# Favorite Dive Bars (Past and Present)



## Snow Hill Pond

What are some of your favorite dive bars...past or present?

*Busters* (Lexington, KY): I don't think this place is still open. It was downtown near the Kentucky Theatre. A hole in the wall place known for its perfectly level by-the-hour pool tables and incredible juke box. Elvis Costello, Souixie and the Banshees, Big Country, Frank Sinatra, George Jones. Great beer too, by-the-bottle. Just out of school, lots of Friday and Saturday nights there playing pool for a beer a game and listening to Elvis.

*Ray's Elbow Room *(RTP, NC): I think this place is closed. A shack near the intersection of HWYs 54/55 with an outdoor sand volleyball pit, Kereoke Wednesdays, and cold beer. The place was falling down, but the parking lot was filled with high-end cars...the RTP influence. I remember singing "Wonderwall" there one night and getting booed off the stage...which judging by the overall singing quality of the usual suspects was a headscratcher...it scarred me for life.


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## drlivingston

My favorite "dive" bar was the original Carlos 'n Charlies in Cozumel, Mexico. The post-hurricane one is far too commercial for my tastes. In order to go to the original one, you had to climb a flight of stairs that would never pass U.S. building codes. Upon entering, you were given a large bag of popcorn. I quickly learned that this could be either eaten or thrown at fellow bar patrons. Inebriated and uninhibited women who were presumably in port from the multitude of docked cruise ships would ask if they could dance on top of your table. Since they were usually wearing the shortest of skirts, I happily obliged. The ceiling was full of bras that had been tacked up. (Women could trade their bra for a beer.) Back in my drinking days, I won many beer-drinking contests in this bar. Even if you lost the contest, you got free beer. The only drawback to the place was that you never wanted to leave. Not because you were having a good time. Your reluctance to leave was due to the fact that you knew that you had to navigate your way back down the perilous flight of stairs. What fun!


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## Snow Hill Pond

drlivingston said:


> Women could trade their bra for a beer...


If I ever open a bar, this'll be Rule #1.

Thank you Dr. Exactly the type of story I was hoping would be posted.


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## WouldaShoulda

*Sam's Pizza,* Newark, DE U of Del campus. (Closed)

In 1981 you could go in there with $5 get two pitchers of beer, a plate of tacos an an onion sub to go!!

(The onion sub was two cans of beer wrapped in buthcher paper to look like a sub to take it off premisis which it wasn't licensed for. Of course it wasn't licensed to sell to minors either!!)

*Dietles Tavern*, Rockville Pike, Rockville MD (Still Open!!)

Beer only. They recently announced an actual lunch menu. I wouldn't if I was you!!

Favorite past time; the locals heckle the unsuspecting who have walked in by mistake thinking it was the toni Addie's restaurant next door.

Old upholstered furniture on the porch for smokers.

That should have been the first clue that the unsuspecting were about to enter the wrong joint!!

*The Polish Library Association*, Wilmington DE (Still open)

A "social club" my father belonged to. No windows, secret password door window (electric card reader now) after hours drinking and card games for money encouraged. Bookmaking optional.

It really went down hill when they began to allow in Italians and women!!


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## Snow Hill Pond

WouldaShoulda said:


> ...an an onion sub to go!!
> 
> (The onion sub was two cans of beer wrapped in buthcher paper to look like a sub to take it off premisis which it wasn't licensed for. Of course it wasn't licensed to sell to minors either!!)


Priceless...I must be getting old. Because I bet a variation of the "onion sub" can still be had...just not in the places I frequent these days...


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## Snow Hill Pond

WouldaShoulda said:


> They recently announced an actual lunch menu. I wouldn't if I was you!!


Yes. Regardless of what Guy Fieri says, in most dives, it's a good idea to pass on the food...and probably a better idea to not use any of the (sticky) beer glasses either. Drink straight from a (wiped down) bottle.


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## Shaver

I could answer this but you would not believe me if I told you......:icon_smile:


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## Balfour

The only dive bar I remember, and I'm not sure if it really counts, is the Hawk 'n Dove in DC.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Shaver said:


> I could answer this but you would not believe me if I told you......:icon_smile:


Shaver, after seeing those guys burn a million pounds, I think I can believe anything you tell us. My only request is that you keep it PG-13.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Balfour said:


> The only dive bar I remember, and I'm not sure if it really counts, is the Hawk 'n Dove in DC.


Balfour, it's not possible that you were born wearing a Sam Hober tie. You must've had a favorite haunt on the other side of the tracks before you went totally respectable.


