Clavel

Day after Thanksgiving while in town visiting with family, my husband and I came here for a date night to try this 2022 James Beard semi-finalist restaurant. We arrived a few minutes before doors opened at 5pm and there were a few people waiting. We got seated immediately at a two person table along the wall of one of the rooms. The selection of dishes is amazing. Note that due to the low watt incandescent lights and small print of the menu, it can be challenging to read the menu so it is worth reading it online or using your phone light to read it. We started with the EMPANADAS DE PURÉ DE PAPA and loved the texture of the outer shell made from corn and the potato purée topped with salsa. This followed by the A T U N C O N P I Ñ A, which had fresh tuna over a slice of pineapple and on top of a tostada; getting a bite from all three ingredients is a delight. Drinks wise I enjoyed my TUBA POR FAVOR, which has a unique flavor and went well with our starters. My husband appreciated our waiter helping him identify a non-alcoholic cocktail, the PAJARO VERDE. For dinner, we chose two tacos. I got the CARNITAS CON SALSA VERDE and CARNE DES RES, I loved the intentionally of all the ingredients with consideration to texture and flavor. Such a joy to have these freshly made tacos and the side of hot sauce was pleasantly spicy without overwhelming my palette. Given it was a cool night, I had the CALDO DE CAMARON which was a consommé of pacific shrimp with a side of rice and saltine crackers to add as you ate. A very rich soup that warms the soul and the giant shrimp with the shrimp head was so good. I liked that it was served in a cup with a handle cause it was nice to drink it from a mug while warming my hands. My husband liked his BARBACOA DE BORREGO taco with the lamb and beef shanks more than his HONGOS CON HUITLACOCHE because he preferred the meat flavors over the mushroom and corn. We ended with the flan and loved the creamy and not overly sweetness of this dessert. I paired this with their CARAJILLO, which had espresso, ancho chile and bitter orange shrub. I would try the Mezcal flight next time to try a curated sampling of what they have to offer. Atmosphere is nice and a perfect spot for a date night with plenty of options for food and beverages.

It was amazing food, their queso fondido was so good I do not believe I will ever be able to enjoy it elsewhere. The tacos were flavourful, perfectly sized. My only regret was not trying dessert because I filled up on queso. I've already told my friend we are meeting there solely to try their sweets!!! The service was quick, kind and friendly. Amazing all around!

Great place for Hispanic Food in Baltimore! I really enjoyed both the atmosphere and the food! So many unique flavors and options to try. They have really good cocktails if you drink! I really enjoyed the Barbacoa de Borrego, Al Gobernador, and Tinga de Pollo tacos. They were all so unique tasting. I don’t think any of the tacos were bad though so you can’t go wrong with any of the taco choices! I really enjoyed the flan. I’m not a fan of overly sweet desserts but they incorporated a bit of bitterness to really complete the dessert and make it tasty!

We LOVE this place! We’ve only been twice but we have had such great experiences both times. The service, food and drinks are delicious. We love the Mezcalita drinks. 3-4 tacos each typically fill us up. The wait staff are knowledgeable of the menu and any recommendations we’ve gotten from them are always on point. We’ve done indoor, shared table dining as well as outdoor, picnic table dining. We’ve never had to wait long and always get a table (no reservation). I would probably be more inclined to secure a reservation if I had a larger (3+) party. Parking is rough over here so you might need to spin the block…don’t get discouraged. I’ve also seen many people utilize ride share. Good vibes here too.

This place is honestly one of my favorites in Baltimore. My friends took me and everything on this menu was amazing They had many types of mezcal and elk the cocktails were also great There is 3 main eating areas . 2 inside and one outside We went on a Monday and it was busy. I would come back every week if I lived in Baltimore The staff were also very friendly and helpful There is a small shop also with lots of Mexican groceries and pottery etc