Captain White

Mark you and your team were the best last Saturday at 8am! Came here for crab legs to add to my gumbo! Everybody loved the crab legs. So meaty and of course my gumbo was the final touch! Thank you. I will come back in the spring for crawdaddies and other seafood options! Fresh seafood at a reasonable price.

got shrimp here for new year’s eve. i don’t think it was fresh and did not taste fresh. i was going to get a trout or 2, but then it seemed like they were decaying. i saw gooey white sticky stuff that stretched like rubber bands –when they tried to separate the fish. i’ll likely not return.

Fresh clean sweet smelling seafood always! Once or twice a month I have to get crab leg, shrimp and/​or lobster tail fix, also I get a instant fix with a bowl of chowder or ½ pound of steamed shrimp. I’m forever customer my oldest kid work there in 1990’s and she 34 years old & RDH.

This fresh seafood market is awesome and I’m jealous that San Diego is not cool enough to have one. We came here on a Monday night so there weren’t a lot of other tourists. We got a lot of attention from all the vendors, each wanting you to buy from them, of course.
We finally decided on Capt. Whites because when I told one of the sellers (I didn’t get his name but he was so nice!) that I didn’t see any tables to eat anything if I bought it. He said that they have a floating deck that all their customers can eat at and even took me around the back to show me. SOLD! (I found him later to give him some tip money but he shook his head and told me ‘No’ so do these guys not accept tips?)
I bought a bushel of female crabs and 1lb of shrimp (head on). I walked to Jessie Taylors for oysters though.
I waited about 30 mins to get them cooked up. My sister and I spent almost 2 hrs eating it! Delicious! My legs were tired, finger tips were pruned and I’m sure my cholestrol level was through the roof but it was SOOOOOO worth it!
One complaint I have has to do with one of their employees: the young Vietnamese man with dreads. We heard him speaking Vietnamese with another guest but he denied being Vietnamese when we asked him. He said he hated Vietnamese people because they would come to him expecting a discount/​hook-​up each time so that’s why he tells people he’s Japanese. He spoke badly about the people and whether it was joking or not, it was offensive and I told him so. I’m Vietnamese and didn’t appreciate him talking about me like I was there to get something for free. But a few minutes later, another Asian woman was there and he asked, «Are you Chinese? Okay– I’ll give you some extra.» What an idiot.
I didn’t let this employee affect my opinion but something the owner should know and address with the employee especially with the wide range of tourists and locals that frequent his business.

Came here on a slow Monday. The guy gave me a good deal on some live crab and stemmed them up for my group and I. Another guy also gave us a sample of fresh stemmed crab. (This is after we already purchased our own crabs and waiting for our order. Not sure if they would do this on a busy weekend)
Tip: They’re the only spot with some counter space on the left side of the Wharf.

I have to admit that this was not what we were expecting. We wanted blue fin crabs. We called and they were a reasonable price. We expected we were going to a restaurant but sometimes you just have to go with the flow. This is a fish market. I haven’t seen this much fresh seafood since I left Houston (Seabrook is where the seafood is.) and I live on the pacific coast. The young man that was helping us showed us the different sizes of crab and charged us about $ 22 a dozen for large male and extra large female crab. We bought a little over 2 and a half dozen. He asked if we wanted it cooked with Old Bay Seasoning (OBS) and it took about 20 minutes. One thing I was impressed about was he didn’t push the pre-​cook crab on us.
For those looking to go out to dinner and get a bowl of butter and a bib. This is not the place. For us this was crab, tear open the paper bag and eat crab. No corn. No veggies. Just some OBS on the side, (We were staying at a hotel with full kitchen so we sat at the table and ate crab.)
I would love to go here again.

I love my fish market! And I only go to Captain White.
This review is about the market part, since I’ve never bought anything cooked.
You’ll find a large choice of fish and seafood, filet or entire fish, your choice.
I’ve had bad experiences during summer (twice, both times with Chilean sea bass) so I don’t recommend to buy items with low turnover after heat waves.
Tip: last time I asked they were receiving new shipments on Tuesdays.

I always purchase crabs here. Fresh and a fast. I like the energetic workers there too.

Saw a Unilocal review on the entire market & decided to try the place thinking it was a restaurant.
NOT A DINE IN PLACE!
It was a really far walk (we walked from the Smithsonian air & space), though it was relatively easy to find.
Food was good, loved the gumbo! And the staff were really friendly!
Would recommend driving there though!

This is for the cooked section
You are not going here for comfortable, or really any, seating. You can stand at a counter overlooking the water.
You are not going here for the service. Not so much rude as disinterested. You stand in a gaggle to order, get a number, and wait. It will come.
I had a great soft-​shell crab sandwich. $ 16 for 3 crabs between slices of white bread. Beautifully deep-​fried. Delicious. That’s what you are here for.

One stop seafood spot where the selection and atmosphere enhance the overall experience! The wharf area is tucked away in SW DC, but is well worth the trip. We went there with family and friends to buy blue crab, but ended up with shrimp and scallops too. If you want fresh seafood with a vast selection this is definitely a great spot!
The employees were very friendly and accommodating. We asked for a fresh batch of blue crabs that were more active and within minutes we had a bucket dump in front of us for our inspection. We then had them cook the crabs with extra spice. Be prepared to wait 20 – 30 minutes for crabs to cook, but it’s well worth the wait! The crabs, shrimp and scallops were fantastic! The topper was eating delicious seafood while watching the Tampa Bay Lightening advance to the Stanley Cup! Go Bolts!

It’s true what others say — they try to oversell you on stuff. I wanted to come and buy a few things but ended up walking away with too much so now, most of my purchases are frozen.
I ended up with two pounds of peeled and deveined shrimp for $ 25, a pound of scallops for about $ 16, a salmon filet for $ 12, a chilean sea bass filet for $ 16, and one king crab leg for $ 12. So, yes the place is expensive, and to be honest, even after baking and grilling some of it, there is too much fishy smell to it.
Still, a nifty place to check out, which you should do first thing in the morning when there is a lot to choose from, and the crowds aren’t that big.
I heard some people haggling but it seems like you have to order a lot. In the end, it didn’t seem like a great deal.
They do have some soups and other cooked stuff at 8:30 am on a Saturday in case you come hungry. Otherwise, the place opens around 7:30 am and closes at 9 pm (I think this is true everyday).

Haven’t had seafood a lot in DC, but this place has a whole lot of variety! Found this gem because my friends last name is white and we always joke that we would visit captain whites seafood. Now that we finally did, we now found our go to rando seafood joint.
First of all, there’s a whole lot of raw seafood on display — whole assortment of fish, crab, oysters, lobster. The menu is also really diverse!
I loved the fried seafood combo that came with sides. The fries scallops were so buttery and addicting. Wish I just got that! The trout was also nice and the batter was not too oily! I also loved the fried oysters, but they had that gritty flavor. Also, I got a side of potato salad that wasn’t good so don’t get that!
But last but not least, their strawberry drink is so good that you would be dumb to pass it up. So refreshing and great to wash down some fried seafood with this lovely aromatic concoction.
My big problem with this place is the grittiness of some of their seafood and their seating area which has no seats. I love sitting while chowing down to a seafood feast but beggars can’t be choosers I guess. I would definitely come back to try their chowder and oysters! The price did not look bad for how much they give!
This place is also really close to lenfant station and the tidal basin. So if you want to go home or eat your food at the tidal basin, I’d highly recommend that!

Stopped by here during the Cherry Blossom Festival hoping that the lines weren’t as crowded as over there! Was totally wrong but this food was worth the wait :).
The clam chowder was not bad. Comes in 3 sizes (cup, bowl, pint) I think it’s about $ 4, $ 7, $ 10 respectively.
I really enjoyed the stuffed clams! Not sure what is inside but they tasted godlike. They’re 2 for $ 5 while one is $ 3 so you might as well.
It was my first time trying Old Bay seasoning (which was sprinkled all over the crab). It was really salty. but the crab was not bad.
Ceviche — raw fish mixed with salsa I believe. It tasted super good though although a little spicy for my taste.
Raw Oysters — They’re so fresh.
There’s no real seating around the area. There’s some stand seating overlooking the river and a lot of people were sitting on the grass on the nearby hill. I’m not sure if it was the day we went but I wouldn’t recommend parking in the lot it was pretty small so it got crowded fast but I’m sure on an off day it should be fine.

«Captain White’s Seafood City»…the place to go for all things seafood while visiting The Wharf — in DC!
Of course there are many places one can buy good, fresh seafood in the city or all throughout the DMV… but if you are ever down in The Wharf — SW DC area this is your «one-​stop shop» for all things seafood! From fresh fish, steamed blue crabs, oysters, shrimp, lobster, exotic seafood and numerous other delicacies (i.e. ceviche and conch)…you name it… you will find it here. The prices are fair and pretty decent too! The majority of the seafood sold at Captain White’s Seafood City market is raw but they do offer cooked items such as crab-​cakes, boiled-​steamed shrimp, crabs, fried fish, fried oysters and many other cooked food and grocery items… surprisingly like mac n’ cheese, soups, and deserts, spices, and fresh vegetables to name a few.
The best time or season to go to Captain White’s is during the peak spring to fall season… which is upon us! The winter time down in that area can be brutally cold-​freezing being that it is an outdoor, open-​air seafood market. Also, some seafood items are not in peak season during the winter such as the local favorite Maryland Blue Crabs.
So make a trip down to the Wharf when the weather opens up. This is a great place to stop in for a quick seafood meal or for those like myself that is a Foodie Chef at heart and want to cook seafood at home.
This place is easily 4 ½ stars! A ½ star deduction because of limited parking and the annoying seabirds… that will gladly snatch your crab-​cake sandwich or food out of your hand if you are not looking! LOL

Awful. What a disappointment. Long John Silvers would have been a much better choice. Let me specify, we went to the cooked area on the far left side of the market nearest to the water. There is not a Capt White’s sign above it, but the employees are wearing blue Capt White’s hoodies. The service was abysmal. This is obviously not the kind of place you go if you want friendly service, but it was absolutely bottom of the barrel. I understand at a high volume place like this, many times a bit of rudeness from the staff is tolerable. Unfortunately the staff here was not only rude, but extremely incompetent. We waited over 30 minutes for our food, and then when it came, it was wrong. I even asked the food runner «hey is my cole-​slaw in there» to which she replied «yeah.» I get it over to the carry out stand-​up area and not only is the coleslaw missing, but so is the sweet corn. When I came back and told her I had the wrong order, she seemed annoyed and was like «So only your coleslaw was missing?»
Although it was busy, it was primarily just because they don’t have their act together. Not everything comes from the kitchen, so for each order the food runner is going back and forth unnecessarily. None of the employees had a sense of urgency.
Finally, if the food had been good I would have given it at least 2 stars. The food was very mediocre, and too salty. The first few bites were good because I was starving, but that was it. Terrible, terrible experience. The female food runner is the absolute worst, if you have a problem with your order try dealing with one of the cashiers.
Honestly, if I owned or managed this place, I would be incredibly embarrassed. The place needs a major overhaul.

This review is for the pre-​cooked food section of Captain White’s/The Wharf, located at the far far left of the whole Maine Ave Fish Market area. It’s near the area where you can stand to eat your cooked food.
At this section, you queue up in unorganized lines to order. When you reach the front, you bend down to tell the workers below your order. I got the combo meal with which you choose 2 entrée items (I chose scallops and jumbo shrimp), and two side items (I got coleslaw and corn). Total price = about $ 15. But be prepared to WAIT FOREVER. By the time we finally ordered and got our ticket number, I was starving. Then the waiting game begun. We watched as the food runner painstakingly slowlyyy bagged each to-​go order. She seemed to be having the worst day of her life; if anyone asked her a question or mistakenly claimed the wrong order, she would literally YELL at them, scold them, roll her eyes, and scream out the number again.
After about 30 minutes of standing there, we finally got our orders! We hurriedly ran over to find a place to eat, opened our boxes, aaand… wrong order in our boxes. Thank god we hadn’t headed home to eat. Had to go back, deal with the b*tchy woman, and get the correct orders. Finally time to eat — everything in the order was fried, much to my dismay (they didn’t give us a grilled option, which is what I had assumed it would be for some reason). Now maybe I just ordered wrong (totally possible), but the fried scallops and shrimp were so breaded and salty that I could barely it any of them, even though I was absolutely starving. The corn was just a husked ear of corn so that was pretty good and the coleslaw was fine.
I WILL say that on a previous trip here a few years ago, I recall getting just steamed spiced peel-​n-​eat shrimp, and that was delicious! So perhaps that is the way to go here! Or perhaps you can order the combo meals and specify that you want your seafood grilled rather than breaded & fried. In any event, you will still have to deal with quite a long wait and some cranky workers though.

