You know the kind of place that mixes day old bread slices in with the fresh bread slices? Well, this is one of those places - a first impression that remained consistent throughout the evening. I started with a Cesar salad that was "swimming" in dressing - you should order it with the dressing on the side. And, some of the lettuce leaves were already starting to brown on the edges, so perhaps, was left over from the previous day along with the bread. We had lobster tails (Monday is lobster night) and while the waiter said that they would be six ounces each, they were likely 3 ounces each. The worst part was that they were not cooked through and were kind of slimy. The roasted potatoes were al dente, almost crunchy. Overall, The Hard Shell suffers from a lack of quality control. There seems to be no one checking on the kitchen. Perhaps because it was a Monday night, I'm not sure, but that was my last visit. For $94 for two, no drinks, I felt very disappointed. read more

I had such high hopes for Hard Shell, and now I just feel silly for not listening to my fellow yelpers about it's mediocrity. I'll start with the service. We were seated right away which was a big plus and the server was very attentive. In most cases, attentive service would get a restaurant 4 stars along. But the server removed my friend's plate right as he was about to take the last bite; 5 minutes later he did the same thing to me! Both times, he asked if we were done as he was taking the plate away. I would have felt like a pig telling him no just so I could take one more bite of something so I let him take the plate. In the grand scheme of things, one bite is no big deal but because he did that to my friend AND me, it really aggravated me. My friend and I both ordered oyster appetizers and both were delicious! But I accredit that more to mother nature than the restaurant since raw oysters don't really require culinary skills to prepare. Nonetheless, they were still good. I ordered the mahi from the grilled category which comes with 2 sides. I got brocollini and asparagus. Everything on the plate tasted great, but it was an incredibly small portion for a $19 entree. The portions were so small, I actually ate a bowl of cereal later that evening, which I find ridiculous after spending $68 on apps and dinner (no drinks) for 2. If I were planning on happy hour drinks and maybe a few apps. I would consider Hard Shell again but there are too many other quality options in RVA to waste my money on dinner there again. read more

I really shouldn't be reviewing this restaurant. I am, admittedly, an idiot when it comes to seafood. So why am i here ? I've been expanding my extremely picky palette, and have picked up a taste for lobster, as well as crab. Now, I used to frequent Hard Shell, perhaps even once a week or so. They have a filet i've always enjoyed, i never ate the seafood here. But it's been years since i had been so i was looking forward to this trip. We arrived Fri night, 9:30pm. Not too crowded, and they still had the live jazz going. Yes - live jazz. Not so loud you can't talk, perfect ambient volume. Live jazz can make even a shitty restaurant get an extra star out of me (note: Hard Shell is not "shitty"). Started off with a french chardonnay, my friend had some fru-fru cocktail drink - i have no idea what it was. It looked like a cosmo if that helps. It was pretty tasty. Anyways, we ordered: 1lb Alaskan King Crab Legs 1 Salad 1 Crabcakes 1 Surf & Turf This was my initial foray into crab legs. The meat was pretty tasty, though i have to say it was an absolute pain in the ass to get to. The damn legs wouldn't crack - they were too soft. I was sitting there bending these crab legs, trying to crack them, making a big mess. The crab leg splitter really didn't help. My friend, who eats quite a bit of crab legs up in the northeast, said that it may not be good crab leg season. I have no idea. Do i sound like an idiot ? Here is where my biggest pet peeve came into play: During the eating of our appetizers, they brought the entrees. That's a huge no-no to me. Our table is littered with plates, forks, drinks, plates of crab, pieces of crab scattered all over - and they crammed 2 entree plates on the table. It's bad service to bring out the entrees while you are still working on the appetizers. It was not our waiter who brought them out, and he did apologize for it. But given that, the steak was pretty decent. I'm in NY most of the time, and there is no better steak than in NY. But this was a pretty acceptable cut of beef. The lobster was very tasty. No complaints at all about the entree. I would certainly order it again. I ordered 2 double baileys for dessert, for my friend and i. We got perhaps an eye dropper of Bailey's in each of our glasses. I did make note of that to the waiter...... considering the low level of alcohol in Bailey's, a double is a must. So if you order a doulble, i'd like to see a double. While it sounds like my review consists of a lot of bitching and moaning, Hard Shell is actually a pretty good restaurant. Live music, pretty good food, friendly service, and i didn't mention, but should, the classic brick interior. It's got an old richmond feel to the inside, which i love. They also have private bathrooms. I like private bathrooms. 3.5 stars. read more

