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Bobby's Crab Cakes, Bob Bloch's Wonderful Crab in Rockville Town Square - Closed


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Another sign of the decline of fine dining: arguably, if not hands-down, the best crab cakes and lobster roll in the DC area are to be found at this casual brain-child of long term veteran of the DC restaurant scene and friend, Bob Bloch. Certainly, and without a doubt, the best value.

A near perfect crab cake of pure, sweet (mostly) East Coast (in winter!) and (some, in the off-season only) Gulf Jumbo Lump, 5 oz, no shred, no filler, no bread crumbs, perfectly seasoned and broiled. (Mind you, this 5 oz cake has more Jumbo Lump than any 8 oz stems and seeds cake that you pay 250% more for downtown). Only flaw--the homemade tartar sauce is a bit too sweet from sweet pickle. Otherwise perfect. Better than my Crab Royale (better crab, better recipe, better execution), and at least on a par, arguably better, than the Crab Bomb at Jerry's and the Crab Imperial at The Prime Rib-- to my mind, the only other true examplars of crab excellence in a market where every chef and his publicist is expected to trot out his "signature" crab cake to prove his commitment to regional blah blah blah and local blah blah blah and passion for blah blah blah and to tell the story about the inspiration and life-lessons blah blah blah of summers fishing with Paw-Paw on the blah blah blah and how his children now blah blah blah.

And also the best lobster roll outside of New England/New York/Long Island whose only sin is too much lobster bursting out of the twice-toasted bun and not quite enough mayonnaise. Also, the bun could use a little more butter (but I say that about Maria Schneider too).

Bobby is a true food purist and it shows in his exacting reverence for both the ingredients and the heritage, traditions and authenticity of these iconic specialties.

Also excellent: a delicious but not overly decadent mac and cheese with elbow macaroni, maytag blue, Parmiggiano Reggiano and aged Vermont cheddar; an achingly, hauntingly traditional New England Clam Chowder; and a bracingly refreshing, perfectly earthy cole slaw.

The fries are perfectly executed--both cured (!) and double-fried (p-nut oil)--and best in class, if suffering a bit from bitterness in the skin, more of which should have been trimmed off before cutting. But I think fries and the attention paid to them reveal the weakness in American dining, and I think all of the fries in this country pretty much suck (except, oddly enough, at the Georgetown Cafe--more on which later, should the subject ever come up).

But here's the real kicker--his key lime pie beats mine. No contest. Gasp. Sigh.

The website is bobbyscrabcakes.com and maybe one of you technologically gifted marvels can link it and/or post the menu so that everyone can see how shamefully, shockingly non-contemptuous his prices are.

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I went this evening and had the crabcakes, fries, and slaw, and agree with Michael, all the way down to the tartar sauce having too much sweet pickle.

The top portion of the menu - the part labeled "Bobby's Crabcakes" - has 4-ounce and 5-ounce portions as of yesterday, priced as follows:

Crabcake Sandwich ($10.95 / 13.75)

Crabcake Sandwich Platter ($13.95 / 16.75)

Crabcake Platter ($12.95 / 16.75)

Two Crabcake platter ($24.50 / $29.95)

A small beer selection is available, about the best of which is a Newcastle Brown Ale ($4.25).

They also deliver free of charge, for a minimum order of $20.

A gentleman I assumed was Bob Bloch told me that in recent weeks, his supplier is supplying less-and-less Chesapeake (!) crab, and now a larger percentage is coming from the Gulf. No surprise there.

This place is going to do well - the big question I have is how they'll manage volume, and how many Bobby's Crabcakes there will be in five years: the gentleman seemed hopeful this wouldn't be the last one, so my advice is to catch it now while the catching is good.

Cheers,

Rocks.

P.S. Dave, it's in Rockville Town Square, not Rockville Town Center.

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I went this evening and had the crabcakes, fries, and slaw, and agree with Michael, all the way down to the tartar sauce having too much sweet pickle.

...

P.S. Dave, it's in Rockville Town Square, not Rockville Town Center.

Edited to correct, and somebody should let Bob know; I copied "Center" off his website.

Was going to go there myself tonight, but Gubeen is a bit under the weather so I stayed home and fed her instead.

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Just got back from dinner at Bobby's. The crab cake, the chowder, and the fries were excellent - rivaling home made. The slaw was not to my taste, too sweet and with a dominant onion flavor. Adding vinegar and salt helped. This will definitely be on our regular rotation.

