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

It's been years since I've visited Hot Tuna. We came on Sunday for Father's Day dinner bc we couldn't get a reservation anywhere else and they were able to give us a patio table outside at 7:30. I love their bar area and the inside is spacious and well decorated. I know they have a thriving bar scene almost every day with live music but I'm not a drinker or partier so I haven't been to that. We chose several items from the menu and my stepson and father-in-law tried both the bleu cheese burger and the gruyere and loved them both. My husband had tacos and a wedge salad which was a huge wedge. My mother-in-law chose the lettuce wraps and I had the greek salad at tuna. My greek salad was phenomenal. Loaded with fresh veggies like sun-dried tomatoes, grape tomatoes, lettuce, red and green peppers, cucumbers, onion and huge chunks of fresh feta. I added blackened tuna and it was SOOOO good! Absolutely loved it. I'll be back for that for sure! They have a great dessert selection but we wanted to try to get ice cream and chose not to partake. Our waitress was a complete sweetheart and service was good. *One thing I'll say that was bad - they turned the gas on about halfway through our meal to light the other two fire pit tables - ours was in the middle of the three - and no oneever came to ask us if we wanted it lit and we smelled gas the rest of the meal. Finally, my husband told them there was a gas leak and the guy ran over the close the gas line - we'd been inhaling it for over an hour! Apparently they leave them open and then when the line is turned on they're all on. Someone def. should've come over to ask us if we wanted it on or not when they turned on the other two instead of leaving us to smell it. read more

Hot Tuna - Greek Salad add Tuna - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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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Disappointing after all the hype, every food we ordered was salty! I only gave 2 stars because the drinks were okay and refreshed me during this visit on a hot day! Service was okay, wé'd had to wave for utensils and plates & napkins even after telling our waitress initially. Nice ambience and good crowd, band tried to entertain but music played not my genre so all in all was an ok experience with mediocre food-simply inedible! read more

Hot Tuna - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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While on vacation with friends in Virginia Beach, we stopped at Hot Tuna for drinks and appetizers, and did not regret it. Everything was phenomenal! The vibe inside is dynamic and chill, the servers are very friendly, fast, and helpful, but most importantly, their food is top notch. I am a big seafood lover, so discovering $1 happy hour oysters at Hot Tuna was arguably the best part of my trip. My friends and I each got a drink and tried a variety of appetizers: tacos, loaded nachos, flatbread, calamari, oysters Rockefeller, and raw oysters, and everyone left full and happy. Considering moving to the 757 just so I can come here every day 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

Hot tuna is probably my number one favorite ! The service is consistent The food is impeccable I typically always get the cedar plank salmon and have never had it wrong, the risotto is amazing! The green beans are to die for. The calamari is the best I've ever had at a restaurant! They have some really good happy hour specials, and I wish I could try them all, I am simply addicted to the cedar plank salmon. Lol Enjoy 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

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

Love Hot Tuna! We probably go there once a month. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is delish. Can't wait for summer to have their succotash! It's our favorite. read more

Another Hot Tuna home run! my friends and I went to happy hour this evening and had a fantastic meal! Aurora, our server was attentive and very personable! I had the tuna poke nachos, which you can never go wrong with and two friends, had the wedge salad with grilled shrimp. It was a lively atmosphere as happy hour always is at this neighborhood hot spot! read more

Believe it or not, we chose to dine at Hot Tuna on our one night in Virginia Beach because of its name - we like Hot Tuna, the band (Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady.) But we had still checked the restaurant's menu and reviews, and thought that it would be nice. We could not have made a better choice. The food was delicious, and the service absolutely stellar. Our waitress, Sofia, was friendly, kind, sweet, plain delightful, and very competent. At first, the place was crowded, and there was a large, rather noisy group of ladies not far from us, but once they left, things got more peaceful and quiet. Interestingly, on the next day, a friend of mine who is from the area commented on Facebook that Hot Tuna is a great dining venue in Virginia Beach. read more

I really enjoyed this restaurant. It has really good seafood. Plus I've had some really good specials there.

