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Because Refinery29 thinks their 17 selections are!
Their picks run the gamut, from the K-Town cozy classic The Prince, the take-it-off Jumbo's Clown Room, to the not-really-divey (aka c'mon, they don't belong in this list) like The Thirsty Crow and the more kitschy Tiki-Ti.
"We tend to avoid (like the plague) the spots where models strut their stuff, bandage dresses reign supreme, and booze costs as much as dinner," they explain.
The "notable" Gold Room (Photo by A.C. Thamer via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Technically they profile 9, and give name-only shout-outs to 8 others to get to their 17; in addition to the aforementioned bars, El Cid, Red Lion Tavern, No Bar, The Mandrake, and The Dime are top picks, while Cafe Brass Monkey, Frolic Room, Gold Room, Snakepit Alehouse, 4100, King Eddy Saloon, Three Clubs, and Bar 107 comprise the "other notables."
They still managed to miss more than a few great ones, like the venerable Hank's, Foxfire, Power House, Club Tee Gee, the Smog Cutter, or The Roost (to name a handful) in place of some tidier more "respectable" joints like The Mandrake or lounges like the Three Clubs.Of course, they're ready for the backlash, and include this caveat: "please don't go hating; we had to include some only-sorta-shabby saloons for the squeamish, too." Squeamish?! If you're too squeamish to drink it dive bar style, well, maybe you should be drinking in some different local watering holes. (Wink!)
Feel free to give your favorite dive bar a shout out in our comments. Unless of course you prefer to drink alone.
