Story by: Elana Rosman

“The punk bar that refuses to move uptown,” said John Waters, a Baltimore-native filmmaker and actor, of his favorite bar, Sidebar Tavern. Sidebar is located in the middle of downtown Baltimore and stands out among the fancy, older buildings around it.

Its location characterizes the people who visit during the day—lawyers who work in the area, talking to coworkers over a beer. By night however, the tavern takes on a completely different persona. It is home to countless local punk, hip-hop, alternative, metal and rock fans and bands—with an emphasis on punk music. Occasionally, you might even find an art show or a film festival going on there, according to the Baltimore Sun. If you’re into dancing, Sidebar Tavern features a monthly Mod dance party.

A review written for “Yahoo! Local” said Sidebar has a “vibrant atmosphere coupled with brick lined walls evoke a typical tavern-like feel”.What makes this venue stand out among the countless others in the Baltimore area is its stress on promoting local bands. They offer local bands free publicity and are open to booking them.

Sidebar Tavern also flaunts its typically cheap cover charges and Happy Hour drink specials that are available every day from four through eight. They include $2 Natty Bo, $3.25 Rails and $3 imports, to name a few. Another incentive to go early? Free parking before seven o’ clock. However, beware: its location makes it prime beggar-zone. It is not rare for cars to be broken into there, so make sure to lock your cars and hide all valuables.

Another downside—the good deals sometimes attracts too many people and the bar tends to get overcrowded. The maximum occupancy is 50 people, but at popular shows the bar will hold over 200. So if personal space is your thing, Sidebar Tavern might not be the place for you. Nevertheless, if you don’t mind a little elbow rubbing and you’re looking for a good time at low prices check out www.sidebartavern.com, for a full line-up of upcoming shows.