This tavern is dark and old-school, but the food is dependably good. Basic, but good. I usually get a sandwich when I go here, and it's usually totally fine. But to be honest, when I go out I don't really want a sandwich that I can make at home myself. So that's the limitation of this restaurant for me. Its good solid grub, but it's things I can make myself.
(3)
Natalie S.
Great owners, and bartenders! Foods always consistent and good. The cream of crab soup is crazy good. I'm a fan of their wraps, the Cajun chicken is a must try! Great atmosphere. Definitely a nice little family joint
(5)
Lauren S.
We went here yesterday, a Sunday night mind you, when the kitchen closes at 10. When we were on our way at 9:45, I was able to call in our order so that it was ready when we got there. That alone says a lot about how accommodating and nice the staff is! I got the homemade lasagna which came with a salad - either garden or Caesar (which is nice because most places charge you extra for a Caesar) and homemade garlic bread. It was DELICIOUS!!! I even ordered another salad to go because it was so good! We had an order of calamari which was delicious as well, not over cooked and chewy like some places. Both the kid's and adult chicken nuggets/tenders were very good and came with yummy fries. The cheeseburgers are excellent as are their ribs and cream of crab soup! We can't forget about the ORANGE CRUSHES!! They are sooooo good!! Most importantly, the service is amazing. When we walked in the guy knew that we were the ones who had called in and had a table ready for us. Our waiter was so nice and attentive. We never had to ask for refills or extra napkins - he was on top of things and very polite. We love going here and always have a great dining experience!! Definitely would recommend it to anyone!!
(5)
Nicole B.
I live locally but haven't been to this place in ages (if I remember correctly it's changed a few times since). I've heard good things so I went to check it out a few weeks ago for lunch with some friends. By the end of lunch the dinning room was pretty full, with only one waitress. She was not very responsive which could have been due to the fact she appeared overwhelmed. I got the soup of the day - a beer cheese soup with bacon and chicken. Surprisingly this was the highlight of the meal and I would give the soup a 5/5 alone. I finished my lunch with the spinach salad, which was only okay. The pieces of spinach were so large they were almost unmanageable to eat. The salad was just very generic. My friend said the same thing about the ten oaks salad she had. Our other friend got the quesadillas which she said she enjoyed. The portion size was huge, and we probably all could have split the quesadillas and been fine. Overall, nothing special.
(3)
Amir P.
We ordered a cheese steak sub, Caesar salad, Rachel and rock fish. All good and no complain. Service was good too. We would go back. :)
(4)
Dan D.
The food is okay. However, we stopped going because they continually have on Fox "news." Nothin' like a good dose of right-wing republican propaganda to go with your beer.
(3)
JG A.
Great non-chain restaurant, nice atmosphere. Staff is welcoming and friendly. Nice variety of pub food on the menu.
(4)
Miranda C.
This is a really nice, low-key restaurant that is really good for what it is. I have been going to this restaurant for 10+ years (before it was the Tavern), and have very rarely been disappointed with the food or service. The cream of crab soup is a must try- seriously, I want to know what the secret ingredient is because it's addicting!
(5)
Frank L.
So we're living in a new area and exploring some of the new digs closeby. Only a little ways from our pad is the Ten Oaks Tavern. I was brought here by some friends and originally tried one of their custom burgers, which was a pretty good burger, but the next time I came here I tried the crab chowder. Oh..my..god! It was amazing. I have brought my family in here a couple of times and the better half agrees, this place is fantastic. The food is great. The atmosphere is relaxed. The wi-fi is free. Despite the fact that it's a "tavern" it's a great place to bring my family. They are a little pricey hence the 4 stars, but man those are tasty stars!
(4)
Michele W.
Everything was cooked to order and the service was fantastic. The only thing that I would change is to add the Blue cheese crumbles at the last minute to the Black&Bleu Sirloin. The cheese was all melted but, it was still good.
(4)
Megan S.
While driving through rural Maryland, I decided it was lunchtime. I activated the hilarious new feature on my iPhone 4S and said "Siri, where should I go for lunch?". Siri popped up a list of restaurants, and this one was the highest reviewed, so off we went. Man, I am totally asking my phone for advice more often. This place was great! We were there around lunchtime so we had the place mostly to ourselves. I got buffalo chicken fingers and my husband got the sliders. Our waitress was awesome - super nice and really attentive! She was also really great with recommending things - she recommended we get the Boston Cream Pie, something I hadn't had in years, but hey, why not. Wow, so good. It tasted like something my mom would make, which is crazy high praise from me, since honestly, my mom is pretty awesome. The food was great, and I don't know what they did to the fries, but neither of us could stop eating them. I normally don't even like french fries! My only complaint is that it's so far away that I don't know whether I'll be able to go there again. If I'm ever up in that neck of the woods, I'd make it a point to go back. :D
(5)
Jules J.
