My family and I have owned a house in Solomons for 3 years, but we have visited the island for over 30 years. We have dined, or lunched in every restaurant on the Island and close by. The CD Cafe is beyond any measure our favorite restaurant. The food is fabulous, the staff is warm, helpful, gracious and very professional. The prices are extremely reasonable, and the ambiance is very inviting. Every single time we go to Solomons which now is 2-3 times a month we treat ourselves and visit CD. The food is so predictably good, I have surprised my wife and kids by venturing from my usual menu selections, and trying just about every dish they offer, and I've never been disappointed once. I do however have one weakness in life, and that is a authentic Caribbean Black bean soup as my grandmother used to make me regularly when I was a child, and that is the one dish I start with on every visit it's so incredible, the black bean soup and a side dish of white rice to mix into it and I'm in heaven. I've never used Yelp before, nor written a review for any business, but the CD Cafe seems to constantly be expanding my self imposed limitations. I, and my family recommend the CD Cafe whole heartedly. read more

Would recommend coming here again. The specials do not disappoint! We walked in here on a Thursday night around 7 pm. We were planning on getting the normal menu items but chose the special over that. Everything was local and fresh. The food was cooked to perfection. Nothing was over cooked and the waitstaff was more than welcoming. read more

The CD Cafe - Atlantic char alondine with crab - New American Near Me - Solomons, Maryland

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Had a great time here for a solo dinner while in town on business. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with friendly staff. My server was great and gave some great recommendations. I had the steak au poivre with veggies and mashed potatoes. I added scallops to my entrée. All delicious. For dessert, I had a chocolate-dipped key lime pie dish that is my new obsession! I'd definitely stop in to CD cafe if you're in the area. It's a small space with limited seating, so prepare to wait if you're in a group. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the Solomons! read more

What a fantastic experience! Cozy, clean atmosphere. Friendly, low-key waitresses. No reservation required. And the food. Wow! We highly recommend the savory cheesecake app. Incredible! Also, the waitress ended up giving us two free meals after a very minor mistake was made with our original order. We didn't even mind the mistake! Incredible service. read more

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The Next Door Lounge is the perfect spot for a good bottle of wine and great food. Cozy atmosphere and wonderful service...highly recommend! read more

What a gem of a restaurant! This is one of my top Five restaurants in the DMV area. I have never disappointed and I really can't really express how good it is. I urge anyone you wants Five Star dining in a casual atmosphere to go. read more

Always great! Nice atmosphere, wait staff, and interesting menu options. Been there 3 times and haven't had a complaint yet. Really enjoyed the basil+watermelon drink they had on special. read more

Autumn is here and the soups are fabulous. Potato leek soup today with the best house made croutons I've had. Ask for the specials, I'm not sure why they even have a menu here, In 10 years I may have ordered off the menu a dozen times. If you're in Solomons Island, CD's the place!!! read more

The CD Cafe - Rib-eye with béarnaise sauce, asparagus, & Garlic mash. - New American Near Me - Solomons, Maryland

The chef here is excellent! The food artfully conceived and excellently executed.I opted for a dish of the day - a pork saltimbocca. It really jumped in the mouth! Tender meat with layers of now this now that then fresh sage. We finished with cheese cake which was as good as it gets! This is the best food you will find anywhere near Solomons. Hands down winner! read more

I eat at the next door part of CD Cafe everytime I travel here for work. Consistent. Delicious. Makes me look forward too my work trips.

Amazing treasure with delicious food and great service! Got the black bean soup and the pork panini special, my Mom got the chili and the buffalo wrap. Both were delicious and fresh. We will fir sure be back! read more

Food here is extraordinary - the most moist, flavorful crab cake I've ever had in my life. Risotto with sage is a totally indulgent non-counterpoint but I don't care. Asparagus tender all the way through. What else do you want? Eat here. read more

If your in the area, be sure to checkout the CD Cafe. Although small in seating size, you can rest assured they make it up in flavor. Nestled in the heart of Solomons Island, CD Cafe is a sure bet when entertaining guests. The service is superb and the food is nothing short of wonderful. The menu fluctuates based on availability of food items but you can guarantee a good selection year round. The ambiance is just right, with a bar seating area if you end up waiting for a table. It's almost always packed, so call ahead if you have a larger group. This is my go-to place when I can't decide on what I want or aim to "wow" some out of town guests. read more

The only place in Solomons that has something different than average food. Delicious but expensive.

