Drift Seafood & Raw Bar

The atmosphere was amazing. Perfect for any date night. We started off with fresh baked focassia bread. I had the tuna tartar on sesame seed crackers ..flavorful...delicious..Each bite was a bridge to another texture. The environment was so comfortable that my wife actually switched up and ordered the fried catfish with grits and coleslaw which was flavorful. She almost always orders lobster. The service was warm and welcoming. The waitress was sure to ask about any seafood allergies and informed me of any cross contamination since we mentioned my mild allergy to shellfish. The drinks were perfectly curated by the bar staff. I would recommend making reservations and let the staff work their magic!

Creative fine dining at its FINEST! Small rooms but awesome vibe. All of the staff are super welcoming and extremely professional. The chef or chefs are on a level above most. The food is creative, beautifully plated and really delicious. We will be regulars when in town! Danny was our server and was very helpful with menu questions and suggestions.

Everything tasted amazing! We got one of each of the oysters, they tasted very fresh. We got the octopus, which was very tender, slightly crispy from the grill; and the black pasta with crab.

This lovely small restaurant in the heart of Rehoboth boasts great dishes, fresh ingredients, a cute bar and “outside” dining. The menu changes often and it is my understanding that they make their own fresh pasta. The appetizers were marvelously executed and tasty. We loved the crab hush puppies, the mushroom skewers and the Delaware oysters on the half shell. The peach skewers were delightfully presented with its ricotta and blackberries. Some dishes were flawed like the soft shell crab. While it was well cooked in its tempura batter, it was tasteless and the broth was overly spicy with old bay. It was a let down. While we had a good time, the service staff was dysfunctional. Lacking total coordination between servers it took forever to get our drinks. And the server refused to answer menu questions before the drink order. New one for me. Nice? Yes, but don’t expect the best service

You can’t believe how the food taste like in this amazing place! When did you eat last time in a place where every single ingredient it’s organic home made? Well this is the place!!! Small, clean, cozy. I was eating a couple of times and I am in love with this food. They change part of menu daily. I had the honor to meet the manager, a very polite guy. I think his name is “B” and he looks really passionate, he makes time for everyone.

We went there to celebrate our anniversary and we saw this amazing note on the table. It was very nice and made us feel so special. Service, Food and drink were great 🤍

Wow! We had probably the best dinner (IMO) in our regular visits to Lewes/Rehoboth. Excellent well prepared food, elegant yet substantial… and plated significantly better than their peers. Table service is near perfect with attentive wait staff, support (bussers/runners) and managers. Photos should speak for me but the scallop crudo, and grilled peach (with beautiful fresh ricotta) dishes were totally worth the price and returning for. Coconut shrimp, loaded oysters, and crab pasta were also excellent.

I've been coming to the Delaware beaches my entire life and never have I found a restaurant that blew my mind. I can't express how amazing our experience was. The oysters were the best I've ever had. The fried oysters are a must. The lobster French toast was so decadent and enormous. The cocktails were fantastic. The burnt basque cheesecake was everything I hoped for. The service was first Class, Kayla made our experience so much more enjoyable. We will definitely be back. Thank you all for making Amber's birthday so special.

One of my new favorites in RB. Went for happy hour and tried the four appetizers as well as a lemon drop martini (two actually). Everything was superb. My favorite app was the fried oysters, which were crisp and perfect. Tuna tartare was outstanding as were the blue crab hush puppies. The scallops crudo was very good and certainly worth a try. The lemon drop martinis were strong and delicious. Not a cheap place but if you're looking for a splurge, give em a try!

Food is good. We came in on Memorial Day and the Lobster French Toast was really good. Service is decent and the ambiance is pretty nice being so close to the water.

The Good: Food, service and decor are excellent. The Bad: Very small corridor space. Compact. Also... when it's crowded and most/all tables are full... you can't really have any meaningful conversation with your dinner date. You can't hear worth beans! Acoustics are bad for conversation. All voices are amplified to the point where you almost have to shout to have a conversation.

