Went there with a friend for the margaritas and the 20% off. Small place with bar at the front, hard to go through the restaurant. We had cocktails, I ordered a supposed "martini" that just tasted like chocolate sour milk, very disappointing, but food was pretty good. Good idea having Angus meat and crab cake in the same dish, I really loved the food and specially the fries. So to sum up, bad drinks, good food, so so atmosphere read more

Had my drink rip out of my hand by an aggressive bouncer. I was not able to finisher my drink and the bouncer who thinks he is a tough guy continued to rip drinks out of people's hands. He did not have a uniform either. If I pay for a drink, I am going to finish it. I will never return to this establishment as no other establishment would treat their guest like this. Your job is service, not cheat people out of their drinks as they paid right before 1:30 am. Seriously, who does that? Been to plenty of bars/establishments who have been much more respectable. If you're gonna do last call, make sure you patrons cans finish their drinks before some tough bouncer rips it out of their hands. read more

Stayed in fells point for 3 days with friends. Went to a lot of bars. Without a doubt had the best time in the riptide bar. Bartenders were the best we saw. Both were experienced and know how to take care of their customers. Outstanding service. Visited sat night 6/2 read more

Made our reservations to the small restaurant on a Saturday evening prior and were seated upon arriving. It's a busy area so I'm sure it saved us a lot of time. Crab dip was tasty - next time I'll ask for just the bread to go with it instead of the bread/chip combo. The salmon was great and my wife enjoyed how light the fish tacos were. Our servers were very friendly and fast. The only reason I have to ding a star is because the drinks we bought (pineapple sangria and something passion fruit) were pretty disappointing and pricey for what we got. read more

I first must say that I have never, ever in my life had the experience I had here. Our group of 5 came in around ~7:40 PM and were seated in the back dining area. We quickly ordered a bottle of wine, a few beers and a soda. Our original server was replaced with a man who seemed very friendly. We gave our drink orders again and off he went, promising to come back for our food orders. 20 minutes later, nothing. I went to search for him and found him deep in conversation in the bar, so I flagged down the bus boy and asked him if he could grab our server. It wasn't overly busy either. About 5 minutes after that, our server returned with an attitude as well. The 4 of us who ordered burgers even wrote it on the burger sheet they gave us, reiterated it to him and off he went. At 8:50 PM, an order shows up. I say "an order" because not a single burger was what anyone at my table ordered and I didn't even get an order, messed up or otherwise! I asked anyone who would listen where my food was, they said that I didn't order anything. I asked them to bring the server over, he told me to hold on and took another 5 minutes getting his check. At this point he showed me that I had no order but he offered to place a new one. After over an hour of waiting, I politely declined to which he got angry and started complaining and yelling. I responded telling him that what I would like is to eat in a timely manner, so I think we'd all just like our check so we can leave. He went over to the other side to ask how the rest of our tables food was and they told him: completely wrong. At this point the server, who's name I wish I knew, yelled, stormed off while kicking the wall on his way out. I have never seen someone in this industry have such a violent outburst. The entire dining room went silent and were in awe. I then asked to speak to a manager which took another 15 minutes. When she finally showed up, she said "sorry the other girl was slammed and your server is actually normally a bartender!" This is not how apologies work, I highly recommend some training (and firing) At this point we asked for our check, again. She gave us 50% off and walked away. Upon looking at the bill, I noticed we were charged for an item no one ever ordered at our table. I couldn't find the manager, so they sent over the same, violent server back to the table. He copped another attitude but eventually took it off. I just can't believe the level of incompetence at this restaurant. I am a server myself and even though the restaurant I work in is by no means high end, if I or any of the staff ever acted in such a way, they would be fired on the spot. We are a group of neighborhood residents who are heavily involved in the area and dine there at least once a month after our meetings. I can say with 100% certainty, we won't be going back or recommending this place anymore. Please, for the love of your business, retrain and hire some new staff. This is not how hospitality works. You don't apologize and blame the customers for your failings. read more

Great food. So that's what counts. A little loud, and the beer selection is pretty bad.

