Ate dinner at Brio Baltimore. We sat outside and that was very nice. The dining room is quite loud. The wait staff was excellent. Friendly, attentive and accommodating. My pom martini was very good. We had the calamari app which was just ok. Salads were very good. Entres were, again, ok. Right on par with Carrabas or Macaroni Grill and IMO not as tasty as those places. I would come back to try the happy hour promos but unfortunately, i came, i tried, and I'm not running back. Just an ok Italian chain restaurant.
(2)
Reed D.
Food was okay but service was very slow. They forgot to bring my salad which I saw sitting on the kitchen counter 20 feet away and the wait staff did not appear at our table for nearly 20 minutes for me to inform them it never came. The response was basically: yes, that is probably your salad up there. Do you still want it or do you want us to take it off your bill? They were also very slow to refill my beverage. Finally, I should mention two in my party's steaks and lamb came overcooked and had to be sent back. Chocolate cake was good but not worth $7.95.
(2)
Michelle B.
Great atmosphere, good food. They don't rush you. I went here to catch up with the girls. Very good staff. Loved sitting outside!
(4)
Edward D.
High noon at Sailabration. Long lines were everywhere, especially near the harbor. Since Brio is just a short distance from the masses we gave it a try. Told us 30-45 minute wait; actually was 20 minutes. Our waiter, Adam, was great! I am pretty certain we were seated in dreaded no man's land where every waiter thinks its someone else's table. He stepped up within a few short minutes and introduced himself asking if someone was helping us; said 'no' and he said 'Ok, I'll be your waiter.' Nice. Food was all tasty. Frittata al Forno was nicely-sized and and rich, the fruit cup was genuinely fresh, best pineapple I have had all year. Another reviewer commented on small portion of Lasagna. Management must have changed size, ours was...well...lasagna-sized!! Flatbread Alla Roma was also, worthy of having again. We especially liked the fact the brunch menu is served until 3 PM. Go back again? Yes.
(4)
Lindsey M.
The food is good, but this place is dirty and loud, and the staff are definitely detached from their customers. The Annapolis location is amazing with cleanliness and friendliness.
(2)
Eater O.
Worst Brio I've ever been too. Bar surface was sticky, service slow. All chicken dishes come out of the kitchen as chicken parmasean. Even the server admitted he won't eat there. I never will again either.
(1)
Joel R.
Another great Brio's experience.
(4)
Philip R.
What a pleasant surprise! Trying restaurant for first time close to Rennasaince Hotel in Inner Harbor and their happy hour included some great choices at inexpensive prices! The Black Pepper Shrimp with Eggplant ($5.95) was fantastic! Also tried their Beef Carpaccio ($3.95) which equally tasty! Their house wine was just ok but certainly wouldn't stop me from coming back again. Excellent food located right in the heart of Inner Harbor!
(5)
Jess S.
We liked this place on the Inner Harbor. Bummed that they ran out of their shrimp and crab cake, but we had some great bread and the bruschetta on special was very good. I also sampled both kinds of their sangria and while not super-traditional (including muddled pineapple and peach rum, for instance), they were both delicious. Atmosphere would have been better if the ambulances weren't a constant annoyance.
(3)
Amanda Z.
Located on pratt street right across the street from the inner harbor the brio is a cute restaurant to have a quick bite for lunch a longer dinner and I heard there happy hour deals are awesome The inside of this restaurant is bright and spacious and the bar has ample seating. In terms of decor think cheesecake factory but toned down. I sat outside today since the humidity finally calmed down. It wss nice with the breeze and the umbrellas keep the sun away. There was a horn player on the street so that provided nice back ground noise to cover the traffic and people milling about on the other side of fhe fence. Our waiter was so nice and attentive without hovering or making us feel rushed and he made sure our meal went by at a nice pace. My friend had the steak salad and out waiter handled the multiple substutions with grace and when his salad came he didnt need to send it back it was just as ordered. I had the pesto pasta from their lighter fare. They have a section of lower calorie options which was nice. The chicken was flavorful and the pesto wasnt over powering. It was a nice portion size for lunch i didnt feel heavy for the rest of the day. I really thought about getting another order on my way home for the day but the boo said thats over kill (i got cheesecake instead but thats neither here nor there lol) Besides the fact that this place is next door to my job ill definitely come back for happy hour. This is a great place especially considering its apart of an chain
(4)
Philip B.
Walked in and sat at the bar with two colleagues looking to order dinner. Tuesday night, not very busy. Took 5 minutes for the bartender to show up, didn't notice us for another 5 minutes then when he did - Rolled his eyes at us like he didn't want to come all the way down to the end of the bar. We got up, told hostess our issue on the way out and server next to her just laughed. I just told two other people about this experience and they both confirmed this place has the worst service. For a chain, get a clue and train people right like Houston's does. Baltimore,resident or tourist- avoid this place!
(1)
Arnold G.
Last year, The Baltimore location brought my wife the wrong meal and left the feta cheese off my meal. The waitress was nice but told us she needed $700 because she was moving into a new apartment. The waitress and Manager were falling over themselves to fix their problems. Looks like free desserts tonight. OK, Matt was the Saving Grace this year,03/28/15. He did everything right. Our meal was prepared perfectly, kudos to the Chef, and the service was excellent. Brio Baltimore is back on our things to do.
(3)
Ma-e M.
I got my eye on Brio every since I laid eyes on the outdoor/patio dining seating. The al fresco smell of the bay water in the historical charming city of Baltimore lured me into Brio with open arms. I feel that I have found my lost sibling and took me to try Brio's tuscany food. Our server was well mannered and attentive (super). We are foodie/diners with curiosity and thus, a mouth of questions about what is this and how is that food. If you know your food, we can talk. Being that it is in the city, I was secretly informed by the Annapolis branch manager that the way to Brio's food is to park at the back of the restaurant's parking lot. Brio's Baltimore will give you a discount on parking; so ask for that.
(3)
Linda R.
We were skeptical. Middle of a tourist trap (across the street). Succumbed to tiredness and convenience. James the bartender was fantastic. The Gorgonzola crusted medallions were.....I need a moment please!!!!!
(4)
Annrose H.
James D. Was our server. He was absolutely wonderful and we had a great experience. He made my cousins and I feel very comfortable and he made great recommendations about the lobster bisque and drinks. I had the peach Bellini and berries and cream French toast. Plating was great and atmosphere was awesome. We sat outside at a high top. Thanks so much for the great service and recommendations. We will be coming back a lotttt more often.
(5)
Jerrica S.
I tried this during restaurant week. All 3 courses were superb. Even my wildberry lemonade was delicious. The atmosphere was very classy without being stuffy. Seems like a good place to go for a lunch meeting or dinner date. It wasn't loud, so it's perfect for talking and the lighting was just right. Our server Amanda was extremely attentive and personable. She took great care of us. I'll definitely be back to enjoy some fine cuisine.
(5)
Hussain A.
Went there yesterday with a friend based on the recommendations as one of the best Italian restaurant downtown. It was not that much & not more than 3 stars.
(3)
Christine A.
Love Brio's!!! I was so exceited to find it next to our hotel and enjoyed my favorite dish. The staff was nice and food was great. Highly recommend.
(5)
Maria A.
Had a great dinner here. Atmosphere was nice. Table was a little cramped for the four of us. The Chicken Carbonara was all right. I wasn't impressed. We did the dinner for $20 and the desert was a lot smaller than I thought. More like a desert shooter. But all in all a good experience.
(4)
Bell A.
Worth the carb intake! Went here during Baltimore restaurant week and was pleasantly surprised with the food. Service was friendly & accommodating and little to no wait time. Will come back again even without promotion.
This is a whole lot better than I thought it would be. It isn't "Italian" food in the real sense but it pretty good. Think Olive Garden but a big notch higher Big bar crowd on a Friday night as well
(4)
Doug S.
Food- very good. Enjoyed the bacon & cheese burger, margherita flatbread, and bruschetta. No complaints at all about food quality or taste. The service was another story. There were only 7 occupied tables, employees all over the place walking around and chatting behind the bar. At least 8 tables needing to be cleared. This was in the middle of the afternoon on New Year's Day. It took 20 minutes to get drinks; I wasn't offered a drink refill and didn't ask for one because we'd have been here all night.
After a long day of traveling to the Baltimore area, we were looking for a place to have a nice dinner with family. This place was so accommodating to our needs with our daughter, who was visiting with Make-a-Wish! The service was fantastic and the food was even better! My daughter loved her pasta and my husband's steak was so good, I ordered it for myself later in the week when we had dinner there a second time! The appetizers are huge and well worth every penny! I highly recommend any dish on the menu based on the reaction of every family member at dinner. The portions are large and desserts were delicious! We had dinner provided at a very expensive restaurant in the area on another night and the food at Brio was by far better than the more expensive place. When we are in the Baltimore area, we will always keep this place on the must do list!
(5)
April S.
Great menu of you are counting calories. I had a light grilled salmon dish and it was delish! Just the right amount of food and included some very tasty veggies. Matched it with an Estansia Pino.
(4)
Thuy T.
Our dinner was too salty. Crab and shrimp cake and pasta with shrimps and lobster. Price was high food was warm not hot. Will not be back
(2)
KM M.
Great service from our server James - really friendly, attentive, and made great recommendations. The outside seating was really nice and it wasn't crowded at all for a Saturday afternoon. The food was outstanding, especially the lobster bisque.
(5)
Michelle R.
Love going here for lunch but sometimes it is hard to get in and out in an hour. Food is always good, staff is wonderful. Only problem I ever had was with takeout.
(4)
Kendra J.
Ah yes, Brio, I must say is one of my favorite restaurants. It is almost never crowded, but also not so empty that you automatically think "Well this restaurant must be a bust". I always order a cajun chicken alfredo (one of my favorites), along with this fruity lemonade (non-alcoholic) they have that is TO DIE FOR. If you love sweet drinks I would definitely recommend the lemonade! The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and easy to talk to and/or get along with. Brio is especially nice during the warmer months when you can sit outside in the "patio" area and look directly at the harbor or see the blue angels' show which is exceptional. I have not been here for brunch, so lunch and dinner are all that I can account for but I must add that their wine list is pretty nice as well as their "light" menu for those watching calories. I am pretty sure they do not do deliver but I do know they have "take out" where you can obviously order ahead, pick-up, and be on your merry little way. I say give it a try since there seem to be varying opinions, but Brio def has two thumbs up from me!
(5)
Patience M.
The service was pretty good but I was disappointed by the food. I ordered the crab and shrimp cakes. Not only was the portion small but one side of the cakes was burnt. This was definitely a case of the menu description sounding better than what I actually got. The cocktail was also very watered down. I was part of a large group of 20+ and the set up was not very comfortable. I would not recommended this restaurant for a party size over 12 or so. Not sure if I'll be back there anytime soon.
(3)
David B.
Walked down from a local hotel and gave it a shot. Nice night to sit outside. Attentive service, good menu- went with a steak and a salad. Cooked perfectly and seasoned like I asked. Perfect.
(4)
Laura T.
I came here because I love pasta and good wine! They ended up having both! The prices were good and the atmosphere wad delightful. The servers were pretty good add well. It's almost like an upscale Olive Garden that's why I couldn't give it a perfect score. They didn't have any standout dishes. But they gave a Peru good experience overall.
(4)
Andy H.
Food is good. Service was horrible. Sat at the bar and service was beyond bad. Only saving grace was the guy baking the flat breads. He provided great service, probably because he could see it wasn't happening elsewhere.
(2)
Dana M.
Came here after the baltimore half marathon. Needless to say I was hungry. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating of my food allergies, which is not an easy feat (gluten, dairy, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic) and came back to the table twice to make sure she had my order right and everything was prepared correctly! Food was good - I had grilled salmon, sweet potato hash, and broccoli. Parents had the sausage, pepperoni and ricotta flatbread and some kind of pasta (unhelpful, I know) but both said they were good. Great gluten free options - grilled meats, seafood, salads, and even GF pasta. Not sure what kind of flour it's made of, though.
(4)
Kat D.
Good location, easy to walk from anywhere in the harbor area. I had the ham biscuit eggs benedict, it was good and the biscuit was nicely made. Not amazing but not bad, does for a decent breakfast or brunch in a pinch.
(3)
Ariel N.
Ehhhh So Brio and I have a hate and love relationship. The food is great there but instead the service is terrible. My last visit my server was beyond rude. Since when do food comes out before drinks?? Im usually a very understanding customer. However when im the only customer you have and the service is still slow... then we really have a problem. lol I take complete blame because i had this server before and she was rude so i shouldve known better. I usually eat outside. That being said please be ready to hear a lot of police sirens and etc. So enough of the negative feedback. What i do love about this place is in summer time the view you get with the soothing italian music. I would highly recommand this place for happy hour after work and only happy hour. Very clean classy mature crowd. If the service tighten up i would then consider giving it 1 more star.
(3)
Christy L.
This message is mainly for the bar area of Brio... Seeing as my office is directly across the street, my coworkers and I often find ourselves here after a grueling week to DRINK! I was actually surprised when I discovered that Brio is a chain. Their space has a distinct feel to it, and the bartenders are personable, super speedy, and know how to make a cocktail. And you can't beat their happy hour- a great selection of martinis, mojitos, wines, and sangria marked down to $5, plus HUGE bar "appetizers" for $3.95! (The full-sized Brio burger is on the $3.95 menu!) You can eat and drink to your stomach's delight for under $20! Plus, if you visit while the weather is still nice, you can grab a seat on their light-strung patio facing Pratt Street and the harbor. Would I make a special trip across town to come on a weekend? Nah.. but it certainly isn't a bad way to end a work day!
(4)
Brittany B.
Food is awesome!! The service is great and location ideal. We came during a Sunday brunch time. They start you off with a basket of white bread and hard bread, both were great! I got the zuppa and insalade--minestrone and chopped salad with steak. The salad portion wasn't very big, just FYI. However, the soup was flavorful and the salad was very good. My table also got the berries and cream French toast and the turkey eggs Benedict. The French toast was HUGE and came with a ton of bacon. It receives an A+!
(5)
Amber Z.
Had a wonderful time there last night! First time going to Brio with my boyfriend for an early Valentine's Day dinner-very romantic place for couples! Also had this AMAZING server, Mark, who made the experience fun and enjoyable! Food was delicious, perfect portion sizes. Also not too expensive! Defiantly recommend coming here!
