Food was very good. Would like to try it again. Would give it a 5 star. But my vision is not all that great. Very dark in the dining room

I have been there many times since the first week opened. Loved it. Never a complaint. Lately I'm wondering what has changed. My last three visits have been very disappointing. Honestly one of the worst steaks ever had. I want expecting steak house quality, but certainly expected something better than what was received. Burgers rock though. :) Have been there once since going to curbside/pick up service and though I'd try again. Will maybe try again in a few months, but not sure read more

Service was amazing but the food was lacking flavor and the dessert was just ok but tolerable. We wanted to like it so much but it didn't work out for us. L read more

Incredible upscale experience. Food, wine, service impeccable. Also serves for a casual experience. (Need a designated driver)

Great food, great wine pairings, awesome service by Eric! We have had Eric multiple times!

Did not get Complimentary bread or starter starch but you get a well prepared meal. I've wanted to try here and came during restaurant week ( by chance) The meals are uniquely made with a twist such as the salad or traditional like the creme brûlée. The wines are up to you, they have anything you want. Service is good and there is a care as to how your experience is. Will return during regular dining time and full menu price. read more

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We've eaten at, no dined (much better, more descriptive word) at Pairings many times; three this December alone and have been quite remiss because we've not written a review until now. We decided to celebrate 2014 New Years Eve here for a late night dinner and New Year's toast. Unlike the normal menu which has à la carte selections as well as the 4 and 5 course prix fixe with or without wine pairings, the New Year's Eve menu was only a 5 course dining experience with wine pairing (see pic). Our reservation was for 10:15pm and we arrived at 10. The hostess checked on our table and returned promptly very apologetically stating that the couple there was just starting their dessert course. She offered us each complimentary flutes of champaign and asked us if we minded waiting a little bit. When the hostess came to seat us, she again apologized stating that they planned 2 hours for each seating. From our point of view, Pairings managed the customer flow excellently as there were only 3 parties waiting on seating at 10:30 despite being totally full, which means they didn't over book or underestimate dining time. Some people just take longer to eat than others. The entire staff was polite, worked well together, and the flow was like a well oiled precision machine. The food is a masterpiece of art, stimulating your senses of sight, smell, and taste; last night was no different. Our 1st course we both had the sausage lentil soup, our 2nd Sheri had the Charred Tomato and Mozzarella salad, and I had the Orange and Cranberry salad; our 3rd, we both had the mushroom gnocchi (which was divine, but left me wanting for more mushrooms), for our main course Sheri had the Beef Medallion on polenta, and I had the succulent Quail on potatoes, and for desert Sheri had the Flourless chocolate torte, and I had the Blood orange sorbet. My review is based on their dinner service over multiple experiences, and sure there were a couple of bloopers, but our wait staff and the chef have always made it right!! You don't don't eat here for a quick meal, but you dine here for the experience to tantalize your senses. Pairings is an example of a unique dining experience you will want to enjoy many times over. They do not disappoint, and we'll continue to come back tone and again!!! read more

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I chose to follow the wine pairing suggestions with the foods on the menu, the descriptions were all correct and really brought out the flavors in the meals. I started with the cream of crab soup and the paired wine, which was good but needed more crab meat and less shells. We also got the truffle fries, which I do not recommend. we could not even taste the truffle oil and they were very dry. The space is very confined and the tables are very close to one another, so it's not a great place for a private date. The service was impeccable, he really knew he menu and had great suggestions. read more

Pairings Bistro - A huge selection of wines and premium beers and ciders. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

We have been coming to Pairings multiple times since they opened. Typical experience was first rate however latest dinner was disappointing. Grilled romaine we always look forward to was soaked with water and tasteless. Filet was over done and tough. Fish entree taste and presentation was mediocre. Atmosphere and service was good, consistent with previous visits. We will return hoping this visit was an off night. read more

