Sexual harassment from staff at the Waterfront Hotel in Fells Point
I was barhopping with some friends (all women in our twenties) in fells last night and we made it to the Waterfront Hotel around 11:30, where the bouncer made us really uncomfortable. Two of my friends went ahead of me and were let in relatively unbothered (although he did really examine their IDs). Then, my third friend went in and he examined her ID and told her repeatedly to "smile for him". She refused multiple times as he commented on her looks and insisted she strike a pose for him. Eventually she gave in and gave him a sarcastic smile. I really didn't like the way the interaction went because it felt creepy and hostile even as an observer, but I didn't want to make a scene. When it was my turn, he did the same thing, except he wouldn't give me my ID back (after scanning and okaying it), held it above my head, and made comments to the effect of about how pretty I'd be in his bar if I'd just do what he asked. After about 5 minutes of this interaction, 50 new people were waiting in line and I told him he was being a creep before storming away. I did get my ID back eventually but I had to literally jump for it. I could've gotten into the bar if I had acquiesced to the smile, but it felt perverse and antagonistic so I decided it wasn't a bar I'd feel safe in. My friends followed suit when I left. Plus, like, give me my shit back, dude!
When I found out the Waterfront Hotel was Atlas-owned, I wasn't surprised. I'm generally not litigious but this whole thing made me super uncomfortable and I would like the bar to do something about it, although I don't foresee that happening. Anyone else have a bad experience there?
Posted Jul 6, 2025, 7:30 PM UTC