Check out this seafood joint if you pass through Ashburn. I highly recommend the Rocket Shrimp as an appetizer. The garlic sauce that comes on it is delicious. The atmosphere and staff were great and it's not overpriced. The fish tacos were also great. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Fish Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

I have one ultimate complain.. and that is Erika, one of your serving staff leaving!! After being taken care of her, she's been very addictive to be around and chit chatting with her. She's always very cheerful and energetic and never a day goes by I don't wish that I can afford to eat out all day! She's the best! read more

Another weekend culinary adventure based on the 2021 Best of Loudoun list. Gotta tell ya, that list is legit because Ford's Fish Shack did not disappoint. We got the calamari appetizer for the table (order two as the four of us fought for it as it was delicious). Based on our server's recommendation I went with the fried lobster tails and as he said, they were life changing. Two in our party ordered the pecan crusted trout with chorizo macaroni and cheese and loved it and our one land lubber raved about the chicken grilled Caesar. Great service as well. When I mentioned it was a first visit for us we got a lovely welcome basket full of tasty cornbread muffins. Good eatin'! read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Fried lobster tails cooked to perfection - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

This place was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I took up their recommendation to come here for lunch. The environment is nautical and very laid back, which definitely my kind of place. My wife and I were starving so we ordered right away. We got their half dozen Blue Point Oysters, Foot Long Lobster Roll and Salmon Salad. Everything was extremely good! I've never been so full in my entire life. That foot long Lobster Roll is no joke. I could only finish half of it. Our waiter was friendly, courteous and knowledgeable. He got all our orders correct and our to us quickly. The restaurant itself was clean and well maintained. My wife and I had a great lunch and we look forward to coming back soon. read more

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quality of food definitely goes down when crowded :( got the fish tacos and it was pretty meh. The fish to topping ratio was so off. they put the grilled fish then stuffs it with lettuce underneath. The app we got was the rocket shrimp, which was mediocre and you literally get 6 shrimps for like $10... The service is the only thing thats been consistent, always great, friendly and attentive! read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Ford's fish shack fish wings - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

The food was amazing and the customer service was great. My wife and I sat at the bar. The bar tender took care of everything we needed in a timely manner and communicated well. Even if he was going to step out for a couple minutes he let us know and asked if we needed anything g prior to leaving. Top notch customer service. All of the food was really good. We loved the clam chowder. I think we could order it by the gallon if we had the opportunity. We also highly recommend the Angry Muscles. The seasoning was perfect. Definitely will be back again. read more

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Amazing food and great service. Just come expecting a steep bill.

Went here 2x on a work trip. Nice clean feel and interesting fisherman themed decor in here. Several of the beers I selected I couldn't get because the kegs had kicked. However the beer I eventually got was ice cold and delicious. The lobster roll ordered the first night (grand Mainer?) was dry and the clam strips on top were gritty with sand. The grilled corn that came with it was good and a nice side dish. The following night I came back with group early for happy hour. However I was disappointed to find that happy hour specials were only while sitting at the bar. Ordered calamari and oyster blt salad. Enjoyed them both. read more

Dinner was very good Best seafood I've had in a long time. I suggest you give it a try

Have been visiting Ford's for a little over a year. Over that time service had waned. Recently stock of some food items, such as crab legs are unavailable. That is understandable with the supply shortages lately. However service has also dropped, while portions are shrinking on pricey dishes. Food on the last three visits came out cold and contrary to what was ordered (don't put cole slaw on my plate, and yet there it is with most of my fries on top of). On good days they have some of the best clam strips and crab legs. Lately, though it's just been an overpriced disappointment. read more

Almost one year ago, this restaurant was closing, per The Burn. Learned today, that did not happen. They never closed?? Did Ford's not retract this info? Never saw it posted otherwise. Saw other locations were open, but not Ashburn. Saw several articles written about this. Four of us went there late June 2021 to celebrate a birthday. Took over 20 minutes for a waitress to appear. Service was lousy. Then we read they would be closing permanently a few days later. We were not surprised! read more

Better than average food. Kinda pricey. Service was good. Friendly. No complaints. Will definitely come back.

