Captain White Seafood City

Got in at 11am on a Sunday and the place was bumping. The parking lot is pretty cramped but I luckily got a spot right in front of the door. Had to wait in a line for about 10 minutes to get my 2 dozen medium males. Cooked them at home and they were great. This was my first time visiting the brick and mortar store since they've floated away from the wharf, but still had the exact same hustle and bustle that I remember from the barge. I'll be back for sure.

Had to jump on the Blow Out Sale at Captain White’s—$89 a dozen + $5 cooking fee for jumbo crabs, and let me tell you, the pictures speak for themselves. They were thick, meaty, and packed like a filet of fish in a shell. I paired them with homemade garlic butter and apple cider vinegar. Sweet, briny, buttery, and just the right amount of tang. I called ahead around 2pm for a 3:30pm pickup, and everything was ready right on time—no wait, no hassle. Usually, jumbos are first come, first serve and you can’t reserve them, but I lucked up. If you love blue crabs and want serious value for your money, Captain White’s is where it’s at—especially when they run specials like this.

Note: Once you pay, pick up on the left side (outdoor) of the building. This was our first time since they moved to Oxon Hill, Maryland, and we weren't told when we paid. Please, please tip the outside cookers. I like the new place with the a/c building. We did the male/female bushels for $99 on Saturday and 2lbs of large Carolina shrimp $28. The food was good. Another Note: There is a $5 steam fee. My family really likes crabs (a few were mushy and they were smaller than we expected), but overall, great. Will return.

A DC stable for seafood lovers and has been around for years! Ever since the redevelopment and gentrification of the DC wharf area, a lot of of the original seafood vendors have moved, gone out of business or no longer on the waterfront. . One of the well-known seafood vendors at the DC wharf relocated as well..... Captain White's Seafood. Although they don't have the nostalgic feel and vibe that was at the original location, the new location is really nice and a step up on their game! Located at a busy cross-section in the Oxon Hill 'HOOD..lol.... You will find their new location, hustling and bustling with crowds of seafood, lovers and patrons. The location is open, airy and loaded with great seafood finds and choices. From fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, oysters, clams, and many other seafood delicacies..... You will find them all here. And of course, the star of them all is the Maryland Blue Crabs. People normally travel miles for it and Captain White seafood delivers. The crab are always fresh, live and kicking, and their prices are competitive. My only gripe with this location is the wait time for having them cooked on site. Although the lines are long, they move fast, but if you're looking to get your seafood cooked on site, the wait can be long and in-upwards of a hour long wait or more! This is my only issue coming here. You can waste a lot of time waiting for crabs or seafood to be cooked and talk about waiting in the summer heat....who has time for that!? The only other option is to buy the pre-cooked crabs that are available or..... cook them at home. This is my only issue and what downgrades this place from getting 5 stars in my book! I actually ordered, as a test today, a dozen of the pre-cooked crabs because I did not want to wait that long. Surprisingly, they were actually really good and hefty-meaty. Other than the issue of long waits for having your food cooked on site, the seafood is fresh and the customer service is great. If you crave fresh fish go to Capt White's Seafood City. They have everything you can desire at great prices. Don't miss getting a snack while there - love the oysters --on a half shell.

Captain White’s Seafood Market in Oxon Hill is hands-down one of the best places to get fresh, high-quality seafood in the DMV area! I’ve been a fan since their DC Wharf days, and I’m so glad they’ve continued their legacy in this new location. The crabs are always meaty, flavorful, and cooked to perfection—whether you get them live or already prepared. The staff is super friendly and helpful, even when it’s busy. I appreciate that they move quickly and still take the time to answer questions or help with recommendations. They also have a great system for call-ahead and curbside pickup, which is a game-changer during peak times. What really sets Captain White’s apart is the variety and freshness. From jumbo shrimp to scallops, mussels, and lobster—everything looks amazing and tastes even better. Plus, the prices are fair and they run some great specials, especially on crabs and shrimp. Yes, it’s a no-frills, market-style setup, but that’s part of the charm. You come for the food, and it never disappoints. Just bring your own tools if you’re cracking crabs and be ready for a good time! If you love seafood, this place is a must. I’ll definitely be back!

