| FOOD Dive bars - cool story about one in NY's East Village. (Homewood, AL spot is featured.)

TerryP

TerryP

Staff
I ran across this Twitter account a few weeks ago and have seen some pretty neat locations around the world. I'm of the opinion there are degrees of dive bars. A few around the area I've played pool in but they aren't the place I'm going to choose. A clean place, no matter how "out of the way," where you know quite a few of the people? Yeah, I get that versus hitting a place like "The Cocktail Club," starched white collars and all. (Caveat: not a big fan of the Charleston blue blood society in spite of working with and for them.)

This is a place I'd hang out. Hell, the type of joint I wouldn't mind running if the hours weren't horrendous.



 
And this is just cool.



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Brandon Van de Graaff said:
Driven by that place more times than I can count, never been inside.
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A friend of mine, Jimmy, can't drive past a second hard store/antique store without stopping. I'm about the same way when it comes to different "hole in the wall" type places. I can't help myself, I just have to see what it's like inside...and have regretted it a time or two.

Brandon Van de Graaff said:
I'm not much of a bar person... had to think for a bit, but probably the most dive bar type place I've ever been, both burned down... Judge Roy Beans in Daphne (RIP) and The Red Bar near Seaside.
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Married, with children. A "bar person" vs a "family guy." They don't go hand it hand.

However, I have to ask. Harry? Egan's? Hell, do you remember The Back Porch that used be next door to 12?
 
TerryP said:
However, I have to ask. Harry? Egan's? Hell, do you remember The Back Porch that used be next door to 12?
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Nope and Nope (that I can recall anyway). I remember the Back Porch, don't recall being in it either but not sure? Back in 2004-2007 I would frequent The Strip occasionally, but it was usually to see and support a friend of mine that was playing live at one of the bars (I don't even remember the names of the places). Only bar I ever really went to with some regularity in Tuscaloosa was New Orleans Bar and Grill in Temerson Square back in 2006, and even then the only reason was the guys I worked with (and for) were friends with the manager and it was right outside the back door of our office. Other than that? FloraBama is probably next on my list of places I've been to the most. It is extremely rare that I visit the same bar more than 3 or 4 times. But, I'd much rather spend my time in a bar than a club. Clubs are hell on earth.
 
Brandon Van de Graaff said:
But, I'd much rather spend my time in a bar than a club.
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That's it with me in a nutshell. But then again...

There's a place down on The Market called Henry's. It's a nice place with a roof top bar and live jazz; great atmosphere! Except.

I have a HARD time paying $8 for a beer especially when I can get the same beer, different location, for $3. More so than that it falls down to the people. Sure, I'm going to run across the "salt of the earth" types as well as your Low Country 'neck but I guaran-damn-tee you the conversations will be a lot more entertaining with those guys than the "white collar, Charleston blue blook" ilk you'll find downtown.

Geez, who isn't entertained watching people like these two.

 
The Doghouse in Lincoln was a pure dive bar before it closed down, with a truckstop/local vibe. The food was really good but, like most dive bars, it was smoky as all get out.

The old Surfside Six at Stemley Bridge was a legendary dive bar, a "private" club so they could serve Sunday alcohol before the law changed. It has reopened after several years and a complete renovation under the new name Wake Zone. I'm stunned they cleaned it up so well. My old lake place is in the background.
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TerryP said:
Sycamore Deli - Blacksburg, VA

Yeah, got me written all over this place.

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Other than the women's restroom door being where the kitchen is, I immediately thought I was standing at entrance to Mudtown in Cahaba Heights. It's a nice local joint, a little too nice to perhaps qualify for dive status, but the sandwiches there are really good and there's a good beer selection.
 
It Takes Eleven said:
Other than the women's restroom door being where the kitchen is, I immediately thought I was standing at entrance to Mudtown in Cahaba Heights. It's a nice local joint, a little too nice to perhaps qualify for dive status, but the sandwiches there are really good and there's a good beer selection.
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I'd love to get a closer look at those sandwich boards on both sides of the big screen. It's a working deli which should lead to a heck of a sandwich.
 
Brandon Van de Graaff said:
Driven by that place more times than I can count, never been inside.

I'm not much of a bar person... had to think for a bit, but probably the most dive bar type place I've ever been, both burned down... Judge Roy Beans in Daphne (RIP) and The Red Bar near Seaside.
Click to expand...
Man the goats at Judge Roy Bean's was a trip. Up the road at Mancis Antique club was great food. It's been bought out and Manci retired. There was a picture of a guy in the ladies room with a movable fig leaf. If you tilted it a loud buzzer would sound in the whole place. Every time I was there that buzzer would sound.
 
RollllTide! said:
Man the goats at Judge Roy Bean's was a trip. Up the road at Mancis Antique club was great food. It's been bought out and Manci retired. There was a picture of a guy in the ladies room with a movable fig leaf. If you tilted it a loud buzzer would sound in the whole place. Every time I was there that buzzer would sound.
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Ha! Been there a couple times (for lunch), never knew about the fig leaf buzzer entrapment machine... that's awesome. At one time, several years back, wasn't there a rumor that Callaghan's was going to open up a 2nd spot there?
 

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