I just went here for lunch and even though my intial dish that I ordered turned out to be a fluke, I do not take stars off for that... I think the food would make this place a 3.5 star, but I thought I would round up because I like everything else about this place. hidden away from the main strip mall (Festival) this restaurant is a diamond in the rough. Atmosphere: the restaurant is quite small, but it also has a tasting room off to the side. The seating area is nicely decorated with large bottles of wine sitting along the wall for purchase. The walls are painted in a Tuscan yellow color with a marbled effect giving the place a nice warm feel against the dark grey bar when you walk in. The bar is also functions as the front desk when you walk in.. It's small, but it works. Food: The menu has great wine and food pairings and some of the menu items sound deicious - I loved the Cream of Crab Soup presentation The spoon held a few pieces of Colossal Lump Crab meat on the spoon and a small carafe of sherry to add to the soup and an angular cut pieces of baguette to dip. The entire plaate was dusted in Old Bay The soup was deliciously creamy and the sherry carafe added to it made it a little less rich which was GOOD in my case. The Seared rare Tuna BLT on French pullman bread was great. The tuna was cooked perfectly and delicious. The acoompanying salad had a djion-based Balsamic vinagrette with roasted veggies that was great. This dish actually my second choice, but because my first choice, the Prince Edward Island Mussels with Belgian Ale, shallots, bacon & bleu cheese had mussels with green bellies that tasted extremely off and bitter. Service: The service was prompt, attentive and polite. I discussed my issue with the mussels and she went directly to the chef and It was immediately taken off my bill and I was offered a second choice WITH a discount. The table next to mine was a little bit crabby about their food coming slowly, but I was fully aware that some of their food items would take some time to make (risotto). This place really takes the time with every dish.. they make it all from scratch - this really makes a difference. I plan on going back for dinner sometime soon and trying out more dishes - or maybe even their wine Flutes =) read more

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Pairings, what happened? The last couple of times we have been here, there have been some missteps with both service and food that caused me to wonder if my original review a couple of years ago was merely a fluke. Last night was the last straw. Between a four-course meal taking 3.5 hours to finish (and not in a good way, since the restaurant was NOT busy) and the food being generally not good, it would be a tough sell for us to return. Here are my gripes in a nutshell: Roasted Fall vegetable pot pie - menu says purple + orange sweet potato, mushroom duxelles, peas, pearl onions, carrots, fennel. What came? The vegetable saute that accompanied the steak (zucchini and red pepper primarily) that was in some kind of tasteless watery brownish sauce and hidden under a top crust. Given the fact that we waited almost 35 minutes for dinner alone, I assume they must have run out of the pot pie and someone just whipped this up in a pinch thinking we wouldn't notice? Might have gotten away with it if whoever was cooking knew how to make a bechamel or a veloute sauce. The local farm raised steer selection last night was a T-bone steak. What came? A bone-on New York Strip. There was, literally, no tenderloin portion to the steak. It appeared that it had been cut away as part of the presentation. For an upcharged menu item, that is completely unacceptable. If I wanted to be really nit-picky: the corn cake was a glorified piece of cornbread roll, the french onion soup had more bread and cheese than soup and they served the flourless chocolate cake straight out of the refrigerator-it was stone cold -- hey, cool is okay, close to frozen..not so much. The service - because of the issues with the pot pie particularly, I waited patiently for our waiter to appear...that didn't happen for nearly 15-20 minutes after the food had been served. Our dining companions had eaten half their food by the time ANY staff person wandered back into the room. And, even then, I had to flag the waiter over to tell him about the problem. The solution, no main meal for me and we moved on to dessert. The waiter did take the pot pie dinner off our bill. Here's the deal, Pairings. When I'm spending that kind of money at your restaurant, attention to detail and service matters! You are in the business of making food as you describe on your menu, Do you have a manager that works there? When that pot pie went back, a manager should have been alerted and come out to our table for a chat. Like I said, given the fact that the last couple of times we have dined at Pairings the food and service have been less than stellar, I'm thinking my original meals and service that I "yelped" about were actually an exception rather than the standard. Either that or you have become complacent. Complacency in the restaurant business is a sure-fire recipe for the slippery slope to closure. It needn't be that way. read more

Upper end restauraunt in the area, with a fantastic kitchen that whips up amazingly presented and tasting food. Its known for wine and has a full stocked bar, storeroom, etc, but since I'm not 21 I can't (legally) try all of that, yet. I can however tell you about the food, and its LIT. Opted for a 4 course meal at $47 with a $18 upcharge for the entree NY Strip steak. Calamari was crispy and the sauce was tasteful. Cream of Crab Soup was creamy and fulfilling, moderate amount of crab meat in a flavorful and creamy stock. NY strip steak was argueably the best tasting steak I had in maryland, even better than Fogo De Chaos meats. Flourless chocolate cake was good, it was pretty much a brownie to my tastebuds. Can't really complain about anything here except the wait time, waited literally 30minutes between each course. Thats pretty slow, Pairings. You can't rush perfection, but you can't be lazy either. read more

