I have been coming to Hot Tuna since my earliest days in the Navy in the early 1990s. The food, drinks, and service have stayed consistently strong over that entire stretch. This latest stop in Virginia Beach came after 32 hours of travel and almost no sleep. I walked in right as they opened, sat on the patio, and was taken care of immediately. Fans kept the air moving and the outdoor heat manageable. The meal was exactly what I expected; delicious, filling and satisfying; the service matched the quality I have counted on for decades. If you are in Virginia Beach and want a reliable place for a good meal and a drink, Hot Tuna still delivers. read more

Hot Tuna - Bunless Gouda Burger - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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My husband surprised me with a birthday trip, and every restaurant we visited was exceptional--but this one was definitely one of the highlights. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was perfect. We were seated in a booth near the live band, and it created such a fun, relaxing vibe. The dim lighting gave the restaurant a cozy, intimate feel that was perfect for a night out and really added to the overall ambiance. Before our entrées arrived, we couldn't stop eating the focaccia. It was warm, fresh, and so flavorful that we immediately wished there had been more. We also ordered the beef kebabs with chimichurri sauce, and they were incredible. The beef was tender, and the bright, herb-filled chimichurri brought everything together perfectly. Honestly, I could have used another serving of both the bread and the sauce! By the time our main courses arrived, we were already pleasantly full, but that didn't stop us from enjoying every bite. My husband is a creature of habit--ever since our first date, he usually orders the same or very similar dishes. The only reason he branches out is because I love cooking and introducing him to new flavors, or he'll happily steal a bite from my plate when we go out. This time, he ordered the steak with mashed potatoes, and it was cooked beautifully. The steak was tender, flavorful, and paired perfectly with the creamy mashed potatoes. Between the delicious food, the live music, and the inviting atmosphere, this restaurant made my birthday celebration even more memorable. It's the kind of place that's perfect for a special occasion or a romantic date night, and I'd gladly come back again. read more

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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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First time trying this place out. Came here for a little date night with the hubs. Definitely recommend reserving a table ahead of time if coming on the weekend. They were very busy but seemed to be moving pretty fast. We sat on the front side of the building away from the band. So it wasn't that loud at all. The inside was nicely lit with out being to bright or so dark its hard to see a menu. Our waitress was very attentive and checked in through our service to make sure everything was good and drinks were filled. The hostesses were also very friendly when we checked in for our reservation. We got 2 apps and 2 entrees and a dessert. Calamari with sweet chili I give it a 3/5 the Calamari was good but since it sat in the sauce they got soggy after a biy, and I can't eat soggy breading no thank you. so either eat fast or ask for the sauce on the side. Crab dip with pretzels were a 5/5 would definitely get again, we were even dipping the fries into it once the pretzels were gone. Burger with fries(I cant remember the name) 3.5/5 from the hubs, he said he wished it had more of the special sauce it was supposed to have since he couldn't really taste it and the beef needs some more seasoning. The fries were good that came with it nothing crazy, could use more salt. Poke tacos with slaw, tacos were a 5/5 so good,i love them my hubs liked them and even the one i took home my brother in law liked! Slaw 0/5 would not get, did not like how it tasted at all. Definitely not my taste. First off dessert wasnt really thought about till our waitress brought of a huge cutting board of different cakes on it, and a chocolate torte is my fav so i had to try it. flourless chocolate torte 4.5/5 it was really good but could do without the extra syrup on the plate, and I think they could use a darker chocolate. The whip cream is enough sweetness to pair with the richer dark dessert. The syrup made it to sweet in my opinion. None the less the torte was very good just some suggestions. Over all we had a very nice evening and definitely want to come back to try other menu items. read more

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Came here for Happy Hour Friday - it is very busy, so make a reservation on Open Table for sure! It has a costal vibe with friendly service and delicious seafood. We got a dozen raw oysters ...$1 each, poke nachos, mahi taco and a burger. Everything was fresh and tasty. My only complaint was that the happy hour drinks were way too sweet and mostly ice. 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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Hot Tuna should be called Big Tuna because this place has it all. Very good service. Meals and appetizers were spot on and the atmosphere is fantastic. Looks a bit deceiving from the outside like it's just another strip mall joint. Far from it people. Would have five stars but there was a little mishap with one of our meals. read more

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

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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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The weight wasn't too long. The food was really good and the prices were not too high. We are from out of town and it was right across the street from our hotel so it was very convenient. read more

Hot Tuna - Fun environment - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Sports bar feel with good food and small portions. Pricy and much like the hotel across the street, not worth the price you pay. read more

wife's birthday. made reservations. arrived on time, seated immediately. very good service. Wife had the Flounder topped with crab cake like layer on top of Risotto. Excellent. I had a Espresso martini. Get one, they are good. i had the crisp apple salad topped with salmon. also very good. wife was offered a desert, but we were both full from dinner and the Calamari appetizer, so she opted for a scoop of ice cream. Bill came to $99.00 including tax. read more

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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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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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

Great food, good service. Just ask about the seasonal vegetables........................

Came with my husband and enjoyed the deals on Thursday but heard it was ladies night! Loved the happy hour as we got the end of it. Such a variety of options and all were amazing. The ambiance was nice and they even had a dj that kept the beat going and had us gravitating towards the bar for another drink! Appreciate the hospitality and keep up the hard work. read more

We had to wait forever but they gave us free drinks so it was worth it. Got the bacon burger and almost cried it was so yummy. Great servers and decent prices and overall just nice vibes. Would come back :D read more

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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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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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

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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Spending the weekend in Va Beach. This restaurant was across the street from the hotel so we figured we'd give it a try. RUN, don't walk to this restaurant. The restaurant, itself, is great. The service rivaled a top Michelin-rated restaurant. I have special dietary needs and they were over and above accommodating. We had the crab dip which came in a cast iron skillet with a NY-style pretzel. We then had the tuna trio. OUT OF THIS WORLD! So fresh. I wish this restaurant was in the Northeast! 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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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

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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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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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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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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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

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

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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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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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 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

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