Baltimore
Baltimore's skyline drinks better than its postcards. The rooftop bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Fells Point, Hampden, Mount Vernon, Federal Hill all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
FELLS POINT · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Baltimore's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
MOUNT VERNON · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Boutique cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
BREWERS HILL · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Brodie Stronghold's beer-and-cocktail bar. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
REMINGTON · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Speakeasy reached through an unmarked door. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
MOUNT VERNON · $$ · CRAFT BEER
Heritage brewpub inside an 1890s mansion. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for beer-knowledgeable drinkers and casual after-work pints. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
FELLS POINT · $ · HIDDEN GEMS
Heritage Irish-blues pub from 1976. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for regulars and anyone tired of polished rooms. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Baltimore or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten rooftop bars that any serious drinker in Baltimore would tell you to put on the list.
Baltimore's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Boutique cocktail bar with a tight rotating menu. Order: Old Bay Bloody Mary. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Baltimore? See our guide to the best rooftop bars worldwide, or compare rooftop bars city by city. Or find rooftop bars near you.