The Fishmarket
7611 Old Branch Ave, Clinton, MD, 20735
The Fishmarket Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Clinton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Clinton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Clinton for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7611 Old Branch Ave
Clinton, MD, 20735 - Phone (301) 599-7900
- Website https://www.fishmarketmd.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lillian T.
Food bland, not worth the trip. I guess if you are full of alcohol you won't care, but we were not. Also for a party of three they added a 17 percent gratuity to each check.
(1)Bobby S.
Decent atmosphere, on Friday and Saturday nights this place is a meat market ;-) The food is good too but it does get crowded so get here early!!!
(4)Aaron W.
Good food and fast service. Will return
(3)Mimi W.
The crowd is a little "mature" for my taste, but I always have a good time when I go. I was definitely suprised at how good the food is and the drinks are definitely worth the money. The band could be better, but they're entertaining. Not a place I'd run to, but a good option if you're in the area.
(3)Ju L.
Pros: Live music featuring local talent. Jolly crowd consisting of most regulars. You know when a place is packed, it must be great! Can't ask for friendly management & staff. Cons: Parking is a *itch.
(5)Zena T.
In going to The Fishmarket for the first time it was a nice experience. I went during the afternoon on Sunday and it was perfect no wait and the service was good. I love the booths that make you feel like you are actually on a boat. Very cozy but a little weird if it is just two people dining. I had the crab cake sandwich which was good but the bread was hard and not the way to go for a "sandwich". Also not enough fries for me. Other than that, the crab cake was good and an overall good experience.
(3)Sean W.
Yea, too many people! More of a "club" atmosphere than a dining facility! Service is subpar! The restaurant in "Old Town" is much better for dining!
(1)Veronica W.
Well...I don't know about this place. I arrived at 9 on a Friday night, it took 20 minutes to get in the building and another 20 to get a table. It was soooo packed. The band was good. Service sucked, but the waitress was in the weeds...I would suggest more servers or at least assistants that can help bus tables and bring water around. My friend go the fried captains platter or something and said everything was super salty. I got oysters and crabcakes. No raw bar...which would have been a nice touch. The crabcakes we fresh, I'm guessing, because there were tiny crab bits in them....not shells, but that other cartilage kinda stuff. I'd go again, just not on the weekend or at happy hour.
(3)Candace A.
Mehhh....went on a Saturday night...the band was great!!....the food....not so much. Especially for the price. I got the seafood bisque....but there wasn't any seafood in it.(?)... and crabcakes were small. But great atmosphere, one of the owners came by our table. Very friendly......So basically,...don't go for just the food.
(3)Letta C.
I checked this spot out for the first time on 10/25/14 and from the looks of the parking lot it seemed as though it was packed but upon entering its actually very spacious. The waitress was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed considering we were a party of about 20. I must say if you go make sure you try the crab dip!! Its so delicious. The food isn't the cheapest but its very good. They also have a House Band that plays and they are pretty good and entertaining.
(4)Patricia J.
Nice local spot. Regulars were very welcoming. Great drinks, everyone was in great spirits, it was like home away from home. The service was excellent, FUN, and electric. Ta-dow! I"m a fan.
(4)Arayle F.
Yelp, when will you offer less than zero stars? What an awful experience. We came for a friend's birthday. Great band but that's as far as it goes. We showed up later than the group and asked for one additional seat to accommodate my boyfriend and me. The owner's wife rudely indicated that she would not add any additional seats to the table. When I politely repeated my request for one additional seat, she again refused. My boyfriend actually considered leaving and coming back to get me later for this inconvenience. We immediately felt unwanted despite being customers who were a part of a large, gratuity-paying group. This was embarassing but a nice couple offered up one seat (which I personally dragged to the table without the help or permission of the owner's wife). Despite this, the waitress proceeded to take our drink and food orders. We ordered a salmon cake sandwich, fries, and chicken wings--none of which ever showed up--as well as two drinks. This as our very pleasant waitress, Ashley, would agree was a quick and easy order. As stated previously, our food never arrived. Not after 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or even after the recently seated group received their food. After about an hour, I caught the owner's wife (our waitress was clearly overstaffed) and asked her to cancel our order due to the excessively long wait. After interrogating me regarding my order, she obliged. We said goodbye to friends and left the restaurant hungry. As I walked out, the owner's wife attempted to apologize for the food, neglecting to recall that we had to seat ourselves due to her own unwillingness to accommodate our request. It seems she was happy to take our money but not willing to provide satisfactory service and even tried to blame the organizer for her unwillingness (not inability) to do so. Despite our waitress' insistence that this was all a fluke (including the kitchen's complete failure to ever make our food) we will not return. I did not meet the owner but what i see is an establishment that lacks respect for their patrons. My hope is that others spare themselves the embarrassment and support community business that respect customers and do more than smile in your face when the money is convenient. The one star can be split between the band and the waitress. Nothing for the pirates.
