This place was great!! Nothing served from a can or box at this restaurant. I love food and this place filled that hole. I had the half-rack of ribs with sweet potato casserole and my GF had the gouda prime rib sandwich. Every bite was excellent. I love places like this and the restaurant is a really cool log cabin and provides a view of the lake. Our server Serena was excellent (five stars just for her). Also, could get expensive but it could also be affordable. Our dinners were under 50 dollars but we also didn't get drinks or expensive cuts of meat either.
(5)
Josh S.
We've been here about a dozen times in the last 20 months. The consistency of the food is very high. Salmon is good but a bit plain. Chicken wing appetizer is very good. Homemade sauce and great flavor. Grilled chicken breast is juicy and well seasoned. Our kids always get the "oak barrel steak". Order it medium to actually get medium-well. Portions are actually normal sized. Don't expect chain restaurant portions. Prices are a bit high but our service has always been wonderful.
(4)
J E.
My group of nine had a pretty terrible experience here last weekend. Service took a very long time, after about 30 minutes we had to ask for the waiter to bring bread- they don't offer it automatically. The pricing scheme is ridiculous- everything is a la carte. The waiter upsold us on everything. When I ordered my steak he asked if I wanted it blackened. I was ambivalent but he said it was much better that way. Well the steak had no blackening at all when it arrived, but the bill showed a dollar extra for the blackening. A dollar is nothing- but it shows how this restaurant works. I will not return.
(1)
Bill B.
This place was recommended to me as somewhere a vegetarian could put together an interesting meal of sides. Well, not so much. The sides did not look like anything special so I opted for the Pasta Alfredo, like the classic version of the dish plus some veggies. It was just OK. My side salad was also very ordinary (could have used a lot more green lettuce). I also tried the asparagus (even though I wasn't making a meal of the veg sides, I wanted to try one). Again, pretty average. My wife was very disappointed in her petite Filet Mignon. She ordered it well done and, per her, it was beaten into submission and cooked until it had no moisture in it (dry). When a woman (owner? manager?) came by to see how we were enjoying our dinners, my wife was honest about her disappointment. The woman explained that the menu said that all such well-done steaks are butterflied, as if that were a reason that it should not be of high quality. The menu (the online version, at least) says "ALL 9 oz MEDIUM WELL AND WELL FILETS WILL BE BUTTERFLIED" in italics. My wife's filet was a 5 oz. one. The woman gave a sort of apology but it rang hollow to me. In summary, Pine Lodge was a disappointment for us.
(2)
Sarah D.
The food was good but.... My drink (gin and tonic) had half a stirrer in it still....had to send my 30$ steak back when I ordered it med-rare and it came out closer to well done.... Pretty much everything on the menu doesn't come with any sides just a "garnish" which I couldn't understand just madness. The manager did come out and corrected the mistakes and our waitress was very nice but just too many things went wrong for the prices they offer.
(2)
Eric L.
Very disappointed. Have been coming here for 7 years. This year they changed the pricing so everything is ala cart. So prices basically increased 20%. Even bread we had to pay extra for, and when it came it was hard as a rock. As sides were extra, they gave a complimentary side of sweet potato, but is was ice cold when it came so I even sent the back. The servers are nice, but even they stated it was going down hill as owners are treating as a resort place so felt they can get away with the higher prices. I did order a side salad and they even forgot to bring that. One good thing is the main entrees were still very good. However, in past years, we have always come here at least 5 times during the ski season. Now I think we are going to frequent the mountain state brewery and save the fine food for when back home.
(1)
Donna B.
A little pricey but everything was tasty and delicious. Waitress was very fast and I would say the overall service was great. Will definitely come again.
(4)
Trish J.
The service at Pine Lodge was actually just fine. Very friendly and sweet smiles. Our complaint was solely with the food. There was nothing that I would say was cooked well or even interestingly. The ribs were probably the best thing that we got. Fairly tender, but just nothing amazing. From there, the chicken was dry, the potatoes cold, and the shrimp chewy. It was also odd that they were, during dinner service, using a spray bottle to clean the tables. I haven't seen that done anywhere apart from my local Taco Bell. Hey, I guess at least they were getting clean. Long story, Pine Lodge was fine, just don't expect much.
(2)
Don K.
The food was not too bad here, but not great either. My biggest issues were that the first two things that I ordered I was told by the waitress that they were out of. Finally on my third selection I found something that they had. Then, I was a little disappointed to find that one of the things that I had ordered originally, which they didn't have, was on the bill by accident. The waitress did resolve this without a problem, but was still a little annoying since I had already had the problems with what I ordered.
We had a fantastic dinner, Curtiss was the best server ever!! The kids loved him, he told us about all there was to do and made them feel welcome. Do NOT miss the Cherry Cobbler, it was the best we have EVER tasted!!
(4)
Kristy H.
This place was nice, however, the menu did not specify that the sides were a la carte so we paid 4$ for onion rings that we took one bite of. As well as a lot more for our dinner than we expected. The crab dip was mediocre at best, considering this restaurant is in MD. The drinks were good but the server could not tell us the difference between adding an "imperial" topping vs an "oscar" topping and used the words "..and stuff." Very unprofessional. I've been looking forward to this place all week during our stay and was disappointed.
(3)
Sara E.
Definitely giving them a bit of a pass given the other options in this area. The waitress was slow and inattentive. My pet peeve is when the restaurant generally serves bread and my table somehow doesn't get it. This happened here. We had to ask for it twice, and when it came out, it tasted homemade and delicious, which indicates to me that it is something they generally offer; I.e. Not something they threw together because I asked for it. When we asked the server for a second loaf, she said that it's only loaf per table and she'd have to charge us for the second loaf...uh, we were a table of five and we had to ask for the first one! When she delivered the second loaf, the server left the empty plate from the first loaf on the table and placed the large steak knife in front of the three-year-old. The manager was very accommodating. He didn't charge us for the extra loaf and offered us complimentary dessert. The food was pretty good. The tuna and seaweed salad was a big portion and the sauce was good. The tuna was fresh, but it could have used a better sear on the outside, though it was served rare as requested. The crab cakes were fresh tasting, with very little filler. The vegetables were heavily buttered, especially the asparagus, but they were well-cooked. I didn't try anyone else's food, but it all looked appetizing, and everyone seemed happy with it.
(4)
Jules R.
I'm not sure why this place doesn't get more stars... every time I've been here it's been fantastic. Their food is made fresh, the servers are always pleasant, and I always leave feeling full and glad that I ate there. In fact, whenever I'm in town, I make it a point to eat here if I can. The oak barrel steak is one of the best steaks I have ever had. It's always tender and juicy, and whatever they marinate it in is just the best combination of stuff to make it tasty but not overpowering. Everything is a la carte, but their sides are priced reasonably and are yummy, too. I ordered asparagus and mashed potatoes on this visit and they were both hot and delicious. The appetizers are good, too. I've tried a few of the special apps over the years, which have been great, but always come back to the crab dip. It's super good and served with both bread and chips. Pine Lodge has great drinks specials too, and some awesome local brews on draft. See you soon for my next visit, Pine Lodge!
(4)
Gary J.
Stopped in tonight for dinner after not visiting here for many years and I have to say I was disappointed in general. The food was ok but not great and the place comes across as cheap and nickel/dimey with their entree garnish and small side portions. I think it's ridiculous to pay $2-$3 for a side and get a tablespoon of potatoes. . . really? The a la carte menu is annoying. Just raise your prices a little and give two normal portioned sides like most restaurants do. Seems like they're trying some tourist trap trickery. I highly doubt I'll be back.
(2)
Ben M.
Terrible service. Inferior food at high prices. The next time you want to wait 60+ minutes for your dinner, this is your spot.
(1)
Stefanie L.
Overall, this place was great. The seating was spacious and our server was excellent and made great recommendations. My friends went with the filet and crab cake and thought both were amazing. I went with the Oak Barrel steak (along with another person in my party) and we both didn't care for it. There was no flavor. Apparently the filet is where it's at! Also, order extra sides as the sides that come with your meal are definitely not enough. It's literally a spoonful. Definitely order the legendary cream of crab soup. Excellent! You get 2 loaves of bread with honey butter; however, once those 2 loaves are gone...it's $2 per loaf you ask for after.
