Oh my what a surprise. The location is a little off putting but once inside very nice. The menu very different with unusual spin on familiar items. I had the micro greens with baratta mozarella figs and prosciutto very good and unusual. I also tried the calamari which was very good as well. Great service and very friendly wait staff. Would definitely come back here. Highly recommend this place . Taylor was my waiter and was very good and attentive read more

Rik's Cafe - Delicious baratta Mozzarella cheese and calamari - Cafes Near Me - Hagerstown, Maryland

Food was decent. Service was ok. Ate here at 2pm on a Tuesday. Maybe the "A" crew was off. Ordered the shortrib with risotto. Meat was not fork tender. In my experience it usually is. Risotto had a good flavor but wasn't as creamy as it should be. My son ordered the bison burger and was very happy with it. Our waiter kept sitting at a table near us. Not sure why that bothered me. Thought the men's room could have used some attention. Not a bad experience but I expected more out of a 4.5 star venue. read more

We were returning to Pennsylvania and found this place because of Yelp. OUTSTANDING service, ownership and food! Just ate the leftovers the next day (because the serving sizes were so good) and just as good. Will go back on the next trip for sure! Looks like a great place to have a few cocktails too as the bar is beautiful! read more

I am a pretty good cook myself, and am pretty choosy where I eat when I go out, or order take-out, This place has never let me down, dining in or carry out, hard to choose my favorite thing. But I order the lamb sandwich the most. Depends what you are in the mood for, they will have something to satisfy you.. salads are awesome, sandwiches and the sides with them, try those sweet potato fries..making myself hungry service is also superb! read more

Iv been told how good they were. So a friend and I tried it out for the first time a few weeks ago and it was so worth it . read more

Rik's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Hagerstown, Maryland

Good food and obviously very popular with the local community. The menu is fairly standard american food but the presentation was nice and the service was good. read more

Just got home and dinner was amazing! We were stuck between the mussels and the calamari for a starter and our waiter (I'm so sorry I've forgotten his name!) recommended the calamari. It was crispy, and fried to perfection with chucks of fried Brussels sprouts thrown in. I got the lamb burger and potato chips for dinner and my husband got the ostrich burger! He asked the waiter who confirmed it was in fact ostrich meat. My husband said it was a very different taste and texture but that he really liked it. We got there maybe 45 min before closing and even though we left 15 min after closing at no point did we feel rushed or like we were bothering anyone. Fantastic dinner, good drinks, fantastic staff and decent prices. We will be back soon with friends in read more

Just discovered this place while in town a few weeks ago. Amazing drinks and food! Even though my husband and I didn't make reservations, we were fortunate enough to be escorted to the bar to enjoy our meal. Can't say enough good things about the staff and servers, so welcoming, friendly, and professional. Very cool ambiance and vibe for sure. We're definitely making reservations next time we're in town. read more

I was really impressed by the food here. The ostrich burger, ahi tuna tacos and the wings were all really delicious. I highly recommend dining here. It's a hidden treasure. read more

There are no emojis. Perfect cocktails. Friendly service. Had mussels with prosciutto - divine. Then a Cuban burger. The Cuban burger is more like a Cuban pulled pork on ciabatta. Fries are hand cut. Well salted. Ordered the Ruben for takeout. So inspired. Met chef Arik. He is divine. So creative, real, kind. A human who wants to feed you. Really really good food. read more

See all

Pretty good for Hagerstown, where my expectations are low. Thanks Yelp! My inlaws' food looked great. Crab cake sandwich on a croissant ranked highly. MIL said it wasn't too bready. It warranted phone calls to relatives. FIL's tacos looked fresh and full of veggies. He was happy with the beer on tap. My sweetie and I weren't head over heels about our food, though. I got the Havana burger and while it was an excellent specimen of both a burger (great patty) and a Cuban Sandwich, I realized while eating it that I was missing out on the best part of a burger: the lettuce and tomato. That's my fault for not thinking that through. My other half got the burrata salad with a crabcake. He liked the crab cake, no filler. However we were both surprised that the microgreens were the only greens in the salad. We both had thought there would be some bigger lettuce underneath what came across as a pile of salad toppings. They were good salad toppings no doubt but we missed having a more substantial roughage base. Anyway the sweet potato fries were absolutely all they were hyped up to be and he apple butter dipping sauce is ingenious. read more

