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    Ekiben

    4.7 (2.1k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    EKIBEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ekiben

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    Neighborhood chicken bowl
    Theresa S.

    Wow! You must get the neighborhood chicken no matter what, everything else is still good but that chicken is bomb! Neighborhood chicken bowl mild: delicious the chicken breading is crispy and has the perfect curry taste without being overpowering. The pickled veggies with it is a great palate cleanser and balances all the flavors. I got it mild and while I was nervous of the spice level being too much for me (I'm a weenie) it was perfect, the kind of spice that actually adds to the dish instead of hurting you. Tempura broccoli: So good! Crunchy without being oily, it had a bunch of herbs on it the brightened the whole dish. Ancho chile pork bun: perfectly smokey and meaty without being fatty. This one we really struggled to eat as an actually sandwich because the pork is cubed so it just falls out the sides. The buns are a fun addition and have good texture so I'm happy we tried it, but if I went back I would be fine without it. Crab Rangoon: I was a bit skeptical about 1 crab Rangoon being $10 but that is because o was thinking of my midwestern type of crab rangoons. This was PACKED with actual crab and not a whole lot of cream cheese so the price made more sense when I figured that out. Still very good, but did not stand out amongst the rest. The place was so cool inside, they had about 7-10 bar seats inside with 2 tables outside, I recommend taking this to go. The service was nice and quick, you can tell they have a very efficient process. My only suggestion would be to turn the music down a little bit because it was hard for me and my husband to just talk to each other about plans that we had for the rest of the day. So happy this was featured on the yelp top 100 places so that we could try it!

    The Neighborhood Bird bowl
    Veronica H.

    The Neighborhood Bird bowl, oh my is so delicious. First time trying at the Artscape festival. What a delicious treat for a great day. My friend and enjoyed the bowl while listening to some Gospel and R&B. The cashier was pleasant and friendly. The guy that served our bowls was very nice. The Red Apple drink was a delicious complement to the bowl. Great atmosphere with it being the Artscape Festival. I will be back to one of the restaurant locations.

    Spencer W.

    recommended to me & definitely best spot! Very flavorful and delicious AND interesting! Small shop with counter seating. Had tempura broccoli and chicken bun sando. Looking forward to coming back to try the other items!

    Ancho chile pork and tempura broccoli
    Alyssa T.

    I have never eaten such delicious asian fusion food. Food: 5/5 do yourself a favor and give into the hype. The neighborhood bird is a great curry chicken thigh dish, and the bowl gets 2 full chicken thighs with rice and veggies. My friend got the pork sandwich and that was exquisite. The tempura broccoli was good, but it did taste more like brussel sprouts for some reason even though it was definitely broccoli. Loved it either way. Service: 5/5 the kind cashier helped me and my friend make our choices and gave us good input on the dishes we asked about. Ambiance: small storefront with a few places to sit, probably could sit 10 in total. Order at the counter and wait for your order for about 10 minutes. Street parking, with some free spots and some paid.

    Spicy chicken bowl
    Kyle D.

    Cool little spot, I mean little lll prob 8 spots to eat. Came here based on reviews. Wish I had gotten a bun, but it was still good! Also it made two meals for me

    Kay H.

    This is for a to-go order experience. I have had my eye on trying their food for a while now. I kept it simple with the neighborhood bird bun. I love a good bun sandwich. I received the spicy version. The portion was solid and tastebuds were on fire, but in a good way! Nothing like a healthy encouragement to have a full glass if water with your meal. I don't do fried foods often, but it was a really nice change of pace.

    Peach lemonade frizz
    Montina J.

    Omg where do I begin! This place has become my favorite. Food is great the service is excellent and the ambiance is outstanding! Definitely recommend 10/10 Tried multiple items . Shrimp was the absolute best the chicken sandwich was very tasty ! I also tried the tofu with noodles 10/10. The egg roll was okay wasn't my favorite.

    Chicken bowl
    Starvel D.

