This restaurant is absolutely beautiful—great vibe, tasteful décor, cozy yet elegant at the same time. The food has been consistently excellent every visit: the burgers, wings, shrimp, and tuna tartare have all been delicious, with generous portions and very reasonable prices. We’ve been four times, and the kitchen truly delivers every time.
Unfortunately, the service—especially from the bar—has been a major letdown. While the waitstaff is very friendly and clearly puts drink orders in quickly, the wait for beverages is consistently and inexplicably slow, even when the restaurant is not busy. The main issue appears to be at the bar, where the bartender in charge is often distracted by chatting and socializing with staff and friends at the bar, causing table drink orders to be forgotten or severely delayed. There also seems to be little to no supervision on the floor. It’s frustrating because everything else about this place has so much potential. With better management and focus at the bar, this could easily be a top-notch spot.
Update January 31st, 2026
My frustration comes from how my reservations have been handled. Three times in less than a year, reservations I made were canceled, leaving me unable to dine as planned.
On two occasions, the restaurant called in advance to cancel because of private events, which I appreciated, but since it has happened twice, it seems to be a recurring issue. Most recently, my reservation was confirmed, yet when I arrived the restaurant was closed with a “Temporarily Closed” sign on the door, and I later even received a message asking about a dining experience I never had.
I hope they improve how reservations are managed and better communicate closures or private events so customers can plan with confidence.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 1
LadyB McKinnis
First time visiting. The service was average. If the tip wasn't automatically added in the bill. I would've given a little less. The brunch buffet selections were tasty, so were the mixed drinks. The atmosphere was warm and cozy on a snowy day. I would visit again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Donna Ray
We had reservations here on Sunday for our Annual Ushers Christmas gathering. When we arrived they had seating for us next to the entrance, and the inside was colder than it was outside, they stated that the person that lights the fireplace wasn't in yet. We waited for a while, we even asked if they could seat us somewhere else as it would still be cold with the door being opened constantly. So we made a conscious decision to go elsewhere. We were very disappointed with the service.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Tatiana Ignatenko
Great idea for a holiday brunch, but unfortunately very disappointing for the price of the buffet. The food was cold, overcooked, and lacked flavor. Service was practically nonexistent — I waited over 15 minutes just to get a cup of coffee. The tip was already included; otherwise, I wouldn’t have left one. The location itself is very nice, but the food quality and service definitely need improvement
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Jason Wynkoop
Great spot to grab food or enjoy a drink.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
VICTORIA CUNNINGHAM
Service wasn't the greatest because the waitress was slower than expected and we got our food and had to wait about 8 minutes for our beverage order to be taken. Besides that excellent outing. Inside and outside dining options, the brunch food was awesome, everything was fresh and there was always a chef available to make your omelet and answer any questions. Will definitely return for another brunch experience. No pictures too busy dining
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sher Nell
So, we came to Tidewater Grill in the Potomac Shores Golf Club for an Island Vibes event, which wasn't what we expected BUT a good vibe.
The location by itself is green, serene, and beautiful i.e. a nice backdrop for photos. The music selection and the food was very befitting to the theme of the event.
My friend had the jerk wings which were absolutely delicious (I should have definitely gotten these). I got the mango habenera wings and another flavor, which wasn't as tasty. The sauce, by itself, for each flavor was fairly good, however, beyond the sauce of the wings (the meat), needed a little bit more marinating/seasoning for the wings to be a complete hit, in my opinion.
