The Robert Morris Inn and Salter’s Tavern

My BF took me here for dinner for my birthday last Saturday night and it was as good in person as I had imagined from seeing the FB posts! The Rob Morris is the oldest Inn in MD (built in 1710) the chairs in the dining room looked like they could be original! They had both fireplaces crackling and the ambiance was perfect! We each ordered a drink and the smoked blue fish pâté to get started and for entrees we got the steak and the lobster Alfredo… We traded plates about half way through. We were too full for dessert, but the selection looked good. Our server did a fine job. Would happily go back again!
The inn has an entry in the Haunted Eastern Shore or Mid-​shore book.

I recently ate in the Robert Morris dining room. VERY EXPENSIVE and VERY DISAPPOINTING. Mediocre crab cake on minimal veggies for $ 31.00. I can get a jumbo lump crab cake and veggies that are amazing for less than half the price elsewhere. The service, starting with the woman that ran the front desk, was not remotely warm or friendly. I felt unwelcome and as if I was an inconvenience by both the front desk and older waitress that took care of us. If you are looking for great food at a fair price served by an appreciative staff THIS IS NOT YOUR PLACE!

Dark and stuffy I would not return. Service was good but the food mediocre at best, particularly for the prices (which are DC but not close to quality).
Casear salad to start was good, but how hard is it to screw up?
Main course — «crispy» duck. 1^st off nothing was crispy. It was warm and the vegetables on the cool side. I was looking forward to the Brussels sprouts with bacon, and received about 4 sprouts. The roasted root vegetables were dry.
My wife had fish and chips with green peas. She was very disappointed.
The best thing was the Smith Island cake (which is not made there).

Review is food based… A– with Chef Mark being one of the very best, pretty much a celebrity. The place is old, real old, which brings charm but it’s straight up ancient. Would avoid the dinning room and recommend eating in the bar area… typical low light dungy feeling but the chef is top notch! Certainly in for a good meal. Wouldn’t recommend for the city type looking for steakhouse décor, ain’t happening!

Wonderful Venue
Our group of 60 ladies had an excellent tea.
Fresh baked scones, lemon curd, smith island cake and more. The items were Beautifully presented and delicious.
Several in our group required gluten free selections
And the inn delivered. Eve the banquet coordinator was knowledgeable and the service was perfect.
This is one of our local favorites in beautiful Oxford.

Stopped for lunch in the Tavern Section of the Inn on a Tuesday it was not really very busy. Server was nice and efficient with everything. We had a question about a chardonnay and she brought us the bottle to answer our question.
I had a Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken. Most of the romaine was from the bottom portion of the head, so most of it was white and not green. The night before my husband had a Caesar Salad as a side and it was great. This was not worth the price they charged for it. My husband had Fish’n’chips. It was one large piece of fish and only fair. I would recommend not wasting your time in going here to eat.

Absolutely delicious, perfectly balanced, fresh meals — what a treat! We started w/​the watermelon-​feta-​walnut salad w/​homemade balsamic vinegar. Visually delightful, & the taste made us crave the next course. We followed this w/​chicken curry & lamb curry which both had succulent meat, the right amount of heat & flavors balanced to perfection. Honestly the best curry we’ve had in decades of world travel. A truly talented chef! We’ll be making the 4 hour roundtrip from DC again & again.

Well, it’s a bad restaurant. We came for brunch and ordered on omelette and pancakes. Pretty simple. We got a large plate with a little omelette sitting sad in the middle of it with nothing on the side. The omelette tasted bad, was not done properly. They really don’t make an effort there.
The worst part is the service, it took ages to find the host and get seated («Im sorry I’m not the host»), and then ages again to find our waitress to ask for the bill («Im sorry I’m not your waiter»). The bill was also wrong, they over charged us, but it was not worth our time to ask for them to fix it.

Still among the best crab cakes you will find anywhere. For breakfast, try their take on Eggs Benedict — instead of Canadian bacon (I am not a ham fan), big chunks of back fin crab. Oh. My. Best breakfast dish I have had — a touch better than Brennan’s turtle soup in New Orleans. Of course, that is a matter of taste.

