They have great bands and performers at The Collective Encore on Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia MD. (You might recall Tomato Palace restaurant and then Clyde's Soundry music venue at this location, if that helps you place it.) This was a re-scheduled performance by acoustic roots band Charm City Junction, whose January gig was cancelled by a snow-ice-tornado-storm! Judging from the full house, everybody held on to their January tickets. We were all greatly rewarded. We come for the music, but also for the creative menu, and we arrived early to our assigned-seats so we could have our meal before the music. Their staff is quick, and we also used the QR-code menu to get a head start. We stayed with classics: a salad and a flatbread. The Caesar was fresh and crisp with a fairly-light amount of tangy dressing and fun flat croutons. The non-cube crouton-shape is a surprise that cleverly matches their crunch closer to the crunchiness of the lettuce. The pizza was a clever flavorful shrimp and veggie creation, and we finished every bite. We had a tart craft beer from their varied list and a well-made French-75 from their creative cocktails, which included non-alcohol options, too. Caleb Stine opened, with great acoustic country-music originals, excellent guitar-playing, and his deep sonorous voice. But ask anyone, the most fun song was this one: "Something that can bring us all together. Something I believe in ... I'm eatin' butter, I'm eatin' cheese. I'm eatin' anything I please, No need to tell me the calories ... I'm eatin' butter." A whole song about Butter :-). Hilarious! After a full set by Caleb, the headline quartet Charm City Junction took the stage, showing off masterful skills on fiddle, clawhammer banjo, button accordion and upright bass. They played a really enjoyable mix of traditional roots, bluegrass, and Irish originals, often featuring whichever of the musician who composed a particular song. Some leaned toward band-supported solos, and some were rousing audience-engaging call-and-response, such as Boozy Suzy, from their Duckpin album. They reprised John Prine's "Please Dont Bury Me", from that same album, and played "I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow" from their newest album, Salt Box. We learned the traditional Irish "hup!" to shout when a musical phrase is just too great to hold quiet about! Many in the audience were pretty good at that, though i could not really land it. Several of the band members called out family in the audience, in fun friendly engaging real-time conversation that made us feel like family, too :-). We had a great evening! They made this cozy space feel like a backyard bluegrass roots jam. This space has great acoustics and a skilled sound-board. You choose assigned seats when you purchase the tickets to their performances, and i think they have first-come seating as some jams and game night. They offer so much! There's rock bands, R&B bands, pop, jazz, blues, local musicians, candlelight classical performances, sensory-enhancing "dining in the dark" experiences, brunches, a Mother's Day Soul / R&B sing-along, history spoken-word nights, a bookfair with bar, Motown music trivia, regular trivia, and even rentals of their venue. There's plenty of free parking, and a flat path from the parking garage across the street. It's a nice venue. read more

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Found the website for this place and saw they had a Taylor Swift trivia night so I decided to give them a try! This is connected to The Collective Off Shore, hence the similar name. It's located right on the lake, which is beautiful. I came in by myself and was able to find some friendly people to talk to and sit with. The prices of the drinks and food were a bit high, I spent over $20 for one cocktail plus tip. The trivia experience was a bit confusing and over-complicated, but it wasn't a horrible experience either. If they had another event I was interested in going to, I would definitely come back, but maybe not in my regular rotation of places. read more

The Collective Encore - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Went to see a cover band here, it was $30 per person and included standing room only, no seats. The cocktails were $16 each. The bar tenders and other staff were very friendly and accommodating. As a Columbia native, it was amazing to see the transformation from The Tomato Palace into this music venue. I love the concept of primarily table seating, great service, food, cocktails and atmosphere. However, the price is a bit steep. That being said, I can see myself coming back again. Give it a try but be sure to get a seat/table. read more

The Collective Encore - View from the bar - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Event: Holly Jolly Holiday Spectacular It was a holiday show by a group of local musicians coming together to put smiles on our faces and they did just that. I went with a few friends - it was their first time visiting the venue. Great location for that show. Some songs they performed were new to me, but others were classics and I sang along. The show was on 3 dates, and it was their first time in MD, but not their first performance together (they did past shows, but in VA). The employees at this venue were very helpful and knew their stuff. Whatever they didn't know, they asked someone else vs guessing an answer and I liked that. I ordered some food and drink through the Toast app - it is tied to your seat number, and you can keep the tab open if you plan to order more, just remember to close it before leaving the venue. I realized after the fact that I ordered the same thing as I did on my first visit here - The Encore Smash Burger and the Kittamaqundi Crush. I'll try changing it up next time. I also ordered a brownie, but it wasn't anything fancy. There weren't a lot of dessert choices to pick from. Stated on their menu and website: 20% gratuity is automatically added to each check. This is important to note. Pay close attention when closing out as it not only adds the automatic 20%, but it also slides in an additional tip that you must remember adjusting (select Custom to adjust) before finalizing your bill completely. I discovered this the first time I visited this place. My friends and I enjoyed our time here. read more

