Loch Bar - Baltimore

Chose this restaurant for lunch, we have walked past it many times during the summer season and was just curious to try. The restaurant was not very busy during the lunchtime on Friday, which was great for us. We ordered lamb kebab, oyster Rockefeller to start. Main dish was salmon blackened over tomato risotto. The lamb kebab was very good. The oyster Rockefeller was dominated by cheese and the sauce lacked flavor depth, as for the main dish the blackened salmon was cooked perfectly however it lacked seasoning as well. The tomato risotto was very acidic. It was missing something that could have balance the flavor, I was not really sure if they were trying to make a play on paella, but was not bad overall. My waiter was very professional and accommodating. One thing that stood out to me from a business perspective was during this less than busy time the bar seem like a gathering spot for the employees and that's not good for optics. 

The food is fine, nothing amazing but good. The service was great! If you want a salad just know its big enough to share. Especially the Cesar salad. If you love cheese its for you. A crazy overload of cheese.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 4

This restaurant delivers flashes of excellence, though not without notable missteps. The cream of crab soup, a Maryland staple that should showcase richness balanced with generous lump crab, leaned too heavily on cream and offered disappointingly little crab meat. It felt more like a thickened base than a true celebration of the key ingredient. Fortunately, the kitchen redeemed itself with the oysters and sea bass, both standouts. The oysters arrived fresh and briny, while the sea bass was expertly prepared, boasting a delicate flake and clean, vibrant seasoning that highlighted the fish without overshadowing it. These dishes revealed the restaurant's true culinary potential. While the food found its rhythm in places, the overall guest experience struggled. The exterior of the restaurant is poorly lit, making it difficult to locate, particularly for first-time visitors arriving after dark. Once inside, the ambience leans heavily into volume rather than atmosphere. The music was turned up far too loud, creating an ongoing battle for conversation across the table. The live performance only intensified the problem; the singer's volume reached concert levels, overwhelming the dining room rather than enhancing it. There are strong elements here, especially from the raw bar and seafood entrées, but the restaurant would benefit greatly from rebalancing its ambience to match the quality of its kitchen. A more thoughtful approach to lighting and sound would allow the culinary highlights to truly shine.

The experience was good, the waiter was great. I have one serious problem my bill was inflated and did not reflect the true cost of some orders😡

If you want awesome drinks, great food and fantastic service, this is the place to stop. We visit every time we are in town.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Lobster roll was amazing and fairly priced

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The food was really good. Was able to get a last minute reservation however we were seated next to the bathroom and kitchen. Which I would not recommend. Extremely too much traffic. I would recommend going since the oysters were delicious but would ask to not be seated by the bathroom

Was there last Saturday, we had to ask to be seated outside, the smell inside the location was like of a sewer

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 5

Besides being relatively loud, food is excellent and large portions. Very good service as well.

Elegant setting for a delicious meal. Crab grilled cheese and old fashioned were excellent. Highly recommend the hot honey Brussel Sprouts for your side!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice selection of oysters, perfectly prepared fish (get the Rockfish if it's on the menu) and very attentive and accommodating staff. Loved the view of the harbor. Highly recommend.

We were pleasantly surprised with the improvements at Loch Bar while we were away for last six months! Double martinis! And the French fries looked golden and crisp, nothing like those oily, dark and soggy ones we were served back in February-March! We'll be back soon to try them! Michael our server remembered us and took great care of us! Thank you Loch Bar, we'll be back soon!

Overall I give this a 3.5* review but Google doesn't allow half stars so rounding up.

Nice setting on the harbor, had live music on a Friday night. Inside was a bit loud and I don't think I saw the hostesses smile once. They have an outdoor bar and seating options as well as indoor bar and dining area. I really wanted to like this place but left just feeling meh.

Staff was ok, waiter was friendly and helpful. Also, was honest and warned us the crab cream soup was a bit salty, (it was). More on service later.

Food was pretty good, but not worth the prices in my opinion. Caesar salad for $18, good size but bland flavor except for the salty parmesan crisps. $66 crab cakes were tasty but not sure that they warrant that price for 2 crab cakes and fries. Moules Frites were good and I'd order that again for $25.

However the staff (not our waiter) brought our mains out before we had finished our starters, she just stood there for a second, and then just crammed everything onto our small table. They also wanted to clear our plates while we were actively eating. I think they refilled our water once over the course of our meal? So definitely could do better on the service side.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 3

The deck is our favorite on a gorgeous day! We had the entire area to ourselves for a weekday lunch.

Waaaaaaay too expensive for the food offered. Very limited menu. The service was excellent.,