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The Hard Shell - Bellgrade, Midlothian, VA
The Hard Shell - Bellgrade, Midlothian, VA
The Hard Shell - Bellgrade, Midlothian, VA
The Hard Shell - Bellgrade, Midlothian, VA
The Hard Shell - Bellgrade, Midlothian, VA

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade

4.5 (2740)
$30 and under
Seafood
11400 W Huguenot Rd., Midlothian, VA 23113

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for happy hour
Located in Midlothian, The Hard Shell Restaurant is known to locals as one of the best seafood restaurants in town. With a new fresh look; The Hard Shell features sleek booths, lots of light and a vibrant city feel. The Hard Shell has Richmond's widest variety of fresh and local seafood. Menu items include signatures such as filet and lobster, shrimp and scallops, lump crab cakes. Patio & indoor reservations are available . Please contact the restaurant for private dining requests. Dress is casual.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, American
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:30 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Chef Jeff Kolakowski
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Midlothian
  • Cross street
    Huguenot and Robious Roads
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Entertainment
    Saturday Evenings 630pm to 930pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,740 people are saying

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Hard Shell - Bellgrade offers a delightful dining experience with fresh seafood and a welcoming atmosphere. Patrons praise the "great service and food," emphasizing the restaurant's variety and reasonable pricing. Standout dishes include the oysters Rockefeller and she-crab soup, while the restaurant's happy hour is "a great value." Despite some service inconsistencies, many patrons find the ambiance and attentive staff make it "a wonderful restaurant to go with friends."
2,740 Reviews
  1. Jen

    Richmond4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great time celebrating my sons graduation!

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  2. Suzan

    Washington, D.C. Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good food. Plenty of choices. We enjoyed celebrating our anniversary.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Neil VIP

    Richmond29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely anniversary dinner. Delicious. Reasonable wine prices. Great service.

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  4. Michelle VIP

    Richmond11 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on May 15, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    I usually love this restaurant, however yesterday was NOT a great customer experience. The waitress was great, but we waited almost an hour before our entrees arrived. We placed our dinner order together with our appetizers. The appetizers arrived promptly. We were never given an explanation or an apology concerning the delay in receiving our meals. Several other guests just got up and left. Additionally, the menu stated Butter poached lobster tails, I only received one and three bites it was gone! Very disappointing! We were celebrating my Aunt’s 92 birthday!
    The Hard Shell - BellgradeResponded 7 days ago
    Thank you for letting us know about your meal last night. I am sorry that it was not a wonderful celebration for your Aunt's birthday. I have talked to your server and to my Manager on Duty. I apologize that the entrees for your table were the next table behind a large group. This did delay your entrees longer then we strive for. Also, the lobster tail entree on the menu is a choice of one tail or two listed together. It seems the server assumed one tail is what was ordered. Again, I apologize for the miscommunication. Please know that we will continue to work with our kitchen and waitstaff as to how we prevent situations like this from happening in the future. We value your continued business and hope that we have the opportunity to have you in again soon.

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  5. Kylie VIP

    Richmond12 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    I have been here many times, and each time, my experience declines. The restaurant is basically run by teenagers who are probably working their first job. I feel for them because they are working very hard, but it’s clear they just haven’t been trained enough by management. The food was also pretty disappointing. My steak was dry, and I wasn’t given any tools for my crab legs. Someone else in my party ordered the Ahi Tuna sandwich and it was completely overcooked. The mashed potatoes were also so dry it was disgusting. Overall, it’s just not worth it to eat here, the drinks are way better than the food. Sit at the bar.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Colonel Anthony VIP

    Richmond56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great vibe, nice place to eat with very professional servers.

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  7. Virginia VIP

    Richmond27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed a wonderful Mother’s Day brunch today. We were seated promptly and our waitress was helpful. The food was excellent and a great value. The crab omelette was a favorite!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jack

    Richmond6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great place for Mother’s Day brunch. Enjoy the food and ambiance. Service timely and personable.

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  9. MarleneN

    Atlantic City2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a dozen oysters for an appetizer; and I had salmon for dinner with mashed potatoes and broccolini. The meal was GREAT!

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  10. Vickey VIP

    Richmond71 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a favorite and we’ve been loyal customers for years! Please please bring back the rockfish dish with the dates, potatoes and veggie. I tried to create it the with the simply fish option but to wasn’t the same mix of flavors and needed the sauce. The original rockfish was my absolute favorite! Thank you!!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (804) 464-1476.

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade is rated 4.5 stars by 2740 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Virginia
  4. Richmond
  5. Midlothian

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today
Google Map for The Hard Shell - Bellgrade

11400 W Huguenot Rd., Midlothian, VA 23113

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Huguenot and Robious Roads
  • Neighborhood
    Midlothian
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:30 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Jeff Kolakowski
  • Entertainment
    Saturday Evenings 630pm to 930pm
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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