This review is for drink service only. A friend and I showed up at 1:30pm on a Friday for a few cocktails and were promptly greeted at the front window they are operating from due to COVID precautions. We ordered two of their Pink Drink cocktails (priced around $5 each) and grabbed a spot on the patio. The inside of the restaurant is still closed to the public, though they do allow guests to use the bathrooms. The patio was a nice place to people-watch and both my friend and I enjoyed the Pink Drink-- I believe the signature ingredient was prickly pear, but it tasted more like watermelon to me. Either way it was delicious and we ordered a second round! The service was quick and friendly and the prices were on point. Seems like a great place to post up for happy hour, and the menu looks very interesting and diverse. I would definitely come back to sample their food and grab another few drinks! read more

Rocket to Venus - Their Pink Drink cocktail. One of the ingredients is prickly pear but it tasted more like watermelon to me-- still delicious! - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I usually live Rocket but the food lately has been very questionable. Ordered a burger with bacon and the bacon was so undercooked and completely raw on parts. My tomato had mayo on it despite me not having put any on as if it was taken off another order. On other occasions pierogies and Brussels sprouts were so greasy they were inedible and pad Thai was a hunk of rancid clumped up noodles. Whoever is running their kitchen needs to get it together and get some consistency back into their food. I have worked and managed restaurants for years and this is just laziness and a sure fire way to give people food poisoning. read more

Rocket to Venus - Uncooked bacon - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

5 stars for service and ambiance. Their outdoor seating is so great and pleasant to sit at night. No one tries to bother you and the street is pretty quiet. But the bar itself always draws the perfect size crowd--not too many or too few people. I hope Rocket stays around forever!! read more

I love this place!! So many delicious vegan options and choices for non-vegans too. My only comment/request is to abstain from using peanut oil. Eliminating all fried foods from the menu because of a nut allergy is never a good look and makes it hard to accommodate people's needs. Please advise because I love your restaurant and would love to recommend it to those with nut allergies. Thank you! read more

Carried out to sea by life's vengeful series, here I found refuge from woeful wearies. By gods hand, I finally docked on warm shores in this bartender's unwavering spirit. She's gives me hope that our wretched nation may find pride in planets beyond our own. Island in the stream? More like Aylen in my dreams :) if I can speak freely, she is good at her job read more

I had some pierogiies (decent) and a Korean burger (decent) and a peach core cocktail (trash). Didn't wait long for food. Service was decent. read more

The happy hour pierogi deal can't be beat. The figgy pop is delicious and the patio is dog friendly. Great spot.

Came here on a Sunday with my friends. We quickly seated ourselves and only had a minor wait for staff. My tofu banh mi sandwich was delicious as well as the fried pb&j treat we all shared. My only complaint is the app for the menu/purchasing. It is quite confusing and wasn't working for some folks. read more

A definite hidden gem. Usually pop in for a drink, great atmosphere and awesome bartenders (go see Pat & tip him well, just a great dude). The signature cocktails are good but they have a great alcohol list in general. My favorite is the Peach Core, I'm a big sweet drink fan. The menu's unique and the vibe is good, cool decor (buy the art on the walls to support local artists), definitely worth a visit read more

What a fantastic experience! We were do happy to find this wonderful spot. Sadly, we couldn't go inside due to COVID restrictions, but the next time we go to Baltimore, ( we're from New Jersey) we will definitely be back. The food here was unlike anything we've ever had, and unbelievably delicious! Not to mention the best margarita I've ever had. I only wish a location could open up in Philadelphia, because I'll be dreaming about this place over and over until I have the chance to go back. Thank you so much to these chefs and staff for giving us such a great and memorable dining experience! read more

Rocket to Venus - Amazing sweet and spicy vegetarian wings! As a vegetarian, these were perfect. So nice, I got it twice! - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

