Nina’s Espresso Bar

Nina is such a sweet character! The Vegetable Ramyun was exactly what I was craving with the right amount of spice. The kimchi was on point (probably homemade) and my friend enjoyed her Tofu Teriyaki. though I thought there could have been some stiry fry veggies instead of a basic salad on the side. The atmosphere is clean and pleasant, prices are reasonable. Service is good, and the place can actually seat a lot of people. For an «expresso bar» the menu has such a wide selection from just coffee shop items, house baked goods, and many authentic korean dishes! Will definitely be back again.

Yummy little Korean/​American carry-​out espresso bar right at edge of downtown/​Mt Vernon. Everything from bulgogi to kimchee soup to cheesesteak to blueberry muffins and excellent latte! Served up by a spunky and friendly lady (Nina?) at front counter. Has neighborhood vibe– regulars walk in all time, have nice chat with Nina. Food spot in– bulgogi sweet and tender, espresso strong and rich, kimchee salty and spicy, muffins fresh and tender… Mmmmmmm

i had tofu for the first time ever from here and no tofu has been able to compare. i started with the best and now the rest of the world will be lackluster; it’s tragic
(buy some tofu from here)

We got the appolo chicken and spicy salmon. Great sized servings with rice and a salad. Perfect for a snack or lunch. We brought our baby in and the owner loved her and held her and showed her off to other guests which were mainly regulars. Great food and service. The latte we
Got was awesome. I’ll definitely go back again.

I love their kimchi fried rice and the lady always offers to give us extra rice, which is always a good thing! It’s kinda pricey though, for fried rice… But I still come here often to satisfy my Asian food cravings which I don’t feel like cooking. service is kinda slow, so just be prepared to wait a while for your food.

This place has a carry-​out option, and their bulgogi is actually seasoned quite well and tasty. More meat and less rice would be perfect. The kimchi fried rice with bits of beef is quite spicy (more spicy than the usual), and with that also, more meat should be included. The miso soup is your standard miso soup, and supposedly, their chicken teriyaki is a hit. If you’re craving for Korean food near the Towson’s campus, this place is to go.

The food is good but a bit overpriced. The proprietor is very friendly, though, and remembers the regulars. Very convenient to the local businesses. You can get take out or eat in, and there’s a big variety — from Korean dishes to breakfast specials, and of course espresso. I’ve never tried to coffee drinks, though.

The food is not good, only gets business because it’s convenient. Owner is rude — walk a couple blocks to somewhere else on your lunch break.

This is a small neighborhood restaurant on the corner of the Waterloo apartments run by a nice Korean lady. I’ve tried some of the Korean dishes like the spicy pork, spicy beef, and the sondobo, which cost around $ 10 each and come with rice and salad. It’s nothing special, but it’s the only restaurant in the Mt. Vernon area that serves decent Korean food. Service is fast and there are several other types of food from sandwiches to breakfast food that I haven’t tried.
Note, the place is only open on weekdays until around 7 pm since it mostly targets the lunch hour when city and baltimore sun workers need a meal so it’s inconvenient if you live in Mt. Vernon but don’t work there.

The iced americano is spot-​on! With all the food around, you may forget that it’s an «Espresso Bar» but definitely try the coffee. All pure coffee goodness! Americanos at Starbucks is sometimes hit or miss but this is a definitely hit. The Japchae set was decent but definitely could do better in terms of its serving.

This is down the street from where I live. It is often my go-​to place for Korean food when I do not feel like driving. The food is good, not amazing, but the it always hits the spot. Its almost 4 star worthy, but the portions are small-​ish and it closes early at 7PM.
Good stuff I have had here include the kimchi fried rice (something I get frequently), bugolgi, spicy pork, and a handful of the other «spicy…» dishes.
The ramyun is not worth paying for though. Its $ 7 and tastes just like shin ramyun (dried noodles from a packet).
I would definitely recommend this place if you’re close by and craving asian/​korean food.

