Blue Ribbon Brews & BBQ

This place was great, took 4 kids with me and they each ate their entire plates. Which is rare at sit down restaurants, as they are picky eaters. I got their loaded fries which were phenomenal, I really enjoyed them thoroughly. The waitress was on her own, but she did an awesome job. I honestly prefer a chill atmosphere where I'm not being asked if I like my food while I have a mouth full, its appreciated. Will for sure be going back here!

Great service from NADIA tonight!! 1st visit and the wings in the Carolina Gold were tender & juicy with a fresh side salad w/ranch! The half rack ribs were really good too - meaty & falling off the bones! Will definitely return to try the brisket & half chicken!

Do yourself a favor and go someplace else. We should’ve looked at previous reviews. Food sucked. Mac n cheese sauce was broke. Ribs and brisket cold. We sat at the bar. It was not busy. Bartender dropped menus and when he came back only took one of our orders (2of us). We should’ve left right then. Just a complex disaster. Atmosphere gets two stars because the lights were on (and that was the best part of this place. Seriously, do not waste your time.

If I could give this place less then 1 star I would. They were not busy at all. I had the pulled pork salad the pork wes so bad I had to pull it off my salad. My husband asked what was good the so called server said the combo plate. Mac n cheese beans and 1 super small peice of brisket. I asked him if he ordered a child's plate. Ordered a plan hamburger for grandson it came with lettuce tomatoes onions mustard and ketchup. The server never came back to see how anything was or did ever ask if we needed anything. I had to go to get my kids drinks after 10min of waiting on them. My husband and I never leave a place without tipping the staff. But in this case we didn't tip anything. I have never had such poor service or such bad food in my life. DON'T GO HERE THE BBQ IS THE WORST

The food here is extremely disappointing and does not justify the price. The macaroni and cheese has no seasoning whatsoever—it’s literally just plain noodles with melted cheese on top. The beef brisket portion is shockingly small, more suitable for a child’s plate, yet it’s priced at $23. The lack of flavor, poor portion sizes, and inflated prices make this a complete waste of money. After experiencing this, it’s no surprise the restaurant was empty. I would strongly advise others not to spend their money here.

I came in after a long work day just to grab some decent bbq and a drink or two. The service I received from my waitress, Alissa, was top tier. My food was amazing. The brisket and ribs were fantastic and I was happily surprised that they have fried okra. As far as drinks go, I normally drink beer, but the Bartender, Booker, made me a couple specialty drinks off the menu that were delicious. 10/10 recommend this place if you want great food, great drinks, and great vibes.

Nadia and Booker were great! Was not busy and the music was great! Came here to eat many times and its always amazing.

Stopped in for takeout, ordered the brisket and ribs combo with mac n cheese and fried okra. Overall okay. The ribs were a bit on the dry side, but the flavor was good. Same with the brisket, but they slice it very thin and coat it with sauce. Mac n cheese was SUPER creamy, but needed some seasoning. Will try again for sure, heard they have good chicken!

I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, the food just missed the mark for me. And at $35 for one serving, that kinda hurts, I wouldnt mind paying that if it was good but.... The pulled pork was pretty dried out and lacked flavor, and the brisket didn't have any smoke or seasoning -- it also seemed like it had been cooked in the sauce, which made it a bit tough. The sauce itself tasted a bit canned. The macaroni and cheese was overcooked, with mushy noodles and a watery, soupy texture -- it felt more like cheese mixed into plain noodles rather than a creamy mac and cheese. The coleslaw was also pretty bland and mostly tasted like sour cream and cabbage. I hope this feedback helps the kitchen make a few adjustments, because I'd love to see this place succeed. The staff was friendly, and the concept has potential -- it just needs more attention to flavor and texture.

Good happy hour and nice bartender but not very clean and burger was not the best. But the fries were awesome.

Tried 3 times just to give it a chance. Had wings, burger, and brisket. Hit the itch to fill up but that's about it.

A coworker suggested to come Blue Ribbon Brews & BBQ for a going away luncheon. You can tell it's definitely a military favorite being so close to the Naval base. It was busy at the time but our waitress Amy, was on point with service. I ordered the 1/2 brisket sandwich with side of Mac & Cheese and order of Damn Good Cornbread. I wasn't a fan of the bread of the sandwich and the Mac & cheese was lukewarm and dry at best. The brisket itself was ok but definitely not the best you can find in the area. But I will say the cornbread...really is damn good! I also ordered a cocktail, Ocean View Punch. It was pretty sweet but tasted good. I felt the pricing was pretty high though. My meal, drink and automatic 20% tip came out to over $40!

