Margie & Ray’s Crabhouse
1240 Sandbridge Rd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23456
Margie & Ray’s Crabhouse Menu
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Address :
1240 Sandbridge Rd
Virginia Beach, VA, 23456 - Phone (757) 716-5204
- Website https://www.margieandrays.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jenifer W.
Like other yelpers, my family and I visited this place based on rave reviews in August 2013... after having been, I was sorely dissapointed, and left to wonder where the hell some of these other reviewers live / eat that THIS should have made their "5" list... frankly, I've had better and fresher seafood at McDonalds. ATMOSPHERE: A shack, converted to a restaurant. Outside, it looks sketchy - inside, just as much so, with the red & white checked table cloths and tables jammed right up next to each other (tip: be prepared to get to know the diners next to you, there butts will be in your faces when they stand up to go to the bathroom :). I loves me a good dive, I do, and sometimes places like these have the absolute best food on the planet. So we sat down, amongst the hoards of tourist crap (here's a tip, clear out some of the T-Shirts and Virginia peanuts, and space your tables better). FOOD: Fishy, rubbery, overfried, and bland. I had great hope for the best She-Crab soup in Tidewater", but like other reviewers I found mine a little like white tar - way, way too floury and thick, and as a result inedible, no matter how hard I tried. Agast at the prices, I though surely it has to get better, and here are the items we ordered: 1) Homemade Crab Cakes - OMG fishy. I don't know where they got these cakes, but it couldn't have been recently or locally sourced because they were long, long past fresh. When I asked for remoulade sauce to drown them, I got the fish-eye from our server, who told me "we don't serve none of that fancy stuff here" (no joke). I looked over at my husbands onion rings to see that he had remoulade with them (though they called it "house sauce" - pointed it out to the indifferent waitress, who brought me some 5 minutes later and plopped it down without a word. 2) Maryland Style Blue Crabs - Bland, tasteless, over breaded and over cooked little crabs, what a waste. It was a bit like eating hot, wet paper towels. "Margie and Ray" should be ashamed of themselves for wasting an incredible opportunity by serving these huge dissapointments. A little pride in quality and preparation would go a long, long way. 3) Kids Chicken Fingers - Way, way too peppery and overbreaded. They were also overcooked, and this trifecta left my poor 4 year old with an empty belly and bad temper. 4) Kids Fried Shrimp - VERY fishy, also too breaded, and way overcooked. See the results above, as they were the same for my 6 year old. Let me just say a few things... just because they're kids doesn't mean they can't taste. Children's willingness to eat often is A HUGE factor in where parents choose to dine out - F the kid's meals, and it's a guarantee the parents won't return... get smarter. SERVICE: B-A-D. The servers were too few in number, and ran from table to table without servicing anyone. See the note on remoulade sauce above for one example. Others included forgetting multiple requests for napkins, drink refills, and we waited almost 15 minutes to get the check after asking twice. Why do people COME here??? VALUE: REALLY poor. The quality of this food was terrible, terrible, terrible, and the prices were way overinflated. I think they get away with it because they're one of the only area restaurants, but if they keep serving slop like this they won't be. Between drinks, food, and soup we paid well over $120 for our dinner, and I left absolutely floored at their audacity. Margie and Ray's motto is "there's only 2 places in Sandbridge to eat - Home or Margie & Rays". Do yourselves a favor, take their advice, and stay home. You'll save a ton of cash, and avoid dashed dreams of good, local seafood.
(1)M V.
We ate at Margie and Ray's after a trip to the refuge and beach. Never been there before but it was crowded for breakfast and full at lunch, so we were hopeful the food would be good. In my husband's words, it was underwhelming. He had the fried fish and scallops with fries and cole slaw. I had the fried fish and shrimp with French fries and cole slaw. My son had the kid's meal of fried shrimp and fries. We ordered an iced tea, lemonade, and water. With tax and tip the meal came to $40+. It was NOT worth it. The food was bland and overcooked. The fish was underseasoned. Had I had my eyes closed, the shrimp could have been mistaken for overcooked calamari. They were rubbery. The scallops were cooked okay, but seasoning was mediocre. The fries were meh. The hush puppies were fine, and the mayo-based cole slaw was okay. Would never go back. For less money, we could make a much better seafood meal at home.
(2)Tara S.
This is a must stop on the way in or out of Sandbridge!! The service was quick and excellent, very friendly staff and the seafood/ country mix on food and atmosphere was amazing!! I got the fried oyster sandwich-----delicious and reasonable prices! I will definitely make this a regular stop whenever in Sandbridge!
(5)Alyson E.
I lived in Virginia Beach all of my life until I turned 25 and then relocated to Hawaii. Ever since I was a kid, we went to Margie and Ray's Crabhouse to eat their steamed blue crabs. My dad is from Baltimore, MD, so needless to say he is very picky about the quality of steamed blue crabs! He was obviously impressed from the first time we went there, and since then it's the only place we went to for crabs. I came back home to visit family and friends a few weeks ago and immediately went there again for some softshell blue crab sandwiches as well as steamed blue crabs. The food was just what I remembered it to be, amazing! The staff working there is honestly hit or miss. The first time I went there the server was not too nice and then when I went back the second time, our server was awesome and super friendly. However, when I went to pay for some merchandise I bought, the lady at the front was super rude. She never smiled or talked to us and seemed like it was a hassle for me to look at different sizes. I hope they improve on the quality of the staff there because it does ruin the overall feel of the place and it's unfortunate with such amazing food they serve.
(5)Kurt A.
4+. We come to Sandbridge for vacation every summer and end up passing this place on our way to Va Beach restaurants. Big mistake. This place is as good or better then the more expensive places in the city or Lynnhaven. The she-crab soup was the best I've had around. The portions, especially for the shared dinners, were huge... bordering on excessive. Tuna was great, shrimp was fresh and delicious. Fried platters included EVERYTHING- shrimp, oysters, scallops, clams, crabcakes, fish fillets, hush puppies and fries. All amazing and fresh. If you're looking for linen napkins and silver settings keep looking. This is friendly and casual with awesome food... And some of the friendliest service I've had. Anywhere. It's like the old-timey favorites....Duck Inn, etc. Friendly, awesome atmosphere, family friendly... with the best fresh seafood you can find.
(4)Tasha B.
Delicious blue crabs!!!! Also had calamari, jumbo shrimp, and onion rings - all were good. Love how the crabs aren't overly seasoned nor too salty Will come again!
(5)A K.
A bit off the beaten path. But worth a visit. Friendly service and has full bar.
(4)J R.
Great food, great choices, very casual, wonderful staff. I try to eat here as much as possible when staying in Sandbridge. Specials are indeed special. Bring the whole family - something for everyone especially if you have fish lovers in the group. She Crab soup, chowders, steam crabs and even breakfast. Get here before 6 and no wait - or not much of a wait.
(4)Sally B.
From the creamy she-crab soup, laced with just the right amount of salt and crab to the crab balls that were more like balls from heaven this meal was one of the best I've ever had! My husband and I split the barrier reef and closed the meal with one of the tastiest, not "too tart" key lime pie slices. I wish we lived closer so we could go every weekend. So delicious! Very casual atmosphere so I recommend wearing loose pants haha:-)
(5)Josh P.
I enjoy a relaxed feel to a restaurant but I had to yell to talk in there. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered the steamed seafood platter for two. The crab and the Cajun pull n peal shrimp were awesome. However, the muscles, clams, and oysters were less than appetizing. I actually would stop here again but only to get that shrimp again.
(3)Gigi G.
Margie & Ray's is a kitschy seafood restaurant that you go to with groups of friends and family to gawk at the amount of the food you just ordered. Almost everything is deep fried so I wasn't really thrilled about that. Typical seadfoody tourist/hole in the wall beachy restaurant. Does that make sense?
(3)Tara M.
This place was awesome. It has a cozy, local ambiance and you get the feeling that a lot of the patrons were regulars. Due to the location, it isn't in a crowded, touristy area. I tried two things while I was there: She Crab Soup and the Hurricane Margie (I also had coffee, which was fine). The She Crab Soup was pretty good - I'm from Maryland, which makes me VERY picky about crab anything. The large soup was a heaping helping that flowed over the sides. It was a tiny bit bland, but still really good (As a Marylander, I'm obligated to say it needed a healthy dose of Old Bay). After a day at the beach, it definitely hit the spot. For an entree, I split the Hurricane Margie (for 2). It was a giant, fried pile of delicious fish. The included french fries were average, but it doesn't matter, because you ordered the platter for the seafood anyway. Even with two healthy appetites, it was enough to be lunch for two the next day. For that, I'd say it was a fair price.
(4)Matt S.
According to their website, there's only two places to eat in Sandbridge--home and Margie & Ray's. If that's the case, then I suggest you stay home. I visited Margie & Ray's a couple of weeks ago while staying at the beach with my wife and our four-month-old, along with both our mothers. We were delighted to see that there was a well-reviewed seafood joint just up the road from the house, but we were disappointed almost as soon as we walked in. We were escorted to the rear of the building to a dimly-lit room with two large, loud televisions and banquet-style chairs and tables. But whatever, we've been in typical beach dives like this and have been pleasantly surprised by the food before, so surely that could happen again. Alas, it did not. All four of us started out with the she-crab soup. I'm sorry, who exactly named this the "best in Tidewater" besides the author of the menu? The only good thing I can say about it is that it had a healthy amount of crab. But that couldn't save it from the disgusting cream base. My cup of soup must have been half flour. Seriously, you could use this stuff to hang wallpaper. I couldn't stomach more than two spoonfuls. I urge the owners to stop by Tarrant's in Richmond to see what a real she-crab soup tastes like. Regardless, I still clung on to hope that our seafood platters would redeem the place. Spoiler: hopes were dashed. We had both the Hurricane Margie (a mountain of fried shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, clams, oysters and fish, accompanied by french fries, hushpuppies and cole slaw) as well as a steamed Tidal Wave (snow crab legs, shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams and broccoli). There were two glaring issues with these piles of ocean fare. First, nearly everything was overcooked. Most of the fried food, the steamed shrimp and steamed crab--all cooked into a disappointing state of rubberiness. It was also completely devoid of the natural sweetness you expect from shrimp, crab and scallops; making me question Margie & Ray's claims of freshness. The fried fish, steamed mussels, clams and oysters were all actually cooked properly, but suffered from the other major issue: lack of basic preparation. Any decent cook can pull the pin-bones out of a filet of fish in a matter of seconds, and it doesn't take that long to rinse bivalves. Nevertheless, expect a mouthful of bones in your fish and sand and grit in your oysters at Margie & Ray's. This is seafood 101 people, I'm not gonna let it slide just because it's a dive. And what's especially insulting to me as a seafood lover is this excuse printed right on the menu: "Margie and Ray's pride themselves in serving fresh fish. Because of this, there is always the possibility of some bones present in the dishes." What they meant to say was "Margie and Ray's cooks are so lazy, they won't take a few extra seconds to ensure your meal meets the most very basic level of quality you might expect." To me this shows a tremendous lack of respect for both their product and their customers. I can at least say that the service was very friendly and helpful; although most of the staff seemed to be hanging out and chatting in the kitchen, which we had a clear view of. If you're staying in Sandbridge, then there's a very good chance you have a full kitchen at your disposal. Use it and save your money (we spent over $100 for the above meal), or at least take the extra ten to fifteen minutes to drive further into shore and enjoy one of the restaurants with actual talent in the kitchen (one of which was even featured on the Food Network!).
(1)Xtal K.
Food was good. Large servings. The server was really polite and attentive. Kindda pricing, but not too bad. Big fly kept circling.
(4)Bobby C.
Location: 2 stars More of a tourist location instead of being convenient to the general Hampton Roads population. Atmosphere: 2 stars Little outdated and a hodge podge of knick-knack decor. Dusty. Service: 3 stars Overall the service was average. Our waitress was friendly to our big party but nothing above and beyond. They seemed ill prepared for a large party. Food: 3 stars There were plenty of options for meals for 2 and tons of variety in the menu. The she-crab soup was good. It was like warm rather than hot :( I added a little Old Bay... it was better than most. Price: 2 stars Everything was at least 10-15% overpriced (which you kind of expect because of the location), but 3 people cost almost $100 without a dessert. Overall: 3 stars... good if you are in the area and hungry. I would'nt make the drive out there specifically to eat at Margie & Ray's Crabhouse.
(3)Jason C.
This place was awesome. I went in expecting to be disappointed like most other overpriced seafood restaurants, but I really wanted seafood. The parking lot was crowded so I figured it would be a long wait, nope. We were seated immediately. The waitress was friendly and efficient. I ordered the choose 3 fried seafood platter with baked potato. The 3 were shrimp, scallops, and fish. All thee were fantastic, I was surprised how good the shrimp was. My wife ordered the sirloin, it too was great. My daughters (both of them) ordered spaghetti, I tasted it and It was good as well. It was a bit pricy (just over $80) , but then again we got steak and seafood. We all left very happy. We will be eating here again.
(4)Lindsey G.
Not recommended for breakfast. Do not know about other meals, but Sunday breakfast/brunch was way less than stellar.
(1)Gm W.
Not a bad place for dinner with the family (kids). The kids' menu has a good selection such as grilled cheese, chicken fingers, hamburger/cheeseburger, etc. During our week of vacation we went twice. The crab cakes were ok and the broiled/baked scallops and shrimp were cooked just right. Overall the meals were tasty and everyone like the food. It can get a little pricy for a local seafood restaurant, but there's not much a choice that close to the beach area.
(3)Chris S.
Just a bit of a stretch towards Sandbridge you'll find Margie & Ray's Crabhouse on your left hand side. The place is a little rough around the edges but its a pretty good seafood restaurant in an area that really needs a good seafood restaurant. This place is usually pretty packed and extremely loud during the summer but I think its worth the wait since you do get your money's worth. As for the food quality, its just okay.
(3)Rob H.
Was it Margie & Rays homemade She Crab Soup or Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup with crab added? Good crab cakes.... the amount of crab was terrific, but there was little spice or flavor. The fried clams were similar to what we order at Long John SIlvers. THe fried oysters we had at Baja in Sandridge were phenomenal compared to the ones we ate here. Their breading is tasteless so it is really just fried food - no creativity or true cooking, probaly just a lot of prep cooks and deel fryers in the kitchen, nothing special. Perhaps for locals who don't have an opportunity to eat out often this is good? Friendly service. Very crowded. Definitely not worth the price in my opinion.
(1)Brandon B.
Food was great and service awesome. We came with 5 kids and got a ton of food. All of it was perfect. The oyster Burger was yummy and so were the fried soft shell crabs.
(5)Rob T.
DO NOT! I repeat DO NOT! forget your wallet! You'll need it, but you'll be happy in the end.
(4)Rick S.