(3)
Jen H.
Pretty picky but I like this place. Services quick food was hot and very good. The warm honey butter and homemade bread were delicious. Pretty picky but I like this place. Services quick food was hot and very good. The warm honey butter and homemade bread were delicious I had a fillet that was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth my husband had the chicken Oscar with at least 4 tablespoons of lump crabmeat Over the chicken it was delicious best part of the meal was our waitress Serena, knowledgeable and personable we thoroughly enjoyed her. Seriously you should try this restaurant for yourself. I will go back again soon!l PS don't forget to try the crab soup
(4)
Britney C.
I was very skeptical about going to this place after reading all the bad reviews but It was the only place in Deep Creek that seemed to be a nice place to eat that wasn't cheap or a pizza place. So we made reservations which wasn't necessary because the place seemed open to any seat we wanted. They had a huge party of guys, I assume a bachelor party along with a family of 9 which we sat right next to. I wondered why the hostess would sit a couple next to too large parties when their were more seats available in a more private area. Luckily the two parties weren't too loud. We looked over the menu and waited nearly 15 minutes before the manager came to our table apologizing for the long wait. She offered us two free drinks which turned our night around greatly. We ordered some beers and our waitress exclusively waited on our table. We started with a free appetizer that I received for checking in. After deciding on the calamari it arrived quickly and was fresh and hot. The seafood taste wasn't as overpowering and chewy as some other places. It came with marinara and soy sauce. I preferred the marinara which was a great compliment. For our entrees I ordered the Pine lodge salad which is a basic house salad along with the creamy crab soup. The salad was nothing amazing, I chose blue dressing as my topping when I should have received the balsamic. The soup though was amazing with large lumps of crab meat which is exactly what I wanted. The soup was so creamy and tasty. It made my taste buds explode with delight. My hubby ordered the oak barrel steak and it was so perfectly marinated. I'm not much of a red meat eater but I loved the flavor of this steak. We ordered it medium and it was very juicy and tender, all the things a steak should be. The only down side is that the side dishes are al a carte so you end up paying extra for them. After our main course ended we opted for the dessert. I grabbed the peach cobbler and my hubby opted for the chocolate oreo cake. I don't like chocolate cake so he had that all to himself but my peach cobbler was absolutely amazing! Perfectly crisp crust, warm soft peaches and an amazing ooey-gooey texture. I will definitely be coming back here if we ever return to Deep Creek. Especially for the Steak and Cobbler. MMMH!!
(4)
Ofir G.
We came to celebrate our anniversary here in the pine lodge steakhouse, the food was great, I ordered the prime rib, it was amazing , highly recommended. Our waitress was wonderful, made sure our order came in time . The place has great atmosphere, view of the lake . Great place ! Highly recommended!
(5)
Rodger S.
We have been staying at a vacation home at Deep Creek Lake for a week. We've been eating at home most of the time. But for our final night, we wanted to go out for a nice dinner. The atmosphere at this place was first rate--logs & rustic setting appropriate to the lake. Our ribeye steak was excellent, & the calamari was good enough. The place is pricey, though.
(4)
Megan C.
If you're looking for something for a nicer dinner in McHenry/Deep Creek Lake that isn't pizza or on the cheap, give Pine Lodge a try. Don't be put off by the teeny-bopper hostesses; just head on upstairs to the dining room. Ambiance is all log cabin, fire places, dark woods, and a great view of the lake. Service can be a little spotty, but it was definitely a slower evening when we were there and I believe they were understaffed. Even so, our waitress was surprisingly full of personality and knew the menu well. Check in on Yelp and enjoy a free appetizer - we chowed down on the free crab-stuffed mushroom caps as a quick way to satiate our hunger prior to our entrees. I also loved how inexpensive their cocktails were - had one of the best Moscow Mules I've ever had, and it was only $7 and it wasn't small, either. The entrees, for us, are what made Pine Lodge shine. We came in for fish and seafood, and that's exactly what we got. Boy, was it tasty, too. Hubby's Crab Cake entree contained two of the biggest, crabbiest (read: no filler) crab cakes we've ever experienced, without any extraneous grease, bread crumbs, or anything to detract from the fresh crab. For me, the delicious broiled fish was perfect, and do yourself a favor and order the lobster bisque "drizzle" on the side. I'm sure glad I did, as I'm not a bisque fan and this one was very salty and too creamy for my taste. Steamed vegetables were great, and, well, steamed (nice when restaurants actually listen to you when you say NO BUTTER). We came here without any expectations, as it was our first Deep Creek Lake dining experience, and we came away very satisfied, with happy bellies with healthy food (though you can definitely be as indulgent as you wish here - steaks, desserts, heavier dishes abound), and with our wallets not too lightened.
(4)
s o.
Food has definitely deteriorated. Waitress told us our main dishes came with sweet potato casserole and mixed veggies. When our dish came we literally had a teaspoon of mashed sweet potato and 3 small pieces of vegetable. Manager tells us main dishes come with a "garnish" of starch and vegetable. At an upscale restaurant who ever heard of a garnish of a starch and vegetable ? Either be honest and say nothing comes with the main dishes or serve a real side dish. Fish special came with a lemon butter sauce. It actually with a large scoop of just butter on the fish like you'd get on an order of pancakes. I would def stay away and go to Dutchs instead if you're looking for a good meal. Used to really enjoy this place but unfortunately management/ owners are letting it slip.
(2)
Vina O.
The steak was good, the apple cobbler undercooked but very disappointed when I checked my credit card account. My bill came to 52.15. I tipped the waitress a $10.00 bill. My credit card was charged 60.00. So my waitress gave herself an additional 7.85 bringing her total tip to 17.85. Ridiculous!!!. If it wasn't for the 3 hour drive back, I would definitely go back and speak to the manager. The manage reached out and explained that there was a mix-up and will refund the difference to my credit card. Very good customer service in responding to the discrepancy. Thank you, Megan.
(4)
Dave B.
Great service even when slammed packed busy. Creamy crab soup is a must to start. Use saloon to avoid longer wait times.
(5)
Sam D.
The food was fantastic, but there was not enough. The plate was entirely too big for the portion. The waitress was lame and the service was slow. I went to use the bathroom and it was flooded. I probably won't return soon. The quality has slipped over the years.
(3)
Jeffrey H.
We were looking for somewhere to eat after hiking at Swallow Falls State Park, passing through on our way home to Baltimore/DC from a long road trip. Pine Lodge Steakhouse was an entirely reasonable choice. I had a very tasty prime rib, and she had a nice filet. The crab dip was tasty, as were the salads and sides. It was pricey for what we got - especially since all sides had to be purchased separately. On the other hand, choices for food appeared to be somewhat limited in the area, according to TripAdvisor and Yelp. In a more urban area with more choices, I probably would have been less happy to pay as much as we did for the (reasonable quality) food that we got; but it's not fair to grade a restaurant out of context. If you want nice food in this particular area, Pine Lodge is not a bad choice.
(3)
Justin B.
They are going for a high end steak house feel with everything ala carte but the sides were fair and the meat was bland. The Au jus tasted like straight beef broth ... Very overpriced ..To say the food was fair would be an understatement... Also they charge $2 for bread. Really? The desserts were actually very good and it does have a nice lodge feel But wouldn't go back. Just kind of a rip off with average food.
(2)
Karen J.
The food was not good at all. We ordered the New York strip steak and asked for it to be cooked medium but it was over cooked and tough. The meat did not have any flavor. We also ordered crab legs and I don't think I've ever seen any smaller crab legs in my life. They looked like miniature crab legs and for the price I would expect more out of this place. Also, the drinks here are ridiculously weak, I feel like I could have gotten more of buzz off of Pepsi. The service was great and everyone was friendly, but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone because of the quality of the food. I will be taking my leftovers to my dog, I just hope he will eat this.
(1)
Fahad A.
Great food ... very lean steak ... the crab cake was awsome ... service was a bit slow while the restaurant was empty however they are friendly. Price is chilly.
(4)
David T.
