Jeremy Edmunds
Google
The Domino Sugars sign glowed scarlet through floor-to-ceiling windows as two women in conversation leaned into the copper-topped bar, martini glasses catching the harbor lights. This is the Baltimore that Cindy Lou's Fish House sells: a waterfront reverie where Southern comfort meets Chesapeake sophistication, all framed by industrial-chic concrete and constellation of Edison bulbs.
When Tony Foreman and Chef Cindy Wolf opened this ambitious venture in October 2020, they weren't just filling a space in the Canopy by Hilton Baltimore Harbor Point. They were attempting something more intimate: recreating the feeling of dining at a friend's waterfront apartment — assuming that friend descended from accomplished Southern cooks and possessed an encyclopedic wine knowledge.
The whimsical name, borrowed from Dr. Seuss's Cindy Lou Who, hints at the restaurant's playful confidence. But make no mistake: beneath the charm lies serious culinary ambition. Wolf, whose Richmond roots and Charleston training inform every dish, has created a menu that reads like a love letter to Mid-Atlantic waters and Southern traditions.
Consider the Steak Oscar ($62), a dish that could easily tumble into excess but instead achieves perfect balance. The beef arrives with a mahogany crust, crowned with sweet crabmeat that actually tastes of the Chesapeake. Beneath, a cloud of mashed potatoes anchors the plate while grilled asparagus adds necessary restraint. Even the $14 Spring salad transcends its category, mixed greens elevated by quality cheese and a vinaigrette that whispers rather than shouts.
The space, designed by BraytonHughes Design Studios, succeeds in its mission of refined relaxation. That copper bar serves as both visual anchor and social fulcrum, while private dining rooms accommodate everything from intimate business dinners to 130-person weddings. The wraparound patio transforms the experience in warmer months, though the harbor views remain magnetic year-round.
Yet for all its polish, Cindy Lou's occasionally stumbles. Service, while generally professional, can veer into the peculiar. One server insisted on reciting the entire menu despite protests, while another performed impromptu magic tricks tableside. Wait times stretch even with reservations, and the cocktail program feels abbreviated compared to the extensive wine list curated by Foreman.
The Southern influence emerges most clearly in dishes like the Maryland crab fritters (order early; they sell out) and cast-iron crab cake that locals champion. The Banana Pudding Ice Box Cake has achieved cult status, with savvy diners ordering it preemptively. But portions can be inconsistent, particularly with the seafood chowder that arrives sometimes generous, sometimes sparse.
Breakfast and brunch reveal the kitchen's range, from hotel-guest basics to a tongue-in-cheek "Hangover Helper" section. The "In Between Bites Menu" serves off-peak diners, while dinner can easily exceed $80 per person — special-occasion pricing that mostly delivers special-occasion satisfaction.
What elevates Cindy Lou's beyond typical hotel restaurant status is its commitment to place. This isn't generic "coastal cuisine" but rather a specific interpretation of Chesapeake-meets-South, filtered through Wolf's considerable technique and Foreman's hospitality acumen. The restaurant captures something essential about contemporary Baltimore: a city comfortable with both its industrial past and its polished present, where a former warehouse district can house both working docks and destination dining.
Despite periodic service quirks and tourist-trap potential, Cindy Lou's succeeds in its core mission. It's become what its owners envisioned: a neighborhood gathering spot that happens to serve exceptional food with million-dollar views. Like that friend with the great waterfront apartment, it's a place you're always happy to visit, even if you can't afford to drop by every week.
Cindy Lou's Fish House, 1215 Wills St., Baltimore; (443) 960-8670; cindylousbarandgrill.com
