BY ASU Web Devil

Mill Avenue is great … except when you don't want to be desperately vying for the attention of the bartender along with 87 other people. Scottsdale is fun and fancy … but sometimes a cushy couch and mirrored walls don't make up for the $11 drinks. This is where the beauty of the dive bar falls in.

The dive bar is the perfect option for a night when being seen by dozens of people doesn't matter. At most dive bars, the drinks are cheap and there's a free bar stool, even if the décor or the other patrons are questionable. Tempe is full of them. Here are the few better ones, for anyone feeling adventurous on their typical bar crawl.

Groggy's (2207 W. Main St., Tempe) — By nature, most dive bars are supposed to be tiny. This is where Groggy's would surprise most people. While it has the other elements of a dive, the place is huge. It's big enough to fit six pool tables and an expansive bar. There's also a kitchen behind the bar for patrons who want a little food with their brew. There are a few TVs around for anyone who wants to catch a game. And the drinks are fairly cheap. A whisky sour and a bag of chile cheese Fritos cost $4.75.

Yucca Tap Room (29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe) — The Yucca Tap Room is easy to miss. The side that faces Southern Avenue is right on the street, so it takes driving a little further west on Southern past Mill Avenue to get to an entrance into the strip mall, where the bar is located. The dive bar is basically two parts. There's a small stage on the left after walking in, and a large square bar, with an eager bartender trapped in the middle. It's one room, and when a good band is playing, the place can be packed. It's also slightly reminiscent of your uncle Fred's basement back in Wisconsin — wood-plank walls, some deer horns and an orange-ish light fill the room.

Palo Verde (1015 W. Broadway Road, Tempe) — This is quickly becoming an SPM staff favorite. Like most dives, this place is tiny. It's a small room with wooden beams separating the bar from the pool table area. Walking in, it almost feels like someone's garage that was turned into a neighborhood hangout. As you may have read in a previous issue, the jukebox at Palo Verde is the best. A mix of New Order, Patsy Cline and Guns and Roses keeps patrons rocking as they sip. This isn't the type of place for ordering a pink martini, but a Jack and Coke costs $4.

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