It has been a minute since I've been to Melanie's at Griffiths and this is the most iconic dive bar…read morein Hamden. The friendliness here is something to be desired. I did go on a Monday night, but the bartender was extremely off putting, and just gave off really negative energy but the service itself wasn't horrible. She just was kind of mean. That's said the cocktails here are stupidly good. The old-fashioned here used to be $10 but now it's $14 but it's still so excellent and worth it. It rivals cocktails of really good places and unexpected for this divey place. There is no food, but they do have chips that they sell that are clothpinned along the door and the plantain chips were really delicious. The lighting is really really low towards the back end of the bar, but to the front where they have the TV there's always something interesting. This is a must visit for anyone that is local or visiting, and hopefully the staff is friendlier this time.

This is such a great little dive bar. I have been here a few times for friends celebrations or just…read morepopping in before we head some other place in the neighborhood and its always been great. Its intimate but not small, moody without being dark and always friendly and welcoming. The drinks are what you expect from a dive bar so dont go in ordering anything super fancy! lol

Mount Washington Tavern is tucked in an adorable set of streets in Mount Washington and the…read moreinterior totally matches the vibe! Very well laid out and decorated, while definitely busy there is plenty of space to spread out upstairs and downstairs. Our server Jaylin was very attentive even when there was a large party in the same room and things were clearly hectic. We definitely appreciated the service even more seeing how busy of a night it was! The crab dip was a crowd pleaser at the table and my pasta was also delicious and filling.

Mount Washington Tavern advertises as a special on Thursdays from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm Complimentary…read moreOysters! At the bars only with a purchase of a food or drink item. There is no mention of a limit to 3 oysters per order, but as you are waited on by the server that is what he states. So, which is it?? The Bloody Mary is not as good as it used to be before the fire. Visited on 3.26.2026

Rocket to Venus has decent, casual American bar faire with some twists, at a good value for the…read moreneighborhood. I got the Korean burger, a cheeseburger with kimchi, and my date opted for the bánh mì sandwich with blackened catfish. Both were pretty good, but I felt like there could definitely have been a bit more zest to the Korean burger, as the kimchi on its own, didn't quite stand up to the burger and bun to give it a particularly unique or distinct flavor. I'll give a light recommendation to give it a try, but didn't feel like it was something out of this world. Between the two items we ordered, I would definitely recommend the bánh mì. The menu offers a number of vegan and vegetarian options, if that's your thing, and the beer and cocktail list was fairly impressive, with a good number of ales on top, and a much broader selection of cans and bottles. The cocktail list looked interesting, with a number of staples, but I didn't delve in for a try. The service model is ordered at the bar, with food brought out later. I was rather surprised that the default tips when I cashed out were 2025 and 30%, given that there aren't really servers in the traditional sense, and it's close to a serve yourself type establishment. Not that this plays a huge role in my overall view, but when I see exorbitant suggested tips at places with minimal service, it's not something that leaves me impressed.

This was a hidden gem I never knew about! So, this all started because I decided to convince my…read morefriends to go on a made-up bar crawl! I won't tell y'all the name, so you won't take it lol. Anyway, this ended up being the first stop. First we saw Baltimore news legend Marty Bass ( we did not bother him, but still cool to see). We ordered lemon drops, old fashions and jack and ginger, which were all made to perfection. The pretzle was so good, I want another one as I type. I appreciate the staff encouraging my made up Bar crawl and giving me other recommendations to add to out adventure! Definetly going back cause I hear they have a great brunch!

How does a person describe Fraziers? It's like describing water or America. Both simple and super…read morecomplex. Fraziers is a Hampden institution. Do you wanna drink cheap beer? Play pool? Eat a cheesesteak? Mingle with literally everyone in the neighborhood all at once? Fraziers is your place. They are open all the time. Yes, even when there are12 inches of snow on the ground. That is actually the best time to come. You can watch a game here. You can dance on the Holiday Inn ballroom 1987 carpet here. You can chat with people you've passed 100 times on the street but never introduced yourself to. While the alcohol is cheap, especially for the neighborhood these days, the food is surprisingly good AF. This is a dive bar. Like a "think twice before using the bathroom" kind of dive bar (late at night). But the food is really good. Super solid cheesesteak and burger, awesome fries. The bartenders are great. They are not always friendly, but they are helpful, and will jam a pool stick up the pool table repeatedly and with great enthusiasm if you're missing a cue ball. If you haven't been here yet, you should come. You're not a Baltimoron yet if you haven't made at least one bad decision here.