Pairings Bistro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

Where to start. Make a reservation for sure. My wife and I were here on a Friday night to celebrate our anniversary. We've been here before. But it's been a while. The wine was good. The food was middle of the ride. But it was so loud we couldn't hear each other talk and we could not hear the waitress. I don't think we'll be back. It was not enjoyable. read more

Last year, I happened to stumble upon this restaurant and my husband and I ended up dining here for our wedding anniversary. The food was really delicious and I just absolutely loved their french onion soup! Since the first impression was really good, I took my mom and sister to try out this place with me. When I got there, the place was pretty empty for a sunday evening. They had a Sunday Supper prefix menu too. I ended up getting their four course prefix menu with the wine pairings. Reminded of the delicious french onion soup, I was ready to order that when the waitress said they were out for the night. Ahh! I was highly disappointed but the cream of crab soup was good. The grilled pork chop did not have much flavor and my entree was just plain in taste and plating. For $57 bucks for dinner, I thought it would wow me like the last time but it was a disappointment. At least I got to go home with some bottles of wine with a 10% discount for dining in. Small wine store in the restaurant but a descent collection of wines. read more

Unfortunately Pairings Bistro went from a nice little intimate place to Pairings Pub where you can't even have a quiet conversation due to the music and Rowdy crowd in the new (moved) bar area. Once our favorite place for anniversaries etc. Now we found someplace else and won't be back. I don't think the food quality is the same. read more

Went here with the family. The three of us ordered the grilled salmon, the free range chicken, and the beef medallions. Honestly, they were all really good! The salmon was the family favorite though. As for the service: it was also quite good. Kate M, our server, took our orders promptly and, when I asked what she recommended, she asked if we shared our food and, seeing that my dad got the chicken and my mom the salmon, she suggested the beef medallions. It was very thoughtful. I also asked her to help me pick a desert and the creme brûlée was lovely. Atmosphere: The music playing went from Ray Charles' I Got A Woman to Glenn Miller's Moonlight and other soft swing hits. It's not spacious but it's cramped-just cozy. I wasn't wow'd but this place was definitely pleasant and above average. Wish. Could give if a 4.5? But since there was absolutely nothing wrong with my experience, I'll give it a 5. We're not really wine people but I also heard that this place has a good selection. read more

Pairings Bistro - Very good crème brûlée. Probably a 4/5 for most people? - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

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H O L Y MOLEY!! Guys, grab your girls and go on date night to Pairings IMMEDIATELY! The service is astounding! It's like you're the long lost friend coming over for dinner and drinks. The waitress we had made me feel like very comfortable when discussing wines. I know nothing other than they come from grapes. I know what I like and don't like and from our quick conversation she was able to provide THREE choices. She knew exactly which of the three I'd like too! Dinner was ... W O W! Y'all think you've had a caprese salad, but you haven't u til you tried it the Pairings way. The pasta melts in your mouth. Every single flavor is present! I only wish I had room for dessert to tell you what it was like. read more

My friend and I went here to celebrate our birthdays! What a fun experience! Double bonus the food is amazing from start to finish. We did the 4 course with wine pairings. You just order the food you want and it comes with the wine that goes well with it. We had so much fun. This can be a fun ladies night spot or a beautiful date spot. I also feel earlier in the night you can totally bring older children (I would take my 13 year old here) . As the night goes on into 630/7ish or later I'd say it's more date & friend date vibes than family dinner. I can't wait to go back!!! Our waitress was awesome too! read more

I've never had a bad experience here. I always go here for business lunches a few times a month. I am always greeted with the most welcoming hostess and the servers are always top notch! Their french onion soup is the best in the area! read more

Pairings Bistro - Mussels. There are so many...and they're DELICIOUS! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

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Slow service. Very slow. It shouldn't be a 2 hour ordeal to eat a steak and salad on a Saturday night during COVID at a restaurant that's only 75% filled. And if it is the steak should have been brought to the table piping hot. No complaints on the food though. I didn't order dessert b/c I felt it would be another 30+ minutes to get a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. read more

We had a late dinner here at a table near the bar. Our server was very attentive and offered great wine suggestions. My boyfriend and I both had three courses with pairings, I started with the butternut squash soup which I wasn't crazy about. The caesar salad and gnocchi were both good though. I also enjoyed the cheesecake. Overall it's a nice place, especially for a date night. read more

