50 Best Seafood Restaurants in Washington

“Have eaten here 4 of 5 days visiting DC. Fantastic food and great service. Highly recommend!“

“Just Woow!!!
This was the best seafood restaurant I have ever been to. The food was incredible and so is the service. Everyone was so sweet. They let us try the soup before buying it to make sure we liked it. The lobster roll, hush puppies (recommended by front server) and lobster bisque was out of this world. Will definitely need to come back here every time in Washington. Even got lollipops on the way out. So great!!!“

“Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. It was a time!“

“Fantastic food and the drinks were particularly delightful. We unknowingly went during restaurant week and had some folks pick that menu while others ate a la carte. From bread service through dessert, everyone was incredibly pleased with the experience.“

“Restaurant week special 3 courses for $34. Lots of servers and managers walking around making themselves available to fulfill diner's needs. I wanted fried clams - no substitutions from set menu - was able to have that dish in addition to.“

“On of the best Mexican restaurants in town, if not the best regarding flavors and authenticity. I am Mexican and the flavor is almost like in Mexico which is difficult.
Do not waste your money in other places… and come here :)
And the portions are good enough and filling!“

“Thanks you so much #psychiczabaza“

“One of the best places in Dc and right on the water!“

“We loved having dinner so much on Friday night that we had lunch on Saturday! Lobster roll was delicious. Great selection of raw oysters. PEI mussels were the best! Service was on point. Friday night Ashley was great and sorry I didn’t get our great servers name on Saturday. Manager Ronald Vasquez was so personable and made us feel like regulars. Wish we lived a bit closer because we would be. Highly recommend!“

“My daughter and son-in-law treated me for my birthday and what a treat it was! From the birthday champagne treat to the special popcorn to the dessert and all meals in between—nothing disappointed. The food was delicious. Filet mignon prepared to perfection. Lamb chops, braised beef, shrimp—all delicious. The sides; I could go on. My husband also enjoyed his meal. Our particular teenaged granddaughter loved her chicken tenders. Even our 2 year old granddaughter enjoyed her kids meal. Definitely will return. This was our first time but it won’t be our last. And last but not least—our server, Micaiah, was the best. Her recommendations were on point. Top notch and so professional!“

“Excellent meal for Valentine's Day! We had the special Valentine's Day menu (pretty much all new entrees) and it did not disappoint. The pork "spring roll" was amazing, as was the beef with grits and wish they could appear on their regular menu one day. The service was excellent as always. The wine was delicious and reasonably priced for the bottle.“

“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.“

“Food was delicious and the sauce off the hook“

“I went for dinner here a month or two ago and every dish was incredible- from the ube bao bun to the tofu. We also loved the drinks.

Came back here on Friday to stop by the bar to get the Ube Colada (it’s so good!) and had such a lovely time. The bartenders are so kind and knowledgeable and it was the perfect place to close out a Friday evening.

Will definitely be back again for dinner or drinks and want to try their brunch!“

“The food was phenomenal. It is a great atmosphere and the customer service was outstanding! I’d recommend trying all the different type of oysters on the menu!“

“Service was great and beyond exceptional. A place to try for special occasion for seafood. We had the grilled octopus and sardines for appetizers. Both are great options. We had the Connecticut version of lobster roll which came in hot. The catch of the day was a pan seared cod. It was good. The hit was the squid ink risotto. This place is great to celebrate special occasions but not for weekly or even monthly dining. Would be cost prohibitive.“

“I could not believe how good the food was. When everything came out I was legitimately giddy with excitement. I came here with my spouse and our three kids after hitting up a local event - so we were all hungry and a bit tired. The drinks came out quickly, and our appetizer came out shortly thereafter. And OMG the cornbread. I grew up in the south and cornbread was just so-so for me but this was hands down the best I’ve had in my 37 years. The food came out and the portions were absolutely enormous. My spouse and I shared a full rack of ribs (which were huge and meaty and so well seasoned) with a near bucket sized amount of fresh fries and a cast iron pan of Mac n cheese. My kids had tenders and fries and honestly there was so much I could’ve split one plate between the three of them. The price was super reasonable, even before I knew the portion sizes lol. I would absolutely come back and recommend it to everyone I know.“

