Absolutely amazing food! Service is always outstanding! I got the specialty pasta of the day, which had shrimp, crab and mussels! You should also try the she crab soup!! Overall the restaurant and food are outstanding! read more

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

Another great trip to RT's! My favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. The spicy crawfish with red beans and rice were perfect, as was the pecan crusted haddock. Check this place out, it's the best! read more

RT's Restaurant - Spicy Pecan Crusted Haddock - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

I am almost ashamed to admit that I have lived in Alexandria for almost two years now and this past Saturday was the first time I've dined at RT's! The travesty of it all! Before we discuss the food, service, and decor, I must dedicate a few lines of this review to their WINE LIST. Folks, RT's has an incredibly respectable and extremely affordable wine list. You would be remiss to not even review their wine list because whomever chose the wines to include on their menu clearly knew what they were doing, probably tasted most if not all of the wines, and went through a very selective process in doing so. For a nondescript, old school, creole restaurant, I was speechless when I perused their wine menu. First off, you will not get a bad glass of wine here. It is nearly impossible. The wine menu was curated so well that even the cheapest glass will be head and shoulders better than a mid-priced glass elsewhere. Second, they sourced the wine from regions all over the world including of course California, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile. I found some incredible bottles of wine like Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet for only $89. Is that right? Can you buy a bottle of Silver Oak at a restaurant for the same price as at a fine wine store? Am I in the Twilight Zone? I also found some extremely hard to find Central Coast California wines like Tobin James and a Byron Pinot Noir. They also have a bottle of Duckhorn Merlot 2010, which was a very reasonable $68. There were also some bargains like the Santa Julia Reserve Malbec for just $34 a bottle. Wow. The whites were equally impressive and I won't extend this review too much longer as you get the idea. But damn, well done RT's sommelier! The food was surprisingly good here as well. While the prices are getting close to upscale, with most entrees in the low-mid $20 range, they come in respectable portions and I found my meal to be quite tasty. I ordered the broiled crab cake, which I enjoyed. The crab cakes were large almost 1/3 lb burger patty size and had tons of fresh lump crab meat. The cake was not over seasoned or over cooked and I found the texture to be quite soft with a slightly crispy exterior. While they weren't the best I have ever had, I wasn't expecting them to be. My wife ordered the shrimp etouffee, which was excellent. Plenty of popcorn sized shrimp in a deep brown cajun gravy with rice and sausage. It definitely reminded me of the style we'd get on our trips down to New Orleans exploring the French Quarter and indulging in one of my favorite cuisines. The style and preparation of the dish screamed the traditional slow-cooked creole style and not modern cajun cuisine. The only downside to RT's might be the location as it is on the less upscale part of Mount Vernon away from Del Ray, and the decor is very plain, simple, and old school dinerish. The service was good and maybe a little too efficient, but our server was knowledgeable, polite and friendly and seemed to have worked there for many years, so I respect an establishment that can retain is staff. Overall we had a great dinner at RT's and I am glad I finally tried it. Again, the wine list was exceptional and the food was quite good. While you might find the prices a bit on the high side, it is offset by the very affordable wine prices. I am now a fan of RT's and I'm looking forward to trying more dishes on their menu! read more

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

I made a reservation via opentable (collect those points, folks) and came w/ 4 friends at 1pm on a Saturday and were immediately seated. Our waiter was very good, checking in us making sure we were okay as we waited for everyone to arrive. It just so happened to be restaurant week, but I didn't order off of that menu, but one did. I had the gator stew and shrimp & crab étouffée. The gator stew was nothing to write home about, it tasted like a regular tomato base soup. My friend ordered the she crab soup and hers was really good, I'd get that next time. The waiter brought bread to the table and I dipped that in my soup...yummy! Then he gave us complimentary salads (no salads for restaurant week folks). It had mushrooms in it which I found odd, but appreciated at the same time. Then came my étouffée, it was so dang tasty. It was my first time having any type of étouffée, so let me apologize now for my inability to compare it to something authentic. I just know my taste buds were happy and I'd return. For all that food I paid $22 with tax, you really can't beat that. Note: The bathrooms could definitely use a good scrubbing. read more

