Clandestino has grown up, literally. What began as a small operation in Frederick has moved into a…read morelarger space, and the expansion suits them well. This is Puerto Rican pitorro, also known as ron cañita, made with care and intention rather than gimmickry. Many local liquor stores now carry the brand, and it is well worth picking up a bottle, but visiting the distillery is an experience in itself. The founder is a fellow Puerto Rican born retired military member, a background I share, and like me, he has put down roots in Maryland. That story is reflected clearly in the brand's own framing, "Puerto Rican born, Maryland made." The space feels grounded and unpretentious, and that sensibility carries through to the hospitality. We arrived late on a Saturday and were still welcomed warmly, never rushed. We were taken care of by the founder's daughter, who was exceptionally kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. She guided us through a flight that included the traditional pitorro, almond, pineapple, coffee, coconut chai, and several seasonal offerings. The flavors were thoughtful and well balanced; even the infused expressions retained a clear rum backbone rather than drifting into novelty. We enjoyed them enough to leave with several bottles. This is artisanal pitorro done right, rooted in Puerto Rican tradition and confidently made in Maryland. Buying it locally is convenient, but going to the distillery is where the people, the story, and the spirit fully come together.

This local speakeasy has quickly moved its way to the top of my list…read more I love the ease of parking, safe neighborhood, and spacious speakeasy space. Always great service by bar manager Charlie, fantastic food and beverage menu and options. My favs so far are the grilled wings and chicken tortilla soup. The drinks are pretty awesome, and Charlie the Great can alter beverages to your preference if you prefer. This is an overall mezcal bar, but they have other libations as well. My fav is John Updike's Old Fashioned. My son ordered and loved the Strawberry Gin & Tonic. This establishment is a great conversation starter, and I look forward to returning asap.

the service here is amazing!! everyone is so sweet and attentive. i'm vegetarian and my server…read morehelped me choose what to get. i wanted the tteokbokki with a creamy gochujang sauce which wasn't on the menu anymore and they went as far as to check with the chef and make it for me!! so so sweet of them! my food was sooo delicious!! it's also a beautiful restaurant and the seating especially in the booths is so thoughtfully designed. so pretty and romantic.

We arrived a bit early for our reservation and were seated quite quickly even though it was busy…read more The servers were very attentive and checked on us often (though sometimes it felt like they were rushing us). The restaurant is somewhat dimly lit, so you may have to strain your eyes or use a flashlight to read the menu. However, it does create a nice vibe. I loved that the restaurant has Samsung art TVs. The food was good and meant to be shared! The shaved ice was delightful.

Great service and AWESOME whiskey selection! You have got to check this place out! The food…read moreselection is really good as well.

Been here twice and both times loved it. It does get crowded but thankfully they have additional…read moreseating upstairs. Their whiskey cocktails are delicious and food was good. Definitely will go back when craving a night out with a whiskey cocktail.

The most amazing crab cakes!! It's very much a dark dive bar, but the service was great, and the…read morebeer was cold!

Food was really good. Service was just as good. We had the ghost pepper wings and the steak…read morewrap/burrito.

Checked out the menu outside and saw their date night special for Thursday - it was Thursday! An…read moreappetizer, a pizza, and two cocktails for $45! We were greeted quickly and told to sit anywhere we waited. The restaurant was very well lit and decorated. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The server was newer but very nicem she greeted us with a pitcher of water, concerning it was a very hot day this certained earned some points! We had some questions about out the menu and she asked the nearby bartender which was really helpful. We got the cocktail of the month and the brown derby. Both excellent and well made. Next we ordered the honey old bay wings. They were very salty, we asked for more honey and that helped a lot. Lastly we got the mushroom onion pizza. This was delicious and full of shrooms. A really great date night, I'm excited to return to try more!

We are always looking for some good pizza and Raffy's has made the list. We got artichokes,…read morepepperoni pizza, the goat pizza, a side of spicy ranch as well as some drinks. The artichokes were nothing special, I'd skip those next time. The pizza was delicious. Thin, crispy, and very nice sauce flavor and toppings. The side of spicy ranch had a kick to it. We were the only ones there at the time but the service was on top of it. She was nice and attentive. Id definitely come back and try other flavors. They do specials and offer a thursday date night deal.

Huge open space with tables, a bar, and small bites. There is also a beer garden outside space for…read morenice weather. Came here for a meetup with friends and had a blast! There are so many beers to choose from and I got the Zadie's Lager on draft (which was a delicious light beer). They have windows into the brewing area which looks super cool, and they brew a lot of the beers on site! I ended up getting a six-pack of Mountain Girl beers to take home. Staff was quick and friendly. It was busy for a Friday night and there were some kids running around and being obnoxious, but other than that we had a great time. This is the perfect spot for an event or meet up with lots of friends. The space is huge!!

i've been here several times and had a good experience during all of them. their take on a mule is…read morereally tasty and well balanced. i'm not much of a beer person, but their draft cider was incredibly dry (to the point it tasted like wine to me). not my cup of tea but could be someone else's. i also got the hummus and veggie wrap and soba noodle salad. the hummus and veggie wrap (not pictured) is pretty good and refreshing. i would say the same for the soba noodle salad. nothing mind blowing but for food at a brewery i'm not mad. their fries are cooked very well (though underseasoned). during the day there are far more kids that hang around, and it gets quite busy at night (especially on weekends). there is a really nice outdoor area to hang out in when the weather is nice. they have some fun activities, including a cute little vending machine with mystery packs in it. overall a fun time!

