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Water for Chocolate

4.5 (1k reviews)
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WATER FOR CHOCOLATE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Water for Chocolate

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Bbq shrimp and grits
Charmion W.

Went for a graduation brunch, absolutely wonderful experience. We chose the price fixe brunch. 1st course we chose Kale Cesar salad and chicken dumplings. Salad was the perfect size and so flavorful. Served with cornbread. Dumplings were crispy and chewy served with corn and tomato garnish, arrivals and a delightful sauce. Main course: crab quesadilla and bbq shrimp and grits and jerk duck confit with a waffle and poached egg. All of them were outstanding. Highly recommend. Service was also excellent.

Goat Cheese Mac
Brenda S.

It's been years since I've had Water For Chocolate and I'm so glad to be back! The last time I was here was for brunch during COVID and it was pickup/delivery. I remember the polenta dish being excellent and the to-go mimosas were yummy! But coming to this dinner here in person was SOOOOOO much better! The server was very sweet. The wine was reasonably priced- loved having a Rioja! The goat cheese mac and cheese was excellent! My bf got the shrimp and grits and loved them, the black eyed pea curry was phenomenal. It was like if you mixed a red curry with an Indian black eyed pea curry I grew up eating. The restaurant is so quaint and cute on the inside. They have huge heaters too for the winter. Overall, an excellent meal and we will be back!

Mary M.

Water for Chocolate is far more than fine dining! On a visit to Baltimore with the Ben Barber Culinary/Restaurant Team, we were looking for a place that could accommodate a reservation for 30. One of my cousins came out the box with Water for Chocolate! This intimate dining establishment showcases the talent, love, and passion of Chef/Owner Sean Guy and staff. Our reservation was for 30 people at 5pm on a Saturday. However, when we arrived we were a group of 50! Chef Guy and crew didn't even blink! With himself at the helm of the kitchen, and staff of 3, he had us all fed with dishes such as Gluten-Free Charred Red Snapper with Cilantro-Lime Rice and Broccolini, Vegetarian Black-Eyed Red Curry, Duck Risotto, and Ribeye Steaks; all within an hour and a half! Baby, let me tell you! Chef did not miss! You could see the discipline and taste the care that was put into every dish! There wasn't a single dish that was not worthy of extensive praise! If you're every in the Baltimore area, or a local. Make it a point to open your heart to all that is Water for Chocolate. Check it Out!!!

Crab quesadilla French 75 Mint & lemon water

Hands down the best brunch spot I've been to in a very long time. From the first bite I knew....let's just say, I had to ask the Owner Sean if he had pillows on the menu. Every bite got better and better, so rich in flavor and warmth. Food presentation was phenomenal! Very refreshing and homely atmosphere. Service was impeccable. Sean spent time at every table he served not just on the food regards, also getting to know the customers. He was even generous enough to take a picture with us. Definitely plan on returning, Bae wants to see the dinner vibes and I second this motion and emotion, ooh yeaaa!! Black owned and operated and a must have on your list. Visit ASAP!!

Gauva Bellini
Linda V.

Although small and quaint and practically hidden this place was such a gem. Servers were polite and friendly. Even though the wait for our food was long I believe it's a one man show in the kitchen who seemed to be the owner, quite frankly he was doing the damn thing and kudos to him for doing so. The dishes presented to us were beautiful and tasty and I would have loved to try the whole menu if my stomach would've allowed. I do wish there were more breakfast sweet dishes for brunch as there wasn't many options on that and the compotes and jams that came with both the fingerlings and then the other with the jerk duck I could've done without didn't taste so great. But other than that food was good

Jerk duck confit
Jackie B.

Went for brunch with a friend and thought the experience was pretty okay! I ordered the jerk duck confit which comes with a cornbread waffle. Loved the waffle and thought the duck was seasoned very well and the spice level was perfect! I will say, the waffle is pretty small, I think them having either 2 waffles or at least giving you a full waffle would make it better. My friend ordered the pulled pork quesadilla which he enjoyed. I will say there were little things that made me reduce points. The service was nice but I will say because there wasn't as many people when I went so they weren't as attentive. We had to get our waitress's attention a couple of times. They also didn't have small things which I would anticipate would be there for a brunch menu, like syrup. Even certain items on the menu weren't available when we went. It would be nice if these things were made known before sitting down. Besides that I thought the entire experience was fair, just not something I was entirely obsessed with. Also keep in mind that it's street parking! Which we were lucky enough to find when we went.

