The Federal Rehoboth

Great restaurant, wonderful owners and staff. Went here on recommendation from a friend, made reservations well ahead to be sure we could get in in the middle of busy summer. We showed up a little early, no problem, they had plenty of open tables at that time, but which quickly filled up within an hour...glad we had reservations! It is a smaller restaurant, not that many tables, which is why you need reservations, and why it works so well...plenty of staff to take care of each table without stressing or running about. Was greeted by the owner Ellen like we were old friends, and Todd (chef and owner) came out and chatted with us also, found out we had mutual friends! The Federal is known for it's fritters, so of course we had to try some. Had two different kinds with sauce, very tasty! While we were waiting on our dinner, Todd brought us another small appetizer he made for us to try...nice! For dinner, we had pan seared scallops, and the cast-iron skillet Delmarva chicken, a mix of seafood gumbo, andouille sausage and rice, both dishes perfectly cooked and flavorful. We were too full to order desert and just happy to sit and enjoy our wine, but Todd once again came out with some complimentary small chocolates that went very well as a finish along with our wine. Can't describe how friendly everybody was, from the owners to the wait staff, everybody just seemed at ease and very polite and attentive. Wish all restaurants could be friendly, so attentive, and have such great food! Would I go back...absolutely! Would I recommend...most definitely!

Loved stopping here with companions. The fritters were delicious and the focaccia was great though the pesto wasn’t my fave. Recommend the risotto and apple fritters for sure!! Yummy complementary chocolate at the end. And some great mocktail options!

Quaint, elegant restaurant. So happy to find plant-based options. Excellent service. Manager did not have drink my husband ordered, so she came by and offered a free replacement. Food was gourmet and delicious!

We took some friends to The Federal last night, and once again, it did not disappoint! This was our fifth or sixth visit, and every single time we've been, the experience has been fabuloous. The food is consistently delicious, the atmosphere warm and inviting, and the service top-notch. We all ordered different dishes, which made it even more fun to sample everything. We started with the fritters (of course), the soft shell crab appetizer, and then enjoyed the hanger steak, red snapper, cannelloni, and gnocchi—every dish was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. We topped it all off with the tiramisu cake and Jonathan's Ice Box cake, both of which were the perfect sweet ending to a fantastic meal. Our friends were just as impressed, which made the evening even better. It’s rare to find a place that gets it right every time, but The Federal truly does. Highly recommend—definitely one of our go-to spots!

Fritters are the best here! The other menu items are good - but fritters!! I got corn, artichoke and apple Fritters with caramel sauce. All were good but the apple are melt in your mouth, light and fluffy and with the caramel sauce are beyond amazing. We also had the short ribs with bok choy and carrots in a balsamic glaze and the apple ginger cake a la mode. The cake definitely needs the ice cream (or actually they should offer the caramel sauce as a topper) because it's kinda dry otherwise. All in all a good meal. Definitely get those Fritters. Pro tip - if you order to go check for all of your dipping sauces. We didn't get the other two savory ones to try but didn't want to drive back for those.

First time going to The Federal. The place is small. CeCe was our server and she was fantastic. Very helpful with the menu and other questions I had. Water was filled and refilled promptly. The gazchapo was delicious and my husband said his fish was really good. As others have stated, it's really pricey for the portion size.

Food tastes good and the food is well presented. I would have appreciated bigger sizes in sauce and some pickled vegetables to balance the fried starters. Stuff was friendly, energetic and explained the menu, it was helpful to make our choices.

Had reservations at 4. They called before we got there to confirm we were coming. Got there and then they told us they weren't going to serve dinner till 5 that night. They told us we could eat fritters instead of dinner. We left then they cancelled our open table reservation so we couldn't complain. Very shady, disrespectful, dishonest,and unprofessional establishment. Don't waste your time like they wasted ours. Im sure it applies to their food as well Not sure if the cook was hung over and got in late or what. Don't lie, be honest with your guests.

I had a very pleasant experience. I would go again. There were 3 adults and a toddler in our group. We enjoyed our food. Every dish, was good. I ordered a half portion of pasta and lamb. The fried green tomatoes were unimpressive. The wait staff are attentive. And the Baby really enjoyed the attention.

