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Hank's Oyster Bar, Casual Seafood in Several Area Locations - Chef Jamie Leeds Comes From 15 RIA


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We ventured out for a late dinner on Friday evening, not too long before the storm hit. Lucky us, we hit the jackpot at Hank's; everything we had was delicious, they were kind enough not to kick us out until the rain had let up, AND they let us borrow an abandoned umbrella for the short walk home.

A dozen oysters on the half shell allowed us to try each of the 6 varieties they were offering. Some of the shucking was a little sloppy, requiring extra effort to loosen oysters from the shell. All were very fresh and flavorful, with varying levels of brininess/sweetness.

The buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and roasted pepper salad was also full of fresh ingredients and fantastic flavor. The ceviche was one of the best I've had in a long time, a huge portion with great hits of heat from the jalapenos and plenty of lime-y citrus goodness. The +1 wanted a burger and it was a damn good one, even if not your typical order at a seafood joint. I finished up with a few pieces of the shrimp cocktail, which had been cooked to order and were also extremely fresh.

I also enjoyed a cocktail, the name of which I've forgotten, but it was a gin collins/rickey sort of thing that went down nice and easy on a sultry summer night. Looking forward to heading back - it had been a long time and I've been missing out, apparently. They are expanding into the former Chinoiserie space (which has moved to the corner of King and N. West St), but it sounds like it may be several months before that happens.

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Capitol Hill location opened a couple of hours ago. Things are functioning pretty well, but the bar is slammed. Sebastian Zutant is one of the people working behind the bar. I tried one of the cocktails and it had a good balance of flavors. Someone next to me tried several others and was pleased.

They seem to be up to speed pretty seamlessly on the food. I sampled fried oysters, popcorn shrimp and calamari (ethereal tempura-like batter for all of them) and was just transported to another dimension. I also got the Old Bay peel-and-eat shrimp and was surprised by how many there were (maybe 15 for $13). They will need to get things a little more coordinated behind the bar, but this place blows Senart's out of the water.

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Bob and I stopped in for early drinks and dinner at 5:15 tonight and the bar was already full; the tables were all taken just a short while later. I love what they've done with the space, particularly the bar, but man is this place loud--Bob and I were literally shouting across the table to hear each other. Drinks were very good, and nicely priced for custom cocktails with premium and housemade ingredients--mostly ranging from $9 to $11. Bob's Forgetfully Fernet looked just like the picture in the Post, with a large mass of slushy Fernet Branca amidst the whisky, lemon, and ginger. When the Fernet melts down, the ginger flavors dominates. (Curiously, others in the bar who ordered this seemed to have a far less massive amount of the slush, and more whisky. Different bartenders, perhaps?) I forget the name of my drink, but it was a refreshing mix of Pimm's No. 1, cucumber water, and tarragon.

The menu seems to be a tweaked version of the other locations, and I found it had the same mix of good values and seemingly overpriced options as in Dupont. Bob's Oyster po-boy was heaping with nicely fried oysters, but had little else to distinguish it besides a bit of tartar sauce. My lamb burger was quite good, bursting with bleu cheese, but the $18 price seemed a bit steep. Service was friendly, maybe a bit overbearing at times, but they seemed on top of things overall. A good addition to the Hill, but the noise, crowds, and price line make it seem more an occasional stop than a regular hangout for us. (And dare I say we were the oldest folks there?)

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It is horribly loud but really a nice throwback decor of the old apothecary days. Love that Gina and Sebastian are now working together. Also love block ice for cocktails (it was a funny sight to see Sebastian cleave the ice with a veggie cleaver.) Must try the punch.

Very small space so it was packed by 6:15p. Bar was packed by 5:30, I think. This was last Friday night.

Food was good -- we only ordered small sides and they were nicely done. Would go back definitely for drinks and to try a few more things.

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I've now had the Old Salt a few times, which is basically a watermelon margarita with abundant salt. Very refreshing on a humid August day.

Service continues to be attentive and friendly. I had a server who wasn't my server help me with information on the oysters, since I was unable to read the blackboard. When people spontaneously exhibit a team feeling about their workplace, it makes me feel more like I want to be there.

