This is a poor excuse for creole cuisine. Their gumbo is NOT gumbo (I am not talking about the potato salad, just the actual "gumbo" portion). We've ordered other dishes and it was all the same. It tasted like someone cooked it and then poured water over the flavors. There was no soul in the food. Additionally, the waitress never came over after the food came out until the very end. Not to mention the 4% surcharge for the restaurant to continue... I mean it is 2024, four years past the pandemic and we are all experiencing inflation. If you're going to charge an additional 4% that does not go towards tipping, AT LEAST make the food taste good! Overall disappointing in food and service. read more

Happy hour was busy. Outdoor area was crowded but inside was quiet enough to hold a conversation. Great after work spot. Perfect for a few drinks before heading home. Deviled eggs didn't look appetizing but tasted ok. Spinach and crab dip was very good. Will definitely go back for happy hour. read more

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The Oyster Spaghetti, Oyster Dauphine and Bread Service were all amazing...can't wait to come back. read more

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

The blackened fish and all the potato sides we got were incredible. Loved the baked Alaska for desert also. We also really like the interior design with its modern take on New Orleans decor. So why three stars? Because everything else we ordered was mediocre at best, including the charcuterie board (nothing we picked was good), duck jambalaya (the duck itself was nothing special), oysters dauphinois (too much spinach in there), and the quail (rice with the duck was dry and overwhelming). read more

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

This is one of the cutest restaurants I've been to in a long time! My friend and I popped in for happy hour and were pleasantly surprised at the ambiance and great menu offerings! Can't wait to try them again for their main service hours! read more

Just wow! Service, top notch; ambiance, upscale relaxing; food, delectable with tantalizing twists; drinks, home-spun specialized; desserts that remind you of your favorite place on earth! Huge shout out to Server Michael who made us feel right at home and steered us toward amazing selections based on our personal likes; and to Assistant GM, Natalie Fleet who won our affection with personalized treatment celebrating our "last first date" 16th anniversary with beignets that rival Cafe Du Monde! Kudos to the whole team at Dauphine's - treat yourself with a visit. read more

Dauphine's is a beautiful restaurant and the service was great. The food was good but I wasn't blown away.

Excellent service at the bar-- beef tartare was perfection and the bread service was delicious. Not " just bread." Drinks have been superb every time I've been. read more

We have visited Dauphine's several times now and continue to be impressed with the whole package. For the food, we think Chef Kristen is very talented. On each visit, the restaurant recommends an ever changing menu, which always excites us, since we love the surprise of new dishes. The raw bar and charcuterie are both very fresh and interesting. I don't think you can go wrong if you prefer one over the other, or if you are like us, you will often eat both at each meal! Also, we have sampled several seafood dishes and Chef Kristen is very much in touch with New Orleans ( I believe she lived there) and the flavors really come out without being too obnoxious, unlike so many other New Orleans-inspired restaurants, who try too hard. Finally, the dessert, being lactose intolerant, Dauphine's has worked extremely hard to accommodate us. On each visit, we are extremely appreciative of what is offered. On our last visit it was pear pavlova with oat meal caramel. This was an amazing offering that synchronized beautifully with the season. For the wine, I encourage you to put yourselves in the hands of the wine director, Mark. As mentioned, we have visited several times, and he takes great care in picking the right wine with the right dish, so that the food and wine are truly harmonized. For service, the restaurant checks all the boxes. As I've noted in several other recent reviews, service continues to be a weak spot for most restaurants. Dauphine's seems to be in much better shape, and we see some of the same servers from our last visit. This is a subtle clue that the staff must be happier than many other restaurants we visit where we see an ongoing rotation of both managers and servers. For the two of us, we each had five courses including dessert but we split a wine pairing with each course. The total including an approximately 30% tip was $480. We felt satisfied but not too full either. For the pure enjoyment of the meal (recognizing quality, variety, and culinary skill) balanced with the great service, we considered this a good value and is now part of our regular rotation. If you have not visited, I suggest you put Dauphine's on your list. It is more relaxed than some of the other dining options at this price point in DC, but it does not sacrifice quality or service at the same time. read more

Great food. I had the blackened catfish over Louisiana rice grits. Delicious. Excellent service.

