The Friendly Inn Restaurant is located in old Ellicott City, Md. It offers a full menu that features crab cakes, seafood and steaks. A wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches and salads, are also available. The Inn holds an Open Mic each Thursday, along with food specials, such as $5 half-pound shrimp as of January 2011. The Open Mic begins at 9 p.m., but it's recommended that you arrive before 8 p.m. to reserve a spot if you want to perform. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming with brick walls and wood beam ceilings.
Madam Organ's Restaurant and Bar, in the heart of Washington D.C., is a restaurant and club that features primarily blues music. The kitchen specializes in soul food and offers a full dinner menu. Madam Organ's motto is "Where beautiful people come to get ugly," and was voted one of the Top 20 bars in the U.S. by Stuff Magazine. The restaurant recently added an Open Mic Night, held every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on the second floor.
The Old Bowie Town Grille, located in Bowie, Md., is a full-service restaurant that serves contemporary food along with beer, wine and liquor. Open Mic Night is on Thursdays, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sign up starts at 7 p.m. Thursday is also Ladies Night, and specials include well margaritas, house wine and well drinks served all night. As of 2011, half-price appetizers are available from 7:30 to closing. Joe McGinnis of The McGinnis Brothers hosts the open mic and determines the schedule. Early sign-up is available by email only.
The Modern Times Coffeehouse at Politics & Prose Bookstore is located in Washington D.C., and hosts an Open Mic Night every Friday, which provides area musicians a comfortable setting to network. Performances are acoustic and occasionally feature visiting musicians as special guests. Music, poetry and free-style performances are welcome. The show begins at 8 p.m. and sign-up starts at 7:30 p.m. The sign-up list fills quickly, but management tries to accommodate everyone and places performers on a stand-by list should a slot open. Modern Times serves breakfast, lunch and light dinners that include salads, hot and cold sandwiches and an array of coffees and teas.
Nadds New Age Dine and Dance is located in Baltimore's cultural district. This boutique restaurant puts the focus on contemporary music and the spoken word. It holds an Open Mic Night on Thursdays at 8 p.m.; sign-up begins at 7 p.m. No rap or "screamo" music is allowed. As of 2011, Thursday is also College Night with 99 cent Pabst Blue Ribbon with college ID. For those who want dinner with their entertainment, the restaurant offers a full menu that features local seafood dishes like seared yellow fin tuna and homemade-style comfort foods like burgers, salads and sandwiches.