Terrapin Restaurant

Excellent from start to end!! I have say, this probably the best food I EVER tasted, especially in this area. I’m not even exaggerating. I made a reservation for my boyfriend. They surprised us by printing his name on the menu wishing him a happy birthday. The food was so beautifully made really and truly. And for dessert- I HIGHLY recommend “The Pear”. Beautiful experience. You will NOT be disappointed.

Wow! Can’t believe this place does not have a higher rating!! First time here for our anniversary but it will certainly not be our last! While the menu could be described as simple, I would say that makes the execution even more difficult. The chefs here did an amazing job at delivering well crafted, seasoned, and harmonious dishes. Add the more upscale atmosphere and service, it was a delightful evening. A special thank you to Alea, our server, who was so sweet, knowledgeable, attentive, and caring to make us feel special both as guests and for our anniversary. More on the food - We opted to go for the 4-course tasting menu (x2) and enjoyed: raw oysters, homemade burrata, linguini w/ clams, short rib rigatoni, lamb lion, chicken piccata, tiramisu, and valhrona chocolate pudding. We left stuffed to say the least!! Felt it was worth the price and would do it again! If your looking to save a bit though while still getting to go out, they do have a very nice selection for happy hour at a lower rate! We don’t get out often, so thank you Terrapin for a great evening!!

I’ve been here twice! Recommend the shrimp tagliatelle - it’s my favorite and I go back just for that! The service is great as well. Everyone is so kind and knowledgeable! Definitely give this place a try! :)

We were in town vacationing for the week and my daughter mentioned that she had gone there for date night. They raved about how delicious the food was, the atmosphere, the wine, and their wonderful server Courtney. It was so good she made reservations for the family to go, and it was worth it! The food was amazing and appropriately filling, and we were lucky enough to have Courtney as our server. She was warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and a pleasure. Wonderful experience overall, would make it a point to eat here again if we are in VA Beach.

Logan, Brian and the Chefs were great and did not disappoint! We had our anniversary dinner there and we will be back regularly! Halibut and ShortRib Rig was the best! Bouillabaisse was rare and tasty too! We love it! We will be back more often!

Nice variety of Italian dishes. We liked the pasta with clams and the grilled fish. Nice atmosphere. Excellent service. Parking lot is always a little tight. Not sure why. Grateful Dead memorabilia throughout the restaurant. They have a nice happy hour menu from 5-6. Wish it lasted a little longer.

Excellent experience! Food was great and eye catching. Oysters are the best in VA Beach. The Dumplings with Kimchi were delicious. The Beet Salad was outstanding. Sourdough bread was hot and fresh!! Courtney was a very communicative and responsive server, very friendly! We will definitely be back.

Ali was absolutely fantastic. She was extremely attentive and had a great personality. We had a great evening with very good food.

My Wife made reservations for my birthday tonight at Terrapin Restaurant, located near the oceanfront area in Virginia Beach. When we walked in we were warmly greeted and brought to our table. Our server, Linsky was amazing. She was prompt, courteous, and very helpful with menu questions and suggestions. They have a fantastic Happy Hour menu and it was hard for us to veer away from it, with the remarkable selection and value pricing. We started out with the meatballs for $7, and an order of the Crudo for $8, served on "crunchy rice." Both were delicious. The crunchy rice was quite a treat, it was soft inside and crunchy outside, fantastic. The meatballs (4 per order) were served with a delicious marinara and Basil leaves. We really enjoyed them. For dinner we started out with the House Salad for $10. This is a large portion and certainly enough to share, which is what we did. It was lightly dressed and a mustard based vinaigrette. All the the ingredients were fresh and delicious. For our entrees we decided to try 3 different half-portion pasta dishes on the Happy Hour menu, starting with the Shrimp Tagliatelle for $10. Both the pasta and shrimp were cooked perfectly. It was made slightly spicy with Calabrian chili peppers which was amazing. We also tried the Short-rib Rigatoni. This was incredibly delicious and we enjoyed it very much. Finally we tried the Cacio E Pepe for $10. This was a delicious rendition of the classic Italian dish. It was pepper forward just as one would expect. The pasta was fresh and cooked perfectly. This was a very good dish. For dessert we had to try The Pear for $14. If you have never tried it, you are simply letting the best in life pass you bye. The pictures do not do this wonderful creation justice, it must be experienced to be truly appreciated. My only regret is that I didn't try this local gem sooner. I highly recommend dining here at your earliest opportunity. You'll be glad you did and you can rest assured that you are supporting our local restaurant community!

Great atmosphere. Perfect date night spot. Rodney (chef and owner) is very talented and knows how to run a great restaurant.

