Great coffee, lunch, bar and venue on the spot of the old Red Emma's on North Avenue. A wide open space near MICA and the University of Baltimore. Would be good for a very casual meeting. Best thing here though is the biscuits. One of only a few places in Baltimore that has a biscuit worth a damn. It's huge, flaky and made into a sandwich with egg and sausage,...just awesome. Sausage is house made as well. I've never tried any other meal because it's my biscuit go to! Service is counter and very friendly. read more

Went to square dancing on 11/23 and had a surprisingly great time. The attendees seemed much more diverse than I expected: not majority White, but the largest chunk was, fairly queer, and all ages (including a couple kids with their parents). The dance floor was full but enough space for all the dancing. The female caller was inclusive and direct, re-teaching steps when she saw some groups struggling, and she had great chemistry with her band. You really don't need to know anything about square dancing, she taught everything you needed to know. It was my first time square dancing, and although I was anxious about switching partners/dancing with strangers, it seemed like the caller took that into account: you start with just your partner, then find another couple, then you find two other couples, and all these formations ease you into switching partners. I was sweating by dance #2, but I stuck around until the band took a break after 1.5 hours. I had three complaints: her mic was not loud enough, the water machine was broken, and not enough chairs for folks taking a break. However, besides those concerns, square dancing made for a great, affordable date night. read more

Mobtown Ballroom and Cafe - Full ballroom waiting between dances at square dancing - Dance Clubs Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Great spot in downtown Baltimore with INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches. Have been twice for breakfast. The biscuits are out of this world. Big and fluffy with a crispy exterior. The breakfast sandwich is substantial, and comes with a choice of cheese and meat. One of our guests got the rare roast beef sandwich which he declared one of the best he'd ever had. And my husband said the coffee is excellent - and he's super picky about his coffee. Don't miss Mobtown! read more

Mobtown Ballroom and Cafe - Egg and cheese biscuit sandwich. - Dance Clubs Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I went to Mobtown on a Friday night for a swing lesson. Despite having lived at 857 Washington Blvd for a few years way back, I'd never actually gone into Mobtown. I didn't know what to expect. It's an old building that I believe used to be a church, maybe. Doesn't look like much has been done over the years as far as renovations, so there's an old world charm about it. When I went there only seemed to be one toilet working in the bathroom though there are 3 stalls. That said, the bathroom was not packed and I was able to quickly get in and out. Overall the swing lesson was great and I plan on signing up for classes now. I'd say the only real drawback was the lack of craft beer options. read more

Excellent cafe, exceptional dance venue. The coffee here is solid and reasonably priced, the biscuits and breakfast sandwiches are top notch, and the baked goods are delightfully flavored without being terribly sweet. This is the best swing dance venue on the east coast, and it's not even close. 10/10 do recommend read more

