If you're talking about the Fort Washington location, a strong case for Mary Lou's comes down to the combination of food, atmosphere, and experience. The restaurant offers standout dishes such as salmon bites, seafood salad, fried fish platters, shrimp baskets, Cajun-style pasta, and house-made sides that give it a distinct identity instead of feeling like another generic chain restaurant. Unlike many restaurants that focus only on food, Mary Lou's combines dining with live entertainment, cocktails, and a social vibe that turns dinner into an event. Mary Lou's isn't just a restaurant--it's an experience. Between the flavorful soul-food-inspired menu, signature cocktails, live entertainment, and welcoming atmosphere, it offers something most restaurants don't. Whether you're going for salmon bites, seafood dishes, or just a night out with friends, Mary Lou's turns dinner into a vibe. read more

Went to a networking called "Founders Lounge" event here tonight, but I've eaten here before. Food was good. Nicely seasoned. Tonight they offered samples of wings and catfish nuggets in a remoulade sauce. We got a free drink with our tickets too. In a plastic cup though. :/ The spot is clean and nicely appointed. Keyanna Morant, the owner, was there as was a pretty packed house. Parking is strip mall situated. Bathrooms are clean. I did some good networking and snacked on some good food. Good times. read more

See all

I am so glad I finally made it out here because if you 30 and up this your spot! I was surprised that it was down the street from another one of my fav spots in Ft. Washington sunny-brook. Marylou's is located in an industrial type building and even though it looks small on the outside it's a pretty decent size on the inside. There was no cover charge or anything which is great but they did have security just in case folks got rowdy..lol I so wish I would have gotten more food as I only tried the crab balls which were so good and I think I forgot to bring what I didn't eat home. The drinks I kept it simple rum and coke with lime and I swear he didn't put any coke in it..lol. This place is such a vibe the DJ was hitting then the band took it home. I can't wait to come back to listen to good music, around good people, and this time try more food options as you be in so the mood you forget to eat..lmao It's a yes for me! read more

See all

Great vibe every time. Service good. Food at a great price for happy hour. I will keep going back everytime.

My boyfriend and I went on a Saturday evening around 7 PM and got seated right away. The vibe was super chill, not crowded at all, mostly couples. The manager kept walking around checking on everyone, which I thought was really nice. The drinks were good! He ordered "It's A Vibe," and I got a strawberry margarita. We started with the ML's Super Sampler, which came with wings (you pick the sauce), hush puppies, fried shrimp, and salmon bites. Everything was really good. For dinner, he got the lamb chop meal and I ordered the fish dinner. Both plates were seasoned perfectly and had great flavor. Overall, we really enjoyed everything, and I'd definitely go back again. read more

See all

Mary Lou's was a small but nice bar/restaurant. We went on a Saturday night. The dj was really good especially if you like go go. All the line dances were done but I will say that the dance floor was a little tight. The downside was the service. It was a bit slow and we waited an eternity for drinks to come. The crowd was cool though. I got the fish sandwich which was massive. It was also delicious. The bread was nice and soft and the fish was seasoned perfectly. The rice was not good though. The wings were ok. Overall, decent experience. read more

MaryLou's - Fish sandwich and fries - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

Service and food were good. Everything was fried fresh and came out hot and quickly. The greens were spicy but could've used a little more flavor. Loved the macaroni and cheese but the snapper was truly the star of the show. I also tried the fried shrimp which was also very good! Steak fries were a hit but wings were average. Easy parking and a laid back ambiance. This review was for Happy Hour but I would love to come back for brunch and the live music! read more

See all

Good food, wait time was extensive even with a planned event I truly expected better customer experience... the layout is not a bad setup to accommodate groups or just people in pairs or alone. I would pop in when in the area. read more

The food is good lil pricey good service kool ambiance I think $55 for 3 lamb chops too much read more

