Bar Vasquez impresses in Fells Point with curated wine, balanced cocktails
In Baltimore, even the most posh bars can be ripe for a rebrand. Tony Foreman recognized this in Pazo, the Fells Point hotspot he opened with chef Cindy Wolf in 2004. After operating as a Spanish...
View ArticleMinnow stands out in South Baltimore with whimsical cocktails, technique
The woman at the bar asked if she could take my picture. The reason wasn’t actually me, but my drink: Love Potion No. 8, a new cocktail on the fall menu at Minnow, the chic-yet-casual, seafood-focused...
View ArticleThe Elk Room's exclusive allure, quality cocktails come at a price Baltimore...
The party could be heard, but not seen, and it made me want to enter even more. At around 10 p.m. on a recent Saturday, I hit the buzzer on the gothic, unmarked door after a pull on the handle didn’t...
View ArticleAt this tiny basement bar in Mount Vernon, music and mood are the focus
The most memorable bars possess a certain strand of conviction in their DNA. This doesn’t mean they’re rigid — good bars must adapt on the fly — but at their core, they know what they have to offer,...
View ArticleDylan's Oyster Cellar makes good on promise shown years ago
A great idea often starts somewhere small. Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, for example, began in the spring of 2014 as a casual pop-up concept inside a modest Mount Vernon incubator space (which later became...
View ArticleCome and knock on the door of Canton cocktail bar the Regal Beagle
The closing of Jack’s Bistro earlier this year felt bittersweet. Yes, chef-owner Ted Stelzenmuller stayed in Canton to open the more casual Blair’s on Hudson, but what would happen to the charming,...
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Coach's Rendezvous, a dive in the best sense
There is no set criterion for a great dive bar. A dingy bar can have character. An unassuming exterior could hide a spectacular interior. Sometimes, the right jukebox is all it takes. But all great...
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HomeSlyce Pizza Bar already a winner downtown
Owner Haluk Kantar has big plans for his pizza-focused sports bar. Last April, he opened the first HomeSlyce Pizza Bar in Federal Hill. Six months later, a second location came downtown to North...
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Paparazzi Nightclub a test of patience
Is there any bar or nightclub in Baltimore worth a $20 cover charge? If so - and I'm not convinced there is - it certainly was not Paparazzi Nightclub on a recent Friday night. The dance club that...
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Dirty Oars Tavern gives Riverside a solid corner bar
Dirty Oars Tavern was dead at 11 p.m. on a recent Saturday. It wasn't just slow; there were no patrons in the new Riverside bar. Some bartenders might have used the downtime to pack the bar up early...
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Beatnik offers warm ambience, delicious drinks
It's a rare feeling to love a bar as soon as you walk through the door. With its quiet charm, Beatnik, a new Station North bar, delivered it almost immediately on a recent Saturday night. Beatnik's...
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The Crown offers a little bit of everything in Station North
It's a little after 11 p.m. on a recent Saturday night at the Crown, a small Station North bar and live entertainment venue that opened in June. "People Just Love to Play with Words," a terrific Men...
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Strong service at Tavern on the Hill
Sometimes, it takes only a single element to elevate a new bar from "perfectly fine but forgettable" to something exciting and memorable. On a recent Saturday night at Tavern on the Hill, the new...
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Playoff Sports Bar and Grill falls in line with the competition
There's a Greene Turtle less than five miles away from Playoff Sports Bar and Grill, which opened in Reisterstown early in the year. A Buffalo Wild Wings sits even closer, a quarter-mile down the...
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Oliver Speck's an approachable bar in Harbor East
With high-end shopping, award-winning fine dining and a luxury hotel that can count One Direction members as recent customers, Harbor East can safely be called Baltimore's most glamorous neighborhood....
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The Chasseur brings familiar charm to Canton
Early last month, Canton lost a charming bar called Adam's Eve Gastropub. It was not transcendent or life-altering, nor did it aim to be. Instead, Adam's Eve provided comfort food and craft beers for...
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World of Beer off to a busy start
A couple of Friday nights ago, it was hard to find a place to comfortably stand in World of Beer, McHenry Row's newest bar. The beer emporium was celebrating its opening weekend, and the scene was...
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With Eightbar, Atomic Books adds a cozy lounge
For the past few years, Atomic Books owner Benn Ray envisioned one day transforming the back area of his Hampden bookstore from a record store into a cafe. And instead of serving coffee, the bar would...
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The Other Corner Charcuterie Bar impresses with confidence
Walk down 36th Street in Hampden and you could easily miss it. Even a stroll down the less busy Elm Avenue, where the inconspicuous entrance is located, could lead to a missed opportunity. But while...
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An adequate bar program at Thames Street Oyster House
We really should have known better. Last Friday night, a friend and I strolled into Thames Street Oyster House, the Fells Point restaurant that has served the most delicious seafood in the...
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