Every year for my birthday, that's where I want to be. Nowhere else. The food is excellent. The lavender creme brulee is to die for!

What a great lunch. I had roasted artichoke bisque, a lovely lunch special with macadamia crusted fish and pesto grits, a glass of wine and chocolate covered key lime pie. Waitress attentive and exceptionally caring. Brought me a map of the area and pointed out some local must-see spots. Great food, exceptional service. read more

The CD Cafe - New American Near Me - Solomons, Maryland

Tell me one dish you've tried here that you don't like or when you ever received less than good service. This is the most reliably delicious local restaurant. read more

Just so so good. So many creative dishes. A little pricey but you are paying for really good food. Cozy atmosphere, and it can get a little loud bc it is a smaller restaurant, but I don't mind. Had the best crab cake - no filler, all crab. It comes with a green sauce instead of cocktail or tartar, this is their signature green goddess sauce. I prefer it! You will love it here. read more

They only offer their hamburgers for lunch. Walked in for Dinner and was told I couldn't order a Hamburger for Dinner. I suspect they want you to buy their more expensive dinner items. So I walk in and walked back out. Went to the Ruddy Duck instead. Have no plans to return to CD's cafe. read more

Creative and tasty food. I ordered the chicken tagine this past week and it was outstanding. The chef did a masterful job of blending a sweet and savory sauce while creating a very tender chicken breast as the centerpiece. I highly recommend the tagine and will order it again. read more

Great little Cafe. Real coffee. Great food. Cozy little place. Friendly staff Amazing desserts!! read more

The CD Cafe - Chocolate raspberry mousse! OMG. Great with a real cup of coffee!! - New American Near Me - Solomons, Maryland

All I can say is WOW. Very nice staff with the food was out of this world good. The flavor explosion I had in my mouth covered all angles of the taste spectrum from salty to sweet. I will absolutely be coming back here!!! read more

Very good sandwiches! I had the curry chicken and it was delicious! We have stopped in before for dessert, which was equally great!

There's always a waitlist to eat here, but once you sit down and eat here you'll understand why. Their Brunch menu has a wide variety to choose from that you'll struggle to decide on your meal. But always leave for dessert because they're to die for! read more

Solid culinary experience in SOMD. The mahi special with a beurre blanc variation was well prepared. Others had Bangkok scallops and a shrimp dish that were both good. The fluffy coconut cake was the highlight of the meal. The filet appetizer with Boursin, portobello and spinach was great. Service was excellent. read more

I came here after numerous suggestions from friends and was severely let down. The dining area is cramped which makes it uncomfortable when you can hear 5 conversations at the same time. Watched our salads sit in the window which is also where they put dirty dishes to be washed. Salad was warm after that. Service was slow as well. I will say that when the warm food came out it was delicious! read more

I've only been here once and it was very good quiet cozy hopefully they're still in business after their quarantine then we can go back again read more

I'll keep it short and sweet. -Their White Pizza is amazing. -Their curry chicken salad sandwich is very good, but a little heavy on celery. So that depends on your taste. - Bistro Burger is amazing. Great service as well! read more

If I could give them 6 stars on this review I would! We had their Risotto special with a salad and three kids cheeseburgers this evening for take out (because COVID-19) and it was amazing. We've picked up food from three or four local restaurants over the past few weeks, to provide them with some continued income and to have a break from cooking and dishes. All of those meals have been average upon unpacking and eating them at home. We've never taken issue with this, as we know everyone is working on short staff, with modified menus, and it's take out. Not the case tonight. I've been craving some good risotto for a few months now and this hit the spot! Thanks CD Cafe, for keeping your kitchens open and for continuing to make GREAT food! read more

Quaint atmosphere, delicious menu, and great service. Perfect hidden gem in Solomons. Sometimes other customers may impede on your meal with loud talking and general rudeness, due to the cozy seating. But this is worth the great food! read more

