Is Ze Mean Bean one of Baltimore's best restaurants? Not nyiet. Ze Mean Bean, perhaps Baltimore's only Russian restaurant, does, however, have a lot going for it, including both its originality and quality. This is one of the few cozy little offbeat retreats that Baltimore does best. Even the name is unusual.
Set back from bar hopping Broadway in Fell's Point, you'd never find this cute little enclave if you weren't looking for it. Yet, complete with its warm, festive and quirky coffeehouse atmosphere, it is worth searching for.
Ze Mean Bean was once a dark coffeehouse, but over the past few years it has undergone a massive transformation. A tiny, grimy coffee joint no more, Ze Mean Bean has expanded into a full restaurant, offering full menus, tablecloths, sophisticated d??cor and even more sophisticated fare. Patrons can also appreciate well-chosen jazz, real books on real bookshelves, a somewhat Bohemian-looking clientele, hip stenciling on the concrete floor and, later in the evening, decent live music.
Ze Mean Bean offers great, hearty upscale Eastern European food that you will not easily find elsewhere. Start with the dill-scented, potato-filled pierogi -- full, plump and delicious -- and move onto any dish of your choosing. The sauces are rich, extremely rich, so make sure your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach.
The chicken Kiev is not to missed, as is the borscht, a thin beet soup with sour cream. Buckwheat blinchikas, stuffed with mushrooms and topped with red-pepper sauce, are also a unique choice. Or perhaps, delicious holupki, spicy tomato-sauced, beef-filled cabbage rolls, for the similarily adventurous.
Although the menu is solid, the real focus is still on what Ze Mean Bean used to be, an endearing little coffeehouse wedged down in Fells Point.
Don't be fooled by all the recent change. Ze Mean Bean tangible ambiance is still its biggest draw. Walk in the door and one word comes to mind -- cozy. The couch is soft, the tables are small and intimate, all is lit by the warm glow of candles (and, in the winter, a fire in the fireplace), and the dress code is casual. There is no better time to capitalize on all this coziness than right now. This is a great place to stay warm during the Holiday season.
On Sundays, this cute little hideaway serves up one of the best brunches in Baltimore. Great live music helps to make your experience truly satisfying, though to hear this groovy local jazz, Celtic, and folk you'll need to make a reservation downstairs, where the real action's at. I didn't have this foresight and subsequently got stuck on the second floor, which was comparatively bare and empty.
That said, a reservation is a must here. On my visit, I waited at least 20 minutes on only a relatively busy Saturday night. Furthermore, it took us close to three hours to slog through dinner making an already quiet evening with my mother that much more so.
The prices at Ze Mean Bean are reasonable, but not cheap. If you want the full experience of Ze Mean Bean without the cost, visit for a relaxing cup of fresh coffee and choose from an assortment of bread pudding, pastries, cakes and other treats carefully served up by the pleasant staff. Perhaps the most interesting choice is a homemade Belgian waffle ? la mode, which is somewhat out of place but still works. And really, you're not losing anything by forgoing the whole meal. The coffee, named the Best in Baltimore by this year's City Paper, is still the star of the show and the desserts are fabulous.
Ze Mean Bean is really a refuge. Once you're here you'll feel like it's more like Paris that Baltimore (or Eastern Europe, for that matter). It's truly a pleasure to savor the full-flavored coffee in this cozy abode on a chilly night, jazz playing in the background.
Although, Ze Mean Bean Caf?? still has a ways to go in competing with Baltimore's traditionally powerhouse upscale, the seafood restaurants, the real allure lies in the fact that's it's off the beaten path. It is ze place to be on a chilly Baltimore night.
