I love this place in Downtown Fort Lauderdale if you're looking for a more relaxed vibe. On Fridays I believe they have live bands which makes it that much better. Also they have $5 drinks. Definitely a go-to. read more

If you are looking for a fun place to see a live band, this is your place! It is the perfect dive bar: dimly lit, friendly bartenders & reasonably priced drinks. If no band is onstage, ther read more

Live music leads you here. Jazz Jam night when we arrived. They had a light menu and bar service was friendly and on point. If you are downtown or hanging on Himmarshee, stop in for live music, drinks, and a chill vibe. read more

Poor House - Branded sign - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

See all

Great bar, especially if you are a local. The staff are the best. Fun to chat with and are ready to take care of you. Music is just loud enough to hear but, unlike every other place in the area, not so loud that your brain falls out! We did not eat anything on our visit...maybe next time. read more

Poor House - a man and a woman sitting at a bar - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

I like going here to pregame before I go to revolution live or kemistry. They have the cheapest drinks in Las Olas

I've been in FLL for 22 years and I've been to Revolution Live and up and down the strip but had never been in this place. Son had a gig here last night and we really enjoyed it! The bartender who took care of us all night was awesome and very attentive to the little courtesies which we appreciated. The sound/acoustics were good and it had a great, chill vibe. Bathrooms were clean! I admit, I was a little worried when I had to use the facilities but I was pleasantly surprised. My older son said men's was shockingly clean as well. Great local place- we will def be back to check out some more bands! read more

Poor House - a band playing in a bar - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This dive bar has DECENT BATHROOMS!!!! You heard that right! They manage to keep it punk and maintain the facilities! What a concept!!! Honestly though, I'm so glad to have fun an awesome dive bar that takes pride in their locale. Great prices too! Definitely coming back. read more

See all

Meant to write a review previously, but it seems I enjoyed myself too much to remember to give some sound advice! While other bars around are bigger and brighter, this hidden gem next to backyard is a god send. The price points are very fair, if not a steal for the area. What really put the icing on the cake was the very sweet bartender with a bubbly personality, Desiree. Even if this place was the worst, I would have probably come back to see her again and again regardless. With their live music and wonderful staff, poor house is a MUST visit, when in Fort Lauderdale. read more

We stopped in here when we were in town and it was the best decision we made for our trip. The owner was our bartender and hung out with us all night. The hospitality was amazing. It gave complete dive bar vibes which was everything we were looking for on the busy streets in downtown. He even gives free sandwiches away on Wednesdays, the food was amazing. We watched him make it right in front of us. Great vibes. It wasn't busy at all so please make sure to support your local bar owners! read more

I stepped into the Poor House for the first time back in 2005, when the layout was a more C-shaped -- where it had two bars (one in the front and one in the back. Now with the main bar area being along the left-hand side, Poor House continues to be the go-to dive bar for those basking in the Himmarshee District for any given night of the week -- but especially Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. There is no pretentious bullshit here. No snobby, ritzy, Boca bullshit. No frills, come as you, grab a cold beer and a shot, and hopefully enjoy some live music if a local band is scheduled to perform. The bar has such a dark, almost Wild West feel to it. NOT country because country is bullshit. More Desperado meets psychobilly, where you can be out late until the cows are still partying. Where men and women pound them back equally. Where holy rollers can get on their rocket and fuck off back to Legoland. If I'm going to a concert next door at Revolution, I stop at Poor House. If I'm doing a pub crawl along Himmarshee Street, I am going to Poor House. If I need one more drink because I fuck you, I won't do what you tell me, guess what... (wait for it)... I am going to Poor House. Poor House is at this point an iconic landmark that recalls how Fort Lauderdale used to be before the condominium skyrises popped up like weeds and gastropubs was the hip term to say. Poor House keeps the nightlife in Fort Lauderdale wise. And I'm glad after 20-plus years, they remain a solid, rock-hard fixture. read more

