The French Kitchen

Baltimore, United States

3.2

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 410-539-8400
Website:
www.lordbaltimorehotel.com
Address:
20 W Baltimore St, Baltimore, MD, 21201
Downtown
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
390 ftFayette Street Plaza WB
390 ftFayette Street
600 ftCharles Center
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Bike Parking
No
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Classy
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Baltimore) 1:30 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Tuesday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Wednesday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday 6:30 am – 12:00 pm
5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Sunday 6:30 am – 12:00 pm

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Vicinity

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20 reviews of The French Kitchen

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Place rating: 1
Bethesda, MD
Terrible food and service. We ate breakfast here after staying in the hotel. It was buffet, $ 20/​person. They gave us a check immediately, which was a little rude. The food was appalling. Powdered eggs that were bland and runny, no coffee left, only one juice glass, no one ever checked on us until I put money into the check booklet. For the price, we should have gone ANYWHERE ELSE.
Place rating: 4
Baltimore, MD
Just had a fabulous lunch here during Restaurant Week. Beet & Arugula salad with feta, followed by Beef Bourguignon. Both were really tasty and well-​seasoned, without being salty.
The restaurant was nearly empty. That’s too bad. I would love to return during a busy time. The lobby and bar looked like great places to lounge with friends.
Free valet parking with validation.
Place rating: 1
Baltimore, MD
We had 8 p.m. reservations. When we arrived there were no patrons in the restaurant and no waitstaff. After a few minutes, a waiter from the restaurant saw me and asked if they could help. I told them I had reservations at 8 p.m. and they said they closed the restaurant and shut the kitchen down 30 minutes earlier. The waiter said the cooking staff had moved to a different restaurant in the hotel but he could check if they would come back. I told him to not bother… will definitely not be looking to visit here again.
Place rating: 4
Baltimore, MD
Great service beautiful ambiance and venue. Food was good and the seafood bisque was amazing! I was there for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
If your looking for something unique try this place and I understand if you done there they offer complimentary valet parking as well!
Place rating: 1
Flushing, NY
The unpleasant breakfast I ever had. I stayed over at Lord Baltimore Hotel and tried the breakfast at the french kitchen because it was the nearest place. I think there was only one server but she is the reason why I would never go back. We literally had to look for her to come to our table. Is there a limited time to dine? because she gave out check when we were there for 40mins and my oatmeal wasn’t even on my table. She did charge for it but why would she give us our check when we didn’t even ask for it? We were so disappointed and didn’t even bother to ask for brown sugar cause we lost our appetites. We literally asked for straws, new napkins, because it was stained when we saw it, ketchup. etc. everything was unprofessional. The food was good but I wouldn’t go because of the customer service.
Place rating: 5
Virginia Beach, VA
Lunch was amazing! Servers were pleasant and very attentive. Food was fresh and fast. Great place!
Place rating: 2
New York, NY
Meh! I wish the food was fresh and tasted good. It was quite mediocre at lunch time and not worth the higher prices.
The service was fair– the servers are not polished. They took our meal to the wrong table initially.
The décor was nice.
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Staying at Lord Baltimore Hotel for a business meeting and had breakfast at the French Kitchen.
Excellent food and great service. The prices are even reasonable for a hotel breakfast– I have sometimes paid $ 35 for eggs Benedict before, not here.
I can’t wait to try it for dinner, I hear the menu and food are all 5 Star.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
I came here recently for a working lunch.
With it’s cool hues and contemporary look, I felt like I was transported to a French eatery over seas.
I ordered the Fruit de mar. It was so good. Fresh prawns, asparagus and cauliflower in a savory bouillabaisse.
Initially I started my dining experience with their soup du jour. It was a creamy bowl of seafood bisque. Chock full of scallops and mussels, I had no problems making this bowl disappear.
The staff was wonderfully helpful and courteous.
I will make another trip since I did see they offered a brunch!
Au Revoir!
Place rating: 5
Rockville, MD
