Dinner date with a friend led me to discover this community based eatery. The day we visited there was no outdoor seating due to rain, however the sun decided to reappear and unfortunately the wait staff was very reluctant to put the chairs back outside at our request. I specific came here to try the arepas and I was disappointed. I've had much better throughout Baltimore. I ordered the vegana because the beets sounds so enticing. Unfortunately, they tasted like they came straight out of a can. I paired the arepa with the lavender lemonade, which was a slam dunk!!! I tried to order the summer roles but as the server explained, they usually run out later in the evening. I ordered a mojo black bean burger and yuca fries to go. The burger was good, although very very light, thus not giving you that "I'm eating a burger" feeling. Yucca fries were cooked well but they forgot to give us the mole sauce on the side. The restaurant is super tiny with limited options for seating. I would not come here with a party larger than two people. They also offer free wifi, have an extensive menu and have desserts. I hear the tamales are a huge hit! Next time.... read more

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The breakfast Rutter is the only thing I ever order because it's that perfect. I love that they give me a plant based option (chorizo)!

I jus had a beet and avocado sandwich from this place and it was so delicious I'm writing this review. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu. Highly recommend! read more

1) Messed up both my orders, forgetting the only thing that belongs on an egg sandwich... THE EGGS! 2) Found two strands of human hair in our food 3) After spending almost $100 and when all of this was discovered, we tried to contact them and found that they don't even have a phone number... Unless they reach out to make things right, WE WILL NEVER ORDER FROM HERE AGAIN! read more

I don't get out for lunch all that often. On the weekends, that time is kept sacred for brunch-like foods, coffee and mimosas (or a properly made bloody). I was lucky enough to have a chance to stop into this little cafe on a Thursday afternoon. It's on the corner of John Street and Mosher Street in Bolton Hill - right across the street from Mount Royal Elementary Middle School. I am not sure how I haven't stopped in here before. And, now I am not sure how I am going to go back to brown paper bag lunches. I headed in there craving a BLT and an unsweet tea. They do have an amazing sounding one - which they call the Bolton. It was one of those days that I kept reading and fell in love with everything. I was so distracted by the menu, that I had a trouble deciding; everything sounding more and more tantalizing. I ended up going with the Lafayette - on the idea that it was a little more unique. Balsamic beets, goat cheese, avocado, lettuce and a pepper mayo on toasted wheat. The rich aromatic beets went great with the fresh, creamy avocado. The pepper mayo and goat cheese added a nice contrast, but certainly didn't overwhelm. Despite the size of this place, their menu is extensive - sammies, burgers, salads and breakfast items. They have all sorts of coffees and teas. I have heard that they have gratifying tacos. And, you can see by the menu that the flavors change regularly. I didn't see it and totally forgot to look until after I ordered. Don't you worry... I will go again and update you. Have you been? What is your favorite sandwich? read more

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Update: the deli around the corner (Bolton Deli) was shut down by underhanded tactics employed by the new owners. I will not allow myself or my friends to support the skeezy lowlifes that run the new coffee bar there. With that said, I am now happily referring everyone in the area who wants a coffee or a meal to On the Hill. They've changed their decor (thank you, OTH) and the past couple times I've been in, the cashiers have been nicer. I've given up on their sandwiches (maybe I'll try them again soon), but the tamale cakes are actually really good. They're a nice combination of hot and cold, sweet and salty, and they're surprisingly filling. I don't recommend their chai latte...it still had the teabag in it and seemed more like chai tea with milk (ie watery and lacking in spicy flavor). I've made better ones on my stove at home. So despite all of the cons, my experiences have been better here, and I feel that they've earned an extra star. read more

We were impressed by the food quality and the speed of service--they have kind of a high-tech automated ordering system that communicates directly with the kitchen, but the line cook that gave us our food was very friendly. We ordered two varieties of quesadilla, and both were very tasty, as were the two limeades that we purchased. They also have some very tempting looking desserts, which we will need to go back to try! read more

I really want to like this place, but I wait almost double or triple what I would have at Park Cafe (which is down the street). I am literally the only person in the cafe on a Monday at 7:49am. Perhaps that's an indicator. read more

On the Hill Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Just get the mosher or the tamales cakes. Everything else is just meh. The mosher is the perfect blend of salty and sweet and the pork is moist and the bread they put it on works well with everything. read more

