I really tried my best understanding the concept of this place. If the theme is beer - why nothing tastes like it? The food is nothing but average. Nothing you can't find in your typical American dinner. The price, however, was almost double. During the numerous time I was there the place was loud and the environment was not welcoming. People at the bar were too loud and I could not have a conversation. I mean, if it's a sports bar it can't be a high end chef restaurant, and vice versa....avoid if what you're looking for is good deal for your dollar. If you're into watching a ball game of having a loud conversation, that it your niche.
(3)
stacy W.
This is my favorite local Gordon. Why? It has outside seating which is perfect in the spring and summer. My favorite happy hour spot close to the house and I always knew I could get there early enough to get a nice spot around the double sided bar. That's important because this place gets packed and if you don't develop a relationship with your bartender early... service may be a little slow for ya. The food here is generally just OK. Most of the dishes are a bit salty for my taste. The appetizer mix is pretty good to get if you have a finicky group of eaters and want something to much on.
(3)
Aaron S.
Food is pricey but great place to go to have a drink. Staff is prompt and pleasant. Happy hour prices could be better but its not bad. Love the garlic fries and the outdoor setting.
(3)
Roberto I.
I like!! Like the freshly brewed beer and the food and service is always on point. More of a drinking place less of a eating place but food is still good.
(5)
Peter K.
The restaurant has an awesome sports/bar factory like restaurant.. you can see the beer filtration system. The food is wonderful. Their in-house beer is delicious. Definitely a spot to come back with kids and all.
(5)
Reggie N.
GB service has seemed to improve a bit. There seems to be new staff here. The food is still the same, pretty much.
(3)
Erica G.
My husband and I USED to love Gordon Biersch. We would go there every weekend. For some reason, it has gone downhill. The last 3 times (and they will be the last) our food has arrived cold. The service is good but the food just got worse with each visit. We went last night, ordered our appetizers and then got the check because they appetizers were so bad. The calamari was awful and the sliders were dry and tasted horrible. We got the check and went to the sushi place a few doors down. It is really sad because we used to love this place. But cold food 3 times in a row?!? How does that happen???
(1)
Puja L.
Whaaaat is the major draw here? This place is always overflowing with people!! The drink specials are pretty good for a happy hour ($5 pom mojitos? MORE PLEASE!) but the food is so...overpriced bar food? I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the food here - we've tried the pizzas and the hummus, etc. All fine, but nothing that warrants the crowds here (of course, maybe they are all here for the drinks!). I will say that I've always gotten pretty good service from the bartenders themselves. They're pretty creative and will fix you something different if you don't quite know what you want. That's always fun!
(3)
Orlangela A.
She Said...." The 2 stars are for the location and their beer. Thats about it. The food is not that great. The lobster bisque they have is cheap verison of a good lobster bisque...its gross and even smells nasty. The garlic fries are disgusting...wayyyy to much garlic and salt...and i love garlic, but even for me i was grossed out, i had to wipe the fries off wih my napkin to eat them. The beer is pretty good and the inside is pretty, they also have outside eating." He Said..."I had the chicken sandwich with avocado, and suprisely it was the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time. Was it worth 10 bucks...I don't know, I think thats pricey for a sandwich, but it is in Town Center so everything is expensive...even the parking. Well now I know why Greystone Grill closed down.:"
(2)
Victoria S.
Gordon Biersch is a decent chain restaurant/brewery. I really like the Rockville location because it's got a great bar with 4 large screen TVs. We ordered the Garlic Fries and they were very tasty. I ordered the Linguini Marinara and it was good but I think they had left it under the heat lamps for too long. My husband had the pizza and it was not bad. The beer is good but I prefer a "light" beer and they don't have one so I ordered Miller Lite but the server sold me on their Golden Export. I really do like how they offer samples of the beers. Good place for drinks with friends in the new Rockville Town Square.
(3)
Mahesh S.
since this was my first time here, I went with the sampler beers, and except for one beer, I didnt like any of their beers. and I am not that hard to please. the place itself is nice, and trendy in the hip part of the rockville neighborhood. Its also little pricey but I cant complain as its expected for a place that looks as trendy and nice like this. i was on a diet, so went with their wedge salad. its hard to screw a wedge salad, and most the cooking involves, picking a good lettuce and cutting it right. it was indeed good. I didnt leave craving anything here. it was good while i tried it, ,but that is about it! the Dogfish brewery would have been my first choice, since their beer and food rocks my world!
(3)
Ina C.
"We welcome you to Munchkin Land!" This is the song that should be playing before you're seated at a booth. Why are the booth tables so ridiculously high?? For us tiny Asian girls, we had to sit on our feet in order to comfortably put our elbows on the table. The one guy with us, who stands 6'2" tall, was completely comfortable. A friend recommended the Hefeweizen, which I liked. It was really light and crispy, just like my friend said it would be! I also got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich, which was also light, but not crispy (...not that it should've been). The garlic fries that seem to come with just about everything on the menu were pretty tasty. You can't beat chunks of garlic and herbs on every fry. Our server seemed a bit anxious to get us out of there because she brought our check before we could ask for dessert! But we got to order it and we got a little sampler thing. I think we got some carrot cake thing, some peanut butter thing...and I can't remember the other one. Each "cake" came out in a tall shot glass. Pretty creative. The sizes of the samplers were great, especially since most of us just wanted a taste, but the cakes themselves were just okay.
(3)
Andre C.
The ambiance was fine and the happy hour specials seem decent but the food was very underwhelming. I enjoyed the beer (there were some very unique selections so that was fun) and the service was great but I cannot recommend this place based on how mediocre the food was. If you're going for beers with friends, the happy hour special is for you. If you want anything else (i.e. food), find somewhere else.
(2)
Angela S.
This place is fine, but its one of those deals where you wish you could get smaller portions for less money. No one needs a giant hummus and goat cheese salad that you have to eat for 3 days to finish. I'd rather have half the food for half the price. And they took the goat cheese ravioli off the menu, so now there is only one vegetarian entree (the above hummus salad, which doesn't work as an entree. It tastes like an appetizer to munch on while you wait for the real food to come). Unless you order an individual pizza, which I haven't tried there, but will. Also, $10 for the artichoke appetizer? Seriously? Its good but only serves like 2 people. If you go, make sure you order the famous garlic fries. I hate french fries but like these. Just don't breathe on anyone for at least 24 hours. PS-How could I forget to mention the $2 dessert "bites"? Get them, get them, get them!
(3)
Gloria M.
we went to this restaurant by accident. we are not beer drinkers so we were wondering if the food is any good, well we were pleasantly surprised! My husband and I ordered the california burger and it was one of the best burgers we havehad in a long time. Excellent service.
(5)
Ali B.
The food was really good, especially the fries, but not worth the price (3 people for $72). They charge for re-fills of club soda which no other place that I have been to does. The service is was average, not bad--not good. Our server seemed like he wanted to be somewhere else. GB needs to give its servers lessons in sanitation because the server kept putting his fingers around the rim of the glasses when he served the drinks. Ewww. The food also took forever to get to us after we ordered. We didnt even get offered a free dessert because of that, rather tacky. I found the seating to be clumsily laid out. It looks like they didnt use a professional restuarant architect when they set up this place. The booths were too high and the table was too far from the chair. The restrooms were very clean.
(3)
Chris H.
I'm torn about this place. My first gripe is about the first time I went. My partner and I walked in and were seated, only to have a waiter who seemed totally disgusted having to wait on us. At one point I think we asked too many questions because he actually said "Any OTHER questions?" No Miss Thing, we didn't have any questions about walking out soon after ordering. That was it for that encounter. Well I ended up going again with some friends and the experience was much better, although oddly enough I was seated at the same table as the first time. The place was clean, and the menu was pretty diverse, but some things were too pricey and I felt like they were charging more for the atmosphere of the place than for the food. One example is a side of fries that we ordered, only to get the bill and see that they were $6. For fries?!? But I digress. When I received my meal, it was great. My friends didn't seem too pleased and one mentioned that her (overpriced IMO) ahi tuna was slimy. Fish should never be served slimy. My other friend didn't finish her meal. I'll touch on that one in the next paragraph. While I enjoyed our waitress initially, she definitely rushed us out before one of my friends could finish her food. We were obviously mindful of how long we were there, and I think we tipped her well for her time and effort. Rushing us out was uncalled for. I realize waiters need to get people to those tables to make money, but the place was almost totally empty, except for the bar. I can't honestly recommend going here since I was treated pretty badly the first time and you can find similar food at similar prices at places that would treat you better. It really boils down to customer service, and this place is definitely lacking that.
(2)
Arthur K.
Waitress: "Would you like anything else?" Me: "Can I have a Sprite?" Waitress: "Are you serious?" Me: "???" Miss Waitress, thanks for asking if I want something else, but why even ask when you follow it up with "Are you serious?". Maybe it's a drinking no-no (which I don't think it is), but I like a soda after downing a few beers, wings, and a cheeseburger. The food at Gordon is ok. I mean even though they have a large traditional restaurant area, everything is the quality of bar food. The wings are ok. For the uninitiated: they don't serve "regular" wings, but a sort of Asian flavored wings. I prefer the traditional over Gordon's take. My cheeseburger was the definition of mediocre - think Burger King on a fancy bun. The garlic fries are good - simple and tasty. Beers, of which they only serve their proprietary brews, are decent. Service is usually ok, yesterday it was worse than usual. They have free wi-fi. 2.5 Stars.
(2)
Katherine L.
Love this place. GREAT food. Alright service. It is almost always REALLY busy but its worth it. I guess it can be kind of pricey but again, its worth it. My family and I always go for birthdays and dinners here and there. My husband says the beer is good and I say the cocktails are also pretty good. They have an extensive menu and a lot to choose from.
(4)
khadine a.
Was very disappointed with my meal. Salmon was dry and almost burnt. rice appeared to be from yesterday. What a waste of $18
(2)
Welch K.
Second visit to this establishment, first review. Both visits, excellent service. Calamari ($9.95) is not bad, could use a little more taste, a little bland. Lobster Bisque Bowl ($5.95), very delicious and full of flavor. Lobster/Crab cake sandwich ($15.95) was excellent. Comes with their famous garlic fries which I could just eat as an entree alone. Fish & Chips ($13.95), fish comes in the form of fish sticks and the fish is firm and flaky, very good. I think it is battered with their beer. Overall, would recommend this place. Great food, great service.
(4)
Molly B.
This place is always hit and miss for me. I like to go here during football season because they have a large bar area with every game on tv, and it is walking distance from where I live. The beer is better than the typical cheap, light stuff, but I've never really been impressed with any of the beers they've had on tap. The burgers are solid, as are most of the apps, but the rest of their food is much too expensive for the cost. Basically, GB isn't bad, but you can get much, much better bang for your buck beer-wise and food-wise elsewhere.
(3)
Bill C.
The place was packed on a Friday night so we had to wait a little bit for a table. Once we sat down, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly the food arrived. Everything was good and the restaurant is very clean.
(5)
Daniel K.
One of my favorite places to eat and drink after work. Garlic fries are to die for.
(4)
Aja A.
This is a great 'after movie' bar, a great 'let's ignore each other and watch the game' bar, or a 'I don't feel like venturing more than 2 miles from my apartment' bar. I don't drink beer, so I can't offer any insight on that front, but their mixed drinks are good and strong. As far as bar food goes, this is an above average spot. I usually get a grilled chicken salad with balsamic dressing that is bigger than my head--well worth the 12$. It can be a pain to find a seat here, especially on a night when there's a big game. Usually the wait isn't more than 20-30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to stand in an awkard huddle nursing a gin and tonic and attempting to catch the eye of the one cute guy in the entire bar--oh wait, he's got a girlfriend.
(3)
Gary M.
GB is the best place to go after work for happy hour in Rockville in my opinion. The HR menu is really good and the beer there is even better. If you don't know what kind of beer you would like to try, they will give you a sample to help you decide. The staff at GB is outstanding!!! Get there early (before 5) if you want a decent seat in the bar area. Once it gets warm, there is seating outside on the sidewalk and patio area. It's a nice, clean restaurant with great service.
(5)
Don B.
Nice beer selection, excellent service but 1 star less for cooking my medium rare burger to a hockey puck and another point for drowning my garlic fries in so much garlic, all I could think about was where do they store the breath mints?
(3)
Jessica P.
Brought some family from out of town here to catch a football game. The pilsner beer was spot on! The dumplings were really good and the crabcake was fantastic! Also got good reviews for the fish and chips. I appreciated they had skinny cocktails and lowfat options - I had the shrimp stir fry and it was super tasty. The servings were huge so we had great leftovers the next day. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Charde S.
Me and a friend went here because we had just seen a movie and the theater was right across the street from this restaurant. It was after midnight so nothing else would have been open. I'm glad we went here, the food is actually pretty good. They also have an awesome beer selection. The OctoberFest was great. I wasn't particularly interested in whatever game happened to be on that night, but my friend was very excited to catch the Sunday night game so that's another plus. Great place to grab something to eat late-night. The food wasn't amazing but it was good and had decent portions. The beer really was the highlight. If you want some decent food, a good beer and to catch the game, this place delivers.
(4)
John K.
I think that the beer is overrated (although I do like their Fest Bier that's out right now). But none of the other beers really tickle my fancy. The food price ranges from $10-$30, but no really good choices in between. Service is decent for a chain, and I guess since it's located in downtown, you usually find a pretty good crowd. I should technically give it more stars, but I'm trying to fight against the trend. Hey, maybe I'll vote for McCain....OK, now that's just crazy talk.
(2)
Pete D.
For the most part, this place is crowded, especially during a game night. But it's a bar/restaurant, so this is typical. If you're looking for a decent burger, this is typically what I order (mushroom/swiss burger). The other foods are sub-par. However, their garlic fries is what keeps me coming back. Hungry or not, you can eat these bad boys. The fries have chunks of garlic in them, seasoned just enough, and truly delicious. I'd give it another star, but the crowds can get nuts, as well as the typical slow service you get too.
(3)
Laura I.
I just couldn't get over how incredibly slow the service is. Also, the distance between the booth seats and the table top is much too uncomfortable (booth too low/table too high). It didn't help that the bowl they served my salad in added another 6 inches and I had to sit on my own leg so that I was raised up enough feed myself in a mannerly way and not look like I was shoveling food straight from the bowl into my mouth. The food isn't that bad, but some of the menu items are way overpriced... I usually just stick with the seafood cobb salad without bacon.. but I wish they prepared the shrimp better. It tasted like it was just defrosted pre-cooked shrimp... far from tasty.
(3)
Kelly G.
You treated us like Princesses! Thank you, Princess (our server) for taking such good care of us on my sister's birthday dinner. When we arrived one-by-one, you didn't flinch at all. When we ordered non-alcoholic beverage after non-alcoholic beverage she didn't bat an eyelash. When we needed an extra moment to decide (TWICE) she was cool with that, too! Our conversaiton ran the gamut from work to recent dates but when she needed to give us an entree status alert, she managed to find a logical lull in conversation rather than strong arming her way in. Nice! When our entrees arrived, I wanted to eat ALL of them. I told you I was a chain restaurant pasta whore and my Lil Sis ordered the shrimp & scallop linguini with red pepper pesto cream sauce. MMMMmmmm! The jambalaya pasta and the shrimp and chicken teriyaki were no slouches either. Mmmmm! What did I get? The fish of the day: sea bass with ginger rice and asparagus. Oh MMMMM no! Righteous! You know the Gordon Biersch decor so don't trip. But this one has a garage door style roll-up window adjacent to the bar. And those hops-happy patrons who are seated at those outdoor tables have direct access to the bartender and their next cold one. Well alright! The restrooms are not bad. Plenty of hot water and hand soap to remove the food smells and bits. Everything else in there is your standard faren except the reedy diffuser. Nice touch! Gordon Biersch will SERVE you good food at a reasonable price in a nice setting. There are plenty of other chain and non-chain eat-spots in this Rockville and if your path leads you here, you won't be disappointed one bit.
(4)
Alan G.
Agree strongly with Derryk A's review below. Love the beers - great set up, always a lot of friendly people and the food is definitely steps above places like Fridays. Fish tacos are a hit with me and had a great lobster bisque recently. I try and wrap up wednesday nights there between 10:00 and 10:30 there - nothing like throwing back a late night lager!
(4)
Christie W.
The atmosphere is fun, and trendy, its big enough so you don't get overwhelmed by the crowds. If you are lucky enough to snag a seat in the beer garden during the summer months, thats a plus! I love people watching, and being outdoors. Overall I been disappointed with everything I have ever ordered off the menu, including the famous garlic fries, they are nothing special, and leave you with some rancid breath. This place is good for a nice summer happy hour. The beer is good. Definitely more of a place for drinks, not dinner.
(2)
Roger F.
I must start out by pointing out that I do not drink alcohol, so this food is entirely about the restaurant aspect of Gordon Biersch. I only came here because someone had given me a $25 gift card for Gordon Biersch, so I was probably in a little bit better mood to start with, since I knew I would be getting a significant discount on the meal. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich, which was decent but not outstanding, and everyone else said the same about their food items. The atmosphere was very good, and the service was also good. In all, it was definitely an enjoyable meal experience. However, only 3 stars due to the prices (it was $12 for a smallish sandwich, $15-20 for pasta-type dishes, and even more for other entrees. Not worth the price in my opinion, but I am glad I got to try it once with the gift card!
(3)
Erica H.
My husband and I recently moved to Rockville and we have become fans of Gordon Biersch. While it is a little pricey for American food (although, it's also more sophisticated than traditional bar food), we have continually been pleased with everything we've ordered. Equally important, the service has always been great. Every time we've been there our waiter/waitress has been super friendly and attentive. We even signed up for the Passport program because we are sure that we will continue to frequent this restaurant. I can't speak for the bar scene, although it always seems to be hopping, but I definitely give two thumbs up for the restaurant.
(4)
John W.
American Cuisine. Well I'm not a beer drinker, so you won't be seeing anything about the beer in my review. In search for a replacement steak place after the 'Orleans House' closed in Rosslyn, we decided to trek here to try out the cuisine. Everyone at the table had some variation of steak, NY Strip, Steak Frites and Steak Cubes. One person had the salmon with pecans. I had a taste of the salmon, nothing special to report. As for the steaks? They were ok, nothing to really rave about. One person ordered a medium rare NY Strip and it came out more medium to medium well. My Steak Cubes were supposed to be done medium, but it was more medium well, and one ended up medium rare. Most of the items on the menu are steaks, and you can't cook a steak right? That is NOT good. As for the sides that came with the dishes, they were alright. The potato skins were on average and the garlic mash was good. Unless beer is your thing, a member at our table had a beer and it was decent, I am not sure if there is anything on the menu that is really outstanding. Maybe worth the try once, but I prefer Red Rock Canyon as a steak place.
(3)
Anne P.
Such great beer and really good tasting food... nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Yes, definetely a fan!
(4)
Karthik B.
GB has a pretty good hefeweizen, and the glasses are generous compared to many other area bars. However, the food isn't as great as people make it out to be. The vegetarian selections are pretty uninspiring, so I tend to eat a little bit at home if my friends want to meet up here. The location is super convenient, with easy access to Metro and parking. Good decor, but I don't understand why the outside bar area needs to be walled off from the rest of the restaurant with heavy frosted glass doors -- it makes the area look crowded and uninviting from the inside. If you want something safe, GB is for you. Otherwise, find something with more local flavor.
(3)
Roz D.
Bad beer. Eh food. In a pinch it will do.
(2)
Ricky M.
The selection of beers that they brew is awesome. The martzen is my favorite. The hefinhieser or something along those lines a great blue moon type beer. Garlic frys are a must when coming here
(4)
J. L.
Food here was great and place was nice. The drinks were good and all in all, it was a nice place to try out. The only problem I have with this place are their server staff. We were sat at a table close to the bar and ordered some food and drinks through the waitress. During the course of our meal our waitress wasnt around that much, but it was okay because she was pretty busy with other people to take care of. We were trying to get our waitress for some more drinks but she didnt come around for a little while now and since we were less than 5 steps from the bar, we were fine going up to the bar and ordering more drinks. What I wasnt so pleased with was that the moment we did, the waitress finally comes around, not even to see how we were doing, but just to let us know that we need to order drinks through her. Obviously she just wants to get a bigger tip from having a bigger bill from us. At this point we werent upset and agreed to order through her...The only problem is that she was not able to come by to our table even though we tried to wave her down. As much as I would love to order through the waitress I'm not gonna wait another 15 minutes just to get some more drinks so I went back to the bar where I was helped in less than 10 seconds. Just like clockwork the waitress finally comes back and showed her frustration to us this time and raising her voice telling us that we have to order drinks through her with a very impolite attitude. If were not allowed to order through the bar then the bartender shouldnt have served us. I wish I would have gotten her name and would make sure to put her on blast for this one, but I'm a visitor from out of town and made the wrong choice coming here. I wont be back.
(1)
Jed S.
I was here last night. We were told it would be a 25 minute wait, and it only took 15 minutes-it was nice having a restaurant give me a table early and not late for once! :P The service was very attentive, and the food was good. Their garlic fries are delicious. Otherwise, the food wasn't anything special, per se, it was pretty standard, but it was done well. There is ample parking in the area-if the open lot across the street is full, there's an underground lot around the corner. My sole complaint is that both times I've been here, it was VERY noisy inside. Loud enough to make conversation difficult. Still, that shouldn't be enough to keep you from coming. :)
(4)
michele p.
We went to GB for a birthday party last night. Large group of us, still great service, and they did a wonderful job with bringing out the cake and everything. Everyone's food was very good, steak medallions with stuffed shrimp= awesome. Try their pizzas, they are all great. It is a little more expensive than your typical pub, because the food is better than your typical pub. I highly recommend it for a nice dinner out with some good drinks. They also have a cool covered outdoor bar area.
(4)
Ellen K.
I went for happy hour with a few co-workers and the bar area was packed. We had to stand around in the bar area for half an hour for someone to leave. The bar bites were OK...I've definitely had better. I never liked anything on their menu. I gave this place a couple tries but both times, I was pretty unimpressed. The atmosphere is like TGI Friday's...nothin' special. Their garlic fries are delicious but, it hits you in the face for the rest of the night.
(2)
Christi N.
Went for happy hour the other day. My boyfriend ordered us a Hefeweizen and a Seasonal beer to share. Both were unique and delicious. The chicken flatbread was surprisingly very flavorful. The Hawaiian pizza was also good, but was nothing extraordinary; it also resembled the flatbread (just a tad thicker minus the feta-assisted flavor). The garlic fries were EXCELLENT with real bits of garlic among the fries (giving justice to its name for once)! The sliders were more towards the side of bland. And the calamari was far from perfection; first it came under-seasoned and undercooked... then the same batch came back overcooked and hard as rocks. Thankfully, the server was wonderful and understanding of our distaste and she removed the item from our check.
(3)
Jawd Z.
I wish I had yelp before I came here to have been warned about this place. A friend and I came here on a Saturday for drinks. We seated ourselves. It took a few minutes for our waiter to come over. When she came, she gave us drink and food menus. We ordered one of their homemade beers. The first half of it was great, it was smooth. The waiter did not bother to come back to our table to ask if we were ready to order our food. She disappeared out of sight for quite a while. Eventually she did take our order. We decided to share mini burgers. I was suggesting we go over to Buffalo Wild Wings after for their cheesy fries. We ate a burger and a half each. We could barely finish them bc out stomachs began to hurt. We couldn't finish the other half of our beer because it did not taste the same. When the waiter brought over the tab, she stayed near us and kept asking if we needed anything else. (like that was going to make me want to leave a high tip! Ha!) I tipped her poorly because her service was poorly. We headed over to BWW, ordered a beer & wings & fries. We didn't even touch the wings because of the immense pain in our stomachs, and we had developed headaches. Once I got home, I threw up everything I had consumed and felt 100 times better. My friend said that she did the same. We are certain that it was those mini burgers. Or maybe the beer. Whatever it was, I know for sure that I'm never going there again. It was my first and my last visit there.
(1)
Jason F.
I'm OK with this place. No real complaints except two...one small, one big. First the small one, and likely just me, but the season fries aren't all that great, and the onion smell from them floats around the bar area, and I can't help but think there's someone nearby with bad body odor. But the real attraction is the outside area before 5pm. Second, as mentioned in countless newspaper articles, and review of this and other nearby restaurants...the parking. Not only is it horrible to find a spot (and increasing harder the more popular the area gets), but many of the yuppies that come here just don't know HOW to park. I mean does your little overpriced Mercedes or BMW really need two spaces to park....are they really that blind, or inconsiderate....arrrggg.
(3)
Nami C.
The food is good, beers is good too. The restaurant setting is not bad, wonder why so many people don't like it... yes Rockville is a aging city, I guess only 50+ are manage to eat out in this current economy.
(4)
Homer J.
Swanky place to hangout and knock back a few. The food is okay, we ordered a couple appeteasers of egg rolls, shrimp and pot stickers. Btw, dont get the potstickers, I think they tried to use some mustard in them to imitate the wasabi taste and wasn't very appealing at all. Service was pretty slow, esp on a busy night but in good company, you can't really tell. Worth it to go during their happy hours but gets quite pricey during other times. Their house beers are pretty good, suggest you try them out instead of ordering drinks you could get anywhere else.
(3)
Hooty B.
Beer was okay. Menu looked great and everything sounded so good, but then turned out to be pretty bland and not hot. Let down. Service was pretty slow and ditzy...
(2)
Grace G.
They can be really busy on the weekend. But the garlic fries are well worth the wait
(4)
kara h.
Great place for happy hour, one of my favorite places to go to in Rockville. LOVE the Seafood Cobb Salad and the Garlic Fries.
(5)
Nicole L.
This Gordon Biersch looks nice and new. I had the Marzen beer, it still my fav choice of beer. The garlic fries were good. But my steak came out stone cold. I was quite disappointed, they offered to do something about it, not sure what exactly. I got a free cup of soup while waiting. My steak came back hot but it was the same piece of meat cos I cut a little corner off. SO I hope there wasn't any "Waiting" manipulation in the kitchen. The steak was ok, it's warm but a little over done. At the end, we asked to split the bill with two cards and they put both charges on my card. What are the chances!! Anyhow they had to reverse one of the charge.
(2)
Kawa L.
Slow service, food needs to come out faster. Food are ok. The beers are pretty much the only reason I keep going back.
(3)
George R.
Good beer, decent wine; food is hit-or-miss. Best appetizers: Southwest Egg Rolls; calamari (recipe changed a few months ago). Good mains: mahi mahi (plate or dwich); seared tuna; cajun pasta; pulled pork dwich; spinach salad; cobb salad. Seasonal menus are also hit-or-miss. Avoid: rice. Tip: you can get the potato wedges with garlic instead of blue cheese (awesome if you like garlic).
(3)
Laurie W.
I come here for the Schwartzbier. Yes, that is why I come here. The bartenders are friendly and I love the outdoor seating area (fans in the summer, heated in the winter.) That's what makes it so sad that the food here verges on terrible, really. I can chow on a chicken sandwich or Caesar salad at Friday's, no problem. I'm not a total anti-chain snob. But this menu is odd, and overpriced for what it is. This is NOT a twenty-dollar entree kind of joint, or locale, but that's what you'll pay if you opt for a full dinner. I generally go for a salad if I'm hungry when I get there. I've had some of the appetizers, which amount to a variety of fried things. If it were just for food I wouldn't hurry back, but oh the Schwartzbier! So dark and yet so light...yum. It's my new favorite beer. You can get a growler of it to go, too, so you can eat at home if you want.
(3)
Kathy C.
The food quality is fine: typical bar food. Their happy hour specials are phenomenal! $5 drinks, $11 combos, $5 or $7 entrees/sides...great, casual interior with dim lighting and good service. Happy hour runs from 4pm-6:30pm.
(3)
Kelly W.
Beer selection awesome! Food just average but way, way on the pricey side. Come here for the armosphere and beer rather then food, and you will have a great time!
(3)
Jim B.
Crap. $10 burgers that should be $5. Garlic fries that have a bit too much garlic. I mean, I love garlic - but do I want to eat five cloves worth as I dig into my fries? Beer was decent and they have a cheap sampler option that gives you 5 varieties that are brewed on-site. Wait, nevermind. That sampler amounted to $5 for what must have been less than a pint. Crap. Overpriced and underwhelming.
(2)
Jen G.
Overpriced. Blah food. Tiny portions of fish dishes. Service eh. $100 for 3 people-3 entrees, 2 drinks! What a waste!
(1)
Lu C.
Minus one star for greasy/a little bit salty food, but PLUS FOUR STARS for the hottest waiter. He was a mix of lotsa races (aka the best). Go for the beer sampler (even my dad did once), the Gordon Biersch burger (greasy deliciousness- you get the best bang for your buck), and the new coconut shrimp appetizer. Also a great place to chill at night (where else is there to go drink in Rockville, anyway?) Hit the nearest Gordon Biersch to you since its a chainnnn.
(4)
Mariella B.
Typical chain restaurant has some burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, pasta, even Asian cuisine. Their garlic fries are so good they are a must! I typically go there for lunch and I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich with grilled peppers or avocados. I have had a bad experience here when it was Octoberfest and they had specials like sausages with peppers and onions and soft pretzels for appetizers. When we got the pretzels they were still cold on the inside so they brought us out another batch which were still cold inside. We decided we didn't want to attempt another round since out food was probably going to be there soon. The waitress kept the pretzels on out tab and when we questioned it she said she would have to ask her manager if they could take it off. We were kind of annoyed because why she have to ask if he could when he SHOULD take them off because we didn't even eat any. Other than that it's pretty cool but I still think they're over priced.
(3)
Catherine H.
bleh. Look, if I wanted some garlic fries and corporate food I'd make my way to San Francisco and go to Phone Park. At least then I could watch some baseball while I overpaid for my food. Gordon Biersch is the same all over the country-- kinda average food, kinda average beer, slightly above average prices. The main difference between GB and TGI Friday's is the slightly nicer decor and the lack of flair on the servers. Hardly reasons for me to spend my money here. If this is Rockville's definition of progress we've got some real problems.
(1)
Rachel G.
Chilean sea bass! Great drink selections. Fun atmosphere. Needs better bread.
(5)
Ivy V.
love love love my spinach salad. ...maybe it's the dressing. please bottle it Gordon. always have a good time here.
(4)
Glaciala A.
Standard american fare, with great tasting beer. Had a chicken sandwich and it was pretty tasty. I'd skip the dessert mini sample next time, but great place to chill for happy hour or have a quieter dinner.
(4)
A. F.
3.5 stars. I used to frequent GB for happy hour. They have pretty good deals on martinis, mojitos, beer, and a pretty extensive list of appetizers. I enjoy hanging out there on a Thursday or Friday afternoon/early evening to chill out after work and catch up with friends. I'm not a beer person, so I can't say anything about their beers. But I usually get a mojito and southwest eggrolls which are always consistently pretty good. Despite the crowdedness, I've always had pretty good service... at times, slow, because its crowded, but servers are always nice and helpful. Beware, though, it gets pretty crowded later in the week and gets hard to find a table.
(3)
dave h.
This place was okay, the beer was better then the food, I would only give it 2 stars but beer bumped it up a star. The garlic fries that they raved about in the menu, we just genetic fries with some garlic salt nothing to write home about. The beer was tasty, and the bar atmosphere was pretty cool too. They have this cool outdoor sidewalk seating, very NYC or maybe Bethesda. Stop by when you are waiting to see a movie at Regal or looking to kill some time between court appointments at the court house. Catherine but it best, average. cheers --drink on kids--
(3)
Lesly S.
Nothing fancy but still cool--GB has a new outpost in Rockville's Town Center. I'm not always in favor of chains, but GB has good food and good beer, and this new location is pretty spacious. The bar has a sort of indoor/outdoor thing going on, and it was crowded the whole time I was there. There is also a TINY patch of actual outdoor seating, from what I could tell. The food is good, I actually had a great hummus/goat cheese salad. Tasty. My husband gorged himself on one of the specialty burgers, and he raved about the garlic fries, "with actual chunks of garlic!" HIs beer was so-so. There are a lot of new restaurants coming into this area, some known and some new that caught my eye. I'm sure GB will always be crowded.
(4)
Kruella D.
Most of the food here sucks, but the beer is fantastic! If you know what to order, you might end up with an OK meal. It's not a place to go if u are a "foodie".
(3)
Mauricio A.
Gordon Biersch is definitely one of the chillest places to go with friends and their beer is amazing. I'm a big fan of the Golden Export but their Hefeweizen is just as good. Also, they have really good garlic fries but be sure to pack mints and even a toothbrush because there is enough garlic on these things that you could clear out the entire bar with your breath after eating them.
(5)
Derryk A.
Yep 4 stars why because it's a nice step up or two from your typical Fridays, Ruby Tuesday type places. Located in the heart of Rockvilles Town Center across from the Movie theatre in what use to be an ugly eyesore of an old strip plaza and overgrown empty field. This place has risen up out of nothingness to a city centre destination to go any day of the week. Gordon Biersch is a nice location to journey to. Right on the corner it gets plenty of foot traffic and in the summer with it's large glass doors open and sounds from the inside filter out inviting people to join the fun. When you get inside you will see a large dinning area and bar area with plenty of large flat panel TVs tuned in to the sports channels. With people staring at them rooting for their team and drinking laughing and having a good time. The dinning area consist of tables in the center and along the side hugh booths for even the largest people. The menu is quite extensive in variety with everything from pizza to seared tuna and a mix of German, Italian, American, Asian and fusions of all. Interesting combo. Usually these types of places I sick with more Euro-American cuisine and don't bother with the Asian fusion items. Asian food is perfect just the way it is and without corruption, IMHO. The beer selection is good with their own brews I like getting the sampler and have a little of this and that. The Marzen is our favorite, also the Hefeweizen, the waiters always pronounce these names wrong my college German teacher would have a cow if she heard this butchery to the language. Anyways I got off subject as usual. Prices can be pricey with the entrees I always like their sandwiches and burgers those are excellent (the Marzen bbq burger very good) with decent prices. They have Chilean Sea Bass on the menu I like it but I thought that was an endanger species at this moment. So I don't know about that item. Other menu items include seasonal listings during the appointed time, lots of Oktoberfest items. Fiancee had a pork en wrapped with beacon dish served with hugh potato wedges. potato wedges were a little over saturated with the pork grease, left a lot of those on plate. She bit off more than she could chew on this dish I try to help her out but that was just way too much pork at one time for me. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it. So had to take the rest home. I wound up eating the rest the next day after taking a aspirin to thin the blood. The rest of the selection are big portions go with plenty of appetite the deserts are huge but they do have small sample type deserts that come in these tiny shot glasses, good idea. Good location, nice layout, good service and good food I have no major issues except for the sea bass and the entrees are a little too pricey.
(4)
Miranda B.
I thought the service was fantastic, but it was way too crowded for my tastes. Especially for a Tuesday. I only had a salad (which is pretty difficult to mess up) but the appetizer was absolutely delicious. Prices were a little high, which didn't make much sense for the quality of food. Not to say it wasn't good, but I would have expected more for the money.
to be honest with you. i've eaten here once. drank here endless times. and usually it's semi outside in the "beer garden" not so much a garden then a boxed in strip that allows the drunken mess of people to spit on the sidewalk and possibly puke on the grass rather then inside on the floor. i find myself coming here quite frequently and GASP my tolerance has gone up to about 2 beers before i feel like i might hurl....hey, before it was half a beer. the bar service staff is excellent and always are around, no need to stand there holding ur card or cash in the air. the crowd can get a bit raucous but thats what beer is for, to numb out the stupid and bring in the happy. also the last call is about 1am. perfect for when all of rockville closes at 11pm. score.
(3)
Becky T.
I got the meatloaf there and it was enough for three separate meals so the $14 price for it didn't hurt too much. Bar was packed with people watching football which was fun with me cuz that freed up the outdoor seating which was perfect for a sunny autumn afternoon. The waitress was really nice and the food is solid. I probably wouldn't suggest it for dinner but I wouldn't bitch if anyone wanted me to go with them.
(4)
choad x.
Crap food. Tasted like they pulled it out of a microwave container. Good Beer, but I'll take a Chimay at Tryst any day. I remember better food at the Gordon Biersch in Palo Alto.
(3)
xj o.
FOOD: Well, despite what some people have said here, I think their food is very good. Well, most of it. I recommend = Pecan Crusted Salmon, Marzen Ribs (entree), Veggie Pizza, Steak Frites, Glazed Wings. I do not recommend = Tapas, Marzen Ribs (appetizer), Artichoke Hearts, Calamari. I personally don't care for the following, but my friends seem to enjoy it = Garlic Fries, Southwest Egg Rolls, most of the Salad entrees. Entrees are a little on the pricey side. But they have weekday HH specials where most appetizers are just $5. For dessert...GET THEIR PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE. Soooo goood..... DRINKS: Yeah, I have to agree that their beers are nothing to rave about. I tend to get the Golden Export. While most of the girls tend to get the Hefewiezen. Anyways, I usually drink liquor instead of beer. And this place tends to make them pretty strong. Again, they have good weekday HH specials where most martinis and mojitos are just $5. ATMOSPHERE: I've been here too many times to count. The place tends to get packed most of the time. And yes, sometimes service can be slooooow. But the wait staff has never been rude to me. Word of advice, if you go there for HH on a Friday, get there way early 4:00-4:30PM, else you'll probably have to wait to get a table at the bar area. They also have a nice porch area for hanging outside when the weather is nice. Some of the waitresses here tend to be easy on the eyes. Never hurts.
(4)
JOHN T.
Average beer, below average food. Great atmosphere for beers and wings. Not that cool. Take what you want from this review but it is what it is, a beer house with crappy food and cheap chinese garlic!
(1)
Gia H.
The food is good here, nothing you rave about and tell people they must come here to eat. For hor'd we started with the southwestern egg rolls. Nothing great...Just okay. For my entree, I was going to order the roasted chicken and fettuccine until I saw a server pass with a pizza. So I ended up ordering a sausage and pepperoni pizza that was very good. Because the portion of the pizza was big, I was able to take some home. Boyfriend ordered the southwest chicken sandwich. Sandwich could have been seasoned a lot better, but the garlic fries that came with the sandwich were delicious. Dessert we ordered the apple bread pudding and the banana split. I was not a fan of either. At night it seems the bar area is a little mini party in itself. Is the bar a hookah bar as well? We saw someone smoking and thought this person may have brought it from home? Overall an alright experience. Server was that great, maybe he was new. He gave some tables bread before they ordered and others he did not. Oh well, would come here again but not in a big rush to do so.
(3)
Wendy D.
I primarily go to GB for Happy Hour, since they really do offer a lot. Their happy hour consists of $1 off beers $5 martinis (not real, the GOOD stuff), mojitos and apps. Whenever my friends need a quick, convenient place to go, we usually head over to GB. The only negative is that everyone else has the same idea, as getting there at 5pm is peak-time and the bar is usually packed. If you're lucky enough to find a table- or even better, a booth- you won't be disappointed.
(4)
C J.
This was a night where the company pushed a so so restaurant up a half a star from 2.5 to three. I was all ready for a beer before going in, BUT they had three different kinds of mojitos!!!! I tried the pomegranate mojito and it was phenomenal! But that was really the best of it. And the fact that our waitress "lost" our ticket and it took over 30 minutes to get our drinks (the other table we were with already had their salads and appetizers before we got our drinks). The crispy artichoke hearts were definitely not crispy, blech. I split the southwester chicken sandwich and they were kind enough to go ahead and split it up onto two plates with our own fries. However, no amount of nicety can overcome mediocre food and quite poor/inattentive service. We were coming from a soccer game, so I'm hoping our group smell was what kept our waitress away...
(3)
Vivian L.
Long wait for poor high priced food. That sums up my dinner at Gordon Biersch (look below if you would like details). We put our name down a 7:10 and was told it would be 20 to 30 mins. No prob, but 40 mins later and no buzzing sound on our flying saucer, puck thingy we asked what was going on and was told we actually got there at 7:29, it was a 30 min wait and it was still going to be a few mins.WTF? My bad, I must of read the time wrong on my phone by 19 mins. The thing is it was busy in the bar, but not super busy anywhere so I was going to leave and my friend was going to freak out on them ,but finally was showed to a table after waiting an extra 10 mins. We asked if we could have the open booth right next to the table and was given a look and "let me see if this is available." Was told the booth might be reserved. I said "I didn't know you guys take reservations, "Oh, no "he said just "umm call ahead seating'. "You guys have call ahead seating?" No response. Was then seated at the booth. Was told when we sat that our server just got a large table so it was going to be a while. Oh, F&%%, I should of brought 10 more people with me to get good service, nice. We ordered right away when our server said hi because it was obvious she was stretched thin. The food took a while and the server apologized for the extra wait, thanks we have been waiting an hour and half (not her fault). All the food was luke warm, but the plates where hot so we thought maybe under a heat lamp for a while. We couldn't ask them to heat it up with risk that we would miss our movie (actually we got to the restaurant over 2 hours prior to the start of the movie thinking that would be enough time to eat! My Bad for not coming here a lunch time to eat dinner ) . I ordered the steak and crab stuffed shrimp. My luke warm steak was very chewy as well as the lovely chewy luke warm stuffed shrimp and the crab stuffing didn't taste like it had a speck of crab meat in it (Yum. Chewy kinda cold $23 dollar meal)! Totally disappointed. We hardly saw our server and we were both in a bad mood by the end of the meal. Gordon Biersch was a real let down not only in quality and taste of food, but value and service. We where really looking forward to a great meal, and fun times :) but would of done much better at a place half it's price. Please do yourself and friends a favor, if you want an enjoyable meal go somewhere else. Don't let the location grab your attention.
(1)
James D.
Dude. I don't get it. I have had countless afternoon happy hours in the outer bar bordering the sidewalk and had fantastic service. This time we sat inside, and it wasn't even that crowded. Sunday nite and four of us barely got service. We even had to ask twice for drinks a couple of times and ask for some other item again because she forgot. Look, I understand GB is a fairly up and up place and the trendies tend to flock because they see the brand but shit service is not acceptable anywhere, particularly somewhere as "up and up" as the new downtown Rockville. Been here lots a times but the service sucked ass tonite. The drinks and food were good.
(2)
Ravi B.
What's sad about this place is that no matter how much information we impart about the food and service this restaurant will always have business because people who work in the area consider this a good option for a business lunch. I've been here twice now for lunch. The first time I thought the menu was a bit pricey for what it offered but I was happy with my meal. Their garlic french fries were delicious. I went back with others for another lunch and was generally unhappy with the food. I ordered off of their summer specialty menu: the jerk chicken kobe beef burger. It sounds delicisious I know, but it lacked any kind of spice. I'm not talking about hot spicy, I'm talking about flavor spicy. The service was pretty decent for our party, and the beer I had was adequate although for a microbrew I was kind of disappointed. Overall I would not go back here at all. I think there are other restaurants in the area that deserve a chance after this place dropped the ball for me.
(2)
Tammy L.
I like all their beers except their heffeweizen, which makes me sad because I like heffeweizens. It tasted a bit like hot dog water (!?) and really grossed me out. Make another choice instead... Like Sila D., I like Marzen and Golden Export. I'm not sure if this is a Thursday special or if it's just one bartender who does this, but at this location, we've gotten $5 shots of Patron (dayum!) on Thursday. The food is nothing special; I'd never go there to eat. It's not ridiculously crowded and we can usually find a seat in the bar area. I like how they open up the windows behind the bar and bring in fresh air. Service is sometimes good, sometimes not good. It's a good place to go if you don't know where to go instead. Something about this place is not right though. I guess I feel like I'm settling if I choose to go here.
(2)
Kavita K.
If ever you want a semi-bar plus family oreinted place this is the place to go!! It was really amazing!! The food was great, perfect setting even with 4 hungry kids the dinner was enjoyable. I'm not a big fan of Beer but my friend got me hooked on @ this place. It is yummy! Service was very friendly and prompt. The one in Tyson's is equally good.
(5)
aidan m.
over priced. douche-bag infested. full of pretension. bartenders are(were, i dont live by there anymore) half-way decent. dont bother spending alot of money here on a regular basis. you will never get hooked up with drinks, no matter how generous you are with gratuity. uber corporate. but, if you want to show 'new rockville' off to your out-of-town guests from the mid west, by all means bring 'em here. you can woo them with the crappy, pedestrian, over priced food and un-diverse beer menu. all the beer they brew are german styles which isnt bad but when they are all mealy and taste the same it, it sucks. so when you think their beer sucks and you dont want to pay 5$ for a miller bottle, just skip it and go to hooters.
(1)
kevin k.
like this place alot. they got good service modern ambience good beer good juicy burger i had other dish but i dont recall what exactly all i know it was good and i can and will go back soon as i save some money saved.
(4)
Mike S.
Gordon Biersch is a welcome addition to Rockville's "downtown," which is otherwise reminiscent of the old Soviet Union: grey, concrete, bland and boring. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the food is average, not great, just average (I've always gotten real garlic on my fries though). And I wish they'd add a few more options to their fairly limited menu. But the decor is pretty sleek and the service has been outstanding on every occasion (about 10) that I've been since they opened. They have a summer seasonal beer, whose name I cannot now recall, that is very crisp and refreshing. Yummy! I also like their burgers. They also have a dining card that allows you to accumulate points and, more interestingly, to get bumped ahead of non-cardholders if there is a line (so far not an issue at the Rockville location, but might be handy elsewhere). I say 3.5 stars.
(3)
Raymond W.
This location was pretty consistent with the downtown dc location with a large and loud crowd on a Saturday night. The hostess' greeting consisted of a hello and stink eye, but we let that slide as we were busy looking for a table to sit. At first we went outside and grabbed a couple of chairs, but we were astonished to have a middle aged man, who was much too old to be wearing earings, invade our seating area and telling us to move. Mmm suburban douche bags with a false sense of entitlement- not looking good. Luckily we were able to get a table inside where the AC was more welcome and we able to get our drinks quickly. One of my friends got overwhelmingly garlic french fries, but they were still crisp and savory so fair trade, I suppose... The patron showing off too much cleavage, if there was such a thing, had a large plate of pasta that looked appetizing, although I was still busy recovering from a donut overdose from the Fractured Prune just moments ago. Maybe next tiem, I'll have an actual meal there.
(3)
Alisa O.
The beer is fine but there's a lot of microbrew, even in this area, so there has to be something else. The food isn't very good and the menu is outright boring. The waitstaff have always done a good job. We usually go there when we happen to be in the area and want a beer or when we're with a group of people.
(2)
Elisabeth T.
DO NOT MAKE LARGE GROUP RESERVATIONS at this restaurant if you have plans afterward. Gordon Biersch almost turned a Sweet Sixteen Party into a nightmare for us. We made a 6:30pm reservation for a party of 17 on Sunday evening, with notice that we had to be out the door by 8:00 for a waiting limobus. Our entire party arrived by 6:30. A table of two was still seated at a table assigned to our group. The manager told us we would have to wait for them to leave. (They ended up leaving at 7:30!!)The manager did not try to find a win-win situation, such as explaining the situation and offering compensation to move the pair (ie. free drinks or dessert.) Neither the manager or hostesses (who are given no autonomy or authority) monitored the area for open tables or thought of other ways to seat our party close to each other. The evening only turned out ok (still with a couple knots in my stomach) because I intervened and looked out for available tables. The teens ended up sitting near 7:00 and getting food served at 7:40. The atmosphere is nice, the food and waiters are good, but none of that can be enjoyed if you're reservation isn't honored.
(1)
Jay K.
This is a decent place to eat, but the food is just mediocre. I have tried a lot of dishes on the menu, but the best thing on it is probably the pulled-pork sandwich. The portions are kind of small and leaves me hungry sometimes. The location of the restaurant is great though and the beer is pretty good, especially the Hefeweizen.
(3)
Stephen P.
The beer never dissappoints. The food often does. I have had seafood Cobb Salad with damn little seafood in it~~and where do those pale little shrimp come from anyway, a can? And the salad is ground up in little pieces. Bison Burger, ordered medium, served crispy / incinerated. And who's idea is it to top burgers with Gorganzola anyway? Might as well add a few anchovies too. Pizza is generally uninspired, I keep ordering it from time to time but no luck yet. Garlic fries are a good concept but do they have to sit in a pool of oil? Can the fry temp be adjusted? At 850 calories per serving at least I like to eat them a litle less wet. No hot water in the men's room~~that's a nice touch~~isn't that a situation that can get you shut down by the health department? The most miniscule $9 pour of Grand Mariner I have ever experienced. It sure had to be less than an ounce. When I asked for that in a snifter I had to draw a picure with my fingers to explain what that was. I have searched high and low on the menu for something consistantly good and enjoyable that I could rave about, but until then, it's the beer, Marzden, that brings me back. I just need to move on after a couple.
(2)
Mi-ryeong K.
i had high hopes for this place ... especially as an alternative to rock bottom in bethesda. and although i'm a fan of their marzen beer, i was disappointed with the food. we tried their chef's sampler and wasn't too impressed overall, but the chicken wings were not too bad. also, we ordered the garlic fries which according to some, was the "thing to get" and even then, we were let down. but the biggest disappointment were the entrees. over a series of multiple occasions, we sampled everything from the salads to the pastas, and finally, the meats ... aside from a couple instances where the food was considered average, most of the entrees we tried was not worth the money. to make matters worse, the dessert selection was also unappetizing. in the end, gordon biersch's only redeeming quality was the alcohol ... so now we've downgraded gordon biersch from dinner destination to "just for bar purposes only".
(2)
Oscar S.
I've been to Gordon Biersch maybe a dozen times. I've always had a good experience here. The beers are good, the food is good, and the service is good. The only thing is that depending what time you get there you might not find seating. But the turn-around for tables at the bar isn't that bad at all. For a micro-brew their beers are really good! Definitely give it a try on a Thurs-Sat. night, you won't be disappointed. (that's what he said!)
(3)
Alex C.
Prices are ok. Czech pilsner and cajun fish tacos are hard to beat. Burgers pretty good too.
(3)
Fenny L.
Stop 4 of 4 on the Devouring Rockville Tour de Force. It was supposed to be the Fractured Prune, alas, I was silly and thought "it's a donut shop - it'll be open until the wee hours, right?". Yeah. No. They closed at 8:30 or something. Fail. But the reason why I love Yelpers, and in particular, this little band of brave gastro-masocists, is that we were determined to do 4th place - no matter what it was. So standing in front of the darkened and forlorn Fractured Prune, we look across the street, and spy Gordon Biersch. We decided that as we had dessert at Bob's 66, that we could finish up the night with after-dinner drinks and call it a night. We saunter in and it was pretty busy for a Thursday night. After waiting about 10 minutes, some seats at the bar open up, and we quickly grab them. We probably needn't have rushed, as then we progressed to sit there - ignored by all - for another 10 - 15 minutes. Part of it is not the bartenders fault...the place was quick full, and they were all busy. However, no one even gave us the eye and the nod. You know, when the bartender looks at you and gives you the nod to let you know that they see you and will get to you as soon as they finish up mixing up the 15 shots that the annoying group of girls-who-are-celebrating-turning-21-and-have-Âpassed-the-point-of-being-cute-or-funny-and-are-Ânow-just-*irritating*. Nada. However, due to Juliana C's secret mutant powers, when I turned around, she had somehow snagged a bartender, and had the beer sampler poured and laid-out before us. Um, I don't like beer. So I'm not letting that influence this review. But yeah...the beer...umm...it was...cold? Sorry - can't help you there. I can tell you that the little mini glasses that the beer was served in was *adorable*! So, it was sort of a slightly fizzly end to an otherwise great and delicious outing. Although, Juliana was quite *magical* as a dancing beautiful nymph statue, as we were heading to the parking lot. Yeah, pictures to come.
(3)
Libby F.
With a fun and lively atmosphere and impressive modern decor, Gordon Biersch is a great place for hanging out during happy hour. Unfortunately we missed it by 15 min.(M-F 4:00-6:30; Sun-Thur 10pm-close). Our waiter was busy, but did an outstanding job handling the patio and outside tables by himself. I enjoyed sipping my handcrafted lager on the covered patio. Their beers are great. GB Golden Export is a light lager, while their Marzen is an auburn colored, slightly sweet lager. The Marzen is 5.7% alcohol by volume; their strongest and I felt it! But what is it with the Garlic Fries??? I guess they are great 'cause everybody around us was eating them. Not exactly the kind of smell you want on your breath when chatting it up with a handsome stranger. We had the Crab and Artichoke Dip. Not impressive. It was more like chunks of artichokes with no crabmeat taste to it. It was suppose to be served in a bread bowl, but was really served atop a small boule which had the top sliced off; very hard to eat without slicing the bread boule apart. I'd come back for the atmosphere and beer, but you won't ever catch me eating the Garlic Fries!!!
(3)
O K.
Love the beer! Great game atmosphere!
(5)
Jess C.
I came here last night (Wednesday~10pm) with a few friends. The staff was friendly and nice. We got bar seating and had to wave down a waitress, but we were able to order. Apparently, it was still HAPPY HOUR at 10pm, so they had appetizer and drink specials! My friend's entree took quite over 10 minutes to arrive, but I was too busy munching on their delicious garlic fries (one order~shared with three people) to fret. If you love garlic, you must try these fries. Those were some strong garlic fries... I woke up this morning and still felt garlic in my system. I really like the bar seating and ambiance of the place. I liked the booth seats a lot and I felt its a great place to mingle and hang out with friends. Overall, it was a pleasant night at Gordon Biersch. Would have been even better if they had faster service though!
(4)
Amy B.
I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm on the food at this place. Someone even saying that the calamari was the worst they ever had?? The calamari is fantastic. Very lightly breaded and not overly cooked. On top of that, it comes with a wasabi aioli. It's delicious. Their burgers are fantastic, their fries are delicious (they're garlic fries) and their jumbalaya is amazing. I've also had their fish and chips which are great. They're breaded differently than I've ever had. Forget what it's called but it's great. So food=GREAT. The beer is even better. Their marzen is delicious and so is their hefeweisen. Some of their seasonals are amazing too. At least for the past 2 falls they had festbeer which is a typical octoberfest type beer, which is delicious. Around this time of year they usually have their Maibock or maybe it'll be here soon and that's really good too! So beer= FANTASTIC Their service is pretty good too. All the waiters and waitresses i've had have always been super nice and talkative even if you take up a table and only drink beer. They're still super friendly. The only downfall is if you want to eat at the normal dinner time-no matter what the day- you will have at least an hour wait. Gotta come early or later. If there is a game on, add an hour to that hour.
(5)
Wei Z.
Every time I been here thing have been great. The beer is on point. Only thing I wish they had more room for the bar area
(5)
Bradley S.
A great American restaurant. The food has always been delicious in my case, although sometimes the servings are big dishes, which limits enjoying the rest of the menu (appetizers and desserts). The beer is awesome, and the garlic fries are simply nirvana in a starch shell. Try the Mahi Mahi sandwich and a Hefenwizen brew.
(4)
Taylor F.
been here once or twice. decent bar food. had a pretty good pizza. May return.
(3)
Stacy K.
I wish I could give this place negative stars. Seriously, wtf happened to this place? I used to go with friends b/c it was close to my house, had a fun atmosphere, and good food and beer. I hadn't been in over a year but my sister and I wanted to grab lunch a few months ago so we thought Gordon Biersch would be a good place to hang out. WRONG! When we arrived, no one was at the front door to greet or seat us. Finally, we asked someone at the bar where the hostess was--when she arrived, she wasn't friendly or even polite. Didn't even smile. She took us to our seats and everything went downhill from there. First, we noticed that the menu had changed from when we had last dined here. We decided to be adventurous and try something new. Big mistake...I ordered the stuffed chicken with quinoa and veggies. It was absolutely horrendous...the chicken was overcooked on the outside and I'm guessing undercooked on the inside because I had really bad food poisoning from it. The seasoning was weird and it seemed like they were trying too hard to be fancy. Ugh. My sister ordered the grilled cheese, and it was so greasy that she couldn't eat it. The only good thing about our meal were the garlic fries. The service was RUDE even though my sister and I are really easy going and the waiter was almost...sarcastic? Impatient? He had zero other tables to wait on so I don't get what his problem was. Maybe he doesn't like tips. We returned a few months later, chalking up the previous experience as an off day...we figured that if we ordered our usual, favorite dishes then things would be better. Again...WRONG. Same as last time--no hostess to greet guests. Not busy for lunch but terrible service still. I ordered the goat cheese salad which tasted fine and my sister had a burger. Um...the waiter must have forgotten that we existed b/c I had to tap on the glass divider between our table and the kitchen to get his attention and TELL HIM that my food was waiting on the serving line to be brought out. Luckily my salad was supposed to be cold...if it were a hot dish, it would no doubt have been cold by the time the waiter woke up and realized he was on the clock. He never refilled our drinks--we had to get his attention and ask for them. He would disappear and never check if we needed anything. The biggest joke was that with the check, there was a customer survey card for guests to fill out. LOL. I was tempted to rip GB a new one but I'd rather Yelp it for the world to see, not their crappy sub-par management team, which clearly doesn't bother to check if their employees are doing their jobs or if their customers are satisfied. Most recent experience was earlier today. I only went because a friend of mine wanted to eat their garlic fries really badly so we ate in the bar area instead of the restaurant area for lunch. Our server was inattentive to the point of negligence. The food was decent but took FOREVER to arrive. Come on. I am boycotting this place. If it were sucky once or twice, fine. But consistent bad service and mediocre, greasy food is just pathetic. GB, I gave you a fair chance and you failed miserably. Rockville Town Center, step up your game. You're not worth the convenience of being near my house.
(1)
Monica W.
Love the food and atmosphere @ G. B. Went to business lunch there today. Unfortunately the lunch revisited me a bunch of times later in the day. Had to miss my workout because I got so sick from their healthy choice Mediterranean Chicken. It tasted good I guess but ... Consider yourself warned. :) I have been there many times w no issues. Not sure why that meal was so unpleasant today.
(1)
Jon H.
Huge interior, good atmosphere, and a packed house pretty much describe Gordon Biersch. An average beer-house with average food (even though everything on the menu pretty much will satisfy all your bar food cravings), average service, and above-average prices. Couple of buddies and I shared the huge size appetizer sampler which came with garlic fries (more garlic please!) , pita + hummus (at a bar wtf?), southwestern style egg rolls (no idea what they were), and kobe burgers (might as well be mini-microwave burgers), and a few beers. Needless to say, wasn't blown away by the food (althought it had GOOD potential on paper), or the beer. Other than that, I'd still say Gordon Biersch is an average place. You can still come here with friends and enjoy a good night together...and there's definitely worse places to go out there.
(3)
Megan H.
It's a great place to hang out with friends and watch football/basketball games with cheap food and drinks during happy hour. Service is slow sometimes, but what's the rush? Take a minute a chill :) I highly recommend the garlic fries because they've got some serious garlic chunks in them... just make sure the person you're going home with eats them with you! ; )
(4)
Arnus M.
I've found it best to judge these places under varying conditions. Some friends and I were seeking diversion elsewhere in Rockville and GB was a fallback, during peak times. That said, let's get to it: Parking: If you are from the MD suburbs or exurbs where parking is free, you will feel the high contention for spaces here. Nearby is the Regal Cinema, with it's own lot. So parking can be had, it is just challenging during a busy night. Think DC lite. Food: We had appetizers, which were serviceable, albeit a bit pricey for my taste. Liked the calorie listing for items. Broad menu choices, which is ALWAYS good. Service: The waitress did her level best to keep us plied with food and drink, and was above average given tight quarters. Ambience: Definitely packed, easily a favorite to see and be seen and ideal for the pre-game. There were definitely some beautiful people in effect. Location: Very convenient, right off the main drag of Rockville Pike, so it's easy to guide semi-besotted friends there by phone. Summary: As chains go, you could do worse. Try to hit a happy hour and if you plan to go during peak times, expect a Disneyland-esque wait (bring a paperback).
This place was really packed on a friday evening even past the dinner rush, took awhile but we finally got our bar seats. Drafts are pretty good, competitively priced during non-happy hour times. I had a hard time accepting this place because of my loyalty to rock bottom, but the hefeweizen and marzen were decent. I've heard about the garlic fries, but we ordered the tapas. They came out very fast (2-3 minutes at most) and were delicious. Overall was a good experience, I'll be back when visiting downtown rockville for a brew.
(3)
Steve C.
Went here for the second time yesterday. The first time was pretty good. But looking back on it, it was a weekday and not very busy. This time it was Friday night , and if not for the good company we would have really had a bad time. It started with our lost reservation. We made the reservation the day before, and requested a booth. On arrival we had no reservation and were told the wait was over an hour. Turns out that was the most honest statement of the night! After we sat for a long time our waiter finally showed up. He was unable to handle our drink order. Two martinis, one beer and one cocktail. Even though he wrote it carefully, he forgot one order and had to come back. Then ten minutes later he came back to say they didn't have the ingredients for the cocktail. Wen he brought the drinks, he could only bring two at a time because he didn't have a tray to use. Really? We placed our order then waited. 45 minutes later we flagged the waiter and asked for bread and another round of drinks. Another 15 minute wait for drinks and still no food. Finally after an hour and fifteen minutes, out came the salads and entrees at the same time. A guest at our table with a food allergy got the wrong food. I took it back to the kitchen myself, as there was no waiter in sight. They assured me they would fix it and bring it right over. They didn't. The salads were good and fresh. My waiter assured me that the fish would be stuffed with backfin crabmeat. Not so, but there was plenty of filler and it tasted like a decent frozen stuffed fish you could get at the market for a couple dollars. The jasmine rice was very good and veggies done just right. The other entrees were mediocre, nothing to brag about. After a conversation with the manager he offered to comp a meal and buy us dessert. The chocolate cake was a bit on the stale side, but the cheesecake was good. When the bill came they forgot to comp the meal. All in all, a disappointing dinner, especially considering it was $177 before tip and after free entree and dessert. Sure, we had two or three drinks each, but for such a pricey meal we deserved better. With so many choices in the area it's unlikely we will go back.
(2)
Sina E.
Good atmosphere, and hang out spot with buddies and friends. However, it's usually packed by the time I get there, and usually no seating at the bar! I love their beers; I would say that my favorite is the hef, but the rest are good too. The food isn't too bad either. The garlic fries are good, but might be too strong, and I wouldn't suggest it if you have meeting or work tomorrow, and have to interact with many people.
(3)
Aisha S.
I found myself here again after a rock climbing class just for a quick bite and ordered the veggie pizza. I had a craving for goat cheese (don't judge me) so I asked if that could be added to the pizza. The waitress was very nice and gladly added it to the order. The pizza itself was great, with artichokes, fungus (mushrooms), baby spinach, some other stuff, and of course my beloved goat cheese. Also a good size for the price.
(4)
Maria S.
I've been to Grdon Biersch all over the US...the one in Atlanta in midtown, the one in Palo Alto CA, the one in Rockville MD and their menus have some staple items, but they switch out dishes based on locality. The peeps I hang out with love their beer selection. The Good ~The menu lists the caloric value of what your ordering, bonus if your watching your weight. ~Garlic fries made with Marzen beer....yummmy. ~I like the roasted garlic, bruschetta, olive tapenade hummus flatbread appetizer. What could be better ~The food! I've had lots of meals off their menu: the Blackened ahi Tacos, the pizza, the turkey sandwich, the fish n chips, the pulled pork, the pastas....and the food always seem just ok to me, nothing special, no WOW factor. ~The drinks are pricey and not that great. I'd prefer to go elsewhere.....
(2)
I M.
The food is alright, a lot of things could be better. The main problem is the service, several waiters have an attitude. All you have to do is be nice to your customers and you'll get the tip you deserve. The beer and garlic fries are good are good so stick to the bar
(3)
Renato S.
Food was so bad. came out cold, even if it was warm it wouldn't have helped. Beer okay, do not come for dinner. Happy hour for drinks maybe. garlic fries did come out hot, but it's nothing special way too much garlic.
(2)
Sa'lome H.
Same ole same ole. Great beer and good times!!!
(4)
Leah W.
We were not impressed with the food, it is mediocre and over priced. The service was really slow, on 2 separate occasions I had to get up and search out someone to refill our water. The beer is ok- it is all lager's so if you fancy an ale, this is no the place. The garlic fries had large chunks of garlic, yuck. The $13+ hamburger was no better than the $5 burgers at other joints. We had decided not to return when we walking home. Then a hour later my husband got sick from food poisoning from there. He was ill all night. We will not be going back.
(1)
Martin B.
The food's the same as it is at every Gordon Biersch, and that's a good thing. Came here with some friends last night and we all enjoyed our meals. I got the barbecue chicken sandwich, which is a chicken breast (I was expecting it to be shredded for some reason, and that would have been better) smothered in barbecue sauce and cheese if I'm not mistaken. It was really good! One of my friends got this special oktoberfest burger that's on a pretzel roll, and he said it was amazing. I had a bit of the pretzel roll and it tasted really good, so I can imagine the full burger was also good. The other got the normal Gordon Biersch cheeseburger and he enjoyed it. The garlic fries were very crispy this time around, and loaded with garlicky flavor! Service was friendly and prompt, and our waitress did a good job of keeping up with our drinks and with clearing our table. Would definitely eat here again if I ever find myself in Rockville. It's much more spacious than the other Biersch I've been to in Tysons, and although it was packed it didn't sound loud at all.
(4)
G M.
Almost average food that seemed more appropriate for a diner. The lobster and shrimp taco had humongous pieces of lobster, but it was rubbery and could have passed for hard tofu (no flavor). Would have been great if it was more tender and had more lemon juice. Two tacos for $17 should not have shredded lettuce and processed cheese sauce. I didn't find the beer to be that exceptional. The garlic fries were average. Burger must not have been very good, because my very hungry bf left half of it on the plate. He said the meat tasted bad. Our waiter was very nice and personable. No burning desire to return.
(2)
Anna T.