I forgot to mention the lovely oysters I got last time (which were mostly from Cape May, though that's not what was ordered). I liked them more than what I got this time but YMMV. Both of these types were from Virginia: Rappahannock and Pungotrague. They were smaller than the others and more watery than briny (IMO). Pluses for all: very well shucked. I don't underestimate the shucking part. That's why I go out to get oysters. If I could prepare them this well at home, I would. They do a good job here.

The Caesar salad ($7 plus $2 for white anchovies) didn't look like much but the dressing was fantastic. It was a perfect balance of tangy and creamy. Funny enough, I ran into an acquaintance right after this who had the Caesar for weekend brunch, and we compared notes on how great the dressing was. I wasn't that thrilled about oyster crackers for croutons (though it's a cute idea). Maybe I didn't like it because I'd already had a packet with my oysters. Acquaintance and I agreed that the ribbons of Parmesan on the salad were not that good. It seemed like lesser quality than the other ingredients, for one thing, but the size of them was just hard to eat. Despite this, I'd run back to get the Caesar salad.

I truly wish Jamie and Gina good luck with this place.

Edit: Just making it clear I'm talking about the Capitol Hill location.

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... I'd give it a 4 out of 10 on my first visit and might go back if I ever found myself up that way but it wouldn't ever be on my go to go radar...

You'll never think of it again now that we've got Hank's on the Hill. That's the only go to in that neighborhood now.

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You'll never think of it again now that we've got Hank's on the Hill. That's the only go to in that neighborhood now.

I've been taking advantage of the emptied-out Capitol Hill lately (since this spot fills up very quickly when people are around). Last thing I tried was the fried oyster po boy ($15). It's served on a soft, split top bun like you would get with a lobster roll. Wow. There were a lot of big juicy oysters in that sandwich. I kept maybe half of them in the roll so I could actually eat it and then dipped the remaining ones in the tartar sauce. It was like getting an order of fried oysters plus a sandwich. It was a whole meal.

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We went to Hank's on the Hill earlier this week. Food was terrific, but I did have one gripe. As advised, we called 20 minutes before arriving to get our party of 4 on the wait list. 3 of us were dropped off and the 4th went to park. Because our party was not complete, they did not seat us, but did seat a party of 3 at a 4 top, which came in after us. our 4th showed up minutes after this but we ended up waiting a good 25 minutes for a table. I can understand if a party is coming in, in dribs and drabs, but we were pseudo complete.

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We went to Hank's on the Hill earlier this week. Food was terrific, but I did have one gripe. As advised, we called 20 minutes before arriving to get our party of 4 on the wait list. 3 of us were dropped off and the 4th went to park. Because our party was not complete, they did not seat us, but did seat a party of 3 at a 4 top, which came in after us. our 4th showed up minutes after this but we ended up waiting a good 25 minutes for a table. I can understand if a party is coming in, in dribs and drabs, but we were pseudo complete.

I think that you have a legitimate gripe here. Even if you had a party of three, they would seat you at a four-top, so as long as you have three people there, they should seat you. Same with a party of two, with one person there, or a party of six, with five people there.

This happened to me most recently at Circa in Clarendon, maybe a year or so ago, and I argued with the hostess about it for maybe ten minutes or so. In the end, she agreed with me and sat us, but she was very unpleasant about it.

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^going off topic now, but I am particularly interested in this issue as MrP has been in a walking cast and will be for a while yet. Even if we get a handicap hang tag for him, in DC it's not often useful; there has to be a space available, which doesn't often happen. So I've been dropping him off while I go search for parking. Why shoudn't he be able to ask for a table and get off his bad foot?

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Drinks were very good, and nicely priced for custom cocktails with premium and housemade ingredients--mostly ranging from $9 to $11. Bob's Forgetfully Fernet looked just like the picture in the Post, with a large mass of slushy Fernet Branca amidst the whisky, lemon, and ginger. When the Fernet melts down, the ginger flavors dominates. (Curiously, others in the bar who ordered this seemed to have a far less massive amount of the slush, and more whisky. Different bartenders, perhaps?) I forget the name of my drink, but it was a refreshing mix of Pimm's No. 1, cucumber water, and tarragon.