I really wish I could give CD Cafe 4.5 to 5 stars like most of the other Yelpers on here have. I really do. But, I can't. My wife and I had a really poor experience there this evening, just about from top to bottom. Unfortunately, our service was really bad, the food was very forgettable, and just about all of the menu items are overpriced. The burger I ordered was fairly tasteless, and their homemade green goddess sauce that came on it (which I'd read was supposed to be amazing) was slathered on the burger to the point where it was dripping everywhere, and it honestly had no real flavor and just seemed to taste like a watered-down ranch sauce anyway. My wife ordered the duck special, which she thought to be way too salty, with a ratatouille side dish that was also very plain, with not much flavor. This dish was definitely not worth the $23 price. I also had asked for a dirty martini with gin, which came out tasting like it was about 60 percent sweet vermouth. After a few polite sips and I almost gagged, I politely asked our waitress if the bartender could at least add a little more gin to help even it out. She unapologetically grabbed my drink without even a sincere "sorry," basically took my drink for a walk around the restaurant, and set it back down in front of me tasting exactly the same as before! No apologies. At the end of the meal I had her clear the drink from my check, but again--without even a sorry. This is server/patron 101. In closing, I'm sure this was not a typical experience for many at CD Cafe, but I needed to let you know--it's definitely possible. And honestly, the food was really nothing to write home about. Diner beware if you're planning on eating at CD Cafe. read more

Um.....yeah. Effing amazing..... I was tempted to rate only 4 stars because yes, this place is tucked away and a bit hard to find. It is also very limited seating, doesn't take reservations, and the wait time can be long. The atmosphere is lacking and our latest server was a tad douchey....but if the food can make up for ALL of that, then I say it deserves a 5 star rating. I have been here on multiple occasions as I live about 15 minutes away. In comparison to many of the other options that Southern Maryland provides, it deserves 6 stars. I have never had a meal I didn't thoroughly enjoy. I usually order one of their specials but I have a large weakness for the Popeye burger. It may not do much for my girlish figure but boursin cheese, spinach AND green goddess dressing? You could cover a human hand in those ingredients and it would be delicious. As far as desserts go, I have come to CD Cafe a few times just to get dessert. They almost always have some kind of key lime selection (pie, cheesecake, creme brulee) and they switch off their creme brulee flavors often. Some of the notable ones include the key lime and raspberry....but the original also leaves nothing to be desired. read more

My wife & I took the afternoon off and spent the afternoon at Solomons. We had a late lunch at CD Cafe and it was amazingly good! We had the savory cheesecake for appetizer and it was delicious. I had the special salmon chowder and the special shrimp with pesto, veggies over angel hair pasta. My wife had the pad thai and both meals was excellent. Fresh, expertly cooked, generous portions, good price and outstanding service. The overall experience beyond expectations. Thank you CD Cafe and look forward to returning! read more

Hands down the best place to find a great meal on Solomon's Island that involves something other than a crabcake. CD Cafe has been around for quite a few years now in it's original location...a tiny little unassuming corner of a "doctor's-office-style" building..but it's always been a hit with the local bohemian crowd. Chefs Catherine and Deborah (CD...get it?) are masters of New American Cuisine and they highlight their ever-growing repertoire of dishes by changing the menu frequently. Perennial favorites include the CD Chicken, hummus, an always unusual quesadilla of the day and something that usually centers around Andouille sausage (a nod to their New Orleanian training). Whatever you choose, it's sure to be filling...CD is generous with their portions. But whatever you do, make sure you leave room for dessert. The selection usually elicits a groan of "but it all sounds so good!" from me, but I'll fall back on the bourbon-pecan pie and a damned fine espresso every time. And again, the portions are large enough for two to share. Two years ago, the owners also opened a bar in the back of the building and it's a welcome respite from the rip-roaring-wild-southern-Maryland dockbar scene. Beautifully appointed with incredibly well rendered murals and woodwork, the Bar also offers a limited selection of appetizers and fare. It's a great place to wait for a table in the restaurant or to just hang out for a light bite and quite drink before heading out to the madness that is Solomon's Island on the weekend. Be aware that the CD Cafe is small and when traffic is high, you may have to wait up to an hour for a table to clear. The last time I checked, they didn't take reservations. But then again, waiting in the Bar is far from a hardship. read more

