WXOU Radio
This West Village bar is more of a neighborhood bar than a dive, but it's got the time under its belt and the following to qualify as a bona fide…
- story: Leslie Pariseau
Lucy’s
Lucy has been bartending at Lucy's before it was called Lucy's. Most nights, the Polish owner is still there popping beer bottles and pouring whiskies. The bar, overlooking Thompson Square…
- story: Leslie Pariseau
Showtime Lounge
Primarily a jukebox joint, Showtime has a stellar collection of R&B and vintage soul curated by owner and DJ Paul Vivari. And, best of all, it's free. Drinks aren’t much…
- story: punch_intern2
Quarry House Tavern
Crappy décor in a dive is requisite. Often it's just a few tin beer signs or a wooden placard with a cliché about how the bartender is always right. But…
- story: punch_intern2
The Red Room at Black Cat
You go to Red Room for the music at Black Cat. It's a bar to take a break from the show upstairs, or wait for it to start. But it's…
- story: punch_intern2
The Red Derby
Can a place that serves brunch also be a dive bar? In D.C. it can, as long as shots and beers are available and there are no fancy riffs on…
- story: punch_intern2
The Raven Grill
The funny thing about the Raven—which holds Washington, D.C.’s oldest liquor license—is that it’s called a “grill” and has a neon sign that reads “cocktails,” yet it offers neither food…
- story: punch_intern2
Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar
Adjacent to “Cheesesteak Vegas”—the searing neon tourist-trappy block featuring Pat’s and Geno’s—Ray’s caters to all facets of South Philly. That includes early risers. The bar, which, true to form, offers…
- story: punch_intern2
Bob & Barbara’s
Bob & Barb’s, a fixture on the quieter half of iconic South Street, features what might be the biggest collection of displayable Pabst Blue Ribbon memorabilia in the country. It…
- story: punch_intern2
Oscar’s Tavern
An old-timey holdout on a Center City street dominated by nouveau-riche destinations, Oscar’s is a classic. Quite simply, Philly would be crappier without this bar, from décor on down. Dive…
- story: punch_intern2
