Took my daughter out for lunch and we decided to try Barley's Backyard Uptown. I'm so glad we did--it was such a nice experience. The staff was warm and welcoming from the start, and the place was clean with a chill, laid-back vibe. We grabbed a table outside on the balcony, which was perfect for some fresh air and conversation. My daughter ordered the mussels with a ginger ale and really enjoyed it--she was quiet for a minute, which says a lot! I went with the Ahi Tuna wrap after our waiter recommended it, and wow--it did not disappoint. Super fresh and full of flavor. I also tried a lemon cucumber drink that was light, crisp, and so refreshing. All around, it was a great outing. Great food, good energy, and quality time. We'll definitely be back! read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Ahi Tuna Wrap and Steamed Mussels - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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Fast service, the food can hot and as expected. Would be a great place for college kids to meet and have a good time together. read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

I expected typical bar food here but was pleasantly surprised during my first time trying this place. Most restaurants in the area were closed on Labor Day, but Barley's was open, so I made my way to the rooftop deck after being ignored by the hostess who was busy watching Love Island on her tablet at the hostess stand. When I left, she was still fully immersed in single people finding love in the summer. The rooftop deck was admittedly cool and had a great vibe and view of Towson. My server seemed a bit bored but impressed me by taking three orders from memory. The French Dip was very good. It was really a naked cheesesteak on a toasted baguette with a side of beef consommé, but it was tasty and YUGE. The Southwest Chicken Wrap and Garden Vegi Burger that my dining companions ordered went quickly and came with good reviews. Overall, this place is not inexpensive. Lunch for 3 people came to $80. I did enjoy seeing a mint garden literally growing out of the rooftop bar. Nice touch! read more

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I was in the Towson area and we were looking for somewhere we had never been before. Stumbled on this gem. It was Friday about 4:45pm. I lucked up and was able to park at a meter. After 6pm you don't have to pay the meter. What caught our eye about this place was the rooftop. We entered and were greeted right away. Took a photo in the huge chair at the entrance. The greeter even assisted us so that we both could be in the same photo. We were than made aware that only the rooftop were open on the 3rd floor. We were given the option to catch the elevator up or walk up the steps. Next time we'll catch the elevator for sure. Lol. We were seated right away. The waitress gave us water and told us that happy hour was going on until 7pm. We were also made aware that power hour was from 5pm until 6pm and it allows you to get 2 for one drinks. So, we had just a few minutes to wait for power hour. We ordered happy hour food. Quesidilla and chicken stripe. Neither disappointed. We even got a 2nd order. They do charge you for a container if you have leftovers that you are taking with you. For drinks we had casimigos and cranberry for the 1st round and for the 2nd round we had a barleys bucket. Both drinks were good. To go in ordered Brussel sprouts and buffalo cauliflower. They also were delicious. Everything was great. Dining on the rooftop really was a vibe. I will be returning. read more

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I always have a blast and a hilarious good time at this bar! This is a great spot to get together with friends for happy hour or to get the girlfriends together for a fun night out! Don't let the local gossip get to you, this is not a college bar. Sure, the bar is located by a college, but you aren't going to be around a very young crowd. The security is tight and strict, they are serious about checking ID's. So this is a great bar to go out and not have a worry in the world! The staff are super friendly and helpful with your food and drink orders. This was the first time I visited the bar on a Saturday night and it was nicely packed!! Downstairs they were playing pop hits and upstairs on the roof, the DJ was ripping great EDM beats, hell yeah!! The restrooms are clean and organized and there are plenty of parking options via street parking or adjacent parking lots. read more

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This was honestly one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. We sat at the bar, and the bartender barely acknowledged us -- not even a smile. I had to ask him myself about the happy hour specials because he didn't mention them at all. When my food arrived, the mozzarella sticks were still frozen in the middle -- completely cold. I asked for extra sauce for both the mozzarella sticks and my chicken tenders, but before I could even receive a properly cooked order, another server came over with a check just for the sauces. There was no apology for the undercooked food, and I was still charged for sauce I didn't even use. Meanwhile, the bartender seemed far more interested in chatting with a blonde woman at the end of the bar and got excited when his friends came in. I even paid for my food before it arrived, yet the service continued to go downhill from there. I can't help but wonder if the way we were treated had something to do with the color of our skin, because the difference in attention was noticeable. Despite everything, I still left a tip -- and he didn't even bother to say thank you. I decided to leave without even staying for power hour because the service was just that piss poor. Also, when I asked him for the tops to the extra sauces I paid for his comment was "those are free"! Please do not go here. The service was absolutely unacceptable. read more

Usually, the service is great and food comes out in decent timing, but my latest experience was horrible, and my server decided to tip himself, without my permission . read more

