This past Sunday, we hosted the Hampton Roads VA Bloggers for a blogger brunch at Conch & Bucket located in Hampton, VA. It was recommended by a couple of the bloggers in the group, who spoke very highly of the restaurant.  I headed over to Yelp to see what other restaurant goers has to say, and the majority agreed that this spot would be a home run. Now I can join many others in saying that I was pleasantly surprised.

Conch & Bucket is located in downtown Hampton on Queens Way, along with a row of other shops that you could easily just pass on by if you didn’t know any better. Hopefully after this post, you will think twice. The restaurant features coastal seafood from a variety of different cultures, and the menu includes dishes like Cabo fish tacos, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and seafood mac and cheese. The decor is sorta nautical, sorta artsy – with a cool wine display and sea-inspired artwork on the walls.

I ordered the shrimp and grits, and my cousin ordered the seafood mac & cheese, so I can speak on both. Delicious. As a true southern girl, I know the power of well-cooked grits – they should never taste ‘gritty’ and these did not. The sauce that accompanied the shrimp was on point as well. The seafood mac & cheese gave me classic mac & cheese, nothing super exotic – and that’s a good thing. My kind of comfort food. Crab and shrimp were in every bite, and the hint of ole’ bay seasoning was just enough to give that seafood flavor without being overwhelming. The side dishes left much to be desired though – I was very disappointed in the small amount of home fries I got for $3.

Overall, I had a great experience at Conch & Bucket, and I would return again for a lazy Sunday brunch. Especially when the weather gets warmer since they have the outdoor space as well.

Have you eaten at Conch & Bucket? If not, are you ready to go now?