Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Known for a bustling boardwalk and lively atmosphere, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is home to an abundance of fresh seafood options to savor after a day spent enjoying the sun and surf.
The Atlantic on Pacific
So named for its location on Pacific Avenue, The Atlantic on Pacific is a raw bar that just doesn’t quit. Think oysters, clams, shrimp, snow crab legs and lobster tail. They’ve got hot plates too, like roasted oysters, baked scallops and a sumptuous blue crab tostada. Open for lunch and dinner, there’s also a stellar happy hour every afternoon from 3-6 p.m. with $1 oysters and craft cocktail specials. A curated menu of wines, beers and bubbles pairs perfectly with salty-sweet bivalves.
Big Sam’s Inlet Café & Raw Bar
There’s something magical about a laid-back seafood shack that goes all in on tiki décor, complete with tiki heads at the entrance. That’s Big Sam’s Inlet Café & Raw Bar in a nutshell. But there’s more to this waterfront gem, like a raw bar with seafood so fresh it might’ve just come from Rudee Inlet. The menu tempts with shrimp tacos, fried flounder, and a potentially world-famous lobster BLT. Big Sam’s has all the drinks too, including breakfast cocktails and breakfast shots. Plus, there’s a breakfast happy hour every day from 7-11 a.m.
Catch 31 Fish House & Bar
Catch 31 may be located in the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, but this is far from your average hotel restaurant. Think live music, unbeatable ocean views and wildly fresh seafood. Honestly, the truffled lobster mac and cheese alone makes Catch 31 a must-visit. Their divinely delicious plates are farm-to-table and sea-to-table. Settle in on the outdoor patio with an elevated menu that features starters like grilled octopus and mains like ginger soy glazed tuna, as well as a mile-long raw bar menu.
Chix on the Beach
For chill vibes and casual beachfront dining, settle in at Chix on the Beach, which is literally just a few feet from the sand. Open daily for lunch and dinner, menu faves include shareables like beach nachos and loaded cheese fries. They’ve got all the seafood too, including steamed shrimp, snow crab legs and clams. That’s not to mention signature seafood platters like “Just Seafood” and “Ultimate Just Seafood,” which come with a bonus broiled lobster tail. Plus, there’s a super-size list of beers, wines and craft cocktails, along with a special late-night menu.
CP Shuckers Café & Raw Bar
With two locations, including one on Pacific Avenue, CP Shuckers Café & Raw Bar is all about laid-back vibes, spacious outdoor patios and a seafood-packed menu. This family-owned gem delights with award-winning she-crab soup, fried grouper banh mi, and a top-notch raw bar. Open for lunch and dinner, there’s a daily happy hour from 3-7 p.m. (11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends). The second location is on Shore Drive near Chic’s Beach.
Mahi’s Seafood & Sushi
Located inside the DoubleTree by Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Mahi’s Seafood & Sushi offers a mix of elevated dishes, like Mahi’s Signature Mahi and casual favorites, like a fried shrimp platter. Naturally, there’s plenty of sushi too, including a variety of rolls and pieces, including squid, eel and octopus. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mahi’s even brings seafood to your breakfast table. Pair a seafood omelet with a refreshing brunch cocktail, like the Sorbet Mimosa.
Ocean Eddie’s Seafood Restaurant
Ocean Eddie’s Seafood Restaurant sits right on the beach at the fishing pier on 14th Street. It’s the ultimate super-chill seafood shack, too. The menu may be small, but it packs a punch with crab cakes, fried calamari and heaping steamed platters of peel-and-eat shrimp dusted with Old Bay seasoning. The laid-back vibes pair perfectly with an Ocean Eddie’s Beach Lager or a fresh and fruity tropical cocktail like the Strawberry Fizz. For dessert, may we suggest the perfect sweet and tart key lime pie?
Orion’s Roof Garden & Dining
Perched 183 feet above the ocean atop the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort, Orion’s Roof offers a sophisticated dining experience with stunning coastal views. Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, this hotspot blends Japanese and Peruvian flavors for a modern take on Asian fusion cuisine. Nosh on sushi rolls, crispy octopus salad, and seafood-forward handhelds, like the Maine lobster banh mi. At the O Bar, indulge in elevated craft cocktails, as well as a wide selection of beers, wines and even sakes.
Rockafeller's Restaurant
Rockafeller’s Restaurant offers a relaxed seafood vibe with double-decker outdoor seating and scenic views across Rudee Inlet. The mouth-watering menu features fresh calamari, seafood mac and cheese, and char-crust mahi. Don’t miss standout faves like jumbo lump crab cakes and Oysters Rockafeller, a must-try house specialty with bacon, cheese, and spinach. From 3-5:30 pm, treat yourself to a three-course Early Bird Special, including a salad, entrée, and dessert. A daily happy hour runs from 3-6 pm and features specials on well drinks, wines, and domestic beers.