See all

Mary Lou's was a solid surprise! I went there for a comedy show and had never been before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. First off, parking was a breeze--plenty of space, which is always a win. The happy hour definitely caught my eye, especially since their rum punches are only $10. The other drinks can run you $12-$18, but that punch is a steal. Now, onto the food: my homegirl grabbed the Cajun pasta, and we all loved it. Super flavorful, with just the right amount of kick. I went with the collard greens, and I'm glad I did because they were fire. Honestly, the food was way better than I expected for a spot that doubles as a comedy venue. The comedy itself? Eh, the jokes were kinda mid--not bad, just not the highlight of the night. But the vibe? Definitely gave hidden gem energy. It's one of those low-key spots where you can get good food, decent drinks, and a chill atmosphere. Would definitely go back, but maybe just skip the comedy next time. Service was kinda slow but they were super nice and maybe also slow bc they were trying to be considerate of walking around during fashion show. read more

MaryLou's - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

My food was savory, hot and delicious. The waitress was a tad bit slow she made up for it with her brightness and attention to our needs.

Marylou's on Thursday night is the place to be. If you are in Fort Washington Maryland this is the place to be. The live go-go band Push Play was great and the food was great. The drinks was even better, especially the 210 drink you only need one. read more

Always with great intention, the better half deliberately chooses to give our business to black owned establishments. We always pick a brunch spot on the weekend, Sunday Funday is what I call It. Marylou's is located in a shopping center in an industrial area. Odd location but it works. The ambiance is definitely causal! The set up of the inside is awkward, there are tables smack center of the door. This doesn't make it pleasant if you're sitting at the entrance like we were. On cold rainy day the fans were on and we had to ask if they could turn them off, they obliged, huge thank you! Our service was amiss from the start, we arrived to a semi full restaurant and were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait. If you all don't know, my better half is calm, cool, well mannered and patient so this statement didn't deter us. We waited as we looked at empty tables. We finally got seated and our waitress was clearly new. Even with her being new the establishment needs some TLC. It apparent that they need servers but they should definitely consider training their servers before throwing them into the serving arena alone. Although we came for brunch, they had one option for coffee (regular) and it looked disgusting. If the look was off putting, the coffee mug was broken, I had to drink away from the chipped broken part! Why would they even have this cup available for people! I needed creamer and sugar and the waitress put it in for me before brining it out to me. Weird! It wasn't enough so I asked for extra creamer and was brought out the large container of powered creamer. It was giving car sales lounge vibes in a restaurant. I asked for sugar and mid way through my meal another server asked if another table could use it. Investing in creamers and sugar packets needs to be first on the list. It's not that expensive to buy. Patrons should not share one sugar pourer. I digress. 30 minutes later we got our mimosas, we would have ordered more but they were delivered so late and we got our food 15 minutes later and well, we ate and were ready to go! So much for round two! Our food took 45 minutes to arrive and it arrived cold, at least mine did. It was such a disappointment. I have to give this place a fair review, I Do NOT recommend and the consensus from my honey and I, we WILL NOT return. Let's get into it! Marylou's Breakfast Sampler: No waffles so I picked the French Toast - Disgusting! The French toast was super gross! It had a thick cinnamon and sugar coating, I have no idea what was going on, it was cold. I tasted it and there it stayed. Eggs and bacon were edible. Catfish and Grits - With a sprinkle of Crab - it was good but nothing worthy of a ohhhhs or ahhhs. Hate to say it but Marylou needs to work quick to fix these issues. You have one opportunity to impress your guests. We were not impressed! Your Chef needs a do over! Quick! Patrons beware! Two stars because the manager, Filipino guy, was hospitable. Just wish he would have started helping with food runs, checking on tables, instead of chatting with everyone. read more

