Good Bye Sassafras--This lounge had great potential & although small, it was cute. Â Limited menu options (small plate), live music, but big on ambiance. The bathroom was subpar- like an afterthought. Before closing, my coworkers & I would go after work because it was close to my job. However, mgmt failed to anticipate the overall changing needs of their customers and they started letting any old band perform which diminished the experience.
Review Source:This place started off nice. Then as time progressed it turned awful. When the furniture started breaking down they put the patio furniture in the main dining room.
The food was very good but overpriced. One day the kitchen had a fire and they were serving a Buffett with random food from the surrounding carryouts.
I did a live painting there and the owner "bought" the painting and still hasn't given me my $300.
The place had so much potential but was poorly managed and run.
I have been to this place a couple of times, and have had completely different experiences both times. That is the first issue I have with this place...I think good service/business is consistent, not by chance or due to circumstance. The first time involved drinks and a god crowd, which is why I had such a great time. It was a Friday (happy Hour), hot, food was good, waiter great, music grooving, I thoroughly enjoyed the night, which is why I came back a second time. Unfortunately, it was the second visit that brought clarity...this place is lame! Saturday night, bad waiter service, rude management, really bad drinks, an iPod for music (which someone kept skipping songs or playing half the song). I will never go back to this place again! My party was there for drinks, which one guy didn't drink so he was having soda...after his second refill, the waiter told him "this is going to be your last"...just RUDE! I guess we weren't spending enough in the place on drinks (keep in mind we were here for maybe 30mins) because I noticed our waiter talking to the bouncer and referencing my group. I put two and two together and figured they were going to put us out or something so I gathered my group and we left. Is this place that hard of for cash that they are willing to bully people out of the place who have spent money and trying to enjoy the atmosphere, just too possibly get a customer who wasn't there! They won't survive as a place... because instead of bringing new and original, they are trying to keep up with their competition and quickly losing their way.
Review Source:I ask for a top shelf drink (Glenfiddich) on the rocks and received a short shot with no ice IN A CHEAP PLASTIC CUP. Really!!? I admit this place, though small, has a well thought out decor. Â Minor details like this are what make the difference between a first class experience and one marred by having to use some cheap eating/drinking utensils.
Review Source:I'm not sure what good food or service many of you were talking about. The service was sub-par and the food was the worst. Couple that with a pretentious layout; big on ideas but little on space and a manager who just would not listen to customers and mismanagement....what you get is a closed restaurant.
Review Source:I have been here twice, since my first review. Â The first of those two times was great. Â The music and the crowd were good, and the food and drinks were just how I remembered. Â
This last time, however, wasn't the best experience. Â We got there pretty early, so it wasn't crowded at all. Â We got a table, and it took a while for someone to serve us. Â Three people came to our table to say someone was coming, and finally he came. Come to find out, he was the ONLY waiter working. Â A few times, I noticed the bartender leave the bar to take orders because so many people were being seated and not being assisted. Â This time, we tried the wings, the turkey burgers and the ceasar salad. Â The wings tasted like the frozen ones in the bag. Â They wouldn't have been so bad if they actually cooked them long enough to not taste like frozen wings. Â The bbq sauce was good though, so that helped...a little. Â The turkey burgers were heavily seasoned, but decent. Â The fries were good too. Â The ceasar salad was just okay. Â
While we were eating, some friends called and said they would be joining us. We asked our waiter if we could move to a larger table (a booth), and he said it was cool. Â So as we're sitting down, this woman comes over and asks us who told us we can move. We explained the situation, but then she went on about they don't normally seat people until the entire party was there. Â Again, we explained that we were already seated at another table, but need more space for the other people. Â So then she tried to say we could've stayed where we were, and there was more than enough room. Â I'm pretty sure a table for 2.5 isn't big enough for 4-5 people, but maybe it's just me. Â And to be clear, there was NO ONE else waiting for a table, so it's not like they were losing business because we were sitting at that one table, still eating and ordering drinks (i.e. still paying!). Â After about 15 minutes, this woman comes back over and says something about our party not being there yet. Â At this point I'm getting annoyed, but whatever. Â I think she said she was the owner. Â She goes on to mention the Friday night crowd is usually young, she really doesn't like the music they play in there and if she had her way they'd be playing opera or something crazy, and she's normally in the back, and blah, blah, blah. Â First, let me say the music sucked Friday. Â It went from Jeffrey Osborne, to 2 Chainz, to Mary J. Blige, to Fresh Prince. Â Okay, maybe not those songs exactly, but you get what I'm saying. Â I wasn't sure if I should be on a date, in a night club, or going to sleep. Â
Our guests finally arrived, and we ordered more food and drink. So about 15 minutes later, the owner comes over AGAIN, with a fake smile, and announces that our party is finally here. Â Glad she noticed...
