How about posting which Restaurants you DON'T like and why. Or wouldn't reccomend for whatever reason.

I moved to Hagerstown approx. 5 years ago and I have steadily been dissapointed with the quality of the food, the poor quality of service, and for some reason prices are higher here than in Frederick/Montgomery/Howard counties.

FYI: I am not picky or a complainer. I have traveled all over the US and have experienced restaurants in just about every state. And I owned a Deli in MOCO.

Unfortunately my list is long. I will start out short and if this thread goes well I will post more reviews.

The chinese restaurant in Smithsburg is the worst in the county by far. The buffet is a joke, they have false advertising about what is on the buffet, and they are some of the rudest and most arrogant people I have ever had to deal with.

Nicolas' in the 4 points. Very good service. Steaks are fair. However, when you spend this much money absolutly nothing should come to the table in plastic! (salad dressing) The pre-packaged salad was dissapointing at this price level.

The Red Horse. Fair to poor service. (if they don't know you or you have kids) Food is O.K. Allowing the 16-18 year hostess to chain smoke at the hostess station is just plain LOW CLASS for this price point.

The new C & J BBQ place (Not sure if this name is correct) Really poor service, place is not well kept up, prices are high for what you get. The food is not on par with similar type places.

Thats it for now. Please no flames. Just trying to find an outlet for what I see (And experiece on a regular basis) as a huge problem in Hagerstown.

I look forward to your great replies!!

Good post, and welcome to the board.

Even though I don't agree with you on one of your critiques.

Red Horse is my favorite special occasion restaurant. I have not seen any of what you described. The service has always been attentive, the food is served hot and of excellent quality. And I've never seen anyone smoking in the establishment other than the designated smoking area. Not arguing with you, just relaying my experience.

I'm going to add Nick's Airport Inn to your list. Overly expensive for what you get, poor service to include not keeping so much as the water glasses filled, and somewhat aloof and rude wait staff. The food there is so-so.

Maybe out of line, but any McDonald's "Restaurant". Terrible.

Ryan's. One word describes it... YUCK! Dirty, unsanitary and unappetizing food.

I tend to agree that the Red Horse isn't the greatest... not worth the experience.

We've always received lousy service at Nick's... kind of a relief to know it's not just us.

Generally speaking... all Chinese buffets suck. For that matter, all all-you-can-eat buffets suck. Don't ever expect great food at an all-you-can-eat place. I mean... the biz wants to make money, KWIM?

El Paso's has been going downhill. Used to be my fave Mexican place, but now it just feels dirty and dingy.

I don't understand why people like The Imperial. R.C. Ching and Hong Kong are both superior.

Always Ron's... I ate there once, and that was enough.

House of Kobe... sushi is below standard in comparison to Sakura.

We tend to avoid chains in general (yes... yes... I don't think Olive Garden counts as Italian food ), but have been known to step foot in one or two. Overall, I'd say Garfields is by far the worst of the burger/fries/chicken chains.

I would completely agree with hcmq with the exception of the Chinese place in Smithsburg (have not been there and have no plans on going).

Since moving here 9 years ago all of the locals would tell me that Red Horse is second to none. I still hear it on a regular basis. However, I have been there 5 times over the past 9 years and every experience has been substandard. I will not say bad, but I would not say good either. The service has always been poor, the food is expensive for the quality, and it is just not that nice inside. I have given it 5 chances becasue of all of the positive feedback that I get from everyone else but I think I am done with this restaurant.

As mentioned on the forum before I believe C&J is by far the worse restaurant in the area (including any chinese buffett). Besides Old Grizzly, I have never spoken to anyone that has enjoyed their experience there. The place should be shut down.

My experience at Gandolfos was not good. I was very excited that a New York syle deli was moving in. After eating there I will be excited when they move out and another restaurant takes their place. Expensive sandwiches with nothing on them. The pictures show big stacks of meat, cheese, and veg. However, when you get your sandwich it looks like a loaf of bread. (WHERE'S THE BEEF-Gandolfos?) I would prefer Sheetz and Subway over Gandolfos.

Also headed down the drain is BroadAxe-since new owners have taken over lunch and dinners there SUCK. Barefoot Bernies, because I love $1.00 drafts I usually get something to munch on every Friday night there. There food has went down hill quick. The only three things that I would recommend is the crab cakes, nachos, and the big club sandwich.

