By: Danny Jacobs

On Wednesday night, around the time I’m usually thinking about a pre-bedtime snack, I found myself at the mercy of a DJ trying to figure out the right sound levels for his thumping club music.

I was attending the “soft opening” of Bond Street Social, a new restaurant and bar in Fells Point. (Full disclosure: It was an event for friends and family of the new staff, and I was there at the invitation of my best friend, who is working as a waiter.)

Bond Street Social took over the space at Bond and Thames streets formerly occupied by the DuClaw Brewing Co. The interior is very sleek and modern, all hardwood floors, wrought iron and leather-backed chairs. Flat-screen TVs hung behind the two, long bars, where the bartenders appeared to be generous with the alcohol.

Such generosity comes at a price, of course. The cheapest beer is $5, and cocktails start at $9. Bond Street Social is upscale and not afraid to admit it, especially since it won’t admit anyone under the age of 23 after 10 p.m.

Talk about upscale bars in Fells Point (and other parts of Baltimore) and their chances for survival are not new. But I can’t think of a place that is attempting to stake its claim the way Bond Street Social is. They might lose some customers who are just looking for a bottle (or four) of Bud Light and a chance to mingle, but these people probably weren’t going to spend $50 for an 80-ounce “social drink” in the first place.

I can easily see Bond Street Social becoming a go-to happy hour spot for young professionals in Harbor East and hipsters across the city, especially in good weather when people can sit outside. It’ll be interesting to watch how it fares beyond that.

(Incidentally, the DJ figured out the music volume, which to me still seemed a bit loud for a place that doesn’t have a dance floor. And then I went home and had some Teddy Grahams before I went to sleep.)