I had been to MD's Country Pub a few times and I liked the laid back feel and simple food. I was surprised when I came back another day and the ownership had changed. They renamed it (Ten Oaks Tavern) and it seems like they made a lot of improvements inside. I'm not sure exactly what changes they made but the place feels different, it seems to be decorated different and maybe painted. Not that it was bad before, but the improvements are nice. The menu has also changed it seems more upscale now and definitely more pricey. I have only tried 2 things on the menu and I thought both were great. The fried shrimp are humongous! The biggest I have ever seen. They are battered and fried perfectly. The cream of crab soup is rich, creamy, and delicious. The first time I got it I was pleased with the amount of crab meat chunks. I came back a second time and I thought it seemed to have less crab and it was more small, stringy pieces. Still a decent amount of crab, but not as much as the first time. A bowl is a generous serving, enough for a meal for me. The waitresses here are really attentive and friendly. There's not a whole lot of places to eat around this area, so it's nice to know of a good spot nearby (that's not a chain!) with high quality food. I will keep coming back here for sure, now I'm just prepared to spend more money than I had to when it was MD's Country Pub.
(4)
fred f.
Just finished the best. Bowl of soup in md. Got seconds. Black bean and andulee sausage wow. My wIfe's was a 4 mine tho wow 5. !!!!! Great soup.
(5)
Mary M.
I'm a 'middle of the road' fan of Ten Oaks Tavern. I think its quaint, offers adequate bar food and has a friendly staff. The decorations are cute and it has am Irish feel to it, but I am not 'in-love' with the food. Given that there isn't much in Western HoCo to choose from, this is a good enough place to have dinner - but if you have time, its worth it to drive all the way to Columbia to go somewhere else.
(2)
William H.
Definitely a place to find a good meal. Service is quick and efficient. The menu is quite loaded and the meals are very good. Be sure to try the Maryland crab soup and the short-ribs. Best little restaurant in the area.
(4)
Charles M.
Ten Oaks Tavern is amazing. It was converted by the new owner two years ago from a tired worn place (MD's Pub) to an attractive pub with excellent food and fast friendly service. If this hidden away place in rural Howard County was discovered by more people there would be a line up down the sidewalk 7 days a week. A lot of great American Food and always a surprise or two from the creative chef and the owner. Give it a try you won't be sorry.
(5)
Elissa O.
Very attractive and comfortable little pub. A little on the pricey side but very good burgers. Did I mention we have only ever had the burgers? The first time we went, on a Monday, was burger night so it was impossible to pass up 1/2 price burgers. Since then, no matter when we go, we order the burger. Why risk ordering something else when you know what is it good? They really do an excellent job on these. I believe they are grilled over a flame so that lends a ton of flavor to the burger and a slight char. Yum. I also like that you can pick as many topping as you like. Desserts here appear to be an afterthought. I would skip them.
(4)
juliet m.
I love this place! The owner is fantastic and Steve the Bartender always makes my day. The decor is a nice friendly atmosphere and is very relaxing after a long day of work. The best part is they serve their full menu late into the night so I can still get dinner after a 12 hour shift.
(4)
Christian L.
Ten Oaks Tavern used to go by the name M.D.'s Country Pub, but I've been told the ownership changed and so has the look of the inside of the restaurant. And while I can't compare it to MD's (I never went there then), I have to say we've been very impressed with Ten Oaks Tavern. Despite the "tavern" moniker, there's a nice sized restaurant that's done in a welcoming color scheme, and the bar isn't a seedy, smelly mess, so you can definitely bring the kids here for a family meal (they have a great crayon collection). The food has always been good and plentiful. The wraps are very good, the salads look to be quite large, and the Reuben I had last night was one of the best I've had in quite a while - not drowned in dressing, either. The burgers are also of good scale, and will be cooked to order (even if you're like me and want them a bit more rare). The prices are fair, but maybe a dollar or two higher than they probably should be. Don't let this discourage you, though. It's definitely worth a try.
(4)
Chris C.
I took my parents out to eat here but feel it may have been bad timing. It seems a summer thunder storm had wiped out power in the area and everyone went there for dinner. It was crowded but the wait was not bad, about 20 min. The Tavern had also lost power at one point and had to throw out a bunch of food, including items on the specials list. The waitress was short with us and did not know what they had and didn't have. Food took a long time to come out and the waitress was very slow and often forgot requests to refill drinks (over all poor service). When we did get our food it was average (Not bad but nothing special). I got a cheeseburger as it was half off burger day (Monday). You get a choice of cheese and three more toppings. They got the cooking right but missed one of my requested toppings. Other than that the atmosphere was ok and customers (other than the screaming drunks at the table behind us) seemed nice. I would go back but probably just with friends for a beer and some wings (the Buffalo wings were good / garlic wings were just fried and rolled in garlic salt).