As it pertained to service, our waiter was very delayed. Often times, we had to get another waiter to get her, which was a tad annoying.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
Lisa P
The view and patio are nice we love to bring our fur baby so that’s always a plus for outdoor dinning. The congealed was good, for $18 dollars I would have expected at least 6 oz of chicken this was maybe 2 oz of chicken. Salad was still good. Husband had the fish and chips the first one was still almost still frozen inside but they corrected the problem right away and brought us a new fish and chips nice and hot. Maybe say well done, the tartar sauce and fries were good. The dog enjoyed some chicken with a side of egg. I would come back only because they outdoor seating is nice and they brought the fur baby some water. The service is really slow, it was pretty empty and the service was still slow. They weee very friendly but just slow. LOL. The bathrooms are awful. The toilet paper holders are broken off and people have torn the wallpaper off the wall and made it look really bad. Unfortunately.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Laura
Honestly, was a terrible dining experience. We sat down only to wait 20 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer either buffet or small bites, which they didn't give us a menu until prompted. The food was good, except a lot of the buffet ran out and some of the options that should've been warm were cold. There was mandatory gratuity despite only be handed waters from our waiter after two reminders as we sat with no drinks and our plates. Will not be back and was really disappointed overall.
Steven Tindall
I arrived for a late lunch around 1pm and the food selection was still very good. The omelets and waffles were made fresh and skillfully. The service was excellent by being attentive but not hovering and every staff member was very welcoming even though it was my first time there. I'll be going back more now that I've found the place.
Yesterday was my first time at this restaurant. We went for the Caribbean Vibes themed buffet. The food was really good. I enjoyed the oxtail, the paella and ceviche. The price wasn't bad for the authenticity and quality of the Caribbean dishes. I didnt care too much for the drinks though, they were watered down. There was also a live band that played Reggae and Soca. A 20% tip is automatically added to the bill, which I don't mind, but I feel like this should be advertised before hand.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Julie Mitchell
What a gorgeous place for brunch. Inside or outside the view is great. Brunch was a buffet so there was a decent selection but the food was a little cold. Parking was awful. Service was alright. I'd give it a second chance but the experience was not worth $40 a person.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Happy With Myself
My husband took me here for my birthday and everything was great! We had brunch and the food was delicious. Our waitress (I forgot the young lady’s name) was awesome. Definitely will be coming back. Thanks to the staff for singing happy birthday to me🫶🏽.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ray Feltham
A/C has been out for weeks, why! The poor staff. We left way early from Thursday's live music which was awesome BTW. The heat was unbearable. Couldn't stand to order dinner due to crazy heat. General Management is second rate.
Chris Evans
horrible server and staff. makes sense coming from woodbridge and who they hire though. one day we will get quality in this county.
This restaurant is absolutely beautiful—great vibe, tasteful décor, cozy yet elegant at the same time. The food has been consistently excellent every visit: the burgers, wings, shrimp, and tuna tartare have all been delicious, with generous portions and very reasonable prices. We’ve been four times, and the kitchen truly delivers every time.
Unfortunately, the service—especially from the bar—has been a major letdown. While the waitstaff is very friendly and clearly puts drink orders in quickly, the wait for beverages is consistently and inexplicably slow, even when the restaurant is not busy. The main issue appears to be at the bar, where the bartender in charge is often distracted by chatting and socializing with staff and friends at the bar, causing table drink orders to be forgotten or severely delayed. There also seems to be little to no supervision on the floor. It’s frustrating because everything else about this place has so much potential. With better management and focus at the bar, this could easily be a top-notch spot.
Update January 31st, 2026
My frustration comes from how my reservations have been handled. Three times in less than a year, reservations I made were canceled, leaving me unable to dine as planned.
On two occasions, the restaurant called in advance to cancel because of private events, which I appreciated, but since it has happened twice, it seems to be a recurring issue. Most recently, my reservation was confirmed, yet when I arrived the restaurant was closed with a “Temporarily Closed” sign on the door, and I later even received a message asking about a dining experience I never had.
I hope they improve how reservations are managed and better communicate closures or private events so customers can plan with confidence.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 1
First time visiting. The service was average. If the tip wasn't automatically added in the bill. I would've given a little less. The brunch buffet selections were tasty, so were the mixed drinks. The atmosphere was warm and cozy on a snowy day. I would visit again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
We had reservations here on Sunday for our Annual Ushers Christmas gathering. When we arrived they had seating for us next to the entrance, and the inside was colder than it was outside, they stated that the person that lights the fireplace wasn't in yet. We waited for a while, we even asked if they could seat us somewhere else as it would still be cold with the door being opened constantly. So we made a conscious decision to go elsewhere. We were very disappointed with the service.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Great idea for a holiday brunch, but unfortunately very disappointing for the price of the buffet. The food was cold, overcooked, and lacked flavor. Service was practically nonexistent — I waited over 15 minutes just to get a cup of coffee. The tip was already included; otherwise, I wouldn’t have left one. The location itself is very nice, but the food quality and service definitely need improvement
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Great spot to grab food or enjoy a drink.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service wasn't the greatest because the waitress was slower than expected and we got our food and had to wait about 8 minutes for our beverage order to be taken. Besides that excellent outing.
