Our experience at Rappahannock was one for the books. Our server, Ryan, was amazing; attentive with a great, friendly personality. Our food was to die for! Our selections from the raw bar, Olde Salt and Rappahannock Oysters, and their Fish and Scallop Ceviche, was so fresh it was like plucking them out of the river. The Pork Cut was juicy and delicious, and the charred vegetables that came with it were divine. Overall, a fantastic experience that we cannot wait to enjoy again! read more

Rappahannock - Ceviche, Pork Cut - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Best. Oysters. Ever. Happy hour (Sun-Thurs 4.00-6.00) 1/2 off oysters (about $1.00-.1.35 ea.) The dining room can fill up fast. read more

My husband and I received a gift card as a wedding present, so we decided to celebrate our two month wedding anniversary here. The server was really nice and we ordered the ceviche for appetizer really nice but very small portion. Our main dish the bouridde was also delicious. Yes, it is a bit overpriced, but I must say that the food and service were great...coming back for our third month... read more

This place was fantastic!!! The staff was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was cozy. Loved the smell of the wood fire grill. We were in RIchmond for our anniversary, and I am so glad we stopped here. Not only were the oysters fresh and yummy, and the craft beer selection on point....our bartender Hootan, shared his list of can't miss places in the area. We had such a good experience on Friday that we came back Saturday. Our favorite oyster was the Rochambeau. read more

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Great hospitality but the food was very overpriced for little portions. Also the taste of the food was very weird and nothing worked well. Everything seemed over complicated. read more

Rappahannock - $17 for this - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That is the word that describes Rappahannock. YAAAAAASSS! A group of us went for dinner. We got 2 oysters each. 1 grilled and 1 raw... so fresh, perfectly shucked, and comes with the fixings! We then got the tuna tar tar and the tomato salad. So good. All the flavors worked perfectly together and it was absolutely delicious. I got the yellow fin tuna for dinner. And boy was I happy I got that! Several people walking by the table actually asked what it was because of how dang delicious it looked.. and it tasted even better! We then got the cobbler to split. It was peach and blueberry! That was the perfect way to end the evening. I was 150% happy with my meal and I plan on coming back. read more

Rappahannock - Yellow fin tuna - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Went for mothers day out with the fam. The oysters they have are really good HOWEVER, they are extremely small and very hyped up on the price (half a dozen baked oysters for close to $18). They were not even a full bite size, but still served its purpose. Our server (forgot his name, tall guy with a big beard) was excellent. He explained the menu perfectly to us to choose the best possible entree to go with. The wood grilled scallops are absolutely phenomenal, probably the best version of scallops I have tasted. 4 stars because of the prices for some of the small items on the menu. read more

Food was flavorful and the combinations were complimentary however the service was lacking. Sitting for 30 minutes with dirty plates in front of us. Waitress disappeared for long periods of time even though the restaurant was half empty. Dessert, crème brûlée was served in a half full 1/2" dish with sugar in the raw on top barely torched so I was eating a spoonful of sugar granules with a little flavor of brûlée. 3 stars for entree taste and presentation but the 3 stars was generous. read more

Came here tonight with my girlfriend for dinner and we both left extremely happy with the food and the service. They were able to seat us immediately at a table and our server was awesome, I wish I remembered his name to give him a shoutout. I ordered the steak and my girlfriend ordered the whole fish which was snapper. My steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare and everything on the plate tasted incredible and complimented the meat perfectly. My girlfriends dish was also really good. The fish tasted amazing and so did the rice. The almond slaw(?) on top was my favorite part of that dish. The only thing we didn't like too much was the kale that came with the fish, but it didn't taste terrible or anything, just not our favorite. We also started off our meal with half a dozen oysters which were some of the best tasting oysters I've had in a very long time. We also ordered the sub Rosa bread and it was the perfect thing to get while waiting for your main course. I love that this place likes to get locally sourced produce and meat, and the servers know where it all comes from and let you know. I definitely recommend this place to anybody looking for a nice, more upscale dining experience, or if you're trying to get a drink and eat a shameful amount of oysters. read more