This is supposed to be the nicest restaurant in DCL. As for the restaurant it was OK. Comfortable but not spectacular. Food: ordered crab soup but didn't get it. Disappointed. Crab dip was good. Prime rib was ok. Filet 5 oz was good. Ribs were bad. Not tender. Service: competent (whiffed on the soup). Not good or bad. General: I had High expectations and was a little disappointed.
(3)
Eric W.
Definitely not a true Steakhouse! Our crab soup was cold. Waited 40 more minutes for entrees. Entrees were mostly cold. Prime rib was really sirloin poorly cooked. Duck I had was about 5 oz instead of 10 oz about 2 bite sizes. Poor service.. Dinner plates never cleared. This is a bar-pub trying to serve over priced steak house menu. Go to Dutch's at silver tree instead.
(1)
Tommy N.
It's really expensive here but the food is good. Not quite worth the price IMO but I'd still come again because there is one particular dish that wowed my friends and me: Legendary Creamy Crab Soup. I think it was called "Legendary". Not quite sure but it was impressive. There was no fillers (potatoes) in this soup and there was plenty of crab. Some of the chunks of crab took up a good portion of the spoon. I don't know how many crabs were cracked open to fill a bowl (don't bother with the cup. go for the bowl) but we enjoyed our bowls of soup immensely. Our main entrees were also quite good. I ordered the New York Strip and there was very little fat and cooked medium rare when I requested medium. Shrug. One of my friends ordered pasta which he said it wasn't bad at all but he'd much rather have one of the steaks. The service and ambiance here was really great too. If you are willing to burn a bit of cash, this place is an option. We were very pleasantly surprised to have found this place.
(4)
Tracy H.
We had a great dinner and our waitress was really good, We eat here every time we come to Deep Creek Lake and we haven't been disappointed yet! It's our favorite place to eat at DCL even our 9 year old asks to go there!
(4)
Alvin W.
My girlfriend visited this place and her entire family was neglected. They are Asian and they just felt discriminated against. It's 2014 get over the bs. People are people no matter the race. Skip this place if you love equality.
(1)
Erin E.
On our first night of arriving to Deep Creek, we were searching for somewhere for dinner. I come from a family of non-foodies- they eat to live, I live to eat (no surprise I'm adopted!) I was in charge of picking somewhere, since they know I love restaurants. My grandmother said it was her treat, so I wanted to find somewhere nice, but not overly expensive. We pulled into the parking lot since it looked like there were a bunch of random restaurants around. The Pine Lodge steakhouse had a menu outside on a pole-thing that claimed dinner from $12....so I figured they would have reasonably priced items. .....So imagine my horror when we sat down at the table and opened the menu- and found $40 seafood and steaks. Everyone sat silently just flipping the pages back and forth as the items were expensive. I certainly didn't want my 84-year-old Pro-Bono- Attorney-grandmother footing a pricey bill as there were 7 of us. Talk about awkward. After an uncomfortable 10 minutes, we were ready to order.....And everyone ordered salads- I could tell they felt weird about ordering a pricey item. This isn't totally the restaurants fault- but such false advertising on the menu out front! On a positive note, I loved my steak salad, although "medium" came out really rare. A few pieces were so bloody I had to leave them on the plate. Service wasn't that friendly. And the patio that had a beautiful view of the lake was closed for dinner in the middle of August....why?! That's all we were searching for- a view of the lake...but we were herded inside, which was very disappointing. Inside wasn't all that nice- for the prices on the menu I would expect a nicer ambiance. Since I live 1200 miles away and was just here on a trip, I won't be back. And if I did return to Deep Creek again? Still wouldn't go back.
(2)
Mary A.
Awesome! Fun staff, amazing cream of crab and delicious steak. Ignore the bad reviews. Yeah. It's a bit pricey, but it's a steakhouse. You get what you pay for, so expect to eat well.
(5)
Katie V.
The kind of expensive that slaps you in the face repeatedly. No free bread, thirty dollar menu items with no sides because you have to order them separately a la carte, small portions, and not nearly fancy or tasty enough to boast these prices or portions. Did I mention the music is about the driest, non-fun, hum drum white noise you can possibly listen to? Well I did now. I'd give it one star, but price aside, my thimble of crab soup was delicious as was my burger and they do have very attentive staff.
(2)
John F.
This place was very good but has changed management. Since the changeover service has plummeted. Orders are often screwed up.
(2)
Jojo S.
Service was good as well as food. We came in after driving 3 hours. The crab cake was EXCELLENT. We also had the ribs (just okay) and the Gouda burger (hubby said the burger was great). We would definitely go back.
(4)
Vicky D.
I'd give it 3.5 stars if possible. Came here with the BF on a weekend trip to the lake, even though the reviews were pretty bad. He'd been there once or twice as a kid and remembered it being OK, I guess the prices just didn't appropriately reflect the quality of the meal. We had a Restaurant.com coupon though, so we were willing to take a leap of faith. I was expecting a kind of upscale steakhouse, but it was very unpretentious and family-friendly looking. Basically, don't expect someone to pull your chair out for you. We got honey wheat bread and honey butter for the table, which was very fresh and delicious. Split mussels for an appetizer, and both of us got some kind of crab-and-steak combination for our meal. They have a couple options for sides (including baked sweet potato, which is what I got) and each entree comes with a side salad. I thought the quality of food was very good and the BF agreed. I probably wouldn't pay full price for it but I'd definitely come back for a nice big meal. Oh, and don't forget to ask for a drink menu. I had their pomegranate sangria and it was great!
(3)
Neal J.
My family, along with my parents and my sister were visiting Deep Creek Lake last week. We used to come up to DCL every summer in the early to mid-80s. We stopped back again in 2001. Our most recent trip was just last week and there have been many changes in the area, including the loss of many of the good places to eat. We decided that we wanted to eat out on our last night at DCL and we didn't want to go to a chain restaurant. We found Pine Lodge Steakhouse in a local restaurant guide and we decided to give it a try. I knew I should have consulted Yelp first. When we arrived and checked in with the Hostess, we were told that there would be an hour wait. We had a party of eight and we certainly understood that it may take some time to seat us. We also specifically asked for a table on the first floor (of the two floor seating area). My sister is handicapped and is unable to do stairs without a great deal of difficulty. She uses a wheelchair for going more than a few steps. We were delighted when we were seated in less than an hour, but the table was on the 2nd floor. We again informed the hostess that we had requested a table on the 1st floor. She told us that this was not a problem, because they have a ramp. The "ramp" was outside and not very easily navigated. It's also a good thing that it was pleasant weather. We found the items on the menu to be quite pricey. I guess that's what you get when staying in a resort area. After looking over the menu, we placed our orders. It took over an hour for our entrees to arrive. I didn't time it, but it was probably closer to an hour and a half. We lodged several complaints with the manager on duty. My dad and I had ordered the Tilapia, which wasn't presented nearly as nice as it was described on the menu. We complained to the manager and he said that he could bring out something else if we liked. I told him that I wasn't waiting another hour for something else. He came back out and told us that he removed both orders of Tilapia from the check. I also had a loaded baked potato, which wasn't that great and it also was served slightly warmer than room temperature. I should mention that the rest of our party was satisfied with their orders, with the exception of the baked potatoes. We did decide to get dessert and the manager did comp all our dessert orders. The manager also mentioned that he removed the "mandatory gratuity of 18% for large parties" from the check. We were not the only guests having problems that night. The table behind us, also a large party, all ordered the special of the day. They also had to wait quite a while for their entrees. One of the servers complained to another server about the fact that everyone at the table ordered the special, which was all you can eat crab legs. The server was afraid that she would be making multiple runs to that table. If the staff wishes to complain, then please do it out of earshot of the guests. Next time we're in the area, we won't be stopping at Pine Lodge Steakhouse. ** EDIT: I'd like to add that the next day we stopped at a chain restaurant to meet friends for lunch (party of 11) and had 5 star service. If the chain restaurant can handle a party of 11, why can't a pricey place like Pine Lodge serve a group of eight??
(1)
Lorand M.
