(No website found at time of publishing) – Laurel, Maryland

How I heard of this place: Chris and I were up in Laurel for the day, arriving earlier than expected during the convergence of storms for our appointment and decided to enjoy a greasey meal at a local, neighborhood joint; one of very few that appeared on our smart phone maps.

Type of cuisine: American bar food.

Ambiance: We drove up to an establishment that resembled a house, complete with potted plants and a wooden bench on the front stoop. A brown, wooden oval-shaped sign with orange trim noted the name: Sam’s Inc: Good Food & Good Times. A changeable sign, one of those often spotted a petrol station or boasting FREE HBO at a roadside motel shares happy hours, music (Blue Grass) and pub style fun: Karaoke. We park on the right side of the building, and run to the front where a windowless red door shows only the numbers 9994 and stickers noting the acceptance of AmEx, VISA and MC. Inside, linoleum flooring and wood-paneling on the walls are faintly seen in the darkness. A stream of miniature pumpkin lights are set against the banisters at the stage area. Brown tables and chairs take up the space between the booths at the walls and the bar to the far left. Television screens, rather than sharing news for seated fans of the Steelers recent win, show, instead, the latest news of “Frankenstorm“.

What I ordered: Chris and I each chose a meal from the Breakfast menu: A three-egg Omelete ($6.95) with cheese, onion, bacon, green peppers, pepperoni and sausage ($0.75 per ingredient), accompanied by an English Muffin and home fries. I ordered a Breakfast Platter of Bacon & Eggs ($6.95) with four slices of thin, crispy bacon, two eggs served over easy, a toasted and buttered English Muffin and home fries. Chris also ordered a large orange juice ($2.25) with which to wash it all down.

What I loved: English muffins sopping up the broken egg yolks. Home fries.

Why I loved it: Despite the dismal appearance, our waitress was pleasant, offering us several compliments throughout our meal (she loved my sparkly top and thought Chris and I made a very cute couple), and the other diners, mostly in their 60s plus, maintained a playful and jovial attitude, bringing smiles to our faces at their laughter and joy.

Cost: Low to average ($5.99 – $9.99 per breakfast entree)

Tags: Featured