We had a reservation so we were sat immediately. Host was kind and so was our waiter! The calamari was really good! It had a sweet chili sauce that was delicious. I got the shrimp broccolini pasta and it was AMAZING! It had a really strong pesto flavor which I love. The drinks were great! It was busy but not overwhelming which was nice. It had a calm relaxing atmosphere. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Hot Tuna - Sangria red - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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The food was good and the ambiance was perfect for a casual dinner. We sat near the bar at one of the high tops. We loved the pretzel with the crab dip. Everything was cooked to perfection. The service was okay, once we were sat no one came to greet us, offer waters etc. We had to get up & stop a server after waiting a while. Once we were acknowledged, the service got better, and our server was awesome. read more

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Great food, great service, and a really nice atmosphere. Everything we ordered was fresh and full of flavor, and the staff made the experience even better by being so friendly and attentive. Definitely a place worth coming back to. I had Brianna as my server and she is just the best. read more

This was my first time at Hot Tuna and everything about it was amazing!! The food and service was outstanding! Will definitely be coming back. read more

Great food Great service Excellent experience! Always nice atmosphere Very attentive staff read more

Good spot for food & drinks in the Chic's beach area of VB. They offer a stylish and lively ambiance and had some baseball games on TV the bar. The bartender was friendly and made a tasty margarita. The blackened shrimp risotto was delicious and reasonably priced (compared to Seattle). read more

Hot Tuna - Blackened shrimp risotto - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Went in the afternoon and they were very busy. Ordered takeaway and I waited an hour for my food even though they said the food would be ready in 45 minutes. I did get the wrong meal for one of the things I ordered as well but the food was still good fries are great but felt that all the staff were staring at me once I walked in like I was doing something wrong. read more

We live in NC but we come to VA Beach for Valentine's every year and no matter what we do, we ALWAYS have a meal at Hot Tuna. The food is fabulous. The atmosphere is great. The service is fantastic. What else could you ask for? We love this place!!!! read more

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We loved our experience at Hot Tuna! Service was exceptional from start to finish. The Happy Hour Calamari and shrimp tacos were fantastic. Happy Hour bites range from $5-8 dollars. Wednesday night was Tapas night. We didn't try them but the offerings sounded very tasty. I enjoyed a delicious hazy IPA and for my love Meiomi Pinot Noir. The energy of the restaurant was laid back with Bar, Outdoor Fire Pits, and cozy booths. Excited to return for dinner and another Happy Hour Experience! read more

Overall, great for date night or small groups. Didn't have to wait on a table on a Thursday night. Calamari was the best thing I ate that night... like bang bang calamari. Drink was second favorite. She crab soup was okay ... I could've had a smaller portion and it was a bit too salty for me. Otherwise very creamy flavor. read more

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This place is definitely on the list for Date Nights. After seeing how popular Hot Tuna was on just about every social media site, I decided to try it out. The occasion was for 10 years of friendship with my best friend. We wanted to dress up and go somewhere different. We ended up here. It's a very cute establishment located off of Shore Drive. There's outdoor seating, bar, and a dining room. We sat in the dinning room with waitress Brit. (I would ask for her always.) We ordered Caesar salads (sides), buffalo shrimp, carne asada taco, and the chicken lettuce wraps. For beverages we ordered waters and mango crushes. The Caesar salads were good. The buffalo shrimp though, TO DIE FOR! The carne asada tacos could have been cooked better. We found some pieces of the steak were raw and well done. The chicken lettuce wraps are a good dupe for the PF Changs. I almost thought they were fake because the lettuce was too perfect. The dessert menu is not your average "menu", it's a platter of what they offer and their actual sizes. That was very different. 100000/10 would recommend. read more

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The manager aaron made sure our table was very well taken care of, great food and service all around. Jack was my server. Great feel in the restaurant with nice lighting and soft music in the background read more

