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    Bull Island Brewing

    3.8 (102 reviews)
    ModerateBrewpubs
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

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    Hanging out with our new dog
    Matt M.

    This is our favorite place in Hampton! The food is always perfect and the beer is great. Very cool setup with lots to do for kids. Also very dog friendly! What sets this place apart is their servers. Every week we come in with our autistic son and they just treat him so well. Even when he's having a rough day and seems awkward, they just smile and take care of him. Best servers I've ever seen!

    Flight - 5oz.
    Terisa J.

    Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon. Parking garage is free to brewery visitors. We split a flight to taste. We tried the wheat, blonde, pilsner, white ipa and double ipa. We would rate the beer a 3 out of 5. We did eat any food. The waterfront view was nice and the inside atmosphere was relaxing. It is a great space for a group of friends to meet up and play games.

    Andy K.

    Beer, cocktails, food by the water?! Who doesn't want to chill out in a place like that? Bull island has a respectable menus of craft beers and a pleasant selection of cocktails. The food menus is nothing to scream about but it's food, most breweries might have a food truck. I love the open atmosphere and the water views. Honestly this is the picture of a brewery in Hampton Roads you would expect. Service wise on its game, no delay in getting me my beer and food.

    Large pretzel with meats and cheeses.
    Matt R.

    We had a great meal waterside. It's typical bar and grill food but it was all delicious. The staff was all very nice and accommodating.

    Leanne F.

    I hosted a surprise party/gathering at Bull Island Brewing for my husband's official ordination at the VA United Methodist Conference. It was attended by family and friends who mostly all drove in from Richmond specifically for this gathering. That can be a bit nerve racking - wanting them to feel like their drive was worthwhile. And it absolutely was! Bull Island Brewing ended up being the perfect spot to gather, enjoy snacks/lunch/drinks and time together. The staff was so incredibly friendly and attentive and the food/drinks were awesome. We'll definitely be back! :) Big thank you to Lisa who helped me to plan things and who was very patient with my thousands of questions, haha. I'm really grateful! ps. The pretzel bites - to die for! I'm kind of glad I don't live closer because they would be the end of my fitness goals, haha.

    View from our table as the sun set
    Heidi S.

    What a perfect way to spend a Sunday evening! We don't venture to the peninsula often so we had an excuse to check out Bull Island on our way back from a weekend in the mountains. While we initially had trouble figuring out where the brewery actually was, once we saw the sign we looked for side-street parking which was plentiful and free. A short walk and we spotted the entrance and grabbed a table on the dock. It was pretty quiet for a beautiful evening so there were plenty of tables to choose from. My daughter appreciated the rocking chairs. The inside was nearly empty! We placed orders at the bar and watched the boats go by while we waited. Drinks were really good and they have a good variety of options for all tastes. The pizza was absolutely delicious! I always request extra crispy and they nailed it. The only disappointment was the salad, which was sitting in water from being refrigerated. Otherwise, a great time with family and I hope to return!

    Audry P.

    Great outdoor atmosphere at the marina... Bar staff are very nice, and quick to get your order. I would love to give your stars for a review but I find the food brings the review down. This place coyld ve amazing if it cleaned up the menu and had just a few delicious options. Unfortunately, the food here is just okay. I love this bar for the drinks...and location though. I just wish the menu was...well, mind blowing. Delicious bar food iant hard to make and I truly believe this place coyld easily be a four star dining experience...it just needs a little manager or owner TLC on the quality of food offered. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope they'll rock my socks off next time I roll through. Ambiance: marina chill Dress code: Super Casual Cleanliness: super clean Wait/bar staff are awesome Food.... Is okay Come for the beer, come for the sunsets, come for the awesome bartenders....

    Beer menu
    Nicky S.

    We decided to check out this brewery in Hampton and arrived by boat from Norfolk. (Docking fee was $10.) The brewery was pretty packed for the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday. Maybe because it was 110 degrees outside and everyone wanted a cold beer INSIDE! Lots of families and well behaved kids. I was so happy to see the kids and families playing board games like scrabble and giant jenga vs running around crazy. Well done! They have a good selection of beer and we decided to do a flight to taste several. We had already had lunch so we didn't eat there but noticed many people were ordering and eating pizza. It looked yummy! They were definitely understaffed. The line to get beer was long. Long enough that we didn't get any other drinks after our flight. I enjoyed the Pineapple Wheat and the Lime Gose. It wasn't too sour which I enjoyed. The right amount of tartness. Biggest complaint was that the beers weren't very cold. Seating options outside looked nice with giant wood tables. It was just too hot on the day we were there. I think it would be really nice to sit outside and enjoy the water view. Next time. It's worth a second giving it a second try.

