- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
- Nearest Transit:
-
Silver Spring Metro Station (Red)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11:30 am - 1 am
Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat 12:30 pm - 2 am
Sun 12 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Background, Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
114 reviews for Piratz Tavern
Review Highlights
-
"The grog was basically alcoholic ginger ale." In 36 reviews -
"A Pirate Bar in Silver Spring." In 47 reviews -
"I love the patio and all day happy hour on Saturday." In 17 reviews
Loading...
114 reviews in English
-
Review from Eva W.
Laurel, MD
Updated - 5/14/2012
Disclaimer: I asked my sons for a pirate-themed Mother's Day. Lunch here was followed by a movie about pirates. Arrr, I love me some pirates and sons!
What an improvement! Much cleaner, better looking. It did take some time for our waiter to notice us by the reception desk, but that's because the outdoor area was open, and he was serving the whole restaurant. While we were there, a family in the front room went on at great length how terrific the food was. He could have been a plant but it seemed spontaneous.
I had two "Black Spots," a small tasty drink, at $2 each. I love that they TELL you how much their drinks are, and as someone with a tiny stomach, I love that I could get a small drink.
We all loved our food. We split an order of coconut shrimp, my vegetarian son had a "Cheng's mix," my picky eater son had the Jamaican chicken sandwich, and I had the "Fresh Catch" sandwich, which was too huge for me to finish. The portions are large, but not freakishly large, i.e. enough to eat, but no leftovers. Yeah! I hate leftovers!
The only hiccup in the service was a long wait between ordering and the arrival of our appetizer.
Since it was Mother's Day, our waiter brought me a carnation, which is my favorite flower. My only regret about the restaurant is we were too stuffed for dessert, which has some tempting items on it. Hey! An excuse to go back!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/21/2008
I really would love to like this place. It has a cheesy pirate theme, and I'm a sucker for cheesy… Read more »
-
-
Review from Kate F.
5/6/2012
To be clear what we're talking about there are at least 3 incarnations of this bar.
1. Piratz 1: The Most Piraty Pirates Who Ever Did Pirate
2. Corporate Debacle
3. Piratz 2: Revenge of the Theme Restaurant
Piratz 1 was a little too much. It was like a Fridays where they have crap all over the walls but it's all pirate themed.
Corporate was awful. I've never seen Bar Rescue, but it seems like they just run around ruining things.
Piratz 2 is a lot better. Very nautical and piraty still, but it isn't overkill. Less skeleton things. Grog is delicious but stick with the smaller servings. It can sneak up on you. I like the saucy banter with the staff.
Sangria was just okay. I wouldn't get it again. Their pirate cocktails are pretty good. The Cannonball comes with instructions.
Been here for a few coworker birthdays and the staff is always game for helping you embarass the hell out of the birthday boy or girl. Once, They gave us a balloon octopus as a shaming hat for someone who was leaving early.
If you need a little nosh, especially during a happy hour I highly reccomend Peri-peri chicken and a starch. My favorite starch is the fries, but rice or mashed potatoes work, too. Dip fries in the spicy goodness, then swoon.
I'm tempted to steal the Ratouille Remy check spindle from the kitchen window every time I'm in here. -
Review from Mic G.
Silver Spring, MD
Updated - 4/26/2012
ok, let's have a talk.
*pulls up a chair and takes a seat*
i get it.
really, i do. you are a P I R A T E bar.
you have people who dress up like pirates, and act like pirates, and even pass out plastic gold coins like pirates did 555 years ago when they were sailing around the Caribbean Islands. very cute.
well, actually it's not very cute. to be truthful - it's fucknutz annoying, but i'm old and i have never been to a ren. fest. or a comic con, so it's not really my thing. my daughter, on the other hand, seemed to be very amused by the whole pirate theme and your staff was extremely deft at playing the role for maximum post-toddler enjoyment. that is the only reason why you are getting 2 stars for this review, as opposed to the proverbial 1 [i wish i could give 0 stars] review.
listen, i know you have undergone some changes and then back again, but interior decorating and pirate costumes will only get you so far in the restaurant business. do you know why? because it's about the food, and I will be blunt ----
YOUR FOOD SUCKS!!!
sorry. perhaps i should rephrase that into pirate speak ----
Arrrrrrrr. YER FEWD SUCKS!!!! ARrrrrrrrr.
*your hang me caesar salad with 'jerk' chicken was worse than the salads that they sell at costco.
*the special bisque of the day tasted like it came out of a can that was destined for disaster relief.
*the piri piri chicken was edible, but only by dipping it in the mildly hot sauce that accompanies the appetizer.
*even my daughter commented that her chicken 'doubloons' [aka chicken nuggets] tasted like they "hadn't been washed."
how can you screw up chicken nuggets?
i know you have put some money into trying to revitalize your restaurant, but do yourself a favor if you want to succeed in continuing with a Caribbean themed menu and walk across the street to Negril. they make some good, toned down Jamaican food that Caribbeans and Americans can both enjoy, sometimes immensely. talk to the owner, or hire their chef, or create a partnership, or anything that will get you to gut your horrid menu and replace it with some food that tastes like it did not just fall off some random truck driving down the road.
that is all and i hope you take my words into consideration.
thanks.
wait. that's not all.
i'm still trying to get over this incident, too.
http://www.yelp.com/to...1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/27/2009
i went in here blind and i got bitch slapped.
i don't mind pirate costumes and bar maid wench dress… Read more »
-
-
Review from Anita W.
5/20/2012
The food here still sucks, but the decor is so cute for kids that we came back. I do REALLY wish they would get some help with their menu and add some impressive tropical drinks. If they just had decent food, we'd come back once a month. Right now, it's once a year. How do you mess up RICE? The kids loved their food, but the well-done burger was still pink inside and my husband said his salmon was clearly frozen, not fresh and the sauce bleh. The jerk chicken sandwich was good enough. The hand-cut potato wedge french fries turned off the kids; I thought they were nothing special.
-
Review from Jacquin P.
Fairfax, VA
4/5/2012
I discovered Piratz Tavern 5 years ago while looking for a fun New Years Eve spot. I wanted to get dressed up and go out. My husband and his friends wanted to sit around and drink. Low and behold, I found the tavern, made reservations, put on some garb (because, why not) and headed on up with a large group. We have been there every New Years since, with friends traveling from as far away as Georgia and California to go, plus we stop in ever so often for birthdays and a few times a year "just because."
This is a fun place where you can let go and not take yourself, or anything, too seriously. This isn't fine dining, nor is it supposed to be. It's meant to be kitchy and seedy and bonkers, and that's the draw. I've not experienced any other place in the DMV that has the type of camaraderie that I find when I come here. Find someone in costume, talk to them, and they'll likely be super fun.
