4. Restaurants

Brasserie Beck by Robert Wiedmaier

311 Kentlands Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD, 20878
  • (301) 569-4247
  • Store is closed

Brasserie Beck by Robert Wiedmaier Menu

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  • David S.

    Outstanding food and service. I had lunch here a few weeks ago. The mussels are very creatively finished. The frites are thin, crispy and the aioli makes them fun. Dunk whatever and finish that delicious broth! Dinner tonight was perfect. I had the steak-au-poivre from tonight's specials. Cooked perfect. The brandy cream sauce was delicious; no corn starch to turn it into glue like so many others do. The servers knew the menu straight up. Recommendations were honest and not, as in many places, to pad the check. I'll be back as often as I get to Gaithersburg.

    (5)

  • Suzanne T.

    Excellent food, excellent service! GO! Everyone at our table loved their food. I had the steak. It was delicious, perfectly cooked and with a great pan sauce. Miles was out server. He was friendly, eager to please, and very knowledgable.

    (4)

  • Andy B.

    We visited Brasserie Beck in Gaithersburg - or at least we thought we were going to be visiting Brasserie Beck in Gaithersburg when we made our reservations through that other site whose name we won't mention here. When we got there, the old Brasserie Beck signage was all gone (although you could still see the vestiges of it on the awnings), with the restaurant proclaiming a new brand: 'Boulevard Tavern'. We figured we were already there, so why not try it out? The Brasserie Beck logos still adorned the floor in the entryway, and the bar still had that same Belgian Brasserie Beck look, which I find inviting. (We shied away from the dining room, since it really didn't look like a space I wanted to spend much time in.) Our servers (plural), while a bit awkward at times, were always quite friendly and accommodating, recommending their favorites from the menu, including the shrimp and ham macaroni and cheese. I've never heard of a mac-and-cheese with shrimp in it, so I decided to go for it, and was glad that I did. It was served in a sizable Le Creuset-type pot, and the creamy goodness was waiting inside (see picture). What I liked about this mac-and-cheese was that it wasn't overly heavy, with the fontina and gruyère being more sauce-like than gooey-thick, and you could easily make your way through this large portion and not feel like you'd need someone to get you to your car in a wheelbarrow. My friend had a very nice-looking grilled chicken, which he said was nicely prepared and quite tasty. The new menu (and price point) seems better-suited to this location, and while this might not be a 'go out of your way' destination for me, we'd definitely try the new Boulevard Tavern again when we're in this neck of the woods.

    (3)

  • Melanie C.

    I heard only AFTER going here that they are planning to change their concept away from fine dining, to something more "casual" that I assume they think would work better in Gaithersburg. I don't know if they were having trouble making money or attracting business as Brasserie Beck. If what I saw there was any indication, I'm not sure they put the effort into making this location a true second branch to the DC restaurant. First, the professionalism of the service was not on par with what I'd expect at a fine dining restaurant in the city - it's not that the service was bad, but if I'm spending the money on a nice dinner, I want service that matches the price point. Also, the main dining room is huge and completely character-less. If they were hoping to be a destination for fine dining in Gaithersburg, they needed to improve the space and make it feel special. Now for the food....the rest may have been overlooked if not for the food, honestly. As I said, I didn't know they were changing their concept when I went there, so I didn't understand why the menu had so few Belgian options (pretty much just the mussels) and so many burgers. Now I know, but I feel like the meal I had was essentially fine dining prices for casual, mediocre food. Nothing really stands out to me as memorable from the meal. I remember finding much of the menu un-appealing, so I ended up with one of the many burgers. It was fine. Not great, not bad, just fine. But again, not what I was expecting when I thought I was going to Brasserie Beck. I'd recommend skipping this restaurant until they completely change their name/concept, or visit Beck in DC. It's a shame that they didn't try harder, because I think a fine dining restaurant could succeed - even in Gaithersburg! - if they put some effort into it.

    (2)

  • Matt B.

    The pivot in quality with the new menu breaks my heart. Gone is the seafood plateau, the octopus salad. In is the Hamburger and the Sloppy Joe. If this new vibe makes the restaurant more money, I can't argue with that, but none of it will be my money. Thank you for the memories.

    (2)

  • Erika K.

    This is a pretty great option for the burbs. I tried it out when they first opened and I was very impressed with the interesting menu. I loved the German sausage and the mussels are always a good option. I've noticed that they recently scaled back the menu to much more basic options but the specials list was much more interesting. I got the prosciutto wrapped scallops in veal stock and I was very impressed with it! The watermelon salad was delicious as well. Again, I think this is a very solid option for the burbs and better than anything I've tried around Rockville. 5 stars for being the best in the area! They also have an outdoor patio with live bands occasionally and I've heard their happy hour is pretty good.

    (5)

  • Olivia C.

    Had dinner here last night and was wondering why the dc location has such great yelp ratings while this one had subpar and now I feel I know why. 1) Let's start with my dining partner, he got there a bit early and assuming he was with an Asian family, because obviously all Asian people know each other, hostess attempted to seat him with an Asian family. Lol 2) We get seated on the side outside of the main dining room and even though there were seats in the main dining room we get seated in what felt like an annex. We're greeted with a friendly waitress and we have a good feeling; 5 minutes later a miserable looking waiter comes over saying the waitstaff made a mistake and switched sections so he will be our new server. Does not tell us any specials and was really brisk and snappy about taking our menus and orders. He must have overhead me purposely saying that it seemed he wasn't having a good night and our server made a more positive attitude adjustment but eh, damage was already done. 3) We order a half order of the Thai red curry mussels and we don't mention frites/fries: we get fries. The mussels were a bit underwhelming in my opinion. Other servers kept trying to take our plates away mid appetizer. Why? Confusing. 4) We get the watermelon/balsamic appetizer and honestly nothing bad but just confused to why only 3 out of the 5 watermelon cubes get a mint leaf and 2 don't. Why not mint leaves for all? So confusing. 5) We get the rockfish to share. Nothing to complain about but nothing too exciting. It was again, a bit underwhelming for myself. 6) Waiter comes back and raves about the pastry chef and the desserts so we order the special expresso creme brûlée with an orange whipped cream and biscotti- not bad. However maybe a note to management if the pastry/dessert chef is so highly regarded, why not add her name to the menu? The waiter have her high praises and it could be better reflected :) 7) Took forever to get the check. Not bad but not a superb dining experience...

    (2)

  • Eddie K.

    Was surprised how good the food and service was especially reading all the negative reviews. Came here during lunch - the dining room is dark, so I prefer to sit outside or in the bar area. The Mediterranean mussels was excellent. How can you go wrong with Tomatoes, Chorizo & Fennel? The mussels were cleaned well and were big and plump. We also ordered the fries (just $1 additional) which was pretty good. I liked the dipping sauces. Between the two of us, we were so stuffed after eating the full order of mussels. I don't know how one person can eat all of that. So, the prices are reasonable if you are sharing. Will be coming back soon. Will try their happy hour as well.

    (4)

  • Randi M.

    Mussels were excellent although prices were way too high. The wait service was "interesting".... The server went on to explain about the veal special and how the cows were raised and they only drank their mothers milk? Really??? Do I really want to know how my dinner only had its mothers milk? Kinda unappetizing. Defiantly some room for improvement here. But the mussels were beast!

    (3)

  • Eric M.

    Kind of surprised to see a bunch of negative reviews. We've eaten here a few times and the food and service has been outstanding. I love the beef carbonnade the best. My wife gets the Rockfish and loves it.

    (5)

  • Ishita C.

    Decided to check out Brasserie Beck for Restaurant Week last weekend. The décor is clean and somewhat European although I have to say, the chairs are terrrribly uncomfortable and small. Our server was nowhere to be found so service was very slow but that didn't really matter since I was in good company. We got all of the brunch cocktails which were all fairly good but very weak. We also got the cheese platter with three cheeses. AMAZINGGG. I loved each of the different cheeses and their accompaniments -- although it would have been helpful if we were told what each cheese was as well as the pairings. For the Restaurant Week menu: Veal Bolognese: Cooked perfectly and a huge portion. Beet Salad: Basically just your typical beet salad, but I love every beet salad so that's a compliment. Steamed Mussels - Very underwhelming, I thought the mussels were tasteless and a little rubbery. The broth was also nothing spectacular. However, I saw some different styles of broths that were unique to Brasserie Beck that I assume are more flavorful and will try out next time. Pot Pie - Tasty but also nothing special. Chocolate Mousse - Awesome presentation and very tasty. I love that it was not overly rich. Blood Orange Panna Cotta: Amazing presentation once again and great, different flavor. All in all, I had an good time at Brasserie Beck although the food as a whole was a little underwhelming. I would come back here to try items off the regular menu which I'm hoping is more satisfactory. I also noticed that there was a nice patio outside so I would come back when it's nicer out to try out the extensive beer selection and the different mussels.

    (3)

  • John N.

    Just like Natalie Imbruglia I'm torn.........with this place. Except im not cold and shamed and lying naked on the floor. This place had a lot of great things and has the potential to be outstanding. Lets start with the drinks because well, everyone should always start with drinks. They make a pretty delicious Moscow Mule and they have decently priced bottles of wine. Cheaper bar tab is always key. The appetizers that we ordered were actually pretty fantastic. For our large party, we had Mussels, Oysters on the half shell and Shrimp. Besides the ones on Arnold Schwarzenegger, these were probably the biggest mussels that I have seen and fantastically cooked to boot. Oysters came in a variety from the Chesapeake and were also very delicious. The shrimp was different but came drizzled with a dressing that was delicious. Dinner was something else, most of my group ordered the New York Strip feature which everyone agreed that sounded the best from the description. I had the Steak Frites, which was pretty good except that it was a little over cooked. All of the NY Strips were overly peppery and some varied in temperature from what was ordered. One friend had the crab cakes which didnt have a very appetizing taste. The reason why im torn is that the main entrees should be the star of the experience, and we were all a little disappointed in them. But the service was great, the appetizers were amazing and the booze was fairly priced. So Im going to give it a very wobbly 4 stars and hope that since this is a new place they work out the kinks.

    (4)

  • Boris W.

    My wife and I wen therefor Valentine's Day and we both thought it was pretty good. For starters we had the Tuna Tartare. It was excellent, and the chips and veggies really complemented it well. Next we had a full portion of Mushroom Mussels. It was a full pot of mussels with crazy bacon and mushroom in the pot as well. Of course we added the frites because it only charged $1 extra to do so. Both the starters were really great! For the entrees we had Eggs Benedict and Biscuits & Gravy. Now, after having watched the MasterChef for 6 seasons, we know that the Eggs Benedict have to have the yolk flowing out of the egg after a simple cut. Of course that's "MasterChef" level, although Beck didn't hit it perfectly, but nonetheless the Eggs Benedict were delicious! As for Biscuits and Gravy, every aspects of it was pretty good too! My wife and I value taste first, then the aesthetics. For Beck, taste is mouth-watering, and the aesthetics were definitely above par! Food: 5/5 Plating: 4.5/5 Mood/Setting: 4.5/5 Service: 5/5 Overall: it has to be a 5 outta 5 Unfortunately we forgot the name of our waitress, BUT she was very attentive and friendly! I also really liked the fact the manager went around the restaurant and asked everyone how's everyone doing. The fact that the manager was wearing all orange even made it funnier :)

    (5)

  • Fred K.

    Came here the other day and feels like you are in downtown but in the burbs. It's nicely decorated and glad they still retained the outdoor seating and the peninsula bar from O'Donnell's. They have a large private room and smaller private room for 7 people too. I got a dozen oysters (they serve local MD and VA oysters) but got a WA state oysters. Can't recall the name but tasted great (dozen oysters is $30). Their mussels were big, plump, and delicious. Ask for bread to soak up the broth. I got full order of the mushroom mussels ($28; recommended by our bartender) with frites (extra $1). I sure miss O'Donnell's bread basket though! They make their own flavored tonic (#3 was my favorite) and mix it with vodka or gin (their rail vodka is Skyy; not bad!!). It is rather pricey with downtown prices, but well worth it and will be coming back.

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    Belgium/French Mussel restaurant with other classics such as steak poivre, frites, and steak tartar (pepper steak, french fries, and raw steak). Expensive, medium portions, high end ingredients, but pretty bland. Steak - All the steak was tender and cooked perfectly. Mussels - Excellent mussels, no sand, no off taste. The only problem was the flavor. If I order spicy red curry mussels, I want them to be spicy and taste like curry, which they did not, at all... The classic (white wine, parley, garlic) were also just meh. You got a large portion for $26 bucks but it really wasent that large for the price. Fries were OK, but I really wish the truffle aioli had more truffle flavor! So in conclusion, if you want high end ingredients (with a price tag to match) with very little flavor, this place is right up your alley!

    (3)

  • Chuck W.

    Four of us went for dinner on Friday night to sit outside. Told 45 min wait. After over an hour, we decided to sit at long table in bar. Even with bar emptying out onto patio to listen to band, service was horrible just like the service at the bar for the hour we waited. Only saving grace was the food was very good as in the past. This is not the same upscale Brasserie Beck that I'm used to downtown and I'd rather schlep to Bethesda to The Mussel Bar where service is always good as is the food at a better price.

    (3)

  • Paul M.

    Location just opened, so allowances made for operation just getting going. If your familiar with O'Donnell's (the space's prior tenant) you recognized the interior immediately. Little money was invested in re-doing the space, which is fine, but the look is not exactly high-end. The beer list is fairly overwhelming, and the prices are not for the faint of heart. The service was friendly, but they make this huge show of pouring basic tap water from bottles at the table that I did not quite get. The bread plate was plain and almost cold. Now the good stuff: onion soup was tasty and interesting, my companions like their soups as well. Had the most basic entree imaginable (steak frites) and it was executed fine. If it were $16 I would have said it was great, but it costs $28 which seems a bit over the top for something simple. There is nothing wrong with the place, it's just that for a dinner that worked out to $50 per person all-in I think you can find more interesting, better executed meals elsewhere. Will be happy to try it again at some point, but the 2 stars is really a judgment of the value/dollar offered here. For example, for about the same money I would rather eat at any of the Black's group of restaurants.

    (2)

  • Miyuki L.

    I am deducting a point for non responsive management via their website. Its not cool to be ignored especially when its merely constructive criticism regarding a rude "manager" or "host" on the floor. The hostesses/managers walking the floor appear too busy and too good. My server was great and friendly as other servers seem to be as well. We started off with the Chapel Hill Farms Veal Bolognese and we enjoyed them. We added fries for our daughter and they were good. We did not get to try the dipping sauce. I had the Prosciutto Tartine with a bowl of Brasserie Clam Chowder and loved every bit of it. My husband had some scallops dish which was good but extremely small portion. The cherry creme brulee was delicious. It is very pricey for the portions you receive. I do believe I will go back but hope that the service is friendlier from the hosting/management staff.

    (3)

  • Jen C.

    I am so glad to have Brasserie Beck as a local spot. They were one of the beer sponsors for the community charity Pub Run last week. We usually go for brunch ($12 bottomless mimosas) or happy hour. Dinner is a bit pricey for everyday, but the food is good - the macaroons are totally worth the splurge. We prefer sitting in the bar area or outside.

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    Positives, extensive beer selection, nice wine selection, large selection of foodie apps. Not bar food, good stuff. The plates we tried were tasty, well presented, and thoroughly enjoyed. The updates to the restaurant look nice. Questionables: (let's not say negatives, let's say opportunities for improvement): Service is bordering on unacceptable. Slow. Inattentive. Forgetful (I was brought the wrong beer, another member of our party's drink order was forgotten altogether). We asked our waiter questions about several menu items and she was not familiar enough with the offerings to properly answer. Prices are very high. Be careful ordering beer, check the prices. Some are absurdly high. I question whether this price point is appropriate for the neighborhood. Sure, lot's of high income families in the area but they are just that, families, and they don't take the kids out for $50+/person dinners. I know that's what this restaurant is and down in DC, no problem. Not a lot of expense accounts dinners in Gaithersburg. The restaurant was pretty slow for a Friday night, especially for such a new restaurant. I hope they have the flexibility to adjust to the needs of the community and don't just fold up and leave another hole in the Kentlands.

    (3)

  • Tiffany L.

    The food has always been delicious thru out the 6 times I've visited. Great in the portion, mussels every time is a must, my favorite would be the Thai curry. Always love the dessert, macaroons (green tea, lavender and coffee are my favorites) and creme Brule! Love the cappuccinos after a meal/brunch. Becks never disappointed me and I will be an occasion regular there. 2 thumps up!!!

    (5)

  • Sue F.

    Very disappointing; the food was okay, the service very disappointing. When asked if one of the vegetables could be substituted for another they said "No, the chef does not like to do that, but you can buy another vegetable" Really??? We pay the chef's salary, not the other way around. When we told them about this being a very special night for our friend, first night out after a long battle with colon cancer, and asked for them to make an exception for him, the manager came out. He was nice but said the chef doesn't like to break up his meals. It's brussels sprouts for goodness sake. We were allowed to "buy another side dish off the menu" if we liked. How kind. Never will go back there

    (1)

  • Kay R.

    The food is priced too high for what you get. At the very least, one should not leave hungry after paying this kind of cash. The management was not friendly and on the cold side. It was not a pleasant experience; the restaurant was near empty and we were ushered to a table in the bar area. If the service was exceptional and they didn't skimp on the serving size, I would not have a problem paying these prices. Disappointed.

    (1)

  • Joris M.

    Great food and a comprehensive beer list, just like the D.C. location and Bethesda's Mussel Bar. We had the Mediterranean Mussels and Braised Pork Shank. Both were very good. The shank was massive and lay atop a Purée of a root vegetable (celery root?) and a couple of toddler Bok Choys. The meat easily fell from the bone and then soaked up a tasty reduction sauce. Service was good, attentive, not annoying but a little nervous due to first night jitters, I think. For some reason, they forgot to refill our water, but who needs water when there are dozens of great beers to choose from? They also have a few inventive cocktails and the promise of homemade tonic water and bitters. Decor is classy without being ostentatious. Dark wood and blue and white upholstery. Waiters in white shirts and black pants, European style. I am only holding back a star because of how expensive dinner is here. The D.C. prices were imported along with the food and beer. I have an upper MoCo mentality, hence the sticker shock. You can easily spend $60 per person. I'll have to relegate dinner here to special occasions. I do have hopes for lunches or after work drinks and snacks on their outdoor patio. I predict that the patio will become a sought after place to be in Kentlands this Summer. The location is great; right on Kentlands Blvd.

    (4)

  • Luiz G.

    It's ok, I expected better from from Robert W, but then again it's the Kentlands so bland and glitzy is the norm. I'll go back but only if the company is right!

    (3)

  • Tracy C.

    Glad there is some fine/ quality dining in my neighborhood. This is an upscale restaurant so don't go here if you are looking for just a casual outing (there's a Chipotle right next door for you) The prices are somewhat high but DO reflect the quality of the food. Everything I tried on the menu is delicious and tasted fresh. If you aren't trying to break the bank but still want to experience it go for an order of the Mussels and get bread to dip in the sauce. DELICIOUS!

    (4)

  • Dan H.

    This place used to be the early bird, senior citizen center dining hall called O'Donnell's seafood. It is really great Chef decided to open up here north of Bethesda in the hinterland. On some cold nights you can see the aurora borealis in Gaithersburg. We ate here on a Friday night and sat at the bar. Apart from the creepy large portrait of the Chef staring at you and the bright lights (probably left over from O'Donnell's) the meal was fantastic. The bartenders were friendly and on point. We had two different style mussels including the classic lemon butter and the Mediterranean which featured chorizo sausage. The Mediterranean lacked a little depth but the portions and quality of the mussels was fantastic and well worth the price. The bread is very good quality and don't overlook the butter. The frites were also very generous and well prices but the side sauces also lacked depth and were not very distinctive. We did have two salads including the Wedge and seasonal beet salad. Get the beet salad, seriously. The beer list is very extensive and the wines are well chosen. I don't think anything about the place is overly priced and the staff was friendly and attentive from the greeting to the "good bye and come back again". For the time it would take to park in Bethesda and pay you would be better driving up here and park for free and not wait as long. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Erin M.

    I came in on a Thursday. They had a special since it was ladies night, 1/2 portion mussels for $10 - this was perfect since I only ever order the 1/2 portion because the full portion is too much for me! When the mussels came out I was shocked, it looked like 1/2 of the 1/2 portion.

    (1)

  • Aria H.

    Went with a pretty big party. Mussels (wild mushroom & bacon sauce) were truly excellent. Oysters likewise. Macarons - limited flavors but tasted great. Service was also good. Judging from the leftover portions, the seafood were far better received than the meat. I don't drink but they had a huge beer selection.

    (4)

  • Jay T.

    I've been to Beck's downtown, I love that they put one in MoCo! Classes up the Kentlands by a mile. My wife and I came in during Happy Hour, I suggest trying the house beer Antigoon, the bartenders were raving about it, and I agree! It's notes of citrus and crispy taste make it a fantastic spring beer! We also had oysters and Mediterranean mussels (at the suggestion of Liz and Payton) and just WoW! The flavor profile of the mussels was out of this world, not so spicy -- not too rich -- just the right blend of both! We received great service from the girls behind the bar, they were busy but always made sure we didn't wait for or need anything! It was great experience! I love the new decor and how the when building has opened up with light! Do yourself a favor and get in here ASAP, the food , atmosphere and service is stellar!

    (4)

  • Carolina O.

    Average ambiance, good service, not impressed by the food. Portions on the small side. Not worth what they charge. Much better restaurant options in MoCo. Ps: hubby and I were there for Valentine's day 2015.

    (3)

  • Susie B.

    Loved this place! It's a little expensive, but the food is incredible. You get what you paid for. The chef is amazing. We had the salmon and a chicken dish. Huge pieces , but skimpy on the side vegetables. The creme brûlée was to die for and huge!!! The service was wonderful. Our waiter, can't remember his name, but recommended our choices and especially the dessert. A wonderful evening and a surprise. I also liked how quiet the place Is. Very upscale

    (5)

  • Bill M.

    Awesome beer menu with great food. A little pricey but definitely worth it. The staff was extremely friendly and catered to every need. Our server even gave a tour of the restaurant. Excellent addition to the Kentlands area.

    (4)

  • M C.

    My husband and I were celebrating getting two kids off to college this week, and were excited to try this place. The most important thing I think is that the mussels were excellent. Plump, juicy, generous, delicious. But it's downhill from that high point. Prices of entrees are downtown DC level - crazy for Kentlands but we kind of expected that. But even the evening's special salad (tomato and burrata) was $16. My fault for not asking in advance. Service is sweet, unpolished, like being waited on by my teenagers trying to do a good job. The manager is always there, but he doesn't pay the slightest attention to the service. Three different servers tried to remove our mussels pan when there were still clearly mussels in it. Were they short of pans in the kitchen? My cocktail was incorrect. I watched the bartender pour it from the wrong bottle. When I asked for the correct bourbon I was told they'd open a new bottle, something was wrong. Nothing was wrong except they poured from the wrong bottle. No one filled our water glasses although they were careful to remove my dinner dish before my husband was anywhere near being done. The cookie plate was delightful and the french pressed coffee was worth the entire dinner. But the inattention to detail at these prices was infuriating, and not for lack of staff. Sometimes there were four grown men standing around a woman slicing bread, all being watched over by the manager. The water glasses, meanwhile, remained empty. No one is paying attention. In the ladies room, there are burned out lights, and the doors don't fit in the stalls therefore you can't close them completely. $36 entree in Gaithersburg and half the lights in the ladies' are dead. Ridiculous. But...the mussels were sublime.

