Weeknight Dining: Eating Great In Baltimore - 16 Restaurants across town suitable for any budget!

With gasoline at $4.00 a gallon (or more), it seems that everyone is trying to cut back on spending. For many this includes eating out less and cooking meals at home. While cooking at home is always a great, healthy and cheaper way to eat, sometimes it’s just nice to not have to cook and do dishes. But does eating out have to cost significantly more than eating in? Or are there delicious options in town that will not break even the most sensitive budget?

Below is a list of some of the best restaurants in town that provide great food (and wine) for the price. A few of these aren’t necessarily cheap, but they are the most “bang for your buck” restaurants offering a great meal on any and all budgets. The list is arranged by neighborhood and provides summaries of each restaurant as well as what you can expect to spend per person. Chain restaurants were not considered for this list. Special thanks to Dae Chang who offered his expert analysis on a few places on this list! For another great list, check out the Dining Dish Blog’s Ten Inflation Busting Specials!

To nominate a restaurant to be on this list, e-mail me (michael@foodandwineblog.com) or leave a comment and I’ll check it out!  And don’t forget to check out these great wines that are budget friendly!

Federal Hill:

Sobo Café- 6 W. Cross St., Baltimore, MD 21230, (410) 752-1518
What you can expect to spend: $25 per person for appetizer/entrée, plus drinks.
Ideal restaurant for: Group of friends looking for American classics, a date which requires a laid back setting
Getting There Green: Light rail to Camden Yards then it’s about 6 blocks away: walk East to Charles Street, turn right and head down 4-5 blocks until you hit Cross. Turn right and you’re there.
Overview: Just a block off of Charles Street, the Sobo Cafe brings an eclectic mix of food, drinks and artwork If you’re looking for a good $20 steak, this is your place.

Thai Arroy: 1019 Light St., Baltimore, MD, (410) 385-8587
What you can expect to spend: $15 per person with appetizer/entrée, BYOB (no corkage)
Ideal restaurant for: Great take-out/lunch, night out with friends, double-dates
Getting There Green: Light rail to Camden Yards then it’s about 6 blocks away: walk East to Light Street, turn right and head down 4 blocks until in Federal Hill. Thai Arroy will be on your left.
Overview: Great Thai food at great prices, plus BYOB? This is a no-brainer. The Beef Nagamaki is very spicy and a great appetizer, spring rolls are very fresh and anything seafood has always made me very happy (especially the spicy fish). They don’t take reservations though, so get their early and be ready to wait on a weekend. Take along a bottle of Gruner Veltliner or Gewurztraminer and enjoy what I consider to be two great food and wine pairings!

Fells Point/Harbor East:

James Joyce Irish Pub: 616 President Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
What you can expect to spend: $15 per person for appetizer plus sandwich/Irish specialty, plus drinks (pint of Guinness is $5)
Ideal restaurant for: Soccer fans, pre-Fells Point night out, groups of friends, good Irish hospitality
Overview: The mussels appetizer is one of the best in town- be sure to get extra bread to sop up the flavorful sauce. The fish and chips are perfectly crisp while the Shepherd’s Pie is one of the best I’ve had. Both will only set you back $12 and the generous portions will more than fill you up.

Hampden/Roland Park/Waverly:

Darker Than Blue Cafe: 3034 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21218, Phone: 410-872-4468
What you can expect to spend: $25 per person for appetizer/entrée/tip, BYOB
Ideal restaurant for: Relaxed fine dining, traditional upscale American cuisine
Overview: Click here for Review

Holy Frijoles: 908 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211, (410) 235-2326
What you can expect to spend: $15 per person for appetizer, entrée.
Ideal restaurant for: anyone looking for good Mexican food, good take-out, Margarita’s or an eclectic, laid back restuarant in Hampden
Overview: Weeknight specials, good (albeit sweet) margarita’s, and “build your own” galore. The Chile Relleno is OK, but the fajita’s are very good and for those with low blood pressure and cholesterol, the Chimichanga is the way to go (order it with chorizo, steak, grilled veggies, and refried beans for the ultimate chimi!).

Ms. Shirleys’: 410 W Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21210, (410) 889-5272
What you can expect to spend: Under $10 per person.
Ideal restaurant for:Good southern cooking for breakfast or lunch.
Overview: Updated take on southern home cooking. Only open for breakfast and lunch. But solid food, quick service, and clean comfortable atmosphere make this a local favorite. One of the best fried green tomatoes ever.

Petit Louis: 4800 Roland Ave # 100, Baltimore, MD 21210, (410) 366-9393
What you can expect to spend: Expect to spend $30 a person for food (an appetizer plus entree - not including the fois gras!), add in your wine (list is extensive and moderately priced), great desserts (a must) and a very rich and bold espresso.
Ideal restaurant for: Special night out or any celebration.
Getting There Green: Light rail can get you to Cold Spring Lane where you could walk the mile or so to Roland Ave, turn left and walk another .5 miles to Petit Louis. You’re better off driving here though!
Overview: Alright, so Petit Louis isn’t THAT budget friendly. But, for the quality of food and service, the OUTSTANDING wine list, and the overall enjoyment for the price, it’s one of the best restaurants in town. Sure it adds up quickly, but if you’re looking to splurge, this is the place! Click for full review.

Harbor West/Locus Point:

Little Havana: 1325 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230, (410) 837-9903
What you can expect to spend: $15 per person for a Cuban sandwich and beer.
Ideal restaurant for: Great happy hours, Cuban sandwiches, large groups, chicken wings, sitting on an outdoor patio enjoying a sunset and great beer and margarita’s!

Mt. Vernon:

Helmand: 806 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201, (410) 752-0311
What you can expect to spend: Under $18 for entrees, under $8 for appetizers, reasonable priced wine list.
Ideal restaurant for: Special occasions, romantic night out on a budget, great middle-eastern food.
Overview: Delicious Afghan cuisine, vegetarian meals galore, OK wine list, decent prices and great service. One of the more pricey options on this budget-friendly list, but still a bargain overall. Click here for my full review.

Iggies Pizza: 818 N Calvert St, Baltimore, MD 21202, (410) 528-0818
What you can expect to spend: $6 appetizers, $10-18 pizzas, bring your own wine/beer (BYOB)
Ideal restaurant for: BYOB, thin crust pizza, small and large groups, seat/serve yourself savvy!
Overview: Outstanding thin crust pizza, BYOB restaurant that offers toppings such as duck breast or a variety of fresh mushrooms. The soups are great, salad with pancetta dressing is a must, but the pasta is just OK. No worries though, with all the pizza options, there is no reason to fill up on pasta- but be sure to save room for the almond cookies! Dog friendly.

Owl Bar: 1 E Chase St, Baltimore, MD 21202, (410) 347-0888
What you can expect to spend: Variable, great options under $15.
Ideal restaurant for: Happy hour, great appetizers, good brick oven pizza.
Overview: A bar/restaurant around since Prohibition (when it was a watering hole when watering was illegal!), the Owl Bar is a Baltimore classic. The food is good and the ambiance is great. There are a variety of ahppy hours, the pizza comes out fresh and crispy, and service has always been good. The wine list isn’t much, but there are a few viable options that should suffice (if you can’t settle on a delicious cocktail or beer).

Outside of Baltimore City

Yamato Sushi: 51 W Aylesbury Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093, (410) 560-0024
What you can expect to spend: $15 per person for miso soup and a generous portion of Chirashi (sashimi plate on rice)- BYOB (Bring your own wine/sake!)
Ideal restaurant for: Take-out, BYOB, fresh seafood, outstanding service, interesting sushi rolls and a great fried softshell crab.
Overview: One of my favorite stores around is the REI in Timonium which is an outdoor sports Mecca. Following a trip to REI a few years back, we were hungry and noticed a small sushi place located just down the sidewalk. We waalked down, got take-out, and the rest is history. Three years later we’re still enjoying some of the freshest fish, best Miso soup and overall great service around. Another perk? The restaurant is BYOB, which is always great for the budget!

Mr. Bill’s Terrace: 200 Eastern Blvd, Essex, MD 21221, (410) 687-5994
What you can expect to spend: Around $6 for appetizers, $10-$20 for sandwiches/entrees, around $45 for a dozen large crabs
Ideal restaurant for: Crabs and other seafood, great prices on some outstanding soups and sandwiches (good soft shell crab sandwich for $9)
Overview: Delicious Maryland Crabs. Large, plump and meaty each order of crabs is cooked fresh to order and is seasond with their own proprietary unique crab seasoning that has middle eastern influences of cumin and cinnamon. Expect to wait even if doesn’t seem that busy. Crabs are always a bit pricey, but if you want good crabs, this is your place.

Orchard Market and Cafe: 8815 Orchard Tree Ln, Baltimore, MD 21286, (410) 339-7700
What you can expect to spend: $7-10 appetizers, $12-$18 entrees, BYOB
Ideal restaurant for:
Overview: BYOB is always a less expensive way to dine out. Add that in with some great Persian food and good service, and you’ve got the Orchard Market. Another tough place to find, it’s worth the time it takes to Mapquest it! Try the Duck Fesenjune for a real taste of fine Persian cuisine. Click for full review.

Pho #1: 5764 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville, MD 21228, (410) 719-7500
What you can expect to spend: $6 for a giant bowl of pho, $8-$12 for entrees (large portions)
Ideal restaurant for: Great take-out, perfect for a small or large group, the Pho is a must-try
Overview: Good food, good service, and good prices. Only drawback is it’s location: outside of the city on route 40, hidden in a strip mall. If this was in Fells Point, it’d be packed nightly. But it’s not, so take advantage of it and make the drive west. Click for full review.