Chef Geoff’s Rockville
12256 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, 20852
Chef Geoff’s Rockville Menu
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Bacon Bar - Appetizers
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Bacon Bar - Mains
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Bacon Bar - Libations
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Bacon Bar - Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Chef Geoff’s Rockville
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Bacon Bar - Appetizers
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Bacon Bar - Mains
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Bacon Bar - Libations
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Bacon Bar - Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Rockville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Rockville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
12256 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD, 20852 - Phone (240) 621-3090
- Website https://www.chefgeoff.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Erica G.
This place gets one star for service and there stars for food. Overall, I this place gets one star because our service just sucked. Our waitress was completely dull and never smiled. She seemed very awkward. I would have given her two stars until she cleared our plates and didn't even offer us dessert. She just said, here's your check. Then, "oh wait, unless you want dessert or coffee". Well, we did want dessert, but at that point just felt pushed out. As for our experience, it was ok. Not god awful, but a step above that. First, the design of the place is bad. The carpet is dirty and the chairs and booth backs match nothing. It is a very senior citizen design. Then the martinis came. Our glasses arrived halfway full. Either use smaller glasses, or fill them up. Seriously!!! For $12 per drink a full glass would be nice. We had to pay for doubles for our next drink to have the glasses full. And water? Nobody came to refill my glass. It would have been nice seeing as I was thirsty. Next, the food. The appetizers were great. We got the crispy calamari and tuna tartar. When ordering entrees, I asked the waitress the difference between the steak fries and house frites. She just said the steak fries were thicker. I ordered those and my husband got the house frites with his entree. Well, the difference is a lot more than thicker fries. The steak fries come seasoned with a garlic and parsley rub and come with a dipping sauce. The house fritz come with nothing and are plain. Ummmm....hello waitress, big difference. And you couldn't mention that? My salad was ok and my husband really liked his entree. But again, we could have gone to mon ami gabi in bethesda or blacks and gotten a better meal with exceptional service guaranteed for less money or the same amount. And don't forget about dessert that we were never offered!!! I'm glad we tried this place for lunch and didn't waste a dinner on it. We won't be back. Bad food is forgivable but bad service is not.
(1)Matthew L.
Slow service. Took over an hour and 20 minutes to eat a 3 course meal. Food was ok not worth the hundred we dropped for dinner. Took over 20 mins to get drinks and bread after sitting at the table. This is not the first time it's taken this long to get basic attention. Got here at 8PM on a Tuesday night and just getting check at 9:25. Absolutely the last time we come here. Not worth the cost. Can get same food at costal flats for almost half the price.
(2)Syed A.
Chef Geoff's is the brainchild of a local chef Geoff, which opened its first branch in 2000. It has opened a few branches around the DC metro area since. We went to the one in Rockville and it has very interesting decor and interiors. Firstly, the restaurants' exterior does not give away the charm and sophistication of its interiors. The menu changes every season; summer, spring and fall. Our brunch was on a Thursday noon to celebrate Eid, and I was surprised to see so many people at that time of the day, almost a full house. As patrons, we had too many specifications, no alcohol, no red meat, no pork, just seafood. And the waitress and chef were patient enough to bring a meal that stuck exactly to our description! I was worried that making too many changes in the recipe would 'un-Americanize' the experience, but it was just awesome, the taste and flavors, were intact. We loved this place and would definitely come here again, since its so close to home; the only concern being the price, its a fancy and pricey place to have a meal too often!! To satiate myself, I had Croque Madame which has gruyere, fried egg, tomato marmalade, house fries, baby lettuces, minus the ham! The bread was crunchy and wonderfully done with the melted gruyere, and lettuce was fresh. For a foodie, the good thing about going to eat with family and friends is that you can take a bite and share food from everyone's plate. So I also got to eat potato crusted rainbow trout with lentils, fennel, leeks, shallots, tarragon butter, and fish & chips with fish, spicy remoulade, cole slaw, old bay fries.
(4)Al T.
I'm not quite sure what to make of Chef Geoff's after my first visit. Granted, the food is pretty good, the service is pretty good too. I really like the menu and it's variety, so much so that I had a tough time settling on just one entree. The evening started with such promise. We arrived on-time for our 6.30pm reservation and were quickly led to our table. My dining companion ordered the fatoosh salad, I had the arugula and beet salad followed by the falafel entree. I really enjoyed the salad, and I thought the falafel was also good, just under-seasoned. Otherwise, it had all the right accompaniments. My companion enjoyed her salad, but noticed that so many other tables had either mussels or pizza on them. All in all, a pleasant experience, and we do want to return, especially to see if any dish really leaps up and says "I'm different and worth your trip here!" As for service - The waiter was very attentive to our needs up until the time we finished our entrees. For some reason, after dinner, he sort of disappeared and I had to ask another waiter to bring our check. Oh, and by the way - the gouda popcorn that sounds so good. It's fresh-popped popcorn with gouda sprinkled on it, then truffle oil is drizzled onto the corn. To me, it's a great way to ruin popcorn. I've heard that truffle oil goes a bit better on french fries.
(2)Despina H.
We went for a birthday dinner and had a reservation. We were seated immediately and the staff was friendly. The food was very good and cooked perfectly. However it took almost an hour for us to get our food and when it came there was no steak knife given to my husband for his steak. Our waitress was nice but didn't give us a lot of attention and we had to flag someone else down for the knife and a pen to pay the bill. Not the service I expect for the prices of their food/wine, so it could have been better.
(3)Penelope W.
I really don't like to write poor reviews, because all business have their struggles. I certainly hope they read these reviews and take the criticism to improve. Apparently, they dont since no review have owner responses. This particular review is rated at 2.5 stars only because at least the presentation was good. Although I have been to this particular location and others in the past, I was disappointed with the brunch. The ambiance and presentation are excellent. They staff is relatively friendly, so I don't really have complaints there. We went for brunch and the menu says your meal will include fresh fruit, a brunch bread assortment on top of your entree, coffee or juice, and a mimosa or Bloody Mary for ~$25. This sounds reasonable and comparable to other brunches nearby. The fresh fruit consists of a half strawberry, 2 grapes, 2 thinly sliced pieces of kiwi, and a half centimeter thick piece of watermelon. So yes, fresh fruit is served, but cheaply. The mimosas are good. After asking the guy who clears the table if we could get the bread, he said they were out. Minutes later he came back and served each table the bread assortment, which were 3 bite size semi hard muffins. I didn't realize that after paying nearly $50 for a meal for 2, that they were not able to afford fruit or bread. I would be happy to pay a couple of extra dollars for an appropriate size of fruit and bread. By the way, once I was served the fruit and bread, I realized the menu states you can chose either coffee OR juice. Why can't they serve both like every other restaurant? Even restaurants in DC that serve brunch can afford this. Now, the part that really bothered me and grossed me out was the Chesapeake Crabcake. It's topped with poached eggs. The outside of the egg looked normal but the center was hard and congealed. At that point I was relatively annoyed and wanted to leave ASAP. I read every single review before going forward and writing this to see if we were the only ones with a negative experience. It sounds like its 50/50. Unfortunately, at this point if I want a good brunch place in Rockville, I will be happy to go to elsewhere. Addie's, Black Market and Blacks are the same genre as Chef Geoff and you leave with a satisfied tummy. The Marriott serves a great brunch as well. Now, I would be ok if the brunch menu was not an option and you got your meal a la carte. The fruit and bread felt like an insult and would have rather done without.
(2)Paul M.
Updating and upgrading, as there was one outstanding piece of service from the barman which I forgot to mention. My buddy has food allergies, and was concerned that their might be dairy in his menu choice. The barman went into the kitchen not once, not twice but three tiems to verify that the third choie item was good, after getting knocked back twice o nthe dairy content of the first two. Bloody food allergies. But great service.
(3)Pumpkin S.
The food was ok, but the service was so, so awkward. I can't quite put my finger on it-- it seemed that everyone working there was socially "off." The hostesses are trying too hard (it gave us the creeps), the server seemed to phrase things in socially awkward ways ("since you pushed your menus away, I take it that you know what you're ordering..." or something to that effect. "Pushing away menus" is definitely an awkward thing to say to a customer, no?), and basic supplies came in parts and pieces. Like missing utensils, water refill, etc. Really weird place. Will not be returning.
(3)Arlan H.
Try the Smoky Autumn Breeze. It's a drink that should automatically transport you to a rocking chair on a porch somewhere. I feel very comfortable dining at this establishment. I usually sit at the bar where I'm greeted with exquisite service from the friendly staff. Anna is superwoman. Galen is a perfect gentleman; reminiscent of a butler. He is patient, kind, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Once he figures you out, he has the ability to recommend menu items that suit your taste and he NEVER disappoints. William and Eric are your friendly neighbourhood bartenders. Two different personalities, same courteous and genuine service. Will seems to be more of a perfectionist. He puts great effort into every concoction and task. When you see him looking down with his brows furrowed that means he's putting his best into whatever he's serving you. Eric is way more laid back. He's the gentle giant who makes it look easy. Then there's silent Jack. He doesn't speak much but he always takes good care of his customers. Meka/Mika* is the shift manager that I'm familiar with and she makes her presence known without being intrusive. The unsung heroes of this establishment are the runners who bring your food. You never see them until they're right next to you setting down your plate. I always go for the Rockville burger with the black bean setup. I have tried the fried calamari starter and the pepper bacon pizza. I have been unable to pick another menu item since because those are soooooo good. Galen recommended the pineapple upside down cake once and it's the only dessert that I get (if I can make it to dessert). It's paired with white chocolate ice cream. Now I'm hungry again. I'm sorry to see so many bad reviews for this establishment. Your experience is your own and I certainly hope you give them the chance to sweep you off your feet. I felt like it would have been an injustice not to give the staff the props they deserve. I've never been in the dining room so I haven't had to chance to meet the dining room staff. I'm sure they are just as swell. Try the Smoky Autumn Breeze and the Pineapple upside down cake.
(5)Hoainam N.
A good restaurant for a Valentine's Day date. I had dinner here with my girlfriend and had a great time. The decor is nice, the wait staff was attentive, and the food tasted great. There was quite a dinner crowd for the Saturday after Valentine's, but after the dinner crowd it emptied out pretty quickly. There were plenty of tables for couples, although I thought they were too close together. Our table only had 4-5 feet of space from the tables next to us. But overall, I enjoyed the night. The location is convenient and it's a nice option for dining compared to the others along Rockville Pike.
(4)sandra d.
It was Saturday night and the place was busy and noisy. Waiters were flying around. Nevertheless, the food came quickly, hot and rather delicious; the Indian chicken was well liked, I loved my potato crusted fish, specially the lentil mix that came with it, almost a meal in itself and my salad was small but very good. I have to mention a rather bewildering and amusing policy they have regarding alcoholic drinks. Turns out if you ask for one ice cube your drink will cost less than if you order it neat, the assumption being that you get less alcohol, which actually was not the case, but anyway, that is what we were told. So if you figure it out, every additional ice cube will decrease the amount of alcohol and the price until you end up with a glass full of free ice cubes. So funny. We will go again but will be careful with those ice cubes.
(3)Katie D.
Stopped by for impromptu brunch with my husband and toddler. We both got the 'Sunday Special' which is a breads/muffins, fruit, brunch entree, and cocktail (mimosa, Bloody Mary) for $22. We set the baby up with some of our fruit and muffins and enjoyed our cocktails as noon time brunchers began to stroll in. The mimosa was great (not too juicy...let's be real: I'm not drinking it for the vitamin C) and hubby said the Bloody Mary was awesome--just the right amount of spicy from horseradish and Tabasco. He had the steak and eggs and said it was cooked perfectly to order (medium). I had the eggs Chesapeake and it was delish. The eggs were poached the old fashioned way (simmering water) and the yolks were that perfect consistency--just runny enough to ooze a little on the plate. I will say they could have been a bit more generous with the Hollandaise, but the crabcakes were phenom. I was actually too full to finish the whole entree. Really wanted to try the crepes or beignets, but the toddler was starting to get cantankerous and we didn't want to ruin anyone else's meal, so we split and marveled at the smallness of the check. We'll be back for sure!
(5)Susan J.
Ate here last night with 5 friends, before attending a concert at The Strathmore. We had picked it from a list of "nearby restaurants" on the venue's website and knew nothing about Chef Geoffs. We were pleasantly surprised. We all ate from their early bird menu which offers 3 courses for $19.95. For that price we were not expecting much, but the food was amazing! I started with the lettuce leaf salad, followed by the potato-crusted trout, and ended with the mixed berries. The husband had the lentil soup, chicken milanese and the mixed berries. We were amazed that not only did each course come out together, and to the right person, but it was the right temperature, made with fresh ingredients and was attractively presented. There was a good selection of wines by the glass and a large number of draft beers available. Service was excellent. We had a wonderful meal and Chef Geoff's exceeded our expectations. We can't wait to come again!
(5)Katelyn K.
Can in on a recent Sunday morning for brunch. Service was very slow, but the food was good (as is typical of Chef Geoff's). I can't say I will be back to this location though as the parking lot was a mess and again slow service. I will keep going to the one downtown and near American.
(4)Mike S.
Been here a few times since moving back. I really like their burgers and overall food is good. The only thing I would caution about is the pizza. My friend had it once when we went and the crust was really thin and soggy. But, overall, a solid pick.
(3)Diana C.
We were a party of eight. Our waiter, Benjamin was outstanding. He made great recommendations, didn't rush us at all and even took pics for us. Food was delish. Great evening.
(5)Robin O.
Hubby and I thought we were going out for a fine dining experience, my bad. What we got was 'fast food', poorly prepared, and we were in and out in less than one hour on a Friday night. This restaurant does not know what it wants to be. Geoff's features 'dinner house' entrees from $16-29, but there' also pizza and hamburgers and a hefty choice of appetizers that look like a Tapas restaurant. We informed our waiter that we'd never been before and inquired about several dishes. So many choices! We decided on five appetizers as dinner so we could try many items. We ordered: Lamb Samosas with Mango-Tamarind Sauce 9.95 - GREASY UNDER FRIED SOFT DOUGH, NO CRUNCH, UNAPPEALING. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Crispy Calamari, Marinara, Arugula Aioli, Lemon Aioli 12.95 THE LARGER PIECES WERE MUSHY AND UNDERCOOKED, NOT CRISPY. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Tuna Sashimi, Wasabi Aioli, Baked Sesame Wontons 13.95 GOOD TO VERY GOOD, BUT A BIT OVERPRICED FOR THE PORTION Crispy Parmesan Crusted Oysters 12.95 INEDIBLE, TASTLESS, UNDERCOOKED, MUSHY. WE THOUGHT MAYBE TOFU. NO OYSTER OR PARM FLAVOR. THEY WERE VERY FLAT AND WEIRD. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Chef Geoff Burger, Cheddar, Bacon, Green Chile Aioli 12.95 BEEF TASTED GOOD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BARELY WARM BUT VERY SMALL PORTION, DEF NOT WORTH 12.95. THREE SMALL BITES PER PERSON, SINCE WE SPLIT. Note: The Green Chile Aioli on burger looked and tasted exactly the same as the Wasabi Aioli on the Tuna. Hmmmmmm. Besides the pedestrian, greasy, mushy food... my real gripe was the TIMING. The waiter was informed that the apps were dinner. Common sense would split the courses as if we'd ordered entrees. But nooooo, everything came at once and over filled the table. Too much cooked/fried food to eat in a timely manner and the oysters which were the first thing we tasted were served luke warm. The slice of ice cold tomato placed under hamburger made the hamburger cold in no time. At the moment the food was dropped, I sat in shock that so much food was now sitting in front of us filling the whole table. As soon as the runner left, a female manager came over and said cheerily "How is everything?" I said "I don't know, we just got served, come back in 5 minutes." She never came back. I finally saw her after we were finished and I waved her over and told her what I thought. MY POV was "Would you serve the salad and the entree at the same time?" Our waiter knew our intentions to have apps as dinner. Also, once our waiter knew we were unhappy with all the food being dumped on us instead of in courses, he stayed away from us. We felt that nothing we ate was fresh, hot or house made. Just a bunch of frozen food, like I could have gotten at Costco. All in all, pretty gross and not satisfying for $100. Boy, did sitting this place make me miss Houston's! While this restaurant maybe crowded for awhile as people are so excited to be sitting in Houston's again, I do not foresee this restaurant being able to sustain itself with this level of low quality food.
(1)Bryan K.
Great shrimp and grits, good wedge salad, excellent Martini. A bit expensive. We were there the first weekend. It was terrible. Food returned by 2 out of 4 diners without any consideration whatever. The food was much better this time.
(4)Elly S.
Although I've swung by the bar here for drinks, it wasn't until tonight that I finally had a chance to enjoy a nice dinner here, so I am writing my review based on that... Reservations: *a must* This spot is new and everyone knows Geoff's reputation for good food so you can believe all of Rockville, Bethesda, and Potomac are here every night. I called at 6:30pm and was given reservations for a table of 2 at 7:45 pm. We arrived about 10 minutes late, and were seated within a few minutes of our arrival. Service: Our waiter was chipper, but a bit absent-minded. At first, he started out perfect. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, he was prompt with everything, including refilling our sodas. Then after our appetizer arrived, he disappeared. And if he did walk by the table, he would look right past us, despite our trying to make eye contact with him. Maybe it was because his section was busy and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here, but I did deduct 1 star for this. Food: Freaking fantastical. I think my taste buds were so delighted that it felt like I had a unicorn in my mouth! (or something equally magical & whimsical) We started with the beer battered pickles, which are spears and not chips, with a remoulade that actually has little pickle chunks in it. Delicious. Absolutely delicious. We both loved them. For our entree, we both ended up getting the Slow & Low Short Ribs, which were so tender they melted the second the fork hit them. No need for a knife, at all. And they were served on this carrot/mashed potato mixture that literally had me licking the plate. Yes, I was that heathen who licked her plate clean, and I still want more! For dessert, we decided to be sinful and went with the oh so decadent Oreo bread pudding with cocoa pop rocks. What a sensation! When dessert arrived I had forgotten about the pop rocks until my mouth suddenly started to fizz. That, combined with the ice cream, and the bread pudding made for one of the most tantalizing experiences I have ever had. Major win!
(4)Corrine T.
Classic Chef Geoff's! Really like the Rockville burger! They have a nice selection of rotating taps in addition to a decent bottle selection. The wine list is also impressive. Definitely a great happy hour spot! And a good place to the catch the game with their large TVs and roomy bar area (with booths!).
(5)J P.
In short (simply because this place is not worth my time): - Service was godawful -- One waitress had like ten tables and she was terrible - Food is NOT up to standard for their prices -- It tastes like a fancy Ruby Tuesday - Contributing factors to feeling ripped off: 1) Burgers are small and bland and 2) Their "BIG" salads are not that big and their mostly made up of iceberg lettuce (YUM!) This is my second terrible Chef Geoff's experience. The first was a brunch that was equally as disappointing. My advice is to avoid the corporate chain and go somewhere else. They cut corners left and right and it really makes for an awful experience. Won't go back.
(1)Thomas B.
What in the world is happening in Rockville??? We are finally getting some great restaurants that are not chains! I have dined at Chef Geoff's downtown twice and loved it. We ate here last night and it was very excellent. The food was great and the service was very good. We had a variety of entrees at our table including the curry chicken, the wild mushroom ravioli and the salmon burger. All was great. The best deal is the 3-course meal. These are not slimmed down versions of their entrees to fit the great price. It really is a great deal! I think the prices are good for the quality and I am looking forward to going again. They have updated the decor from the Houston's and Aggain days. Check this out! EXCELLENT!
(5)Marc L.
My wife and I ate here a month or two after they opened. We used a newspaper coupon for $10 off. We had eaten once at Chef Geoff's in DC (New Mexico Avenue) several years ago and loved it, so we were happy to try the new Rockville location. We also were fans of Houstons, the restaurant formerly occupying the space, and I wrote a Yelp review of the short-lived Againn tavern which was terrible. The bar area is fabulous. Outstanding selection of draft beers plus many bottled selections. Great wines available. Very good service. Comfortable, smart atmosphere, good TVs if you're so inclined, plenty of room. I would welcome the opportunity to just hang out here and drink beer. Restaurant is comfortable, well lit, not too noisy. They redid it totally from the Houstons/Aginn configuration, and the interior is well done. Service is excellent. Our food was quite good, yet both my wife and I couldn't help observing that the food lacked originality and special-ness. Nothing wrong with it. At these prices, however, I'd like to be seeing and tasting food that is much better than I could cook at home: elegant imaginative presentation, novel sauces, interesting vegetables, etc. As it happens we had just eaten a few nights earlier at Founding Farmers new location in Potomac. If I were to review and compare (which I might), I'd definitely give the nod to FF. Food and presentation more interesting, atmosphere more fun, the whole experience more interesting. I wish Chef Geoff much good luck, and at least as long a run as Houstons had at this location. It's a great location for business, and the area desperately needs a upscale yet straightforward lunch place for business.
(4)Ken C.
Ok! The Chef Geoff's downtown is better. Overpriced and everything we had was better in other restaurants. Truly forgettable at least this location.
(2)Bill P.
I was OVERLY impressed. Sauntered in Saturday late lunch 2PM......barkeep Alex working hard and delivering the goods. Only a few folks at the long bar but the tables were packed. The staff very friendly and kind in training newbies I noticed. Glancing at the menu EVERYTHING (10-12 items) looks good in the $12-18 entree range but #1 top of the list 3 LARGE catfish soft tacos with plantain chips (salsa and sour cream) $16 called out to me and it was spot on delicious. Gosh....I hope Geoff finds it in his heart to stick one of these joints in 20878 (no, not Poolesville) but Crown Farm, Watkins Mill Town Center or when Lake Forest gets rebooted. 20878 is soooooo underserved with only Bonefish, Dogfish or a ride over to Cava. Ahhhhh....but first Ballston Commons is calling Geoff! The 'Burbs need to be loved too!!!!
(5)Yan W.
Visited for the "soft opening" today. For a "pre-release," I thought the experience was amazing. Even though the restaurant just opened, the staff topped all expectations. The receptionist recognized my party, knew we were early, and later found us at the bar when our table was ready. She even offered to make special accommodations for a party of 4. Our waiter was very knowledgeable. He knew every dish on the menu, even that the lobster ravioli had ~4 oz of lobster... His reccomendations were spot on. Perhaps the food was so good because Cheff Goeff was on premise. The fried oyster appetizers were good, but perhaps, a little acidity was needed to cut the the heaviness of the batter and the heaviness of the sauce (in other words, please toss in a lemon wedge). The lobster risotto was delicious. The rice was perfectly al dente and the lobster was plentiful. Only one minor minor suggestion - the parmesan cookie on top of the rice was a little soggy. If it was crispy or crunchy, it would have created a crazy incredible mash up. For dessert, although the grape sorbet, peanut butter tart, and ice cream were good; the Oreo bread pudding provided an "out of body experience." All and all I have to say this is my favorite CJs in the area. The décor was more rustic than the ultra modern Tyson's location, and the parking was free and plentiful. CJs in Rockville is just not a meal, but a true dining experience - totally worth the trip. Final gripe to Cheff Goeff, why the table snub? No Hi5s to your #1 reviewer? ^_^.
(5)Diana Z.
Came here for lunch last week. Had previously eaten at Chef Geoff's in DC so was curious about how it compares. The sliders were great. and so was the pizza. It is a bit pricey, but this is the DC area, after all. Server (young woman with red hair) was friendly, attentive, and helpful. Made us feel welcome and at home. We'll be back!
(4)Caroline G.
So maybe my table and I spent the entire time comparing the Iphone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III, but in between that, we got to eat a lot of pretty good food (with one minorly major exception -- see below). If you don't know, I really like all of Chef Geoff's restaurants, especially during Restaurant Week (which this was not). The calamari was super tender, the risotto balls were tasty and made to perfection. Food here is consistently well-cooked and this is one of those places where I actually want to try all the offerings (ie NOT eat Pad Thai every time). So I ordered the roasted corn and cherry tomato risotto and the corn nuts were hard as rock. I could have cracked all my molars on that and we basically had to fish out every single one from the dish lest I lose a tooth. To say the least, not the highlight of my dining experience here. I'm also going to say that service was really spotty (but this doesn't affect my rating on them because I'm going to cough it up to the fact that they are just opening and still learning) -- water was not re-filled, when they brought our dessert over, our table wasn't even cleared, and they did not bring any forks or plates along with the dessert.
(4)Michael H.
This used to be a houston's... I mean Againn... I mean now its Chef Geoff's Rockville! I am always impressed with Chef Geoff's restaurants. While i am not personally enamored with the location (rockville pike is always crowded, day or night. It takes forever to get anywhere) the restaurant will do well. The menu was a mix of typical items (pizza, burgers, salads, etc.), interesting items (short rib sandwich), and way out there yet familiar things. There were some really neat things on the menu that i'm pretty sure I've seen at the local chain before, like the parmesan truffle popcorn. One thing I'd like to remark on is the 'finish' of the place. They have really brightened the joint up from its 'steakhouse/cigar bar' atmosphere of old. I felt like I was walking into a fresh, upbeat establishment and not some seedy hangout to hide in and impress the woman I'm having an affair with. Anyway, on to the food. Started with the Truffle potato leek soup - nice touch with the mashed potato on top! Really creamy and great flavor. I also had the Rockville burger. This was a burger, lettuce, tomato, horseradish, cheese, and some crispy onions on top. Served with house cut fries. The burger was delicious. I'm not sure, but I am guessing they grind their meat right before cooking. So good. I mean really really worth the $13. On the downside, I am here on day 2. They are still working some of the kinks out with service. However, this will not prevent me grooming back. I've been to a few of the restaurants in the chain like Lia's (in fact, the host from lia's was here this afternoon) and this location definitely lives up to the brand.
(4)Andrea L.
Love it! Delicious food and excellent service. Make sure you make a reservation, it gets really busy t night. A little pricey but is worth every penny!
(5)Ed L.
Had lunch here with the wife for Columbus Day and left feeling just ok. I thoroughly enjoyed my order of catfish tacos and plantain chips. The catfish was quite good and the chips were even better. My wife said her lobster roll was delicious and filling. But she said the sweet potato fries were somewhat bland. We shared an orange creamsicle soda, and it was a disaster. It tasted like medicine and caused me to nearly gag after a first sip. Our dessert order of cookies and mini chocolate shake was almost as bad. The cookies weren't even warm and the shake was still frozen. In conclusion, I was full, but I felt like we might have been better off trying to find a bowl of ramen. I didn't feel convinced that I would go out of my way to return. I did note that burgers ordered by others did look good, and there is a happy hour special where the burgers are $5 or $6 between 3 and 7 p.m. So maybe I would go back to take advantage of that special.
(3)Cat L.
First off, "happy hour" here is not a great deal and would probably not qualify as happy hour at most places, especially on Rockville Pike. However, it was very empty on a Tuesday after work and was a good place to catch up with friends. Also, I ordered the Chef Geoff's burger and thought it was one of the best tasting burgers that I've ever had - it was perfectly medium rare. I would not be opposed to coming back here although it's just one of many decent restaurants on the Pike.
(4)Marian M.
I love Chef Geoffs!!!! My family and I have eaten here four or five times now.... we love it. The Service is great! The food Is Great!! I would recommend the rockfish.
(4)Meg D.
My steak was amazing! Service was attentive. Food came out fast. Great menu with a lot of selections. I can't say enough good things about this location and this restaurant. My friend got a burger that he loved as well. The server told me they also have half price lunch burgers so I am definitely coming back.
(5)Naeem M.
IMO, one of the best food happy hours (all day on Mon and Tues; otherwise, ends at 7pm) in the DC area...you can get a high-quality burger with fries for less than $10. The pizzas are also very good (also at less than $10) and can be easily shared. The Rockville location also has outside patio seating (though the view is a parking lot).
(5)Kevin T.
It's sad I have to give this a 1-star because the food is really good. But they served us a moldy muffin and that is completely unacceptable. They apologized when we showed them it but didn't give us a discount or comp our drinks or anything. They just brought us more bread. For what it's worth we got the Shrimp & Grits and the Salmon Benedict and they were both delicious. Also their coffee was really good.
(1)Samantha L.
Chef Geoff's is an American restaurant with multiple locations around the DC area. In their bar area, they have happy hours all day on Monday & Tuesday and from 3-7pm Wednesday to Sunday. During their happy hour, they have discounted alcoholic beverages (wine and draft beers), two featured cocktails (e.g. basil peach sangria, zombie), flatbreads, burgers, and sides. Today, we got the Basil Peach Sangria, Zombie, and Turkey Burger. Both of the cocktails were light, fruit, and refreshing. The Basil Peach Sangria consisted of a semi-sweet white wine, vodka, peach nectar, and lemon juice and garnished with basil and fresh peach cube. The Zombie consisted of light rum, peach schnapps, orange curaçao, grenadine, and a blend of tropical and exotic fruit juices (including lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, passion fruit). The Turkey Burger consisted of lightly seasoned ground turkey patty marinated in a pecan-apple aioli, placed in between melted brie and slice of Granny Smith Apple over a bed of spinach on a toasted multigrain bun. It was served with artisan greens tossed in a creamy balsamic vinegar.
(4)Angela P.
Chef Geoff lives up to their happy hour reputation. But are they "best happy hour in Rockville? This Rockville native had to find out for herself. I came here twice for happy hour. The first time, I sat at the bar. Great, easy to read menu. No squinting at the drafts and they had an expansive list of them; including favorites such as Star Hill The Love and Magic Hat #9. My friend was impressed with the martini they made. They also have a rotating cocktail which always sounds interesting. I skipped on the drinking this time and ordered fried pickle chips & plantain chips with guac. Both delicious choices. The pickles were fried to a deadly perfection--hot, fresh, crunchy, and juicy. Definitely worth ordering! The plantain chips were also yummy; guac was bland and could use work. Also hard to scoop up on the plate. Max or Matt was our bartender. He was super attentive and made great drinks. What more can you ask for? The second time, I took advantage of their patio. Yes they do have happy hour outside! This time, we weren't staring our bartender in the face. In fact, service was surprisingly slow. A table full of thirsty, hungry ladies are not to be messed with! After ordering, it seemed the pace returned back to normal as other bartenders and servers stepped in to help. I wanted to give HUMONGOUS kudos to our server Peter who is truly a hero that evening. Despite a few eye rolls, he never lost his cool and was professional all night long. It was only when I made a trip inside, there was Peter busting ass to handle what seemed like 12 tables inside and out plus a private party going on. He was even on his way to say sorry for not being "the best server." It's kind of the like the lost suitcase scenario where someone genuine like him are few and far between. Thank you, Peter, for being a true professional and you were the best server! Good food, environment, chefs, etc etc will attract your customers, but it's truly the service that always triumphs by retaining happy customers!
(4)Roz D.
We went here for brunch and it was horrible. Bad quality food, poorly cooked, and atmosphere was stale.
(1)Antoine B.
Going to Chef Geoffs for brunch or dinner is a win win. Came to Chef Geoffs on a Sunday to check out their brunch. I ordered the country fried chicken & gravy meal with a couple of mimosa's. When the ordered came the meal looked amazing and I couldn't wait to dig in. The meal also came with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and a biscuit. The chicken was fried to perfection and the gravy complemented it so well. The portion size was decent and did not feel overwhelming. I would recommend everyone get there early so that you can grab a table outside and enjoy brunch under the covered patio area.
(4)Susan L G.
I have now been to Chef Geoff's four times for dinner. The service was great. One the visits was with a party of nine. Three of the visits I had different entrees - all of them were tasty. Our favorites so far are the shrimp and grits and the rockfish with brocollini and gnocchi. There are options on the menu to satisfy everyone from the vegetarian, to the burger and fry guy. The atmosphere has a nice upscale feel to it. Take note of the cool light fixtures, the treatment on the ceiling, an the bar area. So glad to have you in Rockville
(5)Patty H.
We've eaten at Chef Geoff's in the past - food was good - service was variable - generally service has been going down hill. Today it hit rock bottom. We arrived at 6:10 without a reservation - were seated immediately - restaurant was 2/3 empty. After about 10 minutes - our water glasses were filled. We asked the gentleman filling our water glasses if he could send our waiter over since no one had been by yet. A few minutes later - a gentleman in a suit (later learned was manager) came over - we placed our order - salad, two main courses. Young woman brought us bread. Salad arrived by about 6:35. And then it felt like we were sitting in a black hole. For the next 35 minutes - no one other than the gentleman with the water pitcher came by our table. He did refill our water glasses several times. But no food, no one stopped by to say what was going on, nothing At 7:10 - I went up to the front desk and asked how do we pay for the salad - we'd had it. She apologized. Said she'd get the manager - who turned out to the person who had taken our order. He asked what the problem was. We said - you know when you took our order - we still don't have our dinners - and no one has ever stopped by the table to introduce him or herself as our waiter. He apologized - gave me the general manager's card so I could follow up with her. Not sure what I'd say - other than - decided after a few mediocre experiences - that we'd give them one more try - not making that mistake again. The salad was fine. The bread was nice. Can't say a thing about the steak frites or the shrimp and grits - since our dinners were never served to us.
(1)Richard J.
Like this place a lot. Had the CG Burger for brunch today, it was brought out quickly and tasted delicious with the bacon, lettuce, tomato and pepper jack cheese, my choice on the cheese. The prices are good and Calvin is a great sever, knowledgable about the menu.
(5)Susan Z.
Great 7-day Happy Hour! The food and drinks are great both taste-wise and price-wise. The burgers and salmon burgers are fantastic---full sized. I hope they bring the tuna burger back! You can order mixed greens instead of a less healthy but tasty side. I really like the booths and outside tables. The only downside is the service at the bar. It seems that sometimes the bartenders, who double as servers to all of the inside and outside bar tables, are either falling over each other or overwhelmed and unable to give timely service. I have had to leave a table and go to the bar to order a drink and even asked the manager once to help them behind the bar. But...you still can't beat the HH. I've been for dinner a few times too. It was a little pricey for what we got (and for drinks non-HH) but the food and service were very good!
(4)Donald M.
I've had bad pizza and this has to be one of the worst. The crust was harder than bad French bread and the top "and bottom" of the crust was so oily that we needed extra napkins. One should not need a bath after eating something. The toppings were so sparse we could have thought they were missing. On the bright side, the deep-fried pickles were yummy!
(2)Katrina R.
Went for weekend brunch. It was fine. Most of what we had I thought was a bit too sweet. Our server was nice but very easily confused.
(3)Phi N.
I was pretty impressed with my meal here. I didn't feel like the options on the menu were that great, so I went with the crabcake (usually crabcakes are all the same). Too my surprise, it was a great choice! Eating a crabcake with their delicious sauce mixed into potatoes, corn, and other vegetables made it magnificent! Oh, and let's not forget about the guacamole w/ plantain chips. The guacamole was awesome.
(4)Drethi C.
So I actually received a call from the new manager at the store (amy maybe is her name). She was incredibly nice & let me know that the mice incident was a past problem when they had left the doors open during the summer. She assured me that since she took over a few weeks ago, they had pet control come and inspect to ensure that couldn't be an issue. She gave me a gift card for our past experience and told me to the bday boy back for a redo. We are really excited to go back, especially after we had someone being empathetic to our experience. I think chef geoff will be much better now under new management. Excellent customer service!
(4)Trish J.
Meh. It was fine. We had the trout and the tuna. The tuna was better, but the trout was overdone and dry. Fried pickles were good though! I can see a happy hour or drinks being okay for a low key evening. For a Friday night though, the crowd resembled that of a Luby's Diner. :/ Service wasn't great either. I wouldn't fuss if someone forced me to go back, but otherwise I think I'll steer clear.
(2)Dayle T.
On February 14, 2015 my husband and I went to Chef Geoff's restaurant in Rockville. Our reservations were at 4:15 pm. When we arrived at the restaurant there were only 3 other tables occupied at the time. The hostess put us at a table in front of the window. It was a very cold day and I asked if we could have a booth further inside the restaurant. She quickly snapped "no, people have reserved those seats. We are completely booked; this is a very busy day". The waiter was very nice and took our order. Appetizer a. Hummus and Pita - the hummus was very cold and did not have much flavor. It was served with these huge thick pieces of pita bread. 6 Rating (Based on 1-10) Salads a. Caesar - very choppy looking. 6 Rating b. Mixed Lettuces - very choppy looking with these huge wide slices of carrots and no dressing. 6 Rating (dressing was good after they brought it to me). Bread a. Not bad but the whipped butter had no taste. Main Coarse a. Big Shrimp Very Gouda Grits - Shrimp was over cooked. 7 Rating b. Pan Seared Grouper with Fried Rice - Fish was very over cooked and rubbery. Fried rice was very salty. 3 Rating It was Valentine 's Day and there was no signs of it (no flowers, decorations, nothing special). We had eaten at Chef Geoff's in Rockville one time before and the food was not up to par at that time, especially considering the prices. We are fine with paying for an expensive meal but we expect nice atmosphere, courteous staff and amazing food. We paid our $108 tab (that was only food) and scratched this restaurant off our list. BTW- when we left at 5:15 pm no customers were sitting in the booths I wanted to sit at.
(2)Barb L.
Just walked out of Chef Geoffs. We will NEVER be back! First, the server splilled a beer on my husband. Then after the appetizer, we waited and waited but no entrée. The server kept telling us "2 minutes." My husband talked to the man at the podium who sent the manager, Mika to our table to apologize and tell us our meal was on the house. Do you believe it? The meal STILL never arrived!!!! Luckily we were sitting outside. We got up and went to another restaurant. Very disappointing and will never return!
(1)Yinka A.
Had dinner here after work. I had the fried calamari appetizer and the shrimp and grits. They were not bad, but I had to salt both dishes and I never add salt to my food while dining out. Once a little salt was added the shrimp and grits were much tastier. I do have to give credit where credit is due, I had a taste of the strawberry rhubarb crostada with lemon ice cream that my friend ordered and it was excellent! It is the reason for the 3 stars. Unfortunately, I was too full to order one of my own...maybe next time. The waiter was also very pleasant.
(3)Jessica L.
Went to start the holidays early with a drink at the bar. Bartender didn't know how to make a Pimm's and only put one olive in my martini. Bartender let our empty glasses sit on the bar long enough (10 + minutes) that we eventually decided to move the party to Seasons 52 down the street. At Seasons, we found much better drinks and much better service.
(2)Libby F.
My friend wanted this Ed Hardy bottle of sangria, and the only place she knew to get it was at World Market. While the Chevy Chase location is closer, it's a b*tch to park in Chevy Chase Pavilion. So we ventured all the way out (a Kelly G. phrase) to Rockville. She bought the wine, while I lingered listlessly in the European chocolate aisles. After she dragged me away (I did not throw a hissy fit), we decided to try Chef Geoff's, despite the parking lot looking like a zoo. However, being the good co-pilot navigator that I am, I spied a spot right in front. It was Kismet! Yet, would there be a long wait? The hostess said there would be a wait, BUT... there was a booth in the lounge if we were interested. Like, yeah! It was 7pm on a Saturday night, and the bar area was quiet and practically deserted. So, on to the food. We shared the Wild mushroom pizza, with three cheeses and thyme. It was hot and delicious, albeit kinda small (6 slices) for $13.95. I'd get it again, but I'll do it on a Monday or a Tuesday, when their happy hour is ALL DAY! The pizza's only $8.95 then. And maybe then I can splurge on their $12.95 calamari. I've had it at their other locations and it is worth the price. I also enjoy their house made sodas ($4). I had the hibiscus limeade this time. I mean, if you want a soda, it's not much more than you'd spend on a Coke at another restaurant, right? Another thing that will draw me back here is their 'Sunset Special'. Daily from 4-6:30 you can get three courses for just $19.95. The mushroom ravioli and the fish & chips are on that menu! It's like restaurant week all year round! I may have to race past some senior citizens to get to the door, but that shouldn't prove too difficult.
(4)Dana M.
Yum! Came here for restaurant week dinner and will definitely be back! Restaurant week is an extra bonus because you can choose anything from the whole menu, as opposed to only having 2-3 choices per course. Everything was delicious, and our server was extremely nice in letting me know exactly which dishes I could have with my food allergies. Our table of 5 had: Appetizers/snacks: - Crispy plantains & guacamole - Chorizo pigs in a blanket - Crispy calamari - Crabcakes/apples/raisins/mustard sauce - Arugula salad with orange and beets (GF) Mains: - Big Shrimp and Gouda grits with andouille sausage - two at our table had this and said it was phenomenal! - Portabello and asparagus risotto - nice and creamy! - Mustard glazed salmon (I subbed sweet potato fries and asparagus!) - yum!! - Jumbo lump crabcake Desserts: - Trio of ice creams/sorbets: pistachio, coconut sorbet, peach cobbler, and guava (you could choose) - flourless chocolate cake (DIVINE and gluten free!) with coconut or blackberry sorbet. Coconut sorbet was great too. - guava cake with guava ice cream and guava compote - tri-fecta of guava goodness! Can't wait to go again on Monday or Tuesday for all day happy hour (or 1/2 priced wine on mondays!). Restaurant week is a must, such a great deal!
(5)Karen S.
I never even knew this place was here! It's tucked away in an office building/strip mall part of Rockville Pike that I had never considered would hold a fairly nice restaurant. The service and ambiance was good. Despite not being old, I really appreciated the large text on the menu and the very reasonable amount of lighting that made it easy to read everything. The bread came out warm and our waiter offered us more without being prompted. At the end of the meal, he offered my friend, who had leftovers, the option of boxing it herself or having him box it. I love that because I personally like boxing my own things, but I know a lot of people who don't, so it's nice that they don't assume. As for the food, it was overpriced for what it was. We got risotto balls (~$9) as an appetizer, and I was a bit disappointed. I expect them to have a creamy, melty center, but there was just a hunk of cheese in the middle that hadn't melted at all. Entrees were around $18-25, including things like a bowl of mussels, which, despite being delicious, were just mussels, after all. Didn't come with a side of fries or anything. My friend's shrimp and grits, which the waiter raved about, was good, but the "tiger shrimp" he went on about were pretty much just regular-sized shrimp. My other friend's fish and chips were good. We got a guava cake for dessert, which was fine. Less exciting than I had anticipated. I did notice that they had a "Sunset Deal" where you could get an appetizer, certain entrees and a dessert for about $20 between 4:30 and 6 p.m., which seems very reasonable. My friend also says their happy hour, with half-price appetizers, is really good. I'd come back if there was a deal, like the ones I mentioned, or with my parents, because it's a nice, quiet place with good lighting and good service that can be hard to find these days.
(3)Jason C.
Who is "Chef Geoff"? I never heard the chef's name in the DC food scene and was quite intrigued when a colleague booked a lunch reservation for our group. If I were to sum up the biggest problem about this place it would be that it's just too expensive for what it offers. My steak salad cost $20+ and most of the items on the menu (with the exception of pizza and sandwiches) are in the $17+ range. Desserts are $8 and side dishes are ~$6. My total bill came out to be $40+ for lunch after tip & tax and I think that's just too much for what they offer. The food is acceptable. It's cooked well, contains ingredients that are above average in quality, and they offer a wide selection of choices. On top of it the service was great. As for the ambience, I think the decor is substandard and the restaurant uses cheap dining tables and chairs for a place that charges so much. I think the cons of this place outweigh the pros and I just cannot see how anyone who has some knowledge of the restaurant scene in the DMV area would dine at this place. Thankfully, my meal was expensed on company funds but if I had to pay out of pocket I would be cringing now. For those considering to dine at this place I strongly suggest you to look at the menu and prices before making reservations. As for myself, I believe there are much better alternatives at lower price points such as Clyde's, Matchbox in Rockville and this visit to Chef Geoff will probably be my last (unless it's an expensed meal).
(3)Helen S.
My friends went to Urban Haunted House in Rockville, and before going inside, we decided that we would get dessert afterwards if we survive. Alas, we did survive, so we followed through by coming here. This is a relatively fancy place, and I'm glad that we got a chance to grab dessert here. We asked for the dessert menu after being seated, and then chose to split the following among the five of us: - Tiramisu with raspberry sorbet: Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts so I asked my friends if we could get it and they obliged, and we were not disappointed. This tiramisu was a great texture and flavor, although I didn't taste any liquor (tiramisu is supposed to be made with grand marnier I think...). It was really good, but the raspberry sorbet was very random and didn't complement the tiramisu well. It would do better with something like coffee or lemon, I think. - Lemon cake with ginger raspberries(?) and lemon ginger sorbet: just okay. The lemon cake was just like a lemon bar, and the lemon ginger sorbet was pretty interesting. I didn't see any ginger raspberries at all on the plate. - Oreo bread pudding with chocolate pop rocks and chocolate ice cream: not my favorite. I though the bread pudding was kind of gummy, had a strange texture, and was way too dense. I tried a little bit of the pop rocks, which were crunchy but didn't pop. The chocolate ice cream was solid. - Peanut butter and chocolate tart with peanut butter ice cream: just okay. I'm not a big pb/chocolate fan so I only tried a little bit of the tart, but the ice cream was amazing. I've never had pb ice cream before, and I basically ate half the scoop. Our waiter seemed very confused the entire time. I asked him for a mug of hot water, and he gave me the most puzzled look followed by an okay. And when we asked him if he could bring over some napkins, he gave us the longest pause, to the point that we all expected him to say no or something. It was pretty amusing. Overall, everything was decent but not extraordinary and I wouldn't come out of my way back here for dessert.
(3)Nicholas C.
We came here for Sunday brunch. The decor was elegant but seemed rather outdated. We were seated soon after we arrived (I had made reservations but the restaurant was by no means full when we were there). Our drinks came out in a timely manner. The Bloody Mary's were at best okay. I heard from the two that had them that they were too diluted with water. The coffee was acceptable. At $4.00 it should have been supreme!!! We ordered the pizza, Hangover Burger, Eggs Chesapeake and the CG Scrambled. There was a huge amount of food. I had the burger which was good as were the fries. There was just so much of it . The other meals were all fine but nothing to get excited about. We declined dessert; we were all too full. I can't say that I will run back to Chef Geoff's. There are better restaurants out there especially considering the price that we paid.