I just wanted to chime in about how freakin great the drinks are here. Went here with friends a couple weeks ago and was very impressed--i was a big fan of Gina's at PS7, but she's really outdone herself here. i tried: the Hanky panky hill style--a deliciously light drink with citrus-sage soda that was fresh, citrusy, and a bit herbal all at once; the squeezed melons, this is made with melon water but is not as sweet as I'd expected, more like the cool essence of honeydew. Both this and the hanky panky are perfect drinks for a summer porch or balcony. As noted above, the Forgetfully Fernet was interesting and changed over time, at first strong and very herbal, then as the slush melts it sweetens and ginger comes to the fore. But my favorite of the night was the punch, which was called something like "high school punch." This was the best punch of Gina's i've ever had--strongly juicy and tasting of citrus and peach with herbs. really delicious.

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I think that you have a legitimate gripe here. Even if you had a party of three, they would seat you at a four-top, so as long as you have three people there, they should seat you. Same with a party of two, with one person there, or a party of six, with five people there.

This happened to me most recently at Circa in Clarendon, maybe a year or so ago, and I argued with the hostess about it for maybe ten minutes or so. In the end, she agreed with me and sat us, but she was very unpleasant about it.

Table size doesn't have anything to do with it; it's the fact that the party that's complete can be sat and begin their meal immediately, while the incomplete party most likely won't get started until they're complete. Even if they do, the straggler will effectively cause the meal to start over in terms of turn time.

And you'd be surprised (or maybe not) to see the number of people who come in to ask for a table incomplete, say their extra is just parking the car, and sit for 45 minutes as they wait for their friend to show up.

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I agree that it is not a legitimate gripe unless of course you have elderly, pregnant, or disabled person in your party. We had a 30-45 minute wait at Hank's Old Town a few weeks ago and a party came in perturbed when they called ahead and weren't sat right away. Its simple math, calling ahead doesn't guarantee you a table. As long as this is their policy and they stick to it, I have no problems with it. I think seating incomplete parties consistently over the course of a very busy night will wreak havok on service and turn around times.

(I wish everyone adopted Green Pig Bistro's smart phone app / texting system)

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I agree that it is not a legitimate gripe unless of course you have elderly, pregnant, or disabled person in your party.

Oh, certainly. If you're telling grandma that she's got to wait because her party's incomplete, you have a skewed sense of priorities.

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We came back from a few weeks in Germany last month to find Hank's had opened on the Hill. What a delightful surprise! But our first experience there left us somewhat disappointed.

We started off with 18 oysters on the half, split between two types from Washington State. These were exquisite, perfectly shucked and brimming with flavor--some of the best oysters I've had in a long time, better than the generally excellent ones at Senart's. I then followed with an avocado salad. Even in a "bistro" type restaurant like this, not least because of its relatively high price level, I expected some sort of modestly composed salad or otherwise creative presentation of avocado. What I received was some leaves of perfectly ordinary lettuce with a sliced avocado half plopped on the plate, with a well-made "green goddess" type dressing. There was absolutely nothing inspiring or inspired about this dish. It was almost cafeteria-like in its lack of imagination. My wife's ceasar salad was the standard hotel restaurant preparation, with what were supposed to be shavings of Parmesan that looked and tasted more like Gouda.

The rockfish filet that then followed was actually a steak from the cross section of the fish, perfectly cooked but otherwise just as unremarkable as the salads. My kids enjoyed the mussels in tomato broth and the grilled octopus, which were no different than countless other versions of these dishes available almost anywhere in the city.

I was looking forward to Gina's creations and in this respect was not disappointed at all. I tried three of them and they were all creative, wonderful drinks that made the intrepid ordinariness of the food all the more galling.

Our welcome and the service were first rate. The place was completely slammed, inside and out, but we were seated immediately at a table outside that happened to just open up, although we didn't have a reservation. Our waitress was the picture of kindness and efficiency despite the loud and overflowing crowd.

