My husband and I joined 5 other individuals for a business dinner at Tarks on Tuesday, 8/27/13. Â Our "ok" food was overshadowed in a bad way by a server named Phil whom we felt had a steady stream of obnoxious/inappropriate remarks. Â My husband and I have a good sense of humor and we assume Phil thought he was trying to be "funny" but he wasn't.
Several examples: Â Initially, there was one empty seat at our table (for our last arriving guest). Â Phil asked if someone was going to occupy the seat and we explained the last person was on his way. Â Phil said: Â "well then I'll take his seat" and so he did for a few moments. Â
Phil started the ordering process with me. Â I ordered; my husband was seated next to me. Â When my husband began to state his order, Phil said: Â "Who said it was your turn?". Â My husband paused, looked at Phil for a moment and just went ahead with his order. Â
Another member of our party asked about the crab tower appetizer and Phil then told us that he and his wife were "working on baby #4" and went on to explain that the crab tower was helpful in that effort. Â Another member of our party commented out loud he had had the crab soup on a previous visit to the restaurant and was thinking of ordering it. Â Phil said: Â "too late...I've already written it down; you're getting it". Â The guest just glared at him.
The above mentioned crab tower appetizer was pricey but good. Â Our table also ordered calamari and it was good. Â I didn't find any crab in my Maryland crab soup. Â The soup was spicey.
I ordered the crab cake sandwich. Â The crab cake was fine. Â One side of the roll was burned. Â The accompanying fries were heavily salted (way too much for my taste although my husband had fries with his meal and while he agreed the fries were very salty, he didn't mind the level of saltiness). Â My husband had the ribs and said he enjoyed them. Â I had chocolate chip ice cream for dessert and while the serving was small, it was good.
Overall, the food was "ok"....not great by any means and the behavior of the server was, in our opinion, inappropriate.
My second time here. First time was lunch with a girlfriend on the patio, I wasn't impressed with the food or the vibe. Has been a long time in between visits.
We had dinner with two other couples last weekend. Atmosphere is clubby and a typical No Baltimore Co crowd, but not offensive. We all climbed into a booth and were comfortable.
Had heard the crab cakes were pretty good so my husband and I stuck with something safe and ordered them. Friends ordered off the Restaurant Week menu which has always either been too much food for me to eat or overpriced or both. I avoided it. The crab cakes were fine. Could have used a bit more Old Bay for my taste. Cole slaw was good and fresh. Desserts were over the top and tasty!
Our server, Phil was the highlight of the evening. His dry sense of humor was a hit with all of us. He was so funny! He truly made our evening!
I can't say our experience at Tark's was a bargain by any means, but it was a decent time spent with friends.
(087/16/2013) Nice tavern setting for dining with the horsey set in the 'burbs. Location is in the Greenspring Station with indoor/outdoor seating (at the atrium). Closed enclave like feeling, perfect if you're a sheltered WASPy suburbanite and want to have that chilling at the bar feel without actually have to go anywhere that has too many bars or other degenerates around. That said, plenty of obnoxious folk can be found, even in the County.
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Food is decently good. Didn't have anything that was "wow!", but didn't have anything offensive either. Got the crab cakes, which they say is their specialty; very lumpy, very little filler (commercial unseasoned bread crumbs); seasoning was a little mayo, a little mustard, celery seed evident, fresh parsley, touch bland; shaped ball-style and broiled (could've used a touch more browning, we need more Maillard!). Zipped the whole thing with a little squeeze of lemon, and I'm a condiments person, so touch of tartar and cocktail sauces.
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It happened to be Baltimore County Restaurant Weeks, got one of the specials, Porcini-Crusted Roasted Sirloin with Smoked Tomatoes / Baby Artichokes / Farro Pilaf. Would have liked to have known that the sirloin steak was going to be a slice 4 oz. and not a whole steak. Plate was overwhelmed by the smoked tomatoes and overall very salty; farro was cooked through, but very toothsome.
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Chopped Salads, another specialty of the house, were sufficient. The Lindsay is an unusual mixed of chopped pickle, jalapenos, tomato, blue cheese, bacon and coleslaw. It's lightly dressed in a somewhat bland creamy house dressing, that melds pretty well with the strong salad components.
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The popular Coconut Pound Cake is very sweet, very moist, flavor reminiscent of suntan oil. Berry Shortcake (with the RW menu) was a dense, split biscuit with some whipped cream and fresh berries.
