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Jun 29 2008, 6:41 PM EDT rschaaf 39 words added
May 31 2008, 2:24 PM EDT PickyGourmet 25 words added, 60 words deleted

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Here is the place to go when you don't know where to go to have a good time or something to eat (or where to avoid). Put in your suggestions below - name and location and write a short customer review. If you dare, make a sub-page with the weekly specials or bands or menus, etc.!


LOCAL (Alpha Order)
(Hyattsville, Adelphi, Berwyn Heights, Chillum, College Park, Greenbelt, Langley Park, Mt. Rainier, Riverdale Park)


The Alamo - Riverdale. Mexican.

Customer Review: A good Mexican sit down with fun atmosphere. Try the traditional sopes and tacos mexicanos. They have mariachi on Friday and Saturday nights.

Customer Review: Mediocre.
-- The Picky Gourmet

Customer Review: The service was good and the atmosphere would have been OK if they hadn't had two competing stereos on (one in the dining room and one blaring in the kitchen). The food was below average, and the margaritas were no better than those made with a standard supermarket mix.
-- C&C



Artmosphere Cafe - Mt. Rainier.

Customer Review: Pricey. Also, slow service. And if you don't like the owner's taste in music, you're out of luck.
-- The Picky Gourmet



Beijing of Greenbelt - Greenbelt (next to P & G Old Greenbelt Theatre). Chinese.

Customer Review: EXCELLENT! Food and service are great. If you are a vegetarian, then you have to try the fake chicken and beef entrees. As a recent convert, being able to get a Cashew "Chicken" is just awesome. Time when you go so that you are not there right before or after a movie (gets crowded then). My kids love it because at the end of the meal they bring you "hot towels" to wipe off your hands and face. Plus, you get a scoop of orange sherbert with your cookie. Lastly, when you walk in, check out the review from none other than Hyattsville's own food critics from years ago. (Stop wining, start dining.) Totally kid friendly plus a full bar (adult friendly). Walk on over to the New Deal Cafe afterwards for some live music!

Customer Review: Mediocre at best. Certainly not a healthy alternative. Dishes are lacking in vegetables and avoid shrimp dishes which have approximately a half an inch of deep fried batter on each. Quick and friendly service.
-- A vegetarian/meat-loving dining pair



Berwyn Cafe - Berwyn Heights. Vegetarian.

Menu.



Cafe Azul - Hyattsville. Mediterranean and Latin style salads, soups and paninis.



Calvert House - Riverdale Park. Live music in "tavern."



Chef's Secret - See "Siri's Chef Secret."



Chez Yon-Yon - Chillum. Haitian.
See EchodHaiti.Com and Washington Post Review (9/29/06) for more about the restaurant.



College Perk -- College Park. Food, Bar, Cafe, Free Wi-Fi.
Customer Review: Primarily a cafe with excellent coffee. Some of the food is actually QUIET GOOD (and this from the Picky Gourmet :-). (I particularly like the Don Carlos sandwich: chicken, brie, chutney, good bread). But this place will not be for everyone because of the ambiance. Its `look' is down-market bohemian: rickety chairs and ratty couches, a warren of small rooms painted high-intensity colors, walls covered with miscellaneous flyers, posters, etc. I like the look -- especially as a contrast to all the chain-style, heavy-on-the-plastic decor that predominates eateries in our area -- but not everyone will.
-- The Picky Gourmet


Curry Express - College Park. North Indian.

Customer Review: On the mild side for Indian, but still satisfying. VERY reasonably priced. They do both vegetarian and non-vegetarian (chicken) dishes. They are generous with free samples of the day's offerings. Delivery within a 2-mile radius; this means some of Hyattsville. Small counter for eat-in. Dedicated parking. The proprietors are very friendly, and if counter traffic is slow you can have a delightful conversation along with your meal.

Customer review: I would agree with the above reviewer, except I can't say the food is particularly satisfying. It's too bad, as it's the closest Indian restaurant to us. The proprietors are very nice and the price is right. It just seems to me they make way too many compromises in order to sell the food at the cheap prices. Many dishes are thin (lots of gravy, little substance).



