First time in Virginia Beach and first time at Esoteric, couldn't have been more pleased! Went on a…read moreTuesday so it was Burger Night. Arrived around 6:30 and were able to get a table but it filled up fast. Host noted we were probably new bc Tuesdays were usually familiar faces; love to hear that locals love a place too! We ordered the Buffalo Mushrooms as a starter and let me tell you, it's worth the hype. The crunch on these things is legendary. The sauce is a little spicy but it won't blow your palate out. Also the portion is enormous. We wanted to save our appetite for our mains but just kept eating them. We got the monthly special burger which was the kimchi burger with Brussels sprouts on the side and a wagyu meatball sub with fries. Dear lord that burger! I am trying to remember another burger that I loved this much. The kimchi was cooked down into a bit of a compote which melded with the cheese and gochujang perfectly, the patties were crispy as hell! The bun added a perfect sweetness. I told the server it was "stupid". I almost cried. This can't even capture just how good the food was. I'm sorry. The Brussels sprouts were a little understated, kinda like creamed spinach at a steakhouse. They were delicious but overshadowed by other menu items. The meatballs were spicier than we expected, so if you like a spicy meatball, get after it. The best thing about the sub was the pesto sauce on top, which added a nice green brightness to what was an otherwise heavy sandwich. Good luck picking this monster up, we needed to resort to knife and fork! The fries were on point. Whoever is running the frier at Esoteric has the temp dialed in. I wish we had room for dessert but we were already bagging up most of the sub and fries. The portions here match the prices. Would love to eat outside here when it's a little warmer. If you are looking for a cute spot in the vibe, don't miss Esoteric. We for sure will be back.

[Late review. Visited September 2025]…read more We visited Virginia Beach and found Esoteric due to its good reviews online. We reserved for an early dinner and we somehow were able to order items from the happy hour menu. We ordered wings from the Happy Hour menu along with cocktails. From the regular menu, we had poutine, black garlic caesar salad, and duck tacos. The food was delicious! The duck tacos were really amazing that I wish I had more space in my stomach to eat more. The poutine was amazing along with the wings. The cocktails were not as great as we hoped. The ambiance was great - quite modern and perfect for a laid back dinner. The service was okay. I think the staff was a little distracted that day.

Food and service were excellent. Good selection of beers. My pizza was pretty amazing. Service top…read morenotch. Honestly the first time I walked in I walked back out. It is in the Hapton Inn included breakfast buffet area (think make your own waffle station). But I was impressed with the food and service. They have outdoor beach-side seating as well.

They had exactly what I wanted for dinner and it hit the spot! I had the Classic Zzas Pocket and…read morePeach Side Story salad. Service was friendly and quick and I got to sit out on the spacious patio with twinkly lights overlooking the beach. Perfect!

My husband and I absolutely loved this place…read more We were in Virginia Beach for a few months, and everything we tried was absolutely delicious. The ambiance is warm and inviting, making it just as enjoyable to sit and stay as it is to eat. It quickly became our favorite happy hour in Virginia Beach. We've tried both the rotating bread pudding (when we were there it was pumpkin) and the apple crostata for dessert, and each time they were just as good as the last. The service was outstanding from start to finish. If you're visiting, it's worth a stop and reservations are definitely recommended.

Went to Hearth on Friday and had a good experience overall. Service was good, drinks were fine, and…read morethe food was solid. The deep fried deviled eggs were my favorite, so good. The only thing I didn't love was the cornbread oysters. I love oysters, but the cornbread flavor was a little overpowering for me. I'd still definitely go back and try more.

I ran the Shamrock Marathon and I always want a good burger after a race and Barrel 17 did not…read moredisappoint. I ordered the Sunrise Burger, subbing hot honey for the mayo and oh-mah-gawsh that was an excellent decision. (The burgers are a little on the smaller side, but I found it to be the perfect size.) I told my husband that the onion rings were some of the best I've ever had. Kyle was our server, and he was incredible--attentive despite being a little overwhelmed. It's darker on the inside because of the wood paneling, but it works for the saloon-adjacent vibe it's going for. Highly recommend!