After this last experience, I don't know when I will be back. Â I can't believe we were harassed about sitting at a table no one was waiting for. Â I was really hoping not to add this to the list of places in PG County that I will not be visiting, but that lady just rubbed me the wrong way. Â I may give them another shot in the future, but not the near future.
And please, please do something with those gas station bathrooms. Â I make sure I go before I get there, and wait til I get home to go again. Â Ugh!
Food was good but not exceptional. Music was nice but a tad bit loud for table conversation and with no dance floor it could have been softer. Waitress was friendly after she arrived but it was a few minutes before I knew I had a waitress. Nice spot for happy hour or just some drinks and light fare. I would go back
Review Source:I came across this spot last week and I must say it was pretty nice. I had some wings and a few drinks. My bartender was Jennifer and she was on point. Her service was excellent and I will definitely stop back in. I always support Excellent Service so I suggest you ask for Jennifer and try the vodka margarita
Review Source:Stopped by on a Saturday afternoon for dinner (7pm-10pm). Â Ran into some friends so decided to have a few drinks as well.
The bad: Have a lot of small plate options, not so many entrees. Â Also they don't have all the ingredients for the specialty drink menu. Â Tried buying three different drinks. Â Also while the bar area is large for standing around, getting a bar seat is very difficult.
The Good: Very friendly bartenders/ staff. Calvin and Jennifer were a blast. Â They helped a lot with selecting good menu options and made GREAT drinks. Â Tell Calvin what you like and he will make a custom creation (and you will want another). Â As far as food, the catfish tenders were great and the wings weren't too bad either. Â Decor was nice and crowd started to pick up as we left because they have live music.
Overall: If you want to grab a drink with your friends kick back and relax this is a good place to go in Prince Georges. Â You'll become a regular due to the bartenders and the atmosphere.
Nice spot to meet  friends for a drink and some small plate appetizers after work. This is not a cheap night if you want to eat and drink with a group of 4 people. The bill will easily top about $200 with mixed drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts with tip, but a good time nonetheless. Prepare for large crowds Thursdays and Fridays. A few large TVs at the bar that seats about 10 people with a friendly barkeep.
There was great live music on a Saturday night with a lively fun crowd.
Clean and nice interior.
I have visited this spot twice within the past month.The first time, the crowd was nice however most of the menu selections (beef short ribs) were "sold out." Â I re-visited the spot tonight around midnight, was seated, and provided with menus by the hostess. Once our waiter arrived 15 minutes later, I ordered the calamari and the beef short ribs. Our waiter gave us a look before telling us that the kitchen was actually closed. Huh? Sooo Why were we provided with menus?
After going back into the kitchen to check with staff, we were allowed to place orders. I was excited to finally order the beef short ribs. The excitement was short lived rather as I was once again told, the short ribs were "sold out." Okay, so an order of calamari and firecracker shrimp would do. The calamari came out and it looked as though it was halfway gone. When asked the waiter about the small portion, we were told "maybe that's all they had in the back because the kitchen is actually closed." Absolutely not! The owner came to the table and was not warm at all. He explained that the food was pre-portioned and it could not have been a lil bit of food. He walked away from the table and  never returned. To make it worst, he left the item on the bill. This place is thee worst in customer service/satisfaction. I give this place a few more months before its closed for good.