RT's Restaurant - Shrimp & crab étouffée. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

4.5 stars. RTs is one of the only restaurants to wow me lately in the DC area. I had no idea there was a creole restaurant near me and yet RTs has been around over 25 years. Their menu is extensive and the vibe is upscale casual. The appetizers and dessert were both amazing, and while the entrees were both good, they were too salty for my taste. However, there are so many items on the menu, and the hurricane was spot on (think NOLA), so I see myself returning here many times. Apps: PEI Mussels-delicious tomato based broth with sausage and plump mussels Shrimp and Crab Beignets-amazing Entrees: Crawfish etouffee-lots of yummy crawfish Catfish with shrimp and crab-crispy catfish Dessert- CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE - to die for (all desserts are made in house) Drinks - good selection of beer and authentic hurricane (strong too) In summary - check it out! read more

Definitely a place to stop for a drink and dinner. This seafood and chops house does Cajun type seafood dishes with real flair and substance. The service was good but slow for an off night, but don't be looking for a health food store menu either...deep-fried is a large part of this menu. Bottom Line: If you don't tell your dietitian, they won't either. But it's sooooo good! read more

This place isn't fancy but the food is delicious. Well worth the trip particularly if you like Cajun/Creole or seafood. I'll definitely be back when go back to DC area. Service was excellent as well. read more

The most authentic food I have found in the area. Even for it being Mothers Day, our waiter was nice and efficient.

A taste of Nawlin's in the Capitol City. Unless you are lucky enough to find parking on the street, try across from the restaurant at AutoZone. I lived in pre-Katrinia NO for two years and have a fair idea of what good cajun/creole cooking is all about. You won't go wrong at RT's. They have regular fresh fish specials. Mahi, Rock Fish and the occasional Red Fish. All entree's come with a side salad. The balsamic is excellent, the lettuce and green's fresh and crispy. My friend had the broiled salmon, nice size portion and she talked on and on about how good it was. I had a cup of the gumbo and the crawfish with red beans and rice. It would rival anything I had in the Crescent City. The menu covers all the cajun favorites and the prices are reasonable. The wait staff is professional, friendly and accommodating. I will def go back and maybe try it for dinner. Maybe before a show at the Birchmere which is just down the street read more

I don't know how well RT's would hold up in NOLA, but it's certainly the best cajun cuisine in Northern, Virginia. Four of us for dinner on Saturday night. The sazerac was great way to begin. For appetizers among us we had she crab soup (very good, better than the blander Low Country variety), fried oysters (excellent) and the house salad (nice). The winner on the main course was the red fish stuffed with crab meat served on top of roasted potatoes. I was very happy with crayfish etouffee, my wife a bit less so with her shrimp and crab etouffee. For dessert, the four of us shared a huge portion of bread pudding. It was terrific. I think it's even better than the bread pudding at the Carlyle, which was my fave in the metro area up till now. RT's is a neighborhood place, and it's a little dowdy. .Except for a girl with her parents I don't think there was anyone there under 40 -- on a Saturday night. There were no people at the bar. None. I'm guessing the place looks pretty much like it did when it opened 25 years ago and that, except for the prices, the menu hasn't changed either. I can't help thinking that a make over and New Orleans jazz on a sound system would fill RT's every night of the week. Bottom line: RT's exceptional for a neighborhood place, especially if you gotta have some cajun food or you're looking for the best bead pudding in Metro DC. . read more

A nice surprise. Great Southern seafood. Ambiance: A little dated interior, but quiet and comfortable. My only minor complaint would be the slight pervading smell of cooking oil. Service: Good. I did appreciate the nice fresh bread which was refilled. The staff were friendly and attentive Food: Excellent. Most of the menu is shrimp or crab based, so it's great if you like shellfish. I had oyster on the half-shell which were fresh but the horseradish and cocktail sauce were ordinary, and likely bulk bought. However, they do have several other oyster appetizer options which are more freshly prepared, so I may try them next time. I also had the Jack Daniels shrimp & crab which was terrific - featuring a delicious sauce with nice lump crab. I didn't ask, but they should really consider offering as a larger, entree-portion. Perhaps they don't because it is so rich, but sooo good. Price: Probably a little more of a "nice night out" than a regular place to eat out but worth the money. I'll be taking a few more friends here so I can try a few other items on the menu. read more

My coworker had introduced me to this place, asking me if I'd like to try alligator. I am always a hungry man. Of course I want some gator! Finding a parking space was easy, (across from RT's) in a big parking lot for CVS. The inside of this restaurant could make anyone feel cozy and comfortable. On top of the bar is a list of awards that they have received for many consecutive years. The restrooms have funny pictures on the doors, letting you know which gender is which. As I can only attest for the restroom for males; it is a little on the short side with only one toilet. There is a beautiful amount of diversity within their staff that I respect. During lunch hours, business in the restaurant appears to be calm. I cannot speak for the weekend hours, but the person who introduced me here informed me that it gets really busy. My first visit here made me a repeat customer and it is a place that I would love to bring my family to. So, I tried my Creole alligator stew and I fell in love. With every bite that I took, I had to mute my urge to moan in pleasure. They brew their own beer - RT's special ale. The customer service we received from the waiter was top notch. He even made sure that we had enough bread and butter to start off with and kept refilling the basket for us during our meal. By the way, the bread is perfect. The alligator stew was not the only dish we had that day. We had ripped through several soups (including "chicken & "comeaux" andouille gumbo) - OMG YES PLEASE, appetizers, entrées, specialties and desserts. Each time we come here, me and my coworkers eat like kings, never to be dissatisfied with any dish. As a matter of fact, writing this review and talking about their food makes me salivate. I need to stop and just leave you all with some pictures. read more

See all

What an AWESOME find!  The RT's Restaurant located in the trendy Del Ray neighborhood at 3804 Mt Vernon Avenue - Alexandria, VA offers a Creole and Cajun cuisine.  This review is for a earlier mid week February, 2022 dinner.  We started the evening with the shared Jack Daniel's Shrimp with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat appetizer which is a house specialty for over thirty five years.  Light, and full of flavor!  Our selected entrees were the daily specials of Andouille Crusted Mahi Mahi that was baked, and finished with a Creole Mustard Sauce served on a bed of sautéed spinach and a baked potato side; and Blackened Redfish and Crab Meat with Lemon Butter Sauce served with the selected side of Cole Slaw.  Both entrees exceeded our expectations!!   The dinner ended on a high note with the tasty yet not too sweet Southern Pecan Pie.  The restaurant is decorated, and ready for their Special Fat Tuesday, and Mardi Gras celebrations!!  Be sure to put this restaurant on your to go list!!   Flavors, and tastes will rock you!!! read more

See all

The restaurant was very clean and comfortable. The drink prices were reasonable which I like. They had domestic beer and Abita for $6. If they try to nail you on drink prices I just get ice tea. It was nice to be able to enjoy a couple beers with dinner. We had the three-way oysters which were delicious. The Stuffed Flounder was delicious topped with Shrimp and crawfish in butter sauce. Smothered Catfish was amazing fried catfish smothered in Perfectly Seasoned Shrimp Etoufee. The entrees come with rice. Would have loved less rice and a small portion of some kind of mixed or steamed vegetable. The service was attentive. The food was delicious. My only complaint was that the music was terrible. There's so much good New Orleans music out there, why they play elevator music is beyond me. It felt like I was in my doctor's office. Very annoying. read more

Food and service is always great. This is our favorite restaurant. If you want a Cajon dinner, this is the place.

A friend and I stopped in for dinner after reading all the reviews. We were looking for Cajun/creole food that you could find like in New Orleans. I will rate this place a 3 for the decor but the food was great and I give this place a 5! We came on a Friday night and did not have to wait to be seated. The place itself isn't anything fancy. I wore a casual dress with sandals. When you first walk in, there's a bar on your left hand side and the dining area was to the right. There were tons of families and old people there, I think we were the youngest. All and all, not a pretentious place, so go casual. Someone came by our table and dropped off glasses of waters. Our server stopped by and handed us menus and told us the specials and took our drink orders. It probably took less than 2 mins for the server to greet us after we sat down. For appetizers, we ordered the shrimp and crab beignets and fried green tomatoes with crabmeat... Delicious!! The beignets were my favorite! My friend said it taste like a crab and shrimp donut.. I agree! The fried green tomatoes were okay. The crabmeat was what made it taste good. Without crab, I don't think I would have cared too much for it. For our main dishes, I had the shrimp Norman and my friend had the smothered catfish with shrimp étouffée. Both of our dishes were awesome and comparable to the real deal in Nawlins! We probably ate half of our food, it was a lot to eat! For dessert, we shared a banana foster cake and an espresso martini. I wished they served the real banana's foster like Brennan's in New Orleans, but all and all, the cake was stilled good. The espresso martini taste like a chilled coffee, nothing special. I recommend this place to anyone looking for New Orleans style dishes and would definitely go back to try other stuff on the menu. read more

We came for dinner on a Monday night. They have a special for two entrees and a bottle of wine for $33. We really enjoyed it! The seafood was fresh and delicious. I would definitely come back. read more

RT's Restaurant - Spicy Pecan Crusted Flounder - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I visited DC with friends and like a good little foodie mapped out the places I wanted to try months in advance. RT's made the cut but I regret it soooo much. I feel like vacation stomach space is sacred. I always want to find something tasty that I can't wait to go back and visit. RT's is on the never again list. I dined with 2 other friends. None of us were wowed or would come back. Food wise I had the stuff shrimp. It was ok. Crab soup. It was ok. They brought bread for the table it was ok. Onion straws, they are ok. I'm really unsure how the ratings are so high for this place. But I will say the food looks amazing. Don't believe the hype. read more

RT's Restaurant - Looks great. Tastes pretty blah - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The food was great, it's was our first time there and we sat at the bar. Would definitely recommend anyone looking for creole food. read more

See all

This place has some great food. Fantastic Cajun. Probably none better in the DC area. The atmosphere is a bit lacking. That said I'm here at 130 on a Thursday. Maybe the evening is more exciting. If you love Cajun food their menu is extensive and you'll leave stuffed. I posted their menu. It's pretty static but they have three daily specials. I ate the She Crab soup and the Death by Gumbo. I'm leaving here full and happy. read more

See all

Every meal I have had here has been terrific. The New Orleans/Louisiana food is amazing, and the cocktails are really good...and different! This is the place to go if you want to try a Sazerac. One time they made me a "virgin" hurricane and it too was delicious. My favorite thing to get is the gumbo. Both the cup and the deluxe version is good. I like the specials, and the desserts are good (generous portions so one is plenty to share with two people). The salad has this really good house dressing that is hard to describe, kind of like a mustard vinaigrette but not quite. Also, I like the servers and the small-place atmosphere. The neighborhood looks a little run down (it's near the Birchmere), but don't be fooled. This is one of my favorite places for lunch. If only they had Sunday brunch! read more

See all

Oh. My. God. This food is really, really good. A new friend took me here yesterday and I can't stop thinking about my meal. I had the alligator stew and the spicy pecan-crusted haddock topped with lump crab meat. De-Licious! The food was spicy, flavorful, and fresh. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with interesting wall art. And the staff are very friendly. I left this place and immediately started googling where I could buy alligator meat; the foodie and secret and yet to be discovered Food Network star in me thinks/wants to try to recreate the stew. This place is definitely getting added to the recommendation and repeat visit list! Job Well Done read more

I'm giving it 2 stars because my BF likes it... actually he said it was "ok". The best part for me was the drinks. I had a Lemon Drop Martini. Very good. The shrimp and crab appetizer...sent it back. Then I ordered the shrimp ettouffe tasted like a failed attempt at gravy. I tasted salt, no other spices, in brown gravy. It was awful. I ate a half of a shrimp and sent it back as well. If you don't know what Cajun food is supposed to taste like...eat here. Service was decent. read more

We have not dined in at RT's in years and after last night's dinner, I regret every missed meal. We had the shrimp and crawfish beignets, which we have adored for ages, and they were even better that we recalled. Loaded with seafood (no clue what holds these gems together) and wonderfully crispy. For entrees we had the spicy pecan haddock, the crawfish and red beans and rice, and the crawfish and crab catahoula. All. Were. Fabulous. The three of us passed them around and around. And while all found them totally delicious, none of us could pick a favorite. They were all that wonderful. We finished with pecan pie and key lime pie. Also both divine. Can not wait to go back!!!! Hard to believe, but the impeccable service (attentive but not overbearing and no water glass allowed to get completely empty despite some enthusiastic water drinkers) was completely overshadowed by the across-the-board top-notch food. I went in RT's for dinner, but came out so happy, I felt like I had gone on a vacation. read more

Superb seafood always. I enjoyed the mussels with crabmeat. The sauce is addictive and lumps of crabmeat.

Food was pretty good. Cajun and creole, and fairly close to actual Louisiana fair. A lot of salt, could've been less salted. Prices were a little high for the quality... nothing was under $25... Cajun is pretty much low country food (inexpensive). Drinks were pricey: cheapest 10oz draft was $6, wine was 9-12 per small glass. Water was free. Very easy parking about 1/2 block away read more

This place actually deserves three and a half stars and it satisfied my Cajun seafood craving but there are better like Pappadeaux in Texas. Will I come back not sure but understand appeal for the area. I had calamari and catfish étouffée. Sauce is good but hides the fish. I can't tell you quality of seafood because of sauce. I ate it without hesitation if that helps. Forgot to take pic of calamari. read more

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

My sister was up from Orlando. We're New Orleans girls and we like our food. She's hungry, but the man is taking a nap so she starts looking through the Eat24 app. Nothing is appealing. I tell her that the man suggested we go to RT's for dinner. A couple of friends from Louisiana had recommended RT's months ago as well. We pull up the menu: Crawfish and Crab beignets as an appetizer. We're sold. So we head on over. Neighborhood restaurant right across from the Birchmere. Ohhh, now I know where to go for dinner before a show. We order the beignets and the "Jack Daniels" shrimp with lump crab to start. Divine. The man has the Shrimp Norman, the sis has the Crawfish and Crab Imperial, and me, I have the Baked Stuff Gulf Shrimp (stuffed with the Imperial). The crawfish were in season and perfect. I loved my shrimp, but my sis didn't like hers nearly as much. She said it was a texture thing. I'm not sure what that means. However, SHE LOVED!!! the crawfish succotash that was the side with her meal. I'm not a lima bean fan, but that was pretty damn good. The man really enjoyed his Cole slaw - said it's the best he had. I was boring and ordered a potato. I had so much food, I didn't eat it. We were full. Stomach busting, quietly groaning full. So we ordered three slices of pecan pie to go. We had them for breakfast. Yes, that was some good pie, pawpaw. Now, it was pricey. Of that there is no doubt. Their trout Orleans sounds exactly like Joey K's (NOLA) trout almandine, but KT's is $10 more. I can't get a plane ticket home for $10, so I'll be at KT's when possible. A few days later, one of my Baton Rouge friends took me to lunch at KT's. I ordered a shrimp po'boy dressed. The waiter did not know what "dressed" meant. *sigh* My shrimp were fine, but the bread was not crusty, flakey French bread (and no, I don't mean a baguette). It also came dressed with onion. The chocolate chess pie my friend ordered looked a whole lot better than the chocolate tres leches cake I had. So, the moral of my story is - dinner is out of sight knock 'em dead good. Lunch needs some work. read more

So worth the trip!! Drove to Alexandria from Maryland just to enjoy a cajun lunch at RT's!Ordered the calamari and Death by Gumbo which came with bread and a side salad. Everything was absolutely delicious! Gumbo was full of seafood including fish, shrimp, oyster, crawfish and andouille sausage! Had a spicy kick to it and I loved it! The calamari was cooked to perfection and I was pleasantly surprised with the dijon mustard sauce instead of a marinara sauce you usually receive elsewhere with calamari. My waiter Steve was an absolute gem. Attentive without being intrusive which is a wonderful attribute of great service! Love the homey atmosphere too! Got to sit in one of the booths and watch a football game while enjoying the meal! Can't wait to go back and dig deeper into the menu! A true find that will continue to be on my list of must do's for sure!! read more

See all

We found this restaurant before going to the theater. I'm not a fan of the area where it's located. It's so hard to find parking there and it seems to be a loitering area - so many people just hanging out on the street. The food was okay, I don't have any complaints nor compliments. It was clean and they were attentive to our needs. I had the filet mignon topped with crab and vegetables- it was served as I asked. And the prices are very reasonable. read more

CAJUN AT ITS BEST !!! I'm thoroughly impressed with this restaurant and it's amazing staff Beginning with my initial phone conversation with Kat as I inquired about Happy Hour We arrived to her smiling face and warm presence Best Cajun Cuisine Outside of Louisiana Crispy Brussel Sprouts Popcorn Crawfish Crispy Catfish Fingers Fried Oysters Roasted Salmon Topped With Crab And BREAD PUDDING Thank you Oriana (Manager)for your gracious hospitality read more

Worst restaurant around the DMV area! The good reviews encouraged us to try this place out.The shrimps tasted like bleach so I stopped eating and was worried to get food poisoning. My husband on the other hand was puking all night long. The service was good though, very nice waiters! I just hope they'd care enough about the food they're serving! read more

Make reservations. Great service. We sat at a booth on the side by the bar. This was great for us so we could see the TVs- big sports fans. We order jack Daniels shrimp and shecrab soup. Both were delicious. For the main course we had the fried catfish with mash potatoes. The fish was good but the mash potatoes taste like something out of a box. We also had the broiled crab cakes and Brussel sprouts. The crab cakes were meaty and delicious- not breaded at all. I Love Brussel sprouts but not these. They use some kind of sweet sauce which I was not a fan. Overall, it was a great dinner. The atmosphere is really quaint and great for a date night. There is so much in the menu to choose from so we will definitely go back. read more

Great food and service. Been around for decades doing what it does best. Comfortable atmosphere. Not loud. Only issue was my friend uses a walker and the men's room is very hard for him to use. read more

Just visited this restaurant and the food is good along with the service my only issue was it's a lot smaller than I thought and the coconut cake is served cold. read more

Great food and service . Plenty options . Inside is a bit dated but still a place i would revisit .

I got the shrimp Norman at the recommendation of a friend... boy was I disappointed. Salty and bland. Will give them another shot and try the crab cake entree. read more

RT's Restaurant - Shrimp Norman and Children's catfish meal! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Jambalaya is one of the best dishes to devour. I had the pleasure of stopping by this place after I did a little research to see which places in the DMV had the best jambalaya. We had the Jack Daniel's shrimp which was made to perfection. The sauce was to die for (we dipped it in fries, bread, etc). Along with the shrimp, was the Jambalaya Saut which satisfied my craving and the catfish, also cooked well. Our server was kind and attentive. read more

See all

This is probably my favorite restaurant in The DMV for dinner and drinks. The ambiance is very relax nothing fancy but I'm good with that. The food is AMAZING! The beer selection was great it had some good local beers may I suggest more local booze would be awesome. Anyways I got the smothered catfish and my husband got the death by gumbo. We got the cake with rum and it was soo good. The appetizer was soo good I didn't even get a chance to photograph it haha. It was a shrimp in a creamy sauce we ate it with the bread they gave us. Every last drop was gone before our entree showed up and the service was fast read more

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

See all

sever was renee & she/he was the worst & then had the nerve to follow us to our car and got very aggressive with us about a tip jeopardizing her safety as well as ours 0/10 would not recommend read more