4.5 Stars. Came here at last after reading reviews. A small cute place with friendly service. Fritters are one of their mainstays, so we tried the oyster ones - which were good, but I realized I prefer just a regular big ol' fried oyster whole. The two entrees we got, scallops and yellow fin tuna, were actually what ended up being the stars of the meal. Both came with sauces and veggies that were unexpected and delicious. Not the same old treatment you often get. We will definitely add this restaurant to our rotation of Coastal beach restaurants!

For a special evening, this little place offers excellent food and creative cocktails. A party of 4, a few tried the smoked Old Fashioned and the water lily martini. All very tasty, more of a craft serving than a generous pour. The salad with peaches was lovely and the chowder quite tasty, though the waitstaff needs to be reminded of the soup order. The scallops and farro are tasty and the duck elegant. The cannelloni served in a small-ish casserole dish. All very nice in a cozy place with homage to the DC food scene over the years. Pricing, not your bargain dinner, but not precious, either.

I didn't even have a chance to dine at this establishment because I wasn't able to get past the "hospitality" manager. Talk about a misnomer. I've never spoken to such a rude restaurant manager in my life. She basically told me that the Federalist probably wasn't the "right restaurant" for me because I inquired whether a vegetarian version of their prix fixe menu reflected a price difference. The conversation was such a bad experience that I couldn't stomach the thought of dining there.

What a wonderful experience we had on NYEve at The Federal Rehoboth! We enjoyed the prix fixe menu carefully crafted by Chef Todd Gray and the incredible hospitality of co-owner Ellen Kassoff. It always feels like a party at this cozy restaurant. On this night, many little surprises (shrimp salad on tiny toasts, house-made complimentary chocolates, welcome champagne) made for an especially fun and relaxing evening. Thank you for always delighting us!

I cannot say enough about this special restaurant. I would keep this place as our hidden gem, but the folks here deserve to be the hottest spot in town. We actually had our micro wedding here and it was nothing short of spectacular! We went for regular dinners a few times beforehand to try the food and it was all so delicious. The inside is so cute and cozy with such pleasant service to boot! The menu is seasonal so the food is always fresh, local, and has such complex flavors. We love the fritters, mac & cheese, gnocchi, and scallops. Do yourself a favor and check them out - you'll be shocked at how delicious beach food can be!

This place is a hidden jewel on the main drag of Rehoboth! We popped in after reading some rave reviews and didn't regret it. Appetizers were the highly acclaimed fritters-- we stuck with the savory artichoke fritters and the oyster fritters. Both were crispy outside with buttery flavorful bites filling in. The oysters were great, but the artichoke fritters were my favorite. I really enjoyed the North Carolina scallops -- they were flavorful and juicy- perfectly prepared. Don't let the modest entrance fool you. Step inside to walls decorated to pay homage to our nation's capitol, personal and attentive service and delectable bites!

I wanted to love this place but it let me down. We ordered a few different fritters, along with some starters and mains and though the service was fine the food left me hanging! Nothing was horrible, but for the prices is wasn't great. I will say that cocktails we had were good, and the interior design is different for the area! We sat at a booth but they did have a bar area in the back that I would possibly stop back to try again!

We made dinner reservations through OpenTable for 6 pm on a Saturday and we were promptly seated. The staff and service was fantastic from checking on us to asking about the meal to giving recommendations. For drinks I got the strawberry basil margarita and my wife got the smoked whisky we both enjoyed our drinks but she wouldn't share a sip of hers lol. For apps we got the fried oysters, risotto, artichoke and apple pie fritters. The star of the show to me were the apple fritters though they were all good I'd skip the artichoke and just get the risotto and apple ones next time. The oysters are good too though and my wife ended up ordering another round. For dinner I got the hanger steak AMAZING the fries with the steak and veggies all complimented one another. My wife got the chicken was good too. For dessert we split (I ate most of it) peach and blueberry crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. It is more of a pie type dish and was AMAZING as well. It is a small restaurant, cozy and dimly lit.

