Freemason Abbey Restaurant
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Virginia Beach🏖 Food Guide | 5 All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants You Must Try
LemLem
960
This is the second time I visit here, the staff are still as friendly as last time I visit.Maybe it's my personal opinion, I think it's way too dark here because I need to take picture and idk I just like restaurants with brighter lights. There were two levels and we were being seated on the side on the second floor. We liked our table because it was only us on that conor so it was comparably quiet and we can talk. We waited for quite a while for our server to come take our order but it was not really long. There were rolls being served while we're waiting for our food but I'm not a fan of them. They are dry and I tasted powder outside of the bread, but it didn't really bothered me cuz they are free anyways. We ordered the Salmon Croquettes for our appetizer, Roasted Baby Back Ribs, Smoked Gouda Tenderloin Penne, and Pesto Crab and Shrimp Pasta. The Salmon Croquettes was nothing special, the sauce was delightful, but the salmon was nothing surprising, it's just a ball of fried salmon. The Roasted Baby Back Ribs was good, it smells and taste good. The amount of sauce was appropriate, the veggies on side were cooked as what I like, half-done, so if you want your veggies being cooked soft please let your server know. The Smoked Gouda Tenderloin Penne was a disappointment, which is also the reason why I took one star off. The sauce and beef tenderloin were blend, and everything on this dish seems apart. The Pesto Crab and Shrimp Pasta is my friends and my favorite dish overall in this visit. The crab meat was blended with this super creamy pesto sauce the shrimp was cooked just the right amount of time so they're crunchy and flavorful, and all these flavors of seafood were blended into the pasta... I will definitely go there all the way from VB where I live to just order this pasta!
jiu jaijiu jai
00
We visited the Freemason Abbey Restaurant two weeks ago while on a quick visit to Norfolk. This restaurant is in a historic church and it is beautiful. We understand that reservations are highly suggested but we managed to walk in on an early Wednesday evening. Reading the story of the restaurant and the spectacular building where it resides is really interesting. Knowing that it was once the worship center for two different religions was a good read. We ordered a Flight of the Freemason ($17) which features smaller versions of several of the restaurants signature drinks and a glass of Cabernet Savignon to start us off. We did not order an appetizer and went straight to the entrees. We ordered the Grilled Filet Mignon ($30) served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus and Asiago Chicken ($19) served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with a nice Asiago cheese sauce. Both entrees were prepared perfectly and we would order them both again. We ordered desserts, a tasty bread pudding which we highly recommend. This was one of the best bread puddings we’ve ever had. We also ordered a Turtle Brownie which was more fudgy than I like. It was very rich and cold, so while it was tasty, it was not one I can suggest. The staff was nice and helpful and service was as attentive as we wanted and needed. There are two levels of seating with the second floor accessible via a staircase and there is a small bar area just inside the restaurant. This is a beautiful restaurant for a date night or special event. They do have a small complimentary parking lot next to the restaurant.
M BM B
00
The first thing that happens when you walk in is a big whiff of old-smelling seafood. Yes, I understand they serve seafood, but, I mean come on. What I don't understand. How does a place get rated so high? It's kind of. Like the Pro Bowl where people just get voted in based on who others know or their popularity, but not actually how good they were. When my salad was brought out I thought it was some sort of candy camera. It was just some chopped-up lettuce. Only two chunks of cheese and two tomatoes. And onions that I asked not to have. The steak was medium rare instead of medium. And well done on the outside. The shrimp was very bland and tough. Rolls that were barely warm with cold butter to try to spread on them. When you pay $42 for a plate, it matters. The booth seats on the 2nd floor were so uncomfortable. We almost got up and left, but we were so hungry, we dealt with it. The sodas seemed flat and bland. How does Chick-fil-A have better soda than a place like this? At $3 nonetheless. I eat at a lot of places. I give a lot of honest reviews. Not because I'm somebody cool, but because I know good food when I taste it. And I care about great food and great service. Also, our waitress was not very attentive at all. It's not worth going back. There are many fantastic restaurants out there. That are not as expensive, yet better food and a better atmosphere. I wanted to say something to the manager. And I believe our waitress should have, but nowadays people really don't care.
Joseph ClevengerJoseph Clevenger
00
Came in for Restaurant Week with my fiancée, and it was our first time there. The food and the service were great! I got an Autumn peach fizz drink (forgot the exact name), which was refreshing and not as sweet as I was expecting it to be. Although it wasn't as fizzy as I thought it would be either, but I still greatly enjoyed it. We both had the chicken florentine soup, I had the Beast Burger, and she had the chicken marsala. All of the meats were cooked perfectly and were moist and juicy. Everything had a lot of flavor (added a touch of salt here or there but that's personal preference). For dessert, I had the sea salt caramel cheesecake and she had the apricot brandy bread pudding. Both were fantastic! To our surprise, the cheesecake didn't just have caramel sauce on top like most places would do, but also had some swirled into the cheesecake itself. The bread pudding had chopped apricots in it and was served warm with what looked to be an anglaise. Our waitress, Jessica, was very attentive to our needs despite it moving into the busier dinner hours (our reservation was at 6PM). We never waited long after finishing one course before she came over to clear the plates and bring the next one; she was very efficient. And as attentive as she was, she never checked in so much that it disturbed our enjoyment of the food. Thank you, Jessica! We're new to the area and have been looking for places to dine in regularly. We'll definitely be back again!
Salvador Salazar IIISalvador Salazar III
00
I had such a good experience the day prior that I decided to take my friend out for dinner here the next evening. I noticed that on the menu, their prime rib was so inexpensive compared to Aberdeen Barn. Thursdays are prime rib night for only $25, and it's 10 oz of steak plus the entire meal. We went on a Friday and only paid $30 instead for the entire meal. The food was absolutely delicious. The potatoes were real mashed potatoes. You even tasted the lumps it was excellent. The vegetable medley was very good in a savory sauce. The wine we had was the upper scale Pinot Noir delicious, and there was plenty to last for the entire meal in the glass. Then we decided to share a dessert, a bread pudding. It was sweet and was very tasty and delicious, but we were completely stuffed and full, so she took it home. The waitress was excellent, and then the restaurant manager was so thankful for me bringing in a new person she even compted the glasses of wine. My friend made a comment that of all the restaurants we've gone to, but this was her most favorite meal that she had ever experienced with me. She did try the she-crab soup and thought it was absolutely scrumptious. Since I'd had that the day prior, which it was delicious, I decided to go with the French onion soup, it was good. However, it wasn't the best I've ever had . I definitely will be returning.
Mustang SallyMustang Sally
00
Nearby Attractions Of Freemason Abbey Restaurant
MacArthur Center
USS Wisconsin BB-64
Hilton Norfolk The Main
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
Norfolk Waterside Marriott
Town Point Park
Town Point Park
Chrysler Museum of Art
Nauticus
Regal Macarthur Center

