First off-the food was delicious-this is mainly about service. Arrived early for our Saturday night dinner reservation so decided to sit in the bar for HH drinks and appetizers. Had to flag someone down--ordered. Took 10min to get our glasses of sparkling. Waited another 20 minutes-flagged down the server again to ask about the appetizer--said it was coming. All in all-waited 30 minutes for it-had it thrown in front of me with no napkins, plates and it was like warm-- not hot. This should have been a sign to leave. Service got a little bit better-but had to ask for everything, remind them to get the bottle of wine kept on ice at the bar to refill our glasses and then waited another 30 min after dinner for dessert. Maybe a bad night-but for the price point--come on. read more

I visited Dauphines for dinner with colleagues to celebrate a successful conference. We had a great time enjoying good and a delightful atmosphere. Here are some of my takeaways. Environment The restaurant has a large and beautifully designed interior with a full bar and plenty of seating. I loved the versatile ambiance which makes it great for a variety occasions - whether it's dinner with friends, colleagues or a date night. The vibe was lovely and inviting. Service The service at at Dauphines was great. Our server was friendly, attentive and ensured we had everything we needed.The food and drinks were delivered promptly. Overall, the service was great. Food and drinks The food was truly enjoyable. I highly recommend staring with the bread service which includes buttermilk biscuits, baguettes & sweet potato brioches - all great. We also tried the BBQ shrimp which was pretty tasty. For the main dish, i had the crawfish stuffed chicken which was pretty good. To top it off, we had some delicious beignets with powder sugar that you sprinkle yourself. My meal was enjoyable and I Iook forward to returning to try more items on the menu. Overall Dauphines is a great choice for both drinks and food. I had a great meal and a great time with my colleagues. I will definitely be back to explore more of their menu. read more

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Dauphines has my heart! Started my trip in D.C. off with a bang having dinner at @dauphinesdc every dish was so fresh and flavorful. The marketing and branded materials were exquisite!! We had delicious cocktails and the best part was the pebble ice didn't dilute the drink and kept the glass frosty. My favorite dishes were the beef tartare and the tuna. The corn and salsa on the tuna really brought an extra flavor and texture depth I've never had before. It's a great spot for a date or dinner with friends. The staff were so attentive and friendly. A plus was they had really pretty menus and post cards the front desk can mail for you! If you're in the DC area definitely swing by for dinner! read more

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It was okay. I came during restaurant week and the entry I had was a 2/5. I wouldn't recommend it. I should have iniwb a better getting with bottom bottom-feeder fish but the way it was prepared and served didn't help at all. The fish was very fishy... in a bad way, and didn't taste like anything else. The tomato-based sauce was also unimpressive. My server who was very pleasant said that it was popular but I don't understand why. Everything else practically saved the meal the salad although it looked as was very good and had a nice blend of flavors. The bread service was also really good and the butter jam was amazing. The beignets were fine I've had better but after the boring entry, it was a better way to end the night. read more

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Dauphine's is a trendy restaurant and is a nice location for a happy hour or brunch. I am more partial to the drinks relative to the food but it is worth a visit. read more

3.5 stars We had a delightful time at Dauphine's, where Sunday brunch featured a live jazz band. The space is beautiful and has plenty of seating. We started with the lovely breadboard, which featured a delicious lemon poppy scone, banana bread, and two puff pastries. The banana bread was a standout! The crab cakes were too heavily breaded and arrived lukewarm. But on the bright side, my friend adored the cheesecake, and the chicory coffee was excellent. The prices were a bit high considering the food quality and portions, but the service was fantastic, and we thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant live music. read more

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This place is so good! I highly recommend it if you're in downtown DC and looking for a good meal. A few positives: - I planned a few work dinners here over the years and the staff were accommodating and there was ample space for the gathering each time. - Drinks are great and they offer awesome variety - Food is delicious and quality is great. Can be a little pricey however normal for the area. - cool ambiance and beautiful set up. Highly recommend for any work dinners or just standard dining. I would definitely come back. read more

