Hank's Oyster Bar is one of my favorite spots in Alexandria. A friend and I stopped in for happy…read morehour and shared a dozen fresh oysters along with a glass of the house white wine. Everything was delicious, and the happy hour menu is a great value if you're looking for a relaxing way to unwind. The rooftop is absolutely worth checking out, it has such a fun, laid-back atmosphere and made the evening even better. Our server was incredibly kind and attentive, which really added to the experience. Between the great food, friendly service, and beautiful rooftop, Hank's never disappoints. I'll definitely be back!

We had a great afternoon lunch at Hank's Oyster Bar in Alexandria! The atmosphere was welcoming, I…read moreloved the decor, and the service was great. We started with the hushpuppies, which had good flavor but were just a little overcooked. My husband ordered the Shrimp Po'Boy and really enjoyed it. He said the shrimp were seasoned very well, and the toasted bread made it even better. I had the Shrimp & Grits. The flavor was good, but they weren't the best shrimp and grits I've had. The broth was a little too watery for me, and I prefer my grits thicker and creamier. Still, the dish had really good flavor overall. Overall, we enjoyed our lunch, the great service, and the beautiful atmosphere. Hank's was a nice spot for a relaxing afternoon meal in Alexandria!

My widf and I decided to give this place a try after reading the Yelp reviews…read more We love seafood and there are no good seafood restaurants in our immediate area in Pa. Interestingly, the restaurant is in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The off street parking lot is small but fortunately there is paid street parking by an app, with no coin acceptance. There are approximately six-eight outdoor tables in the front of the restaurant that seat about four people each. The indoor dining area seats approximately eighty guests. This is by no means a fancy restaurant but it is clean and comfortable Our server Jalin was very sweet and attentive and recommended several dishes. Beer and mixed drinks are also served here. We started with the fried calamari as an appetizer. The calamari had a delicious crunchy coating and was not chewy. For pur main dishes, my wife had the pecan and coconut crusted flounder and I had the seafood jambalaya. Both dishes were excellent with generous portions. Neither of the dishes were overcooked, with the flounder was light and prepared perfectly. Prices were reasonable and worth every penny, especially with how generous the portions were. We will definitely be going back to try other dishes and recommend giving this restaurant a try.

Went here recently for a meal with family. We all ordered various dishes. It was a mix bag in terms…read moreof satisfaction. I liked the mussels, but the jambalaya is what Gen Z would label as mid. Not really authentic at all. Rice was plain and there was no Cajun flavor profile. I also had the cream of crab soup and that was ok. Unfortunately for them, I just had that at Fisherman's Crabdeck near Annapolis as well and that totally smashed the soup at Ragin by comparison. Our server was good though and attentive. I just wished the food was a little better.

Joes Seafood is our go to for celebratory dinners. You can never go wrong with coming to Joes…read more The food is always good and the service keeps us coming back. Last night we celebrated our wedding anniversary. We have a fav booth that we request when making our reservations and it's always ready when we arrive. The Bartender Brandon is just the best!! When he's working we know it's going to be an awesome experience. People will always remember how you make them feel!!! & Joes gets it every time. Whether you're coming to watch a game, perfect date night, GNO...family dinner...birthdays...anniversaries...whatever the reason....you can't go wrong with coming here. Already looking forward to the next time :)) Happy Yelping!

Back again for Happy Hour after several years. It was mostly an excellent experience…read more The bartenders were friendly, helpful, and efficient. Food was excellent. I was going to give a 5-star rating, but then I noticed on the menu that Joe's participates in the 3% "operating expenses surcharge" scam. Instead of openly raising prices so patrons can easily compare them between restaurants, the 3% goes in the small print at the bottom of the menu. Regardless of what they claim about dealing with rising costs, this sneaky 3% goes into the pockets of the owners as profit. Patrons are given the option to ask for this surcharge to be removed from their bill. They should do so and complain loudly about this practice. Several other high end DC restaurants have stopped running this scam after sufficient protest from patrons.

Friendly service and a great, buttery scrumptious Masons Lobster Rolls at the Belvedere Square…read moreMall. Been awhile since I was at this long-established food court straddling the back end of the city and Towson's doorstep. Atmosphere is mall buzzy but not yum-pleasant. Same mall contains Atwater's, Neopol Smokery, pizza, bowls, two bars and newer places to further explore. I suggest you do! Bonus: Our famed Senator Theatre is nearby!