I was extremely disappointed, placed a pick-up order last Saturday for 12pm for Medium Female Crabs got back home to Waldorf to find crabs smaller than my 4 year olds hand. Anyone who eats or sells crabs knows that’s far from a Medium Female Crab. However, Pete followed up and made it right he gave me a 1/2 a bushel large male and female crabs and 2 lbs of Shrimp that were 10/10 for free with beyond stellar customer service. They did not disappoint! He genuinely cared about the bad experience I had and went above and beyond to make things right. Thank you again Pete!

I came all the way from Virginia to Captain White’s Seafood, and let me just say—it was so worth the trip! A-N-D-R-E-S was amazing! His customer service was top-tier, and he made my whole experience smooth and enjoyable. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and super helpful. I’ll definitely be back—and I’ll be looking for Andres again. Highly recommend Captain White’s if you’re looking for fresh seafood and outstanding service!

I definitely recommend people going to Captain White's. I've been going to Captain White since they were located in Washington DC at the wharf(Even knew the guy that owned Captain White's before he passed away). However I went 2 Captain White's today and I had a gift card from Giftly. I was told it was fake and it could not be used. It wasn't fake but reading is fundamental guess I missed it and the people at Captain White's did to because it had to be redeemed online. It would have been more professional if the 4 people that work there that called the card fake would have said I'm not familiar with that card. But to call it fake and walk away that was kind of embarrassing and rude. I still bought my fish... However I say all this to say do better ...

Great service Great crabs Love the new location in Maryland. It's easier to get to. Call in your order and the wait is not long. Looking forward to more deals.

First time trying this place, and my experience was both good and bad. NEGATIVE : I didn't like the way the "boss" (an older white lady) was treating her workers. She was yelling at them as if they were children & it rubbing the customers the wrong way. We were looking at each other in disgust of what we had witnessed. I truly hope there's no racism within this business. Especially since customers are mainly people of color. Learn how to be a better leader and make the work environment better. POSITIVE: The workers who provided us service were wonderful and helpful. They know what they're doing. 10/10. The food was amazing and meaty!

Franicso was quick and easy. I always go to him for services. clean establishment. beautiful new space I was referred to from a friend!

Times have changed! It's been a while since we drove out to this location. WELL, upgrades galore! Phone in orders are well organized. I called at 8:15 and asked for a pickup of 9;00am. Arrived at 9:15am,to find a special pickup window that handles just call in orders The guy was so nice and explained the whole process to phone in and pay and pickup! I didn't even have to go through the indoor line. Now if I did want to just walk through, they have a nice indoor space where friendly staff are waiting to take orders. The CRABS! Yes, those bad boys were large! I got a bushel of exlarge males. They weee steamed with the correct amount of spice. They were fresh and meaty. Also they are packed in these nice plastic boxes to avoid leakage.

It isn't the same place as the DC Warf BUT, I believe in time this will be the Spot once again. Just on the PG side! I visited Capt. Whites today (Sun) just to see how far they have come. Since at first they were outside selling crabs . Now, they are inside and selling more than crabs. The fish selection is growing along with the shellfish selection. All in time with growing. The prices were normal with any other business. It's family owned, locals are employed and the parking lot was full at 5pm. I had a question and one young man stopped what he was doing to answer me and not in a "hurry up, I'm busy" manner. This is a get your seafood or crabs and go, not a sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. But, most importantly now I got a spot for fresh fish and seafood to imagine various ways to prepare

This is my first time to this location! It was a fun and fast experience. I walked in and was immediately greeted. Asked what I'd like and when I saw the cost of what I ordered I was shocked and thought the gentleman was just being nice and giving me a deal. He explained they have daily deals and today there was just a good deal. So I asked to add more!! Thank you Marcus. He was very patient as this was my first time here and he let me know how it worked, ordering and pick up! Great experience! I really appreciate not feeling rushed to buy something!! The parking lot is big and clean the inside is also very clean and not fishy surprisingly!! Great ambiance.