(5)
Alexander R.
I am not sure whether I should give 2 stars or 4, so I'll settle on 3. Also, I don't normally visit restaurants in the downtown Baltimore area and my opinion is largely based upon my experiences with eateries around Frederick. I was greeted by an employee who immediately told me they didn't know how to "work this thangg," while referring to an iPad that was being used to account for table reservations. I told them it was okay and then sat at the bar with a friend, where I requested an Argentinian Malbec from their signature wine selection. The bartend served the glass sloppily and with wine dripping all over the outside rim, hardly caring to wipe off and dry the consequence of his hasty pour. $10.25 for a hasty pour of an okay but nicely aromatic wine. Our friends arrived and we sat at our table. By now I began to realize that it was so loud in the place that I really couldn't hold a decent conversation with anybody sitting more than five feet from me. The ceiling architecture is visually stunning but creates a big problem for the acoustics of this place, as I began to realize that I was sitting in the center of this dome and could hear every conversation of every person in the room very clearly who was sitting at the domes edge. This was annoying, because these people were having annoying conversations. We were obviously the youngest crowd in attendance. Our waitress, obviously inexperienced and not fit to run a table by herself yet, brought us menus and asked for drink orders. She explained the menu to us and assured us that splitting our checks would be a royal PITA for her. We assured her that we were sorry we all were not one big happy family, or millionaires, for that matter. I asked her for some cheese to accompany the wonderful Malbec I brought from the bar, she assured me that she would provide butter. Oh good. Because butter is a great substitute for cheese. What the living f%*$? I refrained from laughing and just said that would be excellent and assumed she knew nothing about food/wine pairing...no biggie she is young. But then what really got me to laugh was when she brought our bottle and stated that our cab-er-NET was here. Here's the kicker of the whole night...she spilled the entire bottle on my buddy Isaiah. It's a good thing she didn't pour it on me, as I would have become the hulk on steroids. Every person in that restaurant would have heard me yell, "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!". Luckily, Isaiah is a great sport and didn't make a peep of complaint despite his leg being soaked in red wine. At this point, we had the attention of the manager who quickly moved us to another table and provided different wait staff. He comped by buddy and offered dry cleaning, while paying for our bottle that had been dumped on the table. Overall, we were admittedly happy with this, despite the bad circumstances. Another note on dropping things, it seems like somebody dropped plates and glasses about every 10 minutes in the kitchen or at the bar. This was the loudest thing in the whole universe, to the point that everyone in the restaurant was clapping in annoyance and universal praise. So, would I come back? Nope. Would this place survive in Frederick? Only with a solid location and better prices. Otherwise, the only way this place is still operational is due to the fact that is inexpensive by Baltimore standards. Don't go. Save your ears, pants, and wallet...get some Subway instead and you won't have any worse of a time.
(3)
Myles B.
I have held a personal grudge against this company for many years. Refused to darken their door or give them one cent of my money. My wife and I decided to let bygones be bygones and give this location a try. Our server Darrel was funny and attentive and made excellent recommendations. From start to finish he made the experience excellent. The food was superior. It had unique and amazing flavor combinations. It is pricey but well worth it. I will keep the burning embers of hatred for the one location that slighted us but if you are in the inner harbor this is a must have.
(4)
Sarah G.
I'm always up for Italian food. Brio did not disappoint! Although I was hoping to see classic Tuscan wild boar on the menu, I was intrigued by the pasta with vodka sauce. This was no regular penne and vodka, this was handmade, ricotta stuffed pasta with a slightly spicy but super smooth vodka sauce, added grilled chicken and topped in prosciutto shavings. I kid you not, my stomach just started growling because my leftovers are waiting to be heated up. The service, while quite slow for a calm night, made up for the pace by handling my smart-alec relatives with ease and a smile. Our waitress had the kitchen make pizzas to order which weren't on the menu but were delicious nonetheless. Not a single one of our party of 6 had any complaints about the food- or wine- even though they were out of both of our first choice wines. Time for leftovers!
(4)
Ro C.
Food and drinks, as expected. The wait time, very poor. The bar was empty, there were tables open, and every interaction with wait staff was almost every 30 minutes. After paying, we waited about 30 minutes for change.
(1)
J B.
My daughter and I were in town and thought we would try. We did not know it was restaurant week but we went with that menu. My 16 year old insisted there was nothing she could eat on the menu but ended up eating her entire plate of pasta diavolo with shrimp. I had the same and it was enjoyable, spicy but not too much. She had tiramisu for dessert and I tried the chocolate caramel cake. Both very good. The service was fabulous and Marcus our waiter was very friendly and made great wine suggestions. I would definitely come back.
(4)
I'Yann H.
I had an overall good time at Brio not because of the restaurant but rather the people I was with and our conversation. This was my first time going to Brio. I was greeted at the door and it wasn't crowded which is why I was seated almost immediately. I always wondered why it's never crowded when I walked by. When I got my appetizer which was a shrimp cocktail I figured out why! Lol The shrimp was so small and it was overpriced!!! The service is really good but I don't like how early the kitchen closes. The dessert is overpriced as well!! But hey you never know until you try. If you have the time and money go check it out! Good Luck!!
(3)
Rachel S.
AWESOME Happy Hour spot. Arguably the best in the city. Brio goes above and beyond. Not only $5 wines and cocktails, they boast $3.95 apps and burgers. Yes, you read that correctly. Three dolla 95 cent. And we're not talking mixed nuts and hummus: beef carpaccio with field green salad, pan seared shrimp with romano-crusted eggplant, flatbreads, top-notch burgers, and more. Sound too good to be true? Contrary to the norm, it's not. As if the options weren't enough to impress, the portions are shockingly generous. How do you do it, Brio? Meh, who cares how, you've won me over. Undoubtedly a new regular haunt for this little Yelper.
(4)
Brian N.
First time visiting Brio, 15 minute wait for a table. Very courtesy and staff was pleasant. A concern in our hospitality. Garlic spinach dip was excellent. Food proportion suffice we actually took half our meal home. Atmosphere loud and talkative. Will be including Brio in my restaurant to visit on a regular basis.
(4)
Evelyn D.
Love this place for happy hour. Can get very crowded, so come early to get a seat. Full size apps discounted starting at 3pm.
(4)
Eric W.
we went for late dinner. service was good and food was fine. Portion was small though
(4)
Chris I.
The food was excellent and the service impeccable. Ask for Morgan. He was an amazing server, made great recommendations on the food, very attentive and generally made it a great experience.
(5)
Angela B.
The service was awesome. Our waiter was friendly and polite. The food was amazing. I had a pasta dish with capers and blackened chicken. Absolutely fantastic. If you are visiting here and you want to eat at a chain, this a must go.
(5)
Edward B.
On a Saturday evening this was the only restaurant without a 3 hour wait so our group was prepared for an interesting experience. What we received was an amazing waiter who was knowledgeable and efficient, excellent food, and to end the meal we were asked if we would like to take advantage of a 20% off special we did not even know about. 6 people let full and happy complete with dessert for less then $115.00 (without tip).
(4)
Jessica R.
My family and I went to the Brio last weekend and had a wonderful experience! Although it was Valentines Day and we did not have a reservation, we were welcomed by the hostesses and seated within a short 10 minute wait. Our server, named Corey, was very friendly and even made us laugh. The managers were also friendly and very attentive to our needs and even gave us complimentary appetizers & drinks. Also, the bartender was great. I ordered a pomegranate martini and it was delicious and pretty strong too! Thanks to the Brio for making our Valentines Day special. We will definitely be back!
(4)
D J.
I have been here a number of times and many for happy hour. Great food, great prices, they raised them about a year ago but they are still more than reasonable. Sometimes wait time is a little long. They should have more beer on tap. The most beautiful bathroom in all of Baltimore, the marble is insane. Highly recommend, especially to check it out for some appetizers and drinks at the bar, nice convenient meeting spot.
(4)
C L.
Stopped in for a drink outside on a beautiful afternoon, waited 20 mins for someone to ack we were there . Wasn't crowded, tables open outside & inside. My husband got tired of waiting for 1 of the 10 associates inside to ack he was there so we sat ourselves. Immediately after we sat down someone approached us and ask if we saw someone inside to be seated? Really ? Than we waited another 10 mins for her to determine if we really were waiting that long . Another 10 minute wait for menus. We gave our order of "no thank you" and left. We live in the city & love the Harbour but won't be back. Big ole thumbs down!
(1)
Jenny H.
Great place to eat lunch! I like their menu, a nice selection of various pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Their appetizer sample of bruschetta was pretty good, and I loved their Tuscan Harvest salad- they give you a very generous portion, and it came chock full of dried cherries, cheese, almonds and other goodness (how I like it!!). The service was really great, and I loved sitting outside too. Next time I want to try their salmon salad, it looked really good!
(3)
Jessica M.
Update: 9 people from a group of 18 got food poisoning. Not looking to good for this place!
(1)
Mary R.
Had the greatest service tonight. Started with us being late, added to the party 10 more than the original reservation. The food was delicious, the servers were wonderful! Thanks for a great night! Go Army!
(5)
Jeanette H.
I went to this location in Baltimore for happy hour when I was in town for work. I purposely skipped lunch so I could have happy hour as my lunch and dinner. Don't judge. After looking online and Yelp I decided on Brio because it was close to my hotel and the prices. I was able to have a couple drinks and a lot of food for about $20. During happy hour in the bar they have $3.95 taster items. Taster is a bit misleading as it is practically a full size items. I ordered the Tomato & Mozzarella Capri, Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread, and the BRIO Burger (cut into four pieces...how nice). In my defense, I did not eat all of the capri or the burger. I didn't care too much for the capri but I it is just because it isn't really my thing and not because it tasted bad. The flatbread was sooooo good! I tried to not eat it all but I couldn't. Lastly, the burger was very good as well but I was stuffed by time I got it so I couldn't finish it. The happy hour drinks were $5 so I ordered the White Peach Sangria and Sangria Rosa. The White Peach Sangria is way better and the one I recommend.
(4)
Stephanie S.
My name is Stephanie and my husband and I live in Miami. We went to Baltimore and Washington, DC for a week long vacation to visit some family. We went to Brio one night in Baltimore and had one of the best dining experiences that we've had in a long time. Not only was the service fantastic, but the whole operation seemed to be running seamlessly on a Friday night. As I made my way to the restroom, one of the servers was happy to escort me through the restaurant and I felt like they were laying out the red carpet for me, knowing I was on vacation! The general manager was kind enough to stop by the table to make sure we had a great time and indeed we did. Thank you Brio Baltimore for contributing to a great vacation. My parents now go to your location once every week or two. Cheers, Stephanie
(5)
Lily P.
Good chain! this venue had beautiful ceilings and is a good afterwork spot to go to. They have $5 martinis, great thin bread and also sourdough bread, The entrees for the most part are under $23 and their side salads are very fresh and generous. I had the lobster pasta which was very filling. The drink list also is an entire backside of their large menu. The service is super friendly and joke around with us. Def a good staple in the area to go to for dinner!
(3)
Stephanie L.
I love Brio Tuscan Grille, however, I do not love the Pratt street location. The food is always excellent, but the service is horrible!!! I went to Brio within the first month of their opening with a friend during lunch. Everything was fabulous, great food, great service, and we were out of there in 45 minutes. I was excited to find a sit down restaurant downtown that you could get in and out of quickly. I only get one hour for lunch so speediness is a priority. I've been to Brio four times after my fabulous experience, and guess what... the service just went downhill. Today was the final straw for dining here during the lunch hour. It took over an hour and a half!!! The restaurant wasn't even at full capacity! My colleague ordered soup as an appetizer, it never came after waiting 45 minutes. He told the waiter to just forget about it. We finally received our meals after waiting 55 minutes. Everything we ordered was great, it just took forever!! Waiting for the check also took FOREVER!!! The check was messed up because it still had the soup on there, so that was another ten minutes of waiting. It was just ridiculous. If you're going to open a business downtown for the lunch hour, your staff should be trying to get people in and out as quickly as possible. I really hope management will try and correct this problem. Like I said, this was not a onetime occurrence. This was my fifth slow experience.
(2)
Gina B.
This place was amazing! The food was all delicious and I am an Italian food snob!! I had friends in town who recommended it and I was a little hesitant because I am used to Little Italy, however this place outdid any place we have been. The food, service, and atmosphere were all excellent! Our servers name was Mark and he is the man! He was thorough, friendly, fast, funny, outgoing. I really can't say enough about him! It was the best service my boyfriend and I have ever had.
(5)
J. Burke M.
I generally try to avoid chains when dining in Charm City, but at least I'm not eating at an Outback, right? This place is good and some of the meals are even really good. The service is also good, which is to be expected as they seemingly are staffed by 90-183 people at any given moment. This place is better than mediocre during the winter but during the spring and summer, there simply is no better place for outdoor drinks/dining near the Harbor. Yes, that is a little sad, but quite true.
(3)
Andrew R.
I hadn't been into this space since it was legal seafood. I ordered the shrimp/crab cakes and calamari. The cakes were the size of a quarter and about 3/4 inch tall. There were two of them, isolated on a large plate, far removed from the obligatory greenage. The calamari was typical, over breaded and over cooked. Fortunately I wasn't paying for this (as it was a treat from a friend of mine). +1 star for the nice waiting area by the hostess stand.
(2)
Megan H.
I experienced Brio with a group of 6 during an incredibly busy time for them. The service was quick, and cordial. Their food was delicious! If you like sangria, try the white peach sangria - so tasty!
(5)
Contess L.
Topnotch service. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Will def go back again. If you are on a special diet just let them know and they can def assist. The manager and Duane are helpful!
(5)
Illana Z.
I work near this location and had to laugh at a previous review. As someone who dines here 3 times a week I know it well. The waitress Crystal will constantly complain about her rent and/or living situation. She talks the entire time! She either smells like she works out before work and occasionally over compensates with too much body spray and it ruins your meal. It's an inter office joke about who gets stuck with her. This waitress aside, the staff is wonderful and very professional yet friendly and the food is delicious. I recommend the grilled salmon fresca. Although you can't go wrong with just about anything!
