Mount Royal Tavern

Probably the best bar in Baltimore. No BS. The bartenders are the best. They do not sell food but have chips and do not mind if you bring your own food. It looks like your run of the mill dive bar and is very chill and laid-back. No posting no pretentiousness just having great drinks, with good company and fun music. The music runs the gamut as they have a very old jukebox, but you will always find something fun in there.

If you were to look up "Dive Bar" in a dictionary, and there were to be a definintion, it would look something like the Mount Royal Tavern, if not identical. From the aesthetic of quirky art on the wall, to the sistine chapel painted on the ceiling, this place has affectionatly earned the moniker "The Dirt Church." Always have had excellent service, cheap Natty Boh, and a grimy bathroom, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

The other reviewers are right - Mount Royal Tavern is a dive. I've been twice this year, and it has character and age and personality. If you're looking for a fancy cocktail served in a coupe, this is not the right place for that occasion. If you are looking for a beer, a mixed drink, shots, etc., and you want a chill, not-trying-too-hard vibe, Mount Royal Tavern might fit the bill. While the bar changed owners for the first time in 35 years in 2023, I don't think anyone I know has noticed any changes. It still feels very much the same - a comfortable dive with good service. Check it out if you're a fan of dives.

Recently was in Baltimore and friend took me here ... definitely get off the beaten path and check this place for a good cocktail, brew and rub elbows with some of the locals... Bolton Hill's oldest watering hole - a nationally noticed dive bar us worth a visit

Cash only legit dive bar! Open at 10 am for the more hardcore day drinkers. Barstaff were very friendly and personable, drinks were made well. Jukebox is very outdated with a limited selection, were that updated it would be a nice addition.

There aren't many places that make me feel uncomfortable, but this place did just that. I felt judged immediately upon entering and even got an eyeroll from one of the bartenders as she yelled "we don't serve food and it is cash only." Never even got served at the bar and ended up walking out within twenty minutes. Rude. I don't feel as if I missed out on anything via walking out and definitely would not return.

This is a dive bar's dive bar. It's grimy, dimly lit and a little sticky. I fell in love with it immediately. For starters, the bartender was a great guy. He told us the story of how he got blackout drunk the first time he came here the first time yet somehow ended up getting home safely which he attributed to the great people who frequent Mount Royal Tavern. Speaking of people, you'd be hard pressed to find any better place for people watching in Baltimore outside of Bronycon. People falling on their butts, drunkenly telling you their life's dream, discussing the merits of 80s pop hits, hitting on people obviously on dates, mistaking you for someone else and becoming your best friend...it's all here and worth the really cheap price of admission.Just be sure to bring cash or be ready to use their ATMs. I can't wait to go back!

Baltimore you beautiful and charming city! Mount Royal Tavern was no exception! AKA the Dirt Church! We arrived on the bolt bus after 3 and 1/2 hours. Noticing that this super rad dive was already open made it an easy decision to get a breakfast beer. We dragged our bags and found the place. There was a fair amount of older fellas which is what I like to see when I walk into a dive bar. The surprise here was the hand painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I've seen the real Sistine Chapel and let me tell you this was a great second choice. And now you get the nickname, Dirt Church. The bartender Ben Franklin was an absolute doll. He even gave us some bar swag, a business card you put on top of your drink if you need to leave it, a postcard and a sticker. My friend asked what the beer handle with the guy wearing a monocle was. The response from Franklin was "you're not from around there, huh?". Natty Boh is the Baltimore staple (National Bohemian Beer), it's cheap and light. We got a couple of Natty Boh's leaned back and relaxed. Some clients were relaxing more than others. Nap time. Thanks to the Dirt Church for the warm Baltimore welcome.

The classic dive with the classic ceiling. Cash only, no bullshit, great jukebox, friendly staff and diverse selection of drafts and liquors. Convenient to light rail.

I'd like to preface this with the fact that I haven't been to Mt. Royal Tavern in about 20+ years. I used to frequent the place in the 90s. Also, it was a ritual stop during Artscape. Yes. It's gritty, dirty... let's be real. It's a straight up dive bar but the absence of pretense was always what I liked most about that spot. Well, that and the 'fish & chips' they used to serve. It was so delicious every single time. Maybe it was the beer battering of the fish but I remember, to this day, how good the fish & chips were. UPDATE: They no longer serve ANY food *le sigh*. You CAN, however, bring food in to enjoy. That's pretty cool. I'm not even sure why I stopped going. Recently, a friend suggested we stop by there to grab a drink. I didn't even think it was still open. Upon entering, I was immediately transported back to good times I had there, years past. The staff was very friendly and on top of things. The crowd kept growing and the drinks kept flowing. The jukebox was the star! My drinking companion and I had a mini concert to quite a few songs. People actually joined in on a few. That was fun. I'll definitely be back.