Helen's

The restaurant is cozy and charming. Unfortunately the food wasn't good at all. I had the oyster basket. The oysters were soggy and greasy. The French fries were okay. My husband had the pork chops, mashed potatoes and green beans. The pork chops were fried with a white flavorless gravy, and were swimming in grease.The mashed potatoes were runny and were either instant or frozen and heated. Super disappointing. Won't be going back. My husband was given the wrong meal at first so I was almost finished with mine when he finally got his. The waiter was very apologetic and I understand everyone makes mistakes. I had heard so many good things about the restaurant

I stopped by Helen’s Café today hoping for a quiet, relaxing lunch break away from the office. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. To start on a positive note, my server was attentive and friendly, and the meal itself was just fine - no complaints there. But everything else about the experience was overshadowed by the environment. As soon as I sat down, I realized there was active construction happening in the dining area. One worker was on a ladder drilling into the ceiling, another was working along the wall, and throughout my meal I got to listen to the two of them carry on a conversation about their job as if the rest of us weren’t there. The noise wasn’t just a distraction - it was disruptive. The ladder scraped loudly across the floor, ceiling tiles were pulled down, and clouds of dust and debris drifted onto counters and tables nearby. At one point, one of the workers even answered the phone to handle business while standing in the middle of the dining room. It made the space feel more like a job site than a café. What’s frustrating is that Helen’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. You would think those would be the ideal times to schedule this kind of disruptive work instead of during lunch hours when customers are trying to enjoy their meals. Bottom line: while the staff and food were perfectly fine, the atmosphere today completely missed the mark. A café should be a place to relax and enjoy a meal - not to eat alongside drills, dust, and construction chatter.

The best breakfast I’ve had in St. Mary’s County in a long time! Our waitress was extremely welcoming, sweet, and attentive. The food was fresh and I’ll definitely be back!

Great Thanksgiving meal…portions were perfect, taste was great and the holiday price was right! First time at Helen’s and not disappointed. Click…. Picture a well-rounded Thanksgiving plate…mashed, sweet potatoes, ham&turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing and bread…cranberry or apple sauce. Apple, pumpkin or choice of pecan pie!

The most cozy, warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food is A++ Prices are very reasonable and a good value!

Sat at the bar. Waitress got us drinks and said kitchen is slightly backed up. We put our order in. An HOUR later our food came out. We got corn beef hash and eggs Benedict. I don’t know what the sauce was , but it definitely was not hollandaise sauce. My food was barely warm. Corn beef was not a version of corn beef I know. Service was fine, but food was less than good. Very disappointed. Hope as time goes on they can improve.

**Open 7 days a week, call ahead (6/29/21)** Helen’s is hands down the best cozy restaurant in Southern Maryland. You may think this is hyperbole so let me explain. From the moment we walked in our server Darlene greeted us with a big, beautiful smile. This set the tone for the rest of the experience. Warm & sincere. Although when we came it was lunch time and about 75% filled, we were cared for immediately. We had fresh coffee & waters within 3 mins- best local coffee thus far. We ordered the Farmer’s Feast & Helen’s “Toast & Berries”. The pancakes were light, fluffy & buttery. The French toast was soft with hints of cinnamon & vanilla. The scrapple was my personal favorite. The portions were generous. Food made with love. The staff works as a team and the good energy is just as evident in the setting as it is the food. We later met Paul who is one of the chefs. He was kind, welcoming & dedicated to their family business. Every person working there checked on all the guests consistently. Everything was really clean as well, even the restroom; always a plus!! They informed us that they’re open 7 days a week now so don't let the old sign fool you & call ahead just in case. Overall, a humble spot with great, fresh food, what more needs to be said?

Showed up, I am handy -caped. Rear ramp was useless, 3-4inch gap on the bottom of the ramp. Ramp in the front was blocked by some idiot's poor parking. We never got inside to sample the food. Are the ramps up to code? I don't think they are. I could be wrong but they are very steep and then the front door ramp is not idiot proof as far a being blocked by inconsiderate people.

