Scoundrel's Field Guide

07/28/2026

Appreciate the numerous shoutouts from The Takeout in their round up of best dive bar in every state. Awesome to see some of our favorites make the list.

Among the hands-down best dive bars in every state are Bob’s Java Jive in Washington, Buckhorn Bar & Parlor in Wyoming, and Jerry’s Tavern in Oregon.

07/27/2026

Dirty Dungarees | Columbus
The love affair of laundromats and dive bars plays out in Dirty Dungarees, Columbus’ unique blend of b**r, laundry and live music.

The hybrid space sits just north of Ohio State’s main campus, Dirty Dungarees an area mainstay since 1978 and current home to a stream of punk, hardcore and metal bands playing a dusty corner of the bar.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/dirty-dungarees-columbus-dive-bar/

07/22/2026

The Library | New York
Alphabet City dive bar The Library feels like a classic dive ripped out of a Midwestern strip mall and relocated to the dense chaos that is New York City.

An old school bar, rows of booth seating and a deep maroon color scheme combine to create a comfortable drinking vibe accentuated by a generous buy-one-get-one-free happy hour.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/the-library-bar-new-york-dive-bar/

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07/20/2026

Gypsy's Mainstrasse | Cincinnati
Convington, Kentucky’s, Mainstrasse Village is an underrated and easily walkable German-inspired district packed with attractive, historic and sometimes divey bars & restaurants.

Gypsy’s straddles the line here between straightforward bar and old school dive thanks to a brick lined interior & exterior occupying a sliver of a shotgun-style space packed with hockey, b**r and one of the area’s best patios.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/gypsys-mainstrasse-covington-dive-bar/

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07/16/2026

LJ's Lounge | Detroit
Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood is flush with upscale drinking and dining options, making dive bar LJ’s Lounge the perfect counterpoint and affordable collection point before a night exploring the area.

The commitment to wood paneling here is so complete that it not only covers every available surface inside but edges out toward the street, covering the Detroit’s dive bar’s exterior as well.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/ljs-lounge-detroit-dive-bar/

07/14/2026

Hangin Tree Saloon | San Antonio
With a San Antonio address but a Bracken, Texas, heart, Hanging Tree Saloon is a true Texas Hill Country dive bar, complete with swinging saloon doors and a vintage jukebox.

Occupying a building that traces its history to opening in 1915 as a two-lane bowling alley, the wear and tear of a century can be seen in the worn wooden features throughout, a dive bar roadhouse vibe only Texas could create.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/hanging-tree-saloon-bracken-san-antonio-dive-bar/

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07/10/2026

Hogs & Heifers Saloon | Las Vegas
In a city filled with theme restaurants and artificial experiences, Hogs & Heifers Saloon near the Fremont Street Experience is the dive bar equivalent of visiting the Venetian to soak in Italian culture.

The divey decorations inside and outside are worth a view, but bullhorn-fueled, high pressure sales tactics provide an equally compelling reason to skip out quickly.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/hogs-and-heifers-las-vegas-dive-bar/

07/08/2026

Hinano Cafe | Los Angeles

Just steps from Venice Beach, Hinano Café feels like the state of California expressed in dive bar form thanks to its beach-adjacent location and a Hollywood-tinged origin story that includes a sailboat trip to Tahiti and the production of Mutiny on the Bounty.

Opened in 1962, the Hinano Café hamburger is a must-try for every first-timer, the patties cranked out on a flattop grill so old (and so well-seasoned) that it predates the bar itself.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/hinano-cafe-los-angeles-dive-bar/

07/06/2026

Olde Towne Inn | Chicago

What looks at first glance like a simple house-turned-dive-bar in Chicago suburb Elgin is really a 1927 pre-Prohibition original hiding in plain sight.

Olde Towne Inn, christened as Smitty’s all those years ago, plays the role of neighborhood dive bar exceedingly well, balancing polished renovations with original 1930s-era original elements in a space that hosts everything from bingo night to outdoor movie nights in the parking lot outside.

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/olde-towne-inn-chicago-dive-bar/

07/03/2026

Rose Garden | Houston
Dive bar experiences don’t get much purer than Rose Garden, a tiny shack of a dive bar located along the edge of Houston’s Heights neighborhood.

Owner Rose Marie lives across the street, using Rose Garden as an extension of her own home, welcoming a steady stream of locals into a snug, wood panel-lined space that pays tribute to its Polish heritage (and Elvis too).

Read our full review on the SFG site here:
https://scoundrelsfieldguide.com/rose-garden-houston-dive-bar/