I've never had a problem with the food. We always start with the Piri Piri chicken. Order it with sour cream and french fries. The sauce is really good for dipping the fries in. The Steak on a Stone is one of the best steaks you can get around here. It's a good sized hunk of high quality meat, plus two sides (either salad or veg, and fries or rice) and so the $23 price tag might seem like a lot, but I've had $23 steaks at fancy places throughout the area that do not compare. Plus, the experience of grilling it yourself on a super hot slab of marble adds to the whole thing. The pirate stew is good also
Drinks: The grog. Go with top shelf! The regular grog is harder going down, and has a stronger flavor. But the top shelf is really smooth, still spicy, but just way better. They have fun cocktails, as well. The bar is what keeps me from giving 5 stars to the place, though. It can be very slow. Its something that we've brought up, and the staff is working on it, especially after the whole renovation thing, so hopefully it gets pulled together.
The staff. Oh the staff! They have always been great to us, even when we've made reservations for a group of up to 20. I see a lot of reviews that say that the staff are rude. Its true, they can be rough around the edges. It IS a pirate bar and these guys and gals are pirates, and they play up their characters. You really expect a pirate waiter is going to be as polite as you'd get at a normal restaurant? They can push drinks, give you a hard time and be sarcastic. It's all part of the show. They also have belly dancers and musical entertainment on most nights, again, adding to the whole "performance" feel.
Piratz Tavern is a fantastically odd place, where you can let go of the ordinary and stuffy DMV and experience something really unique. -
Review from Brandon C.
Arlington, VA
4/6/2012
My wife and I have been going here since it opened, but went back just last night which is when they reintroduced their full menu again after the Corporate Bar fiasco.
It's a good place, the food isn't bad and the grog was half-priced when we went. I would recommend it.
My one issue was the cut of meat used for the Steak on a Stone. In the past, the Steak has been a generous and quality cut of meat, sirloin or better. In this case, it looked like a chuck. It was still delicious, but the wife got the Prego no Pao (steak sandwich) which is about 1/3 the price and it was the same cut of meat that I was eating. For $24, I expected a bit better.
Nevertheless, this is a rather unique place that serves you lots of strong alcohol for cheap, the waitstaff have tons of character (well, in ways they ARE characters - just note that that not every pirate has to have a Ren Faire accent), and they genuinely care about your experience. -
Review from Christopher C.
Silver Spring, MD
2/29/2012
As a closet nerd, I always wanted to like Piratz Tavern. I loved the promise of swilling mugs of grog, belting out sea shanties, being served by wenches with bosoms hoisted to their chins, and perhaps even witnessing an impromptu sword fight. What I got was a kitschy atmosphere, horrible food, and nonexistent service. "But it has character and potential," I would tell my friends. I gave the bar several opportunities to impress me, but it never delivered.
As such, I was genuinely excited to hear that the restaurant was getting a makeover. Would we finally have a bar worthy of Blackbeard himself? But alas, it was not to be. Spike TV was here and gone like a hurricane, capsizing Piratz Tavern, and replacing it with the "I can't quite tell if this is tongue in cheek or not" Corporate Bar & Grill. Unlike the hardcore PT devotees, I wasn't outraged by the change. That's not to say I wasn't cynical, as everything I read indicated that the management and staff weren't behind the changes at all. However, I was still eager to see the new look and try the new menu and cocktails.
I headed to Corporate for lunch on Friday, only to be met with a locked door. Disappointed, I went across the street to eat at the Greek Place. When I finished my gyro and fries, I saw that Corporate was open! Apparently, they open at noon on the dot. I found this very strange for a place that billed itself as a lunch spot where one could get an "executive burger" (whatever that is). I wasn't about to discount the new bar without giving it a fair shake, though, so my girlfriend and I went back to Corporate for dinner last night. We were met by, well, no one. We wandered back to the bar area, where the bartender asked if we would like a table after an unreasonable amount of time standing there. Yes, please.
The bartender, in her Jolly Roger t-shirt and matching earrings, walked us to a table and handed us the Piratz Tavern menu. Um, what? She told us that Spike TV had given them a crazy menu. We could see it if we liked, but the drinks were "nine dollars for three ounces of liquid" and don't bother ordering them. Uh oh. Already confused, we ordered the cod fritters and a pitcher of grog. I looked at my girlfriend and simply stated, "They're doomed."
At the table next to us, there were three young ladies sporting ironic t-shirts and discussing how they never understood why no one liked the food. There was a couple at the bar and what I believe to be the owner/manager sitting at another table. That was it. The entire front area of the restaurant was empty. Pirate-themed music blared over the speaker system. The mish mosh of corporate and pirate themes was completely baffling.
Despite waiting an epoch for ketchup, the food wasn't terrible. My hamburger was obviously from a frozen patty, but acceptable. My girlfriend said that she enjoyed her tilapia sandwich. But the food was of little concern, as I spent the duration of the meal distracted by the situation at hand. The staff sipped on drinks and wandered around awkwardly, before leaving to return with ingredients from Shopper's Food Warehouse. How do I know where they were from? Well they paraded them through the restaurant and into the kitchen. Classy.
I left feeling awful for everyone inside. We were asked to fill out a comment card, but I didn't have the heart to tell them what I was thinking. It's obvious that they have given up. They were handed a golden opportunity to turn the bar into a profitable business, but that all flew out the door when they surrendered their dream to the Spike TV crew. I blame the owners as much as Spike, if not more. If she didn't want the changes, she should have said so. The bar has neither embraced the new theme, nor reverted to the old one, but is stuck in a strange sort of limbo and obviously headed for Davy Jones' Locker. -
Review from David M.
Potomac, MD
Updated - 3/4/2012
This restaurant has been incredibly popular with a *particular* variety of patrons who have visited it from near and far. I have friends in places like Alexandria VA and Baltimore Maryland, each about an hour away, who patronize it a couple times a week. Why? Because it is just that cool. In fact I've been present when visiting friends in town from several hundred miles away went there and told me they wished there was a place that cool near them. These people were all either into Renfaires, costuming or both.
Renfaires are not for everyone. Strip clubs are not for everyone. Horse races are not for everyone. The Piratz Tavern is not for everyone. If you like Renfaire, by all means, go to the Piratz Tavern and you will not be disappointed!
If you feel Renfaires are stupid, then please do the rest of us a favor; Stay away from the Piratz Tavern, and by all means keep your nasty opinions to yourself! Do I put down your stupid shiny bars? No, I don't! The least you can do is have a little consideration for those of us who are only permitted to enjoy Renfaire two months out of the year!
Now about the rumors of it being Gone or Replaced by Corporate Bar & Grill:
In my personal opinion that was a glorious mistake, but no worse than a kitchen fire. Even less so as it didn't entirely cause it to shut down for a month as kitchen fires tend to do. On the other hand, kitchen fires are covered by insurance, and I'm pretty sure the makeover will not be covered by insurance.
