The Local Motive

Ice cold Guinness, I like cold. Except for the weather. Sandwiches seem good only tried one and liked it. The decor is what you would expect in little tavern in an old town setting. So stop by and give it a whirl you may be glad you did.

This is the second time I visited the Local Motive and it was a good experience again. The atmosphere is kinda hodgepodge of rustic bar/cocktail place/beer hangout. It somehow works in a quirky way. The staff is nice and greeted us right away. They explained you order at the bar and then they will bring you your drinks and food. I was with my partner and her kiddos and we grabbed a quiet table in the back. I ordered for the table and and headed back to join the group. Our cocktails and drinks came out first, French 75 for my partner and an old fashioned for me. (With Knob Creek Rye) The old fashioned was good, had a nice kick and they didn't skimp on the whiskey! Not crazy complex but a good example of the cocktail. We then had the falafel ball appetizer and they were very good. They didn't taste homemade or anything but good flavor and was plated nicely with a nice dip. I ordered the grilled chicken club on sourdough and it was very good. The bread was outstanding and the chicken was tender and the sandwich had great flavor. The greens on the sandwich were crisp and fresh. It came with bacon and it was crispy...good considering the prep area / kitchen is a tiny corner next to the bar. Impressive. The prices are good so there is good value and good quality. I may give it more like 4.5 but I'll round it to 5 stars since I can't rate to the decimal. If you are in the area, it is a must check out for a cocktail and/or a bite to eat.

My husband and I came here for a date night. We had seen the really good reviews and decided to give it a try. The inside of the establishment is nice but on the smaller side so it easily gets loud when there a lot of people there, which there was. We sat ourselves at a table which the bartender told us to do. We ordered the burrata,the whipped ricotta, and the falafel dippers. We also had the mezcalita to drink and ordered a Malibu bay breeze, but they didn't have Malibu so it was made with some other liquor. The burrata was good, but the sourdough was definitely not house made and about average. The whipped ricotta was also good but nothing above average. There were also these huge stems of rosemary on the plates that were aesthetically pleasing but kind of out of place. The falafel was dense but the tzatziki was really good. The bay breeze drink just didn't taste right without the Malibu run. So that was a bummer. The mezcalita was not our thing. It was salty and honestly just tasted like liquid barbeque sauce. The staff was super nice and efficient. No complaints there. Overall it was ok. Would we go back, probably not. It seemed like this place was trying to hard.

The LM is an excellent "local" great service and friendly people. Solid menu offerings along with limited "specials" sandwiches & cocktails. Atmosphere is casual and eclectic like the people; a solid pub.

The atmosphere is exceptional, food is amazing and the employees kind. The coolest bar, in the coolest small town in America.

Yum! Nice place with a quirky vibe. Order at the bar and sit anywhere. Bartender Zach took great care of us! Made recommendations and we ordered the Prosciutto & Burrata cold sandwich and the Alabama Chicken Sammy special (I "heart" Alabama White BBQ sauce and the pretzel bun was yummy!) Zach recommended adding bacon and that was a good call! For cocktails, my fella ordered a Smoked Old Fashioned and I got the Gin Basil Smash and I now have a new top five favorite cocktail. We asked Zach if he could make a French Blonde and he whipped one up and nailed it. Thank you Zach. Highly recommend and we will be back!

Great food - had kale salad with chicken which was amazing and portions are big. Specialty cocktails are great - try the Pool Boy cocktail for perfect summer drink. Service is on point. Great hangout with friends for really good food and drinks!

A cozy little cocktail bar, with great drinks and ambiance, in a very quaint little downtown. I've never been disappointed here.

My visits here have been amazing! The soft pretzel, mezze plate, and Italian cold cut are my favorite menu items to get- great portions for the prices too. Their draft and cocktail selection is vast, plus they have a list of cocktails with low alcohol content or no alcohol. Their margaritas are my favorite in Sykesville! Other highlights- friendly and kind employees, food and drinks come out quick, some outdoor seating, and there's a fun neighborhood vibe. One of my favorite bars!

The best bar in town! We were so impressed with the space, the perfectly balanced drinks, and the delicious food. They have new specials every time we go and we've LOVED everything we've tried. The owners and staff are incredibly personable and very innovative when it comes to the menu. They have really created something special. We can't wait to go back!