I enjoy Ron's, Cafe Delsol (although they have raised their prices anywhere from 50 cents to $3.00 per meal), Funkstown Tavern (10th inning sandwich is good, not a classy joint), and Ruby Tuesday's salad bar for a quick lunch during the week.

smoking cigarettes and looking like trash...see you at the Red Horse!

I actually like Gandolfo's, hagopinion. Been there a few times and I can never finish my sandwich because they're so big... maybe you went on a bad day. I agree that Barefoot Bernie's food/service isn't the best.

I don't like the menu at Michelle's downtown. Not sure what it is, but the food there has never done it for me. Unique beer selection though.

House of Kobe is overrated. Sakura is better.

Cafe Del Sol is great.

I have lived here a few years now. (7 I think). Most of the restaurants are borderline gross. I was not impressed with Red Horse, Nick's(the crab was good but the service was atrocious), The Plum--overrated, Roccoco's--same-expensive, Il Pomodoro-okay. CJ--very disappointing--I was craving real barbecque & was saddened..unfortunately I like BW3, but I liked Big Bats Better...

I usually end up at El Paso--I like Margaritas & chips., but the prices have gone up & not the quality...it needs redecorating...

I buy the bread at Panera's..but the coffee is so-so. The Square cup has good coffee but no food worth eating.

And all fast food just is garbage...

My biggest complaint in H-town: 1. No real bakery; 2. No real italian deli...

H-town does not have excellent food..It is sad...

1. Sanders Cookie Jar on Pennsylvania Ave, and the new Penna Dutch Market in Longmeadow Shopping Center. (I know what you mean about a "real bakery", but these aren't so bad.)

2. Agreed. And a nice Jewish Deli would be awesome.

If you like BBQ, try Hempen Hill in Fountainhead Plaza.

I thought Hempen Hill was just ok.

Cafe Del Sol cut their portion sizes dramatically after being open one month (in H-town... they've been in G-castle much longer). Also, they took fried mushrooms off the menu. Boooo....

Agree that Roccoco is totally overrated, but it's changed hands now. I haven't been to the new place.

Michelle's gave us lousy service--as bad as I get at Nick's--the first time we were there, and we haven't been back. Food was ok, but nothing special. We might return again simply because they have lots of veg dishes on the menu.

We enjoy Pomodoro... service is always good.... food is reasonable price. I just wish they hadn't cut back their menu.

Anyone been to Roccos now that it's under new ownership?

Roccoco is called Moose's American Bistro now. I've only been there once since it changed hands but they still had the Roccoco menu at the time. They have a new menu now apparently.

One thing about Al Pomodoro that most people don't know... they will make you anything you want providing they have the ingredients for it.

Do you mean Roccos( nice, small Italian restaurant on Liberty St.), or do you mean Roccocos on Washington St.?

just wondering.

I meant Roccos (the Italian place). It closed down for a while, and then I heard it opened under new ownership. I haven't been there in years, and was wondering how it was these days.

I have requested special dishes, but I hate to be a "bother" at restaurants, so I don't do it often. And the last time I requested a special dish, it kinda sucked. Maybe I caught the chef on a bad night.

I haven't been to Rocco's since my pre-prom dinner during senior year. Wow. Weird flashback.

Old South Mountain Inn - food not up to par. Twice I got prime rib that was mostly tasteless.

Yoss mentioned Mc Donalds. The one in Myersville could sure teach the ones in Hag LOTS of things.

Chineese - Tops has gone downhill and don't enjoy it any longer.

Mine was at the Stube.

I have enjoyed Always Rons. The food was agreeable and the price was on target. The service was friendly and quick. Our diverse group found something for everyone on the menu. When needed, the staff was very willing to make accomondations or changes in the menu or preparation. We did not order the hotdog or fish platter. I have also assisted groups of seniors who were given great service and a nice table by the handicapped entrance. The owners are always very friendly and open to suggestions and very approachable when we talk with them. So we are in the minority, we like Always Rons. It had an agreeable feel, good food, and pleasant/cooperative approach.

Agree: Some of the All U Can Eat places have outlived their heyday (scarey).

I find some of the more popular/higher end resturants mentioned by friends or in the forums to be overpriced for what they offered. Some people I know go crazy over one or two establishments in Hagerstown. I found some of these places to be average or boring, or not the best for service or flexibility. Then there are some I agree with, very nice, and a real treat. I also like some of the older family style resturants in the outer areas. (I do not mean the All U Can Eat settings.) I like the variety I find through my travels. Specifically, I like some in town settings, or in Wash DC, or out in the country.

