Omar’s Carriage House

Omar’s catered our wedding and did an amazing job. Shaina was super professional and put my mind at ease as a nervous bride. She took care of everything. The food was absolutely delicious. As far as the food goes, their restaurant is just as good. I am sitting upstairs right now on romantic Valentine’s Day waiting for my food and writing this review, hoping for memories from our wedding to roll through my head. Candlelight. My husband. And wonderful food. Btw you’ve got to try the chocolate mousse!

Took THREE HOURS to serve two courses for a private party upstairs. The food was very much average, you could tell our entrees had sat under a heat lamp for quite a while as my wife couldn’t even cut into her english muffin with a butter knife. Nothing was seasoned properly. The service was sub-​par. Very disappointed; we won’t be going back again.

I have to say this is as good as it gets. I’ve been here several times for brunch, and it is phenomenal. The portions are generous, and the prices are good.
However, what really has made me fall in love is going for dinner. We had an older gentleman as our server, and he was the best server I’ve ever had. He was attentive without being overbearing. He was a great help, and he was always on point.
The food was phenomenal. It was top to bottom a great meal. We split the Baked Brie and Fried Green Tomatoes as appetizers. Both were amazing. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget how good the baked brie is.
For the entrée, I had the gnocchi in a sage cream sauce with winter root vegetables. I don’t think I can emphasize how good this entrée was. It was so flavorful and so multi-​dimensional. It was a generous portion with extra to go home with.
For dessert, we got the s’mores cup. It was chocolate mousse crumbled with graham cracker and toasted marshmallow. It was amazing and the perfect portion.
Basically everything was on point. The service was amazing, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere is cute. After several experiences here I can safely say it is one of my favorite Norfolk restaurants.

We came here and sat at the bar. Happy hour food specials were incredible, cool ambience and the bartender was really nice.

A recent business trip took me to Norfolk and a several co-​workers
selected this place for dinner.
It was a Tuesday evening so it wasn’t very busy.
They have a nice menu with a good selection of appetizers and mains.
Several of us had the kale & goat cheese salad which was excellent.
I had the Paella and shared it with one of my co-​workers who had the grouper.
They were both good, a bit better than average.
There was not much seafood in the Paella but a lot of rice… so much that I could not finish all the rice.
The grouper was pan seared and a rather small portion for the money. It was not very well seasoned.
The have a nice large upstairs dining room and our server did a great job with a group of 7.
We all had desserts to and everyone seemed quite pleased; I had the key lime pie which is OK.
There is a very small parking lot and mostly street parking which can be a challenge.

It was a good place to eat. We had baked brie for appetizer which was delicious! Then my husband had kobe beef burger with fries which was awesome. I’m only giving it 4 stars because the lamb burger was just okay in my opinion. Service was good. We came at a good time (around 5ish PM) on a Tuesday night. It got really crowded around 630pm. So i suggest that if you are going at dinner time, make a reservation.

Visited this place last night for dinner w a friend. I never seen it before or heard about it, but I love trying new places so when he suggested it I’m all for it. The place it’s very small, you def have to make reservations to get in. Parking was not good, only a few spots, so u may have to park on the street. As I’m going in, it smell kind of musty but I imagine it’s normal for old buildings. The décor was a little antique and cute. We sat upstairs, next to the window, great spot. My friend order the salmon, it looked delicious! And he was very satisfied. I order the Moroccan chicken, unfortunately I didn’t like it much. The serving on this dish was huge, half a Cornish chicken, and rice. The flavors weren’t anything amazing, it tasted like a plain baked chicken and rice.
I am planning on coming back w my hubby for a date night, and I know I’ll be getting that salmon. Overall nice place, good service, and the food I guess I have to give it a second chance.

Been here for happy hour and brunch twice. The atmosphere is adorable, the service is fantastic, the food is amazing, and the prices are right. I love this place and will definitely be back.

Ten of us had a dinner on a Saturday night. We had a variety of entrees from the diner menu — Steak frites, flounder, lamb, as well as a variety of salads. All were very good and service was excellent.

I visited here on 2015 summer restaurant week. Although I came here quite late, the server was very nice and attentive. The food came out fast, too. It is a very small and seemed like family-​owned restaurant. The food was yummy. In particular I liked their fries. It was thin but not overcooked! I think I will certainly try their regular menu sometime.

