On my way to the new Blue Hill Tavern last night, I felt like I was going to see a movie that everyone has lauded as Oscar-worthy. I’ve heard from a number of different people that the food is impeccable, the drinks are a lot of fun, and the space is just downright beautiful. So I was bound to be disappointed, right?
Wrong.
Even pulling up to the new Brewer’s Hill restaurant (with free valet parking, no less) made me feel like I was going to a restaurant in Miami Beach. With its soaring wooden panels, snazzy neon lights, and outside plants galore, Blue Hill Tavern is hard to miss along Conkling Street.
The inside is just as striking. The restaurant is definitely serious about their blue theme, with the cool color accented through the entire place. There’s also a cascading waterfall behind the downstairs bar for some added effect. We dined on the balcony off of the second floor, which doesn’t overlook much except Mr. Boh himself.
The drinks we got were refreshing and good for a summer night. The blue hill margarita martini was shaken and poured right at our table (a vibrant blue, of course). The white sangria was light and citrus-y, topped with peaches, apples, and pears. The mojito was classic—kind of hard to screw that one up.
The menu selection was definitely a little pricey, unless you’re sticking with salads or their burger (which was delicious, came with fries, and only clocked in at $12). But entrees averaged around $25, definitely way above my price range. I think this place’s biggest challenge will be to retain regulars that will keep coming back and paying such steep prices.
But, for a Thursday night, the place was packed so maybe I’m underestimating the budgets of Baltimore diners. If nothing else, you should definitely check out Blue Hill for its stunning design and great drink selection.