Chameleon Café

The Chameleon is now Maggie’s Farm. Excellent meal and service. The dishes are imaginative and perfectly prepared.

The drinks are fantastic, and the food is delicious and well designed. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is the price is a bit high.

I am happy to write a good review for Chameleon! It is by far one of the best restaurants in the Baltimore area in terms of customer service. I tried ordering their rib-​eye steak and it turned out that they ran out of it. To apologize, they offered us free dessert on the house. When the bill came out, it was not deducted from the receipt. I didn’t mention it because it really was not that big of a deal. After I paid, they noticed that the dessert was on the bill, so they gave mea $ 15 gift card for me to redeem at my next visit. By far, Chameleon has the best customer service at any restaurant in Baltimore! The best things I like about Chameleon is that 1) they have great food 2) the atmosphere is nice and cozy 3) non-​pretentious atmosphere. I would definitely go back here not only for great food but to support such an awesome local business!
In terms of food, I ordered the mussels appetizer! AMAZING! :) It has chunky pieces of bacon in there. who doesn’t love bacon?
I ended up getting the pork belly for my entrée and my boyfriend got the hangar steak. Both were very delicious. For me, it was a very porky meal but it was my boyfriend’s birthday so I felt like I needed to celebrate with him!
Definitely recommend!

An Awesome Farm to Table Restaurant. Great sustainable ingredients… sometimes including things like swordfish!
Everything I tasted was great. Just great ingredients, great textures, well seasoned, Classic french technique. You can really taste the freshness in the meat.
I had the rib-​eye– Perfect temperature, perfect crust. Sides were given as much attention. Fat on the rib-​eye was awesome .well cooked.
The birthday man at our table had the skirt steak. Wow. I loved it more than my rib-​eye …and ribeye is usually my cut of meat. It was awesome!
The pork belly was good but not great in my opinion. It wasn’t as tender as I like. But still tasted good!
Desserts were well done, seasonal (pumpkin cheesecake in October).
Plating is rustic, simple, to the point. It highlights the main point of the dish whatever it may be.
Customer service is top notch. Our waiter knew what she was talking about, was nice, came to fill waters, etc at the right time. There was some miscommunication between her and the kitchen as she wasn’t informed that they ran out of scallops, but the house was very happy to give us the swordfish at half price… Furthermore, near the end of the meal they brought some nice Brandy. I’m not well versed in my liquor, but this tasted great and of high quality.
Décor is simple and rustic. Dim lights make it conducive to a date night, celebration, chill night out with the friends.
This has star potential. Hats off to the chef, ownership. What an awesome farm to table restaurant in Baltimore. Sets itself apart in that respect.
Check out their website– They have a $ 33 pre-​fix meal and are now serving brunch as well.
Can’t wait to be back!

This is such a great eclectic restaurant. The menu is New American/​French with a bit of local Baltimore flavor thrown in. Pig ears anyone? The best thing is the staff is fabulous, the food and wine delicious, and the menu really has something for everyone. If you have special dietary needs, you can call ahead and they are happy to accomodate you.

Had a reservation; was seated immediately upon arrival. Had a 4 top for 2 of us which was nice.
Watiress came over right away, drinks came quickly.
Food was very good– mozzarella, tomato and basil tart was amazing. Split in two for us. Menu was very interesting, we took a chance on the halibut and it was really good, the steak we had was delicious.
Dessert was tasty, but hard as a rock. Had to use a knife to cut the chocolate. My grey goose and lemonade was one of the best– it was made from fresh lemons and a bit tart which made it work well with dinner.
Atmosphere was just OK. As another person posted, the décor could use an overhaul.
Will definitely go back and would recommend it.

As usual it was a wonderful meal (except the aspargus soup was a miss) and the service was prompt, knowledgable and courteous.
That said, we’ve been going to Chameleon for nearly ten years, and I think the décor, and seating in particular, need an overhaul– it looks tired. Perhaps some banquette seating, some new colors, lighting etc.
I don’t think they neccessarily have to pend a ton of money, just hire a designer and think creatively about a new look.

Thanks to a coupon that came from a charitable donation, we persisted in going to this restaurant. It took 3 tries… with the boy at Grandma’s, lovin’ hub and I went to Chameleon Café on a Sunday. Wrong! Closed Sundays. Then, on a crazy whim, lunch time during the week. wrong! They open at 5!
Last day for the coupon… lovin’ hub is working his evening job … looks like I am going to take the boy. We checked out the menu on the web and his royal nine-​year-​oldness decided he might be able to eat the duck. Then he started talking about Gary Larsen. I tried to put it out of my mind.
We managed to get to the restaurant, it was open… finally! We were seated in a quiet dining room with only a couple of other groups at tables. Some of the smaller offerings looked better for a school night than the big entrees, so the boy had a meatball sandwich that he loved, raved about… and I had the small veggie plate, awesome! It had rutabaga purée, a wonderful baked (or grilled) whole onion with something yummy inside of it… Broccoli rabe, other root veggies, all very seasonal and swimming in some kind of roux/​cheese sauce that made me dip my bread in appreciation! With a glass and a half of a lovely Pinot Noir, it was wonderful! Yes, they let order a half glass for my second!
Meanwhile, the boy is receiving and enjoying a flourless chocolate mouse with chocolate froth on top. Which he shared with me… and there was still enough to take home to the hub.
Heaven.
The service was friendly and informed.
We left the restaurant with an appreciation for the joys of eating out, and an appreciation for trying new things. What else can you ask for?