(1)Ms. M.
I reside in Montgomery County off of 270 near Rockville and constantly heard about The Fishmarket from friends who lived in the PG area so I decided to give it a try. It was mentioned that this place used to be call Shoney's (name?) and a few people were killed in here but that was a long time ago and prior to my arrival in the DMV area. Also heard that the owner made the news for a racial slur a while back when Obama won his second term. Never the less, fast forward to present time. I went there with a friend late last Friday evening. The parking lot was packed which it usually always is we heard. Our wait was about 40 mins which I wasn't feeling. Our names were written on a paper and we stood by the front entrances after getting our drinks to wait for a table. Luckily the band was good (Jazz night). Once our table was ready, we were seated at a booth behind the bar which was out of sight from the band and looking at the backs of the patrons at the bar. They did ask if we wanted to wait until another table became available but we were hungry by this time and decided to just take the booth behind the bar. Service was quick, our waitress was cool, my calamari was delicious but the wait time wasn't to my liking. Couldn't enjoy the band like I wanted to because we couldn't see the dance floor or band.
(3)Sean H.
For the first time, I went here about two weeks ago. A great friend of mine was celebrating a birthday, and this spot was chosen as the place to go. I have heard about this spot many times, mainly from my friends who live in the southern area of Prince George's County Maryland. They swear by this place. So I figured that I should be in for a good experience. Well yes and no. Read on. Since I am not the "wait in line" type of person, I called about three hours before our hour visit and put my name on a list to hold a table. This was a Saturday evening. I know how places in Prince George's County tend to get packed on weekend nights. However, when we arrived (seven people in our party), I saw that the place was not packed like I thought it would have been. Nevertheless, I walked up to the front and gave my name to two women who appeared to be managers. They located my name on the list and seated us quickly with no problems at all. That is until our waiter greets us, and I use that term, "greet" very lightly. The waiter, a slightly middle-aged man with eyeglasses, did not give us his name nor did he properly introduce himself. Someone in my group, at a later time, had to ask him his name. When it was my turn to order, he asked me gruffly, "WHAT ARE YOU ORDERING?" Also, his response to us whenever we asked for something that the restaurant did not have was something like, "NAH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT" in a firm voice as if it upset him that we asked. At times, he seemed overwhelmed. But the restaurant was not packed with patrons. I, as well as others in my group had to hunt him down and remind him of our request. Luckily the food was nowhere near as bad as our waiter. The food was great. For appetizers, I ordered crab & shrimp spring rolls, and mini crab cakes. The spring rolls were crispy and had a nice mix crab meat, shrimp meat, and vegetable chunks. I expected the mini crab cakes to be good. You would be hard pressed to go anywhere in this area and find bad crab cakes. For my main dish, I ordered the shrimp and chicken platter. The shrimp and chicken meat both were cooked well. The rice and sautéed vegetable completed the platter nicely. Everyone else in my group were satisfied with their food and drinks. There was a "House Band" that performed later on that night. They sounded great. They played several classic R&B songs from the 80s and 90s. Everyone in my group, as well as most of the patrons in the restaurant, were out on the floor dancing to the music from the band. I am a diehard lover of live music, so this was right down my alley. Normally, I would give a bad rating to an establishment if I felt my service was subpar or worst. However, with my terrible waiter notwithstanding, I could see that he was an exception rather than the rule there. Other staff at the Fish Market was helpful and cordial. The good food, as well as the good music from the band, makes it three stars in my book.
(3)Tameka M.
Went last night and had a ball! The House Band is simply amazing! I got the shrimp platter to eat and it was pretty good. I'll definitely be back to hear the band again!
(3)satura j.
