Mount Royal Tavern

1204 W. Mount Royal Ave., 410/669-6686

HOURS: Daily 10 a.m.–2 a.m.

There’s really one reason to stop in at this well-worn and frankly dirty bar, long a favorite for the generations of art students from neighboring Maryland Institute College of Art [1], and one reason only: the ceiling. Rather, what’s on the ceiling, which is a stunningly faithful recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s ceiling mural from the Sistine Chapel.

Don’t snicker: The quality and craftsmanship on this project is astonishing. Rotate around on your bar stool as you sip a beer and study the technique, the focus, and the preposterousness of the endeavor. Think it was a waste of time? Local legend has it that the mural’s creator drinks for free, for life, here at the Mount Royal Tavern.