I've been here for just drinks and for just food, and I can see this place being loved by locals. It's laidback and charming. The barstaff can make some interesting drinks as I remembered he made 4 drinks for us 4 in rainbow colors. Recently, we went there for steamed crabs, some ceviche-like dish, and steamed corn, and all the food was decent. Not much to complain in that dept. read more

I've been here many, many times... and I'm just now getting to a point where I can truly write a sound review... and feel good about it. I love Riptide. I feel like the vibe is very Baltimore, the staff is happy and helpful and the food is great! My favorite thing is taco tuesdays... great tacos, I mean excellent tacos for great prices... pair that up with a margarita and you're good to go! If you're looking for more of a meal, the Maryland crab cakes are also well done... I like them! I don't really care for their crab cake sliders though, I felt like they didn't carry the same punch! One fond memory I have is when my sister felt like the mimosa was lacking... specifically in the area of alcohol. Our waitress took our mimosas and returned with new and improved glasses of wonderfulness! We gave her a huge tip, we appreciated it. This is a great place to go weekly, or take outta-towners and just enjoy Bmore. :) read more

I grabbed some outdoor seats at Riptide on Memorial Day with my puppy and a friend. We got moved around a little as a bigger party rolled through and requested outdoor seats as well, but our server was really kind while we relocated and even got my dog a big bucket of water. I got the seafood linguini with scallops, my friend got the mahi mahi tacos, and we split an appetizer of wings. The wings were really good. The mahi mahi tacos were a bit bland unless you slather it with the guacamole it comes with. And the linguini had this strange taste to it, most likely from the odd assortment of vegetables thrown into the mix. I'm of the belief that seafood linguini should be simple and highlight the seafood in the dish, so I think the vegetables actually took away from the dish. There are three scallops in the dish, but they're large, well-cooked, and a surprisingly good portion size. Overall, an average meal. Service was spotty. Some times our server was completely on point and flitting between the tables, other times he would disappear for a long time. For a busy Memorial Day lunchtime, though, I think he did okay. read more

We came here with friends as we were touring Baltimore. We grabbed some appetizers and light lunch. We also enjoyed the brunch special mimosas and blood mary's. Our server was great and attentive. We had a toddler in tow and she was very prompt with everything. I really appreciate that when dining out. Recommend the crab dip and peel & eat shrimp. Also their large brunch drinks until 3pm. read more

This is a review that pains me to write. When we first moved to Baltimore almost 2 years ago, Riptide was our go-to. The service was great, even if the food was inconsistent. But, they had (and still have) some of the best nachos I've ever had. (Seriously, I dream about them.) Ultimately, the food is what pushed us away. The first couple of times we went, the fish tacos were some of the best we'd ever had. Then, they were terrible. Then back to good. Finally, just damn near inedible. We stopped going when we couldnt justify spending money on "meh" when there are so many other sure things on the same street. We had friends in from OOT for the Privateer Festival, and figured we would give Riptide another shot. We were sat immediately, and the drinks came out rather quickly. We were off to a great start! Aaaaaaand it's gone. Our server apparently was done with us after that. They literally walked away in the middle of us ordering. I guess only half of us were allowed to eat beyond appetizers, which turned out to be ok since the fish tacos ordered were at mediocre level. Also, the crab mac & cheese. It makes me wonder if Riptide is really serious with this dish, especially when it's competing with the crab mac being served 5 doors down. The portion is small, and the dish resembles velveeta deluxe in white cheddar. We think they forgot the crab. It was super busy, so we just paid and left. No additional drinks, no dessert (not that I think our server would have cared enough to take our order if we wanted it) I spent the night apologizing for the dinner let down, and promised to make up for it at brunch. I'm confident we made the right choice by choosing to eat meals at other places, but the nachos will always pull me back in. Also, I've never had bad service at the bar. I think if youre interested in checking out Riptide, start at the bar with some appetizers (did I mention the nachos?) and go on from there. read more

Riptide by the Bay has great seafood. I've had oysters and crab here several times. Their fish is always fresh and well-prepared. I was also impressed by their serving sizes. I don't have a problem paying a premium for high quality ingredients, but it's awesome when a restaurant also give you a decently sized meal so you actually leave feeling full. In particular, I'd recommend their crab cake sandwich and their fried oysters, especially for folks visiting Baltimore or Maryland and looking for a solid experience with local seafood. Riptide by the Bay has a nice outdoor seating area which is great in pleasant weather because it's right across the street from the water and you're on a stretch of Fells Point with tons of pedestrians, so it's ideal for people-watching. It's relaxing to sit out in the shade under one of their umbrellas while you eat. The only downside at least my experience has been a bit slower service if you sit outside. read more

Good food. Good drinks. Great people. Also one of the last few places in fells to do crabs.

I must admit that Riptide by the Bay was a second-choice outfit, but I'm glad it worked out that way. Our first choice was so overflowing with people that the lady on the phone practically chortled when I asked about reservations! We did a Yelp search and saw positive reviews for Riptide, so the decision was made. First, a note regarding stafff: The waitress was friendly, knowledgable, and sweet. We loved her, although we can't remember her name. On the short side with very dark, almost black hair. I had a Golden Margarita, which was made well: not too strong or weak, but not too sweet either. We ordered the Chipotle nachos to start. Bueno! Good flavor, not overloaded with crap. The main course was, naturally: blue crabs! We ordered a dozen of the sm/med (I think the girl referred to them as "40s"). When we asked for a brief tutorial upon serving, she did an excellent job of showing us what to do. I had eaten blue crab many times before having been a Maryland resident for 7 years, but the refresher course was great for both me and my wife :-) The Old Bay was caked on nice and heavy, and the crabs were all in good condition with very few missing appendages. The kiddies had the obligatory chicken fingers and fries, which were servicable. We had a very positive experience here, and would surely return to try the rest of the menu. Next time we are in Baltimore, we will be hitting up Riptide's for an evening for sure. read more

Our party was huge (21 people), and the restaurant recognized that we would be spending some good money. They took good care of us, were quick with our orders and our beverages. I had crab cakes, and oh my, they were so yummy. They come with a potato salad that was interesting. I'm not sure I would order it again, but it was a nice compliment to the crab cakes. Riptide was well prepared to take care of a rambunctious group of people who wanted to let off a bit of steam. A very good experience, and I would recommend Riptide to both large groups and to a more intimate gathering. read more

Came on cinco de mayo. Service was good, drinks were cool. Tacos (chicken and mahi mahi) were a waste of time and money. We were disappointed as soon as they came. Ate them only bc we were hangry (hungry and angry). We were completely disappointed, but since it was so late on cinco de mayo and all the restaurants were packed, we had no other options. Probably won't be back read more

I would love to add a category here in Yelp that includes whether or not places are dog friendly- if there was one. I would give this place 5 stars! They are super dog friendly and as a bonus, they have a breezway where you can duck in with your pet should the weather take a turn for the worse. The food is ok- it's like a hawaiian fusion place but I thinkt he food is just ok- not bad, but not as good as the menu makes it sound. Oh- and DON'T get the steamed crabs here- we've tried them several times and they are either undercooked or we get a bad crab or two (which means to me that they are steaming dead crabs- a MAJOR no-no). I like this place more for the pub grub options and listening to the live music with my puppy. read more

My favorite restaurant when I'm at school. I LOVE going to Fells Point when it's nice out, its right on the water so its perfect in the spring/summer time. I love walking around that area and Riptide by the Bay has a young professional type audience so its always fun. The food is AMAZING, seriously some of the best food I've ever had. The only kind of bad part is that it seems like every time I go they have a different menu. I guess it helps me to try new things on the menu but sometimes I want the same thing I had last time because it was just that good! The drinks are pretty good too. On Sunday's they have really cheap mimosas and they have good daily specials. The people there are super nice! The service is a little slow and unorganized but once you get your food you really don't care. Definitely worth the wait! read more

We couldn't stay for long but it was a cool place. They had specials for every day except for the weekend. We were there on Thursday...$1 oysters and $4 oyster shooters! (They had other specials but friend was interested in oysters.) Prices = moderate. Service = friendly Nice place. Wish we would've had more time! read more