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We've been coming to Encore Collective often. Great performers and good food. Parking nearby is easy and free in couple of spots within easy walking distance. The hours tend to be mid-evening ones, not late night. The live music shows are mostly classic rock of the 1970s-1980s, R&B, and such. Among the performers we see regularly there include Brencore doing tributes to various artists, Angry Young Band covering Billy Joel's songs, and Kelly Bell Band. The food is good and so are the drinks. We particularly like their wings and their cheesesteak sandwiches. My wife likes their Espresso Martinis and I like their Old Fashioned with rye whisky. Next door is the Collective Offshore restaurant. read more

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Came here with coworkers to celebrate a birthday and take advantage of their HH. It was pretty empty but I'm guessing that's normal for a Tuesday and it worked out for our group. I needed beef so grabbed the pub burger which surprisingly came with fries and the cheese I asked to be excluded but instead of sending it back, I was able to scrape most of it off. The burger comes with caramelized onions, their version of mac sauce, and shredded lettuce. I turned it into a salad and left the buns. The fries were sprinkled with a light cajun seasoning and I wished were more crispy but were ok also. I tried their Spicy Paloma on their Tiki Tuesday menu. It wasn't very spicy or contain much tequila but was an overall ok drink. We enjoyed each other's company and appreciated our server "ease dropping" like she called it and giving the bday girl a slice of cake that she loved. read more

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Nice establishment and very accommodating. I didnt dine here , but from what I saw of other people's meals, the cuisine looked good. The drinks were exceptional and the service as well. The entertainment was excellent.Just be aware that they add 20% gratuity automatically, so don't tip in cash. "I DID" Be careful to watch your final bill, because they sometimes double charge for drinks. Not intentionally but because they are very busy. When brought to their attention, they did make it right except for the cas tip I did. That was my mistake as a first time customer. read more

The Collective Encore - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Went to see a friend's band perform. The venue was very impressive! Interior had a modern clubby vibe with a good sized stage, dining area with tables spaced apart nicely and a fully stocked bar and equally spacious bar area. Our reserved table was near the front, close to the stage. We got a front row experience without too high noise levels. Acoustics were great. This venue has a food menu with light bites and full entree and dessert choices. I got a cheese pizza, my companion had a vegan pasta primavera. The dinner came out quickly and was very good. We even got shots on the house courtesy of the band. Great place for entertainment and fun with friends read more

The Collective Encore - Cheese pizza - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Well I revisit this venue at least once a month. So I felt it was time to give an update. I am a fan of the food. I do have my favorites. One being the crab dip with the toasted bread. It's really delicious! As well as the crabcake. I was impressed. The food varies. I'm not a big fan of the wings because I like my wings cooked golden brown and they don't cook theirs that way. I love the ambiance of the place. You get that good feeling vibes upon entering. They definitely can't take that away. You could place your order online thru your table app or the server. The tables are set up for a party of four. So unless you have a party of four your table will be shared. We usually do bar table set up for our party of two. One thing that they changed. Since we started coming here a few years ago was the dance floor. They removed it completely to put in more tables. I guess they wanted to make more money. I'm all for business trying to bloom but I strongly feel like they should have kept the dance floor. Some people are up from their seats dancing blocking others views. Depending on the band Sometimes you can't help but jump up from your seat. Nevertheless I still love this place. You will never have a problem with parking. There is a garage and parking lot adjacent to the event which is free. We used to drive to Bethesda Theater but this is much closer to us. I definitely check out the website periodically to see whose performing. So if you haven't done so. I recommend checking them out. Just keep in mind the 20% gratuity/service charge. That's already charged to every check and adjust accordingly. Definitely will be back!! read more

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Great place for a show. Food and services are good too. We ate in the restaurant before the show as it has a larger menu than at the show.

I came on a Tuesday night for the trivia events they are currently hosting. The space is located on the back side of the main building that your GPS will most likely take you to, but there is signage to follow, and just keep walking until you reach the entrance. The space has a great ambience. The low lighting and dining decor is a great touch. The service was also very friendly and efficient. They do require a credit card to put on file before you order-functioning like a bar. They have food served from the Offshore restaurant that is connected to the event space, which has a menu with many options to choose from. I was pleased with what I ordered. The watermelon salad was very light and refreshing. The smith island cake was quite delicious as well. The trivia event was well done and fun, but I will say many of the questioned stumped me. I do believe they tried to have a decent mixture of cultural representation in the clues, but there is an overall advantage in knowing facts that more closely resonate with the white experience. read more

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Great entertainment venue. Beautiful ambiance, friendly service, comfortable seating, good food. The entertainment was fantastic. This is a hidden gem in Columbia. read more

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And in conclusion...... This place is nice and the servers were good, but the food is not very good for a place adjacent to a nice restaurant. It actually makes you not want to try the restaurant. The Crab Arancini balls were pretty good. The Caeser Salad with Roasted Chicken was ok, but the chicken just seemed like it was frozen and heated up. The pizza was actually terrible. Not kidding it was like a $2 frozen pizza that gives you flashbacks of school pizza. No idea why they don't use a smaller pizza that is a better quality. read more

