Annapolis restaurants Red Red Wine Bar, Dry 85 meet 'pent up demand' in Ocean City

Belly up to the bar: Red Red Wine Bar and Dry 85 are open in Ocean City. 

After seeing success with both restaurant concepts in Annapolis, Brian and Lisa Bolter expanded to the Eastern Shore. While Dry 85 opened its doors in late November, Red Red Wine Bar began serving on Dec. 1. 

Located on 48th Street, the two restaurants stand side-by-side, allowing guests to choose their experience. From the inside, the restaurants only connect through the back kitchen, making Dry 85 and Red Red Wine completely separate to the customer's eye, Brian said. 

On one side, Dry 85 offers guests a taste of craft cocktails, whiskey and craft beer. The vibe is more rock and roll, Brian said, and is a nod at prohibition. The name represents the 85 days Washington D.C. stayed dry following the lift of prohibition of alcohol. 

Meanwhile, Red Red Wine focuses on a wine list that spans the globe in a relaxed, luxurious atmosphere.

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Deciding to open second locations of both restaurants in Ocean City came easily for the Bolters, who have vacationed there for upwards of 15 years. The family has seen the beach town go from a seasonally minded resort to a year-round destination, he said. 

The desire for a more elevated drinking and dining experience was also growing, making Brian and Lisa feel there was an opportunity to offer diners more options. They plan for both restaurants to be open year-round, Brian said.

Some may question the Bolters for opening in the late fall, but the couple feels the offseason will give their employees time to get familiar with the concepts while introducing the town to their businesses. 

“We hope people will seek us out in Salisbury and Rehoboth (Beach), and become more of a regional destination for people," Brian said.   

Brian and Lisa had their eyes on the building for about five years. When the opportunity finally presented itself to put in an offer late last year, the two jumped at the chance to make it theirs. It was also perfect timing, Brian said, as five years ago Red Red Wine was the only restaurant they owned, but with both restaurant concepts, the building was the perfect size. 

“That’s what we decided to do with it is divide the building up into two very distinct separate vibes and separate concepts which we already have operating in Annapolis successfully," he said. 

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At Red Red Wine, Customers can choose from 35 wines by the glass and over 120 by the bottle. Five wine flights are also available for guests who want to expand their palette. 

“It’s a perfect way to get into wine if you aren’t super familiar with it," Brian said. 

Brian's buying philosophy is to find wines that are off the beaten path and hard to find in a liquor store or supermarket. The goal is to introduce wine experts and novices to new wineries or varieties. 

"It’s a way to turn people on to new, interesting varietals or regions and hopefully price points that are easy on the pocketbook,” he said.

If customers try a bottle they like, Brian said another bottle can be purchased at retail to take home. 

Both restaurants are styled similarly to the Annapolis restaurants, but with a nod to the beach in the color palettes, Brian said. Dry 85 uses exposed wood throughout and a large garage door to open up during the summer months. Red Red Wine is painted in rich colors with plush booths, dark wood and a vintage door originally from India.

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For food, the focus is on coastal cuisine, with offerings of hand-tossed pizzas and seafood at Red Red Wine, while Dry 85 offers seafood and an extensive list of burgers and sandwiches.  

Brian said the response to their opening has been great with customers excited about the new addition to Ocean City. At both locations, the Bolters have seen a desire from their customers for the elevated dining experience. 

“I think there a lot of wine drinkers here in Ocean City, so I think there is a pent up demand,” he said.

But, while the couple want their restaurants to be a regional destination, they also want to become a hub for Ocean City locals. 

“We are locals first,” Brian said. 

If you go:  

What: Red Red Wine Bar and Dry 85 

Where: 12 48th St. in Ocean City 

When: Daily from 11 a.m. to until 

Red Red Wine Bar Contact: 443-664-6801, Website 

Dry 85 Contact: 443-664-8989, Website 

On Twitter: @The_MegRyan