Within a week of the makeover, the Piratz was already struggling to transform itself back into the restaurant it was before. Perhaps learning a few lessons from the mistake and the feedback from its hundreds of adoring fans. Right now, the biggest threat to its survival are the prolific rumors that the Piratz Tavern no longer exists. It does, although the stupid Corporate sign on the front isn't helping.
Personally, I have been eating at this restaurant nearly every month since it opened about five years ago. For the mathematically impaired, that's about sixty meals. I've *never* had a bad meal there! In all this time, not one of my guests have ever reported having had a bad meal there. Very few of my guests have worn costumes, though occasionally some have, especially during "Talk Like a Pirate Week".
I ate at the Piratz Tavern shortly before and shortly after the "Corporate" makeover. Immediately after the makeover I could not buy any foods or drinks that I liked, so I left without buying anything. Within a week they restored the foods and drinks I liked and I've been eating there since. I'm disappointed that the familiar corny decor is *temporarily* gone, but I have it on good authority that it too will be returning.
For one week the Piratz Tavern resembled a "Corporate Bar" that Spike TV's reality show turned it into. As you might expect, it was awful. If I had to review *that*, I'd give it one star too, but if you look this is a review page for the Piratz Tavern which is turning itself back into the Piratz Tavern as fast as it can.
Today I've flagged FIVE off-topic reviews that reflected that temporary condition. Those reviews are not about the Piratz Tavern but rather the Competence of Spike's reality series, "Bar Rescue". I will continue to flag such off-topic reviews.
If you hate strange mixed drinks, don't order the Grog. The Grog is an acquired taste, and having acquired it, I love it. I tend to think they should offer a sample size for newbies. I may have to suggest that. I also think that just possibly there need to be two menus, one for landlubbers and one for more adventurous people. If you want a winner, order a Bison Burger, cooked "Medium" with Cheddar, Bacon and Scimitar Fries. If you are vegetarian, this is probably not the place for you either.
I like a wide variety of cuisines, though I'm not that fond of Thai. Do I go into Thai restaurants so I can go home and write about how much I disliked the Thai food? No! Do I attend restaurants with live music and then complain about how loud the music was? No! Those sorts of reviews accomplish nothing and are a disservice to those who love a particular type of restaurant; People like myself and my friends.
If you are annoyed only by SINGING Pirates, don't go there on a Weekend. Weekdays you will not encounter Singing Pirates, but you might encounter Belly Dancers. ;-)
To those of you who hate Pirate Theme bars, I ask that you have a heart and examine your actual feelings first. If you must post a negative review, just be honest about it! Your problem isn't really with the patrons, the waiters, the food, or the decor. Your problem is that you have no more business entering a Pirate Themed Bar that I have going to a Strip Club or a Horse Race.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/7/2011
I have been eating and drinking at this place for nearly five years. I've eaten there at least 70… Read more »
-
-
Review from Rachel C.
2/14/2012
I just...I can't. Really? A pirate bar? In Silver Spring?
At least that's what I thought at first. But I was quickly put at ease by the Renaissance Faire-esque atmosphere, with roughly 1/4 of the patrons dressed as pirates (or piratz) on a Saturday night. It was just kitschy and fun! My friend and I hung out here and had a beer (or possibly a few beers) while admiring the decor and people watching. I kind of wished I'd brought my eye patch.
I'm highly amused by all the Yelp entries that hate on this place for being stupid and childish. If you're going to a pirate bar, what exactly are you expecting? I sensed some mild irony, given the location, and I liked it. Get a sense of humor, folks!
The beer and cocktail selection seemed quite good. The menu was extensive. The service was slow, and the bartender ignored us for quite some time, but we weren't in any terrible hurry, and they were busy.
Would definitely go back just to hang out on a weekend, but possibly in the spring or summertime, with the outdoor patio open.... -
Review from Toby C.
Rockville, MD
2/24/2012
This review is for Corporate Bar & Grill. I paid $15 for a burger, fries, and the soda. The burger was absolute crap. The patty was definitely one of those frozen types devoid of any and all flavor. They try to cover this up by topping it with a really soggy bacon and onion mixture. Our fries didn't come out until after we were almost finished with our burgers.
While we were there, we overheard the waitress telling someone they couldn't get the burger without onions because the bacon and onions are cooked together. It took an act of management to make that happen. Seriously?
We also overheard someone asking for draft beer. They said the old equipment was replaced with equipment they are not licensed to use. Again, seriously?
The pirate decor has been replaced with knock-off demotivational posters. -
Review from Patrick T.
Silver Spring, MD
2/24/2012
Listen, I'm an understanding guy. I went to Harry Potter World earlier this year for vacation. I started my bachelor party off at medieval times. So naturally, I'd like Piratz Tavern, right? Wrong.
Piratz was literally the only place that I have been to in my entire life where I couldn't get service. It's not clear when you walk in where you should go to be seated. Once you do find someone, no one really knows what's going on.
After standing around for 10 minutes with no direction or idea of what was going on, we left. This place has a reputation for only being friendly to regulars who dress up like pirates.
While I do enjoy going to places like Harry Potter World or a Renaissance Festival every now and then, the whole people-dressing-up-every-weekend-pretending-to-be- pirates things is a bit much. Piratz wasn't a place for people to occasionally escape reality, it was more for a place for people who don't want to be a part of reality. And the service seemed to only cared about the latter.
The place would be a lot better if they toned down the theme (especially the cheap Party City stuff), hired servers and bartenders who were there to be great servers (and not just because they want to work at a pirate bar) and had specific theme nights every now and then. It's one thing to have a pirate night once a month and quite another to expect every day to be pirate night (and not be welcoming to those who aren't there dressed like pirates).
Could a pirate themed bar actually work? Sure, if the service, food and drinks were good. And then the theme should more like a gritty English/Caribbean pub and less of like a run down place that you'd find a few miles outside of Disney hoping to attract Disney goers looking for a cheap meal one day after visiting the Magic Kingdom.
Note: This review is of Piratz. I'll re-review once I visit the new theme of Corporate Bar and Grill. Hopefully CBG has better service. -
Review from Jj L.
Washington, DC
4/21/2012
Zero stars not an option? Damn :(
Less than mediocre food coupled with incompetent ownership will have this place out of business in less than a year. See ya... -
Review from Angela C.
Columbia, MD
2/24/2012
I started going last summer, and was expecting it to be stupid-cheesy, like Medieval Times. I was impressed the warmth and personality of the place, which, rather than feeling like a theme park ride as expected, came off to me more like a traditional pub, stuffed to the gills with delightful nicknacks and a story. I loved the lush decor, from the lanterns hanging from the dark wooden rafters, the swords and muskets on the walls, the gold coins and beach sand embedded in the transparent tabletops, to the baroque fountain up front. I found myself singing or tapping along to the sea shanteys and Celtic music playing in the background. Seating was confusing though, and the place could get cramped in the back with the giant table, making it hard to move around. The kitchen and bussing could get painfully slow, but I didn't primarily go there for the food.
