Restaurant Review (Mama's on the Half Shell)

Mama's on the Half Shell
2901 Odonnell St
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 276-3160

I went out Friday night with a friend to Mama's. We waited about 30 minutes in the bar for our table. Talking to all the interesting characters in the bar, and drinking Orange Crushes (pinnacle vodka, triple sec and fresh squeezed orange juice over crushed ice) Very Tasty. Once seated outside at our table had a very attentive server named Brian, a true local who has worked at Mama's on the Half Shell for 7 years and everyone knows and loves him. His service is the best I've had in years. I would recommend getting seated in his section. The recommendations, stories and attention to details were impeccable.

The salad was simple and well dressed in a light sweet balsamic and maple dressing. My friend had the fresh catch a pan seared rockfish with a bur blanc sauce and a side of macaroni and cheese. Creamy and crispy on the top of the dish and gooey on the bottom. The fish was buttery and flakey, perfectly cooked.

I had a medium rare NY strip steak with a tomato based steak sauce and French fry cut Peruvian purple potatoes, that looked to be tossed in oil and fresh herbs. My steak was mouth watering, tender and cooked perfectly. The first batch of potatoes was burnt. My server Brian got another batch that was cooked correctly. I still had an issue with these potatoes; it seemed to be a comp out coming from the chef. A French fry cut and deep fried purple potato is a just a bad choice. I will look black. There were so many things the chef could have been done: Roasted, Pureed, Mashed, And Smashed. Anything!!! Purple potatoes are not common place. Show them off!

I spoke to the bartender, server, and manager, over the course of our evening there. Everyone puts customer service and hospitality first, in this busy bar and restaurant. I would highly recommend this location and anything your server recommends.

Rant (Customer Service)

Where has all the customer service gone? The food service industry is a hospitality industry this seems to be forgotten by some employees and establishments. I have been eating out a lot lately (maybe writing a food blog has something to do with it) and some service has been amazing and others downright brutal.

I do have varying levels of expectations when I go out. I am trained as a chef/pastry chef. My eyes catch more than most others, because I have had many years of training in that field (from quality of service, timeliness, to sanitation). My varying levels of expectations do change when I'm at a fast food joint verse a buffet verse a fine dining establishment as they should. But customer service and hospitality are basics and they need to be taught and done well.

Today, I stopped at a mid-priced modern bistro in Baltimore for lunch. I had horrible service and requested from the server that the cook come out from the kitchen. The same cook who had cooked my very delicious and well plated meal. I then proceeded to tip the cook right in front of my server. You know the server won't hear the end that for a while. Maybe his service will improve.

I will go to a place with great food and terrible service a few times but I will not go to a place with terrible food and great service more than once. Just remember everything matters in the food service industry and if something bad happens people will tell ten friends (or write a blog about it) if something good happens they only will tell two or three people about their experience unless it was amazing.

So servers, hosts, managers, and owners be nice to your customers, show some hospitality, and the tips and shifts will probably look a little nicer that way.