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Had lunch there today. The crab cake sandwich was as advertised, the best I've had. I'm not an expert on crab cakes, but I could really learn to love this place....and likely will, since I work in Rockville. The fries were terrific--I've been waiting for fries like this, perfectly crispy, not even a hint of grease, and the portion was generous, to say the least. I could come to Bobby's just for the fries.

And Michael is right about the key lime pie. That pie is dangerous, it's so good.

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Just got back from lunch there.

Completely agree with everyone's comments above. Crabcake sandwhich was very very good, fries are as well. Slaw looked and tasted very fresh. Shame that they didn't have the Key Lime pie available when I ordered [but allows me something else to try the next time].

Met Herbie, who delivered your order to your table [when you place an order, they provide you with a #ed flag to place at whatever table you choose to sit at]. Chatted up with him, nice fella.

Will be back to try some more things in the menu.

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Just got back...

Good clam chowder but the clam pieces were a little alrge therefore a little tough. Great with the addition of black pepper from the grinder on each table and a few drops of tabasco.

Fries, in a word, superb. Would love to see a garlic version.

Coleslaw was bland except for the oniony component. A bit of a miss for me.

Crabcake was full of crab, no filler and very nicely done, but a little bland. The crab tasted a tiny bit fishy. I am not a crabcake person so I am not the best judge.

Lunch with no beverage was $20. Great service. I agre with Amit that a few tweaks here and there and it might really sing. Not being much of a crabcake lover I might still be more often found at Bob's Shabu Shabu 88.

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Wow...so much effusive praise. I just had to check it out, so I went for lunch today with some of the RPLC crowd (Dean and Porcupine).

We started with the New England clam chowder, which I thought was perfectly done. I don't mind slightly chewy clams and I appreciated the fact that it wasn't drowning in cream. Very tasty and a nice start to the meal.

The crab cake was much as advertised - large pieces of jumbo lump crab, no filler - just minimal binder. I passed on the far too sweet tartar sauce and had my sandwich plain. It definitely could have used a little more seasoning (I admit to being a salt freak) and possibly more lemon juice to help bring out the flavour. I was disappointed in the cole slaw. While it was very fresh, it also lacked flavour. I prefer a spicier slaw with things like fennel seed and more of an acid kick (e.g. cider vinegar). Not to say that the cole slaw at Bobby's was bad. It just wasn't to my liking. On the other hand, the fries were wonderful!! Almost perfect and served with malt vinegar.

Nothing to complain about when it comes to the service or the prices. Everyone was very polite, friendly, and helpful. The value behind the prices are self-evident.

Good, but not great, would be my conclusion. Then again, I'm not a native MD-er and wouldn't know a good crab cake from a fantastic one. So YMMV.

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Wow...so much effusive praise. I just had to check it out, so I went for lunch today with some of the RPLC crowd (Dean and Porcupine).

We started with the New England clam chowder, which I thought was perfectly done. I don't mind slightly chewy clams and I appreciated the fact that it wasn't drowning in cream. Very tasty and a nice start to the meal.

The crab cake was much as advertised - large pieces of jumbo lump crab, no filler - just minimal binder. I passed on the far too sweet tartar sauce and had my sandwich plain. It definitely could have used a little more seasoning (I admit to being a salt freak) and possibly more lemon juice to help bring out the flavour. I was disappointed in the cole slaw. While it was very fresh, it also lacked flavour. I prefer a spicier slaw with things like fennel seed and more of an acid kick (e.g. cider vinegar). Not to say that the cole slaw at Bobby's was bad. It just wasn't to my liking. On the other hand, the fries were wonderful!! Almost perfect and served with malt vinegar.

Nothing to complain about when it comes to the service or the prices. Everyone was very polite, friendly, and helpful. The value behind the prices are self-evident.

Good, but not great, would be my conclusion. Then again, I'm not a native MD-er and wouldn't know a good crab cake from a fantastic one. So YMMV.

Yeah, the slaw was bland tasting to me as well. I'm not a slaw fan by any means, but I've had what similar slaw in the past that I've been told was good slaw [but, not a real appreciator of the stuff]. Should have included that above, but didn't want my general non-appreciation for slaw to taint anyone reading :(

Gotta give that Lobster Roll a try sometime.

Oh, and I can't believe that I missed Dean & the others today. Didn't have access to a computer since last night so I didn't see the arrangements. Funny that I got there around 11:20 a.m. [was in the area & my will broke and just had to try it out today], must have juuuuust missed you guys [would have stayed for awhile longer and chatted]

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BLBaby and I stopped in for a quick bite today. (I didn't get a chance to see if anyone could join us as we were driving in circles while he napped...)

