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Imperial Hotel
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon. 11:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wed-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Brunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
6 reviews for Imperial Hotel
So Dog Friendly.
We went for cocktail hour with the pup and she received a bowl of water and some scruffs before we settled in.
What a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
1/25/2009
The Imperial has become a Sunday ritual when I am in the area. I look forward to it on every trip.… Read more »
We went here for the first time and generally liked it. My parents are older and one is disabled, and they lived in the NYC area for a long time so it is hard to impress them.
This is a white tablecloth, fancy hotel restaurant in a small Southern town. There is a lot of "Yes, sir" and "Yes, ma'am" and "I'd be happy to assist you." They try very hard here and keep up a high level of service.
So how is the food? We ordered a Caesar Salad served with uncut Romaine, anchovies and lots of dressing. It was delicious, but sort of too much. My mom had a gigantic shrimp dish with one enormous SHRIMP that cost close to $30. I ordered a pork chop, slightly overcooked and dry, but giant and also expensive. It was served with a fried potato served flat, fried and fashionably pock-marked.
For dessert I had a creme brulee, well done, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Looking around the room, there were a lot of older people, men with white hair and blue blazers who look like church deacons. A lot of peach, pink and yellow polo shirts and ladies in luncheon clothing.
I think this is a historical and elegant room, but I don't know that I would consider it a memorable meal. Only the fact that it is located in beautiful hotel in a charming town might lure me back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (2)
My favorite pastime is beginning my Sunday with brunch at the Hotel Imperial. I intend to make this a weekly event and look forward to it the entire week. My life, quite honestly, does not get much better than when I am drinking one of their phenomenal Bloody Mary's either at the front, waving at locals, or in the back minding my own business. There is both indoor and outside seating.
At the risk of sounding like an alcoholic, the Bloody Mary bar on Sundays attracts me most. You have the possibility to compile this morning cocktail to your own wishes. There is the house mix, which people seem to like, but the abundance of horseradish makes it taste a bit too much like shrimp cocktail in my opinion. Big, juice olives and long, thick celery sticks make your Bloody Mary look like a jungle in a glass. Oh, before I forget: use Dave's Insanity Hot Sauce very sparingly, if at all. It tastes as the name implies.
The happy hour from 3 to 6pm on Fridays allows for high quality, yet affordable Martini's and so-called Retro cocktails. Going along with that is a nice selection of bar foods. No chicken tenders or cheese fries, but Italian meats and French cheeses are served during bar hours.
Nothing but praise for the waiting staff, all of whom are friendly and competent. They are an invaluable part of a pleasurable experience.
I realize that I make it sound like the food is of secondary importance in this establishment. Quite the contrary is the case: Hotel Imperial has great food not only for brunch, but for lunch and dinner as well. The Oyster stew is a cute little dish, with two sizable oysters in a herbed broth. Crab cakes benedict are another local favorite. The poached eggs are served over said cakes with a generous amount of hollandaise. Most dishes are served with salad and baked potatoes.
Like another well-known Chestertown establishment, the Blue Herron, Hotel Imperial has high end food, and probably better than all its rivals' food. Unlike its rivals, most notably the Blue Herron, it actually looks nice. There are different seating area's, all equally elegant. Hotel Imperial has a genteel, chic atmosphere, where bow-tied gentlemen of leisure take their wives and special lady friends for brunch before going on a Sunday stroll along the waterside.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
This restaurant has the best atmosphere in Chestertown, which earns it a lot of points, as does the fact that it's the only real Sunday Brunch option left in town. The Bloody Mary Bar on Sundays is a great feature.
Entrees are surprisingly reasonable for the classiness of the location - Speaking as a poor college student, even if you can't afford to take your date out to dinner here, you can afford to take her out for lunch.
That said, impeccable dining this is not. Although your food will never let you down, it also won't lift you up. The food is generally well-thought-out and well-cooked to request, but nothing on the menu is particularly mind-blowing, and the flavors are all pretty standard.
The crab cakes here are good, but are easily outstripped by a number of Rock Hall establishments, which is true of most of the seafood here. (On the other hand, this is a problem faced by many restaurants in coastal regions, where a smaller establishment can compete with a fancier place just by getting their fish fresher.)
The only unmitigated complaint I have is with a bowl of crab bisque I got that was simply atrocious - a thick, sherry-heavy mess, with lumps in it that were not crab meat, but flour that had been added incorrectly to the dish.
However, for the most part it all adds up to a very pleasant and *relatively* easy on the wallet fine dining experience when paired with the atmosphere and friendly service. I love coming here for brunch when I find I've got a little extra cash!
In my opinion, the Imperial is the nicest place to eat in Chestertown. A fine atmosphere and knowledgeable staff make it the premier spot for a night out. It is a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. Brunch is the highlight of the place, with a make-your-own-bloody-mary selection that just can't be beat. Dinner is also a very fine experience, and sitting in the front room is a great way to 'be seen' in the small Eastern Shore town.
Had dinner there finally...Pablano relish with boneless ribeye steak, not the first I would order, however; I was out with folks who base their order on what other persons at the table order, which is cool. Ceaser salad, too much construction, but good, first gallery night that they were busy, overall, dee-licious. service, excellecent. Would eat there again
