CRACKING UP - Moon Rabbit

CRACKING UP Steamed crabs at

the marina-side restaurant the

Point. For more waterfront eateries,

turn the page.

Photograph by SCOTT SUCHMAN

TASTE

94 WASHINGTONIAN ! MAY 2021 MAY 2021 ! WASHINGTONIAN 95

WAT E R F R O N T D I N I N GTGRAB A DRINK ALL-PURPOSEThe rooftop at this pizzeria now has a weekday happy hour for $5 beers and $8 Italian-ice cocktails. 79 Potomac Ave., SE.

BOTTLE STOP WINE BARYou can DIY wine !ights on the patio of this Occoquan hangout. 311 Mill St., Occoquan.

CANTINA BAMBINAFans of the late institution Cantina Mari- na will "nd lots that’s familiar at this o#-shoot, with its cans of Tecate and !ip-!op- friendly vibe. 960 Wharf St., SW.

FARMERS FISHERS BAKERS There’s a vast range of cocktails—Palomas, hurricanes, frozen gin-and-tonics—at the $5-a-drink happy hour. 3000 K St., NW.

FIOLA MARE The swank dining room now offers an outdoor happy hour with citrusy spritzes and Negronis. 3050 K St., NW.

THE GRILL Head to this mod-American spot for the weekday happy hour, with pitchers of punch and top-shelf martinis. 99 Market Sq., SW.

ISLAND TIMEDid you know that the Pentagon has a lagoon? It’s home to this hidden, Florida- feeling spot. Columbia Island Marina o! George Washington Pkwy. (no address).

THE SALT LINEThe New England–inspired restaurant’s daytime Friday happy hour features shan-dies, crushes, and oysters on the cheap. 79 Potomac Ave., SE.

SUCCOTASH Ed Lee’s Southern-meets-Korean place at National Harbor boasts a top-notch bourbon selection. 186 Waterfront St., National Harbor.

TIKI TNTTodd Thrasher makes his own rum at his often-packed Wharf distillery/bar. Try it in a $5 happy-hour frozen rum-and-Coke. 1130 Maine Ave., SW.

A BOOZY BRUNCHHave your Benedict amid the seagulls at the Old Town branch of Blackwall Hitch (5 Cameron St., Alexandria), where’s it’s all about the prime patio—and five-buck mi-mosas. If you’re wavering between lunch and breakfast, go for a gravlax-laden BLT, plus a three-spirit iced co#ee, at nearby Humming-bird (220 S. Union St., Alexandria).

A SEAFOOD LUNCHThe lobster roll gets all the love at Hank’s Oyster Bar (701 Water St., SW) but the fried-"sh sandwich deserves attention, too. And while coconut shrimp often have a bad rap, they’re redeemed at Vola’s Dockside (101 N. Union St., Alexandria) in Old Town.

WHAT’S NEWADA’S ON THE RIVER/BARCAOld Town’s waterfront now has an upscale steakhouse with foie gras doughnuts, plus a neighboring Spanish-themed sister bar. 2 and 3 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria.

GATSBY This Deco-meets-diner all-day restaurant in Navy Yard began serving appletinis and meatloaf in early April. 1201 Half St., SE.

MOON RABBIT Kevin Tien has taken over the Wharf dining room that formerly housed Kith and Kin, bringing Vietnamese-accented crudo and turmeric cat"sh. 801 Wharf St., SW.

WHAT’S ON THE WAYTHE BOARDWALKHaving Rehoboth withdrawal? Corn dogs and Skee-ball are coming to a giant space at the Wharf later this year. 715 Wharf St., SW.

THE POINT Southwest DC’s next big waterfront devel-opment is Buzzard Point, which is getting a restaurant from the Ivy City Smokehouse crew. 2100 Second St., SW.

WHERE TO GO IF YOU WANT . . .

A FANCY DINNERChef/restaurateur Fabio Trabocchi has the lock on splurge-worthy waterfront dinners and gorgeous seafood towers, whether at Italian Fiola Mare (3050 K St., NW) in Georgetown or Spanish Del Mar (791 Wharf St., SW) at the Wharf. Also at the Wharf is O!cina (1120 Maine Ave., SW), home to Nick Stefanelli’s robust pastas and roasts, plus an amaro collection that’s as impressively sweeping as the rooftop view.

CLOSE TO HOMENot up for a day trip to the Chesapeake? There are plenty of stunning views in and around DC

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The clouds are parting—both literally and metaphorically—as summer approaches and vaccines take hold. And although we may be a little too familiar with eating outside,

a meal overlooking a sparkling river or churning bay never gets old. Here, more than 40 favorite places to find just that, both near and (a little) far.