Fancy.... Had a reservation and got seated right away. The menu was interesting (duck and caviar to name a few), not many restaurant around have those options available. Everything was tasty and their drink selection (mainly wine) was good. The place is pretty quiet to be a restaurant but good vibe.

Awesome dinner at the Terrapin again tonight. Thank you! Pastry Chef Jess has our done herself with the "Pear" dessert. Light and wonderful! I'm not a dessert person, but this is worth the calories.

This Italian restaurant, about six blocks from the ocean is truly our best find in Virginia Beach. We were met at the door and seated promptly. We started with the Roasted Baby Red Beets in a Lemon Labneh with olive oil, honey, & toasted pistachios, served with grilled ciabatta The "" Tuna Credo" served beautifully and very fresh & Tasty. Our server brought us fresh bread with a turtle butter. Really cute. "Turtles are a big thing in V.B." Terrapin makes their own pasta fresh daily. For our main course we had the Italian favorite "Linguine & Clam sauce". Little neck clams in a white wine sauce.with garlic and red peppers Shrimp Tagliatelle, North Carolina shrimp fresh herbs in a lemon butter sauce with cherry tomatoes. Our waitress did the finishing touch, my grading fresh Parmesan Reggiano at the table We couldn't pass on dessert and elect it to go with the gelato which was made there, and was excellent The service is top notch, the food is fantastic, The ambience is upscale pleasant. We found that the restaurants that are NOT on the beach and boardwalk had much better food, better service and more reasonable prices

I have been wanting to dine here for YEARS. Celebrating an anniversary felt like the right time to finally go. I had high hopes for this place and they exceeded them! The parking lot is tiny (and full), but the host was helpful in finding a place I could park. Our waitress is an aspiring chef herself. Her passion for food was so evident and made the whole experience that much better. The wait staff seemed to be attentive and friendly at other tables as well. We sat at a booth/tabletop. They have a beautiful bar. The atmosphere was elegant, but not pretentious or over the top. It's a place that doesn't demand a suit or dressing "to the 9's", but it was nice to dress up a little. It is fine dining after all. They had a current promotion where you could order an appetizer, entree, and dessert at a discount. We ordered a 1/2 dozen raw oysters, beets & labneh, shortrib rigatoni, valrhona chocolate pudding, and tiramisu. They also serve you fresh bread with a little terrapin butter. The promotion made our dining experience very affordable. There regular prices aren't outrageous though. The tasting menu is definitely the way to go if they don't have the promotion going (4 courses: starter, pasta, entree, and dessert and you'll probably have some food leftover). Plus, it's quality food that will be just as good the next day. If wine is your thing, they had a nice selection as well, not to mention a short list of mocktails that sounded good. The waitress told us about how the oysters all come from a single oyster farmer. They come from the Chesapeake Bay near the eastern shore. My girlfriend described them as the best oysters she has ever had. They seemed much thicker than I've seen. The beets and labneh tasted very fresh and flavorful. Even the toasted bread was seasoned. It seemed like a simple plate, but it was done right. The pasta here is made in house and it cooked perfectly Al dente. The shortrib rigatoni is slow cooked for a long time. It was tender. The sauce had a lot of flavor. The linguine and clams was clearly made with high quality ingredients. The wine sauce was complex and made with love. The red pepper was perfect on it. I'm always hesitant to order tiramisu because I don't thoroughly enjoy the taste of coffee. Let me tell you, this tiramisu was so good! I would come back just to have it again. The texture was perfect, the flavors were perfectly layered, and I can't say enough about it. The chocolate pudding was much better than it has any business being. It was rich, but not overtly so. The flakes of salt in it make it what it is. If you can't resist chocolate, you'll definitely want to try it. It's a shame I took so long to check this place out, but I'm so glad I finally did. Treat yourself and enjoy one of the best restaurants in all of Hampton Roads!

Upon entry, I knew this restaurant would match the amazing reviews! We were greeted by a spirited soul who led us to their amazing outdoor terrace. What was impressive, is that they didn't cram a bunch of tables in this space which curated a more intimate space for dining. We were so fortunate to have Alea as our server! Extremely knowledgeable about their menu, the wine and a bright personality! As a wine enthusiast, I had her pair a glass with each course. What was so special? She brought out 2 Sauvignon Blancs samples and we played the game where was their origin! Always fun to challenge the knowledge of your palate. Here choices were spot on! On to the food! My partner had the roasted beet salad which was on point! The Crispy Tuno Crudo was a fun take and rice crisp was a great texture compliment. My partner is Vegetarian and they were more than accommodating in creating a pasta dish for him. Full of seasonal vegetables amid a lemon butter sauce. The Halibut! What was so remarkable is it wasn't served with a traditional starch, but rather roasted asparagus and a light vegetable salad. Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant as it hit all marks! Only wished I lived here as I would do their tasting menu for a special occasion! Kudos Terrapin!!!!

