Depending on whom you ask, Frazier's on the Avenue in Hampden is either a classic Baltimore dive or an eyesore that should have closed before the Bush administration (the first one). We'll try to take a down-the-middle tact on this one by telling it like it is.

Frazier's is no frills. Frazier's is cheap. Frazier's is dark (and maybe a little musty). Basically, Frazier's is "how ya doin', hon?" Is there really much more to say? OK, we could end the review there, but we'll offer up some color.

At Frazier's, there are a few TVs on the walls, usually tuned into the O's or Ravens games. That's all good, but don't expect high-def 1080 DPI 60-inch big screens. Remember, Frazier's is a blast from the past. There is a dining area for those who need a greasy burger or quesadilla to sop up all those $1.50 Bohs, but why sit at an uninviting wooden table when you can crash on a yellowed love seat by the hearth (seriously)? There's an old pool table off to the side.

Other than that, the bar tenders are accommodating and the beer is cheap. Thought the days of $2 drafts were over? Not at Frazier's. Meanwhile, the patrons mostly fit right in with the atmosphere. They can be conversational, maybe a bit inebriated -- always unique. One thing is for sure: when you leave Frazier's, you'll have a story to tell.