Ok it was good! But not with kids ( 16-17yrs old) the menu as the kids called it was basic! It was no! just was not their options. Burgers or wings.. but overall great wine list; the oyster were great and it is price.. if you like duck they have a lot of on the menu! Enjoy! I will do it again without the kids.. read more

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

Fantastic place in downtown DC, especially for those craving a classic New Orleans vibe. I sat at the bar, and the bartenders' attention to staff was impeccable, as well as their interesting New Orleans-themed cocktails (think Sazeracs and Hurricanes). Their Sazerac and Pimm's Cup in particular were fantastic. Food was similarly good, I went for Restaurant Week which was a great way to get a taste of their menu. They also had a variety of local Virginia and Maryland oysters on the menu which was always great to see. Just as a note, Opentable lists them as having a "business casual" dress code, but there were many diners who were in only casual dress. read more

I visited Dauphine's for Winter Restaurant Week, 2023 and was blown away by nearly every dish. In a week that includes some Michelin-starred restaurants, thus far, Dauphine's is a standout. My date and I got the bread service (4/5), Duck Rillette Toast (5/5), Blue Crab Etouffee (5/5), Blackened Bluefish Creole (5/5), Crab Stuffed Fluke Meunière (5/5), Two Piece Beignets (4/5), and King Cake for Two (5/5). Overall, this was an incredible meal with substantial flavor and portions--while we definitely got items with supplements, I think a regular menu would have left me feeling just as happy and full. read more

Pros: beautiful space and ambiance. The better staff is pleasant and accommodating. The drinks were pretty good. Cons: I saw a couple of advertisements for this place and it's looked great. Unfortunately the food tastes like gentrified New Orleans cuisine. We ordered three appetizers and didn't like anything. We ended up leaving without ordering entrees. We actually ended up going to another restaurant to eat dinner. read more

I grew up on New Orleans cuisine, and was extremely excited about the opening of this restaurant (food from New Orleans-Creole and Cajun-is my absolute favorite and difficult to find in DC). Though I found the food we ordered tasty and truly inspired by my favorite city, and I appreciated the decadent and thoughtful design of the restaurant (including the bar and patio), our first visit, and likely our last visit to Dauphine's, was overshadowed by what I could only describe as cold, matter of fact service. Our experience with the reception and staff in general was disengaged and isolating. There were no smiles or warmth, and they barely made eye contact. When we shared our excitement and anticipation regarding the menu and our love of all things New Orleans, the server barely acknowledged us. What I love the most about New Orleans is the warm hospitality, whether you are eating at a hole in the wall for the best gumbo or boudin in town, a shack on the water devouring a bucket of Vietnamese crawfish, or the finest, historic establishments, and newest, trendy dining scene. You feel welcome--no matter what you look like, who you are with, and how much or little you spend. That is what makes New Orleans and their restaurants so special--their love and sharing of the culture. And the appreciation of those who respect and share the love of the culture. If we ever decide to return to Dauphine's, we will remind ourselves that we are eating New Orleans inspired food with southern-inspired decor and music, but we should not expect anything more. If we are yearning for that intangible New Orleans spirit and warmth of the culture and service, we will just catch a flight to NOLA. Better yet, perhaps the staff should be treated to a trip to this resilient and vibrant city that inspires this restaurant, so they may gain some insight, inspiration and connection to the culture and vibe that they are representing here in DC. read more

Kicked the evening off with oysters, which you cant go wrong with. Known for the raw and hot oysters, the taste does not disappoint. Combine with the bread and you have amazing appetizers to begin the dinner. I ordered more food for the stable, starting with the jambalaya. The jambalaya was definitely not made in New Orleans. It was good but was lacking on the flavor. The delivery in the pot was different (maybe the salt was at the bottom of the pot). The ambiance is very classy. The space is rather large. There's an outside and an upstairs, in addition to the main dining area. The service was amazing. Each person I encountered had a smile on their face and were very courteous. The staff kept a steady stream of espresso martinis - which could have been done better. The batch made was too sweet in their keg. The one made by the Bartendar could have been a little more on the coffee side, but it was still nice and creamy. read more

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Really 4.5 stars. I'm impressed! Definitely worth checking out. Came here with a large group for my parent's anniversary and they were very accommodating! Service was great as was the food, everyone seemed happy with their orders. Steak tartare was some of the best I've had and the duck jambalaya for two was very good! Docking half a star because the duck breast in it was quite tough and difficult to cut even with a steak knife. The fat was also kind of chewy. But really great all around! I would be happy to come back! read more

