B&O American Brasserie

Pretty ordinary. The best thing on the menu was the brussel sprouts. I recommend avoiding the strip steak. Others with me liked the scallops. But overall most people in our group gave it a 6 out of 10. Appetizer, main and drink averaged $ 60 with t/​t.

Had to pretty much walk around and ask for somebody to seat us. finally sat us at the worst table. after waiting for awhile we finally were waited on and ordered a bottle of water but the server cut us off before we could order drinks… so as we drank our water we waited n waited to order drinks and by now I was disgusted and got up and left. The employees need to learn how to smile and treat patrons… maybe they just didn’t like the fact that I am white n my dinner guest was not. something seemed off because I have been here before by myself and didn’t have a issue. in fact the last time the bartender was very friendly n talkative. either Whatevr reason this last time was terrible and I will never give this place my business again

Went for a late dinner last night after an event close by. First time visit. Had an excellent Old Fashioned cocktail. Had the chicken entrée, which was well-​prepared. Very tasty. Would definitely make a return visit if my travels bring me back to downtown Baltimore.

This place is amazing the décor is modern chic and the food is delicious. Of the oysters or grilled cheese are on the menu, definitely try them!!!

If I could give ZERO I would.
Walked up and asked if we had a reservation, to which I replied No, so the guy said SORRY but I can’t seat you. So, I went on OpenTable and lo and behold they had spots available for 15 minute increments all night long. So, I got the reservation that was in 5 minutes and said HEY I have a reservation. The guy let me know Ok, I see it. You have two people in front of you.
FAST FORWARD 30 minutes later I asked the status of our reservation and how many people are in front of me. Still, 2 people.
When someone tells you two people you don’t think there would be NO movement. But, there wasn’t. And… 30 minutes later… after staring at open tables in the restaurant etc., I asked why I couldn’t sit upstairs at any of the open tables. Apparently, 1 hour and 15 minutes later after the reservation some large party got the whole upstairs. So, I couldn’t eat there because it may take longer. Their reservation was at 8. So, I said that I would be out by 7:45. The host ACTUALLY TOLD ME… «OOooohhh. Well, I need you to be out by 7:30 so that won’t work.»
The tone. The nerve. Perhaps if I was sat at ANY of the empty tables I saw upstairs, I could’ve been out by then.
HOWEVER, after getting that spiel, a couple comes in late from their reservation 15 minutes before mine. They complain, get the manager, and immediately sit upstairs.
My boyfriend recommended this place because his law firm goes there often. We both had such a poor experience, we don’t want to go there again. The host was anything but helpful, rude, and explained the «situation» after misleading the info.
Went to Alewife after and they were much much better at customer service.
TLDR: Don’t waste your time here. I wasted 30 minutes.

Impromptu Easter brunch while visiting Baltimore. Got there around 12:50p hoping to grab a bite and afraid their seatings were full. Maitre ‘d was extremely welcoming and accommodating telling us they had some ‘no-​shows’ and was able to find us a comfy table for all five of us upstairs.
FOOD: fantastic assortment of high quality fare ranging from omlette station, sliced steak, salads, smoke salmon station with accoutrements to highlight a few. Endless Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. I partook in the delightful Mimosas.
B&O is situated in a swanky elite hotel. Dressy casual is most preferred. Definitely will return when in the area again. Just up the street from the harbor.

My boyfriend and I came for a weekend dinner (at the invitation of James, the manager). Last I came was during restaurant week, but thought the kitchen went a bit heavy-​handed on the salt and found the service subpar. This time, from food to wait staff, everything was close to perfect.
First, our server was super attentive. The manager even personally came over a few times to check on us. Now, on to the most important, the food!
We started off with a couple appetizers. Octopus taco — fresh charred octopus with celery salad and vinaigrette, with a side of pickled veggies. It also came with a (slightly fragrant) side of sauce, which I didn’t really care for as the taco itself was flavorful enough. Then came brussels sprouts — oven roasted with mustard crème, bits of crispy bacon, and slivers of granny smith apple. My bf hates brussels sprout, but even he thought that it was delicious — I’m sure the bacon helped!
Now off to the main courses. Mine was basted scallops, beautifully cooked in a savory, black-​bean sauce, paired with tender sweet potatoes, all atop a bed of ginger rice. The whole dish was heavenly, though the rice was my favorite. Soft, pillowy grains with hints of ginger, seaweed, and leeks. I want the recipe so badly so that I can recreate it myself! My boyfriend got the cider-​brined pork chop, which came with five-​spice sweet potatoes topped with brulee rosemary marshmallows, and sauteed greens. Personally, I liked the scallops more. That said, there was not a bite of the pork chop left.
We couldn’t decide on one dessert to share (he’s a weirdo and doesn’t like chocolate), so got two: chocolate torte with maraschino cherries and a piña colada sundae with coconut ice cream. I thought that the ice cream was delicious, but didn’t really care for the torte. I usually think of tortes as creamy, rich, and silky, but this torte was more of a roll and slightly more cakey.
All in all, we had a wonderful time and will definitely be back!

