Ah ah...this one pained me small. I'm honestly disappointed to hear this place has closed. I went there about five times and the food was always good. Those wings? Delicious every single time. Now the music, hmm, it could be hit or miss, I will not lie. But when they got it right, especially with Afrobeats, ahh it was my vibe completely. The space itself was big, plenty seating, nice lounge feel. I even went once for a football watch party and the energy was there. But let me not pretend like everything was perfect. The service? Very, very slow. You can grow gray hair waiting. One time I even had a heated argument with the owner because it was just too much. But shhhh, we will not go into that matter today. Still, I found myself going back a few more times and enjoying the atmosphere for what it was. That is why it's even more sad to see them close. I just hope it is temporary because this place definitely had potential. read more

This place is around the corner from my house, and I have never been. It kind of tricky to see from the main road, being almost directly behind another good sized building. It's been around for years and apparently changed management. I went in with no expectations, because reviews have been pretty mixed. University of Maryland Black Alumni were having an after party there to kick off homecoming weekend, and I decided to go since it's so close to home! I showed my ticket and ID at the door, and I was able to go right in. Unsurprisingly, it was packed when I got there! The bar is big, and the dance floor is pretty spacious. From what I could tell, the staff are doing a wonderful job tending to the crowd. They do not have a drink menu, but there is a food menu. It was a mixture of bar food and some more unique dishes, like jerk salmon and jollof rice. $15 is a good price! That's what I ended up getting for myself. It didn't take long for it to arrive, and it was honestly more food than I expected. The jerk seasoning was a little salty, but not enough to take away from the meal overall -- still quite enjoyable! The jollof did not disappoint with the kick it had, whew! Based on this evening, I would come back on another occasion. Staff were friendly accommodating, and the things I got did not disappoint. The DJ was incredible too, but I think UMBA brought him. Great job Balkonie! read more

The venue is larger than anticipated. We had the jerk salmon and wings with jollof rice. The jerk is spicy and flavorful. The wings ended up being a larger portion than the salmon slice. I'd prefer a touch of cabbage or plantain to balance the meal but that might have been a late night bar menu. The bartenders were very good. read more

Balkonie Restaurant - Wings - Steakhouses Near Me - Berwyn Heights, Maryland

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I learned about this place on Facebook from a promoter who was hosting an event at the location. They definitely promoted it well because it sounded like it was going to be an amazing event however, that's not how it turned out. The space had absolutely no AC so it was extremely hot in there. They tried to combat it by putting up fans which didn't help that much. They had also advertised that it was a wing and whiskey night. Meaning that there was going to be whiskey tastings and wings for free. We were given a half an ounce of some type of whiskey, and two chicken wings the entire night. Then DJ also didn't show up until about 11:30pm when the event started at 7pm. I gave them two stars because the bartender was really nice and the lounges decor was nicely put together. However, I would not be back here. read more

This restaurant had a day party today and we were told that tables were between $50 and $100, the staff didn't acknowledge us when we entered, we stood around until we decided to approach some woman. Never, Ever will we go anywhere near this place again. read more

This place is awful while the food may be good ,the service is awful, i got a drink the glass was dirty the Drink had dirty ice i took one sip i asked the manager to replace it instead of remaking it or offering me something else he spent the better half of ten minutes telling me i can go back and make it myself and then i can pay for both when its done and he wont switch it because he has to pay for it , unbelievable. Will not be returning or if i end up here for others wont order a drink. Understaffed severely too. The cook was the bartender before the owner mozied on out of the back read more

Balkonie Restaurant - My dirty drink - Steakhouses Near Me - Berwyn Heights, Maryland

Great Restaurant excellent wings great servers great prices nice atmosphere clean I definitely will be back great entertainment

