Blue Star

Came here to watch the NFL opener between the Steelers and Patriots. Stuck with the appetizers. Can’t go wrong with nachos and wings, which were good.
But service was spotty. In the beginning, we had to either flag down a waitress or go up to the bar to order drinks and food. Later, a waitress started to stop by and get our orders, but it was inconsistent.
There are a decent number of TVs inside, but the place is somewhat small. Watching popular sporting events may not be a good idea.

Worst service I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Had to ask twice just to get someone to my table and the place was pretty empty, and that took 20 minutes. Food was good but I was pissed

The food is quite tasty but the service ranges from meh to downright terrible.
Last week my husband, son, and I met another family of three there to have dinner before a 7pm school function. We arrived at 6 for a quick dinner. As we have had experience with slightly slow service in the past we told them at the outset that we had a 7pm appointment and needed to leave no later than 6:45.
The food arrived at 6:50. Except for mine, a salad with eggplant and onion rings, which apparently needed longer to cook than a burger. They said they had it mostly ready fifteen minutes earlier, but then they realized that they had forgotten a fried egg on one burger and held up our order so it would all arrive at once. Except for mine. And the others were cold. Because it took 15 minutes to fry an egg when there were two parties in the entire restaurant. No adjustments were made to the bill for this mistake.
We’ve been there before and have had a reasonable meal. The food is usually quite tasty (and even that night it was tasty just late and had been sitting). I hope that the management takes the issues with the service seriously and does something about it. As it stands now, go there soon for kosher bar be que because it won’t be in business long.

Decent place. Veggie burger was ok. Had yummy extras on it. The regular burgers were good. The chicken sandwich was good. The sides are passing. Except if you’re looking for bbq baked beans these are not it. All in all its ok.

Great fries and great burgers! Especially the pastrami burger is awesome! Service is great and never really crowded. Good ambience for business lunches, going with friends, or with family!

I keep going back and food is consistently good. Had a burger. They grind the beef fresh every day onsite; I think the fresh custom grind makes a noticeable difference in the quality of the burger. Cooked perfect medium, as requested. Fresh cut fries, too, were great. Service was very fast and friendly.

I really like the food here I don’t know why there are any bad reviews I eat here all the time they have an amazing turkey sandwich and the secret sauce on it with the avocado and fried onion it’s all delicious and the service is great any way in my humble opinion it’s a wonderful restaurant a+.

Just ate here the other night, with spouse, to grab a quick dinner after returning from an international flight. We ordered sandwiches at the counter, and were served at a table. Sandwiches were tasty with nicely toasted buns. Still nothing special, but it was solid and food. I see so much potential for this place, but the captive audience of kosher eaters makes the restaurant not bother to strive for excellence, I fear.

I love there food they have the best Turkey sandwich I tested the fries were a little dry but that’s ok this sandwich was worth it and I love the special sauce they have on it it’s like thousand island meets Big Mac secret sauce, all and all I liked it and would go again

I really don’t understand all the negative reviews of this place. Both of my experiences here have been great. I came for lunch today and had the Hill Country sandwich, which was piled high with tender, juicy beef brisket on a warm egg bun. It came with cole slaw that wasn’t at all gloppy or drenched in mayonnaise. It was very good! The service was friendly and efficient. I will definitely be back again, and I recommend you try it, too!

We were so excited to find out tonight that they are offering a lot more gluten free options — the fries, onion rings, fried wings.
Except for the food coming out colder than it should, food was great tonight.

