The onion strings turned out to be onion rings, and there were only 8 for the $5 we were charged. Are you kidding me! These were plain old onion rings and not large ones at that, and to get only 8 for $5! The burger and fries for $10 was reasonable enough. But the menu said the burgers were made from house ground fresh beef for use on that day only. No way. The burger was some machine formed squashed beef. Looks like it came from a Mealmart box. It was tasty enough as long as you didn't examine it too closely. Also heard reports from friends about the ribs, not encouraging. At this rate the place will be gone in 6 months.
(2)
Bernard R.
This restaurant is rather sparse and somewhat messy where the tables are. Not too surprised since this is a temporary location and I guess the management does not want to spend a lot to fancy up the place. However, it appears adequate for very casual dining. I have had two carryouts from the restaurant. The Texas Toast, turkey sandwich and onion strings were excellent and not at all over priced, especially considering this is a Kosher restaurant. However, the regular french fries were just so so at best. Decor aside, I would definitely recommend this place, especially for carryouts. If I were rating the place based on the decor, I would have to give it maybe one to two stars at most.
(4)
Wild B.
I've worked in restaurants for almost 20yrs. With that said... I was thrilled a BBQ restaurant was opening within walking distance of my house. When they first open'd I went in to order carry out. I received Great customer service. The Food was Excellent. But, that's because I was the only customer at the time. I walked there on my second visit... I stood at the counter for at least 5min before I was acknowledged. Not a proper greeting, but acknowledged. I had already a menu in my hand ready to order. I was told one minute. The lady continued to figure out her table orders, put her table orders in, talk to co-workers, keep telling me to hold on a minute, she turned to walk to the back of the house. I couldn't get an employee to help me. I didn't see a front of the house manager or a host. Just un-experienced servers trying to figure out what they should be doing. I walked out. Walked to Chili's. The customer service isn't that much better at Chili's, but i was greeted & order placed within 3min of me being there. I gave Blue Star one more chance. My Husband & I stopped in to sit down & eat. There was plenty of people already dinning when we arrived. We were the only people waiting at the front door... Waiting & waiting & waiting... My Husband was starting to feel discriminated against... Several employees passed by us & never made eye contact, no greetings or how are you? We turned & walked away. I Really tried to give this place a chance... Their Management Sucks!!! The 1st step to success for any business... CUSTOMER SERVICE... Without Customers You have No Business!!!
(1)
Dennis L.
Excellent all around. Huge potions and extremely tasty. We went to Brios last week and spent twice the amount for small potions of pasta. At Blue Star the menu is meat and less expensive. If you want ambience than this isn't the place. If you want excellent ribs, burgers and beef, then you have come to the right place. Ignor the low star reviews - there is clearly some other agenda going on.
(5)
Shaule S.
Blue Star is a wonderful restaurant that has Kosher BBQ!!! I had the BBQ Ribs... and they were good and meaty. There was an idea with the order, and they ran out of ribs, but they took care of the issues quickly as they could. They were crowded when I was there. Looking forward to trying more of their selection.
(5)
Rich D.
Great fries and great burgers! Especially the pastrami burger is awesome! Service is great and never really crowded. Good ambience for business lunches, going with friends, or with family!
(5)
Mark N.
I really like the food here I don't know why there are any bad reviews I eat here all the time they have an amazing turkey sandwich and the secret sauce on it with the avocado and fried onion it's all delicious and the service is great any way in my humble opinion it's a wonderful restaurant a+.
(5)
Matt G.
We were so excited to find out tonight that they are offering a lot more gluten free options - the fries, onion rings, fried wings. Except for the food coming out colder than it should, food was great tonight.
(4)
Connie M.
Is it fair to review a restaurant if you only order one item and it was disappointing? Sure! Why not? I will probably be back as they are located in the building where I work and hopefully, I will have a much higher rated updated review. So, I am having a rough day and need french fries. I have had these days before but unless I want to get seasoned fries from Chili's, there was never another option until Blue Star opened up. Yay! I walk in and a very pretty lady behind the counter looks up at me and signals for me to place my order with someone else while she walks away. A side of shoestring french fries sets me back $2.49 before tax. During my 7 minute wait (I wish I was exaggerating), I fill up a little cup with ketchup and grab a mustard packet. I read through their take-out menu twice and notice that they serve chili as well as barbeque. The prices are a little high but this is North Bethesda and we are right next door to Whole Foods so someone has to pay the rent. If I had known the wait was going to be so long for my fries, I would have sat down. A man on a cell phone walks past me and asked if I had been helped. I assured him I had been. With fries in hand I take the elevator up to my office and dig right in...are my fries soggy? Nope. They were not hot enough to generate any steam in the plastic take out container. They were crispy....sitting under the hot lamp crispy. There was one carry out order ahead of me but for some reason, I thought since I had waited so long that they were cooking my fries to order. Silly girl. This is not McDonald's. The fries were crispy. Like eating a potato chip. They were well seasoned. I just wish they had been even a little bit hot. Like grab them and throw them in the fryer for 20 seconds. The irony is that I had gotten a sandwich from the deli next door and they give you a bag of chips for free when you buy a sandwich...but I went next door for cold french fries.
(2)
Rebecca S.
Small portions of mediocre food if you can deal with the miserable staff!!!! We made the mistake of coming to this restaurant without checking the reviews. We were met by a tall woman behind the counter who could barely speak or understand English.....helping to make sure ordering was an extreme hassle. After ordering we noticed that the only available tables in the self-serve area were high-tops, where we could not sit our baby. The staff had no interest in assisting and instead acted bothered when approached. After seating ourselves in the wait-service area the staff made certain to avoid providing any service whatsoever. We had to clean the table ourselves, carry the highchair from across the restaurant and scavenge for forks, knives, ketchup etc. The tiny portion of pulled brisket for which they charge $20 had several small shreds of aluminum foil in it. The coleslaw, beans, and just about everything else on the table obviously came out of a 5 gallon bucket with "made in China" stamped on it. The best part of our experience was walking out the door.
(1)
Dwight V.
Not what I'm used to when I eat barbecue. If I don't smell wood smoke when I walk in, I'm suspicious. I assume that the kosher aspect of the restaurant pretty much guarantees that the clientele hasn't had real barbecue. The sauce had to come out of a bottle. Why not make your own if you're a real barbecue restaurant? Definitely not worth a second visit.
(2)
Kevin B.
When I read pulled BBQ chicken and pulled BBQ beef, I'm actually expecting to see smoke rings on the meat. Or smell that something is actually being smoked. I don't want to see faux burnt ends because it sat in an oven on slow and low. I know smoking is kosher, so what's the deal with the false advertising? Oven roasting your meat then covering them with sauce is not BBQ. There is nothing worse than broiled meat tossed in BBQ sauce and calling it BBQ. Mashed potatoes served cold? Amateur kitchen. And they weren't even from fresh potatoes. Another huge disappointment in the area who are using cheap food and charging stupid prices for food. Once our food came out and was served, our waitress wasn't seen again. She never checked on us or our food. It's too bad I have to even give a star because this place isn't worth one star.
(1)
Q T.
The best option for a kosher restaurant in Montgomery County. This is the only kosher restaurant in the area that has made significant investments and improvements in the customer experience. Most kosher restaurants in the DC area seem to rely on their kosher certificate to get customers in. Not Blue Star. The meat is fresh and of good quality, and everything is prepared fresh each day. I'm told that a lot of the time their vegetables are bought from the Whole Foods around the corner and are organic. The servers are friendly, and the manager clearly shows her experience in the restaurant industry outside of the kosher world. Each time I go I see improvements that she has been implementing. It would be great if they could get rid of that huge ordering window at the entrance...it seems to be a relic from the days before they hired servers to provide table service. Also, they could really benefit from a liquor license given the Texas BBQ themed menu. This is the only kosher restaurant in the area I look forward to going to. Can they improve? Definitely. But unlike all the others, they've invested in quality food and a quality experience. I think they'd do well to downplay the kosher aspect and simply let that be known to those who care, as I think they'd attract more business if people saw it as a good place for burgers and BBQ rather than a "Jewish restaurant". I should also point out that I don't keep kosher myself, so my frame of reference is not limited to the small selection of poor quality kosher restaurants in the area. Their meat is fresher and of better quality than many other dining options in their price range. Yes, you pay a bit more for that quality, but it's on-par with similar non-kosher restaurants of the same food quality and absolutely worth it.
