Don't know a thing about seafood
I'd heard great things about this chain, but was stunned by the amateurish service coupled with preparations that appear to be dumbed down for the masses. Order the "Seared Tuna with Wasabi" and a beautiful piece of tuna arrives completely coated with cayenne pepper! The manager's explanation: "seared means cajun." Order "Caesar Salad" and you'll get chopped lettuce with pre-fab dressing. This restaurant is a huge disappointment.    [18 Jun 2003 10:23:47]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: None

     ­Anonymous   

Huge disappointment
Talk about not living up to promises! We had heard good things about this chain, but a visit to the Reston location was a mistake. Crab cakes were tiny and half bread. The crab and boursin stuffed black grouper was flavorless and stuffed with the same bread mixture that went into the crab cakes. For all I could tell, they must have forgotten the boursin altogether. A martini ordered on the rocks was served up. The waiter, upon learning this, brought a glass of ice so that I could transfer the contents. The portions were very small and not well presented. Never again    [05 Apr 2004 17:07:14]

Food: -   Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: None

     ­Dan, Alexandria, VA   

Bigger Fish - Over Fried !
Just sampled Reston's M & S .... Major letdown ! The place was nice, the service was acceptable, the food was reminiscent of a cheap, fast food, Fish n'chips shanty. I obviously found the "gore" in seafood gourmet.













McCormick and Schmick's


   [01 Oct 2005 17:16:28]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: None of the Three 'offerings' My party experienced

     ­    

Went on Father's Day
I took my father out to M&S for Father's day. Overall I found the portions rather small for the big price tags. My Wife enjoyed the Lobster Thermador, my mother her salmon, and my father thought the softshell crabs were great. My halibut was tiny though.    [27 Jun 2006 12:43:46]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 

     ­Andy   

3 times disappointed in this Reston Branch
Way back about 15 or so years ago when this branch opened in Reston, no one here in the DC area knew this chain, because they started on the West Coast.

They came to the Chamber of Commerce in Reston and Herndon, because they wanted all the business owners to come for a free meal and spread the word before they opened the next week.

Four of us from my company went, all from New England and sea food lovers.
They really wanted to impress us, we all worked for firms in that area and they were the new kid on the block.

We really went with great anticipation.
From the appetizer, to the salad, to the entree, to the dessert, it was not very good. And the service was so so.

For those prices if we had paid for the meals, this is not acceptable. So many people complained, that the manager gave a lot of the tables a gift coupon to come back within a certain time.

None of us ever used them. About 10 years later, a business colleague was staying at the Hyatt Reston Town Center.
He said come on over and we will go to this expensive sea food place around the corner.

I kid you not, it was just as bad as it had been 10 years before. Now many people don't know fine seafood, they eat at Red Lobster, come here in the fancy seating, see the prices and are impressed.

I don't care if it is a dive, as long as the seafood is great.

My dinner companion who was putting this on his expense account and it is that type of place, was very disappointed.

Now we switch to 3 weeks ago. Again was in Reston, meeting a friend, who wanted seafood and said, it cannot be bad 3 times.

From the gritty oyster sampler, to the so so salad to my scallops that were so mushy, I guess from sitting on the steam table, and this was only 6pm on a Sat night again, it was bland and over steamed or cooked.

NEVER again. Each of our portion with one glass of wine came to about 60.00 plus tip. The waiter in a half empty dining room NEVER came back until we were totally finished, and could have cared less.

We politely told him how our meals were, his comment was, I will pass it on, and that was it.

We did not even bother to have coffee, and I will never go in there again.
This time I will keep that vow.

Three times was not a charm.
And since I love seafood, I keep hoping.    [12 Jul 2007 18:39:22]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Nothing except maybe raw oysters at the bar

     ­World Traveler