The 40 best casual restaurants in Baltimore (2024)

This place may have been better if we didn’t wait an hour and a half to be seated (not their fault that they’re popular).The mimosas were good and fried green tomatoes were bland but a good texture.The gravy train southern skillet would’ve been amazing if the chicken wasn’t cold and dry. All of the components, separately, were good but because there were so many chicken strips it was what stood out most about the dish. It had potential.

If I could give 10 stars I would!I went here this morning with my wife and sister. They had a short wait considering it was a Saturday.Jonathan greeted us with a warm smile and great service.We ordered the Fried Green Tomato Crab Benedict, Egg Salad and Oatmeal. Everything was delicious!I would highly recommend when you are in the Baltimore Metro area.

The wait was an hour on a Saturday afternoon for some blah, blah food. The 3 of us ordered shrimp n grits on fried green tomatoes, hash browns, bacon, pimento cheese biscuit, something was deviled eggs, stuffed french toast and I can't remember what else we ordered. Our server wasn't good with getting our food out together. I had to wait a good 15 minutes for my french toast to come out after my eggs, bacon & hash browns came out. I do know that I won't be back, the other 2 agreed they won't be back either due to the food was just not worth wait nor were the pineapple margarita that pretty much tasted like water down sangrias. I've been to the Annapolis location & that was a much better food experience. I gave it 2 stars because my bacon was actually good.

Tasty! More food than we needed. Service was great. They definitely want to get you in and out. We went Sunday, early morning. As we walked out the restaurant, the crowd was insane! I could only imagine how long people wait to eat here.Table for two was a walk in and no wait. Larger tables will definitely be a wait. Go early!

A great Friday brunch at Miss Shirley’s! Biscuits and pancakes were phenomenal and highly recommend! The grits were a bit underwhelming as the other food was so good. Grits were, by no means, bad… just didn’t hit the mark as the others! I always make an effort to stop here anytime I’m in town!Service was more of a 4.5/5 rather than 4 only because it was so packed due to a volleyball tournament and the staff was just trying to get everyone in and out. Nothing bad but just not too personal.Will be back!

Might be busy, but it's worth the wait. The food is absolutely delicious. Lots of comfort items with unique twists, like a fried chicken and biscuit and gravy omelet. Perfect place for brunch with Bloody Mary's and Orange Crushes. Pricier than your typical diner style restaurant.

Fortunately I was able to order take out being that it was a bit packed, looking like a long wait as well. Their Fried Green tomatoes (featured in Southern Living magazine) were incredibly delicious. Their Maryland Crab Soup(Featured on the food network Diner Drive Ins & Dives T.V. show) was impeccably delicious as well. Their Strawberry Lemonade was also very refreshing, tart and tasty. I tried their Spring into Summer Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, feta etc and it was unique and filling. My kids enjoyed their strawberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes.Their staff were extremely tentative, hospitable and kind. Looking forward to seeing you all again soon! Keep up the great work and thank you!

I like the location of the restaurant and a parking garage is situated across from it. I like the fact there is outdoor seating, outdoor and conditioned seating as well. The restaurant was very busy and crowded. Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu and offered her favorite and famous food items amongst customers which I wish I had ordered at that time.The food was ok, I was expecting tastier food to be served.I’ll go back to sample different food items.

This popular breakfast and brunch spot lives up to the hype - just ask the dozens of diners already at tables 20 minutes after opening on a Sunday.My eggs over crab benedict were simply delicious, with perfect texture and swell fried green tomatoes perking it up. The kids had fluffy, addictive pancakes (griddle cakes), one with so many chocolate chips I thought it was a birthday.There are plenty other southern-style regional twists to choose from, as well as variations on the build your own breakfast. Strong coffee, super friendly service, nice big seating areas. Arrive with your full party early and enjoy.

We had a late breakfast here. What an amazing place!!! If you don't mind the extra calories, have an extra pancake. The omelette was amazing, the hash browns were delicious (hybrid of typical one piece hash and home fries), and the pancakes were out of this world! I also liked that they had a freshly squeezed juice unlike other places.

We usually have to budget on at least 1 splurge meal when we travel. Crab cakes are usually my splurge meal, but Miss Shirley's required my breakfast-loving self to budget for 2 splurge meals. One of my favorite breakfast spots EVER. Quality food that's prepared very well. Our server, Tory, was great and very friendly. Nice atmosphere. The Playoff Pancakes were so tasty.

Best brunch in the area, hand down. We went two days in a row so we could taste more items on the menu. The pimento biscuits are right on the money. Coconut cream stuffed french toast was unbelievable. It was huge and so delicious. The shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes are worth a revisit for sure. I wish this place was in my area.

This was truly a great experience for brunch. I went alone, and everyone had a 45-minute wait time. It was a nice day out, so that helped make the time go by.When I was seated, I got a seat on the patio, I would have rather sat inside, but I was seated nonetheless.I ordered my food and drinks at the same time. They came out shortly after and I really enjoyed my meal.I will definitely be back to try more off the menu.

Everything was really good. Even though the place was packed, we didn't have too much of a wait (maybe because it was just the two of us), but even the food once we had our order taken did not take long. Very enjoyable atmosphere and the server was very helpful with the menu and answered any questions we had with a smile. We live in Florida, hopefully I'll get to visit on a different occasion and try more menu options.

I took a friend here for breakfast for her first visit to Baltimore. I ordered a coconut buttercream French toast, egg and potatoes and she ordered a vegetable omelet. The food was delicious with generous portion sizes. There’s indoor and outdoor seating. This restaurant in near many other attractions like the aquarium, the harbor and shopping area. I will definitely come again!

The food was outstanding. We went the early so the wait wasn't bad, I think we waited for 10 min. Definitely a pricey place but worth the money. Our waitress Karina was really nice. We had the Chicken and green cheddar waffles, The rice crispy cheesecake stuffed French toast and the kids had the kids box which was a lot and super delicious. Definitely recommend!

Was recommended by locals and had great reviews so I gave it a try! Although not into heavy meals, I had to go for one of their most popular breakfast dishes, coconut cream French toast! Wasn’t too impressed. Heavy on the cream and sugar for my taste. The challah bread barely grilled so it felt like having a bread smothered in cream! If you’re into very sweet heavy on the cream dishes, go for it but certainly wasn’t for me! Waitress was super friendly

Food was decent, I enjoyed my deviled eggs, and the skillet didn't need collard greens. Beyond that okay. I didn't get the waffles I ordered so that sucked. And the mango pineapple margaritas had too much fruit it kept getting suck in my straw. I will try them again, the food wasn't bad and I can try something else!

Thoroughly spectacular. I enjoyed a breakfast meal at this fabulous establishment while I was in town for a business trip and my god I have to say it’s probably the best breakfast I’ve ever had in my entire life. I got the Cuban and I had thought the BBQ might be too much but it was JUST what the sandwich needed! Bursting with flavor and gigantic portions. I took more than half of the sandwich with me to go. The strawberry lemonade is the perfect mix of both as well - not too sweet or tart!100% will return to this lovely place if I’m ever back in town! Great service by Gerald, too!

I gotta say...I came here for the first time in 2014 on a road trip with my girls. We found this place by accident. The food was so good that I never forgot it! So needless to say, when I decided to take a road trip back to B-more, Miss Shirley's was on the top of my list of places to dine. I came to visit some good friends who don't live too far from this place but they never dined here. At the end of our dining experience, they kept thanking me for introducing them to this place... that's how good everything was!!!!

Miss Shirley's in Baltimore Inner Harbor offers an exceptional dining experience with its delectable menu and outstanding service. Despite its more intimate size compared to the original location, this cozy café creates a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere for all its guests. The service is remarkable, with attentive staff ensuring a pleasant meal from start to finish.The food is the real highlight, arriving promptly and impressing with both presentation and taste. The pancakes are a must-try, living up to their reputation with a super fluffy texture and softness, perfectly complemented by the maple syrup. The shrimp and grits deconstruction is another standout dish, offering a fulfilling and comforting meal that is just the right portion. To top it off, the fresh fruit medley adds a refreshing touch to the meal, rounding out a truly satisfying dining experience.Miss Shirley's proves to be a gem in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, setting the standard for quality dining with its delightful food and exemplary service.

Came here today for brunch with my family. Our server Serita was so excellent and personable. We truly enjoyed her service. We got the fried green tomatoes, grits, pulled pork grilled cheese & chicken & waffles dishes. We all agreed our foods were lacking seasoning which is why we had to give the food 2 stars. The grits were on the dry side, too thick and lumpy looking like a ball of rice. They needed more butter and a touch more of milk. The idea of the dishes are great and innovative, but the execution in flavors was missing. This could have been a fluke, so I recommend trying it out for yourself, but you’ve been pre-warned.

I am so glad that I tried this restaurant! I was concerned about the 45 minute wait time but it was worth it. I got the gravy train skillet, the layers of flavor were unreal. The chicken was cooked perfect, the collared greens were seasoned well, the grits were amazing and the biscuit and gravy tasted awesome. My server was good, she checked on us often. She also went out of her way to make the drink I wanted... I appreciate that kind of service.

Miss Shirley’s was a great breakfast spot and the food was delicious. We ordered the chicken and waffles and the Cajun skillet. Both were really tasty and had lots of flavor. I’d highly recommend both, and they were great portions as well. The wait staff were very kind and polite. This place gets a 10/10

My recent dining experience was at a restaurant recommended by a food enthusiast friend who lived in Baltimore for some time. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m., and although there was a wait of approximately 15 minutes, it was manageable.The service was professional and friendly, which added to the overall positive experience. I ordered the Maryland omelet, and I must say, I was impressed with the house-made Biscuits served alongside. They were paired with a specially crafted sauce that had a delightful balance of tanginess and sweetness, providing a refreshing taste. The hash browns were also a highlight, perfectly crispy and aromatic.The omelet itself was generously filled with chunks of crab meat, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Even my child was excited about the menu offerings and was satisfied with their meal, especially the fresh orange juice.Overall, it was a highly satisfactory dining experience for the entire family. I look forward to returning to try other menu items in the future."

I tried the infamous shrimp and grits and was not disappointed, definitely a pretty unique presentation and different elements that worked well together.The service was fantastic,I do feel the price was a little high on this particular dish. Other things on the menu were much more affordable, and that's probably what I'd go for next time.

Miss Shirley's is as advertised. I tried the special, Red Velvet Pancakes, and added on the grits and turkey sausage. It satisfied every taste bud. Our server was great. I can't wait to return and the fried green tomatoes and monkey bread. Every plate leaving the kitchen had me plotting my return. We visited the Inner Harbor location. I highly recommend!!!!

My wife and I ate at Miss Shirley’s last week. I had the chicken and waffles; wife had biscuit and gravy. The food was incredible! And the service was outstanding - we felt very taken care of by Vasyl, our server. He was patient and smiling throughout a very busy brunch time. Kudos to everyone at Miss Shirley’s.

Very delicious food!!! Must try chicken and waffle, started with Bloody Mary, this one made just right, good spicy taste not overly spicy hot. Jalapeno butter so different on waffle but it works so well favors. Waffle so fluffy yet crispy on the outside, so good. Ruben sandwich with collard greens as a side, corned beef so well done tasty, collard green cooked just right, not too salty or soggy. French toasts and pancakes with fresh strawberries and banana also good choices. Only complaint I have is they don’t do dinner lollll

After years of hearing great things about Miss Shirley's, and seeing it on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, not to mention countless lists of the best brunch places, I was so excited to be in Baltimore to finally try it.I cannot tell you how disappointed I was.The host told us there would be a 35 to 45 minute wait, but it actually only took about 25 minutes before we got the text that we could be seated. Of course, they weren't ready to seat us yet, so that took another 10 minutes before we got a table.Our server was very nice, but a little absent minded. We asked for water and coffee while we looked at the menu. She came back a few minutes later to ask if we wanted something to drink. We repeated the coffee and water order. She came back again a few minutes later, empty-handed and asked again if we wanted something to drink. Really...Well, we finally got coffee and water, but the coffee was lukewarm and bitter. Milk and sugar couldn't fix the bitterness. Who knew that the bad coffee was going to be a precursor to the bad meal that followed.I ordered the stack of buttermilk pancakes with a side of shredded potatoes. My mother ordered the 4 mini Belgian waffles, with a side of applewood bacon and shredded potatoes. When the food came, the presentation was fine, but it wasn't hot at all. Not even a little bit warm. The huge ball of whipped butter on the pancakes had no hope of melting even a little bit since the pancakes were ice cold. My mother said her waffles were hard, cold, and tasted like frozen Eggo waffles. They were barely warm at all. The maple syrup wasn't warm, so it wasn't like that could help the situation.My pancakes were so dry, that I constantly had to sip some water to get some moisture. That is NOT an exaggeration. That cold syrup was no match for those dry, dense pancakes. They just soaked up the syrup, never to be seen or tasted again. The bacon was just chewy, with no real flavor to it at all. The potatoes weren't hot, either and the onions were just a step away from being raw. They were barely cooked and looked like they had been thrown in with the potatoes as an afterthought. There was no seasoning, so it was just potatoes and almost raw onions.My mother ordered the cinnamon apple donuts to go, hoping they would be decent, but when she got the box, it looked like one of those plastic food models that you see as a display in some restaurants. Well, it tasted like a plastic model, too. We had to heat them up to get even a little hint of the maple glaze flavor, but who knows where the apple and cinnamon were. You couldn't taste it or smell it.I didn't think it was possible to mess up straightforward breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, and hash browns, but sadly, Miss Shirley's proved me wrong. We ended up paying over $80 for one of the worst meals I have EVER had.I so wanted to love this place and so wanted to be able to sing its praises, but I cannot. Maybe they were having a bad day, and we got the worst of it. I hope the low quality we experienced isn't what people have been raving about, because if it was, heads (and taste buds) need to be examined.Whatever the case, these prices are unacceptable for what you get. You can get a better meal in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Restaurant quality, this was not. I definitely won't be back. It was absolutely terrible.

Really enjoyed Miss Shirley's! Had excellent service and the food and atmosphere were both amazing! So glad that this place was recommended to us. If you are planning to stop by, be sure to get the strawberry donuts! 🍓🍩😍 Also cool to know - they are a nut free restaurant!