Ocean Prime's the Newest Member of D.C.'s High-End Steak and Seafood Club

Ocean Prime opens doors for lunch today downtown near the White House, adding another glitzy steakhouse and raw bar to D.C.’s ever-growing inventory.

The restaurant is known for broiling its steaks under 1200 degree heat. Prices run up to $51 for the 16 oz. ribeye and the lengthy list of $11-$18 sides includes multiple spins on mashed potatoes (one with lobster) to black truffle mac and cheese. For seafood, there’s Chilean sea bass ($46) with whipped potatoes and champagne truffle sauce and swordfish and clams ($40).

The 140-seat bronze and warm wooded dining room is offset by a swanky bar area, lined by an expansive glass-enclosed wine wall and TVs. Pick from 50 wines by the glass and cocktails like a refreshing hand-squeezed Cucumber Gimlet ($13) with Bombay Sapphire gin and muddled fresh cucumber. Specials include $1 oysters on Fridays and a Sunday Surf & Turf menu ($55).

The Ocean Prime name is already sprinkled across the U.S., from Miami to Beverly Hills, and the D.C. location is its thirteenth restaurant. According to the restaurant group’s head Cameron Mitchell, who spoke at the opening party, opening the D.C. location was a project five years in the making. The restaurant fills the space formerly occupied by Ceiba.

Ocean Prime will face some heavy high-end surf and turf competition, as Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab sits a few blocks away, and BLT Prime just opened inside Trump International Hotel. There are additional steakhouses nearby as well, ranging from Del Frisco's Double Eagle to Mastro's.

Last night’s opening party at the spacious 8,000-square-foot restaurant was packed with D.C. socialites (including "The Real Housewives of Potomac" star Ashley Darby) downing champagne flutes. Ice sculptures doubled as beds for shrimp and oysters, while passed appetizers ranged from white truffle caviar deviled eggs to beef carpaccio-spiked sushi.

Ocean Prime, 1341 G St. NW, website