    (2)

  • Lindsey M.

    Entrees seemed recently frozen, mussels were fishy, and the bartender didn't know how to pour draught IPAs without half a glass of foam spilling over the edge. We were most offended to see the bartender and frontline chef making fun of patrons' outfits and hair through their non-discreet whispers. As an avid fan of Brasserie Beck DC and Mussel Bar, I thought this location might live up to the standards of Founding Farmers' suburban location. Save yourself the trip; this place is staffed with trash and not even half the experience of its older, cooler DC brother.

    (2)

  • Margaret B.

    This is an awesome place! FANTASTIC food, service, and atmosphere! Filet Mignon, New York Strip, and Pork Shank. Not to mention the beers and wines. Fun to have three servers descend at once to deliver our selections. What is next? I am so glad we were able to come and enjoy Becks again.

    (5)

  • Fred S.

    I was so looking forward to this being a go to spot, but my hopes were completely dashed last week. This restaurant does NOT get it! They have a hoity- toighty attitude, which when combined with no ability to listen to the customer creates un unpleasant experience. And their Happy Hour serves no food! We ordered the crab legs and for $15 received the smallest! portion of 8 pathetic claws in a tiny serving dish!! The manager insisted there were 12, so we counted them out in front of him... there were 8! This place is not going to make it here with a poor attitude and overpriced under delivered value. Wiedmaier swings and strikes out!

    (1)

  • Hudson T.

    Been here three times now and have had varied, but all relatively good experiences. Last night's trip was by far the best and as such it makes me think the restaurant is probably just going through growing pains. Food (4): Juliet and I have tried both the white wine mussels (great) and the Mediterranean mussels (good). The steal is to add the super tasty frites on for just a dollar more. In addition the lobster ravioli (good) and steak tar tar (US style and good) are definitely worth trying. Drinks (3.5): While I love the craft brew (yay for having DC Brau!) and wine by the glass selection, the cocktail service has been a bit of a let down. I put this strongly in the category of inexperienced bartenders that are doing their best to learn on the job, but still. Service (4): So this really needs to be two fold. Service in the main room has been close to laughable. Everyone is well intentioned, but wildly inexperienced. Maybe Juliet and I have had a bad string, but we are talking like backers who are spilling water out of the jugs on the floor more than into the glass kind of thing. That said the waiter we had in the bar area last night, as well as the desire of every bartender we have interacted with to make our meal great, largely makes up for it. Moral of the story, sit in the bar area.

    (4)

  • S. O.

    This restaurant replaced O'Donnell's in Kentlands. Since they just opened, it's recommended that you make a reservation. The first time I arrived without a reservation, I was told that they were fully booked but I could sit at the bar. Who would want to eat a steak at a bar?... Service was great but this place is kinda of overpriced for what you get in terms of quality. We ordered the Wild Mushroom Mussels & frites - the flavors were good but it's nothing I'd be dying to have again. We also ordered the steak and frites were came with a big chunk of butter on top of the steak. [I wish there was a menu online so I'd be able to provide the exact name of the dish]. It was ok, nothing to brag about; I think I'd prefer Longhorn over this. With this said, I don't believe I would return.

    (3)

  • Yasmin A.

    Went here for a birthday brunch and it was fabulous! The outdoor seating area is very cozy and nice, with flowers and trees all around. The bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys were good and strong. The brunch menu had plenty of options to choose from. I had the eggs Benedict and French toast, both were excellent! The eggs Benedict was with bacon and biscuits which added a delightful twist. The desserts were also great! This place is an unknown gem in the Kentlands!

    (5)

  • Deena M.

    Awesome menu for New Years Eve. Great food and service. Tons of fun and a true fine dining restaurant in the burbs that won't break the bank. No need to go to DC. Mussels to die for....fun bar.

    (4)

  • Faith E.

    We love coming here for the oysters, fries, and beer. I prefer eating at the bar. Always good service there. We ate outside once and service was not bad, but our table was super wobbly. Three different servers including a manager tried to fix it. It never stabilized but we made do. I enjoy the happy hour specials and live bands!

    (4)

  • Dk H.

    BECK'S never ceases to amaze, enough so that when my Son visits from Virginia, that is his restaurant of choice. He thoroughly enjoys the Leg of Lamb dish and has ordered it several times. This time, my Grandson was along. Tho he preferred Panera, Daddy sang the praises of Beck's where he could sample Mussels, having never had them. Their Mussels are superior and there are about six varieties, depending on your taste. None will disappoint and you will feel as tho you have had a meal. They can be paired nicely with soup or a salad, but know they are filling. Also, I have always found them sweet and tender, never chewy as one reviewer noted. The 6 year old decided on a Cheeseburger. The appearance of a mussel seemed to divert his attention to something familiar! We will try again. Yes, I said a Cheeseburger off a an interesting kids menu. It was plump and delicious, prepared perfectly for the taste buds, served with their signature thin and crispy fries. As a side note, BECK'S now offers a Takeaway Dinner Menu where you can sample some of the same dishes served in the dining room, even their Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Great for the season!

    (4)

  • My I.

    Pros: Nice patio. Lots of wait staff (once they finally acknowledge that you're there). Cons: We don't eat mussels, so that leaves 1/2 the menu for us. Belgian Endive salad had way too much blue cheese. Watermelon gazpacho was way to spicy. Thin, too. Should have been sweeter and with more body. Crab cakes are over priced and way too spicy. Arugula Ravioli was pleasant, but would have been better as an appetizer or as a side to another dish. It's just way too much arugula/cheeze goo to eat for an entire meal. The pasta wrapper was very delish however. Probably won't return. I think the chef is trying to hard to be creative, different, out there. To save you the trip, here is what the menu looks like: laughingsquid.com/a-spot…

    (2)

  • I O.

    Had the braised pork shank and the mussels. Absolutely Devine! The flavor was south watering I could have had seconds and the portions were excellent. I left a star out because for the prices we paid the service could have been a lot better. Their coffee is excellent as well. Again though if you want a refill you will be waiting. I had the chocolate cake and that was one the best I've ever had.

    (4)

  • Felicity M.

    Ugh! In comparison to DC location? We wouldn't waste our money! Decor is so old fashioned for such a new place and could be so much better either cosier or more contemporary, but it's neither so just a bit drab. Food ok, although $25 for Cheese and I'd quite like to be offered which cheeses I'd like? Malbec should not be served colder than a White wine..... And for $100 for 2, we would have like our server to ask how our meals were and maybe a Happy Holiday?! We decided to try Kentlands because we've loved DC restaurant several times.....rather do the drive from Gaithersburg to DC in future....

    (1)

  • Michael K.

    So from reading other yelp reviews, this place appeared to be sort of a hit or miss given many reviews have either a 2 stars or 5 star rating... As for my wife and I, we had a positive experience..... We went on a Friday evening, and got a nice spot on their outdoor patio which is pretty at night with the lights and all.... They even had a live band which set the tone for a Friday evening. So I did my research on this place prior to coming, and it appears that they have a sister restaurant in DC, and a location in Bethesda called the Mussel Bar. Given that they have a successful restaurant with a focus on Mussels, we decided on just that for our main course. My wife got one type of mussels (Wild Mushroom) and I got another type (Mediterranean). The wild mushroom sauce had a cream of mushroom base while the Mediterranean had a tomato base with chorizo. Both were served in a hot skillet, and were simply amazing! And as other yelpers suggested, we went for the frites with three dipping sauces, and they were really good! Along with our meal we had Belgium beer, of course... Be careful though... When you ask which ones they recommend they'll naturally lead you to the most expensive ones at the top of the menu... The expensive ones will run you around 12 dollars a glass, but they have a couple around 6 dollars... We actually liked the cheaper beers better than the more expensive ones... So all-in-all, we played it safe with our food, and won in that respect.... The only thing that kept this place from receiving a five star rating was the fact that their service was rather slow, and spotting my waiter was a task at times. So this place is worth trying, but just don't expect perfect service, and stick with what they know best, and you'll be happy...

    (4)

  • Cristina D.

    Nice, new concept restaurant for the area. Extensive wine/beer selection. My only suggestion would be for the restaurant to place some citronella candles or mosquito repellent lamps on the outside patio. It is beautiful but I got so many mosquito bites while dining outside. Next time I will bring bug spray.

    (4)

  • Janet S.

    Did not have a reservation. Were able to sit at the bar. My husband had oysters, which he liked very much. We ordered the Wild Mushroom mussels. About half were not opened. We told the bartender that was waiting on us. The manager talked to her and then came over to us. Never once did anyone apologize. The manager did offer to give us another half an order. By that time we were not interested. They took $4 off of our bill for a $34 order of mussels. Big whoop! I will not go back. There are other places to get mussels.

    (1)

  • Debbie S.

    I would like to give constructive criticism. I just left the restaurant. First the prices are high so I expected great food and great service. I was disappointed on both fronts. The fish portions were small and very salty. As far as the service goes we again were disappointed . We had to ask for water refills every time. We had to ask for bread. There seemed like a lot of staff around but they just didn't seem to be tentative to the tables. I was a party of 4. It was very obvious that we had 8 empty glasses at our table. Someone should have offered refills and cocktails. I can't imagine going back after this kind of first impression.

    (2)

  • Gumercindo A.

    The only reason I've giving this 2 stars is that I hope it gets better considering how they just opened. I'll give them kind of a pass but I was very underwhelmed. I enjoy the finer things in life and I certainly have experienced the best DC has to offer so when I found out BB was opening in the neighborhood, I was cautiously optimistic. First off, my fiancee and I arrived on a Friday night without a reservation at 9pm. They were booked solid. No problem - we could sit at the bar or on the patio. Then, we were quickly told about how the restaurant has 3 different menus - one for the inside room, one for the bar and one for the outside. So confusing - I kept asking, wait, which plate is for outside vs bar? Makes little sense. So we quickly found a seat off the bar. Waiter was unfriendly and generally apathetic. We ordered the lamb chops, Mediterranean mussels, grilled calamari. First off, bread was great! Unfortunately, that was the highlight of the night. The mussels came out first and they were pretty good, but I've been to Mussel Bar and ordered mussels elsewhere, and frankly, these were nothing special. Next came the calamari. It was a messy pile of seafood and onions and not to mention over salted. Last came the disaster - the lamb chops. They came to our table well done. All you can taste was the seasoning. We called the waiter over and asked him if we could re-order lamb chops but that we wanted it more on the medium rare side (restaurants never ask you what term you want them cooked because for the most part, they are cooked universally the same. You're going to get some pink in there). So, the waiter comes back with the lamb chops. There were 3. One was cooked fine, the other was bloody rare and the third was well done. How 3 different lamb chops on the same serving could be cooked differently is beyond me, especially after we asked for a 2nd order. What a mess. I would like to try the main dining room next time and hope that the food selection is better. Outside of that, it's certainly a happening place and looks to be like the place to go if you're single and in your 30s/40s/50s. That's fine, it just kind of looked like a pick up kind of place.

    (2)

  • M C.

    Food ok, the service is very good and staff is very friendly. However, for the quality of food, this place is way, way, way over priced. I sadly think with those prices this restaurant will not survive at this location.

    (2)

  • Richard C.

    Just had my wife's birthday dinner here. Was absolutely wonderful. Manager Stephen was very accommodating arranging things and providing information. Table set up was great. Service from Kevin outstanding. And finally, the food (which for different diners was shellfish, fin fish, steak, pork or lamb) was perfectly prepared and enjoyed and commented on by all. Just a warm happy experience -- exactly the same as which European brasseries try to convey. Will be happy to return!