(3)Tom R.
Fancy inside, nice staff. A bit high for lunch prices but good. I had a crab cake sandwich which was great but a bit steep in price. I would like to come back for dinner sometime.
(4)Jess Y.
I really wanted to like this place. Especially since I have heard that it was good. One Saturday afternoon my mom and I stumbled into Chef Geoffs, in search of a delicious lunchtime sandwich. We ordered the fried calamari for our appetizer, my mom ordered a curried chickpea sandwich, and I ordered the basil chicken and gouda sandwich. Our sandwiches came out, and halfway through our meal we realized we never received our appetizer. We flagged down our waitress and asked her about it and she said she forgot and she'd just take it off the bill. That is horrible service in my opinion. Shouldn't you apologize?.....rude My mom & I traded half a sandwich so we could taste both. The curried chickpea sandwich had good flavor, but was extremely crumbly. I think the sandwich would be easier to eat if the chickpea was formed into some sort of patty, rather than a glob on bread. I gave up. I just ate the chickpea with a spoon, without the bread. The chicken sandwich...Where to begin. The bread was hard, the chicken breast was in one HUGE piece, extremely rubbery and hard. It was difficult to eat as well. The only good thing about the sandwich was the bread. It seemed like the decor was confused. Like the wood was supposed to look weathered, but ended up looking dirty. Overall, it was not welcoming. The service was horrible, our waitress forgot our appetizers and didn't even apologize, was flirting with other waiters off to the side, and the food sucked. Would not recommend or come back.
(2)Jason C.
Came in for brunch. Service was fantastic. Server was very professional. Food was great, bacon was cooked perfect and the maple sausage was yum. Coffee wasnt that great. They don't bring you cream, they brought warm 2% milk. The cheddar biscuits also weren't the greatest (compared to red lobster). Overall great place. Would return for sure.
(4)Anice S.
I'd been to the other two locations for dinner and happy hour, but we happened upon the Rockville location in search of brunch last weekend. It was fantastic. No wait and they sat us outdoors even though we were the only ones. The service was FANTASTIC and the food was really delicious. The complimentary cheddar drop biscuits could have been enough on their own, but both of our meals were generously sized and the waitress was thoughtful in her suggestions of substitutions and compliments. The classic breakfast (choice of 8 entrees,mimosa and coffee for $21) is a great value. We will definitely be back.
(5)PierAngeli M.
I finally went to Chef Geoff's in Rockville, MD. We went to the bar and ordered the hibiscus 'rita. For food, we ordered the truffle popcorn, caesar frites. My friend ordered the turkey burger and I ordered the Rockville burger. The popcorn was delicious and the caesar frites were DEEELICIOUS. I enjoyed them immensely. Also, I loved my burger and my drink was wonderful. I cannot wait to go back...woo hoo another great happy hour spot in Rockville.
(4)Christine K.
I've forgiven the Chef Geoff's chain enough to say, "I'm done." Service, especially at the Rockville location has been terrible since it opened. We sat at the bar for close to fifteen minutes for the wine list - that's all we wanted to since we were not hungry. A server said that it would take a few minutes to bring us the menus since they were "making changes"... late in the afternoon?? When I asked how much longer it would take to see the wine list, I was given a short, but honest, "I don't know." When we got up and left, none of the servers even acknowledged that we were leaving, and the place wasn't even busy!
(1)Zoe W.
I went to Chef Geoff's the other day and received the best service of any restaurant I have received in the DC area. Not only did the wine taste fresh, my steak cooked to perfection, and the calamari was the perfect crisp, the staff was prompt and courteous. We started out with drinks and apps at the bar, Will introduced himself and was a wonderful bartender and server. Amna was our server when we sat down to eat. She was friendly, and knowledgeable of the menu. They both seemed to enjoy their jobs and were happy to serve. Soon after we sat, Stephanie came up and introduced herself, asked our names, made sure we were enjoying ourselves and to see if we needed anything. She came around later to chit chat on our food, drinks, and service - which were great. Stephanie seemed to be genuine with her conversation - not like some in other places who seem to care less, I was surprised to see such fabulous customer service from a manager - it is nice to know people care about their place of business. Everyone was pleasant, always had smiles and seem to enjoy their jobs. So all in all, the service was exceptional and I enjoy dining in places where I feel comfortable, the mood is great, and everyone seems to be having a good time ( it was also nice when Will, Amna, and Stephanie asked our names - whenever we passed by one of them they always spoke to us). I shall frequent again and spread the word!
(5)Tahirah W.
My very own neighborhood "Cheers". I absolutely adore this place. The HH menu is great and very reasonable. HH 7 days a week and all day on Monday and Tuesdays! That cannot be beat. The Chef Geoff burger is out of this world and the salmon burger is very tasty as well. The pizzas are cooked to a crispy perfection and the staff is always great and welcoming.The drinks are on point with the dead bastard being my husband's go-to every time. Hurry up and take advantage of a great meal at a good price, as we've noticed that they've eliminated the calamari from the apps and raised prices by a dollar on the burgers!
(4)Bryan M.
Just a phenomenal dining experience tonight!!! Lauren, thank you for the attentive service, Benjamin, thank you for making our little superstars happy, and best of all, thank you Galen for the insane and recreation of the famous HiWest Lemonade!!! And the food was awesome too!!!
(5)Julio E. G.
This used to be Houston's Restaurant, A place where waiters and workers were sophisticated and professional with no over the top sweetness. Current workers are unprofessional and look disoriented. That is no big deal to me, but I was expecting professionalism. Unprofessional staff gives a bad impression. I don't want staff to kiss my ass, but I expect professionalism. The place is not cozy and dark as in the old days and they changed the bar which used to be rectangular. The bartenders were very busy and did not acknowledge our arrival at the bar. I do not expect prompt service if the staff is very busy, but one would think a well trained bartender would acknowledge the customer and say "I will be right with you". My wife wanted to leave, but I convinced her that the bartenders were simply too busy. Nevertheless, the bartenders kept walking past us without making eye contact. I don't care if the staff is inattentive. In fact, I am uncomfortable with waiters that try to kiss ass. But, these folks look unpolished and not professional. Did I say the bar atmosphere is bad? Too much light and not well decorated. I ordered a soup and salad combo. The arugula salad was dry! There was no dressing of any kind------a kitchen error. Luckily I love the pure taste of Arugula and ate it.. My wife wanted me to complain to the bartender, but I decided to not say anything. This was not the fault of the bartender. Furthermore, a lot of people complain in restaurants to get items removed from the check--------that is not me. When I was almost done with the salad the bartender asked me if everything was OK. I politely said everything was fine. I felt there is no point in complaining when one is visiting a mediocre restaurant. We got what we paid for. I gave the guy the expected 20% tip, but my wife said that was a mistake, because he will never know the service and food were mediocre. I will not visit again, the recollection of Houston makes this place looks as bad as TGIF on a bad day.
(1)Ed. R.
I was pleased to see Chef Geoff's arrive in the Rockville location that used to be Houston's. I decided to start with the plantains and they did not disappoint! They were better than my aunt's, in Puerto Rico. Just don't tell her. I moved on to the blackened fish tacos. The spiciness reaches the delicate balance of "flavorful" without crossing the line of burning your mouth. Delicious! My tequila sunrise was perfectly mixed and, had I not been driving, I would have had another. For dessert, we shared the flour less chocolate cake and sorbet... both, quite tasty. The service was the perfect blend of friendly and efficient while knowing when to let us enjoy our meal without being grilled about our satisfaction every minute or two. We'll be back... and, back again!
(5)Dave G.
We had an excellent dinner at Chef Geoff's last night. The server and the overall service were great and we really enjoyed all of the entrees that we got - the short ribs, the sesame yellowfin tuna, the Madras Curry Chicken and the Autumn Squash Agnolotti. Also, in addition to the calamari appetizer, the four of us shared a full Cadillac Caeser Salad and not only was it very tasty, but they offered to split it for us (no charge, no complaining, etc.) - that was very much appreciated. I was very surprised that the restaurant wasn't more packed last night, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meals and will be back!
(5)John W.
A group of us made dinner reservations for this place after seeing listed as a restaurant participating in the Restaurant Week 2014 event. While we've never been to Chef Geoff's Rockville, we have visited in the past when it was known as "Houston" -- so we didn't know what to expect from Chef Geoff's Rockville. The place was dimly lit to help set the mood and there are lots of available seating, making a reservation would be greatly advised. Our party consisted of our neighbors (2) and our family (3, including 1 child). Because of "Restaurant Week 2014", they offered the RESTAURANT WEEK WINTER 2014, which consists of three courses for $35.14. While the prices are a bit pricy, we still loved it. We each ordered the special: Tuna Tartare Sea Scallops Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Crispy Calamari Beef Medallions Ice Cream & Sorbet Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls Steak Frites Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Crabcakes Miso Glazed Salmon Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Lauren, our waitress, was very attentive, patient and helpful with menu dish suggestions. The appetizers were served within a reasonable period of time after our time of placing our dinner order. About 20 minutes later, our main entrees were brought to us. Every part of our dish, the meal/food was still quite hot and not warm (like sitting under a heat lamp). Our son ordered the kids meal of Pepperoni Pizza, hold the pepperoni and a Caesar's Salad. We eagerly shared our meals among ourselves trying each other's entree. My salmon (a selection that Lauren recommended) was quite delicious and very moist and nothing was left of the entree at the end. I was told by others in our party that their meals were also quite good and tasty. For desserts, three of us ordered the Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake because we didn't want to share our desserts. The evening was made wonderful by the tasty food and by our server, Lauren, always checking up on us.
(4)Stephanie L.
Decided to give this place a try since it is one of the few upscale restaurants around the Rockville area. For the price that we paid, I would take the money somewhere else. Service: Our waiter was very attentive but it seems like they were shorthanded. We didn't even get bread and had to ask for it. We also had to wait for a while to get our food/check etc. Ambiance: Just like any upscale restaurant, good for business luncheons. Food: I had the Jumbo Lump Crabcake, the portions were generous but the crabcake itself was really dry and there were no sauce to it. The crabcake that I'm used to comes with either mayo or tar-tar sauce but there wasn't anything on this one and the burger bun was wayyy too oily and the lettuce wasn't even fresh (or it probably got soaked in the oil from the bun). The sweet potato fries were ok, nothing special about it. My mom decided to try the daily special-pork wings. It tasted something like you would get at P.F. Changs, very very salty Americanized chinese food and the noodles/vegetable mix that came with it was very salty as well. We ended up asking for more bread because it was so salty. Dessert: I was so excited when I saw that they had the bacon sundae on the bacon bar menu because who doesn't love bacon and ice cream? But, boy, it was not tasty at all...how can you possibly mess up a sundae? There was way too much chocolate sauce in it and the caramelized bacon bites doesn't even taste like bacon.. WHERE IS MY BACON? I feel like even I can make a better sundae than this...
(2)Dee B.
*3.5 stars* Based on the food (three stars) and service I experienced (approximately 4.5 stars) here for a recent early Saturday lunch, I am currently granting CG 3.5 stars. I would be interested to see how their service and food is at a much busier time, as well as try additional dishes. But this is definitely one of those places you can take your grandmother who doesn't like 'ethnic' food. I also agree with the Yelpers who've commented on the nice brightness of the place - although I liked the food at Againn, I did find it to be rather dark and brooding. Just be careful in the parking lot at busy times...
(4)Jenni V.
Great food, great service! Only giving four stars at this point, because I need consistency...so we'll see. But everything we had was wonderful, and the service was good too. Thanks Chef Geoff's! Mushroom ravioli is a must...so delish!
(4)Ros A.
Great food, creative, inventive and delicious menu, and excellent service. Went for restaurant week, what an amazing bargain. Thank you Chef Geoff for no lame RW chicken specials;)
(5)Ginger H.
Well well..... this reminds me of one of my favorites, "Arties"! The food is simply, "REALLY GOOD," thoughtfully created, presented nicely and full of flavor and exciting. The service was impeccable! Not rushed, not overbearing and just the right amount of attentiveness without being intrusive. Price points I think are a little above average, but not such that it would prevent me from returning. The service and atmosphere along with awesome food is makes it worth it. We had the lobster roll, green beans, wild mushroom ravioli, garlic spinach, sweet potato fries, homemade chips, etc. All were just delicious!!! The bread was really good too....
(5)Mina L.
My first experience at Chef Geoff's in Rockville was mediocre and I'm very disappointed. My boyfriend and I decided to try a new restaurant on the Pike and we came across Chef Geoff. We shared the fried calamari, Roman caesar salad with a medium steak, and the seafood stew. SALTY would be the understatement of the year! The calamari was very salty and it was in the deep fryer for a little too long. The caesar salad's portion was very big, the steak was cook correctly (medium) but the dressing was terrible. The seafood stew is cream based and there were lots of different types of seafood (mussels, shrimp, fish, and scallop) but it was overly seasoned with lets take a wild guess.... SALT. The waiter did not bring me a spoon for my stew, they forgot to give refills of water, the waiter, Garlen/Garen? didn't even acknowledge us. I think the bus boys did a better attending to us. Definitely not going there again.
(2)Sharon W.
Former co-workers were planning to meet for dinner and Chef Geoff's was one of the places suggested. I had heard a lot about Chef Geoff and was happy to finally eat at one of his restaurants. We had fairly early reservations for 5 people for mid-week. I was surprised at how quiet the restaurant was when we arrived (mid-week, government shut down?). There was an attractive bar to the right with some small, cozy looking booths. To the left was a dining room divided into smaller rooms by glass partitions, which kept it light and open. Our waitress (hi Virginia!) was outstanding; efficient, and warm and friendly. Between 4:00 and 6:30 they offer a "Sunset Special", which is a very good value. For $19.95 you choose from one of assorted soup or salad appetizers; one of assorted entrees including any burger, Milanese chicken, fish tacos, etc., and any dessert. Four of our party did the Sunset Special, 2 had fish tacos, 1 the chicken dish, and 1 mussels. I wanted a crab cake so had the sandwich with regular fries not on the special. The mussels looked good and were a hit with the person who ordered them. My crab cake was good but not the best I've ever had and the fries seemed a little over cooked and not just out of the fryer. My husband's fish taco didn't look very good and, though he can handle some spiciness, he said it was overwhelming. I took a taste and totally agreed, the taste was not very pleasant. For his dessert my husband let me choose. We shared a "turtle cheesecake" which, as not a huge dessert fan I thought was delicious. So I liked the atmosphere, our service was outstanding, but the food was not outstanding. I would go back and order carefully, and hope for our same waitress, and, if just 2 of us, retreat to a cozy booth in the bar.
(3)John N.
So there seems to be a lot of complaining about this place already and, for a new place I don't see what the fuss was all about. Maybe I was a fluke customer, but I had a pretty decent experience here. I have been to the Chef Geoff's in Both Tyson's and the one in DC and I had great experiences at both of those places. So coming in I was expecting the same level of service with the same quality food. Ok yes this place is new, and generally it takes new places awhile for the staff to kick it into gear but I was pleasantly surprised when I came in. I would be back....especially for the Happy Hour
(4)Cheryl C.
The food was fine, but the service was not. Our server made a brief appearance to tell us about the specials but then disappeared for most of the night. I don't even remember his name. We ended up placing our drink and food orders with a manager who came by to see if we had been helped. Our server popped back up at the end of our meal to bring dessert menus and seemed disappointed when we just asked for the check. I don't even know how to tip in a situation where the server did absolutely nothing.
(1)Kate M.
Went here for dinner with my husband for Restaurant Week. First time at this restaurant. We enjoyed it and will likely go back. We were seated in the main dining room, which is a little boring - kind of like a generic hotel dining room. There is another room near the front with big windows that seems brighter and more inviting. The sidewalk seating is right up against the parking lot, so not terribly appealing, but they make the most of the space they have. Our waiter, Jack, was friendly, efficient, and very attentive. Overall, the service was excellent. Water was refilled often, empty plates cleared promptly, etc. The food was delicious, and it came out fast! The watermelon-tomato gazpacho was surprisingly spicy, but tasty. The plantain chips and guacamole were very good. At the time, I wished it were a bigger portion of guac, but it turned out to be kind of filling, so I'm glad I didn't overdo it. The mushroom ravioli was terrific; the roasted salmon was perfectly cooked and set on top of an addictive barley-chorizo risotto. I reluctantly stopped eating it to save room for dessert, and my husband polished off the rest. I also had a house-made ginger-lime soda with my meal. Be advised that the ginger flavor is super strong. I love ginger, so I really enjoyed it, but this is not like supermarket ginger ale - it's almost like sucking on fresh ginger. My husband enjoyed his key lime pie. I was kind of disappointed in the smoked cherry-almond ice cream, which had sounded so intriguing. I didn't detect any smokiness, and really couldn't even taste any almond flavor. What I had tasted like a nice, creamy cherry vanilla ice cream. When the bill came, we were pleasantly surprised to see that one of our meals was charged as a Sunset Deal ($23 versus $35 RW price). I guess my husband's meal choices serendipitously fit the more limited options on the Sunset menu and we were charged less. That was a bonus, since we were prepared to pay for two meals at the RW price.
(4)Nancy A.
Does not honor reservations and did not even apologize after keeping me and my disabled husband waiting for our table for 15 minutes. On April 20 I made a reservation for 6 pm that evening. they took our names and confirmed the availability for a table for two. When we arrived at 5:55 we were told they could not find our name on their computer and asked us to wait a few moments. We were looking at 10 empty two people tables. The male Maître de who asked us to wait came back five minutes later saw us and took off for the back of the restaurant. . After ten more minutes of waiting, a woman came out and said they did not have a table for us. No apology and very difficult to understand when there were many empty tables and we would have already ordered when they decided not to provide a table. The behavior I find outrageous and inexcusable. I will never go to any Chef Geoff's after being treated with such disrepect.
(1)Racquel C.
I went to this restaurant on a Tuesday night, and it was packed! I rarely dine outside of the district, so I was very hesitant about eating at Cheff Geoff's in Rockville. The ambience was great. The food was overall very satisfactory. I'm in love with their signature cocktails, especially the Pine-apple sangria. The Caesar salad was delicious. The plantain chips with guacamole was good as well. I had the lobster risotto. It was a good dish, but I thought it was too cheesy/creamy. I was overall satisfied with my dining experience, and would return here again to try the shrimp and grits.
(3)Elisabeth H.
This used to be Houston's and if you ever went it really couldn't be further in looks from Houston's. Houston's was dark and with traditional decor. Chef Geoff's is bright airy and light, really doesn't feel like you are in an older strip mall or that this is the same space that used to be Houston's. The service was great our waiter was honest and made recommendations as we ordered. For the atmosphere, service, and food I though the prices were very fair. I wasn't overly thrilled with my meal. I had the shrimp and grits which I ordered after the stellar description by our waiter. This dish was too rich for me and a little too outside the box. So I really blame the fact that I wasn't a HUGE fan on me and a poor choice. I will definitely be back but will be trying something else. I did like that there were gluten free options before hand and that the gluten free menu is very easily accessible on the website. I was able to find it know my options and didn't have to play 21 questions come time to order or be that person. My one complaint would be that when the reservation was made we were asked if it was for a special occasion and informed them it was, since we were going out for my Mom's birthday. No special accommodations were made, no cake, etc. makes me wonder why we were asked.
(3)Justin V.
The drinks were great and from what I have heard the food is delicious also. I wouldn't know though because I have been sitting for over an hour waiting for my meal to arrive! On a side note the beers are huge and they did compensate with a free drink.
(1)Don L.
Didn't live up to expectations. Half the dishes were excellent. The others, not so much. The service was also problematic. First, the server left us studying lunch menus for 10 minutes even though we were there at dinner time. Only after we started asking questions about the menu did he go fetch us the correct menus. Then, one of my dinner companions asked if he could make a substitution. The server harshly said no substitutions were allowed. After we gave our orders, the server came back and said, he would accept the substitution after all. Several times later, he mentioned substitutions or converting single entrees into the combo meals. My other companions had already turned down his offer to convert so his return to suggest it again was annoying.
(3)Opie M.
The Bar has not changed much, nice dark wood, over 20 seats long, even the bartender is from back when It was Houston's, But, the dark woods in the dinning rooms, have been painted white, The side area bricks have been white washed, a tint of brick still shows. The front Area is slightly more rustic, still shows red brick with a large mirror. So, the eating areas are clean and bright. Brought my super mug of Laginitas to my table, to complement an excellent peppercorn crusted tuna, nice and flaky. Our Waiter, from the Tyson's location, Gladly changed my ice cream with the carrot cake to very creamy chocolate. Other excellent beers on drafts are Dales pale ale, and Victory hop devil. Happy hr is untill 9pm Mon & Tues.
(5)SweeterThanTea T.
I have visited 2 different Chef Geoff's one in Rockville 3 times; twice for Happy Hour and once for Brunch, and Chef Geoff Tyson's Corner. The dining was like night and day. I am writing about my experiences at the Rockville location. Happy Hour: You seat yourself in the bar area. I like the booths, but there is a bar. I love a nice drink where there is just little more alcohol. I cannot say that was the case with their BAKED APPLE SANGRIA. It tasted more like a cider than a sangria with little to no alcohol, my party and I ended up going somewhere else for drinks. The Coconut Shrimp and Wild Mushroom Pizza Pie were good. Brunch: I do not eat pork ("No swine will touch these lips of mine."), so before placing my order, I always ask if there is turkey bacon or turkey sausage. During my dining experience at Chef Geoff Rockville this was no exception. There was no turkey bacon or sausage, but the waitress did inquire with the kitchen about the substitution and chicken sausage was the alternative. I ordered the Belgian Waffle (love waffles) with applewood smoked bacon (substituted with chicken sausage), apple compote chantilly cream. The food was plated very plain with the chicken sausage on a different plate. I asked the waitress if they have the pecan syrup because the Granny-Smith apples were too soggy. They did not! I pushed the soggy apples to the side and used the regular syrup for the waffles. The chicken sausage had red peppers, which gave them a little heat. (I love food with a little or a lot of kick.) Overall, the drinks were weak and the food (brunch) could have been a lot better. (Not all of America eats pork... add turkey bacon or sausage as a substitution). The bar section and restaurant are both nice sections. The waitresses are attentive, patient, and pleasant all the more reason for me to return....spring/summertime.
(2)Heather S.
Great place for Sunday Brunch. The food is great. The beignets are very good. Really liked the croque madame -- if you aren't a fried egg fan, you can request it scrambled. My other half likes their burgers. Lamb Kofta was excellent. Kiddo likes the dirt and worms dessert. Service is hit or miss. I'll say up front, the staff is friendly and the managers are on top of it when a problem occurs. First time, great service no issues. Last 2 times the service has been rocky. On one occasion they came out to say they no longer had an item (at 11am.. they didn't run out) They should brief the staff about menu changes ahead of time. Another time, half the table got the wrong food (no one had ordered those items at our table) they charged us for the wrong items and then they screwed up splitting the bill, charging one of us 100% and the other 50% (total 150%)
(4)Kayci S.
I went here for happy hour on a Friday and the food was really good. I really like the fact they had options besides meat (even on the happy hour menu) I would definitely recommend the salmon burger it was really good and tasted very fresh. Even though the restaurant has a "happy hour" be prepared to still spend a good amount of money if you're planning on eating and drinking. They have HUGEEE mugs as an option if you want one of their happy hour draft beers but unless you're planning on chugging I'd skip it because by the time you're half way done, your beer is warm (it's seriously the size of a persons head). But in general definitely worth the prices and I will be coming back :)
(4)Tara S.
I went here last year on a whim. I will be honest, I don't explore too much once I know what I like! But my boyfriend and I went for a date night and it was pretty good!! The food was delicious (although vegetarians beware - they put bacon in my salad and it was NOT listed on the menu!) and the wine was just as good. Although I had a good snafu, they took the salad back and replaced it right away and they were not upset about it at all.
(5)Eric L.
Been here a few times to have a drink at the bar, stopped by last night (New Year's Eve) around 11 and told the hostess we were just going to have a drink at the bar, she wasn't sure the bar was still serving but we should feel free to ask the bartender. So we walked into the mostly empty bar and asked the bartender. He wasn't sure so he went to ask the manager, the look of annoyance that came across his face that there were two more customers told me all I needed to know we left without waiting to get the official answer and went to Clyde's had a great time with a very friendly staff. Sorry Geoff but I won't be back, I don't want to be a bother to your staff.
(1)Bill S.
I know have eight or nine check-ins there and have always had good food, service and a perfect selection of beer. The duck confit appetizer is really an "Asian Taco Kit". Figure that out. The duck is pulled and spiced in hoisin sauce. I comes with hot peppers, picked onions, and other do it yourself accessories. I compare it favorably with Peking duck and highly recommend it. I have it as a main course. The fish tacos are another treat. Yummy and a huge portion. Phyllis who is hard to please, loves the crab cakes, the curried chicken and the lobster roll. Note that the rotate their offerings so they are not always the same offerings. They have a hug beer menu and have all my hoppy IPA favorites. the also offer a 33 ounce "up grade". Beware a 20 proof IPA in the jumbos size. You will be under the table (but smiling) We always get great service there and have never had a wait with reservations. Chef Geoffs has become our default "go-to"place.
(5)Gerry B.
Good Brunch menu with good Bloody Mary's. A bit on the pricey side but a nice space, we sate in the bar and the service staff was very accommodating and helpful. Looks like this would be a good happy hour spot with the layout of the bar area.
(3)Michele T.
I was a little skeptical to try this restaurant out because I haven't heard a lot about it and the parking lot was fairly empty when we went but I was pleasantly surprised! We got the weekend dinner deal: appetizer, dinner, dessert. We ordered the tacos and black bean burger. The salads weren't that great...but the main dishes were great. I also got one of the signature drinks that the waitress recommended and was disappointed...very weak and little alcohol. Service and dessert were good and evened out the pitfalls.
(4)Nick C.
Can only comment on lunch. Had burger special and it was good but not great. Good atmosphere and eating at the bar is a good choice for lunch. Service in good and good is served quickly. Priced for specials are good.
(3)George S.
I have eaten at several of Chef Geoff's place. I do find it odd that I eat at the Tysons- Chef Geoffs often, but no one remembers you. This is about the one in Rockville. I took, my boss, and 6 of my team mates. I wanted to impress him. We had 5:30 dinner reservations. We did show about 10 minutes late. We were seated at a nice table in the back, like I asked for. The server was pleasant, but I would not classify her as overly friendly. She took drink orders. In about 20 minutes the drinks arrived. She came back for our dinner orders. This is where things went down hill. We saw another large party sit beside us. We saw their food come. It had now been about 60 minutes. Did not see the server and still no food. My boss got up to ask a manager what was going on. He was told they had lost our order. It was 7:45 when our food arrived. It was ok. Nothing great and not worth the price. A manager type person came and asked if he could do anything and he was sorry. I told him he could comp or dessert. Thought it was odd I had to even suggest that to him. He bring out some after dinner drinks on the house and a tray of deserts versus asking each person what we wanted. The oddest part is the server never acknowledge any of this. Geoff's was a wonderful place when the first opened the first place. As more and more open, it now feels like a chain place. Ruby Tuesdays with an extra price. After dining there for over 5 years.... it is time to move on. So sad.
(1)Robert G.
Very pleased with this place! They have great wine and the service is excellent at the bar. I'd highly recommend it.
(5)Tricia K.
Decent food. Chicken tortilla soup was bland and less to be desired. Waiter was a little confused. Sunset special description misleading. Be advised. Excludes crab cake sandwich even though categorized as a burger. Should update menu. Chocolate pretzel cake.... It's dry. Very dry. Let's just say it is almost like eating raw cocoa powder.
(2)Selica O.
What a terrible dining experience! I made a reservation for 5:45 not knowing how busy they get. Aside from a corporate happy hour there were about 15 total tables full. After being seated immediately by a lovely host a bus boy brought water. The waiter appeared and my friend asked for water without ice. He said he'd take care of it. We placed our order (my friend the trout and me the chicken Milanese) and he asked if we wanted bread, which we said yes to. Ten minutes later my friend didn't have her water and there was no bread. Our waiter kept walking by and we kept asking and he said he put in the "order" and wasn't sure what the problem was. An "order" for a glass of water and bread? My friend's meal arrived before the water and bread and without mine in tow. The waiter came over and apologized, saying he placed the order for the other items to another table. That made no sense, since the fish came to ours plus if the items went to another table they would have rejected them and then we would have gotten them. Ugh. Five minutes after her fish arrived the water did along with the bread. Another five minutes and my dinner did as well. It was hot and OK but nothing amazing. The manager comped my meal but I was a little annoyed the manager didn't come over to apologize for all of the problems. Two stars because the food was hot and the bread was good.
(2)Janet G.
I'm going all five stars for Chef Geoff's. We had a very nice experience here last night, from start to finish. My fiance had let them know when he made a reservation that he has a lot of food allergies, so the first thing that happened was that our server, Benjamin, promptly came to the table to get a full list of haves/can't haves, and made very good recommendations for what he could eat. We're pescetarian, so he also let us know what was prepared with chicken broth or other items that we don't eat. He knows his menu inside and out. Fiance had tuna, asparagus and fingerling potatoes, all very nicely prepared. I had the arugula, beet and orange salad (delicious and a very generous portion), and the wild mushroom ravioli, which was heavenly. Nice delicate pasta with a really rich filling, lots of spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes with a velvety sauce. Loved it. Dessert. Hoo boy. The flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream and cherry coulis was fantastic, and was delivered with a nice little candle for my birthday. I couldn't have asked for a better finish for dinner. I really like this place. They took excellent care of us, the food was terrific, and we will be back.
(5)Hass B.
we were three of us...and all ordered the same dish chicken breast ...it was just ok...nothing great. I dont think it worth the price. ..
(2)Kat F.
Monday/Tuesday all day happy hour is awesome, but it is crowded at the bar and seating is veeeeery limited. I came here for a nice dinner for my friend's birthday. We ordered numerous appetizers including Sweet Fried Calamari (which was nice and crispy), and some other apetizers (it slips my mind because my other friends had ordered them). For dinner, I ordered the Italian Sausage and Shrimp Penne, which was okay but not spectacular. I don't really remember much, but that usually means I must have not really found it to be that great. :-/
(3)Rachel R.
Chef Geoff's is a great addition to the long line of restaurants along Rockville Pike. It's nearest neighbors are Bennigans, TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, and the Silver Diner, so Chef Geoff's definitely provides a much needed nicer option. Food is excellent, and service is great. They let us essentially shut down the restaurant without any pressure to leave, and were kind enough to inform us that if we bought a bottle of wine (it was 1/2 price night) and didn't finish it, we could take it home!
(4)Michael M.
Rockville's got close to nothing, so consider this a sliding scale... Happy hour is reasonable, beer selection is good, ambiance is pretty classy for the area. The food? It seems like it could be pretty good, but we went opening night so i'll cut them some slack. I got the tuna, cooked pretty well, but deffinitely not the 6 oz it promised, and accompanied by a pound of mashed potatoes? odd combo, probably working out the kinks.
(4)Shawn M.
Came for Restsurant Week and left smiling! Great deal, excellent and creative food and wonderful service. My 6 y/o son loved the hummus so much (shared three ways) that his pizza made a nice lunch the next day. In fact, we all had enought for lunch the next day! Wonderful attentive service was the icing on the cake. Highly recommend....I know we'll be back.
(5)David H.
Ate here on Friday, the 3rd day the restaurant was open. Was expecting some kinks in service like we've seen at other new restaurants, but were very pleased. We were greeted warmly at reception. Our waitress was pleasant and helpful. Our drinks were served right away, so the bar was ready to go. Appetizers came quickly. Main course came a little soon, immediately after we finished our appetizers, but that will probably get better. Chef Geoffs has a varied menu, something for everyone. It is a step above Rockville Pike restaurants, I'm pretty sure it will do well. Good amount of parking out front. Restaurant was busy but still available parking out front. Hope it succeeds, it's a welcome addition to the area.
(4)Anne B.
We were really excited for Chef Geoff's to open in Rockville as we've enjoyed the two DC locations. We were really disappointed when we went about two weeks ago. It seems like they're trying to be a more upscale restaurant than they are, but not pulling it off very well. We put our names in and were told to come back in 20 minutes. When we came back in 15 we were told it was going to be another 20-25 minutes. I made a bit of a stink and the manager came over and miraculously they had a table for us. Hmpf. Once we were seated we waited about 10 minutes for a waiter, who was far from attentive the rest of the meal. My husband had to go track down sweetener for his iced tea and I had to ask three times for a water refill. And the food was just so-so. Definitely nothing to write home about. We're not likely to return anytime soon. Too bad.
(2)Robbin L.
Not much to rave about. Pros: ALL day happy hour on Mondays and Tuesdays, sweet potato fries, sangria Cons: Mediocre service -- mainly one grumpy bartenders, fried mac and cheese is glorified mozzarella sticks, not the best value for HH Will only return if I'm forced.
(2)Gerren P.
I have gone to their downtown location for happy hour before. They have great drink specials and burgers at a reduced price. I went for dinner with my wife and a party of 8 others. Didn't know that it was Restaurant Week when we arrived, but decided to go with the special ($35 for appetizer/soup/salad, entree, and dessert of your choice with no restrictions). I went with the Crispy Calamari, Steak and Garlic Frites (w 8 oz NY Strip), and Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake. The calamari was served hot and fried well without being too greasy. The three dipping sauces were good too. I found the Steak to be a bit disappointing... I don't think it was a great cut as there was too much fat and the meat was tough (and I ordered it medium). There was a seasoned butter on top that I thought was unnecessary. I was especially confused by the fries. They're more like undercooked potato slices and they had way too much garlic. The best thing about the meal was the dessert. The Turtle Cheesecake was tasty and the chocolate crust was perfect. Service was ok, but they made a big deal about separating checks, were a little slow on water refills at first, and tacked on a 20% gratuity automatically (not sure if this was because of our party size or just general policy). All in all, I would go back for happy hour but not for dinner.
(2)Vicki C.
I didn't even make it sit or dine at this restaurant. My husband and I made it in the place by 6:45pm. There was a young lady and a gentlemen in a suit.. I'm guessing he was the manager. They were so wrapped up in what they were doing, we stood there for a minute and they didn't greet us. We decided to check the bar area and it was bumping. Very crowded so we decided just to grab a table. We returned to the hostess stand and finally the young lady greeted us. We asked for a table and the response was "we can't seat you in the dining room until 8pm." She ended up going about her business. My husband and I looked at each other confused... no apology or reasoning why the wait was so long. Was this normal for such a crowd? I guess I should have made a reservation? More importantly she didn't even ask if we wanted to wait or put our names down. This was my first time at this Chef Geoff's location and I'm very surprised on the customer service. My husband and I ended up leaving since they weren't so nice to us in the beginning I can't imagine what would happen if we sat down. Won't be returning to this location.
(1)Zoe I.
Not the best (fancy) location on Rockville Pike but I don't really care. The foods are so good!! The staff are really nice. We were seated in the front and I was talking to my friend about how close the table is to the next one (like New York close) the staff overheard me and move us to more comfortable space right away. Thank you!! I food came out pretty fast. I ordered Eggs Benedict w Crab cake. Very yummy and large portion. The drink was very good, we ordered the grapefruit w honey (non-alcohol drink). The breakfast special only included 1 round of drink so don't think that you will get unlimited even it's non-alcohol. Over all its pretty good. We will go back again.
(4)Nick T.
Outstanding! bar was awesome, busy. Tried the Dead bastard! Perfect and a nice change for me. Good crowd. Dinner was another great meal with the riceballs to start. Fish was good all around. You got to try it.
(5)Adryani M.
I will have to agree with the previous reviewer...this bar is all about Amna!! She is one of the best bartenders, hands down, and I have been to many restaurants. First, she is so friendly, she makes you feel so welcomed, whether it's you're first time here or if you are a regular. I have a few tests that measure exceptional customer service by my standards, especially when I'm at the bar. She has passed each one with flying colors. She's attentive, without being too intrusive, and she makes great conversation. AND she takes the time to answer any questions you may have. She can handle the entire bar area on her own, and if you knew how long that bar top is, it's impressive!! Shout out to Amna, thanks for making our Chef Geoff's experience a great one!! We will be back for sure. Oh, and her service alone tops any of the other bartenders at the New Mexico Ave. location, by far!!!
(5)Lauren Y.
Went there last night for Valentines day dinner. I would probably give it like a 3.5. Some of the food was pretty good but some were A-ok. Our waiter was very attentive but his menu suggestions seemed really rehearsed and automated as if he was specifically told to say those things. One of my PET PEEVES when ordering steak is when they cant cook it how i ordered it. Why even bother asking me how i want it cooked if you're just going to cook it well done?! I don't get it. I asked for medium and there was not a hint of pink in it. The seasoning of the steak was good but way overcooked for my liking so my husband and I ended up switching dishes. His tuna dish however was fabulous and was cooked perfectly! We got the calamari, white wine mussels, and fried pickles as appetizer and they were all pretty good. Later on i guess a manager stopped by our table and asked if she could do anything for us but she was pretty useless in my opinion and didn't even comp an appetizer off our bill. I'm not going to wait around another 20 minutes waiting for a new steak when we have plans afterwards! Not on my top favorites list but will probably go again someday..
(3)Stephanie S W.
While the atmosphere is nice (especially enjoyed the bar area), and the food is delicious, I found that the happy hour prices were misleading and it put a negative lense on my experience there. On the happy hour menu it lists all burgers at $5.95 (or something like that). Myself and two other dining companions got 3 burgers. On the final bill, one burger was $11, another was $9, and only one was actually the advertised $5.95, despite all three being on the happy hour menu. We were told later by our waitresss that there were upcharges for one burger being a turkey burger (again, it was listed on happy hour menu). Although the total bill was still reasonable for what we ate, I feel strongly that the staff should be familiar with the menu and pricing so they can explain when you order something what the cost would be. I know that my friend would have likely switched to one of the burgers that was actually $5.95.
(3)Bruce E.
Too salty in general. Portion size trout reasonable price fair. The lentils under fish way too salty. Scallops tasty but only 4 mid size with only 4 black gnocchi on a very empty plate.... At $28.95. Some what pricey. May try again when in rockville but not rushing in.
(2)R W.
We had a good experience at Chef Geoff's Rockville. It was our first time there. The food and service were very good; we started with the Hummus Platter and then both of us had the Rockville Burger. No complaints. We will return to try other items on the menu.
(4)Jessica G.
My toddler went bananas for this restaurant, which will certainly skew my review. I had a decent cut of steak. My husband had a pretty good burger but our daughter definitely was the most impressed of all of us with the fried plantains and guacamole app and kids' spaghetti. Service was solid when we went (at the very family friendly dinner hour of 5 o'clock on a Saturday). Drink selection seemed pretty good and I like the new decor. I probably wouldn't rush back except for the fact that our daughter had such a blast and it's super convenient for us.
(3)Meggie C.
went here for restaurant week 2013 and I LOVED IT! deffinitley will be back and good this its 2minutes from me too! i went with my boyfriend and a couple of our friends after hearing alot of good things about it. its pretty spacious with a nice dining area to the left with booths and tables and then a bar on the right. the staff is nice and they have their own private parking lot. below are the dishes we had, all were delicious and i deffinitley recommend them :) ---appetizers--- 1. Crabcakes 2. Tuna Sashimi (DELICIOUS!!!) 3. Crispy Calamari ---entrees--- 1. Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin Medallions with whipped potatoes, asparagus, brandy peppercorn sauce (DELICIOUS!!!) 2. Mustard Glazed Salmon with edamame & black bean succotash, and roasted corn coulis (DELICIOUS!!!) 3. Crab & Shrimp Ravioli with watercress, pearl onions, grana padano, red pepper sauce (unfortunately you only get 3 large raviolis) 4. Jumbo Lump Crabcake with fingerling potatoes, spinach, bacon lardons, and corn chowder sauce ---desserts--- 1. Coconut Tres Leches Cake (i love tre leches cake but hate coconut so it was a love/hate dessert for me lol) 2. Flourless Chocolate Cake (tasted more like fudge) 3. Guava Cake (ehhhh not my fave lol) 4. Guava Ice Cream (DELICIOUS!!! must try!)
(5)Rosa L.
Went last Friday and didn't realize till we got there that they participated in restaurant week until the server told us. The server (sorry, can't remember his name) was super nice and very attentive. I actually read some reviews before I went out and was wary of the comments about bad service, but as soon as we walked into the door, the hostess and who I assume might be the manager? cheerfully greeted us and since we had reservations, we were seated right away even though we were 15 min early. The food: I got the tuna tartare and it was very delicious I would definitely recommend. It was also suprisingly alot more quantity than I thought there would be which made me happy. Bf got crabcakes which were very small but very delicious. I had the cobb salad with salmon. This is probably my only complaint/problem? even though it actually still tasted delicious. Because I got the salmon and our server said it was available rare since it was sushi grade, I asked for rare but what I got was medium rare which ended up working better with the salad. Bf got some sort of steak/beef dish that I can't really remember other than the portion seemed a bit small, but he was full at the end of it so can't complain :) We were both full after the main that we ordered our desserts to go. Server recommended lemon pudding cake which was very delicious without being overly sweet. The chocolate turtle cheesecake the bf got was also delicious but obviously much sweeter than the lemon pudding cake. Overall loved the experience.
(4)Lola C.
Went back to Chef Geoff's last night and they got everything wrong. The trout was strange, its potato encrusted but the skin is still on which i suppose would have been okay if it wasn't plated on top of a very high pile of under cooked lentils making it almost impossible to eat. The tuna app served with sesame chips was over loaded with scallions, i get this dish all the time and this time it was doused in them. The chips/crackers whatever you want to call them were stale. Making me think they were from the night before. My date got a steak and he said the fries were and i quote "awful" and apparently they missed he whole "garlic" part of the garlic fries. Just to top it off as i was walking out the old bird at the next table who had one of the grosses coughing fits during my meal thought it a good idea to shoot eye daggers at me as i departed. My date saw this and said it was quite obvious and its a good thing i didn't because i didn't need to shank an old bitch at dinner. I go to this place often and if this had been the first time I went I would never return. I know they are capable of better because I've had much better there.
(3)Tara C.
Just came back and the service alone is amazing. Benjamin....you are great at what you do. And the doughnuts...yum. Another great meal.
(4)Carrie P.
I can only comment on the Happy Hour menu, because that's all I've ever been there for. I can, however, say that the Happy Hour menu is awesome! Great burgers, appetizers, and drinks for some pretty sweet deals. I'm a vegetarian, so I usually order their black bean burger, which I really enjoy, though it's a bit on the mushier side. Love the guacamole. Overall, you can't beat their happy hour deals. But it does get crowded, especially on Friday evenings!
(4)Mike M.
Must have had the same rude waitress that I read about in other reviews. Short blond working the bar side today threw three menus down on the table without speaking one word then disappeared for 10 minutes. Looks like she decided to talk to some friends at the bar. Needless to say we left...not sure how they stay in business hiring staff like that....will never return .
(1)Monica W.
The food was delicious and the service was outstanding! We came here to celebrate a birthday (It would have been nice if they offered a complimentary dessert). If you go between 4-6:30 p.m. you can get the sunset special for $19.95, which includes soup or salad, an entree and a dessert. We started off with the crispy calamari (and they were crispy and good - not sure if because we asked very extra crispy), which I highly recommend. I had the Potato Crusted Rainbow Trout (it's actually encrusted with homemade potato chips which are crushed) so good! I wasn't a fan of the flourless chocolate cake because it was too much chocolate. I think me taking it to go and heating it up may have ruined it. Overall, I would recommend the restaurant. .
(4)Lourdes G.
I rarely write reviews. However, I feel my first at Chef Geoff's should be documented. I went to Chef Geoff's for happy hour with about 10 coworkers. I entered the establishment with one of my girlfriends and we were not greeted by the hostesses. We stood there for at least a minute to locate the bar and spot a coworker. OK, no big deal -- maybe the two people standing at the hostess station didn't see us. Now, on to ordering drinks. The happy hour menu online does not match the menu that's in the restaurant. Myself and two other coworkers were interested in the sangria listed on the happy hour menu online. The waiter looks at me and says, "I haven't been on the online menu recently." I'm sure we are not the only people that look at a menu online before visiting a restaurant. The waiter could have said they are working on updating the menu online...his attitude was well that's not what's on the paper menu in front of you. OK, fine may he's having a bad day...as I stated there were about 10 of us arriving at different times. As more people arrived we gathered more chairs and tables. As my coworkers started to push the circular bar tables together they were told by the bartender that they cannot push the tables together because the doors to the patio area couldn't be blocked in case they needed to attend to patrons on the patio. Makes sense, right?! Yes, but yesterday it rained pretty much all day and no one was sitting on the patio. Not to mention, the table would not have blocked the doors. When my coworkers explained what they were doing and why; the bartender says, "Could you please just put the table back." Wow, this place is extremely petty. The whole time we were there no one asked to sit out on the wet patio. Lastly, because we were a large party and leaving at different times, I asked if we could get separate checks. Ha, I was told during happy hour that that wasn't possible. Fast forward 30 minutes later and I see my coworker at the opposite end of the table getting a separate check. About 3 people in my party received separate checks. The rest of us were on one check. I guess he got tired. I don't know. Well, that was my first and last time at Chef Geoff's in Rockville. I commented to my coworker that the inside was nice and I wish Houston's was still there. I almost forgot, I had the Iceberg wedge salad. It was OK! I've had better. I was not too thrilled about the 2 slices of bacon laying on top of the wedge. It would have been better if they would have cut the bacon up. Needless to say, I will not be back for happy hour or dinner.
