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Dupont Circle (Red)
Mon-Tue. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wed-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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God. damn. me.
I don't know why I said 4.5. In DC terms (standards rather or lack thereof), Hanks is a 5 star place with 3 star prices. Met the new chef, since Thang is prancing around Spain. The new chef is a Spaniard, and although I am not sure that there was a pronounced new nuance to the dishes, they certainly stayed on par as before.
2 dozen oysters (all Washington state, I am a snob and stand against southern VA oysters!), shucked by a pro (no gristly crunchy bits), fried oysters (did I mention that this probably is HEAVEN in a tin bowl/plate or whatever, tartar sauce is so damn good and the oysters are fried to perfection!). I had the skate wing. Skate is a really underrated fish I say, everyone, give it a chance. It is typically considered a cheap fish but at medium rare, it is like a young delicate flower. (Had a really good skate at Blacksalt too) It's not delicate like black cod/sablefish but like silky soft leaves or things. Oh, I can't describe it that well, just go eat it! Full to the brim at just $60 a head (including a fab Sancerre), can't find a bargain like that!!!
I think I may go back tomorrow and have me a whole bowl of fried oysters to myself.
People thought this was:
I freakin love this place 4 1/2 stars - can someone tell yelp we need half stars? It's cozy, fish… Read more »
The space is cute. I like eating goldfish crackers with my Blue Moon, and our waiter was patient, efficient and generally delightful. And so I asked him to help me choose between the two dishes I was pondering. However, the one dish he recommended was a stinker.
The onion rings were bracelet sized rings of delicious, and the ceviche was respectable. My dining companion seemed to enjoy his po'boy. My duck made me sad. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good. It was a bit tough, chewy and drowning in a sauce best described as indistinct brown goo.
I will give it another go, but no duck. Just beer and fried things.
I am a big fan of fresh oysters and tried 5 or 6 different kinds of them at Hank's which all were fresh and tasty. Lobster Bisque and Lobster Roll were also good.
We also ordered some raw fish plate (either tuna or bonito), and we (Japanese) were impressed by shiso leaf (perilla) on the top of the fish. Very detail-oriented.
I am not a big drinker though, I really liked the wheat beer.
People thought this was:
OK Yelpers. I have a bone to pick with some of you.
The lobster roll here - you really think it's worth it?!? $23 for a lobster roll?!? Are you not all aware that the price of lobster meat right now, per pound, is cheaper than hot dogs?
Perhaps I should chalk it up to my Downeast roots, but the lobster roll stinks. I figured that, for $23, at least you'd get a good amount of meat. Man, was I wrong. Hank was skimpy on the filling. And the dressing was nothing special. Pretty standard taste. I know that the price in DC will be more that it would be on the coast of Maine, but, seriously, if you're going to charge me what I could get for a full meal at a good restaurant, you gotta do better than that.
Other dishes were ok:
-Ceasar salad was pretty tasty, but you don't win me over with a salad.
-BBQ'd oysters were decent, but I like 'em when the topping is fresher (more lemon, fresh garlic and spices, please).
-On a previous occasion, I had the Po'boy, which is more reasonably priced and pretty good. As far as I'm concerned, that's the best bet on the menu that I've had so far.
-$1 oysters during happy hour are a good bet, but be ready to pair it with an overpriced beer (starting at $5 for a bottle of Miller!)
Here's the thing. I'd love to love this place. Ambiance is great. And it's right around the corner from where I live, which could make it a convenient go-to on those nights where you want to go out for dinner, but not venture that far. Alas, for me, it's not even worth traversing that one block. I'd probably go back for happy hour oysters and expensive beer, but for a full meal, I'll bring my money elsewhere.
People thought this was:
My wife and me have been to Hanks in the past 3 years....Oh I'd say about 2 dozen times. And while the food could definitely use improvement, and so could the service, the seating, the space, the long lines, and pretty much every other thing these reviewers have griped and kvetched about is still the same! So its suffice to say it wasn't anything other than the lack of a better choice of a quality restaurant on 17th street, that has kept us going back.
Because I will admit, by 17th street standards, Hanks is definitely at the top of the list when it comes to food. I've also been to Komi, yet if I had to choose between the two, and taking into consideration that a Komi dinner for two costs as much as a car in some not so 3rd world countries....I'd go with Hanks! Because at least at Hanks, you'll have some money left to either go get soused to get over your atrocious dining experience.
The other thing that I really don't like about Hanks is that their food has none whatsoever consistency! On our past visit just a few days ago, my wife and I were both feeling like lobster bisque, and I really hate to share because I end up with the broth and she gets all the nice chunky juicy tail pieces! So we ordered 2 bowls to avoid War World 3!
