Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Baltimore

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Baltimore? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Gunther & Co.

4.8

4.8 (2960)

$30 and under

American

Canton

About the restaurant

Gunther & Co., located in the historic Gunther Boiler Building in Brewers Hill, offers a Modern American menu, globally influenced and locally spun. Whether looking for a casual evening out, special occasion or impromptu drink after work, there is a space carved out for you here – at our oyster bar, on the patio or overlooking the 16-foot living wall and main dining area on our mezzanine. The integrity of our ingredients is at the heart of the menus and each dish is crafted with a pride in preparation and hospitality.

Top review

NinaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Everything at Gunther is always fantastic!, every time we go! Consistent excellence.

Magdalena

4.8

4.8 (1216)

$31 to $50

Bistro

Mt. Vernon

About the restaurant

Magdalena is the celebrated restaurant of The Ivy Hotel, a Relais & Châteaux property in Baltimore’s historic Mount Vernon neighborhood.

Magdalena, a Maryland Bistro, features refined, “from-scratch” bistro fare driven by the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay region. The seasonally evolving menu celebrates the finest local ingredients, sustainable values, and culinary craftsmanship, resulting in dishes brimming with character.

Executive Chef Ülfet Ralph has over a decade of experience in Relais & Châteaux properties. With this expertise, Chef Ralph will continue Magdalena’s mission of exploring innovative and artful interpretations of Maryland cuisine with a purposeful balance of bistro meets elegance. Ingredients are sourced close to home, and relationships with local farmers and purveyors are at the heart of the culinary philosophy. A cheeky cocktail program, Wine Spectator-awarded wine list, and revered whiskey collection complete a delightfully unmatched dining experience.

Top review

LindaVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Beautiful dinner. Fiket cooked to perfection. The best wine list we have seen in a very long time.

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Experience

Holiday Tea Service

Experience

Whiskey Wednesday with Amrut Whiskey

Experience

Regional Wine Night with Half-Priced Bottles: CA

Dutch Courage

4.7

4.7 (535)

$31 to $50

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Charles Village

About the restaurant

Dutch Courage is a gin-centric cocktail bar located in the historic Baltimore neighborhood of Old Goucher. Whether you are looking for an adventuresome cocktail or need a cold beer, our staff has you covered. With 150 bottles of Gin, Genever, Old Tom and Barreled Gin, along with a full spirit selections, there is always something new to explore and help you discover your courage.
The Dutch Courage kitchen team lead by Chef Alec Jacobsen has a variety of food for you to enjoy while sipping beverages. From delightful boards of cheese, charcuterie and tinned seafood to small and large plates, the food at Dutch Courage is always a culinary adventure.

Top review

Leah

Dined 5 days ago

Wow! First of all, Dutch Courage was beautiful —all decked out for the holiday. I had eggnog—delicious. My husband and daughter’s drinks were great—and my daughter’s drink was lit up by the waiter tableside to infuse it with smoke. Fun! And because it was our daughter’s birthday, we wee surprised with Prosecco, which was a nice touch. Service was so personable. We loved everything about it.

The Garden Rooftop

4.7

4.7 (138)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Downtown

About the restaurant

Welcome to The Garden Rooftop, a hidden gem in the heart of the Bromo Arts District in Downtown Baltimore! Step into an unforgettable experience where elegance and excitement blend seamlessly. Begin your evening with a refined dinner on the first floor, enjoying exquisite cuisine and handcrafted cocktails. Afterward, head to the second floor to unwind in our Hookah and Cigar Lounge (please note, reservations are not available for the lounge).

DRESS CODE
“Upscale Chic”

NOT ALLOWED:
Offensive, vulgar, or Inappropriate attire
Athletic attire (sweatpants, sweatsuits)
Tank tops (men)
Slides & flip flops
Ugg boots and Ugg Slippers
Timberlands
Exposed undergarments
Full face mask
Skull caps
Backpacks

NO SPLIT CHECKS all parties can pay using up to 3 forms of payment!!

Top review

JasmineT

Dined 7 days ago

I love this place i definitely recommend and omg the rooftop is AMAZING

Sotto Sopra

4.8

4.8 (3575)

$30 and under

Italian

Mt. Vernon

About the restaurant

Sotto Sopra is an Italian restaurant housed in a beautiful 19th century building just blocks north of Baltimore’s Harborplace on Charles Street. Sotto Sopra specializes in true contemporary Italian cuisine adapting farm to table. We buy local whenever it is possible. The perfect risotto, handmade pastas, roasted meats, local seafood, and regional produce are here for your total enjoyment.

Sotto Sopra invites you to dine for dinner every evening. Eat.Drink.Sleep.Dream--Italian

Top review

Rex

Dined 2 days ago

When we arrived, our immediate reaction was “little divey place”. The entrance is very unassuming giving off the impression of a small, family owned type of place. Do not judge a restaurant by its front door! Once you get past the hostess podium, the restaurant opens into this large beautiful room, with a nice level of mood lighting and tables sufficiently spaced that you did feel like you were in a bad NYC pop up. We also arrived early due to a concert, so at first, the place was fairly quiet, but as the evening progressed, the place was still quiet enough to easily carry on a conversation. The wine list is not lengthy, but has some very nice wines at typical restaurant price, both bottle and glass. My Montepulciano was very good for $12 a glass. The menu includes a good number of appetizers to choose from ranging from a charcuterie board to a number of salads. The in restaurant made pastas were plentiful and creative, including a Veal stuffed pasta with pancetta and spinach that was amazing and very flavorful, as well as several chicken and fish dishes. There was also a series of specials ranging from carpaccio to pumpkin pasta, which my wife enjoyed greatly. The prices aren’t cheap, but they are in line with a city restaurant serving high end food and wine. If you want Olive Garden, go there. This is better. Oh, and the tiramisu was to die for! Service was excellent and attentive. From the hostess who was very friendly and made sure we were comfortable to our waiter and staff who made sure we were able to make our 6:30 concert without being pushy or rushed. Sotto can be a place for families but not little ones. Dress is business casual ( it had snowed when we went there so I was in a dark pair of jeans, which was acceptable. Not a t-shirt/shorts kind of place. A good place for a business dinner as well, but not sure I’d recommend it for an office party. Overall, Sotto Soprano gets two thumbs up and definitely a revisit!