Brisket so tough you need to bring your fighting gloves. Meat in general is so dry you gotta drench it in their sub-par BBQ sauce so you don't become dehydrated. Service was pretty slow, even though only 2-3 other patrons were there at 1pm-ish on a Thursday. Best part of my meal was the butter broccoli side and the green beans, which came with a few white potato chunks. Would not return

I oredered the brisket plate with cornbread and potato salad. The potato salad was excellent. The cornbread was cakey, and just okay. I prefer a more substantial cornbread. The brisket came slathered in generic sauce and was rather chewy. I wouldn't order it again. However, I'm intrigued by the wings. Maybe next time. Both the craft beer and the bourbon selections were pretty decent. Service was friendly and very fast. The music was spot-on 90s alt-rock. This is a good 40-somethings bar that has grilled food, as opposed to bbq joint.

Food was great, bf and i went for the first time. And on Monday they offer military discounts! Our waitress was also doing the bar so it seemed kinda short staff, other than that she tried her best. In handling it

I really wanted some bbq food that tasted like it was fresh from off of a grill at a cookout lol! - I got exactly the fresh taste I was craving for from this spot! So glad I found it! I ordered take out so I did not get to experience the full service but I will definitely love to come back and eat in! I came in to pick up my order and was greeted by smiles and a warm welcome. When I got handed my bag I was impressed by how heavy it felt! I was excited that my to go box was packeddd with nice sized portions of my meal! The food was delicious! Literally everything that I wanted and more. You will definitely get your moneys worth and taste buds satisified with this spot!

We decided to check this place out after leaving the Exchange, and we were both happy that we did. The food was delicious, the waitress was friendly and attentive, and we loved the laid back, casual sports bar feel atmosphere. All the food was flavorful and came out pretty quickly and hot. Check them out!

I'm writing to share feedback about a recent experience that left my g-!.roup and me quite disappointed. We arrived as a party of 15 around 11:00 AM and were greeted by a server who began setting up a table for us. However, another server came over, asked if we had a reservation, and when we said no, she told us we could not be accommodated because a party was expected another big party at 12:00 PM--an hour later. What stood out most was the server's dismissive and unprofessional tone. She recognized Her someone in our group and, shortly after, made a comment to the other server before telling us they couldn't accommodate . The interaction felt personal and unwelcoming, and it left several of us with a negative impression of the We understand that policies and scheduling are important, but customer service and professionalism are equally crucial. The situation couldAnd have been handled with more courtesy and flexibility, especially since another staff member was already assisting us.

I coordinate a Friday night dinner group which visits different restaurants in the Norfolk area. On August 1, 2024, the group with nine members visited Blue Ribbon Brews and BBQ. The group has visited this location on several occasions in the past and found the food and service quite good. On this particular evening we arrived for our 6:45 reservation. At that point there were two other tables occupied, one of which already had its food. The other had placed its dinner order. Our waitress took our drink order, and we received those drinks in a short time which was within the 'happy hour' time frame. She returned and took our order. Two of us ordered appetizers as well as dinner. Shortly after this, the other table received its dinners. In a reasonable time one person at our table received his order. He finished his meal. Another person then received her order. She finished her meal. Another person received the side he'd ordered but not the meal. Meals arrived one at a time over the next hour. Another table had arrived, was seated, ordered, and received its food, all before everyone at our table had been served. I received my appetizer. Another appetizer arrived just as his meal was served - this was well over an hour after our order was placed. Two individuals found something wrong with their meals. Most of us felt our food was good even though service was excruciatingly slow. All but one of us had received our meals and was pretty much finished. At that point the last individual canceled his order. We asked to speak with the manager who, frankly, seemed disinterested in our complaint. No apology was forthcoming for the slow service from either the waitress or the manager. I have little doubt the total bill for our table was the largest tab this restaurant had today. I want to emphasize that I do not believe the customer is always right. However, I do believe - and doubt the manager (or waitress) understands - that the customer is ALWAYS the customer. This group has always enjoyed our trips to Blue Ribbon Brews & BBQ. Alas, this will be our last trip to this restaurant.

