Cracking crabs by a dock. Sipping a cocktail while watching boats glide by. Is there anything that screams languid summer day more than eating and drinking with a water view?
In this region, we’re fortunate to have all sorts of waterfront on which to site a restaurant or bar—rivers, lakes, and of course the mighty Chesapeake Bay. So we’ve looked for every possible place, both in the immediate Washington area and within a two-and-a-half-hour drive of DC, where you can grab a bite or a drink along the water. Know of a good place we forgot? Click here to let us know. You’ll find a fuller description of some of these spots in the May 2021 issue.
DC’s Southwest Wharf:
12 Stories (75 District Sq., SW)
The Brighton (949 Wharf St., NW)
Camp Anthem (901 Wharf St., SW)
Cantina Bambina (960 Wharf St., SW)
Colada Shop (10 Pearl St., SW)
Del Mar (791 Wharf St., SW)
The Grill (99 Market Sq., SW)
H Bar at Hyatt House (725 Wharf St., SW)
Hank’s Oyster Bar (701 Wharf St., SW)
Kaliwa (751 Wharf St., SW)
Kirwan’s on the Wharf (749 Wharf St., SW)
La Vie (88 District Sq., SW)
Lupo Marino (40 Pearl St., SW)
Mi Vida (98 District Square, SW)
Moon Rabbit (801 Wharf St., SW)
Municipal Fish Market (1100 Maine Ave., SW)
Nara-Ya (88 District Sq., SW)
Officina (1120 Maine Ave., SW)
Rappahannock Oyster Bar (1150 Maine Ave., SW)
Shake Shack (975 Wharf St., SW)
Slip Inn Bar & Grill (2842 Arnold Ave., SW)
Tiki TNT (1130 Maine Ave., SW)
Whiskey Charlie (975 Seventh St., SW)
The Watering Hole (850 Wharf St., SW)
DC’s Navy Yard:
Agua 301 (301 Water St., SE)
All-Purpose Pizzeria (79 Potomac Ave., SE)
Bammy’s (301 Water St., SE)
Bardo (25 Potomac Ave., SE)
District Winery (385 Water St., SE)
Due South (301 Water St., SE)
Nicoletta (301 Water St., SE)
Osteria Morini (301 Water St., SE)
The Salt Line (79 Potomac Ave., SE)
Georgetown:
Bangkok Joe’s (3000 K St., NW)
Farmers Fishers Bakers (3000 K St., NW)
Fiola Mare (3100 K St., NW)
Guapo’s of Georgetown (3050 K St., NW)
Nick’s Riverside Grill (3050 K St., NW)
Roof Terrace Restaurant (Kennedy Center, 2700 F St., NW)
Sequoia (3000 K St., NW)
Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place (3000 K St., NW)
Maryland’s National Harbor:
Bar Harbor (123 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Bond 45 (149 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Crab Cake Cafe (140 National Plaza, Oxon Hill)
Fiorella’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria (152 National Plaza, Oxon Hill)
Flight Deck (141 American Way., Oxon Hill)
Grace’s Mandarin (188 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Lobby Bar (Westin National Harbor, 171 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls (156 National Plaza, Oxon Hill)
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks (145 National Plaza, Oxon Hill)
Old Hickory Steakhouse (201 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Redstone American Grill (155 National Plaza, Oxon Hill)
Rosa Mexicano (153 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Sauciety an American Grill (171 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Succotash (186 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
The Walrus Oyster & Ale House (152 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill)
Old Town Alexandria:
Ada’s on the River (3 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria)
