Maxwell's   

Back in the early '80s, seminal indie-rock acts like the B52s, REM, the Minutemen and the Feelies regularly treated fans to intimate shows in Maxwell's then shockingly small setting. But by the mid-'90s, various management difficulties nearly drove Maxwell's under, even leading to the club's brief closing. In 1997, a local booker rescued Maxwell's (with more than a little help from Hoboken-based indie darlings Yo La Tengo) and now the comfy club boasts a no-frills dinner menu, deep drink selection, a theater separated from the dining room and the best jukebox in New Jersey. And by booking top-of-the-line local artists like the Swingin' Neckbreakers, underground acts with solid national and international followings, and cultish career resurrections like the Mysterians, Maxwell's satisfies a massive population of music fans ignored by MTV and corporate radio. Just remember: The entrance is around the back, on 11th Street. -- Kaspar Hauser