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Waterside District

4.3 (359 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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WATERSIDE DISTRICT ATMOSPHERE

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Maria C.

I love the atmosphere! My husband and I travel here few times out the month love the vibe here. Sometimes it's just us or we're here with friends it's always something going on such a lively event space rather you're upstairs or downstairs or even outside we have been here when different events take place as far as the war of the Wings, a taco festival and most recently the World Cup final. Definitely a packed house standing room only. But we was able to get a spot in a corner where we could see the TVs. TVs are all around as well as a large projector screen. Technically there's no bad spot if you're there to look at any type of sporting event or anything on the television's there. We did not have any food there but I did see that they were selling like burgers and fries and some other things. We did get our drinks from upstairs at the harbor Club. Our favorite bartender Sonya was there on post as usual. There was a cornhole tournament in progress so this space was closed for this private event. But Sonya has a super super fun personality... hospitality is always a 10 out of 10 definitely unmatched. Parking... we were able to park in the garage directly across the street from Waterside... it was storming out therefore parking in that garage we were able to use the catwalk to head over to Waterside so we didn't get any drop of rain on us. It's free to enter unless they have events that are taking place. But usually it's free. Check before you go if that's a concern but nevertheless it's always a fun time here. We enjoy it throughly. Have fun and enjoy life.:)

Steak nachos and garlic fries
Tabitha H.

We got these apps while waiting for our concert venue outback to open. The chips weren't soggy and the steak was tender. The garlic fries had a slight kick and we crushed them. The pager to wait for your food was nice so we could sit at the nearby bar while we waited. Would get again.

Victoria D.

Came here for a concert and honestly forgot how much there is to do at Waterside. The space is huge and super open, which made it really easy to move around, grab drinks, and still have a great view of the stage. There was plenty of room to dance without feeling cramped, even as the crowd grew throughout the night. One thing I really liked is that there are bars set up all around the venue, so you're never waiting too long for a drink. It keeps the flow of the night going instead of everyone crowding into one area. The energy during the show was great, lively but still organized, and security and staff seemed on top of things without being overbearing. It's also nice that you're not limited to just the concert. You can easily turn it into a whole night out with all the dining and bar options inside. We walked past spots like Blue Moon Taphouse, The Fudgery, PBR Norfolk, and Stripers Waterside, which made it feel more like an entertainment district than just a single venue. There are options for everything from quick bites to sit-down meals, so you can easily grab food before or after a show. I'd say this is a great spot for live shows, sports watch parties, and festivals. The layout makes a big difference. It's spacious, easy to navigate, and a fun atmosphere that feels lively without being chaotic. Definitely recommend coming early, grabbing a drink, and exploring a bit before the event starts.

Michelle F.

Great spot along the waterfront to dine, relax, and do some people watching. The area is easily accessible from the downtown hotel area and it seems to be safe to just hang out and watch what is going on. I saw a nice little water fountain area with little kids running though the water sports while their parents sat in lounge chairs watching them. There is a large grassy area for a Frisbee game and many places along the boardwalk to stop in and eat. There is a good view of the military ships docked on the bay and even an old time sailboat. There is also a charter tourist boat that is docked at the small marina. It was very enjoyable to take a stroll after dinner.

VIP Section
Zarielle A.

Stopped inside after the outdoor flea market for some drinks before heading to get food. It was a Sunday around 1 pm and there was a decent sized busy crowd inside. We were able to get a couple of seats at the bar which was full all around. I asked the bartender for something fruity, whatever she wanted to do, and she gave me a peach schnapps drink (10/10) don't remember if there was a name for it but it was really good. We also had long islands (9/10) no real complaints. All of the drinks were strong and good, so I'll def come back here for drinks again. I also snapped a photo of the weekly specials menu, gonna try to check all of those out eventually! My overall rate of experience : 9/10

Crab Cakes
Ashley D.

Great food and service! Grayson was so attentive and caring. I was a solo diner. He made me feel comfortable and made a good connection with me giving me. He gave me some great things to choose from on the menu he thought I would like. He was also full of useful information about the area. I've never been here before so looking for great spots to visit. I highly recommend the crab cakes and fresh catch.

Quawnishia M.

Always a good time. No complaints here as long as the bar is open. Love the event schedule and the friendliness of the bar staff. This visit the bartender Michael totally made us a delicious drink off the cuff. It was so delicious. The Ambiance is always as it seems, very lowkey and casual. Can't wait to drop by again.

