Friendly Farms is a very enjoyable experience with good wholesome food, a friendly wait staff and scenic surroundings. It is one of my favorite restaurants.Why some would claim the food is bland is beyond me. A full course adult meal for $19 is certainly not exorbitant. Families with children enjoy walking the grounds and feeding the ducks at the pond. Yes, it's a farm, it's rustic and you do order your selection and prepay. It saves time, eliminates delays and assists with food prep.The number of returning customers and the volume of patrons is better than any review. It speaks volumes for the quality and value of Friendly Farm's offerings. read more

Excellent food and scenery. Could use one more vegetarian dish but the side dishes added up to make a great meal.

I have been going to Friendly Farms for about 40 years and while the size of the crab cake has shrunk and I've seen other changes like stopping selling homemade ice cream and going from fresh green beans to canned years ago, I still was generally satisfied with the food and consistency. However, I have been ordering carry out (the gameday special) fairly regularly for the last 5 years and the last few times have been enough to make me stop all together. I am not sure if there has been a management change or what has happened, but in the last 9 months or so I have had bad experiences here. First, the service at the front desk has been bad. I have shown up for carry out and it hasn't been ready when they said it would and twice the front desk has comeback and told me it would be a few more minutes. I can be patient for up to about 10 minutes. But the girls at the desk went back into the little office to chat (I was the only one in lobby) and totally forgot about me. I waited 20 minutes before trying to get their attention. THey were so entrenched in their conversation they didn't notice me until 10 more minutes later when I basically had to yell to them to check if my food was ready. - it was , and of course was cold by then. The second problem has been the chicken is overcooked and too dry the last 3 times had carryout. The last time they shorted my order by 6 pieces. I live a distance and it wasnt worth going all the way back to make it right. They have also recently switched their carryout containers to cheap little paper boxes that make the food go cold fast and a small portions. Once I went and they put the fries in a teeny tiny little box that barely held what should be 1 serving of fries when the meal is supposed to feed 4. I noticed it in the parking lot and went back in to say there must have been a mistake, that the fries were in the wrong box and it was too small of a portion. They said they had switched containers and that was the new fries container. But then I went back the last time and the fries were in a bigger box (still smaller portion than originally, but a medium box instead of small), So they had made a mistake the first time, but the girl at the desk didn't even check, she just told me it was right. The food is not cheap here, and I am not going to drive the distance to take my chances on people that don't know what they are doing, don't give good service and it's uncertain it will be cooked right. All while they are noticeably trying to cut costs on portions and carryout containers. It has been months and I have not gone back. I commented to my husband that we had not been there in months and the family agreed that its no longer worth the drive for the over cooked , dry chicken we have received the last few times.It's a shame, because I grew up going here, but I just dont have a desire to go any longer after these bad experiences. I give a place a couple times to get it right after a bad experience because I think it may be a a new employee messing up the first time. But after at least 3 bad experiences with service and quality of food, I'm done. read more

The best JUMBO LUMP crabcakes you ever had in Maryland. The other entrees are also excellent along with friendly prompt service, The newly renovated dining room is beautiful as well as the gorgeous view of ponds and farmlands out your windows.. No wonder people love this place and is a best kept secret. The original family still operate this restaurant and use the same fresh ingredients and recipes for years. You won't be dissapointed and worth the drive to this countryside oasis, read more

I have come to Friendly Farms on many occasions as a life long Marylander and even have fond memories as a child (over 40 years ago) feeding the ducks. I understand that part of the fun of Friendly Farm is that it remains the same and many people, like myself, have memories of coming here from their childhood, however my last visit on July 12 was just downright sad. First of all, prices no longer seem family friendly. Other than fried chicken or a hunk of ham, entree's are all over $20, and that puts you in the price range where it is reasonable to expect a little more in the ambiance department. The outdated decorations look tired and ragged. Tables lined up banquet hall style with paper placemats made me feel like I was at a Boy Scout spaghetti dinner. The place really feels like a chow hall, difficult to have conversations if you are part of a larger party. One person in our party had to ask for a new bread plate as his was noticeably dirty. The service is rote at best. Dishes plopped down in front of you and straws practically thrown at you. When our entree's came out all the plates were piled on top of each other on one serving platter for a party of 9. A customer pays $36 for two crab cakes and they are brought to the table with other plates piled on top? When you pay $36 for an entrée, is it reasonable to expect to not have food served like you are at a Boy Scout spaghetti dinner? The crab cakes were good as usual. Some of the sides were fine... the fries, sugar biscuits and apple butter particularly. Other sides were right from the can... very sad. So in summary, if you are looking to pay full service restaurant prices for mostly institutional like food and service, then this is your place. As for me, I will try to focus on the good memories from my childhood and avoid future disappointing visits. There are plenty of good crab cakes to be found elsewhere. read more

best food I ever ate, don't know what they do to their french fries but I've yet to taste any that are better, I could make a meal on just the fries read more

