My guess would be swing dancing night at the Austin Grill in Canton.

Is the prize for coming up with a TTT idea an autographed picture of the food critic at work? (Of course from behind, so that her identity remains a secret?

Although I have not been there in a while, I used to enjoy the blues/folk singers that performed at Ze Mean Bean.

Lebanese Taverna has belly dancing on Thursdays, but I haven't been yet...

Ouch!

Elizabeth, did you just step on my toes?

Suck it up, Sam. The people (OK, two people) have spoken.

Thursday nights, jazz combo at Sascha's 527...I haven't been in a while, so I'm not sure they still do it.

Elizabeth, I disgree that we need to "define" what a diner is, because the one thng that constitutes a diner is that you KNOW it's a diner when you're in one. If you are unsure whether a partcular establishment is a diner or not, then it aint a diner! When you're in a diner, you shouldn't even have to ask the question.

Jimmy's in Fells Point is a diner, as is the Sip & Bite, the Bel-Loc, Nautilus in Timonium, and Waffle Houses.

A diner must serve breakfast 24 hrs or at least serves breakfast long as thy're open (they don't necessarily have to be open 24 hours). But just because a place serves b'fast all the time, doesn't necessaily make them a diner, per se.

Diners must also have counter sevice, which is not to be confused with sitting at a bar at your local watering hole. Sitting at the counter at the Bel-Loc or the Double T is NOT the same as bellying up to the bar at a place like Kisling's of Looney's. It's completely differrent all together.

But like I said earlier, there should be no need for a "definition". If you have to question whether a palce is a diner or not, then it's not one. When you're at a diner, you know it's a diner, period.

And by the way, this is all my personal and humble opinion. Others may disagree, and that's fine--goodd for them. But I thought I'd offer my 2 cents.

This is an excellent point. However, I can't agree that the Waffle House is a diner because it's SO breakfast oriented. In the same way a Little Tavern isn't a diner. To me, one of the characteristics of a diner is that it has a big menu and no one meal takes precedence over the other. However, I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise.

I'll have to disagree with you about the Wafle House.

Yes they do lean heavy on breakfast items, but so so a lot of diners. But the Waffle House has a very decent variety of non-breeakfast items, from sadwiches, burgers, patty melts, grilled chicken, salads, chilli, soups, and dinner entrees such as t-bone steaks, pork chops, chicken and ham. It is very much a diner, IMHO.

OK, then are chains in the mix?

Here's the big question. Are you looking for entertainment venues that serve good food, of which I'm not certain that there really are many, or are you looking for restaurants that have live entertainment?

If you want to walk that fine line, I'd say that the Waterfront Hotel is one place that has lots of live music as well as some pretty decent food.

I know that Joe Squared has live music often.

But on the other side of that line is the places like The Recher Theater and Red House Tavern which both have food, but it pretty much just bar style fare.

Oh, I almost forgot, I think that Copra has live jazz also.

I'm going for the ten places that have live entertainment that have the best food, and I've already found a couple of surprises, but if I can't get ten, then I'll have to flesh the list out with places I think of as having pretty good food. In other words, all of them have to be restaurants I would go to for the food alone if entertainment weren't in the mix. Otherwise, it's a list for Sam's blog.

I would go to Joe2 for the food. In fact I have, but the entertainment can be fun too.

As far as diners go, I know I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep Sip and Bite and Double T off the list, in spite of the fact that I just hate both of them. I would have to be very very drunk to eat at either one.

But there's a couple that don't get enough attention that are really good. One is Forest Diner in Ellicott City, which also has live entertainment (Elvis, Sinatra and Neil Diamond impersonators).

The other is Frank's Diner on Rt. 1 in Jessup, tucked back so it's not even visible from the road,. They make a superior breakfast, and their other food is good too.

What qualities make one diner breakfast better than another one? I mean this as a real question, not a dismissive one.

J.Patricks in Locust Point usually has live irish music on the weekends (and Irish dancing lessons during the week).

Milton's Grill (on Charles Street in Mt. Vernon) often has jazz.

"OK, then are chains in the mix? "

If they're worthy of being in the Top 10, then sure. After all, Five Guys made it to the Top-10 burger list.

But to be clear, I'm not saying that Waffle House should (or shouldn't) be on a top-10 diner list. I'm just saying that it merely qualifies as being categorized as a diner.

And actually, I'd personally keep it off the list simply for 2 reasons: 1.) because there really aren't that many of them in the Batimore area, and 2.) I could probably name at least 10 diners that are better (if not more).

Now the Double-T is a local chain, and it definitely should be on any top-10 list in the Baltimore area for sure.

Good luck!

As long as we're defining diners, one definition I once heard is: Open 24 hours, always serves breakfast, and free standing. This was provided by a denizen of New Jersey so I'm sure it's Jersey centric, but there you go. As for the Supreme Court's definition of pornography (I know it when I see it), that seems a little ill-defined for my taste. Also, can there be up-scale diners? Would Miss Shirley's qualify?

"A diner must serve breakfast 24 hrs or at least serves breakfast long as thy're open (they don't necessarily have to be open 24 hours). But just because a place serves b'fast all the time, doesn't necessaily make them a diner, per se.