Margie & Ray's is off the beaten path in the Sandbridge section of Va Beach, and is I think the last of our old-style seafood diners that were so common in the Beach in the '60s and '70s. They're not on the water like most of the old ones were, but the shingle-sided and tin-roofed building, the formica-topped tables and the great fried seafood will remind anyone over age 60 of the good old days at the Duck-In or Charlie's. The menu is basic, and includes great fresh-caught fish (flounder is almost always available), homemade She crab soup that is the third-best in town by my calculation, the third best crabcake (great taste and texture, but small), and wonderful fried oysters, scallops and shrimp. Having your food fried will give you the real Beach sensation, but grilled is also available for most items. The available sides are also basic, and most are only average (sadly, even the hush puppies). The menu also includes the usual burgers and sandwiches, but I've never tried them. By far their best deal is the all-you-can-eat seafood for $19.95; the only drawback is that the choices include all the menu items except the crab dishes. So get yourself a cup or bowl of the She crab soup to start, and then dive in! You won't be sorry.
(4)Beth A.
The She Crab soup hit the spot! We will be back for more of that for sure. And the vibe was friendly on such a busy night.
(3)Peter D.
Ordered a bushel of #1 blue crabs steamed and seasoned for pick up. When I arrived I was greeted at the door and the bushel of crabs was ready for me at the counter. I can not comment too much on the service but the manager was not able to explain what tax rate they had after charging me close to $20 in taxes. After arriving at our condo we were surprised to find that the crabs were not all #1 size. There was over 50% of #2 crabs mixed in (#2 crabs are only $90 for a bushel while #1 are $155). I have ordered crabs from many different places in Maryland and Virginia and was very surprised to have a mixed bushel at the #1 price. Only 3 stars will not return for a mixed bushel. Would have been better off paying only 90 for #2 but who knows how tiny those would have been?
(3)Michael C.
We went to Margie & Ray's Crabhouse our first night in Sandbridge Dunes because it was close and received pretty good reviews. To sum it up, everything was "okay at best." Now, to their credit we went at 8pm on a Sunday and they closed at 9. They were out of their Caribbean Roasted Potatoes and Baked Potatoes. I had the Fried Soft Shell Crab which I couldn't taste anything other than the fried taste. Sorry, that's the only way I can describe it at this time. My wife had the Scallop Scampi Pasta. The scallops were cooked nicely and tasted fresh but there was way to much garlic seasoning in the pasta. Also the garlic butter bread had so much butter on it, it was dripping which was gross. If you are staying in Sandbridge Dunes and are afraid VA Beach is to far away, it's not. It's worth another 10-15 minutes to try a different restaurant in my opinion.
(3)Stephanie B.
I was lucky enough to try their steamed shrimp and keylime pie when somebody brought them to our July 4 picnic. The shrimp were just delicious and coated in Old Bay seasoning. They came with cocktail sauce, drawn butter and hollandaise sauce with a side of broccoli and I enjoyed all 3. I would gladly have eaten all the shrimp by myself, they were that good. The keylime pie was good too but was just a touch too sweet for my taste. I've never set foot in the restaurant so I can't comment on the service.
(4)Cathi Y.
Great breakfast and very relaxed atmosphere... The place is much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside so if the parking lot is packed, don't drive by... Go in! I had the Back Bay Omelet with fresh crab meat and fresh spinach... Soooo good! Home fries were amazing too! Don't miss this staple on your way to, or from, Sandbridge Beach... You won't be disappointed!
(4)Marcus C.
Great seafood! Best value is meal for two @ $35. The locals eat here.Will definitely return for another meal
(5)Mo B.
Hush Puppy heaven! Margie & Ray's Crabhouse is a great taste of local seafood. On the side of the two lane stretch that goes to Sandbridge Beach, they are the perfect pit stop for a bite to eat, or to grab a few drinks. When I had my family reunion at a beach house, we all frequented Margie & Ray's. My grandmother, who is a fein for all things crab cake, could not get enough. Warning: this place does southern style seafood; it is not that grilled with lemon but more of a bay seasoning rub down. This place gets packed in the summertime, so get there early if your goal is dinnertime.
(4)S S.
The ambiance is sort of run down fried food crab shack...but OMG I love this place!!! Anytime anyone comes for a visit this is right where we take them!!! Hurricane Margie is perfect for two. We actually get the single portion and share it along with the blue crabs when in season. After all of that you're stuffed!!!! Beers and mixed drinks are poured well and at a very fair price! We bring our son and he loves the grilled cheese. The hush puppies are a group favorite. And you can't review Margie and Rays without mentioning the very best she crab soup in town! Brunch is good and cheap! Check out the AYCE specials in the fall and winter months.
(5)Franco C.
Seafood! Margie & Ray's has been sitting on the side of the road for a loooooong time - and has always been dishing out some very good seafood. We hit it up for lunch because I was craving seafood and hadn't been there in a long time. It is a borderline hole in the wall country-kitchen type of place. No frills seating and the standard nautical decorations set the tone for the food. The menu has all your favorites from the water- and they also have the best she-crab soup around. There is a bar area as well for later in the evening. We hit the bar but to be honest, the girl working that area totally ignored / forgot about us so we wound up grabbing a table instead. We ordered a few things - fried oysters, fried shrimps and some soup - it was all perfectly done. A couple of cold beers later and we rolled out of there happily satiated. Parking front and side.
(3)Lance F.
We had family in town visiting and they wanted to try some seafood. After a few weeks of browsing the yelp reviews of seafood in the area, I decided on Margie and Ray's for two reasons. First, it apppeared to be a casual place that would be good for my kids, who tend to get loud! Second, the menu had a number of non-seafood items that were appealing as a few of us aren't big seafood fans. So, we gave it a try on a Friday night. We arrived at 6 pm and they were on a 45 minute wait. So, we put our name of the list and drove out to the beach for a few minutes. Came back at 6:30 and they were ready for us soon afterward. This place was certainly casual, which we wanted. It was loud, which we like. It meant people were eating, drinking and having fun. As for the food, it was good. We all enjoyed the meal. My folks had crab cakes and scallops. They said the food was nice, though the crab cakes didn't live up to the billing. My wife had pasta with chicken and alfredo sauce, which was very good. The best thing on menu were the hushpuppies. My son ate at least 8 of them. Now, let me get to dessert. I had a piece of peanut butter pie that made me weak in the knees. I actually am debating a trip over there again tonight for some dessert to go. It was great. They had several desserts that sounded great, as well. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and would go back again. If you don't mind the wait, it's worth giving a try.
(4)R. K.
From a local- THE BEST straight up seafood in the area. Nothing fancy, just plenty of food at a decent price. Can handle a crowd, or just a couple.
(5)Richard B.
Atmosphere of Ma's back porch. Plenty of waitstaff. Fast courteous service from a very young cadre of waiters. Had a fried oyster lunch, [two of them had gone deep diving in the fryer leaving only their raincoats behind], but their half dozen friends were perfectly done, hushpuppies were a bit leaden, but they were originally invented as a cheap way to shut up a begging dog, so what does one really expect? Companion had lump crab caesar, and lo and behold there was a modestly generous portion of fresh lump crab atop. Do not pass up the shecrab soup. It had crab in every bite and was definitely worth a return visit. Visited a second time and third time one dinner and a second lunch. May go again before we leave. Every dish thus far including a cardinal sin order, (someone ordering a burger at a fishhouse), was quite good. Prices are quite reasonable and one get's one's fill of whatever one orders.
(4)Lisa D.
I was really looking forward to trying Margie and Ray's after seeing so many great reviews in so many places. I was very underwhelmed after over a 30 minute drive to this place. I went with a family group of 8 at 6 on a Saturday. Place was pretty busy and our service was decent. The food - was nothing to write home about. I was expecting Great food, Great service for Great prices - I was let down on all three criteria. The service was friendly but nothing wonderful. Truly I get nicer service at Chick-fil-a these days. The waitress took our order, brought our food, checked on us once to bring drink refills, then returned with our bill. We were a large enough party to have a guaranteed tip of 18% (I HATE that) and I have a feeling that was a large part of her inattentiveness. The crap soup was good - but I've had just as good elsewhere in the city of VA Beach and Chesapeake. Myself and two others at the table got a pick three platter. I can't speak for them but mine was just so so. I've had worse - I've had MUCH better. Being that it certainly was not inexpensive at $26 I expected much better. I can say with confidence that while our table did not complain or send anything back, we all agreed that we will stick closer to home for a tastier meal next time we desire seafood. Margie and Rays was a THUMBS DOWN all around.
(2)Dana H.
Based on ratings on Yelp, we made the trip down he from VA Beach for dinner. Got here early, so seating was not an issue, but it did have waiting only later when we left. The service was great and fast. The food was very good and we had lots of it, but thought that the steamed shrimp was not as fresh as they should be. I know the NC boats are only down the shore a short ways and the shrimp should have been nearly perfect. The hush puppies were great and we really enjoyed the she crab soup!! Very thick and had plenty of crab meat in it. Lots of locals eating here, so they know the best places to go for seafood.
(4)Gab G.
Great lump crab cake even though we went off season.
(4)Kim M.
If you want the tastiest food around here including the She Crab Soup (some say the best around) and crab stuffed shrimp (I've eaten enough to know and it's seriously good), the hush puppies are pretty darn good too. The staff is super friendly and courteous. Doesn't look like much from outside but it's clean inside. I think it used to be a bait shop. It's a bit of a drive down from the touristy part of Virginia Beach but it's well worth it. Don't drive past, you'll be sorry!!
(5)JJ L.
Excellent! This was my second visit. I started out on the front porch drinking a beer waiting for friends. The Hatteras style clam chowder was delicious. I had the fried seafood platter, Shrimp, Scallops & Oysters and they were excellent. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food. Last time I had the She Crab soup, very thick and flavorful. GO THERE!
(4)Kyle D.
I was on vacation with my family and we saw this place on the way to our condo. It was pretty packed every time we went so we figured it would be at last a decent place. We all shared the she-crab soup , that was delicious, but the environment was terrible, the tables were foldable, and we are from Chicago so the expectancy is high. When we finally got our food we were disappointed. The ribs i had were ok, the hush puppies were hard as a rock, the french fries were soggy. My dads shrimp were small, my dad aid they were pretty good but i could tell he was disappointed too. Not to mention that it was very pricy for the food, i can get better ribs and fries at chicago for a cheaper price! Overall the service as bad but the server was very kind. The food in Virginia Beach has been disappointing the entire trip. I overall would not recommend this restaurant.
(2)Jerry G.
Such a great laid back seafood restaurant. The crowd was fun and relaxed. The service was spectacular. We had the Hurricane and left extremely satisfied and pleased. Prices are very reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food. Beer is cold. Also the restaurant is very kid friendly. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Paul K.
The crab cakes were amazing! Service was good, sweet tea was good. I've lived in Virginia Beach for three years now and I'm glad I heard about this place.
(5)Dennis K.
Took our family here twice for dinner and then breakfast. Best value and quality in the area. The breakfast menu is excellent, especially the omelets and you don't get nailed with the stupid11% local taxes on you meal.
(5)Morris R.
An out of the way little place en route to Sandbridge Beach from the main part of Virginia Beach. Great seafood menu and we tried 4 different dinner dishes: Crab cakes (fried - $16.99); flounder (fried & broiled - $16.99 each); and sampler with crab cake, shrimp, & oysters (fried - $21.99). (All prices before exorbitant Virginia Beach meal tax 10.5%). Service outstanding, drinks good, the broiled flounder excellent, but fried seafood was over cooked. Crab cake recipe great with minimum filler, but all like other selections over-fried. This place is know for steamed crabs and other tables have beautiful crabs to crack. Would not go back for dinner unless the prices are cut by at least 40-60% - for real seafood lover, well overpriced for the quality.
(2)Sig J.
Crab cake sandwich was on store bought hamburger bun. Fish was average. Side salad and onion rings were each additional charge as a side and were average at best. French fries were soggy. Service was below average.
(2)H F.
Great fresh fish, great crabs, great service!!! This is THE PLACE we will go when visiting the Virginia Beach area. My wife found the flounder was the best she had ever had. On one occasion, I had the fried oysters which were great. On another occasion we had the steam crabs. The Steam crabs were so good, it inspired me to start steaming crabs again. We are from Maryland, the "land of seafood".
(4)Gabrielle S.
The only reason this little place is getting two stars is because the people. They are wonderful. As other reviews have said, the crab cakes are awesome. We thought that since they were so busy, it must be really good. BUT... the rest of the food was just reheated frozen food and is very expensive. It came to the table cold. When we asked for it to be hot, it came back the same. However, our only regret is not getting a smoothie called the lava flow. We might be back for that.
(2)Charles T.
We went around 4 pm, The place was humming, a lot of people there. I had the Grilled Atlantic Seafood Platter which had scallops, crab cake and fish. All 3 were good, juicy and well seasoned. The baked potato was also good. The staple of the place tough, the She Crab Soup was not up to par. More cream of soup than anything and it was not served hot. It was 2 portions. The oysters Rockefeller was average at best. The calamari was fresh but over-salty. Rum and coke was very well made.
(3)Molly H.
Last day of Labor Day weekend vacation we stopped in to this mom and pop place. My friend had been before and said it was decent. They had been for dinner and breakfast. Saw the menu for breakfast and it looks decent. We ordered for the table a lump crab appetizer and wasabi crab balls. Both were decent. Wasabi crab balls were definitely warm with spice. I ordered a cup of She Crab soup. It was good. I've had a few variations of she crab soup and this was more along the lines of a New England style clam chowder being a bit thicker and light on the sherry. It was still pretty tasty. Entree I had to order the blue crabs. Baker's half dozen for $19.99. You could also order one for $5. I think this was priced fairly. They were nice sized crabs, steamed and seasoned well. Always fun to work for your dinner. Friends had stuffed flounder, ribeye and pasta special. Everyone was satisfied with their meals. Would I return back here? Definitely. Would love to check out their breakfast as most mom and pop places do this best.
(4)N T.
I got the steamer sampler, and EVERY shell fish on my plate had sand in it. They were so dirty....The only thing edible was the shrimp. Also, our waitress, Kim, wasn't very nice. :( We will not be back.
(1)Bryan M.
Took the family out to Margie & Ray's last night, and had a fantastic dinner. If you are looking for beautiful place settings, linen napkins and tablecloth - go somewhere else. If you are looking to eat great local seafood served to you by a friendly and efficient staff - then this is your place. Two of us had steamed crab legs and they were great. Sweet, and cooked to perfection. My only issue was I ordered 1 lb instead of 2 lbs. I could have eaten so much more. My wife got the crab cake dinner and loved it. All killer, no filler. I tried them and must agree. My mother-in-law got a lump crab/scallop/shrimp skillet and that was excellent. Hush puppies for everyone were as good as advertised. The surprise of the night was mozzarella sticks for our appetizer. They were obviously hand made (not bought in a bag), and were delicious. We got a second order just because... The only somewhat critical comment I will make is the Shrimp Scampi my son had. The shrimp were cooked great. The pasta / sauce had pretty good flavor (could have used a bit more garlic in my opinion), but the dish was swimming in butter sauce. It was way too much, but could easily be corrected. Still a good meal, but I would suggest less sauce in the dish. The only thing I will do different next year on our vacation to Sandbridge is eat at Margie & Rays at least twice. Hope this review was helpful!
