Dauphine's is a solid restaurant. Great ambiance, customer service, and of course, food. I appreciated and loved the many oyster options. They were so briny! For my entree, I had the skate. I don't know what I was thinking, but I would never order that fish again. The consistency was weird--not my cup of tea. My drink (forget the name) was really good; it packed a nice punch! Skate aside, I enjoyed Dauphine's, and would visit again. read more

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About a 2-2.5: Dauphine's comes from you from the same group that brought Salt Line; their cuisine is an inspiration from NOLA. We came here for dinner on a weekday, and we ordered: +Corn Bisque - with Louisiana crab claw salad and herb oil - this was creamy, and the truffle oil added another layer of taste +Oysters Dauphine - chargrilled oysters with spinach, horseradish, and pecorino; we were confused with this dish, as the oysters were not charred, and there didn't seem to be any pecorino? +Bread Service - with buttermilk biscuits, baguette, and sweet potato brioche, served with salted pepper jelly butter; these are not worth an order, as the breads were just stale and dried out For our entrees, we ordered: +the Shrimp Remoulade - prepared with red remoulade, iceberg slice, and gribiche; we were not fans of this as it tasted acidic; maybe from the ingredients used in the remoulade? +Scallop Creole - with Prairie Ronde rice grits and file; the scallops were a bit overcooked and rubbery +Oysters Spaghetti - with bucatini, green onions, and bread crumbs; this dish was creamy, but the oysters were a little too 'sea water' in taste +the Grilled Hangar Steak - with red cabbage, smashed garlic fingerling potatoes, and mustard seed butter; the steak was overcooked and not well-prepared +sides of red beans, pepper jelly carrots, braised collard greens, and pommes Dauphine Service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is dim-lit, and I liked the interior wrap-around-like terrace. +friendly service read more

Quite literally the best restaurant in DC to remove yourself from the bustle of the White House and step yourself into a creole American experience. They're very much creole and New Orleans, but you can eat here and still tether yourself to traditional American cuisine. The oysters are fantastic, and they advise you well if you are unaccustomed. The best part of Dauphines is they have enough humility to meet you where you're at; if you want to try something new, try some oysters, try a new drink.... They're skilled enough to advise and provide a top tier experiences. The staff was also above and beyond and they need their flowers. They are 100% in their game and it's beautiful to see. read more

The ambiance was excellent, and the service was great. The restaurant was clean, and the lighting was beautiful. It also smelled amazing inside. We tried a few of their cocktails, and they were top quality. We only sat at the bar this time, so for us it was more like a cocktail bar experience -- but I'll definitely be coming back for a full meal. I really enjoyed it. read more

Dauphine’s - Cocktails - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The good - we arrive an hour late for the reservation (tried calling got vm), thankfully we were still able to be seated. Cute restaurant with multiple tiers of seating. Food came quick even though it was pretty full when we finally arrived at 7:30 on a cool autumn Saturday evening. Server was pleasant and knowledgeable. I ordered the elderberry spiced mocktail and loved it. It was like a berry soda w cinnamon and nutmeg (or some other fall spices) The mid - out table was next to the prep area for charcuterie and such. My date was a bit put off by the plate of bacon just sitting out, the lack of gloves and hand washing, and the cook sampling the cut meat. The blackened catfish stands out here because it was nowhere near blackened. Perhaps glazed would have been a better description. Areas of improvement- the greens! Bleh! I love green food and crave vegetables. Those I could not eat. Well, I refused to eat as they were way too sweet and vinegary. Overall it wasn't very Cajun. More new American with a nod toward New Orleans. read more

