My husband and I went here during restaurant week and the selection available was amazing for the rice! An appetizer, entree and dessert for $35! Cannot best that! The food was very good! We inhaled all our food and it was just the right portion. We had she crab soup, calamari, crab cake with lobster tail, crème brûlée and the brownie! The server was nice but he seemed a bit slow and very busy. They must not have had enough staff. Overall it was a great restaurant and definitely worth going to read more

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Good food, moderate prices, great service, great ambiance. This is an overall go to spot.

I came here on Valentine's Day, in which the restaurant's atmosphere was great for special occasions. The crab dip was delicious and the soft bread paired well. The shrimp pasta was delicious, and though the portion does not look large - it's very filling. The service was amazing and made for a positive experience at The Hard Shell. read more

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I did not dine in, i placed a to go order... Salmon Caesar salad- 3.5/5, the salmon was cooked and seasoned well which I loved! My only complaint is it was on the smaller side and I wish I had more greens to go with it. I am intrigued by the look of the restaurant and plan to go back in for a sit down meal. read more

The food was very tasty. The variety of foods in one plate is what makes Richmond such a fun place to explore for your taste buds. The portions were good and the prices are even better. The atmosphere is very professional and relaxing. I highly recommend. read more

The Hard Shell - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Wow What a gem. Very romantic. Great oysters and try their specialty in an oyster shooters read more

The food was amazing. The crab cake was one of the best I ever had, and the lobster tail was tender, not overcooked. Crispy Brussel sprouts were truly crispy and flavorful. The tuna tacos as appetizer were delicious. Decor was nice, clean and comfortable, sleek but not too industrial. The craft cocktails were a perfect way to start the evening. Service was attentive but not pushy. read more

They served us an unopened oyster (which is dangerous and cannot be eaten) which should have been double checked before it left the kitchen, and the crab was sadly the least tasty part of the whole meal. The salmon I had was good, but the service was slow for it being not very busy. We sat outside and you can hear conflicting music from the Hard Shell and the next door mexican restaurant which was overwhelming. I would not be back. read more

I came here my first time during restaurant week and I was impressed. I was wary of coming because I do not eat seafood and the menu had limited options for me. However, I was not disappointed! I instantly enjoyed how clean and crisp the restaurant is. I I was seated outside and enjoyed watching the neighborhood walk by. I ordered from the restaurant week menu and all of my items were superior. The arugula salad with the goat cheese on top and the dressing made your tastebuds enjoy every bite because of the flavor combinations. The little filet mignon that had mashed potatoes and asparagus was mouthwatering. I like that the asparagus were thick and not the usual skinny pieces. And to top it all off the Key lime pie for dessert was heavenly. The slice was small probably because of restaurant week. I did ask if the key lime pie was made in house because I want to order the entire pie! I only give this restaurant in four stars because I do not eat seafood. However, my peers that enjoy seafood highly rate this place for it's quality. What I do know about the seafood at this restaurant, is that they literally have the lobsters in a water tank and are made to order. I know this because when I was waiting for the restroom I saw the tank in the kitchen and then the chef pull out a lobster to cook. The lobster is fresh every time which is everything you can hope for in a seafood restaurant. I did order a cocktail with my meal. And I actually ordered two because the first one was so good! I would come here just for cocktails out on the patio. read more

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I enjoy the food. This last time we ate there, my spouse got swordfish. He felt the swordfish ($26.95) was under-seasoned. But was glad to finally get a swordfish to eat. I had the grilled shrimp and scallops ($28.95). Found it tasty. Was offered bread which we of cause loved getting. But found a $2.50 charge for the bread. It was good but didn't realize it was not included with the meal. Noticed the charge for the bread in the bill a few days later. I got the San Pelligrano ($7) for appetizer I had the little neck clams 6 for $8.95 they were teamed and very good. Spouse had the ribs appetizer. Felt there was too much sauce which overpowered the ribs. Ribs were $10.95. We shared a classic Caesar salad ($8.95). It was good and more than enough for two. Meal was very well paced out. read more