I give this place 1 star and won't be returning because of the way the manager handled an incident. I was there with 2 female friends to eat dinner and a drunk man came over and started talking to us. We weren't interested in him and sent him away. He came back and called me a b*tch and and *ssh*le, repeatedly. We sent him away more firmly and told the manager. The manager was laughing and said he would go check it out, seeming to not take it seriously. He apologized insincerely, still smiling as though the whole thing was a joke. He did get the guy to leave, but the whole thing felt disrespectful. I was hoping that despite his apparent nonchalance, the manager would at least offer us a coupon, give us a discount on the check, or a free drink. But nope. Just got laughed at. Will not be returning. EVER. I go places where I feel safe and welcome.
(1)
Ever D.
The beer is ehh ok! However, The food is horrendous, deplorable, terrible! I guess you all get the point. Thank god I chucked a beer before my meal came...
(2)
Mitchell L.
GB had very friendly staff, and were very helpful in deciding what we'd try for our first time. Their garlic fries were above all else the best I've had before, but are definitely not for the garlic-weak. Their calamari was pretty poor quality, and their deep fried artichoke hearts could have used more flavor. Their sea bass wasn't extraordinary but wasn't a bad buy. Their steak sandwich on the other hand was excellently cooked (medium), and tender enough to bite through with ease. For the price, I would suggest turning down the $18-28 steak entrees and giving this a try. I'm no beer drinker but the one person who tried the beer sampler on the table was satisfied at the flavor of the microbrews. GB seems to be an over hyped restaurant that didn't live up to the expectation I had walking in. The quality of food is just the same as some places I've tried that charge 30% less; if you're a budget eater I'd suggest going elsewhere. Overall I give them 4 stars because I liked their fries and I thought the staff was great; if their menu items were cheaper they would get 5 from me.
(4)
Joi A.
Great place to hang out. Can be a little pricey unless you go during happy hour.
(3)
Jennifer O.
This place is nothing special. The food is consistently good and they always provide a good beer to sip on during happy hour. One thing that does stand out, though, is their prices. Everything seems to be a few dollars too much considering what you're getting. The portions are alright, but not worth the cost. Overall, if you're in a bind an okay place to go.
(3)
Jin L.
Good place to grab burgers and garlic fries! Their steaks are actually not too shabby. When you don't feel adventurous and want to stay in the neighborhood, this is a good spot.
(3)
Elena S.
This is another strictly happy hour place for me. Their specials are some of the best in the Rockville Town Square. Service is usually pretty good and you can catch a game in the bar area. Their house drafts are pretty awesome and I'm very fond of their Maerzen.
(3)
Peter K.
Definitely go for the Farmhouse Burger. GB is a great spot to eat or chill on a weekend night. For beer lovers, nice selection on tap.
(4)
Meana K.
When I lived across the street, it was a regular place me to go, especially to watch the game in the bar. While it may be a chain, but they actually have a few dishes they do quite well. And I love the Marzen beer. Love it. Really freaking love the beer. Dishes I've enjoyed include the lobster and shrimp tacos, the garlic fries, and the southern fried chicken salad. Other stuff is okay too, but these are the standouts for me. A little overpriced, service can be spotty, but overall it's a fun atmosphere for a very casual meal and some good beer.
(4)
Jamie C.
The food is always top notch. Great happy hour! They have an early one and a late one.
(5)
Jonathan L.
Located in the heart of Rockville, Gordon Biersch provides an exciting gourmet experience for people of all ages. The warm atmosphere and excellent food compliment eachother perfectly, making Gordon Biersch in high demand on the weekends and even during the week! I have never been dissapointed with the food and I have eaten here on frequent occasion. The value for money ratio is outstanding. I would also HIGHLY recommend the " Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings" as a starter and the " Steak Frites" ( with the garlic fries) as a main course If you are looking for a nice place to relax, kick back, and enjoy a nice beer after a stressful day at work GORDON BIERSCH is the place for you!
(5)
Joe L.
Gordon Biersch is a chain restaurant that doesn't feel like a chain (if that makes sense). The fact that the beer is brewed on site gives you that local brewery feel. I love the low lighting and ambiance of the place. They have recently changed their menu and although they got rid of the steak sandwich which I loved, I decided to go after the lobster and shrimp tacos. They were AMAZING. Service was great and the food came quickly even on a packed Saturday night. Want a good appetizer? get the crab and artichoke dip!
(4)
Meggie C.
i come here alot for happy hour. as for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this review probably wont help. happy hour: they have good specials only negative is that their happy hour begins pretty late, like 10pm late but they are opened till 12/1am. i love their dragonfruit mojitos, my guy friends like their beers and long islands. happy hour food: its okayy.... many of their dishes are good not amazing though. never get their lobster bisque. it was disgusting. but their crabmeat artichoke dip was sooooo good. i try to get that whenever i go. their garlic fries are good too. this place can get kinda busy so i would try to go around 9:30 they validate parking up to two hours for free, staff is attentive, and the place is decorated pretty nicely. lots of tvs for game nights and full bar.
(4)
Alicia G.
The space is really nice. The outdoor area and enclosed patio is a place I'd want to hang out on a cool, breezy night while enjoying a beer. But we didn't get to do that. We managed to find a spot inside the bar area after two people left. However, after sitting down, it was about another 5-10 minutes before a bartender helped us. And not because they noticed, but because Juliana shouted that we wanted the beer sampler! Once they poured the samples, the bartender explained a little bit about each "shot" of beer. Juliana, Derryk and I set about to tasting them. Fenny took like a micro-sip of one and was done. She *doesn't like beer* and claimed that if she drank some, she'd be so gas-y that it would be a smelly ride back home. (And since she was driving us back to Bethesda, I decided not to press the issue because let's face it, beer farts are unpleasant.) I liked the hefeweizen. And to be quite honest, I can't even remember what the others were. I think I'd only return to sit in the outdoor/patio area because it looks so chill and relaxing. Inside it's way crowded and hard to get anyone's attention.
(3)
Mirela M.
I came in for lunch, and had Virginia as our server. Great service and such a sweet girl. I would love to have her again. The only thing I am disappointed with is the kitchen. I have been coming here since this place first opened so I am very familiar with the menu. Recently the menu was changed, and the food is changed to smaller portions. The salad that I usually order was terrible and did not fill me up. My dressing, cheese, croutons, and spinach was less. The courtons were just crums. Since there was not enough dressing, the salad did not taste as good. Last time I was here I had problems with my order again. Also, I have noticed that other people are complaining about the same thing. Be careful what you order! Instead of caring about the satisfaction of the customers, it seems that their management only cares about making money.
(3)
Kristin M.
Yeah it's a chain, but it's not a bad fallback place in the area to grab a few beers with friends, catch a game, maybe order up some southwest rolls or extremely garlicky garlic fries. I did dinner here once, which was forgettable. Strong suit is definitely with plain old hanging out, though the downside there is it can take some pretty dedicated seat-stalking to score a place to camp out in the bar area, sizable though it is. A number of good-enough apps to accompany the good-enough beer (I recommend the sampler, because it's fun!), and make for a pleasant night of drinking amidst a noisy crowd.
(3)
Deborah N.
I'm not even a beer drinker but I love the beer at Gordon Biersch. Why? They keep it COLD and it tastes great! They serve only their house brews. I normally never get draft beer because to me it can taste stale. Not here. Whatever beer I had (cannot remember the odd name) it was goooood. I also recommend / love the after 10 $5 happy hour. Yes there is a late night place in MC. Yes you can get a beer and an appetizer for $10. Nice! Staff was spotty. The first time I went the bartender was super nice and helpful. The second time I sat at a bar table and was prompted to ask my server, "Are you having a bad night?" Not that I cared, but she soooo did not want to be there that it was bumming me out!
(5)
Andrew R.
I think the only reason we came here was for the free garlic fries coupon this chain regularly gives out. That's gotta tell you something, right? If not about the group we went with then about where priorities lie. As to the experience, I remember little of the food, except that I was unimpressed. Ergo, not a memorable experience. Yet as to the garlic fries that prompted our visit? Awful. Soggy, lack of tasty garlic and only burnt garlic, and so much parmesan that it was hard to taste anything else.
(2)
Ryan B.
Came here the other day for a business lunch. The menu had changed since the last time I came, which was a nice surprise. The servers were nice, and fun to joke around with. They were attentive the whole time making sure we were taken care of. I ordered the chicken stir fry since it seemed like one of the healthier options. Let's just say, once we got our entrees that everyone looked at mine and wish they had copied me! I'm going to come back here more often since the menu looks like it has gotten better since the last time I was there (probably a few years).
(4)
Jerry S.
Mushroom Swiss burger was dry and insipid, and the bun fell apart. I got the sampler - beers were well made and each typical of its style, but nothing special in the age of craft brews. Price was high for the quality probably due to the real estate.in the center of the city. Service was pleasant and accurate but not especially swift. Went there after the movie just because it was close, but I wouldn't seek it out.
(2)
Julio E. G.
This is a typical average chain restaurant with a few good items, but mostly average meals at a reasonable price. Restaurant snobs should not visit unless they enjoy the beer. My wife had a low end steak that was relatively tasty, but not cooked as she ordered it. The waiter asked if she liked her dinner and my wife did not say anything to the waiter because she had low expectations and didn't want to pressure the young man too much. I had a very average salmon, but was able to enhance the taste with the veggies that came with the plate. We split a green salad and it was actually pretty good and somewhat different with lots of nuts, and nice semi spicy dressing. No complaints about this one. We shared a pudding/apple dessert with nuts, ice cream, and liquor that was a 4/5 stars and more than enough for two. The ice cream was of good quality. The coffee was cold and typical Americano. Would have been OK if hot. I did not bother to complain to the waiter because I also had low expectations and the guy was trying. Like I said an average chain restaurant. May be good for beer drinkers. They have a lot of TVs in the bar for those that like to watch football this fall.
(3)
Susie B.
Great burgers and garlic fries. Love this place. Great service
(5)
Joy C.
Good food, good beer, good time! Enjoyed my first time but service was not good this time around... Maybe because we came in at 11pm and the server kinda rushed our orders... Kitchen closes at midnight, we ordered our drinks but was refused service right after the kitchen closed. We wanted more drinks but server said he already printed our bill so if we want drinks we have to get it ourselves! Kinda rude for a server! Just saying! We'll try again, we'll pull for a third... Maybe third time's a charm!
(3)
Alvin H.
This place is a pretty good place to go and chill. It has a relatively large bar area and can also accommodate larger parties in the back. I usually go here to grab a couple beers and happy hour food with friends (mmmmm garlic fries). The food is alright in my opinion, not anything to write home about. Wait staff are consistently respectful and attentive.
(3)
dwayne t.
I was introduced to Gordon Biersch in SF and have dined/imbibed at the DC location more than a few times, i was stoked to learn of the Rockville location forthcoming. A couple of happy hours under the belt and I can honestly say, this experience was marginal. First HH, I ordered Kobe beef sliders & calamari. While both were "not bad" they were also both cold. On this trip the service was "eh"...waitress disappeared after our 2nd round of drinks. C'mon man!! The 2nd visit, the food was decent (southwest egg rolls, shrimp & chicken potstickers, and another go at calamari), but still didn't blow me away. There is a pretty cool outside seating area which I think the DC area as a whole lacks, and the bartender , while visibly preggers, was attentive.
(3)
Karen S.
Worst treatment ever! I wanted to give my hubby the "Garlic Fry" experience and we were totally ignored! No one waited on us until I asked to be waited on! The waiter took our beer orders then disappered! When we asked someone to find out where he was, he sent over two of the wrong beers! My hubbys 'Medium" Kobe burger was so burnt that it nearly crumbled and the waitress brought over his bun completely covered in Ketchup! She casually mentioned that it fell over into the ketchup on her way to bringing it out?! WTF! And did i mention that two couples came in AFTER me and the hubby, and got not only their drink orders but their meals before we did! I LOVE their DC location, but I will tell EVERYBODY I know not to go to this Rockville location! Garlic Fries be damned!!!
(1)
Donna Y.
I went for the happy hour after work during a Friday. It was bustling with plenty of people especially around the bar area. Happy Hours M-F 4-6:30 and Sun-Thu 10-close. (-1: pay for parking). Happy hour prices are fairly reasonable. Most items are $5 and drinks (beer/cocktails) are also about $5. I ordered the Raspberry Bay Breeze .. menu says (Skyy Infusions Raspberry Vodka and Monin Raspberry Syrup with a splash of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and pineapple juice.) very tasty and good balance of tangy and sweet. For appetizer, I ordered the quick fried calamari ($7). The 'quick fried' aspect is to avoid rubbery-overcooked texture which they've successfully done! Most places make fried calamari with too much breading.. too oily.. too rubbery blah! This place is alright ... I wouldn't come here for food as there are plenty of better restaurants around the area but the happy hour prices are pretty nice.
(3)
Johnnie R.
Sliders, burgers, garlic fries are fine, southwest egg rolls are all above average. Calamari was good until they started to fry them last year. Try their seasonal Bock. For me, it's not a place to dine, but to grab a late night meal and wash it down with some decent beer. But somehow, the overall experience is greater than sum of all parts, because of my friends I meet with there. Since the place is on the corner across a movie theater, there is something to be said about good ol' people watching )))
(4)
Hunter B.
Went out with roommates and my girlfriend for a birthday lunch. I've been there plenty of times before and I know it's not good service but damn. Waitress took forever to greet us. Forgot drinks. Didn't write order down and then got it wrong. My roommate got the avocado chicken sandwich. Came out as a burger. I ordered the steak pretzel burger that sounded awesome. When it came out it was barely warm and the arugula was super wilted. If u are dealing with a messed up order can please pretend u at least care. Waitress was very unattentive and total lack of empathy once she messed up. Now I remember why I go to Clyde's tower oaks.
(1)
Toby C.
Yes Gordon Biersch is a chain. If you can get past that fact before going, then you'll likely be pleasantly surprised. For starters, the beer is fantastic. It is brewed onsite, so it's fresh and the recipes tend to stick to their traditional German styles...Marzen, Schwarzbier, and Pilsner to name a few. If you're looking for a hoppy California IPA, you may want to look elsewhere. The food is solid as well. You can go anywhere from a $25 steak to a $10 burger and anything in between, depending on your preference. A little hint...sit in the bar area during happy hour for $1 off beers and some excellent deals on food. Some appetizers and flatbreads that would normally cost you $10 or $12 go for a measly $5. You can't beat that. Being a member of GB's Stein Club, I've found that the servers and bartenders in the bar area are much more likely to serve your beer in the requisite stein that is supposed to go along with having such a membership. Not so the servers in the restaurant area...they're pretty much a guarantee to serve it in a regular glass, at which point I have to remind them that I'm in the "Stein" Club. The wife and I always get a good laugh out of this. But that's a minor complaint and the situation is always quickly remedied. GB is a solid option for both food and drink in the Rockville Town Center area. If you're a foodie or other such restaurant snob, then I'm not sure what you'd be doing here anyway...DC is right down the road, just bustling with other options. But for those looking to stay in the burbs, you really can't go wrong with GB.
(4)
Ellen L.
one of the few places in rockville town centre open late for us night hawks. on a late saturday evening, i came here with a group of 5 to grab some drinks. not surprisingly, there was a bit of a wait. when a table did open up, i was displeased to see that the floor area surrounding this table was wet and had a malodorous smell. unfortunately, on a saturday night, there were no other open tables, so we stayed at this one. the menu has a pretty extensive list of drinks, so you can choose your cocktail, beer, martini, margarita, pretty much anything you like. i was intrigued by the new "skinny cocktails" on the menu, so decided to order the superfruit martini ($9.25) with soju and fresh pomegranate and lemon juice. to my surprise, it was pretty good and didn't taste lo-cal at all! our group also shared an order of their house fries, "gordon biersch garlic fries," ($6.25). they put just the right amount of garlic and oil on these fries, not too oily and just the right amount of seasoning. for someone who isn't that big of a french fries fan, i really liked these garlic fries. service was average, but acceptable. i really wish they did something about the wet floor and odor at our table though.
(3)
Sarah B.
Utterly superb pretzel burgers! Also, get the garlic fries. Some "garlic fries" taste like average fries rolled down a garlic hill. These taste like the potatoes grew in a garlic field.
(4)
Maria C.
I've had a variety of things on the menu ( farmhouse burger, salmon, beers, garlic fries, to name a few) but none were particularly delicious. It's a great place to meet up with friends though for a drink /happy hour, but food-wise it's just another American restaurant.
(3)
Vitaliy N.
I came here with about 12 other people for happy hour on a Monday afternoon. We were served very promptly and our waitress, Ashley, was very quick and attentive. She got everyone's order correct and made sure everything was good. Happy hour specials are pretty good: $1 off all drafts, $2 off wine and all specialty cocktails are $5. The draft beers are good, I recommend the Hefewizen, Marzen, or Schwarzbier. Most of the cocktails that I've tried on previous occasions were very delectable as well. I was pretty hungry so I ordered the Slider Combo plate. It consisted of BBQ pork sliders (topped with cole slaw in the slider), Kobe beef sliders (not really kobe beef, just regular beef and a bit of sauce on the bun but no other toppings other than a pickle slice), and the garlic fries. If you get anything at GB, get a beer and the garlic fries. They are warm, crispy, not oily, and perfectly salted, seasoned, and smothered in fresh garlic. You can smell them from two tables over and they're so good! The sliders weren't anything to get crazy about. The plate also cost $11. During a past visit for dinner, I ordered the steak frites, essentially strips of marinated grilled steak over a bed of their fries. It was very good. As far as places to go for dinner, Gordon Biersch doesn't top my list in the Rockville area, but it's a great place to go for cheap drinks and appetizers during happy hour (4 - 6:30 pm).
(3)
MacKenzie W.
I would've given 5 stars had the service been better.... The good: -Food! I've always liked Gordon Biersch's food. Got the garlic fries to start, a house salad and the bourbon salmon. Super good! The other people at my table got the tacos which were very good too, though the beans and rice weren't great (I'd probably sub in something different) -Beer...the hefeweizen is the best The bad: -The waiter. What is it with Rockville restaurants and bad service!? We were seated and our server didn't come to our table for 15 minutes, though he walked by several times. Granted, it was a Saturday night, but come on. When he took our orders, I asked to sub a side salad for the side that came with my salmon and he told me that wasn't possible. I said I didn't mind paying for the addition of a side salad and removing the side (I think it was quinoa) from my dish and he scoffed and said "I GUESS we can do that". Bro, it's not that hard. I asked specifically that the salad come out with my meal...5 minutes later it comes out before anything else. Not a huge deal, just annoying he didn't listen. Also, I had to ask him 3 times to refill my water...ridiculous. It took us 25 minutes to flag him down to get our check. The table next to us had the same problem. Probably won't be back, plenty of other options with food that's just as good, where I know I'll be treated better.
(2)
Andrew K.
Happy hour is a good time to come hang out. The food is average. I tried the beef medallions and crab stuffed shrimp and it was ok. The garlic fries are pretty good though and I liked the Marzen beer here. It's not a bad place to hang out but for the price of food, not a place I'd go to have a nice dinner.
(3)
Toby K.
Okay, so tonight, I rolled into GB in the Rockville Town Center to grab some grub to take home since I was in the office late on a Sunday working ahead, because when you are in my line of work, you have to do like a billion things before you can take some time off... but anyway, that's for another blog, and not this review. And so, I rolled into Gordon Biersch Rockville, which stopped serving food from the main menu at 11p. I was there just past 11p, so no harm, no foul, I went to the bar, and ordered from the bar menu. Shrimp stuffed with crab meat ROCKED. So did this asian tasting app combo, I forget what which one it was, but it was the second of two choices. While there, I had a great drink at the bar while I waited. The bartender was pretty attentive, but you could tell she was a bit occupied by other patrons and work. Not overwhelmed, but occupied. I didn't realize I could sit at the bar because the empty glasses from a previous patron or two littered the bar, and I guess ppl just left or whatnot, but still, I've been to busy bars before and that stuff usually gets cleaned up pretty quickly. So, that was a bit of a bummer, but what can you do. It was a bar. The best was that in the 20 minutes or so I was waiting, I overheard a great conversation from this dude, trying to get with this 20-something woman in a Philly 76'ers shirt. I listened in since he was talking about getting sold out tickets to some show at 9:30 Club and he dropped the name of the owner -- and his assistant, who I happen to know, um, really well. So while I waited I heard this dude run some mad game on this chick about how he gets sold out tickets to sporting events and concerts from the owner of this concert firm, and little did he know I was sitting next to him, tweeting about it and emailing the very woman he was talking about 'getting tickets from...' I doubt he got any play tonight, and the woman he was with was cute and whatnot, but clearly she was infatuated by his 'access' and 'image' and he, well, was fascinated by himself. So, the food was awesome. The atmosphere is great. The bar is open til 1, and the bar menu is GOOD... but limited. I'd like to see 'em offer some salad or more healthy fare type things to it. But hey, bar food is bar food and this bar food is pretty damn good. I love this place. If they can tweak a few things, they'll be the best. If you're thinking you might want to hit this place up, it's THEE place to people watch in Rockville, Maryland. It's steps from the courthouse, so you can hear State Attorneys and Defense Attorneys and elected officials and more unloading and unwinding after work and during happy hour, and at night/late night, you can hear the people who work for the rich and powerful talk about who they are and what they do and hope they can be... and you can even see the men and women who are trying to pick some of those 'working class' heroes up! The drinks are great too, they have a great outside patio, too. Try 'em. You'll be happy. If you're not, well, pour another shot and have fun anyway!
(3)
Jessica N.
Changed my review from 3 to 4 stars because after a few more trips here, I'm a fan! The fish tacos are divine and the chicken and bacon sandwich is really delicious. My toddler loves all the vegetables they offer and their desserts are fabulous. Service can be a bit slow and their restaurant is downright freezing inside. Brrr! We went on a weekend and they didn't open until 11am so no brunch or breakfast to be had here.
(4)
Bruce G.
Although this is one restaurant in a chain, and this review could probably apply to all the others, this is the only one I've actually been to, so please note that I can only guarantee its applicability to this Rockville Town Center location. This place is actually very hard to give a "star" rating to. The 5-star rating comes from the following: (1) I normally do not care that much for beer, but THIS place brews several beers I actually like. One, in particular, their Maerzen (pronounced "MARE-tzen") is regularly available and has a flavor I'm quite fond of. (2) I have never had anything among the foods on the menu that wasn't absolutely delicious. So why would I even hesitate to give the place 5 stars? The answer is PRICE. Most of the time here I come in, order an appetizer and a beer, and it costs what I would expect to pay for a full meal. Yesterday, I was feeling a bit rich (I finally collected an inheritance I've been waiting SEVEN years for, so I wanted to celebrate!) So for a change, I had a complete meal (at lunch time!) and it cost me what I usually pay for a week of lunches! Put another way, the TIP on the lunch came to more than what I usually pay for a lunch! In mitigation, I must say: (1) I was paying for two people, not just myself, (2) I do not usually have alcoholic beverages at lunchtime, and this time was paying for a beer for myself and another person (but, of course, that's what you come to this place for!) (3) I do not usually order both a soup/appetizer and a dessert with my lunch; this time I was paying for both, for both of us. Still, allowing for all of these factors, it probably was about double what I'd expect to pay. So the point is, IF you can afford this place, it's good. But expect to spend a LOT.
(5)
Sharon W.
We'd been there before, but not in some time. Husband's intern requested Gordon Biersch for his farewell lunch so today that was it. Gordon Biersch is pretty much your "more upscale" chain restaurant--think Cheesecake Factory. I got there a few minutes before the rest of the party and the receptionist seated me immediately. The service was good, again like an upscale chain restaurant, rushed or attentive, hmmm. I ordered a half sandwich and cup of soup. The lobster bisque was hot and tasty, the sandwich filled with a good quality turkey and on a nice thick sour dough toast (though I'm hard pressed to identify it as sour dough compared to what my grandfather used to bring from San Francisco, but that's a different story). Husband had veggie burger and guest had cheese burger. Both their sandwiches came with "signature" garlic fries. Hot, crisp and tasty. I wouldn't make a special trip there but it was convenient for a central meeting point for the workers and the retiree. If you're in the neighborhood, maybe, but not a destination restaurant.
(3)
Jessica N.
Skip the food here. Even the salad was mediocre. My chicken caesar salad was awful. The dressing tasted like mayonaise. Store-bought dressing would have been a major improvement. My husband's steak frite was meh at best. The garlic fries came highly recommended and was a big part of the reason we stopped in at all. I was very disappointed by them. Lame fries topped with garlic. To say they are nothing special is an understatement. Service was fine. Flight of beer was fun. Hopefully Rockville has better dining options, because I would advise eating elsewhere and coming here only for drinks.
(2)
Jason C.
A decent hangout spot to drink and definitely the place to go (aside from Buffalo Wild Wings) inside Rockville Town Center. The food prices are ridiculously expensive for what you get....I wouldn't pay high teens or low 20s for food from this place. Seems like they jack up the food prices to subsidize the happy hour prices. For Happy hour you basically get $1 off beer. Oh what a bargain. So it's $4 instead of $5 per beer (My fav is Marzen but others seem to have different opinions). The cocktails are 1/2 off (which makes them around 4-5$----a much better value). Several of the appetizers are also $5. All are pretty good but watch out for the garlic fries. You eat the whole thing and next morning you'll have garlic breath bad enough to scare away vampires and..errr..coworkers..and errr...everyone who comes within a 5 feet radius. You've been warned.
(3)
Wyllol W.
Had dinner there Monday night. The staff was great, but the food was terrible! I had the calamari which was ok. As an entree I had the Cajun Pasta which did not have sausage like the menu said, the chicken tasted old & reheated and the sauce was too oily.
(1)
Abhi K.
The beer here is good without question. The hefeweizen is sweet and refreshing as you would expect from a wheat Belgian style. The others were also good and the bartenders are knowledgeable about the beer. The food could have been better. Nothing was actually bad, but it was priced as if the food would be exceptional. Not so. I've read a lot of raves about the garlic fries on here, but I was a bit disappointed. I love garlic as much as the next guy, but I like my garlic cooked and to season my food. On these fries, there was just chopped garlic sprinkled all over them and it was more like I was eating some potato with my garlic.
(3)
Mina C.
I don't know. I don't love this place. I don't hate it either. This is our fail safe in Rockville. Whenever I meet up old friends and we are in Rockville, we almost always end up here. I just don't love this place. It's always packed and I always run into people. Whether I wanna see those people is a different story. I just don't love this place. The beers are always consistent. I like the pilsner the best. They had an English pale ale that was delicious as well. My friends love the hefeweizen. You can never really go wrong with the garlic fries. Did I mention? I just don't love this place.
(3)
Allie A.
I have come here on two occasions and both were positive experiences. Great drinks, reasonable prices, excellent food, but what made me give 5 stars was the exceptional service. Our waiter, Bradley, was attentive, helpful, and anticipated our needs wonderfully. I couldn't have wanted anything more from a server and I only wish I could have tipped him more. I loved the garlic fries and really enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken and the portion was decent especially considered it's listed under "lighter fare". I can't wait to come back.
(5)
Bianca F.
I was quite surprised. I went here with friends for happy hour. The place was pretty packed. I did find one seat at the bar, the bartender helped me immediately. A few minutes later my friend arrived & this couple scooted over for us to have a seat. Pretty awesome! I had the happy hour wine special. The lemon drop & Georgia peach cocktails were good too. I inhaled my ahi & greens. Darn good! I will be back. Second review: Went here a few days later and ordered food to go. I had the steak medallions with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked right, but had no flavor at all. The mashed potatoes had something else in there that I did not recognize at all.... won't be ordering that again. If you want a low sodium meal, then order that. I think I'll stick to other restaurants for steak.
(3)
Drew L.
Nice atmosphere for the restaurant and bar but the entrees are only average at best. Go for the drinks and appetizers, not the food. A half dozens large tv's keep the sports enthusiast up-to-date. Part of a nationwide chain.
(2)
Michael S.
Their Egg rolls is a must! Never had been better! House beers are awesome, they brewed their beers there! also, burgers are yummy, meaty and cheesy! Garlic fries are the best! However, it's its bit expensive & I don't like the idea that they changed the late night menu. They use to have verity of appetizers including egg rolls for $5. The new menu don't offer that much and they increased the price! Service on the other hand is AWFULE! non of these waiter & waiters don't know what are they doing. service is slow (I mean it when I say slow) & they get confused so easy, their table are mostly not-whiped & you have to ask for it when you wanna sit which take 10 min to someone come back to clean! overall, food is excellent but they need work on their service.
(3)
Shahin E.
I haven't been in this place for almost a year. Food is still as good as before, however servers and bar tenders as creepy as I remember. Customer service hasn't improved a bit. They really need an improvement on that.
(2)
Tiffany T.
Happy hour & Late night Happy hour review only: I haven't had the food here in YEARS so I don't feel as I can judge freely. ALthough I remember loving their cajun pasta Now moving on to the important things in life, HAPPY HOUR :) I love their happy hour. I always get the "tapas" which is just flatbread with parmasean, olive tapenade, pico de gallo, and roasted garlic for $5.00. They have a bunch of other deals too ranging from $5 apps, personal pizzas, and other food stuffs ranging from $5 to $11. OH BUT THE ALCOHOL: $1 off beers and $5 specialty cocktails. So what do I get? LONG ISLANDS ALL DAY. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm just financially apt to choose something that when made right, should have 5 shots in it. So.. $5? Hey-yooooo
(4)
Angela P.
My favorite place to meet up with friends from back home! It beats Clyde's because I can actually see their pretty faces in the well lit dining area. The farmhouse burger is on point--super juicy and delicious. The garlic fries are amazing, too, but my friends won't let me in their car after b/c you'll reek of garlic the entire night. Skip the lobster bisque, fresh mozz pizza needs more basil! I love all the beers. My top choices are the blonde, amber, and hef when I'm in the mood for it. Delicious! Great beer, pretty good food! What more can you ask for?
(4)
Kim J.
Large portions, but great recommendations on food. Good food, timed perfectly. Ask to be seated in John's section. He takes really good care of patrons and knows the menu well.
(5)
Lance V.
I really enjoy the outside seating and the bar area. Inside bar has a lot of tv's and is large. They always a seasonal beer so new things to try. The food is fatty and fried. Even the vegetables seem unhealthy. I get the ahi tuna app and have a beer; and all is good.
(4)
Howard R.
We enjoyed a great evening at the Rockville location. Food was delicious and service was great!
(5)
Kit S.
Good food. Good service. It depends who your waiter/waitress is but never had a bad one. Great selection of drinks. Hot waitresses. Just saying. Nice happy hour menu. I come here almost every week and it seems busy every day. Plenty of tvs. There's always a mix crowd which is good. There's an outdoor area and area behind the bar that's enclosed so it's halfway outdoor and halfway indoor.
(3)
Suzanne R.
The food was good. Decent. Best ever...no, but good. Staff was very good! Big. Open. Booths & tables. Ramp 'side' in restaurant good for strollers, wheelchairs, etc. Garlic fries....IMO are WAY OVER-RATED! They were regular fies with garlic dumped in them.
(4)
Danielle C.
We drive to rockville to Gordon Biersch for the garlic fries and the banana beer! WONDERFUL food
(4)
Mark H.
What a nice little place. I went here a few Fridays ago and had a good fish dish and a few tasty brews. The waiter was a super cool dude that seemed like someone I wouldn't mind hanging with. My reason for eating there: I was on a first date with some random girl, and it was easily the worst date of my life. The girl was 24, but may as well have been a tween, because she texted the entire time and had the conversational skills of a non Jr HS grad. I was flabbergasted (I'm apparently 80 since I used that word) and wondered why she asked me out on a date. Asking questions of her yielded very little, because she couldn't talk about herself because all of her work was CLASSIFIED.... I doubt it. I think she worked at a Blimpie's. Long story short, I motioned the girl to exit the date stage right... she offered me a courtesy hug, and I told her to text it to me. But I digress. So there I was, alone, with two place settings, and was slightly embarrassed. I wanted to pull a Jerry Maguire and shout "who's sitting with me???"- but I refrained. I did sit there and enjoy two more craft brews-- all while trying to convince the waiter that the girl really did leave. 4 stars.
(4)
Stephanie A.
This place is horrible.
(1)
Daniel L.
Came here with the homies for a 21st birthday. Food: 2 Price/Value: 1 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 4 Food: 2 It depends on what you get. We got the large garlic fries appetizer, real simple with garlic and some parsley but pretty good. For my entree, I got the jambalaya and it was plain. Price/Value: 1 Definition of not worth. The large garlic fries were $7 for like 30 boardwalk fries. My jambalaya was $17 with no sides, and the meat was dry and sauce didn't have much taste. So much $ ... but why? There were no extra fresh ingredients, no alcohol in the dishes, no extra love. If you like spending money on things that aren't worth it, then add this to your list of things. We are generally good people, but this time we all felt so cheated that we thought about stealing the table and the chairs so we could be all even. Service: 2 Waitress did not give off the good vibes. It was a Tuesday, so we all got water, and only got one drink for our newly initiated friend. She showed she wasn't happy about our decision to not get turned up on a Tuesday. It took around 20 minutes for her to take our order even though there were only a couple people inside the restaurant. Throughout my meal, my water was running pretty dry. Atmosphere: 4 It's a pretty cool place - they have their own brewery and a sports bar. Tips You Should Know: No deals that I'm aware of. If you're open to food suggestions, get a kobe burger - those were big and looked good. Would I recommend? Nah.
(2)
April S.
I went to Gordon Biersch today after I saw The Avengers ... I loved the atmosphere, however the food was mediocre compared to the ambiance that surrounded it. I ordered the Grilled Chicken with roasted veggies. The chicken and veggies were presented to me hidden under a mound of arugula. I was almost afraid to remove the greens. I took a deep breath and removed them, then rearranged the food on my plate so it would make a decent picture. The chicken had perfect grill marks on it, however it was missing one thing ... flavor. It was right in between juicy and dry. If it sat in the passby window for one smidgen longer I would have needed a huge glass of water to wash it down. My BF ordered the crab cake sandwich. He said it was pretty good and filling. We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as an appetizer. I thought it was pretty good. My BF said he liked the dip at Copper Canyon better and there was no comparison. He went on to say the crab dip tasted like something pre-made from a can and heated up with each order. The Peach Tea was delish. I will warn you that it is unsweetened. Nothing a pack of sugar could not handle. I have southern roots and love sweet tea. The dessert tasters were pretty tasty. We ordered the brownie mousse, strawberry cheesecake and apple bread pudding. The bread pudding was warm and delicious. The cheesecake tasted like store bought cheesecake and the mousse was okay. I would go back to try other courses on their menu. I'm not a fan of beer, however the next time I go back I want to try the beer sampler.
(4)
Dee B.
3.5 stars for food, 2 stars for service. A friend and I accidentally ended up here for Sunday brunch. We'd hoped to eat elsewhere, but that restaurant was closed. The menu here looked good, and our food was reasonably tasty. However, the average age and lack of experience in servers, in addition to clear lack of training, was definitely evident. Everything took longer than necessary, even though it was early, and the restaurant was quite empty, and there were plenty of staff. For example, we were never ONCE checked up on. This included me having to flag down the waitress for more water and coffee. The most ironic service goof happened at the very end; we did request and receive separate bills. Mine came to $10 plus change; I gave her a $20 plus the change. She eventually (after a lengthy wait) brought me back a ten-dollar bill. I had to explain that I had nothing to leave her for tip, unless she was willing to give me a fiver and five singles. Isn't that taught in Restaurant 101??
(3)
Ray R.
Haven't been here for a few years. Back then, I would have given this place four stars. The food use to be superb and worthy of the prices. Well, if today's Chicken Avacado sandwich is any indication...this place has definitely taken a bad turn. It started off being bland and boring,. It was downright toxic tasting by the end. It tasted like it had been cooked in degreaser. I think it will be another few years before I give them another try.
(1)
Roxanne B.
Had the Cobb Flatbread - kind of boring. My husband made the mistake of ordering the flat-iron steak w/fries and it was very chewy. For $24 you need to offer a better cut of meat. We mentioned it to our server but got no reply.
(2)
Tommi L.
Today was the second trip to this restaurant! To say the least, the staff was great; and even more so, the lobster and shrimp tacos were amazing!! Will definitely be back ;-)
(5)
Casey K.
This place just is what it is. I always find myself here for happy hour after work to catch up with one of my college friends. Every time I leave saying the same thing. "Why do I come here?", the food really is not that great and nothing really pops out on the menu as spectacular, the surprises just don't keep coming when your food comes to the table and it is just so run-of-the-mill. Pass if you can and politely suggest another place (Chef Geoff's is a nice alternative).
(2)
Nick G.
Great food, great beer. Only downfall is I am from Wisconsin, and this place isnt there!! I will visit again if im ever out that way. Get the crab cakes- Amazing!!
(5)
Tara S.
My boyfriend and I go here mostly prior to movies as we don't live far from the Town Center. It isn't the best for vegans, but honestly most places aren't! :-) The food is always good! The only "complaint" that I have, which isn't really a complaint, per se, is that we usually have a long wait or have to sit in the loud and crowded bar area. But several times that we have gone, we were able to sit outside or get a good table indoors. I highly recommend this place. Just try to get a reservation if it is during peak hours.
(4)
Team J.
F Minus and Zero Stars for GB in Rockville. Never even made it the restaurant as we couldn't get past the Rhodes Scholar who answers the phone for reservations. Called today to make reservations for 8 people anytime after 5 PM and before 630 PM. The woman that answered the phone responded as follows: - need to talk with manager - 2 minutes of silence - then the same woman gets on the phone - tells me that they don't like to take reservations but that she could do it for before 4 PM or after 8 PM -then she goes on to imply that she does have a table for 10 but that they can't book in case someone else calls to reserve it. (What?) - then she comes clean and says that they do, in fact, take reservations and seemed to suggest that I call back later in the day - the conversation devolved from there and culminated with her snarky suggestion that I was dense and that I didn't understand the restaurant business Well, I hold in my hand the $650 dollars I planned on spending at the GB in Rockville - but they apparently they are not interested in making money. Meanwhile, I just called one of their competitors and the person that answered the phone could not have been nicer or "clearer." Looking forward to giving my money to that establishment. Still a big GB fan but I will stick with my home team GB in Annapolis- they know how to treat people well.
(1)
Al D.
Great atmosphere, good food and pleasant wait staff not to mention a convenient close location to the metro stop. A must try for anyone exploring Rockville Town Center!
(5)
Mike M.
Love the beer. Try any of them, very, very good. Nice happy hour. Good place to watch a game. Friendly staff, very cool location, good parking in the garage (free parking with purchase). All that is great. Food? Well, did I say how good the beer is? Yeah, stay focused on that. The food varies from not that great to just bad. Even the apps, the bar food, it's OK at best. So, drink a beer, hang out, watch a game, just don't have unreasonable expectations about the food.
(3)
Jennifer H.
G.B. has AMAZING food (in big portions) but also can be a little on the expensive side. Really good service and good atmosphere. I recommend the Seared Ahi Tuna meal and of course some of their famous garlic fries!
(4)
Jamie G.
This place is hit or miss with me. Sometimes its great, but most times its below average. Most times its been poor service. Just poorly trained staff, not nasty but not friendly either. Just want to get you through the meal so they can get their tip. Same with the food. Sometimes good, most times just ok. Not sure if this is helpful, just kind of an OK place.
(2)
Oren O.
Had to wait 15 minutes before waiter even came to check on us and give us menu's. Once service started it was good. Once we ordered our food, I got a mojito that was watered down and nasty. I drank from my girlfriends wine instead (thank goodness that wasn't messed up and warm). Her fish tacos were awesome while my steak and shrimp entree was mediocre. Steak was bland while shrimp we ok. Steamed veges were like chewing cardboard though. Tried taster sizes of there deserts and only the triple chocolate and cheesecake were edible. Many other places to go to eat in the area so this won't be a repeat problem.
(2)
Rachel A.
My friend and I were looking for a nice place for dinner after we finished our ceramics class at Visarts. We came upon Gordon Biersch and decided to have dinner there. As soon as we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was closing in 12 minutes and we had to order quickly, to which we replied that would not be a problem. Then we were asked if we wanted to sit in the cocktail area or in the dining area, and we said dining area. There was no mention of the outdoor seating area, so we (wrongfully) assumed that the outdoor area was closing for the night. We were seated in the dining area, and there was only one other table filled. No biggie. Why would we want to sit at the bar, when there were comfy booths to sit in? The waitress comes over to take our drink order, and asks if we were told that the cocktail area was open too. Ok, weird question, but we didn't think much of it, so we said yes, but we were having dinner, so wanted to sit in the dining area. I then asked her what kind of sodas they had, as none were listed on the menu. Here's how the conversation went: Me: what kind of sodas do you have? Waitress: Coke. Me: Just coke? Waitress: and Diet coke. Starts to walk away. Me: oh, that's all? Waitress: and Pibbs. Starts to walk away. Me: Do you have anything without caffeine? Waitress: and sprite. The rest of the meal was completely ruined by the horrible attitude of our server. My friend and I were nothing but polite and courteous and she was nothing but rude and made us feel terrible with her bad attitude. I will never be back. Train your staff. How hard is it to smile and be polite?
(1)
Jasper J.
There is not a better, more reliable place to eat in the town center than Gordon Biersch. They're open late. Their beer is great. You can take take your family for dinner. You can take an escort or prostitute for a discreet rendezvous. It serves all purposes and needs. This and Bar Louie are the only two real bars in the town center and Bar Louie shouldn't even be in the same conversation. The people that work here are professional and courteous.
(5)
Eddie K.
GB has a pretty good happy hour crowd and specials. I like the happy hour combos - the slider combos are good and you can't beat the garlic fries especially if they were just fried. The beers are good - The Marzen and Golden Export are my favorites. I like they have late night happy hours. For appetizers, we like their buffalo wings (when they have it) and the Southwestern Egg rolls. For entrees, we like the cobb salad, spinach salad, pizzas, steak medallions and the miso Chilean sea bass. The Triple Chocolate Brownie for dessert is great. There are some food items that disappoint - Chicken Parmesan, some of their sandwiches Their Passport loyalty program is really good if you frequent this place.
(4)
Cat W.
This is one of my go-to restaurants. It's conveniently located in Rockville Town Center and has a bunch of parking lots/garages around it in which you can park for free with validation from any store/restaurant. All of the portions are huge, including the appetizers (which makes up for the price). The crab and artichoke dip is my favorite appetizer, super creamy and crabby with toasted bread to dip. The garlic fries are literally to die for and there's no way I'll ever go without getting an order of these on the side, which they automatically come as with almost everything. I tried the sweet potato fries for the first time this weekend and they were really surprisingly tasty! I'm pretty picky about my sweet potato fries but these were amazing, super crispy but still lots of sweet potato in them and dusted with a little bit of sugar :) For the entrees, the burgers are humongous but cooked perfectly to order and really delicious. Get them with either of the fries if you're not counting calories. Yum. The fish and chips are my new favorite though. The fish are pretty heavily battered which was weird at first, but it's very fresh and ultimately tastes great, especially with the tartar sauce. The coleslaw is average, I usually substitute it with something else. Also good is the lobster and crab cake sandwich, super pricey but definitely worth it (I"m just a sucker for tartar sauce though). A new favorite is the spicy shrimp stir-fry. Who would have thought a brewery did Asian food so well? The bowl is filled with Jasmine rice and is very generous with the vegetables and shrimp. Sweet and spicy and just like heaven. Lastly, the drinks. I don't remember what it's called but I've been getting the special summer brew and it's light and sweet and makes me happy. I've also had mojitos, cucumber gin and tonic, hard lemonade, and bloody marys and they're all great. Service is usually pretty good, and the atmosphere is fun (went to the bar during NBA finals and that was a blast). Overall 4 stars because the food is pretty pricey and, while it's good, it is a chain restaurant and doesn't have such an expensive feel to it. Still good though and I'm gonna keep going!
(4)
Bradley C.
I work right around the corner, and Gordon Biersch is a good place for office lunches, meeting up with friends, and just a quick drink after work. For lunch, I would recommend the Seafood cobb salad, but beware, its BIG. The food is pretty good, the burgers are a good deal, and overall its a place I keep coming back to because of the convenience, good expectations, and overall quality.
(3)
krystal h.
I've been to GB several times and I have never been disappointed with my food. This visit was no exception. However, in addition I was extremely impressed by their customer service (something that is always important to me). Somehow there was a mixup and they made the wrong burger for my sister. Our server came out with a plate of garlic fries and informed us and gave her the option of taking the burger they made or waiting for the burger she actually ordered which they had already started making. She opted to wait for the burger she ordered. Shortly after our server left a manager came to our table apologizing AND she gave us 25% off our entire meal in addition to a free dessert. When my sister's burger came out it included more garlic fries in addition to what was brought out initially. I only gave four stars because of the fact that the order was messed up in the first place and our server, as nice as he was, never refilled our water glasses. All in all, it was a good visit.
(4)
Eric J.
Good drinks
(4)
Katie B.
Good service, great beer, yummy food, nice ambiance, love the rewards. All around win!
(5)
Timothy W.
Thought this was a safe bet to take the fam. A place where I could get decent beer and we could all get some good grub. Been to a couple of other GB locations around the country and this is on par with the rest of them. It was a Thur. night so it was nice and quiet. We were seated immediately. Beer was decent, had a pint of Maibock with dinner. Can't remember what everyone ordered for dinner but I know that they all enjoyed it. We'd definitely re-visit this GB if we found ourselves in beautiful Rockville in the future.
(4)
Aria C.
I mainly come here on Tuesdays since their craft beer is $2.50. The Märzen is always my first choice since it reminds me of the delicious beer I had in Munich. Also, I strongly recommend the garlic fries. They're ADDICTIVE. This place doesn't get the last star however since the service was disappointing on multiple occasions.
(4)
Chen C.
We were in Rockville Town Center recently so we decided to try Gordon Biersch, since the menu had a lot options. Interior is nice, well maintained and clean. Front of house was a little disappointing. Hostess somehow missed us standing right in front of her but was quite attentive to the servers she was talking to about her hair and nails. The place was pretty empty so lots of employees just standing around doing nothing. Server was good, no issue there. Came by often enough and knew the menu well. Food was good, not great but good enough I would come back to try something different. The bad reviews are a little concerning as many of these things should really be addressed or shouldn't have happened at all.
(3)
Shelley P.
Food delish. Drinks yummy. Servers friendly & knowledgable. Wait to place order & get food super slow.
(4)
Naeem M.
Had a quick work lunch here today and went with the garden turkey burger (with avocados) with garlic fries - all for about $15. Food came within 15 min and was delicious.
(4)
Anita N.
I have eaten here before and it was okay. Good beer selection. So I ordered takeout and everything was ok until I bit into my grass fed beef slider and it was red inside. I asked for well done... I emphasized that greatly. That completely turned me off from this place. If I was in the restaurant I would have sent it back and left. I'm not a big meat eater, so when I do eat meat I expect it to be cooked correctly. I don't think I will order from them again.
(1)
Ana P.
Grabbed a Saturday night dinner here with BP. I was in the mood for a burger and GB's famous garlic fries. BP was interested in a few items on the menu (Cajun fish tacos, steak, lobster and shrimp Mac and cheese), but went with the Linguini Primavera. For starters we had the Southwest Egg Rolls. I was a bit hesitant about them at first, but they were delicious. Not greasy or over fried, the egg rolls were crispy, filled to the brim with flavor and downright delicious! I really liked the texture of the crispy egg roll against the smooth almost creamy shreds of the pulled chicken. The back beans and corn in the rolls just added to the flavor. I also really liked the dipping sauce. I believe it was cilantro and yogurt based. I loved how fresh the lettuce and tomato were on my burger. Crispy and juicy. The hamburger patty was also flavorful and moist. The cheddar cheese was superb: melted to perfection. The garlic fries were worth five stars on their own. I loved the small chunks of garlic sprinkled on the fries. Just fantastic. Oh! And the lightly toasted buns with garlic butter... Good enough to eat on their own! BP's linguini was also delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the vegetables in the dish were excellent. The plate had a generous amount of nicely trimmed asparagus and plump yellow and red cherry tomatoes. The feta cheese crumbles enhanced the meal and BP didn't even miss the meat (since this was a vegetarian entree). It was a great meal and our waiter, Jon, was kind and reminded us he could validate our parking.
(5)
Cynthia L.
Gordon Biersch does their beer really well. And their dessert shooters. I love the dessert "shooters": Perfect little two-bite dessert portions for those that have an endless sweet tooth (like myself), but can't polish off an entire pie. Everything else is ok. Their garlic fries were "too garlicky-burnt garlic" fries. The Caesar salad I ordered just did not taste right: half wilted lettuce overdressed in dressing (I never knew it was possible to mess up a Caesar until tonight). I used to really really enjoy Gordon Biersch, but I'm not sure I can say that anymore.
(3)
Rima N.
I come to GB on a regular basis, almost once every week for the past 4 years. I love this place! Alex is my favorite bartender. He's awesome! Garlic fries are amazing, calamari, their burgers are amazing and stir fry shrimp!
(5)
Connie Y.
I waited almost an hour before getting food! Admittedly, we had a large party of 9 people and a few kids, but an hour is just too long for lunchtime service. In addition, the waiters were extremely impatient with our large party just because we had many orders. Luckily, their restaurant validates parking tickets up to two hours in the nearby garages. When we arrived, they accommodated us with the kids by bringing highchairs and crayons to keep them busy. They also had a kids menu that offered quite a large personal pan-sized pizza for $4.95. Not too bad. Between my friends and I, we ordered garlic fries, seafood cobb salad, and the fish tacos. As usual, the yelp stars are for the garlic fries because they are excellent. Fried to perfection and very crispy! I was also fairly pleased with the seafood cobb salad. Although there wasn't much crabmeat, the salad arrived fresh and chopped perfectly sized for eating. I had substituted the creamy sauce for the vinaigrette and it made for a extremely healthy salad minus the bacon bits though:p For my entree, the fish tacos were slightly disappointing because the taco shell was soggy, but otherwise the tortilla was warm and the fish was tender. Make sure to purchase it as a share-able dish and you'll get four tacos instead of the typical three. Nice deal. Based on my experiences here, I'd at least come back for the garlic fries!!
(3)
Kari S.
Came here last night for the first time -- overall it was a good experience. On Tuesdays they offer $3 tall beers. I chose the hefeweizen, it was very similar to Blue Moon with banana and clover tones. For appetizers my husband and I split the "shareable" baby bratwursts and garlic fries. Both dishes were phenomenal, however I wish the brats were served with a spicier mustard. (The mustard provided had a nice flavor, but was very mild.) The garlic fries lived up to their reputation, they were delicious. We ordered a small size to share and wish we had ordered the large. Next, we split the sweet roasted onion & feta smothered chips -- SKIP these. No flavor, soggy chips, just plain gross. We also ordered the lobster & blue crab melts, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these either. I know I wouldn't order them again for over $20. The service was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name! She was very friendly and didn't rush us, but she had the know-how to appear at all the right moments when we needed something. Overall, I would definitely go back. I feel like this is one of those chain restaurants where you have to know what to order, as the menu offers many options.
(4)
Mike C.
I have a hard time with someone who rates this as a 3....it is way above average, with great beers and good food all around and priced well for what it is and where it is. Service is above average, atmosphere is fine, restrooms are clean....whattya need? Free beer to give it more? I'd say someone giving it 3 or less just has problems of their own and won't like much of anything anywhere. Been a number of times and always enjoyed it. Complainers....go somewhere else.
(4)
Emma W.
This location is in the Rockville town center. On a corner, so you really can't miss it. The interior is very nice and sleek and there is plenty o outdoor seating too. The food is good I had the chicken BLT. I have to say, it could have done without the chicken.... the bacon was very good though. Also on one of the burgers, the mention 'bacon jam'. Of course curiosity gets the better of me and I make my friend ask the waitress what it is ;p shouldn't I already know??? Anyways, its really as it sounds, its crushed up bacon put into jelly, so bacon jam.... and they spread it on the burger.... I think I would just prefer bacon. The highlight!!! For me was the garlic fries.... sooo much chopped garlic on these fries. I was tasting garlic all day. However,i like garlicwas this was perfect for me. Not sure if this would be good date food....
Gordon Biersch is one of my favorite places to go to for happy hour. I like their collection of beers on tap, with the seasonal "Belgian Blonde" being my current favorite. Their happy hour food menu is also decent, if a bit limited. I've had the opportunity to try several of their dishes, and among those the garlic fries, the flatbreads, the creole chicken and the Mediterranean Chicken are must try's....!!! The only thing I wasn't really impressed with was the fried calamari. It was a bit too chewy for my taste, and I know it wasn't me because I've had better versions at other restaurants. The ambiance is nice and upscale, and you will generally find a decent, professional crowd at Gordon Biersch. It can also be a good spot for a dinner date(just don't order the garlic fries). The servers are polite, attentive and super professional.
(4)
Mei F.
I was excited to get the Mini Dessert Tasters but they didn't have them anymore! Wish i knew before I went, but other than that the food was great! Definitely get the Garlic Fries. They were better than I expected! You can taste the herbs and garlicky goodness. The cajun pasta dish was also really good. We tried the beer sampler (comes with 6 different ones). It was worth it, although I only liked a few of them.
(4)
Greg W.
I'm not a fan of their beer. Margherita flatbread is good Mussels - not so good. They only give you 5 or 6 total. Good place to have a drink on a nice day. Outside seating.
(2)
Keiana C.
I give them two stars because let us be honest, the environment is nice around the bar/the outside seating other than that I could of gladly passed up this place. I was really disappointed with their happy hour. I mean if you're making about 50,000 + a year then by all means splurge but other than that this happy hour isn't low budget friendly. *side eye* Can I rant about how they have the nerve to have blue crab and artichoke dip with little drops of dried up crab and barely any artichoke. It was awful. It was disrespectful lol as a Marylander who loves her crabs and a good crab dip, they tried it! So would I go again, probably not. But don't let my review dismay you, everyone's experience is different. Lol
(2)
Caroline L.
Definitely one of the better chain restaurants and pretty consistent with food and service. I remember when they first opened up, getting a seat was crazy but it seems to have died down a lot. Or maybe I just have been going on off days. Garlic fries. Oh garlic fries. GARRRLICCC FRRIIESSS. They get 4 stars for just the garlic fries. Ok ok but their crab cakes are also pretty good and so are their burgers. I've gotten old(er) so i don't come out for the bar scene anymore but I remember it was pretty popping a few years ago. Man, I'm old and tired. But their beer flights were always my favorite!
(4)
Fred K.
It pays to be a loyal passport member where you earn points for meals and even a vacation. Plus you get front of line reservations too and nice big stein of beer (it may be the same or little more beer than their regular size glass). I've been coming here since the day it opened. Solid happy hour specials (late night (10pm) too). Recently, on Tuesday all of their craft beers are $2.50. Their food is better than most pub foods. Their steaks are surprisingly good and 90% of the time is cooked to your request (medium rare for me). Love those garlic fries! Their burgers are very filling and like their farmhouse burger with fried egg. Their salads are good albeit very large size. I'm glad they bought back their pizzas after a short stint in selling flatbreads. They have a kids menu and this place is kid-friendly. One note about sitting in their bar when they have their windows open in the summertime, lots of cigarette smell. Boo. Also, why are their bathroom sinks water so cold! You have to wash your hands in 5 seconds before they freeze. Great hang out place in RTS.
(4)
Jinwoo C.
Used to love coming here, but this time around the food was gross. I came with 2 other people and nobody liked what we got. Egg rolls - still ok. The highlight of our meal along with the ketchup and water. Wings - used to love them, but now flavorless. Fish & Chips - tasted like cheap Chinese food, minus the sweet and sour sauce. Cajun pasta - tasted like day old spaghetti California burger - didn't hate it, but nothing to write home about. I'm not usually one to complain about food and write reviews, but I felt like I wasted a lot of money tonight. I would have enjoyed Taco Bell more.
I love this place, my favorite in the area by far. Mary, Alex and Corey are the best bartenders and always keep my drink full without me having to ask or wait no matter how busy they are. On top of that they always remember me even when I had moved for almost a year before coming back to the Ara they still knew my drink. I love the neighborhood bar feel that those three bartenders provide. Also they have a great happy hour special prices and excellent food with great service. The only time I had a problem with my steak undercooked the problem was taken care more then I expected to ensure I left happy. I would recommend here an I promise that if any of those three bartenders are working you will have great service and a fun time! Shout out to Mary!!! You are gorgeous holding your own next to the men behind the bar!!!!
(5)
Kyle F.
It's an American bar and grille, I've never been disappointed with a meal I've had there. You can expect the typical fanfare and environment before you walk into the restaurant/bar but there's nothing over the top or exceptional that separates this place from the rest.
(3)
Mrs S.
Garlic fries baby bratwursts are to die for...lol The service was wonderful.She was very friendly and didn't rush us, and I had questions about the entrees. Steak and Cajun pasta no disappointments there. Steak was juicy and tender medium and pasta was full of flavor and not overcooked. Overall, we would definitely go back. The menu does offer many choices so it helps if the waitress does not rush. Clean and inviting the wait for food can be long but our waitress was attentive and gave us a reason for the delay and we got free dessert.
(4)
Rebecca R.
I came here with my boyfriend and we both liked our meals! However, I wish I could give a better rating but our service was pretty awful. We ordered our meals, then 20 minutes later our salads came out. Then 5 minutes after our meals came. Our waiter barely checked on us. I went up and got my own ketchup on the cart ( we sat outside). I asked for water when my boyfriend ordered another beer. Still waiting on my water refill that never came. Very disappointed.
(1)
Jay S.
This place was okay. There feta chips was amazing. Everything else was ehh ok. I Asked for a medium California burger I received a Burt over done burger. I was too hungry to return. So I just ate it. Highly doubt I will go again.
(3)
Walter M.
Comparing it to your popular bar and food places, this place is great. The environment is friendly. They do brew their own beer and have always at least 10 crafts to serve. They also do samplers. Food is not too different than your popular chain, but their creative pizzas and garlic fries are good. Those two items are worth trying. Oh, and their beer. Do check with them for their daily specials
(5)
Sandy B.
Too high priced for sub par food. Non attentive servers. I wouldn't go back. Dark atmosphere so it is a challenge to read the menu.
(2)
Connie M.
This review was 4 stars...until I got home.... When I am in RTC I tend to gravitate towards La Tasca but sometimes you just want a BEER!! This was one of those times and Gordon Biersch did not disappoint! Friday night around 11:30 and the bar was packed. I was lucky to grab the last seat at the end of the bar. I started with a tall Hefeweizen. Then I had another tall Hefeweizen. And each one was only $5.50. YUM!! I am a Blue Moon girl so I like those belgium white wheat ales. My friend had a glass of Merlot. Then we decided to try the flight. I have never had a flight where EVERY beer was good. The Golden Export is the "light" beer but it had a nice flavor. I did not think I would like the Schwarbier because it was a dark chocolate color (reminded me of Guiness) but had hints of coffee. The Marzen was nice and sweet (Mmmmm...love hoppy/sweet beer like the DogFishHead 120min). The Czech Pilsner wasn't bitter. There was also a seasonal, Festbier for October, which had a nice spicy feel. I made the mistake of ordering the Chef's sampler because only the late night menu was available. Don't get me wrong...everything was delicious...southwest egg rolls, calamari and sweet chili wings. The combination of all that beer, the black beans in the egg rolls and the wasabi dipping sauce for the calamari was just too much for my tummy to handle!! - WICKED COMBO!!
(4)
Derek K.
Last night a group of us stopped in for apps and drinks. After our meal, I felt something in my mouth after I took a sip of water. I spit it out and found it was a f'ing FINGERNAIL!!! The waitress apologized and called her manager. He smiled, said sorry, and gave us 10% off our bill. That's how he managed the situation. Used to come here but no more.
(1)
Shira S.
Gordon Biersch is one of those places I would label as consistent. They aren't ever great or terrible, but definitely reliable. Their garlic fries are probably one of my favorite items on the menu and I happen to enjoy several of their beers (this is saying something for a girl who isn't a huge fan of beer). I went last weekend for one of their oyster days where they offer a set price and you get a specific number of oysters and beers to match. They had two options for this and being the oyster lover that I am I went with a dozen oysters and three-10 ounce pours of beer to match for $20. The oysters were delicious and the beers matched perfectly.
(3)
Ramia B.
We loved the food, I ordered the blackend mahi and my wife ordered the marzen BBQ burger. Everything was cooked perfectly. Out Server "Marc" was very nice and very attentive. The drinks were great too, I love the fact that they brew their own beer. Defiantly coming back, for the good food, drinks, atmosphere, and the great customer service.
(5)
Ivan S.
For someone who loves beer or just wants a place with a good atmosphere to get together with friends or coworkers, there's nothing better than Gordon Biersch. Buffalo Wild Wings is unbearable as is Bar Louie, but Gordon Biersch offers the perfect ambiance, great food and wonderful beer brewed on site. Brewer Christian Lake exudes as much passion for his craft as friendliness towards the guests he works for. He often organizes brewer's dinners which pair several courses of food of a certain cuisine with three or four rounds of beer (these events are incredibly cheap and offer a great experience). There are many varieties of wonderful freshly brewed beer ensuring that anyone who enjoys a pint can select something they like. There's the Golden Export: a light and refreshing lager for those that only like the most drinkable beer that has no dominant aromas. The Czech Pilsner (my favorite) offers a lot of hoppiness and slight bitterness in each gulp. Then there's the Hefeweizen for people who love a more exotic, citrusy / cardamom tasting beer. There are always several seasonal beers which are intriguing to try. These have included various sorts of IPA's, a beer aged in whiskey barrels, a strong dark Winter Bock, and my recent favorite, the Summerbrau (a very light and refreshing beer that still has a slight fruity tone). Although I admit I come here more for the drinks and company of friends than the food, everything that comes out of the kitchen looks like it packs substance, gourmet flavor and ingredients, great presentation, but without any pretentiousness. Some great dishes to accompany your beer are the fried calamari (which practically melts in your mouth), the garlic fries (the smell is agonizingly good when a waiter carries them past you), the crab/artichoke dip, and the wonderful fried artichoke hearts. All of these items are offered at a discounted price between 4-7pm, and after 10pm. The bartenders are all really attentive, friendly and fun to interact with. There is a great patio section that runs parallel to Maryland Avenue so you can see people driving and walking through town square. Let's not forget the 2.50 Tuesdays! For Gordon Biersch to offer all of their beers at that kind of price for the whole day, every week, is ridiculous! It almost doesn't seem right when I look at my bill and it is below $10. Taken together, all of these elements make Gordon Biersch, in my opinion, simply the best place to go to on a regular basis.
(5)
Jen L.
Clean, new, organized, crowded, hight tech with multiple flat screen tv's everyone, fantastic outdoor patio and seating, wonderful open layout perfect for mingling (both interior and outside seating), nice servers, plenty of parking, in Rockville Town Center... one of my top choices for nightlife in Rockville. A "nightlife" spot in the boring burbs.
(4)
Trinh T.
Food & drink are both still good but I came back after a few months away to find that the menu has changed. They've done away with the appetizer sampler and they changed up the happy hour menu. Now instead of paying $5 for southwest eggs rolls I have to pay $10 for eggs rolls half the size it use to be. Sorry, but I believe in getting the bang for my buck and that just wasn't it.
(3)
Tim B.
Solid enjoyable brews but been here a dozen times and still nothing impressive. Average service no complaints . food is about level as beer...no dissappontments but nothing to write home about .
(3)
Julie H.
A great restaurant for lunch and dinner. I love the garlic fries here, they are seriously addicting. The blackened ahi tuna is a great sandwich to get. It was perfectly cooked and the portion was enough to fill me for lunch. The prices are affordable for a nice sit down restaurant. The atmosphere is great to get together with others. I heard the beer here is good, but I have not tried it. The service here is wonderful and I recommend going here anytime you need a bite to eat or with a group of people.
(4)
Miranda C.
Awesome food, great ambience, cool service, convenient location and exciting atmosphere! Highly recommend the crab cakes and steak! Mmmmmmmm...
(5)
Yolit Y.
Many years in this place,always taking care of me and listening to good advises,great local beer!!
(5)
Don H.
Servers were very nice. Food and beers came out quick. Sometimes takes time for servers to check up on you during busy hours. Beers were tasty and seasonal drafts are good. I have only had a few appetizers and they were ok. Location is nice because it is a little busy, but relaxed and far enough away from kids running around in the town center. Parked in the garage but was longer than 2 hours so I paid 2 dollars for parking.
(3)
Wei Z.
Every time I been here thing have been great. The beer is on point. Only thing I wish they had more room for the bar area
(5)
Bradley S.
A great American restaurant. The food has always been delicious in my case, although sometimes the servings are big dishes, which limits enjoying the rest of the menu (appetizers and desserts). The beer is awesome, and the garlic fries are simply nirvana in a starch shell. Try the Mahi Mahi sandwich and a Hefenwizen brew.
(4)
Taylor F.
been here once or twice. decent bar food. had a pretty good pizza. May return.
(3)
Fenny L.
Stop 4 of 4 on the Devouring Rockville Tour de Force. It was supposed to be the Fractured Prune, alas, I was silly and thought "it's a donut shop - it'll be open until the wee hours, right?". Yeah. No. They closed at 8:30 or something. Fail. But the reason why I love Yelpers, and in particular, this little band of brave gastro-masocists, is that we were determined to do 4th place - no matter what it was. So standing in front of the darkened and forlorn Fractured Prune, we look across the street, and spy Gordon Biersch. We decided that as we had dessert at Bob's 66, that we could finish up the night with after-dinner drinks and call it a night. We saunter in and it was pretty busy for a Thursday night. After waiting about 10 minutes, some seats at the bar open up, and we quickly grab them. We probably needn't have rushed, as then we progressed to sit there - ignored by all - for another 10 - 15 minutes. Part of it is not the bartenders fault...the place was quick full, and they were all busy. However, no one even gave us the eye and the nod. You know, when the bartender looks at you and gives you the nod to let you know that they see you and will get to you as soon as they finish up mixing up the 15 shots that the annoying group of girls-who-are-celebrating-turning-21-and-have-Âpassed-the-point-of-being-cute-or-funny-and-are-Ânow-just-*irritating*. Nada. However, due to Juliana C's secret mutant powers, when I turned around, she had somehow snagged a bartender, and had the beer sampler poured and laid-out before us. Um, I don't like beer. So I'm not letting that influence this review. But yeah...the beer...umm...it was...cold? Sorry - can't help you there. I can tell you that the little mini glasses that the beer was served in was *adorable*! So, it was sort of a slightly fizzly end to an otherwise great and delicious outing. Although, Juliana was quite *magical* as a dancing beautiful nymph statue, as we were heading to the parking lot. Yeah, pictures to come.