Let me start with the bad. Do not order the shrimp and grits if u are expecting some good hot flavorful comfort food. I haven't had good luck with grits in MD. The grits were may be room temp and the shrimp was ice cold? And if that's not weird enough it's drizzled with some kinda tangy bbq sauce...... that being said the place still has plenty of great food the ambiance is great. The service was exceptional. I think the lobster Mac n cheese and the mahi mahi are a must try. Lastly I will tell u I spent some time in Greece and I've never had lamb in the US this good. It was amazing!!!! I look forward to going back. read more

Pairings Bistro - shrimp & Grits - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

Top notch service. Marvelous seasonal farm-to-table menu using wonderful local produce and seafood. Bartenders were incredibly knowledgeable and creative. Wine selection was great!! My husband thoroughly enjoyed the succulent moist chicken over traditional gnocchi (Thomas Keller's recipe) tossed in a brandy duxelle mushroom sauce. I had ordered the rockfish (aka striped bass) topped with lemon sauce, jumbo scallops, and crab meat. To tell you my dinner was exquisite just does not suffice, but it is the best I can tell you. You will have to go and try it for yourself. read more

Disappointing experience at Pairings. We had high hopes because the charcuterie board was fantastic - they have a nice selection of cheeses, and while they only offer 2 meats, both were excellent (a salami and a prosciutto). In retrospect the three of us should have each just ordered our own board and called it a night. Everything that followed was subpar. One diner's beet salad was bland. An order of shrimp and grits arrived with a pool of liquid floating on top of the grits. The flavors were fine but the visual was unappetizing. Two flat breads looked like frozen pizzas. Small, pre-formed round dough (I feel like a flatbread should be oblong for some reason!) with uninspiring toppings - for $14 a piece. We sat outside in the enclosed patio, and while it was comfortable, our table was on sidewalk slant which made one diner feel like she was falling backwards the entire time. Not sure how to fix that, other than to sacrifice the table. The overall experience was quite pricey for what we got. We did like our server though. He was attentive and helpful. It's not enough to get us to return though. read more

This delicacy soothed my tongue very fine. I'm only 5 years of age, although they served me all their fiiiiiinest alcoholic beverages. yeah i guess you could say i'm quite famished read more

Food is tasty, but portions are small for my husband's BIG appetite. Prices are a bit high for what you are getting.

Really great experience to celebrate two birthdays (incidentally also our first time here). Food was very good--by all means go for the food, don't be turned off if you're not a wine person. read more

I approve. The taste and flavor profile can compete with the best. The service is on point. The ambience is wonderful. A Bel Air Gem.

Consistently excellent food with healthy locally seasonal ingredients. Fabulous service. Lovely ambiance. Thanks.

One of my favorites of all time and my two favorites in the Belair area. Love the menu although it would be nice if they had rotating specials. The cocktails are always amazing, great happy hour and love Shannon and Juan at the bar. The fries can't be beat and the wine selections are usually spot on. We almost always end up with a bottle or two to go. read more

What a gem in belcamp! Highlights included my fantastic pork belly dish, decent portion sizes in general, great service and a good wine selection! We came with a group of 10 and Kathy waited on us. Other popular dishes included the scallops, the chicken and the baked Brie appetizer. We had the kith and kin Cabernet and that didn't disappoint either! I will be back for sure! read more

SUMMARY: Excellent 4-star dinner place. Small space. An excellent décor transformation of a strip mall space. For Baltimore area ... this is a 5 star restaurant. VISIT AGAIN?: Yes. ... Would come back for just one item from our dinner (entrée, salad, appetizer, soup, or glass of wine). TIPS: Make reservations. PROs: 30+ wines by the glass. Nowhere in the Baltimore area have we seen such a selection. Salads, appetizers, and entrees are all excellent bistro fare. CONs: Small space, they've done all they can with a strip mall location. NOTES: Although described as a Tapas-Bar, the menu and portions are French Bistro (not Tapas "appetizer" size, selection, or Spanish emphasis). PRICE: $$$$ ... Typical entrées: $27+, salads $9+, appetizers $11+, soups $8+. Typical three course dinner + 1 glass of wine for ONE = $70+. read more

