This wasn't just a dinner - it was an experience. Our service was top notch. They ask you to order…read moreeverything at once and they space out your food. They give you new plates and silverware between each dish! Cocktails: I got the gin fizz which tasted like an alcoholic cream soda. My husband got the alligator tears which was amazing. It was citrusy with the perfect amount of bitters. I liked it better than my gin fizz Food: My favorite thing was the beef tartare. It was buttery and delicious. We got the oysters with caviar and it was very fresh and citrusy with the sauce. The flavor dances on your tongue and stays on it. Compared to the apps, the entree was good but did not blow me away. I did enjoy the veggies it came with though. We got the dessert with the coconut and pineapple. It was nutty and not too sweet.

This is an excellent restaurant! The food, the service, the vibe is awesome!! Our server was great…read moreat telling us what could be made gluten-free...I really appreciate his knowledge of food allergies as it relates to ilo's menu. I started with the tuna crudo, which had a drizzle of mint. It was excellent, and the mint wasn't overpowering. I tried some of the mixed greens, tossed perfectly, and the blue cheese and dates were a great accompaniment. For my entree, I had the flounder. It was in a curry broth with peas, which was melded wonderfully with the flakiness of the fish. There were also homemade potato chips atop the fish...perfection!! For dessert, we shared the flourless chocolate cake with coffee ice cream. The cake was not as moist as some other flourless cakes I've had. I also had the violet hymns cocktail...yummy! They have several tables, and I highly recommend making a reservation. It was an excellent dining experience!!

FANTASTIC! Vibes? Yes!…read moreFood? Yes! Wine? Yes! Thank you to John who welcomed us and recommended good wine for our food We came here with our son, who recently moved to Norfolk. He came here for his first meal in town and John treated him to a glass of wine with his gourmet grilled cheese He brought us to the experience : Brussels sprouts -- delicious with sweet and spicy and hazelnut Goat cheese and beet salad: good dressing, nice mix, exactly what I wanted for dinner Truffle tots: yeah, tots are good, but with truffle and Parmesan? Wow!! The vibes here are great. There's music on but you can still talk to people. Seating at the bar or tables or, if the weather is nice, on the front porch. It has an elegant but relaxed feel that would make this place great for a date or friends ( or family!) We will be back And yep, we are back for tapas Tuesday where all small plates are $2 off Hummus -- ok Duck egg rolls good Lamb meatballs : GREAT flavor!! Roasted Carrot beet with labneh and dukkah : delicious Dumplings-- good but spicy for me Miso butter gnocchi with mushrooms-- delicious Roasted salmon-- folks were split on this between "solid" and good Salad of farro and spinach with beets and goat cheese and pear -- this was amazing. The dressing had awesome spices in it that made the whole thing complex. 3 new wonderful wines ! Thanks to all at this restaurant for another amazing meal. You are our favorite Norfolk spot!!

We sat at the bar. They have a large wine selection but their cocktails were also very good. I got…read morethe lamb with the chimichurri sauce. It was cooked perfectly and the sauce complimented the food well.

So we have been here twice now. I'm going to give each one separately:…read moreFirst time: Came in after a VA Stage show so kinda late. Sat at the bar. Service was absolutely awesome. Bartender was incredibly attentive for having a full bar. We each had 2 different cocktails and both were distinctive and excellently crafted. We had shared a couple of the small plates and enjoyed them both. We enjoyed the place so much that we decided to come back with a group of 14 for All Lovers Eve. Second time: Made the reservation with ease. If you've ever made a group reservation you know how complicated some places make it. This was a large group and they were short handed. This lead to a slower service which actually worked out well for our group. We didn't mind the gaps. They put us in their back room (hint - GREAT for groups) there was a little confusion with the order to include an extra dish we didn't order. We still ate it and paid for it though. The staff was great with our large and rather disruptive group. The food was all excellent (local oysters on the half shell and the apple desert were my highlights). Multiple cocktails that were all wonderful. My only real negative was that there was a $50 "loyalty club " charge that was never mentioned and I didn't even notice on the $1200.00 bill. This is, I believe, some sort of credit card fee. Both times were good. Both times staff were wonderful. Both times we were comfortable. Give the place a try. I don't think you will regret it.

My reservations fell through at a different location, and I came about this restaurant online. Most…read moreplaces were booked on a Saturday night. However, I called 508 locals to see if they had any availability. The hostess told us to come on through. When I pulled up it wasn't too busy. They were welcoming and sat us right away. We had an awesome waiter. Judging from his accent, he was from Ireland. He was great. Very enthusiastic and attentive. I was pretty hungry. I ordered the crab cakes (great sauce and aioli), Brussels (hot honey with goat cheese and cranberries), junglebird drink (delicious, it wasn't overly sweet), and ribeye. All delicious. I was not disappointed. It was such a chill place. It wasn't overly loud. It was clean. I recommend.

