Hidden gem! Food is Delicious!! Excellent service and charming atmosphere. When my husband and I are looking for a guaranteed good meal, we head to Allison's. They never disappoint! read more

This place is so great. Definitely the best place in Crofton by far. My aunt and I have been going here for over a year. It is our place and we love it. And it is for good reason, each and every time we have been here we have had a wonderful experience. The staff is always extremely professional and polite. The atmosphere is eclectic and pleasant and the food is really, really good. Fresh ingredients and classic flavors. They also have a nice wine list and great desserts. There is only one problem with this place. Every time we are there it is not that busy. I don't get it Crofton! There is a first rate restaurant at your fingertips. Go! Enjoy! Forget about Waugh Chapel's traffic and parking, pass over over priced diners and Asian buffets. Allison's is the best...you can thank me later. read more

Just had dinner there. Starting from the beginning, very polite staff. We were able to sit right away at 6:15 on a Saturday. I hope that's not a bad sign because this place ROCKS. A bread bowl was put before us with a cornbread cake that was INCREDIBLE. The appetizer was fried mozzarella BRICKS! Delicious. We had the Chicken Limone and the Crab cake dinner. Both very good. Although the menu was limited, that should NEVER be a cause for a lower rating. Go to Applebee's if you're looking for a huge variety. This food was excellent. We ate everything and came away without feeling overly stuffed, but there was so much food to eat! What this tells me is that the food is prepared in a healthy way...I won't go into details on this, but trust me. You're not only eating good tasting food, but it's good for you as well. I can tell. :) We didn't have dessert but I heard a rundown on the choices and they sounded yummy! Maybe next time, we will be coming back! read more

We enjoyed our recent date night dinner here immensely! To get the minus one star reason out of the way - the waitress didn't go over the soup of the day or the specials...we had to ask about the soup and, if she had gone over the specials, we totally would've remembered that we wanted fried green tomatoes (which weren't on the menu), and gotten them. Anyways, aside from that, our waitress was attentive without being overbearing. And, the food was very good. The wife got the grilled salmon with asparagus and rice; I got the penne pasta with Italian sausage, shrimp, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a basil pesto cream sauce. While both entrees were well-prepared and tasty, mine was the stand-out! It was delish...super impressed. This little place in an unassuming strip mall is quite the neighborhood gem. read more

Allison's Restaurant - Penne pasta with Italian sausage and shrimp - New American Near Me - Crofton, Maryland

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Who says nothing good can come from a mini mall? I went here for a quick pre-bowling dinner and was pleasantly surprised. This cute little restaurant in a strip mall has some good, authentic comfort food for a decent price. The steak frites exceeded expectations. The meat was melt in your mouth delicious and the sauce made me want to lick the plate. Being the lady that I am, I sopped it up with bread instead. Mmm. My boyfriend's steak and mashed potatoes were exactly what you'd expect from a place that is striving for a homemade feel and taste. The only downside was the service. Don't get me wrong, our waitress was more than a little pleasant but, there seemed to be some miscommunication between the hostess, the kitchen, and our waitress. We were forgotten about not once but twice. The free appetizer and dessert made up for it, so I'll go back but I hope that the next time we can end up with hot food and less confusion. read more

From the warm bread and corn bread, to the best fried mozzarella and homemade lasagna, GREAT FOOD. You should come and visit! read more

Allison's Restaurant - Lasagna! - New American Near Me - Crofton, Maryland

This restaurant caught me off guard. My wife invited me to Allison's without looking at Yelp's reviews or googling the location. Upon pulling up to the location I thought ummm what in the world? Let me tell you, Do Not Let The Outside fool you. The customer service and food is amazing. I ordered the Lobster and Crab Ravioli and my wife ordered the Angel Hair with Chicken. Delicious! I definitely recommend this diamond in the rough restaurant. read more

Kicking myself for not taking pictures, but there are quite a few on here already. A perfect small venue but very high quality food. Specials board had seasonal fare- mushroom soup, penne with shrimp and sausage, braised beef ravioli-which was so flavorful! Surprised to see it in a chunky tomato sauce but it was so fresh you could taste every element! One companion had the salmon and raved about it as others have. I opted for the mushroom ravioli and was not disappointed! Big mushroom flavor and large chunks of portobello and tomatoes, and the sauce! Save some bread for sopping-trust me! The server brought a basket of warm rosemary focaccia and what looked like corn bread, either would help soak up the deliciousness of this dish! No pepper on the table, but our suspicions were correct-ask for it and they come grind it for you. I will be back if only just to catch one of the specials! read more