After reading the recent reviews, you could easily see why people might stay away from this place. Even my sister, a lifelong county resident, both a booster of indigenous local businesses and a customer of Helen's old restaurant at the farmer's market, advised me to stay away "until they get their (expletive deleted) together." Eventually I braved breakfast there anyway, and I'm here to tell you that I think that they're getting it together. Food was hot, quick, and filling. Service was quite good; coffee refills, everything came as ordered. Coffee only sucked in the sense that it's generic diner coffee, which always sort of sucks. Could there be improvements? Sure. The ham that was listed as "pit ham" could've been a bit less obviously processed hamloaf slabs (complete with rind), but fried it was edible. Menu could be a bit more clear; it doesn't say that the standard breakfast comes with the usual bread and potato/etc choices. And why build a website if you can't at least put a menu on it? If you want to draw people these days, good coffee is another thing that helps. It doesn't need to be snooty yuppie coffee; Dunkin Donuts is just a tiny step above basic diner coffee quality-wise and it's fine because it's got at least a mild amount of flavor -- and because it's consistent. Up your coffee game a bit and that could be your edge. ‍ I think maybe the bad reviews are part of the reason I was the only one there for the entire half hour. (You may be wondering if my being the only one there was also why the service was good. I hope not.) Sounds to me like the reviews were deserved at the time, and Helen's stubborn, childish attitude in responding to many of them surely didn't help. (Who actually deletes every negative review from their webpage? That's some Trump-level dishonesty there, for someone who brags that she's proud of being honest and transparent...and what, pray tell, does "yespecially" mean? She starts two of her whining responses to Yelp reviews with that nonword; I speak SMIB pretty well, and I don't recall running across that one before.) Another factor might be the perceived difficulty of getting in and out of the parking lot during peak traffic. Situated at the intersection of Rt. 5 and Rt. 4 (St. Andrew's Church Road to longtime countians) it gets slammed from both directions during rush hours; with the southbound base traffic coming heavy and fast while the northbound traffic is merely crawling endlessly, it's potentially dangerous and frustratingly tedious simultaneously, especially if you're going north. But it wasn't as terrible as it could have been for me. I don't think it took more than a few minutes to get out despite having to depend on the kindness of strangers. I'd probably go back again... assuming Helen doesn't hunt me down and beat me up for this honest if less-than-rave review. I hope this business works out; we need all the local dining options we can get. This building has seen a lot of restaurants rise and fall since the venerable Willows, the original tenant. Many of them deserved to crash, but not all. Good luck. and oh, by the way? One doesn't "sew" oats; we sow them. You've carried that misspelled word from your old restaurant to your new one.

We went to Helen's on Sunday to enjoy her special brunch menu. We were greeted warmly by a nice young lady who surprisingly seated us promptly! (I thought being Sunday...) The waitress showed up in short order to take our drink order. The coffee was better than average and the milk was very cold. We ordered her famous Chesapeake Eggs Benedict and Chipped Beef Gravy on Toast. Everything was delicious. The lump blue crab on the Eggs Benedict was astounding! We also split a huge delicious orange/cranberry muffin. Helen came out to greet and check oSo glad we went. Full tummies all day!

Amazing salad restaurant! I was sad in the close in Charlotte Hall but excited they open closer to my home. The food is amazing and the service is perfection.

Just had Helen's for breakfast with my family of 4 and we loved it! My husband loves pumpkin coffee but thinks it's rare to find good brewed pumpkin coffee, he loved Helen's. Our food came out in under 15 minutes and all was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend the country burrito and breakfast potatoes! Her new space is clean, comfortable and decorated nicely. Definitely going to be a new spot for us !