ON THE WATERFRONTBy

ANN LIMPERT, ANNA SPIEGEL, AND JESSICA SIDMAN

Jenni Penix


HOW WASHINGTON’S FIVE MOST BUSTLING WATERFRONTS COMPARE COASTAL SERVICE

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The Potomac River

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The Washington Channel

The Potomac River

A mix of loud happy-hour crowds, tourists, and the occa-sional Fiola Mare celeb.

Families with kids mix among convention attendees and casino-goers.

Hill sta#ers and Nats fans hit beer gardens and restaurant patios.

The newer devel-opment is sleek, but visit the "sh market for a taste of the original character.

Historic charm meets tourism- seeking new development.

Victura Park, the pop-up beer-and-wine garden at the Kennedy Center.

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Fast-casual burger-and- frozen-custard chain BurgerFi is coming this summer.

La Famosa for all-day Puerto Rican food and rum cocktails.

High-end Japanese spot NaRa-Ya, from the owners of nearby La Vie.

Ada’s on the River for wood-"red meats and seafood plus waterfront views.

Fiola Mare for the $195 seafood tower.

Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse, in the MGM Grand, for the $135 toma-hawk steak.

Osteria Morini for the $20 “white label” dry-aged burger.

Del Mar for the shareable $132 seafood paella.

Blackwall Hitch for the $36 Maryland crabcakes.

The Berliner for liter beer steins.

The Brass Tap, which has 60 draft beers and 100-plus bottles.

Bluejacket for beer-nerd brews.

Tiki TNT for trop-ical drinks using rum made on-site.

Just-opened Barca Pier & Wine Bar is modeled after traditional Spanish beach bars.

French bistro clas-sics at Chez Billy Sud, a block away.

Chef Ed Lee’s Korean-in!uenced Southern fare at Succotash.

Michael Ra"di’s Levantine- Mediterranean small plates at Albi.

Moon Rabbit, chef Kevin Tien’s new modern- Vietnamese spot.

The simple bistro fare at Hummingbird.

Sequoia, with its soaring windows over the Potomac.

Flight Deck sits right on the water.

Take in a baseball game at Top of the Yard, a rooftop bar overlooking Nats Park.

12 Stories Bar, atop the Inter- Continental hotel, o#ers 360- degree views.

Watch boats pass by from the Chart House’s pier perch.

Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place

The Walrus Oyster & Ale House

The Salt Line

Hank’s Oyster Bar

Vola’s Dockside Grill

Rent a kayak or standup paddle-board at Key Bridge Boathouse.

Take in the view from a gondola on the 180-foot-tall Ferris wheel.

Bike along the 20-mile Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.

Take the Wharf Jitney to East Potomac Park and Hains Point.

Check out the lat-est exhibits at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

Salubria Plantation, where in 1834 a 14-year-old en-slaved girl poisoned her enslaver’s children and was later sentenced to death.

In the 1800s, the Navy’s largest shipbuilding facil- ity; by World War II, the largest naval ordnance plant in the world.

In the late 1700s, an indus-trial shipyard with markets where "shermen sold sea-food straight o# their boats.

One of the busiest ports in America by the end of the 18th century, particularly as an export center for !our and an entry point for foreign ships.

WAT E R F R O N T D I N I N G T

A tobacco and slave port in the 18th century. By the 20th century, it was an industrial site with a !our mill, a cement plant, and other factories.

ICONS BY JENNY ROSENBERG

Jenni Penix


WAT E R F R O N T D I N I N G T

drive

DOC’S SUNSET GRILLE 104 W. PIER ST., OXFORD

As its name suggests, sunset is one of the best times to visit this restaurant—its stunning vistas of the Tred Avon River are particularly gorgeous at golden hour. You’re here for the unparalleled view "rst, stan-dard crabhouse fare second—though a live-ly bar is a fun stop in the otherwise sleepy sailor town.

CANTLER’S RIVERSIDE INN 458 FOREST BEACH RD., ANNAPOLIS

Cantler’s is almost synonymous with crabs around Annapolis—hence the hour-plus wait at peak times. The dimly lit inside still feels like the original 1974 creek house—charming in its own way but not necessarily our first pick. Instead, angle for a picnic table on the deck overlooking the calm water for a mess of hot crabs plus hushpuppies, sweet corn, and plenty of light beer. Just get there early or, better yet, on a weekday.

CAPSIZE 314 TILGHMAN ST., OXFORD

Tucked away on quiet Town Creek, this nautical-chic restaurant/bar woos boaters with free docking. Small companions are wel-come, too—there are special menus for both children and dogs. Adults will "nd lengthy cocktail and craft-beer menus—drinks are best enjoyed at the friendly dock bar—and an eclectic assortment of dishes, including Korean shrimp tacos, spicy Jamaican-style jerk-shrimp cocktail, chilled lobster rolls, and steak-frites.

