Finding this restaurant can prove difficult...if your GPS lands you at the back of the building…read morekeep going around. If you lands you at the train tracks, yes that tiny road leads to La Cuchara. Prompt greeting by the host and very attentive service throughout our dining experience. I enjoyed all appetizers (Pintxos) but my absolute favorite was the beef empanada, it was so full of flavor. The tapas potatoes and salad were very tasty too. I had the rainbow trout for entree, for which the cuts were coming up short so they asked if shrimp was ok to add. I enjoyed the flavor of the shrimp, but I think the fish lacked seasoning- it was the only plate I didn't enjoy. Had the Aim to spark cocktail, a very well balanced drink! I'd visit again!

My friend and I had an amazing experience here. We came for happy hour and found seats at the bar…read more The bar was huge with ample seating as well as it appeared to have plenty of tables for dining. We both got a glass of wine and ordered two small plates to share. After quite a while of waiting for our food, the bartender checked to ask what we had ordered. He had forgotten to put our order through and to apologize, gave us a bit more wine to compensate which was super appreciated. Our dishes came out quickly once they were placed. We had gotten the Beef Empanadas and Dumpling Squash Beignets. The beignets weren't what we were expecting but were delicious. They were fried balls with squash cooked inside - very tasty. The empanadas were just as good with plenty of beef and a great aioli. All around, an amazing first experience here. The ambience was lively and service was great. Food and drink specials were just as amazing. We will definitely be back!

I hate to say it but the food here was mid at best. Service was very quick and they were on top of…read morerefilling waters. Took a little while to get the check but they were on it during the main service. The ambiance is excellent. Lots of old world charm and they usually keep some doors open for that quintessential indoor/outdoor euro-vibe. Street parking wasn't too hard to find at 530 PM on a weekday and parking is like .35 cents since it's free after 6. The food though was nowhere approaching Spain quality I'll tell you. Even looking at the food items here I'm pretty sure you can just tell. A potential caveat here is we only had vegetarian items so can't speak to the meat but honestly 9.5 times out of 10 if the veggie options are great so is the rest of the food... just sayin'. MAYBE in the future I'd come back for a tapas or two and a drink prior to going to a show at Metro Gallery but I wouldn't order too much or go out of my way.

It has been a long time since I ate here or a drink here, but I was at the Charles recently and got…read morea preshow drink. I highly highly recommend their vermouth sodas. It's just a really light drink and you get an olive. It's nothing super special but it does taste really special. The cool thing about tapas teatro is that you can order a drink here and take it inside the theater. Honestly, this place is one of the most solid institutions in the city so I'm very glad that they were doing well. The food here was a mix. My favorite bite was probably the octopus and romanesco sauce. A few things were a mess like the random loaf of bread they gave us to start that was dry. The ambience probably hasn't changed much since since they opened, which was probably around the early 2000s it's giving very much a sex in the city vibes of the years past but honestly there's nothing wrong with it and it's a solid place. I really hope they never go out of business.

Absolutely incredible restaurant. Our Go-To for birthdays, anniversaries, special anything…read more Atmosphere, staff and food have been putting a smile on my face since almost as long as it has been open. Will be celebrating my birthday there on Saturday. Can't wait for that first escargot to hit my tongue. My belly then knows it's in for a feast.

Good food, nice staff, nice decor, good for groups, upscale pricing…read more We planned a gathering of friends from all over the area. Tío Pepe came to mind as an old-school favorite, and it drew in some folks we havent seen in a while for a chance to get haircuts and dress up a little for a memorable dinner. Reastaurante Tío Pepe is a nicely decorated taste of old Spain and Europe, a little north of downtown Baltimore. Look for the deep red awning over the descending stairs. There's an ample garage across the street. Around 6:30pm on a Saturday, we entered a lush hall and a dark comfortable bar area, with a coatcheck room just to the right. We arrived a little earlier than our group, so we found seats at the smallish full-bar with the imperial-red or ruby-red granite top. We had a great old $15 Catalonian Yzaguirre sweet red dulce vermouth rojo, caringly flavored since 1884 with distinct yet mild herbs reminiscent of the way the beverage is custom-infused in the old small bars across Spain. It was slighlty-sweet and richly complex. Quite refreshing, and they have even nicer vermouths on the menu, too. And we had an $10 rich amber dry white sherry, possibly a Gozales Byass which we noticed mentioned on wall décor, milder than the vermouth yet also fully flavored. We liked the authentic ambiance of white-painted stone walls and well-chosen items of décor from Spain. Our group of 20-or-so was split into two tables. And the eleven at our table also went through three $32 pitchers of tasty sweet sangria! So it was a lovely evening :-) Waiters in bright red jackets were very attentive. The food we chose from Pepe's extensive menu was good. We got $14.50 garlic caracoles, snails in butter, to pass around as an appetizer. A fun gently-flavored rather-chewy treat for the adventurous! Well, "caracoles". We had $10 Crema Escarial, a flavorful bisque with seafood and Brandy de Jerez. It had only the tiniest brunoise-size chunks of seafood in it, though, or whatever the Spain equivalent of "brunoise" is. We had a $13 Sopa de Pescado y Mariscos, a soup loaded with shrimp, mussels, clams, fish and lobster chunks, plus rice and some veggies. This was a much heartier choice. We had $17 Ostras Gratinadas, an oysters-Rockefeller of five large oysters loaded with spinach and cheese. They were very tasty and satisfying. We had a well-made $10 salad that included artichokes, beets, watercress and a sweet vinaigrette.  Many of us had different fish dishes, most around $36. They were fresh and tasty in a variety of flavorful sauces. The $36 sole, Filets de Linguado Alcázar, was perfect, with hollandaise made with bananas! That was a real treat! Ask your servers about off-menu apps and mains, too. We ordered fun twice-fried "puffed" potato wedges for everyone, hot, light, and just a little salty. We shared $14 Tortilla Sorpresa Fantasia Española, a baked Alaska, prepared table-side by red-jacketed staff. An exciting delicious spectacle! And a number of us split huge tasty $12 Brazo de Gitano a los Piñones, lush pine-nut whipped cream rolls.  A few weaker points: it was a busy night for the restaurant, and staff seemed a bit behind the curve. Food took a very long time to come out, around 3 hours from start to finish, and some of us had entrees half-eaten while others were still waiting. Several of us said their rice was only lukewarm. A couple of folks were unimpressed by the tenderness of their fish. For two of us, the total at dinnertime was $135 before the tip, and we had really modest dishes plus we paid for one of the pitchers of sangria. I imagine others were over $175 per person. The restaurant at large seemed happy, and we liked our food and drink. But for me, i expect everything to be quite delightful at those prices. I admit, most of the time we have previously come here over lunch, which has lower prices. It was fun evening, and our group seemed very happy, with several toasts and homages to our family of friends, and the hospitality of Tio Pepe :-)

