Over the years St. Pete has seen its share of new, hip, and overly-themed watering holes, and while there’s plenty of room of for pricey craft cocktails, there’s something about a dark, dank dive bar. Here are a few of St. Petersburg’s essential dives, that will surely leave your hair smelling like smoke.

Dead Bob’s 6717 Central Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33707, (727) 317-2627 A dive bar with killer Americana comfort food. A spot to hit for some beers and dinner on your way back from St Pete beach. Parking can be difficult at this plaza pub, but once you try those drink and dinner specials once, they’ll have you back fighting for a parking spot. Photo via Dead Bob’s/Facebook
Ruby’s Elixir 15 3rd St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 898-7829 Come for the jazz music, stay for the drink specials and extensive liquor selection. Ruby’s Elixir stands out in downtown St. Pete, where the bars are on a corner than drinks you had tonight. You can enjoy their no cover, live music jams almost any night of the week. Photo via Ruby’s Elixir/Facebook
Mahuffer’s Pub 19201 Gulf Blvd, Indian Shores, FL 33785, (727) 596-0226 It’s likely that Mahuffer’s Pub will be the most eclectic, uniquely decorated dive bar you’ll ever grab a cheap beer at. Most of the decor consists of underwear, dollar bills, and a bar cat––think dive bar meets flea market. The ultra-casual, neighborhood bar that you’ll just have to tell your friends about after. Photo via Mahuffer’s Pub/Facebook
Bottles Pub 5619 Park Blvd N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781 , (727) 545-4102 Bottles Pub is the type of spot where the bartenders will probably know your name after a few visits, and there’s a back patio that’s guaranteed to make your cold beer taste even better. Join their in-house dart league if you dare. Photo via Bottles Pub/Facebook
49th St. Pub 860 49th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710 ,(727) 328-2337 Where the bartenders will treat you like a local even when you’re not. Their cheap beer and stiff drinks can be accompanied by a menu filled with the salty and fried bar food. No worries, you can burn those calories off with a strenuous game of pool and darts. Photo via Google Maps
Double D Saloon 974 58th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710, (727) 343-0304 A built by locals, for locals kind of bar. With live music and karaoke throughout the week, Double D Saloon is the place to grab a cheap beer (or four) and talk smack with other bar flies. Never underestimate a strip mall bar! Photo via Double D Saloon/Facebook
Jwag’s 2312 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704, (727) 258-4881 Jwag’s exemplifies the ‘hole-in-the-wall’ stereotype, as it really is a tiny dive bar. Although small in size, this dive certainly leaves a lasting impression as it’s packed with locals most nights. They don’t have draft beers, but compensate with their strong mixed drinks. Photo via Google Maps
Mad Pub 12933 Village Blvd, Madeira Beach, FL 33708 , (727) 397-7693 Mad Pub is an open air bar right off the beach, that looks too inviting to pass up after a day in the sun. With a variety of craft beers and a friendly staff, Mad Pub doesn’t necessarily have the expected “dive bar” prices, and it doesn’t have the dinghy demeanor or inside smoking like most dives do either. Photo via Mad Pub/Facebook
Abbey Road 974 58th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710, (727) 343-0304 This is where you go if unfiltered bar smoke doesn’t bother you. It’s part of the charming, relaxed nature of a dive bar, right? The Abbey’s cheap beer and many bar activities like video games, flat screens, darts, and pool will nonetheless distract you from the smoke. Photo via Abbey Road/Facebook
Boardwalk Tavern 2600 54th Ave N Saint Petersburg, Florida ,(727) 507-1200 This stand alone, beige building holds years of drunken memories between friends and strangers alike. They have local country bands, karaoke, and drink specials throughout the week. You know you’ve stumbled upon a true dive when the sign is hand painted. Photo via Google Maps
Mastry’s Bar 233 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 , (727) 822-3070 One of the oldest bars in St Pete, Mastry’s is a true neighborhood bar–an escape from the large, fancy establishments that keep popping up downtown. St. Pete locals keep coming back for the cheap drinks, live music, and most importantly, the camaraderie. Photo via Mastry’s Bar/Facebook
One Night Stand 149 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 350-5822 Probably one of the only southern, honky tonk kind of bar in downtown St Pete, One Night Stand has $5 shots and $7 specialty drinks that are hard to beat, especially accompanied by their bar food menu. Oh, and they have a freakin’ mechanical bull. Photo via One Night Stand/Facebook
