Empire – Little Bar Bistro

This place is a gem. Excellent service and crazy good food. The atmosphere is casual and the drink menu is not. Nor is the food menu. We started off with outstanding Lumpia. The goat cheese app? To die for.
Tempora fried guinea hen? Umm yeah.
Stone Ruination on tap. Who has that? Hardly anyone.

I ate here the night before Thanksgiving with my boyfriend and we ended up leaving before we were really done eating. The tables were packed and the bartender stayed mostly in the kitchen which left their one server having to run and cover all the tables. When this happens at Crackers, the bartender (s) will help with the tables which makes it a happier and more fun experience for everyone. Heck, even the people back in the kitchen will deliver food.
The specials were very difficult to read from our seat. They were all meat and veggie selections and were not that different from the regular menu options. It used to be that the creativity of the chefs would really shine through in the nightly specials… not so much here anymore. The last two times we ordered the crème brûlée it tasted heavily of eggs and was a bit gritty. (Yes, I realize it’s made with eggs, but having consumed a lot of crème brûlée… this was the most eggiest tasting crème brûlée I’ve ever had.)
All the problems we had can be chalked up to the rest of the staff leaving the server out to dry — drinks took forever to refill, some food was delivered lukewarm, etc. Our server had to go behind the bar to find beers and work on drinks for some of the other tables because of the missing bartender. By the time we made the decision to leave, the bartender had finally appeared. She looked at her mostly empty bar, looked at the full tables and slowly made her way to the water pitchers and slowly went around refilling a few glasses at some tables. Unsurprisingly, it was the same bartender who failed to provide good service when we were sitting right in front of her on a previous occasion.
Seeing a waitress struggle through no fault of her own but CLEARLY management, we made the decision to leave and go somewhere else. We had planned to eat our full meal there, but left only because we felt bad that our waitress was left to struggle on her own on a traditionally busy restaurant night while the bartender was very unconcerned about the busy tables. At this point, we plan to stick to Crackers as we’re tired of wasting time and money at Empire.

A great spot for food and it’s open late, which is rare in Norfolk. For around $ 25 you can grab a couple of dishes and a good beer.

The bartender and chef were so nice and accommodating! The food was really good but a little overpriced. That’s expected at a tapas bar though. I had a glass of cab sav that was really good at the recommendation of the bartender.
They also offered homemade bourbon ice cream with «not your father’s root beer» it was their version of a root beer float… AMAZING!
Can’t wait to come back to this cool, relaxing and overall fun establishment.

Errrrrmagerrrrd. I’m growing to become a really big fan of this place. As Rosie and Cindy slowly start to wind down from their Saint Germain obsession, we all seem to wind up here all the more often. But, whatevz, I’m always down for a post-​Yelp event Carrie, Miranda, and Samantha meeting of shade and service.
I have to be honest, the first time Cindy said, «Let’s go to Empire.» I was kind of like ‘half-​frown, half-​smile, half-​scrunchy face, bleh’ about it. From the outside, you would really have no idea it was a tapas spot. Unless you were familiar with the Little Bar Bistro fam or knew that Empire, itself, had food –this place is easy to pass up for other options. I’m here to tell you –DON’T PASS IT UP.
I’ve been here two times now and my only little «tiff» with this spot is that the food tasted different the first time I went there in contrast to the second visit. Not that it went from tasting good to bad, just one thing to another. I’ve had the pork dumplings on both visits and it was AMAZEBALLS the first time, but didn’t quite have the same appeal the second time around.
The first time I had the gyoza, it was crispy, freshly made, and came with a sauce that was completely out of this world. The second time … it was a little less fresh, as if it may have been sitting for awhile. For the life of me, I cannot remember the steak entrée Cindy and I shared the first time we went. It was insanely flavorful and packed with seasoning, incredibly tasty; BUT, they overcooked it several times and we eventually just sent it back for good.
However, my second visit, I had a pretty good Pork Belly Adobo. It was amazing, but a little bit more tart in flavor than what I’m typically used to with adobo. Cindy and I shared the lumpia, which I guess was meant for the four of us, but Cindy and I just kept shredded it up while the others talked. Then, we tried the fried chicken.
The fried chicken wasn’t actually chicken, it was guinea fowl. It was delicious and tasted reminiscent of chicken but retained flavor and seasoning much better. Cindy kept calling it guinea pig –_​_​_​–
I will absolutely be back to Empire, as they are constantly changing their menu and have really good food the majority of the time.

Tapas galore. And who doesn’t love small plates? It’s definitely for a person who likes a little bit of everything [awesome].
I’ve tried a lot of food here, and it’s all pretty fantastic. The chef, Brandon, most recently surprised us with his tuna crudo. There was this pâté-​like spread that had just a touch of heat. Really yummy. Every dish he prepared that night was devoured. And this was after we’d eaten a lot beforehand and thought we wouldn’t dare eat anymore. Ha… We threw down.
Crème brûlée was for dessert and it was kinda a large serving. No complaints there. Also, they have a (hard) root beer float with bourbon ice cream.
And the drink menu is absurd. Sooooo many cocktails. And some amazing new craft cocktails on the horizon. Just ask Christin. She’s a great asset to the bar. You should probably eat at the bar anyway. And tell her Cindy taught you.

