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I love going to the Ottobar! It's a good place for indie bands to perform. The venue isn't too big, so you can usually see the bands. It never gets too crowded, but they do attract a certain group of people (me included). The bands usually hang out after their gigs, so it's nice to chat/take pics/get an autograph with them if they stay around. The drinks are fairly priced. Not pretentious place.
I know they serve pizzas and have chips available for purchase, but I haven't had them. Also, there is a upstairs area where there are pool tables and sometimes a DJ. Overall, a very cool place. I just wish it wasn't so isolated (kind of a sketchy area to walk alone).
Decent venue for smaller and local acts. My first visit was Monday night to see a friend's band play (subtle plug for Middle Child Syndrome). They opened for Gelatine, Typherus, and Geist (all asian metal/punk bands). Apparently they exist in America. I felt a tad out of place upon first entering. I like metal and hard rock music but I don't really look the part. I showed up in a bright white polo, jeans, and white sneakers. My girl showed up in her typical Taiwan FOB style. Everyone else there wore black, had eyeliner, sported a studded belt, or had chains hanging off their body. You get the picture. Though, I WAS sporting my just-cut-an-hour-beforehand mini mohawk. :-D Everyone was cool with everyone it seems so that was cool.
The drinks weren't too badly priced. The bartender was excellent and was great with suggesting drinks. He even bought shots of Jameson for us. There was an orange Gatorade water jug (the kind you see at high school football games) on the bar and Dixie cups. Free and easily accessible water. I always feel awkward asking for water at a bar for my girl without ordering a drink for myself, so this was great.
Mensroom was a little small but useable. I imagine it gets crowded and nasty when the venue is near capacity. The building was less than half full that night. There is a balcony next to the stage that you can watch the show from, too. Really cool view.
I'd come back for another show again. It was great seeing the other bands in the crowd with us whenever another band was performing on stage.
The Ottobar is my favorite live music venue in the area. Sure it's sort of a dive, but that's part of the fun of any alternative music venue. It has been the choice of some punk and metal staples to perform in Baltimore. All of the people are nice and the bouncers usually don't bother anyone unless something really dangerous is happening. It's a pretty small place so it is easy to see the bands, but if a large pit breaks out, most of the floor gets sucked into it.
I have loved the Ottobar for years and most of my favorite concert memories have taken place there.
decent venue to see regional touring acts.
the beer choices are nothing to get excited about and the cover charge is reasonable.
Watch out when walking around and heading up to the bar - there is a massive 3 foot step UP and if you don't see it then you're gonna land on your face.
It's divey in a divey good kind of wow.
Oh yeah, Beware though - the area around there is pretty scary and it is Impossible to find a cab after a show. The locals told me the cabs don't wanna hit that area of town at night, so make sure you have a ride!
I dread having to go to Baltimore for shows. I HATE Baltimore. It's definitely the worst city I've ever been to (and violent/dangerous as hell).
Anyway, The Ottobar is alright. It's kind of small but MD did just ban smoking inside, which is a big plus. All the kids who smoke at shows annoy the hell out of me. I'd rather not have cigarette smoke with my music.
I guess I'd say the venue is just alright. Nothing special. I'd rather go to shows at the 930 Club in DC.
I've been to Ottobar about a dozen or so times, but it wasn't until I was there on Friday, for my best friend's first solo art show, that I realize how much I love and hate the Ottobar. Confusing, right? Let me start all over.
Ottobar seems like a hole-in-the-wall-dive-bar/local-band-music-venu at first glance (at least, at this yuppie's first glance). A stone brick building, next to a dark and creepy alley, with no visible signage on the outside to let me know that I have indeed arrived at the Ottobar, and that yes, the fire and health departments have both cleared this space for occupancy. The inside isn't much better. Like a typical music venue, there is desperately limited seating and everything is painted black. The stairs to the upstairs "balcony" area is rickety, and the floors are uneven, which always causes me to trip. Ottobar caters to the punk, goth, and hipster crowd (or at least it seems so when I go), and if I have inadvertently mangled your subculture, I apologize - I blame the tragically poor lighting in Ottobar for that.
I hate the Ottobar because it could be so much more. Each time I've been there, the place has been packed - or at least incredibly full. Would it really be that difficult to throw in a couple more benches? Perhaps even out the floor a bit? Mayhaps toss in a couple extra nails onto the stairs to the balcony? Maybe revamp the bathroom a bit - as this is a music venue and bar - let's face it, a large and working bathroom is key to a successful night.