See all

I bought my first house in Ft. Washington in 1994 and although Ft. Washington is a very nice area, it has always been a quality restaurant desert. That said, if you open anything remotely resembling a decent restaurant, you're probably going to make a lot of money. MaryLou's has been open approximately a year and it has similar vibes as Milk and Honey, Kitchen Cray and The Breakfast Club. It was larger than I expected and is appealing to the eye. It has a very nice sized bar that is perfectly placed in the middle. If I owned this restaurant, I would use the door near where they set up the band as the entrance, to avoid incoming and outgoing patrons interfering with the tables placed right in front of the current entrance. Yes, that's where we were seated and made this astute observation :). Now to our first dining experience at MaryLou's. Our server was nice but a bit inexperienced. We placed our drink order almost immediately, however, she clearly forgot to give our order to the bartender. 30 minutes later, I asked her about our drinks and she apologized and said they'll be right out :(. We ordered the catfish and grits with added crabmeat for an additional $10 bucks and the MaryLou's Breakfast Sampler. The breakfast combo gives you a choice between waffles, pancakes or French Toast. Well, they were out of waffles.. WHAT? Ooook, lets go for the French Toast. Out of four slices, she ate half of one. They were lukewarm, overcooked and the flavor was off. My added crab was so small, I had to laugh on the inside and just go with it. Our server continued to apologize for the 45 minute wait on our food, blaming the backed up kitchen. Always a supporter of black owned businesses, however, make me want to come back and I will always be back. MaryLou's fell short, hopefully they'll get their act together because I want to see them succeed! read more

MaryLou's - Fish and grits w/added crab@ Marylou's! - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

See all

This establishment was pretty nice overall. I rarely hang out in Maryland, but I decided to give this place a try on a Thursday night since they had a live band performing. When you first walk in, security pats you down, which might make your antennas go up at first, but honestly, I appreciate the added safety. Once inside, a greeter welcomed us and seated us right away. She was very pleasant, and the quick seating was a great start. Our server came over shortly after to ask about drinks, and I ordered a margarita, which was actually pretty good. The ambience that night was great gogo music and a live band really set the tone and made the space feel lively and fun. The food was surprisingly very good as well. I tried a piece of my friend's fish, and it was fried perfectly excellent flavor and texture. All in all, I'd definitely return for the live music, the older crowd, and the solid food and drinks. A great spot if you're looking for good vibes on a weeknight. read more

MaryLou's - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

Customer service is excellent and the food is amazing. I've eaten there in several occasions and was never disappointed.

Held a group dinner on a Saturday afternoon and enjoyed our time and meal. The restaurant atmosphere was a whole vibe and I am sure dinner and music there would be awesome. Our meals came out scattered, so many were finishing their meals as some of us were just receiving ours. Not sure why the delay on some of the basic brunch orders, but the food presentation when it arrived was very nice. Service was good and food and drinks are worth a return trip! read more

See all

Good Times & Great Food at Mary Lou's - Fort Washington I recently attended another Winning Wednesday event at Mary Lou's (I've also been here for the National Association of Black Real Estate Brokers gathering). Since a Keller Williams Preferred Properties agent owns the restaurant, we make it a point to show support -- and honestly, it's always worth it. The space is one large, open room centered around a big bar. Depending on the night, you might find a live band, a DJ, or even karaoke during happy hour. There's no official dance floor, but that doesn't stop folks from line dancing wherever they can carve out space. The vibe is always fun and welcoming. As for the food: * Fried chicken wings - several flavor options, always tasty. * Tacos - solid and flavorful. * Fried fish - the star for me! Perfectly seasoned and crispy, I believe it's cod, and I've had it both as a sandwich and a dinner plate. Absolutely delicious. Drinks lean on the sweeter side, but the Mary Lou (their namesake happy hour cocktail) is deceptively strong -- you've been warned. They've also got bottled beer, though no draft options. Overall, it's a great neighborhood spot to spend an evening. I ended up staying several hours, enjoying the food, drinks, live entertainment, and meeting new people alongside my coworkers. MaryLou's has a way of turning an ordinary Wednesday into a fun night out. read more

