Arturo's Trattoria — Restaurant in Maryland

From its unassuming exterior and logo, you'd never know you're about to walk into one of the most wonderful fine dining restaurants in the Baltimore suburban area. The food is delicious, portions are good, service is spectacular, and the ambiance inside is very nice. I'll take you through a summary of the experience my husband and I had at Arturo's on a Thursday evening.

My husband and I called when we were on our way and they had no wait at 7pm for the two of us and our baby. They were perfectly fine with us bringing the baby and even accommodated us by giving us a table with extra room for her stroller. (Don't worry, she was on her best behavior). Inside, the interior looked nice, clean, warm, and inviting. The host was friendly and our waiter and other staff were all nice and professional. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time. From our arrival to our departure we probably spent around one and a half hours there - and we ate three courses.

We ordered escargot ($12) for an appetizer. It was fine for my husband and I to share. They were very tender and the flavor of the sauce was great. I kept dipping my bread in it as we waited for our entrées.

My husband and I both ordered off of the specials menu and we were very happy with what we were served. I got tagliatta di manzo ($35) made with a 15oz prime cut of rib eye steak topped with aged parmesean, arugala, and cherry tomatoes. I ordered my steak medium rare and it came out perfectly. The arugula was slightly bitter, but after squeezing some lemon over it, the taste was perfectly balanced. I fully cleaned my plate. My husband ordered a venison filet ($45). His was very tender, flavorful, and was not too gamey. I had some food envy after trying a bite of his! Both my steak and his venison were delicious and cooked to perfection, but I'd definitely recommend trying the venison if you're the adventurous type. The portion sizes were perfect too. We were both satisfied (we tend to eat a lot) and we didn't have leftovers.

For desert we each got our own creme brulee ($10 each) (because we did not want to share). It was absolutely delicious!

You can expect to spend a lot here, but I thought the food and experience were absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a nice, intimate evening with fine dining, this place...

It's kind of hard to be an upscale Italian eatery when you're establishment is next to a nail salon in Glen Burnie, Md, but Arturos gives it their best effort. The bread comes out in tiny pieces so soft and delicious that I could have had it for a meal. You get a server who takes your order, and then a cast of Disney characters to bring out the rest of your meal. Adonis brought out the bread and gave a Broadway winning production of olive oil pouring followed by an Olympic event of pouring the nalsamic vinegar into the olive oil which had been meticulously sprinkled with parmesean cheese. There was zero wait time to be seated and our server Allied was cute but a little inexperienced. I got to try the Italian onion soup and it was great. My main course was that salmon. Probably the best piece of fish I've had ever, and the tiny dollop of mashed potatoes and steamed cauliflower it was perched upon left me wanting more. My wife got the ceasar salad with grilled chicken and after I tasted it, I knew why she didn't like it. The dressing had some weird taste and the chicken was flavorless. The owner took it off the bill. My friends had the gnocchi and pasta w wild boar sauce. They were both very happy with their meals. I had asked for a few katamala olives too go with my wife's salad and was charged 4.50 as a side order. That was also taken off by the owner. Minus my wife's lousy salad, the food was great. My only suggestion to the owner is to stop being stingy with the portion sizes. The plates of pasta were tiny and yes, my salmon was outstanding, but for 25 buck, you could have given me more than a tablespoon of vegetables. I went home...

I don't know who Arturo is, but he's a goddamned genius of the tastebuds. This place makes me want to quit my job and just live inside this restaurant. I feel like every meal I've had up until this point was just the universe's way of preparing me to thoroughly appreciate this meal.

Ask for Chris. He will talk to you about the menu like it's your favorite romance novel. When he's finished, you'll be more undecided than before he started, but somehow already sooo satisfied. I think if he was an athlete they'd call him Chris "The Appetizer."

Every single bite of every thing you order will be the best moment of your life. And this comes from the annoying white chick who hates everything, has three food "intolerances" and asks for everything on the side. To quote The Lego Movie, "EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!"

Every time we come to Baltimore we come here because eating anywhere else seems like a tragic waste of time and money that could've been spent at Arturo's.

Do not come in a rush. This is an experience. A destination. It must be savored. Everyone who works here is in love with the menu, and it shows. True love can't be rushed. Be patient.

Don't be fooled by the crappy strip mall - it's a mere wardrobe with Narnia waiting on the other side. Enjoy the brilliantly curated art to ensure that all of your senses are overloaded.

I need a...