I know this place has a bunch of less-than-ideal reviews, but I'm reporting in that we had a good experience. It was a Thursday night and the place was pretty quiet. A few other parties. I got a burger, which was tasty (not exceptional, but hit the spot!) and fries (fries were tasty, but not super fresh). The other meals in our group looked pretty good. I'd probably go for the waffle sandwich if not the burger. The waiter wasn't very pleasant. Not rude, just not nice either. It maybe detracted a little. I get that customer service is a tough business but I do consider it part of a restaurant's full package that you're paying for. You're not just paying for food, but an experience. The place inside had a fun diner vibe, a bit dark. I wouldn't go for lunch. My food was tasty! I probably wouldn't choose to return, but I wouldn't not recommend it either. Very much a satisfactory diner meal! read more

Rocket to Venus - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Loved our trip to this diner!! We ordered the mussels, polish burger, and shrimp & grits. Topped it up with toddy & Irish coffee because we drive into town in the midst of a bomb cyclone. Food was ah-mazing. The mussel sauce had a bit of kick in it that was lipsmackingly good. Service was efficient & friendly. They are very food allergy conscious. Strongly recommend! read more

Came here for their wing night special on Tuesday - 10 wings for $5. I've only come here for the wing night special, so I will need to update this review if I ever actually go for dinner. This place has a very relaxed vibe to it and they display art work by who I assume to be local artists. The workers are all very friendly and helpful if you ask questions about the food or drink. We got seated immediately and got water pitchers and menus right away. I got the Sweet and Spicy wings, which were tasty but not the best wings I've ever had. Flavor was mostly sweet with a little bit of heat that kicks in towards the end of each wing, just to remind you they are sweet and spicy. Nice sized wings and they give you a solid amount of blue cheese or ranch on the side, but an additional sauce was 50 cents extra. All in all, this is a good place to eat. The deals on wing night are fantastic - for both food and drink. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but will definitely go again sometime. read more

Rocket to Venus - Sweet and spicy wings with blue cheese - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Good consistent food and service. Really shines as a bar not really a place I would go as a family.

Came here with a few friends on a Friday evening. Wasn't crowded and we were able to get a table. We ordered a round of drinks at the bar - beers and a cocktail. The bartender was nice and all the drinks were good. We ordered food via the app (can't remember which one) - a few apps and sandwiches to share. It took a little longer than expected for the food to arrive, but probably only noticeable because we were super hungry. Server was cool and friendly. Food was very yummy bar food (i.e. not healthy! but definitely hit the spot). We got a burger (which was actually medium-rare as ordered, not verging on medium-well like most places in my experience), the kimchi fries, pierogis, pretzel, and banh mi. Atmosphere was pretty chill. read more

I had the bahn mi here and I wasn't impressed. It was bland and there wasn't anything special about it. The fries and pickles were ok. The walnut brownie also just seemed to lack stand out flavors. The decorations inside are quite fun though. All in all, this place was decent, but I probably won't be going back. read more

Rocket to Venus - Walnut brownie with ice cream - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Ordered an expensive hamburger which was the absolute worse hamburger I've ever had. Tasted like a dried out piece of leather. Won't ever go back! read more

Shrimp with Old Bay. Get it. Share it if you rrreeeeaaaallly want to keep that relationship. And if you can survive the juice dropping, flavor-sharing mess that comes with eating a giant plate of shrimp that you will likely be tempted to order more of, you've found yourself a keeper. So, if you're allergic to seafood, their salads are big and delicious, their soup was delicious, the burger was okay. Get. That. Shrimp. Also the fried brownie ice cream dessert thing? Easiest way to get a heart attack if you want an insurance claim. Delicious but SHOULD NOT be eaten alone. Share with up to 8 people or 80 people. read more

This place never ceases to wow the taste buds. Friendly people, great food, and awesome cocktails. Definitely a top 3 Hamden staple.