Jumbo crabs and shrimp were perfect size ! Nice staff as well..glad to see indoor ordering area is open I recommend calling order in

Been here to buy live crabs and seafood for the past 2+ years and they have an incredible selection to chose from. The crabs are live and feisty and I get extra large crabs and buy them by the bushel (nothing but the best for my family right?)..$335 for it was high but it was July 4th. It was so busy and waiting 3 hours for them to cook it were not in our plans so my cousin and I cooked them and did the Old Bay thing. Scallops were nice and large and were delicious with butter, pepper and sliced garlic cloves. (my cousin and I are pretty good cooks). Mussels were delicious and we cooked them in a light garlic and onion stew with butter and green scallion. They are my other cousins favorite and she approved. Clams were steamed over onions and garlic and were yum! The star of course were the live crabs! Meaty and fresh, if you know how to cook them they are a delight. We had 60 crabs to eat and left 15 when all was said and done. They are working on a store front but it seems like it is taking well over a year but that is ok. The ambiance is straight fish market so if that odor offends well tough cookie...It is worth it for the best fresh crabs in Maryland! I highly recommend coming here if you are looking for seafood and crustaceans...Pricing varies by season but you pay for what you get and I would pay, pay and pay!

Transplant from the DC Wharf. Same Captain New location. Awesome selection of shellfish. Every FRESH and Blue Crabs are snapping. The staff are very happy to help you pick out your favorites and you have the option of taking them home or waiting to have your food steamed there. The only thing that's tricky is the parking at this location. They're behind the PNC Bank and a gas station...however there's a parking lot across the street. I've been here a few times ( it's close to home and the weekly specials are AWESOME) the lines can be a Bear on the weekends! Not so much during the week. Not as pretty as before no view of the Potomac. The blues, oysters and crab legs aren't lacking anything though. I suggest following their IG page so you won't miss the chance to catch a weekly special. Buy a dozen, get 6 FREE?! As a native Washingtonian who has been eating crabs since the '70's, Captain Whites is definitely in the top tier.

I called on 9/14 to inquire about crab pricing. I spoke to Sunday. She was helpful and knowledgeable. I promised I asked 1000 questions. I pre ordered my crabs for my event and am waiting to see how great they are

They all are amazing so helpful and kind! And jay in shrimp was amazing.the restaurant is super clean and the space is so comfortable.

(Week day) No lines or wait time. Called an order in for extra large females. True to size. Meaty,heavy and seasoned perfectly!

I've been coming here for YEARS, several times a month. Yesterday was the most chaotic ever. I expected a long wait since it was a holiday and a sale. What I didn't expect was there to have been the manager that was no help and kept being rude and dismissive. There was a wait for jumbo and XL males due to the sorters still separating the crabs. I waited over an hour. To my surprise there were people walking up from the opposite side getting their orders completed. There were some workers going to the sorting table getting crabs for people. When I asked a couple of the workers about it, they claimed to not know what I was talking about. One said that some of them had been waiting longer than me. When I disagreed because they hadn't even stood in the actual line, he said "well talk to the manager". There was a couple of us complaining about this issue and asked for the manager. However the workers seemed scared to even ask him to speak to us. We went down trying to get the manager's attention and was waved off a couple times. Then he got on the phone and continued to ignore us. Once he was off the phone we were loudly trying to get him to hear our issue. We were told "Go stand in line" and waved away. One of the sorters came over and said he'd make sure that we would be the first to get out orders as he was almost done with the XL males. It was about another 5ish minutes when the crabs came over and other workers came over asking who was next, several said me and he still looked past me to assist someone else. I stepped up and demanded to be served next with others that had been waiting with me insisted the same. Finally after almost 2 hours I got my live crabs. I expected the wait. I didn't count on being dismissed and overlooked. Needless to say I will be looking elsewhere for a new crab business to patron.

Love this place and how close it is to my parents. They used to be at the DC Wharf for years. I have been here a half dozen times to get crabs and shrimp and have always appreciated the amazing parking, welcoming staff and the prices being posted or transparent on the website. Back in the day at the wharf you had to go up to them and ask for the prices. Also, the best part is that they now steam your seafood for an additional $5, what a bargain. Who wants to smell up their house, not me. So kudos to finally get this installed. It has certainly saved so much time. When I have been here, I've ordered jumbo crabs, crab legs, large femals and large males. I have to say males seem to have much more than females, but that all depends on the season. My advice, get there early, vist their Facebook for pricing and enjoy the yummy seafood! Thanks for moving to Maryland, I now come here more often just because of your parking situation:)

Visited the new clean and bright location for the first time. Bought a bushel XL crabs and had them steamed. Delicious!!! Employees were very helpful and friendly.

