Stopped by Empress Coffee & Cocktails and honestly loved the whole vibe. Super clean, welcoming,…read moreand just one of those places that immediately feels comfortable the second you walk in. The staff was incredibly friendly and genuinely made us feel taken care of. The espresso martini was absolutely on point, and the pizza was seriously good too. You can tell they care about quality and the overall experience. We didn't get a chance to try the bakery items this time, but everything on display looked amazing, so we're definitely coming back for that next time. Highly recommend if you're looking for a cozy spot with great food, drinks, and even better people.

Coffee by Day, Cocktails by Night! Pair with the perfect small plates & flatbreads! We were the…read morefirst to arrive for the day and perused the delicious looking croissant breakfast sandwiches before ordering a tray of coffees to go! Such a cute spot with a few outdoor tables overlooking a park like view. Inside there is a nice bar top area and cozy nooks. Will definitely come back for small plates and cocktails! Flat White Coconut Lavender Latte Honey Saffron Latte Brown Sugar Cardamom Latte

The Grilled Oyster is an absolute gem. First of all, their…read moreoysters are delightful. The Rockefeller is especially delicious, rich, and perfectly prepared. Every dish feels fresh and thoughtfully made. The atmosphere is small and quaint but still classy, creating a cozy spot that feels special without trying too hard. It is the kind of place where you can relax, enjoy amazing seafood, and have great conversation. The staff is warm, attentive, and knowledgeable, which adds to the overall experience. Whether you are stopping in for oysters or enjoying a full meal, The Grilled Oyster is a place you will want to return to again and again.

Great food and service! Mother's Day celebration was great! Loved the oysters, sides, crab soup…read moreand Salmon entree.

I met some girlfriends here before dinner. It was raining that day, so everyone was inside. Its a…read moresmall place, but has a cute vibe. I grabbed a high top, while waiting for my friends. I ordered a glass of the white blend, which I wasn't really a fan of. The server was nice, but he was busy, so it took a while for him to return and take out orders. I ordered the crab dip for us to share. It was a good option to share before dinner. I then opted to try the spicy margarita. I actually really enjoyed it. Overall, I like the ambiance and variety of options. Although our server was really nice and apologetic, I was hoping for a better service experience. I would definitely try again and possibly go when the weathers nicer so I can sit outside.

What a gem! Looking for a quiet date night or a girl's night where you can actually talk? This is…read moreyour place! I usually sit at the bar. Oscar the bartender is aweosme. Always has a smile and makes sure you are taken care of. And remembers me only after a few times! I've met several customers who are super friendly too. One of the owners (Ken) was there having a glass of wine at the bar recently and it was lovely to chat. Happy hour 3-6:30. Wine and apps. Have had the happy hour Pinot noir and cab. Both are awesome! The pretzel is great.

This place is hoppin'! Whenever Yelp asks me if a place is hip, I never know what to say -- until…read morenow! This place is definitely hip! What a vibe! So cool, fun, nice décor, super-helpful and responsive staff, lots of people eating outside and inside, and quite a selection of foods and beverages with lots of room for personalization. We came here because they have lots of vegetarian things and are known to be accommodating of requests regarding dietary needs and preferences -- what a relief from the get-go, even before arriving! Parking was easy but since I wanted to go to the bookstore afterwards, I parked near that, around the corner, and had a little amble along the road, looking at various shops and restaurants along the way, plus the greenery of the park .... I got the Avocado Tacos and asked what I could get instead of rice -- one option was the El Greco salad, so I got that. I felt a bit weird about it, though, until it was explained to me by our waitress that this wasn't just a Mexican place but rather a Mexican-Greek fusion! Oh, wow! Mind got a bit blown by that -- cool! Well, with that info., my mind relaxed ... and I awaited my meal. This is a good thing, but if you're in a hurry you might want to get something ready-made or more quick such as soup or salad that needs little to no preparation. For me, I'd rather wait! (I mean, whenever possible, that is.) So ... it was delicious! I was hungry. It was filling. The avocado was all very fresh, no yucky pieces, ha ha! Plenty of flavour, texture, colours, visual and all kinds of other appeal for the tongue. My two corn tacos under each heap of goodness did fuse together -- presumably from the moisture of all that lay on top of them -- so I could not separate them as I usually do, but the truth is that it ended up being so much food, I didn't even finish my tortillas, anyway. The tempura tacos (Aha Baja) have warm and crispy pieces that are not too big -- and that reduces the potential of a too-greasy feel. In a word, good! Or just plain 'Mmm!' The Roasted Potatoes are absolutely delicious! The Black Beans are totally tasty! The amount of desserts is incredible -- and all are house-made, wow! I could not believe how long the list was! Oh, yeah, and the appetizer of chips and salsa was crispy and yummy. The guacamole is creamy and has a hint of spice that varies by bite .... The food was all great, and so was the rich Lemon and Ginger tea was incredibly good! It looked and felt rich and thick -- such a surprise! I enjoyed it immensely. I was also offered honey, sugar, and milk to go with it if I wanted, and found out that the owner is a tea aficionado and that's why their teas are so good! If you don't like noisy environments, you might want to avoid the busier times (such as weekends) or eat outside, weather permitting. This is such a one-of-a-kind-place -- not to be missed! Yay! :-D

Bring your patience and an appetite! It's a small restaurant so getting a table takes some time…read more Our group of five had a reservation for 12:30pm on a Saturday and we're seated around 1:00pm when some tables finally cleared. It looked like there were two servers working the entire restaurant so getting our waters also took a bit of time. I promise the food is worth the wait. I got the grecco salad with rotisserie chicken, avgolemeno soup, and potatoes. Everything was absolutely delicious. I wish I had two stomachs so I could order and eat more! My Greek friend swears by their chicken, potatoes, and avgolemeno soup and she didn't steer me wrong. Id love to return in the evening to sit at the bar sometime. Bar seating was more readily available than the tables.

