BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Our waitress at Shula’s 2, the casual sports bar-themed restaurant next to Shula’s Steakhouse, was pleasant, and water and bread were on the table before we even looked at the menu. Tables around us were full and the business lunch crowd seemed content; this encouraged us, so we ordered with gusto.

My friend started with a Caesar salad appetizer ($5.95), and that appeared fresh and pleasant. I had a Thai beef salad ($14.95). Although crisp and beautiful to look at, the flavor was a bit dull with no Thai kick. The portion, however, was huge.

For entrées, we ordered the signature cheeseburger ($10.95) and barbecue ribs ($27). Both were fine but at their price points, each fell short of our expectations. The meat elements were tasty enough, but the sides were sorely lacking; the fries were cold, the beans and coleslaw with the ribs were slightly unappealing. When our waitress noticed our disinterest, however, she effortlessly substituted fries.

Wines by the glass at this sporty place range from $7 to $9, but our recommendation is to stick with beer or any of the nonalcoholic offerings. The dessert menu had things such as key lime pie ($5.95) and apple cobbler ($6.95), but we opted for the hot fudge brownie sundae ($5.95), which arrived alongside whipped cream, fudge sauce, plain vanilla ice cream and a sickly sweet brownie. Be warned this dessert will cure a chocolate craving.

Overall, Shula’s 2 gives the good old college try.

If you go

Shula’s 2 at the Wyndham Inner Harbor Hotel, 101 W. Fayette St., Baltimore, 410-385-6601

» Hours: Monday through Sunday serving lunch and dinner

» Carryout: Yes, in the bar

» Dress: Casual

» Credit Cards: Yes

» Liquor license: Yes

» Parking: Public parking across the street or metered parking

» Wheelchair accessible: Yes

» Smoking: Yes

Comments from Examiner Readers

12:15 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 17, 2008 re: "New eateries may bud in Haight-Ashbury"

Gaza George said:
Let them eat and drink. Too many hemp products can be harmful to the multinational restaurant bottom line. Go liquor holes.

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7:27 AM MST on Fri., Oct. 5, 2007 re: "Chef Paolino�s dishes pasta with pizazz"

Examiner Reader said:
I was very surprised by the comment. When we go to eat at Chef Paolino, I always take the kids to a table first and either my husband or I order for all of us. Our first time there, we all took a menu to a table and then my husband went up and ordered for the family. I think the writer just misunderstood.

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8:42 AM MST on Wed., Sep. 12, 2007 re: "Chef Paolino�s dishes pasta with pizazz"

Examiner Reader said:
On the evening of 09/07/07 my family and I went to eat at this restaurant for dinner at 5:30 pm. Being our first time there I questioned if they would seat us or should we seat ourselves. The employee advised me we had to go order our food then we could seat ourselves. I ask him if I could please sit first. In my arms was my handicapped 5 year old daughter who from Spinal Bifida can not walk, my husband was carrying our 3 month old son and I had 3 other children with me ranging from 7 to 9. I explained to him I could not continue to hold her and go order my food due to her wait. It would be impossible to hold her and order, pay, ect. Even after explaining why I needed to be seated first he refused to do so. My family and I had to leave that establishment and to say the least was very dissatisfied with our first experience at the Chef Paolino Cafe.I believe this restaurant needs to change there process of ordering and seating customers. This process is very difficult for the handicapped

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12:51 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 25, 2007 re: "Powell brings Jamaican spice to Penn Quarter restaurant"

Anon said:
Chef Alex Powell's enthusiasm for his work and his creations comes across well in this article. As a food connoisseur and a lover of island flavors, it will be my priority to visit the 701 Restaurant. The chef takes me back to my own roots where the belief is that you can never go wrong with simple, natural ingredients. Way to go chef and welcome to DC!

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5:39 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 4, 2007 re: "Beer soup brightens meal in Ellicott City"

Examiner Reader said:
Sounds like a typical visit to most restaruants these days. Steak are always "iffy" I try to avoind them because a chef will tell you fat on a steak helps retain juices, but I don't like fat. Also, if I see a sauce on anything I avoid it. especailly at a place where I have never eaten. I had a friend that was a professional chef. I was grilling steaks at my house one day and asked him to show me how he made his steak taste so good. He rubbed both sides with salt.

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