Barca Pier & Wine Bar (2 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria)
Blackwall Hitch (5 Cameron St., Alexandria)
Cafe 44 (44 Canal Center Plaza, Alexandria)
Chart House (1 Cameron St., Alexandria)
Hummingbird (220 S. Union St., Alexandria)
Riverside Taco Company (101 N. Union St., Alexandria)
Vola’s Dockside Grill and Hi-Tide Lounge (101 N. Union St., Alexandria)
Occoquan, Virginia:
Bottle Stop Wine Bar (311 Mill St., Occoquan)
Brickmakers Cafe (9751 Ox Rd., Lorton)
D’Rocco’s (301 Mill St., Occoquan)
Electric Palm (12745 Sea Ray Ln., Woodbridge)
The Harbour Grille (13188 Marina Way, Woodbridge)
Madigan’s Waterfront (201 Mill St., Occoquan)
Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant & Crabhouse (1510 Cherry Hill Rd., Dumfries)
Northern Virginia:
2941 Restaurant (2941 Fairview Park Dr., Falls Church)
Brock’s Riverside Grill (503 Sophia Rd., Fredericksburg)
Bungalow Lakehouse (46116 Lake Center Plaza, Sterling)
Cafe Montmartre (1625 Washington Plaza N., Reston)
Red’s Table (11150 South Lakes Dr., Reston)
Sweetwater Tavern (45980 Waterview Plaza, Sterling)
Northern Neck of Virginia:
Chesapeake Restaurant & Terrace (The Tides Inn, 480 King Carter Dr., Irvington)
Coles Point Tavern (850 Salisbury Park Rd., Hague)
Dockside Restaurant & Tiki Bar (1787 Castlewood Dr., Colonial Beach)
Fish Hawk Oyster Bar (The Tides Inn, 480 King Carter Dr., Irvington)
High Tides on the Potomac (205 Taylor St., Colonial Beach)
Merroir Tasting Room (784 Locklies Creek Rd., Topping)
Rick’s on the River (6338 Riverview Dr., King George)
Riverboat on the Potomac (301 Beach Ter., Colonial Beach)
Tim’s at Coles Point (307 Plantation Dr., Hague)
Tim’s II at Fairview Beach (5411 Pavilion Dr., King George)
Wilkerson’s Seafood Restaurant (3900 McKinney Blvd., Colonial Beach)
Gaithersburg, Maryland:
Copper Canyon Grill (100 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg)
Guapo’s Cantina (9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg)
Silver Diner (9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg)
Tara Thai (9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg)
Frederick, Maryland:
Idiom Brewing Co. (340 East Patrick St., Frederick)
La Paz (51 South Market St., Frederick)
Steinhardt Brewing Co. (340 East Patrick St., Frederick)
Truth & Beauty (50 Carroll Creek Way, Frederick)
The Wine Kitchen on the Creek (50 Carroll Creek Way, Frederick)
Columbia, Maryland:
Sushi Sono (10215 Wincopin Cir., Columbia)
Baltimore and Surrounding Area:
The Admiral’s Cup (1647 Thames St., Baltimore)
Ampersea (1417 Thames St., Baltimore)
Barcocina (1629 Thames St., Baltimore)
Bo Brooks Restaurant (2780 Lighthouse Point E., Baltimore)
Bowley’s on the Bay (800 Chester Rd., Middle River)
Captain James Seafood Palace (2127 Boston St., Baltimore)
Carson’s Creekside Restaurant & Lounge (1110 Beech Dr., Middle River)
The Crazy Tuna (203 Nanticoke Rd., Essex)
DiPasquale’s Harborview (500 Harborview Dr., Baltimore)
Dock of the Bay (9025 Cuckold Point Rd.., Sparrows Point)
Hard Yacht Cafe (8500 Cove Rd., Dundalk)
Little Havana (1325 Key Hwy., Baltimore)
Loch Bar (240 International Dr., Baltimore)
LP Steamers (1100 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore)
Miss Shirley’s Cafe (750 E. Pratt St., Baltimore)
Nanami Cafe (907 S. Ann St., Baltimore)
