WC Harlan

There’s nothing worse than a pretentious bar. Other than, like, war and genocide. But this is Unilocal and those issues are outside the scope of this review.
WC Harlan creates beautiful, complex cocktails without being pretentious about it. The atmosphere is inviting, in an ironic way. The whole place kind of feels like your grandmother’s house, if your grandmother were a high-​functioning alcoholic with an incredibly well-​developed palate.
I’ll admit it, since you seem trustworthy, that this bar was the setting for a first-​Tinder-​date. I was catfished, but by the 3^rd impeccably crafted cocktail and well-​crafted bread board, I really didn’t mind all that much.
In these dark days of digital deception, that’s as much as you could ever ask from a bar.

I love the atmosphere here – sort of a 20s bohemian feel, but not campy or forced. The bartenders are very accommodating and the drinks are, well, fancy cocktails. I’m partial to the pisco sour. I just wish this space was a little bigger, it gets claustrophobic around the bar on weekend nights.

This place is true hipster, and I love it. I eagerly entered through the inconspicuous doorway and found myself surrounded by an antique candyland. Since it was just the start of the evening and everyone else was at the bar, I joined them, although there are several tables and seats throughout the place.
I tried two drinks, both of which were unique, delicious, and reasonably priced = my trifecta of drink perfection. The vibe throughout the time I was here was very laid back and open; the other customers are really nice and so are the bartenders. They could be a bit more attentive, but other than that I think this place is such a gem and definitely worth checking out (don’t judge this book by its cover — go walk inside! Go!).

The most delicious cocktail I have ever had! Got the Pisco Sour and it was just perfect. Atmosphere is so cozy and cute. Will definitely come back here again!

This place is really special. Hard to find without GPS… it’s a speak easy with no sign in Remington. The door on the side of the building just says «enter». The interior is gorgeous artistic use of decay. Old walls… exposed…feels like what 1890s-​1920s NY, Paris etc might have been like. like a place Baudelaire or Poe would have frequented.
In two visits, I found it hipster, friendly, and more of a mix of people in the early evening. The drinks are a mastery of concoctions and elixirs. Unreal. The Breathturn, unusual old fashioneds, the gin drinks, and the pisco sour… topped with chamomile blossoms…
You get what you pay for and it’s often snuggle packed. Warm. Great great music.

Awesome ambience. Best old fashioned I’ve ever had. Try the cocktail du hour as well. They are always mixing up something good.

Love love love! As someone who is all about the hole in the wall spots (check my nickname), this place scratches my itch. There’s not much to say outside of what everyone’s said in the reviews but the drinks are on point, and the staff is always attentive. I went on a very busy Saturday and lucked up enough to find seats smack dab in the middle of the bar. In true speakeasy style the drinks are very firm and worth every bit of the $ 10 – 12 that you pay. I didn’t use the restroom but my friend said the ladies room was extremely clean which said a lot considering the place was super packed.
The next time I go will be on a weekday, I’d rather enjoy the environment without the constant bumping around and people yelling over your shoulder for a drink.

While I am in love with the charm of this place… I gotta say charging 11 – 12 $ for a what isn’t even a 6 oz cocktail is absolutely ridiculous. I forget the name of what I ordered, but (one) being filled to the rim with ice and the other ¹⁄₃ of the way full with rye was MOST certainly nothing to write home about
I hate to write this review about such a charming establishment but I think they are seriously out of line charging the money they do for 1 (one) single drink.
And this liquor tax they claim… What a load of shit!, especially for a place that tries to imitate a ‘speakeasy’ — this totally ruins the whole sense of where you are; paying an EXTRA 9% on a tab is ludicrous, especially knowing this money (could and) SHOULD go right into the bartenders pocket.
Unless your a wealthy mother****** I can not imagine why anyone would come here (ecen once) for more than one drink to experience the quasi-​speakeasy-​milieu.
Go buy a bottle and light a candle in your apartment if you have any balls in your pants… Or you can empty out those pockets of $ 50 on a just few drinks…
Your welcome

We went here for a night cap after dinner at similarly owned Clavel down the street. I had been meaning to try this place for a drink for awhile. It’s inconspicuous, with the entrance marked ‘enter’.
The small space was dimly lit by candles, gorgeously and meticulously decorated to reflect antiques as well as a cozy slice of history back in time. The smell actually reminded me of being in an antique shop, I am not sure if it was the old books, or something else but it was very nostalgic.
The old timey music added to the ambiance as well. The cocktails are mostly classics but on the menu it states that the bar staff is happy to make something for everyone’s fancy.
My husband got the WC Old Fashioned and I the WC Pisco Sour. Having gone to Peru I’ve become a fan of pisco sours.
I will surely go again. It was around 9 pm and we were able to get seats at the bar. Perhaps it gets more crowded as the night goes on. Another stellar establishment by the Harlan group.

