Schooners Grill Newport News

Came in for brunch last Sunday with a party of 11 and we were quickly seated. Our waitress was quick and friendly and our orders came out pretty fast considering the place was almost full. The portions were large, were very flavorful and worth the money. We didn’t eat outside, but there was a pretty sizable area with outside seating. The parking lot was a little tight, but manageable.

Our waitress was Savanna and she got us everything we needed! The Calamari was very good! The marinara for it was somewhat spicy which surprised us but it did have a very good flavor so I took the leftover home to cut it with cream cheese. The gyro was big and somewhat dry. T Savanna got me extra tzatzki sauce and that helped. I've definitely had better Greek salad. The shrimp skewers had a very nice flavor and were cooked perfectly. The grilled veggies were squash, peppers, onions and mushrooms and were also very good. The onion rings were battered and great. Overall we had a nice time.

My 1st visit w/my husband & father & the service was absolutely on point. Our waitress Laurie was so attentive & polite. Our food was absolutely good & the portions were very big. We had a slight issue w/our chicken but that was immediately taken care of & taken off the bill. We will definitely be returning. Our only regret is that we hadn't visited sooner.

Solid choice. Recommend by the guy at the front desk of our hotel when we were in town for a concert at the Hampton Coliseum. Went for the blackened mahi tacos. Fish was cooked perfectly! Really enjoyed the meal. Prices reasonable and service was good. Great fuel for attending a concert and an easy Uber/Lyft ride to the venue.

First time eating here. Was with a large group of more than six people on a Tuesday evening. Menu spread is decent. I chose the hamburger steak and there are multiple variations. Server was fine. With a large group inside and multiple people sitting outside, the slower service was anticipated.

Angie, the bartender/waitress, was amazing! She provided attentive service and made sure everything was perfect — even checked to make sure my pizza was good. I ordered the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pizza, and it was incredible. I got the 10-inch and ended up eating the whole thing by myself, lol. Definitely recommend stopping by — great food and great service!

The waitress was very attentive. It's near a college so there is kinda of a college bar feel but it was mainly an older crowd. So the atmosphere was awkward, to say the least. The food was very disappointing. The shrimp was freezer burned and had an unpleasant, strong, fishy taste. The gyro platter meat was nearly flavorless, and the tomatoes weren't ripe enough. Wouldn't recommend.

We stopped for lunch today, second experience , and sat at the high tops , by far the absolute best service , our waitress was quite exceptional . great quality feedback and menu knowledge. Detailed opinion , loved the service . Loved the experience I got the Greek pita bang bang shrimp . And fish tacos mahi mahi the shrimp was a little to thick of a cut for my liking, everything else was great

Very welcoming atmosphere and super friendly staff! Came here for lunch with my husband and our friend. My husband ordered an IPA that they ran out of, and he was provided samples of different ones that were similar. We ordered the fried pickles with the jalapeños and the beef nachos for our appetizers, which were delicious! The chips for the nachos were somewhat sweet and also crispy yet airy. I ordered the philly cheesesteak with fries. It was a little dry, but still good. Fries were perfect!

Schooners has great food and the vibe is great. The bartenders are super sweet, especially MK.

Honestly this place has a nice environment with good service but highly mid at most things. Food felt very bland with almost no taste. Nothing special

Five year update review - and Schooner's is still trucking along. They've got a formula, and it works. It's worked so well, that it hasn't much changed in the 20 years since I moved here and started visiting the place. It still waivers pretty consistently between 3-4 stars depending on the experience, but I cannot find any other BBQ chicken pizza in the area that is anywhere near as good as theirs. The margarita pizza is also aces. Their sweet potato fries are also still consistently delicious. Service is still consistently hit or miss -- sometimes it's fantastic, other times you're begging a bartender to look in your general direction. The patio is a huge perk on beautiful fall days like this one - parking is consistently a challenge. The old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. Schooner's keeps delivering exactly what they've been doing for 20+ years.

