Papermoon Diner
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Late Night
30 Reviews for Papermoon Diner
Used to frequent Papermoon all the time in college, and have been back a few times since, including a few weeks ago. They've changed their menu, and I wasn't crazy about it; a lot of the standards are still there, but they took away some of my old faves. The service has gotten even worse, which I didn't think was possible -- the servers are surly, apathetic hipsters who couldn't care less if they serve you something completely different from what you ordered. And they aren't even open 24hrs. anymore.
And yet, I'll still go back because it revives old memories. And cause they serve breakfast all day.
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The sweet potato fries they used to serve here were like deep fried baby food... totally disgusting. I was very happy to read they have changed the recipe. Good place to grab a bite if you are out late but that's about it.
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Holy lord, is this really happening? Am I seriously writing a FOUR STAR review for the Paper Moon? I think the universe just exploded.
But yes, here I am, writing a positive rating for this place. I used to hate it with a passion. The service was beyond terrible (worst I have ever experienced anywhere, actually) and the food seemed way overpriced for its quality and portion sizes. The kitsch never made up for any of this.
Dude. A few months ago, a friend of mine really wanted to go, so I caved in and went with her, not expecting much. This place has changed drastically! The service is FAST, good, and friendly now. The food is fairly delicious and satisfying, with options in both the veg and meat categories (I particularly recommend the Bird's Nest and the veggie pizza burger, but there's tons of stuff you really can't go wrong with). Some things are still more expensive than they need to be, and the strawberry milkshakes are gross, but you can't have it all, eh?
After we finished eating on that fateful day, I sat and wrote out a deliriously insane comment card that probably sounded like Charles Bronson wrote it, which read something like "HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS WHAT HAPPENED?! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GETTING YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. I WILL BE BACK SO MANY MORE TIMES." And I have, and it's still good. Hallelujiah, man.
Everyone I know who lives in baltimore seems to love this place so after a late night we stopped by for a quick dinner... well i just dont get it....
The decor isn't eclectic as my friends have said instead i see it as just weird and well the naked mannequins by the bathrooms scare me :(
The service was decent for the type of place and it being pretty late.
The food came highly rated by my friends but i wasn't crazy about it. I guess its a good late night spot but for all the hype i was let down.
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Reading all of these 1 and 2 star reviews upsets me. I haven't been back to Maryland since August, but every time I go home to visit, the Paper Moon is always on my list of places to go. It's where I'd take anyone visiting who has never been to Maryland or Baltimore. I was a vegetarian for a long time and this place has great options for the anti-meat types.
If John Waters' brain exploded and all of his thoughts materialized, I think the result would look a lot like the decor of the Paper Moon. This place IS Baltimore people. Show some love!
I like coming to this place and look at the old toys I use to have when I was young. The food is sometimes o.k and then sometimes crappy. The service has this kiss-my-ass attitude all the time. Well, the only time I go there is after 4am and they are already pissed off from the after 2am rush. Cant be all that bad though..
I give it no stars. i'm glad that i dont live in baltimore anymore so i dont see this poor excuse for an eatery. eff the staff, eff the food, and eff anyone who thinks this place is good. i say call in the air strike and give it back to the rats and cockroaches. Also, when you eat there, your money goes to a cult.
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I can certainly understand why there's a bit of a love/hate thing going on with Papermoon. The kitschy toys-glued-to-everything decor would either amuse or annoy the hell out of you. The food is a little pricey for what it is, and I could only vouch for breakfast dishes (which I've enjoyed).
I get a kick out of it, personally, but would say that there are better places to eat. It's a fun joint when you're buzzing, and it's doubtless good for kids.
Random junk and severed doll heads distract you from the less-than-stellar food, and it basically works. It's convenient and the service has gotten better.
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From what I hear this place use to be better...I would hope since that person (AKA Christina) made me come back to this place! It is a cool place to look at, but the food is just OK... and even that is an over statement. The pizza was just BAD. The French toast was dry and was severed with packets of butter. Wait 5 more years and maybe this place will be good again.
