I used to love this place. It was a regular stop for me and I spent abundantly. The menu was extraordinary, its turbot , Calamari, and other seafood dishes were genuinely divine. I brought diplomats, friends, family, and neighbors here, and recommended it to anyone who wanted a unique spot in town.
This year I returned twice with guests, but unfortunately it was not the same. The menu has changed considerably. The to share fish was no longer there and the mushrooms and calamari was not the same recipe. My friends still enjoyed their meals and thanked me for them, but I could not help noticing how much the restaurant has shifted from what it once was. I am sad that I wont be coming back again.
If you have never been, it is still worth trying. But for those who remember it in its earlier days, the difference is difficult to ignore. It feels like a case of all good things eventually coming to an end.
The servers and staff remain gracious as ever. This was once the finest restaurant in Washington, and I am saddened to say it no longer feels that way. I used to consistently go, and now all I can think of is that I have other options :(
Thank you for the wonderful experiences in the past and I hope that maybe things get better in the Spring/Summer.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
Dwayne Thomson
Definitively acceptable! But probably no more than that.
For a seafood restaurant I was expecting a little more .... seafood options - there is essentially 1 dish from each seafood genre, and the oyster selection is woeful and shockingly expensive given you cannot select variety or provenance of the oysters.
Had the crab cake sandwich, and it was alright. For $40 I'd have appreciated a house made bun but I guess Kings Hawaiian is okay too lol
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Kiara Oyola
Love the ambience, the drinks, the food (of course) and the wait staff! The waiters were so charming. Would definitely come back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eulaysha Holley
I’ve visited this restaurant twice now, and both experiences have been excellent. The first time, I came with a group. They were a bit short staffed, so service took a little longer than usual, but what stood out to me was that the quality of the food and drinks never suffered. Everything was still beautifully prepared and delicious. The music was great, the atmosphere was lively, and we were able to relax and truly enjoy ourselves. This time, I returned for a date night and once again, the food and drinks did not disappoint. What made this visit especially memorable was the service. Diamond took care of us and brought such amazing energy to the table. His voice lit up the room and added to the overall vibe of the evening. He was attentive, welcoming, and genuinely enhanced our experience. Consistency in quality and standout service like that is what keeps us coming back. Looking forward to our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Veronica Chavez Bonilla
I've been here 3x and each time the service gets better! Amazing food, drinks, service. My favorite drink its port light, the steak and eggs are delicious, calamari and Brussels sprouts too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alyssa Fromelius
Our server Bridgette was absolutely incredible. Her suggestions were spot on, especially the calamari. It’s been a while since we have had such great service; so happy that we chose Cordelia’s for Valentine’s!
Service: 5
Tanis
I give this restaurant 10 stars !! Everything was just perfect!!! Food , services, drinks, and ambience is amazing!
Ana
Great food, specially the raw oysters and crab dip. Friendly waitress, but the overall experience fell short. The drinks were poorly prepared and served in basic, heavy glassware that didn't match the quality of the food. Courses were brought out without waiting for us to finish the previous ones, and plates were placed on an already crowded table without any effort to coordinate or assist—runners simply waited for us to rearrange everything ourselves. There was also no explanation of the dishes, including which oysters were which. Small details were overlooked as well, such as lighting the table candle, which further detracted from the experience.
Bert Forsyth
Excellent. Very impressed with the oysters, calamari, rock fish and more. Myself + 2 others are from out of town and basically tried Cordelia Fishbar on a whim...we'll be back. Every thing we ordered was top-notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Faustine Luo
I really wanted to like the food here, but it was one of the most underwhelming and overpriced places I've eaten at in DC. Their char grilled oysters were delicious, but the rest of the dishes we ordered were either overcooked, undercooked, or shockingly oversalted. I've never felt the need to send a dish back. I found their jumbo shrimp to be rubbery, and the orzo underneath to be uncooked ( not al dente, just not cooked). The server and manager were both accommodating and understanding for the most part.
