Washington DC Fish Market

Maine Avenue SE
Washington, DC

A public fish market on the DC waterfront.

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Why It Works

A bustling seafood and fish market on Washington's waterfront. Crabs, lobsters and fish are sold from floating barges. This place is popular with locals, and not at all a tourist trap. Devoid of the usual consumer mall culture, it's an authentic example of urban commerce at the street level. Ironically, it flourishes just beyond revitalized portions of the DC waterfront, which are cold and empty modernist concrete places, totally devoid of people.

What Makes Washington DC Fish Market a Great Place?

The fish market is one of the few areas that offer authentic access to the DC waterfront. The market is located directly on the river, beneath a mammoth highway overpass and adjacent to a yacht basin. There is little convenient pedestrian access from the rest of the city. Visitors are advised to consult a map before setting out. The area is accessible via the Waterfront or L'Enfant Plaza stops of the DC Metro.

This is an informal outdoor place in a city that is dominated by formalism. It is not especially clean or dirty. It looks like a place in use. It feels safe at nearly all times when it is open because of the presence of people. It is not a safe place to visit at night. Vehicles can access the site freely but they do not overwhelm the pedestrian character of the market.

The space is a bustling arena of commerce. Under normal circumstances it is filled with small groups and families. Visitors to the fish market vary. A visitor may encounter a group of day laborers enjoying a lunch break, still covered in paint or spackle. At the same time, one might find a group of video camera-equipped tourists seeking to catch some local flavor for a vacation video.

This is a place to conduct commerce and to people-watch. It is not a place for light recreation. This is one of the places where the residents of the city congregate. These are not the diplomats and politicians of official Washington. These are the working people of the city, of various ethnicities and backgrounds.

User Comments:

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02/14/02 Kevin Palmer said:: I rarely get to the Fish Market, partly due to the tenuous access described in the nomination, but I agree that it too is one of the rare pieces of REAL city left in Washington. Sadly, it will probably fall victim to the larger schemes being made for the revitalization of the entire waterfront, from the Navy Yard to Georgetown. While I do not disagree that pedestrian connections and more open access to all of the city's riverfront is necessary, I hope that the character of this place can be preserved in some form.
01/23/03 Alexander Passmoore said:: I've been around the world, and this fish market takes the cake. Never seen anything like it. They have everything, and frequently, it's still alive and squirming. From the purple Indonesian prawns, to the fresh cockles, to the live catfish, and the steamed crabs -- you'll find the seafood you're after. I make a point of stopping here anytime I'm passing DC.
07/03/03 Paul Wilson said:: I lived in the Washington D.C. area for nearly 10 years and made frequent stops at the Wharf. The prices are for the everyday working person, however with the smell and the new high priced townhouses being built across Maine Street, I too do not expect it to last much longer.
10/29/03 Bobby Slagle said:: Whoever or whatever group eliminates the Fish Market is totally STUPID. I too have been around the world, and love sea food. This is the best of the world sea food markets.
02/12/04 Toshiba Harris said:: A trip (or two) to the Maine Avenue Wharf is an integral part to DC living. I remember walking down to the Wharf with my mother, aunts and cousins and returning with two or three bushels of Blue Crabs covered with Old Bay seasoning, a couple of bags of whiting and maybe some butterfish or croaker. A clear indication that summer was definitely in full effect. The smell of raw seafood along with the various vendors shouting to the top of their lungs trying to lure customers to their stands selling everything from fresh fruits to shark meat!! The constant bustling of shoppers and other people just stopping by to grab a crabcake sandwich or to see what the hype over the Maine Avenue Wharf was all about. If you haven’t been to the Maine Avenue Wharf it is definitely an experience like no other.
03/30/05 Jackie Jones said:: I went there a couple years ago and was shocked. I love this place and I live in Richmond, Va. I always drive up there just for good fresh seafood.
04/12/09 steve sacharoff said:: Still a great place- a little spot remaining of the old DC I remember as a child- I always take my out of town friends there and recommend it to guests at our hotel who ask about interesting DC sights and places to eat in town.
07/20/09 frederica lloyd said:: I was born and raised in Washington, DC, for the past 25 years I have lived in Ohio. When I think of the Wharf it reminds me of home sweet home. I miss being able to go and get just about any kind of seafood I want. At the Wharf if you want a 4lb lobster you can get it, if you want enoumous shrimp you can get it. I miss being able to buy blue crabs, croakers and red snapper. If thought of the Wharf disappearing in thw future will be a disaster to DC.
09/07/09 Brian Robinson said:: I agree with all of the above, but I disagree with the review's statement that it's not safe at night. I assumed the place was dead at night until we got lost showing a friend around the city and ended up on the Maine Avenue off-ramp. The place is BUSTLING at night! At least at certain times, when they bring the fresh fish in. I was totally surprised, because it actually is much less busy in the daytime than when we visited at 11 PM. The only safety issue for a pedestrian is traffic: The (pedestrian-friendly) market is walled off from the (pedestrian-unfriendly) neo-urbanist office buildings by an onramp. The lack of a crosswalk and staircase to the nearby Banneker Memorial Overlook at L'Enfant Plaza (a totally empty public space) is noticeable in a city that purportedly bends over backwards for tourists. This could have something to do with the fact that the clientele of the Market is ethnically diverse, and DC steers tourists away from ethnically diverse areas unless there is a policy in place to "clean them up". I should also mention, it's a FLOATING market. Hard to notice, since the floating barges have grown together over the years.
09/18/09 Bill Hoo said:: Oh Yes! The Waterfront will be so much better when they bring in a Legal Seafoods, waterside McCormick & Schmick's, Starbucks, and a private members only Supper Club to keep out the dregs of society. The economic impact to the area would be phenominal!!
11/11/09 Link Starbureiy said:: I haven't been to The Wharf since childhood. It's my recommended stop to pick up fresh crabs and shrimp. Definitely a culture shop. Reading this article reminds me of the next trip I'll have to make there when I'm in the area again.