Sometimes you just don’t want to go to a nice cocktail lounge with cushy white seats. Some people don’t ever want to go to a place like that.
There are certain nights where you want to go out for a drink, and you want to stay in your grubby jeans or sweats. This is why man created the Dive Bar. A magical land with decent booze, good company and a layer of grime that is more endearing than disgusting.
These dive bars are three of our favorites from around the nation.
The Roost – Los Angeles
Located in Atwater Village, The Roost is such a dive bar that it still smells like stale cigarettes over a decade after smoking was banned in bars. This place is no frills, cash only and there are no beers on tap – cans or bottles only. Locals say the drinks are cold and cheap and there’s even a popcorn machine where you can fill a bag up for free.
Continental – New York City
Haven’t you always wanted 5 shots of anything for $10? Good, because that’s exactly what Continental offers all day and night at their bar. On 3rd Ave. in the East Village, Continental has a great juke box and strong drinks – do you need anything else? Bonus: It is directly next to a 24 hour McDonalds so you can get blasted at Continental and then stumble next door for a Big Mac.
Rainbo Club – Chicago
Rainbo Club has been a dive bar fixture in Chicago since 1985 (though the building has been housing bars since the 1930s) and while it seems to be hipster central, it is still a classic. Drinks are cheap, there’s interesting art on the walls and there’s even a photo booth in the back corner. Rainbo Club is also a movie star – check out the proposal scene in High Fidelity with John Cusak.
What dive bar do you hit up, that you couldn’t live without? Tell us and they might show up in another article.