When you walk in you are greeted by brightly decorated interior with strung lights and colorful signs and a narrow bar. You can then head on back o the seating area that has tables and booths. The walls are adorned with a Corona themed mural. Once you have a seat you are given a menu and bowl of homemade chips and salsa (the salsa has some kick). The menu hosts some typical Mexican fare from tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc.

I had the beef soft taco and was impressed with the taste but the presentation was different than any other soft taco I have seen. Instead of a small shell it was one large shell.

My friend had the Chicken Burrito, which came with beans and rice. All the ingredients looked fresh and tasty.

The side outside the door hosts many happy hour drink specials like $3 margaritas.

The food was good and the service was welcoming. Next time I am in the area I will be heading back. I want to try one of the margaritas I hear are good!

The Extras: Monday is half-price burger night with $2 Yuenglings. Tuesday and Wednesday nights feature fajitas for two, which includes over-sized orders of fajitas and a pitcher of margarita or sangria for $20.

So I was running my errands and was hungry and I was intrigued but their sign out side for the daily specials. One special was a crab cake platter (crab cake, coleslaw and fries) special for $6.99 and they also had a Hamburger platter burger, fries and cole slaw) special for $5.99- they also had 3 different styles to pick from. I got the Hickory and Cheddar style (bacon and cheddar cheese).

I was very impressed. The burger was cooked to order and wasn’t a preformed and pre-frozen burger. The fries are fresh cut and made to order. The cole slaw reminds me of Aunt’s cole slaw- it was very creamy and not over sweet or sour. The loved it all, even the cole slaw and I am not a big cole slaw person.

It was a busy place had a lot of guys in ties in there getting lunch during their work day. The people working were very friendly and very accommodating. There was a few tables inside and outside. The also serve breakfast till 11 am and most breakfast items were under $4.00. The menu had subs, sandwiches, burgers, crab-cakes, salads and other things. They are also a market and have a deli section to get things to take home along with fresh fruit and some other staples necessities. I didn’t look at the market prices but the food prices were very reasonable- especially the daily specials (you can get a lunch special for around $6-$7). They also advertised a 1/2 lb. burger for $3.99.

I will heading back to place for both lunch and to try their breakfast! I highly recommend you stop in next time you are in Towson.

After spending the day catching some rays on the beach we wanted a fun meal so off we went to eat in the sand on the bay. Fish Tales is set in the center of Ocean City’s sport fishing headquarters. The offer something for everyone- they have a kids play area, drink specials and food. Be ready to wait however: we got there around 7ish and had a hour and 45 minute wait till it was our turn to sit- but the view, food and atmosphere is worth it.

I had the SEAFOOD BURRITO ($14.99)- 
combination of shrimp, crab, scallops, and cheddar cheese stuffed into a warm sun-dried tomato tortilla, topped with a mild enchilada sauce and sour cream on the side. Served with a chilled black bean and corn salsa on the side. It was very good however it was a bit on the dry side. The taste was good and there was lots of crabmeat. I do feel they could add more of the other seafood. The salsa my favorite salsa and was sweat- but it was average.

My Husband had the ROCK & ROLL DINNER ($18.99)- a large rockfish filet fried to perfection. Accompanied by garlic roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. The fish wasn’t overly fishy or strong and the potatoes had perfect seasoning. The filet was huge.

The 14-year-old had CHEESEBURGER ($8.99)-
8oz. of char-grilled, prime Angus beef, cooked as you like it, with cheese. The burger came perfectly cooked at medium-well as she ordered it and was huge.

I saw the JUMBO STUFFED SHRIMP ($24.99)- colossal shrimp stuffed in to a bread bowl with our own house blend of shrimp and crab dip topped with cheddar cheese and baked to perfection. Served with fresh veggies and garlic roasted potatoes. The presentation was great and looked wonderful! Next time I want tot try this!

Overall, the food was average but I will be heading back to wiggle my toes in the sand and watch the boats. They also have an extensive drink menu.

The Dough Roller offers a variety of food, from pizza (with fresh dough made daily) to over 12 varieties of pancakes at reasonable prices.

We went for breakfast and all 3 of us got the “Little Roller” which was 2 pancakes, 1 egg and a choice of meat for around $8.00 each. The pancakes are huge! They are some of the best pancakes I have ever had- light and fluffy with a great buttery flavor! The scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly. We each got bacon and were pleased to see we got at least 3 huge slices and it also was cooked perfectly!

There are a total of 6 locations so make sure you stop in for some breakfast. Next time I hope to try their pizza!

Adults: – $29.99; 
Children: 7-12 years – $13.95; 
3-6 years – $6.95; 
Under 3 – Free

This place is an all-you-can eat buffet that features seafood, steaks, ribs, Canadian crab legs, pastas and a host of other options. They also have a dinner menu also features a variety of soups, appetizers and entrees. We had been here about 5 years ago and found all the food really good so we thought we would go back- BIG mistake! The seafood was average but just about everything else was horrible. The meats were either tough or dry, the vegetables were mushy, the so crab soups had no crab in that we could find and the crab cakes were puddles of grease.

We ate plenty of the crab legs- they as good as any other buffet. However, the crab cakes were so disgusting when you bit into them it oozed grease all over your mouth. I got a small section of ribs and the meat was hard and very dry and overcooked. The first batch of mussels I had was pretty decent but the send batch I had the mussels were hard and dry. I stuck mainly to the crab legs.

As for the desserts they weren’t bad either. The bread pudding was pretty good.

The wait staff was the best part- they were quick and attentive. Your drink was never left empty very long and they also dumped your trash bowl even if there were only a few shells in there.

The food did not sit very well with my husband. We had to go back to the hotel before we could head anywhere else so he could spend some time in and out of the bathroom.

We wont be going back!

My Husband and I ventured down to Harbor East this weekend to check out the new Landmark Movie Theater (we saw Get Smart- very funny) and get a bite to eat at James Joyce Irish Pub and Restaurant. The weather was perfect and it was a great day.

So before the movie we walked around Harbor East and went to eat at James Joyce Pub. As we entered the pub I was intrigued to find out that was designed and built in Ireland and then shipped over here to Baltimore in the fall of 2002. The pub is named after the famous Irish poet and author (Ulysses and Finnegans Wake). They have live music about 5 days a week form 9 pm – 1:30 am.

The inside of the restaurant has a nice Irish atmosphere with a family setting. The section we sat in had high tables with high benches and chairs. The walls are adorned in Irish artwork and pieces.

We started with a cup of the Irish Potato Soup (Cup $3.25) – pureed potatoes, onions and leeks cooked in a chicken stock. The flavor was perfect as was the texture. I didn’t find any component of the soup to be over powering- the marriage of ingredients was perfect.

For my entrée I had the Beer Battered Sausage and “Chips” ($11.95)- traditional Irish Bangers lightly battered then deep fried and served with french fries and baked beans. I was a bit leery of the fact that the sausage was beer batter and fried but once I bite into it all my reservations dissolved away. It was wonderful. The sausage was sweet and the batter gave a perfect crunch to it that added to the taste. The fries were perfectly cooked. The baked beans were very sweet and runny (I prefer my baked beans not as sweet and thicker) but the taste was average. They served it with malt vinegar and ketchup. Now I add vinegar to my “Fish and Chips” so I was unsure as to add it to the sausage or not. I tired a few bites with it and it was good.

My Husband had the Beef and Guinness Stew ($13.95) – pieces of beef braised in Guinness stock with diced carrots, onion, leek and celery and was served over traditional champ potatoes. The pieces of meat were tender and very plentiful. The consistency of the stew was perfect and not overly thick or runny. The serving was pretty big but he finished every last drop.

They are participating in Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week 2008 and have their menu already posted on their website.

I went out to lunch with a friend I used to teach with in Harbor East to a place called Taco Fiesta. I let her pick the place and her friend owns it. It advertises fast, fresh and fun Mexican food that comes from generations of passed down recipes from the owner’s family. . It is set up food wise like a Chipotle or Qdoba but has a full bar. It offers things such as burrito, tacos, quesadillas, and many more. It has a bright and fun décor and has a classic rock music playing.

It has a salsa bar that has salsas that are made from scratch every morning. On the wall above the bar is a layout and explanation of each salsa. They also have a 26-ingredient Enchilada sauce that I would like to try. The guacamole and chips are also made fresh every day. They use no lards or oils when they make the beans every morning. The steak is lean and hand trimmed. The white chicken breast is lean and skinless.

I got the Fiesta Meat burrito with rice, beans, Jack cheese, Fiesta Salsa, and roasted seasoned pork ($8.39). I then personalized it into a Chimichanga- they deep fry the burrito to a golden brown and serve it with lettuce, tomato, guacamole and sour cream (add $2.79). It was very good and the shell had a perfect crunchiness. The meat had a nice little spice to it and the beans and rice were perfectly cooked.

We were there during lunchtime and it had a nice crowd. The also have tables to sit at outside. They have a full bar and offer many happy hour and daily specials (check the website).

The food and atmosphere were both really good. I will go back again!

The Crackpot Seafood Restaurant was opened in 1971 and offers a casual, comfortable setting, One side of the restaurant has a long, narrow bar area, while the other is all wood-shingled walls, paintings of sailboats, and crab pots around the light fixtures. If you are having crabs the wooden tables are covered with sheets of rough brown paper, and we were given a plastic basket with wooden mallets, paper napkins and plastic knives.

The Crackpot offers several crab cake variations, including Italian ones with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and Hawaiian ones with ham and pineapple (plus a few other variations beside a regular crab cake).

We got there around 2:00. About 5 people order crabs and the rest of us ordered of the lunch menu whereas, a few ordered off the dinner menu. The lunch menu has many sandwich offerings and light fare orders of certain things. The dinner menu offers a variety of seafood and land items.

I started with the Cream of Crab soup. It was good but lacked the kick of sherry that a lot of places put in it. It had an average amount of crab in it- but of course it could have had more.