(3)
Libby F.
With a fun and lively atmosphere and impressive modern decor, Gordon Biersch is a great place for hanging out during happy hour. Unfortunately we missed it by 15 min.(M-F 4:00-6:30; Sun-Thur 10pm-close). Our waiter was busy, but did an outstanding job handling the patio and outside tables by himself. I enjoyed sipping my handcrafted lager on the covered patio. Their beers are great. GB Golden Export is a light lager, while their Marzen is an auburn colored, slightly sweet lager. The Marzen is 5.7% alcohol by volume; their strongest and I felt it! But what is it with the Garlic Fries??? I guess they are great 'cause everybody around us was eating them. Not exactly the kind of smell you want on your breath when chatting it up with a handsome stranger. We had the Crab and Artichoke Dip. Not impressive. It was more like chunks of artichokes with no crabmeat taste to it. It was suppose to be served in a bread bowl, but was really served atop a small boule which had the top sliced off; very hard to eat without slicing the bread boule apart. I'd come back for the atmosphere and beer, but you won't ever catch me eating the Garlic Fries!!!
(3)
O K.
Love the beer! Great game atmosphere!
(5)
Jess C.
I came here last night (Wednesday~10pm) with a few friends. The staff was friendly and nice. We got bar seating and had to wave down a waitress, but we were able to order. Apparently, it was still HAPPY HOUR at 10pm, so they had appetizer and drink specials! My friend's entree took quite over 10 minutes to arrive, but I was too busy munching on their delicious garlic fries (one order~shared with three people) to fret. If you love garlic, you must try these fries. Those were some strong garlic fries... I woke up this morning and still felt garlic in my system. I really like the bar seating and ambiance of the place. I liked the booth seats a lot and I felt its a great place to mingle and hang out with friends. Overall, it was a pleasant night at Gordon Biersch. Would have been even better if they had faster service though!
(4)
Amy B.
I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm on the food at this place. Someone even saying that the calamari was the worst they ever had?? The calamari is fantastic. Very lightly breaded and not overly cooked. On top of that, it comes with a wasabi aioli. It's delicious. Their burgers are fantastic, their fries are delicious (they're garlic fries) and their jumbalaya is amazing. I've also had their fish and chips which are great. They're breaded differently than I've ever had. Forget what it's called but it's great. So food=GREAT. The beer is even better. Their marzen is delicious and so is their hefeweisen. Some of their seasonals are amazing too. At least for the past 2 falls they had festbeer which is a typical octoberfest type beer, which is delicious. Around this time of year they usually have their Maibock or maybe it'll be here soon and that's really good too! So beer= FANTASTIC Their service is pretty good too. All the waiters and waitresses i've had have always been super nice and talkative even if you take up a table and only drink beer. They're still super friendly. The only downfall is if you want to eat at the normal dinner time-no matter what the day- you will have at least an hour wait. Gotta come early or later. If there is a game on, add an hour to that hour.
(5)
Oscar S.
I've been to Gordon Biersch maybe a dozen times. I've always had a good experience here. The beers are good, the food is good, and the service is good. The only thing is that depending what time you get there you might not find seating. But the turn-around for tables at the bar isn't that bad at all. For a micro-brew their beers are really good! Definitely give it a try on a Thurs-Sat. night, you won't be disappointed. (that's what he said!)
(3)
Alex C.
Prices are ok. Czech pilsner and cajun fish tacos are hard to beat. Burgers pretty good too.
(3)
Stacy K.
I wish I could give this place negative stars. Seriously, wtf happened to this place? I used to go with friends b/c it was close to my house, had a fun atmosphere, and good food and beer. I hadn't been in over a year but my sister and I wanted to grab lunch a few months ago so we thought Gordon Biersch would be a good place to hang out. WRONG! When we arrived, no one was at the front door to greet or seat us. Finally, we asked someone at the bar where the hostess was--when she arrived, she wasn't friendly or even polite. Didn't even smile. She took us to our seats and everything went downhill from there. First, we noticed that the menu had changed from when we had last dined here. We decided to be adventurous and try something new. Big mistake...I ordered the stuffed chicken with quinoa and veggies. It was absolutely horrendous...the chicken was overcooked on the outside and I'm guessing undercooked on the inside because I had really bad food poisoning from it. The seasoning was weird and it seemed like they were trying too hard to be fancy. Ugh. My sister ordered the grilled cheese, and it was so greasy that she couldn't eat it. The only good thing about our meal were the garlic fries. The service was RUDE even though my sister and I are really easy going and the waiter was almost...sarcastic? Impatient? He had zero other tables to wait on so I don't get what his problem was. Maybe he doesn't like tips. We returned a few months later, chalking up the previous experience as an off day...we figured that if we ordered our usual, favorite dishes then things would be better. Again...WRONG. Same as last time--no hostess to greet guests. Not busy for lunch but terrible service still. I ordered the goat cheese salad which tasted fine and my sister had a burger. Um...the waiter must have forgotten that we existed b/c I had to tap on the glass divider between our table and the kitchen to get his attention and TELL HIM that my food was waiting on the serving line to be brought out. Luckily my salad was supposed to be cold...if it were a hot dish, it would no doubt have been cold by the time the waiter woke up and realized he was on the clock. He never refilled our drinks--we had to get his attention and ask for them. He would disappear and never check if we needed anything. The biggest joke was that with the check, there was a customer survey card for guests to fill out. LOL. I was tempted to rip GB a new one but I'd rather Yelp it for the world to see, not their crappy sub-par management team, which clearly doesn't bother to check if their employees are doing their jobs or if their customers are satisfied. Most recent experience was earlier today. I only went because a friend of mine wanted to eat their garlic fries really badly so we ate in the bar area instead of the restaurant area for lunch. Our server was inattentive to the point of negligence. The food was decent but took FOREVER to arrive. Come on. I am boycotting this place. If it were sucky once or twice, fine. But consistent bad service and mediocre, greasy food is just pathetic. GB, I gave you a fair chance and you failed miserably. Rockville Town Center, step up your game. You're not worth the convenience of being near my house.
(1)
Monica W.
Love the food and atmosphere @ G. B. Went to business lunch there today. Unfortunately the lunch revisited me a bunch of times later in the day. Had to miss my workout because I got so sick from their healthy choice Mediterranean Chicken. It tasted good I guess but ... Consider yourself warned. :) I have been there many times w no issues. Not sure why that meal was so unpleasant today.
(1)
Jon H.
Huge interior, good atmosphere, and a packed house pretty much describe Gordon Biersch. An average beer-house with average food (even though everything on the menu pretty much will satisfy all your bar food cravings), average service, and above-average prices. Couple of buddies and I shared the huge size appetizer sampler which came with garlic fries (more garlic please!) , pita + hummus (at a bar wtf?), southwestern style egg rolls (no idea what they were), and kobe burgers (might as well be mini-microwave burgers), and a few beers. Needless to say, wasn't blown away by the food (althought it had GOOD potential on paper), or the beer. Other than that, I'd still say Gordon Biersch is an average place. You can still come here with friends and enjoy a good night together...and there's definitely worse places to go out there.
(3)
Megan H.
It's a great place to hang out with friends and watch football/basketball games with cheap food and drinks during happy hour. Service is slow sometimes, but what's the rush? Take a minute a chill :) I highly recommend the garlic fries because they've got some serious garlic chunks in them... just make sure the person you're going home with eats them with you! ; )
(4)
Arnus M.
I've found it best to judge these places under varying conditions. Some friends and I were seeking diversion elsewhere in Rockville and GB was a fallback, during peak times. That said, let's get to it: Parking: If you are from the MD suburbs or exurbs where parking is free, you will feel the high contention for spaces here. Nearby is the Regal Cinema, with it's own lot. So parking can be had, it is just challenging during a busy night. Think DC lite. Food: We had appetizers, which were serviceable, albeit a bit pricey for my taste. Liked the calorie listing for items. Broad menu choices, which is ALWAYS good. Service: The waitress did her level best to keep us plied with food and drink, and was above average given tight quarters. Ambience: Definitely packed, easily a favorite to see and be seen and ideal for the pre-game. There were definitely some beautiful people in effect. Location: Very convenient, right off the main drag of Rockville Pike, so it's easy to guide semi-besotted friends there by phone. Summary: As chains go, you could do worse. Try to hit a happy hour and if you plan to go during peak times, expect a Disneyland-esque wait (bring a paperback).
This place was really packed on a friday evening even past the dinner rush, took awhile but we finally got our bar seats. Drafts are pretty good, competitively priced during non-happy hour times. I had a hard time accepting this place because of my loyalty to rock bottom, but the hefeweizen and marzen were decent. I've heard about the garlic fries, but we ordered the tapas. They came out very fast (2-3 minutes at most) and were delicious. Overall was a good experience, I'll be back when visiting downtown rockville for a brew.
(3)
Steve C.
Went here for the second time yesterday. The first time was pretty good. But looking back on it, it was a weekday and not very busy. This time it was Friday night , and if not for the good company we would have really had a bad time. It started with our lost reservation. We made the reservation the day before, and requested a booth. On arrival we had no reservation and were told the wait was over an hour. Turns out that was the most honest statement of the night! After we sat for a long time our waiter finally showed up. He was unable to handle our drink order. Two martinis, one beer and one cocktail. Even though he wrote it carefully, he forgot one order and had to come back. Then ten minutes later he came back to say they didn't have the ingredients for the cocktail. Wen he brought the drinks, he could only bring two at a time because he didn't have a tray to use. Really? We placed our order then waited. 45 minutes later we flagged the waiter and asked for bread and another round of drinks. Another 15 minute wait for drinks and still no food. Finally after an hour and fifteen minutes, out came the salads and entrees at the same time. A guest at our table with a food allergy got the wrong food. I took it back to the kitchen myself, as there was no waiter in sight. They assured me they would fix it and bring it right over. They didn't. The salads were good and fresh. My waiter assured me that the fish would be stuffed with backfin crabmeat. Not so, but there was plenty of filler and it tasted like a decent frozen stuffed fish you could get at the market for a couple dollars. The jasmine rice was very good and veggies done just right. The other entrees were mediocre, nothing to brag about. After a conversation with the manager he offered to comp a meal and buy us dessert. The chocolate cake was a bit on the stale side, but the cheesecake was good. When the bill came they forgot to comp the meal. All in all, a disappointing dinner, especially considering it was $177 before tip and after free entree and dessert. Sure, we had two or three drinks each, but for such a pricey meal we deserved better. With so many choices in the area it's unlikely we will go back.
(2)
Sina E.
Good atmosphere, and hang out spot with buddies and friends. However, it's usually packed by the time I get there, and usually no seating at the bar! I love their beers; I would say that my favorite is the hef, but the rest are good too. The food isn't too bad either. The garlic fries are good, but might be too strong, and I wouldn't suggest it if you have meeting or work tomorrow, and have to interact with many people.
(3)
Aisha S.
I found myself here again after a rock climbing class just for a quick bite and ordered the veggie pizza. I had a craving for goat cheese (don't judge me) so I asked if that could be added to the pizza. The waitress was very nice and gladly added it to the order. The pizza itself was great, with artichokes, fungus (mushrooms), baby spinach, some other stuff, and of course my beloved goat cheese. Also a good size for the price.
(4)
Maria S.
I've been to Grdon Biersch all over the US...the one in Atlanta in midtown, the one in Palo Alto CA, the one in Rockville MD and their menus have some staple items, but they switch out dishes based on locality. The peeps I hang out with love their beer selection. The Good ~The menu lists the caloric value of what your ordering, bonus if your watching your weight. ~Garlic fries made with Marzen beer....yummmy. ~I like the roasted garlic, bruschetta, olive tapenade hummus flatbread appetizer. What could be better ~The food! I've had lots of meals off their menu: the Blackened ahi Tacos, the pizza, the turkey sandwich, the fish n chips, the pulled pork, the pastas....and the food always seem just ok to me, nothing special, no WOW factor. ~The drinks are pricey and not that great. I'd prefer to go elsewhere.....
(2)
I M.
The food is alright, a lot of things could be better. The main problem is the service, several waiters have an attitude. All you have to do is be nice to your customers and you'll get the tip you deserve. The beer and garlic fries are good are good so stick to the bar
(3)
Renato S.
Food was so bad. came out cold, even if it was warm it wouldn't have helped. Beer okay, do not come for dinner. Happy hour for drinks maybe. garlic fries did come out hot, but it's nothing special way too much garlic.
(2)
Sa'lome H.
Same ole same ole. Great beer and good times!!!
(4)
Leah W.
We were not impressed with the food, it is mediocre and over priced. The service was really slow, on 2 separate occasions I had to get up and search out someone to refill our water. The beer is ok- it is all lager's so if you fancy an ale, this is no the place. The garlic fries had large chunks of garlic, yuck. The $13+ hamburger was no better than the $5 burgers at other joints. We had decided not to return when we walking home. Then a hour later my husband got sick from food poisoning from there. He was ill all night. We will not be going back.
(1)
Martin B.
The food's the same as it is at every Gordon Biersch, and that's a good thing. Came here with some friends last night and we all enjoyed our meals. I got the barbecue chicken sandwich, which is a chicken breast (I was expecting it to be shredded for some reason, and that would have been better) smothered in barbecue sauce and cheese if I'm not mistaken. It was really good! One of my friends got this special oktoberfest burger that's on a pretzel roll, and he said it was amazing. I had a bit of the pretzel roll and it tasted really good, so I can imagine the full burger was also good. The other got the normal Gordon Biersch cheeseburger and he enjoyed it. The garlic fries were very crispy this time around, and loaded with garlicky flavor! Service was friendly and prompt, and our waitress did a good job of keeping up with our drinks and with clearing our table. Would definitely eat here again if I ever find myself in Rockville. It's much more spacious than the other Biersch I've been to in Tysons, and although it was packed it didn't sound loud at all.
(4)
G M.
Almost average food that seemed more appropriate for a diner. The lobster and shrimp taco had humongous pieces of lobster, but it was rubbery and could have passed for hard tofu (no flavor). Would have been great if it was more tender and had more lemon juice. Two tacos for $17 should not have shredded lettuce and processed cheese sauce. I didn't find the beer to be that exceptional. The garlic fries were average. Burger must not have been very good, because my very hungry bf left half of it on the plate. He said the meat tasted bad. Our waiter was very nice and personable. No burning desire to return.
(2)
Anna T.
I give this place 1 star and won't be returning because of the way the manager handled an incident. I was there with 2 female friends to eat dinner and a drunk man came over and started talking to us. We weren't interested in him and sent him away. He came back and called me a b*tch and and *ssh*le, repeatedly. We sent him away more firmly and told the manager. The manager was laughing and said he would go check it out, seeming to not take it seriously. He apologized insincerely, still smiling as though the whole thing was a joke. He did get the guy to leave, but the whole thing felt disrespectful. I was hoping that despite his apparent nonchalance, the manager would at least offer us a coupon, give us a discount on the check, or a free drink. But nope. Just got laughed at. Will not be returning. EVER. I go places where I feel safe and welcome.
(1)
Ever D.
The beer is ehh ok! However, The food is horrendous, deplorable, terrible! I guess you all get the point. Thank god I chucked a beer before my meal came...
(2)
Mitchell L.
GB had very friendly staff, and were very helpful in deciding what we'd try for our first time. Their garlic fries were above all else the best I've had before, but are definitely not for the garlic-weak. Their calamari was pretty poor quality, and their deep fried artichoke hearts could have used more flavor. Their sea bass wasn't extraordinary but wasn't a bad buy. Their steak sandwich on the other hand was excellently cooked (medium), and tender enough to bite through with ease. For the price, I would suggest turning down the $18-28 steak entrees and giving this a try. I'm no beer drinker but the one person who tried the beer sampler on the table was satisfied at the flavor of the microbrews. GB seems to be an over hyped restaurant that didn't live up to the expectation I had walking in. The quality of food is just the same as some places I've tried that charge 30% less; if you're a budget eater I'd suggest going elsewhere. Overall I give them 4 stars because I liked their fries and I thought the staff was great; if their menu items were cheaper they would get 5 from me.
(4)
Joi A.
Great place to hang out. Can be a little pricey unless you go during happy hour.
(3)
Pinto Y.
I really tried my best understanding the concept of this place. If the theme is beer - why nothing tastes like it? The food is nothing but average. Nothing you can't find in your typical American dinner. The price, however, was almost double. During the numerous time I was there the place was loud and the environment was not welcoming. People at the bar were too loud and I could not have a conversation. I mean, if it's a sports bar it can't be a high end chef restaurant, and vice versa....avoid if what you're looking for is good deal for your dollar. If you're into watching a ball game of having a loud conversation, that it your niche.
(3)
stacy W.
This is my favorite local Gordon. Why? It has outside seating which is perfect in the spring and summer. My favorite happy hour spot close to the house and I always knew I could get there early enough to get a nice spot around the double sided bar. That's important because this place gets packed and if you don't develop a relationship with your bartender early... service may be a little slow for ya. The food here is generally just OK. Most of the dishes are a bit salty for my taste. The appetizer mix is pretty good to get if you have a finicky group of eaters and want something to much on.
(3)
Aaron S.
Food is pricey but great place to go to have a drink. Staff is prompt and pleasant. Happy hour prices could be better but its not bad. Love the garlic fries and the outdoor setting.
(3)
Roberto I.
I like!! Like the freshly brewed beer and the food and service is always on point. More of a drinking place less of a eating place but food is still good.
(5)
Peter K.
The restaurant has an awesome sports/bar factory like restaurant.. you can see the beer filtration system. The food is wonderful. Their in-house beer is delicious. Definitely a spot to come back with kids and all.
(5)
Reggie N.
GB service has seemed to improve a bit. There seems to be new staff here. The food is still the same, pretty much.
(3)
Erica G.
My husband and I USED to love Gordon Biersch. We would go there every weekend. For some reason, it has gone downhill. The last 3 times (and they will be the last) our food has arrived cold. The service is good but the food just got worse with each visit. We went last night, ordered our appetizers and then got the check because they appetizers were so bad. The calamari was awful and the sliders were dry and tasted horrible. We got the check and went to the sushi place a few doors down. It is really sad because we used to love this place. But cold food 3 times in a row?!? How does that happen???
(1)
Puja L.
Whaaaat is the major draw here? This place is always overflowing with people!! The drink specials are pretty good for a happy hour ($5 pom mojitos? MORE PLEASE!) but the food is so...overpriced bar food? I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the food here - we've tried the pizzas and the hummus, etc. All fine, but nothing that warrants the crowds here (of course, maybe they are all here for the drinks!). I will say that I've always gotten pretty good service from the bartenders themselves. They're pretty creative and will fix you something different if you don't quite know what you want. That's always fun!
(3)
Orlangela A.
She Said...." The 2 stars are for the location and their beer. Thats about it. The food is not that great. The lobster bisque they have is cheap verison of a good lobster bisque...its gross and even smells nasty. The garlic fries are disgusting...wayyyy to much garlic and salt...and i love garlic, but even for me i was grossed out, i had to wipe the fries off wih my napkin to eat them. The beer is pretty good and the inside is pretty, they also have outside eating." He Said..."I had the chicken sandwich with avocado, and suprisely it was the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time. Was it worth 10 bucks...I don't know, I think thats pricey for a sandwich, but it is in Town Center so everything is expensive...even the parking. Well now I know why Greystone Grill closed down.:"
(2)
Victoria S.
Gordon Biersch is a decent chain restaurant/brewery. I really like the Rockville location because it's got a great bar with 4 large screen TVs. We ordered the Garlic Fries and they were very tasty. I ordered the Linguini Marinara and it was good but I think they had left it under the heat lamps for too long. My husband had the pizza and it was not bad. The beer is good but I prefer a "light" beer and they don't have one so I ordered Miller Lite but the server sold me on their Golden Export. I really do like how they offer samples of the beers. Good place for drinks with friends in the new Rockville Town Square.
(3)
Mahesh S.
since this was my first time here, I went with the sampler beers, and except for one beer, I didnt like any of their beers. and I am not that hard to please. the place itself is nice, and trendy in the hip part of the rockville neighborhood. Its also little pricey but I cant complain as its expected for a place that looks as trendy and nice like this. i was on a diet, so went with their wedge salad. its hard to screw a wedge salad, and most the cooking involves, picking a good lettuce and cutting it right. it was indeed good. I didnt leave craving anything here. it was good while i tried it, ,but that is about it! the Dogfish brewery would have been my first choice, since their beer and food rocks my world!
(3)
Ina C.
"We welcome you to Munchkin Land!" This is the song that should be playing before you're seated at a booth. Why are the booth tables so ridiculously high?? For us tiny Asian girls, we had to sit on our feet in order to comfortably put our elbows on the table. The one guy with us, who stands 6'2" tall, was completely comfortable. A friend recommended the Hefeweizen, which I liked. It was really light and crispy, just like my friend said it would be! I also got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich, which was also light, but not crispy (...not that it should've been). The garlic fries that seem to come with just about everything on the menu were pretty tasty. You can't beat chunks of garlic and herbs on every fry. Our server seemed a bit anxious to get us out of there because she brought our check before we could ask for dessert! But we got to order it and we got a little sampler thing. I think we got some carrot cake thing, some peanut butter thing...and I can't remember the other one. Each "cake" came out in a tall shot glass. Pretty creative. The sizes of the samplers were great, especially since most of us just wanted a taste, but the cakes themselves were just okay.
(3)
Andre C.
The ambiance was fine and the happy hour specials seem decent but the food was very underwhelming. I enjoyed the beer (there were some very unique selections so that was fun) and the service was great but I cannot recommend this place based on how mediocre the food was. If you're going for beers with friends, the happy hour special is for you. If you want anything else (i.e. food), find somewhere else.
(2)
Angela S.
This place is fine, but its one of those deals where you wish you could get smaller portions for less money. No one needs a giant hummus and goat cheese salad that you have to eat for 3 days to finish. I'd rather have half the food for half the price. And they took the goat cheese ravioli off the menu, so now there is only one vegetarian entree (the above hummus salad, which doesn't work as an entree. It tastes like an appetizer to munch on while you wait for the real food to come). Unless you order an individual pizza, which I haven't tried there, but will. Also, $10 for the artichoke appetizer? Seriously? Its good but only serves like 2 people. If you go, make sure you order the famous garlic fries. I hate french fries but like these. Just don't breathe on anyone for at least 24 hours. PS-How could I forget to mention the $2 dessert "bites"? Get them, get them, get them!
(3)
Gloria M.
we went to this restaurant by accident. we are not beer drinkers so we were wondering if the food is any good, well we were pleasantly surprised! My husband and I ordered the california burger and it was one of the best burgers we havehad in a long time. Excellent service.
(5)
Ali B.
The food was really good, especially the fries, but not worth the price (3 people for $72). They charge for re-fills of club soda which no other place that I have been to does. The service is was average, not bad--not good. Our server seemed like he wanted to be somewhere else. GB needs to give its servers lessons in sanitation because the server kept putting his fingers around the rim of the glasses when he served the drinks. Ewww. The food also took forever to get to us after we ordered. We didnt even get offered a free dessert because of that, rather tacky. I found the seating to be clumsily laid out. It looks like they didnt use a professional restuarant architect when they set up this place. The booths were too high and the table was too far from the chair. The restrooms were very clean.
(3)
Chris H.
I'm torn about this place. My first gripe is about the first time I went. My partner and I walked in and were seated, only to have a waiter who seemed totally disgusted having to wait on us. At one point I think we asked too many questions because he actually said "Any OTHER questions?" No Miss Thing, we didn't have any questions about walking out soon after ordering. That was it for that encounter. Well I ended up going again with some friends and the experience was much better, although oddly enough I was seated at the same table as the first time. The place was clean, and the menu was pretty diverse, but some things were too pricey and I felt like they were charging more for the atmosphere of the place than for the food. One example is a side of fries that we ordered, only to get the bill and see that they were $6. For fries?!? But I digress. When I received my meal, it was great. My friends didn't seem too pleased and one mentioned that her (overpriced IMO) ahi tuna was slimy. Fish should never be served slimy. My other friend didn't finish her meal. I'll touch on that one in the next paragraph. While I enjoyed our waitress initially, she definitely rushed us out before one of my friends could finish her food. We were obviously mindful of how long we were there, and I think we tipped her well for her time and effort. Rushing us out was uncalled for. I realize waiters need to get people to those tables to make money, but the place was almost totally empty, except for the bar. I can't honestly recommend going here since I was treated pretty badly the first time and you can find similar food at similar prices at places that would treat you better. It really boils down to customer service, and this place is definitely lacking that.
(2)
Arthur K.
Waitress: "Would you like anything else?" Me: "Can I have a Sprite?" Waitress: "Are you serious?" Me: "???" Miss Waitress, thanks for asking if I want something else, but why even ask when you follow it up with "Are you serious?". Maybe it's a drinking no-no (which I don't think it is), but I like a soda after downing a few beers, wings, and a cheeseburger. The food at Gordon is ok. I mean even though they have a large traditional restaurant area, everything is the quality of bar food. The wings are ok. For the uninitiated: they don't serve "regular" wings, but a sort of Asian flavored wings. I prefer the traditional over Gordon's take. My cheeseburger was the definition of mediocre - think Burger King on a fancy bun. The garlic fries are good - simple and tasty. Beers, of which they only serve their proprietary brews, are decent. Service is usually ok, yesterday it was worse than usual. They have free wi-fi. 2.5 Stars.
(2)
Katherine L.
Love this place. GREAT food. Alright service. It is almost always REALLY busy but its worth it. I guess it can be kind of pricey but again, its worth it. My family and I always go for birthdays and dinners here and there. My husband says the beer is good and I say the cocktails are also pretty good. They have an extensive menu and a lot to choose from.
(4)
khadine a.
Was very disappointed with my meal. Salmon was dry and almost burnt. rice appeared to be from yesterday. What a waste of $18
(2)
Welch K.
Second visit to this establishment, first review. Both visits, excellent service. Calamari ($9.95) is not bad, could use a little more taste, a little bland. Lobster Bisque Bowl ($5.95), very delicious and full of flavor. Lobster/Crab cake sandwich ($15.95) was excellent. Comes with their famous garlic fries which I could just eat as an entree alone. Fish & Chips ($13.95), fish comes in the form of fish sticks and the fish is firm and flaky, very good. I think it is battered with their beer. Overall, would recommend this place. Great food, great service.
(4)
Molly B.
This place is always hit and miss for me. I like to go here during football season because they have a large bar area with every game on tv, and it is walking distance from where I live. The beer is better than the typical cheap, light stuff, but I've never really been impressed with any of the beers they've had on tap. The burgers are solid, as are most of the apps, but the rest of their food is much too expensive for the cost. Basically, GB isn't bad, but you can get much, much better bang for your buck beer-wise and food-wise elsewhere.
(3)
Bill C.
The place was packed on a Friday night so we had to wait a little bit for a table. Once we sat down, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly the food arrived. Everything was good and the restaurant is very clean.
(5)
Daniel K.
One of my favorite places to eat and drink after work. Garlic fries are to die for.
(4)
Aja A.
This is a great 'after movie' bar, a great 'let's ignore each other and watch the game' bar, or a 'I don't feel like venturing more than 2 miles from my apartment' bar. I don't drink beer, so I can't offer any insight on that front, but their mixed drinks are good and strong. As far as bar food goes, this is an above average spot. I usually get a grilled chicken salad with balsamic dressing that is bigger than my head--well worth the 12$. It can be a pain to find a seat here, especially on a night when there's a big game. Usually the wait isn't more than 20-30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to stand in an awkard huddle nursing a gin and tonic and attempting to catch the eye of the one cute guy in the entire bar--oh wait, he's got a girlfriend.
(3)
Gary M.
GB is the best place to go after work for happy hour in Rockville in my opinion. The HR menu is really good and the beer there is even better. If you don't know what kind of beer you would like to try, they will give you a sample to help you decide. The staff at GB is outstanding!!! Get there early (before 5) if you want a decent seat in the bar area. Once it gets warm, there is seating outside on the sidewalk and patio area. It's a nice, clean restaurant with great service.
(5)
Don B.
Nice beer selection, excellent service but 1 star less for cooking my medium rare burger to a hockey puck and another point for drowning my garlic fries in so much garlic, all I could think about was where do they store the breath mints?
(3)
Jessica P.
Brought some family from out of town here to catch a football game. The pilsner beer was spot on! The dumplings were really good and the crabcake was fantastic! Also got good reviews for the fish and chips. I appreciated they had skinny cocktails and lowfat options - I had the shrimp stir fry and it was super tasty. The servings were huge so we had great leftovers the next day. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Charde S.
Me and a friend went here because we had just seen a movie and the theater was right across the street from this restaurant. It was after midnight so nothing else would have been open. I'm glad we went here, the food is actually pretty good. They also have an awesome beer selection. The OctoberFest was great. I wasn't particularly interested in whatever game happened to be on that night, but my friend was very excited to catch the Sunday night game so that's another plus. Great place to grab something to eat late-night. The food wasn't amazing but it was good and had decent portions. The beer really was the highlight. If you want some decent food, a good beer and to catch the game, this place delivers.
(4)
John K.
I think that the beer is overrated (although I do like their Fest Bier that's out right now). But none of the other beers really tickle my fancy. The food price ranges from $10-$30, but no really good choices in between. Service is decent for a chain, and I guess since it's located in downtown, you usually find a pretty good crowd. I should technically give it more stars, but I'm trying to fight against the trend. Hey, maybe I'll vote for McCain....OK, now that's just crazy talk.
(2)
Pete D.
For the most part, this place is crowded, especially during a game night. But it's a bar/restaurant, so this is typical. If you're looking for a decent burger, this is typically what I order (mushroom/swiss burger). The other foods are sub-par. However, their garlic fries is what keeps me coming back. Hungry or not, you can eat these bad boys. The fries have chunks of garlic in them, seasoned just enough, and truly delicious. I'd give it another star, but the crowds can get nuts, as well as the typical slow service you get too.
(3)
Laura I.
I just couldn't get over how incredibly slow the service is. Also, the distance between the booth seats and the table top is much too uncomfortable (booth too low/table too high). It didn't help that the bowl they served my salad in added another 6 inches and I had to sit on my own leg so that I was raised up enough feed myself in a mannerly way and not look like I was shoveling food straight from the bowl into my mouth. The food isn't that bad, but some of the menu items are way overpriced... I usually just stick with the seafood cobb salad without bacon.. but I wish they prepared the shrimp better. It tasted like it was just defrosted pre-cooked shrimp... far from tasty.
(3)
Kelly G.
You treated us like Princesses! Thank you, Princess (our server) for taking such good care of us on my sister's birthday dinner. When we arrived one-by-one, you didn't flinch at all. When we ordered non-alcoholic beverage after non-alcoholic beverage she didn't bat an eyelash. When we needed an extra moment to decide (TWICE) she was cool with that, too! Our conversaiton ran the gamut from work to recent dates but when she needed to give us an entree status alert, she managed to find a logical lull in conversation rather than strong arming her way in. Nice! When our entrees arrived, I wanted to eat ALL of them. I told you I was a chain restaurant pasta whore and my Lil Sis ordered the shrimp & scallop linguini with red pepper pesto cream sauce. MMMMmmmm! The jambalaya pasta and the shrimp and chicken teriyaki were no slouches either. Mmmmm! What did I get? The fish of the day: sea bass with ginger rice and asparagus. Oh MMMMM no! Righteous! You know the Gordon Biersch decor so don't trip. But this one has a garage door style roll-up window adjacent to the bar. And those hops-happy patrons who are seated at those outdoor tables have direct access to the bartender and their next cold one. Well alright! The restrooms are not bad. Plenty of hot water and hand soap to remove the food smells and bits. Everything else in there is your standard faren except the reedy diffuser. Nice touch! Gordon Biersch will SERVE you good food at a reasonable price in a nice setting. There are plenty of other chain and non-chain eat-spots in this Rockville and if your path leads you here, you won't be disappointed one bit.
(4)
Alan G.
Agree strongly with Derryk A's review below. Love the beers - great set up, always a lot of friendly people and the food is definitely steps above places like Fridays. Fish tacos are a hit with me and had a great lobster bisque recently. I try and wrap up wednesday nights there between 10:00 and 10:30 there - nothing like throwing back a late night lager!
(4)
Christie W.
The atmosphere is fun, and trendy, its big enough so you don't get overwhelmed by the crowds. If you are lucky enough to snag a seat in the beer garden during the summer months, thats a plus! I love people watching, and being outdoors. Overall I been disappointed with everything I have ever ordered off the menu, including the famous garlic fries, they are nothing special, and leave you with some rancid breath. This place is good for a nice summer happy hour. The beer is good. Definitely more of a place for drinks, not dinner.
(2)
Roger F.
I must start out by pointing out that I do not drink alcohol, so this food is entirely about the restaurant aspect of Gordon Biersch. I only came here because someone had given me a $25 gift card for Gordon Biersch, so I was probably in a little bit better mood to start with, since I knew I would be getting a significant discount on the meal. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich, which was decent but not outstanding, and everyone else said the same about their food items. The atmosphere was very good, and the service was also good. In all, it was definitely an enjoyable meal experience. However, only 3 stars due to the prices (it was $12 for a smallish sandwich, $15-20 for pasta-type dishes, and even more for other entrees. Not worth the price in my opinion, but I am glad I got to try it once with the gift card!
(3)
Erica H.
My husband and I recently moved to Rockville and we have become fans of Gordon Biersch. While it is a little pricey for American food (although, it's also more sophisticated than traditional bar food), we have continually been pleased with everything we've ordered. Equally important, the service has always been great. Every time we've been there our waiter/waitress has been super friendly and attentive. We even signed up for the Passport program because we are sure that we will continue to frequent this restaurant. I can't speak for the bar scene, although it always seems to be hopping, but I definitely give two thumbs up for the restaurant.
(4)
John W.
American Cuisine. Well I'm not a beer drinker, so you won't be seeing anything about the beer in my review. In search for a replacement steak place after the 'Orleans House' closed in Rosslyn, we decided to trek here to try out the cuisine. Everyone at the table had some variation of steak, NY Strip, Steak Frites and Steak Cubes. One person had the salmon with pecans. I had a taste of the salmon, nothing special to report. As for the steaks? They were ok, nothing to really rave about. One person ordered a medium rare NY Strip and it came out more medium to medium well. My Steak Cubes were supposed to be done medium, but it was more medium well, and one ended up medium rare. Most of the items on the menu are steaks, and you can't cook a steak right? That is NOT good. As for the sides that came with the dishes, they were alright. The potato skins were on average and the garlic mash was good. Unless beer is your thing, a member at our table had a beer and it was decent, I am not sure if there is anything on the menu that is really outstanding. Maybe worth the try once, but I prefer Red Rock Canyon as a steak place.
(3)
Anne P.
Such great beer and really good tasting food... nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Yes, definetely a fan!
(4)
Karthik B.
GB has a pretty good hefeweizen, and the glasses are generous compared to many other area bars. However, the food isn't as great as people make it out to be. The vegetarian selections are pretty uninspiring, so I tend to eat a little bit at home if my friends want to meet up here. The location is super convenient, with easy access to Metro and parking. Good decor, but I don't understand why the outside bar area needs to be walled off from the rest of the restaurant with heavy frosted glass doors -- it makes the area look crowded and uninviting from the inside. If you want something safe, GB is for you. Otherwise, find something with more local flavor.
(3)
Roz D.
Bad beer. Eh food. In a pinch it will do.
(2)
Ricky M.
The selection of beers that they brew is awesome. The martzen is my favorite. The hefinhieser or something along those lines a great blue moon type beer. Garlic frys are a must when coming here
(4)
J. L.
Food here was great and place was nice. The drinks were good and all in all, it was a nice place to try out. The only problem I have with this place are their server staff. We were sat at a table close to the bar and ordered some food and drinks through the waitress. During the course of our meal our waitress wasnt around that much, but it was okay because she was pretty busy with other people to take care of. We were trying to get our waitress for some more drinks but she didnt come around for a little while now and since we were less than 5 steps from the bar, we were fine going up to the bar and ordering more drinks. What I wasnt so pleased with was that the moment we did, the waitress finally comes around, not even to see how we were doing, but just to let us know that we need to order drinks through her. Obviously she just wants to get a bigger tip from having a bigger bill from us. At this point we werent upset and agreed to order through her...The only problem is that she was not able to come by to our table even though we tried to wave her down. As much as I would love to order through the waitress I'm not gonna wait another 15 minutes just to get some more drinks so I went back to the bar where I was helped in less than 10 seconds. Just like clockwork the waitress finally comes back and showed her frustration to us this time and raising her voice telling us that we have to order drinks through her with a very impolite attitude. If were not allowed to order through the bar then the bartender shouldnt have served us. I wish I would have gotten her name and would make sure to put her on blast for this one, but I'm a visitor from out of town and made the wrong choice coming here. I wont be back.
(1)
Jed S.
I was here last night. We were told it would be a 25 minute wait, and it only took 15 minutes-it was nice having a restaurant give me a table early and not late for once! :P The service was very attentive, and the food was good. Their garlic fries are delicious. Otherwise, the food wasn't anything special, per se, it was pretty standard, but it was done well. There is ample parking in the area-if the open lot across the street is full, there's an underground lot around the corner. My sole complaint is that both times I've been here, it was VERY noisy inside. Loud enough to make conversation difficult. Still, that shouldn't be enough to keep you from coming. :)
(4)
michele p.
We went to GB for a birthday party last night. Large group of us, still great service, and they did a wonderful job with bringing out the cake and everything. Everyone's food was very good, steak medallions with stuffed shrimp= awesome. Try their pizzas, they are all great. It is a little more expensive than your typical pub, because the food is better than your typical pub. I highly recommend it for a nice dinner out with some good drinks. They also have a cool covered outdoor bar area.
(4)
Ellen K.
I went for happy hour with a few co-workers and the bar area was packed. We had to stand around in the bar area for half an hour for someone to leave. The bar bites were OK...I've definitely had better. I never liked anything on their menu. I gave this place a couple tries but both times, I was pretty unimpressed. The atmosphere is like TGI Friday's...nothin' special. Their garlic fries are delicious but, it hits you in the face for the rest of the night.
(2)
Christi N.
Went for happy hour the other day. My boyfriend ordered us a Hefeweizen and a Seasonal beer to share. Both were unique and delicious. The chicken flatbread was surprisingly very flavorful. The Hawaiian pizza was also good, but was nothing extraordinary; it also resembled the flatbread (just a tad thicker minus the feta-assisted flavor). The garlic fries were EXCELLENT with real bits of garlic among the fries (giving justice to its name for once)! The sliders were more towards the side of bland. And the calamari was far from perfection; first it came under-seasoned and undercooked... then the same batch came back overcooked and hard as rocks. Thankfully, the server was wonderful and understanding of our distaste and she removed the item from our check.
(3)
Jawd Z.
I wish I had yelp before I came here to have been warned about this place. A friend and I came here on a Saturday for drinks. We seated ourselves. It took a few minutes for our waiter to come over. When she came, she gave us drink and food menus. We ordered one of their homemade beers. The first half of it was great, it was smooth. The waiter did not bother to come back to our table to ask if we were ready to order our food. She disappeared out of sight for quite a while. Eventually she did take our order. We decided to share mini burgers. I was suggesting we go over to Buffalo Wild Wings after for their cheesy fries. We ate a burger and a half each. We could barely finish them bc out stomachs began to hurt. We couldn't finish the other half of our beer because it did not taste the same. When the waiter brought over the tab, she stayed near us and kept asking if we needed anything else. (like that was going to make me want to leave a high tip! Ha!) I tipped her poorly because her service was poorly. We headed over to BWW, ordered a beer & wings & fries. We didn't even touch the wings because of the immense pain in our stomachs, and we had developed headaches. Once I got home, I threw up everything I had consumed and felt 100 times better. My friend said that she did the same. We are certain that it was those mini burgers. Or maybe the beer. Whatever it was, I know for sure that I'm never going there again. It was my first and my last visit there.
(1)
Jason F.
I'm OK with this place. No real complaints except two...one small, one big. First the small one, and likely just me, but the season fries aren't all that great, and the onion smell from them floats around the bar area, and I can't help but think there's someone nearby with bad body odor. But the real attraction is the outside area before 5pm. Second, as mentioned in countless newspaper articles, and review of this and other nearby restaurants...the parking. Not only is it horrible to find a spot (and increasing harder the more popular the area gets), but many of the yuppies that come here just don't know HOW to park. I mean does your little overpriced Mercedes or BMW really need two spaces to park....are they really that blind, or inconsiderate....arrrggg.
(3)
Nami C.
The food is good, beers is good too. The restaurant setting is not bad, wonder why so many people don't like it... yes Rockville is a aging city, I guess only 50+ are manage to eat out in this current economy.
(4)
Homer J.
Swanky place to hangout and knock back a few. The food is okay, we ordered a couple appeteasers of egg rolls, shrimp and pot stickers. Btw, dont get the potstickers, I think they tried to use some mustard in them to imitate the wasabi taste and wasn't very appealing at all. Service was pretty slow, esp on a busy night but in good company, you can't really tell. Worth it to go during their happy hours but gets quite pricey during other times. Their house beers are pretty good, suggest you try them out instead of ordering drinks you could get anywhere else.
(3)
Hooty B.
Beer was okay. Menu looked great and everything sounded so good, but then turned out to be pretty bland and not hot. Let down. Service was pretty slow and ditzy...
(2)
Grace G.
They can be really busy on the weekend. But the garlic fries are well worth the wait
(4)
kara h.
Great place for happy hour, one of my favorite places to go to in Rockville. LOVE the Seafood Cobb Salad and the Garlic Fries.
(5)
Nicole L.
This Gordon Biersch looks nice and new. I had the Marzen beer, it still my fav choice of beer. The garlic fries were good. But my steak came out stone cold. I was quite disappointed, they offered to do something about it, not sure what exactly. I got a free cup of soup while waiting. My steak came back hot but it was the same piece of meat cos I cut a little corner off. SO I hope there wasn't any "Waiting" manipulation in the kitchen. The steak was ok, it's warm but a little over done. At the end, we asked to split the bill with two cards and they put both charges on my card. What are the chances!! Anyhow they had to reverse one of the charge.
(2)
Kawa L.
Slow service, food needs to come out faster. Food are ok. The beers are pretty much the only reason I keep going back.
(3)
George R.
Good beer, decent wine; food is hit-or-miss. Best appetizers: Southwest Egg Rolls; calamari (recipe changed a few months ago). Good mains: mahi mahi (plate or dwich); seared tuna; cajun pasta; pulled pork dwich; spinach salad; cobb salad. Seasonal menus are also hit-or-miss. Avoid: rice. Tip: you can get the potato wedges with garlic instead of blue cheese (awesome if you like garlic).
(3)
Laurie W.
I come here for the Schwartzbier. Yes, that is why I come here. The bartenders are friendly and I love the outdoor seating area (fans in the summer, heated in the winter.) That's what makes it so sad that the food here verges on terrible, really. I can chow on a chicken sandwich or Caesar salad at Friday's, no problem. I'm not a total anti-chain snob. But this menu is odd, and overpriced for what it is. This is NOT a twenty-dollar entree kind of joint, or locale, but that's what you'll pay if you opt for a full dinner. I generally go for a salad if I'm hungry when I get there. I've had some of the appetizers, which amount to a variety of fried things. If it were just for food I wouldn't hurry back, but oh the Schwartzbier! So dark and yet so light...yum. It's my new favorite beer. You can get a growler of it to go, too, so you can eat at home if you want.
(3)
Kathy C.
The food quality is fine: typical bar food. Their happy hour specials are phenomenal! $5 drinks, $11 combos, $5 or $7 entrees/sides...great, casual interior with dim lighting and good service. Happy hour runs from 4pm-6:30pm.
(3)
Kelly W.
Beer selection awesome! Food just average but way, way on the pricey side. Come here for the armosphere and beer rather then food, and you will have a great time!
(3)
Jim B.
Crap. $10 burgers that should be $5. Garlic fries that have a bit too much garlic. I mean, I love garlic - but do I want to eat five cloves worth as I dig into my fries? Beer was decent and they have a cheap sampler option that gives you 5 varieties that are brewed on-site. Wait, nevermind. That sampler amounted to $5 for what must have been less than a pint. Crap. Overpriced and underwhelming.
(2)
Jen G.
Overpriced. Blah food. Tiny portions of fish dishes. Service eh. $100 for 3 people-3 entrees, 2 drinks! What a waste!
(1)
Lu C.
Minus one star for greasy/a little bit salty food, but PLUS FOUR STARS for the hottest waiter. He was a mix of lotsa races (aka the best). Go for the beer sampler (even my dad did once), the Gordon Biersch burger (greasy deliciousness- you get the best bang for your buck), and the new coconut shrimp appetizer. Also a great place to chill at night (where else is there to go drink in Rockville, anyway?) Hit the nearest Gordon Biersch to you since its a chainnnn.
(4)
Mariella B.
Typical chain restaurant has some burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, pasta, even Asian cuisine. Their garlic fries are so good they are a must! I typically go there for lunch and I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich with grilled peppers or avocados. I have had a bad experience here when it was Octoberfest and they had specials like sausages with peppers and onions and soft pretzels for appetizers. When we got the pretzels they were still cold on the inside so they brought us out another batch which were still cold inside. We decided we didn't want to attempt another round since out food was probably going to be there soon. The waitress kept the pretzels on out tab and when we questioned it she said she would have to ask her manager if they could take it off. We were kind of annoyed because why she have to ask if he could when he SHOULD take them off because we didn't even eat any. Other than that it's pretty cool but I still think they're over priced.
(3)
Catherine H.
bleh. Look, if I wanted some garlic fries and corporate food I'd make my way to San Francisco and go to Phone Park. At least then I could watch some baseball while I overpaid for my food. Gordon Biersch is the same all over the country-- kinda average food, kinda average beer, slightly above average prices. The main difference between GB and TGI Friday's is the slightly nicer decor and the lack of flair on the servers. Hardly reasons for me to spend my money here. If this is Rockville's definition of progress we've got some real problems.
(1)
Rachel G.
Chilean sea bass! Great drink selections. Fun atmosphere. Needs better bread.
(5)
Ivy V.
love love love my spinach salad. ...maybe it's the dressing. please bottle it Gordon. always have a good time here.
(4)
Glaciala A.
Standard american fare, with great tasting beer. Had a chicken sandwich and it was pretty tasty. I'd skip the dessert mini sample next time, but great place to chill for happy hour or have a quieter dinner.
(4)
A. F.
3.5 stars. I used to frequent GB for happy hour. They have pretty good deals on martinis, mojitos, beer, and a pretty extensive list of appetizers. I enjoy hanging out there on a Thursday or Friday afternoon/early evening to chill out after work and catch up with friends. I'm not a beer person, so I can't say anything about their beers. But I usually get a mojito and southwest eggrolls which are always consistently pretty good. Despite the crowdedness, I've always had pretty good service... at times, slow, because its crowded, but servers are always nice and helpful. Beware, though, it gets pretty crowded later in the week and gets hard to find a table.
(3)
dave h.
This place was okay, the beer was better then the food, I would only give it 2 stars but beer bumped it up a star. The garlic fries that they raved about in the menu, we just genetic fries with some garlic salt nothing to write home about. The beer was tasty, and the bar atmosphere was pretty cool too. They have this cool outdoor sidewalk seating, very NYC or maybe Bethesda. Stop by when you are waiting to see a movie at Regal or looking to kill some time between court appointments at the court house. Catherine but it best, average. cheers --drink on kids--
(3)
Lesly S.
Nothing fancy but still cool--GB has a new outpost in Rockville's Town Center. I'm not always in favor of chains, but GB has good food and good beer, and this new location is pretty spacious. The bar has a sort of indoor/outdoor thing going on, and it was crowded the whole time I was there. There is also a TINY patch of actual outdoor seating, from what I could tell. The food is good, I actually had a great hummus/goat cheese salad. Tasty. My husband gorged himself on one of the specialty burgers, and he raved about the garlic fries, "with actual chunks of garlic!" HIs beer was so-so. There are a lot of new restaurants coming into this area, some known and some new that caught my eye. I'm sure GB will always be crowded.
(4)
Kruella D.
Most of the food here sucks, but the beer is fantastic! If you know what to order, you might end up with an OK meal. It's not a place to go if u are a "foodie".
(3)
Wendy D.
I primarily go to GB for Happy Hour, since they really do offer a lot. Their happy hour consists of $1 off beers $5 martinis (not real, the GOOD stuff), mojitos and apps. Whenever my friends need a quick, convenient place to go, we usually head over to GB. The only negative is that everyone else has the same idea, as getting there at 5pm is peak-time and the bar is usually packed. If you're lucky enough to find a table- or even better, a booth- you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Derryk A.
Yep 4 stars why because it's a nice step up or two from your typical Fridays, Ruby Tuesday type places. Located in the heart of Rockvilles Town Center across from the Movie theatre in what use to be an ugly eyesore of an old strip plaza and overgrown empty field. This place has risen up out of nothingness to a city centre destination to go any day of the week. Gordon Biersch is a nice location to journey to. Right on the corner it gets plenty of foot traffic and in the summer with it's large glass doors open and sounds from the inside filter out inviting people to join the fun. When you get inside you will see a large dinning area and bar area with plenty of large flat panel TVs tuned in to the sports channels. With people staring at them rooting for their team and drinking laughing and having a good time. The dinning area consist of tables in the center and along the side hugh booths for even the largest people. The menu is quite extensive in variety with everything from pizza to seared tuna and a mix of German, Italian, American, Asian and fusions of all. Interesting combo. Usually these types of places I sick with more Euro-American cuisine and don't bother with the Asian fusion items. Asian food is perfect just the way it is and without corruption, IMHO. The beer selection is good with their own brews I like getting the sampler and have a little of this and that. The Marzen is our favorite, also the Hefeweizen, the waiters always pronounce these names wrong my college German teacher would have a cow if she heard this butchery to the language. Anyways I got off subject as usual. Prices can be pricey with the entrees I always like their sandwiches and burgers those are excellent (the Marzen bbq burger very good) with decent prices. They have Chilean Sea Bass on the menu I like it but I thought that was an endanger species at this moment. So I don't know about that item. Other menu items include seasonal listings during the appointed time, lots of Oktoberfest items. Fiancee had a pork en wrapped with beacon dish served with hugh potato wedges. potato wedges were a little over saturated with the pork grease, left a lot of those on plate. She bit off more than she could chew on this dish I try to help her out but that was just way too much pork at one time for me. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it. So had to take the rest home. I wound up eating the rest the next day after taking a aspirin to thin the blood. The rest of the selection are big portions go with plenty of appetite the deserts are huge but they do have small sample type deserts that come in these tiny shot glasses, good idea. Good location, nice layout, good service and good food I have no major issues except for the sea bass and the entrees are a little too pricey.
(4)
Miranda B.
I thought the service was fantastic, but it was way too crowded for my tastes. Especially for a Tuesday. I only had a salad (which is pretty difficult to mess up) but the appetizer was absolutely delicious. Prices were a little high, which didn't make much sense for the quality of food. Not to say it wasn't good, but I would have expected more for the money.
to be honest with you. i've eaten here once. drank here endless times. and usually it's semi outside in the "beer garden" not so much a garden then a boxed in strip that allows the drunken mess of people to spit on the sidewalk and possibly puke on the grass rather then inside on the floor. i find myself coming here quite frequently and GASP my tolerance has gone up to about 2 beers before i feel like i might hurl....hey, before it was half a beer. the bar service staff is excellent and always are around, no need to stand there holding ur card or cash in the air. the crowd can get a bit raucous but thats what beer is for, to numb out the stupid and bring in the happy. also the last call is about 1am. perfect for when all of rockville closes at 11pm. score.
(3)
Becky T.
I got the meatloaf there and it was enough for three separate meals so the $14 price for it didn't hurt too much. Bar was packed with people watching football which was fun with me cuz that freed up the outdoor seating which was perfect for a sunny autumn afternoon. The waitress was really nice and the food is solid. I probably wouldn't suggest it for dinner but I wouldn't bitch if anyone wanted me to go with them.
(4)
choad x.
Crap food. Tasted like they pulled it out of a microwave container. Good Beer, but I'll take a Chimay at Tryst any day. I remember better food at the Gordon Biersch in Palo Alto.
(3)
xj o.
FOOD: Well, despite what some people have said here, I think their food is very good. Well, most of it. I recommend = Pecan Crusted Salmon, Marzen Ribs (entree), Veggie Pizza, Steak Frites, Glazed Wings. I do not recommend = Tapas, Marzen Ribs (appetizer), Artichoke Hearts, Calamari. I personally don't care for the following, but my friends seem to enjoy it = Garlic Fries, Southwest Egg Rolls, most of the Salad entrees. Entrees are a little on the pricey side. But they have weekday HH specials where most appetizers are just $5. For dessert...GET THEIR PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE. Soooo goood..... DRINKS: Yeah, I have to agree that their beers are nothing to rave about. I tend to get the Golden Export. While most of the girls tend to get the Hefewiezen. Anyways, I usually drink liquor instead of beer. And this place tends to make them pretty strong. Again, they have good weekday HH specials where most martinis and mojitos are just $5. ATMOSPHERE: I've been here too many times to count. The place tends to get packed most of the time. And yes, sometimes service can be slooooow. But the wait staff has never been rude to me. Word of advice, if you go there for HH on a Friday, get there way early 4:00-4:30PM, else you'll probably have to wait to get a table at the bar area. They also have a nice porch area for hanging outside when the weather is nice. Some of the waitresses here tend to be easy on the eyes. Never hurts.
(4)
JOHN T.
Average beer, below average food. Great atmosphere for beers and wings. Not that cool. Take what you want from this review but it is what it is, a beer house with crappy food and cheap chinese garlic!
(1)
Gia H.
The food is good here, nothing you rave about and tell people they must come here to eat. For hor'd we started with the southwestern egg rolls. Nothing great...Just okay. For my entree, I was going to order the roasted chicken and fettuccine until I saw a server pass with a pizza. So I ended up ordering a sausage and pepperoni pizza that was very good. Because the portion of the pizza was big, I was able to take some home. Boyfriend ordered the southwest chicken sandwich. Sandwich could have been seasoned a lot better, but the garlic fries that came with the sandwich were delicious. Dessert we ordered the apple bread pudding and the banana split. I was not a fan of either. At night it seems the bar area is a little mini party in itself. Is the bar a hookah bar as well? We saw someone smoking and thought this person may have brought it from home? Overall an alright experience. Server was that great, maybe he was new. He gave some tables bread before they ordered and others he did not. Oh well, would come here again but not in a big rush to do so.
(3)
Mauricio A.
Gordon Biersch is definitely one of the chillest places to go with friends and their beer is amazing. I'm a big fan of the Golden Export but their Hefeweizen is just as good. Also, they have really good garlic fries but be sure to pack mints and even a toothbrush because there is enough garlic on these things that you could clear out the entire bar with your breath after eating them.
(5)
C J.
This was a night where the company pushed a so so restaurant up a half a star from 2.5 to three. I was all ready for a beer before going in, BUT they had three different kinds of mojitos!!!! I tried the pomegranate mojito and it was phenomenal! But that was really the best of it. And the fact that our waitress "lost" our ticket and it took over 30 minutes to get our drinks (the other table we were with already had their salads and appetizers before we got our drinks). The crispy artichoke hearts were definitely not crispy, blech. I split the southwester chicken sandwich and they were kind enough to go ahead and split it up onto two plates with our own fries. However, no amount of nicety can overcome mediocre food and quite poor/inattentive service. We were coming from a soccer game, so I'm hoping our group smell was what kept our waitress away...
(3)
Vivian L.
Long wait for poor high priced food. That sums up my dinner at Gordon Biersch (look below if you would like details). We put our name down a 7:10 and was told it would be 20 to 30 mins. No prob, but 40 mins later and no buzzing sound on our flying saucer, puck thingy we asked what was going on and was told we actually got there at 7:29, it was a 30 min wait and it was still going to be a few mins.WTF? My bad, I must of read the time wrong on my phone by 19 mins. The thing is it was busy in the bar, but not super busy anywhere so I was going to leave and my friend was going to freak out on them ,but finally was showed to a table after waiting an extra 10 mins. We asked if we could have the open booth right next to the table and was given a look and "let me see if this is available." Was told the booth might be reserved. I said "I didn't know you guys take reservations, "Oh, no "he said just "umm call ahead seating'. "You guys have call ahead seating?" No response. Was then seated at the booth. Was told when we sat that our server just got a large table so it was going to be a while. Oh, F&%%, I should of brought 10 more people with me to get good service, nice. We ordered right away when our server said hi because it was obvious she was stretched thin. The food took a while and the server apologized for the extra wait, thanks we have been waiting an hour and half (not her fault). All the food was luke warm, but the plates where hot so we thought maybe under a heat lamp for a while. We couldn't ask them to heat it up with risk that we would miss our movie (actually we got to the restaurant over 2 hours prior to the start of the movie thinking that would be enough time to eat! My Bad for not coming here a lunch time to eat dinner ) . I ordered the steak and crab stuffed shrimp. My luke warm steak was very chewy as well as the lovely chewy luke warm stuffed shrimp and the crab stuffing didn't taste like it had a speck of crab meat in it (Yum. Chewy kinda cold $23 dollar meal)! Totally disappointed. We hardly saw our server and we were both in a bad mood by the end of the meal. Gordon Biersch was a real let down not only in quality and taste of food, but value and service. We where really looking forward to a great meal, and fun times :) but would of done much better at a place half it's price. Please do yourself and friends a favor, if you want an enjoyable meal go somewhere else. Don't let the location grab your attention.
(1)
James D.
Dude. I don't get it. I have had countless afternoon happy hours in the outer bar bordering the sidewalk and had fantastic service. This time we sat inside, and it wasn't even that crowded. Sunday nite and four of us barely got service. We even had to ask twice for drinks a couple of times and ask for some other item again because she forgot. Look, I understand GB is a fairly up and up place and the trendies tend to flock because they see the brand but shit service is not acceptable anywhere, particularly somewhere as "up and up" as the new downtown Rockville. Been here lots a times but the service sucked ass tonite. The drinks and food were good.
(2)
Ravi B.
What's sad about this place is that no matter how much information we impart about the food and service this restaurant will always have business because people who work in the area consider this a good option for a business lunch. I've been here twice now for lunch. The first time I thought the menu was a bit pricey for what it offered but I was happy with my meal. Their garlic french fries were delicious. I went back with others for another lunch and was generally unhappy with the food. I ordered off of their summer specialty menu: the jerk chicken kobe beef burger. It sounds delicisious I know, but it lacked any kind of spice. I'm not talking about hot spicy, I'm talking about flavor spicy. The service was pretty decent for our party, and the beer I had was adequate although for a microbrew I was kind of disappointed. Overall I would not go back here at all. I think there are other restaurants in the area that deserve a chance after this place dropped the ball for me.
(2)
Tammy L.
I like all their beers except their heffeweizen, which makes me sad because I like heffeweizens. It tasted a bit like hot dog water (!?) and really grossed me out. Make another choice instead... Like Sila D., I like Marzen and Golden Export. I'm not sure if this is a Thursday special or if it's just one bartender who does this, but at this location, we've gotten $5 shots of Patron (dayum!) on Thursday. The food is nothing special; I'd never go there to eat. It's not ridiculously crowded and we can usually find a seat in the bar area. I like how they open up the windows behind the bar and bring in fresh air. Service is sometimes good, sometimes not good. It's a good place to go if you don't know where to go instead. Something about this place is not right though. I guess I feel like I'm settling if I choose to go here.
(2)
Kavita K.
If ever you want a semi-bar plus family oreinted place this is the place to go!! It was really amazing!! The food was great, perfect setting even with 4 hungry kids the dinner was enjoyable. I'm not a big fan of Beer but my friend got me hooked on @ this place. It is yummy! Service was very friendly and prompt. The one in Tyson's is equally good.
(5)
aidan m.
over priced. douche-bag infested. full of pretension. bartenders are(were, i dont live by there anymore) half-way decent. dont bother spending alot of money here on a regular basis. you will never get hooked up with drinks, no matter how generous you are with gratuity. uber corporate. but, if you want to show 'new rockville' off to your out-of-town guests from the mid west, by all means bring 'em here. you can woo them with the crappy, pedestrian, over priced food and un-diverse beer menu. all the beer they brew are german styles which isnt bad but when they are all mealy and taste the same it, it sucks. so when you think their beer sucks and you dont want to pay 5$ for a miller bottle, just skip it and go to hooters.
(1)
kevin k.
like this place alot. they got good service modern ambience good beer good juicy burger i had other dish but i dont recall what exactly all i know it was good and i can and will go back soon as i save some money saved.
(4)
Mike S.
Gordon Biersch is a welcome addition to Rockville's "downtown," which is otherwise reminiscent of the old Soviet Union: grey, concrete, bland and boring. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the food is average, not great, just average (I've always gotten real garlic on my fries though). And I wish they'd add a few more options to their fairly limited menu. But the decor is pretty sleek and the service has been outstanding on every occasion (about 10) that I've been since they opened. They have a summer seasonal beer, whose name I cannot now recall, that is very crisp and refreshing. Yummy! I also like their burgers. They also have a dining card that allows you to accumulate points and, more interestingly, to get bumped ahead of non-cardholders if there is a line (so far not an issue at the Rockville location, but might be handy elsewhere). I say 3.5 stars.
(3)
Raymond W.
This location was pretty consistent with the downtown dc location with a large and loud crowd on a Saturday night. The hostess' greeting consisted of a hello and stink eye, but we let that slide as we were busy looking for a table to sit. At first we went outside and grabbed a couple of chairs, but we were astonished to have a middle aged man, who was much too old to be wearing earings, invade our seating area and telling us to move. Mmm suburban douche bags with a false sense of entitlement- not looking good. Luckily we were able to get a table inside where the AC was more welcome and we able to get our drinks quickly. One of my friends got overwhelmingly garlic french fries, but they were still crisp and savory so fair trade, I suppose... The patron showing off too much cleavage, if there was such a thing, had a large plate of pasta that looked appetizing, although I was still busy recovering from a donut overdose from the Fractured Prune just moments ago. Maybe next tiem, I'll have an actual meal there.
(3)
Alisa O.
The beer is fine but there's a lot of microbrew, even in this area, so there has to be something else. The food isn't very good and the menu is outright boring. The waitstaff have always done a good job. We usually go there when we happen to be in the area and want a beer or when we're with a group of people.
(2)
Elisabeth T.
DO NOT MAKE LARGE GROUP RESERVATIONS at this restaurant if you have plans afterward. Gordon Biersch almost turned a Sweet Sixteen Party into a nightmare for us. We made a 6:30pm reservation for a party of 17 on Sunday evening, with notice that we had to be out the door by 8:00 for a waiting limobus. Our entire party arrived by 6:30. A table of two was still seated at a table assigned to our group. The manager told us we would have to wait for them to leave. (They ended up leaving at 7:30!!)The manager did not try to find a win-win situation, such as explaining the situation and offering compensation to move the pair (ie. free drinks or dessert.) Neither the manager or hostesses (who are given no autonomy or authority) monitored the area for open tables or thought of other ways to seat our party close to each other. The evening only turned out ok (still with a couple knots in my stomach) because I intervened and looked out for available tables. The teens ended up sitting near 7:00 and getting food served at 7:40. The atmosphere is nice, the food and waiters are good, but none of that can be enjoyed if you're reservation isn't honored.
(1)
Jay K.
This is a decent place to eat, but the food is just mediocre. I have tried a lot of dishes on the menu, but the best thing on it is probably the pulled-pork sandwich. The portions are kind of small and leaves me hungry sometimes. The location of the restaurant is great though and the beer is pretty good, especially the Hefeweizen.
(3)
Stephen P.
The beer never dissappoints. The food often does. I have had seafood Cobb Salad with damn little seafood in it~~and where do those pale little shrimp come from anyway, a can? And the salad is ground up in little pieces. Bison Burger, ordered medium, served crispy / incinerated. And who's idea is it to top burgers with Gorganzola anyway? Might as well add a few anchovies too. Pizza is generally uninspired, I keep ordering it from time to time but no luck yet. Garlic fries are a good concept but do they have to sit in a pool of oil? Can the fry temp be adjusted? At 850 calories per serving at least I like to eat them a litle less wet. No hot water in the men's room~~that's a nice touch~~isn't that a situation that can get you shut down by the health department? The most miniscule $9 pour of Grand Mariner I have ever experienced. It sure had to be less than an ounce. When I asked for that in a snifter I had to draw a picure with my fingers to explain what that was. I have searched high and low on the menu for something consistantly good and enjoyable that I could rave about, but until then, it's the beer, Marzden, that brings me back. I just need to move on after a couple.
(2)
Mi-ryeong K.
i had high hopes for this place ... especially as an alternative to rock bottom in bethesda. and although i'm a fan of their marzen beer, i was disappointed with the food. we tried their chef's sampler and wasn't too impressed overall, but the chicken wings were not too bad. also, we ordered the garlic fries which according to some, was the "thing to get" and even then, we were let down. but the biggest disappointment were the entrees. over a series of multiple occasions, we sampled everything from the salads to the pastas, and finally, the meats ... aside from a couple instances where the food was considered average, most of the entrees we tried was not worth the money. to make matters worse, the dessert selection was also unappetizing. in the end, gordon biersch's only redeeming quality was the alcohol ... so now we've downgraded gordon biersch from dinner destination to "just for bar purposes only".