Here's the deal. If you're a man and hungry skip this joint. I ordered shrimp and scallops on the brunch menu. 2 medium shrimps and 2 small scallops. This $17 meal was more like a starter kit. Thank god I ordered the $4 thimble of lobster chowder to help fill my tank. To be fair Greg the waiter was great. My girlfriend's Salmon was a good portion but I was still shocked that for the price no salad or bread or anything else. Greg could have sized me up and warned it was a tiny portion. Very FuFu. Not a joint for any man. Bunch of girls wanna go have brunch this place is perfect. If you're a man though run!!!! read more

This place is in my weekly lunch rotation. Good food at a fair price. I typically get the cod sandwich or oyster po boy. Both are $8.95 including french fries. They also sell seafood and lobster at market prices. They have a nice patio for sunny days. EDIT April 2015... Removed a star and have not been for a while since they jacked up the prices. Too expensive now for regular lunch. They should have kept the prices as is. Now they have lost my regular business. read more

The Hardshell Downtown is ALWAYS delicious but I think Restaurant Week may have overwhelmed them a bit. I very carefully selected what places we were visiting this year and this was our first stop. A main reason for picking it was because I really love Creme Brulee and it was one of the three desserts being offered! When we got there though I was informed that they had run out! The only other options were Key Lime Pie and Bread Pudding which I have to say might be my LEAST favorite desserts of all time, just my luck. Since there was no dessert I liked I decided to just order my regular dish, Crab Pasta with tomatoes and asparagus. I also ordered soup, which was super yummy but my Crab Pasta came out lukewarm and the lobster my fiancé ordered was overcooked. We had two other friends with us and their food was very tasty. One person had the crab legs and shrimp dish from the Restaurant Week menu and the last person had the soy/ginger scallops and shrimp with orange flavored rice. That rice was incredibly by the way! Of course I will definitely be back. I love seafood too much to not. I'll just chalk it up to it being that we had a later reservation and maybe the kitchen was running low on steam. read more

First visit to Hard Shell following recommendations from locals. Located in Richmond's historic Shockoe Bottom, the restaurant is light, bright and appealing. Food was beautifully present and wait staff professional and friendly. The mussels were scrumptious and perfectly done. Halibut special with small lobster tail was heavenly as was the rockfish with risotto. The frdge brownie with ice cream was a perfect ending. Drink selection is inventive and selection of wine is good. Best of all, our waiter, Greg was helpful, funny and provided excellent service and a really great person. We will go back. read more

Went here for Restaurant Week...and ended up ordering off the main menu. I was surprised the RW menu didn't have one fish entree! Crab cakes, snow crab, flank steak, and something else unoriginal... oh yes shrimp and grits. Although I can't really complain, everyone knows RW can be a bit... meh. That aside, I had the Sesame Seared Ahi (sauce on the side) and found it to be delicious. They have a great selection of other fish (the waiter claimed it was all fresh but you never know). Loved the dark-woody atmosphere of the place, definitely date night material. Perfect place for dinner then a Tobacco Co post-game drink! read more