We were in the mood for some fried goodness and that's exactly what we got! The atmosphere is pretty chill and the staff was super friendly and answered all our questions. Their calamari was great and their crab cakes were so clean (haven't had a crab cake that didn't have a tiny piece of plastic in it in a while). The fries were, of course, spot on! The fried lobster wasn't the greatest but the sides were pretty good. The tiny muffins you get in the beginning were pretty tasty and the right size to not fill you up before you eat. Lastly, the key lime pie was pretty great! The crust was a bit hard but taste-wise cool read more

I have a passion for fried Ipswich clams and my go to seafood place stopped carrying them so while in Loudoun we decided to try Ford's. The clams were AMAZING as was the spinach crab dip, and king crab legs. My husband said he wanted to go walk off dinner and come back and eat again! Our waiter (Greg) was great! We were there somewhat early on a Sunday, so there was no wait. The restaurant was clean and parking easy. Although a haul from our house, we will definitely be going back! I only have one suggestion - please open location in Alexandria!!! PRETTY PLEASE????!!! read more

Always great food and friendly service. When all else fails, Ford's is sure to deliver quality at a good value.

Food is consistently good and staff is always, management checks in with every customer to make their order and food was prepared correctly. The best steam spiced shrimp in Ashburn / South Riding. Definitely recommend. read more

We were longtime customers at Ford's Fish shack but I know this will be the last time I will be getting anything from this place ever again I'm not sure if it was a simple fact that it was 10 o'clock and they were about to close soon but they told me they had a whole hour before they closed because this was a Saturday so they close at 11 and I asked multiple times what time the kitchen closes they said 11 we came in to order food and I'm not sure if it was just because of how late it was, but they gave us like skimpiest, baby size portions on the planet we paid the regular dinner prices on the menu so we expect the same portions and service doesn't matter what time it is we are completely disappointed and will not be returning or recommending them to anybody else. Which we have done on many occasions They have lost some loyal customers. They should be ashamed of themselves. read more

Lived in Nova for Several years and Ford's fish shack was my husbands favorite places to get seafood ! When he took me there for the first time I understand why he loved it so much! because not only was it good but the service was always perfect! They really made feel at home ! Please go out and check them out ! You won't be disappointed. read more

Been here three times now while in town for business. I haven't been disappointed yet. Service is good Atmosphere is good and easy to get and out of. Good parking Food is good. I've tasted several appetizers and entrees. All were good. Would recommend if you want a good seafood dish or small plates with drinks. read more

Hey we are regulars at this point and the food is good. I'm less of a fried food fan but I have to be honest-the fried lobster tails are CRAZY DELICIOUS! Give these folks some business Ashburn! read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Lobstah Tail! - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

The food was great I really enjoyed every bit of it. It brightened my day. I love Ford fish shack so much fish is great.

Too hit or miss. I got steamers with the feet and shoes would have been less chewy. My sister in law got a pasta dish and had to send it back. Been there several times and it's 50-50 which is never really a good thing. Done at your own risk. read more

Excellent food even if it's a bit pricey. It's definitely worth every penny. My wife is a huge seafood fan. I don't like seafood at all yet both of us have always had excellent meals there the dozen or so times we have visited in the last year. Their specialty items -- unique to their restaurant -- are definitely worth a try. I really like the deviled eggs. The ambience is OK and the biggest challenge for Fords is that it is so popular it's not always easy to get in. But again, I think it's worth the wait. So whether you are surf or turf, you will find some thing that you like, and probably even will love. read more

This place earned a number one standing in the Patch for Happy Hour and I can see why. I called to inquire their deals because they're not listed online (they said they're not permitted to do so, possibly because they differ per franchise). Here they are for your dining (and imbibing) pleasure: HH is 3:30-7:00pm, M-F: $3 rail drinks, drafts and house wines; $1.00 per raw oyster $1.25 per peel-n-eat jumbo shrimp Pretty great, right? Don't be surprised to find bar pretty full at 4pm on a Fri afternoon. Luckily we were early enough to grab a high top without a problem. I ended up ordering 1/2 dozen oysters and a dozen shrimp plus $3 side order of skinny fries for dinner. Prices couldn't be beat for quality. Service was excellent; even other waitstaff coming around was helpful and friendly (and had what appears to be a great sense of humor). Only "negative" for me was I ordered a gin and seven (Sprite is offered here) and I received a pure glass of gin in a short glass on the rocks. Not wanting to get sauced, I asked the server if they could add the Sprite as requested, thinking its come back in a tall glass. Nope. It came back same with a splash of Sprite. So I ordered a Sprite and mixed it myself. So not a huge deal. Some people would find the extra gin a plus. :) Definitely a place to add to my HH list. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - HH $1.25 per peel-your-own shrimp (dozen) plus side of skinny fries - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

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The food is fairly tasty and a good value for the price point. It's actually better than one would think by the looks of the place. There are many items that are fairly tasty. The short smoked salmon is always a hit. The fried lobster tails, fish tacos, and shrimp tacos are yummy bets as well. For appetizers, the angry mussels, lobster bisque, and wicked pissahs are great picks (especially during happy hour). Service is more good than bad. The to-go process could be better, and curbside is not really a thing. read more

