26 October 2004:
Although the adjacent Loco Hombre bought out Alonso's and cut a door through
between the restaurants, we still avoid Alonso's...as it appears, many others
do. I don't believe it's as smokey any more, but the menu has changed of late.
I'm sure many will find the fare of interest, and it may also be good, judging
by Loco Hombre, but the fare and prices are a bit pretentious. The Alonso's
1 lb hamburger is now a whopping $11.95 ($13.95 w/ bacon). The 1-1/2 lb burger
will now run you $13.95 to $14.95. Phew! They also have a list of other
sandwiches and paninis (all ranging from $8 to $14). Entrees include items
like crab cake platter ($22.95), mussels mariniere ($12.95), veal marsala ($21.95).
Several varieties of pizza are available at prices ranging from $10.95 to $16.95.
There are a few pasta dishes and salads. Salads will run you $5-$15. Not exactly
your quaint local hamburger joint anymore. The atmosphere has changed little to
warrant such dishes and prices either. Still only a few tables surrounding the
bar and the package goods area in the front. Nope, I think I can find a good
hamburger at much more reasonable prices with a much nicer dining atmosphere
elsewhere.
Personal Review :
In the 1992 the Best of Baltimore issue of Baltimore Magazine, Alonso's was
voted (by the readers of the magazine) as having the best burgers in town. The
restaurant continues to enjoy that reputation. I've heard many similar comments
before, but, unfortunately, I wouldn't personally know. The one time we tried
to eat there, there was no place to sit (or wait), the waitress/hostess was
very rude, and the place was very smokey. Ergo, we never went back. And since
Loco Hombre is right next door, has some of the best Mexican food in town and
is non-smoking, there is simply no contest between the two for us. Loco Hombre
wins hands down! [and the fact that they are non-smoking has not hurt their
business one bit!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baltimore Magazine, August 1996 -- "Bargain Dining, Such a Deal!"
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
Like a good car and a lot of human beings, Alonso's is only getting quirkier with age. The venerable Cold Spring Lane watering hole has seen its business strip welcome such neighbors as an arty video store and a bagel salon in the recent decades, but little has changed once you cross Alonso's vintage stainless steel threshold. Nattily bow-tied bartenders still work behind the massive oval bar, the lengthy beer menu still lists about twice as many brands as are in stock, and locals hidden in the cozy dining-room booths still strain mightily to wrap their mouths around the terrifying Meal in a Basket, a 20-ounce, grapefruit-sized hamburger with a side of fries. Wise and thrifty couples order a single Meal and cut the burger into still-formidable halves. Alonso's will also cater to less enthusiastic carnivores with an unexpectedly good fresh-doug pizza, gravy intensive hot roast beef or turkey sandwiches, and the immortal Fish Thing (a fried fish sandwich).