#dive-bar

#dive-bar

Exactly what makes a dive bar is a matter of great debate. Whether there's graffiti in the bathroom stalls or a jukebox in a dimly lit corner, one universal quality is that a dive bar's character comes from age. So it might raise some eyebrows that a "pop-up dive bar" is coming to Alexandria in March, and running through the summer.

The DNA of a good dive bar isn't necessarily its menu, but its feel. It should be well-worn, the vinyl on the stools crackling like a dry lake bed on the verge of a rip. The soundtrack is familiar and at a volume that muffles nearby table conversation. The lighting is low, augmented by ambient string lights and flashes from arcade games. Drinks should be cheap. Yukon Tavern in Sellwood is a couple of those things, and more.

The team behind Paulie Gee's is stepping away from the ovens to debut a West Town dive bar. the Alley Cat, a new project from hospitality group Tung & Cheek (Derrick Tung, William Ravert, and Tony Dezutter), will feature a drink menu with batch cocktails, beer-and-shot specials, canned beers, and nonalcoholic wines. For food, the bar will serve snacks like potato wedges topped with chives and a playful "Girl Dinner" spread of pickled veggies with sliced bread, whole-grain mustard, and a dirty martini.

Founded by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer turned trainer, in 1971, Jimmy's Corner has stood, defiantly unchanged, as Times Square has boomed around it. The neighborhood bar, a New York City institution which attracts locals and tourists alike, has had the same pictures on the walls for decades some of the bar's regulars have been coming almost as long kept the same furniture, and maintained remarkably low pricing.

Stepping into a dive bar can become either a disastrous choice better forgotten or a platform for an evening you never want to forget. This gamble is part of the appeal of such establishments. Whether you're looking for no-frills booze or a cheap pint to wash away the day, some of the best dive bars in every state offer the drinks and the ambiance that contribute to stories you might want to retell.

The Merrimaker tavern in Los Osos has been described as the most quintessential dive bar in the English-speaking world for over two decades.