I would like to start off by stating that not all dive bars are bad—sometimes a dive bar is just the thing you need, and some dive bars are homier than your own living rooms.
That being said, they ain't called dive bars for nothin'... and our area is full of classic dive bars, both the good AND bad kind. This list is nothing but my own personal opinion... feel free to list your own.
1. DeLeo's—This isn't just the BAD kind of dive bar, it is the worst kind of bad dive bar. There is nothing to save this from the #1 spot—it just sucks, in all kinds of ways. Possibly worst bar in America.
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2. 19th Hole (R.I.P.)—No longer open, but rumored to reopen someday... this was the GOOD kind of dive bar. Friendly staff, decent beer selection, wildly varied crowd comprised of underage kids from Philadelphia U. to the typical drunk local. I miss you.
3. Peck Miller's—At least it's cheap. One of the bad ones, but barely a bad one. Too many drunks, not enough drinkers.
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4. The Brickhouse—Perhaps there is a reason they make brick s***houses. A bad one: smokey, skanky, stinky.
5. Murphy's—The new owner is making positive strides and turning this dump into a NEIGHBORHOOD dump—an ideal GOOD dive bar. Good beer selection, lousy food, comfortable seating, enough games, and now a TV outside.
6. Scanlon's Saloon—Another neighborhood dive, great atmosphere, fun, cheap, clean (does that remove it from dive status?)—what a dive bar should be.
7. Pitcher's Pub—Not sure if this is a good or bad dive. The beer selection is the best on this list by a long shot, but the crowd varies—EVERYONE on Main Street sits on a stool here. The food is terrible.