God Awful....really...the worst steak I have ever had. Terrific and enthusiastic server, which is a rarity in this area. Calamari were overcooked...and appeared and tasted as if pre-breaded and frozen. The accompanying sauces were quite good....sort of marinara...and a sort of asian. $42 bone in strip....cooked in a 1200 (or something like that according to the menu description) degree broiler....medium/medium rare.... came to the table not even 1" thick...not hot...barely tepid. 1200 degrees should yield a nice caramelized crusty exterior....the darn steak looked like it had been boiled...no caramelization. Somehow the kitchen managed to way overcook the steak without the previously discussed caramelization. $42 buys a terrific bone in steak at any of the top national chains that is 1.5 inches thick or thicker....with a lovely crust. Salad was a joke...seemed "pre-assembled" and put back in the cooler....thus the lettuce was becoming limp and loosing the crisp... Tomato was mealy and totally devoid of flavor....ummmm.....hello ??? don't store your damn tomato's in the cooler...store them at room temp. and plate them just before serving. My lovely dining partner had a combination surf and turf that was underwhelming at best...not properly cooked..everything overcooked...and the asparagus slathered in some oily substance that added not flavor whatsoever. Everything we had was something that would not challenge a 10 year old in the kitchen....everything we ordered was a simple preparation that simply required some minimal oversight. Just no excuse for even an inexperienced sous chef to mess this up so completely. Atmosphere is nice....decor is cool...service was friendly and efficient...but...the food just sucks...nothing was better than average....and what should have been the star of the table was literally inedible.
(1)
Erin J.
We should have listened to the other reviews, not just about this place, but about restaurants in McHenry. There just aren't any good ones. The only thing keeping me from giving this place one star is the service. We ate here the first night in McHenry, and sat in the bar area. The bartender was very nice. We checked in on Yelp and got a free appetizer so we tried the crap dip. It was pretty good.....lots of Lawry's season salt, but it was fine. For dinner, I had the salmon and he had a steak. His steak was a bit overcooked but edible, and he got the Lyonnaise potatoes which were huge chunks of somewhat raw potatoes and onions in a weird sauce. My salmon was not only overcooked but was very fishy. I know salmon is a full-flavored fish - it's my favorite. But that was not good. I also ordered a side of shrimp scampi....it was cooked ok but the flavorings were not great. It tasted like a bunch of dried seasonings were used so it just didn't taste fresh at all. All it takes is a little fresh parsley, lemon and garlic, people! The best part of my dish was the baked potato, although it tasted like it had been cooking for several hours. Doubt we'll be back if we do return to McHenry.
(2)
Debra T.
We went in the off-season and the upstairs main steakhouse was not open so we dined in the bar area. Twice. We got burgers which were decent but the cups of crab soup were SO delicious that we went back again two days later and had BOWLS of their crab soup. It had to be the best we'd ever had. So creamy, and loaded with crab meat. We'll worry about the calories another day! The booths in the bar area were very kid-friendly and we will definitely be back if ever in that area again.
(5)
TM C.
For the prices I was not pleasantly surprised with my meal. For appetizers we had mushroom caps and calamari. Mushroom caps were very good but the calamari was not very flavorful and the marinara sauce was just bland. They also give you a soy sauce, I recommend that for the calamari instead of the marinara. For my entree I had prime rib and a side crab cake. The prime rib had a lot of fat and was too tough for my liking. I should have sent it back, but I didn't, I finally became tired of eating it. On to the crab cake. Crab cake was not bad but I have had better. With the a la carte menu and quality of food I was a little disappointed. I will think twice before coming back.
(2)
Tigo S.
i do not know why the other reviews have been bad. The place had a nice lodgy feel to it (hence the name), great service, great food. We got the talapia with lobster bisque and shrimp on top of the talapia and it was amazing. Also baby back ribs were delicious.
(4)
T-Bone R.
The food was good, especially the crab soup. We had to find a hostess just to get a seat and service was slow. Resort pricing is in effect here so you're not getting much value for your money.
(3)
Jane P.
Rated higher than most other restaurants in town, the Steakhouse disappointed. Nothing too exciting. Went there in February. Our waiter provided awful service. Hard to believe, but when we asked to see the dessert tray (that we had spied being toted around by other servers) he rolled his eyes and said irritatedly "I don't have time to find it." Later he found it, but I was already enjoying the best dessert coffee I'd ever had, Cafe a l'Orange, and it was time to get going. Like Dan said in his review, the place is like a chain - only it's not. !? Food was ok, nothing exciting, and I was disappointed overall by the quality and the presentation. We complained to the manager afterwards and he said if we came back to let him know and we'd be taken care of. A) not sure what he meant. B) we're from DC, and unlikely to return. Food at Wisp is much better.
(2)
Matthew M.
Very underwhelming. Dinner salad felt like it was premade at a local chain restaurant. My steak was overcooked as well. Asparagus, on the other hand, was under cooked. To spend $30 on a steak dinner, one would expect these basics chef abilities. Also, it smelled like poop outside. Would not recommend.
(2)
Bill M.
The saloon has a great atmosphere and fun wait staff. Order the smoked gouda burger, you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Dan B.
Food was edible, but this place is hardly what it purports to be. I saw no evidence of a real "chef" anywhere on the premises, contrary to what is touted on their website. This looked like it was trying to be a chain restaurant - seemed all rather artificial. Salads were pre-made and served with dressing in plastic cups on the side. Bread was stale. Steaks were cooked to temperature but weren't the greatest cuts, and also looked pretty small for the the 5oz's listed in the menu. They had a couple windows open and the stinky smoke from the associated "saloon" was wafting up and in. Overall, this is poor value, certainly was not worth the price we paid. We were hungry and ate, but won't be back.
(1)
Nicki N.
Great food and fabulous service! Lisa was very friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. I really enjoyed the crab cake and oak barrel steak. I am not a big steak eater but I finished every bite of my steak. Yummy!
(4)
Carrie M.
The food was very good and promptly served by our affable server Lisa. Extraordinarily seasoned and cooked precisely as requested, the filet was one of the best we've had in a long time. The French onion soup was a tasty twist on an old classic. The beef tips and sausage added to the heartiness of this savory soup. I highly recommend a dinner at Pine Lodge!
(4)
Alex E.
This place is awesome, the creamy crab soup is too die for, the oak barrel steak is great... I don't get the people who gave this a bad review, they should really give it a second chance and make sure you get Marla as your server so you'll have an awesome experience. Definitely coming back next time I ski.
(5)
Cyrus N.
Great service and food, not much else to say. Chicken Parmesan is amazing and the crab cakes are fresh and delicious.
(5)
diana l.
This place is awful!! We came only for the crab soup and it is definitely not legendary. Sure it does have big pieces of crab, but it was overly salty and super thick. I'm guessing they just added a bit of milk/cream to their crab dip? And to boot I got food poisoning from it. I'm feeling super nauseous as I write this. I think it may have been left overs and they added the salt to cover up soup that should have been tossed out. It's not a busy restaurant so I don't think they have a lot of turn over on their food. My friend ordered chicken parm which was dry and my other friend ordered a baked potato it came out burnt and also dry. So I can only assume they are just reheating left overs!!! The decor is also very dated, so I wouldn't come here for the ambiance either. Save yourself the trouble and go to McDonald's at least they have standards!!
(1)
Cindy G.
Our waiter Casey was great. Food is expensive and drinks are weak. Everything we ordered was good....average. We had spicy garlic wings, crab dip for our free appetizer and crab soup which is why we went. We ordered a crabby chicken and a crabcake sandwich to go. When we got home there was about 5 French fries in the crabby chicken box. We were offended by the hostess when we entered the restaurant and told to seat ourselves on the lower level and not even asked if we wanted to sit upstairs in the final dining area or downstairs in the bar area. After questioning our waiter about it we found out there was a large party upstairs that had gotten out of hand and they were in the process of being kicked out.
(2)
Curtis L.
The reception is less than welcoming. I agree you have to ignore the teeny booper receptionists at the front. Although they are there to check you in they are easily sidetracked by each other and a quick mirror check to ensure they look good. Food was okay and it's a bit pricey for the quality. Al la carte is not a good idea at the restaurant since the plates are so large and entrees are a bit small. The watermelon slice next to the entree is def in poor taste. Service was good and Joseph was a great waiter.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes 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 : Yes
Adam P.
