A perennial favorite. The menu doesn't try to do too much at any one time, instead, it is thoughtfully balanced and seasonal. Situated in the Baltimore Museum of Art, you are surrounded by art, especially if you choose to sit outside near the Sculpture Garden. The water feature there is always a lot of fun. Only 4 stars because sometimes this place can be less than imaginative for fancy cuisine and you have to make sure you're comfortable with the gray-haired crowd (of which we will all, eventually, become members, so embrace it at Gertrude's now). A special shout out for their generous support of Moveable Feast, I try to eat here every year for their Dining Out for Life event. read more

I was looking forward to he vegan crabcakes but I was very disappointed. The vegan crabcakes were cold and mushy with no flavor. I chose asparagus for one of my sides and recieved 3 stalks of asparagus and four slices of potato. Seriously for the price you would think it was real crabmeat it looked and tasted like no one truly cared about the presentation and the temperature of the food. I won't be back there are much better places for vegan food read more

Amazing food. I had the seafood jambalaya and it was awesome. Lots of fresh seafood and good portion size. More of an upscale environment. Excellent service. The restaurant is located inside the Baltimore Museum of Art which makes it a little difficult/confusing to locate for some. read more

Gertrude's - Seafood jambalaya - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Last weekend, my girlfriend picked to come here for her birthday dinner. We arrived with a party of eight. Service: When we arrived @5:15 we reminded the hostess, we had to leave by 6:45. They worked their magic and we got out exactly on time to make it to an event for my girlfriend's birthday. Food: I had their crab soup of the day, mashed potatoes, & side salad. It was delicious!! Everyone else also enjoyed their meals. My girlfriend especially loves their vegan crab cakes; she claims they are to die for!!! Excellent experience with a speedy and efficient dinner!! Would love to come back to try other things on the menu. read more

Grab a seat outside if you can! Beautiful canopy with lights and fountain! I came for brunch and ordered a vegetarian omelette--fresh, nongreasy, and came out quick. I loved the complimentary petite corn bread samples with raspberry jam. The only complaint was it was a bit loud, but it was a busy time of day. read more

Saturday or Sunday brunch at Gertrude's never disappoints! Go early, if you don't have a reservation!

Gertrude's is resting on its laurels. It has long been sliding by thanks to its reputation (earned many years ago), outdoor dining by the sculpture garden, and convenient location at the BMA. I've been dining at Gertrude's for as long as it has been at the BMA. Seriously folks, the food is now only mediocre (at best). The ambiance which used to be quite lovely has turned a bit shabby. The service is passable. I have procrastinated writing a bad review for a long time hoping things would improve. This has not happened. Today my companion and I both had our worst meals there to date. So, this is my long overdue and brutally honest appraisal. I am done with Gertrude's. I will not go back and recommend that you also find someplace else to dine. read more

We were seated outside overlooking the sculpture garden and fountain, which was refreshing to look at and appreciate the staff wearing masks and following CDC guidelines for the most part. Staff did come too close when delivering food. I order the Tilghman platter and for the first time ever was disappointed in the food. The chicken was prepared nicely by removing most of the bones from the thigh, however the chicken was overcooked in the fryer. The crab cake was very disappointing due to the first bite was nothing but shells and bland tasting. The fresh mustard was luckily provided to give it some taste. The potato salad was good, but the beans were equally bland in taste with a little bit of bacon. This was a disappointment because we look forward to an exceptional meal at this restaurant. Hopefully this change is only temporary and quickly corrected. read more

I was excited before going there, but I am very disappointed. We went there for dinner. In general the food was ok, but the steak was real bad, it was really hard to cut. The hazelnut on the dessert plate was steal. The whole night when we were there, our sever didn't even check on us to see how we are doing. read more