I was out doing some shopping in Crofton on July 3, had a craving for steak, so I pulled out my Yelp app looking for restaurants nearby with a good steak. For some reason, Allison's came up on the list, but after reading the reviews I didn't really understand why they were listed for steak.....but they still sounded good, so off I went to give it a try. I will agree with some of the other reviews, this is really more of an Italian restaurant than anything else, and once I saw the pics of the lasagna from some of my fellow Yelpers, I lost my craving for steak. I arrived around 8:45pm...their hours were posted as being open until 10:00, so I thought I'd have plenty of time. But when I walked in, everyone was seated around the bar and the dining room was completely empty. A young lady came up to greet me and informed me that the kitchen was closing at 9:00, that she had sent everyone home early for the holiday, thinking they'd be slow. As it turned out, this wasn't the case, as a few people came in after I did as well, and this poor girl was slammed! She was bartending and waiting tables for everyone in the bar area, as well as serving as hostess......she had my sympathy! But she did it all with a smile and a great sense of humor, so thumbs up to her! I did order the lasagna, which was really probably the best lasagna I've ever had. Really.....try it! Served with a side of sauteed vegetables, it was just the right consistency, the sauce was delicious, lots of cheese, spices were just right.....absolute perfection! So why only 4 stars instead of 5? While I realize this young lady was working alone, I'm not so sure of the wisdom in sending home your crew on a holiday night. Also, there was no bread or salad offered with my meal, and when I finished, she said "You're ready for your check, right?" rather than asking if I wanted dessert or coffee. Again, I understand she was busy, but I would have liked one of their desserts, even if it was in a to-go container. But I'll definitely go back and give them a chance to get that fifth star. read more

Just celebrated our two year anniversary and knew we needed to eat at Allison's! Our 2nd date was at Allison's, and they blew us away with their timeliness, ambiance, service, and DELICIOUS food on perfectly portioned plates. We've been there a few times since, and once again they've wowed us. I'm lactose-intolerant plus we both maintain low-sugar & low-carb high-protein diets and yet always find perfect feel-good indulgent dishes on their menu. We'll be coming back for years to come! Allison's read more

Cozy and quaint, Allison's opened just about two years ago and is one of those places you almost have to know about to find. Located in the Priest Bridge strip center of Crofton MD on Defense Highway Allison's serves above average new American cuisine and remains one of the Bowie/Crofton/Annapolis area's "best kept secrets". We love the Fried oyster appetizer and typically fight over who gets to order the Hickory Grilled Pork Chop with Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce, Basil Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, & Creamed Spinach. Nightly specials are offered. Seafood entree's are a standout along with some of the pasta selections. Service is generally good, although we have encountered some inexperienced waiters on occassion. Overall a great neighborhood stop. However, our most recent visit seemed to lack some of the pizzaz of Allison's early days. We are hopeful that is not a trend. I know it's overdone, but their Tiramisu is fantastic. Everything a good Tiramisu should be and the perfect ending to good meal. www.hardypartyreview.blogspot.com read more

Came here for the first time last Wednesday about a week ago. Loved the lobster ravioli it really was unique and full of flavor. Recommend putting red crushed peppers on it. The ceaser salad and fresh bread also hit the spot. However their custard Italian dessert was fantastic. Not to mention Fast and Nice service who can ask for more. read more

We love this place. Reasonable prices on wine. We've been here at least 10 times and don't ever leave disappointed. I get the same dish every time I am here, chicken Limone, it's a lightly breaded chicken breast with lemon flavoring, pasta, and marinara sauce. I've sampled the menu a bit through others and everything on the menu seems good. The vegetable lentil soup is solid. Service is always good, it's cozy, well lit, and perfect for date night. And it's local... So try it out! read more

Fan-fn-tastic! I travel a metric ton for my job. As such, I get to visit loads of establishments for dinners and whatnot. I will say that this place has some of the best foods I have eaten on the road. Been here 4 times, got a wide assortment of dinners. Every one was exactly what I was looking for. The Balsamic Chicken was delectable, the Grilled Italian Sausage was unreal, the Lasagna was just....yeah. Absolutely recommend this place, great food. I will say it seems like they are perpetually understaffed but sitting solo doesnt really bother me. read more

