Jokers ‘n Thieves Restaurant & Bar

Went her with a work colleague of mine to hang out on a Friday night and have a couple of drinks and some food. This is a pretty good bar, the service was excellent and the food was nice as well.

This is my favorite place in Canton square so far. The servers are very nice, they have great cocktails and the food is fresh and tasty. It’s not the type of place I can eat out at every day because it’s a bit pricey for me but quality costs a bit more, I guess. I love the cocktail, I think it was an old fashioned, and they put a meringue on top. I had the crack fries and the French onion soup. Both were good, the soup was a seafood French onion so I really wouldn’t say it was French onion. I love that they open up the restaurant on nice days too. Overall it’s a great place to have some drinks and appetizers with your friends.

I have been to this establishment quite a few times and have not once been disappointed. The décor is great, mood is fun and food is delicious! The staff is really fun and attentive. You will not get one of those looks when you order a drink that you know is going to take forever to make. Reclaimed wood, mason jars and industrial accents make this place very warm and inviting. They have even added garage doors so that the restaurant will open up to the outdoors come warmer weather! Plus they have live music on the weekends, so it has a different vibe then the rest of Canton Square.
Upon my first visit, I had the 12 hour brisket which was to die for! Cooked perfectly and placed upon a creamy cheesy rice with spinach made me even more excited.
Another time I went for lunch and had the mac and cheese spring rolls which I was hesitant about, but they were surprisingly delightful. The dipping sauce made them even better. I also had the crab cracklings which were exactly what I needed as they were crispy, salty and melted in my mouth.
Drinks here are great. This is very much tailored to a whiskey drinking crowd, but they have something for everyone. There are plenty of beer options if you do not feel like have a cocktail, but the craft cocktails are what I would suggest.

Awesome place. Like way better than JD’s Smokehouse (previous restaurant). Friendly bar-​tenders, great beer list. A neighborhood gem. Get the All-​American Burger (CAN NOT go wrong).

Worst wings ever. $ 10 for six baby wings. Not sure what was worst, the salty dry wings or the service. Party of three next to me at the bar just left without ordering. Good choice. Leave. Go elsewhere. I miss JD’s. Word to the wise, all customers are important, even the ones in the back corner.

Came tonight for drinks and dinner. Service started off pretty good but then the food took about 35 minutes to come out and no communication from the server. I had chicken and waffles and it was just ok, certainly not the best I’ve had. It was really salty and the chicken was way over cooked and dry. Just had beer tonight and fortunately those cant be screwed up. Not sure I would rush back for dinner.

Great replacement to the old J. D’s. Ambiance is relaxed, but feels high-​end. Right on the square, but attracts more of a subdued crowd than the usual Canton Yegger-​bombers.
The remodel is very nice with two separate bars on the lower level. TVs that broadcast games and bartenders that are knowledgeable and friendly.
The food is what made this place. The crawfish roll is to die for. Made on a lightly toasted, buttered brioche roll, not too much mayonnaise and plenty of crawfish.
The crack fries were delicious with pulled pork, queso, pickled jalepenos and scallions. Ate way too many of those before the real meal.
Lots of other great things to try on the menu — would definitely go back and you should try it too!

Pros:
Fun décor, location is within walking distance to other bars and restaurants, and biggest advantage was the wait service. I believe we had Heather as our waitress, who was excellent with suggestions, service and an all round nice person! Also, the drinks were a decent pour for whiskey and bourbon but the cocktails, while tasty, were a bit on the «less» side in terms of size. The beer selection was also good.
Cons:
I’ll preface this with saying maybe the manager is new (er) to the industry but either way, was off-​putting enough not to go back. We had about 12 people at our table for a few hours and we were continuously ordering drinks and food. So we weren’t just sitting there nursing drinks or chilling. We were also celebrating so the drinks were flowing. Since we had a big party so made sure to get there early to snag the tables since Canton gets crowded. However, after ordering a round of drinks after the two and a half hours there, we were told by the manager that the band had to set up so we would have to move. Mind you — he never mentioned this even as more people were joining our party. We asked why he hadn’t said anything to us earlier because we told them we would be there for awhile celebrating. He said «some people just say okay and move (and made a take it on the sleeve motion with his hands and arm) or if we wanted, he would tell the band they have to wait for us to finish. Of course his facial expression indicated he was NOT in favor of that. I guess we were good enough to keep for awhile to get the money instead of just giving us a «heads up» when we mentioned how long we’d be there, had others join at various intervals, etc. If so, we would have gladly moved.
Also, the food is written as «low country» food (what IS that anyway? Crab and a sweet waffle unfortunately do not go together and several of us weren’t sure what to make of the name, «white trash tacos»).
Overall, we’ll be sure to go elsewhere next time, most likely back to our faves, especially if it’s a large group. No need for unpleasantness when celebrating.
If you want southern food, go to Langermann’s, Bluegrass Tavern, or even to Iron Rooster and get better quality for the price and great service.

