For the last couple of years I have come back to my parents current hometown of Severna Park, Maryland for the beginning of summer. Fifteen minutes down the road is downtown Annapolis – the cute little colonial centre of the state capital. It’s a great little town, but it really comes alive in the summer when the boats come out and the outdoor bars open.
I’ve made it down a few nights so far since I arrived in Maryland about a week ago. Thinking back to last year I seem to remember there being drink specials in one bar or another seemingly every night to save you serious amounts of money. This year, like I said, I haven’t managed to explore all of it just yet, but I’m working on it!
This Wednesday I went to McGarveys right in the City Dock area. I went with my good friend Kelly (who I swear knows everyone in this town) and we weren’t even in the door before I’d been recognized by a girl I went to school with in 7th and 8th grade. I should have expected it since I’ve never been to a Wednesday night at McGarveys without running into someone from my past, but that’s what happens in a (relatively) small town! I fought my way into the very packed bar where people were drinking HUGE plastic cups of Bud Lite. Every Wednesday night (and Fridays too I believe), McGarveys serves huge cups of Bud Lite beer for extremely cheap ($2.50 if I’m not mistaken). The Happy Hour also provides cheap cocktails and other cheap drinks that can save you serious money. But late at night this place turns into a party for anyone aged around 25 or younger. Much older than that and you start to stick out as the ‘old guy.’ Depressing, I know. McGarveys is a good place, but on ‘Big Beer Night’ as it’s called, the place is so packed it’s hard to move around, even with two rooms open. But the place comes recommended by this writer, just avoid late nights on Wednesday and Friday especially if you want to avoid the enormous crowds and the high school reunion atmosphere. After awhile the place promptly emptied as crowds moved on to Acme, a bar further up Main Street which I visited last year when I was here. In Acme you’ll even be the ‘old guy’ at aged 25. It’s a tiny place and pretty popular, but not one of my favourite places personally. It’s a lot smaller than McGarveys but seems to attempt to hold the same amount of people. This place may be better on other nights of the week. I went there twice one year ago and enjoyed seeing my friends but didn’t love the over-packed bar and the lack of elbow room. This past Wednesday, Kelly and I chose to stick it out at McGarveys and order some chicken wings which I highly recommend! These also come with a special price on Big Beer Night although according to one of the doormen, they use a cheaper sauce on these nights and only use the sauce they’re famous for when they sell them at full price. Very cheeky.
