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Baltimore DC vacation questions

Discussion in 'US: Mid-Atlantic' started by Mantooth, Mar 10, 2013.

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  1. Mantooth

    Mantooth Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 North Carolina

    I'll be hitting the area May 17 - 21. Anything big going on?

    I've read some other posts on bars, sounds like there are some gr8 ones. Also interested in the best feast. Really, any don't miss things.

    What are the best music venues?

    Help a brother out?
     
    #1 Mantooth, Mar 10, 2013
  2. DoctorSuds

    DoctorSuds Initiate (0) Jan 13, 2013 Maryland

    #2 DoctorSuds, Mar 10, 2013
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  3. alysmith4

    alysmith4 Pooh-Bah (1,738) Feb 11, 2005 District of Columbia
    Pooh-Bah

    This is a good way to keep up with the happenings:

    http://www.dcbeer.com/

    I think the calendar's only about a month out, but May will be on there eventually.
     
    #3 alysmith4, Mar 10, 2013
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  4. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,497) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    In terms of places to eat, could you maybe narrow down your request a bit? I know the food scene in Baltimore fairly well, but it's hard to know how to respond when someone asks for the best place to eat there. Is money no object to you? Is there some ethnic cuisine you prefer over others? Are you looking for the best crab cake, crab feast or fish place? Are you trying to find some place that offers a lot of pretty good food, but for a reasonable price? Does the place need to have a great alcohol selection for you to be happy?

    I mean if you just want to look at a list of Baltimore restaurants with a brief description and recommendation, the annual Baltimore City Paper Dining Guide just came out, so maybe take a look there.

    http://citypaper.com/special/eat/2013

    Good luck.
     
    #4 John_M, Mar 11, 2013
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  5. brennser

    brennser Initiate (0) Feb 22, 2010 District of Columbia

    9.30 club is the best venue
     
    #5 brennser, Mar 12, 2013
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  6. Mantooth

    Mantooth Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 North Carolina

     
    #6 Mantooth, Mar 18, 2013
  7. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,497) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, I'll throw out a couple of suggestions then.

    In terms of top restaurants in the city, opinions vary, but the Charleston and the Prime Rib are typically considered two of the best restaurants in the city. Both are pretty expensive, with the Charleston very expensive. However, the food and service at both places is excellent. Neither place has what I would call a particularly outstanding beer selection, though the Charleston does have some interesting Belgian selections.

    A step down from those two restaurants would include places like Bistro Blanc, Iron Bridge and the Wine Market Bistro (there are plenty others - I'm just throwing some names out). The Wine Market might particularly interest you, as it's a combination restaurant and wine store, that also happens to have a modest craft beer selection as well. So you could always grab something from the store to have with your meal.

    Coming at this from a different angle, probably the places that best combine a great food and beer experience will be the Alewife downtown, and then Victoria's Gastropub out in Columbia. I rip Victoria's all the time for their high prices, but their location out in Howard county has a lot to do with that (it's a particularly affluent, expensive Baltimore suburb). Anyway, they have a great beer selection there, and their food is very, very good. As for Alewife, I'd say their food is not quite as good as what you'll find at Victoria's, but they have a superior (and slightly cheaper) beer selection. Another place to consider is the Of Love and Regrete pub over on the East side. The food at OLAF is undeniably creative and good, and they a very good beer selection to match. OLAF is essentially a Stillwater tied house, so expect that on any given day, at least half of the tap selections will be Stillwater beers. I find OLAF prices to also be a bit high for what you get, but regardless, it's a very solid place otherwise, and the surroundings are nice without coming across as too overbearing. (for instance, the Charleston is a very high end restaurant, where it is expected you will wear a suit to dinner; OLAF is much more informal). The main problem I have with OLAF, at least from a beer standpoint, is that you can find most of the Stillwater beers on tap elsewhere, and generally for less money than what they charge at OLAF. Nevertheless, if you want a high quality dining experience with good beer to match, there are not too many places in town superior to what you'll find at OLAF.