This place is close to one of the places I work at. I like the proximity and the food they serve. The servers are super awesome and friendly overall and it's just a good, casual 'feel'. I like the food as it's pretty decent. The only catch is that it can be quite pricey. While I know I'm preaching to the choir, it sucks that so many places prices have just gone through the roof. Spending nearly $25 (includes tip) for lunch which consisted of a burger and a salad is pretty rough. Overall, I'd give it a solid 3.5 but b/c I like the food, I rounded up as a 3 star is too low imo. Worth a shot every so often... just be ready to pay it out respectively. Food Taste: 4 Overall Service: 5 Value of food to cost: 3 Facility: 4 Ambiance: This place is a converted chain restaurant. They made some nice changes to the place overall but it's not a sit down date night feel. Just a good place for a lunch or casual dinner. Repeat customer: yes Dog Friendly: no

5 stars is not enough. Went here during a lunch break. They had a great wing special going. Got that and also got the burnt ends and fried okra. Let me tell you there the burnt ends are delicious! They food enough was good enough for me to come back alone. However the customer service here is on point. There was a really minor issue that didn't even involve my table however when I received my bill I was informed my bill was comped a complete surprise. So I truly do appreciate and would like to thank the owner for that. I will absolutely stopping by here more often!

It'll do in a pinch but there are better BBQ places not far away (Redwood for example). The Brisket at blue ribbon was pretty bland. Interior vibes were your average dive bar.

Not a bad little spot, came for a quick lunch and had pull pork on salad. Sat at the bar and was quickly served. The staff was nice and the food came out quick! It was a short stay for me but the BBQ was pretty solid. If you're looking for a good BBQ option I'd swing by and give this spot a go.

Okay. I love BBQ places. No exception here. I noticed this new-to-me restaurant (from out of town and not back in the past few years - place opened in 2021) while staying at a nearby hotel. Came in tonight and stumbled on two things: Happy Hour and Taco Tuesday! The bartender was exceptional, answering my questions about the restaurant, and making killer recommendations. I opted for the Brisket Tacos... Wow! I thought, you know, I've never had anything like that, so I gave it a whirl. Best. Decision. Ever. Went for the Gorgeous IPA draft from Virginia Beer Co. (https://virginiabeerco.com/beer/gorgeous/). Also an amazing choice. The restaurant is conveniently located near Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, and the Norfolk International Terminal. It's a retired Ruby Tuesday, which was updated on the outside with a refreshed look. Inside, the bar is convenient to the whole place. The tunes were rolling out from their Happy Hour playlist. Monday night is Military Night with a 20% discount!! Don't wait. Get over here and get some Blue Ribbon BBQ now!

Meh. Ribs were very good, but pulled pork was almost certainly slow cooked and in a vinegary baste. I'm Not convinced much is actually smoked here; their menu does say they have smoked chicken. Sides are really small, and the coleslaw was probably the best part of our meal, but served in a quantity no larger than a shot glass. The Mac n Cheese was hot and fresh, but was pretty flavorless; I wish they had hot sauce, salt, and pepper on the tables. Service was friendly. The interior is clean and is an updated take on a Ruby Tuesday that shut down here a year or so ago. I probably won't go back until their prices reflect they are using a slow cooker or they actually start smoking more of their meats.

The restaurant has Good Food and Good Environment! The Staff is nice and cool I will be coming back!

Great BBQ. We decided to try this spot on a rainy Saturday. We were pleasantly surprised. The service was great and they had live music playing. Give them a try

I love BBQ and we stop at many BBQ places. This was one in which the location and timing was right. There were four of us. An appetizer of cornbread was served. It was absolutely delicious. We all loved their cornbread!! One person ordered just a hamburger and he thought it was fine. There were two orders for the pulled pork sandwich. Again, the sandwiches were good. I didn't notice a lot of smoke flavor (or any) but there was quite a bit of meat we we enjoyed the sandwich as it was. I doubt it was really smoked. One of the side dishes was fried okra. The okra was not enjoyed. Normally fried okra is cut and deep fried. The okra was not sliced but cooked whole. It was a little slimmy inside so needless to say, not eaten. The fourth person ordered a brisket sandwich. We not only order brisket out often, we also smoke our own. The sign of a good brisket is a smoke ring. This brisket had no smoke ring and was not good at all. It was tough, dry and not smokey. It probably wasn't the worst we have had but close.

I came here with my homeboy who is a merchant seaman and was based near here. He said he had came here before and the food was delicious. When we got here it was late at night and we were the only patrons. The bartender was friendly and the food came out at a decent pace. It was delicious. I love me some barbecue. The price was right and I imagine that it gets pretty busy in there. I will come back if I'm in the area.

