I've been here for both a regular three course meal as well as the sort of meal where we order every appetizer and share. Both were extremely satisfactory, the food here is fantastic and it's hard to go wrong. There are two different areas you can dine in and you should definitely go online and see which side suits your needs, but both are extremely on point with their food. The menu is always changing so I don't want to point anything out, but this is really just a great place to eat! Bring a date, bring your parents, bring your friends. Do a fancy occasion. Do a date night. Do a celebration. Just give it a try.
(4)
Jylene J.
Spent my boyfriends birthday on a weeknight night. I have to give this place 4.5 stars but the app won't allow me to. The ambiance was perfect. Everyone was welcoming, reservation and also has a complimentary reminder call a day prior to your reservation. The wine pairings we're well executed. We just got the living social deal which has a limited selection but for a better deal and still with the awesome taste profile. This is a good place to go to for a birthday; our table got complimentary Proseco (so as the next table with a guest of 3 for another birthday celebration). We had another complimentary potato chip appetizer; which i was grateful for since i love potato chips. The bread they have to start with is soft, fresh and of course delicious although they serve it cold. We had the sweet corn agnolotti which was al dente, very tasty and perfectly seasoned. For 2nd course I chose the Chicken Roulade; fat was rendered out of the thin and crispy skin (I presumed was skin), perfectly cooked, flavored and moist. My boyfriend got the king salmon with the perfect crispy skin to die for! I was surprised he ate it due to being a picky eater; flavor profile was awesome. They have good coffee selection on their menu as well. The birthday celebrant got a free cake with chocolate mousse prior to getting our desserts. I love the Praline kitkat, its chocolaty and not to overwhelming; the waverly market fruit tart is fresh (desserts made by pastry chef in house) and is somewhat of a deconstructed concept. Yes, the portions are small but you'll be blown away by the quality and the attentive service of all the staff (my glass water never got empty and our server always checked on us). I will definitely come back in a heart beat with or without a deal.
(4)
amanda w.
Want to treat yourself? Come here. The portions are small but exquisite. We still ended up full despite our eyes deceiving us initially! We ordered a la carte since we had certain cravings but it seemed everyone else in the room had the tastings menu. For starters we had the scallops (our favorite dish overall) and the tomato salad. Since we ordered two appetizers, they split them in to four plates so it was no mess. We asked for some bread (fresh) and sopped up the creamy base from the scallops and the balsamic/umi broth from the tomatoes. For entrees, I had the rockfish with green beans. The rockfish was cooked nicely but the green beans were what really got me--they were the same kind I had from my farm share last summer. So crunchy and flavorful. My date had the pork duo and really loved it. We had a bit of mystery tasting with these red fruit - olive buggers on his plate. Turns out they were pickled cherries. Not for me! For dessert I had the "kit-kat" which was divine. I hope they keep it on their menu wow. The homemade ice cream with its slight salt tang and the rich but not-too-rich creaminess of the chocolate hit the spot. My date had the sundae and said it was exceptional as well. Their wine list is bonkers. They give you a tablet that lists them all. If you go to the bathrooms upstairs you can peek down at the wine cellar on your walk back to the table :) Our server was so very sweet and had a great sense of humor. She kept popping in at perfect times the entire meal. The other waitstaff were kind enough to refill our waters or take plates as well.
(5)
P K.
Okay, WOW!!! This is one dining experience where everything was literally perfect. I walked away thinking no tip would have been good enough! And it was so good, I had to write this review the same night! I went for dinner with my mom and since we both like variety and two separate meals would have been too much, we shared the four course meal. Before we got our first course, we had a complimentary amuse-bouche. It was completely unexpected but really set the tone for the rest of the meal as it was DELICIOUS. Along with this, we got two pieces of bread, which were also really good and were made in house. Course 1 - steak tartare. This was beautifully done. The presentation was perfect and the flavors were fabulous. Course 2 - sweet corn agnolotti. This melted in my mouth... Little ravioli purses stuffed with sweet corn. I took the bread and wiped up the rest of the sauce as I didn't want to leave any of it :) Course 3 - lamb saddle. We had it cooked medium-well although they recommend medium-rare. Still a great cut of meat and wonderful flavors around it. Course 4 - wait... Before this we got a complimentary palate cleanser and aromatic cleanser, I think it was a sorbet cone inside a glass of coffee beans. So course 4 was the late summer peach. The peaches weren't overly sweet, which went well with the cornbread and ice cream. Finally, the evening ended with a passion fruit jelly candy that was also complimentary of the chef. Now for the service... This was the best service I've had! The server was so attentive and knew the menu really well. He had great suggestions and described the dishes in detail. Even when I asked about the rinse wash on the mirrors, he explained it was all a part of the rustic atmosphere and then went further to describe the history of the building and what they've done to restore the original bricks, etc. There were a number of people who were working to make this experience top notch. From the hostess, to the server, to the number of people who kept clearing our cutlery, to the chef. Our server even had a tool to clear off any crumbs from table! Hats off to everyone! Overall, we really enjoyed our experience. There was not one thing I could think of for them to improve on. Pretentious? No. Expensive? Well the two of us ate and had a glass of wine in $85, which is really reasonable considering the number of complimentary items and the service. So definitely not expensive. The bar has been set high and I hope that the next restaurants I attend meet the same standards. Thank you for such a special meal!
(5)
Sue P.
I came here for my bday dinner last week and it was amazing! Our waiter Mikahl (spelling probably incorrect) was the best. He was so friendly, attentive, and gave great suggestions. He made our dining experience wonderful! The food was so good and they gave me a complimentary glass of Rose Champagne that was amazing and a free dessert, that was yummy deliciousness. I had a great bday dinner! I have no complaints & have nothing but good things to say! If you have not been here, you should. I will definitely be back. Worth every penny!
Fantastic service and presentation. Did the wine pairings with the meal and it was great. Will definitely go back
(5)
Nicole E.
A wonderful venue with good food and thoughtful staff for a large birthday group! I went here with a group of 11 for a good friend's 30th birthday. They called earlier in the day to confirm the 7:45pm reservation (made via Open Table) in the Tavern Room and the birthday celebration. We were able to add two additional people to the reservation last minute without incident. We all arrived at different times, a little bit late, and we were able to sit at the bar with our table held and no questions asked. We thought that maybe the place wasn't crowded because we were there early for a Saturday, but it never filled (and slowly emptied). After our delicious cocktails, we made our way to our table in the Tavern room but had access to both menus. Although none of us had been there before, we were informed that there is a new executive chef and he is working to make the different areas of the restaurant distinct. The menus have apparently changed, and so you may want to check it out if you haven't been there since the shift. The birthday girl was greeted with a hand written note from the chef and staff (see my photos). I've never seen a restaurant do this before, and it was classy and adorable. We, of course, took a long time to order. The waiter explained everything and was very patient with our large party's disorganization. A couple of items were unavailable (the scallops and a fish from the regular menu), and we were only told this after we had spent a long time deciding what to order... so we needed some more time. Additionally, one member of our party ordered the duck breast and was brought the duck confit. By the time her correct order arrived, everyone was finished with their meals. Everyone enjoyed their food, but those who ordered the steak said it was a bit chewy - would have been acceptable for a $20 steak, but not for its price point. I had the farm chicken and it was moist and delicious. The camarones and lamb meatball pretzels are also items that I can personally attest were delicious. The rest of my party had positive things to say about the charcuterie, the sunchokes, and the ceviche. At the conclusion of our meal, the birthday girl was brought a cake with a candle without any prompting. She enjoyed the cake, but no one else ordered dessert. The waiter then sent over this adorable bus boy who was celebrating his birthday at midnight to also wish the birthday girl a happy day. I would have normally given this place a 4, but the classy birthday additions and accommodations made me round up.
(5)
Derek D.
Spot on. We had a great time here. Octopus over green curry stole the show. Portions are small but each bite is quality and forward thinking. Great service at the bar we will definitely come back.
(5)
Sarah G.
My friend and I ended our Fall semester here last Wednesday. We sat at the bar (we are low maintenance) and ordered food. The bar was just enough full--we probably grabbed the last two seats that were together, but the girls next to us left shortly after we got our drinks. I had a prosecco. I ordered the steak tartare and the kale salad with roasted apples, blue cheese, and walnuts; both were great and a perfect dinner. My friend had a steak/tenderloin and a salad. We ate every single thing and were both super happy with our food. The bartenders are nice without being overbearing, and gave us the right amount of space. I am one of those weirdos who likes to sit at the bar but not make small talk with bartenders, so this worked out great. :) Thanks guys. We had a really good time and will be back. Easy to get to, and parking was a cinch.
(4)
Cassandra S.
We had a really enjoyable and tasty dinner here this week. We decided to go with the vegetarian tasting menu. It's blind so you're just served throughout the evening and don't actually order anything, they just bring it out. First, the service was perfect. The staff, from the hostess to the waiter and bus staff were all very accommodating. We LOVE when you get good service, and other than at Cinghiale and Ouzo Bay, we haven't had better service in Baltimore. We were very impressed. Each plate was plated with flair and all the ingredients were fresh and paired well with one another. The food really spoke to us; as vegetarians we're often relegated to the sides menu or pasta alfredo, but here the hits just kept on coming. For example, instead of a "pasta" dish, the chef made celery root parppardelle noodles with a light green sauce and it exceeded expectations. Another dish had a delicate cheese sauce with lively green sprigs perched in the tufts of cheese, delicious. Finally, you know hoe sometimes you get the tasting menu and you need to go get another meal afterwards?? NOT HERE! We left stuffed. Tackily, we took some of the food home. We did eat all the desserts; two desserts each plus homemade strawberry rhubarb jellys (with a touch a jalapeno?) Excellent meal, beautiful decor, great wine selection. Thanks!
We did Valentines Day here and we were not let down. The people around were just as excited about each plate. In the end we all could not stop talking to each other about the food and the service. Price was worth it and it did not disappoint; even though we had last minute of the night reservations. Thank you for a very memorable night. 36/M and 21/F.
(5)
Lily B.
Hubby worked late so we decided to eat out to take advantage of restaurant week on that snowy night. We walked in past 9:30 and the place was very quite. We were informed that kitchen would close in 20 minutes. We went with the prefix menu. Two beautiful salads came up and both delicious. However hubby was digging to look for the beef ravioli that he had ordered. When our waiter came by to check on us, we asked to confirm that was the correct dish. He said he got it wrong, and asked hubby if he still would want the ravioli. Hubby answered yes. Our waiter went back without any hesitation. The beef ravioli turned out to be delicious. Our waiter was very attentive but without being intrusive. Our main dishes were skate and chicken. Both were beautifully presented and flavorful. The skate was lightly fried with the right balance of crisp and tenderness. For desserts, we went for the flourless chocolate cake and poached pears. I'm usually not a big fan of cooked fruits, but this poached pear was not super sweet, perfected with mascarpone ice cream that was very smooth. A perfect dinner.
(5)
Cecilia L.
Was here for the Living Social deal they had, $79 for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts. Also ordered a side of brussels sprouts, which were very delicious. Appetizers: I got the salad, my friend got the squash soup. Salad was just a salad, the soup was good. Entrees: I got the rockfish and clams in pumpkin dashi, which I very much enjoyed. My friend ordered the spare ribs, which were amazing! It was tender and the sauce they were in rocked my mouth. Desserts: Frozen pumpkin mousse, which we both didn't care for, and the vanilla cheese cake which was yummy. The interior is very lovely, and the service was great except for the hostess, who was not very welcoming. Our waiter was sweet and helpful, and was very attentive to when our next course was to come out. All in all it was a good meal for a weekday night.
(4)
John C.
My wife and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen for the first time last night. We were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary and we had a fantastic time! Upon arrival, the hostess and our waiter wished us a happy 25th. We were then treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling rose which was delicious. For startters, we shared the brussel sprouts, seared pork belly and pumpkin soup, all of which were wonderful (pork belly was our favorite). Our entrees consisted of Chestnut Stuffed Chicken Roulade and Seared Tilefish. Once again, both were not only delicious but the presentation was beautiful. We finished off our evening sharing the Frozen Pumpkin Mousse - wow! I almost forgot - the breads, sour dough and multi-grain, are made fresh daily and were to die for. Many thanks to the staff at Fleet Street Kitchen for making our silver anniversary a memorable one! We will definitely be back!
(5)
N K.
Seasonal soups are amazing and I am not a soup person. Breads are always very tasty. Baked fresh nightly and brought to the table generously. We've dined here upwards of 10 times and always had impeccable service. Shaved Brussels sprout salad and truffle pasta purses are our all time favorites. Make reservations at least a week in advance for weekends.
(5)
Miss M.
Hands down the BEST Halibut I have ever had. And I'm from New England. The ambiance great - the bartender a little awkward, but well intended. Needs to loosen up a bit!
(5)
Mrs T.
I dined at FSK on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Total number in our party was 3. We did not have a reservation, however the hostess who answered the phone told us that if we could arrive within the next 30 minutes, she could get us in. We made it and I'm so happy that we did. This is in my top 5 dining experiences in Baltimore. Since there were 3 of us, we decided to order the for the 4 course option for $65. We chose not to do the wine pairings, as none of us truly enjoy wine that much. The first course was the only one that we felt had limited options (for our palates). We selected the sea scallops, steak tartare and duck confit terrine. The sea scallops were amazing, paired with parsnip puree and country ham. The coffee soil was a little odd, but overall the dish was a success. I was hesitant to try the duck confit terrine, as the texture of most terrines are too gelatinous for me - this was not! It was full of flavor and had a nice, firm texture. I did not try the tartare but my dining mate enjoyed it. To our surprise, the 2nd course was our most enjoyable course. The dish that scored a perfect 10 was the Brussel Sprouts with bacon, fennel, apple, walnut and horseradish. 2 of the 3 aren't huge brussel sprout fans, but we figured we'd try them anyway since bacon makes everything better. The dish was amazing. The sprouts had a deep, smoky flavor and just the right amount of char. We could easily have ordered another bowl of those. The winter squash agnolotti was also delicious, especially the unexpected fresh note that the meyer lemon added to dish. The beet salad was tasty as well, however, we were not a fan of the pine nut butter. It did not add anything of value to the flavor profiles, we enjoyed the salad much better when we avoided that element. For our 3rd course, we selected the duck breast, the strip loin and the pastrami cured short rib. Hands down winner was the pastrami cured short rib. It was paired with the same parsnip puree from the scallop dish in the 1st course, kale and a sauerkraut rye crumble. A bite of this with all the elements on the fork together was SUBLIME! The duck breast and strip loin dishes were very good, but compared to the short rib, they definitely did not measure up. To this point, our experience was really great including service staff. However, things went downhill. We didn't see our waiter again for at least 20 minutes after finishing our 3rd course. Glancing around, we could see many other tables with that look "How can we grab the eye/attention of someone on the staff?". Another staff member finally came to take our plates away, but it was about 10 minutes before we were able to order our dessert course and a full 20 minutes before it arrived. Not sure what the problem was, but that final hour of our experience definitely cost them a better review. For desert we chose a bittersweet chocolate cake with a smoked vanilla ice cream, a cheesecake, and a sauteed pear with cream and nuts. The cheesecake was good, but not extremely memorable, the smoked vanilla ice cream was AMAZING as was the sauteed pear dish. Again, trying to get our check and then waiting for our credit card to be returned took about 20 minutes. While waiting, we sent one person out to retrieve our car from the valet. By the time we exited, our car was just arriving. Overall, a great night out and I'm happy to finally taste the food at this establishment. In my opinion, the chef's strength is his layering of complex flavors. Every dish contained bites that exploded in your mouth as you tried to figure out the background flavors. The plating was a little less spectacular than I expected, but it was presentable. I would return for another experience.
(4)
Devonshire B.
Warning: DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU ARE HUNGRY. Carrying on... 1- I like the cross-culture of farm and elegance. Not too hoighty toighty, not too casual. I didn't feel out of place, although I'd lean more towards dressing up a little. 2- The service was pretty awkward. Or maybe it was just the woman we had...not sure. Not much convo at all, but rather silence and teeny talk (which means WAY less talk than small talk, which isn't much talk in the first place!). It was odd. 3- The bread and butter was AWESOME. Too bad there wasn't enough butter for the both of us. And too bad they didn't let us keep the basket of bread they served out of. 4- Bypass the cocktails, beers, wines, and appetizers. Trust me. You'll regret paying for them. The flavours might be good, but the miniscule portion sizes will blow your mind. We were smart and didn't order any, but that didn't stop me from looking at other tables and seeing peoples' hungry gazes upon their easily emptied plates. 5- A server brought out two ridiculous tiny carrots with a goat cheese puree sauce. I have no idea why. Maybe we were supposed to use them as toothpicks? Were they just garnishes for our main course? Were we supposed to eat them as if they were an appetizer? Well...we ate them. If you're trying to imagine how small they were, I'll help: learntopreserve.com/stor… They were THAT small. And they were as flavourful as they were big. 6- Which brings me to the main courses. The cow (be sure to ask for the cut of the day, as it changes. Don't order it if the cut isn't worth the $$$ they charge) and the duck. We asked for medium for the beef. Be sure to repeat your preference, as they seem to ignore what you ask for and bring it out however the chef wants it prepared. It was definitely close to still moo-ing. The duck should always be eaten as medium rare. It was spot on. The flavours, however, were 100% traditional. Nothing exciting. Nothing adventurous or unique. I was expecting much more for the price tag. My main complaint is saved for the portion sizes though. Once again: DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU ARE HUNGRY. I'm serious. The plates are huuuuuuge, but the main dish takes up maybe 20% of the plate- no lie. My first thought was: you've got to be kidding me. 7- Needless to say, we left hungry. We didn't want to waste another dime on this joke. No dessert for us, just the check please. I will say though...they gave us 2 petite madeleines as an after-dinner treat with our check. That was the best thing about this whole experience. They were fantastic! 8- Also, we totally stopped by McD's afterwards to satiate our hunger with fries, nuggets and frappes. ----------------------- FYI as a side note: we had a $20 discount due to donating to a cause. The server made it feel unwelcome. Hey, we did a good deed. We're still going to tip on the full price of the meal, unless you're snooty about it. Just be aware of their sticky acceptance of those things.
(2)
Riley K.
Stopped by for dinner and it turned into a drink, menu reading, a promise to come back and a very nice bartender. Beautiful place! Three distinctly different spaces - the Tavern Room (has different, special menu) - the bar (both menus) - and the dining room (main menu - see website). The bar is super unique and the dinning room is gorgeous. Most men had jackets/sport coats. Menu was tastefully funky and expensive. I'll wait til' Christmas and ask for a gift card. See photos. Happy Munching!
Lamb belly was delicious. Pork belly was alright too. I like the brussel sprouts and eggplant parm was delicious. I think I prefer the veggie dishes over the meat one. Don't think I will want to go back.
(3)
elizabeth k.
Went Friday night and got right in with no wait or reservation. The food was ok. The linguine with basil sauce was very good, the rest of our meals (2 apps and 2 entrees) were nothing special. The atmosphere and waiters were great thou. They were very friendly, funny, on top of everything and helpful.
(3)
Renee M.
This is a restaurant that is almost there... but not quite. My boyfriend and I went on Valentines Day. So yes the price was probably marked up a bit. The interior is spacious and beautiful and the service was good but I felt like this was a place that was trying too hard to be pretentious. We had three courses for $69 each on their prix fix menu not including wine. The food was good but not great and the portions are tiny. Dessert was the best part and they have some creative ingredient pairings that are unusual but totally work! Good thing you saved room for dessert (purposely or not with those portions)!
(3)
Erin C.
Updating my prior two-star review after a great experience during Summer Restaurant Week. I saw that the mushroom stew we'd had in the fall was making an appearance on the RW menu and had to have it again. One of the best vegetarian dishes I've ever had in a restaurant. We were seated in the beautiful upper dining room and the staff was helpful, attentive, and efficient. It was everything I hoped our first outing to FSK would have been. Glad we gave it another try, and will be back any time we spy this incredible mushroom dish on the menu.
(4)
Marchelli H.
The food here is amazing. Some of the best I've had this year. I love this place! It's pretty pricey, so I would say it's great for entertaining business clients and great to take that special someone.
(5)
Jaime C.
I had not heard of this place until recently. My family and I came here for my mothers birthday and were thoroughly impressed with one exception. The ambience and interior is very warm and welcoming. It almost reminded me of a spot that might be located deep in the mountains with snow piling up around. Our waiter was absolutely amazing. Attentive, kind and knowledgable about the menu and wine list. The food was some of the best I've had in awhile. Coming off of Pazos and Wit an Wisdom from other birthdays, I believe that Fleet Street really hit a new level. The rockfish was out of this world. The brussel sprouts were crisp and delectable, with a slight tang at the end. But my favorite was the Foie Grois with the caramelized kale. Just to die for. The ONLY issue we had with Fleet Street is that the kitchen fell FAR behind. We waited for an hour just for appetizers and another hour for our main meal - in total two hours for our main course. Our waiter, god bless him, made it up to us and was very attentive. All in all I highly recommend this place, perhaps after 7 when it's not a mad rush.
(4)
Kellie R.
I hate to leave anything but an amazing review for this restaurant, as I have been there many times and it was incredible. But I'm starting to discover that it REALLY depends on what day you go. On the weekend, reservations are definitely required, but the service is impeccable; food timed properly, they have their best staff working and it's a flawless evening. On the weekdays, it's a whole other story. I think this must be why they get MEH reviews. We went recently on a Monday night and were so disappointed. Despite there only being 3 tables total (in our area, at least), it took over 4 hours for dinner (to be fair, we did app/veg/entree/dessert, but that still seems excessive. We drank an entire bottle of wine before we were even given bread- about an hour into sitting down). I cant decide if it was the waiter or the kitchen, but something just wasn't right. They looked like they were running on a serious skeleton crew with only 1-2 servers in our room and 2 kitchen staff total. Most of the time it only looked like one chef behind the line, which seems crazy for any day of the week; especially since the plates are so intricate (I also saw what looked like to be an argument between management and the chef, so who knows what was happening there, but really, take it somewhere out of customer view). The weekdays seem like a great time to go, since they have some great specials (20% off entrees and wine on Mondays; 50% off wine on Tues), but I'll never go back again unless it is on the weekend. They brought me the wrong dessert and they really made no effort to apologize/comp, which is strange IMO. To make matters worse, they insist on doing EVERYTHING for you, so you cant even pour yourself another glass of wine while you wait since they keep it off the table. Seriously, I think this place rivals Woodberry Kitchen in regards to food (the only saving grace of our disastrous night) and I can never stop raving about it. But I was totally embarrassed on Monday by our experience; I had two friends from out of town that were coming for the first time and it was a total disaster.I spent the whole night apologizing and trying to help save their opinion of this place. My recommendation is going on a weekend but if you only have weekdays available, take your business next door to Ten Ten. It's owned by the same people (so the food is amazing as well) and I never run into any of these issues.
(3)
Jen K.
Fleet Street Kitchen is very accommodating to gluten free diners! The service overall was wonderful. Great ambiance for any special occasion, whether that be a date, birthday, parents in town, or to schmooze w/ colleagues. They made my friend feel like a queen on her birthday, with well-wishes, a card, and even a free slice of cake w/ a candle. Extensive wine selection, but I would have liked to see a more varied cocktail list. It was a bit chilly inside, so make sure to dress with layers. In my opinion, this is the type of place you go to [and pay] for the experience rather than the food. (The food was good, but not excellent. I didn't try it, but others in my party raved about the mushroom stew. I loved the chocolate pudding [sans granola]. The fish was decent, but something was off with the flavors.) However, their positive attitude alone makes me eager to return!
(4)
Laura S.
Yum! Great service, stopped in 1.5 hours before a movie and discovered how great this place was, we were sad that we had to rush out! Still the salads and apps were delicious and the entrees portion sizes were larger than I expected! Next time we'll definitely try the chefs tasting menu. Plus! They had Black Ankle wine (my favorite from Maryland) so enjoyed a glass before we finished dessert and rushed over to the movie. We chose 4 courses as the menu suggested (for my husband) and I ordered the scallops app and a beet salad for me - sharing it all was plenty for two people.
(4)
Marc P.
We went here last night for restaurant week. We had been here once before and it was fine. But last night the service was awful. The restaurant wasn't full but it literally took 1 hour between our first course and the arrival of the second course. The waiter never came by to explain the delay or even apologize for it. The wine list is indeed impressive but apparently only at the high price end. We tried two bottles at the $45 - $55 per bottle range and both were drinkable but also very forgettable. Yes they have wines that cost hundreds per bottle but even at $50 you should get something that is enjoyable. For us, FSK has a mixed performance. Perhaps it was an off night but as restaurant week is supposed to be a time they are trying to attract new customers this was a bad time to falter.
(2)
Sandy P.
Some friends and I decided to plan a night out for dinner and looked for a place that was a nice cut above the ordinary. We decided on the Fleet Street Kitchen because we liked that they used ethically raised produce and locally grown fruits and vegetables for their ingredients. THE AMBIANCE My first impressions were very positive. There is a wonderful valet parking service right in front of the restaurant if you don't want to search for parking. Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately noticed a very elegant environment with a hint of rustic undertones. The layout of the restaurant is nice and spacious. THE SERVICE My next impressions are the reasons why I'm only giving Fleet Street Kitchen a four star review. I was not particularly impressed with the wait staff. They seemed to lack the necessary skills to quickly establish rapport and came across as awkward, uninterested, aloof and robotic at times. As the night went on, things got a little bit better. THE FOOD I was immediately drawn to the four course menu, which consists of a first course, main course, vegetable and dessert and costs $65. For my first course, I ordered the Braised Beef Short Rib. Absolutely delicious and comprised of a small but satisfying portion of very tender and wonderfully seasoned braised beef served over a bed of creamed spinach, red currants and veal jus. For my vegetable, I ordered the roasted sweet potato with accents of pecans and apple. I liked this very much because it was served in its natural form and not pureed. However, my vegetable order arrived way before my main course. I was expecting and preferred them to come out together. For my main course, I ordered the Farm Chicken, which was exceptional. But I have to admit, I was expecting something a bit different given the $28 Ã la carte price for this main course. The portion size was small and, other than the chicken, there was not much else on the plate except broccoli and hen of the woods mushrooms artistically strewn about the plate. It was, however, a delicious partially boneless chicken breast with crispy skin on top. The mushrooms and broccoli were deliciously fresh, earthy and seasoned with chicken jus. Finally, for my dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Caramel Tart. This was a wonderful ending to the meal. The tart was made with rich dark chocolate filled with caramel with an accompanying small scoop of praline ice cream all resting on plate covered in a streak of dark chocolate. This was small but proportionally impactful and was great when paired with a nice macchiato. OVERALL IMPRESSION All of my menu selections were very delicious and I could tell that great attention to detail was placed on making everything excellently presented and extremely flavorful. The only drawback as mentioned above was the wait staff. Also, I was a little disappointed in the portion size of the main course. Overall, I would recommend Fleet Street Kitchen and would eat there again. I have to advise, to get the best tasting experience and the most bang for your buck, get the Four Course Menu.
(4)
J N.
I have been here about a dozen times in the last 18 months. It is hit or miss. It is a great space and i really like the lit up stone-like bar. I have had 3 of the best meals of my life here and i have had some average meals here. With the prices and smaller portions the bar is set really high and somtimes they fail in the food department. Naderia, a very knwlegble bartender left last yr and the current bartender is very nice but does not have experience. Current happy hour is really good if u want great glass of wine and a small plate. $6 wine Half off apps/small plates Place might b in trouble...HH is a bit cheap.
(3)
Kevin K.
