Draper's Steak & Seafood

Round up 3.5 stars to 4! Stepping into Draper’s Steak & Seafood in Old Town Fairfax, one is greeted with the promise of classic steakhouse warmth and an ambitious seafood program. The space strikes a cozy, date-night cordially vibe, bolstered by attentive service that many locals appreciate. The calamari arrives tender and reasonably well-executed, paired with a medley of crisp vegetables; however, its sauce leans conspicuously toward heat over nuance, leaving the dish enjoyable but not memorable. The clam chowder, by contrast, is genuinely noteworthy: creamy, rich, and evoking the heritage of New England’s best—comforting and well-balanced. As for rockfish, while competently grilled, lacked that distinctive spark that would elevate it beyond an everyday entrée. The cioppino follows a si

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary at Draper's and had a wonderful experience. Ellie, our waitress, took great care of us. I was especially impressed that, remembering I told her I couldn't have butter with my bread, when I asked for the fingerling potatoes instead of the mashed potatoes, she told me they were actually tossed in butter. She offered for the chef to do the fingerlings in a pan with olive oil instead. We shared a beet salad, which was great. I had the rockfish which was delicious, and my husband had the sea bass, which he really enjoyed. The cocktails were really good, and the key lime pie was the perfect ending. Draper's never disappoints!

My wife and I went to Draper's Steak & Seafood for Valtine's Day and really enjoyed our dinner. We shared the flash fried shishito peppers to start and found them to be light and flavorful. I'm usually not a fan of aioli but the aioli that came with the peppers wasn't overpowering (warning: the aioli comes on top of the peppers rather than on the side like we expected). They also bring out freshly baked bread and whipped butter if you ask! We both ordered the sea bass which was cooked to perfection with a crispy outside and fork tender inside. Our server was attentive and prompt throughout the evening. They do a nice job of separating the dining area from the bar, creating unique but equally inviting atmospheres. Will definitely be going back!

We came here for anniversary dinner, and to be honest we were not too impressed. The service was great, but the food felt like it was warmed up in the back. Also, parking was very hard to find. I think my drink was the best thing I had that night.

I loooved this place, didn’t even expect it to be that good. Me and my husband went on a date to this place and we were very pleased with the service. The food was great, I ordered salmon, which was very well seasoned and juicy, and my husband got a burger, that is ended up very juicy and delicious. The cocktails were top notch and desert was good! I will definitely be coming back and recommend it to my friends and family!