After a long day at the Aquarium with 2 kids and a baby, we were STARVING.It was super humid outside, and we picked the first thing available indoor seating and an appealing menu. The restaurant is on the smaller side. Fortunately, we were able to snag the last table but it was in the back. We had... Crab Dip - Took FOREVER to come out. Good. Shrimp Salad Sandwich - Good, came on a tasty brioche bun. Avocado Bacon Bibb Salad with Crab Cake - The salad came out in a huge bowl with barely anything in it. The lettuce was really wilted and had brown spots. Crab cake was lacking substance and actually pretty flat. Brussel Sprout Sauteed Salad - Salty & sour. Weird taste. Crab Cake Burger (Kobe Beef Patty, Bacon & Crab Cake) - This was a winner! And the best deal for $13. Summer Salad Grilled Asparagus Corn on the Cob Twice Baked Potato All the vegetable sides were good, but pretty standard. The service was good for the most part. The server was pleasant and very friendly. She was just extremely slow at bringing out lemon and the chips for the dip, otherwise she was alright. Gratuity was already included in the bill, which probably lent a hand in the service. She didn't really need to give us her all since it was already included. Overall, it's a nice atmosphere and restaurant in a good location. I don't think the food is all that good. Seems like most people come here for the crabs, so maybe that's the thing to order here. But next time I'm in Baltimore, I won't waste my time here. read more

I had reservations here for dinner Saturday night at 6:30 We arrived on time and were seated promptly- thankfully it wasn't too busy, so I think reservations weren't necessary. After ordering drinks we ordered the ahi tuna appetizer and the seafood chowder (soup? can't remember). I was not a fan of the blackened seasoning on the tuna but the bf loved the soup and liked the tuna. We then ordered snow crab legs to share along with their Brussels sprouts salad. The snow crabs were awesome, but forgot to ask to leave the old bay seasoning off- I know I know, it's a staple, but I am just not a fan. Otherwise, the crab was delicious! The sprouts were a bit oily and the anchovies garnish was not very good. So far I wasn't too impressed, but service was friendly and the space was nice. Time for dessert! We ordered their salted caramel creme brulee. Think that sounds amazing, right? WRONG. DO NOT ORDER. I don't know if the server was mad since ordered dessert on a whim after we already paid for dinner or what, but this was so incredibly salty we both couldn't stomach more than a taste. The sugar on top was burned beyond belief, not 'bruleed,' and the amount of salt in here was laughably disgusting. Seriously a literal salt lick, the salt flats of Utah, the Dead Sea- it was inedible. Walk a couple blocks and get gelato from Pitango (which we did to get the salt taste out of our mouths!). Overall it was a so-so dining experience with somewhat friendly, if not snarky, service. It was a bit pricey but Alaskan snow crab always is, and the salted caramel creme brulee really turned me off. I doubt I would visit again if in the area. read more

Let me clear: even if the food here were abysmal, I'd probably go back just for their Bloody Marys. They're large, potent, spicy, served just above freezing, and, best of all, $3.50 on the weekends. The servers are friendly and efficient and keep the alcohol flowing effortlessly. Combine that with a fantastic view of the water from their outdoor tables and Riptide is hard to beat for effective relaxation on an 85+ degree morning. Luckily, the food is also great. I was in a brunch mood and went for the crab Benedict. Piles of fresh crabmeat, perfectly poached eggs, and spicy Hollandaise all on buttery biscuits. My one complaint is that the side of potatoes was greasy to the point of being almost inedible, but it's a minor one. It can be hard to decide among the huge number of similar bar/restaurants lining Thames St., but Riptide is well worth a visit. read more

This place has awesome oysters and snow crabs!!! Our server was so helpful and awesome; he was great at making sure we were ok and just overall wonderful. Riptides is very quaint and comfy and the food came fast!! We ordered a little bit of everything: a dozen oysters, snow crab, seafood chowder, fish tacos, and shrimp tampura. The table was never without any food. For two people who ate 2.5 hrs before... We devoured it! The cooked food was good but the raw oysters and the snow crab took the spotlight. Oysters were fresh and huge (the best I've ever had!) and best of all... decently priced!! My boyfriend who didn't really care for oysters changed his mind after this place. The snow crab was warm and meaty... Love love love I will definitely be returning to Thames St. To dine at Riptides whenever I'm passing by. read more

After a less than stellar meal a few blocks away the previous night, we were in town looking for fresh seafood and a good time last weekend. We found everything we were looking for at Riptide by the Bay. Located in Fells Point, RBTB is a small storefront on the water with a bunch of other cool looking restaurants with seating out front. The weather was awesome, and Thames Street was packed with people milling about. Such a nice thing to see after weve had some poor spring weather up in Connecticut. We had an 830 reservation and were sat at a table immediately. Nice table with cloth linens and napkins, but we knew these wouldnt be staying long, as we were there to crack some fresh, Maryland crab. Our one concern was that they would be sold out, but were immediately told they were not. Score one for us! The waittress explained to us that, due to the "interesting" spring, they have only gotten the small blue crabs in. At 32 dollars per dozen, we knew this to be the case. We also knew that 12 small crabs wouldnt provide nearly enough meat for the two of us, so we also ordered a pound of Maryland seasoned peel and eat shrimp and a bucket of french fries. Once they knew we ordered the crab, the nice table cloth was pulled and replaced with a big, paper mat. A fun touch I personally liked as they are showing that they can be fancy or casual depending on your order. The food came out piping hot, and the waittress gladly washed her hands to give us a brief tutorial on how to crack the crabs. Easy enough, it seemed. The next 45 minutes were an absolute blast. As my wife and I hammered and cracked the crab, sought out the meat and intermingled it with the extra large shrimps and crisp fries, we felt like everyone in the restaurant was having as good of a time as we were. The crab was fresh, with that soft and buttery flavor that comes straight from the Bay. An overwhelming amount of Old Bay was on the outside (never a bad thing) but hadnt penetrated the crabs enough to overpower the meat. Again, these were the small crabs, so the meat wasnt in abundance, but with the other 2 food items, a dozen was a perfect amount for the two of us. The shrimp were huge, perfectly boiled, and seasoned with enough Old Bay to give them that Maryland taste, but not take the taste of the shrimp away either. Fries were great at RIptide, super hot and crispy on the outside. Next time, ill add the pepper jack cheese, but this time we were happy with just ketchup. We will definitely go back to Riptide by the Bay based on experience, atmosphere, service, price and most importantly the food itself. Overall, I gave them 5 stars for excelling in Maryland Blue crab, something that must be a difficult market in that area of Baltimore. read more

We stopped in here for lunch and sat in the bar area. They have a great bar menu with some unique drinks. The bar tenders were so much fun, I'm glad we didn't opt for eating in the dining area. My husband had the scallops on rissoto and it was wonderful!!! I had the mahi tacos and loved them. We also had the crab dip for an appetizer and thought it was really good on the baguettes. I'd recommend stopping in here for a casual meal. read more

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The good: the apple dumpling was ok (really trying to be a little positive about this place) The Bad: -Seafood chowder -crab mac and cheese- luke warm and needed more cheese -TERRIBLE SERVICE, TERRIBLE (can't say that enough). It wasn't busy and we had to go up to our waitress multiple times, for the desert menu and to give her our credit cards and we weren't even in a rush.. she just took A LONG LONG time to do everything and anything and had a terrible attitude. She never checked up on us. Never asked us how things were. Cleaned up peoples dishes around us who had gotten their food after us but never cleaned up our plates till we asked 1 hour later. The only server that ever talked to us was the server who asked about our desert and he wasn't even our waiter. Wish I got his name. I wouldn't go back here. read more

1st time I went here I was really hungry, so the vegetarian gouda burger tasted amazing and I ate every fry. The patty appears to be black bean based and homemade. It was on the dry side, but overall not bad. We had just moved to Baltimore, so my friends had fun busting open tiny crabs. They had the arugula and strawberry salad which was delicious, flavorful, and not overdressed. 2nd time I went here they put bacon in the veggie burger (it's the only vegetarian option). I calmly brought this to the waitress' attention and she was kind enough to remove it from the bill. I appreciated her courtesy. PROS: - Large beer selection, decent slew of microbrews - Fun to open up whole crabs - They have specials during the week, e.g. build your own burger night Cons: - Only one vegetarian option, not a lot of modifiable dishes - Not a very enticing menu Food was 2 stars, but the beer pushed it to 3. read more