The cramped front room and bar are deceiving; this place is big so make sure to see the back room. An amazing ambiance envelopes you: refined sea green microfiber armchairs; silky white table clothes; upscale plaid booths accented by cherry wood; perfectly-dim lighting bathes everything in a gold glow; and the right amount of jazz at the right volume. Tables are close but the ambiance feeds off the intimate noise level, young and old couples all over. [Ambiance: 5/5] The hostess was great, 1-2 punching her way through witty jibes about the restaurant and where we'd be sat. After that it got stuffy, our server and attentive--water never empty--but unenlightening, impersonal, and often hiding behind our attempts to finish his descriptions for him.. "cherry and uh.. yes, yes, that's it!" [Service: 4/5] The beer list is awesome. Tap variety includes a dark sour, berliner weisse, porter, pilsner, double ipa, two saisons... variety that rivals most of the better bars in Baltimore. AND they highlight locals, 4 of them from MD. We stuck with cocktails and they're also dynamite: Mirkwood - FSK's "on the rocks" means "ice mountain billowing out of your glass". The amount of actual liquid is small, but flavor is great: herbaceous and refreshing, as the description reads, and with the right kiss of green sweetness from the fruit. Buttercup - Foamy texture works, but oddly flavorless. Hit up Rye for a better pisco drink. Willie's Revenge - Great interplay from the sour beer with honey and light scotch heat, more than expected, though an odd, papery finish. Whiskey Sour - Upon request, without a blink of the eye. They used rail vodka--$8 and our cheapest drink--and it was awesome, biting and acidic with the right amount of burn. The cherry disintegrated in my mouth, would prefer crisper (Rye's does this better too). [Drinks: 4/5] Dinner started with a peach-hazelnut-honey amuse bouche, one bite laid gently in an Asian soup spoon. Delicious. And it summarized the rest of our meal: - exquisite attention to detail - masterful combinations - beautiful and delicate plating - prep slightly off - If you want volume for your $, go somewhere else. Order a lot or leave hungry. We also had... Bread+ - room temp butter and light salting accents the ultra dense raisin bread. Roasted Beet Salad - roasting beets is the way to go and it's noticeable here. The goat cheese is delicate and appropriately tangy (wished there was more) and the micro-greens bitter enough to balance. The surprise was the red vinegar/reduction to cut the earthiness--if you don't like beets, still give this a try. Egg Yoke Ravioli - ultra savory. The yoke should run more and the ravioli felt tough, but the bacon and mushrooms balanced perfectly. My gf wiped up the jus with her bread. Wish I'd done the same. Foie Gras Torchon - well balanced. The foie is served colder than best but the peaches and hazelnuts take care of all other texture issues. The brioche is incredibly delicate, too much in fact to stand up to the foie. Le Diplomate's with texas toast is still the best I've tried stateside, but this runs third behind DC's Proof. Butter Poached Lobster - ethereal. Lobster cooked perfectly, no rubber, but I'd hoped it'd be richer. Instead, the rhubarb garnish/sauce lifts it, and granola crunch. The whole thing twirls. Pork belly - breakfast. My girlfriend pointed out it is bacon and eggs with a dash of maple syrup. The pork is seared to a crackle--not just "crispy"--on one side, but it is incredible otherwise: perfectly salty, fatty and juicy. I prefer poached eggs that don't wobble--an extra minute would do--but my gf was pleased. [Dinner: 5/5] Believe the FSK hype: Baltimore's most masterfully crafted meal that I've paid for and definitely the most "upscale". Charleston here we come.
(4)
Brian A.
What is this? A restaurant for ants? The flavors at Fleet Street were tasty, the staff was accommodating, and the atmosphere was comfortable.... but the portions were so terribly small I could not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Our meal consisted of the butchered cow entree and the duck entree. The duck was spectacular, tender, juicy and flavorful, The same goes for the cow. Unfortunately the entire dish, including the sides, was no larger than a baseball. I could continue to describe this meal, but it was a wisp, a passing moment, two chomps and it was over. I found myself licking the plate... not for flavor but sustenance. For $34 a plate I should be left satisfied by flavor and satiated by the portion. I left Fleet Street hungrier then when I entered. I think I burnt more calories chewing than the food contained. Save your money, avoid.
When will yelp allow 1/2 stars? I would give this 3.5 stars, but had to bump it to 4 because 3 would be an insult. The decor is very nice and the staff treats their customers well. They have a wide variety of alcoholic drinks available and even have an iPad for their wine cellar selection. This seemed a bit overkill to me with a "hey, look, we are trendy" vibe. Most drinks (beer, liquor, wine glass) will run you around $10. Tried a couple different bourbons for the hell of it. The menu changes seasonally, but here is what I had. Appetizers: Scallops and pork belly Entree: Lamb shoulder special and eggplant Dessert: The Campfire Scallops were some of the best I have ever had. Didn't hurt that they had bacon in the dish. The pork belly was good too. The lamb shoulder was good as well..almost too salty, but had good flavor. The eggplant is ordered a la carte and for $11 I was expecting it to be delicious. I got 4 shriveled pieces of eggplant that lacked any flavor and just failed miserably. The campfire dessert is a spin on smores. The idea was interesting, but it the chef just got too fancy and spun up on originality that caused the dessert to miss. Overall a very nice place. So why did I rate it only 3.5-4 stars? The portions are fairly small and for the price, the entire meal is not a great value. The quality is there for the most part so I would be back if something on their seasonal menu sparked my interest.
(4)
Dominique F.
Came here last night with my coworkers and it was GREAT!! Service was awesome, there was never a point in the night where your water wasn't at least three quarter full. Food came on time and the servers didn't take away the plates until everyone was done with their meal, so you never felt rushed. I got one of the fish dishes and it was seared to perfection!! Drinks were also amazing and the choco tart for dessert out of this world. The smores dessert didn't impress me too much though. It's definitely pricey, but I guess you pay for the whole experience. Would definitely be back!
(4)
Michelle U.
I made reservations back in early January so my boyfriend and I could enjoy our Valentine's Day together. I am from out of the state and only get to visit him once a month on the weekend, so going out to dinner is a nice treat for us to enjoy. We have dined at Ten Ten Bistro and were impressed with the food and service. I thought I would be getting the same caliber making a reservation here. Well I was wrong in coming to that assumption. I was unaware that there was going to be a pre-fix meal for Valentine's day; otherwise I would have chosen a different place to eat. I looked at the menu online before making the restaurant and there was nothing about the menu being different for Valentines Day; I even got a phone call to confirm my reservation and was not told that the menu was going to be different. I was told that the menu was posted on the website, but I wasn't expecting to have to check the website regularly for any changes. Looking at the menu, it just felt very uninspired and it was designed to make it easier for the kitchen rather than treat the guests to something different and exciting. The service was mediocre at its best. If I am going to pay $100+ per person, I better be taken care with all the money being spent. The bread and water service was off and almost non-existent. The waiter we had was like a robot and did not personalize service at all. The experience was lackluster. The waiter was unsure if the bartender could make a gin mule instead of the one on the menu, and he took awhile to get back with us on whether or not the drink could be made. My boyfriend's lobster was overcooked and he could barely cut through it, but by the time the server came over we were already done with the second course. We asked the waiter if we can have wine served with our third course since we ordered cocktails for our first two courses. The waiter forgot and I did not see him at all to ask for a drink; the woman that served our third course placed an order for our wine. Well we didn't receive the wine until we were almost finished with our meal. The waiter came over to ask if the food was cooked to our liking and whether or not we would like to order an after dinner drink. Well, why would I order an after dinner drink if I have a full glass of wine that I just received? The atmosphere was pleasant and food was good besides the overcooked lobster. I have worked in the industry as a server and pastry chef; currently I am a wine consultant to restaurants so I know what great service can be and this was not apparent Saturday night. I made a yelp account just to comment about your restaurant, since I was so dissatisfied. We are fine dining veterans and this experience was unfortunately disappointing. I hope this was just an off night for the restaurant.
(1)
A. C.
(08/01/2013) Tried out Fleet Street Kitchen for Restaurant Week. The place is another one of those "rustic" farm-to-table concept places. Ingredients are seasonal and locally sourced, dishes are seemingly simply prepared, but have many layers of flavors built in. Started with the Charcuterie Selection that came with a pork rillette (subtly spiced with a little allspice?) topped with rich layer of fat; tangy, thinly shaved porchetta; chunky, peppery terrine; slow-cooked pork belly, crisp, light pork rind; with tart rhubarb jam and crostini. Swiss Chard Toast was a pile of sauteed bitter greens on a thick toast with a housemade creamy ricotta accented with sweet raisins. Best dish of the night was the "deconstructed breakfast"; Crispy Pork Belly (meltingly tender fat and layered with moist meat) with poached farm egg and buttered toast powder, even came with a maple syrup drizzle. The standard steak and potato on the menu was a bauvette steak (sounds way better than "flap meat" doesn't it), seared and cooked to a rosy medium rare, simply seasoned with kosher salt, cracked black pepper and basted in a lot of butter. Mushroom Stew was the lowlight of the meal, was earthy plenty of mushrooms, but very salty; toasted gnudi were light and creamy, could been a good starch to pair with the overseasoned stew had there been a few more for balance. An aged Welsh cheddar (slightly bitter, tangy, salty) and semi-soft ashed goat's milk cheese (slightly aged rind, creamy interior) ended the meal nicely. Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with lightly sweetened layer of fluffy cheese on a pale genoise. Chocolate Rum Soup was exactly like it sounds, unctuous and rich. Overall, service was attentive and very professional, prices are as expected (somewhat on the high side and it's a small plates and small portions kind of place), atmosphere is upscale modern with some ersatz rustic decorative touches (barn door on a bathroom stall?). Food is mostly executed well and enjoyable to eat.
(4)
Saul C.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday, and was so glad I did. I had done a bit of research in terms of good places to eat in Baltimore, but given that I rarely make the trip up from DC, had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We each had four courses - a first course, vegetable, main, and dessert. Each was delicious, and complemented the meal before it perfectly. The restaurant had a great wine selection as well (presented via iPad) and we had a delicious bottle of Pinot Gris. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful, including our server. When we arrived to our table, a birthday card had been left on the table for him - that attention to detail is what really convinced me this was a great place. I recommended it to some friends who had a similarly great meal just a few weeks afterwards, confirming that this place is definitely legit.
(5)
Scott D.
Bottom line - the food was great, but we felt like we were not wanted there. My girlfriend and I made reservations for 9pm - after taking in a movie. We arrived at 8:45 and checked in with the host, who said that our table was being prepared. He suggested we head to the bar for a drink. There were two people drinking at the bar and three employees behind the mahogany. We sat there for about 5 minutes and made eye contact with all three employees - and no one came over. We were seated by the host and our waiter came in about 10 minutes... asked if we wanted anything to drink. Explanation of the dinner menu was tersely offered, and he gave my girlfriend the iPad for wine. A bottled beer and glass of wine arrived pretty quickly and we ordered our dinner. We didn't see our waiter for another 25 minutes and had to ask another server to tell him that we would each like another drink - we had each been empty for about 10 minutes. The 2nd round of drinks arrived with our meals - which were very good (beef tenderloin and pork chop entrees). Our waiter came with our check (~$110) about 20 minutes later. The downstairs dining area had about 20 people in it when we got there and when we left - it's not like we were keeping the staff extra late on our account. We saw our waiter for about 5 minutes total. He did his job when asked to, but offered minimal availability, conversation, and/or personality. He didn't seem like a bad kid... and I didn't expect him to kiss our rumps, but between him and not being welcomed or served at the bar, it was very off-putting. Maybe he was new. Maybe he was too busy. Maybe the table before us stiffed him - who knows. Having worked in the food-service industry, I know that every night isn't your best and every customer isn't your favorite. We tried to make conversation, but it just wasn't happening with him. I've had bad nights too, so I tipped about 30% of the check - maybe it would make up for whatever made him treat us that way.
(2)
tim j.
Celebration dinner with early reservation. Very friendly but awkward, seemingly inexperienced server. He did not know ingredients of menu items for food allergies. Food was very good, especially the cod and also the scallop appetizer (that they generously comped). Friendly, helpful sommelier. Surprisingly, some plates and food were properly hot, but others were not. Excellent desserts. Good place ,but needs polish.
(3)
Yolanda Y.
Had to spend the night in Baltimore for work, and I'm really happy I picked this place for dinner. Service was excellent, drinks were perfect, food was good too. I cannot remember what my dish was called even though it was a couple nights ago (maybe it was the wonderful drinks) but it had a fried egg with potatoes and mushrooms I think. It was good, but I think it was a little richer than I like. For dessert I had the butter cinnamon ice cream and that was heavenly. If I'm back in this city anytime soon, I can see myself coming back here.
(4)
Laura M.
To start, I could have rated FSK anywhere from a 2-4 depending on what aspects I was taking into consideration, so I split the difference and went with a 3. I've been to FSK twice. I do not remember what I ate the first time, but I thought it was good enough to go again, and I do remember getting a very good wine recommendation. Now to the second time. A group of six of us had an 8:45 reservation we made the week prior. Since it was such a late reservation (that's all they had available), we had a drink at Wit & Wisdom before heading over. When we arrived we were told our table was not yet available as the previous party was still there. We were in high spirits and were totally fine with this, we told the hostess we would be at the bar until the table was ready. Since we had already had a drink before heading over some of us elected to have a glass of wine, and a few decided not to. The service by the bartenders was very good. We hung out at the bar until about 9:30, at which point we were starting to get a little agitated at the wait. Not only was it 45 minutes past our reservation, we also wanted to avoid multiple drinks on empty stomachs...we were starving! I decided to go to the hostess to see what was going on, because we could also see that there were multiple empty tables. The hostess told me she understands but that the table was still not available. I reported back to the group what I had been told, but at this point that wasn't really cutting it. Everyone was hungry, there were empty tables, and we had a reservation. We waited another 10 minutes and then another member of the party went back to the hostess. She was told the same thing (our table was not ready). Now we were really getting annoyed, so we asked to see the manger. The hostess told us she was the manager. At about 9:50, we were starving and super agitated at the customer service so we decided we were going to leave. We asked the hostess for our coats (which we had checked) and she got them for us no questions asked (no attempt to get us to stay). We were in the process of bundling up (it was cold) to head out, when finally someone in a suit (I'm assuming the actual manager) comes over and tries to convince us to stay. He apologized for the wait, and asked us to give him an opportunity to make it up. We were torn because were annoyed and we were so hungry we just wanted to get pizzas and call it a night. It was hard to imagine spending that kind of money on a meal we were just going to inhale, and not enjoy. Eventually we decided to stay. They did treat us to appetizers, drinks and dessert. I thought the food was fine, but again, by the time we got our entrees it was about 11 pm, and I was in no state to be evaluating the quality of my food. I appreciated the efforts of the manager, and our service once we sat down was very good. I think most of the issue was caused due to mismanagement of seating. I can understand that they wanted our group to sit at a particular table, but I think good service dictates that once you are 15-20 mins late on a reservation, you move to plan b. I wouldn't tell anyone not to go to FSK, but I won't be planning to go there again myself.
(3)
Erica O.
Went to FSK for the first time for my mom's bday. Our reservation was for 8 pm and we didn't get seated until 8:50. While we were waiting for our table we got drinks at the bar. Their cocktails are only 3 oz at $12 a pop. When we finally got seated we got served an assortment of cheeses and meats...no explanation from the server as to what was what. I did look at the menu online before going and was hoping that they might have some specials. Nope, only what is on the menu. When a restaurant has foi gras on the menu, you know they are trying too hard. Anyway, I got the rockfish and the portion was small as expected. It wasn't bad but I've had much better rockfish at other restaurants. Also, the last 2 bottles of cab that we got came out cold! With so many other good restaurants in this area I would definitely recommend skipping over this restaurant and go down the street to any other restaurant.
(1)
Supriya M.
First, I made an open table reservation for 4 people on a Saturday night at 8:15pm. When they called to confirm, we wanted to add one more person to our reservation and a baby, technically making us a party of 6 and they were very accommodating. Kudos to that because reservations are hard to come by at this place. But, when we arrived at the restaurant at 8:15pm, our table was not ready. We were given our table at 8:30 and then our server took another 15 minutes to come by. This was frustrating (particularly since we had a newborn with us) because it was already 1/2 hr past our reservation time! Drinks - The McNulty and Veronica were very good - the Heart of a Dog was mediocre at best. The beer list is decent. Food - All the food we ordered was excellent. The portions were super small for the prices. The butternut squash toast and the lamb were my favorite. The Chocolate Pallete dessert was excellent, so was the carrot cake cheesecake. Overall, nice ambiance, amazing drinks and food, good service BUT very pricey and tiny portions! Food was 5 starts, the one star was taken off for keeping us waiting for 30 minutes!
(4)
Anne B.
Recently went to FSK for restaurant week. I was very impressed with the service, food and ambience. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the dishes, farms, and just kind. Our food was excellent, a wonderful meal with perfect wine pairings (the wine list is so extensive it's presented on an iPad!). Hope to be back for a celebratory dinner, definitely a special event place and not your day to day dinner.
(5)
Peter K.
Came in for dinner, on time reservation, drinks prior were good even though price was high. Rock fish and black cod were good , beets salad was a added delight. Roast pork was a bit tough, but sprouts were good compliment. Service a bit off, had to ask for bread, never filled water. I cream and cheese plate a delicious addition to the meal.
(3)
Nick C.
First and foremost, this is a good review, with a few items that need attention. One thing they should know. Some jackass manager/owner came up with the idea of forcing every server to stop in their tracks, and awkwardly shift to the side wall any time a customer walks by. It's clear that it's something they must be reminded of every week and they're not good at the maneuvers. It's just plain uncomfortable and needs to stop. Of the few Michelin rated restaurants I've been to, they're not even doing that. They can get better reviews by making the quality of their food more consistent and the knowledge of their servers more thorough. I first came to FSK when it first opened last year or so. The service and everything about it was so bad they comped our entire meal and gave us a $50 gift card. They clearly hadn't worked out the kinks of how to serve 100 plus people at once. Food was delayed, orders mistaken, food was no longer available an hour after ordering and ultimately cold upon arrival. I recently went back almost a year later on a Saturday night, and we had a much better experience. I believe in that time they found a new chef. We sat at the bar this time, and the bartender was very knowledgeable about the menu and wine list. The food was great this time, worth the relative price. Egg yolk ravioli and charcuterie plate were the highlights. Their wines by the glass were a bit overpriced ($20 for a glass of a good cab, that could be bought for $20/bottle on wine-searcher). Then, I took a friend there in the middle of the week, ordered similar items so she could try, and the quality wasn't as good. It was clear that they saved their best chefs/sous chefs for the weekend, because our Saturday experience was much better in terms of food quality than it was on a Tuesday night. Hostesses were great, manager was good this time around. All in all, it's making progress, but it's not there yet.
(3)
Brent F.
Had a wonderful experience at FSK last night. Brussel Sprout veggie dish for app was flavorful and included fennel, one of my favorite things. Entrees were great: I had chicken breast which was perfectly cooked and served over a wonderful risotto. It came with a pressed thigh meat "loaf" on the side which was kind of like a chicken meatball...not bad but not needed either. My wife had a veggie pasta dish which was extremely unique in a good way. Dessert was a dark chocolate terrine with blood orange and smoked vanilla ice cream. Great service, nice environment. Extremely impressed with the experience. Only thing that we didn't like was not having complementary valet like other restaurants of this caliber. Plenty of street parking though for the night we choose.
(5)
Jennifer J.
Finally got to eat here and the food was delicious! We had an early reservation so the wait staff was very attentive. The menu is a bit pricey but since the food was fabulous we didn't mind so much. From the bread which was just chewy enough to the perfectly cooked wagyu beef special, the meal was lovely. Wish we had had more time to savor, but alas our nanny turns into a pumpkin at 7! Will definitely be back another night.
(5)
Bryan L.
Restaurant was very nice and our server was very friendly. It was half off wine night, which made the bottle prices much better. Food was pretty good, but I would have expected better for the price...and have had much better right next door at TenTen. My wife had the filet ordered medium and it came out completely brown and dry. Waited 10 minutes for our waiter to surface (he seemed to have a lot of tables) and he immediately took the plate back for another steak. A few minutes later the steak came back cooked perfectly...only problem, my rockfish had been sitting there waiting in front of me while I waited for my wife to get her food. The fish tasted good, but at room temp it was hard to judge. Overall the restaurant was nice, but a lack of execution led to a pretty meh experience.
This was our second time there. We had held off going because of some mixed yelp reviews, but after going a couple months ago we were very pleased with the food. This time was consistent. Very good food. Especially love the charcuterie board :). Excellent service. Cocktails are good but I think if they expanded their cocktail menu it could be even better. Will definitely go back.
(4)
Andrew S.
We came here for my wife's birthday and I have to say that it was sort of a disaster from start to finish. To be fair, their block had a huge fire alarm earlier in the evening, forcing evacuation of the restaurant a while earlier, which is bound to throw service off- however, the problems I encountered I don't think had anything to do with this. First off- they have two separate dining areas- a "tavern" and a "dining" room. As it was my wife's birthday, I made a reservation for the slightly (?) higher end dining room. When we were seated in the tavern room I told the hostess that I had actually made a reservation for the other room and it was a special occasion. She came back a minute later and gave me a mini-lecture on how "in the future" I should make my reservation through OpenTable by "making a special note on the system" (!), but that I was in luck as there was a table open in the dining room. I was in luck? Didn't I make a reservation for this in the first place? Im sorry, but if their reservations through OT are ambiguous to the user, that is their fault. Furthermore, even if there was a mixup or error on my part, either a table is open or it isn't- I certainly don't need to be lectured. Whatever- I shrugged it off as just a inexperienced hostess and a stressful night and I really wanted to enjoy the evening. When the hostess seated us I asked for a wine list- she curtly responded: "You'll receive one as soon as one is available". ??? It turns out they have this gimmicky thing of having their wine list on an iPad. Okay fine, cute- but if you don't have enough for all the tables- whats the point? Even when I got the thing, it was semi-buggy and kept reloading the pages. Come on, just silly. Our waitress, I think, was really trying and again, I think she had a stressful night with the interruption in service earlier. However, the overall service was really poor and uneven. The staff cleared the outer linens and candles from the two tables next to us when we arrived and never set them again- at 8:45 at night this made me feel like they were trying to close up for the evening and it certainly wasn't comfortable. At one point the floor manager (probably the friendliest and most effective out of the staff) came over and offered us free dessert if he could move our table- okay fine- weird, but Im not going to say no if you need to move the table. But then he came back less than a minute later and said it wasn't necessary. Again, fine- but it certainly added to an overall sense that the staff had no idea what was going on. The food was fine- a low-mid grade fine dining/locally sourced menu. Not a whole lot of imagination here, but decently executed nonetheless. Our dessert took ages to arrive (the waitress apologized), but then half of the order was wrong. The waitress was, again, very apologetic and Im sure she was fried from the crazy evening. The one consolation at this point was that you could tell she was just as disappointed and irritated about the night as I was. This place isn't really crazy expensive, but certainly an elevated price point. So, even if you have decent food- you really still have to perform on a service level. For the same range of money you can have an amazing meal with excellent service at Woodberry Kitchen or (for a little more money) Wit and Wisdom inside the 4 Seasons. I would not go back here.
(2)
Vardo N.
New American cuisine, innovative chef, good atmosphere -- but still needs some work. We went for a romantic twosome dinner. The waiter was long on eagerness and short on waiting technique. He pushed alcohol a bit too hard, and requests for recommendations flummoxed him. But the adept interior design, lighting, and upscale crowd set a good mood. It was about half-full and not too noisy. The drinks and dishes arrived at correct times (except the coffee, which came well after dessert was finished). The food was generally well prepared and beautifully plated. Ingredients were fresh and well-paired. I thought things generally a bit salty, but she thought them just right. We both agreed my vegetable ragout was ruined with too much sugar (sugar? yep). Prices were about right for this type of place, and next time I feel a romantic date coming on, I'll try them again.
Fabulous restaurant - Leaf lettuce, eggplant parm, homemade pasta, rockfish and chocolate tart that was amazing. Ranks with Woodberry Kitchen as far as quality, taste, service.
(5)
Vanessa S.
When this place first opened it was AMAZING definitely one of harbor easts best kept secrets. I've given this restaurant several chances and each time we leave even more disappointed. We even resorted to sitting at the bar to ensure prompt service but the last bartender was very full of himself and acted like it was a privilege to be served by him. The food quality is significantly different from when they first opened. Not in a rush to go back....
(3)
John B.
I've been meaning to write this for a while now and am finally getting to it. My wife and I made a reservation at Fleet Street during Restaurant week. It was not our first choice but they had a table available at around 8:30 while every other place we called was booked. We got there on one of the coldest nights of the year and expected to not see a big crowd. Boy were we wrong, it was packed. We were a little early so we sat at the bar for a drink. My wife loved the lemon drop she had and I had one of the craft beers that was very nice as well. We were seated at exactly 8:30, right on time. Our waiter came by and since we still had our drinks he told us about the specials. He was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer our many questions. We decided to go with the Restaurant week menu with the wine pairing. I am not usually a salad guy but the salads we both chose were absolutely incredible. Mine was a pear salad with pecans and green peppercorn dressing and my wife had the beet salad. Crisp, fresh and well presented and the wine that went with it was perfect. For entrees I had the pastrami short rib, yes I know it sounded like diner food but it was anything but. It was by far the best short rib I had ever had. Tender and just melts in your mouth. My wife had the rockfish and could not get over how good it was. The wines that went with them were perfect and my only complaint that I could come up with was that the dinner portion of wine could have been a bit bigger. Hell I should've just ordered another glass of it. I don't remember what my wife had for dessert but I had the bitter chocolate tart. I absolutely love dark chocolate so it was amazing. I have never cared for dessert wines so I was a bit apprehensive about the wine served with dessert. Our waiter assured me it would not be a classically sweet dessert wine. He was right, it was very nice, not sure I would ever order it but it went well with what I had. I am so glad our first choice was fully booked because I might not have known about this gem otherwise. Move over Woodberry, I have a new favorite
(5)
V W.
Our party of 6 went on a Sunday night. Unbeknownst to us, neither from navigating their website nor from confirming the reservation and talking to someone, on Sundays you can't order from the menu. Once seated, we were stuck with a prix fixe menu that had limited options and were not what we had anticipated going there. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant, and at 7:30pm they had already run out of the only fish entree, diminishing our choices even further. The waitress was very nice and sweet but unknowledgeable about wine. The food was good - in the way a home cooked meal would be. The disconnect is that the restaurant pretends to be fine dining. It charges as if it's a New York hot spot, the plating was odd: my mom had a large plate of small amount of tomatoes and watermelon. The food was pushed to both sides of the plate, revealing the ugly, indented center of the plate. The wine list was also ridiculously expensive for what it serves. The plating and the prix fixe menu felt pretentious and did not match the quality of the dinner. Some added insults were the "complimentary" chocolate truffles offered with the bill, we were already displeased for having to order the prix fixe dessert that we didn't want in the first place! We left with a very hefty price tag and felt cheated.
(2)
Vivian C.
Overpriced food, spotty service, nice ambience. I ordered mushroom stew, the one vegetarian option. Portion size was small and not worth the $24 cost (this was one of the cheapest entrees on the menu). Bread + butter was the best part of the meal. Husband ordered rockfish, which was OK but not special. Service was fine to start, but we sat around a long time waiting for our bill and finally had to remind our server to bring it to us. The wine list, as others have written, was on an ipad which struck me as gimmicky. I don't want to have to scroll through an ipad to see the wine list. Dinner for 2 was $115, which was a lot for what we got. Would not recommend as there are better options downtown, including Ten Ten next door.
(2)
Robert W.
Read the nice reviews and wanted to give the place a try. I was called the day before to confirm my reservation and was gently reminded that the attire was business casual. I thought it was odd and nice at the same time to be instructed how to dress... maybe because it's a new place? I guess once they have a reputation, people will know to leave their Raven's jersey and Megadeath attire at home. Complementary valet parking is a huge plus and a nice because of the parking cluster that Harbor East is. We were greeted warmly by the hostess and were pleasantly surprised by how large the space and nicely decorated it was. Service was very solid overall without being over bearing. Although there was too large a gap between apps and entrees. Appetizers: pork belly and duck were declicious. Entrees: monk fish- only ok per my friend. The short ribs were delicious. Tender and perfectly carmelized. The lamb was tasty but slightly overcooked. Dessert: I love dessert, but their preparations were too complicated. I enjoy creative ideas and complex favors, but cheesecake doesn't need to be deconstructed. Quality ingredients and skillful presentation will win. If you've had the cheesecake at the Capital Grille, you'll know what I mean. Similar restaurants: Chameleon, B&O, Demi, Salt. Overall, it's very good for a place that's been open only 3 weeks. The food isn't cheap, but the quality almost matches it. If they continue to evolve, I'll be back
(4)
Niran A.
What happens when you combine a farm to table concept, exceptional food, a modern upscale yet laid back setting, excellent service, and excellent drinks? Fleet Street Kitchen of course! This relatively new restaurant seems to make all the right moves and continues to impress. Conveniently located in Harbor East, Fleet Street Kitchen sits next to its sister restaurants TenTen and Bagby Pizza Company. Appetizers include options such as roasted beet salad with a borscht emulsion sauce, or a split pea soup with ricotta served table-side. Some heartier options showcased butter-poached lobster, crispy pork belly with a smoked maple glaze, and caramelized scallops with spring vegetables. The menu changes very frequently based on the what is seasonally available, so by the time you read this the menu will probably be drastically different. We sampled the split pea soup, which had a velvety smooth consistency and a wonderful fresh aroma from the spring peas and mint. The dish comes to the table with ricotta in the center before the waiter pours the hot pea soup around the bowl. The spring peas had a nice bite and worked perfect with the rich yet airy ricotta cheese and the pungent mint. Our friends who were dining with us that evening ordered the roasted beet salad, which was one of the more beautiful plates I have seen. They both raved about the borscht emulsion sauce, which tied the entire plate together. It was very difficult to pick between entrees. With options such as Chesapeake Bay rockfish with clam and bacon stew and leg of lamb with charred ramps and parsnips, it sounded as if you couldn't go wrong. I settled on the rockfish with spinach clam and bacon stew. The dish sounds a mess but when it arrives to your table it all makes sense. The skin of the beautifully fresh rockfish was seared until extra crispy, while still leaving the pearly white flesh completely juicy. The generous center cut portion of fish sat atop a very light seafood stew, which had a green color from the spinach. The stew featured items such as leeks, bacon lardons and various shellfish. Each component of the dish was perfect on its own but was absolutely delicious when combined in the same forkful. We also had the roasted leg of lamb, served with faro, parsnips and charred ramps. When the dish arrived we were pleasantly surprised to see the leg of lamb was cut into thick pieces as if it was a steak. The overall concept was to make a relatively inexpensive cut of lamb taste and eat like a steak with some lighter grains and vegetables as the accompaniment. Yet another truly delicious dish, so mission accomplished. Our fellow diners ordered the roasted farm chicken and the 30 day aged ribeye steak. The chicken was served in a somewhat classic French preparation, in which the chicken is separated by section, leaving the golden brown crispy skin intact on each section. The chicken was perfectly cooked and very moist, as it sat beside brussel sprouts, creamy polenta and Fleet Street Kitchen bacon - a perfect dish for any palette. The ribeye was grilled and then pre-sliced into thick portions, served with a crispy potato hash, house made sauerkraut and veal jus. I must admit the portion of the steak was not what you would expect, being a bit small to be really considered a hearty dinner like the other entrees. Jacob assured me the steak was very delicious however, as we all cleaned our plates. Although all of us were already admittedly stuffed from the appetizers and entrees, the desserts sounded to intriguing to pass up. Most options are classic dessert items but often with a modern twist and/or deconstructed presentation. For example the carrot cake cheesecake, which had square chunks of carrot cake that sat atop various sauces or textures, each representing a different flavor of the carrot cake as a whole. The dessert was as gastronomically pleasing as it was aesthetically pleasing - a hard feat considering the work of art each dish is. I was really craving coffee after our meal so my friend pointed out that Fleet Street had an affogato on the menu. I had never heard of such a thing before, but an affogato is a shot of espresso poured over a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Lemon ginger snap cookies are served alongside the beverage for dipping. It was the perfect after dinner drink. After our meal we were in awe as to how good everything was. The food was as delicious as it was creative - each dish perfectly executed and beautifully plated. The farm to table concept is really exemplified at Fleet Street Kitchen. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a different Baltimore dining experience, or anyone just looking for a great meal - enjoy.
(5)
Kenneth F.
I live near D.C., and whenever I have friends from Paris or London visiting and I take them to Baltimore I find myself at a loss when it comes to taking them for fine dining in the city. I still am. My daughter and I tried this restaurant this evening. We arrived around 7:30. There was a party in progress in the small downstairs dining room, but the upstairs, which is quite handsome, was nearly empty. We were seated promptly and drink orders taken. I ordered a Fernet Branca which to my delight they carried, and my daughter ordered a sparkling wine. My drink showed up in a glass that was not clean - the outside felt as though there were a message in braille etched upon it. It took a while before we were approached by one of what seemed a rotating cast of servers, and the drink was replaced. After another long wait our meal order was taken. We both ordered appetizers - my daughter ordered glazed scallops, which were quite good, and I ordered the pork belly, which was also quite good. Followed by a long wait. During which time a young man came around to bus the dishes from the appetizers. I asked him what the bread plates were for. "They're for bread....oh....would you like some bread?" Our entrees arrived after some delay. We both ordered the roast chicken, which was quite good, but for some reason the vegetables were cold. (Oh, yes, almost forgot - we had to call the server over so that we could get silverware....). We both ate some of our chicken and had them pack the meals. On the way out I asked to speak to the manager. Again, long wait - my daughter had time to go to the loo and back and I was still waiting.....the manager came over, I told him what had transpired. His reply - two words - "I'm sorry". That's it. Succinct and to the point. But nothing more. FWIW there is excellent fine dining to be had within a 20 -30 minute drive South of Baltimore. Until I find someplace comparable in the city, that is where I will continue to go and take my guests as well.
(2)
Bethany D.
My work colleagues and I had a fantastic dinner, partaking in the 4 course option. Everything was well prepared and unique, and the service was well-paced, with excellent explanations and advice. Thanks Yelpers for helping me find a great restaurant in a "foreign" city.
(5)
Marci G.
Went with a friend after hearing rave reviews. The chef and staff did not disappoint. Our server Amy was absolutely fantastic. She made wine suggestions that were perfect and was very well educated and passionate about the menu. They stated us out with a house baked crusty, nutty, fruit inflected bread that was hearty and satisfying. We each had the butter poached lobster app and shared the beet salad. Both dishes were delectable and refined. Main courses my friend had the lamb which I don't eat but she said was cooked to perfection. I had the local fav rock fish which was sumptuous and well balanced over a vegetable stew of sorts. Dessert we let Amy put together a cheese platter for us after telling her our likes and dislikes. She nailed it. We also shared the corn cake at her suggestion which was moist and just earthy enough. It came with a velvety homemade ice cream that was the perfect compliment. Overall I have to say this is a foodie adventurers paradise. It is pricey and the portions are modest, but every bite is so fulfilling we felt it was worth every penny.
(5)
Eric J.
7-course tasting menu with two, no, make that three desserts, specially crafted
(4)
Nick M.
Overrated. Went here for a Valentine's Day dinner and was incredibly disappointed. The nice started off alright as we were greeted with pretty good service and our appetizers came out quickly and were actually pretty good. That's where anything positive I have to say ends. My girlfriend ordered a duo of beef. When she got her dish she had only one kind of beef and it wasn't either one that was listed on the menu. It was also completely raw. We both like rare meet, but this was still blue. Only after we sent it back, indicating it was clearly wrong, did they come back and tell us that both of the cuts that they ran out of both cuts that should have been on the dish. On top of that they returned with the extremely undercooked piece of meat. Finally, they brought back something that was edible but at that point both entrees were still quite underwhelming. They lacked flavor and both our steak and fish were not well cooked. I requested to speak with the manager and he offered to remove the steak from the bill (the only reason they didn't get 1 star). This helped a little but by now nearly 2 hours had passed and we weren't about to wait for another disappointing dish. We asked to settle our bill only to realize at the last second that they had charged us for 4 drinks we didn't actually order. Finally, we got the incorrect drinks removed and were able to pay and leave. Overall it was a pretty poor dining experience. Probably won't be giving this place another shot.
(2)
Laura C.
Went to FSK for Valentines Day. One word - disappointing... We had the wine pairings but the wine never made it out with the food. It literally was delievered when we finished our plate. Although the server was apologetic, it was still irritating and not what we signed up for. In my opinion the food is not worth the price. At the end of the meal I was given a rose (which was nice) but it was full of thorns. What happened to attention to detail? If this was my place each rose would have been dethorned. To sum it up - will not return. Hope FSK reads these..
(1)
Laura B.
Really enjoyed my experience here. Great service and great food. It was a little pricey so would probably save for special occasions, but likely to return. Short rib was especially good.
(4)
Vicky D.
O.M.G. was this place good. Great location, great service, amazing food. They also have one of those fancy wine lists on an iPad! Cocktail menu looked great, I only got wine but they had some really interesting-sounding concoctions. My only complaints were that it was really expensive (don't get me wrong, the food was great but not all worth it) and that I was really disappointed by the brussels sprouts. I LOVE brussels sprouts and the ones they served were dry and tasteless. I would still come back though.
Sorry to say, they were far from "fleet;" many dishes were almost uneatably over-salted (including dessert!); and one fish was close to raw, despite not being sushi. Most probably someone didn't turn up in the kitchen for the evening, but while the staff were uniformly pleasant and helpful, they couldn't fill the very long gaps between courses, and they couldn't fix the problems with the kitchen. A disappointment.
(2)
Rick S.
Just got back from this place and if you like what I call typical farm to table food and over priced then this is the place for you good ambiance but the tables on the bar side are much better then in the back. Decor is great the drinks are good but if your looking for sizeble portions then well this is the wrong place. Service was good and food is somewhat tasty but bring a magnifying glass if you want to see the portion they are tiny at best.
(3)
Eby D.
ah-mazing!
(5)
Ellen M.
Best sauces I have had in Baltimore. Exceeded expectations. Liked it better than Woodberry, and much easier to get a table. Really good.
(5)
Cara S.
My husband and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen on Saturday night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We have a five month old baby so we've only been out alone a couple of times in the past 5 months. Needless to say we were pretty excited to get out and to experience some amazing farm to table food. We were incredibly disappointed. The disappointment started when we pulled up and the valet was smoking. As two ex-smokers we acknowledge that we are pretty annoying about smoke, but I am pretty sure he could have taken a break around the corner so guests did not see him smoking. We booked our reservation on Open Table and had no idea that there were two parts to the restaurant. When we arrived we were seated in the Tavern Room and when my husband asked for a table in the dining room we were just told that the menu was the same. We were willing to overlook this and went to order our drinks. We were told by our server that the taps were not working so my husband, a beer snob had three beers to chose from (yuengling, stella and a third non-impressive beer). At this point things started to go down hill. We were just holding out hope that the food would blow us away. It didn't! I had the ox tail soup which was pretty amazing, but my husband had the pork belly and was not over the moon about it. Throughout the entire meal the hostess was looking through the glass above my head every 5 minutes to survey the diners and open tables. It was very distracting! After our first plates the fire alarm went off. At this point my husband and I were cracking up. It was just too funny that things kept going wrong. This event was in no way the restaurant's fault and in fact they gave everyone a glass of champagne. It was over in about 15 minutes, but the alarm did go off a few more times during our meal. Then the food...we decided to go with small plates to share because we were already getting a bad feeling. We were right. My husband ordered the meatballs which were cold on the inside and the sauce was piping hot. I ordered the brussel sprouts. They were pretty good and we shared the shrimp fajitas which tasted like something you could get a chain restaurant. A couple that had complained about being seated in the Tavern Room sat down next to us after we got our food. The hostess came over and explained that the menus were the same. After the guest explained that it was a special occasion they were moved to the dining room. We were ready to leave, but it was an exchange we could have lived without witnessing. We couldn't wait to leave and had to wait a really long time for our check. Our server had indicated that he would comp the drinks because of the fire alarm, but he didn't. My husband had to ask him to remove them. My husband and I enjoy a nice dinner from time to time and are willing to spend money for it. Fleet Street Kitchen was a huge disappointment. It felt like a tourist destination and not a farm to table restaurant. The service was incredibly unprofessional and the experience overall was not worth the cost. I am completely forgiving of issues when dining out, but it's about the recovery and the professionalism. Fleet Street did not have anything to lure me back.
(1)
Sara O.
I booked my reservation on open table, the restaurant called to confirm. The servers were very friendly, the place was clean, food came out in a timely manner- enough to make good convo and have an enjoyable time. I was very pleased! It was an overall great dining experience.
(5)
Louis D.
My girlfriend and I went to FSK last night for Valentines Day dinner. She and I have been wanting to dine their for sometime now so I made reservations about 2-3 weeks ago. It started out pretty good. The decor was nice but our first observation was how close the tables were placed. So close that the couples on each side of us had to squeeze sideways to get in and out between the tables. After that it went downhill from there. We did the wine pairing for an additional $29 on top of the $69 prepared menu for Valentine's Day. We were looking forward to experiencing the 3 course dinner with the selected wines. The appetizer came out in which I had the seared scallops and she had the poached lobster. Both were good but not remarkable. After we finished the appetizers the appetizer pairing wine finally arrived. That was the case for every subsequent course, mediocre food with no paired wine. To the staff 's defense, they were very apologetic. To finish off the night after paying the $200 check, my girlfriend was affectionately given a long stem rose complete with the thorns. The attention to detail by FSK was lacking in every way. Next,
(1)
Amanda P.
I went here for restaurant week and all three courses were amazing. I had the arugula salad, catfish, and a sorbet sundae.
(4)
Barbara B.
After at least 3 very good meals, ours last night was not as good; the linguine one person had was terrific as were the short ribs, but the salad just ok. The red snapper was mediocre, too done even when sent back and requested not to be as done; the carrots with the halibut were good, and the scallops were almost RAW, had to be returned. The waiter was nice, the wine list nice but pricey and overall the meal just too expensive; this is a place for high end rollers and hedgies, not for foodies watching their budget.
I've been there twice. Once with my girlfriend, it was her Birthday dinner. She received a hand written note from the chef which was a very nice touch. Fleet Street has 5 star decor and service. The staff was attentive to details and high end. Another time I went with my family. Brother and parents. The wine list is extensive, and our selection met the mark on taste even if a bit more expensive than I planned. Nonetheless, a great wine list and on an iPad with descriptions. The food ranged from delectable and fantastic to strange and misplaced. If they can increase the consistency of the food across the menu this could be one of Baltimore's great restaurants. A menu with hit or miss items however is the definition of a 3 star restaurant in my book. I believe an example was the Lobster appetizer which just didn't have anything special about it. The scallops however were truly amazing! That kind of inconsistency was seen throughout the meal. I will return someday. And I hope it gets better with age as they focus their menu. It was good, but Fleet Street charges a premium price, and for that price I expect premium execution on all fronts.
(3)
John J.
Love love love the food at Fleet Street. Just had their roasted beet salad, grilled rockfish, and honey mousse. Fabulous. Great ambiance in the restaurant (back part). My only "complaint" is that they don't serve Bombay Sapphire Gin. So, all in all...can't say anything worse than that.....will be back many times.
(5)
Victoria L.
I'm giving FSK three stars mostly because the cocktails were good. Given how amazing Ten Ten is, I really expected to be wowed, and instead I was meh'ed. The place is beautiful, if a bit eccentric (the bar looks like a bar from the 20s, which is awesome, but the rest of the restaurant doesn't quite match it, although it is all very tastefully decorated). Michelle H. and I gave this place a try and... well, I'm willing to chalk a lot up to grand-opening blues. First, they had tons of waitstaff simply standing around. Literally, standing up against the wall staring at the door waiting for people to come in. The bartender was very nice and they are trying to greet everyone by name, so that was a nice touch. The food, however, was really disappointing. The fried chicken tasted very good but the texture was so rubbery that it was difficult to eat. The grilled cheese app was so very tiny and soggy. The drinks were pricey but well-mixed, if a little light on the booze for the price. I'm not saying I wouldn't try them again, but I think I'll wait until they are a little more situated before doing so.
(3)
Danielle W.
Where do I start? This place is amazing. Really...amazing. Came here for a friend's birthday because one of the guys in our party knows the chef, and thought we'd check it out since it's new (only open 3 weeks at this point). Boy were we impressed!!! Walking into the place, the decor is beautiful - classy, well put together - dark wood and exposed brick, beautiful light fixtures - GREAT chandeliers and good bathrooms. Also the service is impeccable - knowledgeable about everything and attentive without being annoying. Now onto the food - for starters we split the Blue Crab Salad - more of a roll than a salad and on the small side, but very good. Also good were the pork belly and pumpkin soup. For the main course, I tried the Crispy Country egg - 6 min egg dipped in panko then flash fried so there's a crispy outer, cooked white part, and runny yolk - never had anything like it, but was delicious! That was on a bed of amazing Parmesan gnudi (like gnocchi) with mushrooms and split pea puree. Everyone else at the table also enjoyed their dishes which included the Sirloin steak, short ribs (this is what I would try next time - looked so good!) and the chicken. For dessert we were brought a chocolate cake with strawberry filling and frosting - delicious!! Really the night all together was unbelievably impressive. I can't think of a single thing I could have changed to make it any better. It's a little expensive, so not a place I'd go every week, although I hear they have a more casual bar menu too, but definitely a destination when celebrating a special occasion!!!
(5)
Eric N.
Went here last night with friends. Had wanted to try this place for a very long time. We were the only ones there because we wanted to catch an early movie. We were sat at a table that was partially in the hallway, which perturbed my wife. The server was very pleasant, and generally helpful The menu was a bit limited, and quite eclectic. The dishes are a bit small, and have virtually no sides with them, They only had 3 sides listed for options, so not enough variety or quantitiy to fill your belly. No specials on a Friday night. We tried to find some appys to share, but the menu is designed in such a way that doesn't lend itself to sharing these, I ordered a salad which bordered on bad. Virtually no dressing, and a bit on the bitter side. We shared gnocchi which was small, but excellent. I ordered the grouper which was just OK, and my wife ordered the scallops which were also just OK. All in all a pretty bland, and average dinner. I left quite hungry, and would have been starved if I hadn't eaten 4 rolls with my dinner. After the movie, we went next door to Ten Ten for a cheese plate and drinks, as we were all quite hungry.
(2)
Dina B.
We loved our dinner at FSK. I have to give a special shutout to our waiter, Rich. He was extremely endearing and helped us navigate the menu. We started with what we believe to be the two best drinks on the menu: the kazeem's mule and Lola. The choice of breads were a homemade roll and a savory scone - we had both (twice!) For appetizers, we had the blue crab salad (with fried yogurt) and the green bean salad. The blue crab salad was served in rolled up daikon. It was difficult to pick an entree because everything sounded so unusual, with a variety of ingredients you just don't know how things will come together. But in each dish, the combinations worked so well. My husband had the short ribs and I had the tile fish. My advice is to pick a protein that appeals to you and trust that the chef will make it delicious. But save room for dessert. Everything sounded fantastic. We had the apples and chocolate and the lemon cake. The decaf was French press, served with warm milk, a really lovely touch. The restaurant pays attention to every detail. The service is stellar. It has only been opened officially for one week, but it seems to have every kink already out. Impressive (albeit expensive - dinner for 2 with tip - $200) place.
(5)
Sue W.
Delicious, good service and comfortable! A little noisy with tables very close but all in all, excellent!
(5)
Demond B.
Pricey, small to medium portioned deconstructed food and desserts. The espresso was sour. The pre-meal raisin bread was yummy and the complimentary financiers almond cookies were yummy! Might go back in the very distant future. Deconstructed desserts (x2) were good once you combined everything in one bite.
(3)
Katie S.
Came back to find they took the burger off the menu, so I took one star off my rating. the burger was so awesome; why?
(4)
Katie R.
Perfect place to celebrate our anniversary! Great service, great food, and they really went out of their way to make our anniversary special!
(5)
Keith R.
The decor and environment at this place is very nice. Lots of wood offset by red walls in some areas. Has a trendy rustic feel to it. The marble or granite bar is lit from underneath, which looks pretty cool. The music is relaxing and not too loud. The food was delicious. If you are a steak and crab cake person then this is not your place. This is a place for people that can appreciate complex flavors and well crafted food. We had this pork belly appetizer (farm fresh and so good) and the mushroom ravioli (hand made, very mushroomy). For dinner we had the egg risotto and the veal cheek. Both were delicious, but if I had to pick either I would go with the veal cheek. If you have never had veal or pig cheek or face then you are really missing out. Many people don't know that it is even better than bacon; yes, better than bacon. Bread is baked in house and is very tasty. Price wise this place was not bad at all. The night before I spent a lot more in Hunt Valley and the food was not even close to FSK quality. Free valet is a nice perk and super convenient. Bathrooms with clean and fancy. Restaurant is larger than it looks. There is an upstairs with several large crystal chandeliers that look nice. Service was great. No problems at all. I am not sure how anyone could give this place less than 4 stars.
(5)
John S.
Went for dinner on Saturday, a very slow night owing to the Ravens game. The decor is very attractive, interesting use of reclaimed materials (love the old trolley track foot rails at the bar). The menu is interesting though not too varied. Nouvelle cuisine, very small portions, separate side dishes. The preparation was fine - we enjoyed the scallop appetizer, rockfish and cod for entrees, shaved brussels sprouts side. The disappointment came in the wine list and cocktails. The former was very extensive, but at an average price of around $100 bottle, not suitable for this restaurant. Clearly, they pride themselves on this aspect, but they need to put things on there that the average diner can afford and enjoy. The solution is to bring one's own, but at $35 for corkage, that feels like gouging also. Cocktails were no better. Maybe I'm picky, but no martini in an upscale restaurant should be served in an unchilled glass with unstuffed manzanilla olives. Old fashioned was overly sweet, and pretty short pour. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. I think 3 star is about right for this establishment, but I would expect that they will improve with time, as they've only been open a few months. We'll certainly give it another try in the future.
(3)
Kim G.
Myself and two friends went to Fleet Street kitchen one evening in May. Our server Alessandro did not seem happy to serve us. I noticed this, but did not say anything to my dinner companions because I did not want to spoil the evening with any negative observations. I didn't have to say anything because one of my dinner mates raised it before long. Once she did, I concurred. We then noticed a distinct difference in the way he interacted with the table next to us. He was a completely different person with them, lighthearted and jovial. That really put a damper on our meal because the only difference between us and them was our race. So dear Alessandro, I know when you left Applebee's you thought and hoped you would never again have to serve black folks, and then we showed up. Get accustomed to it, because we aren't going anywhere. You got fifteen percent from me and not my usual twenty five because your attitude stunk. But you perked up a bit close to tipping time. Too little too late. I really don't get wait persons who act as if they own the restaurant. Dude I don't care how fancy a place is, you're wait staff. Get over yourself. The food was quite tasty, nothing to write home about. Brussel sprouts seemed a bit undercooked. There are many good restaurants to try before I leave this earth for good. I'd only return if the experience were exceptional and due to the poor service it simply wasn't .
(3)
YourStomach S.
Went there during the weekend of the Fells Point Festival 2012. We had no idea that it had just opened. We sat at the bar, and here's the story... We ordered the burger and the smoked fried chicken. The Burger was soooo good! Do yourself a favor and go there just for the burger. Are you understanding that this burger is so good, it's worth a special trip to Harbor East just because!!?!?!? How come you are still reading this? The Smoked Fried Chicken was a tiny bit too smokey for this stomach. The nose loved it, but the taste buds got slightly upset. At first, the fried chicken smells great, and the idea is too cool and modern, and in an era when everyone is smoking stuff and BBQing everything under the sun, one would expect that smoked fried chicken would be an outstanding addition to any menu, but it was just OK. The biscuits and spicy honey were a nice side, and the sunflower sprouts really made the overall presentation pop with flavor. Go order this dish and try it. ...you might like it. Clearly, others have enjoyed it. Next time, we'll go for dining room seating, and try that menu. YourStomachSays: Fleet Street Kitchen should be placed on your EAT THERE SOON list (as in ASAP), and if you are a true fried chicken fan, go ahead and try the smoked fried chicken, but you don't have to be a burger lover to LOVE the burger! Yum!
(4)
Kelly S.
I went to FSK with my parents last night. For a hopping Saturday night, we were seated in a very timely fashion. The atmosphere was very enjoyable, and the decor in the restaurant is very tasteful and beautiful. There wine and beer lists offer a wide variety; you really can't make a bad drink choice. Our server Austin was attentive and friendly, he gave excellent food and beverage recommendations; being our first time, we indulged in his personal favorites on the menu. The food was out of this world- all of our dishes offered diverse, unique tastes, as well creative and stunning presentations. I would highly recommend the crispy pork belly, and the pan seared rock fish, you can't go wrong with these delectable dishes. Portions were just enough, without making you feel too full. We had a very enjoyable experience, and will be returning!
(4)
Jamie C.
Hands down, the best restaurant so far in Baltimore City. We had from the bar, the burger and the smoked fried chicken. Service and ambiance are amazing. It is beautiful inside and they did not spare any detail. The Burger - OMG. The BEST burger I've ever had. All the condiments are house-made. The cheddar was perfectly paired and they actually serve house-ground grass fed beef. (Chuck, sirloin and Short-rib) The fries were so good they did not need any sauce. The Smoked Fried Chicken - amazing combo. Perfectly smoked and not too overwhelming. They offer white and dark meat thats tender and juicy and boneless (which is a rare combo) they serve it with bisquits and a tabassco honey. and these are just things we had at the bar! We will definitely be going back, repeatedly. LOL I'm still daydreaming about this meal. Bravo, Fleet Street Kitchen. I'm really impressed by the local ingredients and quality of the food, service and experience.
(5)
Jamie G.
Ive been here a couple times and I think its great. The service, location, ambiance etc. The food taste amazing but I gotta be real it is over priced for the portions. Dont order the 30 day aged ribeye for $37.00 expecting more than 6 maybe 7 ounces of meat. Disappointing!
(3)
Rachel C.
I've been here for both a double date and Father's Day, and it was great for both! The food is amazing, the cocktails are creative, the servers are helpful -- everything you could want for a fancy night out. It's pricy, but it's worth it.
(5)
Philippe R.
Where do I start? Really is this what Baltimore is going to do to get 4 and 5 star reviews? Menu is eclectic and strange. When you name things and use descrptions that are so strange in a marketing effort to be unique and trendy it tends to show when food comes to the table. The bread tasted like they used salt rather then flour to bake it. We ordered some decent appetizers, but the entrees where nothing special and overpriced. We had the steaks and honestly the menu selection on entrees was horrible. Sorry, I dont give stars for being different and trendy-this place wont be around in 3 years once the new thing wears off.
(2)
Minna N.
Run-down: You will sit down with your yummy cocktail - I had Kazeem's Mule (rum, ginger beer, magic) which came in a copper cup with a metal straw - a cool little mixology detail. You will enjoy the warmly-lit, classy naturist look. You will spend more time than usual reading over and salivating on the menu and the iPad (!) winelist. Your friends will be in an especially good and giddy mood. If you're a fan (as I am) of Dogwood Cafe or Newberry Kitchen, this sweet little farm to table set up will be an addition to your restau repertoire. If you have a special occasion or just because romantic thing coming up, bring your foodie baby over here. My selections Appetizer - Butter-poached lobster (most popular - with reason) Vegetable - Seared romanesco cauliflower - I ended up with two servings because I confused the waiter. This was a definite win because I ate the better portion of the second plate. Main Course - Seared monkfish (or some other fish - there were 3 fresh fish dishes) and pork belly - Normally I don't overdo seafood but this particular pairing really compelled me (succulent pork belly). Cheese - Grilled cheese with tomato jam - This was a savory and sweet treat as I'm a sucker and a fan for grilled cheese and tomato jam, respectively. This was quite a union of two of my favorite things. I was sad that it was small but glad because by this point in the meal I had eaten quite a bit already (see above) and hadn't even gotten to dessert yet. Dessert - Dark chocolate tart for myself and shared dessert sampler which included a macaroon with creme injecting straw (just ask about it), a juicy sugar-coated rhubarb french jelly square, and I didn't have room for the little biscuit/cookie with chocolate topping, but I really, really wanted it. My friends got a juicy ham chop, *the* scallops, braised lamb loin, shortrib, etc. I really could go on but I was very focused on my own food experience. Pros - Everything. Next time I'm getting the marinated fluke. I used my bread to sop up the delicious sauce that came with my lobster. The pork belly/fish combo. The grilled cheese with tomato jam. And of course the paradoxically lightly rich sumptuous, velvety dark chocolate tart. Chocolate cloud? Cons - My limited stomach capacity. You will definitely want to order up half of what is available on the menu and take the other half to go. More - I like variety in flavor, quality in craft, talent and love in cooking. We've all seen the Food Network shows and I can assure you that food like that exists in Baltimore, perhaps moreso than in DC. I'm a sushi, tapas, and New-American fan because I enjoy reasonably - not oppressively - sized dishes, yum-factor, and variety. This place is good for that kind of dining culture: Sit down with your beloveds and enjoy a balanced, well-seasoned, artisanal 5-course meal over a couple of drinks. I'll definitely be back again. FSK - welcome to bmore, hon!!
(5)
Laura B.
We sat down at the bar to have a drink and bite. This was at 6:00, so neither the restaurant nor the bar were busy yet. The bartender brought us drinks then fairly ignored us. We were not offered menus. The guest sitting beside us at the bar finally offered us her menu to look at. The food was ho-hum pretending to be fancy: Not bad, but not a reason to go back. The service, however, was a reason not to go back. I guess I would rate the experience as average. But in a town with really great dining options, that's not good enough.
(2)
Krista A.