So, I came to Pairings Bistro with my wife for her birthday on a Tuesday night. Ian was our server. All I can say is that the service started out awful. The waiter (Ian) was poorly dressed shirt untucked, needed a shave, and his hair was -- lets just say looked like he just woke up from a 16 day meth binge in a bathroom in a subway station. As we were seated I heard the manager ask a server "will someone please take 7" which I can only imagine was our table. I ordered an initial glass of wine that was delivered and had a fruit fly in it, however Ian did not come to check on us, I had to stand up and ask a different server for help. Ian delivered a new glass of wine and the glass was dirty, I did not complain about that. I then told him we were ready to order and he said "okay"and walked away, when he returned I said in a joking manner "I thought you forgot about us" he replied "Yeah, I heard you".... I'm so pissed I don't even want to continue with this review. Ok so the first course (soup) came out and it was very good the Butternut Squash soup and the Crab soup paired with wine, was very good. The next course was the Shrimp and Grits absolutely amazing. I then went with the lamb chops which were delicious (however there was a long black hair on the plate that wasn't noticed until after the portion was complete), a sad way to end such a good dinner. My wife's meal the crispy scallops was forgettable and a pass in the future. Over all the food was good, the Servers need consistency and to be cleaned up. I don't want to be at a restaurant of this caliber and look at my server like wow is he out back getting stoned when he disappears for 16 minutes at a time. read more

Pairings Bistro - Lamb Chops - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

Had such a lovely evening with Eileen Rice of Parings Bistro Catering. We enjoyed the charcuteri board and some fresh fish served perfectly in a lemon beurre blanc. No room for dessert for us, but the Old Fashioned was aromatic and an absolute treat! Thanks for a great night. Can't wait to see you at your next catered event at La Banque de Fleuve! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Hartford County. I have been here many times but do not frequent it all the time due to the fact that it can get a bit pricey when you enjoy food and wine as much as I do. I need to take advantage of some of their specials such as Sunday suppers. Usually when I go to Pairings, I will either order a full meals with all the courses and matched wine pairings or order several appetizer type dishes which allows us to sample a bit f everything. The wait staff is always outstanding. I have even made special requests to incorporate flavors from one dish into another, which was welcomed so much by the chef that he stopped by our table to hear our opinions on how it came out. It is clear they care about their food and are always trying new things, which I appreciate. read more

Haven't been in area for business for quite some time. So glad yo come back to Pairings Bistro as food andcservice always fantastic! 3 course Prix Fixe for $39 can't be beat with so many selections. Live the crab bisque but tried Cream of Brussels Sprouts Soup for first time and it was great. The Cajun Mussels also fantastic. Last, the duck was perfect too. I'm stuffed. During happy hour in bar area, discount drinks including half prices glasses of all wine (6 oz pours only)! Great selection of wines to choose too. The service was fantastic and server could have been more accommodating! Hope to be back again for work soon! read more

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My girlfriend and I celebrated Valentine's Day there on Friday the 12th. We have been there before, and we usually go with the prix fixe - which is absolutely oustanding - but we decided to go with just the dinner instead this time. We both opened with the cream of crab soup, which was as good as it usually is. It comes with the crab lump on a side plate, which is a good size, but it could use a bit more. The soup itself, however, more than makes up for what it misses in heftiness. For dinner, I got the Chesapeake bouillabaisse, and that was quite good. The mussels had more flavor than I'm used to for a steamed shellfish. It also comes with crab claws. I'm usually into that, but when I'm at a nice place like Pairings, I would prefer to avoid getting my hands dirty. Next time, I'll probably go with one of the many better options. The service was fantastic as usual. Our server was responsive, friendly, and had a great feel for timing her visits to our table. I've been here before, and I'd absolutely come back again. read more

Service was great - food not so much. The hostess was very pleasant and did her job well. The restaurant was not too busy but even with our reservation we waited about 15 min to be seated. Our server was just the right amount of attentive. But I was a little surprised that a manager did not appear when both my husband and myself found multiple bones in our fish entree. I noticed the bones sticking out of my filet but my husband actually took 3 separate bites and found bones. Not the kind of mistake you'd expect from an upscale restaurant. Starters and salads were smallish and nothing special. Even dessert was so-so. Decor, tables/chairs, utensils were cheap. Two tables over a family brought in a crying infant and small child. Was hoping to enjoy this nearby restaurant but "meh" One Eleven on Main in Bel Air or Lib's Grill are better places to spend over $100 on a dinner date. read more

Food was OK, service was a bit slow but welcoming . The ambiance was nice, not catered to kids. Possibly we may come back. read more

Pairings Bistro - Lobster Mac and Cheese - Tapas Bars Near Me - Bel Air, Maryland

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Service is always fantastic, food came out great! It was a large party so some of the items were cold but it was all still awesome. Each dining room has its unique area and you can eat at any 5 spots and still enjoy a wonderful meal with your guest. The concept of matching each dish with a drink is excellent. Pricey but reasonable for what you get read more