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Went here on recommendation of some friends. The ambiance is very good and the service is great. The food was not even mediocre. I am vegetarian and although they were able to find a vegetarian dish for me, it was severely under seasoned and just lacked flavor. My friends who all eat fish were also disappointed. The food per them was very salty. Some of them were unable to finish their food due to the saltiness. This is extremely disappointing given that it is a very expensive place. The oysters were okay. These kind of oysters can be found at other places too. I will not be returning. Very disappointing dinner. read more

Let's start with everything was fine. Just fine. But when I'm paying $40 for 18 oysters that I could easily get at another place for $20-30 max??? Unacceptable. We went here because of Mother's Day and my mom really wanted to try this place. My little sister is not a big fan of seafood however and we assumed that there would be an entree or something off the kids menu she would enjoy. Alright everyone, kids menu is STRICTLY if you're 12 and under. But they had no seafood free entrees available. Makes sense. Additionally they had no lighter fare seafood so my dad requested the grilled shrimp and rice off the kids menu as well. We were told because of the "holiday weekend" (this is 6pm on Sunday) that they were rationing the items from the kids menu. So basically they had premade all these items include the seafood items available on the kids menu (can anyone say food poisoning??????). The manager did agree to give my little sister the grilled cheese but instead told my dad to get the paella (which was WAYY more expensive and had many other things that he does not like). Additionally we forced to sit at the bar even though my little sister is under 21 because they claimed they had no tables for 4 available any time soon. Yet on my way to the bathroom as soon as we arrived I passed one table of 4 that was totally clear and another table that was being cleared. Lastly, the salad I ordered which was supposed to have only apple and cheese in it also had small chunks of oranges in it?? Which I'm allergic to?? So that was fun. Although the bathrooms were gender neural which was a lovely touch there were literally bugs in the bathroom??? That's cool. Overall it was a lovely place but far too overpriced for what they provide. In the area just go to Wong Gonzalez or pasture. Or if you want oysters that bad go to burger Bach. They have a much wider variety of oysters and seafood free and vegan options. We will not be returning. read more

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I was craving oysters for a while so decided to get some ! The service was good efficient and quick ! I highly recommend and I will definitely go back ‍ read more

Rappahannock - Oysters Mix - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Visited: multiple times over the past 2 years Rappahannock is by far my favorite place to go for oysters and drinks in Richmond but I personally haven't had a great experience with the entrees or appetizers (including the granita and baked oysters.) I've tried a few of both and none of them seem to be on point with their flavor profiles. With that being said, I still think that there is no other place that offers the quality of oysters that Rappahannock had to offer along with a crew of amazing bartenders. There is always a selection of fresh oysters that range in salinity and flavor profiles but personally, the Rappahannocks are my favorite. They're more plump and much sweeter than others. I have had times where my oysters aren't fully shucked or there are bits of shell, which can be irritating, but as long as you watch out for those things, the oysters are amazing and the one thing keeping me visiting regularly. The ambience is also great throughout the day- there are great windows to let in light with seating options that are more secluded as well- perfect for any occasion! I would highly recommend going to Rappahannock or Rapp Session next door, especially during happy hour! read more

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Went here for drinks and dinner with coworkers tonight. I definitely recommend the ruby red cocktail, although they have an extensive wine list too! Their Cesar salad was great and I enjoyed the ceviche too! I'll be back to try some of their other dishes. My coworker got the grilled fish and it looked really good! read more

An excellent example of a downtown restaurant! A limited menu of fresh items with a local theme. We had grill Monk fish and egg noodles with clams. Both were great and the place has a relaxing atmosphere. read more

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We went for the first time last night after waiting for it to re open after covid. The meal was really excellent, oysters were fantastic. The manager actually came out to apologize to us for a delay between the appetizers and entrees and we didn't even notice there was a delay- they were really attentive and on top of everything. Looking forward to coming back soon. Oysters and Brussels were great starters and octopus and scallops large plates were both excellent. read more

Rappahannock - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My husband arrived before I did and as I was taking my jacket off the bartender asked me what I wanted? I said please give me just a minute to look at the menu. Ten minutes later after he had not returned (and neither did any one else) we caught his eye and he put up a finger to tell us to hold on and went over to a party of 5 or 6 people at the bar who came up to the bar from a table AFTER we sat down and started pouring them shots. We would have left then, however it was raining and I did not want to go back out looking for another restaurant in the rain. I asked him for the glass of wine I wanted and he said we don't have that. We left. Just not a great experience. read more

My friend and I came in on a Saturday around 7 the place wasn't very busy but we sat at the bar and ordered a dozen oysters and the ceviche. It took 30 mins to get the oysters and there were broken shells in it. The ceviche had no flavor. The bartender was good about everything but I got the sense from their excuse about the back of house that this was normal. For a restaurant that is supposed to be a part of the oyster industry 30 mins for shucked oysters with bits of shell in them is ridiculous. read more

Beware - this place is NOT a bargain by any means. If you have more than a couple people in your party it will be quite expensive. However, it was undeniably good and I think most everything on the menu is not what the (above) average person would make at home. My "fisherman stew" was excellent. But, if you are like me and appreciate good meal at a reasonable price then this might not be your best choice. read more

We had the opportunity to eat at Rappahannock last Thursday. The service was wonderful and we enjoyed the food. We asked the waitress what was her favorite. Oysters are the number 1 food but my lady colleagues from the Midwest were squeamish on the notion of me eating oysters so I bypassed that reluctantly. She then recommended the monkfish. I had not had it before and she said it was similar to mahi mahi. I love mahi mahi which you will see from my review in Hawaii. So we ordered the monkfish and paella. The monkfish was cooked in blackened form and was served with wheat berries? I had not had either before and was delighted at both. It was like eating chocolate for the first time. I wanted more. I highly recommend it. The table next to us had the octopus and oysters. I was envious. They scarfed them down like there was no tomorrow. On the downside I would skip the paella. Having had paella in Barcelona I have not found anything that comes close in the USA. This version was far from it. The ceviche was made with grapefruit versus lime or lemon. It was different and ok. Listen to the waitress. Oysters, octopus and monkfish and you will be happy campers! I definitely would go back again. read more

I attended a private event at the Rappahannock restaurant this evening. The food was of good quality and the drinks were delicious with a good selection. The private space was small but served our purpose well. The oysters really were delicious! read more

Rappahannock - Oysters - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Had high hopes for this seafood centric restaurant The things that saved the restaurant were the drinks and our waitress who was super nice. We ordered 4 of each of the different types of oysters they had which were yummy! We also ordered the grilled octopus, the oysters and pearls, paella and bread. The octopus was really well cooked; very tender almost melt in your mouth which I never thought I'd describe octopus like that. The paella was very odd - the rice tasted unseasoned which true paella has incredibly flavorful rice. Our bread wasn't cooked through so it was raw dough. We let them know and I'm not sure what they tried to do to fix it but it certainly wasn't fixed and it came back out raw again. I probably should give them another shot but it was too pricey to try again. read more

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Amazing fresh oysters and food. Plenty of variety in food choices and drinks. Great date night spot and waiting staff. Would definitely recommend! read more

Rappahannock - Variety of oysters - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We dined here in December '22. At that time, the Olde Salt oysters were outstanding; the wood-grilled octopus was excellent; and the bread and cheese plate was so good my wife asked our server for the recipe for the compound butter. It was a great dining experience. Not so on May 12: the octopus was overcooked to the point of being inedible; the bread and cheese plate was basically a couple slices of toast, a few pieces of cheese, and no butter. The ONLY redeeming dish was the oysters. To be fair, our dining companions said the hamburgers were very good. read more

Okay, as stated in my Yelp nickname, I'm a picky pescatarian. So naturally that puts me in a pretty weird spot going into a seafood restaurant known for its raw bar. However, Rappahannock won me over with its diverse menu, casual-cool ambience, and fantastic service. Some friends and I made reservations for dinner on a Sunday night, and we were happily greeted and shown to our table. Our waitress was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable from the start, as she patiently answered our questions (some were raw oyster newbies) and described in detail what "bourride" was. We got started with some drinks (great beer selection, and prosecco on draft!) and some small plates: one couple tried the oyster soup which was apparently as delicious as it smelled, and we ordered several of the raw oysters as well. Though i wasn't brave enough for that yet, the feedback was quite positive. As for entrees, our table ended up with a seafood cassoulet special, two tilefish specials, the grilled shrimp dish, the rockfish brandade, and the rockfish and oyster bourride. I had the bourride, and it helped me overcome my dislike of fennel and got me to try oysters (cooked, though). Though I was not a huge fan of the oysters (the texture is not my thing), the rest of the dish was fantastic: a light, flavorful broth, thinly sliced potatoes, and sweet large chunks of rockfish served with grilled bread and a poached egg to top it all off. Reviews from the rest of the diners were glowing as well, and the presentation of all the dishes was very nice -- so nice I took pictures of them all. When we go again I'll probably get the brandade just because I had no idea that it would be a mashed-potatoes-like fish dish with bread, which is an unbeatable combo for me. After another glass of prosecco/beer each, my friends opted to split some desserts: the cobbler and the cheese plate. I tried a bite of the cobbler -- good, but nothing special. We wrapped things up, and our server brought the checks. She'd split the desserts three ways across the three couples, not realizing it was really more of a two-way split. We asked her to adjust our bills, which she gladly did, and we bid her and the friendly bartender adieu. SO: I had a lovely time at Rappahannock on all fronts. I tried new and "exotic" foods and even liked most of them! I enjoyed learning from and talking to our waitress. I paid less than $60 for three drinks and two seafood entrees. And I will definitely be headed back. read more

Rappahannock - Rockfish brandade, tilefish, grilled shrimp, rockfish and oyster bourride, and the seafood cassoulet. - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The quality of seafood alone is fantastic & deserving of 5 stars. Oysters on happy hour - honestly that's the highlight and 100% worth it. Ask your waiter for some suggestions on salinity & brine . The fact that they have prosecco on tap is enough for me but happy hour beer cans & cocktails aren't bad either. Since it was a splurge night we did try a few small plates, tuna crudo & catch of the day ceviche both of which were packed with flavorful and delicious. We also tried the apple cobbler which was a good sized portion with thin sliced apples & a buttery crumble ontop. I think the prices were just a hair expensive but it IS downtown and it's not so much that it'd prevent me from coming back. The service was outstanding and the next time I'm in the mood for seafood, this is where I'll be heading. read more

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One of those places that I tried because I was simply craving raw oysters, but I'll probably never go back. No major complaints but nothing to really rave about either. (My date and I) we started with a mixture of various raw oysters in a half shell. The vinaigrette that accompanied them was odd, just stick to the horseradish and lemon. I went with the Monkfish in a Lemongrass- Coconut milk sauce. Very good, but to me the star of the dish were the mushrooms, not the fish itself. We decided to go with dessert and I went with the more savory option of the three cheese plate. We were dining a bit late so they ran out of the third cheese for my plate, and optioned to serve two larger portions. Again, the main draw of the plate was outshone by the side. I would buy a big jar of the house made chutney that appeared in a small dollop along with the cheese. I left satisfied but it missed that craving to go back and try more options. The atmosphere is great for a post-work drink and raw oysters at the bar with some coworkers. read more

The food was very good. The service however was not. We sat at the bar and watched the oysters being shucked. Although we enjoyed conversation with the Oyster guys, after being served the waiter forgot about us. He never came back to supply drink refills or check to see if we needed anything. read more

This restaurant appears to be very posh and classy, but the menu was limited, the service was less than stellar, and the flavoring of the food was mediocre. I ordered the oyster chowder and it was ok. It tasted like something I could whip up myself at home, just average really. I had the apple cobbler for dessert and it tasted doughy and way too milky. I didn't finish it. My friend had the baked oysters and didn't like them. Our waiter seemed rushed and distracted and we had to constantly ask for assistance from another waitress. I will not come here again. read more