I will preface by saying we don’t keep kosher.
That said, we like checking out kosher restaurants, because my mother-​in-​law does keep kosher, and it gives her an opportunity to eat meat at restaurants. I saw a Groupon for this place, so my husband and I decided to vet it before bringing his family.
I’ll start with the good things about this place. The restaurant itself is cute, with little bbq-​themed wall decorations. The food is decent and on par with most other kosher restaurants in town (I would say hands down Moti’s Grill is the best kosher restaurant). The fries were fresh, probably my favorite part of the meal (I had a burger, my husband had ribs).
The last good thing I can say is that we were seated immediately. Then the wheels started to fall off.
About 30 seconds after we were seated, a server came by and asked if we were ready to order. We wanted to start the conversation by letting them know we had a Groupon. The server said «OK» and then walked away. Maybe she didn’t understand us, but we never actually got a chance to order (or even look at the menu).
Fast forward to 15 minutes later (literally NOTHING happens in that 15 minutes — no water, drink order taken, food order taken). My husband and I look longingly at servers that all seem to ignore us. We are seated right by the kitchen, so servers are passing us this whole time, without even looking at us.
Finally we grab a server’s attention and she takes our orders (does NOT write it down), but recites it back to us so we felt comfortable that the order was correct.
Fast forward another 20 minutes. We are starving. We are out of water. No one refills it for us, so we flag someone down ask request more water.
Fast forward another 15 minutes. Still no food. We are debating just ditching this place if another 10 minutes go by (we are relatively patient customers, but super hungers at this point!). Also, ribs and sides (mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cornbread) should already be prepared so the only thing that needs to be cooked is a burger and fries. It shouldn’t take this long.
30 seconds later our food shows up. No apologies. No friendliness. Just food. My husband is missing his cornbread, but other than that the order is right. We are happy campers. We rationed our water knowing that we probably wouldn’t get anymore (and we didn’t).
After we finish, we wait a bit longer for someone to stop by and ask if we’re ready for the check. We say yes, and that reiterate that we have a Groupon.
Fast forward 5 minutes. Server returns and asks us what we ordered because our ticket is missing.
Fast forward 5 minutes. Our check comes, and our $ 20 Groupon that I spent $ 12 on only has $ 11.99 taken off the check. Why? Apparently ribs are not allowed to be ordered with the Groupon. I get it, we kind of screwed this up by not reading the fine print. BUT.
1) I paid $ 12 for the Groupon. I should get a MINIMUM of $ 12 taken off my check (not $ 11.99 — not to be nit-​picky, but this is the level of apathy we’ve dealt throughout the whole experience).
2) We noted MULTIPLE times that we had a Groupon, maybe just MAYBE the server could have used a little mental energy to let remind us when we ordered the ribs that that couldn’t be used with the Groupon.
3) Knowing that we ordered the ribs and that we had a Groupon and asked for the check, instead of just taking off the minimum amount, perhaps the server could up-​sell us dessert to ensure we got the maximum value out of our Groupon.
We requested two slices of pie to go to accommodate the remainder of our Groupon, and our request, while polite, was reluctantly met. We ate our pies (and our sadness) at home. They were pretty good.
OVERALL MISSES:
— no greeting from server (e.g., «Hi, this is _​_​_​_​. And I’ll be taking care of you!»)
— did not feel welcome, or a place that I would proactively want to patron.
— water not provided and refilled proactively
— orders were not taken in a timely manner (i.e., NOT 30 seconds after I sit down and NOT 15 minutes later after I finally catch a server’s attention)
— no extra steps taken to ensure customer has a pleasant experience (e.g., «oh, I see you have a Groupon, just a note, ribs can’t be applied to the Groupon»)
— no bread or other snacky item that servers can supply without involving kitchen (e.g., chips, peanuts), especially knowing if the kitchen is slammed.
My husband gave a much harsher review, but perhaps these suggestions of how successful restaurants are run will inspire this place to improve.
I really wanted to love this place. We love small, local restaurants, we are patient, optimistic customers (most restaurants remember us because we are sweet peas, but we didn’t even get a chance to be). :(