They will be partying on New Years night up in here live band friendly waiter customers very loud and relaxed
(3)Eric G.
The best coconut shrimp and orange marmalade I,ve ever had, food always served hot. service is always excellent..great menu choices..been here at least 40 times over the years and never once let down.highly recommended!
(4)Jenny T.
I was pleasantly surprised by the food...as you will see below. Atmosphere: Hip-hop, R&B and rap music, and pretty loud inside once you walk in. There's a jazz band on some days of the week, so I can imagine it being even louder. And it is highly decorated in themes of the sea, which is cool, but almost over saturation. Service: Our server was trying hard. Almost way too hard. Came out multiple times and just gave us extra waters 'just in case'... wanted to retrieve one of the plates of a companion who went to the restroom... but he did make two grave mistakes: 1) told us a special that they no longer had available (fried softshell crab), and 2) told us a dessert (cheesecake) that they no longer had available. This is a must-do in restaurant service! Check your stock! Otherwise, I was very very impressed with the food. I got the Seafood salad, which had perfectly cooked/marinated salmon, scallops, and shrimp, over a bed of mixed greens, with a side of strawberries, cantaloupe, and tomatoes. deelicious. The sauce went perfect with the salad--I didn't feel the need to add additional dressing or cheese, and it filled me up just right! Will definitely be coming back to try more of the food.
(4)Janine H.
If I could do zero stars I would. We had the ghetto server from hell, named Shakira. Bad slow service along with a bad attitude. No refills. No carryout boxes. We waited almost an hour for the check. Food was good. But because of the service I will not be back. This "restaurant " Is more like a lounge or club. Very bad atmosphere. A 27.16 dollar tip was added on my check. I did not pay it. Then the ghetto waitress tried to argue with us
(1)Denise L.
This is a place where memories are made! If you're looking for a genuine good time, grab your girls and come on down! The fish market will serve you some of the best seafood, quality service, welcoming atmosphere and amazing music. The band is not a game! There is no sweeter pleasure than enjoying a tasty broiled seafood platter while trying hard to refrain from dancing, as the live band sings your fave part if a Motown classic. The broiled seafood platter, raw oysters and broiled scallops are my favorite options here. All you have to bring is a good attitude. Enjoy
(4)Hsia F.
Was back home and plans fell through so my BFF came through with the night's demo (can't touch this...) I was initially turned OFF by the name of the place, the last place I wanted to be on a humid 90+ degree evening was a fish market 0_o - But I went anyway and TURNTUP Decor: Okay it was a restaurant setting, band area in the front and the place was packed. She said they have an amazing house band.....trust you BFF, they surely did. Played an array of Go-Go, R&B and mello tunes, some of which they had audience singing with him - including MOI! Looking around at the walls and sculptures/paintings it wasdefinitely a FISH MARKET theme....in every sense of what you envision one to look like in your head, lol. Service: Our waiters were great, it was a pretty large party of about 12 of us who ordered and it was smooth as I would never imagine for such a hopping spot on a Saturday in summer....anywhere. Overall - A cool spot with great food, music and drinks.....especially topped by awesome company. I plan to go back.
(4)Sumi H.
My mother and I walked into the door, only to be acknowledge ten minutes later after standing in the foyer. I went over to the bar and asked the bartender, "Do we seat ourselves?", as I was a bit confused. He told me "someone is going to come and seat you". His tone was seemed like I was bothering him. Mind you this is after lunch, there were three tables seated... I mean what happens when they are crowded? I've come here years ago, and I went to the bar to have drinks and food. From what I remember the food was pretty good, but my how this place went downhill. With that being said I left and went to Topolino's restaurant which is about a mile away down the street and was greeted as soon as I stepped in the door and had amazing authentic Italian food.... I mean what a disappointment Fish Market was in comparison. Management clearly isn't aware of their staff, or maybe they are.
(1)Melodie F.
I thought the Fish Market was decent. It was my first time there. I wasn't impressed with the ambience, decor, or food but no major complaints. It's more of a bar vibe than a restaurant and a mix of P.G. and Charles County 30 somethings and a lot of old heads. I went on a Friday night around 7:00 to meet friends after work and the place was packed. The drinks were OK. I do NOT recommend the crab dip. It was bland, chalky, and had very little crabmeat. I wanted a broiled crab cake and fried shrimp but was told I could only pick one so I went with the fried. The shrimp were crisp and fresh and the crab cake was good. I left before the live music started so I can't comment on that. It's not my preferred seafood restaurant (think Mo's, Jerry's or even Lambert's), but I would go again and next time I'll stay for the live band.
