Love this place for goth night on Friday nights! They started charging $5 to get in. This place also does karaoke, game nights, and drag shows. Good vibes. It's always a fun time. Service has sort of gone down hill. It just seems like the bartenders are burnt out and don't really care anymore. They're not very helpful or friendly. It's like they hardly notice you these days. 4/5 stars cause I've met a lot of great people here and the goth vibes are immaculate. read more

It was New Year's Eve and i received a last minute invite to Zen. Of course we went, however we did not know that it was a masquerade party. The vibe was awesome.... it always is :) The bartenders were working hard but that DJ was working harder lol. We had a few cocktails and danced a little. All in all, I had a pretty good time. What I like about this place is the inclusivity it offers. "Safe Space Energy. It draws a mix crowd of people and ages. Young and old are welcome. read more

My bestie and I are more or less regulars. I live down the street so this is usually my go to bar when I want to go out. Everyone from the bartenders, to the DJ's, to the drag queens, all super friendly and amazing people. The vibes are always really fun. They've always got something going on and I love it. The food is pretty mid, but it's bar food. It's not amazing quality but it's nice if you're hungry after a night of drinking. Would definitely recommend the steak bites and the mozzarella sticks! read more

37th and Zen - Karaoke every Wednesday - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

the wings here are really solid for the price (usually a get 6 get 6 free deal). Well seasoned and I'd recommend the 'Fried Hard' choice for any wing flavor. read more

Zen is one of the few truly accepting clubs in Hampton Roads They offer everything from themed raves to goth nights to drag brunches and Memorial Day foam parties over the years they have listened to the community and add events we suggested and we want they staff and bartenders are attentive and happy to serve you they offer average drink prices and even specials There is a legit working cigarette machine which at 12$ a pack I am relieved I do not smoke but it is an nostalgic vending machine and I'm sure it comes in clutch for plenty They have rotating djs and are very supportive of locals trying out new stuff or debuting their disc jockey careers the dance floor is open and very accessible They also have a covered patio with pool tables and even an outdoor seating area with cod hole There is always a positive vibe in the air here and no judgmental stares read more

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I went for the drag brunch. The limited selection of food was a surprise but what I ordered was flavorful. I had the Karen which is a fancy avocado toast. There were a lot of good flavors but no avocado flavor. Still, it was good enough that I would order it again. Service was very good. Jonathan was our server and he was attentive and friendly. The place is really run down. I was kind of surprised. Maybe it wouldn't have been so obvious if we were there at night. Still, I was surprised at how run down it was. The performers were good - some better than others. I really thought Amore Diamonds was terrific. There were 4 performers who took turns on stage. They lip synced to music and walked around collecting tips from everyone (so bring your dollar bills!). I think there was too much talking from the MCs. They thought they were hysterical but we weren't there for the MCs. We wanted to see the ladies perform. Uneeda Biscuit's routines were all crass. All of her songs were about drugs or her genitals. I just didn't find that amusing at all. I'm glad I went and I had a good time, but I don't feel like I need to go again. Still, overall it was decent fun for a Sunday afternoon. read more

This is for the Drag Brunch: The food options were kinda limited, and none of the options looked particularly appealing to me. I ended up ordering The Hangry Bitch, and I asked if they could do my eggs scrambled with cheese instead of over hard. The server said they couldn't do that, so I just got it as is. It came out with a boiled egg, which was really odd, but I ate it. Three of my friends got the same thing, but theirs had an over hard egg (not boiled like mine was). It was weird to me though. The service was really good- they were thorough and attentive without being in our way during the show. They both seemed to enjoy themselves a little and were very friendly to me and my group. I've been here for the drag brunch before covid, and I felt like their mimosas were mostly juice, which is surprising, because my dranks are usually super strong when I go to the gay clubs. The mimosas are still the same, and we ordered a tower to share. It was mostly all juice (very orange looking) and the champagne tasted flat to me, which made me think we didn't get an entire bottle in the tower (waste of money). We did get some tequila shots, and while they did go down smooth, I was shocked when I got my bill ($14 per shot?!), but that's my own fault for not asking. The show was great, and Jazzlyn (spelling?) is always my favorite no matter where I see her- she's sweet, funny, always performs the most wild and fun music and she got my group going! We wanted to see more of Jazz! Talk about showering someone with some bills- that's me when Jazzlyn comes out to perform. It was wonderful to see all the beautiful queens perform, and we really enjoyed ourselves. Everyone needs to come for the show, if nothing else (although everyone has to buy an entree and a drink, alcoholic or non, for the show- business has gotta stay open somehow). It's a whole brunch & a show. Worth the time & money, in my humble opinion! read more

