Dining in DC: Captain White's Seafood City

Suppose it is a beautiful Spring (Summer, early Fall) day in D.C. For lunch, you want to dine al fresco (sidewalk seating, patio and rooftop, food truck). You want to eat seafood near the water, where you can watch seagulls and toss them scraps (still sidewalk seating, patio and rooftop, food truck, but with options dramatically limited). As the final requirement, you want to stand to eat while you watch customers purchase fresh seafood to take home to cook. Chances are that requirement list would lead you to Captain White's Seafood City, the largest of the informal eateries/markets at the Maine Avenue Fish Market in the southwest waterfront/wharf section of Washington.

Our lunch

And if you like what you find and taste, you will join noted food writer Anthony Bourdain, who praised the fresh crabs and seafood at the local treasure on one of the episodes of his TV show. (Click here to view a video clip of Bourdain's visit). 

My wife chose our most recent visit. I knew what she was seeking; a soft-shell crab platter or sandwich. On this particular day, there were no soft-shells, so we opted instead to share 1/2 pound of boiled, spiced shrimp and a 2-crab sandwich lunch plate special.

Of course, one of the great pleasures of eating at Captain White's is that you can select your own seafood, and, if you want, design your own special entree which comes with southern sides ranging from cooked greens to home-made desserts.

Fish, fish, and more fish

After your meal, you can stroll through the entire site which can lay claim to be the oldest continuously operating fish market in America. Opened in 1805, the local market is 17 years older than the famed Fulton Fish Market in New York City. And although it is located within sight of the Washington and Jefferson monuments and walking distance of 2 Metro stations, it is one of the few historic sites in the city where you can join with-it locals browsing without encountering mobs of tourists.

You can extend your sea lunch by strolling down the walkway and taking in the marinas where dining sea ships, yachts, and houseboats are docked. You can also view the home of the Washington Kastles, D.C.'s champion professional tennis team.

But one word of caution. You don't want to dine or stroll here if you don't like a strong seafood smell. Remember, this is a fish market after all.

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The Prices Do DC rating

**** 4 out of 5 containers with extra napkins (this is as informal as dining gets)