Good drinks at reasonable prices, great food and a fun atmosphere! When the weather is nice enough I love this place for drinks and dinner outside. They have really excellent tacos. Of all of the trendy places in Fells, this one usually seems the least overcrowded and definitely the least pretentious. read more

TERRIBLE SERVICE AND DIDN'T HAVE SEAFOOD. WORST EXPERIENCE AT A RESTAURANT EVER. Here's what happened: Had a reservation for Valentine's Day dinner. -They sat us in the worst spot in the bar area next to the door (freezing cold)---even though everyone else who had a reservation got to sit in the dining room. -Their steamer apparently broke so they couldn't make crab or shrimp or any other fresh seafood, which was the ONLY reason we were there. -They were not accommodating whatsoever, said they would give us a "discount" for our troubles. They gave us one beer for free. Not one for each of us... One between the both of us. Looks like from past reviews other people have gone when they didn't have any crab or oysters either, who is managing this place??? read more

Came here with a group of 6 after Sunday's Indycar race. Wasn't anticipating to be blown away, but that, I was. I have finally found legitimate crab mac and cheese. It was amazing . . . conspicuous crab pieces, rich cheddar, flavorful bacon. Worth the $15. I sampled the mahi mahi tacos as well, very delicious. I did notice it was quite hot inside and we had to ask the waitress to turn on the fan. Also there were flies everywhere - a little unfortunate. My friends sitting on the benches were very uncomfortable and kept complaining that their legs hurt. The prices were fair and the waitress was attentive. I look forward to coming here again. read more

Eh not ever impressed by coming in here! Cheap beer grumpy service and shit food...what more can one ask for

I am in love with this place. I stumbled across it while strolling along Baltimore and the great music drew me in. Hospitality was right in point. Food was TERRIFIC. Their crab cake sliders are addictive. Crab mac and cheese was sublime. Lobster ravioli....to die for. The highlight however are the crab cakes which are the best I have tasted since coming to this state. I HIGHLY recommend this little bar by the water. You will not regret it. read more

My friends had less than 24 hours in the Baltimore area and they wanted me to take them to get Maryland blue crabs. If you've read any of my reviews that relate to fish, you know I have a shellfish allergy so it's pretty amusing that they depended on me to show them where the real deal was for crabs. At least in Baltimore city, it was surprisingly difficult to find places that served blue crabs. Thanks to Yelp and some recommendations from people in the area, I came across Riptide by the Bay. The reviews seemed pretty good & they had the crabs my friends were looking for plus non-shellfish food that I could eat. It's right in Fells Point just passed the main square. We had made a reservation, but because of traffic related to the O's game we were about 30 minutes late.We called in advance to let them know about our dilemma, and when we arrived we were still able to be seated within 10-15 minutes. I had ordered a Watermelon jalapeño margarita while we waited at the bar & that was delicious. I thought it was gonna be super spicy because of the fresh jalapeños and seeds floating around in it, but it wasn't too bad. I also drank it through a straw so that may have made a difference. When we got to our table, my friends ordered their blue crabs and I ordered the swordfish skewers. Our server wasn't the best at explaining the different sizes of the crabs, but they still managed to order enough to satisfy them. When the crabs arrived, I amusingly tried to show my friends how to eat the crabs without actually touching them. Not an easy feat, but they tackled them like champs. The server came by later and asked if they needed a quick tutorial, but they were already far along. I still remember something from my crab-eating days! As for my swordfish skewers, they were very flavorful. The rice they served with it was good, but it was quite far from anything I'd consider Spanish rice. It was closer to a pilaf in my opinion, and there was nothing Spanish about it, unless the cilantro (mixed with pesto mind you) was supposed to count for something. We also had a side of polenta, which was really good. I had never had polenta before, but I really enjoyed this. Overall I'd say this was a really good experience if you want blue crabs or just fish in the Fells Point area. read more

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Hate to say but, ah not so good. Love a certain place in Little Italy but thought we would go outside of the box and try Fells Point. Tried a few other places on open table but they were all booked. Went with Rip Tide for a birthday celebration with our daughters and their husbands. First impression, college bar. Staff seemed to be ready for us with a table all set. Apitizer of steamed shrimp came out not fully cooked. Four of six dinners were ok, 2 crab cake dinners were the worst I have ever had. Seriously, I have to think there was something off this night. Other reviews were good but I have never been so dissapointed. Server tried her best but was obviously overwhelmed. Restroom was locked and no one ever offered that there was another on the second level. Will we ever go back.....I think not! read more

Amazing crab cakes and great service!!!! All around awesome experience. Highly recommend it!