(2)
Aria C.
I mainly come here on Tuesdays since their craft beer is $2.50. The Märzen is always my first choice since it reminds me of the delicious beer I had in Munich. Also, I strongly recommend the garlic fries. They're ADDICTIVE. This place doesn't get the last star however since the service was disappointing on multiple occasions.
(4)
Chen C.
We were in Rockville Town Center recently so we decided to try Gordon Biersch, since the menu had a lot options. Interior is nice, well maintained and clean. Front of house was a little disappointing. Hostess somehow missed us standing right in front of her but was quite attentive to the servers she was talking to about her hair and nails. The place was pretty empty so lots of employees just standing around doing nothing. Server was good, no issue there. Came by often enough and knew the menu well. Food was good, not great but good enough I would come back to try something different. The bad reviews are a little concerning as many of these things should really be addressed or shouldn't have happened at all.
(3)
Shelley P.
Food delish. Drinks yummy. Servers friendly & knowledgable. Wait to place order & get food super slow.
(4)
Naeem M.
Had a quick work lunch here today and went with the garden turkey burger (with avocados) with garlic fries - all for about $15. Food came within 15 min and was delicious.
(4)
Anita N.
I have eaten here before and it was okay. Good beer selection. So I ordered takeout and everything was ok until I bit into my grass fed beef slider and it was red inside. I asked for well done... I emphasized that greatly. That completely turned me off from this place. If I was in the restaurant I would have sent it back and left. I'm not a big meat eater, so when I do eat meat I expect it to be cooked correctly. I don't think I will order from them again.
(1)
Ana P.
Grabbed a Saturday night dinner here with BP. I was in the mood for a burger and GB's famous garlic fries. BP was interested in a few items on the menu (Cajun fish tacos, steak, lobster and shrimp Mac and cheese), but went with the Linguini Primavera. For starters we had the Southwest Egg Rolls. I was a bit hesitant about them at first, but they were delicious. Not greasy or over fried, the egg rolls were crispy, filled to the brim with flavor and downright delicious! I really liked the texture of the crispy egg roll against the smooth almost creamy shreds of the pulled chicken. The back beans and corn in the rolls just added to the flavor. I also really liked the dipping sauce. I believe it was cilantro and yogurt based. I loved how fresh the lettuce and tomato were on my burger. Crispy and juicy. The hamburger patty was also flavorful and moist. The cheddar cheese was superb: melted to perfection. The garlic fries were worth five stars on their own. I loved the small chunks of garlic sprinkled on the fries. Just fantastic. Oh! And the lightly toasted buns with garlic butter... Good enough to eat on their own! BP's linguini was also delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the vegetables in the dish were excellent. The plate had a generous amount of nicely trimmed asparagus and plump yellow and red cherry tomatoes. The feta cheese crumbles enhanced the meal and BP didn't even miss the meat (since this was a vegetarian entree). It was a great meal and our waiter, Jon, was kind and reminded us he could validate our parking.
(5)
Cynthia L.
Gordon Biersch does their beer really well. And their dessert shooters. I love the dessert "shooters": Perfect little two-bite dessert portions for those that have an endless sweet tooth (like myself), but can't polish off an entire pie. Everything else is ok. Their garlic fries were "too garlicky-burnt garlic" fries. The Caesar salad I ordered just did not taste right: half wilted lettuce overdressed in dressing (I never knew it was possible to mess up a Caesar until tonight). I used to really really enjoy Gordon Biersch, but I'm not sure I can say that anymore.
(3)
Rima N.
I come to GB on a regular basis, almost once every week for the past 4 years. I love this place! Alex is my favorite bartender. He's awesome! Garlic fries are amazing, calamari, their burgers are amazing and stir fry shrimp!
(5)
Connie Y.
I waited almost an hour before getting food! Admittedly, we had a large party of 9 people and a few kids, but an hour is just too long for lunchtime service. In addition, the waiters were extremely impatient with our large party just because we had many orders. Luckily, their restaurant validates parking tickets up to two hours in the nearby garages. When we arrived, they accommodated us with the kids by bringing highchairs and crayons to keep them busy. They also had a kids menu that offered quite a large personal pan-sized pizza for $4.95. Not too bad. Between my friends and I, we ordered garlic fries, seafood cobb salad, and the fish tacos. As usual, the yelp stars are for the garlic fries because they are excellent. Fried to perfection and very crispy! I was also fairly pleased with the seafood cobb salad. Although there wasn't much crabmeat, the salad arrived fresh and chopped perfectly sized for eating. I had substituted the creamy sauce for the vinaigrette and it made for a extremely healthy salad minus the bacon bits though:p For my entree, the fish tacos were slightly disappointing because the taco shell was soggy, but otherwise the tortilla was warm and the fish was tender. Make sure to purchase it as a share-able dish and you'll get four tacos instead of the typical three. Nice deal. Based on my experiences here, I'd at least come back for the garlic fries!!
(3)
Kari S.
Came here last night for the first time -- overall it was a good experience. On Tuesdays they offer $3 tall beers. I chose the hefeweizen, it was very similar to Blue Moon with banana and clover tones. For appetizers my husband and I split the "shareable" baby bratwursts and garlic fries. Both dishes were phenomenal, however I wish the brats were served with a spicier mustard. (The mustard provided had a nice flavor, but was very mild.) The garlic fries lived up to their reputation, they were delicious. We ordered a small size to share and wish we had ordered the large. Next, we split the sweet roasted onion & feta smothered chips -- SKIP these. No flavor, soggy chips, just plain gross. We also ordered the lobster & blue crab melts, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these either. I know I wouldn't order them again for over $20. The service was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name! She was very friendly and didn't rush us, but she had the know-how to appear at all the right moments when we needed something. Overall, I would definitely go back. I feel like this is one of those chain restaurants where you have to know what to order, as the menu offers many options.
(4)
Mike C.
I have a hard time with someone who rates this as a 3....it is way above average, with great beers and good food all around and priced well for what it is and where it is. Service is above average, atmosphere is fine, restrooms are clean....whattya need? Free beer to give it more? I'd say someone giving it 3 or less just has problems of their own and won't like much of anything anywhere. Been a number of times and always enjoyed it. Complainers....go somewhere else.
(4)
Emma W.
This location is in the Rockville town center. On a corner, so you really can't miss it. The interior is very nice and sleek and there is plenty o outdoor seating too. The food is good I had the chicken BLT. I have to say, it could have done without the chicken.... the bacon was very good though. Also on one of the burgers, the mention 'bacon jam'. Of course curiosity gets the better of me and I make my friend ask the waitress what it is ;p shouldn't I already know??? Anyways, its really as it sounds, its crushed up bacon put into jelly, so bacon jam.... and they spread it on the burger.... I think I would just prefer bacon. The highlight!!! For me was the garlic fries.... sooo much chopped garlic on these fries. I was tasting garlic all day. However,i like garlicwas this was perfect for me. Not sure if this would be good date food....
Gordon Biersch is one of my favorite places to go to for happy hour. I like their collection of beers on tap, with the seasonal "Belgian Blonde" being my current favorite. Their happy hour food menu is also decent, if a bit limited. I've had the opportunity to try several of their dishes, and among those the garlic fries, the flatbreads, the creole chicken and the Mediterranean Chicken are must try's....!!! The only thing I wasn't really impressed with was the fried calamari. It was a bit too chewy for my taste, and I know it wasn't me because I've had better versions at other restaurants. The ambiance is nice and upscale, and you will generally find a decent, professional crowd at Gordon Biersch. It can also be a good spot for a dinner date(just don't order the garlic fries). The servers are polite, attentive and super professional.
(4)
Mei F.
I was excited to get the Mini Dessert Tasters but they didn't have them anymore! Wish i knew before I went, but other than that the food was great! Definitely get the Garlic Fries. They were better than I expected! You can taste the herbs and garlicky goodness. The cajun pasta dish was also really good. We tried the beer sampler (comes with 6 different ones). It was worth it, although I only liked a few of them.
(4)
Greg W.
I'm not a fan of their beer. Margherita flatbread is good Mussels - not so good. They only give you 5 or 6 total. Good place to have a drink on a nice day. Outside seating.
(2)
Keiana C.
I give them two stars because let us be honest, the environment is nice around the bar/the outside seating other than that I could of gladly passed up this place. I was really disappointed with their happy hour. I mean if you're making about 50,000 + a year then by all means splurge but other than that this happy hour isn't low budget friendly. *side eye* Can I rant about how they have the nerve to have blue crab and artichoke dip with little drops of dried up crab and barely any artichoke. It was awful. It was disrespectful lol as a Marylander who loves her crabs and a good crab dip, they tried it! So would I go again, probably not. But don't let my review dismay you, everyone's experience is different. Lol
(2)
Caroline L.
Definitely one of the better chain restaurants and pretty consistent with food and service. I remember when they first opened up, getting a seat was crazy but it seems to have died down a lot. Or maybe I just have been going on off days. Garlic fries. Oh garlic fries. GARRRLICCC FRRIIESSS. They get 4 stars for just the garlic fries. Ok ok but their crab cakes are also pretty good and so are their burgers. I've gotten old(er) so i don't come out for the bar scene anymore but I remember it was pretty popping a few years ago. Man, I'm old and tired. But their beer flights were always my favorite!
(4)
Fred K.
It pays to be a loyal passport member where you earn points for meals and even a vacation. Plus you get front of line reservations too and nice big stein of beer (it may be the same or little more beer than their regular size glass). I've been coming here since the day it opened. Solid happy hour specials (late night (10pm) too). Recently, on Tuesday all of their craft beers are $2.50. Their food is better than most pub foods. Their steaks are surprisingly good and 90% of the time is cooked to your request (medium rare for me). Love those garlic fries! Their burgers are very filling and like their farmhouse burger with fried egg. Their salads are good albeit very large size. I'm glad they bought back their pizzas after a short stint in selling flatbreads. They have a kids menu and this place is kid-friendly. One note about sitting in their bar when they have their windows open in the summertime, lots of cigarette smell. Boo. Also, why are their bathroom sinks water so cold! You have to wash your hands in 5 seconds before they freeze. Great hang out place in RTS.
(4)
Jinwoo C.
Used to love coming here, but this time around the food was gross. I came with 2 other people and nobody liked what we got. Egg rolls - still ok. The highlight of our meal along with the ketchup and water. Wings - used to love them, but now flavorless. Fish & Chips - tasted like cheap Chinese food, minus the sweet and sour sauce. Cajun pasta - tasted like day old spaghetti California burger - didn't hate it, but nothing to write home about. I'm not usually one to complain about food and write reviews, but I felt like I wasted a lot of money tonight. I would have enjoyed Taco Bell more.
I love this place, my favorite in the area by far. Mary, Alex and Corey are the best bartenders and always keep my drink full without me having to ask or wait no matter how busy they are. On top of that they always remember me even when I had moved for almost a year before coming back to the Ara they still knew my drink. I love the neighborhood bar feel that those three bartenders provide. Also they have a great happy hour special prices and excellent food with great service. The only time I had a problem with my steak undercooked the problem was taken care more then I expected to ensure I left happy. I would recommend here an I promise that if any of those three bartenders are working you will have great service and a fun time! Shout out to Mary!!! You are gorgeous holding your own next to the men behind the bar!!!!
(5)
Kyle F.
It's an American bar and grille, I've never been disappointed with a meal I've had there. You can expect the typical fanfare and environment before you walk into the restaurant/bar but there's nothing over the top or exceptional that separates this place from the rest.
(3)
Mrs S.
Garlic fries baby bratwursts are to die for...lol The service was wonderful.She was very friendly and didn't rush us, and I had questions about the entrees. Steak and Cajun pasta no disappointments there. Steak was juicy and tender medium and pasta was full of flavor and not overcooked. Overall, we would definitely go back. The menu does offer many choices so it helps if the waitress does not rush. Clean and inviting the wait for food can be long but our waitress was attentive and gave us a reason for the delay and we got free dessert.
(4)
Rebecca R.
I came here with my boyfriend and we both liked our meals! However, I wish I could give a better rating but our service was pretty awful. We ordered our meals, then 20 minutes later our salads came out. Then 5 minutes after our meals came. Our waiter barely checked on us. I went up and got my own ketchup on the cart ( we sat outside). I asked for water when my boyfriend ordered another beer. Still waiting on my water refill that never came. Very disappointed.
(1)
Jay S.
This place was okay. There feta chips was amazing. Everything else was ehh ok. I Asked for a medium California burger I received a Burt over done burger. I was too hungry to return. So I just ate it. Highly doubt I will go again.
(3)
Walter M.
Comparing it to your popular bar and food places, this place is great. The environment is friendly. They do brew their own beer and have always at least 10 crafts to serve. They also do samplers. Food is not too different than your popular chain, but their creative pizzas and garlic fries are good. Those two items are worth trying. Oh, and their beer. Do check with them for their daily specials
(5)
Sandy B.
Too high priced for sub par food. Non attentive servers. I wouldn't go back. Dark atmosphere so it is a challenge to read the menu.
(2)
Connie M.
This review was 4 stars...until I got home.... When I am in RTC I tend to gravitate towards La Tasca but sometimes you just want a BEER!! This was one of those times and Gordon Biersch did not disappoint! Friday night around 11:30 and the bar was packed. I was lucky to grab the last seat at the end of the bar. I started with a tall Hefeweizen. Then I had another tall Hefeweizen. And each one was only $5.50. YUM!! I am a Blue Moon girl so I like those belgium white wheat ales. My friend had a glass of Merlot. Then we decided to try the flight. I have never had a flight where EVERY beer was good. The Golden Export is the "light" beer but it had a nice flavor. I did not think I would like the Schwarbier because it was a dark chocolate color (reminded me of Guiness) but had hints of coffee. The Marzen was nice and sweet (Mmmmm...love hoppy/sweet beer like the DogFishHead 120min). The Czech Pilsner wasn't bitter. There was also a seasonal, Festbier for October, which had a nice spicy feel. I made the mistake of ordering the Chef's sampler because only the late night menu was available. Don't get me wrong...everything was delicious...southwest egg rolls, calamari and sweet chili wings. The combination of all that beer, the black beans in the egg rolls and the wasabi dipping sauce for the calamari was just too much for my tummy to handle!! - WICKED COMBO!!
(4)
Derek K.
Last night a group of us stopped in for apps and drinks. After our meal, I felt something in my mouth after I took a sip of water. I spit it out and found it was a f'ing FINGERNAIL!!! The waitress apologized and called her manager. He smiled, said sorry, and gave us 10% off our bill. That's how he managed the situation. Used to come here but no more.
(1)
Shira S.
Gordon Biersch is one of those places I would label as consistent. They aren't ever great or terrible, but definitely reliable. Their garlic fries are probably one of my favorite items on the menu and I happen to enjoy several of their beers (this is saying something for a girl who isn't a huge fan of beer). I went last weekend for one of their oyster days where they offer a set price and you get a specific number of oysters and beers to match. They had two options for this and being the oyster lover that I am I went with a dozen oysters and three-10 ounce pours of beer to match for $20. The oysters were delicious and the beers matched perfectly.
(3)
Ramia B.
We loved the food, I ordered the blackend mahi and my wife ordered the marzen BBQ burger. Everything was cooked perfectly. Out Server "Marc" was very nice and very attentive. The drinks were great too, I love the fact that they brew their own beer. Defiantly coming back, for the good food, drinks, atmosphere, and the great customer service.
(5)
Ivan S.
For someone who loves beer or just wants a place with a good atmosphere to get together with friends or coworkers, there's nothing better than Gordon Biersch. Buffalo Wild Wings is unbearable as is Bar Louie, but Gordon Biersch offers the perfect ambiance, great food and wonderful beer brewed on site. Brewer Christian Lake exudes as much passion for his craft as friendliness towards the guests he works for. He often organizes brewer's dinners which pair several courses of food of a certain cuisine with three or four rounds of beer (these events are incredibly cheap and offer a great experience). There are many varieties of wonderful freshly brewed beer ensuring that anyone who enjoys a pint can select something they like. There's the Golden Export: a light and refreshing lager for those that only like the most drinkable beer that has no dominant aromas. The Czech Pilsner (my favorite) offers a lot of hoppiness and slight bitterness in each gulp. Then there's the Hefeweizen for people who love a more exotic, citrusy / cardamom tasting beer. There are always several seasonal beers which are intriguing to try. These have included various sorts of IPA's, a beer aged in whiskey barrels, a strong dark Winter Bock, and my recent favorite, the Summerbrau (a very light and refreshing beer that still has a slight fruity tone). Although I admit I come here more for the drinks and company of friends than the food, everything that comes out of the kitchen looks like it packs substance, gourmet flavor and ingredients, great presentation, but without any pretentiousness. Some great dishes to accompany your beer are the fried calamari (which practically melts in your mouth), the garlic fries (the smell is agonizingly good when a waiter carries them past you), the crab/artichoke dip, and the wonderful fried artichoke hearts. All of these items are offered at a discounted price between 4-7pm, and after 10pm. The bartenders are all really attentive, friendly and fun to interact with. There is a great patio section that runs parallel to Maryland Avenue so you can see people driving and walking through town square. Let's not forget the 2.50 Tuesdays! For Gordon Biersch to offer all of their beers at that kind of price for the whole day, every week, is ridiculous! It almost doesn't seem right when I look at my bill and it is below $10. Taken together, all of these elements make Gordon Biersch, in my opinion, simply the best place to go to on a regular basis.
(5)
Jen L.
Clean, new, organized, crowded, hight tech with multiple flat screen tv's everyone, fantastic outdoor patio and seating, wonderful open layout perfect for mingling (both interior and outside seating), nice servers, plenty of parking, in Rockville Town Center... one of my top choices for nightlife in Rockville. A "nightlife" spot in the boring burbs.
(4)
Trinh T.
Food & drink are both still good but I came back after a few months away to find that the menu has changed. They've done away with the appetizer sampler and they changed up the happy hour menu. Now instead of paying $5 for southwest eggs rolls I have to pay $10 for eggs rolls half the size it use to be. Sorry, but I believe in getting the bang for my buck and that just wasn't it.
(3)
Tim B.
Solid enjoyable brews but been here a dozen times and still nothing impressive. Average service no complaints . food is about level as beer...no dissappontments but nothing to write home about .
(3)
Julie H.
A great restaurant for lunch and dinner. I love the garlic fries here, they are seriously addicting. The blackened ahi tuna is a great sandwich to get. It was perfectly cooked and the portion was enough to fill me for lunch. The prices are affordable for a nice sit down restaurant. The atmosphere is great to get together with others. I heard the beer here is good, but I have not tried it. The service here is wonderful and I recommend going here anytime you need a bite to eat or with a group of people.
(4)
Miranda C.
Awesome food, great ambience, cool service, convenient location and exciting atmosphere! Highly recommend the crab cakes and steak! Mmmmmmmm...
(5)
Yolit Y.
Many years in this place,always taking care of me and listening to good advises,great local beer!!
(5)
Don H.
Servers were very nice. Food and beers came out quick. Sometimes takes time for servers to check up on you during busy hours. Beers were tasty and seasonal drafts are good. I have only had a few appetizers and they were ok. Location is nice because it is a little busy, but relaxed and far enough away from kids running around in the town center. Parked in the garage but was longer than 2 hours so I paid 2 dollars for parking.
(3)
Allie A.
I have come here on two occasions and both were positive experiences. Great drinks, reasonable prices, excellent food, but what made me give 5 stars was the exceptional service. Our waiter, Bradley, was attentive, helpful, and anticipated our needs wonderfully. I couldn't have wanted anything more from a server and I only wish I could have tipped him more. I loved the garlic fries and really enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken and the portion was decent especially considered it's listed under "lighter fare". I can't wait to come back.
(5)
Bianca F.
I was quite surprised. I went here with friends for happy hour. The place was pretty packed. I did find one seat at the bar, the bartender helped me immediately. A few minutes later my friend arrived & this couple scooted over for us to have a seat. Pretty awesome! I had the happy hour wine special. The lemon drop & Georgia peach cocktails were good too. I inhaled my ahi & greens. Darn good! I will be back. Second review: Went here a few days later and ordered food to go. I had the steak medallions with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked right, but had no flavor at all. The mashed potatoes had something else in there that I did not recognize at all.... won't be ordering that again. If you want a low sodium meal, then order that. I think I'll stick to other restaurants for steak.
(3)
Mina C.
I don't know. I don't love this place. I don't hate it either. This is our fail safe in Rockville. Whenever I meet up old friends and we are in Rockville, we almost always end up here. I just don't love this place. It's always packed and I always run into people. Whether I wanna see those people is a different story. I just don't love this place. The beers are always consistent. I like the pilsner the best. They had an English pale ale that was delicious as well. My friends love the hefeweizen. You can never really go wrong with the garlic fries. Did I mention? I just don't love this place.
(3)
Drew L.
Nice atmosphere for the restaurant and bar but the entrees are only average at best. Go for the drinks and appetizers, not the food. A half dozens large tv's keep the sports enthusiast up-to-date. Part of a nationwide chain.
(2)
Michael S.
Their Egg rolls is a must! Never had been better! House beers are awesome, they brewed their beers there! also, burgers are yummy, meaty and cheesy! Garlic fries are the best! However, it's its bit expensive & I don't like the idea that they changed the late night menu. They use to have verity of appetizers including egg rolls for $5. The new menu don't offer that much and they increased the price! Service on the other hand is AWFULE! non of these waiter & waiters don't know what are they doing. service is slow (I mean it when I say slow) & they get confused so easy, their table are mostly not-whiped & you have to ask for it when you wanna sit which take 10 min to someone come back to clean! overall, food is excellent but they need work on their service.
(3)
Shahin E.
I haven't been in this place for almost a year. Food is still as good as before, however servers and bar tenders as creepy as I remember. Customer service hasn't improved a bit. They really need an improvement on that.
(2)
Tiffany T.
Happy hour & Late night Happy hour review only: I haven't had the food here in YEARS so I don't feel as I can judge freely. ALthough I remember loving their cajun pasta Now moving on to the important things in life, HAPPY HOUR :) I love their happy hour. I always get the "tapas" which is just flatbread with parmasean, olive tapenade, pico de gallo, and roasted garlic for $5.00. They have a bunch of other deals too ranging from $5 apps, personal pizzas, and other food stuffs ranging from $5 to $11. OH BUT THE ALCOHOL: $1 off beers and $5 specialty cocktails. So what do I get? LONG ISLANDS ALL DAY. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm just financially apt to choose something that when made right, should have 5 shots in it. So.. $5? Hey-yooooo
(4)
Angela P.
My favorite place to meet up with friends from back home! It beats Clyde's because I can actually see their pretty faces in the well lit dining area. The farmhouse burger is on point--super juicy and delicious. The garlic fries are amazing, too, but my friends won't let me in their car after b/c you'll reek of garlic the entire night. Skip the lobster bisque, fresh mozz pizza needs more basil! I love all the beers. My top choices are the blonde, amber, and hef when I'm in the mood for it. Delicious! Great beer, pretty good food! What more can you ask for?
(4)
Kim J.
Large portions, but great recommendations on food. Good food, timed perfectly. Ask to be seated in John's section. He takes really good care of patrons and knows the menu well.
(5)
Lance V.
I really enjoy the outside seating and the bar area. Inside bar has a lot of tv's and is large. They always a seasonal beer so new things to try. The food is fatty and fried. Even the vegetables seem unhealthy. I get the ahi tuna app and have a beer; and all is good.
(4)
Howard R.
We enjoyed a great evening at the Rockville location. Food was delicious and service was great!
(5)
Kit S.
Good food. Good service. It depends who your waiter/waitress is but never had a bad one. Great selection of drinks. Hot waitresses. Just saying. Nice happy hour menu. I come here almost every week and it seems busy every day. Plenty of tvs. There's always a mix crowd which is good. There's an outdoor area and area behind the bar that's enclosed so it's halfway outdoor and halfway indoor.
(3)
Suzanne R.
The food was good. Decent. Best ever...no, but good. Staff was very good! Big. Open. Booths & tables. Ramp 'side' in restaurant good for strollers, wheelchairs, etc. Garlic fries....IMO are WAY OVER-RATED! They were regular fies with garlic dumped in them.
(4)
Danielle C.
We drive to rockville to Gordon Biersch for the garlic fries and the banana beer! WONDERFUL food
(4)
Mark H.
What a nice little place. I went here a few Fridays ago and had a good fish dish and a few tasty brews. The waiter was a super cool dude that seemed like someone I wouldn't mind hanging with. My reason for eating there: I was on a first date with some random girl, and it was easily the worst date of my life. The girl was 24, but may as well have been a tween, because she texted the entire time and had the conversational skills of a non Jr HS grad. I was flabbergasted (I'm apparently 80 since I used that word) and wondered why she asked me out on a date. Asking questions of her yielded very little, because she couldn't talk about herself because all of her work was CLASSIFIED.... I doubt it. I think she worked at a Blimpie's. Long story short, I motioned the girl to exit the date stage right... she offered me a courtesy hug, and I told her to text it to me. But I digress. So there I was, alone, with two place settings, and was slightly embarrassed. I wanted to pull a Jerry Maguire and shout "who's sitting with me???"- but I refrained. I did sit there and enjoy two more craft brews-- all while trying to convince the waiter that the girl really did leave. 4 stars.
(4)
Stephanie A.
This place is horrible.
(1)
Tara S.
My boyfriend and I go here mostly prior to movies as we don't live far from the Town Center. It isn't the best for vegans, but honestly most places aren't! :-) The food is always good! The only "complaint" that I have, which isn't really a complaint, per se, is that we usually have a long wait or have to sit in the loud and crowded bar area. But several times that we have gone, we were able to sit outside or get a good table indoors. I highly recommend this place. Just try to get a reservation if it is during peak hours.
(4)
Daniel L.
Came here with the homies for a 21st birthday. Food: 2 Price/Value: 1 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 4 Food: 2 It depends on what you get. We got the large garlic fries appetizer, real simple with garlic and some parsley but pretty good. For my entree, I got the jambalaya and it was plain. Price/Value: 1 Definition of not worth. The large garlic fries were $7 for like 30 boardwalk fries. My jambalaya was $17 with no sides, and the meat was dry and sauce didn't have much taste. So much $ ... but why? There were no extra fresh ingredients, no alcohol in the dishes, no extra love. If you like spending money on things that aren't worth it, then add this to your list of things. We are generally good people, but this time we all felt so cheated that we thought about stealing the table and the chairs so we could be all even. Service: 2 Waitress did not give off the good vibes. It was a Tuesday, so we all got water, and only got one drink for our newly initiated friend. She showed she wasn't happy about our decision to not get turned up on a Tuesday. It took around 20 minutes for her to take our order even though there were only a couple people inside the restaurant. Throughout my meal, my water was running pretty dry. Atmosphere: 4 It's a pretty cool place - they have their own brewery and a sports bar. Tips You Should Know: No deals that I'm aware of. If you're open to food suggestions, get a kobe burger - those were big and looked good. Would I recommend? Nah.
(2)
April S.
I went to Gordon Biersch today after I saw The Avengers ... I loved the atmosphere, however the food was mediocre compared to the ambiance that surrounded it. I ordered the Grilled Chicken with roasted veggies. The chicken and veggies were presented to me hidden under a mound of arugula. I was almost afraid to remove the greens. I took a deep breath and removed them, then rearranged the food on my plate so it would make a decent picture. The chicken had perfect grill marks on it, however it was missing one thing ... flavor. It was right in between juicy and dry. If it sat in the passby window for one smidgen longer I would have needed a huge glass of water to wash it down. My BF ordered the crab cake sandwich. He said it was pretty good and filling. We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as an appetizer. I thought it was pretty good. My BF said he liked the dip at Copper Canyon better and there was no comparison. He went on to say the crab dip tasted like something pre-made from a can and heated up with each order. The Peach Tea was delish. I will warn you that it is unsweetened. Nothing a pack of sugar could not handle. I have southern roots and love sweet tea. The dessert tasters were pretty tasty. We ordered the brownie mousse, strawberry cheesecake and apple bread pudding. The bread pudding was warm and delicious. The cheesecake tasted like store bought cheesecake and the mousse was okay. I would go back to try other courses on their menu. I'm not a fan of beer, however the next time I go back I want to try the beer sampler.
(4)
Dee B.
3.5 stars for food, 2 stars for service. A friend and I accidentally ended up here for Sunday brunch. We'd hoped to eat elsewhere, but that restaurant was closed. The menu here looked good, and our food was reasonably tasty. However, the average age and lack of experience in servers, in addition to clear lack of training, was definitely evident. Everything took longer than necessary, even though it was early, and the restaurant was quite empty, and there were plenty of staff. For example, we were never ONCE checked up on. This included me having to flag down the waitress for more water and coffee. The most ironic service goof happened at the very end; we did request and receive separate bills. Mine came to $10 plus change; I gave her a $20 plus the change. She eventually (after a lengthy wait) brought me back a ten-dollar bill. I had to explain that I had nothing to leave her for tip, unless she was willing to give me a fiver and five singles. Isn't that taught in Restaurant 101??
(3)
Ray R.
Haven't been here for a few years. Back then, I would have given this place four stars. The food use to be superb and worthy of the prices. Well, if today's Chicken Avacado sandwich is any indication...this place has definitely taken a bad turn. It started off being bland and boring,. It was downright toxic tasting by the end. It tasted like it had been cooked in degreaser. I think it will be another few years before I give them another try.
(1)
Roxanne B.
Had the Cobb Flatbread - kind of boring. My husband made the mistake of ordering the flat-iron steak w/fries and it was very chewy. For $24 you need to offer a better cut of meat. We mentioned it to our server but got no reply.
(2)
Tommi L.
Today was the second trip to this restaurant! To say the least, the staff was great; and even more so, the lobster and shrimp tacos were amazing!! Will definitely be back ;-)
(5)
Casey K.
This place just is what it is. I always find myself here for happy hour after work to catch up with one of my college friends. Every time I leave saying the same thing. "Why do I come here?", the food really is not that great and nothing really pops out on the menu as spectacular, the surprises just don't keep coming when your food comes to the table and it is just so run-of-the-mill. Pass if you can and politely suggest another place (Chef Geoff's is a nice alternative).
(2)
Nick G.
Great food, great beer. Only downfall is I am from Wisconsin, and this place isnt there!! I will visit again if im ever out that way. Get the crab cakes- Amazing!!
(5)
Team J.
F Minus and Zero Stars for GB in Rockville. Never even made it the restaurant as we couldn't get past the Rhodes Scholar who answers the phone for reservations. Called today to make reservations for 8 people anytime after 5 PM and before 630 PM. The woman that answered the phone responded as follows: - need to talk with manager - 2 minutes of silence - then the same woman gets on the phone - tells me that they don't like to take reservations but that she could do it for before 4 PM or after 8 PM -then she goes on to imply that she does have a table for 10 but that they can't book in case someone else calls to reserve it. (What?) - then she comes clean and says that they do, in fact, take reservations and seemed to suggest that I call back later in the day - the conversation devolved from there and culminated with her snarky suggestion that I was dense and that I didn't understand the restaurant business Well, I hold in my hand the $650 dollars I planned on spending at the GB in Rockville - but they apparently they are not interested in making money. Meanwhile, I just called one of their competitors and the person that answered the phone could not have been nicer or "clearer." Looking forward to giving my money to that establishment. Still a big GB fan but I will stick with my home team GB in Annapolis- they know how to treat people well.
(1)
Al D.
Great atmosphere, good food and pleasant wait staff not to mention a convenient close location to the metro stop. A must try for anyone exploring Rockville Town Center!
(5)
Mike M.
Love the beer. Try any of them, very, very good. Nice happy hour. Good place to watch a game. Friendly staff, very cool location, good parking in the garage (free parking with purchase). All that is great. Food? Well, did I say how good the beer is? Yeah, stay focused on that. The food varies from not that great to just bad. Even the apps, the bar food, it's OK at best. So, drink a beer, hang out, watch a game, just don't have unreasonable expectations about the food.
(3)
Jennifer H.
G.B. has AMAZING food (in big portions) but also can be a little on the expensive side. Really good service and good atmosphere. I recommend the Seared Ahi Tuna meal and of course some of their famous garlic fries!
(4)
Jamie G.
This place is hit or miss with me. Sometimes its great, but most times its below average. Most times its been poor service. Just poorly trained staff, not nasty but not friendly either. Just want to get you through the meal so they can get their tip. Same with the food. Sometimes good, most times just ok. Not sure if this is helpful, just kind of an OK place.
(2)
Oren O.
Had to wait 15 minutes before waiter even came to check on us and give us menu's. Once service started it was good. Once we ordered our food, I got a mojito that was watered down and nasty. I drank from my girlfriends wine instead (thank goodness that wasn't messed up and warm). Her fish tacos were awesome while my steak and shrimp entree was mediocre. Steak was bland while shrimp we ok. Steamed veges were like chewing cardboard though. Tried taster sizes of there deserts and only the triple chocolate and cheesecake were edible. Many other places to go to eat in the area so this won't be a repeat problem.
(2)
Rachel A.
My friend and I were looking for a nice place for dinner after we finished our ceramics class at Visarts. We came upon Gordon Biersch and decided to have dinner there. As soon as we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was closing in 12 minutes and we had to order quickly, to which we replied that would not be a problem. Then we were asked if we wanted to sit in the cocktail area or in the dining area, and we said dining area. There was no mention of the outdoor seating area, so we (wrongfully) assumed that the outdoor area was closing for the night. We were seated in the dining area, and there was only one other table filled. No biggie. Why would we want to sit at the bar, when there were comfy booths to sit in? The waitress comes over to take our drink order, and asks if we were told that the cocktail area was open too. Ok, weird question, but we didn't think much of it, so we said yes, but we were having dinner, so wanted to sit in the dining area. I then asked her what kind of sodas they had, as none were listed on the menu. Here's how the conversation went: Me: what kind of sodas do you have? Waitress: Coke. Me: Just coke? Waitress: and Diet coke. Starts to walk away. Me: oh, that's all? Waitress: and Pibbs. Starts to walk away. Me: Do you have anything without caffeine? Waitress: and sprite. The rest of the meal was completely ruined by the horrible attitude of our server. My friend and I were nothing but polite and courteous and she was nothing but rude and made us feel terrible with her bad attitude. I will never be back. Train your staff. How hard is it to smile and be polite?
(1)
Jasper J.
There is not a better, more reliable place to eat in the town center than Gordon Biersch. They're open late. Their beer is great. You can take take your family for dinner. You can take an escort or prostitute for a discreet rendezvous. It serves all purposes and needs. This and Bar Louie are the only two real bars in the town center and Bar Louie shouldn't even be in the same conversation. The people that work here are professional and courteous.
(5)
Eddie K.
GB has a pretty good happy hour crowd and specials. I like the happy hour combos - the slider combos are good and you can't beat the garlic fries especially if they were just fried. The beers are good - The Marzen and Golden Export are my favorites. I like they have late night happy hours. For appetizers, we like their buffalo wings (when they have it) and the Southwestern Egg rolls. For entrees, we like the cobb salad, spinach salad, pizzas, steak medallions and the miso Chilean sea bass. The Triple Chocolate Brownie for dessert is great. There are some food items that disappoint - Chicken Parmesan, some of their sandwiches Their Passport loyalty program is really good if you frequent this place.
(4)
Cat W.
This is one of my go-to restaurants. It's conveniently located in Rockville Town Center and has a bunch of parking lots/garages around it in which you can park for free with validation from any store/restaurant. All of the portions are huge, including the appetizers (which makes up for the price). The crab and artichoke dip is my favorite appetizer, super creamy and crabby with toasted bread to dip. The garlic fries are literally to die for and there's no way I'll ever go without getting an order of these on the side, which they automatically come as with almost everything. I tried the sweet potato fries for the first time this weekend and they were really surprisingly tasty! I'm pretty picky about my sweet potato fries but these were amazing, super crispy but still lots of sweet potato in them and dusted with a little bit of sugar :) For the entrees, the burgers are humongous but cooked perfectly to order and really delicious. Get them with either of the fries if you're not counting calories. Yum. The fish and chips are my new favorite though. The fish are pretty heavily battered which was weird at first, but it's very fresh and ultimately tastes great, especially with the tartar sauce. The coleslaw is average, I usually substitute it with something else. Also good is the lobster and crab cake sandwich, super pricey but definitely worth it (I"m just a sucker for tartar sauce though). A new favorite is the spicy shrimp stir-fry. Who would have thought a brewery did Asian food so well? The bowl is filled with Jasmine rice and is very generous with the vegetables and shrimp. Sweet and spicy and just like heaven. Lastly, the drinks. I don't remember what it's called but I've been getting the special summer brew and it's light and sweet and makes me happy. I've also had mojitos, cucumber gin and tonic, hard lemonade, and bloody marys and they're all great. Service is usually pretty good, and the atmosphere is fun (went to the bar during NBA finals and that was a blast). Overall 4 stars because the food is pretty pricey and, while it's good, it is a chain restaurant and doesn't have such an expensive feel to it. Still good though and I'm gonna keep going!
(4)
Bradley C.
I work right around the corner, and Gordon Biersch is a good place for office lunches, meeting up with friends, and just a quick drink after work. For lunch, I would recommend the Seafood cobb salad, but beware, its BIG. The food is pretty good, the burgers are a good deal, and overall its a place I keep coming back to because of the convenience, good expectations, and overall quality.
(3)
krystal h.
I've been to GB several times and I have never been disappointed with my food. This visit was no exception. However, in addition I was extremely impressed by their customer service (something that is always important to me). Somehow there was a mixup and they made the wrong burger for my sister. Our server came out with a plate of garlic fries and informed us and gave her the option of taking the burger they made or waiting for the burger she actually ordered which they had already started making. She opted to wait for the burger she ordered. Shortly after our server left a manager came to our table apologizing AND she gave us 25% off our entire meal in addition to a free dessert. When my sister's burger came out it included more garlic fries in addition to what was brought out initially. I only gave four stars because of the fact that the order was messed up in the first place and our server, as nice as he was, never refilled our water glasses. All in all, it was a good visit.
(4)
Eric J.
Good drinks
(4)
Katie B.
Good service, great beer, yummy food, nice ambiance, love the rewards. All around win!
(5)
Timothy W.
Thought this was a safe bet to take the fam. A place where I could get decent beer and we could all get some good grub. Been to a couple of other GB locations around the country and this is on par with the rest of them. It was a Thur. night so it was nice and quiet. We were seated immediately. Beer was decent, had a pint of Maibock with dinner. Can't remember what everyone ordered for dinner but I know that they all enjoyed it. We'd definitely re-visit this GB if we found ourselves in beautiful Rockville in the future.
(4)
Jennifer O.
This place is nothing special. The food is consistently good and they always provide a good beer to sip on during happy hour. One thing that does stand out, though, is their prices. Everything seems to be a few dollars too much considering what you're getting. The portions are alright, but not worth the cost. Overall, if you're in a bind an okay place to go.
(3)
Jin L.
Good place to grab burgers and garlic fries! Their steaks are actually not too shabby. When you don't feel adventurous and want to stay in the neighborhood, this is a good spot.
(3)
Elena S.
This is another strictly happy hour place for me. Their specials are some of the best in the Rockville Town Square. Service is usually pretty good and you can catch a game in the bar area. Their house drafts are pretty awesome and I'm very fond of their Maerzen.
(3)
Peter K.
Definitely go for the Farmhouse Burger. GB is a great spot to eat or chill on a weekend night. For beer lovers, nice selection on tap.
(4)
Meana K.
When I lived across the street, it was a regular place me to go, especially to watch the game in the bar. While it may be a chain, but they actually have a few dishes they do quite well. And I love the Marzen beer. Love it. Really freaking love the beer. Dishes I've enjoyed include the lobster and shrimp tacos, the garlic fries, and the southern fried chicken salad. Other stuff is okay too, but these are the standouts for me. A little overpriced, service can be spotty, but overall it's a fun atmosphere for a very casual meal and some good beer.
(4)
Jamie C.
The food is always top notch. Great happy hour! They have an early one and a late one.
(5)
Jonathan L.
Located in the heart of Rockville, Gordon Biersch provides an exciting gourmet experience for people of all ages. The warm atmosphere and excellent food compliment eachother perfectly, making Gordon Biersch in high demand on the weekends and even during the week! I have never been dissapointed with the food and I have eaten here on frequent occasion. The value for money ratio is outstanding. I would also HIGHLY recommend the " Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings" as a starter and the " Steak Frites" ( with the garlic fries) as a main course If you are looking for a nice place to relax, kick back, and enjoy a nice beer after a stressful day at work GORDON BIERSCH is the place for you!
(5)
Joe L.
Gordon Biersch is a chain restaurant that doesn't feel like a chain (if that makes sense). The fact that the beer is brewed on site gives you that local brewery feel. I love the low lighting and ambiance of the place. They have recently changed their menu and although they got rid of the steak sandwich which I loved, I decided to go after the lobster and shrimp tacos. They were AMAZING. Service was great and the food came quickly even on a packed Saturday night. Want a good appetizer? get the crab and artichoke dip!
(4)
Meggie C.
i come here alot for happy hour. as for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this review probably wont help. happy hour: they have good specials only negative is that their happy hour begins pretty late, like 10pm late but they are opened till 12/1am. i love their dragonfruit mojitos, my guy friends like their beers and long islands. happy hour food: its okayy.... many of their dishes are good not amazing though. never get their lobster bisque. it was disgusting. but their crabmeat artichoke dip was sooooo good. i try to get that whenever i go. their garlic fries are good too. this place can get kinda busy so i would try to go around 9:30 they validate parking up to two hours for free, staff is attentive, and the place is decorated pretty nicely. lots of tvs for game nights and full bar.
(4)
Alicia G.
The space is really nice. The outdoor area and enclosed patio is a place I'd want to hang out on a cool, breezy night while enjoying a beer. But we didn't get to do that. We managed to find a spot inside the bar area after two people left. However, after sitting down, it was about another 5-10 minutes before a bartender helped us. And not because they noticed, but because Juliana shouted that we wanted the beer sampler! Once they poured the samples, the bartender explained a little bit about each "shot" of beer. Juliana, Derryk and I set about to tasting them. Fenny took like a micro-sip of one and was done. She *doesn't like beer* and claimed that if she drank some, she'd be so gas-y that it would be a smelly ride back home. (And since she was driving us back to Bethesda, I decided not to press the issue because let's face it, beer farts are unpleasant.) I liked the hefeweizen. And to be quite honest, I can't even remember what the others were. I think I'd only return to sit in the outdoor/patio area because it looks so chill and relaxing. Inside it's way crowded and hard to get anyone's attention.
(3)
Mirela M.
I came in for lunch, and had Virginia as our server. Great service and such a sweet girl. I would love to have her again. The only thing I am disappointed with is the kitchen. I have been coming here since this place first opened so I am very familiar with the menu. Recently the menu was changed, and the food is changed to smaller portions. The salad that I usually order was terrible and did not fill me up. My dressing, cheese, croutons, and spinach was less. The courtons were just crums. Since there was not enough dressing, the salad did not taste as good. Last time I was here I had problems with my order again. Also, I have noticed that other people are complaining about the same thing. Be careful what you order! Instead of caring about the satisfaction of the customers, it seems that their management only cares about making money.
(3)
Kristin M.
Yeah it's a chain, but it's not a bad fallback place in the area to grab a few beers with friends, catch a game, maybe order up some southwest rolls or extremely garlicky garlic fries. I did dinner here once, which was forgettable. Strong suit is definitely with plain old hanging out, though the downside there is it can take some pretty dedicated seat-stalking to score a place to camp out in the bar area, sizable though it is. A number of good-enough apps to accompany the good-enough beer (I recommend the sampler, because it's fun!), and make for a pleasant night of drinking amidst a noisy crowd.
(3)
Deborah N.
I'm not even a beer drinker but I love the beer at Gordon Biersch. Why? They keep it COLD and it tastes great! They serve only their house brews. I normally never get draft beer because to me it can taste stale. Not here. Whatever beer I had (cannot remember the odd name) it was goooood. I also recommend / love the after 10 $5 happy hour. Yes there is a late night place in MC. Yes you can get a beer and an appetizer for $10. Nice! Staff was spotty. The first time I went the bartender was super nice and helpful. The second time I sat at a bar table and was prompted to ask my server, "Are you having a bad night?" Not that I cared, but she soooo did not want to be there that it was bumming me out!
(5)
Andrew R.
I think the only reason we came here was for the free garlic fries coupon this chain regularly gives out. That's gotta tell you something, right? If not about the group we went with then about where priorities lie. As to the experience, I remember little of the food, except that I was unimpressed. Ergo, not a memorable experience. Yet as to the garlic fries that prompted our visit? Awful. Soggy, lack of tasty garlic and only burnt garlic, and so much parmesan that it was hard to taste anything else.
(2)
Ryan B.
Came here the other day for a business lunch. The menu had changed since the last time I came, which was a nice surprise. The servers were nice, and fun to joke around with. They were attentive the whole time making sure we were taken care of. I ordered the chicken stir fry since it seemed like one of the healthier options. Let's just say, once we got our entrees that everyone looked at mine and wish they had copied me! I'm going to come back here more often since the menu looks like it has gotten better since the last time I was there (probably a few years).
(4)
Julio E. G.
This is a typical average chain restaurant with a few good items, but mostly average meals at a reasonable price. Restaurant snobs should not visit unless they enjoy the beer. My wife had a low end steak that was relatively tasty, but not cooked as she ordered it. The waiter asked if she liked her dinner and my wife did not say anything to the waiter because she had low expectations and didn't want to pressure the young man too much. I had a very average salmon, but was able to enhance the taste with the veggies that came with the plate. We split a green salad and it was actually pretty good and somewhat different with lots of nuts, and nice semi spicy dressing. No complaints about this one. We shared a pudding/apple dessert with nuts, ice cream, and liquor that was a 4/5 stars and more than enough for two. The ice cream was of good quality. The coffee was cold and typical Americano. Would have been OK if hot. I did not bother to complain to the waiter because I also had low expectations and the guy was trying. Like I said an average chain restaurant. May be good for beer drinkers. They have a lot of TVs in the bar for those that like to watch football this fall.
(3)
Susie B.
Great burgers and garlic fries. Love this place. Great service
(5)
Joy C.
Good food, good beer, good time! Enjoyed my first time but service was not good this time around... Maybe because we came in at 11pm and the server kinda rushed our orders... Kitchen closes at midnight, we ordered our drinks but was refused service right after the kitchen closed. We wanted more drinks but server said he already printed our bill so if we want drinks we have to get it ourselves! Kinda rude for a server! Just saying! We'll try again, we'll pull for a third... Maybe third time's a charm!
(3)
Alvin H.
This place is a pretty good place to go and chill. It has a relatively large bar area and can also accommodate larger parties in the back. I usually go here to grab a couple beers and happy hour food with friends (mmmmm garlic fries). The food is alright in my opinion, not anything to write home about. Wait staff are consistently respectful and attentive.
(3)
dwayne t.
I was introduced to Gordon Biersch in SF and have dined/imbibed at the DC location more than a few times, i was stoked to learn of the Rockville location forthcoming. A couple of happy hours under the belt and I can honestly say, this experience was marginal. First HH, I ordered Kobe beef sliders & calamari. While both were "not bad" they were also both cold. On this trip the service was "eh"...waitress disappeared after our 2nd round of drinks. C'mon man!! The 2nd visit, the food was decent (southwest egg rolls, shrimp & chicken potstickers, and another go at calamari), but still didn't blow me away. There is a pretty cool outside seating area which I think the DC area as a whole lacks, and the bartender , while visibly preggers, was attentive.
(3)
Karen S.
Worst treatment ever! I wanted to give my hubby the "Garlic Fry" experience and we were totally ignored! No one waited on us until I asked to be waited on! The waiter took our beer orders then disappered! When we asked someone to find out where he was, he sent over two of the wrong beers! My hubbys 'Medium" Kobe burger was so burnt that it nearly crumbled and the waitress brought over his bun completely covered in Ketchup! She casually mentioned that it fell over into the ketchup on her way to bringing it out?! WTF! And did i mention that two couples came in AFTER me and the hubby, and got not only their drink orders but their meals before we did! I LOVE their DC location, but I will tell EVERYBODY I know not to go to this Rockville location! Garlic Fries be damned!!!
(1)
Donna Y.
I went for the happy hour after work during a Friday. It was bustling with plenty of people especially around the bar area. Happy Hours M-F 4-6:30 and Sun-Thu 10-close. (-1: pay for parking). Happy hour prices are fairly reasonable. Most items are $5 and drinks (beer/cocktails) are also about $5. I ordered the Raspberry Bay Breeze .. menu says (Skyy Infusions Raspberry Vodka and Monin Raspberry Syrup with a splash of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and pineapple juice.) very tasty and good balance of tangy and sweet. For appetizer, I ordered the quick fried calamari ($7). The 'quick fried' aspect is to avoid rubbery-overcooked texture which they've successfully done! Most places make fried calamari with too much breading.. too oily.. too rubbery blah! This place is alright ... I wouldn't come here for food as there are plenty of better restaurants around the area but the happy hour prices are pretty nice.
(3)
Johnnie R.
Sliders, burgers, garlic fries are fine, southwest egg rolls are all above average. Calamari was good until they started to fry them last year. Try their seasonal Bock. For me, it's not a place to dine, but to grab a late night meal and wash it down with some decent beer. But somehow, the overall experience is greater than sum of all parts, because of my friends I meet with there. Since the place is on the corner across a movie theater, there is something to be said about good ol' people watching )))
(4)
Toby C.
Yes Gordon Biersch is a chain. If you can get past that fact before going, then you'll likely be pleasantly surprised. For starters, the beer is fantastic. It is brewed onsite, so it's fresh and the recipes tend to stick to their traditional German styles...Marzen, Schwarzbier, and Pilsner to name a few. If you're looking for a hoppy California IPA, you may want to look elsewhere. The food is solid as well. You can go anywhere from a $25 steak to a $10 burger and anything in between, depending on your preference. A little hint...sit in the bar area during happy hour for $1 off beers and some excellent deals on food. Some appetizers and flatbreads that would normally cost you $10 or $12 go for a measly $5. You can't beat that. Being a member of GB's Stein Club, I've found that the servers and bartenders in the bar area are much more likely to serve your beer in the requisite stein that is supposed to go along with having such a membership. Not so the servers in the restaurant area...they're pretty much a guarantee to serve it in a regular glass, at which point I have to remind them that I'm in the "Stein" Club. The wife and I always get a good laugh out of this. But that's a minor complaint and the situation is always quickly remedied. GB is a solid option for both food and drink in the Rockville Town Center area. If you're a foodie or other such restaurant snob, then I'm not sure what you'd be doing here anyway...DC is right down the road, just bustling with other options. But for those looking to stay in the burbs, you really can't go wrong with GB.
(4)
Ellen L.
one of the few places in rockville town centre open late for us night hawks. on a late saturday evening, i came here with a group of 5 to grab some drinks. not surprisingly, there was a bit of a wait. when a table did open up, i was displeased to see that the floor area surrounding this table was wet and had a malodorous smell. unfortunately, on a saturday night, there were no other open tables, so we stayed at this one. the menu has a pretty extensive list of drinks, so you can choose your cocktail, beer, martini, margarita, pretty much anything you like. i was intrigued by the new "skinny cocktails" on the menu, so decided to order the superfruit martini ($9.25) with soju and fresh pomegranate and lemon juice. to my surprise, it was pretty good and didn't taste lo-cal at all! our group also shared an order of their house fries, "gordon biersch garlic fries," ($6.25). they put just the right amount of garlic and oil on these fries, not too oily and just the right amount of seasoning. for someone who isn't that big of a french fries fan, i really liked these garlic fries. service was average, but acceptable. i really wish they did something about the wet floor and odor at our table though.
(3)
Sarah B.
Utterly superb pretzel burgers! Also, get the garlic fries. Some "garlic fries" taste like average fries rolled down a garlic hill. These taste like the potatoes grew in a garlic field.
(4)
Maria C.
I've had a variety of things on the menu ( farmhouse burger, salmon, beers, garlic fries, to name a few) but none were particularly delicious. It's a great place to meet up with friends though for a drink /happy hour, but food-wise it's just another American restaurant.
(3)
Vitaliy N.
I came here with about 12 other people for happy hour on a Monday afternoon. We were served very promptly and our waitress, Ashley, was very quick and attentive. She got everyone's order correct and made sure everything was good. Happy hour specials are pretty good: $1 off all drafts, $2 off wine and all specialty cocktails are $5. The draft beers are good, I recommend the Hefewizen, Marzen, or Schwarzbier. Most of the cocktails that I've tried on previous occasions were very delectable as well. I was pretty hungry so I ordered the Slider Combo plate. It consisted of BBQ pork sliders (topped with cole slaw in the slider), Kobe beef sliders (not really kobe beef, just regular beef and a bit of sauce on the bun but no other toppings other than a pickle slice), and the garlic fries. If you get anything at GB, get a beer and the garlic fries. They are warm, crispy, not oily, and perfectly salted, seasoned, and smothered in fresh garlic. You can smell them from two tables over and they're so good! The sliders weren't anything to get crazy about. The plate also cost $11. During a past visit for dinner, I ordered the steak frites, essentially strips of marinated grilled steak over a bed of their fries. It was very good. As far as places to go for dinner, Gordon Biersch doesn't top my list in the Rockville area, but it's a great place to go for cheap drinks and appetizers during happy hour (4 - 6:30 pm).
(3)
MacKenzie W.
I would've given 5 stars had the service been better.... The good: -Food! I've always liked Gordon Biersch's food. Got the garlic fries to start, a house salad and the bourbon salmon. Super good! The other people at my table got the tacos which were very good too, though the beans and rice weren't great (I'd probably sub in something different) -Beer...the hefeweizen is the best The bad: -The waiter. What is it with Rockville restaurants and bad service!? We were seated and our server didn't come to our table for 15 minutes, though he walked by several times. Granted, it was a Saturday night, but come on. When he took our orders, I asked to sub a side salad for the side that came with my salmon and he told me that wasn't possible. I said I didn't mind paying for the addition of a side salad and removing the side (I think it was quinoa) from my dish and he scoffed and said "I GUESS we can do that". Bro, it's not that hard. I asked specifically that the salad come out with my meal...5 minutes later it comes out before anything else. Not a huge deal, just annoying he didn't listen. Also, I had to ask him 3 times to refill my water...ridiculous. It took us 25 minutes to flag him down to get our check. The table next to us had the same problem. Probably won't be back, plenty of other options with food that's just as good, where I know I'll be treated better.
(2)
Andrew K.
Happy hour is a good time to come hang out. The food is average. I tried the beef medallions and crab stuffed shrimp and it was ok. The garlic fries are pretty good though and I liked the Marzen beer here. It's not a bad place to hang out but for the price of food, not a place I'd go to have a nice dinner.
(3)
Jerry S.
Mushroom Swiss burger was dry and insipid, and the bun fell apart. I got the sampler - beers were well made and each typical of its style, but nothing special in the age of craft brews. Price was high for the quality probably due to the real estate.in the center of the city. Service was pleasant and accurate but not especially swift. Went there after the movie just because it was close, but I wouldn't seek it out.
(2)
Hunter B.
Went out with roommates and my girlfriend for a birthday lunch. I've been there plenty of times before and I know it's not good service but damn. Waitress took forever to greet us. Forgot drinks. Didn't write order down and then got it wrong. My roommate got the avocado chicken sandwich. Came out as a burger. I ordered the steak pretzel burger that sounded awesome. When it came out it was barely warm and the arugula was super wilted. If u are dealing with a messed up order can please pretend u at least care. Waitress was very unattentive and total lack of empathy once she messed up. Now I remember why I go to Clyde's tower oaks.
(1)
Bruce G.
Although this is one restaurant in a chain, and this review could probably apply to all the others, this is the only one I've actually been to, so please note that I can only guarantee its applicability to this Rockville Town Center location. This place is actually very hard to give a "star" rating to. The 5-star rating comes from the following: (1) I normally do not care that much for beer, but THIS place brews several beers I actually like. One, in particular, their Maerzen (pronounced "MARE-tzen") is regularly available and has a flavor I'm quite fond of. (2) I have never had anything among the foods on the menu that wasn't absolutely delicious. So why would I even hesitate to give the place 5 stars? The answer is PRICE. Most of the time here I come in, order an appetizer and a beer, and it costs what I would expect to pay for a full meal. Yesterday, I was feeling a bit rich (I finally collected an inheritance I've been waiting SEVEN years for, so I wanted to celebrate!) So for a change, I had a complete meal (at lunch time!) and it cost me what I usually pay for a week of lunches! Put another way, the TIP on the lunch came to more than what I usually pay for a lunch! In mitigation, I must say: (1) I was paying for two people, not just myself, (2) I do not usually have alcoholic beverages at lunchtime, and this time was paying for a beer for myself and another person (but, of course, that's what you come to this place for!) (3) I do not usually order both a soup/appetizer and a dessert with my lunch; this time I was paying for both, for both of us. Still, allowing for all of these factors, it probably was about double what I'd expect to pay. So the point is, IF you can afford this place, it's good. But expect to spend a LOT.
(5)
Toby K.
Okay, so tonight, I rolled into GB in the Rockville Town Center to grab some grub to take home since I was in the office late on a Sunday working ahead, because when you are in my line of work, you have to do like a billion things before you can take some time off... but anyway, that's for another blog, and not this review. And so, I rolled into Gordon Biersch Rockville, which stopped serving food from the main menu at 11p. I was there just past 11p, so no harm, no foul, I went to the bar, and ordered from the bar menu. Shrimp stuffed with crab meat ROCKED. So did this asian tasting app combo, I forget what which one it was, but it was the second of two choices. While there, I had a great drink at the bar while I waited. The bartender was pretty attentive, but you could tell she was a bit occupied by other patrons and work. Not overwhelmed, but occupied. I didn't realize I could sit at the bar because the empty glasses from a previous patron or two littered the bar, and I guess ppl just left or whatnot, but still, I've been to busy bars before and that stuff usually gets cleaned up pretty quickly. So, that was a bit of a bummer, but what can you do. It was a bar. The best was that in the 20 minutes or so I was waiting, I overheard a great conversation from this dude, trying to get with this 20-something woman in a Philly 76'ers shirt. I listened in since he was talking about getting sold out tickets to some show at 9:30 Club and he dropped the name of the owner -- and his assistant, who I happen to know, um, really well. So while I waited I heard this dude run some mad game on this chick about how he gets sold out tickets to sporting events and concerts from the owner of this concert firm, and little did he know I was sitting next to him, tweeting about it and emailing the very woman he was talking about 'getting tickets from...' I doubt he got any play tonight, and the woman he was with was cute and whatnot, but clearly she was infatuated by his 'access' and 'image' and he, well, was fascinated by himself. So, the food was awesome. The atmosphere is great. The bar is open til 1, and the bar menu is GOOD... but limited. I'd like to see 'em offer some salad or more healthy fare type things to it. But hey, bar food is bar food and this bar food is pretty damn good. I love this place. If they can tweak a few things, they'll be the best. If you're thinking you might want to hit this place up, it's THEE place to people watch in Rockville, Maryland. It's steps from the courthouse, so you can hear State Attorneys and Defense Attorneys and elected officials and more unloading and unwinding after work and during happy hour, and at night/late night, you can hear the people who work for the rich and powerful talk about who they are and what they do and hope they can be... and you can even see the men and women who are trying to pick some of those 'working class' heroes up! The drinks are great too, they have a great outside patio, too. Try 'em. You'll be happy. If you're not, well, pour another shot and have fun anyway!
(3)
Jessica N.
Changed my review from 3 to 4 stars because after a few more trips here, I'm a fan! The fish tacos are divine and the chicken and bacon sandwich is really delicious. My toddler loves all the vegetables they offer and their desserts are fabulous. Service can be a bit slow and their restaurant is downright freezing inside. Brrr! We went on a weekend and they didn't open until 11am so no brunch or breakfast to be had here.
(4)
Sharon W.
We'd been there before, but not in some time. Husband's intern requested Gordon Biersch for his farewell lunch so today that was it. Gordon Biersch is pretty much your "more upscale" chain restaurant--think Cheesecake Factory. I got there a few minutes before the rest of the party and the receptionist seated me immediately. The service was good, again like an upscale chain restaurant, rushed or attentive, hmmm. I ordered a half sandwich and cup of soup. The lobster bisque was hot and tasty, the sandwich filled with a good quality turkey and on a nice thick sour dough toast (though I'm hard pressed to identify it as sour dough compared to what my grandfather used to bring from San Francisco, but that's a different story). Husband had veggie burger and guest had cheese burger. Both their sandwiches came with "signature" garlic fries. Hot, crisp and tasty. I wouldn't make a special trip there but it was convenient for a central meeting point for the workers and the retiree. If you're in the neighborhood, maybe, but not a destination restaurant.
(3)
Jessica N.
Skip the food here. Even the salad was mediocre. My chicken caesar salad was awful. The dressing tasted like mayonaise. Store-bought dressing would have been a major improvement. My husband's steak frite was meh at best. The garlic fries came highly recommended and was a big part of the reason we stopped in at all. I was very disappointed by them. Lame fries topped with garlic. To say they are nothing special is an understatement. Service was fine. Flight of beer was fun. Hopefully Rockville has better dining options, because I would advise eating elsewhere and coming here only for drinks.
(2)
Jason C.
A decent hangout spot to drink and definitely the place to go (aside from Buffalo Wild Wings) inside Rockville Town Center. The food prices are ridiculously expensive for what you get....I wouldn't pay high teens or low 20s for food from this place. Seems like they jack up the food prices to subsidize the happy hour prices. For Happy hour you basically get $1 off beer. Oh what a bargain. So it's $4 instead of $5 per beer (My fav is Marzen but others seem to have different opinions). The cocktails are 1/2 off (which makes them around 4-5$----a much better value). Several of the appetizers are also $5. All are pretty good but watch out for the garlic fries. You eat the whole thing and next morning you'll have garlic breath bad enough to scare away vampires and..errr..coworkers..and errr...everyone who comes within a 5 feet radius. You've been warned.
(3)
Wyllol W.
Had dinner there Monday night. The staff was great, but the food was terrible! I had the calamari which was ok. As an entree I had the Cajun Pasta which did not have sausage like the menu said, the chicken tasted old & reheated and the sauce was too oily.
(1)
Abhi K.
The beer here is good without question. The hefeweizen is sweet and refreshing as you would expect from a wheat Belgian style. The others were also good and the bartenders are knowledgeable about the beer. The food could have been better. Nothing was actually bad, but it was priced as if the food would be exceptional. Not so. I've read a lot of raves about the garlic fries on here, but I was a bit disappointed. I love garlic as much as the next guy, but I like my garlic cooked and to season my food. On these fries, there was just chopped garlic sprinkled all over them and it was more like I was eating some potato with my garlic.
(3)
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Address :200 E Middle Ln,Unit A
Rockville, MD, 20847
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Pinto Y.
I really tried my best understanding the concept of this place. If the theme is beer - why nothing tastes like it? The food is nothing but average. Nothing you can't find in your typical American dinner. The price, however, was almost double. During the numerous time I was there the place was loud and the environment was not welcoming. People at the bar were too loud and I could not have a conversation. I mean, if it's a sports bar it can't be a high end chef restaurant, and vice versa....avoid if what you're looking for is good deal for your dollar. If you're into watching a ball game of having a loud conversation, that it your niche.
(3)stacy W.
This is my favorite local Gordon. Why? It has outside seating which is perfect in the spring and summer. My favorite happy hour spot close to the house and I always knew I could get there early enough to get a nice spot around the double sided bar. That's important because this place gets packed and if you don't develop a relationship with your bartender early... service may be a little slow for ya. The food here is generally just OK. Most of the dishes are a bit salty for my taste. The appetizer mix is pretty good to get if you have a finicky group of eaters and want something to much on.
(3)Aaron S.
Food is pricey but great place to go to have a drink. Staff is prompt and pleasant. Happy hour prices could be better but its not bad. Love the garlic fries and the outdoor setting.
(3)Roberto I.
I like!! Like the freshly brewed beer and the food and service is always on point. More of a drinking place less of a eating place but food is still good.
(5)Peter K.
The restaurant has an awesome sports/bar factory like restaurant.. you can see the beer filtration system. The food is wonderful. Their in-house beer is delicious. Definitely a spot to come back with kids and all.
(5)Reggie N.
GB service has seemed to improve a bit. There seems to be new staff here. The food is still the same, pretty much.
(3)Erica G.
My husband and I USED to love Gordon Biersch. We would go there every weekend. For some reason, it has gone downhill. The last 3 times (and they will be the last) our food has arrived cold. The service is good but the food just got worse with each visit. We went last night, ordered our appetizers and then got the check because they appetizers were so bad. The calamari was awful and the sliders were dry and tasted horrible. We got the check and went to the sushi place a few doors down. It is really sad because we used to love this place. But cold food 3 times in a row?!? How does that happen???
(1)Puja L.
Whaaaat is the major draw here? This place is always overflowing with people!! The drink specials are pretty good for a happy hour ($5 pom mojitos? MORE PLEASE!) but the food is so...overpriced bar food? I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the food here - we've tried the pizzas and the hummus, etc. All fine, but nothing that warrants the crowds here (of course, maybe they are all here for the drinks!). I will say that I've always gotten pretty good service from the bartenders themselves. They're pretty creative and will fix you something different if you don't quite know what you want. That's always fun!
(3)Orlangela A.