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After one too many drinks during the Baltimore Music Conference a friend and I needed to eat before making the long trek back to DC. Fortunately for me he new of Papermoon. Well the night was saved since this 24 hour veggie friendly diner was just what we needed.
The eclectic diner menu was so overwhelming as it was a book. I really don't like long menus but hey it's a diner. So I just opted for my usually monte cristo sandwhich. Well I was quite surprised. Somehow they mangaged to make the french toast taste like yellow cake. I still can't figure out if that was good or bad. It was tasty but I was expected a french toast flavor and not yellow cake. The service was pretty decent.
The place is so large that upon exit, we realized that the group of friends we were with earlier in the night were on the other side of the dining room.
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Have been coming to this place for years - since I was a wee lad in highschool trying to find a place to stay out without loitering. I must say that with every return it has gone downhill - the amount of surveillance increases as the quality of food decreases. As of my last visit I was sad to learn that sweet potato fries, my all time favorite dish, are no longer made to be gooey and delicious on the inside, but are simply fried in thin strips like regular french fries. Papermoon - this is the last straw!
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Very quirky true Baltimore venue, open 24-7. Decent diner fare and really good desserts. Good late-night option when you need a bite after you've closed down the local pubs.
The first time I came here my friend couldn't stop laughing as he ordered the "Weed Burger." I have to say I really have a soft spot for this place. Haven't been here ina couple of years, but I came across another place in Santa Cruz CA called The Saturn a while ago which totally reminded me of the Papermoon , complete with weird Barbie doll/pez head type paraphernalia. Be proud charm city, you have something I miss.
If another vegetarian friendly 24 hour place opened in Baltimore, no matter what the prices, Paper Moon would go out of business ASAP. Its slow, the food is mediocre, and its so expensive for what it is. The other problem is that you don't have "a" waiter- everyone is your waiter, so if you ask one for something to drink, and 10 minutes later it isn't there, you ask another one for the same thing, and a half an hour after that, you have two of them.
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i will say this, the place is interesting to look at. sometimes i find myself going there because everything else in baltimore seems to close way too early for my tastes...despite my bad experiences i keep returning. the food has only made me sick about 3 times, but inexplicably. i don't know how it's possible to ruin a mushroom sandwich or a grilled cheese, i can only imagine it must have been the nasty grill. the service is always a mess. they make no apologies for the variety of mistakes each one of your ten servers makes. one day i spent two hours in the place and all i had was a bagel, no loitering. best described as a well decorated money and time-sucking vortex, paper moon is still a part of my dining lexicon but i can't say why.
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ok, basically this place is fucking aces. in my book, anyway. it's a half-kitschy half-spooky diner in a semi-quiet part of baltimore. as soon as you walk in, you feel like you've entered a kind of fucked up enchanted forest. the ambience, if you will, is very david lynch meets alice in wonderland, if that makes any sense. the decor consists of beheaded dolls, miscellaneous toys, and lots of wood, some brightly colored, some not. it's always dim and cozy and the clientele is mostly baltimore subculture vultures. the food is good and plenty (the menu ranges from breakfast to dinner), and like someone else said, the ubiquity of avocado on the menu is definitely a huge plus. basically i have always had a rocking time at this place!!
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It's on of few places open 24 hours in Baltimore. I think it is a little overpriced but there aren't too many other choices.
There's a view of Baltimore exemplified by the Wire and Homicide.
Then there is Charm City through the hazy lavender glow of a John Waters lens.
Papermoon, with its Kewpie dolls and headless Barbie's falls into the latter category; it is pure John Waters.
Open 24 hours, consistent, with an atmosphere that is a nice relief for those who seek something different from the anal retentive types over at Hopkins, Papermoon should satisfy all of your late night pangs. As an undergrad, exiled from California, I relied on the fact that I could have avocado added to nearly everything I ordered at Papermoon.
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Eclectic, artsy, hipster - all good ways to describe this place but that this place gets it's crowd mostly from people who just want to say that they are going to The Papermoon because it's hip, rather than because it's quality.