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## Shaver

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Shaver, after seeing those guys burn a million pounds, I think I can believe anything you tell us. My only request is that you keep it PG-13.


If I were to tell you that my closest and oldest friend (Hello Peter!) used to run what modesty forces me to describe as a 'club' in London..........


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## Shaver

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Balfour, it's not possible that you were born wearing a Sam Hober tie. You must've had a favorite haunt on the other side of the tracks before you went totally respectable.


Mr Balfour, age 2, discovers that his diaper does not have a proper rise.


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## Balfour

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Balfour, it's not possible that you were born wearing a Sam Hober tie. You must've had a favorite haunt on the other side of the tracks before you went totally respectable.


LOL. You missed my qualifiers of "remember" and "dive" (the latter I confine to the States). That excludes plenty of dodgy Northern country pubs - think of the opening scene in American Werewolf in London.


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## Balfour

Shaver, where do you get these pictures? Knot size is a little too prominent - I don't think I would have favoured your vile windsors even as a bairn.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Shaver said:


> If I were to tell you that my closest and oldest friend (Hello Peter!) used to run what modesty forces me to describe as a 'club' in London..........


OK, stop right there, I feel like I have to take a long hot shower already...


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## Balfour

Shaver said:


> If I were to tell you that my closest and oldest friend (Hello Peter!) used to run what modesty forces me to describe as a 'club' in London..........


:crazy:


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## Snow Hill Pond

Balfour said:


> LOL. You missed my qualifiers of "remember" and "dive" (the latter I confine to the States). That excludes plenty of dodgy Northern country pubs - think of the opening scene in American Werewolf in London.


Are you saying it might be worthwhile to hire a hypnotist to recover some deeply repressed memories?


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## Canadian

I remember going to the Coalbanks Inn in Lethbridge to see my girlfriends band. Absolutely the worst drinking hole ever. Fights were regular and I always kept my back to the wall. Beer and Coke cost the same, 2.50 a glass.

Not quite a dive (actually a rather high class joint) was the Red Room attached to La Bella Notte. It was a downtown bar and attracted everything from business owners and rich kids through to street people. I remember one guy showing up, starting a tab and we discovered he didn't have any money. Naturally he tried to run, but to get out, you had to go down a staircase next to the restaurant, or take the back exit which led you to the restaurant kitchen.

Tom


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## Snow Hill Pond

Canadian said:


> Absolutely the worst drinking hole ever. Fights were regular and I always kept my back to the wall.


Sounds like the pre-Patrick-Swayse Double Deuce.


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## Shaver

Balfour said:


> LOL. You missed my qualifiers of "remember" and "dive" (the latter I confine to the States). That excludes plenty of dodgy Northern country pubs - think of the opening scene in American Werewolf in London.


The Slaughtered Lamb. I've been in places just like that a few times myself.... :icon_pale:


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## Hitch

Trails End Saloon

Home of the Blues

Oregon City, still open.


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## Balfour

If a certain friend of mine posted here (which he does not), I might be tempted to offer up the East India.


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## dks202

In South Texas we have the "ice house" bar. They're a small mom and pop convenience store with outside seating. Sanchez Ice House downtown had $1 longnecks every Monday until recently. It's not pretty to look at but the beer is cold and it's under the Interstate 35 bridge for a cool summer retreat.


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## fishertw

Georges in Statesville NC when I was in college in the 60's. Best juke box in the South at the time and a great "retreat" from dorm life.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Shaver said:


> Mr Balfour, age 2, discovers that his diaper does not have a proper rise.


Agreed with Balfour. How do you do it?


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## eagle2250

Back in the early 1970's my wife(then girlfriend) used to occasionally stop in a bar/dance club called the "Slanted Shanty", located just north of Harrisville, MI. A typically gregarious crowd of locals would make their way though chest deep snowfalls in their four-wheel drives, snowmobiles, and (at times on nothing more than cross country skis to party hearty on a dance floor with more wave action than one would expect to find on a storm tossed sea. The walls were not straight and the floor was (really) uneven. Hence the name of the joint...the Slanted Shanty! Alas, at some point through the years, the place burned to the ground and it is no more.


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## Shaver

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Agreed with Balfour. How do you do it?


A huge garage full of props suitable for every occasion. :icon_smile_wink:


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## Snow Hill Pond

eagle2250 said:


> gregorious crBack in the early 1970's my wife(then girlfriend) used to occasionally stop in a bar/dance club called the "Slanted Shanty", located just north of Harrisville, MI. A typically gregorious crowd of locals would make their way though chest deep snowfalls in their four-wheel drives, snowmobiles, and (at times on nothing more than cross country skis to party hearty on a dance floor with more wave action than one would expect to find on a storm tossed sea. The walls were not straight and the floor was (really) uneven. Hence the name of the joint...the Slanted Shanty! Alas, at some point through the years, the blace burned to the ground and it is no more.