MacArthur Center
4.3
(3.6K)Click for details

USS Wisconsin BB-64
4.8
(2.6K)Click for details

Hilton Norfolk The Main
4.4
(2.4K)Click for details

Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
4.2
(1.7K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Freemason Abbey Restaurant
Waterside District
Blue Moon Taphouse
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint Norfolk
Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub and Restaurant
The Grilled Cheese Bistro
Saltine
Sushi King - Monticello
Hokkaido Sushi Bar
Stripers Waterside
Benny Damato's Pizza

Waterside District
4.4
(3.3K)$$
Click for details

Blue Moon Taphouse
4.1
(1.4K)Click for details

Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint Norfolk
4.7
(1.2K)Click for details

Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub and Restaurant
4.5
(1.1K)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
209 W Freemason St, Norfolk, VA 23510
Map
Phone
(757) 622-3966
Call
Website
freemasonabbey.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(1.9K reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Traditional American fare in a circa-1873 church, now with a tavern ambiance amid the stained glass.
attractions: MacArthur Center, USS Wisconsin BB-64, Hilton Norfolk The Main, Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk Waterside Marriott, Town Point Park, Town Point Park, Chrysler Museum of Art, Nauticus, Regal Macarthur Center, restaurants: Waterside District, Blue Moon Taphouse, Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint Norfolk, Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub and Restaurant, The Grilled Cheese Bistro, Saltine, Sushi King - Monticello, Hokkaido Sushi Bar, Stripers Waterside, Benny Damato's Pizza

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