(4)
Marc L.
Just ate here the other night, with spouse, to grab a quick dinner after returning from an international flight. We ordered sandwiches at the counter, and were served at a table. Sandwiches were tasty with nicely toasted buns. Still nothing special, but it was solid and food. I see so much potential for this place, but the captive audience of kosher eaters makes the restaurant not bother to strive for excellence, I fear.
(3)
Alicia K.
I will preface by saying we don't keep kosher. That said, we like checking out kosher restaurants, because my mother-in-law does keep kosher, and it gives her an opportunity to eat meat at restaurants. I saw a Groupon for this place, so my husband and I decided to vet it before bringing his family. I'll start with the good things about this place. The restaurant itself is cute, with little bbq-themed wall decorations. The food is decent and on par with most other kosher restaurants in town (I would say hands down Moti's Grill is the best kosher restaurant). The fries were fresh, probably my favorite part of the meal (I had a burger, my husband had ribs). The last good thing I can say is that we were seated immediately. Then the wheels started to fall off. About 30 seconds after we were seated, a server came by and asked if we were ready to order. We wanted to start the conversation by letting them know we had a Groupon. The server said "OK" and then walked away. Maybe she didn't understand us, but we never actually got a chance to order (or even look at the menu). Fast forward to 15 minutes later (literally NOTHING happens in that 15 minutes -- no water, drink order taken, food order taken). My husband and I look longingly at servers that all seem to ignore us. We are seated right by the kitchen, so servers are passing us this whole time, without even looking at us. Finally we grab a server's attention and she takes our orders (does NOT write it down), but recites it back to us so we felt comfortable that the order was correct. Fast forward another 20 minutes. We are starving. We are out of water. No one refills it for us, so we flag someone down ask request more water. Fast forward another 15 minutes. Still no food. We are debating just ditching this place if another 10 minutes go by (we are relatively patient customers, but super hungers at this point!). Also, ribs and sides (mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cornbread) should already be prepared so the only thing that needs to be cooked is a burger and fries. It shouldn't take this long. 30 seconds later our food shows up. No apologies. No friendliness. Just food. My husband is missing his cornbread, but other than that the order is right. We are happy campers. We rationed our water knowing that we probably wouldn't get anymore (and we didn't). After we finish, we wait a bit longer for someone to stop by and ask if we're ready for the check. We say yes, and that reiterate that we have a Groupon. Fast forward 5 minutes. Server returns and asks us what we ordered because our ticket is missing. Fast forward 5 minutes. Our check comes, and our $20 Groupon that I spent $12 on only has $11.99 taken off the check. Why? Apparently ribs are not allowed to be ordered with the Groupon. I get it, we kind of screwed this up by not reading the fine print. BUT. 1) I paid $12 for the Groupon. I should get a MINIMUM of $12 taken off my check (not $11.99 -- not to be nit-picky, but this is the level of apathy we've dealt throughout the whole experience). 2) We noted MULTIPLE times that we had a Groupon, maybe just MAYBE the server could have used a little mental energy to let remind us when we ordered the ribs that that couldn't be used with the Groupon. 3) Knowing that we ordered the ribs and that we had a Groupon and asked for the check, instead of just taking off the minimum amount, perhaps the server could up-sell us dessert to ensure we got the maximum value out of our Groupon. We requested two slices of pie to go to accommodate the remainder of our Groupon, and our request, while polite, was reluctantly met. We ate our pies (and our sadness) at home. They were pretty good. OVERALL MISSES: - no greeting from server (e.g., "Hi, this is ____. And I'll be taking care of you!") - did not feel welcome, or a place that I would proactively want to patron. - water not provided and refilled proactively - orders were not taken in a timely manner (i.e., NOT 30 seconds after I sit down and NOT 15 minutes later after I finally catch a server's attention) - no extra steps taken to ensure customer has a pleasant experience (e.g., "oh, I see you have a Groupon, just a note, ribs can't be applied to the Groupon") - no bread or other snacky item that servers can supply without involving kitchen (e.g., chips, peanuts), especially knowing if the kitchen is slammed. My husband gave a much harsher review, but perhaps these suggestions of how successful restaurants are run will inspire this place to improve. I really wanted to love this place. We love small, local restaurants, we are patient, optimistic customers (most restaurants remember us because we are sweet peas, but we didn't even get a chance to be). :(
(2)
Jack K.
HOLY COW! This place is effing miserable. I am writing this as I'm eating my shame and sadness pie. We'll revisit where this pie came from later in the review. Going in, we had a Groupon and since Blue Star is kosher and isn't open Friday or Saturday, we had a difficult time finding a day to use this glorious discount. MLK Day arrived and this seemed like a prime opportunity to try out this joint that we drive by daily on the way home from the gym. We checked the Groupon app and it noted to mention that we have it when we are seated. We rolled into the parking lot with tempered expectations. Having dined at other kosher restaurants, we understand that the service is usually less than stellar. We also were familiar with the other Yelp reviews, so we geared ourselves up. We are easy to please and were ready to give them the benefit of the doubt. Walking in, we walked up to the counter and a relatively tall woman in a California tee greeted us and confirmed that it was two for dinner. She showed us to a seat and we told her we had a Groupon. She walked away. We watched others be seated, orders taken, drinks served, and food delivered. We. Sat. Thirty-five minutes later, while sitting drinkless, foodless, and starved, a blonde server asked us if anyone took our order. I said, "Nope." She took our order of Adam's Ribs and a Mexican Burger. We also asked for water. (There's no drink menu, by the way and nothing was suggested) Fifteen minutes later, we were greeted with waters. Then. We. Sat. My water dish empty, I sat in disbelief. Other than the fact that there's a captive audience of people starved for kosher barbecue, how is this place in business? No one asked how we were doing. No server made eye contact. My water dish still empty, I shouted to a server asking for more water. She motioned to another server to get a pitcher. Eventually, a server returned with water for my glass. My wife's glass was half empty (not half full) and she didn't get topped off. Presumably, the trip back to the kitchen to fill the pitcher again would be too difficult. Fifteen minutes later, we were contemplating leaving. It wasn't clear that our order actually made it to the kitchen, nor did any actions by the staff indicate that we were welcome guests. Almost poetically timed, our food then arrived. My meal was missing the cornbread (no big deal, since I was so starved that I was happy to have anything at this point). I told the server and she went back to the kitchen. The plating looked quite nice. The ribs looked huge and were delightfully tender. They were moist and tasty and I made quick work of them. There was a bottle of sweet sauce on the table that I put on the ribs. It would have been nice to have a tangy sauce as well. Forgetting that this was kosher, I accidentally ordered the mashed potatoes. Without milk, they don't work. The cole slaw was pretty good. The corn bread arrived and it was acceptable. My wife had the mexican burger. The fries were strong. The burger was on par with most other restaurants. The eating portion of our visit lasted all of ten minutes. Our table cleared, a server asked if we had ordered anything else. I asked for the check. I reminded him we have a Groupon. The bill eventually arrived and there was only $11.99 taken off of the bill. I noted that we had a Groupon and it was for $20. He said that the Groupon isn't good on the Ribs. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!? There are basically three things on the menu and you won't give me the discount? Looking back at the Groupon, "Not good on ribs" was tucked inside. Since we didn't really have a real server take our order, no one let me know that getting the Ribs was throwing my money away. Not to brag, but I'm a pretty good tipper. It's not uncommon to see a 30% tip if I'm in a generous mood. Initially, I just gave my card in with the intent of leaving ZERO tip. When my scanned card returned, I decided to make an audible and requested something additional to make me feel better. My hanger had subsided and logical terrible service rage had set in. We had to make this right. I asked the guy if there was something I could go home with because they screwed me out of $10. I mentioned a burger or to-go dessert. He said he could do a burger, but I'd have to wait. NO THANKS. He said that they had pecan pie, apple pie, ... I cut him off and said, "One of each." Overjoyed with this demonstration of kindness, I upped the $0 tip to $4. A few minutes later I got my shame pies, knocked over my barbecue sauce container on the table, and we walked out. I eat out a lot and I am OK with not great service as long as the place has generally friendly staff or they are apologetic about not being good at service. I'm done eating my shame pie. Normally, I root for the little guy, the underdog, the kosher bbq joint, etc. NOT THIS PLACE. I want to scream it from the mountaintops like a prophet. AVOID BLUE STAR. I will not go back. GO ELSEWHERE.
