Clyde's Tower Oaks Lodge — Restaurant in Rockville

My wife and friends took me to this Clyde’s Lodge to celebrate completing my associate’s degree, as I’m getting ready to transfer to UMD in the fall. It was a big moment, and overall, the evening had a lot going for it—great company, a warm atmosphere, and delicious food.

Our waitress spent a lot of time, too much time on her cell phone. Once we all were together at our table and we had our drinks, it must have been twenty minutes or more that went by as we wondered where she went. I put my glasses on to see she was tucked in a corridor, face glued to her phone and texting. I asked my wife and friends if that was her and they confirmed. We spent several more minutes waiting and starting to grow impatient when she finally arrived. FINALLY! Time to order!

My friends raved about the appetizers. They had the fried calamari, which they said was top-notch, and cheeseburger sliders that were so hearty and satisfying they ended up boxing up a few to take home. The avocado and crab dip served with semi-toasted bread slices also got high marks. The octopus and chili was put over as well.

I started with a Caesar salad, and originally ordered the Parmesan trout for my entrée—but once the plate arrived, I realized it was fried, which I couldn’t have due to my diabetes. The majority of us at the table wear glasses, and we all had a tough time reading the menu due to the very dim lighting. We get that Clyde’s is going for an intimate atmosphere—and we respect that—but the font size combined with the lighting made it difficult to read without using our phones as magnifiers. We avoided turning on the flash to prevent disrupting other diners, but even then, it was a challenge. If the menu mentioned the dish was fried, I definitely didn’t see it.

Once I explained the issue to our waitress, Sadie, I believe that is the name, she didn’t offer any suggestions or alternatives—just came back with a menu and told me to take my time. What she failed to mention in that moment was that I’d still be charged a partial fee for a dish I hadn’t touched. That was disappointing and could’ve been communicated better. Say this as soon as possible so I can decide if I’ll just box that food and order something else or just give it back, pay the small additional fee, and order something else.

I ended up settling for another salad, this time a chicken salad just so I could enjoy my meal with the rest of the table and not delay the celebration. But that lack of attentiveness really stood out.

Sadie’s service throughout the night was disengaged and lackluster. We tried including her in our celebratory energy—joking with her, making conversation—but it all went nowhere. She’d respond with dry “okays” and disappear for long stretches. And the restaurant wasn’t slammed—there were empty tables—so it wasn’t like she was overwhelmed. When it came time to go over her gratuity, it was unanimous: her customer service was poor.

That said, the rest of the waitstaff deserves serious praise. My wife brought in a custom cake and balloons earlier that day, and the team coordinated beautifully to bring them out during the dinner. They handled everything with grace, respect, and perfect timing. Huge kudos to them for adding that extra special touch.

As we were leaving, one of the managers overheard us talking about Clyde’s and asked about our experience. She genuinely seemed to care, and we appreciated the chance to give feedback directly.

Clyde’s still gets high marks for food, ambiance, and the attentiveness of most of the staff. But when it came to our server, it just didn’t hit the mark—especially for such a personal and celebratory occasion. And when I found out how much money my friends spent for this event as they traveled pretty far, the total for everything we ate and drank, yeah, that customer service from Sadie should’ve definitely been better. We didn’t try lowballing her on her tip as we explained to the manager but stressed she needs to do better. Hopefully our experience was an exception,...

