BalMar

I wanted to really like this place as it had a dark, easy feel.  We went on a weeknight for drinks (good idea) and dinner (bad idea).  The drinks, The Guilty Conscience (vodka-cucumber) and Fish Hook (manhattan) were great!  The calamari and mussels were also good!  ...and then the burger arrived.  I would have to say it was one of the worst burgers I have ever had.  It was tasteless.  It's hard to believe you can make such a bad burger, but they managed.  Actually, it may be the beef used (HarrisRanchBeef) was tasteless.  Either way: Bad Burger!  The ribs were okay and the mixed baby greens salad was a yawn.  Unfortunately, the service was also subpar.  At moments they were attentive and other times clueless.  Actually, our server was bad and the two guys around her seemed to try to cover for her.  

We might go back for a drink - but not for dinner.

Went here to eat at 7:30 on a weeknight.  It was pretty quiet and the decor is nice, which is literally the only good thing about this place.  

I ordered the Skirt Steak.  The waitress didn't ask how I wanted it cooked and ran away before I could tell her.  It came with sides of fingerling potatoes (of which there were three) and swiss chard cooked with bacon a la collard greens.  

Everything on my plate tasted the same: vaguely burnt garlic and grease.  The swiss chard was disgusting, greasy, and fatty.  Not the vinegary flavor of collard greens.  The steak was pre-cut into strips that were cool when they arrived.  Obviously pre-cooked.  My boyfriend got the ribs, and said that coffee flavord barbeque sauce is a mistake.  

The bartender also seemed more interested in flirting with a woman at the bar, refilling her wine constantly, and holding her hand than in filling drink orders.  I watched the waitress make most of the drinks (pouring the end of a bottle of wine and the beginning of a new one to fill my order of a house red).  

Not going to BalMar again.

I wish I could give this establishment negative stars. I have been here multiple times in the past, its crowded, service is slow and their bouncers are THE WORST. My most recent visit sparks this review and my desires to never return.. Not only will I ever go back but I hope they close their doors or their bouncers are fired. As we were walking down the stairs the bouncer yells at us, pushes and shoves while swearing at us to get off his stairs. (Hello sir, we are walking down, leave us alone is what I was thinking) We had no contact with the bouncer until this point, where he outlandishly began pushing us down the stairs and telling us to move. He then proceeded to push *a now mad customer* into the railing, throwing his thumb out of the socket. The bouncer then said " your kicked out" we were like really? We are kicked out, we were walking down the stairs, he should be fired and kicked out. We called the cops, they came and talked to the white, bald, tattooed, rude (should be fired) bouncer and he admitted to hearing the loud pop/injury to the customers thumb and shouldn't of acted the way he did. Not only was this completely un called for, but he can't treat customers like this. I consider everyone stay away from the bald, white, tattooed bouncer before he hurts you too or this place entirely. Get off your high "bouncer" horse and be polite or get fired.  This establishment really needs to look into their security and reevaluate who they hire to protect their company.