I really enjoyed the veggie bowl and the hummus was fantastic! What delicious taste and texture…read more Store bought will never be the same. I wish I could take a quart with me.

Fantastic food and friendly staff. The shopping center restaurant itself needs some sprucing up -…read moreboth look dingy and uncared for. Maybe if we send the restaurant a lot of business they will be able to move to a better location.

When it comes to eating out, I enjoy food, atmosphere, and the local community…read more I was worried from other reviews that I would spend hours upon hours waiting for food. For me, I intentionally spaced out my 3 courses and drinks and it took about 1.5hours. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by the owner who exuded pride in his restaurant and the work put into renovations. I walked in late on a Saturday night and sat at the bar. The restaurant wasn't busy per se. I was truly torn about what I wanted for dinner. The owner spent time explaining the local connections, how things are prepared fresh (not from a bottle), the cocktails are consistent from night to night. How many times does a waiter or waitress take times to help you decide what to get. I started with the "empanadas" with lump crab meat crema. They were delicious beyond a doubt. I would say they looked and crunched like a fried won ton. There were four in an order. I should have got two with filet mignon and two with crab. That was my only disappointment for the evening. I followed with a Caesar salad and lump crab meat. (I was on a seafood kick). As the owner stated there wasn't Old Bay in the crab meat, which made it taste more original and fresh. Shocking! With the crab meat spread around and throughout the giant salad, I never noticed the minced anchovies. The salad was too huge for one person and is best shared! While my entree was being prepared, I would slowly pick crab meat pieces and enjoy their freshness. During my appetizer and salad, I went with the French 75. The sole waitress and duel bartender offered the fig infused gin. The fig notes were overpowered by the fresh squeezed lemon. I cannot remember a drink having fresh squeezed lemon bits in there. It was a bit distracting on the first sips, but mellowed out. I followed my French 75 with a side car. Without a sugar rim, that was a mightily delicious cocktail. It paired well with my entree and was a good sipping drink, which lasted throughout my entree. When I looked at the menu online, I was sure my entree would be the swordfish loin. Because I normally don't have restaurants that serve it. At the beginning, the owner had really explained why their scallops were amazing, including the bacon wrapped scallop appetizer (I probably would have gone to heaven if I got those). I was torn. The owner, his wife, and the waitress all instantly suggested the scallops entree when I asked what I should get. They were right! I got the spinach with the scallops instead of the grits, since those would have been a bit heavy for me to eat so late. The scallops, 4 of them, came perfectly seared/lightly browned surrounding the sautéd spinach in the middle. All were sitting in a thin layer of a white creamy sauce, which I honestly cannot describe. Other than I wish I had the recipe to make at home. The scallops cut like butter, had the right amount of seared crunch, and tasted fresh. Like the owner had caught them in the morning from the ocean. Many scallops that I have gotten have some "grit" in them. These were the size and thickness. So much that I didn't care there was only 4! Now the spinach was beyond good, it was "everything". Who really likes, cooked spinach, other than Popeye? Too many times it is soggy, bland, or slimy. As a kid, I disliked spinach, unless it was uncooked and in a salad. They got the spinach just right, like Goldilocks. Not too soggy, not too crunchy. And it had just enough sauce to not overpower or be overpowered. I skipped dessert because I was stuffed beyond capacity. Same thing with an after dinner drink. But they offered the gamut of those drinks, which probably would make me dislike Starbucks for a long time. On my way out, I was again greeted by the owner. He extolled the history, uniqueness, and things to do in Frederick. Maybe because it wasn't busy, or maybe he truly takes pride in his town, the building, the food, and restaurant? Probably both. I walked out wishing that my wife and kids could come, but I was alone on a business trip. They would have digged the place. I assume the meats, the pastas, and other seafood would have been top notch. And deserving of a 'French kiss'! As an aside, I can understand why other patrons may have a slower experience than ideal. With limited waitstaff comes longer time between interactions. Watching from the bar, I could see the waitress always moving. Making drinks, busing tables, taking orders, fixing orders, doing payments, etc. Would one more waitstaff be warranted, I don't know. It was a slow night though.

The food was delicious. Francis gave the best suggestions and was a pleasure to converse with…read more This is by far, top of the list in Frederick for me. You won't be disappointed.

We needed to break a long drive and arrived 5 minutes before closing time. Hate being that…read morecustomer! But Eduardo said 'no problem' and cooked us two tasty dishes. Thanks Eduardo, you improved our journey back to NJ!

The strangest shrimp scampi I have ever had. Martini with lemon instead came with three olives and…read moretwo limes. Go figure. They replaced it with a vodka on the rocks. Salad was not very fresh for the middle of August. Place is very small. I think it may be a neighborhood bar and food place. Not my kind of place, but others may find it a go to place.

We had tried Aleko's years ago when it was attached to a gas station, but tonight we got to try…read moretheir new restaurant (it's been open almost a year) and we were not disappointed. It was suggested for us to make reservations so we did. We arrived about a half an hour before our reservation and were seated promptly. Everybody was very nice and allowed us to basically sit where we wanted. Our waiter was very attentive, and took care of all of our needs. My wife got the Gyro Platter with rice and Lemon Potatoes. She loved it. I got the Gyro Pita with a side salad and my son got the Gyro Pita with fries. A friend of ours got the Chicken Souvlaki with Lemon Potatoes and we all lived our meals. For dessert, we all got the Chocolate Brownie, which had some whipped cream on top, and came warm. It was absolutely fantastic! We will definitely be back, but even for nights where we want to eat at home they have carryout. Give it a try. Nice place, delicious food, and very nice people. You can't lose.

Alekos's is a wonderful gem of home-made, tasty Greek food for a reasonable price. The spanakopita…read morecomes out as one large triangle to share. The Dip Sampler and the Meat Sampler are standouts. The Dip Sampler has a variety of yummy dips and warm pita. Hummus can vary a lot in different restaurants, and this one is good, creamy with not too much garlic. We both enjoyed the Meat Sampler at our first dinner and took home leftovers - nice variety of meats. It comes with a good basmati rice but you can also choose a salad or French Fries. Gotta love a place that offers you both! This visit, I had the Moussaka Entree (gluten free) which was a special that night. It was tasty with no spice that overwhelmed the dish. Nice size slice with a salad with tomatoes. My husband had the Chicken Kebob which came with three skewers of chicken and salad (instead of the French Fries). We both took some food home especially after the Dip Sampler. We arrived around 5 pm and got the benefit of the Happy Hour price of $2 off a draft beer ($6 instead of $8) and $1 off the martini. The baklava has a generous supply of nuts, and I have enjoyed the Baklava Cheesecake at home for dessert. The restaurant decor is relaxing and attractive with thoughtful touches like a little table for your purse or to put your leftover containers on. The metal artwork tree, wicker lamps and paintings on the wall contribute to the cozy ambiance. Service has been prompt with someone coming over to greet us quickly. For my espresso martini, they had run out of espresso, but someone went to buy espresso from a coffee shop instead of telling me to order something else. Aleko's is a lovely, neighborhood gem. It is also on Resy for reservations.

I've been going here for years and the freshness of the food is hard to beat as well as how…read moreaccommodating they are. My go to is the zucchini parmigiana, the pasta they give is lightly creamy and very garlicy with fresh spinach and tomatoes and I couldn't recreate the recipe even if I tried. Tried their Asian salad recently and sesame vinaigrette has a unique wasabi freshness. Huge portions for side salads. Definitely gonna try more of their salads soon. The place is also very cute on the inside and the service is quick and everyone who works there is super polite and helpful.

I wanted to enjoy my experience at The Orchard, and overall the salad was good. I initially asked…read morefor kombucha, but I was told they were completely out. Thankfully, my server did allow me to substitute the sesame chicken into my Cobb salad, and that was actually a great addition. The frustrating part was that after we had already finished our meals and were ready to leave, my server came back and told me she had been mistaken and that they did, in fact, have kombucha available. At that point it was too late, and unfortunately there wasn't any offer made to make up for the inconvenience. Another disappointment was learning that The Orchard does not offer any type of military appreciation or support. In a community with many veterans and military families, that was something I noticed and found disappointing. Many other local businesses make an effort to show appreciation, and that kind of support goes a long way for those who have served and for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The food was good, but with so many other options in Frederick that offer great food while also making customers and the community feel valued, I don't think I'll be returning. A business's connection to its community matters, and supporting those who have served is something I personally look for when deciding where to spend my money.

Went in on a Sunday evening. Was getting late and most other places were closing, so I thought I'd…read moretake a chance. Gas station food - who knows? There have been some interesting hole in the wall eateries in a gas station. I'm glad I did! Got the lamb shawarma and a samosa. Choice of toppings for the wrap were many. I got the spicy spread with tabbouleh, tomatoes, red onions. For sauces - harissa, tahini and some tzatziki. I'll go back again if I'm in the area

Tried Shawarma House and overall it was a solid experience. The spot is inside a gas station, you…read morewalk in, order at the counter, and they prepare everything fresh. I ordered both the shawarma wrap and the beef kebab wrap. Both were good, filling, and hit the spot, especially when you're craving something quick and satisfying. Flavor-wise it was enjoyable, just not mind-blowing, which is why I went with four stars instead of five. Service was fast, staff was helpful, the prep area looked clean, and prices were reasonable for what you get. Definitely a good option if you want a quick Middle Eastern-style wrap without breaking the bank.

We have been here three times now since my last review and each time, the soup changes. We have…read moreloved every option we have tried, but they tend to run out of their most popular in like the first 30 mins of the day. We love this place. It's not filled with bells and whistles and the most modern decor. They don't need that. What attracts a lot of people to this place is the delicious food and the great service. I cannot stress that enough. The soups are phenomenal here and they are filled with stuff inside. You're not going to get that watery type soup. You're getting that chunky chunky chunky soup that makes you wonder why you're so full all of a sudden. The people work hard here and they are running around. They make sure you're doing alright. This is a true "mom and pop" type of shop that is worth it - multiple visits. I can see this place getting more popular than the space can handle. Perhaps they will expand elsewhere, but they deserve that success.

Wow what a gem. Felt like I was being hosted by a couple of awesome people at thier house. Chicken…read moresalad ranch tortilla wrap was huge and amazing. The melon and cucumber gazpacho was perfect consistency and temperature for a hot day.. afterward went to the amazingly set up and curated antiques shop. This place is a must try.

The food and service was good and they accommodated the 12 people in our party. However, they would…read moreonly issue one check for the group (5 couples and 2 singles) which caused a lot of issues in paying. One couple had to pay and the others had to pay them back. Not very guest friendly and I won't be coming back. We eat out a lot in Frederick and every place we go has no problem issuing individual checks.

Sunday evening 5:30-7:30 for live bluegrass music! What a…read morefantastic selection of beer! The chef is very talented and creative, several of the dishes are stunners. I love the spicy salad and the tacos! The music is why I come on Sundays! The atmosphere is very friendly and the small audience is completely appreciative of Josh and his crew! I've made several like-minded friends here since last year, this scene is a gem in Frederick.!