Dining Guide

Owner Sarah Simington is a brunch pioneer. With her iconic Captain Crunch french toast and colossal biscuits and cinnamon buns, there’s good reason to visit Blue Moon locations in Fells Point and Federal Hill. The always-inventive Simington recently unveiled 16 new menu items, including more than a dozen types of french toast, giving you every reason to make repeated trips.

The Hampden hot spot by Chef Chad Gauss has all the elements for the perfect brunch: the sweet, the savory and boozy drinks. Choose from dishes like apple butter or li’l Heathbar pancakes, and french toast dippers prepared tempura-style with maple cream cheese fondue. The sweet potato and chorizo hash melds the sweet and savory, while creative drinks like the pancake shot (Bulleit bourbon, Buttershots and orange juice) keep customers coming back for more.

The new contemporary soul food spot has a large selection of scrumptious brunch options. Start with the fresh biscuits and molasses butter, then try the chicken and waffles (the Nashville-style hot chicken is a favorite) or the dirty south frittata (blackened chicken breast, roasted red peppers, onions, kale, dirty rice and smoked Gouda).The savory cobblers are a must.

Southern-influenced cuisine with heavy doses of Maryland flare dominates this local chain, which consistently earns top honors for its breakfast fare. “Shirley's Affair With Oscar” — Angus filet with asparagus, jumbo lump crab meat and Hollandaise atop fried green tomatoes — has been featured in the Food Network magazine. And the Southern slammer sandwich (fried green tomato, Applewood-smoked bacon, mashed avocado, cheddar cheese and a fried egg on pumpernickel) was named best breakfast sandwich in America by Restaurant Hospitality magazine. Try one of the breakfast cocktails for a complete experience.

The French-themed restaurant is a go-to spot for any meal, and brunch is no exception. Go for the ambiance (you’ll feel that you have stepped into a Parisian bistro), superior service and authentic cuisine such as the pain perdu (brioche french toast and seasonal fruit); confit de canard (duck confit, Lyonnaise potatoes and house reduction) and œufs brouillés (scrambled eggs, Gruyere and ham).

Need a break from the stress of sports during the commercials? Watch at Game, a sprawling sports bar-meets-arcade with vintage video game consoles, pool tables, Skeeball, air hockey and more. Located within walking distance of Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, Game has plenty of seating (including leather couches) and TV options throughout the bar as well.

On a warm day, one of the best places to watch sports is the patio at this Timonium sports bar. There’s always plenty of space inside, too, but it’s hard to beat watching baseball as the sun shines with a frozen beach drink in hand (we recommend the Dirty Banana).

The ideal game-watching scenario for many fans involves a tried-and-true combo: hot wings and beer. In this case, it’s hard to argue with iBar, a no-frills Charles North bar often filled with regulars and sports fans. A tip for first-timers: Get the wings “chef-style,” coated in a garlic-and-Parmesan sauce locals rightfully swear by.

At sports bars, the view of the game probably matters most. This Canton sports bar offers multiple areas on the first and second floors, all with multiple TVs tuned to the games of the moment. (They’ll change them, too, if you request it.) Friendly staff, cheap beer and above-average pub fare complete the experience.

Baltimore is known for the Orioles and Ravens, but it has its fair share of passionate soccer fans, so many make this Fells Point bar their go-to spot to watch the action on the pitch. Aside from the genial atmosphere, it’s because Slainte takes soccer seriously, opening daily at 7 a.m. for fans rising early to watch international games live.

Make sure your beer-minded friends taste Resurrection, one of the city’s most celebrated craft beers, straight from the source at this Midtown-Belvedere brewpub. Spend some time exploring the menu of Belgian-style beers downstairs in the cozy basement.

Not only can beer enthusiasts explore a wide range of brews made by Halethorpe’s Heavy Seas Beer at this Little Italy bar and restaurant, they can taste certain styles cask-conditioned, a centuries-old form that cuts down on filtration and carbonation. The result is a noticeably smoother brew that expands the possibilities of what to expect from high-quality beer.