    (5)

  • Joe L.

    Drinks appetizers main course and dessert were very good. Service was good with a relaxed pace. We will return!

    (4)

  • Ryan P.

    The food is amazing. If you remember O'Donnell's, you remember that the food was awesome as well, but slowly started to go downhill as management continuously kept changing the menu items to attract new business. Well, the food here is the best in the Kentlands and can compete with O'Donnell's in their heyday. Crushes Bone Fish. Better than Vacilis. It's all good here. We had a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, some kind of steak salad that was absolutely fantastic, the chicken sandwich, fry basket with dipping sauce, and a chocolate truffle type dessert thing. I was very surprised at how good all of the food actually was. The beer was a little on the pricey side. I cannot exactly remember what beer I ordered but it was $9 for a glass. I was thinking to myself, "this better be the best damn beer ever for $9 a glass" and it came pretty close! So I was surprised there as well. They completely remodeled the place after a French bistro. The bar area probably changed the most from the prior layout. A lot of people are commenting on poor/rude/inattentive service. I didn't' notice that. It is the Kentlands, after all: the smuggest part of Maryland where no ones sh*t stinks...

    (5)

  • bil g.

    If you ever been to France or Belgium - you might be very disappointed with this place. We ordered bear and beef stew. The noodles were like a rubber and the meet was just ok. Neither bred nor the main dish were to the level what we used to. In addition it's way overpriced. For example beer we pay in dc 7-9$ here was 11!!!! Service was not at the top as well. Not sure if we visit this place any time soon again...

    (3)

  • Tony L.

    My wife and I were so excited that a Brasserie Beck was coming to the Kentlands, we decide to make a 5:45 reservation for our one year wedding anniversary. When we got there at 5:40, the restaurant was not even a 1/4 full. We asked to sit outside which had at least 6 open tables, and the host staff made us wait 25 minutes, before they even entertained the thought of seating us. We left at 6:05 and went to Bonefish right around the corner. Thanks to Bonefish, we were able to have a fabulous one year anniversary dinner. My recommendation, stay away from Brasserie Beck!

    (1)

  • Sandra L.

    Been here twice now and the food and service have been very good both times . Went last night with my husband I had the mussels and he had the steak frite both were nice and hot when served , well presented and tasted great . Our Waitress was was excellent made sure we had all we required and keep her eye on the timing of our order from the kitchen . She was very professional and friendly . IT was quite noisy when we went in but when we said we would like a quieter table they put us in the dining area at the back and it was perfect for us.

    (4)

  • Julie H.

    Was very excited to go here because I heard a lot about it. The mussels here are good, but being a foodie - I learned how to make mussels like that at home. So this review will be about anything but the mussels since I have bias towards it. The food here is good, I love the layout if the restaurant & choose to eat outdoors when we can. However, the portions are so tiny! For the price, it should be bigger than what you would get here. Understandably this is more of an upscale restaurant, but if I'm expected to come here often. I expect the portions to be bigger. I honestly could order three or four plates to be full. The bread here is great since there are several different kinds of breads in one basket. The service for food is very slow - took is about 35 limited to get the food after we ordered and we were there when there wasn't a lot of people yet. At least there was bread while we were waiting and helped us be a bit full since the portions are so small.

    (3)

  • Joanne N.

    My husband and I went in for brunch and were treated exceptionally well by the staff, especially Dimitri our server. I had their lemon soufflé pancake, that was just heavenly. I ordered iced coffee, an item that is not on their menu, but Dimitri prepared it himself and presented it beautifully. He really went out of his way. Great experience overall.

    (5)

  • Judy L.

    Walked out of this restaurant after repeated bungles with drink order/long waits for seating/water/menus/service. Told manager we may be back after the kinks are worked out but got no apology/no nothing. We followed up with email to manager--nothing. New restaurant in our area, we had hoped to become regulars as we eat out regularly. Poor impression and zero manager follow-up. An upscale place like this should have been better prepared to open. Not anxious to go back.

    (1)

  • Axel K.

    Come here in the summer for outdoor eating. Otherwise nothing special. Have been here a few times. Am from Belgium. Very americanised Belgian food - but that is OK. Service is a bit erratic. Hit and miss. Food is OK but nothing special, including the cheese and meat platter. Mussels a bit underwhelming - maybe i am prejudiced. Music in the summer is nice. Bottom line a nice place, average across the board exceeds in the summer outdoors when there is music on and you are not focused on dissecting food and service

    (3)

  • Ann C.

    Have tried it twice, benefit of the doubt and all that, won't go again. Horribly over-priced, incredibly slow service (thank God they're doing a soft opening and not "overwhelming" the staff!), the drinks today were not good tasting, my sea bass was practically raw in one area. I also noticed that if you are friends with a manager then great, but if you're not don't expect any attention at all. Spent a lot of money for a mediocre meal, can do much better elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Jacqueline R.

    First off, let me say that I appreciated the website notice that "we are taking limited reservations" while they work out all the kinks inevitable with a new restaurant. It shows a commitment to excellence. They don't have far to go. We had an outstanding experience at lunch today--our waiter, Brent, suggested a wine that was off the charts, and provided us with excellent (not hovering, but attentive) service. The food selections, ambiance, price point, noise level will bring us back again. What a gem in The Kentlands.

    (4)

  • Ronan M.

    LOL

    (1)

  • Lori S.

    As noted in other posts, this location in the Kentlands just opened so I'm sympathetic that the restaurant staff and management are working out the kinks. First, I love Brasserie Beck in DC and my husband and I were very excited that Chef Robert Wiedmaier opened a location in our neighborhood. Let's face it...the Kentlands / Main Street area is pretty much devoid of any decent restaurants. Which always surprises me considering the median income of the area but I have come to accept that most of my neighbors consider Potomac Pizza to have excellent pizza and the local townie bar (Wine Harvest) churns out consistently mediocre, unimaginative wine selections but is still crowded most weekdays and weekends. My husband and I didn't have any issues with the price of the dishes. I was snickering in the local Starbucks the other day when I heard a group of regular, grumpy old men state it was "very expensive." Again....anything over the price point of the sadly bankrupt Star Diner, people in the neighborhood get up in arms about. They do recognize we are about 20 miles from DC, right? My husband and I went to Brasserie Beck on Mother's Day to celebrate my first Mother's Day. We made a reservation at an off time to avoid the crowds. The décor was passable. The overall flow of the restaurant space was awkward but they were working with the previous set-up established by O'Donnell's. The bar looked nice. We sat down immediately and our waiter came over to take our drink orders and then proceeded to disappear for extremely long periods the whole time we were seated. We both had cocktails and they were nice. Unfortunately, our waiter gave the impression that he had never waited tables in a restaurant before. He was very nervous and was not overly familiar with the menu or specials. We ordered a selection of salami and salumi to start. No complaints. We also ordered our main dishes at the same time - I ordered the mushroom mussels and my husband ordered the steak frites. After approximately 40 minutes our waiter finally reappeared to collect the appetizer dishes. We eagerly anticipated our main courses and proceeded to wait and wait and wait and wait some more. We had been seated for a full 90 minutes before our waiter finally appeared and claimed there was an issue with receiving and firing the orders in the kitchen and actually stated "the chef is very overwhelmed at the moment." You are kidding me, right? Was Ronald McDonald preparing my mussels in the kitchen? Our waiter claimed the manager would be over shortly to talk to us (and hopefully comp us some drinks which any decent restaurant manager would do!) but this did not occur and the manager never materialized. Apparently too overwhelmed with the other 6 tables filled in the restaurant - did I mention we went at an off time? My hubby and I ordered some glasses of wine. The white wine list by the glass was nice. The red wine list by the glass was so uninnovative and pedestrian, I was itching the whole time to pen a far superior selection on the back of my napkin and pass it off to the Wine and Beverage Manager. Which would also account for the highly difficult Montgomery County liquor and wine regulations! I was personally embarrassed for our waiter as I asked him for the red wine selections and he stumbled through each pronunciation of the regions. I thought he was going to start crying for a moment. I gave him a break and ordered a highly mediocre Pinot Noir. After almost 2 hours in the restaurant the food finally arrived. The food was presented with such a ridiculous flourish by the staff and conveyed nothing to the point that we had been waiting for 2 hours. We were so starved at this point we attacked the food. And wait for it....some positive points come into play...the food was great. My mussels were cooked to perfection by the "overwhelmed" chef and I happily slurped up each one. My husband's steak was also very tasty although a bit underdone for his taste - even though he asked for medium. The frites were excellent and accompanied by a nice trio of aioli. We will be back but we will wait at least a month for the kinks to be worked out. Good luck! We will re-post shortly!

    (3)

  • Cherri B.

    Went for brunch with the family a few weeks ago. The ambience and decor were lovely but the service and food were extremely disappointing. I ordered a croque madame after discussing with the douchey server, which came way fancier than a traditional croque (which is what I assumed I was getting based on the menu description), of which I've had several. Each component fought the others: the bread was flavored with spices, there was a gelatinous soft cheese of some kind underneath a bit of Swiss. It came out cold, and they forgot the egg it was supposed to come with... so the egg was brought separate, again cold. The same thing happened to another member of our party who'd ordered the same thing. I ended up building my own sandwich by taking all the cold, oddly tasting cheese off and putting the ham on the contents of the bread basket (one of the only highlights of the meal). The grits were tasty but too rich to thoroughly enjoy. Overall, we were full but not satisfied. The rest of the dishes looked like standard brunch fare from any restaurant who tries to do brunch. When it came time to pay the bill there was nothing offered for their large mistake on two of our dishes, which seems pretty rude especially for it being so overpriced and "upscale." I've heard their happy hour is decent but none of us have returned based on that sad experience. A croque is damn hard to mess up; they not only found a way but blazed new trails in their treatment of it. Not heading back anytime soon, or ever.

    (1)

  • Diane M.

    Not impressed! We had pretty high expectations going in and wound up very disappointed. We love the mussel bar and decided to stop in for drinks and mussels. The mussels tasted good but were actually the size of maybe 2 peas.some shells were empty. I asked the bartender if they were always like thus and she said yes.she didn't really care that we were dissatisfied. You would think being only open for a few months they would want every customer that walks in to be completely happy. You're going to lose business. Anyway, way overpriced for what you get, won't return or reccomend to friends.

    (2)

  • William F.

    Four of us met here for dinner tonight, and I noticed at the end of the meal that everyone had cleaned their plates --a compliment to the kitchen. And I liked the fact that they had a separate Gluten Free menu, which made avoiding gluten a lot easier. I had the chicken, which was very good. But the others diners were also happy with their selections. Next time I'll try the trout, which looked good.

    (4)

  • Robert S.

    Four of us dined here on a Saturday night. The other couple had been here before and liked it. We were looking forward to an excellent meal, having dined at Marcel's several times and found it to be one of the best restaurants in the area. We knew it wouldn't be on the same level as Marcel's, but expected better than it was. The ladies had a special of mussels and pork shoulder. It was described as being a slice of pork shoulder with mussels on top. It turned out to be a tiny portion of shredded pork under the mussels. If they had not added the frites (for only a dollar more) they would have starved. The men chose the roast prime rib. At $34.00, it was tough and not especially tasty. A small portion of mashed potatoes and haricot vert accompanied the beef. I have no problem paying $34 for a good steak or prime rib. The operative word was good. I've had better meals at chain restaurants. The service was below par too; the waitress brought a basket of excellent bread, obviously left over from another table, because there were four very small pieces of bread in it. Later, another waiter brought a basket filled with bread, without being asked. It was busy, but there is no excuse for this kind of service. I only hope Chef/Owner Wiedmaier pays attention to this restaurant. With his name and experience it should have been much better!

    (1)

  • Sarah G.