(3)Sijara E.
I've been here 2 or 3 times. The Fishmarket is a nice neighbor restaurant, the people in this area seem to like it. They have a full bar and at night play live music, mostly jazz and go-go. It's definitely a 40+ crowd though! The food is ok, not great, no bad but ok. I'm originally from Massachusetts, so I like to try the "New England" Clam Chowder when I go to seafood restaurants, and almost always I'm disappointed. Yep, nobody south of Rhode Island can make decent chowda and Fish Market is no exception. I also tried their crab and shrimp spring rolls, not impressed. Tasted like a regular pork spring roll to me. My friend had their salmon cakes and said they were good. I had a grilled shrimp salad that was ok. I think for the prices, the flavor and quality just doesn't stake up. But! If I was over 40, looking to have a few drinks, meet some people, and listen to live music, then this may be the place.
(3)Gregory B.
Setting: The highlight of this place is the atmosphere. It's a bar setting, come as you are, sport games showing, but the House Band, really livens up the place. It's a place where folks come together and let their hair down; maybe try to snag a mate at the bar. I actually witnessed my first "sensual wing eating" contest =O 3 girls and 1 male actually had a contest to see who could eat the chicken wing the sexiest. The girl that won, Tina, basically deep throated the chicken wing and had ranch "sauce" dripping all down her mouth, while her girlfriends cheered her on. I definitely felt a little bit convicted being in there, but I didn't know what I was walking into. All and all, it wasn't anything crazy going on, just some "sensual" fun. There were quite a few old school playas with the old school playa starter kit (long coat, fedora hat, and drink in 1 hand) in there probaby lookin for some cooty-cat. Food: The food is not bad. The first time I got the all-you-can-eat snow crab legs, with unlimited cole slaw, fries, and such. The snow crab legs were good, the fries...very default (but I guess that's not the highlight of the meal). The second time I got the broiled admiral's platter, which is basically a seafood sampler, and was satisfied. Hush puppies are good. Service: Both nights were crowded, yet we were seated immediately. The first time, we made a reservation. I went on a Wednesday and a Saturday. The second time I went, the waitress took forever to bring me a water. Also, my girlfriend decided to change her order on a meal and when we got the check, I was charged for both orders. The waitress corrected it, but I wonder if she was trying to hit me with the okie doke o_O Entertainment: The House Band is great. They give a lively performance and actually engage the audience. You can get up and dance with them. Sometimes they even let you get up and sing if you're bold enough. The band is the reason I decided to give this place a 4 instead of a 3 because I can definitely say that I'm a "fan" Recommendation: If it's been a long week, and you want to go out and have some semi clean fun, give it a shot. Reasonable seafood. Good pricing for seafood, and a place to relax, dance, sing, and celebrate a birthday.
(4)Ashely B.
I was really skeptical when invited out here by my girlfriend on her birthday last week, but I have to say it was fun. The food is a bit pricey but the drinks are great! They had a live band that we wanted to see, but it was so packed that we chose a booth by the bar. While we didn't get to sit by the band yet we got something unexpectedly better, we had some great entertainment by our server "V." If you ever get the chance to be served by him, ask to see the "Ball Trick" - he's a magnificent magician. I've never seen a guy move this fast in a restaurant, but we learned that he is a bartender there and our drinks were perfect, and food served in methodical lighting quick fashion. He made it an experience within an experience. All and all I will return with my friends because there's no cover, I had a great first experience, the service delivered was better than expected of the establishment, parking is free, but the guys there were kind of rude and aggressive. It's an older crowd, so if you are looking for sugar daddies, perfect spot ;). Try the Catfish, the Salmon, and Crab Dip. Stay away from the Seafood Bisque, and the french fries are of the steak fry variety. If you are into Old School Music and love Chuck Brown, this place will be a hit for you.
(4)Joe D.