Checked into this lunch joint frequented by weary Baltimore Sun staff and the Old Line State’s weary government employees.
The owner, who is often manning the register, is nice and welcoming and if you get carry out, the food is lowered from the 2^nd floor kitchen to the counter via rope and basket which is always a fun way to get your lunch, whether you are in Mount Vernon or at the bottom of a well.
The grub itself is fine and I have been here twice, but I just don’t think it matches the cost. This area is no food desert and I am loathe to drop $ 9 for a (good) tuna sandwich.
I also tried the bulgogi over rice, and though tasty, was overcooked and was 4 parts rice to 1 part beef.
All in all, you could do a lot worse, but when it comes to lunch options in the Mount, you could also do better.

Nina’s espresso is a neat experience. They have a range of foods from Asian to American cuisine. The layout of the bar is neat, it’s the first restaurant I have found with an order elevator, once you have placed your order they put it in a basket attached to a string and up it goes to the second floor cook staff. You don’t expect much of the food when you see it’s an «espresso bar» but boy was I surprised, not only was the coffee better than the coffee bar chains (I had a very tasty mocha), the food was excellent too. Nina’s has an eclectic mix of foods, beyond all the sandwiches one could want for lunch they also have a range of Asian dishes as well. a great stop for lunch.

Nina’s may be listed as a coffee shop, but it is much more. The food for lunch and dinner is portioned well, priced well, but most importantly tastes good. The bulgoki taco, which most folks would call a burrito is an amazing fusion of Korean and pseudo Mexican. The spicy tofu is coated in a light crispy glaze, and combines spicy heat and delicate flavor. The side salad is nothing special, but tastes fresh. For a good quality lunch or dinner, Nina’s is hard to beat, just get there before 7pm.

Went to a show at Centerstage had time to kill, took a walk the street down and found this spot. The employee greeted us with the biggest smile and was helpful with the menu. Per her suggestion I tried the salmon. The salmon here is the best! I know a coffee, tea spot but it so good. I mean the food here is great but try the salmon!
there is a upstairs with tables and chairs and a sofa. the staff is friendly… try the salmon!

In and out. Today was a good, fast and quick day. Place an order over the phone while I went to my rental office not too far away and guess what? Can you say my order was ready when I got there even though it was during the busy lunch hour. I went in and there was one customer ahead of me for pick up and one behind me that had eaten in. Great job on the time Nina’s

(10/​01/​2012) Got a really nice chewy chap chae with plenty of fresh stir-​fried veg, well-​seasoned marinated beef, and shiitake mushrooms; lightly sauced, sweet and nutty with toasted sesame oil. Dumplings are homemade with a pork mix filling, crisped and hot, served with a full-​salt soy. A new addition to the menu is the Pad Thai (with beef, tofu, chicken, or shriimp); tasty, lots of peanuts and fresh, crisp bean sprouts, scrambled egg, light on the other components you expect from the Thai palate like the sour and salty (fish sauce), heavy on the sweet. The wait for food depends on how busy they are, can be very long if the place is full or snappy when they’re empty.

2 words: Bulgogi Tacos.

There I was, wandering down Calvert Street thinking that I wouldn’t have time or a place to get any kind of food. Out of nowhere, like a genie popping out of a bottle I found, out comes Nina’s Espresso Bar. So, I was thinking… I won’t eat, but at least I can get a coffee before I hit up the Rivals at Centerstage for the 7pm show.
I walk into this magical little shop, and am immediately drawn to the chalkboard listing all of their food. Quite a selection of Korean food. My brother and I are always shopping for good Korean. Nina herself sitting at the front desk tells me to try this and that… which all sounded tempting, but I can’t take my eyes off of Bulgoki Tacos. I order them up, and am treated to some of the best tacos and best bulgoki meat I have ever had. How have I missed this place!
I never even tried the coffee btw, but I am sure it is great too. I will definitely be heading this way too… unless it was all a dream afterall!

It was a cold, cold day and I got a delicious bowl of veggie ramyun soup along with a great cup of coffee. Nice, friendly people and a cozy couch to spread out on. Thanks, guys!