Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[brikkman]

OK, now we have a significant difference of opinion. I don't know what your idea of "quality" is, but let's hope it's not all about chain restaurants. I prefer an independent steakhouse like Byrd and Baldwin myself. Or places like Big Easy, Empire, Bodegas, Todd Jurich's, Sirena's, Vintage Kitchen, 456 Fish, Monastery, Freeason Abbey, Omar's Carriage House. I'm not mentioning everything downtown, just the ones I believe are consistently good. And there are many others. The problem is that people around here apparently have such an inferiority complex that they need to criticize everything while it's here and then lament and complain when they are gone. I have a real problem with that kind of attitude. Please don't take your frustrations out on the many fine businesses we have DT: the places that deserve our support. Life isn't that black or white.

Hey, I was going to ask the forum so I'm glad you mention it, how is the Big Easy? What type of food do they serve and what is the price point. I have been meaning to try it out, but it looks closed when I drive by, granted I've never been right up to the door.

[jaypee757]

Hey, I was going to ask the forum so I'm glad you mention it, how is the Big Easy? What type of food do they serve and what is the price point. I have been meaning to try it out, but it looks closed when I drive by, granted I've never been right up to the door.

The Big Easy is great! We went for a company party at Christmas and I managed to try about 5 different dishes (we love sharing!) There was not one item I didn't absolutely love. It can be a bit noisy, so if you want privacy ask for the private room in the back - I think it seats 12-15 people. Prices really weren't that bad and you can check out their menu online.

[Telmnstr]

Downtown Norfolk's Granby Street has been called "Restaurant Row" because of all the restaurants in operation. But in the last few years many have shut down. Recently, though, there has been some new activity:

It's like 4 people have all the restaurants in downtown Norfolk.

[Telmnstr]

Well we frequently go to Granby Street Pizza, Kincaid's, Chili's, and Tropical Smoothie.. but I mean really other then that... what else is there?

Sat/Sun on Granby, lots of stuff can be closed at lunchtime. Don't forget many restaurants are closed on Mondays (some sort of tradition thing.)

Recently friends and myself have been trying to go to places we've never been. Had never been to the Velvet Lounge until the other night. Keep trying to go to Fahrenheit but we keep going on Monday nights and it's closed.

The Vinyard place is great for lunch, but dinner looks pretty expensive so will stick to it for lunch.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Telmnstr

[Telmnstr]

Hey, I was going to ask the forum so I'm glad you mention it, how is the Big Easy? What type of food do they serve and what is the price point. I have been meaning to try it out, but it looks closed when I drive by, granted I've never been right up to the door.

Cajun I believe. I've heard it's good, it's one of those I haven't been to yet.

Went to Byrd and Baldwin one night. It was okay I guess, but it didn't really stand out that much to me.

[Telmnstr]

The walls at the Walls gallery are lookin' blank. It might be gone.

[mikeas]

The Big Easy is New Orleans Cajun. I've only had crab legs and wings from the basement bar but the place has a nice atmostphere and the food prices are reasonable. There aren't a whole lot of places in Norfolk where you can say "basement bar" so make sure you check it out.

[varider]

Downtown:

456 Fish is excellent. I believe they open at 5 except for Sundays when they have a brunch.

Trilogy has amazing food but is a bit too expensive for me.

Kebab Shack - Not a fancy place but the food is great. The hummus is the best I've had.

Freemason Abbey - Consistently good and not overly expensive or fancy.

Rama Garden Thai - This place is great and the prices are very fair. I don't know why its never busy.

Domo Sushi - People either love or hate this place. Its the best Sushi I've had in my life and I've run into several musicians from the Norva that look forward to eating there every time they are in town.

Ghent:

A.W. Shucks (22nd St) - Don't let the outside of this place or the tattooed wait staff scare you off. This place will become your favorite seafood restaurant after one visit.

Pasha Mezze (22nd St) - Very unique food, you wont see these menu items anywhere else in HR.

Taphouse (21st St) - Large microbrew selection and surprisingly good food. The Fish and Chips and the Burgers are the best here.