Thanks to my Yelp app, a very stressful traffic-filled ride home from PA was interrupted by a great meal! We stopped here on our way home on a Sunday evening... The place is small with a bar with high tops on one side and booths and some tables on the left. There was a 35 minute wait when we walked in which was odd because most of the tables were empty. However I noticed "reserved" on almost all of them. Not sure if there was a lot of reservations or a party coming. We didn't care we just grabbed a seat at the bar. The staff was friendly. Our bartender took our drink orders. I had a Rikarita (margarita, nothing fancy) but really good! My husband had the Georgia Collins which was a refreshing peach concoction. Not too sweet which he liked. For food, I had the mahi tacos instead of shells I had them in lettuce cups. They were good! My husband had a Cuban Burger (I think that is what it's called) with all the fixins of a Cuban sandwich but on a burger. He got a side of sweet potato fries which we both LOVED. They came with this delicious apple butter for dipping. Like many have said, it's in a small strip mall with some questionable stores surrounding it but stop in. You'll be glad you did! read more

This place is spectacular. Every dish is full of flavor. Best restaurant in the area by far.

Everything was delicious! If you are a non-meat eater and are usually disappointed by veggie burgers in the standard restaurant, this place will blow you away. It is flipping delicious! Portions are generous, the staff is very friendly and we didn't order anything that we didn't like. The music was also not too loud, perfect spot all around. read more

After hearing about this place for many years I was looking forward to finally trying it. I was in a party that totaled about 9 of us. The service was outstanding and a couple times the owner/manager came around to make sure everything was OK. No issues in that area. Since this was my first time here I am only basing my review on this one visit and one dish I had. The Mar & Tierra (Land & Sea) sounded really good so I ordered that. This dish is basically Shrimp & Chorizo on top of Risotto with a sauce and set in a corn tortilla bowl. I was most excited about the Corn Tortilla bowl. Since this is a place with upscale food I thought it would be some type of unique soft homemade bowl. It was just a hard shell tortilla chip bowl similar to what you could get in any Mexican restaurant. Inside the bowl was 5 shrimp, very little risotto, very little ground chorizo, the sauce, and some veggies. What little bit of food I had was very good. I just wish there was twice the amount. For the $18 charge for this dish, the portion should have been bigger. I left the restaurant still hungry and not satisfied. It would have been nice if this place served "free" bread like a lot upscale sit-down restaurants do....but know doing so would take away from their appetizer sales. I would probably give this place another chance, but would opt for the Bison burger, which I heard was very good. read more

We happened upon this diamond through Yelp. The outside doesn't give you a wow impression just a storefront in a strip mall. Opened the door to a bustling bar with a full house! Invited to sit at the bar..best view for actionthe crab pretzel was a unique treat for two Californians!! So delicious...we had braised short ribs and lamb burger Both very good Management was excellent too! read more

Food and good and so is the service. Seating is limited, so there is usually a wait even with reservations which is frustrating.

My son and I went for lunch on a Saturday after he took the SAT. Jewel of a place in a tired strip mall. Don't judge a book by its cover. We were seated right away even though the place was almost full. Menu is creative. Unicorn is on the menu (not kidding) but I was assured that they are free range and from local farms. Whoever Rik is, he has done a great job - food was prepared with care and staff is happy / attentive. Anna (Adrianna?) was our waitress and she knew her stuff and was cheerful/friendly. She went with my questions about the unicorns. I had pulled pork sandwich which was perfectly prepared down to the bun and a side of sweet potato fries served with an "apply" tasting jam in which to dip. No need for ketchup. Really enjoyed our visit. read more

Food was excellent! Atmosphere and cleanliness, A+! Don't judge the restaurant by the outside; this place is great! Minor criticism: I wish Mahi tacos were larger; I needed more of that! Staff was friendly and efficient. Definite return customer! Try the cream of crab soup! read more

I always look forward to going to Rik's Café and trying something different on the menu. Everything is delicious! The chef adds a slight twist to every dish. Very creative and refreshing! The staff is always pleasant and attentive. read more

We had high hopes based on the high yelp rating. The wait staff was friendly and professional, but the food was a complete disappointment. Unicorn tacos had very little flavor. The black bean burger was mushy and its taste was average at best. Perhaps we ordered wrong, but we probably won't be visiting anytime soon. read more

Food is excellent, only problem is there is usually a wait, even with reservations. This place has become a hot spot in the community, they should consider expanding. Highly recommend! read more