Community Hagerstown-
Could you be a little more specific with your last paragraph? It is very general and does not list any names of the restarurants that you are talking about.

Gandolofos is not a new york deli. It is more like some marketers idea of one. where's the pastrami., a decent ruben ect. been there won't be back.

c&j's -ordered a steak there and it came well seasoned with clorox-come to find out that it is done when the cooks aren't sure if the meat is not spoiled.

all chinese buffets get their sauces from the same tanker truck from jersey city, what do you expect when it is pumped in.

changs and sukahara are good food at reasonable prices with good service.

red horse ate there once never went back.

roccos= ragu sauce.

ron's was fair to good in service and food.

stube good food and service but watch the service charge for large parties-servers dont mention it if you leave decent tip on top of it and wind up leaving 40%

I never eat at buffets, ever.

I love the Stube, I usually only go during the Spring and Summer when I can sit in the beer garden in the back.

I boycotted my senior prom. I got suspended the week before the prom because I was holding up school buses to let cars out in front of me (at Smithsburg, there is a Y exit that merges into two lanes). They suspended me 3 days for that (granted, I was doing it as a joke) and wouldn't allow me to go to the prom, which put all of the senior and junior class in an uproar, plus many parents. Anyway, they ended up allowing me to go (but still serve my suspension) but I decided not to in an act of teenage defiance. Instead, I ended up having a 3-day vacation and a huge, very memorable, after-prom party instead.

But yeah, anyway, I went to the Fireside my junior year.

always the $hit starter

Yeah I bet you were a model student too.

Touche! smokebombs in the trash cans was my crime

Anyone been to Dimensions?My wife won a meal there from the radio station a couple of months ago and we still havent gone.
any positive or negative feedback?

Off topic! Delete!

I like to goto the localy owned resturants & bars with good food, to many to mention.
The only time I eat out in Big resturants is on special ocasions. Or meet & greets where ever they have them. I like the Long horn Steak House near the Prim Outlets. The service is ok. But you need to ask the waitress to get or refill anything. They don`t come by to often.

I keep meaning to go. My neighbors says it very good.

Wow what a great response to a thread I have been wanteing to do for a very long time.

Here are a few more on my critics corner:

Always Rons. We started going there when it first opened and it was great. Good food and good prices. (Value) Then the owners (Yes whom are still very nice) started to play with the original menu items. Make sure you know your waitress or make sure you get one that doesn't smoke. If they smoke they will leave you high and dry while they partake.

Unfortunately there are quite a few establishments in H-town where the wait staff feels it is more important to smoke than give you good service!

90% of the fast food joints in H-town are soooo poorly managed, I am shocked they stay in business!

The colonial inn: Very good food and value. However, they don't have a non-smoking section and if the wait staff doesn't know you they WILL treat you poorly. (Their crab cakes are much better than Nicks just smaller and cheaper)

The new Ariels in Smithsburg: What were they thinking?!?! After all the work they did the food is still lousy, the staff is clueless and very poorly managed and the prices are high!

I used to like the Imperial though I do believe it is priced far higher than any chinese should be. The last time we ate there our steamed rice had live maggotts in it. (I swear) and the owner could care less!! Not even I'm sorry. And no we were not looking for anything free just a little respect.

There is more but I will save that for later!

Lets keep this thread on track. I will start another with posative reccomendations!

Note to self- NEVER eat at the Imperial

OMG! I agree--no added protein for me..


I do have one rejection--Always Ron's..Why does anyone like this place? Everytime I have some bunch to meet for lunch or dinner they want to go to this overblown sandwich shop. Last time I was there I had an iced tea, a sandwich w/crappy chips for over $13.00...+tip...And this was the 5th time I had eaten there--I have had their dinners and lunch specials and never get out without spending $20.00 on dull food...I feel like I could eat at Subway for cheaper..

Where is Ariel's at? Never heard of it.

The Colonial good value? A scrawny burger and cup of soup and drink (soda) cost me over $9 there last year. Never again.

Did you report the maggoty rice to the health department? LIVE maggots in STEAMED rice????

This thread reenforces my belief that service and food quality is hit or miss in this area. It seems like for every positive review there is a negative to go with it.

I honestly don't think I've ever had the same experience twice around here.

I don't get why the Cracker Barrel is so popular. Went there on a week night and it was packed. Couldn't even find a parking space.

The breakfast foods are good. But, most places can whip up good pancakes.

For dinner, I can't find much I like there. Ususally get the greens and beans! Something different. I really like that.