I’d give this place zero star if I could. We were in a large party and I had ordered oysters for appetizers. Not only were the oysters briny and warm (yuck), the sauce was never brought out. I asked the waitress for the sauce, and while everyone finished their appetizers I sat there hungry and starting to feel angry. The waitress had zero situational awareness even when I told her I was hungry and proceeded to merrily fill wine cups, chatting, and hovering to other tables. When I was finally unable to hold back, I asked her to remove the oysters and for my food asap.
Oh and my drink was never refilled. How difficult is it to see a patron’s soft drink cup is empty and therefore needs refilling? I get better service at Red Robins.
I will never come back here again. But if you do visit, try the lamb chop, it’s excellent.

Food: 4
Drinks: 5 (per Mr Beffrey, best in Baltimore so far)
Service: 4
We were invited to return for dinner by the manager at B&O, which was an incredibly nice gesture. We came back for a Valentine’s dinner on Saturday, and had a great table on the second floor dining area.
We each had the Valentine’s day prix fixe menu. The ovo umami roll was a great concept — daikon froth for an umami taste, and «sushi» pieces with a sturgeon roe, trout roe, and a light scallop mousse rolled in a thin egg crêpe. Tasty, but very salty from all the roe. Would have been great if there was something to balance all the salt. We each had the lobster «ramen,» with squid ink capellini and butter poached lobster. The lobster shoyu broth (poured table-​side) was fragrant and hot. Wish there was more lobster (who wouldn’t want more?) but the the two pieces per bowl were very tasty. The sea beans were interesting and added a grassy note. The black forest torte came with a rich kirsch mousse that hit the spot. The piña colada sundae had Mr Beffrey over the moon, though the rum pound cake was actually small hard cubes that seemed to be like sweet croutons (Ms Beffrey was not a fan).
Drinks-​wise, Mr Beffrey has always thought B&O is top-​notch. He downed a couple Farmstead cocktails (Bulleit bourbon, sherry, lemon juice, basil simple syrup) and raves that these set the bar for old-​fashioneds. The Burning Love cocktail is a wonderful concoction that is not only delicious but also aesthetically a treat — they toast a stick of cinnamon, place the serving glass over top to capture the smokey flavor (it actually does permeate throughout the drink), and pour the drink table-​side. They also offer zero-​proofs (find it under the «Pantywaist Libations» section) — highly recommend the Mother’s Mule, with ginger beer, ginger syrup, and yuzu, light and refreshing.
Service was great. Our server was attentive, and the manager seemed to be making the rounds at all the tables (not just ours) to ensure all the diners were enjoying their experience. We will be returning for (lots of) cocktails, and Ms Beffrey is looking forward to giving the bar food and lunch options another shot.

So James the manager of B&O reached out to me and expressed his sincere apologies on my last visit to B&O. He encouraged me to come back, which i did. I will say this much, i never doubted the deliciousness of the food, but service, hospitality and a feeling of making it right, they went above and beyond what i even expected. I was indeed humbled. I started with the octo tacos, i can eat 10 of those they were delicious. I had the beef shank with a type of bbq glaze and what may have been polenta fantastic. I had the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert which was good. Caroline, the server was fantastic, and the chef and James came around to see how i was enjoying it. All in all a great all around experience, i will definitely be back for more Cloves. Yeah on that drink, go have some. Cheers.

I wonder if anything else in Baltimore will top this place… I highly doubt it. B&O happened to be a part of The Monaco hotel where I was staying and it couldn’t be anymore convenient. I came in for a simple dinner.
I started off with the B&O old fashioned and holy moly, it was so good that I had two of them. Perfection.
The burger. Wow. Spectacular. It came topped the with decadent bleu cheese, lettuce and a tomato. I had it cooked medium and meat came out cooked to order in all of its juicy glory.
The ambience was just right and the service was a lil slow but no complaints. Overall it was an awesome experience, will def come here when back in Baltimore.

Best dinner — ever?
My boyfriend and I came here for dinner and had an amazing experience. I wish I could eat here daily! Though my waist wouldn’t agree. Definitely, definitely check this place out! Ambiance is nice but you can still get away with an upscale casual attire. A little pricey, be prepared for $ 100 dinner ($ 200 if you’re us and like to drink). But worth it.
We told the server we were taking our time so she never rushed us. I read other reviews and cannot agree that the service was lacking at all. Actually, they were quite attentive and on point. The food runner had grabbed the wrong entrée to serve me, I alerted the server and she quickly (under a minute) brought my correct plate. It was an honest mix up, we didn’t say anything negative about it or really even mind to be honest, but the manager came over to apologize and gave us dessert on the house. Classy!
Bartender was amazing and yes– best old fashioned ever. The Queen Bee drink is equally as amazing. We had oysters which were beautifully displayed and fresh and so tasty! Their fondue rendition which was good, though looking back should have went with the cheese plate. I had the market fish –snapper– which was to die for. Literally, I would die for it. Or kill for it. Eh, maybe that’s a stretch. But amazing. And my boyfriend had the crab cake which was surprisingly generously sized and super tasty!
Finished off by another round of drinks and chocolate fondue, yes please! Perfect meal. Thanks B&O!

Bottom Line: A classy yet hip restaurant in downtown Baltimore with a valet.
If you are thinking about dining out in Baltimore, here are a few notes about B&O American Brasserie:
— $ 5 valet is a great deal and makes it easy to com here.
–The Restaurant is located in the old, historic B&O Railroad Administration building and has classy yet modern décor. If you like old architecture be sure to check out the lobby of the building which also houses Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco and some offices.
— Downstairs is the bar, lounge and open kitchen. Upstairs is the main dining room and is accessed by a long flight of stairs. I’m not sure if there is an elevator for those needing something more accessible.
— When I think of a «brasserie» I usually think of salty French food for some reason. Here the style of the menu is definitely more American with a bit of a gastro pub influence. The menu is interesting and has a mix of lighter options and heartier options. I highly recommend the Roasted Chicken Panzanella and Grilled cheese but would avoid the Cheddar and Milk Stout Fondue which was super salty. In all fairness, our waitress did warn us about the high sodium level of the fondue.
— As far as drinks, I stuck with beer and found plenty of craft selections from which to choose. Also, I think they know how to mix up some crafty cocktails down at the bar. Wine bottles are ½ off on Tuesday nights.
— Service here is very professional and knowledgeable. I wish I could remember our waitresses name because she was great.

Worst service EVER! This review is for my cocktail experience only, as I didn’t order any food.
5 of us sat down in the lounge for cocktails on a Saturday night around 9. It took a server over ten minutes just to come greet us and take our order. Fifteen minutes went by and we finally got our drinks (a coffee, beer, hot toddy, and two manhattans). The server asked my father in law if he wanted a glass for his bottled beer and he said yes. I tried my hot toddy and all it had was the most disgusting rum I’ve ever tasted mixed with hot water (no honey, no lemon).
Another twenty minutes went by before my husband asked the hostess for a server to come to our area as my drink was absolutely disgusting and my father in law still didn’t have a beer glass. He responded by stating that «we weren’t the only people in the restaurant» and that’s why it took so long to get service (how rude!) Finally after flagging her down, she the server came back to the table with no glass so we reminded her to bring the glass for my father in law and I asked her for honey and lemon (usually served with the hot toddy). I guess in the 30 minutes it took for her to bring back the honey and lemon, my drink still tasted absolutely horrible with the lemon and honey added so I asked her to take if off the bill and opted for a tea.
After «enjoying» our drinks for about an hour, we still couldn’t find our waitress to get our bill. We finally flagged another server down to get our waitress to bring our bill that still had my 18 dollar hot toddy on it (which I had sent back).
Awful customer service and I will not be returning next time I am in Baltimore.

My husband and I stayed in Hotel Monaco for a very rainy wedding weekend, and between the weather and the busy wedding-​related schedule, we didn’t do much exploring around Baltimore. Instead, we hung out at B & O, visiting twice within twenty-​four hours, for Friday night drinks and Saturday lunch.
It was a pretty great hotel restaurant, one that doesn’t just cater to hotel guests. We went with a large group on a Friday night, and one of our friends noted that he’d been in earlier that evening for a work happy hour. My husband realized when we sat down that he’d already been on a prior visit to Baltimore in 2009. I guess many roads meet at the B & O.
The space was fun, comfortable and casually upscale. We sat at the same little corner on both occasions. I’m pretty sure our seats were upholstered with like shiny crocodile-​embossed leather. Service was good, and the place was just easy and convenient. We were able to walk in with a big group on a Friday night and a party of three for Saturday brunch, both times without planning.
The drinks were great. I liked El Oso, a boozy tequila cocktail with honey liqueur, cherry liqueur, and fancy bitters. My husband had a drink called the Galavanter, a nice whiskey cocktail made with rye, elderflower liqueur, falernum, grapefruit bitters, and dry vermouth. My favorite cocktail, though, was at brunch – the Bloody Bay, a strong, smokey, spicy bloody mary tinged with scotch, with a pickled onion garnish.
As long as I had one free meal in Baltimore, I decided I had to get the Maryland crab cake sandwich for my lunch. It was delicious, a beautiful mound of crab cake topped with fried green tomato, arugula, and tarragon aioli on a soft brioche bun. The crab cake was excellent, loaded with toothsome hunks of sweet crab. My husband’s strawberry pancakes were also lovely, fluffy and studded with strawberry, served with brown sugar butter and maple syrup.
I wish we’d had more time to get to know Baltimore, but I guess I have things to look forward to on any future visits. For now, I have fond memories of B & O. It did a great job representing for Charm City.

