# What do you consider a "dive bar"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2016, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624 "2016-09-11T04:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/81 "2016-09-12T23:07:39Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Isn’t that the selling point for every bar in Bangkok? The usual selling point is that the bars are temples. But the pearls ain’t free. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/82 "2016-09-13T03:29:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > There used to be a bar in Bangkok called Moe’s Tavern. It had a heavy Simpson’s theme (and I’m certain no one was paying any royalties). This bar had the best motto, borrowed slightly from _Cheers_: “Where nobody knows your name.” > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Isn’t that the selling point for every bar in Bangkok? A goodly number of them, I’ll clue ya. 😉 As for dive bars and music, sure they can have live bands. The diviest bar where I grew up in West Texas, possibly the diviest bar I’ve ever personally seen, often had music on weekends. Some other dive bars too. In fact, the band that played most often in that diviest of dive bars, the musicians were all regulars of the bar themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/83 "2016-09-13T16:56:01Z")
Is the bartender drunk? drinking? or at the very least likely to have been more than one day this week while on duty? there’s your first hint you are in a dive bar. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/84 "2016-09-13T17:06:11Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > Is the bartender drunk? drinking? or at the very least likely to have been more than one day this week while on duty? > > there’s your first hint you are in a dive bar. Not sure about that. I’ve had plenty of drinks with bartenders at “nice” bars. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/85 "2016-09-13T17:45:31Z")
Pull-tab lottery ticket machine. Plastic ‘mugs’ that look like glass, but when you try to hoist it for the first time you about throw your beer in your face. No tips on the pool cues. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624/86 "2016-09-13T18:30:11Z")
The one where you don’t make eye contact with the Greek sailors, the piss on the floor in the ladies room is almost ankle deep, the stalls are missing their doors, and the girl on the toilet with the needle in her arm says _go ahead and pee honey, nobody’s gonna watch_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-consider-a-dive-bar/765624.md?page=4)