MaryLou's - NAREB Event - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

The service and atmosphere was very warm and welcoming! It gave the feel of a comforting homey environment, its a good place to hang out with friends . The food was great as well! read more

MaryLou's - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

See all

While watching the Rams vs Panthers Playoff game, I was served by a cool Bartender who made me an Old Fashioned with ease. Hit up some Hot Honey Wings with Hush Puppies (don't judge me) and they were hitting. Definitely gonna hut this place up again because those Fish & Grits looks so good read more

I'm changing my review from 1 star to 3 1/2 stars. MaryLou's management team reached out and rectified my issue. read more

MaryLou's - My receipt - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

Pissy parking lot need to be powerwashed Seafood Shanty got better shrimp.. Wings from Murray's Service not bad/not good The buffet is warmed up leftovers from home. They can remove all reviews that dont meet the owners liking(screenshots still exist). Jukebox is the only thing worth the money in there. read more

18% GRATUITY!!!!Took my wife there , sat ourselves. Was not a lot of people in there on a Saturday night. Waited twenty minutes for a drink and 30 min for a simple sampler appetizer that was served with a few fries. The waitress said she will bring more fries without anything being said. I ate some fries and they were ice cold. I got the check and left they charge 18% gratuity read more

The only reason I'm rating low is because the fish is salty I could barely eat it - black ppl are prone to high blood pressure etc get it together. You can't give our ppl fried AND salty...needs to be seasoned evenly low salt and also rating low because Took 45mins to an hour for our appetizers to start coming out nearly one by one and 30 more mins for our mains to come. The only reason we feel we even got our appetizers was because the SECURITY guard came and asked us how we were...she was super kind, clearly attentive, and concerned noticing we'd been there a while not eating still. She went to the team twice without us asking and it worked. Our waitress came out with cornbread stating it's on the house for the wait but wow we waited forever for everything then our main dishes didn't even come out together. Lol The staff were all super nice respectful though! The dj was great. Security were on it and kind. The food is wonderful! Didn't get to hear the live band have to go back they looked like they'd sound good. Go, enjoy!! read more

See all

Went here with my mom, daughter and nephew. Let me say that I was super nervous to take the family since I know this is usually a very bar like atmosphere rather than a restaurant. However, the staff greeted us and told me they would love to have the little ones and my mom. They interacted with the children very well...big shout out to my Filipino brother Henry! Thank you for the friendly service and attentiveness. Let's get to the food- everything was so delicious definitely seasoned so damn well! My favorite was the whiting with the Mary Lou's sauce!!! Collards greens and green beans banging! The Mac n cheese was cool! Fried chicken was fire and the waffles bomb!!! Crab balls was good just wish they had a sauce! The frozen margarita was bomb and 2 had me tipsy! I can't wait to come back without the kids and try them wings! read more

See all

Chilllleee ... EVERYONE says "it's a vibe" and I swear ... NO LIE TOLD! Came for a birthday celebration (party of 12+) and I did NOT want to leave. DITTO, DITTO, DITTO on everything you've heard about the swirl (EXCELLENT slushie), the food (seasoned perfectly) and the band (Go-Go Babyyyy). Got there at 4pm ON A SUNDAY and it was PACKED. Thank goodness my friend reserved tables. Every drink and menu item are competitively priced. You gotta love Go-Go and you gotta have patience with the servers. I personally will not go back because it's just too crowded for me and I really was out of my element as far as the age group. NO SHADE ... I just need to stay in my lane and save that spot for the Millennials. Nevertheless, I HIGHLY recommend the experience and when you do visit, tell them you saw it on Yelp. read more

MaryLou's - Swirl and Tito's/Cranberry - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

