Are you looking to discover the best bars in Baltimore?
Then we have you covered!
On this page, you’ll find the official shortlist of all the bars in Baltimore. (More in-depth further below). And, each with why it’s best to go.
Feel free to check out each bar’s official profile to find out more and to find out which is best for you.
We’ve also created separate shortlists for each genre you might like to visit on your time out.
So check out these articles as well:
Furthermore, you can get on the guest list or book a table with bottle service on some of the more exclusive bars. We are happy to help you out with either.
11. The Cocktail Gallery
The Cocktail Gallery is Baltimore Spirits Company’s showcase room for delicious cocktails, events, and local art. Join them for tours of the distillery during the day and the finest cocktails in Baltimore in the evenings. What began as a small distillery and then expanded to a larger warehouse space has now expanded once more with its cocktail bar. Baltimore Spirits Company, best known for its Shot Tower Gin and signature Epoch Rye, has turned a simple space inside Union Collective into an artful, intimate bar experience. A light sculpture by artist Greg St. Pierre bathes the entire space in ambient pink and violet while guests sip inventive cocktails from bar manager Hannah Baker.
While you peruse the local art on the walls, try the gorgeous Matchadieu made with barrel-aged gin, yuzu, green tea, and rose syrup. The bar is open Thursday through Sunday and seating is first-come, first-served. They have plenty of safe parking on-site and are just around the corner from the historic Hampden neighborhood, which is packed with restaurants, bars, and shops. Union Craft Brewing, The Wine Collective, and The Charmery Ice Cream shop are also housed in the same building as Baltimore Spirits Company. The Blend-Your-Own-Whiskey Tour at BSC is an excellent starting point for a memorable day trip to Baltimore! Schedule your tour today!
They push the frontiers of creative distillation and create the spirits that move the industry forward. If you’re not drinking something great, why drink at all? They post regular detailed videos about their cocktails on the official website. Each week covers a new kind of cocktail discussion. Maryland Rye has a storied history, and many people try to tell it. But for all that’s said about Maryland Rye, there’s a lot of confusion about what it was. Let them separate the facts from the fiction and maybe piss some people off. This week’s cocktail is called the Junior and comes from a 1937 Esquire Magazine article. Follow their website entries for regular information and updates on weekly cocktails. So, this is one of the best bars in Baltimore. We recommend visiting this venue!
10. The Manor
The Manor, located in a beautiful building that once housed the historic Brass Elephant restaurant, had the unfortunate timing of opening at the start of 2020. While most of The Manor’s life as a bar and lounge has been put on hold, the venue has had some fun this spring and summer with Baltimore Pride events and weekend drag brunches. Though there are numerous areas to enjoy, the spacious marble bar upstairs is ideal for sipping classic cocktails or ones with a fun twist, such as Moira’s Rose, which includes earl grey tea and hibiscus syrup, or the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, which provides for Blanco tequila and mezcal.
Discover Executive Chef Parker Greene’s decadent cuisine, love for fresh ingredients, and techniques from his time abroad for the ultimate dining experience. The pinnacle of any evening at The Manor incorporates Baltimore’s finest DJ talent of all genres and generations. Dance the night away with them! Join them for nightly entertainment at The Manor and be sure to catch one of their standing weekend Drag Brunch shows, voted Baltimore’s Best Drag Brunch two years in a row! Their dining room is the perfect setting for any occasion. With their creatively curated menu and dedication to excellent service, The Manor is the ideal place to host your special event! The Manor, an eclectic venue on the cutting edge of style, offers a diverse menu of international cuisine, EDM and house music, weekend entertainment, and Baltimore’s best drag brunch.
Our guests can expect friendly, attentive service, decadent small plates, craft cocktails, and international entertainment at The Manor. So, intimate touch is provided by uplighting, candles, cloth linens, and fresh cut flowers. The Manor has a dance floor, billiards, and a luxuriously decorated mezzanine level. Robert Gay and Joshua Persing, two Maryland-based entrepreneurs, own The Manor. The lounge’s objective is to provide an eclectic, luxurious, and modern approach to the Baltimore restaurant, lounge, and nightclub scene. Their vision has resulted in a cutting-edge experience in terms of style and food. So, this is one of the best bars Baltimore has to offer! If you are in town, you should visit this venue.