We stopped at Rik's on our way to Pennsylvania and needless to say the food was so good we stopped on the way back home. The crab dip pretzel is hot and gooey with the perfect amount of crab. You won't be disappointed. We had the mango Habanero wings and it was the right amount of crisp and flavor. The staff is extremely nice and courteous. read more

Met family members here for the first time. What a find! Great food and ambiance. We were surprised when we received our check to note that first class service we received was provided by "Mrs. Tom Brady." In truth she's not married to Tom Brady the Cheat; but is a Patriots fan. But don't let that deter you. And do not let the run down shopping center location deter you. This place is great!! read more

Delicious food and excellent service at this little hole in the wall restaurant. Highly recommended

Uncomfortably noisy, two very intoxicated young women behind our booth that were very liberal with the F word, one of the servers came to sit with them as they seemed to be friends so it wasn't as if no one noticed, our final straw was when one of the young women tried to crawl over the back of the booth into our booth to plug in her cell phone...we left at that point and do not intend to ever go back....never even got a chance to sample the food.... So if you're looking for a quiet dinner don't bother. read more

i went to Rik's for a date, but she never showed up! I got the meatball sub and two desserts to wallow in; ginger cake with lemon stuff, and fried cheesecake. let me tell ya, this meal was so good that i left the place with a smile on my face! The waitstaff was really nice too, they were very accommodating to my special situation. She missed out, too bad, so sad. read more

Decided on this place and we were not disappointed. The service is great and the food is great. I had a broiled seafood dish with Crabcakes shrimp and scallops and it was fantastic. As far as dessert is concerned we had three of them and they were awesome. The owner of the restaurant came to us and had a nice chat with us. The server was extremely friendly this place is great!! read more

Read an article online about can't miss restaurants in the State of Maryland that you should not judge by outside appearance. Glad I followed instructions! Rik's Cafe changes drastically inside from the strip mall outside. Modern, comfortable, woody etc. the bar was well appointed (couldn't take advantage because I was only driving through). Menu had a great variety of apps, salads, sandwiches and mains. There for lunch so after I narrowed my choices and consulted my bartender Joe, settled in the Mahi Mahi Reuben. Sounds weird...off the hook (pun intended) good! Hand sliced marble rye grilled just right with no grease...red cabbage slaw...melted Swiss and an inch think grilled slab of juicy Mahi Mahi. Perfect! Accompanied by hand cut fries which were good too. Nice of one of the owners to come by a chat as well. If you live nearby or if you're passing through, take the time to stop and eat. read more

Wow! What a find driving through Hagerstown on our way back to DC. First- don't be wary of the exterior. Sure, it's a strip mall and unassuming but the sign "friends don't let friends eat at chain restaurants" out front gives one hope. Inside it's a welcoming, laid-back, my-cool-friend-could-own-this-place kind of vibe. My honey had the blackened chicken chipotle linguine - totally stole a bite. It was awesome. I had the rueben which was very generous and meaty with a perfect crunch to the marble rye bread. Now people- they say you can substitute sweet potato fries. DO IT. I am a fry expert... And these sweet potato fries might be the best I've ever had. This is not hyperbole. This is real life. To top it off- they have a righteous beer selection so if you're a craft beer drinker, you'll be just fine. Do yourself a favor and eat here. I will be back. read more

Best place to eat. Have always exceeded our expectations. Def recommend! Go wild and try anything- you won't be disappointed.

Stopped by for supper while driving back to Baltimore. Took yelp recommendation to get the sweet potato fries and I was glad I did! It's a little hard to find in the strip mall - but worth seeking out! read more

We happened to run into this place while staying in the area and were surprised by Yelp reviews for a place in a strip mall. First of all you need a reservation, we had to sit at the bar without one. My grilled salad with chicken was fresh, perfectly sized and delicious. My husband's steak was cooked as ordered. The asparagus was crisp and not overly oiled. His rice needed a little flavor and the bartender happily brought a nice sauce. Pleasant meal. Highly recommended. read more

