This, my friends, is pretty close to the real deal.
It's a dive.
Honestly, if you are looking for a nice place that just seems "dive-y", check out Shady's. This is no place to take a lady.
But that's what I love about it.
Here, there's a sense of what we used to call "communitas" back in college. It's a sense that boundaries of the normal world don't matter, and everyone can be themselves with impunity. And can re-create themselves into something new and different.
And boy, do some people get into that.
Anyway, I've seen people in here who looked like they had nothing to lose and somewhat acted the part. I've also seen people who reminded me that true wealth lies elsewhere than in a lease on a new BMW. Happy, secure people who knew themselves and were just living life one SSI check at a time.
And I've also seen women I was sure were streetwalkers do really good karaoke renditions of Eurythmics songs.
So know what you are getting into, then go (minus attitude) and enjoy.