Quite frankly, I don't understand why this place wasn't packed. We made a reservation for 7:45, but ran a little late and at 8 pm were seated promptly. The drinks were great, I got a minted cherry smash and it was perfect! Not too sweet which always makes me nervous and the pop of mint was on point. If you go here for any reason, it should be for the fritters. Their Parmesan risotto fritter was so delicious (fried perfectly) and paired with the red pepper aioli made it even better. They apple pie fritters were by far the best thing we had all night - we literally want to go back every night we're in town and have those for dessert. I'm a HUGE scallop fan and when I saw their pan roasted Viking village scallop option, I knew I had to try it and man was it out of this world. The peaches mixed with the banana peppers and corn paired with the scallop was so much amazing flavor. The scallops were cooked perfectly as well and it wasn't like they just out four scallops on the plate, it was a good helping of them. My husband had the house made ricotta gnocchi and boy was that cooked perfectly and the cream sauce was to die for. Do yourself a favor, try this place out when you come to Rehoboth. Just be ware the entrance to the place is a blip on your radar so it's easy to miss, but not one that you want to.

Cute ambiance and main meal was tasty. Had rock fish and hanger steak. Asked steak to be medium well and it was served well done. Not judging! Fritters apps were good but each sauce lacked of wow factor. Didn't love any of them. I'd suggest they revisit it. Service is super slow!!! Your patience will be tested here. Brace yourself.

Another amazing dinner in the books with tonight's Spirits dinner, featuring secrets Spice and Coconut rum. These 4 course meals are incredible. Tonight featured a homemade gnocchi starter, pan roasted day boat scallops as the second, hazelnut crusted Amish chicken as the third, and a delicious apple tart for the sweet. Each course is pared with a drink that compliments the dish, and it is really well done. The Federal is a newer addition to Rehoboth, and while they are fabulous all summer, the off season when we locals venture out are just so special. There is a spirit dinner every month from September thru April, wine paring meals every Wednesday, yoga and cocktail events, there is always something really special happening. The Federal (aka Federal Fritter ) is probably one of the best restaurants I've ever been to, creating dishes meticulously prepared and beautifully served. It's a real gem right in Rehoboth Beach.

The food was excellent, the drinks were a bit stingy (tiny martini was $15) but the good food would get me back there again. Entrees ranged from $20 to $40. I'd suggest reservations, we went in high season and when we arrived at 6:30 there was almost no one there but it filled up soon after.

Party of 4 for sold out December bourbon spirit dinner really enjoyed the cocktails and meal was outstanding as usual, thank you Joy for the great commentary on Willet Bourbon

Great service and wonderful ambiance the fritters oh the fritters! I am not a big fan of fried foods at all so when I saw these on the pictures, I was a little hesitant to go. But my hubby, of course had already made reservations and this was a anniversary/birthday celebration so off we went. This place is wonderful, the fritters or fried, but to me they tasted a bit more air fried than anything, not overly greasy. I also laid it on the tomahawk whiskey drink I love whiskey and this was a very cool twist on an old-fashioned. I tried every fritter on the menu. I think my favorite hands-down was the oyster one I love oysters, and the amount that were in there it was amazing, my dinner was great two chicken and some kind of kale mix with mashed something or another at any rate. Everything on the menu was good the people next to us clean their plates. My husband cleaned his plate and I couldn't not clean mine. I recommend highly I highly recommend that you make a reervation

The food here is interesting, creative and delicious. The service is outstanding. If you want to feel special this is your place.

A total disappointment and complete waste of money. My daughter was very impressed with the Parmesan risotto fritters they were sampling; they reminded her of Rome. We decided to place an order and added artichokes and oysters. The oysters tasted like absolutely nothing, had too much breading, and were a bit of a bait and switch because the posted price was $12 and I was charged $18; they apologized because the sign was outdated. I don't mind paying for good food...this was $30 wasted.