    I discovered this place during the recent furlough. They were offering free meals to furloughed employees, so I stopped by. This location is about 40 minutes away from me and it was a well worth the drive. I went twice in one week. This location is pretty cozy. There aren't any traditional tables inside. They just have a few long rectangle tables along the perimeter with barstools. The decor is all black and white, so it's clean and simple. The playlist will definitely keep your head bobbing. When I was there, it was a lot of old-school hip-hop - Biggie, Nas, and the Fugees. For the entrées, you can get either a bun on a bowl. Although I love a bao bun, I opted for a bowl both times because I wanted a heartier meal. On my first visit, I played it safe & had the neighborhood bowl. When I opened the box, I immediately knew three things for sure. I could tell it was made with love, the smells told me that this dish was gonna be good, and I knew those pickled veggies were made from scratch not from a jar. This bowl had Taiwanese curry fried chicken topped with sambal mayo & herbs over a bed of rice. On the side were some house-made pickled veggies - pickles, red onions, and mango-papaya slaw. I wouldn't change one single solitary thing about this dish. For me it was perfect. The chicken was crispy, not fried hard, and well seasoned. I'm not sure of all the ingredients in the mayo but it was yummy, complimented the dish well, and didn't overpowered the other ingredients. I'm a fan of pickled red onions, but wasn't sure how I would feel about the other pickled veggies; I ate all of them. There was no pickled veggie left behind. Lol. The pickles had a slight sweetness to them, and I really enjoyed the texture of the slaw mixed in with the chicken and the rice. On my second visit, I decided to take a chance and try the ancho chili pork bowl. I don't eat a lot of pork and it's rare that I order it when I go out. Since the first visit went so well, I had high expectations for this pork bowl. Omg, I'm so glad Ekiben exceeded them. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this. There were all of these wonderful chunks of tender pork coated in this lovely sauce. I don't think I've ever had tender pork before. Despite the bowl's name the sauce wasn't spicy. It was just a lil' touch of heat balanced with all the other herbs & spices in the sauce. While I enjoyed both bowls, this one was my favorite. I also tried the crab rangoon egg roll. It was like a crab rangoon on steroids. Unlike a rangoon, where you have maybe 2 tablespoons of filling, this egg roll was packed to the brim with imitation crab meat, cheese, & green onions. They make them fresh to order so it was piping hot and the red duck sauce was on point. It was a tasty appetizer, but I'm not sure I would order it again. Considering the bowls are $18, I felt like $10 was a bit much for one egg roll. During both visits, they were out of the crispy shrimp. Fingers crossed the next time I stop by, I can give the crispy shrimp bowl a try. Next year, I want to be more intentional about visiting Baltimore restaurants. This one is definitely going in the rotation.

    Tempura broccoli
    Michelle G.

    My cousins who live in the Baltimore suburbs recommended this place on my most recent visit to Baltimore and I really enjoyed it. My friend on a separate trip to Baltimore went here and also said it was super good. We tried most of the menu including the tempura broccoli, both kinds of shrimp, tofu, and chicken. Personally the chicken was a bit of a skip to me, but I thought both shrimps and the tofu were so good. I am not a vegetarian but I would recommend getting the tofu anyways. Delicious. There are barely any seats in here and you just have to fight for one or wait if it's busy so not ideal for groups but yum.

    Ordering counter
    Ana B.

    The food here isn't healthy by any means but I trick myself into thinking it is by always getting extra pickles and herbs. I am so obsessed with this establishment, not necessarily because of the food but because of what they do for the community, they recently announced that all government furlough employees get free Ekiben if they order in person which is really impressive. They also do an amazing Halloween turn out where you get everything half off and it's something they don't have to do but they choose to do it for the community. I've never come in here and never not seen another person. I feel like they just always have a constant stream of people in through their doors. I also think what makes this establishment so successful is that everyone who works there is really really happy and are just really nice to all of their customers. All their locations are super tiny, but I think that also adds to the appeal of a place that really feels tightknit.

    Jennifer N.

    Visiting Baltimore for the first time, my friends highly recommended this place and so I placed a pick up order which was very easy to do via their website! This location is definitely very small and cozy with not too much available seating and so it looks like their business model is more traditionally pick up and take out, though I did see a group of friends eating at a table together right outside the restaurant! I was torn between choosing the neighborhood bird bowl or the neighborhood bird bun but my friend had told me that the chicken is ginormous and so when you order it with the bowl, it's more bang for your buck and I 100% agree! The chicken was so flavorful with the right amount of spiciness and it had this delicious sauce that was poured over it. I also really really loved the different sides that it came with such as the pickle vegetables and the slaw. We also can't help we get a side of their buns just because of how fluffy they looked in the photos and they were indeed so soft impaired really great with the chicken! I also found it really neat that they make their own drinks in house and so I tried a white strawberry Matcha and the Yuzu white peach which were both delicious! Overall, this was such a great casual place that I would 100% see myself going back to for both lunch and dinner if I lived in Baltimore. The chicken is honestly so amazing and I still think about it to this day.

    Neighborhood Bird Box
    Umar M.

    I am a simple man and it is very easy to make me happy. Just give me good food and I don't care about anything else. I went to this place after being super disappointed by another really expensive place. Please read my other reviews to find out which place I am talking about. CONNECT THE DOTS! Let me tell you this.... EKIBEN DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!! I ordered the neighborhood bird box and bruh.... I mean bruuuuuhhhhhhh..... This bird box hit me the feels. Chicken thighs fried to perfection over a bed of rice next to pickled cucumber, papaya salad and pickled onions which spice sambhal mayo drizzled on it. Say what! This was everything I needed to heal myself physically and emotionally. I am complete! 5/5 this place is S tier!