This place was great!! Nothing served from a can or box at this restaurant. I love food and this place filled that hole. I had the half-rack of ribs with sweet potato casserole and my GF had the gouda prime rib sandwich. Every bite was excellent. I love places like this and the restaurant is a really cool log cabin and provides a view of the lake. Our server Serena was excellent (five stars just for her). Also, could get expensive but it could also be affordable. Our dinners were under 50 dollars but we also didn't get drinks or expensive cuts of meat either.
(5)Josh S.
We've been here about a dozen times in the last 20 months. The consistency of the food is very high. Salmon is good but a bit plain. Chicken wing appetizer is very good. Homemade sauce and great flavor. Grilled chicken breast is juicy and well seasoned. Our kids always get the "oak barrel steak". Order it medium to actually get medium-well. Portions are actually normal sized. Don't expect chain restaurant portions. Prices are a bit high but our service has always been wonderful.
(4)J E.
My group of nine had a pretty terrible experience here last weekend. Service took a very long time, after about 30 minutes we had to ask for the waiter to bring bread- they don't offer it automatically. The pricing scheme is ridiculous- everything is a la carte. The waiter upsold us on everything. When I ordered my steak he asked if I wanted it blackened. I was ambivalent but he said it was much better that way. Well the steak had no blackening at all when it arrived, but the bill showed a dollar extra for the blackening. A dollar is nothing- but it shows how this restaurant works. I will not return.
(1)Bill B.
This place was recommended to me as somewhere a vegetarian could put together an interesting meal of sides. Well, not so much. The sides did not look like anything special so I opted for the Pasta Alfredo, like the classic version of the dish plus some veggies. It was just OK. My side salad was also very ordinary (could have used a lot more green lettuce). I also tried the asparagus (even though I wasn't making a meal of the veg sides, I wanted to try one). Again, pretty average. My wife was very disappointed in her petite Filet Mignon. She ordered it well done and, per her, it was beaten into submission and cooked until it had no moisture in it (dry). When a woman (owner? manager?) came by to see how we were enjoying our dinners, my wife was honest about her disappointment. The woman explained that the menu said that all such well-done steaks are butterflied, as if that were a reason that it should not be of high quality. The menu (the online version, at least) says "ALL 9 oz MEDIUM WELL AND WELL FILETS WILL BE BUTTERFLIED" in italics. My wife's filet was a 5 oz. one. The woman gave a sort of apology but it rang hollow to me. In summary, Pine Lodge was a disappointment for us.
(2)Sarah D.
The food was good but.... My drink (gin and tonic) had half a stirrer in it still....had to send my 30$ steak back when I ordered it med-rare and it came out closer to well done.... Pretty much everything on the menu doesn't come with any sides just a "garnish" which I couldn't understand just madness. The manager did come out and corrected the mistakes and our waitress was very nice but just too many things went wrong for the prices they offer.
(2)Eric L.
Very disappointed. Have been coming here for 7 years. This year they changed the pricing so everything is ala cart. So prices basically increased 20%. Even bread we had to pay extra for, and when it came it was hard as a rock. As sides were extra, they gave a complimentary side of sweet potato, but is was ice cold when it came so I even sent the back. The servers are nice, but even they stated it was going down hill as owners are treating as a resort place so felt they can get away with the higher prices. I did order a side salad and they even forgot to bring that. One good thing is the main entrees were still very good. However, in past years, we have always come here at least 5 times during the ski season. Now I think we are going to frequent the mountain state brewery and save the fine food for when back home.
(1)Donna B.
A little pricey but everything was tasty and delicious. Waitress was very fast and I would say the overall service was great. Will definitely come again.
(4)Trish J.
The service at Pine Lodge was actually just fine. Very friendly and sweet smiles. Our complaint was solely with the food. There was nothing that I would say was cooked well or even interestingly. The ribs were probably the best thing that we got. Fairly tender, but just nothing amazing. From there, the chicken was dry, the potatoes cold, and the shrimp chewy. It was also odd that they were, during dinner service, using a spray bottle to clean the tables. I haven't seen that done anywhere apart from my local Taco Bell. Hey, I guess at least they were getting clean. Long story, Pine Lodge was fine, just don't expect much.
(2)Don K.
The food was not too bad here, but not great either. My biggest issues were that the first two things that I ordered I was told by the waitress that they were out of. Finally on my third selection I found something that they had. Then, I was a little disappointed to find that one of the things that I had ordered originally, which they didn't have, was on the bill by accident. The waitress did resolve this without a problem, but was still a little annoying since I had already had the problems with what I ordered.
(2)Paige F.
Really good steakhouse in the area. The food is a little pricey, but everything that I have tried there has been very good. Definitely a special occasion restaurant. The atmosphere and décor is pretty cool too. Great friendly service!
(4)S And P F.
We had a fantastic dinner, Curtiss was the best server ever!! The kids loved him, he told us about all there was to do and made them feel welcome. Do NOT miss the Cherry Cobbler, it was the best we have EVER tasted!!
(4)Kristy H.
This place was nice, however, the menu did not specify that the sides were a la carte so we paid 4$ for onion rings that we took one bite of. As well as a lot more for our dinner than we expected. The crab dip was mediocre at best, considering this restaurant is in MD. The drinks were good but the server could not tell us the difference between adding an "imperial" topping vs an "oscar" topping and used the words "..and stuff." Very unprofessional. I've been looking forward to this place all week during our stay and was disappointed.
(3)Sara E.
Definitely giving them a bit of a pass given the other options in this area. The waitress was slow and inattentive. My pet peeve is when the restaurant generally serves bread and my table somehow doesn't get it. This happened here. We had to ask for it twice, and when it came out, it tasted homemade and delicious, which indicates to me that it is something they generally offer; I.e. Not something they threw together because I asked for it. When we asked the server for a second loaf, she said that it's only loaf per table and she'd have to charge us for the second loaf...uh, we were a table of five and we had to ask for the first one! When she delivered the second loaf, the server left the empty plate from the first loaf on the table and placed the large steak knife in front of the three-year-old. The manager was very accommodating. He didn't charge us for the extra loaf and offered us complimentary dessert. The food was pretty good. The tuna and seaweed salad was a big portion and the sauce was good. The tuna was fresh, but it could have used a better sear on the outside, though it was served rare as requested. The crab cakes were fresh tasting, with very little filler. The vegetables were heavily buttered, especially the asparagus, but they were well-cooked. I didn't try anyone else's food, but it all looked appetizing, and everyone seemed happy with it.
(4)Jules R.
I'm not sure why this place doesn't get more stars... every time I've been here it's been fantastic. Their food is made fresh, the servers are always pleasant, and I always leave feeling full and glad that I ate there. In fact, whenever I'm in town, I make it a point to eat here if I can. The oak barrel steak is one of the best steaks I have ever had. It's always tender and juicy, and whatever they marinate it in is just the best combination of stuff to make it tasty but not overpowering. Everything is a la carte, but their sides are priced reasonably and are yummy, too. I ordered asparagus and mashed potatoes on this visit and they were both hot and delicious. The appetizers are good, too. I've tried a few of the special apps over the years, which have been great, but always come back to the crab dip. It's super good and served with both bread and chips. Pine Lodge has great drinks specials too, and some awesome local brews on draft. See you soon for my next visit, Pine Lodge!
(4)Gary J.
Stopped in tonight for dinner after not visiting here for many years and I have to say I was disappointed in general. The food was ok but not great and the place comes across as cheap and nickel/dimey with their entree garnish and small side portions. I think it's ridiculous to pay $2-$3 for a side and get a tablespoon of potatoes. . . really? The a la carte menu is annoying. Just raise your prices a little and give two normal portioned sides like most restaurants do. Seems like they're trying some tourist trap trickery. I highly doubt I'll be back.
(2)Ben M.
Terrible service. Inferior food at high prices. The next time you want to wait 60+ minutes for your dinner, this is your spot.
(1)Stefanie L.
Overall, this place was great. The seating was spacious and our server was excellent and made great recommendations. My friends went with the filet and crab cake and thought both were amazing. I went with the Oak Barrel steak (along with another person in my party) and we both didn't care for it. There was no flavor. Apparently the filet is where it's at! Also, order extra sides as the sides that come with your meal are definitely not enough. It's literally a spoonful. Definitely order the legendary cream of crab soup. Excellent! You get 2 loaves of bread with honey butter; however, once those 2 loaves are gone...it's $2 per loaf you ask for after.