This place was so good. The food was amazing and a decent selection. The only thing that could have been improved was the service, burnout waiter was so friendly that I didn't even mind! We had the guac with a 5 minute egg- it was surprisingly good! My mom had the scallops with lobster risotto (fantastic) and I had the ribs with honey sweet potato fries. read more

Riptide By The Bay - Bourbon ribs with honey sweet potato fries - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Not a great experience. Although there were many open tables, our party of 2 was seated in was literally used to be a coat closet. It was a little cubby next to the bathroom. Odd, but okay. They were out of everything good: blue crabs, calamari, clams, etc. We placed an order for four items. Our server did not write anything down (no one in this town seems to?) and he had to come back later to clarify our order. When it came out, we got something random we had not ordered, so the server took that back. For us to get the actual item that we ordered, though, took the better part of an hour. We asked for extra chips for the crab dip we ordered after we had eaten all of them - not only did we have to ask three times, but we were charged for them when the check finally came. Meh. Wouldn't recommend to anyone and won't be back. Too many fun and accommodating places around here to return to somewhere that clearly doesn't want our business. read more

First time here for Father's Day dinner & we left disappointed there were four adults, so we tried the combo dinner for 3 to 4 people with ribs, corn, clams, etc. We had the shrimp salsa & chips for appetizer, dull & lack luster taste. Service was weird, one server brought out our ribs and then we waited nearly ten minutes for the remainder of the meal. Waitress kept disappearing, had to ask for cocktail sauce. The rest of the meal arrived, we had 3 half pieces of corn for 4 adults, more potatoes than anything, over cooked clams, & cold ribs!! The manager did come over to inquire how things were but at this point it wasn't worth complaining we were ready to go! read more

Went for an early dinner on a Wednesday evening and the place was pretty empty. Many other restaurant in the area don't open for dinner until 5:00. Our waiter was very accommodating and the food was very good. The crab dip was the best I've ever had. Don't give 5 stars because some drinks were sent back due to taste and had to ask for glass, condiments, etc. read more

Excellent in all aspects: food&bar service by Maggie, music/entertainment *****. That's five stars!! If you are looking for great seafood: crab legs, shrimp, sushi style tuna and sides are top notch. You will not be disappointed read more

On a street packed with places to eat, I wandered in here, and I'm happy I did. I chose the crab bisque...different, but still very good. It was a blush cream soup with plenty of crab and tasty other bits as well. I had a salad with the crab cake added to it. The salad was small for a 5.00 salad, but it was tasty. The crab cake was listed MP...it was a 4 oz cake priced at 10.00...not sure if that's average price or not. It was flavorful and also had lots of crab. Finally, I had an ear of corn. The menu stated that it was served with salted butter. I didn't recieve the salted butter (unless it was on the corn already, but I don't think so). At any rate, the full ear of corn I recieved was delicious and sweet. Service was speedy and friendly. read more

We came here for dinner to meet my brother in law's girlfriend and we made a perfect choice. The location is great, the prices are reasonable, and the restaurant is small enough to be intimate but not stuffy. You can order anything from a burger to steamed crabs so it's nice if you have picky eaters. They also have a gluten free menu which is fantastic if any of your people have dietary restrictions. All of us enjoyed our food but the scallops and soft shell crabs got rave reviews. We made it for happy hour; I wouldn't recommend the pisco sour because it tasted a lot like a margarita, but the wine selection is decent, too. This is our second visit and we'd come back again. read more

Riptide By The Bay - Pisco sour martini - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Well, good food but not very big portions. They kind if treated us like we weren't high class enough, but the food was good. Not enough bread with the crab dip. We went at 8pm & getting a table took awhile, & service was slow. They said they were busy but there were open tables beside us...kind of weird. The margaritas were fairly priced and strong ;), read more

Riptide By The Bay - Crab dip - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Ehh scallops were tasty but basically tapas for 23.00. Could have used a side dish . Perhaps asparagus ? Pricey for a pub bar feel read more

We showed up here half in the bag. I was a dumbass tourist visiting my buddy. I could not of ask for better service! The bartender was one one of the best I've ever come across. He even cracked our crabs after we failed miserably. I would suggest anyone and everyone to go here. We will definitely be back!! read more