I tried the Oxon Hill location a few months ago. We ordered a 3 lbs of crab legs and cooked them At home. The service was cool and the lady that assisted us was down to earth and made great recommendations when asked questions. The ambiance was outside under a tent.:so it wasn't a lot to it. I definitely would visit this location again. Edited: They have their permit for Oxon Hill!

I have done business with this outfit for years, never got a bad crab. Never! Reasonable prices and he'll cook em for ya!!

I have been a loyal customer of this crab spot for many years. I visited the restaurant yesterday for Easter Sunday and ordered a dozen of large steamed female crabs. Although the crabs were decent, they were lighter (not as meaty) than they have been in the past.

4+ Another Washington DC institution that this tourist from LA got to visit a few times. Seems to attract a lot of traffic from tourists and locals alike. Also, another place I felt cool visiting because it was one of the places Russell Crowe's character visited in 'State of Play' lol. Disclaimer: I visited this place a few times while it was still located by the wharf. This place is more of a market where you step up to one of the counters and let them know what you want to buy. I've always had them cook my food or serve it to me ready to eat. The first time I came here, I ordered some blue crabs and some oysters. I had them steam my crabs, and I walked over to the water eating area near the water. This couple offered me a beer and of course I took them up on it. I cracked open the beer and enjoyed my fresh crabs while enjoying the view. The vibe was just really cool and it seemed like everybody was having a good time. Because it serves like a market, I feel the seafood here is really fresh. The default is that they use old bay seasoning. For the dip, my go to is either using lemon or lime with salt and pepper. Another time I came back to this place, my cousin lived at an apartment complex right next to the Nationals stadium. We bought a bunch of crabs from here had them steam it and took it back to the apartment where are we ate it by the apartment complex pool and watched the baseball game on the Jumbotron across the street. Basically, I have fond memories of eating the seafood from here and the experiences that were tied to the food. I haven't been in a while, but I think there's a new location now that's not by the wharf.

Crabs and steamed shrimp! Definitely a go to great seafood! Fast service...I recommend calling your order in ahead of time. We actually arrived right on time before this crowd arrived. Pretty decent prices for a bushel of large male crabs and 3 dozen large tiger shrimps. They also steamed them for me. My wait time was about 30 mins.

Crabs were very good. I called ahead 2 hours and they had everything ready to go when I got there. I will be coming back for sure.

Always great food, reasonable prices, and excellent customer service! The restaurant is clean and comfortable.

I picked up an order for half a bushel of large male crabs last week. We didn't realize until we got to our destination that they only gave us three dozen. They filled the bottom of the box with legs. I'm

Captain White's Seafood is no longer at the Wharf, but they have been operating off of Livingston. They didn't have steamers before, but now they provide steaming options for your orders. It's been a while since I've had Captain White's - I recently had their head-on, shell-on large shrimp that were lightly dressed with Old Bay-like seasoning, and they were tasty - dipping them in some melted garlic butter was yummy! I think I ate like 50 lbs of these at a recent get-together, and my tummy was oh-so-satisfied! Great to pick up some crabs and shrimp if you're in the area for a party or for some seafood-focused dinner. Check their social media for daily pricings and offerings - they're pretty good with updates! +large shrimp! +check social media for daily pricings and offerings

I love getting crabs from here. Since they moved away from the wharf it's a hike for me but still worth the drive.

Good customer service , staff is friendly with the right attitude. Prices is not that bad considering other places.

Craving crab cakes and this is the only place I could find that had reasonably priced Maryland lump blue crab. The place is an outdoor market and the gentleman that helped me was so patient answering my questions. The fresh, never frozen, crabmeat did not disappoint. I will definitely travel across the bridge to purchase again.

A for effort. Even though, they are no longer at the wharf, they made their new location work for them. Even though, parking sucks and the wait time to get something cooked is awful.

Captain White, never disappoints! The service is excellent! The BEST CRABS in the DMV!

