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Your Neighborhood Dive Bar (1 Viewer)

nirad3

nirad3

Footballguy
Since 2002, I've been a regular patron at The Huddle in Costa Mesa, CA.  I was born/raised in town, and a ton of high school friends (both much younger and much older) call this place their "local watering hole". 

It's your standard dive bar:  mostly female bartenders, cheap drinks, pool tables, darts, TouchTunes jukebox, folks ranging from 21 to 61 at any given time, and a bit of a cult (read: hipster) following.

Only drawback is lack of food.  You can get a bag of chips or bowl of microwaved popcorn, but there's no kitchen to speak of.  

I go on a pretty regular basis; typically Friday nights, but sometimes Saturday.  Used to go religiously on Wednesday nights back in the day... of course I was much younger and had the ability to drink like a fish and yet still wake up in time for work the next day - and not feel hungover.  The attractive bartender would keep very loose tabs on what I ordered... at the end of the night it was always a "20 bucks, babe!" kind of thing, no matter what.

If you're ever in the area, drop me a PM and I'll buy you a cheap PBR tall boy.  Yup, it's Friday... only about 6 hours away from sipping that first cold one.   :banned:

Anyone else have a spot like this?  I might be landing a gig that has be travel every now and then and I love checking these kinds of places out.

Happy Friday, FFA!

 
How much do you pay for a PBR tallboy there?

How much is a bottle of domestic beer (Miller lite or whatever)?

 
eoMMan said:
How much do you pay for a PBR tallboy there?

How much is a bottle of domestic beer (Miller lite or whatever)?
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$6, and it's the REAL tallboy (24 oz, not 16)

I think their cheapest bottle is $3.50?  $4 maybe.   A pint of PBR is $3.50.  Pitcher $11.

 
Walking Boot said:
There used to be a bar in Hermosa Beach CA, right on the beach, like sand in the doorway, called The Poop Deck.

The Poop Deck only had 4 taps at the bar. They were all Budweiser. There was a surly old man behind the bar that was as likely to swear at you for being some damn pretty boy than he was to serve you. 

There was a vending machine by the Men's room that sold cigarettes. Individually, a quarter each. Yes, smoking in the bar is illegal, and, selling cigarettes in vending machines has been illegal for like 20 years. 

You want food? Go somewhere else and bring it inside. You want a fancier drink than Budweiser? Well, old Gus will swear at you and mumble under his breath, but, there's a little dorm fridge under the counter where he keeps a couple of sixers of Heineken and a few others from the grocery store. 

Miss that place.
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:lol: Nice.  The place I posted now sells individual cigarettes.  They always sold packs but there was enough demand that they went to selling one at a time.  There's a small (say 10'x10') covered patio out back where people smoke.  I'll occasionally go hang out there if I'm buzzed enough to want a cigarillo.

 
nirad3 said:
Since 2002, I've been a regular patron at The Huddle in Costa Mesa, CA.  I was born/raised in town, and a ton of high school friends (both much younger and much older) call this place their "local watering hole". 

It's your standard dive bar:  mostly female bartenders, cheap drinks, pool tables, darts, TouchTunes jukebox, folks ranging from 21 to 61 at any given time, and a bit of a cult (read: hipster) following.

Only drawback is lack of food.  You can get a bag of chips or bowl of microwaved popcorn, but there's no kitchen to speak of.  

I go on a pretty regular basis; typically Friday nights, but sometimes Saturday.  Used to go religiously on Wednesday nights back in the day... of course I was much younger and had the ability to drink like a fish and yet still wake up in time for work the next day - and not feel hungover.  The attractive bartender would keep very loose tabs on what I ordered... at the end of the night it was always a "20 bucks, babe!" kind of thing, no matter what.

If you're ever in the area, drop me a PM and I'll buy you a cheap PBR tall boy.  Yup, it's Friday... only about 6 hours away from sipping that first cold one.   :banned:

Anyone else have a spot like this?  I might be landing a gig that has be travel every now and then and I love checking these kinds of places out.

