Where Laurel Eats

Fifty Laurelites voted for their favorite area restaurants in our recent survey.

Winners
Silver Diner and Something Special Coffee Shop are the hot spots in the morning. Don Pablos is our favorite place for Tex-Mex. Almost 3 out of 5 people list Pasta Plus as the winner for red sauce and wine. Bay & Surf lands the fish prize and Outback lassos the red meat ribbon.

Mandarin House is by far the best place for Asian food with 70% of the votes. And we voted Oliver's Main Street Saloon as our favorite watering hole for drinks after work. (see below for other suggestions).

Click here for the detailed survey results.

Below are write-in results for your favorite after work spots and top overall restaurant recomendations.

It's been a tough day at work. You decide to meet your friends for a couple of drinks and appetizers. Your favorite after work place in Laurel is:
1. Rams Head
2. Wild Buffalo
3. We avoid drinks and appetizers.
4. I haven't done that in 20 years!
5. Tampico's
6. Red Hot & Blue should be on this list!
7. Under Rt. 1 bridge
8. Red Hot & Blue
9. Nuzbacks

Everyone has a favorite place and a favorite meal.
When a friend or neighbor asks you for suggestions, where do you send them?
What is your all time best meal at a restaurant in Laurel.
1. Red Sky
2. c j ferrari's
3. Pasta Plus
4. Oliver's
5. Pasta Plus
6. Without any question, Pasta Plus has been the scene for our favorite meals in Laurel.
7. Tag's. It's no longer there. Had a geat chicken livers and pasta.
8. Red, Hot and Blue
9. I really enjoy Pasta Nostra - very family-friendly, as well as Shish Kabob. 5 guys in a nice addition - they've had a cult-like following in Northern Virginia. Trapeze, in Fulton near 216 and 29 is like a downtown restaurant right next door!
10. Oliver's and Red Hot Blue
11. Pasta Plus, always a good meal from a Chicken Dish to a Meatball Sub or White Pizza.
12. Pollo al Pesto, Pastra Nostra (you gotta love pesto, though!)
13. Wild Buffalo grill on wendsday nights. Chiken wings for $.20 each. They have hot, barbecue, honey barbecue, old bay, fried, very hot, etc...
14. We are still looking and longing for nourishing, heart-healthy, appetizing meals in Laurel. We prefer two Ethiopian places in Silver Spring: Addis Ababba and Langanos. We've had a few decent meals at India Gate. We like some of the fish specials and the seafood salad at Pasta Plus. We would love to get more green and other vegetables (unsauced/unbuttered) anywhere.
15. Our family is always looking for healthy, cheap food. I think that the best restaurants in Laurel are Pasta Plus, Mango's Grill and Chung King (love that Mongolian Buffet!) but we don't go there often because they are on the expensive side. For good cheap food we usually end up at Chipotle or at Ruby Tuesday for the soup and salad combo.
16. Pasta Plus! Is there any other place for a high quality meal with good service on a consistent basis for a reasonable price?
17. Longhorn peppered steak salad Bay N Surf - cream of crab soup with any entree
18. Mandarin House - special request entree - Roast pork Fried Rice, extra dark, no peas and carrots, extra bean sprouts. This is in the old-fashioned,"Boston-style" Cantonese manner - not usually available south of Boston, MA - but Mandarin House will do anything to please their customers. Anything on the menu is above average.
19. I love fajita night at Don Pablos.
20. We LOVE pasta plus!
21. Anything from Famous Dave's that has Devil's Spit on it! YeeHaah!
22. The Mango Grill for their grilled salmon with mango sauce
23. 3 brothers, I love veg.boat with a salad
24. Red Hot & Blue. If it's a light day: chicken Caesar salad and bread. If it feels like a good afternoon for angina: memphis drummies, fries, and a coke with a cherry. Ask for the magician.
25. pasta plus
26. Rams Head Fish & Chips
27. Red, Hot and Blue
28. 5 Guys burgers & fries
29. Stuffed flounder at Bay & Surf
30. We've had several memorable meals at India Gate and it's always high on my recommended list. Recently, we've had neighbors, who are Indian, tell us that Sapphire, on Route 197, is even better. We haven't checked it out yet, but its definitely on the list!
31. I always send them to Mango. They have great seafood, steaks and pupusas. My favorite meal is the Carne Asada with extra grilled onions and a side of guacamole.
32. Oliver's Coconut shrimp
33. Famous Dave's ribs (and a side sausage link). I still haven't forgiven them for taking that sausage off the menu as a main dish.
34. I send others to Pasta Plus. But my favorite is a cheesseburger, fries and chocolate shake at Big T on Route one.
35. Creamed chip beef on a biscuit, with home fries, large orange juice, and hot coffee at Silver Diner. Jane has left Silver Diner now, but she was the best waitress in Maryland. Many great mornings with Jane, hot breakfast and a newspaper at the diner.