Croaker’s Spot
39 River St, Petersburg, VA, 23803
Croaker’s Spot Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Petersburg for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
39 River St
Petersburg, VA, 23803 - Phone (804) 957-5635
- Website https://www.croakersspot.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Adam S.
Food is really good, but unfortunately we waited over 90 minutes waiting for a seat for a group of 14. I know 14 is a larger group than normal, but it shouldn't take over ONE AND A HALF hours to put together tables. There should be a way to anticipate long waits like that and considerately inform customers that they will be waiting for over an hour. It's a common courtesy. There was never an explanation of why the wait was so long or an apology for it taking so long. Unfortunately, I was so ticked off by the long wait, I didn't tip the server well. There's a serious lack of organization there. There are many other reviews that talk about the same poor customer service with parties of 5 or more. This reflects poor management and inefficiency.
(1)Kennith S.
Went here for my wife's birthday and it was a bad decision. We were seated and it took about 10-15 minutes before our server came and took our drink orders. 30 minutes later, still no drinks. She did stop by and say that she would be right back with the drinks but never bothered to bring them. She finally came back with the drinks and took the food order. As every table around us kept getting their food before we did and 45 minutes passed, I asked to speak to the manager. The manager finally came and made a convenient excuse about the food being cooked when ordered and our server having a large table. She said that our food would be up shortly. I guess shortly means another 45 minutes. The idea behind talking to the manager is that they would fix the problem. Obviously that didn't happen. I asked another server to have the manager come back to the table because our server was no where to be found. She came back and repeated the excuses from before. I told her that there is nothing on the menu that takes 2 hours to prepare. To make things worse, they tried to tack on a 18% gratuity because we had 6 in our group. Pissed off beyond belief now, I found the manager sweeping floors and told her that this was totally unacceptable. She removed the gratuity but made no attempt to fix the problem and continued to make excuses. Will never step foot in this poorly managed establishment again!!!
(1)Sam G.
Went here for lunch today with my family and I cannot say enough good things about our visit. We walked in and were promptly seated. We had the best waiter we've had in a long time named Russell. We ordered 2 orders of Fish boats, a chicken sandwich, cabbage, and the always delicious soul wedge appetizer. We will be back soon we love this new location, the staff,and the food!
(5)Alice B.
Awesomeness! If you want southern soul food at it's finest ear here! Salmon cakes are awesome cabbage and cornbread blew me away!
(5)WILLIAM N.
I ate four hours ago and I'm still full! With a to go box in the fridge for another meal! The service was great. Though it wasn't busy like some of the reviews have said. The food is very good and plentiful. There wasn't a lot of seasoning, but that is not a bad things. I had the fried seafood platter, tasted everything first and then seasoned a little here and there to complment the food. Very tasty! I do not like grits, I'm a northern boy. But I liked the grits here! Another had the salmon platter and said it was great! I will be back when I can. I have learned what time and what day is key to eat here. I love places that convert old building for a renewed use such as this place!
(5)Ms M.
Visited because of a recommendation. Waited almost an hour for a seat and 30 more mins for food. Shrimp and grits were really shrimp in gravy full of pepper and onion. Grits were dry. Macaroni and cheese was dry. Crab cakes were flat and made with minced crab. Highlight of the meal was the cornbread. Live band was too loud to carry on a conversation at the table. Maybe this is the norm for VA but for an out of town guest, I would never visit again. The one star is for the cornbread!
(1)Kayla M.
Very good food, they give you huge portions! Recommended. Can get a little busy though, there can be a wait.
(4)Leslee M.
The muscles are fantabulous. The cornbread is better than mine. Must try all of the homemade country side dishes.
(5)Shanetta K.
I went with a friend for their birthday. We were pleasantly greeted and was able to sit down right away. It was lunch time. Our waitress was really nice and we had a conversation with her about other things like perfume and before we even ordered so it felt like we were cool with her. Our waitress was also a bartender so she knew how to make drinks. The drinks were wonderful but I couldn't tell you the name of it because she made it up off the top of her head. We decided to order the fried oysters for appetizer. We thought we the ordered only came with 6 but it seem to be more and they were HUGE. after that we ordered our food. Which I have pictures of. I ordered the crab cake dinner. 2 crab cakes, side order of cabbage, and yams. My goodness I felt like my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I could only eat the cabbage. The cornbread that comes with it was huge. I took the rest of my food home. Be prepared with the proportion sizes. HUGE. I will come back here again when I'm in town.
(5)Nancy H.
This place really hasn't been open very long, it's really not very clean in there... it's not in the best section of Petersburg. And the food I would give less than one star if I could. Service was lacking at best and hostess at door acted like she was doing us a favor. We won't be back and I recommend the community of Petersburg look for somewhere else 4 a better dining experience
(1)Jing H.
Suggested by some classmates, went and ate there one night. Staff was friendly and was attentive to us. When our food came, it was a huge portion and very tasty. Especially love the cornbread, buttery and sweet. It was a bit loud for me but I otherwise enjoyed my dinner.
(4)Hanifa S.
The food was amazing. The portions are HUGE. But, the service was HORRIBLE! After waiting two plus hours for our party of 12 to be seated (they don't take reservations on weekends)- the waitress had the nerve NOT to bring utensils. We waited for 15 minutes with our food, watching as she served other guests, before we received utensils from ANOTHER server. I guess she couldn't be bothered. I asked her for utensils twice. Thirsty? Don't expect a refill. Celebrating a birthday? They "don't have time for all that singing and stuff-". They "don't do nothin' special." I'd return, if the waitress were fired.
(1)Sharon L.
Overpriced slop. Tried this place twice giving them a second chance was a mistake. It was worse than the first time.
