I thought I already reviewed this but I must have failed to hit save or something…read more This wasn't all around Epic experience! My fiance wanted a particular French mushroom dish and this restaurant happened to have it. Add to it the Noir French Jazz vibes and it makes for one heck of a date. The service was quick and courteous. The show girls were a ton of fun and the band was talented. My fiancée was surprised and very happy with the whole experience. My girl quite hilariously said that the bread was tragically authentic, LOL! She's not wrong, it was pretty hard but it was also very good. The duck confit and savory crépe I would have loved it if they made that into an entree because I'd have eaten a whole plate of it. It was delicious! The short rib bourguignon was super tender, very delicious but the serving size is pretty small. I was surprised I ended up feeling full at the end but it's probably cuz I ate plenty of the bread and drinking and all that good stuff. The wild mushroom dish was very flavorful but my girl wasn't quite as fond of the puff pastry acting as the bowl. Outside of that we both loved it. It's not a cheap date, but it is a good date. I'm glad we went! This is definitely a place I feel comfortable recommending if you're looking for a little more high-end night out.

My husband and I had dinner at Monarque for the first time last Friday…read more Monarque is Atlas's French restaurant, located at the end of Atlas Quarter on Fleet Street (you pass Italian Disco, Tagliata, and the Elk Room, and walk straight to the end of the alley). Their menu might be classic French, but none of the entrees spoke to me. It was a warm late spring/almost summer night, and I found their menu to be heavy and not very seasonal. I wanted something lighter, something more spring. Since the entrees weren't calling to us, we stuck to the small plates/hors d'oeuvres section of the menu and shared: Potato & Leek Soup (butter croutons and garlic chive oil); Salad Lyonnaise (soft boiled egg, bacon lardons, endive, frisee, and radishes); tableside beef tartare (verjus mustard, capers, tomato, truffle); short rib pappardelle (truffled egg yolk, red onion, Parmesan, and short rib ragu); and Iberico Secreto (apple butter, macerated cranberries, hazelnuts, and microsage). Of these, I'd say we enjoyed the soup and the iberico the best. The beef tartare wasn't cut/diced or mixed very well despite the very fun tableside preparation. The pasta had a truffle oil pungency that isn't for us, so I wouldn't order that dish again, but otherwise the food was pretty good. I do think there is better French food in Baltimore, but Monarque offers something special. The service is great. The wine and cocktails are great. The decor is cool. But best of all? Thursday-Sunday, Monarque hosts Monarque After Dark. Burlesque, cabaret, live jazz music... At Monarque, it's dinner with a show. The performers we saw were great. Monarque After Dark made our night. If the food didn't blow me away, the experience still did. FYI the music is quite loud, so I wouldn't recommend dinner at Monarque if you prefer a quieter dinner! We had a great time at Monarque. I'd certainly return - next time for some drinks, oysters, and shrimp cocktails and the show!

It was my wife's birthday. Where to celebrate? "How about Cindy Wolf's flagship restaurant?" I…read morethought. After all, it'd been on our radar since Tom Sietsema's 2019 review in the Washington Post but, because it's located a long way from us, we hadn't made the effort. We're so glad we made the trip to Baltimore this past Thursday for what wound up being a magical evening. The staff was exceptional: Eliza and George greeted us warmly ("that's quite the hat!"). George led us to table #4...the perfect choice (thanks Eliza!) as I'd had my eye on that table thanks to web-based interior shots of Charleston. Jocelyn, our Server, was friendly, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable when it came to the daily menu, the evening's specials, and the daunting wine list. It's no wonder Charleston was a 2025 James Beard Foundation award winner for its "Outstanding Wine & Other Beverages Program." Thanks to Jocelyn's Busser, Dionicio, our water glasses were never empty and we had a constant supply of muffins, sourdough, and the best cornbread ever! He was the master of unobtrusive service. Ah, but whatabout the food?! Perfection. Champagne followed by Chef's welcoming sippable soup set the stage for a mix-and-match tasting tour. Potato & Beer soup, Lettuce & Beet salad, and Grilled Tenderloin for me and Zucchini Beignets, Lettuce & Beet salad, and White Truffle Fettuccine for her. All simply confirmed that Chef Wolf and her kitchen staff are at the top of their game. We finished the evening with our complementary desserts (Almond Pound Cake, Cashew & Dark Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake) and coffee. Even the chocolate Macarons, a parting treat, were delicious. Finally, a word about the room. "Calming" comes to mind. Never hurried. Conversation was easy. Very much appreciated nowadays where, even in upper tier restaurants, it's a struggle to hear your tablemates. All-in-all, a wonderful birthday evening made possible by Charleston Restaurant Baltimore.