Minister Brian B.

Water for Chocolate was a restaurant selected by BCYF last night to engage, ally, and support LGBTQ+ Youth Leaders & the community, break down barriers that hindered open discussion of equity. The atmosphere was great, we had pre fixd meals. My vegetarian selections spinach dip, salad w goat cheese, an amazing black eyed bean spinach curry influence stew (chili) w jasmine rice, and bread pudding a angilaise sauce. Customer service was on point , food good, and good atmosphere. Will definitely come back.

WFC Bowl
Jay S.

Closer to a 4.5 in terms of overall quality, but because the owner was so diligent and considerate, on top of the tasty dishes being extremely delicious, I am giving it 5 stars and I would recommend anyone visiting Baltimore to give it a shot. The highlights were the WFC Bowl, the Crab Quesadilla, and the French Toast Dippers. The pork belly was cooked to perfection, and the lacinato kale was the most delicious kale I have had anywhere, mainly because it's so difficult to make kale tasty. Having an egg and black beans also made the dish more savory. The French toast dipper was tasty as well with the perfect sauce, making it sweet but not overly sugary. The crab quesadilla was full of crab meat inside, which was a definite plus. I personally wouldn't include rice on the side, but I could see how there could be some that would use the rice to make themselves fuller. The BBQ shrimp & grits had a good amount of jumbo shrimp, and the sauce didn't taste like anything I have ever had in shrimp & grits, and tasted pretty good. The jalapeño cornbread was very tasty! The salmon belly tacos had spoiled salmon so we didn't get to taste the actual taco. However, the owner was considerate enough to take it off of our bill, which we thought was very nice, because we only sought to let our server know to ensure the salmon didn't get to other customers. They were out of the jerk duck confit, which I would have loved to try, but what we had was already good enough to provide me with a pleasant dining experience! Very much recommended!

WFC bowl
Saumya M.

Incredible spot in Upper Fells! I've driven by this non-descript restaurant for years and finally made it in for brunch. It's a small spot so you should definitely make a reservation rather than relying on walking in for a table. We actually did not anticipate a reservation but the host juggled some tables around to fit us in and was extremely gracious about it! They have fresh squeezed OJ for their mimosas (by the glass or carafe) which were delicious, and French press coffee; both of these come in quantities perfect for sharing with a table of four. The menu is seasonal with some permanent items. We had the challah French toast which was a huge portion considering it was an appetizer, and rich and delicious. The other items were the WFC bowl (pictured) which had pork belly, rice, eggs, and a lovely sauce. The hit item was definitely the jerk duck confit -- a waffle with compote, poached eggs, and the most delicious duck I have had in months! The server told us this stay has been on the menu for years, and I can definitely see why!

crab quesadilla
Melody C.

I had high hopes for this restaurant, but was let down. We came for brunch and weren't aware that you needed a reservation to get in until we saw the sign up front. Since we didn't see any slots on OpenTable, we tried our luck by asking inside. Thankfully a majority of tables were open and the server asked us to sit down and wait to see if they had any openings. We didn't wait too long before we were directed to a table. The drinks were excellent! Both of the drinks we had were sweet and delicious. The dope juice was amazing. The food was okay and I felt that it was a little bland. We liked the charred brussels sprouts and I liked our bread pudding. Service at first was nice and somewhat fast since there were only a few other people dining in at the time. However, near the middle to end of our meal, service became very slow and a little rude. Food took a very long time, which was understandable since there was only one chef. My suggestion: order everything first. We waited to order dessert near the end of our meal and waited for a very long time to receive it. I asked for a box when I paid, which they seemed to forget about, and I tried to get their attention again but that was a struggle. At this point, my partner was a bit fed up with all of the waiting and bad service we received and had left to pull our car up to the front. When I finally succeeded in getting their attention, I was asked a little rudely if I had paid yet. I try to be empathetic towards service especially when it's as busy as it was during lunch, but it took me by surprise. This experience ruined the meal for us and we will not come back.

charred octopus & scallops
Cheryl J.

