The Port Oysteria & Brewery - Fredericksburg, Virginia

Christine B.

We had dinner at The Port last night for the first time, and wow - what a pleasant experience.

The staff were so friendly and professional. Our waitress gave great recommendations which made ordering a breeze - she remained top tier service our entire visit.

The Tartare Nacho appetizer she recommended was to die for; the contrast of textures and flavors were a masterpiece.

Overall, the food and atmosphere of The Port reminded us of some of our absolute favorite restaurants in San Diego. Something I’ve missed dearly.

10/10 recommend visiting The Port!

Jared P.

Second attempt: thirty minutes for a basket of fries. Come here for a good time if you’ve got a long time.

Reservations made, one waitress, who did her job well, but needed support. There were some other tables receiving food and service readily.

The menu is underspecific. It’s not clear what one would receive with an order, and some parts of the meal were missing— it’s not clear what options are. For instance, some things came with fries though a salad would have been preferred as an option. What’s a side and what is a garnish.

Food arrived late and cool— with a 23-30 wait minimum, some orders took an hour. Some food was cool, but the plates were warm. Some food in the party came cold.

The items that are clearly scratch are exquisite, but the rest is sub-par to expectation and would belong in a franchise. The tomato dip is great but the Lobster Sandwich that consisted of a cheese club sandwich with lobster scraps did not hit the spot.

Oysters are great, but that’s about it. Brewery made some good beers. These problems were addressed in previous reviews but the problem persists. My poster insists on 3 stars instead of two, but when staff recognize an issue, it ought to be addressed instead of apologies.

This would not be my choice restaurant, but maybe in some months things will change.

Alysa P.

Really delicious, will definitely be back! We had the crab cakes, crab asparagus (not pictured), oyster po boy, and lobster roll! Really good portions for the price, in my opinion! Only downside is the lobster roll and po boy could use a little sauce or something kind of dry. The cocktails are also really good and so is the beer!

J R.

Update: we have been back twice now since the initial review. As promised we introduced some friends to the restaurant last night and we were all left somewhat disappointed.

First, the restaurant is still a great addition to Fredericksburg. However, 60 days in and they are still having some challenges with servers managing orders. Last night managers were in place and had to assist and intervene for several tables from start to end of dinner during basic service requirements. The staff was certainly trying but we would suggest some pre-opening or down days training time with the team. It was a nearly three hour process for a relatively simple dinner.

Additionally, the Lobster Risotto is overpriced for the amount of Lobster found in the actual entree. There are restaurants in Fredericksburg, including some national chains, that offer similar menu options with full lobster tails for much less than the entree presented last night. If the price is set then the lobster in the meal should increase. Also the oysters were fine as a consumable but smaller than the ones we found there 60 days ago. Still a place we will go to periodically for simple bites to eat and hope they continue to improve.

Initial review: just tried this new restaurant and brewery. The food, beers and service were on point. Thanks to Kristen and staff for making a great first impression. We will be back with family and friends.

Carmen L.

We came to celebrate my birthday, and from the moment we walked in, we were in love with the ambiance and the warm greeting we received. Our group of 14 was seated comfortably, and every single one of us was in awe of the service and delicious food.
The happy hour menu was a huge hit-the portions were way bigger than we expected (not complaining!), and we definitely ordered more than we should have! 🤭 Everything was fresh and flavorful.
Thank you to the staff for making my birthday so special-we’ll definitely be back!

Rick A.

We went there for the brewery but it turns out it's more of a high-end restaurant. Don't get me wrong, the beer they did have, which was a total of six, are good but they really emphasize the food here. Actually it's hard to tell they're a microbrewery as a kind of covered up all the tanks behind the glass and you have to look close to find them. Anyway the food they do have there is good and it's centered around the raw bar and of course is seafood oriented. Be aware of the food is not cheap as the beer is the cheapest thing in this place. They also have a pretty nice outdoor seating area but it's not connected to the restaurant as they just converted part of a parking lot. The beer they do have is a good spread all the way from a light, lager, IPA, sour, and stout. Anyway I've attached a picture of their beer menu so you can see what is offered.

Michelle F.

Wow!!! What an incredible dining experience. The food was delicious and the service was absolutely top notch!! My husband and I both really enjoyed our meals and the time spent here. Truly a wonderful addition to downtown. I’m already dreaming of my next meal here!

Jake C. (.

Fantastic sea food. I wish I had taken a picture before I ate but it smelled way too good!
The service in my two visits has been sublime. Very friendly and attentive. Do yourself a favor and get the crab and shrimp dip, you’ll be licking the bowl clean