Antietam Battlefield

[mollydingle]

We'll be visiting the battlefield in mid-April. Looking for cheap, good food.in Sharpsburg or nearby. We're open to anything, but would prefer pub grub, Southern or maybe a diner. Please help!
TIA

[BlueRidgePro]

Some very nice places in nearby Shepardstown:

3 Onions
Bavarian Inn
Blue Moon Cafe
Stone Soup Bistro
Yellow Brick Bank

[OldSchool]

On Rte 34 in Keedysville, between Boonsboro and Sharpsburg, is the Red Byrd Restaurant. I highly recommend it for reasonably priced Amish style food. I've had the fried chicken, smothered pork chops, and other dishes. All have been well prepared and tasty if a bit bland for my taste (I ask them for hot sauce).

In Sharpsburg is Cap'n Bender's. It's an old bar and is a nice place to hang out. I've only been there for beer (Yuengling for a good price) but they serve food.

Although this is beyond your request, the Mennonite Bakery in Sharpsburg is great. The best donuts I've eaten, plus pepperoni rolls, pies, whoopie pies, cheese bread, etc. They close at noon on Saturdays and are not open on Sunday.

[MDBBQFiend]

Agreed on the Red Byrd - try the "honey dipped fried chicken," I've enjoyed it. Solid diner-style food just a few miles from Antietam Battlefield, but skip the pies, they're nothing to write home about.

Don't forget that Hagerstown, MD, is nearby and it offers a very wide range of dining options including the Schmankerl Stube, a highly recommended German restaurant (haven't been there yet).

[lawhound]

The Schmankerl Stube is, and remains, first rate.

[2stepper]

The Schmankerl Stube is indeed first rate and the only authentic Bavarian food in the entire region, but it probably doesn't meet their criteria for being cheap. You can easily drop $30 or more per person there.

[vivinator]

here's a recent thread on frederick restaurants
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/484062
frederick is about a 22 mile dr from sharpsburg

from the thread and closer than frederick in boonsboro which is closer, though maybe too formal for you is the old south mtn inn rec'd on the link

http://www.oldsouthmountaininn.com/index.shtml

a thread on the shepardstown/harpers ferry area right near sharpsburg
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585664

[bobovespa]

I don't have any recent dining experiences there to contribute, but Shepherdstown is definitely the closest place to the battlefield (maybe 5 miles or so) with any dining sophistication whatsoever. It is a somewhat Bohemian college town so there is life there.