if the curb shppe on or near falls is still open great steak sandwiches ff hamburgers

Sadly, my favorite is no longer with us. The Fort Charles Pub in south Baltimore was a perfect dive with amazing food.

I don't know if any of them qualify as true dives, but my favorite bars for food are Duda's, Dizzy Issie's (I refuse to call it "Dizz" and Captain Larry's. I'd love to hear of others though.

always interested in what people think about Don't Know and No Idea in South Baltimore. I think the cheesesteaks are phenomenal! Any comments?

First off, decide what you want. A "dive bar", or a bar that serves decent food. In my opinion, you can't have both. My definition of a dive bar, is a place where you don't take your girlfriend/wife. It's a place where there's usually a condom machine in the men's room. It's a place to do 1 thing, and 1 thing only...to drink. Dive bars are usually occupied by 3 types of people; alcoholics, people wanted by the police, and guys hiding from their wives. A good dive bar doesn't serve hot food. They do, however, have Slim Jims, Beer Nuts, or Utz Potato chips in those little bags. Now...little neighborhood bars are a horse of a different color. They have their regulars, and most server pretty decent food. I'll give a perfect example. The Emerald Tavern in Parkville. It's been there since forever. It's a place you can take the "little lady", and not feel too uncomfortable. Great wings, above average nachos, and very good hot and cold sandwiches. That's "pub grub" to me. I hope I've helped to shead some light on what is, and isn't a dive bar. Cheers!

I thought dive bars were the dirtier, nastier, sometimes scarier sort of places. If they are dirty I wouldn't want to eat there.

Nice graphic on the Top Ten on the right - Top Ten from Beyond the Grave. Spooky.

I like the Pepper bar in Ocean City. The place is totally yuk but has great wings. The drinks are good and prices much lower than all the other boardwalk dumps. I'm not sure if it's called Peppers or what though.

curb shoppe falls rd
great steak sandwich ff hamburgers

EL asked: "...are dive bars a city phenomenon?

I think they are, since a real dive, almost by definition, has to have been there forever. You need a city, town, or village with some history to get that. Most of the really old ones in the suburbs have been torn down and turned into shopping malls. The remaining few are usually "gentrified" as the upscale population moves in.

I'm with Bill Bruce on this one. You don't eat in a real dive. You drink, smoke, maybe fight.

I recommend the fried Mozzarella stuffed with ham @ Don't Know (yea- they finally served me) and while they are relatively new, its not like the owners changed a whole lot to the place.

Also, Alonzo's, despite being bought by the Dopkin conglomeration, is still essentially a preserved dive bar, so in that case, the famous alonzoburger deserves an honorary mention- if not 1st place :)

Swallow at the Hollow is a great dive bar when fillled with neighborhood folks. Occasionally late at night the college students invade.

But the food is great, all tastes homemade. I have been going there for 18 years. I like the bacon cheeseburger and the grilled ham and cheese. And in the winter, their beef stew tastes like what my grandmother used to make.

Bacon GIrl, what are you doing up so late?

Voodoopork, the "Top Ten' graphic is even spookier: Its the same hand on both sides. They just took one hand and flipped for the other side. What is the look of one hand indicating ten things?

Owl I was up that late because Bourbon Girl called me at 2 in the morning to recount in glorious detail how she beat you down by the pylons last night. Love cage fight indeed. I need a nap.

At the top of my list is Mahaffey's on the corner of Dillon and Bigbie in Canton. 16 Drafts of fantastic beer and delicious food.

The burgers are fantastic, the rosemary garlic fries are delicious, the wings are awesome. Steak Night on Tuesdays is a great deal and very good. 30 cent wing night on Wednesday is great too! I actually enjoyed a grilled pork chop with an apple brandy sauce served over garlic mash with a side of asparagus for lunch the other day. They do fantastic soup specials too.

Also, the 17 hour smoked pig they served up for their bock party yesterday was absolutely delicious.

Cheers!

RiE, yes it looks like a zombie rising from his grave. Cool, but not very appetizing. Kind of a bad omen.

I wouldn't call Mahaffeys a dive any day of the week - it's more of a neighborhood spot like The Dizz than a true dive. Mahaffey's rocks on its own merits. Thankfully, I do not live around the corner from good old Wayne's spot or else I'd be there too often and the wife would not be happy :D

Rosemary garlic fries are in and of themselves disqualification as a dive.

"Rosemary garlic fries are in and of themselves disqualification as a dive"

I was going off of the bar parameters posted in the second blog entry related to this topic. I agree that Mahaffey's is in no way a dive but a great bar that serves fantastic food.

Am I the only one who thinks that Sam Sessa's pic in the print Sun is HOT?

P Rob--yes.

A true dive bar has no more than a hot dog and microwaved hamburgers. A dirt floor and cockroaches are true parameters.

This isn't helpful for a top ten list in 2008, but I miss the dive bar that used to be on Broadway and served mexican food (tacos, etc) in paper bowls/plates back in the early/mid 90's. It's long since gone, and the food could have been horrible, but my memory has it as wonderful. Anyone remember the name of the place? It was on the west side of Broadway - maybe about where La Masala or Alexanders is?

Pianmi Rob, if you meen hot like the devil is hot then I agree with your venracularismo. Because the divil will burn your flesh like cotton candy fire. Beware of the Same Sessa!!!!!

Wooooooooosssjhhh! I am gone before the divil knows i am here

Has anyone mentioned The Rendezvous or Dougherty's Irish Pub?

Link spam at 10:43 PM! (One of several shills for dreck decor.)

ReCaptcha: the lucidity (what that spammer sorely lacks)

Link spam at 11:06 PM! (One of several shills for electric cigarettes.)

Link spam at 1:12 AM! (One of several shills for, er, um, adult toys.)

Link spam at 7:35 PM! (One of several shills for alleged electric tobacco products.)