“Great Drinks Good Lobster Tails stuffed with Blue Crab Great Asparagus Excellent Baked Alaska Excellent Service“

“The best experience. Great food. Service and atmosphere.“

“Delicious! Loved the lobster roll!!“

“The food is amazingly fresh and delicious.“

“We had a half dozen raw oysters—quickly shucked, clean and slurpy with distinctive flavor notes. Served with mignon sauce, cocktail sauce with extra horseradish on top, fresh lemon and oyster crackers. Nice choices if you use them.
Specials caught our attention. I had seafood fettuccine with pink chipotle (a fluid, gentle heat) sauce. There were plenty of perfectly cooked, tender jumbo shrimp, lobster and scallops. The chef used care. My husband had grilled swordfish again cooked properly, on a base of creamed broccoli sauce, with a side of sautéed squash and topped with fried spiral-cut carrots. It was an eye-pleasing colorful meal. We shared a generous bowl of chocolate mousse for dessert. No pictures because my phone was charging at the host station.“

“Visiting from St Louis and so glad we came across Luke’s Lobster! We ordered Luke’s flight so we could try all three rolls. Each one was so delicious. We also got the lobster bisque and NE clam chowder. Very good!! Friendly service and neat atmosphere.“

“I took my teenage boys here on our last night in DC during spring break. The staff is absolutely wonderful, so friendly, kind, fun, energetic, and genuine. The food is completely amazing and all three of us loved everything we ate (scallops, filet, chicken) but it was very much the staff that made the experience so enjoyable. Highly recommended. Beautiful restaurant.“

“Delicious! Loved the lobster roll!!“

“In the hustle and bustle of our complex world, sometimes the best things do the simple things perfectly rather than many things somewhat well. This salmon BLT embodies this ethos. The bacon was perfectly crispy, the salmon was flaky and flavorful, the bread was delicately toasted, and the sauce, onions, and lettuce were gently complementing.

Kudos, Neopol... Kudos... Hear, hear... Cheers 🥂“

“I love the shrimp basket with the Cajun fries🥰“

“The Tacos and clam chowder was really good. The frozen Rose’ was good as well. Great service“

“Thao is an amazing server she make sure that you have everything you need makes sure that she checked on you even when you probably don’t wanna be checked on I couldn’t ask for anything better. Her drinks are amazing. Come toot and juicy on Connecticut Avenue if you want that great customer service“

“their lobster salad was amazing! And as someone who's had NOLA gumbo, theirs ranked up! Would definitely visit again“

“Nice new place to meet. Bonus points for walking distant to the Capitol. The eggs were absolutely amazingly delicious - cannot be over praised.“

“My hairstylist told me about this place because I said I wanted seafood. When I got there I could not find parking so this sweet employee came out to my car to take my order and told me to come back in 15 minutes. The whiting fish was cooked to perfection and the Mac & Cheese and Greens were delicious. Definitely going back!“

“Great Service!!! Lobster Roll was a nice segue from a regular fish sandwich.“

“Unreal 5 star arrive and food . I agree Michelin for sure“

“what a perfect vibey spot for some incredibly delicious italian food! definitely get the treviso salad and the fried blossoms to start. i could eat so many plates of their mushroom cream ravioli! i’ll be returning for more of that next time for sure. the lamb chops were also so flavorful. the service was also fantastic and they were so nice! adding this spot to the dinner night rotation“

“The gentleman that took my order was (EAN) it was the Family Business, was so polite, friendly, respectful and helpful.
Ordered the Oxtail Platter, Brown Stew Chicken Platter and a Sorrel Drink, the portion size was hefty. Food was a Banger“

