Celebrated a birthday dinner at Dauphine's and left with mixed feelings…read more The restaurant was surprisingly busy for a Tuesday evening, which was great to see, but service felt a bit disjointed. We had three different servers throughout the meal, which may have been due to staffing challenges. While everyone was pleasant, the experience lacked consistency. I also noticed the manager/general manager circulating through the dining room but never stopping by our table to greet us or check on our experience, which felt like a missed opportunity, especially as first-time guests celebrating a special occasion. For drinks, I ordered the Hurricane and my partner had the Sazerac. Both were enjoyable, although the Hurricane was served in a glass packed with ice, making it feel like I finished the actual cocktail in just a few minutes. We started with the Pommes Souffle. Unfortunately, they didn't meet expectations. Rather than being light, airy, and crispy, they were somewhat flat and soft, almost as if they had been sitting too long. For our entrees, I had the Blackened Catfish Creole and my partner ordered the Grilled Tuna au Poivre. Both dishes were flavorful and well-prepared. The catfish was especially enjoyable. The tuna tasted good as well, though we expected it to be sliced thin to better absorb the sauce and complement the dish. We also ordered a side of red beans and rice, which was a nice addition. Dessert was a highlight. The panna cotta and chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sorbet were both excellent and ended the meal on a strong note. Overall, I expected a bit more given the restaurant's Michelin recognition displayed at the hostess stand. While there were certainly some bright spots, particularly the entrees and desserts, the overall experience didn't quite live up to the anticipation. That said, because the food showed promise and the restaurant was clearly popular, I'd be willing to give them another try on a future visit

Service - freakin amazing Ambience - dark dimmer light…read moresetting - not a fan cause it makes me drowsy but it sets the date mood Food - phenomenal Got a second plate of oyster pasta cuz it was that freaking good!!!! And even asked for the recipe! Soooo good!

Sooooo... Thursday Barrett, Andy, and I came here to scratch a serious crawfish itch--and…read moreabsolutely nailed it (see my April 2 review ). Fast forward to today... Spencer rolls into DC yesterday, and guess what... the itch was BACK. No debate--we knew exactly where to go. Only difference, it was a beautiful day, so we sat on the outside patio, which was perfect... roomy, open, and breezy. This time, Shae hooked us up with a feast: 5 lbs of crawfish (Hot N Juicy, medium heat), 2 lbs of Spicy head-on shrimp, 2 lbs of spicy headless shrimp, 2 lbs of extra spicy crab legs... and plenty of COLD beers to keep things flowing. She was fantastic... super attentive without hovering... and made sure we were set the whole time. Bottom line: another awesome visit, lots of laughs, and that crawfish itch? DEFINITELY scratched... again!

Service here is great! The staff is friendly and the interior always feels clean and well…read moremaintained. I wish the prices were a bit lower or they offered some kind of loyalty program/happy hour discount. The boils are always great and we leave satisfied!

Disclaimer: I haven't tried their jambalaya, but I did try a boudin link and experienced their…read moreservice. Because I've not found real Louisiana boudin anywhere else in the DC area, and because of the family's hospitality, I will give them 4 stars. The Jambalaya Shack is a catering business that was present at this past weekend's Breaux Vineyards Cajun Festival. They're from southern Louisiana, and seem to get invited to cater many of their events. They had jambalaya, corn maque choux, and boudin links. Because I was waiting on live boiled crawfish from another vendor, I decided to just share a link of boudin for $5. Their young boy said after I ordered, "Sure! You have to ring the boudin bell!" So I did, while his mother laughed and wrapped up a link for me. She made sure I knew how to eat it (I did), and I asked her if it was spicy or not (she said not at all...probably due to the DC clientele...but that they were good and that they shipped them straight from Louisiana). They also had an assortment of mild Cajun seasonings and hot sauces. It was not the best boudin I've ever had (that one goes to the Boudin King in Louisiana), but it was slightly better than the boudin I can get at the grocery store in Texas (but bigger). The Jambalaya Shack's also had good amounts of little liver pieces in it. I wish I had had hotter seasonings (cayenne chile powder would have been awesome) to spice it up with... I wish I had also tried their namesake jambalaya, but it was the chicken/sausage variety and other than the boudin, I was in the mood for seafood. I do think I was the only person I saw at the festival that tried the boudin (or probably knew what it was). Speaking of seafood, the other caterer's boiled crawfish was bland, and Jambalaya Shack was nice enough to let us have some of their seasonings. They saved the day.

The nicest folks and lawd is the food right. I wish I had that big old pot so I could make a…read moreJambalaya at home that way. It's not a good Samedi Gras in VA unless you see them there.

10/10 best bread pudding, soft sweet with some tart cream cheese notes as well. Will be backread more

When you are in Union Market there are so many food choices to choose from but Puddin is a place…read moreyou will want to come back to. We come here all the time for the bread pudding but this time we brought a group. Always pleasant and lively, Puddin reminds me of southern hospitality at its finest. The bread pudding is served warm and rich with chunks of bread and browned butter and bourbon flavors throughout. Add the creamy homemade vanilla pudding on top and we never leave without it. We also got to sample a new alcoholic beverage that was heavenly. Cannot remember the name but if you go to the front counter they will give you a sample of the mixer. Trust me, you will want to order it. The gumbo was a crowd favorite. One sample and the flavor made you want to double back. My guests walked the area and came back specifically to get some to take home. They boxed it up separately for easy transport. Now that is service. Quick and easy stop right before it rained. Puddin is a complete takeout spot but the vibes while you order and wait make it a counter worth visiting again and again. The hospitality, the comfort food, and the inviting staff make it unforgettable.