Sadly, the grouper sandwich and half-dozen crabs we ordered here were bland. My boyfriend and I had to douse our sandwich with salt and pepper and ketchup to get SOME kind of taste to our meal. The crab arrived hot, but with no seasoning really. I had to go to the bar and ask for more Old Bay and butter. The crabs were a good size. The ONLY saving grace here is that the waiter (possibly owner?) was awesome. Friendly, helpful, and paid good attn to us...until that is when I had to chase him down for seasoning. The table next to us sat for 10 min without placing an order...I dunno. POOR MEAL + GREAT SERVICE = 2 stars read more

This is a great spot to hang out when looking for somewhere to eat or drink that is low key. If anyone knows Baltimore's nightlife there are neighborhoods that are flashy and trendy to hang out in. Fells Point also possesses some of those same characteristics but some of the bars and eateries are just a cool place to hang out. Riptide is one of them. You can go and grab a bite to eat and a beer and just chill. No crazy people or music. Just good food and beer. Some Fridays though they can have live music that is pretty cool to listen to. A good place to call a regular hang out. read more

Easiest 5 stars I have given in a while. One of the best meals I've had I a while. We got there during the evening rush on a Saturday on a weekend without a reservation and were told it would maybe be a 45 minute wait but they would try to squeeze us in ASAP. 5 minutes later we were being seated. We started off with some oysters which were really good. The. For my meal I got the fish tacos. I don't know what was in the guacamole on them, but it was perfect. I also got to try a bite of the burger/crab cake sandwich and both were excellent. Not a huge bar or a ton of draft beers, but it looked like they have a good cocktail list. The part we got to sit in was a retrofit back alley, which sounds gross, but was actually really cool. The service was friendly and prompt. I'm not sure when I'm going to be back I'm Baltimore again, but I would like to come back here when I do. read more

Well, the wait staff was really nice. (Long pause) Oh, and the atmosphere was cute. (Another long pause). Unfortunately, the food is the weak link. Had the Mahi Tacos which were... not bad, but not anything to write home about. However our appetizer, the warm crab dip, was almost inedible it was so salty. The coup de grace was the check at the end of the evening... we paid dearly for this less than mediocre experience. Never again. read more

Riptide was pretty good. We had crab dip, crab cakes, sea bass and lobster tail. Everything was good. The lobster tail was very good and included a twice baked potato. Both were small portions but the price was reasonable: $24. The crab cakes were good but a little more filling than I would have liked. Our friend's sea bass was very good and the portion was generous. The restaurant was very warm and the wait staff could not agree on who would wait on our table, which was a little confusing and awkward. Generally a young and energetic crowd. Fun atmosphere. We would consider returning. read more

I've heard the food is amazing. It's too bad we never got to try it because the lunchtime manager last Sunday (4/26) treats people so horribly. I had some friends in town for the first time from New York and wasn't counting on having to expose them to such unpleasantness when we were just trying to get some lunch and spend some money at local businesses. We'd heard the outside tables were first come, first serve. So we saw a table of 4 leaving and I walked in to see if we'd be allowed to take it. The kind gentleman inside - younger, seemed to be possibly a server or busser - was sweet and helpful and was trying to get the hostess's attention to help us out. The manager came sweeping in, in a tizzy as if the place was packed to the gills (PS there was hardly anyone in the place, they weren't busy enough to warrant a frenzied freak-out attitude) and berated this poor kid in front of all the customers saying things like "you don't know what you're talking about! you're just guessing at this point! just direct them toward the host station!" So maybe the kid was new, but at least he was being courteous and trying to help. So I went to the host station where everyone seemed confused and contradicting each other. Finally they said it was fine to take the table. One of my friends had already sat down to save our spot. I walked out and the manager was out there yelling at her. I explained that we were told to take the table. He yelled "not when it hasn't been wiped down yet!" and, referencing a couple of plastic water cups that had been left behind by the other guests "this is how things get spilled!" First of all, why is a "nice" restaurant using disposable glassware? Bad sign. Not environmentally cool. Second of all, if your guests don't mind that there are a couple cups on the table, why are you flipping out about it? It's not like someone wouldn't have come over and cleaned them up before we ordered. It wasn't a big deal. Third of all, you scream at your staff and you scream at your customers? Needless to say, we got up and left with a few choice words. We ended up at Bertha's instead and spent around $100. So, whoever owns this place should know the Sunday manager lost your business $100 that day. And I'm spreading the word - if that guy is there, my crew and I won't be. read more