We went a few weeks ago. The experience was disappointing and underwhelming. The food served was inadequate and not worth the price tag. The environment and food display gave off a school cafeteria/pot luck "vybez". A recap of our experience can best be described below. Brunch was served on porcelain plates paired with carry out style, napkins and shrink wrapped plastic utensils. The actual food offered was not as advertised. The waffles were small, cold and soft "Eggo" style waffles not Belgian as depicted. The chicken was a tad undercooked and the eggs were bitter. We were served by staff instead of serving ourselves (like at a typical buffet), none of the food was labeled. The Brunch was overpriced and the food and condiments were a bit limited to be considered a brunch. Basic brunch package options were grits, bacon, eggs, home fried potatoes, rice, chicken, fish, waffles and fruit. One type of syrup, ranch, hot sauce and cold butter was available upon request. $$$ - $24.99 - Basic brunch; $39.99 - Brunch with bottomless mimosas; $49.99 - Brunch with bottomless mimosas, shrimp and crab legs. I emailed mgmt stating my concerns and offering recommendations, I have yet to receive a response. Not worth the money, quality not as advertised, don't waster your time. read more

Balkonie Restaurant - Sunday Vybz Brunch - Steakhouses Near Me - Berwyn Heights, Maryland

Brunch So I was invited for a girls day Sunday Brunch Set up is really nice... Girls at the desk were polite $40 Bottomless Mimosas $29 Brunch First problem people were walking in and out Second problem food was scarce to none The reservations are set up to accommodate a certain number of people during a time slot I understand it's their first Sunday but there was a lot of miscommunication and very unorganized I got one Mimosa and no food for $40 Spokell I never give a bad review because I can find something good to take away most times I support my community but this was really disappointing Spoke with the manager and he has me waiting .... Refunded me my money This really has the potential to be a good Brunch spot read more

Balkonie Restaurant - Steakhouses Near Me - Berwyn Heights, Maryland

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Food was delicious. Drinks were well balanced and the DJ was fire!! We sat at the bar and the service was prompt. Food came out piping hot. read more

love this place. Good food. great vibe, go check it out!! Go on a night with a band!

Trust the reviews. They're all correct. I went early in 2020 when it just opened. It was disappointing then and clearly is still just as disappointing now. Don't waste your time or money here. read more

Nice people - 100 degree and AC broken. They had whiskey tasting with no real whiskeys - just bullet. If you plan an event to draw folks in you need to be better prepared. I would never return read more

They called me in to be a Bartender, for about 4-5 weeks. Even got up out of my bed for last minute call ins, about 11pm to go to work. He raved about how he liked my work ethics...then one day texted and said you can have the day off....then never reached out to me again and has ignored my communication to him. I had always heard negative things about him but didn't want to go off of other people's opinions!!! I guess they were ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!! read more

Customer service was wonderful. I'm surprised how beautiful it looks on the inside. They really did a good job remodeling. The food was pretty good too. read more

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This place has been open since January and the food was just "ok". Caribbean owned. Red wine was the best thing because I'm a wineaux. Groupon $17 for $30 + $64 difference. Price doesn't match up with the food & a very limited menu selection. Add two stars for the nice atmosphere & the very nice bartender. I'll try again once we get back to some fornicate of normalcy...if ever. read more