The filet was cooked well but piled on top on the plate with room temperature at best potatoes and sauce drizzled over it. The green beans could have been plastic. read more

The HS was a 2 minute walk from our hotel, the Marriott Courtyard Downtown. One of the best 2 minutes investment made. Wherever you are in RVA check this place out.You won't regret it. We, 2 of us, made a meal from 3 meat appetizers(scallops, calamari, & oysters) + a side of Truffle Fries. I'm not a big fan of FFs but the truffle oil adds a unique delish spin to fries. The FFs are lip smacking good. I ate all the oysters since my +1 doesn't eat them. LUCKY me. There were plenty of calamari for sharing. I love the spindly tentacles parts and my +1 doesn't so we both ate the parts we like. We shared the scallops about 60/40 means me giving her about of the last one. #mybadd The 3 meat appetizers were lip smacking good also. The drinks were spot on too. Wine by the glass options are sort of limited but there are enough to cover the spectrum of palettes and accompany food selections. Our tummies were very happy as we left for the long 2 minutes walk back to the Marriott. read more

The Hard Shell - Our tab for 3 appetizers, 1 FF order and 2 drinks. Worth it! - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Cute and romantic little space, I loved it here. Our server was attentive and friendly. Street parking and a parking garage nearby. We ordered crab cakes, Scallops and the she crab soup to start off with. The Scallops were cooked well and had a ton of flavor. Crab cakes were more like little patties but still very flavorful and I liked the house tartar sauce they made. The soup was really good as well but not too much crab meat inside. I ordered the Hard Shell Pasta and my boyfriend ordered the Oven-Roasted Rockfish. My pasta came with plenty of seafood and the tomato basil marinara was delicious. The rockfish was very well cooked and had a great sear. I ordered a glass of the Seven Falls Cabernet and he ordered the Apricot Old Fashioned and later the Blackberry Bramble. The old fashioned was a little different than your standard old fashioned, not as strong and there seemed to be something missing in flavor. I loved the Blackberry Bramble, it was sweet and easy to drink. Overall, I loved the ambiance of the place and the food was delicious. read more

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Beautiful spot in shockoe for dinner. We made a last minute reservation for 5 and the restaurant was very cozy and a great spot if you want to eat outside. We shared the lobster cream dip and truffles fries for our appetizers. They were both delicious. I would have appreciated if the fries were more crisp but that's a personal preference. Our mains were the Rockfish and the steak and shrimp dinner. The mashed potatoes that came with the Rockfish were the best part of the dish. The fish was not the best but overall a good dish. The steak was some of the best I have ever had and would definitely recommend it to anyone. We will definitely be going back for more date nights. read more

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Can be loud inside of loud talkers are present; but even if they are, seating outside is available to watch walkers go by. Service was good without being oppressive. Waiter recommended lobster roll and it was goooood!! read more

What a cute, vibrant, and delicious place! We had dinner here while in Richmond for a conference and really enjoyed ourselves. The cocktails menu was unique and delish and their fries are to die for. Everyone enjoyed their meal, I had the crab legs and loved them. However, the She Crab soup was nothing but cream with a small amount of crab and the server was nice enough to take it off the bill. read more

We came in and it was right after the lunch rush. We were greeted and seated upon arrival. The hostess was very kind. Our waiter came in to get our drinks as soon as we sat. We order to oyster shots and it was amazing. appetizer was fried calamari . It is decently sized and not extremely breaded like most places. We got a dozen of roisters in man was it fresh. My husband and I split fish tacos and it was enough to make our bellies happy. I certainly recommend and will be back. read more

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This is a good local seafood destination. The neighborhood is all smallish street level old brick places. It's a typical seafood menu. We chose the lobster tails, which was wise. They were great, tender and moist, with roasted potatoes and asparagus. The martinis were good and the wine list was well conceived and fairly priced. Service was prompt and professional. Overall, a very nice experience. read more

