This is an old fashioned “steak house,” in Gaithersburg, MD. We tried it on the recommendation of a friend, and were not disappointed. We had the Chateaubriand, basically Filet Mignon for two, and it was extremely good. The price was around $55, which compares favorably with, for example, Ruth’s Chris, if you split a meal. One of the big pluses for me, was that you could get a half caraffe of Merlot for $10–that is a phenomenal deal.
Besides the food though, the restaurant has charisma to the max. The main dining room has an actual wood burning fireplace, which reminds you of… well, home. The service was excellent–you aren’t dismissed after you’re served, and our waitress was constantly checking to make sure we weren’t lacking anything.
We were also lucky to be seated next to a very nice couple from Greece, Andy and Helen, who have been in the US for 25 years. They are frequent customers of The Flaming Pit, and loved coming back. Andy had the prime rib, and it was quite a sight–the piece of meat looked to be about 2 inches high. He was a trooper, but could not finish the whole serving.
Andy kept our attention for quite a while–he’s quite a story. He keeps a boat in Annapolis, and makes the Marlin festival almost every year.
In summary, The Flaming Pit is a nice place to go, especially for a romantic occasion. And I haven’t even mentioned the Piano Bar next to the dining room and in the same room as the main bar. The prices are high so for a normal night out, we still prefer say, The Golden Bull, which I’ve reviewed elsewhere. It’s about half the price, but still has great food.