The Local Motive — Restaurant in Sykesville

First visit to The Local Motive and it definitely won't be the last. 4 of us like trying places we've never been. Checking info online, the cocktail menu is extensive and interesting. We also learned the food is basically "light fare". But, oh my! Was it delicious! We sampled several different cocktails between us and ended our evening with an aperitif we didn't know existed: "Baltamaro". I wasn't sure they'd carry my go-to Amaro, much less have several choices. Mike, bartender and part owner of the restaurant brought all the choices down from behind the bar and we chose based on the aroma. Surprisingly good and made right in Baltimore. As for the food, each of us ordered something different: Caesar salad, Figgy Piggy, Chipotle Chicken Salad and Korean BBQ. Each of us raved about our choices. Excellent flavors, quality ingredients and perfect portions. I regret I forgot to take some pictures. The ONLY reason I gave 4 stars for service is you must place your own orders at the bar where they start a tab for you. They do, however, bring both drinks and food to your table when it's ready. And you don't wait long! In light of the fact that so many restaurants nowadays can't get enough waitstaff to keep customers happy, I've decided their approach is a smart one and people didn't seem to mind. People should know this ahead of time or when they first get seated as the sign on the table was not readily visible. The atmosphere is really nice. The many "fairy lights" in the ceiling create a comfortable ambiance. The decor is a mix of retro/contemporary with both low and high top tables and a section with comfy couches and chairs. You also get a very welcoming, personalized feel as Mike remembers everyone's name when they return to the bar to place another order. I guess you can tell I was greatly impressed and will return soon to try more deliciousness....

My husband and I came here for a date night. We had seen the really good reviews and decided to give it a try. The inside of the establishment is nice but on the smaller side so it easily gets loud when there a lot of people there, which there was. We sat ourselves at a table which the bartender told us to do. We ordered the burrata,the whipped ricotta, and the falafel dippers. We also had the mezcalita to drink and ordered a Malibu bay breeze, but they didn't have Malibu so it was made with some other liquor.

The burrata was good, but the sourdough was definitely not house made and about average. The whipped ricotta was also good but nothing above average. There were also these huge stems of rosemary on the plates that were aesthetically pleasing but kind of out of place. The falafel was dense but the tzatziki was really good.

The bay breeze drink just didn't taste right without the Malibu run. So that was a bummer. The mezcalita was not our thing. It was salty and honestly just tasted like liquid barbeque sauce.

The staff was super nice and efficient. No complaints there.

Overall it was ok. Would we go back, probably not. It seemed like this place was...

My Local Motive Experience. The Good, The Bad and The Summary

The Good: We ventured to The Local Motive for the first time and sampled several of their custom cocktails and two of their snacks (the ham & pimento cheese snack and the Mezze Plate). The cocktails were wonderful and seem to be their specialty, and the snacks were delicious as well. The menu is limited but everything is unique and what we had was very good.

The Bad: The service was bit lacking when we were there. The young folks working there were more concerned with their phones then they were the patrons. We had to continually ask for service because they're heads were buried in their phones, which was a bit annoying. If I was the owner I would make a "no phone" policy.

The Summary: The Local Motive is a unique joint worth a visit if you are strolling through downtown Sykesville. They offer a distinctive list of custom cocktails and a novel selection of snacks,...