UMD Bar Rankings, By Someone Who’s Definitely Been to All of Them
RJ Bentley’s
RJ Bentley’s (Bents) is that perfect mix of drinks, vibes, and atmosphere that you just can’t beat. It’s got the best layout in College Park: a patio, an outdoor area, and two indoor bars that somehow never feel too cramped. Even when it’s packed to the brim, you can still grab a drink thanks to how well they set up the tables and bars.
The drinks are fantastic, there is nothing better than a jäger bomb at happy hour, and 12 ice cold coronas with limes. The food is insane and is way better than it needs to be. Think bar food that could actually pass as a real meal. The crowd is mostly Greek life, giving it that lively, chaotic, and entertaining energy.
Friday Happy Hour is an absolute enlightening experience, this is where Bents peaks. The outside area turns into an area of pure socialness, presenting Bents as the hub of casual conversations, and great drinks. If you're not at happy hour, you’re missing out.
But you want to know what grinds my gears? There is no Apple Pay (seriously, why?) and no doubles. But they pour heavy anyway, so you’ll survive.
Drinks: 8.8/10
Food: 7.9/10
Vibes: 9.4/10
Layout: 8.9/10
Overall: 8.8/10
Cornerstone Grill & Loft
Cornerstone (Cstone or Stone) is the main bar at UMD, this is the one everyone knows, everyone ends up at, and everyone has a story about. It’s two floors of pure entertainment. Downstairs is your sports bar dream: TVs everywhere, tables for days, and endless beer, and specialty shots that will make you nonverbal. Upstairs? More of a dance floor-meets-bar situation with a DJ and fewer tables, perfect for your late-night antics.
Cstone’s got something for everyone: Greek Tuesdays, Bottomless Mimosas on Saturdays, Sunday Drafts, and the usual Thursday–Saturday madness. Their specialty shots and daily happy hours never disappoint. The food is easily one of the best of any bar in town and includes actual flavor and real ingredients, not just fried grease and cross contamination.
That said, what Bents has that Cstone doesn’t is soul. Bents feels alive; Cstone has more of a casual bar feel. But still, it’s the cornerstone of the College Park bar scene for a reason. They have apple pay and a rewards program so that's sick.
Drinks: 9.2/10
Food: 8.2/10
Vibes: 8.7/10
Layout: 8.3/10
Overall: 8.6/10
The Greene Turtle
The Greene Turtle is for the sports lovers. They have TVs on every wall, a bar in the center, and high energy during game days. It’s not a “get blacked out and pass out on a random patch of grass” kind of bar, it’s more of a “scream at the TV and crush more wings then you can handle with your friends” type vibe.
It’s elite for pregames, Sunday football, or just chilling with a few pitchers. The food slaps, the vibes are strong, and for being one of the newer spots, it’s carved out a serious niche. It’s College Park’s ultimate sports bar, pure and simple.
Drinks: 8.4/10
Food: 8.3/10
Vibes: 7.9/10
Layout: 7.8/10
Overall: 8.1/10
Terrapin’s Turf
Terrapin’s Turf (Turf, if you call it Turfs, you’re a geezer) is chaos in its purest form. The drinks are either battery acid strong or barely alcohol and all juice, no in between. Their food is not that bad but is definitely the worst on the list. The dance floor is shoulder-to-shoulder, but the nights are unforgettable, or completely forgettable, depending on how it goes. Turf is the freshman bar that includes a dance floor and two main bars to get drinks, sometimes the outside patio bar is open depending on numbers. They include many different types of deals throughout the week such as, wine wednesday and karaoke, wing and beer tower deals, power hour, and mimosas on saturday. Their layout is very good and can include a plethora of different vibes. Turf is kind of a night club in a way and this is evident through their crowded dance floor and presence of blacked out college kids.
Turf is that freshman year fever dream, it’s overcrowded, sweaty, loud, but legendary. You have to graduate from turf at one point, but it’ll always hold a nostalgic place in your heart. The reason Turf is this high is not because of how good the bar is, it's this high purely for nostalgia reasons. You don’t really go to Turf after freshman year, but sometimes you end up there anyway, and somehow… It feels right. If you do end up at turf make sure to get the Johnny Special from my boy Johnny.
Drinks: 6.9/10
Food: 7.2/10
Vibes: 8.4/10
Layout: 8.2/10
Overall: 7.7/10
Looney’s Pub
Looney’s is the definition of a solid bar that never quite gets the attention it deserves. The drinks are great, the food’s solid, and the atmosphere is always fun. The only real problem? Location. It’s just far enough from the Cstone-Bents zone that people forget it exists until a bar crawl rolls through.
Still, if you’re watching sports, hitting a crawl, or just need a reliable spot to down a few crush buckets, Looney’s delivers every time. Big central bar, tons of bartenders, good crowd — underrated gem.
Drinks: 8.0/10
Food: 7.4/10
Vibes: 7.2/10
Layout: 8.2/10
Overall: 7.7/10
The Hall CP
The Hall CP toes the line between bar and restaurant, but broooo, does it do it well. The food is great, the drinks hit, and the outdoor area is massive. They throw concerts, host events, and keep the energy up without going full “Turf mode.”
It’s a versatile spot, equally good for a chill dinner or a blackout cocktail session. Never a bad time at The Hall.
Drinks: 8.0/10
Food: 8.2/10
Vibes: 6.6/10
Layout: 8.1/10
Overall: 7.7/10
Ledos
Ledos a pizza place first, but don’t sleep on that little bar tucked inside. It’s perfect for a pre-game, a private event, or just crushing a few beers with your boys before heading out or after heading out.
The pizza’s elite, the drinks are solid, and the vibes are lowkey in the best way. It’s not really a “bar-bar,” which is why it lands last, but don’t get it twisted, Ledo’s has its moments.
Drinks: 7.5/10
Food: 8.0/10
Vibes: 7.1/10
Layout: 6.1/10
Overall: 7.2/10
