OT: Best Dive Bars in CT | Page 2 | The Boneyard

OT: Best Dive Bars in CT

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TRest said:
It was a hole, very low on the strip club/biker bar scale.

Where's mauconn, he could give a.lecture on this topic.
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Ok here goes TRest - how did you know this? LOL

Growing up in Meriden that's all we had so I became a fan of "dives". The Brookside, Fortes, Moulin Rogue, Hanover House, Milners, Cloverleaf, Village Barn, Greenwood.....great places in each of their own unique way. Middletown had Polly's, Sals, Rafala's. Southington had Popular, Quito's, Hall of Fame, Dial Tone. Wallingford had Main St Cafe, Dudley's, Lenny's, Pumpernickel Pub....omg TRest I'm in memory lane and some of the street is closed, I'm old lol. Those are just a few in the 10 mile radius of where I lived. Playing twilight leagues in 4 different then for baseball for years brought me to many of the other finest establishments throughout the state also but who has the time for that? LOL
 
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I'm a fan of Arch 2 in Rocky Hill, helps that it's just down the street but it's a great neighborhood sports dive bar. Underrated hot wings.
 
mauconnfan said:
Ok here goes TRest - how did you know this? LOL

Growing up in Meriden that's all we had so I became a fan of "dives". The Brookside, Fortes, Moulin Rogue, Hanover House, Milners, Cloverleaf, Village Barn, Greenwood.....great places in each of their own unique way. Middletown had Polly's, Sals, Rafala's. Southington had Popular, Quito's, Hall of Fame, Dial Tone. Wallingford had Main St Cafe, Dudley's, Lenny's, Pumpernickel Pub....omg TRest I'm in memory lane and some of the street is closed, I'm old lol. Those are just a few in the 10 mile radius of where I lived. Playing twilight leagues in 4 different then for baseball for years brought me to many of the other finest establishments throughout the state also but who has the time for that? LOL
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You must have me by a couple of years, because I remember my older sister going to Dial Tone, the name had changed when I started going there. Infamous nickel drink nights on Tuesdays in the summer.
 
TRest said:
You must have me by a couple of years, because I remember my older sister going to Dial Tone, the name had changed when I started going there. Infamous nickel drink nights on Tuesdays in the summer.
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Yeah I only went to the Dial Tone prior to it changing names maybe once, it them changed to what? After that when disco came in it became Vibrations and I was there a lot pretending to be Travolta :eek:
 
mikedog10 said:
I'm a fan of Arch 2 in Rocky Hill, helps that it's just down the street but it's a great neighborhood sports dive bar. Underrated hot wings.
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The Arch is pretty nice - nowhere near the level of some of these dumps. It's a halfway decent restaurant

If you are willing to eat there I don't see how it could qualify as a true dive bar.
 
whaler11 said:
The Arch is pretty nice - nowhere near the level of some of these dumps. It's a halfway decent restaurant

If you are willing to eat there I don't see how it could qualify as a true dive bar.
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The original Arch was more divey... Arch 2 is way too nice.
 
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The Beachcomber in Milford...so dirty.

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BoatShow said:
No disrespect to anyone but the area surrounding Coventry Lake is our own little slice of West Virginia.
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Am from Coventry, can confirm.

But if you closed the Box, where would Coventry residents buy cocaine?
 
BoatShow said:
Only time I went to Free Spirit a 3 fingered bouncer asked for a cover for a band that didn't exist.
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Ahhh the Dirty Bird. I went into the men's bathroom there once and a girl was blowing a guy. NOT EVEN IN A STALL. Just right out in the open.
 
Dutch Tavern & Oasis - New London. I will not be convinced otherwise.
 
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Irish Loop said:
Ahhh the Dirty Bird. I went into the men's bathroom there once and a girl was blowing a guy. NOT EVEN IN A STALL. Just right out in the open.
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that's just crass. Everyone knows that a society lady with class only blows guys in a stall.
 
Randalls and Dubel's in West Haven and the Redwood , Pier 3, and Dorseys (if it's still open) in Milford are all pretty good.