(1)Jeff M.
Not sure what happened here. We called at 6pm on a Friday night and were told there is "currently no wait.." When we showed up 30 minutes later, we found 45-minute wait for a table of 2. Either a tour bus showed up, or someone didn't tell the truth. As out of towners making a detour from the highway to eat dinner, we would have appreciated a bit more honesty, particularly from a place that doesn't take reservations.
(1)Gloria T.
Had dinner there last night. The jazz music was great with the retaurant being packed. I did Not like their food. The salad was wimp. My main dish was baked fish, cooked cabbage, rice with a mushroom gravy and corn bread. The fish was over salty and dry. The cabbage was greasy. The white rice was fine as was the corn bread. I barely tasted the fish and cabbage and didn't even want to take any of it in a doggy bag. The server took too long for everything. Food- Yuck!
(2)Tony R.
Food really good Portion huge - come hungry Service - ok Not sure of they had enough wait staff to adequately cover the volume of customers. Had to wait awhile for the food and refills. Waiter knew we were on our lunch break but it still took a while. If you're not in a rush to get somewhere definitely eat here.
(4)Jenny W.
This. Place. Is. AMAZING. The food? Amazing. The crab cakes are absolutely to die for. Everything is HUGE. The prices might seem a little high at first, but for the amount of food you get with your meal, it is well worth it. For the crab cake entrée, they give you two enormous crab cakes that are literally just giant hunks of real crab meat chunks that they somehow managed to mush together in a patty shape. Soooo good. That comes with a BRICK of corn bread that was just...amazing. Sweet and salty in all the right places. Plus two sides. The cabbage was cooked to perfection and seasoned just right. For my other side I got another brick of corn bread. They have a corn bread appetizer that's really more of a dessert, but it was also amazing. I've never had anything quite like it before or since. Can't recall what it was called but it had their special sauce and maraschino cherries. Oh, and did I mention it was enormous? Please expect this place to be busy. It has been every time I've gone. We've had to wait about 30 minutes for a table before, but they are quick to have to table cleaned off and ready for you after those customers leave. We've also sat out back on the patio, which was nice because it was kind of quiet and romantic out there. The inside is usually loud because of the volume of customers, but at a restaurant this good, I'd expect it. Every time I've been here the service has been off the charts excellent. Many times we've been greeted by the owner himself upon walking in. He doesn't know us personally or as regular customers...he seems to just pick up slack wherever it needs to be picked up in the restaurant, whether it's greeting customers while the hostess is seating people or helping to clear tables. Overall, this place gets my vote for the best restaurant is petersburg. You gotta check it out. And if the prices scare you, share a meal. You'll both have plenty to eat with the portions they give you.
(5)Jazmin T.
After a lot of researching, me and my family stopped here on our way down to Miami. Perfect choice full of history, friendly faces and DELICIOUS southern seafood cooking. Seafood chili nachos- delicious! Po boys everything!!
(5)Trixie Y.
Not recommended for weekend visits...very slow service. We were a small group of five who came here at 5:30 pm for Saturday dinner. We were seated after a fifteen minute wait and placed our orders. Nothing for over an hour and a half wait time (no bread, crackers) and then everything all at once. Most of the food is fried and the oysters were not cooked all the way. Broiled fish was good. An 18% gratuity was added to the bill. Maybe it's better to visit on weekday...and check the menu on their website before you go.
(2)Kenny P.
Coming from Los Angeles I've found myself to be hard to satisfy when it comes to food. With that being said, Croaker's Spot was the HIGHLIGHT of a short jaunt I made around the VA/DC area. Met up with a friend to check it out as it had reviewed well. We couldn't decide what to order and asked the waitress for suggestions. She was extremely positive and helpful and gave a few recommendations. At that point a patron actually came and sat down at our table and effusively recommended a few of the dishes. Wow: now THAT is loyalty. Can't recall what we ordered (salmon stuffed Tilapia and the seafood fry?) but it was delicious and plentiful. I don't think I've ever had fried fish and shrimp as tasty as what we had there. This isn't the best review in that I don't have pictures, etc. What I can do is highly-recommend Croakers to anyone looking for a wonderful dining experience.
(5)Epicurus Z.
If it's your first time, get the fish plate with onions and peppers. Don't argue and just get it, for you'll be pleased. Location is at the edge of the cobblestone town, by the railroad tracks, almost under the bridge. They did a great job at decorating the interior. I noticed a stage, but I didn't see any performers the two times I visited. Kinda tucked away for a secret rendezvous. The crab cakes were meh. As expensive as they were, I was expecting better. Clam chowder is NE style, and hits the spot with a slice of corn bread on a cold winter's eve. Depending on who your bartender is, you may get great service, or feel like you've got leprosy. Petersburg is a town with a tremendous amount of history, and that history is somewhat dark. Some of the natives have not gotten over that, though they still live there. This contributes directly to the quality of service you'll receive. It's also the thing that keeps this town from receiving an A-rating. And yet, it has SO much potential that I want it to succeed. I'll be dropping in again.
(4)Saba S.
Ya know, the more I go here, the more disappointed I get. WHY ARE YOU SO DARN EXPENSIVE?!??! I ordered the Chicken Cesar Salad which has waaaay too much sauce, cheese, and the chicken is dry. Also, STOP USING SYRUP in all your drinks people! None of the drinks taste fresh....which goes back to my questions; WHY ARE YOU SO DARN EXPENSIVE?
(2)Dissatisfied C.
Absolute pathetic place to eat. ..unless you are racist that is. Service was horrible and the food worse. If you want shitty soulfood and service that treats you like you owe them something then by all means go here.
(1)Steven B.