I was hoping to be by the water, when I was planning for Mother's Day dinner. I had narrowed down to Gertrude's and Waterfront Kitchen. Waterfront Kitchen would have had me right by the water, but I ended up picking Gertrude's at the end. This restaurant is actually inside the Baltimore Museum of Art. If you're driving and your GPS tells you to go the museum, it's not a mistake! I mistakenly showed up half hour earlier than when I had made the reservation for; still, the hostess took us to a table right away. The waiter dropped by and offered us water immediately and offered the drinks menu. We ordered fairly soon afterwards, but it took a while for the food to arrive. But that's understandable considering the restaurant was jammed with people celebrating Mother's Day. Food was delicious. We ended up picking the Chocolate Dessert Trio to share for dessert - the portions were sort of on the smaller end. The waiter did not let our glasses be empty at any point. We checked up on us several times, inquiring whether or not we needed anything. Overall, it was a good time. I didn't appreciate having to pay for parking on a weekend though. If I'm back in the area again, I would definitely consider going to Gertrude's. read more

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Went to Gertrude's last night for the first time in a while, although I've been here multiple times before. For the first time, I was mildly disappointed. Items were inconsistent. Some were under seasoned and bland (spinach, potatoes, cod) while others tasted good (mussels, crab cakes, green beans). Some items came out cold (mashed potatoes). Small things have made this restaurant not as good as it used to be including changes in the bread they serve as starters. They used to have this bread you ripped into pieces that came with a honey butter or something that was fantastic. Now it's some dry cornbread and basic bread and butter. I'd probably still give them another chance but I was definitely disappointed that it didn't live up to my memory and expectations based on multiple previous meals here. read more

Stopped in for brunch after visiting the BMA. Ordered a cup of tomato bisque for $6 and a chicken salad sandwich with fries for $14. The soup was served in a tiny cappuccino cup, and was essentially just a watered down tomato sauce. The chicken salad was wet and underseasoned, and served on the kind of texture-less white bread roll you would find at a 7-11. The fries were entirely soft/stale. Expected a lot more quality control (on what are extremely basic, easy-to-pull-off menu items) from a restaurant with the reputation of Gertrude's. I had a chicken salad sandwich from a hospital cafeteria the next day that was significantly better... read more

Inside the Baltimore Museum of Art, there's a restaurant that is constantly being named as one of the top brunch spots in Baltimore. My roommate and I are both brunch-lovers so we decided to head over to the BMA in Charles Village, check out some art and get some brunch at Gertrude's. Fortunately we came up with this plan a few days in advance so we were able to snag a reservation on OpenTable, so we didn't have to wait at Gertrude's like the other patrons. When we were seated, the waiter told us the specials and mentioned that they make sodas in-house. My roommate and I opted to start with that. I had a Grapefruit Soda and she ordered the Blood Orange Soda. For brunch, my roommate was in the mood for something on the savory side and ordered Miss Jean's Maryland Crab Soup. It was a vegetable-based red crab soup with lump crabmeat. My roommate loved this, there was plenty of fresh crabmeat. My roommate also ordered a side of French Fries. These were good, but nothing to write home about. Normally for brunch, I order egg dishes, but the Buttermilk Waffles sounded delicious and I knew I had to try them. The waffles were three light & tender waffles topped with a caramel sauce, served with maple syrup and whipped cream on the side. These were awesome. They were light and fluffy and the caramel wasn't too over powering. I would order these again in an instant. If you're looking for an awesome brunch in Charles Village, head over to Gertrude's at the BMA and you won't be disappointed. read more

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My daughter is a huge fan of high tea and I had promised to take her for her birthday. Unfortunately the options in Baltimore are scant. I stumbled on a post for Gertrudes that mentioned a tea so I checked their website and made a reservation. It is only offered on the first weekend of every month but we finally made it. The menu listed the courses, both savory and sweet and the teas on offer. The tea selection was very limited, a few blacks greens and herbals. We made our selections and waited for our first tower to arrive.The tea itself was loose but of only fair quality and did not reflect an understanding of fine teas. No Oolong, pu erh or tea quan yin were offered. The pots were one cup size and had to be constantly refilled. When our first course arrived we are all a little disappointed. It contained six very small bites per person, of which the Asparagus & Sage Savory Cakes and the Crab Beignets we the winners. The Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Tarts consisted of a little paste piped onto a silver dollar size circle of dry bread and the Chicken and arugula profiteroles were just a tiny chicken sandwich. The Smoked Salmon & Gruyere were flavorful but lacked something that I cannot describe except to say that they didn't really pop. Next was the sweet tower which contained some nice apricot scones, tasty Almond Cakes, Lemon & Raspberry Tarts and Coconut Haystack Macaroons. These were good quality and well made. The pistachio profiterole, however, lacked any pistachio flavor and had a circle of hard candy on top that was jarring. A triple bowl containing homeade rasberry jam, whipped cream and lemon curd accompanied this course. Last on the menu was Gertrude's candy bar which consisted of layers of chocolate mousse, caramel and hazelnut crunch. It was good but not enough to redeem the whole experience. At $30 (including tax and gratuity) I would have expected more "wow" and should not have left hungry. It looks like my search for a great high tea experience in Baltimore is not yet over. If only The Original Maids of Honor wasn' t all the way across the pond (Kew Gardens, Surrey). read more

Gertrude's - Tower of Flour - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Hands down, Lobsterama is going to be my new tradition each August. This was my first time, but my friends have come for several years. This has been the most wonderfully prepared and best tasting lobster AND the crab imperial is phenomenal. I also ordered the fried oysters as an appetizer, that was delightful as well. I shared it with a few of my friends and they commented that they were the best prepared fried oysters they've had. I agree! The cream of crab soup was buttery and delicious and you bet I got the bowl. And the Gertrude's Candy Bar dessert, I mean, that was out of the park such a suitable way to end a good meal all around. Way to go Gertrudes! read more

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Attached to JHU's Art Museum, Gertrude's is a great place to have a classier dinner without taking a heavy hit on your wallet. TIP: Most of the items on the menu are half off on Tuesdays, so head over then for an even more affordable meal. I had the chance to try the Crab Cakes and Crusted Catfish and both were absolutely amazing. What really makes the restaurant is definitely the environment and service. The food is great, but what makes it absolutely amazing is the fact that it's presented so beautifully and the service is both friendly and professional. Definitely a great place to visit if you're ever near by the Johns Hopkins University Campus read more

Complete your day at the BMA by dining at Gertrude's ! I recommend making a reservation as this is a popular place and not that many tables. Speaking of tables ..they are lined with paper and crayons are available for you to tap into your inner artist. I was there for their a la carte brunch offered on Saturday/Sunday. I was also there to try their infamous crab cake and this Baltimore, MD native was not disappointed! I got the crab cake du jour..the Eastern Shore crabcake: lump crabmeat, butter, lemon, parsley -broiled to perfection! You get a choice of sauce and 2 sides. At the recommendation of my waitress I tried it with the lemon beurre blanc but also asked for mustard sauce . Both paired beautifully with the crabcake. I definitely recommend this restaurant if looking for a good crabcake entree! read more

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Gertrude's... pretty average food, spotty service, with slightly elevated prices and decor to make it feel a bit fancy. I will say that portion sizes are generous and that the seafood options are probably the best here. Nothing will jump out at you, and nothing will sour your appetite. No validated parking, but there's plenty of cheap street parking available. read more