For my main course I had the light fare crab cake that came with 2 sides. The crab cake had a lot of meat but was dry and according to my taste buds lacked flavor. It was also very small compared to a bunch of other places. My broccoli was cooked well but had nothing on it and was served not very hot- in fact when I asked for butter it didn’t even melt when I put it on. My French fries were over cooked (however a few other people had some that were done perfectly). Overall, I was very disappointed.

Some of the other entrees that were ordered were the Crab Imperial, Stuffed Lobster Tail, Broiled Scallops and Shrimp Basket. The person sitting next to me got the Crab Imperial and was disappointed she ordered it and wishes she got the crab cake.

As for the crabs they were dirty the way they should be and the people eating them were enjoying them. However the price for me that day was a bit step for the size that they were getting. This place may just be good for crabs and that’s it.

Overall, I must say I was disappointed. I had been here around 4 yrs ago and thought things were pretty good. I am not sure if I will be going back to this place at all to give it another chance (even with the Restaurant.com savings coupon). The only thing I would consider going back for is the crab.

This is one of those places you would drive right by in a shopping plaza if you didn’t know it was there. You walk in and you a greeted by a large wood carving of animals and a lobster tank full of live lobsters. The place is a nice dim and surround in colors of pink and green. We went for an early meal around 3:00 and were given the lunch menu. I was hoping for the dinner menu according to what I had read- I didn’t feel like asking for the dinner menu and just picked something new to eat (plus it had nice prices).

Each table is given a bowl of fried noodles and 2 sauces to munch on as you look over the menu. We started with pan-fried meat dumplings. They were very good. A lot of times when I get these they can be very greasy but these weren’t.

Then we order a General Tso’s chicken at the lunch price of $7.50 and an order of the Mou Sho Pork at $7.50 lunch price. Since it was the lunch price we were expect a smaller portion that is usually good for one person. However, we were surprised and the portions for the lunch menu were bigger than expected and we shared them and even had left over’s to bring home. Each dish also came with a bowl of fried rice.

The Mou Sho Pork was very good and had a nice ratio or veggies, pork and egg. The pancakes were perfect and not sticky or stale. The plum sauce was decent also. We finished this entire dish.

However, we were a bit disappointed by the General Tso’s chicken. The sauce was good and had a nice kick but it was the meat and coating that wasn’t a big hit. The coating was in a sense mushy- almost like the skin was still on and it hadn’t been fried. You can tell the coating was fried but it didn’t have the normal bit of crunch to it. It was hard to describe the texture of it when you bit into it. The meat was a mixture of light and dark meat.

Overall, the flavor was good but not the texture. We had left over’s of this but no one has touched it.

The rice looked very good but when I ate it was disappointing because it lacked the flavor I thought it had because of its color. It was cooked right but the flavor was on the weaker side.

Maybe we are spoiled by Olive & Sesame in Towson and the crunch of their General Tso’s all white meat Chicken.

So this past weekend we were out and about doing some shopping for some minor home improvements and wanted to get a bit to eat. We didn’t want to wait in line or have some supper heavy meal so we decided to give this place a try. It wasn’t packed but it also wasn’t empty. The atmosphere was your typical diner feel with its crisp and cool colors and nostalgia.

My Husband got the baked meatloaf with 2 sides (mashed potatoes and broccoli). It also came with a side salad. The meatloaf severing was huge with about 4 large slices of meatloaf. He didn’t finish the sides that came with it. Hew said it was Average/Good.

I had the deluxe Gyro (pronounced yee-roh). It was filled with rotisserie meat (usually a mixture of minced beef and lamb), tomatoes, and onions, along with a yogurt-based tzatziki sauce (made with Greek-style yogurt, diced cucumbers, dill weed and a small amount of vinegar) then all wrapped up in a pita. It was then served with a Greek salad and the typical side dish of a Gyro- French Fries. Their version of a Greek salad had the lettuce (a Greek salad normally doesn’t have lettuce- except in North America) plus chopped tomatoes with a few slices of cucumber, and red onion, seasoned with salt, black pepper, and oregano, feta cheese, bell peppers, kalamata olives, and dressed with olive oil and vinegar based dressing with various herbs and seasonings.

The Gyro was pretty good (even though it got messy towards the end). My husband and I both agree that this place has some great fries- they were cooked perfectly (a crispy bit with the inner core smushy) and weren’t over slated and didn’t have an over bearing oil taste you get sometimes!

We both noticed the dessert cases when we came in and thought we would try something. When I asked to see the menu the waiter suggested the easiest thing was to just get up and look- which I am glad I did… too many choices. The guy that seemed to be the owner was sitting at the counter while I was looking and he offered to help me out and took me on a tour of the desserts. There were all types of things to choose from, crème pies, cakes, baklava, turnovers, pies, cookies, tiramisu, etc. I felt a bit over whelmed- in the end I ended up with a slice of Banana Crème Pie and the thing was huge! We couldn’t finish it and the waiter and the owner laughed at us when they bagged it up.

Overall, the service was great, the food was good and the atmosphere was pleasing! I will be going back!