Sometimes you’re in a Gulf Coast mood. You know, the kind of mood that compels you to do any number of things you’d normally avoid. Like wear a Hawaiian shirt, or drink mai tais, or listen to Jimmy Buffet. For those moments (and admit it — you’ve had at least one, right?) there’s Cantina Marina, located not on the Georgetown Waterfront, but on the water in Southwest — one of the new epicenters for development in D.C.

When we first visited Cantina Marina, last summer, we were surprised at how slow business was for an early, sunny Saturday evening. But on each successive visit the bar has been more crowded than the time before; last night we literally fought for seats at the bar. Thankfully, it’s still nowhere near Sequoia level crowded, and there’s ample room to stand and talk to friends under the bar’s bright yellow canopy, listening to a soundtrack of classic rock. Around sundown, live music (thankfully, not so loud that you can’t hear your friends) serves as background. If you’re lucky, you can also enjoy cooling breezes off the Potomac and views of planes taking off from National. Drink specials change daily; last night we had the pleasure of $3 Coronas. Several margarita machines are located behind the bar for those in the mood for alcoholic slushies, and gone are the days where the bar wasn’t allowed to serve beer in glass bottles. The food? Not amazing, but not bad either. The shrimp po’ boy is tasty, as are the peel ‘n eat shrimp. And the chips with queso are great for sharing with a hungry group.

We can think of a few times when going to Cantina Marina would be less than fun: when it’s raining, and when it’s cold. In D.C., that means there’s roughly 30% of the year to enjoy the bar, the breeze, and the sun. Sure, it’s not drinking down in the Keys, but it’s pretty darn close.

Cantina Marina
600 Water St. SW
Metro: Waterfront-SEU