We came in when a friend told us the back story of the guy who built this house to resemble a rocket that eventually became this restaurant. As other Yelpers have said, it's kitschy as hell in here, but kinda cool. Unfortunately, I can't speak on the food or drink because of the terrible service we received. We grabbed some seats at the bar, asked the bartender for a food menu because we were starving, and I wanted a water. We sat there for quite some time and watched him help other people around us. Then, another couple sat down next to us and the bartender proceeded to offer to help them without even looking in our direction. We never got my water, a menu, nothing. Apparently he didn't have time to follow up with us but became super helpful to the couple that came in 10 minutes after us. So...yeah. We walked out after that. Bad first impression. I won't be back. read more

Rocket to Venus - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Came here the first time with a large party of people. I have to say, except for the price and the portion of food which are pretty satisfactory, I am not happy with all the other aspects. The service was not ok--we were left there with no menu and no server for like 20 minutes, and there was no way to get anyone's attention. The food was not very good. They do have an exciting selections of items, but other than the ones that are hard to mess up like burgers and fries, the others are definitely subpar. The wings were terribly over-fried and the sauce was so overpowering and bad. Lots of brussel sprouts are charred and were very sour, maybe the chef had a shaky hand when he/she was pouring vinegar... The pork was hard like stone in the pork donburi, etc. Anyway, their food is still eatable, but not for foodies. It seems to be a good place for hangouts when people care more about talking than eating. read more

See all

Great Monday burger deal. Could get a vegan beyond burger and fries for the same price as a beef burger.

Rocket to Venus definitely takes interior decorating inspiration from its name: the shape of the windows above the bar along with the strong lines of each booth make it feel ship-like without veering into kitschy territory. The food is New American/Asian with a vegetarian slant: happy to note that the veggie burger did not fall apart when eating it. Cauliflower fried rice and grilled cheese with tomato soup are some other good choices. If you're getting dessert, try the PB&J delight, which is a the class sandwich dipped in pancake batter then deep fried and served with ice cream. It did not disappoint. RTV is definitely detail oriented: when my friend's dad wanted to try a particular ale, they served his sample in a mini beer glass. That being said, one aspect of the restaurant that was sorely overlooked was the service. Our server did not put the vegan-mayo on the side of the burger nor leave off the lettuce when requested. He did not tell my friend that they were out of her dish until 25 minutes after she ordered, and by that time the rest of us had our food . Furthermore, he charged us for coffee even though he never brought it to us. I want to make RTV my new go to based on the dietary variety; however, that will not happen until the service improves. read more

See all

I'm writing this review out of a bit of concern. I don't yelp much. I've been going to RTV regularly since it opened. Since it was an OG Hampden hipster hangout and PBR was the drink of choice. I've loved how it has evolved into a rock solid neighborhood joint with great bar food. Over the years, I've eaten everything on that menu. . .mussels, wings, brussels, wimpies, burgers, pierogies, chix & waffles, bahn mi, steak&eggs, bao buns, etc etc etc. But, I have to say over the last 6 months, or so, I've had 3 of the worse meals I've had since the place opened. I don't know if the kitchen staff changed, or the head chef, or if I just caught the place on a few "bad nights", but I really don't want to see the quality of the food at my favorite Hampden eatery stay on the tract it's on. The wimpies used to be nice little round ground beef patties. Each hand-formed and with the proper texture a ground beef burger should have, with a little crusty exterior. The last time I got them, it seemed like a frozen patty, and it was definitely a full patty cut into roughly triangle-shaped pieces that didn't fit the buns and just seemed lazily slapped together. I had a chix&waffles sandwich recently with rocket fuel and the chicken (well fried and tasty) was clearly dressed by someone just taking a tablespoon of the sauce and slopping it onto the patty in one glob, then slapping a bun on it. It's like someone was telling me "here ya go, mac. Take it or leave it." Mussels and wings have remained solid. One last thing. . .the choices on tap have really gotten old. Resurrection is a good beer. Your only IPA is Goose Island (inBev) which is fine, but it's been that way for YEARS. For years, RTV has been my choice when I just want to go get something good and I really don't like the feeling that I'm not able to trust it these days. Thank you. read more