The food blows.... grilled cheese was served almost cold and with soggy fries. The veggie wrap tastes like paper.
The staff is hit or miss - some wait staff is really nice, some wait staff is only nice if you are dressed "cool enough"
This tends to be the place where people go after a show at The Ottobar or Sonar only because there isn't much else out there - the same reason people in Towson go to the pit that is The Towson Diner
I haven't been here since my freshman year of college, which was five years ago, but back then this place was terrible and from what I hear it hasn't changed. The food was not good, it cost more than it should have, and there always seemed to be a wait to sit down. This is the sort of spot that freshmen who don't know any better go to.
Challah French Toast! A wonderful idea! The Papermoon has a lot more really cool things on its menu than it deserves. AND they're the only place near the JHU Homewood campus that's open all night long. It's easy forget about the Papermoon, since it's off the main commercial streets in this area, but it's really worth frequent visits.
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hecka dang. it's been a few years but i still talk about this place. cheers for the avocado on grilled cheese. open 24, my kind of place. visiting baltimore from california i was craving a random place like this. and well i found it.
Why does one go to papermoon? Well, it usually isn't for the service (where you are amazed if its quick or friendly, and don't you dare think of asking for a split check), nor is it for cheap meals (the prices keep going up), but there is just something about it that draws everyone in at 3am in the morning. For me, its the bread pudding, for others its the eggs benedict (a friend swares by it).
I've never been drawn to Papermoon during the day, but late at night? Its the best.
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I have nothing to say about this place exept.......... one and a half hours for a grilled cheese sandwich wich wasnt even what i ordered and ran me about 10 or 11 dollars! Combine that with a over crowded and uncomfortable dining area not to mention a poor menu and a long wait just to get a seat! But hey they got lots of cool trinkets to look at while your suffering through your dining experience
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Papermoon is truly a Baltimore landmark. Sure the food is great, and fairly priced, but the decor is out of this world. Imagine a restaurant filled with old-fashioned action figures and toy robots. Imagine a place where the menus are sandwiched between the covers of old childrens' books. And you have to choose between breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, oh yeah, it's open 24 hours. And the website is pretty neat.
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I hate this place! IT has one thing and one thing only going for it. A lack of competition. It's open 24/7 in a city that tries to go to sleep by 2 am. I can think of at least 20 people that have become violently ill after eating here. The wait is usually very long during after hours, the service is downright insulting..and to boot it is the most overpriced place that you could ever imagine eating. I beg that some one open another 24 hour joint in the area and ask that people stop frequenting this hole in ground so that they are forced to close down.( I recommend driving to sip and bite for the same food at about 1/8 the price with a real diner staff that will serve with a smile).
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I am going to have to give this place only three stars because they messed up my order and then gave me a new meal that was only half-cooked. The decor was cool for Baltimore - I don't know where they got the idea, but the place is just a general mix of tacky souvenirs - makes for good conversation and just general eye candy. Otherwise, there are a billion rules regarding the restaurant's operations, which you most likely don't feel like reading when you are going someplace only one time. Also, beware - there are no locks on the bathroom doors.
Once I got done enjoying the kitch-factor, I dove into some of the nastiest meatloaf I'd ever had in my life, which arrived at the same time as my appetizer salad I had ordered. It was almost like the staff didn't care. I will come back when I have a friend in town that would enjoy the decour, but this time I might settle for coffee and let my freind explore the menu on her own.
first time i was there i got drawn onto the number of toys stuck onto the wall, and after going there for years, they keep adding more.
i do agree with the bad/slow service when it's crowded, as for waiting in line, if you've there before, you know that's the only place around that opens 24/7, so it's a given that you have to wait for a while during certain hours
i don't care much about the menu cos every time i go there i know what to get (benedicts there are the best!), but i guess if you're not a regular, it doesn't give you that many choices.
it's a love it or hate it place, but you know that's the place to go when you're hungry and it's 3 in the morning.
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