Doumars (Monticello) - Its nothing special but it hasn't changed in years. Get a limeaid and ice cream on a waffle cone made on the worlds first ice cream cone machine. (Food Channel http://www.youtube.c...?v=ZG-GyIZdWmg)

Thanks, I've only been to two (Freemason Abbey & Doumars).. But I'm going to go on an anti-chain strike & try all of these.. I'll share my reviews .

Also, the Food network guy said NorFOLK.

[brikkman]

Doumars (Monticello) - Its nothing special but it hasn't changed in years. Get a limeaid and ice cream on a waffle cone made on the worlds first ice cream cone machine. (Food Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG-GyIZdWmg)

Man, I'm excited to hear that and I seen the video you provided. See that's the type of stuff this city needs to prop up. I've never known that, just hearing and knowing that makes me want to spend my money there now. I've never been to the place, maybe once, but i will now knowing it has that kind of history. That should be a landmark for Norfolk now, why doesn't ever citizen know about this. Man, we suck big time. Out of all the stuff we talk about lost history and the little bit of history left, no one has mention this before and this is the very thing we need to promote and be proud of it.

I'm in WOW right now. REAL HISTORY that is alive and popping....!!!!

We all need to support this place.

[varider]

I thought everyone and their momma has heard of Doumar's?

[usermel]

Doumar's is the greatest. We are blessed to have a place with its history and good food here and its tradition. Good points about supporting it more. L.G.N.M

Edited May 12, 2010 by usermel

[timothyp_787]

Ghent:

A.W. Shucks (22nd St) - Don't let the outside of this place or the tattooed wait staff scare you off. This place will become your favorite seafood restaurant after one visit.

Fairly extensive beer selection, too.

Doumars (Monticello) - Its nothing special but it hasn't changed in years.

It's special because it hasn't changed in years. It hasn't changed in DECADES.

[stillill]

AW Shuck's also serves Norfolk's own microbrew, O'Connor's. The same guys own Tortilla West, which is one of my favorite Norfolk restaurants.

[brikkman]

I thought everyone and their momma has heard of Doumar's?

Heard of it, know where it is, just didn't know the history it. Grew up a few blocks from it.

[VAGATOR]

Screw chains, support your local restaurants and businesses. I will also personally vouch for Taphouse, Big Easy, and A.W Shucks, which I think has some of the best sea food and oysters in area.

[Telmnstr]

Doumars is kinda overrated, might as well go to Dog N Burger in ghent, burger should be a bit better.

Cogans Pizza (also has lots of beers)

Snappers (cheap lunch deals)

The Vineyard (cheap lunch deals, good food)

Hells Kitchen

The New Belmont

Machismo

The mongolian BBQ in waterside

Famous Uncle Als (cheap lunch, I frequent, no stalkers)(Bkfst/Lnch only)

Empire (only been twice but the food was gooood!)

Places I used to go more but have fallen back on:

Havanas (prices crept up)

[mikeas]

Bootleggers is supposed to open next Friday. I took a peak in the door the other night and its pretty much ready to go. It's definitely going to be a country bar...

Backstage Rock Lounge is open and kicking. After the Beer festival the place was slammed with a rowdy but happy crowd. They have the best happy hour drink prices I have seen downtown: $1 domestic beers and $1 well drinks until 9PM Monday through Saturday. They have changed the place up a bit inside. The stage is much larger and one of the loft areas (above the pool tables) is now a dance floor rather than dinner seating. They had a DJ up there while the band was playing at the main bar.

Edited May 17, 2010 by mikeas

[brikkman]

Went to the Big Easy Friday, very very nice place. Did not know we even had places like that here. Food was pretty good too. I can't eat 90 percent of what's on the menu (not a seafood guy), but the chicken and red beans and rice were good. The place has exposed brick which I love and you have a since of culture in there. It made me feel like I was not in Norfolk, if you haven't tried it, you should.

[mikeas]

The owner of Havanna's told me they are turning the former Indra Lounge and Club Seven into an after hours club. I'll believe it when I see it since I've heard several other proposals for the place over the past year. (Country Bar, Burlesque Club, Strip Club...)

