The Federal Rehoboth

Name: The Federal Rehoboth
Address: 62a Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE, United States, 19971
Telephone: (302) 727-5609
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (518)

$30 and under

Unspecified

62a Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

What started as a food truck concept in 2019 then became a beachside bistro in 2021. The Federal, located just a short block from the famed Rehoboth Beach boardwalk has become a full-service, beach casual, fine-dining bistro. The demure restaurant now hosts the two concepts in one space - you can enjoy fritters before dinner, for a happy hour snack, or go for a boardwalk stroll. Federal Fritter menu features a variety of crisp, poppable & snackable fritters, while The Federal menu expands on a way of eating that best defines Todd & Ellen's culinary style, the menu reads like a postcard from the Mid-Atlantic. Chef Gray pays careful attention to the seasons, honoring what the Delmarva region harvests.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Unspecified
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(302) 727-5609
Website
https://www.thefederalrehoboth.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Chef Todd Gray
Catering
From a casual dinner drop-off to full service catering is offered
Private party facilities
Please contact us for private events for groups of 7 - 35 people

Location
62a Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Neighborhood
Rehoboth Beach
Cross street
2nd Ave
Parking details
None
Public transit
Local bus service stops out of the front of restaurant
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Popular dishes

Chilled Minted Tomato Soup$16.00
pickled watermelon, cherry tomatoes, sweet basil (pb)(gf)
Crispy Red Cabbage Spring Roll$19.00
soba noodle salad, English cucumber, toasted sesame vinaigrette (pb)
Mixed Pennsylvania Field Greens$17.00
local strawberries, English cucumbers, Sonoma goat cheese (gf)
Creamy Grits with Fennel Sausage Bolognese$16.00
Wild Mushrooms, Spring Asparagus, Parmesan Reggiano (gf)
Tempura of Sweet Tiger Shrimp$18.00
Arugula Salad, Pickled Fennel, Saffron Aioli
Equinox Truffled Mac & Cheese$16.00
Elbow Macaroni, Melted Gruyere & Panko Breadcrumb (veg)

Mains

Wild Mushroom Teriyaki$31.00
saffron basmati, sweet red peppers, baby bok choy (pb, gf)
Baked Cannelloni of Spinach & Ricotta$33.00
Oyster Mushrooms, Caramelized Onion, Parmesan Reggiano (veg)
House Made Ricotta Gnocchi$44.00
Local Scallops, Lump Crab, Gulf Shrimp, baby Spinach, Tomato Saffron Cream
Pan Seared Ocean City Scallops$42.00
sweet and sour peach puree, grilled sweet corn, roasted peppers, Thai basil (gf)
Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steak$39.00
gingered carrot coulis, sweet peas, fresh mint, lemon butter (gf)
Pan Roasted Delmarva Chicken$37.00
Andrew`s seafood gumbo, Andouille sausage, basmati rice
Grilled Creekstone Farms NY Strip Steak$58.00
vidalia onion ''soubise'', marble potatoes, red wine mustard jus (gf)

Dessert

Chocolate Brownie a la Mode$11.00
vanilla bean gelato, berry coulis, raspberry powder
Sicilian Style Chocolate Laced Cannoli$11.00
Italian Ricotta, Strawberry Coulis, Candied Orange
Bittersweet Chocolate Molten Cake$11.00
Kiln-Dried Cherry Sauce, Vanilla Bean Gelato
Tiramisu Layer Cake$11.00
Caramel Sauce, House-Made Strawberry Ice Cream, Fresh Berries
Apple Pie Fritters$11.00
Granny Smith Apple Cake, cinnamon & sugar (pb)
Warm Hazelnut Chocolate Bomboloini$11.00
dusted with cinnamon sugar, cappuccino gelato

The Side DIsh

Early Summer Sweet Corn Succotash$10.00
english peas, red peppers, thai basil(gf)
Tatiana's Grilled Focaccia for 2$8.00
basil pesto, parmesan reggiano
House-Made Warm Buttermilk Cornbread for 2$8.00
rosemary honey butter & smoked sea salt

What 518 people are saying

The Federal Rehoboth reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Baltimore / Maryland
Innovative
Ocean City / Delaware Shore
Great for brunch
Ocean City / Delaware Shore
Innovative
Ocean City / Delaware Shore
Healthy
Ocean City / Delaware Shore
Neighborhood gem
Ocean City / Delaware Shore
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Federal Rehoboth is a "gem of a place" with "outstanding food" and a creative menu that includes standout dishes like soft shell crabs, truffled mac and cheese, and diverse fritters. The atmosphere is charming, and service is "friendly and attentive." Ideal for a "gourmet dining experience" in a "casual beachy setting."

