Mama's On The Half Shell

I have been to this place twice. Once with my friend and the second time with my family and a friend. The first time I went, I was not impressed with the food at all and was not planning to go back, as the food was dry and bland. The second time I went was because it was Easter Sunday and a lot of places were closed so we did not have many options - especially as we had an 8-month old baby with us. The place was half-empty. We decided to go to the second floor and there were one or two tables occupied. We sat at a table that accommodates 4 people and took out one of the chairs to fit the stroller (the stroller is very small) in. The hostess, Jenna, came and complained that the stroller was ""in the way"". We showed her that the stroller did not take more space than a large person sitting in the same spot, but she then said that it was ""blocking the way to the table behind it"". We told her that the table was empty, and that we would be happy to move if somebody came to sit there and that there were many other tables open. But she refused to accommodate us at all, and was not even in the least apologetic about it. That is something you would at least expect at a half-decent restaurant, which this one obviously is not. After they kicked us out with our baby, we asked to see the manager. We called Sarah, who is one of the waiters and she found all kind of excuses for not getting the manager. Another waiter came and asked if he could ""help"" us and we explained that we wanted to talk to the manager. He got upset and walked away - how professional! If you have kids, please stay as far away as possible. There are plenty of good bars and restaurants in Canton that will happily accommodate you. That place is awful, bad food, and bad service. I will tell everyone I know exactly that. more

my husband and i wanted to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary ato we deceided to go to MOTHS, since we like their crab cakes, after ordering the crab cakes mine was so spicy i couldn't eat it, someone over spiced our batch, i asked the manager Rich if i could exchange it since it brought tears to my eyes and made my nose run, he comment ""NO we are not in a franchise resturant and we don't do refunds"", he laughted at us like we were idots, the man has NO customer service or he doesn't value customers, all he wants is get them in and get the out and pick up the $$$, EXTREMELY disappointed in the place, i will make it my mission in life to tell everyone i meet not to go to MOTHS in canton. its a lost cause. i hope the manager gets food poision... ^j^ more

went to this resturant for the first time today ,me and my family for my daughters 32nd birthday,i ordered stuffshrimp when i recieved my meal i tasted it and realize it was to salty for me to eat i have high blood pressure and also had heart surgery in 2008,i asked the young lady could she take it back and bring me grilled chicken,she came back and told me that the manager said could someone else at the table eat it because he wasn't taking it off the menu,i asked to speak withhim to explain why i couldn't eat this meal ,,he was so very nasty,told me it wasn't his problem that i ordered something that i could not eat and i shouldn't have ordered it being a cook myself i explained to him that it was to salty ,again he stated we do not use salt so you shouldn't have ordered it,but i let him know maybe no salt but lot's of obay which caused it to be salty,this person i won't even call him a gentlemen because he didn't act accordingly was very nasty and obnoxious spoiled my daughters whole birthday lunch because everyone lost their appetites because of his behavior and rudeness but the waitress we had was very sweet and apologetic ,i paid for my gingerale nothing else tip'd her very well and left never to return.I wonder if he would of prefered to pay for my ER visit? more

I had been to this restaurant around 2 years ago and had an enjoyable experience with great food. This time i came with a party of 6 on time for dinner on a tuesday night. Everything was fine but one of our group members came a half our late. We had already eaten our appetizers and ordered drinks and our entrees. It was nice to have everything come promptly and on time. But then right before our 6th member arrived the waiter said he could not order any entrees and could only eat the soup or salad because he came too late into the group. This place gets crowded so its like they are rushing you. The waiter didn't offer any desert or coffee later more

We had reservations at 5:45 p.m. and were seated promptly. Too bad the server didn't serve us promptly. We waited 11 minutes for the server to get our drink order. After reviewing the menu and making a decision about the food, we were not able to get the server back to our table. She ignored our pleas for service. Once she finally arrived to take our order, we ordered appetizers and dinners at the same time. Another long wait; then someone showed up with crackers and cheese. We asked about the appetizers but didn't get an answer. Instead the original server showed up with our dinners. She immediately asked about the appetizers and whipped our dinners back to the kitchen to find out what had happened. Starved by then, we went after her to retrieve our food. We received an apology about the appetizers but didn't get a good explaination about what happened to them. The food was not as good as usual. You can count me as a former customer left with a bad taste in his mouth. more