Overall, the place is a dive bar, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. If we were going…read morethere for just a few drinks, it would have been fine. I usually love hole in the wall places. We decided to go there as a meetup before going to the "famous" Christmas lights a few blocks away. Like I said, this place is a dive bar, and that's it. I wouldn't call it a restaurant. The food took over an hour to come to our group. Most of the food was cold. One plate was missing and by the time they cooked the hamburger, the rest of the group was already finished with their meals. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but not for the food.

3.5 Decent dive bar…read more I've been upstairs for comedy shows and downstairs at the bar for drinks. I don't recall having food here, but wish the beer selection was better. Bartender was cool tho, good customer service.

I did not know they would be playing loud as * metal (?) music with screaming and reverb upstairs…read morein the usually-used comedy space, but then I came here for a glass of Chardonnay--which decades ago would've gotten me laughed at or kicked out. Then again, this is only my third time here despite having been to most bars in Hampden and the city. Apparently, Zissimos is not nearly as sketchy as the defunct Dimitri's on Falls (now a Papi's), which I also managed to stay far away from. Zissimos is what we call a neighborhood dive bar--or old Baltimore/Hampden, hon! You can sit in silence or be ignored, observe a guy talking to himself (or is it to someone in his invisible earbuds?) or chat with the bar tender, share some laughs with a character or a story with a couple, or get a whiff of sharp cologne as a local of a certain age passes by to sit at the long long bar to watch a game on TV. I came for a bar tender I like who used to work nearby for many years--and stayed for the "show." After a small bite at the much hipper, trendier Food Market, I decided to get my Chardonnay on here (no food to speak of except Cheetos, chips and pretzels). You DO get a real sense of what the world used to be like, or sometimes is, when you wanted to be on the inside not looking out! With some new bar tenders bringing some fresh ideas for food and music and possibly shortening the long bar, Ziss's might just become bougie enough to be cool--but then nobody here really cares a fig--or should I say a hop--about all that noise. I give a solid 4 for personable bar tenders, good service and old-school atmosphere just like Uncle Joe used to like!

Given his proximity to Hopkins this is for all intents and purposes a college bar, but that doesn't…read morenecessarily have to be a bad thing. Even years after I graduated, i still have really fond memories of the times I had at Charles Village Pub ( CVP ), getting a blue moon with an orange slice and watching sports on tv, or ending my night out back at my home Pub here and getting a plate of fries that I don't think I'll ever taste better parentheses maybe because I was always drunk when I had them haha) Don't get me wrong, you'll also see a healthy mix of locals at this bar as well. This bar is essentially on the edge of where the off-campus college buildings were, and further down the road you start to see most of the residential row homes and such.

Looking for a no frills, laid back spot--here it is. Nothing fancy, chills local bar. Bring a…read morejacket though, because in the summer, the air is BLASTING! The food is good and reasonably priced. My fries are always fresh and hot. They usually aren't too too busy but outside tables are hard to come by--the smoker crowd takes these up fast.

Great little spot in Hampden a few blocks from the Avenue and on the way to the light rail if…read moreyou're planning on going to a game downtown. I'm a pescatarian so I haven't tried their BBQ meats (the friends I've brought have raved about their brisket) but they do have a vegan jackfruit sandwich that's solid and I love their Mac and cheese. I normally go to sit at the bar and enjoy their cocktails and whiskey selection which is one of the best near me. They have a great selection of some of those hard to acquire bourbons and quite a few exclusive barrel picks. The last time I was in, my buddy and I finally tried their Buffalo Trace and Rittenhouse picks on their own (as opposed to my standard Manhattan) and I ended up taking a bottle of their Rittenhouse home.

I was really excited to try Blue Pit BBQ after seeing it named Maryland's 2026 Best BBQ Joint, but…read moremy experience was super disappointing. Service was friendly and welcoming upon walk-in, but that was the best part of our experience. The food sadly did not match the reputation. EVERYTHING came out lukewarm, the brisket was overcooked and dry, cornbread was burnt and hard, greens had no seasoning, and the baked beans were overwhelmingly vinegary. The bratwurst was underwhelming with no real snap, and even the B-side drink was way too sour. The mac & cheese and coffee BBQ sauce were the only good items of our entire meal. I really hope the kitchen staff was having an uncommon off-day, because this visit didn't reflect the recognition at all. Our meal was a compete letdown, so I hope they improve for future diners soon. PS - There is an upstairs and a downstairs, but if you sit upstairs, you have to order your food downstairs - they do bring the food up to you though.

