Pool — eight ball more specifically — is a game challenging enough to keep things interesting, but still easy to pick up if someone’s new. Perfect for those who want to do more than drink at the bar.

A few times a month, friends and I hunt down an open table in Baltimore, where our pocket change and shared competitive streak fuel hours of fun.

From classic halls lit by buzzing fluorescent lights to cozy corners in neighborhood bars, the Baltimore area offers a range of places to rack ’em up. Here are some spots worth checking out if you want to sink a few shots and make some friends, or foes, along the way.

Ottobar

2549 N. Howard St., Baltimore

I live in North Baltimore and love a good show, so the two tables at this venerated Remington bar and venue are my usual haunt. It seems like one of the tables has a lean, and the other is uncomfortably close to the bathrooms. It’s perfect.

• Price: $1 a game
• Food: No
• Hours: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily

Frazier’s On the Avenue

919 W. 36th St., Baltimore

Two pool tables sit in the back of this high-ceilinged, eclectically decorated Hampden staple, but my favorite table is off to the side room in Frazier’s “small bar,” which is a warm hug compared to the cavernous main room.

Have fun, but don’t try stealing one of their custom, Amish-made barstools.

• Price: $1.50 a game
• Food: Yes
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday

Venice Tavern

339 S. Conkling St., Baltimore

This no-nonsense Highlandtown basement dive, established in 1933 on the heels of Prohibition, has one table and plenty of regulars to challenge. Don’t forget to read the decades-old newspaper clippings on the walls, rich with boxing history and tavern lore.

• Price: 75 cents a game
• Food: No
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily

Top Hat Sports Bar & Grill

8809 Satyr Hill Road, Parkville

What’s the opposite of no-nonsense? Find the building with a giant top hat on the facade for ping pong, darts, arcade basketball, claw machines and 19 pool tables. Scattered flat-screen TVs make it easy to catch a game here while you play one.

• Price: $7.50 by the hour, or $15 for all-day play
• Food: Yes
• Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily

The New Green Room Billiards

2401 North Point Blvd., Dundalk

At the local home of the American Poolplayers Association, league nights and in-house tournaments abound. While this is certainly the spot to step up your pool game, all skill levels are welcome on its 24 tables. My favorite part is the billiard ball pendant lights that crisscross the hall.

• Price: $15 a person for all-day play
• Food: Yes
• Hours: 6 p.m. to midnight Monday to Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday