Ethel's Creole Kitchen — Restaurant in Baltimore

I don’t leave many reviews but in this instance I feel the need to 😁 Let me start by saying as person who struggles with anxiety and other health issues like diabetes and hbp this place has become one of my top five favorite places to go dine. My sisters and I brought our mom here for her birthday this year and because of Ethel’s intimate setting and warm kind waiters I Immediately felt at ease upon being seated and throughout my meal. For starters we had the crab dip which totally blew me away. When you think of crab dip there’s a certain taste in your mind (cheddar cheese, mayo, old bay)… scratch that because there is nothing in this world like Ethel’s!! I ordered Moms crab cakes and they were absolutely scrumptious. The crab cakes were paired with the al dente vegetables and mashed potatoes that taste like an experienced grandmother was in the back preparing them herself (meaning homemade)👌🏾. I did not grab the collard greens but my sister did, She let me try them and they were just distinct and AMAZING! I can honestly say everything I ate was unique and delicious, unlike anything I had tried before. While making our reservations we did ask if we were allowed to bring in a cake and they not only allowed us but they provided a knife and kept the cake cold in the fridge for us so that it wasn’t warm when we decided to enjoy it. Upon leaving I didn’t feel heavy or overwhelmed with salt which has often been my experience because many restaurants LOAD food up with salt in order to increase flavor or to preserve certain dishes. Ethel’s was like a breath of fresh air… Good for my body and my mind ❤️ I left feeling unwound in a good way and very satisfied. I will most certainly be back Lord...

Almost everything was 10/10 and I would fully recommend this spot for good food! Be prepared to spend more money than usual, but if we are basing everything off of what I have had, it was definitely worth it.

Even though I have had jambalaya elsewhere, including in New Orleans, so far the jambalaya here is the best I have ever had. It was flavorful, abundant in quantity, well-seasoned, and had a good balance of meat, rice, and vegetables on the side. The baby back ribs were sure slow roasted because the meat was falling off the bones very easily, with a sufficient amount of ribs in some delicious sauce. There was also a good amount of roasted zucchini, squash, and carrots, so I was thoroughly satisfied. They have the ribs available in the mango chipotle sauce as well.

I didn't have the cucumber salad, but I did have some of the Mom's Crab Cakes, which my friends ordered. They were not like traditional crab cakes, because the crab cakes had no filler at all. It was everything crab, which made it more worth it, which also meant that it was expensive because it was between $40 and $50 when we got it. Once again, a good amount of vegetables, and a good amount of mashed potatoes. I enjoyed it a lot as well, even if part of me wasn't really used to it.

Once again, highly recommended! If I return here at any point, then I will, without a doubt, try their authentic gumbo and their Crawfish Fried Grits, which they were out of when we tried to...

In Baltimore on business and carefully selected Ethel’s for my only night out. While waiting to be sat for a 7:30 reservation, I heard “86 Tuna”. Ok, fine. Sat down and had prompt, polite service. Was allowed to try the wine before I committed. After ordering my app, chef (who is running food and bussing tables in addition to kitchen duty) sizzles me on a dish that, “if you’ve never been to Baltimore” is a must-have. When the server came back, I ordered said to dish only to be told they don’t have it. When I commented that Chef had just sold me on it, the server replied, “Chef doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” When he appeared later, I gave my best wtf look and asked and his response was, “oh, it goes fast”…. Meanwhile, another table is trying to order catfish and the servers go through a complete investigation to see if they even have that with the response being, “we’re low, but we’ve got one.” Note that it was barely 8pm. It sounds like 1. Chef needs to focus on his kitchen, 2. they need to prep WAY more food for Friday night service. My tip was a reflection of my disappointment. I hopped across the street and was made to feel perfectly at home in the neighbouring tavern. I didn’t pay Uber $$ from my hotel for a 1-night experience to have a disorganized kitchen and disrespectful...