ShinGoonMin
Google
We missed the window to reserve for Father's Day Buffet Brunch here at Pinstripes in Rockville; but we still went there for a regular dinner. We chose a time in between the lunch and actual evening dinner crowds, but we were surprised that many families and groups had the same idea. It was our first time here, and we liked the huge place. It definitely didn't feel cramped in there. We knew they had a bowling area and patio seating (we didn't check those); we sat inside. The first thing that we noticed was the dirty floor. But we understood that they just got over the sold-out Father's Day Buffet Brunch crowd, so they probably just had a bit more foot (and spillage) traffic than usual. Pinstripes definitely gave a casual, unpretentious vibe, which was good for family and big group camaraderie. They had a two-hour parking area adjacent to the restaurant block, which was free yesterday (not sure about other days). The food was good, not extraordinary, but flavorful enough. We had appetizers, which included Crispy Calamari, that came in a plate big enough for us to note that it looked only half-full. We totally enjoyed the Tenderloin Sliders. The Pesto Focaccia bread was good. It was fluffier than regular crusty focaccia. For drinks, we had Sauvignon Blanc and Ginger Rose (mocktail). The entrées proved appetizing. We ordered the open-faced grilled salmon sandwich, the gnocchi with vodka sauce, their "famous" prime rib dip sandwich (very good!), and the chicken & goat cheese family platter. We were deep in conversation while eating and didn't notice anything was amiss until after one of us took a portion of the chicken & goat cheese pasta. Well, the pasta and goat cheese checked out fine, but where was the chicken? We thought, "Maybe they used chicken broth?" But we did ask the server, the courteous "Juliana" with the winsome smile. She went to seek out her manager, who came back with her. After hearing the situation, the affable Manager "Jessie" (without hesitation) made a proactive decision that, actually, turned the tides in Pinstripes' favor. Instead of us departing the place vowing not to return again (because leaving out the MAIN ingredient and serving a "dry" dish was a BIG omission), we thought that one crew member's (big) mistake wasn't everyone's burden to carry... not when they have personnel who KNEW what to do to appease disappointed customers. So yes, they may not have deserved a 5-star rating from us, but we would be willing to go back another day._//