Cantina Marina: The Only Place Near Nationals Park Where Winners Can Be Found

Guest review by: Paul Schrader

Week three took “DC: A-to-Z” to Cantina Marina, the self-proclaimed “only venue on the water in DC.” Thanks to a weather-inspired schedule change to Friday, we saw a record turnout (57 people) and, unofficially, a record number of drinks consumed. Well done to all that participated in this record-setting week.

When I was asked to be the first guest-reviewer for “DC: A-to-Z,” I was hoping to have the opportunity to write an extremely negative review. I must be honest, I am a hater. Unfortunately for me, Cantina Marina simply did not provide the material for such a review.

The night started somewhat inauspiciously as my friends and I were stopped at the door (gate?) due to a “one-in, one-out” policy. Fortunately, the potential debauchery to come promptly frightened away some of the more Judge Smails-ish patrons and the wait lasted only a few minutes. Even with my natural opposition to waiting in line to drink 16-ounce domestic beers in aluminum bottles, this short wait did not derail an overall excellent waterfront experience.

Once inside it became quite easy to forget you were still in DC. Cantina Marina is essentially a deck built over the water that you would expect to find much further south and filled with sun-burnt tourists. Two bars on two levels allowed for relatively easy access to drinks and the service was reasonably good given the crowds. I am, however, still waiting for that round of beers that were ordered at around 8:30. Maybe they will show up eventually.

Early in the night, Mr. Brandon Almond (always the newspaperman) insisted that I thoroughly investigate all aspects of Cantina Marina to provide a quality review for all of you readers. I chose to go for a more natural Cantina Marina experience and began drinking heavily. I can tell you this about Cantina Marina: they serve drinks. In fact, they serve many different types of drinks and I am pretty sure I saw someone holding something frozen at some point. They also serve food, including a decent plate of nachos. Many of the other food options looked tasty as waitresses walked by carrying them. To summarize: you can get drunk and eat good food at Cantina Marina.

As 11 o’clock came around and the fireworks celebrating the Nats loss by a mere one run came to an end, I could not help but think: “wow, it has really started to smell like sewage.” The smell was probably attributable to the nearby party-boat that may have been ditching the remnants of the party that had recently ended into the pristine waterways surrounding DC. With that in mind, I hope everyone rehydrated sufficiently on Saturday, but maybe not with tap water.

Of the bars we have attended thus far, I have to say Cantina Marina is my favorite. Even with a few small problems—small bathrooms, a line, possible nearby EPA violations—Cantina Marina gets my respect for being a unique location in a city where something new and unique can be difficult to find at times. I plan on returning to Cantina Marina and recommend that anyone who was not able to make it on Friday night plan a trip out to the waterfront soon.