The perfect gem for a day trip to Baltimore! After touring the aquarium for several hours, my boyfriend and I went looking for a cozy spot in Fell's Point with great food and yummy drinks -- not too stuffy and not too pub'y: Riptide was just right. Though we arrived very early on a December night, and most of the patrons were at booths in the back room, we decided to sit up-front in the charming and inviting bar area; luckily, the tunes were fabulous, the setting was inviting, fun and warm and the wait staff was just attentive enough. The cocktail menu was a delight. Most of their concoctions were surprises to our eyes, and at $8 a pop, much more affordable than the $12 minimum these days in the District. The Chesapeake Crush and Mojito were good enough for a second round. For an appetizer we ordered the crab dip. I would have given Riptide five stars, but as delectable as the flavoring was, it was just slightly too heavy to have more than a four or five swabs on pita bread. We both had the specialty: the high-tide sandwich, and I have to say, it might have been one of the best crab cakes I've ever had. The portion was massive and it was seasoned to perfection, with peppered fries and a light tartar sauce. As a Maryland native, I finished the plate wanting more, which is always an unexpected delight. Can't wait to return! read more

I got the Mahi tacos and they were extremely bland. The whole plate was the same color. The salsa had no flavor and the creamy sauce tasted like empty calories. I ended up being pretty envious of everyone else's food, though no one seemed overly satisfied with their meal. The cocktails were so-so. I wouldn't go back. read more

Went for crabs and burgers. Wednesday burger night for $5 dollars was awesome. Good burgers, variety of add on toppings for extra, comes with nice crispy fries. We also got a dozen crabs size large for $60 and shared among the table. The server was super friendly in helping us open the crabs and get every last piece of meat out of them. Honestly, not the best crabs I have had in Maryland, but decent enough. Also had cheap yuengling for $2.25 each which pairs great with crabs. Went with a large group and they were more than accommodating to us. read more

Came here for dinner and had a reservation but still had trouble getting a table. Be aware that they run out of a lot of stuff so our options were very limited. The fish and chips were okay, the batter didn't stick on the fish as well. That also goes for the calamari. The potato salad was pretty dry and was plain, definitely needed more seasoning. The chef was nice and they did play good music. Overall just wasn't a big fan of the food. read more

This restaurant is severely lacking in service & food. Our reservation was made to celebrate a birthday party. After confirming the reservation for 15 people at 8:00 p.m., we were led to believe our experience would be great. Upon arrival at 8 pm, we were told the kitchen closes at 8:30. This information was never disclosed when the reservation was made. Nevertheless, we proceeded to order (quickly). After a few minutes in the "dining area," we noticed that there was no heat on in the restaurant. We were told by our waiter the heat was turned as high as it would go. Bottom line-- there was NO HEAT on in that restaurant, so our entire party sat through dinner with coats & scarves on. After receiving our entrees, several people in our party noticed the shrimp and crab was sour/old, and could not be eaten. Another guest ordered a crab cake burger, but the crab cake was completely burnt on the bottom and again the crab was old. Our party mentioned this to the waiter (Brad), but nothing was done to correct the absolute service fail. I believe Brad was the only person working (bar & dining area) besides the kitchen. Riptide should be reported. Serving spoiled seafood is an absolute disservice and crime to paying customers. Moreover, having guests dine in an area with no heat is unheard of. You should be ashamed! After quick research, I discovered that Riptide was up for auction in December 2017, but the owners decided not to sell. This would explain the utter lack of quality service from this establishment. Horrible experience, and I intend to report. read more

Love this place. This is my first time here, and I really had a great time. My hubby and I ate here for our anniversary, and it was a great way to celebrate. The service is friendly and the ambience is casual and hip. Snow crab legs, five stars. Yum-city. Maryland blue crab, delish. But a little too much work. My hands ached after cracking six of those suckers. Wasn't too crazy about the seasoning, but NOT a deal-breaker, folks. Still come here. Finally, the best for last. Two things. Aweeeeeesome oysters. Five stars. And the Maryland Crab Bisque is a serious MUST. I popped one Lactaid, and basically one-shotted that mug of rich, savory goodness. There was more crab in that $7 dollar soup than the total crabs we ate tonight. This place is great. And Fells Point will make even the dullest person feel like the life of the party. read more

Our waiter must have been competing for the fastest waiter competition at the olympics. He was always taking our order as he was running away and never offered any suggestions...He would drop our food off and constantly run away...I ordered the steak( yes my mistake)and a side of crab cakes which i never rcvd and my gf ordered snow crab legs that were brownish and did not crack easily...You know the crabs are fresh when you can crack them in half without the crab crackers....our waiter was also cleaning the bathrooms with the same napkins that were used by customers. The tables are very sticky, we witnessed the staff remove the card board papers after a table that had blue crabs. All he did was remove the paper and never wiped the table down...ewww...this explains the stickiness..I would give this place one more try before i wipe it off my list read more

Good was really good and the service was on point! The server we had was terrific! Food was a little overpriced but tasted okay.

