BERLIN, MD: dog parents, add The Sterling Tavern to your list immediately. Their outdoor patio is not only beautiful, it is can be fully enclosed with heaters and fans so your pup can chill comfortably all year long. The menu is big, with vegan and gluten‑free options too. I tried the Beyond cheesesteak and it was so good and the cocktails were on point. Shoutout to our server, Kameron, who gave Brie tons of love and made the whole experience even better. If you love good food and good drinks, this is a great spot for you and your pup. read more

The Sterling Tavern - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

Seriously good eats at this tavern. When in Maryland one must order a crab dish. I ordered a crab cake sammie with homemade potato chips. You know a place is good when homemade potato chips are available and I love me some chips. The crab cake sammie was delish. Lightly fried and served on a bun with lettuce and tomato. Cocktail sauce was on the side for added goodness. The meal was so good I felt the need for some dessert. Amaretto shortcake if you please. Yum! Tavern had some authentic vibes with a gum ball machine and an old style phone booth. Yes, a phone booth. There was indoor seating and a nice covered patio for outdoor dining. Service was good with a friendly serving staff. Highly recommended a visit Berlin for some excellent eats. read more

Mahi Rueben, wings, salads, drinks, scallop "cheesesteak" sub..... Man, this place just does some things well. We've dined at Sterling a many dozen times. Great food, great drinks and even better service. We are regulars and will be for years to come, God willing. Keep up the great work! read more

Excellent food, service and ambience. Had a delightful midafternoon lunch to avoid the crowds. Lovely experience in a cool atmosphere. Menu is unique and fresh. Everything we tried was different and delish. Highly recommend. read more

08/16/2026 Sunday 7:30 pm. One of the few places open. The food took a very long time to get to us. Our server was sweet but overly busy. So we waited a lot. A few things had run out for the night. When my fish and chips arrived they were both warm if that. My fries quickly got hard and cold. The hush puppies dense and warm but not hot. The "chowder" was runny which was expected as per menu description. Mostly broth and bland flavor. My recommendation you pass on this place. read more

The Sterling Tavern - Soggy fish. Terrible fries. - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

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We had come here on a saturday afternoon for lunch! The wait for a table was 45 minutes, we got in at 20 minutes. The Salt Buoy oysters had a nice salt tinge to it, not as drastic as you'd think! We wanted to try these because they were local to MD. They were smaller in size than the Chesapeake Oysters which are always good to start with. It is a bit sweeter and very easy to eat. Oysters seemed fresh, no foul odor or cloudy water! The Crab Fries were crispy, wish there was more crab flavor on it, it seemed like just regular fries, the crab kind of negligible. Pesto Pasta was a bit underwhelming, not flavorful, the bread was stale. For a pesto pasta it lacked seasoning and depth. Crab cakes had a lot of Crab in it! Not too much depth in the sauce. The mashed potatoes with it was heavy and not grainy which was nice. Seating is a bit cramped, we were sat upstairs in the high chairs and were right up against another party so it was a bit uncomfortable. They had a clean well maintained bathroom. Parking is limited, but it is to be expected in Berlin. read more

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Service soso. Ordered the fried green tomatoes with crab salad . Boring , 19$ not a lot of crab . tuna sandwich nice size and good . . Crab dip has a lot of green and red peppers . Not to my taste . read more

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I recently visited this joint while visiting and had the most amazing server ever. Her name is Jaimie and she was so friendly and knowledgeable. She offered great suggestions which I loved everything she suggested. She is definitely an asset to this business. I would return just because of her..... read more

Good place to dine outside on a nice day. Very casual place with an extensive menu. Service was a bit slow at first but got better.

Food was pretty good, service was painfully slow. But prices were reasonable and they allowed a dog to sit with us.