“Go there for great coffee all day“

“I wish I had taken a picture because our portions were so generous and delicious. I got the fried catfish and my partner had the crab cake. It was so fresh. The workers know their menu well, and are quick to help when I mentioned I had a dairy sensitivity. They were all friendly and we can’t wait to visit again.“

“Fresh fish to go or cooked to order!! They also have seafood other than fish, sides, cold drinks and desserts. Friendly owner (Bill) and great conversations to be had with neighbors who are also waiting for their fresh cooked orders. I try to go at least once per month. Everything is sold a la carte and the fish is priced by the pound. CASH ONLY ESTABLISHMENT.“

“Nice experience very friendly atmosphere Fresh cooked chicken tenders“

“I’ve been coming to this restaurant for a couple of months now. And the ladies Ms Sue and Ms Angie are sweet hearts. I always get the beef stew. The best in the city. The chicken wings are good too. Fried to perfection. The breakfast is superb!“

“We had dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and overall had a really nice experience. The food was well-prepared and flavorful — the steak was cooked perfectly and very tender, and the shrimp cocktail was fresh and nicely presented. The sides were generous, especially the mashed potatoes and baked potato, though the bread was a bit underwhelming.

The atmosphere was elegant and calm, perfect for a relaxed evening, and the lighting added a cozy touch. Service was attentive and professional, though it felt slightly rushed at times. Prices are definitely on the higher end, but you can tell it’s meant to be a fine dining experience.

Overall, it’s a great spot for a special occasion or a nice night out — quality food and a classic steakhouse vibe.“

“My wife & I had a wonderful and delicious dinner while catching-up with our son & his girlfriend last evening. Fantastic meal & our server Michael was outstanding.“

“Very good service and food was tasty! Hidden gem in this part of town. Gotta try the crazy crab egg rolls.“

“Great location we had a great time“

“Went today for the first time. We ordered a bulgogi bowl Korean style, Gogi single, carne asada cheesesteak and crispy chicken sandwich. Everything was freshly made and portions were generous. The Korean bowl was the best of items we ordered and will feed me for 2-3 meals. Most places give mostly rice but this bowl was full of toppings and bulgogi. The chicken sandwich was next runner up with a honey glaze and Korean slaw it was the right mix of crunch, sweet and spice. Service was great to boot. We didn’t try any drinks but maybe next time. Highly recommend.“

“This place has some of the best fried shrimp in the city hands down. Affordable prices, and great quality for a carry out. A hidden gem for sure. The lady at the register actually fried a single piece of shrimp to try, because she know that establishment stand on business. She gave me every condiment known to man, extra duck sauce, mumbo, hot sauce, cocktail, tartar, etc. THIS IS A MUST TRY!!!!!“

“Always a pleasure to come to the Taberna! Extra interesting restaurant week menu this time around. I had the artichoke main -- unusual, different, good. Tasty Tempranillo crianza. Espresso was just right o finish off relaxed meal. Fun to sit in the more cozy back room on a cold day. Small quibble -- would have been nice to see a hot soup on the menu.“

“Our experience at the Occidental last night was nothing short of extraordinary. From start to finish, every detail was executed with perfection. The menu showcased incredible range and creativity — the twin lobster tails were tender and sweet, the steak tartare was beautifully balanced, and the smoked pheasant under glass was a showstopper both in flavor and presentation. Each dish felt carefully crafted and elevated, yet approachable. The wine list was equally impressive — clearly curated with thought and depth, offering the perfect pairings to complement the meal without ever feeling overwhelming. Service was another highlight. Warm, attentive, and genuinely inviting, the staff struck that rare balance of professionalism without a hint of stuffiness, making us feel truly welcome. Though we couldn’t save room for dessert, it simply gives us the perfect excuse to return soon. The Occidental delivers a dining experience that lingers in memory — refined, flavorful, and utterly satisfying. Highly recommended!“