OT: Best Dive Bars in CT

[uconnphil2016]

Another vote for Old Towne in Wethersfield... Top notch dive.

Drove by All-Stars a couple weeks ago and it appears to be closed.

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

 

[UConnNick]

Main St, White River Junction. Skiing at Queeche,Vt. Stares got so unnerving we left.

Don't they just love outsiders in VT?

 

[BoatShow]

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

I wonder if it will finally become the strip club it's always been destined to be.

 

[TheJerk]

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.

Before it was the "half door" it was the cool moose. That place may have taken the cake.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Willimantic?

Hot Shots

 

[mauconnfan]

Hot Shots

Wasn't there a Blarney no a side road in Willimantic? One of the roads near where the Willi Brew Pub is now.

 

[Deepster]

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)

 

[pepband99]

Do they serve quinoa and celery at dive bars?

 

[Deepster]

Do they serve quinoa and celery at dive bars?

Don't cross the streams. It would be bad.

 

[fairfielder]

The Horseshoe in Southport.

 

[whaler11]

Good call on the Maple. Love Brendan.

 

[NorwalkHusky]

There use to be this amazing place in Stamford called Rack N' Roll. Probably had about 20 pool tables inside no joke, but the place was a dump. My friends always joked John Taffer would have lost his if he went in there.

 

[methodology]

The Elm in Branford.

For an interesting place I maybe stop in there a couple times a year with a few buddies when we are half in the bag cause its such a strange place is Libby's Excuse room in Branford. It is literally a bar in someone's house. They live upstairs the downstairs is like a living room with a bar and pool table and its run by a husband (libby) and wife (vicky). I have no idea what their true hours are and how they stay open. They also serve food and if you get lucky Libby will serve you beer in his bathrobe. Pretty sure its cash only

 

[pepband99]

There use to be this amazing place in Stamford called Rack N' Roll. Probably had about 20 pool tables inside no joke, but the place was a dump. My friends always joked John Taffer would have lost his if he went in there.

That place was a dump, with no redeeming quality, other than pool tables en masse. Horrid food, stale beer, really just sucked.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Wasn't there a Blarney no a side road in Willimantic? One of the roads near where the Willi Brew Pub is now.

Yep, below Eastern. Probably the closest joint near the school.

 

[ScottBonz]

Is Piggy's still around? Haven't been there since '87 or '88. Had a buddy who was temporarily relocated to Hartford and he stumbled upon that place (and the Spigot). The few times we visited him we had to make an obligatory stop at each (and for the record each qualified as serious dive bars).

The Spigot is still around. We like to call it El Spigeuax to make it sound a little nicer. It actually has a somewhat younger crowd. Solid Beer List, Darts, Baseball Cards on the Walls. Seems like all the young kids in West Hartford who don't fit the center vibe like to hang there. I hit it up a couple times of a year as I live around the corner.

 

[History Geek]

I miss The Anchor in New Haven.

 

[hamster]

Yep, below Eastern. Probably the closest joint near the school.

I lived next door to Blarneys for two years. Was there when it opened. Not good for matriculation.

 

[pepband99]

Side Street in Hamden is somewhat dive-y (but mainly because it's a college bar). Solid beer selection, from memory waaaay back.

 

[SirHypeAlot]

There use to be this amazing place in Stamford called Rack N' Roll. Probably had about 20 pool tables inside no joke, but the place was a dump. My friends always joked John Taffer would have lost his if he went in there.

I walk by this place all the time on my way to the train. It's been vacant for awhile now. Looks like it was a SERIOUS dive in its day.

 

[DSquiz]

I miss The Anchor in New Haven.

It's under construction and will reopen this summer.

 

[John]

Side Street in Hamden is somewhat dive-y (but mainly because it's a college bar). Solid beer selection, from memory waaaay back.

food is decent in a pub-food fashion.

 

[Devland]

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?

I happened to drive by All Star's in Manchester today. It is now a country bar call Back Roads. This must have happened in the last two weeks because I drove by a couple of weeks ago. Of course there is the chance that it was Back Roads two weeks ago and I just didn't notice.

 

[Devland]

Piggy's is still open. It's completely surrounded by parking lots now - but it still gets busy late nights on weekends. I have heard the owner wants to sell to Aetna.

The Spigot is still open too - I guess it's a dive but there are way worse places within walking distance like the Cypruss Arms.

When I first moved to Connecticut I used to go to the Spigot for pizza and beer. The pizza was pretty good. The the thing I most remember about the Spigot was I was in there with friends for lunch having pizza and beer the day ESPN came on the air. It had to be late 70's early 80's. I was in the area a couple of years ago and stopped in for some nostalgia. They no longer server food in there. Of course they could have stopped serving food 25 years ago for all I know.

 

[huskymedic]

I miss The Anchor in New Haven.

Anchor was too upscale... Jack's Bar and Grill on East Street.

Remember the Norge Grille across from the Coliseum?