Don't let the "café" designation of On the Hill fool you into thinking that they can't make anything beyond a sadsack turkey on rye -- the food totally surpassed my expectations. I Amtrak-ed from DC to Baltimore on a rainy Saturday to grab lunch with an old classmate, armed with a recommendation from another pal to lunch at On the Hill based on: (i) its proximity to Penn Station; and (ii) its proximity to MICA, for purposes of afternoon art-touring. I'd been warned that the café was very small, but I was still taken aback when I saw how cramped and narrow the layout was, like a railroad apartment. Fortunately, the two of us were able to snag one of the several tables, phew. The menu behind the counter rambles on for ages, such that my eyes began to blur reading it. There are myriad types of sandwiches, burritos, and salads (sadly, they didn't have soup that day, which is what I had most craved), as well as an array of okay-looking desserts. I ordered the tamale cakes ($8), adding on pork ($1.50), though you can also choose chicken. They were incredible. The tamale cakes were these two massive, greasy frisbees, dotted with kernels of sweet corn, with an assortment of delicious things sandwiched in between them, i.e., chunks of tender pork, avocado, sour cream, and cheese. The dish would make for great hangover food, It even later crossed my mind that I'd happily take a train to Baltimore again just to eat these. I also got an iced green tea ($1.99), which was a nice way to off-set the damage of the tamale cakes. Another perk of On The Hill is the people-watching, mainly the MICA students with their engaging outfits, e.g., a sparkly rain jacket, or a t-shirt covered in cartoon faces that reminded me of my childhood. It's a bit small, so don't come with a group larger than 3 or 4, or else you may have nowhere to sit. Also, they have free WiFi, but it's pretty slow. read more

On the Hill Cafe - Narrow layout of the cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I was really excited to try this place. Very close to work. Their website said they cook their burgers medium (slightly pink), which is exactly what I prefer. I got the Smoky burger. It was a huge disappointment. Patty was very, very well done. The bread was soggy from wilted romaine and too much mayo + bbq sauce. For $13 i expect a solid burger. Failed to deliver. I should've just drove down to Pratt and got a couple ShackBurgers for the same price. Might go back to try other menu items but does not look promising. The second star was only because the staff members were really nice. read more

It's my first time eating from here, food was EXCELLENT!! I live very close and wish I had tried it sooner. I will be a regular from this point on!! My order even came fast through Grubhub in this typhoon outside! I love On the hill cafe read more

Decent coffee with reasonable prices. Though, long lines in the morning. Breakfast is a good idea, but it's not very good. The other food options are limited to certain hours of the day. They also bring in pastries from Stone Mill, which can be a good complement to your coffee. I do like the pomegranate lemonade though, as it is very fresh. read more

Great place to stop for a quick lunch to go or eat in if not too crowded. I recommend The Rutter (their take on a burrito) or The McMechen (a wrap with their homemade curry chicken salad). Pretty much every sandwich is between 6 and 8 dollars so you can usually get that and a drink and get out of their spending around 10 bucks. Also, with every sandwich they give you a bag of Utz gourmet chips. If you're in the area it's easily the most convenient, appetizing, and welcoming lunch spot. read more

On the Hill Cafe - Muffuletta special - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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It's always cramped in here and full of people, especially when school is on session. I always feel stressed out coming here - The pomegranate lemonade is really good but I usually feel like it's too sweet, like it would be really good if it was watered down but my cup is full so there's no room to do it myself - Spinach egg breakfast sandwich is great, as is the breakfast burrito - I like the fries here -my friend got a tamale cake with chicken here and ended up eating around the chicken because it was spongy and gross like tv dinner chicken - I used to get the chicken salad wrap here but lately I feel like they've been putting too much of that marmalade into it and I don't like taking big bites of sweet stuff while I'm eating chicken salad - The food here is usually pretty solid but I hate coming here and sometimes it's not that great read more

On the Hill Cafe is one of my favorite quick breakfast, lunch, or even dinner spots. My usual choices are the Bolton sandwich, Eutaw sandwich, baby spinach salad, or rice beans & plantains, but there's so much on the menu that I haven't gotten through it all. I have worked here on my laptop, but it can get a bit cramped especially when all the MICA students come in for lunch. Still, it's one of my most visited food spots, especially when I'm craving that Bolton sandwich. read more

