The structure of a dive bar and how it functions in English
According to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase "dive bar" was first used in print in an 1871 issue of the New York Herald. Dive bars are "illegal drinking dens in the lower levels of a building, like a cellar or a basement," according to the SOED, where customers would "dive" into the establishment. The Third New International Dictionary of the English Language swooped in in 1961 and described dive bars as "a disreputable resort for drinking or entertainment." Not the most ringing recommendation for any venue, but that's good because none of these definitions were accurate any more. How can we even begin to describe what a dive bar is in the twenty-first century?
Every initial parameter that was previously set has changed or vanished entirely. The establishment's past is still evident, and you can see how the DNA of those once-illegal dens has persisted in the present incarnation of these bars.
There are several characteristics that, if we're trying to establish an official definition of a dive, we may use as milestones on the path to the finest of them. Neon signs advertising vintage beers that have faded over the years since they initially illuminated the glass block windows. The pool table's worn felt, which is slightly leaning in the direction of the bathroom's corner. It's not necessary to attempt to define a dive bar because we can recognize one when we see it. Let's at least try, then.
The idea behind "Dive Bars"
My dad used to see me play club soccer when I was a youngster and would take me along. Watching men run about while attempting to kick a ball into a goal was the worst since I come from the country that elevated Michael Jordan to kingdom and Walter Payton to sainthood.
The teams would congregate here for drinks following the games. The stained-glass Old Style lamp hanging above that grubby green table, the remaining bulbs in the vintage jukebox, and whatever light entered via the one unblocked window provided the illumination. The same guys were now smoking cigarettes and making whatever was in their shot glasses disappear as they appeared to be trying to empty every beer can in the area. Earlier, they had been sprinting across a large field at high speed. I was sitting there as my father hustled players at pool who he had recently defeated in soccer. I was drinking my Coke out of a highball glass. I struggled to understand it all. I was lost. What was this mysterious location?
Even though I had roughly 20 years before the phrase "dive bar" entered my vocabulary, I had already started to create the mental checklist I now use to describe a dive bar. Interesting items I saw were on that checklist, such as several guys fixated to a little TV behind the bar with no sound and blueish-green patches on the screen. The sticky linoleum tile flooring and my mother's visceral disdain when she learned we had stopped on the way home from the Saturday soccer game were among the sensations I experienced. All of these were connected to a location that, looking back, I can categorically describe as a dive bar.
More recently, while I sat at my favorite neighborhood bar enjoying the $7 shot-and-beer special while waiting for my Coney dog to be "made," I texted a select number of pals. These are people who share my affection for them and with whom I've shared drinks in dive pubs around the nation. I enquired as to what they believed made a great dive bar. As the replies poured in, themes that were immediately apparent began to emerge.
How a dive bar ought to feel and seem
Dive bars aren't a brand-new idea developed by a popular restaurateur. Therefore, an interior designer should never create the atmosphere inside a well-liked dive.
A professional guitarist and East Coast dive bar fan named Jack O'Shea observed, "A dive bar isn't a place where the shit on the walls is an unenthusiastic effort by entrepreneurs who are trying to capture what you liked about that place to begin with."
They pay homage to their past by collecting a lot of merchandise and décor from beer brands. The cool antique beer signs that now grace the bar's wood-paneled walls were once merely a gaudy freebie acquired by the establishment in exchange for purchasing cheap beer from a company. They would sell for a fortune on eBay if they weren't set in place forever.
According to author and Chicago dive bar lover John Scoll, "dive bars have ripped vinyl stools and a worn bar from years of forearms ordering cheap drinks and putting down deposits for darts." Like your favorite pair of jeans, dive bars are nicely worn in and somewhat soiled.
Where everyone knows your name and always appreciates your visit (sort of)
When you enter a dive bar, it could at first resemble one of those iconic situations where the record skips and everyone turns to gaze at you. It seems as though the regulars and the grouchy bartenders are one and the same, self-policing and controlling one another.
John Carruthers, pizza master, author, and devotee of dive bars, said, "I always felt like a dive bar was like a single-celled organism. You can either agree to the osmosis or choose to leave. When a group that doesn't seem to fit in enters an excellent dive, you know it. They seldom ever linger.
Do not worry; the regulars only come to watch TV with the sound off and enjoy the drink that the bartender had previously prepared for them when they arrived.
Only locals will be there, and if you're not a piece of sh*t by the end of the night, you'll make a lot of new friends, according to O'Shea.
The Cost is Reasonable
Where money is king, dive bars appear to be the financially responsible place to drink. There's a dubious ATM in the rear of the pub that may take your identity if you don't have cash.
Brewmaster and Boston dive bar fan Keith Gabbet notes that it is practically impossible for a dive bar to not provide inexpensive beer and shot alternatives.
The beer should cost sensibly and, if at all feasible, come with a shot for an additional $1, he added.
Cheap domestic beers and the "house cocktails," which are really simple mixed drinks served in plastic cups, are your only options at a dive. Rarely do these mixtures contain more than one liquor and a dash of store-brand soda.
The writer and Montana dive bar fan Kate Bernot said, "Drinks at a dive should be strong and cheap." "Last weekend, I had a single whiskey ginger at my dive that nearly knocked me out."
Although dive bars serve alcohol, they are hardly the places to find a hipster mixologist whipping up a tiki drink with French-Polynesiain inspiration. Maintain simplicity.
It's an Aura
There is evident agreement among the comments I got when it comes to the actual, observable attributes of a dive bar. Each person's description of how a dive bar made them feel was like listening to a window into their heart and soul. Here are some replies from those who are most familiar with these places.
Dr. AJ Patel, a Denver dive bar enthusiast, says there should be "no scene, no themes, no expectations, and no drinks. Although they may be cordial, bartenders should be salty. Each and every person is welcome in dives.
Whether I'm in a happy mood or trying to drown some sorrows, a good dive bar is for me, says Christina Spurr, a Minneapolis-based dive bar enthusiast. Both should find it appropriate.
Pittsburgh chef and dive bar enthusiast Kyle McCoy: "A dive bar doesn't have to be grungy, but it also can't be too clean. In addition, it should be a place where outcasts and weirdos feel comfortable being themselves.
The finest dive pubs are laid-back, but they're also the ones you're a bit hesitant to enter, says writer and Louisville resident Katie Molck. If you're thinking, "Is this accessible to the general public? You are at a respectable dive bar.
Denver pizza owner and dive bar enthusiast Ryan Grillaert says: "A good dive bar is like that trusty old pair of shoes you will never part with.
It may have a few holes in it and a recognizable stinky odor, but despite all of that, it is cozy and delightfully worn-in.
"I feel the reason there are so many different definitions of what a dive bar is goes hand in hand with one of its most important characteristics: each bar in the category is a standalone entity with a vibe and character specifically created by those operating and frequenting it," says Isaac Liberman, bar owner and Chicago dive bar enthusiast. I don't think there should be clear guidelines for what is acceptable and what is not, but there will undoubtedly be a lot of history being communicated in some form or fashion.
Online definitions may be available, but the genuine essence of a dive bar is unique to each person who wants to define it. The regulars of these nostalgic temples of vice worship make up the essence of a dive bar. Dive bars don't necessarily have a set of features; instead, they seem to represent a belief system.
Kevin Leary, a tattoo artist and expert on dive bars, said it best: "A fantastic dive bar in itself is a paradox. You have all you require and nothing more. Both enticing and repulsive describe it. Even though it's grimy and gloomy, you feel at home and welcome there.
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