leaping lizard cafe

leapings lizards this place is good. okay corny title but true. we went here knowing that this place has been hyped up from ddd and other reviews, but it actually delivered on the quality of food. we had thelunchspecials. for me, i ordered the rainbow trout, it had tons of flavor and cooked very well. my wife had the the sirloin which was so tender that we could cut it with a butter knife. we came right after thelunchrush so it was perfect timing because it is true that this place runs out of space quickly. well deserved good reviews.

great place to eat!. my husband and i recently visited va beach, one thing i really wanted to do was go to the leaping lizard for lunch. i watched the episode with guy on triple d. thelunchwas super good. my husband had the tuna salad and i had the quinoa salad. they were both delicious. the server and everyone there was so friendly and made you feel very welcome. i can't wait to go back.

we arrived for a latelunchwith some 10 folks hanging out in front waiting and a packed parking lot. no matter. we were seated promptly and graciously after they cleared a party of 14. i loved my snapper salad on a bed of greens with raspberry vinaigrette and tossed with blueberries and cantaloupe -- surprisingly fresh and yummy. the crab cakes were moist and packed with crab (i 'borrowed ' a bite from a friend), but felt the burger (beef, lamb and something i cannot remember, ordered by a friend) was woefully over cooked-- i'd have sent it back. despite the bustling dining room food service was fast and friendly. despite the hot day, temperatures on the back porch were fine.

yummo. as a total foodie, i have come to the conclusion that dining out is only for conveince and not taste. i feel like i can't even buy a good meal, at any price, because it has become a processed sysco world.
well not today! my bff and i celebrated her birthdaylunchsomeplace new to us~
the leaping lizard. it was a righteous experience. everything on our plates was make with love and skill. it was just, just so yummo. then we went door to the bakery for more love. no to mention everyone that took care of us was swell.
maureen & maryann esva

not worth the hype. we decided to pick this place for a saturdaylunchwhile on our way from richmond to virginia beach. since we like to watch guy, we thought it would be worth the detour. i am sorry to say that it was absolutely disappointing. my chicken salad sandwich was pathetic. i struggled to finish it off and couldn't. my wife tried the cheese sandwich and she said that it was average - she is usually generous in these matters. the chicken tortilla soup was pretty average too as was the sweet potato salad. the only saving grace(s) were the minutemaid lemonade from a can and the different-than-usual flavors in all the food items. the hostess and waitress were friendly enough and the ambience (sitting outside next to a soccer field) was pleasant. in summary, go there for a different dining experience but if you are someone like me (an indian who is used to delicious food everyday) or used to good multicultural cuisine, then avoid this place.

absolutely delish!!. a friend and i stopped here last friday for lunch. i had seen the ddd show and wanted to go but i live across the bay. anyway, a doctors trip brought me across the bay and as a trip to care-a-lot was in the plan, and i found out how close we were to the restaurant, so we decided to go.what a treat! it smelled like heaven! very busy but the service was good and very friendly. i had the quinoa chicken salad and my fried had the fish taco. everything was delightful, fresh, eye-appealing and plentiful. prices are reasonable,lunchfor 2 and i had enough forlunchthe next day, was $25.00. mostlunchitems were between 8-12 dollars. i have another appt this friday and will be going back!

great restaurant...gift shop--not so much!. our family vacationed in va beach the week of 08/10-08/17 and our eldest daughter researched places that had been featured on food network shows, and ll was one we chose to visit. we browsed through the gift shop prior to eating and experienced a similar situation as mentioned in previous reviews--the owner/manager was either on a personal phone call or was engaged in a conversation with a non-customer! she did not bother to greet us or offer any assistance. pricey items, too--does not seem to mirror the atmosphere of the restaurant.lunchwas a wonderful experience for our family--light, very fresh, and our server showed us true hospitality! it was a gorgeous afternoon and we enjoyedlunchon the back porch, complete with a visit to their produce market at the end of our meal. focus your time and attention on the restaurant!

out of bread. i had been looking forward to havinglunchat this place. it's a 20 minute drive for me. upon arrival i was told they were out of bread. 75% of the menu is sandwich based. a waist of my time. i ate accrost the street at tast unlimited it was marvelous.

recycle menu!?!. theirlunchmenu is minimal, which is fine when there is variation; however, it's seems that nearly all the dishes can be recycled into tomorrow. ask for something that does not have a common denominator/staple-base ingredient, and they are "out" of that choice. my advice: if you have a small menu, make sure you can cater to it!

came forlunchone day... food was a little on the expensive side, nothing great. i was a little upset that i spent the money i did for such little food. needless to say i was very hungry when i left.

amazing!. we went forlunchlast week. quite busy, but we were greeted & seated promptly outside. we had a very friendly server & the menu looked great! i tried the quinoa salad, and my mom had the fish (i think it was grouper). it was absolutely amazing!!! we'd been here before but it was years ago. we will certainly return

wow. how have i missed this place. quicklunchrun from little creek for a super sandwich. i'll be back...soon

favoritelunchspot!. i have been to leaping lizard a number of times since discovering it earlier this year. both my friend and i had been lamenting finding a local, artsy eatery nearby, and were excited when we found leaping lizard. the atmosphere reminds me of many of the small restaurants along the gulf coast of florida that i loved (and miss...), service is always good and the place is almost always packed. so be ready for a wait (or get there early). parking is also limited, and in our experience if you're carpooling with others, be sure to take the compact car!

what about the food? i have yet to try anything that isn't excellent. the hummas wrap and quinoa salad are favorites, but so were the (lightly) fried green tomatoes i had off the seasonal menu last time i was there. the summer gazpacho was delightful as well. my friend swears their roast beef sandwich is one of the better ones she's ever ordered out (i tend towards the more vegetarian options). portions are a good size for lunch--not too much so as to overwhelm or that i feel stuffed (or have to skip dessert!).. most come with a small salad and fresh (in season) fruit.. don't forget to try one of their desserts too--my favorite is always the chocolate cake! prices are good for a sit-downlunchat a place like this; with splitting a check with a friend (and we usually get dessert) plus a tip, i rarely spend over $17. which to me is well worth it for the quality of food and the prompt service.

waitstaff. this place is great. the food was excellent. my waitstaff were so nice, polite professional. mike and kerry i believe their name was. all ways smiling, and joking. what a refreshinglunchi had.

quickly becoming a weekly stop. we've lived here just over 3 months and i've been here 5 times. each time trying something new and each time loving it. i had started my monday by attempting to geocache but when the app wouldn't load on my phone i figured i'd just havelunchinstead. i was all the way on the other side of va beach but knew where to head. leaping lizard of course!
this time around i had the sweet potato & ham biscuit that was unbelievably moist and tasty. i can't remember what the dressing on the biscuit is but it mixes well with the ham and sweet potato. it came with so much food that i didn't think i'd be able to eat everything but it all was so delicious i didn't leave anything untouched. and that chicken soup? oh my gosh! i'm not a soup person (i've had soup probably 3 times in 5 years) but this is soup i would go out of my way to have. i don't know what that spice or extraordinary taste was but it was really yummy. i'll just have to keep going back 'til i've tried everything on the menu!


-----22 apr, 2011-----

i don't think there are enough adjectives in the dictionary to say just how much i loved the dinner here. everyone needs to step out of their food comfort zones and try something different. probably the best food i've had.