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Bird In Hand

3.9 (139 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Bird In Hand Photos

Business Info

BIRD IN HAND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for working

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Recommended Reviews - Bird In Hand

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Reviews With Photos

Maggie H.

Loved the atmosphere and the bookstore coffee shop scenery!!! I'd definitely come back here just to read a book, sip some of their drinks, and do work here. They have several choices of food and drinks here. I got their strawberry mint matcha from their seasonal menu. The matcha tastes good with the strawberry syrup; however, I didn't really taste that mint flavor. The caramel latte was okay, nothing too special. There are outlets, especially towards the back and at the community table. Free WiFi password is posted on the walls. It is a little bit cold inside, but they also have plenty of outdoor seating options. They also provide free water, and the restroom is located in the back. They also do a punch out card reward where you can get the 10th drink free. After 5pm, they start serving alcoholic drinks. They also have a happy hour (5-7pm on select days) which is pretty worth it!!! I got the honey lavender gin matcha ($7), which has a strong alcoholic first taste but the matcha flavor was still apparent. The honey and lavender flavor... not so much. The raspberry lemonade vodka was very sweet so you don't taste the alcohol. When I came, they were doing popup with MishMish where they sold sweets like chai, mango sticky rice, and two others. They have a good selection of books, each category clearly labeled with some recs from the staff.

Cafe Latte
Hailey C.

A cozy little bookstore for book lovers and coffee enthusiasts Bird in Hand is the perfect spot to be productive. The shelves are stocked with a thoughtfully curated selection of books. They have both fiction and nonfiction with topics about cooking and food! The ambiance is warm and cozy, but fairly quiet even when it was quite packed. They also have Wi-Fi!

Taylor R.

This coffeeshop/bookstore was such a cool find in town! Located near John's Hopkins University, Bird in Hand is a local shop with college town vibes. The staff was friendly and worked quickly. There were multiple shelves of books to browse while enjoying your coffee. We got two oat milk vanilla lattes which turned out perfect! It does get crowded especially as the weather gets colder but definitely a cool spot to stop by if you're visiting the area.

Farro salad
Jen S.

Great coffee! Wonderful ambience and the food was excellent! Blueberry muffin was great too! Clean and plenty of staff so hardly any wait! Love all the books!

Staff picks
Ana B.

Super cute bookstore by the Hopkins undergrad campus. Bird in Hand is also owned by the owners of Ivy Books in Roland Park. Bird is Hand is really a cafe/bar with books. It's a good combo of both. They have lot of tables for sitting and a water station. I do love their wall of staff recos and new books but it's not the biggest selection of books, but well curated for sure. I always find something I want to read here, I first saw Yellowface here and was reminded of The Virgin Suicides. The coffee is always solid and they have fun kombucha and sparking water selection, and they also have wine! A good place to stop by if you're in the area for a drink or a browse for a new read!

Dakota M.

My first visit, made this one of my favorite coffee shops in the city. The highlight was definitely the sandwiches. The bread was soft! The Jalapeño scone...jaw drop...no crumbs left on the plate. I love the vibe here because there's books everywhere and a spot in front to be some local goods. The only thing is, sometimes you walk into a coffee shop and get a little snide look from the workers. I definitely got that here. I wasn't greeted upon entering, which is fine, but the guy taking our order just didn't seem to want to answer my questions or to be there. Everyone else seemed great though! Overall that doesn't taint the experience because I'll def revisit.

Menu
Maya B.

I'd definitely return to this bookstore and cafe! Friendly staff and lots of seating along with a wide selection of books! The drinks and food were also delicious. Paid parking available on nearby streets.

Menu
Candace W.

Decent cafe next to Hopkins campus. Came here around midday on a weekday with some friends and seating was sparse. This seems to be a popular study spot for Hopkins students. The inside was well-decorated with lots of books and seating. Service was quick and kind. Food and drinks were eh. My friend tried the apple cider matcha and did not like it. Another friend got an iced caramel latte and the milk was curdling in the drink. I had a turkey grilled cheese which was $11 and pretty thin and unimpressive (my friend got a ham grilled cheese and thought the same thing). The bird's club sandwich looked like much more bang for your buck though. Would recommend that instead. Overall: meh busy college student cafe in Baltimore with hit or miss food and drinks but a nice ambience.

Iced Horchata Latte
Chel M.

