Annapolis Nightlife By Fritz Hahn washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Updated May 25, 2001

So, naturally, we set out to explore its nightlife. On this visit, we skipped institutions like Middleton Tavern and the Treaty of Paris to focus on a dozen restaurants and bars that have yet to serve a man in a tricorn hat. To make them easy to conquer, we categorized them.

Irish bars. In the past two years, three Irish places – all opened by Irish natives – opened downtown: Galway Bay boasts a large, excellent restaurant; Castlebay has great food and brews its own beer, in addition to having a great import selection; and Sean Donlon, the most fascinating of all, is a reproduction of an 18th-century Georgian pub.

Waterfront bars. Since so much of Annapolis's history is tied to the water, it's natural that bars would be tied to the bay. These include the garish Ego Alley, a boater's hangout, and Pusser's Landing, where you can sip rum drinks after tying your boat up at its back door.

Live music venues. Acme Bar & Grill has live music six nights a week – Jimmy's Chicken Shack played there regularly just a few years ago. The Ram's Head Tavern has its own brewery, but the bands are the real draw, booked by the same promoters who fill the Birchmere in Alexandria.

Historic neighborhood hangouts. Owned by a former NBA star, Riordan's Saloon is a Cheers-style bar. Griffin's Restaurant occupies three historic Federal-era buildings. O'Brien's is a traditional haunt of politicians and lobbyists. McGarvey's Saloon and Oyster Bar was built in 1871 and has a 75-year-old tree growing through its floor.

Our favorites? That's tough. But we enjoyed the location of Pusser's, the atmosphere at Sean Donlon, the beer at Castlebay and the food at McGarvey's. Scan the listings and see what you think. As always, if you have questions or comments, send them to us at nightlife@washingtonpost.com.

And now, here are the details on nightlife in Annapolis:

Galway Bay Irish Restaurant
As much as the Little Campus Inn will be missed, Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub – which took the Little Campus's Maryland Avenue location – is a great addition to the Annapolis scene. There are separate entrances for the restaurant and pub, but if you arrive after dinner, note that food is available on both sides. The restaurant has an expansive menu of delicious Irish dishes, reasonably priced; the medieval beef stew and the delicious Irish Boxty are highlights. Take time to notice the large collection of Irish bric-a-brac scattered about before you head across the foyer.

The bar side (on your left as you enter) is welcoming and encourages conversation: There are no televisions, and Irish music plays in the background at a moderate volume. Grab a drink and notice the historic Irish and Scottish musical instruments displayed on the wall.

The draft beer selection is small, but excellent: Guinness, Beamish, Harp, Caffreys, McEwans, Murphys Irish Amber, Woodpecker Cider, and the pub's own Galway Bay Ale, brewed because the owners couldn't get Smithwick's over here. (Heathens can drink Bud or Bud Lite.) All beers are served in imperial 20-ounce pints; I always equate this heftier glass with drinking good beer.

On busy nights, you'll be grateful for the shelf-like counter that runs the length of the wall, with barstools for less-chaotic times. A place to set a drink is always welcome. If you can snag one, highback booths are perfect for dining or drinking with friends.

Castlebay Irish Pub
There are some Irish pubs in the Washington area that would do well to copy Castlebay's Irish-without-beating-you-over-the-head-with-a-pint-of-Guinness motif. It sports kelly green walls, a Guinness clock and a huge oil painting of James Joyce, but there are other embellishments – like paintings of country scenes and sports equipment – that you don't find at McIrish bars.

The authenticity is probably because owner Vince Quinlan, who once ran a pub in Dublin, wanted to re-create the atmosphere in Annapolis. (Irish music fans will recognize Quinlan from his many performances around Washington, on his own or with the group Celtic Folk.)

Looks aside, the selection of beer here is outstanding; it includes Guinness, Caffrey's, Boddingtons, Beamish, Newcastle, Tetley's, Bass, and Harp, plus an array of single-malt scotches arranged behind the bar.

Those brass kettles and vats in the back of the room aren't just for show. After various legal problems, Castlebay now brews Three Nuns Ale, a malty brew that Irish beer drinkers will definitely enjoy.

We were astonished by the bar staff's smooth pouring and the texture of beer. Complimented on their delivery, they boasted about the bar's state-of-the-art "nitrogen/CO2 delivery system" that makes each imperial pint perfect. All I know is that whether a Beamish or Boddington's, the beer was creamy and delicious. Add some tasty Irish fare and plate glass windows with a Main Street view, and you've got a heck of an Irish bar.

Sean Donlon Irish Pub
Walking into Sean Donlon Irish Pub was a revelation. I was instantly transported back to a pub in a converted carriage house outside of Dublin. Okay, that's not entirely true. But Sean Donlon is easily the closest thing to drinking in Ireland without first boarding Aer Lingus.

The layout of the pub looks haphazard, but it's brilliantly done: You start in a small drinking area in front, with room for maybe a dozen people. There's a comfortable nook for a group on the right side of the room, and another on the left for Irish musicians who hold jam sessions five nights a week. Squeeze through a door next to the Guinness taps, and the room opens up to reveal a gorgeous wooden, long bar with stools and an inviting counter. Beyond that are two more rooms. One sports a fireplace that will be mighty cozy come November; the other is a traditional snug that can accommodate groups or parties.

Owner Ted Joyce is an Irish pub architect of some renown. His wife, Ona, explains that with Sean Donlon, he sought to re-create an 18th-century Georgian pub that he remembered from his days in Ireland. Every element was painstakingly copied, from the yellow paint sponged onto the walls to the traditional dark wood used on the bar. When you sit and drink, you somehow realize that this is a traditional Irish or English bar, even without Guinness memorabilia. It just feels right.

Thankfully, everything else about Sean Donlon measures up. The Guinness is pulled perfectly. The Irish coffee is a joy, sweet and strong. The restaurant's menu runs the gamut from homemade soda bread through fish and chips to chicken breast stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat. Traditional music – performed from 9 until 2 on Tuesday and then again Thursday through Sunday – sets the stage for a perfect Gaelic evening.

Ego Alley Tropical Grill
There's no mistaking Ego Alley – it's the garish turquoise building on the otherwise conservative City Dock. This as close to a college town dive bar as Annapolis gets – the unpretentious antithesis of the "Historic District." Look at the signature drinks: super-size 45-ounce margaritas and, occasionally, a full glass of beer. (When we went, all of our drafts were distinctly undersized.) Ego Alley is a small space – the curving bar takes up a third of the room. The decor is best described as Frat Nautical: surfboards with Fosters and Sam Adams logos, stone walls, fish tanks and wink-wink signs like "Only sailors get blown offshore." By the way, "Ego Alley" comes from a nickname for part of the City Dock – the part where guys cruise around and show off their expensive boats. Hmmm.

Pusser's Landing
You have to walk past the gift shop, historic photographs and ship models and through a Victorian-style restaurant to get there. Yes, Pusser's is a hotel bar, and it's worth the walk. This is the only bar in Annapolis where you can lean over the water with your drink, or tie up your boat next to the bar. The deck runs the length of the hotel and kisses the harbor. No fence, no railing, no nothing.

It's heavenly in good weather, as the breeze blows off the harbor and onto the barstools. Although between half and a third of the outdoor space is given over to the restaurant's dinner crowd, there are additional seats on weekends. Go midweek and the staff will bring out chairs and tables if needed.

If the bar's name sounds familiar, it is. For more than 300 years, Pusser's Rum was the official rum ration of the British Navy. Naturally, the bar offers more than a dozen specialty drinks that feature Pusser's Rum. According to our bartender, the most famous and popular is the Painkiller: rum, pineapple and orange juice and cream of coconut, served with fresh nutmeg. It costs $5, and the atmosphere alone is worth the price.

Acme Bar & Grill
Acme Bar and Grill (motto: "Think Globally, Drink Locally") is a college bar plopped down onto Annapolis's Main Street. The main draw here is live music six nights a week – Jimmy's Chicken Shack was a regular here before the band hit MTV. Students from nearby St. John's College, twentysomethings just off work, and live-music-lovin' locals pack the booths and sit at the bar, beneath pictures of bands that have graced the stage. On Saturdays, DJ Michael takes over. Not surprisingly, his playlists (available on his Web site, http://www.djmichaelk.com/) are heavy on Jimmy's Chicken Shack as well as Counting Crows, and Limp Bizkit. Lacking a cover charge, Acme is worth a visit, especially with the right group of friends.

Ram's Head Tavern This sprawling tavern and beer brewery, which caters primarily to the young professionals of the Annapolis area, includes a quaint, old-time pub and an outdoor patio. Lots of polished brass and wood help maintain a consistently warm ambiance.

The in-house Fordham Brewing Company produces four permanent ales, plus seasonal brews such as its Wisteria Wheat, named after the enormous vine that shelters the outdoor patio. Have a cool drink in hand and the spot is heavenly on a breezy evening. You can enjoy the rustle of the wisteria while listening to local acoustic blues or folk music, performed nightly at the Ram's Head. During inclement weather, the live music is moved indoors, either into the large front bar or near the old pub's fireplace.

National artists are showcased in a separate 250-seat lounge, which is equipped with a professional stage. Though some of the seats do have an obstructed view, the sound throughout the room is generally good. Only light fare is available in this area; but before a show, ticket-holders can take advantage of dinner discounts in the main dining room.

Riordan's Saloon
Riordan's is your quintessential Annapolis neighborhood pub, with large wooden booths lit by Tiffany-style lamps and neon beer signs. The appetizers and bar food, especially the crab dips, are yummy. Brew fans should make sure to check out the microbrew selection: 13 varieties, split between Maryland and national brands.

Owner Mike Riordan played for the Bullets and the Knicks in the 1970s, but you might not notice – except on game days, when the bar fills up with fans. This is downtown Annapolis's "sports bar," even without a big-screen TV. Simply put, Riordan's is a local tavern, where you can eat, talk, watch sports and drink beer in a comfortable setting.

Griffin's Restaurant
Griffin's inhabits a historic building and prime location on the waterfront. The bar and restaurant look fancier than some of its neighbors. The area near the bar has tall, circular tables that lend themselves to conversations, and a high ceiling – open to three levels – is decorated with the mythological beasts that give this spot its name.

But for a bar that occupies three Federal-era rowhouses and has been featured on the Annapolis Colonial Pub Crawl, we found the atmosphere disappointing. This could be Anybar, USA. Maybe we just expected more.

Still, it's not a bad place to visit for a drink. More than 30 beers are offered – 18 on draft – and served in three mug sizes (10-ounce, 16-ounce and 20-ounce). The place draws a good mix of local young professionals and Midshipmen looking for a drink and some bar food. (Griffin's offers a 10 percent military discount.) Also, while there's live music on Thursdays and DJs on Fridays after 9 p.m., Griffin's is much more sedate than other places on the City Dock. If you're going on a date to Annapolis, this is a great place to start.

O'Brien's Oyster Bar and Restaurant
Since the colonial days, there has almost always been a bar on this site, but there's nothing historic about O'Brien's. Sure, there's the Wall of Fame, featuring photos of Naval Academy grads, but let's be honest. With its "green, brass and glass" motif, this place is reminiscent of the bar at any Bennigan's. There's a decent-size stage where local bands (mostly of the cover variety) play nightly. O'Brien's has daily happy hour specials, some great appetizers – try the buffalo clam strips or calamari Mediterranean – and the place is usually packed with a younger, noisier set than nearby drinking establishments. If you come during the day, look out for lobbyists and politicians who've ventured down Main Street from the State House.

McGarvey's Saloon and Oyster Bar
There are several reasons to love McGarvey's: the turn-of-the-century decor, the raw oyster bar, the huge 76-year-old ficus tree growing through the floor, and Aviator Lager. The latter is the house beer, and its smooth-but-light style is easily preferable to the Budweiser. If you're looking for something different to drink, Aviator Lager is easily one of the best in Annapolis.

McGarvey's main room, built in 1871, has been done up to look like something out of "Bugsy." It has dark wood, brick walls, a patterned tile floor, and high ceilings. Booths line the length of the narrow room on the left; the bar takes up the right side. People are crowded in between, standing, talking and drinking. If you go to the back room, where tables are set up for dining, calm prevails, even with another full-sized bar. There, you can have dinner at the raw bar, a conversation without shouting over the group next to you, and see the famous ficus tree.

Specials change daily, but Thursday night ("Local's Night") is a great deal: $3 for a plate of steamed mussels and $1.50 Aviators from 6 until 1. It's enough to make you want to move.

– Fritz Hahn (except Ram's Head Tavern, by Maria Villafana)