She Said...." The 2 stars are for the location and their beer. Thats about it. The food is not that great. The lobster bisque they have is cheap verison of a good lobster bisque...its gross and even smells nasty. The garlic fries are disgusting...wayyyy to much garlic and salt...and i love garlic, but even for me i was grossed out, i had to wipe the fries off wih my napkin to eat them. The beer is pretty good and the inside is pretty, they also have outside eating." He Said..."I had the chicken sandwich with avocado, and suprisely it was the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time. Was it worth 10 bucks...I don't know, I think thats pricey for a sandwich, but it is in Town Center so everything is expensive...even the parking. Well now I know why Greystone Grill closed down.:"
(2)Victoria S.
Gordon Biersch is a decent chain restaurant/brewery. I really like the Rockville location because it's got a great bar with 4 large screen TVs. We ordered the Garlic Fries and they were very tasty. I ordered the Linguini Marinara and it was good but I think they had left it under the heat lamps for too long. My husband had the pizza and it was not bad. The beer is good but I prefer a "light" beer and they don't have one so I ordered Miller Lite but the server sold me on their Golden Export. I really do like how they offer samples of the beers. Good place for drinks with friends in the new Rockville Town Square.
(3)Mahesh S.
since this was my first time here, I went with the sampler beers, and except for one beer, I didnt like any of their beers. and I am not that hard to please. the place itself is nice, and trendy in the hip part of the rockville neighborhood. Its also little pricey but I cant complain as its expected for a place that looks as trendy and nice like this. i was on a diet, so went with their wedge salad. its hard to screw a wedge salad, and most the cooking involves, picking a good lettuce and cutting it right. it was indeed good. I didnt leave craving anything here. it was good while i tried it, ,but that is about it! the Dogfish brewery would have been my first choice, since their beer and food rocks my world!
(3)Ina C.
"We welcome you to Munchkin Land!" This is the song that should be playing before you're seated at a booth. Why are the booth tables so ridiculously high?? For us tiny Asian girls, we had to sit on our feet in order to comfortably put our elbows on the table. The one guy with us, who stands 6'2" tall, was completely comfortable. A friend recommended the Hefeweizen, which I liked. It was really light and crispy, just like my friend said it would be! I also got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich, which was also light, but not crispy (...not that it should've been). The garlic fries that seem to come with just about everything on the menu were pretty tasty. You can't beat chunks of garlic and herbs on every fry. Our server seemed a bit anxious to get us out of there because she brought our check before we could ask for dessert! But we got to order it and we got a little sampler thing. I think we got some carrot cake thing, some peanut butter thing...and I can't remember the other one. Each "cake" came out in a tall shot glass. Pretty creative. The sizes of the samplers were great, especially since most of us just wanted a taste, but the cakes themselves were just okay.
(3)Andre C.
The ambiance was fine and the happy hour specials seem decent but the food was very underwhelming. I enjoyed the beer (there were some very unique selections so that was fun) and the service was great but I cannot recommend this place based on how mediocre the food was. If you're going for beers with friends, the happy hour special is for you. If you want anything else (i.e. food), find somewhere else.
(2)Angela S.
This place is fine, but its one of those deals where you wish you could get smaller portions for less money. No one needs a giant hummus and goat cheese salad that you have to eat for 3 days to finish. I'd rather have half the food for half the price. And they took the goat cheese ravioli off the menu, so now there is only one vegetarian entree (the above hummus salad, which doesn't work as an entree. It tastes like an appetizer to munch on while you wait for the real food to come). Unless you order an individual pizza, which I haven't tried there, but will. Also, $10 for the artichoke appetizer? Seriously? Its good but only serves like 2 people. If you go, make sure you order the famous garlic fries. I hate french fries but like these. Just don't breathe on anyone for at least 24 hours. PS-How could I forget to mention the $2 dessert "bites"? Get them, get them, get them!
(3)Gloria M.
we went to this restaurant by accident. we are not beer drinkers so we were wondering if the food is any good, well we were pleasantly surprised! My husband and I ordered the california burger and it was one of the best burgers we havehad in a long time. Excellent service.
(5)Ali B.
The food was really good, especially the fries, but not worth the price (3 people for $72). They charge for re-fills of club soda which no other place that I have been to does. The service is was average, not bad--not good. Our server seemed like he wanted to be somewhere else. GB needs to give its servers lessons in sanitation because the server kept putting his fingers around the rim of the glasses when he served the drinks. Ewww. The food also took forever to get to us after we ordered. We didnt even get offered a free dessert because of that, rather tacky. I found the seating to be clumsily laid out. It looks like they didnt use a professional restuarant architect when they set up this place. The booths were too high and the table was too far from the chair. The restrooms were very clean.
(3)Chris H.
I'm torn about this place. My first gripe is about the first time I went. My partner and I walked in and were seated, only to have a waiter who seemed totally disgusted having to wait on us. At one point I think we asked too many questions because he actually said "Any OTHER questions?" No Miss Thing, we didn't have any questions about walking out soon after ordering. That was it for that encounter. Well I ended up going again with some friends and the experience was much better, although oddly enough I was seated at the same table as the first time. The place was clean, and the menu was pretty diverse, but some things were too pricey and I felt like they were charging more for the atmosphere of the place than for the food. One example is a side of fries that we ordered, only to get the bill and see that they were $6. For fries?!? But I digress. When I received my meal, it was great. My friends didn't seem too pleased and one mentioned that her (overpriced IMO) ahi tuna was slimy. Fish should never be served slimy. My other friend didn't finish her meal. I'll touch on that one in the next paragraph. While I enjoyed our waitress initially, she definitely rushed us out before one of my friends could finish her food. We were obviously mindful of how long we were there, and I think we tipped her well for her time and effort. Rushing us out was uncalled for. I realize waiters need to get people to those tables to make money, but the place was almost totally empty, except for the bar. I can't honestly recommend going here since I was treated pretty badly the first time and you can find similar food at similar prices at places that would treat you better. It really boils down to customer service, and this place is definitely lacking that.
(2)Arthur K.
Waitress: "Would you like anything else?" Me: "Can I have a Sprite?" Waitress: "Are you serious?" Me: "???" Miss Waitress, thanks for asking if I want something else, but why even ask when you follow it up with "Are you serious?". Maybe it's a drinking no-no (which I don't think it is), but I like a soda after downing a few beers, wings, and a cheeseburger. The food at Gordon is ok. I mean even though they have a large traditional restaurant area, everything is the quality of bar food. The wings are ok. For the uninitiated: they don't serve "regular" wings, but a sort of Asian flavored wings. I prefer the traditional over Gordon's take. My cheeseburger was the definition of mediocre - think Burger King on a fancy bun. The garlic fries are good - simple and tasty. Beers, of which they only serve their proprietary brews, are decent. Service is usually ok, yesterday it was worse than usual. They have free wi-fi. 2.5 Stars.
(2)Katherine L.
Love this place. GREAT food. Alright service. It is almost always REALLY busy but its worth it. I guess it can be kind of pricey but again, its worth it. My family and I always go for birthdays and dinners here and there. My husband says the beer is good and I say the cocktails are also pretty good. They have an extensive menu and a lot to choose from.
(4)khadine a.
Was very disappointed with my meal. Salmon was dry and almost burnt. rice appeared to be from yesterday. What a waste of $18
(2)Welch K.
Second visit to this establishment, first review. Both visits, excellent service. Calamari ($9.95) is not bad, could use a little more taste, a little bland. Lobster Bisque Bowl ($5.95), very delicious and full of flavor. Lobster/Crab cake sandwich ($15.95) was excellent. Comes with their famous garlic fries which I could just eat as an entree alone. Fish & Chips ($13.95), fish comes in the form of fish sticks and the fish is firm and flaky, very good. I think it is battered with their beer. Overall, would recommend this place. Great food, great service.
(4)Molly B.
This place is always hit and miss for me. I like to go here during football season because they have a large bar area with every game on tv, and it is walking distance from where I live. The beer is better than the typical cheap, light stuff, but I've never really been impressed with any of the beers they've had on tap. The burgers are solid, as are most of the apps, but the rest of their food is much too expensive for the cost. Basically, GB isn't bad, but you can get much, much better bang for your buck beer-wise and food-wise elsewhere.
(3)Bill C.
The place was packed on a Friday night so we had to wait a little bit for a table. Once we sat down, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly the food arrived. Everything was good and the restaurant is very clean.
(5)Daniel K.
One of my favorite places to eat and drink after work. Garlic fries are to die for.
(4)Aja A.
This is a great 'after movie' bar, a great 'let's ignore each other and watch the game' bar, or a 'I don't feel like venturing more than 2 miles from my apartment' bar. I don't drink beer, so I can't offer any insight on that front, but their mixed drinks are good and strong. As far as bar food goes, this is an above average spot. I usually get a grilled chicken salad with balsamic dressing that is bigger than my head--well worth the 12$. It can be a pain to find a seat here, especially on a night when there's a big game. Usually the wait isn't more than 20-30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to stand in an awkard huddle nursing a gin and tonic and attempting to catch the eye of the one cute guy in the entire bar--oh wait, he's got a girlfriend.
(3)Gary M.
GB is the best place to go after work for happy hour in Rockville in my opinion. The HR menu is really good and the beer there is even better. If you don't know what kind of beer you would like to try, they will give you a sample to help you decide. The staff at GB is outstanding!!! Get there early (before 5) if you want a decent seat in the bar area. Once it gets warm, there is seating outside on the sidewalk and patio area. It's a nice, clean restaurant with great service.
(5)Don B.
Nice beer selection, excellent service but 1 star less for cooking my medium rare burger to a hockey puck and another point for drowning my garlic fries in so much garlic, all I could think about was where do they store the breath mints?
(3)Jessica P.
Brought some family from out of town here to catch a football game. The pilsner beer was spot on! The dumplings were really good and the crabcake was fantastic! Also got good reviews for the fish and chips. I appreciated they had skinny cocktails and lowfat options - I had the shrimp stir fry and it was super tasty. The servings were huge so we had great leftovers the next day. We will definitely be back!
(4)Charde S.
Me and a friend went here because we had just seen a movie and the theater was right across the street from this restaurant. It was after midnight so nothing else would have been open. I'm glad we went here, the food is actually pretty good. They also have an awesome beer selection. The OctoberFest was great. I wasn't particularly interested in whatever game happened to be on that night, but my friend was very excited to catch the Sunday night game so that's another plus. Great place to grab something to eat late-night. The food wasn't amazing but it was good and had decent portions. The beer really was the highlight. If you want some decent food, a good beer and to catch the game, this place delivers.
(4)John K.
I think that the beer is overrated (although I do like their Fest Bier that's out right now). But none of the other beers really tickle my fancy. The food price ranges from $10-$30, but no really good choices in between. Service is decent for a chain, and I guess since it's located in downtown, you usually find a pretty good crowd. I should technically give it more stars, but I'm trying to fight against the trend. Hey, maybe I'll vote for McCain....OK, now that's just crazy talk.
(2)Pete D.
For the most part, this place is crowded, especially during a game night. But it's a bar/restaurant, so this is typical. If you're looking for a decent burger, this is typically what I order (mushroom/swiss burger). The other foods are sub-par. However, their garlic fries is what keeps me coming back. Hungry or not, you can eat these bad boys. The fries have chunks of garlic in them, seasoned just enough, and truly delicious. I'd give it another star, but the crowds can get nuts, as well as the typical slow service you get too.
(3)Laura I.
I just couldn't get over how incredibly slow the service is. Also, the distance between the booth seats and the table top is much too uncomfortable (booth too low/table too high). It didn't help that the bowl they served my salad in added another 6 inches and I had to sit on my own leg so that I was raised up enough feed myself in a mannerly way and not look like I was shoveling food straight from the bowl into my mouth. The food isn't that bad, but some of the menu items are way overpriced... I usually just stick with the seafood cobb salad without bacon.. but I wish they prepared the shrimp better. It tasted like it was just defrosted pre-cooked shrimp... far from tasty.
(3)Kelly G.
You treated us like Princesses! Thank you, Princess (our server) for taking such good care of us on my sister's birthday dinner. When we arrived one-by-one, you didn't flinch at all. When we ordered non-alcoholic beverage after non-alcoholic beverage she didn't bat an eyelash. When we needed an extra moment to decide (TWICE) she was cool with that, too! Our conversaiton ran the gamut from work to recent dates but when she needed to give us an entree status alert, she managed to find a logical lull in conversation rather than strong arming her way in. Nice! When our entrees arrived, I wanted to eat ALL of them. I told you I was a chain restaurant pasta whore and my Lil Sis ordered the shrimp & scallop linguini with red pepper pesto cream sauce. MMMMmmmm! The jambalaya pasta and the shrimp and chicken teriyaki were no slouches either. Mmmmm! What did I get? The fish of the day: sea bass with ginger rice and asparagus. Oh MMMMM no! Righteous! You know the Gordon Biersch decor so don't trip. But this one has a garage door style roll-up window adjacent to the bar. And those hops-happy patrons who are seated at those outdoor tables have direct access to the bartender and their next cold one. Well alright! The restrooms are not bad. Plenty of hot water and hand soap to remove the food smells and bits. Everything else in there is your standard faren except the reedy diffuser. Nice touch! Gordon Biersch will SERVE you good food at a reasonable price in a nice setting. There are plenty of other chain and non-chain eat-spots in this Rockville and if your path leads you here, you won't be disappointed one bit.
(4)Alan G.
Agree strongly with Derryk A's review below. Love the beers - great set up, always a lot of friendly people and the food is definitely steps above places like Fridays. Fish tacos are a hit with me and had a great lobster bisque recently. I try and wrap up wednesday nights there between 10:00 and 10:30 there - nothing like throwing back a late night lager!
(4)Christie W.
The atmosphere is fun, and trendy, its big enough so you don't get overwhelmed by the crowds. If you are lucky enough to snag a seat in the beer garden during the summer months, thats a plus! I love people watching, and being outdoors. Overall I been disappointed with everything I have ever ordered off the menu, including the famous garlic fries, they are nothing special, and leave you with some rancid breath. This place is good for a nice summer happy hour. The beer is good. Definitely more of a place for drinks, not dinner.
(2)Roger F.
I must start out by pointing out that I do not drink alcohol, so this food is entirely about the restaurant aspect of Gordon Biersch. I only came here because someone had given me a $25 gift card for Gordon Biersch, so I was probably in a little bit better mood to start with, since I knew I would be getting a significant discount on the meal. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich, which was decent but not outstanding, and everyone else said the same about their food items. The atmosphere was very good, and the service was also good. In all, it was definitely an enjoyable meal experience. However, only 3 stars due to the prices (it was $12 for a smallish sandwich, $15-20 for pasta-type dishes, and even more for other entrees. Not worth the price in my opinion, but I am glad I got to try it once with the gift card!
(3)Erica H.
My husband and I recently moved to Rockville and we have become fans of Gordon Biersch. While it is a little pricey for American food (although, it's also more sophisticated than traditional bar food), we have continually been pleased with everything we've ordered. Equally important, the service has always been great. Every time we've been there our waiter/waitress has been super friendly and attentive. We even signed up for the Passport program because we are sure that we will continue to frequent this restaurant. I can't speak for the bar scene, although it always seems to be hopping, but I definitely give two thumbs up for the restaurant.
(4)John W.
American Cuisine. Well I'm not a beer drinker, so you won't be seeing anything about the beer in my review. In search for a replacement steak place after the 'Orleans House' closed in Rosslyn, we decided to trek here to try out the cuisine. Everyone at the table had some variation of steak, NY Strip, Steak Frites and Steak Cubes. One person had the salmon with pecans. I had a taste of the salmon, nothing special to report. As for the steaks? They were ok, nothing to really rave about. One person ordered a medium rare NY Strip and it came out more medium to medium well. My Steak Cubes were supposed to be done medium, but it was more medium well, and one ended up medium rare. Most of the items on the menu are steaks, and you can't cook a steak right? That is NOT good. As for the sides that came with the dishes, they were alright. The potato skins were on average and the garlic mash was good. Unless beer is your thing, a member at our table had a beer and it was decent, I am not sure if there is anything on the menu that is really outstanding. Maybe worth the try once, but I prefer Red Rock Canyon as a steak place.
(3)Anne P.
Such great beer and really good tasting food... nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Yes, definetely a fan!
(4)Karthik B.
GB has a pretty good hefeweizen, and the glasses are generous compared to many other area bars. However, the food isn't as great as people make it out to be. The vegetarian selections are pretty uninspiring, so I tend to eat a little bit at home if my friends want to meet up here. The location is super convenient, with easy access to Metro and parking. Good decor, but I don't understand why the outside bar area needs to be walled off from the rest of the restaurant with heavy frosted glass doors -- it makes the area look crowded and uninviting from the inside. If you want something safe, GB is for you. Otherwise, find something with more local flavor.
(3)Roz D.
Bad beer. Eh food. In a pinch it will do.
(2)Ricky M.
The selection of beers that they brew is awesome. The martzen is my favorite. The hefinhieser or something along those lines a great blue moon type beer. Garlic frys are a must when coming here
(4)J. L.
Food here was great and place was nice. The drinks were good and all in all, it was a nice place to try out. The only problem I have with this place are their server staff. We were sat at a table close to the bar and ordered some food and drinks through the waitress. During the course of our meal our waitress wasnt around that much, but it was okay because she was pretty busy with other people to take care of. We were trying to get our waitress for some more drinks but she didnt come around for a little while now and since we were less than 5 steps from the bar, we were fine going up to the bar and ordering more drinks. What I wasnt so pleased with was that the moment we did, the waitress finally comes around, not even to see how we were doing, but just to let us know that we need to order drinks through her. Obviously she just wants to get a bigger tip from having a bigger bill from us. At this point we werent upset and agreed to order through her...The only problem is that she was not able to come by to our table even though we tried to wave her down. As much as I would love to order through the waitress I'm not gonna wait another 15 minutes just to get some more drinks so I went back to the bar where I was helped in less than 10 seconds. Just like clockwork the waitress finally comes back and showed her frustration to us this time and raising her voice telling us that we have to order drinks through her with a very impolite attitude. If were not allowed to order through the bar then the bartender shouldnt have served us. I wish I would have gotten her name and would make sure to put her on blast for this one, but I'm a visitor from out of town and made the wrong choice coming here. I wont be back.
(1)Jed S.
I was here last night. We were told it would be a 25 minute wait, and it only took 15 minutes-it was nice having a restaurant give me a table early and not late for once! :P The service was very attentive, and the food was good. Their garlic fries are delicious. Otherwise, the food wasn't anything special, per se, it was pretty standard, but it was done well. There is ample parking in the area-if the open lot across the street is full, there's an underground lot around the corner. My sole complaint is that both times I've been here, it was VERY noisy inside. Loud enough to make conversation difficult. Still, that shouldn't be enough to keep you from coming. :)
(4)michele p.
We went to GB for a birthday party last night. Large group of us, still great service, and they did a wonderful job with bringing out the cake and everything. Everyone's food was very good, steak medallions with stuffed shrimp= awesome. Try their pizzas, they are all great. It is a little more expensive than your typical pub, because the food is better than your typical pub. I highly recommend it for a nice dinner out with some good drinks. They also have a cool covered outdoor bar area.
(4)Ellen K.
I went for happy hour with a few co-workers and the bar area was packed. We had to stand around in the bar area for half an hour for someone to leave. The bar bites were OK...I've definitely had better. I never liked anything on their menu. I gave this place a couple tries but both times, I was pretty unimpressed. The atmosphere is like TGI Friday's...nothin' special. Their garlic fries are delicious but, it hits you in the face for the rest of the night.
(2)Christi N.
Went for happy hour the other day. My boyfriend ordered us a Hefeweizen and a Seasonal beer to share. Both were unique and delicious. The chicken flatbread was surprisingly very flavorful. The Hawaiian pizza was also good, but was nothing extraordinary; it also resembled the flatbread (just a tad thicker minus the feta-assisted flavor). The garlic fries were EXCELLENT with real bits of garlic among the fries (giving justice to its name for once)! The sliders were more towards the side of bland. And the calamari was far from perfection; first it came under-seasoned and undercooked... then the same batch came back overcooked and hard as rocks. Thankfully, the server was wonderful and understanding of our distaste and she removed the item from our check.
(3)Jawd Z.
I wish I had yelp before I came here to have been warned about this place. A friend and I came here on a Saturday for drinks. We seated ourselves. It took a few minutes for our waiter to come over. When she came, she gave us drink and food menus. We ordered one of their homemade beers. The first half of it was great, it was smooth. The waiter did not bother to come back to our table to ask if we were ready to order our food. She disappeared out of sight for quite a while. Eventually she did take our order. We decided to share mini burgers. I was suggesting we go over to Buffalo Wild Wings after for their cheesy fries. We ate a burger and a half each. We could barely finish them bc out stomachs began to hurt. We couldn't finish the other half of our beer because it did not taste the same. When the waiter brought over the tab, she stayed near us and kept asking if we needed anything else. (like that was going to make me want to leave a high tip! Ha!) I tipped her poorly because her service was poorly. We headed over to BWW, ordered a beer & wings & fries. We didn't even touch the wings because of the immense pain in our stomachs, and we had developed headaches. Once I got home, I threw up everything I had consumed and felt 100 times better. My friend said that she did the same. We are certain that it was those mini burgers. Or maybe the beer. Whatever it was, I know for sure that I'm never going there again. It was my first and my last visit there.
(1)Jason F.
I'm OK with this place. No real complaints except two...one small, one big. First the small one, and likely just me, but the season fries aren't all that great, and the onion smell from them floats around the bar area, and I can't help but think there's someone nearby with bad body odor. But the real attraction is the outside area before 5pm. Second, as mentioned in countless newspaper articles, and review of this and other nearby restaurants...the parking. Not only is it horrible to find a spot (and increasing harder the more popular the area gets), but many of the yuppies that come here just don't know HOW to park. I mean does your little overpriced Mercedes or BMW really need two spaces to park....are they really that blind, or inconsiderate....arrrggg.
(3)Nami C.
The food is good, beers is good too. The restaurant setting is not bad, wonder why so many people don't like it... yes Rockville is a aging city, I guess only 50+ are manage to eat out in this current economy.
(4)Homer J.
Swanky place to hangout and knock back a few. The food is okay, we ordered a couple appeteasers of egg rolls, shrimp and pot stickers. Btw, dont get the potstickers, I think they tried to use some mustard in them to imitate the wasabi taste and wasn't very appealing at all. Service was pretty slow, esp on a busy night but in good company, you can't really tell. Worth it to go during their happy hours but gets quite pricey during other times. Their house beers are pretty good, suggest you try them out instead of ordering drinks you could get anywhere else.
(3)Hooty B.
Beer was okay. Menu looked great and everything sounded so good, but then turned out to be pretty bland and not hot. Let down. Service was pretty slow and ditzy...
(2)Grace G.
They can be really busy on the weekend. But the garlic fries are well worth the wait
(4)kara h.
Great place for happy hour, one of my favorite places to go to in Rockville. LOVE the Seafood Cobb Salad and the Garlic Fries.
(5)Nicole L.
This Gordon Biersch looks nice and new. I had the Marzen beer, it still my fav choice of beer. The garlic fries were good. But my steak came out stone cold. I was quite disappointed, they offered to do something about it, not sure what exactly. I got a free cup of soup while waiting. My steak came back hot but it was the same piece of meat cos I cut a little corner off. SO I hope there wasn't any "Waiting" manipulation in the kitchen. The steak was ok, it's warm but a little over done. At the end, we asked to split the bill with two cards and they put both charges on my card. What are the chances!! Anyhow they had to reverse one of the charge.
(2)Kawa L.
Slow service, food needs to come out faster. Food are ok. The beers are pretty much the only reason I keep going back.
(3)George R.
Good beer, decent wine; food is hit-or-miss. Best appetizers: Southwest Egg Rolls; calamari (recipe changed a few months ago). Good mains: mahi mahi (plate or dwich); seared tuna; cajun pasta; pulled pork dwich; spinach salad; cobb salad. Seasonal menus are also hit-or-miss. Avoid: rice. Tip: you can get the potato wedges with garlic instead of blue cheese (awesome if you like garlic).
(3)Laurie W.
I come here for the Schwartzbier. Yes, that is why I come here. The bartenders are friendly and I love the outdoor seating area (fans in the summer, heated in the winter.) That's what makes it so sad that the food here verges on terrible, really. I can chow on a chicken sandwich or Caesar salad at Friday's, no problem. I'm not a total anti-chain snob. But this menu is odd, and overpriced for what it is. This is NOT a twenty-dollar entree kind of joint, or locale, but that's what you'll pay if you opt for a full dinner. I generally go for a salad if I'm hungry when I get there. I've had some of the appetizers, which amount to a variety of fried things. If it were just for food I wouldn't hurry back, but oh the Schwartzbier! So dark and yet so light...yum. It's my new favorite beer. You can get a growler of it to go, too, so you can eat at home if you want.
(3)Kathy C.
The food quality is fine: typical bar food. Their happy hour specials are phenomenal! $5 drinks, $11 combos, $5 or $7 entrees/sides...great, casual interior with dim lighting and good service. Happy hour runs from 4pm-6:30pm.
(3)Kelly W.
Beer selection awesome! Food just average but way, way on the pricey side. Come here for the armosphere and beer rather then food, and you will have a great time!
(3)Jim B.
Crap. $10 burgers that should be $5. Garlic fries that have a bit too much garlic. I mean, I love garlic - but do I want to eat five cloves worth as I dig into my fries? Beer was decent and they have a cheap sampler option that gives you 5 varieties that are brewed on-site. Wait, nevermind. That sampler amounted to $5 for what must have been less than a pint. Crap. Overpriced and underwhelming.
(2)Jen G.
Overpriced. Blah food. Tiny portions of fish dishes. Service eh. $100 for 3 people-3 entrees, 2 drinks! What a waste!
(1)Lu C.
Minus one star for greasy/a little bit salty food, but PLUS FOUR STARS for the hottest waiter. He was a mix of lotsa races (aka the best). Go for the beer sampler (even my dad did once), the Gordon Biersch burger (greasy deliciousness- you get the best bang for your buck), and the new coconut shrimp appetizer. Also a great place to chill at night (where else is there to go drink in Rockville, anyway?) Hit the nearest Gordon Biersch to you since its a chainnnn.
(4)Mariella B.
Typical chain restaurant has some burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, pasta, even Asian cuisine. Their garlic fries are so good they are a must! I typically go there for lunch and I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich with grilled peppers or avocados. I have had a bad experience here when it was Octoberfest and they had specials like sausages with peppers and onions and soft pretzels for appetizers. When we got the pretzels they were still cold on the inside so they brought us out another batch which were still cold inside. We decided we didn't want to attempt another round since out food was probably going to be there soon. The waitress kept the pretzels on out tab and when we questioned it she said she would have to ask her manager if they could take it off. We were kind of annoyed because why she have to ask if he could when he SHOULD take them off because we didn't even eat any. Other than that it's pretty cool but I still think they're over priced.
(3)Catherine H.
bleh. Look, if I wanted some garlic fries and corporate food I'd make my way to San Francisco and go to Phone Park. At least then I could watch some baseball while I overpaid for my food. Gordon Biersch is the same all over the country-- kinda average food, kinda average beer, slightly above average prices. The main difference between GB and TGI Friday's is the slightly nicer decor and the lack of flair on the servers. Hardly reasons for me to spend my money here. If this is Rockville's definition of progress we've got some real problems.
(1)Rachel G.
Chilean sea bass! Great drink selections. Fun atmosphere. Needs better bread.
(5)Ivy V.
love love love my spinach salad. ...maybe it's the dressing. please bottle it Gordon. always have a good time here.
(4)Glaciala A.
Standard american fare, with great tasting beer. Had a chicken sandwich and it was pretty tasty. I'd skip the dessert mini sample next time, but great place to chill for happy hour or have a quieter dinner.
(4)A. F.
3.5 stars. I used to frequent GB for happy hour. They have pretty good deals on martinis, mojitos, beer, and a pretty extensive list of appetizers. I enjoy hanging out there on a Thursday or Friday afternoon/early evening to chill out after work and catch up with friends. I'm not a beer person, so I can't say anything about their beers. But I usually get a mojito and southwest eggrolls which are always consistently pretty good. Despite the crowdedness, I've always had pretty good service... at times, slow, because its crowded, but servers are always nice and helpful. Beware, though, it gets pretty crowded later in the week and gets hard to find a table.
(3)dave h.
This place was okay, the beer was better then the food, I would only give it 2 stars but beer bumped it up a star. The garlic fries that they raved about in the menu, we just genetic fries with some garlic salt nothing to write home about. The beer was tasty, and the bar atmosphere was pretty cool too. They have this cool outdoor sidewalk seating, very NYC or maybe Bethesda. Stop by when you are waiting to see a movie at Regal or looking to kill some time between court appointments at the court house. Catherine but it best, average. cheers --drink on kids--
(3)Lesly S.
Nothing fancy but still cool--GB has a new outpost in Rockville's Town Center. I'm not always in favor of chains, but GB has good food and good beer, and this new location is pretty spacious. The bar has a sort of indoor/outdoor thing going on, and it was crowded the whole time I was there. There is also a TINY patch of actual outdoor seating, from what I could tell. The food is good, I actually had a great hummus/goat cheese salad. Tasty. My husband gorged himself on one of the specialty burgers, and he raved about the garlic fries, "with actual chunks of garlic!" HIs beer was so-so. There are a lot of new restaurants coming into this area, some known and some new that caught my eye. I'm sure GB will always be crowded.
(4)Kruella D.
Most of the food here sucks, but the beer is fantastic! If you know what to order, you might end up with an OK meal. It's not a place to go if u are a "foodie".
(3)Mauricio A.
Gordon Biersch is definitely one of the chillest places to go with friends and their beer is amazing. I'm a big fan of the Golden Export but their Hefeweizen is just as good. Also, they have really good garlic fries but be sure to pack mints and even a toothbrush because there is enough garlic on these things that you could clear out the entire bar with your breath after eating them.
(5)Derryk A.
Yep 4 stars why because it's a nice step up or two from your typical Fridays, Ruby Tuesday type places. Located in the heart of Rockvilles Town Center across from the Movie theatre in what use to be an ugly eyesore of an old strip plaza and overgrown empty field. This place has risen up out of nothingness to a city centre destination to go any day of the week. Gordon Biersch is a nice location to journey to. Right on the corner it gets plenty of foot traffic and in the summer with it's large glass doors open and sounds from the inside filter out inviting people to join the fun. When you get inside you will see a large dinning area and bar area with plenty of large flat panel TVs tuned in to the sports channels. With people staring at them rooting for their team and drinking laughing and having a good time. The dinning area consist of tables in the center and along the side hugh booths for even the largest people. The menu is quite extensive in variety with everything from pizza to seared tuna and a mix of German, Italian, American, Asian and fusions of all. Interesting combo. Usually these types of places I sick with more Euro-American cuisine and don't bother with the Asian fusion items. Asian food is perfect just the way it is and without corruption, IMHO. The beer selection is good with their own brews I like getting the sampler and have a little of this and that. The Marzen is our favorite, also the Hefeweizen, the waiters always pronounce these names wrong my college German teacher would have a cow if she heard this butchery to the language. Anyways I got off subject as usual. Prices can be pricey with the entrees I always like their sandwiches and burgers those are excellent (the Marzen bbq burger very good) with decent prices. They have Chilean Sea Bass on the menu I like it but I thought that was an endanger species at this moment. So I don't know about that item. Other menu items include seasonal listings during the appointed time, lots of Oktoberfest items. Fiancee had a pork en wrapped with beacon dish served with hugh potato wedges. potato wedges were a little over saturated with the pork grease, left a lot of those on plate. She bit off more than she could chew on this dish I try to help her out but that was just way too much pork at one time for me. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it. So had to take the rest home. I wound up eating the rest the next day after taking a aspirin to thin the blood. The rest of the selection are big portions go with plenty of appetite the deserts are huge but they do have small sample type deserts that come in these tiny shot glasses, good idea. Good location, nice layout, good service and good food I have no major issues except for the sea bass and the entrees are a little too pricey.
(4)Miranda B.
I thought the service was fantastic, but it was way too crowded for my tastes. Especially for a Tuesday. I only had a salad (which is pretty difficult to mess up) but the appetizer was absolutely delicious. Prices were a little high, which didn't make much sense for the quality of food. Not to say it wasn't good, but I would have expected more for the money.
(3)Janet H.
I like GB a lot. Although this place seems to be pack every time I go... like tonight (Friday) the wait was just ridiculous! I was told 30-40 minutes and we ended up waiting over an hour!! I had to go ask twice when we will get seated before our pager finally responded! Aside from the wait, I don't have any other complaints. I like the décor and ambiance at GB. The crowd is young with mostly working professionals. I want to say its like a fancy 'high class' American restaurant... if you compare it to restaurants like Ruby Tuesday or TGIFriday a bit further down the pike. I like their food. They haven't disappointed me yet the few times I've been there. Their garlic fries are DELICIOUS! :) The best I've had anywhere so far. Try it! Their steaks are not bad either. I'm not big on beer drinking so I haven't really tried their specialty beer so can't comment much on that. I do want to try having HH there some time though.. it looked fun :P Overall, the location of GB is very convenient. You never have to worry about parking because they have two public garages just around the corner. There's plenty of street parking too if you're lucky. We parked at the spot right in front of GB tonight :) There's a Starbucks right across the street, so what's better than a yummy cup of coffee after your meal? :)
(4)Diana N.
to be honest with you. i've eaten here once. drank here endless times. and usually it's semi outside in the "beer garden" not so much a garden then a boxed in strip that allows the drunken mess of people to spit on the sidewalk and possibly puke on the grass rather then inside on the floor. i find myself coming here quite frequently and GASP my tolerance has gone up to about 2 beers before i feel like i might hurl....hey, before it was half a beer. the bar service staff is excellent and always are around, no need to stand there holding ur card or cash in the air. the crowd can get a bit raucous but thats what beer is for, to numb out the stupid and bring in the happy. also the last call is about 1am. perfect for when all of rockville closes at 11pm. score.
(3)Becky T.
I got the meatloaf there and it was enough for three separate meals so the $14 price for it didn't hurt too much. Bar was packed with people watching football which was fun with me cuz that freed up the outdoor seating which was perfect for a sunny autumn afternoon. The waitress was really nice and the food is solid. I probably wouldn't suggest it for dinner but I wouldn't bitch if anyone wanted me to go with them.
(4)choad x.
Crap food. Tasted like they pulled it out of a microwave container. Good Beer, but I'll take a Chimay at Tryst any day. I remember better food at the Gordon Biersch in Palo Alto.
(3)xj o.
FOOD: Well, despite what some people have said here, I think their food is very good. Well, most of it. I recommend = Pecan Crusted Salmon, Marzen Ribs (entree), Veggie Pizza, Steak Frites, Glazed Wings. I do not recommend = Tapas, Marzen Ribs (appetizer), Artichoke Hearts, Calamari. I personally don't care for the following, but my friends seem to enjoy it = Garlic Fries, Southwest Egg Rolls, most of the Salad entrees. Entrees are a little on the pricey side. But they have weekday HH specials where most appetizers are just $5. For dessert...GET THEIR PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE. Soooo goood..... DRINKS: Yeah, I have to agree that their beers are nothing to rave about. I tend to get the Golden Export. While most of the girls tend to get the Hefewiezen. Anyways, I usually drink liquor instead of beer. And this place tends to make them pretty strong. Again, they have good weekday HH specials where most martinis and mojitos are just $5. ATMOSPHERE: I've been here too many times to count. The place tends to get packed most of the time. And yes, sometimes service can be slooooow. But the wait staff has never been rude to me. Word of advice, if you go there for HH on a Friday, get there way early 4:00-4:30PM, else you'll probably have to wait to get a table at the bar area. They also have a nice porch area for hanging outside when the weather is nice. Some of the waitresses here tend to be easy on the eyes. Never hurts.
(4)JOHN T.
Average beer, below average food. Great atmosphere for beers and wings. Not that cool. Take what you want from this review but it is what it is, a beer house with crappy food and cheap chinese garlic!
(1)Gia H.
The food is good here, nothing you rave about and tell people they must come here to eat. For hor'd we started with the southwestern egg rolls. Nothing great...Just okay. For my entree, I was going to order the roasted chicken and fettuccine until I saw a server pass with a pizza. So I ended up ordering a sausage and pepperoni pizza that was very good. Because the portion of the pizza was big, I was able to take some home. Boyfriend ordered the southwest chicken sandwich. Sandwich could have been seasoned a lot better, but the garlic fries that came with the sandwich were delicious. Dessert we ordered the apple bread pudding and the banana split. I was not a fan of either. At night it seems the bar area is a little mini party in itself. Is the bar a hookah bar as well? We saw someone smoking and thought this person may have brought it from home? Overall an alright experience. Server was that great, maybe he was new. He gave some tables bread before they ordered and others he did not. Oh well, would come here again but not in a big rush to do so.
(3)Wendy D.
I primarily go to GB for Happy Hour, since they really do offer a lot. Their happy hour consists of $1 off beers $5 martinis (not real, the GOOD stuff), mojitos and apps. Whenever my friends need a quick, convenient place to go, we usually head over to GB. The only negative is that everyone else has the same idea, as getting there at 5pm is peak-time and the bar is usually packed. If you're lucky enough to find a table- or even better, a booth- you won't be disappointed.
(4)C J.
This was a night where the company pushed a so so restaurant up a half a star from 2.5 to three. I was all ready for a beer before going in, BUT they had three different kinds of mojitos!!!! I tried the pomegranate mojito and it was phenomenal! But that was really the best of it. And the fact that our waitress "lost" our ticket and it took over 30 minutes to get our drinks (the other table we were with already had their salads and appetizers before we got our drinks). The crispy artichoke hearts were definitely not crispy, blech. I split the southwester chicken sandwich and they were kind enough to go ahead and split it up onto two plates with our own fries. However, no amount of nicety can overcome mediocre food and quite poor/inattentive service. We were coming from a soccer game, so I'm hoping our group smell was what kept our waitress away...
(3)Vivian L.
Long wait for poor high priced food. That sums up my dinner at Gordon Biersch (look below if you would like details). We put our name down a 7:10 and was told it would be 20 to 30 mins. No prob, but 40 mins later and no buzzing sound on our flying saucer, puck thingy we asked what was going on and was told we actually got there at 7:29, it was a 30 min wait and it was still going to be a few mins.WTF? My bad, I must of read the time wrong on my phone by 19 mins. The thing is it was busy in the bar, but not super busy anywhere so I was going to leave and my friend was going to freak out on them ,but finally was showed to a table after waiting an extra 10 mins. We asked if we could have the open booth right next to the table and was given a look and "let me see if this is available." Was told the booth might be reserved. I said "I didn't know you guys take reservations, "Oh, no "he said just "umm call ahead seating'. "You guys have call ahead seating?" No response. Was then seated at the booth. Was told when we sat that our server just got a large table so it was going to be a while. Oh, F&%%, I should of brought 10 more people with me to get good service, nice. We ordered right away when our server said hi because it was obvious she was stretched thin. The food took a while and the server apologized for the extra wait, thanks we have been waiting an hour and half (not her fault). All the food was luke warm, but the plates where hot so we thought maybe under a heat lamp for a while. We couldn't ask them to heat it up with risk that we would miss our movie (actually we got to the restaurant over 2 hours prior to the start of the movie thinking that would be enough time to eat! My Bad for not coming here a lunch time to eat dinner ) . I ordered the steak and crab stuffed shrimp. My luke warm steak was very chewy as well as the lovely chewy luke warm stuffed shrimp and the crab stuffing didn't taste like it had a speck of crab meat in it (Yum. Chewy kinda cold $23 dollar meal)! Totally disappointed. We hardly saw our server and we were both in a bad mood by the end of the meal. Gordon Biersch was a real let down not only in quality and taste of food, but value and service. We where really looking forward to a great meal, and fun times :) but would of done much better at a place half it's price. Please do yourself and friends a favor, if you want an enjoyable meal go somewhere else. Don't let the location grab your attention.
(1)James D.
Dude. I don't get it. I have had countless afternoon happy hours in the outer bar bordering the sidewalk and had fantastic service. This time we sat inside, and it wasn't even that crowded. Sunday nite and four of us barely got service. We even had to ask twice for drinks a couple of times and ask for some other item again because she forgot. Look, I understand GB is a fairly up and up place and the trendies tend to flock because they see the brand but shit service is not acceptable anywhere, particularly somewhere as "up and up" as the new downtown Rockville. Been here lots a times but the service sucked ass tonite. The drinks and food were good.
(2)Ravi B.
What's sad about this place is that no matter how much information we impart about the food and service this restaurant will always have business because people who work in the area consider this a good option for a business lunch. I've been here twice now for lunch. The first time I thought the menu was a bit pricey for what it offered but I was happy with my meal. Their garlic french fries were delicious. I went back with others for another lunch and was generally unhappy with the food. I ordered off of their summer specialty menu: the jerk chicken kobe beef burger. It sounds delicisious I know, but it lacked any kind of spice. I'm not talking about hot spicy, I'm talking about flavor spicy. The service was pretty decent for our party, and the beer I had was adequate although for a microbrew I was kind of disappointed. Overall I would not go back here at all. I think there are other restaurants in the area that deserve a chance after this place dropped the ball for me.
(2)Tammy L.
I like all their beers except their heffeweizen, which makes me sad because I like heffeweizens. It tasted a bit like hot dog water (!?) and really grossed me out. Make another choice instead... Like Sila D., I like Marzen and Golden Export. I'm not sure if this is a Thursday special or if it's just one bartender who does this, but at this location, we've gotten $5 shots of Patron (dayum!) on Thursday. The food is nothing special; I'd never go there to eat. It's not ridiculously crowded and we can usually find a seat in the bar area. I like how they open up the windows behind the bar and bring in fresh air. Service is sometimes good, sometimes not good. It's a good place to go if you don't know where to go instead. Something about this place is not right though. I guess I feel like I'm settling if I choose to go here.
(2)Kavita K.
If ever you want a semi-bar plus family oreinted place this is the place to go!! It was really amazing!! The food was great, perfect setting even with 4 hungry kids the dinner was enjoyable. I'm not a big fan of Beer but my friend got me hooked on @ this place. It is yummy! Service was very friendly and prompt. The one in Tyson's is equally good.
(5)aidan m.
over priced. douche-bag infested. full of pretension. bartenders are(were, i dont live by there anymore) half-way decent. dont bother spending alot of money here on a regular basis. you will never get hooked up with drinks, no matter how generous you are with gratuity. uber corporate. but, if you want to show 'new rockville' off to your out-of-town guests from the mid west, by all means bring 'em here. you can woo them with the crappy, pedestrian, over priced food and un-diverse beer menu. all the beer they brew are german styles which isnt bad but when they are all mealy and taste the same it, it sucks. so when you think their beer sucks and you dont want to pay 5$ for a miller bottle, just skip it and go to hooters.
(1)kevin k.
like this place alot. they got good service modern ambience good beer good juicy burger i had other dish but i dont recall what exactly all i know it was good and i can and will go back soon as i save some money saved.
(4)Mike S.
Gordon Biersch is a welcome addition to Rockville's "downtown," which is otherwise reminiscent of the old Soviet Union: grey, concrete, bland and boring. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the food is average, not great, just average (I've always gotten real garlic on my fries though). And I wish they'd add a few more options to their fairly limited menu. But the decor is pretty sleek and the service has been outstanding on every occasion (about 10) that I've been since they opened. They have a summer seasonal beer, whose name I cannot now recall, that is very crisp and refreshing. Yummy! I also like their burgers. They also have a dining card that allows you to accumulate points and, more interestingly, to get bumped ahead of non-cardholders if there is a line (so far not an issue at the Rockville location, but might be handy elsewhere). I say 3.5 stars.
(3)Raymond W.
This location was pretty consistent with the downtown dc location with a large and loud crowd on a Saturday night. The hostess' greeting consisted of a hello and stink eye, but we let that slide as we were busy looking for a table to sit. At first we went outside and grabbed a couple of chairs, but we were astonished to have a middle aged man, who was much too old to be wearing earings, invade our seating area and telling us to move. Mmm suburban douche bags with a false sense of entitlement- not looking good. Luckily we were able to get a table inside where the AC was more welcome and we able to get our drinks quickly. One of my friends got overwhelmingly garlic french fries, but they were still crisp and savory so fair trade, I suppose... The patron showing off too much cleavage, if there was such a thing, had a large plate of pasta that looked appetizing, although I was still busy recovering from a donut overdose from the Fractured Prune just moments ago. Maybe next tiem, I'll have an actual meal there.
(3)Alisa O.
The beer is fine but there's a lot of microbrew, even in this area, so there has to be something else. The food isn't very good and the menu is outright boring. The waitstaff have always done a good job. We usually go there when we happen to be in the area and want a beer or when we're with a group of people.
(2)Elisabeth T.
DO NOT MAKE LARGE GROUP RESERVATIONS at this restaurant if you have plans afterward. Gordon Biersch almost turned a Sweet Sixteen Party into a nightmare for us. We made a 6:30pm reservation for a party of 17 on Sunday evening, with notice that we had to be out the door by 8:00 for a waiting limobus. Our entire party arrived by 6:30. A table of two was still seated at a table assigned to our group. The manager told us we would have to wait for them to leave. (They ended up leaving at 7:30!!)The manager did not try to find a win-win situation, such as explaining the situation and offering compensation to move the pair (ie. free drinks or dessert.) Neither the manager or hostesses (who are given no autonomy or authority) monitored the area for open tables or thought of other ways to seat our party close to each other. The evening only turned out ok (still with a couple knots in my stomach) because I intervened and looked out for available tables. The teens ended up sitting near 7:00 and getting food served at 7:40. The atmosphere is nice, the food and waiters are good, but none of that can be enjoyed if you're reservation isn't honored.
(1)Jay K.
This is a decent place to eat, but the food is just mediocre. I have tried a lot of dishes on the menu, but the best thing on it is probably the pulled-pork sandwich. The portions are kind of small and leaves me hungry sometimes. The location of the restaurant is great though and the beer is pretty good, especially the Hefeweizen.
(3)Stephen P.
The beer never dissappoints. The food often does. I have had seafood Cobb Salad with damn little seafood in it~~and where do those pale little shrimp come from anyway, a can? And the salad is ground up in little pieces. Bison Burger, ordered medium, served crispy / incinerated. And who's idea is it to top burgers with Gorganzola anyway? Might as well add a few anchovies too. Pizza is generally uninspired, I keep ordering it from time to time but no luck yet. Garlic fries are a good concept but do they have to sit in a pool of oil? Can the fry temp be adjusted? At 850 calories per serving at least I like to eat them a litle less wet. No hot water in the men's room~~that's a nice touch~~isn't that a situation that can get you shut down by the health department? The most miniscule $9 pour of Grand Mariner I have ever experienced. It sure had to be less than an ounce. When I asked for that in a snifter I had to draw a picure with my fingers to explain what that was. I have searched high and low on the menu for something consistantly good and enjoyable that I could rave about, but until then, it's the beer, Marzden, that brings me back. I just need to move on after a couple.
(2)Mi-ryeong K.
i had high hopes for this place ... especially as an alternative to rock bottom in bethesda. and although i'm a fan of their marzen beer, i was disappointed with the food. we tried their chef's sampler and wasn't too impressed overall, but the chicken wings were not too bad. also, we ordered the garlic fries which according to some, was the "thing to get" and even then, we were let down. but the biggest disappointment were the entrees. over a series of multiple occasions, we sampled everything from the salads to the pastas, and finally, the meats ... aside from a couple instances where the food was considered average, most of the entrees we tried was not worth the money. to make matters worse, the dessert selection was also unappetizing. in the end, gordon biersch's only redeeming quality was the alcohol ... so now we've downgraded gordon biersch from dinner destination to "just for bar purposes only".
(2)Oscar S.
I've been to Gordon Biersch maybe a dozen times. I've always had a good experience here. The beers are good, the food is good, and the service is good. The only thing is that depending what time you get there you might not find seating. But the turn-around for tables at the bar isn't that bad at all. For a micro-brew their beers are really good! Definitely give it a try on a Thurs-Sat. night, you won't be disappointed. (that's what he said!)
(3)Alex C.
Prices are ok. Czech pilsner and cajun fish tacos are hard to beat. Burgers pretty good too.
(3)Fenny L.
Stop 4 of 4 on the Devouring Rockville Tour de Force. It was supposed to be the Fractured Prune, alas, I was silly and thought "it's a donut shop - it'll be open until the wee hours, right?". Yeah. No. They closed at 8:30 or something. Fail. But the reason why I love Yelpers, and in particular, this little band of brave gastro-masocists, is that we were determined to do 4th place - no matter what it was. So standing in front of the darkened and forlorn Fractured Prune, we look across the street, and spy Gordon Biersch. We decided that as we had dessert at Bob's 66, that we could finish up the night with after-dinner drinks and call it a night. We saunter in and it was pretty busy for a Thursday night. After waiting about 10 minutes, some seats at the bar open up, and we quickly grab them. We probably needn't have rushed, as then we progressed to sit there - ignored by all - for another 10 - 15 minutes. Part of it is not the bartenders fault...the place was quick full, and they were all busy. However, no one even gave us the eye and the nod. You know, when the bartender looks at you and gives you the nod to let you know that they see you and will get to you as soon as they finish up mixing up the 15 shots that the annoying group of girls-who-are-celebrating-turning-21-and-have-Âpassed-the-point-of-being-cute-or-funny-and-are-Ânow-just-*irritating*. Nada. However, due to Juliana C's secret mutant powers, when I turned around, she had somehow snagged a bartender, and had the beer sampler poured and laid-out before us. Um, I don't like beer. So I'm not letting that influence this review. But yeah...the beer...umm...it was...cold? Sorry - can't help you there. I can tell you that the little mini glasses that the beer was served in was *adorable*! So, it was sort of a slightly fizzly end to an otherwise great and delicious outing. Although, Juliana was quite *magical* as a dancing beautiful nymph statue, as we were heading to the parking lot. Yeah, pictures to come.
(3)Libby F.
With a fun and lively atmosphere and impressive modern decor, Gordon Biersch is a great place for hanging out during happy hour. Unfortunately we missed it by 15 min.(M-F 4:00-6:30; Sun-Thur 10pm-close). Our waiter was busy, but did an outstanding job handling the patio and outside tables by himself. I enjoyed sipping my handcrafted lager on the covered patio. Their beers are great. GB Golden Export is a light lager, while their Marzen is an auburn colored, slightly sweet lager. The Marzen is 5.7% alcohol by volume; their strongest and I felt it! But what is it with the Garlic Fries??? I guess they are great 'cause everybody around us was eating them. Not exactly the kind of smell you want on your breath when chatting it up with a handsome stranger. We had the Crab and Artichoke Dip. Not impressive. It was more like chunks of artichokes with no crabmeat taste to it. It was suppose to be served in a bread bowl, but was really served atop a small boule which had the top sliced off; very hard to eat without slicing the bread boule apart. I'd come back for the atmosphere and beer, but you won't ever catch me eating the Garlic Fries!!!
(3)O K.
Love the beer! Great game atmosphere!
(5)Jess C.
I came here last night (Wednesday~10pm) with a few friends. The staff was friendly and nice. We got bar seating and had to wave down a waitress, but we were able to order. Apparently, it was still HAPPY HOUR at 10pm, so they had appetizer and drink specials! My friend's entree took quite over 10 minutes to arrive, but I was too busy munching on their delicious garlic fries (one order~shared with three people) to fret. If you love garlic, you must try these fries. Those were some strong garlic fries... I woke up this morning and still felt garlic in my system. I really like the bar seating and ambiance of the place. I liked the booth seats a lot and I felt its a great place to mingle and hang out with friends. Overall, it was a pleasant night at Gordon Biersch. Would have been even better if they had faster service though!
(4)Amy B.
I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm on the food at this place. Someone even saying that the calamari was the worst they ever had?? The calamari is fantastic. Very lightly breaded and not overly cooked. On top of that, it comes with a wasabi aioli. It's delicious. Their burgers are fantastic, their fries are delicious (they're garlic fries) and their jumbalaya is amazing. I've also had their fish and chips which are great. They're breaded differently than I've ever had. Forget what it's called but it's great. So food=GREAT. The beer is even better. Their marzen is delicious and so is their hefeweisen. Some of their seasonals are amazing too. At least for the past 2 falls they had festbeer which is a typical octoberfest type beer, which is delicious. Around this time of year they usually have their Maibock or maybe it'll be here soon and that's really good too! So beer= FANTASTIC Their service is pretty good too. All the waiters and waitresses i've had have always been super nice and talkative even if you take up a table and only drink beer. They're still super friendly. The only downfall is if you want to eat at the normal dinner time-no matter what the day- you will have at least an hour wait. Gotta come early or later. If there is a game on, add an hour to that hour.
(5)Wei Z.
Every time I been here thing have been great. The beer is on point. Only thing I wish they had more room for the bar area
(5)Bradley S.
A great American restaurant. The food has always been delicious in my case, although sometimes the servings are big dishes, which limits enjoying the rest of the menu (appetizers and desserts). The beer is awesome, and the garlic fries are simply nirvana in a starch shell. Try the Mahi Mahi sandwich and a Hefenwizen brew.
(4)Taylor F.
been here once or twice. decent bar food. had a pretty good pizza. May return.
(3)Stacy K.
I wish I could give this place negative stars. Seriously, wtf happened to this place? I used to go with friends b/c it was close to my house, had a fun atmosphere, and good food and beer. I hadn't been in over a year but my sister and I wanted to grab lunch a few months ago so we thought Gordon Biersch would be a good place to hang out. WRONG! When we arrived, no one was at the front door to greet or seat us. Finally, we asked someone at the bar where the hostess was--when she arrived, she wasn't friendly or even polite. Didn't even smile. She took us to our seats and everything went downhill from there. First, we noticed that the menu had changed from when we had last dined here. We decided to be adventurous and try something new. Big mistake...I ordered the stuffed chicken with quinoa and veggies. It was absolutely horrendous...the chicken was overcooked on the outside and I'm guessing undercooked on the inside because I had really bad food poisoning from it. The seasoning was weird and it seemed like they were trying too hard to be fancy. Ugh. My sister ordered the grilled cheese, and it was so greasy that she couldn't eat it. The only good thing about our meal were the garlic fries. The service was RUDE even though my sister and I are really easy going and the waiter was almost...sarcastic? Impatient? He had zero other tables to wait on so I don't get what his problem was. Maybe he doesn't like tips. We returned a few months later, chalking up the previous experience as an off day...we figured that if we ordered our usual, favorite dishes then things would be better. Again...WRONG. Same as last time--no hostess to greet guests. Not busy for lunch but terrible service still. I ordered the goat cheese salad which tasted fine and my sister had a burger. Um...the waiter must have forgotten that we existed b/c I had to tap on the glass divider between our table and the kitchen to get his attention and TELL HIM that my food was waiting on the serving line to be brought out. Luckily my salad was supposed to be cold...if it were a hot dish, it would no doubt have been cold by the time the waiter woke up and realized he was on the clock. He never refilled our drinks--we had to get his attention and ask for them. He would disappear and never check if we needed anything. The biggest joke was that with the check, there was a customer survey card for guests to fill out. LOL. I was tempted to rip GB a new one but I'd rather Yelp it for the world to see, not their crappy sub-par management team, which clearly doesn't bother to check if their employees are doing their jobs or if their customers are satisfied. Most recent experience was earlier today. I only went because a friend of mine wanted to eat their garlic fries really badly so we ate in the bar area instead of the restaurant area for lunch. Our server was inattentive to the point of negligence. The food was decent but took FOREVER to arrive. Come on. I am boycotting this place. If it were sucky once or twice, fine. But consistent bad service and mediocre, greasy food is just pathetic. GB, I gave you a fair chance and you failed miserably. Rockville Town Center, step up your game. You're not worth the convenience of being near my house.
(1)Monica W.
Love the food and atmosphere @ G. B. Went to business lunch there today. Unfortunately the lunch revisited me a bunch of times later in the day. Had to miss my workout because I got so sick from their healthy choice Mediterranean Chicken. It tasted good I guess but ... Consider yourself warned. :) I have been there many times w no issues. Not sure why that meal was so unpleasant today.
(1)Jon H.
Huge interior, good atmosphere, and a packed house pretty much describe Gordon Biersch. An average beer-house with average food (even though everything on the menu pretty much will satisfy all your bar food cravings), average service, and above-average prices. Couple of buddies and I shared the huge size appetizer sampler which came with garlic fries (more garlic please!) , pita + hummus (at a bar wtf?), southwestern style egg rolls (no idea what they were), and kobe burgers (might as well be mini-microwave burgers), and a few beers. Needless to say, wasn't blown away by the food (althought it had GOOD potential on paper), or the beer. Other than that, I'd still say Gordon Biersch is an average place. You can still come here with friends and enjoy a good night together...and there's definitely worse places to go out there.
(3)Megan H.
It's a great place to hang out with friends and watch football/basketball games with cheap food and drinks during happy hour. Service is slow sometimes, but what's the rush? Take a minute a chill :) I highly recommend the garlic fries because they've got some serious garlic chunks in them... just make sure the person you're going home with eats them with you! ; )
(4)Arnus M.
I've found it best to judge these places under varying conditions. Some friends and I were seeking diversion elsewhere in Rockville and GB was a fallback, during peak times. That said, let's get to it: Parking: If you are from the MD suburbs or exurbs where parking is free, you will feel the high contention for spaces here. Nearby is the Regal Cinema, with it's own lot. So parking can be had, it is just challenging during a busy night. Think DC lite. Food: We had appetizers, which were serviceable, albeit a bit pricey for my taste. Liked the calorie listing for items. Broad menu choices, which is ALWAYS good. Service: The waitress did her level best to keep us plied with food and drink, and was above average given tight quarters. Ambience: Definitely packed, easily a favorite to see and be seen and ideal for the pre-game. There were definitely some beautiful people in effect. Location: Very convenient, right off the main drag of Rockville Pike, so it's easy to guide semi-besotted friends there by phone. Summary: As chains go, you could do worse. Try to hit a happy hour and if you plan to go during peak times, expect a Disneyland-esque wait (bring a paperback).
(3)Mike T.
GARLIC FRIES...5 stars; everything else...3 stars.
(3)Ali S.
This place was really packed on a friday evening even past the dinner rush, took awhile but we finally got our bar seats. Drafts are pretty good, competitively priced during non-happy hour times. I had a hard time accepting this place because of my loyalty to rock bottom, but the hefeweizen and marzen were decent. I've heard about the garlic fries, but we ordered the tapas. They came out very fast (2-3 minutes at most) and were delicious. Overall was a good experience, I'll be back when visiting downtown rockville for a brew.
(3)Steve C.
Went here for the second time yesterday. The first time was pretty good. But looking back on it, it was a weekday and not very busy. This time it was Friday night , and if not for the good company we would have really had a bad time. It started with our lost reservation. We made the reservation the day before, and requested a booth. On arrival we had no reservation and were told the wait was over an hour. Turns out that was the most honest statement of the night! After we sat for a long time our waiter finally showed up. He was unable to handle our drink order. Two martinis, one beer and one cocktail. Even though he wrote it carefully, he forgot one order and had to come back. Then ten minutes later he came back to say they didn't have the ingredients for the cocktail. Wen he brought the drinks, he could only bring two at a time because he didn't have a tray to use. Really? We placed our order then waited. 45 minutes later we flagged the waiter and asked for bread and another round of drinks. Another 15 minute wait for drinks and still no food. Finally after an hour and fifteen minutes, out came the salads and entrees at the same time. A guest at our table with a food allergy got the wrong food. I took it back to the kitchen myself, as there was no waiter in sight. They assured me they would fix it and bring it right over. They didn't. The salads were good and fresh. My waiter assured me that the fish would be stuffed with backfin crabmeat. Not so, but there was plenty of filler and it tasted like a decent frozen stuffed fish you could get at the market for a couple dollars. The jasmine rice was very good and veggies done just right. The other entrees were mediocre, nothing to brag about. After a conversation with the manager he offered to comp a meal and buy us dessert. The chocolate cake was a bit on the stale side, but the cheesecake was good. When the bill came they forgot to comp the meal. All in all, a disappointing dinner, especially considering it was $177 before tip and after free entree and dessert. Sure, we had two or three drinks each, but for such a pricey meal we deserved better. With so many choices in the area it's unlikely we will go back.
(2)Sina E.
Good atmosphere, and hang out spot with buddies and friends. However, it's usually packed by the time I get there, and usually no seating at the bar! I love their beers; I would say that my favorite is the hef, but the rest are good too. The food isn't too bad either. The garlic fries are good, but might be too strong, and I wouldn't suggest it if you have meeting or work tomorrow, and have to interact with many people.
(3)Aisha S.
I found myself here again after a rock climbing class just for a quick bite and ordered the veggie pizza. I had a craving for goat cheese (don't judge me) so I asked if that could be added to the pizza. The waitress was very nice and gladly added it to the order. The pizza itself was great, with artichokes, fungus (mushrooms), baby spinach, some other stuff, and of course my beloved goat cheese. Also a good size for the price.
(4)Maria S.
I've been to Grdon Biersch all over the US...the one in Atlanta in midtown, the one in Palo Alto CA, the one in Rockville MD and their menus have some staple items, but they switch out dishes based on locality. The peeps I hang out with love their beer selection. The Good ~The menu lists the caloric value of what your ordering, bonus if your watching your weight. ~Garlic fries made with Marzen beer....yummmy. ~I like the roasted garlic, bruschetta, olive tapenade hummus flatbread appetizer. What could be better ~The food! I've had lots of meals off their menu: the Blackened ahi Tacos, the pizza, the turkey sandwich, the fish n chips, the pulled pork, the pastas....and the food always seem just ok to me, nothing special, no WOW factor. ~The drinks are pricey and not that great. I'd prefer to go elsewhere.....
(2)I M.
The food is alright, a lot of things could be better. The main problem is the service, several waiters have an attitude. All you have to do is be nice to your customers and you'll get the tip you deserve. The beer and garlic fries are good are good so stick to the bar
(3)Renato S.
Food was so bad. came out cold, even if it was warm it wouldn't have helped. Beer okay, do not come for dinner. Happy hour for drinks maybe. garlic fries did come out hot, but it's nothing special way too much garlic.
(2)Sa'lome H.
Same ole same ole. Great beer and good times!!!
(4)Leah W.
We were not impressed with the food, it is mediocre and over priced. The service was really slow, on 2 separate occasions I had to get up and search out someone to refill our water. The beer is ok- it is all lager's so if you fancy an ale, this is no the place. The garlic fries had large chunks of garlic, yuck. The $13+ hamburger was no better than the $5 burgers at other joints. We had decided not to return when we walking home. Then a hour later my husband got sick from food poisoning from there. He was ill all night. We will not be going back.
(1)Martin B.
The food's the same as it is at every Gordon Biersch, and that's a good thing. Came here with some friends last night and we all enjoyed our meals. I got the barbecue chicken sandwich, which is a chicken breast (I was expecting it to be shredded for some reason, and that would have been better) smothered in barbecue sauce and cheese if I'm not mistaken. It was really good! One of my friends got this special oktoberfest burger that's on a pretzel roll, and he said it was amazing. I had a bit of the pretzel roll and it tasted really good, so I can imagine the full burger was also good. The other got the normal Gordon Biersch cheeseburger and he enjoyed it. The garlic fries were very crispy this time around, and loaded with garlicky flavor! Service was friendly and prompt, and our waitress did a good job of keeping up with our drinks and with clearing our table. Would definitely eat here again if I ever find myself in Rockville. It's much more spacious than the other Biersch I've been to in Tysons, and although it was packed it didn't sound loud at all.
(4)G M.
Almost average food that seemed more appropriate for a diner. The lobster and shrimp taco had humongous pieces of lobster, but it was rubbery and could have passed for hard tofu (no flavor). Would have been great if it was more tender and had more lemon juice. Two tacos for $17 should not have shredded lettuce and processed cheese sauce. I didn't find the beer to be that exceptional. The garlic fries were average. Burger must not have been very good, because my very hungry bf left half of it on the plate. He said the meat tasted bad. Our waiter was very nice and personable. No burning desire to return.
(2)Anna T.
I give this place 1 star and won't be returning because of the way the manager handled an incident. I was there with 2 female friends to eat dinner and a drunk man came over and started talking to us. We weren't interested in him and sent him away. He came back and called me a b*tch and and *ssh*le, repeatedly. We sent him away more firmly and told the manager. The manager was laughing and said he would go check it out, seeming to not take it seriously. He apologized insincerely, still smiling as though the whole thing was a joke. He did get the guy to leave, but the whole thing felt disrespectful. I was hoping that despite his apparent nonchalance, the manager would at least offer us a coupon, give us a discount on the check, or a free drink. But nope. Just got laughed at. Will not be returning. EVER. I go places where I feel safe and welcome.
(1)Ever D.
The beer is ehh ok! However, The food is horrendous, deplorable, terrible! I guess you all get the point. Thank god I chucked a beer before my meal came...
(2)Mitchell L.
GB had very friendly staff, and were very helpful in deciding what we'd try for our first time. Their garlic fries were above all else the best I've had before, but are definitely not for the garlic-weak. Their calamari was pretty poor quality, and their deep fried artichoke hearts could have used more flavor. Their sea bass wasn't extraordinary but wasn't a bad buy. Their steak sandwich on the other hand was excellently cooked (medium), and tender enough to bite through with ease. For the price, I would suggest turning down the $18-28 steak entrees and giving this a try. I'm no beer drinker but the one person who tried the beer sampler on the table was satisfied at the flavor of the microbrews. GB seems to be an over hyped restaurant that didn't live up to the expectation I had walking in. The quality of food is just the same as some places I've tried that charge 30% less; if you're a budget eater I'd suggest going elsewhere. Overall I give them 4 stars because I liked their fries and I thought the staff was great; if their menu items were cheaper they would get 5 from me.
(4)Joi A.
Great place to hang out. Can be a little pricey unless you go during happy hour.
(3)Jennifer O.