Dumms Pizza and Subs - Riverdale.
Customer Review: Definitely a dive but the subs are delicious. Haven't had the pizza yet.

Customer Review: For delivery, the pizza is the best in the area. Subs are good too, especially the Italian and the rib eye cheese steak. Plus, they are very affordable. Hyattsville H4X says their the best pizza in Hyattsville - and Dumms is in Riverdale.



Emerita's Pupuseria - Hyattsville (5408 Queens Chapel Rd.) Salvadoran and Mexican.
Customer Review: Excellent pupusas, chicken, beans, and more - traditional Salvadoran and Mexican fare but above par for your typical area Salvadoran restaurant - not greasy. Highly recommended.



Five Guys - UTC Hyattsville. Burgers.

Customer Review: Great burgers and fries. Limited menu is just what they do well, plus free peanuts. Love it. We get a smoothie from Smoothie King across the street.



Fractured Prune Hand-Dipped Donuts - Hyattsville.
Customer Review: The best donut I've ever had in my life. Crisp on the outside, hot and delicious on the inside. Don't think about the calories, just try one! The O.C. Sand is the best. Fractured Prune is closing for the summer but will be open again in the fall.



Francis Carryout - Mount Rainier. Central American.

Customer Review: This little, unassuming restaurant serves some of the best Central American food I've had. It's a little like entering a restaurant in El Salvador. The steak tacos are great, with good quality cuts of beef. Tamales and Pupusas are good too. Skip the meals and order a la carte. I'm not sure they even know what's on the menu. Also, don't be fooled by the name. You can eat there too. My Central American friends from Philly always insist on going there when in town. While the food is typically Central American, so is the service. Read that as "not very good." It helps to know Spanish when ordering. They are often out of ingredients. And the hours are somewhat variable. But it's good food that you can walk to if you live in Mount Rainier.
-- Always Hungry


Franklins Brewery -Hyattsville.

Customer Review: Good looks, nice atmosphere, great local feel. Alas, the food is not very good.

Customer Review: Food varies as does service. I've always complained that being it's a brewpub you should be asked what kind of beer you want within seconds of sitting down. That being said, I've had bad meals/service at almost every restaurant I've eaten at more than once. It's the best we got in and it's only going to get better! Plus, as a Hyattsville resident, you should eat there whenever you can to support them. Franklins saved this City or at least was the catalyst.

Customer Review: The store is great and the food is getting better. I love going there because it's actually in our community, whereas everything else (that I visit often) tends to be in College Park.

Customer Review: 100% lacking in consistency. I've had great meals (really great!) and I've had abysmal meals with appalling service, frozen food, etc. The potential is great and my recommendation is that you stick with basic food. Try the milk shakes, they're amazing! This is the place in Hyattsville. Locals love it as the only real alternative to chains, fast food and the like. Neither the beer nor the food is great, but they are at least trying. They've earned our support.

Customer Review: The general store is enough to pull me in anytime. Definitely a favorite place to shop. I wasn't impressed with the food when I first moved to Hyattsville over a year ago, but it has gotten noticeably better AND they've added a few new dishes
-- alynn, 1-31-07


Golden Bull Restaurant - Adelphi.
Customer Review: When you're in the mood for some great prime rib, head to the Golden Bull. They also have a terrific Sunday brunch at a reasonable price. (I think $19.95?)


Hard Times Cafe - College Park.
Customer Review: Although part of a chain, it feels like a local restaurant to me! Great place for a chili dog. Fills up on UMD game nights.


Island Style Ice Cream - Mt. Rainier,

Customer Review: This is the best ice cream I've ever had - seriously. I think about it almost every day. I especially like the ginger and mango flavored ice cream. Go here to cool down on a hot day - right down 34th street from Glut.

Customer Review: I want to echo what the above reviewer said and add that it their ice cream is homemade and you can tell--light, fluffy, wonderfully flavored and not too sweet. I like the soursop and ginger the best so far, but will happily continue to experiment.

Washington Post write-up



Koreanna Cuisine - Riverdale Park.