Nick’s Fish House (2600 Insulator Dr., Baltimore)
Ouzo Beach (800 S. Central Ave., Baltimore)
Pitango Bakery & Cafe (903 S. Ann St., Baltimore)
The Point in Fells (1738 Thames St., Baltimore)
The Pool Bar & Grill (Sagamore Pendry, 1715 Thames St., Baltimore)
Raw & Refined (2723 Lighthouse Point E., Baltimore)
River Watch (207 Nanticoke Rd., Essex)
Rusty Scupper (402 Key Hwy., Baltimore)
Rye Street Tavern (temporarily closed;13 Rye St, Baltimore)
Sandlot (1000 Wills Rd., Baltimore)
The Seasoned Mariner (601 Wise Ave., Dundalk)
Serenity Wine Cafe (1121 Hull St., Baltimore)
Sunset Cove (3408 Red Rose Farm Rd., Bowleys Quarters, Baltimore)
Thames Street Oyster House (1728 Thames St., Baltimore)
Tiki Lee’s Dock Bar (4309 Shore Rd., Sparrows Point)
Watertable (Renaissance Hotel, 202 E. Pratt St., Baltimore)
Havre de Grace and Belcamp, Maryland
Promenade Grille (Millard Tydings Memorial Park, 352 Commerce St., Havre de Grace)
Tidewater Grille (300 Franklin St., Havre de Grace)
Water Street Seafood (654 Water St., Havre de Grace)
Water’s Edge Restaurant & Bata Bar (4687 Millennium Dr., Belcamp)
Annapolis:
Cantler’s Riverside Inn (458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis)
Carrol’s Creek (410 Severn Ave., Annapolis)
The Chart House (300 Second St., Annapolis)
Latitude 38 (12 Dock St., Annapolis)
Mike’s Restaurant & Crab House (3030 Riva Rd., Riva)
The Point Crab House & Grill (700 Mill Creek Rd., Arnold)
Pusser’s Caribbean Grille (80 Compromise St., Annapolis)
Sam’s on the Waterfront (2020 Chesapeake Harbour Dr. E., Annapolis)
Severn Inn (1993 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Annapolis)
Yellowfin (2840 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater)
Outside Annapolis/Deale:
Dockside Restaurant & Sports Bar (421 Deale Rd., Tracy’s Landing)
Happy Harbor (533 Deale Rd., Deale)
Pirates Cove (4817 Riverside Dr., Galesville)
Skipper’s Pier Restaurant & Dock Bar (6158 Drum Point Rd., Deale)
Stan and Joe’s Saloon (4851 Riverside Dr., Galesville)
Kent Island, Maryland:
Annie’s Paramount Steak and Seafood House (500 Kent Narrows Way N, Grasonville)
The Big Owl Tiki Bar (3015 Kent Narrows Way S., Grasonville)
Bridges (321 Wells Cove Rd., Grasonville)
Fisherman’s Crab Deck (3032 Kent Narrows Way S., Grasonville)
Harris Crab House & Seafood Restaurant (433 Kent Narrows Way N., Grasonville)
Hemingway’s Restaurant (357 Pier One Rd., Stevensville)
The Jetty (201 Wells Cove Rd., Grasonville)
Kentmorr Restaurant & Crab House and Dirty Dave’s Tiki Bar (910 Kentmorr Rd., Stevensville)
The Narrows Restaurant (3023 Kent Narrows Way S., Grasonville)
Red Eye’s Dock Bar (428 Kent Narrows Way N., Grasonville)
St. Michaels, Maryland:
The Crab Claw (304 Mill St., St. Michaels)
Foxy’s Harbor Grill (125 Mulberry St., St. Michaels)
Harrison’s Harbor Lights (101 N. Harbor Rd., St. Michaels)
St. Michaels Crab & Steakhouse (305 Mulberry St., St. Michaels)
Star’s (Inn at Perry Cabin, 308 Watkins Lane, St. Michaels)
Tilghman Island, Maryland:
Character’s Bridge Restaurant (6136 Tilghman Island Rd., Tilghman Island)
Marker Five (6178 Tilghman Island Rd., Sherwood)
Tickler’s Crab Shack & Restaurant (21551 Chesapeake House Dr., Tilghman)
Tilghman Island Inn (21384 Coopertown Rd., Tilghman Island)
Oxford, Cambridge, and Hurlock, Maryland:
