24 Hours to Hell and Back - Halterman's Eatery (Seafarer's) Update

On tonight's episode of 24 Hours to Hell and Back, Gordon Ramsay is in Manquin, Virginia to try to save Seafarer's Restaurant.  Seafarer's is a family-owned seafood restaurant that is supposed to be supporting three households.  While Gordon Ramsay is there, he finds one of the most disgusting kitchens he has seen and thinks the restaurant should be thriving in its location.  During the 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover Gordon Ramsay renames Seafarer's Restaurant to Halterman's Eatery.



Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Halterman's since 24 Hours to Hell and Back and Gordon Ramsay made all of the changes to the restaurant (note - all reviews are post-makeover).



Positive Reviews:

• "Awesome food! Best seafood in VA! You need to come here. Stop reading and just put the address in your GPS and enjoy a very satisfying meal! Family based restaurant and food is delicious and fresh!"
• "Hubs and I dropped in for lunch today-first time since the redo. VERY favorably impressed. I got one of the specials which was Portabella stuffed with crab.It came on a bed of mixed greens with a balsamic reduction and was absolutely delicious. The crab had no cartilage but plenty of flavor. Hubs got the Fish and Chips which might sound mundane but was anything but! Generous chunks of delicate flaky white fish with a batter that was light and crisp and flavorful. Honestly, we stopped short of licking our plates but it was a struggle. And the owner Amber stopped by our table when I suggested to our waitress that they bring back their fish tacos (major yum). Amber was very friendly and open and assured me that the fish tacos will be back! We believe in supporting local businesses and it's good to know KW has an excellent option besides chain fast food & pizza."
• "Loved the new decor. It was light and inviting. We were greeted and seated promptly. We went on a Sunday for lunch. The server was friendly and efficient . We ordered fish and chips. Really enjoyed our meal. Glad to hear we will still be able to get crabs in the summer. They know how to do crabs . We order them in the summer and take them home to eat at the pool. The menu is not as extensive, but I am sure everything is delicious. Can’t wait to return and try something different. A great family restaurant . Wish them success."
• "My family went by there after Chef Ramsey visited. We were concerned about the name and if the menu had been changed, but it is the same place, same great food with the same family feeling and friendly staff! The owner and waitress checked on us multiple times and took time to talk with us! Great food and service!!!! Thank you Halterman's aka Seafarer's!!!!"
• "Everything I ate here was amazing! The crab dip was the best I’ve ever had, & I’ve had a lot. I got the seafood pasta carbonara and it was full of flavor. The scallops were cooked perfectly. My husband got the broiled flounder and it was super fresh, light and fluffy. We also got the brownie with ice cream. It was delicious! Rich but not too sweet. Highly recommend! Also the interior looks great, bright and open."
• "Great food, great friendly service..nice and cozy.. Love the changes after Gordon Ramsay's visit but missing some favorites.. Will return of course as they go through their journey to figure out what works well.."

Negative Reviews:

• "The name changed recently to Halterman's Eatery. The restaurant was remodeled by Ramsey's television show. Ramsey missed the mark at the entrance in not having a vestibule put in to keep the cold air blowing in the restaurant when folks came and went. This was our first time going after the remodel. The decor is nice, the chairs very comfortable and menu had a good selection to choose from. The prices are $$ in my opinion.The food was excellent. One of us was supposed to get hush puppies and a side with their entree and only got the side. Only complaint regarding food except the broiled fish took longer to prepare and we were cautioned about that when we ordered. However, the wait staff was terrible. We waited 10 minutes before anyone came to take out drink order. Once our order was taken we never saw our waitress at our table again. Our water and drinks were empty for a long time. The restaurant was not full and there were 5 people working the dining room....So that's the long and short of it. I doubt that I will eat there much."
• "It’s called The Halterman’s now after Gordon Ramsay’s visit. Ordered the deviled eggs and the loaded fries to start. The deviled eggs did not look appetizing at all, very bad representation, no flavor, and the bacon you see in the picture were cold and not crispy; And the loaded fries were not seasoned at all. For the main course, I ordered the seafood platter. But before I ordered, I asked the waitress if the scallops and the crab cakes are the same from their other menu items; jumbo lump crab cakes and jumbo sea scallops. She replied yes. Guess what? They weren’t, at least I wouldn’t call them jumbo scallops, not to mention they were extremely fishy, yuck! Also there weren’t any sort of lumps in the crab cake, just backfins. But the crab cake tasted alright. The fish and the shrimp on the platter were very good. I also got the veggie of the day, which was their brussel sprouts. I can tell that it was probably one of Chef Ramsay’s creation. But it was not executed well. It’s basically microwave steamed brussel sprouts and then put into the oven for a minute. It should’ve been in the oven for much longer. Anyway, I used to like this seafood place, and this visit was full of disappointments."
• "I went to the new Halterman's Eatery with some family and it was simply sad. I don't want to sound cruel but the entire establishment was a joke. Their menu was extremely limited and ridiculously overpriced for King William ($21 steak and eggs). They were woefully understaffed and the staff was not trained properly (or didn't care). It took almost 20 minutes to get our drinks, and after 20 mins, my mother in law still hadn't received her drink. The waitress wouldn't make eye contact with us, and mumbled. The waitress also dropped off drinks and never asked if we wanted to order food! After that, we walked out. While I was trying to pay for our drinks, a staff member couldn't figure out how to run my card or generate my bill. After they got it figured out, and we were turning around to leave, another customer came up to the counter to complain about his food. Needless to say, whoever is in charge clearly couldn't run a lemonade stand, nonetheless a restaurant bold enough to charge 21 dollars for steak and eggs. I'll never go back or recommend this place."
• "I live 5 minutes away so I was excited to try out this restaurant for the first time after the renovations. The hushpuppies we ordered for an appetizer were raw in the middle. The wait for our two plates took 45 minutes with only two other tables in the restaurant awaiting food. Nobody in the building looked like they knew what they were doing......Our actual waiter was nice enough, I've never been to a restaurant where the main problem was a waitress that wasn't even serving me but that was the case here. We didn't feel welcome at any point and our experience was definitely not worth the money we spent."

*Reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google




Other News and Links:

• The 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover happened in November 2019.
• Here is the Halterman's Facebook page which is listed as "Halterman's Eatery - Seafarers Family". Also here is a Seafarer's Restaurant website
• In a Virginia Reddit thread, someone commented that the remodel wasn't much, and it seemed Gordon Ramsay had enough of the restaurant and diners.  Somebody else commented they heard the show didn't get permits for their work and the county shut them down. (Link)
• On December 13, 2019, Halterman's posted the following message on Facebook, "Happy Friday! We have been hearing a lot and talking with some of our amazing customers and it was brought to our attention that we should share with you this. You see a different name but don’t let that stop you before you even come in, we are still your Seafarer’s Family! Rebranded by our namesake, Halterman. We know it’s been a BIG CHANGE & surprise to you all but Please do not listen to all the rumors & negativity but instead embrace the positive, embrace us! Come in, we welcome you to sit and enjoy a delicious meal an old favorite or something NEW! This transition is going to bring GREAT things and we are excited! Change is never easy but at times vital & necessary! Please remember you never really know what people are going through so just BE KIND🥰 Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement to our family as we are working hard to improve & better ourselves so you have a wonderful overall experience ❤️ We hope to see you all this weekend!"
• In the comments the restaurant addressed a rumor that they were selling and said it was quite the opposite.  They want longevity in their family business. (Link)
• Halterman's has added back some menu items based on customer feedback.
• Halterman's is teasing a big announcement coming up on their Facebook page. (Link)
• Here are the Halterman's Eatery reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Google.

Conclusion:

During the 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover, Gordon Ramsay decided to change the name of Seafarer's Restaurant to Halterman's Eatery and the restaurant has kept the name.  The reviews for Halterman's Eatery are mixed with people liking the food while there are negative reviews about the service, higher prices and food.  The restaurant sent a note out to customers that the change has been hard but they are excited about the transition.  Halterman's is teasing a big announcement on their Facebook page, so I will update this post if it is anything substantial.


*To see how the restaurants from 24 Hours to Hell and Back are doing, visit the 24 Hours To Hell and Back Updates Page. Also, if you are interested in the restaurants from Kitchen Nightmares, visit the Kitchen Nightmares Updates Page.