Happy Friday, FFA!
Click to expand...
Town Tap...Warrenville Illinois...but attached to Al's Pizza...Established 1965..Fish Fry tonight...wish I was there...

 
Dive bars are an endangered species in SF and especially in my neighborhood.  High rents and a more highfalutin clientele means more $15 cocktails and $40 bottles of wine than a shot and a beer.  There's no place around anymore where I can stop by while walking the dog for a quick drink.  This may be for the best but I do kind of miss having the option.

 
been to the huddle, many a time.  garfs was always in the mix as well.  didn't know you lived around these parts.  i don't go to bars much anymore. :(  

 
Eephus said:
Dive bars are an endangered species in SF and especially in my neighborhood.  High rents and a more highfalutin clientele means more $15 cocktails and $40 bottles of wine than a shot and a beer.  There's no place around anymore where I can stop by while walking the dog for a quick drink.  This may be for the best but I do kind of miss having the option.
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Same thing happening in SoCal, more or less.  There was an equivalent place my wife used to go to a lot that was transformed into a foo-foo martini bar.

The place I go to is in a small strip center and I doubt the rents are going to push anyone out anytime soon.  That said, there are already two hipster-y craft breweries within walking distance to my joint with another approved by the city.  I guess that's a good thing.  Gives me a "bar crawl" option should I ever want to do that with buddies on a nice sunny Saturday.

 
As I've gotten older I've moved away from the dive because I like good beer.  But I do have 2 regular joints where everybody knows my name. Judge Roy Bean by work, Hops Hill by home.  (see you soon Hill Farmstead Double Galaxy!  I'm off in less than an hour!)

 
DA RAIDERS said:
been to the huddle, many a time.  garfs was always in the mix as well.  didn't know you lived around these parts.  i don't go to bars much anymore. :(  
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Going to Garf's first, then Huddle, tonight.  :D

And my profile thingy says I'm in HB.... :lol:  

Where you at?

 
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Nick Vermeil said:
As I've gotten older I've moved away from the dive because I like good beer.  But I do have 2 regular joints where everybody knows my name. Judge Roy Bean by work, Hops Hill by home.  (see you soon Hill Farmstead Double Galaxy!  I'm off in less than an hour!)
Click to expand...
My dive has Latitude 33 Blood Orange IPA on tap as well as Bell's Oberon.  And then the standard Bud Light, PBR, Modelo, and a couple others I can't recall.

Enjoy your Friday beer(s)!

 
nirad3 said:
Since 2002, I've been a regular patron at The Huddle in Costa Mesa, CA.  I was born/raised in town, and a ton of high school friends (both much younger and much older) call this place their "local watering hole". 

It's your standard dive bar:  mostly female bartenders, cheap drinks, pool tables, darts, TouchTunes jukebox, folks ranging from 21 to 61 at any given time, and a bit of a cult (read: hipster) following.

Only drawback is lack of food.  You can get a bag of chips or bowl of microwaved popcorn, but there's no kitchen to speak of.  

I go on a pretty regular basis; typically Friday nights, but sometimes Saturday.  Used to go religiously on Wednesday nights back in the day... of course I was much younger and had the ability to drink like a fish and yet still wake up in time for work the next day - and not feel hungover.  The attractive bartender would keep very loose tabs on what I ordered... at the end of the night it was always a "20 bucks, babe!" kind of thing, no matter what.

If you're ever in the area, drop me a PM and I'll buy you a cheap PBR tall boy.  Yup, it's Friday... only about 6 hours away from sipping that first cold one.   :banned:

Anyone else have a spot like this?  I might be landing a gig that has be travel every now and then and I love checking these kinds of places out.

Happy Friday, FFA!
Click to expand...
Mine has $2.75 Miller Hi Lifes all the time.