This cute bookstore cafe in Charles Village had quick service, plenty of seating and was a great atmosphere for working or catching up with friends. I got the seasonal iced horchata latte and it was very enjoyable. They do have a large variety of seasonal specials and flavors so I will definitely be back to try more.

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2 months ago

Such a lovely shop. Great food and coffees, etc. Also, a beautiful gift shop. Very cool ambience throughout.

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1 year ago

Cute cafe, every time I go the place is completely full. Good matcha and I definitely plan to try more sandwiches!

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4 months ago

Great vibe for morning coffee. Great atmosphere to sit and relax. Coffee drinks are well made by professionals who know what they're doing.

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9 months ago

This place is not for families. Mainly sugared drinks. Busy atmosphere. Good menu needs major improvement.

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Ask the Community - Bird In Hand

Review Highlights - Bird In Hand

Great Covid protocol - one group allowed in at a time and you can place your order from outside and wait.

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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MahoganyBooks

4.9(49 reviews)
43.2 mi
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This was my second visit to MahoganyBooks at National Harbor, and it reminded me why I enjoy…read moresupporting this bookstore so much. I initially stopped by to pick up the latest release from one of my favorite authors, but somehow left with two books instead. (Book lovers will understand!) I was warmly greeted when I arrived, and the welcoming atmosphere immediately made me want to linger and browse. What I appreciate most about MahoganyBooks is that it does much more than sell books. The bookstore is intentional about creating space for authors of color to be seen, celebrated, and supported. From book signings and author events to community activities and wellness-focused gatherings, it's clear that they're building community through literature and culture. After browsing the shelves, I visited the small café inside the bookstore for a smoothie before taking my new books down to the waterfront. Finding a bench by the water and reading a few pages while enjoying the beautiful views of National Harbor was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Between the thoughtfully curated book selection, welcoming atmosphere, café, and beautiful waterfront location, the experience feels like much more than a trip to a bookstore.

I love independent bookstores, and a Black-owned business is the icing on the cake…read more I stopped in to check out the store and bought a sticker and a coffee drink. If you're a member of a sorority or fraternity, they sell merchandise here and had a good selection of all organizations. The staff were nice and I browsed a bit. MahoganyBooks has a huge selection of books for all ages. Everything is from a Black author or related to Black culture. The prices are in line with other bookstores, and you can be proud to support their local and diverse mission when you shop here. As a whole, National Harbor felt planned, corporate, and cold, but MahoganyBooks is the exception to this. If you're in National Harbor for a conference or convention, this is a must-stop and must support business.

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The Book Thing - More mural

The Book Thing

4.8(193 reviews)
0.4 miAbell
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For the price, can't be beat!…read more The model is simple: donate your books (up to 7 boxes per visit). They give them away for free! According to their website, you can't take more than 150,000 books per visit, so don't be too greedy, you bookworms! They sell 1-2% of donated books to cover overhead, but everything else is volunteer basis, keeping The Book Thing a free community even once a month. Be prepared to wait in line. We arrived at 11:45 so most of the big rush had faded. They let people in on the hour, with a max of 100 people in per time. If you arrive after someone leaves, they can let you in to finish that hour out. You could make a day of it - there are several cafés, breweries, and restaurants in the area that you could visit before or afterwards. Inside there are three rooms - red, blue, and green. They are organized by genres. A warning: this is not for claustrophobic people. It gets crowded and while people are generally polite and respectful, you will rub shoulders with plenty of other bibliophiles. My kids enjoyed it, though Child #1 was a tad overwhelmed and Child#3 wanted to get out of his umbrella stroller and run around! They all picked out something that was just for them. My wife gathered several books and I picked up a couple for myself. When you leave, you need to count your books and tell them that number (for their record-keeping) and your ZIP code. Other than that, it's a great deal, not to mention a fun way to meet other folks in the community. One parent reminisced about how her (now grown) daughter used to love a series that my middle child was looking at. I overheard one woman asking about a particular genre and a volunteer told her that those usually get picked over pretty early. So while there is more of a wait and higher demand closer to opening time, it sounds like there are some choicer items that are available then. DONATION - there is a small one-way road that leads around the back. After the morning rush, it seemed like it moves quickly. There's a small parking pad where you can pull up and give your books to some volunteers. Parking - it's Waverly, so pretty much street parking and you will have to look. We lucked out and saw someone leaving their spot right by the donation drop-off, so we were able to park close. If you have a bunch of books that could use a new home, come donate them here! If you are curious about grabbing some new books for yourself, drop on by! Just check the website for specific dates - it can vary from month to month what's available.

