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Name: Pazo Restaurant
Address: 1425 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD, 21231
Telephone: (410) 534-7296
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.51

Pazo Restaurant

1425 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD, 21231

(410) 534-7296
Store is closed

Pazo Restaurant Menu

Tapas - Cold

Shrimp Pintxo

Spicy Eggplant Salad

Spanish White Anchovie

Tonno Crudo

Trio Of Cevich

Marinated Arbequina Olives

Spicy Garbanzo Bruschetta

Spanish Clementine Pintxos

Tuna Tartare

Marcona Almonds
Tapas - Jamon

Serrano

Iberico

Paleta Iberico

Quixote Chorizo

Mixed Plate Of Meat Cheese & Snacks
Tapas - Hot

Lump Crab Buñuelos

Chorizo & Morcilla Pintxos

Potato & Manchego Croquetas

Local Broccoli A La Planxa

Wood-grilled Mushrooms

Bistek

Pork & Veal Empanadas

Cava Battered Crispy Cauliflower

Goat Cheese Empanadas

Chicken Pintxos

Sea Scallops A La Planxa

Local Haricots Verts

Burger-sito

Lamb Chop

Local Brussels Sprouts

Wilted Spinach

Papas Fritas

Zucchini Cakes

Calamari A La Planxa

Grilled Whole Sardine
Tapas - Pizza Napoletana

Bianca

Cristina

Catalan

Siciliana

Iberico
First

Saffron Malloreddus

Manchego & Manzana Salad

Roasted Red Beet Salad

Local Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soups

Shrimp "blt"

Creekstone Farms Beef Tenderloin Tartare

Arugula Salad

Braised Rabbit Ravioli

Catalan Fisherman Suquet

Gambas A La Planxa
Main

Merluza

Sea Scallops

Monkfish

Arroz La Bomba
From The Wood Grill

Duck Magret

Chicken Breast Paillard

Leg Of Lamb Steak

Creekstone Farms Hanger Steak

Berkshire Pork Chop
Cheese

Mahon

La Peral

Campo De Montalban

Manchego

Garrotxa

Valdeon

Montenebro

Cana De Cabra
Sweet

Hazelnut Chocolate Bars

Frozen Kalamansi Mousse

Spanish Clementine Tart

Arroz Con Leche

Trio Of Housemade Sorbets

Trio Of Housemade Ice Cream

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pazo Restaurant

Tapas - Cold

Shrimp Pintxo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Eggplant Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish White Anchovie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tonno Crudo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio Of Cevich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Marinated Arbequina Olives [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spicy Garbanzo Bruschetta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Clementine Pintxos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Marcona Almonds [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tapas - Jamon

Serrano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Iberico [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paleta Iberico [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Quixote Chorizo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mixed Plate Of Meat Cheese & Snacks [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tapas - Hot

Lump Crab Buñuelos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chorizo & Morcilla Pintxos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato & Manchego Croquetas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Broccoli A La Planxa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wood-grilled Mushrooms [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bistek [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork & Veal Empanadas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cava Battered Crispy Cauliflower [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Goat Cheese Empanadas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Pintxos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Scallops A La Planxa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Haricots Verts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Burger-sito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lamb Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Brussels Sprouts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wilted Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Papas Fritas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zucchini Cakes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calamari A La Planxa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Whole Sardine [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tapas - Pizza Napoletana

Bianca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cristina [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Catalan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Siciliana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Iberico [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
First

Saffron Malloreddus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Manchego & Manzana Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Red Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soups [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp "blt" [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Creekstone Farms Beef Tenderloin Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arugula Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Braised Rabbit Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Catalan Fisherman Suquet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gambas A La Planxa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Main

Merluza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sea Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Monkfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arroz La Bomba [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
From The Wood Grill

Duck Magret [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Breast Paillard [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Leg Of Lamb Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Creekstone Farms Hanger Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Berkshire Pork Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Cheese

Mahon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

La Peral [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Campo De Montalban [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Manchego [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garrotxa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Valdeon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Montenebro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cana De Cabra [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sweet

Hazelnut Chocolate Bars [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Frozen Kalamansi Mousse [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Clementine Tart [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Arroz Con Leche [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio Of Housemade Sorbets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Trio Of Housemade Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Mike M.

I have multiple personality disorder at Pazo. Specifically, just two personalities that are in constant conflict with one another. Think the Niki/Jessica egos on Heroes (when the show wasn't weird and kinda sucky). One personality thinks Pazo stands for "Pretentious Assholes, Zealously Overdressed" who are trying (1) to be someone they're not and (2) to look cool and sexy to others. It ruins the experience for him and makes him want to leave ASAP. The second personality wants to have a good time, but needs to put everything else on ignore so that he can enjoy the food (mainly the raw and cheese menus), a martini and his friends. Maybe I should take lithium before I go again... Yes, the place tries very hard to be hip and trendy and so do the people who patronize it. My most recent experience at Pazo crossed me and my friends with a very drunk and extremely ignorant man and woman, the former of whom worked for "the governor" and had to compare himself to us based on our boss. He literally asked, "Who is your boss?" rather than, "What kind of work do you do?" Upon finding out that we are all scientists with masters or doctoral degrees, one of whom works for a world famous scientist, he became quite rude and began insulting us as "lame and arrogant." Wow. Threatened much? We were just answering questions and trying to make conversation. We started ignoring him. He soon left us alone, probably because we wouldn't entertain such ignorance and he could no longer compensate for his most likely small penis. These are the types at Pazo. It's sad. Why it's so sad is that the space is architecturally beautiful (a converted warehouse), with a large bar, a lounge full of comfy couches, chairs and booths, and two floors of seating for dining. The menu is diverse. Martini options change regularly. They even have savory martinis, which I'm hestant to try, like the BLT-ini. Vodka, bacon infusion, tomato water and pepper. Scary, though part of me just wants to taste it, though I'm unwilling to pay if I'll hate it. The wine list is large and fairly reasonable in price. The food is diverse for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, influenced by cuisine of Spain, Italy, and Sicily. My favorite is the Tonno Crudo. The service is often excellent as well. I do like going to Pazo occassionally, but I definitely need long respites between visits. I have to mentally prepare myself to deal with the clientele and then I need to go through douchebag detox after leaving.
(3)
Katie F.

Great decor, although the chairs at the upstairs tables are very uncomfortable--they're plasticy and everyone in my group was sliding off them. Food was good to very good. We had the pre-set tapas dinner for 10. The eggplant dip was just average (a little slimy, but that's eggplant for you) and the dough for the empanadas was a little thick; however, the beef brisket and the lamb chop were delicious. If you're a wine drinker, get the malbec (not the malbec blend). Service was good; could have been slightly more attentive, but fine. Valet parking is free if you get the ticket validated, but $25 if you don't, so don't forget to do that.
(3)
Fat T.

Very trendy setting. The dishes for the most part were excellent. Went with a party of 10ish and order 25 plates. Good food and lively atmosphere...a good change up to traditional quiet settings.
(5)
Michael C.

We really wanted our first night out in Baltimore to be a yummy one, so we read some good reviews about Pazo, checked out the menu, and decided to make a rez. I was really disappointed on many levels. Not gonna sugar-coat this one. First, the atmosphere was pretentious and really tacky. The "nightclub" feel of the main dining area was cheesy and the decor was very outdated....Like with velvet and wrought iron. Gothic meets Vegas meets a Holiday Inn hotel lobby. The menu wasn't much different than what you would expect from a place that made you feel cheesy just for walking through the door. We decided on the "tappas" menu so we could try a few different things. There was ONE thing that we ordered that I actually liked, and that was the Broccoli with pecorino cheese and chili flakes. It was good, but not unique. I have had that a million times at a million different restaurants. We tried the Brussel Sprouts with bacon and nuts ... there was some other stuff in it it that was basically way too oily. Would have been great if the sprouts and all the other stuff that was in the dish wasn't sitting in a 3/4" of oil. The lamb chops were extremely overpriced. They were $10 EACH (one little lamb chop) and nothing to write home about. The ceviche was served with tortilla chips that were out of a bag and the dish tasted bland. No Pizazz. No Love. All in all, for a pricey joint that obviously is trying really hard to be cool, they fail miserably. The prices were not justified. Trying to be cool should include trying to make good food.
(2)
Jeremy R.

Small plates, big prices. Expect $40-$50 pp for food that is often mediocre. On a recent private dining experience we were pleased with the beautiful room but the food did not meet the contractual obligation and some dishes were odd tasting. They made sure that they provided plenty of wine to run up the bill but the amount of food would barely have been adequate for half the number of people that actually attended. When I complained to the management I was rudely rebuffed. There are many better restaurants, don't waste your time here. Try Clementine, Salt or Meli instead.
(1)
edwin l.

certainly the ambiance is nice & great for a date I'd recommend from Land: Kobe Beef Brisket Sea: Tonno Crudo, Crispy Calamari Field: Croquettas for happy hour - the Tapas sized Pizza Cristina was great will have to go back again to try more
(4)
Chris C.

Tip Top service, perfect ambiance, tasty tapas, and a nice micro beer selection all in a cozy place. (I am a tough critic but when its good I cant say enough. Pazo was a A+ experience)
(5)
Tara M.

The atmosphere at Pazo is the big draw. The decor is both spacious and gorgeous, and I've never been to another place like it in Baltimore. I've made about three visits and have never had anything but a wonderful food and service. Pazo has ruined me for most tapas restaurants. The absolute best thing about Pazo is the desserts and cheese plates. I wish I could make a meal just out of the cheese. Best.cheese.plate. ever! The staff is knowledgeable and will recommend you the perfect cheese, and they have never steered us wrong. All those nice things said, it is a bit overpriced and there is a bit of a frou-frouy yuppie vibe which isn't that appealing, although that could be me, as I don't make a habit of dining out at places that have valet parking.
(3)
Brien C.

Pazo is my favorite place to eat in Baltimore. Every time I go, I get to try something I've never had before. The wine is always interesting, and the menu has tons of great choices. My wife and I went to Pazo again this weekend for our anniversary. She wasn't feeling well, so I ended up eating most of the food myself. The croquettas are my favorite dish, they're like cheezy fried potato balls. I also had the hangar steak, which was perfectly seasoned. I definitely don't think it's a pretentious place. It's relatively casual for a restaurant this good (I wore jeans and a button down shirt and didn't feel under dressed). I've been to restaurants in DC and NYC where I've felt totally out of place because of the pretentiousness. Pazo feels comfortable, but it's always an adventure. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.
(5)
Ferdinand A.

Good food for Bmore, ask for Kara she makes the dinner pleasant with her knowledge of the menu
(3)
Sandra W.

Pazo's is a 10! Went back 2 nights in a row! Outstanding! The emphasis on locally grown is a huge plus!
(5)
Elizabeth H.

It's a great place to go with great food and drinks!
(4)
Elaine W.

My boyfriend thought it was great overall...but me being a yelper, I have some thoughts. If your kind of ambience is the "cool people" type, then be my guest. There is a mix of people the kind that you don't see in DC & VA, the ones who look like royal highness-over-the-top meets high-maintenance who sit with their back straight up, moving their limbs in elegance, & with an air of arrogance. There are a few who are not like that, haha!!! But if they were sitting next to you, ask for another table, or choose to your liking...you want your dining experience to be good. The setting is cool...former warehouse...with high ceilings, chandliers, windows, and a second floor to boot with a balcony. It's memorable! Candles lit on all tables, dark brown tables, chairs, red carpets. Open kitchen, airy throughout. Big, big place with a sitting area of couches, big lamps, a fireplace, nice bar. Cool music, none you would know, but relaxing. You don't have to be dressy to go, but the people there are. I wore jeans and a top. My boy also wore jeans & a cool top. Drink menu an array of drinks. We both ordered mojios. He had mint & I had lychee. Delicious!! We loved the sunflowr crackers mmm a little caramel taste to them. We ordered tapas...fish, beef, asparagus (was salty), basmati rice, & chicken on bread. Everything was good!!! Pricing is over-the-top. The service was exceptional. We had a waiter named Jared that evening. He did an excellent job of checking on us, our food, and made suggestions when appropriate. He said to ask for him when we are in the area. We wouldn't mind and we highly rec'd him when you go there. No dessert, we were full!!!
(3)
David B.

One of my favorite spots in Baltimore. The food, service, drinks and overall atmosphere are great.
(4)
Geoff E.

Took a group of business associates here on a Thursday night that are used to steakhouses and more primitive menus. I think this a good representation of the Baltimore food scene, which is budding and growing. Hard to eat at a chain when this is nearby. For the first 30 minutes, I was getting a little concerned that it may be too progressive, as the Tapas we ordered to start were expensive but tasty bites. There were some rumblings of dissatisfaction over portions - but none over taste, which everyone agreed was terrific. I think the waitress underestimated our expectation of what a $6-$10 tapas portion should be. No big deal, we had about 8 tapas for 6 people and then moved onto the main course. By the main course, the wine flowed, the mood lightened, and I was a bit more confident in my choice of restaurant. Everyone got a different dish, from paella to steak, from duck to fish. Everyone enjoyed their dishes - some remarked several times how good it was. The setting is trendy - like a lot of stores and restaurants in Baltimore, it's a rehabbed factory with exposed brick and modern finishes. The atmosphere can be described as a sophisticated urban lounge. This probably wasn't the most appropriate choice for the occasion, but Pazo pulled it off and everyone raved. I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and brought the group here - I think it was a spin that everyone enjoyed.
(4)
A K.

Pazo is a great find in Baltimore. The building is gorgeous and the food quite good. On the down side, it's a bit pricey and LOUD. Good place to practice sign language or pantomimes, because you probably won't be able to hear anyone while you're there! The portions are very small even for tapas, but the flavor and the beautiful architecture still make it worth a visit or two or three..
(4)
Meredith M.

Beautiful open space. I think Pazo would be great for a private event, like a company party or wedding reception. We enjoyed the music and overall atmosphere of the restaurant. The service was a bit mechanical and cold. Waiters whipped around us while we ate, picking up plates and dropping off new ones. The table for 4 seemed a little cramped considering how many plates we ordered. There was a point where we had to balance the plates on top of one another. Maybe it was their way to get us to eat faster and talk less. The food was good. My favorites were the seared scallops and the mushroom soup. also, our server told us no bread came with the tasting menu, so we ordered a seperate order of bread. total lie. we wound up with 4 plates of bread!
(3)
Matthew W.

We ate from the tapas menuand also had some of the cheeses on offer. It was all very good, highlights were the Empanadas (both kinds) and the short rib.
(4)
Fiona G.

I think this place is living off old reputation as the 'cool place to be' rather than quality service. I am the customer and the servers should be their to server me, and not look down their nose at me that I am inconveniencing their night by being there. the food was average at best... my husband can make far better tapas and I don't expect that from a restaurant of this supposed quality. I admit it looks very inviting and has a great layout but the rest of it did not live up to that. Shame, it could be so good...
(1)
Susanna S.

We returned after an initial sub-satisfactory experience. We gave it another try because the owner took the time to contact me, and offered to make it right. That he took the time to do so was impressive. He was good for his word--the General Manager and his staff assigned ensured service was impeccable this time. It speaks volumes that they understand good customer relations and service, and back it up. I respect that and can support that. The ambiance, as always, is fantastic. The food was very good again. Both the tapas and main meals are good. The lamb in any form is always excellent, the scallops are large and sweet and fresh. The desserts are very unique. The wine list is outstanding. They make it so easy to get in and out with valet parking that is fabulous--quick and safe.
(4)
Michael B.

There have been several drunks in my life that I have lived to regret. I know them each by name. I'm not talking about other people, I'm talking about me. There were exactly 3 until I got to Pazo and now there are 4. The reason is threefold. The first is that I didn't have any breakfast or lunch that day. The second was that I was in stellar company and feeling extraordinarily loquacious and friendly. The third was my bartender's invention - the Prairie Fire Martini. I am sad to inform you that I cannot recall the name of my bartender, because he did an excellent job of serving up the fire. The tapas on tap was superb, and although Baltos(?) may find Pazo a bit pretentious and expensive, it being right around the corner from Camden Yards and all. As an out of towner, I was rather impressed by the very idea of dinner on big fluffy couches. And I'm from LA not expecting to be impressed by anything in Baltimore whatsoever - aside from certain individuals at Johns Hopkins and my very own relatives. It certainly had a yuppie feel to it, but not so much a self-important yuppie feel. Then again so long as they weren't talking about movies, all conversation to these LA ears was welcome. I was a bit surprised that the joint closed down at 10pm because I needed another hour to de-libate, and I wasn't about to go about it the bulemic way. But I was forced into the street much to my compatriot's chagrin. I managed to get back to where I once belonged without incident, though it took the better part of 90 minutes and a stop at Burger King, but the Pazo experience was still fondly remembered through the purple haze.
(5)
Karen C.

I have been here twice and both times I have been disappointed. During my most recent experience, we tried the following tapas: bruschetta, empanadas and grilled mushrooms. We also had the paella. Maybe it's just me but I like fresh ingredients on top of my bruschetta. I did not like the ricotta w/ peas at all. The empanadas were edible but not that flavorful. Their paella was not bad but very small portion for cost. The most disturbing part of the experience was what happened with my fiance's wine. He got a red wine which had some debris floating at the top. We alerted the waitress and she took it back to the bar. I watched the bartender transfer the SAME wine into another glass and the waitress then brought it back to our table. Gross. Needless to say, we will not be returning.
(2)
Jack S.

AWESOME place! Very classy, secure, welcoming, sweet, and it cannot get any better .
(5)
Patrick H.

We had a great time at Pazo! This would be a 4.5 star review if that were an option. Love the venue. It's a spectacular space, inviting and warm while remaining very hip and trendy. We opted for the tasting menu for two then supplemented a little with some "had to have items" like Jamon Iberico, seared scallops over white bean puree and pork empanadas. We LOVED the sesame sweet crackers at the start of the meal and seriously had to limit ourselves to one round. I don't know what the spanish are sending us, but this Jamon Iberico simply didn't have the edge that it had when I ate it in Spain. The scallops on the other hand were to die for! The white bean puree was studded with sherry plumped raisins adding the perfect complement to the impossibly sweet scallops. Other standouts of the night: The ceviche was as fresh and tasty as any I've ever eaten, the Amish boneless chicken legs were a revelation of flavor and tenderness, the shrimp with chili flakes, tomato and garlic were delicious and the crema catalan for dessert was exactly like we had in spain and very nice way to end our meal. Service was very knowledgeable and attentive. I love all the Foreman restaurants (Charleston being my favorite) so this just gets added to the list. Proof, once again, that some of the best dining in the Washington DC metro area is in Baltimore.
(4)
Diana L.

The food alternated between unseasoned and way too salty. We went the tapas route, and not one of our 6 dishes was good. The only acceptable thing we were served was the bread (pugliese). But even that failed because it was supposed to come with a warm cheese fondue, that wasn't warm enough to overcome the temperature in the freezing restaurant.
(1)
Nick S.

I think one day I will review places that I had horrible experiences at, but this isn't one of them. First of all, the atmosphere in this restaurant is excellent. It is a converted old warehouse like many places you see in Baltimore. Unlike a lot of places that still have an industrial feel to them, Pazo really has a cozy feeling to it. When you come in there is an area for groups that has couches situated around tables. This is an awesome, comfy place to share tapas with friends. If you are taking a date out, I would suggest trying to sit upstairs as the downstairs tables lack privacy. The kitchen is open and you can see a little of what's going on back there. As far as the food goes, my favorites were the ceviche and the lamb meatballs. I would also suggest trying some of their fresh bread. The best pizza i have had there is the Margarita pizza with the buffalo mozzarella cheese. They also have an extensive wine list with wine to potentially match up with every dish they serve. If you have never tried tapas, give pazo a try. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Samantha L.

I am probably biased because my dinner was free, thanks to a work gathering, but this place was wonderful. The setting is romantic and impressive, and the food was delicious. It was unlike any tapas place I had ever been to, and I guess they ave more than just Spanish influences, but it was really yummy. My favorite dish was the Tonno Crudo, though it is a very small platter! The Seared Scallops a la Plancha was also delicious.
(5)
Wendy C.

If you like being surrounded by glitz & dazzle, Head over to PAZO! Nightlife in Fells Point is typically dress-down. Here you'll find the most fashionable folks in town. This is one of the city's hottest spots to eat, drink, & pose. It's a crowd of cash burning yuppies, designer dudes, & trendy hoes. Here you won't find any beer imbibing frat boys with popped collars. Dinner & drinks for two can easily run a tab of over $200. The building itself is a beautifully renovated warehouse, Located in a not so pretty industrial area inhabitable only by a mouse. The interior is wide, open, and spacious. The dÃ©cor itself is gorgeous and ostentatious. Most of the place is adorned with luxurious wall hangings. From the high ceiling, you'll see decorative iron chandeliers dangling. The fancy staircases with ornate railings are made of steel. I felt it rattle as I walked up to the balcony in my 2 inch heels. This is a fun place for people watching, And a great spot for wine sipping & tapas noshing. They have a full menu of traditional Spanish influenced dishes. Almost every entree we sampled was delicious. Before dinner, they served us sunflower seeded flatbread crackers. They were a bit sweet for me, but a nice treat since I am big snacker. We shared 8 small dishes, 2 desserts, and a bottle of Rioja wine. Ahhhhhhhh...Our dining experience was so divine! SEAFOOD 1. Pan grilled tuna (4.5 stars for the crispy coating) with avocado salsa (5 stars for south of the border spiciness) 2. Grilled rock octopus (3 stars for the bland taste & slightly charred flavor) with crushed potatoes and pimentÃ³n (4 stars for the unique smoky flavor) 3. Shrimp with garlic, salmoriglio sauce, and red chili salt (4.5 stars for spiciness and exotic seasonings) MEAT 4. Butter braised Kobe beef brisket (4 stars for the overly tender texture) with potato puree (5 stars for the buttery flavor & creamy smooth texture) 5. Pork confit cannelloni (4 stars for the juicy meat flavor but unstable cannelloni) with mushroom cream (4.5 stars for unique buttery flavor) and roasted walnuts (5 stars simply because I love nuts) 6. Lamb chops with red wine pomegranate molasses (4 stars for the tangy and acidic sweet taste) FIELD GROWN TREASURES 7. Wood roasted mushrooms with lemon and rosemary (5 stars for the buttery texture and simple herbilicious flavor) 8. Mixed olives with herbs and pepperoncini (4.5 stars for variety & complex spicy flavor) DESSERT: 1. Trio of Vanilla ice cream (5 stars for the strong vanilla bean flavor), Passion Fruit sorbet (4 stars for the tart & tangy taste), and Watermelon granita (5 stars for the strong watermelon flavor as well as the icy syrupy sweetness). 2. Chocolate trio of a Cupcake (4 stars for decent taste but nothing spectacular), Expresso ice cream (5 stars for the sweet & bitter flavor), and a Chocolate bar (4 stars for the unnecessary sugar rush). After dinner, we decided to go to the Thames St. waterside for drinks. We asked our server "Is this area safe to walk around at night?" He responded "If you head north of Aliceanna but don't go past Ann... You'll be alright." Just when he was about to give us directions, The couple seated next us laughed at our conversation. To them it sounded so silly and outrageous To hear their city being described as "dangerous."
(5)
Dan G.

I went there a while ago, so don't remember what I had that, but remember that the food, and service was great, and the decorations led to a nice atmosphere.
(4)
Bella F.

Happy hour $5 coktails are fantastic!!! The menu is very nice, i thin it is a bit expensive, but very yummy. I like that people make an effort to dress in something other that shorts and flip-flops. Lounge area is very comfortable, but because the music is just a tad too loud, you have to lean in to have a conversation.
(5)
Linda N.

3.75 stars to be exact... Good mojitos, empanadas with cilantro sauce, and shallot bruschetta. And a grand space. And foot traffic outside. The place turns into a nightclub around 10 30, so if you are looking for a quieter dinner you should come earlier. Nine of us ordered the tasting menu for 10 -- the amount of food sort of made my stomach churn, figuratively and literally. Lots of leftovers. After a few rounds of tapas, the paella came, then the braised lamb, then the normal meal-ender of pizza. Our eyes kept getting bigger and groans louder. Anyway, there were some hard pieces in the paella -- otherwise good use of rosemary; pizza was lukewarm by the time any of us touched it. Really attentive service. A little bit too dim of lighting. $75/person (I am including a glass of wine and gratuity).
(4)
Vannie N.

I love this place. Its a great place to hang out with friends or co-workers when you're in the Baltimore area. The last time I was here I was with co-workers in the lounge area. The atmosphere here is very lively and trendy. The Mediterranean dishes were small but tasty. Overall, it just a great place to hang-out and have a few bits. Oh, and it opens late I think around 5 pm until whenever. The parking is terrible, so I recommend getting valet.
(4)
Karan V.

The food is OK-good. The service is OK. Considering the upscale location and cost we are paying, the service can be much better.
(3)
Yota M.

I loove the environment and ambiance of this place. Great to go in groups for a night out . Dinner is excellent with something to choose from for everyone. I loove the selection of drinks. The cotton candy martini is a must!
(4)
Rasmei P.

Only my second time here. Just had a few drinks and bites of various tapas dishes on a late Tuesday night. Note: Shots are not served here, because it's that kind of place. I asked for GM or Patron shots, and technically they can't serve shots, but the waiter brought us Grand Marnier served in cordials. Well, we took them as damn shots anyway. *HACK* Okay, not so smooth going down that way, but this is for a birthday! So after a few more fancy martinis and cocktails we headed to Ryleighs to get our drink on.
(3)
Don S.

Warm ambiance and elegant setting in a renovated downtown warehouse that has the feel of a castle dining room more than a warehouse. We had a nice variety of tapas extremely pleasantly seasoned and cooked. The variety of flavors among the dishes was strikingly delightful. Our waiter seemed rushed despite many open tables. Why did he keep trying to clear dishes that still had food on them, it's tapas, not a huge meal? Definitely worth an elegant evening out just remind the staff to slow down.
(4)
Tom W.

For a place that`s suppose to be one of the top notch restaurants in Baltimore Pazo fails to delivery on a customer service level!!!! Last Thursday night (September 15th) was the worst experience I ever had at a restaurant! I was joining my wife for a few hours because she was attending a bachlorette party for one of her good friends who was getting married on September 18th. We started at the bar were the bartender took care of us with a great array of spirits, beer, and wine, however, all of these choices we had choose from are way over priced. That aspect of the evening was some what of a plus. Then as the party started to arrive we were subjected to the worst service I`ve ever experienced in my over twenty years in the business. The waitress who was attending to us in the lounge area was one of the rudest persons I have ever come in contact with in my life. She treated us like we were something that a dog leaves when he or she needs to go out, meaning number #2. I guess we should have realized that we were dealing with a person who is angry at the world and who wants to spit venom at people who are in her general area. We got the cold shoulder throughout the whole time I was present at the event. The thing that made me blow my stack was when I happend to put my feet on a lounge table and unbeknownst to me that was not allowed at Pazo, so I was shockingly told in the utmost rude manner by the waitress that I needed to get my F***ing feet off the table. I can understand that I might have been in the wrong, but please tell me in a polite manner that my feet must come down. This triggered a negative adrenaline rush in my soul to get the blank out of Pazo. So I proceeded to get up and leave this god awful place. As I was leaving I let the manager on duty know of my displeasure. All he wanted from me was my name and email address to handle the situation. I`m a person who does not like to be difficult because as I alluded towards the beginning of this review I`ve been in the business for over twenty years and I know how restaurants function. Today is Monday and I haven`t gotten a response from the manager! So to all of the good people in Baltimore who work hard and are looking for a nice place to kick back and enjoy a cocktail, PAZO IS NOT YOUR PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mr. Foreman and Miss Wolfe should be ashamed of themselves for promoting a so-called restaurant with class. I haven`t been to their other places, but if is the bar that is set I gladly won`t be going to the other places they promote. It`s time to put on the big girl and boys pants Pazo and treat your customers with RESPECT!!????
(1)
giovanni g.

I was at Pazo a couple weeks ago with a very large group that took up the entire 2nd floor. I had been hearing great things from friends in the area about Pazo so I was looking forward to eating here. Unfortunately Pazo failed to meet my expectations and did not live up to any of the hype. We were served a preset meal that started off with some nice tasting goat cheese empanadas. Then came a nice veggie paella dish that was cooked just right. Unfortunately that's as good as things got. The entree included some flank steak that was nearly raw and no it wasnt supposed to be cooked rare...it was just raw and bloody. The staff was excellent however and they quickly took my steak back and cooked it for me. The other entree was lamp chops which were also a bit undercooked. I've been to many spanish restaurants in my day and based on this experience I would rank it towards the bottom of my list. I'll give Pazo the benefit of the doubt since this was a massive group and it was a preset menu. I would like to give it another try when its not so busy and I can actually order from the full menu.
(2)
Heather R.

I was at first a little skeptical of shelling out the cash on tapas after being somewhat disappointed by Jaleo in Bethesda; however, Pazo quickly settled all of my initial misgivings. The atmosphere was smart, dressy, modern with a touch of Mediterranean yet unpretentious. The waitstaff did a commendable job in politely answering all of my newb questions (Does that come with cheese? What is romescu sauce?) and their recommendations were genuine-- the Jamon Iberica was incredible! I also enjoyed immensely the empanadas. Wine was a little expensive at 11$ a glass, so I technically should take a star off but I won't, because frankly, this is the best food I've had in awhile. That said, it wasn't an incredibly busy night for Pazo despite it being a Saturday due to an intense thunderstorm that kept most people (not the brave or slightly crazy, like myself) at home. I've heard that it can be difficult to get a table at Pazo's and the service is lacking, but I can't attest to that since my experience was nothing less than great. Do dress nicely, however, or else you'll feel rather silly among all the trendy good-looking folk.
(5)
Dallas T.

Food was good, not great. Small portions (yes, I know it's tapas), but especially so for the money.
(3)
Patty W.

I dig this place for their happy hour, they have a $5 drink menu and $5 small plate menu, but I don't think it's worth it for dinner. Much nicer to sit in the lounge area on a Friday afternoon with some friends and share drinks and a couple plates rather than go through the whole production (and hit or miss service) of dinner.
(3)
Charlotte B.

If this restaurant succeeds, it is largely due to the lovely architecture and interior design, and not in the least to the erratic and at times bordering on unpleasant dishes which trickle forth from the kitchen one by one. I can only conclude that the satisfied diners who have posted reviews were those who were either intoxicated by the unsually pretty room, or those who were drinking heavily, which, by the way, seems to be the activity of choice here.
(1)
Dana L.

Came here before the theater. When we sat down, the server told us that they had recently added entrees. I think that this was because some previous diners left hungry (see below)... We ordered a bunch of tapas, salads, a pizza, and some entrees. To be honest, everything was pretty small. The tapas were smaller than I had expected, and the entrees might be called tapas elsewhere. The pizza was of decent size. We got the dishes one-by-one - it was kind of a game to figure out what was coming next. I liked the quail, the calamari, and the eggplant dip. To be honest, everything was very good - you almost couldn't go wrong. I left ever so slightly hungry (I don't think that we ordered quite enough food). I would recommend a few tapas per person at a minimum, and maybe an entree. The prices aren't cheap, but this isn't a place to skimp on the meal. My only advice is to not come here when you're ravenous (maybe after a big lunch). The decor is great, and the service was nice as well. If only they had given us a refill of those fantastic flatbreads.
(4)
Joey R.

Interesting for Baltimore... A well appointed dining room and visually striking as well. The crowd was a little loud, but it was easy to tune it all out once the food arrived. The duck was excellent! The steak tartare with it's odd horseradish "ice-cream" was not so great; the two textures didn't work well and the ice-cream's temperature made the dish awkward as well...
(4)
Abbey M.

Wonderful atmosphere! It is great for going out on a date or with large groups because everyone can share food and have a great time. Our waiter also helped our experience there, he was soo... knowledgeable about everything on the menu
(5)
Cat B.

