Best Restaurants in SOMD

Gilligan

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
JoshN said:
Been in the area since 2008, retired from the Corps in 2012. One thing I have not found since is true family restaurant. I live in Waldorf and there are more chains than you can shake a stick at and the few local family restaurants I have found in La Plata are tiny. What I have been looking for is a moderately sized restaurant with top notch food and family events. Where it is likely if I were a regular I would meet and regularly see the owner in the restaurant and where he knows his customers. I want to find someplace that has a regular menu and special weekend buffets that change up their standard fair but highlight the talent of the chef, where coming in no matter the time of day is a welcoming experience. Of course if the food were German food then it would be a slice of heaven but I figure that is probably a huge stretch.

It may sound like I am either looking for the impossible, or am dreaming, but I have known a place like this in my travels. It was tucked away just outside of one of the bases where my dad was stationed when I was kid and after 60 years they recently closed their doors. It was the place where we would go as a family every weekend. I could go in as a kid by myself and be treated the same as an adult and enjoy the same hospitality and respect that my parents did. The owner/chef knew everyone that came in and generations loved him and his family and the restaurant they built.

Am I looking for the impossible or is there a slice of heaven like this nearby?
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There was a time....the original Evans Seafood and Oakwood Lodge come to mind as examples something like your description. Long gone now, though.
 
b23hqb

b23hqb

Well-Known Member
GWguy said:
I love to do lunch there. Great place, if you don't mind feeling like a sardine... :lol:
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That, too - and noisy! A unique atmosphere, for sure. We sat at the first table by the stairs on the second level, so we were looking down on the cooks and the grill, and elbow to elbow with everybody up and down the steps. Price is a bit high, but the portions are big. Great milkshakes for breakfast as well.

:yahoo:
 
Hijinx

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
Go to Quades in Bushwood. George is the cook his wife often helps wait the tables the food is good and it's patrons are mostly country folk. Sometimes there is a band on weekends, or Kareoke. Don't look for fancy, look for good seafood and a friendly atmosphere.

It's different , it's not showy, it's a place to tell your friends about.
 
lovinmaryland

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
LJ1999 said:
In Charles County:


Prime Street Grille: Lobster Roll to die for
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That is one restaurant I can honestly say is TERRIBLE! Service was crappy and the food was not good at all. Our experience there was so bad the owner came out comped our entire meal AND gave us $100 in gift certificates to use on a next visit....we've never been back. It was THAT bad.

I heard they had a kitchen fire and will reopen in a few months.
 
Hank

Hank

my war
lovinmaryland said:
That is one restaurant I can honestly say is TERRIBLE! Service was crappy and the food was not good at all. Our experience there was so bad the owner came out comped our entire meal AND gave us $100 in gift certificates to use on a next visit....we've never been back. It was THAT bad.

I heard they had a kitchen fire and will reopen in a few months.
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I have never been, but heard the same reviews as yours.
 
lovinmaryland

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
Hank said:
I have never been, but heard the same reviews as yours.
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A lot of my family lives in Chuck County, they raved and raved about how good the food was that it was like eating at a nice DC restaurant etc... :dead: it sucked out loud! Pretty much inedible.

Now that I think about it I wonder if those gift cards are good for drinks...we could go there for drinks and then somewhere else for dinner :lmao: :alkies:
 
NextJen

NextJen

Raisin cane
JoshN said:
Been in the area since 2008, retired from the Corps in 2012. One thing I have not found since is true family restaurant. I live in Waldorf and there are more chains than you can shake a stick at and the few local family restaurants I have found in La Plata are tiny. What I have been looking for is a moderately sized restaurant with top notch food and family events. Where it is likely if I were a regular I would meet and regularly see the owner in the restaurant and where he knows his customers. I want to find someplace that has a regular menu and special weekend buffets that change up their standard fair but highlight the talent of the chef, where coming in no matter the time of day is a welcoming experience. Of course if the food were German food then it would be a slice of heaven but I figure that is probably a huge stretch.

