Southern Living Magazine has released its the South's 25 Most Legendary Dive Bars, list, and two great local spots have made the cut.
What makes a good dive bar? According to Southern Living, not only are cheap drinks and live music a must, but unique qualities -- like good food or quirky annual events -- are what make a dive bar especially memorable.
Their editors traveled the South checking out some of the best dive bars around and came up with a list of 25 of the best. The good news is two of Athens’ own made the list.
Nowhere Bar on North Lumpkin Street is one of the establishments. This darkly-lit bar has live music, pool tables, and monthly Jazz and country music nights. Located right across the street from the Georgia Theatre, it's the perfect place to go after catching a show.
The other Athens joint to make the list is The World Famous on North Hull Street. This bar features inexpensive drinks and some great food options. Open from Noon to Midnight seven days a week, it's a great place to hear live music, grab a late-night snack, enjoy a cocktail in a mason jar, or grab a delicious lunch.
Here's the complete list of Southern Living's 25 Most Legendary Dive Bars:
Green Parrot Bar (Key West, FL)
The Griffon (Charleston, SC)
Earnestine & Hazel's (Memphis, TN)
Port of Call (New Orleans, LA)
Planet Marfa (Marfa, TX)
Nowhere Bar (Athens, GA)
No Name Pub (Big Pine Key, FL)
The Garage (Birmingham, AL)
Scotty's Beach Bar (Surfside Beach, SC)
Donn's Depot (Austin, TX)
The Virginian (Charlottesville, VA)
AJ's Grayton Beach (Grayton Beach, FL)
Flora-Bama (Perdido Key, FL)
Sloppy Joe's (Key West, FL)
Pirate's Cove (Elberta, AL)
The Backstreet Pub (Beaufort, NC)
The World Famous (Athens, GA)
Santa's Pub (Nashville, TN)
The Red Bar (Grayton Beach, FL)
The Esso Club (Clemson, SC)
Johnny's Hideaway (Atlanta, GA)
The Palace Saloon (Fernandina Beach, FL)
Callaghan's Irish Social Club (Mobile, AL)
Harry's Banana Farm (Lake Worth Beach, FL)
Dixie Chicken (College Station, TX)