The brunch buffet was boring (bacon, eggs, lots of nondescript things in cream sauce, a Caesar salad for the single nominal "vegetable" side... but also really good chili!) but the regular menu had a lot of crazy awesomeness: steak on a stone, the "scurvy buster" which was a ship made of fruit, drinks you could set on fire, grog ice cream, ice cream sundaes with fake eyeballs that would bleed gratuitous strawberry syrup, and salmagundi, a 17th century pirate hodge-podge in the literal, culinary sense of the word. The cod fritters were delicious (at least to me), though I went with a Puerto Rican friend who was not impressed with them. His family makes them differently, though I'm not sure exactly how. He did, however, love the Jamaican jerk chicken, which I wasn't a fan of. So tastes differ.
I was impressed by the interesting drinks, though I'm a lightweight. The grog, though spicy and delicious, put both me and said friend out of commission for the evening. The staff was really attentive during that situation and checked up on me regularly to see if I needed anything to feel better, which was above and beyond the call of duty. My favorite drink was the Black Spot, a shot of sprite and blackberry liqueur.
The staff dressed as pirates and went by pirate nicknames, and you'd get the occasional invasion by ninja diners, and fire breathers and belly dancers and Pirate Santa for Christmas. There were Steampunk Thursdays and Magic the Gathering tournaments on the patio. For a lot of people, this was "our" place. -
Review from Nik S.
Silver Spring, MD
2/18/2012
Piratz was not a bar or restaurant--it was a lifestyle, community, and experience. We brought every couch surfer, family visitor, and out-of-towner to this place for one simple reason: It was one-of-a-kind. Where else could you order grog from the he-earned-it One-eyed Mike? Or see fire breathers in the back alley? Or watch a belly-dancer who was actually well-versed in the history and variety of the tradition?
Silver Spring didn't need another generic bar. Just take a look at Babe's or Austin Grill or even the Firehouse. These places are slow on any given night, too; we're struggling to keep so many new eateries open with a population that just doesn't have that much disposable income or desire to eat out every single night of the week.
What Piratz needed, more than anything, was slightly better food and a business model that pulled in money in other ways. It had a strong crew of regular customers and more than a few curious visitors. I'm sure Tracy meant well when she accepted Spike TV's offer to remake her bar--it seems like most other places stayed truer to their customer base through their renovations--but this is simply a loss to our community for now. Sadly, Piratz will probably never return, but its worth making the case for it's memory to live on in some way in the new establishment. -
Review from Vickie S.
12/8/2011
I feel obligated to defend Piratz, because I adore the place. There have been some reviews that were spot-on, but enough from people that didn't enjoy being in a themed establishment or didn't know what to expect (especially from the grog) and downgraded for that.
Fair warning! Grog is four kinds of rum with lime, cloves, and a lot of ginger. It's spicy, it's pungent, and it's potent. I don't order it all the time, but as they say, it gets the job done.
The staff is dressed in pirate garb. Many patrons come dressed in garb, too. (Myself included, on occasion.) As such, on Talk Like a Pirate Day, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, etc. the place will be packed. If you celebrate your birthday here, there's a very good chance you'll be serenaded by someone in an eye patch who will tell you you're entirely too sober in the next breath. There's a thing called a "Cannonball" that gets set on fire in these cases, too. I've made friends here chatting with people I didn't meet until I noticed they were wearing a Robin costume under their coat and then I'm going to be discussing comic books. It's nice that there exists a place where letting your geek flag fly a little bit isn't going to be greeted with stares and crickets.
The fries are a strange alchemical success: I know it's just wedges of potato with sea salt, but they're amazing. It's not on the menu, but I recommend the Sassy Wench - cherry rum, lime, amaretto and cola. The happy hour (4-7) specials are a really good deal.
On the other side of the coin: Vegetarian options are limited. I would not recommend bringing children with you for a late dinner or during bar hours. If you have a problem looking at depictions of skulls and crossbones, you may have to blindfold yourself before entering because pirate decor is *pervasive*.
If you're not someone who enjoys the novelty of a costume, fire breathers, or belly-dancing, Piratz may not be to your taste. -
Review from Jeremy D.
Silver Spring, MD
4/9/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This place is made of awesome. It is totally unique. The staff are all pirates. The whole menu is themed. The food is good, if not amazing.
-
Review from K B.
Silver Spring, MD
3/11/2012
This is unARRguably one of the strangest restaurants in downtown Silver Spring. And despite weighing anchor last month and trading it's name to the "Corporate Bar & Grill", apparently it's hard to keep a good pirate down. Like the mildew in your shower that no matter how you scrub away always returns, the pirates leached out of the walls of the office-themed establishment, wildly waved their sabers, and chased the corporate goons right off the plank.
The Piratz Tavern is back.
The Bar Rescue "rescue" of the place, resulting in the conversion to "Corporate Bar & Grill" was a disaster. It was like going in to the operating room for minor knee surgery, and coming out with a sex change operation. The exotic transformed to the banal overnight. The place was left with bland food, illegal self-service beer taps, and a theme that made you wonder WTF the TV show as thinking. I mean, who wants to leave work to go drink at a place that looks like work?
The new Piratz Tavern is a much improved take on the old restaurant. The old pirate kitsch is gone and it looks, well, like a pirate tavern. Like a real pirate tavern, not a Tortuga-themed prom night where the decorations were raided from the pirate isle in Party City. The front of the restaurant has a nice, bring your family for pirate night feel to it, where the dark back bar area caters to the clientele going for the more authentic grungy pirate experience.
The old menu is back, with the tasty burnin' corporate bits, and the kick-your-arse grog. The best nights at the old bar were when they have some entertainment going on, pirates singing shanties, or fire dancers showing their stuff in the alley behind the tavern. On a good night this place can have a community energy that you can't get at a regular restaurant. It's not just a theme you can watch, but one you can be part of. If you can hang up your adult hat, surrender your dignity, and belay reality for the night.
Wish them luck as they boldly go where they've already gone before. -
Review from David G.
Washington, DC
10/31/2011
I don't know why this place is getting murdered so bad on here. I had a really good time at Piratz. I was attending a show at the fillmore and looking for a place to get libations before heading over.
We stumbled upon Piratz and I did not regret my decision. It was zombie night in SS and they had themed drinks to go along with the occasion. The waitress was awesome and stayed in character the entire night, I had drinks that were bubbling and smoking and the food was serviceable. All in all a perfect spot before a show that added a nice element to our evening. -
Review from John C.