This place is nothing special. The food is consistently good and they always provide a good beer to sip on during happy hour. One thing that does stand out, though, is their prices. Everything seems to be a few dollars too much considering what you're getting. The portions are alright, but not worth the cost. Overall, if you're in a bind an okay place to go.
(3)Jin L.
Good place to grab burgers and garlic fries! Their steaks are actually not too shabby. When you don't feel adventurous and want to stay in the neighborhood, this is a good spot.
(3)Elena S.
This is another strictly happy hour place for me. Their specials are some of the best in the Rockville Town Square. Service is usually pretty good and you can catch a game in the bar area. Their house drafts are pretty awesome and I'm very fond of their Maerzen.
(3)Peter K.
Definitely go for the Farmhouse Burger. GB is a great spot to eat or chill on a weekend night. For beer lovers, nice selection on tap.
(4)Meana K.
When I lived across the street, it was a regular place me to go, especially to watch the game in the bar. While it may be a chain, but they actually have a few dishes they do quite well. And I love the Marzen beer. Love it. Really freaking love the beer. Dishes I've enjoyed include the lobster and shrimp tacos, the garlic fries, and the southern fried chicken salad. Other stuff is okay too, but these are the standouts for me. A little overpriced, service can be spotty, but overall it's a fun atmosphere for a very casual meal and some good beer.
(4)Jamie C.
The food is always top notch. Great happy hour! They have an early one and a late one.
(5)Jonathan L.
Located in the heart of Rockville, Gordon Biersch provides an exciting gourmet experience for people of all ages. The warm atmosphere and excellent food compliment eachother perfectly, making Gordon Biersch in high demand on the weekends and even during the week! I have never been dissapointed with the food and I have eaten here on frequent occasion. The value for money ratio is outstanding. I would also HIGHLY recommend the " Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings" as a starter and the " Steak Frites" ( with the garlic fries) as a main course If you are looking for a nice place to relax, kick back, and enjoy a nice beer after a stressful day at work GORDON BIERSCH is the place for you!
(5)Joe L.
Gordon Biersch is a chain restaurant that doesn't feel like a chain (if that makes sense). The fact that the beer is brewed on site gives you that local brewery feel. I love the low lighting and ambiance of the place. They have recently changed their menu and although they got rid of the steak sandwich which I loved, I decided to go after the lobster and shrimp tacos. They were AMAZING. Service was great and the food came quickly even on a packed Saturday night. Want a good appetizer? get the crab and artichoke dip!
(4)Meggie C.
i come here alot for happy hour. as for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this review probably wont help. happy hour: they have good specials only negative is that their happy hour begins pretty late, like 10pm late but they are opened till 12/1am. i love their dragonfruit mojitos, my guy friends like their beers and long islands. happy hour food: its okayy.... many of their dishes are good not amazing though. never get their lobster bisque. it was disgusting. but their crabmeat artichoke dip was sooooo good. i try to get that whenever i go. their garlic fries are good too. this place can get kinda busy so i would try to go around 9:30 they validate parking up to two hours for free, staff is attentive, and the place is decorated pretty nicely. lots of tvs for game nights and full bar.
(4)Alicia G.
The space is really nice. The outdoor area and enclosed patio is a place I'd want to hang out on a cool, breezy night while enjoying a beer. But we didn't get to do that. We managed to find a spot inside the bar area after two people left. However, after sitting down, it was about another 5-10 minutes before a bartender helped us. And not because they noticed, but because Juliana shouted that we wanted the beer sampler! Once they poured the samples, the bartender explained a little bit about each "shot" of beer. Juliana, Derryk and I set about to tasting them. Fenny took like a micro-sip of one and was done. She *doesn't like beer* and claimed that if she drank some, she'd be so gas-y that it would be a smelly ride back home. (And since she was driving us back to Bethesda, I decided not to press the issue because let's face it, beer farts are unpleasant.) I liked the hefeweizen. And to be quite honest, I can't even remember what the others were. I think I'd only return to sit in the outdoor/patio area because it looks so chill and relaxing. Inside it's way crowded and hard to get anyone's attention.
(3)Mirela M.
I came in for lunch, and had Virginia as our server. Great service and such a sweet girl. I would love to have her again. The only thing I am disappointed with is the kitchen. I have been coming here since this place first opened so I am very familiar with the menu. Recently the menu was changed, and the food is changed to smaller portions. The salad that I usually order was terrible and did not fill me up. My dressing, cheese, croutons, and spinach was less. The courtons were just crums. Since there was not enough dressing, the salad did not taste as good. Last time I was here I had problems with my order again. Also, I have noticed that other people are complaining about the same thing. Be careful what you order! Instead of caring about the satisfaction of the customers, it seems that their management only cares about making money.
(3)Kristin M.
Yeah it's a chain, but it's not a bad fallback place in the area to grab a few beers with friends, catch a game, maybe order up some southwest rolls or extremely garlicky garlic fries. I did dinner here once, which was forgettable. Strong suit is definitely with plain old hanging out, though the downside there is it can take some pretty dedicated seat-stalking to score a place to camp out in the bar area, sizable though it is. A number of good-enough apps to accompany the good-enough beer (I recommend the sampler, because it's fun!), and make for a pleasant night of drinking amidst a noisy crowd.
(3)Deborah N.
I'm not even a beer drinker but I love the beer at Gordon Biersch. Why? They keep it COLD and it tastes great! They serve only their house brews. I normally never get draft beer because to me it can taste stale. Not here. Whatever beer I had (cannot remember the odd name) it was goooood. I also recommend / love the after 10 $5 happy hour. Yes there is a late night place in MC. Yes you can get a beer and an appetizer for $10. Nice! Staff was spotty. The first time I went the bartender was super nice and helpful. The second time I sat at a bar table and was prompted to ask my server, "Are you having a bad night?" Not that I cared, but she soooo did not want to be there that it was bumming me out!
(5)Andrew R.
I think the only reason we came here was for the free garlic fries coupon this chain regularly gives out. That's gotta tell you something, right? If not about the group we went with then about where priorities lie. As to the experience, I remember little of the food, except that I was unimpressed. Ergo, not a memorable experience. Yet as to the garlic fries that prompted our visit? Awful. Soggy, lack of tasty garlic and only burnt garlic, and so much parmesan that it was hard to taste anything else.
(2)Ryan B.
Came here the other day for a business lunch. The menu had changed since the last time I came, which was a nice surprise. The servers were nice, and fun to joke around with. They were attentive the whole time making sure we were taken care of. I ordered the chicken stir fry since it seemed like one of the healthier options. Let's just say, once we got our entrees that everyone looked at mine and wish they had copied me! I'm going to come back here more often since the menu looks like it has gotten better since the last time I was there (probably a few years).
(4)Jerry S.
Mushroom Swiss burger was dry and insipid, and the bun fell apart. I got the sampler - beers were well made and each typical of its style, but nothing special in the age of craft brews. Price was high for the quality probably due to the real estate.in the center of the city. Service was pleasant and accurate but not especially swift. Went there after the movie just because it was close, but I wouldn't seek it out.
(2)Julio E. G.
This is a typical average chain restaurant with a few good items, but mostly average meals at a reasonable price. Restaurant snobs should not visit unless they enjoy the beer. My wife had a low end steak that was relatively tasty, but not cooked as she ordered it. The waiter asked if she liked her dinner and my wife did not say anything to the waiter because she had low expectations and didn't want to pressure the young man too much. I had a very average salmon, but was able to enhance the taste with the veggies that came with the plate. We split a green salad and it was actually pretty good and somewhat different with lots of nuts, and nice semi spicy dressing. No complaints about this one. We shared a pudding/apple dessert with nuts, ice cream, and liquor that was a 4/5 stars and more than enough for two. The ice cream was of good quality. The coffee was cold and typical Americano. Would have been OK if hot. I did not bother to complain to the waiter because I also had low expectations and the guy was trying. Like I said an average chain restaurant. May be good for beer drinkers. They have a lot of TVs in the bar for those that like to watch football this fall.
(3)Susie B.
Great burgers and garlic fries. Love this place. Great service
(5)Joy C.
Good food, good beer, good time! Enjoyed my first time but service was not good this time around... Maybe because we came in at 11pm and the server kinda rushed our orders... Kitchen closes at midnight, we ordered our drinks but was refused service right after the kitchen closed. We wanted more drinks but server said he already printed our bill so if we want drinks we have to get it ourselves! Kinda rude for a server! Just saying! We'll try again, we'll pull for a third... Maybe third time's a charm!
(3)Alvin H.
This place is a pretty good place to go and chill. It has a relatively large bar area and can also accommodate larger parties in the back. I usually go here to grab a couple beers and happy hour food with friends (mmmmm garlic fries). The food is alright in my opinion, not anything to write home about. Wait staff are consistently respectful and attentive.
(3)dwayne t.
I was introduced to Gordon Biersch in SF and have dined/imbibed at the DC location more than a few times, i was stoked to learn of the Rockville location forthcoming. A couple of happy hours under the belt and I can honestly say, this experience was marginal. First HH, I ordered Kobe beef sliders & calamari. While both were "not bad" they were also both cold. On this trip the service was "eh"...waitress disappeared after our 2nd round of drinks. C'mon man!! The 2nd visit, the food was decent (southwest egg rolls, shrimp & chicken potstickers, and another go at calamari), but still didn't blow me away. There is a pretty cool outside seating area which I think the DC area as a whole lacks, and the bartender , while visibly preggers, was attentive.
(3)Karen S.
Worst treatment ever! I wanted to give my hubby the "Garlic Fry" experience and we were totally ignored! No one waited on us until I asked to be waited on! The waiter took our beer orders then disappered! When we asked someone to find out where he was, he sent over two of the wrong beers! My hubbys 'Medium" Kobe burger was so burnt that it nearly crumbled and the waitress brought over his bun completely covered in Ketchup! She casually mentioned that it fell over into the ketchup on her way to bringing it out?! WTF! And did i mention that two couples came in AFTER me and the hubby, and got not only their drink orders but their meals before we did! I LOVE their DC location, but I will tell EVERYBODY I know not to go to this Rockville location! Garlic Fries be damned!!!
(1)Donna Y.
I went for the happy hour after work during a Friday. It was bustling with plenty of people especially around the bar area. Happy Hours M-F 4-6:30 and Sun-Thu 10-close. (-1: pay for parking). Happy hour prices are fairly reasonable. Most items are $5 and drinks (beer/cocktails) are also about $5. I ordered the Raspberry Bay Breeze .. menu says (Skyy Infusions Raspberry Vodka and Monin Raspberry Syrup with a splash of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and pineapple juice.) very tasty and good balance of tangy and sweet. For appetizer, I ordered the quick fried calamari ($7). The 'quick fried' aspect is to avoid rubbery-overcooked texture which they've successfully done! Most places make fried calamari with too much breading.. too oily.. too rubbery blah! This place is alright ... I wouldn't come here for food as there are plenty of better restaurants around the area but the happy hour prices are pretty nice.
(3)Johnnie R.
Sliders, burgers, garlic fries are fine, southwest egg rolls are all above average. Calamari was good until they started to fry them last year. Try their seasonal Bock. For me, it's not a place to dine, but to grab a late night meal and wash it down with some decent beer. But somehow, the overall experience is greater than sum of all parts, because of my friends I meet with there. Since the place is on the corner across a movie theater, there is something to be said about good ol' people watching )))
(4)Hunter B.
Went out with roommates and my girlfriend for a birthday lunch. I've been there plenty of times before and I know it's not good service but damn. Waitress took forever to greet us. Forgot drinks. Didn't write order down and then got it wrong. My roommate got the avocado chicken sandwich. Came out as a burger. I ordered the steak pretzel burger that sounded awesome. When it came out it was barely warm and the arugula was super wilted. If u are dealing with a messed up order can please pretend u at least care. Waitress was very unattentive and total lack of empathy once she messed up. Now I remember why I go to Clyde's tower oaks.
(1)Toby C.
Yes Gordon Biersch is a chain. If you can get past that fact before going, then you'll likely be pleasantly surprised. For starters, the beer is fantastic. It is brewed onsite, so it's fresh and the recipes tend to stick to their traditional German styles...Marzen, Schwarzbier, and Pilsner to name a few. If you're looking for a hoppy California IPA, you may want to look elsewhere. The food is solid as well. You can go anywhere from a $25 steak to a $10 burger and anything in between, depending on your preference. A little hint...sit in the bar area during happy hour for $1 off beers and some excellent deals on food. Some appetizers and flatbreads that would normally cost you $10 or $12 go for a measly $5. You can't beat that. Being a member of GB's Stein Club, I've found that the servers and bartenders in the bar area are much more likely to serve your beer in the requisite stein that is supposed to go along with having such a membership. Not so the servers in the restaurant area...they're pretty much a guarantee to serve it in a regular glass, at which point I have to remind them that I'm in the "Stein" Club. The wife and I always get a good laugh out of this. But that's a minor complaint and the situation is always quickly remedied. GB is a solid option for both food and drink in the Rockville Town Center area. If you're a foodie or other such restaurant snob, then I'm not sure what you'd be doing here anyway...DC is right down the road, just bustling with other options. But for those looking to stay in the burbs, you really can't go wrong with GB.
(4)Ellen L.
one of the few places in rockville town centre open late for us night hawks. on a late saturday evening, i came here with a group of 5 to grab some drinks. not surprisingly, there was a bit of a wait. when a table did open up, i was displeased to see that the floor area surrounding this table was wet and had a malodorous smell. unfortunately, on a saturday night, there were no other open tables, so we stayed at this one. the menu has a pretty extensive list of drinks, so you can choose your cocktail, beer, martini, margarita, pretty much anything you like. i was intrigued by the new "skinny cocktails" on the menu, so decided to order the superfruit martini ($9.25) with soju and fresh pomegranate and lemon juice. to my surprise, it was pretty good and didn't taste lo-cal at all! our group also shared an order of their house fries, "gordon biersch garlic fries," ($6.25). they put just the right amount of garlic and oil on these fries, not too oily and just the right amount of seasoning. for someone who isn't that big of a french fries fan, i really liked these garlic fries. service was average, but acceptable. i really wish they did something about the wet floor and odor at our table though.
(3)Sarah B.
Utterly superb pretzel burgers! Also, get the garlic fries. Some "garlic fries" taste like average fries rolled down a garlic hill. These taste like the potatoes grew in a garlic field.
(4)Maria C.
I've had a variety of things on the menu ( farmhouse burger, salmon, beers, garlic fries, to name a few) but none were particularly delicious. It's a great place to meet up with friends though for a drink /happy hour, but food-wise it's just another American restaurant.
(3)Vitaliy N.
I came here with about 12 other people for happy hour on a Monday afternoon. We were served very promptly and our waitress, Ashley, was very quick and attentive. She got everyone's order correct and made sure everything was good. Happy hour specials are pretty good: $1 off all drafts, $2 off wine and all specialty cocktails are $5. The draft beers are good, I recommend the Hefewizen, Marzen, or Schwarzbier. Most of the cocktails that I've tried on previous occasions were very delectable as well. I was pretty hungry so I ordered the Slider Combo plate. It consisted of BBQ pork sliders (topped with cole slaw in the slider), Kobe beef sliders (not really kobe beef, just regular beef and a bit of sauce on the bun but no other toppings other than a pickle slice), and the garlic fries. If you get anything at GB, get a beer and the garlic fries. They are warm, crispy, not oily, and perfectly salted, seasoned, and smothered in fresh garlic. You can smell them from two tables over and they're so good! The sliders weren't anything to get crazy about. The plate also cost $11. During a past visit for dinner, I ordered the steak frites, essentially strips of marinated grilled steak over a bed of their fries. It was very good. As far as places to go for dinner, Gordon Biersch doesn't top my list in the Rockville area, but it's a great place to go for cheap drinks and appetizers during happy hour (4 - 6:30 pm).
(3)MacKenzie W.
I would've given 5 stars had the service been better.... The good: -Food! I've always liked Gordon Biersch's food. Got the garlic fries to start, a house salad and the bourbon salmon. Super good! The other people at my table got the tacos which were very good too, though the beans and rice weren't great (I'd probably sub in something different) -Beer...the hefeweizen is the best The bad: -The waiter. What is it with Rockville restaurants and bad service!? We were seated and our server didn't come to our table for 15 minutes, though he walked by several times. Granted, it was a Saturday night, but come on. When he took our orders, I asked to sub a side salad for the side that came with my salmon and he told me that wasn't possible. I said I didn't mind paying for the addition of a side salad and removing the side (I think it was quinoa) from my dish and he scoffed and said "I GUESS we can do that". Bro, it's not that hard. I asked specifically that the salad come out with my meal...5 minutes later it comes out before anything else. Not a huge deal, just annoying he didn't listen. Also, I had to ask him 3 times to refill my water...ridiculous. It took us 25 minutes to flag him down to get our check. The table next to us had the same problem. Probably won't be back, plenty of other options with food that's just as good, where I know I'll be treated better.
(2)Andrew K.
Happy hour is a good time to come hang out. The food is average. I tried the beef medallions and crab stuffed shrimp and it was ok. The garlic fries are pretty good though and I liked the Marzen beer here. It's not a bad place to hang out but for the price of food, not a place I'd go to have a nice dinner.
(3)Toby K.
Okay, so tonight, I rolled into GB in the Rockville Town Center to grab some grub to take home since I was in the office late on a Sunday working ahead, because when you are in my line of work, you have to do like a billion things before you can take some time off... but anyway, that's for another blog, and not this review. And so, I rolled into Gordon Biersch Rockville, which stopped serving food from the main menu at 11p. I was there just past 11p, so no harm, no foul, I went to the bar, and ordered from the bar menu. Shrimp stuffed with crab meat ROCKED. So did this asian tasting app combo, I forget what which one it was, but it was the second of two choices. While there, I had a great drink at the bar while I waited. The bartender was pretty attentive, but you could tell she was a bit occupied by other patrons and work. Not overwhelmed, but occupied. I didn't realize I could sit at the bar because the empty glasses from a previous patron or two littered the bar, and I guess ppl just left or whatnot, but still, I've been to busy bars before and that stuff usually gets cleaned up pretty quickly. So, that was a bit of a bummer, but what can you do. It was a bar. The best was that in the 20 minutes or so I was waiting, I overheard a great conversation from this dude, trying to get with this 20-something woman in a Philly 76'ers shirt. I listened in since he was talking about getting sold out tickets to some show at 9:30 Club and he dropped the name of the owner -- and his assistant, who I happen to know, um, really well. So while I waited I heard this dude run some mad game on this chick about how he gets sold out tickets to sporting events and concerts from the owner of this concert firm, and little did he know I was sitting next to him, tweeting about it and emailing the very woman he was talking about 'getting tickets from...' I doubt he got any play tonight, and the woman he was with was cute and whatnot, but clearly she was infatuated by his 'access' and 'image' and he, well, was fascinated by himself. So, the food was awesome. The atmosphere is great. The bar is open til 1, and the bar menu is GOOD... but limited. I'd like to see 'em offer some salad or more healthy fare type things to it. But hey, bar food is bar food and this bar food is pretty damn good. I love this place. If they can tweak a few things, they'll be the best. If you're thinking you might want to hit this place up, it's THEE place to people watch in Rockville, Maryland. It's steps from the courthouse, so you can hear State Attorneys and Defense Attorneys and elected officials and more unloading and unwinding after work and during happy hour, and at night/late night, you can hear the people who work for the rich and powerful talk about who they are and what they do and hope they can be... and you can even see the men and women who are trying to pick some of those 'working class' heroes up! The drinks are great too, they have a great outside patio, too. Try 'em. You'll be happy. If you're not, well, pour another shot and have fun anyway!
(3)Jessica N.
Changed my review from 3 to 4 stars because after a few more trips here, I'm a fan! The fish tacos are divine and the chicken and bacon sandwich is really delicious. My toddler loves all the vegetables they offer and their desserts are fabulous. Service can be a bit slow and their restaurant is downright freezing inside. Brrr! We went on a weekend and they didn't open until 11am so no brunch or breakfast to be had here.
(4)Bruce G.
Although this is one restaurant in a chain, and this review could probably apply to all the others, this is the only one I've actually been to, so please note that I can only guarantee its applicability to this Rockville Town Center location. This place is actually very hard to give a "star" rating to. The 5-star rating comes from the following: (1) I normally do not care that much for beer, but THIS place brews several beers I actually like. One, in particular, their Maerzen (pronounced "MARE-tzen") is regularly available and has a flavor I'm quite fond of. (2) I have never had anything among the foods on the menu that wasn't absolutely delicious. So why would I even hesitate to give the place 5 stars? The answer is PRICE. Most of the time here I come in, order an appetizer and a beer, and it costs what I would expect to pay for a full meal. Yesterday, I was feeling a bit rich (I finally collected an inheritance I've been waiting SEVEN years for, so I wanted to celebrate!) So for a change, I had a complete meal (at lunch time!) and it cost me what I usually pay for a week of lunches! Put another way, the TIP on the lunch came to more than what I usually pay for a lunch! In mitigation, I must say: (1) I was paying for two people, not just myself, (2) I do not usually have alcoholic beverages at lunchtime, and this time was paying for a beer for myself and another person (but, of course, that's what you come to this place for!) (3) I do not usually order both a soup/appetizer and a dessert with my lunch; this time I was paying for both, for both of us. Still, allowing for all of these factors, it probably was about double what I'd expect to pay. So the point is, IF you can afford this place, it's good. But expect to spend a LOT.
(5)Sharon W.
We'd been there before, but not in some time. Husband's intern requested Gordon Biersch for his farewell lunch so today that was it. Gordon Biersch is pretty much your "more upscale" chain restaurant--think Cheesecake Factory. I got there a few minutes before the rest of the party and the receptionist seated me immediately. The service was good, again like an upscale chain restaurant, rushed or attentive, hmmm. I ordered a half sandwich and cup of soup. The lobster bisque was hot and tasty, the sandwich filled with a good quality turkey and on a nice thick sour dough toast (though I'm hard pressed to identify it as sour dough compared to what my grandfather used to bring from San Francisco, but that's a different story). Husband had veggie burger and guest had cheese burger. Both their sandwiches came with "signature" garlic fries. Hot, crisp and tasty. I wouldn't make a special trip there but it was convenient for a central meeting point for the workers and the retiree. If you're in the neighborhood, maybe, but not a destination restaurant.
(3)Jessica N.
Skip the food here. Even the salad was mediocre. My chicken caesar salad was awful. The dressing tasted like mayonaise. Store-bought dressing would have been a major improvement. My husband's steak frite was meh at best. The garlic fries came highly recommended and was a big part of the reason we stopped in at all. I was very disappointed by them. Lame fries topped with garlic. To say they are nothing special is an understatement. Service was fine. Flight of beer was fun. Hopefully Rockville has better dining options, because I would advise eating elsewhere and coming here only for drinks.
(2)Jason C.
A decent hangout spot to drink and definitely the place to go (aside from Buffalo Wild Wings) inside Rockville Town Center. The food prices are ridiculously expensive for what you get....I wouldn't pay high teens or low 20s for food from this place. Seems like they jack up the food prices to subsidize the happy hour prices. For Happy hour you basically get $1 off beer. Oh what a bargain. So it's $4 instead of $5 per beer (My fav is Marzen but others seem to have different opinions). The cocktails are 1/2 off (which makes them around 4-5$----a much better value). Several of the appetizers are also $5. All are pretty good but watch out for the garlic fries. You eat the whole thing and next morning you'll have garlic breath bad enough to scare away vampires and..errr..coworkers..and errr...everyone who comes within a 5 feet radius. You've been warned.
(3)Wyllol W.
Had dinner there Monday night. The staff was great, but the food was terrible! I had the calamari which was ok. As an entree I had the Cajun Pasta which did not have sausage like the menu said, the chicken tasted old & reheated and the sauce was too oily.
(1)Abhi K.
The beer here is good without question. The hefeweizen is sweet and refreshing as you would expect from a wheat Belgian style. The others were also good and the bartenders are knowledgeable about the beer. The food could have been better. Nothing was actually bad, but it was priced as if the food would be exceptional. Not so. I've read a lot of raves about the garlic fries on here, but I was a bit disappointed. I love garlic as much as the next guy, but I like my garlic cooked and to season my food. On these fries, there was just chopped garlic sprinkled all over them and it was more like I was eating some potato with my garlic.
(3)Mina C.
I don't know. I don't love this place. I don't hate it either. This is our fail safe in Rockville. Whenever I meet up old friends and we are in Rockville, we almost always end up here. I just don't love this place. It's always packed and I always run into people. Whether I wanna see those people is a different story. I just don't love this place. The beers are always consistent. I like the pilsner the best. They had an English pale ale that was delicious as well. My friends love the hefeweizen. You can never really go wrong with the garlic fries. Did I mention? I just don't love this place.
(3)Allie A.
I have come here on two occasions and both were positive experiences. Great drinks, reasonable prices, excellent food, but what made me give 5 stars was the exceptional service. Our waiter, Bradley, was attentive, helpful, and anticipated our needs wonderfully. I couldn't have wanted anything more from a server and I only wish I could have tipped him more. I loved the garlic fries and really enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken and the portion was decent especially considered it's listed under "lighter fare". I can't wait to come back.
(5)Bianca F.
I was quite surprised. I went here with friends for happy hour. The place was pretty packed. I did find one seat at the bar, the bartender helped me immediately. A few minutes later my friend arrived & this couple scooted over for us to have a seat. Pretty awesome! I had the happy hour wine special. The lemon drop & Georgia peach cocktails were good too. I inhaled my ahi & greens. Darn good! I will be back. Second review: Went here a few days later and ordered food to go. I had the steak medallions with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked right, but had no flavor at all. The mashed potatoes had something else in there that I did not recognize at all.... won't be ordering that again. If you want a low sodium meal, then order that. I think I'll stick to other restaurants for steak.
(3)Drew L.
Nice atmosphere for the restaurant and bar but the entrees are only average at best. Go for the drinks and appetizers, not the food. A half dozens large tv's keep the sports enthusiast up-to-date. Part of a nationwide chain.
(2)Michael S.
Their Egg rolls is a must! Never had been better! House beers are awesome, they brewed their beers there! also, burgers are yummy, meaty and cheesy! Garlic fries are the best! However, it's its bit expensive & I don't like the idea that they changed the late night menu. They use to have verity of appetizers including egg rolls for $5. The new menu don't offer that much and they increased the price! Service on the other hand is AWFULE! non of these waiter & waiters don't know what are they doing. service is slow (I mean it when I say slow) & they get confused so easy, their table are mostly not-whiped & you have to ask for it when you wanna sit which take 10 min to someone come back to clean! overall, food is excellent but they need work on their service.
(3)Shahin E.
I haven't been in this place for almost a year. Food is still as good as before, however servers and bar tenders as creepy as I remember. Customer service hasn't improved a bit. They really need an improvement on that.
(2)Tiffany T.
Happy hour & Late night Happy hour review only: I haven't had the food here in YEARS so I don't feel as I can judge freely. ALthough I remember loving their cajun pasta Now moving on to the important things in life, HAPPY HOUR :) I love their happy hour. I always get the "tapas" which is just flatbread with parmasean, olive tapenade, pico de gallo, and roasted garlic for $5.00. They have a bunch of other deals too ranging from $5 apps, personal pizzas, and other food stuffs ranging from $5 to $11. OH BUT THE ALCOHOL: $1 off beers and $5 specialty cocktails. So what do I get? LONG ISLANDS ALL DAY. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm just financially apt to choose something that when made right, should have 5 shots in it. So.. $5? Hey-yooooo
(4)Angela P.
My favorite place to meet up with friends from back home! It beats Clyde's because I can actually see their pretty faces in the well lit dining area. The farmhouse burger is on point--super juicy and delicious. The garlic fries are amazing, too, but my friends won't let me in their car after b/c you'll reek of garlic the entire night. Skip the lobster bisque, fresh mozz pizza needs more basil! I love all the beers. My top choices are the blonde, amber, and hef when I'm in the mood for it. Delicious! Great beer, pretty good food! What more can you ask for?
(4)Kim J.
Large portions, but great recommendations on food. Good food, timed perfectly. Ask to be seated in John's section. He takes really good care of patrons and knows the menu well.
(5)Lance V.
I really enjoy the outside seating and the bar area. Inside bar has a lot of tv's and is large. They always a seasonal beer so new things to try. The food is fatty and fried. Even the vegetables seem unhealthy. I get the ahi tuna app and have a beer; and all is good.
(4)Howard R.
We enjoyed a great evening at the Rockville location. Food was delicious and service was great!
(5)Kit S.
Good food. Good service. It depends who your waiter/waitress is but never had a bad one. Great selection of drinks. Hot waitresses. Just saying. Nice happy hour menu. I come here almost every week and it seems busy every day. Plenty of tvs. There's always a mix crowd which is good. There's an outdoor area and area behind the bar that's enclosed so it's halfway outdoor and halfway indoor.
(3)Suzanne R.
The food was good. Decent. Best ever...no, but good. Staff was very good! Big. Open. Booths & tables. Ramp 'side' in restaurant good for strollers, wheelchairs, etc. Garlic fries....IMO are WAY OVER-RATED! They were regular fies with garlic dumped in them.
(4)Danielle C.
We drive to rockville to Gordon Biersch for the garlic fries and the banana beer! WONDERFUL food
(4)Mark H.
What a nice little place. I went here a few Fridays ago and had a good fish dish and a few tasty brews. The waiter was a super cool dude that seemed like someone I wouldn't mind hanging with. My reason for eating there: I was on a first date with some random girl, and it was easily the worst date of my life. The girl was 24, but may as well have been a tween, because she texted the entire time and had the conversational skills of a non Jr HS grad. I was flabbergasted (I'm apparently 80 since I used that word) and wondered why she asked me out on a date. Asking questions of her yielded very little, because she couldn't talk about herself because all of her work was CLASSIFIED.... I doubt it. I think she worked at a Blimpie's. Long story short, I motioned the girl to exit the date stage right... she offered me a courtesy hug, and I told her to text it to me. But I digress. So there I was, alone, with two place settings, and was slightly embarrassed. I wanted to pull a Jerry Maguire and shout "who's sitting with me???"- but I refrained. I did sit there and enjoy two more craft brews-- all while trying to convince the waiter that the girl really did leave. 4 stars.
(4)Stephanie A.
This place is horrible.
(1)Daniel L.
Came here with the homies for a 21st birthday. Food: 2 Price/Value: 1 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 4 Food: 2 It depends on what you get. We got the large garlic fries appetizer, real simple with garlic and some parsley but pretty good. For my entree, I got the jambalaya and it was plain. Price/Value: 1 Definition of not worth. The large garlic fries were $7 for like 30 boardwalk fries. My jambalaya was $17 with no sides, and the meat was dry and sauce didn't have much taste. So much $ ... but why? There were no extra fresh ingredients, no alcohol in the dishes, no extra love. If you like spending money on things that aren't worth it, then add this to your list of things. We are generally good people, but this time we all felt so cheated that we thought about stealing the table and the chairs so we could be all even. Service: 2 Waitress did not give off the good vibes. It was a Tuesday, so we all got water, and only got one drink for our newly initiated friend. She showed she wasn't happy about our decision to not get turned up on a Tuesday. It took around 20 minutes for her to take our order even though there were only a couple people inside the restaurant. Throughout my meal, my water was running pretty dry. Atmosphere: 4 It's a pretty cool place - they have their own brewery and a sports bar. Tips You Should Know: No deals that I'm aware of. If you're open to food suggestions, get a kobe burger - those were big and looked good. Would I recommend? Nah.
(2)April S.
I went to Gordon Biersch today after I saw The Avengers ... I loved the atmosphere, however the food was mediocre compared to the ambiance that surrounded it. I ordered the Grilled Chicken with roasted veggies. The chicken and veggies were presented to me hidden under a mound of arugula. I was almost afraid to remove the greens. I took a deep breath and removed them, then rearranged the food on my plate so it would make a decent picture. The chicken had perfect grill marks on it, however it was missing one thing ... flavor. It was right in between juicy and dry. If it sat in the passby window for one smidgen longer I would have needed a huge glass of water to wash it down. My BF ordered the crab cake sandwich. He said it was pretty good and filling. We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as an appetizer. I thought it was pretty good. My BF said he liked the dip at Copper Canyon better and there was no comparison. He went on to say the crab dip tasted like something pre-made from a can and heated up with each order. The Peach Tea was delish. I will warn you that it is unsweetened. Nothing a pack of sugar could not handle. I have southern roots and love sweet tea. The dessert tasters were pretty tasty. We ordered the brownie mousse, strawberry cheesecake and apple bread pudding. The bread pudding was warm and delicious. The cheesecake tasted like store bought cheesecake and the mousse was okay. I would go back to try other courses on their menu. I'm not a fan of beer, however the next time I go back I want to try the beer sampler.
(4)Dee B.
3.5 stars for food, 2 stars for service. A friend and I accidentally ended up here for Sunday brunch. We'd hoped to eat elsewhere, but that restaurant was closed. The menu here looked good, and our food was reasonably tasty. However, the average age and lack of experience in servers, in addition to clear lack of training, was definitely evident. Everything took longer than necessary, even though it was early, and the restaurant was quite empty, and there were plenty of staff. For example, we were never ONCE checked up on. This included me having to flag down the waitress for more water and coffee. The most ironic service goof happened at the very end; we did request and receive separate bills. Mine came to $10 plus change; I gave her a $20 plus the change. She eventually (after a lengthy wait) brought me back a ten-dollar bill. I had to explain that I had nothing to leave her for tip, unless she was willing to give me a fiver and five singles. Isn't that taught in Restaurant 101??
(3)Ray R.
Haven't been here for a few years. Back then, I would have given this place four stars. The food use to be superb and worthy of the prices. Well, if today's Chicken Avacado sandwich is any indication...this place has definitely taken a bad turn. It started off being bland and boring,. It was downright toxic tasting by the end. It tasted like it had been cooked in degreaser. I think it will be another few years before I give them another try.
(1)Roxanne B.
Had the Cobb Flatbread - kind of boring. My husband made the mistake of ordering the flat-iron steak w/fries and it was very chewy. For $24 you need to offer a better cut of meat. We mentioned it to our server but got no reply.
(2)Tommi L.
Today was the second trip to this restaurant! To say the least, the staff was great; and even more so, the lobster and shrimp tacos were amazing!! Will definitely be back ;-)
(5)Casey K.
This place just is what it is. I always find myself here for happy hour after work to catch up with one of my college friends. Every time I leave saying the same thing. "Why do I come here?", the food really is not that great and nothing really pops out on the menu as spectacular, the surprises just don't keep coming when your food comes to the table and it is just so run-of-the-mill. Pass if you can and politely suggest another place (Chef Geoff's is a nice alternative).
(2)Nick G.
Great food, great beer. Only downfall is I am from Wisconsin, and this place isnt there!! I will visit again if im ever out that way. Get the crab cakes- Amazing!!
(5)Tara S.
My boyfriend and I go here mostly prior to movies as we don't live far from the Town Center. It isn't the best for vegans, but honestly most places aren't! :-) The food is always good! The only "complaint" that I have, which isn't really a complaint, per se, is that we usually have a long wait or have to sit in the loud and crowded bar area. But several times that we have gone, we were able to sit outside or get a good table indoors. I highly recommend this place. Just try to get a reservation if it is during peak hours.
(4)Team J.
F Minus and Zero Stars for GB in Rockville. Never even made it the restaurant as we couldn't get past the Rhodes Scholar who answers the phone for reservations. Called today to make reservations for 8 people anytime after 5 PM and before 630 PM. The woman that answered the phone responded as follows: - need to talk with manager - 2 minutes of silence - then the same woman gets on the phone - tells me that they don't like to take reservations but that she could do it for before 4 PM or after 8 PM -then she goes on to imply that she does have a table for 10 but that they can't book in case someone else calls to reserve it. (What?) - then she comes clean and says that they do, in fact, take reservations and seemed to suggest that I call back later in the day - the conversation devolved from there and culminated with her snarky suggestion that I was dense and that I didn't understand the restaurant business Well, I hold in my hand the $650 dollars I planned on spending at the GB in Rockville - but they apparently they are not interested in making money. Meanwhile, I just called one of their competitors and the person that answered the phone could not have been nicer or "clearer." Looking forward to giving my money to that establishment. Still a big GB fan but I will stick with my home team GB in Annapolis- they know how to treat people well.
(1)Al D.
Great atmosphere, good food and pleasant wait staff not to mention a convenient close location to the metro stop. A must try for anyone exploring Rockville Town Center!
(5)Mike M.
Love the beer. Try any of them, very, very good. Nice happy hour. Good place to watch a game. Friendly staff, very cool location, good parking in the garage (free parking with purchase). All that is great. Food? Well, did I say how good the beer is? Yeah, stay focused on that. The food varies from not that great to just bad. Even the apps, the bar food, it's OK at best. So, drink a beer, hang out, watch a game, just don't have unreasonable expectations about the food.
(3)Jennifer H.
G.B. has AMAZING food (in big portions) but also can be a little on the expensive side. Really good service and good atmosphere. I recommend the Seared Ahi Tuna meal and of course some of their famous garlic fries!
(4)Jamie G.
This place is hit or miss with me. Sometimes its great, but most times its below average. Most times its been poor service. Just poorly trained staff, not nasty but not friendly either. Just want to get you through the meal so they can get their tip. Same with the food. Sometimes good, most times just ok. Not sure if this is helpful, just kind of an OK place.
(2)Oren O.
Had to wait 15 minutes before waiter even came to check on us and give us menu's. Once service started it was good. Once we ordered our food, I got a mojito that was watered down and nasty. I drank from my girlfriends wine instead (thank goodness that wasn't messed up and warm). Her fish tacos were awesome while my steak and shrimp entree was mediocre. Steak was bland while shrimp we ok. Steamed veges were like chewing cardboard though. Tried taster sizes of there deserts and only the triple chocolate and cheesecake were edible. Many other places to go to eat in the area so this won't be a repeat problem.
(2)Rachel A.
My friend and I were looking for a nice place for dinner after we finished our ceramics class at Visarts. We came upon Gordon Biersch and decided to have dinner there. As soon as we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was closing in 12 minutes and we had to order quickly, to which we replied that would not be a problem. Then we were asked if we wanted to sit in the cocktail area or in the dining area, and we said dining area. There was no mention of the outdoor seating area, so we (wrongfully) assumed that the outdoor area was closing for the night. We were seated in the dining area, and there was only one other table filled. No biggie. Why would we want to sit at the bar, when there were comfy booths to sit in? The waitress comes over to take our drink order, and asks if we were told that the cocktail area was open too. Ok, weird question, but we didn't think much of it, so we said yes, but we were having dinner, so wanted to sit in the dining area. I then asked her what kind of sodas they had, as none were listed on the menu. Here's how the conversation went: Me: what kind of sodas do you have? Waitress: Coke. Me: Just coke? Waitress: and Diet coke. Starts to walk away. Me: oh, that's all? Waitress: and Pibbs. Starts to walk away. Me: Do you have anything without caffeine? Waitress: and sprite. The rest of the meal was completely ruined by the horrible attitude of our server. My friend and I were nothing but polite and courteous and she was nothing but rude and made us feel terrible with her bad attitude. I will never be back. Train your staff. How hard is it to smile and be polite?
(1)Jasper J.
There is not a better, more reliable place to eat in the town center than Gordon Biersch. They're open late. Their beer is great. You can take take your family for dinner. You can take an escort or prostitute for a discreet rendezvous. It serves all purposes and needs. This and Bar Louie are the only two real bars in the town center and Bar Louie shouldn't even be in the same conversation. The people that work here are professional and courteous.
(5)Eddie K.
GB has a pretty good happy hour crowd and specials. I like the happy hour combos - the slider combos are good and you can't beat the garlic fries especially if they were just fried. The beers are good - The Marzen and Golden Export are my favorites. I like they have late night happy hours. For appetizers, we like their buffalo wings (when they have it) and the Southwestern Egg rolls. For entrees, we like the cobb salad, spinach salad, pizzas, steak medallions and the miso Chilean sea bass. The Triple Chocolate Brownie for dessert is great. There are some food items that disappoint - Chicken Parmesan, some of their sandwiches Their Passport loyalty program is really good if you frequent this place.
(4)Cat W.
This is one of my go-to restaurants. It's conveniently located in Rockville Town Center and has a bunch of parking lots/garages around it in which you can park for free with validation from any store/restaurant. All of the portions are huge, including the appetizers (which makes up for the price). The crab and artichoke dip is my favorite appetizer, super creamy and crabby with toasted bread to dip. The garlic fries are literally to die for and there's no way I'll ever go without getting an order of these on the side, which they automatically come as with almost everything. I tried the sweet potato fries for the first time this weekend and they were really surprisingly tasty! I'm pretty picky about my sweet potato fries but these were amazing, super crispy but still lots of sweet potato in them and dusted with a little bit of sugar :) For the entrees, the burgers are humongous but cooked perfectly to order and really delicious. Get them with either of the fries if you're not counting calories. Yum. The fish and chips are my new favorite though. The fish are pretty heavily battered which was weird at first, but it's very fresh and ultimately tastes great, especially with the tartar sauce. The coleslaw is average, I usually substitute it with something else. Also good is the lobster and crab cake sandwich, super pricey but definitely worth it (I"m just a sucker for tartar sauce though). A new favorite is the spicy shrimp stir-fry. Who would have thought a brewery did Asian food so well? The bowl is filled with Jasmine rice and is very generous with the vegetables and shrimp. Sweet and spicy and just like heaven. Lastly, the drinks. I don't remember what it's called but I've been getting the special summer brew and it's light and sweet and makes me happy. I've also had mojitos, cucumber gin and tonic, hard lemonade, and bloody marys and they're all great. Service is usually pretty good, and the atmosphere is fun (went to the bar during NBA finals and that was a blast). Overall 4 stars because the food is pretty pricey and, while it's good, it is a chain restaurant and doesn't have such an expensive feel to it. Still good though and I'm gonna keep going!
(4)Bradley C.
I work right around the corner, and Gordon Biersch is a good place for office lunches, meeting up with friends, and just a quick drink after work. For lunch, I would recommend the Seafood cobb salad, but beware, its BIG. The food is pretty good, the burgers are a good deal, and overall its a place I keep coming back to because of the convenience, good expectations, and overall quality.
(3)krystal h.
I've been to GB several times and I have never been disappointed with my food. This visit was no exception. However, in addition I was extremely impressed by their customer service (something that is always important to me). Somehow there was a mixup and they made the wrong burger for my sister. Our server came out with a plate of garlic fries and informed us and gave her the option of taking the burger they made or waiting for the burger she actually ordered which they had already started making. She opted to wait for the burger she ordered. Shortly after our server left a manager came to our table apologizing AND she gave us 25% off our entire meal in addition to a free dessert. When my sister's burger came out it included more garlic fries in addition to what was brought out initially. I only gave four stars because of the fact that the order was messed up in the first place and our server, as nice as he was, never refilled our water glasses. All in all, it was a good visit.
(4)Eric J.
Good drinks
(4)Katie B.
Good service, great beer, yummy food, nice ambiance, love the rewards. All around win!
(5)Timothy W.
Thought this was a safe bet to take the fam. A place where I could get decent beer and we could all get some good grub. Been to a couple of other GB locations around the country and this is on par with the rest of them. It was a Thur. night so it was nice and quiet. We were seated immediately. Beer was decent, had a pint of Maibock with dinner. Can't remember what everyone ordered for dinner but I know that they all enjoyed it. We'd definitely re-visit this GB if we found ourselves in beautiful Rockville in the future.
(4)Aria C.
I mainly come here on Tuesdays since their craft beer is $2.50. The Märzen is always my first choice since it reminds me of the delicious beer I had in Munich. Also, I strongly recommend the garlic fries. They're ADDICTIVE. This place doesn't get the last star however since the service was disappointing on multiple occasions.
(4)Chen C.
We were in Rockville Town Center recently so we decided to try Gordon Biersch, since the menu had a lot options. Interior is nice, well maintained and clean. Front of house was a little disappointing. Hostess somehow missed us standing right in front of her but was quite attentive to the servers she was talking to about her hair and nails. The place was pretty empty so lots of employees just standing around doing nothing. Server was good, no issue there. Came by often enough and knew the menu well. Food was good, not great but good enough I would come back to try something different. The bad reviews are a little concerning as many of these things should really be addressed or shouldn't have happened at all.
(3)Shelley P.
Food delish. Drinks yummy. Servers friendly & knowledgable. Wait to place order & get food super slow.
(4)Naeem M.
Had a quick work lunch here today and went with the garden turkey burger (with avocados) with garlic fries - all for about $15. Food came within 15 min and was delicious.
(4)Anita N.
I have eaten here before and it was okay. Good beer selection. So I ordered takeout and everything was ok until I bit into my grass fed beef slider and it was red inside. I asked for well done... I emphasized that greatly. That completely turned me off from this place. If I was in the restaurant I would have sent it back and left. I'm not a big meat eater, so when I do eat meat I expect it to be cooked correctly. I don't think I will order from them again.
(1)Ana P.
Grabbed a Saturday night dinner here with BP. I was in the mood for a burger and GB's famous garlic fries. BP was interested in a few items on the menu (Cajun fish tacos, steak, lobster and shrimp Mac and cheese), but went with the Linguini Primavera. For starters we had the Southwest Egg Rolls. I was a bit hesitant about them at first, but they were delicious. Not greasy or over fried, the egg rolls were crispy, filled to the brim with flavor and downright delicious! I really liked the texture of the crispy egg roll against the smooth almost creamy shreds of the pulled chicken. The back beans and corn in the rolls just added to the flavor. I also really liked the dipping sauce. I believe it was cilantro and yogurt based. I loved how fresh the lettuce and tomato were on my burger. Crispy and juicy. The hamburger patty was also flavorful and moist. The cheddar cheese was superb: melted to perfection. The garlic fries were worth five stars on their own. I loved the small chunks of garlic sprinkled on the fries. Just fantastic. Oh! And the lightly toasted buns with garlic butter... Good enough to eat on their own! BP's linguini was also delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the vegetables in the dish were excellent. The plate had a generous amount of nicely trimmed asparagus and plump yellow and red cherry tomatoes. The feta cheese crumbles enhanced the meal and BP didn't even miss the meat (since this was a vegetarian entree). It was a great meal and our waiter, Jon, was kind and reminded us he could validate our parking.
(5)Cynthia L.
Gordon Biersch does their beer really well. And their dessert shooters. I love the dessert "shooters": Perfect little two-bite dessert portions for those that have an endless sweet tooth (like myself), but can't polish off an entire pie. Everything else is ok. Their garlic fries were "too garlicky-burnt garlic" fries. The Caesar salad I ordered just did not taste right: half wilted lettuce overdressed in dressing (I never knew it was possible to mess up a Caesar until tonight). I used to really really enjoy Gordon Biersch, but I'm not sure I can say that anymore.
(3)Rima N.
I come to GB on a regular basis, almost once every week for the past 4 years. I love this place! Alex is my favorite bartender. He's awesome! Garlic fries are amazing, calamari, their burgers are amazing and stir fry shrimp!
(5)Connie Y.
I waited almost an hour before getting food! Admittedly, we had a large party of 9 people and a few kids, but an hour is just too long for lunchtime service. In addition, the waiters were extremely impatient with our large party just because we had many orders. Luckily, their restaurant validates parking tickets up to two hours in the nearby garages. When we arrived, they accommodated us with the kids by bringing highchairs and crayons to keep them busy. They also had a kids menu that offered quite a large personal pan-sized pizza for $4.95. Not too bad. Between my friends and I, we ordered garlic fries, seafood cobb salad, and the fish tacos. As usual, the yelp stars are for the garlic fries because they are excellent. Fried to perfection and very crispy! I was also fairly pleased with the seafood cobb salad. Although there wasn't much crabmeat, the salad arrived fresh and chopped perfectly sized for eating. I had substituted the creamy sauce for the vinaigrette and it made for a extremely healthy salad minus the bacon bits though:p For my entree, the fish tacos were slightly disappointing because the taco shell was soggy, but otherwise the tortilla was warm and the fish was tender. Make sure to purchase it as a share-able dish and you'll get four tacos instead of the typical three. Nice deal. Based on my experiences here, I'd at least come back for the garlic fries!!
(3)Kari S.
Came here last night for the first time -- overall it was a good experience. On Tuesdays they offer $3 tall beers. I chose the hefeweizen, it was very similar to Blue Moon with banana and clover tones. For appetizers my husband and I split the "shareable" baby bratwursts and garlic fries. Both dishes were phenomenal, however I wish the brats were served with a spicier mustard. (The mustard provided had a nice flavor, but was very mild.) The garlic fries lived up to their reputation, they were delicious. We ordered a small size to share and wish we had ordered the large. Next, we split the sweet roasted onion & feta smothered chips -- SKIP these. No flavor, soggy chips, just plain gross. We also ordered the lobster & blue crab melts, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these either. I know I wouldn't order them again for over $20. The service was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name! She was very friendly and didn't rush us, but she had the know-how to appear at all the right moments when we needed something. Overall, I would definitely go back. I feel like this is one of those chain restaurants where you have to know what to order, as the menu offers many options.
(4)Mike C.
I have a hard time with someone who rates this as a 3....it is way above average, with great beers and good food all around and priced well for what it is and where it is. Service is above average, atmosphere is fine, restrooms are clean....whattya need? Free beer to give it more? I'd say someone giving it 3 or less just has problems of their own and won't like much of anything anywhere. Been a number of times and always enjoyed it. Complainers....go somewhere else.
(4)Emma W.
This location is in the Rockville town center. On a corner, so you really can't miss it. The interior is very nice and sleek and there is plenty o outdoor seating too. The food is good I had the chicken BLT. I have to say, it could have done without the chicken.... the bacon was very good though. Also on one of the burgers, the mention 'bacon jam'. Of course curiosity gets the better of me and I make my friend ask the waitress what it is ;p shouldn't I already know??? Anyways, its really as it sounds, its crushed up bacon put into jelly, so bacon jam.... and they spread it on the burger.... I think I would just prefer bacon. The highlight!!! For me was the garlic fries.... sooo much chopped garlic on these fries. I was tasting garlic all day. However,i like garlicwas this was perfect for me. Not sure if this would be good date food....
(4)Samantha L.
It seems like it's been awhile since I've been to Gordon Biersch's. They have changed the menu and are adding new items to the menu. For drinks, we ordered the Marzen and Arnold Palmer. Our server Josh was friendly and knowledgeable about the food and beers. We shared a Pecan Crusted Chicken and Pear Sliders and Linguini Primavera. The chicken sliders were spicy, pecan crusted, and pan-fried to a crisp golden brown, topped with pear chutney, and bed of arugula, and served between grilled, garlic buttered slider buns. The Linguini Primavera consisted of linguini, crimini mushrooms, snap peas, green beans, grilled asparagus, and red and yellow tomatoes, sautéed with fresh garlic, tossed with balsamic vinegar and garlic butter, and topped with feta cheese and fresh basil. The vegetable medley made the dish colorful. It was also delicious and not too heavy.
(4)Harsh Deep Singh N.
Gordon Biersch is one of my favorite places to go to for happy hour. I like their collection of beers on tap, with the seasonal "Belgian Blonde" being my current favorite. Their happy hour food menu is also decent, if a bit limited. I've had the opportunity to try several of their dishes, and among those the garlic fries, the flatbreads, the creole chicken and the Mediterranean Chicken are must try's....!!! The only thing I wasn't really impressed with was the fried calamari. It was a bit too chewy for my taste, and I know it wasn't me because I've had better versions at other restaurants. The ambiance is nice and upscale, and you will generally find a decent, professional crowd at Gordon Biersch. It can also be a good spot for a dinner date(just don't order the garlic fries). The servers are polite, attentive and super professional.
(4)Mei F.
I was excited to get the Mini Dessert Tasters but they didn't have them anymore! Wish i knew before I went, but other than that the food was great! Definitely get the Garlic Fries. They were better than I expected! You can taste the herbs and garlicky goodness. The cajun pasta dish was also really good. We tried the beer sampler (comes with 6 different ones). It was worth it, although I only liked a few of them.
(4)Greg W.
I'm not a fan of their beer. Margherita flatbread is good Mussels - not so good. They only give you 5 or 6 total. Good place to have a drink on a nice day. Outside seating.
(2)Keiana C.
I give them two stars because let us be honest, the environment is nice around the bar/the outside seating other than that I could of gladly passed up this place. I was really disappointed with their happy hour. I mean if you're making about 50,000 + a year then by all means splurge but other than that this happy hour isn't low budget friendly. *side eye* Can I rant about how they have the nerve to have blue crab and artichoke dip with little drops of dried up crab and barely any artichoke. It was awful. It was disrespectful lol as a Marylander who loves her crabs and a good crab dip, they tried it! So would I go again, probably not. But don't let my review dismay you, everyone's experience is different. Lol
(2)Caroline L.
Definitely one of the better chain restaurants and pretty consistent with food and service. I remember when they first opened up, getting a seat was crazy but it seems to have died down a lot. Or maybe I just have been going on off days. Garlic fries. Oh garlic fries. GARRRLICCC FRRIIESSS. They get 4 stars for just the garlic fries. Ok ok but their crab cakes are also pretty good and so are their burgers. I've gotten old(er) so i don't come out for the bar scene anymore but I remember it was pretty popping a few years ago. Man, I'm old and tired. But their beer flights were always my favorite!
(4)Fred K.
It pays to be a loyal passport member where you earn points for meals and even a vacation. Plus you get front of line reservations too and nice big stein of beer (it may be the same or little more beer than their regular size glass). I've been coming here since the day it opened. Solid happy hour specials (late night (10pm) too). Recently, on Tuesday all of their craft beers are $2.50. Their food is better than most pub foods. Their steaks are surprisingly good and 90% of the time is cooked to your request (medium rare for me). Love those garlic fries! Their burgers are very filling and like their farmhouse burger with fried egg. Their salads are good albeit very large size. I'm glad they bought back their pizzas after a short stint in selling flatbreads. They have a kids menu and this place is kid-friendly. One note about sitting in their bar when they have their windows open in the summertime, lots of cigarette smell. Boo. Also, why are their bathroom sinks water so cold! You have to wash your hands in 5 seconds before they freeze. Great hang out place in RTS.
(4)Jinwoo C.
Used to love coming here, but this time around the food was gross. I came with 2 other people and nobody liked what we got. Egg rolls - still ok. The highlight of our meal along with the ketchup and water. Wings - used to love them, but now flavorless. Fish & Chips - tasted like cheap Chinese food, minus the sweet and sour sauce. Cajun pasta - tasted like day old spaghetti California burger - didn't hate it, but nothing to write home about. I'm not usually one to complain about food and write reviews, but I felt like I wasted a lot of money tonight. I would have enjoyed Taco Bell more.
(1)Gail R.
During this short week which felt more like a long week, Gordon Biersch (GB) was paid a visit...for lunch. They don't have a special lunch menu as some other venues might around the RTS area, but that is okay as I still enjoyed coming here. As I scanned their menu, several choices caught my eye like Margherita Flatbread, Lobster and Shrimp Tacos and Sweet & Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry. However, I settled on a starter of Sweet Potato Fries ($5.25) with 2 dipping sauces of sugar cream cheese and barbeque sauce and it tasted quite delicious as I switched back and forth between dipping (never mixing the two). I also had an entrée of the Bourbon Salmon ($18.95) - a bit high in price for lunch, but it was well worth eating. The salmon came with quinoa kale pilaf and seasonal vegetables on the side. Our waiter was pleasant and attentive - checked on us and cleared our plates when it needed to be cleared - this is right around the busy lunch hour...that is a plus. I will be back again as I like the choices they have and look forward to trying more of them. Some tips: Their location is metro accessible (walking distance from the Rockville metro on the red line) If you prefer to park, they offer 2 hour complimentary parking validation in Garages A, B or C (if you park anywhere else like the open lots, they do not validate those areas). GB Rewards card - sign up for it (it is free)
(4)Karen T.
I love this place, my favorite in the area by far. Mary, Alex and Corey are the best bartenders and always keep my drink full without me having to ask or wait no matter how busy they are. On top of that they always remember me even when I had moved for almost a year before coming back to the Ara they still knew my drink. I love the neighborhood bar feel that those three bartenders provide. Also they have a great happy hour special prices and excellent food with great service. The only time I had a problem with my steak undercooked the problem was taken care more then I expected to ensure I left happy. I would recommend here an I promise that if any of those three bartenders are working you will have great service and a fun time! Shout out to Mary!!! You are gorgeous holding your own next to the men behind the bar!!!!
(5)Kyle F.
It's an American bar and grille, I've never been disappointed with a meal I've had there. You can expect the typical fanfare and environment before you walk into the restaurant/bar but there's nothing over the top or exceptional that separates this place from the rest.
(3)Mrs S.
Garlic fries baby bratwursts are to die for...lol The service was wonderful.She was very friendly and didn't rush us, and I had questions about the entrees. Steak and Cajun pasta no disappointments there. Steak was juicy and tender medium and pasta was full of flavor and not overcooked. Overall, we would definitely go back. The menu does offer many choices so it helps if the waitress does not rush. Clean and inviting the wait for food can be long but our waitress was attentive and gave us a reason for the delay and we got free dessert.
(4)Rebecca R.
I came here with my boyfriend and we both liked our meals! However, I wish I could give a better rating but our service was pretty awful. We ordered our meals, then 20 minutes later our salads came out. Then 5 minutes after our meals came. Our waiter barely checked on us. I went up and got my own ketchup on the cart ( we sat outside). I asked for water when my boyfriend ordered another beer. Still waiting on my water refill that never came. Very disappointed.
(1)Jay S.
This place was okay. There feta chips was amazing. Everything else was ehh ok. I Asked for a medium California burger I received a Burt over done burger. I was too hungry to return. So I just ate it. Highly doubt I will go again.
(3)Walter M.
Comparing it to your popular bar and food places, this place is great. The environment is friendly. They do brew their own beer and have always at least 10 crafts to serve. They also do samplers. Food is not too different than your popular chain, but their creative pizzas and garlic fries are good. Those two items are worth trying. Oh, and their beer. Do check with them for their daily specials
(5)Sandy B.
Too high priced for sub par food. Non attentive servers. I wouldn't go back. Dark atmosphere so it is a challenge to read the menu.
(2)Connie M.
This review was 4 stars...until I got home.... When I am in RTC I tend to gravitate towards La Tasca but sometimes you just want a BEER!! This was one of those times and Gordon Biersch did not disappoint! Friday night around 11:30 and the bar was packed. I was lucky to grab the last seat at the end of the bar. I started with a tall Hefeweizen. Then I had another tall Hefeweizen. And each one was only $5.50. YUM!! I am a Blue Moon girl so I like those belgium white wheat ales. My friend had a glass of Merlot. Then we decided to try the flight. I have never had a flight where EVERY beer was good. The Golden Export is the "light" beer but it had a nice flavor. I did not think I would like the Schwarbier because it was a dark chocolate color (reminded me of Guiness) but had hints of coffee. The Marzen was nice and sweet (Mmmmm...love hoppy/sweet beer like the DogFishHead 120min). The Czech Pilsner wasn't bitter. There was also a seasonal, Festbier for October, which had a nice spicy feel. I made the mistake of ordering the Chef's sampler because only the late night menu was available. Don't get me wrong...everything was delicious...southwest egg rolls, calamari and sweet chili wings. The combination of all that beer, the black beans in the egg rolls and the wasabi dipping sauce for the calamari was just too much for my tummy to handle!! - WICKED COMBO!!
(4)Derek K.
Last night a group of us stopped in for apps and drinks. After our meal, I felt something in my mouth after I took a sip of water. I spit it out and found it was a f'ing FINGERNAIL!!! The waitress apologized and called her manager. He smiled, said sorry, and gave us 10% off our bill. That's how he managed the situation. Used to come here but no more.
(1)Shira S.
Gordon Biersch is one of those places I would label as consistent. They aren't ever great or terrible, but definitely reliable. Their garlic fries are probably one of my favorite items on the menu and I happen to enjoy several of their beers (this is saying something for a girl who isn't a huge fan of beer). I went last weekend for one of their oyster days where they offer a set price and you get a specific number of oysters and beers to match. They had two options for this and being the oyster lover that I am I went with a dozen oysters and three-10 ounce pours of beer to match for $20. The oysters were delicious and the beers matched perfectly.
(3)Ramia B.
We loved the food, I ordered the blackend mahi and my wife ordered the marzen BBQ burger. Everything was cooked perfectly. Out Server "Marc" was very nice and very attentive. The drinks were great too, I love the fact that they brew their own beer. Defiantly coming back, for the good food, drinks, atmosphere, and the great customer service.
(5)Ivan S.
For someone who loves beer or just wants a place with a good atmosphere to get together with friends or coworkers, there's nothing better than Gordon Biersch. Buffalo Wild Wings is unbearable as is Bar Louie, but Gordon Biersch offers the perfect ambiance, great food and wonderful beer brewed on site. Brewer Christian Lake exudes as much passion for his craft as friendliness towards the guests he works for. He often organizes brewer's dinners which pair several courses of food of a certain cuisine with three or four rounds of beer (these events are incredibly cheap and offer a great experience). There are many varieties of wonderful freshly brewed beer ensuring that anyone who enjoys a pint can select something they like. There's the Golden Export: a light and refreshing lager for those that only like the most drinkable beer that has no dominant aromas. The Czech Pilsner (my favorite) offers a lot of hoppiness and slight bitterness in each gulp. Then there's the Hefeweizen for people who love a more exotic, citrusy / cardamom tasting beer. There are always several seasonal beers which are intriguing to try. These have included various sorts of IPA's, a beer aged in whiskey barrels, a strong dark Winter Bock, and my recent favorite, the Summerbrau (a very light and refreshing beer that still has a slight fruity tone). Although I admit I come here more for the drinks and company of friends than the food, everything that comes out of the kitchen looks like it packs substance, gourmet flavor and ingredients, great presentation, but without any pretentiousness. Some great dishes to accompany your beer are the fried calamari (which practically melts in your mouth), the garlic fries (the smell is agonizingly good when a waiter carries them past you), the crab/artichoke dip, and the wonderful fried artichoke hearts. All of these items are offered at a discounted price between 4-7pm, and after 10pm. The bartenders are all really attentive, friendly and fun to interact with. There is a great patio section that runs parallel to Maryland Avenue so you can see people driving and walking through town square. Let's not forget the 2.50 Tuesdays! For Gordon Biersch to offer all of their beers at that kind of price for the whole day, every week, is ridiculous! It almost doesn't seem right when I look at my bill and it is below $10. Taken together, all of these elements make Gordon Biersch, in my opinion, simply the best place to go to on a regular basis.
(5)Jen L.
Clean, new, organized, crowded, hight tech with multiple flat screen tv's everyone, fantastic outdoor patio and seating, wonderful open layout perfect for mingling (both interior and outside seating), nice servers, plenty of parking, in Rockville Town Center... one of my top choices for nightlife in Rockville. A "nightlife" spot in the boring burbs.
(4)Trinh T.
Food & drink are both still good but I came back after a few months away to find that the menu has changed. They've done away with the appetizer sampler and they changed up the happy hour menu. Now instead of paying $5 for southwest eggs rolls I have to pay $10 for eggs rolls half the size it use to be. Sorry, but I believe in getting the bang for my buck and that just wasn't it.
(3)Tim B.
Solid enjoyable brews but been here a dozen times and still nothing impressive. Average service no complaints . food is about level as beer...no dissappontments but nothing to write home about .
(3)Julie H.
A great restaurant for lunch and dinner. I love the garlic fries here, they are seriously addicting. The blackened ahi tuna is a great sandwich to get. It was perfectly cooked and the portion was enough to fill me for lunch. The prices are affordable for a nice sit down restaurant. The atmosphere is great to get together with others. I heard the beer here is good, but I have not tried it. The service here is wonderful and I recommend going here anytime you need a bite to eat or with a group of people.
(4)Miranda C.
Awesome food, great ambience, cool service, convenient location and exciting atmosphere! Highly recommend the crab cakes and steak! Mmmmmmmm...
(5)Yolit Y.
Many years in this place,always taking care of me and listening to good advises,great local beer!!
(5)Don H.
Servers were very nice. Food and beers came out quick. Sometimes takes time for servers to check up on you during busy hours. Beers were tasty and seasonal drafts are good. I have only had a few appetizers and they were ok. Location is nice because it is a little busy, but relaxed and far enough away from kids running around in the town center. Parked in the garage but was longer than 2 hours so I paid 2 dollars for parking.
(3)Wei Z.
Every time I been here thing have been great. The beer is on point. Only thing I wish they had more room for the bar area
(5)Bradley S.
A great American restaurant. The food has always been delicious in my case, although sometimes the servings are big dishes, which limits enjoying the rest of the menu (appetizers and desserts). The beer is awesome, and the garlic fries are simply nirvana in a starch shell. Try the Mahi Mahi sandwich and a Hefenwizen brew.
(4)Taylor F.
been here once or twice. decent bar food. had a pretty good pizza. May return.
(3)Fenny L.
Stop 4 of 4 on the Devouring Rockville Tour de Force. It was supposed to be the Fractured Prune, alas, I was silly and thought "it's a donut shop - it'll be open until the wee hours, right?". Yeah. No. They closed at 8:30 or something. Fail. But the reason why I love Yelpers, and in particular, this little band of brave gastro-masocists, is that we were determined to do 4th place - no matter what it was. So standing in front of the darkened and forlorn Fractured Prune, we look across the street, and spy Gordon Biersch. We decided that as we had dessert at Bob's 66, that we could finish up the night with after-dinner drinks and call it a night. We saunter in and it was pretty busy for a Thursday night. After waiting about 10 minutes, some seats at the bar open up, and we quickly grab them. We probably needn't have rushed, as then we progressed to sit there - ignored by all - for another 10 - 15 minutes. Part of it is not the bartenders fault...the place was quick full, and they were all busy. However, no one even gave us the eye and the nod. You know, when the bartender looks at you and gives you the nod to let you know that they see you and will get to you as soon as they finish up mixing up the 15 shots that the annoying group of girls-who-are-celebrating-turning-21-and-have-Âpassed-the-point-of-being-cute-or-funny-and-are-Ânow-just-*irritating*. Nada. However, due to Juliana C's secret mutant powers, when I turned around, she had somehow snagged a bartender, and had the beer sampler poured and laid-out before us. Um, I don't like beer. So I'm not letting that influence this review. But yeah...the beer...umm...it was...cold? Sorry - can't help you there. I can tell you that the little mini glasses that the beer was served in was *adorable*! So, it was sort of a slightly fizzly end to an otherwise great and delicious outing. Although, Juliana was quite *magical* as a dancing beautiful nymph statue, as we were heading to the parking lot. Yeah, pictures to come.
