Royal Mile Pub

 

1

18

shieva r.

Highland, MD

I really like this place its a bar and restaurant that seems to always be packed!!! The food is good... I love having exciting things to try like haggis (it was actually good!) They also have typical bar food thats better than a typical bar =)

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Elite '08

95

238

Libby F.

Silver Spring, MD

I had forgotten how much I liked this place!

The friends I used to come with moved away and I guess I abandoned it too!  I rekindled my relationship back in July when I met up with a fellow Yelper for their single malt Scotch tasting night. This place rocks!  The owner, Ian was on hand to pour beers and answer questions about the scotch selections.

I love their beer selections.  They carry bottles of a Scottish ale by Belhaven called Twisted Thistle which is divine.  But alas, they almost never have it (2/3 times) when I have been here.  That's okay.  They have Belhaven Ale and Smithwicks on draft.  Boddington's is also available.

Their food is good too.  The fish and chips are cooked in soybean oil for a healthier option.  The Welsh rarebit was just okay; I make it better.  Theirs needed just a bit more Worcester sauce.  The onion tart and their grilled cheese made with Irish cheddar (Hey, isn't this suppose to be a Scottish bar?) are nice light meal options.

On a final note, they have Pub Trivia the last Tuesday of every month.  I haven't made it yet b/c of all my more important Yelp obligations (Yelp Elite Rocks!)  School's almost out, so I'm sure I'll make it to trivia one of these days.  Maybe they'll have a cold Twisted Thistle waiting for me!

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1

4

jeni m.

Kensington, MD

scotch, scotch, and more scotch! fun restaurant decorated in plaid. great beer and scotch. they have scotch tastings every (other?) thursday night. don't be afraid to try the haggis, it's delicious!

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Elite '08

19

78

laurie w.

Silver Spring, MD

I used to go to the Royal Mile a lot with a group of my bookstore friends. Yes, it's crowded and cramped, and I have to say that the service can be a little bit random (especially for such a small place, it can seem a bit harried and absent-minded.) Still, it's got great atmosphere, a decent pub menu, and a bunch of single malt Scotch and beer options. I haven't ingested Scotch since an ill-advised 25th birthday episode, but friends who do swear by the Mile.

Celtic music session nights are fun, but again, if you don't like loud music while you're eating, there's nowhere to escape from it. I've dragged people to the Sea Shanty Sing too, where we were openly mocked for picking the "Sloop John B", which is apparently a wimpy option in sea shanty world. Who knew. I haven't hung out with Captain Jack Sparrow lately. Still - it was all in fun and better for us not to massacre another tune we didn't know at all. Just make sure you're with laidback folks. A peek at the calendar (on the Website, royalmilepub.com, of course) tells me they've added a twice-monthly book club meeting, and last night was Family Game Night, where you could get a board game from the hostess. Interesting. There are frequent wine-tasting evenings as well. I'd call this a welcome rarity in Wheaton, so for that alone I give the place some points.

The food has improved over the years. Ian Morrison is the chef and son of the pub's two other owners, I believe. I never stray from the stew or Shepherd's pie, and of course chips with malt vinegar - yum!. They also have a nice Irish Coffee and desserts too. Brunch is an option but I've never been.

Be careful with parking. Street parking is limited (in the evenings you're competing with the dance club on the corner) and a metered lot is down the street. I'm usually there at night so I snag a space in the bank parking lot, which is probably okay on Sundays too.

I have a soft spot for the Royal Mile, so I don't mind the size or its occasional failings. I wouldn't rave about it for any one thing in particular, it's just provided my friends and I with a nice place to go and catch up over the years, grab some beer and listen to some music. I wish there were more places like it mid- and up-county. I'm wondering all of a sudden why I haven't been by in a while!

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0

29

sarah s.

Alexandria, VA

Good, decent pub food. My only beef is that the menu says they have Guinness pie, which is why I made the trek all the way there from VA for lunch. Well, they only have the pie at dinner-needless to say, I was quite disappointed. But the Royal Mile stew was a good substitute-

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Elite '08

235

743

Neal E.

Haymarket, VA

The Royal Mile Pub is a Scottish Pub - NOT an Irish Pub - but Yelp does not yet have a category for a Scottish Pub - so this is as close as I can get - category-wise.

The pub has some good grub: The Fish n' Chips, Shepherd's Pie, the Beef and Guinness Pie, the Summer Berry Salad, and the burgers are all good choices.

The drink menu is outstanding at the Royal Mile. They have by far the best Single Malt Scotch menu I've had the pleasure of perusing! I'd guess they offer 80-90 different single malts!

They also offer some hard-to-find beer and ale selections. My favorite being the McEwan's Scotch Ale and Skullsplitter.

A favorite activity at the Royal Mile is to show up the first Tuesday evening of the month for the Sea Shanty Sing. The Ship's Company Chanteyman - hold forth in the Pub and lead the crowd in singing old nautical, sailing, and pirate songs! What a lot of fun!

Getting a table can be difficult. They don't accept reservations. You have to show up and put your name on the list for a table - and if your entire group is not there when your table is ready - they won't seat you and will give the table to the folks who are next on the list and are all there ready to go.

Every Thursday evening the Royal Mile Pub Vatting Society conducts a Single Malt Scotch Tasting.  Different single malts are selected each week - the cost tends to run in the $11-$15 range per person. A lot of fun!

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Elite '08

57

94

dave h.

Olney, MD

Where else can you get haggis??  This is the only place that I have ever found that carries the old Scottish delicacy.  I am afraid to try it, but at least when i get the balls to try it, I know were i can go.  
I went here for the first time the other day, and i was really impressed with the selection of scotch and whisk(e)y.  It looks like they have over 100 different single malt and blended goodies.  I am not any expert of this by any stretch of the imagination, but i do enjoy a good scotch at a good pub.    
They also have a good selection of beers, it looked like they have about 12- taps and traditional beers (smithwicks, guiniess, Clipper City beers, Strongbow, etc...)  They also have over 100 bottles of a world wide beer selection.  
If you did not notice, i did not eat anything there, i simply drank; so i can not talk about the food, but it looked good on the menu.  I did like the drinks.

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6

102

Patrick O.

Silver Spring, MD

July 2008

Best  "all to yourself" Happy hour upscale barfood
With loose cannon on tap.

Last couple of Mondays, I've had all to myself.
With carrots, celery, and cuke's...

Spicey fried calamari
Pate (something around and egg) sandwiches quarted
Halved Mini chicken burritos
Shredded bbq chicken

Their computer died so no calender or web updates for a month or so.

12 / 14 -Maple Duck is a weekend entree special!
26th Pub anniversary!

Don't  miss the duck special once a month or so, and with the bold
flavors of Clipper City Loose cannon, I couldnt be happier.
The last sunday Irish sessions is a grand event, heart warming to hear when the kids play.

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8

23

Denise D.

Silver Spring, MD

This is a Scottish pub, and you can tell that from the tartans on the wall as soon as you walk in.  It draws a faithful crowd of customers, and it's almost always packed; make that always on a weekend.  

I've been there for live music (Celtic mostly) and shanty sing (tons of fun but get there two hours earlier than the stated time if you actually want to sit down) and have enjoyed myself every time.  

The place is family owned, and it's got a local mom-n-pop pub feel to it.  The food is very good, and there's plenty of it.  I'd recommend the shepherd's pie or the Guinness stew if you want something hearty, or any of the huge salads if you want something green.  They've got an amazing selection of scotch (for their tasting nights I'm guessing) and the beer is good too.  Plus, any place that serves cider is an instant 5 stars in my book.

Royal Mile is just up the street from the Wheaton metro, which is nice if you live in the city and want to check it out.  I've been coming here off and on for years, and this is one of the places I'd come to even if I moved out of the local area.

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1

37

Mike S.

Silver Spring, MD

Maybe I just don't get it.  I have several friends who swear by this place, but in reality, the food is ordinary Irish/Scottish fare you could get at any pub in the country, the beer is overpriced, and on top of it all, you are guaranteed a lengthy, and sometimes impossible-to-understand wait to be seated.  The wait is even more complicated in bad weather, because the lobby is about the size of Papa Smurf's pants pocket.

If you don't listen to me and go anyway, do yourself a favor and don't go near the place on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

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1

8

Michelle W.

Silver Spring, MD

The Royal Mile Pub is a cozy, friendly, neighborhood restaurant & bar hidden in Wheaton.  The standard pub fair is good (no one else's fish & chips are as fresh & crunchy), but the chef's weekly specials are what really stand out.  Not limited to Scottish fare, the weekly specials are diverse and divine,--anything from Cuban style pork to German schnitzel have made an appearance-- for a price that won't empty your pocketbook.  The alcohol prices are standard for Montgomery County (The county has hefty charges on restaurant sold beer, wine, & liquor).  However, the price is worth it to indulge in the wide selection of scotch and beer.

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Elite '08

219

329

Tom D.

Washington, DC

Great selection of scotches and they almost always have Belhaven on tap -- the food is usually very good too -- one visit I had the burger with irish chedar and onion/leek confit -- and it ranked as one of the best burgers ever....

Though speaking of burgers and Scotland -- Stravaigin in Scotland has awesome burgers -- The thai chili chicken burger is a delight -- and the regular ol' burger is nothing regular -- if you are in Scotland (Glasgow):
Stravaigin: http://www.stravaigin....

And be sure to go to the U Chip, the Wee Pub and Wee Curry House too....
UChip and Wee Pub: http://www.ubiquitousc...

Scotland is totally underrated when it comes to food...
When will Yelp be international?????

Nominee, best burger.
Best beer on tap -- Belhaven Best.
Best scotch list.

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2

6

Pete O.

Washington, DC

Great place for a pint and conversation, the food is also tasty

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