(5)Anthony C.
Amazing seafood, especially the SheCrab soup! We had the steamed seafood platter that included crabs, shrimp, oysters clams and mussels. Super filling that we couldn't even finish it all until lunch the next day. We highly recommend stopping by this restaurant! Thanks!
(5)Elizabeth F.
In town visiting friends and they brought us here for Sunday breakfast. I keep seeing "hidden gem" in a number of reviews, and that sums up this place exactly. I could not come to a crab house without ordering something with crab. So I ordered the crab cake benedict for my breakfast. It was well prepared and tasty. DH ordered something called "The Whirlpool" which claims to be a hangover cure. He also decided to get a side order of fried green tomatoes (one of his very favorite things). The Whirlpool was a collection of eggs to order, home fries, sausage gravy, bacon and your choice of bread. It was a lot of food. With the side of tomatoes (at least 5 slices in the order!), he had a tough time finishing everything. Our companions had the country fried steak and a breakfast sandwich on a bagel. They come here often and those are their favorites. Service was attentive and fast. If going for breakfast, go early. It fills up quickly! I look forward to a future trip to the beach and an evening meal here!
(4)Tina W.
Went there for breakfast, had the lump crab meat Benedict, cooked perfectly! Friendly staff, but they were slammed being a Sunday morning. I want to go back for dinner and try some more menu items. There parking lot is always full when we drive by, that is a good sign.
(4)Tommy C.
Great food and service! We got 2 orders of crab legs and a few different platters to go. Service was prompt and the price was fair. The order was ready and accurate when we arrived. When we got back to our condo the food was DELICIOUS! Highly recommended if you're vacationing here. It's our first time to this area and we will definitely be back and Margie and Rays will get our business. Thanks!
(5)Chad N.
I took my wife today for her birthday, long story short the waitress said market price on the crab legs and shrimp was $12.99 lb. Well, bill time it was $12.99 for 1/2 lb. She said she was new and so forth, the manager was a bi@$. She took off the she crab soup and basically said to bad. We will never go back or recommend the place. Also, the crab legs were cold, dry and small. Dairy Fresh has them on sale and they are even bigger. .000001 star if I could.
(1)Jeffrey M.
Our favorite place to eat on the way to or from Sandbridge. They serve a very tasty and well-priced breakfast. Try their lunch specials- you won't be sorry!!!
(5)Kate K.
Margie and Rays is a must if you're vacationing in Sandbridge! It's a cute, quaint roadside restaurant with a friendly staff, quick service and quality seafood. Get there early unless you don't mind waiting 20-30 minutes!
(5)Kirstina C.
This little place is hidden on the way to Sandbridge. I didn't even realize I bookmarked this restaurant until I got here! It literally is on the side of Sandbridge Road all by it's lonesome. It definitely has a beachy feel as soon as you walk in and is almost like a diner. One of the chairs I was sitting on had a rip in it, which isn't too comfortable for people wearing shorts. Our server was very pleasant and attended to us right away. I don't recommend ordering water here unless you're used to the well water. I thought it was just me tasting the salt water, but my boyfriend did too and the server did say that the water wasn't the best at this restaurant. I was hungry, but not too hungry, so my boyfriend and I shared a bowl of she crab soup and half of the Hurricane Margie. I liked their she crab soup, but I wish it was a bit warmer. I'm glad we only ordered half of the Hurricane Margie because it had so much food! I really liked everything on this platter, from the shrimp, clams, scallops, fish, and crabcakes. It also came with French fries, hush puppies, and cole slaw. I liked the food, but I wouldn't necessarily drive out here unless I was at Sandbridge.
(3)Loreto C.
Sat at our table for 20 minutes and I had to ask that someone come serve us. 10 minutes later someone finally showed up. Worst of all, they sent us a rookie waitress. And on top of that, the management didn't stop at the table to apologize for forgetting about us!! I hope the food is better than the service.
(2)Amanda E.
I'm here now and the owner came to my table to talk to me about the crab prices and he refuses to sell a half bushel to us at the table and is charging us $8 more a dozen to eat here. It is the worst customer service I have ever experienced! We have been here for over 30 min and still don't have our drink order. This place is one of the only games in town so I guess they feel like they can treat customers however they like. I will never come back here and do not recommend it to anyone who wants get good food and good service. The food is great but the service down to the ownership leaves much to be desired! I wish I could give less than one star.
(1)B. F.
It is unfortunate this place is the only game in town and what's even more unfortunate is they know it! Aside from a wonderfully hospitable bartender the take out staff was not at all interested in ensuring friendly and adequate service. No plastic ware were in our bags. No ketchup was offered. Food was beyond subpar with our Po boy consisting of stale bread and over cooked fish. No mayo/ lettuce/tomato???? Philly cheese steak did not come with cheese. It was an add on charge??!! Really. Meat was dry and no sign of the promised mushrooms/onions/peppers anywhere. What a joke!
(1)Catherine R.
Stopped to Margie & Rays for lunch after a trip to the aviation museum. The place was packed so I thought a 20 min wait wouldn't be bad but we found a great place to eat right up at the bar with exceptional service and comfort. We started with a cup of their famous clam chowder and it was so good my kid took two bites and I only got the spoon full of broth he left in the bowl. Kid approved for sure. I decided to try the bacon wrapped shrimp/scallops off the appetizer menu as my entree and my husband got a generous fried seafood platter and our little one opted for steak bites. It was all super yummy and nothing went to waste at this place. We will def. be giving it one more go before leaving town as it is a great hot spot. Breakfast next and must try their fried crabs cause everyone was eating em and no one left any food on their plates here.
(4)Amber H.
Big love for Margie and Ray's. The best place to get local seafood in the area. First off huge portions of fresh fish and seafood, second great, friendly staff and third is great prices. This is where is locals eat and there is a reason why it has been in business so long. Wonderful laid back atmosphere and total mom n pop décor make it a perfect place to gather, drink and chow down. Also this is the place to go for she crab soup.....so yummy! So make the drive out but be warned it does fill up quickly so no whining about the wait.
(5)Dale F.
Oh my God, what a hidden gem !!!! The folks in and around Sandbridge sure have a great place for some good seafood. We stopped in on a Tuesday for lunch, good size menu lots of choices reasonable pricing. Wife ordered the steamed sampler platter, shrimp clams, crab legs. I tried the burger topped with lump crabmeat and a scallop lunch platter. All was good, portion sizes good value was excellent. The crab soup had to be one of the best I've had yet, it was so good my wife tried couple spoonfuls of mine she crab soup and ended up ordering her own. The place was very clean and service was fantastic for her place that was so so busy. Will add this to places to list of visit again!!!!
(5)DeLisa T.
Stayed in Sandbridge for the week. Had takeout one night - fried shrimp and scallops. They were very tasty and fresh. Had breakfast Sunday morning - DH had crab omelette was good, but a little heavy on the hollandaise sauce, great potatoes. I had a crab cake and fried green tomatoes. Both were good. Kids had pancakes and French toast that all turned out great. Would return again.
(4)Shannon B.
One of the only places we found to get snow crab legs. First, there was about a 30 minute wait, the hostess was accurate with the time frame. It was worth the wait for us! There was only about 7 or 8 tables. I'm not huge on fried food but we had the buffalo shrimp....EXCELLENT! Bacon wrapped scallops were the only thing I would not order again. Crab was wonderful...Great service as well! We would go back.
(4)Korie K.
My husband and I noticed that the parking for the crabhouse was very full on our way to Back Bay Wildlife Reserve so we came back the next day for breakfast. We both had the lump crab omelet. I got grits and toast, my husband had potatoes and toast. I ordered a child's meal (pancake, scrambled egg and potatoes) for my son and a biscuit with scrambled eggs for my daughter. So first the positives: the crab and spinach in the omelet was fresh and I really enjoyed the grits. My 1 year old also loved the grits, so bonus points there. The toast was decent run of the mill toast and our server was friendly and attentive. The negatives: the food came out too fast. You could tell the cooks weren't super concerned with the food, just getting the order done because the eggs on all of our orders were overcooked and brownish, which I assume was from old butter or oil in the pan. While the contents of my omelet were fresh, the egg itself was sort of dry and tough. My daughter loves eggs but hardly touched hers, preferring my grits and my son also only ate about half and he usually loves eggs. The omelet came with hollandaise sauce, which I'm not a huge fan of but thought I'd try. The taste wasn't too bad, but there was way too much. So, yeah, the negatives outweigh the positives. Nice servers and real crab are all well and good but a cook ought to know how to scramble eggs.
(2)Sharon C.
In the middle of no where. Seafood was very fresh, well-cooked. Service was great. Love it! We will go back again if we are in the area.
(5)Karen B.
We stopped here for lunch after leaving the beach and were pleasantly surprised. The service was great and fast and the food was excellent. One of the best crab cakes I've had outside of Maryland. And the prices were reasonable. Will definitely eat here again.
(5)Jason M.
We stopped here on our way back North after a fun week long vacation on Sandbridge. The restaurant looks small from the outside but they have a lot of seating in there. The food was very good, the atmosphere had a welcome "small town" vibe, and the staff was great. We would eat there again.
(4)Mary C.
We live in North VB and love to ride out to Margie an Rays for lunch. Today's lunch was a real disappointment. The oyster special had grossly overcooked oysters. All that we could taste was breading. We ordered okra which was not available as a substitute so we were told we could order it as a separate veggie - no problem, we ordered it. Little did we know it was the same cost, 6.99 as our entire special meal. It was nothing special - just run of the mill fried okra. Service was fast and friendly. The sweet tea was outstanding.
(2)Brandon R.
Do yourself a favor and get the Shrimp or Scallop Scampi Pasta. Food was very good, a little pricey but they definitely have cheaper options so you're not limited to expensive food. The crab cakes are also REALLY good as well. My review would've been a 5 star if the service was better. I was very polite and friendly but received almost no hospitality from the employees except for one of the hosts. As long as you're not looking for really friendly staff, it's a great seafood restaurant.
(4)Jon S.
Poor service. Two adjacent tables were served food before a waitress even looked at our table. It still took 10 minutes for a waitress to come by after I went and asked for someone to take our order. They are now sitting new people at the adjacent tables and we still don't have our food. Because it is taking so long we asked for the kids food to come out and they said it had to all come at once. Took an hour to get our food after we waited 30 minutes to be seated. I won't be coming here again and won't recommend it to anyone.
(1)Bob M.
Let's just say very disappointed. I had ribs , which I probably shouldn't have ordered at a seafood place, over cooked and hard and very fatty. My wife had a broiled seafood special. Just average and a small portion for the money. My daughter had the half a hurricane, decent amount of food but just average , won't be going back
(2)Very P.
Recently tried this place for the first time and I have to say right off the bat................ Yay! Yay! Yay! I am definitely a fan. My husband and I shared the Barrier Reef Platter and everything on it was delicious. It came out hot and perfectly seasoned. The expectation of good food when spending your hard-earned money is a given, but just as important to me is the atmosphere and the "friendliness" of the staff. From the moment we walked in, sat at the bar and were seated at our table. Everyone was attentive to our needs and extremely friendly. What a great find! Can't wait to go back!
(4)Ken D.
Had some out out of town guests and hearing about this place we decided to try it. What can I say other than outstanding. Great food, great service and reasonably priced. Had the fried oysters and they were great! Tender, fresh and delicious! Will certainly be making a trip back here to try more menu items.... And they have a full bar! Always a plus when eating out. Highly recommended.
(5)Kim B.
I'll preface this by saying that I LOVE seafood. I eat tons of fish, clams, even canned oysters! My absolute favorite, though, is crab legs. I've eaten probably 200 lbs of snow crab in the last 10 years. Getting crab out of shells barely slows me down, and I can usually get every last piece of meat out with minimal effort. Being from Kansas, I was super excited to try some seafood so close to the ocean. I ordered a $44.99 Barrier Reef for 2. Clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and broccoli all had good flavor/dipping sauce (I would give them 4 stars). The pound of snow crab legs was a different story, however. They were so overdone that crab literally needed to be cracked, opened up, and scraped off the side of each individual piece of shell. And I'm talking serious finger nail action--a fork just shredded it. That meat couldn't have been harder to dislodge if it were super-glued in. This was the most painful pound of snow crab I have eaten since I was 7 and my dad said I could start shelling my own crab (and Red Lobster in Kansas had no problem with crab sticking to shells, btw). Anyway, I expected much, much better from Margie and Ray's CRABHOUSE for goodness sake. That was the biggest crab fail I've ever tasted. Including all-you-can-eat buffet crab in the Midwest.
(2)Samantha G.
We went here for a super quick lunch, so therefore I can't fully rate them for what they are known for. BUT we got she - crab soup (very good) and a solid burger. Service was fast and everything tasted great.
(4)Tre' T.
Had the seafood platter. Best I've had yet. So delicious!
(4)Katie A.
Best blue crabs i've ever had and we're from the Baltimore area!!
(5)Ginger G.
The food is good and there is plenty of it, but it is the hospitality and customer service that really makes this place special and fun. We were a large party and tables were moved and accommodations made to fit us in a space where we could be together. Our fun and enthusiasm was encouraged and the staff joined in with the joking and laughing. I'd highly recommend this place for groups.
(5)Jen S.
Amazing seafood! We ordered take out for 15 people...it was fast, correct and amazing!!!
(5)Caroline S.
Food was good. Service was awful. We asked that they bring the children's food out first, and the waitress said no. She never smiled - seemed miserable to be there. Tables that arrived over 30 minutes after we did were served quicker and with a nicer experience, I'm sure. I wouldn't go back purely on my experience with the waitress.
(1)Elizabeth Aaron W.
Just some good ol' boys... M & R's is located in Sandbridge, just a little ways in. It has a old fashioned,backwoods country with a twist of seafood shack feel. Upon arrival, they were busy. People sitting everywhere outside waiting. Mind you it is tourist season and it is Sandbridge. I get it. Luckily we were able to sit down right away @ the bar. I asked for the bartenders recommendation on food. He suggested the crab cakes. $22+ for crab cakes? While we were waiting on our dinner I ordered a frozen strawberry margarita and a bowl of she crab soup which was very tasty. In the meantime, our salads came. Ranch is a PREMADE cups?! Okay I get it, your busy. I like to think I am a ranch connoisseur being from the south and all. Yuck! Crab cakes arrived and were great. Overall good experience, just wasn't wowed....
