Taco Fiesta ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Sep 2019

First visit: Nov 2016

Taco Fiesta is my favorite taco place in the country right now. I think that’s an odd thing to say for a Texan working in Baltimore. It just can’t be can it? Well sure it can.

While I have no doubt there is competition in DFW where we resided for many years, of all the taco places I’ve tried, I’ll take Taco Fiesta. Yes, and that includes the much lauded Torchy’s that we’ve written about in these very pages. It’s not a hardcore taqueria like, say, Alvarado’s either. I suppose it tracks closest to Fuzzy’s if looking for the type of environment. It’s a counter service place (honestly not enough of those near where I work), with a full bar setup, and seating on the main level as well as upstairs. As mentioned in the Alexander’s Tavern review, I have to segregate alcohol from non-alcohol, so Taco Fiesta is strictly a to-go place for me. They have a pretty full menu, but I never get past the tacos. In fact, I rarely eat anything but carne asada and pollo (and occasional pork carnitas). All their tacos are soft double corn tortillas, loaded with meat and lettuce (and tomato if you wish). And that’s it! But what a great flavor the meat possesses! And it’s always served super hot, so even with a walk back to work, the meal is still hot (each wrapped nicely in aluminum foil). But best of all is their salsa bar. No less than 6 salsas are served every day, and at least 4 could be quantified as spicy. I usually get 3 of them, choosing among the 4 hot ones each time. Except for one constant. I must get their hottest one each visit, and that would be their chile de arbol. It’s not killer heat mind you, but rather it has such a unique wonderful flavor. 3 tacos are plenty, and I usually have a huge appetite a few hours after my daily morning run. Sometimes I’ll have 4 tacos and feel completely stuffed. I eat here at least once per trip, and it’s not unusual for me to go twice. Which was the case this past week.

As mentioned above, they do have a full bar (with flat screens), that I’ve not sampled at all. But looking at their taps, it’s pretty much Mexican industrial lagers with maybe one local tap, so I don’t feel it’s anything I’m missing either. I should see if they have a frozen margarita machine just in case, but I doubt it. 

11/29/16; 2/26/18 (new entry); 9/26/19

Cava Mezze ~

Latest visit: Sep 2019 (Baltimore)

First visit: Nov 2016 (Baltimore)

The Baltimore Harbor East location, where the review below comes from, is now closed. They now only exists in Rockville and Olney, Maryland near DC.

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The ubiquitous Cava Mezze (which we call Cava, but different from that chain). The official happy hour hangout of my current company. It’s another Harbor East joint, and is very convenient to where we work. For the RJG though, I prefer to come here for lunch, as the Mediterranean food is a cut above the rest. Their gyro and souvlaki lunch plates / sandwiches are superb, and the appetizers are not to be missed – including a spicy cheese popper that is so very enticing. Not to say that their beer list is wimpy, as they feature a nice selection of local Maryland crafts. But there’s not much rotation within that selection, maybe 2 at most. So after a few visits, I’m forced to repetition (not always a bad thing mind you…). But the bar area is open, and it’s comfortable for a large group like ours, so it’s easy to understand why it’s popular. There are a couple of Middle Eastern / Mediterranean places in the area, and Cava remains my favorite. Do go here if hankering for such food.

11/17/16; 8/14/18 (new entry); 9/26/19; 4/6/24 (validate)

Gordon Biersch ~ national chain :

Latest visit: Sep 2019 (Baltimore, MD - closed)

First visit: Nov 2000 (San Jose, CA)

The Baltimore location is now closed.

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Gordon Biersch is a chain brewpub similar to BJ's, CB & Potts, Humperdinks, Ram, and others. They do make their beer onsite, thus making each location unique. The Baltimore restaurant is excellent. Very spacious, perfect for large groups - such as company events (ahem). Huge bar area. Sits on a quiet back street near a canal. The food has proven to always be excellent, and the beer as well. Definite recommendation here. As it turns out, this was my first Baltimore dining experience with my new gig. I went with the gentleman who brought me to the job in the first place.

11/14/00; 10/12/16; 11/13/16; 12/14/18 (new entry); 9/25/19

San Jose, CA; Washington DC Dulles; Detroit DTW; Baltimore; 

Joe Benny's ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Sep 2019

First visit: Feb 2018

And here's the ULTIMATE Regular Joe's Guide kinda place. If there was ever a restaurant that defines the ethos of the Regular Joe’s Guide, it’s Joe Benny’s. Are you kidding me? It’s as if the restaurant was opened with a dogged determination to adhere to the commandments of the RJG. It’s a tiny sliver of a place nestled deep inside Little Italy. A “one row” kind of restaurant, where there’s a few bar stools, and then a handful of small tables. I can’t even imagine getting in here on the weekend, but for an early workweek evening, it’s quite pleasant. Start off with a reasonably priced glass of wine, and don’t hesitate to order a flatbread (Focaccia in the vernacular). This is – by far – the best flatbread pizza I’d ever had. Of course I had the Italian sausage, all locally made of course. The pizza sauce and hot melty creamy Burrata mozzarella cheese is to die for (get "The Sharini"). And then I was teased later by the meatballs, which are all made in house. Oh my goodness. Then there’s Joe Benny himself. As unpretentious as they come, and provides me an evening’s worth of great conversation and chatter - every time! And I suspect he can do that with just about anyone that is willing. And yes, it was Joe Benny who plopped a free meatball my way. The menu is very limited, and pasta is not always offered (but sometimes yes – including the standards). When folks come in looking for just that, he kindly points them to other restaurants in the area, with a recommendation, including RJG favorite Amicci’s. A pillar of the neighborhood for certain. Yes indeed, this has become my new hangout, and no business trip to Baltimore goes without at least one stop here. 