It was a Saturday evening, and I decided I would try something new... To me! So, here I am, at the Clyde's Tower Oaks Lodge in Rockville, MD. But first, a little bit of history for context. The restaurant is part of the Clyde's restaurant Group, owners of the other Clyde"s iterations in Georgetown (DC) , Mark Center(Alexandria) , Columbia MD, and of the storied Old Ebbitt Grill, among others. According to their website, Tower Oaks Lodge in Rockville opened in 2002. The restaurant was built overlooking a 21-acre nature preserve, in a 200-year-old, two-story timber barn brought from Vermont. The restaurant's decor inside and outside, with lots of exposed wood and timber frames, equestrian mementos, saddles and paintings evokes the feeling of those grand steak houses of yore. It has two bars, which allow self-seating if at the bar itself. Since I eyed the waiting customers, and it is my custom anyway to sit at the bar I proceeded to the bigger one. Once I was sitting at the bar, I was brought water and a menu without asking, which I felt was a show of bartending efficiency. I noticed that the menu stated an Oyster Happy Hour from 3:00pm-6:00pm every day ($1.00 oysters and "special price" on shell platters (oysters, clams and mussels combos). I was exactly 6pm, so I decided to order a dozen oysters (I did assume that the Happy Hour was still in effect.. More on that later). The oysters were excellent; I was happy that they were served with mignonnette sauce (I don't fancy the cocktail sauce option). I followed with their steak and frittes, which arrived perfectly medium rare and with a peppercorn sauce which was very good; the fries (the "frites" part of the equation) were served hot. The steak was also served with a generous portion of dressed watercress, which made me very happy, since I love watercress, and it is a typically underutilized salad green in US restaurants. Unfortunately, both the steak and the fries were overly salted. I also ordered a side of fried brussel sprouts, which were served with candied pecans. The sprouts were crispy and delicious, but again, heavily salted. I finished the meal with one of their desserts, an apple crisp served with vainilla ice cream. The fruit was cooked well and felt like fresh apples, not canned, and it was not overly sweet. However, the dessert had too much crisp to fruit ratio, but I will not fault it since some people like it that way. The service was efficient and fast, but not too friendly (I understand it was a Saturday evening, and the bar was full, so there may be an emphasis to turn seats). When I got the bill, I noticed that I had been charged full price for the oysters. When I inquired with the bartender, he told me that the oyster special was only until 6pm and they were very strict with that policy. I pointed out to him that my ticket had been stamped with the time of the order (6:04pm), which meant that I had placed my order with him at 6pm. He just shrugged. I proceeded to pay, but I feel that, as a customer, I would have benefitted from some flexibility in the policy. I do admit I did not ask about the oyster's price, but neither the bartender informed me, nor did he clarify that the happy hour pricing was no longer in effect. I felt a little bamboozled by the technicality that caused me being charged full price. I am subtracting a star for (a) the over-salting of the food and (b) the service I received, which in my opinion could had...

Located within a scenic 21-acre nature preserve in Rockville, Maryland, Clyder's Tower Oaks Lodge Restaurant offers a unique dining premise in a 200-year-old, two-story timber barn that was imported from Vermont. As a member of the Clyde's restaurant family, the establishment features American cuisine and exudes the charm of an old-fashioned saloon. Founded in the summer of 1963, the first Clyde's restaurant opened during the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, DC. Now, eighty years later, food enthusiasts like the “Meishilin” group gathered for the first time at Clyder's Tower Oaks Lodge Restaurant to fulfill their dream of savoring gourmet dishes in an enchanting setting. The restaurant's mountain lodge-style architecture and American history-inspired decor contribute to its distinctive ambiance, evoking memories of an upscaled hunting lodge. Arriving at the restaurant amid sudden heavy rains, the natural beauty of the surroundings became even more enchanting. While the Restaurant advertises party rooms for celebrations, they regretfully couldn't accommodate a dinner party of seventeen due to fire code regulations. Consequently, the group had to be seated at two separate tables, which dampened the initial excitement. However, the friendly and attentive waitstaff made up for the inconvenience, ensuring a pleasant dining experience. The Happy Hour before 6 pm presented a delightful opportunity to enjoy fresh oysters at half price. While the oysters were of excellent quality, it was disappointing to find them echoing the half-price with half the regular size. In contrast, the Grilled Marinated Octopus proved to be a winning choice, with a perfectly tender and slightly charred texture that earned it an enthusiastic recommendation. Although Clyder's initial mission was to provide patrons with an old-fashioned saloon experience centered around beer, the current beer options appeared limited. Nevertheless, the rEvolution IPA stood out, pleasing the taste buds with its bright revolutionary Red color. Due to our diverse party size, a variety of entrees were ordered, ranging from Trout Parmesan and Steaks & Chops to Icelandic Cod, Spaghetti & Clams, Shrimp Bowl, Alaska Wild Sockeye Salmon, Mediterranean Branzino, and Barbecue Baby Back Ribs. The dishes were presented with fresh ingredients, attractive colors, and reasonable pricing. However, some entrees were slightly overcooked with small size resulting in mixed reviews. Overall, this restaurant offers an enchanting dining experience in a vibrant setting, skillfully blending American tradition with upscale lodge-style ambiance. With an average cost of $50 per person, the restaurant caters to food enthusiasts seeking a memorable culinary experience. A minor point of note is the 3.6% surcharge added to the bill, an unusual sight attributed to inflation, as explained by the staff. Among thirteen out of seventeen people voted, it gives an average score of 3.81+/-0.43 ranged...