This one is for Frankie:
Repost courtesy of GO…
Wikipedia defines “dive bar” as “A downmarket drinking establishment serving a working class clientele.”
Wikipedia is full of crap.
We prefer urbandictionary.com’s first definition: “A well-worn, unglamorous bar, often serving a cheap, simple selection of drinks to a regular clientele.”
That’s more like it.
But no matter which definition you subscribe to, “dive bars” (so called here for lack of a more unifying name) are certainly more lowbrow than lounges or frat guy-infested pubs. They might also be smokier, more concentrated in urban or industrial areas, and have drink options that start with “b-” and end in “-eer”. But we’re good with all that. We come together today to praise dive bars, not to bury them.
In search of Springfield’s best dive bar experiences, we dispatched a pair of GO Magazine staffers, ex-staffers or regular contributors to a score of Springfield’s hidden gems with the singular mission of bringing the real Springfield to you, our readers, and hopefully vice-versa as you take your own dive bar adventures.
Check out our new “anatomy of a divebar” interactive feature!
Keep reading to begin the tour
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Dylan Whitaker and Logan Aguirre take in a brew at Ball Park Tavern. |
The Siblings
Thinking ourselves very clever, we sent GO associate publisher Logan Aguirre and her brother, circulation manager Dylan Whitaker, out bar-hopping together. Turns out they get along a lot better at a bar than most siblings. Their thoughts?
Ball Park Tavern
Hours: 7 a.m.–close, Mon-Sat.; 9 a.m.–12 a.m., Sun.
During our Odyssey in search of dive bars, we got a tip about Ball Park Tavern… and what a find it is. Located on the far west side of town in an old brick building is a bar that’s been in operation for 63 years. It’s named “Ball Park” because back in the day it sat next to Springfield Memorial Stadium: Rumor has it Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth stopped in for some cold beers after games [Editor: Babe Ruth retired in 1935, so the math doesn’t exactly line up… but Mantle totally could have happened]. Employees say the place is so old that three or four people have died on their barstools. “Not because of fights or anything, just because of old age,” the bartender says. Regular patron Darren Fansler, 40, tells us his dad died at Ball Park 38 years ago. He and Christine Bingham, 30, love the place because, “it’s cheap and the economy sucks.” You can play shuffleboard or pool, or try out karaoke on Sunday nights. If you get too rowdy, you may get thrown in the “Dry Tank” a.k.a. “walk-in cooler”. There’s also an awesome TouchTunes juke box which Fansler says sucks because they have blocked all the songs with explicit lyrics. We were asked for ID’s because if you look under 35 the bartender says she is going to card you. Ball Park serves beer only and is open 365 days a year. 811 S. West Ave., 417-866-9577
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Ray’s Lounge
Hours: 3 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Mon.–Fri.; 5-1:30, Sat.
This college hangout is known for Wednesday night $1 beer specials, free pool nights and the occasional Jell-O wrestling contest. If you’re feeling ballsy, try Ray’s Pecker Head shot, or Ray’s Rattler. Trust us, you don’t want to know what’s in them. While you’re there, you can keep an eye on the parking lot with Ray’s security cam, grill your own meat on the back-patio grill, and check out the Wall of Fame to see some of your favorite TV personalities letting loose. Tending bar every night is Ray, who we see as a mix between Bob Barker and Blue from Old School. When we asked how old he is, all he would tell us is he’s not old enough for Viagra. While Ray’s Lounge could use a good, deep cleaning, it does have an awesome juke box. Warning, don’t try your fake ID here—repercussions are stiff. The sign on the door explains it all. 1221 E. Saint Louis St., 417-862-9770
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Archie’s Lounge
Hours: 10:30 a.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.-Sat.
This neighborhood bar is super clean and spacious with a big stage, pool tables and the most comfortable club chairs and barstools ever. Regulars begin their day at Archie’s at 10 a.m. with coffee or tea, head out to their jobs, and end their day with their favorite drink, which the bartender starts preparing when he or she sees a customer’s car pull into the lot. The regulars have big hearts and show it by putting on their own chili cook-off and auction each year to raise money for local charities. All beer is $1.75, only served in bottles chilled on ice. Dive bar touches include an American flag made of beer bottle caps, a NASCAR Crown Royal team mural watching over you from the wall and a “No Dumping” sign in the bathroom. Our favorite part? Written in Sharpie on the men’s bathroom condom machine, “Return baby here.” Archie’s also has cover-free live music every Friday and Saturday night.
