Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Washington, D.C. by diners
Whether you've waited in line for soft-shell crabs in the Chesapeake Bay or savored sushi in New York City, you know there's something special about finding the right spot to enjoy seafood. From ceviche to grilled salmon and towers of shellfish, the top-rated seafood restaurants in the United States serve up mouthwatering dishes across diverse cuisines like Japanese, Latin American, and Mediterranean to suit every palate.
Of course, certain areas of the country are known for particular delicacies. California's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, for example, makes it one of the best states for seafood. The Los Angeles area serves up everything from caviar to Santa Barbara spot prawns while San Francisco is a mecca for fish tacos, ceviche, and sushi. Further north, Seattle is legendary for its shellfish, showcased at the famed fish counter at Pike Place Market.
While Chicago may be best known as a pizza capital, many flock to the city for its king crab dishes; a bit further south and east, you have Miami and its sought-after stone crab season. Southern locales like New Orleans boast fresh crawfish from the Gulf of Mexico and the two noncontiguous states have their own signature offerings, too: Alaska is known for its pollock and salmon, while Hawai'i is known for its poke.
Dining at a seafood restaurant can be one of the most memorable parts of your trip to a new city or offer comfort food in your own hometown. To celebrate the best options near you, Stacker used insights from Yelp to compile a list of the highest-rated seafood restaurants in Washington, D.C..
Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only restaurants with at least 10 reviews were considered. In an effort to highlight independent restaurants and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included. Data is as of June 14, 2024.
Keep reading to discover your highest-rated local seafood restaurants for your next special meal out!
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#29. Crab World Seafood
- Rating: 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 415 Rhode Island Ave. Northeast Ste D Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: cajun/creole, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Osteria Morini
- Rating: 4.1/5 (943 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 301 Water St. Southeast Ste 109 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: italian, wine bars, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#27. BlackSalt
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1059 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4883 MacArthur Blvd. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, new american
- Read more on Yelp
#26. El Cielo
- Rating: 4.1/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1280 4th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: latin american, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#25. King Street Oyster Bar - Washington
- Rating: 4.1/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 7 Ridge Square Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, bars, breakfast & brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Floriana
- Rating: 4.1/5 (907 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1602 17th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: italian, wine bars, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Fiola Mare
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1475 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3050 K St. Northwest Ste 101 Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, italian, bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Thai Love & After Work
- Rating: 4.2/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 3433 Connecticut Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: thai, seafood, bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1055 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1612 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, breakfast & brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Moon Rabbit
- Rating: 4.2/5 (66 reviews)
- Address: 927 F St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: vietnamese, seafood, cocktail bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Provost
- Rating: 4.2/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2129 Rhode Island Ave. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: american, breakfast & brunch, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Luke's Lobster Georgetown
- Rating: 4.2/5 (656 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1211 Potomac St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: sandwiches, seafood, soup
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Luke's Lobster Farragut
- Rating: 4.2/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 800 17th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, sandwiches, soup
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Estuary
- Rating: 4.2/5 (179 reviews)
- Address: 950 New York Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Fish in the Neighborhood
- Rating: 4.3/5 (318 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3601 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Ocean Prime
- Rating: 4.3/5 (681 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1341 G St. Northwest Colorado Building Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, steakhouses, new american
- Read more on Yelp
#13. El Dorado Bread Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (17 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6209 Georgia Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: mexican, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1937 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 750 15th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, steakhouses, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. S&G Seafood House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2721 7th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls
- Rating: 4.4/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 681 Water St. Southwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Shellfish Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 443 Kennedy St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: bar crawl, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls - Dupont Circle
- Rating: 4.5/5 (116 reviews)
- Address: 1303 19th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cucina Morini
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 901 4th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: italian, wine bars, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Chris' Marketplace
- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market 20th St. Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, seafood markets, empanadas
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Neopol Savory Smokery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (277 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1309 5th St. Northeast Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: sandwiches, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Pesce Seafood House
- Rating: 4.7/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 1800 Connecticut Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood, soup, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. FishScale
- Rating: 4.7/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 637 Florida Ave. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: burgers, seafood, fish & chips
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Atxondo
- Rating: 4.8/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4724 14th St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: spanish, seafood, tapas/small plates
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Georgetown Seafood
- Rating: 4.8/5 (242 reviews)
- Address: 1211 Potomac St. Northwest Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Categories: seafood
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Zeynep Guler Tuck, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 282 metros.