Helen's Garden

Right on O'Donnell Square, Helen's Garden is a local institution. Once you travel through the very narrow front entrance hallway, you will enter into the restaurant, which is housed in what appears to be two converted townhouses (avoid the attic room if you can in summer because it can be quite hot). The cuisine is eclectic, mostly American with a wide range of options including several vegetarian choices. Wine and beer are served as well as delicious desserts. Of course, if you have appetizers, drinks, and desserts, any restaurant can add up. But it's still quite a steal. Wednesdays several of the entrees are offered for less than $14 each. Good specials include Greek chicken, Black and Bleu salad, Pork Chops, and Catfish. Note: Parking can be a challenge in O'Donnell Square. more

The biggest reason why I love this place so much is more about the atmosphere than the food, although that is tasty too. But the service is lovely, the place is small, quaint and comfortable, and the food choice is surprisingly different. I went with my mum, sis and grandma for a mothers day brunch and it was a perfect place for that. It can be a great place for a nice brunch on a warm day, and it can be a great place for a romantic evening with your sweetie. For food I got mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil on olive bread. The bread was a little too crispy for me, but the filling was delicious. It came with a yummy leafy salad. For an appetizer we ordered spinach, gorgonzola and artichoke dip--HEAVENLY AND CREAMY. They also had an appetizer of fresh fruits and cheeses, which I want to try next time. They have a huge cocktail and wine list, and apparently have great specials throughout the week, also boasting the longest happy hour in Baltimore (11:30am-8pm). The desserts made me happy in my heart. We got a chocolate truffle cake, which had a big truffle on top of it, and it was the most decadent and rich cake. We also ordered a white chocolate marzipan cake, which was a good match with our chocolate cake because it seemed a little more light and airy. It was really delicious and was topped with a few berries that worked well with the marzipan. I am so happy with this place I want to just tell everyone to go there. They also display local artwork, and some of them were reaaally cool. I LOVE THIS PLACE, PLEASE GO THERE. more