Empire is legit the best place in downtown Norfolk. The food is ALWAYS, hands down delicious! They change the menu seasonally, which keeps things new and fresh. Our favorite things are the potstickers, caprese, and tuna.
My boyfriend and I always sit at the bar and, Andy, the weekend bartender, is knowledgable, caring, friendly, and basically just an all around bad ass (not to mention he never judges me for taking shots throughout my evening :-D). He is the main reason we go there time and time again. You honestly can’t go wrong with this place! Keep on rockin’ in the free world, Empire! Thanks for all the memories and/​or lack thereof…

Super small over priced portions. Had the steak frites steak was so so, 4 fries and gravy. Not worth $ 18 in any city.

Empire has always been one of my go to spots in Downtown Norfolk. I drifted in last evening after a bit of a break. I was quickly reminded why it was one of my favorite spots. The bartender was knowledgeable when asking about the wines and offered a great suggestion for a good porter. The food selection was amazing and just as tantalizing as I recalled. Everything we selected was a dance for the taste buds and a feast for the eyes. The staff was friendly and just as awesome as always.

I love this place! The service is awesome and the staff are very friendly. Their drink selection is great. Their tapas are delicious. You can tell they have a passion for their cooking, and really know how to create an amazing dish. I always stop in if I’m in downtown Norfolk. I have never been let down.

Best place on Granby for tapas and martinis! If you go, make sure to get the quail and their upside down pineapple cake martini– too die for! However, very strong so beware!

This has been our favorite restaurant for many years! It is the only place we go on «date night». The food is consistently awesome and the atmosphere is relaxed. We’ve never had a bad experience. The staff is friendly and fun. There are some regular items on the menu, but there always some new things too. A trip to Empire is always an enjoyable evening!

Been here a few times. The atmosphere is great and the staff is friendly. It’s a good place if you want a big meal or if you just want a couple beers. Food is a little pricey but that’s typical of a tapas restaurant. You definitely get the quality you pay for though. The daily specials ensure that even if you become a regular there will always have something new to try. If you’re like me and want to try all the beers on the beer list, you’ve got a large task ahead of you. ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT!

Empire is comfortable and stylish without being hipster. They serve tasty hot and cold tapas and a really impressive variety of cocktails and martinis (beers too). We always get great service and the prices are reasonable. Tends to be an end of the night spot when I’m out with a group downtown. When my sister visited we went to about 5 local places and Empire topped her list. Worth a visit!

Made great drinks. Was able to suggest and adjust drink per my wife’s request. Extremely friendly staff. Full of professionals. Highly recommended. Knowledgeable bartenders who make drinks based on your flavor palette and not what’s on the menu if you so desire.

If you want the worst service on Granby St. you’ve came to the right place! Uninhabited disregard for your well being with no apologies in sight. In the words of my cousin vinny, ‘forget about it!’

Ok Americans … time to learn a little bit about «tapas»
It is SUPPOSED to be small. And fancy. And a bit pricey. THATS THE FREAKING POINT. You’re not there for a meal — the small portions are meant to encourage continued drinking and conversation instead of being focused on eating a 5 pound meal with 9 courses. Go to Dennys if you want to get fat.
ANYWAY … This place rules. The drink selection is just insane. Any wine you could want and hundreds of options for shots and cocktails. Nice craft beer selection as well. But where this place excels is the Tapas. These chefs put a LOT of work into making a very interesting selection of flavors. There are daily specials that they think up to blow your mind — cayenne chocolate butter? Sure — why not!!! They’ve also got a «decoder» you can hold next to the menu and see what all is vegetarian and/​or gluten free.

Empire is definitely my favorite spot to grab a drink on Granby St. I’ve never had bad service, and I’m the worst drink orderer (if this isn’t a word, it is now) of all time. One visit I asked for something «herby & sweet that wasn’t a mojito» & the bartender made some kind of magic concoction for me not found on the menu, which is tragic, because it definitely needs to be on the menu.
This is a tapas place, so you may not want to come here starving. I haven’t ordered food at this location, but can say it looks and smells delicious. They’ve got daily specials posted on chalkboards above the bar & above the front entrance, so start there if you’re looking for a good amount of food at a reasonable price.
Pro tip for the whiners who left poor reviews: the menu clearly states that you can’t split checks, so if you’re trying to go dutch, order individually at the bar.
What would make this place *PERFECT* is if the music volume level was consistent. Every time I come here, it’s turned down way too low.

Pretty cool spot in Downtown Norfolk. I dig the vibe and energy of the place. Not too shabby on the prices, too. I used to frequent this place when it was Wonderbar years and years ago. Still the same set up but with a more upscale feel to it.
I got to enjoy a bottle of wine (I shared it with others, too) for $ 24 and ordered their lamb chops.
Everything here is tapas so make sure you order a lot if you want to get full. This place also serves as a good fill-​in if you want something light, a place for happy hour, continued bites after dinner or pre-​game before going to a club.
Overall, decent experience. More like 3.5 stars but I would certainly come back for more.

This has been my go-​to spot downtown for years. Good food, good drinks, usually friendly service. All-​around a winner. But recently I went with a larger group (and this place is never crowded so it’s perfect for a group) but they have a ridiculous no split checks policy. We were told to manually figure out how much we owe based on the receipt. What more pleasant way to end an evening out than to spend 15 minutes separating a bill? It wasn’t even crowded! Seriously like one other table was seated. Bad taste left in my mouth.