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As fun at it looked...dancing was just not my thing. That all changed this year when the notion of how much fun going dancing was continued coming up. Finally, I decided to jump in... with both left feet. I was pointed towards this reputable (and seemingly popular) dance hall/instruction studio, The Mobtown Ballroom (CharmCitySwing.com). So I signed up. I had no idea what to expect. The first class I had was on a Monday night. It was a drop-in special... "Learn how to West Coast Swing!" It was a rudimentary class. A basic step, how to hold your partner, a couple basic hold, and a couple spins. The instructors, Michael and Nina, were not only knowledgeable.. but they brought a tremendous amount of humor and fun to each class they lead. They have no problem showing over and over again what things look like along with hopping into rotation and giving one on one time with everyone. These guys really make this fun. I found out at the end of this class that Monday nights they have a social dance directly afterwards. It was then that I was able to use my new basic knowledge to dance with a couple people. It was fun... but I still had a long way to go before being comfortable. I decided to go ahead and sign up for their more "advanced" class... the Lindy Hop. A quicker paced version of swing. It is a 6 week course with the same instructors. --- Now, I am in my 4th week of the classes and I have picked up a lot of great basic steps, turns, transitions, and swings. Last night was my first social dance with a live band. It was a blast! Throughout the night I asked and was asked to dance with many people. Each song had a similar, but different feel. I got to try out everything from slow and bluesy... to songs with a very quick tempo. I was a great lead with girls who where great followers and saw plenty of room for improvement when I danced with girls who were better dancers, but often expected me to lead them as a more experienced dancer. I watched as the people who have been doing this a long time made everything look smooth and easy. I can see myself really picking this up. I have been told often that I am doing very well for how little a time I have been dancing. So my confidence remains high. There were a couple dances last night that it was clear that I was a novice... but every now and again I pair up with a girl who followed well and made the dance and everything I did look like I knew exactly what I was doing. It was those dances that let me know... I might just get the hang of this thing. The night ended with the same type of flair that the best dancers brought to the floor. As the band started its last set, the entire room gathered in a hurried pace to a circle around the middle front of the dance floor. Two by two, experienced doubles swung out from the crowd and held it down for a few dazzling moves and disappeared back into the crowd making way for the next two. The room filled with clapping and stomping to the beat of the drums, hooping and hollering, whistling and yelling after each mini performance. Then it got better... with the wave of a single hand the entire ballroom rushed the stage while the band continued the high pace jam.... stomping and clapping ensued with each member of the band wailing away. Like a orchestral conductor, a couple guys at the front of the crowd raised their hand to single the crowd to go into a soft clap/stomp as each solo member took the spotlight. The whole room had a intense in-sync hop as the drums went crazy... the floor was hammered and you could feel the room shake to the beat....we were all quietly hopping in place to the fevered pace..... just when you thought it could get no quieter, the trumpet and drums lit up, causing the whole place to burst into a massively loud stomp and clap. It quickly turned from a dance hall to a rock concert, with the visiting band from Seattle, center stage. After the last song... the entire crown bursted into a thunderous applause and the night came to an end. All in all.... It was pretty awesome. read more

Very good place to learning dance . I been learning dance here , trainer are friendly & helpful. read more

Mobtown Ballroom is the best run dance venue in the country. If you ever wanted to dance, or if dance is your fucking life, you need to dance here. It is everything you ever dreamed dance could be. Some facts about Mobtown Ballroom: - It is a spruced-up church, with the most beautiful hardwood floors (regularly maintained), and a full bar (!!!) with powerful drinks and great service. - The regulars at Mobtown Ballroom are the best people on earth. Kind, funny, talented dancers, considerate people, and social as hell. You don't need to bring a partner -- you'll make friends. :) - Michael and Nina are amazing teachers, fantastic organizers, and two of the best dancers in the world. They're experts, they're brilliant, they care. -Classes are offered in lindy, salsa, aerial silks, bellydance, and more. All the teachers are rad as heck, and classes are inexpensive. - There's often incredible live music, and the Boilermaker Jazz Band are the "house band" of the ballroom. Which is some sick shit, gotta say. There's a killer anniversary party, an exchange hosted, and cabarets. Every Friday is the best Friday. - The focus is on dancing and having fun. There's no pick-up vibe, and no harassment or bad behavior tolerated. Just go. Do it. When I die, I hope heaven is Mobtown Ballroom. read more

Hope to have a better experience the next time. I thought I was going to a class tonight to learn how to swing dance with my husband. Instead I danced with many partners until one of the guys quit during the rotation. So I was out a partner for the 2nd half of the lesson. I sat on the sidelines watching my husband dance with multiple partners. I just can't recommend this particular class. read more

