Lessons Learned at Boston Dive Bars

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When I’m not on the road these days, I’m busy trying to discover some of the best things about my hometown, Boston. First of all, I know I sometimes act all prissy and I DO like to go to the latest HOT SPOTS, that’s no joke. BUT betcha didn’t know I have serious soft spot for dive bars. Always have. It’s just one of those things about me…I like things that are a little rough around the edges and, as I recently found out, there’s a lot I didn’t know and learned during an evening out at a few local dives.

You should come well prepared. By that I mean with cash because apparently the best sketchy dives don’t accept credit cards. Who knew? Many, however, do have ATMs inside.

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You can gamble in dives, well play Lotto, but isn’t this really the same thing?! YES, I had never played the game Keno before my evening out and apparently there are betting rules, even in dive bars. You cannot just get a ticket and fill it out and pay up to the barkeep. No, if it’s proper-like, you gotta go to the end of the bar where the betting is legal. The irony!

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Not only can you get cheap drinks at dives – hello PBR – another Lola favorite that you didn’t know (It’s not all dirty martinis all the time) 😛 Dives also have cheap drink specials. For instance, at one dive they had the “Kinkytini”. Of course, the name alone intrigued me. Come to find out Kinky Liqueur is super premium vodka distilled 5 times with succulent mango, blood orange liqueur, and passion fruit. Never knew of it before, oh, and its label is hotpink too…need I say more?

If it’s dive worth its weight, it’ll have a juke box. BUT many juke boxes have gone digital. So if you wanna get in on the action of picking your favorite songs you better get the TouchTunes app. Yep, another thing I discovered during my dive night out. If you are like me and don’t know what TouchTunes is, well it’s the largest in-venue interactive music platform, featured in over 60,000 bars and restaurants across North America. Pretty cool, huh?!

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Finally, just because you fit into the “dive bar” category, not all dives are created equal. I sampled 3, my evening out in Boston. The “Classic” Drinking Fountain, which you can really get a taste of all things divey. Pool tables, digital juke box, Keno. You get the picture. The “Institution” Wally’s, a tiny hole-in-the-wall where there’s live music every night! LOVE. And, finally “The Real Cheers” 21st Amendment. This dive establishment located in Beacon Hill is across the street from the Massachusetts State House and has been serving the state’s most colorful characters since 1899.

If you like cheap drinks, interesting people watching and other divey things, you should check these 3 spots out. You can find more dive bar hot spots (90) in “Boston’s Best Dive Bars: Drinking and Diving in Beantown“. Supposedly a dying culture that is a big part of Boston’s drinking history…go support a local dive near you soon. Tell em Lola sent you!

14 Comments

Filed under boston, massachusetts, travel

14 Responses to Lessons Learned at Boston Dive Bars

  1. I’ve heard great things about the dives there!
    Andi of My Beautiful Adventures recently posted…Nevis: Day 1My Profile

  2. If you win, how much will you get? Just curious! 🙂
    Adrian Mendoza recently posted…BOOK FOR A CHEAP VACATION NOW!My Profile

  3. So…. Kinky Liqueur hasn’t asked you to be their spokesperson yet? Of all the gaul!
    Mike (Nomadic Texan) recently posted…Photo of The Day #68, #BullyTravel #BloggerOfTheWeek #NomadicTexan #Travel #Texas #BloggerAwards14My Profile

  4. Gambling at the end of the bar? That sounds fun. 🙂
    Raymond @ Man On The Lam recently posted…#60days in Paradise — Tobago’s Island ConnoisseurMy Profile

  5. Wouldn’t mind checking a few of these out when we next go to Boston!
    Becky Padmore recently posted…10 of the most beautiful places to visit in BotswanaMy Profile

  6. Great suggestions Lola…we love Boston and we love dive bars:)
    The Travel Sisters recently posted…Our Day as Panda Keepers in Chengdu, ChinaMy Profile

  7. I have nothing against a good dive bar every now and then. Maybe you should take me around next time I am in Boston?
    @mrsoaroundworld recently posted…Mrs. O’s birthday giveaway – lux and love for my readersMy Profile

  8. I love a great dive bar. When I lived in San Diego we had a fav. called Nunu’s. Classic good times.

  9. I cherish dive bars. I don’t, however, drink that swill called PBR. I’m the hipster against the hipster beer of choice.
    Lance | Trips By Lance recently posted…Exploring New Orleans French MarketMy Profile

  10. always, always, always love a good dive bar. can’t beat cheap drinks, and we always find the best characters sitting at the bar. LET’S DO AN NYC DIVE BAR CRAWL?! xo, the wino
    the lazy travelers recently posted…for the decidedly un-lazy traveler: night kayaking in st. thomasMy Profile

  11. Chinmoy

    I’ve heard so much about Boston’s scene. One of my biggest regrets from my time in the US is not visiting Boston. I hope to correct that error some day, and your article has certainly inspired me!

  12. Will you please take us to a few of these when we finally come visit you? Pretty please?
    Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted…Where we slept. Iceland edition.My Profile

  13. That’s it. GET ME A KINKYTINI, PRONTO.
    Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted…A Film Festival And A Giraffe Thong, Or Doing Stuff AloneMy Profile

  14. That kinkytini sounds pretty awesome!
    Gina recently posted…One Day in DublinMy Profile

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