9. Dutch Courage
Dutch Courage is a refined gin-focused bar whipping up creative cocktails, tapas, sharing plates & sandwiches. This luxury row house bar, opened by two former B&O American Brasserie bartenders, is a gin lover’s dream. Though there is a complete bar, the juniper-laced spirit is the star of the show, with over 100 kinds and a stunning cocktail book to convert any skeptic. DC currently serves as a bottle shop, sells to-go drinks, and seats people both within and on an oversized and tented patio out back, pivoting in the winter (the bar just opened in December, after all). Don’t overlook the cuisine, which includes smoked BBQ every Sunday.
Dutch Courage is a gin-centric cocktail bar in Baltimore’s historic Old Goucher district. Whether you want an adventurous drink or a refreshing lager, our crew has you covered. There is always something new to explore and help you uncover your bravery with over 100 bottles of Gin, Jenever, Old Tom, and Barreled Gin. Their menu is constantly changing and includes traditional and modern cocktails, beer, wine, and creative and diversified cuisine options. All that matters here are the drinks—hot or cold, classic or cutting edge, powerful or knock-you-on-your-ass strong. Dutch Courage, on the other hand, is not arrogant or stuffy. During the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, the British and Dutch conflicted governmental, religious, and commercial boundaries.
On the other hand, the British grew fond of the British spirit Jenever (juniper). The British would imbibe excessive doses of the enlightened spirit to boost confidence before combat. As a result, Dutch Courage. It’s also known as liquid bravery. Visit Dutch Bravery; we’ll help you find your Courage and start your trip! Brendan developed an interest in cocktails while attending the Peabody Institute (where he studied opera as a classical tenor). He worked as a bartender at the late but much-loved Ixia, Baltimore’s most forward-thinking cocktail bar. The other owner is Eric. The stakes are bigger than ever when he opens Dutch Courage, his first bar. But he understands the formula: wonderful people, amazing music, and excellent beverages. So, this is one of the best bars Baltimore has to offer.
8. The Ottobar
The Ottobar is a rough-&-ready Indie-rock club hosting local & touring bands, DJ dance parties & special events. Growing up in Baltimore would be incomplete without a night at the Ottobar. The venue has changed greatly in its 23 years, from its humble origins as a tiny rock club downtown to its current two-story position in Remington. One constant is its dedication to the local community and music scene. Its supporters recently returned the favor by giving over $150,000 to a GoFundMe campaign to assist the pub in staying open. The renowned theater is back available for socially distant concerts indoors after keeping the terrace open for seven days with beer promotions, food trucks, and quiz evenings. The Ottobar, located at 203 East Davis Street in downtown Baltimore, debuted in September 1997 in the old Chambers nightclub premises. The venue’s limited capacity allowed an intimate showcase for live music and the occasional performance art.
National artists who performed included: The White Stripes, My Morning JacketLe Tigre, Fear, Bright Eyes, Lamb Of God, Death Cab For Cutie, Royal Trux, Jimmy Eat World, Blonde Redhead, Of Montreal Queens, Spoon, Of The Stone Age, Man Or Astroman, and Mastodon. It included local artists from the time: Denim Skeleton, Goliath, Third Harmonic Distortion, Oxes, The Oranges Band, and Lung. The 80’s Prom, Smiths/Morrissey Karaoke, Tiny Couch Night, The Death Of Vaudeville Night, Salute To Satan, and The Annual Outdoor Music Festival “Bourbon Street Anti Fest” were among the performances. On November 17th, 2001, the Davis Street Ottobar closed its doors. Ottobar reopened at 2549 North Howard Street in the same month, with the one and only Daniel Johnston. This new location was far more prominent and provided a much cleaner and more welcoming environment (for the first few years.)
So far, notable acts have included the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wye Oak, The Breeders, Drive-By Truckers, Dinosaur Jr, TV On The Radio, Maroon 5, KRS-ONE, Future Islands, Quiet Riot, Paramore, Celebration, Jonathan Richman, Dan Deacon, David Cross, All Time Low, At The Drive-In, Atmosphere, The Melvins, Wiz Khalifa, Beach House, Bouncing Souls, and Twenty One Pilots. Other spectacular nights include Ottobar’s Shrunken Head, Pet Weddings, Super Art Fight, Butcher Knife Throwing Contest, Ottobar Boys and Spelling Bee, and Girls Choir, Book Burning For Peace, and many others. Tens of thousands of bands and counting have performed at thousands of gigs.