The Hard Shell - Lobster tail dinner - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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For starters, the ambiance was beautiful and it smelled very clean. The appetizers were amazing. We ordered the mussels, the shrimp and lobster potstickers, and the calamari. The calamari and mussels were fantastic, however the potstickers were not the star of the show. As far as entrees are concerned, i had the filet (MR) and broccolini with whipped potatoes with scallops. i didn't quite like the scallops but the rest of my meal tasted divine. my sister had the rockfish with fried potatoes and broccolini. She said her fish was not that good but the sides were delicious. My mother devoured her Ribs and Dungeness Crab legs with efficiency. For dessert, I had a chocolate martini , my sister and mother had the crème brûlée . Everything was sooooo delicious. Overall, our experience was amazing! read more

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So I've seen less than stellar reviews on here about Hard Shell and I'm at a lost as to why. Seriously. I snuck in here for lunch and was quite in a rush. I placed my order and got the hot, buttered lobster roll. The sandwich turns me on I tell ya! The bread was amazing, toasted and buttered. It brought back fond memories of the bread I used to get at Sizzler eating dinner with my Aunty Doll. Just YUM! I had a delightful dirty gin martini and excellent service. If this place fell off, looks like they picked backed up. read more

The Hard Shell - FABULOUS hot Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

AMAZING!!!' Great food with great service. The inside part was very cozy. Every dish we had was extremely flavorful.

I reviewed this restaurant before when my then fiancé, now husband, and I came in for a date night and loved it so much we decided to host our rehearsal dinner there. I'd like to now give an update as we had the rehearsal dinner and it was amazing! The service, food and atmosphere was everything we could have hoped for. All the staff were easy to work with and we can't wait to go back for an anniversary dinner! 10 out of 10! read more

The Hard Shell - Chocolate cake after dinner! - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

An absolutely outstanding culinary experience, complemented by professional and friendly service. read more

The Hard Shell - Absolutely outstanding! - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I haven't been to the Hard Shell in years but found myself there yesterday for a business lunch, and was pleasantly surprised? Maybe not surprised, but I enjoyed it. Service was excellent. Atmosphere was lovely. Food was great... My arugula salad had too much dressing on it, but my added salmon was cooked perfectly and the flavors were great. Next time I will ask for the dressing on the side. Why haven't I been here in so long? read more

I'm shocked this place doesn't have a full five star rating. I think this was the best meal I've ever had! We started w some oysters, I had filet and lobster tail while my husband had the crab cake and lobster tail. My steak was perfectly cooked and melt in your mouth tender!! It was the perfect surf and turf dinner! I'm not a huge fan of crab cakes but the crab cake here is delicious! We finished w a slice of key lime pie - amazing! We sat outside on the patio. The service was great. Our waiter was attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. 12/10 recommend!! read more

The Hard Shell - 6 Oz. Filet Mignon w Lobster Tail Simply Grilled w mashed potatoes and asparagus. - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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It's been awhile since I've been here. But you can never go wrong with anything here. I ordered the: Lobster Dip She crab soup Crab cakes with potatoes & spinach. Everything was amazing. The only complaint I will say were the overcooked pita chips. Everything else was great. I'd definitely revisit! read more

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Wow! I wish I would've discovered this place sooner. From the great service offered by Malachi to the great accommodations offered by the manager to the amazingly delicious food that weee a seafood lovers dream, I had a wonderful first time at Hard Shell. The vibes were perfect for a nice catch up session with my best friend. I will highly recommend this place to everyone I know! read more

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We initially passed this place by because the sign wasn't very visible from the road in the dark. The area it's located in isn't ideal, but the inside of the restaurant was nice. We got the truffle fries and crab cakes to start. The crab cakes were more like crab balls, but they were tasty. The fries were delicious. I ordered a filet with lobster and my husband ordered the shrimp and scallops fish. The filet was under seasoned, but very tender. Unfortunately the potatoes tasted instant. My husband wasn't happy with his dish, but it tasted divine to me. The lobster was cooked perfectly and was oh so good. I try to make a habit of remembering our servers names, but I don't remember his name. I do remember he was wearing glasses. He was excellent. He originally forgot part of my order, but accommodated me for this mishap. Something I wasn't expecting. I got to taste the carrot cake and it was delicious. Overall, it was just ok. read more

