TL;DR: Delicious food! 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. read more

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The alligator soup lacked flavor to me. The shrimp and crawfish etouffee tasted the same as the alligator 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. read more

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I have ordered take out here multiple times before but this was my first time dining in. I have to give them 5 stars for consistency over the years as I can always count on the flavour and taste of my favorite dish here which is their crawfish etoufee. The red beans and rice was also delicious ! Dining in, we were well received, seated and offered lunch salads. Inside is spacious, quite nostalgic and comfortable atmosphere like a mom and pop shop. Large enough for large groups and small parties and also a seated bar area. There was one or two picky eaters and everyone was able to find something they enjoyed as the menu is quite large. I find the price perfect for the amount and quality of food received. This has been one of my favourite restaurants for creole food and will continue to be in the dmv area. read more

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Stopped in with a large group of women for dinner. The interior was cute with unusual artwork that begged a second look. Staff were friendly and welcoming. I ordered the smothered catfish and it was decent and flavorful. The brussel sprouts were amazingly flavorful and our server was responsive and friendly. read more

RT's Restaurant - FRIED BRUSSEL SPROUTS - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Had a really great experience here on Father's Day. The staff is great! The food is always hot and delicious!!! RT's is one of my favorite places for oysters. They are huge and have a great taste. read more

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We did our supper club here and had a great time! Service was extra friendly and wonderful. Food came out quickly and they were super accommodating. It's a very fish heavy menu, and as not the biggest fish fan, I didn't enjoy everything. However, my group loved it! A little expensive for some of the dishes but they're great for sharing. read more

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Great experience here! The restaurant vibe is relaxed and comfortable. Great for having a drink at the bar, date night, or just a casual outing with friends. Servers were extremely nice, helpful, and efficient. The food was outstanding! - Oysters three way was very tasty. My favorite was the Rockefeller. - Brussels sprouts were honey sriracha. Delicious, always a reliable flavor. - Shrimp and Grits were good but I wish it was grits and not the grits cake - the shrimp and crab etouffee was to die for. Best I have had for sure. Absolutely going back to try more of the menu! read more

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Amazing Creole, Cajun, and seafood spot in Alexandria! We enjoyed the smothered catfish, bread pudding, and cocktails. The lunch crowd was flowing in and out, but there was still street parking available. I loved the quick service, generous portions, and the smooth jazz/show tunes playing quietly in the background. They advertise their ability to host large groups, which I might take them up on this year. The atmosphere is a little dated with wood-paneled walls and black leather booths, but the Mardi Gras decorations made it feel festive. I'll be back! read more

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When I saw the dishes online, I immediately knew what to order. My goodness, what a burst of unique and authentic creole flavors. I got the jack daniel's shrimp and lump crab, the crawfish and shrimp beignets and the garlic parsley rice. Everything was amazing. My favorite dish was the crawfish and shrimp beignets. It was just an unexpected punch of spices and flavor with each bite. Even though it was my favorite, the texture was a bit different. And for the amount you spend, you don't get much of the jack daniel's shrimp and lump crab. But the sauce is something that will stay with you. The garlic and parsley rice was a hit too. As a tourist in the area, definitely a great way to start off the trip. I recommend giving this place a try. read more

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Very authentic cajun/creole restaurant with a huge menu of both food & drink options I came here with my GF and we started our experience with their complimentary bread. It was solid, but it would have been nice if the butter was a little softer so that it was easier to spread For drinks, I got a hurricane (which I polished off more quickly than I likely should have) and then followed it off with a guava fresca. Both were very tasty For food, I got a gumbo dish. It was very large (stuffed with lots of shellfish & meat), authentic, and delicious. My GF and I also split a slice of pie for dessert, and we really enjoyed it as well Prices are a little on the higher end, but that is understandable given the size of the portions & the amount of high quality meat & shellfish used in the dishes Service was very quick & attentive Both bar and table seating read more