(1)
S O.
We bought a voucher from Living Social since this place is close to our house and checked it out on a Monday afternoon. The atmosphere is unremarkable (sort of strip-mall with a western accent); the service was competent if not particularly warm or friendly. As for the food: go if you need a kosher restaurant or are in this neighborhood and specifically want barbecue. The pulled brisket "Texas Toast" sandwich was flavorful and satisfying. Otherwise, if you want burgers, you can do better at Chef Geoff - or even go down to the end of the strip mall and get a comparable burger with a beer alongside at Quincy's (Blue Star doesn't serve alcohol). Green salad and coleslaw both tasted like they came out of a bag. Pico de gallo and chili were pretty bland. Fries were decent. Alas we won't be likely to visit again. There are too many better options in the area for those who aren't specifically seeking a kosher meal.
(2)
Jon R.
I ordered a western burger. It came out dry and with 2 crumbs of pieces of mushroom on it. I'm not going to shell out big bucks for a dry, boring burger. I wanted to like this place so badly, especially since it's kosher....but there is no way I'm coming back.
(1)
Ellie P.
I went to Blue Star with a coworker during lunch since it's within walking distance to our office. The food really isn't worth coming back for. I got the Lone Ranger Burger which was $9.99 and only came with a tomato and lettuces, other toppings were $2.00 each. It was a basic burger, on the dry side and not very flavorful. The burger did come with fries, but those were barely warm, squishy, and didn't have much flavor either.
(2)
Michelle B.
We were seated and then we waited. We watched the waitress bring water to a table that sat after us and then proceed to clean tables around us. We waited 10-15 mins for our order to be taken and it wasn't till we got up to leave that the waitress asked if we were ready to order. Too late! We went to the Latin Kitchen just down the street and had an amazing meal.
(1)
Jon T.
It's always nice to have a new kosher option, so my wife and I were excited to eat here, and took my father who was in town. The positives - large portions, hearty food, very tasty and thought had obviously gone into the menu to position it away from the "chicken soup and schnitzel" old fashioned menu that many kosher restaurants follow. Pricing was decent. Negatives - service was abysmal. We ate on a Sunday night when it was busy, maybe 3/4 full. Only 2 waitresses on the floor, there seemed to be little cohesion with the kitchen and it took around 35 mins just for our starter to come, then another 40 mins for two burgers and the brisket. The fries were cold when they did arrive, but we were so hungry we didn't want to send it back. I'd definitely come back and give them a second go as the food is tasty and plentiful, but if the service is still terrible then I think it'll be the final meal there for us.
(3)
Matt B.
Worst service I've ever had at a restaurant. Had to ask twice just to get someone to my table and the place was pretty empty, and that took 20 minutes. Food was good but I was pissed
(1)
Amy Z.
The food is quite tasty but the service ranges from meh to downright terrible. Last week my husband, son, and I met another family of three there to have dinner before a 7pm school function. We arrived at 6 for a quick dinner. As we have had experience with slightly slow service in the past we told them at the outset that we had a 7pm appointment and needed to leave no later than 6:45. The food arrived at 6:50. Except for mine, a salad with eggplant and onion rings, which apparently needed longer to cook than a burger. They said they had it mostly ready fifteen minutes earlier, but then they realized that they had forgotten a fried egg on one burger and held up our order so it would all arrive at once. Except for mine. And the others were cold. Because it took 15 minutes to fry an egg when there were two parties in the entire restaurant. No adjustments were made to the bill for this mistake. We've been there before and have had a reasonable meal. The food is usually quite tasty (and even that night it was tasty just late and had been sitting). I hope that the management takes the issues with the service seriously and does something about it. As it stands now, go there soon for kosher bar be que because it won't be in business long.
(2)
Heather J.
I really don't understand all the negative reviews of this place. Both of my experiences here have been great. I came for lunch today and had the Hill Country sandwich, which was piled high with tender, juicy beef brisket on a warm egg bun. It came with cole slaw that wasn't at all gloppy or drenched in mayonnaise. It was very good! The service was friendly and efficient. I will definitely be back again, and I recommend you try it, too!
(5)
C J.
Decent place. Veggie burger was ok. Had yummy extras on it. The regular burgers were good. The chicken sandwich was good. The sides are passing. Except if you're looking for bbq baked beans these are not it. All in all its ok.
(3)
H D.
I keep going back and food is consistently good. Had a burger. They grind the beef fresh every day onsite; I think the fresh custom grind makes a noticeable difference in the quality of the burger. Cooked perfect medium, as requested. Fresh cut fries, too, were great. Service was very fast and friendly.
(5)
Guy D.
It's a one of the only Kosher places in the area. They serve texts stile BBQ and burgers. The burgers are fine and the meat are fresh. Overall it's a very nice place and it's worth a visit if you keep kosher.
(4)
Liat N.
We went today as part of a large group - for which we had made reservations and had a set menu. They should have been expecting us. I had an inkling this wasn't so when I was one of the first to arrive and they said, "what group?" We've been here a few times before and the food is always tasty and plentiful, but someone should teach the staff how to please the customer. Starting with the kitchen, which sent out the food piecemeal, and the wait staff who didn't put serving utensils in any of the dishes, nor placed plates on our tables. Lastly, as we were leaving (we had been there almost 2 hours already) they came out with bowls of fries. You think we wanted them once the meal was over?????
(2)
Jessica W.
I keep kosher now but didn't always, so I have eaten at "real" BBQ places. I went with friends for lunch and we were one of two tables in the restaurant. The service was kind of slow but I was satisfied with my food. I got the Two Step with brisket and pulled beef and thought the flavor and texture was good. I personally would prefer if the pulled beef came soaked up in sauce, but they provide a variety of sauces on the table and I was able to sauce it up just the way I liked it. I have a severe dairy intolerance so one of the appeals of kosher meat places to me is being able to enjoy staples such as mashed potatoes and corn bread without fear of getting sick. I'm sure to someone who is used to mashed potatoes loaded with butter and cream they might taste "off" but they filled the craving for me. I also picked up a catering order for work after I finished my lunch and I want to mention that Blue Star was a pleasure to work with. The staff was helpful on the phone, especially when I had questions regarding vegetarian options. I'm not sure how long this place has been open (I'm relatively new to the area) but I would guess from reading the reviews that this place got off to a rough start. Since I have experienced the "real" thing, I wouldn't say that this place is the best BBQ I've ever had, but it certainly hits the spot for kosher establishments in the area. I just hope that they don't come and go like other kosher places in this area seem to.
(4)
Mike M.
I love there food they have the best Turkey sandwich I tested the fries were a little dry but that's ok this sandwich was worth it and I love the special sauce they have on it it's like thousand island meets Big Mac secret sauce, all and all I liked it and would go again
(4)
T S.
The only reason this restaurant has good reviews is because the KOSHER restaurants in this area are pitiful and Jewish food standards in the DMV area extremely low so low that a health code standard of "F" would be considered a "good" kosher restaurant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)
J F.
What would have been nice? If we had been greeted at the door instead of completely ignored by the woman at the register who was on the phone. After 10 minutes of being ignored an employee told us all they had were the high seats and chairs. Walked.
(1)
Adam K.
Bogus bbq! The food isn't even smoked. If you are looking for an OK burger then go for it. But even a decent non bbq item becomes less than mediocre when paired with the disappointment of being misled by false claims of being a true bbq joint. The only thing bbqed at that place is your hard earned cash!
(1)
Karina M.
