Midwest
 

there's this crappy little VFW located in the Nebraska-surrounded Iowa island of Carter Lake. it's a hole, but on Saturday's they have the best karaoke DJ and, with her, goes a great crowd. for one night a week that place is sizzlin place to be.

-st.

that may be the first time in recorded history that someone accused a VFW of being a sizzlin' place to be

i know, it shocked the shit outta me as well. not to mention a VFW in hickston. but lo and behold i walked into the VFW a skeptic and stammered out smashed. who'da thunk it?

-st.

(sshhh! what's a VFW?)

Sorry, old chap -- Veterans of Foreign Wars. Think Budweiser on tap, grumpy old men, and of course, lots of war stories.

yeah, it's this organization you can only belong to if you went overseas in the US military for a war. they have lots of chapters with bars, restaurants, conference rooms, etc.

this one's a dive.

-st.

Ah, kind of like the NAAFI, only for veterans. Gotcha.

(NAAFI??)

Navy, Army and Air Force Institute

Chicago and Chicago Area
 

The Mood in Willow Springs

Remember When aka The Bad Place in Brookfield

The Cordial Inn in Brookfield

Chicago

Waveland Bowl - a must for anyone in Chicago, go Friday or Saturday night, I can't explain it, just go

Old Style Bar (no name)
Corner of Sheridan and Shefield $1.50 Lites even on Game days

Simons $1.50 Shlitz ALL THE TIME can't beat that

Now for the all time greatest dive

The Lakeview Lounge - Broadway about 4 blocks north of Lawerence (Uptown) West side of the street

The bartender's name is peaches, she loves polyester and the house band is, well, I'll let you be the judge. The band plays on a ply-wood platform directly behind the bar. I don't know if I'm describing it correctly, the stand in place of where bottles usually are. They play everything from Stevie Wonder to "new" santana, to brick house. The thing that's great is that they don't speak English. One of my fondest memories was a man with a full cast and crutches refusing to admit defeat and he insisted on dancing with me.

It's a riot.

VFW's are pretty happening places to be! Yeah sounds funny, I used to belong to one here in Philly I still have my membership card!

Talk about a hole in the wall! No windows, a video cam outside, so they can screen you before entering. If nobody knows you, you dont have a chance of getting in! Mike and John are the guys who run the joint afterhours, this is the spot where all the people who work at the area bars go after work. 2am-4am it is a pretty happening place to be.

"The Pit"

Hey rimmie.....I need to go out with you! I've lived here for 2 years now and don't know anyplace in the city....I have no social life....

Damn...

Loser...

Will you be my friend?

of course i'll be your friend. i'm always looking for new people to start trouble with.

Wheaton, IL

The Gables

Complete dive. Standard bar eats. Music of one kind or another makes for ample background noise. Just an all around dive bar.