(Credit: Mike Fila)
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Libations: Like the Web site says, "30 years and still going strong." Attribute this to their drinks. The bar spans almost the entire length of the establishment, and where the bar goes, so goes the liquor. The wall is lined with different kinds of rail liquor as well as finer selections, with everything from straight-up to flavored fare. Go wild, think up a crazy concoction and Turtle will probably deliver. Plus, there are rows upon rows of beer selections.
Crowd: Definitely a mixed bag. I've written about coeds and adults peacefully cohabiting in Towson bars before, but when you see ma- and pop-aged people cozied up at the bar next to drunken college kids and Jay-Z blares in the background, something just seems out of place. However, Turtle is so packed with college kids, that you could easily overlook the parents in the crowd. Despite the congestion, everyone is relatively amicable and out for fun.
Service: Despite the packed bar, the service manages to be satisfactory. The staff members have great personalities -- the shooters girls are friendly and the bartenders strike up a quick conversation with patrons between drinks. It is nice to be acknowledged as a person and not just a booze-guzzling-money-spending cash cow. Even the doormen and bouncers are friendly, though justifiably intimidating.
Sounds: It's really a shame the Green Turtle isn't a club, 'cause I know I would have been shaking my ass hard if they had a dance floor. The music was great, but similar to the nearby Rec Room in that it blurred the lines between bar and club. The tunes range from rap and pop to fabulous '80s favorites. One of my biggest pet peeves is when 50 million conversations happen all at once and drown out my tunes, but Turtle wittingly avoids this by keeping the beats going loud and strong bar-side, while maintaining a more subdued sound on the restaurant-side.
Bottom Line: Mixing club and traditional bar atmosphere isn't always a bad thing, though it can make for a strange hybrid. Such is the case with Greene Turtle. The schizophrenic atmosphere of Turtle is great for getting people through the door, but once inside it's hard to determine exactly what kind of establishment you've stumbled upon. Try not to think about it so long your head hurts. Just drown your confusion in some great liquor from the bar -- it's the most extensive I've seen in Towson.
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