Henlopen City Oyster House — Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach

I was debating writing a review, but intentional or not it must be shared. Took myself on a date last night and arrived at opening because I knew how busy it got. Sat at the end of the window facing counter in the bar area. It was quickly filling up. Server was pleasant and got my drink order. About 10-15 minutes later came around and got my order for oysters. The oysters were delicious (this is what I had come for). Didn’t come back around until I finished them, but had checked in on the couple next to me at least twice. I ordered the Caesar salad and the Spaghetti a la Chitarra with the salad coming out first. Caesar came out in about 10-15 minutes. Good, but lacked sufficient dressing. Now is when the real wait started. At this point it’s about 4:45. The server comes back to ensure I got my Caesar, which was nice, but this was after the plate had already been served and cleared, and never asked if I needed another drink. She assured me that they were working on my spaghetti. At this point I was still giving some grace because I know it’s busy. I did not get my food until about 5:35. During that wait, I saw people come and go. The couple next to me, who was there at the same time, finished there meal before I got mine. A gentleman sat next to me (after my order was in) , ordered oysters and was gone before my food arrived. I had debated canceling the meal and leaving as I had somewhere else to be soon, but decided to wait. The meal itself was not what I expected. Presentation was beautiful. While there was a generous amount of clams, it lacked flavor. The spaghetti was served in a broth-like wine and garlic sauce that does not coat the spaghetti well, so it felt like I was eating spaghetti soup. I asked for cheese and that helped a little; also added salt and pepper and ensured to get some of the calíbrese peppers in every bite. While good, it was too much broth and the serving of spaghetti was not filling. At this point I am late to my next destination and ask for my check. I see my server take and serve at least 3 party’s drink orders prior to remembering my check. I had my card out in hand and didn’t give her the chance to walk away before taking it as I was already irritated and late at this point. I left the restaurant at 5:53, having spent almost 2 hours there. Here’s the real reason for the review. Along with my wait time, a group of four sat behind me at the bar by about 5:00 drinks already in hand. I never heard anyone wait on them and while they seemed pleasant, by the time I got my food I heard them discussing whether they should place an order or go home, shower, and come back. Whether intentional or not, I couldn’t help but notice that we were the only people of color in that bar area. Again, I want to give some grace because this place is busy from opening to close, but there were patrons that arrived after me, were served and left before I ever even got my food, and I just couldn’t turn a blind eye to it. I was extremely irritated as I left and while my next destination was only a 6 minute walk away, I did not make it in time to...

Our visit to Henlopen City Oyster House was nothing short of exceptional. This restaurant offers a delightful variety of food and drinks that left us thoroughly impressed!

My ideal selection included Fried Oysters as an appetizer, Bouillabaisse for the main course, and the challenging decision between Smith Island Cake and the parfait for dessert.

The Fried Oysters were a delightful surprise, boasting briny, plump oysters delicately coated in a crisp, golden-brown butter. Notably, they were perfectly cooked, and the flavors were outstanding. The Bouillabaisse was a true culinary masterpiece, featuring a flavorful broth that harmoniously combined with the seafood and tomato base. The attention to detail in cleaning the shellfish and achieving the ideal texture for the fish pieces was evident. The generous infusion of saffron added a delightful aroma and depth to the flavor. Every dish and drink we sampled, including the oyster shots, exceeded our expectations.

As a food enthusiast, I consider the pricing fair, given the freshness of the ingredients, most of which are sourced from local farmers and purveyors.

The service was outstanding, with our server being friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive to our every need.

The restaurant itself is a destination in its own right. The atmosphere is inviting and bright, and the oyster bar offers an opportunity to watch their skilled and friendly staff meticulously shucking oysters. Despite being walk-in customers, we experienced a short wait time of less than 15 minutes, even when the restaurant was bustling. Its convenient location near local shops and other attractions ensures that you'll have plenty to do while waiting, if necessary.

Notably, Henlopen City Oyster House's menu changes daily, adapting to ingredient availability and seasonal offerings. With this in mind, we can confidently say that this is a place we'll return to every time we find ourselves...

Henlopen was the most in demand restaurant during our rehoboth trip. We went around 730 the first night and they had already filled up for the night. We went again on our last night closer to 530 and were able to get a table around 615. They make use of yelp waitlists and it's super convenient. The service and the food were amazing here. Our water cups were rarely below the half point. Our waiter was attentive and everyone who brought our food out was so friendly. We ordered the oyster sampler (one of each oyster), the jerk grilled rockfish with fries and mashed potatoes, the lobster roll with mac and cheese, the soft shell crab, and the bouillabaisse. All of the food was amazing and we completely cleared all of our plates. A few things to note: outdoor seating is only available for parties of two and the indoor seating is packed quite full. I prefer to still eat outside when possible due to covid so this was a bit of a downer but looking at where the restaurant is located, I completely understand this is due to a lack of sidewalk space. I also understand that the restaurant industry has been hit hard by covid and that probably contributes to how close the tables are but figured I'd mention it in case your comfort level is not where mine is. I would highly recommend eating at Henlopen and understand the hype but would also have loved more space...