These are the four best cocktail bars in Baltimore, according to yours truly, after living in the city for many years. For other bars, like breweries and dives, these are the city’s 10 best watering holes.
Check out more on Baltimore, like the best restaurants, cheap eats, and hotels; the top museums and can’t-miss works of art there; where to eat the best crab; a Mount Vernon neighborhood guide; and where to get creative at the city’s best workshops and classes for art, dance, cooking, improv, and more.
Neighborhood: Remington
W.C. Harlan is one of my favorite cocktail bars (in the world, not just in Baltimore) for its unique atmosphere and excellent cocktails. Tucked behind an unmarked door in a residential neighborhood, W.C. Harlan feels like stepping back in time. This one-of-a-kind bar is dimly lit with antique furnishings, flickering candles, and vintage portraits that give it an old-world and intimate vibe, perfect for a date.
Neighborhood: Old Goucher
Dutch Courage is a gin-centric cocktail bar with over 100 bottles of gin. It’s located in a historic rowhome. The interior is polished but unpretentious, while the outdoor patio has a relaxed, casual vibe. Their cocktail menu, though focused on gin, features all spirits and has something for everyone. One of my favorite things about Dutch Courage is the beautiful, unique glassware sourced from antique shops.
Neighborhood: Mount Vernon (see my guide to this neighborhood here)
The Coral Wig is a cocktail bar inspired by the clubs of 1980s-era Manila, from the same Baltimore restaurateurs behind W.C. Harlan. After opening in 2024 in Hotel Ulysses, it was rated one of the best new bars in the U.S. The Coral Wig transports you far away with its tropical cocktails, moody lighting, dark wood furniture, amber-stained glass windows, green velvet couches, and golden accents.
Neighborhood: Hampden
Inspired by literature, The Bluebird Cocktail Room features dark blue walls, chandeliers, and shelves lined with books and fine spirits. While the setting is refined and sophisticated, the bar has a relaxed atmosphere, true to its Hampden roots. The menu rotates seasonally with literary themes, reflecting creativity and craftsmanship for those who appreciate the finer and more whimsical things in life.
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