We made reservations for a Friday night after a glowing recommendation from a friend who loves Rehoboth. We were seated outside in the cute patio area with some creative seatings as it was packed and Hurricane Beryl was periodically pouring down every half hour or so. Our service was great, from the manager to our server to the other servers who helped deliver food and clear our plates. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. We got a bottle of Albariño to share, which was so fresh and citrusy and paired perfectly with the dozen local oysters we started with. The crab hush puppies were delicious but honestly very rich, but that's being said as two people who shared four (my husband had some discipline). For dinner, I chose off the seasonal menu and had the Fazoletti with braised lamb and Parmesan, which was sooo delicious. We just got back from two weeks in Italy and the pasta was perfection. My husband opted for a classic dish, which we'd seen people raving about, and had the lobster French toast. While it was delicious and the lobster was great, it didn't seem to have a unifying theme. That didn't take away from the taste, but it was missing something to tie the entire dish together. Can't wait to come back and try some of their other dishes!

Excellent happy hour on a Saturday. What a culinary delight. Great dirty tini's and the dressed oysters are fabulous! Loved the Blue Fin Tuna Wrap. It was an increased dining experience. Service was top notch.

A wonderful dining experience. The food was delicious. The swordfish schnitzell was unique as well as delicious. The service was professional, exceptional, and considerate, asking on arrival if we had any allergies or special needs.

I was in town for the weekend with my daughter, and we decided to try this place for dinner on Friday night. We were seated in their outdoor back patio area. The vibe was good with soft music playing and fans blowing. Our waitress quickly came over and took our drink orders. The menu has several appetizers, raw seafood dishes and entrees. We opted for the Wasabi tuna wrap, fried oysters, coconut shrimp, heirloom tomato dish, and spaghetti. Everything was outstanding. Our favorite dish was the spaghetti. It had crab, corn, ricotta cheese, and breadcrumbs on it. Yum!

Cozy little gem - so perfect on a cold Saturday night! From the moment walking in the door, maitre'd was so welcoming - and Dan our server was stellar. Space is small, so don't bring a giant puffy coat! Fabulous menu -- creative twists with seasonal ingredients. Favorites at the table were the buttermilk fried oysters -- LOVED the chow chow with them -- great accent! There were two orders of the swordfish schnitzel at our table -- and both were raved about. The seared New Bedford scallops were absolutely heavenly. Focaccia was great (accompanying kelp butter was just okay). Rockfish was expertly prepared, though wish the filet was a tad larger. House speciality cocktails were super! We will be back!!!

Outstanding all around. Service was great, and the food was outstanding. Crab hush puppies, swordfish, and scallops were incredible.

Drift Please See my photos. Good lighting helps to really get a 'taste-see.' And it was good. Spoke to Joe the Manager, what a great place. Beautiful decor and vibe. Sat at the bar area, had the happy hour food and drink. Great service. 3 orders of Delicately fried Cornmeal Oysters in a wonderful spicy sriracha sauce with pickled yellow peppers beautifully prepared and hot. I must confess Fried oysters are my favorite food. My dad introduced me in 1960 in a bar. Since then I've had fried oysters in many cities. (100's in 10's). Over 60 years of them. Now... My opinion. THE place to have fried oysters is Baton Rouge, La., the Seat of State government. The crispy light fry, the freshness of the local oysters, the perfect cornmeal crumb...the Great Mississippi...ahh. You know when it's right. Steamy, crispy, light, creamy, briney, with a touch of corn and crunch. So, it is with excited appointment, I and my party, announce unanimously, that these were equal to: THE FINEST PREPARED, PLATED, AND SERVED FRIED OYSTERS IN THE UNITED STATES. By Tom Wiswell.... :::::::::::::::::Wow:::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::Impressive! :::::::::::: ::::::::::::::Touché Chef::::::::::: And Beautiful plating. We also had Two orders with 27 fresh oysters total on ice and they loved the sauces! How unique. It was pasta night...so, the Cacio a Pepe looked great. The fettuccine with blue crab, with breadcrumbs in a tomato base and was delicious and filling. I had lobster French toast. The lobster was absolutely poached to perfection in a sauce that was perfect and looked incredibly appealing. I was not so impressed with the French toast and it's heaviness, but that's me. And I don't think so much leeks. And I love leeks. The dish was delicious. And the focaccia with the kelp butter was some of the best I've had in the United States as well. Some people think they make focaccia. I guess there's many kinds. (Actually, my son makes the very best. Outside of Italy.) The focaccia at DRIFT could be a blindfold test in Italy. And with good olive oil, they would never believe it came from Rehoboth Beach Delaware. It's that effing good. :::::::::::::::::Wow:::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::Impressive! :::::::::::: ::::::::::::::Touché Chef::::::::: The Martini looked perfectly prepared. The Bathrooms; immaculate, and fantastic. The Place; Cute setting in a nice area. Very Romantic buzz, with a art collectors touch, ...and the music.....best in Rehobeth! And thanks for the art Mom! And I heard you created the Otter theme. How nice. Chef Tom you're amazing Date of meal May 14,2024

