Ottobar

Came here from Jersey for the Indigo De Souza concert and it was amazing!! The venue was small and intimate and everyone who works here is so sweet! Our bartender Grant was very efficient and kind! Made the best drinks all night! Also shoutout to Randy (stage name “Candy”) for also having such great energy! Overall, the entire experience was memorable, comfortable, and easy-going. Highly recommend for a chill and exciting night out! The music in the bar/club upstairs was fire and the vibe was perfect! Whether you are in town or from out-of-town definitely check this place out!!!

My husband purchased tickets for a concert at this venue. I am 5 months pregnant and I was sad that I probably wouldn’t be able to go, because I wouldn’t have a place to sit. I reached out to Otto Bar to see if they could accommodate me with a seat so I could go and enjoy the show. They so graciously told me they’d be more than happy to accommodate me with a table and chairs not only for me but for my husband, too!! It literally was the best seat in the house and we enjoyed ourselves!!! Thank you so much Ottobar!!! We will be back!

One of my favorite show venues in Baltimore! It has that proper divey feel that makes every show feel way more intimate. The drink prices aren't absurd as well

I’ve been attending events at the Ottobar for over 15 years at this point. I am pretty sure it’s the first venue I attended in Baltimore. The staff is always friendly and the venue draws a good crowd of people. There is a handicap accessible section, but it is not very large. There is a good amount of seating along the venue. Highly recommend attending an emo night or something to see what the venue is about

My wife and I went with two other people to see Dustin Kensrue. The service of the staff was above and beyond. My wife is pregnant, I spoke with management about having seats reserved for a party of four, and they hooked us up with a table and four chairs on the mezzanine. Everyone was so polite and accommodating for my wife and our party. The staff even let us take flyers off the wall from the show we were attending so we could get autographs from Dustin. Thank you so much for the amazing experience! I live in VA, but I would definitely come by for another show if a band that we like is playing at The Ottobar.

Pretty small inside. The stairs and risers were super steep with nothing to hold on to. Not handicap friendly. Bar was full service and bartenders were nice!

The bartenders are incredible and provide good service, however security is very rude and does not know how to speak to customers. I understand that the bar closes at 2 am but there is no reason for security to yell in my face when I asked them if it was cool for me to wait for friends and what time they closed. It was only 1:40 a.m. and the security (light skinned man) yelled and was very disrespectful to everyone in the establishment. It left a bad taste in my mouth and I honestly wouldn’t go back, if this how their staff speaks to people.

Great place to see indie rock, punk rock, and intimate shows with national touring musical acts. 350 capacity. Efficient bar. Great sound system. Staff will keep you safe. It's all about the live music here. No frills. No frills needed... really.

Can never not give the Ottobar five stars! This is certainly my favorite venue in Baltimore and at times feels like home! I come here pretty frequently for really fun events. Sometimes they're even free and the staff always does a great job. Shows here are also excellent as the sound is great and the acts are very diverse. The bar tenders make great drinks and the prices are fair.

What a great venue! The only place you can get up close and personal with your favorite rising artists. When you walk in the door, security checks your ID and gives you an event bracelet. The stage is five steps away from the entry. General admission has access to the first floor, along the entryway wall, there are risers to stand on if you want some space from the crowd. Some spots have a clear view of the stage but others are obstructed by a support beam (see video). After you claim your spot I suggest sending one friend to pick up drinks at the bar. The bar area is huge, and they'll make just about anything for you. I love how you can still watch the show from the bar area so you won't miss anything. NOTE: No food is served inside the venue. No outside food or beverages are allowed inside the venue. Overall: Small venue. Professional sound system. Affordable tickets. Huge bar area. (no seating in the bar area) Friendly staff. Rising artists. Local spot. Hipster and edgy vibes. There's a disco ball.