Thank you Eagle. I don't know why, but I enjoy reading these snippets about the places of our past.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Not really dives, but not really places I'd bring my kids...

*Dominick's (Ann Arbor, MI): *Located near the UM Law School. Great for sangria after a game of softball. The downside was looking at all the depressed UM students. BTW, Great school...but I've never met a UM grad who I would consider a happy camper...but that's another thread. The sangria was dangerous because it was so delicious...very tempting to drink to excess. A great place to meet-up with friends on a summer evening. Solved a lot of the world's problems over many glasses of sangria...

*Tolly Ho (Lexington, KY): *Located near the UK main campus. A 24-hour cafe back then. A tolly ho with cheese (frozen patty cheeseburger), hashbrowns, and a cup of coffee was a dinner out during graduate school. The same thing minus coffee was the post-last-call meal after a night on the town. The burger was edible but the hashbrowns were extra greasy and salty...perfection. Looking back, I'm really surprised I never got (too) sick after eating there.


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## eagle2250

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Thank you Eagle. I don't know why, but I enjoy reading these snippets about the places of our past.


Thank you for the feedback, my friend. I was hoping I was not the only one who occasionally enjoyed looking back. Times were simpler and our enjoyment of life, less fettered (I think). Thanks too for the glimpse back at your college years, as reported above! Dominick's and Tolly Ho both sound like wonderful and much needed respites from the press of one's academic pursuits.


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## Snow Hill Pond

eagle2250 said:


> Thank you for the feedback, my friend. I was hoping I was not the only one who occasionally enjoyed looking back. Times were simpler and our enjoyment of life, less fettered (I think). Thanks too for the glimpse back at your college years, as reported above! Dominick's and Tolly Ho both sound like wonderful and much needed respites from the press of one's academic pursuits.


Yes, it seems like my (and others') college and early career days were G-rated compared to what goes on today.


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## Stirling Newberry

Territorio, San Telmo BA Argentina.


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## AJLP

In Minneapolis: moby dicks on hennepin (closed i think), (stand up) Franks, Matt's(home of the juicy Lucy) mayslack's, and th speak easy on Hennepin ave. (moved away in 94)

In Raleigh: the office.


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## firedancer

St. Louis Mo. 
J&As on Newstead and Forest Park


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## WouldaShoulda

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Yes, it seems like my (and others') college and early career days were G-rated compared to what goes on today.


Not really.

We just didn't make movies of what we did on our phones and post it on Facebook!!

(Fortunately)


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## rsgordon

Snow Hill Pond said:


> Not really dives, but not really places I'd bring my kids...
> 
> *Dominick's (Ann Arbor, MI): *Located near the UM Law School. Great for sangria after a game of softball. The downside was looking at all the depressed UM students. BTW, Great school...but I've never met a UM grad who I would consider a happy camper...but that's another thread. The sangria was dangerous because it was so delicious...very tempting to drink to excess. A great place to meet-up with friends on a summer evening. Solved a lot of the world's problems over many glasses of sangria...


I concur for AA


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## Reldresal

Suspenders - Financial District, New York, New York...often have free drinks...first night I ever went it was free Tanqueray...free gin. It was also my first date with my future wife. The demographics being what they are in the FiDi, girls always drank (still do?) 2 for 1s. 

The Patriot - Tribeca, New York, New York, horrible place. But after a trip to the courts we would hit this bar. With lingerie hanging about as decor, lingerie clad barkeeps, and sometimes amusing signs -- outside, "come in...the boss will never know"...inside (near the stairs with an arrow pointing up) "you can hide up here." Indeed we did. 

Casablanca - Greenville, South Carolina. Ghastly place, but cheap drinks and they were open late when all the other bars in town shut their doors. After spending a sordid evening/morning there I awoke next day to a police officer asking questions about a crime committed in the bar. I got the feeling at first that I was a suspect, but I suppose I sounded convincing enough. Had to admit I was useless as a witness. Handed the detective's card, I left town immediately. This place is either closed or has opened as a strip club now. That probably classes it up. It was bad. But in a so-bad-it-is-good way.