Me and my husband we love this bar! That’s the best speak easy in Baltimore by far, the ambiance is amazingly authentic yet cozy. The old school paintings and photos hanging on the walls, sofas and all other vintage furniture creates a home feeling. The cocktails are yummy, you can go ahead and order whatever you want on the menu, and you will like it for sure.

We love WC Harlan. When seemingly every other bar in other Bmore neighborhoods is too crowded, we turn to WC. Not that it isn’t crowded, but we can often find a side table for two.
The décor is what gets me. Dried flowers, dark pictures, all candlelight, old weird sewing pieces, etc. It’s sort of macabre without the syringes and weird shit. Idk I feel like the décor gets me or something.
It’s soft and romantic and the cocktails are on point. They’ll make any staple drink you want but the cocktail du jour is usually worth trying, and if not, they always have beers. Bartenders know their shit and give great recommendations and will let you sample a liquor you’ve never had before.
Thankful this joint is in Baltimore!

Cool speakeasy vibe, excellent service, and great drinks. We came after an excellent dinner at Bar Clavel with some friends. It was a Saturday night and there was still a bit of room at the bar. The crowd was lively and the doors were open. I was craving something sweet and bourbon-​y. The bartender made me the best drink I have ever had based only on telling her what I like. All of the people I was with tried my drink and liked it better than their own. This place is the real deal in terms of drinks, ambiance and an overall great experience. There is parking on the street that is easy to find. It’s not the greatest area but now with their other restaurant open there are more people walking around and it’s not as quiet at night.

I feel like I just walked into a time warp. After I found the place, which is sort of fun and a bit of an adventure in itself, I walked into a beautifully and thoughtfully decorated 1920s speakeasy. The space is small and the atmosphere is comfortable and cosy. If you look behind the bar you will be hard pressed to recognize any brands of liquor they use. I had their version of an old fashioned and a cocktail du jour, both were outstanding even though the old fashioned could have used less ice.
All and all it was an awesome experience and I will be coming back here again soon!

This was very fun.
My memory is a little hazy, kind of a swirl of an old-​era vibe with glowy chandelier lights, a polished wooden bar, a chalkboard menu, a beautifully crafted and delicious drink, and a high stool that I may or may not have fallen off of — the jury’s still out on that one.
But, to my recollection, this is a quaint, hidden, adorably romantic bar with delicious (and apparently strong) drinks, that just has the feeling of walking into a dream.
I would definitely go again.
My only gripe is that there arent a ton of places to hop around to after, but with a place this cozy and warm and… sensuous (?), I’m not quite sure I’d want to anyways.

You could be looking for it and drive right by it, twice. Ask me how I know. Park and find your way to the side entrance. You’ll know you’re there if you’re looking at a black door with «Enter» hand written on it’s exterior. Pull it open and jettison yourself back in time to what others call a «speakeasy».
At night, the dingy vibe is pierced with the melodies coming from the poorly sounding audio system. Hey, that’s part of WC Harlan’s charm!
The cocktail options are plentiful — mostly come up w/​your own or ask the bartender for a suggestion… Though, they do have a brief listing of cocktail possibilities. I went with, I believe, a Great Divide ‘Colette’ on draft.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been to a bar that have zero food options. You really have to want to go and just drink and gab with your friends or date. Oh yeah, this could be a good date place — as long as your date isn’t expecting to knock back some jagerbombs and/​or dance on the bar top. It’s the total opposite type of joint.