See all

I have no issues with this place besides the drinks. I feel like drinks could've been better. My margarita tastes NOTHING like a margarita.My drink was about $11/12. It was hot and burned my stomach as if it was just poured from a jug and ice was added on top (melting). The band inside helped raise my score though.music was good. Security was present, which is always a plus. Over all OK experience. Wouldn't say they have the best drinks though and . read more

MaryLou's - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

See all

Shrimp and grits are nothing but the bomb along with nice music. I just realized I can't go every Friday cuz I will be broke shrimp and grits read more

This location has a total vibr. We were greeted and seated right away. Our wait staff was amazing, she worked the bar and have a few tables but ensured we had an amazing experience. The music provided a great R&B vibe. It started with 90 and 20's R&B. A DJ arrived and quickly set up provide music to make you dance. He played for a while as the band arrived and set up and provided a smooth transition to live performance from a band. The only thing better th3 th3 vibe was the food and drinks. The happy hour drinks were great and all of the food was amazing. We had a sample platter, salmon BLT, lambchops and crab fried rice. This place is a must try, make a reservation if you have a larger party because it looks like they keep a steady flow customers. read more

See all

Came on a Sunday when they opened-- my friends got there early (~1145) and said they weren't quite ready and the staff was still just getting there. I got there exactly at noon though and they did seat us and took our orders eventually. I thought the service was fine - but they did forget to bring my friend's tartar sauce until he was pretty much finished with his food. Food came out pretty quick too. We shared some corn bread which I thought was decent. It tasted like a coarse cake-- very moist. Not sure how I felt about the honey on top, because it definitely gave the cornbread a dessert vibe. I like my cornbread a little more savory. I ordered the lamp chops and they were like lamb lollipops-- it was pretty good. On the fatty side, really greasy and salty, but I prefer that to dry and flavorless haha. The Mac was very cheesy but was missing something, a little too overcooked maybe? Or not salty enough? It was very buttery/oily as well. I didn't like the collards at all-- but I'm not a collards person. I just thought they were a bit undercooked and hard, I didn't see any meat bits and it wasn't too salty or flavorful-- didn't finish them. If you were here when the previous spot Clout was, you'd notice they closed off the wall where the cigar lounge used to be. It probably is a bit cleaner/air quality better that way--they used to do hookah in this location, too. I'm not sure what the after hours vibe is like here but I didn't get a sense that the floors were sticky or anything like that. Overall I thought it was good. My friend got the grits and the portion is huge. The band was still setting up the whole time we were there so we didn't get to see the performance but I bet it gets pretty packed and loud in there later in the day. read more

MaryLou's - Lamb chops, Mac, collard greens - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

We came at 9pm (they close at 10), online it says midnight and we called & didn't get an answer. So the staff wasn't that excited to see us but still got us going. The food is really good and prepared well. There's so much of the seafood and not breading. It was karaoke & bingo night, so if you're looking for great vibes definitely try them out! read more

See all

Arrived last night with a friend, was immediately seated (Party of 2), and left 20/30 minutes later after not so much as being great by the waitress. No water, nothing... I'm not that guy, however a table that arrived after us (on the same empty side of the restaurant) was checked on 2,3,4 times, while we didn't even get a greating.... I got me, my money, and my friend out of there and went to Bangkok Golden, where we were immediately greated, and seated, provided water and then able to order drinks and food. I live in the area, and was hoping it would be an easy place to frequent for a good drinks, food, music and laughs with - HECK NO!! I'll never go to a place where the staff act as if you owe them something, but expect 20% gratuity... It's like the waitress was intentionally ignoring us lol .... I try not to be one who stares around being sure a waitress sees us (it was just the two groups on our side) - but it seems like she purposely avoided the table. Side bar: The DJ sounded like he was going to really good. Horrible experience overall. Premium market prices, zero class and customer service. Can't comment on the food and drinks (not even the water). read more

