8 best dive bars in Charlotte
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Make sure to check out the bathroom decor at Thirsty Beaver. Photo: Alexandria Sands/Axios
Want cheap beer and good company? Look no further than this list of Charlotte's diviest dive bars.
Why it matters: Sure, Charlotte is inundated with breweries, and perhaps, in the midst of a pricey cocktail uprising. But there are still many treasured dives tucked into our city's corners.
Editor's note: Don't yell at me if your favorite dive isn't on the list. This doesn't include all of Charlotte's unpretentious establishments — just some of the greatest.
- If sticky floors and offensive bathroom decor aren't your vibe, check out our lists of Charlotte's best cocktail bars, speakeasies, rooftops, late-night spots and breweries.
Thirsty Beaver Saloon
A legendary Charlotte dive bar. Once a nondescript building, Thirsty Beaver is hard to pass and not wonder about today — the way cookie-cutter apartments wrap around it.
- As the story goes: Developers tried to buy the building, but the owner refused to sell. Very stick-it-to-the-man.
Why we love it: These four walls hold a lot of other stories, too. Ones we'll never know, like who the heck's bras are hanging from the wall?! One's everyone's heard, like that time Mick F—ing Jagger grabbed a beer there.
- Come any day of the week and guarantee you'll leave with a story of your own.
Stop by: Plaza Midwood, 1225 Central Ave.
Go deeper: "No chance" the Thirsty Beaver is going anywhere
Smokey Joe's
Step into this sandy tropical oasis off Monroe Road and be transported into a dimly lit saloon.
Why we love it: Inside, it's all the fixings of a classic dive: Low lights, maybe a band playing, guys with fresh Saran-wrapped tattoos shooting pool.
- When you're ready to switch up the atmosphere, head outside for a ping-pong match or to sway on the porch swings.
Stop by: East Charlotte, 510 Briar Creek Road
Johnny Dollars
The place you drive by hundreds of times and wonder about, but never grasp the magic until you walk through the sketchy door.
Why we love it: Endless reasons. Free popcorn. Hockey on TV. A random dog running around. A wall of photo strips — capturing friends' giggles as they squeeze into a tiny photo booth. The sign on the bathroom wall that tells you you have a nice butt. Shall I keep going?
Stop by: LoSo, 3920 S Tryon
Two Buck Saloon
A saloon where you can grab a PBR or Miller High Life for — you guessed it — two bucks.
Why we love it: If you're looking for a dive feel but still a consistently lively crowd, come here any weekend. There are few better places to be in Charlotte than the Two Buck patio when the weather's nice and a live band is playing.
Stop by: Plaza Midwood, 1113 Hawthorne Lane
Go deeper: Two Buck Saloon will recreate its laid-back, old-timey vibe in second spot on Albemarle Road
Hattie's Tap & Tavern
Your good ol' neighborhood bar off The Plaza that'll keep the whole gang entertained with retro video games, cornhole and dogs to pet.
Why we love it: Hattie's makes people feel a sense of community in a way that's hard to come by nowadays.
Stop by: Between Plaza Midwood and NoDa, 2918 The Plaza
Sanctuary
A hole in the wall known for its sports TVs, graffiti walls and wings.
Why we love it: It's centrally located in the heart of NoDa's nonsense but still manages to maintain a laid-back vibe and chiller company than you'll find elsewhere on a weekend night.
Stop by: NoDa, 507 E 36th St.
Tommy's Pub
A Charlotte staple since 1977. Don't take Tommy's for granted. The pub was in Plaza Midwood for decades until the land was sold to a developer for... (ready to be shocked?!) ... apartments.
- To the relief of the regulars, Tommy's found a new home not too far away at Eastway Crossing.
Why we love it: Regular happenings without a cover charge, from sports and movie nights to open mics and karaoke to amateur burlesque shows. Sometimes Tommy's gets weird with events like a "Glizzy Getdown" (free hotdogs and DJ sets).
Stop by: East Charlotte, 3124 Eastway Dr.
Midwood Country Club
"I told you I wanted to try the local dive. Not a stuffy country club" — Oh, wait.
Why we love it: A little off Plaza Midwood's changing path, the ironically named Midwood Country Club never pretends to be anything it's not.
- Darts. Pool. Drinks. Simple.
Stop by: Plaza Midwood, 2123 Central Ave.