HOLY COW! This place is effing miserable. I am writing this as I’m eating my shame and sadness pie. We’ll revisit where this pie came from later in the review.
Going in, we had a Groupon and since Blue Star is kosher and isn’t open Friday or Saturday, we had a difficult time finding a day to use this glorious discount. MLK Day arrived and this seemed like a prime opportunity to try out this joint that we drive by daily on the way home from the gym. We checked the Groupon app and it noted to mention that we have it when we are seated.
We rolled into the parking lot with tempered expectations. Having dined at other kosher restaurants, we understand that the service is usually less than stellar. We also were familiar with the other Unilocal reviews, so we geared ourselves up. We are easy to please and were ready to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Walking in, we walked up to the counter and a relatively tall woman in a California tee greeted us and confirmed that it was two for dinner. She showed us to a seat and we told her we had a Groupon. She walked away.
We watched others be seated, orders taken, drinks served, and food delivered. We. Sat.
Thirty-​five minutes later, while sitting drinkless, foodless, and starved, a blonde server asked us if anyone took our order. I said, «Nope.» She took our order of Adam’s Ribs and a Mexican Burger. We also asked for water. (There’s no drink menu, by the way and nothing was suggested)
Fifteen minutes later, we were greeted with waters. Then. We. Sat.
My water dish empty, I sat in disbelief. Other than the fact that there’s a captive audience of people starved for kosher barbecue, how is this place in business? No one asked how we were doing. No server made eye contact.
My water dish still empty, I shouted to a server asking for more water. She motioned to another server to get a pitcher. Eventually, a server returned with water for my glass. My wife’s glass was half empty (not half full) and she didn’t get topped off. Presumably, the trip back to the kitchen to fill the pitcher again would be too difficult.
Fifteen minutes later, we were contemplating leaving. It wasn’t clear that our order actually made it to the kitchen, nor did any actions by the staff indicate that we were welcome guests.
Almost poetically timed, our food then arrived. My meal was missing the cornbread (no big deal, since I was so starved that I was happy to have anything at this point). I told the server and she went back to the kitchen.
The plating looked quite nice. The ribs looked huge and were delightfully tender. They were moist and tasty and I made quick work of them. There was a bottle of sweet sauce on the table that I put on the ribs. It would have been nice to have a tangy sauce as well. Forgetting that this was kosher, I accidentally ordered the mashed potatoes. Without milk, they don’t work. The cole slaw was pretty good. The corn bread arrived and it was acceptable. My wife had the mexican burger. The fries were strong. The burger was on par with most other restaurants.
The eating portion of our visit lasted all of ten minutes.
Our table cleared, a server asked if we had ordered anything else. I asked for the check. I reminded him we have a Groupon.
The bill eventually arrived and there was only $ 11.99 taken off of the bill. I noted that we had a Groupon and it was for $ 20. He said that the Groupon isn’t good on the Ribs. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!? There are basically three things on the menu and you won’t give me the discount? Looking back at the Groupon, «Not good on ribs» was tucked inside. Since we didn’t really have a real server take our order, no one let me know that getting the Ribs was throwing my money away.
Not to brag, but I’m a pretty good tipper. It’s not uncommon to see a 30% tip if I’m in a generous mood. Initially, I just gave my card in with the intent of leaving ZERO tip.
When my scanned card returned, I decided to make an audible and requested something additional to make me feel better. My hanger had subsided and logical terrible service rage had set in. We had to make this right. I asked the guy if there was something I could go home with because they screwed me out of $ 10. I mentioned a burger or to-​go dessert. He said he could do a burger, but I’d have to wait. NO THANKS. He said that they had pecan pie, apple pie, … I cut him off and said, «One of each.»
Overjoyed with this demonstration of kindness, I upped the $ 0 tip to $ 4.
A few minutes later I got my shame pies, knocked over my barbecue sauce container on the table, and we walked out.
I eat out a lot and I am OK with not great service as long as the place has generally friendly staff or they are apologetic about not being good at service.
I’m done eating my shame pie. Normally, I root for the little guy, the underdog, the kosher bbq joint, etc. NOT THIS PLACE. I want to scream it from the mountaintops like a prophet. AVOID BLUE STAR.
I will not go back. GO ELSEWHERE.

I keep kosher now but didn’t always, so I have eaten at «real» BBQ places. I went with friends for lunch and we were one of two tables in the restaurant. The service was kind of slow but I was satisfied with my food. I got the Two Step with brisket and pulled beef and thought the flavor and texture was good. I personally would prefer if the pulled beef came soaked up in sauce, but they provide a variety of sauces on the table and I was able to sauce it up just the way I liked it. I have a severe dairy intolerance so one of the appeals of kosher meat places to me is being able to enjoy staples such as mashed potatoes and corn bread without fear of getting sick. I’m sure to someone who is used to mashed potatoes loaded with butter and cream they might taste «off» but they filled the craving for me.
I also picked up a catering order for work after I finished my lunch and I want to mention that Blue Star was a pleasure to work with. The staff was helpful on the phone, especially when I had questions regarding vegetarian options. I’m not sure how long this place has been open (I’m relatively new to the area) but I would guess from reading the reviews that this place got off to a rough start. Since I have experienced the «real» thing, I wouldn’t say that this place is the best BBQ I’ve ever had, but it certainly hits the spot for kosher establishments in the area. I just hope that they don’t come and go like other kosher places in this area seem to.