My partner and I returned to Charleston for our annual Christmas dinner. While the food was…read moregenerally very good, we were a little less impressed with the service this year. The major hiccup we experienced was my gluten free lamb shank pasta being sent to the vegetarian sitting at the table next to us. Watching this unfold and the server's exasperated reaction was very awkward. That being said, the manager (or maitre d?)'s graceful handling of the situation thereafter was great. He told us what happened, played it off well, explained that it would be a bit of a wait for our next course as a result, and ended up comping all our wine. Really classy touch. However, even after the long wait for the pasta, it was ultimately under-salted under-seasoned and not impressive at all. As much as I appreciate the gluten free option, I wish I had just gotten something else especially after all that trouble! The rest of the service throughout the night was also oddly paced. We ordered less courses than last year (only three) but we were there for almost four hours. Tables around us who arrived after us were served their first courses before we even had a chance to order. We were asked to pick out a wine first before choosing our food and since we weren't sure what we were eating, we weren't ready to select a wine. Even just getting the food menu took a bit of waiting around. Our server didn't inquire about any food allergies either so it was tough making decisions when I wasn't sure what was gluten free - and this was an allergy that was noted in our reservation, too. At another point, I asked for a glass of red wine three different times until finally the maitre d grabbed it for me after the pasta debacle happened. As for the rest of my meal, the scallops and lobster soup were both yummy but not anything life changing. However, my boyfriend's lamb chop dish was very very delicious. The one bite I had, paired with the pomegranates, was heaven. By the way, they offer gluten free bread service too. Has the Charleston lost their touch after the recent James Beard press? I'm not sure but I do hope they step things back up again. You come to expect a little more from an institution like this, especially after being totally blown away last year.

This was the best dinner of my entire life. Came here for my 40th birthday and they did NOT…read moredisappoint. Got a bottle of Nebbiolo or two with our 4 course meal, and they even brought us limoncello at the end of it all!!! I will be coming back. The food was out of this world amazing.

I've been really looking forward to coming to Cinghiale for a while now. Finally got to go when a…read morefriend invited us for a birthday dinner. The ambiance of the restaurant is absolutely stunning! The details and decor is carefully designed. Really gives an elegant and comfortable vibe with sophistication. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. We all felt extremely welcomed. Their wine menu is extensive! I was really happy to have our server offer me a taste of a wine I was unsure of. The wine was amazing. We ordered two cocktails which were less impressive. If we were to go back, would definitely stick with wine. For our food the table ordered some salads to start. The beet salad was very fresh! Our main entrees were good. It was very pricey. You definitely need to order multiple courses to be full.

Limoncello quickly became one of my favorite Italian spots in Baltimore--especially because of the…read morelasagna. It's everything you want in a great lasagna: cheesy, creamy, with those perfectly crispy pasta edges. After discovering it, I found myself coming back once or twice a week for about a month just for that dish alone. Their Super Tuscan wine is also a standout--smooth, bold, and pairs perfectly with the richer dishes on the menu. Other honorable mentions include the house-prepared meatballs, the saffron seafood pasta, and the grilled octopus--all excellent choices. The outdoor patio is an added bonus when the weather is nice, making it a great spot for a relaxed meal. If you go, definitely try the lasagna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of the food was great and the restaurant is beautiful! My friends and I went for brunch with…read morereservations. We were seated right away, our hostess and server were both friendly and helpful. The appetizers arrived quickly but the entrees took so long that we asked our server if she could check in to make sure everything was alright. Once the food arrived it was warm and as described on the menu, however one of our table members had to wait another 5 minutes for her food. Overall the food was enjoyable and the service was friendly but the wait time will probably deteriorate me from returning.

This is a great casual place to eat seafood boil in Baltimore. The place is big and have a lot of…read morespace for a big group. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time though. We got lucky to be seated without a reservation on a Saturday night. I recommend getting the deep fried Mac and cheese with your dish. We ordered the mixed bag with shrimp and clams good for 1 person. The price is reasonable and the taste is great. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Had a last minute meal (late linch$ at Baltimore Seafood…read more Ordered crispy calamari, steamed mussels and shrimps. Seafood was fresh, even better with the house sauce (butter with all the seafood spices in it). It was tasty and mild spicy (our preference ). Satisfies your palate even savored the sauce with steam corn and potatoes. Ambiance is like a fishing area with nets and service is friendly.

This place was such a delight. We came here with our kids and they just loved this experience…read more The restaurant has a gigantic bocce ball court that takes up much of the first level. We were seated at a table that overlooked the court and a digital screen that flashed beautiful photos of Italy's top tourist spots. My kids were thrilled when they saw Venice, since they just learned about it in school. After ordering food, I took the kids to the bocce court while my partner could enjoy the wine and watch us from above. I know he appreciated having the break and a good glass of wine to go with it. Service was friendly and the food was fantastic. We ordered several dishes including several types of pasta, meatballs, cheesy bread and a caesar salad. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and a great vibe overall. I already have a reservation when we pass through Baltimore again in a few weeks.