Service was great. Waitress was fast and nice and even gave me a sample of some beer they had. But here's the thing, I'm from the south... I know how BBQ is suppose to be and this, wasn't that. My order was the loaded fries and a BBQ burger with a side of Mac and Cheese. The fries were good, a lot to be honest, and the pulled pork was a lot of fat and not a lot of meat and fat is disgusting. You're lying to yourself if you think it's good. Next, the burger was good too, aside the fact there was ONE SLICED ONION on it? I'm sorry but what? ONE onion? This isn't the fourties', there's no depression going on, give me onions bro. Sweet Tea tasted like it was brewed in salt water (wouldn't surprise me given how close to the ocean this place is) And the mac and cheese was just dry, barely any cheese. The food that had stuff on it was good, but they're holding back on a lot of ingredients, especially for a burger that was $20+ Crazy over priced for what they give you

I Was driving down Hampton Blvd... & that's when I seen the sign... You know the one that kinda just slaps you when ya hungry!? Lol I pulled in, not knowing it was opening day. I was warmly welcomed & sat where I wanted to go. My waitress came over and told me it was their opening day with a ton of confidence. I don't care if you don't know what you're talking about, when you speak with confidence I believe in you no matter what. Anyway... The food... The food was decent, the brisket was perfectly moist, the ribs were fall off the bone, the bbq and chicken were equally smoked and amazing! The pit beans were where is was at tho- they were filled with meat and just the right amount of sweetness. For the soft opening I was pretty impressed. The service... Top Tier! Not only did my waitress take care of me, but the chef also came over to make sure all was well. I have not a single bad thing to say and I wish them much success with this new restaurant!

What a hidden gem. The pulled pork is Southern style and AMAZING. My friend LOVED her brisket. The portions are good and the price is reasonable for the area. The staff are so friendly and attentive. The restaurant is open and welcoming. Will definitely go back!!

The service is very good! The restrooms were clean. The food was just not good. A lot of us got burgers and they were pretty hard and dry.. They can't possibly be hand formed. Reminded me of a Walmart version of bubba burgers. I got the cowboy burger and was a little confused by the cold cheese cup on the side. The fried okra was good, though. Cornbread a bit dry for my liking. I also tried the burnt ends and burnt was definitely right lol bone dry and tasted microwaved twice over. Might have just gotten them on a bad day.

I kept driving by this place and finally stopped in. Despite the parking lot being nearly empty, it turned out to be a hidden gem! The servers and bartenders were on point! My friends and I tried the burgers/ brisket/ nachos/ fries/ and chicken tenders... compliments to the chef. The burgers were juicy, the brisket tender, nachos were loaded, fries crispy. Great daily specials and happy hour deals. And the place was clean and functional. Can't ask for much more! Definitely revisiting ASAP!

Have driven past dozens of times and finally stopped in for dinner earlier this evening. The service was friendly and timely, the dining room/bathrooms and bar top were clean and organized. However they missed the mark with the food unfortunately. I got one of the main entrees that came with 1/3 lb of brisket, 1/3 lb pulled pork, and two sides; chose the cornbread and Mac and cheese. The brisket was dry and overdone, thankfully the pulled pork was smokey, juicy and full of flavor. The cornbread was good but was intensely sweet and the Mac and cheese was very plain (could have definitely used some seasoning)... I wanted to like the place because they have a prime location right outside of base, but do not think I will be returning. Paying $25 before tax/tip for average BBQ was a tad bit disappointing. If you're in Virginia Beach, for the same price you can get Dave's BBQ located on Laskin Road. Same price but astronomically better BBQ.

The food was not very good. My Mac n cheese was clearly microwaved. The pork was dry. WAYYYYY overpriced. The server was kind and the inside looked clean. Will not return given there are plenty of other bbq places to visit if you want something nice.

The service was ok the food good the cornbread amazing I'll definitely be returning the brisket was juicy so was the chicken and the ribs fell off the bone

This is not BBQ! The table ordered ribs, brisket, and pulled pork and nothing was good. They must use liquid smoke, because even the inside only had a slight smell of smoke. The pulled pork tasted like it was cooked in a crock pot full of water. And the bbq sauce is GROSS. It is ketchup, water, and sugar. NOT BBQ sauce. The fries were the only thing edible. The waitress didn't even ask how the meal was afterwards bc its like they already knew. Would not recommend wasting your money here. The

My husband and I eat here on the regular when we crave bbq and don't want to grill. The cornbread and the smoker are my favs. Haven't found a favorite drink yet lol but I definitely tell people to come try this place out.

First time visiting this place, which was a lunch outing. Lots of seating, and a nice bar set up. Picnic type benches outside as well. Enthusiastic (and cute) waitresses. A very clean an tidy place. We had a group of people in our party. Food was prepared and brought to us quickly. I had the basic cheeseburger (forget the name), which rivaled a top-shelf restaurant. Super! A few of my co-workers had larger meals, and they were satisfied. Speaking of the larger meals, a good amount of food for the price! It cannot be beat! I wish I would've gotten something other than that cheeseburger. I strongly recommend and I hope to visit this restaurant again as soon as I can!

