The Boiling Crab

I stopped into Dauphine's while visiting Washington, D.C. for happy hour, and the experience was…read moreabsolutely exceptional. From the moment I sat down, the bartenders made me feel genuinely welcomed and taken care of. They took the time to walk me through cocktail recommendations, suggest food items, and even let me sample a couple of things to make sure I found something I would truly enjoy. That kind of thoughtful, personalized service is rare, and it made the entire experience feel less like just grabbing a drink and more like being hosted. The cocktails were fantastic, the food recommendations were spot on, but what really stood out was the hospitality. The team made me feel heard, valued, and comfortable -- especially as someone stopping in from out of town. I would highly, highly, highly recommend Dauphine's. Amazing atmosphere, incredible service, and the kind of staff that makes you want to come back. Can't wait to visit again the next time I'm in D.C.!

Sunday 11-3pm live jazz - make reservation for main dining. You won't regret it…read more Ambiance - high ceilings and New Orleans feel. Upscale as it is a Michelin guide restaurant. Service was very attentive. Freaking loved the jazz. Brunch - Creole inspired cuisine with amazing cocktails. Came for brunch, loved the raw oysters - so fresh and has three levels of salinity. Bread basket - delish, banana bread was the best I've ever had and I'm not a huge fan of banana bread. The other biscuits were nice, the pimento cheese scone was really good too. Chicken and waffles were delicious with a perfect mix of spicy, sweet, and savory. Very crunchy on the outside without compromising the moistness of the chicken. The pig ear salad was just okay.

Biscuits

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Traditional breakfast

Hot N Juicy Crawfish

4.0(2.2k reviews)

3.3 mi•Woodley Park

The fried chicken wings might've been one of, if not the best chicken wings i've had.read more

Sooooo... Thursday Barrett, Andy, and I came here to scratch a serious crawfish itch--and…read moreabsolutely nailed it (see my April 2 review ). Fast forward to today... Spencer rolls into DC yesterday, and guess what... the itch was BACK. No debate--we knew exactly where to go. Only difference, it was a beautiful day, so we sat on the outside patio, which was perfect... roomy, open, and breezy. This time, Shae hooked us up with a feast: 5 lbs of crawfish (Hot N Juicy, medium heat), 2 lbs of Spicy head-on shrimp, 2 lbs of spicy headless shrimp, 2 lbs of extra spicy crab legs... and plenty of COLD beers to keep things flowing. She was fantastic... super attentive without hovering... and made sure we were set the whole time. Bottom line: another awesome visit, lots of laughs, and that crawfish itch? DEFINITELY scratched... again!

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The Jambalaya Shack

4.5(2 reviews)

2.8 mi•Columbia Heights

Disclaimer: I haven't tried their jambalaya, but I did try a boudin link and experienced their…read moreservice. Because I've not found real Louisiana boudin anywhere else in the DC area, and because of the family's hospitality, I will give them 4 stars. The Jambalaya Shack is a catering business that was present at this past weekend's Breaux Vineyards Cajun Festival. They're from southern Louisiana, and seem to get invited to cater many of their events. They had jambalaya, corn maque choux, and boudin links. Because I was waiting on live boiled crawfish from another vendor, I decided to just share a link of boudin for $5. Their young boy said after I ordered, "Sure! You have to ring the boudin bell!" So I did, while his mother laughed and wrapped up a link for me. She made sure I knew how to eat it (I did), and I asked her if it was spicy or not (she said not at all...probably due to the DC clientele...but that they were good and that they shipped them straight from Louisiana). They also had an assortment of mild Cajun seasonings and hot sauces. It was not the best boudin I've ever had (that one goes to the Boudin King in Louisiana), but it was slightly better than the boudin I can get at the grocery store in Texas (but bigger). The Jambalaya Shack's also had good amounts of little liver pieces in it. I wish I had had hotter seasonings (cayenne chile powder would have been awesome) to spice it up with... I wish I had also tried their namesake jambalaya, but it was the chicken/sausage variety and other than the boudin, I was in the mood for seafood. I do think I was the only person I saw at the festival that tried the boudin (or probably knew what it was). Speaking of seafood, the other caterer's boiled crawfish was bland, and Jambalaya Shack was nice enough to let us have some of their seasonings. They saved the day.

The nicest folks and lawd is the food right. I wish I had that big old pot so I could make a…read moreJambalaya at home that way. It's not a good Samedi Gras in VA unless you see them there.

Puddin'

4.3(526 reviews)

0.6 mi

10/10 best bread pudding, soft sweet with some tart cream cheese notes as well. Will be backread more

Boyfriend and I went to Union Market for a post-dinner sweet treat. I saw this place all over…read moreTikTok, I knew I needed that Brown Butter Bourbon Bread Pudding. They give free samples for NEARLY ALL of their food, I mentioned I traveled to DC from CA, and the workers gave me a sample of one of everything on the menu! Gosh, I have never experienced such AMAZING customer service! My boyfriend loved the etouffee and my favorite was the gumbo sample. We were so stuffed from our previous dinner, and couldn't order more. We noticed everything on the menu was VERY affordable for DC pricing and gave good portions. We ended up opting for the bread pudding, and finished it in minutes. The bread pudding feels like a warm hug, and is a MUST with the ice cream. It has hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, and the bourbon perfectly balanced the creaminess and sweetness of the ice cream.

Stall sign // Puddin * Union Market, DC

Brown Butter Bourbon Bread Puddin'

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Chicken 'n Beef Sausage Gumbo

Chasin' Tails: Seafood that Celebrates!