Bright and pleasant inside. Server was polite. Many wonderful sounding choices on the menu. Crab dip app was good. All of our dinners were quite tasty. Big drink selection. The downtown Berlin,MD area is really quaint with many pubs and eateries. Definitely recommend read more

First time in Berlin and 2 people recommended us to go to Sterling Tavern. It was early on a Friday and were seated immediately. They have a large menu from crab cakes ( delicious ), chicken wings to shrimp and grits(taste better than it looks). Everyone was friendly and the beer list was large. read more

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We passed through and this was the only place without a wait for dinner. Service was bad. We had to ask several times for napkins and silverware after our food was tabled. Fried oysters overcooked and over breaded. Fried green tomatoes so bland. The worst was the clam chowder. It was runny as water from a faucet. Big pass. read more

We went after the farmers market so it was crowded but we were able to get in. A big pro was that they have high top highchairs! The waitress was great and the crushes were delicious. My clam strips were just okay and didn't taste like much other than fried food without any salt but my mom enjoyed her pizza! read more

The Sterling Tavern - Clam strips - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

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I just attempted to dine at The Sterling Tavern, waited 10+ minutes for server, as they were covering entire outdoor patio area. Attempted to order we ordered two chicken sandwiches and fish and chips. Server then informed us they were out of everything chicken. So then changed to Reuben sandwich and was told they did not have the corned beef. So in the end they had less than 50% of the items on their menu. How does a restaurant survive doing this, do they not know about grocery stores. read more

My wife and I stopped in for lunch at the Sterling Tavern today, and was appalled by the lack of service! We sat at the table for 15 minutes before a waiter come by to even say hi to us, let alone take an order. When he did finally stop at our table (mind you he had walked by us to other tables a few times) to take our order, which was 2 diet cokes and a couple apps, it took another 20 minutes to get the drinks. He then proceeded to walk by us another few times, rather than stopping and taking our order. So needless to say, we didn't even get to try the food. We waited a total of around 40-45 minutes, with nothing to show for it but a couple diet cokes, before we went across the street to the Atlantic Hotel for an amazing lunch! read more

Met some friends here Friday night and everything was excellent. The vibe is very laid back and comfortable. I got the pretzels for an appetizer and fried shrimp for a small plate. Wonderful experience and the service was top notch. read more

The Sterling Tavern - Outside covered seating area - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

We really enjoyed all the food we ordered and the ambience of the restaurant, however the service was a bit lacking. We received the check, the prices on the check didn't match what was on the menu. There was some back and forth with the server justifying the restaurant didn't have what we ordered from the menu therefore higher price was charged to replace what we ordered. It was little strange. Also, note that the fries that comes with the Fish & Chips comes with truffle salted fries. I know many people love truffle, but I cannot stand it. We asked for a replacement so was charged an extra $5 for it. It will probably be good to note on the menu that the dish comes with truffle salted fries. Pros/Compliments: -Food is very delicious!! -Place is clean! -Fish & Chips - Flounder was very fresh and cooked to perfection; the regular fries with no truffle tasted delicious -Steamed Shrimp- Cooked perfect, not over done -Chesapeake Oysters - Fresh and no sand :) Cons/Complaints: -Service - Drink refills, silverware, plates; Check on table; Don't enter incorrect prices and up charge -Menu - Add that fries come with truffle salt; Make sure what is ordered and the prices match what comes out on the check/bill read more

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We got the chicken tacos, oysters and Maryland crab soup. Tacos were dry oysters good and soup only fair. The service was super slow. read more

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We really love it here! The food is good and the staff is great. We go there with guests and can count on it being a great experience. I appreciate all of the community support that they provide as well. read more

My husband and I had dinner at the Sterling Tavern on Saturday 01/10/26. I'll start off by giving credit where it's due -- the food was delicious. Unfortunately, they booked a party of at least 60 people for the second floor dining room. Every table was reserved for this party. The restaurant is way too small and did not have enough staff to handle a large group like that. The patrons who were already seated on the second floor were basically ignored after the large group started pouring in. They did not have enough tables or chairs for that group and the dining room was far too crowded for comfort. Kids from the group were running back and forth between their tables and the restroom. They were in the way of the staff serving food and drinks and none of the parents were doing anything to corral their children. People coming into the restaurant were taking one look into the dining room and leaving. They should have closed the second floor dining room and not sent people up there who were not with the large group. Cramming people in around the bar and a tiny side bar was just not a good idea. By the time the room was packed with people from the large party, it was so loud that I couldn't even have a conversation with my husband who was sitting right next to me. read more

The food hit the spot and the restaurant was really nice, but our waiter John made the experience outstanding. He was upbeat, attentive, and incredibly kind. Every interaction felt genuine, and he made sure we had everything we needed without us ever having to ask. His service turned a good dinner into a great one. read more

