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When the Maryland smoking ban took effect for all bars and restaurants, smokers everywhere were, to put it mildly, pissed. Sure, it’s probably not the best idea to light up during dinner. Nobody wants chicken wings with the aftertaste of an ashtray. But to not be able to sit at a bar, have a drink and enjoy a cigarette? That’s just wrong. Smoking and drinking are two vices that go great together.
There’s good news for those of you who like to puff away while drinking. Ropewalk Tavern procured an economic hardship waiver from the city, which proves it lost business due to the smoking ban. Now, you can legally smoke inside the bar. That's right, no more huddling around an ashtray on the sidewalk while worrying you’ll lose your seat at the bar.
Vibe: Instead of making the whole bar a smoker's paradise (after all, a lot of people don’t like to smoke, and we can respect that) Ropewalk only allows smoking on the top floor. Dubbed The Smoke Easy Lounge, the area is an inviting space with comfy leather chairs, a full bar and even a pool table. We were pleased. We half-expected some sort of smoker’s gulag where folks were locked in a pen so they couldn’t harm the normal people downstairs. Instead, we found a place where we could actually linger as opposed to just popping in for a cigarette.
Crowd: Never before have we seen a happier bunch of people than we did in the lounge. Some patrons were downright giddy as they held a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Our non-smoking friends were a little concerned about entering the area, worried the entire floor reeked of tobacco. There was a hint of smoke in the air when we first walked in, but there was no overwhelming stench. While the space obviously caters to smokers, we found several non-smokers mingling with the nicotine-addicted.
Libations: A drink in the upstairs bar is no different than a drink in the downstairs bar. Prices, draft options and alcohol selection are exactly the same as they are throughout the bar. In addition to the booze, you can also buy a fine cigar at the bar. Most were in the $5 to $15 range.
Sounds: Tunes from the video jukebox downstairs are piped into the upstairs bar. That means that if you really want to see that Ciara video (hot, we know!), you’re going to have to go down two flights of steps.
Service: As expected, we found the same friendly and attentive service upstairs as we did downstairs. The bartender even remembered our name. We like to feel welcomed, especially when we’re smokers and the rest of society treats us like social pariahs. Thank you, Ropewalk!
Bottom line: The Surgeon General may not approve of Ropewalk's smoking lounge, but we do.
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