SO!! Let's get this here review started...so many components, let's bust it out tick mark style: -Location: the spot is situated about the same way you would expect your favorite neighborhood bar or corner store. Translation: neatly tucked into a residential neighborhood. -Parking: again, it's a neighborhood spot so you will be seeking parking..where my friends? around the neighborhood. So you may have to walk 2 or 3 blocks, who cares. -Reception: as soon as we walked in, I noticed we were the only people of color in the whole place...it wasn't like music was playing, we walked in, you heard the record scratch and everyone looked up at us...but it just threw me off for a second lol. It also didn't help that the greeter was sitting at the podium looking at customers with a look on her face that said she hated her life, her boyfriend, her homework, and oh yea HER JOB. But nonetheless we ventured in for our food adventure! I will say our server more than made up for the wack hostess experience. She was AWESOME!! There was also some random dude that kept walking around every single table asking if people were okay quite frequently...i mean super frequently.. I mean as in I found myself saying "if he comes around one more time I'm going to just hand him a crumpled napkin to toss just so he can feel like he finally did something." That sounds awful but so was the stalkerish busboyism (yes, i made the word up). The happy hour specials were pretty good for that night and although I'm not a beer drinker, they had a great variety and I happen to know because my waitress allowed me to sample the types she thought were the greatest to try out =) Also each table is provided with a carafe of water while you check out the menu, which I thought was nice -Venue: Initially when I walked in the place seemed to smell of sewage!!! but once you start smelling other's foods, it goes away...I'm still not sure how I felt about that one detail, but I wanted to at least let you all know. Also, the place is dark and borderline dank with old fixtures (two bulbs near us were blown out) but it wasn't dark enough that we couldn't see cobwebs swinging in the wind from them. SMH on that one, but moving on toooooo.......*insert drum roll & tickmark* THE FOODS!!!! Mac & cheese- big huge corky macaroni noodles with an asiago & cheddar blend...which made for a nice coating of cheese sauce, but here's the kicker: they use green onions and kalmata olives to taste! It started off as being quite a good combination but after 4 bites, the saltiness of the olives becomes a bit overwhelming. Tastes good microwaved the next day though...I made it through 5 bites that time Chicken & biscuit- This dish tasted like it was sponsored by Morton's salt. The biscuit was the saltiest piece of fluffy food I've ever tasted. eich!!! and it was so disappointing because the biscuit looked so tender to the naked eye, yet every time I tried to forget the taste, I was brought back into a gagging reality with each nibble. The chicken was not seasoned well at all...well I'm lying, it actually tasted as if it was seasoned with Palmolive dish detergent, the lemon kind. The "spiced fries" were anything but and were only good for flinging at that one dude who kept walking by, anxious to take a plate or crumb off the table. What a waste of space & taste...the dish, not the dude lol On Tuesdays they have specials on the wings, and boy oh boy do I recommend them!!! We had the old bay and sweet & spicy. the former were great and the latter, whoo!! definitely had a kick to them. Get those if you go Also, get the kimchi dumplings, it's an appetizer so it only comes with about 4-5 triangles but they taste great and the sauce that comes with them is worth asking for an extra and stashing it in a little to go cup...not that i did that or anything..*whistling to the next topic* Now for the humdadumdinger! the FRIED PBJ SANDWICH!! This jammy was so good you cant say sandwich...you gotta put a little bit of hood in it and say SAMMICH!!!!! Claude Ham Murry! This was a slice of fat kid heaven. The pbj is placed on a potato like roll with crunchy peanut butter and fried in pancake batter. I wasn't too keen on each of the four triangles being surrounded by super huge dollops of whipped cream (i've included pictures) but I scooped them off & kept my spoon & fingers & mouth moving. The vanilla ice cream on top was all I could hope and dream for! Andddddd (wait for it, wait for it), it tastes just as good cold!!!!!! hominy hominy!! All in all I would say go for the experience. Prices are a bit much and menu is creative but beyond the few odd selections, there isn't much variety. I didn't taste the fried pickle spears and certainly didn't taste the fried alligator but I may just visit again with someone who is bold enough to do so and will let yall know. read more

Rocket to Venus - Fried PBJ Sandwich surrounded by whipped cream! - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

These are tough times in the restaurant business and Rocket is not immune. They recently reopened their dining areas for full service after months of take-out only, albeit using QR codes and Toast's platform where you order from the table using your phone. This has its pros and cons - you can order on demand and pay and leave whenever you like, though you miss the experience of interacting with real people. Clearly, like many establishments, they are having staffing issues. Food menu prices have also gone up steadily over the course of the year (of course, higher wages and food/tech costs equal higher prices, but it hasn't gone unnoticed). An order of wings (comes with 8) are now a whopping $14. My sweet and spicy wings during my visit today were delicious but only 7 were brought out. The issue was corrected promptly but if you're going to charge almost $2 a wing you'd better be double-checking that count. read more