This is super high quality Peruvian cuisine presented extremely well. The fact that you can access…read morea meal like this at the price the Chef is offering it during the week should have people lined up down the street. My meal was presented by the chef/owner. This just adds something to the experience that you typically won't get elsewhere. If this place were in a different spot with more elevated furnishings, a wine program and fancy marketing it would be double, maybe triple the price. This is an approachable and extraordinarily delicious tasting menu from a talented chef with a support team that executes way above what you might expect. Ring the doorbell, stop in and have one of the better dinners you will find in Baltimore.

I had a good experience at Puerto 511. I went on a Saturday night for a nice solo dinner. It was a…read morepleasant dining experience. The dishes came out at a good pace. I did not feel rushed until the desert course was served with the check. The variety of the dishes was fun to experience; each course was very different. Puerto 511 does really well with seafood. My favorites courses were the Ceviche Amazonico and the Tamalito Verde. The flavors were incredible. The Pulpo en su Causa was also a very interesting dish. The combination of ingredients and the inclusion of a cold mashed potato component were both innovative. I was disappointed with the other courses, though. The veal was tough, the lamp chop was tough, and the desert was not very flavorful. The quinoa flan and the passionfruit ice cream did not match very well in flavor or texture. The restaurant building itself was ok. The ambiance did not indicate fine dining to me. The service was not very personable. I would like to come back sometime in a different season, when there is a new menu. But overall, I would say Puerto 511 is definitely a dining experience worth trying.

Maximón was a pleasant surprise. I went for brunch expecting your typical hotel restaurant…read moreexperience, but this place is on a completely different level. The dining room is spacious, beautifully designed, and easily one of the nicest restaurants I've been to in Baltimore. I ordered the Norteño with an IPA, and both hit the spot. The food was genuinely excellent, honestly much better than I expected, and the pictures I took don't even do it justice. It did take a little while for the food to come out, but I'd rather wait for something that's made well than get a rushed meal. I'll definitely be back again.

Maximón is absolutely STUNNING. I think it's one of the prettiest restaurants I've been to in…read moreBaltimore, and walking in, I immediately assumed I was paying mostly for the atmosphere esp. since it's on the first floor of a hotel. I couldn't have been more wrong. I ordered the chilaquiles with a fresh-squeezed juice, and both were fantastic. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and well prepared. Food was so good that our table up ordering an extra dish! The ambiance is gorgeous, but the food absolutely lives up to it, which isn't always the case.