(3)Maria J.
Had the she crab soup & split the hurricane platter with the hubby. AWESOME!! Nice comfy atmosphere. Will def be visiting again.
(5)Matt M.
I was a little disappointed eating here today after reading all the great reviews. We ordered the catfish, mahi mahi ank kids meals. The fish and potatoes were dried out as if they had been cooked early in the day and warmed until we ordered. The kids were indifferent about their dinners. We won't return.
(2)Jackson B.
Stopped in for breakfast on my way out to Sandbridge had a couple eggs ever easy hash browns and toast. You can tell the place has been here a long time it's got that Pungo hometown feel which is great. The service was good our server was very friendly and the food was good as well. Eggs were cooked just the way I like however the Hash Browns were a little greasy for my taste that's why I'm only going four star. If you're in the area you have to try this place it's one you won't forget.
(4)LindsaynMike G.
We have eaten at several local seafood joints while on vacation the past few years. Some have been good, some have been sub-par but edible, and some flat out disgusting. This place is the first I can rate as EXCELLENT. And I know seafood, I'm from MARYLAND! I don't know what everyone here is complaining about! Our food was fresh, delicious, seasoned perfectly, and we didn't have to wait long despite it being a little crowded. We had one of the platters for two and it was a huge amount. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. This place will definitely be on our list of traditions while staying in Sandbridge!
(5)Amber O.
I can't believe I've never been here before! It is some seriously delicious seafood. The she crab soup is some of the best I have ever had. We ordered the Hurricane platter and the other four at my table ordered the tidal wave. All I can say is come hungry. We will be visiting this place often!!
(5)P C.
Friendly staff. Good service. Good prices. We had a bit of a wait - 40 minutes on a summer Saturday evening so not bad for a place with good food. My only criticism is that they serve the steamed crabs with melted margarine, not butter. (Yuck, but it kept me from eating butter and they were delicious plain).
(4)Sarah F.
We went for a special family dinner because their sign advertised blue crab. When it was time to order and we already had drinks, they told us there was no blue crab. (Sign was still up the next day too.) In general the food is marginal. If you want some ok fried seafood, nothing special, that's what you will get here, and it's not very cheap. I have heard breakfast is good but have yet to try it.
(2)Jon P.
Stopped in for lunch and the place was packed which is usually a good sign. Had the fried shrimp with broccoli and it was very good. Would definitely recommend!
(4)Mary Ann Keogh K.
This is truly a hidden gem bee had the fresh grilled swordfish with fries. Hush puppies and cole slaw and it was awesome. Definitely worth the 10 mile drive from the beach. We had excellent service thanks to Matt and it was a real value
(5)Tony R.
We sought out this place with giddy anticipation and sincerely hoping to find a hidden treasure. Reality was very disappointing. The food was very poorly prepared, even for roadhouse standards. To say Margie's is overrated would be a kindness. Fish was overcooked, french fries were horrible, cold and tasted like they were frozen. Their coleslaw was very bland. Hush puppies were from a store bought mix and rock hard. The supposedly best crab soup in VA was an unappetizing disgusting mess concocted by an overzealous and under-trained line cook who loves roux. It was nothing but white paste, simply atrocious. Really wanted to like this place but I cannot for the life of me explain how they are getting 5 star reviews? Have any of these 5 star reviewers actually been to a real restaurant before? Save your money, and when in the Hampton Roads area go to Captain Groovy's. They have some guys back in that kitchen that are at the top of their culinary game. They actually do have the BEST she-crab soup I have had so far in Virginia Beach, and some of the best cooking I've tried, period...Sorry Margie.
(1)Sean C.
I really love this place its kinda hard to find some that many people know about it. I had the she crab soup which is what they're known for and I gotta say that live up to the expectations it was rich and creamy full of crab. the prices are very reasonable as well
(5)Thomas S.
Had party of twelve that arrived around 5 and seated within 5 mins. Was busy but service was courteous and very fast. Everyone seemed to enjoy there meals. Nice atmoshere...a little noisy. Only complaint were the onion rings being the frozen variety but guess its a seafood place not a burger joint. Yet to try breakfast as appeared very crowded and tons of people waiting outside. Must be good
(4)Mark A.
Stopped here for dinner while visiting VA. Casual place, with good food. I had the she crab soup to start. It was rich and filled with crab, delicious. For dinner I had the half hurricane platter. It was LOADED with seafood. My favorites from the platter were the crab cakes, fish fillet, and scallops. Also, service was excellent and friendly. Our waitress did an excellent job. I highly recommend this place for a casual night out.
(4)Brett B.
Food was probably good but took forever to get a table at 2:00 in the afternoon. Waited forever to get someone to wait on our table. Got tired of waiting and hit the road. Life is too short. Prior times things were ok with the fried seafood. Not bad to try if you stay in sandbridge. Its a local favorite but if you ask about the food folks say it is a local favorite to avoid the true answer that it is just ok.
(2)Bruce W.
Great traditional seafood "shack". After having over priced, over frozen and over cooked seafood at Ocean Front Virginia Beach, this place was great. If you want linen and china go to VA BEACH. If you want real deal good seafood go to Margie & Ray's. During the off season this is certainly a local's spot. We will be returning for the all you can eat special. I think I should call ahead so they can start frying those oysters, yum :)
(5)Tracy V.
My boyfriend and I stopped in for breakfast Sunday morning on the way back from our hike at Back Bay Wildlife Refuge. This was my first time at Margie & Ray's. The breakfast totally exceeded all of my expectations. We were greeted immediately upon entering by a very friendly individual. We were asked what type of table we would like to sit at high top, booth, or regular table. Once we sat down, we were greeted by a very friendly waitress who gave us plenty of time to look over the menu. I ordered the Blanton breakfast platter (3 eggs, potatoes (or grits), bacon (or sausage), and toast) and my boyfriend ordered the Meat Lover's Omelet which came with potatoes (or grits) and toast. Our food arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. Everything was cooked to perfection and piping hot. The potatoes were the best part of the breakfast. They were so delicious. They consisted of halved, red new potatoes with onions. They were cooked perfectly and were seasoned very well. I am not a huge fan of ordering bacon out because most times it is not cooked to my liking. However, this was not the case. Each piece of bacon, there were three, was not over done or under cooked. It was crispy, yet not so much that it disintegrated the moment you bit into it. Overall, this has been one of the best "home like" breakfasts I have had in the Hampton Roads area in quite some time. My Boyfriend also said his omelet was spot on and fantastic. The most shocking thing was the price. For both of us, our bill came to $15.50 (minus drinks, we only got water). There is nothing fancy about the restaurant itself. The larger dining area is folding tables with paper table cloths and you can see into the kitchen, serving area. No matter to me. I like little places with lots of character. As long as the food and service is phenomenal everything else isn't important. We arrived about 8:30 on Sunday morning. Once we left about 30 minutes later, it started to get crowded, but there was still plenty of seating available. If you want a more quiet, time eating breakfast, I would suggest getting there early on a Sunday. I highly recommend this place for breakfast and I am looking forward to trying out lunch and dinner. Although, lunch and dinner might have to wait until the tourists go back home for the summer. Definitely check this place out the next time you are looking for a cheap, delicious breakfast and you are in the neighborhood. Only had one real issue...the parking lot. There are large potholes upon entering the entrances for the graveled parking lot. Just be careful when entering. As a side note...Although I was here for breakfast, my boyfriend and I did notice the large selection of craft beers they have (du claw, sweet water, flat tire, O'Connor's, Back Bay, etc.) Many local breweries and some more national ones are represented.
(5)Angelique A.
Grabbed a quick mother's day lunch while on vacation. We were seated quickly, the waitress was very accommodating despite the packed house, and the seafood sampler/crab soup were yummy and filling!
(4)Mark W.
We really thought the food was great. This is a place to get great food and service without having to wear a sports jacket!!!! The she crab soup was great!!!! We will definitely be back..
(4)Drew P.
Let me start off with the fact that the food itself is excellent. However, some of their procedures are definitely customer unfriendly. During the off season (October through March), they offer an all you can eat special, including shrimp and so forth. That's what I did on this visit. As I mentioned, the food I had was excellent. I had the grilled shrimp, plus a refill. About halfway through, I couldn't really eat any more. Now, this is where the owner is really out of touch with customers. Apparently, they no longer allow you to take unused food home with you now. They used to in years past. To me, that makes no sense, since all they can do with it is throw it away. I guess they'd rather throw it away than keep their guests happy. The server even indicated that if you take it, they could lose their job. This is not a good way to do business, and I probably won't be back as often now. Definitely come for the food, but I'd avoid the all you can eat special as the only special you'll get is an empty wallet.
(3)Whit R.
During a recent vacation to Sandbridge, my loving mother-in-law was kind enough to give us a date night. So we went up the road a piece to a quaint little local spot called Margie & Ray's for a good seafood dinner. They have several options for sampler platters, so you're pretty much assured to get what you like. The crab cakes were very good. My wife got the stuffed flounder and it was exceptional. Very very tasty. The have PBR in the bottle here, which endeared me to the place right away. With Pabst serving as the "unofficial beer of Richmond, VA" and me being born and raised in VA and having lived there 'til I was 25, I have a soft spot for PBR. We had a comfortable high-top table in the bar area and were waited on by a very nice young woman. The prices weren't cheap but it wasn't a rip off either. We enjoyed our food and the ambience of the place quite a bit. By the time we were leaving, about 7pm or so the place was packed. Folks were standing outside waiting for tables and the bar area was getting quite full. I'd go back.
(4)Sandi O.
Great food and service! I tried the fried shrimp and scallops which came out hot and delicious. My sides were steamed broccoli and cole slaw which were great too.
(4)Sarah S.
This place was awesome!!! Hush puppies were great, all you can eat crab legs were huge and steamed shrimp was huge too. Everything was fresh and the price and service was great. Will def be back.
(5)Ross A.
Really good breakfast thoughtfully prepared and fairly priced. I got corned beef hash although it was the usual hash, they took the time to brown it, man the grits were creamy, over easy eggs just right. $6.99..(on shore drive, they put a slice of orange in the middle of that its twelve bucks)...in and out in forty five minutes on a Saturday. Yankee types seem to complain about the decor..whatever..i'm sure there's an applebees down there somewhere
(5)Stephanie W.
People say this place is off the beaten path...but if you are down in Sandbridge, it's actually off the main road leading in to the beach front community. It is unsuspecting though. You wouldn't think much of it if you based your opinion off the way the building looked, but once you get inside and sit down, you'll see why this place is liked by so many. There are lots menu options but the best option (in my opinion) is the Tidal Wave. It's basically a HUGE platter full of snow crab kegs, steamed and spiced Shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams, scallops, crab cakes, fish fillets, french fries, oh..and broccoli. There is a minimum of 4 people for this, but they can accommodate up to 100 (according to the menu). It is $29.99 per person, but there is so much food and it's fresh and tasty. I wish I had worn my sweat pants. The four of us chowed down until we couldn't chow any more. There was still so much food leftover, I felt bad letting it go to waste. Next time we go, we are bringing 2 more people and ordering for 4 (apparently you can do that).
(3)Sara G.
GREAT crab soup and veggies and wonderful service. The rest was good, not amazing, but solid. Casual, family friendly place with lots of space in the back and big tvs.
(3)Barb B.
Typical fried seafood. Casual. Comforting. Nothing to rave about. Convenient. The 3 C's for this Sandbridge institution. take out friendly!
(3)Gizelle C.
Nice place to grab some good seafood. Tried the barrier reef platter nd grilled scallops and was satisfied. Our server Holly was super sweet!
(4)Sasha B.
MEH, this was a rare occasion when yelp let me down. The she crab soup, which they stated was the best in the area, was too thick and creamy and lacked flavor. Everything else was basically fried fish and nothing seemed super fresh... It's a unique scene. It's like a very casual diner on one side, then a bar filled with hunters in the middle and a gas station style gift shop on the right side. The service was friendly, but the food was not great.
(3)Nandita S.
If you have a remotely discerning palate or consider yourself a foodie, avoid Margie's. If want actual good crab or seafood, don't waste your time. If you like cafeteria-quality food, this is the place for you. I had no preconceptions about this place. My wife wanted steamed blue crab and they had some, so we went. Pros: The ambience is awesome. Seems like a real, authentic restaurant that takes it's food seriously. The service was passable, friendly. The steamed crabs were good enough. The She-crab soup is passable. Cons: The remainder of the food was Sysco, straight out of the freezer box. I can verify this because after wondering if this was the case during the meal, there was a Sysco 18-wheeler out back as we returned to our vehicle. The food is literally the same as public school cafeteria food for the kids. The chicken fingers were inedible because they were so tough. I had the crab cake platter. I got one, small, way over-fried crab cake. It was supposed to be jumbo lump crab meat, but was clearly not. The french fries, onion rings were standard issue Sysco.For a crab house, it was disgraceful.
(1)Kevin F.
I have been coming to Margie and Ray's for the last 16 years now and I have yet to be dissapointed. The atmosphere, the employees, and of course the seafood have been the reasons why I have always kept coming back. My parents brought me here when I was a kid and now I am able to bring mine and they love it as well. This place definitely merits a travel chanel visit!!! Going there this weekend and then a few more times in August for our yearly beach week vacation!!! Hurricane Margie...... here we come!
(5)crazy h.
Place is fantastic! Go for what it's known for and you can't go wrong: crabs and grilled fish! Been here twice and not been disappointed
(5)Debra T.
This place doesn't look like much from the road...or inside...but the food is excellent for a beach seafood place! The steamed and spiced shrimp were amazing - and deveined. The special that night was a flounder topped with crab meat and sauce and was also amazing. The cole slaw tasted freshly made, too. We would definitely go back here. Lots of locals appear to patronize this place which is always a good sign!
(4)Kirsten L.
Best kept local company! Great Food and great place to come even with the kids :)
(5)Cameron T.
Total hole in the wall on the side of Sandbridge Road. Really nice staff. Great food. Amazing She-Crab soup. We've had she-crab soup all over the place and it's fantastic here. Very rich, thick & creamy with a generous portion of crab meat. The fried seafood was delicious with very light breading, super fresh shrimp & scallops. Hush puppies were excellent, but I would skip the french fries. Didn't try any of their steamed crabs but the table next to us must have eaten like 2 bushels. Go try it. It's very yummy. I had to deduct one star for the atmosphere.
(3)Erin G.
What a great place to have delicious seafood! Atmosphere was fantastic and food was great! I had the tuna fillet, calamari and some bites of my friends She Crab Soup. Wow I was amazed. Thank goodness we were on vaca because I couldn't afford to feed my family there as often if I lived in Virginia Beach! Kid friendly while still being a nice place for Sunday dinners with your in-laws. Can't wait to go back and eat calamari for I have found non to be better so far!
