Bmore21230

Beautiful room, excellent concierge & location

I loved the room we stayed in, so much that I wanted to sleep late and spend hours lounging around in my Westin robe. The bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever experienced in a hotel, and the bathroom was super clean and luxurious. I was very impressed with the concierge who pointed us in the right direction to hear the blues. All of the best venues are practically right outside the door from this hotel. As with many things, location is everything!

My favorite Chinese Restaurant

This place has die hard fans, both tourists and locals, for a reason. It is simply delicious. There isn't much effort put into the ambiance, and it really just looks like a typical fast food Chinese joint. But the food is out of this world. When we went the first time, the host noticed we were not regulars. He asked us for our menus back and said he would like to order for our party of four. It was not a mistake to allow him to do so, because the 5 or 6 dishes we got were unbelievably scrumptious.

Beautiful Art Deco lobby

Art Deco fans will love the outside of this hotel as well as the lobby. The room we stayed in was reasonably comfortable, but not very memorable. It's a few blocks from the Inner Harbor and a short walk to Mount Vernon, the gayborhood. It's not the best part of town, and the blocks immediately around the hotel can get a bit sketchy, especially at night and on weekends when there aren't many downtown office workers around. Fortunately, it's very near the free public transit system, the Charm City Circulator. You can hop on and off this bus for free, as it runs a loop (allegedly every 10 minutes or so) between the Mount Vernon and Federal Hill neighborhoods as well as through the Inner Harbor area.

Gay Friendly establishment

First and foremost, Sam's has the best bagels in Baltimore. They are consistently voted in local publications such as 'City Paper' as the best. There are tons of bagel and cream cheese varieties and flavors. Where else besides Baltimore can you get an Old Bay crusted bagel? The food is consistently hot, fresh, and delicious while the coffee never disappoints. Secondly, this establishment is a friend to the gay community. There's a definite Fed Hill preppy frat vibe in the place, but there are always stacks of gay publications (Baltimore Gay Life and/or Baltomre OUTloud) stacked on the window sill alongside the mainstream mags. Nice way to represent and support our community!

Flatbread with Arugula, Asparagus, and Fried Egg

Go here for brunch, and be sure to order the flatbread with arugula, asparagus, and a fried egg. And don't skip the mimosa! It was so delicious it had me ordering flatbreads at just about everywhere I went for months afterwards. And after all those flatbreads, none was as good as this one (except maybe one at The Wine Market in Locust Point/Federal Hill).

BAD = Big Ass Drinks

Long Island Iced Tea, Melon Balls, and other tacky hooch served in mason jars. Enough said. It's full of kitsch and might be one of the last remaining original video bars still in operation. It's kind of dirty, very campy, retro and a lot of fun. Just don't take it too seriously and accept it for what it is...a classic gay dive. My boyfriend and I met here on a Big Ass Drink (Monday) night almost 10 years ago.

Great Atmosphere and Food

...In that order. I go to City Cafe because I love the atmosphere. The place is open, bright, and airy. The staff are super friendly and accomodating. The food is delicious as well. I personally have NEVER had any complaints with what I ordered. I did one time overhear someone at the table complaining to his server that the salad he ordered was disappointing. (It was missing some of the ingredients listed on the menu.) The server graciously apologized, took the salad back to the kitchen, and brought something back that seemed to make him happy. I have never had to express unhappiness with my order, but I am confident that if I ever needed to, it wouldn't be an ordeal. Oh yeah, and the cocktail menu is a bit on the pricey side, but SO worth it.

John Waters style kitsch

I love Club Charles! Cool 1940s Art Deco lounge atmosphere. It can get a little crowded, and the drinks can be a little on the expensive side. But SO worth it. I've heard a rumor that John Waters has been spotted at Club Charles, but I can't conform that.

Awesome Small Plates

Good looking people, great looking food. Awesome atmosphere and delicious food. What more could you want? Oh yeah, and martini menus might now be exactly the latest thing, but they have some really creative cocktails like a blood orange & jalepeno martini and another one infused with cucumber and vanilla. Fantastic!

Neighborhood dive

What you see is what you get. A lot of what you might read online about this place might be misleading. Before I went to this place, I thought it was going to be elegant and lovely. Instead, it's more like a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall kind of bar. But I mean that in a good way, like you might actually see John Waters in this place.

Absolutely beautiful

The blending of American Southwest decor and pieces from Tibet is astounding. The Innkeepers are super friendly, and the service it top notch. This place made me fall in love with Santa Fe.

Standard gay bar

Woody's is very popular, and there are lots of friendly people there. A lot of not-so-friendly people as well. If you're in the mood for an average gay bar, then this place is recommended.

Good grub

If you can still remember a burrito you had years ago, then you know it had to be good.

The original

If you're visiting Buffalo, you probably need to go here for chicken wings because, hey, they invented them. But any pub in Buffalo serves up wings that are likely just as good.

Brunch!

Hands down my favorite place in Buffalo for brunch. Nice atmosphere and delicious food.

So so

Everyone in Buffalo loves their Spot Coffee. It is almost blasphemy there to choose Starbucks over Spot. But I just don't get it. It's OK, but nothing to brag about.

Yum

There's nothing quite like a Jim's steak and cheese sub at 4:00 AM after the bars close. Philadelphia, you know I love you. But you can keep your cheese steaks. Jim's Steak Out is way way way more delicious.