Went here on a Friday night around 5, Happy Hour time. The place was empty. When I first pulled into the parking lot I thought it was closed because there only like 3 cars. But the front door was propped open(it was freezing outside). So walking it still looked like Sir Walter Raleigh Inn(SWRI). No one was at the hostess stand. There was a place in the floor that felt like it was about to cave in when you walked over it. We waited a few minutes & then I looked around the corner & made eye contact with the person behind the bar. He said to come in & pick a place to sit. So there were maybe 6 dining tables. All were covered with tablecloths that didn't fit! We sat in front of the fireplace that still had the old SWRI decorations in the mantle. The owner/manager came over & said he'd turn on the fireplace which was nice because it was freezing in there. We get the menu which has about 7 entrees. No appetizers that I could see & 2 soup. We were eager to try the Prime Rib from the reviews & pics I saw on Yelp & FB. So we ordered the 16 oz it comes with choice of potato & vegetable of the day. It was only $28.99. Also asked how was the Clam Chowder, the owner/manager/server/bartender mumbled it was pretty good so hubby ordered that. We then asked if they had a drink menu, they have this huge sign outside advertising Happy Hour specials. The owner/manager/server/bartender said the bartender wasn't there (on a Friday during Happy Hour) so he could only offer wine or beer. So we got red wine. The glass could've been cleaner, lots of streaks from the dishwasher. The wine was FLAT & OLD! Guess he doesn't have a red wine crowd. Now back to the food whIch still hasn't arrived not even the soup! No hot bread.... Finally here comes the food! We ordered the meat medium & medium rare. Asked for the butter & sour cream on the side for the potatoes. The prime rib was served on Fajita plates, floating in Au Jus. They were both cooked the same & the potatoes were covered in butter & sour cream. There was no vegetable! The reviewer on Yelp who liken the Prime Rib to SWRI days must have lucked up that day because this "meat" was HORRENDOUS! You could see how dry it was. It was old & reheated, definitely not freshly cooked! It was so old & overcooked that I could break it apart with my fork! Meat shouldn't flake! Then the "waitress" acted as if she was terrified when we asked her questions or just like she didn't have a clue! When I told her it was dry & overcooked she brought me more Au Jus. We asked for steak sauce, she brought horseradish. When we told her we ordered clam chowder she said she didn't get the order. And she wasn't sure if they had any... We asked for the owner/manager/server/bartender. He came over & we showed him the meat. He wasn't phased one bit. He then said that they were cooking a Prime Rib & it would be an hour & a half before it was ready!! But dinner service has started! We told him how disappointed we were & we'd pay for the wine. But he mumbled that was okay & then said something about checking on something in the kitchen & disappeared. We left & I wouldn't go back anytime soon! Really wanted to like this place too! read more

Balkonie Restaurant - This is supposed to be Prime Rib cooked medium - Steakhouses Near Me - Berwyn Heights, Maryland

Went for the $40 brunch. The atmosphere and mimosas was cool but the food was trash-- cold and not worth it.

We went to this restaurant for Valentine's Day dinner. It appeared closed and I had to go into the kitchen to find someone to seat us. For a while, we were the only patrons in the place. The crab soup is good, the rest of the food is just average. My salmon kept reminding me all night that I had eaten it. So it's not something I would want to order again. The crabcake was mostly bread and I had to search for the crab. The baked potato was good. This does not seem like a place focused on being a restaurant. It has a huge bar and seems like it is waiting for the after dinner crowd for drinks and dancing. I do not plan to go back. read more

One star seems generous here. The food was extremely disappointing in both portion and quality. The menu advertised an item (puff puffs I think?) that not only could the server not explain in any way but later reported they didn't even have, which is odd for a place that JUST opened. It seemed like they were trying but between the stick on sign, the disappointing food, the lack of an actual staff (one server, in not what I'd consider a standard outfit for a restaurant staff member), the sparse bar, and the ridiculously small portions (for example, the salad dressing and glasses of wine served) it seemed like they have a long way to go before we go back or even consider suggesting it to anyone. I'd steer clear until they're able to work some of these kinks out... read more

An absolute gem for our hand and line dance crowd in this area. Crab soup was good, great ambiance and decorated chic!!

Balconie Restaurant Bar & Grill has been open for a couple of weeks now, but no Yelp reviews. Food and service was good. I had Soya (beef, tomatoes, onions) - nicely spicy with very spicy pepper sauce. Wife had prime rib - an homage to the former Sir Walter Raleigh Restaurant. Small menu that allows the chef to get it right. Delicious salad and cheesecake and chocolate cake. Cold beer and a well stocked bar. I hope they are able to improve their draft beer offerings with time. 5 TVs behind the bar, so this place could become a replacement for the long-lost Fireside upstairs sports bar. Tonight they had nice 60's rock music playing inside. Restaurant is obviously a work in progress and I wish them success. This place needs to get consistent menus, prices, and hours posted in various online places - they don't match. Website is terrible. They definitely need to start advertising - Berwyn Heights Town Bulletin and Greenbelt News Review would be a good place to start. Signage, need attractive signage. Home Depot stickon letters just don't cut it. My guess is they're bootstrapping their operations and will take care of things as they can, but they need to amp up their efforts to survive. The food is too good to not be around long. read more