    Belgium Pretzel
    Tamiko F.

    First time at Bull Island and I enjoyed. A good selection of beers and bar staples. Actually a little better than bar staples...what bar can you get a turkey pesto sandwich. And YES the pretzel was amazing!! I'm hoping to catch the trivia night...

    Oyster Jalapeno Porter
    Eric W.

    Pretty nice place with tasty beers, a nice outdoor space (with corn-hole), and a gorgeous view of the Hampton River. We were there in the evening, and it was cool and lovely. Tried a few beers. Liked them all. I think there was an oyster something. Tried to get more deals as to what was in it, but either the bar back did not know, or wasn't telling. I probably tried it, but the fact I don't remember it, is all that you need to know. There's also a spot that was in use for a private event. Looked like a nice space. After beers we wandered a bit, and the area is nice for that too. Bottom line: Would have probably gone 3-stars, i.e. A-OK, but location deserves and extra star.

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    Crystal and Christy we're great, had a great time. Had a pizza and wings and they were great also. Tell Tiffany I said hello.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Bull Island Brewing

    Review Highlights - Bull Island Brewing

    Large selection of beers but the only one I was crazy about was the Tripel.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery - Beer Brauts  with spicy mustard and sauerkraut. Hand-Cut French Fries

    The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery

    3.7(299 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    The Vanguard is always a mixed bag…read more Ordering a drink on a busy night is the worst. They need a dedicated order line. No idea why they don't have one. It's just a horrible experience as is. They need to go to Precarious and see how they do it. Their food is generally good to great. They have a $5 before 5 app and drink special menu that is a really good deal. Nice spot for adults to have some drinks. Just be patient as service is generally slow. Now onto my recent experience.... I suggested it to some friends who wanted to grab some beers on MLK day which was a Monday. There were 4 of us guys and 7 kids. It's a lot. I get it. They weren't overly busy. Maybe a quarter full. I tried to keep the kids away from other tables by giving them boundaries. They were not happy with us. They didn't like the kids being outside in their patio (freezing, no one out there) etc. The one server was getting destroyed. She had just like 6 tables, but a 16 top. I felt badly for her. Our drinks correspondingly took about 20-30 minutes each time we tried to order. She was nice when she could get to us. At one point a person who said they were a manager, I think she said her name was Hannah, came over and said the kids couldn't be going around (again, I had boundaries not by any other patrons etc. from what I could see they were honoring them, but who knows), anyway she asked if we could keep them by us, which is fine. I then asked her if I could put in a beer and app order as I had been waiting for our server with an empty beer for at least 20 minutes. Instead of taking the order and ringing it in, she said she'd send the server over and disappeared never to be seen again. 5 minutes Iater the server was able to get free from her big table and get our beer orders and food in. Several items were forgot, but at this point we were kind of over it. Just not really your typical relaxed brewery vibe. Felt like they wanted it to be more of a sit down restaurant. That big long story to say it's not a spot for kids. Overall food and drinks are solid. Beer is solidly middle of the pack for Peninsula. Management needs some work.

    Hadn't been here for a while and we decided to stop on our way home…read more We didn't order any food items because we had just finished eating but they have some interesting items on their menu which I hope to try next time. We were greeted immediately as we entered. You have to wait to be seated but there was no wait. Our server was so nice and friendly. She took our drinks order and answered all our questions. This place should be on all locals list to check out. The vibe is very chill. We have stopped by when it's been busy and they've had live music and also when it's been on the quiet side like today. Every time the service has been superb and the staff go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. I only wish they were a little closer to home since they are located in Hampton but don't let that stop you. It's not a bad ride.

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    The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery - The Champagne Band

    The Champagne Band

    The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery - Raw meat in tacos

    Raw meat in tacos

    The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery - Bourbon

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    Elation Brewing - Bacon Gouda

    Elation Brewing

    4.3(120 reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    Elation Brewing has a fantastic atmosphere. The space is large and open with an airy indoor layout…read moreand plenty of outdoor seating. It's the kind of place that works for almost any occasion, whether you're hanging out with a big group, grabbing a drink solo, or meeting up for a casual date. There are lots of different seating options, which makes the space feel flexible and comfortable. They also host live music and trivia on certain nights, which adds to the overall vibe. I went on a Sunday around 6:30pm. It wasn't crowded, but there was still a good crowd if that makes sense. It felt lively without being packed. Their drink selection is great. They have plenty of beer options, but also serve wine, seltzers, cider, and non alcoholic drinks, which I really appreciate since I'm not much of a beer person. I ordered the frozen rosé slushie in wild raspberry and it was strong. I also had the black cherry fruited cider, which was delicious. For food, I ordered The Hive pizza and it was excellent. The crust was thin-ish and tasted homemade, and the ingredients were clearly high quality. No complaints at all. Service was friendly and efficient, and the bathrooms were very clean. Random detail, but the toilet paper was noticeably better quality than what you usually find in bars. It was not plush, but strong and not paper thin. Overall, I loved the atmosphere, the food, the drinks, and the service. I will definitely be back.

