The Hard Shell - Bellgrade

4.7

2678 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 24 times today

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Good for groups

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.

Order delivery or takeout

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
(804) 464-1476
Website
http://thehardshell.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Chef Jeff Kolakowski

Location
11400 W Huguenot Rd., Midlothian, VA 23113
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

Featured in

Popular dishes

Ruby Salts Oysters**$12.95
- Dz$24.95
Middle Neck Clams**$8.95
- Dz$14.95
Steamed Shrimp$12.95
- Lb$24.95
Snow Crab$14.95
- Lb$28.95
Dungeness Crab
- Lb$30.95
King Crab
- Lb$38.95
Snow Crab Combo**$36.95
1 cluster snow crab, 6 mussels, 3 each shrimp, oysters, clams
Maine Lobster Combo**
1 ¼ lb lobster, 12 mussels, 6 each shrimp, oysters, clams
- MKT

Appetizers

Parmesan Truffle Fries$6.95
horseradish aioli
Crab Dip$9.95
old bay, parmesan, lump crab, toasted baguette
Fried Calamari$10.95
sweet chili & horseradish peppercorn aioli
Shrimp Cocktail$12.95
5 jumbo shrimp, house cocktail sauce
Fried Oysters$12.95
corn relish, house hot sauce, cilantro lime crema
Crab Cakes$13.95
house tartar sauce
Pan Roasted Mussels^^$10.95
white wine herb lemon garlic butter, bacon, toasted bread
Seared Scallops$15.95
dates, lardons, sage brown butter
Brussels Sprouts$9.95
cranberry, parmesan, bacon

Meat & Cheese Plate

$24.95 for 2 People or $44.95 for 4 People

Cheeses^^
drunken goat, beemster xo gouda
Meats^^
capicola, saucisson sec salami

Soup & Salads

add to any salad: chicken $5.95, steak* $6.95, shrimp $6.95, salmon* $10.95

She Crab Soup$5.95
topped with crab meat
House Salad$7.95
carrots, tomatoes, radish, red onions, lemon herb vinaigrette
Classic Caesar$8.95
romaine, shaved parmesan cheese, croutons, white anchovies
Baby Iceberg Wedge$10.95
tomatoes, smoked bacon, red onion, gorgonzola dressing
Arugula Salad$9.95
apple, cranberry, toasted pecans, goat cheese, champagne vinaigrette

Sandwiches

served with house-cut fries or side salad

Angus Burger*$11.95
8 oz burger, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato & onion, brioche bun
Hard Shell Burger*$13.95
smoked bacon, fried onions, horseradish aioli, brioche bun
Crab Cake Sandwich$14.95
arugula, house tartar sauce, brioche bun
Blackened Chicken Sandwich$11.95
cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, chipotle lime aioli
Lobster Roll Maine Lobster$24.95
citrus herb aioli, shredded lettuce

Seafood

Fish Tacos$18.95
fried grouper, pickled red cabbage, pineapple salsa, jalapeno, cilantro, chipotle aioli
Simply Grilled Salmon*$21.95
roasted potatoes, asparagus, lemon butter
Seared Rockfish$26.95
whipped potatoes, brussels, dates, bacon, lemon butter
Blackened Mahi Mahi$22.95
coconut rice, sauteed spinach, pineapple salsa, plantain chip
Fried Oysters$22.95
whipped potatoes, sauteed spinach, corn relish, cilantro lime crema
Live Maine Lobster
1 ¼ lb steamed whole, roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, drawn butter
- MKT
Grilled Shrimp & Scallops^$26.95
orange sticky rice, sauteed vegetables, soy ginger butter
Lobster Tail$24.95
grilled or poached, roasted potatoes, asparagus, lemon butter
Pan Seared Crab Cakes^$28.95
corn & sweet potato salad, chipotle lime aioli, queso fresco
Hard Shell Pasta$28.95
linguine, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, lobster tail, tomato basil marinara

Meats

6 oz Filet Mignon*$26.95
whipped potatoes, asparagus, rosemary demi-glace
10 oz Hanger Steak*$25.95
house-cut fries, horseradish aioli & house steak sauce
14 oz New York Strip*$32.95
roasted potatoes, asparagus, jumbo lump crab, dijon cream
6 oz Angus Filet & Lobster Tail*
whipped potatoes, asparagus, drawn butter
- MKT
Bourbon Molasses Ribs$20.95
full rack of ribs, french fries, slaw
Rib & Crab Combo$24.95
half rack of ribs, 1 cluster of dungeness crab, french fries, slaw

What 2,678 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Virginia
Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade offers a "neighborhood gem" experience with consistently great seafood and attentive service. Popular for its "fantastic soft shell crabs" and She Crab Soup, the restaurant caters to regulars and first-time diners alike. Despite occasional noise, the ambiance and friendly staff make it a delightful choice for seafood lovers.