What a gem. I was in the area on business with two fellow employees and we were having trouble finding a well rated restaurant for dinner. Happened upon Alison's and we gave it a shot. It's in an unassuming strip mall so we were a bit concerned when we arrived but once we were inside we were greeted by a cozy, intimate seating for maybe 30-40 tops. Server was great, food came out fast and it was fantastic. Soup was great, seafood entrees were some of the best we've ever had and Dessert was fantastic. Wouldn't hesitate to go back here again if I'm ever in the area in the future. read more

This place is a real hidden gem. I only found it because of the Yelp reviews, as you'll miss it driving down Route 3 (it's in a strip mall behind a Burger King). ABSOLUTELY worth the trip, though. Easily the best fried green tomatoes I've ever had (with a spicy aioli and cole slaw). The staff was extremely friendly, and the menu had a lot of variety. My crab cake was pretty good. I only say "pretty" good, because I have had one better in Pax River, but that's an hour south. However, my mother had a "firecracker" shrimp w/ arugula & seaweed salad, and it was FANTASTIC. I'll be back. (side note to the staff: Get some kids cups, crayons, and paper to color on. Just because you have a fancy menu doesn't mean you can't be more kid friendly. You were very nice to my toddler, but those paper cups and long straws just don't work for two-year-olds. Fix that, and you'll get five stars.) read more

Was very disappointed. Barely a cup of calamari for $10 with some God awful sauce. I can't believe I had to ask for marinara. Crab cakes were pathetic. This is Maryland, use lump crab or dont bother puti g them on your menu. Shedded crab, peppers onions and breading is not a Maryland crab cake. And what's up with the tower of bland plain rice. Seems like a plate filler. Definitely adds nothing to the entree. Pathetic service. Zero ambiance. They will be the next restaurant in Crofton to go out of business. Good riddance. read more

We came for lunch and had ordered a salad with fried brie and a crab cake sandwich. The brie was a glorified mozzarella stick and the greens looked like they were right out of a Costco value bag. The crab cakes were disappointing. Both dishes felt like they were not hot enough. I have a bad back and found the chairs uncomfortable. The service was great, however, and the dining area is pleasingly cozy and a bustle with activity. read more

Allison's has been one of my favorite places ever since they opened for business several years ago. The owner and staff are very friendly and efficient. Their food is consistently good and nutritious ... not something I take for granted!! Sue M. Highly recommend ... read more

This is the best neighborhood bar/restaurant in Crofton. The Carbonara is the best this side of Italy. Martinis are one of the bar specialties. read more

Wow, what a nice surprise. You may miss this place as it only says Allison's and it's not obviously a restaurant. The service was friendly. It was a little loud but not overly so. The only ding was forgetting the protein for my meal so only a bowl of pasta showed up. It was rectified quickly. Also, the server never came back to see if we wanted anything else. So, room for improvement but when staff are that friendly and the food that good, I tend to overlook a mistake or two. We will be back. read more

Allison's Restaurant - Mostly Italian food but very good! - New American Near Me - Crofton, Maryland

We never turn around snd back track for a meal while traveling, but we did and were very happy we did. The Penne with Shrimp was wonderful. Te Mixed Greens with goat cheese was different than the norm. The server was on top of it as well. read more

Allison's is one of my favorite places to go out with my family. To begin, we are always greeted and served by very friendly wait staff. The dining room is rather small and the decor leaves something to be desired--but it kind of adds to the mom n' pop charm of the place. Their menu is fairly small--something I personally like, as it doesn't take 20 minutes to look at. They always have a big list of specials and desserts listed outside as well, which keeps it refreshing every time we visit. Where the food is concerned, I think the folks at Allison's do a great job. There's a lot of places to get lasagna in any city, but I think theirs is truly great. They also serve quite possibly my favorite breads and butter. The breads are always warm and the butter is nice and sweet. We always go through at least two baskets when we visit. All in all, a great place to go in if you are in the neighborhood and looking for something besides a huge, noisy chain restaurant. Also, they generally have a coupon on their website that you can print! Always a bonus. read more

Don't let the strip mall location dissuade you. Great food and great service! Would definitely enjoy dinner here again! read more

