Below are details of where we ate/drank/visited on our vacation (mostly focused on eating/drinking) between May 22nd, 2021 – June 5th, 2021. Almost EVERYWHERE over there was hiring and some places were closed on random days or closed early because they didn’t have a cook. Virginia and Maryland were fully reopened, but Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania still had some covid restrictions. In that area of the country, they put old bay on EVERYTHING, especially in Maryland. I’m not sure if we went one day while on vacation without having something with Old Bay Seasoning on it. Most of the recommendations came from travel groups, but we did get a few from friends and also found a few gems on our own.
Manassas, VA:
Ornery Brewing: We stopped in here to grab a drink and some food while we were in the area. When we first pulled in, we were unsure if it was open because it was so dark out front. We were going to pull out and find somewhere else but realized when the car turned off that there was music playing from the bar. When we went inside, it was brighter. As soon as we walked in with our masks on (May of 2021), the bartender said, “if you’re vaccinated, you don’t need to wear those.” It was definitely different than what we’re used to in Seattle. It was a large brewery, but they did not have food (besides delicious beef sticks), but they suggested we order some in. They had 2 pinball machines and the bartender/patrons were very nice and welcoming. Also, we were able to sit at the bar rail, which was not allowed in Seattle at the time!
Sheetz: This is where the bartender suggested we grab food. It’s a gas station/convenience store, but so much more. They have a wide selection of food and it was ALL GOOD. I’ve never been excited about gas station food on vacation before. We ended up going there twice while on the road.
Carlisle, PA:
(We were there visiting a friend, so a lot of the time there was spent at her house or visiting people, but we did go out a couple of times).
Gingerbread Man (G-man): This is a local bar with food and drinks in a super old building. They usually have a side that allows smoking (they were grandfathered in when the law changed because the business/building was so old), but that was closed while we were there. We had a few drinks as well as the steamed shrimp and artichoke dip, which were delicious. If you happen to be in this town, I suggest checking it out.
Grand Illusion Cider: This cidery is MAGIC THEMED. I was maybe overly excited for it. We went one evening and had some flights of ciders as well as an appetizer. The restroom upstairs is hidden behind a bookcase and there are many magic-themed decorations, including infinity mirrors. The upstairs part was closed, but I was given permission to go check it out. They also have tableside magic some days, but we had JUST missed it.
Gettysburg, PA:
Gettysburger: We stopped in this place simply for the name. Initially on our way to Carlisle, but they weren’t serving food, so we came back a few days later. On Saturday night, about 11:30, there was a performer doing cover songs and it was crowded. People weren’t wearing masks and it was definitely different than we were used to.
We came back a few days later because the food looked SO GOOD. It was about 45 minutes each way, but for the crab fries and other appetizers, it was worth it (especially the crab fries). We thought about coming for the next day as well, since everything we had was SO GOOD, but did not have the time. We actually only came out for this and did not see anything else in Gettysburg.
Hershey, PA
Parkside Inn: We were a little early for our tour of the chocolate factory, so we found this place to stop in. It was a small, pretty divvy-looking bar, but we felt welcomed there and had a couple of drinks on the patio. It’s not actually a hotel but used to be. They have shirts that say “never vacancy.” We did not have any food there.
Hershey World: Even though I don’t like chocolate, we toured Hershey World. There is also a theme park, but it’s only open during the weekends, so we missed out on that. The main area has SO MUCH stuff. We were walking down a hallway with info on how the chocolate is made and we thought that was the tour (like a self-guided informational tour), so we were pleasantly surprised that there was a RIDE at the end. We spent way too much money at the gift shop, but thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and they have many non-chocolate options.
Purceville, VA
Androit Theory Brewing: When we posted on Facebook that we were in VA, our friend called and said we HAD to try this beer. So when we were back on the way to the airport to drop off a friend, we made a stop. The brewery itself was pretty small and playing heavy metal. It also had a sign in the bathroom that said “employees must carve slayer into arm before returning to work.” (sadly, I did not get a picture there). It was a HOT day, so we sat inside. The beer was enjoyable, but I personally wouldn’t say the best in the US, but we did get some to take home for our friend.