RT's Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Although my recent visit was during Alexandria's Winter 2025 Restaurant Week ($30 3-course prix fixe menu), RT's has long been my year-round favorite go-to for Cajun specialities in the DMV - like the cup of she-crab soup and southern fried catfish smothered with a dark brown shrimp and crab étouffée. Indeed, I recently learned that RT's has been named among Forbes Magazine's top 50 Southern Restauants in the country! For this visit, I had a cup of the chicken and andouille sausage gumbo and the shrimp and crawfish étouffée. Both were served piping hot, with Tabasco on hand for those who are so inclined. With the bar tab (a strong shot of Wild Turkey neat and a draft Abita Amber) and tip it came to $65, and I had half of the étouffée for dinner the next day. Not a bad deal for Alexandria, Virginia. (Note also the restaurant is right across the street from the Birchmere Music Hall - Over the Rhine will be performing there later in February 2025!) I've been a fan for more than ten years, and service has been consistently excellent - not obtrusive but attentive; tolerant of kids and accommodating of those in need of accommodation. Prices, including bar prices, are well within the norm for the area, and daily specials are especially tempting. We'll be a party of six (three adults and boys 7, 5 and 3 years) for Mardi Gras this March 4, and I know I'll order the outstanding alligator stew as an appetizer and either the Trout Orleans or the very traditional crawfish étouffée, with Abita Amber and a shot of Wild Turkey. read more

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RT's is fabulous if you're really itching for a taste of New Orleans. The dining room is a little stuffy, but the food is excellent. I've enjoyed the gumbo, jambalaya, and crab cakes. It's worth a trip if you're in the area. read more

Heard about this place through some friends visiting and figured I'd try it out. We were greeted, seated, and our drink orders were put in/received pretty quickly. I can't remember the drink I had, but it was on the specialty list and had a cherry as a garnish (gotta do better at the pictures). For an appetizer, we had some amazing fried oysters (they also give complimentary bread), and I got the catfish and Brussels sprouts as my entree. I've been in the area for about 10 years, and this was probably the best catfish I've had. The crispiness and flavor of the catfish reminded me of a simpler time, and words cannot describe the brussel sprouts. I saw some other items on the menus that were calling my name, so I'll definitely be back. 10/10 would recommend. read more

RT's Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Amazing food, customer service, and authentic taste (the young female bartender is so kind and helpful).

Let's assume that the ranking scale for Cajun/creole restaurants was the New Orleans metro area itself; the best restaurants are in the CBD/quarter and the worst are in Baton Rouge. RT's would be in Metairie; pretty good for being 900 miles from NOLA, but probably can't compete with Commanders Palace. The inside is nice and cozy. When I went they were doing a $30 three-course special; one app, one entree, and one dessert. I chose gumbo, etouffee, and bread pudding. Again, everything was good for being 900 miles from New Orleans, but it was missing something. The gumbo was missing the smokiness you can only get from a slow-cooked roux, same with the etouffee. Also, the bread was good, but was definitely not NO French bread, which was disappointing in DC where you can get anything. Overall, a solid option though. read more

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Very authentic Creole food. My only wish was softer butter for the bread. Coconut Cake Melvin was amazing! Excellent service! Fast and friendly. Clean restaurant and family friendly ambiance. I would come back! read more

RT's Restaurant - Coconut Cake Melvin - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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This little stretch of Mt. Vernon Avenue is not a foodie hot spot, but RT's is the exception. We live in the area and thought we'd try it out. The style of food served here is not obvious from the outside; we were shocked at what we found. They claim to be the "best Creole and Cajun food outside of Louisiana!" Well, geaux there. You won't be disappointed. Great service and great food. read more

RT's Restaurant - Menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Home Sweet Home the food delicious the service is amazing and the ambiance gives me New Orleans Vibes BABY!! read more

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RT's, please stand up and take a bow, because you did the damn thing! My friend and I came here on Friday, 1/26/2024 at around 5:30pm. We did not have a reservation and when we arrived the restaurant only had a couple of tables seated. We were seated promptly and shortly after being seated someone brought us two waters. Our waitress, Stephanie, greeted us quickly, went over some menu details, pointed out their 3-course restaurant week/prix fixe (this is the correct spelling, look it up LOL) menu and made some recommendations. We both took her up on the restaurant week prix fixe menu and I ordered all of her suggestions, for my appetizer I got the chicken andouille gumbo, for my entree I got the 5 oz crab cake and for dessert I got the chocolate mousse. EVERYTHING was spectacular, the gumbo was so freaking meaty, hearty and well seasoned. The crab cake was ALL crab and no filler, it was moist and broiled to perfection. Listen to me when I tell you, I am not really a dessert fan, you will NEVER find me ordering dessert, I'm a savory over sweets girl, but the mousse was bomb! The mousse was not too sweet, perfect texture, and just yummy! Lastly the service, Stephanie was gReAt! Stephanie was personable, attentive, she checked in with us and asked us if it was okay to send in our entree order while we had our appetizers, which showed excellent customer service. She was grade A+. Additionally, there seems to be a team approach to service, someone else filled our waters, my water never went below half full, the manager (or possibly owner) took our check, when I tell you customer service was perfect, believe me please! I'm glad you read my review to the end, but get your booty up and check this spot out. I am already planning my next trip back! read more

I love finding restaurants that you weren't expecting to be a hit! I found RT's on accident. The restaurant is tucked away in a row of various shops on a busy block. There's a parking lot across the street for you to park. I ordered a shrimp poboy sandwich. Now the sandwich is typically only served at lunch times. The restaurant wasn't very busy so they let me go ahead and place the order. The sandwich was great. It also came with an order of homemade shoestring French fries. By the time I got home they were not as hot or crispy as they probably were when I got them. I also ordered the chicken and andouille gumbo. The gumbo is served over rice. The portion size was good and I was also given some bread which I enjoyed dipping in the gumbo. read more

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Creole in DC? I was a bit skeptical but even more intrigued to check this place out. I came in on a Saturday afternoon and we were seated pretty quickly. The staff was friendly and helpful since it was our first time visiting. We ended up getting the mussels, chicken & andouille sausage gumbo (cup size), and the shrimp & crab etouffee. Everything was good but if you've had creole food in New Orleans, it won't be the best you've ever had. I think it's decent if you have a fix for creole food - overall rate the food 3.5/5. FYI: street parking is limited so check out the parking across the street. read more

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We walked right in on a Sunday evening at just the right time to be seated immediately & then the people just kept coming. Don't be fooled by the location - not being from the area we had no idea what to expect but also being hungry after an 8 hour drive to our VRBO we were ready for dinner - the ambience was "interesting" decorated for Easter like a kids place was a bit much. But the food! We had catfish & the fried oysters - cooked perfectly with so many shoestring fries we couldn't eat them all. Would have liked a larger portion of the coleslaw as it was pretty tasty but a super small serving. Top it all off with the sweetest wait staff - attentive & very responsive. read more

This place has great reviews and my bf decided to bring me here for a lunch date. We showed up and it's a very small and quaint restaurant. I didn't look it up, but it gives off the vibe that it's been there for years. It was pretty empty when we got there but a few older couples popped up as we sat there. Service was good/quick and the food was overall pretty good. I got steak and frites because I'm not a huge seafood lover but always open to trying it. If this place did a building refresh it would probably be 5 stars all the way. While we were there we ordered adult beverages. In one of the pictures, you can see the margarita my bf ordered. Well it apparently looks just like their lemonade. While we were there a family came in (with children) and she was carrying our second round of drinks with their order of drinks and as she got to our table, she said "shit" and looked as the glasses as if she was trying to recall which one was the margarita. Successfully she handed him the margarita and he of course tasted it immediately! It was right, but still a funny moment that could have happened to anyone. read more

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The ambiance is alright. It's not a super upscale or classy looking spot if that's what you're looking for. It's more of an old timey (mom and pop) feel restaurant. Some would say it has character. There were a lot of older grandparent looking folks there as well. I did a walk-in and he said there were no tables available. So if you're trying to go, set up a reservation in advance or you might have to sit at the bar. I sat at the bar but no one noticed me and I was the only person at this very small bar. I had to get up and ask someone to assist me. The service once I got assistance was okay. They were decently quick with bringing things out. Gratuity is included in your bill FYI it's 20%. The food was good. It didn't blow my mind, but it was delicious. I would say they don't season the broiled Jumbo lump crab very much. They just give you old bay at your seat on the side and tar tar sauce. The appetizer - the Jack Daniel's shrimp and lump crab was really good. The shrimp was a bit rubbery so slightly over cooked, but the sauce was delicious. For $14 it's a very small appetizer but maybe you're paying for the crab? There MKP for the lump crab cake entrees were $39. That's a standard amount and does come with two sides. Tips: There's street parking but not a ton of it and random garages behind building Make reservation in advance Tip included and it's 20% read more

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I can't believe it's been three years since my RT's review. This place is still so good. I recently got takeout to celebrate a special occasion, and the meal lived up to all my expectation. I ordered the gumbo and the imperial etoufee, both of which were delicious. The portions are well sized and easily fed two people plus a bit of leftovers. The seasoning is outstanding, from the main dishes themselves to the rice. It reminded me of visiting New Orleans. Sometimes I see my old reviews and lament how places have changed, closed, or faltered. Not RT's. The food remains outstanding, and I'll definitely be back. read more

Good food and good service a nice local restaurant. Chill music and great New Orleans food. Would recommend.

