For about seven years, Crossbar der Biergarten was just an ambitious megabar concept, a "coming soon" social media account and a lightning rod of a topic among Federal Hill residents.
To many outsiders, it also sounded like an amorphous idea - one you'd hear murmurs about, but wonder if it'd ever come to fruition.
Wonder no more. Crossbar, the size of four once-vacant buildings on East Cross Street now contained under one glass roof, opened in late March. It is loud, fun and - from what I've seen on a handful of visits both during the week and on weekends - already quite popular.
The trials Crossbar faced to get to this point included liquor license minutiae, back-and-forth with the city's zoning board and drawn-out battles between Crossbar's owners - Brian McComas, Josh Foti and Leho Poldmae - and multiple neighborhood association groups. The latter was concerned about another big bar in a neighborhood with its share, so compromises over capacity, trash pick-up and other details were eventually agreed upon in a signed memorandum of understanding.
It all makes for interesting fodder, but the bottom line is: Crossbar is here, and as a bar (or four bars in one, with two on the first floor and two on the second), it is impressive and unlike anything I've seen in Baltimore. If you haven't been, it's a spectacle worth seeing.
As a beer garden should, Crossbar feels very open - the closest you could get to an open-air bar (which was the initial plan until the zoning board required the roof). The ceiling feels sky-high, while the seating - communal tables and benches imported from Munich - nods to authenticity. A mezzanine level where patrons can look down on the first-floor action only adds to the quasi-open-air effect. A fig tree, standing tall in front of the first-floor main bar, feels like a clever nod to the roofless aspirations.
Stay a bit, and it becomes clear Crossbar has more than looks. In a bustling nightlife neighborhood with bars rebranding and trying to stand out, Crossbar is its own entity. There was a concerted effort to add authentic touches - including a food menu with sausages, Bavarian soft pretzels and other Oktoberfest fare - and the bar is better for it.
This approach extends to the bar program, too, which unsurprisingly focuses on imported German beer.
As the large Warsteiner mural inside indicates, Crossbar wants to be known for its brews, so patrons can choose well-known German brands like Radeberger, Paulaner, König, Hacker-Pschorr and the aforementioned Warsteiner. Smartly, there are also Maryland products on draft by Key Brewing, Monument City, Flying Dog, Heavy Seas and Jailbreak.
The beers are served in heavy glassware, with half-liter ($6-$9), liter ($13-$16) and the two-liter "Boot" ($24-$28) quantities.
People tend to like the visual of drinking from a glass-shaped boot, but take my advice: Stick to half-liters, as I did on my most recent visit. Even though my Paulaner Hefeweizen, an accessible beer the bartender recommended, was easy to drink, I likely wouldn't have finished two liters worth while it was still cold. (You can sidestep all of this by ordering a typical domestic bottle or a National Bohemian can, too.)
Most appealing about Crossbar, though, is its social atmosphere.
After an afternoon Orioles game last month, the bar made for an excellent warm-weather hangout, with a refreshing breeze flowing through the open windows. There are also community tables that promote conversation, a dozen flat-screen TVs, a pinball machine and a Ping-Pong table that help make Crossbar an attractive gathering place.
In a recent interview, McComas emphasized Crossbar aims to be a "family-oriented neighborhood pub." While I've seen a handful of strollers, so far, I've consistently encountered a millennial-majority clientele that wouldn't look out of place at other Federal Hill weekend hotspots.
To be fair, I haven't seen any overt sloppiness on my visits - just people laughing and talking over golden-colored beers and sour beef dumplings. The most stereotypical Federal Hill moment I witnessed came on a recent Thursday, when I watched some kickball bros arm-wrestle as a few teammates cheered and banged the table. Weezer's "Say It Ain't So" provided the soundtrack. It was not exactly a rowdy scene worth clutching any pearls over.
Still, McComas seems eager to move on from Crossbar's "very difficult" path to opening. In the same interview, he declined to discuss details of the memorandum with the neighborhood associations, calling it a "private matter." (The Baltimore Sun previously reported the agreement included a maximum capacity of 155.)
"Let's focus on what the restaurant is doing, and not all of this stuff we want to put behind us," McComas said.
Will the local detractors eventually come around to the latest megabar in their neighborhood? Some likely will and won't, but Crossbar's arrival proves ownership has delivered on its lofty promise of bringing a thoughtfully designed, well-executed beer garden to Federal Hill. At least that's one argument settled.
Crossbar der Biergarten
Backstory: In the works since 2010, Crossbar der Biergarten opened in March in Federal Hill. Inspired by German beer gardens, the massive bar focuses on imported brews and fare like sausages and pretzels. Crossbar became a debated topic among neighborhood residents, with some arguing it would add to the nightlife scene while others said another megabar would be excessive.
Parking: Free and metered on nearby streets
Signature drink: With no cocktail list, beer is the focus. Those unsure where to start could try a half-liter Paulaner Hefeweizen, a light wheat beer that should satisfy Blue Moon fans. Happy hour (3 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday) features $1 off all drafts, plus $5 Jagermeister and Rumple Minze shots.
Where: 18 E. Cross St., Federal Hill
Contact: 410-528-1186; crossbarbaltimore.com
Open: 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Sunday
Follow me on Twitter @midnightsunblog.
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