Founders Tavern & Grill

Pasadena, United States

4.6

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 410-544-0076
Website:
www.founderstavernandgrille.com
Address:
8125 Ritchie Hwy, Pasadena, MD, 21122
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Paid
Has TV
Yes
Dogs Allowed
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:30 am – 9:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Pasadena) 04:34 Sunday, 22 June 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 11:30 am – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Gourmet Americana, Modern Day Tavern, Farm to Table, Gastropub …

The food is Gourmet Americana, Traditional Style Comfort Food, from Short Ribs to Burgers to Specialty Pizzas to Chicken Pot Pie; home cooked style food. All of our ingredients are locally sourced and Farm to Table wherever possible; from Maryland Seafood, to produce, to our meat from local butcher Dudek’s in Essex, to our Coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company in Crofton with proceeds directly going to cleaning up Chesapeake Bay; we strive to provide the best quality local freshest ingredients to our customers. All fresh food, homemade sauces, dressings, desserts, nothing frozen, no freezer on premises, all fresh baked bread onsite. As a Tavern we also have the opportunity to offer fine wines, craft beers, specialty drinks made with fresh herbs, seasonal spirits and a variety of whiskeys; including our whiskey flight offerings to expand the pallets of our whiskey fans. Something for everyone.

History

Established in 2013.

Founders Tavern & Grille was Established in 2013 by local business Owner and Executive Chef Steve Sumner and his wife Janet Sumner to offer a place local to our area that is a step above the rest, a space where friends and families could gather … Good Friends, Great Food & the Pursuit of Happiness! Steve is the executive chef, his recipes born from family, years of cooking and a passion for fresh ingredients. Steve’s career started as a commercial baker, operating La Pasticeria Aldo Bakery in Baltimore, where he made and baked fresh bread and desserts daily in Little Italy for over 10 years. Janet’s passion is in design and marketing and together they created the look and feel of this modern day tavern. A place that is warm, cozy, and friendly; feels like you are in an historical area in Annapolis or Baltimore. All fresh food, homemade sauces, dressings, desserts, nothing frozen. Founders Tavern & Grille offers a great gathering space for both friends and families, very kid friendly.

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20 reviews of Founders Tavern & Grill