Oh my goodness; by far the most tasteless fish meal I've ever eaten. The cod was bland; the tartar sauce had no flavor; the sweet potato fries were burnt; the best thing about the lobster bisque was the cute little cream swirl on top of the shallowest bowl I've ever seen. Season the food. You know what, don't bother cause I won't be back! read more

The staff was so rude when we walked in with a group of 8 for lunch. They told us the wait was 15 min. We waited 35 minutes and when I asked about the wait time, the hostess rolled her eyes and said,"what do you want me to do tell people to leave so you can sit down?" I walked out. read more

Absolutely love the snow crab and all of the daily specials! We visit several times a month and have never been dissatisfied! Great atmosphere and the staff is too notch! read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

Thanks to my fellow Yelpers for pointing out Ford's Fish Shack. We had a delicious meal here. The restaurant was crowded and we didn't make reservations. We didn't have to wait too long to be seated, about 20 mins or so. It's laid back in here and I loved the music selection that night. While waiting for our table, we noticed the Chef come out of the kitchen a couple of times to hold conversations with his regular customers. That's nice. Our server Kelly was extremely attentive. Our water cups were always full, she brought us plenty of extra corn muffins, and offered suggestions. We had told her that this was our first time here and after our meal the general manager, Wayne came to our table. He asked us if we enjoyed our meal and thanked us for visiting them. Talk about excellent customer service! The meal starts off with complimentary Corn Muffins. They are served warm and with maple butter. The corn muffin was fluffy and had pieces of corn in it. Yum. We decided to try the Maine Chips as our Appetizer. The Chips are fresh and home made. Great crunch and lightly salted. It's topped off with lobstah, basil aioli, pieces of blue cheese, and marinated tomatoes. The serving is generous. The Fish & Chips and Lobstah Roll Entrees were well prepared. The batter on the fish was crisp, light, and seasoned well. The fish was flaky, juicy, and melts in your mouth. Terrific. Highly recommended. It comes with thinly cut fries, tartar sauce and cole slaw. The fries were fresh and seasoned well. I enjoyed their thinly cut fries but would have preferred the Fish & Chips Entree to come with thicker fries. The tartar sauce was addicting and tasted home made. The cole slaw was not drenched in mayo, which I greatly appreciated. The slaw was cool, crisp, and flavorful. The Lobstah Roll was packed with cool pieces of lobster. They mixed in very little mayo, which made me a happy camper. The buttered garlic roll was toasty and warm. It came with thin fries, cole slaw and grilled corn. The grilled corn was amazing. It was buttery and had a nice smokey flavor. With the help of our server, we decided to try the Blueberry Pie w/ Cinnamon Ice Cream and Whoopie Pie for dessert. The Blueberry Pie was filled with blueberries. The pie crust was OK. It was a bit too crisp and not all that buttery. The Cinnamon Ice Cream on top was our favorite part of this dessert. It was creamy, smooth, not too sweet, and had a nice cinnamon flavor. The Whoppie Pie is two Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese in the middle. The Cookies were crisp around the edges and slightly soft in the middle. It wasn't as soft as I would have liked. It was still flavorful and the cream cheese filling was perfect. It was smooth, cool, and not too sweet. The chocolate sauce that comes with it was a bonus. Overall, a great find in Ashburn, VA. read more

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This is a regular spot for us and is great! Raquel is amazing! And the best Bartender!! The drinks are always on point! However, not sure why they keep having Chris at the bar.. today I came knowing Raquel was not in as I love their brunch... I couldn't drink my Kentucky mule.. yeah that bad. I don't even know if the mule had the whiskey at all and it was kind of sour. The brunch was amazing as usual. read more

Fresh local fish and sea food selections are available here. Staff is quick to detail exactly where your food is coming from. The staff is friendly and attentive. We liked the food and service so much that we ate here three times during a recent trip to the area. There are many locals who frequent this restaurant, so it really must be a good place. There wasn't anything we didn't like here: salmon, oysters, shrimp, clams, po'boys, lobster mac and cheese, crab cakes and even the soup. It was all good stuff. They have many local wines and beer on tap options as well. This place is so committed to good food and good service that they were open for service during the recent 2016 Jonas blizzard. In the past, locals did what they could to go to Ford's Fish Shack... even snowshoeing to the restaurant when the local streets weren't plowed. Must be worth it, right? read more