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I do not recommend this place. I ordered the fried chicken and waffles and beef and sweet potato hash to share with my friend. I don't have a picture of the beef sweet potato hash because we had to send it back since there was a HAIR in it! The chicken was really dry and we had to ask for some sauce to dip it in. The worst part of our experience was the service! The first time we got our check, there were MANY issues. I had asked the waiter to put the drinks on separate cards (and split food evenly for the rest), but he only charged one drink on one card and everything else on the other, even when he knew we were sharing all the food. He had also somehow charged us for an entirely different table's bill! Imagine if we already left the restaurant and didn't sit for a bit after. To correct this, he offered to reverse the charges and re-do it as we had initially asked - by putting the drinks on separate checks again and split the rest of the food evenly. He even wrote in pen the drinks we got for which card to not mess up, yet he messed up the charges AGAIN... He somehow couldn't do basic math and charged us unevenly after we explained it very straight forward. He didn't even have to do math! He just needed to click the right buttons on the checkout system and it does the math for him... Overall, the experience was very diminished by our waiter's inability to simply close out a simple bill. I will say the interior is pretty with the plants and liked the pig ear salad, however most of the food is bland and mid. read more

Dauphine’s - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A New Orleans-style restaurant that transports you to the south! Great happy hour with great service at the bar! Happy hour is only served at the bar, but they have great deals on cocktails and snacks. They have Pimms cup on draft which I had never seen before, it was fresh and zingy made with lemon and a touch of vinegar. The snacks we had were the pickles andouille with pimento cheese and the Brussels sprouts that were tossed in a sweet Asian sauce! Both delicious. read more

Dauphine’s - Pimm's Cup - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My sister and I visited for dinner on a Friday evening in August. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The space was so well decorated. It had a light vibe and the ambiance was casual, warm and a bit elegant. The table we were sat at was very small and since we ordered drinks plus the 3-course restaurant week menu, it got crowded quickly so it wasn't very comfortable. However, our server (Marie?) was funny, attentive, and helpful with recommendations. The food was solid but not amazing. We definitely both loved the crab and artichoke dip and fried saltines. We both enjoyed the red wine with our meal and agreed that we would consider going back to try more menu items. read more

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Had an amazing meal here tonight. Drinks at the bar were phenomenal. Low key chill ambiance and excellent service.

Beautifully decorated with high ceilings, this restaurant is definitely fit for a fun night out or date night. I decided to go during restaurant week with co-workers and we had a great time. Oysters are half off on fridays and they are pretty large in size. For dinner I had a carbido (watermelon based alcoholic beverage) and the tartare which both tasted pretty average. My entree was the sirloin (standard cook of medium rare which was fairly hearty) but I tried my friend's catfish which was much more flavorful. For dessert I chose the beignet and totally forgot to order the milk based dip. That dip would have made a difference. But food came out fresh and warm. Service was excellent. Our waiter was attentive, water was refilled regularly and questions on the menu were answered with knowledge. read more

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We came for lunch and had an excellent dining experience. Great ambiance and friendly service, definitely returning again. Everyone was so helpful. Food can be ala carte or 2-3 course meals. My friend ordered the 2 course meal and I had the 3 course meal, we shared the dessert. Squash tempura-delicious and crispy... loved it! Ricotta cavatelli was flavorful and just the right amount of food. Crab etouffee-delicious and nice texture. Scallop creole-mmm loved it. Beignets-warm and fresh, perfect for dessert. They have a nice cocktail menu but I opted for a couple of glasses Pinot noir. read more

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The atmosphere of Dauphine's is impeccable and the food was even better. The favorites included the fried green tomatoes and the pimento cheese. Our server gave some suggestions but we were hoping for a bit more guidance. read more

I dined at Dauphine's for the first time recently and had a great experience. The interior is full of high end decor with low lighting, for a pleasing ambiance. I was greeted as soon as I walked in and was promptly seated. I dined with a friend and we both enjoyed the service. Our server was nice, attentive and offered suggestions. I ordered the Oysters Dauphine and Blackened Catfish Creole. Both were really good and flavorful. Especially important, the food came out hot and fresh. I also ordered the Lavender Honey Collins as my cocktails. Even the restrooms were nice and clean. Overall, I have no complaints. I plan to return and try something else. I definitely recommend. read more