    Pho cheesesteak egg roll
    Emi V.

    Oh my goodness is this place so good! Some items are more expensive than others, but the plates are huge portions that could be split into two if you really wanted to. The neighborhood bird plate comes with two big chicken pieces that are oh so moist and well seasoned. I suggest getting it with rice instead of the bun. The restaurant is fairly small with only a few seats available so I highly recommend taking it to-go or bringing it to the waterfront to sit and enjoy the view. The employees are always nice and fast to ring you up.

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    Ekiben Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ekiben

    Is this restaurant halal or kosher?

    This restaurant doesn't explicitly mark itself or any of its dishes as halal or kosher, but it is clear enough about the ingredients in each dish if you are concerned about those.

    Can I call and make a reservation?

    I don't think so. The indoor space is very small and casual. It seems like people grab a space if available or carry out.

    Are there any peanut products in the neighborhood bird bowl?

    Don't recall nuts as an ingredient, but you might want to contact them directly in case they use peanut oil. There was a note on the site saying soy is in almost everything and to contact them about allergies.

    Does this restaurant accept Venmo scan to pay?

    I'm not sure, but I don't think so.

    View All 8 Questions

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    Ekiben - neighborhood brd (spicy)

    Ekiben

    4.7(156 reviews)
    1.0 miRiverside
    $$

    Rarely do I visit a restaurant where the food looks exactly like the picture before you even take a…read morebite and then tastes even better than it looks. Ekiben did that. I had been here once before, before moving to the area, and thought it was great then. This time? Extraordinary. I came in about an hour before closing, and anyone who eats out knows food can sometimes feel different that close to closing time. Not here. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and just as good as if I had walked in at peak dinner time. On top of that, I had an issue with my online order/payment. It looked like the charge was processing through my account, but they had no record of the order. Instead of making me feel like a problem, the person helping me was patient, kind, and genuinely tried to figure it out. I felt treated like a hungry customer who needed help not like someone trying to get over. The food looked good, tasted amazing, and the people were helpful, welcoming, and kind even near closing. The space was welcoming as well. The corner store ..... come on in. Come on in. Come on in. Top-notch all around

    Fantastic food once again, I ordered a chicken bowl and the Maryland softie. The chicken is always…read more10/10 and worth it. It was delicious, flavorful, crispy, and easily worth the price. Now for the Maryland softie, my first bite was heavenly (full of the crab-cake and remoulade), but as I kept eating it, I realized I would've just preferred it with just crab cake, not the soft shell too. Was it worth the hype? kind of. It's pricey so maybe one and done for me. Now the crab Rangoon egg roll, that was a miss for me. It is cheesy and filled with imitation crab, but too small for me at the price point. And I didn't find it super tasty personally. My sister who is also a yelp elite had a totally different take and loves it, so maybe it's subjective. I did have it 4 hours (put it in air-fryer) after I got it so maybe eating it super fresh is the difference. Space is limited so better for carryout, and the person taking my order was friendly. It'll probably take 20-30 mins for your order to come out, depending on how many people there are and pickup orders they have to complete. Overall, this place is a Maryland staple at this point and anyone who visits MD should 100% try and check out their famous fried chicken, whether as a bao sandwich or a rice bowl.

    Photos
    Ekiben - Menu/entrance

    Menu/entrance

    Ekiben - Chili noodles

    Chili noodles

    Ekiben - Neighborhood Bird Bun (sauce on side), tempura broccoli, and Yuzuade. Voted best sandwich in MD by Yelp in 2022 -- I know why!

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    Neighborhood Bird Bun (sauce on side), tempura broccoli, and Yuzuade. Voted best sandwich in MD by Yelp in 2022 -- I know why!

    The Dara - Drunken Noodles

    The Dara

    4.2(158 reviews)
    0.4 miCanton

    I'm surprised this place does not seem to get a lot of food traffic. I came with my friend for…read moredinner 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.

    As a lover of Thai food, I think this spot is the best in Baltimore City and is the most consistent…read morebut I wouldn't say it's the best I've ever had. I think Bmore's Thai food scene is geared toward satisfying a certain demographic. But would I be content eating this? For sure! We went for happy hour and personally felt that the boneless chicken wings and tempura shrimp were the best of the options, but still pretty disappointing. Besides that, I do find their pad see ew, pad kee mao and tom kha is the best in the area. Their customer service on the other hand are always super nice and sweet.

    Photos
    The Dara - Inside

    Inside

    The Dara - Dumplings

    Dumplings

    The Dara - Booth Table

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    Booth Table

    NiHao - Shredded Pork & Garlic Sauce

    NiHao

    4.1(375 reviews)
    0.6 miCanton

    Hands-down, the best Chinese food in Maryland. Not just in Baltimore in the state of Maryland…read more Peter Chang broke the mold with this restaurant. We love the food. We love the service. We love the drinks. We love to creativity. It's also in a row house in Baltimore that gives amazing vibes.