A friend and I came for happy hour/​dinner and just weren’t impressed. We started with drinks and a charcuterie plate, which was pretty good. My beer was a beer, what can I say? My friend’s Bloody Mary (yes I know, not brunch, she’s a bit weird) was too strong, so she had to water it down. Literally.
I think our mistake was ordering from the «plates,» which are dinners, instead of the sandwiches or other small items. I ordered shrimp and grits, but other than the fact that it contained shrimp and grits, it was nothing like any shrimp and grits I’ve ever had before. There were diced carrots (???) and virtually none of the ham mentioned in the menu description. The grits were good, and the sauce was tasty but really creamy and thick. While I didn’t dislike it, they should really call it something else. I was definitely disappointed that it wasn’t closer to a traditional recipe.
My friend ordered the blackened salmon, which she said tasted fishy. (I think all salmon tastes fishy, so I declined to find out for myself.) It came with a potato hash that was so salty it was inedible. I did try that, and I like salty stuff way more than my friend does. It was awful.
My suggestion: stick to the small stuff that’s harder to screw up and you might not be as un-​thrilled as we were.

I liked this place but made a mistake by getting a glass of wine. Smallest pours ever! I asked about it and she said they do 6oz but no way was my glass that. Never again.

ASK FOR LANE. HE misters and senoritas is an artist of this beautiful drink we call whiskey.

Neat place but empty. I hope this place can retain some customers. I had the the trash can which were tacos and they weren’t that great. Kitchen closed early too, By early I mean 45 minutes before the posted time. Bartenders were friendly but this place had an odd silence about it. By silent I mean no audio-​music, games, or videos playing, just random TV stations with no sound and no stereo playing. Good whiskey selection but they were out of a lot of their draft beers. Kinda odd but I hope it was an off night for this place. I might be back. Probably not though.

What a gem! I went on Tuesday evening (½ price wine night folks… do it!) I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great neighborhood hang-​out, great bar scene (they did a great job re-​doing the inside); and the food is really great. Upscale without being overly pretentious.
It was nice enough to sit outside, which is always pleasant in Canton… and it wasn’t too noisy. Our waitress was very attentive without being obnoxious (always a plus!) She was knowledgeable about the menu and steered us to some great choices on the menu as well.
When I went inside to check out what they had to done to the former space — I was blown away by the remodel. It is very nicely done. The bar itself would be a great space to watch a game or just hang out with friends. Very cool vibe.
The food:
We ordered the deviled eggs and heirloom tomato salad to share as apps.
The eggs were fantastic. I could have eaten 4 plates.
I know — what can you say about a tomato salad with mozzarella (hard to mess up!)…but it was very good nonetheless. And they will probably (hopefully) replace with a fall salad…
We shared the brisket sammie. It was delicious. The addition of the kimchi was a very nice flavor; and the sourdough bread was also a nice holder of the sammie. It was a good size portion as well. our server steered us toward the corn on the cob as a side — absolutely out of this world. Do it.
I am adding this as a go-​to. They have too many interesting starters and dishes that I want to try and my first experience was very positive. Plus the waitstaff was really awesome.
I can’t wait to watch football or hang out again.
Thank you!