My brother apparently read a Washington Post article a bit ago, about this place and knowing I was coming out for a guys golf weekend extravaganza, he booked a table for 4. Parking is tough Walked half a click to the car. Which was good because we ate so well we needed to walk it off! A shotgun aka long n narrow restaurant but intimate, lively and lots of oohs and aaahs as dishes were passing by. Our waiter was totally cool. Service was crisp and on point. Highlight dishes were actually the crab hush puppies eaten so fast had no time to snap a pic. Decadent...with a tomato jelly featuring spicy paprika, star anise, maybe some honey. That jelly, I sopped up with the best focaccia bread ever. My brother hogging the seaweed butter served with the bread didn't matter. I had 3 blue fin tuna shiso wraps! Tiny delectable bites they were, along with fresh salad of the day. The salad was light bouncy and refreshing. I finished with the buttermilk fried oysters and our waiter made a mistake providing us two plates, one of course complimentary. So the others got to sample. Unfortunately the spicy aioli overpowered the oysters, but it was decadent enough that had there been a 3rd offering of warm focaccia, I'd have used it to sop it all up. All washed down with a couple of ol' fashions. The halibut was presented so well I had to snap a pic. and apparently it was eyes rolling in the back of your head awesome. Worth the hype and I'm glad lil bro hooked it up so we could enjoy a fine dining experience, East coast style!

Wow. I must confess, I'm no foodie like so many reviewers here. But the bottom line is, the food is delicious. There were 6 of us, who visited for the first time. We started with the Crab Hush Puppies. They were fabulous! Some of the dinners included, steamed scallops, lobster French toast, and of course the fabulous Focaccia bread! The service was perfect! I can see why they have so many devoted fans. On the way out, a woman asked " did you try the Celery Martini"? No, but I may next time!

The best meal I have had in Rehobeth. Beautiful decor, great service, and food a cut above. The appetizer had burrata, thinly sliced apple, other goodies in a mint dressing. Unusual combination that works together. The first entree had a lemon, pepper pasta, crab meat, pepper emulsion, blistered cherry tomatoes, and caviar. Wow. Finally, halibut over spaghetti squash, in a lemon, ginger, coconut broth. The halibut was so tender, it seemed that it had to be poached or steamed, but I'm probably wrong. Regardless, it was a perfect texture, and I have never had better. We finished with upside down cheesecake covered in raspberries with a lemon sauce for contrast. Every dish with a unique twist, and everything superb. Make your reservation well in advance. Word is out how good they are.

My in-laws are the absolute most thoughtful humans I have met. They know I love oysters and seafood so they reserved a table for my birthday and oh wow. I hope this is consistent and stays forever. The service is above and beyond. The energy was moody and the decor is so eclectic. My MIL LOVED the women's bathroom. Cocktails Shared appetizers Lobster toast omg 1000 Oysters - raw, dressed, baked yassss all perfection. Not one single negative thing to say about Drift. Thank you for a great birthday dinner

Service 5 Stars Ambience 4 Stars Food 3 Stars Service was great from start to finish. Although the restaurant was packed, we were able to find some seats at the bar and they served us right away. Shout out to our server Chase. We ordered the prix fixe meal with wine pairings. Our server nicely described each wine and its flavor profile to accompany each dish. We enjoyed the wine, but the food could have been better. There were 3 different courses and you had to choose one from each course. My sister and I got 1 of each. First course was comprised of rose oyster and beef tartare. Oysters were like ceviche, but I thought the spring onion was overpowering. The beef tartare was a little too creamy, flavors have to be balanced more. For our second course we had pasta. Again this wasn't to our taste. Our third course was comprised of cod or scallops. We both enjoyed our dishes. I really liked the scallops, but the risotto with the scallops was a little too al dente. Overall we highly enjoyed our dining experience and would return again. I'm confident the other dishes are very tasty and we would like to return again to try them all and see which dish is their best.

I wish I could award 6 stars because Drift is that worthy! The seafood is fresh and amazing. This is many steps above your typical beach resort restaurant fare. Prices are higher accordingly, but appropriate for a "splurge" experience. Space is limited... and there is really no room to stand and wait for tables. Reservations are definitely recommended. Drinks are excellent. We tried Waves and Currents and the Double Breasted Suit. Both cocktails were well made and exactly what we were expecting. For dinner, we started with the focaccia with kelp butter - very tasty. All of the oyster options were great and paired well. The bluefin tuna shiso wrap is very good and the bluefin tuna tartare is outstanding! We are not normally into hushpuppies, but we did order the blue crab hushpuppies on a recommendation. They are very good and not all bread like many other places. Crab flavors come through! The honeycrisp apple and burrata salad has great flavor and pairs well with all of the other seafood menu options. Our one large plate was the seared scallops and they were perfectly prepared. Service was very attentive and informative. Our waitress informed us of certain menu items that were going fast, so we could place our order quickly if we wanted them. Nice touch. I'm looking forward to our next visit!

Excellent food and service. Sat outside in the closed off patio area with great weather. Started with the TOMatillo Collin's and the Que Sera Sera cocktails. Excellent and complex especially que sera. Had to try a few local oysters. Clean and yummy. Then got tuna tartare which was great as well. Charred cabbage was flavorful. Lobster French toast was the winner. Semifredo for dessert. Need to come back for other dishes. Amazing menu.

Three of us had an incredible dinner here last night. This small and a bit cramped restaurant turns out extraordinary dishes, and has a small but incredible cocktail menu. The Old Fashioned and the Que Sera Sera cocktails were not too sweet and just the right amount of alcohol. The ambience is warm and cozy, and the service was attentive without being intrusive. I definitely recommend the place

Drift On our most recent trip to Rehoboth Beach, we tried Drift. It looked good on Yelp and had great reviews, but I was concerned with the limited number of selections on the menu. Fears unfounded; Drift was exceptional. My foodie son got a scallop crudo that was unlike anything I have ever tasted before. The scallops were whisked in buttermilk and a vinaigrette, and tossed with salmon roe and finger lime. I think this was my first blush with finger lime and the sensation was wholly unexpected. My wife and I split an apple and burrata salad; she likes to make cheese plates at home and burrata is a favorite when it's on sale. This was like what she might make at home, but the introduction of the tender-yet-firm apples, cooked enough to be jammy but crunchy, added a level of texture and sweetness that contrasted the rich creaminess of the cheese. Add in a salty slice of prosciutto, and you have a masterpiece. For dinner, our eldest son ordered gnocchi (he's the pickiest eater of our tribe). Our youngest, the foodie, ordered the swordfish schnitzel, which was a thin fillet of swordfish, breaded and fried like a nice Maillard of veal. I haven't ordered swordfish since getting tired of it back in my pescatarian days, but I was all set to try that dish until I heard about the scallops from the waiter. I can't say that they are as fresh as the crudo, as that dish featured a scallop served in its own shell, which was alive moments before they brought it to the table, but I'm thinking the dish boasts similarly fresh scallops. The wait staff ask you if medium is ok as a doneness; I wasn't anticipating the question, and don't know what medium is relative to a scallop, but as a person who eats sashimi scallop, there can't be a wrong answer save for "well done," which is a no-no as with steak. My plan was to share a bit with the missus, who was enticed by the filet. A word here about filet: it's the cut I'm least likely to buy, especially at a restaurant. But this dish? Superb. The rub was salty and sweet. It was a stunning entree, and *generous* to boot: you expect to overpay for steak at a restaurant, and like me might be loathe to order one because you make good ones at home. But this was worth it. The service was brisk and efficient, with enough guidance to help the diner make an informed decision. It's a small, dark space, perfectly cozy on a chilly fall night. Drift was in the top ten of our dining adventures for sure.

You like creative dining? This is THE place in Rehoboth. The vibe is really craft oriented, special, intimate. The menu is inventive featuring a collaboration of ingredients that make the dishes unique. This is the type of place where you go, "gee, I've never had this before." The dining room is limited, so I would recommend reservations. The staff are all fun and knowledgeable. By this time Drift has developed it's own lore, so ask about the muskrats on the plates. A favorite memorable dining experience.

Second time going to Drift and once again I was blown away. The Lobster Toast is delicious and once again stole the spotlight. The oysters were fresh and delicious! Service was spot on five stars!

Service was good, they played the table not ready game when there were tables available, beyond that service improved once we were seated. Food choices are limited, would expect more variety from a seafood restaurant. All of the dishes we ordered were overcomplicated with ingredients. Chef could improve by letting the flavor of the protein speak and not get muted by five or more flavors and textures. Small and cozy setting with a large tab and just ok food. Not sure if our party will return.

Another too loud for conversation dining experience. As good as the food was, the experience was spoiled by the too noisy atmosphere Food was good. No complaints. Just the noise. Sigh

yes. yes and more yes ! we were aimlessly walking around unsure what to eat and nothing stuck out to us, until i saw the menu at drift. i was interested in the food options but drawn in by the otters on the menu. luckily i made a wise choice judging the place by its cover ! we did the prefixed menu which is $45 per person with a $15 wine paring if you'd like. i did not do the wine paring but it was 2 white wines and 1 red. all of the plates were so beautifully presented and tasted delicious ! the bartender was friendly and knowledgeable. the entire establishment is beautiful and everyone was very nice. i will be returning !

What an excellent meal we had, very enjoyable. Our server was super friendly and did not rush us. My chowder was the best I've had in a long time. The seared scallops were perfectly cooked, so delicious! Happy to find a new cozy delicious restaurant in Rehoboth.

Good? Waitress Savannah was fantastic! Great service, very personable and welcoming. Bad? They cook most of their food in beef oil. If you are a beef/meat eater, you may like this however I detest a meaty taste so always get fish or veggies. Unfortunately, Drift recently changed to cooking all their fried or crispy foods in beef oil. Things such as fried oysters, blue crab hush puppies, swordfish Schnitzel and coconut shrimp are all cooked in beef oil. We ordered the oysters hoping I wouldn't taste a difference. Their oysters have always been a longtime favorite of mine. Unfortunately, these had an overwhelming beef fat taste to the point I didn't taste the oyster but thought I had a chunk of strong beef in my mouth. We were very disappointed and found little on the menu that sounded good other than their delicious raw tuna. Please, please go back to a form of vegetable oil for your fish and vegetable offerings! The other negative was that we were seated in their delightful courtyard which we love. For a short time we were the only people out there which was lovely. Another couple came and that was fine. Then, a table of 3 adults and a 5 week old baby came and they were cold. It was in the 70's in this tiny courtyard having been an extremely warm day. The server offered to turn on not one, but TWO heaters! Within minutes we were cooked to a crisp and since the menu had little to offer after the tuna and oysters, we chose to leave. Not sure what the solution is other than to ask the other patrons if they would mind turning on heat OR offering to seat the family inside. Very disappointing experience at one of our favorite Rehoboth restaurants. We unfortunately will not return unless we hear they have changed their use of beef oil with non-meat items.

Great ambience, very friendly and knowledgeable staff including the host. They were very helpful with gluten allergies for my wife. They made a good old fashioned with one clear cube the way it's supposed to be. Food was outstanding. We had the bluefin tuna tartare which was delicious. Also the large plate scallops were very good. I would definitely recommend this place.

Went there last night. The first thing we noticed in our party of four was that the noise level was quite deafening. And once we began talking, it seemed like the diners in this very small dining room raised their level of noise so that they could be heard as well. The tables were very close together also -not that you would be able to hear what they were saying anyway because of the noise level. The service was good. Very attentive. The cocktails were good also. Didn't care much for the menu which seemed to be very limited. Wanted to order the scallops but these were not available. I ordered the hake which was listed as a local fish. I later looked it up and it's not local to Delaware. Not surprising-I have been going to the Delaware beaches for years and never saw it on the menu before. All in all, the noise level soured the rest of the experience. They need to fix the acoustics in there before I would come back.

Everything was great! The server really knew the fine details of every dish. Service was outstanding. We shared appetizers which were fresh and each had its own juice/sauce. The clams were outstanding and come with bread to mop up all of the sauce. There are only a few deserts but each is perfect. We each ordered one and shared. Service is not rushed and it's not overly loud. We'll be back. The chef has an ambitious menu Anne executes it incredibly well.

We really enjoyed ourselves at Drift! The food and service were excellent. We made a reservation and let them know it was our anniversary and once we were seated, we were met with a card and a glass of champagne. They went above and beyond in every way. A little pricey but well worth it for a special occasion.

Great dinner last night....Bartender from Boston fantastic (an artisan with liquor) Never a disappointment there! Burrata was Crazy good! Lobster French Toast perfection! Tiramisu spectacular! Ambiance also five star, app wouldn't check it off! Saw a few reviews of people complaining of waiting 5 minutes for a table or shrimp weren't big enough.. OMG, this place is fantastic. The complaints reminded me of a guy at a meeting we had and said his plate wasn't warm enough... Go here and enjoy!

Service is excellent. Pretty space. I suggest outdoor seating as it gets pretty loud inside. Menu is limited on entrees. Items ordered : salad. Dressing was horrible and for 15.00 dollars throwing a bunch of leaves into a bowl was underwhelming. Jumbo shrimp. Not jumbo. Maybe large. I suggest changing the menu to read peel and eat shrimp. Pastas ordered gnocchi and butternut squash stuffed ravioli. Gnocchi was quite dense and and squash stuffed ravioli had not much filling.

AMAZING HAPPY HOUR! This is a MUST STOP for the raw bar lovers out there. Swoon worthy cocktails and a phenomenal menu. I could go on and on about how much I loved this place, but instead will leave you with a few tips and photos to drool over... :) Some insight for non-locals (like us): Arrive a little early. We arrived about 8 minutes prior to opening hour (5pm) in hopes to snag a seat for 3 and got lucky. There were maybe 6-8 folks waiting before us. Dining reservations were near impossible, even with trying to book 2 weeks out. It's an elevated dining experience and the space is small. There is indoor dining, bar seating, and some outdoor pop-up seating. All very minimal. If you're without a dining reservation and just want a cocktails and/or HH small plates, plan to arrive a little before 5pm...promise it's worth it! We were overly pleased with the service all around. Not at all pretentious. Super helpful and kind staff, including our bartender/server who was a freaking ROCKSTAR! 12/10 recommend

Great drinks and service. Hate to say it, but food isn't worth the cost. I ordered this mushroom crab cake and it seemed like it was frozen, and then cooked before being completely thawed. I'm also not sure why I ordered a crab cake with mushrooms. Guess I was feeling adventurous.

If I could give 6 stars, I would! How is DRIFT not already a James Beard award winner or the recipient of a Michelin star (or two or three)? Probably because it's relatively new and in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The one thing I'm going to regret, is that once this eatery is on the radar of locals and vacationers, it will inevitably take months to get reservations. It's a fairly small space - 27 seats in the dinning room and another 20 or so in the back outdoor courtyard. And a few seats around the cosy bar up front. But I think high quality is more consistently ensured in smaller spaces. And high quality only begins to sum up the incredible dishes at DRIFT. The chef, Tom Wiswell seems to be a hybrid of a highly trained and precise classical French chef and a beloved Chesapeake granny who produces the kind of comfort food that is the stuff of deep seated culinary memories. His plates are meticulously presented and each have a distinct and creative combination of vibrant and balanced flavors. Too often a restaurant will do a few things well and then fall back on sameness and lack of imagination with too much of the remaining menu. Not so here. Every plate is highly creative, has an individual flavor profile, is well thought out and is sourced from the very best purveyors. And there's no inkling of preciousness in this food - no over embellished, unnecessary gimmicks. Just a plethora of flavor. We started out with several shared small plates - a tuna tartare flavored with ginger, lime, sesame and avocado; Maryland Blue Crab hush puppies with crab aioli, pickled chili and tomato jam; and our third and most mesmerizing, Maine Lobster French Toast with house made brioche, crème fraiche, leeks, tarragon, and a lemon beurre monté that ties it all together. To say this dish was over-the-top orga$mically delicious is not hyperbole here. (YES! YES! YES! ....I'll have what she's having). I also had the Chesterfield Heirloom Greens salad, because I insist on eating my vegetables at every meal! And again no ordinary local greens salad. The salad sits on top of a perfectly whipped ricotta base and includes mixed greens, fennel, sugar snap peas, spiced pistachios and shaved Comte, dressed lightly in a buttermilk vinaigrette. I scraped every bit of that ricotta off my plate once I consumed the salad in record time. Onto the large plates. My husband Howard and I split the Grilled Long Island Golden Tilefish and our friends split the Virginia Fluke Schnitzel. Both were flavorful and very different from one another. I couldn't get enough of the crab and vegetable stew (with tomato, peas, onions, lemon and okra) that the superbly grilled Tilefish was presented over. Our friend's Fluke Schnitzel was unlike any pan fried fish I've had - moist fish with a delectable light crust over a browned butter sauce, potatoes with lemon and dill, pea tendrils, capers and (cucumber scented) borage. The layering and depth of flavor in these entrees was robust, complex and distinct. And, again we were mining our plates for every bit of deliciousness left on the bottom. The entrees were easily large enough to split, which is something we all appreciated. Of course we had to try dessert even though we were totally satisfied. We chose a Basque Burnt Cheesecake to share between the 4 of us, and it did not disappoint. The perfectly charred crust over a creamy cheesecake filling accompanied by Meyer lemon curd and raspberries was another master class in balanced flavors. The bar deserves equal time as well. Bartender Ben Winiarczyk is a drink magician worthy of Tom Wiswell's dishes. I had a wonderful French rose from the well curated wine list, but wish I tried one of their inventive cocktails. Our friend had the Grey Goose martini with olive brine foam, and it was beautiful to look at and perfectly mixed. I'll have to try the Que Sera Sera or Ruby Soho when I return. I would also be remiss to not mention the raw bar offerings, including the seafood towers, which looked magnificent as they passed our table. Maybe next time. So James Beard folks, are you paying attention? Get your collective behinds over to DRIFT and make sure Chef Wiswell and the rest of the wonderful staff get their due. I hope Tom Wiswell puts out a cookbook at some point, because his methods and ingredient combinations are well worth memorializing. I also hope months from now, I can still get my foot in the door once the word is out. Marianne Matheny-Katz (aka M2K)

Make sure you have your ID!!! With four people over 32, one of us (age 35) couldn't be served without ID. Put a damper on what was looking to be a fun couples night out while on a family vacation with three kids. Totally fair to follow the law, obviously, but maybe a disclaimer on the website would be helpful to let folks know about the policy not to serve if someone looks 30. Best to be prepared. Ultimately the food was good. We especially enjoyed the ribs and the crab spaghetti. Order a few dishes if you're particularly hungry!

First time going here. Very nice ambiance, interesting pictures, very intimate. The food, which is the important part, was very good! I was not overwhelmed by the menu tbh. Nothing really called me except the lobster French toast and they were unfortunately out. This is one knock on the service as I wished they would have mentioned that as we were given the menus. I got the spaghetti with blue crab ina. Garlic sauce and my wife got the swordfish schnitzel. I have to say "wow" about the schnitzel. I'm not a swordfish fan, but it was incredible. They served it with some potatoes with capers and dill and the whole dish really came together. Worth a return trip just for that dish. Others at the table had the ravioli which they liked. I'd say a solid 4 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend.

We had a fantastic dinner at Drift. Start your meal with regular and dressed raw oysters and end it with caviar pancakes! Without a doubt, we will make a reservation at Drift for the next trip to Rehoboth!

My new favorite restaurant in Rehoboth Beach! I ate here the first night and made reservations for the next night before I left the restaurant. Food is outstanding! Service was excellent! Love this place!

Amazing food, amazing drinks, and some of the best service. We went for our first anniversary and the staff made everything feel so special for us. We sit down and they immediately gave us each a glass of Prosecco to celebrate. Everyone was very friendly and they all even signed a card for us. We will 100% be coming back

An instant Rehoboth classic: convivial atmosphere, exciting menu and of course, lovely cocktails. We followed the barkeep's advice on our oyster selections and he steered us into the right bay. Love Drift's additions to the classic oyster sauces and dressings- why have we not thought of this? Followed with a snapper seviche and caviar pancakes. I can't do justice to how wonderful the pancakes were-- you will just have to go try them. Wow. Great chef must be behind all this. We are excited to try more from Drift.

Great little cocktail and apps bar. They have dinner too. Their happy hour is great. The oysters are absolutely delicious

Very nice place in Rehoboth on Baltimore Avenue off the main drag. Cocktails were on par with most other places. Good raw oysters. Had the rib eye which was mediocre. My companion liked the crab French toast. We also tried the lobster French toast. Both were good (but maybe a bit too 'bready' The seafood 'tower' had a good mix of shrimp and oysters. Scallop ceviche was very good. We sat outdoors in the back. Wait staff was attentive and helpful. We skipped dessert for Kohr Brothers.

After reading a rave review about this restaurant, I can honestly say that it was overpriced and underwhelming. The heirloom tomato salad was a bowl of tasteless mealy tomatoes. The Bronzino, at $65, was filled with so much shaved fennel that it was difficult to find the meat of the fish. it was also covered with a sauce that at some bites were extremely spicy. The restaurant does not make any accommodations or substitutions. The focaccia was delicious, but there was a five dollar charge which could have been mentioned when we were asked if we wanted bread. The server was very attentive and did a great job.

Best restaurant around! Great service in a very intimate little place. The food was delicious, can't wait to go back!

My wife and I dined at Drift Sunday night. The location, service and food was top notch. Great experience!

This was an absolutely amazing dining experience . One of the best I ever had in my life. Must haves are the cavier pancakes and lobster french toast (yes, for dinner). The chef knows what he is doing and we got to meet him. A truly talented chef! And the rest of the staff, especially our waitress, Savannah, and bar manager/assistant manager, Joe, were so welcoming and attentive. I could not ask for a better dining experience! Well done Drift. We will be back many more times.

Went to Drift for the first time yesterday for a special celebration. After entering the very crowded host desk, we had to wait over 5 minutes to be seated while the host was also serving drinks to seated guests. Staffing issue, maybe. The booth was adequate but tight on leg room. Overall the ambience is very nice. Seated, we received the regular menu and a three course night prix fix menu (which would apply to the whole table if any one guest wanted to go that route). The martinis were great but blue cheese olives have an up charge. Soft drinks took 5-10 minutes longer to get. When reviewing our menu choices, the host came by to let us know that the chef was only serving from the prix menu (staffing shortage in the kitchen?). After much confusion, our server verified that the chef would prepare from the regular menu. The food was prepared with great care and flavor. All enjoyed their meals. THANK YOU chef and servers. It is clearly an above average restaurant, but maybe the middle of winter is not its best show. Next time?

this is one of my favorite restaurants in Delaware. Chef tom is relentless with creating the best dishes he can. Chase is an amazing bartender that is really knowledgeable about the food and drinks he serves. Berkan is the manager/host and he always greets you with a smile and good vibe. my only complaint is that they need to always save me a spot at the bar lol because it is becoming hard for their best costumer to get a spot especially in the summer or holidays.