Gertrude's ranks among my favorite restaurants in Baltimore for its elegant ambiance, quality food, and great accessibility. Owned by a TV chef and located in the Baltimore Museum of Art adjacent to Johns Hopkins University's Homewood Campus, Gertrude's is a delightful place to spend an evening with friends, for a romantic date, or even a business dinner. Service is generally very good, attentive and accommodating, and reservations are fairly easy to come by, except on the busiest nights. The appetizer menu is solid, and the salads are especially good. There is a berry salad that is quite tasty. The entrees include selections "from the land" and "from the sea." I can confidently recommend the salmon ala bella, as it is one of the more flavorful treatments of salmon that I have encountered. Portions of the entrees are of average size, so you may want to add an appetizer or a salad for a more consummate meal. For dessert, I am very partial to the goat cheese cheesecake, which offers a delicious variation on the standard cheesecake. "Tuesdays With Gertie," or Ten Dollar Tuesday, sees many of the entrees being offered for a flat $10, and $18 bottles of wine. It's a great deal, and a great way to experience Gertrude's at a great price. You'll want to get a reservation on those nights, though. Gertrude's should definitely be on your short list of quality restaurants around Charles Village. read more

The environment is ok it is next to the garden and BMA. The food is not bad too- they made the sandwich very complicated.

Found a HAIR in our food. Manger didn't come over or anything. Food was GROSS. They cant even cook an egg correctly and soup was cold. Keep in mind this is all before we found a black curly long hair in the dish. All hype with thousands of reviews and it is not even worthy of a star. Bartender was sweet though, so felt bad. Only reason so many people go is because the museum is connected. Save your money. read more

Gertrude's is the perfect restaurant for high quality dishes that exemplify local cuisine. It's within the BMA, which has an awesome impressionist and modern art collection along with a famous sculpture garden, so it's a terrific spot for a meal and an activity. I've been on multiple occasions and always pleased (dinner, Tuesday's at Gerty's, brunch, tea - all fantastic) but this time got brunch with a group of friends. The restaurant was very flexible with changes to our reservations and the whole staff was super friendly! Brunch comes with complimentary and warm/homemade biscuits, cornbread and apple butter (already sold right?) which were really good. Coffee refills were quick and constant, which is necessary for a person like me at an early brunch, and all of the dishes were perfectly seasoned and tasty. My boyfriend and I split the Gertrude's Benedict (traditional eggs Benedict but with a meaty crab cake instead of the Canadian bacon) and it was really yummy and a ton of food. We also split the sirloin ranchero, which was a nice piece of meat (cooked a little more medium rare than the rare we asked for, which was fine, but nice to know for planning how you'd like to order it) and more home fries. It didn't come with traditional rice and beans or tortillas though (which I had assumed it would based on the name without even reading the description - clearly the coffee hasn't kicked in yet). We were too full for dessert and got to try a few bites of our friends' waffles (really fluffy but also crispy and delicious). We will definitely be back! read more

Gertrude's - Sirloin ranchero - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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This is strictly a drink and dessert review. I love drinks and dessert. Nothing makes me happier than the combination of lovely drinks and decadent desserts. Gertrudes has both. The fall drink selections are simply divine. I had a cocktail called "Falling Leaves." It consisted of apple juice, gin, cinnamon, and some addition boozy goodness of which I cannot remember. It was divine and it had a cinnamon stick placed inside. My mom ordered a pumpkin pie martini of sorts, which was also good. The graham cracker crumb rim and the slight addition of whipped cream made it nice. The drink menu looked so divine, it was near impossible to choose. We split a flourless chocolate cake. It was a work of art and had a chocolate-covered semi-sphere of chocolate ganache on top. It also come with a scoop of chocolate ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. It was a nice desert to split. This place has a romantic feel to it. I'd love to come for dinner, next time with a date! read more

Gertrude's - Mmmm fall cocktails! - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Came for a Sunday brunch and was very satisfied! I had their waffles which were delicious. The service was very nice and the atmosphere is great in the morning. It's a little pricey but it is somewhat on the fancier/more upscale side of dining. read more