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I've been keeping my eye on the reviews here. For quite some time, they weren't the best. Yelpers talked about trying to dine there at different times of day and not being able to get seated. Even when the place wasn't busy, they were still told that there would be a wait. Some people eventually gave up trying. Recent reviews show that things have changed for the better. Recently, WaPo gave a good review of the fish and chips. Yelp friend, Bonnie C., went to the one in Chantilly this week and confirmed that yes, indeed, the fish and chips were good. So...we got here around 4:30 p.m. on a Saturday to find that the place was extremely busy and that people were waiting for tables. When we approached the host station and said that there were 2 of us, the hostess said that there was a one hour wait for a table. At that point, we were about to say "no thanks", when she said that we could sit at the bar or at "the rail". In fact, she pointed out 2 empty seats at the end of "the rail". Okay, that's fine, we said. After we took our seats, we were immediately given a menu. No sooner did we start to peruse it, our waiter showed up. He was very friendly and efficient plus he took the time to explain the specials and answer our questions. I started with a blueberry mojito, while my husband got a Michelob Lite. The blueberry mojito was good, with muddled blueberries and muddled mint in it. It had a decent amount of alcohol and the blueberry flavoring clearly came through. We decided to have the devilish eggs as an appetizer. This appetizer consists of 5 egg halves with a pecan on top plus 2 slices of bacon. If you've had the deviled eggs at a Great American Restaurant, you would see that Ford's are very similar. Ford's version is spicier than the GAR version plus they pile the whipped egg yolks rather high which makes eating it somewhat cumbersome. The bacon in the GAR version is much more flavorful with good maple flavoring. That was missing in Ford's version. For the entrée, we both decided to have the fish and chips---and it was a great choice! The fish is flaky and moist plus the batter is light. It comes with cole slaw and fries. The cole slaw is unique. I kept getting a flavor that I couldn't quite pinpoint. So, I asked the waiter what was in it. He didn't know but told us he would find out. He came back to tell us that it is seasoned with cinnamon, tarragon and relish. Aha! Tarragon! That was what I was picking up! It was tasty and the dressing was in the right proportion. My husband, however, didn't care for it. He is, however, a purist when it comes to his cole slaw and likes it simple. We both thought that the fish and chips were some of the best we've had. The only complaint we had was that the portion size could have been smaller as we were really starting to feel full towards the end of the meal. We were very pleased with the service. In fact, we thought our waiter did such a great job that we tipped more than 20%. Before the tip, dinner cost $51 + change. We would come back here again. However, my husband commented that we would probably have to eat dinner at 3 p.m. if we wanted to get a table, instead of eating at "the rail". I admit, that eating at "the rail" wasn't the most comfortable thing but it is manageable. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Devilish Good Eggs - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

All food was very good. Only the soup was too salty. Also the service was excellent .

Time to update last year's review! In the past 2 months, I have dined here on at least 5 occasions and I feel it's time for an update! Half of the visits were part of family celebrations and holidays, so everyone's opinion really mattered to me since I sincerely love this place. Food..... hands down was a hit amongst the old and the kiddies..in fact, some of the kids enjoyed ordered off the adult menu. The fried baskets were a hit by most of my family. Seriously there is an art to 'frying' and Ford's does a fine job frying! When it comes to oysters and shrimp, it's imperative that that seafood is NOT greasy and the food here definitely tasted freshly fried. I can't begin to write about the Maine Chips without salivating but these are freshly 'fried' chips laces with lobster, bleue cheese, and other goodies...it comes in 2 sizes, seriously get the large! Oh, and on the weekends, they opened at 10am, and we got complimentary muffins...yup, brunch here too! Service----....Besides the fantastic servers, I had the recent privilege of interacting with Fords management....and I'm honestly telling you that they care about their customers. It's simply not enough to check on their customers, but they go out of their way to make sure we are happy! It's rare to see and I'm so glad that this small business does an excellent job! Bigger chains could take a lesson from them. Location-- We have only frequented the Asburn location and parking is a breeze, there is an outdoor seating area, and guess what, they do take reservations, especially if you have a larger party! I certainly hope they will consider expanding to Fairfax County but I am glad my family lives in Loudoun Cty so I get a chance to eat here! read more

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3.5 Stars. Great seafood, friendly waitress, but this places gets very packed! Ford's Fish Shack offers decently good fish tacos, and very delicious angry mussels. The fish tacos were a bit on the bland side, but were good otherwise and were lightly battered. The angry mussels are doused in a lemon butter sauce that includes chorizo, tomatoes, and onions, served with tasty and toasted ciabatta bread for dipping. Very good, and a dish that you must order! They also have very delicious complimentary mini corn bread muffins that will keep you wanting more and may possibly get you so full to the point where you cannot devour too much of your dinner when it arrives. We originally came here for happy hour, but it was much too packed, so we opted for dinner instead. However, Happy hour runs from 4pm-7pm, with a menu that offers $1 oysters and $1 jumbo shrimp as well as $3 draft beers. You must come here at or before 5pm if you'd like to do happy hour. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Blackened fish tacos - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