Let me state my disclaimer: I'm NOT new to this, I'm true to this. Ok, now that that's out the way. Customer service was great!!! Price/size of large crabs was not!! It was a spare of the moment type of situation. NEVER again!! I'll have to drive to southern maryland or stick with ole' faithful Quarter Deck!

Been a fan of Captain White's since I first visited the SW Wharf many, many years ago. Out of all the seafood vendors, Captain White's was my first choice. Now I get to enjoy the fresh seafood closer to my home. They post daily/weekly specials on social media and the savings are great. You can buy raw or have your seafood steamed onsite. It can get very busy on holidays and the weekend so depending on the time of day, bring your patience....its worth the wait. RIP Captain White

Got a whole bushel of live medium males for $99 right before Mother's Day. Long story short, had to get them on my lunch break take them home and put them in the fridge and went back to work. Fired up the pot soon as I got home, a dozen were dead. But the others were perfect, even the mustard was delicious and all of them. I'm just waiting for the price to drop a little before I go back.

I used to love this place in DC when I was a kid. Now I live so close to it in Oxon Hill. Sometimes I just want some Steamed Crab and this place does not disappoint. I always know that when I come I can't be in a rush since I like them to steam my Crabs or Lobster Shrimp. Sometimes I buy Lobster and then freeze it at home to make a meal another day. Customer service has always been on point for me. I signed up to be a Loyalty Member because when they have a good deal I don't hesitate to stop by.

Today I called and asked to speak to Henry regarding my first purchase. He was really nice. He had stated in response to my earlier visit and my displeasure regarding the crabs that he would compensate me with another dozen crabs. This time they did not disappoint. The crabs were large and very meaty. He made good on his commitment and I was very satisfied with this order. Thank you for not only reading the reviews of your customers, but also the awesome customer service. Thank you Henry!

Building fully opened, air conditioned interior. just needs some table service or tables to eat in. great price, great service

The food always fresh and the service was quick but the ambiance gives you Baltimore vibes.

fast with service, very nice and friendly! I appreciated my time there and will be coming back.

Love the selection. Love the quality. The food is largely live on the crab side. Other seafood: mix of live and on ice. I find the prices for everything reasonably set. Good news too is that there is a nearby crab boil business that can do that for you. If they are backed up. I shop here...I won't say what I buy but they are just fabulous. Parking? Well. Where have we been that parking is easy? Show early or late. No problemo. Across the street is ok but the location is near the four way intersection so it's quite busy.

FOOD - 2 Lump Crab Cakes & 2 sides: 2 large cakes in a bun. I feel like if they gave us buns, at least add lettuce or some kinda sauce. The cakes were decent. 3/5 -- Mac & Cheese: a little bland but not bad. 3/5 -- French Fries: good fries. 4/5 - Crab balls: my fave! 5/5 - Scallops: fried scallops were okay. 3/5 - Maryland Crab Soup: crab, corn, potatoes, and veggies. 3/5 SERVICE: The wait was sooooooo long. I want to say it was around an hour before we got our food. And there's no seating. We ended up eating on the stairsteps on the side of a different restaurant. They forgot to give me the Mac and cheese so we had to go back and ask for it. Also, they were out of a lot of items we wanted to try. No calamari, no wings, no clam chowder, no lobster bisque, no cornbread. They said they were out of the crab soup after I already paid, then they said they had some. It was all kind of a disappointment. 2/5 FINAL THOUGHTS: I don't know if I would come back. It was pricey for an okay meal. The wait was long and there was nowhere to eat. If I do come back, it would be for the crab balls. Those were yum!

I drove from Baltimore to DC after being told they were worth the drive. I placed my order at 8 am and when I arrived at my pickup time of 12:30 they weren't ready. it became clear that my order was not cooked so they put them on as I stood there. I was there for 30 minutes as others who just placed orders came and went. finally my order was ready and it was placed in my car. When I arrived home I saw that no seasonings had been added despite me saying twice on the phone to make sure they had heavy seasoning. To mess up the flavor of a dozen is one thing but to mess up an entire bushel is another. I'm very disappointed. And NO, it is not worth the drive!

This place is by far one of the worst places. The crap they try to pass off as large crabs is disgusting. The customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Be careful when you go there. The crabs are very small for what you get.

