By Taylor Gale, VRG Intern

Johnny Rad’s is a great spot for a convenient and good ole all American joint. It is a small-scale eatery located at 2108 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, MD 21231, right up the street from downtown Fells Point. The ambiance is very hipster, with all of its employees dressing for the occasion. The light is somewhat dim, creating an intimate dining experience, perfect for small parties. Johnny Rad’s offers a great selection of beer, wine, and food! Conveniently, if the food item is vegetarian or vegan it is labeled as such at the end of each description.

For starters, their French fries and freshly made chips are to die for! They typically offer a non-vegan sauce with the fries, but if you specify to your waiter that you are vegan, they will happily give you a vegan sauce as well, which gives a tang, complementing the crispiness of the fries and chips.

Johnny Rad’s salads cater more towards vegetarians, but they do offer a vegan garden salad that comes with vegan croutons and you have the option of being able to add vegan chick’n and vegan steak to any salad. They have three vegan dressings, which are labeled as such (thank you Johnny Rad’s!!). Their sesame ginger dressing is heavenly if you like Asian flavors! They also provide balsamic vinaigrette and creamy Italian.

Personally, whenever I have gone to Johnny Rad’s I go with friends or family and order as much as possible. Their pizza is a must have, every time! I ordered the Trainwreck and the BBQ Chicken pizza, but substituted the cheese for PEP vegan mozzarella and vegan chick’n. They offer a wide variety of veggie toppings and vegan meats, so basically you can create whatever type of pizza your heart desires. All of the staff are super helpful and friendly when you express your dietary needs/restrictions.

For sandwiches, their vegan cheesesteak is a must! Their sub and brioche buns are vegan and every sandwich comes with a side of chips, fries, or salad. Johnny Rad’s offers a delicious portabella burger, as well as the Impossible Burger.

Thankfully they label half of the dessert menu as vegan. The donut twist is made from their fresh pizza dough, deep fried, and then is tossed in cinnamon and sugar, served with a side of icing. Similarly, their rainbow bites are fresh dough squares, tossed in powdered sugar with an icing glaze topped with rainbow candy sprinkles.

Johnny Rad’s has a huge menu selection of beers, wines, and cocktails. I personally am not that familiar with what types of beers compliment certain foods, so I asked the waiter and he guided me on what was popular and tasty!

The only hiccup of Johnny Rad’s is its parking, which is nonexistent. It can be a hassle to find street parking, but I promise you, the attentive service, mouthwatering veggie food, and the edgy atmosphere will leave you satisfied beyond your expectations. By the end of the meal, I was already planning my next visit! This place is perfect for a casual date night or a meetup for friends and family.

For more information you can visit their website, http://www.johnnyrads.com/JohnnyRads/home.html or Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/johnnyrads/?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=hsh5wctnjdh6, where they post their specials every week!

You can also take a look at VRG’s veggie restaurant guide at https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php!