I'm in SoCal usually once a year, hmmm

 
nirad3 said:
Going to Garf's first, then Huddle, tonight.  :D

And my profile thingy says I'm in HB.... :lol:  

Where you at?
Click to expand...
that would require reading and paying attention. :unsure:    i'm in aliso viejo.  

i used to work right around south coast plaza. i have a polaroid of my wife(barely a hook up at the time), sitting on my lap, at anjin.  it's gotta be at least 1am in the pic.  and i have no gray hair. :mellow:   17 years ago.

i've become that guy, i never really venture north of the 73 anymore.  there's a few bars down here, but not many.  the dirty bird is my go to now, when i go.  it's a must in the fbg t-shirt exchange.

 
DA RAIDERS said:
that would require reading and paying attention. :unsure:    i'm in aliso viejo.  

i used to work right around south coast plaza. i have a polaroid of my wife(barely a hook up at the time), sitting on my lap, at anjin.  it's gotta be at least 1am in the pic.  and i have no gray hair. :mellow:   17 years ago.

i've become that guy, i never really venture north of the 73 anymore.  there's a few bars down here, but not many.  the dirty bird is my go to now, when i go.  it's a must in the fbg t-shirt exchange.
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+1 on the gray and I know plenty of folks that have settled down that way and rarely venture up to this part of the OC.  Holler if you ever feel the urge for Garfs/Huddle.  :D

 
In Cuyahoga Falls it mostly was Bailey Rd. Tavern.  The little part of the building on the right side used to be a pretty good take out pizza place.  We would get pizza and a bowl of anchovies.  Cheap prices - especially happy hour.  It was a daily stop for a bunch of the older guys I hung with.  

inside.

 
I spent 2 hours at the 5th Street Bar in Pittsburg, KS yesterday.  It was about as dive-bar-y as it gets.  Not sure on the prices as one guy paid for everyone.

 
Nick Vermeil said:
As I've gotten older I've moved away from the dive because I like good beer.  But I do have 2 regular joints where everybody knows my name. Judge Roy Bean by work, Hops Hill by home.  (see you soon Hill Farmstead Double Galaxy!  I'm off in less than an hour!)




1
Click to expand...
Is this place really in Brooklyn? "The Law West of the Pecos" has moved to Brooklyn?! 

 
plenty of dive bars here in the valley. go on Ventura Blvd, and you can't throw a rock without hitting a dive bar or a sushi joint.

 
 been going to the rhino since 1987.   :wub:

ive played more pool games there than any other human in the universe.  :(

pbr tallboys for 2.50 on weds, double wells for 3.75 always.

 
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Jayrod said:
I spent 2 hours at the 5th Street Bar in Pittsburg, KS yesterday.  It was about as dive-bar-y as it gets.  Not sure on the prices as one guy paid for everyone.
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I know of that place.

Went to Pitt State many years ago. 

 
Live in a newish part of a corporate suburb.  The closest thing to a dive bar anywhere close to walking distance is Chili's. :yucky:

 
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My garage. My fridge is always full of cold beer. I have a dart board, 42" flat screen TV, stereo hooked up to Spotify, a piano in there in case I wanna play for the ladies....

All the neighbors just show up and drink cold beers, watch sports, and talk smart once in awhile.

 
ChiefD said:
My garage. My fridge is always full of cold beer. I have a dart board, 42" flat screen TV, stereo hooked up to Spotify, a piano in there in case I wanna play for the ladies....

All the neighbors just show up and drink cold beers, watch sports, and talk smart once in awhile.
Click to expand...
What's the address?  Sounds like fun.....

 
Eephus said:
Dive bars are an endangered species in SF and especially in my neighborhood.  High rents and a more highfalutin clientele means more $15 cocktails and $40 bottles of wine than a shot and a beer.  There's no place around anymore where I can stop by while walking the dog for a quick drink.  This may be for the best but I do kind of miss having the option.
Click to expand...
I've been up in the Marin 'burbs for years now, but in the mid-late 90s every neighborhood in SF had a few.  I lived Inner Richmond, and there were plenty along Geary, Clement, and California streets.  Although my go-to was always Last Day Saloon, probably not technically a dive bar.  The live music up stairs brought in some new (female) faces every night but the regular crowd was always hanging around downstairs.  And with every third or fourth Bud bottle I ordered, a shot of Jager slid my way.  

