W.C. HARLAN — Restaurant in Baltimore

So I'm sure you're exploring reviews right now because you've heard the hype and want to know more. Is W. C. Harlan a speakeasy? Well, if you mean is it camouflaged to blend in with the early 20th-century architecture of the surrounding neighborhood, exists without signage, and off the beaten path, then yes! According to local lore, this place was originally called the Kitty Kat and was a dive bar for skinheads. Otherwise, this place abandons its speakeasy facade as soon as you enter since it is as busy as can be! Good luck finding seating! Best advice is to go very early to ensure you find anything, especially on a weekend. We were lucky enough to find two seats at the bar only because someone I was shouldering up against was leaving. Atmosphere? Quaint, intimate, otherworldly day-of-the-dead decor. If you like dripping candles, fake flowers, taxidermy, dusty tomes, and strange portraits hanging on the walls, this place can't be beat. It is also exceptionally dark as well. So watch your step or bring your reading glasses because the drink menu itself is about as pretentious as you can imagine with ingredients that will challenge your vocabulary as much as they attract your attention. As for the drinks? We tried six different drinks, but I would not say they were exceptional mixology experiences. I found a number of them bitter, bland, or just unremarkable. Only the Roman Ruin tasted more complex than other selections. And for a menu with three different Mezcal cocktails, I would expect something other than an Espadin varietal, which is like the rail brand of Mezcal agaves. For the money, I had better drinks at the Bluebird in Hampden. Otherwise, the bartender was incredibly friendly, helpful when making selections, and talkative despite the volume of traffic. Also be warned, this place includes the tip in the bill. You will see a service charge on your bill followed by a line for an additional tip.

EDIT: To the owner/responder - You really put a lot of effort into addressing a throwaway comment, so allow me the same opportunity. I think you missed my point. I was attempting to make an analogy that those uninitiated into Mezcal would understand. Espadin (Agave Angustifolia) makes up about 90% of available Mezcal on the market, as I'm sure you know, due to its short cultivation period. A species of agave so widely available means there will be inevitable oversaturation in its production - it makes sense - go to your local liquor store like I do and try to find something other than Espadin. Analogously, rail drinks use alcohols much more readily available. In many drinking establishments across the world, top rail drinks are not always available as market demand focuses on supply of cheaper liquors, and so my point had to do with availability not quality. I don't understand your response about rail brands cutting the spirit down to 40% abv or less, as my point had nothing to do with rail brands mixed with Espadin. If you are saying a mixed drink on the spot would cut the alcohol to below 40%, well, that's not true . If you mean a "rail" brand of Mezcal (which I don't understand since we don't refer to Mezcal in terms of rail brands due to its lack of time on the market - rail brands tend to have staying power built over time) would cut the abv to under 40%, well, then, it couldn't be sold legally in the United States. Not really following you. The point again was novelty and rarity since the express draw of your establishment is novelty and rarity. I would expect to see experimentation with the other agave species such as the ones available at your restaurant up the street. Please accept my humble correction as well, and remember to focus on the positive aspects of the review. If you put as much effort into your drinks as you did your response, you wouldn't feel the need to answer reviews like these. P.S. I'm glad the...

Awesome cocktails and friendly service. I wish google allowed for half stars because I'd give WC Harlan an easy 4.5. We were some of the first in the bar after they opened, but it wasn't long before the place started to fill up. We were immediately greeted, offered menus, and told to sit wherever we'd like. We grabbed 2 seats at the bar and looked over the menu. They have a little something for every type of drinker (including nonalcoholic options).I tried 3 different cocktails (including their drink du jour which was a fun gin cocktail) and all were amazing and had exciting flavors. My partner felt the same about his cocktails - all were very well balanced and unique. The price point is average for a great cocktail in this area, between $10 and $15 which I think is more than fair. The two working behind the bar were very friendly and offered some great suggestions. The place itself seemed super clean and uniquely decorated, although the bathroom didn't seem to have hot water when I went to wash my hands :( The vases of fresh flowers and large melty candles that decorated the bar area were very nice. Where the vibes got a bit weird was when another patron sat at the bar next to us and unloaded his tupperware of beef bourguignon.... it smelled great and the bartenders seemed to enjoy a taste, but it was a bit odd that someone would bring their leftovers to a place like this... But then again, they don't have a food menu so maybe they allow you to bring from outside. I know some bars will allow you to have meals delivered if they don't have any offerings of their own, but not sure. Anyways, give this place a try if you're in the area and looking for a great cocktail! From the sounds of it they get pretty busy on the weekends so I would recommend trying to get in early for a pre-dinner drink to ensure you can snag a seat. For a speakeasy I felt it was fairly easy to find once we knew where we were going which was a welcome change from some of the other speakeasy style bars...

I’ve been on a recent quest to check out all the speakeasy style cocktail bars in Baltimore. W.C. Harlan is a cute speakeasy style cocktail bar. There’s only a sign outside that says “Enter” so it’s a blink and you’ll miss it kind of place. Parking is street parking you’ll have to find.

It’s a very small place with bar seating and some tables in the back. I tried going on a Saturday night once and it was too crowded for me and I didn’t stay but some people might like it crowded. I came back during the week and it was much more cozy and intimate. The place is only lit by candlelight which is really cool. Most people were there either with close friends or on a date.

This is a cocktail only bar, no food. You have to order at the bar and pick up the drink yourself if you are sitting by a table. They make craft cocktails with high quality ingredients. I really like the barware and glasses they used for the drinks. I got to try the pisco sour, traditional daiquiri, and amaretto sour. The amaretto sour wasn’t on the menu but the bartender gladly made me one. It was my favorite drink. I think this establishment’s real draw is it’s Amaro selection. I didn’t try it this time but they have a huge Amaro selection and Amaro flights so you can taste different ones. The price range for drinks was about $10-$20.

The only thing I didn’t like is that even though I had to order the drinks at the bar and pick them up myself, they have a 20% automatic gratuity on all drinks. I like to tip but at that high percentage, for already expensive drinks, they should at least bring the drinks to you even if you order at the bar. This automatic gratuity is mentioned on the menu.

Bluebird Cocktail Lounge is still my favorite speakeasy style cocktail bar in Baltimore but overall I had a good time at W.C. Harlan. The drinks were good and I...