Tried the take out on steak Thursday. The steak was cooked as ordered, "medium rare on the rare side" well seasoned and tender. The included baked potato was also prepared well. Jamie is always friendly and professional. Other encounters with other staff have been amicable. It's a tavern. It is all inclusive. The food is good with reasonably prices. Dogs are allowed and fawned upon. The music is not overwhelming but I have never been there during the evening. read more

Mj's Tavern - Crab cake Benedict with fruit substitution and one of the several beverages on tap. - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

My wife and I visited MJs for the fourth time in the 6 weeks we have been in VA visiting family. Today, we had an incident that someone needs to know about. There are 3 machines in the back where there had been a guy playing on the machine, but he had gotten up and was no where near the machines at this time. We ordered a drink and my wife went over to see what the machines were, what games they had and if they required cash. The "man" in question walks up and asks her "what the fuck are you doing?" She calmly tried to explain that she wanted to see what the machines were and how to play. He continued cursing at her "you can't fucking touch people's machines" "this is gambling". "I've got $350 fucking dollars on this machine" She tried to explain she was sorry and didn't know and he continued to speak to her disrespectfully and cursing at her. She walked away and asked for our tab. I got up walked over and asked him "is that how you speak to people?" He starts trying to explain himself and I reiterated that he could have said things very differently and she didn't know and that's unacceptable. He tells me to talk to the bartender. The bartender comes over and as we are explaining what happened, she says "you probably shouldn't be pushing buttons". There were no questions asked and not one word was said to the douchebag on the machine. We don't live in a state that has gambling. We didn't know he had money on the machine and we certainly weren't trying to spend his money. Ask questions, explain yourself but you don't speak to my wife that way and you will not curse at her and think it's acceptable. We were offered to go cups to take our drinks with us as we left. We were so pissed and upset, we left our full drinks on the bar and left. I can promise you this, we will not ever return here and we will make sure everyone we know is aware of how this establishment treats people who aren't regulars. It's supposed to be a safe environment for all. We didn't feel safe and we didn't feel supported. Shame on you Mr Douchebag and shame on you MJs tavern. read more

I get that it's Pride but the service was bad, one pink haired bartender had an attitude with everyone who came up and the other one couldn't hold a line to save her life. Slow, rude service. read more

New bartenders, new problems. These new ones are saying they're closing soon at 11:30PM And i'm left feeling guilty. Don't like it. I feel like i'm getting kicked out. I don't work a traditional schedule. I'm a registered nurse and don't have a block schedule. So help me let them know that i'm not out here everyday. read more

Mj's Tavern - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

We went here after the 2024 Shamrockin' in Ghent. The service was great, I will start by saying that. The food was "okay." I ordered the nachos (see pic- not anything great at all... literally the most MEH nachos I've ever had) and a pretzel with cheese (yummy!). The pretzel was borderline room temp, so that wasn't the best- it had either been sitting for a while or wasn't heated up enough. My friends drank, but were charged top shelf for everything, including shots. I hate when places do this- I always appreciate the asking of what. Who automatically gives top shelf? Boo. I'll be back, but I'll be hesitant in what I order, both food & drinks. Also, it always seems to be a sausage fest in there, so if that's your cup of tea, drink up! :) read more

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Mj's has been a go-to spot for me for many years. Great theme nights, great food and really friendly staff. Brunch is awesome and I love their food specials. I try to go at least once a week but not uncommon for me to come more often. Thanks so much! read more

The food was good. We had an order of fish and chips, popcorn shrimp and tuna bites. Fish and chips was a big portion size. Our server was nice. We were visiting from out of town and prices were reasonable. There is an outdoor patio to eat along with indoor seating. There is a pool table inside and great music was playing. We went around 7pm and there was plenty of parking. read more

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We had a great time, we've never been disappointed. We love coming here for a relaxing & enjoyable evening. Thanks to everyone here

Pretty nice LGBTQ+ local bar. Mj's seems like a cool place where locals hang out to get their night going. The vibe of the bar is pretty welcoming, and probably is a nice place to meet new people if you are new to the area. While folks seem to already know each other, I did feel too much of a cliquey vibe. Overall, our service was pretty good because Courtney, our waitress, constantly checked in on us. This was great because I was in great need of multiple gin-based cocktails. Looking forward to visiting again. read more

Mj's Tavern - A dollar off if you bring a church bulletin. Interesting. - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

We had such a great time at MJ's! Went for trivia one night and had so much fun we had to come back for karaoke the next week. The crowd for karaoke was amazing -- so much talent and such a fun, supportive vibe. The food and drinks were solid both nights, and the whole place just feels welcoming and inclusive. Brought some friends from out of town and they loved it as much as we did. Can't wait to go back! read more

Staff was incredibly rude and mostly incompetent in customer service. While my grilled cheese was fine, the sweet potato fries were extremely overcooked. Felt more like I was an inconvenience than a customer. read more

Great Food , competitive prices, excellent wait staff ! Restaurant is GAY OWNED HOWEVER, ALL ARE WELCOME ! read more

Mj's Tavern - MJ's Tavern logo - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

1st time coming here. Me and my sister who was visting decided to come and give this place a try and was NOT DISAPPOINTED at all! To the bartenders, They were AMAZING! Thankyou JC, Brian and Amanda! All 3 of you were great!! Very friendly patrons, atmosphere, Food and drinks were fantastic!!! Thankyou MJ! Definelty Will be coming back and Thankyou for making us feel welcome. read more

I showed up around 2200 and the place was pretty packed and they had a cool drag show going on. The place was kinda cliquey to me so I didn't really like the vibe when I showed up at first but I ended up meeting some really cool people towards the end and they made the night better. They have this really cool basement bar down below with GREAT A/C so next time I'll for sure be down there haha I'd go back next time to check it out again and maybe try the food because I hear the food is amazing ! Will update with that soon read more

MJ's Tavern has become a staple location to visit since moving to Norfolk. They have some sort of event almost daily, I attend "Singo" every Tuesday and it is a lot of fun. I have gone to one of their trivia nights as well which I really enjoy. Tuesdays they have 1$ fireball shots and who can say no to that?! They also have 1$ tacos on Tuesdays! And yes, they may be white people tacos, but they taste better than Taco Bell and they're 1$. You can't lose. Every single waiter/waitress I have ever had, has been amazing. They are always sweet, they practically have my order rang up before I can even ask for it. The service has always been fast, even on busy nights. The bartenders are always great as well. On the weekends, it can be a little crowded. But it's the only gay bar in the area so what do you expect :) the gays love to have a good time! Their other bar, the shed, is also a great little place to hang out. Overall, 10/10 recommend for any LGBTQ+ person, or ally :) read more

MJ's is THE place to be if you're part of the LGBTQ community. They have all kinds of events that support the community, and it's kind of a home away from home for many of us. They have a rotating series of events happening nightly -- karaoke nights, drag bingo, trivia nights, etc. -- so there's a little of something for everyone. There's a main dining area that includes the bar and pool tables, a covered patio that is great if the weather is nice, and a back-back of the house room that is where a lot of the really fun stuff happens. :) As others have mentioned - lots of parking, which is nice for a Granby Street location. Drinks aren't super pricey, and there's a whole menu of pub/bar food. As far as my food experiences go, I'd put them at a solid 3. It's bar food - so you get what you get. Maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but I haven't been super impressed on that front. Overall, this is a great place to grab a drink with a few friends and hang out in a very chill atmosphere. read more

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Great local bar with great bar food. Trivia night. Very enjoyable place to get a drink and good food.

The vibes. The food and portions are lit! I will definitely be returning again soon. The parking lot was packed which shows that I'm not the only one who likes this place! read more

First time visitor on 12/26/22. Good customer service must not be a thing here. The bartender was rude and made degrading comments. Racist against his own kind. Would never recommend anyone to come here. read more

Great neighborhood bar. Friendly staff and fun atmosphere. Oh, and great food and drinks!

I've been frequenting MJ's for almost four years. Slowly and steadily the food quality has been declining. Tonight, 1/10/24, was my last night going there. I no longer wish to dole out $20+ for a meal that I can better prepare at home for less time. The food has become a disappointment and, frankly, the beer is no better. This evening I ate the worst iteration of a cheesesteak sandwich that I've ever crammed into my pie hole. Prior to this, their fish and chips were of lower quality than I can get from the frozen food section at Food Lion. I'm done. Just done. The next time my partner suggests this place, my answer will be a hard no. It surely is a LGBTQ friendly place, but certainly not a meal friendly place. read more

Enjoyed a night out at MJs during "Singo" night. Really loved the atmosphere, James (Best Bartender), our shrimp appetizer, and drinks. Cannot wait to visit again ‍ read more