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Great Place for Karaoke or just hanging with friends! Recommend the chicken tenders but the new fried mushroom toss in parm are really good too. read more

Went to Mothers Day drag brunch. So fun, so entertaining! Mimosa tower was yummy and presentation was cool. Servers were friendly. The food had a lot of tater tots (which I can't eat) so I got the avocado toast. In retrospect, I would have asked for cooked onions or no onions because the raw onions were a bit over powering. Overall, great experience read more

37th and Zen - Drag queen brunch - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Atmosphere was nice until we sat at the bar and the bartender well let's just say she won't win any customer service awards. I asked was there a specialty cocktail and she replies in all her mustered intelligence that it's a dive bar so no. I was confused but proceeded to order a cocktail that was great. If only her ice cold -I work the bar attitude could match. Not going back read more

I went last night to check this place out and I had a great time. They had a Drag Show that started about 2100 and the host was HILARIOUS he really worked the crowd! I LOL'd a lot. They don't have beer on tap sadly but they have Raging bitch IPA which does the job ! Be careful of those lol.... The vibe was pretty chill the people were welcoming so I'm def going to come back for another show sometime soon when I'm in town! read more

Today I called to see about their specials cuz I haven't been in the state or in Norfolk for years and they used to have like wing nights and shrimp nights and I talked to a bartender named Topher. First of all tell her was super informative let me know that they don't have the same specials and they have different events going on at different nights. He cleared up any questions I asked was extremely patient with me, extremely informative, definitely a super asset to this bar and club and I really hope the community locally treats him as good as he treats his job and the scene. I hope I hope I get to meet so far on Friday but thank you Topher your amazing ill be there Wednesday steak night and Friday cannot wait. I love this place and I hope and having fun in there for over 10 years this is amazing bar and club that always has something going on definitely supports the culture we're amazing people like-minded come together and meet and have the best time ever good drinks good stuff and just an overall amazing time.​ read more

Though I've been here for clubbing in my younger days, this review is for the Lipgloss and Lashes Drag Brunch. Parking here isn't specific and the building is definitely run down looking. Not the best place for a cute, little brunch but it'll do (I guess). First off, the show was wonderful and the ladies were great! Make sure you have your ones ready and if not, they have someone coming around to make change. For my first drag show in general, I really enjoyed myself to include my friends. Tickets are $16 for the show, I believe, so make sure to look them up on Facebook and support! Back to the venue...broken down and tore up. They dressed it up by putting table cloths on the tables, but it's the little things. Wobbly tables and damaged chairs that must be covered with cloth napkins. For example, would've been nice to have real glasses since it is brunch rather than plastic cups and paper menus. Drink menu is a yes (especially the watermelon one) but the food menu is a thumbs down. Bartender available. Wasn't confident in the breakfast foods so I opted for the wings with fries. Wings were not good and a little cold by the time they came out. Asked for hot and honestly couldn't taste a thing. Fries were also a weird cut, not crispy, and very wet/wimpy. I pride myself on eating club wings, so this was a huge disappointment. Not good at all, but I was hungry so I ate. They are kind enough to give you more condiments if needed. Waitstaff was also good and made sure we were taken care of. 20% gratuity is automatically added. Arrived at 1130, show started around 1215, and it ended at 2 so about a 2 hour show. Kind of sucks when the room isn't packed, but good friends and good drinks goes a long way! read more

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They're open 4pm to 1am daily for delivery, & even during covid they are having drag shows, music nights & more forms of entertainer whilst keeping safe distances & clean bar environment. Great food, people & an overall nice place to go for a relaxing but fun night out. read more

