To incorporate the word “famous” into your name means that you are always going to have to live up to high standards. Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Dundalk (just outside of Canton) is far more than just a seafood joint. It’s the favorite restaurant of many local “famous” personalities – most importantly, some of the Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.
On any given night, you’ll have a good chance to run into some of the most notable people in Baltimore. It’s not only Torrey Smith’s favorite restaurant (his words), but the relationship between co-owner John Minadakis and other Ravens players has made some of their events into can’t miss opportunities for fans.
Minadakis, 30, inherited the restaurant after the passing of his father Demetrios (better known as “Jimmy.”)
During their sixth annual golf outing on Tuesday, more than 130 golfers and local sponsors including Ciroc and Bond Distributing (Miller/Coors) helped raise $15,000 to be donated to charities of Ravens players including Smith, Ray Rice, Arthur Jones and LaQuan Williams.
It’s all fun and games once people board the coach buses to the golf course, but there’s a serious meaning behind the tournament with the three Minadakis brothers honoring their father’s name.
Rice praised Minadakis’s charitable mentality. “It doesn’t matter if we switched job titles, our minds and spirit [are set on] helping others,” he said. “What he does, he does from the heart.”
“For a restaurant owner, he’s on the younger side. For being young, he understands how important it is to give back and he does a great job, not only with my foundation but for others as well,” said Smith, who received a $5,000 check for the Tevin Jones Scholarship Fund. Fans will forever remember Smith’s Week 3 heroics against the New England Patriots, when he played with a heavy heart after learning that his brother (Jones) had passed away less than 24 hours before kickoff.
Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones is in the process of establishing a charity with his two younger brothers, who are also popular in the sports world. Chandler is a 2012 first-round pick of the New England Patriots, and Jon is currently the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Between the brothers,who lost their 17-year-old sister to brain cancer, they’re going to establish a charity to help with various foundations in need, especially for cancer.
“This restaurant is awesome,” Jones said. “I appreciate all that [John] does for everyone’s foundation; it’s something that he took the time to do and set up.”
One of the most heartfelt comments came from wide receiver LaQuan Williams, a Baltimore native. “John and Jimmy’s Seafood are major in the community, they’re big about charities and the biggest thing is that he takes care of the area he’s from,” Williams said. “It’s just a good thing that when someone is successful that they give back to their community.”
Even though the next day that Minadakis calls “his Christmas” is now a year away, he can’t wait to contribute once again. All golfers participating in the event are allowed to re-enter, thus making the tournament multiply in size each year. Few spots are created each season, and if they’re available, you should jump on the opportunity whether you are a golfer or not.
For years, Jimmy’s has been claiming they’re Maryland’s Favorite Restaurant, and last month they officially were named just that by the Restaurant Association of Maryland. If there was an award for charity work, between their annual golf tournament and Christmas toy drive, they’d win that too.
If you’d like more information, please check them out on Facebook at Facebook.com/JimmysFamousSeafood or on Twitter at @JimmysSeafood. They’re sure to pack the house with Ravens-themed events on a weekly basis during football season.