Capsize (314 Tilghman St., Oxford)
Doc’s Sunset Grille (104 W. Pier St., Oxford)
Portside (201 Trenton St., Cambridge)
Snappers Waterfront Cafe (112 Commerce St., Cambridge)
Suicide Bridge Restaurant (6304 Suicide Bridge Rd., Hurlock)
Water’s Edge Grill (Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay resort, 100 Heron Blvd., Cambridge)
Chestertown, Maryland:
98 Cannon Riverfront Grill (98 Cannon St., Chestertown)
Jellyfish Joel’s (22170 Great Oak Landing Rd., Chestertown)
Rock Hall, Maryland:
Harbor Shack (20895 Bayside Ave, Rock Hall)
Waterman’s Crab House (at the foot of Sharp Rd., Rock Hall)
Solomons Island, Lusby, and Dowell, Maryland:
Anglers Seafood Bar and Grill (275 Lore Rd., Solomons)
Bugeye Grill (14470 Solomons Island Rd., South, Solomons)
Charles Street Brasserie (120 Charles St., Solomons)
The Dry Dock (251 C St., Solomons)
Hidden Harbour (14755 Dowell Rd., Dowell)
The Island Hideaway (14556 Solomons Island Rd., South, Solomons)
Isaac’s Restaurant & Pub (155 Holiday Dr., Solomons)
The Lighthouse Restaurant and Dock Bar (14636 Solomons Island Rd., South, Solomons)
The Pier (14575 Solomons Island Rd., Solomons)
Stoney’s Kingfishers (14442 Solomons Island Rd., South, Solomons)
Vera’s Restaurant (1200 White Sands Dr., Lusby)
Cobb Island and Newburg, Maryland:
Captain Billy’s Crab House (11495 Popes Creek Rd., Newburg)
Captain Charles Seafood House (16320 Cobb Island Rd., Newburg)
Captain John’s Crab House (16215 Cobb Island Rd., Newburg)
Gilligan’s Pier (11535 Popes Creek Rd., Newburg)
The Rivah (12364 Neale Sound Dr., Cobb Island)
Scuttlebutts (12320 Neale Sound Dr., Cobb Island)
St. Mary’s County, Maryland:
Drift Inn (41310 Riverview Rd., Mechanicsville)
Fitzie’s Marina Restaurant & Pub (21540 Joe Hazel Rd., Leonardtown)
Morris Point (38869 Morris Point Rd., Abell)
Pier 450 (48342 Wynne Rd, Ridge)
The Ruddy Duck (16800 Piney Point Rd., Piney Point)
Seabreeze Restaurant and Tiki Bar (27130 S. Sandgates Rd., Mechanicsville)
Stoney’s Clarks Landing (24580 Clarkes Landing Ln., Hollywood)
Sunset Cove (16244 Millers Wharf Rd., Ridge)
North Beach and Chesapeake Beach, Maryland:
1936 Bar and Grill (4160 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach)
Abner’s Crabhouse (3748 Harbor Rd., Chesapeake Beach)
Boardwalk Cafe (4160 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach)
Ketch 22 (7153 Lake Shore Dr., North Beach)
Mamma Lucia by the Bay (8323 Bayside Rd., Chesapeake Beach)
Rod ’n’ Reel (4160 Mears Ave., Chesapeake Beach)
Benedict, Maryland:
Ray’s Pier (18170 Desoto Ln., Benedict)
Port Tobacco, Maryland:
Port Tobacco Marina and Restaurant (7536 Shirley Blvd., Port Tobacco)
Lake Anna, Virginia:
Anna Cabana (4227 Boggs Dr., Bumpass)
The Cove at Lake Anna (6320 Belmont Rd., Mineral)
Lake Anna Taphouse (208 Lake Front Dr., Mineral)
Tim’s at Lake Anna (200 Boardwalk Way, Mineral)
Port Royal, Virginia:
Randolph’s on the River (136 Main St., Port Royal)
Fredericksburg, Virginia:
Brock’s Riverside Grill (503 Sophia St., Fredericksburg)
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Sherri Dalphonse joined Washingtonian in 1986 as an editorial intern, and worked her way to the top of the masthead when she was named editor-in-chief in 2022. She oversees the magazine’s editorial staff, and guides the magazine’s stories and direction. She lives in DC.
