Best place to eat on Shore Drive! Great ambiance, good drinks, and fabulous food! We ear and drink there a LOT!

My husband and I ate here a few nights ago and I'm still thinking about how delicious my meal was. I have been craving she-crab soup for so long, so I started with that as my appetizer. 10/10. For dinner, I had the Tuna Trio and GOSH that hit the spot. Sesame-crusted ahi, poke-style tuna, and then tuna tartare in one meal? Sign me up everyday. I couldn't even tell you what my husband had to eat because I was so into my meal! For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Tower and it satisfied my sweet tooth. The restaurant was clean, the staff was attentive, and the bathrooms were also clean! That's a big deal for me because i have to take my baby in there. We will be coming back VERY soon! read more

Went for an early dinner and to my surprise so did everyone else. Arrived around 5:00 and hostess said it would be at least 45 minute wait. We put our name down and headed to the bar which was packed as well. Luckily a couple was leaving and we jumped into our seats. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The bartender gave us a few menus. We noticed it was happy hour which runs 3-6. I ordered a rum and diet and my husband a margarita. Both drinks were perfectly prepared. For dinner, we ordered several items off the happy hour menu. We ordered peel and eat shrimp, calamari, Caesar salad, and fish tacos. Everything was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The service was good and the food came out hot despite how crowded the restaurant was. If you're looking for a good food and great drinks, this is your place. . read more

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Tasty Seafood establishment with Happy Hours daily from 3p-6p. However, dont arrive without a reservation during happy hour otherwise, due to its popularity, expect at least a 1/2 hour wait. Note: Patrons are always able to sit at the bar, if any seats are available, to avoid any wait. We started with shrimp cocktails washed down with Margaritas then ordered wonderful mahi-mahi tacos, split a ceaser salad and calamari. Then, finished it all off with a 16oz, ice-cold draft Craft beer. It shall be noted that our Bar service was exceptional and we received our food promptly from separate, waiter staff. read more

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Went here Sunday around 3:30 PM to finally try out their happy hour. There was a decent amount of people inside, but it wasn't busy or crowded. It did get more busy as the evening went on though. Loved the kind of dark/moody lighting inside. We had a really good waitress, Sofia, she was friendly, attentive, helpful with our questions, and overall, a good server. To drink: Off the happy hour menu, I tried the $8 Margarita (0/10) it heavily tasted like extra salty margarita mix and ... lemonade? I usually always get a flavored margarita when I dine at a restaurant, but for their happy hour, it only included their house margarita, definitely not a fan. I also tried their $6 Cherry Limeade Crush (10/10) it was flavorful and gave a good little buzz; I was really happy with this drink. To eat: I got the $12 BBQ Chicken Nachos (6.5/10) presentation wise they looked pretty good. Taste wise, they were just alright. It really felt like while I was eating them, something was missing. $8 Elote Corn Dip (8/10) I really enjoyed the taste of the dip; however, I was expecting the dip to be warm so when it came out as a cold dip, I was a little thrown off. I did still enjoy the taste of it, but I think I probably would've liked it more if it was warm. $10 Oyster Rockefeller (10/10) absolutely delicious, was my favorite thing that was ordered. This was my first time trying Oyster Rockefeller and I wish I had ordered more. They were hot, fresh, cheesy, and just all around really good. I totally will be back to Hot Tuna just for the Oysters. Overall, I was decently pleased with dining here for their happy hour. I totally see myself coming back; I would like to try their sangria and other crush flavors. There's also some other food items on the happy hour menu that I would like to try as well. My overall rate of experience : 8/10 read more

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Good vibes, nice atmosphere, and great service! The menu is full of options, pretty reasonably priced as well. There's something for everyone here! We got the crab dip to start, which itself was great. However, the pretzel bread was a tad too heavy for the already heavy dip. I'd suggest asking for tortilla chips instead, which we would do next time. We got the smash burger with fries which was also very good and a side of fried shrimp. We asked for well done burger, but it was still a little pink. Both the french fries and fried shrimp stood out to us! We got some dips (i believe it's sriracha aioli and lemon aioli) which were sooo good! Overall, we'd come back. Great elevated sports bar vibes. read more