Food options: Bags of chips, gourmet Funyuns, and nuts. 1817 E. Grand St., 417-864-4109
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Jeff Houghton and Jeff Jenkins being appropriately random at Last Call. |
The Subjects
So what if we write a lot about Jeff Houghton and Jeff Jenkins? They’re freaking hilarious, and have been taking their own personal “dive bar tours” for the better part of two years. Who better to assign to visit four of Springfield’s most distinguished dives?
Longbranch Lounge
Hours: 8 a.m.-1:30 a.m., Mon,–Sat.
Longbranch is located in an old firehouse, but don’t enter in the front where the fire trucks presumably exited. The entrance is in the darker, shadier backside of the building. Inside, the atmosphere is the opposite of dark and shady. Rick was our favorite—while trying to convince us to sing karaoke he said, “Karaoke means ‘to make fun of’ in Japanese. Seriously, man, it does.” He then informed us that the loser of our shuffleboard game would have to sing karaoke to a song of his choosing. (Jeff H. wound up singing the Sheryl Crow-Kid Rock duet, “Picture” with a friend.) Long Branch has all the dive bar amenities you would hope for, with two pool tables, a 50-cent shuffleboard table, Keno and karaoke. Plus, drafts are insanely cheap at only $1.50, and pitchers are only $6. However, we would not recommend the Misdemeanor, a Crown/butterscotch Schnapps shot that tastes like French-kissing an octogenarian with a Werther’s Original in their mouth. 2000 N. National Ave., 417-866-9212
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Virgil’s Bar and Self Storage
Hours: 2 p.m.–1:30 a.m., Tue.–Fri.; 2 p.m.–12 a.m., Sat.
“Bar and Grill” or “Restaurant and Bar” are combinations often seen, but are not nearly as pragmatic as a bar that also has self-storage. Virgil is perhaps the only proprietor forward-thinking enough to actually incorporate this degree of multi-tasking into a business plan. Two drawbacks: Virgil’s is located securely out of town, north on Highway 13; and you have to remember to bring your I.D., even if you are a 36-year-old man, as one member of our party discovered the hard way. The other half, however, was able to enjoy Virgil’s spacious bar, which has two pool tables, a large drum kit, Keno, a big safe, and four couches (presumably taken from a storage unit) set up like a living room. The most unique feature is the bell located behind the bar; a patron only gets to ring it if they buy a round for the whole bar. A bottle of PBR is only $2, but the conversation with the friendly folks about the recent show cattle is free. 7579 N. Farm Rd. 137, 417-833-4081
Rum Runners
Hours: 8 a.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Sat.
This place has a sign hanging over one table in the corner that says, “Popular Table,” but for our money the whole place is the popular table. Rum Runners comes complete with at least four entrances (or exits depending on the situation). They put a lot of focus on karaoke, with a great stage with lights and a big board listing the winners of a recent competition. The lovely Marcie’s rendition of “Whiter Shade of Pale” brought the place down. Well, she got applause. There was one pool table, Keno, a big American flag, and CMT on all the televisions. Two-dollar drafts went down nicely while we pondered the poster reading, “It is better to have loved and lost than to live with a psycho the rest of your life.” 2826 E. Division St., 417-863-6488
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Last Call
Hours: 3 p.m.–1:15 a.m., Mon.–Tue.; 1 p.m.–1:15 a.m., Wed.–Sat.
This is definitely the liveliest place we visited. The snugness of the place is evidenced by the sign above the door that says, “Max. Cap 50.” Thankfully, walking isn’t so much an experience of “why are you trespassing?” as it is “join the party.” Within the small confines are two dart boards, a pool table, signs for pool tournaments, keno, posters of women in bikinis from the late ’80s, karaoke, and Last Call shirts for sale. Best of all, you can get a 16 oz. can of Coors for a measly $1.25. Well, we thought that was the best deal of all, then a gentlemen named Vance and a friend enthusiastically sang “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister. The performance ignited a singalong and dance party that made our Coors cans bounce along on the bar. The karaoke at Last Call was excellent, even the lone bartender belted out a song when she had a chance. 1310 E. Kearney St. 417-866-1872
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Dena Dill and Gina DeGenova took over the bar at MyPlace Lounge. |
The Sales Team
Gina DeGenova and Dena Dill are GO Magazine’s ladies on the street (not like that), and are responsible for the marketing and sales aspect of the magazine. They also know a good bar and a good time when they see one. Here’s what they found.
