I love this bookstore with the tucked away bar upstairs. The selection of books should cover almost every age and genre. I especially enjoyed the travel and wine centered books. The bar is quaint and cute. Not a vast menu, but it's not needed! Love the local select beers that are available although I opted for the gin cocktail. Very reasonably priced. It's very quiet during the day, quite a few there to read and work in a quiet space and it serves that purpose well. I've also visited in the evening before where a book club meeting was ending and a D&D campaign was beginning and it was quite lively, but still a great vibe. I've had 2 visits now with many more to come. Store workers were super friendly and greeting me upon entering and looking around. Bartender was friendly as well and seemed to enjoy engaging with the guests. read more

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Super cute bookstore. The ambiance is perfect! I loved all the original artwork for sale. Always nice to have a bar in a bookstore. Only negative was the bartender was super unfriendly, unapproachable and didn't make very good drinks. It's a shame this cute bookstore/bar doesn't have a better bartender. read more

I stopped in to shop at Backwater Books when I was exploring Old Ellicott City with my husband and some of his relatives when they were in town. The store was a great surprise. It's larger than I thought it might be - two stories. While not the best stocked bookstore I've ever been to, Backwater offers more than just books. It has a bar upstairs and it's set up for live music as well. It has some great seating for opening a book to read a few pages to see if you want to take it home. The customer service was great as well. Folks in Ellicott City are lucky to have this amazing bookshop. I'll definitely be back in the future (hopefully for a shop, drink, and music next time)! read more

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What a fun spot! Love the cute bar upstairs! You can peruse books AND have a cocktail! The ambience is superb love all the couches chair and tables to get comfy and work or read! The staircase going upstairs is the coolest! Can't wait to go back! read more

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I heard about Backwater Books on Facebook and since I had lunch at Cozy Cafe, I wanted to explore this bookstore. There are two floors. The first floor on the left has the children's books and to the right are books, art and postcards. I saw the flight of stairs and they were the cutest stairs with books painted on them. Of course I had to take a picture. The second floor has more book selections like fiction, non-fiction, mystery etc. And the best part is that they have a bar where you can drink beer, wine, tea, or coffee. They have a row of chairs, couches, rocking chairs that you can sit, drink, while you read. This bookstore has the kind of vibe that I am looking for that is unique. I am so happy that I found it. They have happy hour during the week from 3-6 pm. It looks like they have music on Saturdays and book talks too. I'll have to return soon! read more

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A trendy bookstore/cafe fit for hipsters. Nice ambiance, but the selection of books was so-so. The upstairs is much cooler than the downstairs. read more

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My two daughters and I love and support local independent book stores. We made it a point to visit an independent bookstore if possible with every city that we visited or vacationed in. When we visited Old Ellicott City, we checked out Backwater Books. The two stories bookstore had a bar on the second floor as well as an outdoor seating area. There were also plenty of indoor seatings. Selection of books was on a smaller scale, but it was adequate. Employees were friendly. There was only street parking, but a free parking lot was a very short walk away. read more

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I absolutely love this place. The charming atmosphere and inviting staff make the place such a welcoming place to shop for books. Would recommend to anyone visiting near the area. read more

Walked by this place many times. Finally I decided to check out this book store. It was really interesting. I followed someone up a flight of stairs near the front door. Found a very cozy bar upstairs. There is someone cooking pizzas outside the side door. I found out they have live music on Saturday nights. I went again on Saturday night to check out the live music. It was so fantastic. The service is great. I met the owner and he was very helpful. I have found my spot!! read more

Spent a full day upstairs at Backwater Books working on the computer. It's incredibly quiet, relaxing and I can have my own space to focus. On my breaks, I explored the store and made a pile of books which kept getting higher (typical). The newly added QR Codes around the seating area is helpful for viewing the upstairs bar menu--I enjoyed some hot tea while reading and listening to their AMAZING store playlist. Looking forward to taking part in next week's book release for Rebecca Yarros', IRON FLAME! read more

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This bookstore is amazing! Educator run, there are plenty of book genres, teacher socks and items and GORGEOUS paintings for sale. Right on Main Street, you can grab a bite to eat and then come explore to your heart's content. There's space to sit and relax. The owners are very warm. I'll definitely be back to spend my money! read more

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Excellent local gathering place with books as an excuse to have a really nice glass of wine or beer. Could use more indoor seating on busy nights but that would mess with the book store vibe. I should read more. read more

My husband and I stumbled across this GEM a few months back, while Christmas shopping. It was LOVE at first sight! An independent bookstore with a great and eclectic selection of reading materials. Knowledgeable and service-oriented team members, eager to share information and assistance. And a delightful and charming beer/wine/coffee bar upstairs where you can "sip and browse". On our first visit, I secretly went downstairs and bought my husband a gift card to the store to make sure we'd be back soon! We were just back this past weekend and I have nothing but the highest compliments to give. My only hesitation about telling you how FAB this place is might lead to it becoming too crowded if word gets out. So read this, go and spend a lot of time and a little (or a lot) of money, and then shhhhh! read more

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I absolutely love this bookstore and it's gotten even better with the addition of a bar upstairs. Backwater Books has a great selection of books and a cozy atmosphere to sit, chat or get some work done. The walls are lined with beautiful paintings of Ellicott city that add charm & warmth to the space. The owners are kind and quick to help when searching for a book. I definitely recommend stopping by and checking this bookstore out! read more

Backwater Books - reading nook - Bookstores Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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Not super close to me, so it is a bit of a special occasion to go, but I like it enough I'm going back. Beautiful store, two levels of books with a nice selection. Very nice staff, recommendation quality varies of course but I found one of my favorite books in years here from a staff pick. Nice kids' section. read more

Great atmosphere for a cozy coffee or live music on a Saturday night with a wine and beer bar