Shenay L.

Waterside is a whole vibe all by itself. The food options are amazing. I love the fudge kiosk, the samples always make me buy more! They are always some types of events going on so make sure you check out the events calendar online.

Shrimp cocktail and she crab soup
Melissa H.

Excellent food selections and bar variety. Great staff from hostess wait staff and servers. Highly recommended

Juliet H.

Nice spot with great vibes! I stopped in on a Norfolk visit, and the DJ was top tier! I also enjoyed the drinks and nachos from the restaurant in the back right. This is the perfect spot to bring a group, watch the game, catch a vibe, and enjoy a fun Friday night out!

Hysonia making our experience one of a kind!!!!

Me and my family were in attendance for the "Norfolk Waterside Street Food Festival" We were blessed to have "Hysonia" as our outside bartender. Her charismatic personality and passion made our experience special!!! Thank you!!!!!

Southwest bowl

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the friendly and attentive staff, delicious and fresh food, and a lively and welcoming atmosphere.

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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9 years ago

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Ashleigh O.

Thank you so much for your feedback Jeff.

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Ashleigh O.

Thank you for your feed back Creagan. We can't wait to have you back.

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Ashleigh O.

Shari, thank you for your feedback.

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9 years ago

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Glad you could make it Gerta, we appreciate the feedback.

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7 years ago

Great options for food and drinks. Great atmosphere. Put bike racks in front and back. NORFOLK is a bike-friendly city except here.

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9 years ago

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Glad you could make it, we appreciate the feedback Yen.

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Ashleigh O.

Chuck, thanks so much for the review. Please come visit again soon !

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9 years ago

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Thanks for your review, David. We're glad that you found us!

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Page 7 of 9

Waterside District Reviews in Other Languages

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Review Highlights - Waterside District

“My daughter has celiac and Megan went out of her way to make sure everything she ordered was safe.”

Mentioned in 46 reviews

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Blue Moon Taphouse - Korean Bowl with shrimp upgrade

Blue Moon Taphouse

2.5(651 reviews)
0.0 mi
•$$

Oue server Grayson was amazing. He was prompt attentive and courteous. If I had a daughter I would…read moreset them up on a date. The food came out fast was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. We ordered appetizers from the happy hour menu (4-7 m-f). I recommend the buffalo wings they were crispy and perfectly cooked. Spicy tuna bites are a must, and the truffle fries are very good

My husband and I decided to take ferry across the river to check out Waterside and grab a bite. For…read moreSaturday, there were not a lot of options so we landed on Blue Moon Taphouse. I wish I had looked here before spending $138 on food we barely ate and did not enjoy. I ordered a cup of clam chowder. It was okay but I don't think it was homemade. I also ordered the Spicy Queso Crab dip. Holy Cayenne! I love spicy and this was way over the top. All you could taste was the cayenne. We had three bites between us. My husband got the rib eye and it was under cooked. He sent it back to be fired again for a medium vs. rare and it came back to the consistency of leather. I told him to expect that. I knew it would go from one extreme to the next. I added the chopped lettuce wedge and that was okay. It was huge so I couldn't finish it because I got full but how hard is a salad. Overall, I wasted my money. My fault because I failed to check the reviews. The service was mediocre. The guy didn't want to wait on us but clearly enjoyed waiting on the girls across from us. So, eat at your own risk. There has to be better options in the area. Find one!

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Blue Moon Taphouse - Bar area

Bar area

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Baxter's Sports Lounge

Baxter's Sports Lounge

3.0(155 reviews)
0.6 mi
•$$

Any bar that places an automatic 18 percent on booze and food tells you exactly what type of place…read moreit is. And im not talking about a left tab or after a certain time, just automatic. I'm a 20% plus tipper, especially in a bar, charge me 18% then to me that's what you get. Don't decide for me...