I forgot to mention, the fried shrimp with firecracker sauce for $11 was actually 5 lil pieces of shrimp on a bed of lettuce. Not worth the price but after dealing with the owner, it was not worth the fuss. After paying the bill, one thing was for  certain, I would never patronize this business in the future. Wont be recommending the spot to anyone and its unfortunate because small successful black restaurants are few and far between in the Bowie area.
I was tempted to give this place 2 stars, but it has great potential to stick around and be a successful business in the African-American community.
Pros: Â First let me say the music in this spot is amazing. Â Exactly what I love..R&B music. Â Musiq, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu just to name a few. Â It kept me busy during the longggg wait for service. Â The food was pretty good...once we got our order taken. Â The decor was pretty nice. Â Nice grown crowd and a good alternative to the DC club/lounge scene. Â I ordered the chicken sliders with a side house salad, and a glass of Red Blend wine. Â Pretty good. Â My friend said the Reisling (not sure which kind - they had 3) was one of the best she'd ever tasted. If I go back, I think I'll order the crab cake sliders. Â The couple next to us had wings which looked amazing.
Cons:
The service is not good. Â
The bathroom needs a major facelift.
Again, the service is not good. Â It was worth me saying twice.
Menu. Â It was not clearly written that the meat add-ons in the salad (Salmon, chicken etc) was just that...an added cost. Â My friend ordered the salmon caesar salad, which appeared to only cost $10. Â We both were thinking that was a great price. Â However, when the bill came it was an extra $10 added onto the price of the salad which was about $7-8. Â The key word missing on the menu was "Add". Â She said the salad was good, probably not worth $17-18, so order at your own risk!
It took forever just to get a waiter to take our drink order. Â 2 of us arrived together and a 3rd was joining us (which we mentioned when we walked in the door), however we only got one menu and the hostess said she would be right back with another menu..which we never received. Â We also asked the waiter for knives once our food came...again which we never received. Â
But given the food and music, this place has such great potential to be around for a long time. Â However, they may run out a few customers such as myself due to the poor service.
Not at all what you would expect from a shopping center restaurant. This is an extremely nice restaurant that offers a hip environment, sophisticated, and unique menu options destined to please. An intimate surrounding that is cozy enough for a perfect first date. I went to this place before a church event with my cousin and we were both blown away by the ambiance and the decor. A truly great experience with genuine customer service, plush seating and inviting lighting. We did not hear a band while we were dining, but did wonder how you would be able to see the band because of the high seating. Oh well, forget about the entertainment I was there for the food. The servings are small but filling. You are not going to get stuffed unless you order two appetizers, an entree or two, and a desert, but you will be satisfied. I ordered the Philly egg rolls and my cousin ordered the fried green tomatoes. I was pleased by my two egg rolls and wished I had a few more, but again this is not your neighborhood bar and grill. Besides sophisticated people know when enough is enough. I was able to have a taste of the fried green tomatoes and they were small and the breading was seasoned well enough. The entrees ordered were the lamb chops with ratatouille for me and my cousin ordered the Braised Beef Short Ribs, cheese grits, and cornbread. Both of our meals were complete with all the fixings. My lamb chops were a pretty good size for lamb chops and succulent. The beef ribs, which are hard to find believe me I know were juicy. The cheesy grits were seasoned well and were a welcomed feature to accompany the braised beef. The cornbread was a nice addition. I had the vegetable ratatouille which all were roasted perfectly. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to sharing it again with someone else who I am sure will be just as blown away as I was by the elegant, but trendy Sassafras Restaurant.
Review Source:Review is for June 1, 2012 @ 11pm.
It was raining when we went there but there was still a decent crowd. We were greeted immediately and seated, but then waited 15 minutes to be greeted by a waitress (not good). Valerie came from her section to get us drinks. We were very grateful to her because our phantom waitress still couldn't been found. Â After we had our drinks, she showed up and asked our orders. Very lack-lustered about her job (if you aren't happy about your job...leave).
We ordered from her and 30 minutes later, the food was still not there. My friend ordered calamarie and wings. The food was more than enough, she enjoyed it and even shared with some guys that we met there.
