With the Japanese-themed Azumi and the Mediterranean eatery Ouzo Bay, the local Atlas Restaurant Group has proved to have the quality and style to meet Harbor East's high-end expectations.
While its first two Baltimore properties are food-focused, Atlas' third - Loch Bar, located in the Four Seasons Hotel - is their attempt at a full-fledged bar. Opened in April, Loch Bar shows they can do both.
Located in the 2,700-square-foot space that last housed the coffee shop Lamill, Loch Bar feels posh but approachable. (I wondered if I'd feel underdressed in a black T-shirt and shorts; I didn't.) Sleekly designed with dark colors and gold accents, Loch Bar fits in Harbor East, while forgoing any unnecessary pomp.
On a recent weekday, I went for happy hour, which Loch Bar runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Friday. We started at the bar and eventually made our way to the lovely patio overlooking the water. The good company and drinks soon became my night's top priorities, sending a scheduled fantasy football draft to the back burner. The experience was so comfortable that I stayed hours longer than I planned.
That's what good bars do.
The patio is a major draw, but not the only. There's also the bar program, which has plenty going on, from a vast whiskey selection to cocktails both new and old. Of the dozen draft beer options, all are Maryland companies. Loch Bar's bar program isn't the most innovative in the city, but it doesn't have to be because the execution is sure-handed and thoughtful.
Loch Bar takes whiskey seriously. It started with 300 products and is now approaching 500, said Joe Sweeney, director of marketing for Atlas. Loch Bar has the familiar titles such as bourbon, scotch and rye, along with harder-to-find Japanese whiskeys.
It also has five versions of the elusive Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, from the 10-year ($55 per 1.5 ounces) to the 23 ($125).
But Loch Bar's most expensive whiskey is Laphroaig 32-year-old single-malt scotch, priced at $230 per pour. Yes, this is still Harbor East.
We were most interested in the cocktail menu, which was split between Loch Bar's six seasonal cocktails and a longer list of "classics." I began with the Cocktail of the Week ($13), a mixture of Tito's vodka, housemade raspberry basil syrup and lemon juice. It made a wonderful antidote for a hot day.
The mezcal-meets-citrus punch of the Royal Oak ($13) also stood out, but the top seasonal cocktail was simply called Loch Bar ($14). Made of Maker's Mark 46 Bourbon, lemon juice, honey simple syrup and a lemon wheel garnish, the drink proved why these well-known flavor combinations never go out of style. They're delicious.
My eye, though, kept coming back to the "classics" (all $12) because of its novelty. In 2016, you won't find many Baltimore bars listing old-school options like gimlet, Rob Roy and Pimm's Cup, but there they are at Loch Bar. The South Side (Bluecoat gin, muddled mint, lemon juice and simple syrup) worked fine, but the gin-based Aviation stood out most, thanks to a smooth finish and a light purple hue from the Creme de Violette.
Throughout it all, our bartender remained helpful and attentive. He also knew the importance of timing - like when to check for a refill and when to allow friends to converse uninterrupted. At an intimate space like Loch Bar, picking up these social cues is vital to a good experience.
Loch Bar has been busy since it opened, drawing plenty of traffic from hotel guests and convention-goers, Sweeney said. It's also attracting a younger clientele than the group's other restaurants, which was a goal for Atlas. (He also mentioned Loch Bar plans to start serving brunch on weekends soon, too.) In a short span, Loch Bar seems to know its place in the neighborhood.
The main drawback is also the most predictable: Loch Bar is expensive. Beers range from $7 to $14, and cocktails start at $12. This is expected, given the surroundings, but it doesn't change the fact that you're paying a premium because this bar is in a luxury hotel.
Atlas seems to realize this, so they've installed a reasonable happy hour that includes $8 classic cocktails, $4 draft beers, $7 crushes and $2 oyster shooters. It's a (relatively) economical way to experience a nice bar.
Regardless of when you go, have confidence that Loch Bar will deliver a straightforward and winning experience.