With its low lunch prices, interesting menu and convenient location on Crain Highway near the District Courthouse, one of Glen Burnie's newest restaurants, the Judges Chambers, is not a bad place to go for an OK meal.

But a friend and I who lunched there recently found the food inconsistent and some of the menu items lackluster in presentation and taste.

We arrived just after noon to find only a few customers. The restaurant's decor seems to try to create a judicial-themed coziness, with its forest-green color scheme and prominent law books.

We liked our surroundings even better when our waiter -- who was attentive and eager to please -- seated us by a huge picture window looking out onto the wonderful Glen Burnie-scape of cars zooming up and down Crain Highway. (Not the most romantic locale for a date, but a good spot for people-watching.)

The menu offers several interesting selections -- turkey-and-roast-beef sandwiches named the Gavel Classic; a lunch salad of diced tomatoes, Maui onions, chopped egg and bacon named the Paralegal; and Parole, another lunch salad with smoked mozzarella and "turkey breast released early on a bed of mesclun."

We began with the BBQ Shrimp Kabobs ($9.95) and crab balls ($9.95 at market price that day). The kebabs were all right but looked like they were slapped together and carelessly tossed onto a plate.

The crab balls, on the other hand, were excellent -- soft yet crispy -- and we devoured them right away.

My friend had the Stet Docket ($9.95), fresh mahi-mahi and portabello mushrooms "blackened and not charged" with the house Cajun spice. The mahi-mahi and mushrooms were overseasoned and a little too salty. This presentation also did not score well, as the food was perched on a measly bed of wilted greens.

I opted for the Mexicali Fiesta Wrap ($6.95), which I encourage everyone to avoid. The dish sounded tantalizing on the menu -- "Spicy Italian sausage and fresh vegetables grilled and wrapped with spicy rice in a flour tortilla." But the rice was bland, as if it came from a generic boxed mix, and the sausage bits were few and far between.

The Incarcerated Salad ($11.95 at market price), which we split, was a winner. The dish, which featured lump crab salad in a jumbo tomato "guarded with sliced avocado," was delicious. The crab meat was ample, soft and tasty.

The meal was topped off with a brownie and ice cream ($3.95), which also was outstanding. The brownie was soft, sweet and homemade.

The verdict: The Judges Chambers is a good place for lunch in Glen Burnie, but we weren't sure it would survive in, say, Annapolis unless the food quality improves.

Judges Chambers

Where: 6 Crain Highway N.W., Glen Burnie, 410-590-1795

Hours: dinner, 5: 30 p.m. to 9: 30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 5: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; lunch, 11: 30 a.m. to 2: 30 p.m. daily Prices: appetizers, $2.95-$9.95; lunch entrees, $5.95 to $11.95; dinner entrees, $13.95 to $19.95

Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express

Rating: ** 1/2

Ratings: * culinary wasteland

**** culinary heaven

Pub Date: 7/23/98