I was in the area looking for food and since this place was on my bookmark list we decided to give it a try. Once we arrived we were seated rather quickly and the wait staff seemed fairly attentive. I was a little annoyed that some of the whisky they had on special was sold out and when I found one I liked they brought it to me in a little baby shot glass. I expected it to be on the rocks in a rocks glass but I guess that's on me for not asking. They also had some pretty great wine specials so next time I know to stick to the wine. The nice thing is if you don't finish your bottle they will re cork it and you can take it with you. Over all the food was pretty good, I got a burger so unless you under or over cook it, it's pretty hard to mess up. I will be back for wine and to try other things on their menu. read more

BF and I picked up dinner to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of our first date (which happened to be at Rocket to Venus). The pierogis had the most delicious crispy exterior and my guys wings were well seasoned. He loved his Roseda burger and I really enjoyed my shrimp and grits. The Brussels sprouts were the perfect side. I hope everyone continues to order takeout through the shut down. It couldn't have been easier to order over the phone and pick up. read more

Five stars, and anyone who disagrees with me on this one will be missing teeth after our 'Come to Jesus Meeting'. And that'll be tragic, because then they won't be able to nom on the aforementioned brussel sprouts. And that's a fate worse than missing so many teeth that it looks like your tongue is in jail when you smile. This place is consistently the bomb-bomb-diggy. Their drinks are great. Their food is great. They make about a bajillion different things, and they do each of them meticulously well. The service is always friendly. Hipster-heavy, with lots of greasy rocker types, but there's never any animostiy, angst, or posering. Everyone gets along, because everyone is too busy enjoying the food and drinks to start any static. I love this place. When I move away from Baltimore, this will be one of the places that I miss most. Seriously. read more

I'm not going to try to tell you the food here is great. it's ok and we had no complaints. the drinks are fun but a little on the weak side. decent draft beer list. what RTV does have going for it had us visit twice in a week while we were on vacation. they were able to seat our large group and easily managed us all. the neighborhood is an easy half way point from downtown and suburbs. the neighborhood has really evolved into a decent and safe-ish destination. we didn't feel like we were about to get our shit jacked. sure, one of the staff got a bit snotty and tried to tell me my kids were in his way. and I started to stress about it.... but then I remembered that I don't work for him, he is in the service industry and we (including my kids) are guests/paying customers. we had fun at the rocket. btw, the kids LOVED that fried PBJ sweetness. come here to meet with friends, enjoy food and drink without a lot of hassle or surprises. read more

Rocket to Venus - fried pbj was a hit - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

My burger was definitely overcooked, all grey inside. However, the person working the window was very nice and they have a nice drink selection. The outdoor eating area is comfortable and covered so it's not too hot. read more

I wanted to love this place. The menu is fresh, lots of unexpected flavor combos like a venison curry with sushi rice and pickles, a steak pho sandwich, watermelon gazpacho (for summer ), and a tempeh Reuben. This was just my experience below and I had order envy. My dinner companions did have some great dishes. Our server started off slow, not bringing drinks , leaving the table before we were done ordering, and sort of skittish. However she did improve and split our checks at the end of dinner without asking; with 9 people that was really considerate and gracious. Points for that. The delivery of food itself was scattered. But again I was last to get mine which was a good 14 minutes from the first food coming out. Timing just wasn't there. And then they forgot a major component to my Pho Steak Sandwich.. The bro broth. But in reality I shouldn't have waited. It wasn't pho. I don't know what it was but it was similar to a bland veggie broth desperately waiting for some salt. He sandwich itself was OK. I doctored it up with kimchi (ordered separately and charged avcordongly ..: then took my friends kimchi from her bahn mi.) and it was better. Bread was delicious tough.. Crispy and chewy. Amazing. And the thinnest shoestring fries were crispy and I devoured them all!!! I sampled the old bay wings, Mac and cheese, pork belly fried rice and venison curry. Safe to say they were all amazing but the venison curry special (only 14 dollars) was the star. Good thing the birthday girl got it!! Overall I loved the atmosphere, on a corner of 34th street near the "Christmas block" in Hampden. Got busy on a tuesday so you know others have great experiences. I'm hesitant to go back after my disappointing sandwich, but i would return for those wings and fries any time. My friends are regulars and call it a "go to date spot" so that says more than a botched sandwich. read more