(4)
Linda C.
While I was in Baltimore, we came here for HH after work couple times and I became a fan! They have cheap peach/pomegranate/blueberry sangria and cosmo for the price of $5! Their HH hour items consists of beef carpaccio, brio burger, spicy prawns with eggplant and flatbreads; just to name a few which I have tried! Seems like they planned it out to have something cater to every taste buds and they are all only $3.95! I particularly like their lobster bisque (non HH item) but it only costs $5.95 served with an elegant white ceramic bowl :) I would definitely come back to try out their dinner menu next time I am in town; which looks delicious for less than $20 per entree with a glance :)
(4)
M F.
Horrible customer service. Don't even bother coming here. Bartenders are absolutely the worse.
(1)
Nina G.
Waiter was nice and so was the ambiance but the food and wait time were horrible. I ordered the caprese salad. It was fair. My husband ordered the chopped salad and said it was fine. He ordered the half chicken as his entree. It was still bloody and not fully cooked. I ordered the chicken piccata and the aftertaste was chemically/rubbery. I sent it back and ordered the beef medallions, medium. It came charred with no pink inside. It too tasted chemically/rubbery along with the broccoli. It's probably non organic and the veggies are probably dirty and unwashed. 1 hour after dinner, my husband was doubling over in pain. I notified the manager because maybe there was a new cook or some monkey business in the kitchen. Needless to say, we will never visit another brio.
(1)
Candice V.
I had the sweet potato and chicken risotto. It was absolutely delicious!! I wish I could eat it every day. Very fresh vegetables, amazing flavor. Excellent service as well.
(4)
Spicy Z.
Great food and service!!!
(4)
Carl A.
I did not want to go to Brio. I was definitely aw-shucksing as we walked up and joined our friends at a table that they had secured during the recent "Sailabration." I have a thing against chain restaurants and really have a thing against being in the Inner Harbor, so I was disappointed in this choice, and wasn't expecting much. That being said, I was a little bit surprised--in a good way. At how fast our server got us our salads and the appetizer we split. At how delicious the appetizer we got was--you can hardly go wrong with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. And at how reasonably priced it was. And, completely unrelated, how well you could see the Blue Angels' performance from the patio. All in all, though, this place is not much more than an Olive Garden that was forced into church clothes. The decor is a practiced Italian chain schtick, from the bathrooms labeled in Italian to the white tablecloths and servers in ties. The food is satisfying, but it isn't creative. It is, to be quite honest, boring. In saying that, it's perfect for the Inner Harbor. It's perfect for the tourists who prefer to stay on the beaten path, or for the suburban families hoping not to encounter any "mobs" (ugh). I wouldn't choose it again. But for once outing, one downtown tourist bonanza, I guess it was OK. And, with the crowds, the tall ships, the noise, OK was enough.
(2)
Jean S.
Would recommend for happy hour -- cheap prices for great tastes! Drinks are also very delicious. I would say the service however was somewhat subpar but what can you expect at HH?
(4)
Christie G.
I want to start off by saying I love Italian food and good customer service. Brio Tuscan Grill gave us both! The waiter was top notch, very friendly, knowledgeable of the menu and how the food would be prepared. He was also very attentive. He gave a very appreciated suggestion as to what we should order based on what we told him we liked - combination of tastes. It was fabulous! and what a romantic setting! Brio has outdone themselves in that area also . My boyfriend and I came to Baltimore for a romantic getaway, and what is better then a wonderfully prepared Italian meal, with great service, soft atmosphere and the man you adore? There isn't one! Brio is our new favorite restaurant! Thank you for a wonderful evening and we will be back! Christie and Ken
(5)
Pradeep R.
My first time to this restaurant on Pratt St near Inner Harbor. The food is good - especially the penne pasta with chicken and the chicken bruschetta appetizer. The chicken under the brick grill was tender but salt/flavor did not perculate well into the chicken. The bad aspect at this restaurant is their not so good attention to detail like setting the table right and also the inordinate delay in serving water and cooked food. But since the food is good, I am giving it 4 stars.
(4)
Andrew M.
No amount of chianti and Tuscan marketing at the bright sunny bar can whisk you to the hills of Florence away from the plate glass display of Southern High school masses loudly roughhousing, rapping, and flirting across Calvert Street at the Gallery Mall bus stop. Conceived in the mecca of chains, Columbus, Ohio, Brio has it's act together. Brio is a welcome additon to the Pratt Street chainland corridor, where it joins Sullivans and Kona to attract employment, hope, and tourist dollars to the inner harbor. Don't blame Brio for the stretch of trees that was bulldozed to make room for the patio's front row view of turn 1 at the Baltimore Grand Prix. The iron fisted Mayor condemned a fate worse than death to political opponents, exorcism from "her" Ravens box seats, to those who dared question her fiscally insane multi year Indy Car race contract. A phony green policy means the trees' loss is Brio's gain. So, kick up your feet, grab a Peroni, don't forget earplugs, and enjoy the outside table service at the race. $3 generous appetizers at happy hour are a delicious steal that should keep patrons coming when crickets hibernate in the Inner Harbor over the winter. A business lunch is $15 for a decent and predictable salad or pasta entree. The staff is friendly, the space attractive, and no expense was spared to make sure Brio doesn't suffer the, knock on wood, Legal Seafood curse of a doomed restaurant location. Holy smokes! If Brio can make it in this space, maybe downtown is finally due for a stand alone Starbucks. Oh yeah, Starbucks is opening next door to Brio next week. Baltimore, we have arrived.
Before going to Orioles games I really like to go to the bar at Brio for there great happy hour specials. After the game on 6/25 I decided to go to the bar since it is advertised that they also have happy hour from 9p to close. I walked in the door at 9:45pm. A few people were still in the dining area and even more people in the bar area. As soon as I sat down I was informed by the bartender that I had to order in 5 minutes because the kitchen would be closed . So thats what I did, I ordered quickly without really having a chance to look at the menu. What is purpose of having a late night happy hour that lasts for only one hour? It would be better just to have no late night happy hour at all. While sitting at the bar I watched many people come to the bar for food and drinks but leave when they found out that the kitchen was closed. Maybe Brio does not need the business. Maybe Brio should only have drink specials for it's late night happy hour and no food? I do not think that I will return again for late night happy hour with so many other options in the area.
(2)
Eric L.
I just wanted a nice meal, outside, on a nice Saturday afternoon as I walked my 8 month old daughter through the Harbor. She was sound asleep so was good for me to enjoy some quiet time and a nice meal. Being a local, I was hesitant enough on trying out a chain but gave it a shot. I first ordered a draft beer that took at least 10 minutes to arrive. I then proceeded to order the burger and a side Caesar salad. I added that I would like anchovies with it, and the waitress gave me an odd look but then took the order and walked away. I must have waited 30 minutes from that point for anything, not even the salad. Not only did I not receive my salad first, I received the burger and the salad 5 mins later. I wanted my salad first (like most people) so I waited. I realized no anchovies came with the salad but by that point I didn't care. Guess why the anchovies weren't on the salad? THEY WERE ON MY BURGER! I told the waitress and she nonchalantly said "Wow, we were wondering how that would taste". I have been to a handful of restaurants since and I am always asked if I would like anchovies with my Caesar. I didn't even get anything knocked off my bill, my daughter had woken up by this point, and my "new" burger was absolutely disgusting. This place is the tourist trap I thought it would be. If you are visiting Baltimore get in a cab and go to Fells Pt. Canton or Federal hill and stop wasting your money on places like this.
(1)
Shannon S.
Brio is a chain Italian restaurant; if you go into there with that knowledge, then you'll enjoy yourself. Nothing is going to jump out as "amazing", but, it's a step up from Olive Garden and Bertuccis. The creamy-foods are very rich, but the portions are good. The pastas look OK (I haven't tried any). The best thing I've had on the menu is a grilled salmon salad. It's served with a heavy balsamic dressing, so if you're not a huge fan of heavy dressings, switch it, or get it on the side. The salad is a huge portion, fish always seems fresh, asparagus, tomatoes, probably some other veggies I can't remember; all in all, it's pretty good. The staff is overly friendly and for the first two weeks was a little too in your face with their service. They've definitely calmed down and are in the swing of things. I've been there a few times because I work nearby (and am sick of Kona Grill); my order has been wrong once, people I've dined with have experienced this too, but we wrote it off because they're still working out the kinks. If you're looking for a good lunch during a work break, or possibly a meal with the family on the weekends, I would recommend this place.
(3)
Lisa G.
I decided to take a trip down to Brio from my office the other day (weather was beautiful). Instead of dining in, I decided to get take out. Walking in, the place was beautiful... it's a brand new restaurant with great outside seating. I ordered at the bar, the bartender was very nice and helped me with the new menu. I ordered the Lasagna which came with a choice of three salads. I got the Chopped salad with parmesan dressing. (fyi, their caesar dressing has raw egg in it for anyone who has a dietary restriction like myself). Lunch total was about $15.00. I get back to my office and dig in. The Chopped salad was yummy (except for the olives I had to pick off -I'm not a fan of olives). But overall, the salad and parmesan dressing was yummy. As far as the Lasagna, let's just say it wasn't momma's recipe. It had a nice flavor to it but I would not ever order it again. It was about the size of a KitKat bar and about an inch and a half thick (very small if you ask me). Like I said, the flavor was nice -it had a nice italian sausage flavor. However, it wasn't a hearty dish like Lasagna is known to be. Little red sauce, a lot of white sauce and, quite honestly, I was a little disappointed. Bottom line, if you want Lasagna, like the traditional hearty favorite, I would stick to Little Italy or somewhere else. If you would want to try something "like" Lasagna, like Lasagna's skinny cousin, give it a try. Regardless of the lack luster Lasagna, I am not turned off. I plan to return and try something else on the menu. Hopefully, it will be a winner.
(3)
John H.
I was hoping for same quality as other locations but this was very disappointing. The service was extremely slow for the level of people in the place. It was clear I wasn't a priority for the server. The food quality was poor from the salad to the salmon.
(1)
Lina K.
Great option that isn't as crowded as the restaurants across the street. Went down last weekend for a baseball game. The other residents in the harbor all had 45 + min waits. This place was across the street and no wait. Good service and decent prices. I had a salmon salad and my dad got the burger. Both were excellent. They bring good bread out to the table too.
(4)
Ray S.
This spot had good food and a nice atmosphere. I thought the prices were decent for the location in the inner harbor. If your spending the day at the mall and don't want crappy food court food then give this place a try!
(3)
Sonny A.
I have to say that this place is beautiful inside. I walked in and really loved the brightness and nice decor. While it is not conventional Italian, the food is good here. Angel Hair pasta with chicken was good, and so was the Lemon chicken. Shrimptini was a nice touch. I'd go back again. Very nice service.
(3)
Jenn H.
So this place is LOVELY!! I mean for realsies!! I went here with my family and we all ordered different items, so I have several different dishes to talk about. We had the house bread, which was yummers. Served warm and filling but not overly bready if you know what I mean. I'm not really a bread eater, but I enjoyed it very much. It tasted especially good with the crab fonduta appetizer we got, although this came with these parmesan crisps that were sooo gooood!!! Jumbo lump crab meat with delicious melted cheese fondue. WOW!! Way good. I mean so perfectly proportioned. Not too hot. Not TOO cheesy. Just right. Jumbo lump crab meat--excellent. Then we had the calamari. Oh my my my!!! Since that day we have been trying to find a place that is as good, but no place (in my opinion) can match it, at least not so far. Soooo good. It came with two different types of sauce--the classic marinara and a white 'house' sauce of some sort, not a tzatziki, not ranch, but really good. Not sure what they call it, but it is creamy and dairy based. Something that I also usually don't have but when I go out I try not to hold back due to mild dietary restrictions...I'm terrible. I break my rules all the time :) Next was my dish, the lobster and shrimp ravioli. So...yes. It was yum. It was VERY yum. I mean so good. They make it with a limoncello butter sauce. So filling. So tasty. So creamy and perfect and sinfully delicious. I love seafood and this was some damn good seafood pasta. Seriously. A little sweet due to the limoncello sauce, which I could have done without (an alfredo would have done just as nice), but yummy nonetheless. One of the other dishes we got were pork chops. Ok, so I love pork although I don't really eat pork chops that much. I eat them, but having switched back to being an omnivore within the last 3 years, I have only eaten pork chops thrice, each time someone else ordered them and I went out to eat. And this place comes in second place....out of 3. Their pork chops were very good, don't get me wrong. Cooked to perfection. Seasoned with love. And what a generous portion they give you. All around delish. My only problem was the quality of meat. The last place I had pork chops from was this place called Town in Honolulu, Hawaii and they serve grass fed, organic chops (but the menu always changes so if they don't have it and you go, that's why) and I promise you can SO tell the difference between meat that has been well taken care of and ate well versus meat that is questionable. The meat is a bit tougher and the quality is a tad bit poorer. Seems as though I'm being harsh, but I don't mean to be, I just know the difference. Had I not had the organic fed chops prior, I may not know the difference. And knowing is half the battle! (G.I.Joe psa reference) The last dish we had was the jumbo lump shrimp crab cakes and they were very good. I thought they were a bit small when they were brought to the table, but they were filling and the veggie medley accompaniment was the perfect compliment. In fact the chops also had a veggie medley that came as sides with each meal. Ok. So I almost forgot. We did order another dish. Dessert. So I love dessert. I bake. I love to eat. Now, I don't always order it at restaurants, due to the fear of disappointment and over-stuffed-ness and lack of interest, but this time I did. Similar to PF Chang's, Brio has these shot glass desserts, which I usually love. I ordered the tiramisu dessert shot and my brother ordered the strawberry cheesecake shot. I was incredibly disappointed by the tiramisu. The lady fingers were non-existent and dry, not espresso soaked...boo!! It was flavorless and just unhappiness in a shot glass...which I didn't think could be possible!!!! Ugh! Very unhappy. PF Chang's tiramisu shots are (consistently) WAY better. And I have been there a million times and don't care for the food, but I dig the dessert. Go there if you want a mini bite of delish after din din. Now, Brio's cheesecake shot on the other hand, was good. I regretted my decision upon tasting my bro's dessert. I mean if they had screwed that up, I would have been irate. But I'm still calm....for now. .... We also tried the house Riesling wine which was nice. It was a tad dry, but nice. I did not order it, but I tasted it and I enjoyed it. I could definitely see myself ordering a bottle and downing that. That could TOtally happen. The service was the only part that I felt needed much improvement. Our server was great. Very attentive, friendly and kind. And funny, which I loved. The hostess on the other hand was rude, clearly having a bad day and taking it out on ALL the customers (or just us) and just erroneous all together. I could have sat myself and been just as happy if not happier with the outcome of that evening. So overall check it out if you are down for good seafood, but not ready to spend Rusty Scupper prices, although Brio is quite expensive in its own right.