(5)Charles T.
We went around 4 pm, The place was humming, a lot of people there. I had the Grilled Atlantic Seafood Platter which had scallops, crab cake and fish. All 3 were good, juicy and well seasoned. The baked potato was also good. The staple of the place tough, the She Crab Soup was not up to par. More cream of soup than anything and it was not served hot. It was 2 portions. The oysters Rockefeller was average at best. The calamari was fresh but over-salty. Rum and coke was very well made.
(3)Molly H.
Last day of Labor Day weekend vacation we stopped in to this mom and pop place. My friend had been before and said it was decent. They had been for dinner and breakfast. Saw the menu for breakfast and it looks decent. We ordered for the table a lump crab appetizer and wasabi crab balls. Both were decent. Wasabi crab balls were definitely warm with spice. I ordered a cup of She Crab soup. It was good. I've had a few variations of she crab soup and this was more along the lines of a New England style clam chowder being a bit thicker and light on the sherry. It was still pretty tasty. Entree I had to order the blue crabs. Baker's half dozen for $19.99. You could also order one for $5. I think this was priced fairly. They were nice sized crabs, steamed and seasoned well. Always fun to work for your dinner. Friends had stuffed flounder, ribeye and pasta special. Everyone was satisfied with their meals. Would I return back here? Definitely. Would love to check out their breakfast as most mom and pop places do this best.
(4)N T.
I got the steamer sampler, and EVERY shell fish on my plate had sand in it. They were so dirty....The only thing edible was the shrimp. Also, our waitress, Kim, wasn't very nice. :( We will not be back.
(1)Bryan M.
Took the family out to Margie & Ray's last night, and had a fantastic dinner. If you are looking for beautiful place settings, linen napkins and tablecloth - go somewhere else. If you are looking to eat great local seafood served to you by a friendly and efficient staff - then this is your place. Two of us had steamed crab legs and they were great. Sweet, and cooked to perfection. My only issue was I ordered 1 lb instead of 2 lbs. I could have eaten so much more. My wife got the crab cake dinner and loved it. All killer, no filler. I tried them and must agree. My mother-in-law got a lump crab/scallop/shrimp skillet and that was excellent. Hush puppies for everyone were as good as advertised. The surprise of the night was mozzarella sticks for our appetizer. They were obviously hand made (not bought in a bag), and were delicious. We got a second order just because... The only somewhat critical comment I will make is the Shrimp Scampi my son had. The shrimp were cooked great. The pasta / sauce had pretty good flavor (could have used a bit more garlic in my opinion), but the dish was swimming in butter sauce. It was way too much, but could easily be corrected. Still a good meal, but I would suggest less sauce in the dish. The only thing I will do different next year on our vacation to Sandbridge is eat at Margie & Rays at least twice. Hope this review was helpful!
(5)Anthony C.
Amazing seafood, especially the SheCrab soup! We had the steamed seafood platter that included crabs, shrimp, oysters clams and mussels. Super filling that we couldn't even finish it all until lunch the next day. We highly recommend stopping by this restaurant! Thanks!
(5)Elizabeth F.
In town visiting friends and they brought us here for Sunday breakfast. I keep seeing "hidden gem" in a number of reviews, and that sums up this place exactly. I could not come to a crab house without ordering something with crab. So I ordered the crab cake benedict for my breakfast. It was well prepared and tasty. DH ordered something called "The Whirlpool" which claims to be a hangover cure. He also decided to get a side order of fried green tomatoes (one of his very favorite things). The Whirlpool was a collection of eggs to order, home fries, sausage gravy, bacon and your choice of bread. It was a lot of food. With the side of tomatoes (at least 5 slices in the order!), he had a tough time finishing everything. Our companions had the country fried steak and a breakfast sandwich on a bagel. They come here often and those are their favorites. Service was attentive and fast. If going for breakfast, go early. It fills up quickly! I look forward to a future trip to the beach and an evening meal here!
(4)Tina W.
Went there for breakfast, had the lump crab meat Benedict, cooked perfectly! Friendly staff, but they were slammed being a Sunday morning. I want to go back for dinner and try some more menu items. There parking lot is always full when we drive by, that is a good sign.
(4)Tommy C.
Great food and service! We got 2 orders of crab legs and a few different platters to go. Service was prompt and the price was fair. The order was ready and accurate when we arrived. When we got back to our condo the food was DELICIOUS! Highly recommended if you're vacationing here. It's our first time to this area and we will definitely be back and Margie and Rays will get our business. Thanks!
(5)Chad N.
I took my wife today for her birthday, long story short the waitress said market price on the crab legs and shrimp was $12.99 lb. Well, bill time it was $12.99 for 1/2 lb. She said she was new and so forth, the manager was a bi@$. She took off the she crab soup and basically said to bad. We will never go back or recommend the place. Also, the crab legs were cold, dry and small. Dairy Fresh has them on sale and they are even bigger. .000001 star if I could.
(1)Jeffrey M.
Our favorite place to eat on the way to or from Sandbridge. They serve a very tasty and well-priced breakfast. Try their lunch specials- you won't be sorry!!!
(5)Kate K.
Margie and Rays is a must if you're vacationing in Sandbridge! It's a cute, quaint roadside restaurant with a friendly staff, quick service and quality seafood. Get there early unless you don't mind waiting 20-30 minutes!
(5)Elizabeth Aaron W.
Just some good ol' boys... M & R's is located in Sandbridge, just a little ways in. It has a old fashioned,backwoods country with a twist of seafood shack feel. Upon arrival, they were busy. People sitting everywhere outside waiting. Mind you it is tourist season and it is Sandbridge. I get it. Luckily we were able to sit down right away @ the bar. I asked for the bartenders recommendation on food. He suggested the crab cakes. $22+ for crab cakes? While we were waiting on our dinner I ordered a frozen strawberry margarita and a bowl of she crab soup which was very tasty. In the meantime, our salads came. Ranch is a PREMADE cups?! Okay I get it, your busy. I like to think I am a ranch connoisseur being from the south and all. Yuck! Crab cakes arrived and were great. Overall good experience, just wasn't wowed....
(3)Maria J.
Had the she crab soup & split the hurricane platter with the hubby. AWESOME!! Nice comfy atmosphere. Will def be visiting again.
(5)Matt M.
I was a little disappointed eating here today after reading all the great reviews. We ordered the catfish, mahi mahi ank kids meals. The fish and potatoes were dried out as if they had been cooked early in the day and warmed until we ordered. The kids were indifferent about their dinners. We won't return.
(2)Jackson B.
Stopped in for breakfast on my way out to Sandbridge had a couple eggs ever easy hash browns and toast. You can tell the place has been here a long time it's got that Pungo hometown feel which is great. The service was good our server was very friendly and the food was good as well. Eggs were cooked just the way I like however the Hash Browns were a little greasy for my taste that's why I'm only going four star. If you're in the area you have to try this place it's one you won't forget.
(4)LindsaynMike G.
We have eaten at several local seafood joints while on vacation the past few years. Some have been good, some have been sub-par but edible, and some flat out disgusting. This place is the first I can rate as EXCELLENT. And I know seafood, I'm from MARYLAND! I don't know what everyone here is complaining about! Our food was fresh, delicious, seasoned perfectly, and we didn't have to wait long despite it being a little crowded. We had one of the platters for two and it was a huge amount. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. This place will definitely be on our list of traditions while staying in Sandbridge!
(5)Amber O.
I can't believe I've never been here before! It is some seriously delicious seafood. The she crab soup is some of the best I have ever had. We ordered the Hurricane platter and the other four at my table ordered the tidal wave. All I can say is come hungry. We will be visiting this place often!!
(5)P C.
Friendly staff. Good service. Good prices. We had a bit of a wait - 40 minutes on a summer Saturday evening so not bad for a place with good food. My only criticism is that they serve the steamed crabs with melted margarine, not butter. (Yuck, but it kept me from eating butter and they were delicious plain).
(4)Sarah F.
We went for a special family dinner because their sign advertised blue crab. When it was time to order and we already had drinks, they told us there was no blue crab. (Sign was still up the next day too.) In general the food is marginal. If you want some ok fried seafood, nothing special, that's what you will get here, and it's not very cheap. I have heard breakfast is good but have yet to try it.
(2)Jon P.
Stopped in for lunch and the place was packed which is usually a good sign. Had the fried shrimp with broccoli and it was very good. Would definitely recommend!
(4)Mary Ann Keogh K.
This is truly a hidden gem bee had the fresh grilled swordfish with fries. Hush puppies and cole slaw and it was awesome. Definitely worth the 10 mile drive from the beach. We had excellent service thanks to Matt and it was a real value
(5)Brett B.
Food was probably good but took forever to get a table at 2:00 in the afternoon. Waited forever to get someone to wait on our table. Got tired of waiting and hit the road. Life is too short. Prior times things were ok with the fried seafood. Not bad to try if you stay in sandbridge. Its a local favorite but if you ask about the food folks say it is a local favorite to avoid the true answer that it is just ok.
(2)Tony R.
We sought out this place with giddy anticipation and sincerely hoping to find a hidden treasure. Reality was very disappointing. The food was very poorly prepared, even for roadhouse standards. To say Margie's is overrated would be a kindness. Fish was overcooked, french fries were horrible, cold and tasted like they were frozen. Their coleslaw was very bland. Hush puppies were from a store bought mix and rock hard. The supposedly best crab soup in VA was an unappetizing disgusting mess concocted by an overzealous and under-trained line cook who loves roux. It was nothing but white paste, simply atrocious. Really wanted to like this place but I cannot for the life of me explain how they are getting 5 star reviews? Have any of these 5 star reviewers actually been to a real restaurant before? Save your money, and when in the Hampton Roads area go to Captain Groovy's. They have some guys back in that kitchen that are at the top of their culinary game. They actually do have the BEST she-crab soup I have had so far in Virginia Beach, and some of the best cooking I've tried, period...Sorry Margie.
(1)Sean C.
I really love this place its kinda hard to find some that many people know about it. I had the she crab soup which is what they're known for and I gotta say that live up to the expectations it was rich and creamy full of crab. the prices are very reasonable as well
(5)Thomas S.
Had party of twelve that arrived around 5 and seated within 5 mins. Was busy but service was courteous and very fast. Everyone seemed to enjoy there meals. Nice atmoshere...a little noisy. Only complaint were the onion rings being the frozen variety but guess its a seafood place not a burger joint. Yet to try breakfast as appeared very crowded and tons of people waiting outside. Must be good
(4)Mark A.
Stopped here for dinner while visiting VA. Casual place, with good food. I had the she crab soup to start. It was rich and filled with crab, delicious. For dinner I had the half hurricane platter. It was LOADED with seafood. My favorites from the platter were the crab cakes, fish fillet, and scallops. Also, service was excellent and friendly. Our waitress did an excellent job. I highly recommend this place for a casual night out.
(4)Josh P.
I enjoy a relaxed feel to a restaurant but I had to yell to talk in there. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered the steamed seafood platter for two. The crab and the Cajun pull n peal shrimp were awesome. However, the muscles, clams, and oysters were less than appetizing. I actually would stop here again but only to get that shrimp again.
(3)Tracy V.
My boyfriend and I stopped in for breakfast Sunday morning on the way back from our hike at Back Bay Wildlife Refuge. This was my first time at Margie & Ray's. The breakfast totally exceeded all of my expectations. We were greeted immediately upon entering by a very friendly individual. We were asked what type of table we would like to sit at high top, booth, or regular table. Once we sat down, we were greeted by a very friendly waitress who gave us plenty of time to look over the menu. I ordered the Blanton breakfast platter (3 eggs, potatoes (or grits), bacon (or sausage), and toast) and my boyfriend ordered the Meat Lover's Omelet which came with potatoes (or grits) and toast. Our food arrived within 10 minutes of ordering. Everything was cooked to perfection and piping hot. The potatoes were the best part of the breakfast. They were so delicious. They consisted of halved, red new potatoes with onions. They were cooked perfectly and were seasoned very well. I am not a huge fan of ordering bacon out because most times it is not cooked to my liking. However, this was not the case. Each piece of bacon, there were three, was not over done or under cooked. It was crispy, yet not so much that it disintegrated the moment you bit into it. Overall, this has been one of the best "home like" breakfasts I have had in the Hampton Roads area in quite some time. My Boyfriend also said his omelet was spot on and fantastic. The most shocking thing was the price. For both of us, our bill came to $15.50 (minus drinks, we only got water). There is nothing fancy about the restaurant itself. The larger dining area is folding tables with paper table cloths and you can see into the kitchen, serving area. No matter to me. I like little places with lots of character. As long as the food and service is phenomenal everything else isn't important. We arrived about 8:30 on Sunday morning. Once we left about 30 minutes later, it started to get crowded, but there was still plenty of seating available. If you want a more quiet, time eating breakfast, I would suggest getting there early on a Sunday. I highly recommend this place for breakfast and I am looking forward to trying out lunch and dinner. Although, lunch and dinner might have to wait until the tourists go back home for the summer. Definitely check this place out the next time you are looking for a cheap, delicious breakfast and you are in the neighborhood. Only had one real issue...the parking lot. There are large potholes upon entering the entrances for the graveled parking lot. Just be careful when entering. As a side note...Although I was here for breakfast, my boyfriend and I did notice the large selection of craft beers they have (du claw, sweet water, flat tire, O'Connor's, Back Bay, etc.) Many local breweries and some more national ones are represented.
(5)Angelique A.
Grabbed a quick mother's day lunch while on vacation. We were seated quickly, the waitress was very accommodating despite the packed house, and the seafood sampler/crab soup were yummy and filling!
(4)Mark W.
We really thought the food was great. This is a place to get great food and service without having to wear a sports jacket!!!! The she crab soup was great!!!! We will definitely be back..
(4)Drew P.
Let me start off with the fact that the food itself is excellent. However, some of their procedures are definitely customer unfriendly. During the off season (October through March), they offer an all you can eat special, including shrimp and so forth. That's what I did on this visit. As I mentioned, the food I had was excellent. I had the grilled shrimp, plus a refill. About halfway through, I couldn't really eat any more. Now, this is where the owner is really out of touch with customers. Apparently, they no longer allow you to take unused food home with you now. They used to in years past. To me, that makes no sense, since all they can do with it is throw it away. I guess they'd rather throw it away than keep their guests happy. The server even indicated that if you take it, they could lose their job. This is not a good way to do business, and I probably won't be back as often now. Definitely come for the food, but I'd avoid the all you can eat special as the only special you'll get is an empty wallet.
(3)Whit R.
