by Janet Krenn

Created on: February 17, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Sometimes even the classiest of us wants a good night flirting with hepatitis in a dank dive bar. Of course, Boulder, CO, is one of the last places you might expect to find dive bars. To live the dive bar dream in Boulder, CO, you'll actually need to scout below the streets, to the subterranean realm of drinking establishments.

THE SINK (1165 13th Street)

When you walk into The

Sink, you may feel a little cheated. Why? Not only are drinks here about twice of what you'd expect to spend at joints of similar quality, but the ceiling is only about 6 to 7 feet away from the floor, for seemingly no good reason. The Sink is not actually a sub-T bar. It is barely garden level. (NOTE: It will take at least 3 drinks before you can let this discrepancy go, if you're anything like me.)

On the positive side, The Sink has plenty of character. Founded in 1923, it claims to have some of the best pub fare around. In fact, on weekends before the sacred hour that college binge drinking begins, most of the traffic targets The Sink's burgers. Aside from the food, and the wide selection of beers and general liquor, the walls and ceilings house layers of patron graffiti. You can doodle all you want, but the staff does not permit photos of their walls.

THE WALRUS SALOON (1911 11th Street)

Although officially called Walrus Restaurant, there doesn't seem to be any food options at this dingy dive bar. But please don't think I am looking down my nose and down the steps of the Walrus from a high-horse. When night hits, especially on karaoke nights, The Walrus becomes one of the most fun places to people watch while spending nearly zero dollars on beers and cocktails.

PEARL STREET
PUB AND CELLAR (1108 Pearl Street)

Pearl Street Pub & Cellar isn't so much the name of a bar as it is a checklist. Pearl Street? Check. Pub? Check. Cellar? Check? Okay, boys, we're in business!

The establishment suffers from a bit of a multiple personality disorder that makes Two-Face from the Batman series appear balanced. The upstairs Pub is hallway shaped and decent. The downstairs cellar on the other hand is a borderline-creepy basement with low ceilings and ancient-looking pillars. There are some pool tables, and although I am convinced the place is too cramped to actually play pool, the billiards are always cluttered with sharks.

SUNDOWN SALOON (1136 Pearl Street)

The Sundown Saloon is a couple of doors and steps down from the Pearl Street Pub and Cellar. Despite the name, the Sundown Saloon doesn't feel romantically

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