Customer Review: Formerly YiJo Korean in the College Park Days Inn, Koreanna is now closer to home just east of us near the corner of 410 (E-W Hwy) and Kenilworth Ave in Riverdale Park. The new location has a much nicer atmosphere inside and you also get treated to Korean movies on the flatscreen TVs as you eat. The food is great! My wife and I go on a regular basis for the Korean barbeque, spicy pork, soups/stews, and seafood. It's all good! The wait staff is also very attentive.



Ledo Restaurant - Adelphi.
Customer Review: A great place to take the family for some of the famous Ledo pizza. This is the original and others are franchises. Just beware that seating can be almost impossible on UMD game nights - all the folks from Mont Co invade our friendly neighborhood restaurant, and the place is a sea of red and black shirts with turtles on them.



Momma Lucia - College Park.
Customer Review: Although part of a small local chain, this place feels local. New York style pizza and some great salads. The tablecloths come out at night and the prices go up too! Great wait staff and FULL glasses of wine.



Mr. P's Ribs - Chillum.

Customer Review: Very good ribs sold out of a converted school bus near the CVS on Chillum Rd. I've seen them on weekends, but I'm not sure if they are there weekdays. The ribs are not dry at all and wonderfully porky. Picked up a full slab and a large collard greens (also great) on the way to a party for around $20. They didn't seem to have any dry rub on them at all, which is usually how I like ribs, but the BBQ sauce that came with was very tasty. They also sell many other sides, chicken and fish.
New Deal Cafe - Greenbelt.

Customer Review: Great vegetarian and vegan fare, but they serve meat as well. Live entertainment most nights, great dessert selection, and community bookshelves (take something or leave something). Very comfortable environment.


Pollo Fiesta - Riverdale. Central American.

Customer Review: This is a good place for Central American food and very affordable. They do the typical: tacos, enchiladas, etc., and also sell excellent rotisserie chicken. Don't let the exterior scare you away.
The interior is quite nice. The wait staff is friendly and speaks English. The dining room is spacious, so it's a great place for large groups. Everything I've had there has been good.
-- Always Hungry



Platos Diner - College Park. American & Greek.

Customer Review: It's come a long way since it first opened. Being a NJ transplant, a "diner" meant something to me. I was there in 1994 when it opened and have gone back time and time again and I have to say, it's good. No, not NJ quality, but very close. Breakfast anytime, big portions, coffee, beer & wine, good service, there is little to be desired food wise (remembering it's a diner). Can even get veggie sausage rather than regular when ordering your "Terp." Bathrooms need an upgrade.

Customer Review: I go there a lot, partly because it's decent, mostly because there's little choice of breakfast places in the area. That said, things I really like about the place: Excellent service (most restaurants could really learn something from these folks); you can have a booth, even if you're alone; reasonable prices
-- The Picky Gourmet



Potbelly Sandwich Works - College Park.

Customer Review. Dine-in, call ahead & pick up, or have them deliver (if you live close enough - they don't deliver to Hyattsville just yet). They have several customizable sandwiches, soup, shakes/malts/ice cream, cookies, drinks, and chips. Not too much variety, but very good food for what they have.

Customer Review: Absolutely delicious food.

Customery Review: This is a chain whose quality is only one (small) step above Subway.
-- The Picky Gourmet.



Prince Cafe - College Park. Mediterranean, Indian, Pakistani, and Tandoori food. Shisha/Hookah Lounge.

Customer Review: The CP location doesn't always have the full menu, but what they have is good for the cuisine. Comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, although on weekend nights they tend to turn the music up a bit loud. It's a shisha/hookah lounge, so it's not for anyone bothered by smoke. They also sell coals and tobacco in store for shisha owners. Open late for us night owls.



Qdoba Mexican Grill - UTC Hyattsville. Menu.
Customer Review: A chain. The first restaurant to open at UTC. Middling to good. Okay when you're hungry and need convenient take-out, or for a quick meal before a movie.
-- The Picky Gourmet
S&J's - Riverdale Park. Bar/Restaurant.
Customer Review: Smoke-free. The owners are supportive of the community. The clientele are my neighbors, including Council and community activists. Very kid-friendly, too. Reportedly they have great chili. I can only speak to the crabs, which are also very good. And Yuengling on draft for $1.50. Guinness in bottles. And the sort of bartender who remembers what you drink. A great local hangout! And, I hear, a hopping karioke scene. Wi-fi hotspot!!