My sons and I visited Sunday 8/5/13 around noon. It was nearly empty and we questioned whether or not they were open. We all ordered platters with soft drinks. I had catfish and ribs. The catfish was incredibly greasy (there was a puddle in my plate). The ribs were good but way too much sauce. I suspect they were left over from the day before. My sons all enjoyed there food but I must say, it was WAY OVERPRICED!!! With 20 percent tip, I spent $77 for 3 people and no alcohol. Our server Chris did a great job. I have been here 3 or 4 years ago and had great food plus have always seen the parking lot full. Maybe everyone else knows not to come here on Sunday afternoon
(2)Mike H.
Decent spot to relax with your friends and listen to some lively jazz or go-go on a Saturday night. Food was a'ight... Clam chowder is the best thing on the menu. The service was great. Kristi was our waitress, and was very down to earth, patient with us (I was with 4 other dudes who couldn't decide what they wanted), and had a pretty smile to top it all off. Real good people in terms of knowing how to interact well with her patrons. Will definitely be back!
(4)Raycal B.
Went here with my sister when I was going to see Fantasia at the church nearby. The food was very good and so was the sweet tea. I'd rather go in the day time as I did on this day before the place basically turns into a social club. Lots of older men are here drinking at the bar looking for women. Not my thing but good food and good service so I would go again if in the area. Seafood was delicious. First time I tried cooked oysters and it was quite tasty.
(3)Juan G.
My father has been bringing me here since i was little, and have always had good experiences. The food is solid here, as you would expect from a family owned restaurant, that has been established for three generations. They have a band that plays here like 4 nights a week. It gets really busy during the night the band plays. The menu has allot of typical seafood offerings. Nothing special enough for me to mention. The food quality is OK but not awesome. The bar and eating area are not really separated so during happy hours the sit down area can get noisy. Allot of people come here just to drink. its not really a dive bar type crowd, more of an older 35-50 year old crowd. My last visit i had raw oysters, crab cake sandwich and seafood linguine and a 40 oz miller lite. Yes I'm a fatty. Everything was good. The oysters should have been a little colder, but pretty fresh. And the linguine was oily as hell, but really flavorful. The happy hour beer specials are pretty good. You get this massive beer cup for $2.50. I got pretty buzzed off one beer. I will return. Probably just for happy hour though.
(3)Lashawn G.
Well had an alright night the bartender made some great (strong) drinks which I appreciated and the band was great...the reason I have them only 3 stars was because I ordered the spicy shrimp appetizer but never received them. Thank God a customer have me some of their chicken wings because I was so hungry.
(3)Patrick P.
This is a fav date spot for me and my wife. The band is the highlight of the place! The food is decent. The owners are great! The service is hit or miss, but I have had mostly good experiences. If you come after 9pm, you WILL be short. Because the band will be in full throttle and the seating will be tight. It is not the place to go if all you want to do is get some good seafood, eat and go home. If that is what you want, then you will need to go to their Old Towne location. But if you want decent food, good music and a fun time, there are few places that can compete with this spot. Oh, and if you are a youngin', it might be little to, as someone commented earlier, "mature" for your taste. I am a fan.
(4)Gina N.
This is one of those "old stand-bys". I know that I will get a pretty tasty meal, and have an enjoyable time when I go here. They have several favorites that stay true over time. I've never had poor service, and the quality (and quantity) have remained consistent.
(3)Jamaal B.
After hearing so much about The Fish Market and it's reputation for delicious seafood and great entertainment, I was able to finally experience this restaurant to find out if it lived up to all of the buzz. To celebrate my parents 30th Anniversary we chose to gather here on 3/17/11 and brought a fairly large group of family and friends. The hosts were very cordial and as soon as our area was available our entire party was seated in a reserved area. (Deposit is required to book reservations for a large group). With so many people in our group, I wasn't sure why we only had one waiter to serve three tables, but to my amazement, he did an excellent job of placing everyone's orders and delivering them in a timely fashion. Halfway through our meals, the live entertainment began with a set of cover songs by "The House Band". It was exactly fitting for the occasion and the music was surprisingly solid. My parents had a memorable night as the band played their favorites and acknowledged them for their anniversary. I would have to say that they are one of the few remaining restaurants in the county that still serve deliciously seasoned seafood. I ordered the Fisherman's Platter ($20) and was impressed with how tasty the fish, scallops and shrimp were. I'd been hearing great reviews about the drinks here, and found out first hand how satisfying they really are. No watered down drinks here! An excellent combination of great seafood, great drinks, and great entertainment always make for a special night out. Now I see why there's always a line to get in the place! Thanks to the staff of The Fish Market for making my parents 30th Anniversary a night to remember. I will definitely be coming back in the near future!
