Dive Bar Tours

Ron-De-Voo Dwight, IL

2009-04-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Ron-De-voo Tavern

213 E Mazon Ave

Dwight, IL

Friendliness-5

Kitsch Factor-2

Neighborhood-5

On Tap- Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Light

One rainy night on our way back from picking up a classic video game, we stopped at this tavern of Route 66 in Dwight, Illinois.

We'd been attracted by the beautiful neon sign in the past, but never had the time to stop. We had intended on going to the Riviera roadhouse in Gardner, but they were closed. (Hopefully because of flood and not lack of business!)

In typical dive bar flavor the jukebox was playing roadhouse songs, and the crowd was enjoying the tunes that generations have long forgotten. Our friends enjoyed a 'Coke' (ahem) and a Bud Light, my wife had a Bud Light, and I enjoyed my latest dive beer, a Miller Hi-Life.

A quick walk around revealed copper plaques with poems and pictures of former customers who have passed. A testament of how neighborhood bars are a community of great people. One wonders if the motorcycle skid mark in the middle of the floor was from one of these historical photos?

As we've found in the past, the crowd in dive bars are great! The bartender and customers all welcomed us as if we had been regulars for years.

Koz's Mini Bowl

2009-01-24T06:54:00.000-08:00

Koz's Mini Bowl
2078 S 7th St
Milwaukee, WI

Friendliness: 5
Kitsch Factor: 5
Neighborhood: 4

Ahh, Milwaukee. Home of Pabst beer, Laverne and Shirley, Brady Street, and Usinger Sausages. But another gem of this adopted home town of mine, is the newly discovered Koz's Mini Bowl. We had read of this place on a Wisconsin website, and new we HAD to add it to our list of places to go. So for my 40th birthday bash, we loaded up the VW and headed north with a few friends.

Our hotel driver had some difficulty finding the place, and then admitted that the address was out of his service area. But no worries, we drove through an ethnic area, past the famous "La Perla" restaurant, and soon rolled up in front of a nondescript building sporting a Pabst neon sign in its dingy window.

We opened the door and found the place to be a flurry of beer, cigarette smoking (yes, it's still legal up there!!) and pin busting activity! We strolled into the back room and found all four 17' lanes to be occupied. A lady asked if we had lane reservations, but told us that they had a "no show" and we could take their place if we liked. We discovered that our bowling skills were incredible! Strikes after strikes! Spares! No pin will be left standing! The human pinsetters were hustling to reset the pins after our devastation. As an aside, the lady explained that this was the last mini bowling alley with human pinsetters in the state.

We enjoyed a pitcher of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and a few frozen pizzas. The whole event set us back a mere $30- Quite a bargain, for what everyone considered a great time.

Manito Tap

2008-12-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

Manito Tap
110 N Broadway St,
Manito, IL

After a recent afternoon at Willets' Winery in Manito, we spotted a local pub, obvious only by the beer signs on a building in the small downtown. I was game, but my wife needed a little bit of coaxing. After all, her palate had been tasting wine all afternoon and now I was offering a cheap beer.

We had a seat at the bar and I ordered an Old Milwaukee Light, and she, a Bud Light. Although the service was fine, and the bartender friendly, glares from some of the customers assured us that this was a 'locals only' bar. But all was not lost as a few of the others made room for us at the bar, and offered up some free chili.

The Main Gate, Springfield, IL

2008-09-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

The Main Gate
East Sangamon Rd
Springfield, IL

Friendliness: 5
Kitsch Factor: 1
Neighborhood: 4

Two words- STAG BEER.

We were walking into the State Fair this year, when I spied a banner advertising Stag beer- The bar was located right outside the main gate of the fair, and was named "The Main Gate". An interesting name, I wonder where it came from? Anyway, I told Jeep that we would be stopping for a beer on the way out. She rolled her eyes, and reluctantly agreed.

After the short time at the Blagojevich love-a-thon, we retrieved our vehicle and convinced the gent guarding the parking lot at "The Main Gate" that we were going in for drinks, and hence, shouldn't have to pay the $5 parking fee. He agreed, and we entered the bar.

The bar cant really be considered a 'dive' bar, a recent remodeling showed clean walls and new equipment. But just the fact that it served "Stag Beer" is enough for a mention in this blog. After a few short minutes, I took a deep breath and ordered my very first Stag Beer. I couldn't believe they still made this stuff! The flavor was actually quite bold, hearkening back to the 70s before Lite beers polluted the American adult beverage scene.

So, Kudos to G Heileman brewing company for continuing this brand, and Huzzah! to "The Main Gate" for providing it!

Dome Tap, Peoria IL

2008-08-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

Dome Tap
2305 W Lincoln Ave
Peoria, IL
Map It!

Friendliness: 5
Kitsch Factor: 2
Neighborhood: 2

On tap: Miller Lite, Bud Light, Busch, Michelob Amber Bock

Peoria, Illinois; A mecca of blue collar jobs, and blue collar bars. Home of Caterpillar tractors, Peoria has an untold amount of neighborhood taverns that cater to locals, and as we found, welcome strangers as well.
On a recent Saturday afternoon we stopped at the Dome Tap. We easily found a parking place and made our way to the front door. The sidewalk was a mosaic advertising an old Peoria beer called Gipps.
The dome of the "Dome Tap" was apparently a stained glass structure above the bar, which the bartender claimed to be over 100 years old.
We made our way the to the bar, and ordered a few beers. "Jeep" ordered a Bud light, and I ordered a Busch. Our beers went down cool and quick, and we didn't hesitate when the bartender offered two more. After we bought a round of drinks for the bar (6 drinks, $11.25), everyone seemed to warm up to our presence.
We were soon joined by a local to thank us for buying his beer. He introduced himself as 'Sal'. During our conversation, he referred to the old Black Angus, a restaurant that had been on IL Rt 29 in Peoria Heights. It became clear that he had been involved in the ownership or management of the restaurant. After a few complimentary beers bought by fellow drinkers, we said our good byes and headed out the door.
Overall, we found the bar to be quite friendly, very reasonably priced, and a very nice experience. The staff is happy and friendly, and the customers were very welcoming.