"Meh. I've experienced better" This is the appropriate rating for this establishment. The staff is friendly enough, the options are decent. However the food seemed to take a really long time (around 15 min), and it's not like your appetizer comes out first. Upon asking for recommendations from the cashier, I ordered the "Hill Country (Hand sliced moist rubbed brisket on an egg glazed kaiser roll)" It was extremely tough and the seasoning was a little bland. Good thing that you have plenty of side sauces to choose from - a big PLUS for me. I liked the Sweet Carolina mixed with the Texas BBQ. Also, the dish came with a large helping of coleslaw and it tasted fresh. For appetizer, I orderd the "Onion Strings" - I learned that this is not to be confused with 'onion straws', which is what I thought I was getting. Instead, these are just a thinner version of your typical, large onion rings. They were way too greasy. Again, the sauce saved the day as this is served with their "homemade remoulade sauce" (also available as one of the sauces to sample). I probably won't go back again, being that I came here on a whim (after hiking the Billy Goat Trail, my friend did a Google search for the nearest BBQ joint and this is where GPS led us).
(2)
Patrice M.
Expensive, small portions of meat in sandwiches. Staff doesn't know the menu (2 waitresses we interacted with. Sauces and spices mislabeled, ketchup squeeze bottle clearly had BBQ sauce in it. Reused spice jars with original label but different contents. Onion stings are onion rings and not that many for an appetizer. The meat is good but as I said very small portion for a $13.00 sandwich.
(2)
Thomas D.
Their food wasn't terrible, but it was a bit over priced and the service wasn't all that great either. We sat with our drink glasses empty through half our meal because there wasn't a waiter or waitress to be seen, and once we were finished the waitress seemed like she was trying to avoid our eye line so she didn't have to come talk to us. We wanted to come here for some time now and we were disappointed with the outcome.
I'm writing this review as I wait for our server to return--haven't seen her since she brought our food--about 15 minutes ago. Food was mediocre--husband got the ribs--okay but way overpriced for what you receive. I got the 2 step--with pulled chicken and smoked turkey. Both very dry--mashed potatoes were dry--cornbread was dry. Coleslaw wasn't very tasty. Had onion straws which turned out to be onion rings--cold and greasy. Waited a while before getting our drinks--that should've been an indication of what to expect. Finally we see her and have to ask for the check. Wouldn't recommend.
(1)
Lou S.
This review covers 3 visits. When you enter there is self service seating to the left where you order at the counter. To the right is table service. They extend table service to the self service area when they are busy. Last night they were packed at 7:30 on a Thursday. The table service area has a couple of large tables which had reserved signs on one visit so they apparently take reservations. Waitress service needs improvement and training. You should not be in a hurry when you dine here. The Adams Rib came with 4 large short ribs and 2 sides. 2 of the ribs were extremely fatty. At $26 I would not order that again. The Texas Holdem (6 assorted sliders with fries) was plenty for two people but the meat was dry. The winners were the burgers, Everyone at our table liked them and there is a good variety. I will be back because there are limited options for Kosher dining. I am hopeful that they can raise their quality and service levels because the burgers and the restaurant concept are good.
(3)
Benjamin C.
Never again! I can only say the lady that took my order was nice! The food was terrible! Never again!
(1)
Joel C.
Their food is OK when you go there I ordered over $50 worth tonight at 6. (I live right around the corner, but couldn't go out.) At 7:05 I called and after they looked around a while they told me it was sitting there, but they didn't know what to do with it; then they found a manager who phumphed around a little and disappeared, so I left the phone to write this, hungry and disappointed. I hope you do better.
(1)
Samantha Q.
Blue Star played host to the first ever #KosherCon dinner meet-up of software developers. The staff bent over backwards to take care of our large and somewhat rowdy group as we took over the back half of their dining room. The food itself was delicious and prepared quickly and the service was outstanding. Can't wait until #KosherCon 2015!
(5)
David B.
Blue Star is fantastic. Great food and nice hidden location. Great people too. Best thing are the Adam's ribs if they have them available and don't run out.
(4)
Ro L.
Having just arrived from Chicago today, I found Blue Star Kosher BBQ Restaurant and said......this is over the top! The design, decor, attentive staff, immaculate setting with comfortable indoor and outdoor options..... But the quality of the food has raised the bar , and I can't wait to come back. I dined with family who live in the area. We ate everything. Moist chicken in portobello salad with unique sauces, enormous and juicy ribs...... Cole slaw without mayo drowning it was a perfect side. We also had Chicken tenders, chicken wings, smoked brisket, Run, don't walk. You'll love, love, love it! Rowindsurf.
(5)
Irene G.
My sister and I ate lunch there recently. We don't keep kosher but felt the meat was fresh and delicious. Nice people, too! Highly recommend it!
(4)
Howard W.
The place was busy at 7:30 when we walked in,took a couple minutes to get a table and we were asked right away if we would like a beverage. Good start. The waitress asked if we wanted an appetizer and we said yes,at first we ordered the nachos platter but then switched to an appetizer variety platter. we waited 22 minutes till it finally came out only after asking the waitress. We received the nachos platter instead of the variety platter, ok fine a mis communication but we weren't waiting another 20 minutes for the right one. Nachos were good, tortilla chips were pre fried and full of oil, they may want to switch to a cooked tortilla chip. Grade: B The waitress comped us with some fried wings and chicken tenders and Texas petal sauce to make up for the mis communication on the apps order. A+ for service Meanwhile our main order hadn't been taken already and we had to flag down our waitress to take our order. My wife ordered the chili and a sausage sandwich. Our Friend,David had the Adam's ribs platter and I had the Texas Hold em' which is a variety of different sliders, sliced brisket, chopped brisket and two slider size burgers all on a soft bun, served with sweet potato fries. It took 20-25 minutes to get our order. David's Ribs looked really good and appetizing with a nice side of green beans, shoe string fries and a piece of corn bread. The ribs were warm enough inside even slightly cool but he devoured them without sending back. The fries didn't suit him and they looked soft and measly, cornbread had no flavor at all. He was still content. My wife said the bowl of chili was pretty good. She also had ordered the sausage sub with roasted red peppers which was good but the sausage looked like an ordinary hot dog and tasted like a hot dog not sausage. It came with purple chopped cole slaw which tasted good but was runny. Grade B My Texas Hold em was three pairs of different sliders,chopped brisket, sliced brisket with onion and mini burgers,on slider rolls.They were ok, way too much bread and needs to be shared with another person. Served with sweet potato fries which were real good but mushy ,not long individual fries. The waitress brought over three different sauces,one was just mustard,one a Kansas style bbq sauce and a Carolina vinegar style sauce. Sauces were good. Grade B Service is rather slow and the waitresses could use a good training program on how to serve properly and faster ,probably the kitchen cooks also needs to be swifter. They should have a person that serves the beverages and does the bussing at the same time so the waitresses don't have to do that. French Fries need to be better quality as that is an important side in a place like this. Over all I would give Bluestar a B or 3 out of 5 stars.
(3)
Shawn F.
I was skeptical of the all the negative reviews and like BBQ so I thought I would give it a try. I shouldn't have. The food is simply not good. I ordered the brisket and the smoked turkey and I simply don't believe they make it on site. No self respecting BBQ expert would serve this. I'm also pretty sure the the potatoes were from a box as and the beans were from a can. The cornbread was terrible as well. My wife ordered a brisket sandwich which had to be returned because it was so dry. Neither of us finished our meals. Sorry, but this one is a stinker.
(1)
Rehman K.
What a waste of money. Food was piping hot when I received it. I got back from filling up my soda and it was very cold. Clearly microwaved. No one from Texas would eat this BBQ. Beans were gummy and bland with hot dogs. Sliced TX Beef was dry and reheated. The pulled beef BBQ brisket must have been pulled last week. BBQ sauces were okay! Soda machine was not working properly - all soda water and little syrup. Mashed potatoes were not flavored with garlic and reminded me of white school paste. Jiffy box cornbread is better than what was served here. Not a good experience. I had a BBQ lover who knows TX, both Carolinas and Kansas City types with me and he helped me write this review.
(2)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :11417 Woodglen Dr
North Bethesda, MD, 20852
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Mark W.