Pelican Pub 18 2nd St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 898-7829 Don’t feel like paying to go to a show at Jannus Landing? Go to Pelican Pub and you can probably feel the bassline of the song in your chest as you drink that beer. With it’s $2 brews, writing all over the walls, dartboards, and jukebox, this is the go to dive in downtown St. Pete. Photo via Pelican Pub/Facebook
The Emerald 550 Central Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, (727) 898-6054 The 600 block on Central has pushed out a lot of the original, homey businesses, but the Emerald remains tenacious. It has cheap beer, a jukebox, and absolutely no frills or BS. Be prepared to smell like smoke when you leave. Photo via The Emerald/Facebook
Rudy’s Sports Bar 11100 66th St, Ste 40 Largo, Florida, (727) 546-2616 A no frills, old school bar where you can watch any sports game your heart desires, or play pool and darts if you’re in the mood to compete yourself. Yes, you can smoke inside, and no, there is no smoke filtration system in place. It’s old school, remember? Photo via Google Maps
Smokin’ 19 3080-3090 34th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713 , (727) 202-8943 A dive bar with cheap drinks, but also a restaurant serving up burgers, ribs, brisket and pulled pork specials, to absolutely ensure you that you’re never leaving. You can’t miss it on 34th street N, it’s the building painted in large pool balls with huge meat smokers outside. Photo via Google Maps
Pasadena Bar and Grill 796 Pasadena Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33707, (727) 345-3312 A hole-in-the wall, joint bar filled with older regulars, but the bartender will treat you like a regular whoever you are. They serve great burgers, but only until 2pm. Easy to miss, as it’s on the corner of a small plaza on Pasadena Ave. S. Photo via Google Maps
The Bends 919 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 , (727) 202-8931 Perhaps a little too hip to be considered a dive bar, but its inside smoking and it’s lack of space will maybe let the Bends slide. Its narrow hallway ensures that you will definitely run into someone you don’t want to talk to on your way to the back room where they host local and touring bands. Photo via The Bends/Facebook
Slizzy McGee’s 6201 12th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 , (727) 289-3118 With walls covered in your typical dive bar decor (AKA neon beer signs), and bar food menu that will go along perfectly with your cheap beers, Slizzy McGee’s is the go to dive bar. Be prepared to search for this little hole-in-the-wall, as it’s sandwiched between a Chinese restaurant and a Pizza place. Photo via Google Maps
Steve’s Tavern 933 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33705, (727) 894-1004 Steve’s Tavern is an unassuming, almost hidden storefront on the increasingly suave Central Ave in downtown St Pete. It has everything you love about a simple dive bar, jukebox, darts, a single pool table and, of course, $2.50 bud lights and $3.50 wells. Photo via Yelp.com
The Stinger 2222 49th St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711 , (727) 327-9115 Two pool tables, a jukebox, neon beer signs on the walls, and cheap drinks–– the qualities of a true dive. Can’t really beat a $1 Bud Light and Landshark happy hour can you? The pool tables aren’t fair game all the time, as The American Pool Association reserves the tables on Mondays and Thursdays. Photo via Google Maps
Undertow Beach Bar 3850 Gulf Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33706 , (727) 368-9000 Undertow Beach Bar is open 19 hours a day, 8 a.m. to 3 a.m, and that means you can drink from the moment you wake up, to the moment you fall asleep. Undertow attracts diehard locals and passing-through tourists alike with its ‘neighborhood joint’ attitude and beautiful waterfront view. Photo via Google Maps
VFW Post 6827 4145 34th St N Saint Petersburg, Florida, (727) 525-7370 The VFW Post 6827 in downtown St Pete is a non-profit organization serving veterans of foreign wars, but their public events like karaoke, concerts, or spaghetti dinners are always a smoky, good time. Equipped with a full bar and acoustics that will leave your ears ringing indefinitely after a show, VFW is not your typical dive bar. Photo via VFW Post 6827/Facebook
Wilson’s Bar and Sports Lounge 3030 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704, (727) 895-4219 The local hangout that fills all of the dive bar criteria. Smoky? Check. Karaoke 24/? Check. Cheap drinks ? Of course. The little teal blue building that is Wilson’s is packed with locals both day and night. Photo via Wilson’s Bar and Sports Lounge/Facebook
Bar@548 548 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 , (727) 914-7424 This open air bar in Downtown St Petersburg has tables outside if you prefer to people watch on Central Ave, but usually have local art covering their walls inside. Despite its hip exterior and younger crowd, this place still has the cheap drinks and laid-back attitude of a true dive. Photo via Bar@548 /Facebook