T-Bonz Grille & Pub in Ellicott City

With the NFL season upon us, you sometimes need a place where you can devour football with a plate of food on the side. That's the time to settle in at T-Bonz Grille & Pub in Ellicott City.

T-Bonz is a restaurant and bar hidden behind a strip shopping center at the intersections of Waterloo Road (Rte 104) and Montgomery Road (Rte 103). There are television screens in every direction with the full Direct TV package advertised for this season. This is the Baltimore side of Howard County with tasteful Ravens decorations and a few period pieces from the Colts.

While you're rooting, there is food. A wide menu of pub food -- wings, potato skins, burgers, sandwiches, salads -- and American entrees like crab cakes, chicken Parmesan, baked salmon, and steaks. My lunchtime BBQ pork sandwich was good. The coleslaw was actually the high point, plus I got fries. T-Bonz is a real kitchen, not just a bar. Even in mid-afternoon, the bartender told another guest that what he wanted wasn't on the menu, but she could go ask if the kitchen would make it for him. There are specials every day, including half-priced burgers on Mondays.

(Just don't whine that it's not "Chowhound" food. The U.S. Foodservices semi was parked outside when I left (which is why I have no photo), so go for what T-Bonz offers knowing that the menu advertises "sushi grade" tuna, but then blackens the fish and tops it with bleu cheese.)

On top of the football, T-Bonz offers live music all fall -- every Saturday night and every other Friday. Again, that the kind of draw that would turn some wings and a burger into a fun night.

(Update: The Baltimore Beer Guy blog posted in January 2010 about the beer selection at T-Bonz.  The BBG absolutely recommends the craft beer selection:

Lo and behold its actually a legit craft beer bar as well, with around 10 taps and an interesting collection of bottles and seasonal themed offerings.  Nobody talks about them but seriously they're probably the best (craft beer) thing going in Howard County after the Holy Trinity that is Frisco Grille/The Judges Bench/Victoria Gastro Pub.

By April 2010, the BBG had decided that T-Bonz had earned a spot on his top list.  The Holy Trinity is out.  He is looking for a metaphor with four parts.)

T-Bonz Grille & Pub

4910 Waterloo Road

Ellicott City, MD 21043

410-461-4748

NEAR: This is at the intersection of Rte 104 and Rte 103. It's north of Rte 100 and west of I-95. From Rte 100, you can exit on either Waterloo Road (Rte 104) or Montgomery Road (Rte 103) and head north for 2-3 minutes.