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I wish I could give 10 stars
My husband and I decided the OC Foodie Tour was the best way to get the "lay of the land" in Ocean City. We had only been once before and visited all the "tourist places" and places that were recommended to us. Now it was time to try the restaurants recommended by the locals! We participated in both the Midtown and Downtown tours on two different days (that's how much we loved the tours.) I really love that the owners and chefs actually come and speak to the participants. We got to hear all about their journeys, their dishes, their inspirations and it was fun to meet the minds behind the food we got to enjoy! As for the food.... make sure you come with an appetite. The chefs and owners are so happy to share their dishes with you, that the food and drink just keeps on coming. We were so stuffed from the lunchtime tours (noon-3) that we didn't even have dinner on those nights. (just a light snack) Another favorite part of the tours to me was the visit to the boardwalk. We got to go behind the scenes at a Funnel Cake stand, eat taffy, popcorn and even ride a merry go round. This tour definitely made me feel like a kid again, and is a MUST DO for any boardwalk lover! Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about Sandy, our AMAZING tour guide. She is a local resident of OC and can give the inside scoop when it comes to what to do and where to go. We really enjoyed spending 2 afternoons with her. She has a great sense of humor and wonderful energy. She really helped make the tour what it was. KUDOS!
TripAdvisor
 

O.C. Foodie tour. Best way to get to know the beach & awesome food!
The O.C. Foodie tour is full of fun facts and great food. Sandy, our guide was excellent in giving us some great stories of Ocean City's past, present and future. Her style and local knowledge was very entertaining and informative . In addition, at every Foodie stop, the owners and/or managers would go into detail about their place of business and more so, some very interesting details about the food that they served us, where it comes from and how it's prepared. The crab restaurant stop on the tour even shows you how to pick a Maryland crab. The detailed information was as good as the food. The servings were delicious and plentiful. The folks that joined us became friends and all of us left with a smile and a full belly. I have lived her for over 40 years and I was pleasantly surprised with the local history and some new dishes and appetizers that I will definitely be having again. Bon appetite!
TripAdvisor
 

Definitely a great way to get to know OC!
Just finished up the Midtown tour and must say it was a FABULOUS experience! Not only did i try new foods and find new places, but our tour guide gave us a great history lesson on the people & places in Ocean City. The baked oysters and flatbread at Dry Dock28 were super tasty (and i didn't think i liked oysters!), the pierogies at Buxy's Salty Dog were the best i've had. At 28th Street Pit-n-Pub, the beef brisket and pulled pork melted in my mouth - as did their homemade sauces. The Dunes Berry punch and Queen Anne Slam were great additions to a relaxing afternoon. It does require quite a bit of walking, so wear supportive shoes - but, what a great way to shave off the calories!
TripAdvisor
 

This was a wonderful mix of interesting local foods and drink, Ocean City history
and a chance to meet with and get to know some of the most prominent people in the food industry in Ocean City. Seafood, fabulous crab bisque, delicious muffins, fudge, taffy, Chesapeake Bay blue crab and - my favorite - the Goombay Smash (drink). This a fabulous way to learn more about Ocean City and enjoy some awesome local foods. Sandy does a wonderful job guiding people through this experience. I'd highly recommend.
Mindie B.
 

I've been coming to Ocean City for almost 50 years now.
This year my sister and I decided to try some new things. We searched the internet and found The OC Foodie tour. Sandy, the owner and tour guide was friendly, funny and definitely knows Ocean City history very well. She took us to some restaurants I didn't even know about. All the food was amazing. I loved the swordfish with mango salsa from The Marina Deck restaurant the best. You definitely get your fill of food and it is well worth the money spent. I took the downtown tour and hope to do the midtown tour when I get back to Ocean City next year.
Deb M Yelp 5 stars 7/15/18
 

I was feeling adventurous and decided to take the OC Foodie Tour!!
I took the midtown tour, our tour guides name was Sandy Gillis, an absolutely charming local with so much information about the history and businesses that have been and are still currently in Ocean City, I was astounded of her depth of knowledge. Our first stop was Ripieno's Italian Bistro for some of the most authentic Margarita Pizza which was to die for. Our second stop brought us to Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon & Dry Dock 28 where we met Doug "Buxy" Buxbaum who taught us the history of his amazing bar/ restaurant we were then treated to chef Jared Hiltons crafted oysters, pierogis, and their off menu Philly cheese steak egg rolls. For our third stop we made our way to Candy Kitchen for some amazing fudge and salt water taffy. With our fourth stop we found ourselves enjoying a frozen Dunesberry cocktail created by Mrs. Thelma Conner which was to die for along with a lovely cheese platter and brussel sprouts at the Victorian Room at the Dunes Manor Hotel bosting an amazing view of the ocean. Our fifth stop was Higgins Crab House for some wonderful Maryland crab soup followed by a crab cracking tutorial from Manager John McAdams while we enjoyed a hard shell crab ourselves. Our sixth stop was at Rare & Rye where Jason Meisner treated us to flat bread and their signature baked brie oysters. Our seventh location found us at Real Raw Organics Cafe a charming little cafe that you have to stop in for some out of this world Kombucha. Our eighth and final stop was Coconuts Beach Bar at the Castle in the Sand Hotel where we sipped on a Queen Ann's Slam an amazing frozen cocktail named after Mrs. Ann Showell. Where we sat back enjoyed local music and so much eye candy. This was a tour I will definitely not forget and will absolutely recommend to any foodie, local, or anyone who just wants to get out and enjoy Ocean City how it should be enjoyed. I've already signed up for the downtown tour!! Support local businesses and the OC Art League book your tour!
Christopher H. 6/28/18 5 star review Yelp
 

