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    Dear Charles

    4.1 (45 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Dear Charles Photos

    DEAR CHARLES ATMOSPHERE

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    Clam Chowder
    Ally K.

    My mom and I grabbed lunch here while visiting a family member at Union Memorial. So glad we found this gem! Such a cozy spot with great food. Service was super friendly and our food came out promptly. The clam chowder was such a standout, a unique take on a classic and really flavorful!

    Inside, vibes, seating
    Angela L.

    I went to meet up with a friend for lunch here and due to its proximity to the university, street parking is quite hard but I did get a free street parking spot! The atmosphere of the restaurant is elegant and nice. The service was good! She was very helpful. The food itself was decent, the Brussel sprouts were my favorite thing I got and the Mac n cheese could use some more cheese but we asked for buffalo sauce which brightened up the dish a lot!

    Calamari (top), shrimp tacos (left), Mac and cheese (right) and Brussels sprouts (bottom)
    Zayn D.

    Tried various small plates but honestly wasn't impressed. The calamari and Brussels were my favorite - only feedback is wishing the peppers were more flavorful on the calamari! The mac and cheese wasn't as seasoned or flavorful with the cheese overpowering the dish. The tacos were good in flavor but the tortillas felt dry. Hoping to try the main entrees next time!

    Salad
    Mike J.

    Was able to come to the Yelp event held here and had an amazing time. Anna was our host and Kayla was our cohost, both did a phenomenal job planning and organizing the event. Daniel the GM and Fatima are the 2 I remembered most and made this experience good with the customer service they provided. I tasted the following: Calamari: 9/10 really enjoyed, would order again Falafel: 8/10 surprisingly good Short rib sliders: 10/10 get this!! Brussels sprouts no bacon: 7/10 Fish and chips: 7/10 battered beautifully but wish it had more seasoning. Orzo puttanesca: 8/10 first time trying and I actually liked it Cherry old fashioned: 10/10 unique and not too sweet Ghost plane: 10/10 I love it Items regular seem a little pricy so might be best for an happy hour ordeal.

    French Fries
    Darren A.

    Dear Charles (DC) was a surprise find for me. DC is nestled with what looks to be a residential building for John's Hopkins University. Upon entering the aesthetically impressive sleek building, you walk towards the back and down the stairs into the restaurant (DC). The layout is pleasing to the eye, with massive windows illuminating the main dining room/ bar. There is also an alcove underneath the stairs used to enter the dining area. This area looks to give a more intimate dining experience feel. The service did not disappoint either. Out server was highly attentive and seemingly anticipated our requests prior to asking. VERY IMPRESSIVE! My dining donation & I decided to have a 'tasting' dining experience. We had an assortment of DC's offerings. We tried the following: 1. We started with the Fried Calamari which was nice, light, crispy and thankfully, not chewy. They were accompanied with a pepperoncini aioli, cherry peppers, & grilled lemon. All worked well w/ the squid rings/ tentacles. 2. We also decided to try the Farm Lettuce Salad with Mesclun greens, cranberries, almonds, goat cheese, citrus vinaigrette. This salad served as a refreshing palate cleanser... and ANYTHING w/ goat cheese is a win in my book.TRIPLE WORD SCORE!!! 3. Next, we shared the 'House Made Falafel' which, turns out, was my absolute FAVORITE tasting!!! I love falafels but 90% of the time, they are hard, flavorless and dried out (WHY DO THEY DO THAT?!? Sheesh!!!) Well, DC's falafel was fresh, light, airy, filling and flavorful. They were served with a Tangy yogurt sauce that complimented the falafels, nicely. TRIPLE WORD SCORE!!! On to the dishes for the main course. We chose the following (shared) and I'm glad we did - very filling. We chose the following: 1. Short Rib Sliders. These mini sandwiches came with mozzarello, pickled chilies, garlic aioli, served on a brioche bun. 2. The Fish & Chips were Hand-battered cod, served with tartar sauce, malt vinegar, charred lemon. These were quite meaty and substantial bites. As with the previous dish, with just a seasoning of salt in the batter or sprinkled on the finished product, would have taken this dish OVER THE TOP!! The fries were perfectly cooked and, as always, the perfect compliment to fried fish. 3. Orzo Puttanesca. This was a fantastic summer like dish. Light, full of flavor and mushrooms make EVERYTHING better. The trumpet mushrooms were the 'star' of this dish. It also came with chicken, tomato, olive, red onion, capers, & arugula. Thanks to this trumpet mushrooms- TRIPLE WORD SCORE!!! Overall, Dear Charles was a fun unexpected experience and look forward to returning - especially for the falafels. YUMMMM!

    Well worth it!!!
    Monique R.

    The customer service was exceptional. From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted with genuine warmth and impeccable hospitality. The ambiance carries a refined NYC‑SoHo energy--modern sophistication blended seamlessly with a touch of rustic charm.The food was outstanding; I didn't even pause for a photo because every bite was that good. We ordered The Study breakfast with a side of creamy goat cheese grits, and it was flawless. A true 10 out of 10 experience.

