Friday 2/8/2019 5pm My first time at the Hard Shell. Upon entering I really liked the decor (see pictures). There was about five or six people at the customer service desk upon arrival, it appeared they were just getting ready for the dinner rush since it was 5 p.m. but everyone was very nice. They greeted and sat me immediately. I had a 5pm reservation although no one was in the dining room. After about five minutes my waitress, Rachel, came over and hooked me up with some water. Rachel confidently Answered my questions about the crab dip and crab cake dinner. The bread was very good and fresh. The crab dip was ok nothing spectacular. A tad bit too much cream cheese, but just a tad bit. I have yet to find any good crab dip in Richmond. The crab dip I had at the H Bar in Virginia Beach was really good. The search continues for the best crab dip if you have any recommendations let me know. The crab cake dinner with cut cubed sweet potatoes and corn, very good. The crab cakes are awesome not too heavily breaded and pretty thick (see photos). The sweet potatoes and corn were really good. I just feel like maybe a little bit of caramelized sugar or a drizzle of something a little sweet on the sweet potatoes would have really set it off. Although I ate all of the crab dip, if it were just for that I probably would not come back. After eating my dinner, I definitely want to come back again and try something else. I think the rockfish! #I'mstuffed #rachelwasawesome read more

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If you haven't been there for brunch, go! I love the crab omelette! It's my go to meal.

Awesome wait staff. Food so, so! Pin bones in Rock Fish, Brussel sprouts burnt and mashed potatoes rather stiff. Could have used more moisture. RipTide and Latitudes better. Big name small quality. read more

My wife and chose this restaurant to celebrate a special Anniversary. Having eaten here before, we knew that the menu and staff would provide us with an enjoyable experience. We were not disappointed! Our server Matthew, was personable, couteous and attended (with his associates) to our every need. The food was very good as in the past. Although restaurants have had to raise their prices, the cost of our meals were not outrageous. The portions were plemntiful and appealing to the eye. Overall a very pleasant evening. We'll be back!! read more

Had our anniversary dinner at Hard Shell tonight. First, the crab soup lacked the requisite sherry or any seasoning at all and was just barely lukewarm cream, NOT hot!! However, the soup did have a decent amount of crab on top. Next issue was when I asked to substitute roasted potatoes for the whipped potatoes (both listed at $5.95 on the menu). I was told there would be a $5.95 UPCHARGE for the substitution of potatoes for potatoes!! I asked twice to clarify because I could not believe it. Lobster tail was decent albeit small. However, came with drawn butter and a lemon wedge NOT with their usual delicious citrus burre blanc sauce. Generic bread with dinner was served after requesting it, but with a $2.00 charge. We did receive a free dessert for our anniversary, but should not have selected the mediocre "brownie" with ice cream. We have been dining at The Hard Shell for many, many years and are quite disappointed with the mediocre food. We are disappointed that they appear to no longer value their patron's dining experience. read more

Went here for my father in laws birthday dinner! The place was packed but we were able to get a table right away. For appetizer we ordered the fried calamari. The calamari was seasoned well and came with these two great dipping sauces. Sooo good! I ordered the grilled lobster with whipped potatoes and broccolini. The lobster was presented beautifully and was so juicy! Whipped potatoes were okay and the broccolini was just longer pieces of broccoli. Overall everything tasted great though :) My husband's filet was overcooked so he sent it back and the waitress offered a salad to nibble on while they redid his steak. The second steak came out a perfect medium rare and it was delicious :) For dessert I got the creme brulee. It was vanilla bean and it was pretty delicious but the top was alittle burnt. Other than the hiccups the dinner was very enjoyable and our service was remarkable :) read more

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I'm an attorney and work nearby but hadn't had the opportunity to visit yet. Went got lunch today at 12:30. There was one table seated in the dining room. Nobody on the patio. I had my dog with me as there's a pet store two doors down. Decided to sit outside by myself and treat myself to a lobster roll. Waitress waived me away, shaking her head and saying they didn't allow dogs on their patio. Well... they lost a customer and we certainly won't put it on the list for clients. Went to Torchys, sat on the patio and had a great salmon taco. Friendliness counts. read more

First time we tried this restaurant after hearing all the rave reviews. Food was pretty good, although it was on par with chain-type food. Similar to Shaved Duck or Latitude and above Red Lobster. Not sure I can come here but once a year. Service was excellent! The servers work very hard. Very loud though, and we ate early when most of the tables were not full. Ok place to good have a quick meal. If you want to celebrate a special event, I recommend 21 Spoons or Midlothian Chefs Kitchen. Food there is individually cooked, the atmosphere is romantic, and the drinks are fabulous. read more

