review: Thirsty Dog Pub

Last night, I went to the Thirsty Dog Pub in Federal Hill. I hadn't been there since July of `06, so it was nice to head in again. I'm finding more and more people who have never been to a bunch of the fun places downtown, so in my effort to edimucate newly-planted Baltimoreans, here's a review.

1. Physical environment--rather narrow. I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming that T.Dog inserted itself into a former rowhouse, so the width (or lack thereof) can't really be helped. The drawback there is that it makes seating a pain. While they do have two floors, it's still tough to be lucky enough to snag a table or a booth. It's not super-cramped, as you can stand at the sides and everything, so it's not all bad. Grade--C

2. Waitstaff--very friendly, very attentive, and very cool. We basically had three people checking up on us periodically, clearing away the mugs and plates, as more beer arrived. One thing that I really appreciated was that, despite their numerous appreances at our table, they didn't try to jump into our conversations. One of my major pet-peeves is when waitstaff try to insert themselves into parties where they don't really belong. Kudos to T.Dog employees for great service and personality. Grade--A

3. Food--good and fantastic. I ordered the hot pretzel plate last night, per craving, and I got three generously sized servings. To my surprise, however, they were plain. No salt, no nothing. They did have sides of spicy mustard and salt in which to dip said pretzels, but you could only get one end of the bite salty. That was a bit too much for me, as I prefer the salt to be evenly spaced. Eating them plain was fine, and they tasted pretty good, but I wanted the salt format to be different. Now. Completely beyond the A+ grade of food is T.Dog pizza. I can't even describe it. So many flavors, so many intriguing combinations of toppings, so many possibilities for enjoyment (especially the Atomic Dog Pizza, which is two pizzas stacked on each other) that I just can't contain myself. That pushes the grade for food up. Grade--B+

4. Beer--most important. FANTASTIC. I'll admit that I'm not a beer connossieur (sp?), but the number of choices is refreshing. I expecially like the fact that there is no Bud, no Miller Lite, no Coors, no Heineken, no Beast, no nothing shitty. These are all inside jobs, and my order last night was the Black Dog, a nice, dark, smooth brew that is kind to a girl who doesn't drink much. I also like how they bring you two mugs at once. They're not a pint each, so it's not too much, but for some reason it makes more sense to have two. I have no idea why. That's just how I feel. It was good. Grade--A

5. Prices--very reasonable. $3.50 for a quality beer (two mugs) and ~$9 for an amazing pizza. Doesn't get much better than that in gentrified Federal Hill. Grade--A

6. Overall atmosphere--despite the small size, it's a relaxed and fun place. I daresay it's cozy. Everybody there is very chill and friendly, and striking up interesting conversation with other patrons (and I don't mean hitting on the opposite sex) is not unusual. Favorite part (you should not be surprised at this if you know me at all): you can bring your dog. He/she must be leashed, of course, and proper behavior is expected, but the staff is quite agile in navigating the bar with random canines laying around. It just makes the place that much more fun, and the dogs tend to be as relaxed as their human companions. They just lend a bit of ... how shall I put it... that nothing's-so-pressing-that-I-can't-lay-down-and-loosen-up-for-awhile attitude to the place. And that's a mindset that we could all afford to take on. Grade--A+

Overall grade--A. I highly recommend visiting the Thirsty Dog Pub if you've never been there, and I'd recommend revisits for those who haven't gone in a while. It's most definitely worth it!

Next to be reviewed: Little Havana's on Key Highway, Metropolitan Cafe, Vespa's, J. Patrick's, and some pub on Cross & Riddle whose name I can't remember. Look for those critiques sometime in the future.

Okay, now I'm hungry... must eat... :)