On 12/3/10 I took my mother to lunch (12:05 pm) at this establishment and thought I would be visiting a familiar place as we have dined for lunch numerous times over the past 3 years. I could never have been more wrong! To enjoy the meal I wanted to sit by the window upstairs overlooking the street (Linwood Ave.). It seems additional tables have been added with no thought to square footage expansion. I did not appreciate being told by some unprofessional ""kid"" host that I could not sit at a table for 4 during the lunch hour because those tables needed to be reserved for larger parties (when I saw parties of 2 seated at a table for 4 when we were exiting). This was ridiculous! I never had a problem sitting at a table of choice before. In an economy like the present restaurants should let a patron sit wherever they want to sit and be happy for the business. Before we could even get our coats off and situated at an undesireable table, crammed against the wall beside a group of loud and abnoxious guys, the host asked if he could get our drinks. Someone needs to train the staff in being a waiter, servicing dirty tables, and distrbuting ""clean"" utensils. Let us get our coats off first!!!! I have never had such an awful experience with service. The waitress never told us her name and had to shout when taking our order due to the loud bunch at the next table. This experience was just a mood breaker. Not to mention the food (Crab Dip, appetizer and Seafood Club, entree) tasted better a year ago. Just an unprofessional expereince all around and not worth the drive and $49.00 bill. If anyone is looking for a nice restaurant in this area, don't go to this one. They have changed and not for the better!!!!!! more

Arrived right at lunch time,, lots of customers and filed tables. Greeted and seated quickly. Food portions were HUGE and delivered to the table with a smile. Everything we had, from soup to salads to sandwiches were delicious and fresh. Our drinks never got empty,,, Matthew the bartender/waiter, was on top of it all. He inquired if our food/apps were tasty. This establishment is well run and is a must if you are in the Baltimore area. Food is delicious but more importantly, you feel like you are at home with the friendly service. Scunny, the manager, was on top of it all. We only wish there was a Mama's in our town!!! Pros: Quick service. Yummy food and huge portions. more

I have been eating lunch and an occasional dinner at Mamas for the past 4 years or so and feel I need to write a review. The food: some of the best ""Baltimore"" stylings that you could have. A crab cake to die for, Mac and cheese that my 7 yer old calls the best Mac and chees around and salads and drinks that are just great and plentiful. The Tuna Tar tare is a family favorite reminiscent of the best sushi restaurants in the city. What makes this place so good beyond the food and value is the service and management. I started out as a customer and truly feel like I belong here. LIke the song says everybody knows your name. Scunni, the erstwhile ""Mayor"" of Canton is here to please. The staff equally so and they take pride in what they serve and all of their guests. Fish and Chips Mate??? Oh My Cod! (sorry for the pun) It as if they are serving Moby Dick with Fries. I mean come at night for the incredibley delicious Cheese and crackers or for lunch but do come and if you are an out of town guest, ask for the Orange Crush! Pros: Value and Quality for the money Cons: Busy at times more

It's a charming little spot. Full of live Atmosphere. The Food is outstanding. Being a cater I am no critical of food, I could not find one flaw in this place. The Food was beyond great. That macaroni and cheese is to die for. I have never tasted a cesar dressing with such a lasting flavor. Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere, View Cons: If you are inpatient not really the spot for you more

My wife and I recently paid our second visit to Mama's and there could not have been a more pleasant place to toast her happy last appointment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. We chose a quiet corner in the late Fall afternoon by the fireplace with a view of Canton Square. Our server was quietly charming and accommodating. My wife shared my unbelievably heaping bowl of delcious Prince Edward Island Mussels in white wine, herb & garlic sauce, served with fresh baked bread. We sopped ALL of the sauce! She also sampled the best crab cake we have ever tasted. We live on the beach at the southern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk, and know our crab. Her shrimp Caesar salad was perfect, with properly wilted Romaine lettuce, delicate Caesar dressing with shredded cheese, and crunchy croutons. The shrimp were perfectly grilled. We enjoyed our annual visits to Baltimore for 5 years, and Mama's gave us a wonderful last memory. Pros: Seafood, unique character, large portions, reasonable prices Cons: None experienced more