Chasin' Tails i one of the best AYCE SEAFOOD VENUES. The food selections are amazing as well as the…read moreflavors. And special shout out to our server ANSON!!!! He really went above and beyond to make our date night very special!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH ANSON!!!!

ANSON is amazing!! Our experience at Chasin Tails was amazing. Anson our server, took his time and…read moreexplained the menu to us in detail and with patience. He answered all our questions without us feeling rushed or annoyed. The food came out piping hot and very flavorful. My husband and I enjoyed our visit. We found our new favorite seafood restaurant.

I ordered catfish platter with fries. The fish was very good, nice and tasty. I ordered fried…read moreshrimp and calamari and everything was delicious. The food was so good I ordered 2 days later snd added the fried oysters which was terrible , burnt and a strong fishy sea taste, I threw in the trash. This order was placed on Uber Eats , I will order everything again except fried oysters.

If you are looking for a good seafood at decent price, look no further! The boiling crab has a…read morelittle bit of everything with a whole lot of thought behind their service. I so appreciated the bibs, gloves, hand washing stations and easily accessible restrooms. We will be back!

Got the crab cakes; food was okay, but the venue itself really stole the show! Honestly, it's…read moreprobably my favorite concert venue I've ever been to. The space feels so intimate, which makes the whole experience more personal and memorable compared to larger, more crowded venues. The atmosphere was great from start to finish, and everything felt well-organized. The service was also a highlight, our server was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made us feel really comfortable throughout the night. Even though the food was just alright, the overall experience more than made up for it. Between the vibe, the quality of the show, and the excellent service, it's definitely a place I'd come back to again and recommend to others looking for a unique night out/date night!

Blues Alley has maintained their street cred after all these years as being one of the best places…read morein town to catch a live jazz performance. I enjoyed the crab cake with a Caesar salad. The cocktails were veteran made and solid. The dining room is intimate, adding to the connection of the artists and the show. Deborah Bond dropped her new album Amber Dust, a true R&B artist keeping the tradition of the music well and alive. She hosted a listening party show with a customized cocktail menu with drinks named after her latest album! The show was amazing and the sound was clear. Although the menu is a bit limited I enjoyed my crab cakes, which had no filler. Oh and be sure to save yourself time and park in the parking garage across from the alley. This is an amazing little space with big names. Every time I've come here I've always met with the artists after the show. So if you're a super fan and your favorite artist is performing here, GO!

I don't eat this cuisine often, but this definitely hit the spot! Came to dine-in, and ended up…read morebeing the only party dining in honestly. I did enjoy the French/Spanish music in the background. The staff were kind and fast with things. The portion was quite large, which I wasn't expecting. The poisson was quite good with the sauce provided. I found the veggies that came with the rice seasoned quite nicely too. We did also try the turkey creole, which was a tad bit dry, but still good. Plantains and rice were standard in my opinion. We REALLY enjoyed their rum cake though as dessert. Heavier on the alcohol but it made it so good! Definitely a nice experience here.

The food was authentic and cooked to perfection…read more I tried the ox tails, turkey, legume (w/ goat), rice, bean sauce, salad, and fried banana. Everything was flavorful and tender. The service is informal. So, speak up if you want something.

TL;DR: Delicious food!…read more Parking is free - its across the street between the Dollar Tree and Sherwin Williams (no parking slip needed) I made a reservation for 2 on a Saturday at 6pm, it was pretty empty but quickly filled up as the night went on. I have dreamed of eating good crawfish Étouffée again since first having it in Galveston, TX and this did not disappoint. Lots of crawfish, rich in flavor, well spiced. I got the she crab soup, there wasn't any visible roe (which made me sad) but it was still yummy. Sometimes with soup like this, its too salty but this wasn't! The key lime pie was huge! Very easy to eat (not cloyingly, not too tart). If it wasn't such a drive from me, I'd definitely go more often! Yay for this Nova Foodies recommendation.

The alligator soup lacked flavor to me. The shrimp and crawfish etouffee tasted the same as the…read morealligator soup, however, once the weather brought over the Tabasco it was a smash hit! I also ordered the brussel sprouts which were fried perfectly however, I didn't get to taste the sauce until I decided to bring the dish home then, I could taste the sauce from what I poured into the container onto the brussel sprouts and then they were delicious! Maybe they can find a way to have the sauce throughout the dish The bread pudding was just okay also. The staff was delightful. They paid attention to detail and made sure to check on the table regularly. The restroom was really small. I would go back and try another dish.

Amazing experience! The food was delicious, the service was friendly and attentive, and the…read moreatmosphere was warm and welcoming. Everything was well prepared and served promptly. I would definitely recommend this place and look forward to visiting again.

Historical eatery Food is made from the soul of love…read moreCustomer service is on point /professional friendly