The crabcake was good, not great. Too much cartlige/shell/something crunchy for me to rave. I skipped the fries (dieting) and the coleslaw (not a big fan) so I was a little hungry after my sandwich. I might have ordered more but a little boy was too entranced by the two tvs to stay any longer.

Will be back but probably for carryout--not sure if there is any place to sit that he couldn't see a tv and the booth was a little too tight to nurse. (Of course Starbucks was too sunny and busy for his highness... Got to love 9 month olds!)

Besides they didn't have any key lime pie--have to try that and the lobster roll at a minimum!

The staff was very nice and helpful. I hope they do well. It was a total deadzone while we were there.

Jennifer

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Although I wasn't overwhelmed, the crabcake was very good. But more importantly, this is an in independant shop in a sea of mediocre industrial feed centers, and therefore I will make a point of dining there frequently.

According to rockvillemd.gov, the following restaurants are in Rockville Town Center (as they're calling it):

Austin Grill

Cosi

Five Guys

Fractured Prune

Gordon Biersch

Greystone Grill

Jerry's Subs and Pizza

La Tasca

Lebanese Taverna

and a few others that might be independants, too. And a few not yet open, including La Flor de la Canela. If it's an offshoot of the Gaitherspatch restaurant of the same name, there's hope.

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Will attempt to have dinner here tonight. Is there any trick to getting to this place? The website says 101 Gibbs Street, but the map there, as well as on Mapquest, ends with directions on E Middle Lane. Are they one and the same?

The Rockville Town Center parking map makes things a lot clearer.

FYI - I plan on being here at 7:45p tonight with my kids in tow to check it out. Though my intent is Lobster Roll, not crabcake!

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Are the crabcakes fried, or is it possible to get them broiled? And they will have to be pretty darn good to be better than the ones you can get at, of all places, El Napalito in the Plaza del Mercado shopping center.

I believe Landrum stated they were broiled in his initial post

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The Rockville Town Center parking map makes things a lot clearer.

FYI - I plan on being here at 7:45p tonight with my kids in tow to check it out. Though my intent is Lobster Roll, not crabcake!

Thanks, that map is very helpful. For once I might be able to get in on the ground floor of a new restaurant craze! I am leaning towards the lobster roll as well. My plan is to be charming enough to steal a bite of my companion(s)' crabcakes.

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Had an excellent dinner there tonight with the kids and a friend. This will definitely be on the rotation, as it's just a few minutes from my house.

Started with a bowl of Chowdah. Plenty of plump, sweet clams, chunks of potato and other goodies, and just enough cream and flour to make a thick but not gummy soup.

The Lobster Roll is first class - huge chunks of lobster, just enough mayo to hold it all together, a hint of spices just to wake up the sweetness of the lobster, and a lightly toasted, split-top bun.

The 10-year-old ordered the burger, and it was definitely a two-hander, served with a veritable mountain of fries. The burger was cooked a minute or two past the requested medium rare, but was still juicy. The fries were fantastic, somewhat "boardwalk" style, but crispy rather than soggy, and perfectly salted. They really didn't need accompaniment, but they went fine with either ketchup or malt vinegar (both on the table.)

The 7-year-old originally wanted mac-and-cheese, but it's pre-made with blue cheese in the mix, so she opted for a cheese quesadilla instead. She ate most of it, but it wasn't great. Tasteless tortilla, and nothing but plain mild cheddar cheese in the middle, so no flavor there. It was served with a flavorful homemade salsa, but a better tortilla, a more interesting cheese blend (sharp cheddar? jack?) and perhaps some sour cream would improve this immensely.

They were out of key lime pie (another had been prepared, but still needed a few hours in the chiller), so we walked over to Fractured Prune instead for dessert.

I didn't taste the crabcake or slaw, so I'll have to post on that another time.

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Had an excellent dinner there tonight with the kids and a friend. This will definitely be on the rotation, as it's just a few minutes from my house.

Started with a bowl of Chowdah. Plenty of plump, sweet clams, chunks of potato and other goodies, and just enough cream and flour to make a thick but not gummy soup.

The Lobster Roll is first class - huge chunks of lobster, just enough mayo to hold it all together, a hint of spices just to wake up the sweetness of the lobster, and a lightly toasted, split-top bun.

