The food was very good! We went for a special ocasión and we really enjoyed the food! We sat outside, if was clean and pretty. The server was not very nice, but very efficient. read more

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Ate here for the first time last night. The food and service were fabulous! We will definitely be going back!

Food and service was beyond 5 stars. I had the crab cake and lobster, all I can say is wow. Our server, Katy was unbelievable, she was 5 star as well. We will definitely be returning . read more

What an amazing experience from the wonderful service from Bri to the Delicious food. We had the Blackened Tuna sandwich, the she crab soup and the Angus Burger. I definitely recommend this place to anyone in the Richmond area! Enjoy read more

Sat at the bar and the service was very good. I had the scallops as an appetizer which were unique/good. I have never had scallops and sage before. For dinner I ordered the rockfish. The fish was cooked well but the whipped potatoes didn't fit and the Brussels were almost uneatable. They were hardly cut or cooked. read more

I've known of this restaurant for quite a while but had just never found a proper reason to visit. So, I went without a proper reason. It happened to be on a Lobster Monday and they had deals on several lobster-based dishes and appetizers. I decided to have the lobster and shrimp pasta. I thought it was done perfectly. Maybe too much sauce, if I had to critique. The server clued me in on dessert specials and I couldn't resist the bread pudding. I also enjoyed this but it was definitely more of a dessert for two. My server was very nice and attentive. The atmosphere was fitting for a nice place for quiet conversation but also had a bar with sports on for those more casual diners. I'd certainly come back and try more from their menu. read more

The Hard Shell - Lobster Lobster and Shrimp Pasta - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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BLUF: delicious meal, embarrassing service, musical chairs. My boyfriend and I were in town for a date night and made reservations for dinner. We were initially seated at a table for two and were then asked to move to another table after several minutes. We were initially not bothered by this but then waited for over 20 minutes for an unapologetic waitress to get our drink order. At that point we just ordered our food in addition to drinks. Never heard about the specials or was served bread that the other tables had. Our meals were delicious. At the end of our meal the waitress came over and did not offer us dessert, clearly trying to rush us out. After ordering dessert a manager came over and said she would comp us dessert if we moved to the bar. We were both a little shocked but agreed. The bartender was awesome and also comped us glasses of wine for moving. While seated at the bar, the manager asked one man who had just paid for his bill to move seats and then asked another couple to move down a seat as well to make room for incoming guests that had not arrived yet. Overall, the fact that we had to move seats twice and that management had no problem moving people around shows that this restaurant needs to manage their reservations and seating much better. I don't think they realize how rude it is to ask people to move seats, even with comped dessert and wine. read more

My husband and I absolutely loved this place. The service was great with friendly staff. We had appetizers, drinks, main course, dessert and everything was superb. The atmosphere is upscale and relaxing at the same time. We will definitely return! read more

I love it here. I am from NY and this is honestly one of the best places I've found in Richmond. They have consistently great food at a very reasonable price with a lovely semi upscale semi intimate atmosphere. Definitely one of my favs. read more

I had dinner with a work colleague last night and was very pleased with the entire experience. It's always nice when your reservation is honored and you're offered a nice booth as soon as you enter the restaurant. My work mate and I ordered a drink and had a good chance to catch up before ordering our dinner. After a while we ordered raw oysters as a started (incredibly sweet, buttery, and fresh....and really large), rockfish over risotto with fresh asparagus, and crab cakes over fresh corn and sweet potato salad. Both entrees were delicious, fresh, well prepared and presented. We ended our dinner with two deserts - carrot cake and key lime pie. Both delicious with fresh made whipped cream. Our server was knowledgeable, attentive, and a delight. This restaurant is a gem. read more

We dined here on a Saturday night and chose to enjoy their lovely outdoor seating. Service was good and their bread service was respectable. My friend ordered a steak that was over cooked and I ordered the she crab soup and scallop appetizer for my dinner. The soup was bland AF but had a fair amount of lump crab. The scallops were amazing and the three you are served are worth the $15 price tag. One thing to note, while passing by the kitchen to use the restroom I heard a kitchen staff member (Caucasian male with a full on beard) berating the wait staff on their lack of speediness to deliver food. There is a way to go about motivating someone and away from customers is the first step. Other than the scallops The Hard Shell is average and I would not dine here again. read more

The Hard Shell - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Great ambiance & great food. All the seafood was succulent, fresh-tasting, & perfectly cooked. Perfect restaurant for a special occasion. We will be back! read more