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4.6

4.6 (3611)

$50 and over

American

Harbor East

About the restaurant

A fusion of the old, the new and the best of Baltimore. We’re an American gastro bistro that represents historic, vibrant, authentic Baltimore. We blend modern energy with a classic feel, celebrating luxury, excitement & an elevated dining experience. Plus, we’ve got some unbeatable views of our beautiful city!
Bygone’s warm & welcoming atmosphere is reminiscent of an old-school social club, while our open rotisserie grill, whiskey bar & craft cocktails add a flair that is contemporary.

Please note: No shows and cancellations made within less than 24 hours will be subject to a $75/per person fee.

Top review

Shannon

Dined 5 days ago

Lots of extra little touches that made the dishes special: the foamy mignonette on the oysters, the crunchy bites and pickled mushrooms on the beef tartare. Pre-pandemic, table side dishes such as classic Caesar salad and duck a la presse were on the menu- we can understand not having them all the time, but hopefully they’re not gone for good.

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Experience

Lounge Table Seating at Bygone

Experience

Night Life Bottle Service

Copper Shark

4.7

4.7 (541)

$31 to $50

American

Locust Point

About the restaurant

Step into our historic building, and you will immediately be greeted by its red-brick walls, exposed beams, and intimate bar space leading to an open and airy dining room and our fantastic back patio set for outdoor dining and conversations around our fire pit (weather permitting!).

Sit at the bar to enjoy an artisanal beer or oak-aged bourbon alongside a quick bite of charcuterie meats and cheeses, crispy brussels sprouts, or shark fries. Or venture into the heart of Copper Shark for a leisurely chef-inspired meal created by Chef Matthew Audette.

In addition to seasonal masterpieces, you can always count on classic cuisine like our petite filet, soup du jour and pot du creme. Weather permitting, we encourage you to cozy up next to our courtyard fire pit.

Sundays we only have Brucnh service

Top review

TaliyahVIP

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Service was very good, from the waiters to the food runners. Food was delicious. The butternut squash soup with crab was amazing and had a reasonable amount of crab. My cocktail was great and they had an extensive list of options. I had a duck pasta which was amazing. Unfortunately, we didn’t have room for dessert but from what I saw the options looked great. This place is conveniently located with ample parking. We will be back.

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The Capital Grille - Baltimore

4.9

4.9 (3999)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Downtown

About the restaurant

Make it a day to remember. From birthdays and anniversaries to professional milestones, we aim to make every gathering special at The Capital Grille. Open seven days a week, The Capital Grille is best known for our expertly prepared steaks, which are dry aged in house for 18 to 24 days and then hand-cut by our restaurant's on-premise butcher. The Capital Grille's wine list features more than 350 selections, and its floor-to-ceiling wine kiosk regularly houses 3,500 - 5,000 bottles. Reservations are recommended but not required. For more information, please visit our website. We look forward to delighting you.

Top review

Latonya

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

Diane the waitress was amazing!! The staff was so assertive and attentive when I told them of my allergies. I will be visiting again!

La Barrita Restobar

4.9

4.9 (208)

$31 to $50

Argentinean

Upper Fells Point

About the restaurant

La Barrita features Argentinian style steak seasoned with mouth watering chimichurri, home made pastas, and empanadas. Nestled in the Butcher's Hill neighborhood, La Barrita provides intimate atmosphere with a Baltimore industrial feel. In the warmer months enjoy al fresco dining when we roll up the garage doors.

At La Barrita we treat our guests like family. An upscale casual restaurant, we suit a variety of dining needs, from special occasions to catching up with friends; you might even catch a soccer game on at the bar. Just don't get caught in a Boca jersey! La Barrita is a proud supporter of River Plate fc.

Top review

Lawrence

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Excellent spot with great food. Not overly crowded or loud. Very good service as well. Large portion sizes. Highly recommend.

Ammoora - Ritz-Carlton Residences

4.8

4.8 (576)

$50 and over

Syrian

Inner Harbor

About the restaurant

Enter a realm of authentic Levantine cuisine, culture, and design at Ammoora, an ornate dining destination, exclusively housed within the Ritz-Carlton Residences Baltimore. Embracing the cultural beauty and diversity of its fare, Ammoora immerses guests in an intimate fine-dining experience composed in a contemporary culinary style. Presented and prepared with award-winning skill and finesse, the culinary journey through the Eastern Mediterranean offers unique interpretations of classic dishes. Drawing inspiration from Ammoora's family roots, the Syrian-focused authentically modern menu evokes a sensory experience, enhanced by soft, yet lively oriental music and an alluring ambience.

Top review

KarimVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Fantastic meal! Food was delicious, service was wonderful, we can’t wait to come back.

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Popular dish

Harissa Roasted Cauliflower

Popular dish

Tenderloin Truffle Medley

Popular dish

Braised Lamb Shank

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