THE CRAB CLAW304 BURNS ST., ST. MICHAELS

The Crab Claw’s a classic—and a tourist mag- net—for a reason. Located on charming St. Michaels Harbor near the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the red-hued restaurant packs in visitors along outdoor picnic tables and inside a retro dining room. The food hasn’t changed drastically since the Jones family opened the place in 1965—not a bad thing when it comes to beautifully fried oysters, crispy crab balls, and steamed hard-shells.

WORTH THE DRIVEWhere to find great crabs, tiki drinks, and more

Spicing crabs at the Point in Arnold, Maryland

Drinks with a view at Doc’s Sunset Grille in Oxford

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WAT E R F R O N T D I N I N G TFOXY’S HARBOR GRILL125 MULBERRY ST., ST. MICHAELS

It always feels like island time here—a no-shoes-no-problem kind of dock bar inspired by the legendary Foxy’s in the British Virgin Islands. The oft-crowded watering hole overlooking St. Michaels Harbor just expanded to an adjacent property, giving patrons more room for coconut-pineapple-rum painkillers and blackened-mahi platters.

HARRIS CRAB HOUSE & SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 433 KENT NARROW WAY N., GRASONVILLE

On a dock overlooking Kent Island Nar-rows, this seafood spot—a "xture near the Bay Bridge for more than 40 years—is our favorite waterfront stop on trips to the Delaware beaches and the Eastern Shore. Multiple outdoor decks, tasty fry baskets, and Chesapeake specialties make it a destination in itself. In addition to steamed crabs, look for soft-shell clams, rockfish, and oysters from the shucking house next door.

KENTMORR RESTAURANT AND DIRTY DAVE’S TIKI BAR 910 KENTMORR RD., STEVENSVILLE

You don’t need to drive to Rehoboth for a beach and an orange crush thanks to this (manmade) sandy stretch just over ten minutes from the Bay Bridge. Head to the restaurant for steamed crabs and crabcakes, a dozen styles of oysters, or crowd-pleasing pizzas before hitting the tiki bar and private beach dotted with hammocks, cornhole, and even palm trees (open Friday through Sunday, with a $5-to-$10 access fee).

L.P. STEAMERS1100 E. FORT AVE., BALTIMORE

“Waterfront” this divey Locust Point in-stitution is not, but on the breezy rooftop you’ll catch postcard harbor views. The place is classic Charm City, with pitch-ers of Natty Lite and a creaky interior packed with character. We keep the well-steamed crabs—and the hushpuppies and Old Bay–sprinkled fries—coming.

MARKER FIVE6178 TILGHMAN ISLAND RD., TILGHMAN

Smoke and water come together beau-tifully at this barbecue spot on sleepy

Tilgh man Island. A sunny deck overlooking Knapps Narrows is a prime perch for dig-ging into delicious spice-rubbed wings, ribs, chicken, and pulled pork. Don’t over-look seafood—the nearby Watermen’s Museum speaks to the island’s historic trade, and Marker’s crab soup is among the bay’s best.

MERROIR 784 LOCKLIES CREEK RD., TOPPING

At roughly two and a half hours from DC, Rappahannock Oyster Co.’s scenic Vir-ginia “tasting room” is for serious oyster day-trippers (or better yet, overnighters at the seafood company’s “Oyster Bed” Airbnb nearby). Regardless, it ’s worth the drive—the surrounding water views are tough to beat, the oysters couldn’t be fresher (many are plucked from the nearby farm beds), and an outdoor grill works its magic on local seafood.

MIKE’S RESTAURANT AND CRAB HOUSE 3030 RIVA RD., RIVA; 1402 COLONY RD., PASADENA

If you’re tired of clawing at crowds for space at Annapolis or Baltimore crab-houses, head to these two spacious sea-food destinations where you may find more boats pulling up than cars. Both the 63-year-old original in Riva and “Mike’s North” have tons of waterfront tables, tiki bars for plastic-cup crushes, heavy crabs, and tasty snacks including clams casino and hushpuppies.

THE POINT 700 MILL CREEK RD., ARNOLD

At many waterfront crabhouses, it’s a tradeo# between ho-hum fare and a great view. Not so at this typically crowded indoor/outdoor spot at Mill Creek Marina, just outside Annapolis. The setting is laid-back and lovely—especially at brunch or early evening—but chef/co-owner Bobby Jones’s deviled eggs, crabcakes, and "sh tacos are even better. It’s a good sign that watermen pull up with basketloads of crabs for steaming.

ST. MICHAELS CRAB & STEAKHOUSE305 MULBERRY ST., ST. MICHAELS

St. Michaels locals lean toward this low-key restaurant in an 1830s oyster barn

near St. Michaels Marina, often choosing it over the typically crowded Crab Claw across the harbor. You’ll frequently find weathered boaters at the outdoor bar and groups cracking Miles River crabs on patio picnic tables. (Part of the indoor din-ing room has water views, too.) Chef/owner Eric Rosen takes a from-scratch approach with the menu—nicely fried soft-shells and crispy oysters are tasty—and you can always call and reserve crabs in high sea- son. The Chesapeake fare is best washed down with a local St. Michaels Brewery beer or a Lyon Rum cocktail from the nearby distillery.

