The Depot

This place is HORRIBLE! First of all, I showed up around 8pm on a Saturday night, and the place was DEAD. Clearly, I should have known that was a bad sign. I sat myself in front of the TV to keep myself occupied until the band was set up; the TV does not have an HD signal, and I had to watch the football game through the grainy picture. I ordered a mixed drink, and waited more than 15 minutes for my drink. FINALLY the bartender (with a bad attitude) told me the soda machine was broken and said I had to order something else. So I ordered a different drink, but I still had to pay for it! With such poor customer service, that drink should have been on the house! Once the band started playing, they had to stop several times to deal with the screeching microphone. AND this place let a homeless man in to solicit money from bar customers! NO business should let that happen! This was a terrible night, and I will never go back here!

still a dive bar minus dive bar beer…“we are a dive bar” said the clueless bartender, so do you have boh no she said hmmmmm… any pabst… nooo as welll dive bar much? lame bar such as always just under new lameness

I have booked shows here and am pleased with the sound, staff and fairness with which they treated me and my bands. This venue seems truly interested in supporting the local musicians as well as touring acts. I have several more shows booked here and plan to keep coming back. In addition, they also have special interest dance nights like 80s prom and goth night. The venue itself is super clean and well kept.

Loved it, great prices, great industrial music for a Saturday and friendly people. Easy to get to also. Would have liked to see more of a crowd on a Saturday but it was raining so that killed some of the volume.

OMG last Friday Night’s 80’s night was so epic! I’m not sure of the DJ, maybe a new one? Super cute bushy haired gentleman with glasses, was rocking my body & my mind, with his HOT mixes & stellar song selection. Will definitely be back with my seXXXy tight club shirt & dancing Crocs.

I came here to see a band for Bob Marley’s birthday celebration. Knowing that I was expecting to see a six-​piece band, I was expecting a stage and sound system, of which there were neither. There is no house sound engineer, so no one to make sure it the sound is decent.
Though it was a fun night, this place is more suited to DJs than bands. I had to choose between being absolutely blasted by the speakers the band had brought in (band sounded great, but sound was atrocious) in the front, or hanging out in the back where the sound wasn’t so painful, but not being able to see the musicians.
My cheap ($ 3) vodka drink was strong and satisfying though; you can definitely get drunk for not a lot of money here on a weeknight (this was a Wednesday).
The diverse crowd was in great spirits and danced the night away, despite the shitty sound, which is what made the night really fun.
One weird thing was that the website said that the cost of the night was donation based. I took this to mean that if I had a few bucks in my pocket, that would suffice. Technically, donation based means that you don’t really have to pay anything… right? That wasn’t my intention, but I was just planning on giving whatever ones I had in my wallet. Weirdly, when we got in the door, a woman with a bucket told us it was 10 bucks… okay? Not that it’s extravagant– but it’s a lot different than donation-​based. Luckily, we had the cash.
It smells a little like dirty mop water in here, but I’m sure it’s a great place to dance the night away to a DJ.

Its a great dive bar and club. Super cheap drinks and a dancefloor with lights and dj. Its not a very big place and draws a non-​mainstream crowd… not for your suit and ties. I like it a lot but its not quite my style — however, I may return to hangout one day with the appropriate friends.

Not quite a sleazy dive bar, but not an upscale douchebag bar at all. Chatted with one of the regular DJs, it was her night off, while that night’s DJ spun a solid collection of deep 80s cuts (about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ stuff I knew and sort of recognized — which is insanely hard to do with 80s music since most of it has been solidly played out a hundred times over).
It’s a good spot. We’ll be back.

This is the most disgusting, dirty, grungy, hole in the wall, dive bar I have ever been too… But gloriously entertaining and fun. It does not matter who you are or what you do, you can come to the depot and let everything go. Dance like a complete idiot to some 80s music. Just beware… The owner of the bar may might you. but he will buy drinks all night afterwards. When I get tired of federal hill d bags, and fells point crowds… It’s night to get off the beaten path to this weird little place.

One of my favorite Baltimore staples for underground 80s music. The Depot has been around since the mid 80s so they know what they’re doing. Great atmosphere, cheap drinks, friendly underground environment. Just renovated the bathrooms (its about time) awesome sound system, always happy to take requests. break away from being mainstream and enjoy the cool vibe The Depot has to offer.

Cute little random spot, close enough to the ratchet side of Charles St we all know and love, far enough to enjoy some sort of class. Great margaritas and the DJ wasn’t shabby either.