It's a shame when a family-owned business can't handle honest feedback - and perhaps that's why so many people feel the need to post anonymously. As a local member of this community, I can say that bad reviews aren't what deter me from trying a restaurant; it's how the owner responds to those reviews that truly matters. The immaturity shown in this situation is, frankly, very distasteful. The review that caused such an overreaction simply mentioned that the coffee was subpar - and still gave four out of five stars. If people can't leave honest feedback anymore, what has the world come to? Sharing a personal experience isn't meant to tear a business down; it's meant to help it improve. That should be welcomed, not punished. Unfortunately, instead of taking the feedback in stride, the owner chose to post an emotional response on a public Facebook page with over 5,000 followers. That kind of behavior is incredibly unprofessional. If criticism triggers that kind of reaction, it might be best to hand off the social media duties to someone who can respond with more composure and professionalism.

Excellent food and service. It's like going back To when people cared about quality. Excellent large selection at low prices. Large quantity and quick service. Highly recommended!!

Owner deleted all negative comments on Facebook. Went last weekend. Took THREE hours for breakfast. Food was served cold. This business won't survive with a 2+ hour turnover on tables. Servers were nice but can't make ends meet with a slow kitchen.

Just went to the new location in Leonardtown, was seated at the counter. 20 plus minutes went by and no visit by the waitress all. I did not see any food cone out of the kitchen during that time period so I could not even tell if the food looked good. First and last visit.

Donald is on target and accurate. Was anxious to try this place and arrived before 3 pm, sign stated "dinner" and was told they were closing. It was early on in their opening and the few kids working there offered to serve us anyway. Place was empty, desserts in case appeared old and not fresh in appearance, ordered cheeseburgers (believing it would be a fast in and out meal) that were only ordinary and french fries were off Sisco truck, tasteless. Overall appearance although newish, left us cold. Owner's replies on site were off putting and defensive. (Truthful opinions should not be deleted.) Yes, we are seasoned travellers who frequent all levels of eating establishments so, no novices here. This has to improve if you are to continue to stay open but, we won't be returning which should be a positive thing for you if you cannot accept honest critiques. Staff was as pleasant as young people could be however.

Leonardtown location!: Some reviews on the page are for the older location. The eggs were gray! Not yellow and fluffy like you want when you pay for scrambled eggs. They also tasted like sausage. The toast was over done, cold, and hard. Also, only one piece. I highly recommend that the staff go to breakfast at some of the established restaurants and see what the customers expectations are and try to mimic that. The food took way too long for breakfast food. The grits seemed really hot like they were microwaved. To end on a good note, the floors looked clean.

We tried the new location today. Have to keep in mind that they just opened so I will say everything will get better soon. The food, even though it took nearly an hour, was very good and hot. Service people were really nice but really too busy and a bit unorganized but again it will get better. The new place is quite nice and the menu has a mixture of good sounding items. We will be back but not for a few weeks so they can iron out the bumps.

Once again, absolutely delicious. The eggs we're cooked to perfection. This time I tried the Keto Fit breakfast with country ham. The ham was seasoned so well. The avocado was fresh and ripened properly with no brown spots. The broccoli was spot on. It was a quiet morning so we had the pleasure of hanging out with the owner and learning all about her specialties and expectations of the quality of the food experience they provide. Can't wait to go for lunch one day so hubby can try the liver and onions.

Helen's is definitely a hidden gem. My husband and I stumbled upon them when we first moved in the area. Since we have been going to Helen's we have never been disappointed. The food is delicious and great portion sizes. We love to go when Kim is there because we love her mimosas and margaritas. It is a very warm and inviting atmosphere with fast service however they are always busy especially on the weekends but it's worth the wait. Helen the owner is so sweet and very personable as well. She informed me she might be trying to find a bigger location and possibly near California MD. Wherever they moved I will definitely continue to visit.