I would rate Dauphines a 3.5/5. The restaurant was beautiful and very much felt like I was eating in New Orleans. There was live jazz music which was a nice touch, however, I do with they could've found black musicians to play. It would've made it much more authentic and enjoyable. The food was good overall. We really enjoyed the eggs Neptune. The Sweet Potato Pain Perdu was okay. The two sauces that went with the French toast were not good. Those with nut allergies, beware! Service was okay. read more

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There are definitely things to like about Dauphine's. The setting/decor has a steampunk feel and is in really impressive space with a huge multi-level, high ceiling, open space (with options for dining tables, high top tables, or bar seating). On Sundays, they also have live jazz music for brunch which is great! Unfortunately, while nothing I ate was bad, nothing was really great either, and the service was incredibly inattentive and slow (it took about 45 minutes for someone to take our main order, which might be a record for anywhere I've been). Course reviews below: 1) Brunch Basket (3.5/5) - Pretty solid tasting biscuits, banana bread, and scone, though nothing really felt creative/inventive, and they need to give way more butter and jam to spread around. 2) Pommes Dauphine (3.5/5) - These were interesting. I didn't expect the mushiness of the potato inside to dominate. I also liked the slightly crunchy shell consistency. My biggest issue though is that the cream cheese and pepper jelly sauce didn't really add much to the taste of the pommes and also were far too scant (similar to the butter and jam in the brunch basket). 3) Eggs Neptune (4.5/5) - These were a winner, as the amount of blue crab they give you is very generous. There needs to be more to this dish though in the form of some interesting sides, as otherwise this alone would not be filling at all as a main brunch dish. 4) Sweet Potato Pain Perdu (2/5) - Hmm, basically one piece of sweet potato brioche (essentially what looks like french toast) with a bit of syrup and pecans to dip it in for $18. So very not worth it. read more

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Enjoyed beef tartar and quail this evening. Fantastic tastes and presentation. Ambiance and decor are exactly what you want for lively and sophisticated dining. read more

This restaurant was so nice! Me and a friend checked this spot out for lunch. The decor is rich and gorgeous! We went on a Sunday and they had live jazz music which was so nice! If you plan to have heavy convo sit a little further away due to volume though. The food was A1 and the service was even BETTER. I highly recommend trying the oysters! Will be back! read more

Dauphine’s - A peak inside! - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Really nice atmosphere and the food is good. Remember the lunch menu is limited I do not expect the same as the dinner menu. I'd recommend this place to those who want a different flair. Expect to pay above average if you're going. Not a place to prop up for day drinking as thy can get expensive with their cocktail prices. But the food and service is spot on. Try the chilled crab claws! read more

Was in town for conference and wish I found this place before last night. Great service and food! I got there early for happy hour and had the Oysters Dauphine (3) followed up by the chicken liver mouse. Both were delicious and more than enough. If I get back to DC will definitely be back! read more

This place is just okay. The food lacks the "kick" of a traditional New Orleans food. However, the ambiance is wonderful and their outside bar is a really cool experience. read more

Great service from beginning to end. The hostess greeted us right away and offered to check my coat, which is a rare offering at these high end DC establishments. We were then led to our table where we met with our party and our server was prompt with greeting all of us. She offered sparkling or distilled water and did not assume tap for us all. We had tried their oysters, shrimp toast, bread assortment, and fried boudin balls for our appetizers. For dinner I had the scallop creole which was OK, it could have had more seasoning added. The service was 10/10, ambiance 10/10, food 8/10. read more

I knew we were off to a good start when our server cheerfully said, "We can do that." when I asked for the Pig ear salad without pig ears. She was attentive and helpful throughout the meal. The dishes we ordered: Pig ear (minus the ears) salad: An arugula salad with a pleasant confluence of flavors, including slivers of mirliton squash, pear, and Gouda with nuts. Cosmopolitan: A perfect, sophisticated blend, with a sliver of blood orange floating in it. I could tell that it was definitely made by a skilled mixologist. California Pinot Noir: My husband swirled and pronounced it excellent. Bread service: My favorite was the browned brioche. Crispy Fingerling Potatoes: A generous serving of sautéed sweet potatoes, mushrooms and nuts with étouffée sauce. The sauce was mild and tasty. Pommes Dauphine: A side of potato puffs Café Brulot Baked Alaska. Set aflame tableside! Complimentary pralines: A nice courtesy. I suppose it is the New Orleans tradition of lagniappe, a small gift from a merchant. All of the food was delicious. Ambience: It was a relaxing oasis, evocative of New Orleans, with jazz music, a wrought iron balcony and dim, romantic lighting. I definitely plan to return. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll! read more