If you've never had a lobster roll, they're worth having at least once. Ideally, you should have…read morethem in Maine at a place that will pile on the lobster. But if you're in Belvedere Square, Mason's is a good substitute. The menu is pretty simple: a variety of lobster and shrimp items, mostly in the form of a sandwich roll or soup. I went with a classic roll with some drawn butter on it. It was good - nice bits of meat and it allows the flavor of the lobster to shine. I wouldn't call it filling, at least not for me, but it was tasty. I also got a small soup and the guy behind the counter offered me a sample of each type without me even asking. Overall pretty solid. It's lobster, so it won't be cheap, but for what it is, it's a fairly priced meal.

Absolutely delighted with this old school hamburger restaurant! Delicious hamburgers made from…read morelocal beef, I think are the highlight. Buns were toasted to perfection and meat was tasty, seasoned and just a little bit charred on the edges. Not quite a smash burger, but better! As others have mentioned there is no bathroom and no eating inside but several outside tables to enjoy your meal during good weather. If you are a peanut butter lover , do not leave without tasting the soft serve with the house made peanut butter sauce! Chef's kiss!! I would order that and skip the ice cream any day.

I stopped by Beef 'n Buns 'n Paradise today for a late lunch when I was passing through Frederick…read more It's a charming old-school, retro burger shop. You order inside at the counter and then they call your name on the loud speaker when it's ready for pickup at the drive thru or the counter (depending on whether you ordered it to go or not). I had a cheeseburger with tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayo, and a side of fries. The burger was classic and totally delicious. The fries were very good, too. I ate my lunch at one of the picnic tables on the property, which was comfortable and fun (but they don't have bathrooms FYI). The service was friendly, and the place has tons of retro charm. I'd definitely go back for another meal - maybe a milkshake or other dessert with my burger next time? A fun, fast, casual meal. A charmer in Frederick, just off 70.

The absolute best wings my wife and a I have had in years. We got the BBQ ones. They steak, egg and…read morecheese breakfast sandwich is also really good. Everything was great.

Impressively delicious sandwiches etc. made with tasty Boar's Head meats, friendly service, air…read moreconditioned indoor tables for hot days, and orders come to you quickly. We got a juicy roast beef sandwich and a grilled cheese. Both were top-notch, and this place is a real oasis on the C&O trail, which is quite the food desert. You order at the register. Fries or chips are a la carte. Minus one star because all drinks come in cans or bottles, yet in 2025 White's Ferry Grill still lacks any recycle bins whatsoever. I suggested adding them to the owners via their website and Facebook page, but never heard back. As a result, the trash can outside may be full, and tons of recyclables go to the landfill. I carried my empty Gatorade bottle with me. I would love to take the ferry again, but meanwhile, this casual restaurant and store is a gem.

I came at 8:40AM, hoping to pick up lunch before work, but it was unfortunately closed! I'm…read moreassuming they open at 9 or later. When I came back for lunch, I was surprised this had replaced Cappelli's Café! I loved Cappelli's sandwiches. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, which I thought was worth the price because it came with fries and a drink. The sandwich was freshly made and not half bad! The workers were efficient and courteous. I asked one of them what "guma" means, and he said "gu" in French means "taste," so "gumax" is intended to mean maximum taste. Hopefully I'm feeling more adventurous next time so I can try one of the guma pies!

My rating is now only 2 after our second visit which became a real test of patience. While the…read moremanager at Gumax is friendly and earnest, the operation is too disorganized and slow. Ingredient supplies were low so items were not prepared as described on the menu. At first he would not accept a Local Flavor deal (which got us to even try Gumax) because of previous deal reimbursement problems with the Gumax owner. After a delay of about 30 minutes and several phones calls, it was finally accepted but that was just too much hassle for getting lunch.