I didn't really take many pics here, but I do recommend the drinks and food. The service was also exceptional. I do not remember the servers name but everything was good. read more

Hot Tuna - Crème brûlée espresso martini.. if I recall. - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Had a great Mother's Day brunch with family. The food & service were great. We also got to hear Frank sings Frank which was a lot of fun! read more

Great food and great service , we had a great time we are definitely going back. They have great drinks . read more

Enjoyed a cozy family dinner around the fire pit. Our waitress was super friendly and attentive. We shared the Chesapeake crab dip which was awesome and I tried an orange crush drink which seems to be a local favorite and it didn't disappoint. For dinner I chose the Parmesean pan seared tuna with garlic mashers. It was a very good dish. Would definitely order again. read more

Hot Tuna - Parmesan Seared Tuna - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Just went here last weekend for a mini vacation/get away. They have a great Happy Hour that showcasing their menu and more! Delicious Sangria ! Definitely a local spot with lots of character. Amazing service, family friendly ! Ambiance is safe for locals and welcoming to outsiders. Amazing fire pits outside bar, festive! It kind of reminded me of a lifetime movie at times lol We got a bunch of stuff. Chesapeake Dip was delicious - super rich. Pretzel was salty but easy to adjust and balanced out the dip! Fried Shrimp - a little too much breading but tasty. Crispy Brussels were my favorite!!!! So yummy! Chimichurri Skewers were my least favorite - they tasted sweet or like marinated in a sweet sauce. Wasn't what I was expecting. Kids Mac n Cheese was pretty standard. Fries were yummy! Forgetting what my friend got :( but she did enjoy all her food! read more

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

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One of the best happy hours in the area! I had Hot Tuna bookmarked forever and decided to go one evening for Happy Hour. My sister and I went on a Monday around 5:15pm. It was already packed! It's in a shopping center and parking was a little difficult to find. Luckily someone one pulled out in the front and i quickly got that spot. We were able to get seated quickly on the patio. I'm glad we got there when we did because by the time we left there was a wait. We ordered from the happy hour menu and shared. I got the mango crush and my sister got the orange crush. Both delicious! We ordered the nachos, fried oysters, Oysters Rockefeller and shrimp tacos. I can see why this a locals favorite! Everything was good! Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about everything we asked about. We are planning on going back this week! read more

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The crispy brussels sprouts appetizer with chili glaze and sriracha aioli is the best brussels sprout dish in Virginia Beach! We love to sit at the bar with a cold beer, crispy brussels sprouts and our favorite bartender, Finley. He is such a sweet young man, always smiling, and quick to keep our beer glasses full. Hot Tuna is definitely a true Virginia Beach locals spot with an attentive bar staff and friendly regulars. (And the key lime pie is fabulous too!) Thumbs up!!! read more

Hot Tuna - The best brussels sprouts in VB. - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Happy Hour is the way to go... they have a pretty extensive happy hour menu with lots of options for drinks and food at super great prices. They also offer Happy Hour 7 days a week, which is awesome. We came for Happy Hour right after a beach day on a Saturday and since we came right at 4, we got a booth in the bar. I was impressed by the decor and atmosphere.. much nicer than I expected. During our visit, we both had a few cocktails, which were all overly sweet. Some un-drinkable. Both sangrias tasted like pure peach schnapps or liqueur... not enjoyable. They also make their mojitos with Sprite instead of soda water, so those were also unbearably sweet. Food-wise, everything was okay. The Oysters Rockefeller was probably my favorite. They came out piping hot and bubbly with great flavor. Sadly, everything else was served lukewarm. Even the eggplant meatballs were cold, although it seemed they must have been heated on a hot skillet. I'm assuming there was just lots of time spent in the window before bringing it out. If the eggplant meatballs had been served hot, they probably would have been my favorite bite of the evening. We didn't order off the main menu, but many of the items sounded really good. read more

