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    Dear Charles

    4.1 (43 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Dear Charles Photos

    DEAR CHARLES ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Dear Charles

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    Well worth it!!!
    D. M.

    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.

    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!

    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.

    Appetizers calamari and whipped ricotta

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Good ambiance and service but dinner dishes were inconsistent quality - some really good and some mediocre.

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    2 years ago

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    I had heard great things about the coffee at Cafe Dear Leon and I thought I'd try something new…read more Why five stars: *Incredible vegan friendly drinks! I ordered a Brazilian Yuzuade with Espresso and a Japanese Cold Brew with Oat Milk. Both were great, the Yuzuade was extremely pleasing. I wasn't expecting much from it (citrus and coffee?) but it was my favorite of the two. *Line moves quick. When I arrived, there was a line out the door. I was able to order in a lot less time than it seemed. *Personable service. The Cafe limits the number of guests inside at one time to six. This allowed the staff to focus their energy on only a few people at a time. I ordered the drinks about an hour a part and the person at the register remembered me and struck up a conversation about my earlier order. Despite the five stars, what don't I like? *No vegan baked goods. I will definitely be returning to Cafe Dear Leon because there is ample parking, the prices are good and the drinks are awesome.

    Finally made it to the most talked-about bakery and yes... I stood in line wondering if it was all…read morehype. It wasn't. This place is the real deal. Hands down, the best almond croissant in town. Perfectly flaky with a generous almond filling that tastes rich and authentic. I also tried their Brazilian drink and added matcha to it, and it was incredibly refreshing. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting it to be that good! I ordered the veggie sandwiches too-fresh, delicious, and very filling. I can't wait to come back. The only thing I missed was a place to sit and really savor it. The outdoor seating is limited, and the glass canopy doesn't do much to keep the heat away. So I ended up enjoying my breakfast on the park bench next door... and honestly, it wasn't a bad spot at all. One tip: they're a small-batch bakery with a set menu available during specific hours, so check their timings before you go.

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    Menu with view of coffee shop
    Menu with view of coffee shop
    Blueberry cream cheese muffin
    Blueberry cream cheese muffin
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    The doughnuts at Diablo are good - the dough is fluffy and they have a ton of flavors but I like my…read moredoughnuts lighter and these are pretty dense. I also prefer stuffed doughnuts (like a good Boston cream, etc) but they don't have many options for those. Instead it seems they prefer to put a dollop of the cream in the hole on top. I tried the cookies and cream and the cream cheese in the middle was odd.. it had a stretchy consistency. I like their Cinnamon Toast Crunch one, that one is probably my favorite. They're good and I love the variety but I've had better doughnuts.

    Diablo Doughnuts moved locations to a plaza in Nottingham - way easier to park than before. Went on…read morea Sunday morning and it was really busy - no indoor seating but there are 3-4 tables outside. There were only 2 people working, so there were a bunch of people waiting for their orders and service was slow. One person was at the cashier, the other was packing doughnuts, making breakfast sandwiches, and the coffees. We waited 5 minutes in line and then another 10-15 minutes for them to pack our 4 donuts. I wanted to get a sandwich but figured the wait was too long. On to the donuts - I liked the blueberry basil and blackberry lime donuts. The blueberry basil flavor wasn't super strong but it was well balanced. The blackberry lime was my favorite - sweet and a little tart. The crobar (croissant-donut) texture was awesome but I did not rally taste the cranberry or orange advertised. The buttercream frosting on top was sickeningly sweet so ended up scraping that off...finally the coffee donut. Not my favorite but not bad - it tasted like instant coffee and was kinda punchy coffee flavor, bitter. But I liked that the bitter offset the sweet. Overall, it's a fun place for a gourmet donut but be sure to not get here when it's too busy and to come early - they sell out of fun flavors fast!

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    Stuffed (mushroom) pasta soup and rosemary hot chocolate! Both delish!
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    Dear Charles - salad - Updated August 2026

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