Super lunch. Quality food and great presentation. Atmosphere excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
George Junca
Great restaurant in Chestertown, delicious food, creative cocktails, nice space and great
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Steve Condax
What an amazing dining experience! We recently celebrated our anniversary in Chestertown and the Watershed Alley was highly recommended. We certainly weren't disappointed! Our server was so nice and she made sure our experience was perfect.We had beef carpaccio and octopus for appetizers. The octopus was some of the best I've ever had- so tender! For dinner my wife had a strip steak and I tried the venison. They were both cooked to perfection and I don't think I've ever had venison that was as tender and tasty as this. We shared the brussel sprouts, and after trying them, I probably would have placed six more orders because they were so good.It was very busy, but it wasn't so loud that you couldn't hold a conversation. With that said, I would recommend making a reservation.Looking forward to making the trip back to Chestertown just so we can eat at the Watershed! Keep up the great work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Brussels Sprouts, 12 Oz Roseda NY Strip 40 Served with Maitre D’ Butter Cress and Choice of 1 Side Dish
Ted Wray
I've been here 3 times so far and all three times I've been blown away by the full experience. Amazing, delicious, highly creative and artful food utilizing a variety of proper local and seasonal ingredients to great advantage. Amazing service from staff who really care about you having a good time as a guest and are not only highly professional but also seem happy to be there! And perhaps most surprisingly, the pricing of such a high-level menu is kept very reasonable and accessible — much more affordable than any restaurant offering a remotely comparable experience in any nearby big-city dining scene. As someone who regularly seeks out fine-dining experiences everywhere I go, I can emphatically say (without blowing smoke) that Watershed is an absolute GEM not just of Chestertown but of the entire Mid-Atlantic region. For now, it's a "best kept secret" of a small town, but if they keep up what they're doing and continue to build upon it, I can easily see it becoming a destination in itself. Wouldn't be surprised if these guys earn a Michelin Star in the next few years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Breast, Crab Soup, Red Acres Bibb Salad, Shrimp and Grits
Jennifer Fugo
Enjoyed our meal last night tremendously! Lovely selection of wines from all over the world and beers (my husband was very pleased).We started our meal with the late-autumn salad (me) and the risotto style Farro (husband) ... Both excellent!For entrees we got the bison short ribs (husband) and the grilled salmon (well done) with the cauliflower side dish (me).And for dessert, we got the Nutella creme brulee and the bourbon poached pear with fig jam.Though I could try my husband's starter or entree because they had gluten in them, he loved both dishes. Mine were very good as well, even the salmon was very flavorful!The cornbread was an amazing treat since it's made in house and gluten free.Very attentive staff, busy kitchen making things fresh. Beautiful ambiance, but did get a bit noiser as more tables filled. We took a 5pm seating and were finished at around 645.We will absolutely return! Loved the seasonal ingredients and local foods from the Chesapeake watershed.UPDATE - We returned for brunch this past weekend and again, the food was excellent. I got the burrata salad (a delicious combo of flavors) and the eggs benedict (minus the English muffin since I'm gluten free). Absolutely yummy ? - 2 poached eggs with short rib meat with roasted potatoes and fresh hollandaise sauce ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My mom had the crab cake sandwich with fries which she said was one of the best crab cakes she's had in the area and loaded full of fresh crab.My husband got the burger and felt it was really stellar with a cheese that added lots of flavor along with perfectly cooked bacon.Dietary restrictions: Menu is well market what is gluten free or what could be made gluten free. Their house made cornbread is gluten free as well which is a really nice treat!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Anne Timmons
Had an absolutely outstanding experience. Food was fantastic and Sharon took exceptional care of us. Highly recommend!! And we will be back soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zeda Ruhl
You couldn't have had a nicer and more attentive Waiter than Donald. He tended to every detail without fault. He even informed me of the Festival that will be in town next weekend and gave me a brochure. I had the Artisanal Cheese Board to start, then my entree was the 10 oz. Grilled NY Strip Steak medium well, with Mac N’ Cheese, all cooked to perfection! In addition they were two pieces of yummy Cornbread.Donald also informed me that upstairs there is a Banquet Hall for special occasions. Good to know! I recommend this place!Vegetarian options: I wasn't concerning myself with vegetarian cruising. But there were several options for people who shy away from meat.Parking: The place is obviously popular (for good reason) so you'll want to get there early so you can get a good parking spot.Kid-friendliness: I didn't happen to see any children there at the time I went, but I don't see any reason why they couldn't/wouldn't enjoy a yummy meal there.Wheelchair accessibility: There was plenty of space between the tables to maneuver a wheelchair.