(2)Kathy C.
Still a fan.. came during Restaurant Week, but I was disappointed with the Grilled Ribeye, which happened to be the most expensive thing on the menu. The waiter didn't ask at first how I'd like it cooked. I caught him on his way to the back and asked for it medium rare, but it wasn't tender. It was a little hard. I wouldn't recommend it, because you can get better steak elsewhere.. sorry, Chef Geoff! Besides the steak, I still think the food here is good.
(4)Chris C.
This was my second time here and it was just like the first...so so. The service was fair, the food was ok and the bartender was seemed like he didn't want to be there.
(2)paul g.
Went here for fathers b-day. He liked the warmth of this place. Service was very good. appetizers excellent. Main courses very good. desserts average w/ limited selection. A bit pricey but not crazy. Very busy on a colder than average wednesday night. Bar is long and excellent. Fried oysters excellent ! Shrimp w/ grits very good!All in all solid 4 stars. A little higher quality in the food and goes to 5 stars!
(4)Seema G.
Came to this location for Restaurant Week with a friend. Overall the food is good but service could be improved. Not sure if it's because we were seated outside or if that just had to do with our waiter being a little out of it. After ordering drinks, it definitely took him about 20-30 minutes before coming back to take our order. The other strange thing was they brought out the bread after I got my appetizer, a watermelon gazpacho soup which was yummy if you like gazpacho soup. I thought most places usually brought bread out while you were waiting for your food. The mushroom risotto I had was good as well and had long slices of portabella mushrooms in there, so you must like mushrooms to enjoy it. My friend got the mushroom ravioli which she liked also. When they brought our main courses out, the girl must not like black pepper b/c when she was turning it, she barely was getting any out so she finally just gave it to us. Funny that we had no problem for us getting the black pepper out. The waiter seemed to have forgotten that I ordered the restaurant week option and was supposed to get dessert but realized it as he was asking. I ended up ordering the guava one which was okay. The guava ice cream was good but the compote on the cake was a bit too jelly like for my taste.
(3)Russell L.
I reserved a table for 16 for brunch this past Sunday. Lot's of family, which can be difficult to say the least regarding RSVP's and timely arrival. We had the staff reconfigure our table set up twice, which they did with out hesitation. The servers went out of their way to help the kids and the elderly get situated. That alone was worth 4 stars. The Bloody Mary (I needed it) was perfect! The crowd settled down and ordered. The food came out timely and hot. I had the steak and eggs, will have it again. No one in my party said anything but positive things about their food orders. Thanks to the staff and I will be back again!
(5)Renee L.
Service was top-notch. Our waiter was fantastic... one of the best I've ever had, actually. He was very knowledgeable about the entire menu and also great at checking up on us, keeping drinks filled, making sure we had everything we needed several times. Kitchen is very willing to accommodate special requests, which is beyond awesome. Nice atmosphere and decor. I had the pizza - mozzarella and tomato. It was pretty good, but could have used a little more sauce, in my opinion (it was kinda barely there, which is a shame because what WAS on there was quite good)... but otherwise, excellent. Very fresh and light. The only thing I didn't like was that their website says they offer a whole-wheat crust... but found out this particular location doesn't actually have it. Sad face! :( Next time I will try their homemade veggie burger though. Overall, great experience and would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Also would be a great place to host a nice event. It's very pretty inside, classy and elegant.
(4)Tracy B.
Disappointing experience. Bar is closed today for the owner's birthday- and in the dining room they would not serve the bar menu. Again, another repeated example of poor customer service from Chef Geoff. Had similar issues at Lia's, so clearly this is a management issue. The food was tasty, though. Try the tuna sashimi app. Food=3 stars. Overall customer experience=1. Hence 2 stars
(2)SY C.
We went there during lunch, using the Groupon that was offered recently. Unfortunately since it was during lunch, I couldn't have a drink, so I'm eager to go back and try something alcoholic - drink menu looks tasty. We ordered the duck confit and seared tuna appetizer. The duck confit WAS. AMAZING!!!!! The toppings and wrap for the duck was just such a DELICIOUS combo. I can't wait to go back for some more. The tuna wasn't as flavorful as I had expected. My friend said it's better at the other locations. We ordered the shrimp and gouda grits and steak as the main entrees. The shrimp and grits was really good, but super rich. I could only have a little, esp since I had the confit before it. Talk about gluttonous! The steak was good. The little bite I had wasn't amazing, but was tender. The dessert menu (usually my favorite) didn't strike me as anything fancy, but I do hope to try it in the future... Since I couldn't have a drink b/c it was during lunch, I had the seltzer in the blue bottle. They gave the entire bottle to me. It's weird to comment on seltzer, but it was fancy and really was good. Sometimes seltzer is too bitter or too flat, etc. This was pretty perfect and refreshing. The service wasn't bad. They had a note saying people were in training, so it wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't bad. I'm definitely going back for the duck confit...drooling just thinking about it.
(4)Em B.
While the food and ambiance of the restaurant was okay, it was the management's behavior which i thoroughly reprimand. That alone will keep me from coming back. Last week, I saw who I think was a manager, "Theresa", scold our waiter for something extremely minuscule. The way she behaved was inappropriate, especially doing it around customers. I am thoroughly put off from this business because of how the management treats their employees.
(1)A K.
We ordered the lamb samosas for appetizers which were delicious. We also had the Rockville Burger and short ribs which were good. The cocktails were delicious and strong. We tried the cappuccino, but it was OK, we probably would not order it agian. Our waiter was very nice, but overall the service was a little off. We'd like to come back and try their house made sodas.
(4)Mim B.
Another winner from this restaurant group.....service was outstanding
(4)Gail B.
Mushroom pizza and chicken tortilla soup very good. Cesar salad and lemon cream cake dessert were poor. These were both very bland. This was my second visit and the service has been unfriendly both times. Next time I'll get the mushroom pizza to go.
(2)Amy B.
How many wait staff, hosts and servers have to pass by you and not pick up your empty plates? We have enjoyed other Chef Geoff restaurants, but this one needs attention and better training.
(3)Tee S.
Had a reservation for 11:30AM on a Thursday. Walked in the door and although there were very few people actually seated at the time the entrance was conjested! There was a party of 3 clearly waiting for more people to arrive, a gentleman at the computer making a reservation and a gentleman standing behind him. We stood to the side so as not to block the doorway. It seemed to be taking a long time for the reservation to be made. After a few minutes another employee came to the front and instead of asking who was next, which should have been obvious to him (the gentleman behind the one at the fromt of the line) he turned to us and asked us if we had a reservation. we said we did and were about to tell him there is someone ahead of us, he grabbed some menus and gave them to a waitress that had just arrived and she took us to our table.....slightly awkward to say the least! I'm a stickler for manners and these oversignts did not go unoticed. The lady at the computer did not have her friendly face on this day. We were seated next to the window. A nice airy space but the tables are way to close to each other along the window. When the restaurant filled up we felt cramped. The food! The warm rolls that were brought to the table were delicious. The staff that brought them and the water were delightlfully friendly and courtious. Our waitress was upbeat and friendly with lots of smiles. My dining partner had the mussels which she said were absolutely delicious and she was amazed at how many there were. I had the Caeser Salad with chicken. It was a decent salad but I would have liked the lettace to have been a little fresher. The chicken was a tad on the dry side also. The menu looks enticing so I will certainly eat there again.
(3)Naomi G.
I had an early reservation for Chef Geoffs and was seated immediately in the window. My waiter came by at least 4 times in the next 10 minutes, but after that was impossible to find. I ordered a salad and a burger and my friend got a salad and risotto. The food was tasty and as ordered. But, with a 5:00 reservation we didn't get our food till after 6 PM and we finally had to ask for our bill 4 times from various servers at 6:45 because we needed to get home. We were never even asked if we wanted dessert. Also interesting the bus staff kept wanting to clear our table of things we were not finished with. I never got to eat my bread because I turned around and it was gone. I would return for the food... but definitely not for the service.. which is what I thought Cheff Geoffs prides its self on.
(3)Mallory S.
Perfect for restaurant week! They had such great deals with great food! You could literally get anything from their appetizer menu plus a main dish and a dessert. No special menu with limited options.
(4)Cristi F.
Best burgers during happy hour in town! I love this place after a long day at the office! And who can beat all day happy hour on Monday and Tuesdays! The pizzas are also really good and you can even order just one small scoop (I do mean small) of ice cream to finish your meal. Their frozen hibiscus drink is great as well as their "Something Bubbly" ok that one is not on the happy hour list but a nice nice way to relax from the long day. Carlos as bartender is fabulous and very personal! Calvin and Dave are great as well. I would highly recommend.
(4)Kathleen C.
Nothing great here except the service from Virginia who handled our 10 top expertly. The food came out hot and timely, but the innovative takes on some traditional cuisine just doesn't cut it for me.No one complained much because we had an out of country guest and we were celebrating Mother's Day. My steak was tough and probably cooked a bit more than the medium that I had ordered. It definitely wasn't aged beef or any fine cut - more like something you pick up at the grocery store and cook because you have run out of ideas for a weeknight dinner, ugh and I could have fed a family of six with change leftover for the quality of that beef. The ambiance of the place is also lacking. It has been painted with a lighter color since the days of Houston's, but it looks terrible in my opinion in the light shade - I am sure an interior designer was not in on the "update", because you can't just change the color with the rest of the seating and booths remaining a dark shade and expect it to look good. Well, the style of this place would look a lot better if the food improves.
(2)Jan S.
DEE-LICIOUS. From the appetizers to the dessert, it was the perfect dining experience. One of those meals with tastes that stays on your mind, even the next day or two. Great service, lovely ambience. Easy Parking. Highly recommend for business, adult friends or couples dining.
(4)Jen L.
I've only been here once so far. We went for the Sunset Special where you get a 3 course dinner for $20. The meal was fine but just average. Some of the dishes seemed to have a lot of butter/grease. The steak fries had a layer of grease at the bottom, and the trout entree I ordered tasted to buttery for my liking. The best part of the meal was the dessert. There are several to choose from, and the portion size was huge. I wouldn't come here for a regular dinner again, but you get a pretty good deal with the Sunset Specials.
(3)G A.
My wife and I have been looking forward to dining at Chef Geoff's since they opened their Rockville location. My birthday + the in-laws watching our 2-year old = opportunity. Diving straight into it, great atmosphere, friendly service, awesome food. I had a chicken curry dish, my wife had trout, and both of us came away happy and satisfied. Only downside--if you can call it that--wow, the frozen margaritas were strong! We will definitely be back.
(5)Bill M.
Decided to check it out. Service was outstanding (Christop) Shrimp and grits were some of the best I've ever had. My wife had the pork tenderloin and really loved it.
(5)Susan V.
Went for lunch 8/23. Initial service was great. I ordered the chicken curry based on Yelp reviews. Bleah - the chicken breast was weirdly mushy. Was it precooked? After the appetizers, we had to flag down our server to order main courses. Then she disappeared. We had to wait to spot our server to order dessert. I won't go back - Food needs to be freshly prepared and the service needs improvement. We certainly did not expect to have to spend two hours for a weekday lunch.
(2)Joe Y.
I figured they just opened so the kinks were probably still there. But wow, what a horrible experience. The hostess staff was completely lost, the wait staff was mediocre actually the most boring not interested staff I've ever seen. Ok food was decent, definitely did not meet my expectations. Started with fried pickles and fried risotto balls. Fun food but that's about it. For entree my girl got the seafood linguine and I got the pepper rib eye. Her food came out before I could finish my first bite of the appetizers and mine came 40 minutes later. The seafood linguine was ok, but it lacked seasoning (salt), shrimp was raw and quite frankly the seafood linguine at Pines of Rome at half the price blows it away. So my pepper finally arrives. The manager delivers it but doesn't apologize for the delay. I think he was too proud. He seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. They all tend to after their 3rd restaurant. Steak was cooked perfectly but the warm potatoe salad was bland and the pototoes were raw.. I ordered a side of gorgy grits which looked and tasted like wall paste. I never want anything free but service and being humble is important. They never offered dessert or coffee for my inconvenience so after paying $95 for a meal / no drinks. I was clearly disappointed. Will never go back there again. Too many restaurants in the area that care about their customers.
(2)John A.
Service was fine, but there were baby mice scurrying around the dining area and the food was mediocre. Yes, there were mice. Any sort of rodents in your establishment is unacceptable and im pretty sure its also a heavy health code violation.
(1)michele p.
Bottom line for me= good spot near work for happy hr. In my opinion Rockville is lacking in the wonderful area of hours of happiness. Since happy hr occurs after work and with coworkers it needs to be close to work so given a small radius around this area I would say this is the best happy hr option. Coming in second is timpanos by the way. Both are places I would NOT go to for a sit down dinner (both too fancy, a little too pricey for the food, and draw an older crowd). However, for the purpose of drinking a few and eating some things off the apps list available it works. Also will be great in good weather! The wine is ok, big beers are at an ok price, the bacon happy hr is a good addition to a regular bar menu. The flat breads, burgers, larger apps on the happy hr menu are a great bang for your buck! Service was not great I think they only have 1 guy working the entire bar area so he cannot work miracles. They were weird about splitting up the bill but we can figure it out on our own I guess. I hope this place stays in business this location has a lot of turnover.
(4)Allie H.
We had a delicious dinner our second at the Rockville location. Service was attentive and prompt and the white cloth setting is nice for the area. They have a Sunset Special featuring a few of the entrees and two other courses for $20. A true bargain. Food preparation is tops; nearly licked the plate.
(5)Stacy W.
I generally steer clear of writing reviews unless the service was really bad. In this case my inaugural and terminal visit to the new Rockville Chef Geoff's warrants such a critic. I decided my first visit would be during the advertised Happy Hour on Wednesday evening, releaving me of goin home to cook or nuke a quick meal. After finding the remaining single seat at the bar I settled in and waited between two couples for a greeting and menu. This step alone took a whole ten minues as the bartender attended to those around me, who noticed that I was being ignored repeatedly. Once I was noticed I was given the Happy Hour menu and toe full menu since I was told happy hour would end in ten minutes. Quickly, before I lost the bartenders focus I ordered a burger and beer from the HH menu. The barternder returned with my beer and quickly departed for the far end of the long bar. Within ten minutes my order came out nicely prepared, nothing special, accompanied by fires and a pickle. Trie as I might to get a set of utensils and a napkin, which those around me had after their orders were taken I could not. I preceeded to eat my burger and fries while they were still hot. Even my bar mates, who I had been casuallly chatting with noticed that I was without utensils and my hands became greaser from the fries and burger. To no avail could I get the bartenders attention until I was completely finished both food and drink. You would anticipate a stop to inquire as to how the food is, or would you like a refill, but he never came back. When the gentlemen to my left barked at him for help, and then pointed him in my direction, did he stop. Only to ask if I was done. I informed him politely that it was a bit difficult and messy to enjoy my food, since I had not utensils, and before he disappeared could I have my check. It came five additional minutes later. Like a previous commenter stated, there are many choices along Rockville Pike that offer better food, service, and courtesy. if this is what you can expect here save yourself the agony and go elsewhere. For the same happy hour service I could walk to the other end of the strip center and have Five Guys.
(1)E L.
Went for brunch with the fam. Fruit plate that comes with brunch, ok. Mini muffins that come with brunch - 1 corn (ok, but no butter), apple/Cin (dry), chocolate (yum!). Fam got sodas - both to die for, and we make our own at home so we can appreciate (lemongrass & strawberry). Fam likes their homemade sodas a bi sweeter, so we asked for simple syrup. Perfect. Tween had Belgian waffles, accompanied by apple compote & chantilly cream. Awesome (& we've had them in Brussels). Hubby had Croque Madame, accompanied by awesome tomato marmalade. Again awesome (& yes, we had the CM in Paris). I had Eggs Henry, like Hollandaise, except with shaved ham. Awesome. Dessert was beignets with 3 sauces - chocolate, cherry, & lemon curd. Insane! Also got ice cream trio of lemongrass, vanilla, & pistachio. All were super. So, while pricey, it ea a great meal, and we appreciate real food!
(4)Mike T.
don't let the ambiance fool you, this place is pretty poor for the level of quality it attempts to exhibit. i ordered the pork wrapped in prosciutto and the gf ordered the burger. granted my pork was cooked to perfection (soft, tender, and juicy), the peppery taste was just too much to bear and the prosciutto was comparable to beef jerky - no really. my gf's burger reminded me of the ones they serve in the public elementary schools back in the 90s. we were excited about the orea bread pudding but that was a tragic failure as well. the scoop of ice cream was the size of a gum drop and although i understand there are a number of restaurants that use microwaves to warm up their deserts, this place just makes it obvious as it was clear in the texture of the bread. never again.
(1)Wendy M.
My family and I enjoy dining out. I have experienced Chef Geoff's other restaurant's minus Rockville and Tyson's. We usually dine in the Bethesda/Rockville area so I decided to check it out. I made a reservation on Open Table. We arrived 30 min late, due to unforeseen circumstances...and that's when the bad experience began, The manager was extremely arrogant and quite aholish. He told us he needed the table at 7:00. Weird because their was no wait.... quite odd for a Saturday night. OUR server was lousy, the food was not good. My eight-year old son commented on the Caesar salad that we both had. It had no garlic or anchovies in the salad. Strictly bland cream dressing. I asked for some fresh cracked pepper, the server pointed to the pepper on the table. Really! It took him 10 min to bring the pepper ill. I pass! Our tabletop was not flat and the drinks wer at a tilt. I went to put sugar in the glass and the tea spilled in the salad and into my lap. The waiter didn't even offer a another salad. I would have passed, but it's interesting he didn't offer. My husband had the Big salad with Tuna, which was overcooked and very bland. My mushroom ravioli was rubbery, but the filling was tasty. My son has the mussels, which he enjoyed. Dessert came with the meal and when I ordered, I asked for vanilla ice cream and not the Bailey's Irish cream. The waiter didn't hear a word I said then looked at me stupid when I reminded him of what I ordered. Lastly, the check. It was wrong. The gentleman that Was seating people, whispered to my son, " your mom doesn't miss a thing." They really needed to offer a comp for the meal. It was not worth the $70+. My first and last visit. I"ll stick with the my favorite consistent restaurants, Matchbox and Woodmont Grill.
(1)Mike K.
Went with my wife and 95 year old mother, we were looking forward to this treat but very disappointed. Service was spotty, nice greeter, smarmy server. The pickles were the best thing we ate. The oysters were fried oyster stuffing not succulent oysters. The vegetarian burger my wife ordered was mushy. My mushroom pizza was OK. Not a good experience.
(1)Ginny H.
Now that I've been to Chef Geoff's a dozen times, I'm getting a better idea of where improvements could be made. Again, I think everything I've eaten (Lobster Roll, Cobb Salad, Short Rib Sandwich and previously mentioned Shrimp and Grits) has been delicious. The waiters I've had have been efficient and pleasant. The drinks, fantastic. The one area where I've witnessed consistent weakness is at the front desk. The staff is either not welcoming, or cloyingly insincere. Once, when lunch patrons were stacked up, sitting on the six-inch ledge under the window between the foyer and front dining area, I suggested that the host offer seats in the bar. He said, "Oh, they know it's there." The problem is inexperience and a lack of sophistication - training. Another time, I had brought a guest who wanted a pretty traditional pizza. The waiter offered to put marinara sauce on it, so the guest ordered an olive and pepperoni pizza, with marinara sauce. When it came, the host brought it instead of our waitress, saying, "Here is your pizza with marinara sauce!" There was not a smidgen of marinara sauce on the pizza! We were hysterical, laughing. Then, the waitress brought a little dish of olives - they had also been forgotten. (The pizza was delicious, anyway) Lastly, when patrons leave, whoever is at the front desk should look at them, smile and say, "Thank you." Thank you for coming joining us today. Have a good afternoon. Something.... Again, training is the only way out of this. The young members of the staff have obviously not eaten in fine restaurants. They haven't witnessed great service. I'm not talking about the waiters and waitresses. Although I haven't been to Chef Geoff's at a very busy time, I have always had great service at table.
(4)Karen K.
I had an very good lunch today with 7 friends at Chef Geoff in Rockville. First, I was pleasantly surprised this morning when received a phone call from the restaurant about the size of my party and the possibility that the round table requested on Open Table might be a tight fit. It was thoughtful and the woman offered the round table or a regular table, my choice. We chose the regular table, all fit in, and were able to communicate well. The lunch menu offers a lot of choices - all types of diners should be able to find things that will appeal to them. Special mention for our waiter Brandon. He was attentive and did a great job!
(4)Kevin D.
I joined a friend for happy hour (5/12/15). I've visited Chef Geoff Rockville several times-this is my first formal review. The Chef Geoff Burger (beef, red onion, bacon & cheddar cheese on brioche bun) is delicious, cooked to order w/thick cut bacon & fresh toppings. $6.95 happy hour @bar. Good service & pleasant atmosphere.
(4)Dennis W.
Great menu options, reasonably priced. Combine that with wonderful service and quality of the food; highly recommended.
(4)Stephen B.
Several weeks ago I wrote a well-deserved scathing review of Chef Geoff's after a Saturday evening dinner w/ my wife and two friends. It seems that the restaurant, in its infinite wisdom, chose to have Chef Geoff's private birthday party in the bar area that evening, closing off the entire bar for the entire night to all customers. Patrons knew nothing of this until arriving at the restaurant for dinner. Aside from not having the availability of the bar at their disposal, diners also had to put up with horrible and delayed service, inattentive staff, poor quality of food and total lack of caring because all of the staff's attention was focused on Geoff's private birthday party in the bar. As important as I think it is to post these horrible experiences, I think it equally important to post, with the same fervor, positive reviews and compliments when a restaurant acknowledges the errors of their ways and bends over backwards to right the situation. This past Saturday evening myself and my wife, along with the same couple we had dined with prior, were invited back to the restaurant as their guests. All appetizers, entrees and desserts were comped by them. Needless to say, the entire meal was absolutely superb--and I mean that in every possible way. The staff was friendly and courteous, the food was incredible and our server, Benjamin, was perhaps the most polished server that we have had at any restaurant in the DC area in years. We were truly made to feel welcome and appreciated. Now...skeptics might ask: "Did they bend over backwards because they knew you were coming in and were putting on the dog-and-pony show becauase they had blown it so badly the first time?" My response: yes, they did know that we were coming back in, but you can't fake excellent food, great service and genuine caring. This restaurant has earned back all of my respect and we look forward to many future wonderful meals there.
(5)Alan S.
When the excuse for poor service is "He owns the restaraunt, he can do whatever he wants" it is a sure sign your restaraunt is one that is not worth returning to. So apparently tonight was Chef Geoff's Birthday. To celebrate he closed the bar for a private party. What that also meant is that drink orders took 20 minutes in the restaraunt. this was our second visit, here. The first was not long after the restaraunt opened. The common factor was the the service was mediocre whch is fine, it was a perfect match for the food. I had a lamb dish. Essentially 4 mini lamb patties over cooked to the point that they were dry and hard as rocks. I think we would have been better off stopping at 5 guys a few doors down. At least the prices their I don't have much of an expectation. If you want a high quality meal with good service a few miles away - I would try Wildwood Kitchen. Much better food and a restaranteur that doesn't take his customers for granted!
(1)Haifa S.
We absolutely LOVE Amna, every time we have visited she has been a great waitress. I have made a mistake ordering before and with the biggest smile and kindest heart she changed my order free of charge. Our favorite things here are the wild mushroom pizza, and the turtle cheesecake. They are both to die for.
(5)Judy T.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant. While the food is fine, the service and management have been horrendous. The first time I went the service was slow and inept, but I told myself that the restaurant was new and still settling in. I gave it another chance but will not return. On my most recent visit I was one of 5 people. We went to the bar at 5:30 pm and were sat at our table at 6:15 pm. The waiter came to take our order at 6:35 pm. We wanted to order off the special 3 course menu but were told it was not available after 6:30 pm. We explained that we had been at the table but he had not come to take our order. Long story short, after talking to two mangers we were still not allowed to order off the special menu. Had we not been taking a guest to dinner we would have left. Very short-sighted, Chef Geoff. Now you have 5 locals who will no longer come to your restaurants and will encourage their friends to do the same. I have heard similar stories from many others. Take my advice -- there are many good restaurants to have a lovely meal in Rockville. Do not waste your money at Chef Geoff's!
(1)Melanie R.
We made reservations for 2pm and chose from the lunch and brunch menus. It definitely wasn't crowded and both of us were pleased with the upscale casual atmosphere. Service was very good. I like to try the calamari whenever I visit a restaurant for the first time and here it was slightly better than mediocre with an interesting jalepeño dipping sauce. I had the entree sized Cadillac Caesar with grilled shrimp, the spicy dressing was more tangy than spicy but complemented the avocado very nicely. The cornbread croutons were insanely good and pulled the whole dish together. The delicious blood orange mousse is one of the seasonal dessert offerings. Only the presence of other people prevented me from licking the plate after I ate it. I'm a fan of the Moscow mule, so I tried the Rockville mule, made with orange flavored vodka. Meh, it was okay. It had a lot of ice and I wasn't that impressed with flavor or presentation.
(4)Debbie G.
We had crab cakes here and they were really good. Lots of crab very small amount of filler if any The food came out fast and promptly. The waiters never let my water go below the halfway point. The bread and honey butter are to die for!
(5)Suzanne W.
Good food, nice atmosphere. I had been wanting to visit this restaurant for a while and finally decided to meet a friend there for lunch. We were served by an exceptional waitress who provided us the menu and answered every question we had about the menu. I had the gulf shrimp. Very tasty. Fresh vegetables and their potato salad was excellent. A little pricey for my taste but I'm glad I was able to visit this venue.
(4)Janelle J.
This is my second time enjoying lunch here within the past two weeks. During the week, there is not a wait (at least not when I have dined) & the staff is always welcoming. The white truffle popcorn was certainly a treat as was the spinach salad with salmon. The salmon was prepared as ordered, well but not dry and was delicious I'll definitely return to try other dishes
(5)LN G.
We decided to give this restaurant a try for Mothers Day. Maybe they would have done better on a less busy night. Our server was awful. Over 10 minutes after we were seated, the hostess came over on her own accord to apologize for the delay and take our drink orders. The rest of the service was much of the same....our server was absent at all times. He seemed to be purposely avoiding eye contact with our table and it was impossible to get his attention. He took our dessert order, and it arrived (not brought by him, of couse) while our dinner and appetizer plates were still on the table. We had to help hold our plates while they put down the dessert and then had they took them from us with many apologies. Speaking of dessert, our creme brûlée came out watery and runny. It took us 10 minutes, but we flagged down the waiter to let him know, and he picked up the dessert, announced that he was going to make the chef aware, and ran off with it. That he needed to have the chef weigh in on the matter was odd (it would have been simpler to just replace it with something else). But where I took offense was when he came back with the same dessert announcing that the chef verified that this was how they made it, and offered no other resolution. If I am going to pay for a creme brûlée dessert, I expect it to be set. Otherwise you have given me runny pudding...which is not creme brûlée. Restaurants make mistakes, but if your quality control does not catch it before it gets to my table, don't try to convince me that this is how you make it. To end on a positive note, the hostess was very nice and our main meals good. The kids meals are huge!
(2)Pam K.
My family and I decided to celebrate my daughters 20th birthday at Chef Geoff's. Along with my family of 5, we surprised her with two of her friends making our table a rather large table of 7, This was a special occasion dinner and not something we can afford on a regular basis. When we sat down there was a screaming toddler at the table next to us. I mean Screaming! Since it was well after 7:00 we assumed that this table would be finished soon and leaving, but no, they were there for at least another half hour. When the family made no attempts to leave, we did start to complain. Regretfully we hadn't asked for a different location when we arrived (nor was it offered) and we did say something to the waitress but didn't want to make a scene. The first half of our rather expensive dinner was while not ruined but very unpleasant, I was disappointed the maitre d did not bother to come to our table to check on us and at the very least have comped part of our meal.
(3)laur i.
Another delicious meal! Prime rib special ...delicious, catfish special, husband devoured and grilled pork chop our friend had was eaten down to the bone. Great service and relaxing atmosphere. Would highly rcommend.
(5)Haley S.
Menu was appealing. Environment was nice. Food was good. Service was poor. Decent experience overall. Looks like they have some great happy hour specials, so I plan to go back!
(3)Lily R.
Three and a half stars. For many moons I've wondered who was this imposter who dared to take over my beloved Houston's Rockville location. At last I ventured to Chef Geoff's, and I was pleasantly surprised. The inside is still very Houston's. The large wine safe remains. Geoff's was fairly crowded, but no trouble getting a table right away. As part of the brunch, they offer comlimentary biscuits for the table with chive cream cheese, apple butter, and pepper jelly. I appreciated this, as I feel that breakfast should not be exempt from a free bread policy. The pepper jelly was delish. Although the biscuits made a valiant effort, they could not hold a candle to the Biscuit Queen, Red Lobster. My meal was the Cadillac Caesar Salad with Buffalo Chicken. There are a number of choices for salad topping, including calamari (!) and tuna, as well as the usuals. The salad dressing was nice and spicy, and the chicken was pretty good although a few pieces were slightly overcooked. My friend who got the blackened chicken had the same issue. For good measure, I ordered a side of Gouda grits with my salad. These were the real star of the show: it was a huge portion of creamy deliciousness. Seriously, the portion was like, cereal bowl sized. I could have just ordered grits for my meal. I basically only ate grits and then took my salad home. Good waiter, pleasant dining experience, and definitely interested in returning to try the dinner menu.
(4)Fred K.
For some reason thus Chef Geoffs just isn't as lively as any of their locations. I mean it's Thursday night at 8:30PM and I'm only one of two people at the bar. Maybe it's just a happy hour bar? Or is this place for the older generation, like elder parents and grandparents. It's a night and day difference compare to its livelier Tyson's location. As for the food and main restaurant, we thoroughly enjoy the food, service, and atmosphere. Only a hint of the old Houston's beck wall remains left here. Hoping this place doesn't close soon.
(4)Chris C.
Hey so be been going to the original on New Mexico for ever now and I love coming here too.. Great food! Good ambiance and fantastic service.... Yes bathroom test passed! Come for the supermug happy hours!!! They're great
(5)Heather J.
My first Chef Geoff's experience! Well, aside from Lia's. I came with a group and the servers were very accommodating with people arriving at different times and then splitting the check a million ways. The food was great. I had the mussels in tomato broth and they were excellent. My only request was a spoon to eat the broth because the bread that came with them wasn't sufficient to sop it all up. The menu has something for everyone and the food is a step up from the Clyde's group of restaurants. I'll be back!
(4)Casey K.
Ok, so this is a bittersweet review. Came here for brunch (finally!) and the food was great, didn't taste a single thing I hated. However, the service was the downfall and started ticking off stars for me towards the end of our meal. First comes out a small tin bucket of mini cheddar biscuits served with a tray of chive cream cheese, pepper jelly, and apple butter. I am a huge apple butter fan and the apple butter was great, however, the pepper jelly and the cream cheese were the stars. Merge these two together in one bite and you are in for a delicious merging of creamy, spicy jelly goodness...LOVED! I had the Croque Madame which was marvelous. Perfectly crisp bread with savory ham and gruyere cheese and a fried egg on top of it all. Comes with a pleasant palette cleansing side of balsamic topped salad which helped break up the richness of the croque madame. The fries were ok, not a big fry person so I didn't waste mush time on them. All and all, a fantastic dish for me which I highly recommend. My friend ordered a side of the Gouda grits (highly recommended my yours truly). Our waiter forgot to bring us the side, but was more than apologetic and ended up giving us them on the house for the oversight which I thought was great. The grits, as usual, were phenomenal. My friend's thoughts were mine exactly in my first review that these are on a whole different level than your average bowl of grits. They are more like mashed potatoes and you'd be missing out if you did not order either the shrimp and grits or a side of these lovelies. Now, comes the downfall. Not sure if it was a shift change or they were switching over from brunch to dinner, but we were being bum rushed out of there. Waiter after waiter kept coming by and trying to grab the check book and saying, "is this ready?", "can I take this?" or "I'll take this". To which we would answer, oh we haven't put our cards in yet. My friend and I were meeting up for the first time in close to a year, so her and I would get to talking and forget about the check until another waiter would come around and make us feel like we had over stayed our welcome. One kind of lingered there after I said, "oh no, we haven't put our cards in yet like" like she wanted me to snap to. The end kind of left a really bad taste in my mouth. First impressions are huge, yes, but if both my friend and I are leaving your restaurant saying, "What the hell was that?!?", there is a huge problem.
(3)AL K.
Cool happy hour reduced prices on appetizers and drinks. The pizza was great for $8 and the plantains with guacamole was something unique. Great service until it gets crowded. Pricey dinner entrees.
(3)Tiffany L.
I've had a couple different burgers here and they've all been good. This past weekend I got the Rockville burger Med and it was one of the better burgers I've had. I've tried their pies and I like the chicken one. Sucks cause their hh is significant cheaper than regular price for the exact same thing. Fiancé said the chicken wing app has only five or six wings for 11$, that kinda sucks. We come here often for their beers on and off hh. We always sit in the bar area and usually get the Same server -This middle age man. He's just not very good. I have no idea what he does while he's working but he's not as attentive as he looks. This place is a "let's just go there" place for my fiancé and his friends.
(3)Miss R.
I've been here several times for happy hour. I like that they offer more than just the usual buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks. Sandwiches, burgers (turkey, beef and even salmon), sweet potato AND Ceasar fries, and even popcorn are just a few of the happy hour menu offerings. I think the happy hour menu changes every few months though, so customers are treated to a variety of flavors throughout the year. Drinks: The sangria is ok; a little weak and heavy on the juice. The Blue Hawaiian was so-so; I was expecting a vacation in a glass but instead I got a blue slushie. The offer pretty decent selection of beers, if cocktails are not your thing. The Ceasar fries weren't as tangy and creamy as I expected. In fact, they were a bit oily, especially the closer you got to the bottom. It almost tasted like the fries were tossed in a slightly tart mayo instead of a cool, creamy, tangy Caesar dressing. The sweet potato fries are good. I could probably eat 3 orders of them with no shame. Ditto for the plantain chips! They make a pretty good burger here, and at the happy hour price, it is a certified bargain! On my last visit I ordered the cheeseburger with no bacon, and salad greens on the side. The burger arrived with bacon on it. No big deal; I asked them to bring me a new one since I am allergic to pork, which they did happily. In the meantime, I got 3 separate apologies from 3 different people about it (I appreciate the staff's commitment to service, but it was almost excessive). My new burger came, sans bacon, but the salad that accompanied this one was not fresh: a few of the greens were wilted (to the point where they were black and slimy), giving a rancid taste to the rest of the salad. The burger was good, but the slimy greens really killed my appetite. I'll probably be back, but I'm definitely going to steer clear of the salad!
(3)Erica C.
This is a brunch review, so take it as you wish. I ordered the eggs benedict. I've noticed that egg poaching is truly an art form. The eggs were not up to par with what an eggs benedict should be, as they seemed slow poached. The white part of the egg was far too gooey. The potatoes were sliced circles, so that was rather unwieldy. But regardless, they were cooked through and fairly tasty. In summary, the whole dish was odd. The service was great, coffee was flowing, and they provided complimentary pumpkin muffins. I may go back, just not for brunch. Eggs benedict seems simple, but is pretty difficult to master.
(3)Gail B.
This location is fun. There is a large bar area. The staff members are nice. The decor is nice. The kitchen makes seasonal ice cream. This is a nice place to celebrate or have date night.
(4)Navi B.
First... Hair in my burger. Not a little one. Second... If my friends want to smoke a cigarette in front of the restaurant, don't instruct all of us to go to the bottom of the stairs... Yes you were courteous but we were outside the patio area for gods sake. The food: The plantain chips were really good, the popcorn is meh, good calamari, delicious mussels (really well cleaned), mushroom ravioli is good, short rib tortellini is just okay. The Rockville burger... See above but I got one to go at the coaxing of the bartender. It was just okay.
(2)Joshua G.
We came back to this location after being invited back, and have to say we were blown away by how nice this experience was. There was a slight issue with the waitress but she stood down and got us a new waiter who was great. We had the calamari, and muscles to start off an they both tasted great. For the main course we tried the lamb chops and shrimp rigatoni. The lamb was a perfect main course and was cooked to perfection. The shrimp rigatoni was also just as perfectly cooked and a very nice portion and creamy texture mixed was a very nice combination. Then we tried some of the desert as well go end the meal off with a bang. We had the red velvet cheese cake and the Cream Brulé. The red velvet cheesecake is amazing to put it lightly and the cotton candy on top is a great touch. The Cream Brulé is very well made and has the right amount of sweetness and bitterness with the strawberries. All in all this was a great visit and will most definitely come back.
(5)Gabi L.
I find this place to be A-OK. My bestie & I ordered the Sunset Mussels (YUM) for the app. and paired it with the sunset special which must be ordered before 6:30pm (REMEMBER THAT & IT'S A REALLY GOOD DEAL...hmm MAYBE TOO GOOD). Our *amazing* waitress, Lauren talked us into the pork rib tortellini and the madras curry chicken. The food was good, but not amazing (to each their own). We then ordered salted caramel ice cream and the oreo cheesecake. YUM for the salted caramel and UM for the Oreo cheesecake. The O.C. tasted like it was fresh from Giant's sale section (no offense, but sometimes Giant pastries taste super artificial). I was kinda bummed, but it was edible. Step up the real cream game in those cheesecakes, Geoff! Apart from the A-OK food, Lauren was a great waitress who was SUPER knowledgeable and super patient with my indecisive friend & I.
(3)Kristen H.
My Mom and I went here before seeing a show in Rockville. I've heard from a good amount of my friends that Chef Geoff's is where it's at, so I had to give it a shot. I'm so glad I listened to them! I'm happy they have expanded and have a Rockville location, much closer to me. To me it has a very relaxed setting with simple yet elegant decorations. Our waiter was very attentive and was eager to help us make several of our choices for the evening. We asked if we could share the muscles as an appetizer. Even though the chef said that could not be offered, we appreciated the fact that the waiter went to check. Instead we shared the tuna tartar and the calamari as our appetizers. For the price, we definitely got our fair share of tuna, they did not skimp! The ginger, mayo a cucumber made the perfect combo with the tuna. The calamari was just as crunchy and crispy as I always like it to be. For my entree I decided to go with the daily special. Once I heard the waiter describe it I was sold. Jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab meat and parmesan, placed overtop sauteed red peppers, green beans and onion. Everything was so fresh, and I'm glad I saved my appetite for this dinner because I could not have finished without doing so. Soooo much seafood! I enjoyed every bite. We finished off with the apple bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream, mmm! I am so coming back here soon! Loved it!
(5)Ishita C.
Went here last night for DC Metro Restaurant Week but I am pretty sure the full menu was part of the deal which I thought was great. I liked the decor a lot; it is modern and has just the right lighting - not to dark and not too bright. There weren't that many tables occupied so it was very quiet. Our server, Donald, was nice and attentive and was able to answer questions about the menu. Our water glassed were never empty and dirty dishes were taken away instantaneously. DRINKS: -Slur Issac Newton - this was really good! Definitely recommended for cinnamon lovers! -Dead Bastard - It was just okay; didn't really taste like anything to be honest. I wasn't blown away be either of the drinks and they were both very weak and small for $10 a drink. APPETIZER: -Crispy Calamari - I don't usually like calamari by this was cooked to perfection and the dipping sauce went really well. -Mussels In White Wine-Garlic Broth - The mussels were tinyyyy and a little overcooked in my opinion but the sauce was DELICIOUS! I recommend this solely because of the grilled ciabatta to dip into the broth. I was happy with the appetizers in general and the white wine-garlic broth was out of this world. ENTREE: -Grilled Pork Chop - The pork chop itself was very tasteless and underwhelming and was also a little too on the rare side for medium-well. The sides of sauteed kale and gouda grits were amazinggggg though. - Madras Curry Chicken - The chicken was cooked perfectly and I loved the curry sauce that went with it, although there was very little of it on the plate; I would've liked more. The side of cous-cous was alright but VERY oily and the onion was overpowering. Overall, dinner was okay - nothing really spectacular. The sauteed kale and gouda grits were awesome so that definitely redeemed the pork chop dish. The curry chicken is great too but definitely needed more sauce. DESSERT: -Vanilla Homemade Ice Cream - Can't go wrong with vanilla! I loved this! -Salted Caramel Homemade Ice Cream - Definitely overly-salty for my taste buds but it was good with the side of biscotti. All in all, Cheff Geof's is good for a random Tuesday night dinner but had a few drawbacks. I would come back here to try out their lunch menu but I don't think I'll be back for dinner.
(4)Mercedes C.
Came here for lunch during restaurant week recently with my main squeeze. I had the Spinach salad to start off with and Croque Madame for my entree. Both were delicious! My bf had the Chicken Chili and Short Rib Tortellini which he enjoyed as well. The price during restaurant week was very affordable at $20.48 so we were delighted to have been able to come here and try the food. For dessert I had the salted caramel, white chocolate and chocolate malt ice cream which were amazing! Only small pet peeve I had was the menu seemed to be a little scattered with intermixing of the different types of plates but once I figured it out it worked out. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for an affordable casual upscale place to hang out.
(4)Mattie C.
Quite like their DC counterpart except significantly less crowded.. and a little fancier seeming. It is in a pretty boring-looking building next to a strip mall so you wouldn't expect such a fancy place. Interesting. We sat in the main dining area to have a lunchy/brunchy after a long morning trying on dresses at David Bridal. The service was very good and attentive, and they kept us pumped up with plenty of refills on the coffee and cream. The consensus on the food was that it was good, not blow-your-mind amazing, but solidly good. I was slightly disappointed because at Chef Geoff's in DC I usually build my own pizza - they don't let you do that here. But they had a perfectly satisfying pizza on the menu - wild mushroom - which I really enjoyed although found a little rich. They had an arugula salad which was quite tasty too and a decent portion size. This place is very solid, though a little surprising in an unexpected place/building. I like Chef Geoff's.
(3)Robert R.
Went for lunch with a friend and we both had BLTs for lunch. They were nothing special. Tomatoes We're not ripe. And for $18 you would kind of expect a better sandwich. I remember fondly when this location was Houstons. Lunch was packed. Now lunch was just a few tables of Srs eating. We should have left when we walked in and saw the place was almost empty! That's never a good sign on busy Rockville Pike.
(1)Kari S.
Pretty much similar to all of the other reviews, service wasn't great. My husband and I came here this past Monday because I had heard about the "all day happy hour". We ordered the thick cut pepperoni pizza & cheeseburger. Pizza was great, burger was okay -- the main thing was the service. When we initially arrived we waited 5-10 minutes as the bartender ignored us, when she finally came over, in fairness, she did serve us our drinks right away. After that, it was hit & miss with being able to get something that we needed. The other staff seemed disgruntled, they definitely weren't happy to be there. We were sitting on the end of the bar near the service station, so we were in earshot of all their gripes. Manager looked miserable too, she didn't say hello. I would come back, but I might try sitting at one of the tables.
(3)Lauren M.
The service here is always great. Very friendly staff and the food is delicious. This is a classy restaurant I love coming here for special events!
(5)Kim F.
Terrible service and the food was average. The entire evening was very disappointing. It was our first time at this restaurant and we went in very open minded and left knowing we will never go back again.
(1)Kate G.
I ate here for brunch this past Sunday (yesterday) and was generally displeased. The hostess was very nice and I thought placed us in a good spot to accommodate our two high chairs. The biggest issue was the service and food. Our waitress attempted to be friendly initially, but quickly became irritated with some very routine requests. One of the people dining with me simply wanted an order of blackened salmon, however she stated that this was not something that could be done because there wasn't salmon on the menu. There was salmon on the menu - you could add it to a salad if you wanted, so it made little sense that you could not just order it alone. She refused to go and ask and kept trying to sale him the "Citrus salmon" which was a bagel and lox sort of item... totally different. There was also a bit of a language barrier with the waitress - I think restaurants should ensure that their servers have a command of the terms necessary to be an effective server. I asked whether they had bottomless mimosas. She didn't understand the term bottomless... tried unlimited... nope she didn't know that word either. Eventually we figured it out, but it was a little frustrating. The server disappeared for long periods of time, then when I tried to wave her down for refills on our water and coffee, she had a clearly exasperated look on her face. The food was subpar at best, with the excepton of the grits. The grits were marvelous. I got the eggs benedict and it was hands down the worst eggs benedict I've ever had. It consisted of poached eggs (of course), fried green tomato, bacon and lettuce. The lettuce was of the cheap shredded iceberg variety and it tasted awful with the dish on a whole. The concept of BLT eggs benny should be scrapped immediately. Eggs benedict should be something where you can eat all your pieces in one bite. However, it is quite difficult to get the shredded lettuce onto the fork with the other items and the bacon was a bit too crisp to actually be pierced with the fork. All in all, it was a mess. There are a few other issues I had with the place... The biscuits were overcooked and crunchy, something we mentioned to our waitress several times. It was not until we spoke with the manager that it was recognized that someone in the kitchen was overcooking the biscuits and he had new ones made for the entire restaurant. I was brought a dirty cup with my cream... it had old cream caked and dried on the side... Suffice it to say, I was underwhelmed by this experience. This would have been 1 star experience, but for the very friendly manager (who resolved the biscuit issue and the delicious DELICIOUS grits)
(2)Elsa G.