Old folks and travellers

It is our favorite place to stop while road-tripping.

Any restaurant owner that serves me a plate of live maggots is going to have a hell of a lot more to worry about than the Health Department!

No we didn't call the health department. Though in hind sight I should have. We were just so shocked at the complete lack of concern by the owner and staff.

I had to threaten him that I was going to start telling everyone in the place at the time. All the patrons could already tell that i was starting to cause some trouble.

If my wife wasn't so picky and weary of places that are run like crap like the imperial we prolly wouldn't have ever noticed that there were thing wriggling in the rice!

I believe that the rice must be stored outside of the rice cooker and apperently the vessel was not clean.


What a great point that most of these places are hit or miss and the ones that are succesful tend to be "old boy network" esc.

Along the lines of what is so popular about the cracker barrel is what is all the fuss about the Texas Road house?? We have gone there many times and not once has it gone well. Everything from wait staff that never ever comes back, one time we got another table's order and then the waiter vanished! we had to tell a different waiter that this wasn't our order. The kid steaks are really bad. Just over all very very hit or miss.

Here's a few more:

Perkins, what a joke the worst service and food around. Glad it's closed.

IHOP they cannot get a good manager,hostess,wait staff, and cook. the place just sucks!

Rocky's on the square downtown. I can't believe this place is till open. I used to own a deli and I know the food laws in MD and this place (Like many in H-town) dosen't follow any. It's over priced, dirty, and frankly not that good.

I strongly believe a lot of these places must be "old boy" connected with the health dept with as much as they get away with. you never see them in the paper!

Keep-em coming!

I don't like The Outback, Texas Longhorn or Texas Roadhouse or whatever they are, sucky Applebees (why do people always drag me here??), the Howling Dog or the Howling Wolf or whatever it's called (in WV).


I can't believe you were served maggots. Did you think you were on candid camera or something?

Texas Road House has some SERIOUS problems!

I do a little "mystery shopping" and that place is ALWAYS being "shopped". When you "shop" a vendor, you go undercover and check out the service, quality of product/food, etc.

There are always openings to shop that place, so it's obvious that "corporate management" knows that there is a problem.

BTW, they pay $50 to "shop" this place, so "corporate" is REALLY concerned.

Aren't also reimbursed for your meal? I had a buddy who used to be a mystery shopper and he loved it. he said he loved getting ignored by salespeople knowing he would detail it all in his report.

$50 reimbursement is for myself and a guest, $25/each (to pay for dinner/drinks).

Hey, a free meal for me and the hubby ain't bad - it doesn't pay the bills, but it fills the tummy!

Actually, I "specialize" in real-estate shops. I pretend I'm wealthy and check out high-end homes, but in reality, I'm checking out the agents.

The only reason to eat at a Cracker Barracks is travelling in unfamiliar territory.. We have been 'forced' to eat there a few times in our cross country treks...the food is always bland, the place is always loud, but it is etible...I always hate the wait in the 'quaint, country thrift shop'..Gotta love the RV's in the lot--driven by the 'invisible drivers'..

Texas Roadhouse--I have not eaten there in some time. Last time we could not get served our refills on tea..we finally just got up & got another waitress to serve us..

And I am glad Applebee's closed here--what a dump!! Overpriced small portions of cheap garbage...

Ihop--I worked in one when I was 17...I never, never eat in one!

I wonder--do we actually have an inspector? I read 1x per month the evaluations & just laugh...Superior Ice Cream--which I like their ice cream got slammed once for 'improper storage of the scoop'..what the water in the cup they toss it in was cold? Unlike the Dunkin Donuts--dirty,dirty...don't eat there any longer either..

Crapple-bees = one of the worst chain restaurants EVER.

I used to mystery shop, too... back in my meat-eating days. Definitely remember doing some Texas Roadhouse shops.

Cracker Barrel: Everything they serve has either meat broth (ewww...) or butter/cream/cheese in it, so I never eat there.

And though I know there are some serious Waffle House fans, I find the service there lousy. Back during my egg-eating days, I got an over-easy egg that was refrigerator (I mean ICE) cold in the center. (Double ewwwww....)

I wanna be a mystery shopper!

If you don't mind me asking, what co. did you shop for -- not the store you visited but the place that paid you? Was it based in Frederick?

me too!

That's it. I'm quitting my job to be a mystery shopper. They hire you to do movie theaters too.

Finding mystery shopping gigs is a pain in the tuckus, IMHO. Best place to start is Volition.com.