My boyfriend surprised me with dinner at Terrapin for my birthday last month and I was very excited to try it out. Since we had reservations, we were quickly seated as soon as we arrived. The restaurant is very small and quaint so I highly recommend reservations. As soon as I sat down, the wonderful server provided us with menus and at the top of my menu it displayed "Happy Birthday Leah!". Talk about feeling special!!! I absolutely loved that they did that for me! For starters, I ordered a dozen of raw oysters. I love raw oysters and eat them every year for my birthday. I paired them with a glass of Riesling and they were very fresh and delicious. We then ordered the Short Rib Rigatoni, Shrimp Tagliatelle and the Truffle Mac & Cheese. The food came out in good timing and was absolutely delicious. I actually enjoyed his Shrimp pasta over my Short Rib pasta but both were great. The Truffle Mac & Cheese lacked a little flavor in my opinion but it wasn't bad. Terrapin is the perfect restaurant if you are craving pasta (which is house made) and good vibes. The server was beyond amazing and she even wrapped my special menu in a cute ribbon for me to take home. The food was delicious and I would highly recommend this place if you are looking for a wonderful night out.

This is a wonderful choice for a nice dinner. It feels elegant but not stuffy. I of course was there for Happy Hour. And they have a good one. But it is literally 1 hour.....5 to 6 pm. They have $6 well drinks and $6 glasses of wine. 1/2 portions of pasta and other appetizers. We started with 1/2 dozen oysters for $7.50 and a Cheese and Charcuterie Board for $11. Everything was delicious. The board was a perfect size for an appetizer for 2. The bartender even gave us some sour dough bread which was so good and fresh and served with the cutest butter shaped like a turtle. It's those little things that make your experience better than the rest. We also got the Linguine and Crab pasta. They even put it in 2 bowls for us because they knew we were sharing. Once again....nice touch. The pasta was perfectly cooked and it was delicious. I definitely will go back. The rest of the menu looked good....it would be a tough choice on what to get.

Came here for the happy hour specials - which are an excellent deal. Wine $6 (and not the crappy wine either but a nice selection to choose from). Had the crispy tuna shashimi. Was visually appealing and the tuna was fresh although the taste was ok but nothing to write home about. The best deal by far was the half portion of pasta for $10. I had the linguini and clams. Very tasty sauce. Thought about ordering a 2nd half portion it was so good

Fantastic experience at Terrapin. Atmosphere and service were both impeccable and the tasting menu is a fantastic bang for your buck. I found the pricing to be more than fair for the high quality courses that we received. The duck was cooked perfectly. Zero complaints.

Wow, somehow my first time here. Really great!Appetizers: oysters, crispy rice w/ tuna -Devine Main: pasta dish was outstanding . Dessert: chocolate pudding, insane. Lovely mock-tails also. Can't wait to come back!

Went with the family to have dinner and check this place out. All in all a decent place, but the food was a little disappointing for the prices. I had the braised beef which was mostly fat and a small dab of the potatoes. My wife had the pork tenderloin and relatively decent, seemed heavier with the salt than expected. My mother had the halibut and was pleased her entrée.

I am a sucker for a great happy hour, especially one that features a good selection of small bites to complement wine, beer or cocktail specials. While Terrapin is known for its elegant, eclectic and mostly Italian-inspired fare, what you may not know is that they have a killer happy hour, and it's a great way to get a taste of the Terrapin experience for a can't-beat-it price. Hey, while you're there, make a future dinner reservation! Theirs is a true happy hour, i.e. it only lasts an hour, 5-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., but there is a lot of delishness to be packed into that hour at their lovely bar. I recently met a friend there after work and we shared a charcuterie board (50% off), crispy tuna crudo ($6), small pasta plate, bottle of bubbly (also 50% off) and a dessert and our whole bill was $55. Everything was delightful and the service was great. It took a few extra minutes to get fresh bread right out of the oven, which was worth the wait and charmingly served with butter in the shape of a turtle (AKA a terrapin). The 1/2 size pasta plates are an especially good deal at $10 per. We tried the Shrimp Tagliatelli and the pasta was super fresh, the shrimp cooked to perfection, the sauce light but flavorful. Also on happy hour are all beers ($5), select wines by the glass ($6), well drinks ($6) and specialty cocktails ($9). We finished things off with a boozy affogato that was the perfect ending to a truly happy hour.