My Place Lounge
Hours: 10:30 a.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Fri.; Noon–1:30 a.m., Sat.
Upon entering My Place Lounge, you will immediately be greeted by the bartender (Cindy is her name) and checked out by the regulars (only the good-looking regulars of course). At least that was our experience. Two young girls walk into a dive bar and don’t get checked out. Yeah right!
After ordering two cold Bud Lights, we investigated the joint and came up with three questions: 1. Why is there a stack of oven toasters behind the bar? 2. What’s with the second bar, dance floor and stage on the other side of the bar? 3. Why don’t we come here more often? Answers: 1. My Place serves jumbo pretzels stuffed with jalapeno cheese (yum) and chips at all times. 2. They have karaoke on Tuesday-Saturday from 9 p.m.– close, and sometimes live music. 3. We will from now on.
Drinking cheap here is easy. Make your way to My Place and sip on $1 draws (Bud and Bud Light only) every day from 10:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., or enjoy happy hour 4-6 p.m. with $2 domestic bottles and $2 wells. Also, compete against the many regulars (about 50 per day) in NTN trivia, join in for free pool on Monday (7 p.m.-close) or pool tournaments Wednesday and Saturday starting at 8:30 p.m. 1211 W. Battlefield Rd., 417-889-8708
Da Cubby Hole
Hours: 2 p.m.–close every day
Located across from Ziggie’s on South Campbell, Da Cubby Hole (formerly Jose’s Place), only recently opened its doors in early December. The neighborhood bar/restaurant is little (hence the name) and is not your typical dive bar—we had trouble even considering it a dive bar at all. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is the stained glass window boarding the brick wall. The glass is the only piece which survived a fire back when the joint was Black Forest Inn.
Da Cubby Hole offers Chicago-style food from 2 p.m.-close every day, including hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and pizza puffs (something akin to deep-fried pizza). On tap: Miller Lite, Boulevard, Coors, Blue Moon, Dos Equis, and Old Style Chicago Beer.
If you are wondering where the Da Cubby Hole originated, here’s the story: Owner Daisy Duarte is from Chicago, is a hard core Cubs fan, and enjoys getting grief from Cardinal fans. When the building went up for sale, she said it reminded her of a cubby hole. The rest is history. Let’s just hope Da Cubby Hole doesn’t have a 100-year dry spell, eh? 2185 S. Campbell, 417-890-9932
Jo’s Gather’n Place
Hours: 11 a.m.–close (could be 9, could be midnight)
According to Fig, a Jo’s regular, “This is the greatest bar in the world. That’s why I am here every day that ends in Y!” We’re with Fig. Jo’s Gather’n Place is a typical dive bar with mirrors above and around the bar. Don’t let the baseball bat behind the bar scare you—or the message from K.F.G on the wall in the women’s bathroom.
Enjoy happy hour from 4 p.m.-close (“close” being whenever the crowd dies down) with $2 drafts, $3.50 wells, $4.50 calls and $6.50 pitchers. There’s also a fully loaded menu (to-go orders available) and lunch specials on Wednesday and Friday from 11 to 3 p.m., regular menu from 3-9 p.m. And, apparently, don’t miss Walleye Wednesdays; the regulars couldn’t’ stop talking about it. 2931 E. Chestnut Expwy., 417-864-7723
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Kari Engel and Meagan Johnson (and their koozies) at Gunny’s Mill. |
The Artsy Types
You wouldn’t know from looking at them, but Kari Engel (GO art director 2005 till mid-2008) and Megan Johnson (GO art director mid-2008 to present) love them some dive bars. Their destination: West Springfield. Here’s what they found.
Gunny’s Mill
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m.; Sunday 12-8 p.m.
