Rafael's Restaurant

Restaurant was top notch ! Service was excellent and the food was amazing . Had the salmon w asparagus .. Also shown is a blackened Salmon BLT (best I've had ) Highly recommend .. will definitely be back .

Love this place. Patty was an excellent server! The Bloody Mary's are the best I have ever had. I ordered the spinach salad with tuna and the tuna was cooked perfectly medium rare. Will be back 🙂

First time dinner visitor and I will say it was a pleasant experience. I went in for a quick bite and ordered the Ahi Tuna. The tuna was fantastic and definitely something I would order again.

Great weekend breakfest! You must try the cheezy balls! They were so good.

My husband, two young adult sons, eight month old son, and I were pleasantly surprised with the amazing quality of our breakfast yesterday (Sunday). Our server hustled about amazingly. Having arrived at a busy time, we were prepared to be patient and wait a bit, but she zipped over and had us eating in no time. The food was so fresh and tasty! It is definitely our new favorite in Westminster and we will be back. I can’t get the cheesy potato hash browns out of my mind. So delicious! We had eggs Benedict, an omelette, scrambled eggs, pancakes, and a pop pop special at our table and every dish looked appetizing and delicious. Thanks for the great service and food!

Nice place. Chef lost our order and waited 25 minutes extra. They made it right by taking a one drink off the bill and a comp one. The surf and turf was good. My steak was superb. The crab cake was ok for me. Needs more spice. Wife's fish was superb. Waitress was extra superb. Will go back.

I had a private party on the deck on the same day as their official opening as Serra. My party planning was very last-minute, and I was in a bit of a pinch. However, Brittany was fantastic to work with and accommodated me in a large way. And I was not the easiest to work with (not intentionally) because I kept forgetting things she had already explained. But she was patient with me and the event was a huge success. I would recommend the deck for private party to anyone- was a beautiful night had by all, and all my guests told me how good their food was.

This place was amazing! The food was excellent and the crab dip was flavorful! Kayla was a great server outside and very attentive. The cake was also very good and enough food to take home as well. Drinks were a bit strong but still tasted fine. Overall, 10/10 recommendation.

My wife and I enjoyed an early Saturday evening dinner at Rafaels. We were immediately greeted when we arrived and brought to our table. We started our meal with a half dozen of the Petite oysters which were outstanding in freshness, flavor and texture. Our drinks were a perfect pour Guinness and the Chocolate and Vanilla Wonderland Martini, which my wife claimed was one of the best martinis she's ever had. Our appetizers consisted of a bowl of cream of crab soup and the bang-bang shrimp. Both of those appetizers were very tasty. The soup was creamy and flavorful and had a generous amount of fresh crab meat. The bang bang shrimp was perfectly cooked and flavored. Our main courses were the NY Strip Steak and the Crab Cake each with asparagus and French fries. Both of these main courses would rate 5 stars. Service was good even with our waitress busy with other tables. Overall an excellent dining experience, we will be back!

I hosted a surprise 40th birthday party for my wife and I could not have been happier with the service and the food. The owner and staff went above and beyond to make the evening perfect. I can not thank them enough! Wings, sliders, crab balls and spinach and artichoke dip were served, everything was absolutely delicious! Everyone raved about how good the food was! The atmosphere was great! The party was held on the outdoor deck, which has its own bar. I cannot recommend Raphaels enough for either having dinner, hanging out with some friends, or having a party. They are definitely at the top of my list when it comes to venues here in Westminister!

Update, after the caring response of the owner, I feel satisfied that my concerns were addressed. I actually love this place. But the night of December 6, 2022 I was served a disgusting burger very over cooked, and my fries must have been old fries reheated in the fryer. I literally could not eat my meal. Usually the burgers & fries are fantastic at this place. The waitress was very nice, however, she also commented that my burger wasn't what I ordered. My husband 's tacos looked great. (It was toco Tuesday). Needless to say nothing was done. We paid for the whole meal. Maybe we should have been more insistent with the waitress. I just think the restaurant should be aware that the Tuesday night cook was too lazy to cook a medium burger and fresh hot fries. My fries were literally cold fries reheated in the fryer. I couldn't eat any of it. Also, I think if even your waitress agrees that your meal is wrong you should not be charged. Or the waitress should tell the cook that the order was incorrect before serving it to the customer. I am disappointed that this happened & I wonder what happened to the quality of this business.