The Hard Shell - Pan Seared Crab Cakes & Lobster Tail Simply Grilled - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The Hard Shell was EXCELLENT! Our group of 4 sat on the patio and it was lovely. The large spanning umbrellas kept a light rain at bay while we enjoyed an amazing dinner. We started with several appetizers including calamari, shrimp dumplings, and a cold crab cocktail.. The dumplings were superb, but the crab cocktail was out of this world, one of the best I have ever had. The entrees were special and vibrant. We enjoyed the ahi served medium rare, crusted in sesame seeds, served on a bed of colorful root vegetables. One of the most visually stunning entrees ever! I had the soft shell crab- two soft shell crab served fried on slate with asparagus- INCREDIBLE! But then, they threw in these succulent zucchini pancakes that were oozing with gruyere. One of the best ever! The Crab Cake entree satisfied to my left, and the mahi-mahi with mango chutney impressed to my right. EVERYONE was happy, and then we had pecan pie. Just an amazing meal! 5 Stars all the way around. read more

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The last night in downtown Richmond and I finely found a great place for dinner. Was in the mood for a steak, but also wanted seafood. The menu had a nice selection of steaks and I opted for the 6 oz. instead of the 10 oz. filet since I was adding a lobster tail. The combination was priced fair (especially for the quality) at $40. I enjoyed a nice Silver Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon for $8 while I waited for my meal to arrive. The presentation of the meal was nice; the steak and lobster was accompanied by whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus. I pressed on the steak to check for doneness and knew that the steak was more medium than medium rare as I ordered. I cut into the steak and given the quality of the cut it was still tender while being over-cooked. The bartender Jessica asked how everything was and I pointed out that steak was slightly over cooked but very good. Without further discussion she informed me that they were cooking me another steak. I told her I was fine, but the restaurant insisted. I ate the rest of my meal while waiting for my new steak and the lobster was cooked to perfection. The asparagus had a great flavor and was also cooked perfectly. I ordered another glass of wine as my steak came out. One word, perfect! Temperature was perfect this time and I really enjoyed it. Kudos to the team at the Hard Shell for making the meal right without hesitation. I will definitely recommend the Hard Shell and visit again myself. read more

The Hard Shell - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Came here for a birthday dinner that my husband had made reservations for. We had heard about this place, and decided to finally venture out to Shockoe Bottom to give this place a shot. We actually used "Open Table" to make the reservation to this place and upon arrival, we were seated quickly and served some water. Greg was our server and he was just wonderful and on point! He was very accommodating when we decided last minute to enjoy the nice warm weather and (slight) breeze on their outdoor patio. As a start, we decided on getting cocktails and the mussel appetizer and the cup of she-crab soup. I decided on the blanche devereaux - it had some sort of spice to it, but it was quite refreshing. And the hubby got the moscow mule - which is always a good choice. The mussels was absolute delicious and a great choice for an appetizer. I can't exactly say the same about the she-crab soup, but it was still good. I decided on the pecan crusted salmon entree and my hubby decided on the ribs. The presentation of the two dishes were beautiful and they both were equally delicious. The pecan crust salmon has a subtle flavor/taste, but the Brussels sprouts were my absolute favorite part. I love how roasted it is and the salmon is def a large piece. The ribs, on the other hand, was pretty saucy and "meat off the bone" delicious. The asparagus was healthy and the crispy potato that it came with was perfect with the ribs. The hubby and I definitely do not regret our two choices of entrees for the evening. Overall, our first experience at the Hardshell was great - especially with Greg taking care of us. The staffs were friendly and on point with the us the whole evening. The atmosphere was great inside and out, I loved the patio - which was perfect for the evening, and the food was definitely tasty. A very good experience! read more

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Excellent food and service. Surf and turf was done perfectly. Cocktails were well crafted. Would definitely return. A real hidden gem!

When will I learn to leave this place alone. I ordered She Crab soup and Calamari to go. I was there before they told me it would be ready and it was already sitting on the counter waiting when I got there. I got back to the office which is just literally steps away and the soup was delicious but the calamari is not fresh. If I were a betting woman....Id say its delivered there already breaded and then deep fried there. It is rubbery and looks like leftovers. It wasn't even hot when I got it. If it were hot when it was put in there, I would say it would have melted the container it was in or at least made a heat mark. Nope. It was barely luke warm when I touched the first piece. I ate a few pieces as did a co-worker, just so I could see if maybe I was wrong. She agreed with me. So disappointed in this visit. That was $10.95 wasted on the calamari. Never again. read more

