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    The Dara

    4.3 (159 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order The Dara Takeout or Delivery

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    THE DARA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy

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    Recommended Reviews - The Dara

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    Lotus Root
    Ren H.

    I'm surprised this place does not seem to get a lot of food traffic. I came with my friend for dinner and it was empty when we arrived. By the time we left, it was still empty. I did hear a lot of people get take out here instead and it does get busier over the weekend. They provide happy hour throughout the restaurant. I got a glass of their house wine and my friend got a non-alcoholic beer. We shared the Lotus Root and Giaow Pak (dumplings). The dumplings were room temperature but still good. We loved the fried lotus root which was delicious! For my main entree I got Pad Si Eew with chicken. I love that they put Chinese broccoli instead of regular broccoli. Such a great dish and my friend enjoyed his Mama with tofu dish. I also ended up getting their Mango Sticky Rice which was great. Mango was ripe and dish was just the perfect amount of sweetness. The place is pretty spacious inside with plenty of seating at the bar, long high tops, and table seating. Staff were friendly and courteous. Such a great spot for some delicious Thai food.

    Seafood wonton
    Jess L.

    Average and overall disappointing, no idea what the hype was about. Came with a group of 6 on a Saturday night. We all got different things. Some stuff was okay but presentation was poor and prices were high. See my pic of the crab pad Thai... $35 for regular pad Thai with cold crab thrown on top! Do not get this. Spring rolls were tasteless, the seafood wontons were actually good. We got a papaya salad at a 1 level spicy and it was too spicy for us to eat a lot, and I don't mind spicy! The fried lotus root was also not bad, kind of like a fried green tomato. The actual entrees were pretty meh. Pad Thai was very sweet, we also got a level 1 spicy and it wasn't spicy at all. No idea how it was the same spice level as the papaya salad. Drinks were good! Their espresso martini was tasty. Service was... odd. Not particularly friendly and there seemed to be a few miscommunications. With gratuity included, I'd expert better service than that. Overall, for the food, price, and experience, I wouldn't recommend it or return.

    papaya salad, shrimp tempura, dumplings, chicken from the happy hour menu
    Angela L.

    We went here for happy hour and it was fine. The apps definitely under deliver compared to their entrees. The dumplings were ok, the shrimp was good but too small, the papaya salad was good, and the chicken was also good but a small amount. There is street parking all around this area but can get tough at busy times. The service is very quick and this is a nice restaurant for a girls night out or a date!

    Mango Sticky Rice
    Sophie B.

    The Dara is a welcome addition to the Baltimore food scene - serving delicious Thai food and a great cocktail selection in an intimate setting perfect for date night or just catching up with friends! I've been here twice and both times I left feeling satisfied with the quality and portion of the food I ate. I had the seafood wontons both times, Thai tea martini both times, and then tried the drunken noodles once and the pad si eew once. You can select a spice level and your protein, both with a good range suitable for everyone. They also label what is gluten free, vegan, or vegetarian on the menu which I find isn't common everywhere. The reason that the Dara loses a star is in two parts. I had a really friendly waitress both times, but it did seem like they were pretty busy and the waitress was a bit stressed. Keep in mind I went on a weekday night both times and the restaurant was practically full. One of the times they forgot my martini and I didn't have a chance to ask about it until I was already eating my entree. This wasn't a big deal overall but just something to note for their team. The food does come out fast, though. The second reason is that unfortunately they have had some sort of supply issue both times I was there. The first time it was that they were out of wide noodles for the wide-noodle dishes, and the second time they were sold out of the appetizer that we wanted to try. Again, the food was still delicious but I do hope they can find their footing when it comes to staffing and supply issues, and this would be a complete five-star establishment for me.

    Maria W.

    First time here, my husband and I , and we absolutely LOVED IT! from the service to the food was delicious! The food was made with love and you could taste it in every bite, the flavors and spices were blended perfectly ! The staff were so nice and knowledgeable regarding the menu. The ambiance was so inviting , I loved the lighting and atmosphere overall. We'll definitely be back!

    Ruth D.

