Annapolis Restaurants/Where To Eat 2016/ I-Day CVW Visit Graduation PPW

Stop! Just stop. You are making all of us Army families jealous. And pictures are just cruel.
 
Do you remember Russell Crowe in “Master and Commander: Far Side of the World?” A major action at sea is just over, they are in the middle of nowhere, and they are having toasted cheese bread in the ship’s silver, as a snack while playing classical music. Or, as they are on deck just before the last big battle scene with the French warship Acheron, which outguns Capt Aubrey’s HMS Surprise, again in the middle of nowhere, his steward brings up hot tea to the bridge in the ship’s bone china tea cups. It’s a thing with us squids. We eat our share of MREs (or ship’s biscuit with weevils for good measure back then), but we do gravitate to fun food ashore.
 
If I had a reserved parking place at Fogo de Chao I would pay for it. We took everyone at Fogo de Chao in Baltimore for everyone at DD's Graduation. They were amazed. Would be there every day for brunch or Dinner if I worked in that area. The view of the new harbor is beautiful.
 
AF6872 said:
If I had a reserved parking place at Fogo de Chao I would pay for it. We took everyone at Fogo de Chao in Baltimore for everyone at DD's Graduation. They were amazed. Would be there every day for brunch or Dinner if I worked in that area. The view of the new harbor is beautiful.
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One of the hidden pleasures in New Jersey is the presence of Rodizio/churrascarias (Brazilian BBQ) restaurants. Most are in the "Ironbound" secion of Newark but others are in more suburban and even rural areas and many/most are superior to the chains. There are even cheaper neighborhood places where you can get a groupon for $19. Not as elegant, these are definitely more working class places but the food is very good and culturally, you're in the midst of a mostly Brazilian clientele.
 
There are very few pleasures that I know of in the Iron Bound Section but I will look it up the next time I take the kid down to his USNS ship. Love those Brazilian or Argentine eateries.
 
Capt MJ said:
My Baltimore office is adjacent to Cheesecake Factory, across from Shake Shack, Chick Fil A, Capital Grill and Fogo de Chao, and around the corner, Miss Shirley’s! Whee!
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The Inner Harbor has a lesser known 9/11 memorial at the Baltimore WTC (The “Other” Pentagon).

The promenade has monuments for NYC, The Pentagon, and PA. The memorial is designed in such a way, that on 9/11 the building’s shadow moves along a timeline with descriptions of the events at the actual time they occurred on that tragic day.

The Top of the World (27th floor observation deck) has an accompanying exhibit.
 
AF6872 said:
There are very few pleasures that I know of in the Iron Bound Section but I will look it up the next time I take the kid down to his USNS ship. Love those Brazilian or Argentine eateries.
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Actually, the Spanish restaurants are top notch as well.
 
Since 2/C parents weekend is coming up and relevant to that and the football game, this thread is always fun to read. You can't help having fun eating at all the interesting places. I'll throw in Foxes Den on Main Street near where Conduit dumps in. You go down a staircase from street level. Great, interesting small plates for sharing if you like that. You can build individual pizzas too not to mention the craft beer. We ate there last month and treated a group of Mids - we had a lot of fun.
 
We are from the Midwest. Have never experienced such palette pleasures of the east coast!! Whoa, was that a good time. We learned we do NOT like soft shell crabs (Buddy’s Rib and Crab Shack, but loved everything else we had there!!) at all. And we DO love crab cakes (anywhere!!) and crab Benedict (best we had was at our hotel -Lowe’s- during the week...weekday chef made noticeably better hollandaise than the weekend chef).

And the crab bisque from The Federal House is something we will have again, for sure. THAT was delicious.

I see a theme.... [emoji886] [emoji886] [emoji886]
 
Capt MJ said:
Ok, I am starting to see the annual rounds of where-to-eat-Annapolis-during-CVW/visit/I-Day etc., so I am creating a fresh thread with an easily searchable title. There are dozens of posts stashed in various threads, but not necessarily obvious. There was recently a great string of posts about breakfast places, in a Patriot League Swimming thread. Since sometimes I am great at remembering where these posts are, or search well, and sometimes not, I will just go for the pile into the bus approach.

I started a "Hotels Annapolis" and "USNA Parents Club" threads with the same approach, so with any luck they will pop up with logical search terms.

Some of these are on Open Table. Given the reverence paid to crab in this area, whether crab cake or crab bisque or whatever stuffed with crab, assume the crab items are good. A restaurant quickly fails if it doesn't do crab well. Most will have websites for further research. There are A LOT of choices. I have used a rough geographical approach. I look forward to all the posts. I live here, and always enjoy trying a place I have overlooked.

To seed the thread with a few choices in each area:

ON THE YARD.

Drydock, in Dahlgren Hall.
Grill and snack bar open to public. Good basics much cheaper than outside the gates.

Club.
Lunch and brunch, some dinners. Not sure what rules are for using. I am usually there for wedding/funeral receptions.



DTA (DOWNTOWN ANNAPOLIS):

Iron Rooster.
Universal favorite, just a few years in DTA, beloved by locals, visitors and mids. American comfort food done with style and quality. All-day breakfast. House-made pop tarts. Don't ask. Just go.

Buddy's Crabs and Ribs.
Perennial brunch favorite for lots of food and cheaper end of the spectrum.

Federal House.
Good all-around restaurant.

McGarvey's.
Raw bar for those who like it. Long-time Annapolis watering hole for boat people. Good all-around menu.

Middleton's.
Colonial tavern, more upscale menu.

Chick 'N' Ruth's Delly. (they spell it that way)
Annapolis institution. An experience.

Potato Valley.
On State Circle. Hole in the wall for lunch, serving huge baked potatoes with a wide range of toppings that make it a meal.

Pusser's Tavern.
Marriott Hotel restaurant on the water. Typical pricey hotel food, but for a drink on the water and an appetizer, a block to check. There's just something about having a Dark and Stormy on the deck on a summer evening looking out at the boats at anchor that I have to do every so often with DH.

Galway Bay
Castle Bay
the Irish pubs.

Reynolds Tavern.
Another Colonial setting, on Church Circle. Known for afternoon tea and nice dinners.

The Big Cheese.
Well-known for great take-out sandwiches, "Best in Annapolis" for years running. A bit expensive but worth it. Take-out only. You can set up a charge account for your mids. You pay. They eat. "The Annapolitan" - crusty roll from Baltimore's Little Italy, melted Brie, sliced Granny Smith apples. Mmmm



UPTOWN ANNAPOLIS. Along West St. from State Circle to the Spa Road Circle near the Westin.

Ram's Head Tavern.
Micro-brewery gastro pub. A local favorite. Good all-round menu.

Level.
Small plates, very good food.

Red, Red Wine Bar.
Good food too.

Lemongrass.
Thai. Very popular.

Fadò.
Irish pub chain.

Miss Shirley's.
A breakfast/lunch favorite to rival Iron Rooster. Started in Baltimore.


MALL AREA. Includes Westfield Shoppingtown Annapolis ("Annapolis Mall") , the Festival at Riva and The Shops at Parole.

Most of the major chains at every price point.



GREATER ANNAPOLIS AND SURROUNDS.

Cantler's.
Perennial favorite of generations of locals, mids, alumni. Classic crab deck on the water. No reservations. Tuck your napkin around your neck, spread out the butcher paper, grab your crab mallet, and get cracking. All crab decks have burgers, sandwiches, seafood in season, other stuff.

Deep Creek Cafe.
Similar to Cantler's, crab deck on the water. In Arnold.

Mike's on the South River.
Technically in Riva. Another classic old-school crab deck.

Severn Inn.
Upscale place across the water on the Severn River, great view of USNA. Seafood.

Pa Dutch Market, or Amish Market, as most locals call it.
A market co-op only open Thurs, Fri, Sat, run by Amish families from PA. Everything homemade. Eat breakfast, lunch or dinner in the small cafe. Get a just made pretzel wrapped around a sausage or hot dog to eat while wandering around looking at the baked goods (made on premises in an open bakery), produce, pickles and jams, and the meat counters. Always jammed on Sat AM. We love it. Our visitors love it.

