I had the pleasure of having brunch at Madigan's Waterfront this weekend. I joined a few new friends at the waterside seating, we could not have asked for a more beautiful day. I called earlier to ensure that I could cover the tab for a group that volunteered to assist in a cleanup that morning in the Town of Occoquan. I had to stop at another meeting down the road and rushed back and forth. The restaurant Manager, Heather, was very pleasant and kept me informed in order for me to be there before they left. Heather brought Kenny to meet me at the door as our table server. He was very courteous and terrific at providing a top tier service that I always receive here and expect wherever I spend my money when patronizing a business. I have always received great service from everyone here at all times and shifts of the day. The food has always been on par as well. I believe the crux of being here may be the veil of dismalness and lack of TLC. You can smell it and it isn't the poo in the river. When observing the restrooms, trash dumpster and overall condition of the dining room/bar areas, improvements can be made and escalate the business in more ways than they can imagine. To make money (for the owners and employees) you need to spend money. Menu is good and solid, keep the selection and quality. The drinks are more at the Tiki Bar than inside. The staff are terrific, keep the ones that enjoy being there and have the best ones like Kenny, Mike, Heather, and Lenny lead and manage staff and service. Someone independent needs to manage inventory. Money is being drained by too many freebies from the staff and could be used towards a decent toilet to sit on and stall doors to lock. There are great events that take place here like live bands, solo musicians, line dancing, karaoke and others. Bottom line, this restaurant should not have an empty seat and I look forward to more improvements and happy experiences here. +- parking ( handicap available) + service + food presentation/quality/flavor - restaurant and exterior condition read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Seafarers Salad with House balsamic. - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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Great place next to the water. Lovely service. I ordered Thai mussels and crab chowder. I will say the chowder was one of the best I've had. Lovely place to have a bite. read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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The plusses: The prices were okay, and the food quality was good. The Mad Burger I ate was very well seasoned with good crisp bacon, while the Ribeye sandwich was strictly knife and fork fare after a bite or two (it was a mess to eat but tasty.) The accompanying baked potato was on the cold side of room temperature. Housemade chips were crisp. The Meh: Service was slow and uneven despite only three tables occupied but it was friendly. I had to ask for my drink (coffee) a third time before it was remembered. But the waitress was very nice and engaging. The WTF: Halfway through the meal they cut on a karaoke machine in the bar section. There is a wall blocking the view from the dining area but it only extends half the length of the restaurant, so you are effectively in the bar when it comes to the noise. Bad karaoke is not amusing or entertaining unless you have been in a bar for far too long. So go early or go elsewhere if you don't want to hear Sweet Caroline loudly tortured. Verdict: Price was okay for the food, an okay experience, nothing I will go out of the way for. read more

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I really enjoyed my dish. There was a good amount of crab and shrimp and the gnocchi was well cooked. Service was quick and our server was very friendly. The patio overlooks the water which is really nice if there's good weather. We'd definitely come back! read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Nautical Gnocchi - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

A absolute stop if your in between Richmond and Dc and want a fabulous dining experience. The view was breathtaking and I loved that just outside the restaurant you can rent kayaks. The staff were knowledgeable of the menu and ready to serve. I ordered the salmon bowl which was cooked to perfect. The restaurant and the town make for the perfect day near the water. read more

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Food was good but pricey. Over $200 for a burger, salmon, crab cakes and a ribeye sandwich. Yes, 3 drinks and 2 deserts but still feel it was high. Kendal, our server was awesome. Friendly, professional and caring. Helpful in some of our decisions. She gets 5 stars. read more

The tiki bar on the waterfront in back of Madigan's is still excellent! Terrific tropical drinks. They allow cigar smoking. The service is friendly and attentive. Actually, it is much better at the separate tiki bar than inside the restaurant or on the larger back patio off to the side. read more