Went there last night to celebrate a friends birthday. Let's just say it was HORRIBLE!!! Heard the food was good. Placed an order and never received it. Placed order for drinks and never received it. Spoke with the owner and he was very very rude. I don't even want to give this place 1 star. How do you wait 2 hrs for food and drink and never receive them? Never going back. read more

The food is nothing special actually tasteless. Meh. The service is decent and efficient enough. The prices were basic and the portions suffice. Nothing to cry home about. I was looking for a quite neighborhood spot not this place. read more

Fabulous Prime Rib, reminiscent of the late Sir Walter Raleigh restaurant, which they recently moved into. The pepper soup is amazing, but order it only if you can handle spicy! Service was enthusiastic, attentive, and friendly. It's completely across the Beltway from my Virginia home, yet I'm already looking forward to my next visit. It'll be worth the trip. PS - It's kinda hard to spot from the road. The Walter Raleigh sign was still up, but they'll probably get their own soon. read more

I've came to this restaurant on occasions when I want to take my lady out to a fancy place that we can enjoy the music, food & environment. Owners of the Balkonie Restaurant always has me & my guests best interest at heart & try to make the experience as pleasant as possible. The place has evolved since they first opened, now there are more lights, more/better seating, etc.. I can't wait to see what this place will come to 5 years from now! Keep up the good work! read more

Omg, where do I start. Firstly, this place is absolutely gorgeous. Secondly, it's very convenient to where I live and there is ample parking. Third, the suya is THEE ABSOLUTE BEST IN THE DMV! The staff is very friendly and accommodating. I would definitely return! read more

This restaurant is so versatile and I love it!!!!! From a broad variety of entrees and bar beverages to choose from to special rooms where you can vibe with friends/family, Balkonie Restaurant has it!!!!! Great experience and highly recommended. read more

Live jazz music on Thursday nights, an interesting drink menu with ginger beer cocktails. Service is a tad slow and they are working out some opening kinks but food will not disappoint. read more

The food and service here were GREAT and we really enjoyed the atmosphere. I had the salmon and it was PERFECT -- flaky inside and a little crisp outside, and so flavorful. The generous portion of broccoli was also perfectly cooked. My companion said the Soya and plaintains were also quite good. Don't let this local business languish -- GO! We don't need one more chain restaurant and small local places like this need our support to flourish. read more

I went to Balkonie on a late Saturday night and I was pleasantly surprised. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice the servers are attentive. The food was good and the prices are definitely reasonable. This is my new little spot. read more

Balkonie is such a beautiful restaurant it's excellent place to bring your family and have really good food. An awesome place to hang out on weekends night as a lounge. Great service! read more

We had the Suya and the crab cake. Both were excellent. The restaurant is large enough for crowds but the atmosphere is great. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Very nice bar. Live Jazz band on Thursday Nights. Relaxing atmosphere. The fish is delicious. I just tried the Kofi Beans and Plantains. Both are very good and filling. read more

This is my second time here.This place has the potential to be great! The food is good, nice bar area and it's clean! They've only been open for a couple of month. Go check them out! The bartender Simone was awesome!!! read more

The ambiance, crab cakes and drinks at Balconies are EXCELLENT! Also try the prime rib! This will definitely be my new spot!

I was with a group of about 20 in the back room. Everybody ordered different dishes from crab to salads to Soya and fish with great reviews from all. The staff was very professional and friendly. We were dismayed that there were not more customers as it was a Friday night and we wondered if they would be able to continue their operation without more business. They need to publicize locally such as with the Greenbelt News Review and on social media. The restaurant is set back from the road so it is not easily seen. The banner on the highway just does not do the job. Highly recommend this restaurant and wish them luck in their endeavors. The former Walter Raleigh Restaurant occupied this space previously and was quite popular. The Balkonie has some of the same items on their menu such as the prime rib. Give it a try! We need more than fast food in our area and Balkonie would give us a choice. read more