Shagga Coffee - On Route 1 by the intersection with Oliver, where Donut Connection used to be.

Fair trade coffee, bagels, and Ethiopean snacks.


Siri's Chef Secret - College Park. Thai.

Customer Review: Excellent. Looks kinda dumpy on the outside, but it's really nice inside.

Customer Review: Moderately good. Kitschy interior.
-- The Picky Gourmet

Customer Review: Very nice, formal restaurant with great food and nice people. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Also take out.



Smoothie King - UTC Hyattsville; College Park.



New Surf Club Live! - Hyattsville. Live musical performances.

Customer Review: This is a true American roadhouse...cold beer, smooth dance floor, friendly staff and outstanding roots music (both local and national)....always a fun night at the Surf!

Customer Review: Love, love, love this place. Great dancing, great people watching, and GREAT LIVE MUSIC. C'mon stop in and see what you are missing. http://www.surfclublive.com




Three Brothers - Four locations: UTC Hyattsville; Kennilworth Ave; Beltway Plaza;Rt. 1 near Costco.

Customer Review: Was just there the other day and realized just how often we go there. Same menu at each location, good pizza (sex & pizza, it's all good), good service, Italian ices. Salads leave something to be desired unless you like iceberg lettuce, but the house dressing is excellent! Same owners (actually saw two of them the other day!) for over 30 years and they have 15 locations all around Maryland. No, not exquisite Italian fare. It's a pizza joint.

Customer Review: Pizza okay - probably the best in the local area. I love the attached store at the Kennilworth location. You can buy everything from Italian-brand coffee, artichokes, and biscotti, to restaurant-sized jars of olives, to pots and pans large enough to cook a meal for 30.
-- The Picky Gourmet



Tiffin - Langley Park. Indian.

Customer Review: Just east of Udupi Palace and run by the same people. A more nouveau Indian approach featuring "vegetarian and non-vegetarian food."

Customer Review: Lamb Birini is good. Lunch, however, is on warming tables(and so, presumably, is dinner, out of sight in the back).
-- The Picky Gourmet

Customer Review: I'm an avid fan of Indian cuisine -- I lived in South Asia for about 13 years and do quite a bit of Indian cooking myself. Wherever I travel I always look for the Indian and Thai restaurants. I've never had the buffet at Tiffin; I've only ordered off the menu -- it is a pretty typical North Indian one. I can honestly say that Tiffin has the best (North) Indian food of any Indian restaurant I've tried in the U.S. (I've had better in Canada and U.K.) I'm so grateful they are close by as they are, and that their prices are so reasonable -- only wish they'd open a branch on Route 1.



VARSITY GRILL - College Park.

Customer Review: A veritible sports haven for all addicts. Flat screen TV's EVERYWHERE but, surprise, a decent meal and a well poured drink to match. They have just opened and the food has been good and consistent, and the wait staff is eager to be of service. A very welcome addition to the College Park scene. Multiple age groups well represented.



Woodlands - Langley Park. Indian.

Customer Review: Same South Indian cuisine but better than Udupi or Tiffin. Great lunch buffet. Very reasonable prices


Under the Coconut Tree - Hyattsville. A Caribbean bakery/cafe.

Coffee, baked goods, and jerk chicken



DC


Indique - Cleveland Park. Indian.

Customer Review: I highly recommend it. Cool interior. Great food. I would describe it as nouveau Indian.


Lebanese Taverna - Woodley Park

Customer Review: A DC institution.



Silver Spring
Mandalay - Silver Spring. Burmese.

Customer Review: Great food run by wonderful Burmese family. They can tailor spiciness levels to cover anything from timid to incendiary, and accommodate vegan to carnivore with equal ease. If you don't see anything inspiring on the menu, tell 'em to give you what Flawn and Vicki would have! It's our favorite eatery. Jim recommends the tofu with coconut sauce, and don't forget their dessert!

Customer Review: Excellent! Tastes are so unusual and delicious. Food is freshly cooked (no warming pans). They used to be in College Park. Just wish they still were!
-- The Picky Gourmet


Taste of Morocco - Silver Spring.