Chesapeake and Norfolk VA - cash challenged

My oldest son and I are taking a three day weekend to run out to tour the Norfolk Naval Station then wander somewhere else (hmmmm - there are a LOT of places to wander to!). We'll be bringing an old popup camper I've been messing with (a '66 Apache Eagle to pull behind my '65 Rambler American). We'll bring the camper, but the Rambler stays home - clutch needs replaced. The Rambler is fine for local jaunts, but I've never driven it more than 10 miles or so at a time since I got it running last year. We'll use Chesapeake Campground as our base (hope it's good-ish, we just decided yesterday to go this weekend, so options are limited)
 
Anyway - what are recommendations and suggestions for seafood around Chesapeake VA? I'm watching my wallet get thinner and wish I could do the same - but - what are recommendations for reasonably-priced, casual places?

I searched the forum, and decided to go to Chick's Oyster Bar, Doumar's and maybe Wood Chick's BBQ.

How'd it turn out? We rolled in late on Friday, around 7:30PM and set up camp. We popped out the Garmin and punched in Chick's Oyster Bar. It was about a 30 minute drive to Shore Drive from the campgound we were staying at. Not an issue - just got us there a little late.

Chick's was SWAMPED! And my son and I saw a sign for valet parking - NOT what we were looking for, we wanted laid back and casual (on thinking it over - they probably needed valet parking to deal with all the customers. They were hopping!)

So, I made the mistake of deciding to just drive and stop some where. We stopped at Lynnhaven Fish House. There was a Maitre-De (pardon my spelling). Uh oh - NOT casual roadfood dining! We got seated and ordered up crab cakes. They had a "Lite" menu - we asked and found that it is half-orders. Just the right size! I was glad for it.

Food was okay, not something I would go back for. The maitre - er - fancy guy just bugged me. I might have just been tired from 10 hours of driving.

On Saturday we decided we were going to go to Doumar's. We did a tour of the Naval Station, went over to the Naval Museum, toured the Wisconson (that was impressive!) - then went to Doumar's for lunch.

My oldest son had the cheeseburger and fries. I had pulled pork with slaw and a side of fries. The pork sandwich was good! The sauce was a tangy vinegar sauce. Not the kind I normally use - but I liked it!. There was very little cole slaw on the sandwich. That's fine.

We both REALLY liked Doumars. If we are ever in that area again, we are stopping in!

We did a tour of the harbor in a Schooner. Had a good time.  Afterwards, we decided we really wanted to go over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and tunnel - so took a ride over. That's a LONG bridge! When we got to the other side, we decided to skip the BBQ idea for dinner, and go have some seafood. We saw a place that looked like a roadfood joint. We wandered in to Sting Rays just past the bridge, and they were very busy. You stood in line, gave your order at the counter, paid, then went to a table and waited for dinner.

Dinner was very slow in coming. Fries were not fresh-made. I didn't like them. We ordered crab-stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer. It came out with the meal (well, it lagged behind it) - and wasn't very good. Cole slaw wasn't good. I liked the cornbread and the shrimp was okay.

Service was very slow - it took at least 30 minutes to get our dinner. Reasonable for a fancy place I guess - but not reasonable at all for a place like that. Prices were as high or a little higher than Lynnhaven Fish House. Definately NOT a place I will ever stop at again.

So - next time out there, we will read reviews a little more, and write down more choices. But I am very happy we went to Doumar's! The other places? Eh, no thanks.

Bruce,

I'm sorry I didn't see this before you came into town...

I'm sorry Chick's valet parking turned you off.  It is very popular and they have very little parking.  Once you get inside (or outside on the water at the picnic tables), it is very laid back and casual.

As for Sting Rays, while locals have recommended it to us, my understanding is that it has gone downhill in recent years.  We like Mallard's in Onancock...

Yeah - that's what we thought after pondering it for a bit and going elsewhere. We drove around the parking area for Chick's  - and decided they needed valet parking just to deal with all the customers - and that must mean they are good! Unfortunately, we decided that after going elsewhere.

Isn't Sting Ray's under new management? I thought I read that - just not sure. I do know they were short-handed.

Anyway, Doumar's was good. Next time we're up there, we'll try to get over to Chick's a lot earlier!

After having lunch (and ordering a shake - which was really good) - I kicked myself for not ordering a cone from the first cone machine at Doumar's.

We'll have to try Mallard's! We only stayed for a long weekend (and left at 8:30AM Sunday to make it home). That area needs at least a week (or more!) to visit.