It may sound like I am either looking for the impossible, or am dreaming, but I have known a place like this in my travels. It was tucked away just outside of one of the bases where my dad was stationed when I was kid and after 60 years they recently closed their doors. It was the place where we would go as a family every weekend. I could go in as a kid by myself and be treated the same as an adult and enjoy the same hospitality and respect that my parents did. The owner/chef knew everyone that came in and generations loved him and his family and the restaurant they built.

Am I looking for the impossible or is there a slice of heaven like this nearby?
Click to expand...

It may not be everything you are looking for, but if you want some good German food and beer, you might want to take a trek up to Edgewater, MD and check out the Old Stein Inn. It is a family run restaurant and often times you will see the owner and his wife walking around and chatting with folks. They schedule weekend entertainment in the Biergarten (weather permitting), and with the Fall weather coming, it is a fantastic place to hang out, have a few brews, chow down on some authentic German fare, and enjoy yourself.
 
Hank

Hank

my war
JoshN said:
Been in the area since 2008, retired from the Corps in 2012. One thing I have not found since is true family restaurant. I live in Waldorf and there are more chains than you can shake a stick at and the few local family restaurants I have found in La Plata are tiny. What I have been looking for is a moderately sized restaurant with top notch food and family events. Where it is likely if I were a regular I would meet and regularly see the owner in the restaurant and where he knows his customers. I want to find someplace that has a regular menu and special weekend buffets that change up their standard fair but highlight the talent of the chef, where coming in no matter the time of day is a welcoming experience. Of course if the food were German food then it would be a slice of heaven but I figure that is probably a huge stretch.
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Ruddy Duck. They have family events and Carlos, the owner is always working the crowd. Don't think I would consider it top notch, but I am convinced I am just bad luck when I go in there. Reviews go either way as far as the food is concerned. Probably a hike for you from Waldorf, though.
 
Merlin99

Merlin99

Visualize whirled peas
PREMO Member
vraiblonde said:
I keep wanting to give them another shot but honestly, I've been a couple times and neither was remarkable for the price. If I'm going to get dressed and spend money I'd rather have the osso bucco at Back Creek.
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Do they use veal or pork? The last few times I've seen osso bucco on a menu it was with pork and I really love veal.
 
acommondisaster

acommondisaster

Active Member
lovinmaryland said:
That is one restaurant I can honestly say is TERRIBLE! Service was crappy and the food was not good at all. Our experience there was so bad the owner came out comped our entire meal AND gave us $100 in gift certificates to use on a next visit....we've never been back. It was THAT bad.

I heard they had a kitchen fire and will reopen in a few months.
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We went a couple of years ago for brunch. It was...meh....certainly not worth what we paid, and not good enough to warrant going back to try their evening menu. I believe they're still closed.
 
acommondisaster

acommondisaster

Active Member
Hank said:
Are they still open? Past couple of times I passed there, it was empty.

I do want to try Red Oak.
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I thought Red Oak was completely underwhelming. I do a lot of takeout on my way into work. Red Oak was one of those meals where I wound up back at the vending machine later in the evening because I ate so little of my dinner. If only the food was as good as the pictures.
 
slotpuppy

slotpuppy

Ass-hole
lovinmaryland said:
That is one restaurant I can honestly say is TERRIBLE! Service was crappy and the food was not good at all. Our experience there was so bad the owner came out comped our entire meal AND gave us $100 in gift certificates to use on a next visit....we've never been back. It was THAT bad.

I heard they had a kitchen fire and will reopen in a few months.
Click to expand...
We ate there once. The food was good but we had bad service. The owner gave us a $50 gift card to come back.
We will give them another shot and see if the service gets better when they reopen.
 
Hank

Hank

my war
slotpuppy said:
We ate there once. The food was good but we had bad service. The owner gave us a $50 gift card to come back.
We will give them another shot and see if the service gets better when they reopen.
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Have you tried Grille No. 13? I had the best burger there.
 
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