(4)
Tamara B.
Good food... TERRRRRRIBLE service and RUDE waiters do not make paying $16/pizza + tip even close to worth it. Will NEVER eat here again. We went to Brio for the first time on a Sunday afternoon lunch around 1pm. We walked in and the restaurant was completely empty, except for a maybe 3-4 other tables. Once sat we were approached by our server who rattled off the daily specials in an extremely unenthusiastic and quiet way in which neither myself nor my boyfriend could hear, let alone understand. The food was brought to our table in a timely manner, but the waiter dropped off the pizza without a word and headed over to the bar where the Baltimore Raven's game was on. He did not ask if there was anything else we needed, or if we would like more water (which was empty). Once we got the pizza, I got up and walked over to the counter to see if I could find crushed red peppers myself- since there was no one around or paying attention. I returned to my table, ate a slice and then approached another waiter whom I asked if I they had peppers... which he responded "I will bring them right over ma'am". We waited for 5 minutes and realized that he had completely disregarded our request. Not once during our meal did someone walk over and ask how the meal was, or if there was anything else that we needed (still with empty water glasses)... they were too busy watching the Ravens game. After we had stacked our dishes hoping that someone would come help us- he came over, asked if we were finished, grabbed our plates and left- completely disregarding the fact that I was trying to hand him my credit card so we could get out of this uncomfortable and rude restaurant as fast as possible. He dropped off the check, took my card, and dropped off the final bill without so much as a thank you or have a great day. Paying $16 for a personal pizza (without tip) is way to much money to spend at a restaurant that does not care about your experience, make you feel welcome in their restaurant (or worse- actually makes you uncomfortable in their restaurant), and have waiter that hate their job and customer service... I will never dine at this Brio location ever again...
(1)
Rita C.
Excellent food with fresh ingredients. We experienced spotty service during our different visits there and concluded that the bar is consistently slow. But the server named Nakia in the dining room is consistently awesome. Ask for her.
(4)
Derrick E. V.
Brio on The Wine'tastic Mile of Baltimore I visited Brio for an early dinner about a week ago. We had the Bistecca Insalata and the Caesar Salad for apps. Both were very good. Our entrees were the Lasagna Bolognese and Veal Milanese. For a chain restaurant it was well prepared. I was happy with service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The wine selection is average but the Cataldi Montepulciano was a very good wine for around $40.00. I would give Brio 4 out of 5 stars. I also like the bar and patio cocktail tables.
(4)
Ned F.
So I get a compliment from this user: yelp.com/user_details?us… "Get a grip......if you want fast food go to McDonald's. You seem to be the only that has an issue with this place. Maybe you should stay in Columbia!!" We didn't want fast food, you idiot. That was the point. 15 minutes turned to 30 minutes to an hour. Maybe you are as stupid as the folks that work and run this one in Baltimore.
(1)
Nichole B.
I had the pleasure of dining with a colleague this past Friday for lunch and we decided to try Brio. I have been meaning to try this place for months and I am still kicking myself for not trying this wonderful establishment sooner. The weather was superb last Friday so we decided to dine on the patio during the lunch time rush. The food was phenomenal. Our server was far the best server I have ever had in a long time, she was very knowledgeable about the various dishes that was on the menu and recommended some of her favorites. We started our lunch with drinks of course, I will recommend that you try any of the frozen beverages, a great compliment on a warm summer afternoon. I decided to try the crab and shrimp cakes. I wish they were a tab bit bigger, but they were prepared nicely with a creamy horseradish that was not over powering at all and they are served with roasted vegetables and crispy potatoes, you also have a choice of adding there house Caesar salad or a bistecca insalata salad which is basically a iceberg wedge salad with bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles and a creamy dressing. It was the best wedge salad that i have eaten in a long time. I could honestly just eat that for lunch by itself. My colleague tried their brio bisteca burger, which is served with bacon, Provolone, lettuce, roasted tomato mayonnaise and Pinot Noir onions. He said that it was the best burger he has had in such a long time. The food was so delicious that I am so excited to bring my friends and partake in dinner or lunch again. Brio is a wonderful addition to the Pratt Street corridor. It is definitely a step up from other chains such as Olive Garden and Carrabas. It is also a great place that caters well to the lunch business crowd in Downtown Baltimore and I highly recommend this establishment. The waitstaff is very attentive and prompt and that is good selling point in the restaurant industry. I would definitely return to Brio and try other dishes and also partake in Happy Hour as well.
(4)
Fred E.
After reading the Yelp reviews, wasn't expecting a whole lot and that's what I got. Away on business, it's not particularly fun dining alone but at Brio I was very comfortable with the atmosphere and level of service. It is better than an Olive Garden but not a whole lot. I had a chopped salad to start which was fine. The salmon dish was fine too. Even though Little Italy is steps away, I just needed food and a place to relax before working the next day. And both I got. The TV's at the bar were a bit of a distance from my table but they provided a surprisingly welcome distraction. The low noise level (restaurant was less than half full) and the relaxing pace of the wait service suited my needs. I would say a reasonable value for what you pay especially being in the Inner Harbor.
(3)
Nia L.
Go for Happy Hour!! Have been wanting to check out this restaurant since they started construction. Finally decided to go for Happy Hour last Friday. While I was disappointed that their happy hour did not include drinks, I figured I could not turn down a tempting $2.95 appetizer menu. And it was delicious; I tried the bruschetta and my friend ordered the shrimp and eggplant as well as the artichoke dip. We were both pleasantly surprised and full. And with a $15 check we had no choice but to leave happy. The waiter gave us a wonderful dessert presentation but since we were leaving to get drinks somewhere else, we didn't want to sample. They were also 2.95 each! I saw other patrons order items from the $2.95 Tuscan Tasters menu (a very generous burger and a beautifully presented shrimp cocktail) and I knew that I would be back soon...and I will be this week :) The waiter was very attentive and brought me another drink even though I had only taken a few sips out of my first one lol. I can't think of too many negatives about this place. Aside from the alcohol-less happy hour, but they have a Wednesday night special so I guess that makes up for it. And the food alone is worth the trip. Happy hour seating is limited to the bar and patio, and since I arrived before 4 I had no trouble finding a seat. This may not be the case during peak hours. 8/13: Revisited Brio last week and the happy hour prices have climbed but still worth the trip.
(4)
Catherine C.
I came to Brio for Saturday brunch with a group of 5 people. It was a lovely sunny Saturday and we decided to sit outside and get some sunlight. We were from out of town visiting, and a friend of a friend recommended that we try this restaurant. Our waiter was really nice and we got the "southern hospitality" vibe from his service. Some of us ordered mimosa which the waiter recommended, enticing us with the fact that it was made with freshly squeezed orange juice. I don't remember which pasta I ordered, but it was absolutely delicious and the portions were very generous. If I ever visit Baltimore again, I would definitely come back to this restaurant.
(5)
Ashley P.
Love this place. Been here a handful of times where I have sat at the bar and a table with excellent service. Everytime I have been there I try something new and continue to love it. If you are looking for a good salad I would recommend the salmon one or the chicken, strawberry one.
(4)
Chris P.
Upon walking in to this restaurant I was met with a wall of smoke that had obviously come from an overzealous grill cook or a malfunctioning exhaust fan. It was literally cloudy with smoke inside the dining room. The heat inside this place bordered on ridiculous. The waitress was very good; very personable and attentive to our large party of 12. The calamari appetizer was not bad. Probably 4/5 stars. Crispy, not chewy and still warm when it arrived at the table. I ordered the Mezza Chicken Limone; Piccata style chicken cooked with white wine, lemon and capers alongside herb-spaghetti and roasted vegetables. What I received was a soggy chicken breast soaking in what I can only describe as a pool of lemon juice with a hint of butter. This monstrosity was topped with capers and lemon slices. The spaghetti was just...ok. Nothing special. I got about a third of the way through the part of the chicken that hadn't been soaking in citrus and tasted the bland, distinct taste of cooked egg. I assume the chicken had been coated with an egg wash prior to breading. Too much egg wash in my opinion. I shouldn't be tasting scrambled eggs in my "italian" chicken dish. I gave up on the chicken and finished the pasta and some of the vegetables, leaving annoyed and not wanting to return.
(2)
Arwa M.
We tried Artichoke Crusted Beef Medallions with salad and Shrimp Verduta. I would say it was all fresh well cocked but the seasoning weren't good at all. The meat was too salty and the pasta had no salt at all I think adding more parmesan would help to make this dish a good one. I would say for the price it wasn't enough to like the place other than this everything is good (service, atmosphere).
(2)
Angelina G.
The worst! They lost my dad's credit card and they said they 'll wont charge the meal, but that never happened. We spent hours in the restaurant waiting for the waitress to look out for the credit card, the manager didnt offer the phone or anything to cancel the card, it was such a bad experience.
(1)
LoveGoodFood A.
Delicious food but rather pricy for the serving sizes. For lunch, our table had the spinach artichoke dip, beef medallions with mushroom sauce, carbonera pasta, grilled salmon, tomato bisque, and one iced tea. After leaving a tip, the bill was over $100 for three people.
(3)
Tiffany G.
I am really pleased with Brio. I have always had amazing service and the food is unbelievable. Every time I go there I try something different and I am always pleased with my food. Even though this is a chain, they act as if it is a local family business. Love it and will keep going back.
(5)
They Call Me L.
Brio gives me the feel of a more upscale Olive Garden, with better food. We were there for lunch midweek before heading to the Aquarium. The place was hopping with the lunch business crowd, and given how packed they were, our waitress did a fine job in taking care of us. I loved my entree salad - Tuscan chicken, I believe it was. Everyone else in my party of four enjoyed their meal as well.
(4)
A. C.
(04/11/2012) Not a bad place for a chain at the Inner Harbor. They've got some great d $5 drink specials and $3.95 happy hour "small plates". HH plates were actually quite substantial. Overall, everything is oversalted and not subtle in flavoring; tailored to the masses. Best plate was the Beef Carpaccio, tender, paper-thin, shaved slices of lean round, drizzled with a Dijon mayo, capers and a balsamic dressed pile of spring mix. Ravioli with pesto and a jarred marinara were ordinary; Roasted Garlic, Spinach and Artichoke dip was sufficiently creamy, but oversalted and lacked any distinct artichoke flavors; a flatbread with sausage and pepperoni was as expected, crisp, salted meat with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan; Lettuce wraps were interesting, hard to eat (iceberg wilts under the heat of pile of hot Bolognese), Bolognese was meaty and spicy, rich mouthfeel, proportion of the wrap was unbalanced (too much meat for the leaves of lettuce). Fruit mojitos were overly sweet, cocktails were made with a heavy hand. Great deals for happy hour, seems to be popular with the suits spilling out of the surrounding office cubes and out-of-town baseball fans wandering down to the Yards.
(3)
JJ H.
Horrible experience. I was in town on vacation, wanted to kick it in my hotel room and ordered dinner from here online. It is right next door, so when they told me it would be ready at 5:58, I showed up at 5:58. The hostess looked confused, and told me to go to the bar. The bartender must have been having a rough night, because she did NOT want to help me. She started muttering under her breath, complained about having to get my ticket to the guy/pizza chef next to her... The wait staff seemed ver nice- they asked me a few times if someone was helping me, because it sure looked like no one was. Long story short, she complained to the hostess, she then FINALLY went back to check for my order, at 6:15...she found ti sitting back there, but wouldn't give it to me because a manager had to transfer or release the ticket. So I stood there another 10 minutes before he came out. So I didnt get out of htere till about 6:30... It would have been quicker for me to sit down and order. Then to top it off, I get back, and the order was missing my salad...AVOID this place.
(1)
Daniel D.
Apparently $5 martinis draw in groups - it did ours! With about 10 people in our little group we were seated quickly and our appetizers and drinks were served just as quickly. After all our 'light fare', I only ordered the lobster bisque and a chopped salad, both were fantastic. I look forward to visiting again and giving the entrees a shot. Long story short: its not little Italy, but its pretty good! Ask for Richard, he's surely one of the best servers there.
(4)
Jeff M.
Having just gotten back from Italy, I ordered the fish del giorno thinking it would be nice to have Tuscan-style seafood. It was blackened--probably I misread the menu. Anyhow, even for blackened it was too heavily peppered, IMHO. The vegetable it came with were heavily salted, but edible. The service was bad. The waiter was very slow about refilling drinks, and generally brought luke-warm iced tea with no ice. They were also very stingy with the bread.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Debbie E.
Ate dinner at Brio Baltimore. We sat outside and that was very nice. The dining room is quite loud. The wait staff was excellent. Friendly, attentive and accommodating. My pom martini was very good. We had the calamari app which was just ok. Salads were very good. Entres were, again, ok. Right on par with Carrabas or Macaroni Grill and IMO not as tasty as those places. I would come back to try the happy hour promos but unfortunately, i came, i tried, and I'm not running back. Just an ok Italian chain restaurant.
(2)Reed D.
Food was okay but service was very slow. They forgot to bring my salad which I saw sitting on the kitchen counter 20 feet away and the wait staff did not appear at our table for nearly 20 minutes for me to inform them it never came. The response was basically: yes, that is probably your salad up there. Do you still want it or do you want us to take it off your bill? They were also very slow to refill my beverage. Finally, I should mention two in my party's steaks and lamb came overcooked and had to be sent back. Chocolate cake was good but not worth $7.95.
(2)Michelle B.
Great atmosphere, good food. They don't rush you. I went here to catch up with the girls. Very good staff. Loved sitting outside!
(4)Edward D.
High noon at Sailabration. Long lines were everywhere, especially near the harbor. Since Brio is just a short distance from the masses we gave it a try. Told us 30-45 minute wait; actually was 20 minutes. Our waiter, Adam, was great! I am pretty certain we were seated in dreaded no man's land where every waiter thinks its someone else's table. He stepped up within a few short minutes and introduced himself asking if someone was helping us; said 'no' and he said 'Ok, I'll be your waiter.' Nice. Food was all tasty. Frittata al Forno was nicely-sized and and rich, the fruit cup was genuinely fresh, best pineapple I have had all year. Another reviewer commented on small portion of Lasagna. Management must have changed size, ours was...well...lasagna-sized!! Flatbread Alla Roma was also, worthy of having again. We especially liked the fact the brunch menu is served until 3 PM. Go back again? Yes.
(4)Lindsey M.
The food is good, but this place is dirty and loud, and the staff are definitely detached from their customers. The Annapolis location is amazing with cleanliness and friendliness.
(2)Eater O.
Worst Brio I've ever been too. Bar surface was sticky, service slow. All chicken dishes come out of the kitchen as chicken parmasean. Even the server admitted he won't eat there. I never will again either.
(1)Joel R.
Another great Brio's experience.
(4)Philip R.
What a pleasant surprise! Trying restaurant for first time close to Rennasaince Hotel in Inner Harbor and their happy hour included some great choices at inexpensive prices! The Black Pepper Shrimp with Eggplant ($5.95) was fantastic! Also tried their Beef Carpaccio ($3.95) which equally tasty! Their house wine was just ok but certainly wouldn't stop me from coming back again. Excellent food located right in the heart of Inner Harbor!
(5)Jess S.
We liked this place on the Inner Harbor. Bummed that they ran out of their shrimp and crab cake, but we had some great bread and the bruschetta on special was very good. I also sampled both kinds of their sangria and while not super-traditional (including muddled pineapple and peach rum, for instance), they were both delicious. Atmosphere would have been better if the ambulances weren't a constant annoyance.
(3)Amanda Z.
Located on pratt street right across the street from the inner harbor the brio is a cute restaurant to have a quick bite for lunch a longer dinner and I heard there happy hour deals are awesome The inside of this restaurant is bright and spacious and the bar has ample seating. In terms of decor think cheesecake factory but toned down. I sat outside today since the humidity finally calmed down. It wss nice with the breeze and the umbrellas keep the sun away. There was a horn player on the street so that provided nice back ground noise to cover the traffic and people milling about on the other side of fhe fence. Our waiter was so nice and attentive without hovering or making us feel rushed and he made sure our meal went by at a nice pace. My friend had the steak salad and out waiter handled the multiple substutions with grace and when his salad came he didnt need to send it back it was just as ordered. I had the pesto pasta from their lighter fare. They have a section of lower calorie options which was nice. The chicken was flavorful and the pesto wasnt over powering. It was a nice portion size for lunch i didnt feel heavy for the rest of the day. I really thought about getting another order on my way home for the day but the boo said thats over kill (i got cheesecake instead but thats neither here nor there lol) Besides the fact that this place is next door to my job ill definitely come back for happy hour. This is a great place especially considering its apart of an chain
(4)Philip B.
Walked in and sat at the bar with two colleagues looking to order dinner. Tuesday night, not very busy. Took 5 minutes for the bartender to show up, didn't notice us for another 5 minutes then when he did - Rolled his eyes at us like he didn't want to come all the way down to the end of the bar. We got up, told hostess our issue on the way out and server next to her just laughed. I just told two other people about this experience and they both confirmed this place has the worst service. For a chain, get a clue and train people right like Houston's does. Baltimore,resident or tourist- avoid this place!
(1)Arnold G.
Last year, The Baltimore location brought my wife the wrong meal and left the feta cheese off my meal. The waitress was nice but told us she needed $700 because she was moving into a new apartment. The waitress and Manager were falling over themselves to fix their problems. Looks like free desserts tonight. OK, Matt was the Saving Grace this year,03/28/15. He did everything right. Our meal was prepared perfectly, kudos to the Chef, and the service was excellent. Brio Baltimore is back on our things to do.
(3)Ma-e M.
I got my eye on Brio every since I laid eyes on the outdoor/patio dining seating. The al fresco smell of the bay water in the historical charming city of Baltimore lured me into Brio with open arms. I feel that I have found my lost sibling and took me to try Brio's tuscany food. Our server was well mannered and attentive (super). We are foodie/diners with curiosity and thus, a mouth of questions about what is this and how is that food. If you know your food, we can talk. Being that it is in the city, I was secretly informed by the Annapolis branch manager that the way to Brio's food is to park at the back of the restaurant's parking lot. Brio's Baltimore will give you a discount on parking; so ask for that.
(3)Linda R.
We were skeptical. Middle of a tourist trap (across the street). Succumbed to tiredness and convenience. James the bartender was fantastic. The Gorgonzola crusted medallions were.....I need a moment please!!!!!
(4)Annrose H.
James D. Was our server. He was absolutely wonderful and we had a great experience. He made my cousins and I feel very comfortable and he made great recommendations about the lobster bisque and drinks. I had the peach Bellini and berries and cream French toast. Plating was great and atmosphere was awesome. We sat outside at a high top. Thanks so much for the great service and recommendations. We will be coming back a lotttt more often.
(5)Jerrica S.
I tried this during restaurant week. All 3 courses were superb. Even my wildberry lemonade was delicious. The atmosphere was very classy without being stuffy. Seems like a good place to go for a lunch meeting or dinner date. It wasn't loud, so it's perfect for talking and the lighting was just right. Our server Amanda was extremely attentive and personable. She took great care of us. I'll definitely be back to enjoy some fine cuisine.
(5)Hussain A.
Went there yesterday with a friend based on the recommendations as one of the best Italian restaurant downtown. It was not that much & not more than 3 stars.
(3)Christine A.
Love Brio's!!! I was so exceited to find it next to our hotel and enjoyed my favorite dish. The staff was nice and food was great. Highly recommend.
(5)Maria A.
Had a great dinner here. Atmosphere was nice. Table was a little cramped for the four of us. The Chicken Carbonara was all right. I wasn't impressed. We did the dinner for $20 and the desert was a lot smaller than I thought. More like a desert shooter. But all in all a good experience.
(4)Bell A.
Worth the carb intake! Went here during Baltimore restaurant week and was pleasantly surprised with the food. Service was friendly & accommodating and little to no wait time. Will come back again even without promotion.
(5)Genevieve B.
Went here yesterday and fell in love!!!! Very reasonably priced...I had an entrée 2 drinks and dessert for a little over 40 bucks!! The quality of the food was excellent. .the ambiance was amazing!! Our waiter was very very pleasant and helpful. To top it off the validate parking...only if you park in the garage behind the restaurant! ! Can't wait to go again!
(4)Tom H.
This is a whole lot better than I thought it would be. It isn't "Italian" food in the real sense but it pretty good. Think Olive Garden but a big notch higher Big bar crowd on a Friday night as well
(4)Doug S.
Food- very good. Enjoyed the bacon & cheese burger, margherita flatbread, and bruschetta. No complaints at all about food quality or taste. The service was another story. There were only 7 occupied tables, employees all over the place walking around and chatting behind the bar. At least 8 tables needing to be cleared. This was in the middle of the afternoon on New Year's Day. It took 20 minutes to get drinks; I wasn't offered a drink refill and didn't ask for one because we'd have been here all night.
(2)Nazirah M.
This review is super late but I definitely have to give kudos to this restaurant for making my special day SPECIAL! My husband and I wanted to get married in October of 2014 at the courthouse and then have a reception later but most places wanted us to cater and we didn't have the money for that. I looked around for a restaurant that could accommodate our 20+ guests AND allow for them to pay for their own meals (yeah, we couldn't afford to pay for them). Enter the Brio! I spoke to the general manager and he was so kind and accommodating! Even with doing a small wedding everything was stressful but he made this part the easiest. He sent over different menu options that we could choose from for our guests. Basically, the different menus allowed us to pick two appetizers, 3-4 entrées, dessert, etc. for our guest to choose from. But they didn't stop there! They went above and beyond and bought us sparkling cider (something they didn't typically offer) and champagne, nicely set up our section, setup an area for our cake and just made everything so nice! I really felt like my day was made very special. It's always hard for a bride who originally wanted a bigger wedding to downsize but they made it still feel just as magical. Thank you Brio!
(5)Melissa Y.
After a long day of traveling to the Baltimore area, we were looking for a place to have a nice dinner with family. This place was so accommodating to our needs with our daughter, who was visiting with Make-a-Wish! The service was fantastic and the food was even better! My daughter loved her pasta and my husband's steak was so good, I ordered it for myself later in the week when we had dinner there a second time! The appetizers are huge and well worth every penny! I highly recommend any dish on the menu based on the reaction of every family member at dinner. The portions are large and desserts were delicious! We had dinner provided at a very expensive restaurant in the area on another night and the food at Brio was by far better than the more expensive place. When we are in the Baltimore area, we will always keep this place on the must do list!
(5)April S.
Great menu of you are counting calories. I had a light grilled salmon dish and it was delish! Just the right amount of food and included some very tasty veggies. Matched it with an Estansia Pino.
(4)Thuy T.
Our dinner was too salty. Crab and shrimp cake and pasta with shrimps and lobster. Price was high food was warm not hot. Will not be back
(2)KM M.
Great service from our server James - really friendly, attentive, and made great recommendations. The outside seating was really nice and it wasn't crowded at all for a Saturday afternoon. The food was outstanding, especially the lobster bisque.
(5)Michelle R.
Love going here for lunch but sometimes it is hard to get in and out in an hour. Food is always good, staff is wonderful. Only problem I ever had was with takeout.
(4)Kendra J.
Ah yes, Brio, I must say is one of my favorite restaurants. It is almost never crowded, but also not so empty that you automatically think "Well this restaurant must be a bust". I always order a cajun chicken alfredo (one of my favorites), along with this fruity lemonade (non-alcoholic) they have that is TO DIE FOR. If you love sweet drinks I would definitely recommend the lemonade! The waiters and waitresses are very attentive and easy to talk to and/or get along with. Brio is especially nice during the warmer months when you can sit outside in the "patio" area and look directly at the harbor or see the blue angels' show which is exceptional. I have not been here for brunch, so lunch and dinner are all that I can account for but I must add that their wine list is pretty nice as well as their "light" menu for those watching calories. I am pretty sure they do not do deliver but I do know they have "take out" where you can obviously order ahead, pick-up, and be on your merry little way. I say give it a try since there seem to be varying opinions, but Brio def has two thumbs up from me!
(5)Patience M.
The service was pretty good but I was disappointed by the food. I ordered the crab and shrimp cakes. Not only was the portion small but one side of the cakes was burnt. This was definitely a case of the menu description sounding better than what I actually got. The cocktail was also very watered down. I was part of a large group of 20+ and the set up was not very comfortable. I would not recommended this restaurant for a party size over 12 or so. Not sure if I'll be back there anytime soon.
(3)David B.
Walked down from a local hotel and gave it a shot. Nice night to sit outside. Attentive service, good menu- went with a steak and a salad. Cooked perfectly and seasoned like I asked. Perfect.
(4)Laura T.
I came here because I love pasta and good wine! They ended up having both! The prices were good and the atmosphere wad delightful. The servers were pretty good add well. It's almost like an upscale Olive Garden that's why I couldn't give it a perfect score. They didn't have any standout dishes. But they gave a Peru good experience overall.
(4)Andy H.
Food is good. Service was horrible. Sat at the bar and service was beyond bad. Only saving grace was the guy baking the flat breads. He provided great service, probably because he could see it wasn't happening elsewhere.
(2)Dana M.
Came here after the baltimore half marathon. Needless to say I was hungry. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating of my food allergies, which is not an easy feat (gluten, dairy, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic) and came back to the table twice to make sure she had my order right and everything was prepared correctly! Food was good - I had grilled salmon, sweet potato hash, and broccoli. Parents had the sausage, pepperoni and ricotta flatbread and some kind of pasta (unhelpful, I know) but both said they were good. Great gluten free options - grilled meats, seafood, salads, and even GF pasta. Not sure what kind of flour it's made of, though.
(4)Kat D.
Good location, easy to walk from anywhere in the harbor area. I had the ham biscuit eggs benedict, it was good and the biscuit was nicely made. Not amazing but not bad, does for a decent breakfast or brunch in a pinch.
(3)Ariel N.
Ehhhh So Brio and I have a hate and love relationship. The food is great there but instead the service is terrible. My last visit my server was beyond rude. Since when do food comes out before drinks?? Im usually a very understanding customer. However when im the only customer you have and the service is still slow... then we really have a problem. lol I take complete blame because i had this server before and she was rude so i shouldve known better. I usually eat outside. That being said please be ready to hear a lot of police sirens and etc. So enough of the negative feedback. What i do love about this place is in summer time the view you get with the soothing italian music. I would highly recommand this place for happy hour after work and only happy hour. Very clean classy mature crowd. If the service tighten up i would then consider giving it 1 more star.
(3)Christy L.
This message is mainly for the bar area of Brio... Seeing as my office is directly across the street, my coworkers and I often find ourselves here after a grueling week to DRINK! I was actually surprised when I discovered that Brio is a chain. Their space has a distinct feel to it, and the bartenders are personable, super speedy, and know how to make a cocktail. And you can't beat their happy hour- a great selection of martinis, mojitos, wines, and sangria marked down to $5, plus HUGE bar "appetizers" for $3.95! (The full-sized Brio burger is on the $3.95 menu!) You can eat and drink to your stomach's delight for under $20! Plus, if you visit while the weather is still nice, you can grab a seat on their light-strung patio facing Pratt Street and the harbor. Would I make a special trip across town to come on a weekend? Nah.. but it certainly isn't a bad way to end a work day!
(4)Brittany B.
Food is awesome!! The service is great and location ideal. We came during a Sunday brunch time. They start you off with a basket of white bread and hard bread, both were great! I got the zuppa and insalade--minestrone and chopped salad with steak. The salad portion wasn't very big, just FYI. However, the soup was flavorful and the salad was very good. My table also got the berries and cream French toast and the turkey eggs Benedict. The French toast was HUGE and came with a ton of bacon. It receives an A+!
(5)Amber Z.