    In terms of crab cakes and Baltimore, again, everyone has their favorite. I'm personally partial to those made at Faidley's over in the Lexington market. Same with crab houses in town. Crab houses can be found all over town, and as you can probably imagine, everyone you talk to will give you a different opinion on the best place to go. I'm no expert on the best places in town, but if you want an authentic crab house experience (which means you'll get a dozen or so steamed blue crabs, covered in old bay spice, and served to you on a huge strip of butcher paper with a mallet for breaking open the crabs), a place I really like is LP Steamers over on E. Fort Street in South Baltimore. The place has been there for years, is completely unpretentious, and serves good steamed crabs with pitchers of yuengling and the like.

    Anyway, that should make a good starting point for you. Have fun.
     
    #7 John_M, Mar 19, 2013
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  8. ao125

    ao125 Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2010 Virginia

    Music:
    (DC)
    http://www.930.com
    http://www.blackcatdc.com
    http://www.ustreetmusichall.com/calendar/
    http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/music/

    Beer + Food:
    (DC)
    http://www.meridianpint.com
    http://www.churchkeydc.com
    http://thebighunt.net
    http://www.smithcommonsdc.com
    http://www.thunderburger.com

    (NoVA)
    http://www.rusticorestaurant.com
    http://madfoxbrewing.com
    http://spcbr.com
    http://www.galaxyhut.com

    (Balt)
    http://www.alewifebaltimore.com
    http://www.maxs.com
    http://www.thebrewersart.com

    Breweries:
    (DC)
    http://www.dcbrau.com
    http://chocolatecitybeer.com
    http://www.threestarsbrewing.com

    (NoVA)
    http://www.portcitybrewing.com

    (Balt)
    http://www.hsbeer.com
     
    #8 ao125, Mar 19, 2013
    Bronsons_stache, Desaparecido, Psykhe and 3 others like this.
  9. CaptFrothy

    CaptFrothy Zealot (736) Dec 9, 2006 Maryland

    If you're into corned beef, Attman's deli is a don't miss. Scrumptious New York Jewish deli sandwiches abound.
    On lombard street roughly 8 blocks from the aquarium.
    http://www.attmansdeli.com/
     
    #9 CaptFrothy, Mar 21, 2013
    Desaparecido, Devman171, Mantooth and 1 other person like this.
  10. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,099) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Depends on what music you are into also. City Paper is a good resource for shows as someone mentioned...

    What are you into food wise? Lots of options depending on what you want.
     
    #10 Smakawhat, Mar 21, 2013
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  11. Psykhe

    Psykhe Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2010 Maryland

    Any more specific information, or are you completely open to any type of suggestion for events, foodstuffs, and chill places?

    Also, which is the area you plan to be in more? And how far are you willing to travel from there (considering Beltway/Metro area traffic during an early summer weekend)?
     
    #11 Psykhe, Mar 21, 2013
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  12. Saudereth

    Saudereth Zealot (672) Feb 21, 2013 Virginia

    In addition to ao125's pretty comprehensive list here's some more!
    Beer:
    (DC) RFD http://www.lovethebeer.com/rfd.html
    (NOVA) Fireworks http://www.fireworkspizza.com/
    (DC and NOVA) Pizza Paradiso http://www.eatyourpizza.com/

    Music:
    (Balt) http://www.theottobar.com/
    (DC) http://www.rockandrollhoteldc.com/portal/
    (DC) http://www.dcnine.com/
    (NOVA) http://www.empire-nova.com/

    Breweries:
    http://www.duclaw.com/ has a couple of brewpubs in Maryland, I haven't been to any of them, their beer isn't something to write home about imo.
    http://flyingdogales.com/ isn't exactly far, their tours are 2 hours long, and tend to sell out months in advance, if you want to do that book your tour spot now (5 dollars)
     
    #12 Saudereth, Mar 21, 2013
    Desaparecido, Chaney, Mantooth and 2 others like this.
  13. DRBiser

    DRBiser Initiate (0) May 4, 2012 Maryland

    If you are more of a foodie than a beer lover (or better yet if you simply love them both) then I highly recommend Jack's Bistro on the east side of Baltimore. The head chef is this extremely talented German dude (Ted) and the food is FANTASTIC. I've lived in Baltimore, New York, and London - and it still remains one of my favorite restaurants. It's also very close to the above-recommended Of Love and Regret. It will not break the bank and they always have an excellent array of beers.
     
    #13 DRBiser, Mar 22, 2013
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  14. Mantooth

    Mantooth Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 North Carolina

    We're up for anything - "chill places" sounds particularly interesting...