We were looking for somewhere to celebrate a 4th of July Birthday & were enticed by the menu here. We made our reservations on opentable. As we entered it was clean & updated looking. A friendly staff took us directly to our table where our server met us & acknowledged that we were celebrating a birthday (we noted it on opentable). The drinks seemed a bit on the weak side. Their she crab soup was okay, a bit thick & less flavorful than we'd hoped. The Crab Dip was (as our server told us) quite rich. We really enjoyed the dip, but had hardly enough bread & had to request more. Our entrees were all served hot and presentation was spot on. Good flavor and well prepared. We do look forward to checking them out again soon. read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Grilled Shrimp & Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

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Once again thought we'd give them another try. Had oysters which tasted not fresh. So I'm sick as a dog. One drink had a mouthful of mint leaves om top. The one bartender basically threw the bill at me. Then she argued with me. This place is the worst and i can't believe they still have Mr. Flirt with his staff, manager. It's sad but NEVER AGAIN! read more

My husband and I went to this restaurant Saturday evening with two of our good friends for a birthday dinner celebration. When we walked in we immediately appreciated how clean and fresh it looked and smelled. The aroma of the seafood was so lovely. The truffle fry appetizer and the crab dip appetizer were amazing!!! We started with cocktails, and I can say with certainty this is the best place for a White Russian that I've found in the Richmond area. So great!!!! My husband got a steak with lump crap meat on top and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The birthday girl got crab cakes and said they were fantastic, not too much breading . The other two of us got the lobster tail dinner. The ONLY reason I could not give 5 stars is the lobster tails were very small and shriveled, certainly not what you'd expect for $29. It came with roasted potatoes and asparagus. I literally had four tiny asparagus spears on a mountain of roasted potatoes and an overcooked shriveled lobster tail. We will 100% return , I will just order something other than the lobster tail. It tasted ok, it was just hard to chew . Our server was friendly as well as attentive. I highly recommend this place is you want a lovely dining experience. read more

So disappointing. I wish I would have read the reviews prior to making a reservation. The service and staff are excellent. That's just not enough to ever go back. Is it the chef? The food is nowhere near the quality to command the high prices they charge. Party of 4 and not one of us had a meal that we could honestly say tasted good. I had scallops, they were small and very overcooked, they were tough and chewy. The fish tacos tasted too fishy. I'm thinking their seafood must not be all that fresh. Not one of us will ever dine here again nor will we trust the food is any better at the other location. read more

Order those expensive crab cakes and they were nasty. Too mushy and had a pastie taste. Too expensive not to do them right, I definitely know what a good crab cake suppose to taste like. Waiter was very inexperienced and should have had help but that really wasn't a problem for me as long as I can get good food. read more

Made reservations 2 days prior to celebrate me and my wife's anniversary. We walked up the the hostess stand at the time of our reservation, and the hostess rolls her eyes and says "it's gonna be a minute, but we'll text you when it's ready". They never texted me, and we got sushi instead. read more

Awesome food Awesome time...! Indoor dining with great service.. Clean friendly and prompt.. read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

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"Disappointed" is the kindest term I can think of to describe our recent visit to the Hardshell in Belle Grade. We were looking forward to my belated birthday dinner and nothing about the experience was special, including the service. Sorry, that's the way it was. We won't be back. read more

Hardshell Bellgrade was always dependable, underated food in a warm, inviting, & rustic enclave. Sure it needed a fresh coat of paint & we looked forward to the reno when they re-opened back in late fall. Boy...we never knew what we had until it's gone. The updated incarnation took a 180° swing the other way & went with a hipster rustic modern take on their old setup that includes little booths surrounded by tables with bench seating on the perimeter. The cozy bar has been opened up to let the cool air swing in freely. The front hostess desk is the only thing standing between those little booths & the cold air. And what was once a sedate whispering voice level accoustic is now a loud warehouse like hearing endeavor. The way the space is arrange now makes it feel cramped & crowded not open but warm like Hardshell original. Anyhow, we thought the menu would improve with the new changes but I am not sure anything changed with the new lipstick. So, my stomach can't recall that the meal was memorable at all gastro wise. The service was always hospitable in the old world, the new world not so much - but maybe the servers are lost in the new space also... Anyhow, what once was a difference maker on the Huguenot corridor is now just another face in the crowd: You can go 5 minutes towards the 150 & get the same decor from Southbound with less noise, more warmth & charm. Or go 2 minutes the other way & get more rustic-ness & a never changing menu from Tazza. You get the picture. read more

Great experience! Good food, treated well by our server and very impressed with such a clean establishment. Decor is very nice and even outside tables look really good. People here seem to be happy with service and food. All n all would definitely recommend!!! We will be back. Can't wait! read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Creme brûlée. Beautiful! - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

It was a beautiful day to sit on the patio. We started with the crab dip and the pulled beef sliders. Both were great but highly recommend the crab dip. I got the lobster roll which was stuffed with plenty of delicious lobster, my husband had the she crab soup, and my mother in law got the blackened mahi-mahi. We all enjoyed our entrees and the service was great. Will be back again. read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - She Crab Soup and Classic Caesar Salad - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

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Excellent and attentive service. Food was well prepared and delicious, well flavored.