The onion strings turned out to be onion rings, and there were only 8 for the $5 we were charged. Are you kidding me! These were plain old onion rings and not large ones at that, and to get only 8 for $5! The burger and fries for $10 was reasonable enough. But the menu said the burgers were made from house ground fresh beef for use on that day only. No way. The burger was some machine formed squashed beef. Looks like it came from a Mealmart box. It was tasty enough as long as you didn't examine it too closely. Also heard reports from friends about the ribs, not encouraging. At this rate the place will be gone in 6 months.
(2)Bernard R.
This restaurant is rather sparse and somewhat messy where the tables are. Not too surprised since this is a temporary location and I guess the management does not want to spend a lot to fancy up the place. However, it appears adequate for very casual dining. I have had two carryouts from the restaurant. The Texas Toast, turkey sandwich and onion strings were excellent and not at all over priced, especially considering this is a Kosher restaurant. However, the regular french fries were just so so at best. Decor aside, I would definitely recommend this place, especially for carryouts. If I were rating the place based on the decor, I would have to give it maybe one to two stars at most.
(4)Wild B.
I've worked in restaurants for almost 20yrs. With that said... I was thrilled a BBQ restaurant was opening within walking distance of my house. When they first open'd I went in to order carry out. I received Great customer service. The Food was Excellent. But, that's because I was the only customer at the time. I walked there on my second visit... I stood at the counter for at least 5min before I was acknowledged. Not a proper greeting, but acknowledged. I had already a menu in my hand ready to order. I was told one minute. The lady continued to figure out her table orders, put her table orders in, talk to co-workers, keep telling me to hold on a minute, she turned to walk to the back of the house. I couldn't get an employee to help me. I didn't see a front of the house manager or a host. Just un-experienced servers trying to figure out what they should be doing. I walked out. Walked to Chili's. The customer service isn't that much better at Chili's, but i was greeted & order placed within 3min of me being there. I gave Blue Star one more chance. My Husband & I stopped in to sit down & eat. There was plenty of people already dinning when we arrived. We were the only people waiting at the front door... Waiting & waiting & waiting... My Husband was starting to feel discriminated against... Several employees passed by us & never made eye contact, no greetings or how are you? We turned & walked away. I Really tried to give this place a chance... Their Management Sucks!!! The 1st step to success for any business... CUSTOMER SERVICE... Without Customers You have No Business!!!
(1)Dennis L.
Excellent all around. Huge potions and extremely tasty. We went to Brios last week and spent twice the amount for small potions of pasta. At Blue Star the menu is meat and less expensive. If you want ambience than this isn't the place. If you want excellent ribs, burgers and beef, then you have come to the right place. Ignor the low star reviews - there is clearly some other agenda going on.
(5)Shaule S.
Blue Star is a wonderful restaurant that has Kosher BBQ!!! I had the BBQ Ribs... and they were good and meaty. There was an idea with the order, and they ran out of ribs, but they took care of the issues quickly as they could. They were crowded when I was there. Looking forward to trying more of their selection.
(5)Rich D.
Great fries and great burgers! Especially the pastrami burger is awesome! Service is great and never really crowded. Good ambience for business lunches, going with friends, or with family!
(5)Mark N.
I really like the food here I don't know why there are any bad reviews I eat here all the time they have an amazing turkey sandwich and the secret sauce on it with the avocado and fried onion it's all delicious and the service is great any way in my humble opinion it's a wonderful restaurant a+.
(5)Matt G.
We were so excited to find out tonight that they are offering a lot more gluten free options - the fries, onion rings, fried wings. Except for the food coming out colder than it should, food was great tonight.
(4)Connie M.
Is it fair to review a restaurant if you only order one item and it was disappointing? Sure! Why not? I will probably be back as they are located in the building where I work and hopefully, I will have a much higher rated updated review. So, I am having a rough day and need french fries. I have had these days before but unless I want to get seasoned fries from Chili's, there was never another option until Blue Star opened up. Yay! I walk in and a very pretty lady behind the counter looks up at me and signals for me to place my order with someone else while she walks away. A side of shoestring french fries sets me back $2.49 before tax. During my 7 minute wait (I wish I was exaggerating), I fill up a little cup with ketchup and grab a mustard packet. I read through their take-out menu twice and notice that they serve chili as well as barbeque. The prices are a little high but this is North Bethesda and we are right next door to Whole Foods so someone has to pay the rent. If I had known the wait was going to be so long for my fries, I would have sat down. A man on a cell phone walks past me and asked if I had been helped. I assured him I had been. With fries in hand I take the elevator up to my office and dig right in...are my fries soggy? Nope. They were not hot enough to generate any steam in the plastic take out container. They were crispy....sitting under the hot lamp crispy. There was one carry out order ahead of me but for some reason, I thought since I had waited so long that they were cooking my fries to order. Silly girl. This is not McDonald's. The fries were crispy. Like eating a potato chip. They were well seasoned. I just wish they had been even a little bit hot. Like grab them and throw them in the fryer for 20 seconds. The irony is that I had gotten a sandwich from the deli next door and they give you a bag of chips for free when you buy a sandwich...but I went next door for cold french fries.
(2)Rebecca S.
Small portions of mediocre food if you can deal with the miserable staff!!!! We made the mistake of coming to this restaurant without checking the reviews. We were met by a tall woman behind the counter who could barely speak or understand English.....helping to make sure ordering was an extreme hassle. After ordering we noticed that the only available tables in the self-serve area were high-tops, where we could not sit our baby. The staff had no interest in assisting and instead acted bothered when approached. After seating ourselves in the wait-service area the staff made certain to avoid providing any service whatsoever. We had to clean the table ourselves, carry the highchair from across the restaurant and scavenge for forks, knives, ketchup etc. The tiny portion of pulled brisket for which they charge $20 had several small shreds of aluminum foil in it. The coleslaw, beans, and just about everything else on the table obviously came out of a 5 gallon bucket with "made in China" stamped on it. The best part of our experience was walking out the door.
(1)Dwight V.
Not what I'm used to when I eat barbecue. If I don't smell wood smoke when I walk in, I'm suspicious. I assume that the kosher aspect of the restaurant pretty much guarantees that the clientele hasn't had real barbecue. The sauce had to come out of a bottle. Why not make your own if you're a real barbecue restaurant? Definitely not worth a second visit.
(2)Kevin B.
When I read pulled BBQ chicken and pulled BBQ beef, I'm actually expecting to see smoke rings on the meat. Or smell that something is actually being smoked. I don't want to see faux burnt ends because it sat in an oven on slow and low. I know smoking is kosher, so what's the deal with the false advertising? Oven roasting your meat then covering them with sauce is not BBQ. There is nothing worse than broiled meat tossed in BBQ sauce and calling it BBQ. Mashed potatoes served cold? Amateur kitchen. And they weren't even from fresh potatoes. Another huge disappointment in the area who are using cheap food and charging stupid prices for food. Once our food came out and was served, our waitress wasn't seen again. She never checked on us or our food. It's too bad I have to even give a star because this place isn't worth one star.
(1)Q T.
The best option for a kosher restaurant in Montgomery County. This is the only kosher restaurant in the area that has made significant investments and improvements in the customer experience. Most kosher restaurants in the DC area seem to rely on their kosher certificate to get customers in. Not Blue Star. The meat is fresh and of good quality, and everything is prepared fresh each day. I'm told that a lot of the time their vegetables are bought from the Whole Foods around the corner and are organic. The servers are friendly, and the manager clearly shows her experience in the restaurant industry outside of the kosher world. Each time I go I see improvements that she has been implementing. It would be great if they could get rid of that huge ordering window at the entrance...it seems to be a relic from the days before they hired servers to provide table service. Also, they could really benefit from a liquor license given the Texas BBQ themed menu. This is the only kosher restaurant in the area I look forward to going to. Can they improve? Definitely. But unlike all the others, they've invested in quality food and a quality experience. I think they'd do well to downplay the kosher aspect and simply let that be known to those who care, as I think they'd attract more business if people saw it as a good place for burgers and BBQ rather than a "Jewish restaurant". I should also point out that I don't keep kosher myself, so my frame of reference is not limited to the small selection of poor quality kosher restaurants in the area. Their meat is fresher and of better quality than many other dining options in their price range. Yes, you pay a bit more for that quality, but it's on-par with similar non-kosher restaurants of the same food quality and absolutely worth it.