Super popular spot. It's also hidden in this building that's…read morea venue for dinners. The normal restaurant is really small. There's a bar for 5 people and like 5 tables. Make sure to make a reservation. Weekend reservations are impossible. On a weekday, we were able to book same day. Top notch service. Accepts credit card. Their menu changes. We showed up for a reservation but had to wait. The staff was nice and gave us a complimentary charcuterie board. Tavern board (charcuterie board) - was really good. Nice spread of salami and cheese. It's a nice precursor to the main meal Roasted oysters- tasted fresh. There's extra condiments on top, I thought was excessive Oyster pie- pretty interesting. Oyster was fresh, the crust of pie was good. I would skip next time Hog neck clams-really good. Tasted fresh. The real winner was the sauce. The complimentary bread was used to soak up the sauce. The sauce was so so good. I would get this again for the sauce. Fish and chips- cooked very well. Great presentation. Scallops - were exquisite and cooked perfectly. My friend who had this dish raved about how good it was.

My wife and I really enjoy coming to Woodberry Kitchen. It's the kind of place that feels special…read morewithout trying too hard, and every time we go, it reminds us why people hold it in such high regard. We've been here for casual date nights, Valentine's dinner, and the last time we came was for our friends renewing their vows after 10 years of marriage. That alone says a lot about the kind of place it is. It fits both everyday moments and really meaningful ones. What stands out first is the atmosphere. There's a warmth to the space that makes it feel inviting right away. It has a rustic, polished look with a lot of character, but it never feels stiff or overly formal. It's the kind of place where you can tell thought was put into every detail, but it still feels comfortable enough to settle in and enjoy yourself. For me, the experience starts before the food even hits the table. The space has a calm, intentional energy to it. It's perfect for slowing things down and actually enjoying your time, especially with someone you care about. The food is where it really separates itself. Everything feels carefully prepared and well thought out. You can tell they care about ingredients, and that always comes through in the flavor. Nothing feels thrown together or generic. The menu itself gets you excited before you even order, and the food lives up to it. What I appreciate most is that it doesn't just feel like a place serving food, it feels like a place creating an experience. The dishes have personality. There's intention behind them. It's not about being flashy, it's about doing things right. The service adds to that as well. Every time we've gone, the staff has been friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive without hovering. It makes the whole experience feel smooth and relaxed. Another thing I like is that it feels distinctly Baltimore without feeling ordinary. It has a real identity to it, and that makes it memorable. My wife and I keep coming back because it feels like time well spent. Good food, great atmosphere, and the kind of place that actually stays with you after you leave. Overall, this is easily one of the more memorable dining experiences in Baltimore. Definitely worth it if you're looking for something that feels meaningful, not just another night out.

Clandestino has grown up, literally. What began as a small operation in Frederick has moved into a…read morelarger space, and the expansion suits them well. This is Puerto Rican pitorro, also known as ron cañita, made with care and intention rather than gimmickry. Many local liquor stores now carry the brand, and it is well worth picking up a bottle, but visiting the distillery is an experience in itself. The founder is a fellow Puerto Rican born retired military member, a background I share, and like me, he has put down roots in Maryland. That story is reflected clearly in the brand's own framing, "Puerto Rican born, Maryland made." The space feels grounded and unpretentious, and that sensibility carries through to the hospitality. We arrived late on a Saturday and were still welcomed warmly, never rushed. We were taken care of by the founder's daughter, who was exceptionally kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. She guided us through a flight that included the traditional pitorro, almond, pineapple, coffee, coconut chai, and several seasonal offerings. The flavors were thoughtful and well balanced; even the infused expressions retained a clear rum backbone rather than drifting into novelty. We enjoyed them enough to leave with several bottles. This is artisanal pitorro done right, rooted in Puerto Rican tradition and confidently made in Maryland. Buying it locally is convenient, but going to the distillery is where the people, the story, and the spirit fully come together.

The Clandestino Speak Easy at Zen West is open Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm to 12pm. It's also…read moreavailable for events and private parties.