My daughter and her friend just visited your establishment today April 15, 2026 around 12:13pm and allegedly no one acknowledged them or seated them and it was like 13 minutes they waited on the bench by the hostess stand with staff clearly seeing them, so they left. This is inexcusable and I'm glad I cancelled my graduation brunch reservations. Please do better. Or post outside the type of clientele you choose to serve. read more

It was our first time at Madigan and our server Kenny was fantastic. We had a fantastic lunch and we will be back for sure. read more

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Nothing happened. Service is so so but the food is awful. Small plate and very unsightly presentation. Vegetables are not fresh but messy. The captain platter is a joke. We came for fish but feel like the 2 tiny pieces of fish were not as good as frozen dinner. Baked potato was perhaps baked for 24 hours with thick crust as hard as rock. The restaurant smells like restroom. Good location by the river. But What a shame! No quality. Best I can do is to share an honest review and hopefully save you some money.Two of us spent $137($112+$25 tip) but it's the most expensive junk food and worse dining experience we've ever had. Waste of time and money! read more

The location of this restaurant is the main attraction. Based on the quality of the food I would not drive out of my way to get there unless it was to simply have a drink on deck, otherwise it's a hard "no go" for us. You be your own judge. We've tried having lunch there at least three times and each time left hungry and disappointed. read more

Stopped in for a bite to eat when going to the peep show. Service at the table was very nice and attentive. Ambiance was maybe too laid back. Hostess seemed kind of out of it when she went to seat us. Food was average. Not as great as we were expecting. Only had a chicken quesadilla and tried the pickle chips. Both were so-so, but reasonably priced. read more

Fabulous, Flirty and Fifty Hawaiian Birthday Party My dear friend, C threw a big birthday bash for her Big 50! She booked the upper level, the top floor, with the servers and buffet lunch a part of the package provided by the restaurant. It was a Hawaiian Themed Party. All the guests were dressed in tropical clothing. There were tables set up for about 60-70 guests. The room is set up in many tiers, with the most upper tier holding the bar and where the hot buffet was set up. Overview of our visit, the food was delicious, the staff were friendly and the party room/event space was lovely. The restaurant was in a very charming town, that I'd love to explore another time. I will caution you, parking appeared to be tight. Even with that challenge, you should still venture out to this lovely restaurant. read more

I truly enjoyed my dining experience here. The crab cake was mainly crab with very little filler and it paired perfectly with the brioche bun. The onions rings were tasty and they had hush puppies as a special and Im so glad I ordered those. read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Crabcake sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

Nice server and good experience. We were seated quickly and the view was I was super hungry so I destroyed it but the food was pretty average ‍ Overall fun experience but wouldn't go out of my way to eat here read more

Madigan's Waterfront - grouper po-boy - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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We stopped in late for drinks after a show--around 10:30. Clearly a popular neighborhood spot! The dance floor was very crowded, so at first it was a little hard to find the bar, but we did and, though crowded, the bartenders greeted us immediately and provided great service. Took the time to offer liquor selections for our cocktails and made them well. Kept an eye on us and we ready to offer a next round immediately as needed. Didn't get food, but great service! We were happy to find Madigan's. read more

Second time here. Return customer. It did not disappoint. Met Bubbles, at the main bar, she was a awesome server and very attentive, The food was fabulous once again. This is a must go to place. Its in a quaint small town that looks magical. AAA +++ You will happy to be there. read more

Absolutely terrible. The Service, food, other patrons... all atrocious! Such prime location so it's a real shame. They should close this place down and open a nice seafood restaurant or something that goes with the vibe of such a great little town. Madigans is just trash! read more

The food was outstanding. The crab cakes, mussels all so great Now for the bad. To get a Happy Hour drink you have to go to the bar yourself or eat in the bar. I couldn't hear the waitress because of the loud music and told her I couldn't hear her but didn't turn it down read more

Pleasant knowledgeable waitress but yikes don't get the rubbery cold Belgian waffle. Avocado toast is the way to go. Pricey for mediocre food read more