During a recent vacation to Sandbridge, my loving mother-in-law was kind enough to give us a date night. So we went up the road a piece to a quaint little local spot called Margie & Ray's for a good seafood dinner. They have several options for sampler platters, so you're pretty much assured to get what you like. The crab cakes were very good. My wife got the stuffed flounder and it was exceptional. Very very tasty. The have PBR in the bottle here, which endeared me to the place right away. With Pabst serving as the "unofficial beer of Richmond, VA" and me being born and raised in VA and having lived there 'til I was 25, I have a soft spot for PBR. We had a comfortable high-top table in the bar area and were waited on by a very nice young woman. The prices weren't cheap but it wasn't a rip off either. We enjoyed our food and the ambience of the place quite a bit. By the time we were leaving, about 7pm or so the place was packed. Folks were standing outside waiting for tables and the bar area was getting quite full. I'd go back.
(4)Sandi O.
Great food and service! I tried the fried shrimp and scallops which came out hot and delicious. My sides were steamed broccoli and cole slaw which were great too.
(4)Sarah S.
This place was awesome!!! Hush puppies were great, all you can eat crab legs were huge and steamed shrimp was huge too. Everything was fresh and the price and service was great. Will def be back.
(5)Ross A.
Really good breakfast thoughtfully prepared and fairly priced. I got corned beef hash although it was the usual hash, they took the time to brown it, man the grits were creamy, over easy eggs just right. $6.99..(on shore drive, they put a slice of orange in the middle of that its twelve bucks)...in and out in forty five minutes on a Saturday. Yankee types seem to complain about the decor..whatever..i'm sure there's an applebees down there somewhere
(5)Stephanie W.
People say this place is off the beaten path...but if you are down in Sandbridge, it's actually off the main road leading in to the beach front community. It is unsuspecting though. You wouldn't think much of it if you based your opinion off the way the building looked, but once you get inside and sit down, you'll see why this place is liked by so many. There are lots menu options but the best option (in my opinion) is the Tidal Wave. It's basically a HUGE platter full of snow crab kegs, steamed and spiced Shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams, scallops, crab cakes, fish fillets, french fries, oh..and broccoli. There is a minimum of 4 people for this, but they can accommodate up to 100 (according to the menu). It is $29.99 per person, but there is so much food and it's fresh and tasty. I wish I had worn my sweat pants. The four of us chowed down until we couldn't chow any more. There was still so much food leftover, I felt bad letting it go to waste. Next time we go, we are bringing 2 more people and ordering for 4 (apparently you can do that).
(3)Sara G.
GREAT crab soup and veggies and wonderful service. The rest was good, not amazing, but solid. Casual, family friendly place with lots of space in the back and big tvs.
(3)Barb B.
Typical fried seafood. Casual. Comforting. Nothing to rave about. Convenient. The 3 C's for this Sandbridge institution. take out friendly!
(3)Bruce W.
Great traditional seafood "shack". After having over priced, over frozen and over cooked seafood at Ocean Front Virginia Beach, this place was great. If you want linen and china go to VA BEACH. If you want real deal good seafood go to Margie & Ray's. During the off season this is certainly a local's spot. We will be returning for the all you can eat special. I think I should call ahead so they can start frying those oysters, yum :)
(5)Gizelle C.
Nice place to grab some good seafood. Tried the barrier reef platter nd grilled scallops and was satisfied. Our server Holly was super sweet!
(4)Sasha B.
MEH, this was a rare occasion when yelp let me down. The she crab soup, which they stated was the best in the area, was too thick and creamy and lacked flavor. Everything else was basically fried fish and nothing seemed super fresh... It's a unique scene. It's like a very casual diner on one side, then a bar filled with hunters in the middle and a gas station style gift shop on the right side. The service was friendly, but the food was not great.
(3)Jenifer W.
Like other yelpers, my family and I visited this place based on rave reviews in August 2013... after having been, I was sorely dissapointed, and left to wonder where the hell some of these other reviewers live / eat that THIS should have made their "5" list... frankly, I've had better and fresher seafood at McDonalds. ATMOSPHERE: A shack, converted to a restaurant. Outside, it looks sketchy - inside, just as much so, with the red & white checked table cloths and tables jammed right up next to each other (tip: be prepared to get to know the diners next to you, there butts will be in your faces when they stand up to go to the bathroom :). I loves me a good dive, I do, and sometimes places like these have the absolute best food on the planet. So we sat down, amongst the hoards of tourist crap (here's a tip, clear out some of the T-Shirts and Virginia peanuts, and space your tables better). FOOD: Fishy, rubbery, overfried, and bland. I had great hope for the best She-Crab soup in Tidewater", but like other reviewers I found mine a little like white tar - way, way too floury and thick, and as a result inedible, no matter how hard I tried. Agast at the prices, I though surely it has to get better, and here are the items we ordered: 1) Homemade Crab Cakes - OMG fishy. I don't know where they got these cakes, but it couldn't have been recently or locally sourced because they were long, long past fresh. When I asked for remoulade sauce to drown them, I got the fish-eye from our server, who told me "we don't serve none of that fancy stuff here" (no joke). I looked over at my husbands onion rings to see that he had remoulade with them (though they called it "house sauce" - pointed it out to the indifferent waitress, who brought me some 5 minutes later and plopped it down without a word. 2) Maryland Style Blue Crabs - Bland, tasteless, over breaded and over cooked little crabs, what a waste. It was a bit like eating hot, wet paper towels. "Margie and Ray" should be ashamed of themselves for wasting an incredible opportunity by serving these huge dissapointments. A little pride in quality and preparation would go a long, long way. 3) Kids Chicken Fingers - Way, way too peppery and overbreaded. They were also overcooked, and this trifecta left my poor 4 year old with an empty belly and bad temper. 4) Kids Fried Shrimp - VERY fishy, also too breaded, and way overcooked. See the results above, as they were the same for my 6 year old. Let me just say a few things... just because they're kids doesn't mean they can't taste. Children's willingness to eat often is A HUGE factor in where parents choose to dine out - F the kid's meals, and it's a guarantee the parents won't return... get smarter. SERVICE: B-A-D. The servers were too few in number, and ran from table to table without servicing anyone. See the note on remoulade sauce above for one example. Others included forgetting multiple requests for napkins, drink refills, and we waited almost 15 minutes to get the check after asking twice. Why do people COME here??? VALUE: REALLY poor. The quality of this food was terrible, terrible, terrible, and the prices were way overinflated. I think they get away with it because they're one of the only area restaurants, but if they keep serving slop like this they won't be. Between drinks, food, and soup we paid well over $120 for our dinner, and I left absolutely floored at their audacity. Margie and Ray's motto is "there's only 2 places in Sandbridge to eat - Home or Margie & Rays". Do yourselves a favor, take their advice, and stay home. You'll save a ton of cash, and avoid dashed dreams of good, local seafood.
(1)Nandita S.
If you have a remotely discerning palate or consider yourself a foodie, avoid Margie's. If want actual good crab or seafood, don't waste your time. If you like cafeteria-quality food, this is the place for you. I had no preconceptions about this place. My wife wanted steamed blue crab and they had some, so we went. Pros: The ambience is awesome. Seems like a real, authentic restaurant that takes it's food seriously. The service was passable, friendly. The steamed crabs were good enough. The She-crab soup is passable. Cons: The remainder of the food was Sysco, straight out of the freezer box. I can verify this because after wondering if this was the case during the meal, there was a Sysco 18-wheeler out back as we returned to our vehicle. The food is literally the same as public school cafeteria food for the kids. The chicken fingers were inedible because they were so tough. I had the crab cake platter. I got one, small, way over-fried crab cake. It was supposed to be jumbo lump crab meat, but was clearly not. The french fries, onion rings were standard issue Sysco.For a crab house, it was disgraceful.
(1)M V.
We ate at Margie and Ray's after a trip to the refuge and beach. Never been there before but it was crowded for breakfast and full at lunch, so we were hopeful the food would be good. In my husband's words, it was underwhelming. He had the fried fish and scallops with fries and cole slaw. I had the fried fish and shrimp with French fries and cole slaw. My son had the kid's meal of fried shrimp and fries. We ordered an iced tea, lemonade, and water. With tax and tip the meal came to $40+. It was NOT worth it. The food was bland and overcooked. The fish was underseasoned. Had I had my eyes closed, the shrimp could have been mistaken for overcooked calamari. They were rubbery. The scallops were cooked okay, but seasoning was mediocre. The fries were meh. The hush puppies were fine, and the mayo-based cole slaw was okay. Would never go back. For less money, we could make a much better seafood meal at home.
(2)Tara S.
This is a must stop on the way in or out of Sandbridge!! The service was quick and excellent, very friendly staff and the seafood/ country mix on food and atmosphere was amazing!! I got the fried oyster sandwich-----delicious and reasonable prices! I will definitely make this a regular stop whenever in Sandbridge!
(5)Gigi G.
Margie & Ray's is a kitschy seafood restaurant that you go to with groups of friends and family to gawk at the amount of the food you just ordered. Almost everything is deep fried so I wasn't really thrilled about that. Typical seadfoody tourist/hole in the wall beachy restaurant. Does that make sense?
(3)Alyson E.
I lived in Virginia Beach all of my life until I turned 25 and then relocated to Hawaii. Ever since I was a kid, we went to Margie and Ray's Crabhouse to eat their steamed blue crabs. My dad is from Baltimore, MD, so needless to say he is very picky about the quality of steamed blue crabs! He was obviously impressed from the first time we went there, and since then it's the only place we went to for crabs. I came back home to visit family and friends a few weeks ago and immediately went there again for some softshell blue crab sandwiches as well as steamed blue crabs. The food was just what I remembered it to be, amazing! The staff working there is honestly hit or miss. The first time I went there the server was not too nice and then when I went back the second time, our server was awesome and super friendly. However, when I went to pay for some merchandise I bought, the lady at the front was super rude. She never smiled or talked to us and seemed like it was a hassle for me to look at different sizes. I hope they improve on the quality of the staff there because it does ruin the overall feel of the place and it's unfortunate with such amazing food they serve.
(5)Kurt A.
4+. We come to Sandbridge for vacation every summer and end up passing this place on our way to Va Beach restaurants. Big mistake. This place is as good or better then the more expensive places in the city or Lynnhaven. The she-crab soup was the best I've had around. The portions, especially for the shared dinners, were huge... bordering on excessive. Tuna was great, shrimp was fresh and delicious. Fried platters included EVERYTHING- shrimp, oysters, scallops, clams, crabcakes, fish fillets, hush puppies and fries. All amazing and fresh. If you're looking for linen napkins and silver settings keep looking. This is friendly and casual with awesome food... And some of the friendliest service I've had. Anywhere. It's like the old-timey favorites....Duck Inn, etc. Friendly, awesome atmosphere, family friendly... with the best fresh seafood you can find.
(4)Tasha B.
Delicious blue crabs!!!! Also had calamari, jumbo shrimp, and onion rings - all were good. Love how the crabs aren't overly seasoned nor too salty Will come again!
(5)A K.
A bit off the beaten path. But worth a visit. Friendly service and has full bar.
(4)J R.
Great food, great choices, very casual, wonderful staff. I try to eat here as much as possible when staying in Sandbridge. Specials are indeed special. Bring the whole family - something for everyone especially if you have fish lovers in the group. She Crab soup, chowders, steam crabs and even breakfast. Get here before 6 and no wait - or not much of a wait.
(4)Sally B.
From the creamy she-crab soup, laced with just the right amount of salt and crab to the crab balls that were more like balls from heaven this meal was one of the best I've ever had! My husband and I split the barrier reef and closed the meal with one of the tastiest, not "too tart" key lime pie slices. I wish we lived closer so we could go every weekend. So delicious! Very casual atmosphere so I recommend wearing loose pants haha:-)
(5)Matt S.
According to their website, there's only two places to eat in Sandbridge--home and Margie & Ray's. If that's the case, then I suggest you stay home. I visited Margie & Ray's a couple of weeks ago while staying at the beach with my wife and our four-month-old, along with both our mothers. We were delighted to see that there was a well-reviewed seafood joint just up the road from the house, but we were disappointed almost as soon as we walked in. We were escorted to the rear of the building to a dimly-lit room with two large, loud televisions and banquet-style chairs and tables. But whatever, we've been in typical beach dives like this and have been pleasantly surprised by the food before, so surely that could happen again. Alas, it did not. All four of us started out with the she-crab soup. I'm sorry, who exactly named this the "best in Tidewater" besides the author of the menu? The only good thing I can say about it is that it had a healthy amount of crab. But that couldn't save it from the disgusting cream base. My cup of soup must have been half flour. Seriously, you could use this stuff to hang wallpaper. I couldn't stomach more than two spoonfuls. I urge the owners to stop by Tarrant's in Richmond to see what a real she-crab soup tastes like. Regardless, I still clung on to hope that our seafood platters would redeem the place. Spoiler: hopes were dashed. We had both the Hurricane Margie (a mountain of fried shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, clams, oysters and fish, accompanied by french fries, hushpuppies and cole slaw) as well as a steamed Tidal Wave (snow crab legs, shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams and broccoli). There were two glaring issues with these piles of ocean fare. First, nearly everything was overcooked. Most of the fried food, the steamed shrimp and steamed crab--all cooked into a disappointing state of rubberiness. It was also completely devoid of the natural sweetness you expect from shrimp, crab and scallops; making me question Margie & Ray's claims of freshness. The fried fish, steamed mussels, clams and oysters were all actually cooked properly, but suffered from the other major issue: lack of basic preparation. Any decent cook can pull the pin-bones out of a filet of fish in a matter of seconds, and it doesn't take that long to rinse bivalves. Nevertheless, expect a mouthful of bones in your fish and sand and grit in your oysters at Margie & Ray's. This is seafood 101 people, I'm not gonna let it slide just because it's a dive. And what's especially insulting to me as a seafood lover is this excuse printed right on the menu: "Margie and Ray's pride themselves in serving fresh fish. Because of this, there is always the possibility of some bones present in the dishes." What they meant to say was "Margie and Ray's cooks are so lazy, they won't take a few extra seconds to ensure your meal meets the most very basic level of quality you might expect." To me this shows a tremendous lack of respect for both their product and their customers. I can at least say that the service was very friendly and helpful; although most of the staff seemed to be hanging out and chatting in the kitchen, which we had a clear view of. If you're staying in Sandbridge, then there's a very good chance you have a full kitchen at your disposal. Use it and save your money (we spent over $100 for the above meal), or at least take the extra ten to fifteen minutes to drive further into shore and enjoy one of the restaurants with actual talent in the kitchen (one of which was even featured on the Food Network!).
(1)Xtal K.
Food was good. Large servings. The server was really polite and attentive. Kindda pricing, but not too bad. Big fly kept circling.
(4)Chris S.