(4)Marc L.
Just ate here the other night, with spouse, to grab a quick dinner after returning from an international flight. We ordered sandwiches at the counter, and were served at a table. Sandwiches were tasty with nicely toasted buns. Still nothing special, but it was solid and food. I see so much potential for this place, but the captive audience of kosher eaters makes the restaurant not bother to strive for excellence, I fear.
(3)Alicia K.
I will preface by saying we don't keep kosher. That said, we like checking out kosher restaurants, because my mother-in-law does keep kosher, and it gives her an opportunity to eat meat at restaurants. I saw a Groupon for this place, so my husband and I decided to vet it before bringing his family. I'll start with the good things about this place. The restaurant itself is cute, with little bbq-themed wall decorations. The food is decent and on par with most other kosher restaurants in town (I would say hands down Moti's Grill is the best kosher restaurant). The fries were fresh, probably my favorite part of the meal (I had a burger, my husband had ribs). The last good thing I can say is that we were seated immediately. Then the wheels started to fall off. About 30 seconds after we were seated, a server came by and asked if we were ready to order. We wanted to start the conversation by letting them know we had a Groupon. The server said "OK" and then walked away. Maybe she didn't understand us, but we never actually got a chance to order (or even look at the menu). Fast forward to 15 minutes later (literally NOTHING happens in that 15 minutes -- no water, drink order taken, food order taken). My husband and I look longingly at servers that all seem to ignore us. We are seated right by the kitchen, so servers are passing us this whole time, without even looking at us. Finally we grab a server's attention and she takes our orders (does NOT write it down), but recites it back to us so we felt comfortable that the order was correct. Fast forward another 20 minutes. We are starving. We are out of water. No one refills it for us, so we flag someone down ask request more water. Fast forward another 15 minutes. Still no food. We are debating just ditching this place if another 10 minutes go by (we are relatively patient customers, but super hungers at this point!). Also, ribs and sides (mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cornbread) should already be prepared so the only thing that needs to be cooked is a burger and fries. It shouldn't take this long. 30 seconds later our food shows up. No apologies. No friendliness. Just food. My husband is missing his cornbread, but other than that the order is right. We are happy campers. We rationed our water knowing that we probably wouldn't get anymore (and we didn't). After we finish, we wait a bit longer for someone to stop by and ask if we're ready for the check. We say yes, and that reiterate that we have a Groupon. Fast forward 5 minutes. Server returns and asks us what we ordered because our ticket is missing. Fast forward 5 minutes. Our check comes, and our $20 Groupon that I spent $12 on only has $11.99 taken off the check. Why? Apparently ribs are not allowed to be ordered with the Groupon. I get it, we kind of screwed this up by not reading the fine print. BUT. 1) I paid $12 for the Groupon. I should get a MINIMUM of $12 taken off my check (not $11.99 -- not to be nit-picky, but this is the level of apathy we've dealt throughout the whole experience). 2) We noted MULTIPLE times that we had a Groupon, maybe just MAYBE the server could have used a little mental energy to let remind us when we ordered the ribs that that couldn't be used with the Groupon. 3) Knowing that we ordered the ribs and that we had a Groupon and asked for the check, instead of just taking off the minimum amount, perhaps the server could up-sell us dessert to ensure we got the maximum value out of our Groupon. We requested two slices of pie to go to accommodate the remainder of our Groupon, and our request, while polite, was reluctantly met. We ate our pies (and our sadness) at home. They were pretty good. OVERALL MISSES: - no greeting from server (e.g., "Hi, this is ____. And I'll be taking care of you!") - did not feel welcome, or a place that I would proactively want to patron. - water not provided and refilled proactively - orders were not taken in a timely manner (i.e., NOT 30 seconds after I sit down and NOT 15 minutes later after I finally catch a server's attention) - no extra steps taken to ensure customer has a pleasant experience (e.g., "oh, I see you have a Groupon, just a note, ribs can't be applied to the Groupon") - no bread or other snacky item that servers can supply without involving kitchen (e.g., chips, peanuts), especially knowing if the kitchen is slammed. My husband gave a much harsher review, but perhaps these suggestions of how successful restaurants are run will inspire this place to improve. I really wanted to love this place. We love small, local restaurants, we are patient, optimistic customers (most restaurants remember us because we are sweet peas, but we didn't even get a chance to be). :(
(2)Jack K.
HOLY COW! This place is effing miserable. I am writing this as I'm eating my shame and sadness pie. We'll revisit where this pie came from later in the review. Going in, we had a Groupon and since Blue Star is kosher and isn't open Friday or Saturday, we had a difficult time finding a day to use this glorious discount. MLK Day arrived and this seemed like a prime opportunity to try out this joint that we drive by daily on the way home from the gym. We checked the Groupon app and it noted to mention that we have it when we are seated. We rolled into the parking lot with tempered expectations. Having dined at other kosher restaurants, we understand that the service is usually less than stellar. We also were familiar with the other Yelp reviews, so we geared ourselves up. We are easy to please and were ready to give them the benefit of the doubt. Walking in, we walked up to the counter and a relatively tall woman in a California tee greeted us and confirmed that it was two for dinner. She showed us to a seat and we told her we had a Groupon. She walked away. We watched others be seated, orders taken, drinks served, and food delivered. We. Sat. Thirty-five minutes later, while sitting drinkless, foodless, and starved, a blonde server asked us if anyone took our order. I said, "Nope." She took our order of Adam's Ribs and a Mexican Burger. We also asked for water. (There's no drink menu, by the way and nothing was suggested) Fifteen minutes later, we were greeted with waters. Then. We. Sat. My water dish empty, I sat in disbelief. Other than the fact that there's a captive audience of people starved for kosher barbecue, how is this place in business? No one asked how we were doing. No server made eye contact. My water dish still empty, I shouted to a server asking for more water. She motioned to another server to get a pitcher. Eventually, a server returned with water for my glass. My wife's glass was half empty (not half full) and she didn't get topped off. Presumably, the trip back to the kitchen to fill the pitcher again would be too difficult. Fifteen minutes later, we were contemplating leaving. It wasn't clear that our order actually made it to the kitchen, nor did any actions by the staff indicate that we were welcome guests. Almost poetically timed, our food then arrived. My meal was missing the cornbread (no big deal, since I was so starved that I was happy to have anything at this point). I told the server and she went back to the kitchen. The plating looked quite nice. The ribs looked huge and were delightfully tender. They were moist and tasty and I made quick work of them. There was a bottle of sweet sauce on the table that I put on the ribs. It would have been nice to have a tangy sauce as well. Forgetting that this was kosher, I accidentally ordered the mashed potatoes. Without milk, they don't work. The cole slaw was pretty good. The corn bread arrived and it was acceptable. My wife had the mexican burger. The fries were strong. The burger was on par with most other restaurants. The eating portion of our visit lasted all of ten minutes. Our table cleared, a server asked if we had ordered anything else. I asked for the check. I reminded him we have a Groupon. The bill eventually arrived and there was only $11.99 taken off of the bill. I noted that we had a Groupon and it was for $20. He said that the Groupon isn't good on the Ribs. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!? There are basically three things on the menu and you won't give me the discount? Looking back at the Groupon, "Not good on ribs" was tucked inside. Since we didn't really have a real server take our order, no one let me know that getting the Ribs was throwing my money away. Not to brag, but I'm a pretty good tipper. It's not uncommon to see a 30% tip if I'm in a generous mood. Initially, I just gave my card in with the intent of leaving ZERO tip. When my scanned card returned, I decided to make an audible and requested something additional to make me feel better. My hanger had subsided and logical terrible service rage had set in. We had to make this right. I asked the guy if there was something I could go home with because they screwed me out of $10. I mentioned a burger or to-go dessert. He said he could do a burger, but I'd have to wait. NO THANKS. He said that they had pecan pie, apple pie, ... I cut him off and said, "One of each." Overjoyed with this demonstration of kindness, I upped the $0 tip to $4. A few minutes later I got my shame pies, knocked over my barbecue sauce container on the table, and we walked out. I eat out a lot and I am OK with not great service as long as the place has generally friendly staff or they are apologetic about not being good at service. I'm done eating my shame pie. Normally, I root for the little guy, the underdog, the kosher bbq joint, etc. NOT THIS PLACE. I want to scream it from the mountaintops like a prophet. AVOID BLUE STAR. I will not go back. GO ELSEWHERE.