Washington, DC
Almost everywhere we went, regardless of how busy or what time we got there, asked if we had a reservation. We did not make any reservations and were able to be seated (with little to no wait) at every place we stopped at. Also, we discovered that both Lyft and Door Dash are pretty horrible there. We stayed at Hotel Ven at Embassy Row, which we discovered was a Hyatt once we got there. It was a nice hotel and the bed/pillows were comfortable, but it wasn’t near a whole lot of stuff. It was pretty cool to walk down Embassy row and see all of the different embassies though.
Spy Museum: All the Smithsonian’s were full, so we were unable to see them, but this place was suggested by a few people. There was SO MUCH information that they suggested you see within 2 hours. We skipped by so much stuff to try to make the timeframe, but what we did see was very interesting and I suggest checking this out.
Supra: This Georgian restaurant was recommended by our Lyft driver, so we decided to try it. Everything was WONDERFUL. We had Eggplant Nigvzit, Khinkali Kalakuri (soup dumplings), and Ajaruli (wonderful bread with cheese and an egg in the middle. I highly suggest checking this place out.
Lost & Found: We googled a place to get a drink after eating at Supra and ended up here. We were sitting at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and gave us many suggestions for places to check out while we’re in town.
Founding Farmers: This place was suggested by some people in a couple of different travel groups. We tried it and the food was good, but it seemed a little overpriced/overrated for our taste. It wasn’t BAD, but the grilled cheese, crab mac and cheese, and fancy cocktails just didn’t stand out for as much as we paid for them. This place was fine, but overrated in our opinion.
Atlas Brew Works: We stopped at this place on the way to a baseball game and although it was pretty busy, we were able to be served pretty quickly and the beer was really good. We came back after the game and I tried the seltzer that they mixed with fruit concentrate and I enjoyed that. The pizza was average. Note that after a game, even if you hang out for a while, it’s nearly impossible to get a Lyft from there. We waited with both accounts saying they were searching for someone for at least 20 minutes before it got picked up, then another 10+ mins for them to get there.
Busboys and Poets (14th St. Location): We were recommended this place by multiple people, including someone who used to live in DC, so we knew we had to try it out. As we walked in, we were greeted with “peace and love” and were given a spot at the bar right away. Many people stopped by to say hi (I was honestly unsure who our server was), but when I tried to have a conversation with someone, they didn’t really engage (could just be that person). Everyone who worked there was a person of color, and they had a bookstore in the front with books written by people of color. There was very unique art all around and generally a great vibe. The food (brunch stuff) and drinks were good as well.
Ben’s Next Door: this place was suggested to us, so we stopped in for a drink. I didn’t realize it was a full restaurant and we had JUST eaten (at Busboys and Poets), so we just had a quick drink. The food looked really good, but we did not have any.
Ben’s Chili Parlor: Even though we had eaten not long before going there, I had heard about this place from MANY people, so we stopped in and split a chili dog. It was the most flavorful chili dog that either of us has had and I’m so happy that we “pity ate.”
Sette Osteria: We stopped at this place to rest while walking around the city. We did not have any food there, but the Sette (limoncello drink) was wonderful and they had a nice patio so we could sit down and watch the people walk by.
Fox and Hound: We found this place on the way back to the hotel and stopped in. We just had a drink, but the menu looked amazing. We had considered going back there for food, but it was pasta and heavy stuff and it was just too much for that night.
Duke’s Grocery (Dupont Circle location): (this is a restaurant/bar, not a grocery store)- this was an accidental gem. It was pouring rain, so we made a Door Dash order. When we didn’t have a driver 30 minutes after it was supposed to be delivered, we got a refund and decided to brave the rain and this was close to the hotel. I am SO HAPPY that Door Dash didn’t show up because this was possibly the best food of the trip. I had the Athens calling (basically a gyro on a hoagie) and Wardell had the Wagyu burger. We both agreed it’s the best of that type of food that we’ve ever had.