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The food was delicious! Everything was very well seasoned and portions were perfect. The service was incredible. Our server was funny and gave great recommendations. The location itself was beautifully decorated for the holidays. Definitely recommend. read more

Dauphine’s - Fried chicken and waffles - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Starting with the positives: I LOVE the ambiance in this restaurant. It's probably the most beautiful restaurant in Washington DC. The levels and decorations make this restaurant truly stunning. The service is also great! Our waitress was super attentive and prompt throughout the night. It's a great service crew. The food, however, missed the mark almost every single course. We started with the bread service, which was not worth $10 in any way. The brioche was soggy and the baguette was mostly crust. We then transitioned to appetizers. The corn bisque was lukewarm, and the sausage, while cooked well, was tiny. Our entrees missed the mark as well. The stuffed fried quail had maybe three bites of quail total with an uninteresting mashed potato purée underneath. All that for $33? The catfish similarly was bland and mushy. It had no texture or strong flavor. Not even salt! Our desserts ended the night on a lackluster note. The squash cake was stale, and the bread pudding had a bitter, almost unpalatable, caramel underneath. I left the restaurant hungry and disappointed. Wish I could say more positives about the food! Otherwise, stunning restaurant... read more

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Great bones. Sunken main dining room. You walk in to the bar area. There's an upstairs balcony with intricate iron work. The music is lively. Almost makes you feel you're stepping into New Orleans. Everything is good. Then it hits us- and now it's no longer all that. Because we're sitting and waiting for 10-15 minutes and nobody in sight on a Saturday night....upstairs- except for the busgirls. Now our waiter is trying to school us on how to order cocktails- but we been doing that for the last 10-15 minutes on our own that you didn't come to our table. And there's no apology of any kind. Dauphine's is located in DC's concrete jungle Downtown area and parking can be a hit or miss. Our reservation came handy after a performance at the Kennedy Center and all we wanted to do is have dinner. As for the food? The team (also behind Salt & Line) has put together a New Orleans menu with lots to choose from. Whenever we eat oysters, we love to savor the moment and eat them by themselves. But for some reason before we could chug, suck and slurp our oysters, our crawfish bisque was brought over and we ended double-fisting our two starters. While the crawfish bisque was poured table-side, it tasted nothing like it. In fact, it tasted more like either carrots or squash were used. Drinks were a joke too. Although mine looked good on paper, I could've had 4 of those and still walk a straight line. Main plates were also comical. My wild fish seemed extremely small and flat for the $36 tag. Now, I watch seafood prices like a hawk and know they go up every time because that's my only source of protein- but damn...for the flimsiness of the fish, the small canned artichokes and the lukewarm sauce, it wasn't worth no $36. And hubs' $44 'Beef Stanley' was no more than skirt steak. At this point, we wanted to pay. But let me not forget their heavenly $10 'bread service' and my Chocolate Mousse Terrine that carried well to our hotel room. read more

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It feels like an experience to dine here and I feel like I got transported to New Orleans Really authentic flavors for the grilled oysters and the bread service was fun because it was different options. Favorite dish was the duck jambalaya. I was never even a fan of sauerkraut and duck but tonight I am ! read more

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Amazing creole gem in the heart of DC. Came here for brunch and I was pleasantly surprised Pros: beautiful interior reminiscent of the french quarters with the metal railings, live quartet band and indoor gazebo design. The Dauphines pomme puree was so yummy and a must have. The St. Charles punch cocktail is amazing and so fresh and crisp. The shrimp and grits are delicious and packed with flavor. The beignets are freshly made and on par with NOLA. Excellent service throughout. Cons: the duck stuffed quail was a disappointment. There was too much rice inside the quail which dried out the meat. Overall, great place in DC to satisfy your creole cravings. Beautiful atmosphere for brunch with delicious drinks and food read more

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Tried to fancy up classic Cajun and creole food and failed. Gumbo was acceptable at best. Tried the duck jambalaya; the duck was well cooked, the duck sausage tasteless and the jambalaya was terrible (. Tasted like the rice was cooked in dishwater). Overpriced and unfriendly service. Atmosphere too loud to have a conversation. Overall very disappointing and doesn't even scratch the New Orleans itch. read more

