Dim lighting, bottled beer, no cocktail list, maybe a kitchen that makes burgers and, ideally, a jukebox is what makes a dive bar great. Bonus: a pool table and shuffleboard.
Why it matters: Dive bars are a dying breed. Real estate is expensive and customers tend to expect Instagrammable cocktails and decor from their lounges.
Driving the news: Texas writer Raf Miastkowski released "Texas Dive Bar Encyclopedia" in November cataloguing 150 saloons, honky-tonks and lounges.
Zoom in: More than a dozen North Texas bars made the cut, including White Elephant Saloon in Fort Worth, Caves Lounge in Arlington and Lee Harvey's in Dallas.
Ships Lounge in Lowest Greenville, which is featured, has been open since 1947 despite a brief closure when it changed owners around 2016.
"Prepare yourself for nothing too fancy," the Dallas Morning News wrote of its reopening.
The intrigue: Some dive bars don't even look open from the outside. Drive on Samuell Boulevard past Tenison Park Golf Course and you're unlikely to notice Fireplace Lounge.
But once inside, the lounge, like other dives, is welcoming with charming local regulars.
Where to find: Available in hardcover and as an ebook on Amazon but is expected to be sold in bookstores soon.
Maybe it's a Valentine's Day gift for your favorite dive bar enthusiast.