Given all the great reviews on Yelp!, TripAdvisor, and Urban Spoon, for this restaurant, my Dad and I decided to give it a shot for a quick lunch on a rainy Saturday in late August. WHAT A MISTAKE. When I first walked in, I was greeted by a hostess who was sitting at the bar, eating her lunch, and said to us "2?" with a mouth full of food; she told us to sit anywhere, again with a mouth full of food. Ignoring this, I was impressed with the atmosphere upon first view. We sat down and waited for about 3 or 4 minutes for menus to arrive, which we found a bit strange given the place was literally EMPTY. I ordered a beer (nothing on tap) and my Dad ordered an ice tea. As is a norm for me, I ordered a water to go with my beer, so I could have something to with which to wash down my food. The water, and the iced tea, were made with water that tasted like it came out of a freshwater lake. It was vile, to put it nicely. The water tasted so bad, actually, that my Dad said his iced tea had a certain 'funk' to it. I ordered a crab cake sandwich, a 6 piece chicken wing platter (both on the daily special menu that day), and my Dad ordered some pasta with pan seared scallops on top. The wings came out first, and while the house sauce was decent, the wings were undercooked and oversized, more like little legs than wings - they were absolutely gross. We figured this was just not their forté, and were still excited for our entreés. The main course arrived, and we were incredibly underwhelmed by this also. My crab cake was extremely bland, although I will give them credit on the size and quantity of the lump meat. My Dad said his pasta was fair, but the scallops were a nice touch - but not worth the extra $6.95 they charged for them. My crab cake sandwich 'special' was $21.95. ARE YOU SERIOUS? $21.95 for bread and some crab meat; if that's not overpriced, I don't know what is. I can order half a dozen good sized crabs at "The Drift Inn," only 15 miles down the road, for the same price - and their food is delicious! Out of the six wings that were ordered, we ate two of them, and left the other four on the serving platter. The server didn't even bother to ask "was there something wrong with the wings?" How a server could miss the signs that we thought they were not good is beyond me. Usually I would speak up within the restaurant, but the server did NOTHING to make us feel welcome here, he was extremely curt, quick, and rude. He asked us why we chose to sit at that particular table, was wearing shorts and flip flops (because who doesn't like to stare at feet while they're eating?), and was was very slow when it came to refilling drinks or asking if we needed anything. Given the restaurant was empty, (again, not exaggerating, we were the only people there) why was it taking so long? It is mind boggling to me that so many people find this place to be good! Do you people not have taste buds???? read more

CD Cafe is a nice and popular restaurant in Solomons. We got there right when they opened one night and were able to get in right away, but the place was packed within 5-10 minutes. The food was a mix of 5 Star great and 3 Star average. 5 Star--One thing that is a MUST TRY is the, Savory Cheesecake. This is goat and cream cheese with fresh herbs and a walnut crust, served with a roasted red pepper honey sauce and fresh baked French bread (description taken from the menu). This was unbelievable...creamy, cheesecakey, yet savory and sweet and a perfect spread for warm french bread. This could be a regular spread at my house! 5 Star--Pan Roasted Salmon with artichokes, pine nuts, wilted spinach and a rosemary beurre blanc sauce. Served atop classic risotto....This was simply, yet perfectly cooked salmon atop creamy risotto, perfectly matched with the previously mentioned accompaniments! Another must for Salmon fans. 3 Star--Tenderloin Salad--Good enough, but not very exciting flavor-wise. 3 Star--Mediterranean Pasta with penne pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and artichokes in a rich garlic cream sauce, topped with feta cheese. Another--A-OK--but definitely skip-able. -1 Star for the service--It was haphazard...the food took forever to come out...we asked for more bread to go with the Savory cheesecake and it took 20 minutes to get to the table. When it got there it was burnt. We didn't complain...shame on us...but after waiting 20 minutes we wanted to finish up and get on with our night. Not sure if I would return on my own, but wouldn't be against it if someone else wanted to dine there. read more

The appetizers were absolutely delightful! The Napoleon reminded me of the cows that were free-ranging around the pampas; French charolais, strictly breed for their tenderness. Very comparable to the steaks from the Val di Chiana region I used to get from an old friend Vincent Gigante with the Cosa Nostra. The people dining at the table across from us were a bit odd, but all in all the experience was exquisite. read more