The Hard Shell - Calamari....not fresh at all. - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I happened to pay this fancy little spot a visit due to a close friends birthday lunch. Before coming here I wasn't a huge fan of seafood as in I would never crave a seafood restaurant outside of my seasonal Lust for crabs. During my visit I decided to try something new. First was my drink I ordered a strawberry lemonade 23. That drink was AMAZING!! For all of those that love to drink but hate the taste of alcohol then you will adore this drink. However it's not a very strong drink. Second, I ordered Chesapeake oysters. Now you guys I have eaten ONE oyster as a child.. ONE! Just ONE. These oyster MY GOD! they were amazing. I'm not an expert at them but they were amazing to me. Third, I ordered a crab cake sandwich and a side of she crab soup. The crab cake sandwich was probably one of the best I've personally had. Again, I am not an expert at seafood. The crab cake was awesome especially topped with their chipotle aioli sauce(you have to ask for that). The she crab soup was ok. I've had a better soup but that is not to say that this crab soup wasn't delightful. Overall the service was amazing especially for there to only be one waitress working the whole place that afternoon!. She was awesome and attentive and just flat out AMAZING!!!!. I will definitely come here again! read more

The Hard Shell - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I ate a lobster stuff with a crab cake...What other rating could I give? I chose this place after getting a recommendation while travelling for business. My coworkers and I were easily accommodated for a weekday reservation. Our server was super friendly and their beer/wine/cocktail list satisfied everyone's palate. The food was EXCELLENT. It was fresh and delicious. We will be visiting again on our next trip. read more

Consistently excellent oysters, mussels and crab. The staff operates as a team, with a lot of excellence and attention to detail. Never a bad bite! read more

Best happy hour and bang for buck in RVA. They also offer nice drink specials and HH on weekends

I ate here last night. Food and service were great. It was a block from my hotel on E. Carey so nothing beats that. Excellent menu.

Impressive Shockoe bottom restaurant. Great decor, open kitchen. We stoped by for early dinner while on our way down to Durham. Ordered a couple dozens of oysters. Tried the crab pasta, Angus burger and seasonal soft shell crabs. All were prepared nicely. The crab pasta appetizer as really generous on the crab meat. The soft shell crabs were huge. The service level can improve but nothing to complain about. read more

Super friendly service and great ambiance! We came at around 8pm so it wasn't super crowded. There is inside and outside seating. Our server was extremely nice and knowledgeable and gave us pretty good recommendations. Food: - burrata cheese salad with calamari: The combination of prosciutto, burrata cheese, and mixed greens turned out to be really good! The cheese wasn't too overpowering, and the sweetness of the dressing and the saltiness of the meat balanced out well. I ate the calamari by itself but it would probably go well inside the salad as well. - she crab soup: the soup was really creamy and went really well with the bread! We had to ask for another basket because it was so good. - rockfish: I tried a little bit of this dish and it was fantastic. The coconut risotto paired really well with the mushroom and was really creamy! read more

The Hard Shell - Pan Seared Local Rockfish - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I ordered a half dozen of the raw oyster sampler. It was served just as it should be, with all the fixings that one would expect. To drink, I had a rye whiskey old fashioned. It was pretty good, but the presentation could have been better. They did not muddle with maraschino cherries, which resulted in a drink a little less sweet than I would prefer. For an entree I had the surf and turf, with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes were perfect, buttery with a hint of garlic. The asparagus was a little tough, and could have used a little more olive oil or butter to help the consistency. The steak was cooked to perfection and the crab was delightful. For desert I had creme brûlée a la mode. It was very good. The meal was good, but the portions were a bit small for the price. read more

The Hard Shell - Surf and turf. - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

There were 5 people in our party & everyone ordered something different from the menu. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Delicious. The she-crab soup was outstanding! Our server was just okay. read more

I think The Hard Shell is one of the most underrated seafood restaurants in Richmond. 3.5 stars isn't a fair assessment. If you look at the recent reviews, you'll notice that almost all of them are 5 stars. Maybe they had a rough start, but I can attest to the fact that they definitely have it together now. After an exhaustive search of a dinner spot yesterday, my family and I settled on The Hard Shell. Come to find out, they only serve light faire (read: small plates) on Sundays at around 3pm. Dinner service doesn't start until 5. That was fine for us, as we saw it as a great opportunity to try different dishes and share. Between the three of us we ordered the kale salad, calamari, ribs, scallops, and crabcakes. All were incredible! I'd been to The Hard Shell many times before, but this was the best experience. We were the only ones in the restaurant so the meal went by at a great pace and we didn't have to wait long for either course. I can't even pick a favorite because they were all amazing. The scallops were perfectly cooked, the crabcakes were lovely and came with an amazing sauce, the barbecue sauce that came with the ribs was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, and the kale salad was out of this world! That's definitely my new favorite salad now and I'll be back during lunch hours just for that! Overall, don't feed too much into the 3.5 star rating. This is definitely a 4-5 star casual seafood spot in a terrific location! read more

Went to the Hard Shell during restaurant week and gave it another try during their lunch and regular dinner times. Given their three chances to impress, I left disappointed after each visit. Their food is just blah and does not showcase the ingredients at all. During restaurant week, my lobster was overcooked and chewy. It tasted like it was pre-cooked and then re-heated again before serving us. Their crab cakes were salty and too compacted. My boyfriend opted for steak and wasn't satisfied either since it was also overdone. They had ran out of their creme brulee for dessert so we had to choose another one that I don't even remember because it was that forgetful. I thought that they were just overwhelmed during restaurant week and that the experience was not reflective of their regular service. So due to it being restaurant week, I gave them the benefit of the doubt not once, but twice! For lunch, there just really wasn't anything special about the $7+ sandwiches that they offer. Very generic and boring sums up this meal. For dinner, their entrees are mostly $20+ and for that much, I expect well cooked food! My salmon was overcooked and dry even though I had requested it to be cooked medium-rare. My boyfriend tried the seared tuna salad which had a purple cabbage slaw with a really oily vinaigrette that smothered everything else in the dish and it made the dish inedible. My friend had the blackened mahi mahi which was actually cooked properly, but had no flavor. Service was slow and inattentive each time. It just gets on my nerves when the waiter has to be flagged down for a water refill! Overall, nothing here impresses. Food: 1 Value: 1 Service: 1 read more

Nice place with very good food: crab cakes and rack of ribs. Service wasn't quite top notch. Would consider coming again on next visit.

With all the fanfare Rappahannock's gets for seafood and oysters I found this place to be almost on par with the fabled more popular counterpart. First of all Sunday's Crab special is 2 pounds steamed snow crab legs for $20. You cannot beat that most anywhere. Dozen and half dozen of Bluepoints, wellpoints, chesapeake's and little necks they have live Maine lobster and fresh seafood flown in 6 days a week from all over the country. The price point is very reasonable offering build your own surf and turfs, a good wine selection and a full bar. Most places let alone seafood specialty places carry fresh littlenecks. I found the staff to be extremely helpful and courteous especially not realizing how early they close, but not being under any pressure to scoot along. Friendly to say the least and with outdoor seating which is great for the summertime, but not so great when Cha Cha's is going off next door. Crab legs felt like well over 2 pounds, well steamed with clarified butter (the only way to eat steamed seafood). Lemon wedge and a bowl for your shells. I rarely use the shell cracker as I'm pretty practiced without it, no hammers here. It took a while to muscle through as usually I'm a speed demon, but knowing my friends were slow I took my time. Bluepoints were excellent, large, meaty freshly shucked and presented well on their ice tray, I could have used 1 more lemon wedge and perhaps some hot sauce other than Tobacco. The littlenecks were good, but not worth the price, if they offer a larger clam like a cherry or something go with that. Wellpoints were deep and carried a good amount of brine. Waters were filled at all times and if it weren't for our alcoholic vacation our bill would have been inexpensive, sadly I drinks cost more than the food and we ate like kings. Eat till your sleepy, sleep till your hungry. read more

This was our go to place for seafood but no more. Late lunch yesterday left us disappointed. My $28 Maine Lobster roll contained tiny snippets of lobster that seem to come from the legs and tip of the claw. Nothing meaty, mostly roll. I should have sent them back. Steamed shrimp came out limp and not firm. They used to be on point but no more. The final straw happened today, after grabbing Taco Bell, when my wife announced her tacos were better there than fish tacos she had yesterday. Enough said. read more