As many reviewers have noted, the service is quite slow, even when the restaurant is not busy, and the food is mediocre. The fried gnocchi tasted like canned spaghettiOs. But the view is lovely and the staff are pleasant once they finally get to you. So if you go, just check your expectations at the door and focus on the nice setting by the water. read more

My group met here for a lunch meeting. They gave us a large table away from the traffic so the noise level was tolerable. It worked very well. Food is okay. Our server didn't hover but seemed to appear when we needed her. Nice view of the Occoquan from our table. With a stage and bulletin board full of events, this location is probably a fun night spot. Accessible for us less mobile folks. read more

Spur of the moment drop-in. Huge place. Lots and lot of seating upstairs inside or on the enclosed patio or downstairs. Seating and a full bar downstairs where bands play. Check their website for the schedule. No shortage at all. Service was quick. Staff and patrons were very friendly. I did not order a meal item. Plan to visit again to listen to the band. read more

I've been to Madigan's a few times since I moved here and each time has been wonderful! The staff is very friendly and attentive. I love sitting outside and enjoying the beautiful waterfront view and occasional live music! The food is incredible as well! Their oysters taste fresh and their cajun pasta is absolutely delicious! Definitely recommend going here when in Occoquan read more

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Service was rude and inconvenient. The hostess saw that we had coffee cups in our hands coming in, and seated us without saying anything. There is no sign outside about this. Then they sent the waitress out to tell us that outside drinks were not allowed, and she made us throw them away at the table. It was slow and after lunch hour. The server did not understand what the specials were, just read a list but didn't know what they were. She also never came back after taking out order. No one refilled drinks or anything. It's a tourist area with a coffee shop every block. If they had said something on the way in, I'd understand a little better. Anyways, never coming back. Hope you don't either. read more

Fabulous ! I had the crab omelet and my sister had a salad w steak. PLENTY of steak on salad and plenty of crab in the omelet, Service was excellent, views were beautiful! Great menu options. Kenny was wonderful! Attentive but not annoying. My sister and I were chatting away lol. We'll definitely be here again! Thank you read more

I've eaten here a couple of times years ago and wasn't too impressed. Fast forward to this past weekend, since the weather has been nice, I decided to make us reservations for brunch and what a great decision. We shared delicious avocado toast with a hefty serving of smoked salmon. I tried something different with the breakfast burrito. Oh goodness, this thing is big enough to feed a family of four and was perfectly made. Filled with scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, peppers, topped with pico, cheese, and avocado, served with a side of cilantro dressing. This was not a typical burrito, it was lightly grilled and was easily cut with a knife and eaten with a fork. My friend went with the traditional breakfast. We both had a cocktail with brunch and both were made perfectly. Food was amazing! Service was outstanding! Outside atmosphere was picturesque with potential. Although the patio can use an update with canoes and such slightly distracting from the waterfront view, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Madigan's Waterfront. read more

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We were placed on a waitlist, which in general is fine. However, it's not great to wait over 40 minutes after we're told the wait is 20 minutes. Food took forever and one of us was served the wrong side. The food itself was mediocre, the fried gnocchi tasted like canned food. This restaurant will also charge you a 4% credit card fee instead of just rolling that into their menu prices like every other establishment. The only reason I give this place 2 stars instead of 1 is because the waitress was very nice and the ambiance was enjoyable. read more

Sorry, I was not impressed with this place. Place looked dirty when we arrived. The steak on top of my salad was not seasoned. It's like they just took it out of the package and cooked it up, not even salt or pepper. My son's popcorn shrimp was so greasy. Wish we had read the reviews before coming. read more

A very nice restaurant on the water in beautiful Ocoquain. They have plenty of dining rooms plus a nice bar with live music some nights. They are good for groups. Nice variety of food and drinks. Excellent service. read more

Madigan's Waterfront - At the Tiki Bar - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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We sat outside listening to live music. Our waiter was very pleasant and food was wonderful. We will be back! read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Cheese and charcuterie! It was plentiful, fresh and yummy! - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