Officially it’s Gunny’s, as we discovered from the blue Koozies that accompanied our beers, but we like to call it Old Mill. It’s like you’re sitting in a log cabin in the woods, with its lodge decor and plethora of wood furnishings. Ona (not “owner” as we initially thought) is Gunny’s Mill’s bartender, server and bouncer, all wrapped into one young-at-heart package. Ona is spunky and friendly, stopping by every table to check in. One bonus point for Old Mill: No bar time (the habit bars have of setting clocks 15 minutes ahead) so they were in no hurry to get you out the door. Be prepared to pay with cash unless you run up more than $10 on your tab, which will be possible if you hit them up on Monday night for $12 Steak Night. We were digging the shuffleboard table and TouchTunes, but you can also play some pool if that’s your thing. 1414 W. Farm Road 102, 417-833-4135
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Knightyme Bar and Billards
Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m.; Saturday Noon-1:30 a.m.; Sunday noon-midnight
“Knight” like the man, “thyme” like the herb (minus the h)—that’s what we called it all night. We’ll admit we were a little intimidated by the regulars, but once we got over their stares we were able to enjoy the large room filled with seven pool tables, six dart boards, a stage with a disco ball, Keno, karaoke and bras (!) hanging from the ceiling… hey if this was our awesome hangout, we’d be protective, too! We shimmied our way up to the bar, promptly greeted by a sign: “Cash Only. Or Personal Check.” Personal check? They are trusting! Once we sat down at a table we really started to see the personality of this bar. A common sight—patrons with their own pool cues. Guess we didn’t come prepared. The waitresses were amazing; always checking if we needed something, answering our erratic questions (“Do you sell Wine by the Box?”) and pulling up chairs for the stragglers that kept joining our table. Along with the great service there were amazing drink specials; week days 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $2 draft beers and $1.50 bottles, Saturday 9 p.m.-10 p.m. $1 well drinks and $1 drafts. Knightyme has a huge food menu for dirt-cheap: A sampling: $6 9-inch pizzas (our favorite option was “Lotsa Meat”), $3.50 cheeseburgers and fries, $2 fried pickles, plus about 16 additional food options all under $4. 3440 W. Division St., 417-862-4248
Sunshine Saloon
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-1:30 a.m.
Want the feel of a house party, but with a little more grit and action? Sunshine Saloon is your bar. It has a genuine “everyone’s welcome” feel, which of course means a “bar fight”. Yup, we said it, there was a bar fight (luckily not involving us). The bar was pretty small; there are only four tables lining the right inside wall, with the bar taking up the left side. The bar itself was pretty short, with only 10 chairs. The twentysomething bartender is the owner’s son; his family has owned Sunshine Saloon for 20 year. He did a heck of a job handling drink orders while simultaneously breaking up the fight. When we ordered our draft beers, he pulled out frozen mugs from the 1960s-era freezer and filled us up, all this in between runs to the ATM at nearby Kum & Go because the Saloon doesn’t do tabs and takes no credit cards or checks. The drafts were only $1.50, well drinks were only $2.50 and bottles were $2. And these weren’t specials, these were all-day-every-day prices. The back of the bar had a pool table and karaoke.
We were lucky enough to be there on karaoke night. On the mic was a Danny Devito lookalike who knew how to break it down. He added commentary to the bar fight. And his song-choice when the cops arrived? “Bad Boys” from television’s Cops. That made us want to stay for another round and get to know these people a little better. 1326 W. Sunshine St., Springfield, 417-866-9394
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SilverLeaf Tap Room
Hours: Call the pay phone for hours.
With a slogan like “Oldest bar in town, coldest beer in town”, who wouldn’t want to hang out at the SilverLeaf Tap Room? The first thing you notice when you walk in are the old-school T-shirts stapled to the ceiling. The story behind the T’s: When the bar opened in 1978, the bartender was dealing with some erratic customers and sent a shotgun shell through the ceiling. Instead of patching the hole, they used a T-shirt to cover it, and so a tradition was born. The SilverLeaf recently expanded, adding a shuffleboard table and TouchTunes. They also have a pool table, and a toaster oven for a yummy snack. When we asked the bartender about the cheapest beer, she told us the biggest bang for our buck was a 24 oz. PBR for $2.75. Make sure you check out the sign on the men’s bathroom door. 3151 and 3153 W. Republic Rd., The only phone number we could find was for a pay phone.
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Matt Lemmon and Katie Pollock take a breather at Ruthie’s Bar. |
The Editors
You know that old stereotype about journalists and drinking? It’s not entirely untrue. Matt Lemmon and Katie Pollock are the wordsmiths who crank out GO Magazine and 417 Magazine, respectively, day-in and day-out.
