Bar Dalí Opens as Spanish Tapas Restaurant in Baltimore's Mount Vernon

Bar Dalí, a new Spanish tapas restaurant, has opened in Baltimore's historic Mount Vernon neighborhood. The hospitality brand Ash acquired the townhouse next to its John Waters–inspired Hotel Ulysses, which was under construction. The building previously housed the Mount Vernon Stable & Saloon, a local haunt known for comfort food. Ash's creative director Xavier Donnelly discovered the property's quirky details, including a leaning oak bar and surreal decor like an Egyptian mummy on the ceiling. The team chose a rustic Spanish tapas bar concept, naming it Bar Dalí as a nod to the surrealism in the building's past. Chef Spike Gjerde, a James Beard Award winner, leads the restaurant, creating a seasonal menu with dishes like pan con tomate and eggs diablo. The interior design was kept minimal to preserve the building's character, restoring the oak bar and revealing brickwork. The ceiling was painted Benjamin Moore Classic Burgundy to reference vermouth. Artwork includes vintage Spanish ceramics from Zaragoza and a mysterious restored ceiling mural of unknown origin. The 50-seat dining area features movable stools and secluded booths behind archways, aiming for a casual, communal atmosphere inspired by Spanish tapas culture. Donnelly notes both Bar Dalí and Hotel Ulysses share a sense of being outside of time.