Pazo, what are you doing in Baltimore? The space and the crowd are more chic than I was used to seeing. The renovated warehouse seems like it belongs in the Meatpacking district in NYC, but is a wonderful addition to the area between the Inner Harbor and Fell's Point. Great for a date, a girl's night, or a birthday dinner group. I last went with my family, and it was a bit loud for my parents' taste (on a Saturday night).
(4)
Jen M.

The food here is FANTASTIC. Some standouts on the menu are the bruschetta (not your typical bruschetta), ceviche, sharp cheese trio, and the pizza with tomato confit. The decor is very cool, very dimly lit (a little challenging to read the menu), and a DJ spins some great electronic beats. The downside is...it gets very LOUD in there. Having a low key conversation is impossible. Service was an appropriate pace--not too slow and not too rushed. The complimentary valet parking is a nice touch. Yes, the beautiful people hang out here.
(4)
Jenny R.

The only thing Pazo's has going on is the atmosphere. I've unfortunately been there 3 times because it was the new place that everyone wanted to check out and each and every time the service never failed to disapoint me. Now everyone in our circle of friends has banned it. The worse experience came last weekend when one of my sisters friends decided to host her birthday party dinner there. I didn't know her well enough to warn her off from this place and how dismissive, rude and unprofessional the staff there can be despite the fact that you're bringing in at a minimum $500 worth of food and drinks to their place. Which by the way, the food made me ill the first time i ate there and have never eaten there again. I've only had their drinks which tend to be watered down at $13 a piece. Everyone in our group except for two people were medical professionals and our party was only 15 mins late so they gave away our table. I'm not exaggerating when i say 15 mins, literally, no more no less. After much pleading on our part to try and accomodate our group so that the birthday girl could celebrate, the staff was dismissive of our requests and simply said we could choose to wait 3 hours till the next table opened up but that we had to move away from the front door. By then we were annoyed and started calling other restaurants to get last minute accomodations. Luckily we got a table at Lebanese Taverna which is about 2 blocks up and had a fantastic rest of the evening. Please STAY AWAY from PAZO's you'll be disappointed to give away your money to a rude and selfish staff.
(1)
Laura R.

Pazo is the best dining experience I've had in my couple years living in Baltimore. The actual restaurant is an old warehouse that was converted to be a gorgeous and interesting dining area. The waiters are all attentive and have a very good understanding of the menu and wine list. And to top it off, the food is unusual and delicious. It's expensive, but perfect for a special occasion, if you are in Baltimore it is a must see restaurant.
(5)
Kori P.

A very trendy, stylish joint with great people watching, but most importantly, excellent food. With no reservation on a Saturday night, my husband and I were seated immediately at the bar (our other choice was the couches). Slightly overwhelmed (but tantalized) by the choices on the menu, we decided on the "Daily Menu for 2". Everything was very good, but the lamb chops and the Pizza Siciliana were outstanding. They have a good wine and beer list, and my husband splurged and got a single malt as well. Not a cheap dinner by any means, but worth it for a special occasion, or when you feel like a treat. It looked like most people were there for the singles or dating scene, but my husband and I are all about the food!
(4)
Sally N.

Pazo is a cool place, especially for Baltimore. The drinks are good and the bar/lounge is very ambient. The tapas are mixed and come out at strange times. It can also get very loud particularly later in the evening.
(3)
Sylvie A.

Before commenting on anything else, let me point out what's most important: you have to look nice here, or you'll feel out of place. Image is most important at Pazo, and it can really show. The food is delicious, the menu changes around, and the selection fits the season. But the ambiance and showiness can really overshadow enjoying a nice meal. The servers are definitely here to make you feel like you're getting attention, even if you're not pleased. Last time I went, my server kept taking my small plate, even though I wasn't finished with my food. She didn't ask if it was ok, and she took it without me even noticing. Seems like it's waitressing 101 to ask if someone is not only finished, but if she enjoyed the food when there's still some left over. She also made a big deal of correcting me when I ordered a "house red" instead of a "Pazo red." Another time I went, I ordered a glass of red wine and a server brought me white by mistake. I let her know politely that I had ordered the red, but two other servers came back trying to give me the white! It was like they didn't believe me. I understood the mistake, but I'm not sure why servers kept coming back. The cocktails are pretty good, but they're not particularly memorable, a bit weak, and expensive. The free valet is a plus, since it is Baltimore. The other option is a garage that cost me about $20. However, some of my group complained the valet left their car smelling smoky - really unacceptable in 2011. I really think the food is good and I like coming here for a nice time out with friends. But I always leave feeling unimpressed and wish they tried harder, even though it's obvious they try too hard. There's not much genuine friendliness or even passion for the food, and I don't like paying a lot for middling service. I think if the waiters/waitresses were more up to par with the chef and owner, it would a wonderful spot for a classy meal. But they mainly seem to be unable to read a group's dynamic and play off the mood of the evening. The best wait staff can do that, and I really think that's part of what you should be paying for at a place like Pazo.
(2)
Jennifer H.

Went there for Trago at Pazo. Beautiful atmosphere!!! The service was wonderful and the food was delicious! A little on the pricy side, but will definitely be back for special occasions!
(4)
Trisha B.

Still great food, but the portions and setup have changed and I think you have to order much more to be satisfied than you did a few years back. I will still go back, it's still delicious, but I've definitely noticed a change.
(3)
Jessica L.

Inexpensive tapas are the Mediterranean-influenced menu's focus. Diners dwell among the building's original beams and columns, with a color scheme of red hues, Persian rugs and limestone floors. One of the two dining rooms is a communal area, and a mezzanine in the two-story nightspot offers the perfect people-watching perch. We tried some new drinks. Cava Royale- sparkling wine with peach nectar & fresh lime? The Euro-? french martini with fresh raspberries? For dinner we got the Pazo's simple table for six $195. Which was: Pizza catalan and pizza Bianca Manchego & manzana Tonno Crudo Pugliese Romaine Hearts Spinachwith pine nuts Sauteed Merluza Shrimp with garlic & tomoato Trofie alla norma Pinchitos andalucia Bistek catalonia A trio of sharp artisanal cheeses Cannoli alla siciliana ith bittersweet chocolate Around 9pm the music kicked in. We had a great time! There were 7 of us! All of the food was to die for!
(4)
Cynthia O.

Overpriced and underwhelming. And what restaurant uses Reidel and doesn't bother to wipe off the water spots? Tacky. There's a lot of great restaurants in Baltimore, but this isn't one of them.
(2)
Susan E.

Eh. That's my reaction to this place from our one and only visit in 2008. The service wasn't so great (our waitress rarely came to our table and acted like serving us was a hassle) and at dinner time, the restaurant was pretty dimly lit. I ordered a tomato, mozzarella, and basil starter and I think we also had the whole fish. I can't remember our other items. Food wasn't that remarkable. Mezze is much better.
(2)
MK M.

What an amazing place! I went here for a girls night out 2 weeks ago and had the prefix menu. For appertizer I had the grilled calamari which was delicious as my entree I had the scallops which were one of the best I've ever had and for dessert I had the most amazing chocolate hazelnut bars, omg! They were so good!!! I also had the leche mojitos which is a happy hour special which was really good. I left wanting to come back the next day. I ended up bring my husband here a week later and once again we did the prefix where I got the rabbit ravioli which was really good, my hubby got the shrimp blt which was good but not all that great, for my entree I got the salmon and it was by far the best salmon I've ever had, my husband had the duck and he said it was the best duck he's ever had. I did try his duck and I HATE duck but this was SO GOOD! For dessert I just had to get my hazeulnut bars because they are to die for and my husband got the rice pudding which was really yummy too. Overall I love this restaurant and this will definitely be my go to spot from now on. The place is gorgeous, the music is nice, the staff is awesome and the food amazing.
(5)
Jim H.

haven't been to Pazo in a few years. The crowds at that time were large and noisy, and may still be. I went to Happy Hour on Friday before memorial day. It was a really good experience. 5 for 5 small plates and specialty drinks; each delicious. The drinks werea bit exotic, but were tastey. Pear martini with pear vodka, pear nectar, and rosemary sprig is not my usual drink of choice, nor is the Mojito with elderflower liquor. The plates were very good, nicely prepared and presented, and the crocquetta (mashed potatoes, manchego cheese, rolled in a ball, breaded and fried) is not on my usual diet, but OMG good. We met a couple of nice people enjoying the bar and had a great time. It was fun, and good, and felt special and worth the money (which wasn't really much).
(4)
Charles R.

Pazo has a very nice atmosphere but the food was less than mediocre. It would serve as a good date place if your date is impressed with warehouses that have been converted into a funky tapas place. One observation my date made was that the tables were too close to one another and did not allow too much privacy. We got one of the set tapas meals for two, which had a bunch of different tapas to have. One of the dishes was a bunch of olives which I don't like, and another dish was apples and cheese which was fun when I was 8 years old but not anymore. If you want better food go to Tapas Teatro further up north in Baltimore on Charles St.
(2)
Steve N.

My first visit was more than I had expected. Overall I enjoyed the each aspect of my experience at Pazo. Rsvp'ing was painless. I was greeted and seated promptly after entering. I loved the decor and the open kitchen. The layout of the tables could've been better but it was not a killer. I started with the lobster salad sandwich. Very tasty and light. Great first bite! Then moved onto the rack of lamb(med-rare). I normally don't think too much of lamb but I felt the use of pomegranate in the sauce was compelling enough for me to try it. Sauce came out amazing and the lamb was cooked to perfection. It was so good I went caveman on the bones without a care. Dessert was their sundae which didn't stand out much but it wasn't horrible. Wine service was good but I felt bad the wine connoisseur had to walk around the row of tables to get to the other side. The entire staff was very friendly and welcoming.
(5)
chrystal f.

I love Pazo. The food is creative and good, but small portions like with any tapas place. The wine menu is extensive. Be prepared to drop some cash here. It adds up fast. But it's worth it.
(4)
Judson A.

If you are in to going to a place to be seen this is your scene. We go here for after work gatherings. The drinks are good but at $10 a pop not worth it. The food is rather tasty but again in my estimation over priced. The atmosphere is calmly lit, with light jazz techno playing. There is a dress code, which means that everyone is very fashionable. The decor is as contemporary and chic as the clientelle. Nice digs just not the place for me.
(2)
Chris L.

The atmosphere at Pazo is awesome. I do not know of any other restaurant in Baltimore with such a large open space and a beautiful open kitchen. Unfortunately, the food is very mediocre or below with prices that just don't justify the food. I know this is a Cindy Wolf restaurant, but what happened to the quality that is supposed to accompany a name of her stature in Baltimore. I would recommend going around the corner to Kali's Mezze to get tapas first then coming back to this spot for drinks.
(2)
Natasha R.

Beautiful decor. Good food. If only Baltimore's pseudo-dynasty did not own it. Tony Foreman and wifey Cindy. Knowing that, it is of course pretentious and overpriced. The crowd is very "wannabees"....... New menu with new chef is incomperable to when they first opened, but old chef has indicated to the press that they were very nazi in not allowing him to be creative.
(2)
Kate C.

Pazo is absolutely my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. I love the atmosphere and the food is great. I love ordering off of the tapas menu because of the opportunity to try so many great new things. Will return again and again.
(5)
Mimi K.

If you are in the Baltimore area and want a nice and sophisticated atmosphere you have to go to Pazo. All in all a great experience.
(5)
Suzanne M.

Best thing about this place? Atmosphere. Beautifully decorated with super high ceilings and the place somehow still feels intimate. Great for groups or couples. Second best place? Most places know what vegetarian means, but this place knows what vegan means! We've yet to encounter a waiter that didn't know the meaning of vegan and to top it off, they know what is vegan, and what can and can't be made vegan. Very exciting. The bar has a great wine selection too, and they are also knowledgeable about recommending them. Since it's tapas, the dishes are small but flavorful and inexpensive.
(4)
Sly C.

Pazo is an incredibly swanky place. As the other reviewers point out, the atmosphere is beautiful. The service was decent - not awesome but not awful either. However, the food was highly mediocre. The beet salad was pretty good, but I've never had such un-tasty fries and aioli at a tapas place! The cheese plate was also really disappointing -- the cheese was okay, but they gave us a huge chunk of it on two tiny pieces of bread. It was just thoughtless. On the other hand, the cocktails were pretty tasty. I think this would be a pretty good place to go just for drinks.
(3)
Edward K.

Dinner isn't bad, but the best experience is ordering tapas in the lounge. Inexpensive and tasty wines to accompany the food. A must have is the papas fritas. You'll thank me later.
(4)
brett b.

High end and pricey but good food if you're into the Spanish/Greek/Mediterranean food palate.
(4)
Kathryn E.

Fantastic decor with good pan-Mediterranean tapas/mezze. Great little lounge area to just grab drinks - the blood orange martini is delicious! The eggplant and hummus dips are good, the white anchovies exquisite, the grilled sardines wonderful, coppa and pear salad yummy, tonno crudo quite good. Down side is that you'll occasionally hit dishes that just don't quite make it, and considering the price, this is more than a little annoying when it happens. But overall, it is a nice dining experience. The house red and white wines are quite nice, and offer an affordable choice if you don't want to ratchet the bill up with a more expensive bottle.
(4)
Andrew W.

Atmosphere was great as were the drinks but the food was hit or miss. Nothing ground breaking but some dishes are well executed. After 9 or so it almost tuns in to a club with cheesy house music playing throughout. Overall it wasn't the best when we went, but I would go back to grab drinks.
(2)
Paul F.

Excellent tapas. We had our waiter surprise us every time with something new.
(4)
Sarah F.

I usually stay away from the Fell's Point area when in Baltimore except for the occasional trip to Sound Garden but this palce is worth a visit. Beautiful spacious interior, great tapas selections, attentive service and they have a really nice bar/lounge area to wait in if you have't made reservations. (which I reccomend you do, and see if you can get one of the little booths to front, right side when you walk, they are really nice and intimate)
(5)
Liz E.

We went on a Sunday night, so it was a nice calm atmosphere: lively enough, but not too loud or crazy. One of the more entertaining (?) dining experiences I've ever had happened: a guy at the table next to us was SO drunk that he fell out of his chair and was lying on the ground. Uh... right. Speaking of libations, they have a nice wine menu. Their cocktails look interesting and I'll make sure to try one next time. First of all, the menu is a little confusing. They have tapas, pizzas, and entrees. So it took us a while to figure out a game plan. But we like options. I like that they offer the entrees in half portions. That way you get to taste more of a variety of things. Our table had 5 people, so we were able to get a lot of different things. Some of my favorites: ceviche tonno crudo broccoli (which was a surprise) empanadas (very sweet filling, with a delicious sauce) Sausage and Arugula pizza (the mozzarella was incredibly fresh) Bistek Catalonia Wood Grilled Organic Chicken good dishes, but a little on the *eh* side: shrimp and garlic (I can do it to equal success at home) lomo embuchado (thinly sliced pork with mushrooms) calamari (although the aioli was amaaaaaazing) Our waitress was nice, although a little green. She was a little stiff, but knowledgeable and attentive. The service was so attentive that sometimes we felt a little rushed. Too much hovering can be bad. Something I found absolutely unbelieveable: complimentary valet parking! Toto, we're not in Boston anymore. We'll be back, but it's not number one on the list.
(3)
Alice W.

went there at the end of Jan. with co-workers. it was restaurant week, so we did 4 small tapas with desert and a bottle of wine. their mushroom and ceviche was great. loved ceviche. grilled shrimp and most other dishes were looking good. clam was good. but some are filling but some are not. because it is small dish, i understand the portion is like appetizer sized. but def. meats were bigger than veges.you can choose 4 different meats. didn't have to be 2 meat/seafood and 2 veges. service was good. Riesling was an excellent choice. just the steak as last dish, I couldn't help being disappointed with too burnt on top and served cold even though inside was medium rare, hard time of chewing because of the burnt part, was too tough to enjoy steak. steak is not my favorite, so i never had high standard, and that's why Im giving 3 star here. but decoration, service, wine selections are pretty good and big crowds seems like business is running good. it is ok to eat sometimes.
(3)
Janel V.

I went to Pazo on a date on a Wednesday evening. It wasn't crowded so service was impeccable and the food was great. It's a beautiful and romantic restaurant!
(4)
Shannon L.

good tapas and wine. happy hour is a good bargain. complementary (tip-only) valet which is rally nice. lively atmosphere... which is why this place is especially good for first dates where you are unsure about conversation. its kinda dark and loud so will cancel out any awkward silences. all-in-all, I am a local and do not go there for dinners myself except when hosting guests. good place to try but not worthy of being a regular.
(4)
Mike W.

This is, by-far, the best evening out my wife and I have had in Baltimore. We shared five small plates and a pizza and everything thing was excellent. The Kobe beef brisket and grilled tuna were perfect. The calamari was a little strong, but still a 3.5 out of 5. The sangria was delicious, and the desserts were moan-inducing. The wait staff was polite and accommodating--attentive without being pushy. The atmosphere was warm and open. All-in-all I have nothing to complain about.
(5)
redge c.

Late tapas. Very happening on a Saturday. Complimentary valet a nice touch. Gogeous space.
(4)
Mike J.

alright, its been a while since i have been on yelp. great website and it is great for the everyday person that likes to go out to eat. once upon a time ago i gave pazo 2 stars (read review). i recently came back and i would like to say i was impressed, but i am not sold yet. the food was great but every pricey (forgive my spelling and grammar on this review lol). i order the lamb chops, and they were 14 dollars and i only got 2. wtf? i order a bunch of other shit and the portion were moderate. very very good though, i was suprised of the texture and taste of every item i had. i had drop 250 dollars that night with my lady and my bro. BALLING!!!!! LOL!! REAL TALK, I REALLY ENJOYED THAT NIGHT!! : )
(4)
Kelly C.

I've been twice in the last month and both times the food was mediocre, so I feel justified in giving Pazo a bad review. I am always amazed how they can pack in the crowds, because the food just isn't that great, especially for the prices. The atmosphere is very hip. Service is so-so. Last week we went for a friend's bday. We got cheese, which was horrible. I'm a big cheese course fan and the menu appears to make a good effort, but it really falls short.. I heard the other people at my table saying that their meals were less than desirable too. The time before last, I got a gnocci dish which was ok. We had the cannoli which was stale, unmemorable. Overall, Pazo may be good for drinks at the bar with friends (I got a good glass of house red that cost only $5.50), but if you're looking for a terrific culinary experience, try another restaurant. You'll probably spend the same amount at a fine dining restaurant and get better food.
(2)
Kelly B.

The atmosphere, the food, the drinks - all total - this is a wonderful place. You've got to try the calamari, the tonno crudo, and the empanadas. To drink, and if you like something sweet, the Euro martini is awesome. Expect to pay a little more than what you might be used to, however, it's well worth it. Ask for Emanuelle - she's the best!
(5)
Marc L.

Ate here with my closest business colleagues. Beautiful space, a refurbished steamboat engine factory. Excellent wine list, we did Italian prosecco and Grenache (cannonau), excellent. Lovely bread and crackers. We all did the 3-course fixed price dinner. Everyone 's was great. Mine: heirloom tomato/peach salad (wonderful, fresh, beautiful combination with olives and balsamic), macaroni with eggplant tomatoes and ricotta (lovely) and branzino over chard. All the dishes feature the flavor of the food, so it's simple. Great service. So Atmosphere, food, wine, service, all excellent. I shall return!
(5)
ely e.

I've been to Pazo's three times now, and every time it just gets better and better! Each time I come here, my sister orders for me and just gets a whole bunch of different tapas. Everything is always soo good, but the Costa pizza (tomato confit, buffalo mozzarella, reggiano & basil), Malloreddus alla Norma (house made pasta with eggplant tomato, garlic & pecorino) and the Ceviche stand out in my mind. Oh and not to mention the complimentary sunflower seed crackers! So delish. I also just celebrated my 21st birthday here last week after having to leave Indigma for their poor service (long story short, they would not serve me alcohol even though I was legally 21!). It was restaurant week so we ordered off of their special menu. The slice of birthday cake that they brought out for me was also really very good, but it was THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES that reallly got me. I'm more of a pie girl, never really liked cakes or cupcakes, but the texture was just perfect and the icing (more of a mousse) was so light and creamy. Might just have to go there for dessert one more time before I leave Baltimore!
(5)
Will K.

My wife and I consider Pazo to be one of our favorite dining places in Baltimore. We have been easting there since it opened and get consistently good service, a good meal, in a good atmosphere, at a good price. I find some of the comments here to be surprising. We have almost never had any service issues, and we have eaten at Pazo's a lot. Food is consistently excellent and the menu changes often. Sure, we have gotten some plates that we did not like, but when it is one out of ten, just don't have that one again! It will likely fall off the next version of the menu anyway. Yes, the cocktails are expensive but you dont have to have one! A glass of Pazo Red, their house wine, is reasonable and very good. One of the things that we like the best is being able to order what we want, and eat what we order. We never have food left over and appreciate the portion sizes that make that possible. At the end of the meal, the bill we pay, give the quality we receive, makes Pazo one of our more reasonable dining experiences (compared to like quality places). If you like Mediterranean food, and understand the small plate experience, I think that you will like Pazo With Tony recently in the kitchen, and working on the menu, it has even gotten better.
(4)
P K.

Good food. Good service. Great atmosphere to go with a group of friends. Felt Saturday night may be a day to go here for a quiet dinner though.. great interior.
(4)
Adam O.

Everybody I know loves Pazo. However, I have some criticisms of the restaurant. I love Cindy Wolf's other restaurants and I like Pazo. I don't think there is another restaurant in town with as much character. The atmosphere is very lively and the decor is contemporary. I think Pazo is a great place to grab a drink and hang out with friends or meet new ones. My criticism is of the menu. There are a lot of pizzas and other more casual dishes which I don't think the restaurant should rely on. When I go out I don't want to eat a pizza, especially at a Spanish Tapas restaurant. I have always asked for my favorite dish, dates wrapped in bacon which they don't have- a classic Tapas dish. So while the dining room is nice I don't think the food lives up to the level and hype Pazo is portrayed as having.
(2)
Catherine C.

I love this restaurant. When my boyfriend and I recently decided to get married, we knew we wanted to keep it small and just have a nice dinner in a private room with our immediate families. We went to Pazo and after a delicious meal with just the two of us, decided to book our wedding dinner there. I worked with their event planner Charisse over email and she was very friendly and easy to communicate with. We reserved their "Avellino" room for a modest food and beverage minimum and it was lovely, intimate, candlelit, and perfect for the size of our party (which was 10 people). We were able to create our own prix-fixe menu and the sommelier selected wines to pair with it. Our server's name was Adam and he was excellent. He was friendly, knowledgable, attentive, and accommodating. The back waiters were also very good at their work. And the food! The food was flawlessly prepared and absolutely delicious. We were stuffed. Our families were so impressed with the experience and everyone had a great time. My husband and I will definitely dine here again on our own, but I will also recommend Pazo to anyone who is planning a large party and wants it to be special. I wasn't expecting perfection, but that is what Pazo gave me.
(5)
Stella L.

There were some hiccups for making a reservation for a private dinner which eventually worked out okay. I was at the restaurant having dinner prior to the private dinner and thought I should discuss about the private dinner while I'm there. I asked whether we can be seated on the second floor and our waiter said his manager will come talk with us to discuss. The manager never came to us (I did see him walking around) but instead our waiter gave me a name card of the person to talk to (who manages group reservation). I understand the manager present is not responsible for that but still thought it would had been nicer if he came and handed me the name card. Nonetheless I booked the private dinner with them and it all worked out well. They did put us in the table we preferred and also accomodated the unexpected last minute request of adding an additonal seat. All of my guests were satisfied with the service, atmosphere, and of course, the food!
(5)
Ashley O.

Yesterday was my first time at Pazo's. There are many things I enjoyed about my experience and some I didn't. Here they are: Likes: 1. Atmosphere: super chic, lounge and over the top decor. Gives a whimsical/ romantic vibe. 2. Service: from the complimentary valet, very friendly hostess and knowledgable waiters. Pazo has it down packed. Adam and Rose were our waiters. They were very friendly and willing to explain the menu items to use. Sean our dessert waiter was very funny and knowledgable as well. 3. The unique dining experience. Menu had unique options to chose from. 4. The bread. Omg it was so good. 5. The food is good. I got the Margarita pizza and leaf salad. Both a little salty. I did enjoy them though. Dislikes: 1. Lack of options. I wish there were more pasta and pizza choices. Also a classic Caesar salad with a twist would be highly recommended. 2. The saltiness of the food was a little turn off. 3. I saw on yelp the menu about 3-6 years ago for pazo and the options looked amazing. I know chefs are always being changed in the food industry but, I believe the menu should make my mouth water before even seeing the meal. This one sadly, did not. Nonetheless, I would come here again because service was amazing and the ambiance was very nice.
(4)
Nicholas F.

I liked this restaurant so much more when it was Spanish. Now that they've transitioned to southern Italian, while still good, is nothing remarkable. The food and service is still good, but I miss the traditional Spanish tapa offerings. I used to go here frequently, but after my most recent experience, I doubt I'll be returning, unfortunately. Still though, if you go, get the white anchovies...they are fantastic!
(3)
Shar S.

I've never tried the entrees or tapas here, but I have tried the pizza -- on multiple occasions -- and it keeps me coming back. I'm hooked. Pazo's pizza is some of the best pizza I've had in Baltimore, boasting a thin cracker-like crust topped with fresh seasonal ingredients and fresh mozzarella cheese. If I'm free during happy hour -- also known as pizza hour -- I'll be dreaming about visiting Pazo to snag pizzas for $5. And of course, a visit to Pazo would not be complete without indulging in a glass of wine. Pazo's extensive wine list will please even the most selective wine connoisseurs. With the free valet parking, elegant lounge-like interior with gilded decorations, vaulted ceilings, and plush couches, Pazo is perfect for a date night or a night out with friends.
(5)
Wendy K.

Attentive staff, wonderful atmosphere and a reasonable HH selection = Amazing dining experience!
(4)
Sagor H.

Great tapas place in fells point. Decent selection and great ambience. This is a great date restaurant. Will definitely come back.
(4)
Thom D.

We've had two dinners here with two completely different experiences. Our first dinner was fantastic. We were seated downstairs, had a fantastic waitress and the manager kept coming by to ensure things were good. And they were. Had a small issue with the price of the wine (had an extra digit added to the bill), but they sorted that out right away. Left with a great impression and couldn't wait to come back. Second dinner was a bust. Seated upstairs, and we did not receive good service or food. I ordered a pizza, which came out completely undercooked. Dough soggy and cheese didn't get warm. Returned it for another, and it was more of the same. Just ate it, as I was hungry. Other person ordered the pork chop -- which was 60% fat. Returned it, and they were nice enough to take it off the bill, and bring something else. By that point, we were just done. I'd like to try Pazo a third time -- haven't mustered up the courage to do so just yet.
(3)
R T.

Really good food and really great, exceptionally great, service. Everybody treated us like we were the only ones in the restaurant. The prices were fair, the place itself is wonderful - really, this is worth going out of your way for.
(5)
Nayoung L.

I have been to this restaurant a few times and the restaurant does not offer anything special other than nice ambiance. I love other Foreman Wolf restaurants and keep getting disappointed by the service at Pazo. My husband and I went to grab a few drinks last Saturday and our server refused to create a separate check for us because we were sitting in the lounge area with a group of people we did not know. I understand creating multiple checks is a pain but I didn't want to be a part of 20 people who I didn't know well. I talked with the manager and he told me there is nothing he could do except swiping my credit card to charge my portion on the bill and could not give me a receipt for my payment. Not the level of service I expected from the restaurant.
(1)
Christine K.

Promising, but service was a little awkwardly lacking. What I like most about Pazo is the ambiance. It's in an former warehouse space and is so open, airy, and well-decorated. The food was great - we went at happy hour but also ordered off the dinner menu. As we were mid-meal (mid-bite), our server asked if she should pack up our food despite that the restaurant was less than half full. At first, I thought she made a mistake and realized it, but then she kept coming back and asking to pack up our dishes. I found it odd because we weren't there too long, there was no shortage of seats, and we were appropriately dress/behaved. Then, after we finished eating and had food leftover because we were so full, another server brought a large pasta dish, on the house, saying that they were experimenting with a new dish in the kitchen (possibly because our server's not-so-subtle hints to leave were that obvious). It was delicious, but unfortunately went to waste as we couldn't eat another bite of anything. Weird experience, but overall pleased with the food (drinks are average). I'd come back for the ambiance and the food.
(3)
Shana W.

I'm in town from another state to celebrate my friends birthday and decided to have her birthday dinner here. The food was just 'ok'. The wine was wonderful. The environment was beautiful and service adequate. Fast forward to after we paid the bill.....a manger came over to our table as we were finishing up our last sips of wine and ask "did you only mean to leave a $35 tip on a $260 bill?" did I hear this man right?!?!? A MANAGER came to our table basically asking if you meant to tip such a small amount!!!!! We couldn't believe this shit. PAZO is DONEZO for business from me!!!!!
(1)
Ash C.

I fell in love with the place as soon as I walked in. Disclaimer: This review is not based on the food at all although after looking at the hefty plate of some kind of mini pizzas I did wanted to try the food. Anyhow, what i loved was the decor! Tall rusty chandeliers hung from the ceilings, dim lighting, few draped scarlet cabanas type booths on each four ends. Me and the birthday party I came with enjoyed our cocktails/mocktails on the large communal table type guest seating nearby the door. My lychee mocktail was spot-on! YUM! Definitely eating here next time we get a chance to hang by the Baltimore harbor.
(4)
Emmiline A.

Went for New Year's Eve (also my birthday). The meal was perfect. Both my husband and I agree that we would not change a thing. At the end of the meal they gave me a surprise birthday tart with a candle.
(5)
Tim Y.

I debated my review before posting it, but months after my terrible experience (and their correcting for it) I still feel terrible and feel like I should warn others of my experience. The bottom line is DON'T GO TO PAZO... I say that even though an acquaintance of mine who I respect works there... My party demanded our money back after the following experience and we only received a free dinner... it just wasn't enough to clear out that feeling of being ripped completely off in the end. First the good thing... the venue is nice... now to the story of what happened. I held a very important business dinner at the restaurant... one where complaining about anything on site would look bad and could cost us a deal. We had to be as formal as possible so I didn't act out in person... but emailed immediately thereafter. Myself and 4 people went to this dinner. The server, who was excellent at the serving us part of the evening, asked us if we wanted to let the chef pick our menu... and we happily obliged. The only thing was that of the 5 people, I am pescatarian and another friend is vegetarian. We also thought we were getting the chef's selection which is only $55 and advertised on the corner of the menu....and which is no longer there... probably so they can continue to hose people. The options began coming out, some had red meat options in them, etc, so 40% of our table were blocked out. The food that we all could eat was incredible as always and we were pretty full when I asked your server "when does this end? because we're kinda filling up." She said oh, we have a couple more dishes for you that the chef is currently preparing. We felt guilty about not taking more since the chef was already preparing the dishes... but what came out next was not only a lot of what we couldn't eat, but what we thought was hosing us for a check. I believe the numbers were $75 for octopus, roughly $60 for red meat wrapped cod, and $93 for LAMB. All three dishes could only be enjoyed by 3 persons in our party, myself excluded and one person couldn't eat ANY OF THEM. Most of the group was even full at this point... but we ate it because we didn't want to be rude. By the time we left, we had a check for $565, which is roughly $200 MORE than what I typically pay for groups larger than ours at the restaurant....when more than one bottle of wine was purchased. We purchased ONE $40 bottle of wine. ONE. That means we had $525 worth of food?!?!? Are you kidding me? We were all EXTREMELY UPSET at the options and what our check came to... but that didn't come out until after the business meeting had concluded and we were speaking informally later. The tell on how much someone wants to spend at dinner is the wine. We asked for a bottle between $30 and $55. We received one at $40... which was great... but I would think as a server, one wouldn't think that a table of 5 ordering 1 moderately priced bottle of wine was looking to spend roughly $140 a piece for dinner. To be honest, we all felt like we were completely hosed on a slow night and that the staff ran the check on us to make up for it. We were all very upset at the meat options that came out when again, one of us doesn't eat meat and the other doesn't eat red meat. Why in the world would the staff find it appropriate to bring a $93 plate of lamb to us when 40% of the table couldn't touch it blows my mind and really drove the concept of them running the check.
(1)
Tanya Y.