My fiancé and I are new to the neighborhood so we thought we would have a date night here. Well this was the perfect place because it is very sexy! Dimmed lighting, crocodile embossed seating and chocolate finishes… all the things to set the mood! The menu is hearty and excellently paired! We started with the chips and stout beer and cheese fondue (can’t go wrong with cheese). For our entrees, he had the lamb sausage brick oven pizza (fantastic!) and I had the NY Strip with Chimichurri, asparagus and smashed Yukon Gold potatoes (absolutely delicious and done perfectly)!
The highlight of my personal experience was their bourbon list. It’s a very nice size with great selections. I love a good bourbon and was elated to see that they had an Oban 14 year, which I had with a vanilla porter (I could’ve died then a happy woman)!
I would definitely recommend this place for a date night or a place where you like to enjoy a night out on the town!

Short and sweet! The story of «a guy walks into a bar»… and orders an old fashioned. This was the epitome of nightcaps — a perfectly balanced cocktail, lovingly crafted by someone with passion for his art. Using both the finest spirits and spectacular glassware– this drink was magical. well done Eric,
sir!

We were recommended here by our bartender from lunch our first day in Baltimore — its a place IN our hotel!
We LOVE Hotel Monaco, so our expectations were high… and we were not disappointed! Maria was our bartender (we ate at the bar) and she was great! I hear she’s moving to DC soon, so make sure if you’re in the DC area to hunt her down and try her drinks!
We ordered something «up to Maria» one bourbon based and something gin based — I love going off menu and trusting a bartender at a good cocktail bar… you can tell a lot of thought went into the mixology, but I was a splash disappointed that our drinks that came back to us werent off menu at all: they were two of the staples in their cocktail lists. My gin was slightly sweet but peppery at the end (thank you, pink peppercorns) and my guy’s had a splash of scotch which made the entire thing smoky and peaty (he loves that stuff). Great drinks, but we went off menu because we wanted something not listed there.
We ordered the brussel sprouts (after all that crab, I needed a veggie course) — I loved the fried sprouts and the goat cheese/​yogurt dressing (so tangy and cool!) — there was a fresh chiffon of green apple — I understand the need for some freshness in this dish and the texture contrast, but it seemed a bit of an afterthought just piled on top of the brussels rather than mixed in. I wished they were cooked/​pre-​boiled, as a few of the larger ones were still pretty crunch in the middle. My guy got their burger — a perfect textbook medium rare. The bun held up and the bleu cheese was a phenomenal addition to the overall savoriness of the burger. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would order again!
Overall –a great place for a bite and a drink. While the drinks we’re inventive, we stuck to the menu and were not disappointed.

I can’t believe that I haven’t done a review on B&O and I have only been there about a dozen times.
Granted, I have only eaten here a couple of times and the food has always been very good. No fault of the restaurant, but when I visit a city I like to branch out and explore a little.
I always sit at the bar (heck when I travel I always sit at the bar) and chat it up with the bartenders. I love the feel of this bar… a little dark and intimate too. Every bartender at the B&O is amazing and they have never failed in giving me solid recommendations on things to try when I’m in the Charm City.
B&O is also the place that upped my Manhattan game. They turned me on to Bulleit Rye and even more importantly the best Vermouth I have ever had — Antica Formula… it honestly takes it to the next level

During a round of ‘pick a random City Dining Card and that’s where we will go to dinner’ my friend grabbed the card for B&O American Brasserie. We were able to make a reservation on OpenTable so we headed over.
B&O American Brasserie is located in the Hotel Monaco, downtown and it’s a beautiful building. After looking over the menu, my friend decided to order the Butchers Steak Frites. The dish came with persillade fries, arugula salad, and bearnaise sauce. The steak was cooked and seasoned well and the fries were perfect.
For my dish, I went with the Short Rib Pot Roast. The pot roast came with buttermilk mashed potato, roasted roots, natural jus, and topped crispy onion. The pot roast was incredibly tender and full of flavor. Without a doubt I would order this dish again.
The food and ambiance at B&O American Brasserie was top notch, and if you’re looking for a nice spot for date night, I’d highly recommend it.

I came here for Breakfast and had the Baltimore Omelet with crab meat which had very little cab and was not very tasty maybe because I opted out of the spiced cheese. Still a disappointing experience especially since the service was below average.