The Oz

Several misses tonight on this place. First, the good stuff. Dave, my server, was very attentive, apologetic for the house’s misses, and really tried his best to make lemonade out of dried-​out lemons.
Miss #1. The menu is really… short. I can understand this at a world-​class non-​chain restaurant with a top-​notch chef, but this is a hotel restaurant. Thankfully, Dave was happy to put in an order of calamari from the bar menu even though it wasn’t on the dinner menu :)
Miss #2. The kitchen forgot about said calamari. I was told I’d get a comp additional glass of wine or a comp desert (most places comp something you’ve already ordered, but I digress).
Miss #3. I had the lamb, ordered medium, and it came out dry and a bit burnt.
Miss #4. The «truffle fries» are just potato wedges with truffle oil. I’ve had better.
Miss #5. The restaurant manager was griping at a hostess on the floor for about 190 minutes of my dinner. No class in this whatsoever.
Miss #6. They had to pull some strings to get my glass of wine comped because I didn’t want another glass by this point and I didn’t want desert.
Frankly, this place would get a 1 star review if not for my server, Dave, and the fact that I’ve actually had worse. With all the food here in Bethesda, opt for something else.

I purchased a coupon from
and it’s also right around the corner from where we live in Bethesda as we’re always interested in checking out local eateries which are normally really good in the area. I wasn’t too sure when we first arrived and it being a Saturday evening, my husband and I were the only ones there. That wouldn’t be as bad, but for the food, not so great. For food averaging at least $ 25 a plate, I expect really good food, and to at least be full afterwards. French fries are our downfall, but the ones that came with my husband’s food were strangely large and burnt tasting. He said the sauce for the beef tips was pretty gross. My pasta was dry and it just didn’t taste right. It was a green pasta and sauce, not to appealing to the eyes to say the least. I have to say, the service was really good, but that was about it. For the ambiance, price of the dinner, portion size and overall quality, we were both really disappointed. I don’t think the regular top chef was there (based on website information) so in conclusion, we’ll go someone else next time. I’m not the type of person to compain about the food to the people working there and especailly it being a miss for both dishes, but I will share my experience online and save others the headache. I think this place would good for people actually staying at the hotel and don’t want to venture out that night, however, there’s alot better options in the neighborhood for good food at a reasonable price.

General steretotypes of food quality at hotel restaurants hold true here, and I probably never would have stopped in if not for a $ 25 gift certificate from
purchased for $ 2. The host and server were quick and friendly, but that’s presumably easy when you’re one of only two tables in the place on a Saturday evening. The food was decent but forgettable. The wine list was decently sized but consisted of quite a few low end bottles for a place that labels itself as a wine bar. The list itself was smaller and different from the one that’s posted on their website. The décor is quite nice, but the ambiance is killed by having no patrons. Not terrible, but spend the same money at a better place.

While this place has been around for a few years, it seems to be a totally under-​utilized spot in Bethesda, and I guess I can’t complain too much about that since it means its always nice and quiet when I go there. The OZ actually consists of a few different elements — a coffee bar, a sushi bar, a wine bar and a restaurant. The ambiance is always great — chill/​lounge type music and great staff — not too intrusive but always ready to bring you another glass of wine without being too disruptive. They also have this cute little section when you first walk in with an X-​Box and Wii set-​up that you can freely play with friends and other customers over a drink.
In terms of the coffee bar, they are good for a small coffee shop. They don’t have a huge menu like Starbucks does but at least you don’t ever have to worry about a line if you are in a rush. When I used to work across the street, 99% of the time I went here versus Starbucks and I was never let down.
The sushi bar is definitely a delight with a great menu and sushi chefs who are always ready to make you whatever you can think of. The simple Baltimore roll is one of my favorites but there is always something for everyone and the prices are nothing to gripe about.
The wine bar is probably my favorite component of The Oz. The wine list is expansive and the pours are very generous. Their light-​bites menu to compliment the wines is also a huge hit. Their grilled cheese is to die for accompanied by home-​made potato chips that are so full of flavor and so lightly fried that you will never want to eat pre-​packaged chips again. Mother Jones’ Southern Fried Chicken Salad is one of those dishes that can’t be beat. The chicken is lightly fried but packs a ton of flavor without being greasy at all. The honey mustard dressing adds a great flavor to the salad, tying the salad together very well. For a more health-​conscious light-​bite you can try the salmon with asparagus and wild mushrooms. I had this dish just last night and it was flavorful and moist, making you forget how healthy it is.
If the Chef, Tim Jones, is around, you should certainly ask to meet him. He’s delightful and cheery and always a great conversationalist, discussing his menu, upcoming changes and culinary classes that he teaches at the hotel. His willingness to give the customer whatever they want (even running out to get pineapple juice once when they were out and I requested it) makes this place a true customer service and culinary gem.