The holiday season is a whirlwind of cozy bonding, chaotic family dynamics, and dinner-table oversharing that can leave you feeling as stuffed as the turkey. So if you need to slip away after Thanksgiving conversations get a little too intense over the gravy boat, we’ve put together a list of Jacksonville’s best dive bars to help you plan the perfect escape. These picks — sourced from online reviews and staff favorites — are spots we’d happily hang out in ourselves.
Here’s a list of local dive bars we’ve curated. Be warned: If your go-to dive isn’t listed, it could be that it’s too posh or because it’s such a hidden gem that you and your crew get to keep it to yourselves. And if your favorite is on the list, take it as a compliment — around here, “dive bar” is high praise.
Ginger’s Place: Classic Jacksonville Beach dive bar
Ginger’s Place has been a Jacksonville Beach dive bar destination since 1976.
304 South 3rd St., Jacksonville Beach, (904) 249-8711, gingers-place.net
Smoking isn’t allowed in Ginger’s any longer, but it’s still a great place for a beer after a day on the beach, or just to hang out in the evening. Plus, if you get lonely, you can always strike up a conversation with the resident ghost.
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Harbor Tavern: Atlantic Beach’s hidden gem for locals
160 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach, (904) 246-2555, yelp.com
When a Facebook user describes a place as “a lovable little s—hole dive bar full of crusty, salty locals,” that’s good enough for us. It’s difficult to find and parking can be scarce, but they have pinball, a pool table and a message board out front.
The Jug Saloon: A Jacksonville dive bar with history
Bo Key, left, a bartender at The Jug shown in 2018, says that photos of this sign are all over the world, taken by Lynyrd Skynyrd fans who visit the Westside bar.
5301 Lenox Ave., (904) 329-4706
“I was cuttin’ a rug down at a place called the Jug with a girl named Linda Lou…” No other dive bar in Jacksonville can claim to be immortalized in a Lynyrd Skynyrd song (although the song was almost certainly written about a different tavern). And, yes, “Gimme Three Steps” is on the jukebox, but the staff and regulars probably don’t want to hear it again.
Locals Bar and Package: A go-to dive bar in San Marco
1216 Kings Ave., (904) 396-2205, instagram.com Not to be confused with The Local, a restaurant with locations in Miramar, Ponte Vedra and Neptune Beach, Locals is a San Marco staple and a popular after-work watering hole renowned for cold beer and pretty bartenders.
Pete’s Bar: Legendary Beaches bar for holiday fun
117 1st St., Neptune Beach, (904) 249-9158, petesbar.com
Duval County’s oldest bar throws one of Jacksonville’s best street parties every Thanksgiving, and John Grisham enjoyed the place so much that he set a good chunk of his 2000 thriller “The Brethren” at Pete’s. Smoking isn’t allowed inside any longer, but you can still shoot a game of pool for a quarter.
Shanty Town Pub: Springfield’s hidden gem dive bar
22 W 6th St., (904) 798-8222, facebook.com
Elaborate artwork decorates the exterior of the Springfield pub, and animal portraits cover the interior walls, giving the place a wild vibe. It has cheap beer and one of the city’s best outdoor seating areas in the back.
Sherwood’s: A San Marco favorite for dive bars
1105 San Marco Blvd., (904) 398-1142, sherwoodsbar.com
Sherwood’s was one of the diviest of Jacksonville’s dive bars before a renovation, and it’s still billed as “Jacksonville’s 5 Star Dive Bar.” A colorful mural now covers one side of the building, and inside you’ll find cold beer, pool tables, beer pong and pinball.
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Tradewinds: Don’t overlook this Westside dive bar
955 Edgewood Ave. S., (904) 384-0614, facebook.com Tradewinds almost missed this list because of its menu, but seeing as cheese curds, queso dip and pretzel sticks are the main things on it, we’ll give them a pass. It’s the kind of place where you can enjoy a cold Rolling Rock, toss a game or two of darts and be out the door before they fire up the karaoke machine.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Best Jacksonville dive bars for a Thanksgiving escape