We had great expectations for the Thanksgiving dinner having made a reservation weeks in advance, however when we arrived the female greeter seemed more interested in flirting with a group of male customers. She barely noticed us standing there, so I had to get closer to her in order to be seen. Only then did she proceed to greet us. She sat us on a small table against the wall and so close to the window that there was hardly enough room for me to sit. There were 3 other small empty tables nearby with more room so I asked her if we could move there. She refused saying they were reserved for others, however, no one arrived to claim those tables during the hour and a half we were there. Not cool. The Thanksgiving dinner was okay, tasty but nothing spectacular. Our waiter was nice but he kept forgetting the things we asked for: the bread & butter, the dessert, the to go bag, the check, etc. We had to keep reminding him. Granted they were busy but the waiters seemed to place their focus and attention on the larger group of diners. Not sure if we'll give it a second chance.
(3)Alyssa C.
I celebrated my birthday recently with ~ 20 guests & it was definitely not a good experience. While my friends were transitioning from happy hour at the bar to our table in the dining room, our server introduced herself but it took her forever to bring back drinks. After asking several times if our drinks were on the way, she blamed the bar for being slow. My friends went back to the bar to get drinks themselves & the bartenders were pretty efficient. However, our server informed us of their happy hour policy and that we could no longer order drinks at the bar. I think the policy is ridiculous, but that's besides the point. We would've been fine with the policy had our server not taken so long to deliver our drinks and if the manager hadn't spent the rest of the night walking by the windows & giving us dirty looks. The dinner was also pretty slow; it took a long time for food and bussing. The only staff member that made it feel like it was a celebration was the other server, Donald. He took care of dessert and made it very nice. Other than that, I would not recommend this place.
(1)Nicole H.
Chef Geoff's has by far my favorite happy hour/early dinner menu in town. I was disappointed that they took the Rockville Burger off of the happy hour menu but there are still lots of other good options. The dining area is really nice (not that I eat there often) and the bar area is comfortable, although I do wish there were more booths available. My only qualm with this restaurant is that the exact same food that is ordered/served in the bar area before 7pm, is so much more expensive in the dining room/later in the evening so the same meal can either be very fairly priced or pretty pricey.
(4)Adrienne C.
I stopped here for a weekday 1pm lunch recently and felt very disappointed by the entire experience. We were seated by an apathetic host, waited 15 minutes to receive our drink order, and then waited another 20 minutes for the mediocre, dry sandwiches (BLT and dijon chicken club) to come out. Definitely not worth the $48 total (for 2 people) in terms of service or food. In particular, this type of restaurant should be more sensitive to the fact that people who are on a weekday lunch break don't have 2 hours to eat lunch, much less one where I could have made the food better myself in a third of the time. Will not be returning.
(1)Shellie D.
We were in Rockville looking for somewhere to have dinner. Luckily, for us, we walked into Geoff's and HH was still going on. Apparently, HH is all day on Tuesdays. Restaurant looked a bit fancy initially. The tables were covered with white linens and has an upscale look to it. However, when you turn to the right and look at the bar, it has a more relaxed vibe with TVs and high top bar tables. We ordered the mushroom pizza, the black bean burger and a large Stella. The bartender was friendly and had lots of charm. He told us that the large Stella was large and it was. It is about 3-4 beers in one glass. The mushroom pizza was delicious. I especially loved the black bean burger. It was made in house, the flavor was there and the toppings just brought everything together. I would definitely order the black bean burger again. I would come here again to try other items on the menu.
(4)Craig U.
Went for Sunday brunch as a first timer to this place. Was looking for a place to eat where we haven't yet been and chef Geoff's popped up on yelp. Alright, made the reservation not knowing how busy it would be. We walk in and the hostess greets us immediately and seats us in a booth. Right away I'm noticing how different the place looks compared to Houston's. I miss Houston's. Ugh... The server comes over and asks for our drink order. As soon as my wife says coffee, he starts to walk away...forgetting to ask for mine. WTF...then turns around to come back. I order their Sangria. The sangria was dropped off by the manager after about 5-7 minutes and I asked about the coffee for my wife. She said, "absolutely!" Ok, I manage a busy, well known restaurant and know that coffee takes no time to make if it's out. Maybe 3 minutes. The server stops by saying that they had to brew a fresh batch...ok... 10 seconds later...a coffee goes out to a table that literally just got sat. Was about to just ask for the bill, but was starving. Annoyed, frustrated, but hungry...so we decided to stay. The coffee took almost 20 minutes!!! The food was decent, but service needs some serious help. I usually do not tip lower than 20% ever. This place was the exception. I will NEVER go to this place again and hope the management takes a hard look at the nuts and bolts of their servers. Bottom line...NOT IMPRESSED. Could've gotten better service at 7-11.
(1)Eddie K.
We really enjoyed Chef Geoff's. Service and food was great. Came here to celebrate my Dad's birthday. He is one really picky eater. He complains a lot when we go to non-Asian restaurants. But wow, he ate all his dishes and didn't complain once! Just for that - this deserves five stars! We all shared the crispy calamari, Tuna Sashimi (needs more wasabi and do away with the soy marinade) and the Hoisin Duck Confit for appetizers. Loved the calamari and duck confit. My Dad loved the tuna sashimi. We got the crab cake entree (only one big crab cake), shrimp and grits, rockfish and the lamb special for our main dishes. All I saw were empty plates after we were done. It was great food. I was surprised the restaurant was only half full on a Thursday evening. The bar area was pretty empty even during happy hour time. Hope more people come and try this place.
(5)Marisa H.
This morning I came here with my mother, sister and husband for brunch. This is the second time we've had brunch here and it didn't disappoint. We came right at 10:30 and coffee came right out. Unfortunately this time the cream wasn't warmed as before but the coffee was excellent (way too weak last time.) I split the fried chicken, fried eggs, crispy potatoes, and biscuits with gravy with my mom and she split her frittata and side salad with me. Both were excellent, though we could have easily split one entree between the two of us! The biscuits were some of the best I've ever had and the chicken thighs with country gravy was really excellent. My sister's pumpkin waffles and my husband's breakfast burrito both looked great. I was very happy with everything thing including the complementary mini pumpkin muffins. I'd like to come back for dinner but even brunch is pricey...so maybe for a special occasion. The brunch is definitely good for company.
(4)Shawn H.
My first visit is my last. The food was possibly above average. At first the service seemed really good, but it became progressively worse throughout the meal. I've been in the restaurant business both in the back of the house and the front, so I know how it is... but I've seen professionals deal with "it" (at all levels) very professionally and some, not so much. Chef Geoff's Rockville is in the "not so much" category Every week, I meet up with my mom and we have lunch. I have a one-year-old daughter and this is my mom's chance to see her spoil her. When we arrived right at 11:35am, everyone was being super nice. We took a booster seat instead of a highchair because we recently had a first success with the booster for my daughter, but today's lunch was a small setback in her fully conquering the milestone of adult style seating at restaurants, so we had to change to a highchair which met a table change as well. NBD, right? Four people converged on our table to facilitate this change since our food had already arrived. They did okay at getting us moved, but the really uptight looking dude in a suit that was hanging out at the hostess station left several crayons under the table he was tasked with cleaning up for the next party. I only noticed because, let's call him Skippy, had rudely walked up to our table to inspect my daughters seating in the booster less than a minute after we were first seated. 10 minutes later, when I went to the bathroom for my daughters diaper change and discovered the nonexistence of any such fixture, Skippy spewed a very smug and barely friendly sounding, "thanks for coming" as I shuffled my way out the front door, diaper bag and baby in hand to change her diaper in my car. I'd like to think Skippy's IQ exceeds the speed limit, so I can only guess that he intentionally said this just to be a jerk. Since we arrived so early and were the only guests in the restaurant for at least 10 minutes AND he'd made his hawk like inspection of my daughters initial seating, I can't imagine how he could've thought I was leaving alone with my baby from a party of three! But whatever. As I mentioned in the start of this "review" (it's more of a rant), the food was okay. We ate fairly quickly and were ready to go, but our server, who was was present and serving others, seemed to be ignoring us. After more than 5 minutes of waiting after our plates were partially cleared (by our sever), I removed my daughter from the high chair and suggested my mom and her go outside (since they were BOTH getting pretty restless). Another long 5 minutes went by when I finally stopped our server and asked her if I could give her my credit card to pay our check which she had brought not long after the table was cleared. She apologetically took my card, never to return. At first, I noticed she was carrying it around with her while dealing with other tables but then I didn't see it or her for yet another 5 minutes. My mom, who barely knows how to use a cell phone, called me from outside wondering what was taking so long. For her to even open her cell phone is a major ordeal, so the time was getting ridiculous. When I finally saw the server entering her orders, I walked back and insisted I needed to leave. She was again apologetic, but seemed apathetic. This place is a comedy of errors. I'm sure without a baby it would've been pretty nice. Clearly, with no changing table in the men's or women's restrooms, they just don't want small children and Chef Geoff's. I understand. In general families slow down the process of turning tables, make a big mess, and don't generally tip well. Maybe I'd be a fan if I gone with some friends. Dissing me because of my kid though? In any future situation where the name Chef Geoff's comes up I'm thumbs down or leaving.
(1)Massiel G.
I came here for a date night with my husband wasn't so crowed. We were seated the place look nice. Our waiter he was the best I love his food recommendation was sooo delicious!!!! I love the slider and my husband got the steak fritter I wanted his plate lol. I Oder mushroom ravioli and it was decent. The Oreo cheese cake was so good and the experience overall was great I recommend to come try the slider and the steak fritters so good and don't forget the Oreo cheesecake
(4)Sammy A.
Stopped by for lunch on a weekday with the family. I immediately wasn't a huge fan of the options for lunch, everything seemed directed towards a elderly audience. I'll start positive by saying, service was great, warm and hospitable. Our server Daniel killed it! But the food(minus the calamari) was incredibly boring. Started with calamari, tender calamari with a light but very crisp exterior, strong start. I was stuck between the short rib tortellini and the steak frites. Seeing as how I have had countless steak frites and never have had short rib tortellini, I decided to be adventurous and try something new. Man, that tortellini was no fun. I'm all for al-dente, but the doughy exterior had a bit too much chew and the interior short rib was INCREDIBLY dry; leaving me one bite in, wanting to return this dish(something I absolutely hate doing as a chef). The au jus served with it should have been doubled to add more juice and body to the mundane dryness of the tortellini. This felt like something you would serve to a senior citizen, that's how boring this dish was. Ironically looking around the dinning room, those were the only people I could find. We also had the featured salad with 2 small crab cakes, which had a pretty tasty ginger based dressing that I enjoyed, but again, nothing special to warrant a second visit. 1 star for food 4 for service
(1)Neil M.
Set in an unprepossessing strip mall, this place has its work cut out to stand out from the numerous other options within waking distance. This it does, and more. The copper door handles are a nice touch and the all cream interior is very relaxing. The draft beer list is impressive and my wife and I were able to locate a serviceable South African Chenin Blanc. As it happened the waiter was Irish by way of Hawaii, so we had fun talking to him, me bring Irish myself. Even that apart, his service was outstanding. Soup and tuna tartare for starters - solid. My mussels in white wine sauce with garlic bread were spot on, 'er indoors' trout filet with white bean ragout was fine with a wee crust on top, skin on. The meal was finished off with a single malt personally recommended by the waiter, Aberlour. Overall little to fault in this restaurant, and I venture to say I'll be back next time I'm here for business. Unusual to find this level of service in the suburbs.
(4)Christopher P.
My friends and I went to Chef Geoff's for brunch on MLK day. We were pleasantly surprised to find the place not terribly busy, and with a happy hour special running all day (happy hour all day monday and tuesday!). This meant a bunch of cheaper appetizers, draft beers, and wines - including supermugs for less than 8 dollars. That would all be fine and good if we could get service. We unfortunately waited nearly ten minutes before a waiter acknowledged us. He wasn't terribly friendly, but took our orders efficiently and answered some basic questions. We ended up getting some calamari as an appetizer, with a couple of burgers and some fish tacos. My black bean burger was cheap and pretty good, although it had a tendency to squish and fall apart. The fish tacos were not terribly memorable, although my friend was placing them against stiff competition from Costa Rica. The fries were not really good, but the beer flowed like wine. The atmosphere was pretty nice - we had a lounge-style booth and it was well lit, but the service really detracted from our experience. Good thing it was cheap, otherwise the day would have been a wash.
(3)Tiffany T.
Happy Hour Review: 4.5 stars!! I'm glad they opened a Chef Geoff's closer than Tysons Corner to me. I am in LOVE with their happy hour. In love. $8 liter of beer? GOOD beer? Please and thank you. They have options such as Blue Moon, Sierra Nievada, Long Board, etc. Also miller light, coors.. but why would you go for cat piss when you got blue moon on tap? $5.95 Chef Geoffs burger is a total win. Every time I've ordered it, it has come out perfectly medium as I requested. It's a very good, more than decent burger served with regular fries or sweet potato fries. Umm.. for $5.95 you can either get this delicious burger + cheddar cheese + BACON +amazing aoli ... or get a McDonalds value meal for more than that price. You decide.. I've gotten the truffled parmasean popcorn which was just OK (which is why this is not a 5 star establishment yet to me). Outside of the chef geoffs burger, I really haven't ventured outside of that on the food menu. But I'm curious to try the haloumi cheese among other items. GO FOR HAPPY HOUR. For $14 + tip you can get 1 liter of beer ( about 3 glasses) and a great burger + fries. That's dinner and beer for $14. Please and thank you!
(4)Tara B.
Came here with my husband for Valentine's Day 2015 brunch on a Saturday morning. Made reservations and was promptly greeted by a hostess. Our waiter, Patrick, was phenomenal! I ordered the scramble sampler and my husband ordered the Eggs Benedict. The food came out in less than 10 minutes. Our serve came back constantly to check on us and to see if the food was cooked well. This is my first experience at Chef Geoff's and was highly impressed. I will be coming back!
(5)Robin G.
This is my second time eating at Chef Geoffs. I had very good service both times and the food was good as well. The first time I went for a very delicious brunch and the food was excellent. We went on NYE 2014 and I had the black bean burger. Delicious! very good and the best part was it didnt make me gassy! TMI, I now LOL. It was lacking a festive New Year's atmosphere though. We were hoping to have a little more festive atmosphere.
(4)Roy S.
Went here for an anniversary and had a great time. The black pepper papardelle was really good. Nice sized portion and a really good flavor. I would have preferred it to include rosemary but that's just me. The fish tacos were really good and the guacamole got rave reviews. The cilantro sauce was really awesome also. It has an instant kick but isn't really spicy. We loved the plantain chips!!! Crispy, chewy, great seasoning and flavor. Had the donuts for dessert and really liked them. You wont want to share... we preferred the raspberry and lemon sauces to the chocolate. *Don't get the house sodas. They are just club soda with almost no added flavor, avoid it. Also, the mango salsa was heavy on the onions and should have been sweeter. But I am nitpicking here. Our servers Kevin and Galen were top notch!!
(5)Dee S.
For a Friday evening, not real crowded and we were seated immediately. We were served delicious warm rolls and whipped honey butter. Hubby ordered tuna from the simply healthy option, which came with a large portion of broccoli. This made his tuna seem like an even smaller portion and it was pretty small and relatively expensive. Will not order again...I ,however had the steak frites,which came with arugula but I ordered the Brussels and bacon -DELISH! Hubby had some (most) of the steak and said it was good. Everything was good, not great just good. Be prepared to spend...we were at 70 dollars and no drink or desserts.
(4)Carol D.
Nice atmosphere, we chose to sit outside since it was a nice day. I had the black bean burger for a healthy choice. It was quite large and flavorful but watch out for the fried jalapeño peppers they top it with, a little too hot for my taste. The sweet potato fries were addicting. Service was quick & friendly. Only 4 starts since I thought for lunch it was a little pricey.
(4)TJ B.
Bartenders were friendly and the drinks were very good. Table waiter was tired and disinterested for the most part. Nobody checked on us after appetizer delivery. After entree delivery he came by when we were 90% done with our meals to ask if everything was okay. This was a 7:30PM seating, so it wasn't very late. Food was very good, though. So, the knock down from 4 to 3 stars is just for average service to an otherwise very nice experience. The rib eye was excellent, but could have been a slightly larger cut of meat. The shrimp and grits were very good. The lobster bisque was great. The tuna sashimi tasted nice, but did have white tendon that needed picked out of the raw "chopped tuna patty" presentation. Deserts; the flourless chocolate cake with ice cream was excellent. The banana spring rolls (or something like that) looked nice but tasted dull. Will definitely go back for the happy hour specials and the burgers and pizzas which looked great. I was more a fan of the food and drinks that customers seemed to be enjoying in the bar area than the more costly dishes. Nice place though. Waiter service needs tweaked but everything else was on point.
(3)Julia V.
I've been here twice now and the location in DC twice. This past week I came to the Rockville location for lunch with co-workers. My food was fine although my coworker's salad was incorrect and had to wait a rather long time for a new one meanwhile my other coworker waited on missing aioli for her crab cakes nearly 15 minutes. The part that irked me was the service, primarily our waiter. He seemed like he was trying to be funny, maybe, but with very poor execution and came across as arrogant and condescending. He literally clapped in my coworker's face while saying "chop chop" as she decided on a drink. It seemed like we waited an exceptionally long time for drinks and he never really checked up on us until the end of the meal. We dealt with the food runners for the problems we had with the food. At the end he brought our check and spilled a glass of water all over the table. It would have been nice to have the incorrect salad removed after that little fiasco. We all agreed that we wished we didn't have to tip him, but of course did....
(3)Fenny L.
Last minute, we tried to schedule a family dinner on a holiday and couldn't get a table anywhere (my parents didn't want to go into DC or VA...and my brother wanted to go somewhere "nice"). On a whim, I called up Chef Cheoff, and LO! They were able to seat us, as long as we were OK with the tables in the bar area. We agreed, and while my dad was like "eeeh...why are we sitting at the bar?" once he saw the nice booth, he was a little more resigned. Then the food started to come out, and he was much much much happier about our dining choice. Now, if you have been to any of the Chef Geoff's, this is much like the one in Tyson's, in terms of the quality of service. If you haven't been to a Chef Geoff's, be prepared for a easy going, but still lovely, meal. The food is "New American" with offerings of lamb chop and duck and seafood and steaks that will satisfy most appetites. For picky eaters, the "Chef Geoff Burger" is juicy and flavorful without too many add-ons. The portions are generous, and the food is simple and uncomplicated. There are a few nice "twists" like the truffle popcorn, which I love, but for the most part, the reason I like to go to Chef Geoff's is because I know it won't embarrass me. Non-pretenious, simple, and tasty. As often as I love going to high-end places, sometimes, going somewhere that has nailed the basics, is really all that I need.
(4)Habibi S.
If I was to rate this placed based on purely their food it would be a 3.5, but the service brought down the ratings a bit. Half empty restaurant, sitting at the bar and it took forever to even get acknowledged (ie a menu and drink). Will be back to give them another shot... Everyone has an off day.
(3)Mona R.
Came here for their brunch, lunch, and dinner. I tried a variety of foods the mushroom pizza, roasted duck, ahi tuna, scallops, and all were cooked great. The only concern I had was that our waitress couldn't really answer questions about certain dishes on the menu. Pretty good food.
(5)Michelle Y.
This restaurant is clearly the best in the entire chain. I can say with absolute certainty that their Tuna Tare Tare is amazing! Every time I eat here I go home happy. I eat macaroni and cheese I am happy. I eat mushroom pizza I am happy. This place makes me happy.
(4)Cynthia L.
I thought I might never come back here after the less-than-stellar experience from the last trip. (Un)Fortunately, friends asked us to come for a birthday dinner here. Might I just add I opened my mind back up to the possibility I might enjoy this place? So for a party of 10+, here goes: The waiter was incredibly nice and knew his stuff; he remembered everyone that came and what they ordered from last time, even if it was 6 months prior. - Truffle & parmesan popcorn was a little on the oily side and a little stale-tasting - Mussels were cold & fries were cold & overdone - Steak frites - dry and not seasoned - My Artichoke & pea risotto was....very plain...I asked my girlfriend to try it and she couldn't muster to finish swallowing her one bite. I think I enjoyed her reaction more than I enjoyed anything else. Dessert (yes, I had to give it a whole paragraph description because IT'S dessert!): We were given the flourless chocolate cake by accident, but it was absolutely amazing. Dark chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a flourless chocolate cake, it was actually moist and tasty, so kudos. The chocolate turtle cheesecake was a little heavy on the caramel but tasted like a pecan pie - delicious goodness all the way around. So even the though the dessert was stellar, the food was a little lackluster for my taste. Not for foodies, but good enough for Rockville-Potomac diners.
(3)Sandy B.
We were a party of six at Chef Geoffs in Rocville Md. All of us ate something different and some had appetizers. Frankly, we were VERY underwhelmed,which was strange considering how crowded the restaurant was. First, the prices were quite high. We had an entree, some wine, three desserts and only one person (me) ordered an appetizer. However, we ended up spending over $60 per person! Normally, I don't overly mind spending this much money if the food was superlative and the portions large,but neither was the case. Although much of our food was very good, I can't say it was better than many other restaurants that we have eaten at. Moreover, much of the entrees and even appetizer portions were very small. I ordered a tortilla soup that had a nice fluffy bowl but was half full! C'mon, they can't afford to give me a whole bowl of soup for $9? I ordered the tuna. I am not kidding when I say that I got the smallest portion of tuna that I have ever seen in any restaurant. Everyone at the table commented on it too. They did, however, give me a large portion of "broccolini," in order to cover the plate better. For the $28 charged, this was an incredible rip off.. Moreover, it wasn't even that good compared to other fine restaurants that I have had the same dish, such as at Sullivans. Others fared better with chicken dish and fish tacos,which was a bit more substantial. Moreover, we then order some desserts since it was a birthday celebration. Not only did they not give the birthday girl a free dessert, the portions were very tiny. Even the waitress admitted that they were small portions. Honestly, I can't understand why this restaurant was crowded. The food, overall was good though including the flower-less chocolate dessert. However, since we needed to order three desserts in order to get two bites per person, we ended up spending about $20 on dessert! Believe me when I say that the $20 didn't give us more than an eighth of a small cake! Bottom line: If you like overpriced food for small portions and want to go to a pretentious restaurant , this is the place for you. Frankly, I think you can find restaurants for celebrations where you get a LOT more for your money and not have to go home hungry! I personally will never go here again. The only reason that I gave it two stars instead of only one star was that the food that we got was very good. Even the bread was good and hot.
(2)Andrew R.
soooooooo i'm gonna give this place 4 stars because the food really was very good. i had edamame and a falafel salad, and i really did enjoy it. the people i was with said their food was very good as well. the only thing that put me off a little was that my aunt requested a table at the front of the restaurant and we were told none were available even though they clearly were. we got there before my friend arrived, and i advised the host that we were still waiting for one more, but he put us in a booth in the back anyway. the server did not look happy that our whole party was not there, but the service was good nonetheless. as a seperate aside, i had no internet service on my phone in the restaurant, and their wifi has a password. i was trying to handle a work issue and had to go outside and stand in the parking lot.
(4)Tim T.
went her for restaurant week a while back, well worth it. not sure about going there during regular times, but with the restaurant week, you can pretty much pick out any appetizer, entree, desert on the regular menu. none of this "you can only pick from a selected cheap menu" that others have. at Chef Geoffs, you pick any freaking thing you want, thats pretty awesome in my book.
(5)Ivy V.
Have only been to HH's here so my review may be a little biased. Love the atmosphere in the bar area. People are dressed well, classy but not pretentious...the after work crowd...lighting is dim/dark, booths are oversized and cozy, waiters are friendly and comfortable to chat/be playful with. HH specials are not stingy at all. Burgers are thick. I opt for veg. and the black bean burger is super filling...too big to finish. Sweet potato fries are good too. I'm a side salad girl but ate my friends' fries because there were so many. This place gets busy. The dining side is brightly lit and seems like an older crowd. I'm happy with this being an easy, no-nonsense HH spot.
(4)William F.
My wife and I both enjoy eating here. We find the food consistently good, and we like the ambience. Today I went with friend for lunch and had the trout, which was very good.
(4)Abheek S.
I'm not sure how many months I waited to have a Chef Geoff's open up in Rockville. The new location is just as good as the one I wrote about in DC. Amazing food, great specials, excellent and knowledgeable staff. It's great for a Sunday brunch, happy hours during the week, or just a dinner out. This is definitely one of my top hot spots in the Rockville/Bethesda area.
(5)M. P.
I have to say this was one of the most uncomfortable, insulting and awkward experiences I've had in a very long time. First of all, we are on Rockville Pike, next to Mattress Warehouse and across from Target. Turn your noses down and don't act so pretentious and arrogant. Just because they have a good reputation and whatnot doesn't give them the right to be so pretentious. Second, while the service was good, it was WAY over the top. Our waiter was knowledgeable but hovered. Take a sip of water, he came running from the corner he stood in next to the table. Take the last bite of food off your plate, he came running, AND last but not least, my all time favorite, was going to the restroom and setting the napkin on the table, he came running over, grabbed the napkin, and folded it up in a perfect shape. 1) Why would you want to pick up a dirty napkin someone has been using? 2) Plain and simple, that is just pretentious, arrogant, and WEIRD. The food - just OK. I had the Rockfish, which was rather tasteless although the Lobster/Potato hash it came with was pretty good. There was a dessert on the specials menu that wasn't on the regular menu and when asked if I could have that, went back and forth to "see if it was still on the menu" and acted inconvenienced. Give me a friggin' break. Regardless, it was OK as well. The entire meal was not worth the price at all. Bottom-line - Overbearing, weird, and offensive service topped with OK food. The decor was nice but that was about it. We will NOT return.
(1)Joel S.
Nick had the burger, Roy-the tuna burger, Neomi- had the fetouch salad and I the egg Benedict with crab cakes. Just OK.
(3)Marcia S.
So far so good. My Black Russian is nice. Tim the bartender is well spoken and knowledgeable. Music and atmosphere are cool for a 40 plus .. Calamari is so good I ordered a second...not because of size. It's just that good....
(5)Connie M.
I was acknowledged immediately as I walked up to the bar...which is all we want when dining out...to be made to feel like you are special! Please note this is just a review of happy hour. I arrived just before 3pm and the happy hour menus were already sitting out on the bar. Did my eyes deceive me? Happy hour 7 days a week! For real? Yep! To start there are many beers and you choose between a pint for $5 or a supermug for $9. As the supermug is more than twice the size of a pint glass, I recommend that is the way to go if you plan on drinking beer! There are a lot of snacks for $5 to choose from. Are you going to have caesar, garlic steak or sweet potato fries? Maybe you want fried pickles. Plantains with some guacamole? Popcorn with white truffle and parmesean or edamame with a sweet ponzu dipping sauce? Maybe you want something of more substance like a burger made of beef, turkey, black bean or salmon? They range from a little over 6 bucks to almost 9. Feeling daring? Order the honey-sirachia wings because $10 will get you 7. So Benjamin, my new BFF practically begs me to order a Rockville burger. It was his favorite and he genuinely would have been angry at me (because I would have missed out on an incredible burger) if I chose something else. Cooked medium, it was topped with pepper jack cheese, crunchy onion straws and a dreamy horseradish sauce! My taste buds were doing a happy dance and I could not even put the burger down before I ended up inhaling the whole thing! Every time I bit down and felt a crunch, I thought I was eating bacon, but it was just the delicious onion straws. I am thinking about going back on Sunday just for another burger! I chose to forgo the accompanying fries thinking I would be healthy and choose the lightly dressed field greens. We are talking about a gigantic mound of just lettuce. No other veggies and nothing crunchy...but the dressing is so delish! I ate every last bite and I swear people sitting around me must have thought I was starving because my plate was so clean! I skipped the regular fries because I wanted some sweet potato fries. Seriously good. Dusted with sea salt the fries were cut sort of thin and they were fried until crunchy....just the way I like my fries! They were very simple but cooked so well, that once you have one, you just can't stop! To make this a real review, I also tried the honey-siracha wing. They were large and meaty and perfectly dressed. Crispy, chewy and flavorful. Need I say more? Benjamin later told me that I can order them naked with the sauce on the side. I wonder if we were twins separated at birth? Maybe not since he isn't a chubby asian woman, but he sure can read my mind and ensure that you will have an excellent adventure at Chef Geoff's! I crowned Benjamin my new BFF because he made my tummy happy with great recommendations and kept my ice tea glass filled. Stop in to see him and let him work his magic on you!!! **Note: I wanted to give a shout out to the manager who walked by my empty tea glass and took it upon himself to refill it for me. Either they are only hiring the best of the best or else they have a kick a$$ orientation that is focused on the customer....I seriously cannot wait to go back for a weekend happy hour! :)
(5)Frank L.
I got to say, my first experience with this restaurant was pretty awful in which I walked out because of the poor service and brunch menu. I decided to give this restaurant another try today. I decided to read reviews and see what waiter stood out. After reading some reviews, the waiter Lauren showed up a couple of times with some pretty good reviews. I requested her for my visit. WOW! I was really impressed with her professionalism, attitude, and her recommendations. The food was delicious! I had Crab cakes; they are worth the price! Calamari is really delicious. The Steak with fries; well cooked, good taste, and for desert, the white chocolate, and mango ice cream pure wonderful. I also taste the mint chocolate cake; amazing. Honestly they have great food, and the service and hospitality of Lauren was absolutely amazing, along with explaining and recommanding me these dishes to me. Totally changed my perspective towards this restaurant. I will definitely come back, and definitely recommend Lauren for your waiter.
(5)S. A.
Organized a happy hour here for a group of about 10 friends here in November. Had great experiences at both the downtown and New Mexico Ave locations in previous years and a Bethesda friend had been begging me to host something here ever since it opened earlier this year. Their HH isn't too bad with decently priced burgers and those huge super mugs. We showed up at 5:30 and had no issues ordering beer/food or putting together tables in the bar area to accommodate our large group. It was around 6:30 that I noticed our server changed and so did the manager that kept wandering near the hostess stand. You can't do that so late in the game and handing off a table to another server causes nothing but confusion among staff. Aside from our new server being moderately absent, we had no issues until it was time to pay the bill. Apparently, this place does NOT split checks during happy hour but they do during all other hours. I worked for many years at a major restaurant chain and understand that it is a huge pain for the server, especially during busy hours, as it takes time to charge all of the credit cards....but we still did it for the customer's convenience. At the end of the day I ended up putting the majority of the bill on my CC and it made everything very awkward among our group. Our server couldn't give me a legit answer as to why they don't split checks and simply repeated that it is not what they do during HH. As we were leaving I asked the new floor manager the same question and I even stated that I had split HH checks at their downtown location. He gave me the same answer and then pointed out that it was even stated on the HH menu. I guess it must have been in small print at the bottom and it is definitely not stated on their website HH menu. Shame on you for not splitting bills because A) you don't want your waiters in the weeds during HH (it wasn't that crowded) B) Not wanting to pay for the technology or C) trying to come off as upscale in some weird way (you're next to a Mattress Discounters and a furniture store). Chef Geoff Burger was good and cooked to order, but the staff really soured the whole thing. Will definitely not be back and neither will the group I was with.
(2)Aaron W.
Three and a quarter Yelps for the new kid on the Pike. There are good things about Chef Geoff's. For example: three course early birds in Rockville are rare at best, and Chef Geoff's is pretty good, since you can order basically any appetizer and any dessert. The cocktails look fantastic (I don't drink). Individual dishes I've liked: Sirloin with chimichurri (the best thing I've eaten here - GREAT chimichurri), the gouda grits side (a must try, but heavy), Garlic-Spinach Risotto, the Frites with the mustard aoli (both parts excellent), salads (comically enormous for an appetizer - three people minimum). All desserts have been fine, but not amazing. Individual dishes that I'd have rather not ordered: herb-crusted salmon (very dull, and my wife wasn't fond of it and she's a salmon girl), Risotto balls (greasy and dull), pizza (a complete waste of time in my opinion). There are things that I haven't tried and would still like to try, so the place is still open for review. Proximity helps (I live right next to it) but the place still intrigues me somewhat. Go, but be careful.
(3)Melissa G.
Went 9/21 for lunch and had horrible service. 11:45 reservations and food was not served until 12:30. The server admitted that he had put in our order wrong (after clarifying and still getting it wrong) but nothing was done to try to make us comfortable during the wait. We were absolutely starving and had to waive someone down to ask for bread. Then when our correct appetizers are finally served 45 minutes after seating and I was quickly asked if I wanted another glass of wine. I reasonably thought that given the incredible delay the glass would have been comped due to the error. WRONG. We ordered well for lunch on a menu with $22 entrees we had all three courses. Despite the unreasonable delays and errors we were presented with a full tab. Not one drink or dessert was comped. While we knew we were going to a new restaurant, I was shocked that management would be so short sighted. We received a couple of "I'm Sorrys" but that was it. I know that Chef Geoff has a following but it should not take advantage of diners. The food was above average for the area which is the only reason they got one star. The service was simply unacceptable particularly given the price point. There are a lot of kid friendly national chains that do better keeping orders straight and providing appropriate customer service strategies to deal with errors. Not worth the money. Luckily Rockville has had several high quality restaurant openings lately. No need to waste money on a local chain that doesn't live up to the hype.
(1)Sandra A.
My friend and I met for happy hour there. I was pleasantly surprised. I do wish there were more items on the menu. The drink menu is extensive but for some reason I think the food menu needs more choices. I got a sangria off the happy hour menu, it was good and refreshing. I ordered a burger and asked for blue cheese crumbles instead of cheddar, that was no problem. The fries were bad. some were crispy and others were soggy....so that was built in portion control for me. She had a caesar salad, and mushroom ravioli. I tried both, they were both good. We shared the ricotta donuts for dessert, they were delicious with the chocolate sauce. We were both pleasantly surprised by our final bill....it was very budget friendly.....we usually spend double that amount at other nearby establishments.
(4)Marc B.
Really 2.5 stars. The service here was excellent and everyone was welcoming and polite. My burger was tasty and fairly priced. The fish entrees are another story. Two people in our party of four ordered fish entrees priced each at $27 and $28. You would think that at these prices the entrees would not be small/minute. However, that was the case. Bottom line, if you are going for burgers or pizza you will have a good time and not feel like you have been ripped off. I guess the proprietor assumes that the deep MoCo pockets will continue to patronize his restaurants. We are taking our pockets and their money to other nearby restaurants that are more reasonably priced.
(2)Stephanie G.
$37 for a cheeseburger, a turkey sandwich, and one beer at lunch time. If that sounds outrageous to you, then don't go here because we ordered some of the cheapest things on the menu! I understand that a cheeseburger and turkey sandwich could be worth that much if they were really delicious and original, but that was not the case. There's nothing special about it. The service started out good but deteriorated half way through the meal. There's just so many better (and way cheaper) places in Rockville.
(2)Lucy B.
I really, really wanted to love Chef Geoff's, sadly, I do not. I feel like in Rockville we don't necessarily have a lot of great choices to have a great dinner with out heading to DC or Bethesda. So, I was really pulling for this place. Let me start by saying our server was great, she was friendly and energetic. Now, the food left a lot to be desired. I really didn't even enjoy the rolls that were brought to the table, they're much too dense and chewy. To each is own, obviously, but, not my preference at all. Then we ordered the duck confit to start. I am almost certain our duck was microwaved or something. There were cold spots in the dish and the duck was super tough, which I don't really understand. The scallion pancakes that accompany the duck were rubbery, it was all very strange. The sauce on the duck was great, but everything else was just not. For dinner we had the cheeseburger and the spice crusted sirloin or ribeye, I can't remember which steak but it was to be "spicy crusted" and most definitely not. Both the steak and the burger had something in common, practically burned on the outside, to the point where you had to pick pieces off of just singed meat. As for the burger, I might venture to say that its the worst I have ever had. The burger was so dry it was hard to swallow without ketchup or something. Though, I wouldn't be being fair if I didn't tell you that the fries were amazing, but, fries alone won't win me over. The yucca that came with the steak was equally dry and unseasoned. I really wanted to love this place as I'm a sucker for some hype, and this place had a lot of hype. Sadly, it is for sure not a fave of mine.
(2)Liza A.
Oh well...sometimes I feel that I am looking for the holy grail of flavor and that is why all my reviews r bad....this place for being the one that replaced Houston's had a lot of expectations from me....since they have to pay big bucks for that space I thought they had it together with food...well it was disappointing....from hostess that seemed new at seating people, cus the place was empty and she struggled to sit us with my two little ones. Husband asked for crab cake Po boy were the bread got toasted to rock state impossible to chew and he almost broke a tooth ( just saying...not that he did but that is just an illustration of how hard bread was), I had Cobb salad with tuna...Tuna didn't have any seasonings what so ever not even salt, tuna such a beautiful piece of fish treated like bland tilapia such a waste. Kids had steak and salmon. Steak was OK actually best dish among all of us...green beans in plate underdone. Salmon plate fingerlink potatoes had so much pepper that my little one could not eat them or anything that touch them. ..I have to say the plates for my kids were from the kids meal. So having something over peppered is such a terrible mistake. Before the entrée appetizers calamari witch was good and guacamole that was not good at all. Maybe I am just to picky or maybe I'm right who knows...I know they wont get another 100.00 from me....service needs a lot of improvement too...sat there for 15 min with no refill on our drinks....that is how long server didn't come to check...and the place was empty....she had like 3 to 4 tables and still no drinks....goodbye chef Geoff....u will never see us again..
(2)Mary G.
I recently came for lunch with a group of my co-workers (10/16/12). I had an awesome experience for my birthday at the Chef Geoff's Downtown (9/6/12) and wanted to share the experience with my co-workers in Rockville. The food was awesome. I had the classic Chef Geoffs burger. However, the service was very poor. My co-workers and myself used this much needed break to relax and enjoy the atmosphere at your location, until our bar server was frustrated with us. Upon preparing to leave, I asked for the ticket and to split it, which seemed to be a big problem. We had no intentions of causing any trouble or hindrances during the lunch hour, but that was the unanimous sentiment. It was a not so "smooth" process, according to the waiter and we "should have" told him we were splitting in advance. It is now my understanding your staff does not assume a party is splitting the check unless said so. However, we didn't assume to tell him because he didn't ask. The sly comments, inattentiveness, and lack of respect is not what I expected on a random weekday lunch. I already spoke Brad and sent my apologies for anything misunderstood with the group. Some of my colleagues do not wish to come back. Again, the food was great, service was piss poor. Brad then proceeded to chase us out of the restaurant because we were "short on the bill." This was not the case and we all have our receipts to prove it. We were falsely accused. If he would've even suspected this, he should have said something before we walked out so we could figure it out. I'm sure he would have noticed this earlier if we were getting the attention and respect we deserved. Take care, Mary on behalf of Brittany (we both attended this lunch)
(2)Jason Q.
Finally got to try this restaurant last night and was excited because it was restaurant week. Upon entering I did have a bit of nostalgia being a huge Houston's follower but that soon ended. The host was not overtly rude but he made us feel like we were we were putting him out when we checked in for our reservation. They could use a better host with better people skills, his attempts at being pleasant failed because of his condescending attitude and mannerisms. After seeing other 2 tops checkin after us get seated before us, We decided to move in the waiting area to see if we would get noticed, we finally got seated after being the only ones left in the waiting area. The waitress was very nice and attentive. The Aztec Manhattan and Malbec were good as well as the starter rolls they offered. The appetizers, crab cakes and Med. Platter were equally good. Nice flavor on the different dips. The main courses consisted of the Ny strip and scallops. Each were adequate. The steak was cooked perfectly though mine had a large piece of fat/cartilage at the end of the steak which was a waste. The frites and arugula salad were flavorful. The scallops were cooked perfectly but the gnocchi; could use a little more flavor. Had the tres leche cake and mixed berries for dessert which were good. The coconut ice cream was very good, but the marscapone had an odd texture. Overall the meal was adequate, no stand outs. It would be an overpriced meal (portion sizes too small for the price) but luckily it was restaurant week. There were def some hits and misses and doubt I would go back again for dinner, did I mention how much I miss Houston's....
(3)L K.
I disagree with some of he negative reviews. The food was really great! Disclaimer is that we ordered off the happy hour menu. Fried pickles were great, as was the Parmesan truffle popcorn and off the regular menu we got the hoisin duck confit... Wow that was good! They also had a special third menu with item focused on bacon ingredients. We didn't try any but it seemed good. I like the renovated bar. Well done.
(4)A. F.
This review is strictly for happy hour. I really like coming here for the environment - it's never too crowded and it's very spacious. They have a pretty extensive happy hour menu with a few drinks, to various appetizers, pizzas, and burgers. Nothing is a huge stand out but everything is fairly good but really greasy. I'd say the best deal is a large delicious burger and fries for $6. The two drinks I've had on their menu - pineapple sangria and strawberry margarita - are both nice and strong, just the way it should be :p I find myself back here fairly often because it's a good place to kick back and relax with friends and/or co-workers. Definitely check it out at some point.
(3)Irene F.
I came with a party of 11 and service was fine. But after tacking on a 20% tip I ended up paying $35 for a deconstructed gyro and a non-alcoholic grapefruit soda. Pardon me if I expect it to be excellent- not on par with the $6 one I can get at Moby Dick's. From now on I'm sticking to going here on Restaurant Week, or for their sunset special which seems like a great deal at $19 for a 3 course meal.
(3)Avonne T.
Completely over-rated! I was not impressed with this restaurant at all. Really hoped to find a new delicious spot in Rockville, but, swing-and-a-miss! Food: Nothing special... actually, extremely disappointing. We got the coconut shrimp and the crispy calamari as appetizers. The coconut shrimp was nothing more than Gordon's Fisherman frozen popcorn Shrimp, with coconut flakes scattered on top. So sad, all I could do was laugh! Crispy Calamari was boring, no flare, not even worth mentioning, so, moving on.... My boyfriend got the CG Burger - his exact words "we coulda got a Checkers Burger. Are they actually proud of this slop?!?!". I got the Slow & Low Beef Short Rips - they were very tender, decent taste, not very flavorful though. They give you a tablespoon of their "carrot mashed potatoes" (which were underwhelming to say the least) and then confused everything with HUGE Brussels sprouts, onions and whatever else they stuck in there. The whole meal left quite the aftertaste and breath (and no it was not all the onions). To drink, I ordered the Spa Nectar - don't let them fool you.... this is simply a vodka mojito with a slice of cucumber in a cup FULL of ice. You probably only get 1/3 cup of the actual drink. Suggestion... tell them light on the ice. Service: Although we had reservations, we sat in the bar (first come first server) area; wanted to watch the Orange Bowl game. There was only one server serving the entire sections, he was totally overworked; he had no time to explain the menu, was annoyed at answering questions about the menu, didn't have time to check in frequently. All it all, it was bad, but I didn't punish the waiter because he was clearly overwhelmed, and I understood his frustration. The hostess was wonderful!!! Very welcoming, charming and helpful. She's probably the only reason this establishment got more than 1 star in this review. Ambiance: Nice - it's a pretty restaurant. Bright in the main room, dim in the bar area. Overall nice set up, ambiance was enjoyable. All in all, save your time and money, skip Chef Geoff's Rockville for dinner. I have heard the happy hour is nice, maybe start with that.
(2)C A.
Just ate at chef geoffs. Food was pretty good, but nothing special. Another reviewer said something that I totally agree with: the restaurant is just a bit... Boring. Nothing especially interesting about the decor, the set up, or the menu. Our waitress was very nice and attentive.
(3)Bob S.
Trust me, you just can't beat the happy hour burgers at this place! Juicy and delicious! I love the champagne greens!
(4)Michael D.
I would not recommend this place. It has aspirations of being a fine dining experience, and if you fall for this you will be sorely disappointed. Mediocre food, horrible service, dirty plates, dirty restrooms and inaccurate menu descriptions were the ingredients to a totally regrettable meal that was my wife's birthday dinner. How embarrassing for me. Shame on you Geoff.
(1)Sarah C.
Positives: -Great wine at good price -Salads are flavorful and good portions -Desserts are outstanding Negatives: -Service needs work -Atmosphere is boring -Food is overpriced for what it is I have been wanting to try a Chef Geoff's for the longest time, as I myself am a fellow alum from the CIA. We arrived at about 6 PM on a rainy Tuesday night, and the restaurant was by no mean busy. We were given a really horrible table...I'm not exaggerating. For those of you who have been there, the small table for (2) people next to the kitchen is where we were seated. Now, I can understand why you would do that if the restaurant was anticipated to be busy, but it did not even fill up to half capacity the duration of our time there. I was not impressed by the fact I could hear the cooks yelling and dishes crashing through my entire experience. The waiter was overbearing, and kind of pushy. At one point, after we had ordered our wine (a redeeming factor of the evening, the Chef Geoff Tempranillo), he proceeded to throw something that was supposed to be a coupon on our table and loudly informed us we would get our wine for free if we ordered from the entree side of the menu. Thanks? I don't know if we looked like we were bargain hunters, or if he made a judgement because we are young (27 & 30), but it was a little insulting. We decided to order an appetizer, two salads & a dessert. The appetizer (a crab stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon...Yum) was dry. It seemed as though it was missing a component on the plate, such as a sauce or garnish. Our salads came out before we had finished our appetizer, and our waiter stared at us uncomfortably, rather than assisting us in making room. The salads were delightful. My fiance had the Cadillac Caesar with calamari, and I had the Arugula salad from the soup & salad menu. It was light & flavorful, with just the right amount of dressing. His calamari was cooked perfectly, and the dressing and other ingredients really went well together. The dessert (a lemon cake with yuzu huckelberries and black current sorbet) was absolutely out of this world. I love anything yuzu, and would have gobbled it down regardless. I highly recommend this dessert if you like bright and flavor forward desserts. This is not highly decadent, but is extremely satisfying nonetheless. Overall, I'm not sure I would go back to the dining room just yet. It seems they have some kinks to work out service wise. However, I am curious about their cocktails, and would like to try some of their happy hour specials so I think we will give the bar a go.
(2)Kate O.