Rudee's on the Inlet
At Rudee’s on the Inlet, the seafood is so fresh, it’s practically right off the boat and straight to your table. This laid-back restaurant offers picture-perfect waterfront views and standout dishes, some even named after Rudee’s, like Rudee’s Smoked Fish Dip and Rudee’s Famous Homemade She-Crab Soup. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, including Rudee’s Raw Bar, featuring clams, crab legs, oysters and shrimp. Enjoy open-air seating and gliding tables on the deck with views of boats sailing in and out of the marina.
Tautog's Restaurant
For coastal vibes and top-notch seafood, head to Tautog’s Restaurant, a relaxed eatery in a charming Victorian cottage just a few feet from the beach. The menu shines with first-rate plates like crab nachos, blackened tuna, and of course, Wesley’s World-Famous Crab Cakes. Don’t pass up the Chocolate Tautog for dessert – a Ghirardelli brownie topped with vanilla ice cream. The extensive drinks menu features small-batch bourbons and single malt scotches. Just a heads up: Tautog’s is open for dinner only and it’s closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Terrapin Restaurant
For an elegant dining experience just a few blocks from the beach, check out Terrapin Restaurant. This sophisticated spot features a menu with crab cakes, halibut and crispy tuna crudo. Enjoy family-style pasta meals like linguine and clams, complete with a large house salad and house-made bread. A highlight is a four-course tasting menu called the Terrapin Experience, which includes a starter, pasta, entrée and dessert of your choice with the option to add wine pairings to each course. Terrapin Restaurant is only open for dinner and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Waterman's Surfside Grille
Waterman's Surfside Grille is a family-owned seafood restaurant serving up fresh, local seafood since 1981, and it’s been an Oceanfront favorite ever since. The menu is packed with irresistible choices like she-crab soup, surfside fish tacos and bacon-wrapped sea scallops. Many dishes feature sustainably sourced seafood, including yellowfin tuna and lump crab cakes. Swing by for happy hour Monday through Thursday from 2-5 p.m for specials on light bites and drinks. Waterman’s Surfside Grille is open daily for lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on Sundays.
Zoës Steak & Seafood
Zoës Steak & Seafood delivers an elegant dining experience with an open kitchen and a menu that’s as innovative as it is delicious. We’re talking charred octopus, beef tartare, and more, like foie gras and seared scallops. Charcuterie boards feature seasonal jams and artisanal cheeses. Enjoy wine pairings with three-, four- and five-course dinners, and don’t miss the “after show” of desserts like a flourless chocolate torte and an apple cider crème brûlée. Zoës is only open for dinner and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay district of Virginia Beach boasts spectacular waterfront views and a rich maritime heritage. It’s also where delicious seafood dishes take center stage.
Bubba's Seafood Restaurant
Soak up crab-tastic waterfront views across Lynnhaven Inlet from the back deck of Bubba’s Seafood Restaurant. With two levels of rustic outdoor seating and vibrant sunsets, it’s the perfect spot to unwind. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Bubba’s serves up fresh seafood plates, like softshell crab sandwiches and baked scallops. There’s also a raw bar and a fresh catch of the day. On the drinks menu, you’ll find beers, wines, and a bevy of specialty cocktails with names like What the Duck and Shipwrecked.
Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna is all about chill vibes and a laid-back dress code, so come as you are for in-season and fresh-caught seafood. Enjoy a lively atmosphere, open-air seating and a rockin’ daily happy hour with $1 oysters and $1 shrimp. There are plenty of drink specials on wines, beers, and crushes, too. For dinner, don’t miss out on favorites like mahi mahi street tacos and cedar plank salmon. Colorful cocktails steal the show at Hot Tuna, like the cherry limeade crush and blood orange margarita. Live music electrifies the space on Friday and Saturday nights.
Dockside Restaurant
You can’t get much closer to the water than Dockside Restaurant, perched right on the Chesapeake Bay. Local fishing boats dock here daily, delivering the freshest catches straight to Dockside chefs. The menu offers a raw bar, as well as all varieties of seafood fare, from fried shrimp platters to clams casino. Stop in before 5:30 p.m. for “Sunset Specials,” like the fish of the day platter for just $18. An adjacent seafood market features fresh crabs, lobsters, grouper and tuna, to name a few. Want to get a little closer to the seafood action? Dockside also offers fishing charters (and bay crises for families) for those who want to catch their own fresh meal!