Some place, Atlanta, Georgia - I'm pretty sure the place was underground. I accused the bartender of stealing from me. Cops came. I begged and pleaded for mercy. Surprisingly, I received it. I am not sure, but I may have agreed never to step foot in Georgia again. We ended up in some other dump and therein was an incident with crab legs that I will never speak of. Witnesses were sworn to an oath of silence on the matter. That one goes to the grave.

Some place, Jacksonville, North Carolina. An alley way entrance. No sign. But essentially a Korean-run whorehouse. The owner was a lovely middle-aged immigrant. Her "daughters" were repugnant scam artist/rolling hookers. A former Marine at the bar regaled me with tales of his career, which ended with him being busted back to private, dishonorably discharged after 20+ years service. I believe none of it, but we laughed a lot.

Classic Cafe, Huntsville, Alabama. I met the most gorgeous coed there. A 10+ stunner from UA Tuscaloosa. We drank Peppermint Schnapps and gin in succession. I was 19. She was 21 or 22. An older woman! Wow.

I'm sure there are others I am missing. Glad I have slowed down since those days, as fun as they could be at times.


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## Mr Humphries

The Iron Horse, an estate pub near my nanna's house, always "characterful" even when I was Pre-school. Over the years degenerated into a watering hole for the petty criminal fraternity. New faces are allowed to finish their drinks before being made to leave. Seen 30 people strong fights erupt in a second, management don't tend to last, patrons are always in the court round up column.

The Broken Doll Newcastle, a good mixer full of office workers for post work drinks and punks, crusties, metalheads, folkies. Broken furniture, sticky carpets, pisspoor beer, open drug use, occasional riots with nazis. Excellent live music venue upstairs. Sadly fell victim to a road widening scheme.


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## Snow Hill Pond

Reldresal said:


> Suspenders - Financial District, New York, New York...often have free drinks...first night I ever went it was free Tanqueray...free gin. It was also my first date with my future wife. The demographics being what they are in the FiDi, girls always drank (still do?) 2 for 1s.
> 
> The Patriot - Tribeca, New York, New York, horrible place. But after a trip to the courts we would hit this bar. With lingerie hanging about as decor, lingerie clad barkeeps, and sometimes amusing signs -- outside, "come in...the boss will never know"...inside (near the stairs with an arrow pointing up) "you can hide up here." Indeed we did.
> 
> Casablanca - Greenville, South Carolina. Ghastly place, but cheap drinks and they were open late when all the other bars in town shut their doors. After spending a sordid evening/morning there I awoke next day to a police officer asking questions about a crime committed in the bar. I got the feeling at first that I was a suspect, but I suppose I sounded convincing enough. Had to admit I was useless as a witness. Handed the detective's card, I left town immediately. This place is either closed or has opened as a strip club now. That probably classes it up. It was bad. But in a so-bad-it-is-good way.
> 
> Some place, Atlanta, Georgia - I'm pretty sure the place was underground. I accused the bartender of stealing from me. Cops came. I begged and pleaded for mercy. Surprisingly, I received it. I am not sure, but I may have agreed never to step foot in Georgia again. We ended up in some other dump and therein was an incident with crab legs that I will never speak of. Witnesses were sworn to an oath of silence on the matter. That one goes to the grave.
> 
> Some place, Jacksonville, North Carolina. An alley way entrance. No sign. But essentially a Korean-run whorehouse. The owner was a lovely middle-aged immigrant. Her "daughters" were repugnant scam artist/rolling hookers. A former Marine at the bar regaled me with tales of his career, which ended with him being busted back to private, dishonorably discharged after 20+ years service. I believe none of it, but we laughed a lot.
> 
> Classic Cafe, Huntsville, Alabama. I met the most gorgeous coed there. A 10+ stunner from UA Tuscaloosa. We drank Peppermint Schnapps and gin in succession. I was 19. She was 21 or 22. An older woman! Wow.
> 
> I'm sure there are others I am missing. Glad I have slowed down since those days, as fun as they could be at times.


These are classic!


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## Snow Hill Pond

Another entry from the memory banks...


The whole town of Richmond (KY), home to numerous bars and the infamous Madison Radisson (aka, the Madison County Jail).

Back when I was a freshman in college, we would drive to Richmond to drink. You had to be 21 to be served alcohol in Kentucky, but in Richmond, if you were 18, you could enter a bar...of which there were plenty on the main street. You were carded at the door, but once you were in, some of the bars would recard you when you ordered...some didn't. It was pretty easy to find the ones who didn't. I didn't go too often, but when I did, I recall multiple upside-down margaritas, passed out teenagers with heads on the tabletops, and emesis everywhere. Somehow this is a fond memory...


