For students studying past midnight, EMTs coming off long shifts and night owls looking for more than fast food, 2AM Project has become a familiar name. With neon lights, a wide-ranging menu and doors open long after most kitchens close, the late-night spot has carved out a space in Baltimore’s evolving food scene. Founder Ken Leong, who goes by Kenny, started 2AM Project after realizing how limited late-night dining options were near campus and across the city. In an interview with The News-Letter, he reflects on building a restaurant for people with unconventional schedules, blending global comfort food with Baltimore staples and what it means to grow a business rooted in the city.
The News-Letter: Can you tell me the story of how 2AM Project began?
Ken Leong: 2AM Project basically started once I moved from New York to the DMV area. In New York City, you have late-night food stalls everywhere. If you’re studying late at night, you can just walk outside and grab a bite. Near Hopkins, the options were really limited.
So, I figured I’d bring something similar to the DMV. That’s also why we’re expanding into D.C. and Virginia. I wanted to create a place where people could eat late without being stuck with the same few options.
N-L: Was there a moment that made you really fall in love with late-night food culture?
KL: A lot of people with night jobs — police officers, medical professionals, firefighters — they get off really late. When we opened the first location, they’d come in and tell me, “You guys are lifesavers. There’s literally nothing open right now.”
Seeing that something I built actually helped people with unconventional schedules felt really good. Not everyone works nine to five.
N-L: One thing that stands out is the neon, late-night energy of your spaces. What inspired that aesthetic?
KL: I’m Asian, and I travel to Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China a lot. They have crazy late-night food scenes, and everything is super neon, almost cyberpunk-style.
I wanted to bring that energy to the DMV. Late-night markets in Asia feel alive, and I wanted 2AM Project to feel the same way.
N-L: Your menu pulls from food cultures around the world. What drove that vision?
KL: Late-night dining is usually the same stuff — burgers, hot dogs, fries. I wanted to add foods people actually eat late at night around the world.
In some places, they serve seafood boils after 2 a.m. In others, you’ll find gyros or halal platters. I wanted a place where, after 10 p.m., everyone could find something they actually want.
N-L: Baltimore is known for seafood. How did that influence your menu?
KL: Since I was opening in Baltimore, I wanted the food to reflect where we are. You can’t just bring everything from New York and expect locals to love it.
Baltimore is known for seafood, blue crabs, Old Bay. The Build-A-Catch seafood boil was a way to pay homage to the city and give something back to the locals who supported us from the start.
N-L: With such a wide menu, how do you manage operations in the kitchen?
KL: We have different stations with specialized people. Some chefs focus only on seafood. Others handle the grill or fryer.
Everyone has their own role, and that’s how we keep quality consistent across the menu.
N-L: Which dish took the longest to get right?
KL: Definitely the chicken over rice. We probably made the white sauce 50 different ways.
We’d taste it in New York and come back thinking, no, this still isn’t it. The sauce makes the dish, and it’s really hard to replicate that New York halal-cart flavor.
N-L: Why did you choose Baltimore as the place to start 2AM Project?
KL: During COVID, I came back to Baltimore because my parents live in Ellicott City. At night, there was just nothing open.
An old Wendy’s closed down, and a close friend who’s a real estate agent told me about the space. He reminded me of the idea I’d talked about before, and that’s how the first location happened.
N-L: How do you incorporate Baltimore’s identity into the food?
KL: Your repeat customers are people born and raised in Baltimore. You want the food to taste like home.
That means Old Bay, hush puppies, crab legs. You want the flavors to meet expectations.
N-L: How has the Hopkins student community shaped your growth?
KL: A lot, especially early on. Students suggested menu items, and we added them. We also offered student discounts.
We recently did a pop-up with Uber Eats on campus, which brought in a lot of exposure. Students order a lot through delivery, and we’re always open to feedback.
N-L: Looking ahead, what do you hope 2AM Project becomes?
KL: I hope it becomes a staple in the DMV. Like how people say, “Let’s grab Taco Bell after the bar.” I want it to be, “Let’s grab 2AM.”
There should be better late-night options than just fast food.
N-L: Finally, what do you want people to remember after visiting 2AM Project?
KL: That it’s special, and that anyone can do something like this. I was 25 when I started.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. If the food is good and the mission is good, people will support you.