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I ordered a burger medium rare through doordash and it was given to me completely raw. They said because it was through doordash that they could not remake the burger for me nor could they refund my purchase. read more

37th and Zen - Their Build a Burger with Hand Cut Fries - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

The place was nice and the workers was nice. The drinks was good as well.we'll go back

Came here for the Lipgloss and Lashes Drag Brunch. The building is pretty run down. Pretty dark inside. The service was extremely slow. Our waitress kept forgetting our orders. Once we went to go pay- our bills were all messed up. . I ordered the Cocky Bitch Salad which was $12. It was robbery. Basically romaine lettuce with Parmesan cheese and 2 chicken tenders on top of it. I paid extra for bacon. You can't really mess up a salad... but they did. They didn't even try. The show was amazing though! I loved it. The girls really did a great job. They hyped up the crowd. We enjoyed the show! read more

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Drinks will be good no matter the bar tender and Ion like the food no more it used to be good they're falling off for sure...

Been going to this bar for years love Jen she's a great bartender and the drag shows are always fun. But my girlfriend & I went last Saturday and the DJ they have is really feeling himself played Techno the entire night ! I never ever request music but my girlfriend asked if he could play one song he told her NO HE WAS DOING HIS OWN THING. I was also told come on hip hop night on Wednesday if I wanted to hear what I wanted. Not only that we come to see the drag show not to see the DJ do a horrible pop lock dance of Usher or doing the weirdest couple dance with some girl from the audience. The chicken is trash now too. The general manager didn't even have the decency to come talk to us about the complaint he was very rude. Sad to say I won't be back we need better gay bars in the 757. read more

We had a great time. We had a bottle of champagne and two brunch entrees. Ladies were true entertainers. Loved the atmosphere. Well priced as well. Something different and fun to do. read more

Went there for Sunday karaoke it was pretty dead but we did show up hella early either way the bartender heather I think her name was acted like we were and inconvenience for or don't drinks we had one round of drinks and she just had the shittiest attitude the whole vibes were off tbh idk probably won't go back cause the way we're treated was just so unwelcoming read more

Fantastic service. The food is always delicious. I have ordered various things and yet to have something that isn't fantastic. Their staff is friendly and fun. And definitely check out the shows. They had this cabaret show the last time I went that was divine. definitely a place to watch. read more

37th and Zen - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

My first and last visit. My first impression is how is this place open, looks like its falling apart from the inside out. The food was below average, I wasn't expecting an amazing meal but at least something that would resemble food. Then I looked over my shoulder to see a Sheriff being asked to leave because he was in uniform. Seriously? All he wanted to do was eat and your staff harassed him and kept saying company policy not to serve police officers in uniform. That pushed me over the edge. Then I looked at other reviews and see others posted the same thing. HA I really hope the people stand up and stop visiting this establishment. read more

Food is always great! This our go to spot for steamed shrimp! Wings are on point as well!

Well I am a frequent visitor to this venue...I absolutely love the karaoke DJ...DJ Dave is the BEST Wings used to be great sometimes they are reheated I stopped ordering food after a while used to go on Wednesday for shrimp night till tgey start charging to get in to eat. And they stop carrying the beer i I like Micultra Gold Organic. But I will continue to support karaoke . read more