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Fantastic meal! This was probably in my top 5 favorite dinners I've ever had. I had made reservations for 730pm and we were seated at 732pm. No complaints there! Started off with a couple cocktails. Both were gin based, can't remember the names - but delicious none the less. One had muddled mint and Thai chili. Nice little kick. For appetizer we had the oysters and pearls and the octopus. The oysters were fine, for those that don't know, Rappahannock oysters are NOT briney at all. I personally like the briney taste of oysters, so just a heads up. The octopus was amazing. I recently had some octopus in Hawaii, and this rivaled it. Fresh, not chewy, fantastic flavor. Try it. Main course was the lamb and whole grilled fish. I can't say enough good things about both dishes. I was in pure heaven with each bite. Desert was coconut sponge cake with a homemade marshmallow. It was very good, but I would have loved to have had ice cream with it. Still wanting more we asked for the chocolate torte. This one came with a house made basil ice cream. Again - just delicious. Overall, just an amazing experience from start to finish. Loved it. read more

Rappahannock - Oysters and pearls and octopus. - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Richmond knows how to have an oyster bar. My husband and I love oysters. We've been to wonderful oyster bars all over the east coast including Savannah, Charleston, and Florida. NOTHING compared to the ones we had last night. Seriously, this place is $$$ but well worth it. We started off with a round of oyster shooters prepared by Stephanie. Imagine the Bloody Mary of your dreams with a beautiful large sized oyster inside. It really was wonderful. I wish it was sold by the pint. I opted for two oyster shooters instead of a shooter and a cocktail. My SIL thoroughly enjoyed her old fashion We also ordered oysters and pearls and escargot. I've never had so well prepared delicious oysters. The granita was different and refreshing. Really cut the typical oyster brinyness Thank goodness my in laws live in RVA because I cannot wait to come back read more

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I have been wanting to try this place ever since I saw it and looked it up on Yelp to see how good this place was. We arrived when service was just starting and were seated close to the entrance and the bar. The bar is the centerpiece of the place, but there's good spacing between tables so we weren't on top of others. The Food. -Oyster trio (pictured) I believe we tried the Rappahannocks, the Witch Ducks (?), and the Olde Salts. I really enjoyed the Witch Ducks or whatever was in the middle of my trio the most. To be honest, it has been awhile since I've had such good oysters that I enjoyed it all! I'm kinda craving for some as I type this. I know the oyster availability changes over time, but just try one of each at least for a starter! -Rockfish and cat oyster bourride (pictured) I had no idea what a bourride is to begin with, but this caught my eye since I saw poached egg. I love runny yolk. The waitress had to warn me that this would be more on the soupy side and she was right. It came as a soup with toasted bread and poached egg on top. I think I need directions on how to eat this elegantly or not so awkwardly since I had no idea what to do. It's definitely a dish to enjoy on a cold day. Also, a bit of a head scratcher, but maybe I just need directions on how to eat this? Still, I love the rockfish and oysters in this dish. Broth was very flavorful! -Apple Cobbler (pictured) So the big finish to our meal! This took awhile to come to our table, but we soon found out why. This thing had to be made from scratch. It was soooooo goooooood! Hot cobbler and ice cream.... my friends and I were scooping it as fast as we could to enjoy it all. The Service. Our waitress was super helpful in offering suggestions and explaining the origins of the place. She also made a point to tell us on what order to eat the oysters to enjoy the range of flavors. There were also a bunch of people from the wait staff to the people that were so kind enough to offer to take pictures of my friends and I since it would be our last time together. Can't beat that kind of service! Overall, I love that there's a seafood place in Richmond that's legit. I'm from the beach and the oysters have me coming back. Plus the friendly service is exceptional! PS. Ladies, you may end up leaving this place smelling like leaving a campfire. Plan accordingly. read more

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Go for Happy Hour. You can get $1 oysters and clams (as many as you like!) as well as properly made Sazeracs and other speciality cocktails. Their oysters are big and beautiful. Three types on the menu on this particular visit, ranging from milder to briny. I like the briny and enjoyed two dozen of them before the evening was over. read more