Buoy 44 Seafood Grill
Buoy 44 Seafood Grill is the go-to spot for ocean vibes whether you’re keeping it cool in the dining room or soaking up warm breezes on the outdoor patio. Either way, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Menu faves include the flounder BLT, shrimp tacos and sweet corn hush puppies served with honey. Pair your meal with one of their half-dozen fruit-flavored crush cocktails. Buoy 44 is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but on all the other days you can swing by for happy hour drink specials from 3-6 p.m.
Inland
What the inland district of Virginia Beach lacks in ocean views, it more than makes up for with its flavorful seafood restaurants that leave a delicious impression. (Not to mention all the fun that can be had a little further from shore!)
Captain George's Seafood Restaurant
Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant is the place to go for an epic seafood buffet experience. There’s a limited a la carte menu, but that’s because the super-size seafood buffet is the star attraction. Get ready to load up your plate with snow crab legs, steamed mussels, fried shrimp and perfectly broiled salmon. The buffet also features soups, salads, veggies and hearty sides, like hush puppies and rolls. That’s not to mention more than a dozen house-made desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. Pro tip: plan to come hungry. You’re going to be here awhile.
Coastal Grill
For an elegant seafood experience, check out Coastal Grill, which has been charming visitors and locals with its sophisticated dinner menu since 1989. Think steamed mussels, soft shell crabs, pan-fried rainbow trout and blackened mahi. Nightly “blackboard specials” showcase the day’s freshest catches, like Hungars Creek oysters. An extensive wine list features reds, whites and rosés from top wine regions worldwide, including California’s Napa Valley and Bordeaux, France.
Steinhilber's
Steinhilber’s serves up a decidedly old-school vibe that pairs deliciously well with water views and an elegant menu of fine seafood and steaks, plus decadent house-made desserts. Look for white tablecloths and linen napkins in the dining room, even on the outdoor patio. Its on-site garden grows seasonal veggies for many of their dishes. Let the dinner menu tempt you with delights like scallops casino, lobster thermidor and sauteed crab cakes. For dessert, indulge in the Chambord truffle lava cake, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Pungo
Pungo is a picturesque rural escape with lush farmland and scenic waterways, but you’ll also find delightful seafood restaurants and farm-to-table sensibilities.
Blue Pete’s Restaurant
Blue Pete’s Restaurant is known for delicious seafood, creekside dining, live music and a well-stocked bar. It’s a local’s favorite…so good we almost hate to share, but the food, the service and the views are just too fantastic. Dive into a super-size seafood menu with favorites like crab-encrusted salmon, crispy calamari and she-crab soup. If you’re in the mood for surf and turf, pair your cut of meat with a lobster tail, a crab cake, shrimp or scallops. Sip on a signature cocktail, like the Pungo Crush or Wood Duck.
Blue Seafood & Spirits
For fresh and casual seafood, head to Blue Seafood & Spirits in the Red Mill Commons shopping center. This intimate 60-seat restaurant is only open for dinner, but it’s worth the wait for scrumptious seafood dishes, like the signature broiled lump crab cakes and seaside scallops. Blue Seafood features more than a dozen coastal craft cocktails, including the Summer Dream and Beach Bellini. A rotating tap of local beers features brews from VB’s own Back Bay Brewing Co. Farmhouse and Pleasure House Brewing. They’re closed on Sundays and Mondays, so plan accordingly.
Lucky Oyster Seafood Grill
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Lucky Oyster Seafood Grill delights with nautical décor and an all-day menu with local favorites, like Lucky’s Oyster Stew and Broiled Neptune’s Feast. Just look for the little red crab on the menu to guide you to the top picks. With so many delicious options on the menu, you’ll never leave hungry. At the bar, enjoy nightly specials like $1 wings, oysters and clams, plus a half-price the raw bar.
Sandbridge
Sandbridge is full of pristine beaches, charming coastal vibes, and of course, delicious seafood restaurants sure to make your seaside experience in Virginia Beach wildly memorable.
Margie & Ray’s
Margie & Ray’s – it’s got it all. It’s a seafood restaurant, a crab house and a raw bar, so get ready for a seriously super-size menu with fresh-caught seafood galore, from crab legs to fried oysters to shrimp creole. The Tidal Wave platter is a buffet-style feast that feeds four people. For breakfast, top picks include a soft shell benedict and a jumbo lump omelet. Margie & Ray’s is open every day except Mondays (all day closed) and Sunday evenings.
About Our Writer
Erin Gifford
Erin Gifford is a Virginia-based travel and outdoors writer. She especially enjoys writing about road trips, outdoor recreation and national parks. Her credits include Parents, The Washington Post, Thrillist, TIME and AFAR.com. She has written three hiking guidebooks for Falcon Guides and has created a hiking website, GoHikeVirginia.com. She also runs half marathons and is working toward completing one in all 50 states (so far, she has checked off 36 states).