7. The Bluebird Cocktail Room
The Bluebird Cocktail Room is a romantic, literary-themed lounge serving classic cocktails and shareable bistro fare. We understand luxury cocktail bars might be a drag (read: stuffy and costly), yet locals frequently flock to Bluebird. The cocktail bar, located on three stories of a building just off Hampden’s main street, is stunning in both sunshine and candlelight—and the porch swings out front are an excellent addition. The literary-themed menu is a beautiful excursion in and of itself, and it rotates frequently, but the Old Fashioned with citrus and vanilla poured over a house-carved ice sphere is a sure bet. De Kleine Duivel’s second-floor bar and lovely side deck provide craft cocktails, Belgian beers, and a cuisine menu focused on fermentation and preservation.
Are they taking reservations? Yes, reservations and walk-ins are accepted daily. Visit their reservations page for more information. Do they have outdoor dining? No, they do not. Do they have a dress code? They just like you just the way you are, though if you feel like dressing fancy, they won’t object. What about parking available at this venue? As a cocktail bar, they highly encourage all of their customers to use Uber and Lyft. On the other hand, responsible drivers will find street parking on 36th Street and its adjacent streets. Are you interested in valet parking? The Food Market, located across 36th Street, has valet parking for a charge. They only allow anybody above the age of 21 to enter.
The Bluebird is a cocktail bar for adults who want an adult experience. While they sincerely wish responsible young adults could join them, they strictly enforce the legal drinking age at the door. They only accept reservations for groups of six or fewer. Walk-in parties of 6 to 16 persons are encouraged and seated on a first-come, first-served basis. They will not be able to handle parties who have booked several appointments to expand the size of their party to best serve you. Please do not make multiple reservations. It is not available if a table size is not listed on Resy. They are not currently booking events but will resume their events scheduled later this summer with some exciting new additions.
6. Johnny Rad’s Pizzeria Tavern
Johnny Rad’s Pizzeria Tavern is an artisanal pizza, eclectic pub fare & a variety of beers are offered in casual digs with arcade games. With skateboards on the walls, punk rock on the stereo, and a broad but approachable beer list, this pizza tavern at the intersection of Canton, Fells Point, and Butchers Hill meets all of our adolescent fantasies. Beers, such as Mama’s Lil Yella Pils or Monument City 51 Rye, are available on draught and in various canned formats. Safe bet nibbles include fried risotto balls, Trainwreck pizza, or any vegan alternative. The pub has indoor and outdoor dining, and its whole menu is available for takeaway.
Their goal is to provide great pizza and another creative bar fare, a wide selection of craft beers, select wines, and creative cocktails in a casual setting with their favorite skateboard videos playing all day, and an eclectic music playlist ranging from indie & punk rock to hip hop, funk, and jazz, and two skee ball lanes, all while smiling. Private events at their restaurant include wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners, company holiday parties and trips, group meals, cocktail receptions, fundraisers, and more. They would be delighted to explore how they may contribute to your next event. They make an honest attempt to make most of their menu options vegetarian and/or vegan wherever feasible.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any queries regarding a certain item! They are happy to use vegetarian and vegan goods from local companies such as The Greener Kitchen, Gardien, Beyond Meat, Morningstar Farms, and others. Johnny Rad’s cuisine is highly delicious. The Risotto Balls and Shred Stix appetizers are addictive, the pizza is delicious, and the beer selection is adequate. The service was also outstanding. This is not your average pizza joint. So, they have much more, including a creative brunch on Sunday. Eat here without hesitation. It’s mostly a bar with some tables, a dining room in the back, and a few tables out on the sidewalk. There are lots of beers to choose from. You should try the fried risotto balls for an appetizer. These are risotto wrapped around a chunk of mozzarella cheese, rolled into a ball, breaded, and fried.
5. 29th Street Tavern
They say it’s hard to create a dive bar, but what if one gets spruced up while retaining all of its flavor (including carryout packaged goods)? This is true of 29th Street Tavern, which maintains blue-collar roots in a gentrifying area. This includes friendly bartenders, delicious burgers and wings, and drink deals during Orioles games. While it’s challenging to match the grandeur of a dark pub’s facade, we applaud the “boardwalk” erected for outside dining. Seating is first-come, first-served at this venue. You may walk up for takeout. It’s a fantastic tavern! Small, cozy, and well-lit. On cheesesteak night, I sat at the bar.