DÃ©cor- beautiful and romantic Service- As a former waitress, I can't help but to be picky. I glanced at the wine menu and asked our waitress if she could recommend a wine that wasn't too sweet or too dry. She immediately chose the most expensive glass ($18 for a glass) and told me that it was a beautiful wine. Again, I asked her if it was too dry or too sweet, and her response was, "what do you mean by dry? This wine has a beautiful flavor." I agreed to the glass and to only find out it was extremely dry. She did not appear to be knowledgeable about the food or wine. When our meal did not come out as expected, she did provide us with free dessert and dessert wine. Food- For an appetizer, we ordered mussels. There were only five TINY mussels on the plate. It tasted like lemon breadcrumbs. For dinner we ordered hanger steak and lamb. My boyfriend ordered his steak medium well and when it arrived, it was rare. The meat was cooked longer and when it came back, the outside of it was burnt and you could taste it. That was disappointing. However, the lamb was amazing. It was delicious and it melted in your mouth. The only downfall was that it was small and both dishes were greasy. Would I come back to PAZO again? For the price, portion, and service, I can spend my money elsewhere.
(3)
Lily Y.

We came here for a dinner meeting. They placed us in a private room upstairs. One side had a curtain and another had a sliding door. There were so many servers coming in and out causing a lot of noise and interruptions. It says a lot when the speaker himself tries to hold the sliding door to prevent any more interruptions. Terrible lack of sensibility. Also, the servers kept taking away plates and silver ware and bringing it back. Half the time we didn't have utensils to eat. It was the most illogical service I have ever observed. Everytime food was served the servers asked each person if they'd like some. It was a dinner meeting, they should have left the plate on the table for us to serve ourselves. Again.. way too many unncessary interruptions. The food... the steak was burnt crisp on the outside but VERY rare (blood red) on the inside. The chicken was cooked well but a little dry with a very crispy skin. The cauliflower was good. The fried broccoli was delicious (only thing I enjoyed and that is coming from a person who doesn't like broccoli!). The dessert. I don't even know where to begin. The "warm" chocolate cake made with goats milk tasted old and dry. It looked like they took a cupcake abd cut it in half and served it. We were supposed to get an apple dessert but got pumpkin cannoli instead which wasn't the best creation ever. For such an upscale and large restuarant, there is only 1 person restroom upstairs. There is "more" downstairs - 3 stalls. Terrible service. Terrible food. Terrible experience. Would never come here again.
(1)
Sarah C.

SO GREAT! The place was recommended to me as I hosted friends from out of town. It was a bachelorette party and we were treated so well. Paul, the management upstairs was so amazing. We had complimentary champagne and desert for the brides big day! The food was sooo good. Yes portions are small but the food was so tasty. The chicken and hanger steak were SO good. The lamp chop small plate with pomegranate was delicious. I loved the homemade ricotta and beat salad. We all felt so taken care of and loved the food. Well done pazo. Thanks for a great night Paul! For being an insanely crazy busy night, you rocked it!
(5)
Aisha S.

The food was good, but I was expecting everything to blow my mind for these prices. Some dishes did, but others were just okay. I started out with the Burratina Sweet Pepper Empanadas and Tuna Tartare and wasn't impressed. But I wasn't going to be defeated! I kept going and it turns out I really love the Gambas al Ajillo and bacon-wrapped trout. Although the dishes got mixed reactions, I enjoyed the company of John the bartender and after we moved from the bar to the lounge area, Devin the waiter. Other than the gambas and trout, it was the great service and atmosphere that makes Pazo nice, though still not strong enough when it comes to the food. I will say that it's been a long time since I've seen so many good-looking men in one place. That alone is worth at least another visit for happy hour...
(3)
James D.

Atenttion fellow VEGANS!!! If you are looking for an upscale experience and/or are prospecting a venue to celebrate at - try PAZO! So before attending on Tuesday of this week, I had called ahead of time to ask a few questions about the food....Since me and my fiancee are both vegan I asked the chef about their vegan options on the phone. The Gentlemen on the phone was extremely knowledgeable about the food and mentioned what our options would be. He mentioned that a lot of their food is vegan without even trying to be ( meaning it hails from southern Italy, sardegna..etc... - where the food they eat in these regions just happens to be vegan! ) He mentioned that they could prepare a wonderful pasta dish with a tomato sauce and vegabtables , which is what my fiancee likes! So we attended Tuesday night. We were greeted by a very nice hostess named Joanna who led us over to our table. We were seated in the center of this gigantic courtyard-esque area. It felt like we were in the middle of a fancy Italian castle. The ambiance really is amazing here.The manager immediately stopped by and wished my lady Happy Birthday.Our server was Caroline. We ordered wine. The lady ordered a white and I ordered a red. they were both great. I noticed as well that my red was chilled a little. I actually loved it. I've never had red chilled before - never thought it would work - but with this red it was delightful. We started with a margherita pizza - no cheese, but had them add some zucchini and tomato sauce. It was fantastic. But preceding that was this dish they made for us with marinated slices of peaches and tomatoes. Not sure what it was called, but if you describe that to them they'll know what you mean I'm sure! This of course was also great. We both ordered the maccheroni from the pasta options - without the cheese . Preceding THAT, they brought out a delightful especially prepared veggie plate with forest mushrooms, potatoes , and the most AMAZING zucchini I guarentee you will EVER have. It is grilled and marinated and these are very large chunks.So we enjoyed this veggie plate, and then the pasta came. Needless to say it was spot on. We mentioned we were too full for dessert, but yet again another surprise!!! Caroline brought us out a dessert with two sorbets on it - with a little candle in the middle. So all in all Caroline was awesome. Joanna was awesome. The management was awesome, the cooks were awesome, and the ambience was magical. Great experience. sidenote for vegans - there are many more things (besides the things that we got) that you can enjoy on the menu. Go to their website and look at their menu
(5)
Liz T.

Let me start by saying that the food was AMAZING. Everything we ordered was delicious.The dishes my table ordered that were amazing: grilled octopus, paccheri al forno, and the maccaronara. Food alone was 5 stars! The downside was the service, which brought the overall to 2 stars. We had a large party and our server looked incredibly unhappy to have us. It took her 45 minutes to get to everyone for drinks ONLY. The bar was also extremely slow. Service was so slow, that my sister went to the bar to order her drinks, but that even took 20 minutes. No apologies, no concern from anyone during the dinner. It was my 30th birthday party and I was so excited to be dining at Pazo but was so disappointed to have it ruined by the server. We ended up being at the restaurant for over three hours, when we were hoping to be all set in two. They told us they would treat us as individual tables, but then combined the check. It was all very confusing service. At the end, as we were leaving, we spoke to the managers. The managers were all pretty nice about it, but it was a little too late unfortunately. Multiple people from my party told me how annoyed they were and how unfortunate it was to have the delicious meal ruined by grumpy service. I was a server for 5 years and totally understand the downside of large parties, but this service was pretty terrible. If our server had cracked a smile or apologized for any of the delay at least once--we would have been fine and understanding. Also, all my group wanted to do was drink and eat, and would've been very inclined to order many drinks if the service wasn't so terrible. It was the lack of courtesy that really makes me not want to come back, regardless of how tasty the food was!
(2)
Sabiano H.

I was advised to come here by a close friend. And I was very impressed when I first walked in. It was very nice and loungish. The staff was very friendly with great service. I ordered food it was a lamb pasta dish and octopus as an appetizer. The octopus was decent and my pasta was not good. Overall for service I give them 10/10, ambiance 9/10, food 3/10. I think it's a great establishment and well managed, and I look forward to coming back when the chef is fired.
(3)
Michelle Y.

I would give Pazo 2.5 stars if I could. Pazo is a beautiful venue, great managers, poorly-trained waitresses, and tiny portions (even for tapas). The waitress seemed to only care about us ordering the most expensive dishes. She right off the bat, just encouraged us to order the prix fixed meal, instead of suggesting that we take a look at the menu ourselves. The bar was terribly short staffed in a Friday night and we waited +10 minutes after we put in our wine order. If you like spending +$5 for one piece of cold bruschetta at a beautiful restaurant, then Pazo is for you. If you want to eat good tapas, then check out any of the other tapas places in baltimore.
(3)
Danielle G.

The place is a great atmosphere but the service from the staff is not so great. They were not knowledgeable about the food or their extensive wine menu. Food was ok, but you're only paying for the ambiance and that's about it.
(3)
Alyssa B.

#Yes. I visited Baltimore for a college sorority reunion of sorts. Living in NYC, I've come to realize that most other dining scenes pale in comparison. I was wrong. Pazo surpassed my expectations not only with its great food, but also its reasonable prices. Their prix-fixe dinner option is gift. I started with the crab and avocado bruschetta. Would have perhaps liked a heavier crab to avocado ration, but nonetheless, the dish was innovative and enjoyable. I then moved on to my pasta which was the paccherni al forno. This was the highlight for sure. It was an over-sized ziti stuffed with braised lamb. I savored every bite. Perhaps up until this point, I had always been conservative with my pasta choices, but I had never seen a dish like that before. My last course was the octopus. I've a huge fan of octopus and I've definitely had better octopus dishes. I typically prefer a charred octopus and this was octopus in broth. Regardless, it was tasty. We were all too stuffed for dessert, but left Pazo felling like our money was well-spent. Our service was also flawless. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the wine list. The menu is extensive so we had many questions which she answered thoroughly. The only complaint I have is about the space. The top floor is a balcony that overlooks the bottom lounge area. The restaurant has a great layout and all the makings to be an awesome space. Unfortunately, I felt the decor was a bit too kitchy. Who knows though maybe it was simply the Christmas decorations that made it seems that way.
(3)
Francisco M.

Typical yuppy bar- awesome ambience, great drinks, good food, good service, and way overpriced. A few of the appetizers appear reasonably priced until you get a portion size that most toddlers would find too small. Salmon tartare was awesome.
(3)
Kara M.

I haven't been back to Bmore since I moved in 2006, and since I was there for a week thought I would revisit one of my favorite places to eat. This time I thought it was just okay, maybe it's because I gained some foodie experience or maybe it's because it has changed. It took 15 min for anyone to even come over and give me water and another 10 to get the wine I ordered. The sunflower crackers (sweet potato) were really good though and I was enjoying them before a waitress just came and picked them up off the table without asking if I was done. I had the deal with the appetizer and 2 entree small plates. I had the crab avocado bruschetta, squid ink spaghetti, and hanger steak. The bruschetta was great, I love avocado and the crab added a good touch. I believe that the squid spaghetti is just on the menu for the "exotic" factor. it was pretty bland and I found myself looking around for a salt shaker. the hangar steak was cooked perfectly and was seasoned well. I was kicking it solo so the amount of food was a good portion but please know that the portions are really small and expensive. I love tapas places but it just didn't feel like the old pazo where the portions were the same but felt worth it. I had a couple of the wines, and they have a big list that's not too expensive, but they don't have any red wines for people who like white wine. they gave me a free dessert- the white chocolate orange cake, i think because I must have looked like I was not enjoying everything and I definitely appreciated the gesture. If I could given them 3.5 I would but the cake and good attention once the meal came out kept them at the 4.
(4)
Supriya M.

Giving this 3 stars because there may be some people who would be happy here, but I can't see us ever coming back. Had been here a few years earlier and nothing changed. Great space, uniquely metropolitan feel for Baltimore restaurant. Dress code always make me mad, but it didn't feel commensurately pretentious. Very crowded on Saturday night at the bar and in the seating area, gave the place a lively feel, but I think made our service spotty. Server himself was very knowledgeable and helpful, when we saw him, but it seemed he took a little too long to do everything. Drinks were very disappointing. The margarita-like specialty cocktail was way too strong and even after sending it back, returned no better. Other cocktails were ok at best. Honestly the food we got was superb; we all just wished there was more of it. This place has tapas size portions with supra-tapas pricing. Each plate came with approximately 3-4 bites of food, which we scrupulously distributed to each member of our table. We considered ordering more, but as we could tell this would make the price sky-rocket, we decided to cut our losses. Hung out with some late arrivals in the lounge area, where we tried dessert (again very tasty for all 3-4 bites of it), before finishing off our hunger at home. We ate more (and paid more) on our previous visit and dishes were a mix between amazing and mediocre. I don't think this place offers a very good value. I'd say this is a place you come if you are not hungry or have deep pockets, or if you just want to hang out in a cool atmosphere (would not really recommend it even as a place to get drinks).
(3)
Pooja T.

As soon as you walk into this place, you'll automatically feel the class and intimate style this place offers. It has a really cool decor inside-almost a barn-like, yet super classy, yet modern/industrial feel to it. It had tall ceilings where beautiful chandeliers hung from, dimmed lighting, flowy cabanas drifting from side to side. It is a PERFECT PLACE FOR DATES! Or even friends, family dinners and whatever else. It is a bit pricey but so worth the night out. I usually come here for dinner, and even though it is catered to mostly people who eat meat, there are a few options which never seizes to fail to satisfy a veggie's stomach. First, start off with their drinks. I had a La Vie en Rose, which actually came with a petal of a rose--tooo cute. Go for their happy hours! Won't disappoint. Then get a few apps-but if you're not willing to splurge too much, their complimentary bread and biscuits are PHENOMENAL! Like forreal! They make their bread inhouse and actually sell it to other local restaurants. They have this seseme-seed cracker which is to DIE FOR. You wouldn't think it sounded great, but it is divine! I had a pasta dish as my entree, and it was really good. Their salads are great too! Finish off with a nice dessert and you are set! I've been here a handful of times and never left disappointed, The servers are so sweet, and the ambiance is so relaxing. Enjoy!
(5)
Dave S.

The word "PAZO" is a a cognate of the latin word for stately country manor home. When Pazo first opened, the menue was a fascinating melange of european country tapas. Multiple chees plates, charcuterie, olive mixes, seared salads, and piquant, delicate meat dishes. On UrbanDictionary.com , the number one definition for the word "PAZO" is "Bad, crap, or ugly." When a friend recently told us that Pazo had gone downhill badly, we were admittedly skeptical. With three time Bear award nominee Chef Cindy Wolfe involved, how could Pazo be anything less than excellent? Well ... lets try it out, shall we ... First is the news. Pazo recently re-vamped their menu to serve primarily Italian food, including wood-fired pizza. OK. That an odd choice, given that it is directly adjacent to Chazz, two blocks away from Foreman-Wolf's signature Italian Chingale', three blocks from Little Italy (La Scala, Sabatinos, Amicci's, Da Mimmo's), and Five blocks from Fell's points (and Baltimore's) best pizzeria (BOP). We need a twentieth Italian restaraunt in this five block corridor? Seriously, there are twenty of them. Count them. Never mind that the word PAZO means just "stately" in Italian, dropping the country manor house context from the spanish. A "stately" pizza joint? The crowd at prime dinner hours on a Wednesday was vacant. Upstairs closed. three tables occupied down below. In the two hours we were there, nobody else came in. So lets talk libations and food. Drinks first. We had two of their signature coctails - a prosecco punch that was somewhat watery and too much prosecco. The "Solerno" however (a twist on a Manhattan using Maker's Mark bourbon, Pelligrino Arancia Rosso (for vermouth), and Amaro Averna (to provide the bitters flavor) was genuinely a truly excellent coctail. Burrata ($9) Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. Burrata at Pazo was approximately three tablespoons of creamy cheese, on a bed of 3 strips of julienne tomatoes, with a single basil leaf as garnish. Despite the minscule quantity, this was perhaps the best tasting dish we received. The cheese was velvety creamy, with a rich texture and interesting flavors. Prawn (x2)($24) Our server kept recommending "two" of all the appetizers, "so we could share". The only dish we got two of was the prawn, and it was lucky we did. The prawn (yes, singular) arrived as a lonely, limp, tiny shimp-like creature (head still on) mostly uncooked (still grey rather than pink), and drenched in a fishy garlic, olive oil, lemon juice mix. The lemon juice flavor suggested the chef was going for a cevice' preparation, but this was basically raw shrimp, with an unappealing fishy odor and a cold, gelatinous center. When you think "Prawn", you think large shrimp. Having grilled a half dozen of skewered 18-count shrimp just two nights before (that 18 per pound), I can tell you that these "Prawn" were smaller than 18 count. One bite each. Nine dollars. Unpleasant smell and taste. Slimy, nauseating feel and finish. Not quite the worst dish I've ever had served to me on a plate (we've done some "adventure dining"), but very much in the running for that title. And to put that in perspective, I HAVE eaten live insects. Crispy Eggplant ($9) An eggplant tempura, with a green aoili on the side. This was a substantial pile of eggplant meat, cut in sticks and breaded and lightly deep fried. It was light, crunch, and utterly bland. Sort of like mozz sticks with the cheese removed and replaced with pulpy, flavorless mush. The aioli was unremarkable and did nothing to save this dish. We left most of it on the plate. Lamb Polpetti Slider ($8) A single slider, made with a tiny ball of pink nearly raw ground lamb. Bo sear, no toppings, and no garnish. I couldn't figure out what the chef was trying to do with this one. Was it supposed to be a tartar thing? Did they forget to cook it. Dry and faintly unpleasant flavor. We saved it (a little) by dredging it in the garlic/lemon/oliveoil mix from the prawn. Crab Avocado Bruschetta ($12) Avocado spread on crostini, topped with stringy flavourless crab meat, sitting in olive oil. By the time it hit our table, the bread was soggy. Bucatini alla Molinara lamb, beef, & duck Pasta ($25) In a neighborhood with half a dozen of quite possibly the best italian restaurants in the mid-atlantic, your $25 spaghetti plate better be damn special. Sadly, no. Pasta soggy, and sauce VERY close in flavor to Ragu Old World Style with Meat. Wood-Grilled Lamb Steak ($25) Sounds good, right. The dish arrive with roughly eight ounces of lamb medallions, scattered over a bed of sauteed pearl onions and artichoke hearts. The onions were good - salt and butter, but the artichoke was bitter and tough. The meat was near cold and unremarkable, with no taste of wood grilling. I found myself looking around for salt and pepper. Total Price Point - with Wine and Tip - ~$220 for Two.
(1)
Anthony G.

Went to PAZO on Saturday for the first time since the menu was changed over to Southern Italian cuisine. As several others have commented, the portions can be a bit on the small side. However, I've never had a bad meal at Pazo and everything was excellent once again. Recommendations would be any of the pizzas, the prosciutto appetizers and the Hangar Steak or Lamb from entrees. The only disappointment was the dessert. The gelato we ordered was just okay. Our server was excellent. Helpful suggestions, the right amount of attention, and never felt rushed. Only took away one star because the food and drinks are tad on the pricey scale.
(4)
Paul S.

The food is very on point to what they are conveying. The ambiance allows you to eat in a variety of experiences from a lounge in the center to a romantic or more intimate space.
(3)
Frank L.

I've been here for a party each year for the last two years, and I have to say that the food here is amazing. I'm going to admit that since it's a party I'm sure I enjoy the food a lot more since i'm not actually paying for it, but I'd have no problem complaining (in this review) if there were any problems. And I have to say there haven't been any. I've tried multiple appetizers, from their funky apple, manchego cheese, and date salad, shrimp bunuelos, and their empanadas. All wonderful. I've also tried both their steak and salmon entrees. My mouth is actually watering while I'm writing this. Their wine list is a while other bag of awesome. Very good. Save this place for a special occasion. Be prepared to pay, but also be prepared to have a wonderful time. Make sure you're not too hungry so you can really enjoy what they have to offer.
(5)
Steve H.

The service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was lovely. The food was subpar and had potential but failed to live up to the environment. We tried lots of dishes...nothing made it worth the price.
(2)
Jordan B.

Very impressed with this place. We went with a group of 7 girls for a Bachelorette. The food was phenomenal. I got to try a lot of different dishes and liked everything I tried. Service was also exceptional. They even gave us complimentary champagne and desserts for the bride. The waitress even said it was one of the busiest nights they've had in awhile and we still felt very well taken care of. The upstairs manager Paul was great and paid a lot of attention to our table. Overall we could not have asked for a better dining experience and would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)
John J.

This was my first visit to the new Pazo. They switched from Tapas to Italian food. I thought the meal was fantastic. Roasted Golden beet salad, pasta with mushrooms and fava beans, wood fired lobster, delicious cocktails and wine. I like that the music has been changed and turned down from when they were tapas. Much better ambiance to sit and talk with friends Awesome staff took great care of us. I look forward to going again soon.
(5)
Bethany E.

Ate at Pazo for our anniversary dinner and it was incredible from start to finish. We didn't have a reservation but that wasn't a problem on a Thursday and we were seated immediately. We did the 3 course meal and loved everything that came out. I got the bucatini pasta and literally wanted to lick the plate, it was that good. The crab and avocado bruschetta was great, too. We also got the chocolate and pistachio tart to end the night and even though we were stuffed, we managed to eat the entire thing. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the service. We were greeted quickly but our food came out a little too close together so we never had time to digest the previous course. Also, towards the end of the evening the bar seemed to get a little busy and our drinks took a little longer than anticipated. Overall a fabulous place, wonderful ambiance and food to die for. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Sam C.

Pazo is a Mediterranean/Italian food joint in a trendy part of Baltimore in the Fells Point, Inner Harbor area. I have to admit, the restaurant is in a very nice setting. The interior is posh and looks more like something out of a movie set than it does a restaurant. Dimly lit, lots of reds and nicely decorated. If your trying to impress a date, the setting and the prices on the menu are sure to impress. Problem is, it's more style than substance. And after the awe of the environment wears off (about 5 minutes into it for me), the food has to follow suit. The antipasti appetizer was ridiculously small, very expensive, and shockingly flavorless despite the rather attractive presentation. I had the Bucattini pasta (at my house, we call it spaghetti, but at $27 a plate you have to name it something else) that needed a pretty heavy dousing of Tabasco to add some flavor. Sadly, none was to be found at this establishment. The deserts followed the same theme - not bad, just boring. Upside is the wine list. Fairly extensive and reasonably priced compared to other joints I've seen with a selection that includes stuff not easily found. Also, as other reviewers pointed out, the sunflower crackers (or whatever they are) were a great find. Sadly, that free offering was the best part of the meal. Don't think I'd come back. For the money, and you need a lot of it, there are far better dining experiences within a short walk of Pazo.
(2)
Charlie T.

Used to be one of THE best places to go out and meet friends or new people in Baltimore. Was such a hotspot to go to on Friday and Saturday night but mismanagement and an uncaring attitude have let this place turn into an afterthought. I hope it rebounds, it's beautiful inside, and used to have a great staff, great food, and the best atmosphere of any upscale place in the city.
(3)
Renee T.

This was my second visit to Pazo. I went alone and had dinner at the bar. Kevin the bartender was very personable and made me feel comfortable. I had the Iberia ham and the zucchini cakes. The ham was paired with a champagne at Kevin ' s suggestion. It was right on. A perfect pairing. The zucchini cakes are always good with a lemon custard taste. The restaurant is just gorgeous to look at. I can't wait for the next opportunity I have to visit Pazo.
(5)
Ibis W.

I was a sucker for eating here. Anyone who actually likes this place is by my book a pretentious dumb fuck who doesn't know how to eat well. My dining mates came up with the best description for this restaurant; This place is a foodie's nightmare. First things first. You come to a nice place to eat and hang out, and you want some drinks in you, right? Wrong. Not here. Pazo has incredibly stingy pours. An order of a single malt scotch served neat was delivered to the table and no more than a minute later a bus boy comes by to collect the untouched glass, assuming it was empty because well, it actually looks empty. True story. A dining mate had tossed back 2 martinis back to back without feeling the smallest hint of a buzz. My cocktails consisted of 90% ice chunks. Not cool. Dubstep starts playing when the sun goes down. The entire place turns into a lounge. This is the reason why you are idiotically paying 20 bucks for that handful of apple + cheese slices, and maybe like 5 nuts. I would have maybe thought this was cool shit back in my teenager years. After having ordered copious number of dishes, the best compliment anyone could give to any one dish was that "it didn't suck". Sunflower seed crackers are way overrated and most definitely not a reason to come eat here. "Hanger steak" was the size of a silver dollar. What? Prices don't seem that bad on paper until you see the portion sizes. We are not talking about elegantly classy kinda of small. We are talking about laugh-out-loud, made you feel like a total sucker kind of small. We couldn't help but to keep rhetorically ask, "where is the rest of this?". The wait staff was very unpolished. They are only able to act through the motions of what a real wait staff should be like at an actual respectable restaurant. In addition, there is always someone to interrupt you unnecessarily umpteen amount of times as you are eating and chatting, but when you actually need something there won't be anyone around for ages. Desserts are obvious afterthoughts. What's up with the hostesses dressing like they are vampire cattle? Don't get me started on the sommelier. This is a classic example of how more money != better eating. What a disaster.
(1)
Mona F.

We eat at Pazo at least once a year. We always leave pleased, but this time, not so much. Our entree arrived 4 hours after we sat down at the table. When asked our server said, "we had a party to take care of." Way to make our party feel insignificant. It was not the same menu or the service. And... They added 19% gratuity to our party of 8. We will not recommend Pazo and probably will not return.
(2)
A. S.

Went here with my husband. We wanted to make a meal out of sharing some small plates, but the waitress said we'd need about 8 of the plates to make a meal for two people, and there just weren't that many that interested us. So we got 4 plates and shared an entree and also got a dessert each. Eh. The food was ok, some if it good, but nothing blew me away. My sangria was very good but was served in a sticky glass. The chicken pintxos were one of the best things we ordered, but they were about three (small) bites of food. Our entree was artichoke ravioli, but it tasted overwhelmingly of goat cheese--neither of us tasted artichoke at all. For two people, our meal came to $100, and that's before tip. It really wasn't worth it. The ambiance and service were both great but, as far as the food goes, I wouldn't return.
(3)
JJAMZ C.

Had a great experience here. Online they had a tasting menu, but when we arrived they said they didn't offer it anymore - but they talked to the manager and was able to accommodate a tasting menu for me and my friend. They are friendly, accommodating, attentive, and excellent place to eat. A fusion between small plates and traditional dining. We had a sampling of everything on the menu we wanted to try! Great place for groups, romantic evening, or just out with friends! Very comfy and relaxing, inviting, and warm place.
(4)
Jenny H.

Great ambience but overpriced for small plates of food which just taste OK. I came here with some friends and got their pizza (crust was whatever) and their empanada which was served with a good pesto sauce. Their roasted grape on crostini dessert with warm white chocolate sauce was REALLY good, I would totally get this again- that sauce was lip-smacking delectably delicious!
(3)
Tatiana B.

The place is gorgeous and i felt very welcomed as soon as i walked in. Unfortunately, I was hungry after ordering the steak. It was 4 little chunks and 4 slices of potatoes on the side and $30. We also ordered a seafood pasta which was very bland and tasted like ocean water. Yes I understand its seafood but it was just gross and we left the plate just like that. I did enjoy how delicious the chocolate tart was and i received a complimentary wine for my birthday. I wouldn't return, just for dessert!
(1)
Jehangir N.

Pazos was one my favorite restaurants. I remember celebrating my 50th birthday here and being delighted by the evening . Manager Marco ( now at Woodberrys kitchen ) went out of his way to make the evening great . I visited the restaurant several times after that and was more or less very happy with the restaurant each time . I went back after a gap of at least seven months last night to the re- launched Pazo. The service was awful , the captain/ manager/ sommelier was indifferent. Our first drinks came 30 minutes of ordering them . The bottle of wine took another 30 minutes to arrive. The entrees took about 45 minutes . We were a table of 6 and unanimously felt that the service was appalling . My sea urchin crudo was below average and can be avoided . The pizzas were quite good . The Burata was nice . The pasta with lamb was good. Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf need to have an urgent meeting with their expediators ,waiters,managers and give them a pep talk otherwise this restaurant is going down the tubes . Only good food can not save the place it has to be put out on time and the service has to be friendly . Yes we were given a complimentary glass of Moscato but not once was anyone ever apologetic about the lousy service.
(2)
Mark S.

We visited Pazo to pass time in the city until rush hour cleared out and it was an overall good experience. Atmosphere: this was excellent with an interesting layout inside of an old factory/ warehouse. Very comfortable seating in the lounge and eating area with beautiful surroundings/ decor. The upstairs balcony would be interesting on a busy night. Food: My wife and I had the mussels with peas for a small plate and duck for her and pasta with clams for me. Portions were small but the food was tasty all around. They gave us free chocolate cake for being first timers. Service: one word.. Excellent. Maybe it was bc they weren't too busy but everyone was friendly and very attentive.
(4)
Tunaidi A.

Hmm... disappointing is probably the correct description for Pazo. Drinks: 5 stars Happy hour: 5 stars Ambiance: 5 stars Decor: 5 stars Service: 4 stars Parking: 4 stars Food: 2 stars Dessert: 2 stars Price for the quality of food: 1 star Making a reservation and having to wait: 1 star So, from what I've gathered with my Pazo experience is that everything looks good. The place is quite impressive to the eyes. Unfortunately, the non-alcoholic edibles fail miserably. Still, if you live in Baltimore, you'll be tempted to dine at Pazo at least once.
(3)
Kris L.

Went with a group of 7 on a Sunday night. The ambiance of this place is fabulous, elegant and the service is worth mentioning because it was top notch. There was live music (that make it feel somewhere in between pretentious and classy) but I liked it. The tapas were fabulous-we had 2 vegetarians and everyone had enough to eat. The wine list was extensive. The beer list was eh. Our fav dishes were the empanadas-both goat cheese and veal were great and cooked to perfection! The scallops is not worth you money-it comes with 2 tiny ones and they were completed oversalted. The swiss chard and chicken tapas were also great. Overall the food was great though a bit on the pricey side. I will be returning for happy hour if I can!
(4)
C B.

The good, and only reason for the second star is the ambiance, decor, lighting and building in general. A very unique experience, the building was an old church in a previous era. The bad, everything else... including service and oddly enough the food. We had a party of 7, and out of all of the entrees, two were sent back. This is something that we normally/always shy away from doing, as we have pretty high tolerance for bad/mediocre food. However, when pasta at a very expensive Italian restaurant comes out completely uncooked (al dente would be considered overcooked in comparison) is beyond unacceptable. On a positive note, the pasta tasted like raw flour, a sign that it didn't come from a package. Two of us ordered the braised lamb which was ok, but nothing special. On one of the plates, one of the two portions of meat was a block of pure fat. I think this is something that gives the dish a nice flavor during the braising process, however it should not be plated, as it is not eatable. This was NOT one of the dishes that we sent back. There was nothing special about anything we ordered, the grilled octopus was perhaps the winner. Overall, the quality of the dishes was very disappointing. We received our entrees two hours after we got seated, and over 3 hours had passed before we left. Everything was excruciatingly slow. We also celebrated a birthday and the staff brought out a small cake and ice cream portion, along with a candle. Nice touch, until we realized that they actually put it on the bill. A small amount in comparison to the total, but a pretty classless move. They apologized and took it off, however, a high end restaurant like Pazo should not have patrons find these kinds of nickel-and-dime mistakes on the bill. The dishes that were sent back were taken off the bill, however, the replacements (we ordered pizzas instead) got added on. From my experience, other restaurants handle things a bit differently, and do everything they can to rectify things. Clearly not Pazo. For a Cindy Wolf restaurant this was a completely disappointing experience. It is a place where one should expect a little more, and this was far from it. There are too many choices in the Baltimore/DC area, to consider trying Pazo again. +Venue -Value -Service -Food = Strongly NOT recommended
(2)
Patrick C.