    I've been to The Dara three times now -- twice dining in and once for takeout -- and I can confidently say this Thai restaurant is one I'd like to return to again. It's a relaxed yet slightly elevated experience, but still feels welcoming and comfortable. I definitely recommend dining in if you can; the food quality is noticeably better. Both times I dined in, the service was excellent -- attentive, kind, and genuinely helpful with recommendations. Their cocktails are also a highlight. I've tried the Mezzu Blaze and the Jasmine Gold Rush, and I'd order both again. The Mezzu Blaze has a fun, unique twist with Banhez Mezcal, Yuzu Sake, Spicy Honey, Thai Basil, Fresh Lime Juice, and Orange Bitters. While the Jasmine Gold Rush leans more toward my usual go-to cocktail style -- smooth, balanced, and spirit forward like an old fashioned but slightly flavored with Old Forester Bourbon, Jasmine Syrup, Honey, Fresh Lime Juice, Bitters. They also have a daily happy hour from 4:30 to 6:00. I haven't made it yet, but I noticed the papaya salad is on the happy hour menu -- and that alone makes me want to go back. I assume it's the same very delicious papaya salad that i have had on the regular menu. You can choose your spice level; I went with a level 2, and it packed serious heat (even for someone who loves spicy food). My friend found it too spicy and would've gotten a spice level 1, but I thought it was perfect. It's one of those dishes I'll dream about and can't wait to have again. I do think the spice level feels different depending on what dish you got. I got a spice level three for my Pad Thai and I did not think it was a spicy...potentially because the carbs soaked up the heat? I've also had the pad thai with shrimp, which was delicious, and on my first visit I tried the Gaeng Ga-Ti Pu, one of their "extraordinary" dishes featuring Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat curry, crispy soft-shell crab, a soft-boiled egg, and butterfly pea flower rice. It was rich, flavorful, and beautifully plated -- the kind of dish that reminds you why dining out is worth it. Overall, The Dara delivers solid food, service, and an inviting atmosphere.

    Crab curry
    Rumesh V.

    Hands down one of the best Thai restaurants in Baltimore. I was in the area for work and decided to catch up with friends in the evening for dinner. One of my friends recommended this place. Beautiful ambiance and the service was great. Cocktails are great as well. For entrees, I tried the softshell crab with lumps of crab in the creamy curry over a bed of purple rice. It's one of the best Thai food I have ever had. The softshell crab was nice and crispy. Lots of crab meat in the sauce as well. I am definitely coming back here to try other things.

    F: Lychee Mojito and B: Tamarita.
    Kris P.

    It has been a long time since I've had authentic Thai. The experience at The Dara is a beautiful balance of service, ambience, and flavors. After reading reviews, I planned a visit after hours. Beating traffic, the dinner bustle, and walking several blocks, the ambient glows through the storefront's glass panes brought a sense of intrigue. The staff tonight were very attentive and our server was so sweet. To start, the table shared lotus root and coconut shrimp. Both delicious, I loved the pairing of apple salad, savory and tangy, with the coconut shrimp. Tamarita (tamarind margarita) is a fave according to our server and tonight's mixologist made it to perfection. Lychee is always a choice of mine and their take in a mojito was fun. Light rum and delicious balance with lychee made it refreshing. For entrees, we chose the basil rice bowl with ribeye and panang with crispy chicken. The ribeye with basil rice was 8oz. plenty and the char was a wonderdul surprise. Rice was tender and oh the basil... yum. A misunderstanding with the panang caused a minor wait but was quickly fixed. Robust in every way, the silky light coconut curry with delicious vegetables and kaffir lime was everything rich and aromatic. The crispy chicken was served on the side, it was not greasy and so flavorful. Portions are generous. So good. The Dara won me. A wonderful first visit and certainly not the last. Definitely recommend and plan ahead with parking.

    Justin E.

    A pretty wonderful dining experience at The Dara. This place has an amazing aura and vibe to it, located in a beautiful building. Tried it for the first time on a busy Saturday night and got our food pretty quickly. Our drinks came out a little late for my preference but our servers were as attentive as they could be considering how busy it was. My meal was expertly prepared.

    Half and half
    Angel Z.

    Food: - chicken satay: peanut sauce was good, chicken had a bad, sour aftertaste - Half and half tea: definitely tasted the Thai tea; it was good and refreshing - Pad Thai with tofu: level 1 was pretty spicy, it was flavorful but sweet - Crab fried rice: Somewhat flavorful and they ate pretty generous with the crab - Chinese broccoli: it was alright, tasted like oyster sauce - Kao soi: chicken was bland and flavorless, soup was too sweet, fried wonton was stale Service: Service was good but pretty standard Ambiance: The ambiance is nice. They play upbeat music. There's lamps on the tables. The dishware is very pretty. It would be a nice date spot.

    Mitzi T.

    Drinks and food were amazing! The restaurant gave a cute & cozy ambiance perfect for date / a girls night! Service was friendly - we were seated right away during happy hour on a Friday night

    Drinks
    Kimberly W.

    I have been to Dara several times and the food and service is always amazing!!! My favorite drink is the Thaitini. An espresso martini but with Thai tea instead. The perfect drink for me. The classics Pad Thai, drunken noodles and green curry are amazing. Check yourself if you try to up the spice level. Spicy means spicy. The portion sizes are large so great to share or save for leftovers. Mind that spice level the next day. The crab fried rice is topped with lump crab. The wontons are perfectly fried. Very crispy on the outside and full of flavor and juicy on the inside. The space is also a stunner. High ceilings and lots of wood. Be careful not to overlook this place in Fells Point. It is a winner.

    pad thai
    Chemutai S.

