What's Up Magazines

Taste April 04

Rams Head Tavern
33 West Street, Annapolis
410-268-4545

If a cozy, convivial atmosphere tops your list of restaurant essentials, you can't do better than Rams Head Tavern, the West Street establishment that seems to be a second home for many Annapolitans. The first floor holds a handsome bar, buzzing during happy hour, and the main dining area. The downstairs pub has a more intimate feel, with brick walls and hanging pewter mugs (they belong to members of the World Beer Club, the Rams Head's elite group of hops aficionados). When the weather's too pretty to stay indoors, there's a third option: the outdoor patio, where a flourishing wisteria vine provides a heady spring canopy of flowers.

Adjacent to the restaurant is Rams Head On Stage, the club known as the city's prime entertainment venue. It books an equally heady line-up of musical artists with national reputations (www.ramsheadtavern.com has the complete schedule). Beer lovers are drawn to Rams Head because it's a brew pub with an exceptional draft selection. It traces its roots to The Fordham Brewing Company, founded in Annapolis in 1703, and proudly keeps five Fordham brands on tap year 'round, plus a sixth "seasonal" choice, in addition to nine or ten others.

In keeping with the something-for-everyone approach, Rams Head's menu has dozens of options ranging from ribeye steaks to jambalaya and burritos. Seafood from the Bay and beyond comes in many styles (don't miss the four-star crab dip), and there are salads and sandwiches for lunch or dinner. Service is swift and friendly, even on a busy night (extra points for the wait staff, who squeeze between tables and ply those narrow pub stairs). On Sundays, brunch begins at 10 a.m.

In short, there's a party goin' on at Rams Head just about any time. It's open until 2 a.m. daily, with a second Happy Hour beginning at midnight. Hungry? Thirsty? Ready to relax under the arbor? Stop on by.

-Carol Denny