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Pasadena, MD
This place is awesome. Met a fellow lacrosse parent for drinks while the boys were at Johns Hopkins for camp before their tournament this week. Mitch the bartender was brilliant in modifying their Jefferson Mule with our preferred bourbon and gave an awesome lesson in mixology. Learned so much for my personal use at home. Atmosphere was great don’t let the location fool you.
Place rating: 3
Glen Burnie, MD
I thought the food was Ok. The ambiance was nice. But the coleslaw would be so much better sans dill weed. Also could’ve tasted a bit fresher for me. The bourbon steak was tender but seemed marinated way too long. I like my vegetables al dente but think about adding another 30 seconds to the cook time. Our waitress was a sweet gal. I wish I could remember her name but she even talked to our kids afterwards and we tried to shoo them away from her because we knew she was tired but she obliged them.
Place rating: 5
La Plata, MD
Just tried this place tonight, highly recommend! We sat outside with our pup and it was really enjoyable. The food was good, the drinks are in mason jars, music wasn’t too loud and we never felt rushed out. We will be back!
Place rating: 5
Gambrills, MD
Can’t say enough to praise our meal tonight. Staff is so nice and very knowledgeable of the food and drink. Crab dip in a bread bowl was maybe even better than my own recipe. Mussels were amazing. Friend got fish and chips. Big flaky pieces of cod. Burgers are ground on the premisis. Shrimp and grits so cheesy, big shrimp, savory flavors. Pork shank was cooked perfectly and the root veggies were so good!!!
Everything brought to the table was extrodinary!
Place rating: 4
Millersville, MD
I really like this place! I want to give it 5 stars but I can’t because of the noise level and high prices. Founder’s has a great atmosphere. The soft lighting makes the restaurant inviting and the décor is pleasing. Everything I have ordered there has been delicious. They do not have freezers or microwaves so everything is made fresh. The noise level does make it a little distracting to have a good conversation but it’s not terrible. The prices are a little high for a quick dinner out. If you don’t mind a little noise and the slightly high prices, Founders is definitely the place to go. I’ve been there a few times and will continue to be a repeat customer.
Place rating: 5
Arnold, MD
If you are looking for a scratch menu, craft cocktails and a fabulous atmosphere, check it out.
Another fabulous review for Founders. Our server Kayla was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and cocktails and gave us honest input which we very much appreciated. First time trying a pizza, but definitely won’t be the last– was great! I love when a restaurant makes a responsible decision to choose organic and local over cheap and frozen. We love it!
Place rating: 3
Millersville, MD
My family and I love this restaurant and the concept. We normally bring my young daughter and she sleeps the whole time. Today she woke up and needed her diaper changed. To my surprise there is no changing table offered. The manager and waiter suggested I change her in my car. This is very disappointing and I’m not sure if we will be returning.
Place rating: 5
Elkridge, MD
Candied Bacon??? Yes, please! Everything was delicious and I can’t wait to go back to try more from this wonderful menu! Jackie was our server and she is amazing!
Place rating: 5
Dunedin, FL
Cute little Farm to Table café right in the middle of Pasadena. The crab soup is wonderful! Some of the best I’ve ever had and the chicken and waffle sandwich is a very unique recipe. I also recommend the baked beans! The wait staff was attentive & knowledgable about their practices and recipes. I would definitely recommend this place!
Place rating: 5
Silver Spring, MD
No freezer? No microwave? No problem! This farm to table restaurant is definitely worthy of the 5 stars! I’d give 6 if possible. And they really do not have a microwave or a freezer in the restaurant. Thomas, our fantastic server, told us about how supplies are delivered daily or at the very least several times per week. We got there after 9pm and knew they were closing at 10pm. The service was great – no one rushed us, no one was annoyed we showed up late. Thomas made us feel so welcomed and actually engaged with us in a way that makes me want to invite him home for dinner at our house!
The food was flavorful… I know that sounds vague, but it’s true! They make all their dressing in house. I has the ranch and I’ve never tasted ranch dressing like it – full of flavor! I don’t remember what ingredients were listed on the menu for the hush puppies, but the combination works! The crab dip came in a bread bowl. I would have been happy with just the bread… it was clearly fresh!
My husband ordered the whole hog pizza. I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to share but felt bad for me as I longingly stared at his pizza. Every ingredient was tasty, so the pizza’s ingredient combination made me want to try all of their pizzas!
We were too full to eat dessert, so we got it to go. It came to our table warm. Guess what, the smell made us at least try it while in the restaurant. The only issue I had with the entire experience was that the middle part of the apple crumb was cold. I think they just needed to bake it a bit more. No biggie. It’s going home with us. We will heat it well ourselves!
If you can, ask for Thomas to be your server!
Place rating: 5
Arnold, MD
Delicious food! Top notch service always! And great cocktails! :)
This place is truly a breath of fresh air when it comes to service. Ask your server or bartender what they recommend or go for whatever is seasonal!
Place rating: 4
Glen Burnie, MD
This was our first time at Founders. The server was excellent we had the pleasure of being served by Kayla R, she, was, awesome. We had the meatball appetizer which was amazing! I highly recommend that app. Next I tried the Spring Fling martini, it was OK but not the best. For our entrees we had the shrimp and grits and it’s in my Top 3. We also had the Fish fryi which was delish but not enough fish for a grown man. The ambiance was nice, open wholesome, perfect for a family dinner.
Place rating: 5
Linthicum Heights, MD
I actually feel like it’s 4.5 stars because I’ve been several times and loved each time except the time I went on a Sunday and it wasn’t busy but the table service was so bad I moved to the bar. However, I honestly love this place and the drinks are delicious and out of the handful of times I’ve gone I only had one rough experience which was fine once I moved and said something. The staff is always nice.