Our service was extremely polite and very knowledgeable of the food, he made good suggestions and was concerned to know the liking of our food and drinks, gave us to try some drinks to make sure it was to our taste. The restaurant had a very good atmosphere with the low lit rooms and New Orleans style set up. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area, and would recommend trying to Lychee coconut cheesecake, one of the best desserts I've had in a while. read more

I had a reservation with my family for my first night in Washington and honestly I had been waiting in anticipation all week. I knew what I wanted at least four days in advance. When we arrived we were given the warmest greeting and we were brought to our table right away. We were seated in a private room that closed with a beautiful curtain. I felt like royalty. The restaurant is beautiful and filled with soul and good vibrations. You can really see and feel the essence of New Orleans through your dining experience. To start I ordered half a dozen of the Dancing Molly oysters and I got to try one of the clams. The oysters were satisfying and juicy, especially combined with the cocktail sauce, and mignonette. I had the steak tartare as my entree. The aioli really brought the dish together and the flavor/texture really hit the spot. I also had a taste of the duck jambalaya and the oyster spaghetti. Everything that I tried was delicious and cooked to perfection. The flavor, the quality of ingredients and the presentation was a combination of classy, elegant, and even lively all at the same time. For dessert I ordered a beignet and that was also delicious. Im surprised that I had never been here before but I know that this certainly won't be my last time. Our server Hunter was also really kind, helpful and really knew and experienced the food for himself so he knows what he's talking about especially when it comes to recommendations. If you're in DC and you're looking for delicious food with a classy feel, you need to come here. read more

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Note: as other reviewers have noted, serving sizes are small and prices high comparatively for dc restaurants, especially bib gourmands which are usually on the cheaper side of eats. This place is a whole vibe and the food is amazing. The waiters were incredibly attentive and funny conversationalists. Their ambiance is well planned out and feels very creole. We had the duck confit with ricotta cavatelli, the pommes soufflé, and the Zucchini Squash tempura. The dishes had surprising flavor pairings that were divine. The Zucchini Squash tempura was really the stand out dish with crisp, not soggy, tempura breading and fresh blueberry and dill garnishes. We've determined we will have to come back to try the whole menu! Easily in my top three eats in DC. read more

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Stupendous. Sat at the bar and the service was as attentive and not overbearing. While expensive, the food was really tasty. I like the oysters, but they were almost too buttery and with the horseradish and spinach the salinity was really overpowered. The catfish was delicious with just enough kick. The beignets were fresh and delicious, definitely add the bourbon milk shake to round out the desert. read more

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Who doesn't love Creole food?! A friend & I came on a Friday to finally give Dauphine's a try! It was very busy at 8pm so I'd suggest you make a reservation but the bar has ample seating in case you choose to walk in. The staff was amazing from the minute we walked in, to our waiter and everyone in between! Our server gave great suggestions but we had an idea of what we wanted prior to walking in. We split the Gumbo Ya Ya, Crab & Artichoke Dip (Unfortunately had to send back because it lacked crab), Oysters Dauphine (AMAZING!), Fried Boudin Balls, and Luck & Money Duck Leg Confit. Overall the food was good but it lacked spices - everything was mild and the flavors all meddled together. Also the serving sizes were very small making the value not worth it in my opinion. I can't say I'd recommend because it felt very overpriced and inauthentic from Creole cuisine. read more

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Mothers Day brunch visit. Had reservations inside for jazz brunch but opted to sit outside since weather was spectacular. They also have all day Sunday happy hour outside that included discounts on drinks and more food options also at a discount. Had a round of drinks that were good and we ordered eggs Benedict and from the happy hour menu: Cajun shrimp cocktail, fried oyster sliders, mini muffalata and house salad w pigs ears. Everything was really great and service was incredible. Will return and Sunday all day happy hour is great deal! read more

The ambiance was excellent, and the service was great. The restaurant was clean, and the lighting was beautiful. It also smelled amazing inside. We tried a few of their cocktails, and they were top quality. We only sat at the bar this time, so for us it was more like a cocktail bar experience -- but I'll definitely be coming back for a full meal. I really enjoyed it. read more

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

The food was delicious! Everything was very well seasoned and portions were perfect. The service was incredible. Our server was funny and gave great recommendations. The location itself was beautifully decorated for the holidays. Definitely recommend. read more