Wawa: Another gas station/convenience store that we were suggested by multiple people. Strangely enough, this is the only one we saw during our trip. The cheesesteak was delicious and it’s great late-night food that’s made there. I prefer Sheetz while Wardell prefers Wawa (but it doesn’t seem likely there would be these 2 stores near each other, so mostly it depends on where you are).
Baltimore:
We fell in love with Baltimore! We enjoyed the other places, but there was something about Baltimore that both of us felt. We were initially going to stay in Baltimore for 3 days but decided to extend the stay there until the end of the trip (so we were there for a full week). We stayed at Hotel RL Inner Harbor. I HATED the pillows and used clothes until I got a stuffed animal to use as a pillow. It got very cold at night, but they only gave us a sheet and a VERY thin blanket. We complained and asked for blankets probably at least 5 times (Wardell even e-mailed corporate) before just buying our own. We probably should have just checked out after the first 3 days and got another hotel nearby but didn’t want to deal with moving rooms, etc. It was in a convenient location though and was great for walking or taking the bus around the city. There were 4 free busses that could get you to quite a few places in the city and I loved that (purple, orange, green, banner).
Max’s Tap Room: We went to this area to try to go to Bertha’s (more on that later), but it was closed. While trying to figure out the next step, we stopped by this place. They had a nice outside area, but the inside was SO LOUD. There were some sports things happening, but it was so loud inside that we ended up outside in the rain. We thought about going back to try the food but never made it.
Café Hon: I heard this is the area (Hampden) that has many John Waters-themed stuff, so I wanted to check out this place. There was a mural on the wall and a couple of flamingo decorations, but not really what I expected to see. However, the food was amazing. We had the Steam bowl and the soft crab sandwich (that was a special).
Bluebird: I’d heard about this place from someone, so we decided to check it out while in the area. Wardell went a little earlier and got a reservation and when we walked in, I realized I was definitely underdressed (but they still let me in, I just felt out of place). We had one fancy drink and decided to move on. They did have swinging benches outside, which were nice to use on the way out.
Griffith’s Tavern: As we were walking to the next destination, we happened to see a small bar that looked closed. There was a sign that said for sale and it looked pretty desolate. But we decided to try the door just in case and found out that it was open! There was an older couple running the bar and the lady served us and chatted with us about our trip and the area, but the man went to the other side of the bar and didn’t talk to us.
Blue Moon Too: we went to this place on a recommendation, but also because of the name since we got married on a blue moon. We had to wait over an hour but had planned this in and it was worth it. This breakfast was phenomenal! I got the sweet baby Jesus, and seriously said “sweet baby Jesus, this is good.” There is also a bunch of awesome art along the walls. They did not serve drinks, but a server suggested we go next door to the Mexican restaurant to grab some and Wardell came back with two 32 oz mimosas, that were only $5 each! (Note: We also stopped into the other location, but that was just to buy a sweatshirt. They also had awesome art, but it was SO HOT inside and a huge line to eat).
Magurks: We stopped by this place simply because of the name. The first time we came in, we just grabbed a drink then moved on, but then a friend suggested the cheesesteaks, so we went back on our last day to try them. Best cheesesteak I’ve ever had.
Tir Na Nog Irish Pub: This was a place not far from our hotel, but we could tell that it was very touristy. We stopped in for a drink, but didn’t have food or hang out too long.
Lil Phil’s: We were on the way to grab some food and noticed this place so stopped in. We sat at the bar rail and chatted with the bartender and other patrons. It’s a Michigan State bar in Baltimore, which was unique. We ended up becoming “friends” with the people next to us and staying longer than expected. They didn’t have food, but let us grab food from Papi’s next door
Papi’s Tacos: We got these to go and ate at Lil Phil’s. They had a special which was a brisket taco along with some au jus to dip it in, which was AMAZING.
Barley’s Back Yard: We stopped at this place at the end of the night before heading home. It was relatively busy and we came just a little too late for Bingo. The bartenders were helpful and quick, despite how busy it was. They also have a claw machine for White Claws. That’s a real thing. I played and moved the can a couple of times, but did not win. We wanted to go back but never did make it back there.