The whole experience turned out to be just OK. After ordering our drinks and food, it was about 45 to 50 minutes before were got our food. Our drinks came almost right away. There were 8 of us at an outside table. Just about as we sat down a guitarist began to sing and play. His performance was very good but it was at a very high volume. You could only possibly talk to the person sitting by your side or directly across from you, so there was a lot of shouting going on! I'm only going to rate our 2 entrees. The Crab Cake dinner, as well as the Crab & Steak dinner were nothing special, with the experience not being what we had enjoyed here a year ago. The crab to "filling" ratio had done a major reversal. The Sirloin (?) steak was a fairly big piece of meat but that's about it. Nice staff - good location but I wouldn't rush back any time soon. read more

Generally the food was good. BUT STAY AWAY FROM the shrimp and grits. They are absolutely horrible. A scoop of grits swimming in the middle of a bowl of about three inches of inedible "cheese sauce." Simply terrible. Other food was decent. read more

Nice find and less than 15 minutes from Assateague area. This Pet friendly (outdoors) was just what we have been looking for on our vacation to Assateague. Great menu, clean and friendly staff. The Mussels with linguini was very good. read more

The hostess greeted us with a big smile and took us to our table. She was the best part of the service for the entire time we were there. Our server treated us like we were an imposition and was like a drop by when she brought our food. If you can't do your job with grace, friendliness and respect, you need a new job. Food was delicious as always read more

We had a group of 20+ upstairs for an office reunion. I cant thank the staff enough. They were so amazing!! They worked with all our needs including photos, checks, constant orders! They made our evening so perfect. Food is always great. Prices are so reasonable. Everyone has reached out to me thanking me for a perfect evening. It wasn't me! It was Austin, John, Brooke and Nadia! I hope I didn't leave anyone out! Only recommendation would be to buy a nice big fan for crazy 100 degree days with 20+ women!! LOL! read more

Wish there was 0 stars to give... Never have I ever left a place hungry, disappointed, and just bewildered. After a 1-hour wait, our food came out cold -- except the oysters, which require zero cooking. My medium rare steak? First attempt: burnt to a crisp. Second attempt: still bleeding. It was either shoe leather or a biohazard. Worse? Discrimination alert. Not even kinda low-key, very high-key. A family of 6 (Caucasian) who showed up 15 minutes after us got three servers running back & forth "how's your food, do you need anything..etc" AND get this - got their meals first. We had one overwhelmed server who maybe once/twice tended to us. They comped the steak, but by then, i just wanted to up & leave. Damage was done. The people who we went with are returning customers and have admitted it's gone downhill. We won't be back -- and neither should you. read more

A-OK, nothing wrong with this place. Outdoor seating, upstairs seating. I had the wings, half Old Bay, half Buffalo sauce, both sides were good. Buffalo sauce was perfectly mid-level spicy. Served with carrots (where's the celery?). My dining partners' orders looked adequate. Beer menu looks good, inventive drinks, just fine in Berlin. read more

The Sterling Tavern - Old Bay and Buffalo wings - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

So went to The Sterling Tavern, our friend told us about how good it is, and being locals couldn't believe we haven't tried it out yet. before I start with our experience. Anyone reading this if you get Kenzie as your server you are in great hands. Since us getting in the restaurant she has been bouncing around table to table, great attitude etc. Thank you Kenzie for your hospitality and service. But unfortunately we were let down and had to leave much earlier than expected. We came in for happy hour, their website at the time and also what we seen online stated happy hour went til 7 pm. We ordered happy hour drinks and was going to order food as well. Kenzie said that was perfect. She then came back out n informed us that happy hour had just changed and no longer at the time that was advertised. Despite us under the presumption that we ordered our drinks at happy hour pricing the bar still chose to charge us full price. The bar I guess didn't believe me, and when Kenzie came back out she said that bar and people inside wanted me to show her where I got the information from. I showed her button by button right on their website in writing and on the happy hour menu itself that it stated happy hour ended at 7 and not at 6. Again not mad at Kenzie she's doing her best and is not on her to have the correct times on there. We were really looking forward to trying out the tavern but unfortunately this trip was very disappointing. It's not about money or anything just if that is what the restaurant is advertising, that should be what is honored. And telling the server to ask the guest to show them where I got this info from is not fair to Kenzie and puts her in a bind. Not fair to her and the hard work she's putting in. Thank you Kenzie for your service again. Nd I'm hoping the next time we have time to try out the tavern, we get to experience what the locals have been talking about. read more

Food was great, neat place and service was great. Not too expensive. Great small town restaurant.