The drinks were good, but I do wish the restaurant was so crowded with claustiphobic seating so we can really mix and mingle with others. I like the color scheme in there and wish them must success.
I plan to go back and hopefully, I'll sit in Valerie's section because she is a great waitress and it seemed like her customers loved loved loved her.
This place served EXCELLENT and I do mean EXCELLENT food. The service was also very warm and welcoming. They played good music and the very good as well. I have nothing bad to say about this place at all. I will be telling everyone I know about this place. They have a customer for e with me. :) all smiles over here
Review Source:Went to this place on a Friday evening for a friend's birthday celebration. Â I rode around the parking lot thinking I was in the wrong place. Â Just when I was about to initiate plan B, I saw the rib joint -- then Sassafras.
First, I was disappointed with the size of the place since we were going to eat something then head to the bar for drinks after. Â The seating, while attractive, is cramped. Â It felt as if we were already AT the bar!! Â
All the small plates I sampled were delicious. Â The drinks were well made. Â
But then I had to go "freshen up"...
What is up with the ugly, poorly stocked restrooms? Â I felt like I left Sassafras and went to the Sunoco gas station - and that bathroom may even be an insult to Sunoco. Â The bathroom does not match the atmosphere that the restaurant achieves by a long shot.
Note to the owners: Â The decor of the bathrooms IS important. Â
Pros: Â The servers were prompt and attentive
The food was good
Parking is ample (once you realize where you need to be)
The decor is nice and trendy
Cons: Â The sinage needs to be more obvious - I noticed the rib place sinage first and they are right next door. Â
If you want dinner, this is not a place to go
It is very noisy and loud, so be prepared to yell at everyone - even people you like
I have seen nicer bathrooms at truck stops
I have been to Sassafras 4 times, usually I'm really pleased with my experience. The last two times I went were disappointing. The food has been decent, but the service from the waitresses horrific!!! This will be the downfall. You gotta have good food with GREAT Service to survive in the restaurant business! 2 great times + 2 bad times= giving my money to someone who cares!
Review Source:Who knew Bowie had a little known gem in the neighborhood?! I was here Saturday night with friends for drinks and dinner.  The ambiance is very soothing and relaxing--jazz music playing when we arrived and a live band that played later in the evening. It's a small, neighborhood lounge and therefore does not accomodate more than about 8 people at the bar.  Think small.  If you need a big bar, go somewhere else. Also, how "upscale" does the lounge need to be - it's located in a Safeway strip mall for crying out loud!  Do we even have "upscale" in suburban Maryland?  I think this is as "upscale" as you're going to get. lol  The servings are small-plate size and VERY flavorful.  The drinks were done just right.  Our server was very attentive to our needs.  I would definitely return to this establishment.  Somebody knows what they're doing as far as management is concerned.  Hopefully it stays exactly what it is -- a little neighborhood gem.
Review Source:I love this place its swanky, hip and very chic for the quite Bowie area! Ive been here for Brunch and for dinner. The food is good and the prices are affordable! Try it out if you dont go for the food at least go for the lovely ambience, its like getting away to hip chill urban lounge in the quaint suburbs of Bowie :)
Review Source:Came here on a Thursday night for what I thought was going be a live band. Instead there was a single person on the keyboard. Got seated right away and ordered drinks and food. Now I know that alot of these lounges up the price for specialty drinks, but I did not expect to pay close to $15 for one drink! The food was ok, catfish fingers and bam bam shrimp (exaclty 5 shrimp for $12) I think our total bill was over $40 and with one cocktail. The decor is nice but this place is LOUD. The bar is really close to the main seating areas which is annoying. If the get a live band I may return but I think I will eat and drink FIRST!
Review Source:Second time there on a Friday night, both times have been just okay. Overall the food is pretty good. Valerie is a sweetheart. But the spot is not as upscale as I had hoped. The place is very cramped and the bar is simply inadequate. I asked to move two of the chairs that were not being used by two booths, to the side of the bar where the band would normally be and they told they couldn't move the chairs. So let me get this straight you have someone standing in the walk space at the bar, empty moveable chairs and you refuse to move them. Perhaps I would stay and buy more drinks/food of i were more comfortable. If you are going to get a table, make sure to request either the booth or the high back chairs. The benches are way too far from the table and makes your perch on the edge to hear the person across from you. It was so uncomfortable that we had to ask to be moved.