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Service is professional but noticeably very, very long pauses in between visits. Chef was wandering through the dining room and when we asked him a question, was very surly, also, was wearing a dirty green t-shirt (maybe you should step it up a little if you're going to be mingling). Place is bustling and can be very noisy. Overall, everything was fine, can't exactly put my finger on why, but not exactly a place I want to return to frequently.
I think I like dining here on a weekend evening than I do during the week. Â Easy to get a table, not as busy as a weeknight, and not as fussy, the outside garden is fabulous. Â Voted in the Top 25 crab cakes in Baltimore - easy to see why. Â Mom got the nicoise salad - yum! Â Great portions for the price. Â Great wine menu. Â A little hard to find as it is inside a "mall" otherwise a nice little getup.
Review Source:Service, service service, service, service...That's five stars. Five starks Tark's Grill doesnt have for service.
Now I was here a whole two weeks, but I only remember a few things.
First of all the service. It sucked.
Second the restaurant is located inside a shopping mall, if you don't know that you'll have a lot of trouble finding it.
Third, the food is underwhelming and the portions are small.
I ordered the crab cakes and thought they were quite depressing, very little flavor, they were basically just lump crab. I also had a salad and the portion of that was extremely small. Ultimately i left here having only had onion rings and a small cesar salad for nutrition at this restaurant.
Next time I'm in Lutherville I won't be back at this place.
I went here with a friend for a Friday night dinner. Service was just ok, the food was pretty good, but probably not quite worth the price. The menu is rather limited, and nothing really shines. We did have a very delicious tuna tartare with tortilla chips, which was about the most inventive item on the menu. I had a crab cake sandwich for dinner, which was just all right--they only offered the traditional cocktail sauce or tartar sauce as a side, which seemed right only for a shrimp basket. The fries were nothing to write home about--and I LOVE fries. If you ask for vinegar, they give you balsamic. A glass of Alamos wine ($10-15 a bottle in stores) was $7. Nice atmosphere, but not a place I'll frequent.
Review Source:The service was slow, scattered, and suboptimal. The food was not great at all. I got the beet salad, which I felt I could make from whole foods. Several items on the menu, including the sp. squash side, the ahi tuna, and something else were out on a  Fri night at 8. The tuna tartar was a bit oily served with store bought tortilla chips. My friend's asparagus was limp, basmati rice was bland. The desserts were good though. I would not recommend or return to this place. Notably, my friend said in the past the place was much better.
Review Source:Dinner tonight with three business partners. The restaurant does a nice business and I've had nice meals there in the past. Had the steak tartare which was good but not great. The fish was fresh but not real tasty. This dish is done better elsewhere - they might try tasting this at Kali's Court or Bluestone. The Chicken Marsala was a disaster - no taste, poor texture. I should have known not to order this dish except in an Italian restaurant. I took home the crab cakes for my wife - they were tasty and a good rendition of a Maryland Crab Cake. The waiter was very good. The ice tea seemed to have a coffee after taste - seems odd and not sure how that could happen.
Scott Rifkin MD
We arrived ahead of our reservation time, but were still seated immediately. A lot of neighborhood diners, that seemed to know each other. The waitstaff was pleasant, and helpful. Both the black bean and MD crab soup arrived very hot and tasty as did our appetizer and entrees. Prices were a bit high, however the food was very good. I would recommend the beef short rib or the chicken pot pie. We never got to dessert as we were full, but it gives us something to shoot for on our next visit. I wouldn't eat here every day, but it's a nice place to spend a special occasion.
Review Source:Since I'm a product of the Internet generation, I will rate Tark's Grill with the best word that comes to mind: meh. I mean I like the idea, and it fits very well with it's location, but that is the extent of it's offerings. I've been to plenty of neighborhood business dinner, yuppie, uppity spots many times and this one is just average. The food is fine, but not remarkable. The service is fine,which is to be expected. The food portions and prices are what you expect. It is, in a word, just meh. It's unremarkable. Now this isn't a bad thing, especially in the location. Based on the offerings in the immediate location, i would say this restaurant is exactly what the area needs. It is perfect for a business dinner, a quiet evening, or a yuppie outing. I can see the old dudes lining up in their plaid shorts and polos after a day on the links.
I would go back if I had to, but I don't live in the area and can't see myself making the trip just to eat there.
So take this review for what it's worth. It's free advice on the internets so what do you expect?!
We had 6:30 reservations but wanted to sit in the outdoor courtyard, so we ended up waiting more than 30 minutes at the bar. Service was okay, but food was underwhelming. My braised rib was dry and lukewarm, the spinach was parboiled with no seasoning at all, and the mashed potatoes were tasty but a tad gummy.