The Skin Contact wine and oysters we had were phenomenal. However, the entrees were lackluster. For a dish labeled as creole catfish and grits, it lacked flavor. My friend got the lobster stuffed chicken and the chicken came out so dry. We should have bailed on a high note of great wine and oysters. The atmosphere is pretty, but the entrees lacked NOLA flavor. read more

Recommended by the concierge at the nearby University Club of Washington, D.C., Dauphines made for a very nice late dinner. Rockfish Amandine was so fresh and tasty. Shrimp Remoulade was beautifully presented and the perfect companion for a glass of Chardonnay. Pommes Dauphine were light and crispy. For dessert, chocolate mousse terrine was a great end, with the caramelized cacao nibs a nice touch. Coupled with great service, Dauphines impressed. We shall return. read more

Dauphine’s - Pommes Dauphine - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Atmosphere was great. Easy music, perfect volume. Lighting flattering. Big roomy booth. We split the oysters Dauphine and the bread service. I got the Sicilian swordfish and my friend got the rockfish almondine. And we shared a side of beans. Everything was great. The oysters Dauphine came six to an order and were warm and tasty. Some were pretty small, some meaty. The legendary bread basket lived up to its hype with 6 pieces of bread (2 of three kinds) butter and pepper jelly. I loved the flavors of my Sicilian swordfish but the fish was a bit thin. I admit the rockfish was the better fish. But preferred my flavors. We both loved the beans. We also shared the ice cream and sorbet and all three were killer. Food was just served. I would have liked the waiter to say what the dish is and repeat the ingredients. Same with the bread and once cream- a bit of description adds to the experience. All minor points- this place is five star! read more

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My server Jeffrey was super nice and gave us lots of good recommendations and reviews. Happy hour is pretty good. Had the daiquiri (x2), margarita, Pimm's cup, and espresso martini, crab spinach dip, oysters, and bread plate during happy hour and it all was super good, for $100. Would recommend and come back for sure. With the oysters they offer a habanero hot sauce that is super good if you love spice. read more

It's always nice to find a great happy hour in states where they're allowed(not allowed in NC)! Dauphines has one of those amazing happy hours with great food & drink options. I started out with a New Orleans Buck, suck a delicious & well balanced cocktail. For food I had 12 of their happy our raw oysters which are pre-dressed with their house made mignonette which is absolutely amazing! I'm always hesitant about pre-dressed oysters but you could tell the were freshly shucked & dressed to order. Will always visit Dauphines for happy hour while in DC! read more

Dauphine’s - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I decided to give this restaurant another try. I am happy to say that this experience was much better than the last... it is such a gorgeous establishment. Cocktails were great. I don't remember the manager who assisted me with this visit, but they were great. read more

Dauphine’s - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dauphine's is amazing! Lana our server was fantastic! Gave me recommendations about Marci grad and always attentive We went for restaurant week and the options were awesome. It's sad cause we couldn't get the crab hush puppies but I didn't hear they were good. We opted for the marinated mussels and the sausage! That sausage honestly took the whole meal to another level. The short rib was tender as hell fell off the bone and the pork loin could have been a bit more moist but I did like the sweet mousse they put on the side to dip it in. The dessert was solid. The bread pudding was good and I'm not a bread pudding person so that's a plus and the beignets were nice a light. The restaurant infrastructure was nice and open. Very pretty on the inside read more

This was my first time here for a business dinner, and I was very impressed with the food, ambiance, and service. I had the pig salad, grilled rib steak, and chocolate mousse. All of the food was delicious! The servers were very friendly and efficient. The ambiance was dimly lit and sexy. Overall, I shall return. read more

Dog Friendly! I saw good reviews for this place so we tried it and it was delicious. I love the new orlenes theme food, it was such a different flavor and it was a cool experience. The restaurant itself is beautiful and the service was amazing, 10/10. I was soo happy to see they were dog friendly too! read more