A cool, funky bar and grill. In and outdoor seating. Looks like a good spot for day drinking :) What they call "appetizers" I call entries; big portions! Chicken skewers and quesadillas good, just a lot of each! As big a portion as the apps were, can only imagine the size of the entrees! Recommend.

Order from here all the time when I am working on site. Have a great variety of items on menu. One of the best club sandwiches I have had in years. Plenty of food when you order. Not stingy at all. Coworkers love them!

Our friends who live here could not wait to take us here! It did not disappoint!! I got the hand breaded chicken tenders along with sweet potato fries. You can't go wrong. We got loaded fries and onion rings as an appetizer and they were also phenomenal! We were able to eat outside since the weather was nice and the outdoor patio is so nice! Ample parking as it has a large lot. I can't wait to return.

This is my favorite go to restaurant on the peninsula. The food is consistently good as well as the service the owner make sure that his kitchen and bathrooms are extremely clean, which I really appreciate. Their staff is attentive and just about everything on the menu is delectable !

I recently placed an order with Schooners and was unfortunately very disappointed with the quality of the food I received. The pizza arrived burned and unappetizing -- not at all what I expected, especially considering I spent nearly $90 on the entire meal. I've attached photos of the pizza along with the receipt to show the condition of the food and confirm the purchase. For the price I paid, I expected much better care in preparation and quality. I would appreciate a refund or at least a proper replacement for the poorly made items. I hope this was just a one-off experience, and that Schooners will take this feedback seriously to ensure better quality control moving forward. Thank you for your time and understanding, Shawn

This place is simply phenomenal. We come here at least once a month. The quality of the food is always top-notch. Sometimes they have live music on certain nights. It is located in Newport News, Virginia, and is definitely worth a try. Today, we had the well-done blackened tuna, and it was delicious.

Atmosphere, crowd was good, however if you are not a regular (and this bar is packed with regulars), they could care less about you. Food was very average, had a greasy pizza and gyro. Server was kind after twenty minute wait, price was 52.00 pre tip, for 2 drafts, personal pizza , gyro so not bargain either. Overall, ok.

My waitress was awesome, my food was delicious, and the atmosphere is a casual feel, sports bar. Plenty of seating with some outside seating, as well. Going to try and make it back for Happy Hour soon with my husband. Check them out!

Took my husband here for dinner out and sad to say the food this time around was NOT good! Very disappointed and will not be back! I'll start off with the good: Service! Our server was very attentive and nice. The two alcoholic drinks that were ordered were delicious and strong. The Bad: Most of the food! Nachos: There were hardly any cheese or tomatoes on it! Sadly not like the last time I had ordered them. Also the guacamole we added on was not really worth it for the $4. The chips were good but some were overcooked! The gyro: Now I usually don't order gyros unless at a Greek restaurant or a place known for them but they have several Greek specialties so I thought it would be a safe bet and would be prepared well but I was wrong! The meat was shredded and dry. The tzatziki sauce had no flavor either. Was also disappointed in the Greek pasta salad. Had very small chopped up black and green olives and the flavor of the olives was then throughout the salad. Usually I just pick out the olives and fine eating salads and things with olives but this is not the case with this place and salad. Just beware if you are not a fan of olives. We also ordered a small white pizza and it was very doughy. Not a good pizza. Was really looking forward to having a yummy dinner with good food but sadly not!

Not the best experience. Ordered an item and what I got wasn't what I expected. Unfortunately, customer service did not prevail. Has it really come down to profit over people? Maybe so.

