the wharf

the wharf did not have any serious strict seafood options such as fish filets and/or "catch of the day". instead, almost every seafood option was fried and smothered in different sauces; or with different pastas; or in a sandwhich. while that's not really terrible, i would suggest that this restaurant seemed to be a 'pub food' restaurant first that has fish-esque options, rather than a fish restaurant that has some pub food options. the only natural food entree choice that had minimal additives was the chicken piccata which, i will admit, was delicious. i would say the wharf is a pretty decent pub.

i had the blue crab appetizer and the bay scallops with grilled vegetables. the scallops were good but the were were really lacking in taste. bit over priced for what i got.

delightful find while walking in old town. the service was outstanding! very attentive staff. food was a little pricey but well prepared and delicious.

fantastic!!! i loved everything about my dining experience! we were seated upstairs at a very quiet, candle lit table. the staff was superb. very attentive to our need, yet they did not hover over us, which gave us a very intimate and romantic experience. the food was perfect! by far, one of the best dining experiences of my life! if you are looking for a romantic, intimate dining experience, this is the place to go. be sure and park a few blocks away because the evening stroll to and from there is just as fabulous!

loved it! the oysters are a must and the she crab soup was delicious! only thing i would say is it's a little pricey! but that's just seafood

our server and the guy who refilled our waters were nice! the poorly shucked (completely tore up with bits of shell) oysters on the half shell were yummy. other than that, food was really bland, anything with crab meat had shells in it, and the saffron rice tastes like poorly made uncle ben's with bits if dried rice in it. i ordered the crab and crayfish stuffed rockfish in a tabasco cream sauce. overcooked and bland, not a hint of any flavor or seasoning with bits of shell. my friend ordered the pene pasta with our server and the guy who refilled our waters were nice! the poorly opened oysters on the half shell were yummy. other than that, food was really bland, anything with crab meat had shells in it, and the saffron rice tastes like poorly made uncle ben's with bits if dried rice in it. i ordered the crab and crayfish stuffed rockfish in a tabasco cream sauce. overcooked and bland, not a hint of any flavor or seasoning with bits of shell. my friend ordered the pasta with crab meat and it was tasteless and saturated with oil. needless to say we've had better food at chain restaurants.

had a very good meal. seated immediately, excellent wait staff. good wine suggestion on the house chardonnay. excellent meal in quiet well decorated surroundings.


-----07 feb, 2015-----

all lump crabcake*. worth the try!

i have to agree with the other reviewer about the waiter. the waiter i had was attentive but not friendly. but the quality and freshness of the food really made this a great experience.

last friday night we intended to go out to dinner in d.c. for our date night. however, some work got in the way and we needed to improvise. since we had to cancel our reservation, we decided to go some place new in old town that was a little easier to get into. we decide to try the wharf , since we were in the mood for seafood and it seemed like a good fit. it was really nice to support an old town restaurant and we really enjoyed our stroll around the restaurant in the heart of old town. the downstairs of the wharf is so historic and quaint. i love the old wood and the rustic feel. apparently the beams were charred during a civil war fire. so if that doesn’t get my history-loving heart pitter-pattering, i don’t know what will. we sat upstairs, which was slightly less beautiful but a little quieter (because the bar is downstairs). we actually really appreciated the quiet since it was perfect for a romantic date and a great opportunity to catch up after a busy week.

rude waiter. first experience and last at the warf. after our meal we paid our ticket and all added a tip to the bill. waiter comes back and said it wasn't enough. showed us three dollars as what we had left over after he counted the cash and ran the credit cards. we had all left six dollars a piece as a tip ($24). he acted offended. my friend who had had a few threw a twenty in the folder and we left. i will not ever go back & will tell all my friends to avoid the restaurant.

great crabcakes! our entire group enjoyed their meals but the crabcakes were the star if the show.

ranking. i'm surprised that the wharf is ranked so low. it's menu is excellent. i would not call it "pub food" by any definition. the oysters on the half shell are the best in the dc area. several restaurants have "gourmet" oysters at high prices. the wharf's oysters are not considered gourmet but they rank with the best on the gulf coast in size and flavor. not only are the seafood choices without competition, the steaks and other offerings are well above dc averages.

i would say it was somewhere between pretty good and really good, but not spectacular. the she-crab soup i had to start was excellent. i had their catch of the day, fluke topped with crab, bacon, and slivered almonds. the sauce was a bit oily, and the saltiness of the bacon kind of overpowered the rest. the service was acceptable but won't win any awards. overall, it was good.

oh my word!!! visiting d.c. and randomly walked into the warf. wanting to try something new, i asked them for a recommendation...chesapeake benedict was the order (crab cake, topped with shredded crab meat, then topped with poached egg, and finally with creamy butter sauce)!!! oh so fine!! my sister ordered the daily special stuffed shrimp...wonderful as well. friendly service and kid friendly though comfortably elegant atmosphere. five star!!!!

perfectly cooked and seasoned!. i am still fantasizing about the shellfish in thai red curry – creamy, spicy, tender. scallops wrapped in bacon – amazing. she crab soup - rich with just a kick of spice. fish and chips – light and airy breading, perfectly fried, the fish was light, flaky and creamy. i don’t think that i will be able to go anywhere else for seafood. a bit pricey, but so worth it! check out the 1/2 price apps in the bar during happy hour.