While previous restaurants tend to pack up quickly at this spot, I hope this place does not leave! Finally made it down here for dinner and I was not disappointed. While service was a tad slow, the food, ambience and drinks easily made up for it.
If you happen to stop here I highly recommend the deviled eggs and Mac and cheese spring rolls to start. The Brisket Sammie is to DIE FOR! Pair it with their creamy grits and it’s a match made in heaven. If your want a healthier dinner, go for their duck meatballs and «spaghetti». The duck meatballs are sublime and their zoodles are perfectly cooked.
All in all, thumbs way up for this spot!

This is a cool new addition to the Canton Square, with slightly hit-​or-​miss food & cocktails, and spotty service. It hasn’t been open long so hopefully these minor hiccups will get addressed… cause it has great potential.
The good: The renovation from the previous place is fantastic. Definitely the coolest place on the Square (ok, that’s not saying that much but still…). Several of their dishes have been excellent… the chicken & waffles, a brisket, the hush puppies. And the fact that Canton finally has a place for live music… awesome! It has a generally interesting menu… kind of upscale Southern comfort food.
The bad: The first time we went we got excellent service. The past two times we’ve had mediocre to bad service (both times from the same waitress I should add). Inattentive, slow, always had to ask for a drink refill. And a lot of the dishes we’ve ordered just haven’t been all that great. Even the All-​American burger — which sounds awesome — was kind of… gross? The pork cracklings, tacos, grits were all kind of mediocre.
The ugly: My gf ordered a Bourbon Mule cocktail that was undrinkable. Basically, it was bourbon and a dash of something else. For $ 11, they could do better.
So overall I’d recommend checking this place out… it’s a welcome addition to the Square. Hopefully the service gets a bit more consistent and they square up the few mediocre dishes. Will try it a few more times and hope to write a better review soon.

This place has trendy industrial décor, which really adds something to the atmosphere. The food is southern style with an emphasis on seasoned vegetables and quite a few seafood options. There are a lot of fried items on the menu. Personally, I would prefer some less decadent options. They did have happy hour specials for drafts and some good cocktail options.
Overall, loved the vibe but I wasn’t too into the menu.

A little too expensive. I got the soft shell crab sandwich on a waffle (which I’m pretty sure is unorthodox? I just moved to Baltimore…). To be honest, the sweetness of the waffle kind of put me off of the crab. It was straight-​up weird.
Good beer selection, service, and portions. Probably wouldn’t go back for the food, but would probably go back for a drink with friends. The atmosphere is really comfortable.

I have loved Lane over at JD’s for a long time. I like Jokers ‘n Thieves even more. I still have Lane; I still have TV and access to a bunch of sports games, and there is BRUNCH ALL DAY. Yep, I said it. Brunch items — ALL DAY LONG. Hooray! The décor is updated and has a modern trendy ambiance.
They have a small, but quality wine list that a narrowed down beer list (compared to JD’s) that will rotate, just not quite as often. They also have your traditional cocktails and leaning more towards adding in some clever craft cocktails. We tried this fancy prosecco drink that the Lane is working on — sweet vermouth, a little grand marnier and campari and lots of bubbles.
There were three of us. I have the absolute best foodie friends. We all like most things and are always willing to share. Chef Jesse can create some creative dishes — this place really seems to suit her skills — as she brings fanciness to southern cuisine. I am glad she has a spot to shine, I have been waiting to see what where we would find her since Oliver Speck’s closed.
We hadn’t eaten much, so we started with the caramel bacon popcorn and we perused the menu. I was not in a very helpful decision-​making mood. I was hungry and everything sounded fantastic. My friends helped narrow down some of the selection, while I ate popcorn. We tried to vary the proteins and flavor profiles. That isn’t hard here, especially with the brunch menu, there are a ton of choices.
First to arrive was the kohlrabi fries. I don’t know what I was expecting, since the menu clearly said raw kohlrabi, but I was surprised when it was just the veggie cut into french fry like sticks. I am not sure if I have had a lot of kohlrabi in life — but it has the texture of a radish or jicima, but flavor wise is sweet like the latter, and kind of has a little broccoli hint in there too. Joker’s serve it with a sauce they call «the bizness» — their own creamy special sauce.
Next, we split the White Trash Tacos and the Hangtown Fry. These tacos — thin strips of fried chicken with some cole slaw and a few pickled jalapeños add just the right amount of spice and the queso really completes the dish. Not exactly sure why they have the could be offensive name, but I’ll be ordering them again. Spot on Jesse. Our favorite thing on the table — err bar…
The Hangtown Fry — scrambled eggs with ham, red onions and asparagus topped with corn meal fried oysters and arugula leaves. I loved these oysters — the cornmeal gave a really crispy crust and the oysters were perfectly cooked on the inside. The eggs were fine; the arugula helped keep the dish interesting. I would probably skip the eggs, and go for the oyster app, or maybe add some hot sauce. Overall a nice dish, interesting combo, but a little boring on the palate — well except those oysters.

