Rochester, NYDive Bars

Lux Lounge on South Avenue won Best Dive Bar in CITY Magazine's readers' poll and separately took Best Bar to Drink Solo, a South Wedge fixture built around its house pour, the three-dollar Pabst Smear, a can of PBR with a well shot. Longtime bartender Tony Hayward is part of the draw. Order a Pabst Smear and settle in.

The Bug Jar on Monroe Avenue has been a Rochester fixture since 1991, doubling as a dive bar and a music venue with a touring-band reputation. The Democrat and Chronicle's dive-bar feature quoted longtime employee Todd Groemminger on what makes a real dive: history, lived-in, a second home. Come for a show and a cheap drink at the bar.

Salinger's on East Avenue opened in 1996 and has run under the same ownership group since 2013, a downtown tavern with a New York dive feel. The Democrat and Chronicle named it among Rochester's favorite dive bars. It keeps late hours downtown. Order a beer and a shot and stay a while.

Thirsty's on State Street in Pittsford has been a local favorite since 1971, a no-pretense village bar the Democrat and Chronicle called what every bar aspires to be. More than fifty years in, it still keeps a welcoming, unfussy room. Order a cold draft and a seat at the bar.