The Best U.S. Cities for Dive Bars

It’s 1997, and you just turned 25. You see a cutie across the bar. You exchange a couple of bashful yet confident glances with each other until you finally gain enough courage to grab a stool near them and introduce yourself. After countless hours that feel like mere minutes of chatting, you ask the sassy bartender for a napkin and pen. You write your number with a saucy wink face and “Call me!” next to it. 

Dating in the ’90s was cute, and in dive bars, we can pretend it’s the ’90s once again. From the delicious food to the giant mugs of beer, dive bars are a special place that explode with character and personality you can’t find anywhere else. That’s why we want to share where the best ones are with you. To capture that old-school romance, read on to check out the best U.S. cities for dive bars! 

Methodology

Let’s dive in! To find out the best cities to dive-bar hop, we began with a list of 75 of the largest cities in the U.S. We collected data on nine factors sourced from Yelp and compiled them in several categories, including entertainment, parking, and average star ratings. Our team assigned each factor a weight. From there, we converted the data into a score between 0 and 5; the closer to 5, the better. The calculated scores were multiplied by their factors’ weight and added together for a possible total score of 50. Read on to see what we found!

Factors:

• Number of Dive Bars
  • Weight: 2.5
• Average Star Rating of Dive Bars
  • Weight: 2.0
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Live Music
  • Weight: 0.5
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Karaoke
  • Weight: 0.5
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Outdoor Seating
  • Weight: .75
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Street Parking
  • Weight: .75
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Garage Parking
  • Weight: .75
• Number of Dive Bars w/ Private Lot Parking
  • Weight: .75
• Number of Dive Bars w/ a Pool Table
  • Weight: 1.5

The Top 20 Best U.S. Cities for Dive Bars

Affordable drinks, greasy comfort food, and intimate ambiance — what’s not to love about the all-American dive bar? Whether you’re hunting for a comfy-cozy local hidden gem or a classy night out on the town, these top 20 cities have you covered.

And the award for the diviest city in the U.S. goes to … San Francisco, with a leading score of 44.8 out of 50. Known for its landmarks, rich history, and diverse culture, San Fran can officially add vibrant nightlife to the list. So, next time you find yourself in Golden Gate City, drop by one of their neighborhood bars for a cold one. But California isn’t the only state where you can find a chill atmosphere and good drinks — the East Coast dominated the charts. Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, came in second with a high score of 43.1 out of 50, closely followed by the sun-kissed city of Tampa (41.7). 

One of the best parts of traveling is the joy of finding a place to indulge in a chilled drink poured to the brim. It’s undoubtedly the best way to take in a city, and luckily you won’t have to travel too far if you’re in Connecticut. After you finish up in Hartford, it’s only a 43-minute journey to the fourth-ranked city, New Haven (41.2). 

The Best U.S. Cities by Category

If there’s one thing we know about the American people, it’s that they know how to have a blast. No matter what city you land in, you’ll never be too far away from a vibrant nightlife scene. You could party it up in almost every big city in the country, but only a few cities stand out among the rest with nighttime festivities you won’t find anywhere else.

Dive bar lovers, unite! There’s no doubt, especially with San Francisco’s star-studded reviews, that you should make the marquee city the base for your exploring. But if you want to put on your dancing shoes, pack your bags and head to North Port, Florida. No single recipe creates a great dive bar, but jamming to live music with the love of your life while sipping on $3 PBRs certainly hits the spot.

Dive bars and pool tables go together like … you know the rest. If you and bae want to take your iPhone 8-Ball game to the next level, Albany, New York, is another good starter city for those down-home spots. The capital city has a laundry list of options, and each one is decked out with pool tables. 

Looking for a drunk karaoke session? Sixty miles east of Los Angeles, Riverside — the largest city in Orange County — is one of the best cities for karaoke enthusiasts to visit. Whether you are a karaoke expert or a novice singer, nothing beats belting out your favorite songs while enjoying mouth-watering food and boozy fun in the laid-back environment of a neighborhood bar. And they’ve got plenty of liquid courage to help get you under the spotlight. 

But of course, you can’t unwind — or rather, unwined — without the perfect setting. Many cities have both inside and outside seating to pick from, but being outdoors allows you to enjoy a fresh breeze easily. If you’re craving a nice drink on a warm day, Hartford has a tremendous outdoor dive bar selection to cater to your every need.

Closing Thoughts

Romance is everything — especially pub love. At Shane Co., we hope to inspire you to visit some of these amazing cities with your partner and experience their unique charm. And if you’re thinking about popping the question, Shane Co. has one-of-a-kind diamond rings that are just as charming. Engagement news makes beer taste even better — trust us.