This is a tight, upscale Italian food local that has a lot to offer…read more Yes it feels like you get stuffed in here with a shoehorn but the location is like an old house and it has lots of personality. Don't come here if you're just looking for blah food! If all you want is spaghetti and meat sauce go down to Fazzolis. This is higher flavor town Italian food with a mission to make you melt in delight. And it succeeds! Service is out standing, the food is flavor art, the location is tight but has great character, and I would come back in a heart beat!

11.16.25 Hubby and I…read morehad a concert to go to at CFG Arena so I decided to select a restaurant nearby before the show to celebrate my birthday coming up in 1.5 weeks. When I did a search online, this restaurant received high reviews and had a lovely ambiance. I made reservations via OpenTable. When I made the reservation, I noted it was for my birthday. Upon being seated, I was given a handwritten birthday card. Our server was Christopher. He was knowledgeable informing us of the specials and offering a recommendation after my husband selected a particular glass of wine. Christopher started us off by providing us with complimentary bread. I ordered the lobster ravioli (half size) and my hubby ordered the chicken marsala with spaghetti. I enjoyed the succulent lobster and the flavorful sauce. My hubby enjoyed his entree as well. For dessert, I ordered the chocolate semifreddo which had chocolate mousse, cold brew gelato, white chocolate crema, and chocolate hazelnut crumble. Christopher brought it out with lighted candle and surprised me with a complimentary olive oil cake. Both were delectable and simply perfection. If I were at home, I probably would have licked the plates. Towards the end of dinner, Christopher didn't come to check on us as frequently, but I appreciated his thoughtfulness with the complimentary cake and his knowledge of the menu. I enjoyed the food, ambiance, and special gestures the restaurant made to celebrate my birthday.

The service was on point and food & mocktails were delicious. The waiter encouraged each of us to…read moreorder the large portions of our pasta dishes, even though we already had an appetizer and two sides. Neither of us could finish our meals and didn't want to take seafood back to our hotel fridge. I get the desire to upsell but better advice would've been, get the small portions and save room for dessert. It's also very tightly packed and loud. So if you get over stimulated easily (or just spent all day in an airport/plane) maybe consider something more low key.

Thank you Chef Nancy for making our anniversary so special with delicious, home-style food and…read moreclose attention to detail:) Definitely a hidden gem and would recc to anyone either visiting or just wanting some tasty meals for the week. Cant wait to go back

The food was amazing , very fresh. The owner was so nice and sweet! Definitely recommend if you…read morewanna feel like you're at home - she let us coming in with a party of 6 right before they closed !!

Had a reservation for Friday night. They had a live band playing which was nice but hard to hear a…read moreconversation over so we ended up sitting in the bar area. I tried the prosciutto con melon cocktail which had an odd smell and taste. No one at the table enjoyed it. The server attempted to "fix" it by adding more melon purée but it wasn't palatable. I then ordered a whisky sour which tasted as if it had come from a dive bar-not what I expected from a 15$ cocktail. No one at my table enjoyed their cocktails so I would say the bar program needs significant work especially if they're charging cocktail prices. We had the caprese salad and garlic bread as appetizers. The garlic bread was amazing! We shared linguine with clams and the corn risotto. The corn risotto didn't taste fresh at all and had a fishy smell from the scallops. The corn tasted canned which is a shame given it's corn season/end of summer. The linguine tasted only of salt-a missed opportunity to showcase capers, garlic, something! The service was quite leisurely -we had to flag down the server several times for basic needs. At the end of the meal our bill was incorrect with items that needed to be removed and then as they tried to fix it I was mistakenly given another table's bill AND the items that I was told were going to be taken off were still there. Not a great experience for a first time at the restaurant and slightly stressful for a Friday night out with friends when we just wanted to relax and blow off some steam. Sigh.

**atmosphere, service, presentation is amazing!…read more The atmosphere is so lovely, my friend and I sat outside and it was like we were in Europe! The servers are really kind--one noticed that my friend didn't like her drink and offered suggestions for a different one (which she ended up loving!). The colorful menus, decor, live music all add to the experience. Plating is gorgeous. We came for happy hour so we only had small bites. Unfortunately, I can't say that I loved my dish. I got the braised calamari and some calamari pieces were way too big and impossible to chew. I would've preferred smaller bites. My friend got the garlic bread and said it was ok, but nothing spectacular. I do want to return to try a main dish, though! Drinks are great: I got the spritz and it was so tasty. My friend got the berry Bellini on the second time and enjoyed. Overall, I would return, even if just for the service and vibes!