The Nickel Taphouse

Our friends offered to take my husband and I out to celebrate our birthdays, and I picked The Nickel Taphouse. I’m so glad that I did!
The atmosphere is cozy but classy. We chose a booth in the back, and we saw all of the food coming out of the kitchen. Everything looked awesome.
For drinks, I opted for a mule and it was perfect. Others commented that their drinks were tasty.
We all chose restaurant week options, but to start we ordered the duck fat chips with bleu cheese dip (which we devoured in 2 minutes) and oysters.
We all ordered the buffalo brussel sprouts for an app, the crab cake for dinner, and we split dessert between key lime pie and brownie sundaes. All of the portions were normal size, despite the reduced prices. And everything was delicious. The crab cake was enormous!
The only downside was the service, which started off wonderfully but dwindled as the meal went on. When we were ready to pay, our credit card sat there for 10 minutes before he came back to the table. I think he was busy cleaning up for the night. Not the end of the world.
I can’t wait to go back and try something else on the menu!

We went here for dinner for the second time after being cooped up in the house after last week’s blizzard.
I opted for the wedge salad (which was huge in portion at least half the head of iceberg), tuna poke appetizer, and the French onion soup. My husband got the steak frites.
Service was good and the dining atmosphere was nice. The French onion isn’t my favorite but the crock it arrives in is generous in portion.
We got a few cocktails– cold river vodka dirty martini and a bourbon concoction.
I like this place, the staff, and the food. Will be back again though usually we head to Mt. Washington tavern down the street to see our beloved bartender Jimmy.

Came back for drinks after the manager reached out to me just to make sure my first review was still fair. I sat at the bar this time and my drink was good this time, my date loved his beer and the choices of them available. Service is still lacking and was slow even though it wasn’t particularly busy. I want to love this place b/​c I can walk here and it has a beautiful atmosphere, but its just okay.

Best burger I’ve had in Baltimore and Brian our server was a pure delight. We felt welcomed the minute we got thru the door and were spoiled with A+ service. The Brussels sprouts were crazy good. Will def go back. You should, too. Honestly a fun and yummy experience.

This was a weeknight (Tuesday) and mini speakers lined the length of the walls so you cannot get away. And really, at one point they were playing screeching heavy metal rock. This is not a bar for pickups but supposed to be a restaurant for a nice meal. I have noticed that the more young people on staff the louder the music is at restaurants. Really not smart for the boomer generation customer.
That being said our wait staff was attentive and helpful Gave me a taste of beer on draft before I ordered and there is a huge selection both on draft, bottled and canned. In addition when we did not like an appetizer ((chick peas were too spicy for our taste) took it right back and it was not on our bill.
The Cesar salad was really excellent and huge serving – glad we only got one and split it.
Asked for the salmon rare and it came back medium but still quite edible. The broth for the mussel was excellent although the mussels were kind of small. Wonderful piece of cheese toast for dipping in the broth.
Was full so I skipped dessert plus the music was beginning to ring in my head. I have been there on the weekend for full house and with music and everyone talking it is deafening and everyone is hoarse from yelling. That would be a good time to just turn off the music which is indistinguishable at that point and only adds significantly to the din. Okay I complained enough about the music and only say in closing I would have given it 4 stars bordering on 5 if not for the noise.

Overall, I really enjoy this place. They have a great rotating draft beer selection, and a decent selection of wines as well. The food is mostly excellent, especially their crab cake. Carlos at the bar is always very friendly and helpful.

UPDATE: After seeing my previous review, the owner of the Nickel contacted me right away to find out what happened. He assured me that the offending item had been taken off the menu and graciously invited me and my husband in to give them another shot. We decided to go in for dinner last night.
This time around, our experience was pretty spectacular. We ordered the deviled eggs and demolished them in 2 seconds flat. When the waiter jokingly asked if we wanted a 2^nd round, I could feel my eyes go wide and I shouted «YES PLEASE» before I knew it was coming out of my mouth. I’ve pretty much never met a deviled egg I didn’t like but these were something else. I’ve been craving them since last night, dreaming about them… But I digress.
The rest of the meal was equally delicious. I ordered the shepherd’s pie, which I’ve been oddly craving for months now, and it was phenomenal. My husband’s beef on weck was perfectly cooked and, once he asked for a 2^nd helping of horseradish, absolutely delicious.
Dessert was a little disappointing as the peanut butter pie had a weird crust (why oh why not use oreos???) and was clearly not made in-​house but my brownie sundae was banging.
I’m really glad we gave them another shot and I’m confident that my original experience was just an unlucky fluke.

Came here with family and friends about 2 weeks ago on a Wednesday night. The place is beautiful! The interior is very welcoming and modern, and makes you feel right at home. I eat a vegan diet, but my family & friends are meat-​eaters. There was something for everyone! Our server was wonderful, I do forget her name but I thinks he had curly hair and a flannel shirt on. Great drinks as well! I got the lentil burger and spiced chickpeas– so good. Everyone I was with loved their entrees as well, including the Shepard’s Pie and Catfish entrée. Beer list was solid, too! We ordered a wonderful bottle of wine. Nothing bad to say here! I never give 5 stars, so 4 it is.

I really really like this place. I had dinner here last night with friends for the first time and I loved the space as soon as I walked in the door. Nickel has a great atmosphere, this would be a terrific spot to come and hang out. Our friends live around the corner and often stop in for Happy Hour drinks and snacks, but I was here for some real food!
We started off with the deviled eggs and the Buffalo Brussels sprouts. The eggs were really good, with a nice mustardy flavor. And the sprouts were great, basted in a tangy hot wing sauce that had a little kick, and blanketed in a cool creamy blue cheese sauce. I loved this preparation; I am a huge fan of Brussels sprouts in general and this was a really different appetizer.
Our group ordered a variety of items for the main meal, ranging from Steak Frites to a red lentil and mushroom veggie burger. I was told that the Steak Frites was cooked appropriately and was really tasty, but the portion was smaller than expected (although a side plate for the fries alone was overflowing). My friend whom ordered «The Works» burger liked it, but said she could do without the runny egg on it (that is often one of my favorite burger add-​ons so her comment confused me). The veggie burger was happily devoured, and my Beef on Weck was awesome. The meat was a nice red rare/​med-​rare, and the roll was soft and chewy and stood up well to the juicy tender meat. And the leftovers the next day were just as tasty! Note that all of the sandwiches came with a side of coleslaw topped with pickles, which I did not see on the menu and was a pleasant surprise.
Our server was great. He was knowledgeable, pleasant and friendly (but not intrusive) and made sure that we had what we needed throughout our time there. He was very accommodating.
The only downside to Nickel, and to every restaurant in Mt. Washington, is the atrocious parking situation. Anyone whom reads my reviews knows that I dread street parking, and I am so unfamiliar with this area that I easily get turned around and frustrated. Fortunately I was able to grab a spot down and around a corner or two (parking tickets only required until 6 PM), and there is also a valet for a cool $ 6.
I am super jealous of my friends that live within walking distance of this place. I wish I had a Nickel Taphouse in my neighborhood, they would be my go-​to spot!

I’m on the fence about this place. I’ve been twice now and had similar experiences with poor service. The problem is — the food and ambiance is really good. If you’re not in a rush (like 2+ hours) and are fine with drinking the first hour of your dinner with no food, then this place is great. We haven’t been able to get out of there in less than 2 hours both times. There doesn’t seem to be any urgency with properly timing the food. Our most recent visit, they brought out 3 of 4 dishes and said the other one was right behind it. 15 minutes later it arrived. Our server noticed the food wasn’t at the table yet and didn’t make any attempt to come over and apologize or keep us updated. It was only an additional 10 min later when he came to see how everything was that we complained about it. If we hadn’t said anything, he probably wouldn’t have acknowledged it. They did end up taking that dish off our bill so they redeemed themselves, but I just found it strange that they really didn’t show any urgency or acknowledgment until we voiced or dissatisfaction. Again, the food is very good, but we may take a break before going back.

My main move here is to walk in and order a works burger to-​go for both myself and the wife from the bar. drink an IPA while I wait. They have an excellent beer selection, plenty of stuff I haven’t had. Also the mussels are awesome here. I haven’t had any oysters, but I like watching them being prepared.

I’ve been wanting to try The Nickel Taphouse for a while. It was just okay. Nothing that really stood out. My guest and I started with the smoked white fish & jalapeño spread. It was pretty good. I think that I would have liked it a bit more if the jalapenos were actually chopped and mixed in with the spread rather than on the side. Also, the cracker to spread ratio was off balance. My guest and I both had The Purist with a side of fries. I added Maytag Bleu and bacon to mine. It was a solid burger, but nothing that blew me away, and I question why I added bacon because you barely noticed it was there. The house french fries with tarragon aioli were very crispy and, I believe, the aioli is what makes them.
I might be willing to give them another go. As I said, solid food, but I have found more eclectic and tastier options elsewhere.

If there is one thing every Baltimore resident should have, it’s a neighborhood bar where the service is friendly, the food is good and the booze is there if you need it. Nickel Taphouse is our bar.
Great service, nice atmosphere and a delicious menu. The oysters are fresh and the Brussels sprouts are amazing. We usually get a burger and split some apps — definitely the way to go. The mussels are just okay, so I’d vote for the burger or other shellfish instead.

Blehhhh. Total Hipster nest. Music was loud af.
Food was fine, I would even say it was good– but we waited for over an hour to get it. At the end of the night our check got comped and dishes had to be sent back, but the décor was pretty cool. I liked the table.
They were short staffed or something. Our server was really kind but she was barely ever there and it was really hard to flag down anyone for more water, let alone more wine or beer or an inquiry as to where our food was.
Long story short, totally not the place to go with family. My grandpa was so mad at the service he threw his quinoa on the floor

I came here in the midst of Baltimore Restaurant Week.
From start to finish all the food was fandamntastic!
We started off with the Deviled Eggs with Bacon Jam. Awesome! Creamy egg goodness with just the right amout of that salty, sweet goodness. From there we moved onto another popular app, the Buffalo Brussel Sprouts. Now I’ve always been a fan of the B. Sprout but, I’ve never had them quite like this. That good roasted char flavor mixed with the spiciness of the Buffalo sauce, made even better by the tangy punch of the creamy blue cheese sauce. Cest Manifique!
As I sat waiting on my half dozen of Skinny Dippers, I thought… How could this get any better? A beer flight to accompany my oysters! I tried the Evolution Craft Brewing Company Flight. It consisted of the following: Summer Session, Primal Pale Ale and Lot 3 IPA. Any beer lover would love this small flight to kick their meal off and with oysters no less! Not too light but, not overally hoppy. A great compliment to my plate of bivalve beauties.
Moving on to the entrees. So many choices! Everything looked so appealing. Even the Baltimore Restaurant 3 course menu looked divine! Finally narrowing it down to 2 dishes, I asked our waiter what he’d choose between the Crab Cake and the Soft Shell Crab BLT. He said of course the Crab Cake and I went with that! The Crabcake was huge. It consisted of a half pound of the juiciest jumbo lump crab meat. Also on the plate there was a coleslaw that was flavored with some sort of citrus and apple. Not your typical, runny overally mayonnaisey placeholder.
So stuffed, I passed on dessert.
That’s ok, it gives me a reason to come back… again and again and again.
Do yourself a favor and check out The Nickel Taphouse.
ps. Shout out to the staffers who waited on my table. Your genial nature coupled with efficiency made my evening that much better.