Newport News This review has been a long time coming. And since I was out here posting other reviews, this one is well overdue!! What can I say about Schooners, their staff, and their food but GREAT!!! I always have a good experience when I go there. No matter how crowded or how quiet, if that ever happens , it is in there it is always a good time. You may think that this is a college bar when it truly is not. Very family oriented with seating inside, outside, at the bar, tables around the inside and even a room in the back for overflow or large parties. From their brunch on Sundays to their lunch and dinner menu all the other times, there is always something delicious to enjoy. I have had a few things more than a few times, but I have not made my way through the entire menu. When I am craving that same delicious meal I had last visit, I catch myself ordering it again. But don't limit yourself to just a few items try as much as you can for as many visits as you can. The staff is friendly, efficient, and attentive as a good staff should be. From the wait staff to the bartenders to the kitchen staff great job done by all. Can it get crowded, YES, and nothing wrong with it. Friday and Saturday nights you may find a small band in there or a DJ, with the atmosphere being fun having and friendly. I have yet to make it to the new store in Poquoson, but I have heard the same good things about it. COME OUT AND ENJOY!! YA MAS!!!!!

On vacation to Williamsburg, VA we stayed at an AirBnB in Newport News. Schooners caught our eye from the road and we looked up the menu. American fare, family friendly with something for everyone. From the moment you walk in it is obvious someone loves this place. The decorations are very intentional- the floor is custom painted to mimic the waves. There is a live fish tank that our kids enjoyed. The menu impressed me, as it was both functional and beautiful. The options were inclusive but not exhaustive. We had pizza, a burger, chicken salad sandwich and fish tacos in addition to the kids meal. Our server Megan was attentive and knowledgeable and made us feel welcome. It was obviously a favorite local hangout. We would definitely want to come back anytime we are in the area!

A couple of evenings away I placed an order to go, but unfortunately, it was a pretty big letdown, the food was not warm. I got here in 20 minutes. Spent nearly 100$ on take away and it wasn't worth it. Maybe it was just an off night because there are so many good reviews. Will try another time

We came on football Sunday and had excellent food and even better service! We came around brunch so grabbed the waffles and then the onion rings later on which I loved. Our waitress was so nice, fun and quick. Definitely will make our way back here.

The food was amazing! Service was amazing! I went with my husband on a random Saturday. Planned a pre birthday girls day there the next Wednesday ! We had a great time!

This is a hidden gem to me if I did not live close by I probably would not know they exist oh man am I glad they do whether it is taking my kids out to lunch going out on a first date or just getting a few cheers after a hard day this is the place to go They have fantastic drink specials and their gin cocktail is sooo good with blueberries in it The cookie dessert is big enough for the whole table to share and is delicious The calamari is mouthwatering and the pizzas are cooked to perfection On the weekends they have live music and even a patio to enjoy the weather The staff are always smiling and moving around they help you out if you don't love what you get Like the time my date tried a drink he described as cough syrup and disgusting they happily replaced it with a more manageable drink choice The burgers are also a great option here and taste wonderful

This Florida girl is so happy to find an amazing place that reminds me of home. Great seafood, great service and clean. The restaurant is over-staffed, which is a blessing they are fast and hopping. They can keep up with the pace by having so many staff members. The kitchen was fast and everything came out amazing. From the steak appetizer which has a Greek flare and was delicious. For the meals, fish and chips (amazing and perfectly fried), my shrimp and grits (great flavors and sausage!), to the Mahi tacos (blackened perfectly). We were full and since it was so great we filled ourselves up right to a food coma and had dessert. We had a salt and caramel nightingale sandwich and key lime pie! We will be back for sure. Oh and the drinks!!! Wow! Can't wait to return

I recently visited this restaurant, which definitely reminds me of a sports bar. They have plenty of seating, and even a separate room for larger parties. The service is pretty good as is the food. My server Chris was very honest about what was popular as this was my first visit. I tried the Vespucci pizza, which had a lot more cheese than I desired. I'll try another kind of pizza next time. I was a little disappointed with the greek salad, which had iceberg lettuce and no pepperoncinis. The wings were good, and the grilled veggies had good flavor.