In 2 times visiting Hard Shell, I have had pleasant experiences both times. I've been both for restaurant week and a separate time. Though both trips were good, restaurant week wasn't quite as good. In my first visit, I got their lobster was amazing, as is anything from their raw bar. What Hard Shell does best is straight up seafood. However during Restaurant week, I opted for shrimp and grits which were tasty but a little overdone (too many flavor profiles). Someone in my party got a seafood platter that was more than ample. Items like the she-crab soup and lobster dip are good, but VERY rich. Overall it has a great ambiance, good drink menu and pretty delicious food. A definite must-go for any local Richmonder. read more

The Hard Shell - Shrimp & Grits during restaurant week - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I live in NYC and went to RVA knowing they have a vibrant restaurant scene but not expecting something quite this good! I was in Richmond for work and dined alone at the Hard Shell. The hostess and waiter made me feel incredibly comfortable. Atmosphere: Definitely has a an upscale, refined vibe. It was dimly lit (in a good way). Food: I started with the House Salad, which was the perfect size. As my entrée, I ordered Mahi-Mahi from the "Simply Grilled" section of the menu with a side brocollini and Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts were AMAZING, as was the fish. I have nothing but positive things to say about the entire meal. Service: I'm a bit of a picky eater, but my waiter accommodated all of my requests without batting an eye! read more

One of my favorite go to restaurants in Richmond! We always have a great meal. I actually get the bone in Ribeye quite frequently even though it's a seafood restaurant...it's awesome! I substitute mashed potatoes for the roasted. The clams are a great starter! Crab Cakes, Rockfish, Halibut are all great choices!! read more

Not that I think it's horrible but I would recommend walking by this place and going next door to her other place; Europa. The food is okay; really not bad but also in my opinion not worth the money. As far as "the mood"; I don't even know what to say... it's different everytime I go there... I don't know, I can't really put my finger on what is wrong with this place... or perhaps it's that I can't decide what is right.... If you're in the mood for seafood @ a nice; pricey place downtown; and I can't convince you to drive to the southeast to Hamptom Roads; I'd suggest Bookbinders a few block away. At least you won't leave there feeling like you just handed someone a blank check but got a seafood or steak meal similar in quality to O'Charlies. read more

I've been to the Hard Shell in Shckoe Slip a few times. So far, it's been okay. Not great, not bad, but okay. We'll start with brunch... my boyfriend and I went to brunch here a while back and I was honestly surprised at the food. The menu selection for both brunch and dinner is a new variety and I can always find something I want. For brunch my boyfriend ordered steak and eggs and i had the hard shell eggs Benedict. He asked for the steak medium rare and it came out medium well... not a huge issue; the eggs were a little runny and although I like them like that, he likes his scrambled eggs scrambled hard. So, his meal wasn't cooked well for him. My eggs Benedict was pretty good. Nothing to write home about but pretty good. The crab cakes were cooked very well and tasted good however, I don't think this is a good breakfast/brunch item. I don't think it tasted very good with the hollandaise sauce. The second time I went to the Hard Shell I went with my meet up group (http://www.meetup.com/New-In-Town-Richmond/). We went there on a Sunday for their crab leg special. Although they had advertised unlimited crab legs for $25 (I think that was the listed price) they had changed it to buy one pound to get one free. We were all okay with this because this basically meant you get 2 pounds of crab legs for $10 which is still a great deal. I had three pounds (because I'm a fatty and I LOVE crab legs) and I was satisfied. The only issue I had was that the last pound of legs came out a little cold... I sent it back so they could steam more and they came back perfectly. I was happy. I think that the service here is great. The waitstaff is always nice and accommodating. The atmosphere is a little classy with a hint of trendy. And I love their patio seating; I don't think American's have enough outside seating. All in all, I think this is a nice place to go but I think they should revamp the menu a bit and perhaps the cooks should slow down. It's supposed to be a nice, sit-down restaurant; not a place where someone would expect to get in and out within 20-30 minutes. read more

Great meal after my daughter's graduation from VCU. We were escorted right to our reserved table. Alex was very attentive and had some great suggestions--try the Sea Bass! read more