I just moved to Baltimore from SF last week, and I'm already missing swing dancing and the numerous bay area venues. So I thought I'd check out Mobtown Ballroom, since it's just down the street from where I live. First of all, the cover was only $5 - I'm used to $8-$10, so already I was pretty happy. I walked in and they were playing one of my favorite songs (Lavender coffin), again, another point. I don't think they played a bad song all night - a couple of fast ones, a couple of slower ones, but the rest were right down the middle tempo-wise. People were very friendly all night and open to dancing with someone new. In fact I had several leads come up to me, introduce themselves and say, "I haven't seen you here before, would you like to dance?" How welcoming! It's hard stepping into a new dance scene because people aren't always so willing to take a chance on a new dancer without seeing them dance. The energy all night was fantastic - everyone was happy and chatty and willing to experiment with the music. And at the end of the night they played a mix of uptempo 80's and top 40's, which everyone seemed to enjoy. At that point, anything goes - I saw a group in the corner practicing some jazz steps, another group was club dancing, several couples were swing dancing, and I personally danced the hustle with anyone who could lead it. Awesome! Overall, a wonderful dance venue. I will definitely be back next week! read more

What an awesome venue!!! How could you give this place anything less than 5 stars? I came here twice during a one-month work trip to Maryland. LOVED the swing dancing scene- the live bands, friendly crowds, and great dancers. I was surprised how much fun I had, not knowing any of the local dancers. There's something magical about being a first-timer in a new city too- you can ask anyone to dance (even the top dancers!) without any commitment, knowing that you may never see them again :) To their credit (and definitely not my dancing skills)- no one turned me down! Although the ballroom is in a bit of a questionable area (and my only experiences here were at night- so hopefully that puts some perspective on this)- I was able to find parking that was fairly close to the venue, and I only received a couple weird comments walking to and from my car. The ballroom itself is gorgeous- it looks like it used to be an old orthodox church, from the glass and remnant murals on the walls- it makes for a very dramatic dancefloor! The inside bar with plenty of free water for the dancers is a nice feature, as well. All-in-all, I have to say I'm a huge fan of this place, given my limited experience here, and I would definitely recommend it to my dancing friends. read more

Went for a Salsa Meet up I discovered on-line - the place is great and has a fabulous quality floor for dancing - not too sticky so you don't slide when necessary and not too slippery so you don't die on your turns. I don't know what percentage of people where there for the meet up vs. regular salsa night dancers, but it was a great crowd! I loved that the focus was dancing, and even though I went alone I had a blast and shook my money maker to some great classic salsa, bachata, and merengae. A very cool thing is- its BYOB - so you can literally get what YOU want! That said, I give this place two thumbs up and encourage anyone who wants to "feel the beat of the rhythm of the night" to come here! read more

Hands down the most awesome dance space in Baltimore. For swing dance nights, Fridays tend to be much more crowded compared to Mondays; I also enjoy coming on Sundays for the practice sessions. Though the majority of the students are here to learn swing and lindy hop, there is a huge variety of dance classes taught every day of the week. The building itself is a decommissioned church and is quite beautiful. One of my favorite spots in Baltimore! read more

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Mobtown Ballroom has the best floors in Maryland and DC. Although the space is smaller than comparable socials dance scenes, the people are extremely friendly and welcoming. Monday night socials are great if you're looking for a smaller crowd. Friday nights can get a bit packed and go for a lot longer. The bar serves cocktails, beer, and wine. Be sure to wear tossable layers. The space can heat up quickly, even in the winter. Check their website before attending an event to see if they have live music that night. Check the O's schedule before parking in Stadium Restricted Parking in the area. read more

This place is heaven for anyone who loves social dancing and lives anywhere near Baltimore. It's close to downtown, the interior is gorgeous, and it has a perfect sprung wood dance floor. Michael and Nina, who run the place, are great and welcoming to dancers of all levels and all styles. They're also about the best instructors you can find. Nina is an international champion lindy-hopper, and one of the top three most sought-after in her style. Michael is also phenomenal, and previously helped build another venue in Seattle to almost legendary status in the swing dance community. They bring in great bands from all over to play in the huge ballroom. There's really no place like this in any other city on the east coast. Amazing work guys. Seriously great. read more