Ohhhhh boy this is exciting. I can't wait to try it myself. Thanks for checking it out and posting Daniel! Happy Holidays everyone :(

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I wish I lived closer to this place. It fills a void I never had really considered before. Where else can you walk up to a counter and order a cheap lobster roll or crabcake, with equally delicious side dishes?

The lobster roll was fantastic. I lost track of how many totally intact claw pieces were in the meat mixture.

And like Michael in the first post, it takes a pretty good french fry to get my attention. These were great.

The only weak spots were the aforementioned slaw and tartar sauce. The slaw is an enormous portion (note it only comes with crabcake platters, not the others), but it was too heavy on the green onions. Also, platters no longer include a beverage as seen in the image above.

I sampled the crabcake, but not enough to make a judgment. It was a tasty piece, though!

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But here's the real kicker--his key lime pie beats mine. No contest. Gasp. Sigh.

It took me a couple of visits to catch up to the legendary and usually-sold-out pie, but we stopped by for dessert after another cheap and restorative run to Pho 75. Michael is right. Bobby's key lime pie kicks much, much ass. Tangy filling, sweet but not excessively so, and very lightly baked...just enough to set the texture without turning the top into cheesecake. Traditional graham crust, deep-dish, again lightly baked, kicked up with some crumbled walnut pieces. The first pie I've had in the DC area that captures the authentic filling texture, and with excellent flavor. Good-enough-for-Key-West good, seriously.

Bobby is agnostic on the meringue-vs-whipped-cream question, as the pie is served without either. He'll also sell you a whole pie to go for $32 if you give him a coupla days notice.

The food is good, although a couple of items like the cole slaw will not appeal to cautious diners who want "safe" instead of what Bobby likes. For the record, I like the spring onion-laden cole slaw. I also think the crabcakes are pretty good (great crab flavor, and not cheapened with filler), although they're not to the level of the no-longer-available "Cadillac crabcakes" that River Falls used to cook-to-order at lunchtime. But moreover, each visit so far has been like this: you find the owner working onsite, and eventually he comes out to say hi and wants to know what you thought of each dish. Not a perfunctory "was everything okay?", but a serious, honest query. Not that I'd expect him to custom tailor each dish to meet individual tastes, but it's disappointingly rare around this area that you see such a hands-on approach from a chef/owner in a casual neighborhood joint. I'm an instant fan.

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Friday found me having to take a dinnertime trip to Rockville, a real chore since 270 was closed because of some truck on car violence, and so I decided to give Bobby's a try. After wandering aimlessly around the Rockville Town Center (or whatever it is called), I finally found it. I really enjoyed the taste and texture of the crab cakes, but found myself wishing that I had forgone the sandwich and just ordered the regular platter. The bread is good, but it got in the way of the delicate flavor of the crab cake. Unlike some of the earlier posters I was not put off by the sweeter version of tartar sauce, I have always found that a little tartar sauce goes a long way on a good crab cake and the sweetness worked when used sparingly. The fries were also a delight, on the thin side, but I like fries like I like women in all shapes and sizes.

you find the owner working onsite, and eventually he comes out to say hi and wants to know what you thought of each dish. Not a perfunctory "was everything okay?", but a serious, honest query.

This can be a double edged sword, I really don't care if the owner or chef speaks to me, but if they walk around to all of the other tables and ignore you it can be rather annoying. That was the case with me on Friday.

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What a terrific crabcake. The slaw is a little sweet, but a couple of shakes of sea salt and a drop of tabasco took care of that. Loved the fries, and Michael is absolutely correct in his assessment of the key lime pie. I will definitely be back to try the lobster roll.

(A little off topic, but most of the Rockville Town Square restaurants just infuriate me. It was nice to sit down in an independent place after walking by mediocrities like La Tasca, Austin Grill, and Lebanese Taverna.)

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A colleague told me that key lime pie is her favorite dessert, so I took her to lunch at Bobby's today. She agrees that this is the best she's ever had, including the real deal in Key West. She also gave high praise to the chicken salad.

My crabcake sandwich, fries and pie were--as always--terrific.

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We've been a couple of times now and loved the crabcake and lobster roll sandwiches, and the fries! I tried the broiled hamburger this time and found that I liked it but not as much as at Sunshine Grocery on 97 north of Olney at about half the price. The burger platter was a special. It just didn't stay warm very long. Next time I want to try the shrimp salad. We're glad to go to this place.

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Does Bobby's have beer or wine.

It's my birthday Friday and Bobby's may be a safe bet for my two teenage boys my wife and myself Their diet is burgers, steaks, Pizza and Chipolte. Since they both finish playing ice hockey at 5:30, it might be wise to grab food at Bobby's before heading home.

