Sunset Restaurant And Lounge Offers Old-Time Charm

Eating at the Sunset Restaurant and Lounge is like taking a step back in time. The food is good, but the ambiance is classic. The wait staff dresses in black and white, and I definitely heard the Baltimore term “hon” used several times. Soft music ranges from the ‘60s to mid-‘70s; I think I heard Nat King Cole and Barry Manilow. If you’re looking for chic and modern, this is not it. It’s dated with its dark paneling, Tiffany lights and etched glass and artwork - but that’s the charm.

The eatery is 55 years old. It has been the place to go in Glen Burnie for birthdays, anniversaries, after-prom dinners and other special events. Sunset has even hosted celebrities, including former Baltimore Orioles players Rick Dempsey and Frank Robinson, and actors Robert Mitchum, Ray Bolger, Frank Morgan and Kiefer Sutherland.

Tucked away from the main drag on Greenway Road, off Aquahart Road in Glen Burnie, the restaurant looks quaint from the outside. Its large dark doors open to an old-fashioned sitting room with a comfy sofa and chairs. The ceiling is high and there are twinkle lights on indoor trees.

Our hostess, Victoria, was very young and pleasant. We were seated at a corner booth below a huge picture of Adam and Eve being dismissed from the Garden of Eden. The picture is actually a historic charcoal portrait that once hung in the historic Halls Restaurant in Washington, D.C., in the late 1800s. My mind flickered back to Baltimore’s Hausner’s Restaurant many years ago; there is a similarity on a smaller scale.

Our waitress appeared almost immediately to take our drink orders. The menu has an extensive offering of more than 80 entries featuring American cuisine with seafood, meats and pasta on the dinner menu, not including salads. There is also a full lunch and children’s menu.

We ordered a baked crab dip served with four small pieces of garlic toast. Though it took more than 20 minutes to arrive, the dip was a generous portion and piping hot. Topped with cheese, it was not spicy, but full-flavored. I had to make myself stop eating the dip so I could taste my main dish.

Asked about customer favorites, our waitress was a little flustered, but she said the shrimp salad and crab cakes were very popular. I chose the land and sea tenderloin and back-fin crab cake, along with coleslaw and stewed tomatoes, both highlighted as “homemade” on the menu.

Once again, there was quite a wait. The crab cake and the filet were about the size of my palm. My filet, which I ordered medium-well, was not what I would describe as succulent, but it was flavorful and moist and topped with bacon. The crab cake was solid, with lots of back-fin crab meat and a minimum of filler. The vegetables were excellent. I could have made a dinner out of the stewed tomatoes and the garlic bread from the appetizer. The tomatoes are seasoned with just the right amount of sugar to give them a tang and make them sweet. The coleslaw must have been made that morning. It was fresh, crunchy and slightly sweet.

We finished our meal with a piece of the restaurant’s signature strawberry shortcake. It was big, with two layers of homemade cake - easily a full dessert for two people. The berries tasted almost like summer strawberries, and they were in a sauce that reminded me of my mother’s strawberry and sugar mixture years ago — delightful. The cake is homemade, and it tasted fresh. The whipped cream is, well, the icing on the cake. They’re generous with the cream, though I would have dolloped a bunch more on, but that’s because I just love whipped cream.

The restaurant has a full bar and I heard the drinks are “stiff.” I was impressed that, as I was leaving, I saw a bowl offering old-fashioned butter mints, another throwback in time. My dinner came to about $50 without any alcoholic drinks. The restaurant was getting busier as I was leaving, and the hostess said Saturday nights are very busy. Reservations are recommended. The restaurant has its niche, its place in time.

Sunset Restaurant is located at 625 Greenway Road in Glen Burnie. For more information, call 443-763-3677 or visit www.sunsetrestaurant.com.