Since its closure in 2013, the absence of Roy’s Place has left a void in the hearts of both current and former Montgomery County residents. According to the now-defunct Roy’s Place website, the restaurant embarked on its journey of serving over 200 sandwiches in Rockville in 1955. After a series of relocations within Rockville, they eventually settled at 2 E Diamond Ave in Olde Towne Gaithersburg in 1971.
Notable offerings on the menu included “The Bender Schmender” (featuring corned beef, turkey, roast pork, chicken liver pate, and golden brisket with lettuce, tomato, golden sauce, and a psychiatric appointment) and “The Raunchy Raymond” (highlighting ham, crab salad, Swiss cheese, bacon, tomato, and golden sauce, all broiled on a choice of bread).
Roy Passin, the original owner, played a pivotal role in Roy’s Place until his passing in May of 2009 at the age of 87. Many patrons noted that the restaurant didn’t quite feel the same during the four years it continued without him. Renowned for his imaginative sandwich ideas, inspired by his friends’ preferences and the available ingredients, Roy expanded the menu from 2 pages to an impressive 23, as highlighted in a 2009 Gazette article. Described as a larger-than-life personality, there were even rumors that he once chased a man out of his restaurant while brandishing a meat cleaver, although, as he clarified in a 2003 interview with the Frederick News Post, “It never happened in Gaithersburg… it happened in Rockville.”