Las Vegas, NV
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very fun place to have drinks. I sat at the bar and the service was great.
They have a great selection of specialty drinks that are really good. Pick one they are all worth it.
I was a little less than happy with the food. I had Jamaican Jerk Chicken and it pretty much had zero taste. -
Review from Michelle N.
Los Angeles, CA
10/31/2011
My cousin got married this past weekend and she chose Piratz Tavern for the afterparty since it was only blocks from the hotel everyone was staying at. Boy, do we wish we checked out reliable Yelp! reviews beforehand. This place was absolutely horrible; I would say the 2.5 stars based on 98 reviews is being extremely kind and generous.
First, as our server was taking our orders, she grabbed credit cards from everyone to hold even if they were planning to pay in cash. Okay, how unnecessary! What if people didn't have credit cards?? DUMB. THEN, she proceeds to put the cards in her boobs. EWW that's just gross! We don't want our credit cards in your boobs!!!
Second, our drinks took OVER 40 minutes. On top of that, one of the drinks was wrong. Annoyed and frustrated, we had her bring us the correct order. That took so long we decided to cancel it. And when we canceled, she had the nerve to look annoyed at us! She explained that the bar was back up. Okay, if you made a mistake and put in the wrong drink order, you should have it fixed immediately! Why the heck would the order be put all the way on the bottom on the pile?
Third, the manager then approached us and told us we were still going to be charged for the drink we didn't get. She explained that the drink was made already and somebody had to pay for it; either us or the server. Well, how does it make any sense for us to pay for a drink that we didn't get and let alone, canceled? It doesn't. The manager continues to say that our large party had been sitting for two hours sipping on water. NOT TRUE, we order hundreds of dollars worth of appetizers that weren't at all good. And almost everyone was working on their second or third drinks. And she justified all of of this by saying we were taking up seats of other potential customers. You've got to be kidding! They're lucky we brought in this wedding or else the place would be empty. RIDICULOUS and very disappointing behavior from a manager.
Other side notes: they were stingy on their napkins. Yelled and pushed people to get out of the way. Ran out of Patron, Don Julio, Jose Quervo 1800 (this was all fairly early too, so I don't really believed they ever carried them). Decor was decent. Nice aquarium. Okay bathrooms. All in all, this place is simply AWFUL. Listen to the other yelpers, not just myself...STAY AWAY!Comment from tracy r. of Piratz Tavern 11/4/2011
I am very sorry you were disappointed. It did seem the other… More » -
Review from Tracy P.
Silver Spring, MD
12/5/2011
I like the idea. It's kinda cheesy, yes because it's pirate themed. The first time I came there was a fire show held in the alley out back. Another few times I went and the place was empty. Last time was talk like a pirate day, there was a belly dancer and people singing pirate songs.
It is a good concept... But it is the place that has their regulars...Who sit around playing games and wear their pirate costumes.
I think they need to change stuff up a bit to keep business going. -
Review from Mary M.
2/24/2012
See.... I have a thing for pirates - I don't know where it came from, or why I feel this way, but its a fact. Maybe I was deprived of my inner piratetry as a child, or maybe it was just spawned by the Johnny Depp movies, but my love of pirates is here and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. With that being said, I dragged my WHOLE FAMILY down to Silver Spring to eat here on a weekend evening last year - I think it might have been my birthday or something like that. I was not disappointed by the decor, or the swashbucklers who served us, but what I didn't realize was that a themed restaurant often does not have the best food.... so I wasn't too pleased with my meal and we haven't returned. Its a fun place to go if you don't have high expectations or if you have kids who need to be entertained, or if you want to let your skull and cross bone flag fly, but otherwise its just a-ok.
-
Review from Alex O.
2/22/2012
I went here twice. The first time out of my own curiosity. It was embarrassing. There was a bunch of grown-ups in silly pirate costumes performing some truly bad music. They had no draft beer. Grog was awful...like something a high schooler comes up with by dumping rum and a bunch of random liquors from his parents liquor cabinet into a mug with a lot of sweetener for the sole purpose of getting wasted. Service was terrible - we got the feeling that if we didn't look like an overgrown eight year-old on Halloween, then our business was not welcome. The second time I went here was due to the curiosity of my buddy Charlie. I told him it would make his skin crawl. He said it might be fun. We walked in and within a minute had walked out due to how awkward, embarrassing, and just plain pathetic the place was. Basically, if you are an adult who spends a great deal of time pretending to be Jack Sparrow, you will love this place. If you're not an adult who spends a great deal of his time pretending he is Jack Sparrow, you will NOT like this bar.
HOWEVER...the real point here should be that this place is now closed. It's been replaced, with great fanfare, by the producers of Spike TV's Bar Rescue with something called (I kid you not) The Corporate Bar and Grill, complete with a logo featuring a faceless person in a suit. Other than remaking it as a ninja bar, I don't think I could have come up with a more idiotic idea than Taffer and his crew. The name alone reveals a complete cluelessness to the times - fair or not, the word "corporation" is a seriously tarnished name these days and inserting it prominently into your bar's name is utter stupidity. Also, considering that Silver Spring is in the heart of ultra-liberal MoCo, it just makes no sense. The idea may have flown on K Street or even Bethesda, but it's DOA in Silver Spring. The cocktail menu is both weaker and more expensive than Sidebar and the menu is generic "wannabe" sophisticated. Seriously, a $15 Manhattan over ice? Who the hell serves a Manhattan over ice?!?!? Supposedly Taffer also concluded you couldn't find an overpriced gourmet burger in Silver Spring. He was partially right. You can buy a gourmet burger (Ray's Hellburger) at Ray's The Classics, a block away...however, it's sold at at a reasonable price.
The sad truth is that the location is great. Nice patio, heart of DTSS, and right on the metro. Here's hoping something worthwhile eventually moves into that space. -
Review from Caitlin C.
Reston, VA
6/16/2011
Before I begin, I want to say that Piratz is a different kind of bar/restaurant. If you're not a very open minded kind of person and are used to a certain restaurant feel, this is most likely not the place for you. Just ask yourself this: could you go to the Maryland Renaissance Festival and have fun? If your answer is "no, the people there scare me because they wear costumes and are enthusiastic", then you probably should not go to Piratz Tavern. If you go, you will most likely complain about the atmosphere like many people already have. So save yourself the trouble and pick a yuppie bar. :]
Now, if your answer is "yes, I like to try new things!" then I suggest you give this place a go. I did, and I enjoyed it very much. Here is my experience:
I came here with three other friends last Saturday night before catching a movie at the AFI theater. We made it just before happy hour ended (which is at 7pm, by the way) so we ordered a bunch of grog (their specialty drink) and sangria. Both were good - the sangria wasn't top notch but it wasn't syrupy and gross like a lot of places make it. As for the grog - if you enjoy ginger and clove you will enjoy this drink. It's basically that + rum.
