2 staff were chatting and standing by the reception area and neither greeted us right away. That's how I usually judge the service of a restaurant so first impressions weren't good. Good thing our waiter Eric was great! He was friendly, efficient and professional. Our drinks were amazing- we ordered the Sidecar and the Brown Derby. The main course Sesame crusted Halibut was delicious and cooked perfectly. It was served on a bed of Chinese vegetables, baby beets and vermicelli with a vadalia onion sauce. The Crab cakes were not your typical crab cakes- in a good way. They were tasty and filled with fresh minced crab meat, sweet potato purée and other seasonings. Try the dessert special Pina Colada ! It was a lovely surprise - Coconut mousse in a chocolate crust shaped like a mini coconut (clever!) on a kind of yummy rice cake, sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes, pineapple and a mango sorbet. The pastry chef deserves a prize for the flavors and presentation of this dish. read more

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Yum ...and wonderful staff. I had lunch with my husband and our baby and they were so accommodating. Will definitely return to try other entrees. read more

BlackSalt - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I picked BlackSalt because they are reputed to have great crab cakes. I am happy to report that they do! They are expensive, but you are rewarded with two good sized cakes that are comprised of more crab than filler. They are accompanied by a deliciously tangy remoulade. I would travel far out of my way for these. My husband and I started with the Fried Ipswich Clams. I think these were some of the most delicious clam strips I've ever had. They have a light tempura-style batter which was perfect. read more

I came here for a business dinner and the location was in a great spot in DC with plenty of street parking. Upon entry, they have a small, modest market for to-go items and seafood specials that guests can opt-in for. Passing the market, you have the bar on your right with some booth tables and some additional seating in the back of the restaurant. We were comfortably seated as a group of 7 and the menu was extensive with fresh seafood and catch of the day. I opted in for their wood grilled ahi tuna dish which came with a mild curry sauce, jasmine rice and medium to rare tuna. The curry flavor paired well with the fish and not too notable. While the dish as a whole was good, I was not super impressed with the flavors. Although, their tuna was very fresh and would recommend others to try their seafood here. read more

Absolutely delicious. A nice neighborhood restaurant, upscale but you don't have to dress up (unless you want to). Everything had some kind of flair or distinction, which I love. And the specials change often. The sashimi (which was not just plain sashimi) was outstanding, as was the seafood cocktail-a really delicious combination of avo mousse, a tomato cocktail sauce that was not your typical cocktail sauce, and a tender not chewy selection of seafood. The fried clams (fresh) and the octopus were equally as good, and the blackberry tart for dessert was excellent. The dessert choices were as fun & interesting as the rest of the menu. Service was great, everyone was really nice, prices were definitely $$$ but the food was worth it. read more

Couldn't have asked for a better spot to celebrate our anniversary. The service was fantastic and the food was so fresh and delicious! We've been recommending this spot to everyone and cannot wait to be back ourselves! Cheers until next time read more

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Came for DC restaurant week 2021. I had the seasonal greens salad, swordfish, and the irish cream cake. The greens were EXTREMELY fresh with a delightfully light dressing. There were so many great varietals, was truly great. The Swordfish was some of the best fish I have ever had, cooked perfectly and seasoned with what I assume is a brown-butter sauce but was SO good. On a bed of creamy mashed potatoes with excellently cooked broccolini rabe. The Irish cream cake was incredible. SO had the clam chowder which she loved, as well as the coconut stew which was so rich and delicious. The flourless chocolate cake was very decadent! This is one of the best dining experiences I have had in a while. I appreciate the extra efforts they have put in to be serving us during this time...but they did an AMAZING job! read more

BlackSalt - Irish Coffee Trifle - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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NOT Sushi! Seafood YES. Very close to Kreeger museum. Wonderful service and very fresh oysters - in June - from Canada or state of WA. Menu changes - very "old-style " European way of eating. read more

BlackSalt - Fried calamari-large size - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ordered takeout today. Got the crab cake sandwich. For $26, you'd be expecting a lot more out of this but this is the saddest crab cake sandwich I've ever seen. Measly little cake and the crab itself doesn't look very good. And all you get with it is some chips. I think this is unfair price gouging and for that price you should be getting something more quality and at least another side. PS: this is the pineapple upside down cake read more