I absolutely love this place. I felt overwhelmed with the wide selection of sandwiches, burgers, etc. I spent a good 20 minutes making up my mind until I finally did and then went to wait in line for another 10 minutes...smDh. I ended up getting the O.T.H club which was awesome (although they forgot the bacon). My mom got the John ham and cheese sandwich on foccacia. I must say the breads were very good and the deli meats were quality and thick-cut. Overall very impressed by the food and peaking over the shoulders of others, I could tell the other options on the menu were delectable as well. My stomach is still smiling! The only down side I found was that there is very limited seating. I would suggest maybe putting more seating outside, especially with its quaint, calm location on the corner at John street by around MICA. Most importantly...worth the drive from where I live for such a refreshing lunch. Thank you On The Hill cafe! read more

On the Hill Cafe - The john - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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This might just be my favorite take out spot! There menu is VAST and everything taste delicious. I came upon this location is late July and haven't looked back since. Their vegan burger is so tasty and you can make additions to your liking. Whenever we have people visiting, I always tell them about this place! I also love that the food comes quickly when ordering takeout. Needless to say, I'm a happy customer! read more

Ok, so I never write reviews despite being a dedicated Yelp user but the tamale cake here is just perfect . First of the cake part is aptly named, a bit sweet but not overly so. The pork was tender and sauce free- just the way I like it and the avocado included plus pico de gallo - exquisite. I would give this meal 5 stars except for the fact that I was staring when I ordered and also had an arepa which was less than mind blowing. I am a bit on an arepa snob though. Also I did not try the cookies and the first guys was unsure if they make them from scratch themselves although later a more knowledgeable girl said they did. But I'm still skeptical. If a place really does baked goods from scratch, all the employees would generally know right? Anyway, not vouching for the cookies or promoting the arepas but do your self a favor and have that tamale cake!!! read more

On the Hill Cafe - Tamale cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Food is good here but delivered late and cold. We're trying to support local businesses but this was disappointing.

Everything I've had on the menu so far has been amazing! Can't wait to try the cachapas, my coworkers absolutely love them.

Small corner cafe with a hipster vibe. Locals sit on their laptops sipping coffee. Out of towners, like us, come to eat the food. We had the "Smokey burger" and pork arepas with a side of fried yucca. The food was deliciously messy! The thin cut fries that came with the burger had a paprika like seasoning salt - a bit heavy but so good. The burger was cooked well done but still juicy. The toppings made the burger. The arepas was good too but the avocado sauce was out of this world. I would have liked a little heat in it but that is not for everyone. The yucca was tender and came with a cilantro mayo that was good on the fries too. Everything is recyclable or compostable - very little trash/waste! A huge plus! Nonetheless, it's all about the sauces here! Definitely we will be back! read more

If I could give it 0 stars I would!! The worst customer service possible. This is a place I used to love considering the food is pretty tasty and it's really close to my job.... however....after today I will NEVER Return again. Today when I went there I paid for my food and the girl at the register told me my card declined... odd but okay so I paid with another and left. Upon getting back to my desk I get two notifications on my phone, one is for EACH CHARGE TO MY DIFFERENT CARDS. Low and behold my card did not decline and I was charged twice. So I called the restaurant and explained what happened but do you think they cared... nope!! Instead they place blame elsewhere and ended things with saying I needed to call my own bank and tell them what happened rather then a simply apology and them giving my money back!! Or even just an apology !! I even offered to drive back up there and show them both statements but did they care absolutely not. So without a doubt I will NEVER be returning to this spot. To treat someone who is a repeat customer there has just left a bad taste in my mouth especially someone who has offered you proof of your mistake. Disgusting Update: I did return to On the Hill Cafe' and this time I did have a better customer experience. The food is still great so I did change my review. The precious experience left a horrible taste in my mouth but I guess the good food can have me look past it for now. Especially since it's cooked fresh and is one of the healthier options around. read more

Okay so this is one of those snotty college coffee places. The food is good and socially and politically correct, however the downsides are huge. They don't take American Express. Okay I get a lot of places don't like those fancy amEx cards but this is friggin Baltimore. No excuses. Second, it's the blackboard menu and literally today I was looking at the menu made my decision and ordered breakfast at 11:04 am only to be told breakfast ends at 11:00. Well I'm glad we were able to avoid the complete anarchy of a breakfast four minutes past the cutoff. Seriously most of the staff is either condscending or pretty dim (for college kids, I know right?). read more

On the Hill Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Two Words: Tamale Cakes. Get it with the chicken. Life changer! I've only have TCs from OTHC, but everything else looks pretty good. There is relative few seats in this small cafe, compared to its popularity. But, the staff and service is swift. I always order ahead and the food is always fresh and hot/ read more

