Catch 31 sits on the boardwalk at 31st Street, adjacent to the King Neptune statue and in the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel, which means it has one of the best views of any restaurant in the city — floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Atlantic, and a deck for outdoor dining when the weather cooperates. The setting could easily carry a mediocre kitchen, but the food holds up: the menu focuses on Chesapeake Bay seafood with some broader coastal American influences, and the preparation is generally clean and confident rather than fussy.
Blue crabs, oysters from Virginia waters, and daily fresh fish are the mainstays. The raw bar is particularly reliable. Prices are higher than the casual boardwalk restaurants, positioning this as a special-occasion or celebration spot rather than everyday eating. The bar is open late and draws a lively crowd on summer evenings, with fire pits on the deck extending the outdoor season into the shoulder months.
Reservations are essential on summer weekends and advisable throughout the season. The restaurant is one of the most prominent on the resort strip and fills quickly on Friday and Saturday nights; walk-in seating at the bar is usually easier to come by than a table.