Atomic Books’ newly opened Eightbar is quickly and quietly becoming Hampden’s best low-key spot to relax and have a drink. If the Chop were a drunken Goldilocks searching up and down the avenue for the perfect happy hour-type relaxing bar this is what we would find:

Rocket to Venus: Yeah this place is pretty good but it’s kind of crowded and a bit of a fashion show and I think that might be an ex down there at the other end of the bar.

Holy Frijoles: Also a good bar but why are all these kids from Towson here? Why are the only specials Mexican beer and rail tequila?

Fraziers: Pretty good but why is the jukebox so damn loud?

Hon Bar: After the whole trademark thing, I’m done with Hon Bar.

Zissimo’s: You’ve got to be in the mood for Zissimo’s.

Griffith’s: A little too much peace and quiet sometimes.

13.5%: I’m not trying to impress anyone, here. I just want a beer or two, not a $12 cocktail.

Golden West: Atmosphere is fine but Jesus the service here still sucks so bad!

David’s 1st &10: Not bad but it isn’t baseball season anymore and I don’t really want the owner’s son putting a gun to my head while I’m in there.

Eightbar: $4 craft beers and cool friendly people in a layout that encourages conversation. It’s the Avenue’s ‘just right’ bar.

And never does Eightbar work better than when there’s an interesting event going on. Tomorrow is about as interesting as it gets when friend-of-the-blog Nolen Strals presents Poster Guts, a retrospective of show posters from throughout the last decade in Baltimore including originals and reprints for sale (just in time for the holiday season).

All the posters hanging in the show will be accompanied by their respective ‘guts’ in the form of preliminary sketches, brief statements, photos from the shows themselves, etc. The show is a chance to see how posters are made by hand and from scratch, and to take home the finished product. It begins at 7pm and wraps up around 10:00.

For those who can’t make it tomorrow, more of Nolen’s work will be available for sale on Saturday (including some last-chance Double Dagger merch) at the Post Typography poster and print sale in Post Typo HQ at 3 W 23rd St from noon until 5 pm.