Rocket to Venus - The pho steak sandwich ... Unseasoned and that broth was not pho. I had high hopes for this one. I ordered #allthekimchi to wake it up - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

3.8 review. This is a dive with a certain kind of crowd. However if your open minded and can get past the feeling you might be out of place. You'll quickly learn your at a hidden gem, the food is actually very good. I've never gotten a cocktail here but beers and whiskey are reasonably priced. Checkout their specials. 1/2 burgers is always a great thing. Totally a locals hangout. read more

Dive bar feel with very kind staff. Pierogis are out of this world and that's coming from a Russian!

I'll keep this one simple. Food is solid and good. (Check their daily specials . $7 for burger, fries, and select beer is a ridiculously good deal) Shrimp and grits are great, burgers are great. I'm sure the other stuff is good too. Price is slightly steep, but the food is good enough to warrant that. When it gets busy, service is slightly poor ..but the food is good enough. Yes the place is "hipster" whatever you want to define that as But why so much hate? We're all just people comin here after a days of work looking to chill with friends, eat food, and get a little inebriated. Don't hate. Just enjoy the food..the simple hip/modern/divey bar and restaurant environment. (seating outside as well) ultimately for me it comes down to the food for this one. Good stuff. read more

Rocket to Venus - Half pound Angus burger w fries + beer for $7 - New American Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Rocket to Venus is a hip cool restaurant with a great menu. The scenery is very creative and different. I absolutely adored the atmosphere. I ordered the Blackened Catfish Banh Mi sandwich and a butterfly lime (Kombucha) and gin drink. The sandwich was very flavorful and so was the drink. My friend got the barbecue shrimp and grits. We loved our meal and will definitely return. Here are a couple of pictures to let you get a feel of the place and the wonderful atmosphere. read more

See all

Amazing atomic themed diner serving some damn tasty fried pickles! We stopped in here primarily because it was on a John Waters site as one of his faves and of course, me being the huge John Waters fan - I had to come here! Super fun decor and hip waitstaff await you here plus tons of booze and yummy dinner style food with a twist. We split the wedge salad which was classically good, an order of fried pickles which kicked ass and and a fantastic grilled cheese. Parking was a pain since this is located in a residential seeming area with a few assorted businesses so we had to park a distance away. Short wait to be seated and our server was friendly and spot-on. Will I come back? For those fried pickles, Yes!!! read more

See all

Needed to get out yesterday so my boyfriend and I met friends at Rocket to sit out on the patio and have a few drinks. Although a little chilly out the drinks, food, and service was incredible. The staff was helpful and Knowledgeable about the drink selection, and the vegan wings are sooooo good! Definitely will be back soon! read more

Ok I want to start off by saying I have eaten at Rocket to Venus numerous times. sometimes it's good and others not so great. This experience the last time was just not that great. So to be fair I will try and go back this is just the last experience. We went for brunch on sunday. We had a large party and the employees were very nice and accommodating. We got drinks and they were all on top of it. But the food came up a little short. Grits weren't creamy, dry veggie burgers, and the straw that broke the camels back cardboard in my friends fries. So yeah well this time not the best. They were very nice about giving my friend a drink as a I'm sorry for the cardboard but the food overall was just ok. The Bloody Mary's on the other hand are fantastic! So try it and see how your experience is because again I have eaten here many times and this time it wasn't up to the standards I have seen in the past. read more

I have only been here for the bar at night time (never during food hours) on multiple occasions. The bar itself is okay. It can get a little crowded at times but have never had a problem getting served. Everyone who lives in the area seems to love it. It is definitely one of the hip dive bars of Hampden. They play 60's and 70's music and all the cool kids hang out. It's a cool place. read more