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Michelle A.
This tavern is dark and old-school, but the food is dependably good. Basic, but good. I usually get a sandwich when I go here, and it's usually totally fine. But to be honest, when I go out I don't really want a sandwich that I can make at home myself. So that's the limitation of this restaurant for me. Its good solid grub, but it's things I can make myself.
(3)Natalie S.
Great owners, and bartenders! Foods always consistent and good. The cream of crab soup is crazy good. I'm a fan of their wraps, the Cajun chicken is a must try! Great atmosphere. Definitely a nice little family joint
(5)Lauren S.
We went here yesterday, a Sunday night mind you, when the kitchen closes at 10. When we were on our way at 9:45, I was able to call in our order so that it was ready when we got there. That alone says a lot about how accommodating and nice the staff is! I got the homemade lasagna which came with a salad - either garden or Caesar (which is nice because most places charge you extra for a Caesar) and homemade garlic bread. It was DELICIOUS!!! I even ordered another salad to go because it was so good! We had an order of calamari which was delicious as well, not over cooked and chewy like some places. Both the kid's and adult chicken nuggets/tenders were very good and came with yummy fries. The cheeseburgers are excellent as are their ribs and cream of crab soup! We can't forget about the ORANGE CRUSHES!! They are sooooo good!! Most importantly, the service is amazing. When we walked in the guy knew that we were the ones who had called in and had a table ready for us. Our waiter was so nice and attentive. We never had to ask for refills or extra napkins - he was on top of things and very polite. We love going here and always have a great dining experience!! Definitely would recommend it to anyone!!
(5)Nicole B.
I live locally but haven't been to this place in ages (if I remember correctly it's changed a few times since). I've heard good things so I went to check it out a few weeks ago for lunch with some friends. By the end of lunch the dinning room was pretty full, with only one waitress. She was not very responsive which could have been due to the fact she appeared overwhelmed. I got the soup of the day - a beer cheese soup with bacon and chicken. Surprisingly this was the highlight of the meal and I would give the soup a 5/5 alone. I finished my lunch with the spinach salad, which was only okay. The pieces of spinach were so large they were almost unmanageable to eat. The salad was just very generic. My friend said the same thing about the ten oaks salad she had. Our other friend got the quesadillas which she said she enjoyed. The portion size was huge, and we probably all could have split the quesadillas and been fine. Overall, nothing special.
(3)Amir P.
We ordered a cheese steak sub, Caesar salad, Rachel and rock fish. All good and no complain. Service was good too. We would go back. :)
(4)Dan D.
The food is okay. However, we stopped going because they continually have on Fox "news." Nothin' like a good dose of right-wing republican propaganda to go with your beer.
(3)JG A.
Great non-chain restaurant, nice atmosphere. Staff is welcoming and friendly. Nice variety of pub food on the menu.
(4)Miranda C.
This is a really nice, low-key restaurant that is really good for what it is. I have been going to this restaurant for 10+ years (before it was the Tavern), and have very rarely been disappointed with the food or service. The cream of crab soup is a must try- seriously, I want to know what the secret ingredient is because it's addicting!
(5)Frank L.
So we're living in a new area and exploring some of the new digs closeby. Only a little ways from our pad is the Ten Oaks Tavern. I was brought here by some friends and originally tried one of their custom burgers, which was a pretty good burger, but the next time I came here I tried the crab chowder. Oh..my..god! It was amazing. I have brought my family in here a couple of times and the better half agrees, this place is fantastic. The food is great. The atmosphere is relaxed. The wi-fi is free. Despite the fact that it's a "tavern" it's a great place to bring my family. They are a little pricey hence the 4 stars, but man those are tasty stars!
(4)Michele W.
Everything was cooked to order and the service was fantastic. The only thing that I would change is to add the Blue cheese crumbles at the last minute to the Black&Bleu Sirloin. The cheese was all melted but, it was still good.
(4)Megan S.
While driving through rural Maryland, I decided it was lunchtime. I activated the hilarious new feature on my iPhone 4S and said "Siri, where should I go for lunch?". Siri popped up a list of restaurants, and this one was the highest reviewed, so off we went. Man, I am totally asking my phone for advice more often. This place was great! We were there around lunchtime so we had the place mostly to ourselves. I got buffalo chicken fingers and my husband got the sliders. Our waitress was awesome - super nice and really attentive! She was also really great with recommending things - she recommended we get the Boston Cream Pie, something I hadn't had in years, but hey, why not. Wow, so good. It tasted like something my mom would make, which is crazy high praise from me, since honestly, my mom is pretty awesome. The food was great, and I don't know what they did to the fries, but neither of us could stop eating them. I normally don't even like french fries! My only complaint is that it's so far away that I don't know whether I'll be able to go there again. If I'm ever up in that neck of the woods, I'd make it a point to go back. :D
(5)Jules J.
