Washington, D.C.'s Coolest Dive Bars
Ah, dive bars: the mecca of grease, grunge, and cheap drinks. If you wish to avoid all the upscale, pretentious bars that charge $10 for a beer, frequent the District’s coolest and most eclectic dive bars instead.
1. The Velvet Lounge
Bar, Pub Grub
2. Red Derby
Bar, Pub Grub
3. Dan's Cafe
Bar, Cafe, Pub Grub
4. The Bottom Line
Bar, American, Pub Grub, Mexican
5. The Pinch
The Pinch
The Pinch often hosts underground music shows and has a stake in DC’s budding DIY scene – a collective form of music that occurs in primarily house venues. The idea is to throw the shows yourself, in their most authentic form, and to leave the money out of it – do it all for the music, man. Despite being a venue, The Pinch’s grungy basement resembles any household basement. In the spirit of being cool and progressive, all the bathrooms are gender neutral.
3548 14th St NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 (202) 722-4440
http://instagram.com/p/BK308R9hA-L/?taken-at=15102787
6. Handsome Cock
Bar
Handsome Cock
It’s a little more populated and cleaner than your average dive bar, but the name alone places Handsome Cock within its own category of cool. The music is always prime, featuring endless throwbacks – go for a 1990’s themed boogie here and then compete in a game of beer pong; there’s a table always set up to play for free. Or play a round of Mario Kart while sipping on a wide range of draft beers.
1334 U St NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 (202) 265-0708
http://instagram.com/p/BAnk-B-B8VX/?taken-at=240956687
7. The Pug
Bar, Pub Grub
8. Trusty's
Bar, Pub Grub
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