At three O'clock on a Saturday while sitting at the bar was told the kitchen was closed, they needed a break. OK fine. I should think it silly for a biz to run like that, but if that is there rule so be it. Only it wasn't. The rest of the restaurant is being served food, just the 8 people who are at the bar don't get that privilege. WTF? With people with in arms distance away getting read to days specials and the bar tender telling us the kitchen is closed? How does that make sense? If they don't serve food at the bar, say that, but don't lie about it. It was also not just people who had been seated before three, others came in and got food. Also they had a wedding party happening right by the front door and an empty back room? How does that make sense? Why would they not put the wedding party in the back room? It was totally empty read more

I've eaten at plenty of restaurants before which are super expensive and give you basically nothing on your plate. You then try to rationalize your $100 salad + water tab at the end of the night by saying "Well at least it was really good quality...." I like to call these places "Gotcha!" restaurants. As in the owner is thinking "Gotcha!" every time the check is presented to a customer. A couple of my friends ordered steak thinking it would be amazing for the price they were charging. Not only was the size unsurprisingly small, but the piece was not the quality of meat we expected and was very disappointing to say the least. We could have gone to Applebee's, paid half the price, gotten twice the food, and been totally satisfied. I would never come here again especially when there are so many other great places to eat in the area. read more

I hadn't been to The Hard Shell in about 9 years when my friend and I decided to stop in for oysters and an accompanying beverage. We strolled in, plopped down at the bar and noticed that the menu is pretty similar to The Water Grill, with a few tweaks or distinctive spins here and there. There was a nice beer, wine and cocktail selection, and after the bartender kindly let me taste a beer on tap, I chose a bottle of Stone IPA. My friend went for a Pilsner Urquell. They had three kinds of oysters: Chesapeake, Bluepoint and Kimomoto, so we went for a dozen sampler that came with 4 of each. They didn't have mignonette, but they did have a horseradish aioli we decided to try. While we waited for our oysters, the bartender brought us some bread with a delicious honey butter. I thought this was nice considering we didn't order full meals. Our oysters arrived nice and cold on an ice-filled metal tray and they all tasted fresh and delicious. I loved the briny nature of the Kimomoto's, and I even thought the Chesapeake oysters (which aren't usually my fave) had a nice, fresh flavor. As it turns out, the horseradish aioli was to die for. After mixing with cocktail sauce on a few of my oysters, I may have spread it on a cracker, and it may have tasted fabulous. We definitely enjoyed our snack here and vowed to return for more oysters in the future. I was happy to see a place that's been in business so long showcase great service and food. read more

Wow great food, great service. I really enjoyed dining here. Would definitely come back to this restaurant. Good date restaurant with hubby

We went to Hard Shell on Christmas Eve and it was so great. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was relaxed and coming off a rough year it was just what our family needed. The service was great too. We parked easily on the street and it was such an easy delightful experience. Try the scallop appetizer and the carrot cake for dessert. read more

My wife and I came tonight, we got all dressed up for our first date night in a while. We had reservations. We walked passed a few booths and they put us at a little table in the back area. Ok fine. I asked if we could get a booth and the waiter said there were more reservations. Ok cool, maybe there's a larger group coming. The waiter whose name was Jesse I believed "sized" my wife and I up as not a couple to prioritize because of larger groups. We ordered a couple drinks and appetizers, the truffle fries and fried oysters. They came out fast (maybe 5 minutes) and were great. A couple minutes pass and another couple sits by us and they request a booth and they were given a booth. This is when I got upset. The entrees came out a moment later and also came out fast. I had the surf and turf and my wife had the lobster and shrimp pasta, they were great. The waiter tried to take my wife's plate before she finished and he seemed like he was trying to rush us out even though the two of us had just spent over $100 on dinner, I worked in a very busy restaurant for years so I know what it's like to be a young person working a busy restaurant so I try to take care of the servers but he lost his chance at getting what would've been a $30 tip because he came off pretty snotty and was kind of rushing us and he didn't give us a booth when requested (there were several available) and a couple 5 minutes later requested one and got one. Still have him a $17 tip. The food overall was great and it arrived fast and the restaurant as a whole was nice but the server left a really bad taste in our mouths and made what was supposed to be an amazing night a little less special. read more

