Bar
Unclaimed profileThe Elk Room
Baltimore, MD · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The Elk Room pours a cocktail list disguised as picture riddles, organizing drinks into light, comfortable, and adventurous sections. Customers single out Ephemera & Gossamer and a pepper-vodka dirty martini. The wine and beer lists are conventional but competent, with Taittinger by the glass and Maryland locals like Burley Oak.
- What should I order?
- Order the Falcon Punch, a Jefferson's Bourbon and aquavit drink with peach, genmaicha, brown butter, and dill, priced at $18. For something more adventurous, the Fire Flower pairs pisco with Suze, bell pepper, and aji amarillo. Customers also praise Ephemera & Gossamer and the dirty martini with pepper vodka.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who like theatrical, ingredient-driven cocktails will find a home here, especially those who enjoy deciphering a picture-riddle menu before committing to a pour.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $18 to $20, wines by the glass $10 to $30, and beers $6 to $14. A cocktail plus a glass of wine or a beer lands around $30 to $50 before tax and tip.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The cocktail menu is built as a series of picture riddles, with drinks grouped into light & easy, comfortable & fun, and heavy & adventurous.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Cocktails are organized by theme and mood, with a picture-riddle menu covering light, comfortable, and adventurous sections. Eight named drinks, including Falcon Punch and Fire Flower, show a playful, technical streak with ingredients like liquid nitrogen, brown butter, and aji amarillo. Customers specifically praise Ephemera & Gossamer and a pepper-vodka dirty martini.
Menu strengths
- — The picture-riddle menu divides drinks into light & easy, comfortable & fun, and heavy & adventurous sections, encouraging exploration.
- — Recipes lean on unusual ingredients such as liquid nitrogen, eggs, dairy, nuts, and aji amarillo, indicating a technically minded bar.
Standout selections
- — Falcon Punch: Jefferson's Bourbon, aquavit, peach, genmaicha, brown butter, and dill, $18.
- — Fire Flower: La Diablada Pisco, Suze, bell pepper, grapefruit, pomegranate, and aji amarillo, $18.
- — Crystal Shards: Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila with Blanc Quina, Amaro Montenegro, black walnut, cacao, and lava salt, $18.
- — Ephemera & Gossamer, a customer-praised cocktail described as exceptional and unique.
Pricing: All cocktails $18 (2021) and $20 (2022).
Wine
The wine-by-the-glass list covers sparkling, white, rosé, and red categories, with eight named pours from France, Italy, and California. Prices run from a $10 Prosecco to a $30 Taittinger Brut. The selection reads as approachable and well-priced for a cocktail-focused bar.
Menu strengths
- — A broad by-the-glass range includes sparkling, white, rosé, and red options.
- — Pricing spans a useful $10-to-$30 band, offering both everyday and celebratory pours.
- — Producers like Taittinger and Au Bon Climat bring established names to the list.
Standout selections
- — Taittinger Brut NV, Champagne, France, $30.; Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, California, $16.
Pricing: By the glass from $10 to $30.
Beer
The beer program offers both draft and bottled options, with eight named selections spanning pilsner, saison, sour ale, IPA, lager, and witbier. Pricing is moderate, with most pours under $10.
Menu strengths
- — Draft and bottled formats give flexibility, with drafts from $8 to $14 and bottles from $6 to $14.
- — The list includes local Maryland makers like Burley Oak and Flying Dog alongside Belgian and Mexican standards.
- — Style range covers pilsner to sour ale, offering something for most beer drinkers.
Standout selections
- — Brasserie Dupont Saison, $14.; Burley Oak 'Sorry Chicky' Dry-Hopped Sour Ale, $8.
- — Flying Dog 'Bloodline' Nitro Blood Orange IPA, $10.
Pricing: Draft $8–$14; bottles $6–$14.
Community reviews
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