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A very large group of us came here last Monday night to celebrate a friends birthday. Reservations were called in ahead of time but it still seemed as though they weren't prepared to accommodate us. There was a little over 20 of us and only one waiter to serve us all. Usually in this circumstance a restaurant would provide the table with 2 waiters, each responsible for one half of the very long table. To no fault of the restaurant, the seating arrangement was horrible and didn't allow us to converse with anyone but the person beside and in front of each other, which defeated the purpose of getting together with friends to celebrate and catch up. Since there was so many of us, we constantly had to remind our server of the drinks we'd ordered, and he even entirely forgot about the sangria I ordered and never received. When it came time to pay the bill, he messed everyone's check up. I had received someone else's drink, someone else received mine etc. and be brought them all out one by one taking almost 30 mins just to get the bill paying process over with. He took so long to get me mine that everyone else had begun to stand up put their coat on and leave me at the table.. I almost walked or then, bill or no bill. The only thing saving this restaurant any stars at all is the delicious food. I ordered the lobster roll Maine style and it was delicious! Fresh lobster on a toasted bun, delicious! It came served with corn on the cob, which I don't like. They should put in their menu what it comes with on the side (the menu just lists fries) or as the customer which side they would like before assuming everyone can eat corn on the cob. The food was good so I may come back with a smaller party to give them another shot, but it isn't likely. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Maine style lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

An off night, perhaps? In between Meh and A-OK. Maybe I'm the odd one out here, but Ford's Fish Shack just didn't cut it for me. We came on a Monday night after 8pm for their late-night menu specials. They offered a variety of appetizers for $5, so basically their infamous angry mussels, deviled eggs, calamari, crab and artichoke dip, guacamole. My friends that have tried Ford's previously kept urging me not to order so much, because it was a LOT of food. I agree, it was, but the flavors just didn't satisfy. The angry mussels were smaller than I expected, and the sauce they were doused in was WAY too salty. I tried eating the soaked bread, expecting a delicious soggy bite, but the sodium intake was overwhelming in the worst way... The calamari was plentiful and I enjoyed it, the crab and artichoke dip was basically just a VERY cheesy artichoke dip. Good, but I'd like to see more pieces of crab stirred in. The shrimp tacos were the most disappointing, especially since I paid for it full price. I only ate half a taco, and gave the rest away because it was so BLAND. It was just breaded and fried shrimp in a tortilla with lettuce mix. I think they forgot the sauce in it, because my friend said last time she ordered it, it was flavorful with sauce. Mine was completely dry for some reason... No flavor at all. I had to put vinegar on it to taste something. Service was spotty. Could use improvement on remembering our orders. The calamari came out AFTER the main dishes for me, and our waitress had forgotten our friend's mashed potatoes, our crab and artichoke dip, etc after all our entrees had come out. I was so full by the time she finally served us the right appetizers. I liked the cheap appetizers pricing, and great portion sizes. But the food seasoning and quality just didn't blow me away. I expected more from Ford's based on reviews, but it was just another restaurant to me. I may return to give them another try, since they are a unique seafood joint around Ashburn/Loudoun. read more

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Hands down the best lobster roll I've ever tasted. The server suggested getting it Connecticut-style (served warm with butter sauce). I'm salivating thinking about it while I write this. SO GOOD! The calamari was good too. Great service and nice atmosphere. Highly recommend! read more

$1 oysters, deviled eggs, chips and guacamole, great lemon chicken sandwich, ribs, besides the rockfish being well-received. read more

Ford's Fish Shack - Ashburn - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Ashburn, Virginia

Still one of my favorite spots to grab food, cocktails, hangout, happy hour, etc. Plus I run into a few former coworkers of mine from my sweetwater days so it's nice to catch up with them. They also serve brunch Saturdays and Sundays which are toxically euphoric and pleasant. French toast is delicious and their brunch cocktails such as the Bacon Bloody Mary are heavenly. For appetizers the Maine Chips, mussels, oysters and shrimp cocktail are all delicious. Actually, everything here is delicious! Literally everything, unless you have a shellfish allergy or you're a vegetarian in which case you should just order a salad and shut up! Awesome staff of servers and bartenders including Sara, Mike G and Lindsay. Every time I walk in here I always hear that song "Still the One" play in my head. Still the one who could quench my thirst! Still the one that gives me a burst! We're still having fun, cause you're still the one! (I changed some of the lyrics but you know what I mean) read more

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