Attman’s Jewish Deli: This was recommended by a friend whose mom grew up in Baltimore. There was a bit of a line, but people were friendly when we asked about it. “Come over here, baby, you can stand behind me.” I got the corned beef and Swiss sandwich and Wardell got a Reuben with corned beef as well as pastrami on it and we shared the potato knishes. Best sandwiches ever. I highly suggest checking out this place.
Rowan Tree: We stopped in this place because of the name. They had a few different infused drinks which were dangerously delicious. The bartender was super friendly and chatting with us the whole time we were there. We wanted to come back for karaoke but sadly did not make it back.
Mum’s: What to say about Mum’s… there is so much. We randomly stopped here after doing our laundry (there’s a laundry mat across the street where you can drop your clothes and pick them up the next day). We initially sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender and some patrons. It was Memorial Day and they had hot dogs and sausages available (they usually don’t have food, but this was for the holiday) for free. After being there for a bit, we discovered there was a “backyard” where more people were sitting. We went back there and made fast friends with the people who were back there. It’s a neighborhoody type bar and seemed that they all knew each other already. They gave us a bunch of recommendations to check out and were just fun people to be around. This became our “regular” place to go and even though we were only there for a week and wanted to see so many things, we ended up going to this place 3 times, and always felt welcomed.
Miss Shirley’s: This was recommended by a couple of people, so we tried it out. There was a long wait, but that was to be expected and they would text when you were within the next 3 tables. While waiting, we wandered to get some coffee in the area. When we were seated, they gave us paper bags for our masks (which I had never thought of), but it did take a while to get our order in, which was fine since we weren’t in a hurry. The food was good, but honestly, there were many other places with better food at a better price point. This is the place that the tourists go to for brunch, but the locals rarely go to (from my understanding and chatting with locals). It was fine, but I think it’s overrated.
National Aquarium: When this was recommended by a few people, I was still hesitant since there’s an Aquarium in Seattle. But this is the NATIONAL Aquarium and there was so much stuff. It was 5 stories tall and there were 3 different sections. It was honestly a bit exhausting but was cool to see all of the animals.
Cheese Galore and More: We had met the owner of this place the day before and it sounded great, so we came to check it out. There’s a bar rail that you can sit as well as outside seating. They have a cheese store in the back area and cheese plates/paninis that we can try. We got a 4 cheese plate and all of them were my favorite (although the Australian sheep feta did stand out the most). My mask broke on the way there, so we bought one there and they have a STRAW HOLE in their masks, which made me laugh. The owner was very friendly as well as the lady working behind the counter. We came back on our last day as well and had a different cheese board (but still had that Australian cheese) and they were STILL all amazing. It’s a fun gem that I’m glad we found out about. We heard their hot dogs are amazing, but we did not try one (we found out after we left!)
Nobles: This is not a place I would usually hang out. It was very bro-ey and you could just tell the vibe. But we wanted to grab a quick snack and it was nearby. We got the crab dip which was AMAZING, but very rich. We left right after eating because it just wasn’t our vibe.
Alexander’s Tavern: We went after getting a sweater from Blue Moon Too. The crab soup was amazing. Great Crushes.
Sliders: We stopped by this place on the way to the baseball game. There is a place next door called Pickles, but the locals we had befriended suggested Sliders over Pickles for before the game. It was a fun place and they had a bar set up outside for the game. We did not have any food, but I was slightly amused that they did not have sliders on their menu. Missed opportunity.
Pickles: We came here after the game because it wasn’t as busy as before and I wanted to try it because of the name (Bobs Burgers anyone? Also, I love pickles.) We split a burger and I got a whole pickle. The burger was 2 patties and we couldn’t even eat all of it, even splitting it between us. The pickle was good and I appreciated that they had pickles on their menu.
Water St. Tavern: This was the closest place to our hotel. We stopped in on the way back after the baseball game. People were nice, but we never did go back. It seemed like a place that only people who are staying in the hotels nearby go to for the most part.