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Food was decent, added scallop to my dish at like 8$ a pop. My biggest gripe is when I read the check breakdown. It was like 10$ upcharge to add cheese and avocado to wife's 2 tacos. 3% credit card fee on top of taxes and tips. Can't stand restaurants doing this now and still want to pay the waiters 6$ an hour. Even charged me like 4$ to "smoke" my old fashion. There was the smallest amount of smoke that I couldn't even taste it. 140$ dinner for 2 not worth it in my opinion. read more

Hot Tuna - 3% trash ass fee - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

i was at not tuna today and i must say. very disappointed. yes its happy hour but i was very unhappy with the food. tuna tartar. was . a lot of rice with a few tiny pieces if tuna. avocado grilled was half of a very small. . prices are much higher, now drinks good and our server ,sam , was excellent. because i ate one piece of tuna , and not the other 3. the manager said that us how it us served and did not adjust my ck. go figure!. and actually quite rude! last time there for me. . hot tuna. rating. 5 for service. so discounted. i used to get tuna tartar and it was all tuna as it should be!!! read more

Came on a Friday night expecting a big wait as it's the fist weekend of summer ( spring break) greeted by extremely friendly hostesses and were put on a waitlist and directed to the bar. Had one drink each and an app (burrata flatbread was insane my mouth is watering thinking about it) -- the wait was shorter than expected and ended up getting the app to our table instead (still closed out with the bar TIP YOUR SERVERS and close with them don't transfer (: ) had an amazing dinner! I had the Nashville chicken sandwich with the truffle fries (10/10). My partner had the yellowfin tuna sandwich (8.5/10) with truffle fries (10/10). Our server, Jack, was incredible and so attentive. Our food took maybe 30 mins (it's a Friday night and they're slammed so we were expecting it) and he was extremely apologetic and continuously checked on us. Had an amazing experience and will be back! read more

Great food, stellar service, and excellent music. I was in Virginia Beach for a bachata dance weekend, and a group of ten went out here. We were a challenging table to manage, with a bunch of different checks requested, and a few items tweaked from the menu. Our waitress gave recommendations, made us feel welcome, and somehow kept all the orders straight. The kitchen got everything out at the right time and it was delicious. We all had a lovely time and enjoyed the music, which was a perfect volume to hear and enjoyed the but still be able to talk. many thanks! read more

Worth it if you go for happy hour but drinks were subpar at best. Best part of the experience was the service! read more

Hot Tuna - Meatballs - Bars Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Service is great and their happy hour menu is extensive with many great options. I would def go back!

Strolled in Sunday afternoon, call is 630pm. Intent was to have a small bite and a cocktail. The staff at the front of the house was young and not sure what it is with that age group but their ability or lack-thereof to engage in convo with customers walking in was interesting. We strolled in and weren't really met with any type of salutation, which is fine, I then ask if the bar was available and the response from one of the three was something mumbled and not directed at me. I then asked again if the bar was open seating and if we could sit there, which the gal then spoke up and said yes it is. I feel as if I did a better job engaging as the customer than the three standing behind the booth as hosts. Key term here host, job to engage the customer, first person you see and can set the tone. Recommend management do some training or just fire this bunch. After strolling up to the bar, nabbed a seat. It was busy but not crazy busy for a Sunday, especially with 2/3 bar tenders working. We were greeted and provided a menu in a timely manor and then asked if we wanted anything to drink. We said water as we look at the menu. Waters came and over the course of the next 15 minutes that was the last engagement from the bartender. To include us pushing the menus forward and finishing out water. I had mentioned to my wife that about 13 years prior was my last time here and it was a hot mess trying to get service from the bar, but hopped things had changed. Unfortunately it appears as though they had not. Service is consistently, decade plus running!, atrocious here. So if you elect to come try your luck with a server at a table but the bar is 0-2. As a result, we packed out stuff up and just walked out and moved to another location. Incredible. Management should also look at some training here and or look to fire people. Job not well done! Rock bottom, so silver lining is all that can occur is for thing to go up right!? Do not recommend this spot. read more