Who would have know. This place is one of those happy little surprises. A little joint with knowledgable staff and lovingly made French cuisine.

This restaurant seems like one which has seen better days, one which may have been a novelty (farm to table) but which needs to catch up with the times. I was, in a word, disappointed. The food was OK, but only OK, not great. And it was heavy, drowning out the wonderful freshness that should have been there for a restaurant which prides itself on locally sourced, farm-​fresh food. The service was heavy handed as well, too talky, kind of like the food. The difference between my experience and that of so many other reviewers is clear.

Came here with the GF on a nice Saturday night. Parking was easy. Service was average, if not a bit slow. This was probably affected by the busy crowds from restaurant week, which we did not know was occurring until we were seated. We ordered some dishes off the standard menu, detailed below.
1. Oxtail soup — A bit too buttery and sweet. Very little oxtail flavor.
2. Escargot — The escargot was a bit mushy and didn’t taste that fresh. The garlic arugula on the other hand, was great. Fresh tasting and aromatic.
3. Lamb meatballs — Very average. Rather salty with little to no other flavors. The focaccia included with the dish was perfectly chewy and had some tasty grilled onions on top.
4. Crispy pork belly — Flavorless, over-​fried squares of ultra-​thick cut bacon. Coleslaw was decent and had a nice kick to it.
5. Fish and shrimp stew — The biggest disappointment of the meal. I expected a heartier stew with some lobster flavor and plenty of vegetables. I got a watered down, flavorless «soup» with undercooked potatoes and shrimp. The only vegetables were some onions and some peppers. The slab of fish had no flavor at all. The dish was so unappetizing that I couldn’t even finish it.
Maybe we ordered the wrong things, or came on an off day, but the overall meal was a disappointment. For a moderately priced place like this I expected a lot more. Two stars is being generous.

The onion oxtail soup was delicious, thanks to other Unilocalers for that recommendation. My wife had a small plate of Atlantic fish which was Croaker tonight, it was okay while I loved the scallops served with butternut squash and asparagus. We both enjoyed the chocolate layer cake which we split and yes, their bread is delicious and they were happy to give us more. Happy hour until 7:00 on Friday night meant half price beer and wine and rail drinks. All the servers were friendly, we especially enjoyed and recommend our server Josie.

4.5 stars. We go here for special occasions. Always very very good. If it were not on the other side of town, I would go there more often and not just for special times. Everything on the menu is extraordinary. I even once had squab there which is really difficult to get right and it was perfect. A few annoyingly «fawncy» people there at times but overall filled with a healthy mix of regular folk looking for food done right. Highly recommended. Make reservations.

We dined with friends at the Chameleon Café and found the atmosphere very casual and relaxing, the food delicious and the service quite personable.
Throughout each course of our meal, each plate was devoured in its entirety! Knowing that our food was provided by supporting local farmers made it even more enjoyable.
Looking forward to dining here again.

So much hype about this place but a sad revelation came out of my experience with Chameleon Café. I had one of my last dinners in Baltimore here as a birthday celebration. I made reservations for 8 people (which was probably the most people they can take per party) for 8:30. When we got there, the waitress told me that the last party was about to leave and we’d be seated soon. Unfortunately, she didn’t specify how long «soon» would be, and we waited over an hour (!!!) before that party left, not cool! They tried to compensate by giving us complimentary appetizers (a small bite made of pork which 3 of my friends couldn’t eat and a shrimp salad which was ok).
When we sat down, we were the last diners there as they close at 10 PM. Our service was decent, but that’s probably because we were the only ones left. At that time, they pretty much ran out of some of the items including the rockfish I wanted to get (sigh…so much for a birthday, ha!), so we ordered whatever else is on the seasonal menu – the lamb, the chicken, the steak. All the entrees we got were nicely prepped and cooked (just big portions!). When dessert came, again, they only had limited number of crème brulees, so we just got the remaining ones. They were ok – nothing to rave about.
Perhaps it’s better to go there with a smaller group and on a less busy weeknight.

Who says you can’t have fine French food in Baltimore? Dining atmosphere was inviting and dim lit at night for that romantic touch. Nice French bread rolls with butter as a start. Super delicious escargots with garlicy sauce with those rolls! Smacking my lips just thinking about them!
Got the oxtail soup, which was good BUT a bit too salty so I had to eat even more starch and down additional H2O! Main entrée was the grilled quail that definitely cooked and marinated to perfection. Would I return? Yes, yes, yes and give me more of that escargot, why don’t cha?