(3)Jen H.
Pretty picky but I like this place. Services quick food was hot and very good. The warm honey butter and homemade bread were delicious. Pretty picky but I like this place. Services quick food was hot and very good. The warm honey butter and homemade bread were delicious I had a fillet that was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth my husband had the chicken Oscar with at least 4 tablespoons of lump crabmeat Over the chicken it was delicious best part of the meal was our waitress Serena, knowledgeable and personable we thoroughly enjoyed her. Seriously you should try this restaurant for yourself. I will go back again soon!l PS don't forget to try the crab soup
(4)Britney C.
I was very skeptical about going to this place after reading all the bad reviews but It was the only place in Deep Creek that seemed to be a nice place to eat that wasn't cheap or a pizza place. So we made reservations which wasn't necessary because the place seemed open to any seat we wanted. They had a huge party of guys, I assume a bachelor party along with a family of 9 which we sat right next to. I wondered why the hostess would sit a couple next to too large parties when their were more seats available in a more private area. Luckily the two parties weren't too loud. We looked over the menu and waited nearly 15 minutes before the manager came to our table apologizing for the long wait. She offered us two free drinks which turned our night around greatly. We ordered some beers and our waitress exclusively waited on our table. We started with a free appetizer that I received for checking in. After deciding on the calamari it arrived quickly and was fresh and hot. The seafood taste wasn't as overpowering and chewy as some other places. It came with marinara and soy sauce. I preferred the marinara which was a great compliment. For our entrees I ordered the Pine lodge salad which is a basic house salad along with the creamy crab soup. The salad was nothing amazing, I chose blue dressing as my topping when I should have received the balsamic. The soup though was amazing with large lumps of crab meat which is exactly what I wanted. The soup was so creamy and tasty. It made my taste buds explode with delight. My hubby ordered the oak barrel steak and it was so perfectly marinated. I'm not much of a red meat eater but I loved the flavor of this steak. We ordered it medium and it was very juicy and tender, all the things a steak should be. The only down side is that the side dishes are al a carte so you end up paying extra for them. After our main course ended we opted for the dessert. I grabbed the peach cobbler and my hubby opted for the chocolate oreo cake. I don't like chocolate cake so he had that all to himself but my peach cobbler was absolutely amazing! Perfectly crisp crust, warm soft peaches and an amazing ooey-gooey texture. I will definitely be coming back here if we ever return to Deep Creek. Especially for the Steak and Cobbler. MMMH!!
(4)Ofir G.
We came to celebrate our anniversary here in the pine lodge steakhouse, the food was great, I ordered the prime rib, it was amazing , highly recommended. Our waitress was wonderful, made sure our order came in time . The place has great atmosphere, view of the lake . Great place ! Highly recommended!
(5)Rodger S.
We have been staying at a vacation home at Deep Creek Lake for a week. We've been eating at home most of the time. But for our final night, we wanted to go out for a nice dinner. The atmosphere at this place was first rate--logs & rustic setting appropriate to the lake. Our ribeye steak was excellent, & the calamari was good enough. The place is pricey, though.
(4)Megan C.
If you're looking for something for a nicer dinner in McHenry/Deep Creek Lake that isn't pizza or on the cheap, give Pine Lodge a try. Don't be put off by the teeny-bopper hostesses; just head on upstairs to the dining room. Ambiance is all log cabin, fire places, dark woods, and a great view of the lake. Service can be a little spotty, but it was definitely a slower evening when we were there and I believe they were understaffed. Even so, our waitress was surprisingly full of personality and knew the menu well. Check in on Yelp and enjoy a free appetizer - we chowed down on the free crab-stuffed mushroom caps as a quick way to satiate our hunger prior to our entrees. I also loved how inexpensive their cocktails were - had one of the best Moscow Mules I've ever had, and it was only $7 and it wasn't small, either. The entrees, for us, are what made Pine Lodge shine. We came in for fish and seafood, and that's exactly what we got. Boy, was it tasty, too. Hubby's Crab Cake entree contained two of the biggest, crabbiest (read: no filler) crab cakes we've ever experienced, without any extraneous grease, bread crumbs, or anything to detract from the fresh crab. For me, the delicious broiled fish was perfect, and do yourself a favor and order the lobster bisque "drizzle" on the side. I'm sure glad I did, as I'm not a bisque fan and this one was very salty and too creamy for my taste. Steamed vegetables were great, and, well, steamed (nice when restaurants actually listen to you when you say NO BUTTER). We came here without any expectations, as it was our first Deep Creek Lake dining experience, and we came away very satisfied, with happy bellies with healthy food (though you can definitely be as indulgent as you wish here - steaks, desserts, heavier dishes abound), and with our wallets not too lightened.
(4)s o.
Food has definitely deteriorated. Waitress told us our main dishes came with sweet potato casserole and mixed veggies. When our dish came we literally had a teaspoon of mashed sweet potato and 3 small pieces of vegetable. Manager tells us main dishes come with a "garnish" of starch and vegetable. At an upscale restaurant who ever heard of a garnish of a starch and vegetable ? Either be honest and say nothing comes with the main dishes or serve a real side dish. Fish special came with a lemon butter sauce. It actually with a large scoop of just butter on the fish like you'd get on an order of pancakes. I would def stay away and go to Dutchs instead if you're looking for a good meal. Used to really enjoy this place but unfortunately management/ owners are letting it slip.
(2)Vina O.
The steak was good, the apple cobbler undercooked but very disappointed when I checked my credit card account. My bill came to 52.15. I tipped the waitress a $10.00 bill. My credit card was charged 60.00. So my waitress gave herself an additional 7.85 bringing her total tip to 17.85. Ridiculous!!!. If it wasn't for the 3 hour drive back, I would definitely go back and speak to the manager. The manage reached out and explained that there was a mix-up and will refund the difference to my credit card. Very good customer service in responding to the discrepancy. Thank you, Megan.
(4)Dave B.
Great service even when slammed packed busy. Creamy crab soup is a must to start. Use saloon to avoid longer wait times.
(5)Sam D.
The food was fantastic, but there was not enough. The plate was entirely too big for the portion. The waitress was lame and the service was slow. I went to use the bathroom and it was flooded. I probably won't return soon. The quality has slipped over the years.
(3)Jeffrey H.
We were looking for somewhere to eat after hiking at Swallow Falls State Park, passing through on our way home to Baltimore/DC from a long road trip. Pine Lodge Steakhouse was an entirely reasonable choice. I had a very tasty prime rib, and she had a nice filet. The crab dip was tasty, as were the salads and sides. It was pricey for what we got - especially since all sides had to be purchased separately. On the other hand, choices for food appeared to be somewhat limited in the area, according to TripAdvisor and Yelp. In a more urban area with more choices, I probably would have been less happy to pay as much as we did for the (reasonable quality) food that we got; but it's not fair to grade a restaurant out of context. If you want nice food in this particular area, Pine Lodge is not a bad choice.
(3)Justin B.
They are going for a high end steak house feel with everything ala carte but the sides were fair and the meat was bland. The Au jus tasted like straight beef broth ... Very overpriced ..To say the food was fair would be an understatement... Also they charge $2 for bread. Really? The desserts were actually very good and it does have a nice lodge feel But wouldn't go back. Just kind of a rip off with average food.
(2)Karen J.
The food was not good at all. We ordered the New York strip steak and asked for it to be cooked medium but it was over cooked and tough. The meat did not have any flavor. We also ordered crab legs and I don't think I've ever seen any smaller crab legs in my life. They looked like miniature crab legs and for the price I would expect more out of this place. Also, the drinks here are ridiculously weak, I feel like I could have gotten more of buzz off of Pepsi. The service was great and everyone was friendly, but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone because of the quality of the food. I will be taking my leftovers to my dog, I just hope he will eat this.
(1)Fahad A.
Great food ... very lean steak ... the crab cake was awsome ... service was a bit slow while the restaurant was empty however they are friendly. Price is chilly.