Came here tonight with a group of ten. The place was pretty busy so we expected some delays but honestly this place moves at a snail pace regardless. We waited about an hour for our first order of drinks including water, beer and three margaritas. Thirty minutes later we place our order, which included raw oysters as an appetizer. Well almost an hour went by and we got our raw oysters...they were frozen...awesome. My lady ordered chicken tenders and fries, the fries were stale as if they stood way too long under a heat lamp and the tenders were dry as bones. I had the fried platter, it wasn't bad though it wasn't good. The crab cakes and shrimp were alright but the fish was filled with tiny needle like bones. I'm sorry but for $23 I would have expected something that wouldn't stab my throat when I ate it. All in all we were highly disappointed after being here for about three hours. The wait staff did fine, though she wasn't around much she was incredibly nice and didn't charge us for the oysters or my girlfriend's meal. Still the quality of food speaks for itself, you're paying fresh seafood prices for frozen and thawed seafood. I can't say we'll come here again. Even with our meal comped it cost about $64 (with 18% gratuity because it was five or more people) for one entree three beers and one Jameson on the rocks. Word of advice if you do come here, stick to the corn bread (amazing!) and booze though expect them to be out of all the good beer...this place really is a disappointment.
(1)Food C.
First let me say I have always been a huge fan of Croaker Spot but always visited the Manchester location. Went last night with another couple and dinner took 2.5 hours. Place was not crowded and the waiter was not very attentive. I ordered the 2 piece Boat which came out with exactly 2 pieces of fish (very small) which had been cooked long ago. The onions and green peppers were cooked with no sauce and were like a mush. They were cold and like cutting a piece of rubber. Absolutely no meat in then at all. The potatoes were good as well as the corn bread. The happy hour drinks were not happy hour prices by an standard. $6.00 for a glass of cheap wine? Or $3.50 a bottle of domestic beer. The others in our party were just as unhappy as I with their meals put I will comment on those. I would not return
(1)Demetria M.
Finally, after nearly 2 years of waiting, the Croaker Spot opens in old towne Petersburg. I had pretty much given up hope that it would ever open but I was finally able to experience this Richmond staple in my hometown. I won't bore you with how good the food is as everyone already familiar with them will tell you that. I will say that the food is just as good as the Richmond location so no worries, just eat and enjoy! They have a nice bar area with several tv's and rather loud music playing in the background, so forget about having a quiet dinner. Try not to leave without trying one of the incredible limeades.....my favorite is pineapple.
(4)Marc L.
If you're not giving this restaraunt 5 stars you need to go back to McDonald's where you belong. Food here is amazing, seafood is very fresh, well seasoned. Now the service is very slow, but quality of food and how nice the staff is made up for it, just drink a few beers while you wait for great food
(5)Chris W.
The food at Croaker's Spot in Petersburg is amazing. We ordered the seafood nachos as an appetizer. To say the portion of nachos was huge doesn't even begin to cut it. Gargantuan probably fits the description more accurately. My wife and I boxed up half the plate and filled up a takeout box! The nachos really were an excellent blend of seafood and nacho flavors. I ordered the fried fish plate with peppers and onions. It came with a side of cabbage, cheesy grits, and cornbread. Honestly, the fried fish was some of the best I've ever had. It was fried but didn't hit you over the head with being heavy. Grits, cabbage, and cornbread were really good, as well. Again, I took over half of my meal home with me in a box. My wife ordered the Croaker's Spot Seafood Bowl. It consisted of two sides of crab claws, mussels, scallops, and rice. The bowl was HUGE. She said everything was delicious. She ended up taking her food home in TWO takeout boxes. The only negative with our experience was when we were being seated. The hostess seemed really confused as to where she should seat us. We initially were seated in a room reserved for parties that was off of the main dining room, but we were the only diners in there! Our server Tre' (who was excellent) promptly moved us to the main dining room. We will definitely be back to Croaker's Spot in Petersburg. If you haven't been, go. It's nice to see such a quality restaurant in Old Towne.
(4)Christa S.
We decided to come here for my mother's birthday. After my family had been sitting for about 20 minutes, the waitress finally took our food and drink order. It took another 20 minutes for us to get half our drink orders. We had been sitting for over an hour before receiving our food. We asked to speak to the manager, who apologized but didn't actually do anything about getting our food out. This is the worst service any of us has ever received! Tables had been sat, served food, and left before we had gotten any good.
(1)Hannah P.
There has to be some logistical problems in the kitchen because it takes them so long to make anything (even our raw oysters took 30 minutes). We were told 15 minute wait for a table for two, took 50. Then we sat down and the waiter told us there were at least a 45 minute wait for any food because they had tickets lined up. When we sat down, the table beside us was packing up their food as soon as it came out because they've been waiting so long and looked pretty angry. We ended up leaving after just the appetizer because it was getting late but the other tables' food looked good. I'm giving an extra star because the hostess and waiter were very nice but don't come here unless you want a 3 hour dinner.
(2)Joey M.
Amazing soul food. The crab cakes were amazing! Some of the best cornbread I've ever had. Just be careful because the serving sizes are HUGE!!!
(5)brice b.
Didn't stay for the meal but left after waiting for way too long for even a hello from a waiter much less a glass of water. My clothing smells like a fry cook as they must not have proper ventilation. I'd never go back
(2)Robert W.
4.6!!! Our first visit on Saturday was nothing short of EXCELLENT. Fried Fish was SUPURB. House Potato's and Cheese Grits were INCREDIBLE. Corn Bread was FABULOUS. Croakers Spot has been added to our favorite Restaurants list!
(4)Michael W.