The cheesesteak was genuinely great (I used to live in Philly and am quite selective about cheesesteaks), and the service was attentive. I would like to see Cheez Whiz offered as a steak choice, but no legitimate concerns. I will certainly return to the atmosphere and sample more of the food. I like drinking at 29th Street Tavern. It offers a typical pub atmosphere, which is challenging to find anymore! It’s a little tiny and dark, with plenty of brick and wood, TVs, and a homey feeling. I’ll be back for drinks – and hopefully for food next time too! Check it if you’re looking for a non-fussy, traditional pub vibe.
My favorite thing about this bar is everything. The food is so good and fresh! So, the beer selection is one of the best in the city. It’s cozy. It’s quaint, and it’s quite hip too. The service is always genuine, kind, and light-hearted. The best staff and they make the place welcoming. We highly recommend this spot! Great tavern. Everything is made of wood or brick. Tasteful music. Real people. 3 TVs are playing various sports. I had the cheesesteak. Bread, meat, and cheese were all good. I should’ve added more toppings tho. So, I think you can add peppers and mushrooms. Other food looked good too. You will return after one visit. This location is AMAZING! Food and beverages are quite reasonably priced. There are daily meal and beverage promotions. The service is always exceptional—our fave local hangout.
4. Sugarvale
Sugarvale is a signature cocktail, craft beer & small plates prepped in a dimly lit setting with white-tile walls. It is a neighborhood cocktail bar. We’re now serving batched cocktails via our sister cafe Dooby’s. They are thrilled to welcome guests back indoors at one of their tables. At this time, they are not offering seats at the bar, and no standing room. Please show your vaccination cards upon ordering. Masks are required unless you are seated. They have additional seats available outside on their 40-seat parklet, some with propane heaters nearby. Sugarvale is a small cocktail bar in Baltimore’s historic arts area of Mount Vernon. This inconspicuous tavern is easy to overlook just a few steps below street level.
The sleek, modern room has 35 seats, including eight at the bar, a series of cocktail tables along a renovated church pew, and an eight-seat counter-height community table. The white subway tiles covering the walls reflect the dark lighting, creating the ideal dating spot vibe. Sugarvale has a light menu that includes wings, pork buns, and dumplings, in addition to our burger. They accept reservations for groups of 8 or more on availability. Please contact them at hello@doobys.com for group bookings, special events, or weekend bridal or baby showers. Sugarvale provides several functions for Han. Dooby’s bar program has been consistently outstanding, but its coffee food has overshadowed it and the general café feel. Sugarvale now sells the seasonal, unique cocktails that Dooby’s used to sell, while the former provides a slimmer range of standard mixed beverages on tap.
This not only provides customers an incentive to visit Sugarvale, but it also better defines the difficult-to-categorize Dooby’s. If you’re looking for a late-summer drink, consider the Oriole Reviver, a twist on the classic Corpse Reviver No. 2. The Sugarvale version, on the surface, packs a lot of sour and sweet into a single serving: Hayman’s Old Tom gin, lemon juice, Aperol (from whence it gets its Birdland-approved hue), Suze bitters, and a drop of fernet. However, the intense flavor made it a drink that I would equate to an orange Sour Patch Kid. The Oriole Reviver is smoother and more refined than movie-theater sweets, but it has the pleasure and lightness that summer drinks should have.
3. Fadensonnen
With this sake bar, beer garden, and natural wine, the crew behind the softly lit cocktail hideaway W.C. Harlan and the golden-hued Mezcaleria Clavel have another success. The concept may appear all over the place, but the common thread is innovative, small-batch beverages of the greatest quality. You may enjoy Georgian wines, Austrian beer, or Brooklyn sake (plus sample its delicious sister food concept, Larder). Take a seat at the picnic tables or the newly opened top-floor bar. Fadensonnen is a beer garden and bar emphasizing small ethical producers’ fresh beer, wine, nihonshu (Japanese sake), and shochu. It is also an experimental music venue.
They are located in Baltimore’s historic Old Goucher neighborhood. HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Thursday 5–7 pm $2 off all draught beer, wine, sake & cider, 20% off all bottles. Please visit their website for more information. This venue was established in 2018. So, Lane Harlan and Matthew Pierce created the concept. A spacious open-air patio with communal seating makes up the beer garden. The Tavern sits upstairs in a more intimate environment with only 40 seats. Angels Ate Lemons, a natural wine boutique, is only around the street. They are part of the “Socle” community complex, including Sophomore Coffee, Angels Ate Lemons, E2E4 Record Shop, and a new restaurant opening in the summer of 2022. Can you use the same tab you opened in the beer garden upstairs at the Tavern?
