But is that good advice? The restaurant and bar, nestled in the shadow of the Baltimore Convention Center—in comfortable walking distance from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, and CFG Bank Arena—has been a pre-event gathering spot since the ‘90s, when it was the Wharf Rat. We’ve always been fans, but, we have to admit, it’s been too long since we stopped in.

When we did this winter, we found exactly what we remembered: friendly bartenders, reliable food, solid cocktails, and an eclectic gathering of patrons who all seemed to be having a good time. There’s nothing outwardly remarkable about the place, but the combination of downtown workers, hotel guests visiting the city, and the occasional local seems to work.

Pratt Street Ale House began its life in 1993 as the home of Oliver Brewing, one of the city’s first microbreweries. While the beer is no longer made there, the 206 Restaurant Group still owns both entities, so the label is featured prominently on tap. When we visited, the company’s hazy IPA, easy drinking Social Lager, sour, and even a nitro breakfast stout were among the Oliver varieties available.

There’s also cider, other local breweries’ beers (including Evolution and Raven), and room for some of the bigger microbrews, like Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada, and Troegs. Craving an old standby? Miller Lite, Yuengling, Bud Light, and Michelob were on tap, as well. Truly something for everyone.

At its core, Pratt Street Ale House is certainly a beer bar (it’s in the name, after all), but there’s also a full beverage menu of mixed drinks, wine, whiskies and bourbons. The Escalade margarita is one of five signature cocktails. A combination of Corazon blanco and reposado, Gran Gala liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar, it was made with care despite the lone bartender dealing with a crowded house. Spicier than a standard margarita, it warmed our bones on this cold winter night. There’s also a section of the drink menu dedicated to mules and crushes, including the Dole—whipped cream vodka, pineapple juice, and lemon lime soda—which is as sweet at it sounds.

The kitchen churns out bar food that sometimes exceeds expectations, like in the case of the fish and chips. Haddock is dipped in beer and fried delicately, resulting in flaky, crispy bites. The Old Bay wings, which were too lightly seasoned, didn’t stand out. Smashburgers seem to be a favorite here, and there’s a pulled pork sandwich, Bmore hot chicken sandwich, and Philly cheesesteak, too.

Pratt Street Ale House is not a gourmet restaurant, nor is it a flashy cocktail bar. It’s not trying to be either. It’s been known—rightfully—as a solid spot to stop by before or after an evening out. But it’s also a good call if it is your evening out.

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That’s a lovely sentiment, so here are a few more: Since opening in 2024, this understatedly stylish hotel bar has been a noted addition to a college-centric stretch of a neighborhood that needed a shot of maturity.  

With its soaring ceiling and relatively open floor plan, Dear Charles is not exactly cozy, but it is welcoming. Muted lighting, round wooden tables and chairs, and eclectic artwork help establish a pub-like feel.

The drink menu finishes the job. Six signature cocktails and six classic ones are available, and everything we tried delivered. The mezcal-based Ginger Peach Smash provides a burst of smokiness that is complemented by the acidity of lime juice and sweetness of peach and agave. An Autumn Spark, with vodka, pear, cinnamon simple syrup, lemon, and prosecco warmed the bones on the cold, rainy November night we were there.  

Apparently, lots of other people had the same idea we did that evening. There was a nice-sized crowd, which  appeared to be a mixture of hotel guests, students, and folks from the neighborhood.

Many were certainly drawn by the bar’s extraordinarily long happy hour, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and features discounts on draft beers (a British pale ale and German lager made by Baltimore’s Guilford Hall Brewery were available when we visited, along with a perfect-for-the-season Southern Tier Pumking), selected house wines, and cocktails. Without question, some were lured by the Tuesday night bottomless steamed mussels special; the place smelled invitingly garlicy.  

Dear Charles’ food menu focuses on small plates. Short rib sliders, roasted oysters, shrimp tacos, and even a crab cake are made for sharing. We opted for a plate of olives and pickled vegetables, which included cauliflower, carrots, beets, and an egg. It was a colorful, crunchy way to start a meal.

Entrees include a burger, filet, grilled salmon, and seafood linguini, all of which sounded intriguing. But fish and chips felt right for this London-feeling night, and the battered cod with hot, crisp fries hit the spot. 

The Study at Johns Hopkins is one of four hotels in a chain that includes locations near Yale, the University of Chicago, and Penn and Drexel in Philadelphia. Dear Charles fits the upper–echelon academic feel. 

On its website, the bar professes to serve “as a fixture where the community can come together to share conversations, celebrate with friends, or relax alone.” We found people there happily doing all three.

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It’s working wonderfully. Peters and Hufton live above the bar in the rowhouse that once housed the wildly popular Joe Benny’s, and their aim was to make people feel like they’re hanging out in the proprietors’ living room.

Peacock trim for the shelving was made from wooden picture frame molding purchased at Second Chance. The draft system was built by Peters using World War II-era footlocker. Most of the plateware is old China from Peters’s mom and Hufton’s grandmother. Photos of their families hang on the wall, alongside a Pennsylvania artist’s colorful and playful rendering of the Three Stooges.