At least once a week, crabs, crab legs, jar of oysters or fish. Always fresh and happy not to have to go all the way to the wharf! Service the best, especially when you have them cook your crabs Hot and seasoned perfectly. Can't wait until they get the indoor part open so they can fry fish, oysters or clams.

Update: The owner reached out to us and gave us a credit, which we used two weeks later for a crab feast. The owner was very professional when handling the problem. Glad we didn't have to look for a new crab place.

I ordered two bushels for a previous event called the order/reservation in and everything height on point the crabs were true to size and no dead crabs there are number one in my book and the price I paid was extremely reasonable my go to crab spot

I feel like Captain Whites' seafood is one of the most taken photos for this area. So of course I wanted to try it out. Came and walked around and I guess there are different sections for what you would want to order. Decided to go to the left side which had some people ordering food so I ordered the captain's special. I didn't know what it was but it sounded good and seemed like enough food for just getting off a plane. You can pick two sides which I got the hush puppies and macaroni and cheese. I haven't had hush puppies in a long time but this one was tasting a little plain for my liking. It seemed like it didn't have enough seasoning or something. The Mac and cheese are light but I kind of liked how that was. All the seafood items are deeply fried and made to order. So if you enjoy fried fish, shrimp, calamari, and other items like this you'll enjoy it. But if you do not want to eat deep-fried food there is a different section to get it chilled and raw. It might be a little confusing but just ask the workers and they'll be able to tell you how to navigate the area. I think because it is still during covid some of the areas are still blocked off and couldn't do outdoor seating at this time for some reason. They had the tables and chairs all blocked off. But most likely it will resume one day! Also, it was my first time trying out Maryland chowder but I think I prefer the New England style more. But still, it is worth a try!

I'm a tourist from Los Angeles and I had to try the blue crabs while in the area. Since we didn't have a car, we took the bus here! There is a bus stop 1 minute walk from the restaurant. It was pouring rain when we arrived but we still sat outside since they have canopies. The restaurant seems pretty local with few tourists. The Large crabs heads are around 6 inches (this is not including the claws). You have to wait 25 minutes for them to steam the crabs. It is topped with cajun seasoning and they give you a mallet to crack open the legs. I wish someone could teach me how to strategically open the crab legs so that the shell doesn't shatter & I still get all the meat! I enjoyed the Crab Cakes entree. The Crab Cakes are made with 100% crab, so good.

This place is located in the National Wharf. This is one of the few spots that you can get fresh cooked seafood. It is located on the far end by all of the fresh seafood booths. You can order all types of fried or blackened fish. They also have fried chicken and sides such as corn bread, french fries and potato wedges. I do not know if it was a bad day or not, but the staff was not very friendly. I ordered the fried catfish with potato wedges. It took a while to get my food. The fish was decent. The wedges were the best. It took awhile for me to get my food. I would say about 20 minutes or more. Don't forget to request utensils, hot sauce, tartar sauce and napkins if you need them because you cant eat your food there. Parking here can be a bit difficult and pricy. I parked in a spot for $12 for one hour. I am sure there were cheaper options but I did not feel like searching. They have a covered patio area that overlooks the water that you used to be able to eat on, but is now closed as I assume due to COVID. Anyway, this place is ok. It is a cool place to get seafood from at the Wharf (I cannot vouch for how fresh the fish is however). You just better have some place in mind to eat it. I ended taking my food to a nearby park and watch planes go by as I ate.

Crabs has always been fresh and great prices. The line will be around the corner but best believe they're knocking that line within 20 minutes of you stand there. I can't wait until you're able to go inside to order crabs instead of it being outdoors. But for the most part everything is clean. This is why I give this place a 3.5.

I waited over 1.5 hrs to get my seafood. Then I was told that my order didn't have everything that I purchased. The cook told me to go back up front and tell them, who was them??? Long story, I wasn't compensated and was told that they couldn't compensate me. 1 or two pounds of Shrimp would have been acceptable. Then the manager (told me that they wouldn't compensate me). My spouse ended up coming up there and he was told that a broiler went out. I never heard this until my spouse was in their presence. ‍‍‍‍‍. I would have liked to have talked to the owner, but the mgr said there isn't one around!!