Yes, you may open and close the same tab on either floor. Their point-of-sale systems are linked. Is it permissible to bring outside food into the courtyard? You are welcome to bring your food until the new restaurant opens. Their happy hour runs from 5–7 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All draught beer, sake, wine, and cider are $2 off, while all bottles are 20% discount. Tipping policy: A 20% service fee is automatically applied to all checks and distributed throughout the crew. Thank you very much. Gift cards may be purchased in-store at Fadensonnen. They can also call you, process payment over the phone, and mail a gift card to the recipient. So, this is one of the best bars in the city!
2. Frazier’s on the Avenue
Frazier’s On the Avenue is a dimly lit neighborhood bar abuzz with jukebox tunes that offer American grub plus karaoke & trivia. Frazier’s may be the best place to get a taste of Baltimore in a pub. Its walls are covered in every type of local sports memorabilia imaginable, the bartenders are brusque yet remember your drink order, and the cocktails are as powerful as they can legally get away with. The pool tables and/or jukebox are prominent in Frazier’s fuzzy memories, and the bar keeps the atmosphere alive with outdoor tables and to-go beverages. We tried them, and they are just as effective.
Frazier’s On The Avenue is an American Wine Bar and American (New) restaurant where most Menuism users come for fun with friends, spend between $25 and $50 and are tipped between 15% and 18%. Frazier’s on the Avenue is the edgy neighborhood’s hottest nightlife destination. Frazier’s provides you a cause to look forward to the work week with live music, karaoke, and weekday happy-hour deals. Happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and there are amazing weekday bargains on bar cuisine, including steak, lobster, and crab cakes that are as tasty as they are inexpensive.
And don’t miss the poor singing karaoke evenings, which occur every other Tuesday at 9 p.m., a Mix of hipsters, artists, neighborhood residents, and young professionals stopping by on their way home from work—looking for one of the best Karaoke joints in Baltimore? You’ll find it at Frazier’s On the Avenue. Not ready for the musical spotlight? Check out Frazier’s Open Mic and Comedy nights. If you haven’t been here for happy hour on a weekday, you might have missed Jeopardy. This is one of our favorite things about this bar. They turn all the music off and turn the sound up, and everyone plays Jeopardy – calling out answers and winning shots for correct daily double answers. So, this is one of the best bars Baltimore has to offer! If you are in town, we recommend visiting this bar at least once! Go with your loved ones.
1. Old Major
This is a local bar to the core. For one thing, Pigtown needed a place like this, where customers could form book clubs, attend open mic nights, and even assist the pub in raising money for charity causes. While this is difficult for these establishments, Old Major continues to provide takeaway alternatives for its excellent pub fare, local beer and wine, tropical cocktails, and even to-go shots. As always, thank you for reading our minds. Old Major is a unique informal bar and event facility in Southwest Baltimore’s Railroad Arts District, just west of downtown and the stadiums. They were named Best Neighborhood Bar by Baltimore Magazine and a Hidden Gem by the Baltimore Sun.
So, Old Major serves tasty tropical bites, cocktails, wine, spirits, and local Maryland craft beer. You may enjoy a delicious meal and refreshing beverage in our relaxed setting. Old Major has a full bar with premium spirits and wines and local Maryland and Baltimore-based spirits, craft beer, meads, and ciders. Their cocktail and food menus are tropical-inspired. Vegan food options and spirit-free drink options are available. Old Major is an eclectic bar and restaurant specializing in tropical cocktails and small plates. They were named Best Neighborhood Bar in 2019 by Baltimore Magazine and have been featured in several publications, including The Baltimore Sun (“Hidden Gems” list) and Thrillist (“Best Bars in Baltimore” list), to name a couple.
They are proud of themselves for giving back to their Southwest Baltimore community, hold a free food giveaway on Thursdays (1:30-3:00 p.m.), and are a weekly sponsor of My Fathers Plan, a local youth-based nonprofit that cleans neighborhood streets. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Old Major was known for its full schedule of fun, creative, informative, and community-oriented events. They look forward to resuming those events in 2022 in our enhanced events space! Check their latest hours on Google (always up-to-date). Old Major does not accept cash for payments. Ring their doorbell for entry. Bring a government-issued ID that confirms that you are 21 or older. So this is one of the best bars Baltimore has to offer! We highly recommend this spot.