Introduced to the Ottobar, as they hosted a specific artist we wanted to see, offering cheap ticket prices (&average service fees). We had an easy time finding street parking right near the venue, a quick short walk. If you're able to get there early, you can choose between a variety of viewing options, including: scattered tables on top of the balcony, couches along the edges of the main first floor, standing room around the stage, or high top tables by the bar. The line for the bar was long, (one sign said there was a second bar but we couldn't find it)-we tried to peek up at the main bar to see a taplist, cocktail list, price list- anything really..but signage wasn't great- so we didn't bother waiting to get up front to try to ask & be disappointed. The sound quality was ok, occasionally the mics would go in and out- not sure if this is a venue issue or artists bring their own equipment issue- otherwise fun show- nice to be close to the band to see/hear. I would go again to specifically see someone I wanted to see- the overall ambiance was a nice Baltimore hidden dive bar feeling.

Wonderful intimate setting to see some great local bands and renowned touring artists. Plus a decent bar and pool table

Best venue/bar in Baltimore, easy! Staff is always cool, nothin breakin' the bank, v interesting dj nights and bands playing. Home of the punk rock flea which is the best one. I luv you, Ottobar.

The original Ottobar opened in downtown Baltimore 1997 and this location has been around since 2001. Ottobar is an old school dive bar with music that includes the punk, alternative, metal, and hardcore acts one would expect. The bathrooms are dirty, the beer is cheap, but it's a great place to see a show. The staff are good people

my daughter sang and played with her band back 5 years ago. I was impressed with the set up and prices! happy memories were made!!

The band was fantastic but the security guard was overly drunk and looking for a power high, he decided to kick me out because a random lady gave these 2 girls i was with alcohol but i never had any and he knew i didn't but i can tell he has a confidence problem, would not go to this venue again!! also would recommend a change in your head security

My sons band, Kratom Leeks, had their Ottobar Debut the other night with support from three other bands: The Last Origin, Commercial Flights and Crisco Dreams. All units performed originals reminding me of Talking Heads, early XTC, Exile era Stones and Elvis. Costello, that is. Ottobar is one of the best music dives or showcases in the country. I think so and Rolling Stone agrees with me. So, why not go and check it out? I'm almost 62 and had a blast.

No trip to Baltimore is complete without a visit to John Waters' staple bar, Ottobar! It was our last stop on our 24 hour excursion from New York. Waters' consistently mentions this spot in his books and interviews. The bar didn't open until 9. When we arrived at 9:15 there was already a line. When my friend looked up the events there was "Dog Fashion Disco" on one floor and New Wave dance party with DJ Fun Billy on the second. Sold! On the New Wave dance party. And don't be fooled on the former. There is no dogs in cool platforms and John Travolta Saturday Night Fever outfits. This was more a sad realization when I heard this insanely loud rock music for $25. We made our way up. My friend ordered a High Life for $6. Damn! Are we in NY? I was in luck because the Annabel Lee White beer was $6. A nice crafty pint was going to suit me just fine. But it was only a matter of time before I went local and got the "Bo" National Bohemian Beer, a tall boy for $4. You learn quickly while in Baltimore that this is the beverage of choice. At the corner of my eye I noticed an Elaine Benes character cutting a rug on the dance floor. Took me a minute to figure out that I knew the Elaine! My friend fearlessly took the dance floor and we all joined in. DJ Fun Billy killed it on the tunes with Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys. If I remember correctly we offered him a spot in the car back to NY! Ha! The art on the walls was unique, playful and painted in bright colors with minimal to no shading. One piece was even purposely hung at an angle. When I asked the bartender about the artist she mentioned it was the Ottobar owner Michael Bowen. Ha! He's a busy guy running a bar and making art. The bar itself felt like you were in a small town. No real hipsters to be seen even as it got later. It was unpretentious and relaxing. There were people playing pool and some sitting around and people watching. We only got one couple to join the dance floor. They did not leave much room for the Holy Spirit. And nobody judged our NY presence which made me feel welcomed. A prime dive spot to end the night and shake your tail feather. Made me miss the kinda town where you know where to find your friends and where the options are obvious. The following day I went to see one of my favorite bands play in NY , Negative Approach from Detroit. As they were setting up I noticed the guitarist Ron was wearing an Ottobar shirt. I mentioned I had been there the night before and he gave me an enthusiastic fist bump. See you again soon Ottobar!

One of the worst places. - dirty bathrooms - rude people

I've been to this place dozens of times. All of the sudden a bald bouncer accuses me of having a fake and confiscates my ID. I was looking forward to being a patron of this establishment bug after being told to "Get the fuck out of my face" for trying to prove my ID was real with other forms of ID I really would rather not come here. Apparently letting two drunk idiots check ID's is security when neither of them have any clue about what constitutes a fake. Will be coming by once more with several forms of ID, who knows if these incompetent man children will be able to deduce that I am in fact 21+.

Friday night, I went to Ottobar to for the PLRLS release party show. The opening acts that night were The Flying Faders, Manners Manners, and the Lushpockets.All that music for just $8. Can't beat that. Like other venues, when you walk through the door, you need to show your ID and then fork over your money. The guy at the door stamped our hands and told us to have a good time. The stage is right by the door, so when you walk in you see the crowd looking up at the stage. To the left of the pit area, you'll see steps lining the wall where people can sit. Straight ahead, you'll see a second area that is elevated, where the bar and bathroom are. The merch table is set up here as well, and there are some tables where you can sit. It's brightly lit, or lit more than the pit area that is all blue lighting. Above, there is a balcony area where you can get a good view of the stage if you sit on the bench-like seats at close to the railing or a table right at the stairs. There's a couch and other tables up there, but you can't really see the stage from there. We primarily saw the show up here. We had the table for a while, which was comfortable. Later, we got seats at the benches by the railing and that was less comfortable. But still a great view. The sound is really good in the Ottobar. That's really the number one thing to look out for at a venue for a show. The venue is smaller, so it lends towards more intimate performances where you can really get up close to the performers. It's also easy to get to by car and there's a small, free parking lot in the back. I would definitely come back here again.

Were you raised on WHFS back in the day? Do you love NRBQ? Then you were at the Ottobar last night which was awash with 50-somethings dancing like white people, because, of course, they are white people, self included. There is ample parking on the street and my car was still intact when I returned. Two of us came here last night to re-live the 80's and hear NRBQ, the hot pop band that brought you, "Wild Weekend", "Drivin' in My Car", and "Get Rhythm." The drummer was the hot member of this band even though he appeared to be a teen. The 3-part harmony of NRBQ is special, unique, and catchy. We spent part of the time in the super sketchy elevated part where you can feel the bass through the bottoms of your feet. It's a peach view though, you can see everyone on stage from this vantage point. Not a great place to hear vocals. Don't ask to see the structural load limit before you climb the steps... Then we retreated to the bar. There is a $10 minimum for all credit cards. They have Guinness pub draft. I did enjoy looking at all the posters on the wall. The bathrooms are suitably dive bar but the graffiti was lack luster. Bring white Sharpies for best effect. I enjoyed my visit to the Ottobar even though this is clearly a younger person's let's-stand-up-the-whole-time venue. I was very pleased to pay $20 to hear a favorite band from my musical formative years here. Will I be back? For the music, but not for the venue.

This place was nice as first. We went to the JoBros vs 1D. We used the bathroom, and they were being so used to us for even safe. We were trying to be safe by being in there together like we usually do at bars, but this place does not surprised us by not allowing us to be together.

Sooo, never thought I'd be writing this review but I went to the Ottobar for their goth night several months ago (November 17th) with a friend. It was my very first time there and my first time at this event I was really looking forward to. The DJ was had a great set list and was playing video visuals to accompany it. This was great until, I LOOK UP AND SAW NOTZEE SOFT CORE P0rn PLAYING ON THE SCREEN. It was nude women and some people in notzee regalia including the red arm bands and swastikas. I pointed it out to my friend and she was appalled (both of us are not white). I went to the bartender to let her know what was happening, they were just as jarred by this and immediately went to the DJ to ask them what was happening. The DJs pathetic excuse was it just a video preview (the visuals showing were all movie previews???) idk what the everloving hell that has to do with anything, but that was his sad excuse for playing this. And this video went on a for a bit and somehow either didn't catch his own attention TO HIS OWN VISUALS HE SELECTED or he just thinks it's normal . The bartender was super helpful and apologetic about this and thought it was absolutely in appropriate. But yeah I'm grossed out and have been incredibly hesitant to go back. The DJ had no acceptable excuse for me, ITS YOUR VISUALS AND IT WAS PREVIEWS AND YOU DIDNT PREVIEW IT? I'll give Ottobar Upstairs another chance if they actually handled this internally.

