Don’t Know Tavern will get another round at Cross Street Market

The Don’t Know Tavern is coming back to its old neighborhood, this time as a bar at Federal Hill’s Cross Street Market.

Owner John Leonard, who closed his tavern in Fed Hill in February, said he’s getting all his permits in order but hoping to launch “as soon as possible” — if not in time for the Ravens’ home opener at nearby M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 20, then shortly thereafter.

At Don’t Know’s new stall, expect to see happy hour specials and lots of beer — including 32-ounce servings — along with simple cocktails such as orange crushes. Although the stand won’t serve food, Leonard said, he’s spoken with some of his fellow tenants at Cross Street Market about adding a few of Don’t Know’s signature dishes to their menus. The Fed Hill bar was known in part for its fare, including wings and crab tots.

Customers can also look forward to seeing familiar faces among the staff at Don’t Know 2.0, though Leonard said a few have moved on to other jobs in the more than six months since he closed the bar. As for Leonard, the Federal Hill resident said he’s excited to get back to work. “I’ve been kind of bored the past few months,” he said. “I miss the people. I miss the environment.”

Cross Street Market is owned by the city and managed through a long-term lease with Caves Valley Partners. The company’s principal, Arsh Mirmiran, said he reached out to Leonard about coming over shortly after Don’t Know announced it was leaving its original location at 1453 Light St. in January after nearly 20 years in business.

Mirmiran said he thinks the presence of Don’t Know will be a boost to the other market tenants, which include brands such as Slutty Vegan and a jollof bowl stand with a viral following. Although a few other stands sell alcohol, Mirmiran said, “There isn’t a place that has a wide range of beer, wine and cocktails.”

Don’t Know will take over a bar space once occupied by Cans, which shut down during the pandemic. Atlas Restaurant Group, which also owns Watershed restaurant inside the Cross Street Market, has been operating the bar space during select events but has been looking to let go of the stall, Mirmiran said.

Leonard said the stand at the market could be a step toward relaunching a stand-alone location of Don’t Know. In January, Leonard had said he was being kicked out of the Light Street building by its landlords, whom he accused of neglecting the property. Meanwhile, the building’s owner claimed a lawyer for Don’t Know had said the bar was going out of business. Leonard said Thursday he didn’t want to revisit the past.

“It was a frustrating time, but I don’t really want to talk bad about people. It’s life; it’s landlords; it’s real estate. It was a good run,” he said.