The Hard Shell - Fried oysters - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The mixed field greens salad was excellent, excellent. The service was also nice, but we felt a little rushed. I had the crab cakes, and they were not very good... Portions are small, but that would be okay if the food was better. Good place for a date night (private, somewhat romantic), just stay away from the crab cakes. read more

Best crab cakes ever! I'm from the Northwest and was visiting from NYC, so I've had my fair share of them, but these were truly perfection - moist, dense, not overly bready and flavorful. The cocktail menu was just as great - I had the Blanche Devereaux and was not disappointed. The truffle fries weren't spectacular, but the crab cakes more than made up for it. The price made it even better - we came on Sunday when they were on special for $16 - definitely an excellent value! read more

Went there for a business dinner and the food was overall OK. We started with Oysters on the shell and Mussels. Both were good and tasty. I had the Filet and Lobster tail. The filet came to perfection, medium rare, but the steak was kind of cold, not warm. The lobster tail was outstanding....very juicy, tender, plump. Located in the Shockoe section of town, it has great ambiance. read more

Awful service, mediocre food, overly priced food in a cute little place. Our waiter, Pierce, was never around. He didn't give us a chance to ask for a knife when the entrée was served, so we just shared one knife for two of us. No extra bread, no offer to order another glass of wine, no offer to have dessert. The food was mediocre, the sliders were dry, and, of course, we couldn't find Pierce to ask for ketchup or hot sauce. The only superb dish was the burrata salad. The last straw came when they insisted on 20% tip. I indicated on the receipt only 15%, and wrote the total in clear, big numbers. They still charged the full 20%. We had chosen this restaurant because none of the others had available space. Now we know why. CONCLUSION: Awful service, mediocre food at quite high prices and untrusty management - Pick another place! read more

Several colleagues and I grabbed dinner at The Hard Shell recently. One thing I've felt Richmond is lacking is good seafood. Not being the biggest consumer of fish and shellfish, I must admit,, I haven't tried too hard. However, given that I need a bit more Omega-3 in my diet, I've been seeking out a good pescetarian destination. We were seated outside due to a packed dining room (at 6:00 on a Wednesday?? - Impressive). Our server was very quick and polite. We each got different appetizers and entrees. When my she-crab soup arrived, I looked down to eat it and never looked back up until the bowl wasn't just empty, but practically clean. Soon, I realized the entire table took the same approach. I ordered the Rockfish on a bed of mushroom risotto and asparagus. Nothing special here, just well prepared fish and quality ingredients. I'd like to see them get a little more creative, but apparently Richmond likes to keep things conservative (zzzzing!). Good seafood spot... I'll certainly return. read more

Had a great meal. I had the rockfish with Brussels sprouts and dates. It was an excellent meal. My wife had the mani-mahi-mahi dinner. Simply enjoyed. Finished with a huge piece of carrot cake. Service was attentive, but not intrusive. When I get back to Richmond, I will go back . read more

On a night when we rolled into town for a wedding we got stuck on dinner plans. No place would accepts a reservation for our large group. Besides several wedding parties booked into the Omni Hotel it also happened to be Prom Night. Hard Shell to the rescue. The reservations were a little later than we had hoped but they were able to accommodate 17 people at one large table! The service for our large group was impeccable! Nice oysters, great beer selection, she crab soup was good not great, shrimp and grits good not great. People loved the seafood pasta. My wife's lobster tail was reported as pretty good. I heard good things about a shrimp and scallop dish and happy reports about crab cakes. Bottom line this was the perfect restaurant for us this night. read more