Excellent presentation of innovative, locally sourced food. A gem ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Crab Cake
Ron Milkowski
In town for a race. Very attentive staff. Food was fantastic. Great ambience. Not too loud. Easy to hold a conversation. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark Shannon ONeill
Watershed Alley in Chestertown, you say? That’s not “halfway” between Philly and Baltimore. Correct, it’s ‘equidistant’ and worth the drive. Met there for lunch today.When you check the menu online, the selection feels a little sparse. I was pleasantly surprised to find a card with the menu that featured five addition items not shown online.To start, we split the crab dip. Next time, rather than splitting it four ways, I suspect we’ll order four. It was that good. A little hint of heat to it and it stayed completely away from the crab seasoning that so many dips seem to tend toward.Soup was tomato & fennel poured around a caponata garnish. It was wonderful and the caponata had a hint of golden raisins. Quite unique. Soup, in my opinion, says a lot about the chef - in this case, quite complementary.The ladies enjoyed their crabcake sandwiches. When asked, “Among the best crabcakes I’ve ever had. Not much filler, and not much mayonnaise.” Makes me think I should have “borrowed” a fork-full.The guys ordered shrimp & grits. There’s no in between on this dish; you either get it right or it’s not. This was terrific. I will admit that I wished the shrimp had been sitting on a heftier portion of grits.The service was attentive & pleasant. And, on a Saturday afternoon, it was low key enough that we were comfortable lingering over a second coffee.Worth the drive to meet good friends for lunch. We look forward to our next visit.
The service was impressive, they opened the door for us with a big smile. The food from the salad to the entrees was phenomenal. The cornbread was as good as mine! And the lemon brulee was the perfect finish to a lovely meal. Thanks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Custard, Cornbread
patricia stabler
In town for the weekend and booked our dinner here . We arrived early and chose to sit at the bar tho they would have sat us , and enjoyed exquisite cocktails made by Sarah . Once seated the meal was top shelf from appetizer to dessert . My husband had the Spanish octopus that was so finely tuned in flavors and the preparation , amazing . I had the fried green tomato special that was amazing . My husband had the bison coulotte again cooked perfectly . I had the poussin , so tender ! The lemon brûlée was delicious , and the special peach dessert . Honestly from beginning to end a great experience . The chef came out to the table and we really enjoyed that ! Our server jennifer was great . Honestly one of the best fine dining experiences we have had . Worth the reservation !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Lutts
We arrived for happy hour and the owner had a 20 + min meeting with his staff 2 feet from our table, and the topic was ironically focused on how important customer service was. At the exact time while they completely ignored our table, did not serve our drinks and delayed ordering our meal. Staff was great but owner could actually practice what he was preaching., would have made for such a better dining experience if he at least apologized .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Robert Peacock
Very much enjoyed our lunch. Everything was just great. I apply two simple criteria. Would I go again? And would I recommend this place to others? YES and YES!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Watershed Angus Burger
Debbie Wheeler
Food was rather pricey, and portions were way too small. Also had a very limited menu selection. The crab dip was good. They were only offering seeded crackers with yhe dip. Waitress was kind enough to get me toasted bread strips to eat with it.