I do agree with the previous post that the Windmill in Stratford was a classic until Vazzy's got their hands on it. Used to there for lunch every Friday for almost 15 years.
 
uconnphil2016 said:
I love going to dive bars--a couple of my favorites are All Star's in Manchester (Spencer St) and Free Spirit in Vernon. What's the diviest dive bar you guys have ever been to?
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oddly, I think this is the second time the "free spirit" has mentioned on the boneyard
 
Brass Horse - Barkhamsted

If it's still the same place.
 
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8893 said:
Spent a lot of time there in law school. Not a dive. Not even close.
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I agree with this. It's the closest thing you might find to a "dive bar" in WH but I actually think it's in Hartford technically. Prospect Ave splits WH and Hartford. Regardless, I was roommates with a friend who was in UConn Law and we spent many nights at the Spigot, along with the Half Door. The fact that the Spigot still doesn't take credit or debit cards makes it awesome, and annoying! Used to play darts there often. Was a big fan.
 
UCFBfan said:
I agree with this. It's the closest thing you might find to a "dive bar" in WH but I actually think it's in Hartford technically. Prospect Ave splits WH and Hartford. Regardless, I was roommates with a friend who was in UConn Law and we spent many nights at the Spigot, along with the Half Door. The fact that the Spigot still doesn't take credit or debit cards makes it awesome, and annoying! Used to play darts there often. Was a big fan.
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You're right--I'm sure it does qualify as a dive amongst WH folks, but in reality is definitely not a dive. It's just a craft beer bar without all of the bells and whistles. I've only been once, but loved the place. The bartender was a great guy.
 
CTMike said:
Another vote for Old Towne in Wethersfield... Top notch dive.

Drove by All-Stars a couple weeks ago and it appears to be closed.
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All-stars looks to have been sold--the signage just changed and it's called 'backroads.' looks like pretty much the same bar though with a couple of minor alterations. Not sure how much you can dress up a bar that's literally at the foothills of the Manchester dump
 
uconnphil2016 said:
All-stars looks to have been sold--the signage just changed and it's called 'backroads.' looks like pretty much the same bar though with a couple of minor alterations. Not sure how much you can dress up a bar that's literally at the foothills of the Manchester dump
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I wonder if it will finally become the strip club it's always been destined to be.
 
UCFBfan said:
I agree with this. It's the closest thing you might find to a "dive bar" in WH but I actually think it's in Hartford technically. Prospect Ave splits WH and Hartford. Regardless, I was roommates with a friend who was in UConn Law and we spent many nights at the Spigot, along with the Half Door. The fact that the Spigot still doesn't take credit or debit cards makes it awesome, and annoying! Used to play darts there often. Was a big fan.
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Before it was the "half door" it was the cool moose. That place may have taken the cake.
 
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Hmmm. I never go on football board...but somehow I'm in a thread about dive bars. Not a mistake. I might not be a PhD like Mau....but I'm probably in shouting distance.

Mentioned already:
Old Towne in Wethersfield -- Grew up in Wethersfield, played town league softball for 10+ years, was a fixture there for way too long. Slept many a night in dirty softball pants and cleats.
The Federal
Piggy's -- Worked at Aetna for a stretch. Went down to watch a UConn Big East noon start once and called my cubicle neighbor and told him to shut my computer off. Didn't leave til they closed.
Spigot -- Just went there a couple months ago. Great spot.

Closed up or different now:
The Corner Pub in West Hartford -- Before it was renovated and became the Corner Pug
The Cool Moose - Now the Half Door
Scarlett O'Hara's -- Now Vaughn's on Pratt St in Hartford
The Keg -- Now Wood N' Tap in Hartford
The Oxbow -- Now Sidewalk Cafe, across from the old South Catholic High School in Hartford
The Nutshell - Now a pretty nice Portuguese restaurant, used to be more of a dump/darts bar in Hartford
The College View Cafe - Near Trinity College

New entries:
The Tobacco Shed in Windsor
The Maple Cafe in Hartford
The Corner Tap in Hartford (not sure if it's still there)
 
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