We even had a dish named for the Regular Joe's Guide for one month. 

Sloppy pour! :-)

2/28/18; 8/14/18 (new entry); 9/24/19

Max's Taphouse ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Sep 2019

First visit: Jun 2017

And now we have the RJG’s favorite place to go in Baltimore! It’s not my favorite restaurant per se, but I can state with certainty that this is the best beer bar I’ve been to – ever. They have something like 102 taps – that are constantly rotated! My goodness, I cannot possibly keep up. This is the only place I go to where I’m guaranteed I’ll get to try new beers from somewhere. Generally I don’t venture past Maryland, but if I go there enough, I generally have to explore elsewhere. So I look for states nearby. I’m lucky to go beyond Pennsylvania and Virginia. 3 beers is usually my maximum, though I’ve had 4 at any one setting. Remember all I have to do is stumble back to the hotel...

So great – the drinking is second to none, what about the food? To be honest, when I first came to Max’s, I wasn’t even sure they had food! I thought it might just be a bar. Most folks that are there – are there to drink, laugh, and bond. And getting a bar stool isn’t always a guarantee (they do have large tables elsewhere that are usually filled with groups). But on my first visit, I found one, and asked if they had a menu. Of course, and out popped a fairly large list of offerings. So I popped for a Jamaican Jerk Chicken sandwich. Hey – this place is good! They take their food seriously. And over the last year, I’ve seen plenty of folks dine here. But it remains the minority. No matter – I’ve done quite a bit of exploration of the menu. And Max’s is another place with a great tasting hamburger (Beer Bacon Cheeseburger in fact). Never once have I been disappointed (I really do eat well in Baltimore don’t I?)

6/12/17; 8/14/18 (new entry); 9/23/19

Hudson Street Stackhouse ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Sep 2019

First visit: Mar 2017

Before the RJG had discovered Max’s Taphouse (the first two tries, both on Sunday, I was shutout of getting a barstool), Hudson Street Stackhouse was my go-to Baltimore joint for trying new beers. But since it is in Canton, it’s a good hoof by foot away, thus limiting it to Sunday late afternoons (I suppose I could take Uber, but that takes the fun out of trying more local places). From a beer perspective, Hudson Street is ground zero if you’re a big fan of Belgians. The RJG is decidedly not, but they do offer, of course, IPA’s, stouts, and other more “normal” beers as well. From a “local neighborhood joint” perspective, Hudson Street is hard to beat. Most patrons are locals from the Canton neighborhood, and they’re proud of it. You get “Baltimore pride” when you’re here, and it’s highly likely you’ll be engaged in a friendly dialog. I find myself rooting for the Orioles, even though I’ve been a Rangers fan all my life. For me, the allure ironically is no longer about the beer, but rather the food. Their Italian dishes compete toe to toe with what I can get closer by in Little Italy. Maybe even better. The chicken parmesan sandwich is gigantic, and it comes with a steak knife to cut it. You may want to lift some weights first before trying. Their linguini with homemade meatballs is divine, and I like the “spicy” option, which of course includes throwing a few more kickers into the sauce. By the third beer, with the spice levels building to a climax, if you’re not seeing visions of heaven, well then, you might be clinically dead. Check your pulse.

3/19/17; 8/14/18 (new entry); 9/22/19

Beasts and Brews ~ Colorado Springs, CO ***CLOSED***

Closed: Mar 1, 2024. YES - good riddance. Red's Sunset Grill will be taking over. Same folks behind Back East and a few other local places. I hope they're smart enough not to cheat customers on the beer taps. We'll see when they open.

First visit: Jun 2019

Ripoff alert - You pay for the foam on your beer. Avoid!

What the title above says. In addition to a restaurant, this is a "self serve" beer place. Here's where technology overrides common sense. Basically once you open the tap, your "beer card" starts tallying. Similar to a self serve gas pump. Problem is, no (good) beer comes out perfect. So if you pour 12 ounces, you are likely to actually pour considerably more to fill the glass (at a much higher price). When you go to a regular bar, you'll note the bartender continues to pour the beer as the foam washes out. Then they'll rinse it down and continue to pour until you have a full glass. Not here... you are paying extra as that happens. The prices are set so that you are paying for a perfect pour. Fine if the beer comes out that way. But it doesn't - and it never will. So a normal $5 beer will cost you close to double that for a full glass. An absolute guaranteed ripoff. And most people are not former bartenders, so it only goes downhill from there.