Hot Tuna - Chesapeake Crab Dip - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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I was clearing out my photos and realized I never posted a review of this gem of a restaurant. We came here on a weekend getaway with the kids and just happened to stumble into this restaurant because it was across the street from our hotel. The food and drinks were on point and the prices were a steal. I'm not going to bother posting an old menu since the ones I took were from 2022 and likely outdated, but the food and drinks here are delicious - but get there early if you happen to do Happy Hour - that place fills up quickly! read more

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Great ambience with a fun, relaxed vibe, and the wait staff and hostess were absolutely top notch. We got there early, before our reservation and the were able to get us seated when they were super busy. The food was amazing from start to finish and exceeded expectations across the board. Already looking forward to coming back the next time we're in the Virginia Beach area. read more

Yelp find at its finest! We were on the hunt for a new Happy Hour spot. HT popped up and we were 10 minutes away. Arrived around 5 on Sunday and about a 15 minute wait for a table so we decided to grab some Bar seats as happy Hour was from 3-5:30 daily. Second visit on Thursday had no wait for a table around 4:30. We started with the House Margarita and took a little time to decide which appetizers/small plates we wanted to order. Started out with the Calamari-very good and had the savory/sweet chili sauce, Raw Oysters and Oysters Rockefeller -both delicious, the Tuna Tartare and Poke Nachos (looked like Happy Hour only items) stole the show! Wow! (Based on our Server's recommendation and boy was she right!). We ordered the Gouda Burger (thick Tavern Burger with local Hereford Beef-delicious) and the Burrata Nachos (very good and would recommend less Balsamic glaze, more Burrata) to go for later. On our second visit, we also had the Smash Burger, Beer Battered Shrimp and Caesar Salad-enjoyed all with the Burger standing out. Haley and Hope our Bartender and Server took great care of us on both our visits! Entire team was upbeat and full of hustle. A Local's spot for sure and quite possibly, if not the best, one of the top Happy Hour and overall spots on the Beach. We will be back! read more

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I've visited Hot Tuna twice now, and while the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the food didn't quite meet my expectations. We ordered the calamari, but it was overly crispy, and the sauce wasn't very appealing. However, the service from Mwg was excellent--she was personable, attentive, and made our experience much better. The mango punch was also a highlight; it was a really good drink. read more

Hot Tuna - Coco Crush is sweet if you have a sweet - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Trista our server was amazeballs! Very informative and friendly, and a great smile. Thank You . Started with the grouper bites and they were very good, a little much on the breading for my taste. I had the blackened shrimp with mushroom risotto, OMG absolutely delicious. My wife had the mahi mahi tacos and she loved them. First timers here and i must say, we will be back. Thanks again for the bomb diggity service! read more

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Came here for a nice vibe with my significant other on our anniversary. The food was good, took a while to come out but we didn't mind. The service was awful, we were ignored often or talked down to in a rude tone which was frustrating as we wanted this to be a special night. read more

Hot Tuna - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

We were seated immediately, because we made reservations. We're grated at the table bt Sarah and Courtney (in training) both very friendly. It was restaurant week, but decided to order off the regular menu. As an appitizer we ordered calamari very well fried, and Thai sweet and sicesauce poured over. Crispy and tender. Some of the best we have had. Wife had the ceder plank salmon. Served with green beans and mushroom risotto with Parmigianio on top. Very good. I had an apple salad. Water to drink. I did order a Blackberry coconut margarita. No Blackberry flavor at all. Total $69.00, $8.28 tax, an eclectic decor, very loud in there, I guess everyone was talking loudly to be heard by dinning partners. Wiil go back, but not on weekends. read more

Big place but the tables is very close too each other. We have reservation but still waited almost 15 to 20 minutes. And they ask if we want faster we can go bar table. Food service is okay. I forgot to take pictures of some that we eat but the only thing that is good is the pretzel and crab dip. The tri plate the fish is okay the chicken is dry. The poke is so so.. read more

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Great day after Christmas dinner! We took the family for a dinner of happy hour small plates, and enjoyed them all. Grouper bites- heads-up, they recently replaced the grouper with cod. We were informed before we ordered. I thought the cod actually fried up better than grouper. Delish, and I considered the light flakey cod an upgrade. Buffalo shrimp- I can't tell you how they were. They didn't make it to me. Raw oyster- at $1 a piece, they didn't have to be great. But they were. Best oysters I've had in 18 months in VA. Cleaner and saltier than previous ones here or elsewhere in Hampton roads. Big win. Oysters Rockefeller- IDK; DIL ate them all. Smash burger. We ate 3. And licked the plates. Best darned burger in Hampton Roads area! Fried shrimp- tasty. Butterflied and good quality shrimp. The breading was a bit thick for me. Not a deal breaker, but not as great as dine if the other dishes. Wings! At $1 a piece, the happy hour wings are cheaper than grocery hot bar wings. They are lightly breaded and crispy. The Buffalo sauce is perfect. Not too hot, but flavorful and just the right kick. This will be my go-to wings choice from now on. DIL ate all the tuna tartar, so no comment. The poke nachos were awesome. Tender tasty tuna! What a great reimagining of an old staple. A+ highly recommend. read more