Ottobar is a fantastic way to spend a Friday night or really any day of the week. I got introduced to this small club when Empress Of performed here. In addition to concerts, this venue hosts dance parties, such as Michael Jackson and Prince nights. On the first floor, there is a big stage and a bar in the back, and on the second floor, there is a standard bar with scattered tables, couches, and pool tables. Basically, if you can get past your fear of dancing in front of people, Ottobar will show you a good time.

Back in the day, I used to live in Mt. Vernon. This was a time when the Marble Bar, Girards, and yes Bath Houses still were about. Not much left of those 80's establishments - or ones that had that same gritty punk feel, but this one comes close. I recently went to the Ottobar to see, The Slickee Boys play (natch) and it all came back to me. Great venue! I'd post pictures, but I'm a former punk rocker who is now a school librarian. Use your imagination. You're welcome. Srsly, the Ottobar is the jam. Not be confused with the neo punk beat group The Jam or Ranking Roger....but that's for a whole another review. PS. Don't forget to park safely and under a street lamp. Safety first. PPS. I found some pics that were safe to post. Again, you're welcome. [winky face emoji] Hey Yelp, can we get embeddable emojis here? Just sayin. ;-) Ahh old school. Next thing I'll be talking about 14.4K modems, Mudds, Gopher, Angelfire, and Compuserve. #Geek.

We came here to see San Fermin. We last saw San Fermin at the Bowery Ballroom, and while you can draw parallels to the two venues, we liked the smaller size of this one. Bowery had better sound and lights, as it's a larger venue. At Ottobar, we got there early enough to snag a seat on the balcony. It was really neat seeing San Fermin perform up close. This place reminded me of Court Tavern in New Brunswick. It had that grimey but welcoming feel, everything is covered in stickers (even the toilet seats), and it feels like everyone is there to just listen to good music and have a good time. The band simplified the show, no crazy lights, and you felt right on top of the band. We enjoyed sitting upstairs in the balcony and that was awesome. Good beer selection for $5-$6 for drafts and friendly bartenders. Not much else to say!

I wanted to update my review, since my first one wasn't very helpful. I gotta say, Ottobar rocks, and is currently my favourite venue. It's a divey, no frills establishment with a very punk-rock vibe, and that is all it needs to be. I've seen bigger bands play here, as well as local bands. I always have a great time, and the music always sounds good. Since it's a smaller venue, artists' interaction with the audience is phenomenal. It's definitely a more intimate experience, with the performers as well as your fellow show-goers. The staff are always nice, the drinks are always fairly priced, and I always have a good time. I have no complaints!

I saw on Eventbrite that they have free comedy shows. It's on the second floor, up a set of stairs. It was packed when we arrived. My expectations weren't high because it was free but the comedians were so funny. The prices for the beers were really good. After the show there was live music and a pool table. My friends and I danced all night long because the music was so good. Later that night there was a drag show downstairs, you have to pay $20 to get in. I got in for free towards the end of the drag-show because it was almost over. I got to see the last skits and the girls were amazing. One of the best nights I have had in Baltimore.

The staff at the Ottobar were extremely polite and accommodating. The environment felt very welcoming with both standing room in front of the stage and seating against the wall. I would definitely recommend seeing your favorite artist when they are playing at the Ottobar!

First time, won't be the last time. Attended the Be Well, Tim Barry and Hot Water Music show. Friendly staff and a great sound system. Upstairs bar has a couple pool tables too.

A bare bones concert venue. Nothing fancy but serviceable. The sound is pretty good for most concerts. The place isn't totally filthy and they have drink specials. It's is about what you would expect.

Terrible bouncer. If that's what you can call him. Told us they were only going to be able to take one more person when there was just two of us. He was at the top of the stairs and we were at the entrance, about 10 feet away from him and told us we had to wait outside.... we are out celebrating and we're going to spend a lot of money considering it was my friends birthday. But his unprofessionalism and rude conduct definitely made us have second thoughts about even coming or recommending this bar to other people. I am highly disappointed with this bars customer service and I will make sure that other customers do not come to this joke of a bar.

A great place to go dancing in Baltimore. We went there with friends for a take me out night in the middle of February and enjoyed ourselves quite a lot. The space in the back, near the bar definitely makes it less crowded and makes it easier to access and the main dancing space is quite large, as well as the dancing space on the scene.

do NOT go to their comedy night!!! Honestly... after the comedy show on 11/19/2019 i wouldnt even go to ottobar again.... It was gringy in the worst kind of way.... specifically about the comedy night, it should be canceled effective immediately.. I think the comics misunderstood a therapy session for their comical bits - but you guys need some mental health therapy. Literally, one comic's bit was to get the crowd to laugh at dead dad jokes about his father who committed suicide... And most of the 'comics' lost track of their "set" because they were so awful... if you were one of the comics reading this, then quit. You are, undeniably, not fit for the career.

There are very few proper live music venues still around in the Baltimore/DC area, at least those with long standing credibility, edginess, proper talent scouts, normal priced booze, elevated stages, and palpable grit. Ottobar brings all of these, plus normal cool bartenders and staff who care about music and not just tips. This place is a gem and hats off to them for not selling out to shitty bands, escalating drink prices, and catering to the masses. Keep grinding. And bring back those old school logo shirts.

South Carolina ID Carriers BEWARE! I just tried to go to Ottobar and as it was my turn to have my ID checked the bouncer proceeded to BEND my ID and PEEL IT. When I saw this, I of course started to speak up. He then accused my VERY REAL SC ID of being VERY FAKE and condescendingly asked "If I had a REAL form of identification". We began in a series of back and forth. I had to PRY my ID out of his hands as he appeared to continue defacing it. I had no other choice but to leave, but something within me would not let this die. No. I returned in 18 minutes. In that time I went to my apartment. Found my passport. And RETURNED TO OTTOBAR prepared to fight a man 2x my size with my words that'll be atleast 4x as sharp (on an off day). I arrived and the conversation progressed well. He heard my story, but didn't really listen. He spoke, but didn't really say anything, instead he spouted the laws and regulations he has to follow. I get that. I really do; and God bless you, Peely bouncer man, for doing your job. South Carolina ID Holders in Baltimore you've been warned. Apparently, the most recent IDs don't do this weird peeling thing, but if you haven't replaced yours since atleast 2017 your ID will potentially end up in worse shape than mine, and your feelings will be hurt. @Peely bouncer man, if you're reading this, I know I returned (impressively within 20 minutes) showed you my passport, and defended myself, but remember this night and ponder why it may have been so important to me that you know I am no liar. As a black woman with a foreign name and culture I fervently hope that my background did not factor into how you regarded my ID. This is a thought that runs through my head whenever I am faced with altercation, because there is that chance that it very much IS because of my race. I am by no means calling anyone racist or prejudiced. It definitely sounds like I'm simply playing the race card, but it unfortunately is a card that exists, and a detail I have to consider, just as you had to consider yours. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE share this with your staff and coworkers and whoever maybe checking IDs at this establishment. PLEASE do not start PEELING SC IDs. PLEASE. You don't have to let them in, just don't deface their potentially only form of identification. Just the SC ones. Just give it back. The way it was.

I really like Ottobar. It's one of Bmore's mainstays for music and entertainment. Lots of different events going all the time to appeal to a range of people. On 4th Saturdays, Smooth House Vibes is in effect. Pretty good djs mix it up for all of the house heads. Two-for-Tuesdays offers twice as much on your drink(s) of choice. And the entertainment venue offers an interesting variety of music. I once saw Prefuse 73 here, and the show was pretty fantastic. All in all, this venue is. A great spot. Truly a Baltimore treasure.

The atmosphere and people there were amazing. Maybe I just had a bad bartender but every time I went to get another drink he was a complete ass. Refused to give me anatomized receipt after I told him my tab seemed too high for what I'd bought. ($107 for 7 beers???) Otherwise I went for emo-nite and had a blast dancing.

Ottobar has a lot of really cool shows and I go to Emo Nite pretty much every month. The downstairs venue is fairly spacious and has a really cool bar and balcony section that's nice if you want to take a break from the pit. The upstairs bar has a really cool vibe and is a fun place to hang out on weeknights and weekends! They often have karaoke and great drink specials, and on the weekends a DJ with plenty of dancing. Definitely a good spot to hang out.

A dumpy dive of a club, and I love it. Great for an Indy, punk, dj, or local music show. Great beers on draft too

swag so swag, like fr swag 100 million, lil b based god approved fr. moshed so hard that i stage dove and landed on my back and nearly passed out, also bruised my spine. epic venue, epic place, cool.

This place has been on the scene for at least a decade, that's saying something. It is a dive music venue that has a bar, not a dive bar with music. That is a big difference in focus that is key to enjoying your experience at the ottobar. I guess having the word bar in the name is confusing. the booking is on point for the space. They book bands that you want to brag about having seen in such an intimate venue. Minus a star cause weird location and I never know where to park without getting towed but I understand a place like this can't exist in a high rent area or have valet parking.

Went for fund raising event upstairs. The drinks were reasonable and tasty. You can bring your own food! And the DJ was rockin' it! Would definitely consider having an event here! Great vibe!! It held at least 50 to 100 people.

Great place for live music but if you're there for the upstairs bar it's not much. Pool tables are ok and there is a dance floor but the bar was severely lacking in liquor options and the music selection was hit or miss. The bar tender was really nice though so no complaints there. Overall there are better bars in the area, this one was pretty lackluster.

My first visit to this dive bar/music venue was to see Bad Suns and I can see why people have a love/hate relationship with it. It all comes down to personal preference, which for me favors smaller, intimate spots like this for live music versus the huge outdoor amphitheaters or indoor arenas around the BAL/DC area. So yeah, it's not big and standing room only, but they do have a bar in the back with beer and wine selections. Just be prepared to wait in line outside for awhile prior to your show since it takes awhile to get through the ticket scan and mandatory ID check/hand stamp procedures.

The Ottobar is to Baltimore what Rock & Roll Hotel is to DC. They are great venues to see small indie rock bands. Both hold about 400 people. I just saw Delta Spirit here and they put on a good show. Also, I was pleasantly surprised that the unknown opening act (The Fling) was good too. The mix isn't always that great and the sound for the opening acts sucks. I had to get ear plugs because of the high pitch. Too much treble and I couldn't hear the vocals very well. They need to put some sound dampers on the ceiling. Four concrete walls make for bad acoustics. But, Delta Spirit sounded pretty good and put on a great show. Although, this really is the definition of a sweat-box, it has good national indie acts come through and it's worth coming here to see them. The Rock & Roll Hotel is way better than here, but not all acts come through DC so I'll probably be back. Advice: Strangely, the drinks upstairs (which has a jukebox & pool tables and doesn't open until 9pm) are cheaper than the bar downstairs. $3 beers vs. $5

Baltimore's best rock bar. An institution in this city. See national or up-and-coming bands downstairs, enjoy drinks and pool and dancing upstairs. Never a dull time.

THIS IS MY GO TO SPOT! OH MY GAWD I LOVE OTTOBAR I've been going to ottobar consistently for a while now and I've seen a ton of great shows concerts, burlesque, comedy, karaoke hip-hop you name it this is by far my favorite bar venue in Baltimore. They have a pool table upstairs as well and area to leave your business cards/flyers

We bought tickets to see Bosley and a couple other bands on New Year's Eve. They were $20 ahead, $25 at the door, so I bought then ahead. But, there was an $11 "convenience charge", which made then more expensive than if we bought them at the door. Okay, not the end of the world, it made sure we made it in, right? The web site stated the show started at 9:00, we wouldn't get there till 10:00. Well, the show hadn't started by 10:00, there was a lame dj, and we found out the show didn't really start until midnight. WTF? The place was populated by about a dozen idiots who were so immersed in their phones that no one spoke, no one even looked up or responded to any external stimulus. We were so bored and disappointed that we left. Really, Boz? Is the Ottobar the best you could do? You need a better venue next year, like when you played at the MTB.

Went on a Wednesday for karaoke and it was LIT!! We had so much fun and everybody participated in helping others sing. The bartender is a really nice lady and makes good drinks. This hangover is something else lol but its worth the fun we had

I've never been downstairs but upstairs is always pretty cool. Decently priced drinks, especially with the occasional Groupon. The jury is still out on if the pool table is free or not. Sometimes we step up and play, sometimes we are shut down in the middle of the game. But by that time, we are drinking so we've never cared. Bathrooms are clean at the beginning of the night and progressively get worse lol. Ehh, what can ya do? Now, my simultaneously most and least favorite thing about Ottobar is the customers dancing. It's usually like a train wreck that you can't stop watching. I've seen guys refuse to be friendzoned yet dancing like the FZ mascot...I've seen drunk party girls non-ironically repeating all the moves from Hitch...I've seen drunk guys dancing like SpongeBob with the Krusty Krab Pizza...I've seen drunk couples grinding it out unnecessarily on the dance floor...(I was looking in a mirror. It was us. We had fun)... Anyway, go. Have fun. You'll thank me (idk why but that's how I want to end this review)

Excellent music venue. Friendly staff, fast bartenders, and great sound in a relatively small room. Saw Future Islands there and it felt like the perfect space. Not too big, not too small - wonderfully intimate. Even got a right proper stare down and fist bump from Sam. I wish I could see all my favorite bands in spaces like this. Word to the wise ~ check out the Jamaican restaurant around the corner, St. Mary's, to get your pre-show grub on. Irie!

I love this place! I've been coming to punk shows here on and off for over 10 years now and never had a bad experience! The staff has always been great, I was here in May and I had a question before I came down. If you message them on Facebook you will get an automatic response saying that they don't check their messages very often, but they give you an email address to hit up, so I emailed them and they got back to me within a day. As for the atmosphere, well, it IS a punk bar so it's a bit ran down but the vibe is perfect for a loud rock show. I love the size of it and the sound is good and they must have air conditioning because it wasn't unbearably hot. They get great acts too, I went to see The Longshot in May. It sold out really fast, but I was lucky enough to grab a ticket. The Longshot has Billie Joe from green day as their frontman, so it was really amazing seeing someone who's sold millions of albums around the world that sells out stadiums play in a 400 person capacity venue! I was only like 10 feet away from him!! I love this bar and I hope to be back some day!

I don't care what the event is... I don't pay money at a venue with rude staff. Totally turned off by these people. Jerk off at the front door, prick behind the bar, and douchebag roaming the floor trying to rudely corral people. Not worth my money.

Very cool local music venue. Has that dingy authentic rock n roll vibe. Staff are all great people that are invested in the music scene.

Had a great time at Astronomy On Tap!! Thank you Otto for hosting this event. I wish I'd be in town longer to catch a musical act here. Next time for sure!!!

As I travel a lot for concerts, both as an artist and fan, I had the pleasure of going to many an establishment....from opera houses to house parties, and in between, more dive bars than you can shake a stick at. Now, don't get me wrong...I freakin' love dive bars. The dark, no frills, somewhat "seedy" atmosphere of a true dive bar is a beacon, to me. I got a chance to check out Baltimore's Ottobar while in town last year, for the Maryland Deathfest, a 4+ day underground metal music festival. They host the Fest kickoff/prefest show, with Immolation, Misery Index, Crowbar etc entertaining the masses. The venue has two floors, and there wasn't a bad "seat" in the house. As I film, I opted for the upstairs area which gave me a great overhead view of the stage. The stage itself was pretty good sized, and stood about chest high (I'm 6'). The interior in on itself is pretty bare bones, with the random band flyer/poster serving as the bulk of the interior decorating. Despite the crowd, the layout makes it rather easy to navigate, with plenty of open unencumbered areas to walk. The staff was friendly enough, and drink prices about average for a dive bar, though I mainly stuck to beer, so I can't vouch for liquor prices. It did take a while to get a drink, though. Yeah, it was crowded, but it seems like attractive young women are quicker to be served than some dude, regardless of cash in hand. Hey bartenders, not a good way to get a tip...and that girl's not going home with you; she's just working you for stronger /or free drinks...so you're losing twice. No tip, and no action...just sayin' Took off a 1/2 star for the repeated slight at the bar, so would give 3 1/2 stars for Ottobar. All in all, a pretty cool dive bar/music venue that is supportive of underground music, but if you're a dude trying to get a drink, have your girlfriend order 'em, you'll get served quicker.