Hmmm....I must be missing something here. We were in town after the festivities of 4th of July and were surprised to see so many places closed. CD was open and lively so did a quick yelp search and we went inside. All but one of the 11 tables were taken. A four top was available and the staff indicated that they would get it ready. We stood for awhile, but I was not surprised as there was only the bartender and one waitress. We got drinks but had to ask for menus. We weren't in a rush so the slow service wasn't a huge downer. When I did get the menu I was quite surprised that the selection was that large, but strangely, not much of the appetizers, sandwiches or entrees sounded appealing. Another poster mentioned a "lack of focus", I would qualify it more as ADD. Shepherds pie? ugh not in 90 degree weather. Cornmeal crusted catfish salad? Nothing about that sounded good. And the most huh induced offering? Flounder sandwich with olive butter, sauteed spinach, grilled asparagus, pepper/ onion medley w/ crumbled feta. Yikes, I could not even do a visual on that one. So our order consisted of a 1/2 bowl of the veggie bisque, two burgers with special "bistro" sauce, and a crab cake sandwich. We requested the meat to be cooked to medium. The soup looked quite good, but when the bisque hit the buds, it fell a little flat. We were expecting a bit more flavor, but it was pureed beautifully so the texture was spot on. We were splitting our entree so it was nice to see that they plated our order separately. Wow, though, when I took a peek at the patty. I haven't seen a medium rare - rare center on a burger since the 80's. There was nothing on the burger except a trace of a pinkish sauce. It wouldn't even qualify as a dab. The only other things that graced the plate was a colorless Cajun potato salad and some greens. The burger was blah. What would you expect from a raw ground beef center? I wasn't thrilled with the potato salad, the chunks were too big and they had too much of a bite (texture not spice). The other diners raved about it so to each his own. The crab cake sandwich, although enjoyed by our out of town guest, certainly didn't live up to the "Maryland" standard. The bun overshadowed the medium sized patty and it looked more like back fin than lump. We are certainly glad that others are enjoying this place. It's good to keep local places in business. Unfortunately, though, for us, we will not return. read more

Stopped in at CD Cafe for a dinner with coworkers after hearing about the savory cheesecake. We were not disappointed (with the cheesecake at least). The savory cheesecake itself is pretty good if you like milder cheeses. But, I'd have to say the star of the show was the roasted red pepper honey sauce. We eagerly took up the offer for dinner rolls to soak up the sauce when the french bread ran out. To fill ourselves up, we each had an order of the Bangkok scallops. One of my coworkers lapped up the yellow curry as if it were edible crack, but it was a bit too sweet for my liking. IMHO, it needed something a slight bit of heat and more of a savory kick to balance out the sweetness. The scallops themselves were good, but could have used a bit more of a sear. Service was pretty good, and not as slow as I expected from reading reviews, though that could be from going on a Tuesday night. Overall, 3.5 for food, rounded up for that awesome red pepper honey sauce and service. read more

I didn't know about this place but needed a restaurant to check out in the area so I used Yelp and found this quaint, homey place on Solomon's Island. When I walked in I was surprised on how small it was. They also had a separate room down the hallway that had a bar for people who were waiting to be seated. I mean we're talking like 8-9 tables total in the restaurant. Our waitress was the best part of the night. Her name was Alexis and she was just so nice, engaging in conversation, and had some great recommendations. I knew a couple of items to order but was lost on my main course. I told her to surprise me and she brought out the Bangkok Scallops. I also ordered the Bratwurst Chili, a side salad, and a chocolate raspberry pudding cake for dessert. (1) The Bratwurst Chili was a 7.5 out of 10. It had good flavor but I thought the broth was a little too thin. I prefer my chili thicker and I would have liked more pieces of sausage in the chili. I felt like the ratio between beans and meat was off. Overall, I enjoyed it. (2) The salad was good probably a 7 out of 10. Nothing special about the salad but tasted fresh and I enjoyed their homemade dressing. I believe it was their Asian vinaigrette. (3) The Bangkok Scallops was sautéed with apples, onions, and garlic in a mild coconut curry sauce and then served over rice. It was a very good dish. The only downside to it in my mind was the sweetness of the dish. I believe it was on the sweeter side, but overall I enjoyed the flavor of the food. I think what would have also made the dish taste better is some type of spiciness, some heat to balance out the sweetness. (4) The Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake was also a surprise dish for me. I just told my waitress to pick something from the dessert menu and serve it to me. I'm not a raspberry fan in general because I prefer the taste of strawberries but this dessert was decent. I would say a 6.5 out of 10. I would have liked the cake to be softer and not as dry. It did come with whipped cream and ice cream which helped moisten the cake and the flavor of the chocolate wasn't too strong which I liked. Overall, I had a great experience and I would go back if I was ever in the area. I will say it was a bit overpriced but if Alexis is serving you then it might be worth it. read more