Drift Seafood + Bar

Awesome food right on the beach! Can't beat the Sunday dinners served family style. Really great chef and awesome views!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I had an excellent experience at Drift. I loved the waterfront location, modern ambience. I really liked the upscale offerings and truly enjoyed the rockfish, and blackened scallops. I also loved the the Southern Charm Salad and the cornbread. That being said you just cannot beat the atmosphere and views. The service was also great. 10 out of 10 I would highly recommend Drift.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Southern Charm Salad

One of the best experiences my wife and I have had at a restaurant in years! Sandy took great care of us!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We sat on the porch for dinner, and it was such a beautiful view to enjoy with our meal. I wish I could’ve eaten more - everything we tried was delicious!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Just had the absolutely perfect “Crab Cakes Benedict” at Drift. The portion was appropriate for Ren (my dog) and I to share. Eggs were poached to perfection. English Muffin was toasted and buttered before assembly. Hollandaise Sauce was true…not just gravy! And the Bloody Mary was tall, cold, and 🌶️ spicy. Well done, Robyn!

Here’s a rewritten version of the review:

Let’s start with the positives. The restaurant is beautifully designed, with a great bar and impressive drinks (my husband really enjoyed the oyster cocktail). It has the potential to offer a great atmosphere. Unfortunately, that’s where the good experience ended.

The service was incredibly slow, despite the fact that there were only two couples at the bar and one table occupied when we arrived at 7 PM on a Saturday night. We placed our order around 7:15 PM, but by 9 PM, only two out of the six items we ordered had arrived. We eventually had to ask for some of the missing items to be removed from the bill because they never showed up.

When I asked our server if slow service was normal, she just shrugged and said, “Oh, it’s the slow season.” I was baffled—what does that even mean? It also seemed like there was no one in charge, with no sight of the owner or executive chef anywhere.

To top it off, the prices were outrageously high. $25 for a basic burger that wasn’t even Wagyu or Kobe—just local Virginia beef. And to charge an extra $3 for cheese? This isn’t DC, it’s a small beach town where the prices should reflect the local market.

This place could be a fantastic addition to Colonial Beach, and they have the potential to build a loyal local following, but they need to address their service and pricing issues if they want to succeed.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 1

Amazing beach view, beautiful restaurant space, and delicious food. It was a wonderful experience, and I would highly recommend this place if you'd like gourmet food in an elevated setting.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ate here for brunch and then again for dinner. The food, service and view at lunch were incredible and brought us back for dinner. Derek was the perfect server for us and had great recommendations to navigate our food allergies. I got the Jonny Cakes(gluten free), and they made a side of grits when I needed more food.
For dinner the experience was different, service was much slower, and the food was good but everything was coated in spice which caught us off guard. Although enjoyable for some if you don't like spicy food dinner is a bit less palatable. They helped me find something Dairy free for my son to eat and helped me find an appetizer and entree that was Celiac safe(Gluten free). They brought out a free dessert for my birthday which was excellent and very kind.
So to summarize I would HIGHLY recommend this place for brunch but I would be hesitant to go back for dinner.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 3

Overall experience was not acceptable!! We waited over 15 minutes to have someone ask us about drinks. It took over 45 minutes to get our food. My hamburger (ordered medium) was well done and my husband’s food came out 15 minutes later. No one there seemed to know what the heck was going on…. The only positive was that we were able to eat with our dog outside.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 1

My visit to Drift was amazing! I love the food and can tell the menu is well thought out. The decor is beautiful and comfy. The food tasted fresh and delicious! Its a neat concept to have a fun place connected and just a short walk from our airbnb. We will definitely be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Was in the neighborhood for a Bachelorette weekend. We came to this spot every night! Loved the atmosphere and the staff was super accommodating. We will most definitely be back!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Crab Cakes

Drift Seafood & Bar in Virginia offers an exceptional dining experience, combining fresh coastal cuisine with a warm, inviting atmosphere. The seafood is outstanding, from fresh oysters to their signature blackened acallops, all prepared with top-quality ingredients. Head Chef deserves special recognition for there creativity, delivering innovative dishes that highlight seasonal flavors. The attentive staff and well-curated cocktails and wine list further enhance the experience. For an elegant yet relaxed seafood dining experience, Drift is a must-visit in Virginia!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Hands down the BEST experience we’ve had that hit all the marks: location is A1, the food was AMAZING, capped off by a knowledgable and personable staff who provided top notch customer service. Looking forward to our next visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Pizza, Shrimp and Grits, Cake with Strawberries, Pastry Board, French Empress, Crab Cakes, Yogurt with Granola, Poutine, Field Peas, Eggs Benedict, Southern Charm Salad

We finally got to go to Drift Friday September 20th. Unfortunately it was disappointing. The positives: good service and good atmosphere. It’s a lovely place. Negatives: the food. Appetizers: black bean hummus, salt and pepper squid, raw oysters. The hummus was very tasty with a unique in a good way flavor (could have used more veggies and bread for dipping ), the oysters good, the squid was kind of bland. My husband had the Drift pizza, the dough was undercooked and chewy and it was kind of soupy. I tried the vegan crab cake. It’s served with uncut whole okra in breading, it was raw and inedible. The crab cake itself is supposed to be made with oyster mushrooms and honestly I saw one small piece. It basically looked and tasted like a black bean burger kind of thing, no seafood taste at all. The dipping sauce was just mayo with enough “seasoning “ to give it color, the old bay butter was so salty it was nauseating. I’m hoping it was just a bad night in the kitchen, but I recommend having someone taste and double check the food coming out.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 4

Went to brunch this past weekend at Drift and it was amazing. The food is clearly made with love. I'll be grubbin' off their regular menu soon as well. Bravo to the owners and staff for providing us locals with such a chill spot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Eggs Benedict