SEVERN INN 1993 BALTIMORE ANNAPOLIS BLVD., ANNAPOLIS

In a sea of crabhouses and dock bars, this airy New American restaurant stands out —and not just for gorgeous views of the Severn River, Annapolis, and the neighboring Naval Academy. Two waterfront decks are the best vantages in nice weather—though you can still get river panoramas inside—whether you’re brunching on crispy-oyster omelets and pulled-pork biscuits or catching the sunset over chef Nick Baker’s stellar crab-cakes with fried green tomatoes.

TICKLER’S CRAB SHACK & RESTAURANT WYLDER HOTEL, 21551-A CHESAPEAKE HOUSE DR., TILGHMAN

Though visiting scenic Tilghman Island is doable as a day trip, it’s worth planning a week-end at this hotel—a stylish revamp of a cen-tury-old inn, with a saltwater pool, waterfront bon"re pits, and an indoor/outdoor restaurant. Chef Jordan Lloyd, a Shore native whose ré-sumé includes stops at Citronelle and Easton’s Bartlett Pear Inn, is behind locavore menus that range from steamed crabs to che#y creations like rock"sh imperial or steak tartare.

Merroir, on Virginia’s Rappahannock River

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CACTUS CANTINA AND LAURIOL PLAZA3300 WISCONSIN AVE., NW; 1835 18TH ST., NW

These sister Tex-Mex spots are reliable destinations for classic on-the-rocks margaritas, but we’re partial to the frozen strawberry-and-lime swirl.

ESPITA MEZCALERIA1250 NINTH ST., NW

The Shaw restaurant boasts more than 100 ever-changing varieties of mezcals, plus cocktails such as a mezcal old fashioned.

LAS GEMELAS1280 FOURTH ST., NE

The Espita team is behind this new all-day taqueria and seafood restaurant. Look for mezcal margaritas on tap and the frozen “chagroni,” a slushy Negroni ri# with tequi-la and chamoy, a pickled-fruit condiment.

MEZCALERO3714 14TH ST., NW

Pair standout street-style tacos with hibis-cus margaritas or mezcal-and-prickly-pear cocktails at this Columbia Heights joint from two Mexico City natives.

MARGARITAS AND MEZCAL NEGRONISCinco de Mayo is near—here are our 11 favorite spots for tequila and mezcal-fueled drinks By Jessica Sidman

The Columbia Heights location of Taqueria Habanero PH

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boatyardbarandgrill.com 400 Fourth St, Annapolis, MD

Crab Cake • Raw Bar Family Place •BrunchSailors Bar410-216-6206

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New! 4316-B Markham St�tAnnandalet703-813-8181 1319-C Rockville PiketRockvillet301-251-7878

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OPEN 7 DAYS • INDOOR & OUTDOOR DINING218 N. Washington Street, Easton, MD (410) 820-8281


C O C KTA I L ST MI VIDA 98 DISTRICT SQ., SW

One of the signature drinks at the Wharf’s sleek Mexican dining room is its frozen mango- ginger margarita.

OYAMEL401 SEVENTH ST., NW

José Andrés’s famed salt-air margarita (also available with a pomegranate twist) is a staple at this mod-Mex institution in Penn Quarter, which is known for its extensive library of tequilas and mezcals.

REPUBLIC CANTINA43 N ST., NW

The notch-above Tex-Mex cafe o#ers agave- sweetened and spicy draft margaritas, but don’t miss the seasonal infusions, including one drink made with freshly juiced Granny Smith apples.

TACO BAMBAMULTIPLE VIRGINIA LOCATIONS

Victor Albisu’s taquerias put che#y touches on their margaritas, with accents like wood-"red pineapple or strawberry and cilantro.

TAQUERIA HABANERO 3710 14TH ST., NW; 8145 BALTIMORE AVE., COLLEGE PARK

Owners Mirna and Dio Montero serve up margaritas with strawberry-habanero foam and mezcal Negronis alongside dishes from their native Puebla.

TTT (TACOS, TORTAS & TEQUILA)2900 WILSON BLVD., ARLINGTON; 8407 RAMSEY AVE., SILVER SPRING

This pair of casual Mexican restaurants o#ers strawberry, mango, jalapeño, and classic mar-garitas by the glass or pitcher. W

C O C KTA I L S T

LOOKING FOR MORE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN EAT ON THE WATER? HEAD TO WASHINGTONIAN.COM/WATERFRONTDINING FOR A MAP OF EVERY WATERFRONT RESTAURANT IN THE REGION.

A watermelon margarita at Taco Bamba

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