The restaurant week offering was very good. Plenty of options for each course. Great value in portions and quality. Server was friendly. Unfortunately, they put bacon in my shrimp and grits when I specifically asked them not to include it. I consumed a bit before spotting the pieces mixed in to my entree. Mistakes happen and they quickly apologized and brought me a new plate, but I was a little upset I did end up eating some meat before catching the error. The food runner had even stated that my dish was bacon free as he placed it in front of me.
Gianna
Went during Restaurant week which made the value outstanding 👌🏾. I am still dreaming and salivating about the Crudo. The calamari was also extremely memorable. The Sangria LIVES with me every second of every day.
Deb
We were assisted by Marlan who was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and added suggestions. I was disappointed that the lobster roll was not offered during brunch but was invited back by the manager to enjoy on him at another time. Will definitely be visiting in the future.
Tatiana
It was nice that we had the whole table set up. I like that they had a mocktail selection. We had a vegan in our group and they didn't have a good vegan selection. Three items were listed as vegan on the menu and the waiter said they weren't really. He said the honey has pork in it and they usually put pork butter on the Brussel sprouts. The menu offered in general was also different from what was listed on the website and some folks in our group were not pleased that we couldn't get what they were planning to get. One person really enjoyed the whole chicken though.
Leanne Tobias
Some outstanding food at Cordelia Fishbar and an exceptionally helpful and friendly staff.
We had a wonderful meal during Restaurant Week in January 2026: -Excellent drinks: a Ventian prosecco and a Dark Knight cocktail. The latter is an intriguing smoky bourbon that deserves your attention. -Apps: delicious! The grilled calamari is exceptional, as is the hamachi crudo. -Mains: The whole seabass is a delight for those who enjoy deconstructing a perfectly crisped fish with tender meat. The scallop main is delicious, but very small: only 2 scallops for a $48 entree. You’ll likely need a side — the maitake mushrooms ($11) were delicious. -Desserts: You can’t go wrong with the apple gallete or the bread pudding. -Service: Excellent! The staff knows the menu and instructs patrins wisely.
I used to love this place. It was a regular stop for me and I spent abundantly. The menu was extraordinary, its turbot , Calamari, and other seafood dishes were genuinely divine. I brought diplomats, friends, family, and neighbors here, and recommended it to anyone who wanted a unique spot in town.
This year I returned twice with guests, but unfortunately it was not the same. The menu has changed considerably. The to share fish was no longer there and the mushrooms and calamari was not the same recipe. My friends still enjoyed their meals and thanked me for them, but I could not help noticing how much the restaurant has shifted from what it once was. I am sad that I wont be coming back again.
If you have never been, it is still worth trying. But for those who remember it in its earlier days, the difference is difficult to ignore. It feels like a case of all good things eventually coming to an end.
The servers and staff remain gracious as ever. This was once the finest restaurant in Washington, and I am saddened to say it no longer feels that way. I used to consistently go, and now all I can think of is that I have other options :(
Thank you for the wonderful experiences in the past and I hope that maybe things get better in the Spring/Summer.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
Definitively acceptable! But probably no more than that.
For a seafood restaurant I was expecting a little more .... seafood options - there is essentially 1 dish from each seafood genre, and the oyster selection is woeful and shockingly expensive given you cannot select variety or provenance of the oysters.
Had the crab cake sandwich, and it was alright. For $40 I'd have appreciated a house made bun but I guess Kings Hawaiian is okay too lol
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Love the ambience, the drinks, the food (of course) and the wait staff! The waiters were so charming. Would definitely come back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve visited this restaurant twice now, and both experiences have been excellent. The first time, I came with a group. They were a bit short staffed, so service took a little longer than usual, but what stood out to me was that the quality of the food and drinks never suffered. Everything was still beautifully prepared and delicious. The music was great, the atmosphere was lively, and we were able to relax and truly enjoy ourselves.