Came here last night for the Valentine's Day dinner.. it was 3 courses for $69 - a pretty great deal. Wine pairings were an extra $29 and the choices were pretty much spot on. We made our reservations well in advance (the first week of January) and we were a little put off by the space inside. The front room was nice and full, the bar was empty but looked fun (it filled up when we were leaving around 9 and was lively) but the main dining area in the back was a little squished. It probably isn't that bad on a regular basis (I'd hope..), but there were so many people walking around that it was a little difficult to get up to use the restroom - you had to walk through tables that were way too close together and hope either the people moved or the space was big enough for you to fit through. We were hoping to have a table to ourselves.. instead we were sat at a booth where the next closest table was less than 2 feet away. Would have liked an option, especially since we made our reservation so far in advance. There wasn't anywhere to put a coat or my purse without either blocking the booth or invading someone else's bubble. I didn't get the decor at all. I get the whole farm to table idea and the wood throughout is gorgeous but the chandeliers that look more well suited for a hotel ballroom? Not so much. The wait staff was so busy that they seemed a little overwhelmed. Our waiter would disappear for long periods of time and reappear flabbergasted that our glasses were empty or that we didn't have bread, but he was friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. They provided you with an amuse-bouche when you sat down - Shrimp + Pork dumpling. The first course for me was Foie Gras and it was good. I've had better (see Biga on the Banks for that one) but I couldn't complain. My husband had the lobster and being from up north, he knows lobster.. he thought it was great and buttery. Second course was a duo of grass fed beef. If you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know how much I love a great filet. This one was out of this world. And the rib-eye was fall-off the bone scrumptious (if there was a bone). It was so tender that it fell apart when I tried cutting it. Just so melt-in-your-mouth great that I didn't want to stop eating it. Dessert was pretty awesome. I really liked the difference in the options because not everyone wants chocolate! I had the trio of ice cream/sorbet - a Chocolate Tea flavor that I could totally picture at Ben & Jerry's, a Lemongrass flavor that would have been perfect in the summer, and a Pomegranate sorbet that my husband devoured. They were great, if just a tad bit melty when they got to our table. My husband had the Passion Fruit Soda Float.. it was so different, fruity, and thick! I would have been just fine ordering that myself. The drinks were great, if pricey. Wines average 10-15 a glass and cocktails were all over $10. The Warning Shot (the pumpkin infused whiskey drink) was so smooth. The aftertaste was something I've dreamed about and I thought the drink would have been perfect in the fall. Overall, I thought the food was classy and modern and loved the portion size; I didn't walk out stuffed, I ate everything and was quite content. 4-stars for the experience.. if the dining room situation was better it would be a pretty good 5-star joint. I'd like to come back to try their regular menu or their bar menu!
(4)
Faisal M.
Real foodies beware. This place is friendly. Attracted by the decor and ambiance. Food ruined it. I tried to like this place and held off giving a review for several days but I felt the need to warn foodies. Duck confit and beet salad was decent. Portions were disappointing. The fish entree was so salty I had to return mine because it was inedible. My wife and I switched and her veal was good but still heavy on the salt. She agreed it was salty but felt bad returning hers, so we only returned the fish. The table next to ours also said their food was salty. I love salt and eat more salt in my foods than most - it was too salty for me. Waiter was very kind and nice but service was quite slow, particularly for a weeknight when the place was mostly empty - the waiter giving an excuse about a big order before us when only one group of 6 in a mostly empty restaurant is seated in the same section, seems ludicrous. They were nice enough to deduct the fish off the menu and give us desserts for free - we took the desserts home since it was already 2 hours in to the meal on a weeknight in an empty restaurant. I tried the dessert when I got home - pure refined sugar - we threw it away. No flavour - just very very sweet. The chef that night does not know how to flavour food. Too much salt in the meal and too much sugar in the dessert. The technique and presentation may impress the rookie foodie but the food is not worth it. Way to expensive - does Baltimore have a sign saying 'charge alot and they will eat'?? This restaurant will not last - it is unfortunate because the space is awesome with great potential for a real bistro. Fortunate for the next owner who will likely pick up the pieces at a fraction of the price the owners must have sunk in to this great space. I give this place a 2 star instead of 1 because of the gracious nature of the waiter and the manager. I hope they change the chef but I will not likely return there is so much better food in Baltimore - even at the prices this place is charging.
(2)
Matthew G.
just went for dessert and after dinner drinks; holy cow it was excellent; don't go anywhere else; excellent date place; service outstanding
(5)
Carol Sue R.
The food was really good. The portions were a little small but good.service was great.
(4)
Kate C.
Had dinner here with a friend and had a wonderful evening. What a beautiful restaurant with great ambiance! The food was skillfully prepared with great ingredients. Not a cheap menu but a fun place for a nice night on the town. Looking forward to returning!
(5)
Christy W.
Excellent Harbor East spot for an upscale, yummy dinner. We went prior to a movie on a Saturday night, and the service was excellent (they got us out in time for our show). Their wine list (viewed on an iPad) was extensive and fabulous. The portions are small, but appropriately so. Don't be afraid to order an appetizer and entree and dessert - you won't leave feeling gluttonous. Pricing is a tad high, but hey - it's Harbor East. Food is competitive with Charleston, but the ambiance is hipper.
(5)
Patrice R.
My husband has been wanting to try this restaurant for some time and we were able to get reservations for New Year's Eve. They only offered a prix fixe menu with 4 courses. I am not an adventurous eater but my husband is. We both ordered the soup with lobster for our first course. It came out lukewarm and a very small serving. Our server was gracious and very helpful. We were seated at a table for 2 which was along the wall and very close to other diners. Not much room to negotiate. Our second course was a seafood option. Again, ok but the temperature was tepid. There was a long wait between the fish course and the meat course. We overheard other servers apologizing to diners for the extensive wait. We thought it strange that with a limited menu, the kitchen was so backed up. When our steaks arrives--you guessed it. Room temperature as though they had been sitting for awhile. We did bring our disappointment to the attention of a manager who arranged to comp our wine. We appreciated her gesture. I would be interested in going back when the full menu is available and it isn't a holiday to see if there is any improvement. I will say the chocolate torte was fantastic but too rich to enjoy at the time. We took it home with us to enjoy later. All the diners were given a little gift on the way out but there was no explanation as to what it was. We think it might be some type of oatmeal mixture but there were no instructions in the boxes.
(2)
Sharon O.
My girlfriend and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen last week and it was very disappointing. When you pay these kind of prices you expect extraordinary food but only the presentation lived up to par. The portions were so small, so don't go there hungry, and the flavor was mediocre. On top of that the waitress came by so much that I wanted to offer her a seat to join us. It was very annoying. There are too many good restaurants in Baltimore to ever go back to Feet Street Kitchen. Thank you.
(1)
Kathie P.
I have to give this new little gem five stars based on my experience there. I attended a Wine Tasting dinner here a couple of Sundays ago. The whole restaurant was closed for our event. The food that they served to us was totally awesome - Fleet Street uses only they freshest ingredients - they have their own farm, and they also buy their produce from the local farmers in the area (Baltimore Farmer's Market). You can taste the freshness! We were served family style for the meal and wine pairing. The menu consisted of a fresh salad, beef, kale, and potatoes. Everything was awesome, and everyone raved over the kale!! Can you imagine?? To top off the meal we were served homemade ice cream with fresh apple pie. The wines were awesome as the Sommelier was extremely knowledgeable about the wines that were paired with our food, and I can only imagine that when you go on a regular evening, he would recommend the perfect wine for you. I can't wait to go back to try this restaurant on a regular evening!!!!
(5)
Andra L.
I've been to Fleet Street twice- once during Happy Hour and we had drinks and some very good apps- Kale dish was great! However, my boyfriend and I went back on a Friday early evening, thinking they would have happy hour again, and it ended up they don't have it on Fridays. We got two mediocre drinks for $27! My BF didn't like his and didn't even drink it, of course, the bartender didn't say a work or offer to make her customer satisfied in any way (typical Baltimore). The bar was a ghost town on Friday night- maybe a happy hour might bring in some customers??
(2)
K M.
My fiancee and I celebrated Valentines Day at Fleet Street Kitchen. We were very excited to try it. To say we left disappointed would be an understatement. The restaurant featured a pre fix menu with many options for both appetizers, mains and dessert. However, we received our appetizers before our drinks! The whole experience felt very rushed. Waiters bumped into our tables and took away plates before we were even done. The waitress dropped off our entrees and then never came back to the table to ask how the food was. We had to flag her down to let her know that I got the wrong meal - way underdone lamb that was coated in fat - disgusting! When the waiter finally did come over and return the plate to the kitchen it took another 20 minutes to get my originally ordered meal. For the price, you can find many other nice restaurants in the area that have exceptional quality and service. We will not be back.
Wow, what a fantastic choice we made as far as places to try for Baltimore Restaurant Week! Since my sister-in-law lives in Baltimore, we decided it would be a nice treat to try one of the more fancy restaurants Restaurant Week had to offer in order to make the most of the deal. Holy moly, did we make the right decision. Fleet Street Kitchen is everything I've ever wanted from a farm-to-table restaurant, and we could not have been more happy with our selection. First of all, the service is wonderful. Everyone working there not only knows their stuff about every menu item but also will happily describe each item for you in great detail. The staff is happy to answer any questions about the menu and all have a very personal, friendly demeanor. We felt very much like we were being welcomed into a place hosted by friends. For me in particular, this restaurant was a complete dream. It was the perfect combination between hipster local food and classy find dining. If you're a vegetarian, this place has the added bonus of offering a completely vegetarian tasting menu, and thankfully this restaurant is not insane enough to charge you the same price as if you're eating much more expensive meat and fish. Even for the Restaurant Week menu, each course had at least one vegetarian item to offer. My husband and I also ordered the wine pairings for our meals and were very happy with the selections they provided. For my first course, I selected the chilled zucchini soup, and it was extremely tasty. The solid vegetables provided great texture to the silky soup that was poured on top. The portions were quite generous for this style of dining, as well, and that persisted throughout most of the meal. My husband also very much enjoyed the agnolotti appetizer, and his sister enthusiastically agreed. For my entree, I tried the Vegetable Ash Gargenelli, which was absolutely unbelievable. By far, for my taste, this was the best dish of the night. The pasta had great bite to it, the cheese added a perfect flavor in perfect proportion, the breadcrumbs and vegetables gave it marvelous texture, and the basil pistou was just plain spectacular. Rarely have I seen so much love, care, and attention paid to the vegetarian dish on a menu. I could not have been more happy with my meal. My husband ordered the beef and repeatedly mentioned how impressed he was by the tenderness of the meat in spite of the fact that the cut was a brisket, which is normally pretty tough. We were all thrilled by our desserts, but for my part I can speak to the fruit tart. While the tart itself was lovely, the ricotta ice cream was unquestionably the star of the show. It had a fascinating and delicious texture that I've never experienced before. In every single way and throughout every single course, I was wowed by their presentation and creativity. At the end of the day, we could not have picked a better place to try for Restaurant Week, especially for my sometimes-difficult vegetarian self. We were all thrilled by our choice and, on a special occasion (considering the normal price), would love to come back. Thank you for an absolutely wonderful evening!
(5)
Fred D.
Finally getting around to this review months after I came here for restaurant week with a group of 14 Service was excellent, the staff was extremely attentive, courteous, and professional Slightly embarrassed that I don't remember what I ordered, but I do remember everything tasting really good and wanted to share that with the yelp community.
(5)
Marissa S.
Very good service, lovely ambience. Especially loved the appetizers: zucchini soup, ravioli and steak tartare. Not sure why the ratings are so low (maybe it was recently taken over by new management), but if you went before and weren't amazed I recommend trying again!
(4)
Caitlin C.
***Had to update this the next morning. I was hungry 2 hours after getting home, then queasy the next morning. Cannot believe we paid $250 for a meal that we were rushed through, left us hungry, and made us feel sick.*** I hate doing this, because the chef is obviously very talented and we really enjoyed our meals. However, I feel a little bit swindled. We made reservations for FSK weeks ago, and we're very excited to spend Valentine's Day dining someplace we had heard nothing but great things about. Sure, it looked a little expensive ($69 per person for a 3 course meal and $29 for a wine pairing option), but we frequently spend this kind of money at places like the Food Market or Woodberry Kitchen, so we know that fine dining is an experience that includes exceptional service and great atmosphere. FSK was not an experience, so I definitely feel shorted. Our server was very brash and awkward. Before he even took our first drink offer or offered us bread, he wanted to know exactly what we wanted to eat or drink for the entire meal. We felt extremely rushed from the beginning. At first, we only ordered our first course, but he was obviously very impatient and kept pressuring us to order the rest of our meal, drinks included, so we relented. Normally we enjoy ordering the next course based on the taste and texture of the previous one. We were unable to do this and felt like the servers were more concerned about restaurant turnover. Disappointing. Our server also knew absolutely nothing about the menu. When prodded for suggestions or posed questions about preparation, he seemed stumped. He could only recommend "the steak." Very embarrassing when only a prix fixe menu was available this evening. My boyfriend only opted for two of the wine pairings, but like I said, we told our sever well in advance. Despite this, my SO did not receive his wine until I had to ask for the THIRD time; he was almost done his entree, so at that point it was a little pointless. His dessert was halfway melted before he was brought the exact same glass of port that I had received 10 minutes before. I could understand if it was a last minute request, if the restaurant was packed, or if he had requested an elaborate cocktail, but none of this was applicable. We ordered the same wine twice and the server, despite him assuring us that he would remember everything we were pressured into telling him at the beginning of the meal, just forgot us. Going someplace like FSK for a holiday, you know you're going to be up charged. But we both paid over $100 a person, and we expect exceptional service to go with the food and atmosphere. Instead, we felt like we were at an Applebee's and they just wanted us in and out. On a romantic holiday, no less. We probably would have been happier ordering in Thai food, and we won't be back to any Bagby restaurants anytime soon.
First, shout out to our man Casey! He was an amazing server. Extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and with such a great attitude. No joke, we could be friends outside of this restaurant. I came here with 4 of my coworkers around 8PM. We started off with wines and a scotch. The menu was just so good we took twice as long as any normal person to decide. Casey didn't help because he really just made everything sound absolutely delicious. We eventually settled on splitting scallops and baby octopus among 2 individuals each and an entire beef tartar. We expected everything to come on one plate, but instead it was so thoughtfully split into two plates as though they were separate orders. It was a very nice gesture. The plating was very elegant and hip. Our main courses: Buttered Halibut, 2 Rockfish, Steak and the Chicken. Everything was great and we all loved it. Keep in mind, the service was just awesome. Again, the plating was really pleasing to the eye and it made the food taste even better than it was. Onto dessert. We had settled for just one dessert, the fruit tart, but Casey (the man of the hour, or should I say 2.5 hours) surprised us with a little sweet gift at the end. Two additional desserts: a chocolate dessert and the Summer Sundae. I was beyond excited. I had been asking about the Summer Sundae prior to our table ordering our one dessert hoping I could come in for lunch to eat it. Unfortunately, they open at 5PM. Needless to say, it was such an amazing way to end the night. Thank you thank you Casey and team. I couldn't have asked for a better evening. Plus, it didn't hurt that my coworkers were the kind I enjoy working with. I highly recommend.
Out of towners stumbled upon this place and we got real lucky. Walked in right before 11pm on a Friday night. Wasn't sure they were even going to seat us but they did, no problem. Our waiter was so knowledgeable about the wines and all of the food. We split the cheese platter and charcuterie board- amazing! Then for our entrees we had the beef loin and pork trio. Both were cooked perfectly. The chef pairs the foods with delicious sauces and sides I would never think of but the flavors work so well together. High quality farm to table food topped with great atmosphere and knowledgable staff. The manager gave us complimentary kit Kat dessert which was delicious. And probably because we spent $300 on wine. Other than that the food was reasonably priced. Overall it was a great experience
(5)
Kathy C.
This place is fabulous. From the moment we stepped inside, we we treated with warmth and care. The staff is great! Our server, Veronique, was amazing! Solicitous, but not annoying, quick and professional. She was a joy. Our food was absolutely wonderful. We started with the scallops and the fois gras. Both were delicious. The scallops were cooked exactly right, not rubbery from over cooking as you find at some places. Our entrees of salmon and rockfish were perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful. The corn agnolotti, I highly recommend. Dessert was very good. The summer sundae, with its lemon verbena ice cream and blueberry compote was out favorite, but the brandied peaches with ice cream and corn bread was also really good. The wine list is extensive and the wine diva is extremely passionate and knowledgable about her subject. She was great fun to talk to. We will definitely return!
(5)
Tatyana M.
This is our favorite place to dine when in Downtown. We never had anything less then a great experience here. The food and service is on the level of NY or Chicago fine dining, the ambiance is nice and cozy with moderate level of noise so keeping a conversation is not a problem, the value is very reasonable for what you get and all together it's a pleasure to dine there. We'll definitely keep coming back and recommend it to all the "foodies".
(5)
Victoria S.
I went to celebrate a very important birthday last night at Fleet Street Kitchen. I thoroughly enjoyed this place, and wanted to give a review while it was fresh in my mind. Location - If you're familiar with the Fleet Street area, this place can't be missed. Industrial feel to this building and the sign is easy to spot. Parking - the $3 lot is about a block away, but I'd suggest getting the valet. It's $6. The valet had our car waiting when we left. We walked out and it was there. Great service. Experience - We went to celebrate a birthday last night. Upon entering the host remembered, gave his good wishes and sat us immediately. For a Wednesday night, the place was not crowded at all but had a steady flow throughout the night. The bar area looks really neat and is separated entirely from the dining room (if you go to the website you will see dining/tavern room). We were greeted immediately at our table and was brought a birthday card! So sweet. Then we were brought locally baked break and whipped butter (gluten free here but man did it look good!) Next up they handed us the cocktail list. Not only are some listed on paper form they have an extensive wine list on an iPad. Very nice touch. The food is expensive, but it is also farm-to-table. Each item stating exactly where it's from. I love that this trend is really taking over. It's so important to know what you're eating and where it's from! They have starters, vegetables, entrees, desserts. There is a tasting menu for $65 each but we opted out because we knew it would be too much food. For a starter we split the Short Ribs. GREAT choice (thanks Yelpers), I really liked that. For entrees we got the pork loin and the Rockfish. The Rockfish was heaven. I highly recommend. It's with small potatoes and this corn and bacon accompaniment that was fantastic. For dessert, we selected the chocolate tart. Just enough for two and they also brought out a baked Alaska with a birthday candle (kind of wished I had know that! Haha) The meal was expensive for two. We each had two cocktails as well. I tried the Vodka drink with Rhubarb (can't remember the name), and we also had Gin Gimlets. Which were great! The service was fantastic. We constantly had not one but 3 waiters checking on us. The valet was great, and the host gentleman was so helpful on the phone. I give this place 5 stars on service! As for the price, as much as I want to justify it I feel it is a tad overpriced even for the localness but I will definitely keep this place in my back pocket for other important events. It's definitely a celebration type of place and I'd love to go back.
Summary: great service, average food for higher-than-average price, but excellent desserts. Fleet Street Kitchen isn't bad. Nice, modern decor. Friendly wait staff. Decent food. But man... the price point here makes you assume you're eating at a top 10 restaurant in Baltimore. I hate to say it this way, but I don't think Fleet Street Kitchen makes it to the top 10 list. But what DOES impress are their desserts. Pricey too, but at least the taste, quality, and ingenuity matches up. The cappucino semifreddo and chocolate tart are to die for. Probably one of the better desserts I've had at a sit-down restaurant. Unfortunately, a trip to Fleet Street Kitchen, paying for valet parking, and having the full dinner experience with dessert might not be justified. Next time will probably be just desserts and drinks.
Came in with low expectations and was blown away. The food was fantastic, servers were nice and the wine was reasonably priced. We got 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, a bottle of wine and round of cocktails for around $250+tip that was awesome, and filling. There's some japanese sushi app that was just insane; embered carrots and scallops were both delicious as well. Got the special- a wagyu beef brisket that was actually quite a large cut of meat. Other entrees were a veggie pasta that was homemade, the beef sirloin, and the king salmon which was also a good size cut of fish. The bottle of wine was $40 which was very reasonable, and the cocktails/prosecco before dinner were $9-$11 each. There were a few dishes dropped in the kitchen for some unexpectedly loud noises, but other than that this is one of the best meals I've ever had in baltimore. This was a Saturday, July 4th meal so I dunno if they had the A-team in or what but I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Fine dining done right in Baltimore's Harbor East neighborhood. Get the steak tartare if it's on the menu it alone was worth the price of admission. Top tier service and garage parking right across the street make this an easy 5 star experience.
(5)
Richard B.
Delicious food. Party of 14 for dinner. If you are a large party, DON'T COME HERE! 4 hours. Seriously. We were the first in. Restaurant was empty. We were the last to leave. Never again. Server said the Chef wasn't there. Then they shouldn't have opened. 4 hours.
(3)
Diana W.
Found this place through yelp and took my clients while we were in town for a show. The ambiance is very nice. My clients were a little sauced and loud but it was great. I had the halibut and they were very accommodating with my gluten and dairy free diet. One of my clients had the steak and wasn't too impressed with the taste, or rather, lack thereof. I finished off with the expresso sorbet. I would recommend.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Bernie C.
I've been here for both a regular three course meal as well as the sort of meal where we order every appetizer and share. Both were extremely satisfactory, the food here is fantastic and it's hard to go wrong. There are two different areas you can dine in and you should definitely go online and see which side suits your needs, but both are extremely on point with their food. The menu is always changing so I don't want to point anything out, but this is really just a great place to eat! Bring a date, bring your parents, bring your friends. Do a fancy occasion. Do a date night. Do a celebration. Just give it a try.
(4)Jylene J.
Spent my boyfriends birthday on a weeknight night. I have to give this place 4.5 stars but the app won't allow me to. The ambiance was perfect. Everyone was welcoming, reservation and also has a complimentary reminder call a day prior to your reservation. The wine pairings we're well executed. We just got the living social deal which has a limited selection but for a better deal and still with the awesome taste profile. This is a good place to go to for a birthday; our table got complimentary Proseco (so as the next table with a guest of 3 for another birthday celebration). We had another complimentary potato chip appetizer; which i was grateful for since i love potato chips. The bread they have to start with is soft, fresh and of course delicious although they serve it cold. We had the sweet corn agnolotti which was al dente, very tasty and perfectly seasoned. For 2nd course I chose the Chicken Roulade; fat was rendered out of the thin and crispy skin (I presumed was skin), perfectly cooked, flavored and moist. My boyfriend got the king salmon with the perfect crispy skin to die for! I was surprised he ate it due to being a picky eater; flavor profile was awesome. They have good coffee selection on their menu as well. The birthday celebrant got a free cake with chocolate mousse prior to getting our desserts. I love the Praline kitkat, its chocolaty and not to overwhelming; the waverly market fruit tart is fresh (desserts made by pastry chef in house) and is somewhat of a deconstructed concept. Yes, the portions are small but you'll be blown away by the quality and the attentive service of all the staff (my glass water never got empty and our server always checked on us). I will definitely come back in a heart beat with or without a deal.
(4)amanda w.
Want to treat yourself? Come here. The portions are small but exquisite. We still ended up full despite our eyes deceiving us initially! We ordered a la carte since we had certain cravings but it seemed everyone else in the room had the tastings menu. For starters we had the scallops (our favorite dish overall) and the tomato salad. Since we ordered two appetizers, they split them in to four plates so it was no mess. We asked for some bread (fresh) and sopped up the creamy base from the scallops and the balsamic/umi broth from the tomatoes. For entrees, I had the rockfish with green beans. The rockfish was cooked nicely but the green beans were what really got me--they were the same kind I had from my farm share last summer. So crunchy and flavorful. My date had the pork duo and really loved it. We had a bit of mystery tasting with these red fruit - olive buggers on his plate. Turns out they were pickled cherries. Not for me! For dessert I had the "kit-kat" which was divine. I hope they keep it on their menu wow. The homemade ice cream with its slight salt tang and the rich but not-too-rich creaminess of the chocolate hit the spot. My date had the sundae and said it was exceptional as well. Their wine list is bonkers. They give you a tablet that lists them all. If you go to the bathrooms upstairs you can peek down at the wine cellar on your walk back to the table :) Our server was so very sweet and had a great sense of humor. She kept popping in at perfect times the entire meal. The other waitstaff were kind enough to refill our waters or take plates as well.
(5)P K.
Okay, WOW!!! This is one dining experience where everything was literally perfect. I walked away thinking no tip would have been good enough! And it was so good, I had to write this review the same night! I went for dinner with my mom and since we both like variety and two separate meals would have been too much, we shared the four course meal. Before we got our first course, we had a complimentary amuse-bouche. It was completely unexpected but really set the tone for the rest of the meal as it was DELICIOUS. Along with this, we got two pieces of bread, which were also really good and were made in house. Course 1 - steak tartare. This was beautifully done. The presentation was perfect and the flavors were fabulous. Course 2 - sweet corn agnolotti. This melted in my mouth... Little ravioli purses stuffed with sweet corn. I took the bread and wiped up the rest of the sauce as I didn't want to leave any of it :) Course 3 - lamb saddle. We had it cooked medium-well although they recommend medium-rare. Still a great cut of meat and wonderful flavors around it. Course 4 - wait... Before this we got a complimentary palate cleanser and aromatic cleanser, I think it was a sorbet cone inside a glass of coffee beans. So course 4 was the late summer peach. The peaches weren't overly sweet, which went well with the cornbread and ice cream. Finally, the evening ended with a passion fruit jelly candy that was also complimentary of the chef. Now for the service... This was the best service I've had! The server was so attentive and knew the menu really well. He had great suggestions and described the dishes in detail. Even when I asked about the rinse wash on the mirrors, he explained it was all a part of the rustic atmosphere and then went further to describe the history of the building and what they've done to restore the original bricks, etc. There were a number of people who were working to make this experience top notch. From the hostess, to the server, to the number of people who kept clearing our cutlery, to the chef. Our server even had a tool to clear off any crumbs from table! Hats off to everyone! Overall, we really enjoyed our experience. There was not one thing I could think of for them to improve on. Pretentious? No. Expensive? Well the two of us ate and had a glass of wine in $85, which is really reasonable considering the number of complimentary items and the service. So definitely not expensive. The bar has been set high and I hope that the next restaurants I attend meet the same standards. Thank you for such a special meal!
(5)Sue P.
I came here for my bday dinner last week and it was amazing! Our waiter Mikahl (spelling probably incorrect) was the best. He was so friendly, attentive, and gave great suggestions. He made our dining experience wonderful! The food was so good and they gave me a complimentary glass of Rose Champagne that was amazing and a free dessert, that was yummy deliciousness. I had a great bday dinner! I have no complaints & have nothing but good things to say! If you have not been here, you should. I will definitely be back. Worth every penny!
(5)Michael T.
We came here for restaurant week. The appetizers were really good, especially the agnolotti. However the entrées were not very well-made and the desert portions were too big. Probably will not come back here again.
(3)Catherine A.
Fantastic service and presentation. Did the wine pairings with the meal and it was great. Will definitely go back
(5)Nicole E.
A wonderful venue with good food and thoughtful staff for a large birthday group! I went here with a group of 11 for a good friend's 30th birthday. They called earlier in the day to confirm the 7:45pm reservation (made via Open Table) in the Tavern Room and the birthday celebration. We were able to add two additional people to the reservation last minute without incident. We all arrived at different times, a little bit late, and we were able to sit at the bar with our table held and no questions asked. We thought that maybe the place wasn't crowded because we were there early for a Saturday, but it never filled (and slowly emptied). After our delicious cocktails, we made our way to our table in the Tavern room but had access to both menus. Although none of us had been there before, we were informed that there is a new executive chef and he is working to make the different areas of the restaurant distinct. The menus have apparently changed, and so you may want to check it out if you haven't been there since the shift. The birthday girl was greeted with a hand written note from the chef and staff (see my photos). I've never seen a restaurant do this before, and it was classy and adorable. We, of course, took a long time to order. The waiter explained everything and was very patient with our large party's disorganization. A couple of items were unavailable (the scallops and a fish from the regular menu), and we were only told this after we had spent a long time deciding what to order... so we needed some more time. Additionally, one member of our party ordered the duck breast and was brought the duck confit. By the time her correct order arrived, everyone was finished with their meals. Everyone enjoyed their food, but those who ordered the steak said it was a bit chewy - would have been acceptable for a $20 steak, but not for its price point. I had the farm chicken and it was moist and delicious. The camarones and lamb meatball pretzels are also items that I can personally attest were delicious. The rest of my party had positive things to say about the charcuterie, the sunchokes, and the ceviche. At the conclusion of our meal, the birthday girl was brought a cake with a candle without any prompting. She enjoyed the cake, but no one else ordered dessert. The waiter then sent over this adorable bus boy who was celebrating his birthday at midnight to also wish the birthday girl a happy day. I would have normally given this place a 4, but the classy birthday additions and accommodations made me round up.
(5)Derek D.
Spot on. We had a great time here. Octopus over green curry stole the show. Portions are small but each bite is quality and forward thinking. Great service at the bar we will definitely come back.
(5)Sarah G.
My friend and I ended our Fall semester here last Wednesday. We sat at the bar (we are low maintenance) and ordered food. The bar was just enough full--we probably grabbed the last two seats that were together, but the girls next to us left shortly after we got our drinks. I had a prosecco. I ordered the steak tartare and the kale salad with roasted apples, blue cheese, and walnuts; both were great and a perfect dinner. My friend had a steak/tenderloin and a salad. We ate every single thing and were both super happy with our food. The bartenders are nice without being overbearing, and gave us the right amount of space. I am one of those weirdos who likes to sit at the bar but not make small talk with bartenders, so this worked out great. :) Thanks guys. We had a really good time and will be back. Easy to get to, and parking was a cinch.
(4)Cassandra S.
