This is a real local market and not really a traditional tourist stop. I liked the fried chicken, widely available, but it's not the nicest place. More adventurous people go for it, families probably not.

The good:
Well, after renevation, the building and grounds look much better than in years past.
Due to a new police substation in the Atrium apartment complex on Howard, law inforcement is now more visable and active in the area, and is now a more pleasant place to visit sans junkies of the past.
Food is good and the beer is cheap!
Try the deli, peanuts, sausages, pizza, or crabcakes - you won't go wrong!
There's a pretty good sit-down Indian restaurant at the entrance, but hours are spotty.

The bad:
Many of the stalls are owned by the same family (the Park's) and tend to carry much of the same merchandice as the others. Want to find a good eggplant? Look elsewhere...
And then there's the clientel - still a bit shabby in the afternoons, but hey - it's a block from major bus, light rail, and the subway and as I said, the beer is cheap.

All in all, this area of Baltimore is under SERIOUS renovation and rehab, so don't be disuaded by other reviews of the past. The folks here are amongst the friendliest I've ever met, and the words "hello","please", and "thank you" are not a foreign language in Charm City

This is a great place for lunch. Don't go here to eat darn cheese. Just enjoy "scenic local color" and walk away happy and with not too much chance of food sick. Is so good. Please come and support our favorite local rat-hole.

When I was a child, my father worked at the Hecht-May Company and we he took me to work with him, we would park in the Lexington Street parking garage and always pass thrut he market. It was in the late 50's and the market was a clean, well kept, bustling market with different bakeries, EssKay meat vendors, butchers, etc.

I went there a few years ago and found a dimly lit, dirty, shoddy, rat-hole. What a shame.