    Yes, I will straight up get off on any great bar or eattery - no mater the style.
     
    #14 Mantooth, Mar 22, 2013
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  15. rube1023

    rube1023 Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2008 Pennsylvania

    If you don't mind a hole in the wall, Chaps' Pit Beef in Baltimore is really good. Also, keep an eye on the opening day for Blue Jacket in DC. They open up in May or June, and are supposedly going to be brewing some pretty interesting stuff.
     
    #15 rube1023, Mar 23, 2013
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  16. TheFunGuy

    TheFunGuy Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2011 Virginia

    Baltimore--I was there for two months two summers ago, and several weekend jaunts to the Inner Harbor since.

    Alewife, nice selection of beer, great staff, the food was really great and now is only great.

    Brewer's Art, great beers, good food, the patrons and staff tend to be very impressed with their own status.

    In both cases, exercise caution in night visits. Both border on unsafe areas.

    My must do: A beer circuit starting in Fell's Point, at Max's, through several other local places there (almost any of them), then to James Joyce, to Pratt via one of the chains in the tourist junk mall at the tall ship, so then Pratt Street (really good beers, good pun food, friendly staff) and bouncing back to Power Plant Live to consume at the Beer Garden. 7-8 hours of raw beer fun, doable on foot.

    Federal Hill also has some real gems.
     
    #16 TheFunGuy, Mar 24, 2013
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  17. Mantooth

    Mantooth Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 North Carolina

    Thanks for all the help - I'm booking my rooms and have another question regarding DC hotels... if someone knows the area really well:

    Washington Marriott at Metro vs Fairfield Inn Downtown?
     
    #17 Mantooth, Mar 26, 2013
  18. RocketFrogDavid

    RocketFrogDavid Initiate (0) Apr 29, 2010 Virginia

    Marriott, so close to 5 metro lines you can get anywhere. fairfiled location is not too bad. You can walk to Church Key easy from Marriott. As for food in DC if you've never had Ethiopian food there are lots of good ones. It can be delicious and a unique experience.
     
    #18 RocketFrogDavid, Mar 27, 2013
  19. Psykhe

    Psykhe Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2010 Maryland

    No matter the style? Assuming you've already been told the usual places and beer haunts, I'll add these for consideration:

    - The Passenger
    Awesome, cool place. Known for their mixed drinks

    - American Ice Company is within easy strolling distance of the 9:30 Club and has decent beer on tap, though their menu is usually not updated. The BBQ is good.

    And afterwords, head over to the place below->

    - Darnell's Bar
    No taps, standard liquor selection at last visit. Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. Incredibly chill (perhaps the definition of?).
    On a side note, there is a pop up there during the day called Blind Dog Cafe that would be worth the visit in and of itself.


    - If you like Thai (and honestly who doesn't?), then you need to consider Thai X-ing.
    BYOB. Pre-set course menu by day. Has the added bonus of me being jealous of you.

    - Kramer's Books & Afterwords Cafe
    Connected to a bookshop. Outstanding food. Coffee. Always have something interesting on tap. Especially good for rainy days.

    - The Hirschhorn
    You're in DC. Take advantage of the museums. And their air-conditioning. Air. Conditioning.


    Other possible Places of Interest:

    - Bourbon (the link takes you to the AdMo menu)
    Decent beer. Especially useful if you- 1. like bourbon because sample sizes and flights and 2. are interested in tasting the things emptied from things that things are aged in

    - Victoria Gastro Pub, which is in decent proximity to Frisco's. Both in Columbia. Local beers at both places, random others as well. Updated tap lists.

    - Iota Club
    Arlington. Near to Metro. Great ticket prices. Good food and beer.



    Let me know if any of those appeal or if you have any more questions, I'd be more than happy to help.
     
    #19 Psykhe, Mar 27, 2013
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  20. Mantooth

    Mantooth Initiate (0) Dec 6, 2011 North Carolina

    I've put together a helluva list of options... thanks to you all!

    We'll be in the area May 23-27, so our trip's only about a week away.

    If anyone catches wind of a neat beer related event coming up during that time period - please post away.

    Thanks agian!!!!!
     
    #20 Mantooth, May 15, 2013
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