We were there to listen to The Shrapnel's. There was a pretty good size crowd to listen to the band. The acoustics aren't quite good enough as it was very loud. We ordered glasses of wine and the pour was very generous! We had the edamame as an appetizer and they were very good. We each ordered a quesadilla. Mine was shrimp and my wife had the vegetable. They were both tasty! read more

Racers Cafe - Menu cover. - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

Great spot. Enjoy live music with affordable prices on food and drinks. Real Parkville Tavern with an onsite supervision by the always friendly staff and the owner/manager . read more

Awesome food. Does not matter if you are new or a regular. Service and atmosphere are on point . You are treated great!

Our favorite new neighborhood bar that has a hidden backyard in summer for live music. Manager is good at booking good blues bands and they also play inside in winter. Food is really good elevated bar food. Have enjoyed burgers, wings, gyros and a few salads. See lots of folks eating pizza and taking out. Looks good. Nice crowd and bartenders work extra hard. Great rotating craft beers on tap including some great ales & IPAs. read more

Came here for a date night on a Saturday evening and was pleasantly surprised with a front parking spot and 2 seats at the corner of the bar! Bartender came over right away and was really friendly and personable. The drinks were all really good and they had good white claw flavors like peach. We ordered loaded fries and a crab pretzel. Pretzel was kinda overcooked and didn't have a lot of crab dip on it. The fries were cooked well but needed some salt in the chili. Overall it was a good first experience and I can see myself coming back. read more

Racers Cafe - Crab pretzel - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

See all

Racer's is my favorite local bar. Great pizza and beer. Skip, the bartender is fun and very knowledgeable about beers in tap. His recommendations are on point. The chicken tiki pizza special was delicious. We ate one at the bar and ordered another to take home. read more

We were back at Racer's Cafe in Parkville last night. When we walked in, Richard Thompson was playing which immediately made me feel at home. Racer's forte is beer. The manager is a Brit and has incredible taste in microbrews. The beer menu is on the wall in chalk and you can order by name or number. I had the Yard's Love Stout on draft which was an incredible treat. Many of these beers I have enjoyed in cans but never draft. Draft beer is like getting the beer the day it was made-- it is so fresh and so much better than anything in a bottle or can. We ordered a Beyond Burger and a chicken quesadilla-- both are delicious. The quesadilla is packed with fresh grilled veggies and served with salsa and sourcream-- so good! The band was still setting up as we left. We love it when the band plays outside but we were expecting rain last night so the band was inside which is too loud for us old folks. We settled up and went into the game room to check out the pinball! They for sure need a quarter change machine here so we don't have to bother the busy barkeeps for change. Thank you, Racer's, for the good food, amazing beer, diverse crowd, and the fun offerings at your establishment-- we will be back! read more

Racers Cafe - My husband loved his Beyond Burger. - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

See all

This is a local staple. But I would suggest you check their Facebook account for details and then come and see the bands on the weekends. The food is nice, but the outback yard with free music is worth a visit. You may need to stop in more than once to get the right band, they range from Blues, to Jazz, to rock and some goofy groups in between. Cheers read more

Racers Cafe - Live music - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

I would give this no stars if possible. We ordered on uber eats and waited 1.5 hours. We called and they said they "just got the order." They told me it would be 30 more minutes. Then, after 40 minutes had passed, they abruptly canceled with no warning. This is the worst customer service experience I've ever had. Please avoid ordering from uber eats at all costs. read more

Cool little spot that has been able to expand to what looks like, great success! Great beers on tap. Very cool blues happening on Sunday and our waitress was on point even though she was jamming busy! Fresh shucked oysters for those so inclined! read more

Great place, but super dissapointed that you removed Gary's Monday shift in favor of new staff. We look forward to seeing Gary on Mondays. It just seems so odd that you remove the oldest person (by age), who has seniority over other staff, for what seems like no reason. He's a great bartender so it can't be for performance. It's a bad look. Makes me wonder who's next. read more

Really awesome and comfortable local bar with a great new menu and as always a rotating beer board with about 20 microbrews. Each night has specials. We had a greek salad -very fresh and lots of feta and a veggie pizza - filled with fresh veggies and a crispy crust. Been going here for over 25,years and still really enjoying it! Service is great too. Diane V read more

Listening to Whiskey Train in the "back yard".. As always great beer and staff. Great weather helps!

