Bread & Circuses Bistro & Bar

The chicken and waffles was literally just a chopped up chicken tender and two Eggo Waffles.. definitely wasn’t what I was expecting especially at looking at this meal online prior and it looked nothing like this. The service was more than outstanding and our waiter was very friendly. But the meal was honestly a disappointment, and the price certainly didn’t match the food quality. It’s honestly not acceptable that the quality isn’t consistent.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 5

My husband and I had been here once before and were very impressed with the food, service, and atmosphere. The staff were accommodating, the dishes were delicious, and the dining room was beautiful. So when our family came to town to celebrate a special occasion on 12/14/25, we knew exactly where we wanted to take them.

We were a party of six without a reservation on a Sunday afternoon but thought nothing of it since there was one other party in the dining room when we arrived and we were quickly seated. Unfortunately, we were told ten minutes later that there was another party with a reservation coming in an hour and a half and could we please move seats. Sure, we were happy to do so all things considered. That’s where things went south.

We were moved down to a smelly bar area right in front of a drafty door that didn’t close properly unless pulled shut. Fine, we’ll keep our coats on. We wait and we wait and we wait. A half hour goes by before our orders are taken by a young man who doesn’t bother to write any of them down. Maybe he has a good memory. Nope. My order was never given to the kitchen and was only discovered missing when everyone else’s were *finally* delivered to the table. My husband’s family’s dishes (salad) were nothing like what was detailed in the menu. (Honestly, how do you mess up salad?) And my husband’s dish (chicken and waffles) looked like an eggo waffle with air fryer chicken nuggets on top.

I am not normally this harsh and try to always give people the benefit of the doubt, but everything that could have gone wrong did. I left the restaurant close to tears and will never, ever be back.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Atmosphere is nice but the food was average, overstated, short stuff.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 3

Bread and Circuses Bistro & Bar in Towson has officially stolen my heart (and possibly my self-control). I ordered the short rib bordelaise, and oh. my. goodness. This wasn’t just dinner — it was a spiritual experience. The short rib was glazed to glossy perfection, tender enough to fall off the bone with a polite whisper, and so melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I briefly forgot other food existed. There were mashed potatoes and a salad somewhere on the plate, but honestly, they never stood a chance next to that masterpiece.
Inside, the restaurant is all kitschy-cute vibes with a burst of color and personality in every direction. It’s the kind of place that feels both cozy and delightfully chaotic in the best “let’s order everything” kind of way.
Our server? An absolute gem. Attentive, friendly, and a menu-guide extraordinaire. She even became our official tie-breaker during our ordering debate — which is how I ended up with the short ribs, so she clearly has excellent judgment. Hats off to her for leading me to my new favorite dish.
In short: amazing food, vibrant atmosphere, wonderful service — and short ribs that might just permanently raise my culinary standards. Will 100% be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Wont be back, first the sandwich said it came with fries however we were charged. Bartender never came back to check on us. Bar has no heat so we had to sit with our jackets on. Food Mediocre at best.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

I *LOVE* this bar. The food is very good, and the drinks are great for the prices. However, the reason I keep coming back is for Kevin and Campbell: those two are amazing together! Their chemistry made me feel like I was watching a sitcom and was almost more enjoyable than the drinks and my company. Will be coming back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

I had high expectations if this place but I will not recommend it.

We sat and the table was dirty and sticky like something from last night. I ordered a Moctel than for the cleanliness of the table, makes me doubt of how clean the glass was. And the lime they put on top in the glass looked old because of the brown edges.

Food my husband's meat was overcooked and my quesadilla was missing some ingredients and the salad that came with it you can tell it was old.
I will suggest use fresh ingredients and if you don't have all the ingredients please let the waitress in advance.

Service was ok 👍

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 4

Bread and Circuses has a great atmosphere and our waiter was excellent—friendly, attentive, and truly the highlight of the experience. Unfortunately, the food fell far below expectations.