This tour was amazing, we have been coming to Ocean City for many years and this tour introduced us to places we did not know existed.
The food was great, each place we visited had a great story to tell and Sandy is so knowledgeable about the history of OC. They offer two tours, we took the mid-town tour and we will be back for the downtown tour soon.
Shannon W. Woodbridge, VA 6/28/18 5 star review Yelp:
 

I have lived in Ocean City, Maryland for 29 years. I took the mid-town foodie tour this week and loved it!
I learned many fun and historical facts about Ocean City. I even learned a better way to open crabs at Higgins Crab House while tasting their delectable crab soup and crabs. The pierogies at Buxy's Salty Dog were at hit. It reminded me of when I use to make them with my grandma when I was young. Then dry dock oysters with basil and creme are definitely something that I will go back for. Rare and Rye scallops were perfectly seared and simply delicious. The signature drinks at the Dune's Hotel and Coconuts were refreshing and and unique. Then a stop into Candy Kitchen to sample home made fudge and taffy brought out the kid in me as I unbuttoned the top button of my shorts. Ripieno's Italian Restaurant was something that I must have passed by hundreds of times . To my delight and surprise it was a launch restaurant for a much larger restaurant that will be opening in Salisbury. We tried their dessert pizzas. Wow! Pizza crust with fresh berries and cream cheese and then s chocolate Nutella pizza. I want to end my review with cudos to the tour director. What a gem full of knowledge of Ocean City . I'm on a diet now but I highly recommend the OC Foodie tour for locals and visitors. I will tell all of my friends and I will definitely go back to all of the restaurants I visited on the tour.
Kari Berger 6/28/18 5 star review
 

After researching online prior to the trip, this tour came up, and it did not disappoint.
The organizer Sandy hand picks the restaurants and dishes you receive while making your way around either the downtown or midtown section of eateries and bars. Being a well known local of the area as well as someone who has businesses in OC, she organizes with the owners and managers of the establishments. Being able to meet with the owners is also a nice touch, hearing them talk about their passion or how far they go for authenticity and good food. And Sandy's selection is on point with a "must try while on vacation" list. Her knowledge of the the town and it's history provides for a fun and interesting time, understanding how Ocean City came to be and what it's known for. The tour is well worth it and is perfect for any traveling foodie.
Dylan O. Trenton, NJ 6/27/18 6 star review Yelp:
 

A Wonderful new way to tour Ocean City
Ocean City, MD, certainly has many wonderful ways to keep their vacationing visitors busy. Having the boardwalk, many restaurants, bars, amusement parks and several natural attractions it's hard for a visitor to choose. Hows does a visitor take in the best and not feel that you've missed something exciting. That is the way my wife and I felt when we first booked our condominium on the OC shore. Now there's a new service available to help visitors avoid this dilemma. Doing a quick Google search we found OC Foodie Tours and owner Sandy Gillis. We booked both tours that Sandy is presently offering and had a most delightful and delicious time. Living in the OC area for 33 years and being a self employed business owner, Sandy is quite knowledgeable of the history and happenings of the OC beach and main strip. It turned out that we were Sandy's inaugural customers. What an experience! Sandy gave us above VIP treatment and made our time in OC most memorable. Here's a quick summary of our June 6 Midtown Tour and what we thought were the highlights. We started at Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon and Dry Dock on 28th street. We enjoyed their signature Pierogis Pittsburgh style with sour cream & sauteed onions, and baked oysters with spicy sriracha sauce and a second garnished with a local cheese. We met the chef, Jared Hilton and the Owner, Doug "Buxy" Buxbaum and his wife Annie Buxbaum. Later on we went back and I ordered the OC Cheese Steak hoagie and my wife order the Pierogis Maverick style with bacon and cheddar cheese. We also ordered their orange and grapefruit crushes. Everything was just simply fantastic. Next we walked a short distance to the Victorian Room at the Dunes Manor Hotel on 28th street. Here we met Banquet Manager Caffie Ismael who served us a cheese and cold cut meat plate and steamed and grilled Brussels sprouts with grilled tomatoes. We were treated to a frozen "Dunes-berry cocktail" created by previous owner Mrs Thelma Conner. If you like Brussel sprouts you'll just love these. The Dunes-berry cocktail is most delicious and is possibly our favorite drink of this tour. We also were treated to a very special behind the scenes tour of the inner workings of the Hotel. Then we visited Higgins Crab House on 31st street. We were treated to Maryland Crab soup and hard shell crabs. We met Mr. Bob Higgins, the owner, who demonstrated how to properly "shuck" local crabs with profound efficiency. A skill that later proved useful during our stay in OC. After we learned proper crab "shucking" we visited Rare & Rye on 32nd street where we met Jason the manager. We were served superb cocktails of our choice, a cheese plate made with locally produced cheeses and their signature Brie Baked Oysters. Everything was delightful. At Barn 34 on 34th street we ate Bacon wrapped dates with a bourbon, butter and brown sugar sauce. We met delightful Courtney the owners' daughter. The prepared dates were quite unique and surprising. Real Raw Organics Cafe on 34th street served us samplings of Kombucha, a fermented tea filled with vitamins and electrolytes, probiotics and amino acids said to have many healthy benefits. Our favorite was the ginger tea. At Coconuts Beach Bar behind the Castle at the Sand Hotel on 37th street we enjoyed a delicious frozen cocktail called "Queen Ann's Slam" (named after Mrs. Ann Showell the owners mother). Fastening your seat belts before this visit helps to keep a person upright. If the alcohol won't get you the brain freeze certainly will. OC Foodie Tours boasts over 40 establishments who have agreed to participate in Sandy's wonderful adventure. This promises to make OC Foodie Tours a "must do" for anyone vacationing in the area. Sláinte mhaith (Good health),
Evan & Anna Marie