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## Shaver

Mr Humphries said:


> The Iron Horse, an estate pub near my nanna's house, always "characterful" even when I was Pre-school. Over the years degenerated into a watering hole for the petty criminal fraternity. New faces are allowed to finish their drinks before being made to leave. Seen 30 people strong fights erupt in a second, management don't tend to last, patrons are always in the court round up column.
> 
> The Broken Doll Newcastle, a good mixer full of office workers for post work drinks and punks, crusties, metalheads, folkies. Broken furniture, sticky carpets, pisspoor beer, open drug use, occasional riots with nazis. Excellent live music venue upstairs. Sadly fell victim to a road widening scheme.


I drank in a fair few very rough Newcastle estate boozers in the mid eighties. They were pretty daunting establishments to say the least - especially with my Leeds accent. Thankfully I was with a pack of local bikers at the time, so all was well.


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## Mr Humphries

The Broken Doll was on Blenheim St, 2 minutes away from the Westgate Rd where all the bike shops were/are Shaver, you probably fell out of there on occasion.


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## Shaver

^ It will have been on various nights on the way to and returning from Venom concerts at the City Hall, I believe, and occasionally maybe even Motorhead. 

Those Geordie lasses can be as rough as a badgers @rse. :icon_pale:


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## Mr Humphries

Venom, Exodus and Chariot? I was there. The lasses haven't changed.
notorious bars around the City Hall included the City Tavern and the Haymarket. Both long gone but not before the regulars barricaded themselves in the Haymarket to try and thwart its destruction, caused a big headache at the time.


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## Shaver

Mr Humphries said:


> Venom, Exodus and Chariot? I was there. The lasses haven't changed.
> notorious bars around the City Hall included the City Tavern and the Haymarket. Both long gone but not before the regulars barricaded themselves in the Haymarket to try and thwart its destruction, caused a big headache at the time.


I saw Venom there a fair few times but Exodus were certainly on the bill once as I recall - Bonded by Blood! :tongue2:

I think Kreator were support on another occasion - their version of Glenn Millar's 'In the mood' was hysterical. :icon_smile:


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## jbarwick

Lovell's Tavern Obetz, OH - This place is terrible. The drinks are cheap liquor even if you pay for the better stuff. The only thing worth purchasing is beer. The ladies are missing teeth and the guys probably couldn't pass a background check for the most part. The bar is always smokey even though it is against the law but Lovell's doesn't care. We have spent some nights throwing back pitchers of beer just to take the party to my buddy's house and drink until the sun rose. I assume I will be back there soon.


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## Balfour

Shaver and Humphreys: One question - why?


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## Mr Humphries

Why dive bars or why ropey metal Balfour?


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## Shaver

Balfour said:


> Shaver and Humphreys: One question - why?


Oh, that's an easy one!

Why not?

:icon_smile:


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## Tilton

A few favorites:

Kangaroo Boxing Club (Washington, DC): still cool and divey, but getting pretty hiptsery. They seem to have purchased all furnishings from Home Depot, the barbecue is great, and they have $2 beers. They also screen movies one night a week, things like Ground Hog Day, etc.

The Virginian (Charlottesville, VA): tiny and full of charm. Also, you will leave with black sludge marks on your pants from the underside of the booth tables. 

Buddhist Biker Bar (Charlottesville, VA), closed: This was a great spot. Perfect patio. 

BONUS: Log Cabin (Washington, DC): this is a convenience store. It has posted hours, but really just opens and closes as they see fit. The philosophy seems to have been "why buy all these drink coolers? Why not just refrigerate the whole store and use regular shelving?!" So, the asian guy that works there wears a huge down parka all year. Also probably a good place to get robbed.


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## band of brothers

Port Chester Pub


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## GatorFL

Great idea for a thread. I'll add a few dives:

Wally's, Orlando FL. The 50's era naked-lady wallpaper and the variety of clientele make it the best dive bar I've been to yet.
Tracey's Bar, New Orleans. Everytime I go to NOLA I spend a day there.
The Last Resort, Port Orange, FL. This was the bar the serial murderer Ailene Wuornos was arrested. Total biker bar but they let regular folk in too.


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## Snow Hill Pond

GatorFL said:


> The 50's era naked-lady wallpaper...


Mass-produced naked lady wallpaper? Just think about that. The 50s must have really been the golden age...


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## GatorFL

All I can say is that it is obviously very old. If you ever get down to Disney make sure you swing by Wallys--it's a trip! $2.00 cocktails (almost all booze), $1.50 tall boys and a very diverse crowd. It's tiny like all good dive bars too.


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