Well, I guess the chef was out to spite my wify, because she got all broth and exactly 3 pieces of shredded lobster, and I got lobster meatball soup, chuckfulla exactly 14 pieces of lobster chowder! So then moving onto the service....The food is definitely great, but not at all or by any definition special. Its just very bland, average, a-okay seafood. But as I stated earlier, by 17th street choice, and standards its probably one of the top 3 places to dine on 17th.
This place could definitely have its servers revamped because they are truly disorganized. On several visits we'd order through one server and then be accosted by another just minutes later. Then we've also dealt with very many disappearing servers! When you can't find anybody to get you tabasco or a refill on your sparkling water.
I'm not sure what the issue is, either they're really understaffed or they're just not well trained or well appointed servers. Then moving onto the actual space, I love the location. Very strategically located, very near 3 blks Dupont Circle metro, lots of outdoor seating, yet for some strange reasons, they don't take reservations! We've had to wait over an hour at times for our table....So again I'm pretty confused....Why would a restaurant doing this amount of business not be better equipped to handle its clientele....
It is hard to add much more information than already given by other yelpers.
I love Hank's. The food is consistently good, with a friendly staff, cute decor, and decent wine list. (I have only been to Hank's for dinner.)
I had relatives visiting DC on their bus tour of North America. After 10 days of long drives with other crazy Germans, they were ready for something different. Since they were staying at the Hilton Washington, I suggested Hank's.
The converted space, industrial looking fixture, and whirling ceiling fans had a very authentic American feel to it. Honestly, I don't know what that means, but I will take my Aunt's word on it.
The food is your basic American seafood bistro fare. I like the fact the menu is streamlined with a limited number of choices. I would suggest your table go tapas style and just split a bunch of dishes (you can even split the lobster roll, awkward but doable.)
Small dishes are about $6-$12 and entrees which are just like small dishes are about $20-$25. Wine by the glass are $8-$10. Expect to pay about $30 to $40 per person.
Hank's, you've lost your touch. Tonight you served me a dish that tasted like ... nothing.
People thought this was:
On warm, summery Friday nights you'll find me dining outside at Hank's sharing half a dozen oysters… Read more »
Hank's is a great addition to the neighborhood. I have been several times and the waitstaff has always been friendly and accomodating. It is best to go when the weather is nice so you can enjoy the outside area.
Most items are a la carte so it is easy to run up the bill with tasty side dishes etc. but the food is good and worth it.
I saw lots of reviews about how great this place is, so when I went to DC I wanted to go and eat it for dinner. Well lets say that dinner does get full quite fast because it is a small place to eat at. Also the seating outside might be a little bit bad. I felt so close to the next person that I didn't really feel that comfortable.
What we ate:
Lobster Bisque- $7.00
Lobster Roll - $23.00
Soft Shell Crab- not sure how much it was.
Some Shrimps- not sure how much that was either.
Also they give you little goldfishes at your table to eat. Which is pretty darn cute.
I liked the soup because it actually had some big pieces of lobster in it which tasted really good. The flavor of the soup also wasn't bad all. The Lobster roll on the other hand, was not what I was expecting. I was thinking it was a sushi roll or something along the lines of that but it is a sandwich. The lobster roll still tasted pretty good, :) with the bread a little bit toasted. So I wasn't unhappy about it. Just a little surprised.
I have never tried a soft shell crab before but I think I do not like it just looking at this poor guy made me sad while I was eating it. :/
The shrimps were a little bit hard to eat because they still had the shell on it. I had messy hands which made me get up and go to the one bathroom that hey had.
Oh an one other thing, all the oysters are raw, they don't sell cooked oysters so I wasn't really able to try them. I wish they had some cooked oysters.
Overall it was a different experience but I think it was a little bit cramped when there is a full load on this little place. So yea, I wouldn't say this is one of the best places. But it is ok.
People thought this was:
Great shrimp cocktail. Limited menu, but what they do, they do very well!
As a resident of Dupont, Hank's is a neighborhood gem. The food is great (highly recommend the lobster roll, fish tacos, and mac and cheese), and the restaurant itself is warm and welcoming. Admittedly, I don't like oysters, but I've heard good things about Hanks' oysters.
Don't come here looking for a dessert course though, they don't offer any, just a bowl of dark chocolate chunks, which somehow fits perfectly into the scheme of things.
My only complaint about Hanks is the seating. It can get pretty cramped if you come at a dinner hour, and the last few times I've been, I've been stuck in the section right outside the kitchen/bathroom/bar area. It's not terrible, but it's distracting, and doesn't do much for the ambiance.
Have to say, this is another one that garners special requests from visiting friends and family, and I'm always glad because I love coming back.
People thought this was:
When friends from NYC were looking for a place to eat I suggested Hank's, a longtime favorite of mine. It was crazy packed as usual, so we had a minor wait.
