Mobtown Ballroom and Cafe

Went to square dancing on 11/23 and had a surprisingly great time. The attendees seemed much more diverse than I expected: not majority White, but the largest chunk was, fairly queer, and all ages (including a couple kids with their parents). The dance floor was full but enough space for all the dancing. The female caller was inclusive and direct, re-teaching steps when she saw some groups struggling, and she had great chemistry with her band. You really don't need to know anything about square dancing, she taught everything you needed to know. It was my first time square dancing, and although I was anxious about switching partners/dancing with strangers, it seemed like the caller took that into account: you start with just your partner, then find another couple, then you find two other couples, and all these formations ease you into switching partners. I was sweating by dance #2, but I stuck around until the band took a break after 1.5 hours. I had three complaints: her mic was not loud enough, the water machine was broken, and not enough chairs for folks taking a break. However, besides those concerns, square dancing made for a great, affordable date night.

Great spot in downtown Baltimore with INCREDIBLE breakfast sandwiches. Have been twice for breakfast. The biscuits are out of this world. Big and fluffy with a crispy exterior. The breakfast sandwich is substantial, and comes with a choice of cheese and meat. One of our guests got the rare roast beef sandwich which he declared one of the best he'd ever had. And my husband said the coffee is excellent - and he's super picky about his coffee. Don't miss Mobtown!

I went to Mobtown on a Friday night for a swing lesson. Despite having lived at 857 Washington Blvd for a few years way back, I'd never actually gone into Mobtown. I didn't know what to expect.It's an old building that I believe used to be a church, maybe. Doesn't look like much has been done over the years as far as renovations, so there's an old world charm about it. When I went there only seemed to be one toilet working in the bathroom though there are 3 stalls. That said, the bathroom was not packed and I was able to quickly get in and out.Overall the swing lesson was great and I plan on signing up for classes now. I'd say the only real drawback was the lack of craft beer options.

Very good place to learning dance .I been learning dance here , trainer are friendly & helpful.

As fun at it looked...dancing was just not my thing. That all changed this year when the notion of how much fun going dancing was continued coming up. Finally, I decided to jump in... with both left feet. I was pointed towards this reputable (and seemingly popular) dance hall/instruction studio, The Mobtown Ballroom (CharmCitySwing.com). So I signed up. I had no idea what to expect. The first class I had was on a Monday night. It was a drop-in special... "Learn how to West Coast Swing!" It was a rudimentary class. A basic step, how to hold your partner, a couple basic hold, and a couple spins. The instructors, Michael and Nina, were not only knowledgeable.. but they brought a tremendous amount of humor and fun to each class they lead. They have no problem showing over and over again what things look like along with hopping into rotation and giving one on one time with everyone. These guys really make this fun. I found out at the end of this class that Monday nights they have a social dance directly afterwards. It was then that I was able to use my new basic knowledge to dance with a couple people. It was fun... but I still had a long way to go before being comfortable. I decided to go ahead and sign up for their more "advanced" class... the Lindy Hop. A quicker paced version of swing. It is a 6 week course with the same instructors. --- Now, I am in my 4th week of the classes and I have picked up a lot of great basic steps, turns, transitions, and swings. Last night was my first social dance with a live band. It was a blast! Throughout the night I asked and was asked to dance with many people. Each song had a similar, but different feel. I got to try out everything from slow and bluesy... to songs with a very quick tempo. I was a great lead with girls who where great followers and saw plenty of room for improvement when I danced with girls who were better dancers, but often expected me to lead them as a more experienced dancer. I watched as the people who have been doing this a long time made everything look smooth and easy. I can see myself really picking this up. I have been told often that I am doing very well for how little a time I have been dancing. So my confidence remains high. There were a couple dances last night that it was clear that I was a novice... but every now and again I pair up with a girl who followed well and made the dance and everything I did look like I knew exactly what I was doing. It was those dances that let me know... I might just get the hang of this thing. The night ended with the same type of flair that the best dancers brought to the floor. As the band started its last set, the entire room gathered in a hurried pace to a circle around the middle front of the dance floor. Two by two, experienced doubles swung out from the crowd and held it down for a few dazzling moves and disappeared back into the crowd making way for the next two. The room filled with clapping and stomping to the beat of the drums, hooping and hollering, whistling and yelling after each mini performance. Then it got better... with the wave of a single hand the entire ballroom rushed the stage while the band continued the high pace jam.... stomping and clapping ensued with each member of the band wailing away. Like a orchestral conductor, a couple guys at the front of the crowd raised their hand to single the crowd to go into a soft clap/stomp as each solo member took the spotlight. The whole room had a intense in-sync hop as the drums went crazy... the floor was hammered and you could feel the room shake to the beat....we were all quietly hopping in place to the fevered pace..... just when you thought it could get no quieter, the trumpet and drums lit up, causing the whole place to burst into a massively loud stomp and clap. It quickly turned from a dance hall to a rock concert, with the visiting band from Seattle, center stage. After the last song... the entire crown bursted into a thunderous applause and the night came to an end. All in all.... It was pretty awesome.

Hope to have a better experience the next time. I thought I was going to a class tonight to learn how to swing dance with my husband. Instead I danced with many partners until one of the guys quit during the rotation. So I was out a partner for the 2nd half of the lesson. I sat on the sidelines watching my husband dance with multiple partners. I just can't recommend this particular class.

What an awesome venue!!! How could you give this place anything less than 5 stars? I came here twice during a one-month work trip to Maryland. LOVED the swing dancing scene- the live bands, friendly crowds, and great dancers. I was surprised how much fun I had, not knowing any of the local dancers. There's something magical about being a first-timer in a new city too- you can ask anyone to dance (even the top dancers!) without any commitment, knowing that you may never see them again :) To their credit (and definitely not my dancing skills)- no one turned me down!Although the ballroom is in a bit of a questionable area (and my only experiences here were at night- so hopefully that puts some perspective on this)- I was able to find parking that was fairly close to the venue, and I only received a couple weird comments walking to and from my car. The ballroom itself is gorgeous- it looks like it used to be an old orthodox church, from the glass and remnant murals on the walls- it makes for a very dramatic dancefloor! The inside bar with plenty of free water for the dancers is a nice feature, as well. All-in-all, I have to say I'm a huge fan of this place, given my limited experience here, and I would definitely recommend it to my dancing friends.

Hands down the most awesome dance space in Baltimore. For swing dance nights, Fridays tend to be much more crowded compared to Mondays; I also enjoy coming on Sundays for the practice sessions. Though the majority of the students are here to learn swing and lindy hop, there is a huge variety of dance classes taught every day of the week. The building itself is a decommissioned church and is quite beautiful. One of my favorite spots in Baltimore!

I found this place recently after starting dancing and I love it. It's often the place to be. Dance lessons are great, helps you progress and evolve your skills.

Excellent cafe, exceptional dance venue.The coffee here is solid and reasonably priced, the biscuits and breakfast sandwiches are top notch, and the baked goods are delightfully flavored without being terribly sweet.This is the best swing dance venue on the east coast, and it's not even close. 10/10 do recommend