This is actually my 2nd time visiting Schooners Grill. The first time was 2 years ago when my girlfriend and I were with friends after going to the Mariners Museum for the day. For this visit, which was the final challenge I participated in as part of the Yelp Adventure Challenge, we decided to order off the brunch menu via takeout. Upon entering, the staff at the front counter had masks on and had hand sanitizer for customers. Safety first during the new normal. For my meal, I chose the Iron Skillet omelette with chicken, bacon, 3-cheese blend and a few vegetables and with a side of red bliss potatoes and bread. (My gf chose Eggs Benedict, which she enjoyed.) Overall, a pretty nice dish. The omelet was seasoned and the proteins were cooked perfectly. The potato side was a bit salty, but not overpowering on the tongue. The only slight negative I had was the chicken was a bit too big. I imagined it would small chunks or maybe pulled chicken, but it was big pieces. Nonetheless, it was tender. We will definitely order from the brunch menu again. Not totally expensive and quick to pick up.

FOOD We ordered the margherita pizza, the salmon filet sandwich, nachos, calamari, fish and chips, and a couple more dishes. All were good, and you really do get your bang for your buck. The portions are quite large, and we ended up bringing half of what we ordered home (and the whole pizza at that!). SERVICE We were seated immediately upon entering, and our orders arrived quickly. Our plates were cleared quickly as well, and the check arrived promptly. Our waiter was a little stiff but friendly nonetheless. AMBIANCE The restaurant is casual, though guests dress down to up. The decor inside the restaurant fits its theme, and the vibe is more so for adults but can also be family-friendly. TVs are scattered amongst the walls showing various sports. PARKING There is a good amount of parking at the front of the store, side of the store, and in the lot behind. The spaces themselves can be small depending on how close your neighbors park. Spaces fill up fast, even on a weeknight, so be wary.

Yes! Service was excellent and we had The best Nachos ever!!! I can't wait to go back and try some of the items in the menu.

We absolutely LOVE Amanda! She was the best server, was so personable, and helped with anything we needed. This has been a go to spot for years for my friends and I, and we always love how hospitable the staff is.

A friend of my son's recommended Schooners to us, so we gave it a try last Friday! We ordered the seafood platter, broiled. It had flounder, shrimp and a crab cake & my sides were sweet potato fries and veggies. The flounder & shrimp were small, but tasty and the crab cake was pretty good, but would have been better if it had broiled a little longer ( little mushy). Grilled veggies were good & the sweet potato fries were from the bottom of the cooker. As the waitress put them down, she said these fries aren't nice... more coming. A few minutes later a big bowl of fresh & hot fries arrived! They were yummy! Martini & rum drinks were great & waitress was delightful & attentive.

miss the kentacohut. but the food is good and i had a great time sitting and remembering 10 years back when I could get a pizza with a burrito and some chicken

Meh. It's ok. Nothing super to brag about honestly. The staff was great when I was there. They were attentive to our table. I ordered the chicken tacos they had. The chicken was much larger than normal. It was so hard to eat. When I took a bite I almost had the entire chicken "tender" in my mouth. It also was not seasoned well and has a weird taste to it as well. I did not eat them at all. The menu is pretty big. So it took some time to go through it. Pricing was not too bad. I felt most items were reasonable.

Really great local restaurant! I have drive by several times and it always packed so we decided to try it out on a Friday night. As someone who was raised in Florida it had very similar vibes. I had the Blackened Mahi tacos that reminded me of home. My Wife had the Shrimp and Grits the shrimp tasted extremely fresh and oh my god the garlic bread I'd order just a side of that by itself. We will be back!

Hubby picked this spot for a Saturday lunch and it was perfect. We sat in their covered seating area (that is important to us because we are pale). I am not a big drinker, but when our waitress read the drink of the day, it sounded delicious and it was! It was mocha raspberry iced coffee with Bailey's and vodka as well as Cordial. It went down smooth. Hubby had the BLT with a side of green beans and I had the grilled salmon filet with a side of pasta salad. Both were amazing!! The BLT had extra B and the Salmon was grilled to perfection. Both sandwiches were falling apart and messy to eat, which I believe is a sign of a good sandwich. Our waitress Fae was sweet and attentive. And she gets extra points for calling me beautiful. We are going to try this place out for dinner while we are here too!!

