Take a Sip at Baltimore's Prohibition-Era Speakeasies

Prohibition may have ended 90 years ago, but some of the Baltimore speakeasies of that era are alive and thriving today. In the 1920s, these illicit bars and nightclubs sold alcohol despite the 18th Amendment that banned it. Maryland was the only state that refused to enforce the unpopular ban on alcohol, making Baltimore prime for these underground establishments.

Come to Baltimore for a taste of that rebellious era. Stay with us at Rachael's Dowry Bed & Breakfast, then head out to explore a few of our city's original speakeasies and other contemporary bars that celebrate the adventurous spirit of that bygone time.

The Owl Bar is a once-infamous speakeasy in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood. Originally the Hotel Belvedere, its opening in 1903 was the social event of the season, attended by gangsters, royalty, presidents, movie stars and sports heroes. Inside the dark paneled bar, two wise old owls kept watch atop the cash registers. During Prohibition, their glowing glass eyes blinked coded messages to let patrons know when illicit liquor was available for imbibing. Today, this upscale gastropub retains its nearly 120-year-old character, and the owls maintain their watch over the bar's now-legal libations.

In Fell's Point, the Horse You Came In On Saloon is Maryland's only bar to operate before, during and after Prohibition. The original bar that occupied this Colonial-era building opened in 1775, and it's been continuously operated as a bar and saloon ever since. The Horse, as it's known today by locals, is rumored to have been one of poet Edgar Allan Poe's favorite Baltimore watering holes, and where he consumed his last drink before his mysterious death in 1849.

Opened in 1933, just after the repeal of Prohibition, Venice Tavern was established by Italian immigrants, hence its name. The owners converted their basement and added an exterior staircase for customers to access the bar. Then and now, the Venice Tavern is very much a corner bar and caters to the tastes of its neighborhood clientele. Dubbed as one of America's best dive bars, this basement tavern continues to be a revered fixture of the Highlandtown community, still owned by the same family after all these years.

There are plenty of speakeasy-style bars tucked around the city that celebrate the era. The Bygone, The Elk Room and CLOCK Restoration are all less than 2 miles from our historic bed and breakfast. To our north, check out The Bluebird Cocktail Room and W.C. Harlan. Discover Rye Craft Cocktails in Fell's Point, and the newly opened The Wurst Bar in Federal Hill.