Dauphine’s - Fried chicken and waffles - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The good - we arrive an hour late for the reservation (tried calling got vm), thankfully we were still able to be seated. Cute restaurant with multiple tiers of seating. Food came quick even though it was pretty full when we finally arrived at 7:30 on a cool autumn Saturday evening. Server was pleasant and knowledgeable. I ordered the elderberry spiced mocktail and loved it. It was like a berry soda w cinnamon and nutmeg (or some other fall spices) The mid - out table was next to the prep area for charcuterie and such. My date was a bit put off by the plate of bacon just sitting out, the lack of gloves and hand washing, and the cook sampling the cut meat. The blackened catfish stands out here because it was nowhere near blackened. Perhaps glazed would have been a better description. Areas of improvement- the greens! Bleh! I love green food and crave vegetables. Those I could not eat. Well, I refused to eat as they were way too sweet and vinegary. Overall it wasn't very Cajun. More new American with a nod toward New Orleans. read more

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I do not recommend this place. I ordered the fried chicken and waffles and beef and sweet potato hash to share with my friend. I don't have a picture of the beef sweet potato hash because we had to send it back since there was a HAIR in it! The chicken was really dry and we had to ask for some sauce to dip it in. The worst part of our experience was the service! The first time we got our check, there were MANY issues. I had asked the waiter to put the drinks on separate cards (and split food evenly for the rest), but he only charged one drink on one card and everything else on the other, even when he knew we were sharing all the food. He had also somehow charged us for an entirely different table's bill! Imagine if we already left the restaurant and didn't sit for a bit after. To correct this, he offered to reverse the charges and re-do it as we had initially asked - by putting the drinks on separate checks again and split the rest of the food evenly. He even wrote in pen the drinks we got for which card to not mess up, yet he messed up the charges AGAIN... He somehow couldn't do basic math and charged us unevenly after we explained it very straight forward. He didn't even have to do math! He just needed to click the right buttons on the checkout system and it does the math for him... Overall, the experience was very diminished by our waiter's inability to simply close out a simple bill. I will say the interior is pretty with the plants and liked the pig ear salad, however most of the food is bland and mid. read more

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

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A New Orleans-style restaurant that transports you to the south! Great happy hour with great service at the bar! Happy hour is only served at the bar, but they have great deals on cocktails and snacks. They have Pimms cup on draft which I had never seen before, it was fresh and zingy made with lemon and a touch of vinegar. The snacks we had were the pickles andouille with pimento cheese and the Brussels sprouts that were tossed in a sweet Asian sauce! Both delicious. read more

Dauphine’s - Pimm's Cup - Seafood Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My sister and I visited for dinner on a Friday evening in August. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The space was so well decorated. It had a light vibe and the ambiance was casual, warm and a bit elegant. The table we were sat at was very small and since we ordered drinks plus the 3-course restaurant week menu, it got crowded quickly so it wasn't very comfortable. However, our server (Marie?) was funny, attentive, and helpful with recommendations. The food was solid but not amazing. We definitely both loved the crab and artichoke dip and fried saltines. We both enjoyed the red wine with our meal and agreed that we would consider going back to try more menu items. read more

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Lemme just start this off with, Aesthetics~ I've been here for dinner and that was a total vibe. The lighting y'all, so romantic and makes you want to have a cocktail in hand. I also just finished brunch and I can now say I haven't had a bad meal yet. You will drop a pretty penny to eat here though. If you're an oyster fan, they have a fabulous selection but just FYI 8 oysters = $30 ($3.75 each). For brunch, we started with the bread service. Totally worth it. The Quail was great but my boyfriend said he probably wouldn't get it again, especially for the the price of $33. The Yakamein and Niçoise salad are fabulous and honestly, both are the size of an entreé. Also, the service is fabulous. Mario was a total gem and patient with us as I was totally undecided on what to get for brunch lol. Finally, Sunday brunch = fabulous live jazz music read more