Chose to come here to watch the divisional football playoffs and enjoyed the outing. Schooners has a good menu filled with many choices. I ordered the club sandwich together with the shrimp basket. It is good for groups, has live entertainment and good vibrations. Expect some delay in your seating, this place seems to get packed early. https://m.yelp.com/menu/sHdNt5bVtIQF6Cmm5gERgA

Awful awful awful. Server acted like we were inconveniencing her. Chicken salad had BONES & fat - had to take tiny bites to spit out the inedible parts. Cole slaw was disgusting - tasted like it had either turned or was mixed with dirty dish water. In ladies room, watched a server leave w/o washing her hands. Never going back.

Cute spot. Went on new years for a late bite and drink. Got stared down I guess because we were the youngest there. Good food and a decent drink!

The service was very attentive, food was super good and reasonably priced. Would recommend and will return for sure.

It was alright. I would say the food is more towards bar food. Our food was a little over cooked but still manageable. Service was good the servers were really kind and fast. The environment of the restaurant was kinda loud but very nice and pretty. The restaurant is smaller than expected.

Great variety and selection of food. Also affordable. Fantastic service, our waitress Michelle L was the best!

We enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks. I had fish tacos which were good and our waitress was kind and patient with our group. I will go back for a drink in the future. I'll try something else next time.

Delicious food. The Mahi tacos are some of the best I've ever had with a solid serving of fish on each taco. My partner had the black and blue burger. the flavor was outstanding and the burger was juicy. Highly recommend. Wonderfully relaxed and casual atmosphere. Look forward to eating outside when it gets a little warmer although they had a great fire table/pit which would have worked to keep us warm today.

The restaurant had a nice setup and layout. The prices were a little higher than I thought they should be, but it was good. The food was great and the service was good. The patio was great!

The food was delicious! Restaurant could have been cleaner, the floor was very dirty, some of the "clean" tables needed to be wiped down. Our waitress may have been having a bad day, not attentive and acted bothered by our group. I'd like to dine here again but most likely it'll be for take out.

It was my birthday. I had actually chosen a different venue for the celebration, but word got screwed up in the shuffle and ended up ahead of everyone at this location. A gem of a location I was totally unaware of. So I chalked it up to a goof and went. The menu isn't all that extensive but has numerous seafood choices, pizza, sammies, and misc other choices. Watching the staff bringing food out of the kitchen was a show in itself. If anyone left this place unsatisfied, it was their fault. Even the desserts. One of our party ordered fish and chips. There was enough fish (Cod) for two people. Two of us ordered the chicken souvlaki. It was tasty but as it goes, chicken breast to me Is ALWAYS dry. Not my favorite r ite, and in large chunks on the skewer, but seasoned well. I bet on the grilled b Eggleston and the b et paid off

This was my 3rd visit to Schooners but the first trip I have no memory of, the second was for a private party, and then this recent time at the suggestion of a family member as a good but pricier place for weekend brunch. There were 5 adults and 2 small children in our party, and we were seated in the second dining area at a large accommodating table. The menu had many brunch choices. Two of us chose the power brunch, consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage, red bliss or tater tot sized potatoes and french toast. This was a large breakfast and we all sampled the red bliss potatoes. They were quite yummy. The made on site tater tots are just small rectangled potatoes and not all that. The bacon was crisp, the french toast a little dark (maybe wheat bread?) and the eggs we both got scrambled and were very good. One of us got a scrambler breakfast platter and proclaimed all of it very good. Two of us shared the breakfast pizza, all of which they consumed. We had very attentive wait staff over all, and the experience was very nice. The price point was about $20 each with an iced tea or soda. There was food left over to take home because the portions are large. I find that to be the case in any bar establishment in Virginia because the food profits have to significantly outweigh the alcohol profits so restaurants charge a lot for food and give more than is needed to make that happen. I prefer small portions and smaller price. However this visit did not disappoint. It is so close by one of us that I imagine we will choose this eatery again.

