Old Pink

The best dive bar I have ever been to in any city, because of:

The name: It has several but was finally named by public consensus. (AKA: The Pink Flamingo, Allen Street Bar and Grill, The Pink). There is no sign on the door so to find it you just have to know.

The facade: Other paint jobs may be comparable, but never better.

Beer selection - more than adequate, although some nights I have to stick to bottles b/c the lines haven't been cleaned.

Darts and Pool - always open to all in a friendly atmosphere

The stories - my best and worst nights out always end at The Pink.  The details are just inappropriate.

The steak - I've heard the rumors, but never had it myself. Supposedly its nips for a late-night meal. You heard me say this is a dive bar though, right?

The checkerboard floor.

As the smell of urine hits your face, you realize that inside of the Pink is the core of humanity - that which is deep inside all of us, waiting to come out in the dark, grimy recesses of the subconscious.  Reduced to the bare humanity that comes at 3:30am in Buffalo, people interact in a new fashion here - disregarding class, race, and intoxication levels - for brief moments of ocular speculation and enjoyment.  Grabbing the last beer of the night, the one you'll regret later, you join the frey and revel in the possibility of goodness coming from a building saturated in human waste.

Anyway, it's my definition and standard for dive bar.  Be kind, be courteous, and enjoy your time there.  Not for the weak willed, not a great place to go alone, and not really a place to go before 3am, but still it serves a function higher than most places can.

The Pink Flamingo. The Old Pink. Allen Street Bar and Grill. The place formerly known as "The Pink." Or my personal favorite, The Stink.

When those doors swing open and a waft of beer, sweat and vomit hit those nostrils, you'll know. You've arrived.

To call this place a dive bar would be an understatement. It is the prototype for which all dive bars should aspire to be. It is glorious. I once heard about the Pink, "everything you've heard is true." I loved it. It's true one typically doesn't venture into this establishment before say 1am, however anytime you go there will be folks there and amazing food. Yes, I said it, amazing food (for us carnivores). I always made fun of the people who ate there until I tried the steak sandwich and cheeseburger (not at the same time). Changed my life. My mouth is watering thinking about that cheeseburger right now.

There is also a terrific and eclectic mix of patrons and music always playing as well as an array of games including darts and pool. Beer and food, cheap and good. You can probably find ANYTHING you want or need in that joint. This is the place to end the night.

Bonus: Due to past incidents they're uber-strict with IDs so there's not any (conspicuous) annoying under-agers andddddd The ladies bathroom never has a line or runs out of toilet paper.