Small but Tasty Plates, Apps, EntrÃ©es & Desserts I went with business colleagues and had dinner last night. Great ambiance, location (near Inner Harbor) and dÃ©cor. Service and food are pretty good, albeit pricey for what you get. That said, with my glass of wine, bread, appetizer, entrÃ©e, desset and coffee - I was quite happily full. A lot of my friends and family, however, would take issue with $30 for 4 slices of hangar steak served atop 3 slices of potato with 3 grilled green onions and a dollop of romesco sauce as the entrÃ©e side... The food was good and probably seemed better for the company that enhanced the evening as opposed to the actual food...so go with that special someone or a group of interesting friends to season
(3)
Frank S.

Just ok. The ambiance was great . I had the fungi pizza for an appetizer which was tasty, but then again not great. The apple salad was interesting and modestly complex. For the pasta course I had the cavatelli which was not flavorful at all. Very bland . For the last course I had the half chicken with fingerling potatoes. Not bad but again not flavorful.
(3)
Kevin K.

Overall: Aspects that shine, but consistently underwhelming. Upon reflection, there is more word-of-mouth praise for this than written. It has a plastic feel to all of it, forced, you'll maybe even utter "charade". Given the size of the bill, there won't be a second visit. _________________________________ Ambiance: 5/5. Huge space, over-done decorations, two floors of seating, house and electronica build almost-club ambience, loud crowds.. how does this get a five? It's the lounge area, which creates an amazingly laid back vibe, and everything above--which I typically find a negative--works towards the lounge feel. Grab a couch with a few friends, eat a few small plates, lay back (this is possible!), people watch, and repeat. No issue with no reservations at 945 on a Friday. Most of the depressingly arranged tables looked empty. The bar and lounge were throbbing. _________________________________ Service: 1/5. Service would be a 2/5 most places, but it conflicted so much with the 5/5 ambience and almost ruined that.. servers felt like machines milking us dry, then looking to kick us out. Immediate seating, great! Then 15 minutes for drinks to arrive. Then badgering, plate clearing, and requests so fast it nearly kills the lounge aspect the ambience creates. Our main server didn't try once to make small talk, banter, anything. We didn't get a name. ALL BUSINESS. But we did have to protect plates from being taken prematurely, then later ask for a plate to finally be removed. We responded to "15 minutes to kitchen closing" with "We're ok." Five minutes later, she drops "5-10 minutes until kitchen closes." _________________________________ Drinks: 2/5. Extensive lists, wide variety of mixed drinks, but none of them won me over, and all were boozy. 1.) Pisco Sour - overspiced, ands since the cinammon is nose-candy only, never mixing but rather sitting on top as a garnish. Soft body and carbonation, nice citrus throughout, but overall muted and considerably one-note, if refreshing. 2.) Blood Orange Old Fashioned - the first half of this drink is rotten, terribly overbittered and hot, a mess. Once I got nearer to the submerged fruit, it balanced out and became more pleasent, thankfully sugar content still low, and the bitters were more naturally integrated with fruit flavors. _________________________________ Food: 3/5. Another extensive list. No dish wowed. Several were solid, yet several were bland, and most suffered textural issues. Textural mistakes throughout, and small, but plating is inventive and garnished decently enough to convince otherwise. Additionally, the portions are deceptively filling and catch up, so wait another 10 minutes before ordering that next round of plates. 1.) Sea Scallops a la Planxa - Definitely the lightest and best plate of the night. Refreshing, the sauce brightness complimenting the light char on the scallops, which themselves are soft-throughout and cooked near-perfection. Not quite as rich a scallop flavor as you might like, but very good nonetheless. That said, everyone does scallops, and if they're your best dish... 2.) Chorizo and Morcilla Pintxos - the textural masterpiece of the night, but still simple at that. Rich sauce covers the salty meat, which compliments the sweet, lightly charred, soft-if-slightly-sandy water chestnut. Gone in two bites, which just made me want more. 3.) Beef Tartare - very balanced, the meat is refreshing and noticeable, an issue sometimes with Tartare. It's thankfully lighter than Salt's onion-density, but compared to Woodberry's hearty complexity, it's not as rustic, nuanced, or balanced. A bit more pepper desired, more bittering, and of course an egg. And use fresh toast points.. ditch the crostini, which are overly-crispy, dry, like those at the store. 4.) Tuna Tartare - Cute plating with the fish-shaped spoons, but equally insulting in an over-the-top manner. Fresh and light if slightly over-salty, balanced well with with the cilantro and oil, which keeps it from ever becoming thick--an issue you sometimes have with tuna tartare. 5.) Goat cheese empenadas - Rather plain but well done, goat cheese a natural selection for maintaining moisture.. empenadas can dry easily. The spice garnish is nice as well, though the dish on the whole is one-note. 6) Potato and Manchego croquetas - Cheesey and hearty when warm, yet the consistency is tough to bear, especially as it cools: thick, incredibly rich, and dry. Overwhelmingly sweet yet earthy. You might prefer being served half of these. 7) Spicy Garbanzo Bruschetta - Also served on the overly crispy, store-bought quality crostini. Very bland, not spicy, and too earthy. Could use salt and pepper, more heat, and where are the peppers promised in the description?
(2)
William S.

Blue velvet cocktail for the Misses. Great drinks. Bartender was great. Great Bar but no crowd. We have been here alot over the years, it was a place you could enjoy a nice meal and bar with friends. It is a nice place but no longer tapas. It recently changed. $8 for a single slider. It isn't sharable. Too expensive to buy everyone at your table. The food quality was good but the menu isn't working for what it used to be. Now it is Italian next to Little Italy. If I wanted Italian I would have gone to Little Italy. It used to be Spanish but a week ago decided to go Italian. I wished I had looked at the menu and saw that they had changed so much. My fault I guess. I gave them one star because of the menu. The quality is still there but the menu isn't worth going.
(1)
Sarah G.

The only reason Pazo doesn't get five stars from me is because I'm not about that life where I pay big prices for little plates. Sorry, maybe someday I'll be classy enough to understand that! Anyway, this place is well-loved by my relatives so when everyone is in town, it usually happens! We typically order a bunch of plates that at least a few people want to share and that hopefully have enough food on them. Some of my favorite choices: Empanadas (pork & veal or goat cheese) are spot on, Crab bunuelos (which are now shrimp) were sooooo tasty, the scallops...perfection. I'm not sure if this menu changes seasonally but just about anything I've ordered has been perfectly prepared and presented. I also love the atmosphere of this place, some spots feel very private, but the whole place is open with tall ceilings, and this kind of elegantly disguised industrial feel. A great place for big or small parties if you're looking to splurge and aren't starving.
(4)
Ankita M.

I am giving it 4 stars for drinks and ambience. I have been here many times and have tried several food dishes. Can't rem the name right now ( I knw that's not helpful) But my general view is above average food, not the tastiest. Drinks are above average. I like very creative cocktails and have tried some really good ones in the past so prolly that's why I feel cocktails here are not the best. Ambience- dim light, fancy, romantic. All this does make PAZO a place you wanna come again and again. Go out with a group of friends or with a gf or on a date- this place is worth a shot!
(4)
Bob L.

Recently, my wife selected Pazo for our 11th wedding anniversary dinner. Every year we try to find a special place to associate with our special day so we don't take the decision lightly. Neither of us had very much to go on other than what fellow Yelpers have said and a few reviews we managed to search out on the web. Sure, it sounded nice, it sounded swanky, but you can never really be sure until you've experienced it for yourself. We arrived around 6pm on a Monday (took the scooter so no valet review) and upon entering we were immediately greeted by the maitre de and his team. It was early so the crowd was pretty sparse. We were escorted upstairs to a two-top toward the rear of the restaurant. It was cozy, secluded and just perfect. So what about the dÃ©cor? The old warehouse that Pazo has taken over has been transformed into something I can only describe in two words - swan ky. It was almost too nice for a guy like me, but I managed. The ceilings of the widely open space have to be 50ft high and all around are hanging these enormous wrought iron chandeliers with gently glowing faux candles. I couldn't quite put my finger on the vibe. Maybe upscale Spanish castle meets urban nightclub. There are giant vases and couches interspersed with tables and a DJ booth for the late night crowd. There are two levels to Pazo with the upper being more of a ring of tables that encircles and overlooks the lower. Both levels have their own bars. I loved sitting up top. You could look down upon the masses and secretly spy on them as they carried on. The service at Pazo is among the best we've had in this or any other city. The servers, flitting around like a well-choreographed team of ninjas, are polite, very professional and our waiter, Jarod, was fantastic - he actually appeared to take pride in his work. If you're used to the half-assed, attitude ridden services running rampant through some of Baltimore's eateries you owe it to yourself to pay Pazo a visit. Part of the reason you're paying so much for your dining experience is the service and they killed it here. The food at Pazo is amazing. The care the chef has taken in selecting the ingredients is clearly evident and the presentations were edible Picassos. The first bite you take is with your eyes and Pazo takes this to heart. Here's the rundown: Bread Course (Fougasse with warm cheese fonduta) I'm a huge sucker for bread, especially fresh-baked artisanal bread, and Pazo's in-house baker (Carrie Goltra) blew me away. The Fougasse, a bit like a hearty wheat soft pretzel, was crispy outside and soft, warm and chewy inside. The cheese fonduta was a smooth, melty beauty. Props for the Pugliese that was served with my meal, too. Summer Bruchetta Small Plate A line of militarily arranged crostini, each topped with a thin slice of fresh yellow or green zucchini, a quenelle of herbed ricotta cheese and a garnish of julliened fresh basil. Normally I wouldn't bother with such a dish (where's the meat?) but my wife convinced me to try it and I was impressed. It was fresh, light and a perfect balance of textures. Sea Scallops Small Plate A duo of perfectly seared sea scallops set atop a puree of locally sourced corn. The sweetness of the scallops went perfectly with the sweetness of the corn puree and the addition of a bit of lemon into the corn was an unusual and pleasant surprise. Local Pepper Soup Now, this is what soup is all about. Imagine a deep red creamy bisque that smacks you in the face with fresh bell pepper flavor and you're just about there. Now throw in a sea scallop, thinly sliced and topped with crispy pancetta, ringed with bright green chive oil and you've got it. Brilliant. Creekstone Farms NY Strip I was craving meat big time and this dish gave me my fix. I'm estimating about a 16oz NY strip cooked medium well resting atop a bed of olive-oil mashed Yukon gold potatoes and lightly plate-sauced with a smoky Spanish red pepper puree called mojo picon. It was definitely carnal love at first sight. The steak was tender, juicy and well-seasoned and I'd bathe in mojo picon if it were at all possible. It's nice to see a piece of meat that's not covered in some kind of sauce. Sicilian "Brioscia" Yes, we made it to dessert...barely. Pazo's take on ice cream sandwiches is definitely worth a try. You get three flavors of fresh ice cream, pistachio, vanilla and mocha, each in their own little sweet slider bun. The buns are airy, soft and topped with crunchy little sugar bits and the ice creams were all spot on. We barely managed to get through the whole thing, but the struggle was a beautiful pain. I can't say enough good things about our experience at Pazo. It's a gem of a restaurant hidden within the masses of those that try too hard but, sadly, always seem to fall just short. There are restaurants where you go to eat and there are restaurants where you go for an experience; Pazo falls within the latter. We are already planning our return visit.
(5)
Dan F.

Was in town on business and had a good experience here last year. This year was a totally different story. The wait staff seemed bothered by us, and was rude in general. The food is over priced and mediocre at best. I think you pay for the atmosphere more than anything else. Sangria was pretty weak too. It you want good sangria and tapas try Talara 1/2 a mile down the road.
(1)
Jennifer S.

Supreme service at the bar for happy hour with my girlfriends! The wine was excellent! The food was delicious! The service by Jon and Kevin was superb!
(4)
Pam P.

Mediocre food and arrogant management. Pazo is passÃ© - there are many great places in Baltimore that consider the customer experience more important than their own perceived importance.
(1)
Courtney C.

This is my second trip to Pazo. The Great: Free Valet (with validation) Open, warm, and inviting atmosphere Lounge area waitress...she was great! Those Sesame Cracker/Cookie things....YUM The Good: Drinks: Bubbles and Mojito Happy Hour Special Cocktails. Boccoli: Perfectly cooked and loved the cheese on top Hazelnut Chocolate Bars: the caramel was non-existent, but this gourmet version of a kit kat was delicious. The Bad: Pizza off the restaurant week menu-Its like a margarita pizza, but the mozzarella had zero flavor. ZERO! I picked it off. Otherwise, the pizza was ok. Is it really pizza without cheese? The UGLY: Wood Grilled Shrimp: 4 over cooked, tasteless and tiny shrimp swimming in flavorless oil. If they weren't already cooked to death, they would have died of oil drowning. YUCK Our waitress: Thank you Alexa G. for completely ruining our Girl Night Out. Considering the restaurant was far from busy and we were in no way causing a scene or being unreasonable, you were a nightmare. You were moody, short, and just plain miserable. You're welcome for the exact 15% we tipped. We usually tip 20-25, but you didn't even deserve 5%. There are so many options in the city. This will not be my choice again. We were all still hungry and went to RA Sushi afterwards. Bad Bad Bad experience.
(2)
Laura P.

Love it! If you want to feel pampered and lavish, Pazo's lounge is where it's at. Go for their wonderful $5 HH. Great pizza and tapas with excellent service. We were worried the first time we went to Pazo that it would be too pretentious but amazingly, it is not. We have been back many times and enjoy each time just the same. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the wait staff, they are more than gracious.
(5)
Thomas M.

Some things remain the same about Pazo...Great decor. However the food and wait staff have gone down hill. The food was good, however it lacked creativity and seemed to cater to those liking plain. Our waiter knew nothing about the menu, and was kind of an ass when I asked him about the ornate banisters in the restaurant, and if he know who made them... I was told that I could Google it. Well, there went half your tip. With so many other eatery's I feel Pazo should push to get better, not ease up and get sloppy. What used to be a regular spot for us, has become a been there, done that... with no need to do it again. We will miss you Pazo, or at least what you once were.
(2)
B J.

Extremely overrated place. The positives are: friendly service (way too many servers just standing around not doing anything so I suppose they at least got that right), fast valet, pretty sweet ambience. The negatives (and what is a restaurant for if it's not for the food?): the food was absolutely not worth the price. In fact, I have had better street food than this. The cerviche was essentially well-done and tasted stale. The wine tasted watered down and weak. Portions were just large enough for an anorexic girl. Fried things were too greasy. Reduction and garnish on meat underflavored. The final kicker: $96 for restaurant week, 2 people. Will never be coming back, not even if you paid me.
(2)
Emmet T.

One of the best restaurants in Baltimore. The venue is very cool, but on the noisy side when the place is full, which it is often. I've only had great meals here, whether it;s tapas style or full entre. If you are looking for one of Baltimore's upscale places that are worth it, then this is definitely one. Just go!
(4)
Julia W.

Fun and lively atmosphere in an old warehouse. Great selection of both tapas and entrees that are Italian and Spanish based. We had nice champagne and wine and the sommelier gave us limoncello shots after dinner. The pizza was iffy- wouldn't recommend it but the fish and appetizers were all good. Overall, a fun place for drinks and dinner in a cool part of Baltimore.
(4)
tim j.

Beautiful space and interesting menu. Granted it was Christmas eve, but the food was delayed again and again. Despite the best efforts of our excellent server and the knowledgeable wine sommelier who jumped into the breach when the kitchen was clogged, the wait was way too long. Food, when it finally arrived, was good, some of it (pizza, both the seafood entrees, lobster pasta and the fantastic rustic bread) was excellent. Very interesting wine list with a good rec of a Sicilian red. Waitstaff staff was excellent, but time for a better expediter to push food out of the kitchen.
(3)
Pat F.

Great food, atmosphere is fabulous and Laure, who bar tends, rocks!!!! I highly recommend this restaurant!!
(5)
Jill A.

Just returned from our first dinner at Pazo and I was pretty impressed! The service was outstanding (although we had a very early dinner so maybe being one of only a few parties had something to do with it)! They gave us a complimentary dessert which was super nice! The atmosphere was very cool and the place was well-decorated. I am in my third trimester with twins and almost always uncomfortable but I was extremely comfy in their cushy chairs! I thought the food was great - very unique! My husband's only complaint was that the portions were small.
(4)
Jess F.

This is a bit of a late review since I was here some time ago. My boyfriend and I did our anniversary dinner here -- it was his surprise to me, trying to "take me back to Spain" as I had been missing the amazing food from a past vacation in Madrid/Barcelona. It did not disappoint -- good food, flavors reminiscent of Spain, nice romantic atmosphere. The service was great, and we got complimentary tapas while we were waiting! For the actual dinner, I had the apple, manchego cheese, and date salad, which was delightfully interesting. Entree was salmon, also wonderful. Dessert was incredible -- tres leches -- sort of like a taste bud finale. Given the option, I'd definitely come back here again. It is a little pricey but for a nice occasion once in a while, I think it's definitely worth it.
(5)
Pascal P.

I've been back to Pazo a few times over the past five years and my opinion of them has remained mostly the same. They don't seem to emphasize tapas as much as they used to but the ones I had were still very good. I can't speak for the other dishes on their menu but they seem to have a very competent kitchen. The house red wine was also tasty and a surprisingly good deal considering the type of restaurant this is. The sky is the limit if you want to get fancy with wine, but it's nice that they have reasonably prices drinks as well. My point about Pazo being a little snooty still applies. I had to roll my eyes when I saw a dish that they said had 50 year old sherry vinaigrette. The waitstaff is mostly very friendly though and the building that the restaurant is in is gorgeous.
(4)
Dorie V.

We used to love this restaurant and have been going every year for 6 years. This year, service was terrible, our table of 8 was largely overlooked because a "big party" took precedent. Menu was completely changed and very limiting and certainly not as creative as in the past. We will stay away next year - lots of other really great restaurants in the Harbor area of Baltimore....
(2)
D K.

When introducing someone to Baltimore, Pazo is always a safe bet. The decor and vibe are top-notch and first-time visitors are always impressed. It's better to come at night when the ambience thing is in full effect. The staff is friendly and attentive. The price is as expected for a place like this without going overboard. Valet is free and they sprint when your car needs to be retrieved. The food is pretty good but not something that has made me drool in anticipation like some very special establishments. No food highlights to speak of ("everything is good!" as opposed to "nothing is bad"). I am sure to come back again at some point in the future, especially if we are hosting a visitor from out of town.
(4)
Beverly C.

ALERT!! OK, I get the small plate thing that started in NYC by restaurateur Chris Santos called Stanton Social Restaurant (a real hot spot in lower Manhattan), the concept has really gone viral to the dismay of our wallets. I've dined here a few times & always enjoyed myself and the food. It just is dawning on me HOW small the portions served are & the cost of each plate. E.g., small bowl of broccoli $6. It's just broccoli! I ordered the stuffed mussels-extremely small--6 total on a half shell, $7. I love fine dining and always willing to pay for my indulgences but Pazo is taking this "little" fad way too literally. Just because it's being served on a small plate doesn't mean it should be portioned for Lilliputians. Ordered regular entree Monk Fish -$32, Tiny portion on BIG plate, could eat in 2 bites. WTF? Are you kidding me? When I saw my entree, I was very surprised to see how small it was. There was no food on the plate. Perhaps entree means BIG plate, but small plate portions here at Pazo. The Monk Fish included a celery root puree (I even asked the waitress that I was supposed to have the puree and where was it?) and she pointed out that it was under the two itty bitty pieces of Monk fish. What? There was probably 1-1/2 TBSP of it under the fish. I made sure not to miss a drop and even thought of taking out my iphone flashlight to make sure since the lighting is very low. Others in my party noticed the same thing. They had the tiny little empanadas and I wanted to laugh. What is going on? I do understand the concept, but people we must start realizing that this is the biggest, and a most successful marketing coup of huge (but small) proportions. Come on people, small plates of food is not supposed to mean miniature-sized food on a small plate. Honestly, I was waiting for the little tea cups I use to play with as a little girl. What a joke on diners!!! Am I having fun now? Are they being chintzy with the food because profit has gone to their itty bitty heads and their laughing all the way to the bank just because of a "small plates" fad. Give me some food, screw the quaint little fad. Just because we're trying to be food fashionable my feelings won't be hurt if you give me more food on my plate. I'll err on the side of food faux pas. PAHLEEZE!!! I've been there twice and the first time I was taken away with the chef's offerings, the second time, I probably filled up on those tasty crackers; but this time, I'm so not impressed that I won't be returning for the atmosphere again, except if I want to go to the bar, but I'll dine somewhere else where I can get some food for my $$$ before going here from now on. I'm over small plates, it's time for a new fad marketing scheme, called BIG PLATES.
(2)
Stu G.

My friends and I have been going to Pazo once or twice a year for about 8 years. We've always enjoyed their tapas, but on this visit we learned that they have discontinued their tapas in favor of a traditional appetizers-and-entrees menu. Some of the old tapas items are available as appetizers on the new menu, but most are not. The food is still good, but now it's just another regular restaurant. We'll probably go in search of a new place for our special get-togethers.
(3)
Ashley W.

I fell in love with the decor of this place! Very posh and cosmopolitain... the list of tapas is decent -- the papas fritas are amazing! The cocktails are strong -- Depending on the night -- the size of the crowd varies -- I feel like this is a great spot, to grab late night bite -- since tapas are easily shared and not too heavy..
(3)
Katherine F.

I'll reinforce what the other reviewers have said about the menu: it has changed very little over time and is so-so in quality. Not the most original or flavorful, but still ok. My family has eaten at Pazo fairly frequently because it's one of the few nice restaurants in Baltimore that are large enough to accommodate a party of our size (not surprising for city dining). However, the last time that we tried to book a reservation for our party, we were told that we were not allowed to order off of the regular menu, and would instead have to order off of the prefix menu. This was an issue as several of our party had different dietary restrictions (vegetarian, gluten allergy, etc.) that made the limited selection less than appealing. When we realized that the food selection was not going to work for us, we attempted to cancel our reservation. At that point they attempted to charge us a $1000 cancellation fee. Yes, $1000. Keep in mind that this was a family dinner, not a corporate event or a wedding. Ouch. We had to fight to get them to waive the fee, and the whole interaction left a bad taste in our mouths.
(2)
Sanjay J.

Haiku: I went during the summer restaurant week, and I found the food great! Balcony seating gave us the ideal view of great ambiance.
(4)
Angela G.

Still craving those sunflower seed crackers/cookies--so addictive. Thought I'd already reviewed Pazo when discovered it back in the spring, after an impromptu visit to Baltimore/Inner Harbour, so don't remember all the details. I am surprised reading some of the lower-rated reviews. I do remember we had a good experience here and want to return. Especially loved those sunflower seed cracker/cookie complimentary snacks...I'd buy those, so tasty!! We asked for seconds. (Looks like they have their recipe on their website). The four of us were seated on a busy Saturday evening without a reservation. It was at their upstairs bar and the bartender was very attentive, despite the crowd. The dÃ©cor and ambience is very nice, leans towards upscale/classy. We primarily shared some tapas dishes to include the potato and manchego croquetas, and the house made cerviche. I had a dessert that I loved. Pazo's has a large selection of wines too. Experience it yourself before writing it off from the reviews.
(4)
Dave A.

I resent getting charged lots of money for really small plates of food. Before you sit in judgement, I've had tapas in Baltimore before (Teatro and Mezze) which were far more generous and reasonably priced. Yes, Pazo is in a cavernous old industrial building (how nice and hipster) and its walls are adorned with cheesy Spanishesque decorations and Italianate frescos, but I'm not buying what they're selling. P.S., those with small bladders may want to consider that there is only 1 toilet for men AND women on the second floor.
(2)
Allison K.

Good tapas restaurant with amazing decor! Had dinner here while in town for a weekend. Definitely recommend the tuna crude and ceviche! Also the fried cauliflower! Great drinks - lots of great concoctions and options!
(4)
Christina O.

trendy ambiance in this restaurant gives a bit of a loungey feel. perfect for a romantic night out. the food is decent and the drink is good. complimentary valet is always nice.
(4)
Anne D.

I had high hopes for this restaurant, but sadly they were not met. The less-than-ideal experience started when they seated our party of 5 at a table that was so wobbly, the dishes and glasses slid to the edge when you placed your hand on it. They were accommodating and moved us to another table, however. Once seated, we ordered drinks...which took over 15 minutes to arrive. This would perhaps be understandable if the restaurant were crowded, but it was only 1/3 full and the giant bar was empty. And the martini ordered by one party was saturated in vermouth. Our waiter was nice enough but the menu was confusing with dual pricing for different sized portions. When inquiring as to how much food came with a serving of a particular item, his response was "I could eat the whole thing myself." Not helpful considering we're talking tapas. We ordered a first round of tapas, and waited another 20 minutes for them to be delivered. Our waiter was never anywhere to be found for the majority of the evening. When the tapas arrived, one of the orders was incorrect. The beef tartar was sub-par, and the calamari was fine. The bruscetta we ordered was served on toast so hard I was afraid I would break a tooth. One member ordered the larger portion of the ceviche as an entree since it was explained that the higher priced portions were simply larger. They ended up bringing 2 small portions on 2 separate plates. It was a little awkward. When the waiter brought the bottle of wine we ordered he first poured himself a portion to aerate and smell, and then dump. We paid for that wine, we should not have had it thrown out. The entrees were - again- just fine. Nothing remarkable. After a very long wait, the waiter came back to ask about dessert. The dessert wine and espresso took another 15 minutes to arrive. And the espressos were burnt. On top of the poor service and unremarkable food, when the reservations were made, it was mentioned that it was the birthday of one of the members in the party. Nothing was ever noted about that- not that it's required, but the hostess did ask on the phone if it was for a special occasion. Why ask if you don't acknowledge it? Overall, the biggest problem was the service. A little more attention and the food would be fine. But the extremely long wait between courses and the lack of attention were frustrating. Our 7:00 dinner didn't leave until 9:45. I can't say that I recommend it- especially for the price.
(2)
Kelley D.

Great atmosphere. Thin crust pizza is really delicious. Calamari and lamb meatballs great for sharing.
(4)
Beee K.

Food and Drinks - almost 5 stars. Loved my scallops and all the other yummy food I tried here. NY strips was so so, but I was satisfied with other food I had there. Loved loved my drinks - Elderflower & Pomegranate Martini and La Vie en Rose, soho with rose water - heavenly! Crema Catalana was citrusy, creamy and good. I tried some of my friends desserts, Crispy Chocolate Hazelnut bars and Cajeta Sundae. Both were divine. Price was a little high, but for that kind of food and drinks, I'd happy to pay. It took a while for the food to come out and the table we were seated was a little small for party of 7. So, -1 star. Over all, fun and yummy night.
(4)
Puneet M.

Pazo the Italian word for Crazy... well you'd be crazy for not checking this place out! First off, Pazo has valet parking which is great espically since parking in the Fells Point area can be tough and its included in your dinner price lol. Once you hand off your oh so precious car to the valet (hope he doesn't take your 1970 VW Bug for a joy ride) you step up in the restaurant and are greeted to a place where the sounds and smells of your up coming drink or meal abound from all corners. Once inside you happy to see a good lounge/bar area, allot of people sitting and chatting either at the bar or on comfy couches. A good sight to see, but we were here for dinner so we were escorted to a table where you could sit and people watch the bar area all day, but alas the food took precedence Pazo offers a wide array of choices of food, drinks, and espically wine! :) :) We first tried our hand at their cocktails, a pear mojito and a bartender special were placed infront of us and each sip was better than the last. The drinks are top notch and well worth the price. (Their HH is $5 dollar cocktails which is a killer price for a 10+ dollar cocktail) Inbetween sips we some how were able to order food and a bottle of wine. All the food was spot on! Fresh, tasty, and surprisingly the portions were not too small. We def. stuffed ourselves on 2 types of bread with dips and 3 Tapas. The bread is baked in house so its super fresh and all the Tapas were as advertised and yummy. To finish off the night we had one of their heavenly desserts, the hazelnut Chocolate bars. Wow awesome dessert not overly sweet but very well done. So overall the food was excellent, well proportioned, flavorful and well prepared, but the thing I enjoyed most about Pazo was the service. Most higher end places give you a server who doesnt care all that much about you and your exp... but at Pazo the server was top notch and helped alot when decideding what foods to order. Service at Pazo is a def. 5.5 I would recommend Pazo to anyone, looking for a solid HH or a romantic night with the Mr/Mrs... it can handle either. :) So enjoy and Oh no! the men in white coats are coming to take me Haha
(4)
Ken K.

First off, the review above from Bob C gave me cancer. Good god man your writing is horrible. Secondly, this place is not too bad. I am very picky about my lamb dishes. Pazo nailed it. I also was very impressed with thier cheese plates. My only real issue was the wine selection. I am biased as I love super dry cali cabs and am not a big fan of Spainish reds. Besides that Pazo is a great date spot and thier food is on the better side of decent
(3)
Kiki K.

Empanadas were absolutely insanely incredible! Service was average nothing amazing. Wonderful atmosphere. Mash potatoes were awesome, lamb was good and steak was good. Overall great place for a date. The ambiance makes this place great
(3)
Ieesha J.

LOVES this place and I can't wait to go back. 1. Great ambiance. 2. Great service. 3. Awesome food. 4. Great patrons. 5. Did I say awesome food?
(4)
Kristina R.

No complaints here. Food was good (ceviche was better than many latin places I've been to), drinks were good, atmosphere was good, and our bartender was very attentive (and even rang our wine up at Happy Hour prices after happy hour- PLUS!). Would be a great place for groups as they have a nice lounge area that would work well.
(5)
Jenny F.

Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed in Pazo. I came to Baltimore from Charleston, SC (no shortage of amazing dining spots there) to visit a dear friend who, like me, is a total foodie. She really wanted to take me to Pazo for a drink and a bite before a concert. We sat at the bar and wanted to look at the Happy Hour menu; the bartender looked less than thrilled that we most likely weren't going to be big spenders, and her service thereafter reflected as much. We were the only two people at the bar and she spent more time chatting with servers at the service bar than on us (how many times do I have to ask for a glass of water!). We ordered a glass of wine and a few apps from the HH menu. The beet tartare and goat cheese empanadas were delicious...however, we were served RAW chicken...which basically made me lose my appetite. The bartender was gracious enough and did notify the manager on duty. But when she came over to apologize, all she could come up with was, "I'm so sorry about the chicken...that's so embarrassing." I'll say...she didn't even say, "I'll certainly take it off your bill" or "is there anything else I can get for you?" A restaurant that claims to be as fancy as Pazo should have done more, in my opinion. After ordering another app from the regular menu, I had to put my credit card on the bar so the bartender would check on us. And when the check arrived, there was no itemized receipt, forcing me to add up the prices of our other items to see if in fact I'd been charged for raw chicken (we deduced I had not). We promptly paid and left. There were THREE hostesses and the aforementioned manager standing at the host stand, none of whom even acknowledged us when we left...needless to say, I'll be choosing one of the numerous other great restaurants in Baltimore when I return.
(1)
Barbara D.

This is a fun place for happy hour, when they have decent drinks and a select list of tapas. Then I'd move on. Other than that, I wouldn't recommend it. The prices are steep for the quantity and quality of food you're getting, so if you want to get a decent meal expect to spend ~$30 - $40 a person. That's what you'll have to put down not only to be remotely full, but also to ensure you accidentally order at least one decent dish. Goat cheese empanadas - alright, but overpowering. Pork & veal empanadas - the filling is bland. Wood-grilled chicken pintxos - one of the better tapas Last I was there I also had the pumpkin ravioli (I don't think it's always on the menu) that was great, but the amount they give is laughable. They should consider smaller plates so that it doesn't look so ridiculous. The atmosphere is great, though - it's two levels but the top floor isn't always open. It's cozy but you're not in other people's faces while you eat. Dim, with music, but only just enough to be romantic.
(3)
Wayne F.