    One of my favorite things to do when it's nice out is go to a brewery, restaurant, or park and sit…read moreoutside! Tonight my sister took me to Elation Brewing, and I will absolutely be back! Elation Brewing has a huge indoor and outdoor area with plenty of different styles of seating! It is family and pet friendly, and they have fire pits for cooler days/nights. I love that the inside still has huge open windows to allow that fresh cross breeze in. They are known for their pizza, but they also have a variety of other things to eat on their menu. There is also a number of different beers, seltzers, IPAs, and wines to try. Tonight I had the White Cranberry Sangria from Water's Edge Winery (also in Norfolk) and the Downeast Black Cherry! While both were really good, I prefer the Downeast because it was sparkling and just more refreshing. We also had the bacon Gouda pizza and the Hive pizza with hot honey. Both were great! I had never had a hot honey pizza but would definitely get it again! Tonight was trivia night and they had a good size crowd come out. I like that you could actually hear the questions despite so many people. A lot of times I can barely hear! Also inside the same place is Voyager Coffee. They're only open 7-4. I would love to give them a try. Oh and Elation does offer military discount but only on their to-go beers! The ONLY reason I did not give Elation five star is because I wish they had actual servers. You have to go up to the counter to order each time, and the lines get pretty long. Being able to order from the table, even if from a QR code where you could order and pay online would be a plus. Lastly, for such a large space, the parking lot is tiny. You'd either have to find street parking or there is additional parking at the CEO building on Colley.

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    Elation Brewing - Bar

    Bar

    Elation Brewing
    Elation Brewing - Downeast Black Cherry

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    Downeast Black Cherry

    COVA Brewing Company

    COVA Brewing Company

    4.2(185 reviews)
    10.7 mi
    $$

    Wow! COVA Brewing it's been so long and finally! I frequent the area and feel bad I've neglected…read morethis awesome Norfolk establishment for so long. This review actually has two great businesses because I visited Klassic Doughnut's food truck too! Ok first things first. Every Wednesday through this Summer Klassic Doughnuts food stand will be available at COVA 8-11 AM. They are in my opinion the best cake doughnuts in our area. They are a major draw for COVA. I purchased a few to go. With COVA I specifically wanted to try their coffee. I was blown away upon arrival to see their outdoor space. It's huge and beautiful. On a weekday at 11 AM without school even out was busy! The counter service was helpful and friendly. I told the staff I wanted a black coffee and was directed to what beans were being offered. I opted for an Ethiopian pour over. The coffee comes in a large and priced competitive. It took a bit with being busy and a pour over, but boy was the wait worth it. Probably the best coffee I've had in any recent memory and I drink a lot of coffee. The space inside is compact, but they offer a side patio that's covered too! COVA is late to offering coffee, maybe 5 years or so. However, they are established with brewing award winning beer. I chatted with a female brewer a minute who was so sweet and invited me back for a glass. They also have a bakery case with offerings that looked good. So I need to return. So exciting to share such a gem in East Beach. Parking may be an issue, but off street neighborhood streets are available.

    I wanted a place I could go and have coffee but also just enjoy outside, and Cova is exactly that!…read moreWhile they are a brewing company, during the day, they sell coffee and lattes. I like that while it is in Norfolk technically, it is super close to where I live in Virginia Beach. We tried their seasonal blueberry crumble latte and also had their Irish coffee. Both were very good ! I will say, they do not have a liquor license, so the Irish coffee does not come with Whiskey. Perfectly fine with me but wanted to set the expectation! I also tried their seasonal blueberry sweet cream and ohhh my goodness I wish I could buy a some to take home. So fresh, so good! The staff was super nice, and the outside area is a huge space with a variety of seating arrangements. It was a chillier morning and I do wish the fire pits were going but otherwise, super great, relaxing place to be! I really enjoyed my morning with my sister thanks to Cova!

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    COVA Brewing Company - Indoor

    Indoor

    COVA Brewing Company - Award winning beer

    Award winning beer

    COVA Brewing Company - Insight Seating

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    Insight Seating

    Bull Island Brewing - brewpubs - Updated May 2026

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