Place has really gone down hill over the years. Food is bland with absolutely NO seasoning which I or my family just could not understand; no salt or pepper on the filet ; when your paying over $40 for a bland filet and mediocre crab cake that's a tough concept to grasp. The filet tasted like.....nothing almost. Piece of gristle running through it. I probably wouldn't even give it to my dog. My sister got the chicken; it was pretty gross. Obviously had sat in the back for quite some time, over cooked stringy and just not good. Fries were probably the best part of the meal. Green beans were obviously canned and just tasted like metal. My family knew a previous employee and told us how horrible the management is...really sad; and just all around how bad the place has gone down hill over the years. If your a fan of seriously over paying for bland food then best of luck. Make the extra drive or shorten your drive to hunt valley where there are some good places. read more

I have only been to Friendly Farm once, but it was a very enjoyable and filling experience. My girlfriend had raved about this place for a long time, so I had had high expectations for a local, home-style restaurant. Needless to say, Friendly Farm met and surpassed every expectation. First thing you all need to know is that I consider myself an above average to big eater. By the time we reached the restaurant, I was rather hungry and ordered the 6 oz. Filet Mignon at a price of $24.95. My first thought was the price seemed expensive, but then I saw how much food you actually get with your order. Included with the dinner was unlimited cottage cheese, potato rolls, sugar biscuits, apple butter, pickles and celery, cole slaw, fruit, green beans, corn, and french fries. Another perk of the meal was unlimited drinks and ice-cream, which were all included in my original price. So for $25, I ate a 6oz Filet Mignon, two helpings of fries, green beans and corn, 3 potato rolls, 2 sugar biscuits and a two scoops of vanilla ice cream mixed with orange sherbet for dessert. The environment at the restaurant was calm and laid back for a Friday night, as families occupied the majority of the restaurant. The service was quick and friendly. Our waitress even ran outside to give us our leftovers when we were about to leave without them. Overall, I would say that this restaurant is perfect for someone who can eat their money's worth and likes a laid back home-style place read more

Sorry, I can't give this place any stars at all. What a huge disappointment! I blame myself however, as my wife and I went here for dinner many years ago and vowed never to go back, but our friends raved about it, so we thought we would give it another try. I'm still kicking myself. Should have known better. One would think that if you are going to a restaurant in a beautiful farm setting, everything would be farm fresh. Nooooooooooooo way! If you like veggies out of a can, and I do mean a can, then this is your place. Even Green Giant Steamers would have been more appetizing. The canned veggies were served in what can only be described as a small soup bowl. Not individual bowls for each guest, but for the entire party. One bowl of each. My wife and I, I must admit did stock up on the cole slaw and beets, as everything else is as others have described it....tasteless or syrupy sweet. Nothing was presented well and far from being family style as I recall from other such restaurants visited over the years. Our group had to ask many times for refills since the amount of food in the bowls was scarce also. The waitress seemed to feel it was an imposition to ask for refills and we definitely had to ask her as she was not about to ask us. The dinner rolls were straight out of a Martins Potato Rolls (the really small size bun) package. Our entrees (broiled fish) were ample size, but flavorless. Several of our friends ordered the fried chicken which I had been tempted to try, but did not, going for the fish instead. I asked one friend if I could try a wing. Sorry, took one bite of it. That's as much as I could take. Flavorless except for the taste of old grease which ran down my chin as I took a bite. I could taste that old grease flavor for hours afterward. What a disappointment! I don't mind spending dollars for great food, even good food, but to spend $55.00+ including tip for food like this makes me wonder what in the world was I thinking. Save yourself a trip (we drove over an hour to get here) and find a place that can live up to it's reputation. Or maybe this place did, had I read the reviews first. CAN"T POST UNLESS I GIVE A STAR RATEING. read more

friendly farms is a great restaurant. it takes ten minutes to get your food which is great and there are geese and some ponds outside so while your waiting you can go see them. you only get one serving of the thing that you order but everything else (appetizers, sides, and dessert ex. orange slices, mashed potatoes, etc.) it is a great place to go because you get the unlimited sides which I love! This place is a great restaurant and I would totally recommend it. read more