(3)Libby F.
With a fun and lively atmosphere and impressive modern decor, Gordon Biersch is a great place for hanging out during happy hour. Unfortunately we missed it by 15 min.(M-F 4:00-6:30; Sun-Thur 10pm-close). Our waiter was busy, but did an outstanding job handling the patio and outside tables by himself. I enjoyed sipping my handcrafted lager on the covered patio. Their beers are great. GB Golden Export is a light lager, while their Marzen is an auburn colored, slightly sweet lager. The Marzen is 5.7% alcohol by volume; their strongest and I felt it! But what is it with the Garlic Fries??? I guess they are great 'cause everybody around us was eating them. Not exactly the kind of smell you want on your breath when chatting it up with a handsome stranger. We had the Crab and Artichoke Dip. Not impressive. It was more like chunks of artichokes with no crabmeat taste to it. It was suppose to be served in a bread bowl, but was really served atop a small boule which had the top sliced off; very hard to eat without slicing the bread boule apart. I'd come back for the atmosphere and beer, but you won't ever catch me eating the Garlic Fries!!!
(3)O K.
Love the beer! Great game atmosphere!
(5)Jess C.
I came here last night (Wednesday~10pm) with a few friends. The staff was friendly and nice. We got bar seating and had to wave down a waitress, but we were able to order. Apparently, it was still HAPPY HOUR at 10pm, so they had appetizer and drink specials! My friend's entree took quite over 10 minutes to arrive, but I was too busy munching on their delicious garlic fries (one order~shared with three people) to fret. If you love garlic, you must try these fries. Those were some strong garlic fries... I woke up this morning and still felt garlic in my system. I really like the bar seating and ambiance of the place. I liked the booth seats a lot and I felt its a great place to mingle and hang out with friends. Overall, it was a pleasant night at Gordon Biersch. Would have been even better if they had faster service though!
(4)Amy B.
I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm on the food at this place. Someone even saying that the calamari was the worst they ever had?? The calamari is fantastic. Very lightly breaded and not overly cooked. On top of that, it comes with a wasabi aioli. It's delicious. Their burgers are fantastic, their fries are delicious (they're garlic fries) and their jumbalaya is amazing. I've also had their fish and chips which are great. They're breaded differently than I've ever had. Forget what it's called but it's great. So food=GREAT. The beer is even better. Their marzen is delicious and so is their hefeweisen. Some of their seasonals are amazing too. At least for the past 2 falls they had festbeer which is a typical octoberfest type beer, which is delicious. Around this time of year they usually have their Maibock or maybe it'll be here soon and that's really good too! So beer= FANTASTIC Their service is pretty good too. All the waiters and waitresses i've had have always been super nice and talkative even if you take up a table and only drink beer. They're still super friendly. The only downfall is if you want to eat at the normal dinner time-no matter what the day- you will have at least an hour wait. Gotta come early or later. If there is a game on, add an hour to that hour.
(5)Oscar S.
I've been to Gordon Biersch maybe a dozen times. I've always had a good experience here. The beers are good, the food is good, and the service is good. The only thing is that depending what time you get there you might not find seating. But the turn-around for tables at the bar isn't that bad at all. For a micro-brew their beers are really good! Definitely give it a try on a Thurs-Sat. night, you won't be disappointed. (that's what he said!)
(3)Alex C.
Prices are ok. Czech pilsner and cajun fish tacos are hard to beat. Burgers pretty good too.
(3)Stacy K.
I wish I could give this place negative stars. Seriously, wtf happened to this place? I used to go with friends b/c it was close to my house, had a fun atmosphere, and good food and beer. I hadn't been in over a year but my sister and I wanted to grab lunch a few months ago so we thought Gordon Biersch would be a good place to hang out. WRONG! When we arrived, no one was at the front door to greet or seat us. Finally, we asked someone at the bar where the hostess was--when she arrived, she wasn't friendly or even polite. Didn't even smile. She took us to our seats and everything went downhill from there. First, we noticed that the menu had changed from when we had last dined here. We decided to be adventurous and try something new. Big mistake...I ordered the stuffed chicken with quinoa and veggies. It was absolutely horrendous...the chicken was overcooked on the outside and I'm guessing undercooked on the inside because I had really bad food poisoning from it. The seasoning was weird and it seemed like they were trying too hard to be fancy. Ugh. My sister ordered the grilled cheese, and it was so greasy that she couldn't eat it. The only good thing about our meal were the garlic fries. The service was RUDE even though my sister and I are really easy going and the waiter was almost...sarcastic? Impatient? He had zero other tables to wait on so I don't get what his problem was. Maybe he doesn't like tips. We returned a few months later, chalking up the previous experience as an off day...we figured that if we ordered our usual, favorite dishes then things would be better. Again...WRONG. Same as last time--no hostess to greet guests. Not busy for lunch but terrible service still. I ordered the goat cheese salad which tasted fine and my sister had a burger. Um...the waiter must have forgotten that we existed b/c I had to tap on the glass divider between our table and the kitchen to get his attention and TELL HIM that my food was waiting on the serving line to be brought out. Luckily my salad was supposed to be cold...if it were a hot dish, it would no doubt have been cold by the time the waiter woke up and realized he was on the clock. He never refilled our drinks--we had to get his attention and ask for them. He would disappear and never check if we needed anything. The biggest joke was that with the check, there was a customer survey card for guests to fill out. LOL. I was tempted to rip GB a new one but I'd rather Yelp it for the world to see, not their crappy sub-par management team, which clearly doesn't bother to check if their employees are doing their jobs or if their customers are satisfied. Most recent experience was earlier today. I only went because a friend of mine wanted to eat their garlic fries really badly so we ate in the bar area instead of the restaurant area for lunch. Our server was inattentive to the point of negligence. The food was decent but took FOREVER to arrive. Come on. I am boycotting this place. If it were sucky once or twice, fine. But consistent bad service and mediocre, greasy food is just pathetic. GB, I gave you a fair chance and you failed miserably. Rockville Town Center, step up your game. You're not worth the convenience of being near my house.
(1)Monica W.
Love the food and atmosphere @ G. B. Went to business lunch there today. Unfortunately the lunch revisited me a bunch of times later in the day. Had to miss my workout because I got so sick from their healthy choice Mediterranean Chicken. It tasted good I guess but ... Consider yourself warned. :) I have been there many times w no issues. Not sure why that meal was so unpleasant today.
(1)Jon H.
Huge interior, good atmosphere, and a packed house pretty much describe Gordon Biersch. An average beer-house with average food (even though everything on the menu pretty much will satisfy all your bar food cravings), average service, and above-average prices. Couple of buddies and I shared the huge size appetizer sampler which came with garlic fries (more garlic please!) , pita + hummus (at a bar wtf?), southwestern style egg rolls (no idea what they were), and kobe burgers (might as well be mini-microwave burgers), and a few beers. Needless to say, wasn't blown away by the food (althought it had GOOD potential on paper), or the beer. Other than that, I'd still say Gordon Biersch is an average place. You can still come here with friends and enjoy a good night together...and there's definitely worse places to go out there.
(3)Megan H.
It's a great place to hang out with friends and watch football/basketball games with cheap food and drinks during happy hour. Service is slow sometimes, but what's the rush? Take a minute a chill :) I highly recommend the garlic fries because they've got some serious garlic chunks in them... just make sure the person you're going home with eats them with you! ; )
(4)Arnus M.
I've found it best to judge these places under varying conditions. Some friends and I were seeking diversion elsewhere in Rockville and GB was a fallback, during peak times. That said, let's get to it: Parking: If you are from the MD suburbs or exurbs where parking is free, you will feel the high contention for spaces here. Nearby is the Regal Cinema, with it's own lot. So parking can be had, it is just challenging during a busy night. Think DC lite. Food: We had appetizers, which were serviceable, albeit a bit pricey for my taste. Liked the calorie listing for items. Broad menu choices, which is ALWAYS good. Service: The waitress did her level best to keep us plied with food and drink, and was above average given tight quarters. Ambience: Definitely packed, easily a favorite to see and be seen and ideal for the pre-game. There were definitely some beautiful people in effect. Location: Very convenient, right off the main drag of Rockville Pike, so it's easy to guide semi-besotted friends there by phone. Summary: As chains go, you could do worse. Try to hit a happy hour and if you plan to go during peak times, expect a Disneyland-esque wait (bring a paperback).
(3)Mike T.
GARLIC FRIES...5 stars; everything else...3 stars.
(3)Ali S.
This place was really packed on a friday evening even past the dinner rush, took awhile but we finally got our bar seats. Drafts are pretty good, competitively priced during non-happy hour times. I had a hard time accepting this place because of my loyalty to rock bottom, but the hefeweizen and marzen were decent. I've heard about the garlic fries, but we ordered the tapas. They came out very fast (2-3 minutes at most) and were delicious. Overall was a good experience, I'll be back when visiting downtown rockville for a brew.
(3)Steve C.
Went here for the second time yesterday. The first time was pretty good. But looking back on it, it was a weekday and not very busy. This time it was Friday night , and if not for the good company we would have really had a bad time. It started with our lost reservation. We made the reservation the day before, and requested a booth. On arrival we had no reservation and were told the wait was over an hour. Turns out that was the most honest statement of the night! After we sat for a long time our waiter finally showed up. He was unable to handle our drink order. Two martinis, one beer and one cocktail. Even though he wrote it carefully, he forgot one order and had to come back. Then ten minutes later he came back to say they didn't have the ingredients for the cocktail. Wen he brought the drinks, he could only bring two at a time because he didn't have a tray to use. Really? We placed our order then waited. 45 minutes later we flagged the waiter and asked for bread and another round of drinks. Another 15 minute wait for drinks and still no food. Finally after an hour and fifteen minutes, out came the salads and entrees at the same time. A guest at our table with a food allergy got the wrong food. I took it back to the kitchen myself, as there was no waiter in sight. They assured me they would fix it and bring it right over. They didn't. The salads were good and fresh. My waiter assured me that the fish would be stuffed with backfin crabmeat. Not so, but there was plenty of filler and it tasted like a decent frozen stuffed fish you could get at the market for a couple dollars. The jasmine rice was very good and veggies done just right. The other entrees were mediocre, nothing to brag about. After a conversation with the manager he offered to comp a meal and buy us dessert. The chocolate cake was a bit on the stale side, but the cheesecake was good. When the bill came they forgot to comp the meal. All in all, a disappointing dinner, especially considering it was $177 before tip and after free entree and dessert. Sure, we had two or three drinks each, but for such a pricey meal we deserved better. With so many choices in the area it's unlikely we will go back.
(2)Sina E.
Good atmosphere, and hang out spot with buddies and friends. However, it's usually packed by the time I get there, and usually no seating at the bar! I love their beers; I would say that my favorite is the hef, but the rest are good too. The food isn't too bad either. The garlic fries are good, but might be too strong, and I wouldn't suggest it if you have meeting or work tomorrow, and have to interact with many people.
(3)Aisha S.
I found myself here again after a rock climbing class just for a quick bite and ordered the veggie pizza. I had a craving for goat cheese (don't judge me) so I asked if that could be added to the pizza. The waitress was very nice and gladly added it to the order. The pizza itself was great, with artichokes, fungus (mushrooms), baby spinach, some other stuff, and of course my beloved goat cheese. Also a good size for the price.
(4)Maria S.
I've been to Grdon Biersch all over the US...the one in Atlanta in midtown, the one in Palo Alto CA, the one in Rockville MD and their menus have some staple items, but they switch out dishes based on locality. The peeps I hang out with love their beer selection. The Good ~The menu lists the caloric value of what your ordering, bonus if your watching your weight. ~Garlic fries made with Marzen beer....yummmy. ~I like the roasted garlic, bruschetta, olive tapenade hummus flatbread appetizer. What could be better ~The food! I've had lots of meals off their menu: the Blackened ahi Tacos, the pizza, the turkey sandwich, the fish n chips, the pulled pork, the pastas....and the food always seem just ok to me, nothing special, no WOW factor. ~The drinks are pricey and not that great. I'd prefer to go elsewhere.....
(2)I M.
The food is alright, a lot of things could be better. The main problem is the service, several waiters have an attitude. All you have to do is be nice to your customers and you'll get the tip you deserve. The beer and garlic fries are good are good so stick to the bar
(3)Renato S.
Food was so bad. came out cold, even if it was warm it wouldn't have helped. Beer okay, do not come for dinner. Happy hour for drinks maybe. garlic fries did come out hot, but it's nothing special way too much garlic.
(2)Sa'lome H.
Same ole same ole. Great beer and good times!!!
(4)Leah W.
We were not impressed with the food, it is mediocre and over priced. The service was really slow, on 2 separate occasions I had to get up and search out someone to refill our water. The beer is ok- it is all lager's so if you fancy an ale, this is no the place. The garlic fries had large chunks of garlic, yuck. The $13+ hamburger was no better than the $5 burgers at other joints. We had decided not to return when we walking home. Then a hour later my husband got sick from food poisoning from there. He was ill all night. We will not be going back.
(1)Martin B.
The food's the same as it is at every Gordon Biersch, and that's a good thing. Came here with some friends last night and we all enjoyed our meals. I got the barbecue chicken sandwich, which is a chicken breast (I was expecting it to be shredded for some reason, and that would have been better) smothered in barbecue sauce and cheese if I'm not mistaken. It was really good! One of my friends got this special oktoberfest burger that's on a pretzel roll, and he said it was amazing. I had a bit of the pretzel roll and it tasted really good, so I can imagine the full burger was also good. The other got the normal Gordon Biersch cheeseburger and he enjoyed it. The garlic fries were very crispy this time around, and loaded with garlicky flavor! Service was friendly and prompt, and our waitress did a good job of keeping up with our drinks and with clearing our table. Would definitely eat here again if I ever find myself in Rockville. It's much more spacious than the other Biersch I've been to in Tysons, and although it was packed it didn't sound loud at all.
(4)G M.
Almost average food that seemed more appropriate for a diner. The lobster and shrimp taco had humongous pieces of lobster, but it was rubbery and could have passed for hard tofu (no flavor). Would have been great if it was more tender and had more lemon juice. Two tacos for $17 should not have shredded lettuce and processed cheese sauce. I didn't find the beer to be that exceptional. The garlic fries were average. Burger must not have been very good, because my very hungry bf left half of it on the plate. He said the meat tasted bad. Our waiter was very nice and personable. No burning desire to return.
(2)Anna T.
I give this place 1 star and won't be returning because of the way the manager handled an incident. I was there with 2 female friends to eat dinner and a drunk man came over and started talking to us. We weren't interested in him and sent him away. He came back and called me a b*tch and and *ssh*le, repeatedly. We sent him away more firmly and told the manager. The manager was laughing and said he would go check it out, seeming to not take it seriously. He apologized insincerely, still smiling as though the whole thing was a joke. He did get the guy to leave, but the whole thing felt disrespectful. I was hoping that despite his apparent nonchalance, the manager would at least offer us a coupon, give us a discount on the check, or a free drink. But nope. Just got laughed at. Will not be returning. EVER. I go places where I feel safe and welcome.
(1)Ever D.
The beer is ehh ok! However, The food is horrendous, deplorable, terrible! I guess you all get the point. Thank god I chucked a beer before my meal came...
(2)Mitchell L.
GB had very friendly staff, and were very helpful in deciding what we'd try for our first time. Their garlic fries were above all else the best I've had before, but are definitely not for the garlic-weak. Their calamari was pretty poor quality, and their deep fried artichoke hearts could have used more flavor. Their sea bass wasn't extraordinary but wasn't a bad buy. Their steak sandwich on the other hand was excellently cooked (medium), and tender enough to bite through with ease. For the price, I would suggest turning down the $18-28 steak entrees and giving this a try. I'm no beer drinker but the one person who tried the beer sampler on the table was satisfied at the flavor of the microbrews. GB seems to be an over hyped restaurant that didn't live up to the expectation I had walking in. The quality of food is just the same as some places I've tried that charge 30% less; if you're a budget eater I'd suggest going elsewhere. Overall I give them 4 stars because I liked their fries and I thought the staff was great; if their menu items were cheaper they would get 5 from me.
(4)Joi A.
Great place to hang out. Can be a little pricey unless you go during happy hour.
(3)Pinto Y.
I really tried my best understanding the concept of this place. If the theme is beer - why nothing tastes like it? The food is nothing but average. Nothing you can't find in your typical American dinner. The price, however, was almost double. During the numerous time I was there the place was loud and the environment was not welcoming. People at the bar were too loud and I could not have a conversation. I mean, if it's a sports bar it can't be a high end chef restaurant, and vice versa....avoid if what you're looking for is good deal for your dollar. If you're into watching a ball game of having a loud conversation, that it your niche.
(3)stacy W.
This is my favorite local Gordon. Why? It has outside seating which is perfect in the spring and summer. My favorite happy hour spot close to the house and I always knew I could get there early enough to get a nice spot around the double sided bar. That's important because this place gets packed and if you don't develop a relationship with your bartender early... service may be a little slow for ya. The food here is generally just OK. Most of the dishes are a bit salty for my taste. The appetizer mix is pretty good to get if you have a finicky group of eaters and want something to much on.
(3)Aaron S.
Food is pricey but great place to go to have a drink. Staff is prompt and pleasant. Happy hour prices could be better but its not bad. Love the garlic fries and the outdoor setting.
(3)Roberto I.
I like!! Like the freshly brewed beer and the food and service is always on point. More of a drinking place less of a eating place but food is still good.
(5)Peter K.
The restaurant has an awesome sports/bar factory like restaurant.. you can see the beer filtration system. The food is wonderful. Their in-house beer is delicious. Definitely a spot to come back with kids and all.
(5)Reggie N.
GB service has seemed to improve a bit. There seems to be new staff here. The food is still the same, pretty much.
(3)Erica G.
My husband and I USED to love Gordon Biersch. We would go there every weekend. For some reason, it has gone downhill. The last 3 times (and they will be the last) our food has arrived cold. The service is good but the food just got worse with each visit. We went last night, ordered our appetizers and then got the check because they appetizers were so bad. The calamari was awful and the sliders were dry and tasted horrible. We got the check and went to the sushi place a few doors down. It is really sad because we used to love this place. But cold food 3 times in a row?!? How does that happen???
(1)Puja L.
Whaaaat is the major draw here? This place is always overflowing with people!! The drink specials are pretty good for a happy hour ($5 pom mojitos? MORE PLEASE!) but the food is so...overpriced bar food? I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the food here - we've tried the pizzas and the hummus, etc. All fine, but nothing that warrants the crowds here (of course, maybe they are all here for the drinks!). I will say that I've always gotten pretty good service from the bartenders themselves. They're pretty creative and will fix you something different if you don't quite know what you want. That's always fun!
(3)Orlangela A.
She Said...." The 2 stars are for the location and their beer. Thats about it. The food is not that great. The lobster bisque they have is cheap verison of a good lobster bisque...its gross and even smells nasty. The garlic fries are disgusting...wayyyy to much garlic and salt...and i love garlic, but even for me i was grossed out, i had to wipe the fries off wih my napkin to eat them. The beer is pretty good and the inside is pretty, they also have outside eating." He Said..."I had the chicken sandwich with avocado, and suprisely it was the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time. Was it worth 10 bucks...I don't know, I think thats pricey for a sandwich, but it is in Town Center so everything is expensive...even the parking. Well now I know why Greystone Grill closed down.:"
(2)Victoria S.
Gordon Biersch is a decent chain restaurant/brewery. I really like the Rockville location because it's got a great bar with 4 large screen TVs. We ordered the Garlic Fries and they were very tasty. I ordered the Linguini Marinara and it was good but I think they had left it under the heat lamps for too long. My husband had the pizza and it was not bad. The beer is good but I prefer a "light" beer and they don't have one so I ordered Miller Lite but the server sold me on their Golden Export. I really do like how they offer samples of the beers. Good place for drinks with friends in the new Rockville Town Square.
(3)Mahesh S.
since this was my first time here, I went with the sampler beers, and except for one beer, I didnt like any of their beers. and I am not that hard to please. the place itself is nice, and trendy in the hip part of the rockville neighborhood. Its also little pricey but I cant complain as its expected for a place that looks as trendy and nice like this. i was on a diet, so went with their wedge salad. its hard to screw a wedge salad, and most the cooking involves, picking a good lettuce and cutting it right. it was indeed good. I didnt leave craving anything here. it was good while i tried it, ,but that is about it! the Dogfish brewery would have been my first choice, since their beer and food rocks my world!
(3)Ina C.
"We welcome you to Munchkin Land!" This is the song that should be playing before you're seated at a booth. Why are the booth tables so ridiculously high?? For us tiny Asian girls, we had to sit on our feet in order to comfortably put our elbows on the table. The one guy with us, who stands 6'2" tall, was completely comfortable. A friend recommended the Hefeweizen, which I liked. It was really light and crispy, just like my friend said it would be! I also got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich, which was also light, but not crispy (...not that it should've been). The garlic fries that seem to come with just about everything on the menu were pretty tasty. You can't beat chunks of garlic and herbs on every fry. Our server seemed a bit anxious to get us out of there because she brought our check before we could ask for dessert! But we got to order it and we got a little sampler thing. I think we got some carrot cake thing, some peanut butter thing...and I can't remember the other one. Each "cake" came out in a tall shot glass. Pretty creative. The sizes of the samplers were great, especially since most of us just wanted a taste, but the cakes themselves were just okay.
(3)Andre C.
The ambiance was fine and the happy hour specials seem decent but the food was very underwhelming. I enjoyed the beer (there were some very unique selections so that was fun) and the service was great but I cannot recommend this place based on how mediocre the food was. If you're going for beers with friends, the happy hour special is for you. If you want anything else (i.e. food), find somewhere else.
(2)Angela S.
This place is fine, but its one of those deals where you wish you could get smaller portions for less money. No one needs a giant hummus and goat cheese salad that you have to eat for 3 days to finish. I'd rather have half the food for half the price. And they took the goat cheese ravioli off the menu, so now there is only one vegetarian entree (the above hummus salad, which doesn't work as an entree. It tastes like an appetizer to munch on while you wait for the real food to come). Unless you order an individual pizza, which I haven't tried there, but will. Also, $10 for the artichoke appetizer? Seriously? Its good but only serves like 2 people. If you go, make sure you order the famous garlic fries. I hate french fries but like these. Just don't breathe on anyone for at least 24 hours. PS-How could I forget to mention the $2 dessert "bites"? Get them, get them, get them!
(3)Gloria M.
we went to this restaurant by accident. we are not beer drinkers so we were wondering if the food is any good, well we were pleasantly surprised! My husband and I ordered the california burger and it was one of the best burgers we havehad in a long time. Excellent service.
(5)Ali B.
The food was really good, especially the fries, but not worth the price (3 people for $72). They charge for re-fills of club soda which no other place that I have been to does. The service is was average, not bad--not good. Our server seemed like he wanted to be somewhere else. GB needs to give its servers lessons in sanitation because the server kept putting his fingers around the rim of the glasses when he served the drinks. Ewww. The food also took forever to get to us after we ordered. We didnt even get offered a free dessert because of that, rather tacky. I found the seating to be clumsily laid out. It looks like they didnt use a professional restuarant architect when they set up this place. The booths were too high and the table was too far from the chair. The restrooms were very clean.
(3)Chris H.
I'm torn about this place. My first gripe is about the first time I went. My partner and I walked in and were seated, only to have a waiter who seemed totally disgusted having to wait on us. At one point I think we asked too many questions because he actually said "Any OTHER questions?" No Miss Thing, we didn't have any questions about walking out soon after ordering. That was it for that encounter. Well I ended up going again with some friends and the experience was much better, although oddly enough I was seated at the same table as the first time. The place was clean, and the menu was pretty diverse, but some things were too pricey and I felt like they were charging more for the atmosphere of the place than for the food. One example is a side of fries that we ordered, only to get the bill and see that they were $6. For fries?!? But I digress. When I received my meal, it was great. My friends didn't seem too pleased and one mentioned that her (overpriced IMO) ahi tuna was slimy. Fish should never be served slimy. My other friend didn't finish her meal. I'll touch on that one in the next paragraph. While I enjoyed our waitress initially, she definitely rushed us out before one of my friends could finish her food. We were obviously mindful of how long we were there, and I think we tipped her well for her time and effort. Rushing us out was uncalled for. I realize waiters need to get people to those tables to make money, but the place was almost totally empty, except for the bar. I can't honestly recommend going here since I was treated pretty badly the first time and you can find similar food at similar prices at places that would treat you better. It really boils down to customer service, and this place is definitely lacking that.
(2)Arthur K.
Waitress: "Would you like anything else?" Me: "Can I have a Sprite?" Waitress: "Are you serious?" Me: "???" Miss Waitress, thanks for asking if I want something else, but why even ask when you follow it up with "Are you serious?". Maybe it's a drinking no-no (which I don't think it is), but I like a soda after downing a few beers, wings, and a cheeseburger. The food at Gordon is ok. I mean even though they have a large traditional restaurant area, everything is the quality of bar food. The wings are ok. For the uninitiated: they don't serve "regular" wings, but a sort of Asian flavored wings. I prefer the traditional over Gordon's take. My cheeseburger was the definition of mediocre - think Burger King on a fancy bun. The garlic fries are good - simple and tasty. Beers, of which they only serve their proprietary brews, are decent. Service is usually ok, yesterday it was worse than usual. They have free wi-fi. 2.5 Stars.
(2)Katherine L.
Love this place. GREAT food. Alright service. It is almost always REALLY busy but its worth it. I guess it can be kind of pricey but again, its worth it. My family and I always go for birthdays and dinners here and there. My husband says the beer is good and I say the cocktails are also pretty good. They have an extensive menu and a lot to choose from.
(4)khadine a.
Was very disappointed with my meal. Salmon was dry and almost burnt. rice appeared to be from yesterday. What a waste of $18
(2)Welch K.
Second visit to this establishment, first review. Both visits, excellent service. Calamari ($9.95) is not bad, could use a little more taste, a little bland. Lobster Bisque Bowl ($5.95), very delicious and full of flavor. Lobster/Crab cake sandwich ($15.95) was excellent. Comes with their famous garlic fries which I could just eat as an entree alone. Fish & Chips ($13.95), fish comes in the form of fish sticks and the fish is firm and flaky, very good. I think it is battered with their beer. Overall, would recommend this place. Great food, great service.
(4)Molly B.
This place is always hit and miss for me. I like to go here during football season because they have a large bar area with every game on tv, and it is walking distance from where I live. The beer is better than the typical cheap, light stuff, but I've never really been impressed with any of the beers they've had on tap. The burgers are solid, as are most of the apps, but the rest of their food is much too expensive for the cost. Basically, GB isn't bad, but you can get much, much better bang for your buck beer-wise and food-wise elsewhere.
(3)Bill C.
The place was packed on a Friday night so we had to wait a little bit for a table. Once we sat down, we were pleasantly surprised how quickly the food arrived. Everything was good and the restaurant is very clean.
(5)Daniel K.
One of my favorite places to eat and drink after work. Garlic fries are to die for.
(4)Aja A.
This is a great 'after movie' bar, a great 'let's ignore each other and watch the game' bar, or a 'I don't feel like venturing more than 2 miles from my apartment' bar. I don't drink beer, so I can't offer any insight on that front, but their mixed drinks are good and strong. As far as bar food goes, this is an above average spot. I usually get a grilled chicken salad with balsamic dressing that is bigger than my head--well worth the 12$. It can be a pain to find a seat here, especially on a night when there's a big game. Usually the wait isn't more than 20-30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to stand in an awkard huddle nursing a gin and tonic and attempting to catch the eye of the one cute guy in the entire bar--oh wait, he's got a girlfriend.
(3)Gary M.
GB is the best place to go after work for happy hour in Rockville in my opinion. The HR menu is really good and the beer there is even better. If you don't know what kind of beer you would like to try, they will give you a sample to help you decide. The staff at GB is outstanding!!! Get there early (before 5) if you want a decent seat in the bar area. Once it gets warm, there is seating outside on the sidewalk and patio area. It's a nice, clean restaurant with great service.
(5)Don B.
Nice beer selection, excellent service but 1 star less for cooking my medium rare burger to a hockey puck and another point for drowning my garlic fries in so much garlic, all I could think about was where do they store the breath mints?
(3)Jessica P.
Brought some family from out of town here to catch a football game. The pilsner beer was spot on! The dumplings were really good and the crabcake was fantastic! Also got good reviews for the fish and chips. I appreciated they had skinny cocktails and lowfat options - I had the shrimp stir fry and it was super tasty. The servings were huge so we had great leftovers the next day. We will definitely be back!
(4)Charde S.
Me and a friend went here because we had just seen a movie and the theater was right across the street from this restaurant. It was after midnight so nothing else would have been open. I'm glad we went here, the food is actually pretty good. They also have an awesome beer selection. The OctoberFest was great. I wasn't particularly interested in whatever game happened to be on that night, but my friend was very excited to catch the Sunday night game so that's another plus. Great place to grab something to eat late-night. The food wasn't amazing but it was good and had decent portions. The beer really was the highlight. If you want some decent food, a good beer and to catch the game, this place delivers.
(4)John K.
I think that the beer is overrated (although I do like their Fest Bier that's out right now). But none of the other beers really tickle my fancy. The food price ranges from $10-$30, but no really good choices in between. Service is decent for a chain, and I guess since it's located in downtown, you usually find a pretty good crowd. I should technically give it more stars, but I'm trying to fight against the trend. Hey, maybe I'll vote for McCain....OK, now that's just crazy talk.
(2)Pete D.
For the most part, this place is crowded, especially during a game night. But it's a bar/restaurant, so this is typical. If you're looking for a decent burger, this is typically what I order (mushroom/swiss burger). The other foods are sub-par. However, their garlic fries is what keeps me coming back. Hungry or not, you can eat these bad boys. The fries have chunks of garlic in them, seasoned just enough, and truly delicious. I'd give it another star, but the crowds can get nuts, as well as the typical slow service you get too.
(3)Laura I.
I just couldn't get over how incredibly slow the service is. Also, the distance between the booth seats and the table top is much too uncomfortable (booth too low/table too high). It didn't help that the bowl they served my salad in added another 6 inches and I had to sit on my own leg so that I was raised up enough feed myself in a mannerly way and not look like I was shoveling food straight from the bowl into my mouth. The food isn't that bad, but some of the menu items are way overpriced... I usually just stick with the seafood cobb salad without bacon.. but I wish they prepared the shrimp better. It tasted like it was just defrosted pre-cooked shrimp... far from tasty.
(3)Kelly G.
You treated us like Princesses! Thank you, Princess (our server) for taking such good care of us on my sister's birthday dinner. When we arrived one-by-one, you didn't flinch at all. When we ordered non-alcoholic beverage after non-alcoholic beverage she didn't bat an eyelash. When we needed an extra moment to decide (TWICE) she was cool with that, too! Our conversaiton ran the gamut from work to recent dates but when she needed to give us an entree status alert, she managed to find a logical lull in conversation rather than strong arming her way in. Nice! When our entrees arrived, I wanted to eat ALL of them. I told you I was a chain restaurant pasta whore and my Lil Sis ordered the shrimp & scallop linguini with red pepper pesto cream sauce. MMMMmmmm! The jambalaya pasta and the shrimp and chicken teriyaki were no slouches either. Mmmmm! What did I get? The fish of the day: sea bass with ginger rice and asparagus. Oh MMMMM no! Righteous! You know the Gordon Biersch decor so don't trip. But this one has a garage door style roll-up window adjacent to the bar. And those hops-happy patrons who are seated at those outdoor tables have direct access to the bartender and their next cold one. Well alright! The restrooms are not bad. Plenty of hot water and hand soap to remove the food smells and bits. Everything else in there is your standard faren except the reedy diffuser. Nice touch! Gordon Biersch will SERVE you good food at a reasonable price in a nice setting. There are plenty of other chain and non-chain eat-spots in this Rockville and if your path leads you here, you won't be disappointed one bit.
(4)Alan G.
Agree strongly with Derryk A's review below. Love the beers - great set up, always a lot of friendly people and the food is definitely steps above places like Fridays. Fish tacos are a hit with me and had a great lobster bisque recently. I try and wrap up wednesday nights there between 10:00 and 10:30 there - nothing like throwing back a late night lager!
(4)Christie W.
The atmosphere is fun, and trendy, its big enough so you don't get overwhelmed by the crowds. If you are lucky enough to snag a seat in the beer garden during the summer months, thats a plus! I love people watching, and being outdoors. Overall I been disappointed with everything I have ever ordered off the menu, including the famous garlic fries, they are nothing special, and leave you with some rancid breath. This place is good for a nice summer happy hour. The beer is good. Definitely more of a place for drinks, not dinner.
(2)Roger F.
I must start out by pointing out that I do not drink alcohol, so this food is entirely about the restaurant aspect of Gordon Biersch. I only came here because someone had given me a $25 gift card for Gordon Biersch, so I was probably in a little bit better mood to start with, since I knew I would be getting a significant discount on the meal. I had the Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwich, which was decent but not outstanding, and everyone else said the same about their food items. The atmosphere was very good, and the service was also good. In all, it was definitely an enjoyable meal experience. However, only 3 stars due to the prices (it was $12 for a smallish sandwich, $15-20 for pasta-type dishes, and even more for other entrees. Not worth the price in my opinion, but I am glad I got to try it once with the gift card!
(3)Erica H.
My husband and I recently moved to Rockville and we have become fans of Gordon Biersch. While it is a little pricey for American food (although, it's also more sophisticated than traditional bar food), we have continually been pleased with everything we've ordered. Equally important, the service has always been great. Every time we've been there our waiter/waitress has been super friendly and attentive. We even signed up for the Passport program because we are sure that we will continue to frequent this restaurant. I can't speak for the bar scene, although it always seems to be hopping, but I definitely give two thumbs up for the restaurant.
(4)John W.
American Cuisine. Well I'm not a beer drinker, so you won't be seeing anything about the beer in my review. In search for a replacement steak place after the 'Orleans House' closed in Rosslyn, we decided to trek here to try out the cuisine. Everyone at the table had some variation of steak, NY Strip, Steak Frites and Steak Cubes. One person had the salmon with pecans. I had a taste of the salmon, nothing special to report. As for the steaks? They were ok, nothing to really rave about. One person ordered a medium rare NY Strip and it came out more medium to medium well. My Steak Cubes were supposed to be done medium, but it was more medium well, and one ended up medium rare. Most of the items on the menu are steaks, and you can't cook a steak right? That is NOT good. As for the sides that came with the dishes, they were alright. The potato skins were on average and the garlic mash was good. Unless beer is your thing, a member at our table had a beer and it was decent, I am not sure if there is anything on the menu that is really outstanding. Maybe worth the try once, but I prefer Red Rock Canyon as a steak place.
(3)Anne P.
Such great beer and really good tasting food... nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Yes, definetely a fan!
(4)Karthik B.
GB has a pretty good hefeweizen, and the glasses are generous compared to many other area bars. However, the food isn't as great as people make it out to be. The vegetarian selections are pretty uninspiring, so I tend to eat a little bit at home if my friends want to meet up here. The location is super convenient, with easy access to Metro and parking. Good decor, but I don't understand why the outside bar area needs to be walled off from the rest of the restaurant with heavy frosted glass doors -- it makes the area look crowded and uninviting from the inside. If you want something safe, GB is for you. Otherwise, find something with more local flavor.
(3)Roz D.
Bad beer. Eh food. In a pinch it will do.
(2)Ricky M.
The selection of beers that they brew is awesome. The martzen is my favorite. The hefinhieser or something along those lines a great blue moon type beer. Garlic frys are a must when coming here
(4)J. L.
Food here was great and place was nice. The drinks were good and all in all, it was a nice place to try out. The only problem I have with this place are their server staff. We were sat at a table close to the bar and ordered some food and drinks through the waitress. During the course of our meal our waitress wasnt around that much, but it was okay because she was pretty busy with other people to take care of. We were trying to get our waitress for some more drinks but she didnt come around for a little while now and since we were less than 5 steps from the bar, we were fine going up to the bar and ordering more drinks. What I wasnt so pleased with was that the moment we did, the waitress finally comes around, not even to see how we were doing, but just to let us know that we need to order drinks through her. Obviously she just wants to get a bigger tip from having a bigger bill from us. At this point we werent upset and agreed to order through her...The only problem is that she was not able to come by to our table even though we tried to wave her down. As much as I would love to order through the waitress I'm not gonna wait another 15 minutes just to get some more drinks so I went back to the bar where I was helped in less than 10 seconds. Just like clockwork the waitress finally comes back and showed her frustration to us this time and raising her voice telling us that we have to order drinks through her with a very impolite attitude. If were not allowed to order through the bar then the bartender shouldnt have served us. I wish I would have gotten her name and would make sure to put her on blast for this one, but I'm a visitor from out of town and made the wrong choice coming here. I wont be back.
(1)Jed S.
I was here last night. We were told it would be a 25 minute wait, and it only took 15 minutes-it was nice having a restaurant give me a table early and not late for once! :P The service was very attentive, and the food was good. Their garlic fries are delicious. Otherwise, the food wasn't anything special, per se, it was pretty standard, but it was done well. There is ample parking in the area-if the open lot across the street is full, there's an underground lot around the corner. My sole complaint is that both times I've been here, it was VERY noisy inside. Loud enough to make conversation difficult. Still, that shouldn't be enough to keep you from coming. :)
(4)michele p.
We went to GB for a birthday party last night. Large group of us, still great service, and they did a wonderful job with bringing out the cake and everything. Everyone's food was very good, steak medallions with stuffed shrimp= awesome. Try their pizzas, they are all great. It is a little more expensive than your typical pub, because the food is better than your typical pub. I highly recommend it for a nice dinner out with some good drinks. They also have a cool covered outdoor bar area.
(4)Ellen K.
I went for happy hour with a few co-workers and the bar area was packed. We had to stand around in the bar area for half an hour for someone to leave. The bar bites were OK...I've definitely had better. I never liked anything on their menu. I gave this place a couple tries but both times, I was pretty unimpressed. The atmosphere is like TGI Friday's...nothin' special. Their garlic fries are delicious but, it hits you in the face for the rest of the night.
(2)Christi N.
Went for happy hour the other day. My boyfriend ordered us a Hefeweizen and a Seasonal beer to share. Both were unique and delicious. The chicken flatbread was surprisingly very flavorful. The Hawaiian pizza was also good, but was nothing extraordinary; it also resembled the flatbread (just a tad thicker minus the feta-assisted flavor). The garlic fries were EXCELLENT with real bits of garlic among the fries (giving justice to its name for once)! The sliders were more towards the side of bland. And the calamari was far from perfection; first it came under-seasoned and undercooked... then the same batch came back overcooked and hard as rocks. Thankfully, the server was wonderful and understanding of our distaste and she removed the item from our check.
(3)Jawd Z.
I wish I had yelp before I came here to have been warned about this place. A friend and I came here on a Saturday for drinks. We seated ourselves. It took a few minutes for our waiter to come over. When she came, she gave us drink and food menus. We ordered one of their homemade beers. The first half of it was great, it was smooth. The waiter did not bother to come back to our table to ask if we were ready to order our food. She disappeared out of sight for quite a while. Eventually she did take our order. We decided to share mini burgers. I was suggesting we go over to Buffalo Wild Wings after for their cheesy fries. We ate a burger and a half each. We could barely finish them bc out stomachs began to hurt. We couldn't finish the other half of our beer because it did not taste the same. When the waiter brought over the tab, she stayed near us and kept asking if we needed anything else. (like that was going to make me want to leave a high tip! Ha!) I tipped her poorly because her service was poorly. We headed over to BWW, ordered a beer & wings & fries. We didn't even touch the wings because of the immense pain in our stomachs, and we had developed headaches. Once I got home, I threw up everything I had consumed and felt 100 times better. My friend said that she did the same. We are certain that it was those mini burgers. Or maybe the beer. Whatever it was, I know for sure that I'm never going there again. It was my first and my last visit there.
(1)Jason F.
I'm OK with this place. No real complaints except two...one small, one big. First the small one, and likely just me, but the season fries aren't all that great, and the onion smell from them floats around the bar area, and I can't help but think there's someone nearby with bad body odor. But the real attraction is the outside area before 5pm. Second, as mentioned in countless newspaper articles, and review of this and other nearby restaurants...the parking. Not only is it horrible to find a spot (and increasing harder the more popular the area gets), but many of the yuppies that come here just don't know HOW to park. I mean does your little overpriced Mercedes or BMW really need two spaces to park....are they really that blind, or inconsiderate....arrrggg.
(3)Nami C.
The food is good, beers is good too. The restaurant setting is not bad, wonder why so many people don't like it... yes Rockville is a aging city, I guess only 50+ are manage to eat out in this current economy.
(4)Homer J.
Swanky place to hangout and knock back a few. The food is okay, we ordered a couple appeteasers of egg rolls, shrimp and pot stickers. Btw, dont get the potstickers, I think they tried to use some mustard in them to imitate the wasabi taste and wasn't very appealing at all. Service was pretty slow, esp on a busy night but in good company, you can't really tell. Worth it to go during their happy hours but gets quite pricey during other times. Their house beers are pretty good, suggest you try them out instead of ordering drinks you could get anywhere else.
(3)Hooty B.
Beer was okay. Menu looked great and everything sounded so good, but then turned out to be pretty bland and not hot. Let down. Service was pretty slow and ditzy...
(2)Grace G.
They can be really busy on the weekend. But the garlic fries are well worth the wait
(4)kara h.
Great place for happy hour, one of my favorite places to go to in Rockville. LOVE the Seafood Cobb Salad and the Garlic Fries.
(5)Nicole L.
This Gordon Biersch looks nice and new. I had the Marzen beer, it still my fav choice of beer. The garlic fries were good. But my steak came out stone cold. I was quite disappointed, they offered to do something about it, not sure what exactly. I got a free cup of soup while waiting. My steak came back hot but it was the same piece of meat cos I cut a little corner off. SO I hope there wasn't any "Waiting" manipulation in the kitchen. The steak was ok, it's warm but a little over done. At the end, we asked to split the bill with two cards and they put both charges on my card. What are the chances!! Anyhow they had to reverse one of the charge.
(2)Kawa L.
Slow service, food needs to come out faster. Food are ok. The beers are pretty much the only reason I keep going back.
(3)George R.
Good beer, decent wine; food is hit-or-miss. Best appetizers: Southwest Egg Rolls; calamari (recipe changed a few months ago). Good mains: mahi mahi (plate or dwich); seared tuna; cajun pasta; pulled pork dwich; spinach salad; cobb salad. Seasonal menus are also hit-or-miss. Avoid: rice. Tip: you can get the potato wedges with garlic instead of blue cheese (awesome if you like garlic).
(3)Laurie W.
I come here for the Schwartzbier. Yes, that is why I come here. The bartenders are friendly and I love the outdoor seating area (fans in the summer, heated in the winter.) That's what makes it so sad that the food here verges on terrible, really. I can chow on a chicken sandwich or Caesar salad at Friday's, no problem. I'm not a total anti-chain snob. But this menu is odd, and overpriced for what it is. This is NOT a twenty-dollar entree kind of joint, or locale, but that's what you'll pay if you opt for a full dinner. I generally go for a salad if I'm hungry when I get there. I've had some of the appetizers, which amount to a variety of fried things. If it were just for food I wouldn't hurry back, but oh the Schwartzbier! So dark and yet so light...yum. It's my new favorite beer. You can get a growler of it to go, too, so you can eat at home if you want.
(3)Kathy C.
The food quality is fine: typical bar food. Their happy hour specials are phenomenal! $5 drinks, $11 combos, $5 or $7 entrees/sides...great, casual interior with dim lighting and good service. Happy hour runs from 4pm-6:30pm.
(3)Kelly W.
Beer selection awesome! Food just average but way, way on the pricey side. Come here for the armosphere and beer rather then food, and you will have a great time!
(3)Jim B.
Crap. $10 burgers that should be $5. Garlic fries that have a bit too much garlic. I mean, I love garlic - but do I want to eat five cloves worth as I dig into my fries? Beer was decent and they have a cheap sampler option that gives you 5 varieties that are brewed on-site. Wait, nevermind. That sampler amounted to $5 for what must have been less than a pint. Crap. Overpriced and underwhelming.
(2)Jen G.
Overpriced. Blah food. Tiny portions of fish dishes. Service eh. $100 for 3 people-3 entrees, 2 drinks! What a waste!
(1)Lu C.
Minus one star for greasy/a little bit salty food, but PLUS FOUR STARS for the hottest waiter. He was a mix of lotsa races (aka the best). Go for the beer sampler (even my dad did once), the Gordon Biersch burger (greasy deliciousness- you get the best bang for your buck), and the new coconut shrimp appetizer. Also a great place to chill at night (where else is there to go drink in Rockville, anyway?) Hit the nearest Gordon Biersch to you since its a chainnnn.
(4)Mariella B.
Typical chain restaurant has some burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, pasta, even Asian cuisine. Their garlic fries are so good they are a must! I typically go there for lunch and I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich with grilled peppers or avocados. I have had a bad experience here when it was Octoberfest and they had specials like sausages with peppers and onions and soft pretzels for appetizers. When we got the pretzels they were still cold on the inside so they brought us out another batch which were still cold inside. We decided we didn't want to attempt another round since out food was probably going to be there soon. The waitress kept the pretzels on out tab and when we questioned it she said she would have to ask her manager if they could take it off. We were kind of annoyed because why she have to ask if he could when he SHOULD take them off because we didn't even eat any. Other than that it's pretty cool but I still think they're over priced.
(3)Catherine H.
bleh. Look, if I wanted some garlic fries and corporate food I'd make my way to San Francisco and go to Phone Park. At least then I could watch some baseball while I overpaid for my food. Gordon Biersch is the same all over the country-- kinda average food, kinda average beer, slightly above average prices. The main difference between GB and TGI Friday's is the slightly nicer decor and the lack of flair on the servers. Hardly reasons for me to spend my money here. If this is Rockville's definition of progress we've got some real problems.
(1)Rachel G.
Chilean sea bass! Great drink selections. Fun atmosphere. Needs better bread.
(5)Ivy V.
love love love my spinach salad. ...maybe it's the dressing. please bottle it Gordon. always have a good time here.
(4)Glaciala A.
Standard american fare, with great tasting beer. Had a chicken sandwich and it was pretty tasty. I'd skip the dessert mini sample next time, but great place to chill for happy hour or have a quieter dinner.
(4)A. F.
3.5 stars. I used to frequent GB for happy hour. They have pretty good deals on martinis, mojitos, beer, and a pretty extensive list of appetizers. I enjoy hanging out there on a Thursday or Friday afternoon/early evening to chill out after work and catch up with friends. I'm not a beer person, so I can't say anything about their beers. But I usually get a mojito and southwest eggrolls which are always consistently pretty good. Despite the crowdedness, I've always had pretty good service... at times, slow, because its crowded, but servers are always nice and helpful. Beware, though, it gets pretty crowded later in the week and gets hard to find a table.
(3)dave h.
This place was okay, the beer was better then the food, I would only give it 2 stars but beer bumped it up a star. The garlic fries that they raved about in the menu, we just genetic fries with some garlic salt nothing to write home about. The beer was tasty, and the bar atmosphere was pretty cool too. They have this cool outdoor sidewalk seating, very NYC or maybe Bethesda. Stop by when you are waiting to see a movie at Regal or looking to kill some time between court appointments at the court house. Catherine but it best, average. cheers --drink on kids--
(3)Lesly S.
Nothing fancy but still cool--GB has a new outpost in Rockville's Town Center. I'm not always in favor of chains, but GB has good food and good beer, and this new location is pretty spacious. The bar has a sort of indoor/outdoor thing going on, and it was crowded the whole time I was there. There is also a TINY patch of actual outdoor seating, from what I could tell. The food is good, I actually had a great hummus/goat cheese salad. Tasty. My husband gorged himself on one of the specialty burgers, and he raved about the garlic fries, "with actual chunks of garlic!" HIs beer was so-so. There are a lot of new restaurants coming into this area, some known and some new that caught my eye. I'm sure GB will always be crowded.
(4)Kruella D.
Most of the food here sucks, but the beer is fantastic! If you know what to order, you might end up with an OK meal. It's not a place to go if u are a "foodie".
(3)Wendy D.
I primarily go to GB for Happy Hour, since they really do offer a lot. Their happy hour consists of $1 off beers $5 martinis (not real, the GOOD stuff), mojitos and apps. Whenever my friends need a quick, convenient place to go, we usually head over to GB. The only negative is that everyone else has the same idea, as getting there at 5pm is peak-time and the bar is usually packed. If you're lucky enough to find a table- or even better, a booth- you won't be disappointed.
(4)Derryk A.
Yep 4 stars why because it's a nice step up or two from your typical Fridays, Ruby Tuesday type places. Located in the heart of Rockvilles Town Center across from the Movie theatre in what use to be an ugly eyesore of an old strip plaza and overgrown empty field. This place has risen up out of nothingness to a city centre destination to go any day of the week. Gordon Biersch is a nice location to journey to. Right on the corner it gets plenty of foot traffic and in the summer with it's large glass doors open and sounds from the inside filter out inviting people to join the fun. When you get inside you will see a large dinning area and bar area with plenty of large flat panel TVs tuned in to the sports channels. With people staring at them rooting for their team and drinking laughing and having a good time. The dinning area consist of tables in the center and along the side hugh booths for even the largest people. The menu is quite extensive in variety with everything from pizza to seared tuna and a mix of German, Italian, American, Asian and fusions of all. Interesting combo. Usually these types of places I sick with more Euro-American cuisine and don't bother with the Asian fusion items. Asian food is perfect just the way it is and without corruption, IMHO. The beer selection is good with their own brews I like getting the sampler and have a little of this and that. The Marzen is our favorite, also the Hefeweizen, the waiters always pronounce these names wrong my college German teacher would have a cow if she heard this butchery to the language. Anyways I got off subject as usual. Prices can be pricey with the entrees I always like their sandwiches and burgers those are excellent (the Marzen bbq burger very good) with decent prices. They have Chilean Sea Bass on the menu I like it but I thought that was an endanger species at this moment. So I don't know about that item. Other menu items include seasonal listings during the appointed time, lots of Oktoberfest items. Fiancee had a pork en wrapped with beacon dish served with hugh potato wedges. potato wedges were a little over saturated with the pork grease, left a lot of those on plate. She bit off more than she could chew on this dish I try to help her out but that was just way too much pork at one time for me. I could feel my blood pressure rising as I ate it. So had to take the rest home. I wound up eating the rest the next day after taking a aspirin to thin the blood. The rest of the selection are big portions go with plenty of appetite the deserts are huge but they do have small sample type deserts that come in these tiny shot glasses, good idea. Good location, nice layout, good service and good food I have no major issues except for the sea bass and the entrees are a little too pricey.
(4)Miranda B.
I thought the service was fantastic, but it was way too crowded for my tastes. Especially for a Tuesday. I only had a salad (which is pretty difficult to mess up) but the appetizer was absolutely delicious. Prices were a little high, which didn't make much sense for the quality of food. Not to say it wasn't good, but I would have expected more for the money.
(3)Janet H.
I like GB a lot. Although this place seems to be pack every time I go... like tonight (Friday) the wait was just ridiculous! I was told 30-40 minutes and we ended up waiting over an hour!! I had to go ask twice when we will get seated before our pager finally responded! Aside from the wait, I don't have any other complaints. I like the décor and ambiance at GB. The crowd is young with mostly working professionals. I want to say its like a fancy 'high class' American restaurant... if you compare it to restaurants like Ruby Tuesday or TGIFriday a bit further down the pike. I like their food. They haven't disappointed me yet the few times I've been there. Their garlic fries are DELICIOUS! :) The best I've had anywhere so far. Try it! Their steaks are not bad either. I'm not big on beer drinking so I haven't really tried their specialty beer so can't comment much on that. I do want to try having HH there some time though.. it looked fun :P Overall, the location of GB is very convenient. You never have to worry about parking because they have two public garages just around the corner. There's plenty of street parking too if you're lucky. We parked at the spot right in front of GB tonight :) There's a Starbucks right across the street, so what's better than a yummy cup of coffee after your meal? :)
(4)Diana N.
to be honest with you. i've eaten here once. drank here endless times. and usually it's semi outside in the "beer garden" not so much a garden then a boxed in strip that allows the drunken mess of people to spit on the sidewalk and possibly puke on the grass rather then inside on the floor. i find myself coming here quite frequently and GASP my tolerance has gone up to about 2 beers before i feel like i might hurl....hey, before it was half a beer. the bar service staff is excellent and always are around, no need to stand there holding ur card or cash in the air. the crowd can get a bit raucous but thats what beer is for, to numb out the stupid and bring in the happy. also the last call is about 1am. perfect for when all of rockville closes at 11pm. score.
(3)Becky T.
I got the meatloaf there and it was enough for three separate meals so the $14 price for it didn't hurt too much. Bar was packed with people watching football which was fun with me cuz that freed up the outdoor seating which was perfect for a sunny autumn afternoon. The waitress was really nice and the food is solid. I probably wouldn't suggest it for dinner but I wouldn't bitch if anyone wanted me to go with them.
(4)choad x.
Crap food. Tasted like they pulled it out of a microwave container. Good Beer, but I'll take a Chimay at Tryst any day. I remember better food at the Gordon Biersch in Palo Alto.
(3)xj o.
FOOD: Well, despite what some people have said here, I think their food is very good. Well, most of it. I recommend = Pecan Crusted Salmon, Marzen Ribs (entree), Veggie Pizza, Steak Frites, Glazed Wings. I do not recommend = Tapas, Marzen Ribs (appetizer), Artichoke Hearts, Calamari. I personally don't care for the following, but my friends seem to enjoy it = Garlic Fries, Southwest Egg Rolls, most of the Salad entrees. Entrees are a little on the pricey side. But they have weekday HH specials where most appetizers are just $5. For dessert...GET THEIR PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE. Soooo goood..... DRINKS: Yeah, I have to agree that their beers are nothing to rave about. I tend to get the Golden Export. While most of the girls tend to get the Hefewiezen. Anyways, I usually drink liquor instead of beer. And this place tends to make them pretty strong. Again, they have good weekday HH specials where most martinis and mojitos are just $5. ATMOSPHERE: I've been here too many times to count. The place tends to get packed most of the time. And yes, sometimes service can be slooooow. But the wait staff has never been rude to me. Word of advice, if you go there for HH on a Friday, get there way early 4:00-4:30PM, else you'll probably have to wait to get a table at the bar area. They also have a nice porch area for hanging outside when the weather is nice. Some of the waitresses here tend to be easy on the eyes. Never hurts.
(4)JOHN T.
Average beer, below average food. Great atmosphere for beers and wings. Not that cool. Take what you want from this review but it is what it is, a beer house with crappy food and cheap chinese garlic!
(1)Gia H.
The food is good here, nothing you rave about and tell people they must come here to eat. For hor'd we started with the southwestern egg rolls. Nothing great...Just okay. For my entree, I was going to order the roasted chicken and fettuccine until I saw a server pass with a pizza. So I ended up ordering a sausage and pepperoni pizza that was very good. Because the portion of the pizza was big, I was able to take some home. Boyfriend ordered the southwest chicken sandwich. Sandwich could have been seasoned a lot better, but the garlic fries that came with the sandwich were delicious. Dessert we ordered the apple bread pudding and the banana split. I was not a fan of either. At night it seems the bar area is a little mini party in itself. Is the bar a hookah bar as well? We saw someone smoking and thought this person may have brought it from home? Overall an alright experience. Server was that great, maybe he was new. He gave some tables bread before they ordered and others he did not. Oh well, would come here again but not in a big rush to do so.
(3)Mauricio A.
Gordon Biersch is definitely one of the chillest places to go with friends and their beer is amazing. I'm a big fan of the Golden Export but their Hefeweizen is just as good. Also, they have really good garlic fries but be sure to pack mints and even a toothbrush because there is enough garlic on these things that you could clear out the entire bar with your breath after eating them.
(5)C J.
This was a night where the company pushed a so so restaurant up a half a star from 2.5 to three. I was all ready for a beer before going in, BUT they had three different kinds of mojitos!!!! I tried the pomegranate mojito and it was phenomenal! But that was really the best of it. And the fact that our waitress "lost" our ticket and it took over 30 minutes to get our drinks (the other table we were with already had their salads and appetizers before we got our drinks). The crispy artichoke hearts were definitely not crispy, blech. I split the southwester chicken sandwich and they were kind enough to go ahead and split it up onto two plates with our own fries. However, no amount of nicety can overcome mediocre food and quite poor/inattentive service. We were coming from a soccer game, so I'm hoping our group smell was what kept our waitress away...
(3)Vivian L.
Long wait for poor high priced food. That sums up my dinner at Gordon Biersch (look below if you would like details). We put our name down a 7:10 and was told it would be 20 to 30 mins. No prob, but 40 mins later and no buzzing sound on our flying saucer, puck thingy we asked what was going on and was told we actually got there at 7:29, it was a 30 min wait and it was still going to be a few mins.WTF? My bad, I must of read the time wrong on my phone by 19 mins. The thing is it was busy in the bar, but not super busy anywhere so I was going to leave and my friend was going to freak out on them ,but finally was showed to a table after waiting an extra 10 mins. We asked if we could have the open booth right next to the table and was given a look and "let me see if this is available." Was told the booth might be reserved. I said "I didn't know you guys take reservations, "Oh, no "he said just "umm call ahead seating'. "You guys have call ahead seating?" No response. Was then seated at the booth. Was told when we sat that our server just got a large table so it was going to be a while. Oh, F&%%, I should of brought 10 more people with me to get good service, nice. We ordered right away when our server said hi because it was obvious she was stretched thin. The food took a while and the server apologized for the extra wait, thanks we have been waiting an hour and half (not her fault). All the food was luke warm, but the plates where hot so we thought maybe under a heat lamp for a while. We couldn't ask them to heat it up with risk that we would miss our movie (actually we got to the restaurant over 2 hours prior to the start of the movie thinking that would be enough time to eat! My Bad for not coming here a lunch time to eat dinner ) . I ordered the steak and crab stuffed shrimp. My luke warm steak was very chewy as well as the lovely chewy luke warm stuffed shrimp and the crab stuffing didn't taste like it had a speck of crab meat in it (Yum. Chewy kinda cold $23 dollar meal)! Totally disappointed. We hardly saw our server and we were both in a bad mood by the end of the meal. Gordon Biersch was a real let down not only in quality and taste of food, but value and service. We where really looking forward to a great meal, and fun times :) but would of done much better at a place half it's price. Please do yourself and friends a favor, if you want an enjoyable meal go somewhere else. Don't let the location grab your attention.
(1)James D.
Dude. I don't get it. I have had countless afternoon happy hours in the outer bar bordering the sidewalk and had fantastic service. This time we sat inside, and it wasn't even that crowded. Sunday nite and four of us barely got service. We even had to ask twice for drinks a couple of times and ask for some other item again because she forgot. Look, I understand GB is a fairly up and up place and the trendies tend to flock because they see the brand but shit service is not acceptable anywhere, particularly somewhere as "up and up" as the new downtown Rockville. Been here lots a times but the service sucked ass tonite. The drinks and food were good.
(2)Ravi B.
What's sad about this place is that no matter how much information we impart about the food and service this restaurant will always have business because people who work in the area consider this a good option for a business lunch. I've been here twice now for lunch. The first time I thought the menu was a bit pricey for what it offered but I was happy with my meal. Their garlic french fries were delicious. I went back with others for another lunch and was generally unhappy with the food. I ordered off of their summer specialty menu: the jerk chicken kobe beef burger. It sounds delicisious I know, but it lacked any kind of spice. I'm not talking about hot spicy, I'm talking about flavor spicy. The service was pretty decent for our party, and the beer I had was adequate although for a microbrew I was kind of disappointed. Overall I would not go back here at all. I think there are other restaurants in the area that deserve a chance after this place dropped the ball for me.
(2)Tammy L.
I like all their beers except their heffeweizen, which makes me sad because I like heffeweizens. It tasted a bit like hot dog water (!?) and really grossed me out. Make another choice instead... Like Sila D., I like Marzen and Golden Export. I'm not sure if this is a Thursday special or if it's just one bartender who does this, but at this location, we've gotten $5 shots of Patron (dayum!) on Thursday. The food is nothing special; I'd never go there to eat. It's not ridiculously crowded and we can usually find a seat in the bar area. I like how they open up the windows behind the bar and bring in fresh air. Service is sometimes good, sometimes not good. It's a good place to go if you don't know where to go instead. Something about this place is not right though. I guess I feel like I'm settling if I choose to go here.
(2)Kavita K.
If ever you want a semi-bar plus family oreinted place this is the place to go!! It was really amazing!! The food was great, perfect setting even with 4 hungry kids the dinner was enjoyable. I'm not a big fan of Beer but my friend got me hooked on @ this place. It is yummy! Service was very friendly and prompt. The one in Tyson's is equally good.
(5)aidan m.
over priced. douche-bag infested. full of pretension. bartenders are(were, i dont live by there anymore) half-way decent. dont bother spending alot of money here on a regular basis. you will never get hooked up with drinks, no matter how generous you are with gratuity. uber corporate. but, if you want to show 'new rockville' off to your out-of-town guests from the mid west, by all means bring 'em here. you can woo them with the crappy, pedestrian, over priced food and un-diverse beer menu. all the beer they brew are german styles which isnt bad but when they are all mealy and taste the same it, it sucks. so when you think their beer sucks and you dont want to pay 5$ for a miller bottle, just skip it and go to hooters.
(1)kevin k.
like this place alot. they got good service modern ambience good beer good juicy burger i had other dish but i dont recall what exactly all i know it was good and i can and will go back soon as i save some money saved.
(4)Mike S.
Gordon Biersch is a welcome addition to Rockville's "downtown," which is otherwise reminiscent of the old Soviet Union: grey, concrete, bland and boring. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the food is average, not great, just average (I've always gotten real garlic on my fries though). And I wish they'd add a few more options to their fairly limited menu. But the decor is pretty sleek and the service has been outstanding on every occasion (about 10) that I've been since they opened. They have a summer seasonal beer, whose name I cannot now recall, that is very crisp and refreshing. Yummy! I also like their burgers. They also have a dining card that allows you to accumulate points and, more interestingly, to get bumped ahead of non-cardholders if there is a line (so far not an issue at the Rockville location, but might be handy elsewhere). I say 3.5 stars.
(3)Raymond W.
This location was pretty consistent with the downtown dc location with a large and loud crowd on a Saturday night. The hostess' greeting consisted of a hello and stink eye, but we let that slide as we were busy looking for a table to sit. At first we went outside and grabbed a couple of chairs, but we were astonished to have a middle aged man, who was much too old to be wearing earings, invade our seating area and telling us to move. Mmm suburban douche bags with a false sense of entitlement- not looking good. Luckily we were able to get a table inside where the AC was more welcome and we able to get our drinks quickly. One of my friends got overwhelmingly garlic french fries, but they were still crisp and savory so fair trade, I suppose... The patron showing off too much cleavage, if there was such a thing, had a large plate of pasta that looked appetizing, although I was still busy recovering from a donut overdose from the Fractured Prune just moments ago. Maybe next tiem, I'll have an actual meal there.
(3)Alisa O.
The beer is fine but there's a lot of microbrew, even in this area, so there has to be something else. The food isn't very good and the menu is outright boring. The waitstaff have always done a good job. We usually go there when we happen to be in the area and want a beer or when we're with a group of people.
(2)Elisabeth T.
DO NOT MAKE LARGE GROUP RESERVATIONS at this restaurant if you have plans afterward. Gordon Biersch almost turned a Sweet Sixteen Party into a nightmare for us. We made a 6:30pm reservation for a party of 17 on Sunday evening, with notice that we had to be out the door by 8:00 for a waiting limobus. Our entire party arrived by 6:30. A table of two was still seated at a table assigned to our group. The manager told us we would have to wait for them to leave. (They ended up leaving at 7:30!!)The manager did not try to find a win-win situation, such as explaining the situation and offering compensation to move the pair (ie. free drinks or dessert.) Neither the manager or hostesses (who are given no autonomy or authority) monitored the area for open tables or thought of other ways to seat our party close to each other. The evening only turned out ok (still with a couple knots in my stomach) because I intervened and looked out for available tables. The teens ended up sitting near 7:00 and getting food served at 7:40. The atmosphere is nice, the food and waiters are good, but none of that can be enjoyed if you're reservation isn't honored.
(1)Jay K.
This is a decent place to eat, but the food is just mediocre. I have tried a lot of dishes on the menu, but the best thing on it is probably the pulled-pork sandwich. The portions are kind of small and leaves me hungry sometimes. The location of the restaurant is great though and the beer is pretty good, especially the Hefeweizen.
(3)Stephen P.