2,678 Reviews

C
Carl
VIP
Richmond
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful restaurant - have entertained and eaten there many times - last night was the exception, in that the food was mediocre - the "Special" of day was Salmon over spinach. Salmon was very ordinary, and Spinach was pretty tasteless - just not up to normal standards for Hard Shell. Our waitress was very young and "under trained" and obviously inexperienced. Obvious in watching the rest of the Team being. Dry upscale and professional - unfortunately she wasn't!!? This was a special Christmas Eve Dinner for our Father in Law - and was embarrassingly disappointing!
Is this helpful?
l
lori
Washington DC
34 reviews
4.0
34 reviews
Dined on December 15, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food was excellent and our server was wonderful.
Is this helpful?
J
Jane
Richmond
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 13, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food and service were great! Noise was deafening, we couldn’t hear our server when she spoke. That’s unacceptable.
Is this helpful?
P
PHIL
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of our favorite special occasion restaurants. We consistently have a great experience here.
Is this helpful?
F
Frank
VIP
Richmond
77 reviews
5.0
77 reviews
Dined on December 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server was great. She actually had the chef modify my dinner to cook my mahi-mahi similarly to another dinner and it was awesome. She gave us the best service we’ve ever had at the Hard Shell, and that’s hard to do since we’ve always had good service. Thanks!
Is this helpful?
J
James
Richmond
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on December 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent all around. My wife and I go there at least twice a month. Good selection of fish and seafood. The bartender makes a good martini and the ambience is great. I highly recommend it.
Is this helpful?
B
Barbara
Richmond
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food and great service. Friends were able to easily carry on conversation and enjoy time together.
Is this helpful?
D
David
Richmond
8 reviews
2.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 29, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
HS has been a neighborhood go to for years. This visit was way under par. Menu is tired. Food was inconsistent. 3 of us has the special and one was floating in sauce the others were lacking enough. Also was exceptionally loud. May have been nearby guests. But still!, older guests had trouble.
Is this helpful?
J
Joanne
Richmond
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Nice brunch. Restaurant wasn’t very busy - hence low noise level. Food was good and served hot.
Is this helpful?
A
Ann
Richmond
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The only thing that disappointed us was that the waitress took our drinks and food order at the same time. She assured us that the drinks would be delivered first, as we requested. Instead, the soup was delivered and finished before the drinks came.
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 4.7 stars by 2678 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 27, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 24 times today

Order delivery or takeout

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

Website
http://thehardshell.com/
Phone number
(804) 464-1476

The Hard Shell - Bellgrade

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

The Best Bars for Foodies in Richmond

She Crab Soup

Crab Dip

6 oz Filet Mignon

Raw Bar

Ruby Salts Oysters**$12.95

Middle Neck Clams**$8.95

Steamed Shrimp$12.95

Snow Crab$14.95

Dungeness Crab

King Crab

Snow Crab Combo**$36.95

Maine Lobster Combo**

Appetizers

Parmesan Truffle Fries$6.95

Crab Dip$9.95

Fried Calamari$10.95

Shrimp Cocktail$12.95

Fried Oysters$12.95

Crab Cakes$13.95

Pan Roasted Mussels^^$10.95

Seared Scallops$15.95

Brussels Sprouts$9.95

Meat & Cheese Plate

Cheeses^^

Meats^^

Soup & Salads

She Crab Soup$5.95

House Salad$7.95

Classic Caesar$8.95

Baby Iceberg Wedge$10.95

Arugula Salad$9.95

Sandwiches

Angus Burger*$11.95

Hard Shell Burger*$13.95

Crab Cake Sandwich$14.95

Blackened Chicken Sandwich$11.95

Lobster Roll Maine Lobster$24.95

Seafood

Fish Tacos$18.95

Simply Grilled Salmon*$21.95

Seared Rockfish$26.95

Blackened Mahi Mahi$22.95

Fried Oysters$22.95

Live Maine Lobster

Grilled Shrimp & Scallops^$26.95

Lobster Tail$24.95

Pan Seared Crab Cakes^$28.95

Hard Shell Pasta$28.95

Meats

6 oz Filet Mignon*$26.95

10 oz Hanger Steak*$25.95

14 oz New York Strip*$32.95

6 oz Angus Filet & Lobster Tail*

Bourbon Molasses Ribs$20.95

Rib & Crab Combo$24.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Hard Shell - Bellgrade offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Hard Shell - Bellgrade restaurant rated?

Is The Hard Shell - Bellgrade currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

The Best Bars for Foodies in Richmond