Such a cool community completely FREE resource in the city! I first heard about bookthings in 2023…read moreand this was my second time coming here. It has been in operation since 1999 and filled with volunteers and they now own the building. It's only open once a month now but I guess it used to be more. As a tip - go closer to the hour like on the :45 mark otherwise be prepared to wait an hour. People from all walks of life come here. This operates on donations so I dropped off my books and got in line. It is a bit overwhelming and the books are organized in categories. It is fun to browse but there is a chaotic energy that I don't always love. I don't think I would go back - I much prefer the little libraries! After standing in line, when you walk in, you do have to adjust to the brightness. It's a completely free resource. You can take as many books as you want. When you check out you just tell them the total number of books and your ZIP Code. It's amazing this free resource exists - make sure you don't hoard (like the two women in front of me who were on their fourth entry of the day). Make sure you partake in the recycling of the system. Take books back take new books and keep this amazing free resource in the community.

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Viva Books

Viva Books

4.4(7 reviews)
2.4 miDowntown

This year I set a reading goal: 2 books a month. Somehow I am still on track, and I needed books 21…read moreand 22 to read for November. So I stopped into Viva Books for some fiction for purchase on my way back from the Central Library. This store has used books and some recently published books: I'm not sure if they're new, but I saw Carmelo Anthony's memoir in there, and that was published this year, so pretty new if not completely new. I picked up Go Set A Watchman (paperback) and Blood Child (also paperback). So I'm set for November! The book selection leans heavily toward art books, famous, classic writers like Albert Camus, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Franz Kafka. There are books in there that are lots of sociology and thought books, some Baltimore-focused. But they also have comics! Just a nice hodge podge. I have been in before not long after it opened in the spring, but I didn't bring money: This time I was prepared. The only thing that could improve this place is if you could sit and read awhile. I love bookstores where you can sit and read! There is seating in there, but with covid, I didn't think it would be ok for me to lounge about for an hour. When the pandemic improves a bit more, I look forward to hanging out a bit. Finally, the owner is a really nice and cool person. This is a great spot for a bookstore! Will be back in a month, maybe sooner.

Very cute and cozy bookstore. The owner is versed in literature and her number one employee,…read moreGermaine, is the cutest black cat in the city. Definitely a great place to stop by.

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Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse - Falafel Pita and Sweet Corn Bisque Soup special

Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse

4.0(252 reviews)
0.4 miAbell
$$

I actually am not vegan whatsoever, so I was a little nervous to try this coffee shop for the first…read moretime, but WOW, holy flavor. I ordered a breakfast burrito, and it's been three days since I had it and I'm still craving the taste. Who knew you could make tofu taste so good? I didn't like my vanilla iced coffee as much, but that was my fault because I should have asked for more vanilla flavoring. I really appreciated how much parking there was on a Sunday afternoon, and in my opinion, it's one of the best co working spaces in Baltimore. I would 100% come back to this coffee shop and maybe spend more time browsing the books next time!

I'm real torn here. I wanted to LOVE Red Emma's but I did not. It was cool, but certainly not in my…read moretop 10 of spots I went to in Baltimore. Let's start with the best part: the bookstore. You're not going to find everything here, but the sections that are curated are top-notch. I got a few books about abolition and a handful of poetry collections written by locals. This is, in my mind, the best part of the place. There's also a big selection of zines, and the person working told me I could choose some free posters. Then there's the cafe part. All vegan? Sounds amazing! In reality, it's quite expensive and just OK? Like, I've been a vegan for nearly two decades and I've eaten my fair share of vegan food around the world. And the food I got at Red Emma's? I paid $20 ish for a cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon, and it tasted fine, but it wasn't great. I don't know, I was expecting something more delicious, not something I could have made at home for 1/4 of the price. Maybe it was just that I choose the wrong item, because there are other items on the menu that also looked good. Of course I get that because it's worker owned, prices might be higher. I get it. But it was still disappointing. And the people working were nice but sort of disinterested. Some more good things: They sell Palestinian sodas, which I love. There is an option to prepay for a meal or a drink for someone less fortunate. They open their bathrooms and space to members of the community, which means anyone who is e.g. unhoused can use the space. It seems like the spot is doing a lot for the community, which I admire. A lot of people were there working on their laptops etc., so it seems to be a space people like to hang out and get stuff done. I plan to come back next time I'm in Baltimore to give it another chance, so stay tuned.

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Bird In Hand - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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