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I consider myself a connoisseur of BLTs. If I see them on the menu, I almost always order them and somehow, though I've been to MJ's several times, I missed that they have, perhaps, the greatest BLT sandwich I've ever had. Perhaps they raise the pigs themselves in a bucolic region of Suffolk where the swine run free until they sacrifice themselves after a nasty breakup. Maybe it's the physical love manifested through the cook's hand onto the sandwich... one can always wonder. No matter, as Emerson wrote, "Beauty is its own excuse for being..." I will come again and eat the sandwich. I suggest you do also. read more

If you ever want to explore Norfolk's beautiful gay scene please check this bar out. As a regular patron myself, MJ's tavern is a wonderful place to have a drink amongst friends and other members of the LGBT community. I would recommend ordering the chicken tenders as they are made perfectly. The bartenders and the waiters are very kind and welcoming and very attentive to it's patrons. read more

This bar is amazing, there are about 4 gay bars in the norfolk, Virginia Beach area, MJs, The wave, 37th and Zen, and rainbow cactus. out of all of them Mjs has got to be the best, it serves as the center of the entire community For most events and crowds, on Saturday nights the kink groups meet, Pups, Bears, Leather people etc. during the week they have several revolving events and meal specials. The music is controlled with a touch tunes mechine Which some people don't like but i enjoy because i can listen to music i want and it also makes coming in a surprise because sometimes you'll be listening to house and the next you're rocking out. Considering this place is a bar the food is outstanding, they've received several annual community voted awards for things like best food, best service, best bar tenders, best cook. On the subject of best the service is outstanding, the bartenders make it a point to welcome you so you feel like youre apart of the community. When i first walked into this bar i found it via 757Outwire magazine and I've been coming here reliably ever since. Join here anytime and you'll quickly become a part of the family. P.S. The review about Britanie is total crap she's one of Mjs TOP bar tenders and servers she is loving and kind and if you pushed her over the top to the point that she felt she needed to take your drink and pour it out (cut you off) it was because you showed you couldn't handle your Alcohol like an adult... Or you didn't have your ID in the first place Hanan's friend. P.P.S And Greg is not the worst P.P.P.S Jazmyn, Morgan still works here and your story dosnt add up. read more

CRIMINALS!!! I've been to MJ's twice now and both visits were absolute garbage all around. I experienced two different bartenders and BOTH of them decided to tip themselves whatever amount they deemed fit. The first one tipped himself $60 on a $20 tab and the second tipped themselves $10 on a $15 tab. I tried speaking with the owner about this and he was unable to provide receipts from the evenings these events took place, he then threw a tantrum and banned me and my partner for life. 10/10 DO NOT RECOMMEND. Give your money to a business that leads with integrity and can actually make a decent cocktail. If Zero stars were possible, that's what I'd give them. read more

Mj's Tavern - The service there is CRIMINAL - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Came here for trivia night on a Wednesday with some friends. It was pretty low-key, but fun. Not a ton of people, I think there were 5 or 6 teams total. It was a really nice place though, great atmosphere. They have a private parking lot with lots of space. They are very friendly to everyone, especially the lgbtq+ family. The drinks were SUPER cheap. My drink was only $5 - Malibu Pineapple. The food was also pretty good. Overall, a pretty good experience. read more

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Morgan assumed I wanted spinach instead of the baked potato that comes with the steak meal. Potato then doesn't come out until after I finish my meal. Most of my time spent here was spent watching Morgan sit on the counter in the kitchen area. My last issue is with the fact she tried to charge me for my potato THAT COMES WITH THE MEAL! When I brought this to her attention she tried telling me it would be more expensive once corrected. MoRgAn you suck and I sure as hell wont be back. I have both receipts, I better not be charged anything extra. read more

Mj's Tavern - Incorrect reciept that she claimed was cheaper - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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If you're an out of towner like me just know they are NOT "open till 2." They are Open till 1:30, the doors lock and they utilize that last 30 minutes to clean and take care of the stragglers. Despite that, the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Don't love seeing men in bulletproof vests that look like they're about to hate crime me as security, but don't know if that's just what is needed for the area. I would absolutely return and would welcome a better experience cause it is a great space and looks like it could be fun but the 1:30-2am time frame is definitely not it. read more

Mj's Tavern - a woman in a pink shirt and black shorts - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Great neighborhood tavern! Cold beer, good food, and good people! What more could you want?