This adorable place is tucked in a small corner in Fort Washington, MD. The place is well secured with plenty of parking. As you enter, the place is beautiful and asethically adorned with beautiful reflections of modern design. There is plenty of seating and the food is delicious. I went on a Thursday and Happy Hour specials did not apply on that day; just Tuesday, Friday and Saturday . That was the biggest hiccup. The food, however, was very delicious. I ordered wings $16 and shrimp pasta. $18 and it was well worth the price. Both succulent with astonishing flavor. Chocolate Pearl Band performed some favorite Go-Go hits! They were amazing. They performed both old school and new school favorites. In between, the DJ kept the vibe going with recent hits. I would definitely return! Probably on a Happy Hour day. :) read more

See all

Some friends and I visited MaryLou's on a Thursday at 5pm. We were seated promptly and greeted warmly as soon as we walked in. Our server was Jaz and she was friendly and attentive. I love that we didn't have to flag her down when we needed her. You can tap the lap on your table. Now, to the food. We started with their signature drink and rum punch. Jaz told me the rum punch was sweet but strong. She was right! I only needed two! The other plus other than being good, was that it was $8! For my entree, I selected the fish basket. It came with two pieces of fried whiting, French fries, cole slaw, and corn bread. 10/10! The fish was seasoned and hot when it came out. The corn bread was sweet and tasty. Around 6:30pm, a live band graced the stage. Other than the drums being a little over powering, they sounded great and added to the already amazing atmosphere. I happy this black and woman business is in my neighborhood. I've lived in Fort Washington for almost 7 years, and have seen restaurants come and go. I'm happy to see a nice neighborhood spot that we can call our own. I'll be back to support! read more

MaryLou's - Menu - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

See all

Atmosphere was nice, music was good. Service was slow and the person working the door was also taking orders. We went for happy hour on a Friday but were told they don't have HH on Fridays despite them advertising It on social media. The food was good, seasoned well. Not a lot of menu options. read more

See all

marylou's is the spot!!!! food is great!! the staff krisha, henry, jasmine, security everybody all on ponit!!! friendly yet very professional!!!! and my bands scooby & push playeverytime!!!!! read more

The food was good not bad Service was super slow at first but it's a local spot so I get it. The ambiance was cool, I heard the weekend this place is full (this is my first time, and it's Tuesday) Well the place was ok read more

MaryLou's - Jerk chicken taco - Tacos Near Me - Fort Washington, Maryland

Marylou's has the foundation and bones for a great experience, but they really need to tighten up and improve their customer service and food. My mom and I were not really attended to but was greeted and assisted perhaps from one of the managers to act as our server. My mother and I were patient and waited forever for us to receive our food. Some of the staff were not friendly or approachable and seemed disgruntled. Our server was helpful, welcoming, and friendly, but the kitchen staff took forever and did not bring our orders out at the same time which is restaurant etiquette 101. My mom did not receive the correct order and had the shrimp and grits come out separately and was missing part of her order. My salmon meal came out late too. The mac and cheese was a bit salty and of Kraft dinosaur quality (rawr!) nothing special or Soul Food esque to write home about. The salmon was decent, but not how I would had seasoned and cooked. I actually like the decor and the ambiance. The classic R&B and soul jams are my thing, so the place certainly has an epic soundtrack, though the music is a little too loud like a day lounge. Some of the clientele are a little seedy and questionable. The place is ironically in an industrial, business park of Fort Washington. I know rent is pricy at the National Harbor and how slow these guys move like it is really a small Southern town, you can have the patience of a Saint, but they will get exposed for this in a busier area like the National Harbor. There needs to be a better pace and more respect and attention to the customer. Staff bringing food out much later not apologizing and being accountable is unacceptable, another one and done for me and my mom. read more

We left because we sat at the bar for almost 10 mins and female bartender was eating food, chatting with staff instead of acknowledging us. Staff needs to be more attentive. Especially when only a handful of customers at the bar and in the whole restaurant. read more

Very friendly restaurant. The food was great and prepared in a timely manner. I would definitely go back again and refer my friends.