One of the best meals in Baltimore. It is tapas style so the variety is great. The. Read dishes are fresh and interesting. So is the flat bread. The servings are smallish - but not tiny. Just the right size for tapas. But so good. The food is excellent and you can build yourself a very interest 5, 6, 7, or 8 course meal. It is a little pricey - and I remember waiting a lot for our waiter. But we've been many times and the staff is polite and knowledgeable. Highly recommended.
(5)
Anna K.

Our friends and I had been waiting a while to try Pazo so perhaps our expectations had grown too high with anticipation, but this place was pretty disappointing and did not produce the food or experience any of us were hoping for. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and were not sat until fifteen minutes after it. This puts an immediate sour taste in my mouth as a reservation is meant to, you know, reserve a table at a specific time. Moreover, the restaurant wasn't even packed; they likely could have accommodated us at our reservation time. More importantly, the food was OK but nothing to write home about and I think that given the prices of Pazo, they needed to produce something interesting enough to remember! Also, I understand that tapas are small plates for sharing but Pazo tends on the extremely small side of things!! That's okay for me if your food is really fantastic, and a little bite is a unique experience for your mouth - but that was not the case at Pazo. We started with a round of cocktails that all turned out to be just fine. I had the El Dorado which I would recommend. The pear Mojito was favored over the Lychee Mojito and the Ginger Negroni was nicely done (though a little on the bitter side) For the meal we split lots of tapas and had the tuna tartare (meh, I've had better), potato and manchego croquetas (A, one of the better choices of the evening), Pork and Veal Empanadas (A, very good flavors though nothing to give them a special umph), Lamb Chop (C-, there was only one very small one which is not tapas in my opinion and the flavor was only ok. Between four of us we didn't even finish the one chop because no one liked it enough), Zucchini Cakes (B+), Bianca Pizza (B-, the pizza was tasty but SO soggy), Lobster and Pumpkin Cannelonini (C, I could barely taste the lobster. The juice was not worth the squeeze) and the Iberico which turned out to be the best thing we ordered (and all it is is some meat...on some toasts). Can you tell I wasn't super pleased with the outcome of the meal? Thank goodness my company was so great! Desert was by far the biggest disappointment for me. My husband and I split the hazelnut chocolate bars with salted ice cream - I thought it was not edible and truly disliked the flavors. Our friends split the Chocolate Olive oil Cake which tasted OK but I thought the sweet corn ice cream with it just did not go well. When we got the bill we were overcharged by one drink that no one ever ordered. I'm not usually one to look at the bill meticulously but I'm glad I did this time- I think this is a weird and unfortunate mistake and this restaurant should be far more careful.
(2)
Syreeta B.

Cool trendy spot. Great drinks the food awesome and very filling and with it being a tapas you have an opportunity to sample a variety of things without the guilt of over eating. I love the ambiance of this place. It's so NYC in style and vibe but not as pretentious. Great for drinks with your friends as well as a dinner date with your boo.
(4)
Phil B.

I bought some jamon in Barcelona, this past Sept 2011, just like the jamon iberico appetizer I got at Pazo. Shows their committed authenticity, I think. The food was terrific - small plates style is what I recommend since there is quite a variety to order. Can I recommend some patatas bravas - you wouldn't think but you should. The cocktails were also top notch, along with the service. The ambience was trendy but welcoming, and I can see the inside turning into a post-dinner dance party at the drop of a hat. You'll spend a little more here and eat just enough.
(5)
David P.

Old warehouse converted into a now very hipster double deck interior. Complete with a lounge area flanked by huge Etruscan urns standing guard. Omnipresent electronic trance music subtly throbbing away in the background and pretty dimly lit, it's an extremely cool place to dine. Being a former warehouse, it's an open layout but definitely works. We were a party of 10 so there was a little waiting to get seated despite reservations. It's in Baltimore (little Italy), so parking is the standard pain in the ass as always. Fleet Street garage is a couple of short blocks away at an unbelievably cheap $3 if they have spots open. Waiter was borderline arrogant along with his manager who was trying way too hard to be above it all. Despite the perceived attitude dinner was actually served in the correct sequence and reasonably quickly for a large party. Wine selection is extensive although the pricing is steep. Spinach with pine nuts to start for me and it was fantastic - sautÃ©ed to perfection with the perfect hit of sea salt and lemon juice. Wife went with the wilted rapini which I found slightly bitter. The main course was swordfish over caramelized raisins and cauliflower. Cooked to temp and delicious. The wife thought her cassereci alla margherita was a little dainty so next time will move up from the small plate. It could have used grated romano also IMHO but not bad. Cappucino was good and thankfully the wait staff left us alone after dinner. They did flat out refuse to split checks for a large 10 top along with a 19% tip added on. We were originally told it was going to be a prix fixe menu but since there were only 10 of us, they changed their tune after our arrival. Overall I thought it was very solid food in a terrific atmosphere. Dinner for 2 upstairs at a smaller table might impress even more. The lounge/small plate area was really hopping on the Saturday night as we left so the restaurant scene is doing well in little Italy. We'll be back.
(4)
Ricky B.

8 of us went for my daughter's birthday. We ordered 3 appetizers for the table. The waiter said "You will need to order 3 of each for the table, they are small". Small? They are less then small.We ordered Mussels and green beans. We received 6 Mussels. For dinner I told everyone to order the LARGE (lol) portions. The large (again lol) of the pasta was so small. Pasta is so cheap why couldn't they give you enough to fill up a 98 lb girl? I had a pizza, the whole pie was the size of a slice of Ray's pizza in New York. But Ray's pizza is good, Pazo pizza is not. No one liked the food at all. It had NO taste. I have told people about Pazo and the answer I have receive is " You should not take kids, you should not order Mussel or a Pizza" The kids are 21 and 17 and if it's on the menu it should be good. The waiter was not all that nice.
(1)
Tina Z.

We had an amazing dinner, we chose so sampling items off the Tapas Menu and each had a main course. I had the Diver scallops that melted in my mouth and my husband had the Ribeye which was cooked to perfection. Our booth was so comfy I could have stayed all night talking and eating but we had a show to attend. The waitress overheard us toasting our drinks to our anniversary and sent champagne to us for celebrating. Food, Service and ambiance were outstanding. Great for a date or just friends getting together to have an amazing meal friendship.
(5)
Ann M.

During my first visit to Pazo, my boyfriend and I racked up an $80-something bill...During happy hour. We sampled about eight tapas and had two cocktails each. Regarding the tapas, don't! They were disappointing, forgettable and down-right small. Yes, tapas are supposed to be small but you don't get what you pay for here. Based on Pazo's reputation, you'd expect the food to surpass mediocre. This place gets two stars for food and five for cocktails. We've been back three more times since but only for the happy hour cocktails, high-quality, pretty damn fantastic drinks. When you order a drink at Pazo, you definitely get what you pay for. Drinks are never watered-down, syrupy sweet or made with bottled mixes (nasty!). Pazo's cocktails often include freshly squeezed juices, two different liquors, and a serious punch. One Classic Cocktail leaves you tipsy but two Classic Cocktails may leave you pleasantly surprised, among other things. Yes, they are booze-heavy but they're also made with top-quality, not your run-of-the-mill liquors, attention to detail and fresh, exotic ingredients, which often add a nice twist to popular cocktails. Also, the happy hour drink menu changes, so you get to try a variety of Pazo's cocktails for half the price. The staff have been very engaging and pleasant. Some of the bartenders are a tad snobby but still provide great service. I have family coming into town for my graduation. We are coming to Pazo for drinks and ambiance, as the lounge area, music and wine selections are also wonderful. As for food, we'll go elsewhere beforehand.
(4)
Suzanne J.

If you've not paid a visit to Pazo because you'd heard its trendy, loud, and overhyped for what it is, I can understand. Restaurants that attempt to win over a crowd with a tapas-based menu are often hit and miss. However, I'd still recommend coming mid-week to avoid the crowds, try a few tapas and definitely a cocktail or two. I hadn't been in a year or so, and found myself joining a group of friends for a birthday celebration. This time, I was pleasantly surprised. For a Thursday evening it was relatively quiet inside, enjoyed a cozy booth and ordered some of the newer seasonal items on the menu. The marinated beets were lovely, the manchego croquetas are always a highlight. I'm here to rave about the cocktails this time around though, I tried La Vie en Rose (Moscato d'Asti, Soho Lychee Liqueur, Rose water) and decided to go for a second. This is the type of custom cocktail that would make me pay a visit to the bar just to sip on it slowly during this hot hot summer. Much like it's sister establishments Cinghiale and Petit Louis Bistro, the service has always been excellent. Although I've not yet had to send something back to the kitchen at Pazo, I'm sure that they would be willing to oblige your request for a substitute if something wasn't to your liking.
(4)
Jennifer H.

Great happy hour spot. The $5 drink specials are a killer deal and they have a pretty lengthy list of choices. The food specials are good as well and you can also get anything off the regular menu for just a few bucks more since there are a lot of tapas. I got the goat cheese empanadas and the brussels sprouts I think they were both off the regular menu, but around $6. They were delicious. With that being said, this place has some issues with inconsistent service. We had to keep flagging down the waiter to order each time and it was no crowded. It was like he was ignoring us. This happened the last time I was here when I went for dinner with a group of 4 friends as well back in August. Good food, but not so good on the service quality.
(3)
Megan C.

Pazo features a large and airy romantic space with booths in the bar perfect for large groups during happy hour. This, Pazo gets really right. I had a wonderful time with my company and the Persephone Martini was fantastic! The food on the other hand leaves much to be desired. We ordered a lot of different things off the small plate menu: chicken skewers, pizza, meats and cheeses, shrimp, eggplant... and all of it somehow just missed the mark. If you have to order a snack with your cocktail keep it simple and order the papas fritas. They come with a really good alioli and are generally a hard thing to mess up. Food aside, I would definitely go back to Pazo. But next time only for their fantastic martinis and the scenery at the bar. I don't think I would waste my money sitting down at a table for dinner.
(3)
Rob N.

I can't believe I've never written a Pazo review. Now, unfortunately, I have nothing to update or compare against so it doesn't appear as if I'm just being a crank. Pazo used to be solid 4-star territory. Nice space, good food, good wine, good service, etc. The kitchen wasn't knocking them out of the park 100% of the time, but they were a bunch of solid clutch hitters you could count on for a solid base hit and an RBI. Now, Pazo has slipped into a rut. Service is still really good, and the space is still a dramatic, great place to eat. The kitchen, however, is popping flies and hitting out to the infield more often than not. Every. Single. Dish does not need to be drenched in infused olive oil - raw tuna, grilled mushrooms, hanger steak, duck. Every one was oiled in one way or another. In the case of the steak, a perfectly decent plate was swimming in pimiento oil that turned the whole thing into a slick. It's great that they prepare all your grilled meats to medium-rare. Fantastic. But, please warm the plates so that the medium-rare proteins aren't cold within minutes of arriving at table. Romesco sauce... wasn't - it was a pile of sliced almonds and diced tomato, and not functional as a sauce whatsoever. Grilled scallions were stringy and tough, and both they and the "sauce" ended up pushed to the side. Would I go back to spend $80/person for this meal? Probably not. Pazo has decided that they want to be a nightclub that happens to have restaurant service, more than being a good restaurant that happens to club up on the weekend.
(2)
A. C.

(02/01/2013) Got a good group of sharers to go to Pazo during Restaurant Week (RW), so got to try all the small plates/pinxtos, Pork Ragu over Campanelle, all the entrees and desserts. Best of the tapas were the Potato and Manchego Croquettes and Crab Bunuelas. We started with a snack off the Cold Tapas menu of the Spanish White Anchovies and Marinated Arbequina Olives; briny, pungent, bites. Tried a mix of the grilled pinxtos, mix of tender, seasoned meats and tart vegetables/starch (shrimp, chorizo) and the Campanelle Pasta with pork ragu and Pecorino cheese (simple preparation, highlighted the tender pork). The Pork & Veal Empanadas, a very popular item, were good, but other fried items were much better; best were the Crab BuÃ±elos (strong seafood flavors), but missing the roasted corn and salsa brava, more like a creamy remoulade or mayonnaise-based sauce. Potato & Manchego Croquetas were crisp on the outside, smooth and creamy potato filling, savory with the salty cheese. Timing was somewhat rushed, suspect because they wanted the higher turnover rate during RW; on previous occasions the pacing was better, we were basically bum-rushed with everything at once. Desserts were disappointing on the whole, best of the three (rice pudding, sponge cake, chocolate ice cream) was the ice cream; rich, unctuous, dark chocolate flavor. Definitely a see and be seen kind of place; the food and cocktails are worth return visits, and you can be seen having these in the fancy lounge, meeting rooms, slick marble bar, or cozy 2-tops.
(5)
Lia M.

Pazo is a really nice restaurant and lounge, with dim lighting and a wide open interior. We ordered mostly ordered off the tapas menu and everything was great. Service was enthusiastic and professional. I ordered a Torrontes wine, which I had never heard of, and it was light and refreshing. Here is what four of us shared, and it was more than enough, as we could not finish it all: - Fougasse with fonduta - Scallops - Crispy Artichokes - Ceviche - Zucchini Cakes - Goat Cheese Empanadas - Roasted Beets (first, not tapas) - Papas Fritas - Espresso ice cream sandwich The stand-outs were the ceviche, which was super fresh; the light and flavorful zucchini cakes; and the espresso ice cream sandwich, which paired rich chocolate cake with strong espresso ice cream. While nothing was bad (I enjoyed everything), these three were superbly memorable. Definitely on my radar for another visit.
(4)
Hector N.

We recently had dinner here while visiting family in Baltimore. They couldn't wait to show us this restaurant and boy were they right. Right away we were greeted by the friendly valet staff and once walking in were amazed at the decor and size of the property. Dark colors and wood give it a cozy, living room feel. The bar/waiting area has couch seating where you can have drinks, appetizers and even dinner. Once we were seated we were taken care of by Alexa who was an amazing host. She was very enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgable about the foods and wines. We actually gave her the reigns and she picked the tapas/dinner/wine pairing and explained each portion. Alexa was awesome and we hope the restaurant manager passes on our praises. It was truly a great dining experience at Pazo and we look forward to visiting on our next trip.
(5)
Jan T.

Feeling in the mood to celebrate last night, and ready to finally explore the fabled harbor east, we found ourselves in Pazo, a Foreman/Wolf Spanish/Med restaurant easily visible on Aliceanna Street. Built into one of the old warehouses that run the street to remind us of the pre-steel-and-glass tower days of the neighborhood, Pazo offers one of those rare treats to the sub-urbanites: Free 3-hour valet service. A big plus in a neighborhood with street parking and one parking garage. Upon entry, one is faced with a high-ceilinged old warehouse hall, decorated like a spanish court-yard. Among the warm red/black/brown decor, wall paintings, curtains, and comfortable chairs, one can feel right at home. The tables are even spaced far enough apart that one can only hear the louder neighboring conversations, a nice change from many of the expensive restaurants about. There is also a balcony with more seating and a, somewhat odd, DJ booth, used apparently for the parties that occur here on Fridays and Saturdays. On a Sunday the party atmosphere is replaced by the soothing sounds of a well-strummed spanish guitar, playing a combination of the calmer spanish tunes and oldies re-interpreted. The guitarist is quite good and the noise level is low enough to provide comfortable background noise but not be overwhelming, aided, no doubt, by the high ceilings. Food and drink are excellent here. It being restaurant week, my date and I both chose from the 3-course menu and then supplemented that with two tapas, a trio of ceviche and a plate of olives. Both were very good. The chosen dinner options were wood-grilled shrimp, heirloom tomate gazpacho, surf and turf, pizza margharita, hazelnut bars and a goat cheese cream. All dishes were served perfectly cooked and nicely plated. The flavors went well together and the presentation was, while somewhat on the tapa-side in terms of size, pleasant without being pretentious (although the watermelon soup came in a shot glass...interesting). All this was accompanied by a selection of very nice cocktails, including a good looking gimlet and my personal favorite, the negroni, as well as spanish wine recommended by a server who appeared to have a really good knowledge of the menu. A definite recommendation for a mildly fancy dinner!
(5)
Esther K.

oh what fun ambiance! great cocktails and tapas food! everything was very tasty and fresh. the dessert was great and even the coffee was delicious! with great ambiance, great company, and great service you just can't go wrong! definitely will go back just for the ambiance on my next trip to Baltimore!
(4)
Erica C.

The service is excellent, the food is good, and the valet parking is complimentary. Need I say more? The owners also have a connection with locals. The Putty Hill premiere party was excellent. The Christmas Eve buffet was also fabulous. Plenty of creative offerings. You can just go for drinks and dessert/tapas, or a meal. The short rib was a favorite and the ceviche is delicious. Fabulous setting! The lighting creates a deep ambiance. It is a great date spot. The addition of lounge sofas really makes for a good time.
(5)
Resha K.

Groovy atmosphere Excellent service Love love love love the tuna Great for girls night out
(5)
debbie a.

I think this place described as... "great bones" (TAPAS review only) The restaurant has an awesome design inside. You will find yourself drawn to looking at the ceilings of the huge lofted space while lounging on the couches in the center of the floor. The menu items are all great in concept, but the problem is ... its not amazing for what I pay. Each dishes seems to be missing something.. like more salt/more acidity/less oil... ya know?? If you want to try and charge NY/LA prices, then live up to the dishes - be on pointe every time. Service - They try to provide great service, but its been a hit and miss. this place is great for a date.. Restaurant is gorgeous and it seems posh without being pretentious... DONT go here if your date claims to be a foodie though. upside? NIce drinks =) Ceviche was good Wood-grilled Mushrooms were boring Braised short ribs - great (but its such an easy cut of meat to work with) Bianca Pizza really good. this place is great for atmosphere and drinks... skip the tapas if you are planning on Foodie Heaven.
(3)
D F.

The place was quiet, pleasant, and not crowded on the Sunday evening we went, but I could see how it could get loud when it is crowded. Very attractive restaurant. Nice music. Good date spot. But stick with the tapas! My wife ordered those, and they were all solid, ranging from good to excellent. I had a main (merluza, a well prepared fish course), and it was good, but given its size and cost (about $23, rather small, no vegetables except for a few waffle potatoes), it seemed a bad deal next to the tapas. It's as if the kitchen is solidly in the small plate mode. Fair enough--just go with it. (But really--you could do better in Fell's Point.)
(3)
Camille H.

We came here for Ada Gs birthday and nearly every bite was perfect. We did find a long dark hair in one dish (maybe it was the calamari) and the waiter requested the hair in question, a little strange, but all in all a great dining experience. We had the salted caramel bars for desert, transcendent.
(4)
Thuy L.

What a great place. SO much fun and the staff are just so wonderful. We accidentally made a reservation for the wrong date and the hostess completely accommodated our party of 6 with one of the tables in the lounge area. The music is fun and the people are fun to watch. The tapas here were pretty good but the portion sizes were on the small side. We did have to ask our waiter multiple times for water and I pretty much had to order my next drink 15 minutes before I really wanted it because our waiter just did not stop by to check in on us. Nonetheless, it has a very fun and cool ambiance. One of my favorite things is drink specials for late night (post 10pm). What a wonderful idea:)
(4)
Amy S.

It's payday. You want to blow some dough. Pazo is waiting for you in Fell's Point. And be sure to wear your best britches. Cause they won't let you in in your Wranglers. Pazo is a fun and funky atmosphere with good tapas. You won't leave without a pricey tab (unless you're a cute girl on a date), but you'll enjoy your experience. I found the service to be superb, especially at the bar. The food was along the lines of what you'd get at Jaleo or La Tasca--think of the whole experience as those places "swankified".
(3)
Kyle M.

Hmm..... this restaurant wants to be a 5 star place, but decor, high end ingredients, and menu descriptions alone do not make a place 5 star. The attitude from the employees was abysmal, the service sub par, and the food only decent. We came here on a especially warm April afternoon (88 degrees when I parked). We had been out and about in the city all day, and were dressed in nice shorts, and polo shirts. I noticed the door did say something about "proper attire required", but I saw people walking in wearing t-shirts and jeans, so I figured it must be pretty lax. The STARES from the 5 hosts inside the door told me that wasn't such a good choice. I should have just left then, but I decided to stick it out since they didn't turn us away. By the way, why the hell do you need 5 people seating guests at a restaurant? It's not that big. They sat us at the upstairs bar next to the wall, and handed us the menus. The bartender took a while to ask us if we'd like something to drink (we were the only ones seated at the bar), but he did seem busy. We had a pretty large and late afternoon lunch, so we decided to split two tapas, and two first courses. I also ordered a Lychee Mojito (the best part of dining here). While waiting for our dishes, another couple was seated at the bar, and we got to watch the bartender roll his eyes at their questions, and grimace when he asked if they had "Blue Moon". Yah, even though they couldn't see you, we could, asshole. Get over yourself. The tapas were literally 2 bites each. At $6, they better be stellar. They were good, but not great. The goat cheese empanadas were just that, goat cheese and dough. The salsa brava was that accompanied them was on the bitter side. The tortilla espanola was the size of a poker chip, and the greens on the plate overpowered the subtle flavor of the dish itself. As far as the starters we ordered. The braised lamb ravioli had a GREAT braising sauce surrounding them, but the ravioli filling itself had a weird texture to the meat, and not much seasoning at all. The calamari were grilled, and had a lot more flavor, but of the 6 pieces, 2 were WAY overcooked and very tough. Total bill for 1 drink, 2 tapas, and 2 appetizers was over $50. And almost all the entrees at Pazo are over $30. I would have been back to try them had the food I ordered met my expectations, but it didn't. The attitude and pretentiousness of the staff pretty much guaranteed my future avoidance of the place.
(2)
Jess M.

We only hung out in the lounge. Great atmosphere - delicious drinks. The manager was a bit rude unfortunately. Our waiter made up for it by being attentive and nice
(3)
Danielle L.

I had the saffron pasta, among other things. My boyfriend and I both commented that it looked like worms. Plus, it was a bit undercooked, and it took nearly 15 min before they brought it back out to me. I really didn't think it was worth it.
(3)
Jen L.

This is my 2nd time (in 2 years) Restaurant week trip to Pazo's. Restaurant Week menu included a hummus appetizer and 4 tapas and a dessert. You could 4 out of a list of about 30 tapas. It was really tough narrowing it down! This is not a good place if you are in the mood for large portions. But if you are in the mood for good food and great ambiance, Pazo's is the place to be. The prices are a bit steep, but its worth it for a great food and great ambiance. They also have an extensive wine list and very knowledgeable wait staff that could help you with your wine selection. Valet parking is free with validation.
(4)
Sean W.

While on a trip back to Baltimore for my 20yr hs reunion which happened to coincide w/ my g/f's bday I wanted to take her to a very special place for a bday dinner. I hadnt been back to Bmore for 5 years & wasnt sure what was what since its been a while, so I asked some local friends. I was told that if i wanted "the best place in town go to The Charleston, but its stuffier for sure" and my same friend said "a great tapas place w/ a great vibe is Pazo". So, i began to check yelp & opentable..basically found out what my friend said to be the common vibe, charleston is great but stuffy & quiet....Pazo on the other hand seemed to have a very "in" vibe, great decor, and more what I knew my g/f would want. I can honestly say this turned out to be one of our best meals we've ever had....and that is saying a lot to some people who love to travel & try new places everywhere we go. We had 5 tapas for starters & WOW....everyone was amazing....we decided to split the main course which was outstanding...all the food was amazing and we couldnt stop complimenting it & saying "wow, omg, can you believe how good this is". The manager also stopped by our table to recommend an amazing Spanish Cab so we got a bottle of that to go w/ dinner & it was also equally amazing. Then they brought us a "gift" which was their off the menu special cauliflower dish which was basically like an au grautin which was so damn good. Needless to say, the vibe, the decor, the atmosphere, the service, the food...all 5 stars by myself & my girlfriend....this dinner made her night & she continued to say "what an outstanding bday dinner, one of the best ever". I'd highly recommend and will be back the next time I venture into Baltimore. Thank you Pazo, you made Kelly's bday amazing!
(5)
Rupa D.

Most beautiful restaurant I've ever been to. Best Sazerac I've ever had. The food didn't quite live up to the splendor of its decor, but was still very good. Liked the empanadas & ceviche in particular. Fantastic place to take a date. Coming here in midsummer and watching the lights go down as I got progressively more tipsy and full of good food made for an absolutely perfect evening.
(4)
Jen A.

Great appetizers, great cocktails. Amazing space and decor. Gets very loud. The menu options are strong, but its a little chaotic trying to figure out how to organize your dinner: tapas or apps & entrees. Wine list is good and servers have always given great recommendations for pairing with food choices.
(4)
Madeline S.

The food and ambiance at Pazo are really wonderful. The upstairs and downstairs levels are very comfortable and have a nice, relaxing feel. The service was attentive and not hovering. Our server was very nice and patient--and explained all the tapas to us and told us her recommendations too. I hilly recommend the heads-on shrimp ($13) first course, as well as the beef tartare ($13). I loved the combination of favors in the tartare!! The calamari were very good and tender ($11). I loved the basil oil addition. The bread and crackers were both good. Definitely a win. Pricey, but the prix file will definitely be the way to go in the future.
(5)
AsianZing L.

I went here with my boyfriend for a spur-of-the moment Valetine's Day dinner. We had both heard good things about Pazo and decided to give it a try. It was about 8:30PM and we didn't have a reservation, so it was a pleasant surprise when they immediately sat us at a table on the 2nd floor. The ambience of the place is nice...a warm, relaxed, lounge-like atmosphere. That, along with being sat immediately without a reservation on a very busy night, are the only reasons Pazo gets 2 stars. The rest of the dining experience was just "meh" at best. First, the service was HORRIBLE!!!! Our first server asked if we'd ever been there before; we said no and waited for the usual explanation of the menu, recommendations, etc., that usually follow a question like that. There was nothing. She just walked away. Then, we waited...and waited. A different server then came and gave us water and sesame-seed cracker things, (which were tasty), and asked if we were ready to order. The menu was a fixed "Valentine's Day" menu with 3 different fixed-course/fixed-price options. The regular menu with over 40 tapas choices, (and the whole point of going out to eat at a tapas bar), wasn't available. The waitress said we could look at the regular menu for future reference, so we took her up on her offer. She never brought us the menu. Also, we had some questions about the Valentine's menu and asked for her recommendations. She wasn't very helpful, (at one point I wondered if she'd actually ever studied and/or tasted the menu), and she was clearly in an impatient, short-tempered mood. Also, she committed the cardinal sin of serving by grabbing our water glasses by the rim with her fingers when she refilled our water!!! While this is gross at any time, during cold and flu season, it's even worse!! Yuck!! As far as the food...nothing special. It was really disappointing that we weren't able to choose our tapas. None of the food was terrible; none of it was amazing, either. I've had much better experiences, (both food- and service- wise), at other tapas bars. Overall, Pazo was, as another Yelper put it, "underwhelming." We won't be back. At least the pacing was really slow so I got to spend a lot of time talking and laughing with my boyfriend :)
(2)
Nina U.

I saw the three stars and thought maybe there were just harsh raters. I have heard a couple good things about Pazo and thought restaurant week would be the perfect time to check it out. I should have listened to yelp but sometimes you just need to experience something for yourself before you decide. I was really disappointed because for the price and the hype, I expect fabulous. The ambiance with the high ceilings, nice decor and color schemes are pretty and I love the wrought iron/metal chandeliers. I did not enjoy the small tables for two that were tiny despite the extensions they bring out, nor did I enjoy the bass pumping music for dinner. I looked around and I have no idea how the older crowd, who obviously does not listen to this type of music on the normal basis, could digest their food...I was having a hard time. Normally I expect a dinner place to have more relaxing music at dinner and turn it up as it gets later in the night and turns into more of a lounge. The worse part was the tables are right up on one another. I can appreciate some good gossip but I don't want to hear about how the next couple's first date is going nor do I care to share my day with them. There are booths (can fit a party of 4-6?) and a loungy areas for seating that would be fun for a group but I am not excited about paying $500 for a group tapas order. Tapas in Spain are affordable and they are served with beer or sangria that tastes good. Our sangria needed more oomph. I was tempted to ask for sugar. The tapas were okay. Nothing to rave about and if I had to pay normal price I would have been even unhappier. Best part of our experience at Pazo? We got our check in time and made it to the circulator (less than a block away) by 7pm, the last trip of the night!
(2)
marisa p.

This restaurant was great...they had happy hour until 7pm, so I met up with my friend I haven't seen in a long time, had a drink before dinner Dinner was delicious. highly recommend.
(5)
Becca H.

The first time I dined at Pazo was about a year ago. I loved the ambiance, the service was excellent, and the food was outstanding. I ordered a paella with chorizo and chicken. The portion was good, and the flavor was bold, but not overwhelming. A few days ago, I went to Pazo for the second time. The atmosphere was still great, and the service as well. I was a little disappointed that they no longer offered the classic paella, but I decided to order the White Gold Shrimp salad as an appetizer, and the Creekstone Farms NY strip as my main course. The shrimp salad was excellent - refreshing, flavorful, the shrimp were tender and bountiful. The steak was, hands-down, one of the best steaks I've ever eaten. Very juicy, robust flavor, cooked perfectly. I've only been here twice, and both times, I was amazed by Pazo. I definitely will be going back again!
(5)
Robert M.

Food and wine selections were wonderful. Our only downside was the waygu beef was certainly NOT waygu and was flourished with at least two whole sets of french fries to distract us from the fact. Everything else was wonderful.
(4)
Miriam B.

I think this restaurant is having a severe identity crisis. They want to be a night club that also serves food. Which all in all is a great concept. This was my 1st time dining at Pazo. I was really looking forward to it because I adore authentic Spanish cuisine. What a let down. 1st off we ordered a pitcher of sangria that had no fruit tasted sweeter than Hi C and contained barely any wine. It was so awful we had to give it back to our server. That should have been a warning of things to come. We ordered cheese croquettes that normally I love but these were beyond bland and under seasoned( like the rest of our meal and a common theme I am seeing from some yelp reviews). For my next course I had the shrimp blt salad. The shrimp tasted old. Yuck. For my entree I had the scallops which were gummy and bland. My dessert was decent though a nut cake with chocolate ganache. The space is beautiful and the service is great but the food leaves so much to be desired. It's a shame.
(2)
Jennifer K.

It's time I finally write a review. I've been here many times over the years--date nights, group celebrations, family dinners with my toddler--and always have a good meal. It would have earned 5 stars from me when it first opened; now it's a solid three and a half stars. We go there for tapas because it will always be a tapas place in my mind. Over the years we have seen the tapas menu shrink and the entree menu increase. While you can still find versions of some former tapas on the entree menu for twice the portion size and triple the price, we always find a meal's worth of tapas that are tasty and satisfying. It is good comfort food. We generally have decent service. We are seated promptly and our food is served promptly. The servers don't seem as knowledgeable about the menu items as they have been in the past. I have the following suggestions for management: Consider expanding the tapas menu. This is what sets you apart from other nearby restaurants. Bring back the brisket, cajeta sundae, and sausage/arugula pizza (the original).
(3)
Holly N.

Met up with friends on a Saturday night... The pluses: Free valet up to three hours DELICIOUS, inexpensive by-the-glass wine selection, with 3oz and 6oz size options Nice atmosphere, comfy couches Good "club" music selection Lots of good-looking people Yummy tapas The negatives: Tiny food portions: we ordered goat cheese empanadas and got two itty bitty ones (not good for sharing as we had hoped) Music increasingly really, really loud Inattentive waiters (or understaffing problems) Overall this was a really positive experience. Seems like a fun place to hang out and mingle. We were in the area behind the lower level main bar (near the bathrooms). This is nice because the volume is lower if you really want to catch up with the people you're hanging out with. The problem was that we felt pretty neglected by the bartenders who seemed to forget that there was a whole other bar behind them. This is a nice place with nice atmosphere... I probably will dress up a little more next time I come, as it's more "classy" than I expected.
(3)
Elizabeth D.