The decor is beautiful and I really enjoyed the bench area and throw pillows. I was a little nervous about the fritters since I've only have eaten apple fritters in the past. But their fritters are amazing! They were even better with the house made remoulade sauce. My salmon dish was delicious and the eggplant purée was a pleasant surprise. I've never been the biggest fan of cauliflower but their cauliflower is amazing. Our server Lindsey was awesome and did a great job taking care of us and offering dish recommendations. I will definitely visit again soon!

Not often do I give 5 stars in a review, but this little gem was the perfect mix of fresh flavors and comfort foods. At first we came in with the intent of a snack and a drink while we waited for our reservations. We sat down and immediately were welcomed. We ordered a drink and the mixed fritters cone. The drinks were delicious and the frittered with crispy and light. Our daughters walked in and wanted to snack as well. They got another cone and some fried oysters. Between the delicious food and the hospitality we decided to cancel our reservations and just have dinner here. The owners surprised us with fresh grilled focaccia bread. Every dish every bite was better than the one before. The drinks were also incredible. Highly recommend!! This quaint beautiful restaurant will not disappoint!

Terrific! The fritters might be really good, but the rest of the menu is even better!! The gnocchi was incredible...

All sorts of fritters and sauces here. We were a table of 5 and ordered a variety of different combinations. The corn and cauliflower were our favorites! The 2 aioli sauces were delicious. Cute, fun place. Great service.

This was our first time here and celebrated a birthday. Great food,warm atomosphere and sincere hospitality from owners chef Todd and Ellen. Certainly a gem in Rehobeth.

This was the first time dining here and I have to say - it was Excellent! I will definitely return for their regular menu at a later date. Small so make reservations!

Really amazing spot. It's rare when a new place hits it out of the park out of the gate. Needless to say the fritters are incredible. My favorite was the cauliflower and for dessert the apple pie fritter is a must try. I had the soft shell appetizer which was one of the best I have ever had. I am a French fry nut and these are among the very best I have had. At first try FF is among the best in the state. The rest of the restaurants in Sussex county have some steep competition so they better up their game. Most of the places in RB serve up some nice food but few if any are at this level.

On a recommendation, we tried this place out. Exceptionally friendly staff welcomed us and sat us immediately. Our waitress, also co-owner, took time with us to explain the menu and make some useful recommendations. The corn and apple pie fritters we're delicious, paired with the vanilla caramel and sesame tahini sauces. Who knew corn fritters and caramel went this well together? They do. I recommend it. We'll be back to try more.

Food was good. A little disappointed in their fritters. Taste was drowned by the batter.

Incredibly Average. Don't understand the positive reviews for such mediocre food. We had the corn and risotto fritters, which were better than our mains which included the Butternut Squash Cannelloni, fried oyster sandwiches (only included 3 oysters), truffle Mac, and the Hanger Steak. The Tomahawk old fashioned was the highest reviewed among our group, along with the horseradish fritter sauce. But it's sad when a side sauce is the best thing out of the meal. Staff was nice and very attentive.

We had a wonderful dinner here! Sat at the bar and enjoyed our conversation with the owner who was doubling as our bartender on a Sunday night. The staff was warm and super helpful, and the food was great. The cocktails were delicious and the titular fritters were too. The hanger steak was the best steak we've had in a while, cooked a perfect medium rare. We seldom get dessert but this dessert menu was too good to pass up. This is a must do if you're in the Rehoboth area. We will absolutely be back!

Excellent food. Great service. Cute intimate bistro. One of the best meals at the beach.

Great spot, looking forward to our next visit. Really friendly, our cocktails and dinner were delicious - clean plates all around.

Rehoboth is lucky to have Ellen and Todd choose RB to open their second restaurant. The Federal is our goto since Amuse closed pre COVID. They treat every customer with a smile and Todd is always sharing an off the menu selection. Word of advice, when the chef has a recommendation you say YES. The food never disappoints. Highly recommend and I suggest make a reservation.