As someone else mentioned, that bathroom leaves much to be desired.
I think they are trying but it's pretty clear that experience in restaurant management is not there. It's unfortunate since the neighborhood is craving something close to home and their would be competition Half Note has the worse customer service known to man and will never get my business again. Please step your game Sassafras... I would love to be a regular, but I work too hard for my money for just an okay experience.
I really did want to like this place... The first time I went here it went here it was pretty good... had drinks... and a couple of apps... then I went here for dinner... My food was cold... and it looked rushed... I know it's a lounge and all... but does the music really have to be blasting to the point where I have to yell across the table at my date? Sheesh! I might try their brunch... So I'll let ya'll know how that goes...
Review Source:Still impressed with Sassafras! Â I am just returning from a very enjoyable after church brunch in which my omelette was delicious (made to order with shrimp, spinach, cheese, and peppers) and my teas kept on coming. Â Again, giving up carb for Lent had me twitching since some of the neighboring tables around me were stacked high with chicken and waffles and pancakes that looked oooh so tasty, but I definitely left satisfied and happy that we had decided to try out a meal here instead of just drinks when the restaurant turns lounge.
The atmosphere still feels like a lounge during the day, but with the smooth jazz playing in the background, it is a lot more relaxing and subdued - the way it should be on a Sunday. Â Our waitress was top notch and very attentive. Â The hostess on the other hand didn't really get her job. Â When we arrived, she told us that there was a little wait for tables unless we wanted to sit at a table that gets a little draft. Â No worries. "We'll wait" we told her. Â She suggested that we go to the bar. Â We were just about to take her up on that when I asked "How long do you think it will take." Â She answered, very matter-of-factly, "I'm not sure. Â You will have to check back in with me." Â Uh... excuse me. Â If you don't know how long it will take, that's ok, but aren't you supposed to check back in with us at the bar? Â I mean, if there's not a table ready, and we checked in with you once, and you suggest that we go to the bar, as a hostess, it is your job to come and get us when there is a table available or have a waitress do it. Â It's not our job as customers to come back to you and ask all over again. Ridic.
Anyway, we stayed at the door way/hostess counter instead and waited for a table, which wound up not being that long at all. Â By the time that we were seated and talking and had a waitress who was actually doing her job and doing it well, the poor customer service of the hostess was a distant memory.
That being said, Sassafras is stil a favorite of mine in the area and I will definitely be stopping back in. Â My only hope is that they work on the hostessing a little bit more. Â They are the first people you see from the business when you are walking in the door and thus set the tone for the whole experience. Â Being a new business, it's important for them to really shine and be on their A games.
This place sucks!!! We ordered a. Bottle of wine. Waited 20 minutes only for the server to come back and tell us that they were our of the label. Ordered a new one, only to never receive it. 20 minutes later with no wine and no water the appetizers were finished and I asked for the bill only to be held hostage for another 10 mins. I threw 40 bucks on the table and stormed towards the front door. The General Manager was a very nice lady but I feel like she may be over her head. Sassafras has so much potential for a neighborhood lounge. The service and execution is a major #FAIL. Won't be back
Review Source:So the layout leaves a lot to be desired because the bar area is way too cramped, especially when they throw a 3-piece band in the mix. Â HOWEVER, right now they seem to be onto a pretty good thing. Â They've snagged a great bartender from the Jasper's in Largo and the clientele is currently very mature. Â Great place to grab a drink if you don't mind the close standing quarters, because you'll need to get there pretty early to actually sit at the bar. Â Haven't tried the food, but I was told it's tasty and the prices seemed more reasonable than the drink prices. Â Customer service is definitely on point right now and we'll have to cross our fingers and hope that it stays that way. Yes, it's in a shopping center, but so is practically every other bar/lounge/restaurant in The County. Â That just means ample free parking and the option of hitting up the grocery store before heading home!
Review Source:Good location and decor. Signage is non-existent. I drove all the way to Gold's Gym before I realized......did I miss it surely it must be around the back? My girlfriend assumed they had just opened.....hmmmm no sadly about two months ago. Bad size and variety of food. This place looks big from the outside but can quickly be filled to capacity. Â The bar was tiny. Behind the bar was a long bench for people to sit and look directly at the behinds of people sitting higher at the bar....awkward. Waited from 6-730 to be seated. Arrived in time for happy hour was not seated until it was over. Several people that came in after us had left. There was some confusion with the bill at a table that had been there since 430?! Hostess seemed overwhelmed, but was trying. Waiters didn't seem to know how to encourage (without saying) patrons to finish and leave. It can be done. Once seated the drink menu was better designed and presented than the food menu. Making it seem more like a lounge than a restaurant. Drinks good but had DC prices. Food
portions were tapas/appetizer like between $8-12. I think it will be a good place with time and with the warm weather they will be adding outdoor seating and different food items.
As one yelper mentioned the restroom decor feels like they ran out of money, didn't match the vibe of the restaurant at all.
Ok, so it's rainy and cold and I'm hungry and not quite ready to go home after work.  So , me thinks I will stop by Sassafras for my second visit and see what its like on a Wednesday early evening.  I get there, someone is at the hostess stand to greet me, take my coat etc.  So that's good.  I seat myself close to the big screen TV and UGGGH....it's ESPN on! Not that I don't like sports news, but I was hoping it would be music.  But the volume was down and they had smooth jazz playing overhead!  YAYY!!  I would have seated myself at the bar, but at 6 pm, all the seats were taken with men watching sports and chatting.  That's always a good sign of a potentially great neighborhood bar!  I order  the catfish fingers (yummy, just out of the fryer hot) and the shrimp (good, but not as good as the first time....and yes, that was a Sade reference!).  Also, I did have to ASK about the Happy Hour Specials!  I would have thought that would be the first thing out of the waitress' mouth!  Hmmmm...  I relax, have my wine and do a little people watching.  Folks are coming in at a steady pace around 7 pm, so I was glad to see that.  Then I get my bill..... so why is there an extra $10 charge on it???  I get the waitress, who was super nice ( I think her name was Valerie) and she corrects it and brings me an adjusted bill.  She mentioned that she put someone else's drink on my tab.  HUH???  Really???  It wasn't even that crowded.  C'est la vie.
So I still had a good experience and will be back with friends on Friday. Â I will keep you posted and thanks Sassafras! Â It was fun even by myself!
Some girlfriends and I stopped in for a quick drink one night after dinner and once they get themselves together, this could be a pretty nice hang out spot. The service is pretty good and the waitress was wonderful but the host (or owner) or who ever was standing at the door didnt seem to know much about the place and his answer to every question was "we just opened"... Me: "do you guys have a desert menu" Him: "umm im not sure what our desserts are, we just opened".. those type of responses will only be acceptable for the first few nights. I will be returning so hopefully after my next visit I can up the stars.
The food was decent. I had the red velvet cake, which wasn't bad, a friend had the wings and for 4 dollars (happy hour special) you cant complain! Next time i go i will be sampling many things since the menu is pretty inexpensive.
I'm so excited about the promise of this lounge/restaurant.
My husband and I have been really disappointed in the lack of variety in restaurants in the Bowie area. We've noticed since we moved here a couple of years ago that you really have to go to either DC or Annapolis for a dining experience with great food, service and atmosphere. You're lucky if you find a restaurant in Bowie with just one of the above.
We attended one of the soft openings at Sassafras last weekend and we were pleasantly surprised. Within a few minutes of entering, you're almost transported to another dimension - the decor is swank, welcoming and relaxing and you completely forget that you're inside of a strip mall.
We literally tried half of the tapas menu and it was all delicious. My favorite would have to be the steak and cheese rolls. I'm also loving their signature spicy margarita drink.
I can't wait for the grand opening. I have a feeling this is going to be our new spot.
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