During a business trip to Baltimore, I made a reservation for Charleston, a James Beard Foundation…read moreAward winning restaurant along the Harbor. It was a short and lovely walk from my hotel, and I was dining alone and initially I wasn't sure how I felt about having a solo dining experience at an upscale restaurant. My concerns were immediately dispelled as soon as I opened the restaurant door. Two men greeted me and were incredibly gracious and welcoming. They quickly found my reservation and asked me if it was my first time at the restaurant and what brought me to town. Since it was pretty early for dinner (6pm on a Monday) they gave me options for where I wanted to sit, confirming that the lounge seating I reserved was best for me because it placed me near the large bay windows that faced the harbor and the setting sun. My waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. He not only knew the menu, but he had tasted several items and gave me direct feedback on items. I decided on the three-course menu with wine pairing. For starters, I had the fried oysters. The fry was light and crisp, and oysters were flavorful, still holding the freshness of the ocean. The olive bread serving was a nice touch. The second course was white truffle fettuccine with mushrooms. The mushrooms were tender, absorbing the flavor of the seasoning. The fettuccine was fresh, light and richness of the white truffle was a perfect compliment, but not overpowering. The third course was crispy wild halibut with a zucchini beignet. Again, they do a beautiful job with frying fish. The fish with lightly fried enough to get a nice crispy, but with no oily after taste. The zucchini beignet was crisp and fresh. The tartar sauce for the halibut gave the elevated dish a hearty, fun, comfort food finish. The wine pairings were perfection. From the Cremant d'Alsace Brut bubbly, which offered a refreshing and bright flavor to go with the light oysters, and even the Chardonnay, Dehlinger, which offered a citrus accent that was a nice balance with the warm, rich embrace of the fettuccine dish, Charleston sommelier experts make every effort to ensure that pairing enrich the dining experience. For those looking for an elevated dining experience in Baltimore by the Harbor, where you really feel taken cared of, I'll suggest visiting Charleston. Every staff member I engaged with, even as a solo diner, made me feel like I was a treasured guest.

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.

Stopped in earlier this week and had a great experience. Compliments to the chef on the foie gras…read morewith black truffle gelato--I honestly can't get that dish out of my head. It's one of those bites that sticks with you long after you've left the restaurant. The bar was great, the service was friendly and attentive, and the food was well executed across the board. Everything came together for a really enjoyable evening. Looking forward to coming back.

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.

My family took my father out for his birthday and it was a delight! Everyone loved their food. We…read morewere a party of 8, and we love to try new things and share, so it was definitely a feast. Out server was super attentive - she dealt with a few clumsy spills, and even gave my Dad a petite birthday treat! Every dish was delicious. The Branzino was perfectly baked, and my favorite star of the night was the fried polenta dish! It had a delicious truffle Parmesan sauce with mushrooms which was to die for! The pesto dishes were made with basil, so no allergies for me! It's always a plus when I can taste something that would normally be made with nuts. Overall, a great time was had. We were seated in high bar chairs under great lighting and in a cozy corner for privacy. Ambiance - 10/10! Looking forward to trying their happy hour soon!

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.

10/10 restaurant! my server Sarai was the best, help us out right away, food came out fast! would…read moredefinitely recommend!

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.

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!

This Place Never Fails To Satisfy My Palate!!! The Lobster Ravioli Is A MUST!!! The Best Vibes. The…read moreBest Service And The Best Bar Vibe In The City. Best Restaurant In The City Of Baltimore!!

I had an opportunity during the week to stop in during lunch as I have had this on my "to go" list…read more I was able to get parking right at the restaurant without an issue; but be mindful this is not possible most days and times. Parking is tight around this area. The restaurant did not have signage viewable directing to the entrance. Entrance is through a terrace area in which there is outdoor seating and great vibing view (on a cooler and better day then this partucular day with temperatures over 100°. Entrance was made at the lower level(bar area) and greetings were made from the bartender. I then walked up the stairs to the hostess desk and was greeted again by the young lady. We were seated in a formal dining area. This is a casual to upscale dining experience. I was dressed not so casual but was not feeling out of place as it was not a lot of people inside. One large seemingly work group dining together. Hostess/waitress placed refreshing cold glasses of water on the table. I needed to wash my hands before my dining experience and meal. I asked the hostess/waitress for the location of restroom. She guided me to such. While walking to the restroom, I was able to see multiple food prep areas (open kitchen stove area, guy in another sections rolling and prepping raw ground meatballs another guy in another area. All food areas seemed neat and clean. Employees also using food prep gloves. I finally got to the restroom. Immaculately clean and smell fresh. The decor was warm and continued the asthetics of the restaurant. When I came back to the table I looked over the simple and minimalist menu. Its not overwhelming with a lot to chose from. The waitress explained the menu and when it came down to the pasta dishes she expressed the size of the half vs full. Her described portion of half was the size of a handful and the full was that of two hand fulls. I chose the bolognese (half), meatballs, and my dining guest chose a caesar salad with grilled chicken added. We decided on no other beverages beyond the water. The food came out quickly. The described size portions were as such. I was thinking the size would be not as small as it was. For a grown man or someone hungry, the half portion will not be filling. The salad came out portioned as the pasta. A handful of caesar with a large uncooked chicken breast. The meatballs (3 total) was a great portion. I found my bolognese and the meatballs to be on the side of a bit salty. My dining guest found the salad to be on the salty side as well. I enjoyed the ambiance and calm dining area but the food did not wow me. From the portions, to the taste and then the price. The caesar salad was $17 and $11 for the chicken breast that was not proportion with the hand full of romaine placed on a plate and uncut was too pricey ($28 total). They charge a 3% facility fee on to the check. Paying $80 for this experience was not justified. I am able to knock this off my list of "to go" I may take another look at coming here again but I for now will not consider anytime soon due to my first experience of the salty food. Other than the taste and portion its not a bad vibing experience.

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 !!