Service extremely slow, menu had strange options, pork dish was okay, fish was also just okay, burger was weirdly good

My first visit was last Friday night - arrived with a date around 7pm with no reservation. Was surprised to see the bar almost empty, but also glad that we didn't have to wait. The drink I ordered was phenomenal - the El General. (in fact I blogged about it - check out my blog!). I tried oysters - Rappahannocks & old salts. This was my third attempt to like oysters, having failed miserably two other times when I was younger. I absolutely loved them. Delicious & I can't wait to go back! read more

Rappahannock - The El General Cocktail. - Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Food was fantastic. Greatly appreciated the wine recommendations as well. Would highly recommend!

First time in Richmond, and decided to check this out. Made a reservation on OpenTable, and we were promptly seated when we arrived. It's new (3 weeks old), and amazing! 1) Great ambiance with dim lighting and spacious seating. 2) Great, GREAT service. Our server, Alex, was extremely thoughtful with all our requests and kept up with my mom's hot water refills without needing any reminders. She made several suggestions that definitely pushed the meal from excellent to foodie nirvana. The manager Daniel stepped out to say hello, and his friendliness and enthusiasm made this already great experience - exceptional. Props! 3) WOW the food. Several pictures to be posted soon. To start with, I had two raw oysters (yes you can order separately and not just a half dozen). They have 3 types- Rappanahook, Witch Duck, and Olde Salt - in order of briny-ness. Loved the Witch Duck and Rappanahook, will have to try Olde Salt next time. For entrees, I had the Whole Grilled Fish, which was so fresh and well-prepared that my mother stole several bites across from me - and she never does that. My mother had the Olde Salt Clams & House-made Pancetta, which i stole a bite of, and that was flavorful and wonderful too! Great to pair with our glasses of Verdelho white wine. We didn't want the dinner to end, and so we ordered the Buttermilk Panna Cotta...so stuffed!!!! If I visit Richmond again, I will definitely be back! :) read more

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Went in with high hopes because of how busy it was. Server was extremely helpful and appetizers were amazing. Then we got our main course, which was absolutely awful. I have never had scallops that were drenched in a sweet maple or honey tasting sauce with slices of pineapple. It was so unbelievably confusing. Then I look over at my husband's dish which looked like a complete mess. The only thing on that plate that was edible was the pork, which was surprisingly good. But they put so many different components that didn't even make sense. Fava beans, cinnamon candy chunks, tomatoes, caramelized WHOLE onions, and greens. The plate was so cluttered. We left confused at what we just ate. The only saving grace was their service and the oysters and ceviche. I think they should rethink their main courses because I'm still confused on what I just ate. read more

I wanted to like this place. I grew up summering on the Rappahannock river. Arrived earlyish for dinner. Sat at the bar. I was served a glass of wine fast enough, even though the serving seemed small. After being asked if I was eating dinner, I was given a menu, and then the the two bartenders avoided eye contact for 10 minutes! I had to finally speak up with one right in front of me that I was ready to order. Bread is $4 extra, I ordered that along with Pan Seared Fish. The fish itself was great and cooked superbly, but the accompanying vegetables were just ok. They did not bring the bread out, I had to remind them 5 minutes later. It was fine, just not worth $4. Oh, and the whole place was smoky from the wood fired grill. Like, really smoky. My clothes smelled like I had been at bbq. All in all, not worth the price paid ($32 entree) and the service was indifferent. read more

After some oysters and a cocktail next door, we moved over to Rappahannock to a wonderful meal. Based on the bartenter reccomendation from Rapp Session, I ordered the Yellowfin Tuna. I usually find most restaurants overcook tuna but I didn't have to worry here. It was just right with unusual sides of turnips and a black garlic sauce. Other favorites are the oysters, of course, the grilled octopus and prawns. They have an excellent wine and beer list and service is professional but not intrusive. We don't come as often as I would like because it is often too busy and I prefer or more relaxed atmosphere but when we get there at the right time, Rappahannock is a really special place. read more