This place has a great. classic old style feel. The service was great except for time when the evening crowd started to arrived. But that was expected. The food was very big portions. So you pay for what you get. I could not believe the taste of the corn bread sweet and buttery... mmmm so good. I highly recommend this place. Me and friends from SLC enjoyed it. Will be coming back before i leave here.
(4)B. L.
Maybe the high-star reviews are because folks expected it to be good. I don't know. I've never been to the other one, but this I'd NOT prepared-from-scratch food. Collards tasted like they were from a can. Corn bread was BIG, but was too cakey sweet. Potatoes and slaw were bland. Cheese chicken was just a chicken cutlet with a square of cheese on top -- and it cost $14! It was more like food from Shoney's in larger portions.Not good, and certainly not worth the money. But then, we didn't have any fish. Had to ask for butter for the cornbread and was brought melted margarine in a plastic cup -- What??? No vinegar for the collards, and when we asked for it, it came in the little plastic cup too. Overall, very disappointing. Try Mama J's in Richmond if you want home-cooked soul food.
(2)Renada N.
I said i would never go back i should have stuck to my resolve. went yesterday 3/7/14 and it was the same old. the place is reasonably priced THIS TIME my service was better but THE FOOD WAS STILL LACKING.... I mean DAG WHAT HAPPENED. I like the building and im glad they chose that area but i can't say i'm in a rush to give it another try.
(2)Helicopter D.
Soul Food. When I think of Soul Food, I think of that sweet, fat diabetic lady that died and all her "triflin-ass" children. That movie was sad. What do you think killed her? This food! If you don't care about your weight; breath or even what you ordered- don't worry because two out of three will be screwed up by the time you leave here. You will hear at least once in earshot while you are at Croaker's Spot from one of the wait staff " I wish a muthaf&cker would" and "MmmHmm!" I did and now its my ringback tone. Don't go on Sunday unless you went to the same church as everyone else that will be there. If you don't go to church, at least eat at Croaker's Spot on a not-so-busy day. I was busy praying my food would arrive soon when I noticed they gave me the wrong order! Good thing I was as hungry as a hound dog by-noon because I ordered a breakfast entree and ended up getting someones catfish. I was like- "I like catfish, so whatever, I'll eat this and then snitch about this on Yelp!" Croaker's Spot also hosts local artists and musicians and is situated next to Union Station. Remember the movie "Lincoln"?*The cast probably walked by this restaurant at least once before they were seduced by the smell of chicken-fried (unconfirmed). Beautiful interior, good food, new restaurant right in the heart of Petersburg. Check it out if you don't feel like frying your own catfish. *I didn't watch the movie Lincoln on account it was a boring-ass movie.
(2)Brandy P.
Very good food. Awfully SLOW service. 15 min for a party of 2 turned into 50+ minutes wait to be seated. We were traveling, so no we would not go back. If you're in no hurry, check it out.
(3)Shannon S.
The restaurant itself is really nice and new. The value of food for the money is beyond amazing. I had an appetizer that was huge followed by an entree that I could not finish half of. If you are starving or can eat a lot of food this is the perfect place for you. The cornbread was like cake and so delicious. I've never been a fan of cornbread but that stuff was good! I tried a little bit of everyone's food in our party of four and I didn't try anything that I didn't love. Next time I go, I will split a meal with someone. Bar service is a little slow and my beer set at the bar for about 10 mins before arriving at the table but it was still cold and ok once it arrived. Waiter was good.
(5)Tee B.
Went to the Croaker Spot yesterday after my graduation and the entire experience was phenomenal. Our server was prompt and a delight. The food was great and the portion sizes were more than what I expected. I've been to the Croaker Spot in Richmond, which was really good, but the one in Petersburg is larger. This was my Mom's first time and she thoroughly enjoyed the food. I recommend this restaurant.
(5)Walt B.
Very nice dinner. I got 2 piece fish boat and it was very good. Fish very tasty, corn bread and potatoes on point. Other meals were equally as good. Service was also very good. Worth the trip to Petersburg.
(5)Nathan M.
This place was awesome!! Best southern seafood place around. We are from Montana and were so excited to happen upon this dining experience in VA. We went at 5pm on weekday, and the place was not too busy, the service was great and the food was amazing. We ate, and recommend highly, the corn bread, seafood chili, crab cakes (fried were better than broiled), grits (thick and flavorful), cheesy chicken, mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. We visited numerous restaurants around Petersburg and into Richmond in a three week period, and Croaker's Spot was the best by far. No comparison! A must try! Also, we hear that these guys might be opening up a restaurant in Vegas, too.
(5)Regina T.
Great food as usual. Large portions. I only wish they would take down the walls. An open floor plan would be great.
(4)Aaron Z.
Great food, huge portions and great service. I am not a huge fish eater but will eat it from time to time. I got the fish plate with onions and peppers and I would eat fish a lot more often if it always tasted this great. Everyone else in my party was equally pleased with their meals. Everyone of us had to take food home as well due to the portion sizes.
(5)Phillip R.
My servers name was Quita she was very prompt and courteous. The place had a fair amount of people however once I ordered my food came expeditiously. My order consisted of cheese grits, fried fish, cabbage, sautéed onions, crab cakes and a large piece of corn bread. The portions were insanely huge and the food wasn't exceptional but it wasn't bad either. I ate what I could and washed it down with there pineapple lemonade which was scrumptious. I would go back and I do recommend giving them a try.
(5)Yelp User R.