We dined family style, sharing a lobster bisque ($7) which our server (Tara) helpfully split without us asking. Next, we ordered their "Meat & Two" special, which included their daily meat special plus two sides. We had a bone-in ribeye ($26) that was surprisingly moist, and cooked so well that there was no need for seasoning, except a bit of black pepper. For sides, we enjoyed their "Mac and Cheesy" and quality buttermilk onion rings.
Raw oysters ($2/each) were a treat as expected. Loved the sake oyster shooters ($3/each), though they didn't seem to agree with everyone else that night.
Service was superb. Tara refilled our drinks, brought fresh plates when needed, reading our minds for every other need. When we met one of the master chefs, I gushed, commending him for a job well done.
Glad Hank's was able to satisfy three persnickety New Yorkers - and I was happy that one of them paid for me!
People thought this was:
We arrived for dinner Saturday at 7. Since there are only about 80 seats there, Hank's doesn't… Read more »
I agree with the reviewers that the lobster roll is good here. So far, everything I have had - the soup, the fish, the veggies - it's all been good. Have been here a number of times with friends and only had one bad server experience (rude, glaring waitress) - but, otherwise, great service, too. Which is why I'm giving them 4 stars - for consistently good food, service - and did I mention breezy ambiance? :)
People thought this was:
Oysters Fresh! Fried Oyster Yum! Long wait, boo!
An interesting restaurant - a quaint little place and the wait was nothing to scoff at; however, once we were seated the service was decent and food was pretty good. They have an interesting selection of oysters from abroad and we had the ones from Seatle. They were juicy, plump and flavorful.
We ordered fried oysters and surprisingly they were excellent.
A little pricey but the food was excellent.
People thought this was:
This place is just way too OVERRATED and way too OVERPRICED!
I've been here on 4 seperate occasions, and even though the food is good. Its not great! I will acknowledge that if you're eating on 17th street, hands down this is your BEST choice! But if you're mobile, and you can get to the other part sof the city fairly quickly then I definitely WOULD NOT RECOMMEND HANKS!
1) The portions are MINISCULE! On my most recent trip, I order the Shrimp and calamari mash up, the ceviche, the blue cheese crusted steak(which is a stolen recipe from RuthChris steakhouse)!
2) The shrimp/calamari were in a metal cup to CONCEAL their nanoscopic portions....Literally 7 shrimps, and 9 bits of calamari, which mind you DID not even have TENTACLES!
3) The ceviche was okay! Nothing special at all, and very very lemon juicy, and cold, almost as if it was straight out the freezer!
4)The steak was probably the best dish. And it was okay, again not succulent or delicious. And for that kind of money I expect 12 ounces. NOPE only 6 ounces! What a SWINDLE!
5) The grey goose martinis were FEEBLE to say the least! ALL ICE and WATERED DOWN! I had 4 by the end of the our 2 hour meal and I wasn't even buzzed!
6) This place is literally the size of my guest bathroom! You can hear EVERYTHING EVERYBODY else next to you! And if that's not bad enough, EVERYBODY is SCREAMING so that they could hear their own conversation and talk over their neighbor!
7) The most uncomfortable chairs and tables! They are literally the size of a cafe table. You put two plates and two drinks down on them and you can't even see the table! And the chairs are like wicker so they poke and press all up into your butt, making it very aggitating to sit for more than 10 minutes.
8)There is ALWAYS an HOUR wait here! Because the MORONIC OBTUSE owners decided not to take reservations! And I wonder why if they are making all this money, why the hell can't they buy not NICE furniture, and make their portions at least REGULATION size!
Like I said, If you're out of choices, sure Hanks is a cool place. BUT if you're tired of being fed HAPPY MEAL PORTIONS, and PAYING UP THE WAZOO then FORGET HANKS and HEAD to MCCORMICK SCHMICKS or OCEANAIRE!!
People thought this was:
My sister's been telling me that I've been eating too many oysters lately, but how could I refuse an invite to eat here?!
Hank's may be the first place that had a menu of which I wanted to try EVERYTHING. So where do I start? We tried one of each oyster on the half shell available that night ($2ea) and the ones to remember were: Rappahanock, Shigoku, and Debob Bay. They were scrumptious and came chilled with both a cocktail sauce/horse radish dip and a red wine vinegar sauce. We also tried the crab cake ($13) and it has got to be one of the best crab cakes I've ever tasted. It's hard to describe why this one was so much better than ones I've had at other places, but every bite was just SO GOOD. Lastly, since it was a Friday night we shared the Flat Iron Steak w/ Chimichurri ($21) and got Mac and Cheesy and onion rings for the free two sides. It was all in all very much worth the monies.
The atmosphere was comfortable and not too crazy. The service was GREAT, our waitress paid us a lot of attention (and not too much), she gave us great advice, and was very friendly.
I will come back, i love this place!
Note: need to try scallops, ceviche, lobster bisque, fried oysters, and ok.. everything else.