BlackSalt - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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If you are looking for a first rate fish restaurant with a neighborhood feel, this is it. Located just behind a Seafood store, BlackSalt is a classy restaurant that serves some of the best fish I have had in DC in a long time. We had swordfish and tuna, both complex and delicious dishes. Paired well with the Riesling (although I'm use to a drier variety). To get us started we had a mix of 8 oysters, and the waitress overheard my wife saying to me that she doesn't like large oysters. Nice to see that our order said "small ones please". That's service. The Creme Brulée Trio closed the culinary experience. We will be back. read more

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Recently went after not going for year and it was still great! Good quality food. Good service. I did not regret spending the money or the time. Keep it up Black Salt! read more

BlackSalt had pretty solid dishes. The best part of the meal was the complimentary bread and the mussels. We got two fish entrees that were not anything too special for the price. The desserts were pretty good. The servers were kind and efficient. The restaurant itself had a great vibe with the fish market in the same building as the restaurant. read more

BlackSalt - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I participated in Black Salt Restaurant Week quarantine style. Decided on seeing what Black Salt had to offer as I have heard good reviews. Ended up doing the curbside pickup. I may have to try them again when the world opens back up and try a different dish. It wasn't as great as people have made them out to be. Wood Grilled Harissa Baby Octopus - The marinade was flavorful. Yogurt Marinade, House Lamb Merguez, Peppadew Peppers, Peewee Potatoes, Calabrian Chile Butter, Pan au Levain BlackSalt Oysters Rockefeller - I enjoyed the rockefeller it was accompanied with a sauce but I think it tasted better without the sauce. Bacon, Spinach, Vermouth Cream, Parmesan Cornmeal Crusted Fish Tacos - The only thing I loved about the fish tacos was the Avocado relish. That was amazing. That was the only thing that wowed me and stood out. I put a little on my taco and ate the rest by itself. Salsa Verde, Baja Cabbage Slaw, Avocado Relish, Cilantro, Ancho Chile Crema, White Corn Tortillas Pan Roasted Nova Scotia Halibut - It was just ok, I probably should have gone with the swordfish. Corn Flan, Succotash, Bacon, Lobster Sherry Butter Peach and Blackberry Crumbler - This was another highlight of my meal. I love Key Lime but this won me over. Vanilla Ice Cream Key Lime Pie - I wasn't too thrilled with the key lime pie which was a disappointment because I love key lime pie, I was also missing my Milano Cookie Blueberry Compote, Whipped Cream, Milano Cookie read more

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I think the food and service were great. The restaurant atmosphere and decor were not. For the prices they charged I would expected something nicer. Interior is in serious need of some updates.. read more

I love coming here for happy hour! Try to come early because they run out of seating in the bar and booth areas at the front section for happy hour. Service is great - waiters / waitresses are super friendly and nice. Their seafood is always super fresh. The raw oysters here are a perfect bite of goodness - they are cleaned well and taste delicious! I also get the calamari, which is fried to perfection, not too oily and with a nice crunch. Their Addie's mussels are another favorite of mine - comes with super flavorful broth! Don't hesitate to ask for more bread to dip into the yummy broth, it's worth it! read more

BlackSalt - Raw oysters - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Several days ago, I stopped by the restaurant to purchase a gift card. As I entered, and after waiting for a few minutes, there was no one that could assist. Next to a register, I noticed two employees chatting away. I approached them and again waited several minutes for them to finish their discussion. They completely ignored me and eventually walked away. When another staff member finally came over and found out that I wanted to purchase a gift card, he went to find a manager to handle the transaction. I was pretty surprise that the manager who came to assist me was one of the two people that previously ignored me. For a restaurant that considers itself to be on par with high-end/fine dining, management has a long way to go to meet these standards. read more

Had an amazing dinner!! Started off with an appetizer of, seared scallops with roasted cauliflower purée, wild mushrooms, romanesco, crispy baby kale. For my entree, had sautéed Shad Roe w small cubes of bacon, mixed carrots, asparagus and baby potatoes. Accompanying my entree, had a Spanish Albariño. Which went well with the roe. To finish off the meal, had Key lime pie w blueberry compote and a drizzle of caramel. It truly was a delicious meal! Service was excellent from the minute we checked in to the minute we paid the bill. Definitely will be back!!!! read more