Ruthie’s Bar
Hours: 6 a.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Sat.
First off, Ruthie’s architecture is remarkable, with high ceilings and fab crown molding. Sort of “classy-meets-dive”. During a round of $1.75 PBR bottles ordered from a gruff-but-pleasant bartender, we took stock of our surroundings. Ruthie’s has dive-bar staples like NASCAR hoods on the walls, a pool table, Keno and karaoke, plus a few bonuses like a foosball table that only one person can play (it’s up against a wall, and unmovable); and a beer sign featuring a photo of a pissed-off bear (we just think he wants a beer). Ruthie’s clientele was chill—all but the excitable chap who adamantly told us to quit taking his picture. “I got three ex-wives!” he explained. One of the best things about Ruthie’s: The bar stools are cushioned and have cushioned backs, which make toppling over harder, and passing out easier. 400 E. Commercial St., 417-864-8144
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The Stepchild Lounge
Hours: 10 a.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Sat.
A regular hangout for Matt in the early ’00s, the Stepchild is a bit less scuzzy than it was circa 2001; the bathroom has been renovated, at least. That said, it’s still a delightful dive. Let’s start with the prices: $1.50 drafts (excluding Boulevard) served in mugs that are not glass, but instead feather-light plastic—an accident waiting to happen. Bud pitchers are $5.50 every Saturday, which is hard to beat. This is a regulars bar, but the regulars are a relative mixed bag: The bar was populated mostly by sorta-clean-cut types; yet at another table an affectionate flannel-clad couple made out the entire time we were there (and by “affectionate” we mean “hands in Wranglers”). Other classical dive bar touches included Keno, a shuffleboard table (non-functioning, as far as we could tell), collages featuring cut-out photos of regular patrons, a cigarette machine, and margaritas “on tap” (we editors were amused by the quotation marks). There are a couple of TVs and a juke box. The selections of the night: Law & Order and Elton John’s “Rocket Man”. 1861 S. Stewart Ave., 417-881-9703
Alley Katz
Hours: Noon–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Sat.
When we walked into Alley Katz (which we thought was still Barbara’s Beer Garden), we first noticed the hip-hop music and purple neon. Not dive bar staples. Then we saw the stripper pole on a small, empty stage. Confused, we sat down at a table. Here’s how the conversation went.
Matt: I think this is a strip club.
Katie: Yeah, I think so, too.
Matt: But Paradise used to have a non-used stripper pole.
GIRL IN BLACK LEATHER BIKINI WALKS OUT.
Matt: It’s a strip club. Do you want to leave?
Katie: I had to go to strip clubs when I worked for Maxim. I’ll say if we need to.
Matt: I don’t want to write about it.
Katie: Then let’s go.
2109 N. Glenstone Ave., 417-866-7569
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The Outland
Hours: 4 p.m.–1:30 a.m., Mon.–Sat.
The Outland is not your prototypical dive bar—its status as a top local music venue sees to that. Nevertheless, the Outland’s sizeable group of regulars like to think of the bar as Springfield, or at least downtown’s, last bastion of lowbrow. All the elements are here, from the duct-taped vinyl booth seats, the minimal liquor selection (though there are some hipster bottled brews available) to the kitschy Outland neons and murals that hang throughout the bar. There are also plenty of random decorations in the music side, as well as dark corners. If you’re looking for classical Outland, check out the insiderish theme nights. 326 South Ave., 417-863-9779
The Tipsy Turtle
Hours: 8 p.m.–1 a.m., Wed.–Sat.
The Turtle does owe some of its status to former tenant Bugsy Malone’s (not a lot has changed, including Bugsy’s signature signed bricks) but the Turtle has certainly taken the ball and run. Features include a tin ceiling peppered with dollar bills signed by regulars, conga lines, drinking games to The Police’s “Roxanne”, and its novelty as Springfield’s only bar where the front door (facing Glenstone) is unusable—you have to park in back and enter through the basement. (You have to go upstairs to use the bathroom.) The best night for drinkin’ is Friday—$3 for anything after a $5 cover. One regular says “I’ve ordered tray after tray of Irish Car Bomb shots for my friends and I, and none of us left paying more than $35. Try that anywhere else. Seriously.” 843 S. Glenstone Ave., 417-869-8333
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