Suggestion for a casual place to get a good piece of fish?

[dcpops]

We're taking a friend out for her birthday this weekend. Her two requirement:s: she'd like to eat fresh/well prepared fish and to wear jeans (casual was the actual dictate). Any suggestions in the Montgomery County or DC area? And if there's a place nearby to get a drink first (i.e., bar), that's even better. Thanks.

[link_930]

Founding Farmers does a fantastic swordfish, and has a decent bar.

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Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006

[dining with doc]

Mykanos grill, a lovely family owned and run greek restaurant has fantastic fish dishes. It is located on Congressional lane in Rockville. Sol de Espana, another family owned but Spanish restaurant on the Rockville Pike across from Wintergreen plaza also has very good fish dishes. Finally, Azucar, a third family run restaurant on Layhill road at Bellpre is a salvadorian restaurant that has a fantastic whole flounder that is flash fried and is very much infused with garlic. Never anything left on my plate but bones

[alkapal]

>>>""whole flounder that is flash fried and is very much infused with garlic"""<<<
that sounds wonderful!

i wonder if there is any place in NoVa that does this?

[dining with doc]

it is worth the ride. possibly the best fish dish I have ever had. and it is consistantly great every time I go. Food otherwise is also very good.

[alkapal]

there is a new place called "nataly's" next to raaga in falls church (the old "joe's pizza and pasta" building) that has a sign advertising "red snapper." i think it's a salvadoran place (because they advertise empanadas, iirc). now i've got to see if they fry the red snapper like azucar.

[MikeR]

Report back, please, whatever you have. I've followed that location through every restaurant that it's been but finally decided there was nothing at Nataly's worth keeping up the tradition for. They seem to not be sure what their specialty is. Sometimes it's pizza, sometimes it's chicken. The red snapper is a new one on me.

I've seen people get a whole fish at Super Pollo so maybe it's something they do down there south of the border. It's quite black on the surface but still recognizable as a fish.

[alkapal]

yep, i was laughing about the "pizza" phase of nataly's, too. ;-)).

[Adam23]

Blacksalt or Pesce would be my choice. Both are our go-to places when we are in the mood for fish.

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Pesce Restaurant
2016 P St NW Ste 1, Washington, DC 20036

[chitodc]

I definitely second Pesce! It's tiny so it's probably worth getting a reservation, but delicious and you won't feel awkward at all in jeans. Plus it's right in Dupont so there are plenty of options for pre-dinner drinks.

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Pesce Restaurant
2016 P St NW Ste 1, Washington, DC 20036

[hans]

Does Pesce take reservations now? A change with the move perhaps?

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Pesce Restaurant
2016 P St NW Ste 1, Washington, DC 20036

[chitodc]

Ooh, am I remebering incorrectly? I could swear I've been there w/ reservations, but maybe I'm wrong! I still highly recommend it either way!

[littlew1ng]

look into surfside. i've never been there, but have heard nothing but great things.

[jaydreb]

You could wear jeans at Blacksalt or Johnny's Half Shell. You could probably also wear jeans to Kinkeads.

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Johnny's Half Shell
400 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

Kinkead's Restaurant
2000 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20006-1812

[Doh]

I'm not sure I'd consider the current version of Johnny's to be "casual." Blacksalt is a good recc., but Black's also serves a lot of fish (and has a nice bar).

[Elyssa]

I like Hook in Georgetown. I would get a drink beforehand at the bar at the Ritz.

Another option would be Hank's Oyster Bar. They don't usually take reservations though (but if you call a little before you leave they'll put you on the list). There are lots of options for a pre or post-dinner drink. Tabard Inn might be nice for a drink beforehand, especially with this fall weather.

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Tabard Inn
1739 N St NW, Washington, DC 20036

[DCDeb]

You can wear jeans at Hank's Oyster Bar.