My wife and I first noticed the Nickel Taphouse at a Unilocal event, and so added them to our restaurants to try. They are tucked into the bustling business district of Mt. Washington, where we found plenty of street parking on a Monday evening but at busy times you probably want to opt for the valet. They are decorated in a modern saloon style, with many tables and booths and a wraparound bar.
One of their chief draws is the craft beer selection, with over twenty on tap. Their beer list is nicely organized by style, although most of the selections are either «boring» or «hyper-​crafted alcohol bombs» with little variation in between. The craft beer prices are average, but they do offer a «Tap Takeover» section featuring a particular brewery for a dollar less. That night was Jailbreak, and we opted for their version of a Hefeweisen. They also offer a Beer of the Day for four bucks, and while we tried a sample we decided a strawberry blond was not our beer. It shoudl also be noted that they have what looks to be a very good wine and liquor selection, with many tempting whiskeys to choose from.
We started with the Roast Chick peas, the most delicious use of that animal I’ve ever tried. I caught myself reflecting why more restaurants don’t offer them, and remembered that the only other place I have seen them was at Birrotecca– owned by the same people. We then had an order of the mussels in a Bleu Cheese broth (Of the four selections we opted for that one as it was the only one we would not make for ourselves at home.) The mussels were tender and had some bacon scattered throughout, but the broth was amazing and could only have been improved by giving us more bread to absorb all of what was left over.
I have to ding the heck out of them for bringing us our entrees before we were halfway done with our appetizers. I understand timing can be problematic, but it was hardly a busy night and someone should have been paying more attention. My wife ordered the Steak Frites (a steak, with French Fries.) She ordered it rare, and it came out seared and completely raw in the middle. She could have easily sent it back, but she was planning to take most of it home anyway so she just nibbled at the outside. My fried catfish also came served on a bed of French Fries. The fish was tasty and tender, but I guess it was a little over-​fried as it kept breaking into smaller and smaller pieces. The French Fries are string cut, the kind that turn hard and cold instantly, another reason not to bring the entrees out too soon, not that the ones we ate while they were hot and fresh were all that.
We opted for a Chocolate Cake for dessert, a little busy with salted caramel in the center and powdered with Old Bay on the outside, but very delicious and decadent. We also had an Apple Tart that was sweet and delicious. This is a nice place to go to enjoy and explore some interesting drinks while you’re eating something, but maybe not an entire meal.

Revised review after Saturday brunch experience. I still love Nickel as a quality place for craft brews, but have to significantly drop my rating after today’s very underwhelming brunch. Our server was pleasant and so-​so in terms of attentiveness, but seemed rather green and lost. One of the menu items we ordered did not come, and was not initially removed from our bill despite us calling it to her attention and her apologies and reason for why it was missed. She also failed to ensure that my partner’s request for the onions fried in lieu of raw was carried out. Finally, she made the cardinal sin of being slow bringing the bill. It was a full 180 from the excellent bar service I enjoyed on my prior (and first) visit.
The other disappointment was the food overall. While I very much enjoyed my gal’s oyster stew (which she found too watery), everything else was — in my opinion — mediocre to poor. All the more so given the associated price tags. The burger was okay, but the fries had to be added for a whopping six extra bucks. They came out only lukewarm, and though I liked their taste, m’lady felt they were fries that had been sitting around for a while. I opted for the roast beef hash, which is served with two baked eggs atop it… and no bread. At least the bread was only one extra dollar! I really didn’t enjoy the hash, finding it quite dry since the egg yolks were fully cooked and solidified, while the beef cubes were not in the least bit juicy or tasty.
I really don’t mind paying a bit more for tasty, quality food. It’s the same attitude I have about craft beer– better quality is worth the extra cash. Alas, our food didn’t make the grade. And so I’ll classify Nickel as a very good beer bar well worth a visit, but probably not an option for future meals.

The Nickel Taphouse in Mt. Washington has been on our list for a little while, and we visited on a busy Friday night. We had made a reservation out of convenience, and ended up being sat next to the bathroom — a little weird for a reserved table, but sure…
We placed our order and I was a little confused when my drink arrived — I’d picked something from the «Light» section of the beer menu and ended up with a very dark stout. I asked the waitress (after spending ten minutes trying to flag her back down) and she laughed, saying that it was the right beer — even though I’d asked if it was a light Belgian wheat and it having been in the light section. She graciously offered to replace it with something different, as it really wasn’t what I was looking to pair with what we’d ordered. Service was quite good — this is definitely just a classification issue on the menu.
His plate: Buffalo Brussel Sprouts; Beef on Weck
Her plate: Classic Mussels — white wine, shallots, butter, tarragon
To share: order of fries
The mussels were good — very well cleaned and no grit at all in the broth, but the broth itself seemed a bit under-​seasoned. We joked a bit about how it wasn’t bad — and you could call it delicate or under-​seasoned depending on your mood. It did need more flavor, though — dipping the fries in it didn’t produce the usual great combined flavor of salt and garlic and wine — just wet fries.
D said the buffalo sprouts were very one note, and not quite crisped enough to give an interesting texture. He suggested that it’d be better to do a much smaller portion of these. The beef on weck was not quite the authentic Buffalo flavor he was looking for, and deemed a little dry.