Went again to the bar. Bartender, with only 4 people at the bar couldn't be bothered to serve anyone in a timely fashion. Too busy chatting with the other servers and watching TV. Guess Chef Geoff has enough money he can watch it walking out the door.
(1)Cynthia L.
I thought I might never come back here after the less-than-stellar experience from the last trip. (Un)Fortunately, friends asked us to come for a birthday dinner here. Might I just add I opened my mind back up to the possibility I might enjoy this place? So for a party of 10+, here goes: The waiter was incredibly nice and knew his stuff; he remembered everyone that came and what they ordered from last time, even if it was 6 months prior. - Truffle & parmesan popcorn was a little on the oily side and a little stale-tasting - Mussels were cold & fries were cold & overdone - Steak frites - dry and not seasoned - My Artichoke & pea risotto was....very plain...I asked my girlfriend to try it and she couldn't muster to finish swallowing her one bite. I think I enjoyed her reaction more than I enjoyed anything else. Dessert (yes, I had to give it a whole paragraph description because IT'S dessert!): We were given the flourless chocolate cake by accident, but it was absolutely amazing. Dark chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a flourless chocolate cake, it was actually moist and tasty, so kudos. The chocolate turtle cheesecake was a little heavy on the caramel but tasted like a pecan pie - delicious goodness all the way around. So even the though the dessert was stellar, the food was a little lackluster for my taste. Not for foodies, but good enough for Rockville-Potomac diners.
(3)Katrina R.
Went for weekend brunch. It was fine. Most of what we had I thought was a bit too sweet. Our server was nice but very easily confused.
(3)Phi N.
I was pretty impressed with my meal here. I didn't feel like the options on the menu were that great, so I went with the crabcake (usually crabcakes are all the same). Too my surprise, it was a great choice! Eating a crabcake with their delicious sauce mixed into potatoes, corn, and other vegetables made it magnificent! Oh, and let's not forget about the guacamole w/ plantain chips. The guacamole was awesome.
(4)Dayle T.
On February 14, 2015 my husband and I went to Chef Geoff's restaurant in Rockville. Our reservations were at 4:15 pm. When we arrived at the restaurant there were only 3 other tables occupied at the time. The hostess put us at a table in front of the window. It was a very cold day and I asked if we could have a booth further inside the restaurant. She quickly snapped "no, people have reserved those seats. We are completely booked; this is a very busy day". The waiter was very nice and took our order. Appetizer a. Hummus and Pita - the hummus was very cold and did not have much flavor. It was served with these huge thick pieces of pita bread. 6 Rating (Based on 1-10) Salads a. Caesar - very choppy looking. 6 Rating b. Mixed Lettuces - very choppy looking with these huge wide slices of carrots and no dressing. 6 Rating (dressing was good after they brought it to me). Bread a. Not bad but the whipped butter had no taste. Main Coarse a. Big Shrimp Very Gouda Grits - Shrimp was over cooked. 7 Rating b. Pan Seared Grouper with Fried Rice - Fish was very over cooked and rubbery. Fried rice was very salty. 3 Rating It was Valentine 's Day and there was no signs of it (no flowers, decorations, nothing special). We had eaten at Chef Geoff's in Rockville one time before and the food was not up to par at that time, especially considering the prices. We are fine with paying for an expensive meal but we expect nice atmosphere, courteous staff and amazing food. We paid our $108 tab (that was only food) and scratched this restaurant off our list. BTW- when we left at 5:15 pm no customers were sitting in the booths I wanted to sit at.
(2)Barb L.
Just walked out of Chef Geoffs. We will NEVER be back! First, the server splilled a beer on my husband. Then after the appetizer, we waited and waited but no entrée. The server kept telling us "2 minutes." My husband talked to the man at the podium who sent the manager, Mika to our table to apologize and tell us our meal was on the house. Do you believe it? The meal STILL never arrived!!!! Luckily we were sitting outside. We got up and went to another restaurant. Very disappointing and will never return!
(1)Hass B.
we were three of us...and all ordered the same dish chicken breast ...it was just ok...nothing great. I dont think it worth the price. ..
(2)Kat F.
Monday/Tuesday all day happy hour is awesome, but it is crowded at the bar and seating is veeeeery limited. I came here for a nice dinner for my friend's birthday. We ordered numerous appetizers including Sweet Fried Calamari (which was nice and crispy), and some other apetizers (it slips my mind because my other friends had ordered them). For dinner, I ordered the Italian Sausage and Shrimp Penne, which was okay but not spectacular. I don't really remember much, but that usually means I must have not really found it to be that great. :-/
(3)Erica G.
This place gets one star for service and there stars for food. Overall, I this place gets one star because our service just sucked. Our waitress was completely dull and never smiled. She seemed very awkward. I would have given her two stars until she cleared our plates and didn't even offer us dessert. She just said, here's your check. Then, "oh wait, unless you want dessert or coffee". Well, we did want dessert, but at that point just felt pushed out. As for our experience, it was ok. Not god awful, but a step above that. First, the design of the place is bad. The carpet is dirty and the chairs and booth backs match nothing. It is a very senior citizen design. Then the martinis came. Our glasses arrived halfway full. Either use smaller glasses, or fill them up. Seriously!!! For $12 per drink a full glass would be nice. We had to pay for doubles for our next drink to have the glasses full. And water? Nobody came to refill my glass. It would have been nice seeing as I was thirsty. Next, the food. The appetizers were great. We got the crispy calamari and tuna tartar. When ordering entrees, I asked the waitress the difference between the steak fries and house frites. She just said the steak fries were thicker. I ordered those and my husband got the house frites with his entree. Well, the difference is a lot more than thicker fries. The steak fries come seasoned with a garlic and parsley rub and come with a dipping sauce. The house fritz come with nothing and are plain. Ummmm....hello waitress, big difference. And you couldn't mention that? My salad was ok and my husband really liked his entree. But again, we could have gone to mon ami gabi in bethesda or blacks and gotten a better meal with exceptional service guaranteed for less money or the same amount. And don't forget about dessert that we were never offered!!! I'm glad we tried this place for lunch and didn't waste a dinner on it. We won't be back. Bad food is forgivable but bad service is not.
(1)Matthew L.
Slow service. Took over an hour and 20 minutes to eat a 3 course meal. Food was ok not worth the hundred we dropped for dinner. Took over 20 mins to get drinks and bread after sitting at the table. This is not the first time it's taken this long to get basic attention. Got here at 8PM on a Tuesday night and just getting check at 9:25. Absolutely the last time we come here. Not worth the cost. Can get same food at costal flats for almost half the price.
(2)Rachel R.
Chef Geoff's is a great addition to the long line of restaurants along Rockville Pike. It's nearest neighbors are Bennigans, TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, and the Silver Diner, so Chef Geoff's definitely provides a much needed nicer option. Food is excellent, and service is great. They let us essentially shut down the restaurant without any pressure to leave, and were kind enough to inform us that if we bought a bottle of wine (it was 1/2 price night) and didn't finish it, we could take it home!
(4)Syed A.
Chef Geoff's is the brainchild of a local chef Geoff, which opened its first branch in 2000. It has opened a few branches around the DC metro area since. We went to the one in Rockville and it has very interesting decor and interiors. Firstly, the restaurants' exterior does not give away the charm and sophistication of its interiors. The menu changes every season; summer, spring and fall. Our brunch was on a Thursday noon to celebrate Eid, and I was surprised to see so many people at that time of the day, almost a full house. As patrons, we had too many specifications, no alcohol, no red meat, no pork, just seafood. And the waitress and chef were patient enough to bring a meal that stuck exactly to our description! I was worried that making too many changes in the recipe would 'un-Americanize' the experience, but it was just awesome, the taste and flavors, were intact. We loved this place and would definitely come here again, since its so close to home; the only concern being the price, its a fancy and pricey place to have a meal too often!! To satiate myself, I had Croque Madame which has gruyere, fried egg, tomato marmalade, house fries, baby lettuces, minus the ham! The bread was crunchy and wonderfully done with the melted gruyere, and lettuce was fresh. For a foodie, the good thing about going to eat with family and friends is that you can take a bite and share food from everyone's plate. So I also got to eat potato crusted rainbow trout with lentils, fennel, leeks, shallots, tarragon butter, and fish & chips with fish, spicy remoulade, cole slaw, old bay fries.
(4)Al T.
I'm not quite sure what to make of Chef Geoff's after my first visit. Granted, the food is pretty good, the service is pretty good too. I really like the menu and it's variety, so much so that I had a tough time settling on just one entree. The evening started with such promise. We arrived on-time for our 6.30pm reservation and were quickly led to our table. My dining companion ordered the fatoosh salad, I had the arugula and beet salad followed by the falafel entree. I really enjoyed the salad, and I thought the falafel was also good, just under-seasoned. Otherwise, it had all the right accompaniments. My companion enjoyed her salad, but noticed that so many other tables had either mussels or pizza on them. All in all, a pleasant experience, and we do want to return, especially to see if any dish really leaps up and says "I'm different and worth your trip here!" As for service - The waiter was very attentive to our needs up until the time we finished our entrees. For some reason, after dinner, he sort of disappeared and I had to ask another waiter to bring our check. Oh, and by the way - the gouda popcorn that sounds so good. It's fresh-popped popcorn with gouda sprinkled on it, then truffle oil is drizzled onto the corn. To me, it's a great way to ruin popcorn. I've heard that truffle oil goes a bit better on french fries.
(2)Despina H.
We went for a birthday dinner and had a reservation. We were seated immediately and the staff was friendly. The food was very good and cooked perfectly. However it took almost an hour for us to get our food and when it came there was no steak knife given to my husband for his steak. Our waitress was nice but didn't give us a lot of attention and we had to flag someone else down for the knife and a pen to pay the bill. Not the service I expect for the prices of their food/wine, so it could have been better.
(3)Penelope W.
I really don't like to write poor reviews, because all business have their struggles. I certainly hope they read these reviews and take the criticism to improve. Apparently, they dont since no review have owner responses. This particular review is rated at 2.5 stars only because at least the presentation was good. Although I have been to this particular location and others in the past, I was disappointed with the brunch. The ambiance and presentation are excellent. They staff is relatively friendly, so I don't really have complaints there. We went for brunch and the menu says your meal will include fresh fruit, a brunch bread assortment on top of your entree, coffee or juice, and a mimosa or Bloody Mary for ~$25. This sounds reasonable and comparable to other brunches nearby. The fresh fruit consists of a half strawberry, 2 grapes, 2 thinly sliced pieces of kiwi, and a half centimeter thick piece of watermelon. So yes, fresh fruit is served, but cheaply. The mimosas are good. After asking the guy who clears the table if we could get the bread, he said they were out. Minutes later he came back and served each table the bread assortment, which were 3 bite size semi hard muffins. I didn't realize that after paying nearly $50 for a meal for 2, that they were not able to afford fruit or bread. I would be happy to pay a couple of extra dollars for an appropriate size of fruit and bread. By the way, once I was served the fruit and bread, I realized the menu states you can chose either coffee OR juice. Why can't they serve both like every other restaurant? Even restaurants in DC that serve brunch can afford this. Now, the part that really bothered me and grossed me out was the Chesapeake Crabcake. It's topped with poached eggs. The outside of the egg looked normal but the center was hard and congealed. At that point I was relatively annoyed and wanted to leave ASAP. I read every single review before going forward and writing this to see if we were the only ones with a negative experience. It sounds like its 50/50. Unfortunately, at this point if I want a good brunch place in Rockville, I will be happy to go to elsewhere. Addie's, Black Market and Blacks are the same genre as Chef Geoff and you leave with a satisfied tummy. The Marriott serves a great brunch as well. Now, I would be ok if the brunch menu was not an option and you got your meal a la carte. The fruit and bread felt like an insult and would have rather done without.
(2)Paul M.
Updating and upgrading, as there was one outstanding piece of service from the barman which I forgot to mention. My buddy has food allergies, and was concerned that their might be dairy in his menu choice. The barman went into the kitchen not once, not twice but three tiems to verify that the third choie item was good, after getting knocked back twice o nthe dairy content of the first two. Bloody food allergies. But great service.
(3)Pumpkin S.
The food was ok, but the service was so, so awkward. I can't quite put my finger on it-- it seemed that everyone working there was socially "off." The hostesses are trying too hard (it gave us the creeps), the server seemed to phrase things in socially awkward ways ("since you pushed your menus away, I take it that you know what you're ordering..." or something to that effect. "Pushing away menus" is definitely an awkward thing to say to a customer, no?), and basic supplies came in parts and pieces. Like missing utensils, water refill, etc. Really weird place. Will not be returning.
(3)Arlan H.
Try the Smoky Autumn Breeze. It's a drink that should automatically transport you to a rocking chair on a porch somewhere. I feel very comfortable dining at this establishment. I usually sit at the bar where I'm greeted with exquisite service from the friendly staff. Anna is superwoman. Galen is a perfect gentleman; reminiscent of a butler. He is patient, kind, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Once he figures you out, he has the ability to recommend menu items that suit your taste and he NEVER disappoints. William and Eric are your friendly neighbourhood bartenders. Two different personalities, same courteous and genuine service. Will seems to be more of a perfectionist. He puts great effort into every concoction and task. When you see him looking down with his brows furrowed that means he's putting his best into whatever he's serving you. Eric is way more laid back. He's the gentle giant who makes it look easy. Then there's silent Jack. He doesn't speak much but he always takes good care of his customers. Meka/Mika* is the shift manager that I'm familiar with and she makes her presence known without being intrusive. The unsung heroes of this establishment are the runners who bring your food. You never see them until they're right next to you setting down your plate. I always go for the Rockville burger with the black bean setup. I have tried the fried calamari starter and the pepper bacon pizza. I have been unable to pick another menu item since because those are soooooo good. Galen recommended the pineapple upside down cake once and it's the only dessert that I get (if I can make it to dessert). It's paired with white chocolate ice cream. Now I'm hungry again. I'm sorry to see so many bad reviews for this establishment. Your experience is your own and I certainly hope you give them the chance to sweep you off your feet. I felt like it would have been an injustice not to give the staff the props they deserve. I've never been in the dining room so I haven't had to chance to meet the dining room staff. I'm sure they are just as swell. Try the Smoky Autumn Breeze and the Pineapple upside down cake.
(5)Hoainam N.
A good restaurant for a Valentine's Day date. I had dinner here with my girlfriend and had a great time. The decor is nice, the wait staff was attentive, and the food tasted great. There was quite a dinner crowd for the Saturday after Valentine's, but after the dinner crowd it emptied out pretty quickly. There were plenty of tables for couples, although I thought they were too close together. Our table only had 4-5 feet of space from the tables next to us. But overall, I enjoyed the night. The location is convenient and it's a nice option for dining compared to the others along Rockville Pike.
(4)sandra d.
It was Saturday night and the place was busy and noisy. Waiters were flying around. Nevertheless, the food came quickly, hot and rather delicious; the Indian chicken was well liked, I loved my potato crusted fish, specially the lentil mix that came with it, almost a meal in itself and my salad was small but very good. I have to mention a rather bewildering and amusing policy they have regarding alcoholic drinks. Turns out if you ask for one ice cube your drink will cost less than if you order it neat, the assumption being that you get less alcohol, which actually was not the case, but anyway, that is what we were told. So if you figure it out, every additional ice cube will decrease the amount of alcohol and the price until you end up with a glass full of free ice cubes. So funny. We will go again but will be careful with those ice cubes.
(3)Katie D.
Stopped by for impromptu brunch with my husband and toddler. We both got the 'Sunday Special' which is a breads/muffins, fruit, brunch entree, and cocktail (mimosa, Bloody Mary) for $22. We set the baby up with some of our fruit and muffins and enjoyed our cocktails as noon time brunchers began to stroll in. The mimosa was great (not too juicy...let's be real: I'm not drinking it for the vitamin C) and hubby said the Bloody Mary was awesome--just the right amount of spicy from horseradish and Tabasco. He had the steak and eggs and said it was cooked perfectly to order (medium). I had the eggs Chesapeake and it was delish. The eggs were poached the old fashioned way (simmering water) and the yolks were that perfect consistency--just runny enough to ooze a little on the plate. I will say they could have been a bit more generous with the Hollandaise, but the crabcakes were phenom. I was actually too full to finish the whole entree. Really wanted to try the crepes or beignets, but the toddler was starting to get cantankerous and we didn't want to ruin anyone else's meal, so we split and marveled at the smallness of the check. We'll be back for sure!
(5)Susan J.
Ate here last night with 5 friends, before attending a concert at The Strathmore. We had picked it from a list of "nearby restaurants" on the venue's website and knew nothing about Chef Geoffs. We were pleasantly surprised. We all ate from their early bird menu which offers 3 courses for $19.95. For that price we were not expecting much, but the food was amazing! I started with the lettuce leaf salad, followed by the potato-crusted trout, and ended with the mixed berries. The husband had the lentil soup, chicken milanese and the mixed berries. We were amazed that not only did each course come out together, and to the right person, but it was the right temperature, made with fresh ingredients and was attractively presented. There was a good selection of wines by the glass and a large number of draft beers available. Service was excellent. We had a wonderful meal and Chef Geoff's exceeded our expectations. We can't wait to come again!
(5)Katelyn K.
Can in on a recent Sunday morning for brunch. Service was very slow, but the food was good (as is typical of Chef Geoff's). I can't say I will be back to this location though as the parking lot was a mess and again slow service. I will keep going to the one downtown and near American.
(4)Mike S.
Been here a few times since moving back. I really like their burgers and overall food is good. The only thing I would caution about is the pizza. My friend had it once when we went and the crust was really thin and soggy. But, overall, a solid pick.
(3)Diana C.
We were a party of eight. Our waiter, Benjamin was outstanding. He made great recommendations, didn't rush us at all and even took pics for us. Food was delish. Great evening.
(5)Robin O.
Hubby and I thought we were going out for a fine dining experience, my bad. What we got was 'fast food', poorly prepared, and we were in and out in less than one hour on a Friday night. This restaurant does not know what it wants to be. Geoff's features 'dinner house' entrees from $16-29, but there' also pizza and hamburgers and a hefty choice of appetizers that look like a Tapas restaurant. We informed our waiter that we'd never been before and inquired about several dishes. So many choices! We decided on five appetizers as dinner so we could try many items. We ordered: Lamb Samosas with Mango-Tamarind Sauce 9.95 - GREASY UNDER FRIED SOFT DOUGH, NO CRUNCH, UNAPPEALING. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Crispy Calamari, Marinara, Arugula Aioli, Lemon Aioli 12.95 THE LARGER PIECES WERE MUSHY AND UNDERCOOKED, NOT CRISPY. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Tuna Sashimi, Wasabi Aioli, Baked Sesame Wontons 13.95 GOOD TO VERY GOOD, BUT A BIT OVERPRICED FOR THE PORTION Crispy Parmesan Crusted Oysters 12.95 INEDIBLE, TASTLESS, UNDERCOOKED, MUSHY. WE THOUGHT MAYBE TOFU. NO OYSTER OR PARM FLAVOR. THEY WERE VERY FLAT AND WEIRD. OBVIOUSLY FROZEN, NOT FRESH. Chef Geoff Burger, Cheddar, Bacon, Green Chile Aioli 12.95 BEEF TASTED GOOD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BARELY WARM BUT VERY SMALL PORTION, DEF NOT WORTH 12.95. THREE SMALL BITES PER PERSON, SINCE WE SPLIT. Note: The Green Chile Aioli on burger looked and tasted exactly the same as the Wasabi Aioli on the Tuna. Hmmmmmm. Besides the pedestrian, greasy, mushy food... my real gripe was the TIMING. The waiter was informed that the apps were dinner. Common sense would split the courses as if we'd ordered entrees. But nooooo, everything came at once and over filled the table. Too much cooked/fried food to eat in a timely manner and the oysters which were the first thing we tasted were served luke warm. The slice of ice cold tomato placed under hamburger made the hamburger cold in no time. At the moment the food was dropped, I sat in shock that so much food was now sitting in front of us filling the whole table. As soon as the runner left, a female manager came over and said cheerily "How is everything?" I said "I don't know, we just got served, come back in 5 minutes." She never came back. I finally saw her after we were finished and I waved her over and told her what I thought. MY POV was "Would you serve the salad and the entree at the same time?" Our waiter knew our intentions to have apps as dinner. Also, once our waiter knew we were unhappy with all the food being dumped on us instead of in courses, he stayed away from us. We felt that nothing we ate was fresh, hot or house made. Just a bunch of frozen food, like I could have gotten at Costco. All in all, pretty gross and not satisfying for $100. Boy, did sitting this place make me miss Houston's! While this restaurant maybe crowded for awhile as people are so excited to be sitting in Houston's again, I do not foresee this restaurant being able to sustain itself with this level of low quality food.
(1)Bryan K.
Great shrimp and grits, good wedge salad, excellent Martini. A bit expensive. We were there the first weekend. It was terrible. Food returned by 2 out of 4 diners without any consideration whatever. The food was much better this time.
(4)Elly S.
Although I've swung by the bar here for drinks, it wasn't until tonight that I finally had a chance to enjoy a nice dinner here, so I am writing my review based on that... Reservations: *a must* This spot is new and everyone knows Geoff's reputation for good food so you can believe all of Rockville, Bethesda, and Potomac are here every night. I called at 6:30pm and was given reservations for a table of 2 at 7:45 pm. We arrived about 10 minutes late, and were seated within a few minutes of our arrival. Service: Our waiter was chipper, but a bit absent-minded. At first, he started out perfect. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, he was prompt with everything, including refilling our sodas. Then after our appetizer arrived, he disappeared. And if he did walk by the table, he would look right past us, despite our trying to make eye contact with him. Maybe it was because his section was busy and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here, but I did deduct 1 star for this. Food: Freaking fantastical. I think my taste buds were so delighted that it felt like I had a unicorn in my mouth! (or something equally magical & whimsical) We started with the beer battered pickles, which are spears and not chips, with a remoulade that actually has little pickle chunks in it. Delicious. Absolutely delicious. We both loved them. For our entree, we both ended up getting the Slow & Low Short Ribs, which were so tender they melted the second the fork hit them. No need for a knife, at all. And they were served on this carrot/mashed potato mixture that literally had me licking the plate. Yes, I was that heathen who licked her plate clean, and I still want more! For dessert, we decided to be sinful and went with the oh so decadent Oreo bread pudding with cocoa pop rocks. What a sensation! When dessert arrived I had forgotten about the pop rocks until my mouth suddenly started to fizz. That, combined with the ice cream, and the bread pudding made for one of the most tantalizing experiences I have ever had. Major win!
(4)Corrine T.
Classic Chef Geoff's! Really like the Rockville burger! They have a nice selection of rotating taps in addition to a decent bottle selection. The wine list is also impressive. Definitely a great happy hour spot! And a good place to the catch the game with their large TVs and roomy bar area (with booths!).
(5)J P.
In short (simply because this place is not worth my time): - Service was godawful -- One waitress had like ten tables and she was terrible - Food is NOT up to standard for their prices -- It tastes like a fancy Ruby Tuesday - Contributing factors to feeling ripped off: 1) Burgers are small and bland and 2) Their "BIG" salads are not that big and their mostly made up of iceberg lettuce (YUM!) This is my second terrible Chef Geoff's experience. The first was a brunch that was equally as disappointing. My advice is to avoid the corporate chain and go somewhere else. They cut corners left and right and it really makes for an awful experience. Won't go back.
(1)Thomas B.
What in the world is happening in Rockville??? We are finally getting some great restaurants that are not chains! I have dined at Chef Geoff's downtown twice and loved it. We ate here last night and it was very excellent. The food was great and the service was very good. We had a variety of entrees at our table including the curry chicken, the wild mushroom ravioli and the salmon burger. All was great. The best deal is the 3-course meal. These are not slimmed down versions of their entrees to fit the great price. It really is a great deal! I think the prices are good for the quality and I am looking forward to going again. They have updated the decor from the Houston's and Aggain days. Check this out! EXCELLENT!
(5)Marc L.
My wife and I ate here a month or two after they opened. We used a newspaper coupon for $10 off. We had eaten once at Chef Geoff's in DC (New Mexico Avenue) several years ago and loved it, so we were happy to try the new Rockville location. We also were fans of Houstons, the restaurant formerly occupying the space, and I wrote a Yelp review of the short-lived Againn tavern which was terrible. The bar area is fabulous. Outstanding selection of draft beers plus many bottled selections. Great wines available. Very good service. Comfortable, smart atmosphere, good TVs if you're so inclined, plenty of room. I would welcome the opportunity to just hang out here and drink beer. Restaurant is comfortable, well lit, not too noisy. They redid it totally from the Houstons/Aginn configuration, and the interior is well done. Service is excellent. Our food was quite good, yet both my wife and I couldn't help observing that the food lacked originality and special-ness. Nothing wrong with it. At these prices, however, I'd like to be seeing and tasting food that is much better than I could cook at home: elegant imaginative presentation, novel sauces, interesting vegetables, etc. As it happens we had just eaten a few nights earlier at Founding Farmers new location in Potomac. If I were to review and compare (which I might), I'd definitely give the nod to FF. Food and presentation more interesting, atmosphere more fun, the whole experience more interesting. I wish Chef Geoff much good luck, and at least as long a run as Houstons had at this location. It's a great location for business, and the area desperately needs a upscale yet straightforward lunch place for business.
(4)Ken C.
Ok! The Chef Geoff's downtown is better. Overpriced and everything we had was better in other restaurants. Truly forgettable at least this location.
(2)Bill P.
I was OVERLY impressed. Sauntered in Saturday late lunch 2PM......barkeep Alex working hard and delivering the goods. Only a few folks at the long bar but the tables were packed. The staff very friendly and kind in training newbies I noticed. Glancing at the menu EVERYTHING (10-12 items) looks good in the $12-18 entree range but #1 top of the list 3 LARGE catfish soft tacos with plantain chips (salsa and sour cream) $16 called out to me and it was spot on delicious. Gosh....I hope Geoff finds it in his heart to stick one of these joints in 20878 (no, not Poolesville) but Crown Farm, Watkins Mill Town Center or when Lake Forest gets rebooted. 20878 is soooooo underserved with only Bonefish, Dogfish or a ride over to Cava. Ahhhhh....but first Ballston Commons is calling Geoff! The 'Burbs need to be loved too!!!!
(5)Yan W.
Visited for the "soft opening" today. For a "pre-release," I thought the experience was amazing. Even though the restaurant just opened, the staff topped all expectations. The receptionist recognized my party, knew we were early, and later found us at the bar when our table was ready. She even offered to make special accommodations for a party of 4. Our waiter was very knowledgeable. He knew every dish on the menu, even that the lobster ravioli had ~4 oz of lobster... His reccomendations were spot on. Perhaps the food was so good because Cheff Goeff was on premise. The fried oyster appetizers were good, but perhaps, a little acidity was needed to cut the the heaviness of the batter and the heaviness of the sauce (in other words, please toss in a lemon wedge). The lobster risotto was delicious. The rice was perfectly al dente and the lobster was plentiful. Only one minor minor suggestion - the parmesan cookie on top of the rice was a little soggy. If it was crispy or crunchy, it would have created a crazy incredible mash up. For dessert, although the grape sorbet, peanut butter tart, and ice cream were good; the Oreo bread pudding provided an "out of body experience." All and all I have to say this is my favorite CJs in the area. The décor was more rustic than the ultra modern Tyson's location, and the parking was free and plentiful. CJs in Rockville is just not a meal, but a true dining experience - totally worth the trip. Final gripe to Cheff Goeff, why the table snub? No Hi5s to your #1 reviewer? ^_^.
(5)Diana Z.
Came here for lunch last week. Had previously eaten at Chef Geoff's in DC so was curious about how it compares. The sliders were great. and so was the pizza. It is a bit pricey, but this is the DC area, after all. Server (young woman with red hair) was friendly, attentive, and helpful. Made us feel welcome and at home. We'll be back!
(4)Caroline G.
So maybe my table and I spent the entire time comparing the Iphone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III, but in between that, we got to eat a lot of pretty good food (with one minorly major exception -- see below). If you don't know, I really like all of Chef Geoff's restaurants, especially during Restaurant Week (which this was not). The calamari was super tender, the risotto balls were tasty and made to perfection. Food here is consistently well-cooked and this is one of those places where I actually want to try all the offerings (ie NOT eat Pad Thai every time). So I ordered the roasted corn and cherry tomato risotto and the corn nuts were hard as rock. I could have cracked all my molars on that and we basically had to fish out every single one from the dish lest I lose a tooth. To say the least, not the highlight of my dining experience here. I'm also going to say that service was really spotty (but this doesn't affect my rating on them because I'm going to cough it up to the fact that they are just opening and still learning) -- water was not re-filled, when they brought our dessert over, our table wasn't even cleared, and they did not bring any forks or plates along with the dessert.
(4)Michael H.
This used to be a houston's... I mean Againn... I mean now its Chef Geoff's Rockville! I am always impressed with Chef Geoff's restaurants. While i am not personally enamored with the location (rockville pike is always crowded, day or night. It takes forever to get anywhere) the restaurant will do well. The menu was a mix of typical items (pizza, burgers, salads, etc.), interesting items (short rib sandwich), and way out there yet familiar things. There were some really neat things on the menu that i'm pretty sure I've seen at the local chain before, like the parmesan truffle popcorn. One thing I'd like to remark on is the 'finish' of the place. They have really brightened the joint up from its 'steakhouse/cigar bar' atmosphere of old. I felt like I was walking into a fresh, upbeat establishment and not some seedy hangout to hide in and impress the woman I'm having an affair with. Anyway, on to the food. Started with the Truffle potato leek soup - nice touch with the mashed potato on top! Really creamy and great flavor. I also had the Rockville burger. This was a burger, lettuce, tomato, horseradish, cheese, and some crispy onions on top. Served with house cut fries. The burger was delicious. I'm not sure, but I am guessing they grind their meat right before cooking. So good. I mean really really worth the $13. On the downside, I am here on day 2. They are still working some of the kinks out with service. However, this will not prevent me grooming back. I've been to a few of the restaurants in the chain like Lia's (in fact, the host from lia's was here this afternoon) and this location definitely lives up to the brand.
(4)Andrea L.
Love it! Delicious food and excellent service. Make sure you make a reservation, it gets really busy t night. A little pricey but is worth every penny!
(5)Ed L.
Had lunch here with the wife for Columbus Day and left feeling just ok. I thoroughly enjoyed my order of catfish tacos and plantain chips. The catfish was quite good and the chips were even better. My wife said her lobster roll was delicious and filling. But she said the sweet potato fries were somewhat bland. We shared an orange creamsicle soda, and it was a disaster. It tasted like medicine and caused me to nearly gag after a first sip. Our dessert order of cookies and mini chocolate shake was almost as bad. The cookies weren't even warm and the shake was still frozen. In conclusion, I was full, but I felt like we might have been better off trying to find a bowl of ramen. I didn't feel convinced that I would go out of my way to return. I did note that burgers ordered by others did look good, and there is a happy hour special where the burgers are $5 or $6 between 3 and 7 p.m. So maybe I would go back to take advantage of that special.
(3)David H.
Ate here on Friday, the 3rd day the restaurant was open. Was expecting some kinks in service like we've seen at other new restaurants, but were very pleased. We were greeted warmly at reception. Our waitress was pleasant and helpful. Our drinks were served right away, so the bar was ready to go. Appetizers came quickly. Main course came a little soon, immediately after we finished our appetizers, but that will probably get better. Chef Geoffs has a varied menu, something for everyone. It is a step above Rockville Pike restaurants, I'm pretty sure it will do well. Good amount of parking out front. Restaurant was busy but still available parking out front. Hope it succeeds, it's a welcome addition to the area.
(4)Anne B.
We were really excited for Chef Geoff's to open in Rockville as we've enjoyed the two DC locations. We were really disappointed when we went about two weeks ago. It seems like they're trying to be a more upscale restaurant than they are, but not pulling it off very well. We put our names in and were told to come back in 20 minutes. When we came back in 15 we were told it was going to be another 20-25 minutes. I made a bit of a stink and the manager came over and miraculously they had a table for us. Hmpf. Once we were seated we waited about 10 minutes for a waiter, who was far from attentive the rest of the meal. My husband had to go track down sweetener for his iced tea and I had to ask three times for a water refill. And the food was just so-so. Definitely nothing to write home about. We're not likely to return anytime soon. Too bad.
(2)Robbin L.
Not much to rave about. Pros: ALL day happy hour on Mondays and Tuesdays, sweet potato fries, sangria Cons: Mediocre service -- mainly one grumpy bartenders, fried mac and cheese is glorified mozzarella sticks, not the best value for HH Will only return if I'm forced.
(2)Gerren P.
I have gone to their downtown location for happy hour before. They have great drink specials and burgers at a reduced price. I went for dinner with my wife and a party of 8 others. Didn't know that it was Restaurant Week when we arrived, but decided to go with the special ($35 for appetizer/soup/salad, entree, and dessert of your choice with no restrictions). I went with the Crispy Calamari, Steak and Garlic Frites (w 8 oz NY Strip), and Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake. The calamari was served hot and fried well without being too greasy. The three dipping sauces were good too. I found the Steak to be a bit disappointing... I don't think it was a great cut as there was too much fat and the meat was tough (and I ordered it medium). There was a seasoned butter on top that I thought was unnecessary. I was especially confused by the fries. They're more like undercooked potato slices and they had way too much garlic. The best thing about the meal was the dessert. The Turtle Cheesecake was tasty and the chocolate crust was perfect. Service was ok, but they made a big deal about separating checks, were a little slow on water refills at first, and tacked on a 20% gratuity automatically (not sure if this was because of our party size or just general policy). All in all, I would go back for happy hour but not for dinner.
(2)Michael M.
Rockville's got close to nothing, so consider this a sliding scale... Happy hour is reasonable, beer selection is good, ambiance is pretty classy for the area. The food? It seems like it could be pretty good, but we went opening night so i'll cut them some slack. I got the tuna, cooked pretty well, but deffinitely not the 6 oz it promised, and accompanied by a pound of mashed potatoes? odd combo, probably working out the kinks.
(4)Shawn M.
Came for Restsurant Week and left smiling! Great deal, excellent and creative food and wonderful service. My 6 y/o son loved the hummus so much (shared three ways) that his pizza made a nice lunch the next day. In fact, we all had enought for lunch the next day! Wonderful attentive service was the icing on the cake. Highly recommend....I know we'll be back.
(5)Vicki C.
I didn't even make it sit or dine at this restaurant. My husband and I made it in the place by 6:45pm. There was a young lady and a gentlemen in a suit.. I'm guessing he was the manager. They were so wrapped up in what they were doing, we stood there for a minute and they didn't greet us. We decided to check the bar area and it was bumping. Very crowded so we decided just to grab a table. We returned to the hostess stand and finally the young lady greeted us. We asked for a table and the response was "we can't seat you in the dining room until 8pm." She ended up going about her business. My husband and I looked at each other confused... no apology or reasoning why the wait was so long. Was this normal for such a crowd? I guess I should have made a reservation? More importantly she didn't even ask if we wanted to wait or put our names down. This was my first time at this Chef Geoff's location and I'm very surprised on the customer service. My husband and I ended up leaving since they weren't so nice to us in the beginning I can't imagine what would happen if we sat down. Won't be returning to this location.
(1)Zoe I.
Not the best (fancy) location on Rockville Pike but I don't really care. The foods are so good!! The staff are really nice. We were seated in the front and I was talking to my friend about how close the table is to the next one (like New York close) the staff overheard me and move us to more comfortable space right away. Thank you!! I food came out pretty fast. I ordered Eggs Benedict w Crab cake. Very yummy and large portion. The drink was very good, we ordered the grapefruit w honey (non-alcohol drink). The breakfast special only included 1 round of drink so don't think that you will get unlimited even it's non-alcohol. Over all its pretty good. We will go back again.
(4)Nick T.
Outstanding! bar was awesome, busy. Tried the Dead bastard! Perfect and a nice change for me. Good crowd. Dinner was another great meal with the riceballs to start. Fish was good all around. You got to try it.
(5)Adryani M.
I will have to agree with the previous reviewer...this bar is all about Amna!! She is one of the best bartenders, hands down, and I have been to many restaurants. First, she is so friendly, she makes you feel so welcomed, whether it's you're first time here or if you are a regular. I have a few tests that measure exceptional customer service by my standards, especially when I'm at the bar. She has passed each one with flying colors. She's attentive, without being too intrusive, and she makes great conversation. AND she takes the time to answer any questions you may have. She can handle the entire bar area on her own, and if you knew how long that bar top is, it's impressive!! Shout out to Amna, thanks for making our Chef Geoff's experience a great one!! We will be back for sure. Oh, and her service alone tops any of the other bartenders at the New Mexico Ave. location, by far!!!
(5)Lauren Y.
Went there last night for Valentines day dinner. I would probably give it like a 3.5. Some of the food was pretty good but some were A-ok. Our waiter was very attentive but his menu suggestions seemed really rehearsed and automated as if he was specifically told to say those things. One of my PET PEEVES when ordering steak is when they cant cook it how i ordered it. Why even bother asking me how i want it cooked if you're just going to cook it well done?! I don't get it. I asked for medium and there was not a hint of pink in it. The seasoning of the steak was good but way overcooked for my liking so my husband and I ended up switching dishes. His tuna dish however was fabulous and was cooked perfectly! We got the calamari, white wine mussels, and fried pickles as appetizer and they were all pretty good. Later on i guess a manager stopped by our table and asked if she could do anything for us but she was pretty useless in my opinion and didn't even comp an appetizer off our bill. I'm not going to wait around another 20 minutes waiting for a new steak when we have plans afterwards! Not on my top favorites list but will probably go again someday..
(3)Stephanie S W.
While the atmosphere is nice (especially enjoyed the bar area), and the food is delicious, I found that the happy hour prices were misleading and it put a negative lense on my experience there. On the happy hour menu it lists all burgers at $5.95 (or something like that). Myself and two other dining companions got 3 burgers. On the final bill, one burger was $11, another was $9, and only one was actually the advertised $5.95, despite all three being on the happy hour menu. We were told later by our waitresss that there were upcharges for one burger being a turkey burger (again, it was listed on happy hour menu). Although the total bill was still reasonable for what we ate, I feel strongly that the staff should be familiar with the menu and pricing so they can explain when you order something what the cost would be. I know that my friend would have likely switched to one of the burgers that was actually $5.95.
(3)Bruce E.
Too salty in general. Portion size trout reasonable price fair. The lentils under fish way too salty. Scallops tasty but only 4 mid size with only 4 black gnocchi on a very empty plate.... At $28.95. Some what pricey. May try again when in rockville but not rushing in.
(2)R W.
We had a good experience at Chef Geoff's Rockville. It was our first time there. The food and service were very good; we started with the Hummus Platter and then both of us had the Rockville Burger. No complaints. We will return to try other items on the menu.
(4)Jessica G.
My toddler went bananas for this restaurant, which will certainly skew my review. I had a decent cut of steak. My husband had a pretty good burger but our daughter definitely was the most impressed of all of us with the fried plantains and guacamole app and kids' spaghetti. Service was solid when we went (at the very family friendly dinner hour of 5 o'clock on a Saturday). Drink selection seemed pretty good and I like the new decor. I probably wouldn't rush back except for the fact that our daughter had such a blast and it's super convenient for us.
(3)Meggie C.
went here for restaurant week 2013 and I LOVED IT! deffinitley will be back and good this its 2minutes from me too! i went with my boyfriend and a couple of our friends after hearing alot of good things about it. its pretty spacious with a nice dining area to the left with booths and tables and then a bar on the right. the staff is nice and they have their own private parking lot. below are the dishes we had, all were delicious and i deffinitley recommend them :) ---appetizers--- 1. Crabcakes 2. Tuna Sashimi (DELICIOUS!!!) 3. Crispy Calamari ---entrees--- 1. Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin Medallions with whipped potatoes, asparagus, brandy peppercorn sauce (DELICIOUS!!!) 2. Mustard Glazed Salmon with edamame & black bean succotash, and roasted corn coulis (DELICIOUS!!!) 3. Crab & Shrimp Ravioli with watercress, pearl onions, grana padano, red pepper sauce (unfortunately you only get 3 large raviolis) 4. Jumbo Lump Crabcake with fingerling potatoes, spinach, bacon lardons, and corn chowder sauce ---desserts--- 1. Coconut Tres Leches Cake (i love tre leches cake but hate coconut so it was a love/hate dessert for me lol) 2. Flourless Chocolate Cake (tasted more like fudge) 3. Guava Cake (ehhhh not my fave lol) 4. Guava Ice Cream (DELICIOUS!!! must try!)
(5)Rosa L.
Went last Friday and didn't realize till we got there that they participated in restaurant week until the server told us. The server (sorry, can't remember his name) was super nice and very attentive. I actually read some reviews before I went out and was wary of the comments about bad service, but as soon as we walked into the door, the hostess and who I assume might be the manager? cheerfully greeted us and since we had reservations, we were seated right away even though we were 15 min early. The food: I got the tuna tartare and it was very delicious I would definitely recommend. It was also suprisingly alot more quantity than I thought there would be which made me happy. Bf got crabcakes which were very small but very delicious. I had the cobb salad with salmon. This is probably my only complaint/problem? even though it actually still tasted delicious. Because I got the salmon and our server said it was available rare since it was sushi grade, I asked for rare but what I got was medium rare which ended up working better with the salad. Bf got some sort of steak/beef dish that I can't really remember other than the portion seemed a bit small, but he was full at the end of it so can't complain :) We were both full after the main that we ordered our desserts to go. Server recommended lemon pudding cake which was very delicious without being overly sweet. The chocolate turtle cheesecake the bf got was also delicious but obviously much sweeter than the lemon pudding cake. Overall loved the experience.
(4)Kathy C.
Still a fan.. came during Restaurant Week, but I was disappointed with the Grilled Ribeye, which happened to be the most expensive thing on the menu. The waiter didn't ask at first how I'd like it cooked. I caught him on his way to the back and asked for it medium rare, but it wasn't tender. It was a little hard. I wouldn't recommend it, because you can get better steak elsewhere.. sorry, Chef Geoff! Besides the steak, I still think the food here is good.
(4)Chris C.
This was my second time here and it was just like the first...so so. The service was fair, the food was ok and the bartender was seemed like he didn't want to be there.
(2)Lola C.
Went back to Chef Geoff's last night and they got everything wrong. The trout was strange, its potato encrusted but the skin is still on which i suppose would have been okay if it wasn't plated on top of a very high pile of under cooked lentils making it almost impossible to eat. The tuna app served with sesame chips was over loaded with scallions, i get this dish all the time and this time it was doused in them. The chips/crackers whatever you want to call them were stale. Making me think they were from the night before. My date got a steak and he said the fries were and i quote "awful" and apparently they missed he whole "garlic" part of the garlic fries. Just to top it off as i was walking out the old bird at the next table who had one of the grosses coughing fits during my meal thought it a good idea to shoot eye daggers at me as i departed. My date saw this and said it was quite obvious and its a good thing i didn't because i didn't need to shank an old bitch at dinner. I go to this place often and if this had been the first time I went I would never return. I know they are capable of better because I've had much better there.
(3)Tara C.
Just came back and the service alone is amazing. Benjamin....you are great at what you do. And the doughnuts...yum. Another great meal.
(4)Carrie P.
I can only comment on the Happy Hour menu, because that's all I've ever been there for. I can, however, say that the Happy Hour menu is awesome! Great burgers, appetizers, and drinks for some pretty sweet deals. I'm a vegetarian, so I usually order their black bean burger, which I really enjoy, though it's a bit on the mushier side. Love the guacamole. Overall, you can't beat their happy hour deals. But it does get crowded, especially on Friday evenings!
(4)Mike M.
Must have had the same rude waitress that I read about in other reviews. Short blond working the bar side today threw three menus down on the table without speaking one word then disappeared for 10 minutes. Looks like she decided to talk to some friends at the bar. Needless to say we left...not sure how they stay in business hiring staff like that....will never return .
(1)Monica W.
The food was delicious and the service was outstanding! We came here to celebrate a birthday (It would have been nice if they offered a complimentary dessert). If you go between 4-6:30 p.m. you can get the sunset special for $19.95, which includes soup or salad, an entree and a dessert. We started off with the crispy calamari (and they were crispy and good - not sure if because we asked very extra crispy), which I highly recommend. I had the Potato Crusted Rainbow Trout (it's actually encrusted with homemade potato chips which are crushed) so good! I wasn't a fan of the flourless chocolate cake because it was too much chocolate. I think me taking it to go and heating it up may have ruined it. Overall, I would recommend the restaurant. .
(4)Lourdes G.
I rarely write reviews. However, I feel my first at Chef Geoff's should be documented. I went to Chef Geoff's for happy hour with about 10 coworkers. I entered the establishment with one of my girlfriends and we were not greeted by the hostesses. We stood there for at least a minute to locate the bar and spot a coworker. OK, no big deal -- maybe the two people standing at the hostess station didn't see us. Now, on to ordering drinks. The happy hour menu online does not match the menu that's in the restaurant. Myself and two other coworkers were interested in the sangria listed on the happy hour menu online. The waiter looks at me and says, "I haven't been on the online menu recently." I'm sure we are not the only people that look at a menu online before visiting a restaurant. The waiter could have said they are working on updating the menu online...his attitude was well that's not what's on the paper menu in front of you. OK, fine may he's having a bad day...as I stated there were about 10 of us arriving at different times. As more people arrived we gathered more chairs and tables. As my coworkers started to push the circular bar tables together they were told by the bartender that they cannot push the tables together because the doors to the patio area couldn't be blocked in case they needed to attend to patrons on the patio. Makes sense, right?! Yes, but yesterday it rained pretty much all day and no one was sitting on the patio. Not to mention, the table would not have blocked the doors. When my coworkers explained what they were doing and why; the bartender says, "Could you please just put the table back." Wow, this place is extremely petty. The whole time we were there no one asked to sit out on the wet patio. Lastly, because we were a large party and leaving at different times, I asked if we could get separate checks. Ha, I was told during happy hour that that wasn't possible. Fast forward 30 minutes later and I see my coworker at the opposite end of the table getting a separate check. About 3 people in my party received separate checks. The rest of us were on one check. I guess he got tired. I don't know. Well, that was my first and last time at Chef Geoff's in Rockville. I commented to my coworker that the inside was nice and I wish Houston's was still there. I almost forgot, I had the Iceberg wedge salad. It was OK! I've had better. I was not too thrilled about the 2 slices of bacon laying on top of the wedge. It would have been better if they would have cut the bacon up. Needless to say, I will not be back for happy hour or dinner.