Sadly, this was the first and LAST time I eat here. This place had some mediocre bar food BUT I guess I came during a dog fundraiser and there were dogs everywhere while eating and someone's dog pissed right near my table and a lady just poured water on it! Don't get me wrong I LOVE DOGS, but not when I'm eating at a restaurant and have to watch one pee. I don't even think dogs are allowed inside of a restaurant so I don't know why they were there in the first place. Ruined my experience and the ambiance of the facility. I asked to speak with a manager and apparently there wasn't a manager available and the server was really funny since he was very hungover from the night before. I am not coming back here, I'm very disappointed with the lack of professionalism observed. read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Dogs pissing while eating - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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My family and I went for an early lunch on Saturday and we just beat the lunch rush. We were able to get a great table on the rooftop with a great view. Our server was really friendly and pleasant and even made a few great recommendations. We really enjoyed the crab dip, the crabcake sandwiches were spectacular and the seafood pasta was really good. Also really enjoyed their specialty drink. read more

Went for Sunday brunch with a friend. The server was very nice and very attentive. However the food was meh. I ordered a bagel breakfast sandwich, and the bagel was very low quality. The location is nice. And the rooftop area was lovely, but they would have to improve the quality of their food for me to go back. read more

I would love to give this location more than three stars, but I can't. We've been here several times usually for drinks and a snack. For a bar with appetizers I'd probably give them four stars. I came here for lunch and honestly everything was slightly off. First of all when I got there, they had the windows open. It was so windy that the little menu holders with the QR code were blowing off the tables. I had to change seats so that I wasn't in a gale storm. Eventually, they closed one of the big windows and things got much better. Next it took quite a while for everything to happen. The server checked in on me quickly but everything after that went very slowly. I ordered the Maryland crab soup and Caesar salad combo and I would expect that would come out relatively quickly, but it took legitimately over 20 minutes for them to ladle the soup and plate a simple salad. Even worse the salad came with no dressing on it or on the side. I decided not to ask for extra dressing because I just wanted to continue the meal. Next I had ordered an order of the Boneless chicken wings appetizer. This took at least another 20 minutes to come out. Luckily, I put an hour and a half in the meter, but ordering two appetizer dishes should not take an hour to get to the table. The final straw that forced me to downgrade them to three stars was that there was a yelp check-in Deal for a 10% discount. I showed it to the server and he acknowledged it but when he came back with the check, he told me that only a manager could authorize that discount and there was no manager on site today. This is simply unacceptable. The 10% discount wouldn't make or break my decision to eat there but I could imagine a group of college kids showing up thinking they were going to get a discount and then finding out at the last second that it wasn't valid. That could be a big deal for them. Regardless, on principle, if you set up a yelp deal, it needs to be honored. All in all I was forced to give them three stars, because anything more than that would not be an honest assessment of my experience. The only reason they're not getting two stars is because the food that was correctly prepared was decent and enjoyable. read more

Great food, many levels, and very helpful waitstaff. They had different varieties of beer here and lots of TVs to watch the Steelers

What a great time year after year! This gem has been the spot for my family in Thanksgiving before the football game and it always deliver! Breakfast was delicious. I ordered straight from the sides menu eggs, pancake and bacon 8/10 (eggs were too runny for my taste) Best Bloody Marys in town hands down. 9/10 Service was great! There was a big crowd and our server was great from start to finish. Can't wait to be back next year! read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Entrance - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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Cool drinks and decent music selection for a late night out. Cheesesteak spot right next door for the post drank eats.

would give it 0 stars if i could. the owner is racist and extremely rude. horrible experience. won't be returning. edit: idk what you're referring to in the response but no rules were explained to me. wrong person. different situation. try again.. i'm guessing this is a recurring thing with your establishment... after looking at many other reviews, my recommendation is that if you're not white, don't come here. the micro-aggressions are insane. read more

Cute little hip spot with rooftop vibes. We came here on a Friday night at the peak of HH. If you know anything about Town, you know that its definitely a college town. Even with the students being on summer break the spot was pretty packed. I liked the layout. Plenty of TV screens to watch baseball games and basketball finals. I like the umbrellas on the roof top to block out the sun and the space was pretty spacious. I ordered the grilled salmon dinner with side salad and asparagus w/parm. Not bad for a bar. It came out pretty good and was pretty tasty. Our waiter, she was very sweet, she was good, she did her best under the circumstances. I couldn't believer her upper management has her working the entire rooftop by herself. I had to be about 70+ people and she handled all of them. Kodos to her but seemed a little unfair and overworked in my opinion. I felt bad for her. Although the food was good, it took a long time for it to come out of the kitchen and I also didn't enjoy my drink. I would give this place another try maybe not on a Friday though. read more

