Hell's Kitchen — Restaurant in Norfolk

Struggled to find anything good about this place. Not sure if it's affiliated with Gordon Ramsay, but my guess would be no, because I can't see him being happy with the quality of this place.

Starting with the atmosphere, we walked in and the music was overwhelmingly loud for the amount and the speakers sounded like something you'd get out of the garbage behind an old RadioShack. It smelled like oil and there was a wet looking residue all over the ceiling. One of the bathroom doors doesn't lock (sorry again to the girl I walked in on). The table wobbled and the all around decor is just trashy and dirty.

The service was also very poor. Waitress acted like it was an issue that we used the bathroom and didn't get a chance to look at the menu and know what we wanted when she got to our table. Might not have been bad if the music wasn't so loud that I couldn't hear half of what she was saying. After we ate it, we waited for what seemed like a long time before she came to give us our check. (That's not that big of a deal tho)

The food was terrible. I wanted pizza, but unfortunately "they are out of dough". So I got the cheese steak. It was over salted meat on a roll and with a sliced up potato (also overly salted). My wife's alcoholic drink tasted like cool aid, couldn't task any alcohol in it. Just blue sugar water.

I wouldn't have really cared to write this poor review, but I had an awful experience, and for $40 something bucks, it's really pathetic. I could personally make food better than that for a quarter of the price and it wouldn't be served in a dirty restaurant with a rude waitress. I see why they call it hells kitchen, but I doubt even Satan himself would want to eat there.

Two pro tips for the owner, one, if you're going to have such a crappy environment, make the alcohol strong enough to make it not seem so bad. Two, pizza dough only takes an hour to rise.

For those from out of town, go elsewhere, don't waste your time or money...

We came here after seeing a show at the NorVA. There's a handful of places open downtown after 12am and this is what we picked. I think they were under the assumption this was going to be some Gordon Ramsey type restaurant, in Norfolk, VA for whatever reason. I told them that was t the case, but they still looked perturbed when we arrived. They made me walk all the way down here, complaining how far away it was(5min walk good lawd) past all the other open establishments I suggest we stop at so I opened the door and pushed them in. Not upscale in the least and frankly I'm glad it wasn't. Honestly it seemed like they didn't want to seat more people, but as more groups showed up after the show I think they realized there was no early leaving that night. Regardless of how we initially felt, the vibes quickly changed when the server came. She made it an experience and had us laughing and joking together. The food was pretty good and we all enjoyed what we ordered. I had the crab nachos which were on point. Yes there was actual crab on them and not just cheese and old bay seasoning. I also had a Snoopy D-O-GG, which was ok. Too sweet for my preference, but I knew that when I ordered and sucked it down anyway. We also got some wings, lemon pepper and buffalo Parmesan. I'm not a fan of lemon pepper, another reason me and ATL don't get along, and the Parmesan wings weren't my favorite either. The wings were cooked well though. There was fries(chips) and some kind of egg rolls I don't really remember. Several items that we initially tried to order they were out of, which was kind of annoying. Sarah, aka Toalla smoothed all that over though. By the end we were all smiles and satisfied, calling each other by our new Spanish names. Others that arrived after us seemed to be equally enjoying themselves. They even broke out a console and were playing Tekken at the bar! Much better vibes than if we were at the actual...

If you’re searching for a restaurant that hits every note—unforgettable food, electric atmosphere, and service that genuinely sticks with you—look no further than Hell’s Kitchen in Norfolk, Virginia. But more than the bold flavors or the edgy-cool vibe of this downtown gem, what truly sets the experience apart is one name: Hayleigh.

From the moment we walked in, Hayleigh made us feel like we weren’t just customers—we were guests at her table. Her energy was the perfect balance of upbeat and laid-back, reading the room like a pro and making everyone at our table feel completely at ease. She greeted us with a genuine smile (you could tell it wasn’t just for show), offered thoughtful recommendations that felt personalized, and somehow anticipated what we needed before we ever had to ask.

Want the best appetizer on the menu? Hayleigh’s got you. Torn between cocktails? She’ll match your drink to your mood like it’s second nature. We went with her recommendation of the spicy shrimp starter and the signature bourbon-glazed burger—both were next-level delicious, but it was the confidence in her suggestions that made ordering half the fun.

She moved between tables like she was choreographing a dance, never missing a beat. She checked in at just the right moments—never hovering, never disappearing. And when our group had a birthday to celebrate? She went above and beyond to make it feel special without turning it into a cliché.

It’s rare these days to find a server who blends efficiency, personality, and authentic hospitality so seamlessly. Hayleigh doesn’t just work at Hell’s Kitchen—she elevates it. And honestly, after dining with her, it’s hard to imagine eating anywhere else downtown.

Whether you’re a local or just visiting Norfolk, put Hell’s Kitchen at the top of your list. Ask for Hayleigh—you’ll leave with a full belly, a great story, and probably a new...