Mark

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Had lunch there yesterday, to continue my tour of the menu.

Based on the comments above, tried the Lobster Roll [not the platter this time]. Toasted bread, large very flavorful chunks of lobster [bobby told me it was a mixture of knuckle & claw meat I believe], binded with mayo/lemon juice and his touch of spices. Reminded me of the ones I've tried in Maine over the years.

Happily the Key Lime pie was available again, so had that for dessert. Echoing what ol_ironstomach said above: great comination of texture, tangy/not too sweet, deep graham crust. Ate it slowly & in small bites to savor it. Bobby, whereever you're sourcing that, keep it

Washed everything down with water just so I concentrate on the flavors. :(

Talked with Herbie who was providing service on the floor [really pleasant guy], and chatted with Bobby for a bit. I believe he mentioned that he's looking into adding entree-like dinners to the menu. More & more challenging with sourcing quality crab. Oh, and suggested I give the chicken salad a try. [one of his favorites, and its he makes it lol]. Maybe chowdah and the salad next time.

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I've eaten here too and wasn't really that impressed. The fries were good, but everything else was just okay. This was back in early November, so perhaps they weren't up to speed yet.

Overall, I thought it was overpriced for an order-at-the-counter eatery. Haven't had any desire to go back.

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I've been there twice now, once back in November when we did take-out and once after Christmas when we dined in. The first time the crabcake was delicious and was a good crabcake. My wife really enjoyed the mac n cheese and thought it was done wonderfully although I didn't care for the onions in it.

The second time I went with some friends and we all felt that the crabcake tasted a little fishy. The fries were great both times. I think its something that I will go here and there but it's a little overpriced for what you get.

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Why were we the only people there tonight at 7:30???

This place is great! We tried the lobster roll, crab cake sandwich, fries, coleslaw and key lime pie (splitting everything so that I could keep to my diet - poor Jlock suffers for my prior lack of restraint). I really liked everything a lot, and I would go here at least once a week if I lived closer. It was so good, in fact, that we very, very briefly discussed moving to Rockville as we were leaving (damn DC schools, how dare you make us think like that even for a second!).

Despite our extremely fond feelings towards the place, there was room to nitpick. Although the crab cake was superb, the chipotle (?) in the tartar sauce seemed to be an unnecessary distraction. The lobster roll was very good, but had a slight bit too much black pepper flavor. The bread on both was perfect, however. And, the french fries were great - best with vinegar, not ketchup. We really liked the cole slaw, even if it was not completely traditional. I have no complaints at all about the pie, it was wonderful; I just wish that I were not on this stupid diet so that I could have a piece all to myself.

The place was larger and newer-looking than I expected. But, very welcoming. I really wished that we had time to sit and enjoy a beverage, but Violet insisted that we move on with our chores of the evening without lingering. But, we will be back, and very soon I hope.

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Because you didn't warn any DR folks who live up that way that you were venturing out of the city.
Next time. This time we were trying to fit it into a trip to the baby store - didn't know ourselves whether we would actually make it there until we entered, and ran as soon as we were done.
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After reading all the positive comments on this board, went back to Bobby's for a second try. My opinion didn't change - if anything, it was worse this time than the first.

I had a grilled chicken sandwich platter. The chicken was severely over-cooked (and/or reheated) to the point that the ends were so hard the weren't edible. It was drowned in mayo. Luckily the generous portion of fries were excellent!

My campanion had the large crab cake platter. He thought it was "okay", rather small and expensive. He said he's had better and named Clydes and RedRockCanyon locally. He also didn't eat the coleslaw, but thought the fries were good.

After two disappointing trips, unfortunately I don't think I'll be going back. We were also there at 6:30pm on a Friday night and the place was pretty empty (as was all of Rockville Town Square - how are these places surviving?)

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My campanion had the large crab cake platter. He thought it was "okay", rather small and expensive. He said he's had better and named Clydes and RedRockCanyon locally. He also didn't eat the coleslaw, but thought the fries were good.

After two disappointing trips, unfortunately I don't think I'll be going back. We were also there at 6:30pm on a Friday night and the place was pretty empty (as was all of Rockville Town Square - how are these places surviving?)

I think that Clyde's makes a decent crabcake (I personally think Bobby's is better), but if your friend thought Bobby's was expensive, what does he think of Clyde's? At Bobby's the 2 crabcake platter is $25; at Clyde's it's $30. At RRC it's also $25; I think they're trying to position themselves as an Outback kind of chain, but the one time I was there, the food reminded me more of TGIF. Blech.