Went here after wandering around for several blocks, almost a random choice at the end as the restaurant next door was our first pick-but was closed. I ordered the mustard and nut crusted salmon, which came with red bliss potatoes and spinach (which I switched for broccolini), drizzled with tarragon creme fraiche. The salmon was perfectly cooked, as was everything. The glass of wine was a generous pour, and the bread basket was very nice quality. The waiter was attentive and must have refilled our waters half a dozen times. All in all a very nice evening. read more

Our first time here small seafood and steak house great atmosphere. Very good beer and wine selection rather impressive. Service was friendly and quick we had Lobster Chowder different but very good. We also ordered Jumbo Lump Crab which was absolutely delicious and fries with key lime pie for desert. Everything was very good with the crab being the star of the show. A little pricey but not bad. All in all and excellent visit looking forward to returning. I would recommend giving it a try I would recommend reservation as it has limited seating we sat at the bar otherwise it was a 45 minute wait on a Saturday night at 7:30: read more

The Hard Shell - Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We walked in for Sunday brunch. We figured we give a try after have snacks and drinks a while back. Go spend your money elsewhere. 2 entrees, 2 beers and a weak 6 ounce mixed drink was 60$. now that is fine for good eats but this place was not good eats. The poached egg wasnt soft but prepared earlier than nuked. The crabcake was cold. the hollandaise was chalky. this somethinf that I expect from a waffle house short order except w.h. taste good! There are better spots nearby. This is a poorly managed brunch joint that just wants to suck your money. NO read more

My husband and I were in town for a wedding and also wanted to go out for a nice dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. This place was conveniently close to our hotel, and I love seafood, so it was kind of a no-brainer! There were two large parties there when we were, which slightly affected service, but Jessica at the bar was great as she explained that to us up front, offered us bread, etc. We tried the Parmesan truffle fries to start with & those were so yummy. I ordered the stuffed Maine lobster - which was essentially half of a lobster, stuffed with a crab cake...yum!!!! Great value for what I received in my opinion. I asked for Brussels sprouts with it, as well as broccolini, instead of the asparagus & potato croquette it normally comes with (since we'd already had potatoes & I love green veggies). Because they were so busy, I still received the dish as it is typically prepared, which was fine & understandable; I just wish I could've tried the Brussels! :) My husband got the rack of lamb & really enjoyed it as well. The risotto that came with his dish was absolutely delicious! Jessica was a great server & we were really pleased with our experience overall! Would definitely visit this place again! :) read more

The Hard Shell - Stuffed Maine Lobster and 10oz Rack of Lamb - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I went here with a group of friends when one their parents was in town and this was an excellent choice for the occasion. We started off with the seafood tower and crab legs as appetizers which really hit all the spots. Lobster, crab meat, oysters, cocktail shrimp, and more crab legs were a great way to start off the dinner. Everything tasted fresh and delicious and only made me even more excited for the entrees. I had the stuffed Maine lobster and it made me feel like I was actually back on vacation in Maine. the crab cake and asparagus that came with it were also really well prepared and made this a massive meal. We were also given some complimentary french fries which were super thin, salty, and delicious. Everyone enjoyed their choices and left incredibly full and satisfied. Our waiter was very good too, he had some great opinions and descriptions of the different wines and specialties and suggested the rock fish, which half the table wound up getting and loving. I would definitely come back. read more

