Several years ago, while I was attneding a Science Fiction Convention at the Hunt Valley Marriot, I joined some friends going to Carrabba's on the edge of the Hunt Valley Mall.
The Ladies' room was exceptionally clean and looked freshly painted although the restaurant had been there for a while. But the unique thing about it, at least back then, was the Italian lessons.
Picture yourself in a bathroom and just as you're about to do what you came in there for, you hear a deep male voice and you can't tell where it's coming from. It took about 2 seconds for me to realize that the voice was on a recording giving the English and Italian words for various items.

I just ate at Lebanese Taverna today and though it was not the first time I'd encountered a unisex toilet, I *was* surprised by the mouthwash dispenser.

The best restaurant bathroom experience I've had in Charm City as a woman was in the men's room at John Stevens a couple years ago. Someone had written "Out of Iraq!" in the grout between the tiles on the wall. Then someone added GR to "Out of Iraq" to make it "Grout of Iraq," which started a bunch of grout puns written in the grout - "In the Garden of Grout and Evil".... "The Grout Gatsby"... there were probably about 30 or so... though I hear it's all gone now. (I had to get my male cousin to watch the door back then just so I could go in and read after he told me what he saw)

Always remember, the chap what's doing the loo usually does the kitchen, too.

So tell us, LJ, do you spend a lot of time in men's rooms? (Nice cover story about the male cousin.)

I *was* surprised by the mouthwash dispenser.

That's something I've never seen and can't quite figure out. Mints in a bowl by the door works for most restaurants. ;-)

I can't stand the women's room at Holy Frijoles. There is this tiny little hook that doesn't look like it could withstand a strong yank. And if the door did open, you would be sitting there on display to all in the restaurant. ... The bathroom at Cinghiale is nice. There is a small common area with sinks, then about four large wooden doors to the individual stalls, which look the same as the door to exit the bathroom. One night when I was there, a middle-aged woman who'd had too much to drink got confused about how to get out and was like a scared kid in a fun house.

Mouthwash dispenser!?!

How do you use it? Put your mouth underneath and push the button? Was it like the soap and towel dispensers, where it automatically dispenses when you get near? The mind boggleth.

There's a restaurant in SoHo on Prince St. called Peep. It has Asian style food. In addition to the funky decor you have to look at the slightly freaky bathroom with one-way mirrors, quite a novelty to watch TV inside and to peep outside while you conduct your business therein.

Does anyone else think it's weird that Juniors' women's bathroom has one toilet (no stall), but two sinks? All in just one room? Are they promoting group bathroom breaks?

The ladies restroom at Little Havana is the noisiest bathroom I have ever been in. (And, no, the noises are not coming from the patrons.) The stall doors are made of corrugated aluminum and there is no padding for when the door closes on it's spring. So, all you hear in there is "BAM!! BAM!!! BAM!!" Crazy, and very hard to get used to.

I almost must say that I have always been rather disappointed with the ladies room at The Prime Rib. That place is decorated in such with such a funky, retro vibe, it should extend to the bathrooms!

Mouthwash dispenser!?! How do you use it? Put your mouth underneath and push the button? Was it like the soap and towel dispensers ... The mind boggleth.

It was more like a soap dispenser, with a little holder attached for tiny plastic cups. Pump out your Listerine and you're ready for a good rinse.

I wondered why they decided to put it in ... do the restaurant owners think their food is very garlicky? Was it just an option they selected from a menu of available restroom features?

For wing - Even weirder, in a restaurant outside of South Padre Island is one bathroom with two toilets so close to one another your thighs would be touching and one sink!!!! That's taking friendship to a new level.

Have you seen pictures of Roman baths. Even allowing for smaller stature, those multi-holers are really close together.

The best bathroom for the full service experience that I have have visited in our city is definitely Oceanaire. Stacks of folded, real hand towels line the walls instead of paper towels, every toiletry you can think of (including mouthwash with little cups), and a shoe shine machine - wow. I had a friend celebrate his birthday at Red Maple recently and I enjoyed their minimalist, dark wood modern bathroom.

And on the opposite side of the spectrum there are plenty of notables. One that always tickles me a little is the urinal at Kislings. You can tell that someone broke a large chunk off of the front of it, and instead of getting a new one they glued the old one back together. They did their part to keep one more urinal out of the landfill...