I hope the shortcomings I experienced were due to a new kitchen dealing with opening-month crowds. Otherwise there would be no way I would eat here again in view of the high prices charged for such boring food.

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I second this. We went last night and had the tilapia tacos - deliciously fresh and I like the crispy shell (rarely how I see fish tacos). At $15 dollars and more than enough food for one (two if you share a side like my husband and I did), its one of the better bargains on Hank's menu right now. Also, the restaurant seems to be thriving - completely full at 8 on a Tuesday. Not much of a wait but a very solid flow of patrons.

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I'm an oyster rookie (though not a complete novice), so I figured I'd take advantage of the oyster happy hour. I sat at the bar and got some recommendations from the barkeep. A half-dozen oysters and a pale ale later, I was a happy camper. I love the idea of an oyster happy hour, and would certainly go again if I'm close to one of the Hank's locations.

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I like Hank's in Dupont - had a very fine dinner out on the patio Friday night. Hard to beat that - reliable, good service. I will pass on the cocktails however.

Before Hanks had a terrific $14.00 Paloma at BlackJack. Expensive but worth it - quality all throughout. Compare to what turned out to be a $13.00 or so French 75 that I had at Hank's while waiting for our table. Made with Beefeater and what looked like a pretty anonymous proseco. Just foul. Rail gin at premium prices, that's just bad manners :) Wanted to say something but always tricky on a 2nd date getting snooty about the gin...

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I like Hank's in Dupont - had a very fine dinner out on the patio Friday night. Hard to beat that - reliable, good service. I will pass on the cocktails however.

Before Hanks had a terrific $14.00 Paloma at BlackJack. Expensive but worth it - quality all throughout. Compare to what turned out to be a $13.00 or so French 75 that I had at Hank's while waiting for our table. Made with Beefeater and what looked like a pretty anonymous proseco. Just foul. Rail gin at premium prices, that's just bad manners :) Wanted to say something but always tricky on a 2nd date getting snooty about the gin...

Rail or not, Beefeater's is an entirely respectable gin. Certainly not trendy or fashionable, but a fine product nonetheless.

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Rail or not, Beefeater's is an entirely respectable gin. Certainly not trendy or fashionable, but a fine product nonetheless.

Beefeater is respectable (see my comment here), but think of the larger picture of what MTPeter is saying: he paid $13 for a "French 75" made with Beefeater and Prosecco. C'mon man, at that price, you pull out the Champagne.

Before Hanks had a terrific $14.00 Paloma at BlackJack. Expensive but worth it - quality all throughout.

I just had a Paloma two nights ago at BarMini, and it was a darned good one. (If anyone is on the fence about BarMini: go.)

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Beefeater is respectable (see my comment here), but think of the larger picture of what MTPeter is saying: he paid $13 for a "French 75" made with Beefeater and Prosecco. C'mon man, at that price, you pull out the Champagne.

It seemed to me he was objecting to the gin, not the bubbles, but I do agree with you.

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I like Hank's in Dupont - had a very fine dinner out on the patio Friday night. Hard to beat that - reliable, good service. I will pass on the cocktails however.

In the meantime, the Eddy Bar at Hank's on the Hill continues to put out some spectacular drinks. Friday night after chowing down at the Al Fresco for Frager's fundraiser, I stopped in and ordered a "Sloe and Hard" (...that's what he/she said...), a cocktail that Fritz Hahn highlighted awhile back at WaPo: Ilegal Mezcal, lemon, lemongrass syrup (frozen into a slush), topped with a sloe gin float (I presume Plymouth's sloe gin but I didn't check). $14 but worth every penny--it's the size of two drinks, sweet and tart, utterly refreshing--lasted me a good 45 minutes with nothing accompanying it, and not exactly slow (sloe?) sipping. Even better than the Forgetfully Fernet which I also loved.

Unfortunately, food there the past few visits has been a mixed bag (mostly for brunch). Fish and chips had a good crisp crust but paltry bites of fish beneath; fries were subpar. Sunday's Hangtown Fry was good except for some of the fried oysters--missing the oyster, batter undercooked. Much better are the substantial Huevos Rancheros, smoked trout hash (albeit a smallish portion), and the smoked salmon reuben--not to mention the raw oysters for happy hour.

