Florida has no shortage of watering holes with personality — the kind of dimly lit dives where the beer is cold, the cocktails are stiff, and the regulars’ stories get better with every retelling.
So when we asked our USA TODAY Network reporters from across the state to name their favorite spots, they delivered a lineup that’s equal parts gritty, charming and unmistakably Florida.
These are the bars where cigarette smoke might still curl toward low ceilings, where jukeboxes double as time machines, and where locals claim their seat like it’s sacred territory. From a tiki treasure to a tiny tavern, consider this your road map to the Sunshine State’s most beloved dive bars.
Babe’s Blue Room
Inside Babe’s Blue Room, a local dive of 35 years in Ormond Beach.
Details: 206 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach; 386-677-3688, facebook.com
Among the mix of watering holes and well-worn dives that speckle Daytona’s bar scene, Babe’s Blue Room recently rose to the top as readers’ pick for the area’s best — a spot that’s kept locals coming back for 35 years. At a roadside glance, the low-slug building washed in blue light isn’t an eye-catcher, but inside, where paneled walls meet beer banners and vintage portraits, the air is thick with nostalgia — and cigarette smoke. Family-owned and operated since 1990, the local haunt hums with the chatter of regulars who know each other’s names — and drinks — by heart, each posted up in their usual spot, be it a corner table, a worn leather barstool, or beside the pool table. It’s these same consistent crowds and dedicated employees — oh, and its famous sauced wings — that have made Babe’s Blue Room, likened to the “Cheers” of Ormond Beach, the local fixture that it is. Naturally, smoking is allowed inside, making it one of the last places where guests can light up, play a round of pool and swap stories to the sound of rock anthems pouring from the jukebox — and for many, that’s exactly the draw. — Helena Perray / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
More: Readers crown Ormond Beach bar as Daytona area’s best dive
Bahi Hut
The Bahi Hut, located at the Golden Host Resort at 4675 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota.
Details: 4675 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-355-5141; bahihut.com
Open since 1954 and proudly billed as Florida’s oldest tiki bar — and the country’s longest-running “tiki treasure” — Bahi Hut remains Sarasota’s go-to spot for strong drinks, retro vibes, and good times. Locals and tourists alike have flocked here since the Eisenhower era to sip cocktails in a delightfully dark room filled with Polynesian kitsch and Old Florida charm, or out in the newer open-air area with its thatched roof and wooden tiki head statue beckoning folks along tTamiami Trail. Once decidedly more divey — and smokier — the Bahi Hut is now smoke-free and largely riffraff-free, yet will forever be considered a beloved dive bar by many longtime locals, myself included. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
5 iconic Sarasota dive bars locals still love after all these years
Dive Bar
A dive in name only, this Jupiter hotspot trades sticky floors for yacht views and sushi that slays.
Details: 318 South U.S. Highway 1, Jupiter, 561-747-4767, divebarrestaurant.com
Dive Bar is the kind of place where you can dock your yacht, ditch your shoes and dine like a sushi snob in a tank top. It’s waterfront casual to the extreme: think slouchy shorts, sunburns and a surprising number of people who look like they might actually frequent a dive bar. But the food? Way too good for the name. Sushi rolls are stacked with lobster, spicy tuna and ambition. You’ll find yourself wondering how a place this chill churns out dishes this polished. The wine list of supermarket finds, however, needs a pep talk as it’s not keeping up with the kitchen’s swagger. Bonus entertainment: a woman claiming to be a professional hula hooper gave a live demo tableside for all to watch. The hoop promptly betrayed her hips and the show ended quickly. Dive Bar is a delicious contradiction: part marina hangout, part sushi sleeper hit with just enough weird to keep things interesting. Pro tip: If someone offers you a QR code for their upcoming hula hoop tour, smile, nod and keep those chopsticks moving. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post
From gritty to glitzy: Beloved by celebrities, West Palm Beach bar named one of the best in US by USA TODAY
Jetty Lounge
The Jetty Lounge in Fort Pierce
Details: 100 S. Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce; 772-461-1750; Facebook
The Jetty Lounge, the Hutchinson Island dive bar named for the nearby Fort Pierce Inlet with its north and south jetties of rocks, has been famous for its takeout rumrunners since it opened in 1976. “The Jetty,” as its known to locals, has an attached liquor store with a drive-thru or walk-up window. The bar has dartboards and is open until midnight or 1 a.m., depending on the night. It’s popular for karaoke on Thursdays starting at 8:30 p.m. — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers
Cheers! 15 best dive bars on Treasure Coast include Jetty Lounge
The Jug Saloon
Bo Key, left, a bartender at The Jug shown in 2018, says that photos of this sign are all over the world, taken by Lynyrd Skynyrd fans who visit the Westside bar.
Details: 5301 Lenox Ave., Jacksonville, 904-329-4706
“I was cuttin’ a rug down at a place called the Jug with a girl named Linda Lou…” No other dive bar in Jacksonville can claim to be immortalized in a Lynyrd Skynyrd song (although the song was almost certainly written about a different tavern). And, yes, “Gimme Three Steps” is on the jukebox, but the staff and regulars probably don’t want to hear it again.
