22 Best Cocktail Bars in Norfolk

“It was so cool to step back into Crudo after the fire. I was here the night before it happened. They’ve done an amazing job rebuilding and building a new crew. The new vibe is so warm and welcoming. Crudo has been my favorite place in Ghent for years and hopefully many more. The service we had last night was fantastic. So happy to be back and taste the manchego and honey again in one of my favorite places.“

“Omg where do I start!!! Me and my wife came Friday the 16th!! We didn’t have a reservation and I promise you I suggest making one especially on I house guess the weekend. We decided to sit at the bar instead of a window seat I also let the host know if someone cancels or if a Hi top come available please let us know. After 2 cocktails in which was amazing we got lucky got a seat! All you could see was the kitchen door flying open lol as the waitresses was bringing dishes I mean we only do fine dining when we eat out but I honestly wasn’t expecting something at this caliber seriously, you know we eat alot of places and sometimes the food just doesn’t be seasoned the way you expected especially if its plated nicely. Because it’s true we eat with our eyes first! But let me tell you!!! Goddd KISS THE CHEF!! The Owner, Owners whoever lol because every aspect was on point from service to atmosphere it really was unbelievable! I felt like I was in a major city!! Miami especially because I’ve had the oxtail lasagna there so I advised my wife to get that and I got the 37oz Tomahawk for 2 top with crab meat lol I love a good steak seriously. We didn’t get any appetizers because I wanted to save my appetite and my mental was in my pocket lol if you know what I mean but a $100 for a tomahawk with roasted potatoes it was no way I wasn’t gonna have that for dinner and some left for breakfast with cheese eggs in the morning lol Now when my steak came out! I ordered medium in which I expected to see pink because medium requires pink and who orders a well done steak anyway??? I mean it was cooked and seasoned to perfection with roasted potatoes and onions OMG I’M GOING BACK THERE!! Soon!! I taste my wife oxtail lasagna because she just kept saying how much better it tasted here lol so I did and she wasn’t exaggerating I mean the pasta sauce was sweet with garlic Omg how did they make a sauce that good and it had tomato chunks in it not the big crazy chunks but just perfect everything was PERFECT THIS PLACE DESERVES A MICHELIN⭐️ if thats possible in this area Ive ate in numerous countries because of my military background but this place is one for the books!!“

“Amazing food and people!“

“This is by far the best restuarant in Norfolk. Chef Ticha is a magician with food. The prawns were the best I have ever had in the USA. All the Food prepared and presented beautifully. I come here without exception when I’m in Norfolk. The bartenders are fabulous as well and create some fabulous cocktails.“

“Great people, food, atmosphere and affordable. I love the blueberry coffee by the way ❤️“

“Attended soft opening today. Ate at the bar. Food was great. Menu is filled with a great variety. Staff was well trained. Looking forward to trying more Menu items.“

“Went 2 - 3 times last year. Good food and good service. I'd love to get their salsa receipe though. I enjoyed it a lot better than most.“

“We were in town for the night and a friend told us a out this place. OH MY I am so glad we went. Its a plate of big flavor. My husband had the chicken I had the filet..We talked to the chef after, very impressed and alot of experience under his belt. Wow is all I can say. We wish this place the best of luck“

“The atmosphere and people are so welcoming and the coffee is perfect! The food is delicious as well. Super cool place I will support any day of the week“

“Friendly, knowledgeable staff. killer drinks, and great food. hats off .. 🤙“

“Hands down the best margarita I ever had and the food was really delicious also !“

“Went with a friend for the first time Friday night. Service was great, the staff was friendly and the blueberry lime drop was delicious. We ordered appetizers and our meals. Appetizer came out hot, when our food arrived , I order the ribeye wasnt given a ribeye and it was warm not hot ended up taking most of our food to do. They might wanna change it to steak and not lie about it being a ribeye.“

“I just want to thank the manager and staff for my birthday experience last night. We got there after harbor fest and the kitchen was closed but they were nice enough to go shuck oysters for me for my birthday . It was definitely appreciated thank you guys Saltine“

“We couldn’t have imagined a better venue than The Harbor Club at Waterside for our wedding. We hosted our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception there, and it was truly perfect from start to finish. For anyone from Norfolk, there is something incredibly sentimental about Waterside, and The Harbor Club captures that feeling while also being absolutely stunning. The space itself is beautiful and unique for a non-traditional wedding location, and the large balcony overlooking the Elizabeth River offers breathtaking views that make the venue feel extra special.

The location in Downtown Norfolk truly cannot be beat, especially for out-of-town guests. We reserved hotel blocks at nearby hotels, and the majority of our guests were able to walk to the wedding, which made the entire day feel easy and relaxed. We also reserved the small lot beside Waterside for the afternoon and evening of our wedding, which we highly recommend. It created additional ease for local guests and removed any stress around parking.