People thought this was:
I can't honestly believe this place gets good ratings. Just because it has a neighborhood feel, doesn't mean it has good food.
I have now visited 3 times and not once have I left saying that was worth the money. Brunch yesterday was a disaster. The crab cake benedict was a complete mis-fire. The egg was cooked to death, the crab cake was mushy, and the fries were clearly fried in the same oil as all their seafood - they tasted like fish sticks. The Hangtown Frye (egg fritatta over fried oysters) was ok. Except they decided to serve it with chunks of ham in the frittata and smothered in tartar sauce - neither of which was on the menu. Everything was cooked with an extraordinary amount of butter. You know when it feels like butter is oozing out of your pores? Yeah, I had that one.
Dinner has never been anything above mediocre. Although if you have a craving for a lobster roll, there really is nowhere else to get it in the area.
Stick to the oysters!
Big and briny? Can you get the big ones down your throat? These and other considerations are a must when dining at Hank's. The medium oysters slid down my gullet like a mermaid diving for pearls. I'd give them a five star rating if the prices were cheaper, the service was less snooty, the yuppie-urchins weren't drooling on my shoulder, and... if the floor wasn't so waxy! Dang it, I don't wanna fall off my chair on my ONTO the chair! (Roll footage of me, slowly gliding sideways onto the floor as the chair slides like a moving walkway).
Excellent food, BTW. Some of the best food in town, actually.
People thought this was:
When I first expressed interest in trying Hank's Oyster Bar, my boyfriend and I perused the online menu and weekly specials. Loving both steak and blue cheese, my boyfriend insisted that we go to Hank's on the night when they serve the blue cheese crusted sirloin.
NOOOOOOOO!!! They serve that on Saturday!!!!
I don't know about you, but on weekend nights, I avoid all restaurants that don't accept reservations. Avoid them like the plague. It's not that I'm impatient, I just can't get over the fact that I'm waiting forever for something that would have been much more accessible during the week. Nevertheless, I really wanted to try Hank's and decided that if it had to be Saturday night- it would be on a Saturday night.
We called ahead before leaving our house at 8pm and were told the wait would be 40-45 minutes. We arrived at Hank's around 8:30. Unfortunately, the restaurant is so small and people kept popping out of the woodwork and by 9, we had not been seated.
Smoldering with contempt in the blustery outdoor patio, I began to construct my 2 star Yelp review of Hank's: It took forever and they lie about the wait. It's better to be a large party here because they seem to be seated quicker. The patio stinks. The host had a terrible haircut....
No sublime food could rescue Hank's from my review of death.
Finally, at 9:20, I went inside because I was too freezing to spend 5 more seconds on that patio. I was told our party was next and we could either choose the high bar-like table that was being cleaned right now, or wait an undetermined amount of time for a normal table. The high table is fine, I seethed.
Upon sitting down, I noticed that the tall chairs were very uncomfortable. For around 5 more minutes, I felt like a 2 year old about to throw a fit in the isles of Toys R Us. Damn you, Hank's! Why must this table suck so much?!
Then our waiter approached with a bowl of goldfish. He was very nice, only we discovered that the blue cheese crusted all-important sirloin special was not actually being served. Instead, it was just some normal, boring, bone-in ribeye.
Arrgg! That's going in my 2 star review, you liars!!!
Our appetizers arrived quickly: a cesar salad and the popcorn calamari and shrimp. The cesar was more than a little anchovy-infused, but the shrimp and calamari were good. For entrees, I ordered the lobster roll and my boyfriend ordered the "disappointment ribeye" with mac and cheese and fries. The entrees also arrived swiftly and my lobster roll was pretty delicious. The fries were okay, the mac and cheese was rich, and my bf's ribeye was good, but standard. Nothing special.
As I transformed from ravenous beast to satiated customer, I felt a little guilty about my zestful hatred of Hank's. Maybe it was our fault for coming on Saturday. Maybe I was seeing the experience through hungry, poop-colored glasses. After finishing the complimentary dark chocolate, I was pretty sure Hank's wouldn't be receiving a 2 star review.
Had we been seated on time at a normal table with less people hovering over us staring at our food, I would have given Hank's four stars. I know it's a good place and I like the style of food. Nevertheless, food isn't 100% of the dining out experience, so I've settled on 3 stars.
Next time I come here, it will be on a weekday.
People thought this was:
The grilled octopus and chick pea salad was amazing. Grilled to perfection, well seasoned, melt in your mouth goodness. Yes, if prepared well, octopus can melt in your mouth.
I loved the goldfish crackers that were served as an amuse-bouche. While a true food snob might look down their nose at a bowl of goldfish crackers, I found it quirky, cute and well fitting for a seafood restaurant.
Nice touch of serving complimentary bites of decent quality chocolate In lieu of a dessert menu.
