Chris B.'s Profile

Lackluster pasta dishes- my 'Rainbow Chicken' dish felt mediocre- my wife's 'Italian Flag' was not any better.  Perhaps we have just had better pesto.

The service was fine, as well as the atmosphere- but those are typically secondary considerations to the actual food.  'Right sized' portions give you enough- don't expect a gigantic plate, or that you will have much in the way of leftovers to take home.

The breakfast burrito was solid; the finishing touch of having the whole burrito thrown on the grill really completed a nice dish.

The sweet tea was on point, and and my son's pancakes were also good.

Speaking of, certainly family friendly- my son enjoyed all of the firefighter memorabilia.

Not that busy mid-afternoon on a Saturday; I was really happy with my 'Wellington' burger.  The toppings really complimented the burger, particularly the mojo sauce.

Sweet potato fries were pretty strong too; my sweet tooth missed a side of honey mustard, but alone they were strong.

Had I ordered The Greek, I would have been disappointed; my wife's medium-rare Greek was a bit tough, and not really worth a second try.  (That beat Bobby Flay??)

Perfect if you are looking for a kid-friendly burger joint with different options, and you don't have the time/energy for other DC area burger destinations.  Disappointing if you want a spotless table.

Had the Blue Bayou Burger- great and needed no additions.  Originally I was not blown away by the fries, but they grew on me- pretty solid.  I would pass on the bbq-ranch beans- good idea, but the execution seemed closer to bbq sauce soup.

Easily carted our young child in on a Friday evening and had no problems finding a table.

Biggest Disappointment?  The dirty tables.  There was no shortage of places for us to sit down, but actually finding a clean table was a more difficult chore- despite the lack of a big crowd keeping the employees otherwise occupied.

On an early Saturday afternoon the line was not long, and my food came quickly.  Ordered the B.I.G. Poppa (Au Poivre Burger With Black Peppercorn Crust, Aged Danish Bleu Cheese, Cognac & Sherry Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Red Onions), Sweet Potato Fries, and Root Beer.

Burger was great!  I did not have to wait long for the generous-sized burger to show up open-faced on my table.  I ignored the condiments and dug right in, and had no regrets.  The mushrooms, cheese, and pepper are a great flavor on the burger.

Fries were fine.  Would pass on the root beer (the paper cup ruined it for me).

Italian Grinder = Good.  I have been a fan of Rudino's for the past decade, and this location does not disappoint.  If you are coming for a sub (i.e. Grinder), you get two choices- a big 9 inch sub, or an even bigger 18 double.  

My choice?  The Italian Grinder.  A big, healthy sandwich, with the right amount of toppings toasted to near-perfection.  The Italian is served with the standard meats, although the pizza-style sausage bites seem to be a unique twist on the sub.  The biggest ingredient that sets this Italian sandwich apart?  I think it is the mayo- warmed up on the toasted sandwich, it blends perfectly with the meats, melted cheese and toppings.  

In the past, their pizza buffet has been passable- not good, not great, but fine.  As for the rest of menu, I can't really say.  I go here for the Italian, and it keeps me coming back.  

The atmosphere is middling at best; two tvs on opposite walls typically seem to have sports on whenever I stop by.  Of course, I don't come for the white linens, and a grinder with the game on is guy heaven.

In my experience, folks can run either hot or cold on Rudinos- I, like my friends, are big fans.  Our wives?  Not so much.

At the end of the day, I will go out of my way to get a Grinder from here- they are always a tasty reprieve from the subs you might get at the big chains.

First of all, if you are a cake fan, this is worth the trip.  They typically have around 5-10 cakes of various flavors out front, waiting to be sliced and enjoyed.  The portions are pretty generous, and never leave me wanting.  Beyond cake, you can get smaller treats like cupcakes or cookies, or choose from their rotating yogurt & ice cream selections.  

Although I have tried a good number of their cake flavors, I go out of my way to get to Maxie B's for their Oreo cake.  Helpful tip- if you don't see the cake you want out front, ask if they have any in the back in storage.

My first experience with Maxie B's was choosing the style and flavors for our wedding cake- the staff was very helpful, and turned web photographs of the style we liked into reality (a tasty & attractive reality at that.)  We ultimately had two different flavors on the various layers of our cake- Carrot Cake, and Oreo/Cookies and Cream.  Both were top notch.

I have wondered if Maxie B's would do better to expand into a cake/coffee/desert hangout, but it looks like they are doing well for themselves as it is- and why mess with a good thing.  As long as they are around and serving up tasty slices of their Oreo cake I will be happy.

Food = Good.  I ordered the Good Stuff Melt, Village Fries, and Toasted Marshmellow milkshake- about $15 before tax.  I was happy with all three.

Before taking a sip (or a bite), my first impression was that the portions were a bit small- especially considering that I just paid $15 for a burger, fries & milkshake.  The flavors, however, made up for the price.  You don't come here for a cheap big mac & bland shake- you come here for good, interesting takes on fast food staples.  The marshmellow milkshake had a fun flavor that seemed refined, and not  as childish as one might think.  The toppings on the burger really brought home the main dish- for me, the melt is worth ordering again. (but not quite good enough to make me forget about trying the other varities).  Finally the village fries had a healthy amount of seasoning, and complemented the meal well.

On a Friday night, Good Stuff Eatery seemed to be doing brisk business; I did not have to wait to order, and my food only took a few minutes.  Parking was not super easy, but pretty manageable with a bit of patience.

Pretzel Buns = Good.  Skippy's hot dogs on their non-traditional are a home run.  

First off, the pretzel buns are tops.  The dogs are sliced down the middle, which ends up working pretty well.  Finally, the toppings.  Sure, you can get cheese, chili, and the usual.  But the specific dog styles are the way to go.  Whether its all the way, Chicago style, or the Reuben Dog, each provides a different flavor- all of which are tasty.  Each dog will set you back about $3.  

If you plan to eat inside, go early for lunch because Skippy's fills up pretty quickly, and seating is limited.  You might have to wait a few minutes for your order, but the food is worth your time.