Loved this place. Laid back. Chill. Good service and friendly bartenders. No drama, just good…read moretimes. Two thumbs up.

Amazing dive bar, if you're lucky hottie Alaskan Annie will be bartending. The popcorn is nice and…read moresalty and they have a good selection of local beers. No taps unfortunately is the only downfall of this lovely Alaskan dive. No food so eat before u come or you can bring food in! Try a duck fart shot or ask for a hotshot....also buy one of Annie's calendars!

The only bartender was working her butt off and the live music was good. A lot of the locals come…read morehere and I was able to mingle with them. It was a great to just chill at this place. I do recommend this place. They did provide hotdogs & chips for those need a bite to eat. I will be back.

It's okay on a weekday. If you're going to get parts to start up your day then let this begin the…read moreend of your night.

Nice little dive spot in Spenard! I actually really like…read morethis place, free pool on Mondays a great rotation of Karaoke nights, you'll often find a live band playing on the weekend and they have a FREE taco bar on Tuesdays!!! Super friendly bartenders, and quick to get service. Not a huge selection on tap but let's be honest you're not hitting up a dive in Spenard for the craft beer....its for the Spenard "Ambiance" *pro tip* Keep your eye on their socials for great party events!! This year (2025) they served up a free complete Thanksgiving dinner for folks.

Got to love me a nasty bar with carpet that looks like the from the 1980s but in argyle pattern…read more... This place is great love the karaoke Love the small town atmosphere!!!

Let's talk about the Buckaroo, because this place is a classic Spenard dive bar and honestly one of…read moreAnchorage's old-school gems. We really love this spot. It's a great place to grab a cocktail whether it's 8 PM, midnight, or 2 AM--it just works at any hour. They've got pool tables and a cozy little section with a fireplace, which is such a nice touch for a dive bar and makes it feel way more inviting than you'd expect. The bartenders are always nice, and the drinks are solid every time. What surprises me, though, is that the place is usually pretty dead whenever I'm there--which I genuinely don't understand because the drinks are good and the ambience is actually really nice. All that said, it's still one of the better dive bars in Anchorage and definitely worth stopping into, especially if you're in the Spenard area and want something low-key but reliable.

Daaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmnn rocky was on point tonight... as always. Will be referring to my friends…read moreand family to enjoy the ambiance and good times to be had at the buckaroo

Hands down one of the best local bars in downtown Anchorage…read more I never feel unsafe here even with the Gaslight down the way (and yes, we all know that place has its issues). The Pio just gives off the best bar energy downtown. The bartenders are absolutely amazing and always take such good care of you, which honestly makes all the difference. They bring in DJs throughout the week with different sets, and if you're there before the DJ starts, they've got a TouchTunes jukebox so you can play your own music. Inside, there's plenty to do: arcade-style games, pool tables, and air hockey, perfect if you're bouncing around downtown and want to actually hang out somewhere. They've done a few facelifts inside over the years, and it's only gotten better. This is easily one of our all-time favorite spots when we're downtown. And the best part? Sometimes on the weekends, if you're lucky, you step outside and there's a little hot dog stand set up right near the front door. Truly elite downtown behavior and one of my favorite things about being down there.

Great workers. Great vibes. Feels like home! A place to bring your hot date to and then forget she…read moreexisted cause the vibes were too high

It was a good place to end the night. The mechanical bull was what caught our attention but other…read morethan that, the guests were good, music was alright, but the bartender that helped serve us our drinks was fab! She was extremely nice and courteous. They did not have any food so I would not be able to judge that. Other than that, I'd probably give it a 7/10.

This was my first time to this place and I will be back. I…read morehad a few drinks at the bar and had around 2-3 bowls of popcorn as I spoke to a few of the patrons about their experience in Alaska. There was a crowd of folks having a great time (been there awhile ) and waited anxiously for when the mechanical bull was open to them. The vibe was definitely upbeat and the bartender was super friendly. I was lucky enough to find street parking up front but there is more parking in the back.

