Madigan's Waterfront

Madigan's Waterfront is the PERFECT venue if you want to have a ceremony and reception on site for no more than 80-90 people. End of story. Cathy Madigan, one of the owners, acts as your wedding planner for the event. She is there well before you wedding helping to get set up and make everything beautiful, she is there to make sure your ceremony goes smoothly, and helps to organize the events of the day so that everything stays on schedule and you don't have to worry about a thing. We had about 75 guests which was perfect for this venue. There were several levels in the venue to help separate the eating area, cocktail area, dance area, buffet line and cake area. It was also nice that there is a large wrap around deck that is totally private and for your guests to use if they want to go outside to get fresh air or look at the river. She was also able to provide you with a DJ that she uses frequently for a very reasonable cost. The food was amazing! So good. Our guests repeatedly used the words "Perfect" to describe our venue and the reception as a whole. We had such a blast and it was quite literally the best day ever. We are still in awe at how perfect everything went. more

wonderful food and service. The view could not have been more plesant. I will be back. more

I came here on a holiday weekend afternoon and it was not crowded at all for lunch. The staff was friendly and showed us to our table almost immediately. The menu has some good choices for lunch, namely the appetizers, salad and sandwiches. I ordered the big fish sandwich- a large piece of fried haddock (the fried part was not mentioned on the menu) and the portion was huge! I ended up splitting the sandwich because it was so big. The fish itself was very well fried and deliciously crispy without being overly oily. The fries were also great. Others at the table ordered the fried soft shell crab sandwich and the crabcake sandwich. My friend complained that the crabcake sandwich was more filler than crab, but my other friends said that the soft shell crab sandy was yums. I'd totally come back here for lunch on a day that the weather was less sweltering. Oh and, all the reviews about the bathrooms are completely correct. They smell terrible. Someone needs to throw an air freshener up in there because it definitely smelled like stale cigs and spilled beers. Bleh. A lunch time goodie! I'll be back next time I'm in the neighborhood. more

A bunch of us went for a boat outing. We docked at the small pier in old town Occoquan and opted to have lunch at Madigan's which is right off of the water. We were seated in the outdoor patio, even though the place was crowded. I ordered the goat cheese (!) Quessadilla. It was very good. Several of my compadres ordered the crab crake sandwich and said that it was fresh and tasty. Very convenient if you're going there by boat. more

My experience with Madigan's Waterfront has always been a happy one. There is live entertainment Friday & Saturday evenings in the bar area starting about 9:30. which has been a pleasant experience. The food is wonderful and the service is terrific. If you haven't visited the waterfront you don't know what your missing. more

My sister-in-law insisted that we come here for Father's Day brunch yesterday because she heard good things about the buffet. Let's just say that based on the other reviews, this was far from my first choice, so I was prepared to hate the place, but in the end actually turned out to be good. The reviews that said that it took a long time for them to get seated were right on. Maybe it was just the holiday, but the line to get seated for the reservation-only brunch buffet was pretty long. The restaurant was half-empty, so there was no problem getting a table. We were greeted promptly and courteously by our server, and had no problem placing our order. My wife and I shared the Crab Alfredo and Petite Open Face Filet. The first dish was a little light on the crab, but what was there was good, as was the alfredo sauce. We ordered the filet medium-rare and it came out medium, which is what we expected since our waiter actually warned us that they tend to overcook the beef. The quality and tenderness of the meat was very good. My sister-in-law had the chicken quesadilla, which I tasted as well, and it was quite good, the chicken tender and tasty. My father-in-law had a roast beef sandwich, which I didn't get to taste but he said it was good. Also a couple of the dishes came with fries, which were good as well, they tasted fresh and were not soggy like at some restaurants. more

We used Madigan's for our rehearsal dinner venue. Our guests complimented us on the restaurant and food. My in-laws couldn't have enough nice things to say about Cathy as they worked with her in organizing the dinner. Everything ran smoothly on the night of the rehearsal dinner and you could tell that Cathy and the staff have a lot of experience and they knew how to handle everything! more

I loved everything, The food was great, we had shrimp and crab nachos that were fresh and crispy. My burger was cooked just right and my wifes crabcakes were full of jumbo crab meat. The drinks were cold and the music on the deck was pieceful. Even the ducks were having a good time. You can't beat the service or the view. we will be back. more