We had such a great experience at Omar's Carriage House. Our waitress was amazing--super attentive…read moreand genuinely helpful with recommendations throughout the night. We came in for the dinner special but also caught happy hour, which was a nice bonus since we were able to try a few extra appetizers. The bacon-wrapped dates with balsamic glaze were incredible, and the lobster croquettes were just as good. Our server even made sure we got our happy hour orders in before it ended, which we really appreciated. The drinks were solid as well. The Caesar salad was good, but a little hard to eat since the lettuce wasn't chopped. The atmosphere made up for it though--the decor is beautiful and we sat outside on the patio on a perfect day. It was relaxing, comfortable, and not too loud, with good music in the background. After dinner, we walked over to First Friday to end the night, which was the perfect way to walk off the meal. Overall, I'd definitely recommend and would return again, especially to try more of the happy hour menu.

I went to Omar's Carrot House in downtown Norfolk for their $28 three-course deal and overall had a…read morereally good experience. The atmosphere was cute and relaxing, and we chose to sit on the patio which was perfect on a nice day. Service was excellent and our waitress was very friendly and attentive. I'd definitely give customer service a 10/10. For the meal, I started with a Caesar salad. It was good but needed more dressing for my taste. We also ordered extras: the lobster croquettes and bacon-wrapped dates. The croquettes were solid, but the bacon-wrapped dates were the standout, absolutely delicious and the best thing I had. For my entrée, I got the Boursin Chicken. It wasn't bad, but it needed more seasoning for me personally. I also wasn't a big fan of the sun-dried tomato mashed potatoes, it just wasn't my preference. I did try the beef bourguignon and liked that more. For dessert, I had the lemon soufflé, which was light and really good. Overall, the $28 deal is a great value and the experience was enjoyable. Not every dish was my favorite, but nothing was bad. I would go back, especially to try their Moroccan Monday menu.

So, if you look upon the menu and see the words "smash burger" be warned. Not smash burger. It's a…read moreburger burger. Very much like inch thick burger. I expected smash, I definitely got burger. But hey, we can't all be winners. Meat is meat. I'm glad to be fed. You will be left looking at the meat wondering what went wrong. Did a baby smash the burger? A hamster perhaps? When one asks for a SMASH burger, they expect a milli-inch of meat. Does this look like smash borger? No. I am not crazy. I wanted a SMASH. This s a BURGER. God bless. Thank you for reading my review.

We have eaten here three ties now and all the food has been great. I've had the Reuben twice and…read morethe Torch Burger once. The service has been very helpful and in a good mood. The ambience is sort of industrial/warehouse but its very comfortable and the bar seems to be popular. A Torch Burger and iced tea (non alcoholic) were $23.87 including tax and a 22 percent tip. Reasonable by today's standards.

We stopped by Todd Jurich's Bistro recently to get a drink before our show and the experience was…read morefantastic. Rob the bartender is always quick with a joke (and a lite of your smoke, just kidding that's from a Billy Joel song, everyone knows there's no smoking in restaurants and thank goodness for that!) but he always makes us feel special every time we go there. They have a fantastic Happy Hour menu but unfortunately we had dinner elsewhere (and I'm still wondering why, but I digress again) we couldn't eat there but rest assured we will be back...

Pretty disappointing experience!…read more Arrived ahead of reservation to have a drink at the bar. The bartender, scooted in from behind us to place a bunch of dirty glasses on the bar from a high top behind us. Ultimately, the drinks were ok and the bartender was busy but friendly. Our server for dinner, Wilson, was very inexperienced and lacked professionalism. He struggled to open our wine, and was clearly fearful of holding his tray. He, nor anyone else ever checked on us throughout the dining experience. The little things, like runners bringing courses and not knowing who gets what, literally barking, who gets the poke bowl was off putting. The steaks came out very undercooked and lukewarm and the mashed potatoes were cold. The sides were also cold and the truffle fries were tiny little pieces from the bottom of a bag. Such a nice restaurant but needs a lot of work.

Back at the Public House for the new menu! I tried the Buffalo Caesar Wrap and it was great. The…read morebuffalo sauce had the perfect kick. The new menu is has lots of great options, I will be sure to be back for more of it! Once again the wait staff kills it as well. They are so hospitable and engaging. Nick, Kevin, and Dave all made their way to our table to ask us how we were doing. Make your way out!

Buffalo chicken melt was amazing! The perfect amount of spice for a fantastic meal. Will 100% be…read moreback for it again soon!

We did not eat here. We were going to but the rep behind the counter was so rude before we even…read morecould order it turned us off.

A newly opened grill downtown Norfolk at Nauticus, and a great place to stop for lunch. Been here…read more3 times already. The smash burgers and Philly cheesesteaks are excellent and made to order. They have a nice variety of food. Their hours are limited to lunch time. Will be back next week.