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

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Super expensive, very small portions, tastes not for the palate of a Midwesterner. The dining area was elegant but not uncomfortably so for a business traveler. The service was fine, no complaints. Was not what I was expecting when I saw "seafood" restaurant. Was more like a French restaurant, which I like as well, but not what I was expecting. read more

Really nice place. Designed to match mic a New Orleans bistro. Having been to New Orleans this year I can attest to their attention to detail. We walked in on a Sunday for brunch and were seated immediately. Staff was attentive. We had mimosas that were excellent. I had the crab and eggs Benedict. Very good. Not too bad on the price either. Recommend. read more

Came here for happy hour and it was wonderful! Great drinks and food (try the oysters, smoked fish dip and mini muffuletta!), great atmosphere, and awesome friendly service behind the bar! We will most certainly be back! read more

While the service was impeccable and atmosphere was wonderfully cozy in only the way a classic Deep South bar can be, the food here simply fell flat. I joined a group of five others and had the benefit of trying a variety of dishes (couchon, oyster spaghetti, gumbo, scallops, quail, and four different desserts), and not a single one would I come back for, ESPECIALLY for the high price tag. I felt the same way about the cocktails (too much sugar and ice.) Both the dining room and patio were lovely, but unless you're trying to really impress a date with "vibes", don't bother. One final note, if you're looking for real New Orleans food, this ain't it. This is barely NOLA adjacent. read more

Didn't really enjoy the food here; the elements of the preparations just didn't work for my palate. While I appreciate creativity, reading the menu left me seeking something more classic, tried and true, than a rif on New Orleans food, especially at the elevated price points. The atmosphere was nice and thoughtful; the service could have been more genial and engaging. Probably a one but I gave them two; don't really think I'll go back. read more

Beautiful space.....great "date lighting." We were slated to be out on the patio which is fine if they had properly had it warmed and ready for outside guests, but they didn't. We ended up at the bar for dinner, which was fine. The oysters are some of the best I have ever had....and the puffed potato fries were nice with the bearnaise sauce. The scallops were a bit of a let down as I prefer a good brown char on a fresh diver scallop. Over all it was a nice experience, but I wasn't moved enough to want to spend this kind of money on food that I can cook better at home. read more

Giving this 2 stars for the atmosphere, it is beautiful inside. The food, however, is only good if you don't have any dietary restrictions. The menu is extremely limited if you have any intolerances such as gluten, dairy, vegetarian, etc. I am vegetarian and literally couldn't even eat the tomato salad because it had pork in it they wouldn't remove. Usually restaurants are accommodating and willing to make menu tweaks to help, not this one. Not only did they only have 1 dish (a plate of potatoes) that I could eat, but they were not helpful in finding creative ways to allow me to eat something. Hoping they make menu adjustments and there is hope to enjoy the restaurant in the future. Thanks! read more

We had a delicious dinner at Dauphine's! The service was exceptional and ambiance was trendy, classy with that Nola flare. We started with cocktails, bread service, and small plates. The biscuits were very good especially with the whipped butter and jam. The scallops crudo and oysters were very fresh and flavorful. I enjoyed my dirty rice and stuffed quail- so good! Highly recommend it with a side of their collard greens. The jambalaya entree was very good as well. My colleagues all loved their meals- the chicken and pork belly suckling pig entrees. Dessert was delicious. Definitely have to order the beignets and the cheesecake was very good and refreshing with the citrusy flavors. I would have liked some sort of chocolate dipping sauce though for the beignets. But overall, we had an amazing meal. Everyone was happy. They also have nice outdoor seating too. I would definitely recommend this place! read more

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Beautiful spot with great cocktails and good food. Service was also great. I'm from Louisiana and the gumbo was not my favorite (I acknowledge that I have a high bar for gumbo). I appreciate that they serve it with potato salad but the gumbo itself lacked spiciness or flavor, really. I'd pass on that. read more

