Phoenix has no shortage of dive bars — and great ones, at that — but few touch the Royale Lounge on 16th Street. Part of owner Mark Bolin's constellation of excellent bars (including the Do Drop Inn and Wanderin), the Royale has no hipster sheen and doesn't need one. There's pinball, a pool table, cheap-as-hell drinks, and a jukebox waiting your audio selection, and, best of all, one of Phoenix's finest glowing red neon signs (straight out the 1960s). It's a little dingy, sure, but the regulars are friendly and the beer is cold — and if you're looking for more than that, you're not looking for a true dive, are you? Pop in, belly up, and order. The Royale will take care of the rest.
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