Angela T.
Yelp
When the Deadrise first opened in 2015, I took out of town visitors there. I figured it would be good, as the owners have several other renowned spots on the Peninsula, and you can't beat the location, on the water at Ft. Monroe. We went a bit late in the evening, so I didn't feel like we got a good feel for what the ambiance would be like mid service, instead of an hour before close. They had an experimental menu then, not just seafood. I had a Mexican inspired pasta bowl (seriously) with blackened shrimp. It's been too long for me to accurately describe the ingredients, but there was a lot going on; a bit too much for the taste buds. One friend had a homestyle meal with hearty mashed potatoes and vegetables, and another had a Cubano! They look delish.
Fast forward to December 2021...The Deadrise has since ditched the experimental, and specializing in seafood is totally working for them. I think it's cute that they kept the newspaper lining in the baskets as part of the presentation.
One thing about Hampton Roads weather, it can be warm and seasonal in December, and that's when we went, for lunch, ending up making an outing of it, walking around the waterfront after an awesome lunch outside at the Deadrise. It was a little chilly on the deck, but worth it. I ordered the salmon avocado BLT. OMG! So delicious. My salmon was blackened nicely, and every ingredient on the sandwich was fresh. The fries were delish, thick and a perfect mixture of crispy and tender.
My friends ordered the loaded fried seafood basket with fish and shrimp. The fish was fried to perfection, so much so that even though I didn't order it that time, I went back in January and ordered it to go. The presentation was beautiful both times. You can't beat consistency. You can see that the fries weren't the same, but hey, look at the crisp and the beautiful color on the fish and shrimp!
I used to think the Deadrise was expensive for the region, but now that $20 plates are the norm and not the exception in the 757 (and not just in the tourist tips - Williamsburg and VB), their prices are pretty reasonably situated for the value. A gem at the Fort.