Definitely overpriced for the quality, but for people who live around Green Spring Station and don't want to drive all the way downtown to feel like they're going out, this place seems to be among the few choices around.
The crowd is on the mature side, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
P.S. If you plan on sitting outdoors in the summer, bring bug spray!
Tark's Grill is the third restaurant to inherit the former Harvey's at Greenspring Station space and it is the perfect eatery for the neighborhood. It is tucked into Greenspring Station on Falls and Joppa in an upscale suburban shopping center. What it has is an excellent location, not too much competition and an eclectic menu (along with a nice weekend brunch) that allows the diner (including children) to find something to eat.
I've had dinner, lunch and brunch and all are good but not great fare. Today the three diners in my group decided to hit the Station for an afternoon brunch on an great outdoor day. We made a reservation for 1 pm and requested outside seating on the patio. We were seated fairly promptly after waiting for a clean table ( they could have seated us inside immediately). We had a nice table, half-shade for my shady friend and sunny for the other two. After waiting awhile, our waitress apologized for the delay in service and said she would return to take care of us. She was true to her word and gave us great service for the rest of the meal. We ordered soups, Maryland crab - respectable but not as flavorful as expected, and two cups of black bean which were dense and flavorful and had a spoonful of sour cream on the top. The soup contest winner was the bean soup which was deemed excellent by all of us. My son had the small but well packed backfin/lump broiled crab cake sandwich with sweet potato french fries. My husband had the four stack of blueberry pancakes - and these are always yummy. I had the bagel, lox and cream cheese platter with capers, onions and tomatoes. This is where Tark's fell down a bit. I am a bagel expert having eaten them in NYC and NJ where the water makes the bagels taste better. Anway, this was more of a bag bagel. I asked that it be toasted twice as that helps an inferior bagel taste better. It was not toasted twice and they also placed those awful salty bullets aka capers on the plate - yuk. I had asked they not be on my plate for many reasons. So what was good - the nova lox with the red onion and tomato slices were top notch. However, with Stonemill Bakery located in the complex, how can Tark's serve a bagel that has the texture of a commercial bagged roll?
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Would I return?...yes.  Would I order something else?...yes.  There are many choices on the menu. The crab cake is very good, and the pancakes are as well. The shrimp salad served on bread or any of the salads as well as the salmon club  are also tasty.
So when you go...keep an open mind and an open wallet when you book through Open Table (and get 100 points when you dine). Tark's is not inexpensive and sometimes it falls short of the expectations you may have for an upscale eatery. It is however, ten minutes from my house, has free parking and the wonderful patio for outdoor dining.
Take the good with the not so good when you go, but know that you will enjoy yourself no matter what. I also agree with many of the comments of the other Yelpers but I gave this a four star because of its location, the outdoor dining, the excellent service and the overall quality of the food.
The white glove test: Tark's is very clean and the courtyard dining area is stunning for this area. The restroom although small is well stocked and kept tidy. If you are into clean, Tark's will meet your expectations. The decor is also very clubby and attractive but nice casual attire -(including jeans)- is fine as long as you bring your plastic gold with you. Happy Tarking to you!
This is about as tight a service team that you'll experience.
Park in the lot by the Bank of America, the other lot has small spaces and not many of them.
Reservations are strongly encourage as this place gets hopping.
Food is solid, even though they took it off the menu, ask for the trio of salads with crackers, you won't be disappointed.
We took a party of 6, as it was one of our party's birthday.
There were some real positives, with a few negatives.
The food was very good, whether steak or seafood. Â The seafood seemed fresh, and the beef was tender.
Service was very good, and our waiter was excellent.
Our party had appetizers of fried oysters, mussels and calamari, all very tasty but very small amounts. Â The calamari appetizer was at least half tentacles, most of which were fried in a single large inedible wad.
The crab cake was very good and meaty, and one was large enough for a meal along with everything else. Â The soft crabs were tasty, but although they claimed to be "extra large to jumbo" did not appear to be so. Â The prime rib was very tasty, with the sauce being a touch salty. Â The "lightly floured, pan fried" flounder seemed to be deep fried.
REALLY crowded between the tables. Â They really pack people in, with little space between. Â They do have an outside area, and on a nice night would be an option.
And they provided a piece of cake with a candle for the birthday at no charge. Â Thanks.
Although not our favorite steak or seafood place in Baltimore, we will likely return to dine another time.
If you have never eaten here there is really no reason to go there now. You have had better elsewhere for far less. There's a deli across the courtyard from them that is much better (great Reuben, great coffee).