Had the fosh and chips. Nicely fried haddock could have used some salt and pepper along aith flour but the aioli had plenty of old bay seasoning so it made up in flavor. Sadly the french fries were under the fish, so they fries while they were real home made potatoes, they were soggy... my suggestion to the chef would be set fries on the side. My daughter had the Mahi BLT, the fish was bit More cooked than we liked but very tasty, different as I had it without the brioche bread. Good selection of beers. Had a Burkey Oak IPA on draft, kater I took a drive tk the brewery which is 10 mins away from the restaurant. Overall, good experience. As expected food is expensive in the area but its a tourist town. read more

The Sterling Tavern - Seafood Near Me - Berlin, Maryland

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Rating it 1 star because we didnt even get attended to.... by the host, manager, or anyone else for like 10 minutes. Finally caught him and asked if there was a wait time for outside, and he apparently was taking wait times outside while there was a line waiting by the HOST DESK INSIDE like it said to do. He said about a 20 min wait and I asked if we could put our name down to which he denied and offered us to go upstairs and sit ourselves on the second floor patio which was FULL. Walked back down because at this point... WTF? And there's MORE people in line. Ugh... so disappointing, the food looked great but what was that service???? Needs better system if they are so unprepared to run a friday night. read more

Every time we are in town, we come to the Sterling and they never disappoint! The atmosphere is eclectic and laid back! We love it! The service (Nadia this time) and the owners are amazing. We are here for St. Patrick's Day weekend and my husband just had the best corned beef and cabbage he's ever had in his life. It was so good. We actually ordered two to take home for later! We always recommend this place Any time of the year! They have cool shirts too! read more

We have been there before and the food was really good. This visit not so much. It was disgusting. I don't know what happened, but it seems there must a a new cook and it's gone down hill. read more

My family and I went today and was very disappointed. We drove an hour to get there because we saw it when we went down for the Oktoberfest. We ordered clam strips over cooked and nothing but breading, cheesesteak dry as can be French fries cold and stale. It took the server forever to comeback to check on us she spilled some of the beer on the table never whipped it up . The bartender and a server were very loud running from the bar to the upstairs area . My daughter in law's burger was terrible and her Cole slaw was hot from being kept under the heat lamps. I managed restaurants in N.Y.C , Ct. And Florida keys the staff was more concerned in hanging out with each other than taking care of customers. We will definitely never go back. read more

Worst food. The salt bouy oysters were amazing. I ordered shrimp and grits. The grits were like paste. I then ordered the crab soup to take home. Tasteless. The consistency's is that of dishwater. Zero flavor. Having to fix a restaurant's flaws is never good. read more

Nice spot for dinner. I'd say food was 3.8. Burger was a little overcooked and dry but not horrible. Fries are great. Got old bay wings which were great. Fish tacos were good but could have used more accompaniments. Service was fantastic and quick. Front patio seating was very nice. The service and set up bumps It slightly over the 4 mark. read more

Locals from the area and we come often. Always want seafood but decided to try something different this time. I had the Turkey pesto panini and it was delicious! My hubby had the roast beef panini and loved his too! Get the tots too! read more

I stopped in for lunch with my parents after visiting Assateague Park on our way back to Ocean City. We were offered a seat downstairs that only had high tops available or seat yourself upstairs in the bar area. We decided to seat ourselves as it didn't seem too busy however that was a mistake. It seemed there was only one waitress taking care of every table as well as being the bartender making drinks so the service was horribly slow. We sat there for a while before she could even make her way over to us, trying to be patient understanding she was by herself. We had our food and drinks orders ready and when I asked if we order it all at once to speed it up, she did not want to take our food order and said she'd be back after she got our drinks. Eventually many more people joined the bar area which is when she eventually got help as we were almost done. I had a shrimp flat bread which was underwhelming. My parents did really enjoy their meals, the Florida Rueben with mahi and the scallop cheesesteak which had plenty of delicious scallops. Their unique twist on these classics is what intrigued me to visit but I probably would not return because of the service. Maybe you'd have better luck being sat at a table read more