Delicious. Do it. My husband and I were in DC for a couple days on our honeymoon after getting married on Tilghman Island. We were looking for an upscale place to have a fancy dinner, and ended up at BlackSalt. We were super tempted by the multi-course tasting menu option, but were exhausted and a little hungover so we just got entrees the first night. 'Just' sounds bad, the entrees were fantastic, my husband got the whole branzino and he said it was amazing. We still really wanted to do a tasting menu, and hey it was our honeymoon so we decided to splurge. We did the 7-course, but without the wine pairing as we were really enjoying the cocktail menu. Just about everything was delicious, the only complaint we had was the pasta dish seemed overly salty, but everything else was very good. I personally have never liked raw oysters; I can eat them, but since they are expensive and my husband LOVES them I usually don't partake. But the oyster with caviar and onion minuet was so good; the toppings toned down the fishiness that normally bugs me, and for the first time ever I actually ENJOYED a raw oyster. Fairly pricy, it is definitely a special-occasion kind of place for our budget, but we would absolutely return if we are back in the area. The staff was prompt and polite, they explained every course to us and answered any questions. Cocktails were something a bit different and super tasty. read more

So glad they are open as our dining options are limited. They have all necessary precautions in place, service hasn't been affected (still fantastic) and the food is always delicious. So glad a neighborhood fav is open! The fried clams are always a good bet and the burrata/tomato/pesto salad was delish. I was a tad disappointed in the crab cakes - they were mushy on the inside and not how they are traditionally prepared there. Finish with the chocolate peanut butter crunch and you won't be disappointed! Sorry - no photos. I've been using my phone less once inside restaurants. read more

I came to BlackSalt for dinner, and they were packed! Fortunately, I was able to squeeze in at the bar. The bartender was attentive and seemed knowledgeable about the menu. Overall, service was pretty fast for a completely packed restaurant. For starters, I had the New England Clam Chowder. As a clam chowder aficionado, I was less than impressed with their take on the soup. Instead of tasting clam, the flavor was overpowered by bacon; this is clam chowder, not bacon chowder! Despite my negative experience with the chowder, I was thoroughly impressed with my entree, the Five Spiced Bigeye Tuna. The tuna was delicious! The mushroom-ginger broth perfectly complemented the tuna while tying all the ingredients together. Likewise, the shiitake mushrooms further enhanced the flavor and overall appeal of the dish. read more

BlackSalt - Five Spiced Bigeye Tuna - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Their happy hours are 7 days a week. Thank you. We did HH on a Saturday night. My wife had a French 75 cocktail containing gin, lemon, and proseco. They like to sweeten it up with simple syrup, but they were happy to go easy on the sugar at our request. It was excellent. I am allergic to certain seafood, so my wife had the Provencal seafood stew, and couldn't stop raving about it. The ingredients were super fresh, and the sauce had a nice saffron note according to her. I went with fish and chips that came with tartar sauce, and lemon. It was nice. We also shared the fried calamari. The squid was tender, and the chipotle remoulade, added a balanced savory heat. I am eyeing their 3 and 4 course lunches for our next visit. read more

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Anything, absolutely anything you eat at Blacksalt is made under the loving, watchful eye of it's manager, JJ. He is a jewel and his attention to detail continues to shine and keeps Blacksalt at the top 5 best restaurants in DC. The food is excellent and interesting; the wine list is delicious and the dessert is sublime.. We are lucky to have Blacksalt in the DC area. It is divine. read more

BlackSalt - Raspberry mousse with lemon cake. Divine. - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Avoid at all costs. I wanted to do something nice for my wife for mother's day despite the fact that we can't go out to a restaurant, so i ordered delivery from Black Salt. Unfortunately, at the time the food was *scheduled to be delivered* I got an email telling me that the order was cancelled. I called the restaurant to make sure this was true, and the person that answered the call told me that he *thought* somebody had reached out to me days ago to let me know that the order was cancelled even though they did not. I was now left without food for my wife's mother's day celebration and a need to scramble to find something for our family to eat - with nothing but a hollow apology. Thanks for ruining mother's day, Black Salt and thanks for not even attempting to help me out of a predicament you put me in. read more

It's been a while since I'd been here but man it was wonderful. I should have chosen differently on the salad I chose but the salmon was great and the atmosphere was really lovely. I did have one issue with my dessert where there was paper towel left on my plate but we got that removed fairly quickly. And my desert replaced. Open kitchen view was great and a lovely spot for a high end date night. read more

Love this place, maybe I already made a review...best happy hour oysters and bartenders good food and ambiance