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Came here to dine with my friend as we were intrigued by the Michelin rating. I ended up trying the 20-year-old pappy Van Winkle which was at a reasonable price and quite delicious. We ended up getting oysters and the bread platter which were delicious. I also got the pig ear salad which was quite good. I ended up getting a steak which was just okay for me. We also got the panna cotta which was okay as well. Our waiter was excellent very humorous and entertaining. Parking is on the street. If I was in the mood/area I would definitely come back again read more

Amazing service last night at Dauphine's. Last time I was here, it was opening week and there were a lot of kinks to work out. I'm glad I gave it another try during Restaurant Week. Number one highlight was service. Our server, Al, was great all around. Available when we needed him and never hovering. The bus team also was magnificent clearing dishes and offering to pack our leftovers. Amazing food and value for RW. We started with the gumbo and then enjoyed the crab-encrusted fluke and pork loin for our entrees. King cake was our dessert and as a self-proclaimed king cake snob, it was very good with a banana cream twist. Tonight's experience has placed Dauphine's in my rotation and I'm looking forward to experiencing their bar soon. read more

I visited DC for the first time in years & happened to stop into Dauphine's right when I got into town. I got there just in time for lunch; the muffuletta & collard green caesar were both phenomenal! The food & service was so great that I ended up going back the next day during dinner. I got oysters, the beet salad, and the pommes souffles. I was blown away by every dish I tried, lunch & dinner! On top of that, the service & cocktails were exceptional. Chris, the bartender, made excellent cocktail recommendations for everyone in our group, including an off-menu ask. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the DC area! read more

We actually ended up here by mistake. We meant to go to The Dabney but ended up making a reservation here and, since they charge you $60 for a reservation, we decided to eat here an not lose our money. To be honest the restaurant looks nice so we didn't think anything of it. A party of six, we walk I am ask for our table. Although there were plenty of open tables they said they could not sit us yet. So we sat at the bar to wait for our table and ordered a bottle of wine. The wine we ordered, amongst the most modestly priced on the menu, was pretty bad. It was passable but not much better than convenience store light bodied wine. Yet it was priced at $58. When we got to the table we asked the sommelier for a recommendation and ordered a Bordeaux for $86. This wine was decent quality, still you have to wonder why a decent wine should cost $86... When we started to order we realized that they don't bring bread to the table. Instead, the "bread service" was $10. Granted the bread was pretty good but the quantity was lacking. This set the tone for our dinner. Unfortunately, the theme for the night became the small portions, rather than the pretty good food. We ordered from their deli meat selection and it brought three measly salami slices and three bologna slices. The bread was the best thing we ordered. The rest of the food at the restaurant was an awkward fusion of varying cuisines that were more reminiscent of a five year old's strange ready make oven combination (think fish ice cream) than an actual chef's recipe. The entire menu beyond the bread, was haphazardly combined from what seems like a culinary nightmare. Weird rabbit dishes. Strange mackerel combinations. Extremely fatty beef cheeks with lean healthy fibrous legumes. But the reason this restaurant restaurant get one star is that my girlfriend who could not be drunk since she only had to glasses of wine - remember a party of six with two bottles - was harassed by the restaurant manager for putting her head down. In fact she had her head down because felt sick from the food that we were given and instead of asking what's wrong how can we help the lady comes and start touching and poking her saying that she cannot be like that in the restaurant. Bottom line offensive prices, horrible food, and horrendous service. In the end it seems like the small portions were the best thing. So we didn't torture ourselves eating the food. read more

Very cute decor and aesthetic. Unfortunately the food lacks salt and overall flavor. We had a charcuterie board with nduja, chicken liver moose and the bresaola which was fine and the scallop crudo. For our entrees we got the quail dish and the steak. Both lacked salt, and the steak was tough. We had split a bottle of wine and requested espresso martinis to finish our dinner. They didn't have espresso so they made it with coffee. When asked about how good the drinks we were honest and said they weren't great, so Tim, our server said "alright no point in drinking something you don't like, but I'm going to have to take them off the table". Which was odd, whenever I have been dissatisfied with something at most restaurants I've been immediately offered a replacement or it's just been taken off the check. Will not be coming back. read more