It took me a while to finally get here and see what all the hype was about. Since an out of town friend goes here every time he visits, I figured I had to make the trek sometime.
We got there with a fairly large group (the joint is small), so they were happy to accommodate us outside under the heat lamps until the table was ready. I'd love to come back when it's not cold out, because the outdoor area looks more fun than inside. In the meantime, we hung out and did oyster shooters.
A quick note on the oyster shooters. . . they're good. They are damn good. Unfortunately, and this is a matter of personal taste, I did my requisite couple of them and moved on to beer. I just can't abide by having a chunk of something in my shot. It just feels weird. If you can get over that though, they're like crack.
The inside is pretty sparse, but that just makes more room for cramming patrons in, which is also fine by me. It really has the feel of a place that should be on a bay somewhere, but taking a ton of orders for seafood to sit out in the sunshine. It just happened to land in DC instead of some coastal area.
There's not a lot on the menu in terms of actual entrees, especially anything that's not oysters or seafood. Fine with me, since I was there for the damn oysters, but I know that's always an issue in groups. They do have the token non-seafood stuff, and what little I sampled here and there wasn't bad.
The oysters on the half shell are up on a chalkboard with the prices and a short description. I got a couple each of a few varieties I wanted to try. I'd have ordered like 6 of everything if I could afford it, but these things happen. Most of them were very tasty, and I recall ordering seconds on at least one. As a note, though, if they say a variety is salty, you best believe them. Wow.
I had an entree as well, although sadly, I don't recall what it was, since I am reviewing this well after I went there. I vaguely remember having a pasta dish with more oysters in it, but I could be wrong there. Whatever the hell I had, I remember enjoying it.
So, I haven't made it back there, but that's more because I'm not a huge seafood eater on a regular basis. Also, while the prices are reasonable for what you're getting, oysters are not the cheapest food out there, so this is a sometimes visit.
At any rate, yes, the hype is not just that. Hank's totally lived up to the hype something fierce. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
~EEE~
People thought this was:
Although I do not eat seafood, I enjoyed the atmosphere and food very much. It is small and it can get very busy inside and right outside the, what seems like a brew pub. I ordered the special of the day: Flat Iron Steak with Chimmichuri sauce. It was perfectly cooked and the sauce was a perfect companion. Additionally, the asparagus with truffle oil was out of this world! It was cooked perfectly, a little al dente and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper with the truffle oil. I had an excellent steak meal at an oyster bar!
My fiance ordered something she would generally never order: Squid Ink pasta with (some) seafood. She LOVED it and people are our table were like what are you eating it sells good! They got a little squeamish when we told them what it was. haha.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
People thought this was:
It's the little things about Hank's that won me over.
In particular, 1) the little bowl of goldfish crackers right after you sit down at the table (gives me a warm after-school-snack vibe), 2) the complimentary dark chocolate after the meal (a perfect ending), and 3) the awesome sourdough bread!
As for main dishes, the fried oyster frittata, which is often available as a brunch special, is outstanding. I usually prefer my oysters raw, but these are truly delicious and the sauce and capers put this dish over the top. I'm also a fan of the "Meats & Two" - a rotating meat entree, depending on the day of the week, plus 2 side dishes of your choice (I recommend the mac & cheese and collared greens - yum!)
I chose this restaurant based solely on Yelp reviews, so I was expecting a LOT.
And we were not disappointed.
The four of us arrived here on Friday night around 9:30. I had called ahead (while we were in the car searching for parking) to put our name on the waiting list. The wait was about 20 minutes when we finally found parking and arrived, so definitely not a big deal although it looked like a long wait from all the people waiting outside.
They have a great outdoor seating area, but we were seated inside. The scene is lively with young people, both at the bar and dining.
The menu is made up each day due to the daily offerings, so you know things are definitely fresh. The list of available oysters are on the blackboard on the wall and there was 6 to choose from, plus an oyster shooter, that had Bloody Mary and sake (which I am told tasted kind of bad). Other than the bad shooter, the oysters were nice and fresh and at $2/oyster, extremely affordable.
The menu was also a surprise, since everything was priced so moderately. My Lobster roll was only $21, the sablefish was around $27 and the soft shell crabs were less than $20.
We had a great meal with great company and Hank's is definitely some place we will visit again next time we're in DC.
People thought this was:
I've loved Hank's every time I've gone. Oyster happy hour is fantastic, oysters can get pricey, but for a dollar each, you can't really beat that. Not only are they inexpensive, they are delicious and fresh. The lobster roll is about $20 and surprisingly worth the cost. I've also been for brunch, and the crab cakes benedict were tasty.
Unfortunately, I do have to agree with the negative comments about waitstaff. I've had one very moody waitress here, but she was easy to ignore after sucking down a few their delicious dirty martinis!