I came here for Restaurant Week with a few girlfriends to send off a lovely lady to India. The selection was decent, and the food good. I was a huge fan of their tapas - they have a great variety for all meat, seafood, and vegetarian eaters. After dinner hours, the atrium turns into a dance floor. It seems to be a popular hangout for professionals in their late 20s and early 30s. I definitely recommend the "La Vie en Rose" beverage - the rose petal is a classy touch. This is an establishment I would like to frequent again. They also have a spacious private dining room, and quaint balcony-style seating (very European-like) that would serve two-person dates well. The dim lighting offers a more romantic mood.
(4)
Jessica S.

My fiance and I went here on recommendations of friends. I was very surprised how disappointing this place was since my friends LOVE it there. I felt the food was bland and overpriced. I know tapas are a small plate but the food here felt even smaller then other tapas restaurants. For the price it is, its just not worth it. I highly recommend if you want tapas you should try another restaurant on the waterfront by the Aquarium. It says a lot about a place when you spend over $250 (includes wine) and you still need to go to a pizza joint after.
(2)
Dianna L.

Went there for happy hour a couple of days ago. I love the ambiance with the the sofas to lounge on and the wonder high ceilings of this old warehouse turned fancy. The happy hour drinks are great. 5 dollar specials are delicious! If you didn't get them during happy hour they are 10 bucks. They don't really have small plates for happy hour though. Their only food options on the happy hour menu are very limited and are at a set price. 50 dollars for a bottle of champange, 1 large sample plate and 2 small plates that they have chosen for you. That might be a good deal if you come with 4 or 5 people but alittle pricey for happy hour for two. Overall the small plates are all VERY SMALL. be prepared to shell out some money when you come. I give it 4 stars for the ambiance and the drinks.
(4)
Rob A.

As out-of-towners visiting for just one night, we felt fortunate to have discovered Pazo. We were very happy with the caliber of the food and the quality of the service. We connected with Nick, the dining room manager, and put ourselves in his hands as far as ordering most of our selections, as well as the wine. A few standouts included the tuna tartare, the eggplant entree, and the dorado, served whole. Other than an extended delay for refills of wine for one member of our party, we are otherwise experienced outstanding service. the portions were sufficient to share most of the dishes across our party of 4, and and there are a few further side notes worth mentioning, including the sunflower seed crackers, or really more like cookies, and the astonishing olive oil, which they import especially through a personal connection in Italy.we will certainly be returning if we have an opportunity to spend another evening in Baltimore and we recommend Pazo most highly. I did read a number of reviews commenting on portion size and price. The entree portions were appropriate and substantial, and the tapas portions were also appropriate, with enough to share tastes. The price was less than we expected, notably due to the lower priced wine we had - and there are many from which to choose. We felt it was a good value for the fine food, wine, ambiance and service.
(5)
Rachel F.

For the last three years I have lived in Baltimore, I've avoided Pazo like the plague. Something about those extra-high ceilings and three foot too wide tables just wasn't appealing to me. And I had heard all the waitstaff had to wear matching necklaces - creepy. But I had also heard nothing but good things about the food. So when Baltimore Restaurant Week rolled around, I thought I'd give it a go. And I was blown away. The whole night was stunning, from beginning to end, and I felt taken care of by the eager valet attendants and coat checkers. The food was perfect portioned - all delicious. We started off with their hummus sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and warm bread and went right into the tapas - small salad with Mandarin oranges, shallot and goat cheese bruschetta, savory squash cakes, potato and manchego croquettes (drool) and small pizzas. Each plate was brought out at the perfect time and the whole meal lasted a pleasing two hours. I doubt I could afford this regularly, but if I had to spend the rest of my Baltimore days draining my bank account, I would do it here.
(5)
Jannelle A.

I'm a fan... Some of my best nights in Baltimore have started here. The restaurant is hip and fun. Stiff drinks. High ceilings. DJ. Sofas. Upscale vibe. In a nutshell: it's my favorite place to escape Baltimore without ever leaving.. Come here to socialize/meet new people, and munch on tapas. The crowd is excellent by Baltimore standards. Quick tip: Go during happy hour. Get a good buzz on, get some tapas to build your appetite, and go somewhere else in the Fell's neighborhood or Inner Harbor for a solid dinner.
(4)
Kevin P.

Food: 5/5 My lady and I ordered a bunch of tapas off the menu, not the prix fixe. We both had limited experience in the field of tapas, and shot from the hip. It turned out to be one of the best meals I've had in a while. Atmosphere 5/5 The atmosphere was part of the meal, as probably all tapas restaurants should be. Very cool place though. Service 4/5 Friendly and knowledgeable staff, but I'm easy to please when it comes to service.
(5)
john f.

Not much to say here. This place used to be something special. We stopped going a few years when the focus had clearly shifted from quality food to providing a venue for the candy-martini and cocaine set to hang out and say deeply superficial things to one another. Tedious. A real shame, as this used to be our go-to option for dining in Baltimore.
(1)
Michael P.

The interior design is nice and breathtaking when you walk in and dine at Pazo. Tara was our server and was very excellent in customer service. I wanted to try several dishes from the reviews I read and referrals. I ordered the Calamari a la Planxa with basil oil Meyer lemon chili peppers (first course) Hanger Steak with smoked potatoes, romescu sauce and grilled onions (second course) Sicilian "Brioscia" Chefs daily selections of ice cream sandwiches (third course). I also ordered two tapas (hot) Burger-sito valdeon alioli and the and the sea scallops, both were very tasty and had my palate screaming for MORE.
(5)
Bob C.

Some great and some good and bad here today for an Easter Sunday Feast, also advertised as a Dinner Buffet. At $44 per adult and $25 for children over 10 it had to be good. The food flavors were out of this world to my palette. Come with foodies only or they'll stunt the experience for you. From the tapas to the soup in a tall shotglass to the dessert and coffee, all was delicious. The ambiance, woodwork, metal and design is striking here. Ask about the history of the building and it will complete your amazement. Back to the Dinner Buffet. They would only serve you at the serving dishes so that was odd. Also odd was that they made you feel a bit uncomfortable for getting salad before the main course meals. Also, the buffet items ended up getting cold very quickly. By the time you were back at your seat eating, it was cold. While I was away using the restroom, my wife expressed disappointment about the cold food and they brought us a complimentary glass of ice cream and tray of unique fruit sorbets. All wonderful flavors and gracious but the irony of the cold gifts did not escape our amusement. Our waitress was very conscientious and pleasant and the overall service was excellent. They also charged us for two adults and two children although our oldest daughter is clearly over 10. So, thanks Pazo. The complimentary valet was also a plus and done well. Again, for my palette, I was extremely pleased with the food, loved the interior design and features and did not care about food temp until it was brought to my attention. What bugged me was no live Spanish guitar as advertised for the Easter Sunday Dinner/Dinner Buffet, 12-6pm. After searching their website and substantiating the menu and times, I found that the live playing is usually 6pm to 9. I think this place would be a great place to come back to but I do not think they have the buffet concept down for the uniqueness of the food and layout. Nice try though.
(4)
Michael M.

If you want to get dressed up, pay way too much for an OK drink, see pretty people and feel like your something special THEN COME ON DOWN!!!! I will say the Decor` is nice and the service is very good as well but the food and drinks I've had much better in downtown Baltimore not to mention being as close to Fells Point and Little Italy you would expect better grub.
(2)
Morse D.

Wow, do I love this place. My wife & I both choose Pazo when we want to go somewhere special. The atmosphere is wonderful, the staff is so accommodating, and we both really love the food! Tapas restaurants are very appealing because you get to try so many different small plates. What I love about Pazo is that they continue to offer our favorites, but still keep coming up with new items that are also excellent. I am alway surprised when we get the check. After drinks and more food than we should have eaten, the tab is less than any comparable restaurant.
(5)
Danielle J.

4.5!!! (Yelp, when are you going to hop on the fraction train?!?) This review is for happy hour. I know it doesn't need to be said, but this restaurant is stunning!! By far the best looking restaurant I've been to in this state! This was on my list months ago for my next special date spot to bring my ex but it fell by the wayside. Bringing him here or the relationship? You might ask. I'll take both of the above for 1,000, Alex. So I went on a Friday night, my description of the atmosphere would be young, twenty-somethings blended with chic urban after work crowd. I had the greentini (?) which was ever so slightly too strong for my liking (I'm a "I don't like to taste the alcohol because it's balanced so well that I can't tell how strong it is" girl.) But don't get me wrong, the greentini was a well-made cocktail, and for 5 bucks I was happy to not be drinking a well vodka with cheap juice from a plastic cup (Mosaic Lounge I'm talking to you.) My friend next to me ordered a kettle one gimlet up...I'd never tried a gimlet so she made me taste hers..... WOW! I liked it better than mine. Anyway, being tapas we shared a bunch of stuff... the empanada was good, the green sauce was delicious. We had salmon tartare (a special, apparently it's usually tuna) and I loved it! I tried a bite of the pizza and a fried zucchini stick and both were good, but the first two were my favorites. I will absolutely be back for happy hour again!
(4)
Melissa T.

This is one of, if not my top, favorite restaurant in Harbor East. The ambiance in itself is amazing, with the long cushioned benches and couches surrounding low tables, perfect for happy hour groups. The food is also delicious! I've been a handful of times, and have never gotten the tapas, but instead gotten the 3-course wine pairings. I absolutely loved the ravioli appetizer! The wine pairings are always on par. Would highly recommend to Baltimorians as well as out of towners.
(5)
Emily C.

Pazo is known for the atmosphere and great food. I also appreciate the eye candy on Fridays :) The space is huge and there are tons of places to sit at the bar. If you enjoy spanish wines they have some excellent selections by the glass (3oz and 6 oz pours) and bottle. Colin, the general manager knows the wines in great detail and makes accurate recommendations if you tell him what you like. I prefer their Rose, which is AWESOME right now. The food is also really amazing, I love the peaches and goat cheese. The bartenders are also very good here. I never order cocktails off the menu because that's lame and boring. If you ask, they can create some pretty interesting things if you aren't feelin' the drinks on the menu. Don't by shy about that. People of all ages come here which makes it different from some of the other places in Bmore that cater to the late 20 and early 30 somethings. I honestly have not eaten a full meal here because it is mostly a Happy Hour spot for me. My picky friends rave about the meals and I trust their judgment. What else? Its clean, the decor is upscale, the drinks are amazing... I don't use it, but the valet is a nice plus for people in suburbatory... The end.
(4)
Jessica L.

Came here for New Year's Eve. Has a definitely upscale feel and the decor makes you feel elite. A spanish band was playing and the event was festive. The wine was excellent and the service was slightly lacking. Might try some food here. The lounge area was alluring yet classy.
(4)
Tiffani N.

Fantastic restaurant/lounge near the Harbor. Perfect for a date, intimate birthday celebration or even a reception if you can afford to buyout the place. It's gorgeous in Pazo but also comfortable and relaxing. The Mediterranean/colonial Spanish ambiance and decor are unusual and definitely leaves an impact. I find going around late happy hour, sunset time is perfect for a little bit of light and then the place darkens into nighttime for a romantic, sensual glow. I would avoid Fridays because the party goes all night and it's pretty loud/crowded. I actually felt super out of place when I arrived by myself to meet friends on a Friday. Unlike other happy hours, everyone around the bar was closed off and not very talkative but probably because they were on dates or hooking up. Once my pals got there, we had a blast. The sofas are extra plush and comfy, which may make it hard to snack on your tapas and sip on their delish martinis without spilling anything. Be prepared to pay $$$ for the atmosphere- the beautiful and sexy scene doesn't come cheap even in Bmore.
(4)
Alishah N.

Great drinks, great food, great place. Unique set up for a restaurant - it has a nice lounging area, and a really nice looking dining area. The food was really good, but the drinks surpassed the food for me, because the bartenders really know what they're doing and can mix up some pretty mean cocktails.
(4)
Keith W.

This was my first time to Pazo after living several blocks away for three years. All I can say is DELICIOUS! We went for Baltimore Restaraunt Week and started with the pugliese bread and kiko hummus; both were excellent. My second course consisted of the shrimp pintxo (wonderful fresh zesty taste), crab and corn bunuelos (tasty balled treat), wood-grilled chicken pintxo (the best surprise of the night, very flavorful) and lamb ravioli (one of the best raviolis I have had). My dessert was the crispy chocolate hazelnut bars (would have been perfectly paired with a pinot noir or expresso). I tried my date's potato and manchego croquetas and waternelon sorbet; both were terrific. The ambiance was as advertised and the service was spectacular. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Al G.

Ok so this is a very cool place.. The Tapas are great .. Service is good .. It is a nice place for drinks or dinner.. Pricey but good .. Parking is a pain in the A$$..
(4)
Papa W.

Beautiful decor and ambience, live music. The food was prepared well. Had several (10) tapas and all were excellent. I also ordered the pork loin and shared. It was perfect almost as good as mine. Definitely would come back for more.
(4)
Emily B.

overrated. Maybe it's better on a week night...?
(2)
Ariel N.

LOVEEEEEE the atmosphere Dark scenery, soft couches to relax on. Our waitress gave us our space and didnt bug us. Recommend these to the guys that are trying to impress a girl for the 1st date
(5)
Chris K.

My favorite restaurant in Baltimore. NOT the best food in Baltimore. But the best food/drinks/ambiance experience in Baltimore. Dined with 4 friends here last Sunday. It's slower on a Sunday, which is nice, but the kitchen closes early (9:30), which is not so nice (nobody likes to be rushed!). Our waitress was amazing. Knew drink menu and food menu inside and out. She knew what our table was looking for, and she delivered. Her suggestions were spot on and the best choices we made. Attentive, excellent service all around. The highlights were the fresh seafood - calimari (best I've ever had), spoons of tuna tartare, and ceviche. The roasted red beets were amazing (I don't like beets OR goat cheese, but they just work here). Both artichoke dishes were good. I remember the pizza being good, but this time it was a low point (soggy, nothing special). The seafood stew is gross - we couldn't even touch it after the first bite, regardless of the big chunks of lobster. The wine was good but not as good as I expected for an over $30 bottle. For dessert we had chocolate hazelnut bars (amazing), green apple tart (good), and creme brulee (watery; nothing special). To the owners: the menu has changed from tapas-focused to appetizer/entree-focused. I do not like this change. Pazo is famous for their tapas, and the whole eating experience that goes with ordering tapas. Every other restaurant has the traditional first/entree/dessert deal. Why even go there? In addition, some menu items were removed in the switch (I was craving the eggplant dip but the spicy eggplant salad is nowhere near as good), and the tapas no longer have descriptions on the menu (I assume due to space limitations). I wish Pazo would stick to what they are good at - tapas!!!
(4)
Morgan D.

My boyfriend and I went here this past weekend to celebrate our anniversary and it truly was an awesome restaurant! The ambiance is absolutely stellar...I love factory style restaurants...so open and grand! From the time of making the reservation until we left the experience was excellent in regards to customer service! As soon as we walked in, I was like woah...we seriously just stepped out of Baltimore...it was so uber-trendy! It's nice going out to eat in a place that offers atmosphere...it's worth the money when you indulge in the experience. We started the meal out with some ciabatta bread and olive oil...yum! My boyfriend got the wood grilled duck breast [big plate] and I stayed on the tapas route getting empanadas, calamari, seared scallops a la plancha and patatas bravas...and everything was very good! They also have a very extensive wine list, which was great. Overall we had a great experince (besides the group of superficial ladies sitting next us bugging their friend about marriage and proposals and, "Oh my gosh, does he make enough $...!!?"...seriously wanted to gag! ) My favorite tapas place in Bmore is still Tapas Teatro because I feel it's more authentic...but this was a great dining experience for a special occasion!! :)
(4)
Amanda K.

One of the most swanky fun restaurants in Baltimore. Great location, fantastic food, stunning decor. The service can be a little bit iffy, but their cocktails are unparalleled (nice and strong) and ambiance is perfect for a night out with friends or a quiet one-on-one. I dream about their side-cars. No Joke!
(4)
Nicole L.

Few years ago they served mostly tapas dishes hence there was a wider variety of tapas but in the recent time that I had been it's significantly lesser and I was sad they did not have my fav dish there anymore- chicken with avocado, mandarin oranges and almonds. The food was much better before. The servers did not do a good job with the service. They forgot dishes and were not very friendly. Jaleo is way better with tapas. I go to Pazo for the experience in the beautifully converted warehouse to restaurant.
(3)
Randy S.

I again found myself at Pazo while with a group of 8 new and not-so new business associates. We got the Table for 10 because we didn't want to be concerned with details like, 'what should we order' and because we thought the Table for 6 would not be enough food (duh!). I really enjoyed this place last time I was here a couple of years ago and nothing has changed. Still a wonderfully done interior space and the items served for our 'Table of 10' were wonderfully delicious. Of course there was wine, the white being a Txokolina from Txomin Extaniz (tasted like a mineral-ly stale sparkling, I liked it) and the 2006 Rosenblum Heritage Clones Petite Sirah. Now talk about a tasty wine, every person in our group loved it! Delicious buttery bouquet, silky smooth finish, go find some of this wine NOW. Two trips to Baltimore and visited Pazo each time. Dare I say, if in Baltimore again, I'll be back...
(4)
K Sera S.

Our favorite place in Baltimore (among many that we enjoy). The atmosphere is terrific; gorgeous space and stylishly though comfortably decorated. I'm surprised to hear that some haven't enjoyed their meals. We've never been disappointed. The menu changes frequently, which gives us a great opportunity to try different things, and the portion size, although arguably modest, work well when sampling the many assorted yummies. My husband could live on nothing but the fougasse and ARS Poetica (a rich red wine). The cremini mushrooms in lemon and rosemary are delicious and the fried calamari is tender and not at all heavy. I tend to shy away from sweet drinks, but the Euro is irresistible. The service has always been terrific, whether we've sat in the lounge or at a table. On weekends in particular, the dress code is--thankfully--pretty hip. We consider it a treat to get a bit dolled up to go out, and the crowd at Pazo seems to feel the same way. This sometimes slips in the summer, when Zagat-clutching tourists come from the harbor in their cargo shorts, flip-flops and t-shirts (shudder), but generally speaking, a well-heeled crowd. We were a little disappointed by the late night music on our last visit. The DJ was spinning some great Euro-lounge type stuff and we were eager to dance, but once the tables were cleared away, he shifted to hip hop and reggae that kept pretty much everyone off the floor. Not typical, though, so maybe he was just trying something new.
(5)
K P.

I don't think Pazo is pretentious - I walked in w/jeans, converse sneakers and a tank top - yes, I was a little under dressed compared to other clientele but I'm so used to the NY attitude that if you're wearing jeans, you're pretty much good to go anywhere (except for maybe Le Bernardin.) (But they did have a sign saying something about a dress code, which I didn't bother to read...??) This is my second time here. The food here is solid. It's not the best tapas I've had but the room itself is very pretty - open, airy...service was also fine... The one dish that is a MUST try is the scallops with chickpea hummus and samiriglio sauce - absolutely brilliant! We ordered a second, it was that delicious - all the flavors went so well together, the olive oil, garlic, the hummus and the scallops were seared perfectly - caramelized and seasoned just right, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The other tapas is good - I mean, manchego cheese w/a slice of bread, olives, etc - you'd have to really try to mess those up. The peasant style bread is delicious, I would definitely order that as well. The sunflower seed bread / crackers they give you when you sit down are also very good - salty, sweet, crispy... The desserts - by far the strawberry rhubarb tart (seasonal) was the best (and I don't even like rhubarb!) I would say I would choose it over the ice cream sandwich (literally a sweet roll w/a scoop of ice cream in the middle) which was good but a little too bready, even for me. The chocolate platter didn't impress me, I wouldn't order it again... The sangria is alright. Cava for $9 glass is pretty good in my book... If you're in Baltimore & want to go to a place with solid tapas, this is a very good option.
(4)
Jennic M.

I love this place! Free valet parking (if validated). Great atmosphere. Delicious food. Extensive wine list. Attentive staff. Beautiful building. The only reason Pazo doesn't receive 5 stars from me: portions very small. Enjoy and dress nicely!
(4)
Josh A.

It's always hard to decide on the real star at Pazo: the food or the building itself. The soaring ceilings of the converted industrial space and the pitch-perfect decor means the ambiance can't be beat in Baltimore (although the DJ can get a little loud if you're on the floor - the balcony is the place to be), but the food is simply amazing. The portions are often small even for small plates -- two smallish scallops, three one-inch-square pieces of swordfish -- but the bites are so perfect you hardly care. It's just enough to leave you wanting more, yet by the end of the meal you'll be pleasantly stuffed. They also have an excellent and extensive wine list, and if you don't know what to order, don't worry. They also have an expert sommelier.
(5)
Jen A.

Oh PAZO. How I love and am sometimes intimidated by thee... There are many things about this place to love, and an equal number by which to be slightly overwhelmed. PAZO is huge. The space itself is cavernous, it reminds me, on a smaller scale mind you, of Buddakan in NYC. Hip, trendy and with a neverending feeling of space (despite being crammed to the gills with people). PAZO is where you go to see and be seen. I don't care how clichÃ© that sounds, it's totally true. Here is where I get this feeling of epic scrutiny (which, I admit, is probably totally imagined). There is a dress code here, and whether or not it's actually enforced (because I did see plenty of people wandering in wearing jeans), there are more people who are dressed to the point of distraction - short skirts, lots of jewelry, indecently high heels, not to mention what look like incredibly expensive suits. Even dressed nicely I felt slightly like a fish out of water. But that only lasted for about ten seconds as I walked up the stairs, once sitting down that worry dissolved into my wondering how the heck I was going to get through the ridiculously extensive wine list looking like I had even a vague idea of what half of it was. No matter. Despite this rather inauspicious start, which I admit, happens most times when I drop in to this restaurant, our most recent visit was mostly a success. We visited PAZO the night it opened after the recent fire. There was, not going to lie, a distinctly smoky smell in the air at the front of house, which did make me a chuckle a bit. The biggest issue this place suffered from this particular evening was the service. It was friendly and relatively attentive, but slow. They said it was due to the fire, but I have been here other nights where I have experienced the same thing. I'll say flat out that the table next to us never seemed to have to wait for a thing, which given the repeated apologies for the wait "due to the current circumstances" didn't really seem entirely true. Did anyone else notice that all the waiters wear a necklace with the PAZO insignia? I continue to think that's slightly cultish every time I see it. So, the biggest thing worth mentioning at the time of this particular write-up: PAZO has debuted its new fall menu, which doesn't just change up the food, but rather the entire way you dine. Part of what made PAZO great was that is was a tapas restaurant, great cocktails, nice wine, and lots of variation in the food you could order. Now they have moved towards what they call "traditional" eating. Basically it's what you see at every other restaurant in town: appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Not that I mind this approach, it's just I don't go to PAZO to eat three course meals. At least I thought I didn't. Here's my problem. When I go to tapas restaurants I eat tapas food. It's good and I like it that way, even if, sometimes, I leave feelings like I want something else. When I go to a "regular" restaurant, I tend to just order an entrÃ©e and that's it. Perhaps dessert occasionally, maybe two appetizers instead of a main...whatever. Now that PAZO has changed, I do think a little bit of the magic has gone. Yes, they still offer "little bites," but they are stuck on a different menu, which to be perfectly honest, barely got a five second mention by our waitress. I looked it over and there really wasn't much imagination there...a shame. As a result...yup, I ate off the new prixe fix menu. Hey, it was a steal at $37, which was nice, and yes the food was good (particularly the lamb chops I had, really first rate). BUT, it wasn't communal eating and it wasn't what I go to PAZO for. So that was sad. PAZO is still good, the place is amazing to eat in and the service, in terms of professionalism, generally can't be beat. However, I for one will miss the focus on shared eating and the opportunity to order a bunch of different stuff. I know it's still an option, but they've gone about making it a lot less appealing. Too bad.
(3)
Sean L.

Love this place. It's just cool. Great atmosphere. Feels like you're not in Baltimore! Not the world's best tapas food, but it's good, and the place has a sophisticated feel. I also like the versatility of the space. It's good for dinner, but also for going to as a bar/lounge. Plus, the music is fun (usually house).
(5)
Axl R.

Everything we got there was fresh, tasty, and served fast. Granted we came at 6 pm on a Tuesday so that would certainly lend to having more attentive wait staff. We were pretty much the only people in the restaurant and we had a huge party of 10 people so there was nothing else to do other than focus on us. We also sat in the middle of the room rather than at the tables which made the experience more casual.
(4)
Heather K.

I've been here several times.. but it is my first time writing a review. I love Pazo- as it is by far the best Spanish/tapas restaurant in the area. I spent my summers in Spain growing up, and have really missed good Spanish restaurants. When Pazo first opened, I felt that they were trying to be a "fusion" restaurant, and not doing such a great job at it, but as they have expanded their menu, I have come to really enjoy dining here. The paella is solid, love their croquetas, the cocktails are delicious, decent Spanish wine selection, the fish I've had has been great, looooove the black bean duo soup. Overall, I've always had a great experience at Pazo. Whenever we've made a reservation for a special occasion, they have always helped to make it memorable.
(4)
Matthew L.

Probably the most visually stunning restaurant in Baltimore. An old factory converted into a restaurant. It's breath taking. The great part of Pazo is not the food ( which is good, but not spectacular for fine dining) it's the experience of being with friends. You never feel hurried or rushed. The service is wonderful. The food over all is a bit salty for my taste. I know salt brings out flavors, but it seems to be the flavor here. It's a bit pricey for a mediocre dinner, but it's a great place for drinks and small plates after hours.
(4)
Salmah R.

I've been going to this place for years. The menu is always changing. The business concept is amazing. It's a diamond in the rough. Great food and creativity. Their sunflower crackers are the bombbbbbbb!
(5)
Tawny M.

My FiancÃ© and I dine a lot! We were told to go to Pazo by a local Baltimorian (we hail from the Philly area). We had reservations at 7 on a Saturday night. The atmosphere is impressive but that is the only thing positive I can say about this place. Our first round of martinis took 15 minutes to get to the table. We inquired about one of the cheese plates and she said the sharing plate would be good for two people....it was way too much cheese for only two people. As formers servers we were discouraged that we asked if it would be too much and she advised it would be fine. Her credibility went downhill from there. The shrimp appetizers weren't bad but then again it's pretty difficult to screw up shrimp. We waited about 25/30 minutes for our next course (scallops). The scallops were cooked correctly but the dish was luke warm at best. My fiancÃ© then ordered a glass of wine once the scallops were cleared. We sat for another 20 minutes without the waitress coming over and checking on us. We walked away from the table and sat at the bar instead were by the time she came over we already were down half of a glass of wine each. Not once did she apologize for her terrible service and to top it off she didn't even thank us for coming in. I've worked at a high end steakhouse as a bartender/server and trainer and there is no way she could've come close to making it where I worked. She really shouldn't be serving at all. This experience was overall awful! My fiancÃ© and I walked away claiming that this was the worst restaurant he and I had been to. Our bill came out to be around $110 and yet we still tipped our waitress 15% (we always tip atleadt 20%) which was VERY hard for us to do (I wanted to give her $5 so she would learn her lesson). We left a note saying the service was 'the worst we had ever had'. She could have simply apologized for us waiting so long and maybe threw a smile in occasionally and we would have been much happier.
(1)
Miguel G.

I went to dinner here a few nights ago and it was definitely worth it. The inside of the restaurant was very cool. We sat at a table but the couches and big seats around us gave the place a lounge type feel. It was a bit of splurge but worth it. We had tapas to start off. The goat chesse empanadas and ceviche were excellent. The pan de andalucia with the goat cheese mousse was tasty as well. Main course was delicious. I had the Duck Marget and it was cooked to perfection. My fiance had the leg of lamb steak which she loved. I highly recommend it for a night out on the town.
(4)
Chris M.

First time there. Atmosphere and service were excellent! The food just ok for the prices. It looks beautiful on the plate presentation is amazing but the food is not good. The lobster bisque was very watery, didn't seem homemade. The buffalo mozzarella bruschetta, the bread was super soggy and the cheese didn't taste too good. The $48 ribeye was super tough I could barely chew it! The lamb chops were just average nothing special. Too over priced I will not return!! Go get a drink though it's pretty cool inside,
(1)
Bria D.

Pazo makes me miss Baltimore. There, I said it. The crowd gets a bit insufferable on the weekends. There's a solution to that: don't go on the weekends. I've spent many a lovely weeknight evening at the bar, enjoying a few glasses of wine, an order of sunflower seed flatbreads, and the best steak tartare I could ever hope to have. The other menu items delight as well, but the sunflower seed flatbreads and steak tartare are as good as good gets.
(5)
Brendan D.

Pazo is a pretty unique spot in Fells Point, and there are really few like it in Baltimore. It manages to pull off an impressive mix in the ambiance department of being edgy and industrial, without being cold. Aesthetically, it is a pretty cool spot. The food is a bit expensive for what you get, and that is being considerate of it being a tapas place. I have been here ~ 10 times or so and have never left filling particularly full. Yeah guy in the peanut gallery I KNOW its a tapas place, but 5 small plates should get it done more than it does here in the quantity department. Wine list is excellent, particularly if you like Spanish reds, which I do. No draft lines here, all beer is by the bottle. Morreti is a decent choice by the bottle. My most recent trip was this past weekend for my companies' holiday party. We were given a private room upstairs with a sliding partition. The space was nice, it offered privacy, but still allowed us to feel the vibe of the place downstairs. I thought the electronica they pumped in was a little too loud, but no one else seemed to notice. Our server was very nice, and every bit as pretty as she was absent minded. On two occasions I ordered a beer, only for her to return a few minutes later and ask if I wanted anything to drink. Umm, besides the beer I ordered? In fairness large parties are tough to serve, and I thought on the whole she did a pretty good job. The only other issue was my double espresso came out cold. Not like "not hot enough", actually plain old COLD. When I informed our server, she fixed it right away and brought me one that was piping hot. My advice on Pazo is use it for what it is- a cool spot to grab a drink at the bar, or have a few small plates before going somewhere else. In my case it was always a pretty dependable "2nd date" place when I lived in Federal Hill. But don't get caught up in the hype some to have for the place... "it's the best restaurant in Baltimore"! No, it isn't. But it is not without its charm, and serves a purpose.
(3)
Maria K.

Pazo looks like it belongs in Morocco. The decor is stunningly beautiful with high ceilings, wood beams, earth-toned fabrics and a wide open dining room. Once we were seated, we got these awesome crackers covered in sunflower seeds that were so unique and tasty; nice surprise instead of bread! The menu boasted tapas and regular entrees which was nice because tapas restaurants usually have only tapas. We tried three tapas: broccoli, veal empanadas, short ribs and fried artichoke....delicious! The entire menu looked so good. We ordered the filet and the duck which were both excellent dishes. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area.
(5)
Antoine K.

Some of the best ambiance in the area. A definite spot for the dating arsenal. Tapas, wine, dinner. Just go and find out. The pretty people go here. Shoot, so do the ugly people. It might be one of the best resteraunts in Baltimore. The service was good and professonal. They have club nights, but I have never been for that part.
(4)
Monique P.

beuatiful place, valet great as well food was good but pricey drinks were ok but pricey apparently company policy not to split check even though we asked ahead of time. not cool. rude waitress and will not be back.. she actually brought a pen and paper so we could figure out how ordered what for a group of 8!!!!
(1)
Gita B.

Wow really disappointed, after hearing all the hype I thought this place would be fantastic. The pizza was okay but seemed too doughy. Everything else was not worth the prices they charge.
(3)
Victoria S.

