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| Photo by Eileen Mundok © 2008 |
Keep in mind, the places we're going to discuss on this page are not cheap. If you're looking for really cheap restaurants in the Virginia Beach area, go to our Great But Cheap Eateries page to read about a time-warp drive-in started by the man who invented the ice cream cone.
And if you're willing to travel outside the immediate oceanfront area, here are our personal reviews of our Very Favorite Restaurants (including Baker's Crust, with its Nutella and Chocolate Dessert Crepes). If you're looking for restaurants for a special date night, read our glowing review of the Commodore Dinner Theater on our Romantic Virginia Beach Restaurants page.
Ok, getting back to how to visit the best Virginia Beach restaurants along the oceanfront for less. Keep in mind, that since this is a tourist area, the top-rated spots are rarely inexpensive...unless you use these travel tips.
Visit during “happy hour” or during “Early Bird Special” time, and use the coupons in the free local visitors’ guides, and voila! Even the most expensive eateries can fit into your budget. (Keep in mind that many of the coupons have restrictions, and may not be valid weekends or holidays.)
So here are some of the top Virginia Beach restaurants--listed by cuisine--their specialties, their dining deals, what we've called "added bonuses" like valet parking, their locations, and phone numbers. We've also included a link to a map of the resort area at the bottom of the page.
These Virginia Beach restaurants are listed in order of our recommendation within their cuisine type.
Top-Rated Seafood Spots
Mahi Mahi’s
Visit from 4 pm to 6 pm and use a VB Visitor’s Guide coupon to get Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. They also offer ½ price oysters, clams and wings from 3 pm – 6 pm every day (no coupon necessary). Well-loved by the locals, Mahi Mahi has won awards for Best Sushi, Best Chef, Best Crab Cakes, and excellent service. They offer really fresh seafood, sushi, a raw bar, prime rib, cornflake crab cakes, pasta, New England lobster buckets, and a 90-foot bar with music. Kids meals available. Added bonus: they’re right next to the Boardwalk’s 7th Street stage, so eat outside and enjoy the live music! Mahi Mahi is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Mahi Mahi address: 6th Street and Oceanfront (next to the Ramada on the Beach). Mahi Mahi phone number: 757-437-8030.
Rockfish
Visit from 4 pm to 6 pm and use a VB Visitor’s Guide coupon to get Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. Rockfish has a great local reputation for fresh fish and seafood. They claim to have the “oceanfront’s largest selection of crab cakes and the world’s greatest collection of authentic Beatles memorabilia.” Open for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch.
Rockfish address: 16th and Boardwalk (at the Boardwalk Hotel & Villas). Rockfish phone number: 757-213-ROCK (7625).
Catch 31
Visit from 2 pm to 5 pm and use a VB Visitor’s Guide coupon to get Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. Catch 31—also well-loved by the locals—is known for great food and its fabulous view right on the oceanfront. They grill their fish using hardwood in a decidedly elegant, yet local key setting.
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| Photo by labelitlove © 2008 |
Eat inside or on their outdoor patio next to their cozy fire pits. Catch 31 also has the beach’s “most extensive oyster menu.” Catch 31 is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and also has late-night menus. In summer, they offer live entertainment nightly. Added bonus: Free valet parking.
Catch 31 address: 31st Street and Atlantic Avenue (at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront). Catch 31 phone number: 757-213-FISH. Catch 31 website: www.31ocean.com.
Waterman’s Surfside Grille
Visit from 4 pm to 6 pm for their Early Bird Specials. Use a VB Visitor’s Guide coupon to get one of their wood-grilled specialty entrees for $11.99. Waterman’s is known for its slow-roasted ribs and chicken, as well as steak and seafood. They’re a good spot for large parties.
Waterman’s Surfside Grille is open for lunch and dinner every day, plus for Sunday brunch 9 am – 1 pm. Added bonus: Free parking...and lots of it!
Waterman’s Surfside Grille address: 5th and Oceanfront. Waterman’s Surfside Grille phone number: 757-428-3644. Waterman’s Surfside Grille website: www.watermans.com.
Angelo’s
Visit from 4 pm to 6 pm and use a VB Visitor’s Guide coupon to get Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off. Angelo's has a great local reputation for fresh fish and seafood. They claim to have the “oceanfront’s largest selection of crab cakes and the world’s greatest collection of authentic Beatles memorabilia.” Open for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch.
Angelo’s address: 2809 Atlantic Avenue (in the Colonial Inn). Angelo’s phone number: 757-425-0347. Angelo’s website: www.angelosontheboardwalk.com.