People thought this was:
I make any excuse to go Hank's. It's a great neighborhood restaurant with wonderful service. The servers are very knowledgeable and give good advice on any menu item. Depending on the mood, I usually order the raw oysters with a glass of prosecco. They also offer delicious daily specials, one of which being the smoky squid. If it's too busy and the wallet is a little light, then we just stop by for the sake oyster shooter.
People thought this was:
Easing my way into oysters, and Hank's OB was a solid choice for this first-time oyster sucker!
Ambiance - 3 stars. Hank's OB was a lot 'cozier' than expected. I didn't realize how small of a joint it was until I got inside, but they do well with the small dining room they have.
Service - 3 stars. The server was really friendly and gave me a terrific crash course on Oysters 101. As someone who has never tried oysters, this was great. She was knowledgeable and could explain the differences between the oyster options, and beyond that would toss in her recommendations. Helpful, friendly, awesome.
Food - 2 stars. Again, being my first oyster experience I can't credibly speak to the oysters. I liked 'em though. The "oceany" ones were my fave. And I loaded them all up with everything on the table: the cocktail sauce, horseradish, a little Old Bay, salt, Tabasco, the vinaigrette--- toldja, I'm new to this. I do not recommend the clam chowder. It's very oily and not so much creamy. The lobster bisque was alright, not very hot though.
Beverages - It was a beer night. I stuck to Yeungling so I don't really know how their wine selection was.
Overall - 3 stars. This was a neat little niche to check out. If you've never tried oysters or want to delve a little deeper into the oyster world, this is the place to do it.
People thought this was:
I dined at Hank's for a friend's b-day dinner. Enjoyed a tasty lemony cocktail at the bar while I waited for them to arrive, it was called the Hanky Panky and had citrus vodka, lemoncello and sparkling wine.
I had the lobster roll for dinner and it was pretty tasty. I don't even remember how the fries were that came with it, so they must have been mediocre, because I usually love my fried food.
Only complaint is that they don't serve dessert...and yet were going to charge us a $3 fee per person to eat the cupcakes someone had brought for the b-day girl. The waitress ended up waiving it which was nice. I understand that to the restaurant it means time at the table without purchasing food, but what are we supposed to do if you don't serve dessert? Would it be so hard to have some standard issue molten chocolate cake or something for people to buy when they are celebrating?
People thought this was:
Hank's Oyster Bar met loft expectations on a Tuesday night.
The menu features only the best seasonal options, at reasonable prices in small and large plate portions.
I sampled the Rappahanocks and the Barcat Chesapeake oysters and both were superb.
I am from the midwest and shellfish deprived so I also sampled the small plate of Ipswitch clams and savored the right from the beach flavor.
Four craft beers were on tap. I was pleased with the Scrimshaw Pilsner, a California product. Brooklyn's Brown Ale, a White Wheat from Maine and Pale Ale were the other options.
My waiter was Sam W. Who offered reliable opinions and performed capably.
Good value, good quality and a fine experience. I will return.
LOVED Hank's! It was my first time traveling to DC and JP did some research about where to go for dinner in his local hood where he is living for the month...Hank's it was and it certainly didn't disappoint.
The atmosphere kind of reminded me of a combination bistro/diner since the room was long and narrow. Comfortable casual, but not in a ripped jeans kind of way...I would say more like your favorite cashmere sweater that you reach for again and again, despite having a closet full of other sweaters to wear. Hank's is that kind of place...the one I would go to again and again if I lived in DC.
It was crowded for 8ish on a Wednesday night but we were able to snag two seats at the bar and had fantastic service. My wine was always topped off and JP always had a fresh pint in front of him. Loved the goldfish to nibble on too, one of my favorite bar snacks. We started with the octopus, which was incredible and JP had a couple of oysters (the shallots in the sauce were a nice touch). We split the black ink squid pasta and it was some of the best pasta I've had in a while. The delicate balance of flavor between the pasta and the sauce...I was surprised that a seafood restaurant could accomplish that. The chocolate at the end was a nice touch to finishing off our meal (and I am not even normally a sweets girl!)
Lively, personable place! I live in Seattle where seafood reigns and I wasn't disappointed by the little neighborhood restaurant....and hopefully you won't be either!
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Oyster Nirvana !
The 1st thing you need to know about Hank's is that you don't want to go if your on the clock and have to be somwhere.
If your driving, parking is a challenge, it's in a residential neighborhood and street parking is more miss than hit. Expect to park 3 or 4 blocks away.
My son flew in from the CLT and we had tix to a show @ the 9:30 Club, doors at 10p for Ozomatli. I lived in N Orleans for two years and from what I heard and read from Yelpsters this place sounded good.
We got there at 915p and there was a 30 min wait...on a Thur!
I told the seating host that my son just flew in and we had tix to the 9:30 and shoud we wait or maybe comeback another time.
He was very understanding and responded with 'I'll see what I can do".