Went here with my family on Father’s Day. It was one of the few places that didn’t have a wait, and after a long drive back from New York we were all very hungry.
We ordered crab cracklins’ which I had never had before but would definitely order again. We also ordered hush puppies which came with honey butter. They were cooked very well, just crispy enough but not overly saturated in oil. The honey butter added a nice touch.
I had the chicken and waffle for dinner. It was perfectly seasoned, more baked than fried. The maple (ish) syrup on the waffle had a unique flavor which gave it a kick not usually found in fried chicken and waffle dishes. The rest of my family was pleased with their entrees as well. The portions were quite large and very filling, none of us even came close to eating the whole thing (probably didn’t help that we had filled up on the delicious appetizers).
Even though we were super full we wanted to try the desserts (it was fathers day, calories don’t count on holidays). We split the banana bread and something with chocolate and burnt marshmallows. The banana bread was a little dry but the other one was very good. It was served in a mug which had lettuce and some other food stuck to the bottom, but we can overlook anything when it comes to chocolate.
Overall the service was pretty good. Our server seemed more focused on the younger patrons at times, but was pleasant enough. My family had some issue with the beer, and I thought it strange that they didn’t make mojitos or martinis but I guess they only had bourbon drinks. This place seems like a mix of southern comfort food and Baltimore hipster ambiance. We would definitely return next time we’re in the area.

Loved their chicken and waffles, the chicken was fried just right not oily and very crunchy and flavorful, the waffle had a sweet/​savory taste as well delicious. The deviled eggs were decent, probably wont order it again. The margarita was a little weak but for $ 5, good nonetheless. A friend ordered the burger which she said was fine, just needed some acid. Will surely go there again, its a nice spot to sit outside and people watch or whatever hits your fancy.

I used to love JD’s smokehouse and the place got a makeover to look nicer. It still has a feel of sports bar. Their menu was completely different. I liked the chicken and waffle but nothing spectacular. I think the biggest challenge for this place is it is kinda between upscale, gourmet places and casual, neighborhood joints. There are so many options for either dining options in Canton area and I am not sure where this restaurant to fit in.

The remodel of the inside looks great. Similar to the previous bar that was in this location, the beer selection is plentiful. I do wish they had more beers that weren’t IPA’s, but I guess if you like that type of beer, you’d be in heaven.

I was here for the first time since it reopened as this and not JDs. I definitely prefer this bar and their southern bar cuisine. I also like the décor and updates it has made! Fun atmosphere too.

They made the place look nicer inside! Industrial chic décor and southern comfort food. I liked the pork cracklings. Wasn’t a huge fan of the brisket sandwich and coleslaw. I did like the chicken and waffles. Decent food. Hopefully they’ll change the menu around and rotate. Good place to grab drinks as well.

Start with the pork cracklins’
Order a whiskey cocktail
Have some brisket egg rolls
Order a different whiskey cocktail
Be glad you came here rather than there

Checked out this new place in canton which I definitely will return to. Very chill atmosphere. Friendly service. Decent seasonal beer selection. Nice tvs for sporta. Two bars. Live music. Down home cooking. Amazing chicken and waffles. None of the 3 of us liked the shrimp and grits. Brussels sprouts were too greasy. Hush puppies great.
Not a ton of tables so can definitely fill up fast for food but can eat at one of two bars there. Also have high tables as well. Hoping they will have some outdoor seating come summer. Will be back

Fantastic Southern food. Do not pass up on the fresh pork cracklins and chicken and waffles. A welcome addition to the square. Also, real sweet tea!