Everything was spectacular here. I went with a large group and we were easily accomodated and our server didn't blink an eye at us and didn't miss a single placing of food. Everyone got the works: cocktails, wine, starters, entrees, and desserts, and every one of us cleaned our plates. I began with the simple salad which was elegant in its simplicity. For my main, I got the scallops and would have licked the plate if I was at home because it was so damn good. I even got dessert--the blueberry crostata, which was really more like a cookie with ice cream on top (not complaining-I love cookies). I will be returning to Virginia Beach, and will definitely come back to Terrapin. Everything was spectacular.

** 3.5 stars ** Terrapin Restaurant is located in Oceanfront, VA Beach. We came here to celebrate our anniversary. Customers can order a la carte or their four-course meal (tasting menu). Their four-course meal consists of appetizers, pasta, entree, and a dessert with optional wine pairings for an additional charge. Ambiance: The restaurant feels classy and modern. The decorations are minimalistic and use neutral colors. They also have a terrace. Maybe if it wasn't raining or warm when we came in, I would've preferred to be seated there. The terrace is beautiful with string lights and less claustrophobic compared to the indoor seatings. Service: The staff was amicable and helpful. They gave us enough time when needed and were very prompt regarding refills. Since we ordered the four-course meal, they kept changing our utensils. I'm unsure if we were ordering a four-course meal or if they were giving us time to rest between meals. We noticed that the breaks between meals are too long. We didn't expect our dinner to last for 2 hours. Food: As I mentioned earlier, we ordered the four-course meal. We ordered the beef dumplings and fried calamari with garlic aioli for starters. The Fried Calamari needed more flavor to my taste, and the garlic aioli didn't add too much flavor to the meal. On the other hand, the Beef Dumplings were very delicious, which was one of our meal's highlights. For pasta, we ordered Shrimp Pomodoro, Linguine & Clams. I barely ordered seafood on my pasta and was glad I did this time. The seafood was fresh and added more flavor to each dish. In addition, each ingredient compliments the other. I highly recommend both dishes if you are thinking of doing a la carte or adding it to your four-course meal. For our entree, we ordered the fillet mignon and the rib eye. According to my boyfriend, the fillet mignon was juicy and cooked the way he wanted, which was medium rare. On the other hand, the ribeye was a little tough even though it was cooked medium rare. The flavors are there, and I enjoyed the grilled taste, but the toughness of the meat led me to not enjoy my entree. The Italian Salsa Verde was delicious, and I never had it before, but I was glad that I was able to try it. I dipped my steak in there to add more flavor. For our desserts, I ordered the Coffee Gelato, and he ordered the Peach Melba. Price: Since it is a fine dining experience, I expected our food to be pricier, but it is not. While the four-course meal is smaller portions than the a la carte, it is affordable because you can pick one from each menu. I also recommend getting the four-course meal if it is your first time in the restaurant. In addition, keep in mind that the ribeye is an additional $35 to the tasting menu. While all my selections were a bust except for the Shrimp Pomodoro, we will still be back in this restaurant because we enjoyed their pasta dishes and beef dumplings. Terrapin Restaurant is perfect for celebrating special occasions because its menu can be personalized and recommended for a good dining experience.

Terrapin is typically a 5-star experience for me. My boyfriend and I have been celebrating our anniversary here every single year and the food is fantastic! But, we were a bit disappointed this past visit if I'm being honest. In the past, we received personalized menus that read "Happy _ Anniversary" etc. and we've kept each one. We also received complimentary champagne each visit. I know these are little added bonuses and I don't *expect* them, we were just a little bummed that we got neither thing this visit and the hostess/waitress didn't acknowledge our anney though the manager acknowledged it many times when making our res over the phone. Other things we noticed this visit were that we got individual slices of bread instead of a bread basket for the table, the charcuterie board was smaller than in the past(2 cheeses, 2 meats vs. 3 cheeses/meats past years), the duck entree was hella small-way smaller than in the past-don't order this if you're hungry, and there was a random fee on our bill labelled "CC surcharge"-not sure if it meant credit card-though we hadn't paid yet? I do really love this restaurant, and we will continue to visit in the future and I encourage others to do the same. The food is fantastic, the drinks are delicious, and the ambiance is romantic and quite fancy. We love sitting out on the patio-it's beautiful especially in the evening!

Food was very good. Service even better. good wine selection. Everything we tried was delicious. We had the: - Charcuterie with good olives and wonderful mustard and perfect crusty crackers they make in-house. - The beet and arugula salads were very refreshing. - Pastas we're well prepared with good sauces (the black pepper cheese and the Mac and cheese were both yummy) - The halibut was perfectly prepared. Very moist and tasty. - the duck was fantastic. I'm not a fan of harissa but the waitress offered to prepare the duck with the crab cake green sauce and preparation and it was amazing. The most delicious duck breast I've had in a while. Not over or undercooked. Perfectly moist. And the green goddess sauce prep was very well seasoned and fresh. - Dessert selection was yummy and both were exactly what we needed to end the meal. Absolutely good value for the money and worth every calorie.