Another trip back to the old stomping grounds of Old Dominion University took me to a place I had never heard of but from the sound of the name of the restaurant had me intrigued for sure. A good buddy of mine from culinary school called me up this night and asked if I wanted to grab a beer with him and catch up. I happily obliged and all roads led us to this place. The atmosphere of the restaurant when I first walked in reminded me of a club atmosphere with a separate room before you enter the main dining area. Once you're in tho it's a completely relaxed and unique place. To my left there was a separate room which looked like a mini library of sorts one would have in a good sized house (complete with fish tank!) This seemed like a good spot where people could mingle and have a beer or cocktail while enjoying some good music. It so happened to be open mic night as well. The main dining room is a nice change with open seating as well as a wrap around walkway to get to the bar as well as the patio area which too is rather spacious. Now on to the food. I had already had a light dinner before heading out, but once I got there and my buddy ordered me some pita chips with hummus it was game on. This dish, known as The Peta Dip is described on their menu as "Fried pita points with sprout and bean salad, house hummus, and accouterments." The accouterments were an olive tapenade and cucumber salad which I had never had with hummus but made perfect sense when eating it . The fried pita points were also a good counterpoint to the texture of hummus, a nice variation from receiving soft pita points at many other restaurants which offer such a dish. While enjoying The Peta Dip, along side a $3 special of Magic Hat #9 my friend also let me know that they way the menu is laid out is that it is based upon 5 levels of Zen ranging from the Practicing Student (Appetizers) to the Zen Teacher (Main Entrees). One of a kind in my book. I also had the fish tacos this night. For the longest time I've been looking for a place that has even decent fare knowing obviously California has this menu item on lock. However, 37th and Zen shot right up to the top for now because 1) it was flavorful and had the right balance of veg and fish in the tortilla, 2) it had an awesome dipping sauce which had some lime and herbal notes in it to enhance the fish, and C) the fish was NOT batter dipped! Served with white beans and rice with thin slivers of Thai Chilies to kick it up it was a great dish to go with my beer. From my initial experience here and looking at the menu it's safe to say I will be making a trip back here to hopefully enjoy some more great food. I've always been a strong believer in the restaurants that are off the beaten path serve the best food. On this night that held true. Great food, Great Music & any Zen you want... How come I never saw that in any Restaurants for Dummies books? It could possibly be that simple. read more

37th and Zen - Fish Tacos - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I originally planned on eating a full vegan meal here, but uhhhh oops. I got the Ahi Tuna Bites, rare (who eats cooked tuna? gross.) Man, who would have thought my favorite seared tuna would be from here? I've had it from Todd Jurich's, Terrapin, 456 fish, byrd & baldwin, Trilogy, 501, etc, and was pretty disappointed in those other restaurants. Especially when it costs around $40 there, and only $9 here! Ok, so eating a raw fish is super un-vegan. So naturally, I also got the fish tacos! These were nothing like the ones I'm used to (california baja). They're more like "hampton roads" style fish tacos, if you know what I mean...not bad though. Just not what I was expecting at all. It came with white rice, and seasoned beans and jalapenos. Also got the Chickette sandwich. Eating the faux chicken patty by itself, it has a very strong soy flavor, sort of off putting, and I love my tofu..but eaten with everything else, it was pretty good. The fries it came with, now those were real good. I don't like to eat fried food, so I only got to eat a couple, but they were crisp and tender. I hate sweet potato, like- I gag at the smell of sweet potatoes or if I accidentally bite into a piece. But their sweet potato fries! I really liked them. They obviously put crack on it. Next time I'll really try to eat the vegan offerings, maybe. read more

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I just went to a drag brunch here with 8 of my friends and we had a blast!! The atmosphere is so calm and comfortable, the energy is amazing from the cast, staff and customers alike!! We will definitely be back for different shows, and especially will be back for another Sunday brunch!! read more

37th & Zen in Norfolk is an Asian-cuisine/American-cuisine restaurant located at 37th and Hampton Blvd. The place is wonderfully decorated and sports a very nice stage area and a grand piano. There is seating across from the stage as well as in an elevated area around that. The bar sits at the far wall, and there is a nice outdoor area as well. I've seen a few random performances at this place, and I think the staff doesn't quite understand how to handle entertainment. There is not much inside marketing, and the offerings in entertainment seem to have been hampered by the management. That being said, the food is decent Asian cuisine matched with American fare. The eggrolls I had were adequate. The Ahi Tuna Bites were done well, though; definitely not overcooked, which is always a good sign. Also, the Szechuan Spiked Chicken Nachos pack a nice punch in being both spicy and savory. I recommend checking them out. read more

37th and Zen - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

My partner and I went for karaoke this past weekend. We'd been there earlier in the day when they opened, but not much was going on so we decided to return at around 7pm when there was considerably more clientele. The hostess/person at the door recognized us from earlier in the day. They waved my white partner through (no ID check or anything). I, on the other hand, was checked again and told that if I left again I wouldn't be allowed back in. I'm black... They told me not to take it personally, but it clearly was personal. It's a shame, because I go to places like this because I want to feel safe and accepted and included, and to be around people that are like me and who have had similar experiences. This interaction was just really unfortunate, and I can't say I'll ever be back. read more

Went for the drag show for my friends birthday. The show was amazing! But it took an hour and 1/2 for us to get our food, our food wasn't cooked all the way, they add a 20% gratuity to your bill and hold your credit card while you're there. When we got our check we were give you the "customer copy" to sign. When we asked about the original and if we could get a copy because we didn't like that they held our card she said that "the manager was busy and if we wanted a copy we would have to wait" ... we were tired of waiting. So we took a picture of the receipt and will be monitoring our card. It sucks that the place was so shady bc the show was phenomenal, with the show we had a blast. read more

37th and Zen - Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I frequent this bar and the food is always great and the prices are great as well! Always enjoyed my experience here!

Delicious food, generous drinks and fun atmosphere. We went as a work outing and had a ball! Staff was quick and efficient and we planned another trip within weeks of the first. We can't wait and are still talking about how fun it was. read more

Very bad experience on 8/21/19. I smelled cigarette smoke upon walking in the front. It yet a "nonsmoking" was told to me on the phone. I was handed a menu by the greeter at the door. She carded me, a 55 year old man! I went inside waited at a table where another menu was placed. I waited 15 minutes with no attention. I left. I was asked why I was leaving and responded "lack of attention--guess you don't want my money!" A tall, husky woman with a radio told me to "get the hell off the property". I was already doing that read more

Amazing drag show and staff. Always an amazing time not to mention great drink specials

Went for Drag Brunch and really enjoyed it! The performances were funny and fabulous, very interactive. The bar has a small homey feelings which I LOVE. Don't forget to call and reserve a table! The only issue I had with the Drag brunch is the food portion of the menu wasn't that great and tbh the burger patty was a tad bland. I was hoping to have a few more lunch options. Aside from that, I could definitely see myself coming here again. read more

I am all for supporting the community but I was left disappointed. Maybe because I've been to drag show in bigger cities, I came in expecting a LIVE show. There were 4 or 5 girls and only 1 look like they practiced. The girls were kinda lazy, I loved the costumes but the performances were BASIC. Lip syncing was terrible, songs were tired and thru, and they wasn't "entertainment" like dancing or a routine. Some girls were collecting dollars for just walking around and had the attitude that they deserved it. I had $50 in ones ready to throw it up but spent $20 and I felt like I was doing community service spending that. Many of the girls couldn't walk in heels and resorted to walking barefoot. Food is a bar food but drunks were bomb. Would I go again, yes, so I can give it a try again but its just because I'm supporting the community. My advice is the girls do better with performances because we come out to see a SHOW and CELEBRATE. read more

One of my favorite places to go for events! Always have a great time dancing and listening to all the local djs

Now on their third owner this place is NOTHING like it used to be when it opened in 2009 or even last year when they changed owners for the first time. Think of it as a low end Hooters imitation with a bunch of minors drinking. Yeah, I said minors and plenty of them. This place is in it's death throes and I can't imagine it's going to be around much longer. read more

I'd really rather not give this a star at all. I just ate at 37th and Blech. My colon hurts. Went there after reading these reviews, and I think I must've eaten at a completely different restaurant than all of you who wrote positive reviews. There are NO vegetarian options on the menu anymore because per the "chef" everything is fried in the same oil. There is nothing close to resembling tofu. Actually... to be fair, I think the menu has changed since the last review. I should've trusted my instincts and left, especially since the restaurant has an overwhelming odor of bathroom cleanser, perhaps to disguise the smell of the old oil in the 'Frydaddy' All of the food was really oily fried. My hamburger (which was advertised as Angus Beef) tasted like it was the old dairy cow in Mawmaw's backyard. My "onion rings" were battered in what appeared to be tempura battered and were so shiny with grease, I could've used them as a compact mirror. The service? Ohhh the service. Too put it nicely, our waitress was a dimwit. Our food took 45 minutes to arrive and wasn't even hot when we got it. We commiserated with a table of fellow diners who were also extremely unsatisfied. We all had a chuckle at how appallingly substandard the service was. I will never return. I feel so far from Zen that I need visit the Dalai Lama. read more