However, despites these failings, I love the Ottobar because of something that nails and benches and paint could never do - the Ottobar attracts some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Please keep in mind that I'm a yuppie. I wear button-down shirts, and cashmere sweaters. My belts don't have studs on them, and I would probably faint if anyone tried to pierce anything on my face...in fact, I fainted when I got my ears pierced! Despite the fact that I am completely out of my element, and I stand out like a sore-thumb, I have met the most amazing people from different walks of life at Ottobar. I've met some fabulous roller girls, a gorgeous pin-up girls. I even once met someone who is a buttoned up professor during the day - but after hours, sports the most amazing mohawk I've ever seen.
Of course, I think that how friendly you find the natives of any establishment, has to do with your own attitude towards new experiences and people. However, as my best friend is a punk-rock goddess, she often exposes me (drags me) to new adventures, and I've been at venues where the people are snobby and completely exclusive and unwilling to deal with you, unless you are of their subculture. Ottobar seems to attract people who are friendly and open to new experiences themselves.
As I am not usually a huge fan of the majority of bands that the Ottobar books - I will admit that my musical tastes are trapped in the 80's - I was very pleasantly surprised by the "upstairs bar" that my best friend had her art show on Friday. Up a narrow staircase behind the bouncer, this room is completely separated from the main room downstairs, and there is much more seating, pool tables, and a much more relaxing and mellow place - sort of like a punk-rock lounge. I don't come to Ottobar as a regular thing, but when I'm in the mood to take a walk on the wild-side, or let my inner Nancy loose, this is where I will head.
I officially realized last night that I'm old.
We headed to Ottobar for a show that was supposed to start at 9 which I felt was kind of late for a Sunday. There were openers so we didn't come until 9:30, but no worries, they were still setting up the opening band. Finally they started at 9:50 and I would never recommend them to anyone. It was just a lot of loud drumming and I nearly caught myself saying, "What is that racket?!" which would have made me even older.
When the hell that was Avacado Happy Hour ended they quickly set up the show I was there to see and it was quite enjoyable! The place is pretty small and there really isn't a "bad area." We were up on the second floor viewing space which is great if you aren't tall and have no claustrophobia issues.
The acoustics were great and I would almost recommend staying on the lower level unless you need a seat (like us old people). We were down there at one point and you could see everything really well which is usually an issue.
The show finished by midnight and I was happy to go back home. I had no inclination to do something else or stay out later. That is when you know you're getting old.
FYI, be careful going up the stairs because there is definitely a large wall that is easy to run into and hit your forehead on. Not that it happened to me or anything... But if it did happen, my head might still hurt today.
I've been here a lot (Used to be called Club Midnight) and these days, I'm a bit confused when I leave, every time. Once I walked in and I was harassed a little by the Budweiser chugging, ex-Frat Boy bouncer ("Just let it go honey. He's just a big dumb ape"). BUT, I go in, and the place has just about every type of alternative lifestyle/human in there (Which is freakin' rad!). And everybody is cool with one another!! But then, I go to the bar and BAM-another ass-hole bartender making life difficult for me (NOT the female roller derby bartender that works the downstairs; she is quick and VERY nice).
I've been there when the skinhead bands are playing and damn, these guys are still looking for a fight, 20 YEARS LATER. Geez man, give it a rest. I get it, you have no hair and you're angry. Alright already, have a Natty and check out the pretty girl with an iron cross tattoo on her chest with me.
The BEST night I ever had there was when the Charm City Roller Girls had their Halloween party (they do it every year now). Holy. Moly. What a freakin' blast!!
I guess I'm confused because sometimes I leave thinking "hey I love everybody here" and other times "hey lets chain the doors and burn the place down". Well, thats life I guess. Life at the Ottobar.
4 stars cause' the cheap beer should be cheaper.
UPDATE: GEEEEEEZZZZ, AGAIN with the too-cool-for-skool bartenders. Rude-ass bastards (except for Tecla; she's nice). I think their all biploar cause' somedays their nice, others, um, not-so-much.
A couple of bouncers have the same attitude but what do you expect? They are bouncers. Not known for their intelligence or social skills. A friend of mine wanted to drag one of these useless lumps of protoplasm outside and pound his empty skull because of some off-color remarks he made while we were PAYING TO GET IN. I whispered in the friend's ear "step back and take a look at what you're dealing with." We did so and damn, just...damn. It was one of those moments where you say "life could be worse; I could be THIS guy."
This is basically a working class bar in the middle of nowhere, relatively speaking. I like it because it tends to not be too crowded, they have a couple of pool tables, they don't blast the jukebox and it's a good place to go for shows and beers. Nice relaxed atmosphere in there, with a good, non-obnoxious crowd.
That said, it really is off by itself, in an area which, at night, is likely to give the casual person a reason to recollect precisely what the murder rate is right now in Baltimore. They don't have a kitchen and in fact there's nothing nearby. They do have a private parking lot, though, which is nice.
Overall I give it 4 stars because it's still one of my favorite Baltimore bars and admittedly their terrible location is part of the appeal, since it keeps away the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of sports fans and frat boys you get in Fell's Point or the Inner Harbor.
I've seen several burlesque performances here and a couple of bands (I'm not a big live music person) and it's a decent venue. I'd certainly check to see if it's an all-ages show or just for grown-ups.
One word of warning: Do NOT put your drinks on a tab. Pay with cash as you go and pay attention to what you're being charged. I went one night and spent $20 cash on drinks and two nights later, exact same drinks, almost $40 on my card. The same has happened to other people...
And FYI, Baltimore has a smoking ban now, so the air isn't an issue anymore.
One night after a show I went around the corner to get my car when a bunch of 13 year olds from the neighborhood threw a 40 bottle and hit me in the head before landing a nice hit to my windshield all because I wouldn't buy them a bottle of bacardi.
Too bad the show I went down to the Ottobar for wasn't worth it.
Still, I've been back plenty of times since. Mainly because the shows usually are worth it. There's no cover to the upstairs bar (with a great jukebox you can use if there's no DJ playing). The drinks are cheap (compared to someplace like the 930 club or the Black Cat in DC). And, basically, because it's one of the best places in Baltimore to see a show.
The O-bar is a very nice little music joint. I've been going here for a few years, the door staff is always friendly, the parking is always decent, the crowds are pretty cool, the bands are good, the sound is good, and unlike a LOT of other music clubs it has got ample places to sit down both close to the stage and out of the crowd. The bar area at the back of the club pretty much empties out during shows, providing a nice little uncrowded oasis where you can hear and often see the bands playing without having to go down onto the crowded floor. I have seen some very awesome shows from the balcony overlooking the stage, where you can end up literally five feet from your favorite performer's guitar that's smokin' down below. This is a better layout than the vast majority of the local clubs of similar size I've been in over the years.
Yeah the bathroom isn't too fancy but it's by far not the worst rock show bathroom I've ever been in, although it would be good if somebody made sure there was soap and paper towels in there prior to big show nights.
The upstairs bar is a cool and comfy place to hang out prior to shows, especially since the shows often seem to start a little later than advertised. The downstairs bar is OK, but down there you run a higher risk of getting ignored while the bartenders chat with their friends.
My biggest beef with this place is there aren't really any good transportation options other than a car to get in and out. Would be nice if there was a more reliable taxi or bus serving the area. Other than that I hope the O-bar sticks around for a good long time.
When the original Ottobar was located on Davis Street, downtown, my band played there all the time but I was only 19-20 so I couldn't really go there to drink and hang out otherwise.... I think I would have had alot of fun.
I love the new venue. I've seen countless bands downstairs - usually within a year of them breaking big and outgrowing the venue, so I've been lucky. I think credit also goes to the staff for booking bands like The White Stripes or Coheed And Cambria just before they got huge. WIth that said, the club is not afraid to do locals shows - in fact they get ALOT of credit for helping local bands. It's not uncommon to see a post from The Ottobar on myspace saying "We need local bands to open for the following touring acts...." - how cool is that?
The upstairs lounge is my favorite thing about The Ottobar. I love that it's 21 and over. I love that the pool tables rarely have more than a 15 minute wait. I absolutely love the music on the jukebox - it's on of the city's best. I love how, reguardless of the night, I always bump into someone I know!
The Ottobar is a beer and liquor kinda place. You're not supposed to order fancy drinks here and they are not supposed to know how to make them. Just make everyone's life easy and grab a Yingling or Jack n' Coke!
I think the upstairs lounge is a great place to take a date just to hang out, talk and have a few drinks before grabbing a late night snack at the Papermoon.
It is what it is. This place is a Baltimore institution. If you search Baltimore photos on flickr, I've noted Ottobar is the most popular tag.
In all honesty, the Ottobar is just not my scene. It's pretty filthy (the bathrooms especially), and I've found the bartenders aren't the most friendly. I do enjoy myself if a friend is in a band, and they are having a show. The annual Michael Jackson vs. Madonna vs. Prince party is not to be missed, and Halloween at the Ottobar isn't comparable to any other scene in Baltimore. There are other special events that include women wrestling in jello and the like. Those types of spectacles are 100% great entertainment, but I wouldn't recommend swinging by the Ottobar on a random night looking for a good time.
I suggest checking it out at least once. It is on the list of requirements for a true Balti-moron initiation, after all.
Books strictly indie bands, which I'm okay with. Great place to see music.
It's known as the place where the hipsters hang out, but the real reason you'll find the Ottobar so appealing is simple: nobody cares who you are. Everyone is welcome. The drinks are a good deal and it's one of the best places to see up and coming bands as well as bigger acts. It's the place you'll be saying (in the future), "I remember seeing (fill in the blanks) before they were selling out stadiums!"
That said, don't expect anything fancy here. The Ottobar will never be confused with some of the dressier clubs around town and that's the way we like it! Its no-frills fun where you can go to see local rock stars play pool upstairs on 2-4-1 Tuesdays while listening to great British Pop and Garage Rock from local DJs.
The Ottobar is what real rock 'n roll is about and if that's what you're looking for, you've come to right place.
This is my favorite venue in the DC-Baltimore area. Its a small-ish joint, so the shows are nice and intimate, but they get big acts, and it never feels crowded (at least when compared to other venues similarly sized). The venue's layout is the real winner though. They have a nicely elevated stage, which makes for great viewing anywhere in the space, and the floor in front of the stage gets elevated towards the rear of the club, which means its hard to have a "bad spot." There is also a small balcony type platform, and stage-side viewable spots. I highly recommend seeing your favorite band here, even before the beloved blackcat or any other DC venue.
Upstairs they have a swanky little lounge with a jukebox that is cool for experiencing that Charm City style in its fullest effect.
I've been going to the Ottobar for years, and one thing I can say for sure is that it's consistent. I've seen bands from all over the spectrum there, stood in the front, the back, sat on the balcony, taken pictures in the photobooth, gotten my glasses smashed on multiple occasions, sung my heart out, and choked on cigarette smoke. Although its policies have angered me at times, it's mostly a pretty awesome space that's stayed viable both as a business and as a community center (not as in a public space, but a place for the 'punk' community to center around, for better or worse). And now, Reptilian Records is next door too, which is pretty sweet.
I've never had trouble with parking or with the neighborhood, but be smart when you're walking around there late (or anytime) anyhow. Common sense.
Two-for-Tuesdays upstairs is pretty cool pricewise, but don't get your hopes up about who you're gonna meet there. Bring your own friends.
A good place to see live, local music. There's a ton of hipsters here; If that's your scene, you'll probably rate it five stars. A beer and shots kind of place; I'm sure you could order a mixed drink, but you might get strange looks trying to carry around a cosmo or putting back 'woo-woo' shots. No food in the place. A private lot makes parking easy, but my girlfriend was intimidated by the lack of lighting, so be aware that it looks a bit shady. Still, the neighborhood isn't bad.
Best local venue for music, primarily for being small and not full of itself. Its not fancy, its not clean, and it definitely isn't "DC trendy." But they manage to book an incredibly varried, yet good, set of acts, that in any week there is something for anyone, from nerd rap to heavy metal.
This bar has an attitude problem.
Many performers are skipping DC and Philly to play here. THat should tell you a lot about the place. IT's one of the better music venues in the area as far as booking "the shows you want to see". It's a tiny bit on the underfground side, but they book everything from Hip hop to Brutal Death metal to Acoustic folk rock to circus side shows. THe covers are reasonable. the drinks are a little pricier than they should be but it's still on the "cheap side". Bartenders are hit or miss, some are excellent, some just plain stink. THe staff overall is really freindly. THe upstairs bar is pretty fun. Two good pool tables, a hipster jukebox and DJ booth on select nights. SOme of the busier nights are a turn off, but It's worth it to go see all the young scenesters parade around in silly outfits like a bad 80's highschool movie.
Cool live music venue that seemed to skew harder rock when I was there (good for me). Unpretentious, decent sound, don't recall much about the beer selection. I didn't notice any hipsterism.
Gets good bands, and it is small enough that there really isn't a bad "seat". It is however the smokiest palce I think I have ever been to.
We saw Okkervil River here sometime last winter and I really enjoyed it. Someone else's review states that it is extremely smokey, but I don't really remember being all that bothered by it, at least not downstairs, and I tend to be fairly sensitive. This place definitely qualifies as a great rock venue.
The Ottobar is my favorite place in Baltimore to see live music. Not too big, not too small, short or tall you can see from anywhere in the venue. A great place to see all the happening acts before they get "too big". Ottobar also brings some great bands into town that may otherwise just pass us by. Centrally located on Howard St, I am always happy to see a band is listed to play Ottobar and not one the "bigger" venues downtown, where parking is harder and admission is usually much higher. I hope Ottobar stays around for a long time.
i haven't been to baltimore in a few years, but ottobar was where i hung out if and when i went to bmore. this place is good on lotsa levels - shows, dance nights, and just getting a drink/catching up with friends. i've always had a good time here, the crowd is a good mix of subculture vultures and/or college kids.
Baltimore, MD
Category: Nightlife
Baltimore, MD
Category: Dive Bars
Baltimore, MD
Category: Music & DVD's
Baltimore, MD
Category: Pubs
Baltimore, MD
Category: Bars
I've probably been to every club featuring live…
Been around the track a bit both attending and…
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