I have nothing good to say about this establishment. We've been there twice and both times we were…read morecompletely ignored, not even the bare minimum. The first time we went there our food came out hella slow, one persons food didn't come out until we were practically done, and she had an appetizer. During that time, we couldn't get the waitress to come back to refill our drinks, or take plates away. I had to go up to the bar numerous times to do it myself. Last night was the second time going and it was the same treatment. When we came in, a waitress just walked by and told us to seat ourselves, no greeting. We were only there for drinks, and to watch hockey; easy money, just keep the drinks coming.. but no, we spent the whole time trying to get her attention. When we were ready to pay I tried to ask another waitress to get her for us but she didn't acknowledge me at first either, then said "I'll be with you in a moment" and proceeded to walk off when she was done with the people behind us. We finally got the waitresses attention and she was visibly annoyed by it, and it's not like we were obnoxious.. we waited patiently. We told her we were ready to pay so she just put her machine down on the table, clicked to the pay screen, and walked away to attended to a table. when she came back I asked if we could see the receipt to figure out why the price was so high, she said no, that we had to pay first then we would get a receipt printed. When I asked why it was so high she said there's an automatic 18% tip added.... be so for real lmao! Then, sweetly, she said "you can click 'no tip' if you want." That's diabolical, we were ghosted and then forced to tip.... Can't make this stuff up, hands down worst service ever.

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Baxter's Sports Lounge - Bar

Bar

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Inside area

Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar - Photo from Roger Brown's website: www.rogerbrowns.com

Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar

2.9(395 reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

Pretty good for most…read more.. We have dined here too many times to count and they're pretty decent I would say the food isn't top tier here but the Vibes are always chill. This night in particular, last night, we were there to watch the games playoff season is almost underway... We sat at the bar throughout the night don't recall the name of the bartender but super cool guy had locks and wore glasses he took care of us everything was cool. We ordered the catfish bites they were just okay I remember having them a time before and they were very good but last night not so much we used hot sauce to help them. We ordered the angry Asian wings they were very good so I do recommend you try those and get that flavor. The fries were just okay not my favorite but it is what it is. Parking was no issue we were able to find a parking right on the street so only a short walk to the restaurant and it was pretty packed last night but again the band was on point playing R&B, oldies and Christmas Classics so check them out if you're in the area always a good time. Have fun and enjoy life :)

My first experience here at Roger Browns Restaurant. We were greeted within five mins, but the wait…read morewas about 20 minutes due to the kitchen was backed up and larger parties were finishing up. We decided to wait at the bar for our table. Within 20 mins we were seated at a table and Jada our server came over and took our drink orders, apps, and entree. Now, I just assumed our food would take at least 30 mins. Less than 15 mins our appetizer was out and then our entrees followed. Jada was on point and we missed the live Music on last night but maybe next time.

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Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar
Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar
Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar

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Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese

4.4(1.4k reviews)
0.5 mi
•$$

Every single time I go to The Grilled Cheese Bistro I leave with a fully bell and a smile on my…read moreface!! Located in Downtown Norfolk on Granby street this place is a must eat! Let's talk about my most recent visit. My gf and I went on a Thursday afternoon around Noon. I was expecting more Downtown workers to be out for lunch but after quickly finding parking we walked in and was immediately greeted and sat. We chose to sit at the bar. Our waited gave us menus and the tough choices began. Sangria or Hibiscus Tea, beer or Pear Mimosa!! we got the pear mimosa and the Hibiscus Tea. Didn't get much pear flavor but it was still very good. And babes tea was light and refreshing. For our food I was so overwhelmed in the best way possible. There were so many amazing options it was hard for us to decide. What I did know for sure was that we had to have the Chimmichurri French fries. I know from previous visits that it's a big enough portion for 2 people to share, so we did!!! We finally ordered our sandwiches and decided to share each. I got the Sticky Piggy and gf got the triple threat! see the photos for descriptions. Omg. every single bite was amazing. It was so much that we each had half a sandwich to take home. Clean, friendly staff, great food, lots of choices to customize You must go! We have decided that we are going to work our way through the entire menu and we can't wait!! See you soon GCB!!!

We were lucky to get seats quickly. The location is small so it's quick to fill up. We were greeted…read morequickly and ordered our drinks. I got a bottle of ginger ale. We were at "the bar" so we were in bar stools. Definitely not my preferred seat, I squirmed a lot trying to get comfortable without kicking my neighbor. It was a pretty long wait for our food, as we salivated looking into the kitchen. I will say once we got our food, it was really yummy. My favorite part was the tomato bisque, tasted freshly made. So if you plan on going, definitely plan on waiting but totally worth it or just think ahead and do takeout.

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Grilled Cheese
Grilled Cheese - Sea Salt Fries

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Rosemary Fries

Waterside District - sportsbars - Updated October 2026

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