Bertha’s
734 S. Broadway
410-327-5795

Located in Fell’s point, this is definitely one of the best establishments in the City. Bertha’s is a jazz/blues club with a great atmosphere and a fantastic variety of inventive foods. This family owned bar and restaurant opened in 1972, has two dinning rooms, and offers Scottish afternoon tea every afternoon but Sunday (call for reservations). Bertha’s is also known for its amazing ballyhooed mussels that come with a choice of eight different sauces.

If you’re going to spend any amount of time in Fell’s Point, you must make it a point to stop in at Bertha’s – even if its just to say you’ve been there.

Burke’s Cafe and Restaurant
At the corner of Light & Lombard Streets
410-752-4189

Located in the Inner Harbor, Burke’s has a nice extended bar opposite a row of booths and both areas are good for snacking as well as sit-down meals. Upstairs is stand-up comedy. Two 90-minute shows, featuring three comedians, are offered each Friday and Saturday night.

Burke’s is also open for breakfast and late-night dinner (7am-2am).

This place has a mixed crowd of young and old. Burke’s is a nice place to relax after a long day of touring and have a meal and a few drinks in a dim, moody atmosphere. The menu has a wide selection of seafood dishes and some excellent appetizers as well.

The Gin Mill
2300 Boston Street
410-327-6455
Mon.-–Fri., 4pm – 2am
Sat.—Sun, 12pm – 2am

Located in Canton, this is a loud and wild 2-story bar filled with all types of people and a jukebox that plays new and old top 40 hits. The kitchen serves sandwiches and snacks till around 1am; there are three different bars, pool tables, and a nice selection of draught beer.

The Gin Mill sees a 20-30 something kind of crowd, which can grow very, very large at times, especially on weekends. Despite the usual large crowd, there are a good number of tables and chairs inside, as well as parking in the lot across the street.

Wharf Rat Tavern
801 S. Anne Street
410-276-9034
HOURS:
Mon.—Sta. 11am – 1am

Located in Fell’s Point, this bar features local microbrewed beer and sees a large number of college students. Best of all, you can get 3 beers for 3 dollars daily from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. There are over 30 beers on tap.

The Wharf Rat has a nice selection of better than average bar food including mussels, pizza, crab dip and sandwiches. The Rat gets pretty crowded during happy hour and often stays that way the rest of the night. There is also a Wharf Rat on Pratt Street in the Inner Harbor.

The Ruby Lounge
802 N. Charles Street
410-539-8051
HOURS:
Tues.--Sat. 4pm to 2am

This place has a sophisticated atmosphere combined with an eclecticism given off by the unique works of local artists hanging on the walls. The menu is somewhat upscale, as is the interior, and an excellent bar staff can mix up some interesting drinks upon request, such as a chocolate martini, for one.

If you want to sit back, experiment with some exotic drinks and listen to some cool jazz in the background, this is your place. The Ruby Lounge never gets overly crowded, but it does see some diversity.

Max’s on Broadway
735 S. Broadway and Thames Streets
410-276-2850
www.maxs.com
HOURS:
Mon.—Wed., 12 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Thurs.—Sun., 11 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.

Max’s has a brand new second floor cigar and martini bar. The entire bar features two pool tables, pinball machines, video games and 15 TVs. There are 67 beers on tap and a nice selection of bar food, including sandwiches, wings, burgers and salads. $1 off any draft every day until 8p.m., all day Monday.

Located in Fell’s Point, Max’s sees a mixed crowd, ranging from college students to the older professional types. But what’s really unique about this place is that there’s a live camera behind the bar that captures all of the action and broadcasts it live onto Max’s Web site – www.maxs.com.

Good Love Bar
2322 Boston Street
410-558-2347
HOURS:
6 p.m. to 2 a.m., daily
COVER:
$5 after 10 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday

This is one of the trendiest bars in Canton. There’s no sign out front! The Good Love Bar features three different levels, all furnished with lounge chairs and tables and I’m-too-cool-even-for-myself hipsters who wouldn’t be caught dead with a domestic beer in their hand.

The Good Love Bar does have its perks though: there’s very little aggression displayed and it gets really crowded with people of all types on the weekends who just want to have fun. It’s a little tight in here, as well as dim, moody and loud. But if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t mind a crowded and trendy atmosphere, you can have yourself a time in this joint.