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My visit today was disappointing. I ordered the crab cake sandwich, and I received a fried slab of bread with hardly any crab meat. read more

Allison's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Crofton, Maryland

Charming restaurant! Every time we go the menu is delicious and the wait staff is awesome, although I do agree with other comments that they are understaffed. Daily specials are also great options. Bartenders are a solid A. read more

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Nice date spot. Not many vegetarian options...almost all of the items had meat in it. My dish said angel hair pasta but I was served spaghettini instead--not a huge issue but it's always a good idea to communicate that change instead of just serving without a care. We decided to stick with Mamma Angela's from now on. They're "next door"! read more

My husband his sister and I went to Allison's last week for dinner. Our meal was wonderful. We all 3 cleaned our Plates. Andy loved the tip steak. Jen and I. Had the shrimp Provincial.....delish! read more

We'd been to Allison's a few times but it had been a while so on a cold night after a long day at work and not wanting to cook, we decided to try Allison's again. It was Friday, February 22nd. We were seated promptly but on the side of the dining room closest to the bar. We'd always been seated in booths on the wall on previous visits so we never noticed just how small the dining room is. (Claustrophobic... and I ended up having dinner with not just my husband but the 4-year-old sitting next to me. He was a very nice 4-year old so it was actually pretty nice, just not what I had in mind...) The waitress took my husband's drink order, one of the local brews they had on tap but I couldn't decide what I wanted. She went to get the beer and then came back and said the beer had run out and he needed to pick something else. So he picked something else only to find out that had run out also. He finally ordered a Stella, the only other beer that wasn't the run of the mill Budweiser or light stuff. I ordered a margarita. We ordered the calamari which was done well with a little tub of sauce similar to Mai Ploy. For dinner, my husband ordered the special, we don't remember what it was but it had shrimp in it. I noticed later when I was reading Yelp reviews that the two specials they offered seemed to be the specials more often than not. When we talked about dinner the next day, my husband couldn't even remember what he ate... so much for it being "special." I ordered the crab cake sandwich,.... a Maryland classic. There really needs to be a Bureau of Maryland Crab Specialties that oversees the foods and licensing of Maryland specialties in Maryland restaurants. After all, a bad experience with a meal could turn a tourist off of Maryland forever. Allison's should have their license revoked and be fined for the crab cake sandwich they served me. It was--maybe--a half inch thick and anything remotely related to crab died years ago. Not a lump to be found and the color of the "crab" was indescribable; it wasn't like any crab cake I'd seen before. I would have been better off going to a grocery store and buying frozen ones. Two bright spots were the corn bread served in the bread basket and the fries that came with my "crab cake" sandwich. Both were delicious but I can't remember the time I went somewhere just for the bread basket or the fries. The waitress never came to see if we wanted another round of drinks. I never would have ordered another margarita; it tasted like something that you would buy at the liquor store already premixed; "just pour over ice." I would have ordered something else and my husband would have had another beer. I guess Allison's doesn't need the $16 or so another round would have cost. Last point: it was Friday. Allison's didn't have two of the beers they had on their menu (and they don't have that many.) I heard the waitress say to another table, must have been regulars, that the wine the woman usually ordered "hadn't come in that day." That says bad management to me... I read all the rave reviews about this place and 2 things came to mind: people don't know good food and service or the reviews were all written by employees and family. I was raised on good food. I have chefs in my family. I know good service. My husband and I have both worked in restaurants. We won't go back. read more

Unlike the one star review that posted a review a year later, I dinned here last night. It was my eighth visit I guess and as those before, the food was great. So far I've had the Panko-Parmesan Crusted Cod, Angel Hair Pasta with Marinated Chicken, and Sautéed Chicken Breast Limone. My friends have had the Grilled Salmon Fillet, the Cornmeal Crusted Oysters, and the steak. We have always been impressed with the quality, flavor, and presentation, of the food. I've never had any issues with the service. read more

Strip mall restaurant where the chef knows what he is doing. Food was very good. Great cornbread at the table. This is what we call a neighborhood gem and we will be back. read more

Allison's Restaurant - Italian sausage - New American Near Me - Crofton, Maryland

