(Credit: Mark Gross)
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Crowd: The attire here is typical of Federal Hill. If you are not a young urban professional, dress like one to garner attention from the opposite sex. For a notion of what gets Ropewalk's crowd really fired up, visit Feb. 6 for a free buffet, birthday cake and some jelly beans in honor of Ronald Reagan. What, you never celebrated the Gipper's birthday before?
Libations: To better fit in, you could fake success by getting the Ropewalk "M.B.A.," a Master's of Beer Appreciation. You won't make 100 grand your first year on the workforce, but you will be forced to drink 105 of Ropewalk's 155 micro brews, a proposal that easily disperses partisanship. Instead of a diploma, you'll get your name displayed on a plaque. Legend has it that one man finished his M.B.A. in 3 days.
Sounds: The jukebox plays music ranging from classic rock to '80s hits and hip-hop. At $1 a song, though, it's not worth the price, since songs are barely audible in the noisy bar. If you can stand their taste in music, let the real yuppies foot the bill.
Service: With four bars inside Ropewalk, drink orders seem to speed along depending on just how crowded it is. Bartenders are knowledgeable about the brews available, and in case a heated political tussle breaks out, bouncers will regulate the Reagan-haters.
Bottom line: You don't have to drive a SUV or prescribe to Reaganomics to hang at Ropewalk, but if you voted for O'Malley you might just want to keep that to yourself.