We had a really enjoyable and tasty dinner here this week. We decided to go with the vegetarian tasting menu. It's blind so you're just served throughout the evening and don't actually order anything, they just bring it out. First, the service was perfect. The staff, from the hostess to the waiter and bus staff were all very accommodating. We LOVE when you get good service, and other than at Cinghiale and Ouzo Bay, we haven't had better service in Baltimore. We were very impressed. Each plate was plated with flair and all the ingredients were fresh and paired well with one another. The food really spoke to us; as vegetarians we're often relegated to the sides menu or pasta alfredo, but here the hits just kept on coming. For example, instead of a "pasta" dish, the chef made celery root parppardelle noodles with a light green sauce and it exceeded expectations. Another dish had a delicate cheese sauce with lively green sprigs perched in the tufts of cheese, delicious. Finally, you know hoe sometimes you get the tasting menu and you need to go get another meal afterwards?? NOT HERE! We left stuffed. Tackily, we took some of the food home. We did eat all the desserts; two desserts each plus homemade strawberry rhubarb jellys (with a touch a jalapeno?) Excellent meal, beautiful decor, great wine selection. Thanks!
(4)Gail R.
I went to this restaurant with some business colleagues. After getting our water and drinks it took a long while before our orders were taken (just something I noticed). The items on the menu are pricey, but the choices seemed to change a lot from reading past reviews. I won't add a snapshot of the menu due to this. The choices you have on the menu include Appetizers ($12 to $16), Entrees ($28 to $35), Vegetable ($10 to $13) or Dessert ($7 to $11). You could also select one from each of those sections - Four Courses for $65. I decided to try 1 Appetizer - Braised Beef Shortribs (good) and 1 Entrée - Beef Loin (my first time eating steak so I have nothing to compare it to, but it was okay). I did not order dessert as I did not see anything I liked. A few at my table ordered the Campfire dessert which looked like something else (can't share that info here). The fact that they either eat a piece or two or hardly touched their plates rather than eating it was not a good sign. Overall my experience at this restaurant was okay. I will try it again, but not soon.
(3)Jamie Q.
We did Valentines Day here and we were not let down. The people around were just as excited about each plate. In the end we all could not stop talking to each other about the food and the service. Price was worth it and it did not disappoint; even though we had last minute of the night reservations. Thank you for a very memorable night. 36/M and 21/F.
(5)Lily B.
Hubby worked late so we decided to eat out to take advantage of restaurant week on that snowy night. We walked in past 9:30 and the place was very quite. We were informed that kitchen would close in 20 minutes. We went with the prefix menu. Two beautiful salads came up and both delicious. However hubby was digging to look for the beef ravioli that he had ordered. When our waiter came by to check on us, we asked to confirm that was the correct dish. He said he got it wrong, and asked hubby if he still would want the ravioli. Hubby answered yes. Our waiter went back without any hesitation. The beef ravioli turned out to be delicious. Our waiter was very attentive but without being intrusive. Our main dishes were skate and chicken. Both were beautifully presented and flavorful. The skate was lightly fried with the right balance of crisp and tenderness. For desserts, we went for the flourless chocolate cake and poached pears. I'm usually not a big fan of cooked fruits, but this poached pear was not super sweet, perfected with mascarpone ice cream that was very smooth. A perfect dinner.
(5)Cecilia L.
Was here for the Living Social deal they had, $79 for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts. Also ordered a side of brussels sprouts, which were very delicious. Appetizers: I got the salad, my friend got the squash soup. Salad was just a salad, the soup was good. Entrees: I got the rockfish and clams in pumpkin dashi, which I very much enjoyed. My friend ordered the spare ribs, which were amazing! It was tender and the sauce they were in rocked my mouth. Desserts: Frozen pumpkin mousse, which we both didn't care for, and the vanilla cheese cake which was yummy. The interior is very lovely, and the service was great except for the hostess, who was not very welcoming. Our waiter was sweet and helpful, and was very attentive to when our next course was to come out. All in all it was a good meal for a weekday night.
(4)John C.
My wife and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen for the first time last night. We were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary and we had a fantastic time! Upon arrival, the hostess and our waiter wished us a happy 25th. We were then treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling rose which was delicious. For startters, we shared the brussel sprouts, seared pork belly and pumpkin soup, all of which were wonderful (pork belly was our favorite). Our entrees consisted of Chestnut Stuffed Chicken Roulade and Seared Tilefish. Once again, both were not only delicious but the presentation was beautiful. We finished off our evening sharing the Frozen Pumpkin Mousse - wow! I almost forgot - the breads, sour dough and multi-grain, are made fresh daily and were to die for. Many thanks to the staff at Fleet Street Kitchen for making our silver anniversary a memorable one! We will definitely be back!
(5)N K.
Seasonal soups are amazing and I am not a soup person. Breads are always very tasty. Baked fresh nightly and brought to the table generously. We've dined here upwards of 10 times and always had impeccable service. Shaved Brussels sprout salad and truffle pasta purses are our all time favorites. Make reservations at least a week in advance for weekends.
(5)Miss M.
Hands down the BEST Halibut I have ever had. And I'm from New England. The ambiance great - the bartender a little awkward, but well intended. Needs to loosen up a bit!
(5)Mrs T.
I dined at FSK on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Total number in our party was 3. We did not have a reservation, however the hostess who answered the phone told us that if we could arrive within the next 30 minutes, she could get us in. We made it and I'm so happy that we did. This is in my top 5 dining experiences in Baltimore. Since there were 3 of us, we decided to order the for the 4 course option for $65. We chose not to do the wine pairings, as none of us truly enjoy wine that much. The first course was the only one that we felt had limited options (for our palates). We selected the sea scallops, steak tartare and duck confit terrine. The sea scallops were amazing, paired with parsnip puree and country ham. The coffee soil was a little odd, but overall the dish was a success. I was hesitant to try the duck confit terrine, as the texture of most terrines are too gelatinous for me - this was not! It was full of flavor and had a nice, firm texture. I did not try the tartare but my dining mate enjoyed it. To our surprise, the 2nd course was our most enjoyable course. The dish that scored a perfect 10 was the Brussel Sprouts with bacon, fennel, apple, walnut and horseradish. 2 of the 3 aren't huge brussel sprout fans, but we figured we'd try them anyway since bacon makes everything better. The dish was amazing. The sprouts had a deep, smoky flavor and just the right amount of char. We could easily have ordered another bowl of those. The winter squash agnolotti was also delicious, especially the unexpected fresh note that the meyer lemon added to dish. The beet salad was tasty as well, however, we were not a fan of the pine nut butter. It did not add anything of value to the flavor profiles, we enjoyed the salad much better when we avoided that element. For our 3rd course, we selected the duck breast, the strip loin and the pastrami cured short rib. Hands down winner was the pastrami cured short rib. It was paired with the same parsnip puree from the scallop dish in the 1st course, kale and a sauerkraut rye crumble. A bite of this with all the elements on the fork together was SUBLIME! The duck breast and strip loin dishes were very good, but compared to the short rib, they definitely did not measure up. To this point, our experience was really great including service staff. However, things went downhill. We didn't see our waiter again for at least 20 minutes after finishing our 3rd course. Glancing around, we could see many other tables with that look "How can we grab the eye/attention of someone on the staff?". Another staff member finally came to take our plates away, but it was about 10 minutes before we were able to order our dessert course and a full 20 minutes before it arrived. Not sure what the problem was, but that final hour of our experience definitely cost them a better review. For desert we chose a bittersweet chocolate cake with a smoked vanilla ice cream, a cheesecake, and a sauteed pear with cream and nuts. The cheesecake was good, but not extremely memorable, the smoked vanilla ice cream was AMAZING as was the sauteed pear dish. Again, trying to get our check and then waiting for our credit card to be returned took about 20 minutes. While waiting, we sent one person out to retrieve our car from the valet. By the time we exited, our car was just arriving. Overall, a great night out and I'm happy to finally taste the food at this establishment. In my opinion, the chef's strength is his layering of complex flavors. Every dish contained bites that exploded in your mouth as you tried to figure out the background flavors. The plating was a little less spectacular than I expected, but it was presentable. I would return for another experience.
(4)Devonshire B.
Warning: DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU ARE HUNGRY. Carrying on... 1- I like the cross-culture of farm and elegance. Not too hoighty toighty, not too casual. I didn't feel out of place, although I'd lean more towards dressing up a little. 2- The service was pretty awkward. Or maybe it was just the woman we had...not sure. Not much convo at all, but rather silence and teeny talk (which means WAY less talk than small talk, which isn't much talk in the first place!). It was odd. 3- The bread and butter was AWESOME. Too bad there wasn't enough butter for the both of us. And too bad they didn't let us keep the basket of bread they served out of. 4- Bypass the cocktails, beers, wines, and appetizers. Trust me. You'll regret paying for them. The flavours might be good, but the miniscule portion sizes will blow your mind. We were smart and didn't order any, but that didn't stop me from looking at other tables and seeing peoples' hungry gazes upon their easily emptied plates. 5- A server brought out two ridiculous tiny carrots with a goat cheese puree sauce. I have no idea why. Maybe we were supposed to use them as toothpicks? Were they just garnishes for our main course? Were we supposed to eat them as if they were an appetizer? Well...we ate them. If you're trying to imagine how small they were, I'll help: learntopreserve.com/stor… They were THAT small. And they were as flavourful as they were big. 6- Which brings me to the main courses. The cow (be sure to ask for the cut of the day, as it changes. Don't order it if the cut isn't worth the $$$ they charge) and the duck. We asked for medium for the beef. Be sure to repeat your preference, as they seem to ignore what you ask for and bring it out however the chef wants it prepared. It was definitely close to still moo-ing. The duck should always be eaten as medium rare. It was spot on. The flavours, however, were 100% traditional. Nothing exciting. Nothing adventurous or unique. I was expecting much more for the price tag. My main complaint is saved for the portion sizes though. Once again: DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU ARE HUNGRY. I'm serious. The plates are huuuuuuge, but the main dish takes up maybe 20% of the plate- no lie. My first thought was: you've got to be kidding me. 7- Needless to say, we left hungry. We didn't want to waste another dime on this joke. No dessert for us, just the check please. I will say though...they gave us 2 petite madeleines as an after-dinner treat with our check. That was the best thing about this whole experience. They were fantastic! 8- Also, we totally stopped by McD's afterwards to satiate our hunger with fries, nuggets and frappes. ----------------------- FYI as a side note: we had a $20 discount due to donating to a cause. The server made it feel unwelcome. Hey, we did a good deed. We're still going to tip on the full price of the meal, unless you're snooty about it. Just be aware of their sticky acceptance of those things.
(2)Riley K.
Stopped by for dinner and it turned into a drink, menu reading, a promise to come back and a very nice bartender. Beautiful place! Three distinctly different spaces - the Tavern Room (has different, special menu) - the bar (both menus) - and the dining room (main menu - see website). The bar is super unique and the dinning room is gorgeous. Most men had jackets/sport coats. Menu was tastefully funky and expensive. I'll wait til' Christmas and ask for a gift card. See photos. Happy Munching!
(4)Jennifer I.
stopped by around 10pm on. Sat night. got seated right away for party of 2 w/o reservation. the layout is somewhat confusing, since there seems to be 3 diff places where you can sit/with diff menus. we were seated in the Tavern Room which gave off a semi-medieval, romantic, rustic vibe. we split 3 apps to eat--the sunchokes, rainbow trout crudo, and the braised short rib. the sunchokes were interesting esp if you've never eaten them before. they tasted sorta like potatoes. somewhat bland but the accompanying sauces (hazelnut purée?!) were spot on. the crudo was tasty, altho we wouldn't get them again. garnished well with arugula, watermelon radish, and blood orange. finally, the short rib was a small dish but packed with goodness and fattiness. all in all, a good place for eats with high quality food and nice ambience with good service.
(4)Michelle W.
Lamb belly was delicious. Pork belly was alright too. I like the brussel sprouts and eggplant parm was delicious. I think I prefer the veggie dishes over the meat one. Don't think I will want to go back.
(3)elizabeth k.
Went Friday night and got right in with no wait or reservation. The food was ok. The linguine with basil sauce was very good, the rest of our meals (2 apps and 2 entrees) were nothing special. The atmosphere and waiters were great thou. They were very friendly, funny, on top of everything and helpful.
(3)Renee M.
This is a restaurant that is almost there... but not quite. My boyfriend and I went on Valentines Day. So yes the price was probably marked up a bit. The interior is spacious and beautiful and the service was good but I felt like this was a place that was trying too hard to be pretentious. We had three courses for $69 each on their prix fix menu not including wine. The food was good but not great and the portions are tiny. Dessert was the best part and they have some creative ingredient pairings that are unusual but totally work! Good thing you saved room for dessert (purposely or not with those portions)!
(3)Erin C.
Updating my prior two-star review after a great experience during Summer Restaurant Week. I saw that the mushroom stew we'd had in the fall was making an appearance on the RW menu and had to have it again. One of the best vegetarian dishes I've ever had in a restaurant. We were seated in the beautiful upper dining room and the staff was helpful, attentive, and efficient. It was everything I hoped our first outing to FSK would have been. Glad we gave it another try, and will be back any time we spy this incredible mushroom dish on the menu.
(4)Marchelli H.
The food here is amazing. Some of the best I've had this year. I love this place! It's pretty pricey, so I would say it's great for entertaining business clients and great to take that special someone.
(5)Jaime C.
I had not heard of this place until recently. My family and I came here for my mothers birthday and were thoroughly impressed with one exception. The ambience and interior is very warm and welcoming. It almost reminded me of a spot that might be located deep in the mountains with snow piling up around. Our waiter was absolutely amazing. Attentive, kind and knowledgable about the menu and wine list. The food was some of the best I've had in awhile. Coming off of Pazos and Wit an Wisdom from other birthdays, I believe that Fleet Street really hit a new level. The rockfish was out of this world. The brussel sprouts were crisp and delectable, with a slight tang at the end. But my favorite was the Foie Grois with the caramelized kale. Just to die for. The ONLY issue we had with Fleet Street is that the kitchen fell FAR behind. We waited for an hour just for appetizers and another hour for our main meal - in total two hours for our main course. Our waiter, god bless him, made it up to us and was very attentive. All in all I highly recommend this place, perhaps after 7 when it's not a mad rush.
(4)Kellie R.
I hate to leave anything but an amazing review for this restaurant, as I have been there many times and it was incredible. But I'm starting to discover that it REALLY depends on what day you go. On the weekend, reservations are definitely required, but the service is impeccable; food timed properly, they have their best staff working and it's a flawless evening. On the weekdays, it's a whole other story. I think this must be why they get MEH reviews. We went recently on a Monday night and were so disappointed. Despite there only being 3 tables total (in our area, at least), it took over 4 hours for dinner (to be fair, we did app/veg/entree/dessert, but that still seems excessive. We drank an entire bottle of wine before we were even given bread- about an hour into sitting down). I cant decide if it was the waiter or the kitchen, but something just wasn't right. They looked like they were running on a serious skeleton crew with only 1-2 servers in our room and 2 kitchen staff total. Most of the time it only looked like one chef behind the line, which seems crazy for any day of the week; especially since the plates are so intricate (I also saw what looked like to be an argument between management and the chef, so who knows what was happening there, but really, take it somewhere out of customer view). The weekdays seem like a great time to go, since they have some great specials (20% off entrees and wine on Mondays; 50% off wine on Tues), but I'll never go back again unless it is on the weekend. They brought me the wrong dessert and they really made no effort to apologize/comp, which is strange IMO. To make matters worse, they insist on doing EVERYTHING for you, so you cant even pour yourself another glass of wine while you wait since they keep it off the table. Seriously, I think this place rivals Woodberry Kitchen in regards to food (the only saving grace of our disastrous night) and I can never stop raving about it. But I was totally embarrassed on Monday by our experience; I had two friends from out of town that were coming for the first time and it was a total disaster.I spent the whole night apologizing and trying to help save their opinion of this place. My recommendation is going on a weekend but if you only have weekdays available, take your business next door to Ten Ten. It's owned by the same people (so the food is amazing as well) and I never run into any of these issues.
(3)Jen K.
Fleet Street Kitchen is very accommodating to gluten free diners! The service overall was wonderful. Great ambiance for any special occasion, whether that be a date, birthday, parents in town, or to schmooze w/ colleagues. They made my friend feel like a queen on her birthday, with well-wishes, a card, and even a free slice of cake w/ a candle. Extensive wine selection, but I would have liked to see a more varied cocktail list. It was a bit chilly inside, so make sure to dress with layers. In my opinion, this is the type of place you go to [and pay] for the experience rather than the food. (The food was good, but not excellent. I didn't try it, but others in my party raved about the mushroom stew. I loved the chocolate pudding [sans granola]. The fish was decent, but something was off with the flavors.) However, their positive attitude alone makes me eager to return!
(4)Laura S.
Yum! Great service, stopped in 1.5 hours before a movie and discovered how great this place was, we were sad that we had to rush out! Still the salads and apps were delicious and the entrees portion sizes were larger than I expected! Next time we'll definitely try the chefs tasting menu. Plus! They had Black Ankle wine (my favorite from Maryland) so enjoyed a glass before we finished dessert and rushed over to the movie. We chose 4 courses as the menu suggested (for my husband) and I ordered the scallops app and a beet salad for me - sharing it all was plenty for two people.
(4)Marc P.
We went here last night for restaurant week. We had been here once before and it was fine. But last night the service was awful. The restaurant wasn't full but it literally took 1 hour between our first course and the arrival of the second course. The waiter never came by to explain the delay or even apologize for it. The wine list is indeed impressive but apparently only at the high price end. We tried two bottles at the $45 - $55 per bottle range and both were drinkable but also very forgettable. Yes they have wines that cost hundreds per bottle but even at $50 you should get something that is enjoyable. For us, FSK has a mixed performance. Perhaps it was an off night but as restaurant week is supposed to be a time they are trying to attract new customers this was a bad time to falter.
(2)Sandy P.
Some friends and I decided to plan a night out for dinner and looked for a place that was a nice cut above the ordinary. We decided on the Fleet Street Kitchen because we liked that they used ethically raised produce and locally grown fruits and vegetables for their ingredients. THE AMBIANCE My first impressions were very positive. There is a wonderful valet parking service right in front of the restaurant if you don't want to search for parking. Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately noticed a very elegant environment with a hint of rustic undertones. The layout of the restaurant is nice and spacious. THE SERVICE My next impressions are the reasons why I'm only giving Fleet Street Kitchen a four star review. I was not particularly impressed with the wait staff. They seemed to lack the necessary skills to quickly establish rapport and came across as awkward, uninterested, aloof and robotic at times. As the night went on, things got a little bit better. THE FOOD I was immediately drawn to the four course menu, which consists of a first course, main course, vegetable and dessert and costs $65. For my first course, I ordered the Braised Beef Short Rib. Absolutely delicious and comprised of a small but satisfying portion of very tender and wonderfully seasoned braised beef served over a bed of creamed spinach, red currants and veal jus. For my vegetable, I ordered the roasted sweet potato with accents of pecans and apple. I liked this very much because it was served in its natural form and not pureed. However, my vegetable order arrived way before my main course. I was expecting and preferred them to come out together. For my main course, I ordered the Farm Chicken, which was exceptional. But I have to admit, I was expecting something a bit different given the $28 Ã la carte price for this main course. The portion size was small and, other than the chicken, there was not much else on the plate except broccoli and hen of the woods mushrooms artistically strewn about the plate. It was, however, a delicious partially boneless chicken breast with crispy skin on top. The mushrooms and broccoli were deliciously fresh, earthy and seasoned with chicken jus. Finally, for my dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Caramel Tart. This was a wonderful ending to the meal. The tart was made with rich dark chocolate filled with caramel with an accompanying small scoop of praline ice cream all resting on plate covered in a streak of dark chocolate. This was small but proportionally impactful and was great when paired with a nice macchiato. OVERALL IMPRESSION All of my menu selections were very delicious and I could tell that great attention to detail was placed on making everything excellently presented and extremely flavorful. The only drawback as mentioned above was the wait staff. Also, I was a little disappointed in the portion size of the main course. Overall, I would recommend Fleet Street Kitchen and would eat there again. I have to advise, to get the best tasting experience and the most bang for your buck, get the Four Course Menu.
(4)J N.
I have been here about a dozen times in the last 18 months. It is hit or miss. It is a great space and i really like the lit up stone-like bar. I have had 3 of the best meals of my life here and i have had some average meals here. With the prices and smaller portions the bar is set really high and somtimes they fail in the food department. Naderia, a very knwlegble bartender left last yr and the current bartender is very nice but does not have experience. Current happy hour is really good if u want great glass of wine and a small plate. $6 wine Half off apps/small plates Place might b in trouble...HH is a bit cheap.
(3)Kevin K.
The cramped front room and bar are deceiving; this place is big so make sure to see the back room. An amazing ambiance envelopes you: refined sea green microfiber armchairs; silky white table clothes; upscale plaid booths accented by cherry wood; perfectly-dim lighting bathes everything in a gold glow; and the right amount of jazz at the right volume. Tables are close but the ambiance feeds off the intimate noise level, young and old couples all over. [Ambiance: 5/5] The hostess was great, 1-2 punching her way through witty jibes about the restaurant and where we'd be sat. After that it got stuffy, our server and attentive--water never empty--but unenlightening, impersonal, and often hiding behind our attempts to finish his descriptions for him.. "cherry and uh.. yes, yes, that's it!" [Service: 4/5] The beer list is awesome. Tap variety includes a dark sour, berliner weisse, porter, pilsner, double ipa, two saisons... variety that rivals most of the better bars in Baltimore. AND they highlight locals, 4 of them from MD. We stuck with cocktails and they're also dynamite: Mirkwood - FSK's "on the rocks" means "ice mountain billowing out of your glass". The amount of actual liquid is small, but flavor is great: herbaceous and refreshing, as the description reads, and with the right kiss of green sweetness from the fruit. Buttercup - Foamy texture works, but oddly flavorless. Hit up Rye for a better pisco drink. Willie's Revenge - Great interplay from the sour beer with honey and light scotch heat, more than expected, though an odd, papery finish. Whiskey Sour - Upon request, without a blink of the eye. They used rail vodka--$8 and our cheapest drink--and it was awesome, biting and acidic with the right amount of burn. The cherry disintegrated in my mouth, would prefer crisper (Rye's does this better too). [Drinks: 4/5] Dinner started with a peach-hazelnut-honey amuse bouche, one bite laid gently in an Asian soup spoon. Delicious. And it summarized the rest of our meal: - exquisite attention to detail - masterful combinations - beautiful and delicate plating - prep slightly off - If you want volume for your $, go somewhere else. Order a lot or leave hungry. We also had... Bread+ - room temp butter and light salting accents the ultra dense raisin bread. Roasted Beet Salad - roasting beets is the way to go and it's noticeable here. The goat cheese is delicate and appropriately tangy (wished there was more) and the micro-greens bitter enough to balance. The surprise was the red vinegar/reduction to cut the earthiness--if you don't like beets, still give this a try. Egg Yoke Ravioli - ultra savory. The yoke should run more and the ravioli felt tough, but the bacon and mushrooms balanced perfectly. My gf wiped up the jus with her bread. Wish I'd done the same. Foie Gras Torchon - well balanced. The foie is served colder than best but the peaches and hazelnuts take care of all other texture issues. The brioche is incredibly delicate, too much in fact to stand up to the foie. Le Diplomate's with texas toast is still the best I've tried stateside, but this runs third behind DC's Proof. Butter Poached Lobster - ethereal. Lobster cooked perfectly, no rubber, but I'd hoped it'd be richer. Instead, the rhubarb garnish/sauce lifts it, and granola crunch. The whole thing twirls. Pork belly - breakfast. My girlfriend pointed out it is bacon and eggs with a dash of maple syrup. The pork is seared to a crackle--not just "crispy"--on one side, but it is incredible otherwise: perfectly salty, fatty and juicy. I prefer poached eggs that don't wobble--an extra minute would do--but my gf was pleased. [Dinner: 5/5] Believe the FSK hype: Baltimore's most masterfully crafted meal that I've paid for and definitely the most "upscale". Charleston here we come.
(4)Brian A.
What is this? A restaurant for ants? The flavors at Fleet Street were tasty, the staff was accommodating, and the atmosphere was comfortable.... but the portions were so terribly small I could not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Our meal consisted of the butchered cow entree and the duck entree. The duck was spectacular, tender, juicy and flavorful, The same goes for the cow. Unfortunately the entire dish, including the sides, was no larger than a baseball. I could continue to describe this meal, but it was a wisp, a passing moment, two chomps and it was over. I found myself licking the plate... not for flavor but sustenance. For $34 a plate I should be left satisfied by flavor and satiated by the portion. I left Fleet Street hungrier then when I entered. I think I burnt more calories chewing than the food contained. Save your money, avoid.
(2)Dan M.
Fleet Street Kitchen was a great place to celebrate my fiancés birthday. When we checked in for our reservation, they had a birthday card signed by the chef thanking him for celebrating his birthday there. The food was delicious and was ready reasonably quickly. At the end, the waitress brought a birthday cake with a candle. This visit was a recommendation from a friend. We will definitely go back.
(5)Jason F.
When will yelp allow 1/2 stars? I would give this 3.5 stars, but had to bump it to 4 because 3 would be an insult. The decor is very nice and the staff treats their customers well. They have a wide variety of alcoholic drinks available and even have an iPad for their wine cellar selection. This seemed a bit overkill to me with a "hey, look, we are trendy" vibe. Most drinks (beer, liquor, wine glass) will run you around $10. Tried a couple different bourbons for the hell of it. The menu changes seasonally, but here is what I had. Appetizers: Scallops and pork belly Entree: Lamb shoulder special and eggplant Dessert: The Campfire Scallops were some of the best I have ever had. Didn't hurt that they had bacon in the dish. The pork belly was good too. The lamb shoulder was good as well..almost too salty, but had good flavor. The eggplant is ordered a la carte and for $11 I was expecting it to be delicious. I got 4 shriveled pieces of eggplant that lacked any flavor and just failed miserably. The campfire dessert is a spin on smores. The idea was interesting, but it the chef just got too fancy and spun up on originality that caused the dessert to miss. Overall a very nice place. So why did I rate it only 3.5-4 stars? The portions are fairly small and for the price, the entire meal is not a great value. The quality is there for the most part so I would be back if something on their seasonal menu sparked my interest.
(4)Dominique F.
Came here last night with my coworkers and it was GREAT!! Service was awesome, there was never a point in the night where your water wasn't at least three quarter full. Food came on time and the servers didn't take away the plates until everyone was done with their meal, so you never felt rushed. I got one of the fish dishes and it was seared to perfection!! Drinks were also amazing and the choco tart for dessert out of this world. The smores dessert didn't impress me too much though. It's definitely pricey, but I guess you pay for the whole experience. Would definitely be back!
(4)Michelle U.
I made reservations back in early January so my boyfriend and I could enjoy our Valentine's Day together. I am from out of the state and only get to visit him once a month on the weekend, so going out to dinner is a nice treat for us to enjoy. We have dined at Ten Ten Bistro and were impressed with the food and service. I thought I would be getting the same caliber making a reservation here. Well I was wrong in coming to that assumption. I was unaware that there was going to be a pre-fix meal for Valentine's day; otherwise I would have chosen a different place to eat. I looked at the menu online before making the restaurant and there was nothing about the menu being different for Valentines Day; I even got a phone call to confirm my reservation and was not told that the menu was going to be different. I was told that the menu was posted on the website, but I wasn't expecting to have to check the website regularly for any changes. Looking at the menu, it just felt very uninspired and it was designed to make it easier for the kitchen rather than treat the guests to something different and exciting. The service was mediocre at its best. If I am going to pay $100+ per person, I better be taken care with all the money being spent. The bread and water service was off and almost non-existent. The waiter we had was like a robot and did not personalize service at all. The experience was lackluster. The waiter was unsure if the bartender could make a gin mule instead of the one on the menu, and he took awhile to get back with us on whether or not the drink could be made. My boyfriend's lobster was overcooked and he could barely cut through it, but by the time the server came over we were already done with the second course. We asked the waiter if we can have wine served with our third course since we ordered cocktails for our first two courses. The waiter forgot and I did not see him at all to ask for a drink; the woman that served our third course placed an order for our wine. Well we didn't receive the wine until we were almost finished with our meal. The waiter came over to ask if the food was cooked to our liking and whether or not we would like to order an after dinner drink. Well, why would I order an after dinner drink if I have a full glass of wine that I just received? The atmosphere was pleasant and food was good besides the overcooked lobster. I have worked in the industry as a server and pastry chef; currently I am a wine consultant to restaurants so I know what great service can be and this was not apparent Saturday night. I made a yelp account just to comment about your restaurant, since I was so dissatisfied. We are fine dining veterans and this experience was unfortunately disappointing. I hope this was just an off night for the restaurant.
(1)A. C.