My boyfriend took me to DC for my birthday and booked us a table at BlackSalt. For those that have never been, BlackSalt has a fish market in the store front and a gorgeous fine casual dining restaurant in the back. After looking over the menu, we decided on some oysters and the grilled octopus as well as the halibut and tuna. As one might imagine, the seafood here truly is next level. The only way you are getting seafood any fresher than this is if you go out in the ocean and catch it yourself! This was hands down one of the best meals I've had quite possibly in my life, and that is saying a lot, cause your girl LOVES her some food. The oysters almost melted in your mouth. The octopus, which my bf had never tried before, had a lovely chargrilled flavor which paired wonderfully with the broccoli rabe, chickpeas and basil aioli. The halibut was perfectly seared with a lovely golden brown crispy exterior and perfectly tender, melt in your mouth center. But the star of the show was the ahi tuna in red curry broth with mango and soba noodles. We were both blown away by the delectable dish. It was layered with subtle flavors that melded perfectly together and cook to sheer perfection. We didn't leave a single morsel of food on our plates. Needless to say we hand no room for a full on dessert so they brought out a perfect bite sized treat with a candle to wish me happy birthday. The service was impeccable and everyone was incredibly personable and kind. I will say it is definitely on the pricey side but worth every penny! We definitely plan to return for our next celebration! read more

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I cannot say enough good things about BlackSalt. I made a reservation on behalf of a large party, and Erica was so extremely patient and helpful. I have no doubt my party will enjoy their meal, thanks in large part to Erica's thoughtfulness and hospitality. Thank you! read more

always wonderful food and great service. Erika, our server, was so gracious, helpful and friendly. The fish was fresh, the vegetables perfectly prepared, and the ambience perfect. We always love dining at Black Salt. read more

Invited to dinner here. I didn't even know it was a restaurant - shame on me. It was excellent. The service and ambiance were also excellent. The entire party ordered fish which is what they are known for, excellent! We were all very pleased with the dishes, the portion, and the presentation. This is one of the few restaurants I really want to be a regular. Great place to dine out with friends and family. Not cheap but in this case you really get what you pay for. read more

Every time I got to BlackSalt I have great food, drink and great service. Next time you are in the area I recommend you stop by and give it a try read more

A restaurant with a wide variety of seafood. The fish looked fresh even by my Japanese standards- the menu provides you with a selection of preparations, and you can have the fish of your choice prepared any way. I had the Branzino, which came with an olive sauce and chickpea fries- I liked the crispy skin as well as the softness of the fish. The lobster was also great- especially the sauce, that goes really well with bread. Indoor seating is strictly socially distanced, and the seats are disinfected every time, making the restaurant a relatively safe choice even during the pandemic. read more

BlackSalt - Wood Grilled Branzino Fillet - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I usually come for the life-changing clam chowder, but tonight, I stayed for the new pastry chef's morello cherry mousse. OMG. Have it. As consistently delicious as the main courses always are, this dessert was a standout. Huzzah! read more

I have wanted to try this place for a long while. It gets so many good reviews....so yesterday i went. You have to put in a reservation for inside seating, no problem. Not sure if the parking meter people were enforcing the parking so I fed the meter for 2 hours. The parking lot around the corner was crazy expensive. If you go to black salt, try for street parking. A lot easier on the wallet. I sat at 2, middle of the restaurant. I was looking at the menu and ordered a beer, can't recall the name. Made in Maryland, pretty tasty. 3 In ordered the clam chowder. Then ordered the lobster. The clam chowder was incredible to say the least. If you like chowder, this is a must try. Whole clams, other tasty bits of seafood in a relatively thick broth. It vanished pretty quick. The lobster was excellent as well. The portion was tiny, but very good. The whole plate was gone quick too. Another brew and I'm done. Pretty good service, food was excellent, the beer was cold. The only complaint I have was the couple sitting to my left without any hint of a mask. When I'm not eating or drinking, the mask is on. Servers wearing masks. Table clearing guy, wearing a mask. Bartenders wearing masks. Waitress, yep, wearing a mask. These people I guess didn't get the message, don't care....I thought to enter the restaurant a mask was required. Maybe they just don't care about getting sick or spreading the virus. I am glad restaurants are starting to open up again. I miss going out to eat and am grateful Black Salt was open. I guess gratitude and common decency is missed in some communities. read more