We had planned to have dinner in Annapolis but decided to come into Oxford since we were staying at the Robert Morris Inn. What an excellent decision we made! The Inn is delightful and the Salter’s Tavern is a hidden diamond. For starters, the martini was perfect. The Maryland crab cream soup and crab cake were, hands down, the best I’ve ever had cross my lips (and I consider myself something of a connoisseur of Maryland crab). Side dishes (asparagus and Parmesan fries) were as good as the entrees, and the desserts (Myers lemon cake and chocolate caramel crème brûlée) were superb. Chef Mark Salter’s talents are worthy of the finest five-​star restaurants. Oxford and the Robert Morris Inn and lucky to have him and his delectable offerings in their midst. We will most definitely make it a priority to return!
The Inn was delightful. Yes, it is historic and slightly quirky, but then so am I (more historic than quirky). The innkeepers were very accommodating and went out of their way to meet every need. The rooms were charming and the bathroom was spacious with good, hot water. It is a unique space with interesting history. It was a privilege to spend part of our vacation here and we look forward to returning. Soon.

My husband and I have different ideas of what constitutes a good weekend away: He loves the outdoors, sleeping under the stars, and cooking over an open fire. I like nice meals, cushy accommodations, and shopping. So, he planned what should have been the perfect compromise away weekend on the Eastern shore: one night of camping at Tuckahoe State Park followed by a relaxing stay at a B&B with water views in Oxford.
Upon seeing my room, I wanted to be back in the tent.
I will start with the positive, which was the food. We had breakfast at the inn because it is included in the room rate, for up to $ 18 per person. While other reviewers have commented on the high prices, $ 18 certainly goes a long way at breakfast! I found it extremely reasonable. We enjoyed french toast, egg/​crab Benedict, coffee, and multiple sides, and our bill was still zero dollars. Service was polite– not exactly speedy– but on pace with what I expected – this isn’t New York City, after all. We sat on the end of the porch and enjoyed the tranquil view and the wonderful meal. A woman even came by and asked if she could take our picture in order to paint it later because it was so picturesque.
Another great attribute of the Inn is the location: besides being right on the water, you are right in front of the ferry dock, which comes every 15 minutes. You can get on with your car and then take a short drive to St. Michael’s. It’s very convenient. Within very short walking distance along the water from the Inn is the Scottish Highland Creamery, which has great ice cream. You can also walk to a small market, a bookstore, and a few other restaurants. The location of this Inn is exactly what you want for a quiet weekend getaway.
Also positive were our interactions with the staff. The staff was friendly to us and promptly showed us to our room. When I locked myself out of my room (oopsies! It locks automatically!), the woman at the desk was very kind and not at all annoyed. The waitstaff was very friendly and polite, too.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointed, and even grossed out, by our room. It’s important to note that we did not stay in the main Inn building. I have no idea what those rooms are like. We had booked one of the Bottle Cottages. They are using the word cottages very loosely here, as both cottages are simply one tiny old house from the 1950s (1960s, maybe?) that has not been updated. The website description describes the Bottle Cottage as, «Large rooms with two in the cottage. More modern with seating areas and direct water views. Televisions are provided in these more modern rooms.»
Calling the screened-​in area a porch is a joke. The two provided chairs cannot even fit side-​by-​side in it. There is nothing modern about the bottle cottage: mismatched floral wallpaper and upholstery, two twin beds pushed together, old, stained carpet. It was really, really, unappealing. There was black mold in the shower and everything just felt dingy, stained, and old. Even my husband, who loves to «rough it» was skeeved out. He agreed to go to the car and get our sleeping bag from camping, and we slept in that instead.
I did not complain to the management because there was nothing they could do and it was only one night. What were they going to do? Replace the carpet, shower, and bed before my eyes? For $ 240 a night (198 on a weekday), I expect way, WAY more. The worst part is that the room was stifling. It was not even a very hot weekend and the room was so musty and hot. I wanted air freshener, a candle, a fan… anything. so badly! We had been warned not to touch the air conditioning or it would «freeze up,» so we just suffered through it, ending up on top of our sleeping bag instead of in it.
For me, the whole idea of staying at a B&B is to have a nicer experience than home. I was very happy to come home to my modest, but clean, apartment at the end of this weekend. However, if I were back on the Eastern Shore, I would not hesitate to stop back at the Inn for brunch and water views.

Best part was definitely the atmosphere. The food was overpriced for sure which does take away from the experience. There is a limited selection if you are trying to get an entrée for under $ 20. The prices didn’t seem to match the finish of the restaurant. The service was fine, but I’m not sure we will go back even with the limited options in Oxford.

