Chaps Pit Beef
| Address: | 5801 Pulaski Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA |
| Phone: | +1 410-483-2379 |
| Site: | chapspitbeef.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 10:30AM–10PM 10:30AM–10PM 10:30AM–10PM 10:30AM–10PM 10:30AM–11PM 10:30AM–11PM 10:30AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
WA
Walter Macalma
Yes they are located near a strip club, but honestly if you are in the area for Golds and stumble upon Chaps you probably dont deserve Chaps because your choice in strip clubs is questionable. Im not even sure Baltimores strip clubs match up to Atlantas, but thats beside the point. Pit Beef is not BBQ because its not smoked. Grilled hot and fast, crusted and rare, but still juicy. Its small with the actual grill taking up quite a bit of their space its always got a line out the door and around the way. Most people eat on their feet due to limited seating, in fact there is almost no seating and most people eat it to go. For those of you who are still using charcoal, you may not ever understand this place. If I dont have time to make real BBQ I use lump wood over charcoal because for the simple reason its, cleaner, easier to control heat, hotter heat and it still imparts some smoke flavoring. Something I noticed was how many gravy offerings they had. Platters, a la cart, etc. Gravy on sandwiches and fries is much more popular than back in SoCal. My first time here I went with the Beef Sandwich and Louie and a side of gravy fries and mac & cheese. The beef sandwich is more like a crusty roast beef/primerib outter cut. Its juicy, tender, thin, classic flavorings too. Piled on a bun that can hold up to it. Its really good, though I havent been around Baltimore enough to say its the best. The Louie was good too, thousand island was fresh, sauerkraut good and the bread really completed it. It wasnt the best, but then again the diff between this and a Reuben was the American vs. swiss cheese. Fries and gravy, bomb, not quite double fried, but crispy. Gravy is a hair on the thin side, right amount of salt. Mac & cheese I thought was a little suspect. Not quite enough cheese, thought it wasnt home-style either. Next trip I had the beef, ham and turkey combo. The ham stole the show on this, though I thought it should have been turkey, beef and ham on the bottom. The flavors pop more that way. Late I found out that was the habbit and better served on their sub form. I later got the big john which to me is worth the price, it feeds 2 easily and though Im from socal I have a cold weather people sort of appetite. The sides are large and should be shared, but the sandwiches, subs, not. The slaw is good, never soggy or watery or over mayo-y. Plenty of add ons if youd like. The ambiance is really a to go sort of place and its actually pretty easy to get in and out of here with its proximity to major travel roads. Napkins are generic and basic, dont do the job so grab a few. Tiger sauce goes good on everything, the horseradish isnt too strong and the creamier consistency of the mayo lets it seep into everything since the beef is cut so thin. Tip: Beef platter with cheese, slaw and tiger sauce is a must. There are a few items not on the menu, but mostly combos made up by regulars.
AL
Alice Wang
Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Man vs. Food, No Reservations, and Bizarre Foods, Chaps Pit Beef is a Food Network and Travel Channel legend. Per its name, Chaps is famous for its pit beef sandwiches and theyve been the Best of Baltimore for over 20 years and counting. The menu is pretty extensive, with everything in sandwiches ranging from pit beef, minced BBQ, corned beef, and pork ribs to Reubens, chili cheese dogs, and BLTs. Theyve also got subs with a variety of combos from beef/turkey/corned beef (aka the Raven) to beef/corned beef/turkey/sausage (aka the Richwich). Chaps also has fish platters, wing platters, hamburger platters, turkey platters, as well as whole chickens and pork ribs sold by the pound. We ordered the Raven (beef, turkey, and corned beef) with sides of potato salad, baked beans, and gravy fries. Everything was under $20 for a big tray of food that fills you up. The Raven was delicious - who doesnt love charcoal-cooked meat thats just the right amount of smoky? I watched them slice the meat into such uniform, paper-thin slices, which are then rolled up delicately into a Kaiser roll. Condiments include raw onions and tiger sauce, a horseradish and mayo mixture, which you can add separately after picking up your sandwich. Chaps cooks over charcoal with no seasonings or rubs, so the char is the only added flavor to the actual meat. Its very flavorful and mouthwatering. Even the sides were great. I would definitely come back to this small and casual place for more pit beef sandwiches.
JO
Joachim Pang
Nothing Special - Just OK food. The staff was nice but I think this place is over hyped. I came in on a quiet night around 7pm not too many customers at that time of the night but it picked up a bit a hour later. The "Beef" in the beef platter was good, meat was tender but not much smoke or flavour. The fries were nice and hot but it needed to be cooked crisper - too soggy (oily) especially after adding the gravy. The wings looked nice but it was nothing special - they were tough and tasted bland like "shake and bake wings." A couple of the wings were also under cooked. I mention it to the counter staff who then asked if I wanted more - No Thanks - I was done. While eating I noticed that the kichen area was more like a high school hang out area, you could hear laughing, and talking with people generally hollering back and forth. If you are going to one of the strip joints on the block stop by for a sandwich but do go out of your way to try this place out or you will be dissapointed.
EN
Envizion Photography
The pit beef sandwich that I had was good. It lacked salt though adding a bit of sauce to it filled in nicely. The smoky flavor was surprising and a good addition to it. The term, "dont judge a book by its cover" rings true with this place. Its quite small and dismal looking from the street but brimming with life on the inside. On a sour note my wifes dish, fish platter was quite soggy. It was soaked in oil along with the fries that accompanied her dish. What a shame because mine was the opposite. In addition the cashier seemed a tad preoccupied with scratching her head among other things. Dont worry, the people handling the food have on gloves and seem completely focused on their jobs. I decided to go back and order a drink just to see if we caught her off guard. She was much nicer and even smiled this time. Again based on my meager meal Id still give 3 stars as I did enjoy the food and the place. Id recommend it and would encourage you to try for yourself!
KE
Keel Ross
This was my second visit here and the food was killer again! I went for The Big John this time (turkey, ham, corned beef, pit beef and Italian sausage). It was off the hook. There must be over a pound of meat on the sandwich. Their fixings bar lets you make it any way you want. Donna was again fabulous and helpful taking orders. She can tell a regular from a newbie. She provides as much assistance as needed to the newbie and lets regulars order efficiently. As noted in other reviews, it shares the parking lot with a "gentlemans club" but dont let that scare you away. My wife was wondering where I was taking the family, but she knew why we came after the first bite. I cant tell you about the sides, because Ive never messed around with sides. You come for the pit grilled meats not the french fries, etc...