I've been a patron for over 20 years. My favorite local place to eat and drink craft beer and food! read more

Racers Cafe - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

See all

Racers is new, improved, and upgraded! They now offer a wide variety of wines and food in addition to other liquors and beer. The ambiance has a welcoming feeling, everyone is always friendly and the whole place has a great vibe! Be sure to get there in time for their happy hour special, it can't be beat! Seriously, it's an awesome deal, you get to try three different beers (from their board of beers) for the price of one! During warm weather you can go hang out in the back, there is plenty of space and lots of chairs! It's great for hanging out with friends or celebrating birthdays! In the summer time they have a free concert series in the back yard with live music and more food options and drink special! read more

Racers Cafe - Snacks! - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

See all

Good dive bar. Atmosphere is good...not too many people...not too loud or too quiet...perfect lighting. Bartenders were friendly and the drinks were good with great pricing. I would go here again for sure. read more

Excellent place. Great craft beer. Just this side of divey, but not. A great place to watch sports, hang with a diverse and nice crowd. It has a backyard and is kid friendly. They can play and you can wind down with a great selection of craft beers. It is attached to their Harford Beverage House next door which has a nice selection of Belgian style ales and local crafts. You can order these at the bar. I even got a rare 120 minute ipa from Dogfish Head. Whoooooaaaa. There is no food but they encourage you to bring it. Or even order in. I recommend a great Italian sub from any of the many nearby ma and pa joints nearby. Many have mentioned this in reviews but there is an ever changing board of crafts that are numbered. They change quickly. They have great locals and some rare New Englands. They are numbered ...people order like "13, 8 and 2, please" The best is happy hour. You get 3 12 ounce mugs. You must choose 3 different...you must order them all at once. If you do all that you get 3 great beers for ...get this...$7!!!!!! Nuff said...Go Orioles! read more

Skip and the crew that worked this past Saturday evening deserve 10 stars for dealing with my drunken antics. I am very sorry. Being locked away for a year I have apparently forgotten how to act in public. read more

Don't get me wrong, love a good dive and it was for sure. But they have really upgraded their inside to include a game room, nice size seating area with large classic bar (looks like a nice bar in Bmore) and it's connected to a Wine bar, and now have food. Looking forward to trying that. read more

I live nearby, didn't know that they had food. Pleasantly surprised by my tomato soup. Absolutely delicious! Muenster provolone grilled cheese & taco's(Tuesday special) all yummy!! read more

Definitely a local dive bar but has a good variety of craft beers on draft. They do not serve food but you can bring your own. Good place to grab beers with friends and hang out. It is connected to a liquor store so you could head home with a 6 pack after having a few with friends. Always good service. Sometimes they have live music and hold a series of other events. read more

OK, the only thing I can figure out is that all of these great reviews must have been written by friends of the owner. I honestly didn't see anything that impressed me all that much. Yes, they have a good selection of beer. But it's a TIGHT squeeze to get in here, it's VERY dark, and getting to the bar should be an Olympic event, and prices are a bit on the steep end. Don't get me wrong...it was OK, just not great. read more

I live in the "city" but every time I have free time I always want to come in to support this business. The vibe is "local hole in the wall", but it is far from that. The selection of beer rivals any city bar and probably is a lot better then most. What shines is the whisky selection, the local bar feel and the beer (of course). This is a watering hole that provides ample amount of liquid food and at a very reasonable price. The whiskey selection spans half of the entire bar, and it's from 0-100. The choices go from Bushmills, four roses, and dewars to Hudson baby bourbon, few, wiggle, Jefferson, etc. I can I can write a review just for spirits, but there's probably a specific website for that. I will say racers has no food food, but snacks you can buy. You can however bring in your own food on your way in. Finally, I'd say if you don't want to bother with city folk but want to stimulate your beverage palate racer's is exactly want you need in your life. read more

Probably one of our favorite bars in Baltimore. Skip is the usual bartender and an avid soccer fan, but it's a great spot for Sunday football too. They have a chalkboard of 15 taps, all rotating microbrews. There's usually a good selection of local brews among those. Ask the bartender for a recommendation or a taste if you're not sure what to get. Happy Hour is everyday. EVERYDAY! From 10am to 7pm. You get to choose three different beers from the list for a cheap deal. What you pay for those three beers is comparable to what you would pay for one beer at an equivalent "beer bar". It's a good mix of people, young and old. Very welcoming, but dive-y atmosphere. All-in-all, a great place to hangout with a big or small group, very conducive to conversation and watching sports. Best part is that you can bring your own food. There is a pizza/Greek place next door that's perfect for ordering out from. read more

How is this place not more popular???? Oh right. It's in Parkville. If this place were in the city, it would be hands down the best bar in the city...but it's in freaking Parkville. The happy hour deal of three 12-ounce drafts for $6 is pretty excellent. You get two of these and you are plastered off delicious craft beers. I like the BYOF policy which means that you can bring in whatever food you want to go with the beers. They also have a pool table and makeshift beer garden in the back. Most importantly though, Racers doesn't attract BS people. These are primarily neighborhood folks and a dominant 30 to 40 year old group of mainly White men. It would be nicer if it got more demographics (younger, older) but alas I will not complain. Racers is the spot! read more

Skip runs one tight joint - excellent beers, personal service. Perfect for a Saturday night. And they have Resurrection on tap, so I can skip the oft-insufferable hipster crowd at Brewer's Art. Win. Rumors have it a kitchen is soon coming, which makes this happy-hour/late night drink spot more tempting. read more

I've been coming here for years and it's hands down my favorite bar. In fact, I hesitate to sing it's praises because I don't want anyone moving in on my turf. I go there for the great beer selection - especially Belgians (my fave) - and an equally cool vibe/crowd at the bar. The music selection could be better but I don't really come here to listen to tunes - it's ideal for brews and convos. It should be noted that the bar can get kind of loud - I guess it's the acoustics of the place but I dunno. The bartender on the weekends - Skip - can be chatty (albeit moody) but definitely is a career bartender and great at what he does. One of my girlfriends and I used to come here on Friday nights to start out our barhopping for the evening. Sometimes she would buy a bottle of wine from the adjoining liquor store and the bartender would uncork it and let her drink from it all night, which I thought was pretty sweet. Another little insider's tip: sometimes they sell someone's (I don't know who) beef jerky behind the bar and it's really good. Try the hot, if you're in the mood for some serious heat. There is movement on the expansion of the bar into the space next door, which will include a kitchen (I think I even heard a brick oven???) but I've been hearing about it for years and it's taking FOREVER. You can sorta look through the window from outside and see the space and it looks pretty close to being ready. Overall, Racers is a great bar with a selection of beers that is hard to find around here and an unpretentious atmosphere. read more

The happy hour deal is the best in town. Beer selections are carefully chosen to suit the seasons, wide varieties always fresh, with clean lines for delivery. Patio/yard for outdoor festivities. Stellar package goods. What else? read more

Racers Cafe - Cold day for the patio - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

Let's be honest here: this is a dive bar. It's got an impressive selection of drafts and a ridiculously cheap "happy hour" that is in effect for most of the day, but it's still a dive bar. Be ready for outdated decor, sticky floors and a bartender who doesn't know a thing about what she's serving. No food unless you count packaged chips or takeout from someplace down the street. Super-boisterous clientele. If you know and expect these things, you'll probably have a great time for very little money (3 drafts for $7 is an excellent deal, even if the glasses are smaller than standard.) But you really can't chill and hold a conversation between the TV's and the heavily buzzed crowd. And don't look too closely at anything around you! read more

This is my favorite bar in Baltimore, and it's not even because of the constantly rotating (mostly craft) beer selection which is EXTREMELY well-priced (no drafts over $5, most of them under $4 and there's the 3-for-$6 happy hour). Two great things regarding it's location: 1) It's far enough from the city to where "cool people" aren't infiltrating it; nor is it full of boring suburbanites 2) It's right next to a pizza/sub shop where you can pick up food and bring it into the bar. The bartender Skip is awesome. He's instantaneously attentive to orders, doesn't put on a fake-ass "I'm your buddy" persona (however he does know/is friends with a ton of the regulars), is a soccer fan, clears tables of glasses religiously and runs the entire bar BY HIMSELF every day. There's also a pool table and back yard for you to use at your discretion and in warmer months they'll have bands or parties sometimes. I'm sure a lot of people write this place off as not being cool enough, but it is and I'm grateful that they don't come here to begin with. read more

Skip is an amazing bar tender who will take great care of you. They also have a great selection of craft brews at reasonable prices, outdoor seating in the summer and pool tables. Always a good time. read more