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I came here from out of town because my friend always brags about this restaurant. However my experience was horrible at this restaurant. I got there as soon as they opened and they seated us promptly. The service was horrible the waitress seemed like she didn't want to be bothered with our table. It felt like a bother to ask her for things. Our food came out extremely cold and a lot of other tables got their food before us. Even though we got there at 3 when they opened only 2 people were able to get them. The manager didn't come to check on us until later when we were close to leaving . The server didn't get any help from other employees until we were leaving. I got sick the night after leaving this restaurant and it was the only thing I ate all day. I'm hoping this treatment wasn't because of the color of our skin but I will never return. I hope your experience is better. read more

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Gave the place another chance as I saw they have good HH prices, so was happy to experience much better servers & the HH food is delicious! (The Tuna Nachos are amazing!!!) I kept the rating at 3 vs 5 stars because the: - When ordering the HH tacos - careful - cuz if you order avocado or cheese they literally charge you $2.50 for EACH item, so your nice HH price can go up to ~$18 - for 1 taco - yikes!!! They also only give you the tiniest slice of avocado on the taco - for $2.50??? We'll take a pic next time. Come ON, Hot Tuna, seriously? You all need to change this as this is taking advantage of your customers. - Mixed drinks don't seem to have hardly any alcohol (or is the alcohol watered down?) & all, every single one I've tried, have way way too much sugar - stick to wine or other drinks. read more

We had high hopes for Hot Tuna since it's such a popular spot, but unfortunately the service and overall experience fell short. On the positive side, we were seated right at our reservation time, which was a good start. The crab cake appetizer was flavorful, tender, and clearly full of real crab meat, though the portion was small (as our server warned us--not shareable). The tuna taco was decent. From there, things went downhill. My mango crush cocktail was a big disappointment--it tasted more like a mocktail than an alcoholic beverage. I'm a lightweight and rarely drink because most cocktails are too strong, so for me to say it was weak means it was really lacking. The rest of the food was underwhelming: the pasta was bland and overcooked. More than anything, though, the service ruined the evening. We felt rushed the entire time. Our server seemed impatient, appetizers arrived without serving utensils, and when we asked for them, the request felt unwelcome. The worst part came around 10:30 PM on a Saturday night--when the restaurant was still full of customers and doesn't even close until midnight. Our server dropped off the check without offering dessert or giving us a chance to finish our meal comfortably, saying she "needed to go" in a dismissive, unprofessional tone. For a girls' night out that we rarely get to enjoy, it left us feeling disappointed and unwelcome. This place might be popular, but for us, it felt overhyped. The food wasn't memorable, and the rushed, unfriendly service spoiled what should have been a fun night. Sadly, we won't be returning. read more

Food is delicious service always good . Love those cedar planks a really great go to place

Food is great. Service not so much. Servers and bartenders are high strung, short, and rude. Eat well but be prepared for unfriendly service. read more

Such a fun spot! Very nice outdoor dining area, too. The bar and restaurant had an amazing vibe--perfect for families, date nights, or a fun evening out with friends. They really have it all. The food was delicious, and our server Luke went above and beyond to take care of us. Friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. We don't drink, but their drink menu was super impressive. From what I saw at other tables, the cocktails looked fantastic! Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for great food, great service, and a lively atmosphere. read more