Welcome to the Best Dance Floor in the City!! This is the new and fabulous home of swing and blues dancing in Baltimore, Maryland. The restored big old stone church on Washington Blvd just manages to contain the energy of a diverse and friendly bunch of dancers on Monday and Friday nights as they groove to the classic swing music with a little bit of modern twist tossed in every now and again. What you need to know: This is a social dance venue and not a dance club. The vibe is casual/ friendly, and while people come to hangout, everyone comes to dance. You don't need a partner to show up and you will be politely asked to dance by total strangers; and can in return safely ask anyone to dance. This is how you meet the amazing people involved in the Baltimore Lindy/Swing/Blues community. Next, the floor is brand-new and fairly slick. As others have mentioned, go with Chucks or something similar until you've gotten your feet under you (leave the heels at home). Sliding is fun but hard landings on a wood floor are not. The fancy "air steps" or aerials you see on tv aren't something done during the often crowded social dancing but during the jams... you betcha! There are drinks and snacks for sale, clean, well lit bathrooms, plenty of seating around the dance floor, and lots of on-street parking right on Washington Blvd. There is also AC but you'll be sweating anyway so bring a hand towel or an extra shirt. If you enjoyed your first night spinning around the dance floor, Charm City Swing offers classes at all levels during the week to get you to the next level. The instructors are top notch, friendly, and experienced. And like the dances, you don't need a partner to take the classes (a few special classes are an exceptions). So stop reading and come dancing already. read more

If you enjoy or are interested in social dancing, Mobtown Ballroom is an amazing venue! I've gone to numerous Friday swing dancing nights, and I've also taken their intermediate lindy hop class. - Mobtown renovated a 1870s church for their venue. The space is beautiful, and has a nice big hardwood dance floor, a lovely stage, and a bar. - If you've never tried swing dancing before (or want a refresher), swing dance nights always have a beginner drop-in lesson an hour before the actual dancing starts. - Mobtown has Swing dancing nights on Mondays and Fridays. Fridays generally have big turnouts and can get packed, Mondays are generally smaller and more laid back. - Besides swing dancing, there's soul/blues dance nights on Tuesdays, and they have classes for arial dance. Every once in a while, they'll also have special event nights for other forms of dance like hip hop. - Some nights, they DJ their swing music. But on others, you get to dance to live bands who are playing on the stage. You have to pay a little extra if it's a live band night, but it's worth it! - The bar serves cocktails, beer, and wine. They also always have water handy. - It's pretty much always warm in there, so dress accordingly. Keep in mind, however, that there are no coat checks. - Their swing class is good. I've taken two sets of Intermediate classes, and every time, I learned something new. They're really good about keeping their curriculum updated. - The staff and the regulars are fun, outgoing, and friendly. Everyone there stresses the mentality that you don't have to worry about being a bad dancer, the focus is just having fun! This place has been a blast! I've been roping most of my friends into coming here for swing dancing, and I'd recommend that everyone give it a try! read more

I came here with a friend back in January for the drop in class and the open swing on a Friday. Its located in pigtown, which once you learn the parking, you can find an easy spot within 1-2 blocks distance. The venue is an old rehabbed church, which looks phenomenal. I came for the 8pm open class and than stayed for the open swing. The owners are Nina and Michael, who are great at teaching, but also great at keeping the atmosphere fun. I enjoyed it so much I signed up for the beginner class and am currently taking the intermediate class. Like previous reviews have mentioned, come with a partner or not, you will be dancing the whole night. For social dancing in the Baltimore area you can beat it! read more

I have visited the Mobtown Ballroom a few times the several swing dance events they host on a yearly basis. The venue is a gorgeous renovated church, the floor is arguably one of the best to dance on in the country, and the staff is friendly. I would highly recommend visiting if you are interested in trying swing dancing or an experienced swing dancer yourself. read more

I found this place recently after starting dancing and I love it. It's often the place to be. Dance lessons are great, helps you progress and evolve your skills. read more

Beautiful ballroom, fabulous music, and everyone dances -- with everyone! Very friendly and welcoming to dancers at every level. Michael and Nina are warm and professional. Classes offered are well worth what they charge. Bring your shoes and plan to dance all evening!! read more

It's an awesome place to learn how to dance and just dance! It's really cool. Loved the space when I went back for a visit.