We decided to try the Wednesday evening once a week only local fried chicken meal. The portions were large, the chicken perfectly cooked and seasoned. The meal included Mac and cheese, summer squash and a glass of Pinot Noir that nicely paired with the meal. This was followed by several of the tasty desserts. The service was excellent, and the terrace was a wonderful place to enjoy the meal. Both the host and server were friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend this place, especially on a Wednesday evening on the patio.

I came here for my birthday dinner with a friend, and we did the four course tasting as a special treat. I really liked the dining room we were in, it was minimalist and comfortable, while also inviting. I had the Burrata with farm fresh tomatoes, the short rib rigatoni, the duck breast and the peanut butter chocolate bar. The server we had was very kind and checked on us frequently. My favorite was the duck breast--it was perfectly cooked and I even took some home for leftovers. Second favorite was my pasta dish. While the food is a little pricey, I thought the quality was great and portions were reasonable. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion.

Delicious food that is all made in house, wonderful atmosphere, and fantastic service. We went to celebrate an anniversary and they even gave us a custom menu wishing us a happy Anniversary. Visiting this restaurant made for such an enjoyable evening. Everything we had to eat and drink was amazing. Highly recommend.

We love this neighborhood restaurant. It's a great date night spot. We typically make reservations here with our friends. Their food is good as well as their wine list. Everything on their menu is good so it's it's only hard choosing what to order. We like to try something different each time we go, typically something from one of their specials for the evening. The charcuterie board is always a must for me when I see them in a menu. I love trying different cheeses and meats with jams to go with my wine. My husband and I also love bone marrow so we typically order that as well when we see it on the menu. They got both! The steaks are always cooked to perfection and the catch of the day or any of their fish dishes are always good. We will be back...

We had a lovely night at The Terrapin. The charcuterie board was so cute and delicious but the roasted beets were to die for! We also got the beef dumplings and crispy tuna crudo. For entrees we ordered cacio e pepe, linguine + clams, shortrib rigatoni, and shrimp tagliatelle. Everything tasted fresh. For dessert we ordered tiramisu, chocolate hazelnut gelato, and valrhona chocolate pudding. The restaurant is beautiful inside and the staff is attentive and friendly. Everything was reasonably priced. Overall this was a wonderful experience and we will be back. 10/10 thank you so much

I came here for a friends birthday and enjoyed everything. The outdoor seating is gorgeous, the service was wonderful, and the food was amazing. The turtle shaped butter was so adorable, my daughter really loved it. I would love to come back for a date night experience sometime.

Honestly, this is top 5 for me. The ambience is cozy and dark. Just A few tables. Some of the best food I've ever had and the service is outstanding. I've eaten here 20+ times and it's always amazing.

We had such high expectations for this place. We went in at 6pm and the place was practically empty inside. We don't know if the patio was full. We ordered a glass of champagne and a bottle of wine. Both were great. For a high end place we expected the bubbly to come in a flute glass, it was served in a white wine glass. The meal started with a side of homemade bread which was very tasty, and, butter shaped like a turtle. This was served with one butter knife- kinda annoying to share a butter knife when you're eating. For appetizer, we ordered the octopus. The fresh pesto with the cherry tomatoes and octopus was very good. The octopus was done well with a slight crispness to it. The pesto, tomato, and the octopus created a nice flurry of flavors. For our meals we had the scallops and lobster entrees. The scallops were nice but could have been seared more with a bit more seasoning. The mushrooms were nice compliment to the dish. The lobster pasta was lacking in flavor and felt bland. We got the apple, pistachio crisp with vanilla ice cream. Very tasty dessert with the right balance of crunch, nutty and smooth texture and the cold ice cream to compliment the warm tart. The worst part was the service. They kept rushing us thru the different courses of dinner. Our check was brought out before we had started our dessert. The server offered to cork our bottle of wine when there was a quarter of a serving left. We were told to take our time but then the servers started clearing away our plates and glasses. Disappointed in the service, would not revisit.

From the moment you walked in the door , service was impeccable. Greeted and sat right away. The wait staff was fantastic. Food amazing ! Short rib was so tender and flavorful. Yes we got fries with our pasta. They were even very good. Beautiful dining room. The Pastry chef gets many kudos for the delicious and beautiful deserts.