Don’t get me wrong. The cocktails are masterfully crafted. The bartenders care about preparing the cocktails, and the space as a whole is decorated with the detail I would expect from someone who studied aesthetic theory in France and who writes poetry. Lane Harlan is clearly a great business person. I like that there isn’t a television at the bar, a rarity in this town.
The prices though… how about you quit pretending this is Brooklyn or San Francisco or Oakland or LA or Paris or insert any overpriced metropolis. Gross. I live on the quiet blocks surrounding the bar, and the bar clearly appeals to people outside the neighborhood and does little to appeal to the surrounding area. They also charge tax on their already overpriced selections, which I don’t find at most bars.
Baltimore deserves a bar like this, but how about pricing the beverages for the area? I really want to like this place, but it leaves a terrible taste in my mouth. Fortunately I can craft my own cocktails.

NYC-​level craft cocktails at non-​NYC level prices served with non-​NYC attitude.
Cute, chill bar to have quality mixed drinks in Baltimore. This one’s a keeper.

Not easy to find (for me at least) but worth it. Part speakeasy, part hipster craft cocktails. One of the better old fashioned and manhattans I’ve had.
Don’t be deterred that there is no signage, just a humble «enter» on a side door
Very chill place

This place is hidden in Remington. It is also tiny, but somehow manages to be stunningly charming and welcoming the moment you walk inside. It’s off the beaten path a little, but that makes it even better: like it’s a neighborhood hot spot that only locals can find. I think a friend of mine said it would be a great place for a date and I joked about how it would give you a glimpse into your date’s character. With the exception of the friendly greeting on a door, you might not even know it’s there. Plus, there is nothing else close by. Nothing. Nothing.
I really loved it here. It’s a little dark, with some serious mood lighting — look at that chandelier. WC Harlan probably only seats about 20 or so, but it wasn’t super busy. We were able to snag a few seats at the bar. That is my favorite spot; you can watch the crafters do their thing and meet a ton of really nice folks. They do not have food here — but do have a cheese plate. It seems to be quite popular, as I saw the folks bringing out large chunks of gorgeous cheese after cheese. Lucky for us, there was an oyster pop up outside; we had plenty of food options.
On this particular night, they had more than the chalkboard full of drinks — they also had an oyster pairing. From what I gather, most of the time, they just have the classics and then a cocktail of the day. Although, if you are a regular and can name a previous cocktail of the day or your favorite house cocktail — they will make those too.
It was a dark and stormy night — just kidding — but it was cold outside, which made it a little hard for me to turn down the gin drink on the menu.
I needed a little warmth so I opted for the bourbon boozy apple cider. This was fantastic, warming in the way only a warm bourbon drink can be. It was perfectly spicy and stayed warm in that simple and understated glass mug. The rosemary sprig was a nice touch.

*Snap*
*Snap snap*
*Snap*
*Snap snap snap*
«Deep poetry mehhhhhnn»
No, WC isn’t as extreme as some Unilocalers decrying «Hipsters! Snap poetry!» In fact, outside’s as rugged as they come, no clue of activity other than dim lights and a cheap «please use side entrance» sign, might be hand-​written. A true speakeasy, WC hides amidst the pastoral Remington residences.
Inside, the austere portraits and white walls must be creepy as hell in the daylight, but it was a rainy Tuesday night and there was a healthy dose of chatty patrons bathed in soft candlelight as we grabbed the last two top. The crowd was as well-​stocked as the bar, laid-​back 40s alongside younger wildlings alongside celebrity Baltimore chefs. There were some hipsters too, size 26 waists, chests, and all. Some girl arrived as Pippy Longstalking with her dude as Eeyore, a tale taped to his ass. :\
The four-​drink chalkboard is the full cocktail list, so go off-​menu for your favorite classic. They made us an
1) overly creamy and bland Gin Fizz
2) over-​iced but nutty and warming Old Fashioned
3) absinthe-​less, sugary Vieux Carre
4) overly sour du-​jour with Tequila.
⁰⁄₄. None of the drinks stand amidst Baltimore’s best, and at $ 40+ after tax+tip, an easy skip next time.
The biggest gripe is the middle-​of-​nowhere location. WC doesn’t pack the punch of a destination bar and there’s little nearby, yet working up enough buzz to walk to 36^th st will break the bank. bring a DD or someone with the liver of James Bond. I’m blessed with the latter, and as a seasoned alcoholic, I’ll stick with Rye, Bookmakers, and Bad Decisions, which stomps WC with equally-​cheap libations at ¹⁄₁₀ the pretense and 5x the flavor.