Motte Restaurant & Bar

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Recent reviews

• ★★★★★Jourdan GreenMay 23, 2026

  Motte was a great dining experience. The restaurant itself is cozy and comfortable. Our server was outstanding and kind enough to walk us through the menu. I started with the Scorpion cocktail which was mostly sweet with a hint of spice. Next, we had the delicious Brussels sprouts. My favorite dish was the bulgogi. Very tender beef which complimented the white rice and vegetables. Since everything we tried was good, Motte seems like the type of place you return to explore the menu.

• ★★★★★Jihye YiMay 20, 2026

  Had such a great experience at Motte and would highly recommend it! My friend and I went during Tuesday happy hour (4–7 PM), and everything from the drinks to the atmosphere was really enjoyable. I ordered the Mule cocktail, which was super refreshing and bright — perfect for warmer weather. My friend had the Passion Fruit Margarita and thought it was surprisingly good for the price point. For food, we started with the Korean Melon & Arugula Salad, which honestly felt like the perfect summer dish. We paired it with the old-fashioned whole chicken, and the balance between the fresh salad and crispy chicken was so good. Later we also ordered wine, fried dumplings, and the shrimp balls. The portions were reasonable, the flavors were great, and everything felt well balanced without being too heavy. One thing I especially loved is that it’s hard to find places in Baltimore that have all of these together: easy parking, great atmosphere, clean and spacious bathrooms, good drinks, and quality food. I’m genuinely so happy a place like this opened in Baltimore because it feels both trendy and comfortable at the same time. I can already tell I’ll be coming back often. I also asked the server if outdoor seating was available, and they said they open the patio on nice weather days. I think this would actually be such a great weekend spot to bring kids and family too. Overall, highly recommend — especially for weekday happy hour, casual dinners with friends, or just enjoying a relaxing night out in a beautiful space.

• ★★★★☆Arielle HMar 25, 2026

  First time visiting and I originally came for the Cornish hen, but I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed other items on the menu. The pork dumplings were really good, the smash burger exceeded my expectations, and the bulgogi pizza was a standout. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the mocktails were well-made. The aesthetics are beautiful and make it a great spot for a date night or going out with friends. Overall, a really solid experience and I’d definitely come back to try more.

• ★★★★☆Marlo PalmerFeb 18, 2026

  First time visiting MOTTE after seeing so many great reviews. The atmosphere is cozy and stylish with exposed brick and concrete floors. We went on a Sunday at 5 PM and were pleasantly surprised by a live band, which added to the vibe. Service was attentive and welcoming. We started with the Brussels sprouts and wings. The sprouts were well-seasoned but the sauce was a bit overpowering. The honey garlic wings were crispy and flavorful — definitely the highlight. Our Old Fashions were well-made and balanced. For entrées, the fried chicken was fresh with crispy skin and simple flavor. The bulgogi beef was tasty but the portion felt small for the price. Overall, a pleasant experience. I’d recommend trying it, though I wouldn’t make a special trip. Atmosphere: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 7/10

• ★★★☆☆Brad RJan 12, 2026

  TLDR: Great space, easy parking, and excellent cocktails. The pizzas were the surprise stars. Korean dishes felt toned down for Western palates and lacked some depth and punch. For the price, we hoped for bolder flavors and more refined execution. A good experience, just not quite what we were hoping for. Motte Restaurant & Bar in Baltimore was a place we really wanted to love. My wife and I are both of Korean descent, and when we saw a modern Korean fusion concept open in the city, it instantly went on our must visit list. We made reservations a few weeks in advance for a birthday lunch for a group of 15, and to their credit, Motte was able to accommodate us without issue. Located in the same business park as Monument Brewing, the shared private parking lot is a huge plus, especially for guests coming in from outside the city. Upon arrival, we waited about 10 minutes for our table to be fully set up, which is completely reasonable for a party of that size. The layout of the restaurant is well suited for both small and large groups. They pushed several tables together so we could all sit as one long party, which made for a great communal dining experience. About 70 percent of our group was Korean, so we were very familiar with the Korean side of the menu and excited to see Motte’s modern takes on classics. We ended up ordering nearly the entire menu, multiple times over, to feed everyone. From a Korean perspective, the food felt like Korean inspired dishes tailored heavily toward a Western palate. You get hints of bold Korean flavors, but softened and presented in very familiar forms. We knew going in that this was fusion, but we were hoping for a bit more risk taking and depth in the flavor profiles. Ironically, the standout items of the meal were the pizzas. The bulgogi pizza and the sweet shrimp pizza were both crowd favorites and genuinely excellent. They were the most memorable bites of the afternoon. Some of the Korean dishes, however, fell short of expectations. The whole Korean fried chicken could benefit from better seasoning and being pre cut into chunks, which is how it is typically served in Seoul and makes for a much better group dining experience. The spicy chicken tteokbokki was skimpy on rice cakes and lacked the punch we were hoping for. We also found it odd that only young white kimchi was offered instead of a traditional aged kimchi. The galbi sliders were another miss, as the galbi patty was dry. The cocktail program was a bright spot. Our group worked through much of the menu, and the S’mores Old Fashioned was the runaway favorite. There was also a banana infused whiskey old fashioned on special that was very enjoyable. By the end of the meal, our bill was north of $1,200, so this is by no means an inexpensive restaurant. It is more of a special occasion spot. At that price point, we were hoping for Korean dishes that felt a bit more refined and bold, especially considering how many excellent Korean restaurants exist in the Baltimore area. Motte has a great space, strong service, and a solid bar program. With a little more fine tuning on the Korean dishes and perhaps more generous portions, this could be a standout. Right now, it feels like a place with a lot of potential that has not quite found its full voice yet.