Virginia Beach Restaurants with All-You-Can-Eat-Buffets
These Virginia Beach restaurants offer all-you-can-eat buffets that are heavy on seafood. Some people--like me--feel that they sacrifice a bit of food quality for quantity. But I'm not a buffet person (I hate feeing stuffed, and why go to an all-you-can-eat buffet in that case?). If you do like buffets, all these Virginia Beach restaurants are top rated by the locals.
TIP! If you're trying to save money, save these Virginia Beach restaurants for a day when you eat breakfast in your room, buy some snacks for the day, then go for a really early dinner.
Fish Bones
It’s an all you can eat buffet, so even with a coupon it won’t be totally cheap. But if you’re ready for a big splurge or want to combine two meals into one, here’s a cheaper way to do it. Go between 4:30 and 6:30 pm with a VB Visitor's Guide coupon and get $2 off the Adult Seafood Buffet. Added bonus: One of the few buffets which include Alaskan snow crab legs in the price of the buffet.
Fish Bones address: 13th and Boardwalk (at the Surfside Inn Hotel). Fish Bones phone number: 757-353-3174.
Chester's Upper Deck
Go between 5 pm and 7 pm and get $1 off an Adult Buffet with a visitor's guide coupon. Buffet items range from clam strips and seafood creole, to ham and roast beef. They welcome large groups.
Added bonus: Chester's is a better deal for kids than Fish Bones. At Chester's, kids 12 and under are 1/2 price (instead of 10 and under at Fish Bones), while kids under 5 are free (compared to 4 and under at Fish Bones). They have free parking too.
Chester's Upper Deck address: 16th and Atlantic. Chester's Upper Deck phone number: 757-428-0048.
Wondering why I don't list Captain George's Seafood Restaurant?
Captain George's is the grandaddy of them all, THE top seafood buffet in the area, the one my friends go to every year on their birthdays. Don't believe me? It's gotten The Pilot's Reader's Choice Award for 14 years for Best Seafood Buffet. 'Nuf said.
BUT, Captain George's is so popular that I've yet to see coupons for them in the visitors guides. Nor can I find any evidence of an Eary Bird special. So if you want Captain George's, you'll have to pay full price.
Don't be confused by George's breakfast and seafood buffet. Sounds the same, but it's not the original Captain George's (Captain George's logo is a white masted ship on a blue background.) You're welcome to try George's (they usually run Early Bird special and adult buffet coupons in the visitors guides), but it's reputation isn't as good as Chester's or Fish Bones...and certainly not as good as Captain George's.
Italian Virginia Beach Restaurants
Il Giardino
Our favorite Italian restaurant at the beach (and I come from an Italian family, so believe me, if it meets OUR approval it's good Italian food!) Il Giardino offers delicious veal, seafood, and pasta dishes, plus life entertainment nightly. They don't seem to run coupons in the visitor's guides, but they do have Early Bird specials from 5 - 6:30 pm, so if you love REAL Italian food, it's worth it. Try their pasta a la vodka!
Il Giardino address: 910 Atlantic Avenue. Il Giardino phone number: 757-422-6464.
The following Virginia Beach restaurants are primarily pizza joints, all of which are at least a step above Domino's and Pizza Hut. The nicest one is Pi Pizza.
Pi Pizza
A more elegant, different take on pizza, this eatery also offers salads, pastas, and other entrees. They always offer visitors guide coupons for great deals, and you can eat in or carry-out. The best coupons are good for 2 - 5 pm, like buy a large pizza and get a kids meal for free, or buy one pizza get one free.
Added bonus: if you have a fit of the late night munchies, take advantage of this dine-in deal with coupon-- Buy one pizza get one free, 10 pm to midnight only.
Pi Pizza address: 33rd and Atlantic Avenue. Pi Pizza phone number: 757-213-0600.
Planet Pizza
Not as nice as Pi Pizza, they're still pretty good for a dine in pizza spot (or take out) and they offer salads, wings, pastas, and other entrees. They also offer visitors guide coupons that aren't limited to certain times, like $3 off a large pizza or $2 off a pasta dinner.
Planet Pizza address: 9th and Atlantic Avenue. Planet Pizza phone number: 757-491-1954.
For Delivery or Take Out Only
The following pizza joint isn't up to Pi Pizza's standards, but you can take out or have them deliver, and you'll find coupons for them in the visitors guides.
A Pizza Palace address: 1021 Virginia Beach Blvd, #105 (near 17th street). A Pizza Palace phone number: 757-428-2108.
Oceanfront Map...Plus Williamsburg Restaurants
How can you find these great Virginia Beach restaurants in relation to your hotel or home?
To help you find your way around the oceanfront area, here's a link to a map of the resort area.
And if you'll be traveling to Williamsburg, check out our page on Williamsburg restaurants.
We want to hear from you! We can't possibly visit all the Virginia Beach restaurants personally, so if you'd like to share a review of your favorite Virgnia Beach restaurants, please do so on the review form below.
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