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It seemed to me he was objecting to the gin, not the bubbles, but I do agree with you.

True! To clarify I really like Beefeater. It makes a great eye opening martini. It is far too overwhelming for a French 75, and a French 75 I prefer with Champagne...

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Hank's in Old Town reopened on Friday evening in their newly expanded space, having broken through to the adjoining storefront (former home of Peter Zia's Chinoiserie*).  The new bar is huge (compared to the old 5-6 seat space) and bright; the seated dining area is all contained in the original space.  Service and food are just as good as before. Ceviche is a go-to for us and the seafood or blue plate specials are almost always well-prepared, with interesting accompaniments. Hank's is the best spot in Old Town for fresh oysters, which can now be enjoyed with a Ti Punch or a number of other new cocktail selection. Another new-ish development is that they are now open for dinner on Mondays.

* Chinoiserie,1325 King Street, at the corner of West St. A great place to shop for unique items for the table and home, especially if you like Scandinavian and/or mid-century design.

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The mixed grill at the Old Town location has been outstanding the last two times I have had it. Octopus, squid, shrimp, with roasted potatoes and green beans. And the HH oysters for $1 are not a bad deal either.

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The Capitol Hill location is now serving lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 AM to 3 PM.  I don't know when this started.  I'm going by the banner they have outside.

Looking at their website, it appears that they're also serving lunch at Dupont the same hours.

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Went to the Capitol Hill location yesterday prior to going to see the current performance of 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' at the Folger Theater (second time seeing the play, first for this incarnation - enjoyed this one more than the prior - great). We'd actually won an auction for a gift certificate here supporting a charity that helps the homeless. Seemed like a good time to use it. Got to sit outside because you really could not ask for a more perfect night than last night to dine al fresco.

BBQ oysters were good, as were the raw ones.

Softshell crabs were quite good and executed well - too bad they forgot to include a wedge of lemon. Still, dish of the night.

Then had a pan roasted Dorade with a fennel, orange and something salad (very tasty, but fish was a smidgen overdone)

Chocolate mousse was really good and a perfect size.

They had a berry puff pastry napoleon which was a bit too unwieldy and the berries were not notable

Service was solid, but not memorable, with only one lapse (where the server was commandeered by one table for about 7 minutes straight).

I'd go back - they served up solid food, executed well and for a decent price (even discounting the certificate we had).

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It's been awhile since I'd been back to Hank's on the Hill for brunch, so I stopped in on Sunday, with my eye on the Chesapeake fried chicken and waffles ($17). Hank's version features three mini-Belgian waffles topped by three crispy fried boneless chicken thighs, a decent-sized portion for the price. In short, the chicken is spectacular--crispy, juicy, a hint of spice--just about everything you want in fried chicken (at least anything that you don't have to deal with bones). The waffles, on the other hand, I didn't care for. Yes, they were light and fluffy, but I think it's a malted waffle batter they use, which, along with the slightly bitter maple syrup, makes for something not entirely pleasant for my tastes; the spice in the chicken doesn't help. Admittedly, the drink I had to accompany this, "Quarter Is the New Half"--a mixture of campari, cranberry, rye, brandy, and orange bitters, if I recall--had a Christmas-y taste that didn't partner well with this dish, and may have skewed my impressions. I won't come back for this dish, but I will return for that fried chicken, which they feature on Sunday night. It's a winner, and I don't often say that about the food at Hank's.

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I don't get this place, maybe I just don't understand it. Are these types of places supposed to be super expensive? I go here, spend $70 and I'm still hungry. I always think of these places being New England-y or Pac-Northwest-y - is it normal to pay this much for dinner at an oyster house? It's not like it's fancy or they are doing anything interesting. It's cold shellfish ($12), a salad ($14), a lobster roll ($25), two of their cheapest draft beers ($14). And I'm out $65 before tax and tip, that gets you close $80. Even if you skip the salad, about $65.

