Chicago’s Old Town Ale House has been named one the best dive bars in America.
Open since 1958, the Ale House landed at 11th among the 50 Best Dive Bars in America as ranked by Big 7 Travel.
The bar at Wieland Street and North Avenue has remained popular among the locals and students of The Second City theater across the street.
Although cheap drinks are always a plus, what has kept customers returning is the environment the Ale House has created for itself.
Portraits of famous leaders and regular customers by owner Bruce Elliot cover the walls from floor to ceiling. The famous Ale House Juke Box sports an array of jazz and blues CDs to reflect the musicians that used to stop by in the 80s.
The Liquid Blues Bar in Woodstock checked in at 36 on the list.
Here are the top dive bars:
10th. Santa’s Pub – Nashville, Tennessee
9th. Ivy and Coney – Washington, D.C
8th. Easy Street Lounge – Hallowell, Maine
7th. The Sip n’ Dip Lounge – Great Falls, Montana
6th. Lola’s Depot – Houston, Texas
5th. Edna’s Bar & Grill – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
4th. The Icehouse – Yankton, South Dakota
3rd. The Salty Dog Saloon - Homey, Alaska
2nd. Turkey’s Nest – Brooklyn, New York
1st. The Griffon Pub – Charleston, South Carolina