What a tragedy really, as Beasts and Brews on paper looked to be the best new concept we've seen in some time. Their beer selection is outstanding! Close to 100 beers, mostly local to Colorado and in all styles. We had visions of going weekly here, presuming a good rotation of beers. That won't happen.

The concept is very confusing from the beginning and even the help staff seems to not know what exactly to do. But basically it works like this: You walk in, and you can order from the menu right away (in effect it's a Quick Service Restaurant). They then ask if you want to drink beer. If so, they then give you a card, similar to a hotel card. Then you take the card to various card readers, and once it accepts, you can start pouring - and the meter runs continuously until you turn the spout off. When you see your beer is at $6 and it's only half full with half foam - it will be at that point you will remember this review!

Everything about the concept is not relaxing or intuitive. Going to this restaurant requires that you have knowledge of how everything works. It's unnerving. Now that we know, it's still overwhelming. And I won't even get into the weird tipping process. Or the fact the tap stops working randomly for a "sobriety check" (I put my wife's beer on the same card, so it seemed I was on beer #3 verse #2). The beer taps are all over the place, with informative computer screens. This is great, but it's not a museum, but rather a place to get a drink - so once again it's not what a dining experience should be.

As for the food, we don't have the same complaints as the others. Interestingly enough I had the Cubano and my wife had the Fried Chicken sandwich (the opposite of someone else). It was good - not great. The food alone though would not have kept us away, as we were anxious to try other things on the menu. We won't now.

It would be very easy to fix this place. Have sit down service, and someone to pour your beer - at a fixed price! Once that happens, we'll be back. Otherwise we'll see you with the closed sign coming out. We were there for a Friday lunch and it was empty. We know why. But do the owners get it?

Don't let technology overwhelm a great idea! Find the balance. 1 star until then.

6/21/19 (new entry)

Clark Burger ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Apr 2019

First visit: Sep 2017

Clark Burger is the answer to a question I had when I started at my current job. Where can I just get a hamburger? I mean we don’t even have Burger King or Wendy’s around where I work. Not that I want that, but it makes for an interesting data point. Then came Clark Burger in the summer, and the problem was solved. According to a former co-worker (a lot of “former” co-workers I’m afraid to say), who I’ll call the Z Stare, he informed me that the location they inhabited always goes out of business. Well maybe Clark Burger has solved that puzzle too. I sure hope so!

If I were to guess what the location was once upon a time, I’d guess it were an auto garage of some sort. But great expense has been allocated to make it feel like a modern industrial restaurant. And maybe they found some extra grease for their grill…

So what is a Clark Burger anyway? They are a self-styled “Canadian Styled” Burger. OK, what is that then? Well, basically they serve poutine instead of fries (though you can get regular fries of course). What the heck is poutine you ask? If you’ve ever been to Quebec you know the answer, and if you haven’t, you probably don’t. It’s basically fries with cheese curds and gravy. Yea, it’s a little weird honestly. I did try it the first time I visited here as a reminder of the flavor from our own trip back to La Belle Province in 2004, but I have to admit it’s not a favorite of the RJG. No matter, because I’m here for the burger. And it’s delicious! A “Clark Burger” comes with a “secret sauce” that I really enjoy. And the fries are excellent too, though I usually just stick to the burger (it’s big enough believe me). I haven’t ventured too far into the menu beyond this to be honest.

Clark Burger is counter service (and served at your table), but they do have an impressive list of craft beer in bottles and cans. Once again, I had to make a choice, and I decided on Clark Burger for lunch forgoing the beverage option. There’s just way more options for dinner (plus I can walk further at night given the lack of a time constraint). I need all the lunch places I can find close by (lest I end up going to Whole Foods and loading up at their buffet. That will not be a good moment). Highly recommended.

9/7/17; 8/14/18 (new entry); 4/9/19

Ale Mary's ~ Baltimore, Maryland

Latest visit: Apr 2019

First visit: Jun 2017

The ambiance is that of a sanctuary inside a Catholic church. But the visions of heaven will occur after trying a few local craft beers (or other such drinks). Meanwhile the food remains excellent. The RJG recommends the blackened chicken sandwich, which is piled high, and you'll need a knife and fork to get through this gargantuan monster. This is an RJG rotation restaurant when in town for business. Highly recommended. Say hi to Bella, the owner's daughter...

6/11/17; 12/16/18 (new entry); 4/7/19

The RJG gets their own dish at Baltimore's most popular Italian restaurant!

Today is a big day for the RJG. Some of you may have read our glowing review of Joe Benny's a few months back. I try to patron the restaurant once a month, when in town for business, and always strike up a conversation with Joe about something... anything. So Joe likes to feature a dish once a month, and I suggested (likely after a couple of glasses of wine) that maybe a spicy dish was in order (you know the RJG and spice...). He said let's do it! So we came up with the Arrabiata together. Now I just need to get to Baltimore to try it! I think it's only for the month of February, not sure the begin/end dates here.

As for the claim in the title, well according to Yelp, Joe Benny's the number #1 Italian restaurant in all of Baltimore as I write this.

For those who will be in Baltimore, say hi to Joe for the RJG please!

Joe Benny's main Facebook page