I have been going to on the Hill since I moved to Bolton Hill a year ago and I must say, the food is excellent! The burgers are super tasty, and paired with the paprika seasoned fries, perfection. Their breakfast is the bomb and they are my go to spot for coffee and burritos- this is what keeps me going back again and again. That being said, in my experience the service is bad. Now, I've been a store manager for a successful retail chain for several years now, so I may be being sensitive, but It bugs the crap out of me that every time I order here, it seems annoy and inconvenience the staff. I get it- most of their customers are MICA students, and I'm sure that they constantly deal with college kids being college kids, and I've even seen some entitled hipster adults lose their mind about stupid stuff in there before (oh my god! One of MY hairs is in my coffee- I want a new one)- I however, am NOT a college student, and have done nothing but try to be very friendly and patient as I'm being treated like I'm below everyone who works on the other side of the bar. I even tried to flag down the guy who made my drink once to tell him it was the best latte I ever had and he looked at me like I was insane. I know that it is a small, busy coffee shop, but this is NOT the norm. There is ONE girl there that is there in the mornings from what I've seen who is super nice and actually remembers my name, which is nice seeing as I've been there two or three times a week for the last year and doesn't treat me like a second class citizen. Go to on the Hill, because even though it really is slightly overpriced, the food and drinks are totally worth it. Just make sure you go in there, know exactly what you want, don't ask questions, and try not to make direct eye contact with the staff because they are WAY too busy communicate with you. read more

This place is very close to home so I've gotten food here often. Every experience has been pretty good, but I guess every time can't be perfect as last night was the first disappointment. One my way home I called in an order for the tamale cakes with chicken and got there about 8 minutes later. My order was already waiting by the register when I got there. Took literally two minutes to drive home and park. And sat down to eat to find my food wasn't even remotely warm. Cold, dry corn cakes has the ability to make you sad. But it was freezing outside so I didn't feel like taking it back and battling with them so I just tossed it in the microwave with tons of butter for add moisture. Still yummy but I rather have hot, fresh food. read more

On the Hill Cafe - Love the Naked selection - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I absolutely love this place. My go to spot for just about anything, from a cup of coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am a big supporter of small businesses that are active in the community as well as serving good high quality food that is organic. It is also a plus to know that the turkey and beef products that are served in their hamburgers do not carry any hormones, which is a big selling point for me. Also with the burgers you have a option to choose beef, turkey or make your burger vegetarian as well. My fave go to burger is the mojo burger. I will for warn you, this is a small neighborhood cafe so seating is very limited, especially on the weekends, and when MICA is in session. But it clears out really fast, thanks to the efficient staff. So timing is of the essence. read more

Good enough would be the title of this review. A few things to be aware of: 1. Free street parking (+1 star in my book) 2. Hipster ambiance - if you're not wearing skinny jeans, blocky glasses with tousled hair (either sex) and a three day shadow (males), you will be stared at. 3. Really good music (+1 star) 4. Floors that get exceeding slippery with a minimal amount of moisture outside 5. Number of places to sit inside and eat can be counted on both hands 6. Food is okay, nothing special. I guess I am spoiled by the Towson Diner, but I do like a side with my meal. 7. Coffee was decent (didn't suck) - (+1 star). All in all, temper your expectations and you won't be disappointed. If you stroll in dripping of hipster angst, you may even exceed your expectations. read more

People are right about his place: amazing food, snarky service. But to me, it was endearingly snarky, rather than being actually rude. The sandwiches are delicious, fresh, and creative. The bread they come on is really amazing. Tiny space inside (typical corner rowhouse size), so don't go with a large group. Also, GET THE PLANTAINS! Trust me on that one. read more

Its great but you guys are getting a little oily and greasy! Careful! Don't slip up.... Also removing a star for the very unpleasant woman who comes in sometimes who keeps her real estate sales cards at the front counter. Very unpleasant lady. Sad. read more

Burger/sandwich: extremely oily, the meat is like old grandma's socks. Without spreading them out flatly and evenly, they threw the entire avocado in the burger like a glove grasping a baseball. Salad: romaine leaves and romaine leaves and olives with a little bit other veggies. read more