The Brussels sprouts were burned and gooey, showing little attention to getting them right. The steak frites were overcooked, the breaded shrimp tasted like IQF frozen product, and the peach flatbread clearly used canned peaches. To make things worse, they were out of several beers and liquors.

As disappointing as the meal was, I genuinely hope the restaurant takes feedback like this to heart. The place has a lot of potential, but it badly needs a menu refresh and more care in execution. With the right changes, it could become something great.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 4

What a great, intimate space for dining. You feel like you're in your own house! Service was excellent, adding to the wonderful evening.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great atmosphere and nice music. The bar is also open until later than most others, which will be nice for our future visits. My partner and I split the chicken & waffles, it was so delicious and filling! The food is made from scratch, which was nice to find out and makes up for the price. It's not too much, though, $20–30 a plate. The cocktails were very affordable, ~$13 each. The bartender took our order and the kitchen was very accommodating to my partner's dietary restrictions.

The biggest contributing factor towards our amazing experience was, by far, the bartender. He was affable and sociable throughout our visit, balancing attention between patrons well. The fact that he made the best drinks I've ever had definitely didn't hurt! He's extremely skilled and you can tell the pride he puts in his craft.

I highly reccomend checking Bread & Circuses Bistro & Bar out—you'll probably find your new favorite spot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The Bohemian Grove mocktail was great and they turned a crabcake menu item into an interesting but tasty crabcake sandwich!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Just a poor experience. The menu didnt really have what's online when you look the place up. Believe other reviewers when they say that the wait staff seats you and brings the food but in between visits are rare. D- for the waitresses staff. At least they are friendly. The bathrooms smelled like urine which if I was only there with my GF I woulda left. Holes in the steps in bar area. Terribly over priced...ordered a $18 Cheeseburger that was litterally a slider. Got a salmon sandwich which shoulda been like 14-16 but was $22 with a $4 upcharge that the waitresses neglected to tell us and the portion was like a child's portion too. So $26 for a sandwich and fries 😲🤔 $69 for 2 sandwiches, 2 drinks +1 alcoholic drink. WTH!? The decor of the place is depressing...its a mis mosh of middle eastern, Baltimore City Indian...Nobody at the table knew WTH it was supposed to be. Some silverware had food still stuck on it 🤮. None of our party will ever go back here again. I dont advise you do either. Place is not enjoyable...

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 2

Came here on a Saturday. Apparently they had a big party inside, but there was not a single other person in the restaurant. We were not warned that there may be a wait due to the party inside. We waited 35 minutes before getting appetizers, and then sat there for another 30 minutes before just asking for the check so we could go elsewhere. We asked multiple times when the food would be coming, and kept being told very soon. Even when it was clear that we were not happy, no attempt was made to make it right.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

This was our first time dining at this restaurant, and we were looking forward to the experience. We chose to sit at the bar and began with margaritas, which were the Tuesday special. Unfortunately, they were among the least enjoyable we’ve had, which made for a rough start. I switched to a Manhattan, but the bartender was unfamiliar with the cocktail and needed to look up the recipe. The result was disappointing and not reflective of what I would expect from a classic drink. My wife ordered a gin-based cocktail, which she described as just average and not something she would order again.

Turning to the food, my wife ordered a pasta dish and was dissatisfied, noting that the sauce tasted canned. I ordered the filet mignon, but it did not resemble the cut in quality or tenderness. It was overcooked, lacking the requested medium-rare doneness, and was quite tough. By that point, the overall experience left us feeling underwhelmed, and I chose not to send the dish back.

In total, we spent approximately $200, and unfortunately, the food and drinks did not justify the cost. While others may have a different experience, ours was disappointing, and we do not plan to return.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 2

GO TO BREAD AND CIRCUS!!! the best food i’ve ever had! Definitely get GINO to hook you up! He’s the best! Best food and drinks i’ve ever had!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5