    We went to the all you can eat Sunday dim sum brunch and it was a delight. And also a steal for…read moreonly $32. There are no servers pushing carts here - you order small plates off of a menu. Each dish is the right size for 2-3 people to have a few bites. The crystal dumplings, duck egg rolls, steamed pork dumplings, and walnut creme dessert bao were perfection. The kung pao and cucumber salad had a strong and slightly weird maple syrup flavor, but were still pretty good, and beware that the tofu skin rolls appear to be stuffed with both pork and shrimp (so not vegetarian). The food came out quickly and in whatever order it was ready. However, the some of the service was struggling. The tables are small and easily overcrowded with 3-4 small plates, but neither our waiter nor any of the 5 food runners cleared our dirty dishes away. So we stacked the plates ourselves so they could drop more dishes. It took 3 tries to get more napkins, and despite encouraging us to order food in rounds of 3-4 dishes each, it was difficult to get to our waiter to order. Overall, this was a good experience with solid food. We will be returning.

    Photos
    NiHao
    NiHao - Puffy beef country steak

    Puffy beef country steak

    NiHao - Grandma Braised Pork Belly

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    Grandma Braised Pork Belly

    Azumi - Seared Blue Fin Toro nigiri

    Azumi

    3.9(777 reviews)
    0.5 miInner Harbor
    $$$

    Lots to choose from the menu. Fried rice was a great option for the kids - had the egg cooked with…read morethe rice. Several cocktail options that were all delicious. Staff were so attentive and friendly. Decor was modern and fancy. The view is unbeatable! Definitely will be back to try more drinks and dishes when I'm back in Baltimore!

    Sushi here is top tier and so is the ambience. I stopped in on a busy weekday. This place was…read morepacked. My friend and I ordered everything from the tuna tartare, chirashi bowl, Toyosu nigiri platter, seared otoro and the matchamisu dessert. This was plenty of food for 2 people. We loved the quality of fish and presentation here. The otoro cuts were definitely the highlight of the evening. Seared otoro tuna with endless amounts of shaved truffle on top. Definitely save some room for dessert as the matchamisu was a take on the tiramisu. The mascarpone, mango and matcha were a great combination. The service here was great. Our servers were attentive and we enjoyed the variety of seafood, Asian fusion and even saw some hibachi items. Azumi is a great place to enjoy some cocktails, sushi or hibachi. I highly recommend booking reservations in advance. The bartender did let me know they have sushi making classes and tuna carving sessions throughout the month. I'll definitely be back to try some different cuts of fish and their sushi rolls.

    Photos
    Azumi - The bar is nice here!

    The bar is nice here!

    Azumi - Spicy Tuna

    Spicy Tuna

    Azumi - Old fashioned

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    Old fashioned

    Thai Street - drunken noodle

    Thai Street

    4.3(238 reviews)
    0.1 miFells Point
    $$

    The worker was smiling and ready to take my order as soon as I got there…read more There are a few colorful stools you can sit at but I'd find it awkward to sit right where the cashier is taking orders tbh. The Thai tea was sweet but not so sweet to the point where you would feel like it's running through you Boba was decent. It was soft but not soggy/randomly hard in some places. The drunken noodles with level 1 spicy (lowest spice level) was already pretty spicy for me! So proceed with caution . Granted, I still enjoyed the noodles and LOVED IT ! I got it with beef. The beef wasn't anything special. I would love to try the pineapple fried rice next time as it would remind me of my time in Hawaii many years ago... Stay tuned for that update!

    I've been craving some genuine Thai Tea, and this place hit the spot! Located inside the Fells…read morePoint Market, this little shop was delightful. Me and my homegirl were on a budget, so we only stuck to appetizers. I still think it was a little pricy even after splitting, but I would come here again to focus on the entrees rather than the appetizers. The seating is shared between all the restaurants inside the market hall, and we came at a pretty quiet time. Even though it was slow, we did wait quite a bit for our food. We were given the option to have our drinks served first, giving us some down time to mosey around the rest of the market with something sweet to sip on. We were notified that our food was ready, via text. We had the Curry Puff and Moo Ping Nom Sod. The Curry Puff filling was delicious, and the onion vinaigrette was essential to cut through the rich pastry. We spent most of our time in the food court mumbling through stuffed cheeks about how good the pastries were. The Moo Ping Nom Sod was good, surprisingly not as salty as other Thai restaurants. This enabled you to truly enjoy the vegetables it came with, as well as the steaming hot rice that came individually wrapped, ensuring that the rice would be soft even after opening the container.

    Photos
    Thai Street - Pad Thai

    Pad Thai

    Thai Street - Chive cake

    Chive cake

    Thai Street - Thai Stree

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    Thai Stree

    Ekiben - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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