Home > Bars & Clubs > Bar Review > Inside: The Wharf Rat, Fells Point

As far as English brew pubs go, the Wharf Rat in Fells is as authentic as they get. Brewer Steve Jones has been in the business for 13 years, brewing beer in his native England for six years before moving to Baltimore. He's been getting Baltimore drunk since 2000, and when he came to work at the Wharf Rat he thought, "Shit, this feels like home."

If that doesn't convince you of the pub's authenticity, the Rat is as much a Fells Point staple as The Horse You Came in On or Cat's Eye Pub. And when six days of drinking just isn't enough, Wharf Rat stays open two Sundays a year—one on the weekend of the Fells Point Fun Festival and one other opportune Sunday, be it Saint Patrick's Day, New Year's or some other drunken holiday.

Drinks: The Wharf Rat lives up to its English brew pub reputation, serving more than 16 types of its own ales like the Oliver Best Bitter, Manchester Cream Ale, Irish Red, Summer Light, Mad Monk and the Metromix-preferred Old Habit and Vanilla Ice. You can get practically anything here, except for Natty Boh. That's OK, though, we won't hold this one transgression against The Wharf Rat. It already has plenty of authentic Baltimore brews on tap. It also has one of the best beer specials in town: Three Oliver Ales for $4 daily until 7 p.m. and all night Thursdays.

Decor: This laid back local spot lacks pretense, which lures chill, garrulous crowds to its antique interior. The bright red U.K.-style phone booth dominates the brick and wood grain interior, nearly obscuring the joint's nautical theme. Despite the cobwebbed attic feel of the space, the jukebox ultimately sets the tone. Sure, you can rock out to classics from the Beatles and Otis Redding, but more modern bar staples like the Pixies and The Red Hot Chili Peppers help maintain a hip scene.

Crowd: Arrive on a Tuesday night and the pub is comically cutthroat. You'll go head-to-head with locals when Adam Scheider hosts a weekly trivia contest covering an eclectic range of categories, from one-hit-wonders of the '70s to celebrity girls gone wild. Scheider brings with him a following of trivia-philes, but the crowd welcomes trivia virgins as well. Even if you show up late, you can still get in on the action.

Insider tips: The Wharf Rat prides itself on its "English Pub Service" where the bartender is your cook and the cook is your bartender. Whether hand-tossing your pizza or changing kegs, the staff is quick and friendly, welcoming both locals and tourists with a smile.

Bottom line: If you're going to pick a night to stop by The Wharf Rat, make it a Tuesday and join in on the trivia fun, or a Thursday for the three for $4 beer specials. It's low key, local and there's always an open table for some of Baltimore's best grub and grog.

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