With the stress of midterms upon us, many students are looking for a place to let their guard down and forget about grades for a while, myself included.
There seems to be no better place to do this than Charles Village Pub or CVP, as the kids call it.
(I mean, with the closing of PJ’s, you don’t really have anywhere else to go.)
CVP allows you to pick your poison, whether that includes watery beer or the harder stuff. They also boast a full menu of generic bar food, such as Buffalo Wings; Bacon, Cheddar, and Mozzarella fries; and Clam Strips, because clams are definitely what you would choose to eat at a bar.
And how could any Baltimore restaurant/bar/pub/gastropub/food truck forget to add some crab to the menu? CVP has got you covered, with delicacies like Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Maryland Crab soup, both of which are probably coated in Old Bay seasoning, just how the locals like it.
In a valiant attempt to be a real restaurant as well as a bar that also serves food, they have steaks and sandwiches as well. Thursday night is CVP Steak Night: It’s $11.95 for a 10 oz. N.Y. Strip and choice of one side. Sounds reasonable, though I honestly don’t know how steaks are priced. I have never eaten steak from a sports bar, but if CVP dedicated an entire night to promoting theirs, I’m sure they’re not awful.
They’ve also got a pinball machine and a cigarette dispenser, if that’s your thing.
You don’t have to be 21 to enter, which is a bonus for underclassmen looking for the feel of a real bar for adults and who think the drinking age should “just be 18!” The atmosphere is just tense enough to remind you that life is hard, yet light enough to encourage you to forget it.
Unsurprisingly, CVP is wildly popular among grad students.
Charles Village Pub also has weekly specials, including “BIG DADDY PUB BURGER NIGHT,” to directly quote the website, and my personal favorite, Sunday Brunch.
Why would you go to Pete’s Grille in Waverly or City Cafe in Mount Vernon when you could have $3 mimosas in a sports bar near a college?
The staff is full of friendly people who are easy to strike up a conversation with, who I honestly can’t make fun of without feeling slightly guilty about it.
CVP has an array of seating options, including both indoor and outdoor tables. You can sit at the bar or get sit-down service.
If you sit outside, there will definitely be plenty of awkward Hopkins students standing at the entrance trying to decide if they should go in or not, as well as Baltimore locals stopping by after a long day at work.
One of my favorite parts has got to be the blinding yet simultaneously dull neon yellow sign with red lettering that illuminates the street. I believe that the sign, a true staple of St. Paul Street, emphasizes the hustle and bustle of Charles Village created by students in the midst of a breakdown. There’s nothing like contrasting primary colors to get your night started the right way.
If you are in a sorority on campus or have been awkwardly set up with a girl who is, you’ve probably been to the Charles Village Pub already. Not this one, though, it’s usually the one in Towson. They’re basically the same, except for the fact the Towson one is way bigger, better and does not have Hopkins-student level anxiety surrounding it.
While this article is just a tad satirical, CVP is a fun place to chill with friends, whether you’re drinking or not. At least that’s what I’ve been told. Check it out!
