Tides Restaurant & Oyster Bar/were is the oysters and seafood choices or sides

Morpheus

hi tech
Tides Restaurant and Oyster Bar

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I was at the Tides, last week after reading rave reviews about the cuisine and atmosphere last year May through December.
I finally made a decision to try it this past Friday night with my date driving for 30 minutes all the way from Calvert. Let me say this,the restaurant was beautiful but the decor was cold and too old world.The open kitchen is as I have experienced in other kind of similar establishments suppose to profess professionalism, but not here at the Tides, the so called chefs and cooks are visible wearing tee-shirts and hats flipped backwards and some looked rather raggedy.
The G.M named Dorothy, seems nice but very unprofessional and needs to resolve situations rather than trying to be (Miss Right) and also needs to be educated about what she claims to be a "Ruth Chris" dining experience.They need to be careful about comparing their establishment to a higher dining concept like that,for the fear of been laughed at or been sued.
The food was terrible with the exception of the spinach salad and crab dip, steak was underseasoned ,dry and unpalatable,mash potatoes has the mouthfeel of card box,vegetables were over cooked and the shrimp appetizer with barbeque taste like rubber,I happened to see foie gras on the appetizer menu and just imagined what it was doing on a menu so unprofessionally written and cooks that would n't know what to do with it,again maybe they might be trying just to make the menu look elite .Where are the choices of seafood ,oysters and side dishes I was led to believe they serve,reading reviews and listening to friends who had been to the restaurant before.
I am not going to even say anything about service,I have one word-"terrible".Although I will single out one server "Shawn, that seems to know what he was talking about on my return visit,but my understanding about him is that he trained under previous management and the professional chef and crew they had.
One word of advise for the Tides owners and management is please dont misrepresent menu items and image. "Oyster bar!!! what a joke and i thought St Marys was actually getting around to fine or casual fine dining.
Maybe I will give it and other try in six months when they actually figure out what they are doing at such high prices for mediocre or applebees food.No wonder they stay empty except for the bar.
I will write the owners and management for a refund of the rest of my holiday gift certificate I was going to use for mothers day and that they owe me a bushel of oysters and seafood.
Over all the Tides needs a complete makeover from concept to menu and management.I will keep the restrooms and bar area though.
 

suzeQ

Occasional User
Morpheus said:
Tides Restaurant and Oyster Bar
I am not going to even say anything about service,I have one word-"terrible".Although I will single out one server "Shawn, that seems to know what he was talking about on my return visit,but my understanding about him is that he trained under previous management and the professional chef and crew they had.

Actually, Shawn (Sean) was a chef at the Lighthouse, if he's the one I'm thinking of . . . (Japanese mother?) He actually went to school for cooking and is very good. I don't expect he'll be at the Tides for long. It was just an immediate opportunity when the Lighthouse burned down.
 

Club'nBabySeals

Where are my pants?
I know we're in the minority here, but I agree with Morpheus. I used to dine at the Tides two or three times per month before it changed management, and aside from a few flukes never experienced anything less than stellar service and food. Since the change, the selection has gone to hell, service took a step down, and the food is hardly anything to rave about. I gave up eating there for dinner, and only go for lunch when it's on business.

Perhaps Southern Maryland just wasn't ready for an establishment on par with Galileos or Ruth Chris. That's fine, and if the owners weren't making any money then I suppose the change was a good move overall. For my money, though, it's back to driving up to DC for a decent meal.
 

Morpheus

hi tech
I can second that.
But why fake customers or guests into believing they are going to dine exceptionally well.If you do fry foods, state that on your menu or website,but I saw perfect presentations,oyster bar ,ice sculptures,tableside cooking and classy well dressed chefs and servers.Which wasn't what I got or saw on both time I visited.That really made me mad,plus the food was just terrible maybe "Outback' can do better.
 

gigi6

New Member
Club'nBabySeals said:
I know we're in the minority here, but I agree with Morpheus. I used to dine at the Tides two or three times per month before it changed management, and aside from a few flukes never experienced anything less than stellar service and food. Since the change, the selection has gone to hell, service took a step down, and the food is hardly anything to rave about. I gave up eating there for dinner, and only go for lunch when it's on business.

Perhaps Southern Maryland just wasn't ready for an establishment on par with Galileos or Ruth Chris. That's fine, and if the owners weren't making any money then I suppose the change was a good move overall. For my money, though, it's back to driving up to DC for a decent meal.


I've been to the Tides before the new management and after.......as far as I'm concerned, The Tides = :barf:
 

Bretonian

New Member
Tides, In or Out?

We (4 adults) made two visits to the old Tides, and were always disappointed in the servers. Food was generally good but al la carte and very expensive. We made one visit last August under the new Management. The air conditioning was out and we melted.

Last friday night with friends, we gave it one last chance. We had a wonderful evening. Our server, "Stormy" was a delight, and gave us just the right amount of attention. We had the strip steak, duck, chicken and rack of lamb, as well as delicious salads. All of us were happy with our meals.
The cost was about $40 per person, with ####tails and wine, which we thought was reasonable for an upscale restaurant. I vote Tides "In".
 

Morpheus

hi tech
Bretonian said:
We (4 adults) made two visits to the old Tides, and were always disappointed in the servers. Food was generally good but al la carte and very expensive. We made one visit last August under the new Management. The air conditioning was out and we melted.

Last friday night with friends, we gave it one last chance. We had a wonderful evening. Our server, "Stormy" was a delight, and gave us just the right amount of attention. We had the strip steak, duck, chicken and rack of lamb, as well as delicious salads. All of us were happy with our meals.
The cost was about $40 per person, with ####tails and wine, which we thought was reasonable for an upscale restaurant. I vote Tides "In".
I still drink at the bar on weekends but stay away from the food,too much issue of inconsistency,heard their last cook from JTD conference center quit and was replace by a former bartender from Outback. They do need to invest in a clasically trained chef and manager if they want to be taken seriously again.Stay with the martinis and crab dip for now and i do think its still expensive for the kind of cooking and service offered.On some days it reminds me of a ghost town though....
 
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