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The average 3 score is about correct. I'll give 2.5. The rooftop was cool and our waitress, Lexi was good; but a friend ordered a grilled ckn Greek bowl. She has a sensitivity with spices and it was served with blackened ckn. The mgr challenged her that it wasn't spicy (like it was in her head) and it took a lot of unnecessary persuasion to get it taken off the check. it ultimately was, with attitude, so she couldn't order anything else for fear of 'repercussion' (u know what i mean). If it is really supposed to be blackened ckn, state that on the menu....horrible customer service from management to have argued over this. Also odd no beer on tap (cans and bottles only). We won't be back. read more

I was here last night on a date at 7pm and it's 3 stars. First off, when we walked in a guy laughed at me. Secondly, there's not stools to accommodate all sizes (not me), thirdly the waitresses push drinks and try to get you to leave (also happened at a prior time I was there with a guy). My date was great.., I'm just reviewing the location, ambiance and service. We did not order food here. Downstairs is open Thursday- Saturday and Saturday has DJs both levels starting at maybe 10. I'll probably be back just because there's getting to be limited options in Towson. read more

I came here with some friends on a Saturday night. We arrived just a bit before 10pm and the first floor was pretty empty. The rooftop was nice, we originally sat at the bar but were quickly asked to stand up so that the chairs can be put away. I've never seen chairs removed from highly tops and the bar before by a certain time. Especially when the establishment isn't that packed. The dj was playing a mix of music which was okay. Barleys is definitely a college bar an a place to grab a quick drink with friends. read more

I usually come for a few drinks but since I live in the area now I figured I'd try to have lunch. The food was not good at all. There was no flavor in anything. My crab dip was very bland. The calamari was fried too haHowever the atmosphere and service was great. I am a service person. If you give great service, clean restaurant and nice atmosphere I can settle for mediocre food. I wish I knew the guy name that served me today he was really nice. I'll definitely be back for lunch. He gave me some good recommendations. read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Crab dip, calamari and grapefruit crush - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

Bad drinks and worse service. I dont recommend. This place is a few steps down in quality and service from Applebees.

My friends and myself went to this establishment and were treated so rudely by the manager. The Customer service is so horrendous that we ended up leaving . I would not refer this restaurant to anyone. Ratings-0 read more

I was in the area trying to go to the restroom because I came from across town to go to the restaurant next door which apparently was closed. I asked if I could use the restroom and was denied because they said I had to purchase something in order to use their facilities but they don't ever have to worry about me patronizing their establishment because as a Black man I felt racism at its worst. So NO I wouldn't ever encourage anyone to support this restaurant. read more

Decided to give this place a try after seeing that they had a roof top. Right in the downtown area of Towson, this place is very popular. Arrived around 5pm and was seated right away. The place was packed! Loud music, sports games playing on the TVs and a full bar on the roof. The service was good also. Anna had everything we ordered coming to our table right away. The drinks were tasty. I enjoyed the southwest steak wrap! I would maybe ask for some sort of sauce on the side though since the wrap didn't have any. The lemon pepper chicken was delicious! If you're looking for a fun night out, check this place. read more

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A group of us in from New Orleans, had Josh as our bartender, (WE ALSO SAT AT THE BAR) in the upstairs area. Josh was absolutely the best service we had while in town for the inauguration. We recommend everyone ask for him for superb service. Being from New Orleans, we use to southern hospitality, you would think this guy is from the mouth of the Mississippi Delta, that feel good homestyle vibes. All his food recommendations were awesome and spot on, and he even got us gambling LOL. HAD AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT TIME TONIGHT. This bar rocks ! ! ! WORTHY NOTE ALL STAFF WERE PRACTICING GREAT HEALTH PRECAUTIONS read more

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Staff were super friendly and informative about the menu.I got the half & half soup it was full of lump crab and soooo tasty.I also ordered the blackened Salmon but It was so good I forgot to take a picture.The drinks are inexpensive and well worth every penny! read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Half & Half soup - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

Barleys is a cool spot in Towson especially if the weather is good. In the past, the service we received was hit or miss but I will tell you that Ty never disappoints. He is attentive, friendly, and we will definitely be back. Thank you, Ty! read more

Great vibes. We ate upstairs on the rooftop. The service was good. We even had another server come up to make sure someone was taking care of us. New covid friendly QR code menus available. The food was good. I ordered a BLT with the blackened chicken option and my husband had the seafood salad sandwich. That thing was HUGE. My only issue was the drinks. They were a bit watered down and weak. I ordered a signature cocktail and a "Bucket". Both tasted like colored, fruity water. My husband had a beer and a shot. He said the shot seemed weak as well. I say this is surprising since this spot is very much so advertised as a BAR. People come here FOR THE DRINKS. Unless you know the bartender, stick w/ beers or alcohol in a can (White Claw, etc) bc then you know what you're getting. read more

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My nachos were stale, but the corn wasn't what I expected, but still good! I'm a lover of potatoes & fries, & I'll be back just for their fries... oh! And their craving cold brew drink, soooooooooo freaking good!!!!! read more

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Really good service and atmosphere. Good was great. Went for a football game and ended up being much better than I would expect from a bar.

