Hank's Oyster Bar - Alexandria

“Just a random stop on the way back to our hotel. I wanted crab cakes while on the east coast and this fit the bill. Friendly staff, decent prices. My coworker wanted to try an oyster and he was able to buy one here and give it a go. That experience is not my story to share though. I do have to say the crab cakes were good and if I were in the area again I would stop back in.”

“Came here on a Friday with some friends for drinks and had an amazing time! The rooftop seating was a standout—great atmosphere and perfect for hanging out. The burger was incredible—perfectly cooked, well-balanced, and seriously satisfying. I paired it with a Narragansett, one of my favorites, and it did not disappoint. The service was top-notch, and the overall vibe was fun, lively, and easy to enjoy. Absolutely love this spot and can’t wait to come back!”

“For the area, this is a very good place and the oysters were actually quite good here better than other places I’ve been to like Guinness or some other restaurants in Annapolis. Along with the two dozen oysters that we had, we also had the shrimp Poboy and seared Dorado. Both were amazing probably the best po boythat I’ve had and the fish was cooked perfectly. The poor boy was super buttered. I had Texas toast to accompany the fried shrimp and the shrimp was perfectly cooked not chewy at all. There’s a good amount of mayo and sauce along with the sandwich which made everything very flavorful and it was lighting up with the coleslaw that I combined on the top. Perfect light crisp from the shrimp and bread. I like the oysters they’re great for Maryland; little bit of brine and they tasted fresh. I liked the marinara sauce that came with it. We ordered a second dozen since the first batch was quite good. I’ve tried better ones on the West Coast, but for the East Coast these were quite good. If you don’t taste much, you should definitely chew a lot more on the oysters and the flavor will start to come out. The Dorado was cooked perfectly and the sauce of it was amazing. I think it was some sort of basil, oil, and other sauce combined, but regardless it tasted so good. It reminded me of a fish dish that I got back in Washington state. The drinks were good but quite strong. I had the not your nana’s banana, but I was not a fan since it was quite strong. We got the watermelon punch which was great. Wish we had gotten two of those. The atmosphere is good although quite busy we came on Valentine’s Day so they’re a lot of couples and most of the tables were filled, but we were still able to sit down on a small table next to the door a little bit cold when the door is open, but it’s understandable since the restaurant is is making the most out of the space we still enjoyed our dinner. Service was OK. Our waiter was nice, but it sort of seemed like he was putting a fake smile on. I get it though we’re probably his 100,000th customer that he’s seen. Regardless, we had a good experience and I’ll definitely will be back here.”

“Had a great time enjoying dinner with a friend at Hanks while we waited for the car to charge down the street. Our visit started off a little rocky but once we flagged someone down a manager took over and took good care of us. We of course had to start with some oysters and he was able point us to the perfect briny/sweet blend for our palette. The arugula salad was perfect to share and transition into our next course. To end our meal i went for the fish and chips and my friend had the shrimp po boy. My fish was perfectly cooked, chips were good but I prefer mine more crispy. Overall it was an excellent meal! Ohhh and I had the jalapeño marg which was perfectly balanced and delicious 😋”

“Hank’s Oyster Bar is an absolute delight from start to finish. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between casual and refined — welcoming, lively, and always buzzing with good energy. The oysters are impeccably fresh and perfectly shucked, with a great selection that highlights the best of both East and West Coast varieties. Service is friendly and attentive, and you can tell the team genuinely cares about creating a great experience. Whether you’re stopping by for happy hour or a full seafood feast, Hank’s delivers every time. Highly recommend for anyone craving top-quality seafood in a fun, welcoming setting!”