The Grapevine Bar

Not even Greg Louganis in his prime combined "gay" and "dive" as seamlessly as The Grapevine--featured in "Dallas's Most Authentic Dive Bars"--does now. With a Web site that actually brags about its mismatched chairs and glassware, the place veers perilously close to the pitfall of pre-fabrication. But thanks to the cheap drinks and screwball clientele, the bar manages to carve out its own niche in the realm of authentic dives in its own flamboyant way. Take, for example, the pink-railed, black-felt pool table. Paired with the stained-glass table light above it, the thing would seem tacky anywhere else. But in this bar, whose design motif of decorative skulls and plastic beads is about as subtle as a Bourbon Street whorehouse, the pool table fits right in. And then there's the basketball half-court on the asphalt patio outside. Local straight bars could certainly take a cue from The Grapevine on that one: Who wouldn't want to have a few brews and then engage in a game of three-on-three? That said, the "No Physical Play Allowed" sign has probably drawn a few laughs. Whether it's gay, straight or just not sure, The Grapevine sticks out in the Dallas dive bar scene. And, perhaps unlike the Adam's apple on the girl you're chatting up at the bar, that's a good thing.

• Hours: Sun 12pm-2am, Mon-Sat 3pm-2am

• Features: Smoking, Patio/Sidewalk Dining