Wonderful little restaurant hidden in an unassuming shopping center. The service was prompt and friendly but thoughtfully unobtrusive during our meal. For an appetizer we had the calamari which was just lightly bettered and perfectly fried. Surprisingly it came with a kind of Thai chili sauce rather than marinara, but the sauce was also great. My mushroom ravioli was also delicious, but its lobster ginger sauce was the real star. Just ask the server who offered to take my "empty" bowl before I was finished soaking up the leftovers with table bread. Prices are very reasonless, especially conserving portion size, and they had a number of bottles of wine available for under thirty dollars. Print out the buy one entree get one half off coupon on their website before you go! read more

This is our go-to neighborhood restaurant. We've been coming since they opened (how many?) years ago. We always encounter neighbors when we come. We are never disappointed with our food choices. Make sure you go on line before you come and get the half off second entree coupon. Service is attentive and personal. However, I still miss the portobello ratatouille that was on the menu back in the day! read more

This is our go to place several times a week Great food, great atmosphere and close to home.. Customer service is top shelf from the wait staff to the owner. Personality abounds ... Tess - The Amazing Graze - our favorite school teacher Matt, or Chef Jim, all aim to please...and then some... So to Scott C I have to ask, did you have a bad day dude? Because these are some of the loveliest people I have ever had the pleasure of dinning with... My advice,go there judge for yourself ..... read more

My husband and I wanted to hit another date night, rare we get two nights in a row. We were tired and did not want to drive far. I remembered seeing Allison's when visiting Rite Aid, so we took a chance and was PLEASANTLY surprised! Service was great. I wish I remembered the waitress name; we hope to see her again. The food was perfectly prepared. We ate all of our food!!! Nothing left! Definitely found a hidden treasure!! read more

The service was terrible. Our party of 6 walked into the restaurant only to be seated at a 4 person table. The waitress says, "I will let you all figure out the seating" and scurries away. What in the world!? Terrible first impression...we didn't stay so I can not comment on the food. :-( read more

Let me start off by saying that out server was great and very friendly. Based off the reviews on Yelp we were excited to try this place out but we're very disappointed with our experience. We sat in the back and the table behind us had just about finishing their food. It looked delicious. I asked what they ordered and it was all three of the dishes I was thinking of and each said it was excellent. Again, couldn't wait to order. We started off with the fried green tomatoes and the fried oyster appetizers. Mine tasted great, I had them add goat cheese cause that's how I like it. It was served on top of their cole slaw. I think the tomatoes could and should stand on their own. My husband order the fried oysters and said he's had better, but no big deal. My rating is a result solely from our entrees. I ordered the shrimp and calamari Diablo. I don't know what it was, but the pasta and shrimp tasted grainy/mealy and the dish had a lot of oil in it. The taste was totally off and I couldn't finish my plate. My husband ordered the Parmesan crusted cod. It came with asparagus and cheddar mashed potatoes. The fish was clearly undercooked. We let the server know and she took it back. When she brought back the food the chef had reheated the same piece of fish and replated it to look nicer. I know this because our server said he was going to finish cooking the fish for us. Needless to say, the fish still didn't taste right and in the back of my husbands mind he was scared he was going to get food poisoning. The potatoes were very good. There was no apology from the chef or a visit to the table from the manager and the restaurant was not busy at all. We received the bill and were charged full price, no discount or offer of a comped dessert. I've worked many years in the food industry and find this unacceptable. I would have loved to go back and try this place again, everybody has an off night, but it's not going to happen. read more

Just had the Lemone chicken and it was amazing. I have been wanting to try it in hopes that it tasted like my Nonna use to make and it did not disappoint. Fast service, no wait and delish. The home made corn bread is superb. read more

The crab cake sandwich was so yummy! It didn't have a lot of fillers mostly lumps of crab meat. The waitress was great too and offered good menu suggestions. My date had the Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and the chef was able make it for him with Alfredo sauce and it was delicious! The pricing was very reasonable read more

Cozy & quaint is true. I think this little gem is a new favorite. I went last night with a party of 7 & they handled us well. We had a great waitress to had patience with our group. We were celebrating a special occasion & when we needed to show up later than our reservations they could still accommodate us. The specials last night included Beef Tenderloin & a Skirt steak. For starters our group shared the brushetta & fried green tomatoes, which were crispy not at all greasy. Allison's lasagna has roasted vegetables along with beef & cheese. I was happy with my grilled salmon, and wondered why when I grill my at home it doesn't taste this good? Some of my dinning companions had the shrimp saute with basmati rice. read more