Love this spot. The food is great. They have an awesome atmosphere. Our bar tenders Alex and Lars are always amazing. Come here to have crazy good food and drinks.

Food is very good. Menu is great. Service is great. I recommend the pizza and sandwiches. Appetizers are great too. I highly recommend.

I have been to the Schooners located on Warwick Boulevard many times. They have a good selection of choices at reasonable prices. The people are polite and professional and do a good job. I have heard that they have opened another schooners restaurant somewhere on the peninsula but this is one of my favorites.

So I just moved into the area (I've been here 2 days) . I saw this place (Schooners)and made a note to try it . Well, today was the day . I walked in on (10/11/2022 @ 7:45 approx) and was pleasantly greeted by the hostess . My waiter was Chandler and I ordered steamed shrimp (which was delicious) I also ordered the blackened flounder sandwich (this too was delicious) to which my waiter quickly inquired "what side would you like ? I respond unprepared "oh that comes with a side ? What are the sides ?" He then instructs me to open to the page to where an extensive list of sides are available and I pick one on impulse "ok onion rings! " . (The details of this exchange will be very important later lol) After devouring a tasty meal for the evening , Chandler returns and asks " are you ready for the check ?" Here's where my dining experience takes a turn , not a sharp one , a subtle one . I've never waited tables a day in my life but I've eaten at enough establishments to know that usually a waiter would say something like "can I get anything else for you ?" Feeling as though I'm being rushed out , I respond "sure the check would be fine " all the while I'm secretly wanting dessert . Chandler returns with my check in hand. As I am unable to quell my insatiable desire of wanting dessert , I ask him , "do you guys have desserts here ? " Chandler then motions to the dessert menu that had been sitting on the table tucked behind the cocktail menu . I add on a Key Lime Pie (probably the worst part of the meal , considering it was frost bitten and crunchy) I volunteer to pay for my meal if he'd like to take my card and charge and add the pie.He says it's no problem and will just add it on. I hand him my card in advance for the dessert so that he doesn't have to make the extra trip . He returns with the card copy to be signed . I notice the total seemed to be a bit more than I had expected . Out of curiosity i asked for the itemized version of the receipt since it wasn't included . Chandler obliges. I then see that there was a 2 dollar charge for the onion rings . I ask politely , "I thought this came with the sandwich as a side ?" Chandler then says "some sides are free and some have up charges " ... not wanting to lecture or appear problematic, I swallow the bitter pill of a 14 dollar flounder sandwich and onion rings that I didn't know wasn't included . What could've circumvented my ire , is if my waiter offered a disclaimer to me when I chose a side item that wasn't included. Maybe a "sir that's a 2 dollar up charge is that ok ? " or perhaps, list the sides that actually come with the meal without a charge (I assume that can't be a long list). You could even group them accordingly on the menu if it's too much to have memorized . Communication from my waiter was as ice cold as the chards of frozen water in my key lime pie . That said, I will return to get more shrimp and try more of the menu . Peace and Blessings

Great Sunday brunch for our family and friends. Service, 6 and food were fast. Food was delicious.

We met two other couples here Last night. Totally packed. Good eclectic crowd. Great service folks getting us in the door and super quick drink orders. I had the orange infused old fashion. They use super good bourbon Larceny. I didn't look at price but assumed it to be $12-14. I was surprised their non happy hour price was $7. It was amazing and dare I say a strong pour. Waitress was phenomenal. I think her name was Angie ( petite brunette with Geisha girl tattoo). We are sometimes a handful and she handled every request with grace and professionalism I had souvlaki pita and wife had Greek salad and steamed shrimp. Salad was enough for 4 people. Shrimps were seasoned well. Souvlaki on point. Excellent meeting spot. Will be back over and over.