We took my mother-in-law here to celebrate her 80th Birthday and opted for outdoor dining. Started off with the crab dip and cheese plate which was very good. Entrees included Blackened Mahi, Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon amongst other dishes. Ended with several desserts. All around good food, good service and a very good time. read more

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She Crab Soup was amazing. Husband enjoyed the filet and Chesapeake oysters. I had the shrimp and scallops. While the scallops were perfectly cooked, I did not like my entree at all. Described as being served with sautéed vegetables. Was just a bunch of cabbage in soy sauce. Not a fan. read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - 6oz filet and shrimp and scallops. - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

We visited The Hard Shell in Midlothian for dinner. We have been to other location on Cary street and had a wonderful experience. So much so that when we heard there was a Hardshell in Midlothian ee had ro and try it. The restaurant is located in the Belgrade shopping center (strip mall) that has plenty of parking.. The interiors dark wood and stone bricks gave it a elegant yet cozy feel. We loved that the layout included a bar, inside and covered outdoor seating. Our party of 5 chose to sit inside. Although the restaurant was full, Blake our server, was excellent. He was very attentive and no.matter what our needy group requested he took care of it quickly with a genuine smile. We ordered filet mignon $24, ceasar salad, crab bisque $7, shrimp and lobster pasta $20. The prices were reasonable for the quality of food. The food was excellent. The only dish I didnt care for was the pasta. I dont really eat much pasta and guess expected the sauce and noodles to have more cheese. The 4 shrimp and a two small piece of lobsters were excellent . .. Overall we had a wonderful experience and will return. read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Creme brulee.. yumm - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

Matt , a great bartender, he is so hilarious, kind of sarcastic in cool way , I come back when he bartends, excellent with humor

Very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Never ran into a waiter/waitress or bartender that didn't make me feel comfortable/at home. It's always nice to come here & feel like I've known them forever. Even during Covid, great place to be. With the winter here, outside is still warm enough with heaters that are provided, making you feel like you're outside in Miami on the beach. You could come here for a romantic dinner or just hang out with friends/friends. Also kid friendly. read more

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Great ambiance, great food, but service was really the best part~ the manager Amanda really made the experience top notch. Highly recommend.

This place is fantastic. Lovely interior and decor. No wait time for Saturday brunch. They have good wine and drinks. They also have hands down the best seafood in Richmond. I tried many other places in the area and I'm usually disappointed. This one was beyond my expectations. Everything was tasting, even the rice and veggies. They have a nice shrimp and scallop dish, a Maine lobster roll which was real and tasty lobster, and a crab dip. They also have more traditional brunch options. They also do lunch and dinners according to their online site. Overall a great and fantastic place to visit. I plan to come back. read more

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The server was nice and very accomodating, the food came out quick and fresh. The overall ambience of restaurant was nice!!

Our party of 6 was denied seating by the 2 young and polite hostesses tonight, March 24, 2022. They had plenty of tables available, but said they could not make it work because we had (maybe 1) too many for them to seat us. Funny how they didn't ask a manager just to make sure. We did not make reservations but it was a Tuesday night and not terribly busy. We could've pulled up a chair or done something else, but I don't think they thought about pulling tables together or making other accommodations. Oh well. read more

Celebrated my birthday at the hardshell at bellgrade is a pretty decent eatery! The food is fresh and the customer service is awesome. The seafood I would say is the best. Steaks I would say ok. The nautical feel is very welcoming and th bar scene is heavily packed at happy hour..and the drinks are good! Great time. I would return just for the seafood! read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