Quick comparison to Senart's. $12 for their fried oyster starter, $15 for Hank's. $13 for their fried oyster sandwich, $22 at Hank's. Maybe I'm not comparing apples to apples. Or, oysters to oysters...

I'm usually just a positive reviewer, and keep my negative experiences to myself (I know, dishonest, but I'm nervous about hurting someone's business if I'm not offering any constructive criticism). I like oysters and seafood, and don't have many options in Old Town, so I go here, but I feel a lot better about it at happy hour or after 10pm.

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I don't get this place, maybe I just don't understand it. Are these types of places supposed to be super expensive? I go here, spend $70 and I'm still hungry. I always think of these places being New England-y or Pac-Northwest-y - is it normal to pay this much for dinner at an oyster house? It's not like it's fancy or they are doing anything interesting. It's cold shellfish ($12), a salad ($14), a lobster roll ($25), two of their cheapest draft beers ($14). And I'm out $65 before tax and tip, that gets you close $80. Even if you skip the salad, about $65.

Quick comparison to Senart's. $12 for their fried oyster starter, $15 for Hank's. $13 for their fried oyster sandwich, $22 at Hank's. Maybe I'm not comparing apples to apples. Or, oysters to oysters...

I'm usually just a positive reviewer, and keep my negative experiences to myself (I know, dishonest, but I'm nervous about hurting someone's business if I'm not offering any constructive criticism). I like oysters and seafood, and don't have many options in Old Town, so I go here, but I feel a lot better about it at happy hour or after 10pm.

I share those misgivings. At Hank's on the Hill--at least when Gina was at the bar--I always found the drinks far outshone the food. Yes, there are some good selections, but if you go into a serious seafood mode, the price rises really exponentially, and not always for food that feels worth the price. (Yes, I get that quality seafood is pricey, but Hank's sometimes makes you wonder why.) I often stick to non-seafood options, like that chicken, and I'm more often satisfied with taste and value.

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I agree with Tujague and Simul--their seafood is good but not worth the markup( at least at the Old Town location).  On the other hand, I had their lamb burger last time I was there and it was excellent.  Really one of the best lamb burger's I have had recently.  They bill it as having bleu cheese mixed in and I was worried it would overpower it, but had a nice lamb-y flavor, good char from the grill and was a nice medium-medium rare.  My wife's fish tacos on the other hand were relatively underwhelming.  Have had the lobster roll before and thought it was okay but nothing to write home about.

I just moved to Old town from the Adams Morgan area, and unfortunately there is a dearth of quality restaurants particularly along King street--so a place like this fills a need--just wish the prices were lower.  (I haven't had the chance to try some of the newer ones on the northern side of old town)

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This evening I went to the Capitol Hill Hank's for the first time in a long while.  The bartender was good but way overly swamped.  IIRC, in the past they would have two bartenders at this time of day.

I ordered two food items off the happy hour menu. The shrimp quesadillas ($9) were not quesadillas. It was two small tortillas with filling that was not in any way fused together, plus a little avocado and tomato stuff on the side. It was a mess to eat but I was starving.  Then I asked what the day's sliders ($10) were and they were beef. I figured I couldn't go wrong but an odd choice at an oyster bar.  They were cooked very well-done and came accompanied by what were supposed to be Old Bay fries, but there was hardly any discernible seasoning and certainly not Old Bay.  Since I hesitated ordering because I'm not fond of a heavy Old Bay seasoning, I can't really complain, but this wasn't an optimal dining experience. It satisfied my needs, though.

I got two beers, the $7 DC Brau Pils (which I liked) because it was on one of the 3 menus I got.  Once I figured out the menus and HH prices, I got a Naragansett ($4) for the  second one.

I had thought about asking to see the regular menu, since one was never offered to me, but I stuck with the happy hour offerings.

People were ordering oysters, and I'm sure they source good ones, but it's hard for me to eat raw oysters at this time of year, especially with all the waters getting warmer.

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Had a really nice little meal at the Old Town location at the bar, the bartender was just great.  Had a beer on draft, that I liked (although now I can't remember what it was, but the bartender was nice about me being picky about beer).  Split some oysters with a friend.  Had the clams in broth which were really good, with nice dipping bread for the sauce.  Also had a Caesar salad, no anchovies as I had a work meeting after, that I thought was well made (would have been better with anchovies, but breath was happy).  It was a kind of nice reprieve before a big meeting.