(2)Susan L G.
I have now been to Chef Geoff's four times for dinner. The service was great. One the visits was with a party of nine. Three of the visits I had different entrees - all of them were tasty. Our favorites so far are the shrimp and grits and the rockfish with brocollini and gnocchi. There are options on the menu to satisfy everyone from the vegetarian, to the burger and fry guy. The atmosphere has a nice upscale feel to it. Take note of the cool light fixtures, the treatment on the ceiling, an the bar area. So glad to have you in Rockville
(5)Marian M.
I love Chef Geoffs!!!! My family and I have eaten here four or five times now.... we love it. The Service is great! The food Is Great!! I would recommend the rockfish.
(4)Sandy B.
We were a party of six at Chef Geoffs in Rocville Md. All of us ate something different and some had appetizers. Frankly, we were VERY underwhelmed,which was strange considering how crowded the restaurant was. First, the prices were quite high. We had an entree, some wine, three desserts and only one person (me) ordered an appetizer. However, we ended up spending over $60 per person! Normally, I don't overly mind spending this much money if the food was superlative and the portions large,but neither was the case. Although much of our food was very good, I can't say it was better than many other restaurants that we have eaten at. Moreover, much of the entrees and even appetizer portions were very small. I ordered a tortilla soup that had a nice fluffy bowl but was half full! C'mon, they can't afford to give me a whole bowl of soup for $9? I ordered the tuna. I am not kidding when I say that I got the smallest portion of tuna that I have ever seen in any restaurant. Everyone at the table commented on it too. They did, however, give me a large portion of "broccolini," in order to cover the plate better. For the $28 charged, this was an incredible rip off.. Moreover, it wasn't even that good compared to other fine restaurants that I have had the same dish, such as at Sullivans. Others fared better with chicken dish and fish tacos,which was a bit more substantial. Moreover, we then order some desserts since it was a birthday celebration. Not only did they not give the birthday girl a free dessert, the portions were very tiny. Even the waitress admitted that they were small portions. Honestly, I can't understand why this restaurant was crowded. The food, overall was good though including the flower-less chocolate dessert. However, since we needed to order three desserts in order to get two bites per person, we ended up spending about $20 on dessert! Believe me when I say that the $20 didn't give us more than an eighth of a small cake! Bottom line: If you like overpriced food for small portions and want to go to a pretentious restaurant , this is the place for you. Frankly, I think you can find restaurants for celebrations where you get a LOT more for your money and not have to go home hungry! I personally will never go here again. The only reason that I gave it two stars instead of only one star was that the food that we got was very good. Even the bread was good and hot.
(2)Andrew R.
soooooooo i'm gonna give this place 4 stars because the food really was very good. i had edamame and a falafel salad, and i really did enjoy it. the people i was with said their food was very good as well. the only thing that put me off a little was that my aunt requested a table at the front of the restaurant and we were told none were available even though they clearly were. we got there before my friend arrived, and i advised the host that we were still waiting for one more, but he put us in a booth in the back anyway. the server did not look happy that our whole party was not there, but the service was good nonetheless. as a seperate aside, i had no internet service on my phone in the restaurant, and their wifi has a password. i was trying to handle a work issue and had to go outside and stand in the parking lot.
(4)Tim T.
went her for restaurant week a while back, well worth it. not sure about going there during regular times, but with the restaurant week, you can pretty much pick out any appetizer, entree, desert on the regular menu. none of this "you can only pick from a selected cheap menu" that others have. at Chef Geoffs, you pick any freaking thing you want, thats pretty awesome in my book.
(5)Ivy V.
Have only been to HH's here so my review may be a little biased. Love the atmosphere in the bar area. People are dressed well, classy but not pretentious...the after work crowd...lighting is dim/dark, booths are oversized and cozy, waiters are friendly and comfortable to chat/be playful with. HH specials are not stingy at all. Burgers are thick. I opt for veg. and the black bean burger is super filling...too big to finish. Sweet potato fries are good too. I'm a side salad girl but ate my friends' fries because there were so many. This place gets busy. The dining side is brightly lit and seems like an older crowd. I'm happy with this being an easy, no-nonsense HH spot.
(4)William F.
My wife and I both enjoy eating here. We find the food consistently good, and we like the ambience. Today I went with friend for lunch and had the trout, which was very good.
(4)Abheek S.
I'm not sure how many months I waited to have a Chef Geoff's open up in Rockville. The new location is just as good as the one I wrote about in DC. Amazing food, great specials, excellent and knowledgeable staff. It's great for a Sunday brunch, happy hours during the week, or just a dinner out. This is definitely one of my top hot spots in the Rockville/Bethesda area.
(5)M. P.
I have to say this was one of the most uncomfortable, insulting and awkward experiences I've had in a very long time. First of all, we are on Rockville Pike, next to Mattress Warehouse and across from Target. Turn your noses down and don't act so pretentious and arrogant. Just because they have a good reputation and whatnot doesn't give them the right to be so pretentious. Second, while the service was good, it was WAY over the top. Our waiter was knowledgeable but hovered. Take a sip of water, he came running from the corner he stood in next to the table. Take the last bite of food off your plate, he came running, AND last but not least, my all time favorite, was going to the restroom and setting the napkin on the table, he came running over, grabbed the napkin, and folded it up in a perfect shape. 1) Why would you want to pick up a dirty napkin someone has been using? 2) Plain and simple, that is just pretentious, arrogant, and WEIRD. The food - just OK. I had the Rockfish, which was rather tasteless although the Lobster/Potato hash it came with was pretty good. There was a dessert on the specials menu that wasn't on the regular menu and when asked if I could have that, went back and forth to "see if it was still on the menu" and acted inconvenienced. Give me a friggin' break. Regardless, it was OK as well. The entire meal was not worth the price at all. Bottom-line - Overbearing, weird, and offensive service topped with OK food. The decor was nice but that was about it. We will NOT return.
(1)Joel S.
Nick had the burger, Roy-the tuna burger, Neomi- had the fetouch salad and I the egg Benedict with crab cakes. Just OK.
(3)Frank L.
I got to say, my first experience with this restaurant was pretty awful in which I walked out because of the poor service and brunch menu. I decided to give this restaurant another try today. I decided to read reviews and see what waiter stood out. After reading some reviews, the waiter Lauren showed up a couple of times with some pretty good reviews. I requested her for my visit. WOW! I was really impressed with her professionalism, attitude, and her recommendations. The food was delicious! I had Crab cakes; they are worth the price! Calamari is really delicious. The Steak with fries; well cooked, good taste, and for desert, the white chocolate, and mango ice cream pure wonderful. I also taste the mint chocolate cake; amazing. Honestly they have great food, and the service and hospitality of Lauren was absolutely amazing, along with explaining and recommanding me these dishes to me. Totally changed my perspective towards this restaurant. I will definitely come back, and definitely recommend Lauren for your waiter.
(5)S. A.
Organized a happy hour here for a group of about 10 friends here in November. Had great experiences at both the downtown and New Mexico Ave locations in previous years and a Bethesda friend had been begging me to host something here ever since it opened earlier this year. Their HH isn't too bad with decently priced burgers and those huge super mugs. We showed up at 5:30 and had no issues ordering beer/food or putting together tables in the bar area to accommodate our large group. It was around 6:30 that I noticed our server changed and so did the manager that kept wandering near the hostess stand. You can't do that so late in the game and handing off a table to another server causes nothing but confusion among staff. Aside from our new server being moderately absent, we had no issues until it was time to pay the bill. Apparently, this place does NOT split checks during happy hour but they do during all other hours. I worked for many years at a major restaurant chain and understand that it is a huge pain for the server, especially during busy hours, as it takes time to charge all of the credit cards....but we still did it for the customer's convenience. At the end of the day I ended up putting the majority of the bill on my CC and it made everything very awkward among our group. Our server couldn't give me a legit answer as to why they don't split checks and simply repeated that it is not what they do during HH. As we were leaving I asked the new floor manager the same question and I even stated that I had split HH checks at their downtown location. He gave me the same answer and then pointed out that it was even stated on the HH menu. I guess it must have been in small print at the bottom and it is definitely not stated on their website HH menu. Shame on you for not splitting bills because A) you don't want your waiters in the weeds during HH (it wasn't that crowded) B) Not wanting to pay for the technology or C) trying to come off as upscale in some weird way (you're next to a Mattress Discounters and a furniture store). Chef Geoff Burger was good and cooked to order, but the staff really soured the whole thing. Will definitely not be back and neither will the group I was with.
(2)Aaron W.
Three and a quarter Yelps for the new kid on the Pike. There are good things about Chef Geoff's. For example: three course early birds in Rockville are rare at best, and Chef Geoff's is pretty good, since you can order basically any appetizer and any dessert. The cocktails look fantastic (I don't drink). Individual dishes I've liked: Sirloin with chimichurri (the best thing I've eaten here - GREAT chimichurri), the gouda grits side (a must try, but heavy), Garlic-Spinach Risotto, the Frites with the mustard aoli (both parts excellent), salads (comically enormous for an appetizer - three people minimum). All desserts have been fine, but not amazing. Individual dishes that I'd have rather not ordered: herb-crusted salmon (very dull, and my wife wasn't fond of it and she's a salmon girl), Risotto balls (greasy and dull), pizza (a complete waste of time in my opinion). There are things that I haven't tried and would still like to try, so the place is still open for review. Proximity helps (I live right next to it) but the place still intrigues me somewhat. Go, but be careful.
(3)Melissa G.
Went 9/21 for lunch and had horrible service. 11:45 reservations and food was not served until 12:30. The server admitted that he had put in our order wrong (after clarifying and still getting it wrong) but nothing was done to try to make us comfortable during the wait. We were absolutely starving and had to waive someone down to ask for bread. Then when our correct appetizers are finally served 45 minutes after seating and I was quickly asked if I wanted another glass of wine. I reasonably thought that given the incredible delay the glass would have been comped due to the error. WRONG. We ordered well for lunch on a menu with $22 entrees we had all three courses. Despite the unreasonable delays and errors we were presented with a full tab. Not one drink or dessert was comped. While we knew we were going to a new restaurant, I was shocked that management would be so short sighted. We received a couple of "I'm Sorrys" but that was it. I know that Chef Geoff has a following but it should not take advantage of diners. The food was above average for the area which is the only reason they got one star. The service was simply unacceptable particularly given the price point. There are a lot of kid friendly national chains that do better keeping orders straight and providing appropriate customer service strategies to deal with errors. Not worth the money. Luckily Rockville has had several high quality restaurant openings lately. No need to waste money on a local chain that doesn't live up to the hype.
(1)Sandra A.
My friend and I met for happy hour there. I was pleasantly surprised. I do wish there were more items on the menu. The drink menu is extensive but for some reason I think the food menu needs more choices. I got a sangria off the happy hour menu, it was good and refreshing. I ordered a burger and asked for blue cheese crumbles instead of cheddar, that was no problem. The fries were bad. some were crispy and others were soggy....so that was built in portion control for me. She had a caesar salad, and mushroom ravioli. I tried both, they were both good. We shared the ricotta donuts for dessert, they were delicious with the chocolate sauce. We were both pleasantly surprised by our final bill....it was very budget friendly.....we usually spend double that amount at other nearby establishments.
(4)Marc B.
Really 2.5 stars. The service here was excellent and everyone was welcoming and polite. My burger was tasty and fairly priced. The fish entrees are another story. Two people in our party of four ordered fish entrees priced each at $27 and $28. You would think that at these prices the entrees would not be small/minute. However, that was the case. Bottom line, if you are going for burgers or pizza you will have a good time and not feel like you have been ripped off. I guess the proprietor assumes that the deep MoCo pockets will continue to patronize his restaurants. We are taking our pockets and their money to other nearby restaurants that are more reasonably priced.
(2)Stephanie G.
$37 for a cheeseburger, a turkey sandwich, and one beer at lunch time. If that sounds outrageous to you, then don't go here because we ordered some of the cheapest things on the menu! I understand that a cheeseburger and turkey sandwich could be worth that much if they were really delicious and original, but that was not the case. There's nothing special about it. The service started out good but deteriorated half way through the meal. There's just so many better (and way cheaper) places in Rockville.
(2)Lucy B.
I really, really wanted to love Chef Geoff's, sadly, I do not. I feel like in Rockville we don't necessarily have a lot of great choices to have a great dinner with out heading to DC or Bethesda. So, I was really pulling for this place. Let me start by saying our server was great, she was friendly and energetic. Now, the food left a lot to be desired. I really didn't even enjoy the rolls that were brought to the table, they're much too dense and chewy. To each is own, obviously, but, not my preference at all. Then we ordered the duck confit to start. I am almost certain our duck was microwaved or something. There were cold spots in the dish and the duck was super tough, which I don't really understand. The scallion pancakes that accompany the duck were rubbery, it was all very strange. The sauce on the duck was great, but everything else was just not. For dinner we had the cheeseburger and the spice crusted sirloin or ribeye, I can't remember which steak but it was to be "spicy crusted" and most definitely not. Both the steak and the burger had something in common, practically burned on the outside, to the point where you had to pick pieces off of just singed meat. As for the burger, I might venture to say that its the worst I have ever had. The burger was so dry it was hard to swallow without ketchup or something. Though, I wouldn't be being fair if I didn't tell you that the fries were amazing, but, fries alone won't win me over. The yucca that came with the steak was equally dry and unseasoned. I really wanted to love this place as I'm a sucker for some hype, and this place had a lot of hype. Sadly, it is for sure not a fave of mine.
(2)Liza A.
Oh well...sometimes I feel that I am looking for the holy grail of flavor and that is why all my reviews r bad....this place for being the one that replaced Houston's had a lot of expectations from me....since they have to pay big bucks for that space I thought they had it together with food...well it was disappointing....from hostess that seemed new at seating people, cus the place was empty and she struggled to sit us with my two little ones. Husband asked for crab cake Po boy were the bread got toasted to rock state impossible to chew and he almost broke a tooth ( just saying...not that he did but that is just an illustration of how hard bread was), I had Cobb salad with tuna...Tuna didn't have any seasonings what so ever not even salt, tuna such a beautiful piece of fish treated like bland tilapia such a waste. Kids had steak and salmon. Steak was OK actually best dish among all of us...green beans in plate underdone. Salmon plate fingerlink potatoes had so much pepper that my little one could not eat them or anything that touch them. ..I have to say the plates for my kids were from the kids meal. So having something over peppered is such a terrible mistake. Before the entrée appetizers calamari witch was good and guacamole that was not good at all. Maybe I am just to picky or maybe I'm right who knows...I know they wont get another 100.00 from me....service needs a lot of improvement too...sat there for 15 min with no refill on our drinks....that is how long server didn't come to check...and the place was empty....she had like 3 to 4 tables and still no drinks....goodbye chef Geoff....u will never see us again..
(2)Mary G.
I recently came for lunch with a group of my co-workers (10/16/12). I had an awesome experience for my birthday at the Chef Geoff's Downtown (9/6/12) and wanted to share the experience with my co-workers in Rockville. The food was awesome. I had the classic Chef Geoffs burger. However, the service was very poor. My co-workers and myself used this much needed break to relax and enjoy the atmosphere at your location, until our bar server was frustrated with us. Upon preparing to leave, I asked for the ticket and to split it, which seemed to be a big problem. We had no intentions of causing any trouble or hindrances during the lunch hour, but that was the unanimous sentiment. It was a not so "smooth" process, according to the waiter and we "should have" told him we were splitting in advance. It is now my understanding your staff does not assume a party is splitting the check unless said so. However, we didn't assume to tell him because he didn't ask. The sly comments, inattentiveness, and lack of respect is not what I expected on a random weekday lunch. I already spoke Brad and sent my apologies for anything misunderstood with the group. Some of my colleagues do not wish to come back. Again, the food was great, service was piss poor. Brad then proceeded to chase us out of the restaurant because we were "short on the bill." This was not the case and we all have our receipts to prove it. We were falsely accused. If he would've even suspected this, he should have said something before we walked out so we could figure it out. I'm sure he would have noticed this earlier if we were getting the attention and respect we deserved. Take care, Mary on behalf of Brittany (we both attended this lunch)
(2)Jason Q.
Finally got to try this restaurant last night and was excited because it was restaurant week. Upon entering I did have a bit of nostalgia being a huge Houston's follower but that soon ended. The host was not overtly rude but he made us feel like we were we were putting him out when we checked in for our reservation. They could use a better host with better people skills, his attempts at being pleasant failed because of his condescending attitude and mannerisms. After seeing other 2 tops checkin after us get seated before us, We decided to move in the waiting area to see if we would get noticed, we finally got seated after being the only ones left in the waiting area. The waitress was very nice and attentive. The Aztec Manhattan and Malbec were good as well as the starter rolls they offered. The appetizers, crab cakes and Med. Platter were equally good. Nice flavor on the different dips. The main courses consisted of the Ny strip and scallops. Each were adequate. The steak was cooked perfectly though mine had a large piece of fat/cartilage at the end of the steak which was a waste. The frites and arugula salad were flavorful. The scallops were cooked perfectly but the gnocchi; could use a little more flavor. Had the tres leche cake and mixed berries for dessert which were good. The coconut ice cream was very good, but the marscapone had an odd texture. Overall the meal was adequate, no stand outs. It would be an overpriced meal (portion sizes too small for the price) but luckily it was restaurant week. There were def some hits and misses and doubt I would go back again for dinner, did I mention how much I miss Houston's....
(3)L K.
I disagree with some of he negative reviews. The food was really great! Disclaimer is that we ordered off the happy hour menu. Fried pickles were great, as was the Parmesan truffle popcorn and off the regular menu we got the hoisin duck confit... Wow that was good! They also had a special third menu with item focused on bacon ingredients. We didn't try any but it seemed good. I like the renovated bar. Well done.
(4)A. F.
This review is strictly for happy hour. I really like coming here for the environment - it's never too crowded and it's very spacious. They have a pretty extensive happy hour menu with a few drinks, to various appetizers, pizzas, and burgers. Nothing is a huge stand out but everything is fairly good but really greasy. I'd say the best deal is a large delicious burger and fries for $6. The two drinks I've had on their menu - pineapple sangria and strawberry margarita - are both nice and strong, just the way it should be :p I find myself back here fairly often because it's a good place to kick back and relax with friends and/or co-workers. Definitely check it out at some point.
(3)Ros A.
Great food, creative, inventive and delicious menu, and excellent service. Went for restaurant week, what an amazing bargain. Thank you Chef Geoff for no lame RW chicken specials;)
(5)Avonne T.
Completely over-rated! I was not impressed with this restaurant at all. Really hoped to find a new delicious spot in Rockville, but, swing-and-a-miss! Food: Nothing special... actually, extremely disappointing. We got the coconut shrimp and the crispy calamari as appetizers. The coconut shrimp was nothing more than Gordon's Fisherman frozen popcorn Shrimp, with coconut flakes scattered on top. So sad, all I could do was laugh! Crispy Calamari was boring, no flare, not even worth mentioning, so, moving on.... My boyfriend got the CG Burger - his exact words "we coulda got a Checkers Burger. Are they actually proud of this slop?!?!". I got the Slow & Low Beef Short Rips - they were very tender, decent taste, not very flavorful though. They give you a tablespoon of their "carrot mashed potatoes" (which were underwhelming to say the least) and then confused everything with HUGE Brussels sprouts, onions and whatever else they stuck in there. The whole meal left quite the aftertaste and breath (and no it was not all the onions). To drink, I ordered the Spa Nectar - don't let them fool you.... this is simply a vodka mojito with a slice of cucumber in a cup FULL of ice. You probably only get 1/3 cup of the actual drink. Suggestion... tell them light on the ice. Service: Although we had reservations, we sat in the bar (first come first server) area; wanted to watch the Orange Bowl game. There was only one server serving the entire sections, he was totally overworked; he had no time to explain the menu, was annoyed at answering questions about the menu, didn't have time to check in frequently. All it all, it was bad, but I didn't punish the waiter because he was clearly overwhelmed, and I understood his frustration. The hostess was wonderful!!! Very welcoming, charming and helpful. She's probably the only reason this establishment got more than 1 star in this review. Ambiance: Nice - it's a pretty restaurant. Bright in the main room, dim in the bar area. Overall nice set up, ambiance was enjoyable. All in all, save your time and money, skip Chef Geoff's Rockville for dinner. I have heard the happy hour is nice, maybe start with that.
(2)C A.
Just ate at chef geoffs. Food was pretty good, but nothing special. Another reviewer said something that I totally agree with: the restaurant is just a bit... Boring. Nothing especially interesting about the decor, the set up, or the menu. Our waitress was very nice and attentive.
(3)Bob S.
Trust me, you just can't beat the happy hour burgers at this place! Juicy and delicious! I love the champagne greens!
(4)Michael D.
I would not recommend this place. It has aspirations of being a fine dining experience, and if you fall for this you will be sorely disappointed. Mediocre food, horrible service, dirty plates, dirty restrooms and inaccurate menu descriptions were the ingredients to a totally regrettable meal that was my wife's birthday dinner. How embarrassing for me. Shame on you Geoff.
(1)Sarah C.
Positives: -Great wine at good price -Salads are flavorful and good portions -Desserts are outstanding Negatives: -Service needs work -Atmosphere is boring -Food is overpriced for what it is I have been wanting to try a Chef Geoff's for the longest time, as I myself am a fellow alum from the CIA. We arrived at about 6 PM on a rainy Tuesday night, and the restaurant was by no mean busy. We were given a really horrible table...I'm not exaggerating. For those of you who have been there, the small table for (2) people next to the kitchen is where we were seated. Now, I can understand why you would do that if the restaurant was anticipated to be busy, but it did not even fill up to half capacity the duration of our time there. I was not impressed by the fact I could hear the cooks yelling and dishes crashing through my entire experience. The waiter was overbearing, and kind of pushy. At one point, after we had ordered our wine (a redeeming factor of the evening, the Chef Geoff Tempranillo), he proceeded to throw something that was supposed to be a coupon on our table and loudly informed us we would get our wine for free if we ordered from the entree side of the menu. Thanks? I don't know if we looked like we were bargain hunters, or if he made a judgement because we are young (27 & 30), but it was a little insulting. We decided to order an appetizer, two salads & a dessert. The appetizer (a crab stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon...Yum) was dry. It seemed as though it was missing a component on the plate, such as a sauce or garnish. Our salads came out before we had finished our appetizer, and our waiter stared at us uncomfortably, rather than assisting us in making room. The salads were delightful. My fiance had the Cadillac Caesar with calamari, and I had the Arugula salad from the soup & salad menu. It was light & flavorful, with just the right amount of dressing. His calamari was cooked perfectly, and the dressing and other ingredients really went well together. The dessert (a lemon cake with yuzu huckelberries and black current sorbet) was absolutely out of this world. I love anything yuzu, and would have gobbled it down regardless. I highly recommend this dessert if you like bright and flavor forward desserts. This is not highly decadent, but is extremely satisfying nonetheless. Overall, I'm not sure I would go back to the dining room just yet. It seems they have some kinks to work out service wise. However, I am curious about their cocktails, and would like to try some of their happy hour specials so I think we will give the bar a go.
(2)Kate O.
Went again to the bar. Bartender, with only 4 people at the bar couldn't be bothered to serve anyone in a timely fashion. Too busy chatting with the other servers and watching TV. Guess Chef Geoff has enough money he can watch it walking out the door.
(1)Amy B.
How many wait staff, hosts and servers have to pass by you and not pick up your empty plates? We have enjoyed other Chef Geoff restaurants, but this one needs attention and better training.
(3)Seema G.
Came to this location for Restaurant Week with a friend. Overall the food is good but service could be improved. Not sure if it's because we were seated outside or if that just had to do with our waiter being a little out of it. After ordering drinks, it definitely took him about 20-30 minutes before coming back to take our order. The other strange thing was they brought out the bread after I got my appetizer, a watermelon gazpacho soup which was yummy if you like gazpacho soup. I thought most places usually brought bread out while you were waiting for your food. The mushroom risotto I had was good as well and had long slices of portabella mushrooms in there, so you must like mushrooms to enjoy it. My friend got the mushroom ravioli which she liked also. When they brought our main courses out, the girl must not like black pepper b/c when she was turning it, she barely was getting any out so she finally just gave it to us. Funny that we had no problem for us getting the black pepper out. The waiter seemed to have forgotten that I ordered the restaurant week option and was supposed to get dessert but realized it as he was asking. I ended up ordering the guava one which was okay. The guava ice cream was good but the compote on the cake was a bit too jelly like for my taste.
(3)Russell L.
I reserved a table for 16 for brunch this past Sunday. Lot's of family, which can be difficult to say the least regarding RSVP's and timely arrival. We had the staff reconfigure our table set up twice, which they did with out hesitation. The servers went out of their way to help the kids and the elderly get situated. That alone was worth 4 stars. The Bloody Mary (I needed it) was perfect! The crowd settled down and ordered. The food came out timely and hot. I had the steak and eggs, will have it again. No one in my party said anything but positive things about their food orders. Thanks to the staff and I will be back again!
(5)Renee L.
Service was top-notch. Our waiter was fantastic... one of the best I've ever had, actually. He was very knowledgeable about the entire menu and also great at checking up on us, keeping drinks filled, making sure we had everything we needed several times. Kitchen is very willing to accommodate special requests, which is beyond awesome. Nice atmosphere and decor. I had the pizza - mozzarella and tomato. It was pretty good, but could have used a little more sauce, in my opinion (it was kinda barely there, which is a shame because what WAS on there was quite good)... but otherwise, excellent. Very fresh and light. The only thing I didn't like was that their website says they offer a whole-wheat crust... but found out this particular location doesn't actually have it. Sad face! :( Next time I will try their homemade veggie burger though. Overall, great experience and would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Also would be a great place to host a nice event. It's very pretty inside, classy and elegant.
(4)Tracy B.
Disappointing experience. Bar is closed today for the owner's birthday- and in the dining room they would not serve the bar menu. Again, another repeated example of poor customer service from Chef Geoff. Had similar issues at Lia's, so clearly this is a management issue. The food was tasty, though. Try the tuna sashimi app. Food=3 stars. Overall customer experience=1. Hence 2 stars
(2)SY C.
We went there during lunch, using the Groupon that was offered recently. Unfortunately since it was during lunch, I couldn't have a drink, so I'm eager to go back and try something alcoholic - drink menu looks tasty. We ordered the duck confit and seared tuna appetizer. The duck confit WAS. AMAZING!!!!! The toppings and wrap for the duck was just such a DELICIOUS combo. I can't wait to go back for some more. The tuna wasn't as flavorful as I had expected. My friend said it's better at the other locations. We ordered the shrimp and gouda grits and steak as the main entrees. The shrimp and grits was really good, but super rich. I could only have a little, esp since I had the confit before it. Talk about gluttonous! The steak was good. The little bite I had wasn't amazing, but was tender. The dessert menu (usually my favorite) didn't strike me as anything fancy, but I do hope to try it in the future... Since I couldn't have a drink b/c it was during lunch, I had the seltzer in the blue bottle. They gave the entire bottle to me. It's weird to comment on seltzer, but it was fancy and really was good. Sometimes seltzer is too bitter or too flat, etc. This was pretty perfect and refreshing. The service wasn't bad. They had a note saying people were in training, so it wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't bad. I'm definitely going back for the duck confit...drooling just thinking about it.
(4)Em B.
While the food and ambiance of the restaurant was okay, it was the management's behavior which i thoroughly reprimand. That alone will keep me from coming back. Last week, I saw who I think was a manager, "Theresa", scold our waiter for something extremely minuscule. The way she behaved was inappropriate, especially doing it around customers. I am thoroughly put off from this business because of how the management treats their employees.
(1)A K.
We ordered the lamb samosas for appetizers which were delicious. We also had the Rockville Burger and short ribs which were good. The cocktails were delicious and strong. We tried the cappuccino, but it was OK, we probably would not order it agian. Our waiter was very nice, but overall the service was a little off. We'd like to come back and try their house made sodas.
(4)Mim B.
Another winner from this restaurant group.....service was outstanding
(4)paul g.
Went here for fathers b-day. He liked the warmth of this place. Service was very good. appetizers excellent. Main courses very good. desserts average w/ limited selection. A bit pricey but not crazy. Very busy on a colder than average wednesday night. Bar is long and excellent. Fried oysters excellent ! Shrimp w/ grits very good!All in all solid 4 stars. A little higher quality in the food and goes to 5 stars!
(4)Gail B.
Mushroom pizza and chicken tortilla soup very good. Cesar salad and lemon cream cake dessert were poor. These were both very bland. This was my second visit and the service has been unfriendly both times. Next time I'll get the mushroom pizza to go.
(2)Tee S.
Had a reservation for 11:30AM on a Thursday. Walked in the door and although there were very few people actually seated at the time the entrance was conjested! There was a party of 3 clearly waiting for more people to arrive, a gentleman at the computer making a reservation and a gentleman standing behind him. We stood to the side so as not to block the doorway. It seemed to be taking a long time for the reservation to be made. After a few minutes another employee came to the front and instead of asking who was next, which should have been obvious to him (the gentleman behind the one at the fromt of the line) he turned to us and asked us if we had a reservation. we said we did and were about to tell him there is someone ahead of us, he grabbed some menus and gave them to a waitress that had just arrived and she took us to our table.....slightly awkward to say the least! I'm a stickler for manners and these oversignts did not go unoticed. The lady at the computer did not have her friendly face on this day. We were seated next to the window. A nice airy space but the tables are way to close to each other along the window. When the restaurant filled up we felt cramped. The food! The warm rolls that were brought to the table were delicious. The staff that brought them and the water were delightlfully friendly and courtious. Our waitress was upbeat and friendly with lots of smiles. My dining partner had the mussels which she said were absolutely delicious and she was amazed at how many there were. I had the Caeser Salad with chicken. It was a decent salad but I would have liked the lettace to have been a little fresher. The chicken was a tad on the dry side also. The menu looks enticing so I will certainly eat there again.
(3)Naomi G.
I had an early reservation for Chef Geoffs and was seated immediately in the window. My waiter came by at least 4 times in the next 10 minutes, but after that was impossible to find. I ordered a salad and a burger and my friend got a salad and risotto. The food was tasty and as ordered. But, with a 5:00 reservation we didn't get our food till after 6 PM and we finally had to ask for our bill 4 times from various servers at 6:45 because we needed to get home. We were never even asked if we wanted dessert. Also interesting the bus staff kept wanting to clear our table of things we were not finished with. I never got to eat my bread because I turned around and it was gone. I would return for the food... but definitely not for the service.. which is what I thought Cheff Geoffs prides its self on.
(3)Ginger H.
Well well..... this reminds me of one of my favorites, "Arties"! The food is simply, "REALLY GOOD," thoughtfully created, presented nicely and full of flavor and exciting. The service was impeccable! Not rushed, not overbearing and just the right amount of attentiveness without being intrusive. Price points I think are a little above average, but not such that it would prevent me from returning. The service and atmosphere along with awesome food is makes it worth it. We had the lobster roll, green beans, wild mushroom ravioli, garlic spinach, sweet potato fries, homemade chips, etc. All were just delicious!!! The bread was really good too....
(5)Kathleen C.
Nothing great here except the service from Virginia who handled our 10 top expertly. The food came out hot and timely, but the innovative takes on some traditional cuisine just doesn't cut it for me.No one complained much because we had an out of country guest and we were celebrating Mother's Day. My steak was tough and probably cooked a bit more than the medium that I had ordered. It definitely wasn't aged beef or any fine cut - more like something you pick up at the grocery store and cook because you have run out of ideas for a weeknight dinner, ugh and I could have fed a family of six with change leftover for the quality of that beef. The ambiance of the place is also lacking. It has been painted with a lighter color since the days of Houston's, but it looks terrible in my opinion in the light shade - I am sure an interior designer was not in on the "update", because you can't just change the color with the rest of the seating and booths remaining a dark shade and expect it to look good. Well, the style of this place would look a lot better if the food improves.
(2)Jan S.
DEE-LICIOUS. From the appetizers to the dessert, it was the perfect dining experience. One of those meals with tastes that stays on your mind, even the next day or two. Great service, lovely ambience. Easy Parking. Highly recommend for business, adult friends or couples dining.
(4)Jen L.
I've only been here once so far. We went for the Sunset Special where you get a 3 course dinner for $20. The meal was fine but just average. Some of the dishes seemed to have a lot of butter/grease. The steak fries had a layer of grease at the bottom, and the trout entree I ordered tasted to buttery for my liking. The best part of the meal was the dessert. There are several to choose from, and the portion size was huge. I wouldn't come here for a regular dinner again, but you get a pretty good deal with the Sunset Specials.
(3)G A.
My wife and I have been looking forward to dining at Chef Geoff's since they opened their Rockville location. My birthday + the in-laws watching our 2-year old = opportunity. Diving straight into it, great atmosphere, friendly service, awesome food. I had a chicken curry dish, my wife had trout, and both of us came away happy and satisfied. Only downside--if you can call it that--wow, the frozen margaritas were strong! We will definitely be back.
(5)Bill M.
Decided to check it out. Service was outstanding (Christop) Shrimp and grits were some of the best I've ever had. My wife had the pork tenderloin and really loved it.
(5)Susan V.
Went for lunch 8/23. Initial service was great. I ordered the chicken curry based on Yelp reviews. Bleah - the chicken breast was weirdly mushy. Was it precooked? After the appetizers, we had to flag down our server to order main courses. Then she disappeared. We had to wait to spot our server to order dessert. I won't go back - Food needs to be freshly prepared and the service needs improvement. We certainly did not expect to have to spend two hours for a weekday lunch.
(2)Joe Y.
I figured they just opened so the kinks were probably still there. But wow, what a horrible experience. The hostess staff was completely lost, the wait staff was mediocre actually the most boring not interested staff I've ever seen. Ok food was decent, definitely did not meet my expectations. Started with fried pickles and fried risotto balls. Fun food but that's about it. For entree my girl got the seafood linguine and I got the pepper rib eye. Her food came out before I could finish my first bite of the appetizers and mine came 40 minutes later. The seafood linguine was ok, but it lacked seasoning (salt), shrimp was raw and quite frankly the seafood linguine at Pines of Rome at half the price blows it away. So my pepper finally arrives. The manager delivers it but doesn't apologize for the delay. I think he was too proud. He seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. They all tend to after their 3rd restaurant. Steak was cooked perfectly but the warm potatoe salad was bland and the pototoes were raw.. I ordered a side of gorgy grits which looked and tasted like wall paste. I never want anything free but service and being humble is important. They never offered dessert or coffee for my inconvenience so after paying $95 for a meal / no drinks. I was clearly disappointed. Will never go back there again. Too many restaurants in the area that care about their customers.
(2)John A.
Service was fine, but there were baby mice scurrying around the dining area and the food was mediocre. Yes, there were mice. Any sort of rodents in your establishment is unacceptable and im pretty sure its also a heavy health code violation.
(1)michele p.
Bottom line for me= good spot near work for happy hr. In my opinion Rockville is lacking in the wonderful area of hours of happiness. Since happy hr occurs after work and with coworkers it needs to be close to work so given a small radius around this area I would say this is the best happy hr option. Coming in second is timpanos by the way. Both are places I would NOT go to for a sit down dinner (both too fancy, a little too pricey for the food, and draw an older crowd). However, for the purpose of drinking a few and eating some things off the apps list available it works. Also will be great in good weather! The wine is ok, big beers are at an ok price, the bacon happy hr is a good addition to a regular bar menu. The flat breads, burgers, larger apps on the happy hr menu are a great bang for your buck! Service was not great I think they only have 1 guy working the entire bar area so he cannot work miracles. They were weird about splitting up the bill but we can figure it out on our own I guess. I hope this place stays in business this location has a lot of turnover.
(4)Allie H.
We had a delicious dinner our second at the Rockville location. Service was attentive and prompt and the white cloth setting is nice for the area. They have a Sunset Special featuring a few of the entrees and two other courses for $20. A true bargain. Food preparation is tops; nearly licked the plate.
(5)Stacy W.
I generally steer clear of writing reviews unless the service was really bad. In this case my inaugural and terminal visit to the new Rockville Chef Geoff's warrants such a critic. I decided my first visit would be during the advertised Happy Hour on Wednesday evening, releaving me of goin home to cook or nuke a quick meal. After finding the remaining single seat at the bar I settled in and waited between two couples for a greeting and menu. This step alone took a whole ten minues as the bartender attended to those around me, who noticed that I was being ignored repeatedly. Once I was noticed I was given the Happy Hour menu and toe full menu since I was told happy hour would end in ten minutes. Quickly, before I lost the bartenders focus I ordered a burger and beer from the HH menu. The barternder returned with my beer and quickly departed for the far end of the long bar. Within ten minutes my order came out nicely prepared, nothing special, accompanied by fires and a pickle. Trie as I might to get a set of utensils and a napkin, which those around me had after their orders were taken I could not. I preceeded to eat my burger and fries while they were still hot. Even my bar mates, who I had been casuallly chatting with noticed that I was without utensils and my hands became greaser from the fries and burger. To no avail could I get the bartenders attention until I was completely finished both food and drink. You would anticipate a stop to inquire as to how the food is, or would you like a refill, but he never came back. When the gentlemen to my left barked at him for help, and then pointed him in my direction, did he stop. Only to ask if I was done. I informed him politely that it was a bit difficult and messy to enjoy my food, since I had not utensils, and before he disappeared could I have my check. It came five additional minutes later. Like a previous commenter stated, there are many choices along Rockville Pike that offer better food, service, and courtesy. if this is what you can expect here save yourself the agony and go elsewhere. For the same happy hour service I could walk to the other end of the strip center and have Five Guys.
(1)E L.
Went for brunch with the fam. Fruit plate that comes with brunch, ok. Mini muffins that come with brunch - 1 corn (ok, but no butter), apple/Cin (dry), chocolate (yum!). Fam got sodas - both to die for, and we make our own at home so we can appreciate (lemongrass & strawberry). Fam likes their homemade sodas a bi sweeter, so we asked for simple syrup. Perfect. Tween had Belgian waffles, accompanied by apple compote & chantilly cream. Awesome (& we've had them in Brussels). Hubby had Croque Madame, accompanied by awesome tomato marmalade. Again awesome (& yes, we had the CM in Paris). I had Eggs Henry, like Hollandaise, except with shaved ham. Awesome. Dessert was beignets with 3 sauces - chocolate, cherry, & lemon curd. Insane! Also got ice cream trio of lemongrass, vanilla, & pistachio. All were super. So, while pricey, it ea a great meal, and we appreciate real food!
(4)Mike T.
don't let the ambiance fool you, this place is pretty poor for the level of quality it attempts to exhibit. i ordered the pork wrapped in prosciutto and the gf ordered the burger. granted my pork was cooked to perfection (soft, tender, and juicy), the peppery taste was just too much to bear and the prosciutto was comparable to beef jerky - no really. my gf's burger reminded me of the ones they serve in the public elementary schools back in the 90s. we were excited about the orea bread pudding but that was a tragic failure as well. the scoop of ice cream was the size of a gum drop and although i understand there are a number of restaurants that use microwaves to warm up their deserts, this place just makes it obvious as it was clear in the texture of the bread. never again.
(1)Wendy M.
My family and I enjoy dining out. I have experienced Chef Geoff's other restaurant's minus Rockville and Tyson's. We usually dine in the Bethesda/Rockville area so I decided to check it out. I made a reservation on Open Table. We arrived 30 min late, due to unforeseen circumstances...and that's when the bad experience began, The manager was extremely arrogant and quite aholish. He told us he needed the table at 7:00. Weird because their was no wait.... quite odd for a Saturday night. OUR server was lousy, the food was not good. My eight-year old son commented on the Caesar salad that we both had. It had no garlic or anchovies in the salad. Strictly bland cream dressing. I asked for some fresh cracked pepper, the server pointed to the pepper on the table. Really! It took him 10 min to bring the pepper ill. I pass! Our tabletop was not flat and the drinks wer at a tilt. I went to put sugar in the glass and the tea spilled in the salad and into my lap. The waiter didn't even offer a another salad. I would have passed, but it's interesting he didn't offer. My husband had the Big salad with Tuna, which was overcooked and very bland. My mushroom ravioli was rubbery, but the filling was tasty. My son has the mussels, which he enjoyed. Dessert came with the meal and when I ordered, I asked for vanilla ice cream and not the Bailey's Irish cream. The waiter didn't hear a word I said then looked at me stupid when I reminded him of what I ordered. Lastly, the check. It was wrong. The gentleman that Was seating people, whispered to my son, " your mom doesn't miss a thing." They really needed to offer a comp for the meal. It was not worth the $70+. My first and last visit. I"ll stick with the my favorite consistent restaurants, Matchbox and Woodmont Grill.
(1)Mike K.
Went with my wife and 95 year old mother, we were looking forward to this treat but very disappointed. Service was spotty, nice greeter, smarmy server. The pickles were the best thing we ate. The oysters were fried oyster stuffing not succulent oysters. The vegetarian burger my wife ordered was mushy. My mushroom pizza was OK. Not a good experience.
(1)Ginny H.
Now that I've been to Chef Geoff's a dozen times, I'm getting a better idea of where improvements could be made. Again, I think everything I've eaten (Lobster Roll, Cobb Salad, Short Rib Sandwich and previously mentioned Shrimp and Grits) has been delicious. The waiters I've had have been efficient and pleasant. The drinks, fantastic. The one area where I've witnessed consistent weakness is at the front desk. The staff is either not welcoming, or cloyingly insincere. Once, when lunch patrons were stacked up, sitting on the six-inch ledge under the window between the foyer and front dining area, I suggested that the host offer seats in the bar. He said, "Oh, they know it's there." The problem is inexperience and a lack of sophistication - training. Another time, I had brought a guest who wanted a pretty traditional pizza. The waiter offered to put marinara sauce on it, so the guest ordered an olive and pepperoni pizza, with marinara sauce. When it came, the host brought it instead of our waitress, saying, "Here is your pizza with marinara sauce!" There was not a smidgen of marinara sauce on the pizza! We were hysterical, laughing. Then, the waitress brought a little dish of olives - they had also been forgotten. (The pizza was delicious, anyway) Lastly, when patrons leave, whoever is at the front desk should look at them, smile and say, "Thank you." Thank you for coming joining us today. Have a good afternoon. Something.... Again, training is the only way out of this. The young members of the staff have obviously not eaten in fine restaurants. They haven't witnessed great service. I'm not talking about the waiters and waitresses. Although I haven't been to Chef Geoff's at a very busy time, I have always had great service at table.
(4)Karen K.
I had an very good lunch today with 7 friends at Chef Geoff in Rockville. First, I was pleasantly surprised this morning when received a phone call from the restaurant about the size of my party and the possibility that the round table requested on Open Table might be a tight fit. It was thoughtful and the woman offered the round table or a regular table, my choice. We chose the regular table, all fit in, and were able to communicate well. The lunch menu offers a lot of choices - all types of diners should be able to find things that will appeal to them. Special mention for our waiter Brandon. He was attentive and did a great job!
(4)Dee B.
*3.5 stars* Based on the food (three stars) and service I experienced (approximately 4.5 stars) here for a recent early Saturday lunch, I am currently granting CG 3.5 stars. I would be interested to see how their service and food is at a much busier time, as well as try additional dishes. But this is definitely one of those places you can take your grandmother who doesn't like 'ethnic' food. I also agree with the Yelpers who've commented on the nice brightness of the place - although I liked the food at Againn, I did find it to be rather dark and brooding. Just be careful in the parking lot at busy times...
(4)Jenni V.
Great food, great service! Only giving four stars at this point, because I need consistency...so we'll see. But everything we had was wonderful, and the service was good too. Thanks Chef Geoff's! Mushroom ravioli is a must...so delish!
(4)Stephen B.
Several weeks ago I wrote a well-deserved scathing review of Chef Geoff's after a Saturday evening dinner w/ my wife and two friends. It seems that the restaurant, in its infinite wisdom, chose to have Chef Geoff's private birthday party in the bar area that evening, closing off the entire bar for the entire night to all customers. Patrons knew nothing of this until arriving at the restaurant for dinner. Aside from not having the availability of the bar at their disposal, diners also had to put up with horrible and delayed service, inattentive staff, poor quality of food and total lack of caring because all of the staff's attention was focused on Geoff's private birthday party in the bar. As important as I think it is to post these horrible experiences, I think it equally important to post, with the same fervor, positive reviews and compliments when a restaurant acknowledges the errors of their ways and bends over backwards to right the situation. This past Saturday evening myself and my wife, along with the same couple we had dined with prior, were invited back to the restaurant as their guests. All appetizers, entrees and desserts were comped by them. Needless to say, the entire meal was absolutely superb--and I mean that in every possible way. The staff was friendly and courteous, the food was incredible and our server, Benjamin, was perhaps the most polished server that we have had at any restaurant in the DC area in years. We were truly made to feel welcome and appreciated. Now...skeptics might ask: "Did they bend over backwards because they knew you were coming in and were putting on the dog-and-pony show becauase they had blown it so badly the first time?" My response: yes, they did know that we were coming back in, but you can't fake excellent food, great service and genuine caring. This restaurant has earned back all of my respect and we look forward to many future wonderful meals there.