Hot Tuna - Wedge salad with steak - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Hot Tuna! - the name is so appropriate cuz they do have super yummy tuna fish. It's a Great place for happy hour and dinner! Lively friendly vibes upon entering and we were given a choice of where to sit, unlike some places where they immediately seat you in not the best spot. We decided to sit on the outdoor covered patio to avoid the dark rain clouds above. They have a fabulous happy hour and we made it just in time before it ended at 530pm. The crush drinks were highly recommended, so we ordered a mango and limeade crush. Just like it sounded , it had crushed ice, alcohol and fruit. They were great, be careful they are very easy to drink lol The calamari was just ok- I didn't care for the sweet and spicy sauce that was poured over it. Maybe would have preferred a spicy aioli on the side? Yellowfin tuna burger- excellent! Cooked to a perfect medium, it tasted fresh and juicy. Loved the garlic green beans instead of the fries at no extra charge. Parmesan seared tuna with fingerling potatoes- excellent. Nicely seared, good portion, and enjoyed the potatoes. Didn't care for the Parmesan crisp. Excellent service- our server was helpful in trying to accommodate my dairy issues and he checked on us frequently. Good food , great atmosphere! read more

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bbq nachos and tacos were good. the "elote" corn dip was just corn and mayo and the brussel sprouts tasted very off, left a bad taste in our mouth. we also waited about 20 minutes for two glasses of wine and it was not even that busy. we did not have the chance to order more happy hour food or drinks because the server took so long to come back that happy hour was already over. read more

Reviewed a year or so ago and I'm back again. And guess what - nothing has changed and everything is still amazing. At this point, I come to the Delta Hotel across the street just to come to dinner at Hot Tuna Happy Hour everyday - can't beat it. This time I got to bring my boyfriend for his first visit (this is my third). He loved the oyster Rockefeller on happy hour. He got the short rib dinner special. He so graciously shared with me and it was tender and tasty. I stayed with the happy hour menu with grouper bites and a Caesar salad. Not one thing missed. Service was very efficient and food arrived quickly. read more

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We had Landon for our waiter, 9 of us, he was awesome and very attentive, love, love the happy hour choices

Don't go! I rarely give reviews but this restaurant simply disappoints. I ordered a pasta dish with shrimp that was recommended on the menu, the pasta tasted like dishwasher wet noodles and the sauce was very bland. There were also so many flies swirrming all around our table and food. When the server finally came over it was too late to order another dish, we had mentioned the massive flies in the restaurant we were told it was because they had the garage doors open for outside dining. They did even try to accommodate and credit me for my dish that I did not eat. I think they serve more drinks here than food, more of a bar theme. I will never recommen this restaurant or go back! read more

Finley and Miller provide superior service added to the incredible work done by the kitchen staff. Hot Tuna seems like the best spot in town. Don't forget their Happy Hour starts at 3! read more

If you didn't get a chance to enjoy restaurant week from Jan 15 -21st. You missed out! Hot Tuna had a great selection to chose from by far. And the atmosphere and service was perfect! I do believe they did show case their food! I ordered the Rockefeller, petite filet and key lime pie for the 3 course dinner. Everything was delicious especially the petite filet it was tender and just melted in your mouth! You should always make reservations at this restaurant regardless, cause it's always busy even off season! Definitely will come back. read more

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I came here last night with my friends and it was spectacular. It was such a nice day out so we sat outside in the patio area. The poke nachos were my fav but you really can't go wrong with any of the food, it is all seriously yummy. All of the waitstaff were so kind, they really went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and cared for. 1000% recommend!!! read more

We had an absolutely wonderful experience here for a mid week Happy Hour. Most of that reason was Hannah.....the palindrome. :) She was an awesome server....knowledgeable, funny, attentive and kind. She was a gem and they are lucky to have her. We started with the best....Poke Nachos. WOW! They were perfect! Made with won tons and they did not skimp on the tuna....it was on every chip. Very fresh avocado and seaweed and a aioli sauce. Sooooo good!! I would get it every time. We also got the shrimp cocktail and a shrimp taco and a mahi taco. The shrimp was big and chilled.....really good. Loved the grill marks on the tortillas for the tacos. I am glad we showed up early because it was getting busy. They also have specials on certain nights of the week like Mexi Monday and wine night on Thursdays. Happy Hour starts early at 3 and ends at 5:30 so you might have to sneak out of work a few minutes early to enjoy. :) I will be back ( I want to try the eggplant meatballs) and highly recommend. read more

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I hate giving bad reviews, but we will not come back to this place again. The food is just ok. We got fried grouper bites, and they look and tasted like fish sticks from the freezer. We also got their special 3, that was salmon, steak with bacon and fried fish. It was ok, nothing that blew me away. The service is very slow, and the water was not refilled. The worst thing was that my husband said that while he was in the bathroom washing his hands, that he saw a waiter walk out of the stall and did not wash his hands. I was grossed out bc we had just finished our meal. This is unacceptable food handling There should be training to employees about hand hygiene. There are so many options in VA beach. So we will not go back, read more