Had a wonderful time there last night! First time going to Brio with my boyfriend for an early Valentine's Day dinner-very romantic place for couples! Also had this AMAZING server, Mark, who made the experience fun and enjoyable! Food was delicious, perfect portion sizes. Also not too expensive! Defiantly recommend coming here!
(5)Alexander R.
I am not sure whether I should give 2 stars or 4, so I'll settle on 3. Also, I don't normally visit restaurants in the downtown Baltimore area and my opinion is largely based upon my experiences with eateries around Frederick. I was greeted by an employee who immediately told me they didn't know how to "work this thangg," while referring to an iPad that was being used to account for table reservations. I told them it was okay and then sat at the bar with a friend, where I requested an Argentinian Malbec from their signature wine selection. The bartend served the glass sloppily and with wine dripping all over the outside rim, hardly caring to wipe off and dry the consequence of his hasty pour. $10.25 for a hasty pour of an okay but nicely aromatic wine. Our friends arrived and we sat at our table. By now I began to realize that it was so loud in the place that I really couldn't hold a decent conversation with anybody sitting more than five feet from me. The ceiling architecture is visually stunning but creates a big problem for the acoustics of this place, as I began to realize that I was sitting in the center of this dome and could hear every conversation of every person in the room very clearly who was sitting at the domes edge. This was annoying, because these people were having annoying conversations. We were obviously the youngest crowd in attendance. Our waitress, obviously inexperienced and not fit to run a table by herself yet, brought us menus and asked for drink orders. She explained the menu to us and assured us that splitting our checks would be a royal PITA for her. We assured her that we were sorry we all were not one big happy family, or millionaires, for that matter. I asked her for some cheese to accompany the wonderful Malbec I brought from the bar, she assured me that she would provide butter. Oh good. Because butter is a great substitute for cheese. What the living f%*$? I refrained from laughing and just said that would be excellent and assumed she knew nothing about food/wine pairing...no biggie she is young. But then what really got me to laugh was when she brought our bottle and stated that our cab-er-NET was here. Here's the kicker of the whole night...she spilled the entire bottle on my buddy Isaiah. It's a good thing she didn't pour it on me, as I would have become the hulk on steroids. Every person in that restaurant would have heard me yell, "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?!". Luckily, Isaiah is a great sport and didn't make a peep of complaint despite his leg being soaked in red wine. At this point, we had the attention of the manager who quickly moved us to another table and provided different wait staff. He comped by buddy and offered dry cleaning, while paying for our bottle that had been dumped on the table. Overall, we were admittedly happy with this, despite the bad circumstances. Another note on dropping things, it seems like somebody dropped plates and glasses about every 10 minutes in the kitchen or at the bar. This was the loudest thing in the whole universe, to the point that everyone in the restaurant was clapping in annoyance and universal praise. So, would I come back? Nope. Would this place survive in Frederick? Only with a solid location and better prices. Otherwise, the only way this place is still operational is due to the fact that is inexpensive by Baltimore standards. Don't go. Save your ears, pants, and wallet...get some Subway instead and you won't have any worse of a time.
(3)Myles B.
I have held a personal grudge against this company for many years. Refused to darken their door or give them one cent of my money. My wife and I decided to let bygones be bygones and give this location a try. Our server Darrel was funny and attentive and made excellent recommendations. From start to finish he made the experience excellent. The food was superior. It had unique and amazing flavor combinations. It is pricey but well worth it. I will keep the burning embers of hatred for the one location that slighted us but if you are in the inner harbor this is a must have.
(4)Sarah G.
I'm always up for Italian food. Brio did not disappoint! Although I was hoping to see classic Tuscan wild boar on the menu, I was intrigued by the pasta with vodka sauce. This was no regular penne and vodka, this was handmade, ricotta stuffed pasta with a slightly spicy but super smooth vodka sauce, added grilled chicken and topped in prosciutto shavings. I kid you not, my stomach just started growling because my leftovers are waiting to be heated up. The service, while quite slow for a calm night, made up for the pace by handling my smart-alec relatives with ease and a smile. Our waitress had the kitchen make pizzas to order which weren't on the menu but were delicious nonetheless. Not a single one of our party of 6 had any complaints about the food- or wine- even though they were out of both of our first choice wines. Time for leftovers!
(4)Ro C.
Food and drinks, as expected. The wait time, very poor. The bar was empty, there were tables open, and every interaction with wait staff was almost every 30 minutes. After paying, we waited about 30 minutes for change.
(1)J B.
My daughter and I were in town and thought we would try. We did not know it was restaurant week but we went with that menu. My 16 year old insisted there was nothing she could eat on the menu but ended up eating her entire plate of pasta diavolo with shrimp. I had the same and it was enjoyable, spicy but not too much. She had tiramisu for dessert and I tried the chocolate caramel cake. Both very good. The service was fabulous and Marcus our waiter was very friendly and made great wine suggestions. I would definitely come back.
(4)I'Yann H.
I had an overall good time at Brio not because of the restaurant but rather the people I was with and our conversation. This was my first time going to Brio. I was greeted at the door and it wasn't crowded which is why I was seated almost immediately. I always wondered why it's never crowded when I walked by. When I got my appetizer which was a shrimp cocktail I figured out why! Lol The shrimp was so small and it was overpriced!!! The service is really good but I don't like how early the kitchen closes. The dessert is overpriced as well!! But hey you never know until you try. If you have the time and money go check it out! Good Luck!!
(3)Rachel S.
AWESOME Happy Hour spot. Arguably the best in the city. Brio goes above and beyond. Not only $5 wines and cocktails, they boast $3.95 apps and burgers. Yes, you read that correctly. Three dolla 95 cent. And we're not talking mixed nuts and hummus: beef carpaccio with field green salad, pan seared shrimp with romano-crusted eggplant, flatbreads, top-notch burgers, and more. Sound too good to be true? Contrary to the norm, it's not. As if the options weren't enough to impress, the portions are shockingly generous. How do you do it, Brio? Meh, who cares how, you've won me over. Undoubtedly a new regular haunt for this little Yelper.
(4)Brian N.
First time visiting Brio, 15 minute wait for a table. Very courtesy and staff was pleasant. A concern in our hospitality. Garlic spinach dip was excellent. Food proportion suffice we actually took half our meal home. Atmosphere loud and talkative. Will be including Brio in my restaurant to visit on a regular basis.
(4)Evelyn D.
Love this place for happy hour. Can get very crowded, so come early to get a seat. Full size apps discounted starting at 3pm.
(4)Eric W.
we went for late dinner. service was good and food was fine. Portion was small though
(4)Chris I.
The food was excellent and the service impeccable. Ask for Morgan. He was an amazing server, made great recommendations on the food, very attentive and generally made it a great experience.
(5)Angela B.
The service was awesome. Our waiter was friendly and polite. The food was amazing. I had a pasta dish with capers and blackened chicken. Absolutely fantastic. If you are visiting here and you want to eat at a chain, this a must go.
(5)Edward B.
On a Saturday evening this was the only restaurant without a 3 hour wait so our group was prepared for an interesting experience. What we received was an amazing waiter who was knowledgeable and efficient, excellent food, and to end the meal we were asked if we would like to take advantage of a 20% off special we did not even know about. 6 people let full and happy complete with dessert for less then $115.00 (without tip).
(4)Jessica R.
My family and I went to the Brio last weekend and had a wonderful experience! Although it was Valentines Day and we did not have a reservation, we were welcomed by the hostesses and seated within a short 10 minute wait. Our server, named Corey, was very friendly and even made us laugh. The managers were also friendly and very attentive to our needs and even gave us complimentary appetizers & drinks. Also, the bartender was great. I ordered a pomegranate martini and it was delicious and pretty strong too! Thanks to the Brio for making our Valentines Day special. We will definitely be back!
(4)D J.
I have been here a number of times and many for happy hour. Great food, great prices, they raised them about a year ago but they are still more than reasonable. Sometimes wait time is a little long. They should have more beer on tap. The most beautiful bathroom in all of Baltimore, the marble is insane. Highly recommend, especially to check it out for some appetizers and drinks at the bar, nice convenient meeting spot.
(4)C L.
Stopped in for a drink outside on a beautiful afternoon, waited 20 mins for someone to ack we were there . Wasn't crowded, tables open outside & inside. My husband got tired of waiting for 1 of the 10 associates inside to ack he was there so we sat ourselves. Immediately after we sat down someone approached us and ask if we saw someone inside to be seated? Really ? Than we waited another 10 mins for her to determine if we really were waiting that long . Another 10 minute wait for menus. We gave our order of "no thank you" and left. We live in the city & love the Harbour but won't be back. Big ole thumbs down!
(1)Jenny H.
Great place to eat lunch! I like their menu, a nice selection of various pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Their appetizer sample of bruschetta was pretty good, and I loved their Tuscan Harvest salad- they give you a very generous portion, and it came chock full of dried cherries, cheese, almonds and other goodness (how I like it!!). The service was really great, and I loved sitting outside too. Next time I want to try their salmon salad, it looked really good!
(3)Jessica M.
Update: 9 people from a group of 18 got food poisoning. Not looking to good for this place!
(1)Mary R.
Had the greatest service tonight. Started with us being late, added to the party 10 more than the original reservation. The food was delicious, the servers were wonderful! Thanks for a great night! Go Army!
(5)Jeanette H.
I went to this location in Baltimore for happy hour when I was in town for work. I purposely skipped lunch so I could have happy hour as my lunch and dinner. Don't judge. After looking online and Yelp I decided on Brio because it was close to my hotel and the prices. I was able to have a couple drinks and a lot of food for about $20. During happy hour in the bar they have $3.95 taster items. Taster is a bit misleading as it is practically a full size items. I ordered the Tomato & Mozzarella Capri, Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread, and the BRIO Burger (cut into four pieces...how nice). In my defense, I did not eat all of the capri or the burger. I didn't care too much for the capri but I it is just because it isn't really my thing and not because it tasted bad. The flatbread was sooooo good! I tried to not eat it all but I couldn't. Lastly, the burger was very good as well but I was stuffed by time I got it so I couldn't finish it. The happy hour drinks were $5 so I ordered the White Peach Sangria and Sangria Rosa. The White Peach Sangria is way better and the one I recommend.
(4)Stephanie S.
My name is Stephanie and my husband and I live in Miami. We went to Baltimore and Washington, DC for a week long vacation to visit some family. We went to Brio one night in Baltimore and had one of the best dining experiences that we've had in a long time. Not only was the service fantastic, but the whole operation seemed to be running seamlessly on a Friday night. As I made my way to the restroom, one of the servers was happy to escort me through the restaurant and I felt like they were laying out the red carpet for me, knowing I was on vacation! The general manager was kind enough to stop by the table to make sure we had a great time and indeed we did. Thank you Brio Baltimore for contributing to a great vacation. My parents now go to your location once every week or two. Cheers, Stephanie
(5)Lily P.
Good chain! this venue had beautiful ceilings and is a good afterwork spot to go to. They have $5 martinis, great thin bread and also sourdough bread, The entrees for the most part are under $23 and their side salads are very fresh and generous. I had the lobster pasta which was very filling. The drink list also is an entire backside of their large menu. The service is super friendly and joke around with us. Def a good staple in the area to go to for dinner!
(3)Stephanie L.
I love Brio Tuscan Grille, however, I do not love the Pratt street location. The food is always excellent, but the service is horrible!!! I went to Brio within the first month of their opening with a friend during lunch. Everything was fabulous, great food, great service, and we were out of there in 45 minutes. I was excited to find a sit down restaurant downtown that you could get in and out of quickly. I only get one hour for lunch so speediness is a priority. I've been to Brio four times after my fabulous experience, and guess what... the service just went downhill. Today was the final straw for dining here during the lunch hour. It took over an hour and a half!!! The restaurant wasn't even at full capacity! My colleague ordered soup as an appetizer, it never came after waiting 45 minutes. He told the waiter to just forget about it. We finally received our meals after waiting 55 minutes. Everything we ordered was great, it just took forever!! Waiting for the check also took FOREVER!!! The check was messed up because it still had the soup on there, so that was another ten minutes of waiting. It was just ridiculous. If you're going to open a business downtown for the lunch hour, your staff should be trying to get people in and out as quickly as possible. I really hope management will try and correct this problem. Like I said, this was not a onetime occurrence. This was my fifth slow experience.
(2)Gina B.
This place was amazing! The food was all delicious and I am an Italian food snob!! I had friends in town who recommended it and I was a little hesitant because I am used to Little Italy, however this place outdid any place we have been. The food, service, and atmosphere were all excellent! Our servers name was Mark and he is the man! He was thorough, friendly, fast, funny, outgoing. I really can't say enough about him! It was the best service my boyfriend and I have ever had.
(5)J. Burke M.
I generally try to avoid chains when dining in Charm City, but at least I'm not eating at an Outback, right? This place is good and some of the meals are even really good. The service is also good, which is to be expected as they seemingly are staffed by 90-183 people at any given moment. This place is better than mediocre during the winter but during the spring and summer, there simply is no better place for outdoor drinks/dining near the Harbor. Yes, that is a little sad, but quite true.
(3)Andrew R.
I hadn't been into this space since it was legal seafood. I ordered the shrimp/crab cakes and calamari. The cakes were the size of a quarter and about 3/4 inch tall. There were two of them, isolated on a large plate, far removed from the obligatory greenage. The calamari was typical, over breaded and over cooked. Fortunately I wasn't paying for this (as it was a treat from a friend of mine). +1 star for the nice waiting area by the hostess stand.
(2)Megan H.
I experienced Brio with a group of 6 during an incredibly busy time for them. The service was quick, and cordial. Their food was delicious! If you like sangria, try the white peach sangria - so tasty!
(5)Contess L.
Topnotch service. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Will def go back again. If you are on a special diet just let them know and they can def assist. The manager and Duane are helpful!
(5)Illana Z.
I work near this location and had to laugh at a previous review. As someone who dines here 3 times a week I know it well. The waitress Crystal will constantly complain about her rent and/or living situation. She talks the entire time! She either smells like she works out before work and occasionally over compensates with too much body spray and it ruins your meal. It's an inter office joke about who gets stuck with her. This waitress aside, the staff is wonderful and very professional yet friendly and the food is delicious. I recommend the grilled salmon fresca. Although you can't go wrong with just about anything!