We ordered fried calamari, crab dip, seared tuna, and the fish tacos. The seared tuna was the best dish of all. We would not mind ordering twice. The fish tacos are pretty good too. The calamari was good but the crab dip was a little too rich for our taste. All in all, it was a pretty good dinner still. read more

Riptide By The Bay - View from the second floor , towards right. - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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The food we had was great! Crab dip, mani mahi tacos, and scallops. They were out of basically everything else on the menu which is why it's not a 5/5. The food was good and service was great but they were out of all other seafood, lemons, glasses, etc. I would go back again and hopefully try other seafood! read more

Stopped in to get crab.....but it was way to expensive, so we got crab cakes and oyster shooters. Would like to give a better rating but I really wanted fresh crab that was under $100 and the service was just ok. Crab cakes were good. Good local beers. read more

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EXPENSIVE but delicious crabs. So expensive. So delicious. So crabby. This is what I imagined eating crab in Baltimore would be like, but I am certain there are more affordable places elsewhere. Still, a good experience, and very close to where I live. My only other complaint is that there doesn't seem to be anyone who knows what the sizes of the crabs mean. Our waiter had trouble explaining the difference between a medium and large sized crab (obviously one is bigger), and whether that would be enough for one person. A little more guidance on our crab feast adventure would have been awesome. If you are looking for a meal to fill you up, just expect to drop around $20 here, or buy a cheap meal after your crab dinner. read more

If you love oysters...order them here, specifically the trio, and you won't be disappointed! The wait staff is as hard working and accommodating as you will find anywhere and the menu is nothing short of wonderful. The manager happened to be on his own without a bartender on the day we stopped and tried really hard to make us the Bloody Mary's we wanted. I have to smile as I'm typing this because he tried so hard but don't ever do that again! They were terrible but he tried. When the bar keep got there, he made us proper drinks. The whole experience was priceless! We will absolutely go back next time we're in Fells Point!! read more

in from pittsburgh for a night, we just wanted crabs and cheap beer after a day at the aquarium & exploring baltimore. after looking all on yelp for places all over the city while drinking at ale mary's, we ended up getting too buzzed to drive anywhere and "settled" on riptide by the bay since it was close to our hotel. good thing - it was exactly what we wanted. 7 natty bohs and 24 crabs for $45?! this place was amazing!!! i almost want to take one star off for our waitress' bored attitude, but she kept us full on beers and crabs -- so, i can't hate too much. plus, we ate on the breezeway and made friends with a dog named sherman. outdoor eating AND dog-friendly? total plus in my book!! i'll definitely be back next time i'm in town and will probably still smell like old bay by the time i make it back months from now. read more

Riptide By The Bay - old bay! - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This is my husband's very favorite place to eat. He orders a half dozen crabs, and I watch him deconstruct and devour every bite of goodness. I love their huge cocktail menu. Last time, I had a spicy watermelon margarita that was sooo good. They also have a smoked tomato soup that's super delish. The servers here are super cool. I think they make the place even more awesome. It seems like they are all having a good time. I highly recommend this place for crabs and cocktails! read more

My friends and I had been to Thames Street Oyster House and were intending on returning there but they were closed at 3:00 on a Saturday. We ended up at Rip Tide by chance and am glad we did. We were told they had tables reserved but we assured them we would be quick (as long as they were) and were seated. Typical row house restaurant style, but cool atmosphere for us out of towners. Everything we ate was good. Oysters were delicious and a high light. Seafood chowder was preferred over the lobster bisque. Crab cakes were excellent, Baltimore style...a lot of crab hardly any filler. We saw tables being brought trays of crab but were not in the mood to sit around pounding away so did not partake. No complaints with service. All in all a good spot. read more

Poor value on poorly steamed crabs. Ordered a dozen "large" crabs (see pic), they were closer to mediums, but that's subjective. Objectively, 5 of the 12 were overcooked, or were bad, where the meat was compete mush, no texture whatsoever. On top of that, the dozen cost $102. Had a dozen large at Cantler's in Annapolis the week before for $75, and every crab was perfect. read more

Riptide By The Bay - "Large" crabs for $102 a dozen, judge for yourself with fork as comparison - Seafood Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland