Best Casual Restaurant In Maryland: Where To Find It

BALTIMORE, MD — The accolades keep rolling in for a Baltimore institution, Chaps Pit Beef, which recently had a shout out from People magazine for its pit beef sandwich. Now comes a guide from the foodies at The Daily Meal, which has released its 2019 ranking of the 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America, and it includes the Maryland favorite among hot dog shacks, taco spots, sandwich shops and barbecue joints.

One factor all the restaurants have in common: "These are amazing restaurants where price is no barrier to entry and you’ll feel right at home in jeans," writes the food website.

Its editors said price was the main factor; they looked for venues where diners spend less than $50 for a meal for two. Other criteria included a comfortable and relaxed ambiance, a “destination” status, and a proven reputation and longevity. From a list of more than 500 restaurants nationwide, hundreds of leading culinary authorities were then asked to vote for their favorites, which whittled it down to the 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America.

Chaps Pit Beef is No. 96 on the list. Here's what the Daily Meal says of the Baltimore location:

"Chaps Pit Beef opened in 1987 in a 12-by-15 shack with no phones or electricity; fast-forward 25 years and Chaps is renowned far and wide for its pit beef, a Maryland specialty that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find. To make this legendary sandwich, they take an entire bottom round and grill it whole before slicing it super-thin to order. It’s then grilled again to the perfect temperature before being piled onto a soft roll. They also make stellar burgers, hot dogs and sausage, ham, corned beef and turkey sandwiches (and yours can contain any combination of meats), but we suggest you keep it simple and top your pit beef with some raw onions and horseradish-kicked “tiger sauce.”

Earlier this month the restaurant was also included on a list of the best sandwich in every state from People magazine created in partnership with the online restaurant guide "The Infatuation."
At Chaps Pit Beef, the magazine recommended — shocker — the pit beef sandwich.

Here's what People wrote about Chaps: "What began as a food stand in the parking lot of a nightclub now operates four restaurants serving Baltimore-style barbecue. Try the Pit Beef Sandwich: thinly sliced beef round, cooked to order on a potato bun."

Chaps Pit Beef is at these locations in Maryland.

• 1013 Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen, MD 21001
• 4969 Westview Drive, Frederick, MD 21703
• 5801 Pulaski Highway, Baltimore, MD 21205