10 overlooked and quintessential Tampa Bay dive bars you should try right now

By Jourdan Ducat on Fri, Jun 30, 2023 at 2:07 pm

Photo via ancloteriverboatclub/Facebook. Design by Joe Frontel

National Dive Bar Day is on Friday, July 7 and there’s no shortage of essential dive bars in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. But there are of course varying opinions about what constitutes a dive bar in modern times.

The internet broadly defines a dive bar as “a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style drinking establishment with inexpensive drinks.” The late Anthony Bourdain once described some of his favorite New York City dives as places where “it's okay to drink during the day,” and even an establishment where there is “an element of danger.”

While it’s true that prices have gone up everywhere and less people these days are interested in roughing it, there are still a few good spots left where you can get a drink for a fair price and not be surrounded with the influencer crowd.
With the life of Ernest—a longtime resident iguana of Mahuffer’s on Indian Rocks Beach who passed away in November—in our hearts, we’ve rounded up 10 essential Tampa Bay dive bars not on Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s past lists.

We're talking places where the owners make their own pickles, or use wood burning fireplaces to keep the place warm in January. The places that open at 8 a.m. for your hair of the dog or make you walk through a back alley to get in. These are the holes for advanced dive bar goers looking to go even deeper. So hit that ATM, raise a PBR and dive in (and don’t forget to wash your hair afterwards since most of these spots still allow smoking).

Anclote River Boat Club

1761 Beckett Wy, Tarpon Springs
The Boat Club, as regulars affectionately call it, is quite possibly the diviest bar on this list. If your car doesn’t bottom out trying to access the treacherous parking lot, you’ll notice an actual wood burning fireplace just inside the entrance for that one week it gets cold in January. The entire building seems ready to give way into the river it’s situated on, so you may feel buzzed before you’ve even had a beer. Bring some bug spray and enjoy a slightly cold domestic on the dock.
Photo via ancloteriverboatclub/Facebook

Seabreeze Lounge

30625 U.S.-Hwy 19 N, Palm Harbor
You know a place is going to be divey when the only indication of its presence in a strip mall is the word “lounge” in unassuming capital red letters on the facade. Seabreeze is a haven for folks who want to enjoy cheap drinks and a cigarette, but don’t sleep on the delicious “snakebite” chicken wings if you like your BBQ sauce with a little tang. Along with daily specials, there’s a pool table, darts and a bookshelf by the bathroom with random titles in case you want to pretend you’re being productive.
Photo via Google Maps

Skip’s Bar

371 Main St., Dunedin
Located in the heart of downtown Dunedin, Skip’s is the perfect place to grab a cold one on a hot day. This cash only beer bar still has a coin-operated jukebox and serves PBR bottles in a brown paper bag for a truly authentic dive bar experience. Another fun thing Skip’s does is offer half off drinks every Wednesday if you wear your Skip’s T-shirt, which they sell for $15 each—an investment that pays for itself.
Photo via Google Maps

Harbor Bar

840 Main St., Safety Harbor
This Safety Harbor dive serves shots in plastic cups but offers a decent liquor selection, including the Italian amaro Fernet, a rare sighting in most dive bars. The rectangular bar is usually packed with regulars smoking Marlboros and bullshitting, while the service is fast and friendly. If you like pickles, you’ll be pleased to hear the owner makes his own, which means your pickleback just got a locally made upgrade.
Photo via Google Maps

Franks Sports Bar

4201 62nd Ave. N, Pinellas Park
This Pinellas County dive, located in an unassuming strip center, has all of the makings of a great neighborhood watering hole. You’ve got the accommodating Franks regulars who are quick to introduce their fellow comrades, a kind-but-no-bullshit bartender who also plays the role of cook during day shifts, and well-priced booze that your new friends might even treat you to. Food is offered during select hours, so call ahead to make sure they’re serving if you need a burger to go with your Bud.
Photo via Google Maps

Bar Mastiff

4021 54th Ave. N, St. Petersburg
If you’re a longtime dive bar patron, you may have visited Bar Mastiff when it was known as Marsha’s Wayside Inn. The drinks start flowing here at 8 a.m., so it’s an apt place to get a hair of the dog from the spirited bartenders while listening to the regulars poke fun at each other. Every day from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. you’ll get a raffle ticket for each drink ordered, with a winner receiving a free drink on the hour.
Photo via Google Maps

Lana’s Place

109 107th Ave., Treasure Island
This Treasure Island bar is situated just behind the popular VIP Mexican restaurant, so it’s a great place to pregame while you're waiting for your table. Once your eyes have adjusted to the extremely dark interior, have a seat next to a sun-soaked regular and order a cheap shot or something from Lana’s decent selection of craft beers. If you haven’t stopped in post-pandemic, you’ll be surprised to find that the place no longer allows indoor smoking but has expanded its outdoor seating area.
Photo via Google Maps

Shadrack’s

114 8th Ave., St. Pete Beach
This long standing Pass-a-Grille staple is the perfect place to hit before or after your next beach day, as it’s only a short walk from the sand. Open since 1972, “Shads” has welcomed locals and tourists with cheap domestics, decent liquor pours and camaraderie for decades. The two pool tables are always hopping and smoking is only allowed outside, which makes it an accommodating spot for all members of your crew. Shadrack’s also has a seriously impressive bloody mary toppings bar the first Sunday of each month from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Photo via Google Maps

Flamingo Sports Bar

1230 9th St. N, St. Petersburg
This St. Pete institution has been open in some form or another in the same location since 1937 and is said to have been a haunt of the late writer Jack Kerouac. It’s easy to see how the Flamingo could have been the perfect place for him to retreat with his thoughts, given its dark and smoke-filled interior and complete lack of pretension. The blue collar regulars are likely to regale you with tales of the past, that is if they’re not involved in a game of pool.
Photo via Google Maps

Smugglers Tavern

1120 Pinellas Bayway S, St. Petersburg
If you think Tierra Verde is all marinas and seafood restaurants, you’ll be surprised to know there’s at least one true dive bar here, with a to-go package license to boot. Smugglers is another dark and smoky spot that typically caters to locals looking for a lowkey time, but even first timers will be welcomed with a strong pour and friendly, no frills service.
Photo via Google Maps