[brikkman]

The owner of Havanna's told me they are turning the former Indra Lounge and Club Seven into an after hours club. I'll believe it when I see it since I've heard several other proposals for the place over the past year. (Country Bar, Burlesque Club, Strip Club...)

Seems like a lot of space for an after hours club. I'm surprised someone has not done something with the place as of it. There are not too many buildings like that on granby that has that sort of style.

[Telmnstr]

Went to the Big Easy Friday, very very nice place. Did not know we even had places like that here. Food was pretty good too. I can't eat 90 percent of what's on the menu (not a seafood guy), but the chicken and red beans and rice were good. The place has exposed brick which I love and you have a since of culture in there. It made me feel like I was not in Norfolk, if you haven't tried it, you should.

I haven't had it yet but heard it was good. I think the place used to be Club Soda. It is owned by the same person that owns Byrd and Baldwin Bros steakhouse (across the street) as well as some other restaurants.

[Telmnstr]

Seems like a lot of space for an after hours club. I'm surprised someone has not done something with the place as of it. There are not too many buildings like that on granby that has that sort of style.

Tom Arney who bought Havanas bought out the space that used to be Club 7s and was said to be turning it into a gentleman's club.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/05/no-go-gogo-bar-norfolk

More recent:

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/08/former-gogo-bar-owner-plans-granby-venue-dancers

(That news dropped right as the city revoked ability for the Waterside bars to serve alcohol. Now it's been revealed that that was most likely to shut down various clubs that cater to the urban crowd and drive that business to Palace on Plume.)

[BFG]

Many people's perception of downtown Norfolk comes from what they know from decades ago or see solely on the news. It's a very narrow-minded belief that they refuse to let go of.

My job deals with the media, and every so often, we get calls from a lady who has nothing else better to do lives near Oceana and is about as out of touch with reality as you can be. She is anti-light rail and said she refuses to go to Norfolk because she wants to avoid the crime there. For what it's worth, she also complains about Oceana jet noise, which makes me wonder about her, considering the base is older than she is!

There were three shootings in downtown Norfolk last year. One was from a fender-bender in the parking garage that escalated into a fight (the guy who fired the gun claimed self-defense, not sure if that held up). A second shooting started from a fight in a club. Only the third shooting was a random robbery. Unfortunately, people like to use that as reasons never to go downtown, when all three can, and HAVE, happened in every single city in Hampton Roads. It's part of the lack of unity issue that plagues this area.

[brikkman]

Many people's perception of downtown Norfolk comes from what they know from decades ago or see solely on the news. It's a very narrow-minded belief that they refuse to let go of.

My job deals with the media, and every so often, we get calls from a lady who has nothing else better to do lives near Oceana and is about as out of touch with reality as you can be. She is anti-light rail and said she refuses to go to Norfolk because she wants to avoid the crime there. For what it's worth, she also complains about Oceana jet noise, which makes me wonder about her, considering the base is older than she is!

There were three shootings in downtown Norfolk last year. One was from a fender-bender in the parking garage that escalated into a fight (the guy who fired the gun claimed self-defense, not sure if that held up). A second shooting started from a fight in a club. Only the third shooting was a random robbery. Unfortunately, people like to use that as reasons never to go downtown, when all three can, and HAVE, happened in every single city in Hampton Roads. It's part of the lack of unity issue that plagues this area.

Thanks for pointing that out, I feel the same exact way.

Also, I knew it wasn't that many shootings in DT, but people kept wanting to blow it up.

[mikeas]

Also about those shootings: the cases were solved very quickly. The first shooting suspect was arrested on the spot in the Waterside parking garage. The second shooting suspect was fatally shot by a police officer directly after. I believe the third incident was caught on security camera and arrests were made shortly after.

Concerning Restaraunts:

I drove by The Three Way Cafe, it looks like its ready to open any time.

Work continues on the Palace on Plume club. They must be putting some serious money into this place.

Also Mom's Kitchen on Main St is now the Brick House Diner. The logo on the window looks a lot like the one in Richmond so maybe they have opened a second location in Norfolk.