518 Reviews

J
John VIP
Philadelphia County4 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What a great discovery! While they do have fritters, they have so much more. They were very busy and training some new help, but Ellen quickly hooked us up with some fabulous cocktails! We loved the arancini crispy rice balls as a starter. My friend had the Scallops, which were cooked to perfection. I had the House Made Ricotta Gnocchi, w Scallops, Lump Crab, Gulf Shrimp, in a Tomato Saffron Cream. It was delicious. We didn’t feel rushed so were able to enjoy the experience. Ellen and Chef Todd were the perfect hosts. Make sure to also check out the dessert. We will definitely be back.
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p
paul VIP
Baltimore / Maryland14 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cooking is my hobby and I cannot make anything on this menu. Chef Todd and Manager Ellen keep the place moving and super vibrant. highly recomment!
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W
Warren VIP
Washington, D.C. Area124 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
This is a GEM of a place! Really great food(!!!) and great use of a tight space. We'll definitely be back and will recommend. One thing: Servers were constantly clearing the table - sometimes before we were finished. SUPER friendly staff, but the constant in and out from the table was a bit much...and definitely unnecessary. Just an observation... 🙂
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R
Richard
Washington, D.C. Area17 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food in a charming environment. Service was great. We will definitely go back.
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T
Theresa
New York City21 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 18, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Very interesting tiny restaurant on Rehoboth Ave. Limited menu, but what we had was absolutely delicious. Dishes are creative. We ordered the tempura shrimp appetizer and gazpacho as starters, delicious! Followed with entrees of Delmarva Chicken and Spinach-ricotta cannelloni. Ordered apple fritters to take home! Price point was high for the total check but if you want something unique, it was well worth the trip.
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T
Tia VIP
Virginia3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful and the soft shell crab dish should be a regular on the menu !!!
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C
Cheryl
Philadelphia County1 review
3.0
Dined on June 15, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
We were excited to visit this place which was new to us. Service staff were very good and the music was wonderful and created a good atmosphere. The focaccia was very good. We ordered risotto fritters and cauliflower fritters. The risotto inside was good but the coating was just fried bread crumbs and really had no flavor. The cauliflower was not even coated with anything other than maybe some corn starch, flour and a bit of spice. Where is the 'fritter' in that? Also, tiny, one small piece of cauliflower. The salad my husband had was very good. greens with strawberries, etc. He ordered succotash - not seasoned and just boring. He ordered the cannelloni and it was good but the pasta in it was gluey. I ordered the gnocchi which came with seafood. It smelled very 'fishy' and was not pleasant at all. I had two mussels that had a horrible taste and it seemed as though the seafood was not fresh. There seemed to be a lot of seafood but, other than the mussels, the pieces were unrecognizable. And that entree was $44.00. I didn't see evidence of a CIA trained chef and will not go back. Prices too high for the quality in my opinion.
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M
Melissa VIP
Philadelphia County3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Dinner at The Federal is always excellent. It’s one of our favorite Rehoboth restaurants. Last night we enjoyed soft shell crabs and the hanger steak … both perfectly done with tasty sides. Thank you Chef for another great meal. Oh, and the craft cocktails always make dinner at the Federal extra special.
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J
Jorge VIP
Baltimore / Maryland8 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
No better spot in RB. ALWAYS get the salad to share.
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P
Peter VIP
Washington, D.C. Area99 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We enjoyed a very special evening in The Federal’s spirit dinner series featuring Belvedere vodka-based cocktails. The entire meal prepared by chef-de-cuisine Andrew Guffey was outstandingly delicious, beautifully presented. The cocktails were perfectly paired with each course. The entire staff, led by Federal co-owner Ellen Kassoff, was working efficiently like a well-oiled machine, ensuring very smooth and excellently timed service. The Federal is a true Rehoboth Beach treasure!
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FAQs

The Federal Rehoboth offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (302) 727-5609.

The Federal Rehoboth is rated 4.7 stars by 518 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

62a Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
2nd Ave
Neighborhood
Rehoboth Beach
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Unspecified
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Public transit
Local bus service stops out of the front of restaurant
Payment options
AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Todd Gray
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.thefederalrehoboth.com/
Phone number
(302) 727-5609
Catering
From a casual dinner drop-off to full service catering is offered
Private party facilities
Please contact us for private events for groups of 7 - 35 people

The Federal Rehoboth

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Apple Pie Fritters

Apple Pie

Corn Fritters

Starters

Chilled Minted Tomato Soup$16.00

Crispy Red Cabbage Spring Roll$19.00

Mixed Pennsylvania Field Greens$17.00

Creamy Grits with Fennel Sausage Bolognese$16.00

Tempura of Sweet Tiger Shrimp$18.00

Equinox Truffled Mac & Cheese$16.00

Mains

Wild Mushroom Teriyaki$31.00

Baked Cannelloni of Spinach & Ricotta$33.00

House Made Ricotta Gnocchi$44.00

Pan Seared Ocean City Scallops$42.00

Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steak$39.00

Pan Roasted Delmarva Chicken$37.00

Grilled Creekstone Farms NY Strip Steak$58.00

Dessert

Chocolate Brownie a la Mode$11.00

Sicilian Style Chocolate Laced Cannoli$11.00

Bittersweet Chocolate Molten Cake$11.00

Tiramisu Layer Cake$11.00

Apple Pie Fritters$11.00

Warm Hazelnut Chocolate Bomboloini$11.00

The Side DIsh

Early Summer Sweet Corn Succotash$10.00

Tatiana's Grilled Focaccia for 2$8.00

House-Made Warm Buttermilk Cornbread for 2$8.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Federal Rehoboth offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Federal Rehoboth restaurant rated?

Is The Federal Rehoboth currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information