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Love Hot Tuna. Great locals spot. Finley is my favorite bartender, always smiling, welcoming and professional - a tremendous asset to the overall vibe of the bar/restaurant. The Brussels sprouts are my fave - one of the best apps in VB. Key lime pie is fabulous too! Highly recommend. read more

Hot Tuna - The best Brussels sprouts ever!!! - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Loved this place. It was across the street from our hotel which was convenient but we picked it for the menu. And we're not disappointed. We got there early enough to enjoy the bargain priced happy hour options. Our server Sara was the best. She listened, observed, suggested and was super friendly. The tuna tartar was superb along with the server-recommended 1/2 Caesar salad was just the right amount of food. And oh so good The burger was cooked to order and the special requests were delivered. We splurged on the carrot cake which is large enough for 4 people to share. We ate half & took half home. Hope to find another Hot Tuna on our travels in the future. Hubby said Sara should be promoted and put in charge of training the rest of the staff. read more

My husband I stopped in to get a small bite to eat as we weren't that hungry. We ordered 2 food choices. One was the Greek salad which had a good taste but got charged $3 for splitting it, not our request so a $14 salad became $17 and the portion of the salad was smaller than typical. The Chicken sandwich was very flavorful but small for a $17 size. read more

We sat at the bar. The bar tender was attentive, buy overly so actually. He miss-represented the happy hour drink prices, and kept trying to sell more drinks to us when we obviously hadn't yet finished the drinks we had. The flounder was a couple days older than I would have liked, but it was edible. I had expected better. read more

We were in Virginia Beach for the weekend, and Hot Tuna was hands down the best place we ate! I'm honestly surprised by some of the lower reviews because our experience was fantastic. My husband got the poke tacos--amazing flavor with a crispy wonton-style shell--and I had the bronzed salmon with coconut rice and curry aioli. The salmon was a generous portion and perfectly cooked, and the flavors blended beautifully. I'll be dreaming about this meal for a long time! We live far away, but I'm already planning to try and recreate it at home. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely be stopping in again. read more

We stayed at the hotel across the street and saw the reviews for the hotel restaurant. Hot Tuna had some great reviews so my wife and I gave it a shot. It definitely lives up to the other reviews! We had a couple trays of oysters (amazing), and the salmon (rare, outstanding as was the mushroom risotto side), and then finished with the skillet cookie dessert (not my favorite rendition, but very good). Cocktails were excellent too. Opens at 3pm, which is the only downside...we would have eaten here for lunch too if it were open! read more

checked hot tuna out for happy hour and was pleasantly surprised. we sat at the bar on the patio-ish area, which was a pretty chill vibe. let's start off with the menu. the happy hour menu was pretty extensive. ordered 2 of the margaritas, which were good . not watered down or anything . i also ordered the burger and a side a fries . the burger is more of a smash burger , and it was good , being that it was only 6 bucks . the fries were battered , and were amazing . we also ordered calamari and shrimp cocktail . i will say the calamari was a little on the chilly side , but the taste was there. our bartender was very efficient and made she we were taken care of . the only downfall was the happy hour hours . it always bothers me when restaurants end the happy hours when people are literally just getting off from work, and it would be so much better if it extended out to at least 6, but ..... i digress . read more

We've been coming here for several years and there's just no doubt about it - they serve fantastic raw oysters (happy hour only) and the best steak filet in Hampton Roads! The steak is paired with garlic mashers but for our money, upgrading to the mushroom risotto is the best choice. (Their risotto is fantastic!) The atmosphere is lively and loud regardless is you sit at the bar, on the patio or in the dining room. At a certain time they dim the lights way too low and it's a strain to see the folks across the table. (Mood is one thing but dark?) All of their servers are young and very friendly although attentiveness depends on the server. Recently Bo took care of us during Sunday happy our and she was great! We had the Tuna Trilogy and Steak Fritte; both excellent. All prices are fair. On the downside is the new VB food tax and additionally the restaurant adds a service fee if you want to use a credit card. Making reservations is advised. read more

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My family came in tonight and we had a great time , Hunter our server was amazing on top of it and knew the menu well . My kids got to keep the frisbees that came with their kids meals . I recommend for family's ! read more