When we visited in July, Larry, Curly, and Moe also made an appearance on the cocktail menu, which like the offerings of native yeast wines, craft beers, and thoughtfully sourced meats, cheeses, and tinned fish, is ever changing. Moe’s Rosita Negroni is made with tequila and Larry’s white version with gin, but the most popular variety is Curly’s, a combination of Hayman’s gin, blanc vermouth, and strawberry-infused Campari.

There’s also a mix-and-match-your-favorite-gin-with-a-fancy-tonic section of the menu, along with the house’s favorites. We enjoyed the Rosemary Magdalene, a sophisticated blending of gin, rosemary simple syrup, lemon juice and Fee Foam, a non-alcoholic, egg-free alternative that adds a foamy head to drinks. The sip’s complex taste matched its stylish appearance.

When it comes to cocktails, the couple, who worked in the industry for 20 years in Pennsylvania before falling in love with Little Italy, have a simple philosophy: “You put good stuff into people’s drinks and they’re going to be happy with it,” Peters says.

The same principle is true of their mouths. Popcorn (always appreciated) appeared when we took our seats at the long wooden bar, and everything that followed was better than what came before it.

A mix of house marinated (rosemary, garlic, and pepper flakes are among the ingredients) Castelvetrano and green cerignole olives, with some oil-cured black beldi olives sprinkled in, was transformed into a bowl of pits in no time. The constantly rotating charcuterie options included heavyweights like Spanish Iberico ham and cheeses from France and California. But there also was Sequatchie Cover Shakerag, a Tennessee-made blue “wrapped in fig leaves soaked with Chattanooga whiskey.” Its flavor was as layered as the description suggested, although after a sip of our uber-strong Old Fashioned, everything tasted a bit intense.

Throughout the evening some people popped in for a quick drink, while others lingered and laughed (making for a rather loud atmosphere).

“We are kind of neutral territory for everybody because we don’t have a food program that’s massive,” Hufton says. “Some of the local restaurants that don’t have bars will send people to Sisu if they have a wait. The locals here are just fantastic. They try to support everybody.”

Our one regret is that we left without ordering gelato. The selections are influenced by Peters’s 10-year-old son, Axl, whose photo is among those on the wall. In it, he’s staring at barrels in a cellar at Villa Oeira, which produces fortified wine in the Carcavelos region of Portugal. His back is to the camera, so you can’t see his face, yet his aura is such that there’s no doubt he understands the concept of Sisu perfectly.

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Union Hill has filled the void nicely. The space is broken into distinct sections. There’s a large bar featuring a waterfall installation behind it and a smattering of high-top tables around it. On nice days the windows open, providing an indoor-outdoor feel. There’s a dining room downstairs, lounge upstairs, and plenty of tables on the second-story’s outdoor balcony.

Owner Matt Largent tapped chef Ryan Worthington and bar director Nico McElhone to create menus that combine classic offerings with contemporary elements.

“We want to be a neighborhood restaurant,” Largent told us in January. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into being just fine dining. We want to be elevated, but approachable.”

They’ve largely succeeded. Among the intriguing cocktails we tried during two recent visits was The Diplomat, a combination of Diplomatico aged rum and spiced walnut. Served in the style of an Old-Fashioned, it’s rich and evokes notes of chocolate. While it works as a pre-dinner beverage, it would be even better after the meal.

The El Jefe has a pepper printed next to its name on the menu, and one sip in we knew why. But if you like it mild, the spice level can be changed. Mi Campo reposado tequila is mixed with sweet hibiscus to produce a complex and slightly spicy drink. The Honey and Thorn, made with Ketel One Citron and Luxardo Triplum with a handcrafted shrub and crowned by a sprig of rosemary, is as floral and fragrant as it sounds. The Strawberry Serenade, which the menu describes as a “symphony” of gin, strawberry and citrus laced with bitters, was refreshing if not overly flavorful. There are also an impressive number of wines by the glass and plenty of local beers on tap.

With small plates like crispy short rib bites, yellowfin tuna tartare, and seared octopus, it’s immediately apparent that Union Hill is aiming for a different kind of dining experience. The Gooey Haloumi, served with crushed pine nuts, burnt honey, crispy garlic, and house pita, is kicked up a notch with added merguez sausage, and lives up to its name. We also ordered a Kapnos pizza as an appetizer for the table. You don’t often find smoked Gouda, roasted peppers onions and garlic, and tomato chipotle sauce on a pizza, but the combo worked.

The highlight of the main courses was the whole crispy branzino, served head-on with tangy green rice. A burger got the job done, and a local green salad with added grilled chicken was pleasingly hearty.

Union Hill was bustling during our visits, and we’re betting it will become even busier during the warmer months because of its stellar outdoor seating options and the recent addition of vegan dishes and a weekend brunch. It might make for a hill of a story.

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