We've eaten here for lunch several times and have always enjoyed it. Since we were nearby, we figured we'd try it for dinner. If it wasn't for all those successful lunches, this would be a two star rating. As always, the service is great and really friendly. Tonight, however, the food was really uneven. We started with the pretzel and tavern fries as an app (I have always gotten the tavern fries at lunch). The pretzel was standard soft pretzel fare (which I love), but it was unevenly "cooked" (heated up) - warm on one side, cold (no really) on the other half. Maybe it wasn't all the way in the oven?? The tavern chips were overdone (I love them a little less crunchy), and I don't remember picking a flavor before? Hubby ordered the lasagna special and I had the baked spaghetti. Let's start with the side salads - awesome! Very nice size and super fresh. I love that they make most of their sauces and dressings in house. My blue cheese dressing was outstanding! The problem tonight was the tomato sauce used in both entrees. It had a bitter note to it that I couldn't quite place. It actually left an unpleasant aftertaste. I didn't finish mine - and that's rare (Hubby agreed and was not a fan of the lasagna). It comes advertised as covered in provolone - it was....not exactly covered, but instead came with what was obviously a slice of cheese thrown on top haphazardly and put under the broiler. Overall this was a disappointing visit to a place we usually like. Maybe the kitchen was having an off night? We'll be back again. I love the people and the diversity of the place. And I look forward to updating my review. read more

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I visited this establishment on a Sunday afternoon after learning from a friend that they serve $1 Blue Moons from 2pm - 7pm. I hustled over there because it was already six o'clock - I wanted to take advantage for as long as possible. Once I walked in MJ's had a very club-like feel to it, since the music was loud and danceable. It seemed a little run-down but overall the place was clean with plenty of seating, a long bar, a few televisions and a couple of pool tables. I met up with a big group who was already there and the $1 Blue Moons were served in 8 oz. plastic cups. But if you order two at a time it gets pretty interesting. Our waiter was very nice and accommodating, so I instantly felt at home. Rounds kept coming and during the Happy Hour they had specials on their appetizers. I didn't have dinner yet so I ordered an entree, Chicken Cordon Bleu with fries, and it was delicious. The chicken was actually composed of chicken strips, but they were fried just right without being dry, and even though the ham wasn't inside (served on top of the chicken with the cheese) all the items complemented each other well. Overall I have no complaints. MJ's looks kinda like a dive, but with plenty of good food, beer and great service I left happy. I'd recommend it to anyone in Norfolk who doesn't want to hit up a chain. JV read more

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Wings amazing breakfast wouldn't recommend no seasoning. When I call to express that the food was blend the bartender told me because they have a much older clientele they don't season no food....Ok that's fine however I tji k it should be told when order especially when you spending a nice amount on breakfast for you and your child..Fast forward she put the owner on the phone I believe he said Mike was his name very rude and nasty...I asked for a refund he ask for my receipt I explained to him my husband was at work. I couldn't get it but if he just wanted to issue me a credit to get something else he said we don't do that here just bring the receipt......It makes me angry to have been in there often bring people there because of the wings and get treated like that every customer should be important and treated the same!!!!! read more

The food is always good and fairly priced. Gay owned is a plus as well. Love this place.

Super great lunch and dinner specials for great prices. Drinks are great prices too! Check their website of Facebook for daily specials. Their hamburger and fish and chips are excellent! Slthe sweet potato fries are my favorite! The staff is friendly and the bar is really clean. I've enjoyed MJs during the day and at night. All in all a great spot in Norfolk! read more

Mj's Tavern - Mike's Grilled Chicken with sweet potato fries - Gay Bars Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Dominique makes the best lemon drops in the area! Definitely go here if you want a good drink and delicious food!

The food is great, the drinks are good...but when you have a game host, I believe his name is Greg, who is more interested in every daddy bear that walks in the door (literally I was on a date and within seconds he was right by my date's side flirting). I got uncomfortable for my date. Again, the food is great, the bartenders are always great...but that one person is the sore spot. read more

The "security" is both arrogant and questionable. Five minutes after walking out the door, I was putting the directions in my vehicle maps. The security comes up and tells me I need to leave the parking lot now. Afterwards, while backing up I had a discussion with them about that, they told me the staff could not leave the building until the parking lot was cleared. I can't believe in the 17 years that I have left, from working in one of the PRIMARY gay bars, this type of arrogant and ignorance now is the common norm! read more

I've been to MJ's 6 times now. The food is terrific! The Staff is courteous, and the atmosphere is very welcoming. Can't wait to go again!

Staff was nasty, rude& disrespectful. Brittnee the bartender was terrible& whoever Greg is was worse. The bartender literally snatched a drink off the table from my friend and poured it out. Greg came out and didn't even know the story and said himself he didn't know the story and he didn't care. He attempted to put us out, threatened to call the police as well. Overall it was horrible customer service. I wish I could upload video's so you could see how terribly we were treated. read more