Super lunch. Quality food and great presentation. Atmosphere excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great restaurant in Chestertown, delicious food, creative cocktails, nice space and great
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
What an amazing dining experience! We recently celebrated our anniversary in Chestertown and the Watershed Alley was highly recommended. We certainly weren't disappointed! Our server was so nice and she made sure our experience was perfect.We had beef carpaccio and octopus for appetizers. The octopus was some of the best I've ever had- so tender! For dinner my wife had a strip steak and I tried the venison. They were both cooked to perfection and I don't think I've ever had venison that was as tender and tasty as this. We shared the brussel sprouts, and after trying them, I probably would have placed six more orders because they were so good.It was very busy, but it wasn't so loud that you couldn't hold a conversation. With that said, I would recommend making a reservation.Looking forward to making the trip back to Chestertown just so we can eat at the Watershed! Keep up the great work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Brussels Sprouts, 12 Oz Roseda NY Strip 40 Served with Maitre D’ Butter Cress and Choice of 1 Side Dish
I've been here 3 times so far and all three times I've been blown away by the full experience. Amazing, delicious, highly creative and artful food utilizing a variety of proper local and seasonal ingredients to great advantage. Amazing service from staff who really care about you having a good time as a guest and are not only highly professional but also seem happy to be there! And perhaps most surprisingly, the pricing of such a high-level menu is kept very reasonable and accessible — much more affordable than any restaurant offering a remotely comparable experience in any nearby big-city dining scene. As someone who regularly seeks out fine-dining experiences everywhere I go, I can emphatically say (without blowing smoke) that Watershed is an absolute GEM not just of Chestertown but of the entire Mid-Atlantic region. For now, it's a "best kept secret" of a small town, but if they keep up what they're doing and continue to build upon it, I can easily see it becoming a destination in itself. Wouldn't be surprised if these guys earn a Michelin Star in the next few years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Breast, Crab Soup, Red Acres Bibb Salad, Shrimp and Grits
Enjoyed our meal last night tremendously! Lovely selection of wines from all over the world and beers (my husband was very pleased).We started our meal with the late-autumn salad (me) and the risotto style Farro (husband) ... Both excellent!For entrees we got the bison short ribs (husband) and the grilled salmon (well done) with the cauliflower side dish (me).And for dessert, we got the Nutella creme brulee and the bourbon poached pear with fig jam.Though I could try my husband's starter or entree because they had gluten in them, he loved both dishes. Mine were very good as well, even the salmon was very flavorful!The cornbread was an amazing treat since it's made in house and gluten free.Very attentive staff, busy kitchen making things fresh. Beautiful ambiance, but did get a bit noiser as more tables filled. We took a 5pm seating and were finished at around 645.We will absolutely return! Loved the seasonal ingredients and local foods from the Chesapeake watershed.UPDATE - We returned for brunch this past weekend and again, the food was excellent. I got the burrata salad (a delicious combo of flavors) and the eggs benedict (minus the English muffin since I'm gluten free). Absolutely yummy ? - 2 poached eggs with short rib meat with roasted potatoes and fresh hollandaise sauce ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My mom had the crab cake sandwich with fries which she said was one of the best crab cakes she's had in the area and loaded full of fresh crab.My husband got the burger and felt it was really stellar with a cheese that added lots of flavor along with perfectly cooked bacon.Dietary restrictions: Menu is well market what is gluten free or what could be made gluten free. Their house made cornbread is gluten free as well which is a really nice treat!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Had an absolutely outstanding experience. Food was fantastic and Sharon took exceptional care of us. Highly recommend!! And we will be back soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