(4)Byron S.
Went with a friend to watch a playoff game. I enjoyed it much, very good food (not great but not bad at all) great atmosphere and I had a blast. Will be back again.
(4)C D.
Really liked these people at first. Went in late, kitchen was closed but the owner made sure I got food. All they had left was seafood pasta. Ordered that....paid sat at the bar and had a drink..... But this funky smell kept creeping out of my to go bag....the guy that stopped by for some conversation smelled it as well.... He said, "you need to return that", he is a regular there I took his word... I would've just thrown it away when I got home .... So I hollered at The bartender markeisha... nothing but attitude lol didn't phase me none? Guess she was mad she had to work, it's plenty of people out here that want a job. She was pissy the whole time though, even when I ordered my lemon drop. Anyways she was like you gonna have to call mrs Shirley or something like that, which I guess is the owners wife. Attitude from her as well. It was a mess... Idk a friend recommended that spot, don't know if I'll return! They seemed really nice and fun, though.
(2)Mahoganie B.
A ok. Went for a birthday party in the private room. Drinks were good and strong. and food was ok... nothing to really write home about, but still filling and tasty. Just needed some "umph!"
(3)Jacobia D.
Love this place! Great for group dining. I had dinner with a group of 100+ people. The prepared self serve buffet had a nice array of salmon, salad, crab soup, seafood pasta and delicious chocolate chip cookies were served for dessert. The service was great. The owner/staff provided appetizers to ease the time as each group waited to be served. It was apparent they knew how to manage a crowd. The house band and music was awesome!! Good food, great music, great service and fun!
(4)Mara G.
I am a Mother's Day regular at the Fish Market! We come here every year because there is no drama! We love the leisurely ambience and good seafood, always fresh. The drinks are excellent, and it is a nice family-owned restaurant without the fuss of going too far from home. Of course we come other times, such as weeknights when the band is playng. The crowd os larger, but the food and the ambience are still great!
(4)Patricia D.
My Dad and I had a wonderful lunch today. I had a delicious shrimp salad with fresh cantaloupe, strawberries, and salad w/ tomatoes and onions. Dad had a BLT with chips. Great price point and very friendly service. The owners were super nice too. Thanks!
(5)Chuck K.
Order Takeout, Food is average, not worth the price. For the quality of Food served, the price should be ALOT cheaper about $6 per plate cheaper.
(3)Leichardti F.
Place is a bit old, staff is super friendly and portions are ridiculously huge! Prime rib dinner is worth it, but everything needs help with taste, food was just ok.
(3)Kelly G.
This was my 5th or 7th time at the Fish Market; 1st time with an iPhone to check in on Yelp. I've been here to celebrate Mara G.'s birthday or other festive holidays on more than one occasion. On Sunday, March 6th, the whole family was in tow: 90-year old grandmother, cousins, and of course the birthday celebrant. We were seated at a really great table in the corner of this nautical themed restaurant. (Well, I thought so anyway, but of course grandmother was "too cold by these drafty windows." We just pumped her full of hot tea and we were fine.) Our server, Monique, was quite personable and attentive, except for one thing which I will get to later. She was friendly and helpful with grandmother's wheelchair and cane, brought the hot tea right out, hooked the birthday girl up with a hot toddy, and even hooked me up with a drink that looked so fruity and slushy that granny neither bat an eye nor blurted out "who said you could drink?" like she usually does. Monique took all of our orders without writing any of it down and only two things went south. But I'll get to that later. Pretty great service. The bread, which is house made, must be requested. And you simply must. It's a sourdough loaf and comes to the table literally piping hot. There is plenty of REAL BUTTER to smear all over it. Mmmmm. There were 3 variations on the combo platter ordered at our table, plus a veggie sub, and a nautical seafood pasta. Everything at the table was delicious. The shrimp, crabcakes, scallops, fish were all fresh. I didn't detect not a tinge of that frozen flavor/texture. The sides were just as good: sweet potato fries, french fries, rice, spinach, onion rings, everything was delicious. The restaurant was set-up for the band to play later. We were there