He sounded confindant...10 min later he says "i've got a coupla seats coming open at the bar & you get full service"...ding...ding...ding...we gotta winner!
We sat down and immediately Dana, behind the bar gave us a warm wlecome and told us about their beers on tap.
He pointed to the chalk board on the wall and explained the differences between the seven different types of Oysters.
Pearl Bay
Dragon Creek
Rappahannock
Roys Naked
Pacific
At $2 a peace we tried two of each...they were all excellent. We both favored the Dragon Creek and orderd four more...slightly salty...plump..flavorful a little sweet and delicious.
James had the Hog Island BBQ oysters, I had the Crabcakes.
What a meal, just what we were looking for. We were in and out in about 45 minutes.
My two favorite Osyter joints in New Orleans are ACME in the Quarter and Dragos off Canal St. Those places are both '10's' in my lexicon of Oyster love.
Chalk up a solid '9' for Hanks!
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Here's what I liked:
Fresh oysters great seasoning with it
Fresh fish (I had the crispy Dorade)
Great fries seasoned with Old Bay and malt vinegar at the table
Great lobster roll
Good beer
Free chocolate at the end
Good selection of daily specials
Decent service
Here's what I didn't like:
Cramped seating
Super salty kale side dish
Other times I've been here their seasoning of side dishes have been off -- either too bland or too salty
People thought this was:
I went to DC for work, and decided that since the place was far closer to any ocean than the city where I live, I had to get some seafood. Based on the Yelp reviews, I decided this was the place. I was definitely not disappointed.
The one minor flub occurred at the beginning, when the waiter gave me a glass of the wrong wine (it was a red; I'd ordered a white). He ran away so quickly that I didn't have time to say anything, and the one he gave me was quite tasty, so I ended up just drinking it instead. (Yeah, the white would have been a way better match with the dinner, but I'm not fussy.)
I couldn't decide which of the oysters on the menu to have, so I sampled one of each of the six on the board. Not that I've had a lot of oysters in my life, but these were by far the best that I'd had. Briny, briny deliciousness. Next came the lobster bisque, which had a great flavor and came with lots of bread for dipping. I ended with the steamed mussels, which were very good and came in a nice sauce. However, I think I would have been happier ordering another round of oysters. I couldn't stop thinking about them.
Overall, I was very impressed.
People thought this was:
only been here once...but i definitely enjoyed myself. i'm a big fan of oysters, too bad my date wasn't, or else i would've stocked up on some oysters on the half shell.
but overall, the food was good and we were fortunate enough to not have to wait (since they dont' take reservations). i'd definitely recommend this place to anyone else.
People thought this was:
Good oysters and a nice wine selection. Portion sizes are small and it's pricey.
I much prefer the Old Town location to this one. The service here was poor - see Jake K's review for the details. It was really slow and they subbed in a different type of oyster when they ran out of the type we wanted without telling us. They didn't admit it until we questioned them and weren't all that apologetic.
The $1 oyster happy hour is still one of the best deals anywhere. The $1 oysters change from day to day and yesterday they had Hurricane Harbor, Otter Cove and Evening Cove. Each was enjoyable in its own way. The best way to attack is to order a dozen split evenly then on the subsequent rounds to order the favorites. There are also some oysters for $2 but we were feeling miserly.
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"It's not busy right now, but I'll take your name so you won't have long to wait when you get here and it happens to get busy..." --says the host for Hank's Oyster Bar when I called to see if I needed reservations. It was our last night in DC and decided to check out Dupont Circle since everyone raved about the area....excellent spot by the way!
We got here and notice how little and how this area was almost the equivalent of our Hillcrest in San Diego, only not as flambouyant...
but...I digress...the hostess was super friendly and we were seated within a few minutes. This place is so cute, they give you a small little bowl of goldfish while you look at your menu...awww...
we ended up ordering a bottle of wine that came recommended by our server, lobster rolls, I had that with onion rings and my friend had the mac and cheese...I know...weird combination...
the food was amazing and the service was great as well...nothing more to say because the words GREAT and AMAZING are pretty self explanatory...
Alright....let's see, where to begin?
The Wife and I arrived a tad early while we waited on our party to come in. The first comment out of her mouth was, "it smells like a bathroom in here." I tried to remain cheerful and distract her by hugging her close and letting her smell "eau de Jake" - but I'm not sure it was an improvement. The greeter was cordial and took down our name since I had no clue how many folks were going to show up and suggested we take a seat at the bar. So that we did.
The bartender was friendly enough, he allowed me to sample two of the drafts before ordering them since I never had either and was curious as to which one was going to prick my fancy. I ended up settling on the organic brew they had there (I can't remember the name of it) and sat for a bit.