Dined at 6pm on 2/15/25 before a show. We sat in the bar area. We knew that they had a Saturday happy hour before our arrival, but were surprised that we were not given that menu (or any knowledge of a happy hour) when we sat down We had to ask for the happy hour from our server. We ordered the burger, crab and artichoke dip, shrimp gumbo, boudin balls, and numerous margaritas. I will say that the margaritas were fresh and tasty. They went down easy. Burger was good (however our server never ask for a temperature and it was a bit undercooked at a med-rare). The rest of the food was pretty mid. The crab and artichoke dip was not warm. The boudin balls were fine, but very small (comes with 3). The dish that should have been sent back was the shrimp gumbo and potato salad. It was SO hot (actual dish and the food) that it appeared as if it had been heated up a second time. Texture was bleh. My husband said "it's fine" and just ate it. Service was friendly, but pretty nonexistent. We had to flag our server down for another drink, napkin, etc. He never checked on us to see if we needed anything, if the food came out correctly, was it good, do we want dessert, the check, etc. Had to ask each time. For $150 happy hour, I would say average. Would not make a huge effort to come back. read more

I'm writing this right after having a lovely summer evening dinner at Dauphin's. Start with their fabulous cocktails and fresh oysters, then share the deconstructed duck jambalaya. The duck remains perfectly crispy, and the side of rice is so flavorful. I'm drooling just thinking about it again. This is a particularly great spot for outdoor dining if you don't care to sit in the harsh sun. read more

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Beautiful establishment with great food and drinks!! The menu is so much fun w a great variety. read more

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This review is just for the Classic King Cake. I love king cakes. They remind me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. They are fun, festive, and delicious. And once Dauphine's started advertising its King Cake, I had to get my hands on one. I ordered a mini since the cake was just for me. Picking up was disorganized. I walked up to the host (within my pick-up window), told him I was picking up and he said one moment. He came back without a word and the hostess next to him asked what I needed. I told her and she said one moment, came back without a word. Assuming either of them told someone I was here, I waited patiently for someone to come out with a box. Someone eventually did but for someone else and I proceeded to ask her that I was waiting on an order too which she promptly brought out, unclear whether the hosts ever told her. The presentation of the cake was just as pictured, with vibrant sprinkled colors. The taste was slightly dried out like it was a day or two old but flavor was nicely sweet and cinnamon-y. Also, not sure if it's because it was a mini, but the inside of the cake was not nearly as layered as the picture shows but instead there was a gaping hole in the middle. Did I enjoy it? Yes. As much as I'd love to try other flavors, I probably won't get it again this year. read more

Dauphine’s - Mini Classic King Cake - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This review is based on my experience at the Valentine's Day pre-fixe dinner: We arrived on time for our 8:45 pm reservation and were seated about 10 mins later once previous tables cleared. Water was brought over asap and our waiter was very attentive. The pre-fixe dinner consisted of a starter "snack" followed by three courses: -- The "snack": stand out bites of the evening for me. There was a banh mi macaroon, clam 'nduja, fried oyster topped with a slaw, and a rolled salami and cheese skewer. The banh mi macaroon was delicious and super creative. -- first course: foie gras boudin. This was just okay. There was no "bite" to the sausage, just super soft, even the potatoes that accompanied it. A more browned boudin would've been great, but the flavor was good. -- second course: braised short rib with sweet potato. This was also just okay to me. The flavor was fine, but I wasn't wowed. I had no idea this dish also had beets paired with the sweet potato. I hate beets which sucks for me bc I took a bite, lol. No biggie overall, I just pushed them to the side. -- third course: coconut panna cotta. It tasted more like a key lime pie with the texture of one as well. I was expecting a silky, slippery texture, but this was solid (and tart!) like a key lime pie. It was surrounded by chia seeds which I could've done without. Overall, just an okay experience, not somewhere I'd need to return to. Also, was disappointed to see that none of the Louisiana staples like gumbo or hogs head cheese made the Valentine's Day pre-fixe menu. read more