We ordered our meals and it came very quickly. Everything I tried was tasty - but not the absolute best thing I've ever had. I got a steak sandwich, which was good, and the fries were awesome - they're like steak fries but a little crispier and with sea salt. My friend got a caesar salad and hated it - only because they make the dressing fresh there and if you're not aware, caesar dressing is made with anchovies (she hates fish, go figure). So I gobbled it up for her because I love traditional caesar salads. My other friends got sandwiches as well, and they both said theirs were pretty good.
The portions were a bit small I think, so we ended up splitting their steak on a stone after one of the pirates walking by suggested it. It was quite a sight - literally an Australian steak sizzling on a stone. We got it medium rare and had the delight of seeing it cook right in front of us. It came with three sauces - all of which were outstanding. However, for the price I don't think it was worth it - I believe it was $27 for a 6-8 ounce steak.
Oh, and we found out that the chef is actually from Brazil, which inspired a lot of the items on the menu. Pretty neat.
We continued to drink and as it got late, there was a troubadour performing irish/scottish songs with the bar. It was really cool to have that kind of entertainment in that atmosphere - you really can't find anywhere else in the DC area that will have this kind of vibe. And later they had a Jack Sparrow lookalike who was actually pretty good (and not just because we were drinking ;] ).
Now as for service, it was a mixed bag - some of the pirates were helpful and our server was great, but there was one strange guy who was trying to fit in with the theme but he came across a little weird. I think he needs to take acting lessons or get into it a bit more, because it ended up being awkward for him. Overall though I think the people here truly enjoy what they do, and that's what makes it special.
I believe there were kids in the front when we were there - and they do have a section with a fishtank, pirate themed books and sitting area, etc so I'd imagine bringing a kid during the daytime wouldn't be a problem. They also have a tiki bar in the back which looked sweet, but my friends wanted to sit close to the bar. Lots and lots of pirate decorations obviously, which was awesome in my book.
So overall if you're looking for something unique, not insanely pricy, and with good themed drinks (they also had mead! I LOVE MEAD), then check this place out - but only with an open mind first! -
Review from Ami M.
Silver Spring, MD
9/18/2011
Piratz had been advertising a free Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey tasting that was supposed to go on yesterday, starting at 9 PM. We got there around 9:15 or so.
Girl: "Can I help you?"
Friend: "Hi. I heard that there is a free Honey Whiskey tasting tonight."
Girl: "We ran out."
Friend: "Well, is there some for sale?"
Girl: "NO! That's what ran out means!"
She could have been so much nicer about the whole thing. "I'm sorry, but we do not. Is there something else that you would like?" is a hell of a lot nicer than a PMSing bartender. We walked right across the street to Quarry House, where we weren't treated rudely for asking a question. That was the second chance that I gave this place, too... -
Review from Chris A.
Silver Spring, MD
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
One night after a trip to the QH to steel our nerves, we went into the Piratz. It wasn't really what I expected. I was thinking something like Ren Fair meets the Caribbean. I think the decor is a bit much. I really can't tell if this place is supposed to be a restaurant for adults or kids. They have gone so overboard (pun intended) with the decor that it seems more like I'm gonna turn a corner and see a ball pit or an anamatronic Johnny Depp.
We didn't get any food, but I was disappointed that they didn't make me a Dark and Stormy. They did offer disounted grog, so we got a pitcher to try it out. The bartender just poured the grog out of a large bucket and gave us three empty pint glasses. This isn't the Four Season, but he could have poured our first round.
Honestly, the grog was good, but the bartender was more interested in some friends who he was conversing with when we walked in. It was slow, for sure, but we were literally the only people there. -
Review from Anjaly P.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Argh. Piratz is not my favorite place. Come here for the grog if you like rum. It's pirate liquid crack. Their specialty cocktails are good too. Happy hour is the best time and bring friends! It can be kinda quiet if no ones there but the place is easily livened up. Thursday has half off select appetizers! Service is friendly and they take their pirate life to a whole other level!
-
Review from Roy S.
9/23/2011
Belly dancer was cool. Being unable to buy more then one beer at a time??? that sucked!!! with only one bartender on a friday night im waiting to put in an order for like 15min and then 10 min the second time!!!
It can get very loud inside and outside with drunk people and all the street noise.
I have had the food before, its average at best. I agree that they need to pick between either a Pirate themed bar or just be a restaurant. You cant be both...
i did notice the servers seemed annoyed all night. that can be just tonight but from many others saying the same thing its a bad trend... -
Review from Steven B.
Washington D.C., DC
6/3/2011
Ok step one. Lets talk about what this place is not. It is not a place to take kids. Its not a place to go for dinner. Its not for catching a quick drink.
What this place is for is people who think that the Renaissance Festival should be year round and they have the outfits to prove it. I saw more patrons here in costume than I saw employees. Its a relaxed and fun kind of environment, but that only works if you get on with the type of people there. If you are a business power broker, stay away. If you are looking for a quiet place, stay away. Come with a whole bunch of friends who are nerdy and goofy and like to drink.
All you should be doing here is drinking rum and hanging out with a big group of friends on the patio and requesting a hookah. Yes, they have hookah, but you need to know to ask for it. Its not like its something they really advertise well. Sadly the night I was there I did not get to sample it because I did not know until I was on my way out.
The people working there are pretty fun people. They are really into what they are doing, sometimes to the detriment of the experience of people who are there. But if you are drunk and in the right frame of mind they will be great for you.
Ultimately, I won't be going back. Its not my scene. I know that for some people it is. And if you think this might be your show, you ought to go and try it out. But if you are hesitant and don't think its you... its not. -
Review from Victoria H.
Alexandria, VA
5/2/2011
I don't really know why anyone would want to go here, unless, of course, they're a big fan of pirates. But other than the kitschy theme, this places is suffering from a severe identity crisis - Does it want to cater to kids? Does it want to be a "real" restaurant? Is it a bar? Is it an events venue? I've been here exactly twice and it seemed like Piratz was trying to do all of these things simultaneously and it was suffering on all counts.
The food is pretty meh. In general, it is reasonably priced meh. I believe they have happy hour until 6 or 7pm, so at least then, it's only half-priced meh.
The drinks are passable. Don't order the grog. It's like really spicy, really alcoholic ginger ale. Well. Maybe that's what grog is supposed to taste like, but I did not care for it.
We recently came here early on a Saturday evening, presumably, just before what should be the "big dinner rush." We ordered a clam appetizer served in a white wine broth. Since there were only 6 or so small clams per serving, we asked for bread to dip in the broth. Our server responded "I'll have to check. It's the same bread we use for our sandwiches and if we're running low, you can't have any." Well, turns out we were in luck ... and also charged $1.00 for the Portuguese roll. We also ordered the steak fries, which were good .. they appeared to be freshly cut and sprinkled with sea salt.
So, the big draw to this place is the pirate kitsch. It's all done up pirate-like and the staff is all dressed up like they're just about to walk the plank. I think people really must have to love the pirate thing to work there -- they're all really knowledgeable about pirate history and stuff, and they get into their acts.
But, other than the novelty of it being a pirate bar, there's little else going for Piratz. I almost feel bad writing this review because you can tell that some of the people that work there REALLY love the joint and I like to patronize local joints like this one. Maybe they should do exclusively kids pirate parties during the daytime and just open at night for happy hour and lose the full menu...if they focused on serving really good drinks, 6-7 great appetizers, and ratcheted up the pirate schtick and had more featured entertainment, I think they might fare better. -
Review from Guy S.
Silver Spring, MD
11/13/2011
My wife and I go here 1-2 times a month, mainly for the fun atmosphere. The food is good and not expensive and they have a decent selection of both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beers. Service can be a little slow if it's a busy night, so don't go here if you need to make a quick meal of it- allot at least an hour for your Piratz experience. It's also a short walk from municipal parking and not far from the Metro.
-
Review from John T.
Silver Spring, MD
2/13/2011
The reviews on this place vary wildly. I went there for the first time tonight, and then read back over the reviews. You can pretty much figure why the people who didn't like it felt that way. They just aren't into it.
The place has been around four years and apparently draws a good crowd, but we got a very warm extended greeting on a sunday evening.
We were early, so sat at the bar for a drink. The grog is strong and okay, but I switched to the tropical drink m friend was having. Quite good. The grog was basically alcoholic ginger ale. Okay... I can say I tried it.
Half price appetizers, so a hugetub of large well-flavored muscles was $4.00. Hard to beat that.
Moved to a table for entres. Steak that grilled itself on a hot piece of marble with dipping sauces was great, though a little pricey (for me) at $23.00. We like our steaks different ways, so we could just vary when we ate it.
Solamugundi(?) stew at $12.00 was quite good for what it was.
The pirate theme stuff is over-the top... probably to the point that it sends more people away than it attracts.
The staff reminded me of ren fest folks. I'm not into it, but like most of those types and appreciate their sincerity. They were welcoming and gave good service, so I was cool with them.
If I worked around there, I'd be there every day in the summer to drink at the tiki bar out back. -
Review from Julian V.
1/28/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Wow. This place is like one huge inside joke, but nobody is laughing. It was a weird sort of moment. I had gone to the Quarry House across the street which was packed to the brim, so my friend and I tried somewhere else, and just settled for Piratz Tavern right across the road.
Walked in, and it was completely empty and slightly uninviting. Then we realized the bar is in the back. We walk into the back, and lo and behold, there are pirates. Dressed in pirate garb. Nothing weird about that. These pirates were singing pirate songs too. Except instead of being drunk and merry, the mood was very gloom. Maybe a fellow pirate had died. I don't know, but these songs they sang, they sang it with the same sort of demure as hearing Danny Boy at a funeral. Seeing this was slightly hilarious, but mostly depressing.
Maybe it was all the snow. Maybe their spirits were downtrodden after thundersnowpocalypse. Who knows. Either way, they had booze, and that's the only real reason I went to this place.
Bartender Pirate was really nice, but even he joined the legion of depressed pirates. Surely this place can be more merry than this, right? I swear it was like the moment in Dodgeball when Steve the pirate realized he couldn't be a pirate living in the real world anymore. -
Review from Morgan D.
Silver Spring, MD
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went to Piratz during their Sunday brunch buffet (12-4pm) and it was a horrible experience.
On Sundays, they offer a brunch buffet but do not offer regular menu items. In fact, you can't even look at the menu. Fair enough - except the fact that their buffet is really only seven items. There are eggs, bacon, sausage, rice, potatoes, and two cream-based soup items. (A shrimp one and a beef in gravy one) For dessert, they served Chips Ahoy cookies and slices of fruit cake from the local Safeway. And as if the selection wasn't terrible, the food was terrible. Even the 'complimentary' mimosas were terrible.
The atmosphere is struggling between being child -friendly place and a place to take adults. There is a lot of emphasis on alcohol, but the costumed staff likes to tell stories to the kiddies too. I don't get it. I also don't get why they even offered a buffet in this little shack of a restaurant. Also, expect high noise levels. When I visited - my one and only time - the manager was yelling out items as they came out the kitchen, specifically to rouse customer's waning interest in the place. Even one of the waitresses seemed unenthusiastic about her job.
I hear it's a great place to go to for drinks. Unfortunately, 1pm on a Sunday is too early for the bar to be open, so we weren't served any. If you do want to drink, keep in mind that this place doesn't serve any real beer on tap. That means no Heineken, Bud, Miller, nada.
I'm usually very open minded and like to experience new places, but this was a complete shipwreck. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. -
Review from Joseph F.
12/29/2010
We were visiting Sheila F's parents in Potomac, Maryland and we were looking for somewhere different to eat. My BIL Cyrus N. suggested this place, and although it was a bit far away, I always have vowed that distance would never keep me from trying out a new culinary experience, so we headed over to this place.
I'm a big sucker for kitsch, and this place has it in droves. Seriously, I'm not sure that there's anything in the place that wasn't in line with the pirate theme. The decor was fun and interesting and we took lots of pictures before we left. I'd imagine that it's even more fun when they have folks in costume there!
The food was decent--nothing extraordinary, but what we had was quite good. I would have liked my bison burger to have a bit more flavoring to it, but that's what you get when you order lean meat I suppose. At the very least, an offer of a bottle of steak sauce would have been nice. The cod fritters and the delicious sauce that accompanied them were a highlight, as well as my wife's Caribbean corn chowder. At my urging, she ordered the turkey leg--I loathe turkey, but she loves it, and I wanted her to get it again since I never eat it other than on Thanksgiving (and even then I don't really want to eat it...if we ever host, we're going to make a duck using Michael Symon's recipe!). Much to my delight, her turkey leg was smoked and quite delicious...we'll have to keep that recipe in mind for the future too!
We shared a pitcher of grog, which lived up to its billing. I loved every single drop and would be very grateful if I could find a recipe! I'm usually more of a whiskey type of guy, but man, that grog had me feeling like I was sailing with Captain Jack Sparrow on The Black Pearl...it was extraordinarily flavorful, a bit spicy, and completely delicious.
As far as service is concerned, let's just say that if I were Captain Hook, my servers would have wound up walking the plank at the end of the meal. I hate it when the waiters act like they're doing you a huge favor by serving you, but at this place they act like they're doing you a huge favor by seating you too! Once we got our food, we didn't see our waiter again for a refill of water or anything else. This was particularly concerning because the waiter made a point to tell us that the kitchen closed at 9, but didn't ever ask if we wanted dessert or anything else before it closed. The place was about half full when we got there, so it's not like they were too busy to be attentive. I'd hate to see what the service would be like when they're at full capacity!
