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There was a time when dive bars had a bad reputation for being sketchy, dirty joints. Now, they're considered beloved parts of some communities and neighborhoods, whether you need a cheap drink after work or looking for a no-frills place to hang out with friends. Even then, there's much more charm to explore at these straightforward bars.
If you like checking out these under-the-radar spots, 24/7 Wall St. found the best dive bar in each state. To compile the list, researchers dove into ratings and reviews from Yelp, as well as consult websites, social media, and rankings from esteemed food-based websites. Researchers noted, "Many of these were disqualified because they were primarily restaurants, sports bars, or chain operations, or because they were judged editorially to lack essential dive bar characteristics."
According to the roundup, Al's Tavern was crowned Washington's best dive bar! This spot has been around since 1940. Here's why writers picked this establishment:
"Al’s is one of those places that inspires some regulars to give it one-star ratings on Yelp simply to discourage the wrong kinds of people from coming. 'Dank lighting, funky smell, faded Formica, vinyl half booths, stale chips, surly staff, stray dogs, irregular regulars, janky pool table,' wrote one Al’s fan. 'Stay away. You’ll just ruin it.' Another qualified his single star rating by saying that it was 'for the good of the bar and its regulars,' and implored readers to 'Preserve the Al’s Tavern that’s been doing its thing since 1940.' Going the other direction with a five-star score, a woman from Philadelphia announced 'This bar is making me consider moving to Seattle.'"
This bar is located at 2303 N 45th St. in Seattle.
Visit 247wallst.com for the full list of each state's top dive bar.