Had their signature chopped salad that was fine in terms of flavor, but was made up of the lower portion of romaine hearts in an effort to use up what were obviously wilted leaves. Shoddy.
If you find yourself with no other alternatives, do not order the Maryland Crab soup. C'mon Tark's. While not the Eastern Shore, this is still in Maryland. Take it off the menu if you're not willing to offer anything more interesting than a can of Campbell's.
On a positive note, they occupy a nice space and probably have a nice bar. I won't rate the parking because if parking is your main concern, you won't mind the food.
You won't go wrong by dining here....it's the right amount of fancy without requiring you to feel dressed up and the food is solid, if expensive.  Probably the most accurate review I've read on it is this one: <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tarks-grill-lutherville-timonium#hrid:bwHOe67KpjzxCpwyGBvJdw">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Pluses: ample & free parking, reliable food with lots of choices. Â Bar is solid.
Minuses: Price is a little too high for what it is, but what you save on parking and babysitter fees (hey, you'll shave a good 45 minutes off not having to travel into and out of the city), it's a little cramped (don't plan on having a sensitive or overly personal conversation), and can feel a little old (clientele, not interior design).
Airplane type of food in a very busy, understaffed restaurant. The location is a gift- there is no competition near by and GreenSpring station is always pretty busy with a steady, loyal costumer base. It is the built in customers that make this place a success, as it certainly isn't the food. My fillet of tenderloin recently was literally inedible. Such a shame, as this had some potential before it left the crowds take over.
Review Source:I typically think of Tark's as the go to place for a business lunch or happy hour, but really any time you go and for any occasion, it'll be a good solid food experience.
What really stands out the most for me about this place is the service, the chopped salad and their unbelievably delicious, saliva-inducing, decadent hot fudge. So service is what you should expect from a place of this caliber - professional, knowledgeable and attentive. On top of that, I always think it's a nice touch when the GM makes it a point to stop by each table at least once during your meal - so bonus points for that. As for the chopped salad, the jalapenos make for a nice, slightly spicy finish at the end of each bite which is unexpected but not unwelcome. Last, but most certainly not least, is the hot fudge. It is so incredible - I have yet to have hot fudge elsewhere that comes close to it. Honestly, I've been trying to get back there just to order one of their desserts with it. Better yet, I wonder if I could just order a bowl of it because that's really what I want.
But seriously, give this place a try.
Three and a half overall.
Four stars for atmosphere. Clubby inside bar/dining room, charming outside patio area.
Four stars again for more than excellent service.
Food, well, I've had better. Maybe my expectations were too high after reading the reviews, but I'd just hoped for food that was a little more sexy and exciting. Still, it filled us up, and we felt rather glamorous sitting among the ladies who lunch and the power brokers enjoying their afternoon. A bit pricey for lunch, but that's what you get in that area.
My wife and I are on a mission to find the best crab cakes in the Baltimore area. Tark's was on our list of places to hit. Got there for late lunch mid-week. Nice courtyard available for outdoor dining if you choose but we opted for the dining room (and air conditioning). This is an attractive, sort of slick or glitzy place. Obviously attracts business sorts from the area and several business lunchs were finishing up.
Were promptly seated at a nice table. Waiter took our drink orders. Cocktail and house wine were excellent. We both had the crab cake with 1 side. It is served broiled and is a nice size but not huge. Full of jumbo lump crab with a pleasant amount of seasoning, just enough to enhance the flavor of the crab. Just a bit of filler to hold it together and... no shell. Truly a winner! On a 1 -10 my wife gave it a 9 and I gave it an 8.5.
The fries and cole slaw were also great. Service was fine. I can't think of a thing to complain about. Would definitely go again.
Tark's is a newer, more upscale American restaurant in Greenspring Station. Â It's been insanely crowded every time I've been (with lots of older businessmen and "ladies who lunch") so either people really like it or maybe it's the fact that there's very little competition in the immediate area. Â
I really like how the inside and outside of the restaurant looks, outside is a little courtyard in the middle of the shopping center, and the inside is very dark and club-like. Â With the exception of a club sandwich I had once at lunch which was mostly tasteless, the food has been pretty good albeit a little pricey. Â Their great american grilled cheese with bacon and tomatos along with regular fries is yummy comfort food, and the sweet potato fries are sooooo good. Â The chicken caesar salad is also a good bet, the dressing is amazing, and the salad itself is giant.
I like this place, the food is decent, the waiters/waitresses are always very nice and helpful. Â If you work in the area it's a good bet. Â Make sure you make a reservation (occasionally even necessary for a weekday lunch).
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