I had a shared guacamole dip and a drink while waiting for my lunch. Both were good and tasty. The…read moreother couple shared an oyster (fried) dish which they complimented. My lunch salad with chicken was good and filling. The cookies after lunch were great and enjoyed by all. The service was very attentive and timely. I had a question about a larger group for dinner and the manager appeared, showed me their spaces and patiently answered my questions. It is a very cozy environment for getting out of the heat or cold. All and all I enjoyed my lunchtime visit and would recommend a visit for uptown dining.

I have seen Johnny's on Instagram for a while now and I decided to try it. Unfortunately, the food…read moredid not meet my expectations. However, the service and ambiance stood out for me. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by the hostess. She was very friendly and kind. She politely showed us to our table outside. The ambiance outside was so nice. They had plenty of flowers, and the tables were cute and quaint. Next, the waiter came over and explained the menu to us as we have not been to Johnny's before. He was very friendly however, very soft spoken so it was a bit difficult to hear what he was saying. However, he was very polite and knowledgeable about the menu. Also, the owner came and greeted us at the table and ensured that we did not need anything else so that was cool. The food was decent. Nothing really to brag about. What drew me to Johnny's was the fried oysters. They looked amazing on IG. However, when I received them the portion size was very small and it did not look as appetizing as pictured. However, the seasoning was great. I also ordered the steak and eggs. The steak was perfectly cooked along with the eggs and had great flavor. My friend ordered the pancakes which she enjoyed. I also ordered the bottomless mimosas which were refreshing. Overall, it was a good experience. I am glad I got to try them out. Not sure if I will be back only because of the distance. But if you are in the area check them out. Cheers!

I had a true 5-star experience at Nepenthe. A few weeks ago,…read moreI visited Nepenthe for a happy hour at work and had the chance to meet Chef Andrew. During our conversation, I mentioned that my wife absolutely loved a specialty burger from his previous restaurant. That restaurant closed several years ago, and the burger isn't on Nepenthe's menu. Without hesitation, Chef Andrew told me that if I gave him some advance notice and brought her in, he would get the ingredients and make it especially for her. So that's exactly what I did for her birthday. When the burger arrived, my wife was genuinely surprised. Chef Andrew even added a candle to the plate to make the occasion extra special. The burger was everything she remembered. She often says she compares every burger she eats to that one, but had resigned herself to the idea that she'd never have it again. Bravo, Chef Andrew. What makes this story even more remarkable is that I had only met him once before. This wasn't something I asked him to do--he was the one who suggested it. That's the kind of hospitality is something I'll never forget. The food at Nepenthe is consistently good, and the atmosphere is fun, lively, and full of energy. It's a great spot for happy hours, trivia nights, and group gatherings. I'll never forget the kindness and hospitality we experienced. This is Baltimore hospitality at its finest.

There are many cute bars in Hampden. During my time there this past weekend I decided to try this…read moreBrewery. It is a great brewery. They have very tasty beers and cocktails. And they aren't too expensive. At the Brewery they also offer food, and they have games you can play while you are drinking. It is a great Sunday afternoon meet up spot. I was able to try one of their cocktails which was great. It had a good taste too it...not too sweet and not too bitter. It was a great time. I hope to be back soon.

We had a pleasant evening here. No curry eggrolls or wing appetizers as mentioned above. Menu…read morechanged I guess. It was too quiet on a Saturday so that was scary. The food was great, portions SMALL. Prices above average our total was over $100 and we don't drink alcohol and just 2 of us. Appetizer, 2 entrees and 1 soda 1 juice. It's a splurge and I wish it didn't cost so much. Waiter could've been more attentive by checking on us - I still tipped 15% a small ding for calling her over twice and no one else was seated. Maybe they had a rush after 8pm ? No live music no customers came while we ate. Hidden expensive gem for a Saturday.

I was excited to visit for the first time on the Friday jazz night but left underwhelmed. Upon…read morearriving, the entire dining room was empty. I made a reservation because I expected it to be crowded. We had to wait a few mins for someone to come and seat us. Upon seating, we were notified they were out of several items. There was 1 bartender & 1 waiter for the entire restaurant. The decor and music was really nice. We ordered drinks, they later said they were out of the non-alcoholic sangria, but we got another drink. The drinks were ok, there was an interesting taste to the lemon drop martini that I couldn't put my finger on. We had to flag the waiter for several things (napkins, plates, forks). He was nice but overwhelmed being the only person for all the tables. The Thai chili wings were amazing but there weren't many wings for $13. We both ordered the catfish meal. The catfish was delish, the greens were ok (needed more salt & vinegar but hot sauce helped). The yams were really good. The macaroni and cheese was not good at all. It had no flavor and no cream/roux. It was literally just melted cheese and noodles. The jazz night was just a solo sax player (she played a few great songs) but I was expecting maybe 2 or more musicians. I will not be returning.