Their food wasn’t terrible, but it was a bit over priced and the service wasn’t all that great either. We sat with our drink glasses empty through half our meal because there wasn’t a waiter or waitress to be seen, and once we were finished the waitress seemed like she was trying to avoid our eye line so she didn’t have to come talk to us. We wanted to come here for some time now and we were disappointed with the outcome.

It’s a one of the only Kosher places in the area.
They serve texts stile BBQ and burgers.
The burgers are fine and the meat are fresh.
Overall it’s a very nice place and it’s worth a visit if you keep kosher.

Not what I’m used to when I eat barbecue. If I don’t smell wood smoke when I walk in, I’m suspicious.
I assume that the kosher aspect of the restaurant pretty much guarantees that the clientele hasn’t had real barbecue. The sauce had to come out of a bottle. Why not make your own if you’re a real barbecue restaurant?
Definitely not worth a second visit.

Small portions of mediocre food if you can deal with the miserable staff!!!
We made the mistake of coming to this restaurant without checking the reviews. We were met by a tall woman behind the counter who could barely speak or understand English… helping to make sure ordering was an extreme hassle.
After ordering we noticed that the only available tables in the self-​serve area were high-​tops, where we could not sit our baby. The staff had no interest in assisting and instead acted bothered when approached.
After seating ourselves in the wait-​service area the staff made certain to avoid providing any service whatsoever. We had to clean the table ourselves, carry the highchair from across the restaurant and scavenge for forks, knives, ketchup etc.
The tiny portion of pulled brisket for which they charge $ 20 had several small shreds of aluminum foil in it. The coleslaw, beans, and just about everything else on the table obviously came out of a 5 gallon bucket with «made in China» stamped on it.
The best part of our experience was walking out the door.

«Meh. I’ve experienced better» This is the appropriate rating for this establishment.
The staff is friendly enough, the options are decent. However the food seemed to take a really long time (around 15 min), and it’s not like your appetizer comes out first.
Upon asking for recommendations from the cashier, I ordered the «Hill Country (Hand sliced moist rubbed brisket on an egg glazed kaiser roll)» It was extremely tough and the seasoning was a little bland. Good thing that you have plenty of side sauces to choose from — a big PLUS for me. I liked the Sweet Carolina mixed with the Texas BBQ. Also, the dish came with a large helping of coleslaw and it tasted fresh.
For appetizer, I orderd the «Onion Strings» — I learned that this is not to be confused with ‘onion straws’, which is what I thought I was getting. Instead, these are just a thinner version of your typical, large onion rings. They were way too greasy. Again, the sauce saved the day as this is served with their «homemade remoulade sauce» (also available as one of the sauces to sample).
I probably won’t go back again, being that I came here on a whim (after hiking the Billy Goat Trail, my friend did a Google search for the nearest BBQ joint and this is where GPS led us).

Is it fair to review a restaurant if you only order one item and it was disappointing?
Sure! Why not? I will probably be back as they are located in the building where I work and hopefully, I will have a much higher rated updated review.
So, I am having a rough day and need french fries. I have had these days before but unless I want to get seasoned fries from Chili’s, there was never another option until Blue Star opened up. Yay!
I walk in and a very pretty lady behind the counter looks up at me and signals for me to place my order with someone else while she walks away. A side of shoestring french fries sets me back $ 2.49 before tax.
During my 7 minute wait (I wish I was exaggerating), I fill up a little cup with ketchup and grab a mustard packet. I read through their take-​out menu twice and notice that they serve chili as well as barbeque. The prices are a little high but this is North Bethesda and we are right next door to Whole Foods so someone has to pay the rent.
If I had known the wait was going to be so long for my fries, I would have sat down. A man on a cell phone walks past me and asked if I had been helped. I assured him I had been.
With fries in hand I take the elevator up to my office and dig right in… are my fries soggy? Nope. They were not hot enough to generate any steam in the plastic take out container. They were crispy… sitting under the hot lamp crispy.
There was one carry out order ahead of me but for some reason, I thought since I had waited so long that they were cooking my fries to order. Silly girl. This is not McDonald’s.
The fries were crispy. Like eating a potato chip. They were well seasoned. I just wish they had been even a little bit hot. Like grab them and throw them in the fryer for 20 seconds.
The irony is that I had gotten a sandwich from the deli next door and they give you a bag of chips for free when you buy a sandwich… but I went next door for cold french fries.