    Sat at the bar, very trendy moody atmosphere. Service was friendly, but had to flag the bartender a few times. Didn't get any apps because what kind of Thai restaurant does not have chive cakes? However, food came relatively quick, but I would say the fried chicken was the star. It was crispy, the sauce that it paired with was good and I enjoyed the other accompaniments. The pad thai was pretty mid for the price. Their happy hour is throughout the weekend as well... note to self. Wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, but was nice to experience. Might come back for a drink and ambience but that's about it.

    Shrimp tempura

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - The Dara

    Do they have their bar open yet? When will it be open?

    Hi Lochan! Our bar is now open and our craft cocktails menu is also available already at The Dara. Hope to see you soon! / Jeff

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Awesome local spot! Our bartender, Jesse, was very friendly and answered any questions we had about…read morethe food and beer menu. There is a great selection of beers, both drafts and cans. We ordered a cheesesteak to share. We were able to see the chef working hard to make all of the orders for others and us which was cool. The cheesesteak isn't my favorite I've had, but still pretty tasty and very large. Good size for sharing. Their burgers and wings looked good and I enjoyed their fries as well. Overall, this is a really cool neighborhood spot and I'll definitely return!

    My partner and I have lived in the city for about a year and a half and hadn't been here yet, so we…read morefinally went over to check it out! We had a good experience overall. It's definitely on the divey side, but in a fun, laid-back way. Our server was great and even let us sample a few beers before ordering. I tried a pumpkin ale -- which I actually loved! It surprised me because I don't usually drink beer (hate is a strong word, but I normally don't like it). This one was sweeter and enjoyable. We got the garlic rosemary fries (the aioli was perfect), plus the blackened chicken tenders and honey Old Bay wings. Definitely not a place that'll leave you hungry -- portions are generous! We had a great time and enjoyed all our food. The only reason I left off a star was because the bathroom freaked me out a little ..but I'd still visit again. Casual setting for sure -- we saw lots of friend groups hanging out that seem like regulars. Seems like a great neighborhood spot with a solid community.

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    This is a good spot for very fancy cocktails. More of a speakeasy vibe almost. It is dark, but in a…read morepolished, put together way (completely unrecognizable as the old Leadbetters, RIP). The bartenders really know what they are doing and the drink menu is full of special drinks that have a bunch of ingredients you've never heard of. The cocktails we ordered came looking beautiful and garnished with fresh herbs, flowers, and fruit and were very unique. I would definitely pop in here for a drink before or after dinner nearby with friends or a date, but it did not feel like the kind of space where you will make friends with your neighbors.

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    I had the chicken Caesar sandwich here and it was SO good. It was super fresh, perfectly dressed,…read moreand one of the best Caesar-style sandwiches I've had in a while. But the real star was our server, Leah. She was incredibly attentive, friendly, and just made the whole experience feel easy and welcoming. She checked in at the perfect times without hovering and had such a warm personality. I will definitely be coming back.

    The last time I visited this establishment, they made my wrap wrong. It was supposed to have…read moreavocado and they forgot to include it. A nice waitress took the order back to the kitchen. Note, my daughter had put ketchup on plate before realizing the oversight. So, when the MANAGER brought the food back, I'm thinking it was a show of good faith given the error. Nope. He had a smug attitude and puts the plate on the table where I immediately notice the original plate was reused because it had the ketchup smear. I asked him if this was the same sent back plate of food and he said "yes" and said the added the avocado. They UNWRAPPED the original wrap and just added the avocado and brought the entire plate back. I immediately questioned how that follows food handling guidelines. If they weren't going to redo the order, they could have just brought avocado slices to the table! The MANAGER had a very dismissive, RUDE attitude and so I sent everything back and left. I did tip the waitress cash because she was great and had got us drinks by that point. Again, she was nice and side-eyed the manager agreeing what he did was not acceptable. Apparently he also had a rep for being rude and nasty. I will never eat there again. You have a kitchen with seafood and meats and have no food handling controls? Yeah, miss me with the risk of food poisoning or cross-contamination. No thank you! You're rude to customers and have no standards? Whoever runs the kitchen should know better as should the manager. I can only imagine what else goes on in that kitchen. Dine there at your own risk.

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    Full bar and
    Full bar and
    Maryland Crab Dip (P)
    Maryland Crab Dip (P)
    Happy Hours

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    Happy Hours

    The Dara - thai - Updated August 2026

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