Tucked away in a narrow unsuspecting corner on the DC waterfront, Maine Avenue Fish Market is where you should be! Specifically Captain Whites!
It doesn’t get any better for the seafood lover and the chefs eye! This is the go to place for exceptionally fresh blue crab, shrimp, oysters, scallops, FISH, jumbo lump crab, Alaskan king crab and more! The prices are a bargain compared to what a grocery chain or Whole Foods will charge you! I encourage you to pay a visit if you love to cook and are in the DMV.
They deliver an impressive array of fresh seafood on a consistent basis! Everyone is friendly, cheerful and eager to help you get what you need. I have been loyal to Captain Whites for over 20 years! My mother used to bring me as a kid and I’m here at least twice a month to fuel my crab leg addiction. BEST prices hands down. Parking can be a pain in the cupcake but it’s all worth it baby! Get down here if you’ve never been! Sunday is my favorite day!

Get deals on fresh seafood. I love this place. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, these guys are very laid back. Walking in, some of the sellers will try to call you over to get you to buy their specials. Don’t be afraid to shop around, but make sure you can handle salespeople trying to sell you more than you were looking to buy!

One of my favorite places to go in DC for seafood. Its a fresh market but they also have prepped seafood and sandwiches. I always get a big bowl of Maryland Crab soup. Always consistent… chunks of crab meat, piping hot and little bit of spice. I also recommend the clam chowder if you’re feeling hearty. And I can never resist the Jumbo shrimp…2 dozen please. For sure this combo always fills me up but I had to get oysters cause they were just staring at me. These were colossal size and shucked right in front of me. Of course, I needed a place to binge so the car was just the perfect place as there are no tables in this market. But that’s ok cause its best to eat these morsels right away and you don’t want your car to stink while driving… lol :) This is a DC must if you have never been. Prices are reasonable and plethora of seafood variety. Until next time my Captain!

I didn’t know what fresh fried seafood was like until I brought food from Captain White’s during my DC visit!
When I first entered the Maine Avenue Fish Market, I was overwhelmed by the amount of choices there. Captain White’s stood out to me because it was the only one that clearly priced its food with a clear menu of available options, has attentive staff, and a reserved dining area. Perfect for a tourist like me!
My family got the clam strip platter ($ 8.95) and the shrimp platter ($ 11.95). We thought it wouldn’t be enough for a family of four, so we also got four stuffed crabs (4 for $ 10) and a dozen of raw blue point oysters ($ 20). What we ended up getting was a seafood feast, because the platter were much bigger than we have expected! My favorite shrimp platter must have more than three dozen of small to medium shrimps. Because the cook accidentally got us stuffed clams instead, the cashier did not hesitate to get us our stuffed crabs plus free stuffed clams!
Fried shrimps were fresh and delicious and the blue point oysters were even more so! Although the stuffed crab was bland, the stuffed clam was much more flavorful. I have never been so stuffed with seafood before, thanks to Captain White’s generous portion.
Since this is the only stand with a reserved dining area, consider buying it here if you are a tourist who is planning to eat there. Captain White’s offers great, fresh seafood at a reasonable price, so why would you want to miss out on this anyway?
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tl;dr version:
1. Extensive selection of cooked or live seafood
2. Only place in Maine Ave. Fish Market with dining area
3. Cheap, large portion of food!