This one was an unexpected gem and one of the most memorable stops of our Fells Point trip…read more
We walked in on a Thursday night (not sure of the exact time), and it was completely empty. No bartender in sight, no other patrons, no background noise. For a moment, we genuinely wondered if we were in the right place. The bar is down a flight of stairs, tucked into the basement, and it's notable because it's Fells Point's only and possibly first basement bar, which already gives it serious character points.
We waited near the bar for a few minutes, heard nothing, saw no one, and eventually started heading back up the stairs to leave. That's when Steve, the bartender, literally came after usnot in a weird way, but in a very human, "Hey! Sorry about that, I was in the stock room come back in!" way. And honestly? From that moment on, the experience completely flipped.
Steve was phenomenal. Friendly, welcoming, deeply knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the place. He's worked there for 18 years, and once we sat down, he turned the bar into a living history lesson. He shared stories about Fells Point, Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe, the building itself, and all the ghost stories tied to the space.
He also told us about the celebrities who've passed through, including the fun detail that Blake Shelton once sat in the very bar stool I was sitting in and ordered a Bullet bourbon. Naturally, that kind of trivia just adds to the charm.
Drink-wise, I ordered an Angry Orchard, and my friend had a single Tito's with cranberry and soda water. Our total was $26.16, which feels pretty standard for Baltimore definitely not cheap, but not shocking either.
The bar itself is small, intimate, and packed with atmosphere exposed brick, low ceilings, and that cozy, historic, slightly haunted vibe you hope for in a basement bar. It's also connected to The William Fell Inn hotel through a separate entrance, which makes it feel like a hidden secret rather than a tourist stop.
We loved the history, the stories, the ghosts, the setting and especially Steve. Being the only patrons that night was actually a gift, because it let us really soak it all in. That said, we're absolutely planning to come back on a busy night to see how the energy shifts when it's full.
If you love historic bars, good storytelling, and places that feel like they've seen things Anchor Bar is a must.