4.0(1.3k reviews)

9.9 mi•Falls Church City

All you can eat

Private events

Anson was our waiter/ new homeboy!! Absolutely loved everything he showed us the ropes since it was…read moreour first time. Definitely will not be the last. The seafood was top tier and THEE freshest. Beyond the seafood the lamb chops deserve their own page on the menu. Go check them out and don't forget we need to love beyond in these crazy times.

Overall a good experience. The food and the service were great. It's a busy place but the wait time…read moreis adequate. I will definitely go back.

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Blues Alley

3.9(364 reviews)

3.3 mi•Georgetown

Got the crab cakes; food was okay, but the venue itself really stole the show! Honestly, it's…read moreprobably my favorite concert venue I've ever been to. The space feels so intimate, which makes the whole experience more personal and memorable compared to larger, more crowded venues. The atmosphere was great from start to finish, and everything felt well-organized. The service was also a highlight, our server was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made us feel really comfortable throughout the night. Even though the food was just alright, the overall experience more than made up for it. Between the vibe, the quality of the show, and the excellent service, it's definitely a place I'd come back to again and recommend to others looking for a unique night out/date night!

Blues Alley has maintained their street cred after all these years as being one of the best places…read morein town to catch a live jazz performance. I enjoyed the crab cake with a Caesar salad. The cocktails were veteran made and solid. The dining room is intimate, adding to the connection of the artists and the show. Deborah Bond dropped her new album Amber Dust, a true R&B artist keeping the tradition of the music well and alive. She hosted a listening party show with a customized cocktail menu with drinks named after her latest album! The show was amazing and the sound was clear. Although the menu is a bit limited I enjoyed my crab cakes, which had no filler. Oh and be sure to save yourself time and park in the parking garage across from the alley. This is an amazing little space with big names. Every time I've come here I've always met with the artists after the show. So if you're a super fan and your favorite artist is performing here, GO!

Performance

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Gisele's Creole Cuisine

4.0(224 reviews)

10.0 mi

I don't eat this cuisine often, but this definitely hit the spot! Came to dine-in, and ended up…read morebeing the only party dining in honestly. I did enjoy the French/Spanish music in the background. The staff were kind and fast with things. The portion was quite large, which I wasn't expecting. The poisson was quite good with the sauce provided. I found the veggies that came with the rice seasoned quite nicely too. We did also try the turkey creole, which was a tad bit dry, but still good. Plantains and rice were standard in my opinion. We REALLY enjoyed their rum cake though as dessert. Heavier on the alcohol but it made it so good! Definitely a nice experience here.

The food was authentic and cooked to perfection…read more I tried the ox tails, turkey, legume (w/ goat), rice, bean sauce, salad, and fried banana. Everything was flavorful and tender. The service is informal. So, speak up if you want something.

Giselle's Red Snapper Whole

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Legume

RT's Restaurant

4.1(670 reviews)

5.4 mi

TL;DR: Delicious food!…read more 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.

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

Inside of restaurant

SMOTHERED CATFISH

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FRIED GULF SHRIMP

Old Ebbitt Grill

4.2(11.7k reviews)

1.8 mi

Amazing experience! The food was delicious, the service was friendly and attentive, and the…read moreatmosphere was warm and welcoming. Everything was well prepared and served promptly. I would definitely recommend this place and look forward to visiting again.

A DC local took my family and I here to celebrate my husbands graduation. it was the hottest day of…read morethe year with a heat index of triple digits and after waiting an hour in the hot sun, we opted to come here for a celebratory lunch, ice cold water, and air conditioning. I am not much of a drinker but the occasion called for a bevvy and the bloody maryland sounded delicious. It was MASSIVE and had a nice kick. we ordered calamari to start and my husband and I split the calamary fra diablo and steak sandwich with frites. Everything was delicious. Fo dessert we shared the creme brulee which was the perfect ending to a great lunch. the decor is classy and very "old DC" but felt very cosy - it was the perfect spot for our late lunch. The service was wonderful as well- our server took great care of us and even ensured we got extra ice in our water to help us hydrate and cool off after experiencing the heat.

Inside part of restaurant

Fried Oyster Deviled Eggs

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Jumbo Lump Crab Cake

Pesce Seafood House

4.8(100 reviews)

2.7 mi

Pesce was amazing! The owner greeted us and was so kind. Love supporting a business where the owner…read morereally cares and works to make sure you have a great experience. Our server was super fun and nice and attentive. They have the best lobster bisque on the planet, hands down. They put it as the base of their lobster/mussel/shrimp dish which was amazing. I had the lobster risotto and it was perfect. The lobster was delicate, the risotto was that absolutely perfect texture righttttt beyond al dente. Risotto is hard to nail, but it was perfect. They pack all their dishes with plenty of herbs and flavor. Highly highly recommend coming here!

Seafood and pasta -- this combo is perfect! I celebrated my birthday here with fam and friends, and…read morethe staff here were so accommodating and friendly. The restaurant is relatively small so make sure you have a reservation. Decor is modern and nautical-themed. For my appetizer, I had the lobster bisque. It surely was not the greatest bisque I've had. While there were lobster chunks in the soup, the overall taste of the bisque was a miss for me. For my entree, I had the Whole Main Lobster with Linguine Shrimp. I opted for the Pomodoro with Pink Sauce. This dish had just the right seasoning. The seafood was tender -- not tough. Just an all around great dish! If I didn't live so far, I'd visit more often! Try it for yourself -- cheers!