Bertha’s Restaurant and Bar

Bertha’s Restaurant and Bar (734 South Broadway, Fells Point, 410-327-5795)

by Kit Pollard; Photo courtesy of Dana Deskiewicz

If you’ve been to Baltimore, you’ve seen the bumper stickers. White on green, simple and straightforward, they’re not afraid to get directly to the point. “Eat Bertha’s Mussels,” they say. And they’re right.

A fixture in Fells Point since the early 1970’s, when the neighborhood was still beaten down and neglected, Bertha’s Restaurant and Bar has evolved into a true Baltimore landmark, the kind of place that attracts tourists and locals alike. Head in for some mussels and you’re just as likely to meet a couple visiting from Ohio as somebody who can tell you the story of their lifetime spent within the city limits.

Either way, you’re bound to meet somebody. Bertha’s is a friendly restaurant and an even friendlier bar, a testament to its founders and owners, Tony and Laura Norris. Musicians first, restaurateurs and community champions second, they have built a place that’s welcoming to everybody in search of good food and a great bar.

The space is dark and cozy and filled with the kind of junk that’s got a story behind it. Live music every Tuesday through Saturday night and an eclectic mix of jazz and blues and other tunes during the rest of the week add to Bertha’s hard-earned reputation as one of the cooler neighborhood bars around. With a room temp Bertha’s Best Bitter in hand and attention on the band, an evening at Bertha’s mixes a great English pub experience with an even better hometown Baltimore night out.

Of course, no trip to Bertha’s is complete without the mussels. Served steamed, the shellfish is available with a choice of eight different sauces, from a simple butter and garlic mix to more exotic flavors, like a Lancaster creamy mustard sauce (prices vary). Overall, both the bar and dining room menus are heavy on the seafood, as you’d expect for a place that’s just steps from the water…but they’re also heavy on tradition. How many places in town serve a Scotch egg at the bar?

Bertha’s hosts happy hour in the bar with $3.50 import drafts every weekday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and occasionally on the weekends. For more information on Bertha’s music, upcoming events and other specials, visit www.berthas.com.

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