My idea of a dive bar is completely different. Yes it’s dirty,but if it has a pool table or juke box,they’re soundless. The main criteria for the dive is cheap drinks and an attentive bartender. Food is not a concern…getting fucked up is.
The best are the many Martins in NYC and anyplace under the el in Chicago. The bars are shoulder to shoulder at 7:00 AM. Route 66 through the heartland has a bunch too,but I can’t remember their names.
This one’s easy enough. That would be The Subway, in Jackson, Mississippi. I think its required that you can only go there when already trashed. Its a $5 cover, but incredible blues. Its the smallest, dirtiest place I’ve ever seen that had a license on the wall. And by wall, I mean some sort of structure covered in cobwebs and duct tape. And by duct tape, I of course mean that its come off of the ORIGINAL roll of duct tape. And is actually being used to seal a duct.
And when they run out of beer (which they will, I assure you), you have to go to the house next door, who sell it out of their window. They also serve chili dogs out of their crockpot. Napkins? No. You use the paper plate as sandwich bread, and try not to get any on you. Then you go back inside and get more f-ed up, and sing along to “Members Only”.
I miss the south.
Rusty’s here on Staten Island. It’s a total pit. On Friday night-Saturday morning after about 5AM the Bartender locks the doors and won’t let you in unless he knows you. Mostly an after hours crowd of Bartenders, Waitresses, Strippers, and those hard core drinkers who manage to last. I staggered out of there at 9AM two weeks ago.
The Red Garter. Drink mixed drinks - the beers are a standard price ( $3.50 ) but the mixed drinks are about 80% alcohol. Tipping surprises the bartender enough that usually about every 3 or 4th drink is free. 2 pool tables (no straight cues, though ), a good jukebox, one of those plastic dart machines. The crowd is venice/mdr locals, mostly mechanics at the bar. Lots of low-level high tech people drink there (gotta stretch that tech support/customer service salary).
The Oarhouse in venice/santa monica. Haven’t been there in a while, though. Cheap beers, especially by the pitcher. Scary locals crowd - fights about one a month, usually broken up by the lapd picking up the bodies laid out by the bouncers. Getting cut off at the oar house is considered an accomplishment. Loud, bad bar 8-track on the weekends.
No- that’s EJ’s. I was going to mention it, but I forgot the name- as of 8-9 years ago there would be a large labrador wandering around.