Most of us have stories to tell about our favorite dive bars, even those not visited since our misspent youth. And although each dive serves up its own eclectic, moody personality, they share a common theme of community and familiarity that generates collective reflections of warmth and nostalgia. Today, there’s a new wave of dive bars capturing the hearts of consumers. Of course, we’re not suggesting that restaurant brands should re-concept as modern dive bars, but the trend indicates evolving consumer desires. There are lessons to be learned from the advent of today’s dive bar which provides a window into the type of bar culture—and restaurant culture—diners are yearning for.

Three need states are being answered by this movement, reflecting where consumers stand today. Modern dive bars promise warm hospitality, affordable beverage and food menus and nostalgic, playful touches—all without sacrificing craftsmanship for the experience.

“Modern dive bars appeal to a growing number of patrons who are keenly aware of their spending habits but still seek a quality drinking experience,” says Liz Moskow, food futurist and consultant. “This trend is redefining the drinking scene by creating an unpretentious space where the focus is on quality and experience rather than luxury. It’s about returning to basics with a bit of ingenuity and serving well-crafted drinks in an environment where both the product and the patrons can be authentic. Whether you’re sipping a charred corn-infused whiskey sour or a no-frills highball with a clever twist, these spaces offer a refreshing middle ground for those craving quality without extravagance.”

Accessibility, genuine hospitality, fun, casualness. These are all markers of the experience and signal a change in consumer behavior that is bigger than the dive bar trend alone. “What are these modern dive bars answering for today’s consumer? It’s a marked pendulum swing away from crafted cocktails that are $20 and take 20 minutes to make back to an ease and casualness that is friendly and inviting while still delivering a great food and beverage experience,” says Claire Conaghan, trendologist and associate director, Datassential. “In a nutshell, consumers are responding to speed of service, price point and hospitality.”

Credit: Best Intentions

The décor at Best Intentions is eclectic, imparting a distinctive personality. Its casual slushie version of a Moscow Mule is made with housemade ginger beer, Angostura bitters and lime, served in a tin can instead of the classic copper mug—a clear nod to a dive-bar sensibility.

A quick look across the foodservice landscape colors in the opportunity. Chicago’s Best Intentions declares itself a “fancy cocktail bar” with a bright yellow neon sign and not a little irony. A display fridge behind the bar reveals cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon, and decorations are the definition of playful, personality-plus kitsch. Although clearly the opposite of a fancy bar, customers can order decidedly fancy drinks, like the AB Negative made with Bärenjäger honey liqueur, Dragon Well green tea and Angostura bitters pulled from a tap or the Wondermint Malted, a frozen cocktail that combines Death’s Door Wondermint schnapps liqueur and Death’s Door gin, dispensed through a fun slushie machine—keeping the vibe chill and playful. The food menu is equally approachable, while differentiated with signature touches, such as the RibWich sandwich: 48-hour short rib, Dr. Brown’s Root Beer barbecue sauce, onion, dill pickles, pickled Serrano chiles, tarragon and chile oil, served on a hoagie roll.

EZ’s Liquor Lounge in Houston showcases the appeal of modern dive bars with its laid-back vibes and on-point menu. Guests can snack on Pickled Jalapeño Onion Dip or Chili con Carne while sipping on libations like the “Slurricane,” Freezer Martini or “Colorado Cool-Aid.”

A CASE STUDY

Happy Medium, winner of Eater San Diego’s “Best New Bar 2024,” crystallizes the modern dive bar experience. With a warm SoCal vibe, it’s casual, inviting and friendly, with tons of personality. Although deeply unassuming, both the food and beverage menus serve up high-quality offerings at a reasonable price point.

Credit: Happy Medium

Color and whimsy drive the aesthetic at Happy Medium, declared by Eater San Diego to be the city’s Best New Bar of 2024. For a touch of nostalgia, crafted frozen slushies are served in plastic tumblers.

“The idea behind Happy Medium was just about coming back to the true neighborhood bar,” says Christian Siglin, owner and operating partner. “I think hospitality has been a missing piece for a long time. Everyone pushed really hard to do the fancy cocktails and legitimize the profession of bartending. But I think a lot of the people who were doing that forgot about actually taking care of guests.” When crafting his vision for the bar, Siglin pondered where it is that bartenders want to go after a shift. And wouldn’t the same type of experience appeal to consumers? “They just want to go somewhere they can get a casual beer, maybe a good cocktail. You see your friends, share a few bites. That’s what a neighborhood bar is all about, and that was our goal.

We wanted to take the best elements of our favorite dive bars and our favorite elements of cocktail bars, and then just do high-quality drinks in a really relaxed atmosphere.”

The drinks at Happy Medium do not disappoint. They’re well crafted, quick to the table and affordable. Its modern riff on the Ward 8 cocktail swaps out the classic orange juice with Tang, a nostalgic nod that also comes through in the proprietary Tang-salt rim. Another crafted touch—the drink features housemade pomegranate grenadine. Two slushie machines whir behind the bar, serving up crafted frozen drinks in playful plastic tumblers.

Credit: Happy Medium

Tang replaces orange juice in the Ward 8 cocktail at Happy Medium. A Tang-salt rim completes the novel twist. The Chopped Cheese, with a chopped beef patty smothered in melted American cheese, demonstrates the menu’s alignment with a casual vibe.

Siglin says the key is batching. “We pretty much batch everything and try to anticipate volume as much as we can,” he says. “It’s never been about lacking quality. It’s looking at speed of service and not abusing myself with shaking 200 drinks a night when I can get the same effect and process by pouring from a tap.”

The food at Happy Medium stays true to the modern dive bar theme, delivering a casual vibe with quality ingredients and expert prep. The Chopped Cheese, inspired by beloved bodega food, sees a chopped beef patty topped with melted onion and American cheese, shredded iceberg, tomato and house sauce on a hoagie.

Today’s dive bars—like Best Intentions, EZ’s and Happy Medium—are showing the way toward the essence of hospitality.

“Happy Medium shows us that it’s about taking care of people, having menu offerings that diners are looking for at a price they can afford,” says Katy Velazquez, corporate executive chef, Qdoba, and San Diego resident. “I think what Christian does so well is offer options to his guests. You can order a boilermaker with a Miller High Life or a riff on a Negroni. You can get a corn dog or a kale Caesar salad. Guests can choose their experience in a comfortable, warm environment while feeling welcomed. There’s something for everyone.”