Amazing food! My oldest is a picky eater and he ate up the baby carrots, we shared the steak and it was so tender and the sauce was delicious I wish I could have taken it home. It's a must try if your in the Virginia Beach Area

Absolutely amazing! One of the 2 best places to eat in Virginia beach. Are they worth the 3 $$$? Absolutely! 1. Reservation - absolutely necessary There is no such thing as walk-in. They are busy and fully booked. 2. Food - amazing Everything here is amazing. I wanted to try their 4 course tasting menu and I loved it. What else I love here? Even their bread comes not just warm but with butter so delicious and shaped in the form of turtle! Burrata and peach starter - amazing, the watermelon balls are great idea! Deep fried poached egg? like wow The duck - amazing, even their broccoli was fancy and purple Lobster pasta - wow! It is meaty and delicious Beef bolognese - also great! Cappuccino was done to perfection and even the sorbet was so good, which is surprising cause that is not something I am that fond of. Let's just call off here. You got the point, food is amazing here. if you love food as much as I do, go here. 3. Service- swift, professional I liked their recommendations of cocktails as well as the wine. They work as a team instead of one assigned server and really like that model too. 4. Parking - free since they are located in the strip mall. 5. Covid precautions - checks your temperature, masks worn and tables places very far from one another and outside tent for open air circulation. No worries, this tent is sun and rain proof!

My husband took me here for our anniversary and it was so amazing. First, our menus were titled "happy anniversary Mr. & Mrs. ______" which they tied up and gave back to us at the end of the night so they wouldn't get dirty. We chose the terrain experience (I believe was the name) which came with four courses and we added the wine pairing. My husband appetizer was the tuna and while I'm not a fan of tuna, it was so delicious. I'd get it for myself if we decide to come back. I got the burrata which was fresh yet extremely flavorful. For our pasta dishes, we ended up liking each other's pastas better, his being the short rib and mine the shrimp. Again a hit, and the wine pairing was spot on. The third course for him was the duck breast which he loved however, he was not a fan of the sauce that came with it. He said the duck alone was perfect. I on the other hand got the filet and it was seasoned and cooked perfectly. At this point we had to get our dessert to go because we were stuffed. The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. The restaurant itself had the perfect date night vibe. We will be coming again!

We visited Terrapin Restaurant while we were vacationing at Virginia Beach, and the experience we had was one of the highlights of our trip! We drove to the restaurant from our hotel and were delighted to see a lot of free parking available. We had made a reservation online and were seated very quickly upon arrival. We sat in the outside area which was decorated with plants and string lights. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere. Our waiter and the rest of the staff were also very friendly! My partner and I both decided to do the 4-course meal experience where you can pick an appetizer, pasta, entrée and dessert for $62 per person. Before the appetizer arrived, we got some fresh bread with butter in the shape of terrapins, it was very cute! We then had the Josper Grilled Octopus and the Grilled Vegan Caesar salad which were both delicious. For the next course, we chose the Lobster Carbonara (paid a bit extra for it) and the Citrus Bolognese; both did not disappoint! As entrees, we got the Duck Breast and the Scallops which were INCREDIBLE! We then ended the with some of the best desserts we've had: Tiramisu and the Valrhona Chocolate Pudding. All of the dishes were plated well and made to perfection! We will be sure to visit this restaurant again when we are in the area!

Wow. Highly recommend to doing the "terrapin experience" where they allow you to basically shop around the menu. Great display of the culinary talent and really proud of the staff here. Thank you for a beautiful experience and great symmetry between front of house and back of house. You all work so great together and the front of house did a great service job of carrying the vision. Amazing place to eat and HIGHLY recommend this as an elevated date night!

I have been wanting to try Terrapin for awhile now. Didn't have the right occasion to, until Yelp's Big Night In that is! My boyfriend and I have the quarantine crazies and needed something to look forward to so we planned a date night around the #YelpsBigNightIn campaign to support local businesses during the current health crisis. Terrapin felt like the perfect place to celebrate... rather... pick up to take back to our place and celebrate. They are currently doing a $60 date night special for takeout that includes an appetizer, two entrees, and a bottle of wine. We also added an order of sherbert for an extra $4. They also give you some of their bread with terrapin butter. We started with the beets and burrata appetizer. Burrata may be my favorite cheese, so I loved it! I even saved the last bite to have with my leftovers the next day. My entree was the lamb shoulder and my boyfriend had the duck pasta. Totally forgot the name of the pasta since neither of us had had it before, but it was amazing. So was the lamb, but I think I preferred the pasta for takeout personally. The passionfruit sorbet was awesome! When I ordered it he suggested we try it with rum, we did and it made it even better! I can't wait to visit Terrapin and have the full dine in experience once all of this is over. In the meantime, we may grab this awesome date night special again soon! The are doing togo cocktails right now too!