(5)Alan S.
When the excuse for poor service is "He owns the restaraunt, he can do whatever he wants" it is a sure sign your restaraunt is one that is not worth returning to. So apparently tonight was Chef Geoff's Birthday. To celebrate he closed the bar for a private party. What that also meant is that drink orders took 20 minutes in the restaraunt. this was our second visit, here. The first was not long after the restaraunt opened. The common factor was the the service was mediocre whch is fine, it was a perfect match for the food. I had a lamb dish. Essentially 4 mini lamb patties over cooked to the point that they were dry and hard as rocks. I think we would have been better off stopping at 5 guys a few doors down. At least the prices their I don't have much of an expectation. If you want a high quality meal with good service a few miles away - I would try Wildwood Kitchen. Much better food and a restaranteur that doesn't take his customers for granted!
(1)Jessica L.
Went to start the holidays early with a drink at the bar. Bartender didn't know how to make a Pimm's and only put one olive in my martini. Bartender let our empty glasses sit on the bar long enough (10 + minutes) that we eventually decided to move the party to Seasons 52 down the street. At Seasons, we found much better drinks and much better service.
(2)Judy T.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant. While the food is fine, the service and management have been horrendous. The first time I went the service was slow and inept, but I told myself that the restaurant was new and still settling in. I gave it another chance but will not return. On my most recent visit I was one of 5 people. We went to the bar at 5:30 pm and were sat at our table at 6:15 pm. The waiter came to take our order at 6:35 pm. We wanted to order off the special 3 course menu but were told it was not available after 6:30 pm. We explained that we had been at the table but he had not come to take our order. Long story short, after talking to two mangers we were still not allowed to order off the special menu. Had we not been taking a guest to dinner we would have left. Very short-sighted, Chef Geoff. Now you have 5 locals who will no longer come to your restaurants and will encourage their friends to do the same. I have heard similar stories from many others. Take my advice -- there are many good restaurants to have a lovely meal in Rockville. Do not waste your money at Chef Geoff's!
(1)Libby F.
My friend wanted this Ed Hardy bottle of sangria, and the only place she knew to get it was at World Market. While the Chevy Chase location is closer, it's a b*tch to park in Chevy Chase Pavilion. So we ventured all the way out (a Kelly G. phrase) to Rockville. She bought the wine, while I lingered listlessly in the European chocolate aisles. After she dragged me away (I did not throw a hissy fit), we decided to try Chef Geoff's, despite the parking lot looking like a zoo. However, being the good co-pilot navigator that I am, I spied a spot right in front. It was Kismet! Yet, would there be a long wait? The hostess said there would be a wait, BUT... there was a booth in the lounge if we were interested. Like, yeah! It was 7pm on a Saturday night, and the bar area was quiet and practically deserted. So, on to the food. We shared the Wild mushroom pizza, with three cheeses and thyme. It was hot and delicious, albeit kinda small (6 slices) for $13.95. I'd get it again, but I'll do it on a Monday or a Tuesday, when their happy hour is ALL DAY! The pizza's only $8.95 then. And maybe then I can splurge on their $12.95 calamari. I've had it at their other locations and it is worth the price. I also enjoy their house made sodas ($4). I had the hibiscus limeade this time. I mean, if you want a soda, it's not much more than you'd spend on a Coke at another restaurant, right? Another thing that will draw me back here is their 'Sunset Special'. Daily from 4-6:30 you can get three courses for just $19.95. The mushroom ravioli and the fish & chips are on that menu! It's like restaurant week all year round! I may have to race past some senior citizens to get to the door, but that shouldn't prove too difficult.
(4)Christine K.
I've forgiven the Chef Geoff's chain enough to say, "I'm done." Service, especially at the Rockville location has been terrible since it opened. We sat at the bar for close to fifteen minutes for the wine list - that's all we wanted to since we were not hungry. A server said that it would take a few minutes to bring us the menus since they were "making changes"... late in the afternoon?? When I asked how much longer it would take to see the wine list, I was given a short, but honest, "I don't know." When we got up and left, none of the servers even acknowledged that we were leaving, and the place wasn't even busy!
(1)Dana M.
Yum! Came here for restaurant week dinner and will definitely be back! Restaurant week is an extra bonus because you can choose anything from the whole menu, as opposed to only having 2-3 choices per course. Everything was delicious, and our server was extremely nice in letting me know exactly which dishes I could have with my food allergies. Our table of 5 had: Appetizers/snacks: - Crispy plantains & guacamole - Chorizo pigs in a blanket - Crispy calamari - Crabcakes/apples/raisins/mustard sauce - Arugula salad with orange and beets (GF) Mains: - Big Shrimp and Gouda grits with andouille sausage - two at our table had this and said it was phenomenal! - Portabello and asparagus risotto - nice and creamy! - Mustard glazed salmon (I subbed sweet potato fries and asparagus!) - yum!! - Jumbo lump crabcake Desserts: - Trio of ice creams/sorbets: pistachio, coconut sorbet, peach cobbler, and guava (you could choose) - flourless chocolate cake (DIVINE and gluten free!) with coconut or blackberry sorbet. Coconut sorbet was great too. - guava cake with guava ice cream and guava compote - tri-fecta of guava goodness! Can't wait to go again on Monday or Tuesday for all day happy hour (or 1/2 priced wine on mondays!). Restaurant week is a must, such a great deal!
(5)Drethi C.
So I actually received a call from the new manager at the store (amy maybe is her name). She was incredibly nice & let me know that the mice incident was a past problem when they had left the doors open during the summer. She assured me that since she took over a few weeks ago, they had pet control come and inspect to ensure that couldn't be an issue. She gave me a gift card for our past experience and told me to the bday boy back for a redo. We are really excited to go back, especially after we had someone being empathetic to our experience. I think chef geoff will be much better now under new management. Excellent customer service!
(4)Trish J.
Meh. It was fine. We had the trout and the tuna. The tuna was better, but the trout was overdone and dry. Fried pickles were good though! I can see a happy hour or drinks being okay for a low key evening. For a Friday night though, the crowd resembled that of a Luby's Diner. :/ Service wasn't great either. I wouldn't fuss if someone forced me to go back, but otherwise I think I'll steer clear.
(2)Yinka A.
Had dinner here after work. I had the fried calamari appetizer and the shrimp and grits. They were not bad, but I had to salt both dishes and I never add salt to my food while dining out. Once a little salt was added the shrimp and grits were much tastier. I do have to give credit where credit is due, I had a taste of the strawberry rhubarb crostada with lemon ice cream that my friend ordered and it was excellent! It is the reason for the 3 stars. Unfortunately, I was too full to order one of my own...maybe next time. The waiter was also very pleasant.
(3)Karen S.
I never even knew this place was here! It's tucked away in an office building/strip mall part of Rockville Pike that I had never considered would hold a fairly nice restaurant. The service and ambiance was good. Despite not being old, I really appreciated the large text on the menu and the very reasonable amount of lighting that made it easy to read everything. The bread came out warm and our waiter offered us more without being prompted. At the end of the meal, he offered my friend, who had leftovers, the option of boxing it herself or having him box it. I love that because I personally like boxing my own things, but I know a lot of people who don't, so it's nice that they don't assume. As for the food, it was overpriced for what it was. We got risotto balls (~$9) as an appetizer, and I was a bit disappointed. I expect them to have a creamy, melty center, but there was just a hunk of cheese in the middle that hadn't melted at all. Entrees were around $18-25, including things like a bowl of mussels, which, despite being delicious, were just mussels, after all. Didn't come with a side of fries or anything. My friend's shrimp and grits, which the waiter raved about, was good, but the "tiger shrimp" he went on about were pretty much just regular-sized shrimp. My other friend's fish and chips were good. We got a guava cake for dessert, which was fine. Less exciting than I had anticipated. I did notice that they had a "Sunset Deal" where you could get an appetizer, certain entrees and a dessert for about $20 between 4:30 and 6 p.m., which seems very reasonable. My friend also says their happy hour, with half-price appetizers, is really good. I'd come back if there was a deal, like the ones I mentioned, or with my parents, because it's a nice, quiet place with good lighting and good service that can be hard to find these days.
(3)Jason C.
Who is "Chef Geoff"? I never heard the chef's name in the DC food scene and was quite intrigued when a colleague booked a lunch reservation for our group. If I were to sum up the biggest problem about this place it would be that it's just too expensive for what it offers. My steak salad cost $20+ and most of the items on the menu (with the exception of pizza and sandwiches) are in the $17+ range. Desserts are $8 and side dishes are ~$6. My total bill came out to be $40+ for lunch after tip & tax and I think that's just too much for what they offer. The food is acceptable. It's cooked well, contains ingredients that are above average in quality, and they offer a wide selection of choices. On top of it the service was great. As for the ambience, I think the decor is substandard and the restaurant uses cheap dining tables and chairs for a place that charges so much. I think the cons of this place outweigh the pros and I just cannot see how anyone who has some knowledge of the restaurant scene in the DMV area would dine at this place. Thankfully, my meal was expensed on company funds but if I had to pay out of pocket I would be cringing now. For those considering to dine at this place I strongly suggest you to look at the menu and prices before making reservations. As for myself, I believe there are much better alternatives at lower price points such as Clyde's, Matchbox in Rockville and this visit to Chef Geoff will probably be my last (unless it's an expensed meal).
(3)Helen S.
My friends went to Urban Haunted House in Rockville, and before going inside, we decided that we would get dessert afterwards if we survive. Alas, we did survive, so we followed through by coming here. This is a relatively fancy place, and I'm glad that we got a chance to grab dessert here. We asked for the dessert menu after being seated, and then chose to split the following among the five of us: - Tiramisu with raspberry sorbet: Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts so I asked my friends if we could get it and they obliged, and we were not disappointed. This tiramisu was a great texture and flavor, although I didn't taste any liquor (tiramisu is supposed to be made with grand marnier I think...). It was really good, but the raspberry sorbet was very random and didn't complement the tiramisu well. It would do better with something like coffee or lemon, I think. - Lemon cake with ginger raspberries(?) and lemon ginger sorbet: just okay. The lemon cake was just like a lemon bar, and the lemon ginger sorbet was pretty interesting. I didn't see any ginger raspberries at all on the plate. - Oreo bread pudding with chocolate pop rocks and chocolate ice cream: not my favorite. I though the bread pudding was kind of gummy, had a strange texture, and was way too dense. I tried a little bit of the pop rocks, which were crunchy but didn't pop. The chocolate ice cream was solid. - Peanut butter and chocolate tart with peanut butter ice cream: just okay. I'm not a big pb/chocolate fan so I only tried a little bit of the tart, but the ice cream was amazing. I've never had pb ice cream before, and I basically ate half the scoop. Our waiter seemed very confused the entire time. I asked him for a mug of hot water, and he gave me the most puzzled look followed by an okay. And when we asked him if he could bring over some napkins, he gave us the longest pause, to the point that we all expected him to say no or something. It was pretty amusing. Overall, everything was decent but not extraordinary and I wouldn't come out of my way back here for dessert.
(3)Nicholas C.
We came here for Sunday brunch. The decor was elegant but seemed rather outdated. We were seated soon after we arrived (I had made reservations but the restaurant was by no means full when we were there). Our drinks came out in a timely manner. The Bloody Mary's were at best okay. I heard from the two that had them that they were too diluted with water. The coffee was acceptable. At $4.00 it should have been supreme!!! We ordered the pizza, Hangover Burger, Eggs Chesapeake and the CG Scrambled. There was a huge amount of food. I had the burger which was good as were the fries. There was just so much of it . The other meals were all fine but nothing to get excited about. We declined dessert; we were all too full. I can't say that I will run back to Chef Geoff's. There are better restaurants out there especially considering the price that we paid.
(3)Tom R.
Fancy inside, nice staff. A bit high for lunch prices but good. I had a crab cake sandwich which was great but a bit steep in price. I would like to come back for dinner sometime.
(4)Jess Y.
I really wanted to like this place. Especially since I have heard that it was good. One Saturday afternoon my mom and I stumbled into Chef Geoffs, in search of a delicious lunchtime sandwich. We ordered the fried calamari for our appetizer, my mom ordered a curried chickpea sandwich, and I ordered the basil chicken and gouda sandwich. Our sandwiches came out, and halfway through our meal we realized we never received our appetizer. We flagged down our waitress and asked her about it and she said she forgot and she'd just take it off the bill. That is horrible service in my opinion. Shouldn't you apologize?.....rude My mom & I traded half a sandwich so we could taste both. The curried chickpea sandwich had good flavor, but was extremely crumbly. I think the sandwich would be easier to eat if the chickpea was formed into some sort of patty, rather than a glob on bread. I gave up. I just ate the chickpea with a spoon, without the bread. The chicken sandwich...Where to begin. The bread was hard, the chicken breast was in one HUGE piece, extremely rubbery and hard. It was difficult to eat as well. The only good thing about the sandwich was the bread. It seemed like the decor was confused. Like the wood was supposed to look weathered, but ended up looking dirty. Overall, it was not welcoming. The service was horrible, our waitress forgot our appetizers and didn't even apologize, was flirting with other waiters off to the side, and the food sucked. Would not recommend or come back.
(2)Jason C.
Came in for brunch. Service was fantastic. Server was very professional. Food was great, bacon was cooked perfect and the maple sausage was yum. Coffee wasnt that great. They don't bring you cream, they brought warm 2% milk. The cheddar biscuits also weren't the greatest (compared to red lobster). Overall great place. Would return for sure.
(4)Anice S.
I'd been to the other two locations for dinner and happy hour, but we happened upon the Rockville location in search of brunch last weekend. It was fantastic. No wait and they sat us outdoors even though we were the only ones. The service was FANTASTIC and the food was really delicious. The complimentary cheddar drop biscuits could have been enough on their own, but both of our meals were generously sized and the waitress was thoughtful in her suggestions of substitutions and compliments. The classic breakfast (choice of 8 entrees,mimosa and coffee for $21) is a great value. We will definitely be back.
(5)PierAngeli M.
I finally went to Chef Geoff's in Rockville, MD. We went to the bar and ordered the hibiscus 'rita. For food, we ordered the truffle popcorn, caesar frites. My friend ordered the turkey burger and I ordered the Rockville burger. The popcorn was delicious and the caesar frites were DEEELICIOUS. I enjoyed them immensely. Also, I loved my burger and my drink was wonderful. I cannot wait to go back...woo hoo another great happy hour spot in Rockville.
(4)Zoe W.
I went to Chef Geoff's the other day and received the best service of any restaurant I have received in the DC area. Not only did the wine taste fresh, my steak cooked to perfection, and the calamari was the perfect crisp, the staff was prompt and courteous. We started out with drinks and apps at the bar, Will introduced himself and was a wonderful bartender and server. Amna was our server when we sat down to eat. She was friendly, and knowledgeable of the menu. They both seemed to enjoy their jobs and were happy to serve. Soon after we sat, Stephanie came up and introduced herself, asked our names, made sure we were enjoying ourselves and to see if we needed anything. She came around later to chit chat on our food, drinks, and service - which were great. Stephanie seemed to be genuine with her conversation - not like some in other places who seem to care less, I was surprised to see such fabulous customer service from a manager - it is nice to know people care about their place of business. Everyone was pleasant, always had smiles and seem to enjoy their jobs. So all in all, the service was exceptional and I enjoy dining in places where I feel comfortable, the mood is great, and everyone seems to be having a good time ( it was also nice when Will, Amna, and Stephanie asked our names - whenever we passed by one of them they always spoke to us). I shall frequent again and spread the word!
(5)Julio E. G.
This used to be Houston's Restaurant, A place where waiters and workers were sophisticated and professional with no over the top sweetness. Current workers are unprofessional and look disoriented. That is no big deal to me, but I was expecting professionalism. Unprofessional staff gives a bad impression. I don't want staff to kiss my ass, but I expect professionalism. The place is not cozy and dark as in the old days and they changed the bar which used to be rectangular. The bartenders were very busy and did not acknowledge our arrival at the bar. I do not expect prompt service if the staff is very busy, but one would think a well trained bartender would acknowledge the customer and say "I will be right with you". My wife wanted to leave, but I convinced her that the bartenders were simply too busy. Nevertheless, the bartenders kept walking past us without making eye contact. I don't care if the staff is inattentive. In fact, I am uncomfortable with waiters that try to kiss ass. But, these folks look unpolished and not professional. Did I say the bar atmosphere is bad? Too much light and not well decorated. I ordered a soup and salad combo. The arugula salad was dry! There was no dressing of any kind------a kitchen error. Luckily I love the pure taste of Arugula and ate it.. My wife wanted me to complain to the bartender, but I decided to not say anything. This was not the fault of the bartender. Furthermore, a lot of people complain in restaurants to get items removed from the check--------that is not me. When I was almost done with the salad the bartender asked me if everything was OK. I politely said everything was fine. I felt there is no point in complaining when one is visiting a mediocre restaurant. We got what we paid for. I gave the guy the expected 20% tip, but my wife said that was a mistake, because he will never know the service and food were mediocre. I will not visit again, the recollection of Houston makes this place looks as bad as TGIF on a bad day.
(1)Ed. R.
I was pleased to see Chef Geoff's arrive in the Rockville location that used to be Houston's. I decided to start with the plantains and they did not disappoint! They were better than my aunt's, in Puerto Rico. Just don't tell her. I moved on to the blackened fish tacos. The spiciness reaches the delicate balance of "flavorful" without crossing the line of burning your mouth. Delicious! My tequila sunrise was perfectly mixed and, had I not been driving, I would have had another. For dessert, we shared the flour less chocolate cake and sorbet... both, quite tasty. The service was the perfect blend of friendly and efficient while knowing when to let us enjoy our meal without being grilled about our satisfaction every minute or two. We'll be back... and, back again!
(5)Dave G.
We had an excellent dinner at Chef Geoff's last night. The server and the overall service were great and we really enjoyed all of the entrees that we got - the short ribs, the sesame yellowfin tuna, the Madras Curry Chicken and the Autumn Squash Agnolotti. Also, in addition to the calamari appetizer, the four of us shared a full Cadillac Caeser Salad and not only was it very tasty, but they offered to split it for us (no charge, no complaining, etc.) - that was very much appreciated. I was very surprised that the restaurant wasn't more packed last night, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meals and will be back!
(5)Tahirah W.
My very own neighborhood "Cheers". I absolutely adore this place. The HH menu is great and very reasonable. HH 7 days a week and all day on Monday and Tuesdays! That cannot be beat. The Chef Geoff burger is out of this world and the salmon burger is very tasty as well. The pizzas are cooked to a crispy perfection and the staff is always great and welcoming.The drinks are on point with the dead bastard being my husband's go-to every time. Hurry up and take advantage of a great meal at a good price, as we've noticed that they've eliminated the calamari from the apps and raised prices by a dollar on the burgers!
(4)Bryan M.
Just a phenomenal dining experience tonight!!! Lauren, thank you for the attentive service, Benjamin, thank you for making our little superstars happy, and best of all, thank you Galen for the insane and recreation of the famous HiWest Lemonade!!! And the food was awesome too!!!
(5)Cheryl C.
The food was fine, but the service was not. Our server made a brief appearance to tell us about the specials but then disappeared for most of the night. I don't even remember his name. We ended up placing our drink and food orders with a manager who came by to see if we had been helped. Our server popped back up at the end of our meal to bring dessert menus and seemed disappointed when we just asked for the check. I don't even know how to tip in a situation where the server did absolutely nothing.
(1)John W.
A group of us made dinner reservations for this place after seeing listed as a restaurant participating in the Restaurant Week 2014 event. While we've never been to Chef Geoff's Rockville, we have visited in the past when it was known as "Houston" -- so we didn't know what to expect from Chef Geoff's Rockville. The place was dimly lit to help set the mood and there are lots of available seating, making a reservation would be greatly advised. Our party consisted of our neighbors (2) and our family (3, including 1 child). Because of "Restaurant Week 2014", they offered the RESTAURANT WEEK WINTER 2014, which consists of three courses for $35.14. While the prices are a bit pricy, we still loved it. We each ordered the special: Tuna Tartare Sea Scallops Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Crispy Calamari Beef Medallions Ice Cream & Sorbet Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls Steak Frites Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Crabcakes Miso Glazed Salmon Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake Lauren, our waitress, was very attentive, patient and helpful with menu dish suggestions. The appetizers were served within a reasonable period of time after our time of placing our dinner order. About 20 minutes later, our main entrees were brought to us. Every part of our dish, the meal/food was still quite hot and not warm (like sitting under a heat lamp). Our son ordered the kids meal of Pepperoni Pizza, hold the pepperoni and a Caesar's Salad. We eagerly shared our meals among ourselves trying each other's entree. My salmon (a selection that Lauren recommended) was quite delicious and very moist and nothing was left of the entree at the end. I was told by others in our party that their meals were also quite good and tasty. For desserts, three of us ordered the Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake because we didn't want to share our desserts. The evening was made wonderful by the tasty food and by our server, Lauren, always checking up on us.
(4)Stephanie L.
Decided to give this place a try since it is one of the few upscale restaurants around the Rockville area. For the price that we paid, I would take the money somewhere else. Service: Our waiter was very attentive but it seems like they were shorthanded. We didn't even get bread and had to ask for it. We also had to wait for a while to get our food/check etc. Ambiance: Just like any upscale restaurant, good for business luncheons. Food: I had the Jumbo Lump Crabcake, the portions were generous but the crabcake itself was really dry and there were no sauce to it. The crabcake that I'm used to comes with either mayo or tar-tar sauce but there wasn't anything on this one and the burger bun was wayyy too oily and the lettuce wasn't even fresh (or it probably got soaked in the oil from the bun). The sweet potato fries were ok, nothing special about it. My mom decided to try the daily special-pork wings. It tasted something like you would get at P.F. Changs, very very salty Americanized chinese food and the noodles/vegetable mix that came with it was very salty as well. We ended up asking for more bread because it was so salty. Dessert: I was so excited when I saw that they had the bacon sundae on the bacon bar menu because who doesn't love bacon and ice cream? But, boy, it was not tasty at all...how can you possibly mess up a sundae? There was way too much chocolate sauce in it and the caramelized bacon bites doesn't even taste like bacon.. WHERE IS MY BACON? I feel like even I can make a better sundae than this...
(2)Mina L.
My first experience at Chef Geoff's in Rockville was mediocre and I'm very disappointed. My boyfriend and I decided to try a new restaurant on the Pike and we came across Chef Geoff. We shared the fried calamari, Roman caesar salad with a medium steak, and the seafood stew. SALTY would be the understatement of the year! The calamari was very salty and it was in the deep fryer for a little too long. The caesar salad's portion was very big, the steak was cook correctly (medium) but the dressing was terrible. The seafood stew is cream based and there were lots of different types of seafood (mussels, shrimp, fish, and scallop) but it was overly seasoned with lets take a wild guess.... SALT. The waiter did not bring me a spoon for my stew, they forgot to give refills of water, the waiter, Garlen/Garen? didn't even acknowledge us. I think the bus boys did a better attending to us. Definitely not going there again.
(2)Sharon W.
Former co-workers were planning to meet for dinner and Chef Geoff's was one of the places suggested. I had heard a lot about Chef Geoff and was happy to finally eat at one of his restaurants. We had fairly early reservations for 5 people for mid-week. I was surprised at how quiet the restaurant was when we arrived (mid-week, government shut down?). There was an attractive bar to the right with some small, cozy looking booths. To the left was a dining room divided into smaller rooms by glass partitions, which kept it light and open. Our waitress (hi Virginia!) was outstanding; efficient, and warm and friendly. Between 4:00 and 6:30 they offer a "Sunset Special", which is a very good value. For $19.95 you choose from one of assorted soup or salad appetizers; one of assorted entrees including any burger, Milanese chicken, fish tacos, etc., and any dessert. Four of our party did the Sunset Special, 2 had fish tacos, 1 the chicken dish, and 1 mussels. I wanted a crab cake so had the sandwich with regular fries not on the special. The mussels looked good and were a hit with the person who ordered them. My crab cake was good but not the best I've ever had and the fries seemed a little over cooked and not just out of the fryer. My husband's fish taco didn't look very good and, though he can handle some spiciness, he said it was overwhelming. I took a taste and totally agreed, the taste was not very pleasant. For his dessert my husband let me choose. We shared a "turtle cheesecake" which, as not a huge dessert fan I thought was delicious. So I liked the atmosphere, our service was outstanding, but the food was not outstanding. I would go back and order carefully, and hope for our same waitress, and, if just 2 of us, retreat to a cozy booth in the bar.
(3)John N.
So there seems to be a lot of complaining about this place already and, for a new place I don't see what the fuss was all about. Maybe I was a fluke customer, but I had a pretty decent experience here. I have been to the Chef Geoff's in Both Tyson's and the one in DC and I had great experiences at both of those places. So coming in I was expecting the same level of service with the same quality food. Ok yes this place is new, and generally it takes new places awhile for the staff to kick it into gear but I was pleasantly surprised when I came in. I would be back....especially for the Happy Hour
(4)Kate M.
Went here for dinner with my husband for Restaurant Week. First time at this restaurant. We enjoyed it and will likely go back. We were seated in the main dining room, which is a little boring - kind of like a generic hotel dining room. There is another room near the front with big windows that seems brighter and more inviting. The sidewalk seating is right up against the parking lot, so not terribly appealing, but they make the most of the space they have. Our waiter, Jack, was friendly, efficient, and very attentive. Overall, the service was excellent. Water was refilled often, empty plates cleared promptly, etc. The food was delicious, and it came out fast! The watermelon-tomato gazpacho was surprisingly spicy, but tasty. The plantain chips and guacamole were very good. At the time, I wished it were a bigger portion of guac, but it turned out to be kind of filling, so I'm glad I didn't overdo it. The mushroom ravioli was terrific; the roasted salmon was perfectly cooked and set on top of an addictive barley-chorizo risotto. I reluctantly stopped eating it to save room for dessert, and my husband polished off the rest. I also had a house-made ginger-lime soda with my meal. Be advised that the ginger flavor is super strong. I love ginger, so I really enjoyed it, but this is not like supermarket ginger ale - it's almost like sucking on fresh ginger. My husband enjoyed his key lime pie. I was kind of disappointed in the smoked cherry-almond ice cream, which had sounded so intriguing. I didn't detect any smokiness, and really couldn't even taste any almond flavor. What I had tasted like a nice, creamy cherry vanilla ice cream. When the bill came, we were pleasantly surprised to see that one of our meals was charged as a Sunset Deal ($23 versus $35 RW price). I guess my husband's meal choices serendipitously fit the more limited options on the Sunset menu and we were charged less. That was a bonus, since we were prepared to pay for two meals at the RW price.
(4)Nancy A.
Does not honor reservations and did not even apologize after keeping me and my disabled husband waiting for our table for 15 minutes. On April 20 I made a reservation for 6 pm that evening. they took our names and confirmed the availability for a table for two. When we arrived at 5:55 we were told they could not find our name on their computer and asked us to wait a few moments. We were looking at 10 empty two people tables. The male Maître de who asked us to wait came back five minutes later saw us and took off for the back of the restaurant. . After ten more minutes of waiting, a woman came out and said they did not have a table for us. No apology and very difficult to understand when there were many empty tables and we would have already ordered when they decided not to provide a table. The behavior I find outrageous and inexcusable. I will never go to any Chef Geoff's after being treated with such disrepect.
(1)Racquel C.
I went to this restaurant on a Tuesday night, and it was packed! I rarely dine outside of the district, so I was very hesitant about eating at Cheff Geoff's in Rockville. The ambience was great. The food was overall very satisfactory. I'm in love with their signature cocktails, especially the Pine-apple sangria. The Caesar salad was delicious. The plantain chips with guacamole was good as well. I had the lobster risotto. It was a good dish, but I thought it was too cheesy/creamy. I was overall satisfied with my dining experience, and would return here again to try the shrimp and grits.
(3)Elisabeth H.
This used to be Houston's and if you ever went it really couldn't be further in looks from Houston's. Houston's was dark and with traditional decor. Chef Geoff's is bright airy and light, really doesn't feel like you are in an older strip mall or that this is the same space that used to be Houston's. The service was great our waiter was honest and made recommendations as we ordered. For the atmosphere, service, and food I though the prices were very fair. I wasn't overly thrilled with my meal. I had the shrimp and grits which I ordered after the stellar description by our waiter. This dish was too rich for me and a little too outside the box. So I really blame the fact that I wasn't a HUGE fan on me and a poor choice. I will definitely be back but will be trying something else. I did like that there were gluten free options before hand and that the gluten free menu is very easily accessible on the website. I was able to find it know my options and didn't have to play 21 questions come time to order or be that person. My one complaint would be that when the reservation was made we were asked if it was for a special occasion and informed them it was, since we were going out for my Mom's birthday. No special accommodations were made, no cake, etc. makes me wonder why we were asked.
(3)Justin V.
The drinks were great and from what I have heard the food is delicious also. I wouldn't know though because I have been sitting for over an hour waiting for my meal to arrive! On a side note the beers are huge and they did compensate with a free drink.
(1)Don L.
Didn't live up to expectations. Half the dishes were excellent. The others, not so much. The service was also problematic. First, the server left us studying lunch menus for 10 minutes even though we were there at dinner time. Only after we started asking questions about the menu did he go fetch us the correct menus. Then, one of my dinner companions asked if he could make a substitution. The server harshly said no substitutions were allowed. After we gave our orders, the server came back and said, he would accept the substitution after all. Several times later, he mentioned substitutions or converting single entrees into the combo meals. My other companions had already turned down his offer to convert so his return to suggest it again was annoying.
(3)Opie M.
The Bar has not changed much, nice dark wood, over 20 seats long, even the bartender is from back when It was Houston's, But, the dark woods in the dinning rooms, have been painted white, The side area bricks have been white washed, a tint of brick still shows. The front Area is slightly more rustic, still shows red brick with a large mirror. So, the eating areas are clean and bright. Brought my super mug of Laginitas to my table, to complement an excellent peppercorn crusted tuna, nice and flaky. Our Waiter, from the Tyson's location, Gladly changed my ice cream with the carrot cake to very creamy chocolate. Other excellent beers on drafts are Dales pale ale, and Victory hop devil. Happy hr is untill 9pm Mon & Tues.
(5)SweeterThanTea T.
I have visited 2 different Chef Geoff's one in Rockville 3 times; twice for Happy Hour and once for Brunch, and Chef Geoff Tyson's Corner. The dining was like night and day. I am writing about my experiences at the Rockville location. Happy Hour: You seat yourself in the bar area. I like the booths, but there is a bar. I love a nice drink where there is just little more alcohol. I cannot say that was the case with their BAKED APPLE SANGRIA. It tasted more like a cider than a sangria with little to no alcohol, my party and I ended up going somewhere else for drinks. The Coconut Shrimp and Wild Mushroom Pizza Pie were good. Brunch: I do not eat pork ("No swine will touch these lips of mine."), so before placing my order, I always ask if there is turkey bacon or turkey sausage. During my dining experience at Chef Geoff Rockville this was no exception. There was no turkey bacon or sausage, but the waitress did inquire with the kitchen about the substitution and chicken sausage was the alternative. I ordered the Belgian Waffle (love waffles) with applewood smoked bacon (substituted with chicken sausage), apple compote chantilly cream. The food was plated very plain with the chicken sausage on a different plate. I asked the waitress if they have the pecan syrup because the Granny-Smith apples were too soggy. They did not! I pushed the soggy apples to the side and used the regular syrup for the waffles. The chicken sausage had red peppers, which gave them a little heat. (I love food with a little or a lot of kick.) Overall, the drinks were weak and the food (brunch) could have been a lot better. (Not all of America eats pork... add turkey bacon or sausage as a substitution). The bar section and restaurant are both nice sections. The waitresses are attentive, patient, and pleasant all the more reason for me to return....spring/summertime.
(2)Heather S.
Great place for Sunday Brunch. The food is great. The beignets are very good. Really liked the croque madame -- if you aren't a fried egg fan, you can request it scrambled. My other half likes their burgers. Lamb Kofta was excellent. Kiddo likes the dirt and worms dessert. Service is hit or miss. I'll say up front, the staff is friendly and the managers are on top of it when a problem occurs. First time, great service no issues. Last 2 times the service has been rocky. On one occasion they came out to say they no longer had an item (at 11am.. they didn't run out) They should brief the staff about menu changes ahead of time. Another time, half the table got the wrong food (no one had ordered those items at our table) they charged us for the wrong items and then they screwed up splitting the bill, charging one of us 100% and the other 50% (total 150%)
(4)Kayci S.
I went here for happy hour on a Friday and the food was really good. I really like the fact they had options besides meat (even on the happy hour menu) I would definitely recommend the salmon burger it was really good and tasted very fresh. Even though the restaurant has a "happy hour" be prepared to still spend a good amount of money if you're planning on eating and drinking. They have HUGEEE mugs as an option if you want one of their happy hour draft beers but unless you're planning on chugging I'd skip it because by the time you're half way done, your beer is warm (it's seriously the size of a persons head). But in general definitely worth the prices and I will be coming back :)
(4)Tara S.
I went here last year on a whim. I will be honest, I don't explore too much once I know what I like! But my boyfriend and I went for a date night and it was pretty good!! The food was delicious (although vegetarians beware - they put bacon in my salad and it was NOT listed on the menu!) and the wine was just as good. Although I had a good snafu, they took the salad back and replaced it right away and they were not upset about it at all.
(5)Eric L.
Been here a few times to have a drink at the bar, stopped by last night (New Year's Eve) around 11 and told the hostess we were just going to have a drink at the bar, she wasn't sure the bar was still serving but we should feel free to ask the bartender. So we walked into the mostly empty bar and asked the bartender. He wasn't sure so he went to ask the manager, the look of annoyance that came across his face that there were two more customers told me all I needed to know we left without waiting to get the official answer and went to Clyde's had a great time with a very friendly staff. Sorry Geoff but I won't be back, I don't want to be a bother to your staff.
(1)Bill S.
I know have eight or nine check-ins there and have always had good food, service and a perfect selection of beer. The duck confit appetizer is really an "Asian Taco Kit". Figure that out. The duck is pulled and spiced in hoisin sauce. I comes with hot peppers, picked onions, and other do it yourself accessories. I compare it favorably with Peking duck and highly recommend it. I have it as a main course. The fish tacos are another treat. Yummy and a huge portion. Phyllis who is hard to please, loves the crab cakes, the curried chicken and the lobster roll. Note that the rotate their offerings so they are not always the same offerings. They have a hug beer menu and have all my hoppy IPA favorites. the also offer a 33 ounce "up grade". Beware a 20 proof IPA in the jumbos size. You will be under the table (but smiling) We always get great service there and have never had a wait with reservations. Chef Geoffs has become our default "go-to"place.
(5)Gerry B.
Good Brunch menu with good Bloody Mary's. A bit on the pricey side but a nice space, we sate in the bar and the service staff was very accommodating and helpful. Looks like this would be a good happy hour spot with the layout of the bar area.
(3)Michele T.
I was a little skeptical to try this restaurant out because I haven't heard a lot about it and the parking lot was fairly empty when we went but I was pleasantly surprised! We got the weekend dinner deal: appetizer, dinner, dessert. We ordered the tacos and black bean burger. The salads weren't that great...but the main dishes were great. I also got one of the signature drinks that the waitress recommended and was disappointed...very weak and little alcohol. Service and dessert were good and evened out the pitfalls.
(4)Nick C.
Can only comment on lunch. Had burger special and it was good but not great. Good atmosphere and eating at the bar is a good choice for lunch. Service in good and good is served quickly. Priced for specials are good.
(3)George S.
I have eaten at several of Chef Geoff's place. I do find it odd that I eat at the Tysons- Chef Geoffs often, but no one remembers you. This is about the one in Rockville. I took, my boss, and 6 of my team mates. I wanted to impress him. We had 5:30 dinner reservations. We did show about 10 minutes late. We were seated at a nice table in the back, like I asked for. The server was pleasant, but I would not classify her as overly friendly. She took drink orders. In about 20 minutes the drinks arrived. She came back for our dinner orders. This is where things went down hill. We saw another large party sit beside us. We saw their food come. It had now been about 60 minutes. Did not see the server and still no food. My boss got up to ask a manager what was going on. He was told they had lost our order. It was 7:45 when our food arrived. It was ok. Nothing great and not worth the price. A manager type person came and asked if he could do anything and he was sorry. I told him he could comp or dessert. Thought it was odd I had to even suggest that to him. He bring out some after dinner drinks on the house and a tray of deserts versus asking each person what we wanted. The oddest part is the server never acknowledge any of this. Geoff's was a wonderful place when the first opened the first place. As more and more open, it now feels like a chain place. Ruby Tuesdays with an extra price. After dining there for over 5 years.... it is time to move on. So sad.
(1)Robert G.
Very pleased with this place! They have great wine and the service is excellent at the bar. I'd highly recommend it.
(5)Tricia K.
Decent food. Chicken tortilla soup was bland and less to be desired. Waiter was a little confused. Sunset special description misleading. Be advised. Excludes crab cake sandwich even though categorized as a burger. Should update menu. Chocolate pretzel cake.... It's dry. Very dry. Let's just say it is almost like eating raw cocoa powder.
(2)Selica O.
What a terrible dining experience! I made a reservation for 5:45 not knowing how busy they get. Aside from a corporate happy hour there were about 15 total tables full. After being seated immediately by a lovely host a bus boy brought water. The waiter appeared and my friend asked for water without ice. He said he'd take care of it. We placed our order (my friend the trout and me the chicken Milanese) and he asked if we wanted bread, which we said yes to. Ten minutes later my friend didn't have her water and there was no bread. Our waiter kept walking by and we kept asking and he said he put in the "order" and wasn't sure what the problem was. An "order" for a glass of water and bread? My friend's meal arrived before the water and bread and without mine in tow. The waiter came over and apologized, saying he placed the order for the other items to another table. That made no sense, since the fish came to ours plus if the items went to another table they would have rejected them and then we would have gotten them. Ugh. Five minutes after her fish arrived the water did along with the bread. Another five minutes and my dinner did as well. It was hot and OK but nothing amazing. The manager comped my meal but I was a little annoyed the manager didn't come over to apologize for all of the problems. Two stars because the food was hot and the bread was good.
(2)Janet G.
I'm going all five stars for Chef Geoff's. We had a very nice experience here last night, from start to finish. My fiance had let them know when he made a reservation that he has a lot of food allergies, so the first thing that happened was that our server, Benjamin, promptly came to the table to get a full list of haves/can't haves, and made very good recommendations for what he could eat. We're pescetarian, so he also let us know what was prepared with chicken broth or other items that we don't eat. He knows his menu inside and out. Fiance had tuna, asparagus and fingerling potatoes, all very nicely prepared. I had the arugula, beet and orange salad (delicious and a very generous portion), and the wild mushroom ravioli, which was heavenly. Nice delicate pasta with a really rich filling, lots of spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes with a velvety sauce. Loved it. Dessert. Hoo boy. The flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream and cherry coulis was fantastic, and was delivered with a nice little candle for my birthday. I couldn't have asked for a better finish for dinner. I really like this place. They took excellent care of us, the food was terrific, and we will be back.
(5)Kevin T.
It's sad I have to give this a 1-star because the food is really good. But they served us a moldy muffin and that is completely unacceptable. They apologized when we showed them it but didn't give us a discount or comp our drinks or anything. They just brought us more bread. For what it's worth we got the Shrimp & Grits and the Salmon Benedict and they were both delicious. Also their coffee was really good.
(1)Roz D.
We went here for brunch and it was horrible. Bad quality food, poorly cooked, and atmosphere was stale.
(1)Naeem M.
IMO, one of the best food happy hours (all day on Mon and Tues; otherwise, ends at 7pm) in the DC area...you can get a high-quality burger with fries for less than $10. The pizzas are also very good (also at less than $10) and can be easily shared. The Rockville location also has outside patio seating (though the view is a parking lot).
(5)Samantha L.
Chef Geoff's is an American restaurant with multiple locations around the DC area. In their bar area, they have happy hours all day on Monday & Tuesday and from 3-7pm Wednesday to Sunday. During their happy hour, they have discounted alcoholic beverages (wine and draft beers), two featured cocktails (e.g. basil peach sangria, zombie), flatbreads, burgers, and sides. Today, we got the Basil Peach Sangria, Zombie, and Turkey Burger. Both of the cocktails were light, fruit, and refreshing. The Basil Peach Sangria consisted of a semi-sweet white wine, vodka, peach nectar, and lemon juice and garnished with basil and fresh peach cube. The Zombie consisted of light rum, peach schnapps, orange curaçao, grenadine, and a blend of tropical and exotic fruit juices (including lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, passion fruit). The Turkey Burger consisted of lightly seasoned ground turkey patty marinated in a pecan-apple aioli, placed in between melted brie and slice of Granny Smith Apple over a bed of spinach on a toasted multigrain bun. It was served with artisan greens tossed in a creamy balsamic vinegar.
(4)Cat L.
First off, "happy hour" here is not a great deal and would probably not qualify as happy hour at most places, especially on Rockville Pike. However, it was very empty on a Tuesday after work and was a good place to catch up with friends. Also, I ordered the Chef Geoff's burger and thought it was one of the best tasting burgers that I've ever had - it was perfectly medium rare. I would not be opposed to coming back here although it's just one of many decent restaurants on the Pike.
(4)Angela P.
Chef Geoff lives up to their happy hour reputation. But are they "best happy hour in Rockville? This Rockville native had to find out for herself. I came here twice for happy hour. The first time, I sat at the bar. Great, easy to read menu. No squinting at the drafts and they had an expansive list of them; including favorites such as Star Hill The Love and Magic Hat #9. My friend was impressed with the martini they made. They also have a rotating cocktail which always sounds interesting. I skipped on the drinking this time and ordered fried pickle chips & plantain chips with guac. Both delicious choices. The pickles were fried to a deadly perfection--hot, fresh, crunchy, and juicy. Definitely worth ordering! The plantain chips were also yummy; guac was bland and could use work. Also hard to scoop up on the plate. Max or Matt was our bartender. He was super attentive and made great drinks. What more can you ask for? The second time, I took advantage of their patio. Yes they do have happy hour outside! This time, we weren't staring our bartender in the face. In fact, service was surprisingly slow. A table full of thirsty, hungry ladies are not to be messed with! After ordering, it seemed the pace returned back to normal as other bartenders and servers stepped in to help. I wanted to give HUMONGOUS kudos to our server Peter who is truly a hero that evening. Despite a few eye rolls, he never lost his cool and was professional all night long. It was only when I made a trip inside, there was Peter busting ass to handle what seemed like 12 tables inside and out plus a private party going on. He was even on his way to say sorry for not being "the best server." It's kind of the like the lost suitcase scenario where someone genuine like him are few and far between. Thank you, Peter, for being a true professional and you were the best server! Good food, environment, chefs, etc etc will attract your customers, but it's truly the service that always triumphs by retaining happy customers!
(4)Patty H.
We've eaten at Chef Geoff's in the past - food was good - service was variable - generally service has been going down hill. Today it hit rock bottom. We arrived at 6:10 without a reservation - were seated immediately - restaurant was 2/3 empty. After about 10 minutes - our water glasses were filled. We asked the gentleman filling our water glasses if he could send our waiter over since no one had been by yet. A few minutes later - a gentleman in a suit (later learned was manager) came over - we placed our order - salad, two main courses. Young woman brought us bread. Salad arrived by about 6:35. And then it felt like we were sitting in a black hole. For the next 35 minutes - no one other than the gentleman with the water pitcher came by our table. He did refill our water glasses several times. But no food, no one stopped by to say what was going on, nothing At 7:10 - I went up to the front desk and asked how do we pay for the salad - we'd had it. She apologized. Said she'd get the manager - who turned out to the person who had taken our order. He asked what the problem was. We said - you know when you took our order - we still don't have our dinners - and no one has ever stopped by the table to introduce him or herself as our waiter. He apologized - gave me the general manager's card so I could follow up with her. Not sure what I'd say - other than - decided after a few mediocre experiences - that we'd give them one more try - not making that mistake again. The salad was fine. The bread was nice. Can't say a thing about the steak frites or the shrimp and grits - since our dinners were never served to us.
(1)Richard J.
Like this place a lot. Had the CG Burger for brunch today, it was brought out quickly and tasted delicious with the bacon, lettuce, tomato and pepper jack cheese, my choice on the cheese. The prices are good and Calvin is a great sever, knowledgable about the menu.
(5)Susan Z.
Great 7-day Happy Hour! The food and drinks are great both taste-wise and price-wise. The burgers and salmon burgers are fantastic---full sized. I hope they bring the tuna burger back! You can order mixed greens instead of a less healthy but tasty side. I really like the booths and outside tables. The only downside is the service at the bar. It seems that sometimes the bartenders, who double as servers to all of the inside and outside bar tables, are either falling over each other or overwhelmed and unable to give timely service. I have had to leave a table and go to the bar to order a drink and even asked the manager once to help them behind the bar. But...you still can't beat the HH. I've been for dinner a few times too. It was a little pricey for what we got (and for drinks non-HH) but the food and service were very good!
(4)Donald M.
I've had bad pizza and this has to be one of the worst. The crust was harder than bad French bread and the top "and bottom" of the crust was so oily that we needed extra napkins. One should not need a bath after eating something. The toppings were so sparse we could have thought they were missing. On the bright side, the deep-fried pickles were yummy!
(2)Marcia S.
So far so good. My Black Russian is nice. Tim the bartender is well spoken and knowledgeable. Music and atmosphere are cool for a 40 plus .. Calamari is so good I ordered a second...not because of size. It's just that good....
