Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Style of cuisine: Casual American
Entrée prices: Appetizers $5-$13; sandwiches and burgers $8-$15; entrees $13-$32
Credit cards: All major cards
Accessible
There is a time and a place for an unpretentious crab cake sandwich and an ice-cold beer, especially when they are served on a sunny patio alight with cheesy Christmas lights and a jukebox playing country music. That time is now, and that place is Dave’s American Bistro just outside Laytonsville.
With two entrances, one leads into a newly refurbished dining room that is the setting for urbane Olney clientele with a penchant for lumpia wrapped egg rolls (unavailable on our visit) and honey-lime-pistachio dressed salad. The bar entrance leads directly into a well-worn saloon replete with neon and televisions. The patio out back is the middle ground between the establishment’s two identities, capturing the best and quirkiest of both worlds: full-menu service with a rambunctious patio scene.
Fresh briny oysters are served on the half shell, or encrusted in a savory cornmeal coating with Old Bay Aioli, the house mayonnaise. At $10, the rich-in-crab and spinach dip satisfies. The Maryland Crab Soup is a thick and well-seasoned stew of vegetables and crab, appropriately served with oyster crackers.
A pair of crab cakes makes a fine yet pricey entrée at $25. Or, a solitary crab cake is served as a sandwich on a Kaiser roll with the house Aioli. The menu boasts that none of Dave’s crab cakes contain breadcrumbs or fillers, and all entrees come with a choice of sides. Of the sides, most of our sweet potato fries were crisp and well seasoned, and the sautéed spinach was fresh, nicely salted and peppered, and not overcooked. The St. James Gate Chicken, a grilled chicken breast served in a sauce made with figs and stout ale, needs some refinement. Or, eschew refinement altogether and order the braised lamb shank, a real meaty pleaser, tender to the bone with simple seasonings and tasty jus.
There are drawbacks to the bar-meets-restaurant-round-back concept. As the evening wears on, the patio becomes less alfresco and more honky-tonk. Smokers stake out tables among diners; a smoke-free dining area isn’t available on the patio. As the bar scene increases demand on the servers, food takes longer to arrive, restrooms do not keep up with demand, and the jukebox becomes more prominent. So while summer may be the time for a crab cake and a cold one on the patio, plan to dine early, then stay late for the party.
The rolling hills of Laytonsville still have the flavor of undeveloped Montgomery County, and Dave’s definitely offers a respite from the sprawl of Rockville. If you are searching for part roadhouse, part restaurant with some impressive quality from the kitchen, especially on the less refined dishes, then your expectations will be exceeded.