For a beer in a place with a casual neighborly ambience I would try this place again. It is dark in a way that is artsy and sort of appealing in a slight-step-up-from-a-dive-bar kind of way. I was completely confused about the food. Someone who worked there gave me and my friend menus, but never returned. So I guess you get your snacks from the wine bar next door, a short stroll across the room. That wine bar looked kind of cool, golden light and a romantic vibe, and I would like to try that place too. The food was incredibly inexpensive, but keep in mind the menu was limited. That suits me just fine. There are nights where you really don't need 30 choices. I like knowing there is a place with the feel of a European no-frills pub I can visit to relax uninterrupted. My friend ordered the pretzels and dip. The wine bar had sausages and, for a cheap small bite, you can't beat the cost. I wish I could give Racers more than three stars. I think I may have gone on an off night. Few people were there and the service was a little slow. But hey, these are unusual times. I really don't want to base my one visit as the gauge. Seriously, it was an off night for me because I hadn't been out for a while. I fully intend to go back with my friend for a girls' night out. The prices are extremely reasonable. I liked the option of the cozy little wine bar next door and I heard that Racers has outdoor seating. I plan on investigating both further. I am excited that I do not have to venture into the heart of the city for a city vibe. When I go back, I will post an updated review. read more

Laid back after work happy hour vibe. If that's not your thing than you may not dig it. This is a great bar with a great beer selection that is always changing. Happy hour 3 beer special is very cheap. read more

Racers Cafe - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

Best bar in Parkville. Hell not just Parkvilke. One of the best Baltimore. Best bartenders. Robin James and Skip will take care of you. Great rotating craft beer collection. And the best happy hour prices around. read more

Racers Cafe - Great craft beer selections. No room for fuzzy yellow beer - Beer Gardens Near Me - Parkville, Maryland

great venue for live music.picnic tables umbrellas stage.grass under your feet.great grilled food.draft beer,wine.plenty of seating inside and out.nice crowd of folks.the night I went had a great blues band.no cover[tip bucket]going back for sure. read more

I love this place. They sometimes have some styles of beer that I'm not into but there are normally a few I like or would like to try. I've never paid more than 6 dollars for a beer here. I prefer IPAs, or anything Imperial. They always have a dedicated tap for Guinness and one for Miller Lite (Yuck). The liquor store next door is also fantastic. Once I asked the bartender for a hoppy beer and to surprise me. It was coincidentally - my favorite IPA (Caldera IPA - very hoppy Oregon West Coast IPA). The bartender Skip is a great guy and will give you a sample if you want to try the beer before you order a pint. Last weekend I went in there by myself (something I never do) and watched the Orioles game out back in the backyard and made friends. The best part about this place is it doesn't try to be cool or hip....it just is a cool, low-key hangout. You don't need to dress up or do anything to impress people. Just stop by, bring your food, grab a pint or 3 during happy hour and take a load off enjoying CHEAPLY PRICED good microbrews. Cheers! read more

Sadly, the beer quality at Racers is very inconsistent so I gotta knock it down a notch. It has the potential to be an exceptional beer drinkers bar, but the chances of them having an excess amount of crappy selection is pretty high. After repeated attempts I have yet to encounter an experience as good as my first time here. read more

If you like good beer, you'll probably like Racers. This place has been my favorite bar for the last 10 years, hands down. It's still as awesome as it was when I reviewed it back in 2006. The most important update I want to add is that the happy hour has gone from (3) 12oz mugs for $6, to $7. I still don't know anywhere you can get that kind of beer deal for that price anywhere in the city. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't here at least two or five times a week. The best thing about their draft selection is that it's constantly changing throughout the week. The beers on tap trend more towards the hop heavy American style beers, usually with a couple seasonally appropriate beers on the board. However, you'll usually have one or two dark beers and some maltier lighter beers to choose from as well, depending on what was ordered that week. The only two beers always on tap are Guinness and Miller Lite (Yes, I've asked Skip why they have it, it still out sells everything else). I think their constantly changing tap selection beats certain other "beer bars" that have huge numbers of taps. They may have the quantity, but how long do you think that same keg of North Coast Blue Star has been on tap at that other place, "bro"? And if you don't like their tap selection, you should be able to find something great on the bottle board. There's always some good Belgian bottles, including a steady supply of sours. If THAT STILL doesn't do it for you, Skip will grab you something from the connected liquor store, just tell him what you like. And if even that level of stellar service isn't good enough, it's time for you to go. read more

Between 10-7 is their happy hour, where you can get three different beers (from the selection on the chalk board) for a little over $6 after tax. They have a fantastic beer selection, and the bathrooms are really clean. The other charmer? This place is awesome. Everyone from all walks of life seem to hang out here. It's inviting, it's awesome, and again, cheap beers. read more

Apparently your experience depends on the bartender. If you get Skip, you get charged twice as much as when the other bartenders work. He's rude and you're lucky if he comes back to ask if you want another. He couldn't be bothered to check in on us after serving the first drink so we gave up and left. The second star is for the other bartenders who have been nice other times and are stuck working in this dive. read more