(1)S O.
We bought a voucher from Living Social since this place is close to our house and checked it out on a Monday afternoon. The atmosphere is unremarkable (sort of strip-mall with a western accent); the service was competent if not particularly warm or friendly. As for the food: go if you need a kosher restaurant or are in this neighborhood and specifically want barbecue. The pulled brisket "Texas Toast" sandwich was flavorful and satisfying. Otherwise, if you want burgers, you can do better at Chef Geoff - or even go down to the end of the strip mall and get a comparable burger with a beer alongside at Quincy's (Blue Star doesn't serve alcohol). Green salad and coleslaw both tasted like they came out of a bag. Pico de gallo and chili were pretty bland. Fries were decent. Alas we won't be likely to visit again. There are too many better options in the area for those who aren't specifically seeking a kosher meal.
(2)Jon R.
I ordered a western burger. It came out dry and with 2 crumbs of pieces of mushroom on it. I'm not going to shell out big bucks for a dry, boring burger. I wanted to like this place so badly, especially since it's kosher....but there is no way I'm coming back.
(1)Ellie P.
I went to Blue Star with a coworker during lunch since it's within walking distance to our office. The food really isn't worth coming back for. I got the Lone Ranger Burger which was $9.99 and only came with a tomato and lettuces, other toppings were $2.00 each. It was a basic burger, on the dry side and not very flavorful. The burger did come with fries, but those were barely warm, squishy, and didn't have much flavor either.
(2)Michelle B.
We were seated and then we waited. We watched the waitress bring water to a table that sat after us and then proceed to clean tables around us. We waited 10-15 mins for our order to be taken and it wasn't till we got up to leave that the waitress asked if we were ready to order. Too late! We went to the Latin Kitchen just down the street and had an amazing meal.
(1)Jon T.
It's always nice to have a new kosher option, so my wife and I were excited to eat here, and took my father who was in town. The positives - large portions, hearty food, very tasty and thought had obviously gone into the menu to position it away from the "chicken soup and schnitzel" old fashioned menu that many kosher restaurants follow. Pricing was decent. Negatives - service was abysmal. We ate on a Sunday night when it was busy, maybe 3/4 full. Only 2 waitresses on the floor, there seemed to be little cohesion with the kitchen and it took around 35 mins just for our starter to come, then another 40 mins for two burgers and the brisket. The fries were cold when they did arrive, but we were so hungry we didn't want to send it back. I'd definitely come back and give them a second go as the food is tasty and plentiful, but if the service is still terrible then I think it'll be the final meal there for us.
(3)Matt B.
Worst service I've ever had at a restaurant. Had to ask twice just to get someone to my table and the place was pretty empty, and that took 20 minutes. Food was good but I was pissed
(1)Amy Z.
The food is quite tasty but the service ranges from meh to downright terrible. Last week my husband, son, and I met another family of three there to have dinner before a 7pm school function. We arrived at 6 for a quick dinner. As we have had experience with slightly slow service in the past we told them at the outset that we had a 7pm appointment and needed to leave no later than 6:45. The food arrived at 6:50. Except for mine, a salad with eggplant and onion rings, which apparently needed longer to cook than a burger. They said they had it mostly ready fifteen minutes earlier, but then they realized that they had forgotten a fried egg on one burger and held up our order so it would all arrive at once. Except for mine. And the others were cold. Because it took 15 minutes to fry an egg when there were two parties in the entire restaurant. No adjustments were made to the bill for this mistake. We've been there before and have had a reasonable meal. The food is usually quite tasty (and even that night it was tasty just late and had been sitting). I hope that the management takes the issues with the service seriously and does something about it. As it stands now, go there soon for kosher bar be que because it won't be in business long.
(2)Heather J.
I really don't understand all the negative reviews of this place. Both of my experiences here have been great. I came for lunch today and had the Hill Country sandwich, which was piled high with tender, juicy beef brisket on a warm egg bun. It came with cole slaw that wasn't at all gloppy or drenched in mayonnaise. It was very good! The service was friendly and efficient. I will definitely be back again, and I recommend you try it, too!
(5)C J.
Decent place. Veggie burger was ok. Had yummy extras on it. The regular burgers were good. The chicken sandwich was good. The sides are passing. Except if you're looking for bbq baked beans these are not it. All in all its ok.
(3)H D.
I keep going back and food is consistently good. Had a burger. They grind the beef fresh every day onsite; I think the fresh custom grind makes a noticeable difference in the quality of the burger. Cooked perfect medium, as requested. Fresh cut fries, too, were great. Service was very fast and friendly.
(5)Guy D.
It's a one of the only Kosher places in the area. They serve texts stile BBQ and burgers. The burgers are fine and the meat are fresh. Overall it's a very nice place and it's worth a visit if you keep kosher.
(4)Liat N.
We went today as part of a large group - for which we had made reservations and had a set menu. They should have been expecting us. I had an inkling this wasn't so when I was one of the first to arrive and they said, "what group?" We've been here a few times before and the food is always tasty and plentiful, but someone should teach the staff how to please the customer. Starting with the kitchen, which sent out the food piecemeal, and the wait staff who didn't put serving utensils in any of the dishes, nor placed plates on our tables. Lastly, as we were leaving (we had been there almost 2 hours already) they came out with bowls of fries. You think we wanted them once the meal was over?????
(2)Jessica W.
I keep kosher now but didn't always, so I have eaten at "real" BBQ places. I went with friends for lunch and we were one of two tables in the restaurant. The service was kind of slow but I was satisfied with my food. I got the Two Step with brisket and pulled beef and thought the flavor and texture was good. I personally would prefer if the pulled beef came soaked up in sauce, but they provide a variety of sauces on the table and I was able to sauce it up just the way I liked it. I have a severe dairy intolerance so one of the appeals of kosher meat places to me is being able to enjoy staples such as mashed potatoes and corn bread without fear of getting sick. I'm sure to someone who is used to mashed potatoes loaded with butter and cream they might taste "off" but they filled the craving for me. I also picked up a catering order for work after I finished my lunch and I want to mention that Blue Star was a pleasure to work with. The staff was helpful on the phone, especially when I had questions regarding vegetarian options. I'm not sure how long this place has been open (I'm relatively new to the area) but I would guess from reading the reviews that this place got off to a rough start. Since I have experienced the "real" thing, I wouldn't say that this place is the best BBQ I've ever had, but it certainly hits the spot for kosher establishments in the area. I just hope that they don't come and go like other kosher places in this area seem to.
(4)Mike M.
I love there food they have the best Turkey sandwich I tested the fries were a little dry but that's ok this sandwich was worth it and I love the special sauce they have on it it's like thousand island meets Big Mac secret sauce, all and all I liked it and would go again
(4)T S.
The only reason this restaurant has good reviews is because the KOSHER restaurants in this area are pitiful and Jewish food standards in the DMV area extremely low so low that a health code standard of "F" would be considered a "good" kosher restaurant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1)J F.
What would have been nice? If we had been greeted at the door instead of completely ignored by the woman at the register who was on the phone. After 10 minutes of being ignored an employee told us all they had were the high seats and chairs. Walked.
(1)Adam K.
Bogus bbq! The food isn't even smoked. If you are looking for an OK burger then go for it. But even a decent non bbq item becomes less than mediocre when paired with the disappointment of being misled by false claims of being a true bbq joint. The only thing bbqed at that place is your hard earned cash!
(1)Karina M.
"Meh. I've experienced better" This is the appropriate rating for this establishment. The staff is friendly enough, the options are decent. However the food seemed to take a really long time (around 15 min), and it's not like your appetizer comes out first. Upon asking for recommendations from the cashier, I ordered the "Hill Country (Hand sliced moist rubbed brisket on an egg glazed kaiser roll)" It was extremely tough and the seasoning was a little bland. Good thing that you have plenty of side sauces to choose from - a big PLUS for me. I liked the Sweet Carolina mixed with the Texas BBQ. Also, the dish came with a large helping of coleslaw and it tasted fresh. For appetizer, I orderd the "Onion Strings" - I learned that this is not to be confused with 'onion straws', which is what I thought I was getting. Instead, these are just a thinner version of your typical, large onion rings. They were way too greasy. Again, the sauce saved the day as this is served with their "homemade remoulade sauce" (also available as one of the sauces to sample). I probably won't go back again, being that I came here on a whim (after hiking the Billy Goat Trail, my friend did a Google search for the nearest BBQ joint and this is where GPS led us).