Indulged in four courses for only $ 35 which is a deal that I believe is only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays (otherwise, it’s a la carte). 2 appetizers and 1 very sizeable entrée plus dessert was certainly enough to fill the belly of this husky eater. Well-​prepared food, good selection of alcohol. Attire is «dressy» but you can get by with dressing casually with taste (i.e., Iron Maiden t-​shirts probably out of place). Would definitely go back, it’s too good a deal for the quality of food you get.
Update: Just went again in December. Great food, great value, great atmosphere. Could heat the place up a tiny bit but didn’t spoil the experience. Nevertheless, back to 5 stars!

MJ’s Star: 4
Price: 4 prix-​fix dinner $ 35, bottle of wine $ 30 (except tip & tax)

So I came in during Restaurant week. It was busy! The waitress asked if I had a reservation and I said no do I need one? She said yes, or I could sit outside? No — too many bugs. So she sat me at the BEST seat in the house: one lone table beside the kitchen.
There I sat alone, and full of all of the company I could need.
The cooks, they were ON TOP of it! I worked as a waitress everywhere, but these cooks were the most organized! A woman chef asked a waiter «What about table 45? how are they doing?»
«They will be ready in about… 3 or 4 minutes.»
«Okay»
She was timing her plates turnout!
WHAT??? They were on it!
When food came out, it was quickly turned around and sent out by the wait staff. The wait staff worked together in such a team like fashion! WOW!
A waiter came back to grab a plate of food, and another chef asked «How is table 91? Do they like the wine? The food???»
«yes, they love it»
They all cared!
Then they ran out of the shrimp salad
«86 Shrimp salad!»
Another waiter said «What are you going to use instead? The _​_​_​?» (Dunno what it was)
The chef replied «Yes»
That Q&A happened with ALL of the wait staff. Same words, all correct. The wait staff knows substitutions!
To the food… RIDICULOUS! I had the cantaloupe and crab meat salad. It was served I want to say with a vinaigrette over mixed greens and red onion. The melon was SO sweet. the kind of melon you are proud of when you pick if from the farmers market and everyone remarks how you did a great job picking such a yummy fruit? And you try to remember why you picked it so you can pick the same kind again? THAT melon. It was SO sweet and cool… the mixed greens were of a tart fun flavor that was like the «Cheese» of the dish — so the salad was tangy, cool, refreshing, sweet and tart… All in one bite. Amazing!
The blue fish over a shrimp salad served with fresh green beans all placed over a red sauce, it was a spicy sauce, not tomato, do not know what it was only amazing. The way it was plated forced you to take in all of the tastes and textures at once… Man!
It was all good.
The chefs noticed I was waiting a while, so they sent over a bowl of soup. They must have looked at my order because I do not eat meat (only seafood) — they sent over a seafood based soup! They all take TIME, people. They take TIME
When I left — the chefs all looked up and asked how I enjoyed my meal. As their hands were rushing about, they took a itty bitty second to look me in the eye and ask.
I will go back again and again — it is worth every penny from the moment you enter.
If you are feeling frisky, ask for the kitchen table :)

The Chameleon Café is a charming rowhouse turned restaurant right on the corner across from Safeway. The humble looks of the rowhouse really disguise the delicious and innovative french-​influenced cuisine that resides here. I’ve had my eye on Chameleon Café for years and only recently had the opportunity to try it. I think my expectations were maybe a little too high because while I thoroughly enjoyed my entire meal, I wasn’t blown away like I had expected. The atmosphere is wonderful. It’s very cozy and the main dining area is well decorated with paintings for sale. It’s interesting that you actually enter through the side door, and you’re directly next to the kitchen when you first come in.
The menus are all very seasonal and change a lot throughout the year. Our waiter informed us that they go through about 10 menus a year. I really love it when places do that because it gives you a chance to always try something unique, even if you’ve been to the restaurant repeatedly.
I started with the escargot appetizer which had maybe 8 snails in a delicious herb butter sauce and covered with a puff pastry top. Really quite delicious, and more meat than I had expected. I accidentally dropped one on the floor and was devastated. Fortunately the floor looked clean so I discretely retrieved my fallen soldier… and then ate him. Don’t judge me, it tasted good.
My main course was Choucroute Garni. It may as well have been called «Pig Orgy on a bed of Sauerkraut». I don’t speak french, so maybe that’s how it’s translated. It was basically a heaping mound of perfectly cooked and delicious sauerkrat with pieces of pork belly floating around, as well as homemade sausage… as well as a hearty piece of grilled pork loin. As if to balance out the pig party, there was a lone piece of broccolini sitting there, which was cooked perfectly. The food was all excellent, and everyone at my table loved what they ordered, but I just wasn’t blown away enough to go for 5 stars.
Everything was delicious, but I just felt like there wasn’t much balance to it. The pricings are a tad high, and the portions are a bit large to really make it a multi-​course tasting. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they offer 3 and 4 course prix-​fixe meals which I think sound like an excellent deal. I believe the 4 course offerings are $ 35 and contain your choice of 2 appetizers, an entrée, and a dessert. I imagine portions are scaled down a bit from the regular menu, but I think this is an outstanding deal and would give you a great chance to sample more than just one main dish here.