    Entrance
    Byron C.

    Food was great, first time here on the fly half the reason is because my last name is the same

    Matcha latte
    Eugenia H.

    Dear Charles, The conveniently located restaurant is on the lower level of The Study at John Hopkins. Check out Dear Charles for breakfast, Brunch, lunch, dinner, or a late-night bite; you won't be disappointed. Dear Charles, for us, the threat was for a quick light bite when we checked in before our 6:30 p.m. concert at the BMA and brunch after we checked out the next day. Kai, our server on both occasions, was friendly and remembered us. Dear Charles, It is a quaint and affordable venue.

    fried cauliflower & shrimp taco apps
    Mya R.

    a beautiful restaurant near JHU! Our server was fast and friendly. The fried cauliflower was good! The shrimp tavos were small but very delicious. The burger was a 3/5, nothing to write home about. The salmon was good, just overpriced for the extremely small portion.

    Menu
    Scott Z.

    Found this place on Yelp and it looked great. Went in early for our reservation and they sat us right away...they were very friendly and warm. We wanted the bar area. Our server Brin greeted us...took our drink orders then left us enjoy those without pressing us to order. We ordered from the Small plate and shared. We forgot to take a picture of the crab cake. Overall experiencet...ambiance...service was fantastic!

    Grilled duck wings
    Joelda A.

    Food was subpar. Ordered the grilled duck wings, we were mortified when they came out from the look of them. They were tough, chewy and bland. Be that as it may the drinks and fries were great! Would go back for HH drinks.

    The 33rd and Charles cocktail is delicious
    Nichole B.

    If you are looking for nice, chill neighborhood restaurant that is quaint and charming, then Dear Charles is your placed. Housed in the Charles Village neighborhood by Hopkins University, Dear Charles evokes a sense of history and belonging and serves as a fixture where the community can come together to share conversations, celebrate with friends, or relax alone. It is also influenced by the regional bounty of the Mid-Atlantic and the vibrance of an established village tavern, patrons will find elevated yet familiar menu items, complemented by a beverage program that focuses on cleverly reimagined classics. I stopped in for lunch on a Saturday with a work colleague, this particular day it was pretty quiet, so we were quickly seated upon arrival. The menu looked pretty inviting so we pretty much tried a plethora of dishes. For starters, we did the soup of the day which was a very delicious butternut squash with pesto. That soup was pretty much heaven in a bowl on a cold day. We also tried the crispy brussels sprouts and mussels. Both dishes were very flavorful, I loved that the mussels came with fries. Their fries are very good. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. For lunch I did the, Charles burger with the smoked bacon jam, hmm hmmm hmmm. So good. My friend got the T&M sandwich, their spin on a classic tomato and mozzarella sandwich. She said it was pretty good. They have a really good cocktail list to even include non alcoholic drinks for the folks that are not drinking alcohol. I tried the coconut sour which was really good, would totally get it again. I absolutely loved Dear Charles, and feel they are such a wonderful addition to the Charles Village area. It is really nice for a date night, meeting up with a group of friends for drinks and the décor is nice, sleek and modern. Will definitely return for brunch or just to try other entrees' SYOY

    Short rib hash
    Thomas Y.

    Had a date with the wife at the Baltimore Art Museum and picked Dear Charles based off its location and decent reviews. We arrived around mid-day and the place was rather empty but the sidewalks were still stacked with snow so we didn't pay it any mind. They looked to be a little understaffed as the wait to be seated was longer than expected. They sat us near the window so it was quite cold for the duration of our brunch. We ordered the Short Rib Hash and the Bree Grilled Cheese, we like to split our dishes so I was able to try both plates. The food arrived hot shortly after ordering. However, We were left underwhelmed by the flavors, or lack of. The hash had no seasoning with the exception of the little bits of kimchi that were in it. The Grilled Cheese was not the sweet and savory combo that was expected but a rather bland combo of cheese and random bits of fig jelly spread throughout. Sadly the fries were the only thing on the table with seasoning. We will give it another try with hopes that it was a one off because of the weather but we were unimpressed. Pro-tip, if you're cold go stand in the restroom for a few minutes to thaw out.

    Shrimp tacos

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    6 months ago

    Wonderful selection and great small bites as well as entrees. Good place to do some work on off hours at the bar area.

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    We had a late brunch here and the staff was very accommodating and friendly. And the food was yummy.. They have a happy hour! Also!

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    I had lunch here and the food was amazingly salty. Although the service and environment were great, I am afraid that I won't eat here again.

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    Great service. Solid menu. Great addition to the neighborhood. Server was excellent.

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    Depends on what u are looking for. Def not the bar/lounge scene. Looking for dinner in a quite spot, then u good

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    Ask the Community - Dear Charles

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