We're looking for a great seafood restaurant in Washington DC for a special occasion...any suggestions please.

There's always DC Coast, a special occasion seafood restaurant for sure, but we've always forgot to make reservations far enough ahead to get in on our special occasions. We've enjoyed seafood at Blacks in Bethesda, and their sister restaurant Addies in Rockville MD. Usually we don't go to a restaurant that specializes in seafood. Cafe Atlantico near the arena does nice things with fresh seafood, as does Cashions in Adams Morgan. The Grill from Ipanaema also does good fish.

DC Coast and Addies are great suggestions.

I'd offer Pesce, Johnny's Half Shell and Kinkead's as well.

All of the choices suggested are excellent ones, though very different places. Among them, Kinkead's is my favorite.

Oceanaire, of Washington D.C., opened a branch here in Seattle and it is a big hit in a city famous for its seafood. I suppose the original may be just as good.

happytrails,

Agree - The DC Oceanaire just screams "special occasion" - especially if you get the Grand Shellfish Platter.

I think the original Oceanaire is somewhere else -- Minneapolis, perhaps?

There is an Oceannaire in Mpls...but back to the OP! IMO, Pesce and Johnny's Half Shell, while great and among my faves, don't fall into the "special occasion" category. I haven't been to the Kincaid's in DC, but their location in Baltimore isn't special, either--nice, but not great. And now I've trashed others' suggestions without offering any of my own--so sorry! Hope others can help more.

In response to "E", I do not believe that Kinkead's of D.C. has a branch in Baltimore, so you may be thinking of a different restaurant.

Kinkead has his downtown place and a newer one out in NoVa (Vienna??).

The upstairs room at Kinkead's is very nice and suitable for many varieties of special occasions. The Oceanaire, not a bad choice, is based in MSP. Let's hope they can keep up the wonderful quality as the try to expand to 125 locations . . .

Love Kinkead's for seafood.

His other restaurant is Colvin Run Tavern in Tyson's Corner, in the same complex as the Tiffany's and Hermes. It is also very good.

TravelFan--I must have been thinking of McCormick & Schmick in Baltimore, and Kinkead's in Norfolk.

In Norfolk, that would be Kincaid's -- no connection to Kinkead's.