After the party arrived, we were promptly seated and allowed to cruise the menu. The goldfish crackers arrived - a cute touch - and we placed our initial order of the happy hour oysters in hopes of finding our favorites. We ordered the Hurricane Harbor (Prince Edward Island), Otter Cove (WA state), and Evening Cove (WA state) oysters. After devouring them, we found that the Hurricane Harbor and Otter Cove were our favorites and proceeded to order another dozen of each.
Well, this is where things get screwed up. When the oysters came out, the waiter told us that we had the Hurricane Harbor and Otter Cove oysters. However, the discerning eye of one Xi W. picked out that they were in fact not those particular oysters and she promptly hailed the waiter down to report the discrepancy.
After a bit of investigating, the host came back and informed us that the kitchen had shucked all of the Hurricane Harbor after our order was entered and substituted the Evening Cove oysters in for our Hurricane Harbor selections. UHHHH, WHAT??? Could someone at least have told us? Yeah, loss of star there bucko.
We ate them anyway and proceeded to enjoy ourselves despite the setback. I also ordered the mac and cheese and collard greens. Both were so-so and certainly not worth $5 a piece. I was shocked that any joint would have collards and not have any Texas Pete or Louisiana hot sauce running around - and no folks, tabasco doesn't cut it.
So overall, for the price, it's great if you can catch the oyster happy hour and just go for that. As for the rest of the food, I wasn't impressed with The Wife's dish either so I'm not sure we'd go out of our way to come back unless we were going as a part of another group. Meh.
People thought this was:
I came here for a late lunch Saturday while vacationing in DC, strictly based on Yelp reviews that raved about their lobster roll. Since I'm a self-proclaimed lobster roll junkie, I of course had to swing by and try it. We stumbled in past 2pm and were quickly seated, so I can't vouch for how busy this place may get during peak brunch time. Our waiter was polite and friendly, and I found it adorable that they put goldfish crackers on the table to get you started.
The sourdough bread they brought us after we ordered was incredible: fresh, soft and just the right amount of sour-sweet for sourdough. After hearing a rundown of their oysters, we decided on a half dozen of their small and sweet ones (can't remember the name, I'm such a bad foodie), but since they were running smaller than usual, they shucked a dozen for us and still only charged us for a half dozen. My boyfriend ordered their shrimp and grits and practically licked his plate clean.
As for the lobster roll, I have to agree with all of the Yelpers who raved about it - it certainly did not disappoint. Light, fresh, simple and clean, the flavor had standalone strength without being overpowering, and the bread was toasted just right - crispy, warm, fresh. Of the simpler lobster rolls I've had, Hank's is one of the best on my list, only second to the one I had from a tiny shop in Maine last summer (unadulterated chunks of lobster on Texas toast and with a side of drawn butter to pour over it).
They also have a complimentary dessert of sorts, setting some German dark chocolate on the table when they bring the check. That and the goldfish were simple touches that I think added to the place's charm. Coupled with the warmness of the staff and the freshness of the seafood, you can't really go wrong here for lunch. If I lived in DC, it would definitely be a repeat.
So a couple of things made my trip to Hank's special this last Friday:
First, the food was quite good. I went with 4 other people and we split a bottle of wine, and a whole bunch of sides and appetizers. Although I do like oysters, I am certainly no oysterphile, but the waitress was quite helpful in choosing a half-dozen to kick us off. Then we filled all corners of the table with food: bacon and leek mussels, fried oysters, popcorn shrimp and calamari, collard greens, squash stuffing, yams, mac and cheese, marinated beets, and lots of bread.
Second, there was a bizarre fight that broke out at the bar. I don't really know what happened - some guy threw someone's glasses, then she dumped a drink on his head, then he grabbed her hair blah blah blah - but I want to note that this is not a place where this type of thing looks like it would happen. A small place that feels crowded when it's half full, the bar scene does not seem to be made for people coming to drink, but rather those who are scouring the room for people to finish so they can eat. Despite the incongruity of the location and the action, it made for great theater. I don't know if I can eat mussels without watching two middle-aged people fight again!
Hank's lost a star for a collection of small reasons. Although the fried oysters were phenomenal (with a light and dilly dipping sauce), the raw oysters fresh and large, and we had to keep asking our waitress for more bread to sop up the bacon/leek/white wine sauce for the mussels, these highlights were book ended by squash stuffing that was over seasoned and collard greens that were too plain to to stand up next to the rest of the food on the table . In addition, I am quite sensitive to the music that plays in a restaurant and while Hank's music was not loud, I found the selection of early 90s top 40 to be poorly suited to the ambiance of the location as well as mildly distracting (if only because I found myself unconsciously singing along and ignoring the my friend sitting across the table). To be fair, I was the only one at the table who found the music distracting, but be warned.
In the end, I will be going back, if only because I need to here that Toto song one more time.
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Neighborhood: Palisades
Category: Seafood
Washington, DC
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Georgetown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
Category: Seafood
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