Inside Honey's Lounge
Friday night, jmgiordano and I strolled around Upper Fells, looking for some action.
No, not that kind of action. Bar action.
That's when we came upon a corner bar called Honey's Lounge (1724 Gough St.).
Honey's has an average looking bar sign hanging outside, but the rest of the exterior is uninviting, to say the least. There are only a couple small windows, all of them barred.
The folks inside were Latinos, young and old, shooting pool and sitting at the bar while some Latin pop music was blasting in the background ...
A couple of the customers shot us the 'what are you doing here' look, but after five years of barging into random bars, it doesn't bother me anymore.
Two bottles of Coors Light were $5. After the bartender set the beers in front of us, she retreated to her perch a few feet away. There was no small talk. The guys playing pool kept playing pool, and the people on the other bar stools kept to themselves. I like places like that.
All kinds of abstract things sat on the bar back: Two crystal decanters, both empty, two vintage-looking dolls, an aloe plant (in case someone gets singed, I suppose).
The freakiest thing I noticed about Honey's Lounge was one of the first things I saw on the way in. The front door has a sliding barrel bolt on the outside.
This made me nervous. I was worried we'd walked into a scene out of "From Dusk 'Til Dawn." Halfway into our beers, we'd hear the sharp click as the lock slid into place. Then, all the people inside would turn into vampires and come after us. The windows would offer no escape. We'd have to fight our way out.
Hope Honey's has a back door.
(Photos by me)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Ah, were anglos fear to tread. Good work.
Ever been to that latin bar across from H&S? I've always been curious, but without companionship when i walk past it.
Posted by: Meekrat | April 5, 2010 9:17 AM
I've always figured Honey's was a front for some kind of brothel
Posted by: Upper Fells Resident | April 5, 2010 12:49 PM
Next up: Shirley's Honey Hole!!!
Posted by: RayRay | April 5, 2010 1:00 PM
Wait, Ray Ray... Are you suggesting that we hit up Shirley's Honey Hole after exiting Honey's backdoor? That is not sanitary.
Posted by: Don't Shake the Baby | April 5, 2010 1:32 PM
I went in there once a couple years ago when i first moved to Fells and refused service I assume for being non-latino.
No big lose the place is a hole in the wall anyway.
Posted by: drunk richard | April 5, 2010 1:35 PM
This is sad to hear, that place had some personality about 20 years ago when I first went in there. You see, my grandmother lived half a block up and my cousins dared me to go in. I did, and had a delicious domestic beer. Why does this memory survive, you ask? Easy, I was fifteen. Ah the memories.
Posted by: LGood | April 12, 2010 12:35 AM