Side portions are huge but starchy and not a lot of choices. Mainly the sides are cabbage and grits. They give you huge sides to fill up on plus a large piece of cornbread because the actual main course might be only 8 shrimp or 8 fried oysters...for instance the Shrimp Alfredo comes with lots of Alfredo noodles in a huge bowl but only 8 shrimp. My cabbage was good, the grits were way too gummy and the cornbread was extremely sweet and cake like. My oysters were undercooked. The nacho appetizer was good. Expect to wait a while for seating as they do not take reservations on the weekends. The have to put tables together for parties more than 4 and most of the tables and chairs are wobbly. Our party of 7 had to exchange our table and 3 of our chairs and the waiter had a attitude when we asked for them to be exchanged. We also overheard a waiter say that a family should be made to leave because they were finished and were talking at their table and he wanted to seat another group. Expect to pay $22-25 and up per person not including drink. This place was a disappointment to our group and we expected more.
(2)Victor M.
This is a GREAT spot for dining. We are from Virginia Beach and visited in-laws in Petersburg and stopped here for late lunch after hearing such great accolades from other family members. The restaurant is quaint, cozy and has live music some days. The service was second to none (Anthony). The food is very delicious and you receive generous portions. I had butterfly shrimp and grits and was able to substitute one of my sides for something I wanted (just ask). Anthony even brought out a dessert tray!!! I highly recommend visiting Croaker's Spot, you won't leave disappointed.
(4)Valentina V.
I feel like I need to go back here 10 times just to try everything on the menu. Good, classic, hearty takes on southern seafood. The bar wasn't open yet when we were there, so I was sad I didn't get my bloody mary at Sunday brunch, but I'm pretty sure their licensing has come through now... Go enjoy some damn good corn bread and fresh fish!
(4)Lucas B.
At first seemed expensive, but the portion size and absurdly high quality of food is worth it. Friendly atmosphere and environment a plus. Also, the corn bread is to die for.
(4)D S.
The food was good. Portions are a pretty good size. Cornbread is the best. Although the food was good, I had to wait about 30 minutes to get my food. The restaurant was not crowded and it still took longer than expected. The waitress did not come to check on us or at least provide us an update. Service is not that good but the food was good. I would suggest trying this spot when you have time to spare or if you are not in a rush.
(3)Jenni H.
This location is new. But the food is righteous. Plenty of seating and friendly service. Recommend the seafood chili nachos and handmade lemonade. Also, the salmon dinner is spot on!
(4)Jay W.
Initially, the customer svc was sub par but after we were seated (about a 15 mins wait, not bad) everything got significantly BETTER. Our waiter was Lance and he was a complete gentleman! Very attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. His service coupled with the awesome food (I had the fried seafood platter) made for an pretty cool first time experience. If you're visiting Croaker's Spot in Petersburg, be sure to bring your "tough skin" and ask to sit in Lance's section!
(4)Lisa T.
Shrimp salad is amazing! Don't even like cornbread, but croakers spot cornbread deserves to be a stand alone appetizer, meal and dessert! Yumm!! Service has never been stellar (reason for four stars and not five) On the weekends the musical entertainment is fantastic!
(4)Debby M.
Oh my goodness, my first time, although I did get a taste test at the womens show. Born and raised on a dairy farm I know what down home cooking is. The cabbage was like eating grannies. I got the catfish special. It is amazing. My hats off to everyone working there. You guys are the bomb. The cornbread was like desert. So sweet and tasteful.
(5)Nancy F.
Now I understand the goal of a business is to make a profit but to charge $3 for an extra plate to feed a two year old from my overly abundant plate is outrageous! And what's up with all those onions instead of serving a real vegetable with the meals!?! BTW, the cornbread is to die for!
(3)Johnny G.
Only reason I dinged them was because their menu said my food would be $20 and it was $27. Unless there is a $7 take out fee they messed up. The buffalo shrimp was some of the best I've ever had. Cool location in old town Petersburg. I'll be coming back next time I'm in town.
(4)Molly S.
This is not a a lunch spot. I've tried it four times. I love the food, the food is wonderful. The food is so good that you almost forget how angry you were a minute before it came because you are going to be so late getting back to work. You are so angry because you saved up a extra half an hour to add to the lunch hour because you remembered how slow and careless the service is, but you LOVE the food, and you are STILL late for the next appointment. This is a place that unless you are retired or taking the day off, do yourself a favor and ask for the bill and a box because when your food comes, and hour or so later, you will have to run to your car to get back to work. The good news is, the food will reheat well and you will have enough for a friend. It is nice for them that they add the tip in when you go with at least five people or so, because I sure didn't give my server any more. Maybe the issue is the kitchen..maybe they need a larger crew, I don't know. What I hear is that the Richmond location never has these kinds of problems and the food is really great there too. I don't think I will return here.
(3)Renee C.
I am so excited that they've opened a location herein Petersburg!!! I can't pass the city without stopping here for a delicious meal. There is nothing on the menu that I wouldn't recommend. Oh! You can't pass up on the Arnold Palmer or a sweet desert!
(5)Doug G.
Food is fabulous; my table had the butterfly shrimp, seafood Alfredo, crab-stuffed tilapia, and the 2-piece catfish (which is really like 4-pieces by the way). Who would have thought cabbage was so good & their grits are delicious. The cornbread... Oh the cornbread... It will get you pregnant... It's that good!! I recommend the Karma K martini, or the sweet tea to drink. Get there before 7, because the wait starts building afterwards.
(5)Gael M.
Good ol' Southern Comfort food. The ambiance is nice, although it was a little warm inside. Our waiter, Anthony, was very welcoming and helped us out with any questions we had relating to the menu. They had a Mangro Margarita on special, but it wasn't anything to write home about. Can't speak on the other cocktails. It was a group of 8 of us and we all got something different. One thing I will say... we ALL left more than satisfied. The portions are HUGE and I believe only one person in my group didn't need a To Go box. Price range is excellent for what you get. I will definitely be back to this location.
(4)Elena F.