"True Dive Bar Vibes in Anchorage"…read more October 2023 - Van's Dive Bar really puts the dive in dive bar -- and I mean that in the best (and sometimes worst) way possible. It's small, dark, and a little sketchy, with writing covering nearly every wall and a tiny stage where local bands play -- some decent, some not so much. The drinks are very reasonably priced, and the service is friendly and quick, which goes a long way here. You'll find regulars who clearly know each other, and the atmosphere is exactly what you'd expect from a true neighborhood watering hole. If you're looking for something polished or upscale, this isn't it. But if you want a no-frills local spot in Anchorage with cheap drinks, good service, and a ton of character, Van's Dive Bar is absolutely your place.

Trivia: What brass instrument is unique due to its slide feature?…read more The parking might be the first thing that stumps you. If you don't park in the front, you might wonder, like I did, whether the side of the building is an okay place to park. Then you'll wonder if you should park sideways, angles, or straight on. By then you'll be to the back of the place and down a short hill and trying to figure out where to park or where to turn around. You may even decide to just leave. But don't. Vans is a cozy spot. Due to the hum of the ice machine, and the friendly conversations, you'll not be able to hear any of the street noise so close to the entrance. Five beers on tap, and probably 30-40 cans and bottles in the cooler. Plenty of liquor, though they didn't have any scotch I would want to drink. Maybe four bottles? As advertised, a dive bar. Both in look and smell (which wasn't bad, per se). There was a blue grass group starting to jam a little after I got there. The patron next to me said they were part entertainment, part jam session. Which sounded pretty darn cool to me. Basically everyone in the place was there to hang and/or play. I was asked if I was a musician. Not since high school. When I played it was the answer to the trivia question.

This bar is pet specifically dogs and toddler friendly. The clock is 15 minutes early than expected…read morewhich I think is a smart trick which fooled me once till I caught on. I loved day drinking to many bloody marys here with friends and trying to earn more drinks while playing pool. Brunch drinking and having Coastal deliver to you here is perfect too. This is also the place to start off night drinking before hitting the dance floor on the weekends too. They offer free popcorn here as well cant complain.

This is a divey-dive, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Every town has (at least)…read moreone. It's a blue collar, cheap drink, low aesthetic dive bar with friendly locals. Don't go here expecting high-class anything. As a dive bar frequenter, great spot for a few cheap drinks.

Panhandle is a rough & ready, working man's bar. If you like a bar without pretense, where average…read morejoes go, the Panhandle Bar is your spot in downtown Anchorage. Visitors to 4th Avenue might be tempted to skirt around the Panhandle because it looks a little rough, but if you are curious as to what Alaska looks like without polish, this is a good place to check out. The bar is spacious, there's pool, cheap beer and no BS. I like.

Is there such a thing as the quintessential "Dive Bar?" If so, Koots fits the bill. A dark maze…read moreof fun-filled rooms, a sassy bartendress and a brooding crowd. (Chef's kiss )

This place was very interesting. I spent 4 years of my life in Anchorage before visiting koots. I…read morefeel like Koots is somewhat of an institution to the town so I was definitely curious about the bar. I'm glad I went to check it out, but outside of going there for a show I don't see myself going back. Seriously gave me college bar/frat house basement party vibes. Considering I went to a Big 10 school in the middle of Illinois I'm very well versed in that type of establishment/vibe. It's not exactly the kind of place I want to go to as a 30 something year old. I went there for a burlesque show. Shout out to Pulse Dance Company! The show was amazing and tons of fun. The bar itself I don't think has had any updates since like maybe 1995, and that estimate is probably generous. This bar was probably the place to be when it first opened, but now it's kind of just tired and sad. It could probably be better if they took the time & money to renovate it, but they don't really have an incentive since people go there regardless. Koot's kind of just exists, but considering Anchorage is the biggest metropolitan area Alaska has it's a confusing type of establishment to find here. If you're looking to party though it seems to be the spot!