Meeting some friends in Baltimore this weekend for Aquarium visit and lunch. We had planned to go to Brewers Art but I just learned they aren't open until 4pm and our aquarium tickets are for 10am. Any suggestions for an alternative place for four 30-somethings to have a fun, tasty lunch in Baltimore before heading back to Northern VA? Ideally a place with some good beer options? Doesn't have to be close to the aquarium although that would be a plus. Thanks for any and all ideas!
Lunch in Baltimore?
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I have fond memories of going to Fudruckers.
http://www.menuism.com/restaurant-locations/fuddruckers-118430/us/md
If you like good burgers, it's a great place.
There are lots of places near the Aquarium, from Cheesecake Factory, Rusty Scupper, to McCormick's. You could even go to the nearby "Little Italy" neighborhood, if you want.
What type of food to you want, and price range?
Three places with good brew selections come to mind all in Fells Point. You can easily get to Fells Point with the water taxi. DuClaw Brewing Company, Bertha's and John Stevens, Ltd. I am sure Bertha's (famous for mussels)will be open the time that you want - I don't know about the others. I like John Steven's for dinner.
Right in Harbor Place is the Capitol City Brewing Company, however I've never been there so can't give a recomendation one way or the other.
There is also a row of restaurants along the water on the same side as Barnes & Nobles and the Aquarium.
Respectfully, I would never eat at any of the suggestions above - even if I was to be drinking water.
Here are a few beer friendly spots to consider - more in line with The Brewer's Art:
http://www.maxs.com/
http://alewifebaltimore.com/
http://www.mahaffeyspub.com/
FWIW, I posted before seeing Basingstroke2's post - though I'd add Bertha's to the "no go". There are way too many superior mussels places in the DC area (Granville Moore's!, Beck!). You're still better off stopping outside the Inner Harbor area before your drive home.
I agree with bardo1. Most of the places in the Inner Harbor are chains. I had dinner at Bertha's and it was ok. Other than food, if you have time you may want to stop in the American Visionary Museum across the harbor from the aquarium. Very fun.
Never said Berthas was high cuisine but if you stick to the mussels it is decent and has a funky neighborhood atmosphere at lunch that to me is fun. It IS different. I have always found John Stevens good for dinner.
You would never go to any restaurant in Little Italy??
Little Italy is great and we go there fairly often but OP says they are looking for a restaurant that has good beer options and Little Italy is not known for that. Now if they were looking for good cannoli options.......
But that gives me an idea -
dananddar, how about making a lunch of delicious Italian Desserts instead? I've done that and it is wonderful at Vaccaro's in Little Italy - an Italian dessert only restaurant (only the one in Little Italy, IMO other locations are not as good). Start with pastries and cakes, finish up with gelato and/or other ice cream specialties like spumoni or my favorite, tortoni. Have some good espresso with that, call it a meal and have a smile on your face all the way back to VA.
I'm pretty sure the Fuddruckers I ate at did have beer but I know they had great milkshakes. http://www.fuddruckers.com/menu/
If you have some extra time, you can tour the Constellation to see how the restoration is coming.
Thanks so much for the suggestions everyone! We ended up changing our aquarium tickets to the afternoon and going to Brewer's Art. But I'm excited to try some of the places suggested by bardo1 on a future trip to Baltimore. I am also interested to check out the American Visionary Museum sometime.
For those interested, we enjoyed Brewer's Art. I had the Resurrection beer and pork belly. Both were very tasty and the atmosphere in the place was fun. Great place to rest our feet after a few hours at the aquarium.