You couldn't have had a nicer and more attentive Waiter than Donald. He tended to every detail without fault. He even informed me of the Festival that will be in town next weekend and gave me a brochure. I had the Artisanal Cheese Board to start, then my entree was the 10 oz. Grilled NY Strip Steak medium well, with Mac N’ Cheese, all cooked to perfection! In addition they were two pieces of yummy Cornbread.Donald also informed me that upstairs there is a Banquet Hall for special occasions. Good to know! I recommend this place!Vegetarian options: I wasn't concerning myself with vegetarian cruising. But there were several options for people who shy away from meat.Parking: The place is obviously popular (for good reason) so you'll want to get there early so you can get a good parking spot.Kid-friendliness: I didn't happen to see any children there at the time I went, but I don't see any reason why they couldn't/wouldn't enjoy a yummy meal there.Wheelchair accessibility: There was plenty of space between the tables to maneuver a wheelchair.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Custard, Chocolate Praline Torte, Broccolini, Watershed Angus Burger, Cornbread, Cod Loin
Excellent presentation of innovative, locally sourced food. A gem ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread, Crab Cake
In town for a race. Very attentive staff. Food was fantastic. Great ambience. Not too loud. Easy to hold a conversation. Highly recommended.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Watershed Alley in Chestertown, you say? That’s not “halfway” between Philly and Baltimore. Correct, it’s ‘equidistant’ and worth the drive. Met there for lunch today.When you check the menu online, the selection feels a little sparse. I was pleasantly surprised to find a card with the menu that featured five addition items not shown online.To start, we split the crab dip. Next time, rather than splitting it four ways, I suspect we’ll order four. It was that good. A little hint of heat to it and it stayed completely away from the crab seasoning that so many dips seem to tend toward.Soup was tomato & fennel poured around a caponata garnish. It was wonderful and the caponata had a hint of golden raisins. Quite unique. Soup, in my opinion, says a lot about the chef - in this case, quite complementary.The ladies enjoyed their crabcake sandwiches. When asked, “Among the best crabcakes I’ve ever had. Not much filler, and not much mayonnaise.” Makes me think I should have “borrowed” a fork-full.The guys ordered shrimp & grits. There’s no in between on this dish; you either get it right or it’s not. This was terrific. I will admit that I wished the shrimp had been sitting on a heftier portion of grits.The service was attentive & pleasant. And, on a Saturday afternoon, it was low key enough that we were comfortable lingering over a second coffee.Worth the drive to meet good friends for lunch. We look forward to our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Cake, Shrimp and Grits
Restaurantji Recommends
The service was impressive, they opened the door for us with a big smile. The food from the salad to the entrees was phenomenal. The cornbread was as good as mine! And the lemon brulee was the perfect finish to a lovely meal. Thanks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Custard, Cornbread
In town for the weekend and booked our dinner here . We arrived early and chose to sit at the bar tho they would have sat us , and enjoyed exquisite cocktails made by Sarah . Once seated the meal was top shelf from appetizer to dessert . My husband had the Spanish octopus that was so finely tuned in flavors and the preparation , amazing . I had the fried green tomato special that was amazing . My husband had the bison coulotte again cooked perfectly . I had the poussin , so tender ! The lemon brûlée was delicious , and the special peach dessert . Honestly from beginning to end a great experience . The chef came out to the table and we really enjoyed that ! Our server jennifer was great . Honestly one of the best fine dining experiences we have had . Worth the reservation !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We arrived for happy hour and the owner had a 20 + min meeting with his staff 2 feet from our table, and the topic was ironically focused on how important customer service was. At the exact time while they completely ignored our table, did not serve our drinks and delayed ordering our meal. Staff was great but owner could actually practice what he was preaching., would have made for such a better dining experience if he at least apologized .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Very much enjoyed our lunch. Everything was just great. I apply two simple criteria. Would I go again? And would I recommend this place to others? YES and YES!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Watershed Angus Burger
Food was rather pricey, and portions were way too small. Also had a very limited menu selection. The crab dip was good. They were only offering seeded crackers with yhe dip. Waitress was kind enough to get me toasted bread strips to eat with it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5