30Dec2021. A dinner night. The atmosphere at the heated terrasce. Nice and warm. An enjoyable date night. The waiter: Simple, straight to the point with good tableside manners. Food: -Bone Marrow: Buttery with a hint of garlic was its main profile taste and not much of anything else even with the ingredients layered ontop. Under seasoned, but ok to eat. - Citrus Bolognese: The dish came in hot as the waiter mentioned. The sauce tasted like a basic tomato base sauce with a bit of garlic, onions and olive oil. I do mean a bit of it. Any other description on the menu of that dish did not exist. The meat was served dusty. Dry dry dry. Given the dish was still pipping hot. It overcooked the meat to oblivion and was not served as it was inteneded. It is also possible that the heat killed the remaining seasoning as well. -Apple crostada: The saddest bootleg apple pie I have ever seen. Imagine a croissant, buttery and tasty with a thin slice of an apple that has been chopped into tiny bits. There is your apple crostada. The ice cream was ice cream, nothing special. Drink: -Vodak Drink: aka their version of a moscow mule. Good and a bit weak for me. Overall: Lovely presentation, food is Overhyped. The meal was the basic level of good but nothing memorable. If the seasoning had a few tweeks and timing was done more effectively. Then the experience would be much better. The night was still good and if you go your dish might end up better then mine. I hope so.

A great local spot in the crowded area of tourist traps. The service was amazing and the food was delicious. The bar staff was spectacular and very friendly. I definitely recommend this place.

We came down to VA beach for a fall wedding. These are my thoughts. What we got: Oysters - we got 3 assorted. Not bad. Fried Calamari - above average fried calamari. Excellent marinara. Burrata and beets - This was great. A variety of different colored beets. Cooked to perfection. Mains: Scallops - these were very tender and well seasoned. Shrimp Pomodora - yum, tangy and savory. well cooked shrimp Service was 5 stars!!! Very friendly and attentive waitress. Highly recommend for your VA beach getaway

The most delicious meal I have ever had!!! We celebrated our anniversary here and both got the Terrapin experience with the wine pairings and it was worth every penny. (They also gave us complementary champagne for our anniversary) Logan was our server and she was the most amazing server ever. She gave us some of the best wine pairings and was always attentive. She explained the wine and where it came from to non wine experts like myself and really got us excited about the pairings. The atmosphere was amazing. Definitely would recommend Terrapin to anyone looking for a killer meal for a special occasion.

Wonderful experience. The food was delicious and the service was amazing. Be prepared to dig deep into your pockets. But it's worth a visit if you have a special occasion.

My husband and I are vegetarian/vegan and after trying it a 2nd time we decided we wouldn't come back due to our diet and minor accommodations. I will say they were nice to add mushrooms to our dish and supply nutritional yeast as cheese alternative. However, we felt like our waitress could have shown us what our options were but instead we felt like we had to hunt for it ourselves. It seemed our only options were vegetable sides. For what we got for the price we paid, I give it 3/5. We kept asking the waitress what was something we could have specifically without meat or cheese and the response was "oh we can do just about anything". The suggested we asked were not able to be accommodated. So we asked again ok so what are some options. And I felt frustrated when I heard again "oh we could do almost anything". Thankfully we were able to find the risotto from the appetizer section. When the platter came out, I laughed inside because it was about 3 tablespoons worth. I understand this is a high class place but we at least thought the platter would be a litter more since appetizers are usually enough to share with another person, which is why we ordered 2 as our main meal.

Service was very good. Our servers was knowledgeable about food, cocktails and wine. I had the filet which was perfectly cooked and seasoned spot on!

A great restaurant in Virginia Beach! Came to celebrate my moms birthday and it was fancy but not overly fancy looking spot which was perfect for the family. We got seated in this area that looked like it could have been an outdoor addition to the restaurant. Cute spot with the greenery and decor they had. Loved the place because they had a choice where you could choose items from the menu as a 4 course meal for $65. I love this idea because you get to try a little bit from each part of the menu (1 app, 1 pasta, 1 entree and 1 dessert), and of course they portion it small so you don't get overly stuffed! Delicious food and great ambiance. So glad we decided to come here for dinner to celebrate my mom.

Greeted at the door by a pleasant service staff ready to engage in friendly banter - the evening was off to a great start!! The outdoor seating area had a very relaxing vibe and allowed a cool breeze from the waterfront. Food was delicious and the wine pairing excellent!! And they went the extra mile by printing menus specifically for our anniversary!! At the top of our list for local places for a great food/drink experience!!