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Service, food, ambience all were superb;thus, the 5 stars rating. Although I was surprised they offered non traditional Nawlins fare, I will not deduct a point because the food was palatable! Yep, despite not quite the caliber of the best of Nola but hey, not having to fly out to Nola was a plus! I miss my first visit in April 2005, just before Katrina hit, it has not been the same since. I went back twice after Katrina to support businesses, it's just not the same. Still, I swore, despite NOLA's great food, place has dramatically changed...I mean, streets are uncleaned and the air thicken with that, ugh, smell... why do they have to make it legal(available) to all in the vicinity...I don't want it! So, therefore, this was my last Mardi Gras in Nola indeed! Unless something can compel me to come back to Nola, Dauphine is a quick fix in the interim... there, the 5 stars! My fave was the crab etouffe and scallops/shrimp creole! Beignet was okay but nothing like Cafe duMonde! read more

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

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The atmosphere of Dauphine's is impeccable and the food was even better. The favorites included the fried green tomatoes and the pimento cheese. Our server gave some suggestions but we were hoping for a bit more guidance. read more

Dauphine's is a solid restaurant. Great ambiance, customer service, and of course, food. I appreciated and loved the many oyster options. They were so briny! For my entree, I had the skate. I don't know what I was thinking, but I would never order that fish again. The consistency was weird--not my cup of tea. My drink (forget the name) was really good; it packed a nice punch! Skate aside, I enjoyed Dauphine's, and would visit again. read more

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I dined at Dauphine's for the first time recently and had a great experience. The interior is full of high end decor with low lighting, for a pleasing ambiance. I was greeted as soon as I walked in and was promptly seated. I dined with a friend and we both enjoyed the service. Our server was nice, attentive and offered suggestions. I ordered the Oysters Dauphine and Blackened Catfish Creole. Both were really good and flavorful. Especially important, the food came out hot and fresh. I also ordered the Lavender Honey Collins as my cocktails. Even the restrooms were nice and clean. Overall, I have no complaints. I plan to return and try something else. I definitely recommend. read more

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About a 2-2.5: Dauphine's comes from you from the same group that brought Salt Line; their cuisine is an inspiration from NOLA. We came here for dinner on a weekday, and we ordered: +Corn Bisque - with Louisiana crab claw salad and herb oil - this was creamy, and the truffle oil added another layer of taste +Oysters Dauphine - chargrilled oysters with spinach, horseradish, and pecorino; we were confused with this dish, as the oysters were not charred, and there didn't seem to be any pecorino? +Bread Service - with buttermilk biscuits, baguette, and sweet potato brioche, served with salted pepper jelly butter; these are not worth an order, as the breads were just stale and dried out For our entrees, we ordered: +the Shrimp Remoulade - prepared with red remoulade, iceberg slice, and gribiche; we were not fans of this as it tasted acidic; maybe from the ingredients used in the remoulade? +Scallop Creole - with Prairie Ronde rice grits and file; the scallops were a bit overcooked and rubbery +Oysters Spaghetti - with bucatini, green onions, and bread crumbs; this dish was creamy, but the oysters were a little too 'sea water' in taste +the Grilled Hangar Steak - with red cabbage, smashed garlic fingerling potatoes, and mustard seed butter; the steak was overcooked and not well-prepared +sides of red beans, pepper jelly carrots, braised collard greens, and pommes Dauphine Service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is dim-lit, and I liked the interior wrap-around-like terrace. +friendly service read more

The Skin Contact wine and oysters we had were phenomenal. However, the entrees were lackluster. For a dish labeled as creole catfish and grits, it lacked flavor. My friend got the lobster stuffed chicken and the chicken came out so dry. We should have bailed on a high note of great wine and oysters. The atmosphere is pretty, but the entrees lacked NOLA flavor. read more

I decided to give this restaurant another try. I am happy to say that this experience was much better than the last... it is such a gorgeous establishment. Cocktails were great. I don't remember the manager who assisted me with this visit, but they were great. read more

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

My server Jeffrey was super nice and gave us lots of good recommendations and reviews. Happy hour is pretty good. Had the daiquiri (x2), margarita, Pimm's cup, and espresso martini, crab spinach dip, oysters, and bread plate during happy hour and it all was super good, for $100. Would recommend and come back for sure. With the oysters they offer a habanero hot sauce that is super good if you love spice. read more