RT's Restaurant was amazing!!! It looks like an old neighborhood bar on the inside but the food is unbelievable and the beer was ice cold. I have the She Crab Soup (creamy and full of crab) and the Crab and Crawfish Imperial. It was so good!!! read more

3.5 stars. Been wanting to try to this place due to the authentic cajun/creole food they served. I tried the gumbo and the shrimp etouffee. The etoufee was definitely my favorite, the rue was very flavorful and overall the dish tasted great. The gumbo was pretty decent it. The seafood and a sausage were good. I wish the broth was just a tad less watery. Unfortunately there was a small hair in it. They immediately took it away, removed it from our check and comped us with free drinks and dessert which was nice. Place had has a very home feel and services was nice, especially management. Overall some hits and misses. read more

Service was quick and the cocktails were pretty good. The food left a lot to be desired generally under seasoned and was disappointed that they decided to have pork in every charbroiled oyster dish. When I asked the waiter if they could do any of the charbroiled oysters without pork I was told know because they he filled was all ready "wrapped". We also had a jack Daniel's shrimp dish that came with a cream sauce. Didn't taste any resemblance of Jack Daniel's in it . Had a branzino Dish it was ok had to add a lot of salt and pepper. Not sure where there version of creole / cajun food is from but it's certainly not New Orleans. read more

RT's Restaurant - Jack Daniel's shrimp and Charbroiled oysters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The best seafood--especially the crab stuffed shrimp and she-crab soup. We love the way the staff goes all out decorating for every holiday. Looking forward to Valentines Day and St Patty's day. FUN. read more

my fiancé and I came to this establishment yesterday after looking for some good she crab soup in the northern Virginia area. As many times as we have been in Alexandria we have never heard or been to this restaurant before. After parking we walked in and waited a few minutes before we were greeted but were seated soon after that. Our waiter (an Asian gentleman) was friendly and explained the menu and his favorites very well! We decided to get the calamari for an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised that it was fresh and not those frozen ring only kind and came with an awesome remoulade sauce. For entrees we decided on the soft shell crab that comes with a salad and side of your choice. 1st let me say the crabs are HUGE! we honestly could of shared 1 entrée between the two of us! The taste was absolutely amazing and had a lot of meat. I Also had the soup which wasn't the best I ever had but with some additional seasoning is definitely worth ordering with the lump crab that is in it. Overall, we will definitely be back to this restaurant! The plates that we saw others ordering like the gumbo and crab cakes definitely looked appetizing also. I misused one star just due to the unwelcoming nature of the lady who seated us that was behind the bar. She seemed to have opened up and became friendly be time we left but it is a little off putting when you first walk into a restaurant for the first time. read more

Excellent creole and cajun dishes. Oysters and catfish are the best in the area. Great service and decent street parking.

This place appears to be located in a rough part of Alexandria. Upon entry its a older place and alpt of local drug addicts and alcoholics seem to stroll in and out of there. That should have been my sign to turn around but because of all the great reviews I stayed. I got the blackend scallops to start which was way softer and Chewier than I'd prefer didn't taste fresh. I then got the shrimp and crab etoufee. It tasted like can gravy , frozen mini shrimp that was in the freezer to long. Overall didn't really enjoy my time there. The service was nice though. read more

RT's Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Good was delicious and the staff were friendly and helpful. The area is in an older neighborhood

I will give this great place a 4.5. The service, atmosphere and the food all great. Very flavorful and a true Cajun kick. Hard to find a place in VA like this. read more

Delicious seafood pasta! The kids menu was also good with big servings (Mac and cheese was very good). The service was excellent and had a good ambiance. read more

This restaurant is amazing! I went for my birthday dinner and the food, customer service was 10 out of 10. I will definitely be going back!! read more

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Bearer of bad news.... Great restaurant but for the price I shouldn't be disappointed with the food. The food was okay so I won't return. The drink was delicious and the service was great!! read more

RT's Restaurant - Raspberry martini - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Gumbo hands down, the best! Their gumbo and She Crab soup is what gave them the 4 stars! Both were amazing and the flavor was on 10! If you are from the South and love gumbo, come here! This is going to be one of the closest you will ever get to Louisiana. I have tried almost every place that claims to be cajun and we have found the winner on Gumbo. Now, the red beans and rice, I am not a fan. Definitely just tastes like canned red chili beans. They should also consider a different type of rice, maybe parboiled or jasmine to go with it. The catfish was fried perfectly, but really lacked seasoning and flavor. The tartar sauce was so delicious. I could have taken a jar and brought it home with me. So the tartar sauce definitely gave the fish the flavor it needed! Go try them out, I saw several other things on the menu I want to try when I return. Definitely going back. read more

RT's Restaurant - Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Yummy dinner: we had etoufee and the salmon with corn marque chouxe (sp?). Both were delicious and very authentic tasting.