I've been living in the Bowie area since 2006 and up until last year, had only ever visited this restaurant once, with family. I recall not being overwhelmed, but that it was decent and the prices were competitive with similar establishments, like Outback or Smokey Bones. Fast forward to last year, around this time and I found myself missing the 'local watering hole' I used to enjoy with places like Glory Days (which was my favorite, though I discovered it only a few years before it closed, sadly) or the Greene Turtle (also closed, tho rumored to be opening up further into Waugh Chapel Town Centre) but they are no longer with us. Started going to the Outback that was on Race Track Road in Bowie but that shuttered too, and moved to the Waugh Chapel area. Mind you, it isn't that much further, but it is "out of town". Same with the Ruby Tuesday's in Greenbelt; a decent bar and restaurant for a chain, but still "out of town". Killarney House in Davidsonville is still a stellar place, just a little too far to drive home from if I've tied on a few, as it too is "out of town". So, I was hunting up a new spot and decided to give this place another try. Thanks to the pandemic, I have a regular lunch partner in my wife and so I get the opportunity to bounce experiences between us- just to make sure that I'm not off the path, so to speak, about how good (or bad) a given place is.
Since we've been looking for a watering hole, we typically avoid the dining area for a given restaurant, opting for the bar seating instead (doesn't require waiting to be seated). This place is located in the Bowie Town Center, toward the 'front' if you're entering from Colington Road. This is a decent sized establishment; bar to the left upon entry, dining room to the right. So, what's so great about this place? The staff. At least in the bar area, but I assume the staff are equally as adept in the dining area as in the bar. We always get great service and the food always comes out hot and fresh, exactly as ordered. We've tried most of the menu and haven't had anything we wouldn't eat again, but of course we have some favorites: the boneless wings in a sweet ginger sauce is a good choice, as are the wings as far as appetizers go. For entrees, the steaks are decent- not the best you'll have if you go for high quality cuts, but you won't be regretting ordering them. I haven't had the filet, but I've had all of the others and they were all good. The chicken tender platter is another favorite- fresh, not frozen, and always hot, crispy and juicy. The ribs are also very good- so good that sometimes they run out! Probably some of the best fries I've eaten anywhere. Salads are crisp and fresh, their dressings are good as well. They are rather limited on veggies, but what I've had were passable, not soggy or overcooked (broccoli, mostly). I don't do seafood but my wife does and mentioned that the grilled shrimp and the salmon were both very good. She especially loves the shrimp and lobster chowder, opting for that more often than not.
So the food is good, the bartenders are very good- and if you become a regular, they tend to remember what you like and so will begin pouring your usual as you take your seat; something we've always appreciated. Jamel is our usual, because we typically go on Mondays or Wednesdays, but Kendra and Karen (Thursday and Friday, respectively) are also really good, and all of them are friendly and personable. Unless something catastrophic occurs (a case of food poisoning, restaurant gets closed) we have found our neighborhood watering hole and we're happy about that. If you find yourself in or near the Bowie Town Center and just want some good food and drink that won't slam your pockets to dust, you could do much worse than this place. read more