

Waterman’s Surfside Grille captures a slice of coastal living for the true flavor of Virginia Beach! Family owned and operated since 1981, Waterman’s serves only the freshest seafood, steaks, and ribs. Serving lunch and dinner daily, and brunch on Sundays, we offer indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the ocean, as well as a patio boardwalk bar. It’s not a trip to Waterman’s without a taste of our signature She Crab Soup and Original Orange Crush cocktail!
Landmarked cottage serving Chesapeake seafood & grill fare amid black & white photos & beach views.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 415 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Phone: (757) 428-3644
Website: http://www.watermans.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: toasttab.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Waterman’s Surfside Grille | Virginia Beach
Waterman’s Surfside Grille | Visit Virginia Beach
Waterman’s Surfside Grille (@watermansvb) – Instagram
Reviews
Pulled into the parking lot and was greeted by a valet who handed me the ticket for collecting our car.
Walked inside and was immediately greeted and seated. We wanted to set in the covered outside seating so we could watch the surf coming in.
Ordered a Filet Oscar and the Ultimate Just Seafood.
Food came out within 10 minutes. Everything was hot, fresh and pleasing to the eye. The taste was very good.
Had a good dining experience and come on in if you’re hungry for some fresh seafood while in the area. Thank you.
I’ll tell you I don’t even like seafood in general. But the She Crab Soup was to die for!!!! They made a permanent fan, and every time we come to the beach we will be going there at least one of the seven days for dinner or lunch it won’t matter which.
Cute little gift store. Some things are affordable. Some things are you better have some money but either way worth a visit, very cute unique gifts. A couple of baskets of on sale t shirts, 15$. They have very adorable bracelets by the register for 5 dollars pretty unique.
The other under special events was they have a trivia night. It being october, it is halloween themed. Did not participate.
Overall, I’d place Waterman’s Surfside Grille in the 2.5 to 3-star range, depending on expectations.
The Good:
Let’s start with the positives. Our server was top-notch—attentive, personable, and clearly enjoyed what he was doing. Drinks stayed full, questions were answered without hesitation, and check-ins were frequent but never overbearing. That level of service really stood out. He made us laugh and we enjoyed our encounters with him.
The host team at the front door was friendly and professional. Nothing extraordinary, but they were organized and had things under control.
The atmosphere was eclectic and kind of neat. The place was very busy, which is usually a good sign and definitely added to the energy.
The Food (Where It Gets Mixed):
We started with the “She Crab Soup”, which is advertised as a signature bisque with lump crab meat. Flavor-wise, it was very good—rich and tasty—but surprisingly light on actual crab. We found maybe one mediocre piece of crab, which was a letdown given the description. Great flavor, just wished there was more crab throughout.
I ordered the “fried seafood platter” with white fish, sea scallops, jumbo shrimp, crab cakes, hush puppies, fries, coleslaw, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce.
• The fish was excellent—crispy outside, moist inside, and well cooked.
• The scallops were just slightly undercooked with a kiss of translucence in the center.
• The jumbo shrimp were overcooked and rubbery.
• The crab cakes were okay, nothing memorable.
• The tartar sauce was underwhelming.
Overall, the food gave off a bit of an “upscale fast-food” feel—by upscale, I mean some components didn’t seem frozen, but it still lacked the refinement I expected from an oceanfront seafood restaurant. Being right on the beach, I honestly hoped for more.
My wife ordered a “just seafood” dish and experienced the same issue: the shrimp were overcooked and rubbery. Her vegetables were overly soft, and the potatoes were unimpressive—almost paste-like in texture.
Cocktails:
We ordered cocktails as well. My wife chose one of their signature drinks, which met her expectations. I went with a classic Old Fashioned, but what arrived was their own “signature” version instead. It appeared to be a pre-mixed cocktail poured over tiny ice cubes—almost Sonic-style ice—which quickly diluted the drink. It tasted fine, but it wasn’t the classic Old Fashioned I expected with a proper cherry, orange peel, bitters, and sugar cube. Not bad—just unexpected.
Parking:
Parking is worth mentioning. There was no available street parking near the restaurant, and the spots directly out front were valet-only. We ended up parking down the street in public access parking, so plan accordingly.
Would We Return?
If we’re in the area again, probably—but it wouldn’t be our first choice. Now that we know what to expect, it could work if nothing else nearby is appealing. That said, I’d be more inclined to try a different restaurant before returning.