I shopped around in Northern Virginia, and Madigan's provided the best price for a catered reception. The site is smaller then most (comfortably sits ~75 people). It is upstairs from the restraunt, on the waterfront. Cathy is friendly and helpful. She acts as a coordinator during the reception for no additional fee. I was impressed by the professionalism of her staff when serving throughout the reception. The food was wonderful. A wedding cakes comes free with the site. I picked my style of cake out from a book (really nice on my budget, too). It tasted fine and looked nice. She is a good friend with a DJ who has worked with her for over 20 years. You have to pay for his services seperately, but it was nice to find someone reliable so quickly. more

After a fairly extensive search for a good reception venue I selected Madigan's for it's location in historic Occoquan on the river, the quality of the food we had eaten in the restaurant, the charm of the upstairs reception area that would be pre-decorated for the Christmas holidays, and the reasonable pricing. Cathy was willing to negotiate on the pricing due to our reception taking place on a Monday afternoon and since I would be bringing my own wedding cake which is normally included in the price. I was even able to swap the extra desserts that are typically part of the menu for a champagne toast instead. I also made one equal swap for one menu item I didn't care for. The open bar was paid on a per consumption basis instead of a flat fee per person which I also appreciated. I was also able to negotiate a price for younger children as well as toddlers/babies at no cost. I didn't really like paying a $1 per person cake cutting fee to bring in my own cake, but that price is on the low end of what you can expect at other places. One guest had a food allergy and she made sure the recipe for the one item that included the ingredient was changed for our wedding day. She had a few different handouts with guidelines, menus, timing of meetings, etc. that made the process go smoothly. I rely heavily on email and sometimes it would take more than 24 hours for her to respond but none went more than a few days without response--I think voicemail may be a better way to reach her. Cathy was always very professional but started to loosen up a little by the end. She is not your typical warm and fuzzy, bubbly wedding coordinator so don't get offended by her 'all business' approach to the meetings. She gave me helpful feedback on my tentative timeline for the day and their previous relationship with Nelson Coffman DJ services made that part of the planning process easier for me as well. Each of the four meetings with her were very efficient which I appreciated. With another wedding reception the day before mine that wanted to ch more

"Madigan's Waterfront is an excellent venue for a reception. It truly is the total package. We opted for a seated/ plated reception and it was wonderful. I get compliments daily on how great the service was, and how amazing the food was! The steak were cooked to perfection, and the stuffed flounder was to die for. Cathy was great to work with. Very flexible, and forgiving. I was a mess days leading up to the wedding, and totally dis-organized (don't move just weeks before your wedding!) But every thing went smoothly and looked fabulous! I'm so glad I chose to have my reception there! " more

Madigan's Waterfront is a very pleasant riverside restaurant in the quaint village of Occoquan, VA. Madigan's is an excellent stop during a visit to Occoquan and is definitely a dining destination itself Seafood entrees are the mainstay and include Crabcakes, Sea Scallops au Gratin, Stuffed Shrimp, Stuffed Flounder and a featured fresh catch of the day. Steak, chicken, and pasta dishes are available, too. Snadwiches, burgers, and salads are also on the menu. (If you are not up for a full crabcake dinner, the crabcake sandwich is a fine alternative.) Madigan's does crab very well and I can recommend both the crab cakes (nicely seasoned and full of crab meat rather than filler) and crab chowder. The main dining room is decorated in a gazebo or atrium style with trellises, hanging plants and wood floring. Dining on the waterfront deck is most enjoyable in spring and summer, but is popular the year round. Sunday Brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Live music featuring local and regional bands is scheduled in the bar and lounge area on Friday and Saturday nights. more

Madigan's Waterfront is a wonderful restaurant. The scenic view of the river was an added bonus. The service was excellent from the friendly hostess to the excellent wait staff. My husband had the Dirty Chicken which was full of flavor. I had the Tilapia Bruschetta which was superb. After dinner we went into their newly renovated bar which looked amazing. WOW! It was a wonderful night! more