We went today because it was half price burgers. They did not skimp on the burgers and made to perfection toppings included! Cassi our waitress was warm and welcoming. We weren't a number but felt like family. We were never thirsty and we didn't leave hungry. Love the atmosphere. We will be returning!

Rafael’s accommodated my large family after a funeral of our loved one! The have us a huge room where we ate drank and had the best times telling memorable stories about our lost loved one! The two waiters whose names I don’t remember were awesome and attentive! Even the bartender and hostess were so friendly and warm! Thank you Rafael’s for making such a sad occasion into a wonderful family bonding experience filled with joy and laughter! The food was delicious and the drinks were on point and flowing! I highly recommend this place!

Rafael's Steak & Oyster in Westminster, Maryland, is a true gem! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff and the charming owner, Rafael, who is incredibly nice and talkative. His genuine hospitality made our dining experience even more enjoyable. The ambiance of the restaurant is cozy and inviting, perfect for a relaxing meal. The menu offers a fantastic selection of steaks and oysters, and everything we tried was cooked to perfection. The steaks were tender and flavorful, and the oysters were fresh and delicious. Rafael's attention to detail and passion for his restaurant shines through in every aspect, from the impeccable service to the beautifully presented dishes. It’s clear that he truly cares about his customers and their experience. Overall, Rafael's Steak & Oyster exceeded all our expectations. If you're in Westminster and looking for a memorable dining experience with top-notch food and exceptional service, this is the place to go. Highly recommended!

Rafaels is a gem of Westminster. Their food is wonderful and despite being a somewhat fancy place it's also one of my favorite places in town to get a good burger. Seriously don't sleep on the burgers here. They're excellent. The staff is so nice every time I go in. I can't say enough about the service and professionalism of the people here. The building itself is very cool with an old brick wall paired with a modern aesthetic that works really well together. On a Friday and Saturday night it gets crowded so make those reservations! Overall you will not regret going here. It's a great place to take a date or head out with friends.

Very good American style restaurant in downtown Westminster MD. Pretty large lunch menu. Burger very good with many add on options. Teriyaki shrimp stir fry was done very well (a little on the spicy side). BBQ chicken was excellent. Portions very nice for lunch. Good drink menu. No real parking, need to use metered lots nearby. Waitstaff very friendly. Definitely recommend.

6/25/22 $120 Date Night Salmon BLT, Crab Cake Platter & 2 Drinks (I did have to buy an extra shot of vodka for the drinks… stingy with the alcohol)

My boyfriend and I went this morning to there breakfast. I love good food, and I was very pleasantly surprised about how good it was!

Nestled in the charming surroundings of Westminster, this standout American-style restaurant is a true culinary gem. Boasting a sizeable lunch menu, it offers an array of dishes that deliver on both taste and presentation. Their standout burger offers a plethora of add-on options and promises a flavorful journey with each bite. The Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry, while leaning on the spicier side, is cooked to perfection, striking a balance between spice and flavor that leaves the palate delighted. The BBQ chicken is an absolute triumph, flawlessly cooked and generously portioned. The restaurant also offers a diverse drink menu, providing the perfect accompaniment to their delectable meals. While parking might be a minor hassle due to lack of dedicated spaces, nearby metered lots are available. The waitstaff is highly commendable for their friendly demeanor and attentive service, making for an overall pleasant dining experience. With its top-notch cuisine and excellent service, this restaurant comes highly recommended for anyone seeking to enjoy a remarkable American-style dining experience in Westminster.

Waitress told us immediately upon arrival that they were closing soon but we had called ahead of time and they were going to be open 2 more hours. Felt like she just wanted us in and out fast. Kept asking if we were ready to order over and over within the 1st 5 minutes. Menu selection was not great. My soup and fries were lukewarm. The waitress was more interested in telling us how she depends on tips as if to say leave me a good tip. The music from the bar was terribly loud as well as the drinkers. Not a very cozy place to eat. I personally will not go back there again. We weren't even allowed to sit on the other side of the restaurant away from the bar because the waitress said that they were closing soon. Not very professional. She should have been hospitable right up until closing time. You live and learn.

Good food. Friendly, personable service. Make sure you take advantage of happy hour (before 6 pm), with select half price appetizers (the Stadium Nachos are a meal by themselves). Ask the wait staff about which appetizers are half price. If you're not a sports fan, avoid the bar area when different seasons start; the kitchen can get backed up and it can be hard the servers' attention.