Just a bit of a stretch towards Sandbridge you'll find Margie & Ray's Crabhouse on your left hand side. The place is a little rough around the edges but its a pretty good seafood restaurant in an area that really needs a good seafood restaurant. This place is usually pretty packed and extremely loud during the summer but I think its worth the wait since you do get your money's worth. As for the food quality, its just okay.
(3)Tara M.
This place was awesome. It has a cozy, local ambiance and you get the feeling that a lot of the patrons were regulars. Due to the location, it isn't in a crowded, touristy area. I tried two things while I was there: She Crab Soup and the Hurricane Margie (I also had coffee, which was fine). The She Crab Soup was pretty good - I'm from Maryland, which makes me VERY picky about crab anything. The large soup was a heaping helping that flowed over the sides. It was a tiny bit bland, but still really good (As a Marylander, I'm obligated to say it needed a healthy dose of Old Bay). After a day at the beach, it definitely hit the spot. For an entree, I split the Hurricane Margie (for 2). It was a giant, fried pile of delicious fish. The included french fries were average, but it doesn't matter, because you ordered the platter for the seafood anyway. Even with two healthy appetites, it was enough to be lunch for two the next day. For that, I'd say it was a fair price.
(4)Bobby C.
Location: 2 stars More of a tourist location instead of being convenient to the general Hampton Roads population. Atmosphere: 2 stars Little outdated and a hodge podge of knick-knack decor. Dusty. Service: 3 stars Overall the service was average. Our waitress was friendly to our big party but nothing above and beyond. They seemed ill prepared for a large party. Food: 3 stars There were plenty of options for meals for 2 and tons of variety in the menu. The she-crab soup was good. It was like warm rather than hot :( I added a little Old Bay... it was better than most. Price: 2 stars Everything was at least 10-15% overpriced (which you kind of expect because of the location), but 3 people cost almost $100 without a dessert. Overall: 3 stars... good if you are in the area and hungry. I would'nt make the drive out there specifically to eat at Margie & Ray's Crabhouse.
(3)Jason C.
This place was awesome. I went in expecting to be disappointed like most other overpriced seafood restaurants, but I really wanted seafood. The parking lot was crowded so I figured it would be a long wait, nope. We were seated immediately. The waitress was friendly and efficient. I ordered the choose 3 fried seafood platter with baked potato. The 3 were shrimp, scallops, and fish. All thee were fantastic, I was surprised how good the shrimp was. My wife ordered the sirloin, it too was great. My daughters (both of them) ordered spaghetti, I tasted it and It was good as well. It was a bit pricy (just over $80) , but then again we got steak and seafood. We all left very happy. We will be eating here again.
(4)Lindsey G.
Not recommended for breakfast. Do not know about other meals, but Sunday breakfast/brunch was way less than stellar.
(1)Gm W.
Not a bad place for dinner with the family (kids). The kids' menu has a good selection such as grilled cheese, chicken fingers, hamburger/cheeseburger, etc. During our week of vacation we went twice. The crab cakes were ok and the broiled/baked scallops and shrimp were cooked just right. Overall the meals were tasty and everyone like the food. It can get a little pricy for a local seafood restaurant, but there's not much a choice that close to the beach area.
(3)Rob H.
Was it Margie & Rays homemade She Crab Soup or Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup with crab added? Good crab cakes.... the amount of crab was terrific, but there was little spice or flavor. The fried clams were similar to what we order at Long John SIlvers. THe fried oysters we had at Baja in Sandridge were phenomenal compared to the ones we ate here. Their breading is tasteless so it is really just fried food - no creativity or true cooking, probaly just a lot of prep cooks and deel fryers in the kitchen, nothing special. Perhaps for locals who don't have an opportunity to eat out often this is good? Friendly service. Very crowded. Definitely not worth the price in my opinion.
(1)Brandon B.
Food was great and service awesome. We came with 5 kids and got a ton of food. All of it was perfect. The oyster Burger was yummy and so were the fried soft shell crabs.
(5)Rob T.
DO NOT! I repeat DO NOT! forget your wallet! You'll need it, but you'll be happy in the end.
(4)Rick S.
Margie & Ray's is off the beaten path in the Sandbridge section of Va Beach, and is I think the last of our old-style seafood diners that were so common in the Beach in the '60s and '70s. They're not on the water like most of the old ones were, but the shingle-sided and tin-roofed building, the formica-topped tables and the great fried seafood will remind anyone over age 60 of the good old days at the Duck-In or Charlie's. The menu is basic, and includes great fresh-caught fish (flounder is almost always available), homemade She crab soup that is the third-best in town by my calculation, the third best crabcake (great taste and texture, but small), and wonderful fried oysters, scallops and shrimp. Having your food fried will give you the real Beach sensation, but grilled is also available for most items. The available sides are also basic, and most are only average (sadly, even the hush puppies). The menu also includes the usual burgers and sandwiches, but I've never tried them. By far their best deal is the all-you-can-eat seafood for $19.95; the only drawback is that the choices include all the menu items except the crab dishes. So get yourself a cup or bowl of the She crab soup to start, and then dive in! You won't be sorry.
(4)Beth A.
The She Crab soup hit the spot! We will be back for more of that for sure. And the vibe was friendly on such a busy night.
(3)Peter D.
Ordered a bushel of #1 blue crabs steamed and seasoned for pick up. When I arrived I was greeted at the door and the bushel of crabs was ready for me at the counter. I can not comment too much on the service but the manager was not able to explain what tax rate they had after charging me close to $20 in taxes. After arriving at our condo we were surprised to find that the crabs were not all #1 size. There was over 50% of #2 crabs mixed in (#2 crabs are only $90 for a bushel while #1 are $155). I have ordered crabs from many different places in Maryland and Virginia and was very surprised to have a mixed bushel at the #1 price. Only 3 stars will not return for a mixed bushel. Would have been better off paying only 90 for #2 but who knows how tiny those would have been?
(3)Michael C.
We went to Margie & Ray's Crabhouse our first night in Sandbridge Dunes because it was close and received pretty good reviews. To sum it up, everything was "okay at best." Now, to their credit we went at 8pm on a Sunday and they closed at 9. They were out of their Caribbean Roasted Potatoes and Baked Potatoes. I had the Fried Soft Shell Crab which I couldn't taste anything other than the fried taste. Sorry, that's the only way I can describe it at this time. My wife had the Scallop Scampi Pasta. The scallops were cooked nicely and tasted fresh but there was way to much garlic seasoning in the pasta. Also the garlic butter bread had so much butter on it, it was dripping which was gross. If you are staying in Sandbridge Dunes and are afraid VA Beach is to far away, it's not. It's worth another 10-15 minutes to try a different restaurant in my opinion.
(3)Stephanie B.
I was lucky enough to try their steamed shrimp and keylime pie when somebody brought them to our July 4 picnic. The shrimp were just delicious and coated in Old Bay seasoning. They came with cocktail sauce, drawn butter and hollandaise sauce with a side of broccoli and I enjoyed all 3. I would gladly have eaten all the shrimp by myself, they were that good. The keylime pie was good too but was just a touch too sweet for my taste. I've never set foot in the restaurant so I can't comment on the service.
(4)Cathi Y.
Great breakfast and very relaxed atmosphere... The place is much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside so if the parking lot is packed, don't drive by... Go in! I had the Back Bay Omelet with fresh crab meat and fresh spinach... Soooo good! Home fries were amazing too! Don't miss this staple on your way to, or from, Sandbridge Beach... You won't be disappointed!
(4)Marcus C.
Great seafood! Best value is meal for two @ $35. The locals eat here.Will definitely return for another meal
(5)Mo B.
Hush Puppy heaven! Margie & Ray's Crabhouse is a great taste of local seafood. On the side of the two lane stretch that goes to Sandbridge Beach, they are the perfect pit stop for a bite to eat, or to grab a few drinks. When I had my family reunion at a beach house, we all frequented Margie & Ray's. My grandmother, who is a fein for all things crab cake, could not get enough. Warning: this place does southern style seafood; it is not that grilled with lemon but more of a bay seasoning rub down. This place gets packed in the summertime, so get there early if your goal is dinnertime.
(4)S S.
The ambiance is sort of run down fried food crab shack...but OMG I love this place!!! Anytime anyone comes for a visit this is right where we take them!!! Hurricane Margie is perfect for two. We actually get the single portion and share it along with the blue crabs when in season. After all of that you're stuffed!!!! Beers and mixed drinks are poured well and at a very fair price! We bring our son and he loves the grilled cheese. The hush puppies are a group favorite. And you can't review Margie and Rays without mentioning the very best she crab soup in town! Brunch is good and cheap! Check out the AYCE specials in the fall and winter months.
(5)Franco C.
Seafood! Margie & Ray's has been sitting on the side of the road for a loooooong time - and has always been dishing out some very good seafood. We hit it up for lunch because I was craving seafood and hadn't been there in a long time. It is a borderline hole in the wall country-kitchen type of place. No frills seating and the standard nautical decorations set the tone for the food. The menu has all your favorites from the water- and they also have the best she-crab soup around. There is a bar area as well for later in the evening. We hit the bar but to be honest, the girl working that area totally ignored / forgot about us so we wound up grabbing a table instead. We ordered a few things - fried oysters, fried shrimps and some soup - it was all perfectly done. A couple of cold beers later and we rolled out of there happily satiated. Parking front and side.
(3)Lance F.
We had family in town visiting and they wanted to try some seafood. After a few weeks of browsing the yelp reviews of seafood in the area, I decided on Margie and Ray's for two reasons. First, it apppeared to be a casual place that would be good for my kids, who tend to get loud! Second, the menu had a number of non-seafood items that were appealing as a few of us aren't big seafood fans. So, we gave it a try on a Friday night. We arrived at 6 pm and they were on a 45 minute wait. So, we put our name of the list and drove out to the beach for a few minutes. Came back at 6:30 and they were ready for us soon afterward. This place was certainly casual, which we wanted. It was loud, which we like. It meant people were eating, drinking and having fun. As for the food, it was good. We all enjoyed the meal. My folks had crab cakes and scallops. They said the food was nice, though the crab cakes didn't live up to the billing. My wife had pasta with chicken and alfredo sauce, which was very good. The best thing on menu were the hushpuppies. My son ate at least 8 of them. Now, let me get to dessert. I had a piece of peanut butter pie that made me weak in the knees. I actually am debating a trip over there again tonight for some dessert to go. It was great. They had several desserts that sounded great, as well. Overall, we enjoyed our experience and would go back again. If you don't mind the wait, it's worth giving a try.
(4)R. K.
From a local- THE BEST straight up seafood in the area. Nothing fancy, just plenty of food at a decent price. Can handle a crowd, or just a couple.
(5)Richard B.
Atmosphere of Ma's back porch. Plenty of waitstaff. Fast courteous service from a very young cadre of waiters. Had a fried oyster lunch, [two of them had gone deep diving in the fryer leaving only their raincoats behind], but their half dozen friends were perfectly done, hushpuppies were a bit leaden, but they were originally invented as a cheap way to shut up a begging dog, so what does one really expect? Companion had lump crab caesar, and lo and behold there was a modestly generous portion of fresh lump crab atop. Do not pass up the shecrab soup. It had crab in every bite and was definitely worth a return visit. Visited a second time and third time one dinner and a second lunch. May go again before we leave. Every dish thus far including a cardinal sin order, (someone ordering a burger at a fishhouse), was quite good. Prices are quite reasonable and one get's one's fill of whatever one orders.
(4)Lisa D.
I was really looking forward to trying Margie and Ray's after seeing so many great reviews in so many places. I was very underwhelmed after over a 30 minute drive to this place. I went with a family group of 8 at 6 on a Saturday. Place was pretty busy and our service was decent. The food - was nothing to write home about. I was expecting Great food, Great service for Great prices - I was let down on all three criteria. The service was friendly but nothing wonderful. Truly I get nicer service at Chick-fil-a these days. The waitress took our order, brought our food, checked on us once to bring drink refills, then returned with our bill. We were a large enough party to have a guaranteed tip of 18% (I HATE that) and I have a feeling that was a large part of her inattentiveness. The crap soup was good - but I've had just as good elsewhere in the city of VA Beach and Chesapeake. Myself and two others at the table got a pick three platter. I can't speak for them but mine was just so so. I've had worse - I've had MUCH better. Being that it certainly was not inexpensive at $26 I expected much better. I can say with confidence that while our table did not complain or send anything back, we all agreed that we will stick closer to home for a tastier meal next time we desire seafood. Margie and Rays was a THUMBS DOWN all around.
(2)Dana H.
Based on ratings on Yelp, we made the trip down he from VA Beach for dinner. Got here early, so seating was not an issue, but it did have waiting only later when we left. The service was great and fast. The food was very good and we had lots of it, but thought that the steamed shrimp was not as fresh as they should be. I know the NC boats are only down the shore a short ways and the shrimp should have been nearly perfect. The hush puppies were great and we really enjoyed the she crab soup!! Very thick and had plenty of crab meat in it. Lots of locals eating here, so they know the best places to go for seafood.
(4)Gab G.
Great lump crab cake even though we went off season.
(4)Kim M.
If you want the tastiest food around here including the She Crab Soup (some say the best around) and crab stuffed shrimp (I've eaten enough to know and it's seriously good), the hush puppies are pretty darn good too. The staff is super friendly and courteous. Doesn't look like much from outside but it's clean inside. I think it used to be a bait shop. It's a bit of a drive down from the touristy part of Virginia Beach but it's well worth it. Don't drive past, you'll be sorry!!
(5)JJ L.
Excellent! This was my second visit. I started out on the front porch drinking a beer waiting for friends. The Hatteras style clam chowder was delicious. I had the fried seafood platter, Shrimp, Scallops & Oysters and they were excellent. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food. Last time I had the She Crab soup, very thick and flavorful. GO THERE!
(4)Kyle D.
I was on vacation with my family and we saw this place on the way to our condo. It was pretty packed every time we went so we figured it would be at last a decent place. We all shared the she-crab soup , that was delicious, but the environment was terrible, the tables were foldable, and we are from Chicago so the expectancy is high. When we finally got our food we were disappointed. The ribs i had were ok, the hush puppies were hard as a rock, the french fries were soggy. My dads shrimp were small, my dad aid they were pretty good but i could tell he was disappointed too. Not to mention that it was very pricy for the food, i can get better ribs and fries at chicago for a cheaper price! Overall the service as bad but the server was very kind. The food in Virginia Beach has been disappointing the entire trip. I overall would not recommend this restaurant.
(2)Jerry G.
Such a great laid back seafood restaurant. The crowd was fun and relaxed. The service was spectacular. We had the Hurricane and left extremely satisfied and pleased. Prices are very reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food. Beer is cold. Also the restaurant is very kid friendly. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Paul K.
The crab cakes were amazing! Service was good, sweet tea was good. I've lived in Virginia Beach for three years now and I'm glad I heard about this place.
(5)Dennis K.
