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The Bonfire's Tantalizing 100-foot-long Buffet
 | | Robyn M. Ferdinand | | Ashley Kinsler loads up on lobster at the buffet. |
Spend any time in Ocean City and one of the first things you'll find is
that after a day on the sand, beachgoers are hungry. They want food and
plenty of it.
Perhaps that's why all-you-can-eat buffets thrive in Maryland's premier
resort. Drive along the Coastal Highway and you'll see throngs of
lobster-colored vacationers lined outside warehouse-size eateries such as
the Bonfire, Embers and Phillips Crab House long before the sun sets over
Assawoman Bay.
Curious about this seaside phenomenon, my family and I headed to The
Bonfire, lured by the prospect of a menu that seemed as long as the
boardwalk. If seafood and variety are what you're after, The Bonfire doesn't
disappoint. You could teach a course on marine life while strolling down the
100-foot-long buffet:
crab legs and claws, lobster, fried clams, raw oysters, steamed shrimp,
scallops, and a raw bar.
Then there's ribs, chicken, roast turkey, ham, roast beef, prime rib, pork
tenderloin, ham, fresh corn and other Eastern Shore vegetables, onion rings,
Italian dishes such as manicotti, French onion soup (and three other
choices), a salad bar, fruits, muffins and an assortment of pies, cakes and
puddings.
Be forewarned: The dining room is massive, seating about 500 people and the
noise level can be loud. Nevertheless, we felt uncrowded in our seating
area, a raised platform off the elegant but casual lounge, which features a
circular bar.
We enjoyed a view of small shrubs, plants and trees in a niche
created outside a window. Areas of the dining room are divided, some by
stained glass partitions.
 | | Robyn M. Ferdinand | | A small sampling of offerings from the 100-foot-long buffet. |
My teen-age daughter and I ordered from the buffet ($24.95), and my wife and
youngest daughter from the limited menu, mostly steak and seafood and some
surf-and-turf combinations. With well-prepared selections, the buffet looked
wonderful, but they found the selection overwhelming. They preferred
something simple.
Everything we sampled from the smorgasbord passed muster - the seafood, the
beef, the vegetables, the salad bar. And despite the crowds, the staff does
a great job of keeping the surroundings presentable and the food fresh. We
never waited for anything.
Before indulging in the buffet, we ordered the crab and cheddar dip with
crackers, a recommendation of our harried waiter. The dip was adequate; the
crab was plentiful and the cheese didn't overwhelm. There were no surprises
either with the
Tournedos Bonfire ($20) my wife ordered.
Our only gripes came with timing and service. My wife's entrée was slow
getting to our table, and her dinner arrived with sour cream but no baked
potato. The waiter never came back to ask how our dinners were; we had to
flag him down to get the baked potato. A second glass of wine was never
served. And my youngest daughter was served her ravioli while we were still
feasting on the crab dip - the busy waiter disappeared before we had a
chance to protest.
It's clear the focal point at The Bonfire is the buffet, and you won't go
wrong indulging in the bounty. The food and selection almost make you forget
that the restaurant can become as crowded as the beach.
The Bonfire Restaurant & Night Club, 7009 Coastal Highway (71st Street and
Coastal Highway). 410-524-7171.
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Comments from users:
| Lacey A. Rhodes | Mount Union, PA | | rhodesl2 AT juniata DOT edu | |
This place was recommended to me from my brother who said this place was outstanding. It is outstanding. We visited in August and even though it was quite busy, The service, food, and seating were also outstanding. We always make it a place to dine when we visit OC. I recommend this place to anyone who likes good food for a good price. |
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