It’s truly a unique experience to walk into a restaurant and feel completely at home. For those of you who live in Catonsville, Maryland, perhaps you’ve had a similar experience when walking into State Fare. The warm atmosphere, friendly greetings, and this feeling hits me like coming back to a place I’ve long missed.

State Fare presents itself to my friend Tim and me as we walk in and head toward the bar on a Saturday afternoon. We grab two seats at the end of the bar, which were only one of two seats open together for this fairly busy lunch crowd. I’ll be honest, I didn’t pay too much attention to the dining area, as I was captivated by the massive bar. I was extremely excited to sample some of the many bourbons and whiskeys offered, and that experience could’ve been diluted if the service was off – but it was not.

The bartenders assisting us on our adventure were bright, cheerful, and completely willing to go the extra mile as we were uncertain on what bourbons to try. Tim and I looked over the menu, which didn’t include a few dozen more that had come in previously the same day. When I say this bar is heaven, it’s a multi-tiered wonder similar to The Walters Art Museum, where there seems to be endless levels and attractions. “The back bar display is a true brown liquors paradise,” mentions Tim, as our gracious server slides a rolling ladder over to pull down a few different options for us to look at.