This was my second visit here, and while I'm sure it's still the best pit beef in Baltimore, the quality had certainly dropped in the year prior. Upon arrival a little after 1 PM, I noticed the parking-lot wasn't nearly as full as last time, and the line wasn't out the door. No big deal, it was a Sunday... however this did end up being a harbinger of things to come. The line that was inside moved swiftly, as those ahead had clearly been there before. A local officer of the law cut the line- but I won't complain about that, Baltimore's a tough city. At the ordering station the guy was cordial, quickly typing the order into the POS station. We ordered two beef sandwiches, both medium, with lettuce and tomato (Warning: a 75 cent up-charge), a large fry, and two drinks. Service was quick, having to wait only a few minutes before the food was ready at the counter. The lady in the kitchen/at the delivery counter announced my order, however she stated only one sandwich had lettuce/tomato. Confused, I told her both sandwiches were supposed to have lettuce/tomato, her reply was "Well that isn't what you ordered". No apology, no offer to rectify the situation, even if it meant paying the 75 measly cents. Honestly, I'm going to try to claim after ordering that I ordered something, as a way to get a 75 cent freebie? Shocked, I left and went to dress my sandwiches. The topping bar was well stocked with a selection of onions, pickles, and then their tiger, house, hickory, and Stubbs BBQ sauces. There were seats inside (space is limited), but being a nice day I decided we'd eat outside instead. Tables line the outside of the building, wouldn't recommend the ones near the bathroom, however the rest are ample room away. Thankfully, there's a fence separating this area and busy Rt 40 and its sidewalk, helping to isolate the area.
Finally onto the food... The sandwiches were good, however compared to last time the quality just wasn't there. The meat while somewhat juicy, wasn't cooked medium and had a fair amount of fat. It did however have a flavorful charcoal edge, which sets it apart from others, as this is pit beef. The one sandwich which did have the lettuce/tomato had 3 slices of tomato on it (generous), however there was barely any lettuce. I ended up giving the third slice to the other sandwich. While my sandwich had a generous portion of beef on it, the other had about half the amount, another disappointment. On both sandwiches the bread fell apart, creating a mess, although this is a BBQ place- its supposed to be messy. Fries were hot, too hot for the Styrofoam box they were placed in- as it scorched the box, but very good, and a portion large enough for 2 or 3 people. I even found a chunk of potato mixed in with the fries proving they are indeed fresh cut. All in all, this is clearly a Baltimore landmark, thanks in part to its television fame (There is no shortage of plaques/memorabilia on the walls, and influence evident on the menu), but also its loyal following. I do question however if their fame isn't getting in the way, as quality, customer service, and portion size has clearly decreased. Maybe they were having an off day, or somebody in the kitchen was, but I will say this... while I'm sure people will continue to flock there, this customer will think twice next time before driving all the way from New Jersey. read more