This time, I returned for a date night and once again, the food and drinks did not disappoint. What made this visit especially memorable was the service. Diamond took care of us and brought such amazing energy to the table. His voice lit up the room and added to the overall vibe of the evening. He was attentive, welcoming, and genuinely enhanced our experience.
Consistency in quality and standout service like that is what keeps us coming back. Looking forward to our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been here 3x and each time the service gets better! Amazing food, drinks, service. My favorite drink its port light, the steak and eggs are delicious, calamari and Brussels sprouts too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our server Bridgette was absolutely incredible. Her suggestions were spot on, especially the calamari. It’s been a while since we have had such great service; so happy that we chose Cordelia’s for Valentine’s!
Service: 5
I give this restaurant 10 stars !! Everything was just perfect!!! Food , services, drinks, and ambience is amazing!
Great food, specially the raw oysters and crab dip. Friendly waitress, but the overall experience fell short. The drinks were poorly prepared and served in basic, heavy glassware that didn't match the quality of the food. Courses were brought out without waiting for us to finish the previous ones, and plates were placed on an already crowded table without any effort to coordinate or assist—runners simply waited for us to rearrange everything ourselves. There was also no explanation of the dishes, including which oysters were which. Small details were overlooked as well, such as lighting the table candle, which further detracted from the experience.
Excellent. Very impressed with the oysters, calamari, rock fish and more. Myself + 2 others are from out of town and basically tried Cordelia Fishbar on a whim...we'll be back. Every thing we ordered was top-notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really wanted to like the food here, but it was one of the most underwhelming and overpriced places I've eaten at in DC. Their char grilled oysters were delicious, but the rest of the dishes we ordered were either overcooked, undercooked, or shockingly oversalted. I've never felt the need to send a dish back. I found their jumbo shrimp to be rubbery, and the orzo underneath to be uncooked ( not al dente, just not cooked).
The server and manager were both accommodating and understanding for the most part.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
The restaurant week offering was very good. Plenty of options for each course. Great value in portions and quality. Server was friendly. Unfortunately, they put bacon in my shrimp and grits when I specifically asked them not to include it. I consumed a bit before spotting the pieces mixed in to my entree. Mistakes happen and they quickly apologized and brought me a new plate, but I was a little upset I did end up eating some meat before catching the error. The food runner had even stated that my dish was bacon free as he placed it in front of me.
Went during Restaurant week which made the value outstanding 👌🏾. I am still dreaming and salivating about the Crudo. The calamari was also extremely memorable. The Sangria LIVES with me every second of every day.
We were assisted by Marlan who was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and added suggestions. I was disappointed that the lobster roll was not offered during brunch but was invited back by the manager to enjoy on him at another time. Will definitely be visiting in the future.
It was nice that we had the whole table set up. I like that they had a mocktail selection. We had a vegan in our group and they didn't have a good vegan selection. Three items were listed as vegan on the menu and the waiter said they weren't really. He said the honey has pork in it and they usually put pork butter on the Brussel sprouts. The menu offered in general was also different from what was listed on the website and some folks in our group were not pleased that we couldn't get what they were planning to get. One person really enjoyed the whole chicken though.
Some outstanding food at Cordelia Fishbar and an exceptionally helpful and friendly staff.
We had a wonderful meal during Restaurant Week in January 2026:
-Excellent drinks: a Ventian prosecco and a Dark Knight cocktail. The latter is an intriguing smoky bourbon that deserves your attention.
-Apps: delicious! The grilled calamari is exceptional, as is the hamachi crudo.
-Mains: The whole seabass is a delight for those who enjoy deconstructing a perfectly crisped fish with tender meat. The scallop main is delicious, but very small: only 2 scallops for a $48 entree. You’ll likely need a side — the maitake mushrooms ($11) were delicious.
-Desserts: You can’t go wrong
with the apple gallete or the bread pudding.
-Service: Excellent! The staff knows the menu and instructs patrins wisely.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...