Gertrude's - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Loved this place! The food was wonderful, the service was on point, and the setting was gorgeous. We thoroughly enjoyed our perfect mimosas along with the scrumptious breakfast items. A gentle breeze blowing complimented our brunch along with lovely views of their garden. There were even some modern-esque sculptures with flowing water for an additional relaxing touch. Brunching here was basically like going to a yoga class if they had mimosas. Well done friends. We will brunch with you again soon. read more

This is my second visit here and it definitely will not be my last. I came here for brunch and it was soo delicious. It was packed as usual, but the service and food was nothing short of amazing. The server started us off with complimentary biscuits and corn muffins with apple butter and softened butter. I ordered the flight of mimosas and hummus wrap and cream of crab soup. My god daughter visited with me as well and she ordered the waffles which is what I will probably order during my next visit because they were definitely scrumptious along with the syrup. All in all Gertrude's is always a win for me! And of course the best part is touring the museum after to see new and old exhibits. read more

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Pretty good food for a museum. Pros: Build your own- gets you two sides plus the main dish for ~$20 I ordered the crab cake, 2 sunny side up eggs and hash browns. Good price for the amount of food and the ambiance Pianist, singer and violinist Cons: No seating at a table, asked to make a reservation or sit at bar $3 for OJ in a wine glass- refills not included my friends veggie omelette did not have the veggies included, just folded in after eggs were cooked read more

After wandering the area, searching for a place to eat, my friends and I came here. although some of us weren't dressed too nicely, luckily we were there for the brunch time. While dinner can be pricey and upscale here, the brunch isn't too bad and the food is pretty good too. Good for groups and especially good when it's nice weather outside. They have outdoor seating. The crabcake benedict was pretty darn good with the potatoes on the side. omelette was good. Burger is average. pulled pork sandwich is ehh So yes, i mostly recommend this place for a nice classy brunch that's not too expensive. and you can visit the BMA afterwards and if it's nice out, you can also wander the sculpture garden right there. (we had some fun times taking silly pictures afterwards) (i think i heard that tuesday nights have a special for this place...) read more

Only redeeming part of the experience was the surroundings. The food was mediocre. Came here on a Sunday afternoon with a group of girlfriends and we all ordered different things and all left unsatisfied. It wasn't like we had high standards either, I think the chef might have just been a little off that day. Crab cakes were okay but not fantastic nor anything to rave about - very mushy on the inside which meant that the crab was not fresh . Also had the Maryland crab soup which was spicy. Best friend's salad was soggy and not fresh. Burger was okay. The sides of apple coleslaw was not edible but the steamed veggies were okay. What was great about it was that we sat outside and the view was very pretty with the sculpture garden and fountains. I'd come but with lower expectations! read more

Gertrude's - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Awww man! I wanted to like this place and I had high hopes. But apparently here green money is only green when it comes from palm of the hand colored patrons. The service was terrible. I had to ask for water and bread for the table whereas other tables were served right away. This was visit was supposed to be a great bridal brunch for a dear friend and instead it turned into less than a festive occasion. The food was just ok and not worth the hassle. So disappointed. read more

Gertrude's - Brunch - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Sorry Gertrude's but your "I Can't Believe It's Not Crab' Crab Cakes" where mushy and tasteless making the name of this entree sadly true. There was no crab seasoning evident in the taste and the baby food texture was very off putting. The crumby exterior was dry and bland. All in all quite sad. When I said something to the waitress she said it wasn't supposed to taste like a crab cake... clearly she should read the item name on the menu and read the description. I grew up eating these yummy faux crab cakes and was excited to try yours and was totally let down. Another person in my group also thought they were bad. I have had good food here before but thought I should warn people to get something else. read more

This is my favorite place for lunch with friends. The food is always filling and the service is outstanding.

