Explorers Lounge

It’s been awhile since we visited the Explorer’s Lounge located in the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel. The new décor is very inviting and cozy. We were able to enjoy a very peaceful and quiet dinner with a good friend. The burgers were really good — prepared the way we like them. The Taharka Brothers Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Cream were a delicious finish to our meals. Our server was off her game; however, seemed not to be in the moment. We still enjoyed our time in the Lounge.

While staying at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court we ate on numerous occasions in the Lounge. Two mornings we ate off the buffet. One morning I chose to eat off menu while my husband ate buffet. The chef was very accommodating since I asked for egg whites for my omelet and add lump crab, mozzarella and mushroom. Wow good! The buffet was nice but did not feel it was worth the $ 19+. The potatoes were a blend of 4 – 5 different potatoes. Very tasty. Marion and Cliff were our wait staff and was very accommodating on our various breakfast/​afternoon snacks.

Service is shit. I wouldn’t even give it one star if I could.
They were so rude to us and we were Asians.

Two stars for a great view. Cannot award any additional stars due to pedestrian wine, high prices, indifferent service and sparse selection. Will upgrade this if the food is any good but the menu…

Let me start by saying that I just had the most lovely valentines day ever. My boyfriend chose this place at random when I gave him the okay to plan our valentines day. We got there and immediately upon walking into the hotel (the restaurant is on the 2^nd floor of royal sonesta) we were having doors held for us, nice greetings etc. we got upstairs and the restaurant manager found our reservation right away, grabbed our coats for us and hung them, and seated us even though we were 45 minutes early. The place is so elegant and beautiful. I had the lobster bisque, braised short ribs, and chocolate pyramid. We did the valentines day special. My boyfriend got the salmon, and chambord strawberries. Everything from service, to the feel in the room, to the food was just perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better night. I highly recommend you take your lady here if you want her to feel like a princess because I definitely can’t stop smiling. OUTSTANDING! I’d rate ten stars if I could!

Amazing food, but service not equal to the cuisine. I travel a lot for business, and I really like the ambiance and food at the Explorer’s Club. Tonight I had a green salad with green beans, artichoke hearts, and fresh baby carrots, with a warm vinaigrette, followed by a wonderful crab cake (nearly all crab and perfectly cooked), cole slaw that meets my very high Southern belle standard, and pomme frites with thyme. All very tasty! The problem was the lackadaisical service: perpetually empty water glass, no bread offered (although the table next door had a bread basket, and I had a bread plate that was never removed), and thoughtless table service: my empty salad plate was removed, but the small bowl of salad dressing remained until I requested that it and the bread plate be removed. The final joke was that my bill was wrong (in my favor), and the waiter’s only comment was «Thank you for being so honest.» How about «Can I get you some bread to go?» Lol! I recommend waiter training to go with the excellent food and hotel prices.

(2÷20÷2014) Went for Restaurant Week to try out the Explorers Lounge at the Harbor Court Hotel. The feel is decidedly too rich for your blood. Prices are steep, best come at happy hour for $ 5 wine/​$ 4 beers/​half-​off apps. The service seemed overwhelmed by the number of people dining-​in, and mentioned that they’re not used to being that busy; started off attentive, ended up having to get up and flag someone down at the bar for our desserts and check.
Started with a few apps to share: Truffle Fries (earthy, crispy, shoestring white potato); Wild Mushroom Arancini (tart-​creamy with goat cheese, savory, deep-​fried to a crunchy dark brown); Harbor Court Honey Wings (deep-​fried crunchy large wings with a dunk in a slightly spicy sticky sweet and savory sauce, like Korean fried chicken), «the best I’ve ever had» remarked one of our diners.
The Spiced Pear Salad came with a warm savory tart of Saga Blue Cheese frisee, chicory, walnuts, and a sweet-​tart red wine vinaigrette, really nice mix of warm fruit and «meaty» cheese with the cool crisp bitter lettuces. Honey Braised Shortribs were meaty and fork-​tender, cannellini toothsome and flavorful, soaking up the meat juices. Braised Lamb Shank was a large bone-​in portion, savory, herb-​scented jus. I personally could’ve done without the Sweet Potato Gnocchi (but I’m not a gnocchi fan, in general, those gummy dough balls). Desserts were serviceable, very sweet, not much by way of subtle. If you need an after dinner sweet, they fit the bill.
We’ll be back to get our Out of Africa on with discounted libations and small plates. Probably the closest we’ll get to the Ngong Hills.

Delicious food. Maybe a little pricey but that is hotel food for you! The sweet potato fries were dreamy.

I wanted to go to dinner somewhere else outside the hotel. We just flew in and my wife said she’s too tired. Ok, whatever. All I can say is wow. FANTASTIC! What great food… and so unexpected. Try it. You’ll like it!

Just finishing a wonderful dinner at the Explorer’s Lounge. To be honest, I’m hotel-​bound as I’m staying here for a conference and didn’t feel like venturing farther. But what a pleasant surprise!
I ordered the beef tenderloin with spinach instead of potatoes. It was done to perfection. Beef tender and tasty — not too much sauce. Spinach perfect — sauteed with garlic and olive oil — probably a bit of butter in there. but not so much that I couldn’t overlook it… it was divine.
Above and beyond the food — this restaurant has character. Forget the harbor view. It’s all well and good, but a major street lies between you and the view. Focus on the interior instead… warm oriental rugs cover the dark marble floor. A floor-​to-​ceiling bookcase lines one wall. On that same side, the dining area, couches are interspersed with tables. It’s a cozy feel and the lighting is just right. Curios on tables and bookshelves apparently from far-​away places. Rich drapes. Dimmed halogens complemented by table lamps. A not-​too-​big room… cozy in fact.
On the other side of the room, a bar to add some flavor.
Service? Fine. Not anything over the top. Attentive, no more.
The only drawback? The music. For instance, Fatboy Slim’s Rockerfella Skank is playing now. «Wha?» you say? Exactly. But that was a bit of an anomaly. Now we’re on to a smoother jazz vibe. I’m sure if the music strayed while you were here you could set them back on track with a word to the staff.
I’d come here again, even if I wasn’t staying at the hotel. And probably again. And again.

Dreadful, soulless, over priced typical hell hole of a hotel bar. Why do people put up with this? $ 16 for one drink?

Dust off the pith helmet, and you will get the Abercrombie and Kent royal treatment at this clubby safari themed hotel bar. Transport yourself to a hunting lodge on the Dark Continent with the huge hand painted murals of monkeys and big cats, private nooks with leather furniture, a roaring fire, and a piano player or jazz trio. Daydream over some of the best views of the harbor in the city.
Take a culinary tour of globally inspired bar food with African merguez sausage, Caribean conch fritters, Venezuelan arepas, Asian satay, and default to solid Merlin crab cakes. $ 13 buys you ½ dozen local oysters, a glass of champagne, and a charitable donation to the Chesapeake oyster restoration project. The Harbor Court is the best hotel in the city, has valet parking, and this is the most sophisticated hotel bar in Baltimore. The Explorer’s Lounge is a destination where Teddy Roosevelt would «get drunk not infrequently.»