Holy Mackerel: Seafood Dining in Hopewell, VA

Look, I'm just throwing a pebble into a pond of good reviews, but this place is no joke amazing. My dining companion and I ordered a totally different things and all of it came out excellent. We started off with crab dip and the holy cheese balls. What a great way to start out. Both dishes were hot and delicious. For the main course, I got the ahi tuna BLT and my buddy got the Fisherman's Catch. The tuna wouldn't surprise me if it was fresh caught given the quality of the meat. The fisherman's catch though, that was incredible. My buddy shared some of it with me because it was so much food. I don't know what they do to the scallops, but the very first hit of flavor tastes just like a great steak. The fried fish had excellent Fry on it, the shrimp were seasoned just right, and the crab cake was crabby and lemony. Just as it should be. Unfortunately, I don't drink, so I can't give an opinion on the choices, but they have a lot of options and without a doubt there are few poor choices that can be made in that category. Oh! Geneva was our server and she was HILARIOUS. Man, she was roasting me for not eating my oysters fast enough. She made the whole experience so much better.

Found this little gem on the outskirts of Hopewell for lunch. The Porky De Burger was amazing. The amount of flavor from the burger was incredible. The fries was nice and crispy. The view of the water was very nice. The staff was extremely friendly. I will definitely be back to try more items form the menu.

We’ve visited Holy Mackerel twice in the last couple of weeks, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we visit weekly in the future. Both visits were great. From the minimal wait time (even with quite a crowd), to the delicious food and great customer service. We have no complaints. It’s about a 30 minute drive for us, but well worth it. Our first visit we were sat at a table (with our kids in tow), the server was so helpful, friendly and responsive. Every staff member greeted us with smiles and professionalism (on both visits). Our second visit we were seated at the bar. Ali was the bartender and she was amazing. She was one of the most attentive service people we have ever had. The food has not yet disappointed. So far we have especially enjoyed the oysters, crab dip, calamari, burgers (beef and turkey), and sweet bay wings. Food has been delicious and comes out quick. Seasoned very well. I highly recommend. The atmosphere is beautiful. I look forward to many more visits in the future.

Great atmosphere and staff. Heard we came on an off night. So I'm excited to see what a regular night is like. Update: Came back in the summer during the 7:00 live music. The catfish was fried perfectly, the Big Belly Burger (think that's the name) was amazing. But the sunset on the upstairs patio!!!! I recommend going online and reserving your spot.

Driving down south and decided to stop at a local spot, found Holy Mackerel! Made a reservation on Open Table, arrived 5 mins early, was seated right away. Service was great. You have to be patient because this place is popular but they are understaffed (like everywhere else) but they are honestly and hardly trying to provide the greatest service! The food is good. You must try the crab dip - simply phenomenal! They were out of their beer (holy mackerel) but I had the summer shandy my hubby had the three notched and both were great! We were outside on the terrace and had the best view over James river. This place is the bomb!

Holy Mackerel VA did not disappoint. We were seated quickly with the option of indoor or outdoor seating with great views of the river from any seat in the house. The server was great! She was very polite and knowledgable of the menu and drinks. We opted for the pretzel for appetizer it was a large portion great for sharing and the crab cake sandwich was delicious. All the food was made to order and delivered to the table fast fresh and hot. The vibe at holy mackerel is chill and great for families too. Plus they have a kids menu. 100% recommend.

I’ve been here twice and both times were consistent. First of all, the atmosphere is very cool and unique, with a rustic, seaside vibe. Amazing views of the river throughout the restaurant thanks to the big windows and glass garage doors. Kitchen was slow (and they admit it), but the service was fantastic and the food is pretty good. This last time we had the fish and chips along with the nachos, both of which were delicious and massive in portion. Good drink selection, including their own line of beer. I’ve had 3 of their beers and all were very good. Overall, this is a wonderful place for a casual date night to watch the beautiful sunset. My wife and I have quickly fallen in love with this place.

We passed this place after fishing and decided to give it a try. We were about to turn around after the Assistant to the Regional Manager (IYKYK) said “we don’t have anything available” before checking her tablet but miraculously the hostess found us a table. I have an idea why she was so hasty but….yea. We were seated in the screened-in patio that attracted so many bugs. The little creatures weren’t inside with us so we let it slide but damn it’s about time to clean them off. There was a cute little blues band playing and it was nice vibe. Our waitress Bailey was super sweet and attentive and made our visit a pleasant experience. The food was delicious and I don’t have a negative comment (I’m still surprised). Overall, great atmosphere and even better food. If you’re thinking about visiting, try to make a reservation for a guaranteed table or wing it like we did