Madigan's Waterfront is a very pleasant riverside restaurant in the quaint village of Occoquan, VA. Madigan's is an excellent stop during a visit to Occoquan and is definitely a dining destination itself Seafood entrees are the mainstay and include Crabcakes, Sea Scallops au Gratin, Stuffed Shrimp, Stuffed Flounder and a featured fresh catch of the day. Steak, chicken, and pasta dishes are available, too. Snadwiches, burgers, and salads are also on the menu. (If you are not up for a full crabcake dinner, the crabcake sandwich is a fine alternative.) Madigan's does crab very well and I can recommend both the crab cakes (nicely seasoned and full of crab meat rather than filler) and crab chowder. The main dining room is decorated in a gazebo or atrium style with trellises, hanging plants and wood floring. Dining on the waterfront deck is most enjoyable in spring and summer, but is popular the year round. Sunday Brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Live music featuring local and regional bands is scheduled in the bar and lounge area on Friday and Saturday nights. more

Once again Madigans was a hit with our friends. We all shared some crab and shrimp nachos & brie and fruit. The chicken oscar was great but I think the cowboy ribeye was the best choice for the meat. Danny had the surf and turf which was hard to eat because he had to hold the rest of the table away from his lobster with a fork. One of these times I'm going to try and save room for dessert. Great job Madigan's. more

Beautiful location, water view, excellent service. Each person loved what she/he ordered, from hamburgers to fried seafood to outstanding chicken salad, fresh house salad and wonderful she-crab soup. Enjoyable experience. Check this place out. more

While we were in Occoquan we ate lunch at Madigan's Waterfront Restaurant at 201 Mill Street. It was a hot day but we still opted to eat outside, overlooking the river, where they were dredging. Romantic? Not really but it didn't smell like a river, so that's something. :) Plus we got to see geese and ducks. Ambiance: I'd give it 22/30. It was pleasant and not as cheasy-looking as a lot of seafood places. The umbrellas kept the sun off and there was enough seating to have plenty of water-side tables. Service: 28/30. We had a server who had a trainee with her. This can sometimes be a hassle for customers but this experience was delightful. The two of them played off each other and it was more like having two dedicated servers for the two of us. The primary server was knowledgeable about the menu and specials. Food: 24/30. Everything was tasty, attractively presented and fresh. The menu had a huge variety of seafood options plus three additional daily specials. We had the fried clams appetizer which were larger, moister, lighter and less greasy than I'd expected. They were quite good but I would have preferred a little more flavoring--perhaps a touch of cayenne or even black pepper. Hubby had the tortilla tilapia (excellent) and I had the Cajun mahi-mahi (good.) Both came with fresh salad and a couple of sides. Hubby had a wheat beer which hit the spot on a hot day. I had their white flight of wine. It was strange in that they brought me three white wines with a place mat that explained what each one was but the wines didn't seem to relate to each other in any way (a Riesling, a Pinot Grigio, and a Chardonnay from different wineries/regions.) They were all all right but I got the feeling the restaurant was offering a flight because it was a way to sell more wine, rather than because someone had put together intriguing combinations. more

Cathy Madigan was great to work with and I would highly recommend Madigan's Waterfront to anyone planning a special event. I appreciated Cathy's enthusiasm and take-charge attitude and she alleviated a lot of my stress! The venue was beautifully decorated and the food was wonderful. Throughout the night, Cathy and her staff made sure we and our guests were enjoying ourselves! more

FOOD, SERVICE,VIEW, ALL EXCEPTIONAL more

We had our company holiday party at Madigans waterfront and it was top notch! Excellent food, service and enviorment. Our menu included the dirty chicken, vegatarian platter ( portabello mushrooms stuffed with goat cheese and pine nuts), grilled salmon and the prime rib. Dessert included a great pcs of cheese cake and excellent choc mousse. Everyone had a great time and loved the food. The price was excellent for the event (better than any other price I found in the area). We had our event on a Friday night so the band was playing after 9:00 but we could hardly hear the music unless the door to the bar was open. The one down side is the bathroom is located in the bar area so you had to leave the restaurant area and walk through the smokey area to use the restroom. I didnt really consider that an inconvenience as the other part of the event was so good, no one seemed to care. I highly recommend Madigans for a nice dinner or for a company event. Its also a great place to do for a night of live music and dancing. All in one. I will say that its a much nicer and classier enviorment than Tims or Oasis if your looking for a nicer enviorment. If your looking to drink and eat crabs and throw down, you might want to go to Tims. more