Inside and outside dining options, the brunch food was awesome, everything was fresh and there was always a chef available to make your omelet and answer any questions.
Will definitely return for another brunch experience. No pictures too busy dining
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So, we came to Tidewater Grill in the Potomac Shores Golf Club for an Island Vibes event, which wasn't what we expected BUT a good vibe.
The location by itself is green, serene, and beautiful i.e. a nice backdrop for photos. The music selection and the food was very befitting to the theme of the event.
My friend had the jerk wings which were absolutely delicious (I should have definitely gotten these). I got the mango habenera wings and another flavor, which wasn't as tasty. The sauce, by itself, for each flavor was fairly good, however, beyond the sauce of the wings (the meat), needed a little bit more marinating/seasoning for the wings to be a complete hit, in my opinion.
As it pertained to service, our waiter was very delayed. Often times, we had to get another waiter to get her, which was a tad annoying.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
The view and patio are nice we love to bring our fur baby so that’s always a plus for outdoor dinning. The congealed was good, for $18 dollars I would have expected at least 6 oz of chicken this was maybe 2 oz of chicken. Salad was still good. Husband had the fish and chips the first one was still almost still frozen inside but they corrected the problem right away and brought us a new fish and chips nice and hot. Maybe say well done, the tartar sauce and fries were good. The dog enjoyed some chicken with a side of egg. I would come back only because they outdoor seating is nice and they brought the fur baby some water. The service is really slow, it was pretty empty and the service was still slow. They weee very friendly but just slow. LOL. The bathrooms are awful. The toilet paper holders are broken off and people have torn the wallpaper off the wall and made it look really bad. Unfortunately.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
Honestly, was a terrible dining experience. We sat down only to wait 20 minutes for a waiter to come by and offer either buffet or small bites, which they didn't give us a menu until prompted. The food was good, except a lot of the buffet ran out and some of the options that should've been warm were cold. There was mandatory gratuity despite only be handed waters from our waiter after two reminders as we sat with no drinks and our plates. Will not be back and was really disappointed overall.
I arrived for a late lunch around 1pm and the food selection was still very good. The omelets and waffles were made fresh and skillfully. The service was excellent by being attentive but not hovering and every staff member was very welcoming even though it was my first time there. I'll be going back more now that I've found the place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Yesterday was my first time at this restaurant. We went for the Caribbean Vibes themed buffet. The food was really good. I enjoyed the oxtail, the paella and ceviche. The price wasn't bad for the authenticity and quality of the Caribbean dishes. I didnt care too much for the drinks though, they were watered down. There was also a live band that played Reggae and Soca. A 20% tip is automatically added to the bill, which I don't mind, but I feel like this should be advertised before hand.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
What a gorgeous place for brunch.
Inside or outside the view is great.
Brunch was a buffet so there was a decent selection but the food was a little cold.
Parking was awful. Service was alright.
I'd give it a second chance but the experience was not worth $40 a person.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
My husband took me here for my birthday and everything was great! We had brunch and the food was delicious.
Our waitress (I forgot the young lady’s name) was awesome.
Definitely will be coming back.
Thanks to the staff for singing happy birthday to me🫶🏽.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A/C has been out for weeks, why! The poor staff. We left way early from Thursday's live music which was awesome BTW. The heat was unbearable. Couldn't stand to order dinner due to crazy heat. General Management is second rate.
horrible server and staff. makes sense coming from woodbridge and who they hire though. one day we will get quality in this county.
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