Baltimore City liquor board approves a slate of new licenses, transfers and extensions; several approvals tied to community MOUs

The Baltimore City Board of Liquor License Commissioners approved a series of new restaurant licenses, ownership transfers and a 90‑day transfer hardship extension at its March 13, 2025 meeting, the board announced at the hearing.

The actions affect businesses across Baltimore neighborhoods — including the Rotunda in Hamden, Waverly, Mount Vernon, Charles North, Canton, Federal Hill and Park Heights — and several approvals were conditioned on memoranda of understanding (MOU) with community associations or similar restrictions, such as limiting outdoor live entertainment or requiring sound mitigation.

Chair (unnamed) opened the meeting and the board heard multiple applications for new class B restaurant licenses, requests to transfer existing licenses and one request to reopen a previously closed premises. The board voted on each application during the session; votes recorded on the transcript were unanimous among the three voting commissioners present (each application below was approved by the board).

Notable approvals

- Barn and Lodge at the Rotunda: The board approved an amended application for a new class B (beer, wine and liquor) restaurant license for Barn and Lodge at the Rotunda, 711 W. 40th St., with live entertainment, outdoor table service and off‑premises catering. The approval was made subject to terms of a memorandum of understanding between the applicants and the Hamden Community Council and limited “to the extent they’re enforceable by law.” Attorney Drew Tilden presented the application and noted a sound test and community outreach had been completed. The proffer included a Councilwoman Ramos support letter and an MOU that the applicants said would prohibit outdoor live entertainment and require soundproofing measures.

- Metro Gallery (transfer): The board approved transfer of the Class B/D7 license for Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St., to the new ownership team. Counsel said the venue, which operates as a tavern and art gallery, has operated without violations since 2008 and that the applicants had an MOU with the Charles North Community Association.

- Madison 801 (new license): The board approved a new class B restaurant license for the Madison 801, 801 N. Chester St., including off‑premises catering and delivery of alcoholic beverages. Counsel said this application had been approved previously and that the current operators were asking to continue under the board’s rules.

- Union Hill Kitchen and Craft Bar (transfer): The board approved transfer of a class B license for Union Hill Kitchen and Craft Bar (formerly Blue Hill Tavern) at 938–940 S. Conkling St., with continuation of outdoor table service and off‑premises catering. Counsel submitted a menu at the hearing.

- Multiple transfers and new licenses with MOUs or community letters: The board approved transfer of ownership or new licenses for applications including Atwater’s Cafe (reopen request), a 90‑day transfer hardship extension for 2908 O’Donnell St., KC Social Food & Spices (Mount Vernon), Robinson’s Food and Variety Market (Park Heights), Goldie’s Seafood Bar and Grill (Fleet St.), The Den (Wilson’s), Luzerne Pub (South Luzerne Ave.), Bodega and Vino (Holt St.), Sobo Kitchen and Bar (West Cross St.), and others. Several files included letters of community support and memoranda of understanding that the board entered into the record and, in some cases, made part of the license “to the extent enforceable by law.”

Votes at a glance

(Each item below was recorded on the transcript as approved by the three commissioners voting that morning; vote counts reflect the three recorded affirmative votes on each matter.)

- Atwater’s Cafe LLC, 3601 Boston St. — request to reopen under Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article §12‑2203; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- 2908 O’Donnell St. LLC (trade name pending) — 90‑day transfer hardship extension under Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article §12‑1705(b); approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Barn and Lodge at the Rotunda LLC, 711 W. 40th St. — amended application for new class B restaurant license with live entertainment, outdoor table service, off‑premises catering (subject to MOU); approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Madison 801 LLC, 801 N. Chester St. — new class B restaurant license with off‑premises catering and delivery; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Thomas Boy LLC (trade name pending), 3224 Greenmount Ave. — new class B restaurant license with outdoor table service; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- King’s Corner Market LLC (King’s Corner), 1713 E. Federal St. — new class B restaurant license; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- KC Social Food and Spices Inc. (transfer), 1309–1317 N. Charles St. — transfer with continuation of outdoor table service and delivery; approved (subject to submitted MOU); tally: 3 yes.

- Robinson’s Food and Variety Market (transfer), 3601 Park Heights Ave. — transfer with delivery; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Metro Gallery Holding Corp. (transfer), 1700 N. Charles St. — transfer with continuation of live entertainment (MOU submitted); approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Union Hill Kitchen and Craft Bar (transfer), 938–940 S. Conkling St. — transfer with continuation of outdoor table service and off‑premises catering; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Goldie’s Seafood Bar and Grill LLC (transfer), 2112 Fleet St. — transfer with continuation of live entertainment, outdoor table service, delivery; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- The Den at Wilson’s LLC (transfer), 4537 Harford Rd. — transfer of class B/D7 license; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Luzerne Pub LLC (transfer), 623 S. Luzerne Ave. — transfer of class B/D7 license; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- Wainwright Family Team LLC (Bodega and Vino) (amended transfer), 1121–1123 Holt St. — amended transfer for class D beer, wine license with delivery; approved; tally: 3 yes.

- G and J Hospitality LLC (Sobo Kitchen and Bar) (transfer), 6–8 W. Cross St. — transfer with continuation of live entertainment, outdoor table service and off‑premises catering; approved; tally: 3 yes.

What was not decided

The board recorded that case number 12 on the docket (Amended application to transfer and location for Baltimore Spice Restaurant and Bar, 413 W. Baltimore St.) was postponed; no board action was taken on that matter during this session.

Context and next steps

Multiple applicants noted community outreach, support letters and MOUs entered into the record; in several cases the board’s approval explicitly tied license privileges to those MOUs “to the extent enforceable by law.” Applicants also noted operational measures such as alcohol‑service certification for servers and internal training. Several approvals referenced the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article sections cited in the applications.

The board recessed at the close of the docket and scheduled its next meeting for March 27, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.

(End)