Admittedly i don't go down to the Oceanfront often; at least not often enough to know when new…read morethings pop up. So when one of the Homies told me about this place I was all in because - burgers - what's not to love. Barrel 17 did not disappoint; when i got there i realized quickly i was the last to know because it was busy. We had about a 10 minute wait to be seated but that was cut short by option to sit at the bar. The bartender was working like she had six arms. It was non stop; attentive, taking orders, making drinks, checking back with others, she was truly impressive. The places was jumping; it was busy, casual and didn't slow down from the time we arrived until we left. Parking is challenging, there's a small lot beside the restaurant and a small lot behind it so if you can car pool you'll benefit yourselves. Now on to the star of the show - the food! The only knock I had was portion size. In a big guy with an even bigger appetite and when i left there i could've eaten my whole meal over again lol. But that's also because it was delicious. I got the mac n cheese starter, the Beast Burger, tater tots , and the biggest slice of chocolate cake I've ever had. Literally the biggest slice of cake ever- twice the size of my burger. Everything was delicious, from start to finish and if i were a person that had a normal appetite i would've left full like my friends did. Will definitely be back!

This is a great locals spot in VB. Good food and a long list of beers on tap. They have events all…read morethe time too. Service is pretty quick. Overall good vibes!

This is the best place for beer in all of Hampton roads. Their tap list is enormous and filled with…read moreincredible beers. But their bottle and cans you can buy is massive. Was able to get Heady Topper! A place like this backs up their beer choice with great food as well. The cheeseburger was a little under cooked to my liking, ill get well done next time. The old bay pretzel was amazing. The bartenders are very helpful with the huge beer list. Inside has a lot of tables and they bring you food out to you quick.

Craft 31 promised excellent food and craft beer, and delivered. Fried oysters on a jumbo Caesar…read moresalad and my wife had a chicken cobb salad. Excellent selection of great craft beer. Exceptional! Our server Jaedin was terrific. The only aspect to mar our visit was a snippy, snarky little-bit-of-a-thing hostess who never made eye contact and barked at us when we asked to be seated in a booth... said they were reserved, but we ordered, ate and finished and two booths remained open. This would be a five-star review if not for Ms. Demeanor...

My cousins came down from Richmond to visit me, and wanted to try this place. It's like a…read morerestaurant attached to a small town Midwest motel in decor, but clean and bright. We were there for a Monday lunch, can't speak to the dinner service. We also weren't drinking alcohol that day, though I thought the beer flights looked tempting. One of us had a cheeseburger that was requested to be "pink" and was overcooked and just blah. One of us had a chicken salad that was served with no chicken. Someone from the kitchen rushed out with a soup bowl filled with chicken slices that looked like those Perdue rotisserie chicken slices you buy at the grocery store. Dumped them on the salad. She did apologize. Our third order was a Restaurant Week special fried oyster salad vouched for by our server, Bailey, who was pleasant and efficient. It came with corn,black beans, mixed greens, cotija cheese and a spicy dressing. It wasn't awful but I think the overall concept was weird. Fried oyster taco salad? The few oyster pieces were tasty. Maybe we were there on a bad day, which happens. The chicken salad fiasco was funny. Not a place I would drive across town to try twice. Maybe stick to burgers and plenty of beer.

Avoid This Place - Hair in Food & Terrible Service!…read more I wish I could give this place zero stars. We had an awful experience here, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. First off, we found hair in our pizza--absolutely disgusting! When we brought it to the server's attention, all they did was apologize and make a new batch. No discount, no compensation, just a half-hearted "sorry" like it was no big deal. The food itself was mediocre at best. The Caesar salad looked straight out of a Costco container, and the wings were clearly not fresh--probably from Costco or another bulk supplier. The only somewhat decent dish was the calamari, but even that was ruined by the fact that it was drenched in a saucy topping. Who serves calamari like that? It's supposed to be crispy! Service was terrible, the food was nothing special, and overall, it was a waste of time and money. Do yourself a favor and walk an extra 20 feet to Dough Boys instead. Trust me, you'll be glad you did!

***3.5 stars*** AP is your typical off beach oen air sports…read morebar. The staff/bartenders are great. They offer a full bar but are limited. Great place for decent bar food and drinks. The shark bite drink is pretty good. A little grenadine is added for the "shark bite" effect. Worth stopong by if you are on the mainstrip.

The menu definitely lets you know that the chef is thoughtful about each component to every dish…read more There are sweet elements tied to savory elements and enough heat or acidity to address the different proteins. I really enjoyed each of the dish and all the beers that are on a tap is the highlight of the restaurant. There are two long tables in the middle for larger groups. The seats are surrounded by TVs and a great spot for the family. The second shift breakfast burger is delicious! The Pork belly BLT is also more refined and will please finer palates. The crispy apple jack chicken has all the ingredients for a delicious sandwich. But I would replace the 3 chicken tenders for a large chunk of chicken breast. That would make the sandwich perfect. If you're looking for a great restaurant for the family during your vacation... take a ride and check it out!