I'd definitely go here again, but I think I'd prefer to order a wide variety of their interesting appetizers and desserts...as well as another pitcher (or two) of that delicious grog! -
Review from Matt C.
Reston, VA
2/4/2011
Wow, I don't even know what to say about this place. It's amazing -- amazing that it manages to stay in business, let alone that it's as popular as it seems to be, that is. All I can say is that as much as "pirate bar" sounds like the most awesome idea in the world, it's considerably less awesome in practice.
I went for dinner with some friends in Silver Spring tonight. After dinner, we decided that we didn't really feel like going home yet, so we'd go grab some drinks somewhere. This place was nearby, so it seemed as good as anything.
I'd been here once before, and it was an ok, if not particularly memorable, experience. I'd had a decent drink, a passable dessert, and an overall ok, if not particularly notable, time. Tonight, though, was definitely enough to turn me against the place.
Everything was crowded except for some tables in the front. Not a problem -- I mean, sitting near the door on a cold night isn't the best thing, but it happens. The table that we were put at was practically falling apart, though -- it was wicker (or some wicker-like substance), and had big holes in it. Wicker tables in a place full of drunk people with pirate delusions are probably a bad idea.
That in itself wasn't the issue, though. I can handle a dive. The drinks weren't the issue either -- they were decent enough. All in all, it would have been another ok, if not particularly memorable, experience -- except, that is, for the "entertainment". That certainly made it "memorable", but not in a good way.
First, we were serenaded by a group of singers singing what I guess were supposed to be "pirate" songs. Fine, except that we were trying to have a conversation. And, oh yeah, the singers were . . . I'll be polite: not very good. They might have been ok in the background, but right up in our faces, it wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience.
They only stuck around for a few songs, though, and then were off to make their rounds elsewhere in the restaurant. Ok, whatever. We were mercifully left alone to talk again for a little while.
That was until when suddenly, out of nowhere, some really, really loud pseudo-middle eastern pseudo-industrial (it wasn't quite managing either) music started blaring from a speaker right over our heads. I'm talking loud -- deafeningly loud. I'm talking nightclub level loud -- which would have been fine if we were in a nightclub, but we weren't. So much for conversation. Apparently, it was playing for a belly dancer who was performing in another room. (So why did we have to be subjected to it like that? Who knows.)
When our waitress wandered over, I yelled to her (as yelling was the only way to be heard) that the music was way too loud and they needed to turn it down. Her response? "No shit, Sherlock." Excuse me? Apparently, as she quickly followed it up with, she had been telling the management that it was too loud, and they refused to listen or do anything about it. Fair enough, but still, I'm sorry lady -- I'm not your pal, I don't know you, and while that kind of attitude might be ok if we were friends, we're not. I'm a customer. If you agree with me that the problem that I'm complaining about is a problem, be polite and apologetic about it, don't throw attitude back at me.
I told her to tell the management that they were losing business because of it, and we quickly finished our drinks and got out. I really can't imagine wanting to experience this place again. -
Review from Brooke K.
Sacramento, CA
5/26/2011
Pros: The decor is fun. That's about it.
Cons: 1) The food is terrible (seriously, really not edible) and the management will not refund you if you complain. 2) The server was inattentive. It took multiple requests just to get water. 3) They have some guy in pirate costume running around pretending to be drunk and pushing their drinks - not appreciating the obnoxious encouragement to go all alcoholic, thanks.
Do not recommend. -
Review from Ashley S.
Silver Spring, MD
8/7/2010
Alright, since this is the highlighted part, I just want to say- I think that, as far as bars/taverns, etc. go, what you like really depends on the type of person you are--that said, I can't for the life of me fathom why this place as gotten such a bad wrap, because, for my friends and I, at least, it was just fantastic.
You don't go to the Piratz Tavern for the club scene- or for one of those hip, hot, sleek places with mini-skirts, sequined halters and martini's; shaken, not stirred.
It does have a nautical theme- but, number one, that's not entirely accurate, and number two, it's not shoved in your face, unlike a lot of 'folksy' or 'themed' places. The floors and bar of the back section are dark wood- the walls even have some wood paneling. And it's a 'small' space- you rub elbows with people, but you're not crowded in. It's hardly a space for a quiet table, so if you want to feel like you and whoever you're with are in your own little world, no outsiders allowed, you probably aren't going to like it here.
This is the only bar I've been to where you feel, at least at one point throughout the evening, as if you're all sitting at a huge table together- you're literally all friends there, and you Make friends there- you talk to people you've never met as if you've known them for more than a few minutes.
The drinks are great- this week, they paid homage to Discovery Channel's Shark Week, with a few pretty wonderful concoctions that, like all the drinks they serve, were very fairly priced, and were generous sizes, as well (one of the drinks for Shark Week was called 'The Great White Frozen', consisting of vanilla ice cream, strawberry syrup, and vodka- when it arrived it was HUGE- not to mention delicious).
The food is good, too- and made fresh to order, but kitchen closes at 11, so grab something before then, or you'll miss out (at least order the fries- they're more than worth it- only $2).
As far as entertainment goes, there's plenty available. Music plays constantly at the perfect background volume, and yes, there are a few belly dancers who gracefully travel around the galley-like dark wood table adjacent to the bar. The thing is, a lot of the entertainment- most of it, comes from the moment- it happens when the people around you do something or say something that gets the whole room laughing. The people there are comfortable with themselves and each other, which leaves no room for the snide, judgmental crowd that haunts a lot of the local joints.
Overall, the Piratz Tavern was utterly wonderful. With good food, tasty beverages, great people, and an atmosphere that is uniquely welcoming. How can it get any better than that?
It's a place I know I'll be visiting again and again, very soon. -
Review from Jason H.
Silver Spring, MD
8/2/2011
Steak on a stone is fantastic! "Do not lick the stone!" Scimitar fries are great. Other dishes are hit or miss. Love the ambiance and staff.
-
Review from Paul M.
10/26/2009
Soccerballgirl loved this place and now she wants Captain Jack Sparrow to come to her sixth birthday party . But if he can't make it our marvellous server Poppet - will do instead.
An absolutely brilliant night out with the kids - although Thing 1 and Thing 2 got a bit embarrassed after their grogged-up Dad started yelling " Ahoy me maties" at everyone.
The food is just OK - but the drinks are spectacular, and the happy hour specials amazing.
But you come here for the staff. The wait staff are all dressed up , they have a historian who tells you all sorts of pirate stories, and then a band who sing sea shanties for tips. They amp up the volume for Halloween. If you have a rowdy group, a bunch of kids, or want to stretch your wallet, I would totally recommend this place.