There are still a couple spots in Marin that qualify - Smitty's, Silver Peso, Matteuci's.  But not having grown up here I'm jealous of what the OP described, as I wouldn't see anybody I knew 99% of the time I went into any of those places.

 
ChiefD said:
My garage. My fridge is always full of cold beer. I have a dart board, 42" flat screen TV, stereo hooked up to Spotify, a piano in there in case I wanna play for the ladies....

All the neighbors just show up and drink cold beers, watch sports, and talk smart once in awhile.
Click to expand...
Someday, gb.

 
I used to play pool at some pretty awesome dive bars.  My favorite was probably a place called BC's Sports Pub.  They had the Colorado standards on tap (bud/coors) and 6 pool tables.  They didn't have any food but every Sunday the owners would bring in a buffet for those who were playing in pool leagues.  Great times spent there.

 
Eephus said:
Dive bars are an endangered species in SF and especially in my neighborhood.  High rents and a more highfalutin clientele means more $15 cocktails and $40 bottles of wine than a shot and a beer.  There's no place around anymore where I can stop by while walking the dog for a quick drink.  This may be for the best but I do kind of miss having the option.
Click to expand...


SFBayDuck said:
I've been up in the Marin 'burbs for years now, but in the mid-late 90s every neighborhood in SF had a few.  I lived Inner Richmond, and there were plenty along Geary, Clement, and California streets.  Although my go-to was always Last Day Saloon, probably not technically a dive bar.  The live music up stairs brought in some new (female) faces every night but the regular crowd was always hanging around downstairs.  And with every third or fourth Bud bottle I ordered, a shot of Jager slid my way.  

There are still a couple spots in Marin that qualify - Smitty's, Silver Peso, Matteuci's.  But not having grown up here I'm jealous of what the OP described, as I wouldn't see anybody I knew 99% of the time I went into any of those places.
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i do not drink very often but used to frequent these:

trader sam's, pat o'sheas, ireland 32, blarney stone, bitter end, tee off, dubliner, final final before it got popular

"divish" with great beer...toronado

 
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Walking Boot said:
I'm also partial to McSorley's in NYC.

Here's the basic deal: McSorelys opened in 1854. They still haven't redecorated.

There's still a sign behind the bar offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the murderer of Abraham Lincoln.

The bar has no seats, it's standing only, because I think the bar pre-dates the invention of the stool.

They only started admitting women in 1970, when the courts made them.

They used to have an old gas lighting fixture above the bar, with tendrils of dust dripping off of it. Legend was that soldiers would leave a turkey wishbone hanging from the lamp for good luck and reclaim it when they got back safely from the war. The Great War. World War I. All the remnants still there were the guys that never came home. The health department just made them finally sweep it off, 100 years later, because they were afraid of century-old turkey bits dripping into people's drinks.

It still might be the only time they've dusted or cleaned in 100 years.

They also only serve two beers: Light and Dark. Same ones they've had since the beginning, their own recipe.  
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This place is only for taking tourists. I like the beer cheese but the beer is whoa awful. And you get two because they pour so sloppy each glass only has 4 oz of drinkable beer. Great experience, horrible drinking establishment.

For old school NYC bar I’ll take Old Town complete with super right wing bigot owner.  That should tell you something. (Their beer list also is garbage though) I share a birthday with the urinals which celebrated their 100th a few years back. So there is that. 

 
Drunken knight said:
i do not drink very often but used to frequent these:

trader sam's, pat o'sheas, irland 32, blarney stone, bitter end, tee off, dubliner, final final before it got popular

"divish" with great beer...toronado
Click to expand...
I think most of those places are still around but the Avenues are outside the range of "neighborhood" for me.  I want a place that I can stumble home from. 

Toronado is close to me as are Mad Dog, Nicky's and Noc Noc.  But I don't think they're divey enough.  I don't need 100 different beers or 20 TV screens.  I want a place as dark as my soul, preferably with "Sleep Walk" on the jukebox, somebody older than me pouring drinks and patrons who make me feel good about my relative station in life.

 
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