We've stopped here for lunch after an excursion to see the wild horses of Corolla. By then, we…read morewere fairly hungry. Not only did this place provided the remedy for our hunger, it also made us a return customer in the future. Besides the fantastic food offerings, they have a wall of beer on the tap to try out. There must've been over a dozen of different brews on tap on the wall. The staff was attentive to our needs, and the pricing was competitive. Portions were very large. Be sure to try out the Angry Chicken Sandwich, it is a unique tasty treat!

Ahh Birch.... still killing it like usual. The draft selection nice with the awesome GM that was…read moresuper friendly and informative. We enjoy coming out here for our rare date night. Even though we've been dabbling in more liquors, this place continues to step it up in exclusive meads and beers that are just practically impossible to find anywhere else. They've kicked it up a bunch of notches with their continued amazing grilled cheese sandwich menu. I wish I could elaborate more than just 'grilled cheese' but if you wanted to elevate a grilled cheese to fine dining, this is about what you'd expect. I appreciate this place as it's hard to believe I was there on day 1 when it opened. A lot has happened since then but it has definitely kept the core of it's intent - serve high quality beer. Food Taste: 5 Overall Service: 5 Value of food to cost: 5 Facility: 5 Ambiance: Small bar area that is nice in ambiance as I'm a big fan of the low-key vibe. Repeat customer: yes Dog Friendly: patio

Great selection on drafts. All the snacks were good. Especially liked the pickled okra & pickled…read morecauliflower & hummus. 10 out of 10. I did a cider/mead flight. And hubs got a sours & stout. Staff was super friendly and I loved the vibe in their. Such a cool spot.

SLy Fox is a speakeasy. It has that secret speakeasy VIBE with Dark wood with black wallpaper…read more Absolutely swanky and mysterious. The only way to get in is on special occasions so inquire within or on the Sly Fox website. The staff were so wonderful and kind really catering to our every need. We started with Infused water and mimosas. The Raspberry mimosa was sweet and bubbly with the perfect amount of raspberry sorbet. The food was beautifully displayed in a buffet style. Such a great variety. Fresh fruit of all kinds, french toast, waffles and chicken, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage , scrabbled eggs, quiche, house potatoes, deviled eggs, and a charcuterie board . On the sweet side they had mini cinnamon rolls, danish, brownies, cookies and cupcakes with the galentine theme. They had chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries with pretty pink food grade glitter. Plenty to choose from and plenty to eat. We loved it. In order to get into the speakeasy it is tickets only. We are looking on their website for the special events. Can't wait to see what they do for another event style. This time is was a Galentine Brunch.

I was not disappointed! I was super excited to have found an open event that was held in the Sly…read moreFox (speakeasy) that provided an opportunity to experience the space without having to book an event! Access to the speakeasy is limited only through events held by the facility or booking private events. It's available for rental for company holiday parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, birthdays, graduations, bridal showers, baby showers.. the opportunities seem endless! Who knows, maybe even a place to hold a small continuing education conference?? We attended the Galentine's Day brunch buffet. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time either in person or over the phone. It is a cozy, comfy space to dine and have drinks in a relaxed classy beautifully decorated establishment. The interior design emanates speakeasy. Every detail of design was carefully curated with the utmost intention. Staff was fantastic. Even though it was a brunch buffet, staff were attentive, friendly and frequently checked on all tables to address any needs or questions. The lovely staff were genuinely happy to take photos for us without any prompting. The flow of the buffet was perfect, and the food presentation was delightfully charming! There was a photo back drop available and the decor was so festive, and classy yet simple. The decor wasn't over the top , it was just the right amount of decorations to add pizzazz and celebrate with festive spirit. We all had a very enjoyable time celebrating Galentine's day! It was a wonderful event in an equally wonderful space. The music was on point, as well as the volume level. It was loud enough to enjoy the music, yet low enough that you could hold a conversation without screaming to hear each other. It was very peaceful and even if you don't choose a booth, the tables on the opposite side of the bar do provide some privacy due to the small partitions. The variety of food offered was just right (not overwhelmingly too many options and not too little options) and the food was tasty. It was an excellent first impression that left me excited to await what other fun events they will hold in the future.