Beautifully decorated with high ceilings, this restaurant is definitely fit for a fun night out or date night. I decided to go during restaurant week with co-workers and we had a great time. Oysters are half off on fridays and they are pretty large in size. For dinner I had a carbido (watermelon based alcoholic beverage) and the tartare which both tasted pretty average. My entree was the sirloin (standard cook of medium rare which was fairly hearty) but I tried my friend's catfish which was much more flavorful. For dessert I chose the beignet and totally forgot to order the milk based dip. That dip would have made a difference. But food came out fresh and warm. Service was excellent. Our waiter was attentive, water was refilled regularly and questions on the menu were answered with knowledge. read more

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We came for lunch and had an excellent dining experience. Great ambiance and friendly service, definitely returning again. Everyone was so helpful. Food can be ala carte or 2-3 course meals. My friend ordered the 2 course meal and I had the 3 course meal, we shared the dessert. Squash tempura-delicious and crispy... loved it! Ricotta cavatelli was flavorful and just the right amount of food. Crab etouffee-delicious and nice texture. Scallop creole-mmm loved it. Beignets-warm and fresh, perfect for dessert. They have a nice cocktail menu but I opted for a couple of glasses Pinot noir. read more

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Dauphine's is amazing! Lana our server was fantastic! Gave me recommendations about Marci grad and always attentive We went for restaurant week and the options were awesome. It's sad cause we couldn't get the crab hush puppies but I didn't hear they were good. We opted for the marinated mussels and the sausage! That sausage honestly took the whole meal to another level. The short rib was tender as hell fell off the bone and the pork loin could have been a bit more moist but I did like the sweet mousse they put on the side to dip it in. The dessert was solid. The bread pudding was good and I'm not a bread pudding person so that's a plus and the beignets were nice a light. The restaurant infrastructure was nice and open. Very pretty on the inside read more

This was my first time here for a business dinner, and I was very impressed with the food, ambiance, and service. I had the pig salad, grilled rib steak, and chocolate mousse. All of the food was delicious! The servers were very friendly and efficient. The ambiance was dimly lit and sexy. Overall, I shall return. read more

Dined at 6pm on 2/15/25 before a show. We sat in the bar area. We knew that they had a Saturday happy hour before our arrival, but were surprised that we were not given that menu (or any knowledge of a happy hour) when we sat down We had to ask for the happy hour from our server. We ordered the burger, crab and artichoke dip, shrimp gumbo, boudin balls, and numerous margaritas. I will say that the margaritas were fresh and tasty. They went down easy. Burger was good (however our server never ask for a temperature and it was a bit undercooked at a med-rare). The rest of the food was pretty mid. The crab and artichoke dip was not warm. The boudin balls were fine, but very small (comes with 3). The dish that should have been sent back was the shrimp gumbo and potato salad. It was SO hot (actual dish and the food) that it appeared as if it had been heated up a second time. Texture was bleh. My husband said "it's fine" and just ate it. Service was friendly, but pretty nonexistent. We had to flag our server down for another drink, napkin, etc. He never checked on us to see if we needed anything, if the food came out correctly, was it good, do we want dessert, the check, etc. Had to ask each time. For $150 happy hour, I would say average. Would not make a huge effort to come back. read more