Chris' Charcoal Pit.
Hole-in-the-wall in strip mall with Greek food. Many Greek families in Annapolis from the fishing and boating industries going back to the 1800's. West St.

Paul's Homewood Cafe.
Nice Greek restaurant, local favorite. West St.

Giolitti's Deli.
Near Shops at Parole, off West St. My favorite Italian deli for subs on homemade rolls, and hand made pasta. Take out or eat there. Been there for 20+ years.

Mission BBQ.
Local chain spreading rapidly. BBQ is always a source of controversy, as it should be. Dedicated to armed forces and first responders.

Double T Diner.
West St. Starving? Weird time of day? Want breakfast food? Everybody wants something different? Classic diner with massive menu. Open 24 hours.




EASTPORT.
Across the tiny bridge near the Marriott.

Chart House.
A personal favorite. Located in an historic boathouse that built PT boats during WW II. Upscale steak and seafood chain with killer views across the Annapolis Harbor to USNA.

Carrol's Creek Cafe.
Views. Upscale. Seafood.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. The chain.

Lewnes' Steakhouse.
An Annapolis original, same scale as Ruth's, but with been-there-forever charm. Go at least once, to celebrate something.


Over to you!
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http://www.carpacciotuscankitchen.com
 
Eastport: O'Leary's Seafood.
Personal number one favorite, great seafood, killer cocktails, intimate setting, bring your wallet and worth every penny.
 
justdoit19 said:
We are from the Midwest. Have never experienced such palette pleasures of the east coast!! Whoa, was that a good time.
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For the true experience -- you need to go to Cantler's . It's a small, old school, crab place on Mill's Creek (across the River). Crabs dumped on the brown paper covered tables, cold beer ...nothing fancy about it , but that's how crabs were meant to be eaten. Best when you can eat outside. It used to be hard to find, but in todays day of GPS it gets crowded.
 
THAT is the name a local guy told us as we were waiting to board our plane!! Neither DH nor myself could recall what he said!! We will make a trip there next time, for sure!!
 
Capt MJ said:
My Baltimore office is adjacent to Cheesecake Factory, across from Shake Shack, Chick Fil A, Capital Grill and Fogo de Chao, and around the corner, Miss Shirley’s! Whee!
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We are looking forward to Miss Shirley’s next time we are in town to see our plebe.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
justdoit19 said:
We are from the Midwest. Have never experienced such palette pleasures of the east coast!! Whoa, was that a good time.
Click to expand...
For the true experience -- you need to go to Cantler's . It's a small, old school, crab place on Mill's Creek (across the River). Crabs dumped on the brown paper covered tables, cold beer ...nothing fancy about it , but that's how crabs were meant to be eaten. Best when you can eat outside. It used to be hard to find, but in todays day of GPS it gets crowded.
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I’ve been there. Highly recommended !
 
I have to post that after spending 10 days in the DTA area, that breakfast at Chick & Ruth's Delly is better than any other.
Holy Moley I had Eggs Benedict with Corned Beef Hash at Chick & Ruth's and I heard the angels singing. It is truly a culinary triumph. The genius of it is that they replaced the chaffy Canadian bacon hockey puck with corned beef hash.
It's a breakfast game-changer. ;)

Bravo Zulu to the new owner Keith Jones. Ted and Beth Levitt put that place in very capable hands!
 
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With PPW coming up I'd thought it would be worthwhile to bring up the Annapolis restaurant 'guide', also know as 'who you think has the best food'..... or beer, drinks or whatever.
So for all the incoming folks to DTA and enviorns, here you go, 7 pages of opinion!
 
Proud Parents c/o 19 said:
I haven't seen Yellowfin listed. Great food and great views on the scenic South River just south of DTA.
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Went here night before I-Day on a local’s recommendation to get away from DTA and it was great. About 15 min from the yard by car.

DW recommends Captain Billy’s in Pope’s Creek for the very best in Maryland Blue Crab - her family has been going there for over 50 years and nothing compares. Too far for PPW and don’t wear whites.
 
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