by Hallie Rybka and Elizabeth Piper

On any Saturday or Sunday afternoon, college students and locals of the Charles Village area pile into the Paper Moon Diner, located on W. 29th Street. Since opening in 1994, Paper Moon has become a hot spot in the Baltimore area for its diverse menu and distinctive décor.

The menus, placed inside different storybook covers, are medium to inexpensively priced, and feature a full range of courses, from starters to entrees and desserts. Many of the dishes are named after Paper Moon employees. Newest manager, Chris Van Horn, does not yet have a sandwich named after him, but points to a fellow colleague who does. “The guy with the tattoos on his head, that’s Paul. He has the crispy chicken wrap,” Van Horn says. While specialty sandwiches remain the most popular dish at Paper Moon, a constantly changing menu keeps regular customers anticipating their next visit.

Aside from the menu, the visual environment adds to the experience of eating at Paper Moon. Designer David Briskie constantly searches Baltimore yard sales and antique stores for new decorations. Walls and ceilings are aligned with odd toys, dolls and art to attract old and new visitors alike. New customer and Loyola student, Lorena Arauz, enjoys the decorations most when eating at Paper Moon. She says, “Some of them are kind of strange but it definitely lifts the mood and atmosphere.”

No two visits to Paper Moon Diner are alike, as the menu and decorations are continuously changing. Due to local media coverage and a feature on the travel channel, guests come from as far as New York to experience what Arauz describes as the “Paper Moon Trip.”