Took our family here twice for dinner and then breakfast. Best value and quality in the area. The breakfast menu is excellent, especially the omelets and you don't get nailed with the stupid11% local taxes on you meal.
(5)Morris R.
An out of the way little place en route to Sandbridge Beach from the main part of Virginia Beach. Great seafood menu and we tried 4 different dinner dishes: Crab cakes (fried - $16.99); flounder (fried & broiled - $16.99 each); and sampler with crab cake, shrimp, & oysters (fried - $21.99). (All prices before exorbitant Virginia Beach meal tax 10.5%). Service outstanding, drinks good, the broiled flounder excellent, but fried seafood was over cooked. Crab cake recipe great with minimum filler, but all like other selections over-fried. This place is know for steamed crabs and other tables have beautiful crabs to crack. Would not go back for dinner unless the prices are cut by at least 40-60% - for real seafood lover, well overpriced for the quality.
(2)Sig J.
Crab cake sandwich was on store bought hamburger bun. Fish was average. Side salad and onion rings were each additional charge as a side and were average at best. French fries were soggy. Service was below average.
(2)H F.
Great fresh fish, great crabs, great service!!! This is THE PLACE we will go when visiting the Virginia Beach area. My wife found the flounder was the best she had ever had. On one occasion, I had the fried oysters which were great. On another occasion we had the steam crabs. The Steam crabs were so good, it inspired me to start steaming crabs again. We are from Maryland, the "land of seafood".
(4)Gabrielle S.
The only reason this little place is getting two stars is because the people. They are wonderful. As other reviews have said, the crab cakes are awesome. We thought that since they were so busy, it must be really good. BUT... the rest of the food was just reheated frozen food and is very expensive. It came to the table cold. When we asked for it to be hot, it came back the same. However, our only regret is not getting a smoothie called the lava flow. We might be back for that.
(2)Kevin F.
I have been coming to Margie and Ray's for the last 16 years now and I have yet to be dissapointed. The atmosphere, the employees, and of course the seafood have been the reasons why I have always kept coming back. My parents brought me here when I was a kid and now I am able to bring mine and they love it as well. This place definitely merits a travel chanel visit!!! Going there this weekend and then a few more times in August for our yearly beach week vacation!!! Hurricane Margie...... here we come!
(5)crazy h.
Place is fantastic! Go for what it's known for and you can't go wrong: crabs and grilled fish! Been here twice and not been disappointed
(5)Debra T.
This place doesn't look like much from the road...or inside...but the food is excellent for a beach seafood place! The steamed and spiced shrimp were amazing - and deveined. The special that night was a flounder topped with crab meat and sauce and was also amazing. The cole slaw tasted freshly made, too. We would definitely go back here. Lots of locals appear to patronize this place which is always a good sign!
(4)Kirsten L.
Best kept local company! Great Food and great place to come even with the kids :)
(5)Cameron T.
Total hole in the wall on the side of Sandbridge Road. Really nice staff. Great food. Amazing She-Crab soup. We've had she-crab soup all over the place and it's fantastic here. Very rich, thick & creamy with a generous portion of crab meat. The fried seafood was delicious with very light breading, super fresh shrimp & scallops. Hush puppies were excellent, but I would skip the french fries. Didn't try any of their steamed crabs but the table next to us must have eaten like 2 bushels. Go try it. It's very yummy. I had to deduct one star for the atmosphere.
(3)Erin G.
What a great place to have delicious seafood! Atmosphere was fantastic and food was great! I had the tuna fillet, calamari and some bites of my friends She Crab Soup. Wow I was amazed. Thank goodness we were on vaca because I couldn't afford to feed my family there as often if I lived in Virginia Beach! Kid friendly while still being a nice place for Sunday dinners with your in-laws. Can't wait to go back and eat calamari for I have found non to be better so far!
(5)Kirstina C.
This little place is hidden on the way to Sandbridge. I didn't even realize I bookmarked this restaurant until I got here! It literally is on the side of Sandbridge Road all by it's lonesome. It definitely has a beachy feel as soon as you walk in and is almost like a diner. One of the chairs I was sitting on had a rip in it, which isn't too comfortable for people wearing shorts. Our server was very pleasant and attended to us right away. I don't recommend ordering water here unless you're used to the well water. I thought it was just me tasting the salt water, but my boyfriend did too and the server did say that the water wasn't the best at this restaurant. I was hungry, but not too hungry, so my boyfriend and I shared a bowl of she crab soup and half of the Hurricane Margie. I liked their she crab soup, but I wish it was a bit warmer. I'm glad we only ordered half of the Hurricane Margie because it had so much food! I really liked everything on this platter, from the shrimp, clams, scallops, fish, and crabcakes. It also came with French fries, hush puppies, and cole slaw. I liked the food, but I wouldn't necessarily drive out here unless I was at Sandbridge.
(3)Loreto C.
Sat at our table for 20 minutes and I had to ask that someone come serve us. 10 minutes later someone finally showed up. Worst of all, they sent us a rookie waitress. And on top of that, the management didn't stop at the table to apologize for forgetting about us!! I hope the food is better than the service.
(2)Amanda E.
I'm here now and the owner came to my table to talk to me about the crab prices and he refuses to sell a half bushel to us at the table and is charging us $8 more a dozen to eat here. It is the worst customer service I have ever experienced! We have been here for over 30 min and still don't have our drink order. This place is one of the only games in town so I guess they feel like they can treat customers however they like. I will never come back here and do not recommend it to anyone who wants get good food and good service. The food is great but the service down to the ownership leaves much to be desired! I wish I could give less than one star.
(1)B. F.
It is unfortunate this place is the only game in town and what's even more unfortunate is they know it! Aside from a wonderfully hospitable bartender the take out staff was not at all interested in ensuring friendly and adequate service. No plastic ware were in our bags. No ketchup was offered. Food was beyond subpar with our Po boy consisting of stale bread and over cooked fish. No mayo/ lettuce/tomato???? Philly cheese steak did not come with cheese. It was an add on charge??!! Really. Meat was dry and no sign of the promised mushrooms/onions/peppers anywhere. What a joke!
(1)Catherine R.
Stopped to Margie & Rays for lunch after a trip to the aviation museum. The place was packed so I thought a 20 min wait wouldn't be bad but we found a great place to eat right up at the bar with exceptional service and comfort. We started with a cup of their famous clam chowder and it was so good my kid took two bites and I only got the spoon full of broth he left in the bowl. Kid approved for sure. I decided to try the bacon wrapped shrimp/scallops off the appetizer menu as my entree and my husband got a generous fried seafood platter and our little one opted for steak bites. It was all super yummy and nothing went to waste at this place. We will def. be giving it one more go before leaving town as it is a great hot spot. Breakfast next and must try their fried crabs cause everyone was eating em and no one left any food on their plates here.
(4)Amber H.
Big love for Margie and Ray's. The best place to get local seafood in the area. First off huge portions of fresh fish and seafood, second great, friendly staff and third is great prices. This is where is locals eat and there is a reason why it has been in business so long. Wonderful laid back atmosphere and total mom n pop décor make it a perfect place to gather, drink and chow down. Also this is the place to go for she crab soup.....so yummy! So make the drive out but be warned it does fill up quickly so no whining about the wait.
(5)Dale F.
Oh my God, what a hidden gem !!!! The folks in and around Sandbridge sure have a great place for some good seafood. We stopped in on a Tuesday for lunch, good size menu lots of choices reasonable pricing. Wife ordered the steamed sampler platter, shrimp clams, crab legs. I tried the burger topped with lump crabmeat and a scallop lunch platter. All was good, portion sizes good value was excellent. The crab soup had to be one of the best I've had yet, it was so good my wife tried couple spoonfuls of mine she crab soup and ended up ordering her own. The place was very clean and service was fantastic for her place that was so so busy. Will add this to places to list of visit again!!!!
(5)DeLisa T.
Stayed in Sandbridge for the week. Had takeout one night - fried shrimp and scallops. They were very tasty and fresh. Had breakfast Sunday morning - DH had crab omelette was good, but a little heavy on the hollandaise sauce, great potatoes. I had a crab cake and fried green tomatoes. Both were good. Kids had pancakes and French toast that all turned out great. Would return again.
(4)Shannon B.
One of the only places we found to get snow crab legs. First, there was about a 30 minute wait, the hostess was accurate with the time frame. It was worth the wait for us! There was only about 7 or 8 tables. I'm not huge on fried food but we had the buffalo shrimp....EXCELLENT! Bacon wrapped scallops were the only thing I would not order again. Crab was wonderful...Great service as well! We would go back.
(4)Korie K.
My husband and I noticed that the parking for the crabhouse was very full on our way to Back Bay Wildlife Reserve so we came back the next day for breakfast. We both had the lump crab omelet. I got grits and toast, my husband had potatoes and toast. I ordered a child's meal (pancake, scrambled egg and potatoes) for my son and a biscuit with scrambled eggs for my daughter. So first the positives: the crab and spinach in the omelet was fresh and I really enjoyed the grits. My 1 year old also loved the grits, so bonus points there. The toast was decent run of the mill toast and our server was friendly and attentive. The negatives: the food came out too fast. You could tell the cooks weren't super concerned with the food, just getting the order done because the eggs on all of our orders were overcooked and brownish, which I assume was from old butter or oil in the pan. While the contents of my omelet were fresh, the egg itself was sort of dry and tough. My daughter loves eggs but hardly touched hers, preferring my grits and my son also only ate about half and he usually loves eggs. The omelet came with hollandaise sauce, which I'm not a huge fan of but thought I'd try. The taste wasn't too bad, but there was way too much. So, yeah, the negatives outweigh the positives. Nice servers and real crab are all well and good but a cook ought to know how to scramble eggs.
(2)Sharon C.
In the middle of no where. Seafood was very fresh, well-cooked. Service was great. Love it! We will go back again if we are in the area.
(5)Karen B.
We stopped here for lunch after leaving the beach and were pleasantly surprised. The service was great and fast and the food was excellent. One of the best crab cakes I've had outside of Maryland. And the prices were reasonable. Will definitely eat here again.
(5)Jason M.
We stopped here on our way back North after a fun week long vacation on Sandbridge. The restaurant looks small from the outside but they have a lot of seating in there. The food was very good, the atmosphere had a welcome "small town" vibe, and the staff was great. We would eat there again.
(4)Mary C.
We live in North VB and love to ride out to Margie an Rays for lunch. Today's lunch was a real disappointment. The oyster special had grossly overcooked oysters. All that we could taste was breading. We ordered okra which was not available as a substitute so we were told we could order it as a separate veggie - no problem, we ordered it. Little did we know it was the same cost, 6.99 as our entire special meal. It was nothing special - just run of the mill fried okra. Service was fast and friendly. The sweet tea was outstanding.
(2)Brandon R.
Do yourself a favor and get the Shrimp or Scallop Scampi Pasta. Food was very good, a little pricey but they definitely have cheaper options so you're not limited to expensive food. The crab cakes are also REALLY good as well. My review would've been a 5 star if the service was better. I was very polite and friendly but received almost no hospitality from the employees except for one of the hosts. As long as you're not looking for really friendly staff, it's a great seafood restaurant.
(4)Jon S.
Poor service. Two adjacent tables were served food before a waitress even looked at our table. It still took 10 minutes for a waitress to come by after I went and asked for someone to take our order. They are now sitting new people at the adjacent tables and we still don't have our food. Because it is taking so long we asked for the kids food to come out and they said it had to all come at once. Took an hour to get our food after we waited 30 minutes to be seated. I won't be coming here again and won't recommend it to anyone.
(1)Bob M.
Let's just say very disappointed. I had ribs , which I probably shouldn't have ordered at a seafood place, over cooked and hard and very fatty. My wife had a broiled seafood special. Just average and a small portion for the money. My daughter had the half a hurricane, decent amount of food but just average , won't be going back
(2)Very P.
Recently tried this place for the first time and I have to say right off the bat................ Yay! Yay! Yay! I am definitely a fan. My husband and I shared the Barrier Reef Platter and everything on it was delicious. It came out hot and perfectly seasoned. The expectation of good food when spending your hard-earned money is a given, but just as important to me is the atmosphere and the "friendliness" of the staff. From the moment we walked in, sat at the bar and were seated at our table. Everyone was attentive to our needs and extremely friendly. What a great find! Can't wait to go back!
(4)Ken D.
Had some out out of town guests and hearing about this place we decided to try it. What can I say other than outstanding. Great food, great service and reasonably priced. Had the fried oysters and they were great! Tender, fresh and delicious! Will certainly be making a trip back here to try more menu items.... And they have a full bar! Always a plus when eating out. Highly recommended.
(5)Kim B.
I'll preface this by saying that I LOVE seafood. I eat tons of fish, clams, even canned oysters! My absolute favorite, though, is crab legs. I've eaten probably 200 lbs of snow crab in the last 10 years. Getting crab out of shells barely slows me down, and I can usually get every last piece of meat out with minimal effort. Being from Kansas, I was super excited to try some seafood so close to the ocean. I ordered a $44.99 Barrier Reef for 2. Clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, and broccoli all had good flavor/dipping sauce (I would give them 4 stars). The pound of snow crab legs was a different story, however. They were so overdone that crab literally needed to be cracked, opened up, and scraped off the side of each individual piece of shell. And I'm talking serious finger nail action--a fork just shredded it. That meat couldn't have been harder to dislodge if it were super-glued in. This was the most painful pound of snow crab I have eaten since I was 7 and my dad said I could start shelling my own crab (and Red Lobster in Kansas had no problem with crab sticking to shells, btw). Anyway, I expected much, much better from Margie and Ray's CRABHOUSE for goodness sake. That was the biggest crab fail I've ever tasted. Including all-you-can-eat buffet crab in the Midwest.
(2)Samantha G.
We went here for a super quick lunch, so therefore I can't fully rate them for what they are known for. BUT we got she - crab soup (very good) and a solid burger. Service was fast and everything tasted great.
(4)Tre' T.
Had the seafood platter. Best I've had yet. So delicious!
(4)Katie A.
Best blue crabs i've ever had and we're from the Baltimore area!!
(5)Ginger G.
The food is good and there is plenty of it, but it is the hospitality and customer service that really makes this place special and fun. We were a large party and tables were moved and accommodations made to fit us in a space where we could be together. Our fun and enthusiasm was encouraged and the staff joined in with the joking and laughing. I'd highly recommend this place for groups.
(5)Jen S.
Amazing seafood! We ordered take out for 15 people...it was fast, correct and amazing!!!
(5)Caroline S.
Food was good. Service was awful. We asked that they bring the children's food out first, and the waitress said no. She never smiled - seemed miserable to be there. Tables that arrived over 30 minutes after we did were served quicker and with a nicer experience, I'm sure. I wouldn't go back purely on my experience with the waitress.
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