Hands down one of the best restaurant experiences we have had. I heard about this place on Tony Kornheiser's podcast and took the wife out for a casual anniversary celebration. We couldn't have been more pleased. This Rehobeth beach gem reminded my of quaint French bistros. Small menu but each item was perfectly prepared. I can't wait to bring my friends and family back to enjoy the most friendly and sincere service in the East Coast. The owners ran the place and showed all the patrons lots of love. Thank you for a memorable evening.

My wife and I went to FF & B last Saturday (our first visit) in which we had a Reservation. Bad news was that there were no tables available, however the owner Ellen accommodated us and brought out wine, and some fritters (delicious) and dipping sauces until a table opened up. We did not have to wait too long and were seated were brought out a couple of their oyster fritters to try - again delicious. We had tile fish and the duck (recommended by the waitress) followed by dessert and coffee - all in all impeccable service by all staff and a great meal and enjoyable evening with my date (wife). Will definitely be back.

Tucked away off the main Rehoboth strip but I PROMISE you: DO NOT OVERLOOK this spot!!! Family owned and operated, very cozy and yet still upscale. The quality of food is impeccable. The fritters they're named for are great tasty little bites to get you started, and their mains are all great. The special of our day was the scallops, a portion of 5 and still very filling. The salmon entree is also wonderfully tasty. It may have been a consequence of covid that this place wasn't packed to the gills, but seriously. You NEED to put this place on your dinner reservation list. And the drinks!!! The house sangria is well worth getting the pitcher, and the blueberry mojito is ON. POINT!!!! Federal Fritters definitely has a long great future ahead of them if they keep up this tasty menu.

A+ carry out! The Washington post is spot on! Loved the fritters, shrimp, fried oysters. Though the stars of the show were the mushrooms in the beef dish. So yummy. Def get the carry out if in Dewey or Rehoboth

Wonderful experience with the excellent service, beverages, and food. The wine list was super, And the speciality cocktails, such as the coconut drink, were superb. The artichoke fritters were so tasty, as was the beet salad and mac&cheese. Our party also enjoyed the soup and the cauliflower main dish. While accommodating to vegitarians/vegans, there were also scrumptious skirt steak and fish dishes. A fantastic restaurant with a friendly, hands-on owner who makes Federal Fritters a must visit culinary experience in Downtown Rehoboth.

Delightful dinner. Food and service was very good. Will be going back for another dinner soon.

They have a special menu for Sundays, I called twice during the week to see if we could order off the menu was told no problem (checked with the chef when I called). Got to restaurant owner said no, absolutely one of the rudest people ever met. If we would have left due to reservations, we would have been charged $100 for 5 people. We ended up ordering all fritters with 4 alcoholic beverages (we had vegetarians in our party). The fritters had no flavor, the little bit sauces were not good - drinks ok. Asked about sauces, owner rudely asked if she could bring ketchup. Spent $200 for 5 and came out hungry and very disappointed. Not a place I would recommend.

Great family owned restaurant that blew us away. A great start to our trip. We got the mixed fritters and they were amazing to start. We also got the fried oyster fritters which are also great. My wife got the salmon dish and we split it together which was amazing. My kids both got meals as well and finish them completely so there is nothing left at the end. We did have enough room for some ridiculous apple fritters. Yeah, this place was great.

Finally, a great restaurant in Rehoboth Beach! Sure, there are a lot of OK places (and plenty of terrible ones), but Federal Fritter is heads and shoulders above all of them. The place is the size of a postage stamp, so reservations are a must. Service was warm and attentive (Rita made our meal truly memorable!). I rarely order over complicated craft cocktails but the watermelon basil margarita is proof that God loves us. I could have drunk them all night, but then I would have missed out on a perfectly dry and reasonably priced rosé. The fritters were smaller than I expected but the artichoke and risotto fritters were so good we ordered the outer fritters (one request would be a more generous serving of the yummy sauces). I never order gumbo, but I was feeling adventurous and man was I rewarded. Perfectly cooked seafood of several different varieties came atop a bed of rice and was so flavorful. My companion got the skirt steak, which was perfectly cook but could have used a few more fries. Our new best friend Rita suggested the Apple fritter, which honestly was a the bottom of my list, but WOW! Yummo. I honestly can't wait to go back.

