Johnny Rad's Pizzeria Tavern

Fantastic pizza! If I lived around here I would eat here all of the time. Drinks were also very good and the bartender was quick and nice.

Old Baltimore style pizzeria with top notch slices. A large pizza menu with many options for toppings. Worth the visit.

I have been to Johnny Rads many times over the past 5ish years, and I have always come here for the vegan options. However, several times in my recent visits, I ordered something vegan, it came out nonvegan, such as pizza with real cheese or a salad with real chicken. When I ask for it to be remade, the server always acts like it’s a huge inconvenience or I am being difficult even though it was their mistake. It’s pretty frustrating to be served something I can’t eat when I very specifically asked for the vegan option. Definitely have stopped coming in as much if at all because of this.

Decent bar food. Surprisingly their pizza doesn't stand out. They have a lot of vegan options though.

Neighborhood corner bar service good pizza. What's not to love!

The Pizza was off the chain

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Johnny Rad’s is a cool spot in Upper Fells Point. I first discovered it during my vegan journey and appreciated their meat alternative options. I hadn’t been back in a while, but my vegetarian daughter wanted a burger, and I remembered they had a great Impossible Burger. We ordered her the burger with fries (extra charge), and my wife and I opted for the ribeye cheesesteaks.

I placed a carryout order online, paid via Apple Pay, and declined a tip. Personally, I don’t tip for carryout unless I’m dining in, so I found it odd when I arrived and was asked to sign a receipt, even though I had already paid online. It seemed like they were hoping I’d reconsider the tip, which can feel a bit awkward.

Another thing I noticed: when the bartender gave me our food, it wasn’t in a bag. Baltimore’s bag fee aside, there was no option to add a bag when ordering online, which would have been helpful.

Unfortunately, when I got home, I realized they forgot the fries. The sandwiches came with chips, but they were stale, which is fairly common around here. I decided not to call the restaurant and just made a mental note to check my order next time.

That said, the food itself was solid. My daughter loved her burger, and my wife and I enjoyed the cheesesteaks—fresh bread, good portions, though I did find a few small bones in my sandwich (understandable with ribeye).

Overall, I’d recommend Johnny Rad’s for the quality and freshness of the food. However, I’d suggest a few improvements: double-check orders to avoid missing items, give customers a heads-up about the lack of bags, and eliminate the unnecessary receipt signing for online payments—it feels like pressure to tip. Despite these minor issues, I’ll definitely return, but I’ll be sure to check my order before leaving.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Tried because it was close to where we were staying. My wife got the Cobb salad and I got the chicken cheesesteak. Cobb Salad had very good grilled chicken and crunchy bacon. Cheesesteak was very good. The mix of pepper, onions, meat and cheese was just right and very tasty. I would definitely recommend and I would like to try their pizza. Looked amazing.

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cheesesteaks

Rock solid

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Some of the best pizza around in Baltimore. Handmade crust. Nuff said...still amazing

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing restaraunt, absolutely the best pizza in Baltimore! And did I forget to mention the best drinks!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

great place for everyone - vegan or not. their marinara sauce is so good. great local bar vibe.

Vegetarian options: very clearly labeled on menu. lots of options from pizza to sandwiches to appetizers.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Vegan Cheesesteak

Super fun place to bring your kids, it is loud. They loved the skee ball machine, which does need change or dollar bills to play. Cesear salad comes with dressing on the side, next time I will see if they will mix it. It was good. Pizza was excellent and my son liked his BLT. Service was fast and friendly.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pepe Martinez Pizza

Great Food! Great People! Great Atmosphere!
A true gem in Baltimore. It is a place that you can call home and feel welcome.

Kid-friendliness: Very welcoming to small children and two skeeball machines to keep them preoccupied.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Risotto Balls, Cheesesteaks, The Trainwreck

Saw Johnny Rads on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives
(Original air date 11/21/14 )
Went by and loved everything about Johnny Rads 10 years later in 2024...Best people...Best food...Best everything...Would 100% come back...

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Risotto Balls, Pepe Martinez Pizza