I recently visited Water for Chocolate in Baltimore, MD, and had a very disappointing experience. I asked for medium-rare on my ribeye and received a medium-well to well-done steak. Our server was arrogant and had a careless attitude. He didn't come back with a resolution about the steak until my friend inquired. When he finally did, he asked me what I wanted to do about it, which showed a lack of care from the chef as well. They removed the steak from the bill, but I ended up without an entrée for my brunch. The management and customer service were poor. We repeatedly had to request water refills, and when the bill came, our friend's dish was overcharged by $5. When we brought this to our server's attention, he deflected by saying he doesn't make decisions and is just a messenger. We didn't need him to decide anything, just to inform the chef about the overcharge. I had initially liked this restaurant, but the lack of customer service, the poor quality of my steak, and the lack of response mean I won't be returning.

Chicken Dumplings

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Inventive menu, good food, cool vibe, sizable portions. Only complaint, fresh squeezed OJ was a bit diluted.

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Page 5 of 26

Ask the Community - Water for Chocolate

How does one make a brunch res? I've called the number, the number sends me to the website, the reservation link doesn't work at all..

I always use OpenTable. If no times show up, it's probably booked. I just checked and it looks like they don't have any availability until 3/30.

Do you serve alcoholic beverages?

Wine, yes, maybe beer

Is this an eat-in establishment where I can come in with my family?

Yes. However at popular times there can be quite a wait.

Do they have cornbread without jalapenos😒? For people that's allergic

No they don't. Plenty of other delicious items to order.

Do you still have your Jalapeno corn bread?

Yes, just had it yesterday! The most up to date menu is on their website waterforchocolate.com/cafe-menu… 

Do they have brunch on Frodays?

Thanks for your inquiry Cathy. Brunch is served until 3pm daily. Looking forward..

View All 7 Questions

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Charleston

Charleston

4.5
(780 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$$$

During a business trip to Baltimore, I made a reservation for Charleston, a James Beard Foundation…read moreAward winning restaurant along the Harbor. It was a short and lovely walk from my hotel, and I was dining alone and initially I wasn't sure how I felt about having a solo dining experience at an upscale restaurant. My concerns were immediately dispelled as soon as I opened the restaurant door. Two men greeted me and were incredibly gracious and welcoming. They quickly found my reservation and asked me if it was my first time at the restaurant and what brought me to town. Since it was pretty early for dinner (6pm on a Monday) they gave me options for where I wanted to sit, confirming that the lounge seating I reserved was best for me because it placed me near the large bay windows that faced the harbor and the setting sun. My waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. He not only knew the menu, but he had tasted several items and gave me direct feedback on items. I decided on the three-course menu with wine pairing. For starters, I had the fried oysters. The fry was light and crisp, and oysters were flavorful, still holding the freshness of the ocean. The olive bread serving was a nice touch. The second course was white truffle fettuccine with mushrooms. The mushrooms were tender, absorbing the flavor of the seasoning. The fettuccine was fresh, light and richness of the white truffle was a perfect compliment, but not overpowering. The third course was crispy wild halibut with a zucchini beignet. Again, they do a beautiful job with frying fish. The fish with lightly fried enough to get a nice crispy, but with no oily after taste. The zucchini beignet was crisp and fresh. The tartar sauce for the halibut gave the elevated dish a hearty, fun, comfort food finish. The wine pairings were perfection. From the Cremant d'Alsace Brut bubbly, which offered a refreshing and bright flavor to go with the light oysters, and even the Chardonnay, Dehlinger, which offered a citrus accent that was a nice balance with the warm, rich embrace of the fettuccine dish, Charleston sommelier experts make every effort to ensure that pairing enrich the dining experience. For those looking for an elevated dining experience in Baltimore by the Harbor, where you really feel taken cared of, I'll suggest visiting Charleston. Every staff member I engaged with, even as a solo diner, made me feel like I was a treasured guest.