Diners must also have counter sevice, which is not to be confused with sitting at a bar at your local watering hole. Sitting at the counter at the Bel-Loc or the Double T is NOT the same as bellying up to the bar at a place like Kisling's of Looney's. It's completely differrent all together."

By this definition, Denny's would qualify as a diner, but it obviously isn't. Should we add tabletop jukeboxes? Railroad car architecture?

For the most part, though, I agree with Doony B -- if it looks like a diner, has food like a diner and feels like a diner, it is a diner regardless of what someone esle says.

Regarding the live entertainment list.

If you're going for places that one would "go to for the food alone if entertainment weren't in the mix", then I think you need to do 2 lists:

1.) The ten places that have live entertainment that have the best food--which aren't Irish pubs"

2.) The top 10 Irish pubs with live music (and god food).

My reasoning is this--

There are countless Irish pubs in the greater Baltimore region which have both wonderful food and Live entertainment. James Joyce is one right off the bat. Already on the Top-10 burger list, JJ has a wonderful all around menu, and they have great live entertainment practically on a nightly basis (just go to both the "menu" page and "events" page on their website).

The same can be said for An Poitin Stil in Timonium (a.k.a "The Still"). Excellent menu and great live music.

Gallway Bay and Sean Donan's in Annapolis, Kilarney House in Davidsonville, Maggie Moore's and Mick O'Shea's in the City. Great menus and great entertainment in all of them.

So my point is, that unless you do 2 lists, the Irish Pubs are going to dominate. or at least they would on my list.

Not trying to start an argument, just my own personal thoughts and opinions.

I can see this is going to be harder than I thought. Maybe I'll do a list of the best of ten different categories of restaurant/live entertainment. At least it will be the start of a lively discussion because it would be so subjective.

David--

True, I did say that "Diners must also have counter sevice..." etc.

But I never said that all places with counter service are "diners".

To: matt hudock--

The Sip & Bite isn't freestanding, but it is certainly a diner. Jimmy's isn't open 24 hours. But it's still a diner nonetheless.

A diner is a diner plain and simple. If you don't know you are in a diner when you're eating at one, then it's not a diner.

Like David wrote: "if it looks like a diner, has food like a diner and feels like a diner, it is a diner regardless of what someone esle says."

Good description David.

The Donna's in Columbia has live entertainment usually on Saturday nights. Now if they could only serve me a cup of coffee that was actually *Hot* for once instead of luke warm at best.

Live entertainment with good food:
Red Star
Mick O'sheas
13th floor (well, you can eat at Owl bar, then go upstairs!)
Waterfront Hotel
James Joyce

Given that St. Paddy's isn't too far off, how about the Top 10 places to get corned beef and cabbage?

Elizabeth asks: OK, then are chains in the mix?

Is the Double T a chain?

This reminds me of a separate entry I wanted to do suggested by Robert (the Single One): Is it a chain or is it a group? I need to write it before we forget all about the original discussion.

But to me, the Double T is a diner. Yes, I've been to the sip and bite and that is a diner as well. Isn't it how you were brought up? The area you grew up in?

I'll give you a group that would be great but sadly does not exist: 10 places with with live CLASSICAL music. The only place I can think of is the sadly gone Louie's. For me the others are just variations on the excess noise theme.

I have a Top-10 idea, but not sure if you've done it before or not. The Top 10 Deli's. I know there are several differrent kinds of delis (Italian, Kosher, german, etc), etc.), but Im not advocating a to-10 for each.

Just a simple Top-10 delis. And like the diner posts above, there should be no need to really define what a "deli" is. Just know that a "deli" "can" be in grocery stores and liquor stores.

My personal list of the areas best delis would include (in no particular order except for #1):

1.) Attman's (the best, period.)

2.) Trinacria on Paca Street

3.) The Suburban House Deli in
Pikesville

4.) Cannella's in Carney

5.) DiPasquale's in Highlandtown

6.) Miller's in the Greenspring Shopping center

7.) Eddie's on Roland Avenue

8.) Chick & Ruth's Delly in Annapolis

9.) Mastellones Deli & Wine shop on Harford Rd.

10.) The old "Homewood Deli" (R.I.P.) on St. Paul Street in Charles Village. It's not there anymore, and it's been years since it closed down. :-( But it was one of the absolute best places to eat in the history of Baltimore eateries, so I'm keeping it on my top-10 list for nostalgia sake!

This is "my" Top 10 list of Deli's. I'd be interested to see others.

Good list. I'm wondering why Eddie's on Roland but not Charles.

Is a diner the same as a greasy spoon? Or did that phrase go out with the Great Depression?

I thought this was a photo from the Bel Air SkateLand circa 1982 and the anouncement of "couples only" had just come over the speaker.

"I'm wondering why Eddie's on Roland but not Charles."

Good question. Both are quite good. But the reason is because it's the original location. If you're going to patronize "Eddies of Roland Park", you may as well go to the one that's actually located "in Roland Park", especially since it's only a stone's throw from the one on Charles St.. ;-)