My friend & I had lunch here a few days ago, my 1st time & it was Amazing! Chef Chris did his thing! Every thing was delicious from our sweet&buttery cornbread appetizer, catfish, yams, mac&cheese, greens! Our waiter & bartender was Great, attentive & good w/ our mixed drinks!
(5)Charlene S.
The best seafood in The Greater Richmond area. Huge serving sides. Excellent service ...reasonable prices
(5)Eleanor T.
The food is delicious. You get a lot of food, they feed you good. Always a nice atmosphere. And the price is right. I'm getting hungry just writing about it. Check it out people you won't be disappointed.
(5)Mandi C.
The food was amazing. I got the 2 piece fried fish boat. Substituted collards for the potatoes. I guess cook made that first because my fish was cold however, Anthony was phenomenal as he was overwhelmed as the only server at lunch. And he immediately corrected the error. As everyone else said, the cornbread is on point... And when they say block, it's more like a brick. Way understaffed. Otherwise would have given 5 stars.
(4)Vonita B.
Last night out with the girls before flying back to Cali met at Croaker Spot good food nice sized portions excellent wait staff great price point we decided to share a meal the portions are so big and it was a great decision everyone had more than enough
(4)Kimberly P.
Ive heard some great things about this place and Im not even from this area. I live in the Hampton roads area of Chesapeake and decided to drive to the Petersburg location on a Monday afternoon for lunch with a friend. Was it worth the drive? You bet!! We were seated quickly, they only had about 3 tables seated at the time we sat down. The menu is diverse so it took a while to decide on what I wanted. I loved that you could swap out one of the menu sides for a different one, though some of the others cost a little more. I got the smothered gravy chicken with rice, cabbage and the best cornbread ever! Portions are huge, I only could eat 1/4 of my food and ate the rest over the a few days. They have live music on Friday nights so I will be back to get the nighttime experience!
(5)Katy B.
The food is great and you get huge portions for the money. I love the oyster po boy sandwich. Actually, I love all of their oyster dishes. The seafood nachos are awesome and massive. My husband loves them. The cabbage is better than my grandmas. The fish is fried perfectly. It's flakey and delicious. The thing that sets this place apart is the TERRIBLE service. It was so bad that we no longer dine on but get our food Togo. We ate in the restaurant 6 times and each time we were given horrible service.
(3)Erika F.
This place has good food... and lots of it. I went here with a group and really enjoyed it. They weren't exactly great for groups, but they made it work. We had called ahead of time with an accurate head count so I feel like they should have been ready. If they had been, it would have been a 4 star rating. The food... oh my... the food. It was definitely worth it. I had the mussels and the crab legs. The mussels were so tasty and the white wine garlic sauce was on point. The crab legs were prepared well, but the mussels were definitely better. The portion sizes are HUGE! If you're going with your significant other, unless you want to take home enough leftovers for a small island, I'd recommend sharing. The food is very tasty. As a side, I'd recommend the cabbage. It's quite good. We went on a Friday night and they had a great band there. It was a bit too loud to talk but we were dancing instead, so it wasn't an issue at all. I'd definitely come back here but next time with a smaller group. I'd recommend that this place take reservations for tables with more than 6 guests so they can be prepared in the future.
(3)Lane M.
Ok, its time that I update my review. I have been here approximately 3 additional times since writing my original review. I must say that I am a huge fan now. The food is delicious and the service is always on point. The best seafood in the area in my opinion. I look forward to visiting this place now whenever I''m in town.
(4)Tekeya H.
The food was so good! Except the grits, they were like a freaking brick! Yuck! Great service. There was a wait but nothing outrageous. Nice atmosphere. Would recommend to all my friends. Note: Have some cash. It was a little pricey.
(5)Miranda F.
The service is friendly, the food came out very quickly. The salad was a bit warm, but the dressing (balsamic) was delicious. My fiance and I both had catfish and the breading was perfect. We are stuffed and very happy we stumbled upon this place!!! Don't worry about ordering extra sides, you won't be able to eat them!
(5)Cassidy F.
This place was pretty good. The prices were a little steep though. We had the Stuffed Salmon which was pretty good. Absolutely loved their Mac and Cheese! The portions were pretty big. I ended up splitting my meal with my friend and we still had leftovers! My boyfriend had the Salmon Cakes which he liked. He got grits as one of his sides but they were very dry. Not the best. Our waitress was great! Super friendly. And the environment was really cool. They had live music. Really great restaurant if you have the extra money!
(4)Bobby C.
This place has it all, good food, great service, & great bartenders
(5)Ruben G.
Ate with a large group of people so I can't speak to much on the time it took to get my food. The cornbread is delicious it came with my chicken strips and fries. The strips were a bit dry but good flavor and the fries were plentiful. Overall a great meal for about 18 dollars not bad and the atmosphere was nice too it can be a bit loud with music but a good experience.
(4)Chiara J.
Croaker's is WONDERFUL! Food, atmosphere, price ... perfect. In a recent trip to Petersburg, I stopped in twice: once during happy hour, once for a late night dinner. Both times service was expedient. Frank is an awesome bartender! He ensures your glass is never empty. My only complaint was the Oysters Rockefeller wasn't spicy enough for my liking as well as a bit too cheesy, and the grits were a bit dry. Other than that, a perfect place for a bite or drink any time of the day!
(4)David M.
Shrimp and grits were good. Shrimp was great. Grits were a bit too dry and bland me. My S.O. had the Buffalo Fish Boat. Everything on her plate was great. For an appetizer, we had Sautéed Mushrooms and Scallions. The appetizer was almost a meal in itself! The menu is large and varied. When we go back, we will probably just sample a series of appetizers to cover as much of the variety as we can! If you go for a meal, bring your "A" game appetite! They bring a lot of food. We brought enough home for at least another dinner. The grits are the only thing that held them from 5 stars. It is really 4.5 in my eyes.