This was my second visit to the hard shell Belgrade in midlothian last night. Had some clients take us out to wine and dine us haha but overall had a great time! The food was good, service even better because the waitress(yes only one) took care of all 30 of us! Now yes the service was slow, the food took forever BUT I've had much worse service with a wait staff team of 2-3 with less people in the party and for a solo job with the size of our party, she handled it with a great attitude, a smile on her face and with class. Starting with drinks, she took care of all of our orders and brought them out. They have a pretty good selection of beer on tap, with one of my favorite locals, legend brown ale. It was set up with three courses and had a few items to select from so I had the lobster bisque, the filet mignon for main and my cheesecake for dessert. The food took sometime to come out but it was fine because I knew our waitress was working as fast as she could(effort really makes a difference). The serving size is really small, so don't expect to come here and be stuffffed. Your coming for the atmosphere and flavors but it came down to 3 stars for me because for how much the food is....it's good but nothin really special. My filet was prepared well but I thought it had lacked seasoning and the lobster bisque was alittle too salty. Last time I was here and had the lobster tail and it was the smallest thing you'd seen....which was outrageous because of the price....the service was alittle off that night as well but it was restaurant week and it was really busy that night so I'll have to try this place on a regular day with it's everyday service to really assess how I feel but the food has been consistently ok so I'm not sure I ever would because of how pricey the menu is. read more

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Frank G. took care of us, great service, we tried the Chincoteague, and Chesapeake raw oysters, had the fish and chips, and the fish tacos, the riesling, apple cider and sangria were delicious, great job! read more

The Hard Shell Bellgrade - Celebrating our 30th. - Seafood Near Me - Midlothian, Virginia

My Husband and I chose this place to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. What a disappointment. Calamari was rubbery and the coating fell off. I had the surf and turf. Lobster was perfect but tiny, steak was well cooked but had no seasoning nor did the mashed potatoes and limp asparagus. My husband got the hanger steak. It was so so. Instead of asparagus he opted for French fries. He got tiny bits of greasy over done potatoes. I'm just a home cook but on my worst week night I would never make such a bland meal. What a disappointment, especially for the price. But the cheesecake was excellent. read more

Wow, great place. We first stopped in for lunch. I had She Crab soup, we had the oysters on the half shelf. So amazing and reasonable. We also tried the Fried Oysters on the appetizer menu. Wonderful, lightly fried and delish. We went for dinner another night, I got an arugula salad, which I split with my sis. She got shrimp scampi, which was great and very plentiful. My husband got Rockfish, very good. Great food, service, nice ambiance. I could not find one thing to complain about. Hate that we have to drive 8 hours to get there! read more

Was good pre COVID but kinda hampered by a happy hour that was in the past great prices for raw oysters and shrimp high .I mean it's a happy hour. read more

Unfortunately a friend of mine and great leader at work accepted a position with another company. Such a sad day, but an opportunity to have a little bonding time over seafood and drinks, and hard shell is the perfect place. First, this is really a 3.5 star review, and to be clear, we just had drinks and appetizers. They have a great happy hour! Crab legs, oysters, tuna tacos, crab dip and shrimp, plus two French martinis rounded out our splurge, which ended up being around $40. My favorite of the appetizers was the tuna tacos. There was a chipotle mayo/sauce that really elevated the tacos. Plus the perfectly crisp shell, which was like a wonton wrapper, was perfectly crisply without being greasy. The crab legs were the disappointment. While they had a nice sweet and salty taste, they were over cooked and the meat was kind of tough. It still didn't stop us from trying them, but we left more than half of he crab on the plate. I like the decor, especially since this location is a strip mall. Most restaurants would not invest in nice decor, but the Hard Shell owner created a comfortable environment. I'm looking forward to giving the Hard Shell another try soon. I think my husband would enjoy the atmosphere and it's only 20-25 minutes from our home. read more

Fantastic. Great food and even better service. Highly recommend. Lobster and Crab Cake was excellent and very good in portions.

My wife came for the lump crab cocktail, and I had the 6oz filet with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Absolutely outstanding! And the service was phenomenal! I absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area looking for a fantastic seafood and steak place. read more

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Took my mother to lunch here today. Keep in mind, she is in a wheelchair... The host/server stood at the host station while I struggled to get mom and her wheelchair inside. Then, he attempted to walk us to our table through the bar area (there clearly was not enough room to get a wheelchair through). We got settled, and our drink orders arrived quickly. We then ordered our meals and about twenty minutes later they arrived. The restaurant wasn't busy, not sure what took so long. After another five minutes, we were able to finally flag down the waiter to get out eating utensils. The food here is pretty consistently good, not sure what is going on with the service... For the price, the service needs to step it up, or I'll write them off. There are too many really great seafood places around that have spectacular service and more reasonable prices. read more

My wife and I dine at the Hard Shell about once per month as I love their Hard Shell Pasta (linguine with red sauce, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, and scallops). My wife usually gets the Wedge Salad with Salmon added. The food and service are always good, we usually show up around 5 PM (after work) on a weekday when it's not very busy. My only complaints are that the happy hour ends way too soon (5:30 PM) and bread is not free ($1 gets you a tiny loaf of bread and some butter). While I do love the seafood pasta dish, I wish they'd add calamari and a bit more linguini to make it perfect. But, all in all, we enjoy the food and look forward to our visits. read more