Ever since I committed to Loyola along with watching The Wire with my brother, we always had Chaps Pit Beef on our must-try list for restaurants. While the show made us curious about the city’s neighborhoods and culture, we also did our own research on this pit beef sandwich as it was featured on an episode. Once we realized the popularity behind it along with the restaurant appearing in the show, we knew we had to taste what Baltimore is known for.
A Saturday afternoon in early October, we were lucky to get a sunny and warm day to go eat. The mood was set on the drive there. The excitement that filled us was like two little kids getting ready to enter a candy shop. It was about a 25 minute ride to the place and as soon as we stepped out, there were signs painted onto the outside of the building from the same famous reviews. Some that were listed were Diners Drive-ins and Dives, The Washington Post, Zagat, Food & Wine Best in Maryland, Food Network, The Daily Meal, and so many more. This solidified that we weren’t just at some local spot, rather we had the confidence that we came to the right spot.
Upon walking in, the smell of smoky barbecue and charcoal made our mouths water. Behind the counter you can hear the knives hitting the cutting board and the grills sizzling. The staff worked efficiently as they made sure the pit beef had a good char to it. All of these factors were just adding to our excitement as we kept looking at each other with an eagerness to eat!
Inside was a simple setup and nothing done to try and impress anybody. The place itself looked a lot cleaner than I had expected and the service was great. It was easy to tell why this place is such a staple in Baltimore before even eating.
We both ordered the classic pit beef sandwiches with fries. Again, the food did not look gourmet to impress us. Instead, it was wrapped in their own branded tinfoil wrapping. However, being from Philly, we both knew that a lot of times, these spots are some of the best spots. The sandwich was basic on a round roll, with thin-sliced pit beef stacked on the inside. After one bite, the meat was so tender, rich in flavor, and had a perfect char on the outside. Delicious! My brother took his first bite, froze, looked at me with big eyes, and nodded slowly. That right there said it all and we started cracking up from the joy of finally getting to the spot we’ve been wanting to try for years. We finally had our proof that Chaps truly does live up to its reputation. My brother especially because he is a food lover. On top of that, this meal was only 11 bucks, which felt like a great bargain.
Pit beef isn’t your typical barbecue. It’s quick to make, smoky, charred, sliced thin, and served as fresh as can be. A Baltimore classic, aside from the Southern barbecue. Historically, pit beef started out as roadside stands on Pulaski Highway on Route 40. It was a perfect meal for blue-collar workers who were looking for a quick, affordable, and delicious lunch. This food mirrored the working-class spirit of hardworking Baltimore laborers.
That’s what makes Chaps stand out in this area. Nothing is flashy, it’s as authentic as you can get, and very straightforward. You walk in, order at the counter, and receive your meal. My brother and I felt like this was similar in certain ways to sandwich shops at home in terms of how it was direct with the real meaning behind great food and tradition.
If you ever find yourself in Baltimore, do yourself a favor and stop by Chaps at 720 Mapleton Avenue. Grab yourself a delicious pit beef sandwich and experience the taste of Charm City!
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