Was very excited to go for a date night with my husband as we are new parents and had a rare babysitter. We were incredible disappointed. The food is less than average and my husband's meal looks like dog food. All tasted very processed and frozen. This was one of those places where we left feeling sick that we spent our money on it. read more

Went to today for Mother's Day brunch. $40 a person. Quality has gone downhill. No more carving station, beef now in warming trays. French toast stick and waffles were frozen. Use to be waffles made to order. Food cold and it was noon. Service was good. Restaurant desperately needs to be remodeled. read more

Ugh... it's been a tic since I've been so I had high hopes that there had been some improvement. First the location is amazing. The restaurant was clean. The service was friendly but not educated on the menu. 2nd. Food boo. oysters were not edible. Fish tacos close but no cigar. Everything felt a little leftover and re-heated. Bottom line...in my opinion. Go for drinks and the view. Skip the big meal read more

I came back to Madigan's again this afternoon before 3pm for a late lunch. I was greeted and seated promptly. The waiter who I had was phenomenal his name was Delmar he greeted me within several minutes and took my drink order. His warm smile was so genuine and he looked me in the eye when he spoke with me. Too many waiters don't bother to make a personal connection but he sure had a passion for his job. I ordered the fish & chips special along with a salad. My salad arrived within less than 5 minutes it was crispy and fresh. The fish and chips came within 10 minutes it was perfectly hot and the fries plentiful and crispy. The fish was very tasty and breaded and fried to perfection. Delmar checked back several times to make sure everything was fine and to refill my Coke. His smile never faded. Delmar did such a great job being my waiter and I wrote tons of compliments on the receipt and tipped him very very well. If his boss reads this review which I hope he does as Delmar is a rare gem of a great waiter. He really cares and it showed with his smile and personality!!! He deserves a raise and other wait staff should look at him as an example of how to provide excellent service! read more

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This place is run by the arrogant staff. The service is horrible. The food is subpar. Go anywhere else.

A quaint restaurant that is a new favorite of mine. The food was fresh and a great value. The crab cake sandwich was large and all lump no filler for under $20. My drink was very light on alcohol, but flavorful. The waterfront location is very romantic. Great music. Perfect for an affordable date night. The locals are welcoming and they offer good specials in the bar area. This is a good place to watch the game or enjoy a quiet date night. Dylan was our waiter. The service was excellent. I highly recommend this place. Tip: The cocktails tend to be weak. Stick to one of the beers on tap or wine. read more

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The food was AMAZING- even though the Prime Rib was medium well instead of medium rare- it was still tender enough to cut with a butter knife! Hubs got the stuffed flounder with onion rings and rice pilaf- the onion rings were so yummy he didn't even use the catchup he asked for. My prime rib was tender, perfectly seasoned, and holy-crow delicious. The dessert they comped for our anniversary was a chocolate mousse, and I don't even have before pictures- only after, because we demolished it. read more

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The food was great for the price! I really like that they give you a lot of crab for the crab cake sandwich and it wasn't full of fillers. The cream of crab soup was great as well. The bowl of soup was an actual standard size bowl and not a tiny one. Drinks made right. I love that they have karaoke every Thursday night from 8pm-12am. There is a stage but most people don't use it. It's a casual atmosphere and everyone is very nice and supportive of all singers. Bathrooms are clean. This is a place I could get used to. I would definitely come back again! read more

Madigan's Waterfront - Crab Cake Sandwich - lots of crab meat! - Seafood Near Me - Occoquan, Virginia

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Had lunch at Madigan's on a hot August Sunday afternoon. Sat on the outdoor porch which is very scenic and relaxing, overlooking the water with a slight breeze. Ordered the crab cake sandwich with fries and onion rings. The food was delicious! Crab cakes were surprisingly large with mostly crab meat. The restaurant was busy and the service was very good. I would go back again. read more