Best Dive Bars

[husky8273]

Crowley's in Georgetown

 

[HooperScooper]

Red Dog Middlefield good call. First time I went in there end of a work day they made me take my tie off and staple it to the ceiling above the bar before being served. Right down the road in Middlefield in Lake Beseck was/is Rovers Lodge another dive bar of excellence.

My wife grew up in Middletown. I asked her if she knew Red Dog and she laughed. She said she always wanted to go there but was scared to walk in!

 

[Milo65]

Red Dog Middlefield good call. First time I went in there end of a work day they made me take my tie off and staple it to the ceiling above the bar before being served. Right down the road in Middlefield in Lake Beseck was/is Rovers Lodge another dive bar of excellence.

Rovers... good call

 

[Milo65]

My wife grew up in Middletown. I asked her if she knew Red Dog and she laughed. She said she always wanted to go there but was scared to walk in!

My buddy got his butt kicked in Red Dog because he was wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and my buddy has a big mouth and talked back. Who doesn’t love Mickey?
Beachcomber and Hellwigs in Milford, Lenny’s in Wallingford, New West Cafe - Westville

 

[storrsroars]

Black Duck still going strong in Westport.

Black Duck was never a dive. They serve salads. And have top shelf booze. Even though they have the fun house titled floor to the men's room.

I don't know if any dives still exist in Stamford. Melfi's in Springdale was the one I grew up with, but changed hands in the 80s. The Shamrock in Shippan might still be going. You couldn't get drunk enough to be refused service there. p

My dive in Quincy was a typical Sully's shot & beer joint. I see that closed a couple years ago which is sad. That was the kind of place where it's doubtful the regular clientele will ever be comfortable elsewhere.

Edit: I see @dvegas included Burn's Tavern in Glenbrook. Yeah, that certainly qualifies.

 

[CbbisGreat]

You should have seen the Sea Grape when it was the Nautilus late 70s into 80s. Bar floor was crooked and the swill would flow downhill and get an inch deep against the wall. Smell of urine and non working toilets. Those were the days!

Black Duck still going strong in Westport. Ultimate is Matty's Corner in Black Rock. Defines dive.

Out of state, old stomping grounds Chanticleer pub in Ithaca, NY. It was old in 1980. Still there as is Rhine House.

the Naut was a great place .went in there for lunch once and left at 2 am

 

[CbbisGreat]

Red Dog Middlefield good call. First time I went in there end of a work day they made me take my tie off and staple it to the ceiling above the bar before being served. Right down the road in Middlefield in Lake Beseck was/is Rovers Lodge another dive bar of excellence.

did the same thing at my cousins cafe in New britain except they might not have let you take the tie off before they stapled it to the ceiling

 

[mauconnfan]

My buddy got his butt kicked in Red Dog because he was wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and my buddy has a big mouth and talked back. Who doesn’t love Mickey?
Beachcomber and Hellwigs in Milford, Lenny’s in Wallingford, New West Cafe - Westville

Was thinking about Lenny’s but maybe gave it too much credit to be a dive bar. Knew Lenny T, solid golfer, good guy. Nice bar good clientele back in the day too lol

 

[wheelerdog]

Ah the Grape! Back in college I’d go there Tuesday nights, Thursday nights, and more often then not Fri thru Sunday.

They cleaned it up a little bit but it’s still grimy.

The Naut.

Nuff said.

 

[CTBasketball]

The Naut.

Nuff said.

The Naut was before my time, wish I experienced it. Thursday nights at the beach we’d do a rotating keg called “The Naut.”

 

[JamesinGR]

Grew up in Meriden home of the dives!! Others in the area Sals, Raffalas and Polly’s in Middletown, Dudley’s and Corner Cafe in Wallingford, Quitos and Popular in Southington, Mayos in Middlebury, Federal and JPs before UConn games in Hartford....so many great ones back in the day. Now it’s hard for the dive to survive!

In Southington and in addition to the Popular, one block down on other side of street was the Liberty. Both places never carded SHS kids in late seventies. Always a blast.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Old Town- Old Wethersfield

Facts. I lived in Old Wethersfield for 8 years and would walk to the OT. Now I live in “just Wethersfield” and have to drive there. I have so many stories surrounding the Old Town. I can confirm it’s a proper dive.

 

[Milo65]

Was thinking about Lenny’s but maybe gave it too much credit to be a dive bar. Knew Lenny T, solid golfer, good guy. Nice bar good clientele back in the day too lol

Lenny was a great guy, I grew up in Wally and in the 90’s would hang at Lenny’s with Todd T. bartending. I also played softball for the Corner Cafe, mid 90’s

 

[Son of Robert]

The Fireside Cafe in Middletown CT. They used to have the 3 am hour, they were selling crappy coke out of a side supply room. Standing room only at times, chaos, low-lifes, drunkenness, easy women, mayhem of all sorts. The great 3am melting pot.

 

[Kolumbo]

You got your Hooligans but that was very much a UConn hangout. I think it might be Pub 32 now. I do remember hanging out there one afternoon seeing a lady about 8 months pregnant drinking, smoking, and throwing darts.

 

[formerlurker]

Lol the clermont. If you know, you know.

I get there 2-3 times a year when in Atlanta on business. Always have a blast but never for the same reasons.

Atlanta UConn fan

I live in Florida so I plan on going to Gainesville which is only 2.5 hours for me. After that, the Big East tournament and NCAAs. I will also get back to CT for a regular season game. I am close to Orlando so only a 2.5 hour flight. I would drive up to 10 hours or so but no games appear to...

www.the-boneyard.com

 

[Samoo]

The Barge.

 

[Martin]

Gahan’s and The Horse, Waterbury, CT. I mean it’s Waterbury?!?! Lolol.
The Andrea Bar and Hotel, Misquamicut Beach, Rhode Island.

 

[wheelerdog]

The Naut was before my time, wish I experienced it. Thursday nights at the beach we’d do a rotating keg called “The Naut.”

There was another real dump of a bar on the beach that was not as popular with students, probably because the shuttle from campus only dropped off at the Naut. I think it was called The Surfside.

 

[Ewekon]

There was another real dump of a bar on the beach that was not as popular with students, probably because the shuttle from campus only dropped off at the Naut. I think it was called The Surfside.

You are correct sir. Uncle Chick and rarely NRBQ would play there.

 

[slepers]

The Spigot in Hartford.

 

[uconnfan68]

The Fireside Cafe in Middletown CT. They used to have the 3 am hour, they were selling crappy coke out of a side supply room. Standing room only at times, chaos, low-lifes, drunkenness, easy women, mayhem of all sorts. The great 3am melting pot.

My home away from home. Knew Franklin’s bartenders and rarely paid.

 

[brihman]

Tin and Lint in Saratoga

 

[Son of Robert]

My home away from home. Knew Franklin’s bartenders and rarely paid.

The sons ran that place, Michael and Joey, and there was a bartender named Mark Taylor whom I was friends with at a younger age. This is mid 80s. I was cooking in restaurants up and down Main St. MacAndrews for one, Middlesex Opera House, and Polly's, another great dive bar that had food though. Hung out at La Boca a lot. Barnum's was another dive bar in there; they had a lot of live blues going on there.

 

[uconnfan68]

The sons ran that place, Michael and Joey, and there was a bartender named Mark Taylor whom I was friends with at a younger age. This is mid 80s. I was cooking in restaurants up and down Main St. MacAndrews for one, and Polly's, another great dive bar that had food though.

Early 70s for me. Didn’t know the sons. I don’t even know if it was the same owner by that time, but it’s gone now. Drove through that area last year and was surprised how much changed.