(4)Michelle K.
Ladies night out. We had a party of 11 and had to wait until the majority arrived before getting seated. The Staff was courteous. Once we were seated our Order was taken and the food came out fast and hot. I changed up from the fish boat and Kielbasa Po Boy. I decided on the scallops and shrimp. Side of collards(they don't have these in RIC) and cabbage.. Yummy! Live music on Friday. Seemed to be a mix of Blues, Zydeco and Blue Grass. They were great. The evening was enjoyable. I will return.
(4)Shameka O.
First impressions go a long way in making a dining experience 5-star, and Croaker Spot does a fantastic job and is a pleasant find in Petersburg, VA. The ambiance of the restaurant is also spot on with great renovations having been made to an old building while maintaining the historic charm. There are hard wood floors, great contemporary art and historic artifacts throughout, and a sweet and savory aroma of the great food that you'll be receiving while not being overwhelming. The music being played is a soulful, jazz mix...and I understand that the live music they have on some evening and on the weekends is enjoyable. The service we received was prompt, friendly and informative. For the food...Can you say YUMMY?! Then say it again?! YUMS! The food is the epitome of soul food. Generous portions at a fair price and as tasty as my mom's kitchen, and my mom is the best cook I know. Be prepared to either split a plate, take half for leftovers, or experience a food coma! I was told their motto is "Band for your Buck" and they hold true to it. I ordered the Eggleston's Fried Fish Boat which came with 2 pieces of fried whiting, a side of house potatoes and cornbread; I added an extra side of cabbage...NO COMPLAINTS. The fish was seasoned and fried well, the house potatoes was a chunky mash of steamed red potatoes that was perfectly seasoned and buttery, the cabbage was a heap of well boiled (not at all mushy) greens that had the flavor of a meat seasoning (just like my mom would do). The cornbread is sweet and buttery and huge, just like I like it! I also sampled the collard greens from a friend's plate and they were equally delicious and reminiscent of the cooking I grew up on. My friend also ordered the Southern Sauteed Chicken with yams, and cabbage and loved every bite. I will be back, infact after the yummy meal I had for lunch yesterday I am going back tonight for dinner. I was told they have a good happy hour from 2pm-7pm and I will be sure to save room for the huge slices of cake they have for desert.
(5)Kendra M.
This was ladies night out. This was our first time at this restaurant. All I can say is that I love the atmosphere and the size. Great location. The food was great and of large portion for me worth the cost. I enjoyed the music they had Calvin Blount it was great he involved the audience. The service was good I understand with all the people they had and like at the Hull Street restaurant no one walked up to our table and asked us to leave. I will definitely come back to the Petersburg Croaker Spot Restaurant. I know the waiter was everywhere I understand because of all the people he was waiting on and I didn't mind and he apologized which I appreciated. The cake was very good moist... Great job with this location.....
(5)Bobby C.
Very nice place. A bit pricy but the portion size makes up for it. We had the Buffalo Shrimp for a starter. Let me tell you these were some of the best shrimp I have ever had. Then I had the Bourbon Street Pasta. The flavor of this dish was amazing. Two beers, an appetizer, and two entrees ran about $70.00. So all in all, the food was pretty good.
(4)Ebbonie K.
Good old fashioned soul food. If you are looking for light, fresh foo foo food this place is NOT for you. However if you are looking for grandma's classic soul food you found the right place. Most things are deep fried and those that aren't are swimming in butter. Portions are massive. ..corn bread the size of a softball. .. I could only eat a small amount of what I was served...but that was enough. Yery yummy! As long as you know what to expect I don't think you'll will be disappointed.
(4)Steve C.
In from Nebraska first time here. Friday night around 7 pm. I didn't have reservations but they got me in nonetheless. Here's how it went: 1. Started with the clam chowder. Excellent use of fresh chive and a generous portion for a cup. Potato portions were excellent. Meaty creamy and rich. 9 of 10 strangely. I say strangely because I did t think you'd find a chowder this good outside of the northeast. 2. The bar is lacking. The selection of bourbon and scotch is essentially non existent. 3. Entree came out relatively fast. I ordered a fettuccine Alfredo. Very fresh broccoli, delicious garlic bread but a very unfortunate take on a very simple traditional dish. Noodles piled high and covered in a garlic based sauce. Room temperature with unmelted cheese sprinkles on top. Canned mushrooms were indicative of my entree. I started off with very high hopes only to be let down. Fortunately there's a live band here to soften the dining experience. It'll be interesting to see how the staff handles me not eating more than a few bites. Did I mention the garlic bread was great? Round 2 asked my very darling waitress what she recommended. Cheesy chicken it is. Waitress did me a solid. Very good. Excellent use of fresh vegetables and a excellent denatured sauce that highlights the meal. The garlic mashed potatoes did the trick bringing it together. Also, the garlic bread was outstanding. 3 stars is halfway between 5 and 1 and I will say that I would come back for sure. Did I mention the garlic bread was excellent?
(3)Cservice S.
Okay so the Croaker Spot is good!!! You should go and you won't be disappointed with this Southern twist on fish.However there is one thing that kept me from giving it a full 5 stars ...... They need to stop being soooooo cheap and get some WIFI in this place It's 2015!!!!
(4)Aaron T.
If you are near Croakers Spot and you're 'thinking' about stopping, DO IT! This place is awesome! Get there now. The best fish and grits I've ever had!!! Great food and service. p.s. The service is super fast also!
(5)Ed M.