(4)Linda C.
While I was in Baltimore, we came here for HH after work couple times and I became a fan! They have cheap peach/pomegranate/blueberry sangria and cosmo for the price of $5! Their HH hour items consists of beef carpaccio, brio burger, spicy prawns with eggplant and flatbreads; just to name a few which I have tried! Seems like they planned it out to have something cater to every taste buds and they are all only $3.95! I particularly like their lobster bisque (non HH item) but it only costs $5.95 served with an elegant white ceramic bowl :) I would definitely come back to try out their dinner menu next time I am in town; which looks delicious for less than $20 per entree with a glance :)
(4)M F.
Horrible customer service. Don't even bother coming here. Bartenders are absolutely the worse.
(1)Nina G.
Waiter was nice and so was the ambiance but the food and wait time were horrible. I ordered the caprese salad. It was fair. My husband ordered the chopped salad and said it was fine. He ordered the half chicken as his entree. It was still bloody and not fully cooked. I ordered the chicken piccata and the aftertaste was chemically/rubbery. I sent it back and ordered the beef medallions, medium. It came charred with no pink inside. It too tasted chemically/rubbery along with the broccoli. It's probably non organic and the veggies are probably dirty and unwashed. 1 hour after dinner, my husband was doubling over in pain. I notified the manager because maybe there was a new cook or some monkey business in the kitchen. Needless to say, we will never visit another brio.
(1)Candice V.
I had the sweet potato and chicken risotto. It was absolutely delicious!! I wish I could eat it every day. Very fresh vegetables, amazing flavor. Excellent service as well.
(4)Spicy Z.
Great food and service!!!
(4)Carl A.
I did not want to go to Brio. I was definitely aw-shucksing as we walked up and joined our friends at a table that they had secured during the recent "Sailabration." I have a thing against chain restaurants and really have a thing against being in the Inner Harbor, so I was disappointed in this choice, and wasn't expecting much. That being said, I was a little bit surprised--in a good way. At how fast our server got us our salads and the appetizer we split. At how delicious the appetizer we got was--you can hardly go wrong with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. And at how reasonably priced it was. And, completely unrelated, how well you could see the Blue Angels' performance from the patio. All in all, though, this place is not much more than an Olive Garden that was forced into church clothes. The decor is a practiced Italian chain schtick, from the bathrooms labeled in Italian to the white tablecloths and servers in ties. The food is satisfying, but it isn't creative. It is, to be quite honest, boring. In saying that, it's perfect for the Inner Harbor. It's perfect for the tourists who prefer to stay on the beaten path, or for the suburban families hoping not to encounter any "mobs" (ugh). I wouldn't choose it again. But for once outing, one downtown tourist bonanza, I guess it was OK. And, with the crowds, the tall ships, the noise, OK was enough.
(2)Jean S.
Would recommend for happy hour -- cheap prices for great tastes! Drinks are also very delicious. I would say the service however was somewhat subpar but what can you expect at HH?
(4)Christie G.
I want to start off by saying I love Italian food and good customer service. Brio Tuscan Grill gave us both! The waiter was top notch, very friendly, knowledgeable of the menu and how the food would be prepared. He was also very attentive. He gave a very appreciated suggestion as to what we should order based on what we told him we liked - combination of tastes. It was fabulous! and what a romantic setting! Brio has outdone themselves in that area also . My boyfriend and I came to Baltimore for a romantic getaway, and what is better then a wonderfully prepared Italian meal, with great service, soft atmosphere and the man you adore? There isn't one! Brio is our new favorite restaurant! Thank you for a wonderful evening and we will be back! Christie and Ken
(5)Pradeep R.
My first time to this restaurant on Pratt St near Inner Harbor. The food is good - especially the penne pasta with chicken and the chicken bruschetta appetizer. The chicken under the brick grill was tender but salt/flavor did not perculate well into the chicken. The bad aspect at this restaurant is their not so good attention to detail like setting the table right and also the inordinate delay in serving water and cooked food. But since the food is good, I am giving it 4 stars.
(4)Andrew M.
No amount of chianti and Tuscan marketing at the bright sunny bar can whisk you to the hills of Florence away from the plate glass display of Southern High school masses loudly roughhousing, rapping, and flirting across Calvert Street at the Gallery Mall bus stop. Conceived in the mecca of chains, Columbus, Ohio, Brio has it's act together. Brio is a welcome additon to the Pratt Street chainland corridor, where it joins Sullivans and Kona to attract employment, hope, and tourist dollars to the inner harbor. Don't blame Brio for the stretch of trees that was bulldozed to make room for the patio's front row view of turn 1 at the Baltimore Grand Prix. The iron fisted Mayor condemned a fate worse than death to political opponents, exorcism from "her" Ravens box seats, to those who dared question her fiscally insane multi year Indy Car race contract. A phony green policy means the trees' loss is Brio's gain. So, kick up your feet, grab a Peroni, don't forget earplugs, and enjoy the outside table service at the race. $3 generous appetizers at happy hour are a delicious steal that should keep patrons coming when crickets hibernate in the Inner Harbor over the winter. A business lunch is $15 for a decent and predictable salad or pasta entree. The staff is friendly, the space attractive, and no expense was spared to make sure Brio doesn't suffer the, knock on wood, Legal Seafood curse of a doomed restaurant location. Holy smokes! If Brio can make it in this space, maybe downtown is finally due for a stand alone Starbucks. Oh yeah, Starbucks is opening next door to Brio next week. Baltimore, we have arrived.
(4)Jennifer S.
A visit to the Inner Harbor included a pleasant experience at chain restaurant Brio. Eating late evening on a Monday night meant our party of 5 (4 adults and a rambunctious 3 year old) had the place to ourselves. Many times a late dinner yields spotty customer service and iffy results from the kitchen ... luckily, that was definitely not the case this evening! It was my first time at this venue, while the rest of my party make this Monday evening dinner a ritual at least 4 times a year. They keep coming back so obviously that's a great sign. I do have to say the highlight of the evening was superior service provided by KC! He was an absolute joy and had delightful character. He was quite tolerant of our "little person" who bounced around as you might expect of a toddler. KC made sure the kids meal came out promptly in order to keep our munchkin content. KC helped guide us to our perfect entrée which was greatly appreciated. I found the food to be excellent and I believe everyone's appetizer and entrees arrived as ordered. I also happened to order a Cucumber Basil Gimlet which proved to be a well-balanced cocktail. My favorite part of the evening included KC's presentation of desserts: He had much fun (as did we) watching him define and explain each dessert and its forte. Our gaggle certainly believes dessert is serious business and KC understood this well. (Check out the photo I included showing KC at work!) Cheers to a wonderful first experience at Brio! I plan to visit again on a Monday evening in early April and we hope to see KC there!
(5)Monique D.
Before going to Orioles games I really like to go to the bar at Brio for there great happy hour specials. After the game on 6/25 I decided to go to the bar since it is advertised that they also have happy hour from 9p to close. I walked in the door at 9:45pm. A few people were still in the dining area and even more people in the bar area. As soon as I sat down I was informed by the bartender that I had to order in 5 minutes because the kitchen would be closed . So thats what I did, I ordered quickly without really having a chance to look at the menu. What is purpose of having a late night happy hour that lasts for only one hour? It would be better just to have no late night happy hour at all. While sitting at the bar I watched many people come to the bar for food and drinks but leave when they found out that the kitchen was closed. Maybe Brio does not need the business. Maybe Brio should only have drink specials for it's late night happy hour and no food? I do not think that I will return again for late night happy hour with so many other options in the area.
(2)Eric L.
I just wanted a nice meal, outside, on a nice Saturday afternoon as I walked my 8 month old daughter through the Harbor. She was sound asleep so was good for me to enjoy some quiet time and a nice meal. Being a local, I was hesitant enough on trying out a chain but gave it a shot. I first ordered a draft beer that took at least 10 minutes to arrive. I then proceeded to order the burger and a side Caesar salad. I added that I would like anchovies with it, and the waitress gave me an odd look but then took the order and walked away. I must have waited 30 minutes from that point for anything, not even the salad. Not only did I not receive my salad first, I received the burger and the salad 5 mins later. I wanted my salad first (like most people) so I waited. I realized no anchovies came with the salad but by that point I didn't care. Guess why the anchovies weren't on the salad? THEY WERE ON MY BURGER! I told the waitress and she nonchalantly said "Wow, we were wondering how that would taste". I have been to a handful of restaurants since and I am always asked if I would like anchovies with my Caesar. I didn't even get anything knocked off my bill, my daughter had woken up by this point, and my "new" burger was absolutely disgusting. This place is the tourist trap I thought it would be. If you are visiting Baltimore get in a cab and go to Fells Pt. Canton or Federal hill and stop wasting your money on places like this.
(1)Shannon S.
Brio is a chain Italian restaurant; if you go into there with that knowledge, then you'll enjoy yourself. Nothing is going to jump out as "amazing", but, it's a step up from Olive Garden and Bertuccis. The creamy-foods are very rich, but the portions are good. The pastas look OK (I haven't tried any). The best thing I've had on the menu is a grilled salmon salad. It's served with a heavy balsamic dressing, so if you're not a huge fan of heavy dressings, switch it, or get it on the side. The salad is a huge portion, fish always seems fresh, asparagus, tomatoes, probably some other veggies I can't remember; all in all, it's pretty good. The staff is overly friendly and for the first two weeks was a little too in your face with their service. They've definitely calmed down and are in the swing of things. I've been there a few times because I work nearby (and am sick of Kona Grill); my order has been wrong once, people I've dined with have experienced this too, but we wrote it off because they're still working out the kinks. If you're looking for a good lunch during a work break, or possibly a meal with the family on the weekends, I would recommend this place.
(3)Lisa G.
I decided to take a trip down to Brio from my office the other day (weather was beautiful). Instead of dining in, I decided to get take out. Walking in, the place was beautiful... it's a brand new restaurant with great outside seating. I ordered at the bar, the bartender was very nice and helped me with the new menu. I ordered the Lasagna which came with a choice of three salads. I got the Chopped salad with parmesan dressing. (fyi, their caesar dressing has raw egg in it for anyone who has a dietary restriction like myself). Lunch total was about $15.00. I get back to my office and dig in. The Chopped salad was yummy (except for the olives I had to pick off -I'm not a fan of olives). But overall, the salad and parmesan dressing was yummy. As far as the Lasagna, let's just say it wasn't momma's recipe. It had a nice flavor to it but I would not ever order it again. It was about the size of a KitKat bar and about an inch and a half thick (very small if you ask me). Like I said, the flavor was nice -it had a nice italian sausage flavor. However, it wasn't a hearty dish like Lasagna is known to be. Little red sauce, a lot of white sauce and, quite honestly, I was a little disappointed. Bottom line, if you want Lasagna, like the traditional hearty favorite, I would stick to Little Italy or somewhere else. If you would want to try something "like" Lasagna, like Lasagna's skinny cousin, give it a try. Regardless of the lack luster Lasagna, I am not turned off. I plan to return and try something else on the menu. Hopefully, it will be a winner.
(3)John H.
I was hoping for same quality as other locations but this was very disappointing. The service was extremely slow for the level of people in the place. It was clear I wasn't a priority for the server. The food quality was poor from the salad to the salmon.
(1)Lina K.
Great option that isn't as crowded as the restaurants across the street. Went down last weekend for a baseball game. The other residents in the harbor all had 45 + min waits. This place was across the street and no wait. Good service and decent prices. I had a salmon salad and my dad got the burger. Both were excellent. They bring good bread out to the table too.
(4)Ray S.
This spot had good food and a nice atmosphere. I thought the prices were decent for the location in the inner harbor. If your spending the day at the mall and don't want crappy food court food then give this place a try!
(3)Sonny A.
I have to say that this place is beautiful inside. I walked in and really loved the brightness and nice decor. While it is not conventional Italian, the food is good here. Angel Hair pasta with chicken was good, and so was the Lemon chicken. Shrimptini was a nice touch. I'd go back again. Very nice service.
(3)Jenn H.
So this place is LOVELY!! I mean for realsies!! I went here with my family and we all ordered different items, so I have several different dishes to talk about. We had the house bread, which was yummers. Served warm and filling but not overly bready if you know what I mean. I'm not really a bread eater, but I enjoyed it very much. It tasted especially good with the crab fonduta appetizer we got, although this came with these parmesan crisps that were sooo gooood!!! Jumbo lump crab meat with delicious melted cheese fondue. WOW!! Way good. I mean so perfectly proportioned. Not too hot. Not TOO cheesy. Just right. Jumbo lump crab meat--excellent. Then we had the calamari. Oh my my my!!! Since that day we have been trying to find a place that is as good, but no place (in my opinion) can match it, at least not so far. Soooo good. It came with two different types of sauce--the classic marinara and a white 'house' sauce of some sort, not a tzatziki, not ranch, but really good. Not sure what they call it, but it is creamy and dairy based. Something that I also usually don't have but when I go out I try not to hold back due to mild dietary restrictions...I'm terrible. I break my rules all the time :) Next was my dish, the lobster and shrimp ravioli. So...yes. It was yum. It was VERY yum. I mean so good. They make it with a limoncello butter sauce. So filling. So tasty. So creamy and perfect and sinfully delicious. I love seafood and this was some damn good seafood pasta. Seriously. A little sweet due to the limoncello sauce, which I could have done without (an alfredo would have done just as nice), but yummy nonetheless. One of the other dishes we got were pork chops. Ok, so I love pork although I don't really eat pork chops that much. I eat them, but having switched back to being an omnivore within the last 3 years, I have only eaten pork chops thrice, each time someone else ordered them and I went out to eat. And this place comes in second place....out of 3. Their pork chops were very good, don't get me wrong. Cooked to perfection. Seasoned with love. And what a generous portion they give you. All around delish. My only problem was the quality of meat. The last place I had pork chops from was this place called Town in Honolulu, Hawaii and they serve grass fed, organic chops (but the menu always changes so if they don't have it and you go, that's why) and I promise you can SO tell the difference between meat that has been well taken care of and ate well versus meat that is questionable. The meat is a bit tougher and the quality is a tad bit poorer. Seems as though I'm being harsh, but I don't mean to be, I just know the difference. Had I not had the organic fed chops prior, I may not know the difference. And knowing is half the battle! (G.I.Joe psa reference) The last dish we had was the jumbo lump shrimp crab cakes and they were very good. I thought they were a bit small when they were brought to the table, but they were filling and the veggie medley accompaniment was the perfect compliment. In fact the chops also had a veggie medley that came as sides with each meal. Ok. So I almost forgot. We did order another dish. Dessert. So I love dessert. I bake. I love to eat. Now, I don't always order it at restaurants, due to the fear of disappointment and over-stuffed-ness and lack of interest, but this time I did. Similar to PF Chang's, Brio has these shot glass desserts, which I usually love. I ordered the tiramisu dessert shot and my brother ordered the strawberry cheesecake shot. I was incredibly disappointed by the tiramisu. The lady fingers were non-existent and dry, not espresso soaked...boo!! It was flavorless and just unhappiness in a shot glass...which I didn't think could be possible!!!! Ugh! Very unhappy. PF Chang's tiramisu shots are (consistently) WAY better. And I have been there a million times and don't care for the food, but I dig the dessert. Go there if you want a mini bite of delish after din din. Now, Brio's cheesecake shot on the other hand, was good. I regretted my decision upon tasting my bro's dessert. I mean if they had screwed that up, I would have been irate. But I'm still calm....for now. .... We also tried the house Riesling wine which was nice. It was a tad dry, but nice. I did not order it, but I tasted it and I enjoyed it. I could definitely see myself ordering a bottle and downing that. That could TOtally happen. The service was the only part that I felt needed much improvement. Our server was great. Very attentive, friendly and kind. And funny, which I loved. The hostess on the other hand was rude, clearly having a bad day and taking it out on ALL the customers (or just us) and just erroneous all together. I could have sat myself and been just as happy if not happier with the outcome of that evening. So overall check it out if you are down for good seafood, but not ready to spend Rusty Scupper prices, although Brio is quite expensive in its own right.