What a cute little place!
If you love brunch, this is definitely a cool place to check out.
When you first walk in, you definitely get that, «Welcome home» kind of feeling. The décor, though numerous was quaint and tasteful. The seating, though tight was still comfortable. There was also seating upstairs, which we didn’t get a chance to take a peek at.
The place has a full bar, but my fiancé and I opted to have both a regular and mango mimosa, which were both yummy and reasonably priced.
Loved that while we waited for our food to come out, we were served cute little coffee cakes to snack on.
There menu is definitely different than what is posted on their website, but close enough.
The fiancé had a waffle that was stuffed with smoked salmon. The waffle was light, not to heavy. and the smoked salmon’s saltiness was offset by the fresh arugula that was served on the side.
I opted to have a combination of some of their sides. I had the corned beef hash with an avocado topped with a poached egg and a side of their truffle fries. The corned beef hash was nothing special, as I would expect from a Jersey diner. I loved that they even had the avocado-​egg option on the menu, also nothing special. Their truffle fries on the other hand, were super tasty.
Really like this place. Highly recommend it for brunch. Will have to come back for dinner some time soon!

Brunch is amazing!
Their «aperetif» of coffee cake is amazing! Mimosas are resonably priced.
Crepes are phenomenal! I have seen the French Toast portions and would love to order, but I would need a family to finish it! They are no joke with their portions!
Atmosphere is so eclectic and quaint.
I have not tried their supper, the menu looks fabulous, but I currently recommend brunch!

Wow! I’m so glad my friend Vivian suggested coming here for brunch. Omar’s Carriage House is located a cute little house with lots of fun decorations. My friend said the colors and trinkets reminded her of the home she stayed in in Agra, India. There is also an upstairs area, but I did not venture up there to check it out.
Aside from the cozy atmosphere, service was excellent. Our waitress was super friendly and attentive.
I had a cup of the soup of the day (spinach & feta), plus the lobster waffle with a side of baked avocado + egg. We were also served some small chunks of warm complementary cinnamon-​sugar cake. My soup was very rich and tasty, and reminded of the Indian dish palak paneer. The lobster waffle was the star of my meal; it was puff pastry molded into a waffle shape stuffed with succulent lobster meat. The flakiness of the puff pastry was divine, and I already love waffles to begin with. This dish was outstanding, and I have never had a waffle like this in my entire life. The accompanying sauce, greens, and fresh fruit were also excellent. The baked avocado with poached egg was a nice accompaniment, and the creamy hot avocado was very earthy and soothing; I think it paired well with my waffle entrée.
My friend’s Moroccan egg dish came in this awesome ceramic plate that originally had a teepee tent top; it was very amusing and I wish I had snapped a photo! My entrée was served on a glass plate, and my avocado side on a small black plate with a patterned design. The dishware was very eclectic and made me want to own similar dishes in my own home!
Prices were moderate and portions were solid. Overall, I think it was a decent value given the quality of the food. I had an excellent brunch here and would love to come again if I am back in Norfolk in the future!

Came here for Sunday brunch with a group. It looked small from the outside but I was surprised that they had upstairs seating. I am indecisive when it comes to ordering food so I prepared myself by reading it online first. I was soo excited to get the Crépe Bretonne but was told that they were not selling them because the crepes were more like pancakes. I eventually ordered the California Benedict. It was good but I was enticed by the «avocado spread» which was more like a avocado drizzle on top of it all, good just not what I was expecting.
Service was good and the other menu items looked great so I will definitely return.

Walked in on a Saturday night, welcomed warmly and promptly served enjoyable Sangria. The menu was thankfully not too extreme in its inventive nature, seemingly catering to those looking for a home fashioned experience.
Most memorable was the chocolate mousse dessert, although I believe there was a wasabi mashed potato situation my girlfriend and I enjoyed.
For restaurants of Omar’s caliber, I prefer to wait several weeks before thinking of the experience again, this way, if I write a review, the most memorable piece surfaces.

We stopped by Omar’s during restaurant week; charming restaurant in downtown Norfolk with a unique menu. The soups were wonderful and my fiancé’s flounder was great.
Unfortunately their burgers were horrible; dry and cold! I ordered medium and came out burned. Send it back and got their grilled chicken and apple salad which I loved.
They’re very busy during lunch and service definitely suffered from it. Also if you go in jeans and tee shirt you will be pretty much ignored by the staff.
I would like to say that I would come back and try them again and hopefully have a better experience, but I doubt I will.