Stopped by for a quick homemade breakfast- this place didn't disappoint. We enjoyed the Corned Beef Skillet, Traditional Breakfast and a cup of grits. The food is prepared fresh and has great flavor. Service was quick. The corned beef is shaved and fried with onions and sliced potatoes. Note about the skillet- the food isn't cooked in it, only served. I assume they do that for presentation, but the skillet wasn't even warm. Not a deal breaker or anything- it still tasted great- but if you're expecting a sizzling skillet this isn't it. I would have gotten the Country Fried Steak, but they were out of it. And, it must be a popular choice, because I also heard 3 other guests try to order it, too. We will definitely return for a home cooked meal again.

We were there a year ago, very good. This time while staff friendly and nice, 5 plates of food came out cold. I have no idea how biscuits and gravy can be cold. To their credit, they did offer to remake the food. I declined. They also did give a discount. Left disappointed.

Very first time at Helen's Cafe, and I was pleasantly surprised! Not by the location, atmosphere or decor....but the food was great! The server was very friendly, and the food was hot, fresh and made to order. I ordered a chicken cheesesteak with onions, peppers, tomatoes and swiss and it came with a side of home cut fries. The only negative feedback is that they didnt honor my restaurant.com certificate. But glad I tried them anyway!

We had a great Valentine's Day brunch! The service and food was great and it is a very friendly atmosphere. Our server even gave me a rose and chocolate covered strawberry on our way out! We will definitely be going back!

Just moved to the area and found this awesome gem! Went for breakfast and was totally blown away by the service, friendliness and bang for your buck. Totally recommend the Farmers Feast for breakfast...will be back soon!

We came back! A week later lol. I couldn't stop thinking about that breakfast burrito. This time our visit was a lot better. The server was so friendly this time and the food was great. This may be our new breakfast spot! A nice little gem.

This is the location for a good down home country meal. I can't describe how good the food is. I had the corn beef hash skillet with over easy eggs. The corn beef hash was actual made from fresh corn beef!! It reminded me of fresh made deli corn beef hash from NY. My husband had the Farmers Feast with every kind of country meat you can think of along with French toast, eggs, and home fries ( to die for!!) In short if you come to the Southern Maryland Market stop in at Helen's for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have live music on Friday nights. Helen and Kim are there to greet you with great southern hospitality It's a MUST stop in. Let me know what you think. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Excellent hole-in-the wall diner. If you like a greasy dive this is your recovery place.

First time going in wanted to try some place different it looked quaint and inviting, ordered the chipped beef on biscuits instead of white toast. It's definitely not homemade. Package gravy and biscuits. It only took them 2 min. to put it in a to go box.

Took over 20 minutes to get waited on, while the two tables that came in after us got their order taken. Finally got our breakfast order in, my companion liked his omelet when it finally came out and all I could eat off my plate was the toast. The eggs were slimy, the bacon was half cooked (I asked for crispy bacon) and the potatoes had so much pepper on them, I was surprised there was any in the table shaker. So an hour and 20 minutes for toast.

In the last few years, we had been unsuccessful in finding a decent breakfast option in this area, until now. On a whim, we ventured over to the Flea Market in Charlotte Hall and discovered Helen's Cafe. We ordered "Hearty Breakfast Sandwich's" (one with sausage, egg, cheese; one with bacon, egg, cheese). Both were delicious! The service was friendly, place clean, and received food within a reasonable time. We enjoyed our order so much that we decided to try them again this morning, this time ordering Eggs Benedict and "Cream of the Crop" (creamed chip beef). The Benedict was great! The ham used was flavorful and Hollandaise tasty. My husband enjoyed the creamed chip beef. Helen's also offers Mimosas to-go. They have live music some evenings, too. If you enjoy simple food made with care and friendly people, go to Helen's. We're sad we didn't discover it sooner!

Very nice find. Food was excellent, customer service was so friendly. I had the western omelet and wife had the biscuits and gravy.