It's an excellent music venue featuring a mix of established artists as well as up and coming musicians. Also features some very good cover bands. Good sound system. Good food and beverage selection. read more

The Collective Encore - Amy Winehouse photo on the wall. - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

The brunch here is amazing!! We attended an R&B Bingo brunch and the food was really good. There were so many items to choose from but my favorite was the blueberry French toast bake. I actually went back for seconds. I also enjoyed, shrimp and grits, salmon, crab Mac and cheese, chicken salad sliders, ......it was so many other dishes there as well. The Chef really hooked it up! I love good food!!! I definitely recommend this place for brunch 5 stars. read more

Chesapeake Arancini The flavor explosion of this dish was spot on. The creaminess of the Arancini topped with crab. The Arancini was perfectly fried, golden crispy outside. The Old Bay cream sauce was the perfect level of salty and spice. #ThisFeedsMySoul Carrot cake This is a phenomenal spin on a traditional cake. I absolutely loved everything about this! The fresh candied carrot strips, to the fresh whipped cream and walnuts. The warm, moist carrot cake. It all made me pause after the first decadent bite. The star of the show, was the ginger icing. OMG I was licking the plate!!! #ThisFeedsMySoul Portion sizes for both dishes were in alignment with the caliber of the restaurant. If you are seeking big over portions like you are at a buffet, then this is not the type of place for you. Front the Band - Karaoke Event I love the idea...a live band while folks sign up to sing karaoke. The band's playlist was extensive and the were fabulous! Nominal ticket fee, was such a great way to bring in Friday eve. Service was excellent! I love the electronic tab, that you can order all your items from your phone and closeout the tab whenever you are ready. For those old school they do have the option to place your order with the waitress too. #CynBites #ThisFeedsMySoul read more

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Didn't know this venue existing until I found out that Steve Forbert was performing there last month. Intimate venue with nice ambience and friendly prompt service while you wait or enjoy the show. Parking was also very easy and free when I was there. The lot right next to the venue was full when I got there somewhat late, but there's a convenient parking lot across the road. Would definitely love to see other artists here in the future. read more

The Collective Encore - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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It was a great overall experience Food was very good Service was great Great feel of the whole place read more

The Collective Encore - Warm ups - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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This is what an entertainment venue should be. It's a smaller room, but the venue has the perfect amount of sound absorption material installed that makes for a pleasant listening experience. Staff was fantastic, attentive, friendly and polite. Food was tasty and cooked to my liking. read more

Almost everything was very good. Good sound (& not overly loud), reasonably comfortable & spacious seating, and the performance we saw was excellent. We saw a group of performers covering 1 album of songs from Bob Dylan and 1 of Joni Mitchell. (I'm not a fan of either but my wife is). I have 2 relatively minor complaints: 1) the theatre lighting was very distracting, especially the roving beam of white light that swept across the venue direct into my eyes; and 2) the emcee took up too much time rambling between each song, hamming it up and wasting time. He should take a clue from Ed Sullivan! Regardless, I would recommend this venue overall. read more

The Collective Encore - Performers covering songs from a Joni Mitchell album - Music Venues Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

Thank God they finally resurrected this place. Been looking forward to it getting reestablished since Covid took it out couple of years ago. We as Colombians really enjoy our live music and this gives us the opportunity to see it live and enjoy a live venue. Thank you to the management. Look forward to coming again and again. read more

Went to see Dueling Pianos which were great, no criticism of the entertainment. Problem- you order on your phone- their site kept telling me my credit card number was wrong, it wasn't. Did take another card. Waited over 25 mins for order and apparently the waitress was a little pissy about it. The drinks were very stingy pours for $15. Next problem- gratuity is automatically applied - would not have given the 20% because the service sucked. Lastly, when you pay your tab they add an additional tip unless you deliberately zero it out. A real shame. i get them not wanting to be screwed out of tips, but bad service should not be rewarded at 20% and adding the additional gratuity was just sleazy. Will think twice before going back or recommending this place. The pity is I liked the entertainment.' read more

How about allowing people into an event that they paid to see...I was 10 minutes late to an event I paid to see there due to an accident on 95 and was told by some woman I would not be allowed in... I tried explaining to here there was a bad accident on 95 which caused the delay and she said she ain't care. I was given a piece of paper with a code to get a refund and told to go away. When I went and knocked on the door to get her name the man refused to give it to me repeatedly. How is she a manager and refusing to give her name....i will never go to another Fever event and they refused to give me a refund read more

I would've given 4 stars if the portions had been more generous. They should have been embarrassed to put the dessert on the table. It would've been sent back if there hadn't been a candle in it. Two tiny triangles of flourless chocolate cake. Much smaller than a brownie. With a teaspoonful of whipped cream. The service was perfect, though. From the hostess to our waiter/bartender. High Mark's. The food, what there was of it, was excellent. We'll give it another try. read more