Golden West Cafe

Creative menu awesome food. Must stop in if you're on the ave more

Our experience pretty much mirrored the experience of the last few reviewers. Numerous empty tables while we waited - I'm not kidding - an hour with two small children. The staff does not care. They are too entranced with their own Hampden-chic tattoo-laden and overly pierced bodies that they find it hard to concentrate on the very basic job of seating and serving customers. A surly hostess looks vacantly at you when you come in the door and tells you about the 30 minute wait. An hour later tables are empty and we are still waiting. Grumpy servers amble to and from the kitchen serving food that is as unremarkable as it is pretentious. At one time, this restaurant deserved high marks for its food and interesting atmosphere. But success has made it lazy and in-your-face rude. Won't be back and will tell my friends. more

This place is awful. I don't understand why it seems to be so popular. My wife and I were visiting our son and daughter-in-law in Baltimore. He likes this place so he took us there. When we arrived we saw a table for four right in front that was unoccupied. We were told that the wait would be 25 minutes. When our wait was over, the snotty host took us to the empty table. I asked why we had to wait 25 miutes to be seated in a table that was already empty and he told us that it was to give the servers a chance to catch up. I guess it was to catch up on their sleep because the service is horrible. When our server finally arrived to take our order, I had a simple request: I anted the chicken fajitas withotu the pesto sauce that is laddled over it. The server told me substitutions aren't allowed. This was not a substitution, I wanted the sauce left off. I was told no, the chef will not allow it. You can't have your food the way you want it, you have to have it the way the chef wants you to. I wasn't being unreasonable, just don't put the darn sauce on it. I settled on the ""Braised beef short-rib stew"" which had no meat in it. It was awful. My wife's burrito was so spict it was inedible. She asked for some sour cream to be brought to the table so she could maybe cut the spice of it. The server wasn't happy with that request because that is not on the menu for the burrito. The place is trying to hard to be ""hip"" and if this is their idea of how to do it, the hipsters must have very low standards. This place is dreadful. more

went when restaurant was half packed and was told that there will be a 20 minute sit time....with empty seats visible. did not get it at first, so i was like well let me just head on back to good old fell's point (home). on way called the restaurant and asked if i could get to take my food to go. was told yes and i ordered the drew special (vegan). turned back and went to the restaurant and the same racially challenged hostessl told me that ""we do not take orders to go"". i got vexed and stated that i had just called and placed my order. then another lady overheard me while she was standing by the kitchen hall and asked what the problem was. she proceeded to tell me that they will make my food and that i will have to wait. so i sat on their crunchy benches seeing all the caucasians walking in being greeted with smiles and even saw one dude being waited on who was alone and was not told of the waiting time by the same old racially challenged hostess. finally my food came and the racially challenged hostess brought it to me. but i freaked out and on my way out i threw it coz i was like highly doubtful of the integrity of my food. i encourage all minorities to avoid or abort supporting such establishments. i also encourage all positive souls who are not minorities to avoid that place. one love. Pros: vegan selections Cons: ethnic profiling more

We went to Golden West Cafe one weekday for lunch and had the worst service (we?ve been going there since they were a hole in the wall). We arrived before noon specifically because we have a 2-1/2 year old and wanted to avoid a long wait and the subsequent toddler meltdown. We were seated and our orders were taken quickly enough but we sat for more than 45 minutes waiting while other tables were getting their food (our waiter apparently forgot to enter our order into the system). He apologized repeatedly but offered no comps and would not answer a direct question as to how soon our food was coming. Finally we left before our food arrived. My son had the predicted meltdown as we were leaving. I wrote the restaurant with my complaints but very surprisingly, they did not deign to respond. Ever since they moved to the bigger place, service has been poor and the food quality has steadily gone downhill. Never going there again. Pros: food's ok Cons: service is bad, bad, bad more

The food here is wonderful and afforable and the atmosphere is tops. Yes, I have hear that things aren't the same there as they used to be, but it is a great place to go for a burrioto or burger and the salads are excellent. Skip drinks here and go to the Dogwood if you are interested in cocktails, however. There liquor drinks leave something to be desired: liquor. Pros: Interesting menu, fantastic appetizers for the college student taste Cons: Can be crazy loud on weekends more

I love everything about this Hampden Tex-Mex joint. Favorites include Carne Adovado Breakfast Polenta and... more

I love everything about this Hampden Tex-Mex joint. Favorites include Carne Adovado Breakfast Polenta and Pittsburgh (yes Pittsburgh) Steak Salad ... more

Golden West has a lot going for it, but also a few shortcomings. (Despite Citysearch's claims, they don't serve ""South American"" food; they serve American food with Southwestern influences - imagine a typical diner/cafe menu where ingredients like beans, huevos rancheros, and avocado play a larger-than-usual role.) I've had brunch and dinner there several times, and it's always been very good. The portions are generous, especially for brunch, and vegetarian options abound. The atmosphere is comfortable, casual, and unique; the clintele is split about evenly between young hipsters and whitebread nuclear families. (Go figure.) In fact, it's just about perfect...as long as you're not in a hurry. If they're busy (and they're always busy), you'll probably have to wait at least a few minutes for a table (but they do have comfortable couches to sit on while you wait). The staff is friendly and, as far as I can tell, well-meaning, but they're disorganized and a little spacey - you'll probably end up getting whatever you ask for, but don't expect to be doted on. Overall, quite a nice little place, but best avoided by the impatient. Pros: Top-notch diner-style food with a twist; comfortable, casual atmosphere Cons: Often crowded and slow more

This place is tragic: it could be one of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore, based on its fun, eclectic, and cheap menu, but the service is purely amateur hour. Each time I've been, one of the basic rules of waiting has been broken spectacularly--not being offered a drink for 15 minutes, never seeing the wait person, etc. Most recently, I waited 50 minutes for my food, only to have the wrong order brought to me. The waitress explained that someone helped run her food, and they gave my plate to a different customer, who promptly ate it (they were probably waiting as long as I was). Based on the consistent frustration factor, I'll probably never go back. Management, if you're reading: hire more help, and train them, or get used to mediocrity. Pros: Good food, Amusing atmosphere Cons: Frustrating service more

This place has great, casual food with a variety of flavors. Try the garlic fries or the tator tots! I always love eating here! Pros: Good food Cons: There can be a wait more

the food is great, the ambiance is nice, and it's always packed, but they are always out of something here (be it beverages, key ingredients, or entire entrees), and the chef refuses to serve substitutions if they are out of something, so you;re usually forced to order something else. service is iffy at best--waitstaff is slow & forgetful, and once you get your food, you rarely see them again. food often arrives ice cold. staff seems bothered if you ask them for things they forget, like silverware, and they're unwelcoming to guests. the only reason to go back is the garlic fries, which are the best i've ever had. if you're lucky enough to be able to order what you want on the menu without them being out of it, and have it served timely and hot, you're in for a treat--but that rarely happens. Pros: good food, nice ambiance, inexpensive Cons: , unfriendly wait staff, bad service more

fun venue. good and eclectic food. great decor. waits have never been too atrocious so far. the waitstaff can be a little spacey, but ultimately yum. banana pancakes with coconut syrup is fantastic Pros: decor, banana pancakes Cons: cramped, forgetful waitstaff more