Caitlin's right on for the most part. In addition, they actually make a fairly decent Vietnamese spring roll and coconut flan. Sandwiches range from $6-$7.50 and it comes with chips. Add a drink and tip and you're at about $10-$11. The pork sandwich is actually my favorite though the hummus with roasted eggplant comes in a close second. I do love the outdoor seating but you have to fight for it during lunch. My advice if you can't find seating outside and don't want to sit inside (like I usually do), take your sandwich to go and hunt down one of the many quaint little parks in the neighborhood and enjoy. The hill of the Station building (the old one with the big watchtower) is one of my favorites though there are a couple on Bolton or Park closer by. PS: They are now open for dinner! YAY!!!!!!! read more

I've loved On the Hill since before I actually lived in Baltimore. I don't eat beef so I always love a place that serves veggie burgers. On the Hill's veggie burgers aren't just those flat, bland, Morningstar frozen patties though - it's of the flavorful black bean variety. The fries and pomegranate lemonade are definite plusses as well. While I enjoy the quesadilla, it'd be cool if there weren't *quite* as many onions - I've felt like they were actually the main ingredient before, and I don't think that's what they're going for. There is free wifi, but it only lasts an hour. If you don't want to pay for a bottle of water, you have to ask for a glass of water at the counter when you order, which wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't make the counter clerk roll their eyes both when you order it and if you have the audacity to ask for a refill, or god forbid - ice. This is the reason I only give this awesome cafe 4 stars - customer service. While I've had some very friendly people wait on me there, I have also had my credit card snatched and tossed back at me like it was trash, been scoffed at and treated in a manner that I can only describe as catty and condescending. I'm a waitress myself, so it's particularly disheartening when this kind of thing happens. Come for the food, hope you get treated kindly. read more

A lovely neighborhood cafe in Bolton Hill. We especially like dropping by for a quick breakfast of dark coffee and an almond croissant (from Bonaparte Breads) or apple carrot muffin. Ideal to get there early since they might run out of pastries. It gets really busy during lunch. Unfortunately not a great place to work/study due to limited space and the distracting smell of burgers (would recommend the Mojo burger if you give in). They print you a receipt with a password for internet, which lasts for one hour. Overall, delicious coffee and pastries with a great neighborhood feel. One of the many reasons I love Bolton Hill. read more

This is the type of place we need more of in Baltimore. The menu has grown in the past three or so years and they are now open for dinner. All of their sandwich offerings are rock solid. Something for everyone. The daily soup(s) are fantastic. They do coffee drinks and also have soda's ect. They are fast, but I would recommend getting their early during lunch hour as it seems the locals have certainly caught onto a good thing. read more

We've never eaten in the restaurant, just ordered through grubhub but this is one of my favorite places in bmore. Everything my roommates and I have ordered from here is delicious. I don't know of any other places around here serving this style of food. My favorites are the Beans Rice Plantains and the Cachapas. So yummy! The 3 times we've ordered through grubhub has been a breeze. Definitely give it a try! read more

I really wanted to like this place. The menu has so much potential but it fell way short of expectation. It's a small hipster-type cafe in Bolton Hill. I didn't have much trouble parking but that may be because I was there mid-day on a Friday. The service was fine, nothing spectacular or notable about it. I ordered the Jordan Burrito "unboxed", which just means it's an deconstructed burrito--in a box with no tortilla. But it was not good, it was a big clump of white rice at the bottom with black beans, salsa, slightly runny guacamole and a bunch of Monterrey Jack cheese. I didn't even eat half of it. I also ordered the plantanos con queso and it came out with clumps of cheese on top and was room temperature and its supposed to be a hot dish. Ordered a caramel latter and it was fine--nothing notable about it. The prices are on the more expensive side, it was $23 for my burrito, plantain and a latte. I will say I saw some others food as it was coming out and it looked really good. Maybe it was just what I ordered that wasn't the best. But I'm not sure I'm convinced enough to come back. read more

On the Hill Cafe - Jordan Burrito (boxed) & plantanos con queso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I am a person who will spend $4+ on a Starbuck's concoction because there's almost no place else in this city to get a flavored latter that doesn't taste like day old coffee with hot milk. Almost... This place has solid coffeehouse drinks at solid prices. A small flavored latte is about $2.50. A small coffee is $1.75. I can't comment on the food, but the soy lattes are out of this world. My hero is the Honey Vanilla. An added bonus: On the Hill is open until 9pm on Sundays if you need a little pick-me-up or a snack. read more

My girlfriend and I stopped off the highway for a quick bite. The food was amazing, the drinks were good, and the barista was very helpful and friendly :) I got a Lafayette and my girlfriend got a mcmechen. Both excellent. read more