A couple weeks back during restaurant week, el Mattador and I met a couple of friends out for dinner at the Hard Shell. We decided to let them take over our yelp page for the week. Here's what they had to say!! Kaitlin(Greg's lifelong sister friend): The Hard Shell was delicious! And quite honestly better than I expected! Their restaurant week menu was well balanced and had a lot of tough-to-choose-from options! For my first course I chose the roasted clams and muscle! OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. and I don't typically like clams! Second course was rockfish over mushroom risotto and asparagus. The rockfish was prepared perfectly, not dry or fishy, and well seasoned. The mushroom risotto, while very tasty, came totally unseasoned, and I had to salt and pepper it several times to truly appreciate it. Asparagus, as always, was very good, just wish there would have been more of that! Dessert was a chocolate bread pudding with raspberry chip ice cream. The bread pudding was not my favorite, but the ice cream....oh the ice cream. PERFECTION. I've been craving that ice cream for the past week. Our waitress was lovely, with a great sense of humor, and she handled our table's shenanigans well! The restaurant itself was much bigger than I thought it was and the atmosphere was awesome! If you need a good seafood fix, The Hard Shell is definitely a good pick! James(Kaitlin's boo thang): Four of my friends and I visited Hard Shell to enjoy the Restaurant Week three course meal. We had wine, lobster, crab legs, mussels, and much much more. Everything was delicious! Our server was very accommodating and put up with all of our nonsense... If you haven't had a Canal Walker cocktail yet, take the first one slow. read more

Absolutely, love this place. My family and I, come here frequently and the food is always amazing.

For our anniversary each year, the boyfriend surprises me with a reservation somewhere and doesn't tell me until we arrive. This year, it was at The Hard Shell, on a Wednesday night. When we were headed in this general direction, I suspected it was Morton's and got a craving for a steak. So the rest of the review is my own fault. The place had a nice lively buzz on a weeknight, with the downstairs area was mostly full when we left. It's in the Slip, so it has the rustic, industrial, exposed brick vibes you would expect. Our waitress was efficient and brought us the complementary bread and butter promptly. The fried calamari was light and not one bit greasy, and had two unique dipping sauces. The boyfriend really enjoyed that. Boyfriend got the Hard Shell Pasta which consisted of linguini, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, lobster tail, roasted tomato basil sauce. It seemed a little overpriced at $26.95, but he did really enjoy his lobster tail. Here's where I can only give the meal three stars in what would have otherwise been a four star experience. I ordered the grilled filet mignon because I was still craving that steak. I should have ordered the Mahi or the Tuna being at a seafood place. But I didn't. And I really did not enjoy my meal. The roasted shallot demi glaze did not add to my filet mignon at all. I could see putting it on a lesser cut of meat (maybe), but i didn't get to taste the actual meat at all. And I didn't enjoy the taste of the glaze one bit. The asparagus was also a bit bland, but the mashed potatoes which I'm not usually even a big fan of were pretty good. I would certainly return to order some fish, but this is not a place to order the filet mignon. read more

We visited during restaurant week. This place has a pub sort of feel. Large bar and lots of dark wood. You can eat in or out. It seems to be a very trendy urban stop. While we were here it seemed to shift from the after work business crowd to the young 20-30 crowd. The service was good without being overbearing and annoying. Our waiter was very pleasant. The food was plated beautifully. We ordered stuffed lobster and the crab cakes. Both were delicious.They were the tastiest crab cakes I've had in the area. The vegetable sides were excellent. The down side is that the place was quite loud. If you're looking for an intimate quiet meal this isn't the place for that. There is a parking garage across the street. They will validate your ticket after 5pm for free parking. read more

My family and I had a reservation for 4 on Saturday afternoon. The hostess looked stressed, but she was pleasant and we were seated within 8 minutes of arriving. We ordered 2 sodas, a glass of wine, and one draft (mine). Our server brought three drinks quickly, except mine. The keg (Devil's BB VL) had just cashed and it would be another minute or two. After ordering appetizers, I saw the manager and the server talking and then went over to mess with the bar taps...um, nervous about that... it takes two seconds to switch a keg. My dad had finished his glass of wine and the appetizers were being delivered (about 8-10 minutes post drink order) - I asked the runner to just have them cancel my beer and bring me a glass of Pinot noir. The runner (hostess) brought my wine immediately. When the server came to ask how the apps were, she said nothing about my beer...what I had really wanted... she did , however, ask and refill my dad's wine. Hmm... I had the blackened mahi mahi with spinach and coconut rice. The fish was cooked perfectly...but was unsalted as were the rice and spinach. The mango salsa was very good. My mom had the stuffed lobster which she said was great. My brother had a pasta Del Mar (not sure of the name but that's basically what it was) and he said it was good. I tried his pasta, not the seafood, and while the sauce was very much to my taste, the pasta was over cooked. My dad had the crab pasta, which had minimal crab. We had looked before he had started and frankly, I agree. I'll give that crab can be small pieces, but...yeah, no crab to be seen. We told our server and she pointed and said the pieces were broken up, but she came back and said he could have a free dessert. At this point, my wine and my Mom's coke was gone and there was no offer to refill... So I'm ALL about ordering dessert. I feel like it's the cherry on top of the meal. Very few people order dessert so I feel if you pay attention to dessert, you're not just trying to scratch an itch. It says something about your quality. Almost everywhere I go I order it, and if you have key lime pie, that's what I'm ordering (I consider myself becoming something of a connoisseur now). But that's what my parents wanted. So my bro and I split the brownie and I knew I'd just have a bite or two. The brownie was hot with vanilla ice cream, although it was truly more like cake. It was good. Not outrageous, but still good. But it scratched an itch. Before I could even try their pie, my parents had each taken their bites. The just looked at me (remember: I love KLP...they know this). It wasn't a good look. They said it tasted like cheesecake. ...huh??...I had my bite and it made sense. It was everything it was supposed to be...just without the lime. Seriously. My mom told the server and she was surprised. I told her to go try it immediately, no lie - no lime. My parents had finished it, so I can see why she'd be skeptical, but I was bummed for them. It was not good. At the end, they comped the pasta from the check, but I left wanting more. Not more food, just wishing the whole experience had been more. It was a cute place and it really could be great. My dad said he'd been there several times before and it HAD been great. This time not so much for him... or me. read more

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Quick 'n' dirty: Good seafood. Meh menu fillers (which contained good seafood). I was in a group of four, so there was a broad amount to try and make this judgment from (in other words, I'm not speaking from one dish error). The problem was that the pastas weren't good seafood/pasta dishes; they were a decent pasta dish put next to good seafood dishes. They were well prepared - but the components didn't NEED each other to make the dish. It was pasta with seafood ON it, not IN it. If anyone involved with prep reads this: am I right? Because everything involved was good - but my personal order felt like the pasta was a side, not the dish. Tasty seafood was carefully produced - and then someone decided to put some pasta on the plate first. Plus side: Everything which was solely seafood was 'good' or better. Chowder? Fine. Fish? Sure. I'll stop trying to expand on the concept of "worthwhile". Summary: it's a good seafood restaurant. Order just the seafood. read more

Holy goodness the She Crab Soup was sooo hood i have to give it five stars already Hanging out on the streets of Richmond fixing to enjoy this Pecan Crusted Salmon. Long lauover before my flight home so im just playing and breathing AGAIN read more

I'd actually like to give this restaurant 3-1/2 stars. It's located near my office and I've had lunch there twice in past few weeks. First time I sat inside, which is a bit dark for my lunch-dining preference. The second time, I ate on their small patio, which was much nicer. First time I had the shrimp po boy, with a cup of the lobster chowder. Both were "okay", but I've had better. The po boy in particular, left room for improvement. The taste was okay, but the shrimp were too small and few in number. The second time I ate lunch at Hard Shell, I ordered the soft shell crab sandwich w/ fries. The sandwich was quite good, but the homemade (shoestring?) fries were just "okay"... kinda greasy and not real exceptional. There are quite a few restaurants to choose from on E. Cary Street, and Hard Shell is better than many. And the pricing of their lunch menu is reasonable, so I'll be back to try other things.. P.S. It's located right next to Cha Cha's and across the street from a $5 parking deck. (Street parking is available as well.) read more