Mt Royal Tavern — Restaurant in Baltimore

It’s not a night out, but a religious experience. Welcome to The Dirt Church, Mecca of all dive bars, ambience and vibes that you cannot buy or cultivate in a hurry. Singlehandedly keeping the last Golden Tee Machine Alive. Home to such famous patrons as “Baltimore lean” “hey I’m gonna need to run a tab” and people that don’t ask for their pour to be heavy (bc it just is). CASH ONLY (and don’t you want it that way? not a place for credit cards to be whipped out for many reasons). Bar manager and bartender Chloe is a life story of tattoos, jokes, and roasts (if you dare to cross her). Drinks have been invented and consumed in this place that you will never see the likes of anywhere else. If at any point in your evening you need a sign, or doubt your higher purpose or existence, just look up and see God. Prices are too reasonable for the amount of people watching and whimsy you will download. Expect to make some lifelong friends as long as they accept you (be cool but without trying). It’s not fancy but it is sophisticated in its way; the height of dive bar culture lives here and I urge you to take part in its mystique before the neighborhood Americana ritual of sitting on a stool drinking alcohol and getting your problems off your chest (without a corporate logo up charging you) disappears forever. Note : some of the bartenders dance and...

So here’s the thing if you’re calling the Mount Royal Tavern a dive bar, you have really ever been to a dive bar. I have never been in there one time and had the bar dirty or the bathrooms dirty or even the clientele dirty. It s a neighbor hood bar with a lot of character and every time I had been in there it has diverse clientele that is reflective of the neighborhood so MICA students and neighborhood people. Out of the last 10 times, I’ve been there the bartenders have given me a free beer maybe six times, but I’m a woman and a good tipper so that could be why. I have seen people eating there, but I haven’t eaten there unless you count Bloody Marys. I do 😂 and the food is really good but don’t eat too much or you will end up on your behind. The term generous pour doesn’t really cover what they do here. A mixed drink is usually 75 percent booze and it’s five dollars. A small high ball of bourbon is five dollars. The jukebox is really good, too....

I used to live in this neighborhood the Tavern was affectionately known as the "dirt church" ,so it is NOT for the faint of heart. The atmosphere is very eclectic/eccentric and you will meet plenty of starving art students. It was very reminiscent of the 1950's coffee house only with booze. When I was going there (think Howard st tunnel fire era) the management prided them selves on NEVER cleaning...and it showed. I spoke to the bartender about the dirt once and he made a comment about being fired if he tried to clean up too much. I used to love this place and thought it was one of the hidden gems only a local would know about. Walk in the door and your clearly not in the inner harbor. If you can get past the filth strike up a conversation with the person next to you, bet your mind gets blown. VERY...