Very nice crab cakes. Shrimp and grits kind of different than I have ever had., but good. Huge portions. Good service. Good size place. A little difficult to find, but worth the search.
(4)Deborah A.
The salmon was exceptional, mac 'n cheese perfect, and hunks of cornbread looked impossibly huge... And yet we managed to eat them all. The portions are enormous - all but the long-gone cornbread made for a yummy feast reheated a day later.
(5)Miyoshi H.
I love this place. This is our third visit and every time is just as good or even better than the first time. There was no wait today.... Probably since the rest of the free world is craving hot dogs and burgers in celebration of Memorial Day. So glad we decided o drive the hour and a half to Petersburg!
(5)Greg W.
Absolutely love the Croaker's Spot. We've been to both the Hull St and Petersburg location. Prefer the Petersburg location due to more room and also loved the blues singer on Friday night. Food was wonderful as usual. When you go, you must order something you can't get anywhere else. I had the Salmon Chelsea. Grilled salmon with kielbasa sausage and sautéed shrimp served with an incredible CAJUN cream sauce. Of course, it was served with their incredible corn break. We took two friends who have never been before and they loved it. Will definitely go back again...sooner rather than later.
(5)Ernest M.
This was by far the best seafood I have ever had. The serving sizes are huge. The location was tasteful done and the wait staff was great. We had a large party of biker with individual tickets and they handled it with easy.
(5)Patricia L.
I visited the Croaker's Spot for a birthday dinner with my family shortly after Thanksgiving. I was extremely excited to hear about this fairly new soul-food restaurant and couldn't wait to see what it offered. I was pleasantly surprised at the abundance of options offered on the menu that were an inviting and interesting twist to traditional soul food dishes. I decided on the crab-stuffed tilapia. It was magnificent! The portions were plentiful and the meal did not disappoint at all. My family also enjoyed their selections. The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant also enhanced the meal. From the music to the lighting, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. The one flaw that caused me to decrease my rating to three stars, in lieu of such a fantastic meal, was the fact that my family and I felt rushed through our meal. Not long after we had ordered and settled into the food and conversation, our server arrived with to-go containers. I thought that odd so I verified, via my phone, that it wasn't nearing closing time. Though our sever said, "take your time", I didn't feel the ability to do so with to-go containers and plastic bags clogging the table. If I could offer one suggestion it would definitely be for servers to wait until most of the party has completed their meal before offering and providing to-go containers. Otherwise, great meal and great restaurant. I will definitely return and refer others.
(3)Rive G.
OK, listen up...it isn't often I rave about a place, but I'm about to. I've been wanting to come here for about a year, so we finally did. We live on Fort Lee, we're from New Jersey, and we were about to despair of finding anything resembling a decent restaurant here in the Confederate States of 'Murica. (You can forget about pizza down here, especially.) But we did find a decent restaurant. A fantastic one. With delicious food, and holy christ on a sidecar, a lot of it. My wife (she's a soldier) and I shared the Vegetarian Fish Boat and an Oyster Po' Boy. There was so much food we couldn't finish it and I'm 5' 11" and 280. She's about 5' 5" and 135. The Vegetarian Fish Boat consists of a huge portion of fried fish filets (no, I don't know what kind of fish, but it wasn't an overpowering taste) smothered in onions, peppers, olives, fried tomatoes, some other veggies I forgot to note and two kinds of cheeses melted over the whole thing. Quite difficult to describe how fascinating the blends of textures and tastes are. I've never tasted the likes of it. The fried Oyster Po' Boy was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had and I've eaten sandwiches all over the world. A bunch of fat, fried oysters, delicious home made slaw with nice big chunks of cabbage, a horseradish sauce and a fresh, soft Po Boy roll...and it was huge, too. Enough for two people unless you can eat more than me and I'm a pretty large fellow. Service was impeccable, kind and attentive. Free refills on basic iced tea and fountain sodas. And I never had to ask! Fresh glasses kept appearing full of beverage... cool. We had to wait longer than one should, but there was a big party and it took the kitchen longer than expected to take care of them. No sweat. It wasn't perfect, though. The mac and cheese was OK...just OK. Dry and very mildly flavored. And the french fries that came with the Po' Boy were soggy (a pet peeve of mine) so I asked for them to be refreshed. Instead I got a whole new order of fries. And folks, I've never received such a huge (original) order of fries with an entree before like this. It was a *mountain* of fries. Kind of like watching Adam Richman do one of his old eating challenges. We couldn't even make a dent in the piles. Maybe our adolescent son will...we brought home half the fish boat and almost all the fries. The boiled cabbage side was tasty seasoned with pepper and maybe that's it and perfectly done. A little soft and a little "al dente" if cabbage can be al dente... delicious. Accompanying the fish dish was a huge scoop of potato done up with the most pungent garlic I have ever smelled or tasted that way. Thank God garlic is a wonder vegetable... Thankfully, nothing was overly salty, either. For the prices (which are not high or low) you get a *massive* amount of food. The place is loud because people are enjoying themselves and not holding back. Funny thing is, its OK. When the food and service are this fine, "its all good". Two entrees, two sides and two drinks came to under $50. The service was so good I left $15. Please remember, we're all part of the 99% and that bastard's "47%", so tip generously for good service. These folks are busting ass to make your meal good so don't think of it as a "tip", but think of it like I do: "thank you money". Enjoy this place. And go early. There were folks waiting outside for a table. We'll be back.
(5)Mone't C.
Petersburg location: This was my first time visiting this restaurant & I'm not a fan going out to eat but the food here was great! The service was amazing & the cleanliness/setting of the restaurant was very good as well. It is a little pricey but the proportions of the food is well worth it. I loved it!
(5)