The Ottobar

2549 N. Howard St., 410/662-0069,
www.theottobar.com [1]

HOURS: Doors open approximately 1 hour before showtime; upstairs bar opens at 5 p.m.

COST: Cover varies

It takes a special venue to host both underground rap and metal bands as well as ’80s nights and more mainstream rock bands, but it all makes a strange sort of sense at the Ottobar. Upstairs is a great bar that’s open before and during shows, with lots of pool tables and a phenomenal jukebox; downstairs is a (relatively) huge stage (for a Baltimore [2] rock club), a big main floor, and a side balcony with tables and chairs.