Great space and very trendy. We went for RW but ended up just ordering off the tapas menu. The place is busy, really busy. There were people eating in the hallway where the restrooms were...behind the bar area. The staff seemed uninterested. They weren't very engaged and the service was rushed at times and absent at times. The food was decent but a bit pricey. My husband and I are veg and there were some options...but not many. We ordered a bunch of tapas, a salad and pizza and the Cremini mushrooms never came. :o( Overall, It was an above average experience but not sure if I would drive to Baltimore to eat there again. I think Zaytinya is much better.
(3)
shwa s.

I had the worst dinning experience of my life. This place makes me so angry I don't even want to think about it. This place is so fake. The food was terrrrrrible! I wasted 150 bucks on dinner and didn't enjoy a single plate and I was still hungry. The pizza is a disgrace to the pizza world. I've had better pizza from the frozen food section. The house made sausage, dreadfully seasoned and not edible. All my seafood was over cooked. My 15 buck cocktail was poorly executed and tasted like kool-aide. It came in a warm martini glass, should have been stirred and also no garnish. Hahaha, not really funny because it was 15 dollars! Oh yea they also have a dj to boot. The dj played music that wasn't even cool in the 90's. All around suck-fest!
(1)
Lindsay S.

FUN TIME!! Are service was absolutely impecable,our waitress,VERY charming and professional as we grilled here about the menu(she knows her stuff!!). We also talked about dogs for 10 minutes which is not common for a busy waitress. The food, FLAVOR! great medertarianing food as well as a matching wine selection. our group decided to order about 10-12 small plates and share then all.We all LOVED the shrimp with lime and the silver anchovies. The kobe beef was a bit chewy we all thought tho. Great feel this the place,very relaxed and fun,Ill be back!!
(4)
Jennifer W.

I LOVE PAZO !!! :) me and my girlfriends went here for my birthday celebration. we got a ton of tapas (3 each, party of nine) and we cleaned the plates. the food was amazing. our waitress was a sweetheart and gave us a few things on the house because it was our first time. my favs: the chicken, goat cheese dip, croquettes, shrimp and garlic, and the sunflower seed squares before dinner!! we left stuffed. the cotton candy martini is worth the $15 for presentation alone. don't want to ruin the surprise, you'll see for yourself. also tried the chai martini and the pear with rosemary (i think?) all wonderful. perfect decor, great music. can't say enough great things about pazo!!!
(5)
Zacharias B.

For a restaurant with great potential Pazo disappointed grandly. First impressions led to high hopes. I have to compliment Pazo on hiring courteous and attentive staff. We found the service respectful, prompt and always attentive to our comments. Unfortunately, this fine service was the only enjoyable aspect of the experience. Of the half dozen dishes we sampled each was uniformly bland. Even the spicier dishes, such as the chilied shrimp, we found plain and overly salted. The traditional Spanish omelet, served chilled, was dissapointingly neither traditional nor very pleasing in term of taste or texture. Even the chef's best recommendation for a flavorful experience, the pork medallions, lacked any depth. The setting clearly makes Pazo expensive. We spent $90 for a light meal and one drink each. It's a shame the food wasn't worth the cost (though the environment and the available alcohol selection is worth it). I'd highly recommend Pazo as a place to come for drinks, but suggest avoiding the food. They did stock several different scotch that I prefer (Macallan 12 and 18, and Oban). Their wine selection is quite extensive. One star for the setting, and another star for the staff, service and for expressing interest in our opinion. The chef even sent a specially prepared dish (no charge) by way of apology. Unfortunately, no stars for the food. However, I will say this: If you wish to take your grandmother out for a fantastic dinner that meets the needs of a mild, elderly palette, you probably can't find a better option.
(2)
Preety S.

Beautiful setting inside a large brick warehouse. Good idea to make a reservation since the place was packed solid on a Saturday evening for dinner. Low lighting, trendy scene...good place to get a little dressed up. Definitely a place to people watch! As for the food - all the tapas we tried were excellent! There are also plenty of options for vegetarians, which is always nice. I also loved that the kitchen was open and you could watch the staff prepare your meals.
(4)
Chris S.

All I have to say about Pazo is GAVIN ROCKS!! Everyone should request him as their waiter.
(5)
MissEasy T.

It ain't a tapas joint in Spain by any stretch but the food is very tasty. Atmosphere way too loud and pretentious for my taste. Dress code is enforced so be advised. Overpriced.
(2)
Cynthia C.

Ambience was great. Food was just okay. I've had better tapas. It seems like this place is a very happening place, so I suppose it's a matter of personal taste, but I prefer tapas with a more latin flavor. Note: cheese that is described as "earthy" means it'll taste a bit like weeds.
(3)
Hana ..

AT LAST - a little bit of sophistication and ambiance! Baltimore finally has some swagger with Pazo. The outside of the restaurant resembles an abandoned warehouse - however, once inside, your are enveloped in posh yet cozy, deep, rustic tones with a sexy Mediterranean flare. Huge wroght-iron chandeliers dangle effortlessly from soaring ceilngs over the open, two-story dining area which seems crowded at first glance but the dim candle light, swaying drapery from cabana style booths and overall sexy swankiness easily distract you from any din of neighboring diners. I was shocked to see such an eclectic and diverse establishment in Baltimore - capital of the neighborhood bar and bland-as-the-day-is-long pubs. After showing up half an hour late for our reservation, my friend and I were elated to learn of the complimentary valet service with a smile. The pleasant hostess did not roll her eyes -she smiled and immediately made the changes necessary to accommodate us. We were ushered to the second floor overlooking the lounge and main dining area below. Our server, Jared, was gracious, personable, knowledgeable and kept bringing out a baskets of a sunflower buttered cookie like treat in lieu of your traditional bread basket. This I could not get enough of! After helping us choose a robust yet delicate and sweet 2008 Riesling moderately priced at $28/ bottle,he explained how tapas work - you order several small servings creating a variety of tastes and a wonderful adventure for the taste buds. Most of the tapas we ordered were scrumptious. On the top of my list were; Empanadas, Shrimp, Potato Croquetas and Hanger Steak. The experience was exotic. indulgent and memorable. Kudos to the Foreman/ Wolf team. Look forward to seeing more venues from them.
(4)
Jackie H.

I want to start off by saying this used to be my FAVORITE restaurant. But after the experience i had with my friends b-day dinner I don't think we will be returning. We had a party of about 11 ladies for dinner. We were seated in the couch area due to our parties size. The service we received was horrible. Carlos was the name on the receipt and he really just ignored us. We had to hound servers to get us drinks. Now i'm a drinker and enjoy usually 3-4 glasses but i had ONE!!! I would have spent more money on food and drink if i could have found our server. Now i want to think maybe he was given too many tables and couldn't keep up but then someone should have helped him. We ordered food and it never came. We had to order items more than once to make sure we got them. All in all it was a horrible evening and my friend was very upset. Oh and at 10pm the DJ started and it was over the top loud. That's when these girls and men started to come in and the place took a turn from high class dining to trash club. I hope in the future the owners decide to bring back the standards they had in the being. Very sad one of my favorites has changed so much in 5 years.
(1)
Rachel G.

A-OK's a great way to put it. Pazo has a pretty sweet happy hour, with a pre-dictated selections of their fantastic cocktails and tapas for $5 each. The drinks are adventurous too, with sweet, herbal, and savory options (including one with bacon...). I found dinner here, albeit during restaurant week, to be less wonderful, mostly because the tapas style left the two of us with way more food than we could eat (and I promise, we're eaters) all at one time--I believe they put six-seven dishes plus bread in front of us all at once, and their portions were bigger than typical tapas. This was all pre-dinner course too. The food I've eaten there has always been quite good, but once I look over at the prices, I wonder if it's justifying its existence (like a mozzarella pizza, for example, or teeny two-bite piece of filet). In summary: hit this place up for happy hour, especially for two or with a small, chatty group--the ambiance is beautiful, and very cozy-up-able in the lounge with comfy long couch seating.
(3)
Trevin P.

Pazo has a really great space, fantastic service, but bland food which is really over salted- sort of fancy bar food. We had the tapas assortment for 2, part of Baltimore restaurant week and all was just "ok". They sort of rushed us and didn't offer coffee with our dessert.
(2)
Orisha H.

Great Service! Great Food! Met the chef Mario Cano-Catalan and gave him compliments. I will definitely be back soon.
(5)
Suzanna M.

Love the atmosphere, the food and service with free valet parking. Doesn't get any better than that.
(5)
Jason C.

Very tasty. Great atmosphere. Come when it's dark for enhanced ambiance. Excellent bar and the paella is very good. Plus they have an excellent wine list. FYI, there is complimentary valet parking, so no need to try and find a spot.
(4)
Ricky R.

A Pazo haiku: Pazo has good food The tapas? Pretty tasty The servers are nice What more do you want?
(4)
Rachel S.

Pazo is my favorite default destination for any occasion. Whether meeting up with friends to enjoy their imaginative $5 cocktails and tasty apps during HH, or celebrating a friend's birthday with a group dinner, this place has never failed me. With an extensive wine list and and the best tapas in town, Pazo is a foolproof choice when it comes to quality. The atmosphere of the bar and lounge is casually swanky, and the balcony seating in the upstairs dining area is perfect for larger parties. The service is impeccable without the snootiness that typically accompanies dining of this caliber. Order anything on the menu, I guarantee it will be top-notch. Five stars.
(5)
Grant ..

great place to take a date or friends from out of town who only think Bmore is Irish corner bars. Very trendy and beautiful interior design euro- spanish motif . Food and drinks are a bit pricey but all are done well and profesionally . Could use a better bar environment for mingling . once you sit down in the lounge area you might as well be home on your couch.. Ouzo is taking the vibe from this place lately.
(4)
christine j.

If you are looking for a place to wear your lil black dress with heels, Pazo is it. The ambience is great, food is delicious, and staff is very friendly.
(3)
Pasquale R.

Only went here for drinks. Very pretentious and trying real hard to be upscale. I walked in looking very casual (just getting back from the Italian festival). Place is real nice inside. Super high ceilings, multi floor dining, chic couches/tables, attractive people all over. Its very wide open but not as loud as you would think. Looked over the menu (although didn't eat anything) and prices were high as you would suspect. Alcohol prices are outrageous. The people watching is fun especially first/2nd daters and the guy trying really hard to impress.
(3)
Marie L.

Pazo: a haiku Extensive wine list, Hundred fifty dollar check... Still went home hungry
(2)
Brian R.

Food was decent, food service was good, drinks took way to long though. Decor a bit over the top. Overall experience not bad. Probably won't go back, one of those one and done for me.
(3)
Albert H.

Great food, great service, great atmosphere, pricey! If you're interested in a good night out and have some money to spend, the tapas at Pazo's are great. The wine selection is good as well, and their mixed drinks aren't bad at all. Only caveat is... thanks to the tapas portions and the pricey menu, you'll end up spending a good amount when it's all said and done. So... not an every day sort of place, but a good place to visit on a weekend night.
(5)
Corey B.

I enjoy tapas and three stars was the best I could come up with. Started the night off with a rye manhattan, which was delicious (little over priced, but oh well). Waiter was friendly and knowledgeable, the rest of the waitstaff treated us as if they were going to get caned for making eye contact. Food was mediocre at best. Pomegranate glazed lamb chop was medium rare but cold to the touch, crispy pork belly was soggy and my citrus cannoli appeared as if someone else sampled it. To cap the meal off, when the check came the same delicious manhattan had a different price point at the bar then at the table; the table was cheaper, not sure why. Not really a memorable dinning experience.
(3)
Joe I.

Was here for a business meeting as a client with a vendor. The restaurant staff are AWESOME. The food is exceptional, with the singular exception of dessert, which was something that was clearly made the day prior and had just been chillin' until it was served. I'd go back here for the soup alone in a heartbeat. Thumbs up!
(4)
- J - -.

Great drinks and setting. Unfortunately, I think their food quality has gone down for what they're trying to push. There are way too many options, which I think has led to some sub-par preparation and presentation. I have found a lot of the food to be too oily, underseasoned, or just very blah. And when lamb chops are blah, I go somewhere else! Been here 10+ times and have been a little more disappointed each time. I no longer want to bring people there for the first time because I don't feel like it's worth it.
(3)
Kathryn C.

I went on a Saturday night (around 7 pm) with a small group of friends. Despite the fact that the place seemed very busy, we were seated immediately in a booth in an intimate corner of the restaurant. I really enjoyed the ambiance. I had no problem conversing with my friends over the music. I noted the DJ upstairs and I was looking forward to hitting the dance floor, but at the time the floor was full of seated, eating customers. :( I enjoyed prompt, courteous service (and delicious seeded crackers). I originally intended to try the tapas, but my party was hungry, so we ordered a 3-course meal (along with two bottles of the best Riesling I've ever had). My husband ordered his standby: Long Island Iced Tea. He said it was a bit strong, though I thought it was delicious--clean and crisp. Here's what I ordered, and my verdict: Ceviche - I didn't expect the seafood to be diced so finely, and all I could taste was lemon, which covered the fishiness well. I won't order it again here. Shrimp Salad BLT - Fresh tasting. A little heavy on the mayo for my taste. Overall, I liked it. Duck Magret - The duck was delicious! Melted in my mouth. The chard was cooked and seasoned perfectly. I had never had swiss chard that was not bitter in the least. Until I visited Pazo. Cajeta Sundae - *womp womp* My husband (as well as our server) talked up the cajeta so much that everyone in our party ordered this dessert.... and sadly, we were all pretty underwhelmed. I love dulce de leche, and wished I had tasted more caramel. To me, this tasted like vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup stirred together until it's soupy. Not a bad thing, just not what I had expected. Overall, I very much enjoyed Pazo and look forward to visiting again to try tapas. I heard there was a Thanksgiving Eve special with $5.00 drinks and tapas. ;)
(5)
Cary B.

I returned to Pazo after a 7-year absence and was quite happy that I did so. I found it to be the same "upscale/casual" setting as before, but definitely less frantic, crowded and chaotic than I remember. It's still very noisy, however, and we had some difficulty communicating with our waiter, who spoke with a very soft Caribbean accent. And he may have had trouble hearing us. This may have been why he bought us a red sangria instead of the white sangria that we ordered--but it was all corrected in a timely manner. I should note, at this point, that the sangria was a bit on the bitter side and didn't have much as much fruit as we would have liked. But is was certainly strong enough to create a mild buzz resulting in some mirth, merriment and silliness. All in all, the ambience is quite good--subdued lighting, friendly staff, a festive crowd, and a panoramic view from an upstairs table by the outside railing. The complimentary valet parking is a definite plus. Our phone reservation was honored and we were seated within 15 minutes. The food is yummy (hangar steak, scallops, lamb, etc.) . Instead of the prix fixe, we ordered our own wine, 2 entrees , 3 tapas and 2 deserts. The bill was somewhat higher than I'm used to paying but by no means exorbitant. For a fun night out with appetizing food this is a very good choice.
(5)
A M.

The food wasn't out if this world but great decor and atmosphere for Baltimore. Great for date night.
(4)
Chaka H.

Fantastic ambiance. Great place to go if you're willing to get a little fancy and enjoy the attractive "views"? lol. On to the food, I've mostly enjoyed my time during happy hour. The drink menu is unique and I've tried almost every one. My favorite drink is the Wild Strawberry Caipirinha, it's very refreshing and when you order another, you don't feel like you're going to end the night drunken or disorderly... The Pisco Sour Cherry is also very tasty, but doesn't seem as "girly" as the caipirinha. As far as the tapas go, my favorites were the Potato & Manchego Croquetas, and the Goat Cheese Empanadas. But overall, the experience was delightful. Our waitresses have always been very personable and easy to talk to, and on one particular occasion, whenever another servant got an order wrong... we magically had free tapas in front of us. Two thumbs up!
(5)
Jaime H.

Pazo is one of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore. The food is delicious and great for vegetarians. The drinks are yummy and creative. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The ambiance is very "New York", not your typical Baltimore scenery. Valet parking is always key in Harbor East. Only downside: The music they play is a sort of a tribal techno, it can get really irritating after a while.
(5)
Alisa K.

Great tapas -- good selection and portion size. I had great flat bread pizzas here, great cerviche. Nice ambience. Attentive waiters. My only complaint is the sign they used to have a sign that said something along the lines of "no chains, no ripped jeans, no boots." It seemed a little discriminatory and made me sad I'd left my chain at home. Their lamb is sometimes from New Zealand and halal (but not always) -- although the one time I had the lamb as my main course it was a bit stringy for my taste.
(4)
Victoria L.

Long, long ago (late Summer) I stopped into Pazo with my SO for Cupcakes and Cocktails on a Thursday night. It was 9:30PM and it was loud, and crowded. For a couple, it wasn't a good scene; but we enjoyed the cupcakes and cocktails and thought "maybe we should come back for dinner, when it's quieter and hasn't turned into a night club yet". Well, we finally did that on Friday for restaurant week, and boy, am I ever glad we did. The atmosphere for dinner was fantastic, and I was sure glad I dressed up for the occasion. First things first. The RW menu is mainly tapas, and is only $5 cheaper than their non-paired Prix Fixe menu. Based on that, we decided to order off their main Prix Fix menu to have more choices, and this was definitely a great decision. I had the Brisket Ravioli, Classic Paella, and Arroz Con Leche BrÃ»lÃ©e(as it is my mission to eat my way through Baltimore in CrÃ¨me brÃ»lÃ©e, or brÃ»lÃ©e of any sort, really). The boyfriend ordered Prime Beef Tenderloin Tartar, Sea Scallops (I think), and Creme Catalana. You know we shared desserts (or rather, I shared his and maybe let him have a bite of mine). It was all fantastic and I was really glad we ordered off the full menu. I'd love to try the Tapas at some point, too, as well as the rest of the menu (and thus I will be 500 lbs, hooray!). We ordered a bottle of Rioja that was fantastic. The sommelier came over at some point while my SO looked over the extensive wine list, just to make sure we had no questions. The kicker? We waited a bit for our meal. We didn't mention it, because we figured "hey, it's Friday, the first night of Restaurant Week, of COURSE It's busy and thus a little slow". Plus, we were having a nice date night and were enjoying each other's company. When we ordered dessert, my SO asks if I want a glass of Port with my BrÃ»lÃ©e (because I almost always pair the two), and the waiter said "Well, actually, my manager would like to pair a drink with your dessert because your dinner took so long to come out." Win. Any place that gives me a free glass of Tawny Port with my dessert, just because the kitchen took 5-10 minutes longer than normal wins my overall affection and dedication. Free booze after a great meal? You have won over my inner alcoholic. Well done, Pazo, well done. At this point I am a HUGE fan of Foreman/Wolf establishments. They can do no wrong, as far as I am concerned.
(5)
Lee B.

We were disappointed on our visit to this Restaurant. It's a bit pricey and the meal we had was not worth the price. I know that Tapas mean small plates but it did not expect that the serving would be that small and lacks seasoning. The lamb serving for the entree was suprisingly smaller than I expected and a bit chewey. The duck my wife had she said was ok but not something she would have again. The only thing probably I enjoyed is the ambiance and their wine selections. Other than that, the rest is mediocre. We will never come back here again.
(1)
Tony S.

I'm surprised at the 3.5 star rating. I've been here twice and have had a great experience both times. The 3 course meal is a great deal at around 35 per person. I had the pasta, lamb, and apple butter pie. All were good. Lamb was slightly overcooked but it had excellent flavor. The place is big enough to host a larger party, they have a great bar area as well as a lounge. The space is huge and wide open, you can make a reasonable amount of noise without disturbing other tables. I'll be back whenever I need to host others.
(4)
Sherb H.

Eh. It's a no repeat for me. I drove pretty far to get here and was as the previous poster indicates, I was quite "underwhelmed." The ambiance is great, the food leaves a lot to be desired. I've done frou-frou and while they try, it was a no go. EVEN the waitress was impolite. I didn't notice at first, but my dining companions were less than impressed. Then it became clear. The bill was about $100.00 for 4 people who just had two tapas each and a drink for two guests. Price wasn't a rip off, but I would have liked some decent food. Who puts clementines in a tart? No thanks.
(2)
Kimberly D.

Have been to Pazo many times, mostly on special occassions every 6 months or so. Last night, we sat upstairs (it gives a wonderful view of the beautiful restauarnt with its soaring ceiling and dramatic lighting) and had some good food. Some of the portion sizes and plating has changed, which was a disappointment - the calmari which was served sliced a la plancha (and served on a platter) was now put into a little bowl. The wonderful lemon flavors were still there but the dish didn't look very appetizing. The same could be said for the chicken a la plancha, four small pieces of chicken on a stick in a thick brown sauce. The accompanying date was so small it was almost overlooked. The cuttlefish appetizer, at $15.00 was also really small and included the dark chewy fish mixed with a vegetable of the same dark color so that you couldn't tell what you were eating. Why the homogeneous coloring on the plate Pazo? IN the past they have had more elegant display on the plate. Maybe the chef changed? My husband's salmon was delicious, as was the rabbit ravioli he started with, but again, the plating was dull, 6 little pieces of ravioli on a white plate, white on white. My lemon frozen souffle was a scoop of intense lemon flavor with tiny bits of fruit around it, monotonous. The chocolate mouse cake was better, with some variation on the plate by way of caramel ice cream and some sauce and crunchy things. Beyond the plating and the small dishes, the place is lovely, and you can enjoy a meal at a slow pace and also enjoy 3 oz glasses of wine so you can try many. The service was fantastic with the nicest waiter who took a fabulous picture of us against the lovely place. At $75.00 a person, it is not cheap. Some bread on the table might be an addition to the yummy but sweet crackers they put on the table. A solid restaurant, elegant with a few hiccups with the food, but very good. Most people are dressed up, it is that kind of place.
(4)
S K.

Excellent dinner for 10, superb service. Our favorite for dining in Baltimore.
(5)
Natane E.

Goat cheese empanadas! In love. Most of the tapas selections we tried were delish, but that one took the cake!
(4)
Pia A.

I went here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Key tip - do the prix fixe dinner. The prix fixe was not off a separate menu, but you get a choice of starter, main and dessert from the entire menu. Some restrictions of course, add a few extra dollars for a good cut of steak, but well worth it. And do it with the wine parings, the extra $20 is worth the 3 glasses of wine paired for each meal you select. I ordered the steak tartare, and it just melted in my mouth. I had the lamb chops and that too was divine. The portions on both were pretty generous. The dessert, however, was just odd. That was my fault as I did not really look at the description closely. Ice cream hamburgers came to mind. Just odd. The inside decor was good. Great for dates... especially if you don't really want to see them, yes, it was a tad on the dim side. The clientele.... it's Fells Point for crying out loud! There's the main strip off Broadway two blocks away. People were acting snooty.... but you're in Fells Point! The buildings next to you are spray painted warehouses, and you wouldn't park your fancy car in some alley. Overall, I'd go back again for the food.... people watching was interesting.
(4)
Katie T.

The food was great and the atmosphere was great. Service was good but a little heads up on how long things would take would have been nice. Not a reason to not go back. Seems like a beautiful place to have a reception.
(3)
Michael G.

Cool architecture and fancy atmosphere. Sadly, as others have mentioned, the food and service don't live up to the ambience. We ordered bruschetta and were expecting a chunky, fresh tomato topping. Instead, the topping was homogeneous, like pasta sauce, and did not taste fresh made. Here's why I felt compelled to post a review: I ordered a glass of red wine. After it arrived, I noticed that there was a white colored piece of food or something in the wine. Not appealing, but these things happen. I showed the glass to the server and asked her to pour me a new glass of wine. Seems pretty simple. Since Pazo has an open layout, I was able to watch her walk to the counter, pour my wine into a new glass (leaving the piece of food in the old glass), and bring it back to my table. ???!!
(2)
Kara T.

this is really a 3.5 rather than 4 star review.... Love the food, love the decor, but we arrived 10:30 Friday night and it was deafening with buzzy house music and we had to scream over one another to be heard. Bar area was packed but when we asked for a table they promptly seated us and gave us the free pumpkin seed crackers which were amazingly good. Glad we left the bar area. Disappointing drink menu (had elderberry flower with cucumber that tasted too medicinal) -- main reason we came was to get a high quality mixology concotion--but the tapas mushrooms were divine. Had been here once before, earlier in the evening and sat upstairs and had thoroughly enjoyed the tapas sampling platter we ordered. The restaurant trend these days seems to be no bread, or what is given is dry and hard "crustini" (e.g., stale leftovers). When I asked for bread to sop up the tasty, oily mushroom sauce, our server directed us to the bread selection. Yes, an extra $5 for bread is annoying but it was fantastic. Great to have options on the bread and be ensured you get something good. Great place for people watching but am tempted to bring earplugs next time!
(4)
Alex S.

Ok, so my girlfriend would definitely give it a 5 because it is so "trendy" and for Baltimore, it definitely tops the trendy places to be, but were it given some competition it seems to me it would face plant. Every other reviewer has said this, so I will say it once and move on: It is an absolutely awesome old warehouse set up that actually is beautiful and elegant while still being hip. Now for everything else. The tapas are good but nothing I had was great. They used fresh ingredients but I kept feeling like none of the dishes surprised me or really stuck out. Cerviche ...eh. Breads were all like $7 and came with an obligatory dip which is just wrong. You need to soak up all the juices from the muscles with some bread and being forced to spend $7 and get some superfluous cheese dip along with 4 slices of bread is silly. I don't care that it is catering to more the wine and $12 apple martini crowd, a few draft beers are necessary for the men. (they only have bottled) Really what brought it down was the service. Unlike most times when service is bad due to neglect of the customer, this service was bad with over intrusiveness and pushing more dishes, more drinks, and more deserts far beyond an appropriate level. I was literally asked 8!!!! times if he could clear off some plates (I started counting after the first two). Asked 3 times if I wanted another drink and presented desert menus an then asked 2 separate times if we were sure we didn't want desert. I know...the more we spend the bigger your tip but this was just intrusive. I hope not to be back...not that it was horrible but if I am spending this much it should be well above average, not below.
(2)
Ada G.

This place is awesome! Lounge tables, lovely mood lighting, a newspaper size page of cocktails, wonderful delish tapas - awesomeness! I went here last night for cocktails with classmates to celebrate our last night of class. It was pretty quiet (a monday), but I still loved the vibe. I can't wait to try this place on a friday night! I heard the DJ is awesome!
(4)
Len P.

I'm not a big fan of tapas but Pazo makes me reconsider that position. It's always top notch, with fantastic drinks and a wide variety of delectable delights to dazzle the discerning damsels and lucky guys who come here. It's an ideal date place and works well for groups as well. It's been consistently excellent for years and I highly recommend it. The only thing that keeps it from being a 5 is the occasional wait time, a menu that is occasionally a bit restrictive for those of us with some nasty allergies and the very odd off service night. A solid 4.5, but ever so short of perfection. Also, drink here. Good stuff.
(4)
Linda W.

A little off the beaten path of the Inner Harbor, but so worth the 15 minute walk. Great atmosphere, top notch service (without being overbearing), nice wine list and food. We did the 3 course fixed price menu. Enjoyed the option of wine pairings with the courses. My shrimp appetizer was great and I'm not normally a fan of shrimp salads. Chicken breast paillard with Brussel sprouts was good. My dessert is called Cajeta sundae. I call it yummy.
(5)
Dil M.

Eating at Pazo feels like it is continuously trying to convince you of how fancy it is. The front door states in bold, capital letters that "PROPER ATTIRE IS REQUIRED", which was a little intimidating, but once inside it seemed their idea of proper attire was pretty liberal. You don't need to bother with the sportcoat, I suppose you should leave the gym shorts "2007 South Florida Bass Championship" t-shirt at home, but I doubt they'd make a big fuss if you did. The interior is a lovely space, large but still with a comfy and intimate quality. We were seated and immediately surrounded by several waitstaff who poured water, took drink orders and served bread and olive oil with "great ceremony". While the waitstaff were all very attentive and offered great service, it felt as though they had all been rigorously coached on how to perform for customers and everything they did seemed designed to draw attention to itself and remind us that this was an "fancy experience" and not a typical night eating out, which emphasized to me the restaruant's quiet desperation to acknowledge its own fanciness. I wouldn't have remembered any of this if dinner had lived up to this hype, unfortunately I think you can do better for cheaper in Baltimore. They calamari starter and broccoli tapas my partner and I shared were very good, the Tonno Crudo was fine but unremarkable tasting. Everything else we had was much, much too salty. An otherwise decent pizza was ruined by the olives, we couldn't finish the beef tartare and our friends had similar complaints. Pazo redeemed itself for dessert as the mint sorbet was great. I wish I could have had more, as the other sorbets were fine but not memorable. I enjoy savory food, more than sweet food, in fact, but there has to be a line. Once again, this tasted like an approximation of what a fancy dinner is supposed to be, but piling on gourmet cheese, vinegar and sea salt doesn't make it that. You would do better making the trip down to one of Jose Andres' places in DC where the cost is comparable but you can be sure of a very good meal.
(2)
Hilary C.

I want so much to give this place five stars. Food and ambiance were fantastic, service was attentive. What holds me back is the same kind of guilt you get when someone watches you put your hand on a hot burner and then you get mad that they didn't tell you not to. Our server casually suggested a "little meat and cheese plate" to get us started. We also ordered some olives and almonds. While delicious, when I heard "little" meat and cheese plate, I mentally calculated maybe $15-25 bucks. (The bill: $54! for 6 slices of ham and 3 slices of cheese?) Ordered the Table for 6 tapas, each of which were pretty delish. The rack of lamb was one of my favorites, juicy and tender. Dessert was also a hit, and they even brought out some substitutions for me due to my allergies. The economy of the Table for 6 menu only works if all 6 are going to eat, and none of them are vegetarian. We lost two of our party and this was entirely our own fault, however we would have appreciated a reality check from the server to ask if we still wanted to continue with the 9 course dinner once we had lost two people. The resulting bill came to $580 for 4 people and we didn't even order any bottles. If we had all just ordered regular entrees (all of which looked amazing), it would have saved us the bitter taste at the end of an amazing meal. That said, I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Cassie B.

Lets start with the good. The space is BEAUTIFUL.. Converted warehouse with soaring ceilings. Their designer did a great job. Their wine list is really impressive. An amazing selection of spanish (it is tapas after all) And a decent selection of non-spanish as well, all at good price points. Most of the food was pretty good, such as the ceviche, plancha seared calamari, wood grilled mushrooms, lamb and the croquettes. Some were ok-meh, such as the empanadas, bunuelos, and fonduta. The main problem with the food is there was no seasoning. Except for the side of lettuce on the lamb plate which was ALL salt. Luckily there was a bowl of salt at the table to help that problem out. Now the bad- Service was lackluster and kinda uppity "has everything been to your satisfaction, is there anything more to do that i can help further satisfy you" what planet are you on, guy?! Whatever, i can deal with canned lines. What i can't deal with is sub par service. The first words out of a servers mouth when greeting a table that they JUST saw sat down should never be "have you decided on some drinks?" Maybe a hello...? Again whatever. Onto the real issue. 1/2 way through the tapas selection (we ordered 10, and 1 paella-for a party of 3) all of our wine glasses were empty. I choose a bottle of the table, stopped eating and waited for the server to ask what our next drink choice would be. Waiiiiting...continued eating. Waaaaiting...Paella comes out, our last selection. He finally comes and asks. Obviously we don't need a bottle to pair w a small paella. We order two glasses. We then finish the paella, which needed salt, and our wine was no where. He comes back 15 mins after the wine order, and asks how the eaten paella was. I ask how our wine was. "I put it in" is not an adequate response...Nor does it take ANY service bar 15 mins to put up 2 glasses of wine. It wasnt a busy night by any means, nor was the bar full. Cancel the wine, get dessert, get dessert wine. Someone finally fills up the empty water glasses that have been sitting. I'm just disappointed by the whole experience. To make a really nice end to it. He clears our dessert, says he'll be right back with the check, and then proceeds to return shortly to open a bottle of wine to the table right next to us...Drop the check THEN open the wine. There should be an order to the steps of service, and that CLEARLY does not happen here. Nor do they appear to be very fluent or knowledgable in their wine service. The highlight of my night may have been seeing my server dribble wine all over the glass of the man he was pouring for. And the man called him out on it. Clearly something we should have done with all our flubs. Sigh...If ever back in baltimore, i'll probably opt for one of the other tapas places. At $65 per person check average, some higher level of service should be demanded. Less Snoot, more attention.
(2)
Andrew M.