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Hank's at The Wharf was hopping Saturday night, as was the whole Wharf complex...they should have put in more parking!  Fortunately the lot near the Odyssey was open ($16).

I was able to snag a seat at the bar.  I went with the Oyster Po'Boy...sorry, but this is not a Po'Boy.  It's basically a lobster roll but instead of lobster the roll is stuffed with fried oysters.  Maybe they ran out of Po'Boy Rolls?  But something tells me this is the way it's supposed to be served (photos online indicate so).  I hate to say it, but it was kind of an insult to Po'Boys.

The Oyster Roll tasted good, a nice selection of plump oysters.  The fries were matchstick style and could have been crisper.  For $18 the portion size could have been larger...you know, like Po'Boy size.

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I went to the Hank's in Old Town last June after dropping my kids at the airport.

The oysters were excellent. The crabcake... not so much. Another reminder that when you order crabcakes outside the 410, you're taking a big chance. 

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19 minutes ago, Bob Wells said:

The oysters were excellent. The crabcake... not so much. Another reminder that when you order crabcakes outside the 410, you're taking a big chance. 

Twice I've had excellent crab cakes at Sam's Lobster Shack in Half Moon Bay in California

The first time was an experiment.  The second time, (maybe two years later) they were similarly good.  (I used to live in Baltimore).  Who wouldda thunk it???  All crab. 

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You know the best thing on the menu at Hank's Old Town? The fried fish sandwich. Seriously. I believe it's 2-3 small filets of haddock. The breading has just a bit of kick to it, and it's served on a potato roll with a little tartar sauce and greens. 

This sandwich is in need of better marketing, but I've turned several people on to it who now order it regularly.

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Lady KN and I were inclined to enjoy a visit to Old Town to celebrate her second vaccine this morning, so we stopped in at Hank's for a nice lunch. The outside patio was full, so we took a socially-distanced seat inside. Appropriate measures were in place -- hand sanitizer here and there, paper menus that would be tossed after out meal, and contactless payment.

We started with two dozen oysters -- 8 each of Jack's Point Maine, Sea Stone Virginia, and Salty Wolfe Virginia. Nice and plump and briny, a very good selection, and nary a shell fragment anywhere. Top notch. We almost repeated the course, but instead we went for the small seafood plateau -- $59 worth of oysters, clams, shrimp, 1/2 lobster, seafood seviche, and mussels escabeche. I'm not a fan of the littleneck clams, but that's just me, and everything else was very good. 

With two glasses of wine, plus tax and a $30 tip, the total tab was under $200. It was a nice celebration of being fully vaccinated, and it thoroughly rang our seafood bell for the day.

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The space for the Hank's on PA Ave. near Eastern Market that closed is being taken over by the pandemic-era* Beuchert's sandwich, etc., popup Fight Club. Excellent news (though sorry to see Hank's go; maybe they'll find another nearby space).

Good on multiple fronts: Looks like Andrew Markert is hoping to get Beuchert's going again; Fight Club will endure; and, the vacant restaurant space on that block will be occupied. AND, Markert is taking over the nearby Montmartre space. Woo-hoo!

*I'm getting retrospective. The Pandemic Era will be in the rearview mirror soon (I hope.)

 

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Hank's in Old Town is moving off of King Street and into the old Hank & Mitzi's in North Old Town around April/May. The upside is they'll have a rooftop bar. However, I hope they install a longer bar indoors too, as the bar at Hank & Mitzi's was about half the size of the King Street location.

https://alexandrialivingmagazine.com/food-and-dining/hanks-oyster-bar-alexandria-to-move-to-old-town-north/

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For what little it's worth, Hank's unusual hours -- they don't open until 4:00pm on weekdays -- cost them a 7-top and about $600 in revenue last week, as we took our tribe to an oyster feast in Old Town. Hank's was first choice for us, but we were convening at 2:00pm so we went to Vola's. All those oysters....yum!

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