Surf House Island Cantina — Restaurant in Maryland

So my boyfriend and I were vacationing from Connecticut and staying in Frederick md. When deciding on dinner, I used yelp to find out where was a great spot to eat. I was immediately attracted to the surf house, it had great reviews and everyone said awesome things about it about as well as the food looked absolutely delish! Well we got into the restaurant and we're immediately impressed by the hostess and the awesome decor of the building. We were seated and then greeted by our waiter Tom. He seemed pleasant and we'll put together at first. We ordered 2 lemonades to drink,and put in for the pot sticker app. He gave us a few minutes and then came back to ask our dinner order. After taking our order a couple came in and sat in front of our booth and a table of 5 sat behind our booth. After 20 mins of waiting for the appetizer, both the table behind and in front of us had already received their complete orders..... we looked into the kitchen and it seemed the staff was doing everything they needed and looked super clean, professional, and VERY focused on delivering the absolute best dishes possible. 10 more minutes went by and ANOTHER server came up with our main dishes, not even receiving our appetizer. I was polite when he asked if we needed anything else and said we've actually never received our appetizer. He said oh I'm so sorry let me get that for you. Mean while, Tom has passed our table several times and won't even address that there's been a problem or look at us as he's walking by. I'm assuming he KNEW there was a problem but really didn't want to face a confrontation in the event that we were angry (which we were upset about the organization but to be honest even MORE upset that our server seemed to be legitimately avoiding us.) After eating our dinner we finally received the appetizer at which point the other server brought it out for us with a double order which was a nice gesture, but we were full haha. So we waited another 10 mins for someone to realize we have eaten our food and we're awaiting a box and a check. At this time a very nice gentleman who seemed to be an owner or manager came out and asked if we needed anything and immediately recognized that we had received an appetizer way too late. He apologized to us and told us that it would be "paid for by the bartender" so I was assuming that the appetizer at this point would be comped. 10 minutes after seeing him, Tom checks on the tables behind and in front of us to then come to us and ask if we needed anything. We said we were all set and needed the check. Upon receiving the check, the pot stickers were still on the bill. I've worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years, being a head manager of 2 major restaurants back home. I stayed calm, patient and optimistic through the entire dinner. I was very polite and kind to all of the staff but in the end was severely disappointed in the lack of organization. I can tell this restaurant IS WONDERFUL. The food we got was simply AMAZING out of this world. The restaurant is super clean and beautiful, and I'm glad it's doing VERY well. I'm just disappointed that we had to be the customers that received the bad service that made us look at this restaurant much differently than its 5 star reviews. To the owners, I'm honestly very happy for you and your restaurant it is awesome, and i don't know how the other servers are, but I don't believe Tom is a good fit. The restaurant wasn't very busy, and in this day in age, customer service is sometimes much more important than the quality of the food. I apologize for not paying for the entire bill (we didn't pay for the 8.00 pot stickers). Maybe when we come down to visit well try it...

Okay, we'd like to start by saying that the owners of this dining establishment are CLASS ACTS!! Tom and Mandy had seen that on our first visit we had less than a pleasurable experience and wanted to make it right. After Tom read our first review he immediately reached out, jumped through hoops to get a hold of us, and wanted to discuss our experience over the phone. Ask yourself "How often does this happen anymore"? Tom expressed his extreme concern and was genuinely apologetic. He listened to every detail and addressed each one without getting defensive, in a caring manor. After contemplating a second return for nearly a month we decided to give them another shot. We decided on dining here for a second time because we believe in supporting local businesses and understand that everyone can have an off day, and because of the sincere understanding that Tom had kept turning in our heads. During our second visit on 9/3/22 we were greeted with big smiles and hospitality by the front door greeters. The restaurant was extremely busy! We were seated immediately, drink order taken and delivered within the first 15 minutes. The waitress we had, Sierra, is the best we have seen in a VERY long time, a breath of fresh air! This visit was like night and day! Because of how busy they were we were expecting some short delays in orders getting to the table, we were wrong with that assumption. From Sierra, to the bar, to the kitchen, not a heat was skipped. Before our drinks were empty a new one was in place. The appetizers came first and all together, after the apps a short while later, the salads, once salads were finished there was enough of a small break to let food settle and the entrees appeared. Three of my family ordered the salmon fillet with shrimp, broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes. I myself ordered the crab cakes with french fries. All of our food came out hot, fresh, and all together. Again, this was a nice surprise considering how busy they were. We have ZERO complaints, everything was second to none and we would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Surf House to anyone looking for a nice enjoyable dining out experience! Ask for Sierra, you will not be disappointed!! Thank you again Tom and Mandy for running a fantastic local seafood restaurant, GREAT JOB!! We will be...

My recent visit to Surf House left me thoroughly disappointed and frustrated. We had dined here once before and had a pleasant experience, enjoying both the food and the patio atmosphere. However, our Friday evening visit was a stark contrast.

We arrived around 6 PM, and to our surprise, the restaurant was nearly empty. Inside, only a couple tables were occupied, and there were only a handful of patrons seated outside. My husband, two kids, and I requested to be seated outside to make the most of the lovely evening. Unfortunately, the host, who also seemed to be doubling as a busboy, looked out and replied, "Uhh, we don't have any 4-tops outside... we could seat you...inside?"

From our vantage point, it was painfully apparent that this was not the case. There were three empty picnic tables (two in the grass and one on a platform) and at least two 2-top tables on the patio. Moreover, every single outdoor lounge area was unoccupied. I understand they likely don't seat people on the Adirondacks chairs; this detail simply illustrates how empty it was.

Despite the seeming abundance of seating options outside, the host made no effort to accommodate our request. When I calmly expressed our preference for an outdoor table, his response was lackluster at best. There was no initiative to consult a manager or attempt to arrange for an extra chair to accommodate us.

The individual who greeted us was likely not responsible for critical decision-making, but the situation was exasperating. On a Friday evening, with the restaurant practically deserted, they turned away a potential bill of over $100 simply because they weren't willing to make a minimal effort to accommodate our request. It boggles my mind.

I honestly would love an explanation from the management – how does turning away customers make any sense, especially on such a slow night? This question isn't rhetorical; it's a genuine plea for understanding. If a manager sees this review, I implore you to provide insight into this decision.

Regrettably, we won't be returning to Surf House. It's disheartening that the staff made no effort to accommodate us, and it has left a lasting...