If you want one Virginia Beach meal that feels woven into the boardwalk itself, Waterman's Surfside Grille earns a place high on the list. The family-owned restaurant has been part of the oceanfront since 1981, and it still leans into the combination that keeps beach trips memorable: Atlantic views, a bright beach-house room, fresh sustainably sourced seafood, and a drink menu built around the Original Orange Crush.
The setting does plenty of the work here. Waterman's sits at 5th and Atlantic right on the boardwalk, so you can slide into lunch after a beach morning, settle in for sunset drinks, or let dinner stretch into the evening as the lights come up along the south end of the oceanfront. Sunday brunch begins at 9 a.m., and the rest of the week carries lunch and dinner from late morning forward, which makes the place easy to work into a full day by the water.
The food keeps pace with the address. She-crab soup, crab dip, shrimp and scallops, fried platters, and Waterman's Pasta all keep the menu grounded in the coast, while the Orange Crush gives the meal one of the most recognizable signatures in town. You can come here for a drink and a view, then realize very quickly that the kitchen gives you plenty of reasons to stay for the whole meal.
The Dining Room Keeps The Atlantic In View
The dining room lands with a clean beach-house look that feels right for the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Wide windows pull in daylight, ceiling fans keep the room breezy, and the table layout leaves plenty of space for larger lunches, celebratory dinners, and the kind of lingering beach meal that naturally takes its time.
You feel the Atlantic presence even before the first plate arrives. That open, window-lined room gives the restaurant a relaxed rhythm, and it helps Waterman's hold onto the cheerful vacation energy that makes oceanfront dining feel like part of the trip itself.
The Boardwalk Corner Gives Dinner A Real Oceanfront Address
One look at the corner setting explains why Waterman's has such a strong place in Virginia Beach plans. Cyclists roll past, pedestrians drift along the boardwalk, and the aqua cottage-style building sits right where the south end of the oceanfront starts to feel especially lively. You get the full sense of place from the sidewalk forward.
That location also gives the restaurant real flexibility in your day. It fits a casual stop after time on the sand, a drink break during a long boardwalk stroll, or a full dinner that carries the oceanfront mood into the evening.
The setting feels built for repeat visits too. A restaurant with this kind of address can easily become the place you return to every trip because it puts you in the center of the boardwalk energy while still letting the meal feel settled and comfortable once you sit down.
The Front Patio Carries Virginia Beach Color
The front patio has the bright, easygoing look you want from a boardwalk restaurant. The flags, flowers, and long awning keep the facade vivid, and the patio itself gives the whole building a welcoming sense of movement from the curb. If you enjoy oceanfront restaurants that feel connected to the street and the shore at the same time, this setup nails that balance beautifully.
The Original Orange Crush Still Sets The Tone
Waterman's place in Virginia Beach food culture comes through fastest in the glass. The Original Orange Crush gives the house one of the city's clearest signature claims, and it fits the restaurant perfectly: bright, fresh, beachy, and easy to pair with a long lunch or a late afternoon table near the water.
That drink also tells you something about the broader personality of the place. Waterman's feels lively and social, the sort of restaurant where a cocktail can shape the start of the meal and give the whole table a small sense of occasion before the seafood plates begin landing.
She-Crab Soup Starts With Coastal Richness
She-crab soup gives Waterman's one of its most regionally satisfying starters. The bowl arrives creamy and full-looking with oyster crackers on top, and it brings exactly the kind of deep coastal comfort that feels right at home in a long-running Virginia seafood restaurant.
It is a smart order at the start of the meal because it anchors the table in Chesapeake flavor right away. If you want a first course that feels tied to the shore and the state, this is an easy place to begin.
Crab Dip Makes An Easy Tablewide Opener
Crab dip keeps the opening round warm, rich, and generous. The dish lands in a broad ring of chips with plenty of color on top, and it has the kind of shareable shape that gets everyone reaching in early. For groups, families, and easygoing beach dinners, it feels like a natural first call.
Rich Seafood Plates Fit The House Beautifully
Waterman's has a polished side too, and a richer seafood plate like this shows it clearly. The lemon, asparagus, and mashed potatoes keep the presentation elegant while the seafood itself gives the plate the kind of substantial center you want from an oceanfront dinner stop with real range.
That extra depth helps the restaurant serve more than one mood. You can lean into cocktails and casual share plates, or you can settle into a more classic seafood dinner with a composed entree and let the room carry the rest of the evening.
Shrimp And Scallops Keep Dinner Bright
The shrimp and scallops plate shows off the menu's lighter coastal lane. Seafood, lemon, slaw, and vegetables keep the plate fresh and sunny, which makes a lot of sense in a room that opens toward the oceanfront and spends so much of the day in beach-trip mode.
If you like meals that stay clean and bright while still feeling satisfying, this sort of plate gives Waterman's a very easy kind of appeal.
Fried Seafood Brings The Comfort Side Of The Menu
For all the oceanfront polish and signature cocktails, Waterman's still understands the comfort-food side of a seafood dinner. A fried platter with fries, hushpuppies, and sauce brings that point home fast. It looks abundant, familiar, and exactly right for the kind of meal that follows a long beach day.
That style of plate broadens the restaurant's reach in a useful way. One person can lean toward soup and a seafood entree, another can go straight for a golden platter, and the table still feels fully in step with the house.
Big Platters Keep Family Dinners Easy
This kind of plate makes it easy to see why Waterman's works so well for group meals. The portions look generous, the sides are familiar, and the whole spread feels immediately approachable for a family table with a mix of ages and appetites.
That group-friendly quality carries through the property as a whole. Upstairs, The Attic hosts private events for parties of 35 to 150 with Atlantic views, so the restaurant already has a built-in relationship with celebrations, reunions, and milestone dinners.
Even on a regular evening, you can feel that social ease. Waterman's has the kind of menu where everyone finds a lane quickly, which helps the meal stay upbeat from the first appetizer through the last round of entrees.
Waterman's Pasta Closes With Crab And Shrimp
Waterman's Pasta gives the menu a house signature that feels hearty and celebratory at the same time. Creamy sauce, shrimp, and crab turn the dish into a full dinner centerpiece, and it carries enough richness to feel like the sort of order you remember after the trip is over.
That broad mix of atmosphere, address, drink history, and seafood range is what makes Waterman's Surfside Grille such a strong Virginia Beach stop. You get a true oceanfront setting, a restaurant with long local roots, and a menu that can carry brunch, lunch, cocktails, or dinner with equal ease. If your trip calls for one boardwalk meal with a signature drink and a real sense of place, this is an easy one to circle early.