(08/01/2013) Tried out Fleet Street Kitchen for Restaurant Week. The place is another one of those "rustic" farm-to-table concept places. Ingredients are seasonal and locally sourced, dishes are seemingly simply prepared, but have many layers of flavors built in. Started with the Charcuterie Selection that came with a pork rillette (subtly spiced with a little allspice?) topped with rich layer of fat; tangy, thinly shaved porchetta; chunky, peppery terrine; slow-cooked pork belly, crisp, light pork rind; with tart rhubarb jam and crostini. Swiss Chard Toast was a pile of sauteed bitter greens on a thick toast with a housemade creamy ricotta accented with sweet raisins. Best dish of the night was the "deconstructed breakfast"; Crispy Pork Belly (meltingly tender fat and layered with moist meat) with poached farm egg and buttered toast powder, even came with a maple syrup drizzle. The standard steak and potato on the menu was a bauvette steak (sounds way better than "flap meat" doesn't it), seared and cooked to a rosy medium rare, simply seasoned with kosher salt, cracked black pepper and basted in a lot of butter. Mushroom Stew was the lowlight of the meal, was earthy plenty of mushrooms, but very salty; toasted gnudi were light and creamy, could been a good starch to pair with the overseasoned stew had there been a few more for balance. An aged Welsh cheddar (slightly bitter, tangy, salty) and semi-soft ashed goat's milk cheese (slightly aged rind, creamy interior) ended the meal nicely. Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with lightly sweetened layer of fluffy cheese on a pale genoise. Chocolate Rum Soup was exactly like it sounds, unctuous and rich. Overall, service was attentive and very professional, prices are as expected (somewhat on the high side and it's a small plates and small portions kind of place), atmosphere is upscale modern with some ersatz rustic decorative touches (barn door on a bathroom stall?). Food is mostly executed well and enjoyable to eat.
(4)Saul C.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday, and was so glad I did. I had done a bit of research in terms of good places to eat in Baltimore, but given that I rarely make the trip up from DC, had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We each had four courses - a first course, vegetable, main, and dessert. Each was delicious, and complemented the meal before it perfectly. The restaurant had a great wine selection as well (presented via iPad) and we had a delicious bottle of Pinot Gris. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful, including our server. When we arrived to our table, a birthday card had been left on the table for him - that attention to detail is what really convinced me this was a great place. I recommended it to some friends who had a similarly great meal just a few weeks afterwards, confirming that this place is definitely legit.
(5)Scott D.
Bottom line - the food was great, but we felt like we were not wanted there. My girlfriend and I made reservations for 9pm - after taking in a movie. We arrived at 8:45 and checked in with the host, who said that our table was being prepared. He suggested we head to the bar for a drink. There were two people drinking at the bar and three employees behind the mahogany. We sat there for about 5 minutes and made eye contact with all three employees - and no one came over. We were seated by the host and our waiter came in about 10 minutes... asked if we wanted anything to drink. Explanation of the dinner menu was tersely offered, and he gave my girlfriend the iPad for wine. A bottled beer and glass of wine arrived pretty quickly and we ordered our dinner. We didn't see our waiter for another 25 minutes and had to ask another server to tell him that we would each like another drink - we had each been empty for about 10 minutes. The 2nd round of drinks arrived with our meals - which were very good (beef tenderloin and pork chop entrees). Our waiter came with our check (~$110) about 20 minutes later. The downstairs dining area had about 20 people in it when we got there and when we left - it's not like we were keeping the staff extra late on our account. We saw our waiter for about 5 minutes total. He did his job when asked to, but offered minimal availability, conversation, and/or personality. He didn't seem like a bad kid... and I didn't expect him to kiss our rumps, but between him and not being welcomed or served at the bar, it was very off-putting. Maybe he was new. Maybe he was too busy. Maybe the table before us stiffed him - who knows. Having worked in the food-service industry, I know that every night isn't your best and every customer isn't your favorite. We tried to make conversation, but it just wasn't happening with him. I've had bad nights too, so I tipped about 30% of the check - maybe it would make up for whatever made him treat us that way.
(2)tim j.
Celebration dinner with early reservation. Very friendly but awkward, seemingly inexperienced server. He did not know ingredients of menu items for food allergies. Food was very good, especially the cod and also the scallop appetizer (that they generously comped). Friendly, helpful sommelier. Surprisingly, some plates and food were properly hot, but others were not. Excellent desserts. Good place ,but needs polish.
(3)Yolanda Y.
Had to spend the night in Baltimore for work, and I'm really happy I picked this place for dinner. Service was excellent, drinks were perfect, food was good too. I cannot remember what my dish was called even though it was a couple nights ago (maybe it was the wonderful drinks) but it had a fried egg with potatoes and mushrooms I think. It was good, but I think it was a little richer than I like. For dessert I had the butter cinnamon ice cream and that was heavenly. If I'm back in this city anytime soon, I can see myself coming back here.
(4)Laura M.
To start, I could have rated FSK anywhere from a 2-4 depending on what aspects I was taking into consideration, so I split the difference and went with a 3. I've been to FSK twice. I do not remember what I ate the first time, but I thought it was good enough to go again, and I do remember getting a very good wine recommendation. Now to the second time. A group of six of us had an 8:45 reservation we made the week prior. Since it was such a late reservation (that's all they had available), we had a drink at Wit & Wisdom before heading over. When we arrived we were told our table was not yet available as the previous party was still there. We were in high spirits and were totally fine with this, we told the hostess we would be at the bar until the table was ready. Since we had already had a drink before heading over some of us elected to have a glass of wine, and a few decided not to. The service by the bartenders was very good. We hung out at the bar until about 9:30, at which point we were starting to get a little agitated at the wait. Not only was it 45 minutes past our reservation, we also wanted to avoid multiple drinks on empty stomachs...we were starving! I decided to go to the hostess to see what was going on, because we could also see that there were multiple empty tables. The hostess told me she understands but that the table was still not available. I reported back to the group what I had been told, but at this point that wasn't really cutting it. Everyone was hungry, there were empty tables, and we had a reservation. We waited another 10 minutes and then another member of the party went back to the hostess. She was told the same thing (our table was not ready). Now we were really getting annoyed, so we asked to see the manger. The hostess told us she was the manager. At about 9:50, we were starving and super agitated at the customer service so we decided we were going to leave. We asked the hostess for our coats (which we had checked) and she got them for us no questions asked (no attempt to get us to stay). We were in the process of bundling up (it was cold) to head out, when finally someone in a suit (I'm assuming the actual manager) comes over and tries to convince us to stay. He apologized for the wait, and asked us to give him an opportunity to make it up. We were torn because were annoyed and we were so hungry we just wanted to get pizzas and call it a night. It was hard to imagine spending that kind of money on a meal we were just going to inhale, and not enjoy. Eventually we decided to stay. They did treat us to appetizers, drinks and dessert. I thought the food was fine, but again, by the time we got our entrees it was about 11 pm, and I was in no state to be evaluating the quality of my food. I appreciated the efforts of the manager, and our service once we sat down was very good. I think most of the issue was caused due to mismanagement of seating. I can understand that they wanted our group to sit at a particular table, but I think good service dictates that once you are 15-20 mins late on a reservation, you move to plan b. I wouldn't tell anyone not to go to FSK, but I won't be planning to go there again myself.
(3)Erica O.
Went to FSK for the first time for my mom's bday. Our reservation was for 8 pm and we didn't get seated until 8:50. While we were waiting for our table we got drinks at the bar. Their cocktails are only 3 oz at $12 a pop. When we finally got seated we got served an assortment of cheeses and meats...no explanation from the server as to what was what. I did look at the menu online before going and was hoping that they might have some specials. Nope, only what is on the menu. When a restaurant has foi gras on the menu, you know they are trying too hard. Anyway, I got the rockfish and the portion was small as expected. It wasn't bad but I've had much better rockfish at other restaurants. Also, the last 2 bottles of cab that we got came out cold! With so many other good restaurants in this area I would definitely recommend skipping over this restaurant and go down the street to any other restaurant.
(1)Supriya M.
First, I made an open table reservation for 4 people on a Saturday night at 8:15pm. When they called to confirm, we wanted to add one more person to our reservation and a baby, technically making us a party of 6 and they were very accommodating. Kudos to that because reservations are hard to come by at this place. But, when we arrived at the restaurant at 8:15pm, our table was not ready. We were given our table at 8:30 and then our server took another 15 minutes to come by. This was frustrating (particularly since we had a newborn with us) because it was already 1/2 hr past our reservation time! Drinks - The McNulty and Veronica were very good - the Heart of a Dog was mediocre at best. The beer list is decent. Food - All the food we ordered was excellent. The portions were super small for the prices. The butternut squash toast and the lamb were my favorite. The Chocolate Pallete dessert was excellent, so was the carrot cake cheesecake. Overall, nice ambiance, amazing drinks and food, good service BUT very pricey and tiny portions! Food was 5 starts, the one star was taken off for keeping us waiting for 30 minutes!
(4)Anne B.
Recently went to FSK for restaurant week. I was very impressed with the service, food and ambience. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the dishes, farms, and just kind. Our food was excellent, a wonderful meal with perfect wine pairings (the wine list is so extensive it's presented on an iPad!). Hope to be back for a celebratory dinner, definitely a special event place and not your day to day dinner.
(5)Peter K.
Came in for dinner, on time reservation, drinks prior were good even though price was high. Rock fish and black cod were good , beets salad was a added delight. Roast pork was a bit tough, but sprouts were good compliment. Service a bit off, had to ask for bread, never filled water. I cream and cheese plate a delicious addition to the meal.
(3)Nick C.
First and foremost, this is a good review, with a few items that need attention. One thing they should know. Some jackass manager/owner came up with the idea of forcing every server to stop in their tracks, and awkwardly shift to the side wall any time a customer walks by. It's clear that it's something they must be reminded of every week and they're not good at the maneuvers. It's just plain uncomfortable and needs to stop. Of the few Michelin rated restaurants I've been to, they're not even doing that. They can get better reviews by making the quality of their food more consistent and the knowledge of their servers more thorough. I first came to FSK when it first opened last year or so. The service and everything about it was so bad they comped our entire meal and gave us a $50 gift card. They clearly hadn't worked out the kinks of how to serve 100 plus people at once. Food was delayed, orders mistaken, food was no longer available an hour after ordering and ultimately cold upon arrival. I recently went back almost a year later on a Saturday night, and we had a much better experience. I believe in that time they found a new chef. We sat at the bar this time, and the bartender was very knowledgeable about the menu and wine list. The food was great this time, worth the relative price. Egg yolk ravioli and charcuterie plate were the highlights. Their wines by the glass were a bit overpriced ($20 for a glass of a good cab, that could be bought for $20/bottle on wine-searcher). Then, I took a friend there in the middle of the week, ordered similar items so she could try, and the quality wasn't as good. It was clear that they saved their best chefs/sous chefs for the weekend, because our Saturday experience was much better in terms of food quality than it was on a Tuesday night. Hostesses were great, manager was good this time around. All in all, it's making progress, but it's not there yet.
(3)Brent F.
Had a wonderful experience at FSK last night. Brussel Sprout veggie dish for app was flavorful and included fennel, one of my favorite things. Entrees were great: I had chicken breast which was perfectly cooked and served over a wonderful risotto. It came with a pressed thigh meat "loaf" on the side which was kind of like a chicken meatball...not bad but not needed either. My wife had a veggie pasta dish which was extremely unique in a good way. Dessert was a dark chocolate terrine with blood orange and smoked vanilla ice cream. Great service, nice environment. Extremely impressed with the experience. Only thing that we didn't like was not having complementary valet like other restaurants of this caliber. Plenty of street parking though for the night we choose.
(5)Jennifer J.
Finally got to eat here and the food was delicious! We had an early reservation so the wait staff was very attentive. The menu is a bit pricey but since the food was fabulous we didn't mind so much. From the bread which was just chewy enough to the perfectly cooked wagyu beef special, the meal was lovely. Wish we had had more time to savor, but alas our nanny turns into a pumpkin at 7! Will definitely be back another night.
(5)Bryan L.
Restaurant was very nice and our server was very friendly. It was half off wine night, which made the bottle prices much better. Food was pretty good, but I would have expected better for the price...and have had much better right next door at TenTen. My wife had the filet ordered medium and it came out completely brown and dry. Waited 10 minutes for our waiter to surface (he seemed to have a lot of tables) and he immediately took the plate back for another steak. A few minutes later the steak came back cooked perfectly...only problem, my rockfish had been sitting there waiting in front of me while I waited for my wife to get her food. The fish tasted good, but at room temp it was hard to judge. Overall the restaurant was nice, but a lack of execution led to a pretty meh experience.
(2)Kristi C.
My boyfriend and I ate dinner here during a recent visit to Baltimore, and we really enjoyed it. The interior has a nice atmosphere, much more so than I was expecting based on the photos online. Everything we ordered was delicious, especially the Seared Beef Strip Loin with pomme purée, sauteéd okra, fried green tomato and the Chocolate Tart with salted caramel, hazelnut brittle, smoked vanilla bean ice cream. It was the best dessert we could both remember having in ages! Overall: The savory dishes are a bit overpriced, but the food and atmosphere were good enough that I would still encourage friends visiting Baltimore to consider having a meal here.
(4)Sarah C.
This was our second time there. We had held off going because of some mixed yelp reviews, but after going a couple months ago we were very pleased with the food. This time was consistent. Very good food. Especially love the charcuterie board :). Excellent service. Cocktails are good but I think if they expanded their cocktail menu it could be even better. Will definitely go back.
(4)Andrew S.
We came here for my wife's birthday and I have to say that it was sort of a disaster from start to finish. To be fair, their block had a huge fire alarm earlier in the evening, forcing evacuation of the restaurant a while earlier, which is bound to throw service off- however, the problems I encountered I don't think had anything to do with this. First off- they have two separate dining areas- a "tavern" and a "dining" room. As it was my wife's birthday, I made a reservation for the slightly (?) higher end dining room. When we were seated in the tavern room I told the hostess that I had actually made a reservation for the other room and it was a special occasion. She came back a minute later and gave me a mini-lecture on how "in the future" I should make my reservation through OpenTable by "making a special note on the system" (!), but that I was in luck as there was a table open in the dining room. I was in luck? Didn't I make a reservation for this in the first place? Im sorry, but if their reservations through OT are ambiguous to the user, that is their fault. Furthermore, even if there was a mixup or error on my part, either a table is open or it isn't- I certainly don't need to be lectured. Whatever- I shrugged it off as just a inexperienced hostess and a stressful night and I really wanted to enjoy the evening. When the hostess seated us I asked for a wine list- she curtly responded: "You'll receive one as soon as one is available". ??? It turns out they have this gimmicky thing of having their wine list on an iPad. Okay fine, cute- but if you don't have enough for all the tables- whats the point? Even when I got the thing, it was semi-buggy and kept reloading the pages. Come on, just silly. Our waitress, I think, was really trying and again, I think she had a stressful night with the interruption in service earlier. However, the overall service was really poor and uneven. The staff cleared the outer linens and candles from the two tables next to us when we arrived and never set them again- at 8:45 at night this made me feel like they were trying to close up for the evening and it certainly wasn't comfortable. At one point the floor manager (probably the friendliest and most effective out of the staff) came over and offered us free dessert if he could move our table- okay fine- weird, but Im not going to say no if you need to move the table. But then he came back less than a minute later and said it wasn't necessary. Again, fine- but it certainly added to an overall sense that the staff had no idea what was going on. The food was fine- a low-mid grade fine dining/locally sourced menu. Not a whole lot of imagination here, but decently executed nonetheless. Our dessert took ages to arrive (the waitress apologized), but then half of the order was wrong. The waitress was, again, very apologetic and Im sure she was fried from the crazy evening. The one consolation at this point was that you could tell she was just as disappointed and irritated about the night as I was. This place isn't really crazy expensive, but certainly an elevated price point. So, even if you have decent food- you really still have to perform on a service level. For the same range of money you can have an amazing meal with excellent service at Woodberry Kitchen or (for a little more money) Wit and Wisdom inside the 4 Seasons. I would not go back here.
(2)Vardo N.
New American cuisine, innovative chef, good atmosphere -- but still needs some work. We went for a romantic twosome dinner. The waiter was long on eagerness and short on waiting technique. He pushed alcohol a bit too hard, and requests for recommendations flummoxed him. But the adept interior design, lighting, and upscale crowd set a good mood. It was about half-full and not too noisy. The drinks and dishes arrived at correct times (except the coffee, which came well after dessert was finished). The food was generally well prepared and beautifully plated. Ingredients were fresh and well-paired. I thought things generally a bit salty, but she thought them just right. We both agreed my vegetable ragout was ruined with too much sugar (sugar? yep). Prices were about right for this type of place, and next time I feel a romantic date coming on, I'll try them again.
(3)Katie C.
The food was great but the service was truly amazing. Our server, Mikaele, was so attentive and made us feel so special. The restaurant even gave my fiancé a handwritten birthday card when we sat down. I have never seen that before! It was a great experience and I have recommended it to all my friends.
(5)Maureen S.
Fabulous restaurant - Leaf lettuce, eggplant parm, homemade pasta, rockfish and chocolate tart that was amazing. Ranks with Woodberry Kitchen as far as quality, taste, service.
(5)Vanessa S.
When this place first opened it was AMAZING definitely one of harbor easts best kept secrets. I've given this restaurant several chances and each time we leave even more disappointed. We even resorted to sitting at the bar to ensure prompt service but the last bartender was very full of himself and acted like it was a privilege to be served by him. The food quality is significantly different from when they first opened. Not in a rush to go back....
(3)John B.
I've been meaning to write this for a while now and am finally getting to it. My wife and I made a reservation at Fleet Street during Restaurant week. It was not our first choice but they had a table available at around 8:30 while every other place we called was booked. We got there on one of the coldest nights of the year and expected to not see a big crowd. Boy were we wrong, it was packed. We were a little early so we sat at the bar for a drink. My wife loved the lemon drop she had and I had one of the craft beers that was very nice as well. We were seated at exactly 8:30, right on time. Our waiter came by and since we still had our drinks he told us about the specials. He was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer our many questions. We decided to go with the Restaurant week menu with the wine pairing. I am not usually a salad guy but the salads we both chose were absolutely incredible. Mine was a pear salad with pecans and green peppercorn dressing and my wife had the beet salad. Crisp, fresh and well presented and the wine that went with it was perfect. For entrees I had the pastrami short rib, yes I know it sounded like diner food but it was anything but. It was by far the best short rib I had ever had. Tender and just melts in your mouth. My wife had the rockfish and could not get over how good it was. The wines that went with them were perfect and my only complaint that I could come up with was that the dinner portion of wine could have been a bit bigger. Hell I should've just ordered another glass of it. I don't remember what my wife had for dessert but I had the bitter chocolate tart. I absolutely love dark chocolate so it was amazing. I have never cared for dessert wines so I was a bit apprehensive about the wine served with dessert. Our waiter assured me it would not be a classically sweet dessert wine. He was right, it was very nice, not sure I would ever order it but it went well with what I had. I am so glad our first choice was fully booked because I might not have known about this gem otherwise. Move over Woodberry, I have a new favorite
(5)V W.
Our party of 6 went on a Sunday night. Unbeknownst to us, neither from navigating their website nor from confirming the reservation and talking to someone, on Sundays you can't order from the menu. Once seated, we were stuck with a prix fixe menu that had limited options and were not what we had anticipated going there. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant, and at 7:30pm they had already run out of the only fish entree, diminishing our choices even further. The waitress was very nice and sweet but unknowledgeable about wine. The food was good - in the way a home cooked meal would be. The disconnect is that the restaurant pretends to be fine dining. It charges as if it's a New York hot spot, the plating was odd: my mom had a large plate of small amount of tomatoes and watermelon. The food was pushed to both sides of the plate, revealing the ugly, indented center of the plate. The wine list was also ridiculously expensive for what it serves. The plating and the prix fixe menu felt pretentious and did not match the quality of the dinner. Some added insults were the "complimentary" chocolate truffles offered with the bill, we were already displeased for having to order the prix fixe dessert that we didn't want in the first place! We left with a very hefty price tag and felt cheated.
(2)Vivian C.
Overpriced food, spotty service, nice ambience. I ordered mushroom stew, the one vegetarian option. Portion size was small and not worth the $24 cost (this was one of the cheapest entrees on the menu). Bread + butter was the best part of the meal. Husband ordered rockfish, which was OK but not special. Service was fine to start, but we sat around a long time waiting for our bill and finally had to remind our server to bring it to us. The wine list, as others have written, was on an ipad which struck me as gimmicky. I don't want to have to scroll through an ipad to see the wine list. Dinner for 2 was $115, which was a lot for what we got. Would not recommend as there are better options downtown, including Ten Ten next door.
(2)Robert W.
Read the nice reviews and wanted to give the place a try. I was called the day before to confirm my reservation and was gently reminded that the attire was business casual. I thought it was odd and nice at the same time to be instructed how to dress... maybe because it's a new place? I guess once they have a reputation, people will know to leave their Raven's jersey and Megadeath attire at home. Complementary valet parking is a huge plus and a nice because of the parking cluster that Harbor East is. We were greeted warmly by the hostess and were pleasantly surprised by how large the space and nicely decorated it was. Service was very solid overall without being over bearing. Although there was too large a gap between apps and entrees. Appetizers: pork belly and duck were declicious. Entrees: monk fish- only ok per my friend. The short ribs were delicious. Tender and perfectly carmelized. The lamb was tasty but slightly overcooked. Dessert: I love dessert, but their preparations were too complicated. I enjoy creative ideas and complex favors, but cheesecake doesn't need to be deconstructed. Quality ingredients and skillful presentation will win. If you've had the cheesecake at the Capital Grille, you'll know what I mean. Similar restaurants: Chameleon, B&O, Demi, Salt. Overall, it's very good for a place that's been open only 3 weeks. The food isn't cheap, but the quality almost matches it. If they continue to evolve, I'll be back
(4)Niran A.
What happens when you combine a farm to table concept, exceptional food, a modern upscale yet laid back setting, excellent service, and excellent drinks? Fleet Street Kitchen of course! This relatively new restaurant seems to make all the right moves and continues to impress. Conveniently located in Harbor East, Fleet Street Kitchen sits next to its sister restaurants TenTen and Bagby Pizza Company. Appetizers include options such as roasted beet salad with a borscht emulsion sauce, or a split pea soup with ricotta served table-side. Some heartier options showcased butter-poached lobster, crispy pork belly with a smoked maple glaze, and caramelized scallops with spring vegetables. The menu changes very frequently based on the what is seasonally available, so by the time you read this the menu will probably be drastically different. We sampled the split pea soup, which had a velvety smooth consistency and a wonderful fresh aroma from the spring peas and mint. The dish comes to the table with ricotta in the center before the waiter pours the hot pea soup around the bowl. The spring peas had a nice bite and worked perfect with the rich yet airy ricotta cheese and the pungent mint. Our friends who were dining with us that evening ordered the roasted beet salad, which was one of the more beautiful plates I have seen. They both raved about the borscht emulsion sauce, which tied the entire plate together. It was very difficult to pick between entrees. With options such as Chesapeake Bay rockfish with clam and bacon stew and leg of lamb with charred ramps and parsnips, it sounded as if you couldn't go wrong. I settled on the rockfish with spinach clam and bacon stew. The dish sounds a mess but when it arrives to your table it all makes sense. The skin of the beautifully fresh rockfish was seared until extra crispy, while still leaving the pearly white flesh completely juicy. The generous center cut portion of fish sat atop a very light seafood stew, which had a green color from the spinach. The stew featured items such as leeks, bacon lardons and various shellfish. Each component of the dish was perfect on its own but was absolutely delicious when combined in the same forkful. We also had the roasted leg of lamb, served with faro, parsnips and charred ramps. When the dish arrived we were pleasantly surprised to see the leg of lamb was cut into thick pieces as if it was a steak. The overall concept was to make a relatively inexpensive cut of lamb taste and eat like a steak with some lighter grains and vegetables as the accompaniment. Yet another truly delicious dish, so mission accomplished. Our fellow diners ordered the roasted farm chicken and the 30 day aged ribeye steak. The chicken was served in a somewhat classic French preparation, in which the chicken is separated by section, leaving the golden brown crispy skin intact on each section. The chicken was perfectly cooked and very moist, as it sat beside brussel sprouts, creamy polenta and Fleet Street Kitchen bacon - a perfect dish for any palette. The ribeye was grilled and then pre-sliced into thick portions, served with a crispy potato hash, house made sauerkraut and veal jus. I must admit the portion of the steak was not what you would expect, being a bit small to be really considered a hearty dinner like the other entrees. Jacob assured me the steak was very delicious however, as we all cleaned our plates. Although all of us were already admittedly stuffed from the appetizers and entrees, the desserts sounded to intriguing to pass up. Most options are classic dessert items but often with a modern twist and/or deconstructed presentation. For example the carrot cake cheesecake, which had square chunks of carrot cake that sat atop various sauces or textures, each representing a different flavor of the carrot cake as a whole. The dessert was as gastronomically pleasing as it was aesthetically pleasing - a hard feat considering the work of art each dish is. I was really craving coffee after our meal so my friend pointed out that Fleet Street had an affogato on the menu. I had never heard of such a thing before, but an affogato is a shot of espresso poured over a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Lemon ginger snap cookies are served alongside the beverage for dipping. It was the perfect after dinner drink. After our meal we were in awe as to how good everything was. The food was as delicious as it was creative - each dish perfectly executed and beautifully plated. The farm to table concept is really exemplified at Fleet Street Kitchen. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a different Baltimore dining experience, or anyone just looking for a great meal - enjoy.
(5)Kenneth F.
I live near D.C., and whenever I have friends from Paris or London visiting and I take them to Baltimore I find myself at a loss when it comes to taking them for fine dining in the city. I still am. My daughter and I tried this restaurant this evening. We arrived around 7:30. There was a party in progress in the small downstairs dining room, but the upstairs, which is quite handsome, was nearly empty. We were seated promptly and drink orders taken. I ordered a Fernet Branca which to my delight they carried, and my daughter ordered a sparkling wine. My drink showed up in a glass that was not clean - the outside felt as though there were a message in braille etched upon it. It took a while before we were approached by one of what seemed a rotating cast of servers, and the drink was replaced. After another long wait our meal order was taken. We both ordered appetizers - my daughter ordered glazed scallops, which were quite good, and I ordered the pork belly, which was also quite good. Followed by a long wait. During which time a young man came around to bus the dishes from the appetizers. I asked him what the bread plates were for. "They're for bread....oh....would you like some bread?" Our entrees arrived after some delay. We both ordered the roast chicken, which was quite good, but for some reason the vegetables were cold. (Oh, yes, almost forgot - we had to call the server over so that we could get silverware....). We both ate some of our chicken and had them pack the meals. On the way out I asked to speak to the manager. Again, long wait - my daughter had time to go to the loo and back and I was still waiting.....the manager came over, I told him what had transpired. His reply - two words - "I'm sorry". That's it. Succinct and to the point. But nothing more. FWIW there is excellent fine dining to be had within a 20 -30 minute drive South of Baltimore. Until I find someplace comparable in the city, that is where I will continue to go and take my guests as well.
(2)Bethany D.
My work colleagues and I had a fantastic dinner, partaking in the 4 course option. Everything was well prepared and unique, and the service was well-paced, with excellent explanations and advice. Thanks Yelpers for helping me find a great restaurant in a "foreign" city.
(5)Marci G.
Went with a friend after hearing rave reviews. The chef and staff did not disappoint. Our server Amy was absolutely fantastic. She made wine suggestions that were perfect and was very well educated and passionate about the menu. They stated us out with a house baked crusty, nutty, fruit inflected bread that was hearty and satisfying. We each had the butter poached lobster app and shared the beet salad. Both dishes were delectable and refined. Main courses my friend had the lamb which I don't eat but she said was cooked to perfection. I had the local fav rock fish which was sumptuous and well balanced over a vegetable stew of sorts. Dessert we let Amy put together a cheese platter for us after telling her our likes and dislikes. She nailed it. We also shared the corn cake at her suggestion which was moist and just earthy enough. It came with a velvety homemade ice cream that was the perfect compliment. Overall I have to say this is a foodie adventurers paradise. It is pricey and the portions are modest, but every bite is so fulfilling we felt it was worth every penny.
(5)Eric J.
7-course tasting menu with two, no, make that three desserts, specially crafted
(4)Nick M.
Overrated. Went here for a Valentine's Day dinner and was incredibly disappointed. The nice started off alright as we were greeted with pretty good service and our appetizers came out quickly and were actually pretty good. That's where anything positive I have to say ends. My girlfriend ordered a duo of beef. When she got her dish she had only one kind of beef and it wasn't either one that was listed on the menu. It was also completely raw. We both like rare meet, but this was still blue. Only after we sent it back, indicating it was clearly wrong, did they come back and tell us that both of the cuts that they ran out of both cuts that should have been on the dish. On top of that they returned with the extremely undercooked piece of meat. Finally, they brought back something that was edible but at that point both entrees were still quite underwhelming. They lacked flavor and both our steak and fish were not well cooked. I requested to speak with the manager and he offered to remove the steak from the bill (the only reason they didn't get 1 star). This helped a little but by now nearly 2 hours had passed and we weren't about to wait for another disappointing dish. We asked to settle our bill only to realize at the last second that they had charged us for 4 drinks we didn't actually order. Finally, we got the incorrect drinks removed and were able to pay and leave. Overall it was a pretty poor dining experience. Probably won't be giving this place another shot.
(2)Laura C.
Went to FSK for Valentines Day. One word - disappointing... We had the wine pairings but the wine never made it out with the food. It literally was delievered when we finished our plate. Although the server was apologetic, it was still irritating and not what we signed up for. In my opinion the food is not worth the price. At the end of the meal I was given a rose (which was nice) but it was full of thorns. What happened to attention to detail? If this was my place each rose would have been dethorned. To sum it up - will not return. Hope FSK reads these..
(1)Laura B.
Really enjoyed my experience here. Great service and great food. It was a little pricey so would probably save for special occasions, but likely to return. Short rib was especially good.
(4)Vicky D.
O.M.G. was this place good. Great location, great service, amazing food. They also have one of those fancy wine lists on an iPad! Cocktail menu looked great, I only got wine but they had some really interesting-sounding concoctions. My only complaints were that it was really expensive (don't get me wrong, the food was great but not all worth it) and that I was really disappointed by the brussels sprouts. I LOVE brussels sprouts and the ones they served were dry and tasteless. I would still come back though.
(4)Sally D M.
Went out last night for an early anniversary dinner to the Fleet Street Kitchen near Fells Point. Various Baltimore restaurants were having a special soft shell crab week so we selected a place randomly that was participating. Had never been to the Fleet Street Kitchen before. The service was very special. They welcomed us with a personalized anniversary card and complimentary Rosé, and seviche which was very good. I ordered a cocktail-- the Colonel Baldwin's rum punch made with rum, cognac, madeira, cherry heering and I think some other spirits, no juice or base so it really packed a punch but was utterly delicious. As I said, the service was very special, even if the waiter did keep calling me "dear" which I didn't really appreciate. I think you call someone "dear" when they're a doddering 80 something, do I really look THAT old? They get points for ambience as they were playing Jackie McLean when we were seated. Great music choice. I ordered a creamy spring onion soup, which had crabmeat in it and it was delicious. Jon and I shared it as best we could. "Bread" was brought to the table and delicately served to us with tongs as if it was hot from an oven. It was not. Two half slices and it wasn't anything special. We didn't order any vegetable sides which came ala carte. When our soft shell crabs came our mouths must have dropped open. One paltry soft shell crab which had been breaded and fried despite our asking that it be lightly floured and sauteed. This is the first time in my experience that I ordered soft shell crabs and was not served TWO crabs. That is the standard portion in any restaurant that I've been in. There should have been two. The tiny crab was served on a bed of pesto, greens and a duck confit, which was a kind of strange pairing. Nonetheless we ate every scrap and were still hungry. We ordered the "Campfire" for dessert, which was a sort of melange of flavors based on the s'more. Graham cracker crumbs supported a tablespoon of chocolate ice cream, dollops of marshmallow creme and a thin ring of chocolate mouse and threads of spun sugar to look like wisps of smoke-- it was all very gorgeous to look at, delicious to eat, but again, very sparing on the portion. The bill came in at $125. including tip, considering we walked away unsated I think that's a pretty high price.
(2)Ruth K.
Sorry to say, they were far from "fleet;" many dishes were almost uneatably over-salted (including dessert!); and one fish was close to raw, despite not being sushi. Most probably someone didn't turn up in the kitchen for the evening, but while the staff were uniformly pleasant and helpful, they couldn't fill the very long gaps between courses, and they couldn't fix the problems with the kitchen. A disappointment.
(2)Rick S.
Just got back from this place and if you like what I call typical farm to table food and over priced then this is the place for you good ambiance but the tables on the bar side are much better then in the back. Decor is great the drinks are good but if your looking for sizeble portions then well this is the wrong place. Service was good and food is somewhat tasty but bring a magnifying glass if you want to see the portion they are tiny at best.
(3)Eby D.
ah-mazing!
(5)Ellen M.
Best sauces I have had in Baltimore. Exceeded expectations. Liked it better than Woodberry, and much easier to get a table. Really good.
(5)Cara S.
My husband and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen on Saturday night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We have a five month old baby so we've only been out alone a couple of times in the past 5 months. Needless to say we were pretty excited to get out and to experience some amazing farm to table food. We were incredibly disappointed. The disappointment started when we pulled up and the valet was smoking. As two ex-smokers we acknowledge that we are pretty annoying about smoke, but I am pretty sure he could have taken a break around the corner so guests did not see him smoking. We booked our reservation on Open Table and had no idea that there were two parts to the restaurant. When we arrived we were seated in the Tavern Room and when my husband asked for a table in the dining room we were just told that the menu was the same. We were willing to overlook this and went to order our drinks. We were told by our server that the taps were not working so my husband, a beer snob had three beers to chose from (yuengling, stella and a third non-impressive beer). At this point things started to go down hill. We were just holding out hope that the food would blow us away. It didn't! I had the ox tail soup which was pretty amazing, but my husband had the pork belly and was not over the moon about it. Throughout the entire meal the hostess was looking through the glass above my head every 5 minutes to survey the diners and open tables. It was very distracting! After our first plates the fire alarm went off. At this point my husband and I were cracking up. It was just too funny that things kept going wrong. This event was in no way the restaurant's fault and in fact they gave everyone a glass of champagne. It was over in about 15 minutes, but the alarm did go off a few more times during our meal. Then the food...we decided to go with small plates to share because we were already getting a bad feeling. We were right. My husband ordered the meatballs which were cold on the inside and the sauce was piping hot. I ordered the brussel sprouts. They were pretty good and we shared the shrimp fajitas which tasted like something you could get a chain restaurant. A couple that had complained about being seated in the Tavern Room sat down next to us after we got our food. The hostess came over and explained that the menus were the same. After the guest explained that it was a special occasion they were moved to the dining room. We were ready to leave, but it was an exchange we could have lived without witnessing. We couldn't wait to leave and had to wait a really long time for our check. Our server had indicated that he would comp the drinks because of the fire alarm, but he didn't. My husband had to ask him to remove them. My husband and I enjoy a nice dinner from time to time and are willing to spend money for it. Fleet Street Kitchen was a huge disappointment. It felt like a tourist destination and not a farm to table restaurant. The service was incredibly unprofessional and the experience overall was not worth the cost. I am completely forgiving of issues when dining out, but it's about the recovery and the professionalism. Fleet Street did not have anything to lure me back.
(1)Sara O.
I booked my reservation on open table, the restaurant called to confirm. The servers were very friendly, the place was clean, food came out in a timely manner- enough to make good convo and have an enjoyable time. I was very pleased! It was an overall great dining experience.
(5)Louis D.
My girlfriend and I went to FSK last night for Valentines Day dinner. She and I have been wanting to dine their for sometime now so I made reservations about 2-3 weeks ago. It started out pretty good. The decor was nice but our first observation was how close the tables were placed. So close that the couples on each side of us had to squeeze sideways to get in and out between the tables. After that it went downhill from there. We did the wine pairing for an additional $29 on top of the $69 prepared menu for Valentine's Day. We were looking forward to experiencing the 3 course dinner with the selected wines. The appetizer came out in which I had the seared scallops and she had the poached lobster. Both were good but not remarkable. After we finished the appetizers the appetizer pairing wine finally arrived. That was the case for every subsequent course, mediocre food with no paired wine. To the staff 's defense, they were very apologetic. To finish off the night after paying the $200 check, my girlfriend was affectionately given a long stem rose complete with the thorns. The attention to detail by FSK was lacking in every way. Next,
(1)Amanda P.
I went here for restaurant week and all three courses were amazing. I had the arugula salad, catfish, and a sorbet sundae.
(4)Barbara B.
After at least 3 very good meals, ours last night was not as good; the linguine one person had was terrific as were the short ribs, but the salad just ok. The red snapper was mediocre, too done even when sent back and requested not to be as done; the carrots with the halibut were good, and the scallops were almost RAW, had to be returned. The waiter was nice, the wine list nice but pricey and overall the meal just too expensive; this is a place for high end rollers and hedgies, not for foodies watching their budget.
(2)Megan J.
The experience started out awesome. The hostesses were very nice and accommodating to us for Elliott (our 19month old). The service started out well. Very attentive service. Our table all got the four course dinner. (There were 4 adults and Elliott). Since there was no kid menu or small portion size options for Elliott, we asked if the chef could throw something together for him and we told him that he loves chicken. The meal continued each course being served. They almost forgot to bring out Elliott's meal until everyone started eating their main entrée until we asked about it. Then they bring out a plain chicken breast and nothing else. I was disappointed in the fact there was no veggie or starch to make it a meal. oh well I guess that is way we get for leaving it up to chef to throw together a meal for him. They had high chairs so we knew kids aren't an issue. The food was great and I would have given 5 stars until what happened next. Then when all course were finished and we were finishing our coffee right after our dessert course. The waitress leans over and said, "Do you have your ticket for valet?" I gave her the ticket (thinking that she was going to validate it or something of that nature.) My husband said to the waitress that already paid $6 for valet (which is cheap for valet in B-more). The waitress said oh...I was going to have the valet get your car for you. We felt like we were being hurried out the door. After spending over $200 on dinner for 2 adults and a child. arrrghh! She also kept coming and asking if we had paid our bill yet. I understand they have to turn the tables over especially on a Saturday night, but there were other 4 top tables available. I was so aggravated and offended. If we knew who the manager was my husband and I would have complained. The service experience truly changed our opinion of the restaurant. Great food...poor experience on service. PS: Try the campfire dessert, butternut squash and pork! All were yummy!
(4)Kyle W.
I've been there twice. Once with my girlfriend, it was her Birthday dinner. She received a hand written note from the chef which was a very nice touch. Fleet Street has 5 star decor and service. The staff was attentive to details and high end. Another time I went with my family. Brother and parents. The wine list is extensive, and our selection met the mark on taste even if a bit more expensive than I planned. Nonetheless, a great wine list and on an iPad with descriptions. The food ranged from delectable and fantastic to strange and misplaced. If they can increase the consistency of the food across the menu this could be one of Baltimore's great restaurants. A menu with hit or miss items however is the definition of a 3 star restaurant in my book. I believe an example was the Lobster appetizer which just didn't have anything special about it. The scallops however were truly amazing! That kind of inconsistency was seen throughout the meal. I will return someday. And I hope it gets better with age as they focus their menu. It was good, but Fleet Street charges a premium price, and for that price I expect premium execution on all fronts.
(3)John J.
Love love love the food at Fleet Street. Just had their roasted beet salad, grilled rockfish, and honey mousse. Fabulous. Great ambiance in the restaurant (back part). My only "complaint" is that they don't serve Bombay Sapphire Gin. So, all in all...can't say anything worse than that.....will be back many times.
(5)Victoria L.
I'm giving FSK three stars mostly because the cocktails were good. Given how amazing Ten Ten is, I really expected to be wowed, and instead I was meh'ed. The place is beautiful, if a bit eccentric (the bar looks like a bar from the 20s, which is awesome, but the rest of the restaurant doesn't quite match it, although it is all very tastefully decorated). Michelle H. and I gave this place a try and... well, I'm willing to chalk a lot up to grand-opening blues. First, they had tons of waitstaff simply standing around. Literally, standing up against the wall staring at the door waiting for people to come in. The bartender was very nice and they are trying to greet everyone by name, so that was a nice touch. The food, however, was really disappointing. The fried chicken tasted very good but the texture was so rubbery that it was difficult to eat. The grilled cheese app was so very tiny and soggy. The drinks were pricey but well-mixed, if a little light on the booze for the price. I'm not saying I wouldn't try them again, but I think I'll wait until they are a little more situated before doing so.
(3)Danielle W.
Where do I start? This place is amazing. Really...amazing. Came here for a friend's birthday because one of the guys in our party knows the chef, and thought we'd check it out since it's new (only open 3 weeks at this point). Boy were we impressed!!! Walking into the place, the decor is beautiful - classy, well put together - dark wood and exposed brick, beautiful light fixtures - GREAT chandeliers and good bathrooms. Also the service is impeccable - knowledgeable about everything and attentive without being annoying. Now onto the food - for starters we split the Blue Crab Salad - more of a roll than a salad and on the small side, but very good. Also good were the pork belly and pumpkin soup. For the main course, I tried the Crispy Country egg - 6 min egg dipped in panko then flash fried so there's a crispy outer, cooked white part, and runny yolk - never had anything like it, but was delicious! That was on a bed of amazing Parmesan gnudi (like gnocchi) with mushrooms and split pea puree. Everyone else at the table also enjoyed their dishes which included the Sirloin steak, short ribs (this is what I would try next time - looked so good!) and the chicken. For dessert we were brought a chocolate cake with strawberry filling and frosting - delicious!! Really the night all together was unbelievably impressive. I can't think of a single thing I could have changed to make it any better. It's a little expensive, so not a place I'd go every week, although I hear they have a more casual bar menu too, but definitely a destination when celebrating a special occasion!!!
(5)Eric N.
Went here last night with friends. Had wanted to try this place for a very long time. We were the only ones there because we wanted to catch an early movie. We were sat at a table that was partially in the hallway, which perturbed my wife. The server was very pleasant, and generally helpful The menu was a bit limited, and quite eclectic. The dishes are a bit small, and have virtually no sides with them, They only had 3 sides listed for options, so not enough variety or quantitiy to fill your belly. No specials on a Friday night. We tried to find some appys to share, but the menu is designed in such a way that doesn't lend itself to sharing these, I ordered a salad which bordered on bad. Virtually no dressing, and a bit on the bitter side. We shared gnocchi which was small, but excellent. I ordered the grouper which was just OK, and my wife ordered the scallops which were also just OK. All in all a pretty bland, and average dinner. I left quite hungry, and would have been starved if I hadn't eaten 4 rolls with my dinner. After the movie, we went next door to Ten Ten for a cheese plate and drinks, as we were all quite hungry.
(2)Dina B.
We loved our dinner at FSK. I have to give a special shutout to our waiter, Rich. He was extremely endearing and helped us navigate the menu. We started with what we believe to be the two best drinks on the menu: the kazeem's mule and Lola. The choice of breads were a homemade roll and a savory scone - we had both (twice!) For appetizers, we had the blue crab salad (with fried yogurt) and the green bean salad. The blue crab salad was served in rolled up daikon. It was difficult to pick an entree because everything sounded so unusual, with a variety of ingredients you just don't know how things will come together. But in each dish, the combinations worked so well. My husband had the short ribs and I had the tile fish. My advice is to pick a protein that appeals to you and trust that the chef will make it delicious. But save room for dessert. Everything sounded fantastic. We had the apples and chocolate and the lemon cake. The decaf was French press, served with warm milk, a really lovely touch. The restaurant pays attention to every detail. The service is stellar. It has only been opened officially for one week, but it seems to have every kink already out. Impressive (albeit expensive - dinner for 2 with tip - $200) place.
(5)Sue W.
Delicious, good service and comfortable! A little noisy with tables very close but all in all, excellent!
(5)Demond B.
Pricey, small to medium portioned deconstructed food and desserts. The espresso was sour. The pre-meal raisin bread was yummy and the complimentary financiers almond cookies were yummy! Might go back in the very distant future. Deconstructed desserts (x2) were good once you combined everything in one bite.
(3)Katie S.
Came back to find they took the burger off the menu, so I took one star off my rating. the burger was so awesome; why?
(4)Katie R.
Perfect place to celebrate our anniversary! Great service, great food, and they really went out of their way to make our anniversary special!
(5)Keith R.
The decor and environment at this place is very nice. Lots of wood offset by red walls in some areas. Has a trendy rustic feel to it. The marble or granite bar is lit from underneath, which looks pretty cool. The music is relaxing and not too loud. The food was delicious. If you are a steak and crab cake person then this is not your place. This is a place for people that can appreciate complex flavors and well crafted food. We had this pork belly appetizer (farm fresh and so good) and the mushroom ravioli (hand made, very mushroomy). For dinner we had the egg risotto and the veal cheek. Both were delicious, but if I had to pick either I would go with the veal cheek. If you have never had veal or pig cheek or face then you are really missing out. Many people don't know that it is even better than bacon; yes, better than bacon. Bread is baked in house and is very tasty. Price wise this place was not bad at all. The night before I spent a lot more in Hunt Valley and the food was not even close to FSK quality. Free valet is a nice perk and super convenient. Bathrooms with clean and fancy. Restaurant is larger than it looks. There is an upstairs with several large crystal chandeliers that look nice. Service was great. No problems at all. I am not sure how anyone could give this place less than 4 stars.
(5)John S.
Went for dinner on Saturday, a very slow night owing to the Ravens game. The decor is very attractive, interesting use of reclaimed materials (love the old trolley track foot rails at the bar). The menu is interesting though not too varied. Nouvelle cuisine, very small portions, separate side dishes. The preparation was fine - we enjoyed the scallop appetizer, rockfish and cod for entrees, shaved brussels sprouts side. The disappointment came in the wine list and cocktails. The former was very extensive, but at an average price of around $100 bottle, not suitable for this restaurant. Clearly, they pride themselves on this aspect, but they need to put things on there that the average diner can afford and enjoy. The solution is to bring one's own, but at $35 for corkage, that feels like gouging also. Cocktails were no better. Maybe I'm picky, but no martini in an upscale restaurant should be served in an unchilled glass with unstuffed manzanilla olives. Old fashioned was overly sweet, and pretty short pour. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. I think 3 star is about right for this establishment, but I would expect that they will improve with time, as they've only been open a few months. We'll certainly give it another try in the future.
(3)Kim G.
Myself and two friends went to Fleet Street kitchen one evening in May. Our server Alessandro did not seem happy to serve us. I noticed this, but did not say anything to my dinner companions because I did not want to spoil the evening with any negative observations. I didn't have to say anything because one of my dinner mates raised it before long. Once she did, I concurred. We then noticed a distinct difference in the way he interacted with the table next to us. He was a completely different person with them, lighthearted and jovial. That really put a damper on our meal because the only difference between us and them was our race. So dear Alessandro, I know when you left Applebee's you thought and hoped you would never again have to serve black folks, and then we showed up. Get accustomed to it, because we aren't going anywhere. You got fifteen percent from me and not my usual twenty five because your attitude stunk. But you perked up a bit close to tipping time. Too little too late. I really don't get wait persons who act as if they own the restaurant. Dude I don't care how fancy a place is, you're wait staff. Get over yourself. The food was quite tasty, nothing to write home about. Brussel sprouts seemed a bit undercooked. There are many good restaurants to try before I leave this earth for good. I'd only return if the experience were exceptional and due to the poor service it simply wasn't .
(3)YourStomach S.
Went there during the weekend of the Fells Point Festival 2012. We had no idea that it had just opened. We sat at the bar, and here's the story... We ordered the burger and the smoked fried chicken. The Burger was soooo good! Do yourself a favor and go there just for the burger. Are you understanding that this burger is so good, it's worth a special trip to Harbor East just because!!?!?!? How come you are still reading this? The Smoked Fried Chicken was a tiny bit too smokey for this stomach. The nose loved it, but the taste buds got slightly upset. At first, the fried chicken smells great, and the idea is too cool and modern, and in an era when everyone is smoking stuff and BBQing everything under the sun, one would expect that smoked fried chicken would be an outstanding addition to any menu, but it was just OK. The biscuits and spicy honey were a nice side, and the sunflower sprouts really made the overall presentation pop with flavor. Go order this dish and try it. ...you might like it. Clearly, others have enjoyed it. Next time, we'll go for dining room seating, and try that menu. YourStomachSays: Fleet Street Kitchen should be placed on your EAT THERE SOON list (as in ASAP), and if you are a true fried chicken fan, go ahead and try the smoked fried chicken, but you don't have to be a burger lover to LOVE the burger! Yum!
(4)Kelly S.
I went to FSK with my parents last night. For a hopping Saturday night, we were seated in a very timely fashion. The atmosphere was very enjoyable, and the decor in the restaurant is very tasteful and beautiful. There wine and beer lists offer a wide variety; you really can't make a bad drink choice. Our server Austin was attentive and friendly, he gave excellent food and beverage recommendations; being our first time, we indulged in his personal favorites on the menu. The food was out of this world- all of our dishes offered diverse, unique tastes, as well creative and stunning presentations. I would highly recommend the crispy pork belly, and the pan seared rock fish, you can't go wrong with these delectable dishes. Portions were just enough, without making you feel too full. We had a very enjoyable experience, and will be returning!
(4)Jamie C.
Hands down, the best restaurant so far in Baltimore City. We had from the bar, the burger and the smoked fried chicken. Service and ambiance are amazing. It is beautiful inside and they did not spare any detail. The Burger - OMG. The BEST burger I've ever had. All the condiments are house-made. The cheddar was perfectly paired and they actually serve house-ground grass fed beef. (Chuck, sirloin and Short-rib) The fries were so good they did not need any sauce. The Smoked Fried Chicken - amazing combo. Perfectly smoked and not too overwhelming. They offer white and dark meat thats tender and juicy and boneless (which is a rare combo) they serve it with bisquits and a tabassco honey. and these are just things we had at the bar! We will definitely be going back, repeatedly. LOL I'm still daydreaming about this meal. Bravo, Fleet Street Kitchen. I'm really impressed by the local ingredients and quality of the food, service and experience.
(5)Jamie G.
Ive been here a couple times and I think its great. The service, location, ambiance etc. The food taste amazing but I gotta be real it is over priced for the portions. Dont order the 30 day aged ribeye for $37.00 expecting more than 6 maybe 7 ounces of meat. Disappointing!
(3)Rachel C.
I've been here for both a double date and Father's Day, and it was great for both! The food is amazing, the cocktails are creative, the servers are helpful -- everything you could want for a fancy night out. It's pricy, but it's worth it.
(5)Philippe R.
Where do I start? Really is this what Baltimore is going to do to get 4 and 5 star reviews? Menu is eclectic and strange. When you name things and use descrptions that are so strange in a marketing effort to be unique and trendy it tends to show when food comes to the table. The bread tasted like they used salt rather then flour to bake it. We ordered some decent appetizers, but the entrees where nothing special and overpriced. We had the steaks and honestly the menu selection on entrees was horrible. Sorry, I dont give stars for being different and trendy-this place wont be around in 3 years once the new thing wears off.
(2)Minna N.
Run-down: You will sit down with your yummy cocktail - I had Kazeem's Mule (rum, ginger beer, magic) which came in a copper cup with a metal straw - a cool little mixology detail. You will enjoy the warmly-lit, classy naturist look. You will spend more time than usual reading over and salivating on the menu and the iPad (!) winelist. Your friends will be in an especially good and giddy mood. If you're a fan (as I am) of Dogwood Cafe or Newberry Kitchen, this sweet little farm to table set up will be an addition to your restau repertoire. If you have a special occasion or just because romantic thing coming up, bring your foodie baby over here. My selections Appetizer - Butter-poached lobster (most popular - with reason) Vegetable - Seared romanesco cauliflower - I ended up with two servings because I confused the waiter. This was a definite win because I ate the better portion of the second plate. Main Course - Seared monkfish (or some other fish - there were 3 fresh fish dishes) and pork belly - Normally I don't overdo seafood but this particular pairing really compelled me (succulent pork belly). Cheese - Grilled cheese with tomato jam - This was a savory and sweet treat as I'm a sucker and a fan for grilled cheese and tomato jam, respectively. This was quite a union of two of my favorite things. I was sad that it was small but glad because by this point in the meal I had eaten quite a bit already (see above) and hadn't even gotten to dessert yet. Dessert - Dark chocolate tart for myself and shared dessert sampler which included a macaroon with creme injecting straw (just ask about it), a juicy sugar-coated rhubarb french jelly square, and I didn't have room for the little biscuit/cookie with chocolate topping, but I really, really wanted it. My friends got a juicy ham chop, *the* scallops, braised lamb loin, shortrib, etc. I really could go on but I was very focused on my own food experience. Pros - Everything. Next time I'm getting the marinated fluke. I used my bread to sop up the delicious sauce that came with my lobster. The pork belly/fish combo. The grilled cheese with tomato jam. And of course the paradoxically lightly rich sumptuous, velvety dark chocolate tart. Chocolate cloud? Cons - My limited stomach capacity. You will definitely want to order up half of what is available on the menu and take the other half to go. More - I like variety in flavor, quality in craft, talent and love in cooking. We've all seen the Food Network shows and I can assure you that food like that exists in Baltimore, perhaps moreso than in DC. I'm a sushi, tapas, and New-American fan because I enjoy reasonably - not oppressively - sized dishes, yum-factor, and variety. This place is good for that kind of dining culture: Sit down with your beloveds and enjoy a balanced, well-seasoned, artisanal 5-course meal over a couple of drinks. I'll definitely be back again. FSK - welcome to bmore, hon!!
(5)Laura B.
We sat down at the bar to have a drink and bite. This was at 6:00, so neither the restaurant nor the bar were busy yet. The bartender brought us drinks then fairly ignored us. We were not offered menus. The guest sitting beside us at the bar finally offered us her menu to look at. The food was ho-hum pretending to be fancy: Not bad, but not a reason to go back. The service, however, was a reason not to go back. I guess I would rate the experience as average. But in a town with really great dining options, that's not good enough.
(2)Krista A.
Came here last night for the Valentine's Day dinner.. it was 3 courses for $69 - a pretty great deal. Wine pairings were an extra $29 and the choices were pretty much spot on. We made our reservations well in advance (the first week of January) and we were a little put off by the space inside. The front room was nice and full, the bar was empty but looked fun (it filled up when we were leaving around 9 and was lively) but the main dining area in the back was a little squished. It probably isn't that bad on a regular basis (I'd hope..), but there were so many people walking around that it was a little difficult to get up to use the restroom - you had to walk through tables that were way too close together and hope either the people moved or the space was big enough for you to fit through. We were hoping to have a table to ourselves.. instead we were sat at a booth where the next closest table was less than 2 feet away. Would have liked an option, especially since we made our reservation so far in advance. There wasn't anywhere to put a coat or my purse without either blocking the booth or invading someone else's bubble. I didn't get the decor at all. I get the whole farm to table idea and the wood throughout is gorgeous but the chandeliers that look more well suited for a hotel ballroom? Not so much. The wait staff was so busy that they seemed a little overwhelmed. Our waiter would disappear for long periods of time and reappear flabbergasted that our glasses were empty or that we didn't have bread, but he was friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. They provided you with an amuse-bouche when you sat down - Shrimp + Pork dumpling. The first course for me was Foie Gras and it was good. I've had better (see Biga on the Banks for that one) but I couldn't complain. My husband had the lobster and being from up north, he knows lobster.. he thought it was great and buttery. Second course was a duo of grass fed beef. If you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know how much I love a great filet. This one was out of this world. And the rib-eye was fall-off the bone scrumptious (if there was a bone). It was so tender that it fell apart when I tried cutting it. Just so melt-in-your-mouth great that I didn't want to stop eating it. Dessert was pretty awesome. I really liked the difference in the options because not everyone wants chocolate! I had the trio of ice cream/sorbet - a Chocolate Tea flavor that I could totally picture at Ben & Jerry's, a Lemongrass flavor that would have been perfect in the summer, and a Pomegranate sorbet that my husband devoured. They were great, if just a tad bit melty when they got to our table. My husband had the Passion Fruit Soda Float.. it was so different, fruity, and thick! I would have been just fine ordering that myself. The drinks were great, if pricey. Wines average 10-15 a glass and cocktails were all over $10. The Warning Shot (the pumpkin infused whiskey drink) was so smooth. The aftertaste was something I've dreamed about and I thought the drink would have been perfect in the fall. Overall, I thought the food was classy and modern and loved the portion size; I didn't walk out stuffed, I ate everything and was quite content. 4-stars for the experience.. if the dining room situation was better it would be a pretty good 5-star joint. I'd like to come back to try their regular menu or their bar menu!
(4)Faisal M.
Real foodies beware. This place is friendly. Attracted by the decor and ambiance. Food ruined it. I tried to like this place and held off giving a review for several days but I felt the need to warn foodies. Duck confit and beet salad was decent. Portions were disappointing. The fish entree was so salty I had to return mine because it was inedible. My wife and I switched and her veal was good but still heavy on the salt. She agreed it was salty but felt bad returning hers, so we only returned the fish. The table next to ours also said their food was salty. I love salt and eat more salt in my foods than most - it was too salty for me. Waiter was very kind and nice but service was quite slow, particularly for a weeknight when the place was mostly empty - the waiter giving an excuse about a big order before us when only one group of 6 in a mostly empty restaurant is seated in the same section, seems ludicrous. They were nice enough to deduct the fish off the menu and give us desserts for free - we took the desserts home since it was already 2 hours in to the meal on a weeknight in an empty restaurant. I tried the dessert when I got home - pure refined sugar - we threw it away. No flavour - just very very sweet. The chef that night does not know how to flavour food. Too much salt in the meal and too much sugar in the dessert. The technique and presentation may impress the rookie foodie but the food is not worth it. Way to expensive - does Baltimore have a sign saying 'charge alot and they will eat'?? This restaurant will not last - it is unfortunate because the space is awesome with great potential for a real bistro. Fortunate for the next owner who will likely pick up the pieces at a fraction of the price the owners must have sunk in to this great space. I give this place a 2 star instead of 1 because of the gracious nature of the waiter and the manager. I hope they change the chef but I will not likely return there is so much better food in Baltimore - even at the prices this place is charging.