The Hard Shell - Filet and mashed potatoes - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Absolutely delicious food and good prices! Love this place! You really should go! Waitstaff is experienced and extremely friendly. Parking is easy read more

Special occasion time means special place to eat. Made some birthday reservations for this place. Upon arriving, I was surprised how busy it was for a Tuesday night. They have a nice area for some outside seating but it was a little too warm for me so we choose to eat inside. Waitress was super friendly. Patiently explained the menu and some of the cocktails selections. The fried oysters appetizer was killer. Perfectly cooked bite size oysters placed on top of some amazing salsa. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi. Very nicely cooked. The mashed potatoes was very creamy and seasoned well. read more

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My first time visiting this restaurant was for Valentine's Day. My boyfriend Book a 8:45 PM reservation I was a little concerned because I thought the restaurant was going to close at 9:30 but I'm assuming because of Valentine's Day they stayed open later. We ordered the calamari as of appetizer and it was seasoned very nicely. I also have the she crab soup that was tasty but a little cold. The ambience was very chill. The vibes was nice. The lights were down low and there were candles, lit on the tables, covered in white table cloths. For the entrée, I ordered the rockfish it came with brussels sprouts and potatoes as sides. I recommend getting the crab legs. Another table ordered them and they look delicious. We finished a dinner date with desert. We ordered the chocolate raspberry cake. read more

The Hard Shell - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Went to hardshell in Belgrade off robious Rd. Food was excellent. Kate was our server,she was very friendly and gave great service.

Have a great arugula salad and add salmon was done just right. The staff were very attentive and friendly. Very nice location and interior is done nicely. Also enjoy sitting on the patio weather permitting. read more

First visit on a sunny warm Saturday in April, of course you must sit on the outdoor patio. After reading many reviews, I decided on the grouper tacos which were excellent. They come with a mango cole slaw on a soft flour tortilla with a side salad loaded with tasty vegetables and a creamy house dressing. The patio is big and faces Cary St and if get's too hot, they have nice big umbrellas. There is public parking in the deck just across the street. read more

Came here for the first time after work, really appreciated the lively but relaxed ambiance. Forgot to grab a picture of my drink, but I enjoyed two of the bubbly fizz's, which were nice and light in flavor. Our bartender was attentive but not too imposing, allowing for a good catch up session with my friend and I. For dinner I had the crab cakes. While the crab itself was delicious, I was underwhelmed by the rest of the plates components. A few of my sweet potatoes were bordering raw, but the taste was really good! I would be interested to come again and see if my experience was just a little off from the norm. read more

The Hard Shell - Crabcakes - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My husband and I recently ate at the Hard Shell during our trip to Richmond. This place has great Happy Hour specials, awesome specialty drinks (I recommend the Bourbon Basil Smash) and delicious food. I ordered the Rockfish - it was so good! We had a fantastic server named Kristian. He was knowledgeable, made honest recommendations and provided us with impeccable service. He truly made our visit so enjoyable. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

The happy hour here is excellent. Try the Thai shrimp, tuna tacos and hamburger sliders....outstanding.

Wonderful space, bright and airy. The only downside was uncontrollable by the restaurant and that was another patron having a very loud, long cell phone conversation. The oysters were terrific and fresh. My tuna sandwich was cooked perfectly and my wife loved her fish tacos with a great side salad. Both came with some pickled watermelon radish and carrots that were lovely. The fries with my sandwich were great. The server was attentive without being overbearing and the whole vibe was relaxed & mellow. Will definitely return on our next trip to Richmond. read more

The food, service, and ambiance are impeccable! The fried oyster appetizer is the best in the city. They ste seasoned wells d crispy with corn and red pickled onions with a tasty remoulade sauce. The filet and lobster is another excellent selection. read more

The meat on the ribs fell off the bone! Service was great! Big servings! Nice atmosphere! read more

The Hard Shell - Ribs and Fries!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia