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    The Mainstay

    5.0 (3 reviews)

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    The Retriever Bar and Oysters - The House Burger

    The Retriever Bar and Oysters

    4.3(40 reviews)
    10.3 mi

    This was a fun place. We came visiting friends while in town for the Tea Party weekend, so they get…read morea little pass for being busy. I'm not sure the menu was all that imaginative, but the food was good and we enjoyed some oysters, onion dip, and I had the chicken sandwich. Our waiter was very attentive. The only thing I may add is to think about better flexibility on seating. It's a very large bar but the sit down area isn't greatly configurable. We'd put in for a group of 6 but it was not possible for them to seat us all at one table.

    The Retriever Oyster House in Chestertown left us with a mixed impression, one that deserves a fair…read moreand constructive take. We had just come from a college football game and, on the fly, decided to grab dinner here based on the recommendation of the one local in our group. There were seven of us, and most went for the double smash burgers with fries, which were excellent. Kim, our server, was outstanding, prompt, accurate, and attentive throughout the evening. The bartender also added to the positive side of the experience, making sure everything at the table ran smoothly. The issue came at the door. We had tried to call ahead to let them know we were on the way, not realizing that OpenTable was their preferred system. When we arrived, the host made this clear, but in a way that was unnecessarily sharp and cold. It set the wrong tone for the night. In a town where friendliness is the norm, the contrast was striking. The experience began under a haze that was difficult to shake, even though the food and drinks were excellent once we sat down. To be constructive, this is less about policy and more about hospitality. A host sets the tone, and a welcoming explanation could have changed everything. Something as simple as, "We usually use OpenTable to handle groups this size, but I'm glad you're here, let's get you taken care of," would have gone a long way. Instead of frustration, it could have created a positive first impression and likely earned a loyal group of returning guests for years to come. Inside, the atmosphere was lively, with locals enjoying themselves in a loud and fun environment. Our group of longtime friends who have been convening in Chestertown for two decades fit right in once we were seated. However, the bad first impression lingered, and as a result we only had one round with food before deciding to leave a lot earlier than our normal rhythm for an evening out. We ended up taking our bar bill to another venue. Great food and excellent table service carried the night, but the host made sure we will not be returning as part of our annual tradition. This is a restaurant with strong potential, and it could go from good to exceptional with just a little more attention to how guests are greeted.

    Photos
    The Retriever Bar and Oysters - The bar

    The bar

    The Retriever Bar and Oysters - Apple strudel

    Apple strudel

    The Retriever Bar and Oysters - Shrimp & Grits

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    Shrimp & Grits

    Carpenter Street Saloon

    Carpenter Street Saloon

    3.8(146 reviews)
    24.3 mi
    $$

    After spending the afternoon wandering through the shops in St. Michaels on my first-ever visit to…read moretown, I found myself craving one thing for dinner. A really good burger. Actually...a really good burger with crab dip on it. Naturally, I started searching for somewhere that could satisfy both cravings at once and landed on Carpenter Street Saloon, a laid-back local watering hole that's been serving up food, drinks and good times in the heart of St. Michaels for decades. Their menu had both burgers and crab dip, but not together. Challenge accepted! I arrived around 4:30pm on a Friday during Fourth of July weekend and somehow managed to snag the very last parking spot in their small lot. Even better, as I walked inside, a booth just inside the front door opened up. The adventure gods were clearly looking out for me! The atmosphere was exactly what I was hoping for. Folks were gathered around the bar enjoying drinks, conversations filled the room and absolutely nobody cared that I had wandered in by myself for dinner. Sometimes that's exactly the kind of place you need after a long day of adventuring. I studied the menu for approximately three seconds before asking my waitress what I assumed would be a ridiculous question. "Could I get a burger...with crab dip on it?" Without missing a beat, she smiled and said, "Absolutely! We actually used to have that on the menu, but nobody ordered it." I couldn't stop grinning! "Well," I replied, "I'm somebody...and I want it for dinner tonight!" One more vacation victory! For $16.00, my custom Bay Burger arrived piled high with rich, creamy crab dip and melted cheese dripping over the thick burger patty exactly as I'd imagined it. It was everything I'd hoped it would be! Juicy burger. Creamy crab dip. Gooey cheese. The combination just...worked! In fact...it worked so well that I briefly considered ordering another one before remembering I still had dessert plans later that evening. (Responsible Adult Alexis eventually won that internal debate.) I chose the coleslaw as my side, and while the flavor was really good, it was a little drier than I personally prefer. That's entirely a preference thing, though. If you're someone who likes a less creamy coleslaw, this one will probably be right up your alley. My Diet Pepsi was $4.00, bringing my total to just $21.20 before tip. Honestly, for a custom burger loaded with crab dip in the middle of one of Maryland's busiest holiday weekends, I thought that was an excellent value. Carpenter Street Saloon isn't trying to be fancy. It's comfortable. It's welcoming. It's the kind of neighborhood bar where locals and visitors alike can settle in, enjoy a great meal and relax for a while. If you're visiting St. Michaels and find yourself craving a burger, do yourself a favor...ask them to bring back the crab dip burger. Apparently nobody orders it. Except me. And now hopefully you!

    This ended up being my favorite stop of the day. The moment we walked into Carpenters Street Saloon…read morethere was a live band playing. They happened to be paused between songs, and I jokingly asked if they had any Toby Keith. The singer immediately started playing "Should've Been a Cowboy," which set the tone for the whole visit. We stayed for a couple of drinks and ended up spending a good part of the afternoon there. The atmosphere was fun and laid back, exactly what you'd want from a place with live music. At one point a woman passed out and an ambulance came, but there was a group of nurses nearby who said she was fine and had just had a little too much to drink. It honestly added to the wild, lively bar atmosphere. Drinks were very reasonably priced too -- we only spent about $37 for the afternoon. Great music, great vibe, and a fun crowd. I'd definitely go back.

