By Paige Trendell

There are four popular bars along or around Route 1 in College Park: Looney’s Pub, Cornerstone Grill & Loft, Terrapin’s Turf and RJ Bentley’s.

Like most college towns, bar culture and nightlife are staples in College Park. Students enjoy happy hours during the week and line up outside — sometimes for hours — on weekends to dance, drink and enjoy the night. 

Many University of Maryland students have strong opinions about which bars they frequent, including Megha Chander, a junior enrolled in letters and sciences, whose favorite bar is Looney’s Pub. 

“I just feel like it has the best vibe, and every time our friends and I go, we always have a good time,” she said. 

The most recent time Chander went to Looney’s Pub was on a “Looney Tuesday,” when there are discounts on drinks and no cover charge for UMD students. Chander and her friends also enjoy dancing when they go out to a bar. 

“I think Looney’s has the best music for a bar on campus, and we’re usually there until like one, two in the morning,” she said. 

Senior family health major Lucy Hunt said she enjoys going to Looney’s Pub during the springtime.

“My friends and I usually go for happy hour, or we’ll go watch baseball, or go to the events they have, like karaoke,” she said. 

On the other hand, students like senior information science major Zach Schindel disagree. He said that Looney’s Pub is his least favorite bar in the area.

“[Looney’s Pub] is just like the worst bar in College Park,” he said.  

Schindel explained that he visited Looney’s Pub once and has not gone back since, preferring Cornerstone Grill & Loft instead.

“Usually, the drinks are a lot cheaper than they are at other bars in College Park,” Schindel said.   

Hunt also said the downstairs area of Cornerstone Grill & Loft is one of her favorite places to go. 

“We go there for events sometimes, but I feel like we usually go when there are drink deals,” she said, adding that she and her friends like sitting outside and listening to the bar’s music. 

Hunt said she recently went to Terrapin’s Turf for its “Wine Wednesday” event, which offered half-priced wine. 

Terrapin’s Turf offers daily specials, including bottomless brunch on the weekends and discounted burgers on Wednesdays. 

Hunt does not go to Terrapin Turf often, though.

“There are a lot of freshmen, and I feel like the only time we really come is if there’s an event, or if we come [during] the middle of the week,” Hunt said. 

She and her friends have also been going recently to RJ Bentley’s for its Tuesday trivia events. 

“We only go because there are a lot of upperclassmen that go, not because of the bar’s quality or price point,” she said. 

Junior economics and information science double-major Dagmawi Addis said RJ Bentley’s is currently his favorite bar. 

“I feel like Bents has been getting way better,” he said.

Addis enjoys the weekly events at Bentley’s, such as trivia night, half-off burgers on Wednesdays and Friday happy hour. He said these weekly events encourage him to go to the bar more often. 

RJ Bentley’s opened in December 1978, making it the oldest bar in College Park, according to general manager Evan Behrendt. He also noted that the bar has established a strong relationship with the University of Maryland’s athletics. 

“We have a bunch of athletes that have their jerseys up on the wall,” he said. 

Besides some new jerseys and televisions, Behrendt said the bar’s interior has remained largely unchanged since its opening. 

“I like to say that we’re the one constant in College Park with the buildup of everything that’s going around,” he said. 

Featured Image: Terrapin’s Turf on the evening of April 23, 2026, during a “Wine Wednesday” event. Photo by Paige Trendell.