My partner and I returned to Charleston for our annual Christmas dinner. While the food was…read moregenerally very good, we were a little less impressed with the service this year. The major hiccup we experienced was my gluten free lamb shank pasta being sent to the vegetarian sitting at the table next to us. Watching this unfold and the server's exasperated reaction was very awkward. That being said, the manager (or maitre d?)'s graceful handling of the situation thereafter was great. He told us what happened, played it off well, explained that it would be a bit of a wait for our next course as a result, and ended up comping all our wine. Really classy touch. However, even after the long wait for the pasta, it was ultimately under-salted under-seasoned and not impressive at all. As much as I appreciate the gluten free option, I wish I had just gotten something else especially after all that trouble! The rest of the service throughout the night was also oddly paced. We ordered less courses than last year (only three) but we were there for almost four hours. Tables around us who arrived after us were served their first courses before we even had a chance to order. We were asked to pick out a wine first before choosing our food and since we weren't sure what we were eating, we weren't ready to select a wine. Even just getting the food menu took a bit of waiting around. Our server didn't inquire about any food allergies either so it was tough making decisions when I wasn't sure what was gluten free - and this was an allergy that was noted in our reservation, too. At another point, I asked for a glass of red wine three different times until finally the maitre d grabbed it for me after the pasta debacle happened. As for the rest of my meal, the scallops and lobster soup were both yummy but not anything life changing. However, my boyfriend's lamb chop dish was very very delicious. The one bite I had, paired with the pomegranates, was heaven. By the way, they offer gluten free bread service too. Has the Charleston lost their touch after the recent James Beard press? I'm not sure but I do hope they step things back up again. You come to expect a little more from an institution like this, especially after being totally blown away last year.

Photos
Bar
Bar
Baby Spinach and Red Bartlett Pear Salad
Baby Spinach and Red Bartlett Pear Salad
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée

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Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée
Thelma Jean's Southern Style Cooking

Thelma Jean's Southern Style Cooking

3.9
(95 reviews)
5.7 mi

I'm not sure that I've ever had smothered pork chops as tender as these…read more I ordered via Uber and my order arrived within the hour. I ordered the smothered pork chop dinner with a side of rice and gravy and collard greens, and I added add'l sides of sweet potato casserole and stuffing (for an additional fee for each.) Like I said, the smothered pork chops were extremely tender. I didn't even need a knife, I honestly could have used a spoon to eat them. The gravy could have used a tad more salt or chicken bouillon, but the flavor was good and the gravy had a good consistency. The collard greens were really good. I'm not sure whether or not they use meat, but I liked them. I absolutely loved the sweet potato casserole. It was very sweet, just like I like it. The cornbread dressing was good, but I should've gotten my gravy on top of it to keep it super moist. Next time I will do it with the gravy on top. I have no notes-- the next time I'm in the Baltimore area and craving soul food, I know where to go

I wanted some food for the soul when I was in town and my niece suggested here. I circled the…read morebuilding and drove past the entrance the first time. There are steep steps to negotiate getting in so be careful. I got barbecue chicken with macaroni & cheese and green beans for my sister. I had a taste for turkey wings and ordered it with macaroni & cheese, of course, and sweet potatoes. The staff both on the phone when I called to confirm hours, since it was Super Bowl Sunday, and in person are great. It's a cute venue to get together and enjoy food and fellowship. I actually did a two step entering to the song that was playing. :-) My food was enough to share. I didn't want to be greedy. (smile) The macaroni and sweet potatoes are amazing. The turkey wings were delicious. I'll hold on the gravy next time. I like my poultry on the darker side. The number and address is already saved for a return visit. I'll be back Lord's willing. If you're looking for good food, stop in.

Photos
Great space
Great space
Broiled crabcake w green beans and stuffing
Broiled crabcake w green beans and stuffing
Nice seating

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Nice seating

Water for Chocolate - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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