Warriors Grill — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

In the grand, often tedious, theater of dining, the critic is frequently subjected to the overwrought ambitions of chefs who believe complexity is a substitute for soul. We are served foams, deconstructions, and conceptual smears on slates, when often all the palate truly craves is honesty. I arrived at "Warriors Grill," a name that suggests a certain lack of subtlety, with the weary expectation of encountering another culinary battlefield littered with casualties of mediocrity. The premise, I admit, is perilously close to chaos: a buffet-style procession where the diner, in a fleeting moment of imagined chefly prowess, assembles a bowl of raw ingredients. This motley collection is then presented to a "warrior" who presides over a vast, circular iron griddle—a sizzling altar for this ritual. The subsequent performance is a percussive clangor, a whirlwind of steel spatulas and steam, a process that seems more akin to industrial fabrication than to cooking. I watched my own assembly of noodles, beef, and vegetables being tossed upon this stage, bracing for an indistinguishable, overcooked hash. And yet, what was delivered to my table was something else entirely. It was a surprise. The dish before me, a humble mountain of noodles glistening under the modest restaurant lights, was not the muddled heap I had anticipated. The aroma was not of confusion, but of simple, savory harmony. The noodles, far from being a glutinous mass, retained a perfect, springy integrity. The slivers of beef were tender, seared by the griddle's intense, direct heat but not cooked into submission. The green peppers and tomatoes, which I had presumed would be lost in the fray, offered a defiant snap and a burst of bright, clean acidity. There was no artifice here. No pretense. This was not a dish designed to be contemplated or dissected; it was designed to be eaten, to be enjoyed. The cook at the griddle, the supposed "warrior," was not a brute but a craftsman of surprising dexterity, managing the heat and the timing for a dozen different ingredients simultaneously, transforming a customer's clumsy pile into a coherent and deeply satisfying meal. Warriors Grill does not serve haute cuisine. It does not aspire to. It serves food that is forthright, fresh, and skillfully prepared before your very eyes. It reminds us that sometimes, the most profound culinary statements are not whispered in hushed, elegant dining rooms, but declared with the honest sizzle of food on a hot grill. In a world awash with culinary pretension, there is a place for the warrior who fights for simple, unadorned delight. I found that warrior in Virginia Beach. And I was, to my...

Warrior's Grill is located in the Renaissance Place Shopping Center located on N. Great Neck Rd. just a little north of Virginia Beach Blvd. With them being part of a shopping center, there was ample parking available here. My visit here was on March 25, 2024.

It had been a while since I had been to a Mongolian BBQ place since DW's Mongolian closed during the pandemic. I have heard of the place in the past, but hadn't been in there. They are in the middle of the shopping center, and almost missed it at first. It wasn't busy when I came in, but it was at an off peak time. We were immediately greeted and got to a table. The server asked if we wanted any soups, but we declined. You also get some white rice at the table, but that is one thing I avoid since it can spike sugar levels.

It was time to go up to the food picking area to have it cooked. I went with several vegetables, as well as white meat chicken and beef. There are several sauces to add as well, but I generally avoid the sugar water one. It is all you can eat when you dine in, so you can go up multiple times. Since we were able to go up multiple times, I was definitely full by the time I was done after three visits. They were quick for refills as needed and the clearing of used plates too.

Overall, the service and food were good. I had no issues while there. One thing that I would have hoped for was to have seafood options like shrimp or scallops as well. The pricing is good for what you get here as I was here during the early dinner time. If you're looking for a place that has Mongolian BBQ, this is a solid place to come...

I normally don't like throwing people under the bus or leaving a bad review. But this is an honest review with an honest experience. First of all, I like eating at warriors grill. It's affordable and the food is great. So 5 stars with the food. The atmosphere is pretty good with spacious seating and grab it yourself buffet food and hibachi styled grill. Pretty cool idea. So 5 stars to that. The reason why I gave 3 stars is due to the service. At first our waitress with the yellow hair seated us and offered the complimentary water and choice of soup. Up until that was ok, we're here thinking we are going to enjoy the food or happy that we can eat. So time passes by, but the waitress doesn't come to our table to ask if everything was ok, would you like more water, is there anything else i can get for you ? I had to ask the person behind the bar for sirarcha and had to get up to ask my waitress for more rice and bread. When I first tried to notify the waitress by waving my hand to let her know we need service, she was formally looking at me for a good 3 seconds and turned her face as if she never saw me. That's when I had to get up and ask her. When I asked her for the extra side dishes she gave a cold attitude and that I would give her a min ok? I walked away confused. So if you experience something like this here...