My wife took me here for a getaway birthday weekend and we enjoyed a quiet trip while meeting some new people along the way. The breakfast was good for $ 18/​each at the tavern which was good. I had an omelet with blueberry pancakes. The coffee was delicious if you appreciate a good cup. The Bay water level was high which hindered activities. The room was typical B&B size but the bathroom was tiny like RV tiny.

Run, don’t walk — Destination dining in Oxford, MD.
On a May Monday evening in 2013, I ventured out from my Eastern shore resort in search of sustenance from an establishment not characterized by generic offerings based on ho hum preparations and barely edible foodstuffs. Two friends of mine raved about the Robert Morris Inn in Oxford, MD (just 60 minutes from the Bay Bridge and 28 minutes from Cambridge, MD) and so I ventured out, open to the possibilities of savoring a new food experience.
The pastoral landscape from Cambridge is dotted with beautiful farmlands and when you arrive in Oxford, everything slows down to a manageable 25 mph — the RMI tavern is located at the end of the road, with ample parking. Come early and come often.
The tavern is decorated in warm mahogany and comfortable tables — I arrived close to 830pm and the server, Spencer (a budding chef in the making), mentioned the specials — a crab salad, a lobster salad and a Prime Rib special, which was so tempting, but I was here for the seafood — after all, it is the Eastern Shore!
The lobster appetizer was brought out and it was visually stunning — a serving of lobster amid perfectly cooked asparagus, greens, and prosciutto complemented by yellow tomatoes with a delectable sauce. The care that chef Mark Salter and his team takes in preparing vegetables is amazing and shows tremendous passion — to have the crunch of red pepper alongside perfectly cooked asparagus is one thing, but to imbibe this with a reduction of savory oil and seasonings brings the dish to a WOW — MUST HAVE status.
I opted for one of the house specialties — the Crab Cake — also beautifully presented but more important, the taste transcended any other crab cake that I’ve ever had. Atop spears of wonderfully flavorful asparagus surrounded by amazingly warm yellow and purple potatoes, the crab cake is poised with a tomato icing reminiscent of a slow cooked sauce from Palermo. I delighted in each bite and was pleasantly surprised to notice that the more I ate this meal, the better it got. It was as if God had declared «Let there be crab cake» — and this appeared. I’m not exaggerating — It was that good.
Executive chef and owner Mark Salter graciously spent time with me to share his philosophy of cooking and food preparation — I delighted in sharing my appreciation for a confluence of amazing cooking, aesthetics, and attention to detail which resulted in a meal that easily ranks as my number one for memorable food experiences.
But there’s more. Normally when I have a great meal, the appetizer and entrée are so much more than I can handle that any «room for dessert» query results in a «Just the check, please» response. In this case, I wanted the full soup-​to-​nuts experience. Since Mark was tableside and so generous with his time, I asked him to recommend the dolce finale — in response, he brought over what was undoubtedly the best bread pudding that I have ever eaten. And yes, it displaces the famous Rose Petal Crème Brulee from the now closed Coppola’s Rubicon in San Francisco. The depth of flavors of Salter’s crème fraise atop the bread pudding and raspberries alongside the baked/​steamed/​baked again brioche is uncanny. This painstaking method results in a bread pudding texture that is both crispy and soft, sweet and savory. Paired with a strong, hot cup of fresh brewed coffee (drink it black, trust me), this Act 2 was literally a new beginning.
Bottom-​line? Run. Don’t Walk. This was an amazing meal which makes the Robert Morris Inn in Oxford, MD one of my top food destinations — 2 hours from my home in Washington, DC to have brunch, lunch, dinner, anything at all from Salter’s kitchen is a small price to pay. Mark mentioned that they offer brunch, and that just seems like it would be mind blowing. All in all, my Monday night venture into the warm Spring evening resulted in a transcendent sensory and aesthetic experience that is unforgettable.

Enjoyed the crab-​topped eggs benedict on the porch during a cloud-​free morning this week. Restful location and the food and service are always good.