Parking is on the street, I feel it is mostly safe. My wife, daughter and I stopped for a bite after dropping the daughter off at college. This place has a large and beautiful patio on the roof. Something that was desperately needed in the Towson area. The area was clean and the service was above average, but the food was bland. The chicken quesadilla was mediocre but for the happy hour price the food was a good call. The Mac and cheese bites were decent, but my daughter, a pasta and Mac and cheese aficionado, called them Kraft like and salty. For her it means MEH! As for the burger, it just wasn't seasoned aka super bland, a bit under cooked for medium rare and came out without the requested mayo. Oh and The fries were overly salty too. Long story short, maybe the chef in training was on duty. As I mentioned in the beginning, you pay for the view. 3 stars read more

My experience was horrible. They gave me a drink in a dirty cup ...I requested the manager about my food and when I questioned him about portion size and quality he did not want to hear it. I tried to send back a side I ordered and the general manager told me no and that I had to pay for it since it was cooked. JOE DID NOT DISPLAY ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE! I will not be returning. Update : because I called him out on his rudness snd poor customer service he had the nerve to say he didn't care and then tell me not come back DISTASTEFUL read more

I am a bit upset with having to leave the review I am, because this place is really cool. The upstairs part, especially, is beautiful. Coming late at night for drinks is awesome too. During the day though? It's not the same experience. We ordered one drink (a lemon crush I think), a beer, and two waters. It took twenty minutes to get those items... not many people there, either. We contemplated getting food, but based on how long it took to get drinks, we left for something else. Food is very expensive. Atmosphere is great, service could be way better. I'll only come back for late night drinks read more

Hello, it is my girls 22nd birthday she is (black) usually I wouldn't include this, but I feel it is pertinent because the owners stated they do not want to play "black music" upon my request to play Kanye. Take this information at your own will. The green tea shots are amazing tho hence the 2 stars. That "not a night club" in the response is a little telling if you ask me. You present a lowkey Jim Crow vibe. This review is for black people who may be considering visiting. To y'all, I say #don't read more

I'm a TU alum and always patronized the predecessor (Greene Turtle). I was extremely impressed by the cleanliness and care exercised by the servers and expediters during this pandemic. The ladies' room was immaculate (maintaining a clean ladies' room on a Friday night most places can be a feat)! Our server was Christina. Boy, was she amazing! She had personality for days and was attentive while juggling her other tables. Most importantly, the wings and quesadillas were delicious! We contemplated getting another order but exercised some restraint. The drinks could've been a tad stronger. I called the next day to tell Jill/manager that you guys really gave us a great, safe rooftop dining experience! Thank you! read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Awesome view of Towson skyline while enjoying freshly-made cocktails on a sultry Friday evening. - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

Meh.. Two stars for the view and pretty good buffalo wings (good crisp and heat) and cold beer. This is about the high end of the cuisine here (its college pub grub) It's downright excruciating hearing drunken 21 year olds (with the associated backward cap and Under Armor garb) yelling about absolutely nothing of any wit...I'm over 50 and I did this out of charity accompanying my friends kid here... It's an old Green Turtle with lots of students from Towson State University...This isn't exactly John Hopkins (or Colgate/Williams/Hamilton for that matter). However, the rooftop view is good down to the insta-city of Towson MD (and the highlight...a downtown shopping mall). It honestly looks like White Plains NY here for reference...not an ounce of mojo or soul in this town. The college, Barley's and town are meant for each other...Marty McGillicuddy Mediocrity. read more

I'm halfway through my food and had to stop and give this place 5 stars, my grilled chicken burger is fresh and so are the chicken bites! Definitely worth the visit, and I'm from out of town. Gotta love finding good grub spots on a roof! ALSO the service was pretty awesome! read more

Barley's Backyard Uptown - Bars Near Me - Towson, Maryland

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Ty was amazing in our big party (12) for mine and my sister's birthday! He was always available with a smiling demeanor!

Great drinks, better people! Bartenders are the best around. Great spot with best rooftop views of Towson. the food is your standard bar food, but they put a nice spin on it. The staff is what separates them from the rest. . Always engaging! I've been twice and met multiple folks. They are always kind and willing to suggest a drink a signature drink that hits the spot. If you are in the mood for a good time with good people, head to backyard and ask for Kim, Ashley, Edie at the bar. If you want to get a table ask for Maddie or Sophie and get a blueberry lemon mule and enjoy a great evening on the rooftop read more

The worse service we have had in years! The server just disappeared. Complained to management and nothing happened. We didn't even bother ordering food at that point. Paid for drinks and never ever ever to return! You have been warned. read more