And which Rockville Town Square were you in? At 6:30 on Friday night (pretty warm for a DC January), the surface lot was nearly full, and there were tons of people in the courtyard and outside the main restaurants on Maryland Ave. Now, why Bobby's is empty while there are waits at Greystone, Gordon Biersch, etc is a different question...

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if your friend thought Bobby's was expensive, what does he think of Clyde's?

Funny you should ask, because when he said "Clydes are better", he mentioned them having a crab cake special (for $15) and that they hadn't done it in awhile. In general, I think Bobby's is expensive because of the atmosphere. If the prices are going to be the same as "real" restaurants, then they shouldn't have counter service. If I'm going to pay $25 for an entree, I want a nice relaxing dinner with service - not to have to get up and get my own refills.

And which Rockville Town Square were you in? At 6:30 on Friday night (pretty warm for a DC January), the surface lot was nearly full, and there were tons of people in the courtyard and outside the main restaurants on Maryland Ave.

I guess like opinions on food, I had a different view of "full". We had no problem finding parking, only noticed a handfull of kids skateboarding outside the Library. The restaurants we walked past on the way to Bobbys all were nearly empty (Taverna, Mo's, Stonefish, 5 Guys,etc.). We didn't go on the other street where Greystone/Gordons are. Seems like everytime I've been over there that entire area is desolate - but I hope I'm wrong and that the area takes off.

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In general, I think Bobby's is expensive because of the atmosphere. If the prices are going to be the same as "real" restaurants, then they shouldn't have counter service. If I'm going to pay $25 for an entree, I want a nice relaxing dinner with service - not to have to get up and get my own refills.

Whoever is working the floor will usually take care of this. My wife was pleasantly surprised the other night when the guy noticed her almost empty glass and asked if he could get her a refill. I've also noticed that the same person will come to the table periodically to see if we need anything.

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Funny you should ask, because when he said "Clydes are better", he mentioned them having a crab cake special (for $15) and that they hadn't done it in awhile.

They do it once a year as a loss-leader, but it's the single, not double, crabcake for $15. Since Bobby's single platter is $14, even on sale he's still cheaper. Their crabcakes aren't "cheap", because you don't really want to be eating a crabcake made from "cheap" crab. I'll lay down a substantial bet that Clyde's and RRC don't go exclusively domestic non-pasteurized crab as Bobby's.

Maryland Ave is the main drag in the Center, and they do need to figure out how to get traffic to the side streets and north end. The parking lot I was referring to is the surface lot sandwiched between the RTC and the Regal theater strip.

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Whoever is working the floor will usually take care of this. My wife was pleasantly surprised the other night when the guy noticed her almost empty glass and asked if he could get her a refill. I've also noticed that the same person will come to the table periodically to see if we need anything.
For $1.75 I hope the refill is free. The take away cup is what every other restaurant considers a small :( I got the lobster roll to go and it held up very well. There was the usual happy amount of claw meat with tail meat to fill in. The only thing that would improve the fries would be the ability to eat them on a beach. They are divine-the perfect answer for a french fry craving. Can you tell I am craving french fries? Even cold they were good.

I don't know what "good" key lime pies is supposed to taste like, but this one is pretty damn good.

I should note, usually when people go on and rave about the newest place around here, it is not unusual for me to feel the reviews are a little better than I read. I attribute a lot of that to my palate and my tendency to not trust anyplace new. But Bobby's was the rare exception that lived up to expectation and I understood what everyone was going on and on about. It was worth the drive out there.

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This afternoon we had a sleeping baby in the car at 1pm and zero desire for fast food (this was before I read the Roy's thread...)

I casually mentioned that there was a place in Rockville Town Square that did lobster rolls and crab cakes. Mr. BLB could hop out while I drove around the block.

We had two lobster rolls. Not easy to eat while driving but there are a lot of red lights on 355 up there. We both enjoyed. He also picked up a slice of the key lime pie and thinks that Michael Landrum is nuts if he thinks this is better than the pie at either Ray's.

I had also stopped in earlier in the week. I think part of what enchants me is how NICE the staff is. Now I think that BLBaby is pretty darn cute but it is always gratifying when others think so too. The staff seems delighted to see him and take turns making him laugh. (Other places do this too-none are as close by as Bobby's...) It makes eating out with a 9 month old a smidgen easier.

Edited to add: My darling husband now wants his own account --he denies saying Michael was nuts... :(

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