Have not been there in a few years because of all that's been going on. Stopped in for a quick bite and a beverage or 3. Some nice renovations and menu changes that were tasty(tried the sliders which were awesome!). Need to stop in and try a full meal and/or the brunch once that's back on the menu! Staff is friendly and attentive. Hope the deck will be open this summer with bands to rock out to!

So I'll start with the atmosphere! The interior renovations look great. I came during lunch hour, but from the initial appearance, I could tell from the lighting that it would look great at night. I would say it's a mixture of classy elegance. I chose to sit at the "Tiki" deck (four finger air quotes). Although the reggae music and wood decking was a good attempt at creating a tropical bar feel, I think a few palm plants strategically placed would make the Tiki bar more "Tiki'ey" (I struggle trying to make up that word)! I did notice outdoor deck lights strung throughout, so I would think the night time ambiance may redeem the poor effort to create an authentic beach like environment. (Then again this is downtown Westminter Maryland, not Ocean City Maryland. Service Todd was a nice guy with a very casual beachbum'ish attire but I must say his attire added a little authenticity to the tiki deck experience. He was attentive and bought out my fries first because he didn't want them to get cold while waiting for the rest of my meal. Truly I would have preferred all my food together because either way it was going to get cold while I wait for the remainder of my order, but I went ahead and ate them because I was starving. Food came after I was done with my fries. The plus side is at least I had my Root bear with my fries. Food I ordered the seared Aki Tuna! It left a lot to be desired. First off the tuna didn't taste fresh at all! Didn't taste like I would end up with a bad flesh eating bacterial infection (Knock on wood. The day is still young), but I've had enough Aki tuna to know this wasn't the freshest. Now I must say the presentation was very impressive. It was pretty, but when I get seared tuna I expect to see some signs of searing on the surface layer. A little bit more of a sear and it would have improved the dish. Don't get me wrong I love sashimi but this was in between sashami and seared. (How does that happen?) The flavor just didn't do it for me, one because the lack of fresh taste but two because it was overwhelmed with sesame seeds to the point that all I could focus on was the crunchy seeds. But even worse was the overwhelming mayo that drowned out the remainder of any flavor that existed. My last gripe with the tuna is that it was tough! How do uncooked tuna turn out tough? I mean I had to chew it much more than I should have to. So the fries that i devoured were plentiful for the price. Summary So I will give them a little bit of a pass for the taste of the food because my taste buds weren't fully engaged since most of my hunger was satisfied by the fries before hand. But I don't think I'll be trying the tuna again. I like to give a restaurant a couple times to wow me before totally writing them off (sometimes you just have a bad day) so I'll give them 3 stars for atmosphere alone and a cool waiter. I'll be back in the evening when the ambiance is in full display.

On 4/20/24 my wife and I went to Rafael's for dinner. We sat at the bar, that was being waited on by a dark-haired woman, with zero interest in being there. No warm welcome, no smile, and horrible people skills. She only smiled at her co-workers when they came to chat. I tried to make conversation and she complained about being there all day and all night. This was at 6:00 ish. We both had beers and were never asked if we wanted refills. I ordered a burger with an extra charge for a slice of cheese and bacon. The over-cooked burger arrived with a see-through piece of cheese and one skinny slice of bacon. One! I showed it to the bartender and she said she would run back and get another slice. "Forget it", I said, "just take the bacon off the bill". We were not offered condiments, so I asked another worker waiting for drinks. We had no silverware, so I asked yet another worker waiting for her drinks. Now I will say, this woman hustles and was pumping out drinks. Maybe they should have her make drinks for the restaurant, and hire a friendly, competent person to wait on the bar. My wife ordered the Salmon BLT and she liked it. The place looks great and the acoustic music was wonderful, but we will not go back.

I wanted to really like this meal, but the service and general ambiance just wasn't great! The food was poorly presented and the temperature of the food was very wrong. Cold salmon, over cooked steak and missing sides. The tables around us were not bussed long after the diners left. My replacement steak arrived after everyone in our party was finished... this was a birthday dinner for my son - I apologized to him! We expected a better experience!

