With the long-awaited opening of the Bloomberg Student Center comes an arguably more exciting addition: a lineup of new campus dining options! This past week, I ventured outside my usual chipotle veggie burger from Brody’s Daily Grind and Blue Jay spirulina bowl from Neicy’s Fabulous Juice Bar to explore everything the Bloomberg Student Center has to offer.
For fairness, I chose items purely based on my mood at the time and rated them based on taste, quality and price value. I gave each dish an individual rating alongside an overall average rating for the vendor. I ranked these meals relative to other dining options on campus rather than outside restaurants. I strongly urge everyone to try each place regardless, as these ratings reflect my own tastes and preferences.
Koshary
The Koshary comes from the Koshary Corner in R. House, serving Egyptian comfort food featuring lentils, rice and kebab-based plates. I ordered the Protein Bowl, Smash Kebab Flatbread and Béchamel Pasta.
The Protein Bowl contained musakhan chicken (roasted with sumac and onion), rice, veggies and yogurt dressing. I found the bowl hearty and filling — a great option for anyone looking for a quick, satisfying meal. The chicken, however, was a little tough and dry, and the dressing overpowered the bowl – truth be told, I prefer minimal to no dressing on bowls, but I found it excessive regardless. I give the Protein Bowl a 6.5/10.
The Béchamel Pasta fascinated me. A mix of pasta layered with ground beef, warming spices and béchamel (a white roux), the dish resembled an Egyptian lasagna. I found the pasta rich and filling, but halfway through, I grew tired of the repetitive dairy- and meat-heavy flavors dominating. This was the cheapest item I ordered ($9), but it offered the best value for the portion, as I could only finish half in one sitting. I give the Béchamel Pasta a 6/10.
Then came the star — the Smash Kebab Flatbread. The juicy, perfectly spiced kebab combined with a soft, flavorful flatbread made all bites burst with rich notes of paprika, cilantro and smoky undertones. Hands down, this flatbread was one of the best things I’ve eaten on campus. While it was expensive for a medium portion, I think every bite is worth the expense. I give the Smash Kebab Flatbread a 10/10.
Overall, the dish scores make the final rating a 7.5/10.
Urban Kitchen
Urban Kitchen, an extension of The Urban Oyster in Hampden, serves classic American fare like burgers and chicken sandwiches alongside bold combinations like oyster mushroom fritters, smoked brisket bánh mì and shrimp po’ boy.
I ordered the shrimp po’ boy, a sandwich filled with fried shrimp, honey-cilantro slaw and remoulade. Overall, the sandwich was delicious. While the shrimp-to-breading ratio made me feel shortchanged on shrimp “meat,” the shrimp itself was crisp, juicy and well-seasoned. Even the tangy, spicy remoulade paired perfectly with the slightly citrusy shrimp and slaw. However, the bread was disappointingly dry and almost stale, which made me give up on the sandwich midway and snack on the shrimp instead. I also loved the shoestring fries provided, which were perfectly crispy, golden and spiced with notes of chili powder. I rate the shrimp po’ boy a 7/10.
Lucky Danger
Lucky Danger, run by award-winning chef Tim Ma, presents classic Chinese American dishes.
I ordered the veggie lo mein, which consisted of stir-fried noodles and mixed vegetables. The noodles themselves were excellent — springy in texture and well-coated in sauce. However, the sauce was overwhelmingly one-dimensional; it felt like soy sauce with the occasional undertone of teriyaki dominated each bite, leading to flavor fatigue. Some veggies, like the bok choy, felt undercooked and overly crunchy. Regardless, the dish was filling and satisfying enough to finish, but I’d recommend trying another dish at Lucky Danger. I rate the veggie lo mein a 5/10.
Connie’s
Connie’s, famous for comforting fried chicken and waffles, expanded its food stand to include fish, shrimp and rice bowls in its third vendor opening at the Student Center.
I ordered the Combo Meal with Chicken and (Buttermilk) Waffles, Connie’s Seasoned Fries and orange juice. Word of advice: the Transact app description, stating that the combination includes fries, is misleading. The Combo Meal only adds one bottled drink to the standard meal, which, in my opinion, is not worth the additional $3 cost.
As for the meal itself, it was comforting in concept but not in execution. Soft, fluffy and subtly sweet, the waffles were the best part of the meal. The chicken tenders, however, were dry and bland despite their nice crisp texture. The ratio also felt off — two small tenders and one full waffle made the meal feel disjointed, like two separate items sharing a plate rather than a cohesive “chicken and waffles” experience. Ideally, the flavors should complement and blend, with the waffle soaking up the juicy chicken, but this version never quite reached that level. Using bone-in chicken or even a juicy thigh might have made all the difference. At $18, it’s one of the biggest drains on dining dollars I’ve encountered so far, especially given the modest portion sizes. I give the Combo Meal a 4.5/10.
Overall, the new Student Center dining options breathe some much-needed life into the Hopkins food scene. Each stall brings its own history and character, bridging us closer to Baltimoreans and their passion projects. Yes, the prices can sting and the quality can be hit-or-miss given the university setting, but there’s something refreshing about finally having variety that feels like real food, not just another cafeteria-esque rotation.