Well, I'd like to tell you about the food and drink here, but we never got any!! Had reservations here earlier this week for a party of 4. We showed up right on time and were promptly seated. Server brought water immediately. Unfortunately, we had no further contact even though we waited 25 minutes. Now, I understand that restaurants are understaffed, but this place only has a few tables and no one even acknowledged us after we were seated. We left and ate at another Rehoboth restaurant.

It was my birthday and after a few days away from Lewes without a great meal, I was excited to get back to some good food. All the usual places I wanted to go were closed on Sunday. I ended up on Yelp and found Federal Fritters. By the reviews and history of the proprietors, we were excited to give it a try. It was slow for a Sunday (which happens this time of year). We sat at the bar and had some excellent cocktails. The server explained the menu and then the chef came out and talked about the options. We started with Parmesan Risotto fritters with a remoulade - great start. I had the butternut squash cannelloni and my partner had the truffled fettuccini. The cannelloni was light with a touch of sweet on a bed of spinach. The truffle pasta had such flavor - its hard to describe. We ended up with warm chocolate chip cookies with milk for dessert. All I can say is wow and we can't wait to go back.

My new favorite place to eat in Rehoboth! It is easy to walk past and not even see it - but do seek it out. The Owners took great care of us, explaining the menu, making recommendations. They are very enthusiastic about their restaurant, with good reason. The wide variety of fritters including corn, artichoke and especially the oysters are wonderful. Crispy on the outside and tender, flavorful on the inside. Do not miss out on the dessert fritters as well! We also tried the scallops and the swordfish entrees - the food and presentation was on point. Good wine list as well. Go find them and give it a try - you will be glad you did!

Service was fantastic! Highly recommend mixing the fritters, we loved them all. We ordered the skirt steak and gumbo for dinner, both were great. The watermelon margaritas are a must!

Easy to miss but hard to forget. We made sure to try this place despite the WPost food critic's recommendation and because of the photos that went with it. The food was DELICIOUS. OK, don't eat anything fried for a week before or after so you can really enjoy the fritters. We loved the artichoke, corn, cauliflower and risotto fritters and I can't wait to get back to Rehoboth when the season ends to eat them again. The oysters were good but a little over-fried the night we were there. The squash blossoms were kinda bland but also perfectly fried in a light, crisp batter. Our sons had the mac n cheese and they both raved about it (these are mac n cheese aficionados). The apple pie fritters with a dollop of ice cream in the middle is a must for dessert. Next time I will try the main dishes but we really just wanted to sample those fritters. Our server was one of the owners and she was wonderful. She brought me a complimentary glass of rose because we were in town for a belated birthday celebration. The restaurant is a long, narrow space with a little private area in back near the bar. A mural of Washington landmarks (including for those who remember it, Commander Salamander!) was brought over from the front of the owners' Washington restaurant, Equinox after the Black Lives Matter protests (I think that is what she said).

Excellent dinner & service!!! Such a cute boutique restaurant in the heart of Rehoboth. Thanks for a great night!

Having dinner on a Wednesday night, here in Rehoboth Beach. Had heard about this restaurant from friends. The service was excellent, as this is a family-run operation. I believe the husband is the chef, and the wife runs the front of the house. She was very engaging and let us have a table for 4 outside. The food is excellent. The fritters are good (we ordered two of the combo, for a table with 4 people), the soup was a creamy autumn-themed squash, and the desert totally delicious. Initially we were just planning to have a drink, but ended up staying for dinner. The restaurant is small (maybe 10 tables?), with a small bar in the back. Next time we are in Rehoboth, we will likely return, but ask for the table at the bar (where we can watch the chef in the kitchen, preparing the tasty food).

Truly enjoyed the experience. The scallops were cooked perfectly. Recommend the Apple fritters with ice cream for dessert

What a surprise! The family ownership makes this a personal and very welcoming experience. The environment has a sweet charm. The food is excellent and prepared with expertise and care. One could stop in for fritters, soup, salad and a cocktail or a full dinner. Whatever your choices, don't skip dessert (especially the lemon torte!!