(4)David T.
This is supposed to be the nicest restaurant in DCL. As for the restaurant it was OK. Comfortable but not spectacular. Food: ordered crab soup but didn't get it. Disappointed. Crab dip was good. Prime rib was ok. Filet 5 oz was good. Ribs were bad. Not tender. Service: competent (whiffed on the soup). Not good or bad. General: I had High expectations and was a little disappointed.
(3)Eric W.
Definitely not a true Steakhouse! Our crab soup was cold. Waited 40 more minutes for entrees. Entrees were mostly cold. Prime rib was really sirloin poorly cooked. Duck I had was about 5 oz instead of 10 oz about 2 bite sizes. Poor service.. Dinner plates never cleared. This is a bar-pub trying to serve over priced steak house menu. Go to Dutch's at silver tree instead.
(1)Tommy N.
It's really expensive here but the food is good. Not quite worth the price IMO but I'd still come again because there is one particular dish that wowed my friends and me: Legendary Creamy Crab Soup. I think it was called "Legendary". Not quite sure but it was impressive. There was no fillers (potatoes) in this soup and there was plenty of crab. Some of the chunks of crab took up a good portion of the spoon. I don't know how many crabs were cracked open to fill a bowl (don't bother with the cup. go for the bowl) but we enjoyed our bowls of soup immensely. Our main entrees were also quite good. I ordered the New York Strip and there was very little fat and cooked medium rare when I requested medium. Shrug. One of my friends ordered pasta which he said it wasn't bad at all but he'd much rather have one of the steaks. The service and ambiance here was really great too. If you are willing to burn a bit of cash, this place is an option. We were very pleasantly surprised to have found this place.
(4)Tracy H.
We had a great dinner and our waitress was really good, We eat here every time we come to Deep Creek Lake and we haven't been disappointed yet! It's our favorite place to eat at DCL even our 9 year old asks to go there!
(4)Alvin W.
My girlfriend visited this place and her entire family was neglected. They are Asian and they just felt discriminated against. It's 2014 get over the bs. People are people no matter the race. Skip this place if you love equality.
(1)Erin E.
On our first night of arriving to Deep Creek, we were searching for somewhere for dinner. I come from a family of non-foodies- they eat to live, I live to eat (no surprise I'm adopted!) I was in charge of picking somewhere, since they know I love restaurants. My grandmother said it was her treat, so I wanted to find somewhere nice, but not overly expensive. We pulled into the parking lot since it looked like there were a bunch of random restaurants around. The Pine Lodge steakhouse had a menu outside on a pole-thing that claimed dinner from $12....so I figured they would have reasonably priced items. .....So imagine my horror when we sat down at the table and opened the menu- and found $40 seafood and steaks. Everyone sat silently just flipping the pages back and forth as the items were expensive. I certainly didn't want my 84-year-old Pro-Bono- Attorney-grandmother footing a pricey bill as there were 7 of us. Talk about awkward. After an uncomfortable 10 minutes, we were ready to order.....And everyone ordered salads- I could tell they felt weird about ordering a pricey item. This isn't totally the restaurants fault- but such false advertising on the menu out front! On a positive note, I loved my steak salad, although "medium" came out really rare. A few pieces were so bloody I had to leave them on the plate. Service wasn't that friendly. And the patio that had a beautiful view of the lake was closed for dinner in the middle of August....why?! That's all we were searching for- a view of the lake...but we were herded inside, which was very disappointing. Inside wasn't all that nice- for the prices on the menu I would expect a nicer ambiance. Since I live 1200 miles away and was just here on a trip, I won't be back. And if I did return to Deep Creek again? Still wouldn't go back.
(2)Mary A.
Awesome! Fun staff, amazing cream of crab and delicious steak. Ignore the bad reviews. Yeah. It's a bit pricey, but it's a steakhouse. You get what you pay for, so expect to eat well.
(5)Katie V.
The kind of expensive that slaps you in the face repeatedly. No free bread, thirty dollar menu items with no sides because you have to order them separately a la carte, small portions, and not nearly fancy or tasty enough to boast these prices or portions. Did I mention the music is about the driest, non-fun, hum drum white noise you can possibly listen to? Well I did now. I'd give it one star, but price aside, my thimble of crab soup was delicious as was my burger and they do have very attentive staff.
(2)John F.
This place was very good but has changed management. Since the changeover service has plummeted. Orders are often screwed up.
(2)Jojo S.
Service was good as well as food. We came in after driving 3 hours. The crab cake was EXCELLENT. We also had the ribs (just okay) and the Gouda burger (hubby said the burger was great). We would definitely go back.
(4)Vicky D.
I'd give it 3.5 stars if possible. Came here with the BF on a weekend trip to the lake, even though the reviews were pretty bad. He'd been there once or twice as a kid and remembered it being OK, I guess the prices just didn't appropriately reflect the quality of the meal. We had a Restaurant.com coupon though, so we were willing to take a leap of faith. I was expecting a kind of upscale steakhouse, but it was very unpretentious and family-friendly looking. Basically, don't expect someone to pull your chair out for you. We got honey wheat bread and honey butter for the table, which was very fresh and delicious. Split mussels for an appetizer, and both of us got some kind of crab-and-steak combination for our meal. They have a couple options for sides (including baked sweet potato, which is what I got) and each entree comes with a side salad. I thought the quality of food was very good and the BF agreed. I probably wouldn't pay full price for it but I'd definitely come back for a nice big meal. Oh, and don't forget to ask for a drink menu. I had their pomegranate sangria and it was great!
(3)Neal J.
My family, along with my parents and my sister were visiting Deep Creek Lake last week. We used to come up to DCL every summer in the early to mid-80s. We stopped back again in 2001. Our most recent trip was just last week and there have been many changes in the area, including the loss of many of the good places to eat. We decided that we wanted to eat out on our last night at DCL and we didn't want to go to a chain restaurant. We found Pine Lodge Steakhouse in a local restaurant guide and we decided to give it a try. I knew I should have consulted Yelp first. When we arrived and checked in with the Hostess, we were told that there would be an hour wait. We had a party of eight and we certainly understood that it may take some time to seat us. We also specifically asked for a table on the first floor (of the two floor seating area). My sister is handicapped and is unable to do stairs without a great deal of difficulty. She uses a wheelchair for going more than a few steps. We were delighted when we were seated in less than an hour, but the table was on the 2nd floor. We again informed the hostess that we had requested a table on the 1st floor. She told us that this was not a problem, because they have a ramp. The "ramp" was outside and not very easily navigated. It's also a good thing that it was pleasant weather. We found the items on the menu to be quite pricey. I guess that's what you get when staying in a resort area. After looking over the menu, we placed our orders. It took over an hour for our entrees to arrive. I didn't time it, but it was probably closer to an hour and a half. We lodged several complaints with the manager on duty. My dad and I had ordered the Tilapia, which wasn't presented nearly as nice as it was described on the menu. We complained to the manager and he said that he could bring out something else if we liked. I told him that I wasn't waiting another hour for something else. He came back out and told us that he removed both orders of Tilapia from the check. I also had a loaded baked potato, which wasn't that great and it also was served slightly warmer than room temperature. I should mention that the rest of our party was satisfied with their orders, with the exception of the baked potatoes. We did decide to get dessert and the manager did comp all our dessert orders. The manager also mentioned that he removed the "mandatory gratuity of 18% for large parties" from the check. We were not the only guests having problems that night. The table behind us, also a large party, all ordered the special of the day. They also had to wait quite a while for their entrees. One of the servers complained to another server about the fact that everyone at the table ordered the special, which was all you can eat crab legs. The server was afraid that she would be making multiple runs to that table. If the staff wishes to complain, then please do it out of earshot of the guests. Next time we're in the area, we won't be stopping at Pine Lodge Steakhouse. ** EDIT: I'd like to add that the next day we stopped at a chain restaurant to meet friends for lunch (party of 11) and had 5 star service. If the chain restaurant can handle a party of 11, why can't a pricey place like Pine Lodge serve a group of eight??
(1)Lorand M.