We had an affable yet unprofessional waiter on the night we went. Restaurant was almost empty, despite the holiday season. We received our oyster apps and finished them well before our drinks came (took about 15 minutes as the waiter was 'trying to find the bartender'). Food was costly and very mediocre. My rockfish was served with an ice cream scoop of tepid mashed potatoes and overcooked, limp haricot verts. Our waiter disappeared and we were never offered a second drink, so ate our entrees with water. The requested medium steak came pink, and when it was requested that it be cooked to medium the waiter visibly paused, not knowing what to do. He eventually brought a dish with which he had our guest place her meat into instead of just taking her whole plate, and it was delivered back to her as a mound of hockey pucks. Takeaway clamshells were presented while others were still eating. Dessert? Why bother. We were over it (and the $$ bill) by then. Meh and nah. read more

Went for restaurant week. Food was delicious, service was a little slow. We were told a few times our food would be right out but it never showed. However, it allowed us to have longer conversation. I had the cucumber honeydew gazpacho, Chesapeake rockfish, and candy bar. I opted for the wine pairings which went nicely. I have nothing negative to say about the food. It was absolutely delicious. The gazpacho was perfectly light and refreshing! read more

Everything you've read is true and then some! Just added some photos for you to see, picture is worth a thousand words! read more

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I had high expectations for this restaurant. The ambiance is beautiful. It's a great space for pictures and celebrations. Food was only okay. We had the cauliflower for an appetizer, but it was soggy and smothered in sauce. Cocktails were tasty. However, the service was very slow. read more

This place used to be quite good. Maybe five stars. Not any longer. All good we had was mediocre at best including the drinks and I don't know how you even do that. The outdoor seating is some of the best in town though. read more

Let me say first that we went for brunch, which was very busy and crowded with at least one big party. The noise level was higher than I'd like, but it was Sunday brunch at a museum, so I didn't expect a fine dining atmosphere. That said, everything else was superb. Our servers were friendly, efficient and knowledgeable about the menu. The house Dirty Gertie Bloody Mary's are outstanding. B and I both had Eggs Gertrude, their version of eggs Benedict: broiled crab cakes, poached eggs and tomato on a toasted English muffin with hollandaise, served with skillet home fries. Excellent. They even had Sriracha! Maybe the best museum restaurant meal I've ever had. Defintely going back. read more

We had dinner at Gertrude's at the BMA last weekend. It was my birthday so it was a bit of a splurge. We lucked out and they were having Restaurant Week specials. We both did the Fixed Price Specials which was an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $35. What a great deal as the normal entree price is almost $35. The food was just delicious! I had the crab topped deviled eggs appetizer, entree was a platter consisting of crab cake fried chicken collard greens & potato salad (omg yummy) and desert was peach upside down cake with vanilla ice cream. All of the food was so delicious I can't say enough good things. My partner chose different items so we could trade and his was also amazingly great. The atmosphere is wonderful too. Our server was very fun and salty but professional. This was my second visit to Gertrude's and as before it is a great experience. Treat yourself and make a reservation for lunch or dinner at Gertrude's. read more

If you're thinking about coming here for brunch, do it! I've been meaning to come here for over a year, and I'm so glad I finally did last weekend! I always thought it would be a bit too pricey for a student, but their brunch menu is reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. I came with a group of 7 at 10am on a Saturday, and after brunch, we explored the museum, which is so much bigger than I expected. Plus, admission is free! It's definitely on par with some of the art museums in DC. This is a great spot to take someone visiting from out of town. I got the waffles on recommendation from someone who used to be a chef here a few years ago. Their waffles might be the best waffles I've ever had. The pecan praline topping with caramel sauce is the perfect compliment to the fluffiness of the waffles! My boyfriend ordered the Eggs Gertrude, and the eggs were perfectly poached and sat on top of a crab cake made with generous amounts of crab. The basket of complimentary biscuits, cornbread, and apple butter was definitely a warm and delicious welcome to brunch. We had to make changes to our reservations twice, and the staff were very accommodating over the phone! The atmosphere is beautiful, and I really want to come back in the spring or summer to check out the outdoor seating! read more

Gertrude's - Eggs Gertrude! - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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