From the blue tooth miked up bouncers to the married men sporting tan lines on their ring fingers ogling scantily clad women at the bar, Pazo's true stripes are cheezy. You begin by fighting for a drink at the bar while carrying a buzzer to announce your table is ready a la Carrabas. Pazo is fun for a group. Thumpin bass, a cool space, and poser people watching are entertaining. A solid wine list, a bargin house white, and some very good tapas are pros. The menu is too extensive to execute everything well. When they push back tables and short skirted thangs sashay onto the improvised dance floor, it is time to exit the ensuing fromage.
(2)
Roger H.

I've been to two other Tony Foreman restaurants (Petit Louis Bistro & Cinghiale) and loved them. So needless to say I was disappointed in my whole experience here. I rarely give 2 stars but this placed deserved it. The food was pretty uneven some dishes better than others but nothing was better than just OK. The interior was sorta cool but dimly lit and distractingly loud. The service was rather slow but the bigger problem was hearing our server. When the food was served it was impossible to hear the presentation. The atmosphere is easy to sum up. Whiskey Tango on mushrooms and X. What a debacle. I think I saw Fraiser dancing to Oakenfold. As far as value is concerned, you really don't get what you pay for when food is concerned, perhaps you might when considering the people watching on an entertainment level. Needless to say I won't be returning here because if I want a place like this I'll go to Miami, New York, or L.A., not Baltimore. So if you come here show up drunk that way you won't notice what I experienced.
(2)
Nathan C.

Let me start by saying I very much like Pazo. But it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and it does have some downsides to it. Trendy or warehousy? Crammed or bustling? It all depends on your personality. We like going early, before it gets packed up. The food is variable, but falls on the 'good' end of the spectrum. The benefit of tapas is even if you get something that's 'meh', the next bit is probably good, and you're only out five bucks or so. For example, we had some so-so calamari once, but it was followed by some grilled sardines that totally made up for it -- they were so fresh they practically splashed. Extensive wine list; all pretty good. The wait staff has ranged from 'can we adopt you?' awesome to average. It's certainly unique in the Baltimore restaurant pantheon, and worth going to.
(4)
Sean S.

Quite the sensation! We went here for a conference group dinner. As has been said before this old warehouse on a redeveloping part of town has been revamped. It is really the ideal size and is inspiring in it's width, height & scope. I was not in charge of ordering but there were so many delicious vegetarian tapas passed my way and copious amounts of wine, I dare not complain. I couldn't tell you how much an average meal cost but I was a little taken aback by the bill that our group ran up. Whether that's our group ravenous or the expectation is up for other reviewers to determine.
(4)
Jared J.

Haters are going to hate and I'm not a fan of Baltimore. I think there is only one city I dislike more than Baltimore. That said, I had an extremely enjoyable meal here. While Jaleo is probably my favorite tapas restaurant, Pazo comes pretty close. Pazo definitely has a much more enjoyable space than Jaleo. The tuna tartare was solid along with the paella. I really wish that there was a way to grade with a 1/2 star or at least a scale of larger than 5 stars. It's definitely a solid 3 1/2 stars. If you find yourself stuck in Baltimore for some reason, this place eases the pain.
(4)
Maria A.

Located in a old warehouse that has been lavisly revamped into a huge Spanish style hacienda. The ceilings are lofty and adorned with voluptious Spanish chandeliers. The first floor has several half moon low back plushy seatings, graciously inspired by a Mediterranean flare. This place is creatively pleasing to the eyes in more way than you can immagine. Well how so? Well, this is where Baltimore good looking list frequent to quench their thirst, savoring those perfectly concocted coktails that will land you straight on the floor. Professionals from around the city tend to gravitate to the allure and sexiness of Pazo. The bar offers some of the largest most thought out cocktail list in the city, with a tad of appeal for just about anyone. The bartenders aim to please and will mix whatever concoction your mind might immagine. It is unreservedly exciting to be in a well conceived atmosphere that serves to an unambigious duality, and that is to serve some phenomenal Mediterranean/ Spanish Fare and attrack the sexiest in the city to hop to some beat thumping music on the weekends. My last visit's experience was superb! I must point out the lighly battered eggplant (and I am not an eggplant person lover, whatsoever), deliciously crispy on the outside and a pleasantly surpprising soft inside, the eggplant practicaly melts aways in your mouth giving your taste buds an orgasmic experience ( I am talking about eggplant!). Next is the ceviche with Jicama wich is just formidable, deliciously sinful. I have had plenty ceviche in my lifetime and this one tops them all. It is just so light and summery. Generally speaking ceviche tends to be overly lemony, this one as is paired with the Jicama escapes such fault. The wood grilled lamb chop I must admit is a big tease, melts in your mouth and leaves you high and dry wishing for more. To top my experience is most definitively the best dish I had that night and that is the lamb sausage ravioli, perfectly lightly cooked and sprinkled with a delicious light sauce. Overall the food here at Pazo is confortably Mediterranean with meticulous thought to detail in every aspect, from techniche to presentation. It leaves you desiring for more or to try more, but essentially satisfying the most complex Mediterranean palates out there.
(5)
Carrie L.

I had a couple of thoughts on this place. 1. The atmosphere was pretty great, except for the incredibly loud techno-dance beat that became the underlying rhythm of the evening. Other than that, I thought the place was really lovely. I liked the open kitchen and the smell of the wood fires. 2. Restaurant Week is definitely the time to go, otherwise it looked a tad expensive. 3. The food was overall great, with two exceptions. I'll start with the best first: a huge roasted beet with chevre and arugula pesto (my favorite) and grilled zucchini with basil and lemon. I also had "wood-grilled mushrooms," which were simply white button mushrooms, cooked. There was no seasoning or anything remarkable about the mushrooms. The pizza, on the other hand, was raw and kind of gross. The dough was raw and the black olives looked (and tasted) like they came from a can. With all those wood fires, I expected something a little more rustic. Dessert was "chocolate bars"--two fudgy bars with a hazelnut wafer covered in chocolate. It had the look and feel of kit-kat bar but was (of course) much better. The service was impeccable and very kind. I could tell the servers were all on the same page about serving the customer. I'd go back, and I'd hope for better pizza this time.
(4)
Quinn W.

I am not sure what all the hype about this place is. I know that all the playa plays hang out here on the weekends, and this is where it is at...but I need a little more than street cred to get me excited for eating. The environment is actually really nice. The interior is well decorated for sure. It is kind of like Ra in the fact they are pumping cool music...although, I don't think the music matches the vibe of a chill tapas place. I had a carafe of red sangria...and I was really disappointed. I almost didn't drink it all to be honest, but decided that money is money, so I might as well finish it off. We had quite the variety of tapas, and I would say for the most part they were pretty decent. Nothing to get excited about though. A nice selection, I think I was just expecting a little more. My favorite things were the crackers that come with every table, and the hummus. It was quite tasty. I think it definitely has a vibe, and I know it's popular, so I would say come for drinks, but I wouldn't come looking for a good meal. That's just me though. Now let me get my playa play groove on...
(2)
Nick B.

5 years ago this place was great. Now its just ok. Too bad because they had great tapas and now it seems that drinks and hipsters have taken over. Still good, just overpriced and too stuffy. Both the table distance and the crowd. Trust fund baby and/or uptown coke dealers hangout now. Worth a visit but expect pretentiousness.
(3)
Shayna S.

I've been to Pazo twice now. The first time was for my cousin's birthday several years ago and the second was in January for Restaurant week (which was also on me and my friend's birthday--a group of us went out to celebrate and took advantage of the Restaurant Week menu). One of my friends got the La Vie En Rose drink and it was DELICIOUS!!!! It's Moscato wine with rose water and some other things in it and it is served with a beautiful pink rose petal. It actually was the best thing I had all night. The menu for Restaurant Week was pretty extensive and impressive, I have to say. The only problem is everything sounded WAY better than it actually tasted, especially for the price (double especially if we had paid normal price...if I'm paying that much for food of that portion size--yes, I know it's tapas but still, it better go home with me at the end of the night and leave a tip on the night stand). Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad exactly, it just was unimpressive. And it's not the most expensive restaurant but for the prices they charge, I definitely expected (and have gotten elsewhere) much much better food. I do like the atmosphere, though i do have to agree with the other reviewer who said it's loud (which is probably because it's an old warehouse and has great acoustics). I would definitely come back for drinks, though.
(2)
Alyce D.

Atmosphere! This place is all about the atmosphere. See and be seen. Great happy hour! FREE valet parking. Awesome location in Harboreast! Great place for a group as dishes are for sharing. Kinda feels like you're in NYC when you're in there. Great spaces for a private party, too!
(4)
Dylan G.

Pazo is in a wonderful building but it's loud and the tables are packed together. If I go again I'll make a point to reserve one of the balcony tables. With the noise you have to shout to talk to your date and you can hear the people at the next table a few inches away shouting, also. And because of the packed tables the waiter has to stand behind one person and is hard to hear. The food ranged from incredibly good to merely decent. My duck entree was a standout and the steak tartar was excellent. The Paella was nothing special. Our service was below par for a restaurant of this caliber. I ordered the wine pairing with my prix fixe meal. They forgot the wine on the first course and then the waiter hurriedly dropped it off with no explanation. Someone besides our waiter delivered the wine for the second course and when we asked her for details she gave us completely wrong information. It would be better if she said she didn't know rather than make up something. To our waiter's credit, he was able to describe the wines well when we did get his attention. Overall, it was a decent but not exceptional experience and not worth the price. If everything was a third less expensive I would have given it 4 stars but at this price I have higher expectations.
(3)
Mark M.

The space and the ambience are lovely. And it's the kind of space that you can only have in a city with cheap real estate. A space this large wouldn't even exist in a city like NY, and even if it did I'm sure the lease would top 6 figures a month. I'm usually not a fan of places that try to jazz up and swankify something as basic, simple & perfect as tapas...but somehow Pazo manages to succeed in doing so, whereas many other restaurants have fallen flat on their face trying. I've never had anything but pleasant, friendly service here. On the weekends the crowd got to be a bit too much for me. Too many early 20-something girls in skimpy, slutty outfits, and too many 50 year old men ogling them. The steak tartare, duck magret and scallops are three of the strongest dishes on the menu. If you're going with someone else, get the seasonal dinner menu for 2. It'll give you a nice mix of what Pazo has to offer.
(4)
Marie A.

I have been to this restaurant twice and the only reason I am giving this restaurant 3 stars is because my prior experience was amazing and the food was excellent both times. On the other hand I can not tell you how upset I am by the horrific service we had over this weekend. The waitress was nasty and had no knowledge of wine list or wine etiquette. Being a bartender and working in a restaurant/bar it is a common courtesy that whoever orders the wine, tastes it. This was clearly not the case. Also she tried to sell us on another bottle when she thought we would "forget" we still had more in our bottle. This was only the beginning of the horrible service. We ordered the Elderberry and Pomegranate Martini, which although would not be a strong drink, should have some alcohol in it. THERE WAS NONE! I bartend, it was juice. The worst of it all was when the waitress saw everyone going to the bathroom as our family member, whose birthday it was, was obviously getting a candle and cake so we can be there to celebrate. We told her to wait to bring it till we got back but did she? NO, she gave it to her while our family member was sitting there by HERSELF! This was the topping to a horrible experience. I will never go back here, not worth the money unless they plan on training their servers proper etiquette.
(3)
Danielle W.

One of the best places I've been in Baltimore! We came here for a bachelorette party on a Saturday night. We reserved one of the lounge tables ($600 minimum) but it worked out very well. The decor is very contemporary and classy, the music was good, and the service was great. Pazo has a great "table share" ordering option. We got the Table for 6 share even though there were 10 of us (i think it was around $350) and then just ordered a couple other items we wanted to try and drinks. If we would have had to all order separate items to share around a small(ish) lounge table, I could have seen that being a problem! All the food that came out was really good - my favorite was the scallops (but that's always my favorite!). The rate that the food came out was also very good - we weren't overloaded with everything at once, nor were we waiting and waiting for the next course - something that is often lacking, especially at tapas restaurants. The crowd was also very lively and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place in the future, it was and all around good and impressive time!
(5)
Beth G.

Went last night with my husband and sister, who is in the service industry. The first quarter of the experience was fine and after that it went sharply downhill. The food was lovely. A little under-seasoned all around, but nothing unforgivable. The service, however was atrocious. Our well meaning and certainly pleasant server, William, started out fine. We got glasses of wine and placed an order in a timely fashion. Food came out of the kitchen quickly and was generally delicious. We had high hopes. Our wine glasses were emptied. No sign of William. Stayed empty. No sign of William. He comes over, it's now been about 15 minutes, we WERE going to order a bottle of wine. It's been so long that we downgrade that to 2 glasses to share, given the amount of plates we have left to eat. 15 more minutes go by and nothing. There are 3 bartenders at this time...2 glasses of wine shouldn't be that tough. William returns after 15 minutes and we say that since we've eaten the food that the wine was meant to be paired with we'd rather just cancel it and go on to dessert. So now we've NOT ordered a bottle of wine AND a round of glasses of wine. He tells us that he put in the order and he'll go check and then walks off. Well. If you put in the order buddy, then clearly the wine was delicious. Thanks so much! Comes back, we reiterate that we're all set with the wine since we no longer have food to enjoy it with..we'll just get dessert & dessert wine and call it an evening, but at this point we're so annoyed by the lack of service that we're close to just getting the check. Stuck it out for dessert, which was quite tasty, but marred by the fact that we did NOT have the glasses of wine..or the bottle of wine..that we wanted. It was just so aggravating. We would have stayed, drank, ate, left a WAY bigger tip (since my sister is generally a 20-30% tipper)...but the dude disappeared for 15-20 minutes at a time and didn't seem to care how long the glasses stayed empty (or non-existent), so it was a little tough to enjoy the flow of the meal. It would have also been nice if the woman walking around overseeing things had been speaking with customers, checking on how things were going. We would have been glad to mention how things could have been improved.
(2)
Ronalyn T.

Me & my boyfriend had an early New Year's Eve dinner at Pazo. It was my first time in Baltimore and Pazo was definitely on my list. Valet was free with a reservation, which is wonderful because my boyfriend sucks at finding a decent parking spot. Don't tell him I told you that though! Coat check at the door, then off to our seats! Soon after we were seated, someone greeted us & let us know our waiter was on his way. Management was definitely on point that night! Our waiter was great. I hate it when you eat somewhere new, trendy, and a bit more than your usual price range & the waiter acts waaay bougie and snobby. He did lead me into the wrong bathroom on accident at the end of my meal tho - haha, luckily a hostess interjected. I guess I could blame the 3 glasses of wine that I had too. Anyway! The food was great. We ordered a bunch of tapas. The Seared Scallops & the jicama salad that came with the Grilled Tuna were my faves of the night. I had the Trio of Vanilla Ice Cream, Sorbet & Granita for dessert. It was delish. I wish I could have ordered everything off of the dessert menu because I looove dessert. Overall, I would definitely go here again. Probably with a big group next time. There was a wedding reception going on at the same time. They were having a grand ole time!
(4)
Dennis R.

Well, I went to Pazo on Saturday night, not only because it's one of my favorite restaurants, but it was the only place I could get a reservation @ 5PM, enough time for a nice leisurely dinner before our 7:50PM movie at the Landmark Theatre (FYI go see Juno, it's a good little movie). If you have dined @ Pazo, you know that "leisurely" is not in their vocabulary, I always feel rushed when I am there, and my date agreed, so we were prepared for this and ordered a few dishes from the Tapas menu and did not take advantage of the Restaurant Week selections. The place was packed by 5:15PM, not an empty seat in the house, which my date complained that the tables were "too close" and we felt as if we were sitting on top of the diners next to us. We would have much preferred sitting at one of the sofas in the bar area, I'll have to try that next time. The wait staff here is always attentive and this night was no exception. Our waitress was friendly, quick and all-around top notch. We started with a bottle of Aglianico, ARS Poetica Basilicata, Italy 2004...we love this wine! It's so rich and yet such a good value. We ordered the following Tapas: Ceviche - the freshest seafood and not overpowered with red onion, like so many other restaurants' versions. Sardines - this was a special that night, one which we had on a previous visit and loved, grilled to perfection with a crispy skin and tender meat, although I was a little self conscious eating a sardine while seated so closely to other patrons. Manchego & Manzana - I'm a cheese person, so I had to try this dish; beautiful manchego, scrumptious strips of apple with a citrus zing, topped with walnuts, quite delicious. Wood Grilled Cremini Mushrooms - these were terrific, probably due to the fact that the mushrooms are grilled in their wood oven, awesome smoky flavor, juicy, with a hint of rosemary. Shrimp with Garlic - this was very good, although the shrimp were on the small side, it was still a good value. We planned on ordering bread, which is probably the best bread in town, and maybe another dish, but were just too full. The waitress was kind enough to offer us free desert, which I believe was the Cajeta Mousse Cake, I could only take a bite...there were layers of creamy mousse and light cake topped with almonds, it was quite good. We still had some time to kill before our movie, so we sat at the bar and had another glass of wine.
(5)
J H.

This restaurant has materialized over the last five years from sort-of-interesting rustic tapas to an overpriced, overwrought and unremarkable yuppie cafeteria. I've eaten here several times. It's ungodly expensive for what you get. The food is OK- but nothing to write home about. One of the appetizers is caramelized onions on toast with a niblet of goat cheese.. Please. It might be forgivable if this place didn't have its head up its own ass. I went to the 5th anniversary party on 12/01/09. Imagine being stuck inside Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" without the orgy scene... FIDELIO. Add a shrill, blaringly loud techno soundtrack. Litter the floor with way too many hosts, hostesses and snooty guests (who were clearly hired to show up and act hip) with their noses so high in the stratosphere that there are holes in the roof. Finally, toss in some "weird" carnivalesque clowns, magicians and dudes on stilts. Uncomfortably annoying and forced...
(2)
Monsta J.

Dont' go for the food. It sucks! Don't go for the music. Its sucks too! If you are going, it would be just to drink and look at nice legs, and ass. Maybe you would meet a skinny, 7 inch heel wearing, gold digger chick!!!
(1)
Erin K.

Pazo is my once-in-a-long-while treat. Nearly impossible to make a reservation on a weekend night, so a group of 8 of us showed up to stand around (SO crowded on a Fri night) until one of the couchy booths opened up and we snagged it since it wasn't reserved (to reserve a couch area requires paying for bottle service). Atmosphere - very chic and SATC-esque decorated warehouse. So cool. Also, it is LOUD when it is busy/crowded, so I hope you are a close talker if you go during those times. On the pricier side for food, but you definitely get what you pay for! Food is excellent. My husband and I shared the restaurant week prix fixe course, and it was satisfying for two. Fabulous hummus, shrimp pintxo, lamb chop, scallops, creme catalana. The squash cake was eh but something different to try. Service - deemed highly attentive considering how BUSY it was! Pazo is an indulgence for me - one that I will continue to make in the future. P.S. Look hot. No shorts or holey jeans here.
(4)
Jeff L.

I have a different take on Pazo -- namely as a large event place (in this case, a wedding reception). First of all, many of the complaints listed on other reviews are correct and warrant immediate improvement by management -- the thumping music and dearth of illumination for late-night dining make for an awful experience. I discovered this firsthand on a Saturday night to sample their menu. The quality of the food preparation can be spotty. My fiancee and I visited separately a few times, and the flavor of identical dishes ranged from delicious to overly salty, depending on the night. That being said, the event coordinator Martha Morningstar proved to be efficient, helpful, and very pleasant to work with. And the event, which occurred in the day, showed off the exquisite interior of Pazo to its full grandeur -- such a shame that many evening patrons never get to see this! The food for the event turned out to be delicious (confirmed by multiple guests), and the overall cost for 150+ people was an excellent deal, esp. in comparison to other similarly sized venues in Baltimore. Five stars for the event and its planning, three stars for our other dining experiences in Pazo.
(4)
Chris M.

Food: 3 Service: 2.5 Atmosphere: 3 What an experience I had at Pazo... where to begin, where to begin? Well, I guess I'll begin at the beginning. I had a reservation for 10 people at 10pm on a Saturday night during Restaurant Week. I understand Restaurant Week is busy, but we were not seated until about 11:15pm. If my group had come in without a reservation, waiting an hour and 15 minutes in one thing. Making us wait that long with a reservation is another. During this whole process, however, the hostesses were very pleasant even as we fell deeper into the grips of hunger and hunger-induced grumpiness. When we were seated over an hour later, the waiter was already of aware of our situation, and we were greeted with some complimentary plates of Potato & Manchego Croquetas and Pork & Veal Empanadas. A nice way to sooth our starving bellies after a late reservation that became even later. I enjoyed the empanadas more than the croquettes. The empanadas were a good size with a perfect amount of meat filling. They were fried and not dry like empanadas can be sometimes. The croquettes were fine. Nothing was bad about them, but nothing made them stand out. We then also got the delicious Ciabatta Bread with Kiko's Hummus that was included with all Restaurant Week orders. By now, though, we are definitely ready for "real" food. We all eventually decided what we wanted from the diverse range of options available and ordered our respective 4 tapas (which is really a LOT of food by the way). I ordered a small, tapas-sized Pizza Bianca, a Lamb Chop, a Bistek Catalonia, and Kobe Beed Brisket Ravioli. The pizza came with mozzarella, ricotta, pecorino, spinach, and beech mushrooms on it. Delicious! And almost big enough to be a meal on its own. The lamb chop was served with a lovely, not-too-sweet pomegranate reduction, but unfortunately everyone who ordered it found that their small lamb chop was about half fat. Not too pleasant and disappointing when its flavor had such potential. The steak and the ravioli had great quality beef flavors to them, but they were both WAY overseasoned. Everyone who got either of these dishes drank about 6 glasses of water to compensate for the saltiness of it. Now I don't complain too often in restaurants, but all 10 of us thought either the steak, ravioli, or broccoli (I did not order this) was salty to the point of almost inedible. We alerted our waiter and the manager to this fact, and they promptly brought out some new plates. By this point in the meal, however, we were too full to finish the new plates. We then finished stuffing our faces with our respective desserts (Mango Sorbet for me) and waddled back outside to our cars. As for the atmosphere, Pazo is located inside of an old Baltimore warehouse near Harbor East. I really liked the feel inside the place with VERY high ceilings (~40 ft.). Even though it is such a large space, I did not feel overwhelmed dining there. The tables and booths are very warm (not temperature) and they made the ones along the walls feel a bit more intimate by lowering the ceilings over them. The one thing I was not a huge fan of inside of this trendy restaurant was the BOOMING dance beat constantly played over the restaurant's sound system. The loud music made it a bit hard to converse with my friends across the table. Overall, a lot of the food had great potential, but the ingredients were overshadowed by salt and/or fat. Because Pazo's service once we were seated was top notch and the food that was good was VERY good, I will give them the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars rather than 2. I would go back and try Pazo again with a smaller party and not during Restaurant Week.
(3)
Ceda X.

I don't know why that hater review is front and center since I bet many people have had the opposite experience. I wasn't expecting much from a place that clients were taking us (I was expecting usual corporate hum drum) and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the decor was clever, rustic and elegant, kind of reminding me of Buddabar or Buddakan. The music volume was perfect, we sat at a table for 10 people and I could easy talk to my coworkers across a table. Pazo's drinks menu was bit "flowery" for my taste, but the cocktail drink I had was $5 and delicious (I wouldn't be able to get a top shelf drink in Chicago for anywhere near that price point). As for the food, the centerpiece, I think it was a solid 70/30 mix. 70 percent of what I had was tasty, perfectly seasoned and well executed. Some of the standouts were Andulasian lamb sausage balls, grilled octopus, swiss chard with pignoli, and croquettes. The 30% that were meh were the roasted chicken, a bland ceviche, and so-so patatas bravas. I think with a menu as extensive as theirs, it becomes difficult to execute everything perfectly. Now, I'm no wine expert but the temperanillo that was order for dinner was one of the best I ever had, with a beautiful hay musk and smooth flavor. I'd definitely go back, even if I wasn't on the company dime.
(4)
Melissa V.

I'd probably come back here to try something else. I was limited to what I could order because my friends were not as adventurous. The restaurant has many dining areas, including second floor balconies, and the decor was aesthetically pleasing. This is a tapas restaurant so don't expect to get full fast. It's great for dining with your group of girlfriends whom you haven't seen in awhile- Request a table upstairs so it's not as loud. Perfect for GNO... and picking up waiters. HA! I don't remember what I ordered - most likely the cheese plate and some meat and potato dish... but the one plate that stood out that my friends allowed me to order was the whole Garlic and Butter Prawns (with the head) that were just so juicy and crisp to my liking. This place kinda reminds me of Zahav in Philly... but not as good.
(3)
Noah W.

I came here on a Friday night with a friend. We were running about 30 minutes late and couldn't find parking. We called Pazo and they confirmed that our seats were still available. We used their free valet service and were seated immediately. The food was very good, but not amazing. We got the standard tapas course for two people and couldn't finish it. After dinner we sat at their bar for a few drinks. The bartenders were extremely nice and knowledgeable. Overall, very elegant joint.
(5)
Michael O.

One of the better places in Baltimore although does not compare to places in New York or DC. Atmosphere is great. Love the DJ upstairs. On weekends the energy is high. Not really what you want for a quite date but good for a group kicking off the night. Some of the servers are a bit annoying but that is only a minor detraction. The food is less impressive. Spices were off big time and the apple cheese salad was overly soaked with oil. Had to send it back. Paella was OK but also was a bit oily. Will definitely be back but will keep food expectations low.
(4)
Kimberly S.

Upon designating Baltimore as the destination of my friend's bachelorette party, I was given the task of making dinner plans. As a dutiful, food-loving bridesmaid would, I began researching reviews, menus, websites and maps of the hottest dining spots in Baltimore. With a great looking menu, great looking atmosphere and great reviews, Pazo became the winner. The atmosphere was gorgeous. I think the open two level layout of the restaurant and the vibe were my favorite aspects. It was "hopping" to begin with and as the night wore on, became even busier. The clientele were all well dressed and seemed ready to take on the night. The music was lively and fun without being overbearing. The bathrooms were clean and sophisticated, with a "French Country" feel, to quote my friend. Both the food and drink menus were impressively long with affordable to expensive options. We were pleasantly surprised to see bottles of wine as low as $19/bottle, which is unheard of in the casual fine dining world. The food was good, but not as excellent as I had anticipated. We had opted for the tapas and appetizers to try a little bit of several dishes. The standouts were the crab bunuelos, zucchini cakes and sea scallops. Everything else was pretty average. I thought the service was decent. Our server was amiable and accommodating to our bachelorette night. Although we weren't being too rowdy or inappropriate as some bachelorette parties can become, she was willing to take pictures for us and chit chat about her night. I was also impressed that both the server and manager offered to send over the in-house Sommelier. We aren't particularly progressive wine drinkers, but that adds a nice touch to a restaurant's service and image. The icing on the cake occurred after our dinner. When I made the initial reservation, I had requested that a bottle of cava be served and ready for us on the table when we arrived. For some reason, that request was never executed. I'm not one to make a fuss, so I didn't bring it up. At the end of our dinner, the manager apologized for not granting the request and proceeded to pour us a bottle of cava on the house. A manager admitting a mistake and making up for it, without the customer even having to bring it up, is definitely a good sign of a well run restaurant. I would give 3.5 stars if I could, but I guess I'll round up. Everyone had a great time and I would love to come back next time I'm in town, I just hope they step up their food to match the service and atmosphere.
(4)
Shieva R.

I don't know how I forgot to write a review about Pazo! Came by not too long ago and I absolutely loved it! It is the best restaurant I've enjoyed in Baltimore thus far! The food was good, not as great as some of the Mediterranean restaurants in DC, but for Baltimore it was amazing! It doesn't fit with Baltimore's more casual ways, the ambiance! I loved the old building dim lighting, wrought iron and the HIGH ceilings, it gave of an elegant Gothic-like feel. I had one of the chief's tastings, can't wait to go back!
(4)
R D.

I went here about 3 years ago and would've given it a 4.5 rating back then. This place has completely fallen off. Food is mediocre and certainly overpriced. There doesn't seem to be any pride in the food. There much better food in Bmore and much more reasonable pricing.
(1)
B B.

So the one time I don't look at the bill and let my better half sign....$125 with tip for meals $30 a piece and two drinks......I have no clue what we were charged for as we did not receive an itemized bill. So if I am asked if I want sparkling or stilled water do I ask the price or should they tell me or do you just charge me......I think you just charged me.
(1)
Jody Z.

I really enjoyed my trip to Pazo, although its not somewhere I would go on a regular basis. The atmosphere...high ceilings...lounge areas...is fantastic. However, the tables we sat at were so crammed. I'm not a large person and it was even difficult for me to get in and out of my seat without knocking over the table next to us because we were so close toegther! Since they have such a spacious lounge area near the bar, you'd think they could give a little more space to the regular diners! My other complaint is that the music was so loud that I could barely hear our waiter when he was descrbing menu items. I noticed that other diners around me were having the same problem. The food was great and it was fun to try a bunch of different things. Be warned that you might not be as filled as you would be if you went to Little Italy or Fogo De Chao! My boyfriend is a meat and potatoes man and he was still left a bit hungry after our dinner. The prices are reasonable, I think, in comparison to similar restaurants. I was excited that there is a $17 bottle of Pazo wine on the menu, which I really liked. More wine for me! This is definitely a good place for groups and sharing!
(3)
maria t.

WOW! This place is amazing. I went on a Sat evening with a group of friends. We parked a distance away and walked over. I was wary on the walk, and not impressed when I saw the outside. I walked in and it was magical. We were greeted by staff members who were as kind as they were beautiful. We started off with a bottle of wine on a couch on the first floor. I have never been so comfortable in a restaurant. We finished the bottle and were taken to our table upstairs. Our waiter came over and we all felt we had known him forever. His knowledge of the menu and the ingredients was incredible. The menu is extensive and I was having a hard time deciding. One of my friends suggested I allow the waiter to order my meal...I took them up on it. He courteously asked me if there was anything I would not eat, did not like, or was allergic to. After that is was all a surprise. I started with the Maya shrimp, best shrimp I ever had. I also had something that I do not remember the name of...it was a small sandwich type appetizer with no crust and with a cucumber-based ingredient...delicious. My main course was the NY strip, cooked to perfection. That likely would not have been my choice if I had chosen, but it was fantastic all the same. The roasted vegetables that came on the side were amazing. For dessert I had an short-bread apple tart with caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream. The wait staff was incredibly attentive yet unnoticeable...you hardly know they are there yet you never have an empty water glass or a crumb left on the table. If for no other reason, go to this restaurant to experience the amazing wait staff...they set the standard for every restaurant on planet earth. I would recommend Pazo to everyone and would go again and again and again...
(5)
Ari R.

Great food, great service, and fantastic atmosphere. I got a 3 course prix fixe with wine pairings for $62, which was a great value here.
(5)

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Address : 1425 Aliceanna St
Baltimore, MD, 21231
Phone (410) 534-7296
Website https://www.pazorestaurant.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Music : DJ
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Pazo Restaurant

1425 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD, 21231

Pazo Restaurant Menu

Tapas - Cold

Tapas - Jamon

Tapas - Hot

Tapas - Pizza Napoletana

First

Main

From The Wood Grill

Cheese

Sweet

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pazo Restaurant

Tapas - Cold

Tapas - Jamon

Tapas - Hot

Tapas - Pizza Napoletana

First

Main

From The Wood Grill

Cheese

Sweet

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