Lillian’s Music Store
Lillian’s Music Store is located at 112 SE First St, in downtown Gainesville.
Details: 112 SE First St., Gainesville; 352-372-1010
Lillian’s describes itself as a cocktail bar, however, its dark, gothic columns and cathedral-like windows with clouds of smoke filling the air may suggest otherwise. Touted as North Central Florida’s oldest functioning bar, Lillian’s decor includes two old-fashioned barber shop chairs, a popcorn machine, and several couches and recliners for patrons to relax in. A former music store, Lillian’s is also the place where Gainesville-raised music icon Tom Petty used to buy his guitar strings from. Play Petty’s “Dreamville” on the jukebox and listen as he sings “going down to Lillian’s Music Store to buy a black diamond string.” — Elliot Tritto, The Gainesville Sun
The Palace Saloon
The Palace Saloon has been a staple in Tallahassee for 50 years.
Details: 1303 Jackson Bluff Road, Tallahassee; 850-575-3418; palacesaloontally.com
Do not come here if you like craft beer, good wine or cocktails of any quality. It’s a classic north Florida dive bar and one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in the county. It’s part neighborhood pool and dart hall, part college bar and part Florida State football game-day destination. It opens mid-afternoon during the week, when a regular crowd aged 30 to 60 comes in for a beer and a game or two before heading home for the night. At night it becomes more of a student hangout. Instead of locally brewed craft beers, the taps include things like Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Twisted Tea and something called Garage Beer, which is sort of a mystery cheap, light beer. — Brendan Farrington, Special to Tallahassee Democrat
Bar scene: Tallahassee dive bars worth ducking into for beer, darts or a game of pool
TA Slammers
Bartender Abby Wold serves a beer to customer Joshua Hill of Lakeland TA Slammers, 1011 S. Florida Ave. in Lakeland.
Details: 1011 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland; 863-682-4178
When you walk into TA Slammers, don’t let the door literally slam you on the rear. The infamous slamming door at one of Polk County’s most renowned “dive bars” is just part of the no-frills appeal. Since 1991 patrons have been communing in the haze of cigarette smoke, cheap drinks and the sounds of ricocheting pool balls. Opened by Tony Adams Sr., his wife, Mandy and his mother, Linda Adams, TA Slammers has become the bar to pass time playing pool or the jukebox, interacting with the regulars, chatting up the bartenders, smoking and most commonly, drinking. The bar attracts the occasional downtown businessperson, but its blue-collar pricing makes it accessible to all walks. Beverages at TA Slammers are $4 for bottle beer to $12 for a shot of Don Julio Tequila. Tony Adams said his bar is “affordable” and fun. “We are what we are ― a dive bar, a neighborhood dive bar,” he said. ― Paul Catala, correspondent for The Lakeland Ledger.
The Tiny Tavern
Tiny Tavern in Cocoa Beach.
Details: 201 Taft Ave, Cocoa Beach
Tucked just off Taft Avenue, The Tiny Tavern is the kind of spot where flip-flops meet dart boards and strangers become fast friends. This pint-sized dive has been pouring good vibes for decades and it still feels like a secret locals want to keep. Inside, you’ll find license plates on the walls, laughter in the air and bartenders who remember your name. This is a beer-and-wine-only joint with zero frills and maximum fun. Outside, the yard hosts live music and karaoke keep the nights buzzing. Whether you’re a surfer fresh off the waves or a visitor craving authentic Cocoa Beach charm, Tiny Tavern is low on drama, no pretension — just cold drinks, warm smiles and a dash of old-school Florida magic. — Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY
More: Dive bars that keep Brevard real with cheap drinks and good times
The World Famous Buckingham Blues Bar
The World Famous Buckingham Blues Bar in Fort Myers looks like an ordinary dive bar — until the music starts.
Details: 5641 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers; 239-693-7111; buckinghambar.com
At first glance, it looks like an everyday dive bar — an old one-story building with opaque, blind-backed windows and two nondescript doors on the side of a rural road. Inside, it’s dark and smoky with a large bar, Christmas lights, a pool table, old photos, neon signs, paneled walls and a stage. An everyday dive bar. Until it’s not. Just listen.
Owner and musician Tommy Lee Cook’s bar is known for its live original blues music, catering to original musicians and original touring blues acts who play all over the world. It has hosted 4,000-plus shows, including JJ Grey & Mofro, Delbert McClinton, Leroy Parnell, Yates McKendree and Bobby Capps of 38 Special, who is considered a regular. From October to May, outdoor blues festivals are held in the impressive backyard where you’ll find a large stage, three bars, a firepit, covered seating, and tons of space for folding chairs and blankets. You’ll find Bucky, the Beer Drinkin’ Mule, there too. Need we say more? — Robyn George, The News-Press
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Best dive bars in Florida? 10 spots worth the road trip