(5)Antoine B.
Going to Chef Geoffs for brunch or dinner is a win win. Came to Chef Geoffs on a Sunday to check out their brunch. I ordered the country fried chicken & gravy meal with a couple of mimosa's. When the ordered came the meal looked amazing and I couldn't wait to dig in. The meal also came with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and a biscuit. The chicken was fried to perfection and the gravy complemented it so well. The portion size was decent and did not feel overwhelming. I would recommend everyone get there early so that you can grab a table outside and enjoy brunch under the covered patio area.
(4)Melanie R.
We made reservations for 2pm and chose from the lunch and brunch menus. It definitely wasn't crowded and both of us were pleased with the upscale casual atmosphere. Service was very good. I like to try the calamari whenever I visit a restaurant for the first time and here it was slightly better than mediocre with an interesting jalepeño dipping sauce. I had the entree sized Cadillac Caesar with grilled shrimp, the spicy dressing was more tangy than spicy but complemented the avocado very nicely. The cornbread croutons were insanely good and pulled the whole dish together. The delicious blood orange mousse is one of the seasonal dessert offerings. Only the presence of other people prevented me from licking the plate after I ate it. I'm a fan of the Moscow mule, so I tried the Rockville mule, made with orange flavored vodka. Meh, it was okay. It had a lot of ice and I wasn't that impressed with flavor or presentation.
(4)Debbie G.
We had crab cakes here and they were really good. Lots of crab very small amount of filler if any The food came out fast and promptly. The waiters never let my water go below the halfway point. The bread and honey butter are to die for!
(5)Suzanne W.
Good food, nice atmosphere. I had been wanting to visit this restaurant for a while and finally decided to meet a friend there for lunch. We were served by an exceptional waitress who provided us the menu and answered every question we had about the menu. I had the gulf shrimp. Very tasty. Fresh vegetables and their potato salad was excellent. A little pricey for my taste but I'm glad I was able to visit this venue.
(4)Janelle J.
This is my second time enjoying lunch here within the past two weeks. During the week, there is not a wait (at least not when I have dined) & the staff is always welcoming. The white truffle popcorn was certainly a treat as was the spinach salad with salmon. The salmon was prepared as ordered, well but not dry and was delicious I'll definitely return to try other dishes
(5)Kevin D.
I joined a friend for happy hour (5/12/15). I've visited Chef Geoff Rockville several times-this is my first formal review. The Chef Geoff Burger (beef, red onion, bacon & cheddar cheese on brioche bun) is delicious, cooked to order w/thick cut bacon & fresh toppings. $6.95 happy hour @bar. Good service & pleasant atmosphere.
(4)Dennis W.
Great menu options, reasonably priced. Combine that with wonderful service and quality of the food; highly recommended.
(4)Connie M.
I was acknowledged immediately as I walked up to the bar...which is all we want when dining out...to be made to feel like you are special! Please note this is just a review of happy hour. I arrived just before 3pm and the happy hour menus were already sitting out on the bar. Did my eyes deceive me? Happy hour 7 days a week! For real? Yep! To start there are many beers and you choose between a pint for $5 or a supermug for $9. As the supermug is more than twice the size of a pint glass, I recommend that is the way to go if you plan on drinking beer! There are a lot of snacks for $5 to choose from. Are you going to have caesar, garlic steak or sweet potato fries? Maybe you want fried pickles. Plantains with some guacamole? Popcorn with white truffle and parmesean or edamame with a sweet ponzu dipping sauce? Maybe you want something of more substance like a burger made of beef, turkey, black bean or salmon? They range from a little over 6 bucks to almost 9. Feeling daring? Order the honey-sirachia wings because $10 will get you 7. So Benjamin, my new BFF practically begs me to order a Rockville burger. It was his favorite and he genuinely would have been angry at me (because I would have missed out on an incredible burger) if I chose something else. Cooked medium, it was topped with pepper jack cheese, crunchy onion straws and a dreamy horseradish sauce! My taste buds were doing a happy dance and I could not even put the burger down before I ended up inhaling the whole thing! Every time I bit down and felt a crunch, I thought I was eating bacon, but it was just the delicious onion straws. I am thinking about going back on Sunday just for another burger! I chose to forgo the accompanying fries thinking I would be healthy and choose the lightly dressed field greens. We are talking about a gigantic mound of just lettuce. No other veggies and nothing crunchy...but the dressing is so delish! I ate every last bite and I swear people sitting around me must have thought I was starving because my plate was so clean! I skipped the regular fries because I wanted some sweet potato fries. Seriously good. Dusted with sea salt the fries were cut sort of thin and they were fried until crunchy....just the way I like my fries! They were very simple but cooked so well, that once you have one, you just can't stop! To make this a real review, I also tried the honey-siracha wing. They were large and meaty and perfectly dressed. Crispy, chewy and flavorful. Need I say more? Benjamin later told me that I can order them naked with the sauce on the side. I wonder if we were twins separated at birth? Maybe not since he isn't a chubby asian woman, but he sure can read my mind and ensure that you will have an excellent adventure at Chef Geoff's! I crowned Benjamin my new BFF because he made my tummy happy with great recommendations and kept my ice tea glass filled. Stop in to see him and let him work his magic on you!!! **Note: I wanted to give a shout out to the manager who walked by my empty tea glass and took it upon himself to refill it for me. Either they are only hiring the best of the best or else they have a kick a$$ orientation that is focused on the customer....I seriously cannot wait to go back for a weekend happy hour! :)
(5)LN G.
We decided to give this restaurant a try for Mothers Day. Maybe they would have done better on a less busy night. Our server was awful. Over 10 minutes after we were seated, the hostess came over on her own accord to apologize for the delay and take our drink orders. The rest of the service was much of the same....our server was absent at all times. He seemed to be purposely avoiding eye contact with our table and it was impossible to get his attention. He took our dessert order, and it arrived (not brought by him, of couse) while our dinner and appetizer plates were still on the table. We had to help hold our plates while they put down the dessert and then had they took them from us with many apologies. Speaking of dessert, our creme brûlée came out watery and runny. It took us 10 minutes, but we flagged down the waiter to let him know, and he picked up the dessert, announced that he was going to make the chef aware, and ran off with it. That he needed to have the chef weigh in on the matter was odd (it would have been simpler to just replace it with something else). But where I took offense was when he came back with the same dessert announcing that the chef verified that this was how they made it, and offered no other resolution. If I am going to pay for a creme brûlée dessert, I expect it to be set. Otherwise you have given me runny pudding...which is not creme brûlée. Restaurants make mistakes, but if your quality control does not catch it before it gets to my table, don't try to convince me that this is how you make it. To end on a positive note, the hostess was very nice and our main meals good. The kids meals are huge!
(2)Pam K.
My family and I decided to celebrate my daughters 20th birthday at Chef Geoff's. Along with my family of 5, we surprised her with two of her friends making our table a rather large table of 7, This was a special occasion dinner and not something we can afford on a regular basis. When we sat down there was a screaming toddler at the table next to us. I mean Screaming! Since it was well after 7:00 we assumed that this table would be finished soon and leaving, but no, they were there for at least another half hour. When the family made no attempts to leave, we did start to complain. Regretfully we hadn't asked for a different location when we arrived (nor was it offered) and we did say something to the waitress but didn't want to make a scene. The first half of our rather expensive dinner was while not ruined but very unpleasant, I was disappointed the maitre d did not bother to come to our table to check on us and at the very least have comped part of our meal.
(3)Cristi F.
Best burgers during happy hour in town! I love this place after a long day at the office! And who can beat all day happy hour on Monday and Tuesdays! The pizzas are also really good and you can even order just one small scoop (I do mean small) of ice cream to finish your meal. Their frozen hibiscus drink is great as well as their "Something Bubbly" ok that one is not on the happy hour list but a nice nice way to relax from the long day. Carlos as bartender is fabulous and very personal! Calvin and Dave are great as well. I would highly recommend.
(4)Lily R.
Three and a half stars. For many moons I've wondered who was this imposter who dared to take over my beloved Houston's Rockville location. At last I ventured to Chef Geoff's, and I was pleasantly surprised. The inside is still very Houston's. The large wine safe remains. Geoff's was fairly crowded, but no trouble getting a table right away. As part of the brunch, they offer comlimentary biscuits for the table with chive cream cheese, apple butter, and pepper jelly. I appreciated this, as I feel that breakfast should not be exempt from a free bread policy. The pepper jelly was delish. Although the biscuits made a valiant effort, they could not hold a candle to the Biscuit Queen, Red Lobster. My meal was the Cadillac Caesar Salad with Buffalo Chicken. There are a number of choices for salad topping, including calamari (!) and tuna, as well as the usuals. The salad dressing was nice and spicy, and the chicken was pretty good although a few pieces were slightly overcooked. My friend who got the blackened chicken had the same issue. For good measure, I ordered a side of Gouda grits with my salad. These were the real star of the show: it was a huge portion of creamy deliciousness. Seriously, the portion was like, cereal bowl sized. I could have just ordered grits for my meal. I basically only ate grits and then took my salad home. Good waiter, pleasant dining experience, and definitely interested in returning to try the dinner menu.
(4)Fred K.
For some reason thus Chef Geoffs just isn't as lively as any of their locations. I mean it's Thursday night at 8:30PM and I'm only one of two people at the bar. Maybe it's just a happy hour bar? Or is this place for the older generation, like elder parents and grandparents. It's a night and day difference compare to its livelier Tyson's location. As for the food and main restaurant, we thoroughly enjoy the food, service, and atmosphere. Only a hint of the old Houston's beck wall remains left here. Hoping this place doesn't close soon.
(4)laur i.
Another delicious meal! Prime rib special ...delicious, catfish special, husband devoured and grilled pork chop our friend had was eaten down to the bone. Great service and relaxing atmosphere. Would highly rcommend.
(5)Haley S.
Menu was appealing. Environment was nice. Food was good. Service was poor. Decent experience overall. Looks like they have some great happy hour specials, so I plan to go back!
(3)Mallory S.
Perfect for restaurant week! They had such great deals with great food! You could literally get anything from their appetizer menu plus a main dish and a dessert. No special menu with limited options.
(4)Casey K.
Ok, so this is a bittersweet review. Came here for brunch (finally!) and the food was great, didn't taste a single thing I hated. However, the service was the downfall and started ticking off stars for me towards the end of our meal. First comes out a small tin bucket of mini cheddar biscuits served with a tray of chive cream cheese, pepper jelly, and apple butter. I am a huge apple butter fan and the apple butter was great, however, the pepper jelly and the cream cheese were the stars. Merge these two together in one bite and you are in for a delicious merging of creamy, spicy jelly goodness...LOVED! I had the Croque Madame which was marvelous. Perfectly crisp bread with savory ham and gruyere cheese and a fried egg on top of it all. Comes with a pleasant palette cleansing side of balsamic topped salad which helped break up the richness of the croque madame. The fries were ok, not a big fry person so I didn't waste mush time on them. All and all, a fantastic dish for me which I highly recommend. My friend ordered a side of the Gouda grits (highly recommended my yours truly). Our waiter forgot to bring us the side, but was more than apologetic and ended up giving us them on the house for the oversight which I thought was great. The grits, as usual, were phenomenal. My friend's thoughts were mine exactly in my first review that these are on a whole different level than your average bowl of grits. They are more like mashed potatoes and you'd be missing out if you did not order either the shrimp and grits or a side of these lovelies. Now, comes the downfall. Not sure if it was a shift change or they were switching over from brunch to dinner, but we were being bum rushed out of there. Waiter after waiter kept coming by and trying to grab the check book and saying, "is this ready?", "can I take this?" or "I'll take this". To which we would answer, oh we haven't put our cards in yet. My friend and I were meeting up for the first time in close to a year, so her and I would get to talking and forget about the check until another waiter would come around and make us feel like we had over stayed our welcome. One kind of lingered there after I said, "oh no, we haven't put our cards in yet like" like she wanted me to snap to. The end kind of left a really bad taste in my mouth. First impressions are huge, yes, but if both my friend and I are leaving your restaurant saying, "What the hell was that?!?", there is a huge problem.
(3)AL K.
Cool happy hour reduced prices on appetizers and drinks. The pizza was great for $8 and the plantains with guacamole was something unique. Great service until it gets crowded. Pricey dinner entrees.
(3)Tiffany L.
I've had a couple different burgers here and they've all been good. This past weekend I got the Rockville burger Med and it was one of the better burgers I've had. I've tried their pies and I like the chicken one. Sucks cause their hh is significant cheaper than regular price for the exact same thing. Fiancé said the chicken wing app has only five or six wings for 11$, that kinda sucks. We come here often for their beers on and off hh. We always sit in the bar area and usually get the Same server -This middle age man. He's just not very good. I have no idea what he does while he's working but he's not as attentive as he looks. This place is a "let's just go there" place for my fiancé and his friends.
(3)Miss R.
I've been here several times for happy hour. I like that they offer more than just the usual buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks. Sandwiches, burgers (turkey, beef and even salmon), sweet potato AND Ceasar fries, and even popcorn are just a few of the happy hour menu offerings. I think the happy hour menu changes every few months though, so customers are treated to a variety of flavors throughout the year. Drinks: The sangria is ok; a little weak and heavy on the juice. The Blue Hawaiian was so-so; I was expecting a vacation in a glass but instead I got a blue slushie. The offer pretty decent selection of beers, if cocktails are not your thing. The Ceasar fries weren't as tangy and creamy as I expected. In fact, they were a bit oily, especially the closer you got to the bottom. It almost tasted like the fries were tossed in a slightly tart mayo instead of a cool, creamy, tangy Caesar dressing. The sweet potato fries are good. I could probably eat 3 orders of them with no shame. Ditto for the plantain chips! They make a pretty good burger here, and at the happy hour price, it is a certified bargain! On my last visit I ordered the cheeseburger with no bacon, and salad greens on the side. The burger arrived with bacon on it. No big deal; I asked them to bring me a new one since I am allergic to pork, which they did happily. In the meantime, I got 3 separate apologies from 3 different people about it (I appreciate the staff's commitment to service, but it was almost excessive). My new burger came, sans bacon, but the salad that accompanied this one was not fresh: a few of the greens were wilted (to the point where they were black and slimy), giving a rancid taste to the rest of the salad. The burger was good, but the slimy greens really killed my appetite. I'll probably be back, but I'm definitely going to steer clear of the salad!
(3)Erica C.
This is a brunch review, so take it as you wish. I ordered the eggs benedict. I've noticed that egg poaching is truly an art form. The eggs were not up to par with what an eggs benedict should be, as they seemed slow poached. The white part of the egg was far too gooey. The potatoes were sliced circles, so that was rather unwieldy. But regardless, they were cooked through and fairly tasty. In summary, the whole dish was odd. The service was great, coffee was flowing, and they provided complimentary pumpkin muffins. I may go back, just not for brunch. Eggs benedict seems simple, but is pretty difficult to master.
(3)Gail B.
This location is fun. There is a large bar area. The staff members are nice. The decor is nice. The kitchen makes seasonal ice cream. This is a nice place to celebrate or have date night.
(4)Navi B.
First... Hair in my burger. Not a little one. Second... If my friends want to smoke a cigarette in front of the restaurant, don't instruct all of us to go to the bottom of the stairs... Yes you were courteous but we were outside the patio area for gods sake. The food: The plantain chips were really good, the popcorn is meh, good calamari, delicious mussels (really well cleaned), mushroom ravioli is good, short rib tortellini is just okay. The Rockville burger... See above but I got one to go at the coaxing of the bartender. It was just okay.
(2)Joshua G.
We came back to this location after being invited back, and have to say we were blown away by how nice this experience was. There was a slight issue with the waitress but she stood down and got us a new waiter who was great. We had the calamari, and muscles to start off an they both tasted great. For the main course we tried the lamb chops and shrimp rigatoni. The lamb was a perfect main course and was cooked to perfection. The shrimp rigatoni was also just as perfectly cooked and a very nice portion and creamy texture mixed was a very nice combination. Then we tried some of the desert as well go end the meal off with a bang. We had the red velvet cheese cake and the Cream Brulé. The red velvet cheesecake is amazing to put it lightly and the cotton candy on top is a great touch. The Cream Brulé is very well made and has the right amount of sweetness and bitterness with the strawberries. All in all this was a great visit and will most definitely come back.
(5)Gabi L.
I find this place to be A-OK. My bestie & I ordered the Sunset Mussels (YUM) for the app. and paired it with the sunset special which must be ordered before 6:30pm (REMEMBER THAT & IT'S A REALLY GOOD DEAL...hmm MAYBE TOO GOOD). Our *amazing* waitress, Lauren talked us into the pork rib tortellini and the madras curry chicken. The food was good, but not amazing (to each their own). We then ordered salted caramel ice cream and the oreo cheesecake. YUM for the salted caramel and UM for the Oreo cheesecake. The O.C. tasted like it was fresh from Giant's sale section (no offense, but sometimes Giant pastries taste super artificial). I was kinda bummed, but it was edible. Step up the real cream game in those cheesecakes, Geoff! Apart from the A-OK food, Lauren was a great waitress who was SUPER knowledgeable and super patient with my indecisive friend & I.
(3)Kristen H.
My Mom and I went here before seeing a show in Rockville. I've heard from a good amount of my friends that Chef Geoff's is where it's at, so I had to give it a shot. I'm so glad I listened to them! I'm happy they have expanded and have a Rockville location, much closer to me. To me it has a very relaxed setting with simple yet elegant decorations. Our waiter was very attentive and was eager to help us make several of our choices for the evening. We asked if we could share the muscles as an appetizer. Even though the chef said that could not be offered, we appreciated the fact that the waiter went to check. Instead we shared the tuna tartar and the calamari as our appetizers. For the price, we definitely got our fair share of tuna, they did not skimp! The ginger, mayo a cucumber made the perfect combo with the tuna. The calamari was just as crunchy and crispy as I always like it to be. For my entree I decided to go with the daily special. Once I heard the waiter describe it I was sold. Jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab meat and parmesan, placed overtop sauteed red peppers, green beans and onion. Everything was so fresh, and I'm glad I saved my appetite for this dinner because I could not have finished without doing so. Soooo much seafood! I enjoyed every bite. We finished off with the apple bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream, mmm! I am so coming back here soon! Loved it!
(5)Ishita C.
Went here last night for DC Metro Restaurant Week but I am pretty sure the full menu was part of the deal which I thought was great. I liked the decor a lot; it is modern and has just the right lighting - not to dark and not too bright. There weren't that many tables occupied so it was very quiet. Our server, Donald, was nice and attentive and was able to answer questions about the menu. Our water glassed were never empty and dirty dishes were taken away instantaneously. DRINKS: -Slur Issac Newton - this was really good! Definitely recommended for cinnamon lovers! -Dead Bastard - It was just okay; didn't really taste like anything to be honest. I wasn't blown away be either of the drinks and they were both very weak and small for $10 a drink. APPETIZER: -Crispy Calamari - I don't usually like calamari by this was cooked to perfection and the dipping sauce went really well. -Mussels In White Wine-Garlic Broth - The mussels were tinyyyy and a little overcooked in my opinion but the sauce was DELICIOUS! I recommend this solely because of the grilled ciabatta to dip into the broth. I was happy with the appetizers in general and the white wine-garlic broth was out of this world. ENTREE: -Grilled Pork Chop - The pork chop itself was very tasteless and underwhelming and was also a little too on the rare side for medium-well. The sides of sauteed kale and gouda grits were amazinggggg though. - Madras Curry Chicken - The chicken was cooked perfectly and I loved the curry sauce that went with it, although there was very little of it on the plate; I would've liked more. The side of cous-cous was alright but VERY oily and the onion was overpowering. Overall, dinner was okay - nothing really spectacular. The sauteed kale and gouda grits were awesome so that definitely redeemed the pork chop dish. The curry chicken is great too but definitely needed more sauce. DESSERT: -Vanilla Homemade Ice Cream - Can't go wrong with vanilla! I loved this! -Salted Caramel Homemade Ice Cream - Definitely overly-salty for my taste buds but it was good with the side of biscotti. All in all, Cheff Geof's is good for a random Tuesday night dinner but had a few drawbacks. I would come back here to try out their lunch menu but I don't think I'll be back for dinner.
(4)Mercedes C.
Came here for lunch during restaurant week recently with my main squeeze. I had the Spinach salad to start off with and Croque Madame for my entree. Both were delicious! My bf had the Chicken Chili and Short Rib Tortellini which he enjoyed as well. The price during restaurant week was very affordable at $20.48 so we were delighted to have been able to come here and try the food. For dessert I had the salted caramel, white chocolate and chocolate malt ice cream which were amazing! Only small pet peeve I had was the menu seemed to be a little scattered with intermixing of the different types of plates but once I figured it out it worked out. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for an affordable casual upscale place to hang out.
(4)Mattie C.
Quite like their DC counterpart except significantly less crowded.. and a little fancier seeming. It is in a pretty boring-looking building next to a strip mall so you wouldn't expect such a fancy place. Interesting. We sat in the main dining area to have a lunchy/brunchy after a long morning trying on dresses at David Bridal. The service was very good and attentive, and they kept us pumped up with plenty of refills on the coffee and cream. The consensus on the food was that it was good, not blow-your-mind amazing, but solidly good. I was slightly disappointed because at Chef Geoff's in DC I usually build my own pizza - they don't let you do that here. But they had a perfectly satisfying pizza on the menu - wild mushroom - which I really enjoyed although found a little rich. They had an arugula salad which was quite tasty too and a decent portion size. This place is very solid, though a little surprising in an unexpected place/building. I like Chef Geoff's.
(3)Robert R.
Went for lunch with a friend and we both had BLTs for lunch. They were nothing special. Tomatoes We're not ripe. And for $18 you would kind of expect a better sandwich. I remember fondly when this location was Houstons. Lunch was packed. Now lunch was just a few tables of Srs eating. We should have left when we walked in and saw the place was almost empty! That's never a good sign on busy Rockville Pike.
(1)Kari S.
Pretty much similar to all of the other reviews, service wasn't great. My husband and I came here this past Monday because I had heard about the "all day happy hour". We ordered the thick cut pepperoni pizza & cheeseburger. Pizza was great, burger was okay -- the main thing was the service. When we initially arrived we waited 5-10 minutes as the bartender ignored us, when she finally came over, in fairness, she did serve us our drinks right away. After that, it was hit & miss with being able to get something that we needed. The other staff seemed disgruntled, they definitely weren't happy to be there. We were sitting on the end of the bar near the service station, so we were in earshot of all their gripes. Manager looked miserable too, she didn't say hello. I would come back, but I might try sitting at one of the tables.
(3)Lauren M.
The service here is always great. Very friendly staff and the food is delicious. This is a classy restaurant I love coming here for special events!
(5)Kim F.
Terrible service and the food was average. The entire evening was very disappointing. It was our first time at this restaurant and we went in very open minded and left knowing we will never go back again.
(1)Kate G.
I ate here for brunch this past Sunday (yesterday) and was generally displeased. The hostess was very nice and I thought placed us in a good spot to accommodate our two high chairs. The biggest issue was the service and food. Our waitress attempted to be friendly initially, but quickly became irritated with some very routine requests. One of the people dining with me simply wanted an order of blackened salmon, however she stated that this was not something that could be done because there wasn't salmon on the menu. There was salmon on the menu - you could add it to a salad if you wanted, so it made little sense that you could not just order it alone. She refused to go and ask and kept trying to sale him the "Citrus salmon" which was a bagel and lox sort of item... totally different. There was also a bit of a language barrier with the waitress - I think restaurants should ensure that their servers have a command of the terms necessary to be an effective server. I asked whether they had bottomless mimosas. She didn't understand the term bottomless... tried unlimited... nope she didn't know that word either. Eventually we figured it out, but it was a little frustrating. The server disappeared for long periods of time, then when I tried to wave her down for refills on our water and coffee, she had a clearly exasperated look on her face. The food was subpar at best, with the excepton of the grits. The grits were marvelous. I got the eggs benedict and it was hands down the worst eggs benedict I've ever had. It consisted of poached eggs (of course), fried green tomato, bacon and lettuce. The lettuce was of the cheap shredded iceberg variety and it tasted awful with the dish on a whole. The concept of BLT eggs benny should be scrapped immediately. Eggs benedict should be something where you can eat all your pieces in one bite. However, it is quite difficult to get the shredded lettuce onto the fork with the other items and the bacon was a bit too crisp to actually be pierced with the fork. All in all, it was a mess. There are a few other issues I had with the place... The biscuits were overcooked and crunchy, something we mentioned to our waitress several times. It was not until we spoke with the manager that it was recognized that someone in the kitchen was overcooking the biscuits and he had new ones made for the entire restaurant. I was brought a dirty cup with my cream... it had old cream caked and dried on the side... Suffice it to say, I was underwhelmed by this experience. This would have been 1 star experience, but for the very friendly manager (who resolved the biscuit issue and the delicious DELICIOUS grits)
(2)Elsa G.
We had great expectations for the Thanksgiving dinner having made a reservation weeks in advance, however when we arrived the female greeter seemed more interested in flirting with a group of male customers. She barely noticed us standing there, so I had to get closer to her in order to be seen. Only then did she proceed to greet us. She sat us on a small table against the wall and so close to the window that there was hardly enough room for me to sit. There were 3 other small empty tables nearby with more room so I asked her if we could move there. She refused saying they were reserved for others, however, no one arrived to claim those tables during the hour and a half we were there. Not cool. The Thanksgiving dinner was okay, tasty but nothing spectacular. Our waiter was nice but he kept forgetting the things we asked for: the bread & butter, the dessert, the to go bag, the check, etc. We had to keep reminding him. Granted they were busy but the waiters seemed to place their focus and attention on the larger group of diners. Not sure if we'll give it a second chance.
(3)Chris C.
Hey so be been going to the original on New Mexico for ever now and I love coming here too.. Great food! Good ambiance and fantastic service.... Yes bathroom test passed! Come for the supermug happy hours!!! They're great
(5)Heather J.
My first Chef Geoff's experience! Well, aside from Lia's. I came with a group and the servers were very accommodating with people arriving at different times and then splitting the check a million ways. The food was great. I had the mussels in tomato broth and they were excellent. My only request was a spoon to eat the broth because the bread that came with them wasn't sufficient to sop it all up. The menu has something for everyone and the food is a step up from the Clyde's group of restaurants. I'll be back!
(4)Alyssa C.
I celebrated my birthday recently with ~ 20 guests & it was definitely not a good experience. While my friends were transitioning from happy hour at the bar to our table in the dining room, our server introduced herself but it took her forever to bring back drinks. After asking several times if our drinks were on the way, she blamed the bar for being slow. My friends went back to the bar to get drinks themselves & the bartenders were pretty efficient. However, our server informed us of their happy hour policy and that we could no longer order drinks at the bar. I think the policy is ridiculous, but that's besides the point. We would've been fine with the policy had our server not taken so long to deliver our drinks and if the manager hadn't spent the rest of the night walking by the windows & giving us dirty looks. The dinner was also pretty slow; it took a long time for food and bussing. The only staff member that made it feel like it was a celebration was the other server, Donald. He took care of dessert and made it very nice. Other than that, I would not recommend this place.
(1)Nicole H.
Chef Geoff's has by far my favorite happy hour/early dinner menu in town. I was disappointed that they took the Rockville Burger off of the happy hour menu but there are still lots of other good options. The dining area is really nice (not that I eat there often) and the bar area is comfortable, although I do wish there were more booths available. My only qualm with this restaurant is that the exact same food that is ordered/served in the bar area before 7pm, is so much more expensive in the dining room/later in the evening so the same meal can either be very fairly priced or pretty pricey.
(4)Adrienne C.
I stopped here for a weekday 1pm lunch recently and felt very disappointed by the entire experience. We were seated by an apathetic host, waited 15 minutes to receive our drink order, and then waited another 20 minutes for the mediocre, dry sandwiches (BLT and dijon chicken club) to come out. Definitely not worth the $48 total (for 2 people) in terms of service or food. In particular, this type of restaurant should be more sensitive to the fact that people who are on a weekday lunch break don't have 2 hours to eat lunch, much less one where I could have made the food better myself in a third of the time. Will not be returning.
(1)Shellie D.
We were in Rockville looking for somewhere to have dinner. Luckily, for us, we walked into Geoff's and HH was still going on. Apparently, HH is all day on Tuesdays. Restaurant looked a bit fancy initially. The tables were covered with white linens and has an upscale look to it. However, when you turn to the right and look at the bar, it has a more relaxed vibe with TVs and high top bar tables. We ordered the mushroom pizza, the black bean burger and a large Stella. The bartender was friendly and had lots of charm. He told us that the large Stella was large and it was. It is about 3-4 beers in one glass. The mushroom pizza was delicious. I especially loved the black bean burger. It was made in house, the flavor was there and the toppings just brought everything together. I would definitely order the black bean burger again. I would come here again to try other items on the menu.
(4)Haifa S.
We absolutely LOVE Amna, every time we have visited she has been a great waitress. I have made a mistake ordering before and with the biggest smile and kindest heart she changed my order free of charge. Our favorite things here are the wild mushroom pizza, and the turtle cheesecake. They are both to die for.
(5)Craig U.
Went for Sunday brunch as a first timer to this place. Was looking for a place to eat where we haven't yet been and chef Geoff's popped up on yelp. Alright, made the reservation not knowing how busy it would be. We walk in and the hostess greets us immediately and seats us in a booth. Right away I'm noticing how different the place looks compared to Houston's. I miss Houston's. Ugh... The server comes over and asks for our drink order. As soon as my wife says coffee, he starts to walk away...forgetting to ask for mine. WTF...then turns around to come back. I order their Sangria. The sangria was dropped off by the manager after about 5-7 minutes and I asked about the coffee for my wife. She said, "absolutely!" Ok, I manage a busy, well known restaurant and know that coffee takes no time to make if it's out. Maybe 3 minutes. The server stops by saying that they had to brew a fresh batch...ok... 10 seconds later...a coffee goes out to a table that literally just got sat. Was about to just ask for the bill, but was starving. Annoyed, frustrated, but hungry...so we decided to stay. The coffee took almost 20 minutes!!! The food was decent, but service needs some serious help. I usually do not tip lower than 20% ever. This place was the exception. I will NEVER go to this place again and hope the management takes a hard look at the nuts and bolts of their servers. Bottom line...NOT IMPRESSED. Could've gotten better service at 7-11.
(1)Carol D.
Nice atmosphere, we chose to sit outside since it was a nice day. I had the black bean burger for a healthy choice. It was quite large and flavorful but watch out for the fried jalapeño peppers they top it with, a little too hot for my taste. The sweet potato fries were addicting. Service was quick & friendly. Only 4 starts since I thought for lunch it was a little pricey.
(4)Eddie K.
We really enjoyed Chef Geoff's. Service and food was great. Came here to celebrate my Dad's birthday. He is one really picky eater. He complains a lot when we go to non-Asian restaurants. But wow, he ate all his dishes and didn't complain once! Just for that - this deserves five stars! We all shared the crispy calamari, Tuna Sashimi (needs more wasabi and do away with the soy marinade) and the Hoisin Duck Confit for appetizers. Loved the calamari and duck confit. My Dad loved the tuna sashimi. We got the crab cake entree (only one big crab cake), shrimp and grits, rockfish and the lamb special for our main dishes. All I saw were empty plates after we were done. It was great food. I was surprised the restaurant was only half full on a Thursday evening. The bar area was pretty empty even during happy hour time. Hope more people come and try this place.
(5)Marisa H.
This morning I came here with my mother, sister and husband for brunch. This is the second time we've had brunch here and it didn't disappoint. We came right at 10:30 and coffee came right out. Unfortunately this time the cream wasn't warmed as before but the coffee was excellent (way too weak last time.) I split the fried chicken, fried eggs, crispy potatoes, and biscuits with gravy with my mom and she split her frittata and side salad with me. Both were excellent, though we could have easily split one entree between the two of us! The biscuits were some of the best I've ever had and the chicken thighs with country gravy was really excellent. My sister's pumpkin waffles and my husband's breakfast burrito both looked great. I was very happy with everything thing including the complementary mini pumpkin muffins. I'd like to come back for dinner but even brunch is pricey...so maybe for a special occasion. The brunch is definitely good for company.
(4)Meg D.
My steak was amazing! Service was attentive. Food came out fast. Great menu with a lot of selections. I can't say enough good things about this location and this restaurant. My friend got a burger that he loved as well. The server told me they also have half price lunch burgers so I am definitely coming back.
(5)Irene F.
I came with a party of 11 and service was fine. But after tacking on a 20% tip I ended up paying $35 for a deconstructed gyro and a non-alcoholic grapefruit soda. Pardon me if I expect it to be excellent- not on par with the $6 one I can get at Moby Dick's. From now on I'm sticking to going here on Restaurant Week, or for their sunset special which seems like a great deal at $19 for a 3 course meal.
(3)Massiel G.
I came here for a date night with my husband wasn't so crowed. We were seated the place look nice. Our waiter he was the best I love his food recommendation was sooo delicious!!!! I love the slider and my husband got the steak fritter I wanted his plate lol. I Oder mushroom ravioli and it was decent. The Oreo cheese cake was so good and the experience overall was great I recommend to come try the slider and the steak fritters so good and don't forget the Oreo cheesecake
(4)Shawn H.
My first visit is my last. The food was possibly above average. At first the service seemed really good, but it became progressively worse throughout the meal. I've been in the restaurant business both in the back of the house and the front, so I know how it is... but I've seen professionals deal with "it" (at all levels) very professionally and some, not so much. Chef Geoff's Rockville is in the "not so much" category Every week, I meet up with my mom and we have lunch. I have a one-year-old daughter and this is my mom's chance to see her spoil her. When we arrived right at 11:35am, everyone was being super nice. We took a booster seat instead of a highchair because we recently had a first success with the booster for my daughter, but today's lunch was a small setback in her fully conquering the milestone of adult style seating at restaurants, so we had to change to a highchair which met a table change as well. NBD, right? Four people converged on our table to facilitate this change since our food had already arrived. They did okay at getting us moved, but the really uptight looking dude in a suit that was hanging out at the hostess station left several crayons under the table he was tasked with cleaning up for the next party. I only noticed because, let's call him Skippy, had rudely walked up to our table to inspect my daughters seating in the booster less than a minute after we were first seated. 10 minutes later, when I went to the bathroom for my daughters diaper change and discovered the nonexistence of any such fixture, Skippy spewed a very smug and barely friendly sounding, "thanks for coming" as I shuffled my way out the front door, diaper bag and baby in hand to change her diaper in my car. I'd like to think Skippy's IQ exceeds the speed limit, so I can only guess that he intentionally said this just to be a jerk. Since we arrived so early and were the only guests in the restaurant for at least 10 minutes AND he'd made his hawk like inspection of my daughters initial seating, I can't imagine how he could've thought I was leaving alone with my baby from a party of three! But whatever. As I mentioned in the start of this "review" (it's more of a rant), the food was okay. We ate fairly quickly and were ready to go, but our server, who was was present and serving others, seemed to be ignoring us. After more than 5 minutes of waiting after our plates were partially cleared (by our sever), I removed my daughter from the high chair and suggested my mom and her go outside (since they were BOTH getting pretty restless). Another long 5 minutes went by when I finally stopped our server and asked her if I could give her my credit card to pay our check which she had brought not long after the table was cleared. She apologetically took my card, never to return. At first, I noticed she was carrying it around with her while dealing with other tables but then I didn't see it or her for yet another 5 minutes. My mom, who barely knows how to use a cell phone, called me from outside wondering what was taking so long. For her to even open her cell phone is a major ordeal, so the time was getting ridiculous. When I finally saw the server entering her orders, I walked back and insisted I needed to leave. She was again apologetic, but seemed apathetic. This place is a comedy of errors. I'm sure without a baby it would've been pretty nice. Clearly, with no changing table in the men's or women's restrooms, they just don't want small children and Chef Geoff's. I understand. In general families slow down the process of turning tables, make a big mess, and don't generally tip well. Maybe I'd be a fan if I gone with some friends. Dissing me because of my kid though? In any future situation where the name Chef Geoff's comes up I'm thumbs down or leaving.
(1)Sammy A.
Stopped by for lunch on a weekday with the family. I immediately wasn't a huge fan of the options for lunch, everything seemed directed towards a elderly audience. I'll start positive by saying, service was great, warm and hospitable. Our server Daniel killed it! But the food(minus the calamari) was incredibly boring. Started with calamari, tender calamari with a light but very crisp exterior, strong start. I was stuck between the short rib tortellini and the steak frites. Seeing as how I have had countless steak frites and never have had short rib tortellini, I decided to be adventurous and try something new. Man, that tortellini was no fun. I'm all for al-dente, but the doughy exterior had a bit too much chew and the interior short rib was INCREDIBLY dry; leaving me one bite in, wanting to return this dish(something I absolutely hate doing as a chef). The au jus served with it should have been doubled to add more juice and body to the mundane dryness of the tortellini. This felt like something you would serve to a senior citizen, that's how boring this dish was. Ironically looking around the dinning room, those were the only people I could find. We also had the featured salad with 2 small crab cakes, which had a pretty tasty ginger based dressing that I enjoyed, but again, nothing special to warrant a second visit. 1 star for food 4 for service
(1)Neil M.
Set in an unprepossessing strip mall, this place has its work cut out to stand out from the numerous other options within waking distance. This it does, and more. The copper door handles are a nice touch and the all cream interior is very relaxing. The draft beer list is impressive and my wife and I were able to locate a serviceable South African Chenin Blanc. As it happened the waiter was Irish by way of Hawaii, so we had fun talking to him, me bring Irish myself. Even that apart, his service was outstanding. Soup and tuna tartare for starters - solid. My mussels in white wine sauce with garlic bread were spot on, 'er indoors' trout filet with white bean ragout was fine with a wee crust on top, skin on. The meal was finished off with a single malt personally recommended by the waiter, Aberlour. Overall little to fault in this restaurant, and I venture to say I'll be back next time I'm here for business. Unusual to find this level of service in the suburbs.
(4)Christopher P.
My friends and I went to Chef Geoff's for brunch on MLK day. We were pleasantly surprised to find the place not terribly busy, and with a happy hour special running all day (happy hour all day monday and tuesday!). This meant a bunch of cheaper appetizers, draft beers, and wines - including supermugs for less than 8 dollars. That would all be fine and good if we could get service. We unfortunately waited nearly ten minutes before a waiter acknowledged us. He wasn't terribly friendly, but took our orders efficiently and answered some basic questions. We ended up getting some calamari as an appetizer, with a couple of burgers and some fish tacos. My black bean burger was cheap and pretty good, although it had a tendency to squish and fall apart. The fish tacos were not terribly memorable, although my friend was placing them against stiff competition from Costa Rica. The fries were not really good, but the beer flowed like wine. The atmosphere was pretty nice - we had a lounge-style booth and it was well lit, but the service really detracted from our experience. Good thing it was cheap, otherwise the day would have been a wash.
(3)Tiffany T.
Happy Hour Review: 4.5 stars!! I'm glad they opened a Chef Geoff's closer than Tysons Corner to me. I am in LOVE with their happy hour. In love. $8 liter of beer? GOOD beer? Please and thank you. They have options such as Blue Moon, Sierra Nievada, Long Board, etc. Also miller light, coors.. but why would you go for cat piss when you got blue moon on tap? $5.95 Chef Geoffs burger is a total win. Every time I've ordered it, it has come out perfectly medium as I requested. It's a very good, more than decent burger served with regular fries or sweet potato fries. Umm.. for $5.95 you can either get this delicious burger + cheddar cheese + BACON +amazing aoli ... or get a McDonalds value meal for more than that price. You decide.. I've gotten the truffled parmasean popcorn which was just OK (which is why this is not a 5 star establishment yet to me). Outside of the chef geoffs burger, I really haven't ventured outside of that on the food menu. But I'm curious to try the haloumi cheese among other items. GO FOR HAPPY HOUR. For $14 + tip you can get 1 liter of beer ( about 3 glasses) and a great burger + fries. That's dinner and beer for $14. Please and thank you!
(4)Tara B.
Came here with my husband for Valentine's Day 2015 brunch on a Saturday morning. Made reservations and was promptly greeted by a hostess. Our waiter, Patrick, was phenomenal! I ordered the scramble sampler and my husband ordered the Eggs Benedict. The food came out in less than 10 minutes. Our serve came back constantly to check on us and to see if the food was cooked well. This is my first experience at Chef Geoff's and was highly impressed. I will be coming back!
(5)Roy S.
Went here for an anniversary and had a great time. The black pepper papardelle was really good. Nice sized portion and a really good flavor. I would have preferred it to include rosemary but that's just me. The fish tacos were really good and the guacamole got rave reviews. The cilantro sauce was really awesome also. It has an instant kick but isn't really spicy. We loved the plantain chips!!! Crispy, chewy, great seasoning and flavor. Had the donuts for dessert and really liked them. You wont want to share... we preferred the raspberry and lemon sauces to the chocolate. *Don't get the house sodas. They are just club soda with almost no added flavor, avoid it. Also, the mango salsa was heavy on the onions and should have been sweeter. But I am nitpicking here. Our servers Kevin and Galen were top notch!!
(5)Dee S.
For a Friday evening, not real crowded and we were seated immediately. We were served delicious warm rolls and whipped honey butter. Hubby ordered tuna from the simply healthy option, which came with a large portion of broccoli. This made his tuna seem like an even smaller portion and it was pretty small and relatively expensive. Will not order again...I ,however had the steak frites,which came with arugula but I ordered the Brussels and bacon -DELISH! Hubby had some (most) of the steak and said it was good. Everything was good, not great just good. Be prepared to spend...we were at 70 dollars and no drink or desserts.
(4)TJ B.
Bartenders were friendly and the drinks were very good. Table waiter was tired and disinterested for the most part. Nobody checked on us after appetizer delivery. After entree delivery he came by when we were 90% done with our meals to ask if everything was okay. This was a 7:30PM seating, so it wasn't very late. Food was very good, though. So, the knock down from 4 to 3 stars is just for average service to an otherwise very nice experience. The rib eye was excellent, but could have been a slightly larger cut of meat. The shrimp and grits were very good. The lobster bisque was great. The tuna sashimi tasted nice, but did have white tendon that needed picked out of the raw "chopped tuna patty" presentation. Deserts; the flourless chocolate cake with ice cream was excellent. The banana spring rolls (or something like that) looked nice but tasted dull. Will definitely go back for the happy hour specials and the burgers and pizzas which looked great. I was more a fan of the food and drinks that customers seemed to be enjoying in the bar area than the more costly dishes. Nice place though. Waiter service needs tweaked but everything else was on point.
(3)Julia V.
I've been here twice now and the location in DC twice. This past week I came to the Rockville location for lunch with co-workers. My food was fine although my coworker's salad was incorrect and had to wait a rather long time for a new one meanwhile my other coworker waited on missing aioli for her crab cakes nearly 15 minutes. The part that irked me was the service, primarily our waiter. He seemed like he was trying to be funny, maybe, but with very poor execution and came across as arrogant and condescending. He literally clapped in my coworker's face while saying "chop chop" as she decided on a drink. It seemed like we waited an exceptionally long time for drinks and he never really checked up on us until the end of the meal. We dealt with the food runners for the problems we had with the food. At the end he brought our check and spilled a glass of water all over the table. It would have been nice to have the incorrect salad removed after that little fiasco. We all agreed that we wished we didn't have to tip him, but of course did....
(3)Fenny L.
Last minute, we tried to schedule a family dinner on a holiday and couldn't get a table anywhere (my parents didn't want to go into DC or VA...and my brother wanted to go somewhere "nice"). On a whim, I called up Chef Cheoff, and LO! They were able to seat us, as long as we were OK with the tables in the bar area. We agreed, and while my dad was like "eeeh...why are we sitting at the bar?" once he saw the nice booth, he was a little more resigned. Then the food started to come out, and he was much much much happier about our dining choice. Now, if you have been to any of the Chef Geoff's, this is much like the one in Tyson's, in terms of the quality of service. If you haven't been to a Chef Geoff's, be prepared for a easy going, but still lovely, meal. The food is "New American" with offerings of lamb chop and duck and seafood and steaks that will satisfy most appetites. For picky eaters, the "Chef Geoff Burger" is juicy and flavorful without too many add-ons. The portions are generous, and the food is simple and uncomplicated. There are a few nice "twists" like the truffle popcorn, which I love, but for the most part, the reason I like to go to Chef Geoff's is because I know it won't embarrass me. Non-pretenious, simple, and tasty. As often as I love going to high-end places, sometimes, going somewhere that has nailed the basics, is really all that I need.
(4)Habibi S.
If I was to rate this placed based on purely their food it would be a 3.5, but the service brought down the ratings a bit. Half empty restaurant, sitting at the bar and it took forever to even get acknowledged (ie a menu and drink). Will be back to give them another shot... Everyone has an off day.
(3)Mona R.
Came here for their brunch, lunch, and dinner. I tried a variety of foods the mushroom pizza, roasted duck, ahi tuna, scallops, and all were cooked great. The only concern I had was that our waitress couldn't really answer questions about certain dishes on the menu. Pretty good food.
(5)Michelle Y.
This restaurant is clearly the best in the entire chain. I can say with absolute certainty that their Tuna Tare Tare is amazing! Every time I eat here I go home happy. I eat macaroni and cheese I am happy. I eat mushroom pizza I am happy. This place makes me happy.
(4)Robin G.
This is my second time eating at Chef Geoffs. I had very good service both times and the food was good as well. The first time I went for a very delicious brunch and the food was excellent. We went on NYE 2014 and I had the black bean burger. Delicious! very good and the best part was it didnt make me gassy! TMI, I now LOL. It was lacking a festive New Year's atmosphere though. We were hoping to have a little more festive atmosphere.
(4)