By KAYLA NAZAIRE
College Park no longer has to wait for the sweet spot between breakfast and lunch.
Iron Rooster, best known for their all-day breakfast menu, officially opened its doors on Jan 24.
The restaurant is located in The Hotel at The University of Maryland, on Baltimore Avenue.
College Park is the newest of four locations for the Maryland-based restaurant chain. They also have eateries in Annapolis, Canton and Hunt Valley.
Christian Lund said he enjoyed Iron Rooster when he lived in Annapolis. Now a College Park resident, he’s glad to have one closer.
“We love dining out, and it’s nice to see College Park get some new options,” said Lund.
One of their most popular dishes is chicken and waffles. Iron Rooster’s twist on the classic includes a cornmeal waffle served with black pepper gravy and home fries.
For those looking for something more unique, their menu features items like strawberry avocado toast and a salted caramel and candied bacon tart.
The restaurant also has a full bar, with a happy hour from 7 am to 10 am.
Joanna Contreras, a bartender and server at the Iron Rooster, said Thursdays through Sundays have been their busiest days. She said that the crowd has ranged from university to older long-time city residents.
With only a few weeks under their belt, the Iron Rooster is looking for new hires. Several young people sat in booths filling out job applications.
Alia Parker, a server at the restaurant and student at Bowie State University, said that development in College Park over the past few years has created more job opportunities for students.
“For a while, young people had to work at Bowlero, and that was it,” she said.
Ben Warren travels to College Park and stays at The Hotel twice a year. Warren said he’s happy to have a convenient, new restaurant.
Iron Rooster plans to offer a dinner menu soon that will be unique to the College Park location.
