari and seafood balls. Articulately battered fresh seafood with tasty dipping sauces. Prompt drink service with wide range of beers. Friendly and attentive staff and restaurant manager. Fried oysters were super fresh, nicely battered and seasoned, and I drizzled some malt vinegar and hot sauce to taste. Right sized and great value dining experience. Beautiful location. Entree food service took a little while longer than expected. read more

I don't understand why Decoys doesn't have a higher rating. We had an absolutely fantastic experience and can't wait to go back again! Reservations are recommended, but we were able to join the waitlist on Open Table and walk right in. The location is beautiful. The menu has a great selection if you like seafood, but there are several options if you don't. Our server was incredible - so attentive, and he even laughed at my dad's jokes. He deserves a medal. The food - amazing. There wasn't a single thing I would change. The burger was charcoal grilled, and you could taste it. The green beans with the salmon were seasoned perfectly and so fresh. My dad is an oyster fanatic, and he was over the moon in love with these. The scallops had the most amazing sauce on them. I have no words for how delicious the bread pudding was. Definitely give Decoys a try, and if you've been but didn't have the best experience, give them another try. Hopefully, you'll have a dining experience like we did. read more

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Came by for a girls lunch, this was my first visit. I honestly hadn't come by because I had heard some mixed reviews from friends but overall it was a good lunch. The drinks were delicious! We got wings as an appetizer and they were fried to perfection, nice and crispy, just needed more buffalo sauce. The Caesar salad came with no dressing and the fish tacos had cheese (which wasn't listed, and cheese doesn't exactly pair well with fish tacos). But food was overall good, nothing incredible. The outside ambience looked very nice. We did make a reservation but it was a slow Wednesday lunch so I don't think that's necessary unless you have a bigger party. Overall I might try this place again but it's not at the top of my list read more

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