Koons White Marsh Chevrolet

Oct 20, 2022

Baltimore offers an abundance of restaurants, bars, and lounges to explore, making it easy to spend ample nights on the town without finding those true local gems. If you’re tired of frequenting the same known establishments, we have some bold new suggestions. Baltimore has several distinctive spots where you can sip creative cocktails while immersing yourself in a truly original atmosphere. Try these outstanding cocktail destinations for your next night on the town.

THE ELK ROOM

Tucked away behind a nondescript black door, The Elk Room delivers the ultimate 1920s speakeasy vibe. The atmosphere alone is worth a visit, but the food and drinks get top marks as well. To maintain its exclusive vibe, The Elk Room has a limited capacity and admits guests on a first come, first served basis. 

The cocktail menu reads like a timeline of the bar’s achievements since its opening five years ago. If you’re seeking intriguing one-of-a-kind options, you’ll find an abundance of them, many featuring ingredients you may never have associated with a cocktail before. Tomatillo, cape gooseberry, and the South American herb epazote are paired with cachaca and rum in the Love in a Cage cocktail. The Moon Dreams cocktail features the distinctive flavors of osmanthus and ube alongside pineapple, coconut, and vodka. You’ll find a kick of spice accompanies the Obsidian, which features chilis, pomegranate, chicory, sherry, and tequila.

These cocktails highlight only a fraction of the spirits available at The Elk Room. The full menu covers 15 pages, providing endless variety. The food is as distinctive as the drinks, with options such as truffled roasted chicken in a sherry white wine jus and passion fruit crepe souffle with pastry cream. Prepare for a truly decadent experience that’s well worth the wait to get in the door.

Location: 1010 Fleet St., Baltimore.

Hours: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

THE BLUEBIRD

Named for a Charles Bukowski poem, The Bluebird’s distinctive literary theme is at once sophisticated and welcoming. The 11-page menu is complete with a prologue, table of contents, and full-page poem for each cocktail. Both food and drink here come from local, sustainable, or organic farms, producers, and distilleries when possible. 

Fresh botanical flavors abound in the creative cocktails, which beckon you to go on an inspiring journey. Discover how the flavor of sweet peas balances with vodka and lime in The Goddess Strikes cocktail or experience the Seductive Dye featuring rhubarb liqueur with chocolate, oat cream, and rum. This is an establishment where you’re meant to sip and savor, drinking in the moment as much as the beverage.

The Bluebird also features a second bar downstairs. The Pub bills itself as a place “for lovers of American whiskey, cured meats, and classic literature.” If this describes you, you’ll adore the cozy atmosphere of this basement hideaway. The menu here is only slightly less verbose and no less intriguing. You can visit The Pub on only Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Location: 3600 Hickory Ave., Baltimore.

Hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

THE BREWER’S ART

You’ll find The Brewer’s Art in a 20th-century townhouse nestled in the historic Mount Vernon district. Whether you want a table in a quiet corner of the basement or beside a bright window overlooking Charles Street, you’ll find plenty of comfortable places to settle in for a memorable evening.

The cocktail menu features several creative options, such as the Brewer’s Rendition featuring Baltimore Spirits Company’s Epoch Rye, bitters, sugar, and a splash of their Resurrection brew. For a truly sophisticated flavor, try the Ursa Major, made with Earl Grey infused rum, Jin Jiji Darjeeling, pineapple, lime, AGWA, and falernum syrup. If you enjoy brews as well as cocktails, you’ll adore the lineup of The Brewer’s Art draft beers, which includes the Resurrection Brown Ale, Beazly Golden Ale, Klassenerhalt Rye Lager, and more.

The Brewer’s Art also serves a vast menu of comfort food favorites including salted soft pretzels, mac and cheese, crispy pork belly, a generous sausage platter, and more. When you’re craving a warm atmosphere and a filling meal with your cocktail, this is the best place to be.

Location: 1106 N. Charles St., Baltimore.

Hours: 4 to 11 p.m. upstairs and 5 p.m. to midnight downstairs daily.

THE BYGONE

The Bygone bills itself as “Baltimore’s most elevated dining experience.” Situated at the top of the Four Seasons Hotel, this is the perfect place for a special event or celebration, such as Valentine’s Day. The atmosphere is filled with elegant delights, such as hand-blown Zalto wine glasses and custom Lenox china. Guests must come prepared to blend into the ambiance by adhering to The Bygone’s strict dress code, which requires a collared shirt for men and prohibits any sports jerseys, athleisure wear, and visible undergarments. 

The cocktail menu illuminates each option in detail with a lengthy description of every drink accompanied by information on the base spirit, tasting notes, and glassware that you can expect with the beverage. By the time you order, you’ll be in the know, not only on the ingredients but also the detailed origins of your beverage.

The dinner menu boasts an exquisite selection of entrees, including a two-pound whole Maine lobster, half Amish chicken in black truffle butter, and New York Strip. Though the bar menu is pared down, it’s no less elegant, including duck breast, signature prime rib, Jail Island salmon, and more. The Bygone is an ideal selection when you want to make your cocktail hour the most memorable one yet.

Location: 400 International Drive, 29th Floor, Baltimore.

Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 5 p.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday. Have you been to these hotspots? Do you know of any other outstanding cocktail destinations in Baltimore? Contact our team at Koons White Marsh Chevrolet and let us know. We love cultivating suggestions for our clients so we can point them in the right direction when they’re headed off the lot ready to celebrate their new vehicles.

Image by Johann Trasch is licensed with Unsplash License