Annie's Paramount Steak and Seafood House

Restaurant

Diners with discerning palates who desire unprocessed, high-quality fare prepared exactly as it was meant to be prepared look to Annie's Paramount Steak and Seafood House in Grasonville.

Michael Katinas, owner and founder of Annie’s Paramount Steak and Seafood House, serves only the finest quality products found in today’s markets. The original Paramount Steak House opened in Washington D.C. in 1948 under the proprietorship of Mr. Katinas's brother George.

"Annie's is a family-owned business and I'm part of the original family," Mr. Katinas explains. "I literally grew up with it. I learned how to cut meat, cook and perform every facet of the business. Every day I’m excited to get up and come to work."

“There's nothing more gratifying in the hospitality business than having someone come up to you and say, 'That was fantastic.'”

Annie's is still a family affair. Mr. Katinas, his wife Helen and their three daughters, Georgeanne, Andrea and Aliki, together play key roles in the Grasonville restaurant's daily operations.

Mr. Katinas and his family opened the current incarnation of Annie's in 1992 and it has thrived. "We wanted to establish a restaurant that served the highest quality beef available in the country, along with fresh seafood, finfare, pastas, prime rib and chicken," he says. "We have great portions moderately priced without skimping on the quality." The steaks ar dry-aged and cut in-house and all seafood and fish is processed on-site. Mr. Katinas personally oversees the process.

"I love improving and I love making it better. Every day I try to make something exceptional," he says. A few stand-out menu items have received high praise and are consistently well regarded by critics and customers alike. "We serve only prime dry-aged Certified Angus Beef®—that’s about the top 1.5 percent of beef in the country," says Mr. Katinas. "We’ve also been noted for the best prime rib. We've received monumental accolades." However, there's more to the menu than the beef.

"All of our seafood and fish are fresh," he continues. "We have the best Cream of Crab Soup; we've been awarded first place three times at the Maryland Seafood Festival. That was a big highlight for us." Indeed, Annie's Jumbo Lump Cream of Crab soup has gone mainstream. Shoppers can find it on the shelf at Graul's Market on Taylor Avenue, St. Michael’s and Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, or order it online along with their famous prime dry-aged beef.

Annie's proudly sells wines meant to enhance their already stellar food and dining atmosphere. Annie's waitstaff are at the ready to help patrons select a suitable wine from their lengthy worldwide wine list.

Mr. Katinas, whose mother was born in Greece, brings a bit of Old World work ethic to the table. "It boils down to respect and knowing how to treat people. There's nothing more gratifying in the hospitality business than having someone come up to you and say, 'That was fantastic.'"

He adds, "People come to us from near and far and they pass hundreds of other restaurants to come to Annie's. They know first and foremost they're going to be welcomed, they're going to get consistent service and the food is going to be exemplary."

Annie's Paramount Steak and Seafood House
500 Kent Narrows Way North
Grasonville, MD 21638
410-827-7103

www.annies.biz

Pictured: Dining room, Annie’s Paramount Steak and Seafood House
Photography: Richard Allen