(2)Patrice M.
Expensive, small portions of meat in sandwiches. Staff doesn't know the menu (2 waitresses we interacted with. Sauces and spices mislabeled, ketchup squeeze bottle clearly had BBQ sauce in it. Reused spice jars with original label but different contents. Onion stings are onion rings and not that many for an appetizer. The meat is good but as I said very small portion for a $13.00 sandwich.
(2)Thomas D.
Their food wasn't terrible, but it was a bit over priced and the service wasn't all that great either. We sat with our drink glasses empty through half our meal because there wasn't a waiter or waitress to be seen, and once we were finished the waitress seemed like she was trying to avoid our eye line so she didn't have to come talk to us. We wanted to come here for some time now and we were disappointed with the outcome.
(2)Karla D.
Not good Reading the menu is the best part of the meal. I wanted to like this restaurant, because everything looks great on the menu, and the place is nice. The food came - sautéed mushrooms were out of a can, grilled onions were raw, french fries were raw and the meat in the tacos was still cold from the refrigerator. When I asked for the meat to be heated, they just put the entire plate into the microwave, so the veggies and guac were hot - yuck. And the taco shells turned to mush. The salads sound good but are nothing special, and the portion is very small - like a side dinner salad for $11.99. The restaurant has potential, but until they have some quality control and train their cooks how to make each dish correctly, it isn't worth going.
(1)Kathy B.
I'm writing this review as I wait for our server to return--haven't seen her since she brought our food--about 15 minutes ago. Food was mediocre--husband got the ribs--okay but way overpriced for what you receive. I got the 2 step--with pulled chicken and smoked turkey. Both very dry--mashed potatoes were dry--cornbread was dry. Coleslaw wasn't very tasty. Had onion straws which turned out to be onion rings--cold and greasy. Waited a while before getting our drinks--that should've been an indication of what to expect. Finally we see her and have to ask for the check. Wouldn't recommend.
(1)Lou S.
This review covers 3 visits. When you enter there is self service seating to the left where you order at the counter. To the right is table service. They extend table service to the self service area when they are busy. Last night they were packed at 7:30 on a Thursday. The table service area has a couple of large tables which had reserved signs on one visit so they apparently take reservations. Waitress service needs improvement and training. You should not be in a hurry when you dine here. The Adams Rib came with 4 large short ribs and 2 sides. 2 of the ribs were extremely fatty. At $26 I would not order that again. The Texas Holdem (6 assorted sliders with fries) was plenty for two people but the meat was dry. The winners were the burgers, Everyone at our table liked them and there is a good variety. I will be back because there are limited options for Kosher dining. I am hopeful that they can raise their quality and service levels because the burgers and the restaurant concept are good.
(3)Benjamin C.
Never again! I can only say the lady that took my order was nice! The food was terrible! Never again!
(1)Joel C.
Their food is OK when you go there I ordered over $50 worth tonight at 6. (I live right around the corner, but couldn't go out.) At 7:05 I called and after they looked around a while they told me it was sitting there, but they didn't know what to do with it; then they found a manager who phumphed around a little and disappeared, so I left the phone to write this, hungry and disappointed. I hope you do better.
(1)Samantha Q.
Blue Star played host to the first ever #KosherCon dinner meet-up of software developers. The staff bent over backwards to take care of our large and somewhat rowdy group as we took over the back half of their dining room. The food itself was delicious and prepared quickly and the service was outstanding. Can't wait until #KosherCon 2015!
(5)David B.
Blue Star is fantastic. Great food and nice hidden location. Great people too. Best thing are the Adam's ribs if they have them available and don't run out.
(4)Ro L.
Having just arrived from Chicago today, I found Blue Star Kosher BBQ Restaurant and said......this is over the top! The design, decor, attentive staff, immaculate setting with comfortable indoor and outdoor options..... But the quality of the food has raised the bar , and I can't wait to come back. I dined with family who live in the area. We ate everything. Moist chicken in portobello salad with unique sauces, enormous and juicy ribs...... Cole slaw without mayo drowning it was a perfect side. We also had Chicken tenders, chicken wings, smoked brisket, Run, don't walk. You'll love, love, love it! Rowindsurf.
(5)Irene G.
My sister and I ate lunch there recently. We don't keep kosher but felt the meat was fresh and delicious. Nice people, too! Highly recommend it!
(4)Howard W.
The place was busy at 7:30 when we walked in,took a couple minutes to get a table and we were asked right away if we would like a beverage. Good start. The waitress asked if we wanted an appetizer and we said yes,at first we ordered the nachos platter but then switched to an appetizer variety platter. we waited 22 minutes till it finally came out only after asking the waitress. We received the nachos platter instead of the variety platter, ok fine a mis communication but we weren't waiting another 20 minutes for the right one. Nachos were good, tortilla chips were pre fried and full of oil, they may want to switch to a cooked tortilla chip. Grade: B The waitress comped us with some fried wings and chicken tenders and Texas petal sauce to make up for the mis communication on the apps order. A+ for service Meanwhile our main order hadn't been taken already and we had to flag down our waitress to take our order. My wife ordered the chili and a sausage sandwich. Our Friend,David had the Adam's ribs platter and I had the Texas Hold em' which is a variety of different sliders, sliced brisket, chopped brisket and two slider size burgers all on a soft bun, served with sweet potato fries. It took 20-25 minutes to get our order. David's Ribs looked really good and appetizing with a nice side of green beans, shoe string fries and a piece of corn bread. The ribs were warm enough inside even slightly cool but he devoured them without sending back. The fries didn't suit him and they looked soft and measly, cornbread had no flavor at all. He was still content. My wife said the bowl of chili was pretty good. She also had ordered the sausage sub with roasted red peppers which was good but the sausage looked like an ordinary hot dog and tasted like a hot dog not sausage. It came with purple chopped cole slaw which tasted good but was runny. Grade B My Texas Hold em was three pairs of different sliders,chopped brisket, sliced brisket with onion and mini burgers,on slider rolls.They were ok, way too much bread and needs to be shared with another person. Served with sweet potato fries which were real good but mushy ,not long individual fries. The waitress brought over three different sauces,one was just mustard,one a Kansas style bbq sauce and a Carolina vinegar style sauce. Sauces were good. Grade B Service is rather slow and the waitresses could use a good training program on how to serve properly and faster ,probably the kitchen cooks also needs to be swifter. They should have a person that serves the beverages and does the bussing at the same time so the waitresses don't have to do that. French Fries need to be better quality as that is an important side in a place like this. Over all I would give Bluestar a B or 3 out of 5 stars.
(3)Shawn F.
I was skeptical of the all the negative reviews and like BBQ so I thought I would give it a try. I shouldn't have. The food is simply not good. I ordered the brisket and the smoked turkey and I simply don't believe they make it on site. No self respecting BBQ expert would serve this. I'm also pretty sure the the potatoes were from a box as and the beans were from a can. The cornbread was terrible as well. My wife ordered a brisket sandwich which had to be returned because it was so dry. Neither of us finished our meals. Sorry, but this one is a stinker.
(1)Rehman K.
What a waste of money. Food was piping hot when I received it. I got back from filling up my soda and it was very cold. Clearly microwaved. No one from Texas would eat this BBQ. Beans were gummy and bland with hot dogs. Sliced TX Beef was dry and reheated. The pulled beef BBQ brisket must have been pulled last week. BBQ sauces were okay! Soda machine was not working properly - all soda water and little syrup. Mashed potatoes were not flavored with garlic and reminded me of white school paste. Jiffy box cornbread is better than what was served here. Not a good experience. I had a BBQ lover who knows TX, both Carolinas and Kansas City types with me and he helped me write this review.
(2)