The Turtle

Went back about 2 weeks ago with my hubby on a date. Had a few drinks which were good. He later ordered the chicken wings (which are good) but took 40 minutes. Just chicken wings.
Then last week he went in to get a order to go, he ordered 24 and got 6…
I don’t know what to say about that.

Being new to the area I have been searching for a decent watering hole. Have driven past this place many times but have not stopped in. After reading the reviews and observing the traffic (or lack thereof) going in and out I have decided to pass on this place. From the outside it looks like a local dive bar.

It you want a bar, then maybe. If you want a meal, try somewhere else. Went in there with my wife and three friends. Its been a while since we were in and the ‘under new management” sign out in front drew us back. This is one of those places that you check off the list and never come back.
First, when we ordered, we received the check immediately. What? I have not received food or drink and already we are asked to pay. The bartender was apologetic and told us it was something that the management required because of so many walk outs. Wow.
Then our drinks arrived. The soda was flat flat flat flat. Another wow. Again, apologies that she did not drink the soda so did not know. Cant see that you are dispensing water not soda? Really? My wife’s drink was rum and coke. The soda was flat and the flavored rum could not be tasted. To fix it, she was given the flavored rum on the rocks. I tasted it to confirm, there was very little flavor in the rum leading me to believe (with my fine whiskey sensitive palette) that the rum was watered down. So far, not so good, but maybe the food will get better.
We all ordered at the same time. My friends ordering the seafood and my wife and I ordering a medium burger. After a long wait (we are the only ones ordering food?) the meal kind of came out. My friends arrived first. Baked potatoes from yesterday and cold (could not melt butter). Crab cakes that were definitely unremarkable and more filling than crab. All of this, no silverware, napkins, or condiments. A half hour later our burgers came out. Ordered medium and delivered well done. Mine was a house special West Palm something or other with crab meat and jalapeño’s. No jalapeño and cooked to a brick. Did not dare send it back — took 45 minutes to get it and I was hungry. All in all, we chalked it up to at least being around good friends and we would laugh about this later.
Why are so many walking out? Why is the place almost completely empty? I wonder.
I will give it 2 stars because of the serving staff — they actually did their best. Will I go back or will I recommend? Sorry. Scratch this completely off the list, unless I really want a watered down drinks, cold, tasteless food and extremely poor overall performance.

So… here is Charlee C.‘s comment on my review for the Turtle, along with my rebuttal:
Charlee C.
Hampton, VA
For your review of: The Turtle
«This place is nothing like you describe. Maybe you should be a little more honest our maybe you just work at a different bar. I love this place and you deff get more food then you pay for here. and it’s good.»
Charlee, I don’t work in a different bar or any other bar, and I am completely honest about my feelings about this place. I recognise that not everyone agrees with me, as I have quite a few friends who like to come here because the food is so damn cheap. I read your review, and I will agree that the staff is friendly, that they have some cool bands, and that they have great drink prices. However, I went there for the food, and the food SUCKS. In the spirit of openness. the Friday night steak special has surprised me on occasion (as in every once in a while) by not being half bad, and the steamed shimp was actually pretty good. The burgers are horrible.
The big thing for me is, their breakfast is bad, bad, bad, bad. I would rather pay a couple bucks more and go to the King’s Street Grill (I don’t work there either, BTW) and have a breakfast that I can actually eat. See, that’s important to me… the food needs to be edible if I’m putting out my hard-​earned money. So… If my standards are a little higher than yours, I really don’t see the need to apologize. There’s something out there for everyone, even you Charlee… so feel free to eat all the crap food your little heart desires!!!