The greeter was friendly and noted my (not so subtle) hint that it was my companion's birthday…read more Our server, Nico, was attentive and very friendly. While they didn't have the ribs we'd wanted (bummer), I loved my jambalaya with basmati rice (substitute for the linguini). The manager came over to check in. And... they brought his choice of dessert with a sparkler candle while we all sang. Very fun-- we'll be back!

Went in about 5 mins ago. The receptionist gave us no eye contact and told us they were booked…read more For the night. While there's about 10 more tables in the back, the pictures are from the front of the restaurant. On a Tuesday. Does it look packed? Went to Burton's across the street.

Recently changed ownership and they are doing a great job revitalizing the place. I've been going…read morehere for about 9 years now, first as part of a post running group hangout and now as a local watering hole. They have a rotating selection of beer on top, seasonal as well. A wide selection of wines, and chilled beers are also available. There are so chilled wine bottles and single beer cans you can buy and enjoy at the location as well. Plenty of indoor seating, and outdoor seating too. They also host live music and trivia nights! There are areas for improvement though. As I said it has new owners, but the place is old and desperately needs an interior remodel, and new outdoor seats/tables would be great as well. Food selection is also wanting - chips are the only thing on the current menu as far as I can tell. To sum it up, a great local business with new owners that deserves your support! I just hope the new owners but a little TLC into the place to improve it!

A cute little place to pop in for a drink. Lots of beer and wine to choose from in a very chill…read moreenvironment. It's definitely more of a store atmosphere, but there are tables to enjoy your drinks. The tables are even big enough for a board game!

Have lived in The Kentlands for 15 years and have never been to this location before. My husband…read moreand I were walking by recently and noticed a beautiful fire table outside at Vasili's Kitchen. I told my husband that we should check it out sometime-we were not disappointed. The bartender Sean was a bit busy, but made sure to engage and socialize with everyone at the bar. I wasnt sure what I wanted to drink so he suggested to trust him and make a cocktail based on my preferences. I was blown away by what he made me. I dont know exactly what it was but he said there was honey and gin. Delicious drink. The happy hour menu was AMAZING!!! SO MANY OPTIONS, and for such a good price. We will definitely be back to see Sean and the rest of the wonderful staff at Vasili's!!!

ya know, its great when the servers are helping each other. A server came by and saw that our water…read morehadn't been filled yet, asked if our server had been by yet, they went and checked came back and said ok im your server now. I looked over the menu and wanted to try something different so I got the chicken kebob. Tbh when I ordered it I thought I was going to need more but was pleasantly surprised. It was only 1 kebob but it was massive. Definitely good enough for dinner. Perfectly happy with the chicken kebob but maybe I'll try the gyro next time.

The food here is always deliciously fresh and and done with care, I have never had a bad meal here…read more The atmosphere can be very noisy but it is manageable, they do play a weird mix of music sometimes so be prepared: D The service however can often be inattentive and food timing can be inconsistent. All in all a good brunch experience in the Germantown/Gaithersburg area!

Very solid place! Stopped in while waiting for my mom to be done with a nearby appointment and was…read morenot disappointed. There is counter service and the food and drink came out quickly. The interior has plenty of seating and was very cozy with lots of natural light. The breakfast bowl I had was delicious and the latte was good! I felt the price point was a bit expensive but not enough to discourage me from returning.

The service is good as well as the ambiance of the restaurant. The plates are relatively small for…read morethe price but the flavors are delicious. I tried the salmon with quinoa and it was one of the best combinations I've ever had. Also, the crap dip was really good. Recommended if you would like to try new flavors but be mindful of the portions since they could be small depending on what you order.

I visited Botanero for a Saturday morning brunch. While the overall ambiance of the restaurant is…read morelight and airy, the tables are somewhat cramped together, so know that you won't have an abundance of elbow room. That aside, the staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful, and I loved the bossa nova covers of 90s songs playing in the background. I ordered the ham & bacon omelette, which was very good and fresh. It's essentially filling (virginia ham, bacon, arugula, red pepper, caramelized onion and white cheddar) wrapped in a thin layer of scrambled egg, which I was very happy with. The omelette was served with a side of home fried potatoes that were seasoned perfectly. I will definitely visit again in the future.

Love the Spot and it has only gotten stronger since it has opened a few years back. The drinks are…read morefun, and this is absolutely the place where you can tell the bartender "make me something tasty" and they really will. I hadn't been for a while last I went in May, and noticed now they have events, so that was really cool. It can be hard to get somewhere to sit if you are in a bigger group, plan ahead.

This is a lovely place. It has an atmosphere that reminds me of the memes about Cheers. Dom and…read moreSoraya always know my name and greet me with a warm hello