I went two weeks ago with a group of friends..seven of us. They start you off with cheese and crackers. sSeveral of us orderd the crab cake, garden salad with the dressing, and mac-n-cheese. It was great! I cleared my plate. The drink of Malibu Rum and pineapple juice..needs more rum..but in a nice size glass. I enjoyed the atmosphere..steep steps and small restaurant, but overall great atmosphere. I enjoyed myself last week, that I returned the following week with a friend. She ordered the fried shrimp..they were huge and delicious! I would highly recommend this restaurants..the prices are great and reasonable. I cannot wait for my family to visit to entertain them there for dinner. Great place...worth trying..be your own judge. Just be prepared to drive around to park..let a someone out to put you on the waiting list, then look for parking. Pros: Service Cons: Parking more

I was in Maryland a couple of years ago and I made it to Mama's twice. Each time I had the crab cakes and they were the best ever! I've had cakes from all over, and I can't wait to get back. Great atmosphere, especially when there's a Steelers and Ravens game on. Pros: Great food and beverages. more

This is my first time writing a review. And I never take the time to do these things, but I have to say that Mama's on the Half Shell is AWESOME! My husband invests in Real Estate in B-more (we're from Germantown, MD) so every time we go visit his properties, I make him take me to Mama's. The Fish & Chips are amazing--that's what my husband gets. And it's a huge portion, so we often have to take 1/2 home. Pros: THE FOOD!!! Cons: Sometimes there's a wait, and no real waiting area except the bar, which gets crowded. more

My wife and I have visited this establishment 2 times together. We went for lunch one day and it was good. We decided to go back on Easter for a quick lunch... that was the last time I will go to Mamma's. My wife does not eat seafood, but I love it. I ordered the Barbequed Shrimp wrapped in Bacon, along with a Diet Soda and the Oyster ""PoBoy"" Sandwich. My wife ordered a hamburger cooked MEDIUM (any cook should know how to cook a hamburger). My BBQ Shrimp arrived after a 10minute wait. The shrimp were chewy and overcooked, a total of 4 shrimp encased in Bacon making 2 wraps. The shrimp were so overcooked and somehow the bacon was raw I don't know how you cook shrimp ""wrapped"" in bacon and have the shrimp overcooked and the bacon raw. The sauce was pureed tomatoes with sugar in it. I was amazed that this appetizer cost 10 dollars for 4 shrimp that were so small. It is obviously a numbers game at Mama's when it comes to quality of ingredients. All together I think it was $1 worth of ingredients in the appetizer. Pros: Live and Learn when Dining here... Cons: Cant cook worth a damn.... 50 / 50 shot of your order being right. Cramped Dining Rooms more

Highly recommend. I have never been disappointed, the menu is fantastic. The atmosphere is great. Oyster cans and collectibles decorate the space. Great place to spend a Sunday afternoon. more

Great food (love the mussels), mixed crowd, and you've got to try an Orange Crush! The stairs are a bit tricky and steep but you can always sit at the bar or request a table on the first level. Pros: Bartenders, decor Cons: Can get smoky if the windows are not cracked. more

My husband and I visit Baltimore a few times a year (we are from Phila). Every time we go we try a different restaurant until we find exactly what we want. Well, the search is over. Saturday night, no need to wait for a table. Service is amazing! Food, some of the best I've had. I highly recommend Mama's to anybody in the area. Pros: Great food & price Cons: Street parking can be hard. more

What a find. Love Mama's! I have been here many times and am never disappointed. The food is delic. The service is great. The atmosphere is fun. The portions are priced right and are HUGE! The grilled ceasar salad is amazing, the tuna tartare is HUGE and delicious - so fresh. The crab dip and smoked oysters are so yummy. Drinks are large and perfectly poured! I def. suggest Mama's to anyone looking for a great seafood menu in a comfortable atmosphere. One of my all time favorite's. Pros: yummy food, comfy atmosphere, excellent services more

All the food portions are HUGE! It had some of the best calamari and scallops I have found in Baltimore. The decor upstairs is an eclectic collection of local memorabilia in a very Victorian dining room. Get the Ornage Crush Drink! Yummy! We got there around 6:45 on a Friday night and were seated right away. ou can make reservations everday but weeeknds. Pros: Food Portions, Decor, Service Cons: parking more

Highly recommend the fresh catch of the day and the seafood chowder. Try a Mojito at the friendly and fun bar or ask Dilon to make you one of his specials. Fresh seafood, prof & friendly Staff and good music make this place easy to recommend. Pros: Great seafood, Great staff Cons: loud while eating more