Federal Hill

On a recent Saturday night at Banditos, the taco and tequila bar located in the heart of Federal Hill's party scene, inconsistent service overshadowed the Tex-Mex spot's laid-back vibe. While some details were easy to enjoy (portions of the decor, music selection and, most importantly, the drinks), the overall experience was not. The central problem seemed to be the underprepared (or undermanned) bar staff, which grew noticeably frustrated by the steady - but not overwhelming - weekend rush.

Wedding day: Sept. 29, 2012 The bride: Salmah Y. Rizvi, 26, grew up in Laurel. She works for the Department of Defense. Her father, Anwar H. Rizvi, is a plant pathologist for the United States Department of Agriculture. Her mother, Shamoon H. Rizvi, is a dialysis nurse at Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore. The groom: Imran M. Akram, 29, grew up in New York before moving to Baltimore. He is a chemical engineer for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. His mother, Zahida Rashid, is a special-education teacher in New York.

Many buyers looking for a lovely and quaint place to live in Baltimore City would probably have torn down the crumbling wreck of a house (in a perfect downtown location, however) in favor of rebuilding from the ground up. Not so with Kevin and Shelley Horten, who greet their guests at the side entrance of a completely rehabilitated, end-of-group rowhouse in Federal Hill. "When I first moved to Baltimore, I had never lived in a city," noted Kevin Horten, a 45-year-old vice president of Supplies Unlimited, a building supplier in Southwest Baltimore and an Ohio native.

Orioles fans were still bubbling Saturday morning, many clad in orange while going for their morning jog or cup of joe, basking in the baseball glow that took more than a decade to shine on the city. "It's been rejuvenating the city," said James Parsons , 33, of Locust Point as he and his family took a walk to the Fort Avenue Starbucks. "It's been rough because it's been 15 years since they've been relevant. " Parson and his wife, Sarah, chuckled as her 1-year-old son Brandon, bedecked in Orioles gear played with his hat. The couple was just discussing baby-sitting plans as they look forward to using the Yankees game tickets they secured.

Tacos make great bar food. And Banditos makes great tacos. The Tex-Mex-themed bar and eatery, which opened in July in the Federal Hill space that formerly housed Taco Spot, gets a lot of things right — not just the tacos. With an extensive drinks menu, a short list of simple but appealing food, and chipper service, Banditos is a welcome addition to the busy, bar-friendly neighborhood. The team behind Banditos includes Andrew Dunlap and Sean White, former owners of The Reserve and the disappointingly short-lived 1542 Gastropub.

Most visitors walking along the streets in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood cannot resist peeping into the windows of its restored homes and marveling at the variety of interiors lying behind the rows and rows of brick facades. "All of these houses are so different, really," said Pauline Hildebrandt, a 60-year-old retired real estate agent who has lived with her husband in their three-story Charles Street home since moving from Fairfax County, Va., in 2010. "We didn't have to renovate; everything was here.

Call it Langermann's Junior. The same team behind Langermann's in Canton - chef Neal Langermann and partners David McGill and Mark Lasker - have opened a new restaurant, just south of Federal Hill, in South Baltimore. The location, 1542 Light St., was recently the home to 1542 Gastropub and before that, the Reserve. Langermann's on Light, as it's known, opened on Sept. 10. "Basically we've always liked Federal Hill," McGill said. "We spent a lot of time looking there before opening the Canton location.

If you're searching for gameday atmosphere in Federal Hill but looking to avoid the foot traffic of the Mother's Purple Patio, check out its relatively new neighbor, Cowboys & Rednecks Pub. Unattractive name aside, the C&R Pub wears its country-western theme lightly, at least compared to the over-the-top yee-hawing of other "down-home" establishments. (There is no mechanical bull.) And it's a hit: Walk by C&R on a Friday or Saturday night and prepare to wait in line. Most important for Sundays, C&R Pub has more than enough flat-screen TVs to satisfy any die-hard Ravens fan. Whether you're in a booth or standing in front of the long bar, you likely won't miss an interception by Ed Reed or a flex-a-thon by Ray Rice.

It's been a decade and a half since the Baltimore Orioles have stirred excitement so far into the season. Now that they're 64-53 and in contention for a playoff berth, fans have plenty to talk about. Now, enter: Neal Moorhouse, aka “Carne Cabeza” which just barely translates into “Meat Head.” Once in June and twice so far this month, the 31-year-old Federal Hill resident has attended games shirtless, in a Mexican wrestling mask and tights, sometimes with the words "free hugs" painted on his generously sized chest.