Cowbell Seafood & Oyster

Located inside of Union Market. They have this long table set up right next to their counter seats which is very sneaky but brilliant way to get customers. Although they put signs all over the table, "Cowbell customers only," it is very easy to just sit there to enjoy your food. But once you sit down, a staff will come over and asks you to order from their menu or you can't sit at their table. What a way to attract customers! Great job! So, we ended up ordering an order of Hush puppies. Good thing we did because they were very delicious. Crunchy outside but very soft inside and filled with bursting flavor of crab. They did a very good job on Hush Puppies. Next time we'll try the Fried Shrimp Dish. A plate full of jumbo shrimps, coleslaw, and fries came out to a customers in front of us and they looked so delicious!

Great restaurant all around, the raw seafood is always fresh, the fried catfish sandwich is amazing, and the drinks are good. Will definitely be back here.

I was sad when Rappahannock closed at this location so I was very happy to see Cowbell but I was very disappointed by my overall experience when i stopped by for lunch today. I was excited to see peel & eat shrimp, but they were literally just 5 chilled shrimp cocktail for $20 with no seasoning.. I love a good shrimp cocktail! But they are not advertised as such.. I also paid $13 for a cup (the bowl is $18) of probably the worst clam chowder ive ever had that literally came out with the consistency of water and was filled with just celery.. i do not think that I got one bite of any clam and only a couple of pieces of potato.. the prepackaged clam chowder at the grocery store is even better than this.. and then the waitress recommended the hushpuppies which she said had cheddar & chives, and while I did like the texture & the fact that they came out piping hot, they had absolutely no flavor, i don't think they use any season any whatsoever .. after spending $50 at this point and being totally disappointed, i went to reach for a drink of water and then realized they never even offered me water or drink drink at all.. and I literally was the only customer there.. and the staff just stood to the side chatting.. at this point I just asked to pay and then end up leaving the rest of my uneaten food on the counter.. they didn't even ask if i wanted to take it with me.. i think they could first improve on the service and then seasoning

Crabcake was exactly what I was looking for - no frills with huge chunks of soft, sweet, super fresh crab. Slaw was lights out. Pile everything on your French fries like a Maryland poutine and thank me later.

Great service … if you look a certain way or work there. Staff was more focused on serving staff. Chowder is good but no potatoes in it, so do a bit salty, but decent.

Best crabcake, catfish and Caesars salad in town! Every side was perfection. I'm coming back for the best and freshest seafood in DC. Service was friendly and super efficient.

I wish I had taken a picture because our portions were so generous and delicious. I got the fried catfish and my partner had the crab cake. It was so fresh. The workers know their menu well, and are quick to help when I mentioned I had a dairy sensitivity. They were all friendly and we can’t wait to visit again.

I recently visited a restaurant at Union Market in DC and unfortunately had a disappointing experience. The food was okay, but the customer service was extremely rude. When I asked for water, I was given a very small 3 oz cup. When I requested napkins, I was handed just a single sheet from a paper towel roll. I was dining with three family members, and although the place was not busy, the staff repeatedly told us that anyone not actively eating from their establishment could not sit at the table. The way this was communicated felt unnecessary and unwelcoming. Overall, the lack of hospitality made the experience very unpleasant. I would not return based on the service alone.

Cowbell continues to impress every time I stop by. The rotating oyster list is among the best in DC, and it is the kind of selection that keeps things interesting. You will almost always find a few varieties you have never tried, which is half the fun. The staff is a big part of why it works. They are consistently friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to walk you through the options, answer questions, and steer you toward something that fits your taste. It sits inside Union Market, which means there is a constant hum of activity around you. Instead of distracting, it gives the place energy, and somehow makes a plate of oysters feel even more like an occasion. If you have not been yet, you are missing a standout spot.

Enjoyed the crispiest, most perfectly fried fish sandwich in my life at this new restaurant in Union market so had to tell you about it This fried blue catfish is topped with lots of slaw, tomatoes, pickles, and red onions and served with salty fries We also tried their creamy clam chowder, topped with smoked bacon and chives - which we of course dunked our fries in And finally, we couldn't leave without trying a sampling of their oysters! My only downside was it took a while to order, even though it wasn't a full house. But all the employees there were hard at work with something behind the counter so we were willing to be patient.

Best food value around! People are always going to complain that restaurants are too loud and too expensive, but quality, sourcing and execution matter. Are there cheaper crab crakes? Sure. And as long as you are good with eating pasteurized blue swimmer crab from god knows where, go for it. But, if want to eat thoughtfully sourced seafood and even chicken, this is the place. Oh, and one of the most underrated chefs in the country is there, shucking oysters for you? Deal.

I've been twice and the service can be a bit slow. The first time it took well over 5 minutes to even acknowledge me at mostly empty bar. Second visit, they got busy and it was very difficult to get a server's attention to order or pay. Might be a result of the setup and chaos of a busy Union Market. The crab cake is small for the price, but delicious. The slaw and hushpuppies are also really good. The fries are not bad, just nothing special. However, the chicken tenders were very average. No noticeable seasoning and very gristly--I spat out several pieces of gristle. A bit surprising with that being the chef's "speciality". As you see my reviews, I have no issue paying for good food. Also, understand they have limitations in this space and don't expect the best seafood in the city. Overall, the food was good, a bit pricey on a few items, but an addition needed in the market. I am sure they will improve on these first weeks issues.

Located in Union Market in Washington DC, Cowbell Seafood and Oysters opens today They sell Land and sea They want you to always ask for more kind of like SNL so that's why it's called Cowbell It is a 100 percent woman owned business -That is Ingredient driven hospitality so the chef knows the people bringing the products -Green circle all vegetarian fed no antibiotic restaurant vegetable scraps is given to the chicken -They share love for food and hospitality The food is amazing and I highly recommend the scallop crudo

This was a great oyster bar to sit at with amazing food and even better customer service! Crab cake was a true good Maryland crab cake

I'm going to give 3 stars for the excellent waiters . Very friendly and helpful. The food was very fresh. Where is the seasoning? I literally didn't taste a grain of salt on the fried fish. The crudo was refreshing. Love that the seafood was fresh but the cooked food needs work. The owner and or head chef seemed standoff-ish until a white man sat down. He enthusiastically greeted him. He then told the waiter to ring him up. He didn't bat an eyelid when we sat down.