West Beach Tavern — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

If I could give this place a zero I would...This is without a doubt the worst experience I've ever had at ANY restaurant. I've been here 5 or 6 times with no complaints, but this is the LAST time I'll be going there. For starters, our bartender/"working manager" dropped our drinks off but didn't offer a menu. I had to leave our booth and approach the bar to ask. We took a minute to choose our food which was extended due to the fact that there were no sub rolls for the long list of sandwiches. We all wanted a subs so that was unfortunate, but we were told it would come on a burger bun instead. I asked if the chicken wings were fresh or frozen which the bartender/manager on duty said, "I mean...they're all frozen, we don't have live chickens in the back." The only reason I asked, is because I noticed is had "fresh" tenders on the menu. I was just seeing what else what "fresh". The orders we came to were, Chicken parm sandwich, shroom burger, chicken tenders, and wings. The Chicken Parm sandwich came with mayo which was weird. Shroom burger was okay. The chicken tenders came out looking like two different types of chicken tenders. One looked like it was breaded with a completely different breading from the rest. The chicken wings I ordered came out and were literally chicken tenders cut up into small pieces and tossed in buffalo sauce. I asked why they weren't the bone-in wings like I ordered and the bartender/manager responded with, "I don't know. The cook didn't tell me." I would've ordered anything else had I known I was going to get more chicken tenders cut up into small pieces for the price of wings..When I asked about why they were different, the bartender/manager said she'd go get the cook so he could explain. The cook apparently refused to come out because he was so upset about our table. At this point, all I had asked was why the wings weren't wings and my coworker asked for a bun without mayo on her chicken parm sandwich. We were the only table in the restaurant and there were 4 people sitting at the bar only drinking. Since I saw the cook standing at the bar hanging out, I decided to approach him. I asked why he tried to serve me chicken tenders cut into small pieces as wings. He said he'd tell me why and went and got a notepad from the kitchen. He didn't really say anything at all when he came back. I let both him and that bartender/manager that I've worked in the industry for 10+ years and that I'd never had an experience like this. The cook then responded, "On you worked in the industry? Oh okay, have a nice day, we're done." I didn't cause a scene or anything. As one manager to another, I wanted to inform the "manager on duty" (who says she only works one day week), about our tables issues, but was met with nasty attitude. The bartender/manager looked at the cook at one point and said, "He thinks we served him cut up chicken tenders for wings, but they're boneless wings". I find that funny because I ordered the only wings I saw on the menu (which were bone-in), and was told nothing about the restaurant not having bone-in wings. Not to mention the fact that boneless wings are basically chicken tenders... They just brought it out like I wouldn't notice or as if that was an okay thing to do. Overall it was just horrible experience and food met with even more horrible service. The bartender did deduct the "wings" and tenders from the bill. I ate neither because I couldn't get a simple answer about what was going on. The best thing I had was my beer. Didn't really matter since I left with a bad taste in my mouth from the entire organization. I would recommend finding just about anywhere else to go unless you're looking to just have a beer or shots. Eating here will only turn you off from the whole establishment. Try ...

The bartender I know now as Laura took my order swiftly and even gave the heads up happy hour was to end soon, be still my beating heart! During the short wait for my food any staff I encountered provided a smile that had me convinced there was laughing gas pumping through the vents. Its nice to go somewhere where you don't have to pantomime, point and wave your arms around to get what you want. Next is one they call Red who served me the what will be, until my dying day, the best grilled chicken quesadilla (my absolute favorite) ever consumed or concocted. Who could resist the crisp-exterior to succulent-interior transition!? I went "Mad Max" on said quesadilla with seemingly no judgement by staff or patrons. Any presentation of the grilled chicken quesadilla, here, and forever more after, no matter how audacious, whether Bobby Flay or Guy Fieri try to match it on the Food Network, no one could remake this the way I enjoyed it. I give West Beach Tavern five stars for Laura's energy, discernable sunny disposition, attentiveness to customers, arsenal of cocktails, and the culinary magician they call Red back in the kitchen now reffered to as "Narnia." Now.... Stop reading this and head on over for great food...

Went as last minute Taco Tuesday night option as everyone else beside Yard's kitchen was closed.. Yard's was busy and the guyto my left pizza was served as we sat beside him at the bar the pizza looked like pita bread with marinara sauce on it and the bar staff was stretched a bit then so we left after 8 min of waiting for drinks to be order. No hate just the bartenders were thin. So we found this diamond in the ruff on Google. The owner was on site and she is a great person drinks were immediate and bartender was awesome. Karaoke night had been canceled but that didn't stop the ladies from connecting their phone and kept the vibe with no lyrics 90s classics. Clean place and a vibe that made you feel like you've been going there for years! Highly recommend an impromptu Tuesday night visit and feel what its like to be a local without being a local.

Thank you for a wonderful time. The chilly was on...