The building that houses O’Donnell’s these days may be only a decade old, but the family’s first seafood restaurant in the area dates back to 1922. Over the years, O’Donnell’s has become known for its rum buns and Norfolk-style seafood—sautéed in butter and finished with tarragon vinegar. We like the Norfolk sampler of jumbo lump crab and shrimp. Beyond that are flavorful bowls of clam chowder, meaty grilled scallops, and very respectable crab cakes.
-March, 2008
Executive Food Editor/Critic
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