(2)Matthew G.
just went for dessert and after dinner drinks; holy cow it was excellent; don't go anywhere else; excellent date place; service outstanding
(5)Carol Sue R.
The food was really good. The portions were a little small but good.service was great.
(4)Kate C.
Had dinner here with a friend and had a wonderful evening. What a beautiful restaurant with great ambiance! The food was skillfully prepared with great ingredients. Not a cheap menu but a fun place for a nice night on the town. Looking forward to returning!
(5)Christy W.
Excellent Harbor East spot for an upscale, yummy dinner. We went prior to a movie on a Saturday night, and the service was excellent (they got us out in time for our show). Their wine list (viewed on an iPad) was extensive and fabulous. The portions are small, but appropriately so. Don't be afraid to order an appetizer and entree and dessert - you won't leave feeling gluttonous. Pricing is a tad high, but hey - it's Harbor East. Food is competitive with Charleston, but the ambiance is hipper.
(5)Patrice R.
My husband has been wanting to try this restaurant for some time and we were able to get reservations for New Year's Eve. They only offered a prix fixe menu with 4 courses. I am not an adventurous eater but my husband is. We both ordered the soup with lobster for our first course. It came out lukewarm and a very small serving. Our server was gracious and very helpful. We were seated at a table for 2 which was along the wall and very close to other diners. Not much room to negotiate. Our second course was a seafood option. Again, ok but the temperature was tepid. There was a long wait between the fish course and the meat course. We overheard other servers apologizing to diners for the extensive wait. We thought it strange that with a limited menu, the kitchen was so backed up. When our steaks arrives--you guessed it. Room temperature as though they had been sitting for awhile. We did bring our disappointment to the attention of a manager who arranged to comp our wine. We appreciated her gesture. I would be interested in going back when the full menu is available and it isn't a holiday to see if there is any improvement. I will say the chocolate torte was fantastic but too rich to enjoy at the time. We took it home with us to enjoy later. All the diners were given a little gift on the way out but there was no explanation as to what it was. We think it might be some type of oatmeal mixture but there were no instructions in the boxes.
(2)Sharon O.
My girlfriend and I went to Fleet Street Kitchen last week and it was very disappointing. When you pay these kind of prices you expect extraordinary food but only the presentation lived up to par. The portions were so small, so don't go there hungry, and the flavor was mediocre. On top of that the waitress came by so much that I wanted to offer her a seat to join us. It was very annoying. There are too many good restaurants in Baltimore to ever go back to Feet Street Kitchen. Thank you.
(1)Kathie P.
I have to give this new little gem five stars based on my experience there. I attended a Wine Tasting dinner here a couple of Sundays ago. The whole restaurant was closed for our event. The food that they served to us was totally awesome - Fleet Street uses only they freshest ingredients - they have their own farm, and they also buy their produce from the local farmers in the area (Baltimore Farmer's Market). You can taste the freshness! We were served family style for the meal and wine pairing. The menu consisted of a fresh salad, beef, kale, and potatoes. Everything was awesome, and everyone raved over the kale!! Can you imagine?? To top off the meal we were served homemade ice cream with fresh apple pie. The wines were awesome as the Sommelier was extremely knowledgeable about the wines that were paired with our food, and I can only imagine that when you go on a regular evening, he would recommend the perfect wine for you. I can't wait to go back to try this restaurant on a regular evening!!!!
(5)Andra L.
I've been to Fleet Street twice- once during Happy Hour and we had drinks and some very good apps- Kale dish was great! However, my boyfriend and I went back on a Friday early evening, thinking they would have happy hour again, and it ended up they don't have it on Fridays. We got two mediocre drinks for $27! My BF didn't like his and didn't even drink it, of course, the bartender didn't say a work or offer to make her customer satisfied in any way (typical Baltimore). The bar was a ghost town on Friday night- maybe a happy hour might bring in some customers??
(2)K M.
My fiancee and I celebrated Valentines Day at Fleet Street Kitchen. We were very excited to try it. To say we left disappointed would be an understatement. The restaurant featured a pre fix menu with many options for both appetizers, mains and dessert. However, we received our appetizers before our drinks! The whole experience felt very rushed. Waiters bumped into our tables and took away plates before we were even done. The waitress dropped off our entrees and then never came back to the table to ask how the food was. We had to flag her down to let her know that I got the wrong meal - way underdone lamb that was coated in fat - disgusting! When the waiter finally did come over and return the plate to the kitchen it took another 20 minutes to get my originally ordered meal. For the price, you can find many other nice restaurants in the area that have exceptional quality and service. We will not be back.
(1)Cary B.
I was very pleased with the complimentary parking, the very nice décor and friendly staff. The fare was also very tasty. Unfortunately, you can easily wind up spending tons of money in return for minuscule amounts of food. For example, the blue crab salad appetizer was as big as my little finger and cost me $13. It did not come with lettuce or anything else that might constitute a "salad." To my chagrin, it was served on a gargantuan oversized plate which further exaggerated the smallness of the portion. At the same time, my guest ordered the caramelized sea scallops appetizer at a charge of $14. But he was much dismayed when it arrived with just one scallop. The entrees and desserts are similarly undersized, but to a less noticeable degree. While the delicacies offered at this establishment may well represent the "artistic work of a culinary genius," they aren't really suitable for the hungry patron. Portion control is being exercised well beyond reason.
(2)Alexandra B.
Wow, what a fantastic choice we made as far as places to try for Baltimore Restaurant Week! Since my sister-in-law lives in Baltimore, we decided it would be a nice treat to try one of the more fancy restaurants Restaurant Week had to offer in order to make the most of the deal. Holy moly, did we make the right decision. Fleet Street Kitchen is everything I've ever wanted from a farm-to-table restaurant, and we could not have been more happy with our selection. First of all, the service is wonderful. Everyone working there not only knows their stuff about every menu item but also will happily describe each item for you in great detail. The staff is happy to answer any questions about the menu and all have a very personal, friendly demeanor. We felt very much like we were being welcomed into a place hosted by friends. For me in particular, this restaurant was a complete dream. It was the perfect combination between hipster local food and classy find dining. If you're a vegetarian, this place has the added bonus of offering a completely vegetarian tasting menu, and thankfully this restaurant is not insane enough to charge you the same price as if you're eating much more expensive meat and fish. Even for the Restaurant Week menu, each course had at least one vegetarian item to offer. My husband and I also ordered the wine pairings for our meals and were very happy with the selections they provided. For my first course, I selected the chilled zucchini soup, and it was extremely tasty. The solid vegetables provided great texture to the silky soup that was poured on top. The portions were quite generous for this style of dining, as well, and that persisted throughout most of the meal. My husband also very much enjoyed the agnolotti appetizer, and his sister enthusiastically agreed. For my entree, I tried the Vegetable Ash Gargenelli, which was absolutely unbelievable. By far, for my taste, this was the best dish of the night. The pasta had great bite to it, the cheese added a perfect flavor in perfect proportion, the breadcrumbs and vegetables gave it marvelous texture, and the basil pistou was just plain spectacular. Rarely have I seen so much love, care, and attention paid to the vegetarian dish on a menu. I could not have been more happy with my meal. My husband ordered the beef and repeatedly mentioned how impressed he was by the tenderness of the meat in spite of the fact that the cut was a brisket, which is normally pretty tough. We were all thrilled by our desserts, but for my part I can speak to the fruit tart. While the tart itself was lovely, the ricotta ice cream was unquestionably the star of the show. It had a fascinating and delicious texture that I've never experienced before. In every single way and throughout every single course, I was wowed by their presentation and creativity. At the end of the day, we could not have picked a better place to try for Restaurant Week, especially for my sometimes-difficult vegetarian self. We were all thrilled by our choice and, on a special occasion (considering the normal price), would love to come back. Thank you for an absolutely wonderful evening!
(5)Fred D.
Finally getting around to this review months after I came here for restaurant week with a group of 14 Service was excellent, the staff was extremely attentive, courteous, and professional Slightly embarrassed that I don't remember what I ordered, but I do remember everything tasting really good and wanted to share that with the yelp community.
(5)Marissa S.
Very good service, lovely ambience. Especially loved the appetizers: zucchini soup, ravioli and steak tartare. Not sure why the ratings are so low (maybe it was recently taken over by new management), but if you went before and weren't amazed I recommend trying again!
(4)Caitlin C.
***Had to update this the next morning. I was hungry 2 hours after getting home, then queasy the next morning. Cannot believe we paid $250 for a meal that we were rushed through, left us hungry, and made us feel sick.*** I hate doing this, because the chef is obviously very talented and we really enjoyed our meals. However, I feel a little bit swindled. We made reservations for FSK weeks ago, and we're very excited to spend Valentine's Day dining someplace we had heard nothing but great things about. Sure, it looked a little expensive ($69 per person for a 3 course meal and $29 for a wine pairing option), but we frequently spend this kind of money at places like the Food Market or Woodberry Kitchen, so we know that fine dining is an experience that includes exceptional service and great atmosphere. FSK was not an experience, so I definitely feel shorted. Our server was very brash and awkward. Before he even took our first drink offer or offered us bread, he wanted to know exactly what we wanted to eat or drink for the entire meal. We felt extremely rushed from the beginning. At first, we only ordered our first course, but he was obviously very impatient and kept pressuring us to order the rest of our meal, drinks included, so we relented. Normally we enjoy ordering the next course based on the taste and texture of the previous one. We were unable to do this and felt like the servers were more concerned about restaurant turnover. Disappointing. Our server also knew absolutely nothing about the menu. When prodded for suggestions or posed questions about preparation, he seemed stumped. He could only recommend "the steak." Very embarrassing when only a prix fixe menu was available this evening. My boyfriend only opted for two of the wine pairings, but like I said, we told our sever well in advance. Despite this, my SO did not receive his wine until I had to ask for the THIRD time; he was almost done his entree, so at that point it was a little pointless. His dessert was halfway melted before he was brought the exact same glass of port that I had received 10 minutes before. I could understand if it was a last minute request, if the restaurant was packed, or if he had requested an elaborate cocktail, but none of this was applicable. We ordered the same wine twice and the server, despite him assuring us that he would remember everything we were pressured into telling him at the beginning of the meal, just forgot us. Going someplace like FSK for a holiday, you know you're going to be up charged. But we both paid over $100 a person, and we expect exceptional service to go with the food and atmosphere. Instead, we felt like we were at an Applebee's and they just wanted us in and out. On a romantic holiday, no less. We probably would have been happier ordering in Thai food, and we won't be back to any Bagby restaurants anytime soon.
(1)Kris L.
Aboslutely loved fleet street kitchen! The ambience is partially lit and elegant the service was good. This scallop appetizers were delicious the fish entrées were all very good overall the food was well salted and flavored and combined some unique flavors. The price tag with significant but is reasonable for a special meal. will be returning soon!
(4)Jackie Z.
First, shout out to our man Casey! He was an amazing server. Extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and with such a great attitude. No joke, we could be friends outside of this restaurant. I came here with 4 of my coworkers around 8PM. We started off with wines and a scotch. The menu was just so good we took twice as long as any normal person to decide. Casey didn't help because he really just made everything sound absolutely delicious. We eventually settled on splitting scallops and baby octopus among 2 individuals each and an entire beef tartar. We expected everything to come on one plate, but instead it was so thoughtfully split into two plates as though they were separate orders. It was a very nice gesture. The plating was very elegant and hip. Our main courses: Buttered Halibut, 2 Rockfish, Steak and the Chicken. Everything was great and we all loved it. Keep in mind, the service was just awesome. Again, the plating was really pleasing to the eye and it made the food taste even better than it was. Onto dessert. We had settled for just one dessert, the fruit tart, but Casey (the man of the hour, or should I say 2.5 hours) surprised us with a little sweet gift at the end. Two additional desserts: a chocolate dessert and the Summer Sundae. I was beyond excited. I had been asking about the Summer Sundae prior to our table ordering our one dessert hoping I could come in for lunch to eat it. Unfortunately, they open at 5PM. Needless to say, it was such an amazing way to end the night. Thank you thank you Casey and team. I couldn't have asked for a better evening. Plus, it didn't hurt that my coworkers were the kind I enjoy working with. I highly recommend.
(5)Justin K.
We decided to give Fleet Street Kitchen a try because we have never been there before and we enjoy Bagbys and Ten Ten. This was on a Tuesday night and we decided to sit on the "Tavern" side of the restaurant. The only difference is that you can get starters on this side. We were seated and given a menu and an iPad with a huge wine list. It's quite the list. Their wine is sooooooooo marked up it's crazy. And go figure, no happy hour specials. We were served house baked bread with hand whipped butter and sea salt. This was awesome. Great way to start a meal. To start with app wise we had the bone marrow and the charcuterie plate. Bone marrow was pretty bland and in my opinion under cooked. I am a cured me expert and these in house cured meats were not good. They also need to work on their pickling. The asparagus and beats were terrible. Awful. For entrees we had the filet with mashed potatoes and snap peas and the Halibut with glazed carrots and a peanut purée. The filet was good and so was the mashed potatoes. The peas were pretty al dente. The halibut was cooked well but wasn't very flavorful. It also needed some salt. The carrots were good and so was the peanut purée. But those 2 entrees combined were 70 bucks. Absolutely not worth it. Expensive to the point of insulting. This meal was $131 bucks for 2 people. Wow. That was eye opening. Farm to table is great and all but I hate paying for it when the food isn't that good. "It's meant to be Simple". Whatever I would still like some taste with mine. You can go to Jacks Bistro or Salt and get a creative and flavorful meal for way less than that amount. Hell, go to Ten Ten. The service was fine if not a little awkward. I will not be returning to this place, I just can't see spending that amount of money for very sub par food.
(2)Abigail R.
While at the Yards beer dinner, I realized that I may have been too judgmental and I decided to head over to Fleet Street for happy hour and a 5 course tomato tasting. Plus, they have 1000 point tables on open table - so why not? They gave me a little hassle when I asked to just sit at the bar, which was EMPTY at 5pm, but they gave me the points and a menu anyway. It was a joy to see GM Matt and the beverage director Tim, who were super friendly and helpful (although the valets were absolutely not... Please go see my friends Amadu, Harouna and Stanford over at the four seasons - just a few dollars more, but worth EVERY PENNY and the 2 block walk - even if you are in heels). I was super excited when I saw one of my favorites from Wit was working behind the bar. Holly took great care of us walking us through the menu and giving us a great wine recs. I am not sure I needed them, because I was going with the rosé. It was the right choice; it really complemented tomato dishes. This one worked expertly, very clean, but crisp enough on the palate to bring out the sweetness of the fresh heirloom tomatoes. I would like to find a few bottles to keep in my fridge for the summer. My mom and I split an order of five of the seven tomato tasting courses (for $36), starting with the caprese salad - chunks of fresh red on the vine tomatoes and a huge ball of housemade burrarta mozz. I need to you to honestly think for a second about the size of that mozzarella ball - easily the size of my small fist. This is one of my favorite combinations - the salty creamy cheese combined with the crisp sweet tomatoes and garnished with a heavenly fragrant olive oil and spicy kale and cilantro pesto. My mom would have preferred basil - but not this girl! I really appreciated that they brought the courses one at a time. The next course to arrive was the tomato and cantaloupe. Small diced tomato bites and melon balls tossed in a melon coulis (which is basically a purée), surrounding a ball of tomato sorbet. Yes... I said tomato sorbet. I wasn't sure about that, but then I tasted it - smooth, rich tomato flavor in one chilled glorious bite. I'm dreaming about that right now. It turns out melons go with just about everything - sorry to my poor friend, who is allergic, you're really missing out. The texture combination was well played and the flavored truly harmonized in each bite. I was most excited for the tomato tartar. It sounded the most unique; tiny bites of red tomato with bright yellow green banana peppers and beautiful sweet juniper berries. It was very pretty. I'm so sorry I don't have a picture. Flavor and texture wise, this one missed the mark for me. The tiny chunks of tomato were a little mushy and I don't like banana peppers (or juniper berries, for that matter) enough to add them to each bite for contrast. The sharpness of the peppers kind of took over the plate. Next we had your traditional meatballs in tomato sauce - oh my goodness - the grass-fed beef and pork lends itself perfectly to the hearty robust flavor of these heirloom tomatoes. They were served in an adorable cast iron skillet. Don't you worry, I sopped up every last bit of sauce with their homemade bread. I think they made this one with four different heirloom tomatoes. These were so good, I think almost everyone in our party shared another order - they are on the happy hour menu every weekday from 4-7... Hooray!!! Last, but not least was house made and hand cut linguine with a very light garlic cream sauce tossed with roasted mushrooms and sungold tomatoes, these are small little yellow/red tomatoes. I love the texture of fresh made pasta cooked to a perfect al dente. It almost melts in your mouth, but is firm enough to round out the dish. The mushrooms and flavors melded nicely, but the those tomato halves - a burst of juicy goodness. I had a hard time determining my favorite - I liked all the courses for different reasons. I thought the tomato tartar was going to be my favorite, but it was actually lowest on the list. They were all fantastic, but if we are highlighting tomatoes then cantaloupe and tomatoes wins. Nevertheless, that perfect combination of the caprese salad came in a very close second... Luckily, we were there long enough to partake in a few nibbles of the charcuterie and cheese plate. This was not my favorite and I love charcuterie plates. I think we only ate the duck bacon and the Belgium sausage. My favorite part of this plate was the bread and the red gooseberries. This one had a few things that were a little too out there for me - like lard on what a toasted brioche piece of toast and a little dish of meat that was so much fat.
(4)Rachel H.
Out of towners stumbled upon this place and we got real lucky. Walked in right before 11pm on a Friday night. Wasn't sure they were even going to seat us but they did, no problem. Our waiter was so knowledgeable about the wines and all of the food. We split the cheese platter and charcuterie board- amazing! Then for our entrees we had the beef loin and pork trio. Both were cooked perfectly. The chef pairs the foods with delicious sauces and sides I would never think of but the flavors work so well together. High quality farm to table food topped with great atmosphere and knowledgable staff. The manager gave us complimentary kit Kat dessert which was delicious. And probably because we spent $300 on wine. Other than that the food was reasonably priced. Overall it was a great experience
(5)Kathy C.
This place is fabulous. From the moment we stepped inside, we we treated with warmth and care. The staff is great! Our server, Veronique, was amazing! Solicitous, but not annoying, quick and professional. She was a joy. Our food was absolutely wonderful. We started with the scallops and the fois gras. Both were delicious. The scallops were cooked exactly right, not rubbery from over cooking as you find at some places. Our entrees of salmon and rockfish were perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful. The corn agnolotti, I highly recommend. Dessert was very good. The summer sundae, with its lemon verbena ice cream and blueberry compote was out favorite, but the brandied peaches with ice cream and corn bread was also really good. The wine list is extensive and the wine diva is extremely passionate and knowledgable about her subject. She was great fun to talk to. We will definitely return!
(5)Tatyana M.
This is our favorite place to dine when in Downtown. We never had anything less then a great experience here. The food and service is on the level of NY or Chicago fine dining, the ambiance is nice and cozy with moderate level of noise so keeping a conversation is not a problem, the value is very reasonable for what you get and all together it's a pleasure to dine there. We'll definitely keep coming back and recommend it to all the "foodies".
(5)Victoria S.
I went to celebrate a very important birthday last night at Fleet Street Kitchen. I thoroughly enjoyed this place, and wanted to give a review while it was fresh in my mind. Location - If you're familiar with the Fleet Street area, this place can't be missed. Industrial feel to this building and the sign is easy to spot. Parking - the $3 lot is about a block away, but I'd suggest getting the valet. It's $6. The valet had our car waiting when we left. We walked out and it was there. Great service. Experience - We went to celebrate a birthday last night. Upon entering the host remembered, gave his good wishes and sat us immediately. For a Wednesday night, the place was not crowded at all but had a steady flow throughout the night. The bar area looks really neat and is separated entirely from the dining room (if you go to the website you will see dining/tavern room). We were greeted immediately at our table and was brought a birthday card! So sweet. Then we were brought locally baked break and whipped butter (gluten free here but man did it look good!) Next up they handed us the cocktail list. Not only are some listed on paper form they have an extensive wine list on an iPad. Very nice touch. The food is expensive, but it is also farm-to-table. Each item stating exactly where it's from. I love that this trend is really taking over. It's so important to know what you're eating and where it's from! They have starters, vegetables, entrees, desserts. There is a tasting menu for $65 each but we opted out because we knew it would be too much food. For a starter we split the Short Ribs. GREAT choice (thanks Yelpers), I really liked that. For entrees we got the pork loin and the Rockfish. The Rockfish was heaven. I highly recommend. It's with small potatoes and this corn and bacon accompaniment that was fantastic. For dessert, we selected the chocolate tart. Just enough for two and they also brought out a baked Alaska with a birthday candle (kind of wished I had know that! Haha) The meal was expensive for two. We each had two cocktails as well. I tried the Vodka drink with Rhubarb (can't remember the name), and we also had Gin Gimlets. Which were great! The service was fantastic. We constantly had not one but 3 waiters checking on us. The valet was great, and the host gentleman was so helpful on the phone. I give this place 5 stars on service! As for the price, as much as I want to justify it I feel it is a tad overpriced even for the localness but I will definitely keep this place in my back pocket for other important events. It's definitely a celebration type of place and I'd love to go back.
(4)m p.
The scallops first course was close to perfection and nicely presented. The main entree was listed as salmon, ramps, fiddlehead ferns, cauliflower purée, and gnocchi. I adore ramps and cauliflower so I was looking forward to this dish. The salmon skin was crisp and delicious, but the salmon itself a bit over cooked. I received one ramp strand and the purée was a dab of decoration. I called this to the attention of the server, but it fell on deaf ears. To finish the meal, I had a caramel apple tart. It was beautifully presented but unfortunately it was more art than tart. Tiny cubes of apple were served in a pastry canoe the size and shape of a crumb sweeper. The saving grace was the very tasty small ball of ricotta ice cream served beside the tart. This restaurant has real promise. The chef cares about artistry in presentation. Thinking in those terms, how does form and function--a design concept--translate into filled restaurant seats and satisfied customers? I'd say form and functionality is the metaphorical equivalent in my case to portion size. Apples cost very little and so do most vegetables. I went home hungry for a bit more after spending $80 with tip.
(4)Tunaidi A.
Summary: great service, average food for higher-than-average price, but excellent desserts. Fleet Street Kitchen isn't bad. Nice, modern decor. Friendly wait staff. Decent food. But man... the price point here makes you assume you're eating at a top 10 restaurant in Baltimore. I hate to say it this way, but I don't think Fleet Street Kitchen makes it to the top 10 list. But what DOES impress are their desserts. Pricey too, but at least the taste, quality, and ingenuity matches up. The cappucino semifreddo and chocolate tart are to die for. Probably one of the better desserts I've had at a sit-down restaurant. Unfortunately, a trip to Fleet Street Kitchen, paying for valet parking, and having the full dinner experience with dessert might not be justified. Next time will probably be just desserts and drinks.
(3)debbie a.
the short of it: Good service, rustic chic interior, Loved the personal touches by staff (it was our anniversary). Food ranged from eh to good. The Long version: We came here for our anniversary. It was nice to be greeted by the hostess who immediately recognized the special occasion and seated right away in the dining room (*remember to request the dining room vs the tavern room for a more romantic feel when you reserve because there is no option to pick between the rooms...) We sat at a corner table overlooking the bar. The ipad wine menu was available to us - I heard other reviews say they had to wait for it. knowing it was a special night for us, they brought us a glass of sparkling rose on the house (I only got to have a couple sips) we opted for the 4 course dinner - his with wine pairing and mine without. We both had the braised short ribs with sautéed kale and red currants for our first course. The paired drink was the same sparkling rose that they provided on the house to us. The short rib was a nice portion size and very tender (as all braised meats, especially short ribs should be). This dish was kind of a mixed bag for us. We loved the flavor of the kale and the currants with the short rib, but the short rib without the sauce on the kale and currants was... underwhelming. Both ordered the Beet and Arugula Salad with burrata mozzarella for our second course. This dish was FABULOUS. The balance between the sweet roasted and raw beets with the creamy, delicious mozzarella and the peppery arugula was genius. The vinaigrette did not compete with that perfect mix of flavors... WE LOVED this dish and would have ordered this twice in the same meal if we hadn't already stuck with the 4 course. the wine pairing was a rose... my husband said it was ok. Third course - He ordered the Ribeye and I had the Rockfish. The 12oz. Ribeye came with cauliflower hash, cippolini onions and an agrodolce (aka sweet and sour) veal jus. He ordered it medium rare and it came back almost rare, but he didn't mind. He said the dish was "good" It was paired with a Grenache Blend from the Cote du Rhone, France - which he found to be VERY strong (I think he enjoyed it though). My rockfish came with baby white potatoes, bacon and a clam chowder emulsion. Honestly, the best thing on any fish is the crispy skin.... this dish only had 2 corners of crispy skin and the rest was kind of slimy. The fish itself tasted like creek water and I could not stomach it. The clam chowder emulsion and potatoes and bacon were obviously delicious, but not enough to cover the flavor of the creek water. I had to send it back...... I never send stuff back. The server was gracious enough to let me order something else. After much deliberation, I decided on the strip loin. This was served with potato puree and eggplant sauté and tempura squash. because I am expecting, I asked for the meat to be cooked to medium well (I know, I know..). It came back, medium rare with a rare center. I showed the server who took it back and then had it cooked again. I was a little disappointed that another dish had to go back butt very happy when it came back it was really good. My husband enjoyed it much more than his steak and finished mine off. The fourth course was dessert... I had the Salted Caramel Tart with smoked vanilla ice cream (delicious and decadent) and he had the pumpkin semifreddo paired with sherry (he LOVED it)... he never really gets dessert but he finished both of ours and enjoyed every last bit of the perfect sherry pairing to the pumpkin semifreddo. All in all.. we loved the second and fourth course... next time we will pick and chose dishes.... and hope for the best.
(3)Steve W.
Came in with low expectations and was blown away. The food was fantastic, servers were nice and the wine was reasonably priced. We got 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, a bottle of wine and round of cocktails for around $250+tip that was awesome, and filling. There's some japanese sushi app that was just insane; embered carrots and scallops were both delicious as well. Got the special- a wagyu beef brisket that was actually quite a large cut of meat. Other entrees were a veggie pasta that was homemade, the beef sirloin, and the king salmon which was also a good size cut of fish. The bottle of wine was $40 which was very reasonable, and the cocktails/prosecco before dinner were $9-$11 each. There were a few dishes dropped in the kitchen for some unexpectedly loud noises, but other than that this is one of the best meals I've ever had in baltimore. This was a Saturday, July 4th meal so I dunno if they had the A-team in or what but I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Clara G.
This is one of the best meals I've ever had. Staff is pleasant and intelligent. Great service. I had King Salmon which was cooked perfectly. The meat was moist and tender but the skin was roasted and crispy on top. It was served on a cauliflower purée that was amazing and flavorful. It came with spring vegetables- a mixture of fiddleheads chanterelles ramps and gnocchi - cooked to bring out the best in each. The suggested wine pairing, a Cabernet Franc, was perfect but my meal was so good I forgot to drink it. We finished with the cheese plate instead of dessert and again I was impressed. Four cheeses and three were local (MD and PA). Most of the local cheeses I've had are fine but not notable, these were extraordinary and - again - perfectly paired on the plate with Asian pear, candied pecans and their own mustard. FSK is incredibly adept at using beautiful food brought together to compliment and create rich, delightful flavors. I don't live in Baltimore but I will definitely be back to Fleet Street Kitchen. If you love beautiful fresh ingredients prepared to make the most of that beauty and freshness -- Go!
(5)Allen G.
Fine dining done right in Baltimore's Harbor East neighborhood. Get the steak tartare if it's on the menu it alone was worth the price of admission. Top tier service and garage parking right across the street make this an easy 5 star experience.
(5)Richard B.
Delicious food. Party of 14 for dinner. If you are a large party, DON'T COME HERE! 4 hours. Seriously. We were the first in. Restaurant was empty. We were the last to leave. Never again. Server said the Chef wasn't there. Then they shouldn't have opened. 4 hours.
(3)Diana W.
Found this place through yelp and took my clients while we were in town for a show. The ambiance is very nice. My clients were a little sauced and loud but it was great. I had the halibut and they were very accommodating with my gluten and dairy free diet. One of my clients had the steak and wasn't too impressed with the taste, or rather, lack thereof. I finished off with the expresso sorbet. I would recommend.
(3)