The beer never dissappoints. The food often does. I have had seafood Cobb Salad with damn little seafood in it~~and where do those pale little shrimp come from anyway, a can? And the salad is ground up in little pieces. Bison Burger, ordered medium, served crispy / incinerated. And who's idea is it to top burgers with Gorganzola anyway? Might as well add a few anchovies too. Pizza is generally uninspired, I keep ordering it from time to time but no luck yet. Garlic fries are a good concept but do they have to sit in a pool of oil? Can the fry temp be adjusted? At 850 calories per serving at least I like to eat them a litle less wet. No hot water in the men's room~~that's a nice touch~~isn't that a situation that can get you shut down by the health department? The most miniscule $9 pour of Grand Mariner I have ever experienced. It sure had to be less than an ounce. When I asked for that in a snifter I had to draw a picure with my fingers to explain what that was. I have searched high and low on the menu for something consistantly good and enjoyable that I could rave about, but until then, it's the beer, Marzden, that brings me back. I just need to move on after a couple.
(2)Mi-ryeong K.
i had high hopes for this place ... especially as an alternative to rock bottom in bethesda. and although i'm a fan of their marzen beer, i was disappointed with the food. we tried their chef's sampler and wasn't too impressed overall, but the chicken wings were not too bad. also, we ordered the garlic fries which according to some, was the "thing to get" and even then, we were let down. but the biggest disappointment were the entrees. over a series of multiple occasions, we sampled everything from the salads to the pastas, and finally, the meats ... aside from a couple instances where the food was considered average, most of the entrees we tried was not worth the money. to make matters worse, the dessert selection was also unappetizing. in the end, gordon biersch's only redeeming quality was the alcohol ... so now we've downgraded gordon biersch from dinner destination to "just for bar purposes only".
(2)Aria C.
I mainly come here on Tuesdays since their craft beer is $2.50. The Märzen is always my first choice since it reminds me of the delicious beer I had in Munich. Also, I strongly recommend the garlic fries. They're ADDICTIVE. This place doesn't get the last star however since the service was disappointing on multiple occasions.
(4)Chen C.
We were in Rockville Town Center recently so we decided to try Gordon Biersch, since the menu had a lot options. Interior is nice, well maintained and clean. Front of house was a little disappointing. Hostess somehow missed us standing right in front of her but was quite attentive to the servers she was talking to about her hair and nails. The place was pretty empty so lots of employees just standing around doing nothing. Server was good, no issue there. Came by often enough and knew the menu well. Food was good, not great but good enough I would come back to try something different. The bad reviews are a little concerning as many of these things should really be addressed or shouldn't have happened at all.
(3)Shelley P.
Food delish. Drinks yummy. Servers friendly & knowledgable. Wait to place order & get food super slow.
(4)Naeem M.
Had a quick work lunch here today and went with the garden turkey burger (with avocados) with garlic fries - all for about $15. Food came within 15 min and was delicious.
(4)Anita N.
I have eaten here before and it was okay. Good beer selection. So I ordered takeout and everything was ok until I bit into my grass fed beef slider and it was red inside. I asked for well done... I emphasized that greatly. That completely turned me off from this place. If I was in the restaurant I would have sent it back and left. I'm not a big meat eater, so when I do eat meat I expect it to be cooked correctly. I don't think I will order from them again.
(1)Ana P.
Grabbed a Saturday night dinner here with BP. I was in the mood for a burger and GB's famous garlic fries. BP was interested in a few items on the menu (Cajun fish tacos, steak, lobster and shrimp Mac and cheese), but went with the Linguini Primavera. For starters we had the Southwest Egg Rolls. I was a bit hesitant about them at first, but they were delicious. Not greasy or over fried, the egg rolls were crispy, filled to the brim with flavor and downright delicious! I really liked the texture of the crispy egg roll against the smooth almost creamy shreds of the pulled chicken. The back beans and corn in the rolls just added to the flavor. I also really liked the dipping sauce. I believe it was cilantro and yogurt based. I loved how fresh the lettuce and tomato were on my burger. Crispy and juicy. The hamburger patty was also flavorful and moist. The cheddar cheese was superb: melted to perfection. The garlic fries were worth five stars on their own. I loved the small chunks of garlic sprinkled on the fries. Just fantastic. Oh! And the lightly toasted buns with garlic butter... Good enough to eat on their own! BP's linguini was also delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the vegetables in the dish were excellent. The plate had a generous amount of nicely trimmed asparagus and plump yellow and red cherry tomatoes. The feta cheese crumbles enhanced the meal and BP didn't even miss the meat (since this was a vegetarian entree). It was a great meal and our waiter, Jon, was kind and reminded us he could validate our parking.
(5)Cynthia L.
Gordon Biersch does their beer really well. And their dessert shooters. I love the dessert "shooters": Perfect little two-bite dessert portions for those that have an endless sweet tooth (like myself), but can't polish off an entire pie. Everything else is ok. Their garlic fries were "too garlicky-burnt garlic" fries. The Caesar salad I ordered just did not taste right: half wilted lettuce overdressed in dressing (I never knew it was possible to mess up a Caesar until tonight). I used to really really enjoy Gordon Biersch, but I'm not sure I can say that anymore.
(3)Rima N.
I come to GB on a regular basis, almost once every week for the past 4 years. I love this place! Alex is my favorite bartender. He's awesome! Garlic fries are amazing, calamari, their burgers are amazing and stir fry shrimp!
(5)Connie Y.
I waited almost an hour before getting food! Admittedly, we had a large party of 9 people and a few kids, but an hour is just too long for lunchtime service. In addition, the waiters were extremely impatient with our large party just because we had many orders. Luckily, their restaurant validates parking tickets up to two hours in the nearby garages. When we arrived, they accommodated us with the kids by bringing highchairs and crayons to keep them busy. They also had a kids menu that offered quite a large personal pan-sized pizza for $4.95. Not too bad. Between my friends and I, we ordered garlic fries, seafood cobb salad, and the fish tacos. As usual, the yelp stars are for the garlic fries because they are excellent. Fried to perfection and very crispy! I was also fairly pleased with the seafood cobb salad. Although there wasn't much crabmeat, the salad arrived fresh and chopped perfectly sized for eating. I had substituted the creamy sauce for the vinaigrette and it made for a extremely healthy salad minus the bacon bits though:p For my entree, the fish tacos were slightly disappointing because the taco shell was soggy, but otherwise the tortilla was warm and the fish was tender. Make sure to purchase it as a share-able dish and you'll get four tacos instead of the typical three. Nice deal. Based on my experiences here, I'd at least come back for the garlic fries!!
(3)Kari S.
Came here last night for the first time -- overall it was a good experience. On Tuesdays they offer $3 tall beers. I chose the hefeweizen, it was very similar to Blue Moon with banana and clover tones. For appetizers my husband and I split the "shareable" baby bratwursts and garlic fries. Both dishes were phenomenal, however I wish the brats were served with a spicier mustard. (The mustard provided had a nice flavor, but was very mild.) The garlic fries lived up to their reputation, they were delicious. We ordered a small size to share and wish we had ordered the large. Next, we split the sweet roasted onion & feta smothered chips -- SKIP these. No flavor, soggy chips, just plain gross. We also ordered the lobster & blue crab melts, I wouldn't necessarily recommend these either. I know I wouldn't order them again for over $20. The service was wonderful. I wish I could remember her name! She was very friendly and didn't rush us, but she had the know-how to appear at all the right moments when we needed something. Overall, I would definitely go back. I feel like this is one of those chain restaurants where you have to know what to order, as the menu offers many options.
(4)Mike C.
I have a hard time with someone who rates this as a 3....it is way above average, with great beers and good food all around and priced well for what it is and where it is. Service is above average, atmosphere is fine, restrooms are clean....whattya need? Free beer to give it more? I'd say someone giving it 3 or less just has problems of their own and won't like much of anything anywhere. Been a number of times and always enjoyed it. Complainers....go somewhere else.
(4)Emma W.
This location is in the Rockville town center. On a corner, so you really can't miss it. The interior is very nice and sleek and there is plenty o outdoor seating too. The food is good I had the chicken BLT. I have to say, it could have done without the chicken.... the bacon was very good though. Also on one of the burgers, the mention 'bacon jam'. Of course curiosity gets the better of me and I make my friend ask the waitress what it is ;p shouldn't I already know??? Anyways, its really as it sounds, its crushed up bacon put into jelly, so bacon jam.... and they spread it on the burger.... I think I would just prefer bacon. The highlight!!! For me was the garlic fries.... sooo much chopped garlic on these fries. I was tasting garlic all day. However,i like garlicwas this was perfect for me. Not sure if this would be good date food....
(4)Samantha L.
It seems like it's been awhile since I've been to Gordon Biersch's. They have changed the menu and are adding new items to the menu. For drinks, we ordered the Marzen and Arnold Palmer. Our server Josh was friendly and knowledgeable about the food and beers. We shared a Pecan Crusted Chicken and Pear Sliders and Linguini Primavera. The chicken sliders were spicy, pecan crusted, and pan-fried to a crisp golden brown, topped with pear chutney, and bed of arugula, and served between grilled, garlic buttered slider buns. The Linguini Primavera consisted of linguini, crimini mushrooms, snap peas, green beans, grilled asparagus, and red and yellow tomatoes, sautéed with fresh garlic, tossed with balsamic vinegar and garlic butter, and topped with feta cheese and fresh basil. The vegetable medley made the dish colorful. It was also delicious and not too heavy.
(4)Harsh Deep Singh N.
Gordon Biersch is one of my favorite places to go to for happy hour. I like their collection of beers on tap, with the seasonal "Belgian Blonde" being my current favorite. Their happy hour food menu is also decent, if a bit limited. I've had the opportunity to try several of their dishes, and among those the garlic fries, the flatbreads, the creole chicken and the Mediterranean Chicken are must try's....!!! The only thing I wasn't really impressed with was the fried calamari. It was a bit too chewy for my taste, and I know it wasn't me because I've had better versions at other restaurants. The ambiance is nice and upscale, and you will generally find a decent, professional crowd at Gordon Biersch. It can also be a good spot for a dinner date(just don't order the garlic fries). The servers are polite, attentive and super professional.
(4)Mei F.
I was excited to get the Mini Dessert Tasters but they didn't have them anymore! Wish i knew before I went, but other than that the food was great! Definitely get the Garlic Fries. They were better than I expected! You can taste the herbs and garlicky goodness. The cajun pasta dish was also really good. We tried the beer sampler (comes with 6 different ones). It was worth it, although I only liked a few of them.
(4)Greg W.
I'm not a fan of their beer. Margherita flatbread is good Mussels - not so good. They only give you 5 or 6 total. Good place to have a drink on a nice day. Outside seating.
(2)Keiana C.
I give them two stars because let us be honest, the environment is nice around the bar/the outside seating other than that I could of gladly passed up this place. I was really disappointed with their happy hour. I mean if you're making about 50,000 + a year then by all means splurge but other than that this happy hour isn't low budget friendly. *side eye* Can I rant about how they have the nerve to have blue crab and artichoke dip with little drops of dried up crab and barely any artichoke. It was awful. It was disrespectful lol as a Marylander who loves her crabs and a good crab dip, they tried it! So would I go again, probably not. But don't let my review dismay you, everyone's experience is different. Lol
(2)Caroline L.
Definitely one of the better chain restaurants and pretty consistent with food and service. I remember when they first opened up, getting a seat was crazy but it seems to have died down a lot. Or maybe I just have been going on off days. Garlic fries. Oh garlic fries. GARRRLICCC FRRIIESSS. They get 4 stars for just the garlic fries. Ok ok but their crab cakes are also pretty good and so are their burgers. I've gotten old(er) so i don't come out for the bar scene anymore but I remember it was pretty popping a few years ago. Man, I'm old and tired. But their beer flights were always my favorite!
(4)Fred K.
It pays to be a loyal passport member where you earn points for meals and even a vacation. Plus you get front of line reservations too and nice big stein of beer (it may be the same or little more beer than their regular size glass). I've been coming here since the day it opened. Solid happy hour specials (late night (10pm) too). Recently, on Tuesday all of their craft beers are $2.50. Their food is better than most pub foods. Their steaks are surprisingly good and 90% of the time is cooked to your request (medium rare for me). Love those garlic fries! Their burgers are very filling and like their farmhouse burger with fried egg. Their salads are good albeit very large size. I'm glad they bought back their pizzas after a short stint in selling flatbreads. They have a kids menu and this place is kid-friendly. One note about sitting in their bar when they have their windows open in the summertime, lots of cigarette smell. Boo. Also, why are their bathroom sinks water so cold! You have to wash your hands in 5 seconds before they freeze. Great hang out place in RTS.
(4)Jinwoo C.
Used to love coming here, but this time around the food was gross. I came with 2 other people and nobody liked what we got. Egg rolls - still ok. The highlight of our meal along with the ketchup and water. Wings - used to love them, but now flavorless. Fish & Chips - tasted like cheap Chinese food, minus the sweet and sour sauce. Cajun pasta - tasted like day old spaghetti California burger - didn't hate it, but nothing to write home about. I'm not usually one to complain about food and write reviews, but I felt like I wasted a lot of money tonight. I would have enjoyed Taco Bell more.
(1)Gail R.
During this short week which felt more like a long week, Gordon Biersch (GB) was paid a visit...for lunch. They don't have a special lunch menu as some other venues might around the RTS area, but that is okay as I still enjoyed coming here. As I scanned their menu, several choices caught my eye like Margherita Flatbread, Lobster and Shrimp Tacos and Sweet & Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry. However, I settled on a starter of Sweet Potato Fries ($5.25) with 2 dipping sauces of sugar cream cheese and barbeque sauce and it tasted quite delicious as I switched back and forth between dipping (never mixing the two). I also had an entrée of the Bourbon Salmon ($18.95) - a bit high in price for lunch, but it was well worth eating. The salmon came with quinoa kale pilaf and seasonal vegetables on the side. Our waiter was pleasant and attentive - checked on us and cleared our plates when it needed to be cleared - this is right around the busy lunch hour...that is a plus. I will be back again as I like the choices they have and look forward to trying more of them. Some tips: Their location is metro accessible (walking distance from the Rockville metro on the red line) If you prefer to park, they offer 2 hour complimentary parking validation in Garages A, B or C (if you park anywhere else like the open lots, they do not validate those areas). GB Rewards card - sign up for it (it is free)
(4)Karen T.
I love this place, my favorite in the area by far. Mary, Alex and Corey are the best bartenders and always keep my drink full without me having to ask or wait no matter how busy they are. On top of that they always remember me even when I had moved for almost a year before coming back to the Ara they still knew my drink. I love the neighborhood bar feel that those three bartenders provide. Also they have a great happy hour special prices and excellent food with great service. The only time I had a problem with my steak undercooked the problem was taken care more then I expected to ensure I left happy. I would recommend here an I promise that if any of those three bartenders are working you will have great service and a fun time! Shout out to Mary!!! You are gorgeous holding your own next to the men behind the bar!!!!
(5)Kyle F.
It's an American bar and grille, I've never been disappointed with a meal I've had there. You can expect the typical fanfare and environment before you walk into the restaurant/bar but there's nothing over the top or exceptional that separates this place from the rest.
(3)Mrs S.
Garlic fries baby bratwursts are to die for...lol The service was wonderful.She was very friendly and didn't rush us, and I had questions about the entrees. Steak and Cajun pasta no disappointments there. Steak was juicy and tender medium and pasta was full of flavor and not overcooked. Overall, we would definitely go back. The menu does offer many choices so it helps if the waitress does not rush. Clean and inviting the wait for food can be long but our waitress was attentive and gave us a reason for the delay and we got free dessert.
(4)Rebecca R.
I came here with my boyfriend and we both liked our meals! However, I wish I could give a better rating but our service was pretty awful. We ordered our meals, then 20 minutes later our salads came out. Then 5 minutes after our meals came. Our waiter barely checked on us. I went up and got my own ketchup on the cart ( we sat outside). I asked for water when my boyfriend ordered another beer. Still waiting on my water refill that never came. Very disappointed.
(1)Jay S.
This place was okay. There feta chips was amazing. Everything else was ehh ok. I Asked for a medium California burger I received a Burt over done burger. I was too hungry to return. So I just ate it. Highly doubt I will go again.
(3)Walter M.
Comparing it to your popular bar and food places, this place is great. The environment is friendly. They do brew their own beer and have always at least 10 crafts to serve. They also do samplers. Food is not too different than your popular chain, but their creative pizzas and garlic fries are good. Those two items are worth trying. Oh, and their beer. Do check with them for their daily specials
(5)Sandy B.
Too high priced for sub par food. Non attentive servers. I wouldn't go back. Dark atmosphere so it is a challenge to read the menu.
(2)Connie M.
This review was 4 stars...until I got home.... When I am in RTC I tend to gravitate towards La Tasca but sometimes you just want a BEER!! This was one of those times and Gordon Biersch did not disappoint! Friday night around 11:30 and the bar was packed. I was lucky to grab the last seat at the end of the bar. I started with a tall Hefeweizen. Then I had another tall Hefeweizen. And each one was only $5.50. YUM!! I am a Blue Moon girl so I like those belgium white wheat ales. My friend had a glass of Merlot. Then we decided to try the flight. I have never had a flight where EVERY beer was good. The Golden Export is the "light" beer but it had a nice flavor. I did not think I would like the Schwarbier because it was a dark chocolate color (reminded me of Guiness) but had hints of coffee. The Marzen was nice and sweet (Mmmmm...love hoppy/sweet beer like the DogFishHead 120min). The Czech Pilsner wasn't bitter. There was also a seasonal, Festbier for October, which had a nice spicy feel. I made the mistake of ordering the Chef's sampler because only the late night menu was available. Don't get me wrong...everything was delicious...southwest egg rolls, calamari and sweet chili wings. The combination of all that beer, the black beans in the egg rolls and the wasabi dipping sauce for the calamari was just too much for my tummy to handle!! - WICKED COMBO!!
(4)Derek K.
Last night a group of us stopped in for apps and drinks. After our meal, I felt something in my mouth after I took a sip of water. I spit it out and found it was a f'ing FINGERNAIL!!! The waitress apologized and called her manager. He smiled, said sorry, and gave us 10% off our bill. That's how he managed the situation. Used to come here but no more.
(1)Shira S.
Gordon Biersch is one of those places I would label as consistent. They aren't ever great or terrible, but definitely reliable. Their garlic fries are probably one of my favorite items on the menu and I happen to enjoy several of their beers (this is saying something for a girl who isn't a huge fan of beer). I went last weekend for one of their oyster days where they offer a set price and you get a specific number of oysters and beers to match. They had two options for this and being the oyster lover that I am I went with a dozen oysters and three-10 ounce pours of beer to match for $20. The oysters were delicious and the beers matched perfectly.
(3)Ramia B.
We loved the food, I ordered the blackend mahi and my wife ordered the marzen BBQ burger. Everything was cooked perfectly. Out Server "Marc" was very nice and very attentive. The drinks were great too, I love the fact that they brew their own beer. Defiantly coming back, for the good food, drinks, atmosphere, and the great customer service.
(5)Ivan S.
For someone who loves beer or just wants a place with a good atmosphere to get together with friends or coworkers, there's nothing better than Gordon Biersch. Buffalo Wild Wings is unbearable as is Bar Louie, but Gordon Biersch offers the perfect ambiance, great food and wonderful beer brewed on site. Brewer Christian Lake exudes as much passion for his craft as friendliness towards the guests he works for. He often organizes brewer's dinners which pair several courses of food of a certain cuisine with three or four rounds of beer (these events are incredibly cheap and offer a great experience). There are many varieties of wonderful freshly brewed beer ensuring that anyone who enjoys a pint can select something they like. There's the Golden Export: a light and refreshing lager for those that only like the most drinkable beer that has no dominant aromas. The Czech Pilsner (my favorite) offers a lot of hoppiness and slight bitterness in each gulp. Then there's the Hefeweizen for people who love a more exotic, citrusy / cardamom tasting beer. There are always several seasonal beers which are intriguing to try. These have included various sorts of IPA's, a beer aged in whiskey barrels, a strong dark Winter Bock, and my recent favorite, the Summerbrau (a very light and refreshing beer that still has a slight fruity tone). Although I admit I come here more for the drinks and company of friends than the food, everything that comes out of the kitchen looks like it packs substance, gourmet flavor and ingredients, great presentation, but without any pretentiousness. Some great dishes to accompany your beer are the fried calamari (which practically melts in your mouth), the garlic fries (the smell is agonizingly good when a waiter carries them past you), the crab/artichoke dip, and the wonderful fried artichoke hearts. All of these items are offered at a discounted price between 4-7pm, and after 10pm. The bartenders are all really attentive, friendly and fun to interact with. There is a great patio section that runs parallel to Maryland Avenue so you can see people driving and walking through town square. Let's not forget the 2.50 Tuesdays! For Gordon Biersch to offer all of their beers at that kind of price for the whole day, every week, is ridiculous! It almost doesn't seem right when I look at my bill and it is below $10. Taken together, all of these elements make Gordon Biersch, in my opinion, simply the best place to go to on a regular basis.
(5)Jen L.
Clean, new, organized, crowded, hight tech with multiple flat screen tv's everyone, fantastic outdoor patio and seating, wonderful open layout perfect for mingling (both interior and outside seating), nice servers, plenty of parking, in Rockville Town Center... one of my top choices for nightlife in Rockville. A "nightlife" spot in the boring burbs.
(4)Trinh T.
Food & drink are both still good but I came back after a few months away to find that the menu has changed. They've done away with the appetizer sampler and they changed up the happy hour menu. Now instead of paying $5 for southwest eggs rolls I have to pay $10 for eggs rolls half the size it use to be. Sorry, but I believe in getting the bang for my buck and that just wasn't it.
(3)Tim B.
Solid enjoyable brews but been here a dozen times and still nothing impressive. Average service no complaints . food is about level as beer...no dissappontments but nothing to write home about .
(3)Julie H.
A great restaurant for lunch and dinner. I love the garlic fries here, they are seriously addicting. The blackened ahi tuna is a great sandwich to get. It was perfectly cooked and the portion was enough to fill me for lunch. The prices are affordable for a nice sit down restaurant. The atmosphere is great to get together with others. I heard the beer here is good, but I have not tried it. The service here is wonderful and I recommend going here anytime you need a bite to eat or with a group of people.
(4)Miranda C.
Awesome food, great ambience, cool service, convenient location and exciting atmosphere! Highly recommend the crab cakes and steak! Mmmmmmmm...
(5)Yolit Y.
Many years in this place,always taking care of me and listening to good advises,great local beer!!
(5)Don H.
Servers were very nice. Food and beers came out quick. Sometimes takes time for servers to check up on you during busy hours. Beers were tasty and seasonal drafts are good. I have only had a few appetizers and they were ok. Location is nice because it is a little busy, but relaxed and far enough away from kids running around in the town center. Parked in the garage but was longer than 2 hours so I paid 2 dollars for parking.
(3)Allie A.
I have come here on two occasions and both were positive experiences. Great drinks, reasonable prices, excellent food, but what made me give 5 stars was the exceptional service. Our waiter, Bradley, was attentive, helpful, and anticipated our needs wonderfully. I couldn't have wanted anything more from a server and I only wish I could have tipped him more. I loved the garlic fries and really enjoyed the Mediterranean chicken and the portion was decent especially considered it's listed under "lighter fare". I can't wait to come back.
(5)Bianca F.
I was quite surprised. I went here with friends for happy hour. The place was pretty packed. I did find one seat at the bar, the bartender helped me immediately. A few minutes later my friend arrived & this couple scooted over for us to have a seat. Pretty awesome! I had the happy hour wine special. The lemon drop & Georgia peach cocktails were good too. I inhaled my ahi & greens. Darn good! I will be back. Second review: Went here a few days later and ordered food to go. I had the steak medallions with mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked right, but had no flavor at all. The mashed potatoes had something else in there that I did not recognize at all.... won't be ordering that again. If you want a low sodium meal, then order that. I think I'll stick to other restaurants for steak.
(3)Mina C.
I don't know. I don't love this place. I don't hate it either. This is our fail safe in Rockville. Whenever I meet up old friends and we are in Rockville, we almost always end up here. I just don't love this place. It's always packed and I always run into people. Whether I wanna see those people is a different story. I just don't love this place. The beers are always consistent. I like the pilsner the best. They had an English pale ale that was delicious as well. My friends love the hefeweizen. You can never really go wrong with the garlic fries. Did I mention? I just don't love this place.
(3)Drew L.
Nice atmosphere for the restaurant and bar but the entrees are only average at best. Go for the drinks and appetizers, not the food. A half dozens large tv's keep the sports enthusiast up-to-date. Part of a nationwide chain.
(2)Michael S.
Their Egg rolls is a must! Never had been better! House beers are awesome, they brewed their beers there! also, burgers are yummy, meaty and cheesy! Garlic fries are the best! However, it's its bit expensive & I don't like the idea that they changed the late night menu. They use to have verity of appetizers including egg rolls for $5. The new menu don't offer that much and they increased the price! Service on the other hand is AWFULE! non of these waiter & waiters don't know what are they doing. service is slow (I mean it when I say slow) & they get confused so easy, their table are mostly not-whiped & you have to ask for it when you wanna sit which take 10 min to someone come back to clean! overall, food is excellent but they need work on their service.
(3)Shahin E.
I haven't been in this place for almost a year. Food is still as good as before, however servers and bar tenders as creepy as I remember. Customer service hasn't improved a bit. They really need an improvement on that.
(2)Tiffany T.
Happy hour & Late night Happy hour review only: I haven't had the food here in YEARS so I don't feel as I can judge freely. ALthough I remember loving their cajun pasta Now moving on to the important things in life, HAPPY HOUR :) I love their happy hour. I always get the "tapas" which is just flatbread with parmasean, olive tapenade, pico de gallo, and roasted garlic for $5.00. They have a bunch of other deals too ranging from $5 apps, personal pizzas, and other food stuffs ranging from $5 to $11. OH BUT THE ALCOHOL: $1 off beers and $5 specialty cocktails. So what do I get? LONG ISLANDS ALL DAY. I'm not an alcoholic. I'm just financially apt to choose something that when made right, should have 5 shots in it. So.. $5? Hey-yooooo
(4)Angela P.
My favorite place to meet up with friends from back home! It beats Clyde's because I can actually see their pretty faces in the well lit dining area. The farmhouse burger is on point--super juicy and delicious. The garlic fries are amazing, too, but my friends won't let me in their car after b/c you'll reek of garlic the entire night. Skip the lobster bisque, fresh mozz pizza needs more basil! I love all the beers. My top choices are the blonde, amber, and hef when I'm in the mood for it. Delicious! Great beer, pretty good food! What more can you ask for?
(4)Kim J.
Large portions, but great recommendations on food. Good food, timed perfectly. Ask to be seated in John's section. He takes really good care of patrons and knows the menu well.
(5)Lance V.
I really enjoy the outside seating and the bar area. Inside bar has a lot of tv's and is large. They always a seasonal beer so new things to try. The food is fatty and fried. Even the vegetables seem unhealthy. I get the ahi tuna app and have a beer; and all is good.
(4)Howard R.
We enjoyed a great evening at the Rockville location. Food was delicious and service was great!
(5)Kit S.
Good food. Good service. It depends who your waiter/waitress is but never had a bad one. Great selection of drinks. Hot waitresses. Just saying. Nice happy hour menu. I come here almost every week and it seems busy every day. Plenty of tvs. There's always a mix crowd which is good. There's an outdoor area and area behind the bar that's enclosed so it's halfway outdoor and halfway indoor.
(3)Suzanne R.
The food was good. Decent. Best ever...no, but good. Staff was very good! Big. Open. Booths & tables. Ramp 'side' in restaurant good for strollers, wheelchairs, etc. Garlic fries....IMO are WAY OVER-RATED! They were regular fies with garlic dumped in them.
(4)Danielle C.
We drive to rockville to Gordon Biersch for the garlic fries and the banana beer! WONDERFUL food
(4)Mark H.
What a nice little place. I went here a few Fridays ago and had a good fish dish and a few tasty brews. The waiter was a super cool dude that seemed like someone I wouldn't mind hanging with. My reason for eating there: I was on a first date with some random girl, and it was easily the worst date of my life. The girl was 24, but may as well have been a tween, because she texted the entire time and had the conversational skills of a non Jr HS grad. I was flabbergasted (I'm apparently 80 since I used that word) and wondered why she asked me out on a date. Asking questions of her yielded very little, because she couldn't talk about herself because all of her work was CLASSIFIED.... I doubt it. I think she worked at a Blimpie's. Long story short, I motioned the girl to exit the date stage right... she offered me a courtesy hug, and I told her to text it to me. But I digress. So there I was, alone, with two place settings, and was slightly embarrassed. I wanted to pull a Jerry Maguire and shout "who's sitting with me???"- but I refrained. I did sit there and enjoy two more craft brews-- all while trying to convince the waiter that the girl really did leave. 4 stars.
(4)Stephanie A.
This place is horrible.
(1)Tara S.
My boyfriend and I go here mostly prior to movies as we don't live far from the Town Center. It isn't the best for vegans, but honestly most places aren't! :-) The food is always good! The only "complaint" that I have, which isn't really a complaint, per se, is that we usually have a long wait or have to sit in the loud and crowded bar area. But several times that we have gone, we were able to sit outside or get a good table indoors. I highly recommend this place. Just try to get a reservation if it is during peak hours.
(4)Daniel L.
Came here with the homies for a 21st birthday. Food: 2 Price/Value: 1 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 4 Food: 2 It depends on what you get. We got the large garlic fries appetizer, real simple with garlic and some parsley but pretty good. For my entree, I got the jambalaya and it was plain. Price/Value: 1 Definition of not worth. The large garlic fries were $7 for like 30 boardwalk fries. My jambalaya was $17 with no sides, and the meat was dry and sauce didn't have much taste. So much $ ... but why? There were no extra fresh ingredients, no alcohol in the dishes, no extra love. If you like spending money on things that aren't worth it, then add this to your list of things. We are generally good people, but this time we all felt so cheated that we thought about stealing the table and the chairs so we could be all even. Service: 2 Waitress did not give off the good vibes. It was a Tuesday, so we all got water, and only got one drink for our newly initiated friend. She showed she wasn't happy about our decision to not get turned up on a Tuesday. It took around 20 minutes for her to take our order even though there were only a couple people inside the restaurant. Throughout my meal, my water was running pretty dry. Atmosphere: 4 It's a pretty cool place - they have their own brewery and a sports bar. Tips You Should Know: No deals that I'm aware of. If you're open to food suggestions, get a kobe burger - those were big and looked good. Would I recommend? Nah.
(2)April S.
I went to Gordon Biersch today after I saw The Avengers ... I loved the atmosphere, however the food was mediocre compared to the ambiance that surrounded it. I ordered the Grilled Chicken with roasted veggies. The chicken and veggies were presented to me hidden under a mound of arugula. I was almost afraid to remove the greens. I took a deep breath and removed them, then rearranged the food on my plate so it would make a decent picture. The chicken had perfect grill marks on it, however it was missing one thing ... flavor. It was right in between juicy and dry. If it sat in the passby window for one smidgen longer I would have needed a huge glass of water to wash it down. My BF ordered the crab cake sandwich. He said it was pretty good and filling. We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as an appetizer. I thought it was pretty good. My BF said he liked the dip at Copper Canyon better and there was no comparison. He went on to say the crab dip tasted like something pre-made from a can and heated up with each order. The Peach Tea was delish. I will warn you that it is unsweetened. Nothing a pack of sugar could not handle. I have southern roots and love sweet tea. The dessert tasters were pretty tasty. We ordered the brownie mousse, strawberry cheesecake and apple bread pudding. The bread pudding was warm and delicious. The cheesecake tasted like store bought cheesecake and the mousse was okay. I would go back to try other courses on their menu. I'm not a fan of beer, however the next time I go back I want to try the beer sampler.
(4)Dee B.
3.5 stars for food, 2 stars for service. A friend and I accidentally ended up here for Sunday brunch. We'd hoped to eat elsewhere, but that restaurant was closed. The menu here looked good, and our food was reasonably tasty. However, the average age and lack of experience in servers, in addition to clear lack of training, was definitely evident. Everything took longer than necessary, even though it was early, and the restaurant was quite empty, and there were plenty of staff. For example, we were never ONCE checked up on. This included me having to flag down the waitress for more water and coffee. The most ironic service goof happened at the very end; we did request and receive separate bills. Mine came to $10 plus change; I gave her a $20 plus the change. She eventually (after a lengthy wait) brought me back a ten-dollar bill. I had to explain that I had nothing to leave her for tip, unless she was willing to give me a fiver and five singles. Isn't that taught in Restaurant 101??
(3)Ray R.
Haven't been here for a few years. Back then, I would have given this place four stars. The food use to be superb and worthy of the prices. Well, if today's Chicken Avacado sandwich is any indication...this place has definitely taken a bad turn. It started off being bland and boring,. It was downright toxic tasting by the end. It tasted like it had been cooked in degreaser. I think it will be another few years before I give them another try.
(1)Roxanne B.
Had the Cobb Flatbread - kind of boring. My husband made the mistake of ordering the flat-iron steak w/fries and it was very chewy. For $24 you need to offer a better cut of meat. We mentioned it to our server but got no reply.
(2)Tommi L.
Today was the second trip to this restaurant! To say the least, the staff was great; and even more so, the lobster and shrimp tacos were amazing!! Will definitely be back ;-)
(5)Casey K.
This place just is what it is. I always find myself here for happy hour after work to catch up with one of my college friends. Every time I leave saying the same thing. "Why do I come here?", the food really is not that great and nothing really pops out on the menu as spectacular, the surprises just don't keep coming when your food comes to the table and it is just so run-of-the-mill. Pass if you can and politely suggest another place (Chef Geoff's is a nice alternative).
(2)Nick G.
Great food, great beer. Only downfall is I am from Wisconsin, and this place isnt there!! I will visit again if im ever out that way. Get the crab cakes- Amazing!!
(5)Team J.
F Minus and Zero Stars for GB in Rockville. Never even made it the restaurant as we couldn't get past the Rhodes Scholar who answers the phone for reservations. Called today to make reservations for 8 people anytime after 5 PM and before 630 PM. The woman that answered the phone responded as follows: - need to talk with manager - 2 minutes of silence - then the same woman gets on the phone - tells me that they don't like to take reservations but that she could do it for before 4 PM or after 8 PM -then she goes on to imply that she does have a table for 10 but that they can't book in case someone else calls to reserve it. (What?) - then she comes clean and says that they do, in fact, take reservations and seemed to suggest that I call back later in the day - the conversation devolved from there and culminated with her snarky suggestion that I was dense and that I didn't understand the restaurant business Well, I hold in my hand the $650 dollars I planned on spending at the GB in Rockville - but they apparently they are not interested in making money. Meanwhile, I just called one of their competitors and the person that answered the phone could not have been nicer or "clearer." Looking forward to giving my money to that establishment. Still a big GB fan but I will stick with my home team GB in Annapolis- they know how to treat people well.
(1)Al D.
Great atmosphere, good food and pleasant wait staff not to mention a convenient close location to the metro stop. A must try for anyone exploring Rockville Town Center!
(5)Mike M.
Love the beer. Try any of them, very, very good. Nice happy hour. Good place to watch a game. Friendly staff, very cool location, good parking in the garage (free parking with purchase). All that is great. Food? Well, did I say how good the beer is? Yeah, stay focused on that. The food varies from not that great to just bad. Even the apps, the bar food, it's OK at best. So, drink a beer, hang out, watch a game, just don't have unreasonable expectations about the food.
(3)Jennifer H.
G.B. has AMAZING food (in big portions) but also can be a little on the expensive side. Really good service and good atmosphere. I recommend the Seared Ahi Tuna meal and of course some of their famous garlic fries!
(4)Jamie G.
This place is hit or miss with me. Sometimes its great, but most times its below average. Most times its been poor service. Just poorly trained staff, not nasty but not friendly either. Just want to get you through the meal so they can get their tip. Same with the food. Sometimes good, most times just ok. Not sure if this is helpful, just kind of an OK place.
(2)Oren O.
Had to wait 15 minutes before waiter even came to check on us and give us menu's. Once service started it was good. Once we ordered our food, I got a mojito that was watered down and nasty. I drank from my girlfriends wine instead (thank goodness that wasn't messed up and warm). Her fish tacos were awesome while my steak and shrimp entree was mediocre. Steak was bland while shrimp we ok. Steamed veges were like chewing cardboard though. Tried taster sizes of there deserts and only the triple chocolate and cheesecake were edible. Many other places to go to eat in the area so this won't be a repeat problem.
(2)Rachel A.
My friend and I were looking for a nice place for dinner after we finished our ceramics class at Visarts. We came upon Gordon Biersch and decided to have dinner there. As soon as we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was closing in 12 minutes and we had to order quickly, to which we replied that would not be a problem. Then we were asked if we wanted to sit in the cocktail area or in the dining area, and we said dining area. There was no mention of the outdoor seating area, so we (wrongfully) assumed that the outdoor area was closing for the night. We were seated in the dining area, and there was only one other table filled. No biggie. Why would we want to sit at the bar, when there were comfy booths to sit in? The waitress comes over to take our drink order, and asks if we were told that the cocktail area was open too. Ok, weird question, but we didn't think much of it, so we said yes, but we were having dinner, so wanted to sit in the dining area. I then asked her what kind of sodas they had, as none were listed on the menu. Here's how the conversation went: Me: what kind of sodas do you have? Waitress: Coke. Me: Just coke? Waitress: and Diet coke. Starts to walk away. Me: oh, that's all? Waitress: and Pibbs. Starts to walk away. Me: Do you have anything without caffeine? Waitress: and sprite. The rest of the meal was completely ruined by the horrible attitude of our server. My friend and I were nothing but polite and courteous and she was nothing but rude and made us feel terrible with her bad attitude. I will never be back. Train your staff. How hard is it to smile and be polite?
(1)Jasper J.
There is not a better, more reliable place to eat in the town center than Gordon Biersch. They're open late. Their beer is great. You can take take your family for dinner. You can take an escort or prostitute for a discreet rendezvous. It serves all purposes and needs. This and Bar Louie are the only two real bars in the town center and Bar Louie shouldn't even be in the same conversation. The people that work here are professional and courteous.
(5)Eddie K.
GB has a pretty good happy hour crowd and specials. I like the happy hour combos - the slider combos are good and you can't beat the garlic fries especially if they were just fried. The beers are good - The Marzen and Golden Export are my favorites. I like they have late night happy hours. For appetizers, we like their buffalo wings (when they have it) and the Southwestern Egg rolls. For entrees, we like the cobb salad, spinach salad, pizzas, steak medallions and the miso Chilean sea bass. The Triple Chocolate Brownie for dessert is great. There are some food items that disappoint - Chicken Parmesan, some of their sandwiches Their Passport loyalty program is really good if you frequent this place.
(4)Cat W.
This is one of my go-to restaurants. It's conveniently located in Rockville Town Center and has a bunch of parking lots/garages around it in which you can park for free with validation from any store/restaurant. All of the portions are huge, including the appetizers (which makes up for the price). The crab and artichoke dip is my favorite appetizer, super creamy and crabby with toasted bread to dip. The garlic fries are literally to die for and there's no way I'll ever go without getting an order of these on the side, which they automatically come as with almost everything. I tried the sweet potato fries for the first time this weekend and they were really surprisingly tasty! I'm pretty picky about my sweet potato fries but these were amazing, super crispy but still lots of sweet potato in them and dusted with a little bit of sugar :) For the entrees, the burgers are humongous but cooked perfectly to order and really delicious. Get them with either of the fries if you're not counting calories. Yum. The fish and chips are my new favorite though. The fish are pretty heavily battered which was weird at first, but it's very fresh and ultimately tastes great, especially with the tartar sauce. The coleslaw is average, I usually substitute it with something else. Also good is the lobster and crab cake sandwich, super pricey but definitely worth it (I"m just a sucker for tartar sauce though). A new favorite is the spicy shrimp stir-fry. Who would have thought a brewery did Asian food so well? The bowl is filled with Jasmine rice and is very generous with the vegetables and shrimp. Sweet and spicy and just like heaven. Lastly, the drinks. I don't remember what it's called but I've been getting the special summer brew and it's light and sweet and makes me happy. I've also had mojitos, cucumber gin and tonic, hard lemonade, and bloody marys and they're all great. Service is usually pretty good, and the atmosphere is fun (went to the bar during NBA finals and that was a blast). Overall 4 stars because the food is pretty pricey and, while it's good, it is a chain restaurant and doesn't have such an expensive feel to it. Still good though and I'm gonna keep going!
(4)Bradley C.
I work right around the corner, and Gordon Biersch is a good place for office lunches, meeting up with friends, and just a quick drink after work. For lunch, I would recommend the Seafood cobb salad, but beware, its BIG. The food is pretty good, the burgers are a good deal, and overall its a place I keep coming back to because of the convenience, good expectations, and overall quality.
(3)krystal h.
I've been to GB several times and I have never been disappointed with my food. This visit was no exception. However, in addition I was extremely impressed by their customer service (something that is always important to me). Somehow there was a mixup and they made the wrong burger for my sister. Our server came out with a plate of garlic fries and informed us and gave her the option of taking the burger they made or waiting for the burger she actually ordered which they had already started making. She opted to wait for the burger she ordered. Shortly after our server left a manager came to our table apologizing AND she gave us 25% off our entire meal in addition to a free dessert. When my sister's burger came out it included more garlic fries in addition to what was brought out initially. I only gave four stars because of the fact that the order was messed up in the first place and our server, as nice as he was, never refilled our water glasses. All in all, it was a good visit.
(4)Eric J.
Good drinks
(4)Katie B.
Good service, great beer, yummy food, nice ambiance, love the rewards. All around win!
(5)Timothy W.
Thought this was a safe bet to take the fam. A place where I could get decent beer and we could all get some good grub. Been to a couple of other GB locations around the country and this is on par with the rest of them. It was a Thur. night so it was nice and quiet. We were seated immediately. Beer was decent, had a pint of Maibock with dinner. Can't remember what everyone ordered for dinner but I know that they all enjoyed it. We'd definitely re-visit this GB if we found ourselves in beautiful Rockville in the future.
(4)Jennifer O.
This place is nothing special. The food is consistently good and they always provide a good beer to sip on during happy hour. One thing that does stand out, though, is their prices. Everything seems to be a few dollars too much considering what you're getting. The portions are alright, but not worth the cost. Overall, if you're in a bind an okay place to go.
(3)Jin L.
Good place to grab burgers and garlic fries! Their steaks are actually not too shabby. When you don't feel adventurous and want to stay in the neighborhood, this is a good spot.
(3)Elena S.
This is another strictly happy hour place for me. Their specials are some of the best in the Rockville Town Square. Service is usually pretty good and you can catch a game in the bar area. Their house drafts are pretty awesome and I'm very fond of their Maerzen.
(3)Peter K.
Definitely go for the Farmhouse Burger. GB is a great spot to eat or chill on a weekend night. For beer lovers, nice selection on tap.
(4)Meana K.
When I lived across the street, it was a regular place me to go, especially to watch the game in the bar. While it may be a chain, but they actually have a few dishes they do quite well. And I love the Marzen beer. Love it. Really freaking love the beer. Dishes I've enjoyed include the lobster and shrimp tacos, the garlic fries, and the southern fried chicken salad. Other stuff is okay too, but these are the standouts for me. A little overpriced, service can be spotty, but overall it's a fun atmosphere for a very casual meal and some good beer.
(4)Jamie C.
The food is always top notch. Great happy hour! They have an early one and a late one.
(5)Jonathan L.
Located in the heart of Rockville, Gordon Biersch provides an exciting gourmet experience for people of all ages. The warm atmosphere and excellent food compliment eachother perfectly, making Gordon Biersch in high demand on the weekends and even during the week! I have never been dissapointed with the food and I have eaten here on frequent occasion. The value for money ratio is outstanding. I would also HIGHLY recommend the " Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings" as a starter and the " Steak Frites" ( with the garlic fries) as a main course If you are looking for a nice place to relax, kick back, and enjoy a nice beer after a stressful day at work GORDON BIERSCH is the place for you!
(5)Joe L.
Gordon Biersch is a chain restaurant that doesn't feel like a chain (if that makes sense). The fact that the beer is brewed on site gives you that local brewery feel. I love the low lighting and ambiance of the place. They have recently changed their menu and although they got rid of the steak sandwich which I loved, I decided to go after the lobster and shrimp tacos. They were AMAZING. Service was great and the food came quickly even on a packed Saturday night. Want a good appetizer? get the crab and artichoke dip!
(4)Meggie C.
i come here alot for happy hour. as for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this review probably wont help. happy hour: they have good specials only negative is that their happy hour begins pretty late, like 10pm late but they are opened till 12/1am. i love their dragonfruit mojitos, my guy friends like their beers and long islands. happy hour food: its okayy.... many of their dishes are good not amazing though. never get their lobster bisque. it was disgusting. but their crabmeat artichoke dip was sooooo good. i try to get that whenever i go. their garlic fries are good too. this place can get kinda busy so i would try to go around 9:30 they validate parking up to two hours for free, staff is attentive, and the place is decorated pretty nicely. lots of tvs for game nights and full bar.
(4)Alicia G.
The space is really nice. The outdoor area and enclosed patio is a place I'd want to hang out on a cool, breezy night while enjoying a beer. But we didn't get to do that. We managed to find a spot inside the bar area after two people left. However, after sitting down, it was about another 5-10 minutes before a bartender helped us. And not because they noticed, but because Juliana shouted that we wanted the beer sampler! Once they poured the samples, the bartender explained a little bit about each "shot" of beer. Juliana, Derryk and I set about to tasting them. Fenny took like a micro-sip of one and was done. She *doesn't like beer* and claimed that if she drank some, she'd be so gas-y that it would be a smelly ride back home. (And since she was driving us back to Bethesda, I decided not to press the issue because let's face it, beer farts are unpleasant.) I liked the hefeweizen. And to be quite honest, I can't even remember what the others were. I think I'd only return to sit in the outdoor/patio area because it looks so chill and relaxing. Inside it's way crowded and hard to get anyone's attention.
(3)Mirela M.
I came in for lunch, and had Virginia as our server. Great service and such a sweet girl. I would love to have her again. The only thing I am disappointed with is the kitchen. I have been coming here since this place first opened so I am very familiar with the menu. Recently the menu was changed, and the food is changed to smaller portions. The salad that I usually order was terrible and did not fill me up. My dressing, cheese, croutons, and spinach was less. The courtons were just crums. Since there was not enough dressing, the salad did not taste as good. Last time I was here I had problems with my order again. Also, I have noticed that other people are complaining about the same thing. Be careful what you order! Instead of caring about the satisfaction of the customers, it seems that their management only cares about making money.
(3)Kristin M.
Yeah it's a chain, but it's not a bad fallback place in the area to grab a few beers with friends, catch a game, maybe order up some southwest rolls or extremely garlicky garlic fries. I did dinner here once, which was forgettable. Strong suit is definitely with plain old hanging out, though the downside there is it can take some pretty dedicated seat-stalking to score a place to camp out in the bar area, sizable though it is. A number of good-enough apps to accompany the good-enough beer (I recommend the sampler, because it's fun!), and make for a pleasant night of drinking amidst a noisy crowd.
(3)Deborah N.
I'm not even a beer drinker but I love the beer at Gordon Biersch. Why? They keep it COLD and it tastes great! They serve only their house brews. I normally never get draft beer because to me it can taste stale. Not here. Whatever beer I had (cannot remember the odd name) it was goooood. I also recommend / love the after 10 $5 happy hour. Yes there is a late night place in MC. Yes you can get a beer and an appetizer for $10. Nice! Staff was spotty. The first time I went the bartender was super nice and helpful. The second time I sat at a bar table and was prompted to ask my server, "Are you having a bad night?" Not that I cared, but she soooo did not want to be there that it was bumming me out!
(5)Andrew R.
I think the only reason we came here was for the free garlic fries coupon this chain regularly gives out. That's gotta tell you something, right? If not about the group we went with then about where priorities lie. As to the experience, I remember little of the food, except that I was unimpressed. Ergo, not a memorable experience. Yet as to the garlic fries that prompted our visit? Awful. Soggy, lack of tasty garlic and only burnt garlic, and so much parmesan that it was hard to taste anything else.
(2)Ryan B.
Came here the other day for a business lunch. The menu had changed since the last time I came, which was a nice surprise. The servers were nice, and fun to joke around with. They were attentive the whole time making sure we were taken care of. I ordered the chicken stir fry since it seemed like one of the healthier options. Let's just say, once we got our entrees that everyone looked at mine and wish they had copied me! I'm going to come back here more often since the menu looks like it has gotten better since the last time I was there (probably a few years).
(4)Julio E. G.
This is a typical average chain restaurant with a few good items, but mostly average meals at a reasonable price. Restaurant snobs should not visit unless they enjoy the beer. My wife had a low end steak that was relatively tasty, but not cooked as she ordered it. The waiter asked if she liked her dinner and my wife did not say anything to the waiter because she had low expectations and didn't want to pressure the young man too much. I had a very average salmon, but was able to enhance the taste with the veggies that came with the plate. We split a green salad and it was actually pretty good and somewhat different with lots of nuts, and nice semi spicy dressing. No complaints about this one. We shared a pudding/apple dessert with nuts, ice cream, and liquor that was a 4/5 stars and more than enough for two. The ice cream was of good quality. The coffee was cold and typical Americano. Would have been OK if hot. I did not bother to complain to the waiter because I also had low expectations and the guy was trying. Like I said an average chain restaurant. May be good for beer drinkers. They have a lot of TVs in the bar for those that like to watch football this fall.
(3)Susie B.
Great burgers and garlic fries. Love this place. Great service
(5)Joy C.
Good food, good beer, good time! Enjoyed my first time but service was not good this time around... Maybe because we came in at 11pm and the server kinda rushed our orders... Kitchen closes at midnight, we ordered our drinks but was refused service right after the kitchen closed. We wanted more drinks but server said he already printed our bill so if we want drinks we have to get it ourselves! Kinda rude for a server! Just saying! We'll try again, we'll pull for a third... Maybe third time's a charm!
(3)Alvin H.
This place is a pretty good place to go and chill. It has a relatively large bar area and can also accommodate larger parties in the back. I usually go here to grab a couple beers and happy hour food with friends (mmmmm garlic fries). The food is alright in my opinion, not anything to write home about. Wait staff are consistently respectful and attentive.
(3)dwayne t.
I was introduced to Gordon Biersch in SF and have dined/imbibed at the DC location more than a few times, i was stoked to learn of the Rockville location forthcoming. A couple of happy hours under the belt and I can honestly say, this experience was marginal. First HH, I ordered Kobe beef sliders & calamari. While both were "not bad" they were also both cold. On this trip the service was "eh"...waitress disappeared after our 2nd round of drinks. C'mon man!! The 2nd visit, the food was decent (southwest egg rolls, shrimp & chicken potstickers, and another go at calamari), but still didn't blow me away. There is a pretty cool outside seating area which I think the DC area as a whole lacks, and the bartender , while visibly preggers, was attentive.
(3)Karen S.
Worst treatment ever! I wanted to give my hubby the "Garlic Fry" experience and we were totally ignored! No one waited on us until I asked to be waited on! The waiter took our beer orders then disappered! When we asked someone to find out where he was, he sent over two of the wrong beers! My hubbys 'Medium" Kobe burger was so burnt that it nearly crumbled and the waitress brought over his bun completely covered in Ketchup! She casually mentioned that it fell over into the ketchup on her way to bringing it out?! WTF! And did i mention that two couples came in AFTER me and the hubby, and got not only their drink orders but their meals before we did! I LOVE their DC location, but I will tell EVERYBODY I know not to go to this Rockville location! Garlic Fries be damned!!!
(1)Donna Y.
I went for the happy hour after work during a Friday. It was bustling with plenty of people especially around the bar area. Happy Hours M-F 4-6:30 and Sun-Thu 10-close. (-1: pay for parking). Happy hour prices are fairly reasonable. Most items are $5 and drinks (beer/cocktails) are also about $5. I ordered the Raspberry Bay Breeze .. menu says (Skyy Infusions Raspberry Vodka and Monin Raspberry Syrup with a splash of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and pineapple juice.) very tasty and good balance of tangy and sweet. For appetizer, I ordered the quick fried calamari ($7). The 'quick fried' aspect is to avoid rubbery-overcooked texture which they've successfully done! Most places make fried calamari with too much breading.. too oily.. too rubbery blah! This place is alright ... I wouldn't come here for food as there are plenty of better restaurants around the area but the happy hour prices are pretty nice.
(3)Johnnie R.
Sliders, burgers, garlic fries are fine, southwest egg rolls are all above average. Calamari was good until they started to fry them last year. Try their seasonal Bock. For me, it's not a place to dine, but to grab a late night meal and wash it down with some decent beer. But somehow, the overall experience is greater than sum of all parts, because of my friends I meet with there. Since the place is on the corner across a movie theater, there is something to be said about good ol' people watching )))
(4)Toby C.
Yes Gordon Biersch is a chain. If you can get past that fact before going, then you'll likely be pleasantly surprised. For starters, the beer is fantastic. It is brewed onsite, so it's fresh and the recipes tend to stick to their traditional German styles...Marzen, Schwarzbier, and Pilsner to name a few. If you're looking for a hoppy California IPA, you may want to look elsewhere. The food is solid as well. You can go anywhere from a $25 steak to a $10 burger and anything in between, depending on your preference. A little hint...sit in the bar area during happy hour for $1 off beers and some excellent deals on food. Some appetizers and flatbreads that would normally cost you $10 or $12 go for a measly $5. You can't beat that. Being a member of GB's Stein Club, I've found that the servers and bartenders in the bar area are much more likely to serve your beer in the requisite stein that is supposed to go along with having such a membership. Not so the servers in the restaurant area...they're pretty much a guarantee to serve it in a regular glass, at which point I have to remind them that I'm in the "Stein" Club. The wife and I always get a good laugh out of this. But that's a minor complaint and the situation is always quickly remedied. GB is a solid option for both food and drink in the Rockville Town Center area. If you're a foodie or other such restaurant snob, then I'm not sure what you'd be doing here anyway...DC is right down the road, just bustling with other options. But for those looking to stay in the burbs, you really can't go wrong with GB.
(4)Ellen L.
one of the few places in rockville town centre open late for us night hawks. on a late saturday evening, i came here with a group of 5 to grab some drinks. not surprisingly, there was a bit of a wait. when a table did open up, i was displeased to see that the floor area surrounding this table was wet and had a malodorous smell. unfortunately, on a saturday night, there were no other open tables, so we stayed at this one. the menu has a pretty extensive list of drinks, so you can choose your cocktail, beer, martini, margarita, pretty much anything you like. i was intrigued by the new "skinny cocktails" on the menu, so decided to order the superfruit martini ($9.25) with soju and fresh pomegranate and lemon juice. to my surprise, it was pretty good and didn't taste lo-cal at all! our group also shared an order of their house fries, "gordon biersch garlic fries," ($6.25). they put just the right amount of garlic and oil on these fries, not too oily and just the right amount of seasoning. for someone who isn't that big of a french fries fan, i really liked these garlic fries. service was average, but acceptable. i really wish they did something about the wet floor and odor at our table though.
(3)Sarah B.
Utterly superb pretzel burgers! Also, get the garlic fries. Some "garlic fries" taste like average fries rolled down a garlic hill. These taste like the potatoes grew in a garlic field.
(4)Maria C.
I've had a variety of things on the menu ( farmhouse burger, salmon, beers, garlic fries, to name a few) but none were particularly delicious. It's a great place to meet up with friends though for a drink /happy hour, but food-wise it's just another American restaurant.
(3)Vitaliy N.
I came here with about 12 other people for happy hour on a Monday afternoon. We were served very promptly and our waitress, Ashley, was very quick and attentive. She got everyone's order correct and made sure everything was good. Happy hour specials are pretty good: $1 off all drafts, $2 off wine and all specialty cocktails are $5. The draft beers are good, I recommend the Hefewizen, Marzen, or Schwarzbier. Most of the cocktails that I've tried on previous occasions were very delectable as well. I was pretty hungry so I ordered the Slider Combo plate. It consisted of BBQ pork sliders (topped with cole slaw in the slider), Kobe beef sliders (not really kobe beef, just regular beef and a bit of sauce on the bun but no other toppings other than a pickle slice), and the garlic fries. If you get anything at GB, get a beer and the garlic fries. They are warm, crispy, not oily, and perfectly salted, seasoned, and smothered in fresh garlic. You can smell them from two tables over and they're so good! The sliders weren't anything to get crazy about. The plate also cost $11. During a past visit for dinner, I ordered the steak frites, essentially strips of marinated grilled steak over a bed of their fries. It was very good. As far as places to go for dinner, Gordon Biersch doesn't top my list in the Rockville area, but it's a great place to go for cheap drinks and appetizers during happy hour (4 - 6:30 pm).
(3)MacKenzie W.
I would've given 5 stars had the service been better.... The good: -Food! I've always liked Gordon Biersch's food. Got the garlic fries to start, a house salad and the bourbon salmon. Super good! The other people at my table got the tacos which were very good too, though the beans and rice weren't great (I'd probably sub in something different) -Beer...the hefeweizen is the best The bad: -The waiter. What is it with Rockville restaurants and bad service!? We were seated and our server didn't come to our table for 15 minutes, though he walked by several times. Granted, it was a Saturday night, but come on. When he took our orders, I asked to sub a side salad for the side that came with my salmon and he told me that wasn't possible. I said I didn't mind paying for the addition of a side salad and removing the side (I think it was quinoa) from my dish and he scoffed and said "I GUESS we can do that". Bro, it's not that hard. I asked specifically that the salad come out with my meal...5 minutes later it comes out before anything else. Not a huge deal, just annoying he didn't listen. Also, I had to ask him 3 times to refill my water...ridiculous. It took us 25 minutes to flag him down to get our check. The table next to us had the same problem. Probably won't be back, plenty of other options with food that's just as good, where I know I'll be treated better.
(2)Andrew K.
Happy hour is a good time to come hang out. The food is average. I tried the beef medallions and crab stuffed shrimp and it was ok. The garlic fries are pretty good though and I liked the Marzen beer here. It's not a bad place to hang out but for the price of food, not a place I'd go to have a nice dinner.
(3)Jerry S.
Mushroom Swiss burger was dry and insipid, and the bun fell apart. I got the sampler - beers were well made and each typical of its style, but nothing special in the age of craft brews. Price was high for the quality probably due to the real estate.in the center of the city. Service was pleasant and accurate but not especially swift. Went there after the movie just because it was close, but I wouldn't seek it out.
(2)Hunter B.
Went out with roommates and my girlfriend for a birthday lunch. I've been there plenty of times before and I know it's not good service but damn. Waitress took forever to greet us. Forgot drinks. Didn't write order down and then got it wrong. My roommate got the avocado chicken sandwich. Came out as a burger. I ordered the steak pretzel burger that sounded awesome. When it came out it was barely warm and the arugula was super wilted. If u are dealing with a messed up order can please pretend u at least care. Waitress was very unattentive and total lack of empathy once she messed up. Now I remember why I go to Clyde's tower oaks.
(1)Bruce G.
Although this is one restaurant in a chain, and this review could probably apply to all the others, this is the only one I've actually been to, so please note that I can only guarantee its applicability to this Rockville Town Center location. This place is actually very hard to give a "star" rating to. The 5-star rating comes from the following: (1) I normally do not care that much for beer, but THIS place brews several beers I actually like. One, in particular, their Maerzen (pronounced "MARE-tzen") is regularly available and has a flavor I'm quite fond of. (2) I have never had anything among the foods on the menu that wasn't absolutely delicious. So why would I even hesitate to give the place 5 stars? The answer is PRICE. Most of the time here I come in, order an appetizer and a beer, and it costs what I would expect to pay for a full meal. Yesterday, I was feeling a bit rich (I finally collected an inheritance I've been waiting SEVEN years for, so I wanted to celebrate!) So for a change, I had a complete meal (at lunch time!) and it cost me what I usually pay for a week of lunches! Put another way, the TIP on the lunch came to more than what I usually pay for a lunch! In mitigation, I must say: (1) I was paying for two people, not just myself, (2) I do not usually have alcoholic beverages at lunchtime, and this time was paying for a beer for myself and another person (but, of course, that's what you come to this place for!) (3) I do not usually order both a soup/appetizer and a dessert with my lunch; this time I was paying for both, for both of us. Still, allowing for all of these factors, it probably was about double what I'd expect to pay. So the point is, IF you can afford this place, it's good. But expect to spend a LOT.
(5)Toby K.
Okay, so tonight, I rolled into GB in the Rockville Town Center to grab some grub to take home since I was in the office late on a Sunday working ahead, because when you are in my line of work, you have to do like a billion things before you can take some time off... but anyway, that's for another blog, and not this review. And so, I rolled into Gordon Biersch Rockville, which stopped serving food from the main menu at 11p. I was there just past 11p, so no harm, no foul, I went to the bar, and ordered from the bar menu. Shrimp stuffed with crab meat ROCKED. So did this asian tasting app combo, I forget what which one it was, but it was the second of two choices. While there, I had a great drink at the bar while I waited. The bartender was pretty attentive, but you could tell she was a bit occupied by other patrons and work. Not overwhelmed, but occupied. I didn't realize I could sit at the bar because the empty glasses from a previous patron or two littered the bar, and I guess ppl just left or whatnot, but still, I've been to busy bars before and that stuff usually gets cleaned up pretty quickly. So, that was a bit of a bummer, but what can you do. It was a bar. The best was that in the 20 minutes or so I was waiting, I overheard a great conversation from this dude, trying to get with this 20-something woman in a Philly 76'ers shirt. I listened in since he was talking about getting sold out tickets to some show at 9:30 Club and he dropped the name of the owner -- and his assistant, who I happen to know, um, really well. So while I waited I heard this dude run some mad game on this chick about how he gets sold out tickets to sporting events and concerts from the owner of this concert firm, and little did he know I was sitting next to him, tweeting about it and emailing the very woman he was talking about 'getting tickets from...' I doubt he got any play tonight, and the woman he was with was cute and whatnot, but clearly she was infatuated by his 'access' and 'image' and he, well, was fascinated by himself. So, the food was awesome. The atmosphere is great. The bar is open til 1, and the bar menu is GOOD... but limited. I'd like to see 'em offer some salad or more healthy fare type things to it. But hey, bar food is bar food and this bar food is pretty damn good. I love this place. If they can tweak a few things, they'll be the best. If you're thinking you might want to hit this place up, it's THEE place to people watch in Rockville, Maryland. It's steps from the courthouse, so you can hear State Attorneys and Defense Attorneys and elected officials and more unloading and unwinding after work and during happy hour, and at night/late night, you can hear the people who work for the rich and powerful talk about who they are and what they do and hope they can be... and you can even see the men and women who are trying to pick some of those 'working class' heroes up! The drinks are great too, they have a great outside patio, too. Try 'em. You'll be happy. If you're not, well, pour another shot and have fun anyway!
(3)Jessica N.
Changed my review from 3 to 4 stars because after a few more trips here, I'm a fan! The fish tacos are divine and the chicken and bacon sandwich is really delicious. My toddler loves all the vegetables they offer and their desserts are fabulous. Service can be a bit slow and their restaurant is downright freezing inside. Brrr! We went on a weekend and they didn't open until 11am so no brunch or breakfast to be had here.
(4)Sharon W.
We'd been there before, but not in some time. Husband's intern requested Gordon Biersch for his farewell lunch so today that was it. Gordon Biersch is pretty much your "more upscale" chain restaurant--think Cheesecake Factory. I got there a few minutes before the rest of the party and the receptionist seated me immediately. The service was good, again like an upscale chain restaurant, rushed or attentive, hmmm. I ordered a half sandwich and cup of soup. The lobster bisque was hot and tasty, the sandwich filled with a good quality turkey and on a nice thick sour dough toast (though I'm hard pressed to identify it as sour dough compared to what my grandfather used to bring from San Francisco, but that's a different story). Husband had veggie burger and guest had cheese burger. Both their sandwiches came with "signature" garlic fries. Hot, crisp and tasty. I wouldn't make a special trip there but it was convenient for a central meeting point for the workers and the retiree. If you're in the neighborhood, maybe, but not a destination restaurant.
(3)Jessica N.
Skip the food here. Even the salad was mediocre. My chicken caesar salad was awful. The dressing tasted like mayonaise. Store-bought dressing would have been a major improvement. My husband's steak frite was meh at best. The garlic fries came highly recommended and was a big part of the reason we stopped in at all. I was very disappointed by them. Lame fries topped with garlic. To say they are nothing special is an understatement. Service was fine. Flight of beer was fun. Hopefully Rockville has better dining options, because I would advise eating elsewhere and coming here only for drinks.
(2)Jason C.
A decent hangout spot to drink and definitely the place to go (aside from Buffalo Wild Wings) inside Rockville Town Center. The food prices are ridiculously expensive for what you get....I wouldn't pay high teens or low 20s for food from this place. Seems like they jack up the food prices to subsidize the happy hour prices. For Happy hour you basically get $1 off beer. Oh what a bargain. So it's $4 instead of $5 per beer (My fav is Marzen but others seem to have different opinions). The cocktails are 1/2 off (which makes them around 4-5$----a much better value). Several of the appetizers are also $5. All are pretty good but watch out for the garlic fries. You eat the whole thing and next morning you'll have garlic breath bad enough to scare away vampires and..errr..coworkers..and errr...everyone who comes within a 5 feet radius. You've been warned.
(3)Wyllol W.
Had dinner there Monday night. The staff was great, but the food was terrible! I had the calamari which was ok. As an entree I had the Cajun Pasta which did not have sausage like the menu said, the chicken tasted old & reheated and the sauce was too oily.
(1)Abhi K.
The beer here is good without question. The hefeweizen is sweet and refreshing as you would expect from a wheat Belgian style. The others were also good and the bartenders are knowledgeable about the beer. The food could have been better. Nothing was actually bad, but it was priced as if the food would be exceptional. Not so. I've read a lot of raves about the garlic fries on here, but I was a bit disappointed. I love garlic as much as the next guy, but I like my garlic cooked and to season my food. On these fries, there was just chopped garlic sprinkled all over them and it was more like I was eating some potato with my garlic.
(3)