Midtown dive among best nationwide

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Be proud, be very proud.

Plop down on cracked vinyl, chomp a chicken wing and swill cheap beer – the Peanut in Midtown rates among the nation’s 32 best dive bars.

Impulcity blog lists it at number 31, with glowing praise:

untitled-(90-of-99)-2“With its splitting vinyl chairs and scuffed table tops, it’s not winning any interior design awards, but it doesn’t need to. The friendly service and fantastic food is enough to keep its seats filled. It’s very Cheers-like – it’s the kind of bar you could spend every day of the week. It’s a great place to sit and watch the game – they have the coldest beer and the hottest wings.”

The Peanut web site says it is the oldest bar and grill in the city and was a speakeasy before the repeal of prohibition.

As for dive bars in general, the blog rating describes them as “an unpretentious setting for getting loaded on a budget” and also places with complex charm:

“…something about the musty smell, the insanely cheap drinks, the greasy food, and the regulars who are always faithfully awaiting your return makes them feel homey. …. They’re always there for when you want to go out and drink or five but would rather dig your cleanest dirty shirt out of the laundry than get dressed up for what the rest of society would consider a proper night out. The rest of society doesn’t know what they’re missing out on.”

The entire list, with so many dives to add to your vacation plans

One Comment

  1. Dave Howard says:

    In the late 50’s, the other Peanut “regulars” were tennis players in whites, hanging out after playing at the Plaza courts just down the street. It was exactly the same – decor and all, but with the special attraction of a Mynah bird that could imitate people and any sound including – perfectly – the clanging of the brass bell of the fire engines from the station across the street to the north. Good old, enduring MAGIC there, with one exception … in my memory, I seem to remember the outside painted green, not brick red … ? ?

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