Wow...where do I even start? Whether you're looking for a cozy café with great coffee / pastries,…read morean intimate restaurant serving some of the best New American cooking, or just a place that has some of the friendliest, most inviting staff to ever grace the DC restaurant scene, Elle has you covered. They operate a cute little coffee counter in the day, which includes some of their amazing scones, croissants, and other goodies, as well as outstanding espresso drinks. There isn't a ton of seating in the café section so it ends up being quite crowded, but if you're lucky enough to snag a seat, it's super cozy and the perfect place to read or just hang out. The café area is confined to two mini counters in a small corner next to the front window, so it always gets plenty of natural light and is a great place to people watch. I dropped by on a Sunday morning to grab an americano and their maple pecan scone; the americano was phenomenal, and the scone was such a delightful ode to autumn flavors. It was quite large, super buttery and rich, and packed with maple and pecan flavor without being overly sweet. Come back in the evening and you'll stroll into what feels like a completely different restaurant. The coffee bar is transformed into a standard bar, and the ambient lighting, dark wooden furniture, and brick walls make the space feel incredibly cozy and intimate. Their dinner menu is quite pricey, but it's genuinely worth every penny. My friend promised that Elle had the "best vegetable he's ever tasted," and they absolutely delivered -- the roasted broccoli with sardines and parmesan was delightful. It was super simple, but I appreciated how well it let the natural flavor of each ingredient shine, and each component had plenty of its own flavor, with the parmesan and sardines offering a hit of salt, umami, and sight funkiness. We also got the grilled cucumber which, at first glance, seemed like such an odd menu item. After giving it a try, however, I'm now questioning why we don't always grill our cucumbers -- the cucumber was beautifully charred on the outside, and heat helped to bring out some of the vegetable's natural sweetness to counterbalance the smokiness from the grill. It was served on top of a bed of savory, tangy yogurt and with chopped hazelnuts, which offered a great crunch. I was most impressed by the skate; this fish is a rare find in DC, but they prepared with perfectly. It was super tender, which contrasted beautifully against the crispy, crunchy fried outer shell. The skate was topped with crispy onions and a savory, slightly spicy sauce, as well as swimming in a rich, incredibly umami broth. The skate may have been the single best thing I put in my mouth all year -- I'm going to be devastated when it falls out of season and rotates of the menu, but I'm also super excited to come back and sample Elle's next season of items.

Went to a birthday brunch at Ellē and had a wonderful time! The service was excellent--they were…read morevery attentive and brought a cookie for the birthday girl. Egg sandwich (with brisket added): 4/5, generous amount of brisket for an extra $4 but it was a little salty and could've used some sauce like an aioli or something to be a little less dry Flat white: 4/5, overall a solid flavor and served in a nice mug

Absolutely incredible!! It was my first time at a tasting menu and the fourth time for my parents…read more-- we all loved it! They're a farm to table restaurant so they have a small farm in the back and use local fishermen, beekeepers, and farmers for the majority of their food. The inside portion of the restaurant is in a converted green house and you look out over the Potomac River and the bridge that connects MD and VA along 15. They also have outdoor seating and a gazebo with one table (for an additional price). Sometimes restaurants with tasting menus pack you in and have low lighting but this place had the tables spread out and it was bright and airy inside with lots of plants and decor along the walls. The tasting menu is 9 courses in total but our waiter brought several surprise mid course tastings like a sourdough milk bread and tempura oysters. They change the menu every 6-8 weeks to reflect what is fresh at the moment and supplement with pickled vegetables. I loved everything I ate but my dad didn't care for the abundance of fish that's currently being served. The waiters are so coordinated and excellent at providing an explanation for each course. It was paced perfectly, where we weren't rushed between each course but also weren't waiting around forever. Just a note: they're business casual, but the driveway up to the restaurant is gravel and the parking lot is also gravel, so swap your stilettos for wedges or flats!

Overpriced ordinary. Boring all around. The setting was…read moreplain, the wine, Virginia wine, really? Two courses of tomatoes.

I've finally found authentic NE seafood in NoVA! I had a butter/CT lobster roll which had warm,…read moretender Maine lobster on a buttered, split-top roll. I upgraded my side to thin onion strips, which were incredibly thin and light (as they should be!) and served with Ned's sauce - delicious! My partner had the clam strip platter with fries and cole slaw. The clam strips reminded me of trips to the sound/shore for seafood dinners (and still tasted great as leftovers). The fries seem homemade/pressed in-house and the slaw was fabulous. Refreshing, not heavy or mayonaisy. We rounded out our dinners with NE canned beers - Fat Orange Cat and Jack's Abby (a crisp Bavarian lager, tastes like you're at a hoffbrauhaus).

Came here for a rainy Sunday morning brunch and was PLEASANTLY surprised! Though it may look…read moreunassuming from the outside, the inside is clean, beautifully decorated and even has a play area upstairs for babies and young children! Olivia greeted us when we walked in and was extremely helpful and very friendly! We ordered the lobster breakfast burrito and the White Hen breakfast sandwich with a side of breakfast potato's. Everything was DELICIOUS! Very fresh and well seasoned. We are so glad to have visited this hidden gem and will absolutely be back!