I think I’ve been here maybe 3 times and only once did I have a semi-​decent time with the aide of alcohol and cigarettes. I don’t even smoke, this place drove me to it. I don’t necessarily blame the entire bar (I refuse to call this place a club) for that but still. The first time someone took me here (dragged) I think I literally said «This is a club? Its the size of a canoe and as inhabited as one.» I recall the drink prices were cheap with average taste (I don’t drink beer really) but I go to clubs to dance and this is really a bar with a hardwood floor to the side. How can you dance in this place, honestly? Maybe if you were alone or there were 5 other people here, which was the case I believe the first time I went here. Perhaps you have a fetish for seducing a brick wall? If so, this is the place for you, no one will bother you. I’ve honestly had bedrooms that were bigger than this entire «club». Baltimore nightlife really sucks, there are douche clubs (Power Plant area) and um… places to get drunk at.
It has a lonely, heartbreak hotel, dive bar that has been lost in time vibe to it which I suppose could be appealing. I’m being completely sarcastic, the dive aspect I can see. The sound quality usually sucks. The people are usually clannish, not speaking to anyone but the people they came with, and goat help you if you’re single, everyone is too busy being up their own donkey to talk to anyone new. It sounds asinine but this place feels so sad, I even feel like slitting my wrists just reminiscing about it.

this place STINKS.
NO, really it does.
In the complete literal sense. It smelled sooooooo funky and was a complete turn off!!! I have never been in an establishment that smelled that funky all the way through. I don’t know if this is a common occurrence or if one of the patrons just smelled that bad, but ickkk… it was bad enough that I had to warn friends that were coming in.
My experience at the bar itself was so-​so. There’s a lot of space to take up and not a lot of people taking it… not sure if that’s good or bad. I agree with Lindsey H.; it’s awkward, smelly, and well, awkward. At least the bartenders were friendly to everyone!

This place was so awkward it made me laugh. I went on a Friday night and there were MAYBE 10 people there. The «dance floor» was deserted and the music being played was blah.

I’ve only been here once… maybe twice. The music was good (…80’s music), the drinks were okay, and the prices were decent… but there was never a crowd in here. Maybe I was just there on an off night, or it was too early. I’m not sure. But it didn’t inspire me to want to come back, especially when Club Charles is right next door, and Ottobar is just down the street a few blocks.

The place is good for dancing. 80’s prom night is fun.
The only problem I’ve ever had, was the DJ telling me that the band Roxette was not an 80’s band, so he would not play any Roxette music. I guess I should point out that Roxette released their first album in 1986, and ‘Listen To Your Heart’ was a hit in 1989, as was ‘The Look’.
But what do I know, I’m not a DJ.
Back to the bar. The drinks are not cheap, I think the cheapest drink is Natty Boh. But the drinks are *good*, and the place is a ton of fun. I’d go here more often, but I don’t go out as much as I used too.

I’ve been there numerous times, and I think I’ve yet to experience The Depot. I’ve gone on Friday nights when it is 80s night, which I am ambivalent about the music (mostly good though). I’ve always gone earlier in the night, when the place is pretty empty (a little weird to dance). But the crowd definitely builds up with time. Then I’ve gone on weeknights when the whole place is just empty, and the DJ (only at that time) was somewhat of an a-​hole.
The drinks are cheap, and the barstaff are friendly. No problems there.
I think I’d have to go at midnight on a Saturday night to decide whether I like The Depot or not.

I miss the old Depot. I really do. It disappeared a couple years ago when they re-​did the décor and got some class. It was a total dive and there was never anyone there, but it was still fun.
It’s no more pretentious now than it used to be; which is to say it isn’t. There’s always a good mix of kids there as well, you can show up in anything from jeans and a t-​shirt to complete goth kit and you’ll fit in just fine. The drinks aren’t cheap, but they’re certainly no worse than anywhere else in Mt Vernon. It gets crowded, but not so bad you can’t weave your way through the crowd to the floor.
And really, this is why you go – to dance. 80s night on Fridays is the best; awesome music all night long.
Unlike earlier reviewers, I have no problems going here just to have a drink and hang out for a while, but Friday night isn’t the night to do that.
All-​in-​all, a great place.

it’s 1:30am, Saturday Night, a stranger to baltimore. Rolling deep with 4 friends, lost and thirsty. Drove downtown to the powerplant area, only to find the place infested with d-​bags, got on a taxi and told him «go!»
he dropped us off at the depot. It was dark, fun and cheap. Friendly bartender service, a drinking crowd worthy for a visit.

I love this place, unlike someother nightclubs in Baltimore with the «scene» kids, this place had a warm vibrant mix of fun people to dance with. I have never been to a better 80’s dance party. I agree with Caitlins review, I wouldn’t go to have drinks and just hang out. It’s best to go after you’ve had drinks somewhere else and are pretty tanked and ready to dance!