This was an amazing space. I loved how there is a free lesson an hour before the music starts. There is good music and the atmosphere is really nice. The only bad thing was that there is little room to sit, but that's not bad since there's plenty of space to dance. There's also a bar available. I would highly highly recommend coming here for a date night. read more

I went to Mobtown Ballroom a few months back for some Lindy Hop dance classes. I felt the reception from the management was pretty cold. It appeared they wanted to have certain type of people coming to the event. Me, being born in a different country/background felt not too comfortable (I really hope I am proven wrong). The general crowd who came to dance were overall friendly. On a different note, even though it is in a pre-dominantly African American neighborhood, there is a lack of diversity in the crowd. Hopefully they improve. read more

I wanted to invite everyone to a dinner dance with an open bar. April 10th 2015 Friday night ....7:00 to 12:00 (midnight) we are having a big party at La Fontaine Bleue in Glen Burnie MD 21061 ALL YOU CAN EAT FULL DINNER BUFFET Which includes... meat.... potatoes... vegetables ....seafood ... Huge salad bar ...soup...Endless deserts PLUS OPEN BAR Any thing you want to drink. Including all mixed drinks ...Beer ...wine...juice...soda...what ever you want to drink...and get this, you can even bring your own what ever you want ...bring coolers of it if you like ! ENTERTAINMENT The Dance Masters will be playing and they really get the crowd up and dancing plus a light show and giveaways... door prizes ....and quite a few free line dance lessons and just watching the great dancers is entertainment enough ! All for only $30.00 in advance $35.00 at the door Where can you eat and drink for 5 hours for 30 bucks??? It is really a fun party... the last party was a blast Even with the threat of inclement weather...IT WAS SOLD OUT So buy your tickets early and save 5 bucks And tell your friends ....share this on face book ...the more the merrier I always say A GREAT PARTY AT A SUPER DEAL... COME OUT AND HAVE FUN Call La Fontaine Bleue at (410) 760-4115 for advanced tickets sales or more info.' read more

space is large, extremely conducive to creating your own wild dance moves (twister, cat's cradle, sloth, etc - i'm sure you've heard of these by the time you're reading this Yelp Review). that being said, you WILL collide with other people, but in a good way. short sleeves highly recommended!! consider matching with your partner (if you want other people to take you seriously). wear suspenders and a cool hat (if you take yourself seriously). 5/5 amazing spot in Baltimore!!! read more

Took my fiancé here for a date and we had an absolute blast. Hands down one of the best dates I've ever been on.

Mobtown Ballroom is a place that still feels a little magical to me. I have now been coming here for a little over five weeks and I am absolutely hooked. The ballroom is situated in a church on Pigtown's main street (which, although may feel sketchy, is rather well-lit, and everyone I've met thus far has just been friendly), about a mile or so out from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It's a charming venue with red velvet-like (because I don't know if they are velvet or not) curtains draping the stage and over tables, candle-look-a-likes (I do know they are not real candles) flickering on and off, and hardwood floors where countless couples, some in vintage wear, some not, are dancing about. I love Mobtown because it's not just a class; it's a social scene. While other studios may have you come in, take a lesson, and go home, Mobtown has you come in, take a lesson, and then dance until you're tired. You don't have to have a partner to come, as they rotate during lessons, and, for the actual dances, you can just ask anyone to dance with you and they will most likely say yes. read more