Food, service, and ambiance were just about perfect. This is a hidden gem of a place that's off the beaten path in Va Beach

We found Terrapin Restaurant last night totally by accident. This was our first trip to Virginia Beach and we didn't have any recommendations from anyone, so we searched on Yelp! In house made from scratch delightful dishes! The atmosphere is really nice too, but the friendliness and helpful staff complement that to make the complete experience off the charts! We didn't have a reservation, but there was availability on their outdoor dining area which was really great. Our server Johanna was terrific! She gets 5 stars all by herself! If the short rib rigatoni is on the menu, I highly recommend that dish! It is amazing and not like ANY short rib rigatoni that you have ever had before. The arugula salad is a fantastic starter! Light citrusy vinaigrette is delicious!

I have worked in the food industry for 30 years. I have never seen perfection as I did this evening. Every drink every plate was dressed and finessed. It was beautiful will come back everytime we are in town

What a wonderful experience! The Mrs and I wanted to celebrate last night, so we decided to indulge. Terrapin was the perfect choice. I highly recommend and will be back. We started by making a reservation, but then opted to stay at the bar because we could tell the bartender Devon was a true service professional. We started with a round of drinks, my wife had a perfect martini, and I, a couple fingers of The Macallan 12, neat. The restaurant itself offers a modern dining room and a large friendly and inviting bar area. While we enjoyed our drinks, we added the 1/2 dozen raw oysters with mignonette. I believe they were happy oysters, and absolutely delicious! I prefer cocktail and horseradish which they also offer. We loved them. Round two was the Spanish grilled octopus. "The New York Matinee called it a mysterious, yet playful little dish!" You'll love it. Served with roasted potato and grape tomatoes and tasty sauce. The grilling adds a beautiful texture and taste. Round 3 was the grilled vegan Caesar wedge salad. It was an interesting take on a Caesar....it used nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan cheese. Round 4 was the 20 oz ribeye for 2 and the truffle Mac and Cheese....paired with the most wonderful bottle of wine, the 2009 Pakravan Papi, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese. OMG! You'd think how could I possibly have room for all this! Well....that's the magic of a great dining experience, food and wonderful company! The steak was perfection. I will say...if but only 1 criticism....the truffle Mac and Cheese was a little disappointing....but you know...even disappointing Mac and Cheese is still pretty good, lol. What celebratory meal would be complete without Round 5....dessert! A flour-less chocolate cake with homemade vanilla bean whipped creme and you know I had an espresso with it. Out of the many places to enjoy in Virginia Beach, Terrapin currently reigns supreme for me. I will be back to try the pastas. Thank you for making our night special!!!!'

We were visiting Virginia Beach for a wedding and we wanted to have a nice dinner out. Terrapin did not disappoint. The second we walked in we were welcomed like family. The service is unmatched. The food is exquisite. The ambiance is cozy. We felt welcomed immediately and the food was to die for. We started off with the cheese board. It had two cow milk cheeses and one goat milk cheese, apples, homemade spicy mustard, candied pecans, homemade jam, toasted bread, Granny Smith apples...so many good flavors. For dinner I had Fresh homemade clam pasta, and he had short ribs that practically melted in your mouth. The presentation was out of this world. Dessert was a chocolate "Gift for you" which was the perfect size to share. If you want beach fine dining, this is your place. The food was so fresh and appetizing.

This is one of my husband and I's favorite restaurants. We come here when we go on vacation to Virginia Beach and we always make sure to let them know we are celebrating something special. They'll make you a menu printed with your celebration on it! This time was no different while celebrating our baby moon. From the risotto to the truffle Mac n cheese to the amazing panna cotta, we left feeling satisfied and in awe of how good the food was. If you're looking for somewhere special to pop in, or a sweet date night place, this restaurant goes above and beyond in service, in food, and in the atmosphere. You won't be disappointed if you go!

We came here for a celebratory dinner and it did not disappoint. All three courses were excellent, and that's not something you can usually say. For covid they're doing outdoor seating on the patio only. It is air conditioned/heated with air circulation going out rather than recycled. You can only stay at your table for two hours. Since we got the last turn of the night that didn't really matter. We arrived 15-30 minutes early though, and the table before us was still finishing. The staff gave us champagne because we had to wait. How nice! It wasn't even anyone's fault. We were just early. Also because of covid they're doing a price fix meal, $55/person. For the first course I had the fall salad with crispy poached egg, radish, farro, josper roasted fall vegetable medley, bacon ranch, shaved parmigiano-reggiano. It was so good, and the flavors mixed perfectly. Next my mom and I split the ribeye for 2, with broccoli rabe, mattawoman roasted potatoes, and béarnaise. This steak was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. It was juicy, flavorful, and cookies to perfection. Finally, for dessert, I had the tiramisu. It was moist with espresso and rum. So great! Everything we had was incredible and it was a deal for the price. I'll definitely come back for any celebration.