Came here excited to enjoy some seafood and bar apps. The nachos had hardly any toppings. The seafood did not taste fresh and was not very tasty. The best thing we got was a bottle of wine. Would not eat here again. read more

Today was my second time at Riptide. Food and service was just as great as the first time.. thanks to our great waitress, Cat :) Ask for her, she's great! And I recommend everything on the menu. read more

We were 2 hungry guys and we had one of the combos. It was awesome .. MD crabs, crab legs, shrimp, sausage, so good.

In-laws came to visit & they were in the mood to experience downtown Baltimore. Found this place on Yelp & on we went! First impression walking up to this restaurant is, "oh no, is this just some bar??". It's easy to have that impression because the front part of the restaurant is just all bar. Just walk in & head straight past the bar. Someone greeted us & sat us right away (we had a reservation). We were 4 adults & 2 toddlers. Yup, we braved a downtown restaurant/bar with 2 toddlers on a crazy busy Saturday night (it was also one of the first warm days in March so Thames St. was crowded). They had one highchair available & took our server a good 30 minutes to locate a booster seat for the other guy (we got the impression they don't have a lot of kids frequenting this place). We ordered their food first since toddlers can be highly demanding. The chicken fingers & fries we ordered them came out overcooked. I mean, these chicken fingers were practically black & they wouldn't eat it. So, that is the negative... Positive side is big because it involved the food, us adults, ordered & ate. All 4 of us LOVED our food. Appetizer of oysters & calamari were wonderful. I had the crab cake sandwich and that was one of the tastiest crab cakes I have ever had (and I have had a bunch!). My husband practically swallowed his meal of scallops. My father-in-law loved his fish tacos & my mother-in-law's steak was cooked perfectly. The fiasco with the kids during the first half of our visit there was completely trumped by the amazing food! We also highly enjoyed the location. Tons of other bars/restaurants on this street plus some unique looking stores. read more

I want to give this place 3.5 stars because there was nothing necessarily wrong with it and as a backup to the rest of the restaurants on the same street, it'll do. The waitress was friendly enough but she took a really long time to get our orders. So long that I was genuinely confused about whether or not we ordered yet at some point. I ordered an Angus burger and for some reason the top bun was practically crunchy which ruined the consistency of the burger. Everyone else seemed to like their food but its not a place where I would personally want to spend my money again. read more

My favorite spot on Thames Street in Baltimore's Fells Point. Daily specials vary each day of the week. Thursdays are $1 oysters and they come out huge and super fresh. Delicious. The bartenders and servers here are awesome. I would definitely recommend their Sea Bass dish for dinner. Their gnocchi is absolutely the most divine thing on the menu and I could eat it 10 times a day! I would recommend this place for groups, dates, solo dining, at lunch, dinner, or late night for drinks! read more

My party got the lobster ravioli, swordfish, and fish and chips. We loved them all. Cute place with good service.

Beers were warm, mussels were not fresh but the cream of crab soup was pretty good. Good location.

Our seafood was good, but the service was kind of ridiculous. We had two vegetarians in our group, so one ordered the beet and goat cheese salad, and the other ordered the poached pear and blue cheese salad. (Which, by the way -- props to Riptide for offering a couple of vegetarian options.) The beet salad isn't typically served with meat, but when it was presented to us, it had bacon, so we asked the kitchen to remake it. Round two: bacon bits again. Round three: no bacon bits... but this time no beets, either! The other salad also took two attempts to be served without meat, although we specifically asked for the bacon vinaigrette to be left off. read more

Decent crab cakes. Short wait. We also had sea bass, soft shell crabs, Erica was so nice to us. Drea was nice too. Will be back. Good happy hour and daily specials. read more

Riptide has continued to provide great service and great food, my only wish is that they had more of a variety on their menu during the winter months. However, I have always gotten great meals and have tried numerous items from the menu. read more

Great food but the service is terrrrible. Slow.