This cafe is a hidden gem. Lots of people don't know about because it is in the middle of the Farmers Market. The breakfast is so good. The crab cake is delicious. The French fries taste like Thrashers in Ocean City. They are hand cut. They have seating inside or you can sit outside. Customer service is fantastic, the waitresses are friendly and warm. On Friday's they have all you can eat oysters, they are so good.I always call and make a reservation if I am coming with my whole family due to the size of dinning area. I highly recommend this gem!

Just had the best breakfast I've had all time. Chip beef was great scrapple. Kerry had the chipped beef with home fries. Must go and try this place out.

We were excited to try this local, small business, but found it pretty disappointing. We arrived at 8am and there were only two other customers. What I ordered - a breakfast sandwich on a bagel and their "banana split yogurt parfait" which was suppose to be banana, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt and granola. The waitress had to check to make sure they had the parfait, but came back and confirmed that they did. What I got - a breakfast sandwich on toast, because they were out of bagels, and a very soft, very overripe banana, covered in yogurt with a few pecans sprinkled on top, it was SO gross and unappetizing. The real kicker was that is took 55 minutes to get our food! It's breakfast, and we were only the 2nd table in the place! I would understand if they took so long because they were running out to get the bagel, strawberries, blueberries or granola that I paid for and they neglected to include in my order. They also do not leave a coffee pot, so you are also waiting and waiting for a coffee refill the whole time. We love local diners for breakfast, but we won't be going back to this one anytime soon.

We were running around this morning with priorities. Eating was on the end of the list. Walked into Helens Cafe around 1:40pm today. This was our third visit there.....and we will definitely return. Our waiter/cook informed us he could prepare us a lunch or breakfast, whichever we preferred. My spouse got breakfast and myself the fish and chips for a lunch. Service was excellent and not intruding at all. Meals were excellent. What I really wanted to order was their shrimp basket, but it was too much food the last time I got it. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS PLEASE!

Omg! The most weird place for a restaurant and the food was great! They had acoustic music by jay shade. Tiny little place with great hospitality. The waitress said she's never waitresses in her life and she was handling the whole restaurant and getting drinks on top of it! I was shocked. We even got a free shot. I'm gonna go try the breakfast next weekend.

When me and my family went there for breakfast we were very dissatisfied with the service. No drink refilled And when food came it was good but the check came and they charged us for more then we ordered them told me that I had two orders of French toast but I only ordered one and the manager or owner sat there and told me I was wrong and trying to say since the bread was cut it two pieces each piece was a order and I paid almost 13$ for 3 pieces of French toast what happened to customer was always right I was really pissed when she tried to call me out. But others agreed I was right so she has lost my family's buisness.

Great place, friendly people, food is excellent, Charlotte Hall's cute little secret.

Went in for a quick bite to eat this afternoon. We ordered 2 club sandwiches and a chicken salad sub. It took over a half hour to get our food, and the chicken salad sub was not chicken salad. When we asked the waitress about it, she told us they were out of chicken salad and what we got was a chicken Philly sub. It had thin, dried out pieces of chicken, lettuce, and tomato on it. That's it. It came with home fries that were pretty greasy. On a positive note, the waitress was apologetic.

I'd advise against this place. The food is good, if you're willing to wait an hour, yes I said an hour, for breakfast food. I would love to say the place was packed to the hilt as a way of justifying this extensive wait period, but alas no such thing was happening. And who can possibly say something bad about this wait while listening to the symphony of shrill screams from who I can only assume to be the cook banging the bell while simultaneously screaming such literature as "Somebody get this food!" and "Any server come get this food!" On a positive note, all the servers were perfectly pleasant and were on top of everything while handling the screamer in stride. Yeah, I gave this place a second chance because we loved going there when it was Farmers Market Restaurant and Bar but it looks like we'll need to find a new local breakfast place. Such a shame, since this was the last decent local breakfast spot since Steak in a Sack shut down. Thanks for reading!