BlackSalt - The clam chowder. - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Tell me about a time you've experienced daylight robbery? Ill go first. When you enter this restaurant and see men wearing suits, pretend like you are entering a used car dealership. The highlight of the meal and the most important piece: My husband is vegetarian. There was not much on the menu for him to order. He opted for the chestnut ravioli. The waiter informed us that the chestnut ravioli is an appetizer portion priced at $28. He asked if we would like it as a full sized portion, my husband agreed not knowing what awaited. Thank you waiter for notifying us it is an appetizer sized portion, from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for bringing this to our attention. But how come you could not continue your act of charity and mention the price? How come you remembered it is an appetizer portion but did not remember to mention the cost of a full sized portion? He could of had the courtesy to say "hey by the way the full sized portion costs this much are you Ok with the price". Thats all he had to say. This review could of been five stars, but due to lack of concern it is a one star rating. They charged us $56 for 10 pieces of ravioli. The ravioli were miniature not full sized. The ravioli cost more than the halibut, more than the lobster, more than the Branzino, more than the crabcakes. The ravioli had no meat in it. It was pasta and sauce. If it had shrimp or scallops or filet mignon, I would understand it being $56. But ravioli is dough. $56 for dough and some sauce. We thought for a full sized portion maybe they would charge $35, $38, worst case scenario $40. But $56? Come on! $56 is the cost to have all you can eat steak at Fogo De Chao. How come the ravioli as an entree portion is not listed on the menu? Why cant we have transparency and list the cost for it as a full sized meal? My husband asked for them to add some mushrooms in the ravioli, the waiter agreed. He came back later and said "we dont have enough mushrooms to sprinkle on the ravioli, would you prefer (potatoes, haricot verts, etc....)?" I dont believe they didnt have enough mushrooms. What high end restaurant on a saturday night doesnt have enough mushrooms? We agreed and said "sure substitute the mushrooms for the haricot vert(green beans)." Come to find out later they charged us $12 for the haricot verts because they counted it as a side dish. I believe they wanted to sell us a side dish which costs more than some mushrooms. These guys are so money hungry they did not want to add a few mushrooms, they instead wanted to continue their con artistry and get more money out of us by having us purchase a side. Back to the ravioli, my question: was this ravioli flown in via private jet from Rome? Would anyone reading this review pay $56 for ravioli? Ask yourself this honest question would you spend $56 for 10 bite sized pieces of ravioli at even the finest restaurant in DC? Would the manager of this restaurant pay $56 for ravioli? Would the waiter, busboy or bartenders pay $56 for ravioli? How can one sleep at night knowing you've robbed hard working people of their hard-earned money. How can your conscience not bother you knowing you charged someone $56 for 10 pieces of mini ravioli? The words "unfair", "unjust", and "unethical" are too small to describe what happened. There is no word in the english dictionary to measure the unreasonable and senseless decision to charge this much. Whoever made up these prices needs to re-assess it. How can you charge more for pasta(dough) than for seafood/meat? Mind boggling. This is predatory behavior. Avoid this restaurant at all costs. At the end of the day, its not about money, its about honesty, integrity, and being transparent with your customer. If something is going to cost extra tell your customers it will cost extra, commicate to them, express yourself to them. Human decency is slowly day by day disappearing from this world. read more

Neighborhood face! Great bar area. Great place to pick up fresh fish to cook at home. Great food and drinks. Fun happy hour scene. Often love whatever ceviche style foods are on the menu. Solid service. read more

Great food, awesome service from our service Erick! We are looking forward to returning. Thank you !!!

Everything was perfect. Thanks Blacksalt makes my night more grateful. This is my first time here and I definitely come back. read more

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Fantastic seafood restaurant!!! Service was good, my water was always refilled promptly. The menu has a ton of options for everyone (raw as well as cooked). Octopus and crab cakes were phenomenal. The halibut entree (special) was very good and the key lime pie was also great. My husband felt the prices were "about $7" higher than they should've been but admitted that the crab cake was so good he would've happily paid that anywhere. I thought their entree prices may be $7 higher than they would be in Seattle but the preparation is way better and the portion sizes were also a little bigger than what you'd expect for $7-less in Seattle. The only thing I would change is to have everything served tapas style so I could've ordered 10 different dishes... I left stuffed and wishing I had more opportunities to dine here again before leaving town. Highly recommended!!! read more

BlackSalt never disappoints! We had a great lunch, with great service. The oysters were impeccable, and I'd recommend the BC's as they had just the right mix of sweet and salty for us. The snapper tartar and wood grilled octopus were also really solid. And oh you really need the Lola Loco (name might be off..help), a lovely Smokey mezcal cocktail! read more

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Fantastic location and food is awesome! I love that it's small-ish but quaint. Try it sometime!