If you haven’t visited this beautiful historic newly renovated Hotel Hurry up! By far some of the best food I’ve ever had the service is top notch without a hint of arrogance. If you love architecture this is indeed a feast for the eyes and stomach! I have never been happier, the place is a true gem and reminiscent of old glamor of the 1920’s. Come one come all to a masterpiece!
Place rating: 1
Washington, DC
I have tried this restaurant several times as I am always staying at the wonderful hotel. It has yet failed to disappoint.
The issues start when you walk in. There is never anyone to great you, or even a sign saying seat yourself. This leaves people standing at the entrance confused.
Issues with service continue. The wait staff are always in the kitchen, rarely checking on the three guests trying to have dinner. I have had to actually wave down my waiter.
Then there is the food. The entrees are usually very good. Little things like stale bread, weak and cold coffee, running out of salmon and inconsistent menu offerings create an awful experience.
Don’t waste your time here. Go to the bar instead (or anywhere else).
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
The French Kitchen is high French cuisine in a remarkably spacious but somewhat strange room.
The most stand-​out thing about the French kitchen is the room: it’s a huge cavernous old style ballroom painted gold and ocean blue. It’s weird and endearing. The tables and chairs were weirdly modern-​ish (and I swear one pair were plastic…) but we sat at a comfy but slightly low couch. The ambiance is quiet and classy — just a bit odd.
The food was good to great. The tartare was tender and tasty, and the fruit accompaniment gave it a pleasant kick. The lamb was super fatty, but intentionally so, and it was quite tender to boot. The fish of the day was cooked excellently, and the skin and the buttery soft meat stole the show. My dish had superb vegetables, but the lamb had the same fruits as the tartare, which was odd.
The wine was good, but the portions were a bit meager.
Overall, not a bad place at all. It’s impressive to see such a huge ballroom in the middle of Baltimore — it’s just kinda set up weirdly and could lean into its classic heritage a bit more.
Place rating: 2
Elkridge, MD
I went in with great expectations with my husband and 4 year old. We were encouraged by the menu, ordered chicken & waffles for our son, bananas foster French toast for my husband and eggs, potatoes & bacon for me. I also asked for coffee and juices for the other 2. Once the coffee was delivered, I asked for sugar. The server brought back a container that had 3 types of sugar alternatives. When I asked if I could get regular sugar, he told me that’s all they had. I asked another server and she said she would bring me regular sugar which she did. My husband was never asked if he wanted more orange juice after his glass was empty.
The food was good till my husband found a piece of a latex glove baked into his French toast. I looked for close to 5 minutes for somebody to talk to. There were no servers or managers on the floor for tht long. I finally showed it to the manager who took it away. We elected not to order another dish since there was enough food at the table for the 3 of us.
When we got our check, we were charged for the French toast. I asked for it be removed. It’s common courtesy to not charge your customer for a food item that had a foreign object in it.
The service was terrible, the food that consisted of only food was average and the prices were ok.
Would definitely not go back nor would we recommend it to anybody else.
Place rating: 5
Virginia Beach, VA
I couldn’t wait to try the new brunch menu when I was in town for the weekend and I must say I was not let down at all. I ordered the crab cakes Benedict and the combination of the crab cakes and poached egg with the hollandaise sauce was amazing. I don’t know how the Chef makes these crab cakes but I come from a Beach town and these are the best I’ve ever had. I’m not sure how anyone can say anything negative about the servers or service as I’ve always received 5 star treatment when dining here.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
I had dinner here last night with my husband for my birthday. I had wanted to try a new (or new to us) restaurant, but all the usual suspects were already booked. So we decided to try this place, and all I can say is that it was fantastic. The décor is absolutely gorgeous and the food was amazing. One thing that really irks me about fancy and popular restaurant in Baltimore is that you cannot enjoy your meal in peace because you are basically sitting on your neighbor’s lap. Places such as Woodberry Kitchen squeeze so many tables into their dining rooms that as a couple you always end up at a tiny table between two groups. Not at the French Kitchen. The dining room is very spacious and each table is sitting by itself. Big points for that.