right after church so the lunch crowd (and prices YAY!) were still in effect. Even ol' Captain Hook was happy. (Don't laugh, there is a life size wooden replica near the front door.) Or someone was whoopin' and hollerin' in the bar area. Maybe they were rooting for some team on one of the huge TVs. There are also plenty of signed pictures and other nautical memorabilia, tchotchke, knick-knacks, bric-a-brac, give-a-dog-a-bone... steering wheels... barrells of rum...fake parrots... bells... anchors... lighthouses.... You get the gist. Of all the times I've been here, I've never been to the ladies room so no news there. I suspect its just fine. :) "With a dinner experience this good, why only three stars, Kelly?" Well, I would like to have tried the seafood bisque (to add it to my Crab Soup list) but it never came; Mara G. would like to have tried the salad but it never came either. But that's ok, we got to sit with the plates we'd cleaned in front of us until we summoned the busboy (who seemed like he was patrolling the dining area) to take them. I think this restaurant has the "we clean up when you leave" policy. I took a picture of all the dishes piled up. Monique came by a couple of times. In fact, on one of those visits, we requested the candle in the piece of cake thing. (BTW that is a different experience at this restaurant. Come prepared.) She did as requested. Brought the key-lime pie and set it right down between some bread plates and spinach dishes. Oh well. You can't have everything I guess. But the Fishmarket is A-OK with me. I already do.
(3)Cherie S.
This place was a huge disappointment. I have seen all the cars and thought the food had to be good but it wasn't. It is grosly over priced for food that Icould make better...my shrimp were over cooked, my husband's "jumbo" crabcake was made with backfin for $13.00! My salad wasn't even good...who can mess up a salad?...I have two gift certificates for this place that I plan to give away.
(1)Michelle B.
If you're ever up for an adventure, skip the original Fishmarket in Old Town, cross the river, and after about 7 miles you'll be at the OTHER Fishmarket in Clinton, Maryland. It's owned by Mr. Ray's (the original Old Town Fishmarket proprietor) son, Rick. When Mr. Ray died, he left the original Fishmarket to the employees, so Rick went and opened another. This place is fantastic for people watching. It's even attached to a drive-thru liquor store. Where else can you drink giant schooners of beer, play Keno and hear an awesome funk band (the owner plays the drums). Appropriately, they're called "The House Band" and are incredible. This place got even better when Maryland went smoke free. The food is the same as the Old Town spot. But, on Wednesdays they do all you can eat crab legs for $30 and on Thursdays it's all you can eat shrimp. Come here with an open mind and be ready for some people watching. Jay, the bartender, is awesome and very funny. Ask for his namesake drink: Sex with Jay. It will F you up. Also, get the wings double-dipped... they're fantastic. This is the type of place where you buy DVDs of movies out of someone's trunk in the parking lot. I'm not kidding.
(5)Megs T.
This spot is right next door to my fave family-owned meat market/grocery--the only that sells beer and wine in the area b/c they were grandfathered in by Maryland law--Noah's Market. I've always peeped the "Fish Market" from across the way but sorta avoided as I was confused as to what exactly it was--especially with a drive-thru liquor store attached? Sorta seedy looking. Today, seeking some good lunch, I discovered it is in fact a sit down restaurant and bar. I was directed by the hostess to place my carryout order in the (connected) liquor store. Strange, but whatevs. Had the Captains Platter: 2 fried shrimp+2 huge fried scallops+5 fried oysters+a crab cake+large piece of fish+ plentiful red skin potatoes+2 delish hush puppies+ homemade cole slaw, tartar and cocktail sauce with kick=yessir! The shrimp are large and fried in FLOUR (thank GOD none of that god-awful batter DMV carryouts bred their shrimp in. Why???) Scallops and Oysters are grade A. Crabcake is a C+, but made better by the yummo homemade tartar (and I aint a condiment-ish type chick). (I'm not going to hate b/c I wasn't in love with the crabby patty. I'm not a huge fan of crab in cake form and prefer just lump sauteed....) Four stars because this is probably the best fried seafood dinner (carryout-style) I've had in the area and I WILL be back! Look forward to trying some of the other broiled and yummy sounding dishes like the crab imperial, stuffed shrimp and shrimp scampi.
(4)