El Bar
The “El” in the name of this quintessential Kensington dive is not a Spanish article, but a reference to the elevated Market-Frankford trains that rattle overhead. The no-nonsense drinkers here—a…
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12 Steps Down
A dozen concrete steps below the Italian Market sidewalk lies this “group therapy bar,” so focused on quality drinking that it openly mocks the principles of AA. They have all…
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Lola’s Depot
No sign. No windows. No glassware. No bullshit. Lola’s is the premiere Montrose dive bar (if a dive bar can be described in such terms), though some might call its…
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Sunny’s
Sunny’s is like a portal into an alternate universe nestled into a small downtown storefront. Don’t let the harsh lighting fool you; Sunny’s is serious about having a good time—sort…
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Poison Girl
Arguably the whiskey-soaked heart of Montrose, Poison Girl is like a grown-up bar with a dive bar for a spirit animal. Behind the roll-up door is one of the city’s…
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Shiloh Club
The Shiloh Club is no passing fancy. This is a place for dedicated drinkers, many who have been at their task and in their stools for longer than you’ve been…
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Alice’s Tall Texan Drive Inn
There’s really only one thing you need to know here, and that’s whether you’re drinking Shiner or Lone Star. Alice's Tall Texan is a dive at its most elemental, with…
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Das Gift
The rapid gentrification of Neukölln has resulted in the appearance of countless divey watering holes with unplastered walls, tastefully mismatched furniture and hip clientele. While Das Gift ("gift," by the…
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The Latin American Club
An old-school Mission dive with graphic piñatas hanging from the rafters, the Latin American Club mixes Mexican kitsch with some of the stiffest drinks in town. A sign that reads, “sin”…
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Li Po Lounge
A revered dive in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Li Po Lounge has remained relatively unchanged since opening in the 1930s. Considered by many to be the neighborhood's best dive, Li Po tends to…
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