We used the inside of The Harbor Club for both our ceremony and reception, with cocktail hour held outside on the balcony. With 110 guests, the space was the perfect size. Everything flowed naturally, and guests had easy access to restrooms that were closed to the public, which was a huge plus. During cocktail hour, we were lucky to experience an incredible sunset filled with pinks and purples, creating an unforgettable backdrop over the river and some truly stunning photos.

In addition to the location, the staff at The Harbor Club were a major highlight. Jenn, the Private Events Sales Manager, was our main point of contact and was absolutely wonderful to work with. From the beginning, she communicated clearly and made it easy to trust her and her team. She was incredibly familiar with our other vendors, which made the entire planning process feel seamless. Jenn always made us feel supported and heard and patiently answered our many questions, especially as we worked to narrow down all of the amazing menu options. She was also incredibly personable and a joy to work with.

We also worked with Dishon during our tasting and on the wedding day. He was calm, professional, and kept everything running smoothly behind the scenes. On the day of our wedding, we had the pleasure of interacting with the Harbor Club bartenders, servers, and head chef as well, and it is truly not an exaggeration to say that every single one of them made us and our guests feel special. They treated everyone with enthusiasm, respect, and kindness. We only wish we had written down everyone’s names so we could recognize them individually!

Our guests raved about the venue, the food, and the drinks, and we could not agree more. We are so grateful to have celebrated our wedding at The Harbor Club and would wholeheartedly recommend it to any couple looking for a beautiful, meaningful, and well-run venue in Norfolk!“

“06/10/05I had a blast at this bar. Go during a car race. They give drinks for crashes. I asked for a menu in this place, they gave me a pizza shop that would drop off. The balls on these people.So much fun. Be respectful and you will have fun.“

“Great food, great service didn't have a long wait for food to arrive. Food portions were generous! Overall it was a pleasant dinner.
Thanks for the spectacular service. Even my grandson (10) remarked that we needed to leave a review. Now that's saying something.“

“I’ve eaten meat longer than I haven’t. I’ve also cooked professionally for decades. Trust me when I say, Alkaline’s vegetarian ramen is some of the best I’ve ever had PERIOD. The broth is straight up magical!“

“Amazing dinner. Great price.“

“I don’t know which is better…the amazing authentic espresso martinis or live music. The appetizers aren’t too shabby either. Can’t wait to come back for dinner.“

“A nice restaurant with very good ambiance. The food is top tier. The service... even better. My personal favorites are the bowls and burgers along with the fries. Whether youre going out alone, with friends or on a date this is an ideal spot. The manager Jo, amongst other staff, really makes the experience worthwhile.“

“Shout out to Yummo Bucko! A party of 4 we all spent close to $100, please know a 15% gratutity is added to each person no matter the size of group. This place will fill up fast (small and quaint), opens at noon on Sunday. I checked online to see if reservations could be set up and didnt see where that was an option, upon entering we were asked if we had a reservation. Even though we didnt we were told to select wherever we wanted to sit.

Food ordered: Sampler - grits where stiff and saudage links appeared and tasted as if straight out of (brown & serve box)

Fried shrimp - seasoned well and fried perfect

Eggs Benedict (2x) - one with fried, one scrambled it comes with two crab cakes and 2 lamb chops (lamb chops were supposed to be grilled medium well. Lamb chops was a new born baby lamb chop and so tough to bite)

Side order of original French Toast - ( one piece of bread cut in half $6.00)

Lamb chop brunch meal - comes with 3 lamb chops, smothered in brown gravy (I missed that part on the menu, I just wanted med well grilled lamb chops which came out the same as above. The menu stated mashed potates came with; however received cheesy grits with lobster meat. NO on the grits and the lobster was OK).

Lemon Pepper wings to go - brought order out and gave to the wrong person with no bag, just plopped down and walked away.

4 Mimosas which was ok.

Will we try this place again??? - Possibly on another day, just not BRUNCH.“

“Discovered this hidden gem back in April and now it’s my go to stop for strawberry margaritas and crab spinach dip. The ambience is nice and always accompanied with R&B music. I don’t like that it has dim lighting and appears dark all the time but it’s relaxing. I always sit at the bar when I visit and it’s during happy hour or late in the evening, never crowded. However, I did celebrate my grandfather birthday dinner here in August and they were accommodating for my large family. If you’re looking for a chill spot for drinks and food highly recommend this place.

Parking: Located on Granby Street depending on traffic and time of day can be difficult to find parking close by. However there is street parking and paid parking available.“