My wife and I signed up for a Lindy Hop class after attending a drop-in. Unfortunately, there were 80 other people in the class and only two instructors. Needless to say there is zero personal interaction which makes it very hard to learn difficult dance steps. Worse, the venue is loud and neither I nor my wife could hear much of what he instructors said in a room with 80 people chatting and music playing. We didn't learn the steps and the demonstration progressed so fast that we and many of our dance partners were left utterly confused. These are not dance lessons - it is more like an expensive public dance party. I then emailed and called about a refund for the balance of the classes we had signed up for, as is hinted at in the elaborately worded but vague policy on the website. No reply to either. I wouldn't necessarily call it a scam but I believe they take the enrollment fees of an enormous class with no intent to offer what they promise on the website (e.g. teaching) and there will be considerable attrition of disappointed or disgruntled "students" which will bring the numbers down to a more manageable size, and they will make refunds impossible, thus pocketing the difference. I have taken numerous other dance classes at professional studios and creative spaces alike and this is NOT how they typically operate. If you are expecting a legitimate class where you will learn the fundamental steps of a new dance, BEWARE. If you are just looking for a loud, hot, crowded bar in which to briefly interact with a few strangers, Mobtown Ballroom is fine. read more

What a wonderful time my wife and I had here on a Monday night dancing and watching everyone doing different swing dances. Wish they had a place like this near me in NJ! read more

I actually attended the Yelp event "A Totally 80's Wedding" here this weekend. I had never heard of this place before, and was amazed at how cool this old converted church is! I'm now looking for more events going on here....can't wait to do more social dancing! read more

It seems like all the positive reviews of this place are of the venue as a bar/social scene, not as a place to actually learn to dance. I visited the drop in East Coast Swing class and there were easily over 100 people in the class. It was packed and sweaty and pretty hard to follow the instruction because it was hard to hear. And obviously given the number of people, no individual attention. Thinking that the six-week course would have fewer people, I signed up for that hoping for an actual dance class experience. No such luck. There were still close to 100 people in that class as well. That's just not a viable way for me to learn a new dance. Maybe if you already know what you're doing it could be fun. Though it's still crowded and sweaty. You could get that from a bar for free. read more

Friday night swing lessons for beginners at 8, dancing starts at 9. Great vibe an super friendly! Had a lot of fun learning, even on what was apparently a "slow" night, probably because of spring break. Also a big plus that its BYOB so bring your favorite bevies. read more

Went on a night when the usual teachers weren't teaching. Lesson started late and the teachers attempted to teach things that shouldn't be taught to beginners. "Kick as hard as you can" is not something that should be said to people that are coming to learn a basic six count swing. The male instructor was clutching a beer and stomping around, which was weird at a swing dance. I will come back when the regular instructors return. This is a great space. Everyone seemed friendly. Parking was not a good experience. Come early. read more

Mobtown Ballroom rocks! amazing teachers (Sarah, Michael and Nina)! friendly and energetic crowd! great dance! wonderful dancers! Discovering Mobtown B. is one of the best things that happened to me in Baltimore! read more

This is a great place learn classic dancing such as Charleston, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Square Dance and others I am sure that I am missing. It is a place that encourages inclusive atmosphere where everyone is accepted and are taught to how to improve themselves as dancers but also as a person. How to treat another person with respect and have a great time together just to laugh and smile full of joy. Side benefit is that for those that want it there is also a Bar to enjoy an adult beverage. It also has atleast 2 days a week for social dancing and a practice day where you can just work on your own dancing or help someone else with theirs in a positive and supportive environment. read more

The ballroom was lovely I had so much fun there the entertainment was excellent the food OMG terrific

Love it here! I enjoy the swing nights! I also really love the classes the offer throughout the week!

Went there for the aerial showcase and had a blast. Great room, friendly atmosphere and an amazing performance.

Had a blast here on Halloween. Such a nice change from douchytastic Fells Point and Fed Hill.