(4)Tamara B.
Good food... TERRRRRRIBLE service and RUDE waiters do not make paying $16/pizza + tip even close to worth it. Will NEVER eat here again. We went to Brio for the first time on a Sunday afternoon lunch around 1pm. We walked in and the restaurant was completely empty, except for a maybe 3-4 other tables. Once sat we were approached by our server who rattled off the daily specials in an extremely unenthusiastic and quiet way in which neither myself nor my boyfriend could hear, let alone understand. The food was brought to our table in a timely manner, but the waiter dropped off the pizza without a word and headed over to the bar where the Baltimore Raven's game was on. He did not ask if there was anything else we needed, or if we would like more water (which was empty). Once we got the pizza, I got up and walked over to the counter to see if I could find crushed red peppers myself- since there was no one around or paying attention. I returned to my table, ate a slice and then approached another waiter whom I asked if I they had peppers... which he responded "I will bring them right over ma'am". We waited for 5 minutes and realized that he had completely disregarded our request. Not once during our meal did someone walk over and ask how the meal was, or if there was anything else that we needed (still with empty water glasses)... they were too busy watching the Ravens game. After we had stacked our dishes hoping that someone would come help us- he came over, asked if we were finished, grabbed our plates and left- completely disregarding the fact that I was trying to hand him my credit card so we could get out of this uncomfortable and rude restaurant as fast as possible. He dropped off the check, took my card, and dropped off the final bill without so much as a thank you or have a great day. Paying $16 for a personal pizza (without tip) is way to much money to spend at a restaurant that does not care about your experience, make you feel welcome in their restaurant (or worse- actually makes you uncomfortable in their restaurant), and have waiter that hate their job and customer service... I will never dine at this Brio location ever again...
(1)Rita C.
Excellent food with fresh ingredients. We experienced spotty service during our different visits there and concluded that the bar is consistently slow. But the server named Nakia in the dining room is consistently awesome. Ask for her.
(4)Derrick E. V.
Brio on The Wine'tastic Mile of Baltimore I visited Brio for an early dinner about a week ago. We had the Bistecca Insalata and the Caesar Salad for apps. Both were very good. Our entrees were the Lasagna Bolognese and Veal Milanese. For a chain restaurant it was well prepared. I was happy with service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The wine selection is average but the Cataldi Montepulciano was a very good wine for around $40.00. I would give Brio 4 out of 5 stars. I also like the bar and patio cocktail tables.
(4)Ned F.
So I get a compliment from this user: yelp.com/user_details?us… "Get a grip......if you want fast food go to McDonald's. You seem to be the only that has an issue with this place. Maybe you should stay in Columbia!!" We didn't want fast food, you idiot. That was the point. 15 minutes turned to 30 minutes to an hour. Maybe you are as stupid as the folks that work and run this one in Baltimore.
(1)Nichole B.
I had the pleasure of dining with a colleague this past Friday for lunch and we decided to try Brio. I have been meaning to try this place for months and I am still kicking myself for not trying this wonderful establishment sooner. The weather was superb last Friday so we decided to dine on the patio during the lunch time rush. The food was phenomenal. Our server was far the best server I have ever had in a long time, she was very knowledgeable about the various dishes that was on the menu and recommended some of her favorites. We started our lunch with drinks of course, I will recommend that you try any of the frozen beverages, a great compliment on a warm summer afternoon. I decided to try the crab and shrimp cakes. I wish they were a tab bit bigger, but they were prepared nicely with a creamy horseradish that was not over powering at all and they are served with roasted vegetables and crispy potatoes, you also have a choice of adding there house Caesar salad or a bistecca insalata salad which is basically a iceberg wedge salad with bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles and a creamy dressing. It was the best wedge salad that i have eaten in a long time. I could honestly just eat that for lunch by itself. My colleague tried their brio bisteca burger, which is served with bacon, Provolone, lettuce, roasted tomato mayonnaise and Pinot Noir onions. He said that it was the best burger he has had in such a long time. The food was so delicious that I am so excited to bring my friends and partake in dinner or lunch again. Brio is a wonderful addition to the Pratt Street corridor. It is definitely a step up from other chains such as Olive Garden and Carrabas. It is also a great place that caters well to the lunch business crowd in Downtown Baltimore and I highly recommend this establishment. The waitstaff is very attentive and prompt and that is good selling point in the restaurant industry. I would definitely return to Brio and try other dishes and also partake in Happy Hour as well.
(4)Fred E.
After reading the Yelp reviews, wasn't expecting a whole lot and that's what I got. Away on business, it's not particularly fun dining alone but at Brio I was very comfortable with the atmosphere and level of service. It is better than an Olive Garden but not a whole lot. I had a chopped salad to start which was fine. The salmon dish was fine too. Even though Little Italy is steps away, I just needed food and a place to relax before working the next day. And both I got. The TV's at the bar were a bit of a distance from my table but they provided a surprisingly welcome distraction. The low noise level (restaurant was less than half full) and the relaxing pace of the wait service suited my needs. I would say a reasonable value for what you pay especially being in the Inner Harbor.
(3)Nia L.
Go for Happy Hour!! Have been wanting to check out this restaurant since they started construction. Finally decided to go for Happy Hour last Friday. While I was disappointed that their happy hour did not include drinks, I figured I could not turn down a tempting $2.95 appetizer menu. And it was delicious; I tried the bruschetta and my friend ordered the shrimp and eggplant as well as the artichoke dip. We were both pleasantly surprised and full. And with a $15 check we had no choice but to leave happy. The waiter gave us a wonderful dessert presentation but since we were leaving to get drinks somewhere else, we didn't want to sample. They were also 2.95 each! I saw other patrons order items from the $2.95 Tuscan Tasters menu (a very generous burger and a beautifully presented shrimp cocktail) and I knew that I would be back soon...and I will be this week :) The waiter was very attentive and brought me another drink even though I had only taken a few sips out of my first one lol. I can't think of too many negatives about this place. Aside from the alcohol-less happy hour, but they have a Wednesday night special so I guess that makes up for it. And the food alone is worth the trip. Happy hour seating is limited to the bar and patio, and since I arrived before 4 I had no trouble finding a seat. This may not be the case during peak hours. 8/13: Revisited Brio last week and the happy hour prices have climbed but still worth the trip.
(4)Catherine C.
I came to Brio for Saturday brunch with a group of 5 people. It was a lovely sunny Saturday and we decided to sit outside and get some sunlight. We were from out of town visiting, and a friend of a friend recommended that we try this restaurant. Our waiter was really nice and we got the "southern hospitality" vibe from his service. Some of us ordered mimosa which the waiter recommended, enticing us with the fact that it was made with freshly squeezed orange juice. I don't remember which pasta I ordered, but it was absolutely delicious and the portions were very generous. If I ever visit Baltimore again, I would definitely come back to this restaurant.
(5)Ashley P.
Love this place. Been here a handful of times where I have sat at the bar and a table with excellent service. Everytime I have been there I try something new and continue to love it. If you are looking for a good salad I would recommend the salmon one or the chicken, strawberry one.
(4)Chris P.
Upon walking in to this restaurant I was met with a wall of smoke that had obviously come from an overzealous grill cook or a malfunctioning exhaust fan. It was literally cloudy with smoke inside the dining room. The heat inside this place bordered on ridiculous. The waitress was very good; very personable and attentive to our large party of 12. The calamari appetizer was not bad. Probably 4/5 stars. Crispy, not chewy and still warm when it arrived at the table. I ordered the Mezza Chicken Limone; Piccata style chicken cooked with white wine, lemon and capers alongside herb-spaghetti and roasted vegetables. What I received was a soggy chicken breast soaking in what I can only describe as a pool of lemon juice with a hint of butter. This monstrosity was topped with capers and lemon slices. The spaghetti was just...ok. Nothing special. I got about a third of the way through the part of the chicken that hadn't been soaking in citrus and tasted the bland, distinct taste of cooked egg. I assume the chicken had been coated with an egg wash prior to breading. Too much egg wash in my opinion. I shouldn't be tasting scrambled eggs in my "italian" chicken dish. I gave up on the chicken and finished the pasta and some of the vegetables, leaving annoyed and not wanting to return.
(2)Arwa M.
We tried Artichoke Crusted Beef Medallions with salad and Shrimp Verduta. I would say it was all fresh well cocked but the seasoning weren't good at all. The meat was too salty and the pasta had no salt at all I think adding more parmesan would help to make this dish a good one. I would say for the price it wasn't enough to like the place other than this everything is good (service, atmosphere).
(2)Angelina G.
The worst! They lost my dad's credit card and they said they 'll wont charge the meal, but that never happened. We spent hours in the restaurant waiting for the waitress to look out for the credit card, the manager didnt offer the phone or anything to cancel the card, it was such a bad experience.
(1)LoveGoodFood A.
Delicious food but rather pricy for the serving sizes. For lunch, our table had the spinach artichoke dip, beef medallions with mushroom sauce, carbonera pasta, grilled salmon, tomato bisque, and one iced tea. After leaving a tip, the bill was over $100 for three people.
(3)Tiffany G.
I am really pleased with Brio. I have always had amazing service and the food is unbelievable. Every time I go there I try something different and I am always pleased with my food. Even though this is a chain, they act as if it is a local family business. Love it and will keep going back.
(5)They Call Me L.
Brio gives me the feel of a more upscale Olive Garden, with better food. We were there for lunch midweek before heading to the Aquarium. The place was hopping with the lunch business crowd, and given how packed they were, our waitress did a fine job in taking care of us. I loved my entree salad - Tuscan chicken, I believe it was. Everyone else in my party of four enjoyed their meal as well.
(4)A. C.
(04/11/2012) Not a bad place for a chain at the Inner Harbor. They've got some great d $5 drink specials and $3.95 happy hour "small plates". HH plates were actually quite substantial. Overall, everything is oversalted and not subtle in flavoring; tailored to the masses. Best plate was the Beef Carpaccio, tender, paper-thin, shaved slices of lean round, drizzled with a Dijon mayo, capers and a balsamic dressed pile of spring mix. Ravioli with pesto and a jarred marinara were ordinary; Roasted Garlic, Spinach and Artichoke dip was sufficiently creamy, but oversalted and lacked any distinct artichoke flavors; a flatbread with sausage and pepperoni was as expected, crisp, salted meat with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan; Lettuce wraps were interesting, hard to eat (iceberg wilts under the heat of pile of hot Bolognese), Bolognese was meaty and spicy, rich mouthfeel, proportion of the wrap was unbalanced (too much meat for the leaves of lettuce). Fruit mojitos were overly sweet, cocktails were made with a heavy hand. Great deals for happy hour, seems to be popular with the suits spilling out of the surrounding office cubes and out-of-town baseball fans wandering down to the Yards.
(3)JJ H.
Horrible experience. I was in town on vacation, wanted to kick it in my hotel room and ordered dinner from here online. It is right next door, so when they told me it would be ready at 5:58, I showed up at 5:58. The hostess looked confused, and told me to go to the bar. The bartender must have been having a rough night, because she did NOT want to help me. She started muttering under her breath, complained about having to get my ticket to the guy/pizza chef next to her... The wait staff seemed ver nice- they asked me a few times if someone was helping me, because it sure looked like no one was. Long story short, she complained to the hostess, she then FINALLY went back to check for my order, at 6:15...she found ti sitting back there, but wouldn't give it to me because a manager had to transfer or release the ticket. So I stood there another 10 minutes before he came out. So I didnt get out of htere till about 6:30... It would have been quicker for me to sit down and order. Then to top it off, I get back, and the order was missing my salad...AVOID this place.
(1)Daniel D.
Apparently $5 martinis draw in groups - it did ours! With about 10 people in our little group we were seated quickly and our appetizers and drinks were served just as quickly. After all our 'light fare', I only ordered the lobster bisque and a chopped salad, both were fantastic. I look forward to visiting again and giving the entrees a shot. Long story short: its not little Italy, but its pretty good! Ask for Richard, he's surely one of the best servers there.
(4)Jeff M.
Having just gotten back from Italy, I ordered the fish del giorno thinking it would be nice to have Tuscan-style seafood. It was blackened--probably I misread the menu. Anyhow, even for blackened it was too heavily peppered, IMHO. The vegetable it came with were heavily salted, but edible. The service was bad. The waiter was very slow about refilling drinks, and generally brought luke-warm iced tea with no ice. They were also very stingy with the bread.
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