Wow. Came here on date night and was blown away. My wife had the mixed berry mojito and really enjoyed it. It looked monstrous next to my "007". Think cosmo with a more masculine name. It too was mighty fine. The obligatory bread basket came with great bread and a cracker thing that we had a tug-a-war over. We split a mixed greens which was just right. I couldn't imagine eating that thing alone. Great champagne vinegrette over greens, smooth as butter goat cheese, cranberries, and candied walnuts. I could have stopped there and been well pleased. But I had to make a pig of myself. So, out came the scallop appetizer. Three of the largest grilled (or was it pan seared - who cares!) scallops I've ever laid my eyes on. We split them and they were cooked perfectly. My wife always likes scallops, but I rarely order them. I think too many bone heads don't know how to cook them right. Either rubbery & overcooked or just plain nasty & undercooked. That makes me wonder. Do they have scallops on sushi? Well, these were cooked just right with a nice sauce and crumbled bacon pieces. Mmmmm. But I was on a mission....I had to eat more! My wife finished off with the shrimp & scallops. I didn't try the scallops, but I did sneak off with a shrimp. It had some sort of oriental flavoring with the oriental vegetables. My wife thought it worked well, but I was mixing my dinner with hers and it didn't hold up to what I had. I had the jumbo crab cakes. Well cooked, no noticeable fillers and not a bit of the obligatory crab shells. They really cleaned it well as well as cooked it right. My meal came with rice and asparagus, but I was really enjoying the crab. The waiter was just the right attentive, knew we were on track for a show so paced the meal just right. I came away well pleased and would go back in a microsecond. Just hoping that someone else picks up the tab! read more

We go here once a year as part of an organization and use the back room. The she-crab soup is delicious! It has good bites of flavorful crab. And creamy soup. The sirloin with medium rare was perfectly textured though it could use more spice. I ordered a dozen petite sweet oysters and they were amazing. Really happy with the meal! read more

Our server Tim was AMAZING, and the food was exceptional. The place was clean and very COVID friendly. If you're looking for Wonderful dining in a clean, safe atmosphere, with great service... Please, visit Hard Shell. read more

One of my favorite spots in Richmond! The service is impeccable as the staff is always super friendly and the food never disappoints. Had the She Crab Soup, Oysters, Tuna Tartare and the Brussels - all were equally delicious. Almost forgot about the Chocolate Pecan Pie (chocolate with Pecan Pie?? That seemed blasphemous to a lifelong Pecan Pie connoisseur such as myself).....it was amazing, seriously really really great. Will be back next time I'm in town! read more

The food was delicious. Very pricey but good. I wouldn't recommend ordering the crab legs... they are market price and you only get two legs. Not worth the price. The lobsters were great. As well as the appetizers of shrimp cocktails. I would go back: nice quiet intimate atmosphere. Good and quick service. read more

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There was a time when Shockoe Bottom had the big three in nice restaurants: Bookbinder's, The Tobacco Company, and The Hard Shell. Unfortunately, the food is just not consistent here anymore, so it's hit or miss on whether you'll have a great night or a crappy night as the earlier reviews point out. It's a beautiful space with a great vibe, so definitely check out the bar and the live jazz. Avoid things like the Thai shrimp and stick with whatever is fresh and simple. I would order lobster in Maine where I know it's local, but here I would go for a local fish like rockfish. read more

Great food at a decent price. The server was really nice and the outdoor patio was a nice atmosphere. I loved the lobster dip and blacked mahi. I tried the old fashion and whiskey sour which were both great! read more

The Hard Shell - Blackened Mahi - Mahi Lobster Dip - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The lobsters are delicious! The wine choices are great. Service is perfect. Will definitely go back.

An organization I am a part of rented the back room for a presentation and catered meal. The location was perfect! Nestled in downtown Richmond, The Hard Shell is a convenient option. They have a small but charming patio area for enjoying the weather. Like I said, we were seated in a private room off the back of the restaurant. It was quiet enough with the doors shut that we could really enjoy the presentation. The food was surprisingly good. They started us off with stuffed mushrooms, calamari, and cocktail shrimp. The cocktail shrimp were delicious. They tasted fresh. The cocktail sauce wasn't my favorite since I prefer a lot of horseradish kick, but the shrimp were so good they didn't need much sauce. The calamari was good, but I feel like you can get good calamari lots of places. What stood out was my meal! I started with the she crab soup. It is topped with fresh crab meat. It was creamy and delicious. Not as much sherry flavor as some but really yummy and smooth (no shells). The entree was filet and butter poached lobster. The sides were mashed potatoes and asparagus. The steak was overcooked but sometimes these things happen in bug groups of 20+ people. It was ok. I am sure if I had asked they would've gladly fixed it. (Service was great!) The lobster was so good! Not good, but so good! I'm trying to think of one place with better lobster, but I can't. It was flavorful and fresh. I mean really, really good. The icing on the cake was dessert. I had the creme brulee. If you come here, you should definitely get the creme brulee. I remember trying The Hard Shell before and not being impressed, but after last night, I will be back. I agree with the other reviewers that they have stepped things up at The Hard Shell. read more

The Hard Shell - Filet mignon and butter poached lobster - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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