We were in the area and wanted to try something new (we usually go to Rock Salt). Maybe if we'd never been to Rock Salt, Rafael's would have scored a 4 star review but in comparison it can't measure up. My hubby and I sat at the bar. The waitress was nice enough, acknowledging us immediately and all the food came out quickly. The drinks we had were nice. The appetizers and entrees were just okay. The meat was either over cooked (one meal) or just not the right cut as it was very tough and dry (the other meal). The staff was nice enough and very accommodating with a new meal to go and no charge on one of them. The atmosphere was fine too. Nothing really gave us that warm come back again feeling though and so we won't with better local options available.

Honestly mixed about the experience. My girlfriend grew up in the area and recommended the place. I ordered what I thought was a safe bet of a ribeye steak sandwich and a few happy hour oysters. My girlfriend ha a salmon blt. The oysters came out first and a couple extra were comped due to the much smaller than average results in shucking (it happens to all of us). Due to a party in the back of food took a bit over 40m to come out. The bartender stepped in to assist with service as our server was tied up with the party in the back. The best part of my meal was the onion rings which were great. My girlfriend had only positive things to say about the salmon sandwich and I was wishing I had that by the time I finished some of my sandwich. The steak was well past well done and tasted of a grill that needs cleaning. I was curious when ordering how it might be presented. This was well below my expectations. I took one bite and the entirety of the "chopped" steak slid out into my mouth and I spent a good few minutes chewing through the very tough steak. The mayo was soaked into the bread in a way that suggested it was sitting for at least 15m based on the served temperature. I know it's petty but they even put the top cut of the tomato in with the rough stem section. I did not finish the sandwich. We didn't have time for me to even bother talking to management, especially after hearing the interaction the server had with the table next to us about their cold food and poor quality. Based on the venue I gather they probably do more trade at night and have a crowd of drinkers. I really can't understand how a restaurant can have "steak and oysters" on the window and then serve what I can affirmatively say was the worse steak sandwich I've had.

I haven’t been this disappointed in a restaurant in a long time. My husband and I went to dinner on a Wednesday evening. I ordered the $16 Rafael’s Salad and he ordered the $16 shrimp tacos. When the food came out I couldn’t believe the $16 “salad” that was placed in front of me. 5 leaves of uncut romaine, 6 shrimp that were barely cooked, a few slivers of avacado and 4 cherry tomatoes. I was noticeably upset. I made a comment to to waiter about the lack of shrimp and the way it was plated and he said “yes, I’ve heard that before”. This is a common complaint and it is still served like that?! Meanwhile, my husbands $16 tacos came with 12 shrimp. I’m still trying to figure out how both of these meals were the same price. The waiter seemed completely unfazed by my complaint and offered no solution besides a knife to cut the salad. At that point I should have just sent it back. At the end of our meal I spoke with a female manager about the salad. She offered us a generous refund of $1.60. The only reason I gave 2 stars was because the shrimp tacos were good. My salad was awful and the service was insulating. It is safe to say I will never be back.

Got carryout, my sandwich was supposed to be toasted, and half of it was, but only half. It also had bacon on it which was not listed on the menu, and is a dietary restriction I have, not only that but there was a piece of paper inside my sandwich as well, the food tasted great once the inedible parts were removed, extremely dissapointed with how this turned out though.

The food and drinks were subpar from the appetizers to dinners. We didn’t finish anything. The kitchen staff didn’t even know where the shrimp was from. The server didn’t even notice we finished nothing and didn’t ask if it was okay. Drinks tasted bad, food had no taste. Fettuccini Alfredo looked like paste. Yucky. Very disappointing

The food is usually very good, today it was a little overcooked. Our server Dawn had a terrible attitude, not sure if she was having a bad day or if we did something to upset her but her service was really terrible. She did not say one pleasant thing or thank us for coming in. She took almost an hour to bring us our food and the restaurant was not busy. Another waiter told us our food should be out soon and it was another 20 minutes before she came out with it. We told dawn our eggs were overcooked and she said "okay" and didnt offer to fix it or even apologize. When we got our check we noticed she charged us for the wrong drinks and she said the drinks she charged us for were the same price as what we got (which was not correct) and she wasn't going to print out another check for us. We were at the restaurant for about an hour and a half and she only came to our table 3 times. We ended up paying our check using the QR code on the recipt because she just never came back to check up on us. Really unacceptable service all around from Dawn and I hope someone does something about it.