I have a mixed feeling about this place. The restaurant itself is a character. I’m absolutely certain this place has a lot of potential to be one of the most prominent restaurants in Hampton roads.
I do admire people who wanted to create a unique setting and one of a kind experience of fine dining. However, one of the things that must be considered is the cohesiveness of the components that are blended all together. This place has so much going on it has lost the translation of identity of the restaurant. I can’t find a word but «crazy «. Less is more.
I love the the intimate ambience of this place that ideally speak up for a perfect date night or anniversary celebration.
For tonight visit, I started with the «Mussels» cooked in a garlic white wine creamy sauce with basil, cherry tomatoes and shallots. Thought it was cooked to perfection. The creamy sauce absolutely tasted divine. For entrée, I ordered the seafood «Paella». The saffron rice was exemplary cooked and perfectly complimented the seafood component.
Overall, I thought the meal was just exquisite. Well prepared and has lots of complexity.
I will definitely come back. I strongly suggest to booked your table ahead of time.

A great spot for an intimate dinner. It is set in an old house in the older part of Norfolk. It has the feel of the neighborhood restaurant.
It is highly recommended to get a reservation. We came here for dinner prior to heading to Chrysler Hall. It was empty when we got here but it filled quickly. Mostly couples out for a nice dinner but there were a couple tables where a family celebration was happening.
The décor is not quite eclectic but it isn’t stuffy either. The place settings are a mix of plates and the table and chairs are kind of dainty with random coverings.
To start we had the mussels. They were in a very creamy sauce. The mussels were nice but the flavor was bland. It needed something to break up the profile.
For dinner I had the braised lamb shank over risotto and a side of grilled asparagus. PERFECTION! The lamb was tender and could be cut by fork, the risotto was creamy, and the asparagus was delicious.
My friend had the paella. It was full of seafood and the was very tasty. There appeared to be a bit too much rice but it was a pleasant dish none the less.
This is a terrific place for a date night or just a quiet meal. My only negative was in the men’s toilet. One of the pieces of artwork was pictures of animals in coitus… not graphic but not really necessary neither was the social commentary on the pictures.
I’d definitely come here again and I recommend it for everyone.

Ehhh. Close to buy not quite three stars. I’ve read a lot of good things about this place and was quite excited to try them out for Restaurant Week with friends.
Yes, this is an old carriage house. The ambiance is quaint and intimate. Crayons on the table gave the guys in the group an opportunity to color on the paper table covers while the ladies talked. What a stellar idea.
The food… I was a bit disappointed. I had the fried artichoke hearts as an appetizer and a few bites of the braised pork. I was on my way to a stellar 5 star experience. I was excited for what was in store for the remainder of dinner. Then my entrée arrived. It was the pan seared salmon. I didn’t read through the description on the menu so the olive tapenade was a surprise to me. I’m not a fan of olives so I simply removed this topping off of the salmon. No big deal but my salmon was a bit dry. I’m always a fan of salmon’s texture and juiciness. This piece was lacking, unfortunately.
Other than my entrée I liked everything else about the place. Parking was fairly easy and the staff was very friendly and attentive. There are Moraccan Mondays that I’m looking forward to checking out.

Came here with some friends to enjoy Downtown Norfolk Restaurant Week. I had made reservations just in case there was a frenzy in getting seats. Surprisingly it wasn’t busy at all. The place itself has tons of history and charm being exactly as it says… a carriage house.
What I ordered for the night was the escargot, crab cakes, and lemon soufflé. We also split a bottle of wine with table and got some freshly baked bread while we waited. The table had some paper as a cover and crayons were available thus turning all of us adults into kids. The appetizer comes in and I enjoyed my escargot. Not as good as when I went to France, but that’s a pretty high standard. The escargot wasn’t served in the shells, but still tasty in the sauce that included being served with tomatoes and bread.
The entrée was an addition to the original restaurant week menu and I loved the crab cake. It was a big portion and the cake itself had a potato crust that was nice and crispy. It was served with a pretty well seasoned pasta salad.
Finally, dessert! Lemon soufflé was great. I was expecting something baked, but it looked more like gelato served in a cup as pictured. Still good and not to overwhelming in lemon for me.
Overall, love the history and love the food. I’ll be back to try it again!