    We went back over Memorial Day weekend, after waiting almost a month for them to try and iron the kinks, and after seeing a special on the facebook page that caught my eye. Tried to make a reservation, but they were booked. Went in around 4pm and was completely thrown off by the 3 menus for each section. Also was told that the item I wanted was lunch only. (should have disclosed that on facebook). I must say that the manager was nice enough to walk me through everything and check on me. We decided to sit at the bar (after being informed that basically there is no food outside and the dinning room is full), and the experience was fine. The food is very tasty, would give it a higher rating if it weren't for the restrictions and the price. If i had it my way- i could have had the lunch special i came in for, which would have cost me less, and i could have enjoyed my meal outside on a beautiful day. May consider going back, but with the restrictions in place I wont be a regular.

    (3)

  • Eunice K.

    So the chef or owner of Brasserie Beck owns Mussel Bar in Bethesda and Marcel's. I have been to both and I think my favorite would be Mussel Bar. Anyways.. Brasserie Beck I have been wanting to try this place out (the DC location) but the one in Kentlands was opening soon so I figured I could just wait and try the new location :) YAY! I love that Kentlands has a new restaurant and it is a little more on the high end. The service is great (very friendly and welcoming). The hostess can seem a little stuck up but the servers are amazing. Bread basket with 3 or 4 different types of bread. I love that the bread came out cus i love dipping bread with the mussel sauce. Mussels were really good. i went with a friend and we got half wild mushroom and half red curry thai. Both were really good. The wild mushroom was a little more flavorful and salty (bacon) while the red curry was a little less salty. So it worked out perfectly that we had something a little strong and a little lighter. We also got the order of pommes frites for $1 (comes with 3 different aioli sauce). The fries were so so good! We were both so full and didn't even finish our meal. But we had to try dessert. I read a review about the strawberry shortcake creme brulee. So we got it and it is a strawberry creme brulee with pieces of biscuit and strawberries on top. I don't know if it's really the captain crunch flavor I expected (maybe the captain crunch berries?) Decor of restaurant was not as high end as I expected. I can't put my finger on it but it's not as simple, clean and neat looking. There is street parking available in the front and also parking in the back of the restaurant. It is located across Mattress Discounters. It is easy to spot when at the intersection (stop sign) at Mattress Discounters, Five Below and Whole Foods. It's a white building.

    (3)

  • Heather J.

    I was expecting more of this place. I've heard great things about the downtown location of the same restaurant, and I really like Mussel Bar in Bethesda. But the food here was just ok, for the most part. The best thing we ate, in my opinion, was the Belgian frites. The fries are perfectly cooked and totally addictive. I could happily skip most other things, with the exception of the fresh oysters ($1.50 each during happy hour). The wings, however, were fatty and soggy. The flavor of the sauce was good, but I lost a lot of it when I peeled off the flabby chicken skin. The meatballs were good, but nothing special. On the plus side, the server was great and was happy to modify some of the dishes to accommodate the vegetarian in our group. The live music was fun, too. Overall, acceptable, but not memorable.

    (3)

  • Tina C.

    As a long time fan of Marcel's, I was incredibly disappointed with my experience here. To preface, I had low expectations to start with. Yelp never lies. Thanks to MoCo Yelpers, I am rarely steered wrong, and this was no exception. I carefully followed advice. Made an early reservation, made sure to tell the person taking the reservation, checking us in, and our server that it was my mom's birthday. We ordered the kids' options first so that we wouldn't be waiting with Hangry youngins.....sigh. We ordered the $12 salmon for my 2 year old. Luckily she is in a stage where she likes to feed me a bite of her food. In that first bite, I nearly choked on a fishbone that was about 1.5 inches. I then proceeded to pull out 5 more from her salmon before being so infuriated and what coulod have happened to a small child due to the incompetence of the fish station.....and yes, they fillet their own fish here....The manager was apologetic and offered to bring another salmon and 10 minutes later we had a perfect center piece. Mind you, they normally give the tail ends for the kids meal, which seems shady to me because you are still paying $12 for 3 ounces of fish. And I realize that someone has to get the tail end, but they portion it such that the kids' meal contains both scrawny tail pieces from the fish, not a larger piece that would also contain the scrawny, thin tail. Kids' chicken was excellent as well, but portion size is small. Both meals came with mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots, and the carrots were pretty excellent. My mom and husband ordered the shrimp and scallops pre fixe option. Portion size was really too small, but the wedge salad and chestnut soup were excellent. The lamb was underseasoned and overcooked, but our attentive server had disappeared on a hunt for salt. The meal was a disappointment. The most frustrating part was that we were seated at 6pm and my mom had ordered the apple tart. from the beginning of the meal, the birthday girl knew what she wanted! However, the server cleared plates and disappear for 20 minutes. After trying to track him (or anyone!) down, we later were told that they were out of the dessert. They didn't even offer my mom a selection off of the dessert menu, but gave her the sub option: cheesecake. After an additional 15 minutes of waiting, my kids were tired and cranky, I was pissed, and my mom still had no dessert, no candle, nothing. We packed up to go and the GM, was very apologetic and sought me out as I left the restaurant to hand me a $15 coupon (really?). He was still apologetic, but the only thing they comped was the kids salmon, still charged my mom for the dessert she never wanted (or ate), and $100+ later we were gyped from what should have been a nice dinner. Coastal Flats' wait was 2.5 hours which was the reason we ended up at Beck and I will tell you, we should have just waited because it would have been the same amount of time for much better food and MUCH better service. GM Alan was brought from Mussel Bar Bethesda to help turn around the food and service issues and this was his first week. I do wish him the best of luck. As a long time Kentlands resident, I am very invested in having quality restaurants in our community. lately, I have been spending a lot of time and money at crown farm and it really shouldn't be that way....

    (1)

  • Janet C.

    The customer service we received was fantastic! James walked us through the menu offerings, specials for the day, beverage options and tasting notes. I opted for the spicy Thai mussels and pome frites. The 1/2 order of mussels were plenty for lunch, especially with the fresh bread provided that begged to be dipped in the yummy mussel broth. Could have skipped the fries but they were really tasty with the aioli provided for dipping (I was all about the dipping it seems). Companion had the French dip sandwich special, which he also really enjoyed. Along with our meal, really good Belgium beers were consumed. My only issue was the prices here are a little high but I will definitely come back for some of the specials they have at happy hour from 4 - 7 pm Mon. - Thurs.

    (5)

  • Steven W.

    I was so excited this place was coming to the Kentlands. I really like sister restaurants, Wildwood, and Marcels and thought BB would move into 20878 as the best restaurant without a doubt. The thing is, in the several times I've been, service has been both good and bad, and the food has been both very good and a little average. The issue that comes into play is that the prices are more in line with DC, than 20878. I wouldn't mind that if the food and service consistently knocked me off of my feet...but when you can't expect that, you start to feel like your money would be better spent back in the District, in places, where again at this price point, I can count on the food and service wowing me EVERYTIME. To be clear...I'm not complaining about the prices, only that if you expect to get those prices in the suburbs, everything needs to be CONSISTENTLY better.

    (3)

  • Henry M.

    If you're going to have just one dish here, I'd say make it mussels. If you're looking for the best mussels in the DC metro area, Brasserie Beck is the place to go. Fresh, large, plump, and juicy, each mussel was cooked perfectly; not one was underdone or shrunken, chewy and rubbery, and they were all flavorful without being fishy. Perfect! Crystal's glass of sparkling wine was very nice (I had a sip), but my gin and house tonic wasn't. Our oysters were all tasty, fresh, and we'll-shucked, but IMO too cold. Our soups, clam chowder and onion soup, were spot on, and notably not over-salted, as they often are elsewhere, which made the oversalting of the lobster ravioli dish and of the bacon in the spinach salad stand out. This was their first night open to the public. I'm sure there will be corrections, but I hope they'll keep playing the excellent collection of jazz in the background. Did I mention that our waitress, Belia, was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable? Well, she was. Did I mention that the beer list is extraordinary? Well, it is! Did I have any beer with dinner? No, but I will next time!

    (4)

  • Sherry G.

    What a letdown!!!! Positives: Great ambiance, good service spinach Saks was ok bread was good Negatives: Frites?!?! No way not even close to Belgian fries. Seriously McDonalds is better on the $ menu. Steak not well prepared, very very small amount, tasteless lack of seasoning Croque Monieur - tasteless cheese, cheap ham, gummy bread and they forgot my poached egg to make it a Madame. Very overpriced for quantity and quality. Trust me I don't mind paying for either but got neither.

    (2)

  • Steve D.

    Really impressed with Sarah (server). Upon completing my meal, I was expecting to find lukewarm coffee in my ceramic mug ... which would have been fine, since there was still more java in my French press pitcher and I was prepared to simply ask for a new mug. To my surprise, though, the coffee in my mug was still hot. Upon investigation, we discovered that Sarah likes to pre-heat coffee mugs with hot water. I've always appreciated details like chilled salad bowls and forks from the restaurants that "get it." First time, that I know of, to receive a preheated coffee mug. Smart. Sarah was extremely pleasant and thoughtful. She (and others on staff (with the exception of the manager on duty that morning)) knew to never put an item within arm's reach of our 10-month-old. In our 10 months as new parents, this was a common-sense first. We were also pleasantly surprised when she removed the charge for my wife's meal, since the English muffin part of her Eggs Benedict was slightly burnt and we had to wait for a replacement muffin. All in all, a very nice Valentine's Day brunch date with my wife ... thanks to Sarah, the great food, and the warm atmosphere. There was another female server who remembered us (and our baby) from a previous visit months ago and stopped by to say a quick, "Hello!" By the way, they do not know this, but my wife is an executive for a global mystery shopping company and I'm a trainer/consultant/speaker on "Customer Experience." This was our 3rd visit to Brasserie Beck and we'll be sharing our story.

    (5)

  • dan m.

    Went for lunch today. Waiter was clueless. Possibly the worst "oyster poboy" I've ever had. Beer horribly overpriced. Totally pretentious in an area where they should not be pretentious. Find a suitable alternative. Perhaps Burger King.

    (2)

  • Jeff H.

    I was looking forward to dinner here- an outpost of a DC stalwart with the potential to be a go-to for low key but nice meals. Unfortunately BB didn't deliver. First, my onion soup was bland and uninspired. This should be a knockout, a bistro staple! But what they delivered was nothing more than what I could make with three onions and some beef broth in my kitchen. Disappointing. I also ordered the rack of lamb, medium rare, with frite and mushrooms. The lamb was tender but overcooked, which is a shame because that kills flavor. The demiglace was YUM, though, so it's a shame the lamb didn't deliver. The side of 'shrooms were just OK- I LOVE mushrooms, and will often choose to finish them over my protein if I'm getting full. These were cooked well but lacked a deep woodsy flavor, so I didn't finish them either. Dessert was a chocolate mousse gateau, and was very old-school 80's style. It was mediocre and not worth the calories. Dinner for two was $100 before tip and included just one glass of wine; this isn't outrageously expensive but certainly more than the meal was worth. I'd love to give them another shot since I liked the original as well as other outlets in Robert Weidmaier's restaurant group, but I'm not sure its worth another $100 to roll the dice. As a side note, we had a table right next to a wait station and the bussers' entrance. Super distracting and definitely didn't help with the overall experience though it would have been OK if the food was better.

    (2)

  • Charissa T.

    THE PROS: The mussels that my mom and I got were quite good (fresh mussels, tasty sauce, good portions)! The classic white wine sauce is a little lighter and more tart, while the wild mushroom is much saltier/creamier and has lots of chunky bacon pieces in the sauce :O Also, $1 to add-on fries! With 3 dipping sauces. Do it!! THE CONS: Service was ridiculously slow... 1) Plenty of visible, un-reserved tables, but they were telling people the wait was 45 min 2) Took 5+ minutes to get water once we sat, another 20 min before the bread came.. 3) We were seated outside when it started raining, and it then took them 10 min to get people to tables inside. Once inside, we were seated in the far corner of a completely empty room of tables -- why were we all getting drenched while there were so many empty tables inside... :(. My guess is that they were trying to keep the restaurant sectioned by waiter, but I wish they'd had a system that didn't take them 10 min to execute... I wish they'd fix the service/organization here, because the food is actually quite good! But probably not worth another visit after our first experience here...

    (2)

  • Kimberly C.

    We (my sister and I) have been semi-regulars since this place opened its doors. A quick note about the food: it has never disappointed. Now the reason for my additional review: the service. The last two nights, we have enjoyed dinner in the bar. Monday, the plan was to enjoy some $1.50 oysters and HH priced drinks in the bar and then move into the dining room for dinner. The two things that kept us in the bar were the classic rock piping through the speakers and Jimmy, one of the bartenders. Jimmy is wonderful because he's not trying to be personable, he just is. You can tell he's not trying hard, he's just being himself and it works. This evening, we planned to eat in the bar because of the $1.00 oysters and $5.00 cava that Jimmy mentioned to us the previous night. As soon as we stepped into the bar area, he greeted us with "it's the Crowder girls" and that is always a good thing. He didn't even need to ask us what we needed; he only needed to confirm the amount and that was "2 dozen?" and he was correct. We had an additional surprise this evening and that was an appearance by Pablo, one of the managers there. We first met Pablo when he was a server there. He has since been promoted and deservedly so. A few visits ago, we had a small issue in the dining room and Pablo made sure we were well taken care of during the next visit. Tonight, he was gracious as ever and displayed again why he was promoted. Pablo and Jimmy, you are both rock stars! I will say again that Brasserie Beck is a wonderful addition to the Kentlands.

    (5)

  • Thomas B.

    I am sorry to tell you, not all yelpers review equally. I ate here with friends the other night and I thought that the food and service were very good. We made a reservation and were seated in the room with the fireplace. It was a chilly night and I would have loved to have had the fireplace lit as it would have added to the ambiance, but no luck. In fact, we asked the young man who sat us if the fireplace could be lit and he responded "I have no idea, I'm just seating you..." I dismissed that as the service we had for the rest of the night was very good. I enjoyed a steak which was cooked excellently. The special requests that we had about switching side dishes were gracefully accepted by the server and the chef. All in all, it was a very nice evening. The price for the food is reasonable, so people stating that the place is overpriced may want to look elsewhere in this plaza for a bargain meal. In fact, I think there is a Chik Filet around the corner.

    (5)

  • Harsh Deep Singh N.

    Joined a few friends for dinner at Brasserie Beck last week, and had kind of a mixed experience. The ambiance is pretty nice, and servers will usher you to your seat pretty fast. We got seated and ordered drinks. I was not happy with the way my beer was poured, and pointed out to the server that it appeared to have too much head on it. He argued with me, but was professional enough to still change it. For the food, I ordered oysters, which were delicious, wings, which were also very good, and the Roasted Garlic Fingerling Potatoes, which I think were the best pick. The service however, left a lot to be desired. At one point, having asked for and got the food menu, I had to holler for the server to come over, as it had been over 10 minutes since he had given us the menu, and we wanted to order food. And it wasn't even as if the place was too crowded. There were barely 5 other people apart from our group in the bar area(this was a weekday). The server was talking to one of his colleagues and apparently couldn't care less. Very frustrating. Overall, A- in terms of food, C+ for service. I'm not sure if I want to go back there again.

    (3)

  • Cynthia L.

    I had ants in my pants for this place to open because I heard so many good things from friends and after all, I love Mussel Bar. -Lobster & Ricotta Ravioli: puréed lobster with a ricotta ravioli sauce. I was worried they were going to skimp on the lobster but loved that they did a perfect combo of lobster, cream sauce and garnishes. -Wild Mushroom Ravioli: Mussels were all plump and juicy, not overly greasy (from bacon). I didn't understand the wild mushroom title because I saw only button mushrooms. - Strawberry Shortcake Creme Brûlée: it was good, but honestly? Can I just say it tasted like a Captain Crunch Creme Brûlée? -Husband said loved his cappuccino (garnished with nutmeg) Our service was amazingly perfect and attentative (blame it on the fact that we came at 5:30pm for dinner...yes, we eat dinner on grandma time sometimes). Disclaimer: To be fair, I was So toasted (from a long day at work) so husband was the actual fair gauge to this place. Patio/outdoor seating, when we went, was not offering the entire menu. Decor was done very well. Prices are a bit steep but in my opinion, worth a try! I'll def be back to try other things.

    (4)

  • LA W.

    Wow, what a rip off. Seriously, I just paid $18 for lunch, but had to come home and eat because the cup of soup and 1/2 sandwich (called a tartines on the menu) was so small that I was still hungry. The soup of the day was a mushroom bisque that was "okay" and at least the few tablespoons that were in the cup was served hot. The chicken tartines was an open-faced sandwich comprised of an under-seasoned chicken strip on top of a thin baguette-like piece of bread (that was impossible to cut) spread with a tasteless cheese of some sort, a wilted piece of frisee and a few pieces of sad-looking fig. I kid you not. This appetizer-sized lunch, and a glass of tap water, cost me $18. I think that others who have tried Brasserie Beck before me have already decided the food isn't worth the outrageous cost because in a large restaurant that must have well over 50 tables, there were only 6 or 7 occupied during the height of lunch hour on a nice Thursday afternoon in November. My suggestion to Robert Wiedmaier? Get a grip and deliver a decent amount of good food for a reasonable price and then maybe your tables will fill up. Simply giving food fancy sounding names like tartines and bisque doesn't fool diners into coming back for a second time. Before I go, I must say that our waiter was very attentive, knew the menu well and was very friendly. For that, I am thankful and applaud the kind gentleman that waited on us.

    (2)

  • Karen P.

    I'm updating my review for the dinner menu. We attempted to get into several other Kentlands restaurants on a Friday night and a 45-minute wait was not acceptable to the four in our party. So we drove over to BB for dinner and was seated right away. This was great because it was cold outside and we wanted good food. We had been told that the prices at BB were reduced a bit to entice more customers. We didn't notice any price reduction at all. They had a special of Maryland crab cakes (2) for $35. Whoa! That's pricey for crabmeat they get from the shores of Maryland and not flown in. The bread was good, although my husband thought it a bit too salty. I ordered the dinner size mussels and really was disappointed in the number of mussels in such a large pan that was brought to the table, with not one but two shell bowls. One was barely full with the shells. Our waiter was fun (Gregory) and helpful with the menu items and specials. All in all, its a nice restaurant to go to, but in order to fill up like the others in the area, it must be affordable. We paid $75 (couple) and only ordered 1 beer (split two ways) and two entrees. No appetizer, dessert and or coffee. You decide.

    (2)

  • Jinsoo L.

    They must have fixed a lot of the customer service and quality issues from these angry yelp reviews because when I went there for dinner. Everything was fantastic. Delicious food. And service was top notch . Kentlands has a huge elderly community so the clientele is not going to be dc nor should you expect it to be. I would return for the pork shank. Red snapper. Spicy Thai curry mussels! And I be dippin my fries in that curry sauce. Don't judge me.

    (5)

  • David D.

    Waiters and managers are RUDE. Food is ok but way overpriced. Changing the concept wont do anything. The reason nobody goes here is because the managers and wait staff are always rude and dont seem to care about the customers. Cant wait until this place goes out of business for good.

    (1)

  • Kevin F.

    I absolutely love it when the power of Yelp shines thru. This love story is one of those. I live alone here in Gaithersburg/Rockville but have been looking for somewhere where the whole restaurant is not focused on whatever professional sports venue is occurring. Brasserie Beck is one of those places. Yes, the second you walk in, you see the bar/counter, and yes, there's giant tv's going on. However, there are little tables here and there, besides the huge dining room, where one can find a quiet moment and peace with either someone, or in my case, my thoughts and my scrumptious food! I saw all the reviews and was dead set on seafood, because for me, Sunday is usually salmon or some yummy seafood and a beautiful salad. Brasserie Beck fulfills all those desires and surpasses them, as my fellow Yelpinistas have affirmed elsewhere, so eloquently. I saw the reviews and barely remembered seeing this place when I haunt Whole Foods Market for my favorite salmon tails or other amazing seafood. For some reason though, I wanted to treat myself tonight. Brasserie Beck is perfect for just that, a treat! Walking in off my moto, the young greeters were so bubbly and well-mannered I felt convinced to stay, as I was initially only on a reconnaissance mission, then off to W/F for my salmon fix. Seated at the counter, I ignored all the alcohol and stayed with iced tea and had a wonderful green salad, grilled octopi, spectacular squash soup, pistachio cheesecake and decaf coffee. Perfect! Each dish was truly great. The green salad blew me away; for a moment, I thought I'd been transported back to California where salads are a main dish! This one had the perfect amount of onions and a light vinaigrette. Oh, yuuuuuummmm! My octopus came with lightly grilled fingerling potatoes which were soft, tender, delicious, and in perfect proportion to the grilled octopus which were just amazingly tender and tasty! Oh, be still my beating heart! After this was my soup. OMG! So sweet and delicious and piping hot! Perfect. I cannot stand the thought of lukewarm soup arriving in front of me. I wish I could tell you all the components of the soup, but I guarantee you that when you taste your first spoonful, you'll have feelings of ecstasy and have your own private epiphany like I did. Last came the dessert and coffee. Perfect denouement to a wonderful evening, although I was alone, it felt like a gala event on my taste buds. Definitely worth the $$ and even being alone there. I'm in love.

    (5)

  • Theresa T.

    Giving this place a 4-star as it's probably one of the better (only) restaurants in the area with both decent food and ambiance. The restaurant is well decorated and furnished with a nice laid-back French bistro feel. They also have a lovely outdoor patio seating area. Their bistro style menu offers a good selection of appetizers, salads & tartines, entrees, all with fairly reasonable prices. We were told their mussels are some of the highest quality ones you would find in the area. We had the pate, mushroom crepe and grilled octopus as appetizers to share and I had the asparagus salad as my entree. Everything was fresh and tasty - No mess up there. However my friend tried their dessert and was rather disappointed. They have a full bar with cocktail, beer and wine, which I'd love to come back and try next time. The restaurant is fairly new so service is still catching up but the team from manager to runner all seemed to be making a good effort of trying to make everything run smoothly. The lighting in the restaurant was a bit too bright, throwing the ambiance a little off. I hope management would fine tune these details moving forward as I'd definitely love to come back and visit again.

    (4)

  • Parul M.

    Excellent Service and Delicious Food! I came here during the soft opening and was able to try a variety of items on their menu. The service was great. Our server was extremely attentive and knowledgable about the menu. -Mussels: We had the Thai Curry, Classic White Wine, and the Veal Bolognese. My personal favorite was the Classic White Wine. The mussels were super fresh, all in very good broth, and piping hot. YUM! I do believe that these are even better than Mussel Bar in Bethesda. We also received the pomme frites which is only $1 more with three different aiolis. HIGHLY recommend getting the frites as the aiolis sauces are so good! -Lobster Ravioli: It could've been better but it was overall good. I've never had lobster ravioli so I don't really know what it compare it to. It tasted a bit cheesy. -Crab Cakes: Very fresh with literally no filling. Chunks of delicious crab meat, perfectly cooked to perfection! It was paired with a nice small salad which added a good crunch. -Banana Ice Cream: Never had this before until now and I was presently surprised. It was very banana-y to say the least. Lol. -Strawberry Shortcake Creme Brûlée: I'm a huge fan of creme brûlée so the shortcake was a nice change. There were small cake and strawberry pieces as garnish on top. It had such a good flavor with strong strawberry notes. Definitely one of the best creme brûlée's I've ever had. GREAT Opening and I will definitely be back. Get ready for the food coma afterwards! :)

    (5)

  • Andrew K.

    I would give it 3.5 stars. A little pricey but the food was pretty good. Nice ambiance and great service. I tried the white wine and spicy thai mussels and they were fresh and delicious. The bread was also very fresh and was great to dip in the broth. I ordered the veal bone in special and that was pretty good but the crab cake was just ok. The pomme frites was also pretty good and for $1 extra with the mussels is a good deal. Overall, I would say the food isn't bad and it has a great outdoor dining area and good bar with happy hour specials.

    (3)

  • Norman G.

    I haven't been to the sister restaurant downtown but the suburban place is outstanding. If you like Belgian beer Beck's carries a huge selection both on draft and in bottles and, in addition, it offers mussels, a staple of Belgian cuisine, prepared in a variety of ways. If mussels aren't to your taste, there are numerous other choices on the menu. All the dishes I've tried have been excellent. As anyone who's ever been to Brussels will attest, it's harder to find a bad meal there than it is in Paris, and Brasserie Beck is a worthy representative of the city. In addition to a spacious bar and sizable dining rooms, there is also a large patio that is very pleasant in good weather.

    (4)

  • Nicole L.

    This review was for the bar. The suburbs Brasserie Beck was a good place to stop for a nice Belgian beer. The restaurant had a complete makeover from the old seafood restaurant. The signature white marble bar, blue and dark wood scheme was replicated here at this much larger restaurant. The beer prices were the same as the DC one I had a delirium draft it was $$$ and the fries here were not as good. We also did not enjoy the trio sauces they were not as good as the DC one. It was the perfect place to buy a gift card for a birthday that we were heading to. The outdoor atmosphere was definitely the attraction the patio was full and there was live music. High end place for the burbs.

    (3)

  • Suzan H.

    I had high hopes and expected more! My family went to Brasserie Beck on a Thursday night in early August to celebrate a family event. We were seated and it took at least 15 minutes before we were provided water. We had to request breads. Prices are high and food only so so. I ordered mussels and the onion soup. The mussels were nice and full flavored. The onion soup was very rich. I was glad I did not order anything else. My son had to send his steak back as the medium was served medium rare and cold by the time it arrived at the table. My husband's trout was just so-so. Frites are the only really outstanding item. The waitress opened a can of beer behind my son which ended up spraying brown beer across his back. She said nothing. Food only so-so, prices too high, and service poor. We will not be returning. Don't waste your time, go to Not Your Average Joes or Bone Fish for a great night out! Brasserie Beck will not last long.

    (1)

  • E W.

    I've been to this location several times. The food, in comparison to the DC location, is about the same. However, the attention to detail and service at this location makes it feel very much like an outpost in the burbs. The times I've been to this location for brunch have been much better than dinner. On a recent dinner outing, we got the frites to go with an order of mussels. The frites were very much the bottom of the barrel (dark and crispy ends and skin). The mussels were, as always, outstanding. Portions of other entrees (namely ravioli) were small. The dessert was a throwaway. A big gripe for me was bartender draft pours. With draft beer at a premium (between $7-12), you'd think they'd be able to get a pour out that didn't contain about 1.5" of head. Oh well.

    (2)

  • Eric V.

    I had high hopes for this place. Shouldn't have bothered. Best thing was the service. Our server was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about the menu. She was able to suggest a good wine for my wife's dinner. We started with mussels which were okay. White wine sauce was good, but my wife had a few mussels which were so tough that she had to spit then out. I had crab cakes and my wife had steak frites. My crab cakes were good, not too rich, but a bit pricey. Steak frites was ordered medium rare and it came out nearly raw and thus, very chewy. Dessert was supposed to be a Belgian waffle with spiced ice cream. The menu neglected to mention that the "spice" is licorice, which should be listed in the Geneva Convention as a crime against humanity. The waffle was not very tasty, either. And tiny. Total bill was $95, not including a generous tip for excellent service. Pretty sure we won't go back.

    (2)

  • Sara K.

    This is a review based on Sunday brunch. We absolutely love the DC location, so we were pretty excited to see a location open up in Montgomery County. The food they served at brunch was superb. I ordered the lemon soufflé pancakes and my husband had the Belgian waffles; both were well executed. We also shared some pork sausages and the home fries. If you're a fan of very crispy home fries, I'd say skip this side. But if you're like me and love potatoes in all forms, then I'd say you'll enjoy the home fries as much as I did. The pace of our brunch was leisurely, so if you're used to a brisk pace for meals, this is not the place for you. I personally liked the fact that they didn't rush us. The server was very solicitous, and whatever service issues they must have had in the past seem to have worked out. My only complaint is that the tables for a party of two are absolutely tiny. We barely had enough room for our food. There also was very little room in between the tables, so I felt like all the parties were stacked on top of each other. The tables in the middle of the dining room that were set up for larger parties seemed much more reasonable. All in all, a good meal. We'd definitely come back.

    (4)

  • Ignacio S.

    Fantastic food, difficult to enjoy. The food was really, really good. We had the classic mussels as an appetizer. They were big, plump, cooked to perfection, not overdone as is the case in most places. the wine sauce was fantastic, with a touch of lemon and garlic. I would recommend them. The fries that came with the mussels for an dollar extra were some of the best fries you can find anywhere, perfectly crisp and flavorful., The trout was very good, cooked to the right point, not dry at all. The sauce was incredibly good, It also came with fingerling potatoes that were great, and it should have come with green beans, but instead came with some greens with tough stems. I believe they should have told me about the substitution, but that's a different story. My wife had a daily special, veal scallopini. The veal was not white but reddish, as the waiter told us, Still the flavor was very good. It came with a potato puree that was excellent and a reduction sauce that was incredibly good. We also had coffee, very good espresso, and a fantastic, very light and tasty mini-belgian waffle. They have an extensive beer and wine list with all kind of prices where everybody can find anything to like. The service, though, i another matter. They clearly have instructions from management to painstakingly explain each and every special that is not in the menu. The unnecessary process takes a few minutes. I mean, if the dish is octopus and you don't like octopus, you probably don't need the full description of where the octopus comes from, how it was harvested and transported, and the cooking temperature of the sauce. I know I'm exaggerating, but that is how it felt. Also, when serving a beer, if it's the last one you have of that kind, I don't need a long, three minute speech of the awards won by the beer that you like, and of how it is much better than any other on the list. Perhaps I was the designated driver and I intended to drink just one beer. If you actually "know a lot about really, really good wines", perhaps you should not fret about it and, instead of waiting tables, get a job as a sommelier. Also, if you really care about us as customers, you should bring our drinks before the food arrives to the table. Finally, the place is expensive enough (about $60 per person) to expect good quality food, which you get. Thus, the staff should refrain from asking every five minutes if the food is OK. Were were asked five times. Either they are insecure about the food or they are too obtrusive to let you enjoy your food and conversation.

    (3)

  • Brian D.

    The best mussels I've had are at Addie's on the pike but I have to say that these are just as good(and bigger). We got the bolognese with fries and asked for a basket of bread for moppin'. The veal meatballs on potato puree app and the lobster ravioli app are both fantastic. Soooo rich. Split those 2 apps and share the mussels,add on a couple rounds of drinks and you can get out of there for under $100.

    (4)

  • Scott C.

    I really wanted to love this place. But I just can't. Food was fine. But the staff was aloof for a place this pricey. Mussels were great for starters. But the beer I asked for when the waiter took my initial order was never delivered. When the main course arrived and I still had no beer, I waived over a random employee, who quickly sorted it out and got me my drink. Main course was tasty and well prepared. The place was only half full on a Friday evening. My wife complained of the cold air blowing on her back. We mentioned this to the waiter, who said he couldn't control it. I then swapped seats with my wife and can confirm there was a strong, cold draft coming down from the vents. I supervisor/manager came by a few minutes later. I mentioned the cold draft and how uncomfortable it was. She said she knew about it and they had ordered air deflectors to address it. That's great, but neither the waiter nor the manager (who acknowledged the issue) did anything to address it. Given that she knew about it, why in the world would they sit customers there when half the restaurant was empty? At the very least, I would have expected them to offer to relocate us, but neither mentioned this as an option. We paid over $100 for a meal for two. This was with just one beer (granted, at $12/glass). This place is not cheap. While the food was very good, for this amount of money I really expect a more attentive staff.

    (3)

  • Bhavneet B.

    We went as a large party and the service was too slow and the food came out cold. The waiters and manager were more worried getting the order right and not the service. The mussels were served cold and the staff was unapologetic. Very poor food and service.

    (1)

  • Gerry B.

    Nice patio, and our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu, and the cheeses, sounds like he is quite the foodie himself. It's a bit pricey. This is more of a occasional restaurant than a neighborhood hangout. This part of Gaithersburg could use a few more upscale places like this.

    (4)

  • Kevin M.

    I don't write reviews on Yelp often. And they force you to give at least 1 star. Wish I could tell how good the service was, the drinks, the food, patio vibe...but we never got served. At 6:35pm on a Saturday, place was empty and after 20 minutes waiting on the patio to be served we left and got drinks somewhere else nearby.

    (1)

  • j n.

    My wife has been here a few times now. Excellent addition to suburbs kicking the level of food offerings to another level and I've always found the service to be excellent and accomodating. Shout out too Mindy in particular. Specifically thought the steak tartare was good.

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    So noticed it was open and went in for lunch w/my brother last week. We walked around to see what improvements had been made to the original building. Didn't notice that too much had changed but as we walked through the outdoor seating area and bar I did notice that the portion sizes in my opinion were quite small. But OK, it's lunch so I guess I don't need to be stuffed anyway. We sat in the dining room. We were completely alone. Not a single customer besides us in there. It was around noon. OK, maybe because they just opened, word not out yet, etc... We were seated and presented the menu. First I was just looking to see what I wanted and did see a few items of interest and then I looked at the prices, YIKES! One appetizer we equal to what the entire meal including desert should be. I was in complete sticker shock. I thought I wasn't seeing it correctly or perhaps we had the dinner menu. I borrowed my brother's glasses as the prices were printed in rather small font. Nope, I was seeing correctly. My brother saw what I was looking at and before I could even say anything he said to me, where are we, Georgetown? I had to laugh. I said I know, and seeing what I saw walking in how small the portions were and how outrageous the prices were we decided this wasn't for us! If lunch for the 2 of us would have been well over $50 can't imagine eating dinner here with the family. It would be more than the mortgage payment! YIKES!!! They food may be great but I wouldn't know because we decided to leave and eat elsewhere. This place is just too expensive. If they make it here in Kentlands it will be the revenue generated by the bar because unfortunately I don't see the locals dining here w/any regularity if at all. However, they will go there to drink. I hope management realizes they aren't in Georgetown, the local community isn't going to support a restaurant that expensive and rethinks the menu prices to something a little more realistic or they may well meet the same fate as the previous tenants at 654 Center Point Way... Another short timer in the history books....

    (1)

  • Natalie H.

    Not cheap and kind of ordinary. Food is good, but service is slow. We have been here several times after it opened.

    (3)

  • R j N.

    Over the top beer menu. Extensive wine list if mostly unfamiliar French wines. Good selection of eats, but specials are very expensive. Impressive managers but waiter was a very officious, albeit knowledgable, young man. We didn't care to hear his intrusive comments of what his favorites were. That style is over. We prefer to ask questions if we have them. BB needs to improve its wine list to include fine American and more familiar European ones.

    (3)

  • Diane G.

    They ruined the bar (why change the great bar that ODonnells had???)..we felt like we were sitting in a hospital waiting room...way too bright/institutional lights! And, very pricey!., the portions are small....things will have to change to rewin the neighborhood faithful!

    (1)

  • Bill J.

    Not impressed, won't be going back. Actually can't wait for it to close so that we can get a decent restaurant back in that spot. Ok, so I was excited to try this with the understanding that O'Donnell's would be a hard act to follow. So I gave them a few months to get their act together. We were there for at least two hours (4 to 6 in the evening) and the place was a ghost town. But after ordering - I understood why. I didn't have an issue with the service except that by the time they took our order - it was 15 minutes before happy hour. We asked if there was a special happy hour menu, and was told that there was. But we couldn't have it because happy hour wasn't for 15 minutes. To the extent that we were the ONLY people in the entire restaurant, and certainly in the bar - I would have thought that they'd be more than happy to provide us with any menu we wanted to order from. Ambiance... eh. Glaring white interior with bright blue accents. It just didn't work for us. Prices are about twice what they were at O'Donnell's and you get less food and lower quality food. Here's some examples... Right off the bat, there was a plate that was one of my favorites at O'Donnells - nearly identical. The one with half a lobster, some half-shell clams and oysters, a few shrimp, etc. At O'Donnells - $35, but here $65 - and the half-lobster was about 2/3rds of the size you got at O'Donnells. I ordered the cherry stone clams on a half shell. The clams were incredibly small - some as small as a dime. So, I asked about the oysters. The waitress described them as "plump". Again, incredibly small. Everything was fresh - yes - but certainly not worth the premium prices. Determined to cobble together a decent happy hour faire, we asked about the calamari but were advised by the wait staff that most people don't care for the calamari there. ooooooooook, moving on..... Then the mussels - the full order. The mussels were a little better but like... you know when you order mussels and they bring you a huge bowl with a few dozen mussels?. Not here, you pay more, but you get way less... maybe 12 to 18 mussels. They tasted good - but honestly, it's pretty hard to screw up mussels in a garlic wine sauce. You could do better at a lower price at Carrabas if you're in it for the mussels. We paid an extra $1 for the fries (I figured finally a value item). The fries have potential to be good - but ours came with too much salt making them nearly impossible to eat. Also you get three dipping sauces, none of which were visually identifiable or visually stimulating. There were two white sauces and an orangey looking sauce. I stuck with the orangey sauce. We did get through a couple drinks and many servings of bread (thank goodness because I would have starved otherwise.) In my view - this place will fail unless things change drastically. This isn't downtown DC or Bethesda where you can get away with this stuff and people think it's cool. The location calls for a restaurant that offers great food, good portions and good value - and that can attract young families, some professionals, and some old folks. Maybe even some regulars to fill up the cavernous empty space that they have. I'm not going back - and quite honestly, judging from the lack of people there, I'm thinking that everyone else already knew what I found out tonight.

    (1)

  • Leo F.

    Unique weekly specials and an ever expanding selection of great Belgian beer on tap make this a great place to become a regular at. I took off one star because their steak tartare isn't authentic, and they don't have it in entree size ;)

    (4)

  • Sophie M.

    It is hard to believe this is one of Robert Wiedmaier's places. I am sure he would not be happy after dining there. First of all they didn't put much work into the renovations from O'Donnels....the parts they did do are hideous. The service is bad, the food is OK and it is way overpriced. I had Mussels, Steak Frites and the Endive Salad with Macarons for dessert; I didn't love any of it and for those prices I think I should. My husband thought the Veal was incredible and my father loved the Mussels, the Mussels weren't bad but again not what I was expecting with all the hype. Nothing was horrible though, just alright....I may give it another chance I haven't decided yet. I am not impressed and very disappointed, this could be a wonderful thing for Gaithersburg, get it together!

    (2)

  • June K.

    We went for Thanksgiving dinner and everything was delicious. The turkey was moist and flavorful. The appetizers of pumpkin ravioli and beet salad were wonderful and our desserts of pumpkin pie and chocolate cake were the perfect ending. I also got the wine paring with my meal and was very happy with the wines served. Our server was very attentive but not intrusive. We can't wait to go back in the spring so we can sit on the patio. .

    (5)

  • Ryan W.

    Kills me to do this as I did work here and I know how much the RW group prides in attention to detail But today's visit was a buzz Kill. From the host to the server horrible service. The host did not bring menus the server took 5-10 mins to greet us never offered bread . Had to ask for the beer menu never got told any specials didn't know the beers She murdered the pour on my westmal triple so bad it foamed up and spilled all on the table and dripped all on me Also sad that I paid 14 bucks for a 100 point without the signature glass. The food was good but our orders were wrong. I asked for sausage got bacon asked for scrambled eggs got scrambled eggs with cheese Second beer gulden drank no glass super bummed. And after half of the first beer absorbing into my jeans and my dog licking it up I was hoping they would comp the first one but nope. I really like the place and want it to do well but after the service today I will stick to BB in dc. Worst birthday brunch ever I will stick to Quincy's .

    (1)

  • Shannon B.

    I stopped by before a hair appointment last week and I was stunned. I remember when it was O'Donnell's and while the outside of the building hasn't changed, the inside has changed a bit and a bit for the better. I ordered the cherrystone clams, a tequila sunrise, and the eggs benedict and enjoyed all three. I will say that the eggs benedict didn't have runny yolks like I am used to, they were more, well, creamy. I don't know if the chef "over cooked" them on purpose, but they were really very good. I would suggest that if you expect runny yolks and get the soft creamed eggs like I got, you go with it. You'll enjoy it. My waiter was extremely nice and unfortunately got stuck with a three top that had consistent complaints and a few (like maybe 2 - and one was a sandwich) that was featured on the online menu were no longer available. They were complaining they wouldn't ever come back and he was just extremely calm. They have very good customer service. The food is excellent and I will be back to try the mussel pots.

    (4)

  • Patricia M.

    Went the first time on Mother's Day. The place was empty. Service was top and the food delicious. Started with shared Belgian endive salad. I ordered the Mediterranean moules and frites (very good) and my daughter had the croque Monsieur. The macaroons and creme brûlée for dessert were very good . Went there yesterday with friends and while the service was very good , food was so so. Frites were so salty we could not eat them. Told the manager who said it had been reported by other diners and he talked to the chef.... Same endive salad was wilted. Agree with other reviews prices are a bit high for the area. $11 for beer and wine by the glass ! Will give it a third try as they just opened

    (3)

  • Steve J.

    The first time I had mussels was at Granville Moore's 2 or 3 years ago. That was the last time, too, as I never got around to trying steamed mussels anywhere again. Here at Brasserie Beck, my order of white wine mussels was great. A few of them could have been plumper but no one should regard me as a steamed mussel expert. The bread alternated from being butter-slathered to doing mussel broth sponge duty (sometimes both, you only live once). My wife had the beef stew and it was very flavorful. Would be great on a cold winter's day. The frites were fine and many also found their way into the mussel broth. I tried the Antigoon draft beer and was tasty enough. Would give it 4 stars. There were 4 young ladies to greet us on our arrival, 5 counting the one that held the door open. There are also 4 identical clocks on the walls of that vestibule or whatever an architect or restaurant owner calls it. Coincidence? I think so. Our server was pleasant and engaging. I hope that the bar gets the Speed channel on their TV(s). I should mention that parking is easy. If their lot fills, just park in the lot serving Lowes/Long and Foster, etc. It is only 20 feet from Beck's lot.

    (5)

  • Jeremy B.

    I am a massive fan of Brasserie Beck in DC. It has two of my favorite things: great food and a wonderful beer list (even an on-staff cicerone), and those are wrapped in a pleasing, upscale aesthetic package with great service. So I found myself wondering, has Robert Wiedmaier ever visited the Kentlands location? If so, why hasn't he burned it to the ground with a flamethrower and salted the earth after it? Took my wife there for our anniversary, and the experience was so bad and weird that it will eventually become a funny memory for the rest of our lives. The good: The food. The food was consistent with the excellent fare on offer at the DC location, plus of minus a completely subjective 5% quality points. It's the only reason this rating has 2 stars instead of 1. The bad: The ambiance. Looks attractive enough from the outside, with a lively patio seating area. Entering the restaurant, however, brings one to mind of a post-apocalyptic Coastal Flats, or perhaps a Soviet-era IHOP; I felt compelled to order potato pancakes, borscht, and a beating at the hands of the KGB. The beer, dear gracious the beer. I love beer. I love a restaurant with a good beer list. At first glance, BB Kentlands looked like it was on point, although not quite as good as BB DC. Medium-sized draft list and a big bottle list, curated by style. However, the first three beers I tried to order off the draft list were unavailable: two had kicked, and even their house draft (the pretentiously-named but delicious "Antigoon by Robert Wiedmaier") was no longer pouring (a broken tap, apparently). On my fourth attempt, I found a beer on the list that was actually available, the allegedly excellent Straffe Hendrik Tripel (94 on Ratebeer.com ). What I got was a terrible, flat, stale beer that smelled and tasted of wet newspaper, toe cheese, and more unspeakable things. The keg had either sat so long on the line that it had gone flat, or the keg or tap line itself had been infected due to lack of cleaning. The service. S-L-O-W doesn't begin to cover it. Nothing terribly glaring, but so many small and medium missteps have me wondering if this place can possibly stay in business. Starting from the beginning: - even with the dining room 75% empty, we were ushered to the one table situated directly under a ceiling vent which blew cold air on us all night. - took nearly 15 minutes to get our drinks ordered, which includes my three ill-fated attempts to find a beer on the draft list that was actually available on draft. - complimentary bread arrived after the charcuterie (not that big a deal, only including as it contributes to the overall picture indicative of an absolute lack of attention to detail found in this restaurant). - charcuterie plate on the menu consists of 3, 4, or 5 'meats and cheeses', but when our plate of delicious meats arrived, no cheeses were to be found. Again, no big deal, but if cheese doesn't come with charcuterie, don't list it as such during the menu! - a final beer debacle--not having learned my lesson, I ordered a second beer off the draft list, a Brooklyn Brown Ale, to go with my main course. Waiter, repeated that back to me, then brought a can of Brooklyn Lager and before I had a chance to say it was the wrong thing, cracked it and poured it for me. I didn't say anything because hey, it's a good beer, and at this point so many things had gone wrong it was more funny than anything. - even though we were one of only two people in his section, the waiter disappeared for long periods of time. Is there anything more annoying at a restaurant than waiting for the check to come when you're done and ready to leave? After we'd finished dessert (delicious chocolate tart), we waited for 20 minutes for him to reappear. He finally came in from the back door, having completed an ill-timed smoke break. The price for the service. We paid $127 (plus 20% tip, because I'm a complaining douche but not a monster) for this experience, which was so hilariously incompetent (again, barring the food) that it will go down in our dining annals. I have no problem shelling that out for the type of time we have at the DC location, but for this? Not so much. Do not go here. You will regret it. There is clearly a lack of management oversight, concern, or interest in making this place an excellent restaurant experience.

    (2)

  • Valentino J.

    Wow, you would think someone of Robert Wiedmaier's reputation and experience would be able to hire the right people. The latest debacle was this past weekend...after waiting 25 minutes for a cheese plate, I asked what's up... along comes the manager who states that they are having issues in the kitchen, I said it was a CHEESE PLATE. ( cheese plates are prepared at a bar station). Magically , out comes the cheese plate along with our appetizers and an entree at the same time. You have got to be kidding! Some of the wait staff are good and trying, the rest, maybe its the way they are treated, don't give a crap. Another little problem with this place is the lighting in the bar area. With the brightness and the abundance of white tile, I feel like I'm having drinks in a bathroom I truly hope they work it out, as this part of Montgomery needs and can support this type of upscale dining. Mr. Wiedmaier please get your arms around this place and get someone in there that knows how to run a restaurant...hire good people and treat them well, its not that difficult.

    (2)

  • Linda P.

    So great to have a great restaurant outside of the beltway. Mussels are fantastic. Great Belgian food. Loved the steak tar tar.

    (5)

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Opening Hours

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Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Brasserie Beck by Robert Wiedmaier

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