    Photos
    Carpenter Street Saloon - Atmosphere

    Atmosphere

    Carpenter Street Saloon - Rockfish fish and Chips

    Rockfish fish and Chips

    Carpenter Street Saloon

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    Phantom Power - NEIPA in the beer garden.

    Phantom Power

    4.8(4 reviews)
    59.8 mi

    Be the first to review this somewhat hidden gem of a music venue and brewery? don't mind if I do!…read more Over my past couple of years of listening to them, Foxy Shazam has evolved into being a band that I really needed to see live. So when I saw that they were playing this random Millersville venue not all that far away I was instantly intrigued, and then I was even more sold when I saw that the venue also brewed their own beer. I also loved that it was a non-Ticket Master venue that used Eventbrite to sell tickets without an insane amount of hidden fees. And when I checked it out it was a hidden gem of a pleasant surprise. Unless you go to Millersville University, the area that the venue is at is one that you might not frequent. But Phantom Power is one of those few other reasons to visit since it delivers a fine assortment of local flavor events and national touring acts. Regular events include things like gothic/industrial dance parties, comedy nights, a Kegs and Eggs weekend brunch event, or just chilling in their outdoor beer garden on good weather days. I would absolutely go to things like these if Millersville was even closer! But on the flip side Phantom Power has also been seeing a good surge of national acts coming through thanks to WXPN taking notice for shows and them just being a fun and reliable space which I'll get to. In addition to Foxy Shazam I've seen big local names like Hop Along and mewithoutyou, indie acts like Delta Spirit and Sondre Lerche, Industrial and Punk bands like Front 242 and Reverend Horton Heat, and WTF WoW shows like Tim Cappello from Lost Boys (I still believe! - https://youtu.be/LpuwcINDHnQ) on their current and past lineup. It kind of reminds me of pleasantly filled memory venues of yesteryear like the Trocadero, only with a better beer list! Once we made our way through the lot to the venue we realized how big it is. Outside of their brunch event, they don't have a menu of their own, but I love the food truck connections they have and really wish I could remember the name of the BBQ truck that had those glorious smoked wings! The on-site brewed beer was as much of a hidden gem as the music venue since we enjoyed IPAs, stouts, pilsners, ESBs, and some other good varieties. The one suggestion I have is that, with a music venue of its caliber that also has a good beer list, it would be useful for them to have more sheld space to leave cups on during a jam-packed show like the one we were at, Foxy Shazam is one of those good energy rock bands that I would have enjoyed without good sound or lighting. But the fact that they had both in spades definitely helped. Now that I know this hidden gem is a success I'm checking their Facebook and Eventbrite pages (they don't actually seem to have their own site outside of those) for eye-catching shows, and you should do the same!

    The venue this place has to offer is some that I would not normally attend.( so I thought) i I been…read moretrying out new things. Staff here was down to earth and pleasant. The place was laid off nicely with two levels. The have a bar on both levels. Very small bar food menu. This is not a restaurant. Snack type hot food only. The entertainment tonight I was surprised. They were actually very good. And when I read what they had on their calendar they had some stuff that interest me. Yes this place is geared towards a younger demographic. At least compared to my age..I recommend you check out the web site. They have a lot to offer.I was there for about three hours. I prepaid for my ticket. . It end up being a very inexpensive night of entertainment.

    Photos
    Phantom Power - Har Mar Superstar on opening night.

    Har Mar Superstar on opening night.

    Phantom Power
    Phantom Power

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    Red Eye's Dock Bar - Crab pretZel dip

    Red Eye's Dock Bar

    2.8(79 reviews)
    11.4 mi
    $$

    This was the most disappointing crabcake ive ever had from a resteraunt in Maryland. There was more…read morebreadcrumbs than meat, no seasoning to even try to make it taste like a crabcake. Sent it back, the next was just as bad. How can you charge $27 for breadcrumbs??? It was disgusting. Pretty bad when $16 coldcuts are so much better than a $27 breadcake.

    EH. Came on opening day, which was also Cinco de Mayo. We got a table under the tent. Waited 15+…read moremins for someone to come and even offer water. We were actually gathering our things to leave, when someone came. When I asked was there any Cinco de Mayo specials or HH, we were told that after 6pm HH ends, but they had specials for the day. Those specials were $8 for all appetizers. Our waitress was new, so she said she would confirm. We ordered Apps, pending confirmation. Nearly 10 mins later, we get our drinks and ask about the price of apps and were told Apps were not $8, and the order was placed. This was frustrating because I def. would have gone with my original idea of a steak taco for $17+ instead of $17+ rockfish tender apps, that I didn't really want upfront. Since we were told apps were likely $8 we decided to just order from that part of the menu to try out different things. Sigh. This place was never really my go to on the Island. It was cool to check out after so many years. Was hoping for the "Cinco de Mayo" vibes that were posted on social media, and it just fell flat for me. But go - enjoy it for yourself! It's along the water. Crowd is probably mid 30s+ and the music is a mix of county/old school hip hop . plenty of surface level parking

    Photos
    Red Eye's Dock Bar - Patio area

    Patio area

    Red Eye's Dock Bar
    Red Eye's Dock Bar

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    The Mainstay - musicvenues - Updated August 2026

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