From the moment we stepped in to discuss the possibility of having our wedding weekend here to the last hours of our adventure, we encountered the quintessential professionalism and family feel of the folks at RMI. Our friends and families will measure all other weddings against this one, and I believe most will fall short, as the weekend was a magical experience. Eve (our wedding coordinator), Ian (proprietor), Chef Salter (proprietor), Elinor, Janet, Kathy, Marguerite, David, and everyone else at RMI spoiled us (I am so sorry if I forgot your names — I would love to thank every one of you personally and repeatedly). We are eternally grateful for the generous hospitality. I would highly recommend their inn to anyone looking for the perfect spot. Whether you are hosting a large event or seeking an intimate weekend getaway, RMI will take great care of you.
We arrived Friday evening with around 75 guests checking into their rooms and having dinner. The food was amazing: fried chicken, corn on the cob, cole slaw with blue cheese & apples, tomato salad, apple crisp and brownies to name a few of the offerings. All were cooked/​baked to perfection, and served throughout the evening so that nothing got too cold or dry. The guests who ate latest had the same tasty experience as those who raided the buffet first.
Breakfasts were spectacular. Our guests commented on how wonderful the food was, and I have never seen bacon so consistently cooked to perfection. The vegetable frittata and the scones were my personal favorites. Others thought the muffins were scrumptious. I appreciated that there were plenty of options for even the fussiest palates.
Saturday night’s dinner was a masterpiece. Ian designed and constructed lovely menus with a personal logo on it that he had created. The presentation was gorgeous, quality of the food was first rate, and the taste was five stars. All of our guests were thoroughly impressed with Chef Salter’s culinary skills. We were equally impressed with everyone’s professionalism and kindness. I have never been to a wedding where servers were so attentive to everyone’s needs. They even noticed little things; like when my cousin’s wife went up to the room with their child to feed her, a sweet server offered to keep my cousin’s food warm while he waited for his wife to return.
We chose Smith Island cakes for dessert, and Ian designed a logo exclusively for our cake. It was such a beautiful touch, and Ian has great artistic ability. Chef Salter personally served cake to our guests, a unique gesture that touched me very deeply. It is not very often that someone of his stature and ability would come out of the kitchen to take such personal care of guests, and I am incredibly grateful that he did so for ours. The rest of the reception was a ton of fun, and the great people at Robert Morris Inn made sure to take care of every detail, including the ones we had not thought of.
Our wedding weekend was magical, and it could not have happened without the incredible staff at Robert Morris Inn.

Dinner was a big bowl of okay. The crab soup was delicious, fried oysters were not bad, and the oyster pot pie was good. The portions were on the small side. We had breakfast the next morning and had the worst service ever! It literally took 20 minutes just to order coffee! We were almost to the point of walking out. We did eventually get to order and eat. The eggs benedict was good and the coffee was bold and tasty although not worth the wait.

Food was ok. Fabled crab cake was a little overpriced. The corn succotash seemed like it came from a can. Mt wife got the special prime rib, which tasted like it had liquid smoke on it.
Wine list very odd. Lots of Pinot noir. We did find a nice WA state Merlot though.
Service was outstanding however! And the outdoor seating has some pretty nice views of the small town of Oxford and the Tred Avon River.

Expensive, quaint inn. Very Small rooms.
I understand that Maryland is all about crabs, but No vegetable entrees on the menu in the tavern? The drinks were mediocre although the food was very good. Actually, I don’t think the «bartender» had any training at all… Once, we left some untouched and ordered wine after
The wait staff at the tavern were disorganized but quite friendly.
The staff at the Inn were mixed; actually I had some reasonably small issue and one of the owners, rather than listening, tried to dodge/​blame/​duck/​rationalize, rather than at least making me feel heard. I was left dumfounded and exasperated.

My husband and I ate at the Taproom for dinner and the dark wood definitely makes you feel like you are in an old British pub. The appetizers were both outstanding — crab soup and the crab egg roll. I would say it’s the best cream of crab soup I have ever had. The crab egg roll comes with avocados, grapefruit, and almonds and it was hard to share this dish as well.
My husband ordered the lamb curry and I had the flounder fish and chips. He enjoyed his lamb curry but the portion could have been a little bigger. I enjoyed the fish and chips but would have preferred a lighter batter. You could tell the fish was fresh which is always a plus.
Of course I saved room for the Smith Island cake which is many layers of alternating chocolate frosting and vanilla cake. The homemade chantilly cream was divine and really made the cake. I would no doubt return here next time I visit Oxford. I also love the history of the Robert Morris Inn and it’s neat to dine in a historical inn.