Clare & Don's Beach Shack

Clare H

I was really excited about this place because of the rave food and drink reviews, but it was overall disappointing to say the least. We ordered two margaritas and grilled fish tacos, and none were good. Ordered the margs without ice, but they still tasted watered down and not sweet- hard to explain the taste but they were just bad. The fish tacos were also not good- lacking any flavor, period. I'm not sure any of it was salted, and was expecting some lime or a citrus flavor that wasn't there. The slaw was wilted and old, and none of it was fresh or even warm. The rice isn't even normal rice that comes with fish tacos, it's like sprouted wheat you'd find in a health food store. Very disappointed because I was looking forward to checking this place out. I would say the portions are large, but I'll probably end up throwing all of this away. The only saving grace are the sides of guac, sour cream, and salsa that may help. I posted the above message on Yelp(thinking it would help improve the quality of the food), and the owner’s response was rude and unprofessional. The temperature was not even the main problem (the food wasn't even warm, it was cold and I live right down the road)- the food should taste good regardless of temperature, which neither the food nor drinks did. Also, the food should taste the same whether it's sit down or to go, basically restaurant rule of thumb lol. I wouldn't recommend this establishment if it was the last place on earth. The business owner likes to reply “lol” when given any slight criticism so I shouldn’t be surprised at their snarky response. Maybe improve your business and you’ll get better reviews.

mws928

It's a fun place where the food is OK, if not a bit over-priced. Be ready for a particularly beachy pace of life, though, as table service is decidedly slow even when the place is at less than half capacity.

Todd Sapp

I love, love this gem of a restaurant in Falls Church. The menu is surprisingly extensive with plenty of options for both meat eaters and vegetarians. The setting is very Key-Westy, which adds a nice charm to an otherwise busy area. Definitely worth the visit! Also, don't forget the hush puppies. Yum!

Maddy A

Decent food but nice ambience! For a seafood place the seafood is not the best - the fish was dry, the shrimp was okay, and the oysters were just bad (definitely don’t order them). But it’s in northern VA and the prices are equivalent to an actual beach shack so you can’t expect more. However, the place has a nice environment and reminds you of being at the beach! Great for being outdoors and having drinks with friends. Also the hush puppies and fried Oreos (not on the menu) are amazing! Fun place to go to but counterintuitively I would not order seafood here.