I went here for trivia two weeks ago. Trivia was really fun and the servers are nice. But the food poorly made and lacks quality, control. The cheese dip is oily and the burgers are dry over all the food is just not good. The atmosphere feels cheap rushed gimmicky And the service is incredibly slow both drink and food service. The only upside to this place are nice servers, fun trivia night and cheap beer. The only reason I’m giving this place an stars is the servers were kind.

We got seated at 10:30AM, watched two other tables come in after us and get served before us. Our “waitress” who was actually the hung over bartender stumbled through the entire service. At one point they tried to clear our table and we had not even been served yet. Coffee served in glass mugs, presented like weak tea. Asked the “waitress” and she said that’s how they make it. Finally got our food an hour later. Dining room was empty so no excuse’s . Food was ok, but service was absolutely horrible. I can not express in respectful words how embarrassing this experience was.

We had reservations for a small graduation party(16). We were seated for 2 1/2 hours before we got our food. Which came at different times for all involved. There was no communication about the food delay. We were not treated like we were having a celebration,although I did hear from the staff and management about another party and a birthday party happening at the same time as ours.The orders were wrong and one person didn't get any food. When we complained to the manager we were told it was a busy day, and that we were threatening. On our side, we were complaining about our experience at her restaurant but did not in any way say anything about her personally. We finally settled at 70% off of our bill, but the manager made the entire encounter about her. Her customer service and conflict resolution skills need a vast amount of work. I have never had any experience like this . They really dropped the ball on this one.

Food was served cold. Very tasteless and no seasoning. We went for brunch. Two of us got the chip beef and gravy. For the price it was such a small portion and wasn’t very good. Plum Crazy diner has chip beef for 3$ less and there’s so much more and tastes so much better. Oh and the owner treated his employees horribly in front of patrons.

Went to Rafael's for brunch Sunday. We had high hopes after seeing the reviews but were quickly disappointed. Took forever to place our order and even longer to get it. We ordered the cream chip beef which was good but had to be sent back because it was cold, the Rafs platter and the scrambled (which were ordered soft scrambled) eggs had to be re done because they were so over cooked and brown (came out twice like this), the omelet and pancakes. The omelet was okay and the pancakes were decent. The breakfast potatoes were flavorless boiled potatoes. If you want brunch in Westminster there are other options.

Worst dining experience I can remember. The oysters were by far the worst of all. We ordered 2 oysters of 4 varieties. Some of them looked terrible. One was black with a broken shell, no juice, and the oyster falling out. But my 83 yo father started to eat one that was completely rotten and foul. We sniffed it and almost got sick. It was literally bubbling and we showed that to the 18yo waitress. She didn't seem to get it. She took away the plate of 5 oysters and brought back 3. The whole thing didn't make sense. A bubbling oyster from an oyster place? The meals were terrible too. The rockfish w/ crab imperial was disgusting. The fish was touch and fishy and the imperial was terrible. Only one of the five of us ate our meal. The manager came and did very little. He took the oysters off after some discussion. He ended up also taking $10 off for the rockfish that was not eaten. It was the bare minimum and he wanted to do even less. We didn't want to make an issue that would detract from a Bday party so we paid the still large bill and left a reasonable tip. My dad never recovered from the bad oyster. Let's just say it left a very bad taste in all of our mouths. Unfortunately the young server and manager just don't get it. Crab soup and crab cake were good and beers were cheap!

First time and of course the last. My wife order a Maryland Crab Soup was just liquid and no CRAB and tasteless. I order Prime Rib and it was cold and not well cooked. I mentioned it to the waiter and his response was I’m sorry. Definitely not a good place to enjoy a pleasant dinner. And the worst part of it… it was Tuesday night and it only had a hand full of customers.

Our reservation was given to another party. Finally seated after a long wait. Service was terrible. The server kept disappearing. A table near us just walked out mid service. Bathroom dirty. The management here really needs to reevaluate the job they are doing and ask, "What am I doing wrong"?.

I strongly believe that the ONE server (Kirsten) and the ONE bartender (Tonya) who worked yesterday deserve better support. It was incredibly busy with a full bar during a Ravens away game and 15 tables in the dining room. Despite the challenging circumstances, they maintained a great attitude and provided excellent service. It's imperative to adequately staff your restaurant/bar to ensure the best possible experience for both customers and employees.