Dauphine’s - Foie gras boudin - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is the place!! We came here for Mother's Day brunch and it was perfect. There was live jazz music and our server was amazing! We were wowed by the design of the restaurant and the food was incredible too! We will definitely be back! read more

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Server: Dominique - Amazing. Super knowledgeable about the menu and her description of the food was right on. Brioche bread (with the butter and jam): 10/10 Scallops Crudo: 10/10 Charbroiled oysters: 9.5/10 Rice Fritters: 3/10 Raw Oysters: 9/10 Banana Foster: 9/10 (if it could be warmer it would be 10/10) Vibe: Amazing. Romantic. Good for a birthday dinner. read more

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Our service was extremely polite and very knowledgeable of the food, he made good suggestions and was concerned to know the liking of our food and drinks, gave us to try some drinks to make sure it was to our taste. The restaurant had a very good atmosphere with the low lit rooms and New Orleans style set up. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area, and would recommend trying to Lychee coconut cheesecake, one of the best desserts I've had in a while. read more

Let's start off with positives. The space is beautiful and the ambiance is reminiscent to the decor of a New Orleans restaurant but, thats where the nostalgia ends for me. Service was a bit slow, cold, and disjointed. The menu choices were a bit meh for a cajun/Creole restaurant. I wanted to really love this place but the serbic and food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the mussels, chargrilled oysters, and the last jambalaya which was odd to us that it was the last one and it was only 6:30 on a Friday night. The mussels were good but they literally give you 1 slice of bread and when we asked for more they brought out 1 additional slice and literally charged us for 1 slice of bread!!! The chargrilled oysters were more like oysters Rockefeller but were tasty. Now to the duck jambalaya. This was the biggest $85 disappointment of the evening. Have you ever had a deconstructed jambalaya or one with sauerkraut? Well neither have I but, I was willing to try. It didn't work! The rice alone was good but without the flavors of the protein cooked together with the rest of the dish, the flavors fell flat. Drinks were just ok and overpriced. Not sure if I'd give this place a second chance. May consider it if the menu was expanded and more authentic New Orleans cuisine were added. read more

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All of their food was excellent! Great ambiance. The frozen rum drink is good, but don't get the tequila berry one (wayyy too sweet). read more

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I went to eat here on 07/08/2023 @ 8pm- party of 7 Let me start by saying that I am from New Orleans so I do have a very good understanding of what these dishes should taste like. Food 0/5- the gumbo ya ya was not edible. It was overly salty and very thin. The pommes soufflé was not terrible but it certainly wasn't the delicate puffs I'm accustomed to from Galatoire's in New Orleans. The boudin balls were ok but I wouldn't call them boudin in any way. If you are familiar with boudin blanc, this isn't it. Service 2/5-they were very slow and the food was coming out at different times. Ambience 1.5/5- if we had been seated downstairs, it would have been better. We aren't sure why we were seated upstairs considering that the restaurant was basically empty. This was one of the most disappointing meals I've ever had. It's memorable for all of the wrong reasons. read more

Dauphine’s - Worst gumbo I've ever had. - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is one of my go to spots in DC. As a avid-New Orleans lover, this is the only place in the DMV that gets it right. One of the best parts of Dauphine's is that it tries to incorporate local ingredients into NOLA recipes. I recently went to their newly improved happy hour. Their menu is really nice food wise. Also, very rare in DC it is available on weekends. I only had a little time before meeting a friend, so I ordered oysters dressed, pommes soufflé, and the St. Charle's cocktail. The pommes soufflés is off the dinner menu and is a must have! The dressed oysters were delicious, but I wish there was alittle bit more acid like a squeeze of lemon. I tried the St. Charles cocktail for the first time. It's a refreshing brandy punch. The bartender said if I like sangria it was worth a try. Great service as always. Looking forward to coming back for a longer happy hour experience outside now that the weather nice again. read more

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