Our server was very attentive and great. But the highlight of the evening was the food. We started with the steak tartar, which was amazing. We love tartar and order it whenever a restaurant has it, and this one was one of the best. They add pine nut, which makes for an interesting twist on the traditional tartar. I had the steak frites, and it was one of the best steaks I have had in a long time. Perfectly cooked and served with little mushrooms, a delicious sauce, and fries. The steak itself was huge, 11 – 12 oz, according to the server. My husband had the Boeuf Bourguignon and it was also delicious. The only thing here was that the potatoes it came with were a bit dry.
Overall, this was an amazing dining experience, and we will definitely be back.
Place rating: 2
Frederick, MD
Beautiful spot but unfortunately service was lacking professionalism and at least my dish wasn’t excellent. Place has great potential but last night’s experience didn’t measure up. Badly in need of a manager and servers who have a clue in waiting tables in fine dining. Still managed to have fun, but overall the restaurant was a disappointment.
Place rating: 4
Halethorpe, MD
Went for restaurant week. Our server, Mina, was awesome. She knew the menu and described all the dishes perfectly. All the food was really good. This restaurant is inside the Lord Baltimore Hotel. The décor was beautiful and authentic.
Place rating: 2
Reisterstown, MD
Grass is green, the sky is blue, and all French Restaurants have superb wine lists, right? After dining at the French Kitchen, I can confirm that no, no they do not.
I also dined on Saturday night during Restaurant Week, much like the other horrified reviewers on this page. There are no words for how horrible the service was. I realize that one of you may dismiss this claim as an anomaly of Restaurant Week, but honestly, they were not THAT busy. Understaffed? Perhaps, but they lacked polish and professionalism that you would expect in such a nice place.
I’m not going to pick apart the design, because I actually liked it. Great spacing between the tables, and the colors are beautiful.
As for the food, do NOT go here if you’re expecting traditional French fare. The menu may list Beef Bourgignon, but it is most definitely the chef’s interpretation on the dish. Don’t get me wrong, the food was good, but was honestly disappointing. Actually, I take that back; the onion soup was disappointing altogether. The dessert, however, brought me back to life. Chocolate Pistachio Crème Brulee!
All in all, this place has potential; yes, the dreaded «P» word. But seriously, I would allow the chef to be creative with a few dishes, and prepare the standards the way they deserve. I would also hire a sommelier, or at least a one-​time consultant to build a better wine list. I would make sure the restaurant was adequately staffed at all times by polished waiters/​waitresses, and I would move piano man into the restaurant itself. At this point, he’s playing for drunks in the lobby.
Place rating: 3
Berkeley Springs, WV
A lovely atmosphere and a budding positive to the Baltimore restaurant scene. If management were more present to mentor the staff it could be a more impressive experience. As the staff steps over the line from «friendly» to «familiar» and lacks attention to details and the timing between courses the experience is no more than average — a solid «C».
Place rating: 3
Baltimore, MD
(12/​26/​2013) Went for a casual lunch with friends after the holidays. Can’t quite put my finger on what it was, but everything was good, but not great. The remodel in the main dining room is very over-​the-​top Versailles; beautiful tall ceilings with vibrant colors, with some sleek modern furnishings. Place was near empty, we ended up being the last table. Service was attentive, if a little flaky (what’s with wait service these days refusing to write things down??).
Decided to make a meal of small plates; they were out of the charcuterie and pâté, very disappointing. Also, they were out of the Croque Monsieur, which is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich (how is any basic restaurant out of bread, butter, cheese and ham, not like you’re making any of that??). Had the beet-​cured salmon (oily, savory, moist fish) and Beef Tartare (subtley well-​seasoned meat with mustard, well-​marbled, but sinewy minced beef). A poached egg came with the tartare, honestly would’ve just preferred the yolk, whites were a little «snotty.» A small French Onion Soup came with a thin slice of Comte, the soup was a little cool (bowl was hot, like out of the microwave); broth was dark, with melted onions and little sweet with sherry. The small portion of Salad Nicoise was definitively small; no lettuce, more deconstructed with 4 slices of a seared tuna steak, some blanched haricot verts, grated egg white and yolk, 2 sundried tomato halves and a mild (underseasoned) Kalamata olive purée; tasty, but not entirely filling. Fresh baked bread (baguette, Italian, sundried tomato focaccia) were very, very good, came with a ramekin of sea salt-​crusted butter.
Would probably recommend a visit, but more for the location. Portions are small and expensive and seems not worth the cost, but willing to give it a few more tries.