Rik's Cafe - Grilled romaine with chicken - Cafes Near Me - Hagerstown, Maryland

See all

I was very pleased with my experience at Rik's Cafe! I went on a Wednesday night around 630 with my husband, my parents, and my 5 year old daughter. Somehow the stars aligned and there was a half off bottle of wine special running, which immediately made me a happy camper. My mother had a fig martini, which was fig vodka and lemon juice and just delightful. Many sips were stolen while she looked the other way. The menu is the perfect size. It's not so much that you spend 20 minutes trying to figure out what you want, but it has a selection that is diverse enough for anyone to find something that they not only want to try, but are excited about trying, as well as making a mental list of things you want to try next time. We had the blue sky mussels for an appetizer. I would never have thought that blue cheese and bacon would be good flavors with mussels but it was creamy and tasty and proved me wrong. The cream of crab soup had a lot of old bay on it, which made it a spicier soup than I expected, but very good and much more unique. As a Marylander, we are used to cream of crab everywhere, so unique is a big deal. My husband is a Reuben fanatic and was very pleased with the southwestern Reuben. My land and sea burger was perfect and my parents' Havana burger and seafood pasta were delicious as well. I was very excited that the kids menu wasn't the standard Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets selection, but instead had mussels and turkey sliders. My daughter devoured her mussels and I was happy that it came with a side of buttered noodles and apple slices instead of fries or chips. The owner was very friendly and stopped by to chat and check in with us a few times. He even shook hands with the gents as we left. Overall, Rik's deserves a 5+ rating. I can't wait to go back for $6 martini and mussels night on Thursdays. read more

My first time at Rik's won't be my last...this place is a keeper. From the attentiveness of my server was very good, my glass never empty and inquiring how I was enjoying my meal. I went with a seafood theme as far as my choice of starter and entree go. The crab dip comes with more than enough chips and bread, and has a perfect balance of flavor and texture. For my entree I selected the seafood broil; crab cake, shrimp, scallops, roasted red potatoes and the seasonal veg was snap peas. The crab cake was moist, no filler and decent size meat. The size of the scallops were larger than what I'm accustomed to finding in local restaurants so I was beyond thrilled. I look forward to going back very soon. read more

Wonderful flavor combinations. A hidden gem in the strip mall. This is a great date night restaurant.

You know that feeling when you are hungry in the middle of a long drive but gas station food just won't do? You would be lucky if you stumbled upon a place like Rik's Cafe. Our stomachs pulled us off exit 28 on Route 70 and we pulled into the unassuming shopping center restaurant. The menu offered several options in line with our dietary restrictions, and we shared the Baby Kale and Spinach Salad, the Portabello Stack, and the Roasted Rice Bowl. Each of the items had several overlapping ingredients, but it was exactly what we wanted. The Baby Kale and Spinach Salad was quite hardy while remaining refreshing with roasted chickpeas and a light lemon vinaigrette. The portobello stack was served without bread, with the mushroom caps holding the tomato, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic. The fries were a little salty, but when you've been on the road for several hours you tend to not notice. The real treat was the roasted rice bowl. Served over a portobello cap with roasted chickpeas--we're seeing the overlap, right?--the dish balanced the sweet and spicy perfectly with a chili dressing that was fantastic. Naturally, we left every single plate clean and were even prepared to share dessert. The six or seven dessert options are not listed on a menu; rather, they are brought out on a tray. Each looked appealing and we were happy to try the crème brûlée. While our chance of return is minimal at best--maybe we'll need to go outlet shopping?--the restaurant left a great impression. This is the kind of lunch or dinner spot that plays it safe with the menu options, but delivers on all fronts. read more

OMG - the Havana Burger was amazing! Found this place on Yelp while on our way into town for GeoWoodstock - probably wouldn't have found it otherwise as it's hidden back in strip mall. The burger was tasty with ham and pulled pork on it. Sweet potato fries are homemade and very, very good. Nice beers on tap, too! Met Rik, he and his staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful. Would definitely return to Rik's! read more

Love this place!! A little on the expensive side sometimes, but definitely worth it if you are looking to treat yourself!

Rather than eat at the outlet mall cafeteria the 2 mi drive is well well worth it. Definitely a nice surprise for a sleepy lil strip mall. I had a cup of crab bisque and it was rich n creamy w out being too thick. Nice slivers of fresh crab meat too. I initially laughed at the Ritz crackers but they went very well w the flavors. Hubby had special wc was a pepperoni and provolone egg roll. It was basically a sinfully delicious deep fried pizza! I had the mahi mahi Reuben on marble rye w the now infamous sweet potato fries. The Reuben was tasty and coleslaw fresh w red cabbage. But the sweet potato fries... Let me tell you I HATE sweet potato/kamote. In my country, it's boiled and eaten w salt and is just godawful poor people food. So I was very nervous trying it as fries but my god I could it that stuff all day. Crunchy deep fried dark but still w the hint of sweet n fluffy inside. Apple butter dipping sauce just finishes you off till you're just grunting in appeasement. Wills definitely return to try other items on menu! read more

See all