Davis' Pub

A few blocks from the Spa Creek Bridge and the bustle of downtown Annapolis, Davis' Pub is a reminder of the Eastport's history -- although not one with a brass plaque. It opened in the 1930s, when Eastport was a mix of black and white working-class folk.

This pub changed ownership and was remodeled in the last 15 years, but seems a world away from the steakhouses and white-tablecloth restaurants near the water.

You enter Davis' as if it's someone's home, climbing stairs and walking across a front porch before getting to the bar area. The walls are painted a dull green and the rafters are exposed. Tables wobble a bit. A jukebox boasts a wide selection, from country to modern rock.

One chalkboard behind the bar shows food specials; another lists upcoming Orioles telecasts that will be shown on the two televisions.

Our friendly bartender recommended the buffalo chicken strips, which turned out to be very spicy, and the "Steak and Cake" -- a platter with a small New York strip steak and a large backfin crab cake.

The patrons here are all sorts: guys wearing sailing T-shirts and talking about their dream boats, older men sipping beers, some sailors from out of town who'd heard Davis' is one of the last dive bars of its type, and a great neighborhood hangout for Annapolitans of all stripes.

-- Fritz Hahn (May 30, 2003)