For craft beer drinkers, no visit to Baltimore is complete without a stop at this corner Fells Point bar, where brands and styles are regularly rotated throughout the 102 draft lines and nearly 2,000 bottles. Best of all, the knowledgeable staff can typically answer even the most nuanced beer questions.

Those in search of esoteric beers should visit this Canton corner bar and restaurant, which mostly features beers made by the excellent Stillwater Artisanal Ales. Don’t worry if you don’t get to try every option — the upstairs bottle shop sells beers to go, too.

The popular Columbia bar and restaurant boasts an impressive selection of beers, highlighted by multiple options from Manor Hill Brewing, which shares ownership with the eatery. It doesn’t take long for visitors to become regulars, as evidenced by its beer club, members of which receive most brews at half-price.

Often busy on weekends, this Hampden cocktail bar reveals itself as a prime date-night spot when it’s less crowded. Our recommendation: Go for happy hour (all day Sunday and Monday; 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday), and try to snag a candlelit table on the side, where you and your date can have some space away from the centralized bar-ordering area. No matter the time, the well-crafted drinks make a visit worth it.

It doesn’t get much swankier than this Harbor East speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar, discreetly located near Tagliata. Cocktails are made with high-end spirits and a theatrical flair in a plush setting that feels equally intimate and romantic.

Snag a spot for two at the dimly lit bar of this Italian eatery in South Baltimore. The menu of pizza, pasta and antipasti is easy to share, while the cocktails offer reason to linger after the plates are cleared.

Located in the basement of Mount Vernon’s Park Plaza Building, this tiny cocktail bar has only 35 seats, so the built-in intimacy plays well to a date. Try the late-night happy hour (10 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Thursday), when all cocktails are priced $3 cheaper.

There’s a seductive quality that’s hard to not fall for at this stylish cocktail bar in Remington. The decor feels meticulously curated, as does the menu of cocktails and beer. It’s pitch-perfect, with an ambience as intoxicating as the drinks.

The dance floor at this Fells Point bar is legendary for a reason. Patrons young and old share the space, free of judgment, as they jam out to some of the region’s most talented live bands.

Whether it’s a showcase of local acts, a rising band stopping here on tour or a DJ set filled with old favorites and current hits, there’s rarely a boring moment at this revered bar/venue.

On any given weekend, there’s likely an interesting concert happening downstairs at this Remington bar/venue. If not, though, the upstairs bar (where each night typically has a theme, from trivia to all-2000s hip-hop) is a place to dance, headbang and let loose.

There’s no shortage of bar options on Thames Street. But one of the best remains the Point, with its combination of friendly, fast-moving bartenders and a lively soundtrack, provided by either a live band or a DJ. There’s no designated dance floor, but that doesn’t stop patrons from moving to the music.

With its constantly changing walls (thanks to projected images that appear like shifting, digital wallpaper), this Fells Point bar co-owned by All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat feels like a party from the moment you enter. It turns into a rager once the DJ gets going, usually with hits the the crowd can sing along to verbatim.

This Mount Vernon basement bar has only 22 seats, but therein lies its modest, winning charm. It’s easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger here, but it works just as well as a place to catch your breath over a drink as the bartender plays obscure dance music. Special chess and comedy nights offer a break from the norm, too.

From the outside, this Riverside bar looks the part of an unassuming hangout, but inside, its unmistakable personality elevates it to a well-respected gem marching to its own beat. Where else can you join a Chartreuse Bottle Club as DJs spin vinyl records of soul, funk and more?

The bar inside this Station North artist incubator space feels more like a coffee shop but sells a nice selection of original cocktails, beer and wine. It’s a space where it’s easy to see live music, watch theatrical performances or just soak in the laid-back, art-minded atmosphere.

Remington’s R. House carved out a bar space that never truly feels like a bar, given the often-buzzing activity around the food hall. But spend time with the talented bartenders, and it becomes clear that the bar program stands up to the city’s upper echelon of cocktailing.

This Mount Vernon beer bar has a distinct, casual vibe that sets it apart. It could be the striking design (well-lit, white walls), the menu (beers and bar fare, most of which you won’t find elsewhere) or unique events (like a moss terrarium-building workshop). It’s a well-run bar without the drab trappings of dime-a-dozen watering holes.