God Awful....really...the worst steak I have ever had. Terrific and enthusiastic server, which is a rarity in this area. Calamari were overcooked...and appeared and tasted as if pre-breaded and frozen. The accompanying sauces were quite good....sort of marinara...and a sort of asian. $42 bone in strip....cooked in a 1200 (or something like that according to the menu description) degree broiler....medium/medium rare.... came to the table not even 1" thick...not hot...barely tepid. 1200 degrees should yield a nice caramelized crusty exterior....the darn steak looked like it had been boiled...no caramelization. Somehow the kitchen managed to way overcook the steak without the previously discussed caramelization. $42 buys a terrific bone in steak at any of the top national chains that is 1.5 inches thick or thicker....with a lovely crust. Salad was a joke...seemed "pre-assembled" and put back in the cooler....thus the lettuce was becoming limp and loosing the crisp... Tomato was mealy and totally devoid of flavor....ummmm.....hello ??? don't store your damn tomato's in the cooler...store them at room temp. and plate them just before serving. My lovely dining partner had a combination surf and turf that was underwhelming at best...not properly cooked..everything overcooked...and the asparagus slathered in some oily substance that added not flavor whatsoever. Everything we had was something that would not challenge a 10 year old in the kitchen....everything we ordered was a simple preparation that simply required some minimal oversight. Just no excuse for even an inexperienced sous chef to mess this up so completely. Atmosphere is nice....decor is cool...service was friendly and efficient...but...the food just sucks...nothing was better than average....and what should have been the star of the table was literally inedible.
(1)Erin J.
We should have listened to the other reviews, not just about this place, but about restaurants in McHenry. There just aren't any good ones. The only thing keeping me from giving this place one star is the service. We ate here the first night in McHenry, and sat in the bar area. The bartender was very nice. We checked in on Yelp and got a free appetizer so we tried the crap dip. It was pretty good.....lots of Lawry's season salt, but it was fine. For dinner, I had the salmon and he had a steak. His steak was a bit overcooked but edible, and he got the Lyonnaise potatoes which were huge chunks of somewhat raw potatoes and onions in a weird sauce. My salmon was not only overcooked but was very fishy. I know salmon is a full-flavored fish - it's my favorite. But that was not good. I also ordered a side of shrimp scampi....it was cooked ok but the flavorings were not great. It tasted like a bunch of dried seasonings were used so it just didn't taste fresh at all. All it takes is a little fresh parsley, lemon and garlic, people! The best part of my dish was the baked potato, although it tasted like it had been cooking for several hours. Doubt we'll be back if we do return to McHenry.
(2)Debra T.
We went in the off-season and the upstairs main steakhouse was not open so we dined in the bar area. Twice. We got burgers which were decent but the cups of crab soup were SO delicious that we went back again two days later and had BOWLS of their crab soup. It had to be the best we'd ever had. So creamy, and loaded with crab meat. We'll worry about the calories another day! The booths in the bar area were very kid-friendly and we will definitely be back if ever in that area again.
(5)TM C.
For the prices I was not pleasantly surprised with my meal. For appetizers we had mushroom caps and calamari. Mushroom caps were very good but the calamari was not very flavorful and the marinara sauce was just bland. They also give you a soy sauce, I recommend that for the calamari instead of the marinara. For my entree I had prime rib and a side crab cake. The prime rib had a lot of fat and was too tough for my liking. I should have sent it back, but I didn't, I finally became tired of eating it. On to the crab cake. Crab cake was not bad but I have had better. With the a la carte menu and quality of food I was a little disappointed. I will think twice before coming back.
(2)Tigo S.
i do not know why the other reviews have been bad. The place had a nice lodgy feel to it (hence the name), great service, great food. We got the talapia with lobster bisque and shrimp on top of the talapia and it was amazing. Also baby back ribs were delicious.
(4)T-Bone R.
The food was good, especially the crab soup. We had to find a hostess just to get a seat and service was slow. Resort pricing is in effect here so you're not getting much value for your money.
(3)Jane P.
Rated higher than most other restaurants in town, the Steakhouse disappointed. Nothing too exciting. Went there in February. Our waiter provided awful service. Hard to believe, but when we asked to see the dessert tray (that we had spied being toted around by other servers) he rolled his eyes and said irritatedly "I don't have time to find it." Later he found it, but I was already enjoying the best dessert coffee I'd ever had, Cafe a l'Orange, and it was time to get going. Like Dan said in his review, the place is like a chain - only it's not. !? Food was ok, nothing exciting, and I was disappointed overall by the quality and the presentation. We complained to the manager afterwards and he said if we came back to let him know and we'd be taken care of. A) not sure what he meant. B) we're from DC, and unlikely to return. Food at Wisp is much better.
(2)Matthew M.
Very underwhelming. Dinner salad felt like it was premade at a local chain restaurant. My steak was overcooked as well. Asparagus, on the other hand, was under cooked. To spend $30 on a steak dinner, one would expect these basics chef abilities. Also, it smelled like poop outside. Would not recommend.
(2)Bill M.
The saloon has a great atmosphere and fun wait staff. Order the smoked gouda burger, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Dan B.
Food was edible, but this place is hardly what it purports to be. I saw no evidence of a real "chef" anywhere on the premises, contrary to what is touted on their website. This looked like it was trying to be a chain restaurant - seemed all rather artificial. Salads were pre-made and served with dressing in plastic cups on the side. Bread was stale. Steaks were cooked to temperature but weren't the greatest cuts, and also looked pretty small for the the 5oz's listed in the menu. They had a couple windows open and the stinky smoke from the associated "saloon" was wafting up and in. Overall, this is poor value, certainly was not worth the price we paid. We were hungry and ate, but won't be back.
(1)Nicki N.
Great food and fabulous service! Lisa was very friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. I really enjoyed the crab cake and oak barrel steak. I am not a big steak eater but I finished every bite of my steak. Yummy!
(4)Carrie M.
The food was very good and promptly served by our affable server Lisa. Extraordinarily seasoned and cooked precisely as requested, the filet was one of the best we've had in a long time. The French onion soup was a tasty twist on an old classic. The beef tips and sausage added to the heartiness of this savory soup. I highly recommend a dinner at Pine Lodge!
(4)Alex E.
This place is awesome, the creamy crab soup is too die for, the oak barrel steak is great... I don't get the people who gave this a bad review, they should really give it a second chance and make sure you get Marla as your server so you'll have an awesome experience. Definitely coming back next time I ski.
(5)Cyrus N.
Great service and food, not much else to say. Chicken Parmesan is amazing and the crab cakes are fresh and delicious.
(5)diana l.
This place is awful!! We came only for the crab soup and it is definitely not legendary. Sure it does have big pieces of crab, but it was overly salty and super thick. I'm guessing they just added a bit of milk/cream to their crab dip? And to boot I got food poisoning from it. I'm feeling super nauseous as I write this. I think it may have been left overs and they added the salt to cover up soup that should have been tossed out. It's not a busy restaurant so I don't think they have a lot of turn over on their food. My friend ordered chicken parm which was dry and my other friend ordered a baked potato it came out burnt and also dry. So I can only assume they are just reheating left overs!!! The decor is also very dated, so I wouldn't come here for the ambiance either. Save yourself the trouble and go to McDonald's at least they have standards!!
(1)Cindy G.
Our waiter Casey was great. Food is expensive and drinks are weak. Everything we ordered was good....average. We had spicy garlic wings, crab dip for our free appetizer and crab soup which is why we went. We ordered a crabby chicken and a crabcake sandwich to go. When we got home there was about 5 French fries in the crabby chicken box. We were offended by the hostess when we entered the restaurant and told to seat ourselves on the lower level and not even asked if we wanted to sit upstairs in the final dining area or downstairs in the bar area. After questioning our waiter about it we found out there was a large party upstairs that had gotten out of hand and they were in the process of being kicked out.
(2)Curtis L.
The reception is less than welcoming. I agree you have to ignore the teeny booper receptionists at the front. Although they are there to check you in they are easily sidetracked by each other and a quick mirror check to ensure they look good. Food was okay and it's a bit pricey for the quality. Al la carte is not a good idea at the restaurant since the plates are so large and entrees are a bit small. The watermelon slice next to the entree is def in poor taste. Service was good and Joseph was a great waiter.
(2)