Stopped by here on my lunch break. It used to be Ruby Tuesday so my expectations may have been a little bit higher. It wasn't busy in there at the time either. I actually visited on a snow day. I sat at the bar and ordered a burger with fries along with a sweet tea. The sweet tea was good! I forgot to ask for lemon. The burger was OK. My bread was a little hard (not toasted) but just not fresh. I received my food in a short amount of time so that was cool considering I was on break. I've heard from others the brisket or bbq is the thing to try. I mean after all, it is in the name lol I would come back and try either of those. I'll update my review at that time.

I always get the platter when I visit a BBQ joint for the first time. The food was terrible! I always look forward to eating brisket. It was inedible. It was tough and dry. Not much to say about the chicken. Chicken is chicken to me. The pork was just ok. I wasn't impressed with the BBQ sauce either. My sides were fries, baked beans, and slaw. The fries were bland, not crispy and undercooked, the beans taste like Campbells pork and beans from the can, and I never received my slaw. The so called "World's greatest Cornbread" was nothing to call home about. They also don't have lemonade so children can have something to drink other than soda or to make a good Arnold Palmer. The service was not good either. Every question I asked the waitress was always "I don't know". You could easily tell she didn't like her job and did not want to be there. I overheard her complaining about how she does not like waiting on military because they never tip. In conclusion, I would be willing to give them another try but my expectations won't be as high. If I do return, I will probably try their Buffalo wings. I did ask the waitress while waiting on my food if the restaurant makes their own Ranch dressing. He response was "I wish". I think it says a lot when a restaurant goes the extra mile to make their own signature dressing, especially ranch. Just my preference and opinion. All the people that have reviewed and said how how wonderful this place is obviously don't know good BBQ and never visited Redwood Smoke Shack in Ghent, or BAR-Q on Oceanview Ave. in Norfolk.

very nasty and over priced if i could give 0 stars i would. the corn bread was soggy the fries were dry and cold

The service was great. She was attentive and friendly. The food- best BBQ we've had in a long time, if not EVER! The ribs and brisket were tender and juicy, the beans were tasty and the potato salad flavorful! Yum!! Plus they had live music (open mic night) that made the evening even more enjoyable!!

Burnt ends were wonderful! As well as the brisket. Oh! And that okra!!!! So good! Not sure why it's so dead in here on a Friday night.

Food was good and service was great. Stopped in for lunch. Will definitely return and try some more of the BBQ options.

Delicious dinner with just-right portion sizes. The pulled pork and brisket had such a good smokey flavor. The sauces were flavorful. The fries were hot and crispy. The cornbread is to die for. Everything was fresh, hot and delicious. Our server was friendly and kept our drinks full. Good vibe.

Great food and good service. I was surprised that it was so inexpensive. The staff was very friendly. My wife and I plan to come here often.

Very good service, ok food. Smoked chicken was flavorful, but the breast was pretty dry. The server said the green beans were fresh, but they were definitely canned and mushy. Corn bread was good. Great prices for whiskey.

Great food. More than fair prices. Best happy hour around. If you're at the base and not drinking or eating there you're missing out.

Prompt, great service. Clean restaurant. I thought since this was a BBQ place there'd be multiple BBQ options, but not so much. The food was ready quickly, it was ok. I liked the setup of the place. Even though I thought the food was just ok, I would go back.

Service and food was great. Them cornbread was hittin only thing I didn't really like is that the sweet tea wasn't all of that sweet. But overall everything was perfect

Finally got a chance to stop in here and I'm afraid we are a bit spoiled in BBQ places because we tend to compare every place to a couple of our faves and this place had good sides but we felt the brisket was tough and just didn't wow us but I think the longer they are open they might master it but man the sides were awesome especially their cornbread. We will return to see if becomes a top contender for BBQ places locally

I ordered the brisket sandwich. Supposed to come with fries and coleslaw I didn't receive the slaw. Brisket was 50% fat and the meaty part was dry and tough. Well most of it. I did get one piece that was tender but still dry. The fries were okay, needed salt. Environment wasn't welcoming as well. Won't be back.

Small servings overall,not super tasty as per price..Cornbread is best item,service was a little slow..I think BBQ Mission is a better choice.

I couldn't put the meat in my mouth fast enough. People started calling me Heather Burke because I would just inhale the meat to the bone. Pound for pound the best smoke bbq place around. Get yourself a three way of chicken, brisket, and pulled pork! This meat will fill your hole and your friends in no time.

Stopped by for lunch and had an amazing pulled pork sandwich, served with coleslaw and fries. Atmosphere is great, sat at the bar and watched sports while I ate. I will definitely be returning for more!