Came to Boqueria during DC's Winter Restaurant Week and had a great time! It was a good deal too,…read moreand I left so full. Started off with the "Taste of Spain" which included Pan con tomate, Aged manchego, Jamón Ibérico de bellota, and Boquerones con naranja. Since I couldn't eat the latter two, the server said they could double the first two, which was so appreciated. For my first course, I chose the Escalivada (fire-roasted eggplant, red pepper, labne yogurt, fresh herbs, olive oil, served with focaccia) and Croquetas de setas (creamy mushroom croquettes with truffle aioli). The Escalivada was tasty, but more on the tangy side; the bread was more crostini-like than focaccia. The Croquetas were so good: creamy, savory, umami inside and crunchy outside. Next, I got the Zanahorias (spiced baby carrots, sweet and sour reduction, orange honey yogurt, mojo verde, Marcona almonds) and Patatas bravas (crispy potatoes, salsa brava, pimentón, garlic aioli). When I tell you those carrots had me dreaming about them later, I'm not kidding- all of the different flavor combos paired with the perfectly cooked carrots were amazing. The Patatas bravas was pretty classic- crispy potatoes with creamy aioli and tangy tomato sauce. Finally, for dessert, I had the Tarta de naranja (orange olive oil cake, citrus-honey yogurt), and my friend had the Tarta vasca de chocolate (Basque chocolate cheesecake, macerated strawberries, chantilly cream). Both were tasty, but the Tarta de naranja was so good: perfectly dense cake, refreshing citrus, and great contrast with the yogurt. For my drink, I got the Forget-Me-Not refrescante (butterfly pea flower, thyme, honey, lime, ginger beer). Very interesting drink, not sure I'd order again but it was good. Service was great, super willing to accommodate my vegetarian dietary restrictions. Ambiance is really nice, very modern and elegant. Very accessible by metro, just a short walk from the station. 10/10 would recommend!

First... man the chairs were UNCOMFY. Theres two types of stools and the padded one feels slightly…read moreslanted forward and small. But anyways Paella was delicious, the flavor profile was super fun. We got the short rib and seafood, and we all preferred seafood as the short rib was a bit heavy. The fish in it was crispy and so good, especially with the green sauce- nice herby and refreshing contrast. The figs were interesting and fun. But not that filling... I did not like the patatas... sauce was good but the potato itself had none of its own seasoning and was tough. Yes crispy but not pillowy inside. The octopus was delicious and super tender. Would come back for seafood paella and charcuterie.

They serve excellent mofongo, crafted with perfectly seasoned plantains and tasty chicharron…read more Parking is limited nearby, so be prepared to walk a few blocks to reach the restaurant.

Unfortunately I was very underwhelmed with the food and the price for it didn't justify the food…read moreitself. Service was great as it should be. The ambiance was subpar.

We probably dine out more in the Frederick area than about anyplace. There are many fine choices,…read moreup and down Market Street, back and forth across Patrick Street and in the hinterlands (up by Wegmans, over on East Street, down near and past FSK Mall, out on the Mile, etc. All of them considered, we have a new (to us) favorite Frederick area restaurant and Isabella's is it. For taste, promptness and courtesy of service (ask for Jessica by name) value and most of all by taste, Isabella's knows just what its doing and it delights with every mouthful. The three-tapas lunch special wowed us beyond all reasonable expectations for taste, imaginative diversity of flavors and value. Portions are generous and you cannot go wrong with what you choose. Apparently, save room for the desserts which also are a point of pride. We simply had no room! But we will be back. And back...

Frederick, Md. has some of the best restaurants within an hour's drive from home…read more Isabellas's is right there amongst the best in downtown Frederick. Ii is a spanish restaurant and serves excellent food. I had the seafood paella (one of my favorite dishes). The rice was flavored and seasoned perfectly. It was loaded with shrimp, mussels, calamari, and My wife had the beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes. For our cocktails, we had the peach sangria. Absolutely light and delicious. Our server was excellent. He made excellent recommendations and was very attentive. The dining area was very comfortable, roomy, bright, clean and nicely decorated. Eaxh booth comfortably seats anywhere from 4 to 6 customers. There is a bar offering beer, cocktails and wines. The bathrooms were spotless and modern. There is paid street parking. I easily and strongly recommend this restaurant.

It's been a while since I've been here. The family's choice for dinner last night was Peruvian…read more Only one person was in line when I entered the "wrong" door. lol Service was fast. All 3 employees I connected with was kind and pleasant. I asked how many pieces of plantain was in a side. Perfecto! The food looked good, fresh and appetizing! We all chose the 1/4 Chicken Dark Meat and Brussels Sprouts. My other side was plantain and one was fried rice and the other potatoes. The food was delicious! Great choice! Five stars!

El Gran Pollo is my go to spot when I don't feel like cooking and it never disappoints! The flavors…read moreare consistently amazing! The people are so kind! Love that you can go in and grab a quick meal!

Have walked by here a few times, and put a mental note to try it. I had the opportunity today with…read morea good colleague of mine. The interior is a deep red, with a Gothic style, and intimate atmosphere. I really appreciated it. The tapas selection is quite extensive and we were in between a few options, but settled on the grilled chicken skewers, grilled shrimp, chorizo, and calamari. They came out very quickly after we ordered, although I will say our server wasn't very attentive or concerned. After he dropped off our food, we never saw him again, so I think the service could he improved in this area. As far as the food, it was all very flavorful and tasty. I especially liked the shrimp (mariscos) and the chorizos. The char on the chorizo gave it a smoky taste, and it was so good. I thought the calamari was pretty good, but not the best I've had and the chicken was also pretty decent but it had a lot of sauce on it. I would definitely come back again and get the shrimp and chorizo. I would also try their meatball, bread with cheese and honey, and a few other items. It's close by where I work, so I can definitely frequent once again.

amazing food 10/10 customer service 10/10…read more outside seating 10/10 definitely recommend