Great bones. Sunken main dining room. You walk in to the bar area. There's an upstairs balcony with intricate iron work. The music is lively. Almost makes you feel you're stepping into New Orleans. Everything is good. Then it hits us- and now it's no longer all that. Because we're sitting and waiting for 10-15 minutes and nobody in sight on a Saturday night....upstairs- except for the busgirls. Now our waiter is trying to school us on how to order cocktails- but we been doing that for the last 10-15 minutes on our own that you didn't come to our table. And there's no apology of any kind. Dauphine's is located in DC's concrete jungle Downtown area and parking can be a hit or miss. Our reservation came handy after a performance at the Kennedy Center and all we wanted to do is have dinner. As for the food? The team (also behind Salt & Line) has put together a New Orleans menu with lots to choose from. Whenever we eat oysters, we love to savor the moment and eat them by themselves. But for some reason before we could chug, suck and slurp our oysters, our crawfish bisque was brought over and we ended double-fisting our two starters. While the crawfish bisque was poured table-side, it tasted nothing like it. In fact, it tasted more like either carrots or squash were used. Drinks were a joke too. Although mine looked good on paper, I could've had 4 of those and still walk a straight line. Main plates were also comical. My wild fish seemed extremely small and flat for the $36 tag. Now, I watch seafood prices like a hawk and know they go up every time because that's my only source of protein- but damn...for the flimsiness of the fish, the small canned artichokes and the lukewarm sauce, it wasn't worth no $36. And hubs' $44 'Beef Stanley' was no more than skirt steak. At this point, we wanted to pay. But let me not forget their heavenly $10 'bread service' and my Chocolate Mousse Terrine that carried well to our hotel room. read more

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Starting with the positives: I LOVE the ambiance in this restaurant. It's probably the most beautiful restaurant in Washington DC. The levels and decorations make this restaurant truly stunning. The service is also great! Our waitress was super attentive and prompt throughout the night. It's a great service crew. The food, however, missed the mark almost every single course. We started with the bread service, which was not worth $10 in any way. The brioche was soggy and the baguette was mostly crust. We then transitioned to appetizers. The corn bisque was lukewarm, and the sausage, while cooked well, was tiny. Our entrees missed the mark as well. The stuffed fried quail had maybe three bites of quail total with an uninteresting mashed potato purée underneath. All that for $33? The catfish similarly was bland and mushy. It had no texture or strong flavor. Not even salt! Our desserts ended the night on a lackluster note. The squash cake was stale, and the bread pudding had a bitter, almost unpalatable, caramel underneath. I left the restaurant hungry and disappointed. Wish I could say more positives about the food! Otherwise, stunning restaurant... read more

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It feels like an experience to dine here and I feel like I got transported to New Orleans Really authentic flavors for the grilled oysters and the bread service was fun because it was different options. Favorite dish was the duck jambalaya. I was never even a fan of sauerkraut and duck but tonight I am ! read more

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Amazing creole gem in the heart of DC. Came here for brunch and I was pleasantly surprised Pros: beautiful interior reminiscent of the french quarters with the metal railings, live quartet band and indoor gazebo design. The Dauphines pomme puree was so yummy and a must have. The St. Charles punch cocktail is amazing and so fresh and crisp. The shrimp and grits are delicious and packed with flavor. The beignets are freshly made and on par with NOLA. Excellent service throughout. Cons: the duck stuffed quail was a disappointment. There was too much rice inside the quail which dried out the meat. Overall, great place in DC to satisfy your creole cravings. Beautiful atmosphere for brunch with delicious drinks and food read more

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Recommended by the concierge at the nearby University Club of Washington, D.C., Dauphines made for a very nice late dinner. Rockfish Amandine was so fresh and tasty. Shrimp Remoulade was beautifully presented and the perfect companion for a glass of Chardonnay. Pommes Dauphine were light and crispy. For dessert, chocolate mousse terrine was a great end, with the caramelized cacao nibs a nice touch. Coupled with great service, Dauphines impressed. We shall return. read more

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

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All of their food was excellent! Great ambiance. The frozen rum drink is good, but don't get the tequila berry one (wayyy too sweet). read more

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Atmosphere was great. Easy music, perfect volume. Lighting flattering. Big roomy booth. We split the oysters Dauphine and the bread service. I got the Sicilian swordfish and my friend got the rockfish almondine. And we shared a side of beans. Everything was great. The oysters Dauphine came six to an order and were warm and tasty. Some were pretty small, some meaty. The legendary bread basket lived up to its hype with 6 pieces of bread (2 of three kinds) butter and pepper jelly. I loved the flavors of my Sicilian swordfish but the fish was a bit thin. I admit the rockfish was the better fish. But preferred my flavors. We both loved the beans. We also shared the ice cream and sorbet and all three were killer. Food was just served. I would have liked the waiter to say what the dish is and repeat the ingredients. Same with the bread and once cream- a bit of description adds to the experience. All minor points- this place is five star! read more

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