I had been to MD's Country Pub a few times and I liked the laid back feel and simple food. I was surprised when I came back another day and the ownership had changed. They renamed it (Ten Oaks Tavern) and it seems like they made a lot of improvements inside. I'm not sure exactly what changes they made but the place feels different, it seems to be decorated different and maybe painted. Not that it was bad before, but the improvements are nice. The menu has also changed it seems more upscale now and definitely more pricey. I have only tried 2 things on the menu and I thought both were great. The fried shrimp are humongous! The biggest I have ever seen. They are battered and fried perfectly. The cream of crab soup is rich, creamy, and delicious. The first time I got it I was pleased with the amount of crab meat chunks. I came back a second time and I thought it seemed to have less crab and it was more small, stringy pieces. Still a decent amount of crab, but not as much as the first time. A bowl is a generous serving, enough for a meal for me. The waitresses here are really attentive and friendly. There's not a whole lot of places to eat around this area, so it's nice to know of a good spot nearby (that's not a chain!) with high quality food. I will keep coming back here for sure, now I'm just prepared to spend more money than I had to when it was MD's Country Pub.
(4)fred f.
Just finished the best. Bowl of soup in md. Got seconds. Black bean and andulee sausage wow. My wIfe's was a 4 mine tho wow 5. !!!!! Great soup.
(5)Mary M.
I'm a 'middle of the road' fan of Ten Oaks Tavern. I think its quaint, offers adequate bar food and has a friendly staff. The decorations are cute and it has am Irish feel to it, but I am not 'in-love' with the food. Given that there isn't much in Western HoCo to choose from, this is a good enough place to have dinner - but if you have time, its worth it to drive all the way to Columbia to go somewhere else.
(2)William H.
Definitely a place to find a good meal. Service is quick and efficient. The menu is quite loaded and the meals are very good. Be sure to try the Maryland crab soup and the short-ribs. Best little restaurant in the area.
(4)Charles M.
Ten Oaks Tavern is amazing. It was converted by the new owner two years ago from a tired worn place (MD's Pub) to an attractive pub with excellent food and fast friendly service. If this hidden away place in rural Howard County was discovered by more people there would be a line up down the sidewalk 7 days a week. A lot of great American Food and always a surprise or two from the creative chef and the owner. Give it a try you won't be sorry.
(5)Elissa O.
Very attractive and comfortable little pub. A little on the pricey side but very good burgers. Did I mention we have only ever had the burgers? The first time we went, on a Monday, was burger night so it was impossible to pass up 1/2 price burgers. Since then, no matter when we go, we order the burger. Why risk ordering something else when you know what is it good? They really do an excellent job on these. I believe they are grilled over a flame so that lends a ton of flavor to the burger and a slight char. Yum. I also like that you can pick as many topping as you like. Desserts here appear to be an afterthought. I would skip them.
(4)juliet m.
I love this place! The owner is fantastic and Steve the Bartender always makes my day. The decor is a nice friendly atmosphere and is very relaxing after a long day of work. The best part is they serve their full menu late into the night so I can still get dinner after a 12 hour shift.
(4)Christian L.
Ten Oaks Tavern used to go by the name M.D.'s Country Pub, but I've been told the ownership changed and so has the look of the inside of the restaurant. And while I can't compare it to MD's (I never went there then), I have to say we've been very impressed with Ten Oaks Tavern. Despite the "tavern" moniker, there's a nice sized restaurant that's done in a welcoming color scheme, and the bar isn't a seedy, smelly mess, so you can definitely bring the kids here for a family meal (they have a great crayon collection). The food has always been good and plentiful. The wraps are very good, the salads look to be quite large, and the Reuben I had last night was one of the best I've had in quite a while - not drowned in dressing, either. The burgers are also of good scale, and will be cooked to order (even if you're like me and want them a bit more rare). The prices are fair, but maybe a dollar or two higher than they probably should be. Don't let this discourage you, though. It's definitely worth a try.
(4)Chris C.
I took my parents out to eat here but feel it may have been bad timing. It seems a summer thunder storm had wiped out power in the area and everyone went there for dinner. It was crowded but the wait was not bad, about 20 min. The Tavern had also lost power at one point and had to throw out a bunch of food, including items on the specials list. The waitress was short with us and did not know what they had and didn't have. Food took a long time to come out and the waitress was very slow and often forgot requests to refill drinks (over all poor service). When we did get our food it was average (Not bad but nothing special). I got a cheeseburger as it was half off burger day (Monday). You get a choice of cheese and three more toppings. They got the cooking right but missed one of my requested toppings. Other than that the atmosphere was ok and customers (other than the screaming drunks at the table behind us) seemed nice. I would go back but probably just with friends for a beer and some wings (the Buffalo wings were good / garlic wings were just fried and rolled in garlic salt).
(2)