The cocktail menu is really good. I recommend the Jefferson Mule and the Strawberry & Basil Gin. And the draft beer selection, which is seasonal, seems pretty on point with the few I tried. Since it’s seasonal what’s the point in saying more…
I’ll be back, like a billion times.
Place rating: 5
Anne Arundel, MD
The food here is legit. I was part of a party of 5 and everyone’s food was delicious. The Chef is amazing and she really puts her talents into every plate. This is my new weekend lunch spot.
Place rating: 5
Glen Burnie, MD
No complaints and I am sorry I didn’t take any pics, the food was just awesome. I was enjoying it so much that I forgot to take a photo. I had a really busy day at work last week and was too tired to cook dinner so I called them for a take out order. This would be my first time eating here. I ordered the fried chicken all white with mac and cheese and bake beans. The mac was very cheesy and tasty, not your typical mac and cheese… they use large penne pasta for their mac and cheese which I loved– not the typical elbow noodles. The fried chicken perfectly crisp and juicy. I would have been happy with a basket of just the fried chicken skin alone. That how much flavor the fried chicken had. Every bite was delicious. I would definitely order from them again but not too often because I am on a diet. Yep the day I ordered from them was my cheat day.
Since I ordered take out I cant review the décor /​environment etc. But in my opinion its a little pricey but I don’t mind paying a little more for something that I am going to enjoy. I went down south a few weeks ago on vacation and I think I got spoiled by their lower prices compared to Maryland. My money went a long way down south eating out during my vacation. I highly recommend giving this place a try.
Place rating: 5
Glen Burnie, MD
This place was getting a lot of buzz amongst my neighbors, so I decided to take my ladies out for dinner. Wow! I struck gold with the Founders Tavern.
The décor was really nice with the American flags and the patriotic theme.
I tried the crab dip and the Shrimp and Grits. The crab dip was served inside a loaf of bread, and though it had the lump crab meat as advertised, the filler was too much. So the the crab dip was just okay.
The Shrimp and Grits however was THE BEST I ever had. I’m a shrimp and grits lover, as i always order it whenever it’s on the menu. The grits were creamy, and instead of using sausages like most restaurants, they used chopped up bacon. Delicious! The only thing I wish they didn’t do was add the gravy. It changed the texture of the dish and made it salty. Luckily, they placed it in the middle of the plate so I decided to eat around it.
The drinks were nice and refreshing. I didn’t do the Whiskey flight because I was driving, but the sangria was just fine.
Lastly, I couldn’t say enough about the service. My daughter had a stomach ache and threw up on the table. What could’ve been a disaster, turned out to be a minor blip. The staff quickly cleaned it up, drawing no attention from the other patrons. It was as if she simply spilled water. However, what took the cake was when I waitress Kayla boxed our leftovers. This is such a great gesture and I wish all restaurants did this. Perhaps it’s a geographical thing, but I LOVED it.
This place is a must visit. Great place!
Place rating: 4
Pasadena, MD
Stopped in here for lunch on a Friday afternoon and it wasn’t too busy so we had pretty decent service. They had a decent selection of beer on tap but this place is better known for its whiskey and bourbon selections.
The food options aren’t vast but I did really enjoy the bison burger (bunless) with the kale salad. Burger cooked as requested, and full of flavor. I added Bleu cheese which added a delicious flavor to the already well prepared burger.
A little overpriced but I’ll still likely go back for drinks and a quick bite.
Place rating: 5
Pasadena, MD
My mother came to visit me and we were tired of the regular places (Friday’s, Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, etc.). I get on Unilocal and find Founder’s Tavern and it was amazing! Our waitress was amazing so polite and attentive. I started off with the Chesapeake wings and they were amazing! My mother ordered fish tacos with Chesapeake chips. I ate one of her tacos and it was amazing! The chips were also very delish. I had the chicken and waffles with fries. My food was so good I spoke spanish when my waiter asked me how was it I said delicioso!!! Great place with amazing personalities!
Place rating: 5
Crofton, MD
My mom, sister, and I stopped in last Sunday for lunch. The restaurant had great reviews online, so I wanted to stop in and see what they had to offer. I’m glad we did!
We arrived to the restaurant at around 1:15pm and were seated immediately. The restaurant was pretty full for lunch. Our server was polite, friendly, and attentive throughout our meal.
My sister and I started off with some drinks. I ordered a Washington’s Cherry Tree (Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky, brown sugar, syrup, cherries, lime, club soda) and my sister ordered the Pumpkin Pie Martini (Rumchata cream liqueur, Stoli Vanilla Vodka, pumpkin liqueur, grated cinnamon). Our drinks were great! No complaints there.
Our orders:
— Cup of Maryland Crab Soup (tomato broth, fresh veggies, blue crab claw meat, Old Bay) — Very tasty, lots of shredded crab
— Salem Fish Fry (beer battered Atlantic Cod with fries) — Great! Very light batter on the fish, everything was fresh, the fries were crispy
— Chicken sandwich (from the Daily Specials menu, I can’t remember the exact name, sorry!: chicken, cheese, bacon, ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato) — Cooked perfectly, great flavor, bun was soft, would definitely get again
— Side Salad (in place of fries) — Greens were fresh, fresh veggies, one of the best bleu cheeses I’ve had!
— Meatball Grilled Cheese (from the Daily Specials menu: meatballs, cheese, marinara, homemade chips) — Excellent sandwich, meatballs were cooked perfectly, bread was toasted perfectly, great flavor and taste, would definitely get again!
Overall, all three of us enjoyed our meals. The food was fresh and hot. You can’t beat that! Prices are decent for the amount and quality of food you get. We will definitely return and recommend this restaurant to others.
Place rating: 4
Laurel, MD
Nice find we stumbled upon. Candice the bartender served us and was very cool. We especially enjoyed the old bay wings, crab dip, and whiskey flights. The shrimp and grits were a solid choice but nothing phenomenal as compared to shrimp and grits I’ve had other places. Hubba enjoyed his burger. I would return for sure.