Ocean Paradise Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Chantilly

What a great find! Who would have ever guessed you'd find such a great seafood restaurant so far away from water and in a strip mall to boot? Ocean Paradise is located in the same shopping plaza as Harris Teeter, Bruster's Ice Cream shop, and Corner Bakary off Route 50 in Fairfax. As first timers to this establishment, we had to try it after reading a number of very positive reviews written by previous customers.

First off, it is a relatively small, family-owned place with a few dozen tables and a moderate size bar. They have decent happy hour (until 7p) specials Sunday - Thursday. We were nicely greeted and promptly seated. It was a Sunday evening around 5:45p and there was only one other party enjoying their meal. About 30 minutes later, half the restaurant was full. As it got more crowded, it got a little bit louder, but we were seated next to a group of about a dozen women celebrating a birthday.

Though we kept our meal on the lighter side, my wife and I split the Firecracker Shrimp Po-boy and the Crab Cake platter. Both were absolutely amazing. The shrimp on the po-boy was perfectly lightly breaded and on the larger side. The roll was very fresh and the sandwich rivaled po-boys down in New Orleans. When my wife asked for hot sauce, our waitress Marlen, brought out a tray of nothing short of 7 bottles to choose from and described each one. The fries that came with the po-boy were pub style and excellent. The crabcake platter came with one large crab cake, baby red potatoes, and sautéed vegetables (zucchini, squash, and carrots). The crabcake was absolutely delicious; very moist, not overly seasoned allowing the fresh crab to steal the show and made with minimal breading. The potatoes and vegetables were seasoned and cooked perfectly.

Overall, the food was worthy of a 5-star rating. Prices were reasonable for a higher-end seafood restaurant serving quality, fresh seafood. Our waitress commented they receive fresh seafood shipments at least 6 times a week.

On the downside, even with the restaurant at half capacity, the serving staff quickly became overwhelmed and unfortunately the service quality dropped as more and more customers came in. The reason why I am not decrementing my overall rating is this shortcoming could be easily overcome by hiring a dedicated bartender and/or 1-2 additional servers. Easier said than done these days since many restaurants in the area are having a very hard time hiring staff and keeping them.

If there was one true negative aspect to Ocean Paradise, it is the fact it is not on the water where you can sit on the dock watching the sunset. Bottom line is we'll definitely be back simply for the great food. Again, just like most restaurants in the area, bring your patience, in case the place is bustling, but don't let that deter you from enjoying a little "Ocean Paradise" in...

I decided to visit on a Thursday evening after reading favorable online reviews about a place in my neighborhood. The inside looks clean and maintained. I sat at the bar and received a prompt greeting and a set of menus (standard, special, and drink). (I wonder whether the purple overhead lighting may have affected my pictures.) Service was attentive throughout the evening, mostly by a single server but supported by others from time to time. Food arrived at reasonable times and especially prompt at the beginning.

I decided to start with a drink containing aperol called a Fresh Peach which tasted nice even if I am used to deeper color drinks using aperol. My food order ended up being the happy hour special fried calamari appetizer, the crab cake sandwich, tuna entree with parsley potato and sautéed vegetable sides, and key lime pie. The calamari arrived hot with a light, crisp coating with only a piece or two feeling a little chewy. The dipping sauce was different than the classic marinara and pleasant all the same. The crab cake sandwich looked inviting in portion but fell short on crispiness as other reviews have noted and I told my server. The mushiness might be rectified with more time in the broiler/oven and less binder. The accompanying skin-on fries were hot and mostly crisp. Seasoning could have been a little more uniform but I enjoyed them anyway. The tuna steak was cooked medium-rare as requested, although I would have liked a better sear to give a more appetizing color and some seasoning. The parsley potatoes struck me as a little too soft even for what was advertised as a Tuscan garnish. The sautéed zucchini was cooked well, although the brown spots around the edge on a couple of the slices made me wonder whether the vegetable was fresh. Finally the key lime pie had a satisfying texture and reserved flavor accented by a pleasing raspberry sauce of which I could have easily had more.

The total for this experience amounted to just under $80 without tax and tip. While I may have received a reasonable value for the area, I think this eatery has additional promise with what it offers. With some refinement of how they execute some of their dishes, I think they could have an interesting presence at this collection of businesses and...

Title: A Nightmarish Dining Experience at Ocean Paradise: Terrible Food and an Owner from Hell

Review:

I recently had the unfortunate experience of dining at Ocean Paradise in Fairfax, and I can confidently say that it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. From the abysmal quality of the food, particularly the ribeye, to the aggressive and disrespectful behavior of the owner, this restaurant left me utterly disappointed and disgusted.

Let's start with the food—specifically, the ribeye steak that I ordered. What arrived at my table was a sad excuse for a steak. The meat was tough, overcooked, and lacked any semblance of flavor. It was as if they had taken a perfectly good piece of beef and transformed it into a leather shoe. The accompanying side dishes were equally disappointing, with lackluster flavors and poor execution. It was clear that the chef had no understanding of how to properly prepare a ribeye steak.

When I attempted to express my dissatisfaction with the food, the owner, instead of addressing my concerns professionally, took it upon themselves to berate me and my dining companions. In an aggressive and disrespectful manner, the owner actually had the audacity to question why we had even chosen to eat the food if we were going to complain. Such an attitude is not only unprofessional but also deeply offensive to paying customers.

The owner's behavior throughout our interaction was simply unacceptable. Rather than listening to feedback and attempting to rectify the situation, they chose to dismiss our concerns and resort to personal attacks. It was clear that customer satisfaction meant nothing to them, and they were more interested in protecting their ego than providing a pleasant dining experience.

In conclusion, I strongly advise against dining at Ocean Paradise in Fairfax. The food, particularly the ribeye, was abysmal, lacking any taste or tenderness. Furthermore, the owner's aggressive and disrespectful behavior towards customers is simply inexcusable. Save yourself the disappointment and frustration, and seek out a restaurant that values its customers and takes pride in delivering a quality...