Faidley’s: This place was recommended by MANY people (friends, travel groups, locals) for crab cakes, so we knew we had to try it. It’s in Lexington Market and we were told not to go there at night (Faidley’s closed at 5 anyway). It was an interesting setup. I expected it to be a restaurant, but it was a full market, with both food to eat there as well as stuff to go. In the front area, all the seating options said they were for Faidley’s only. The crab cake was delicious and the mac and cheese was good too. We shared these as they were super-rich. After eating, we walked through the back area of the market and there was everything you could think of: Grab and go food, seafood to take home, fruit, accessories. It was fun to see, but it seemed strange that the tables up front didn’t allow any of the other restaurants to share.
Pratt St. Ale House: We stopped by this place for a rest while walking around. It was fine and the bartender was friendly, but nothing really stood out about this place. We did not stay long and continued with our walk.
Ministry of Brewing: This place was AMAZING, even just for the building. It’s an old church and it’s so interesting to see the transformation into a brewery. The beer was good as well. We stayed for a couple of drinks, but then went on with our day.
American Visionary Museum: This place was recommended by some locals, so we decided to check it out and it was AMAZING. There are 4 stories in the first building and 3 in the second (but the 3rd floor was closed for a private event, so we didn’t see that one). It’s a bunch of art and different interpretations of it and info on the artists. It’s hard to describe in much detail because there was just SO MUCH. We highly recommend checking it out.
Peter’s Inn: This is a tiny bar with a high-scale menu. We were lucky that we got in the time we did and got a spot at the bar rail because right after that, people were coming in with reservations. We only had some oysters there, but they were AMAZING.
Wharf Rat: We were on the way from Peter’s to another place, but it started POURING rain and the bartender at Peter’s suggested it (as well as someone in a travel group). We decided to check it out and we were not disappointed and I’m so happy it started raining when it did because we might have missed out. The bartender and the patrons were all super friendly and the food was great (we got a cheese pizza and chicken strips – the bartender at Peters said they were the best chicken strips in town because they’re beer-battered and cooked from raw right when you order them). We ended up coming back the next night to see the friends we had made the night before.
Bertha’s Mussels: We have a somewhat interesting story about this place. We tried at least 5 times before finally going there and something always came up (it was closed, the rain, etc). When we finally did make it there, we had a huge plate of mussels (we went with the garlic butter option). The mussels had a good flavor, but not a lot of flavor of the broth (probably because they have so many different broth options that it’s not put in there until right before you order it). Unfortunately, Wardell ended up getting very sick from the mussels later that night. We did not know that if a mussel is not open, not to pry it open to eat it (we found out later that it means it was dead before and will not be good). It’s a Baltimore staple and it was recommended by a few people, but not sure if we’ll be back just because of that situation.
Belvedere Hotel – Owl Bar and 13th floor: We heard from someone that the best view of Baltimore was from the 13th floor of this hotel. We came by but found out they only do brunch on weekends (it was a weekday afternoon), so we came to the owl bar (bar downstairs). We chatted with the server and asked if there was any way we could see the view. She grabbed the manager and they let us go up there and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. It was so cool that they were willing to go out of their way to show us the view.
Blarney Stone: I stopped in there with her new friend while waiting for the others to meet up. It was a Friday night and slightly crowded, but we got our drinks relatively quickly and chatted with someone at the bar rail.
Rockwell: This is a place we were not prepared for. Our new friend was meeting up with someone there and invited us. We came along and it was a full-on club. Everyone was probably in their 20’s, but they were playing 90’s and 2000’s music and everyone seemed to be into it. Wardell made a joke that the songs came out before most of the people were even born. Even though we weren’t dressed for a club, they let us in no problem. It was VERY crowded and had a strange atmosphere. We stayed near the front (dancing and stuff was further behind us) and tried chatting, but it was so loud.
Cat’s Eye: Our new friend from Wharf Rat dragged us to a show with a bluesy/funk band. It was the first time we had heard live music in over a year and it was great.