We dined at Nickel Tap House at one of their outdoor café tables on a summer night — a perfect night for one of their craft beers. Being more of a gin/​whiskey guy, I don’t know much about beers anymore, but the server directed me to a refreshing wheat beer. The fiancée ordered the red sangria and said it was also good.
The fried spicy chickpeas are a must have. They are identical to the chickpeas at Birrotecca (which is apparently their sister restaurant). The crispy chickpeas are airy and addictive, thanks to the generous coating of cumin, coriander and other spices. They went really well with the beer.
A lot of items on the menu seemed good, but I was craving a burger that night, and the purist burger totally hit the spot. I ordered the «dime» size which is two of their 5 oz. patties stacked on top of each other. The burger comes with real lettuce, tomato, and finely sliced red onion, but I also opted for the maytag blue cheese. Oh man it was good! The burger arrived piled high and dripping of juice and blue cheesy goodness. Even though it was really big, it was still manageable to eat, but a bit messy. My fiancée ordered the turkey burger, which was surprisingly good. The turkey burger wasn’t dry and actually had flavor.
We ended the meal with the peaches and cream dessert. It was a massive dessert with homemade whipped cream and fresh peaches, served on top of a muffin-​type bakery item and honey-​graham ice cream.
We will definitely be back, especially for the «Hell Hound Fried Chicken», which sounded amazing when the waiter explained what it was. It’s Wednesday’s nightly special, although I was told it will be on the permanent menu starting this Wednesday due to its popularity.

If you’re wandering around Mount Washington looking for someplace to grab a good bite to eat in a casual environment, why not try Nickel Taphouse? The newest restaurant by the owner of Birroteca (amazing Italian food in Hampden).
The interior of the restaurant was designed like an old school tavern. It’s beautiful.
Inside, the bar area is beautiful, surrounded by lit candles.
On a Friday evening me and two friends decided to try Nickel Taphouse after hearing great reviews. My friend ordered a soda and we liked that they served something different than the typical Coke and Pepsi you see at restaurants.
As a starter we ordered the sweet and sour cauliflower which was a nice healthier starter. The cauliflower was meaty with a generous helping of the sweet and sour sauce. The dish was cooked perfectly, however I found the sauce a little too sour for my liking.
We also tried the Crispy Brussels. This was possibly the best rendition of the dish I’ve ever had. It was crispy Brussels Sprouts with smoked mayo, pecarino cheese and bacon. This was possibly the highlight of the meal. I don’t normally like brussels sprouts but I loved these.
For my main course, I ordered the Beef on Weck. Primarily because it was the only item in red on the menu so it must be their specialty. The beef was sliced thin and very rare which was perfect. And served on a rye kaiser roll. It came with horseradish on the side which I would have preferred as more of a sauce, but it was still very good.
My friend ordered the Steak Frites which she said was good, but nothing to write home about.
My other friend ordered the Purist burger which she said was good, but there was nothing special about it.
We also shared a side of fries and they were some of the best I have ever had. They came with a tarragon aioli for dipping and that was wonderful. The fries a must try if you’re going to the Nickel Taphouse for a meal.
While we were waiting for our food I saw a waiter walk by with a boozy milkshakes for dessert. I will definitely be back to try that. Check out the full menu here.
The only place where the restaurant faltered was that we felt rushed. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive, but we were finished with our meal in just over an hour. They were turning the tables very quickly there.