The Poor House is one of the more dive-ish dumps located in the Himmarshee District. A bar generally loaded with overly tattooed somewhat down on their luck younger (read 20's) more seriously into boozing it up patrons, but on the bright side, free of any of that "Ladies Drink for Free" and Jersey Shore attitude or hype so common to other bars within the district such as Capone, Ebar/Club 13 or the newly located Off the Hookah. Surprisingly enough, the Poor House does have a menu and food offering but seem to keep it rather secret with no board offerings or general advertisement of the fact. You'll have to ask for the menu, which you will find generally consists of pizza, wings, burgers or what may mostly be considered as being bar food. I confess I haven't tried any of the food and from the looks of the place, really don't care to try any of it for fear that whatever kitchen is used, be it a kitchen within the Poor House or from the next door Backyard, might resemble the cleanliness of the rest of the establishment. On certain nights the Poor House does offer entertainment but from what I have seen or heard, being of a somewhat lesser or low priced quality. For being a dive bar with an easy unpretentious live and let live atmosphere about it along with good cheap drinks, it's just fine with me and have no problem going Three Stars on it. read more

Poor House - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

See all

I really liked this dive bar. It wasn't too packed and it was dark and dingy in a good way. There were three bars in there and the floor area was spacious. We went last night on a Saturday and there was a band setting up; the music was good but it was definitely way too loud. Also, people are allowed to smoke in there and I wasn't a fan of that since I'm allergic to cigarette smoke. We only stayed for a drink because I couldn't handle the loud music and the cigarette smoke any longer (blame it on old age). I decided to get an Islamorada beer which was cold and cheap. I actually prefer this type of bar over the other bars on this street because it's not pretentious and you don't have to be in a dress and heels; it's a laid back and chill spot. I also like the rock and roll vibe because that's my jam; I just can't handle the loudness like I used to in my early twenties lol. There's no cover charge which is great and it wasn't too crowded in there. read more

It's always fun to come to an area like the Himmarshee district of Fort Lauderdale that's mostly filled with noisy bars that seem to thrive on pumping bass, spinning DJs and a fair amount of rampant douche baggery, only to find a divey, unpolished gem like the Poor House sandwiched in there as well. The Poor house is a dive bar with cheap drinks ($4 drafts and $6 mixed drinks even when live bands are playing on weekends), an unpretentious attitude and patrons of all walks of life. A few of us stumbled upon this bar as our 2nd stop after seeing a performance at the nearby Broward Center for the Performing Arts as we were wandering around and looking for a place to have a drink or two without the aforementioned bass/DJ/douchiness. We stopped in here, it was relatively quiet and they had cider on tap. Score! About 5 minutes after our arrival, a band called "The Gladezmen" started playing. They looked like woodsmen or guys just out of the swamp, wearing overalls, camo, and deer hunter orange. The drummer never cracked a smile or showed any expression, the bass player was playing this huge upright base, and the guitar player had a thick red beard and unruly red hair. The guys in the band were heavily tattooed, their instruments and amps weren't new or flashy, their sound was distorted when they sang, they played random audio clips between many of their songs and the crowd LOVED them! As soon as they started playing, the Poor House filled up with characters, many of them inebriated, all on the dance floor, moving and dancing on their own with no one apparently with them. At one point a stray dog with matted hair wandered in and just walked through the crowd, completely unnoticed. Perfect!! As far as the patrons, there was everything from young 20 somethings to guys with dreads to people dressed in camouflage and then us, dressed to the nines following the performance we'd seen earlier that night - And somehow no one gave a shit, everyone just came together, drank, watched the band, talked with the peeps around them and generally had FUN! I like this place. I'll be back! read more

Poor House - The Ordinary Boys - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

My fiance introduced me to this place when we started dating two years ago. I probably would have never walked in if it wasn't for him but as soon as I entered I fell in LOVE with the place.They have a lot of loyal costumers that have been coming here for years and I can see why. There's plenty of good things to say beginning with Tommy the bartender. He is my favorite bartenders of all time and I'm pretty sure I'm one of many who feels that way. Besides just being downright awesome he makes some means drinks. He has one in particular I love called "The Tommy Special" with grape vodka and sprite that tastes just like grape soda--soo tasty. It's a nice change from the typical well drinks most of the surrounding bars offer. Plus the drinks here are cheap and the service is always so quick. I don't think I've ever waited more than 2 minutes for a drink. The inside is a mix of grungy dive bar meets casual rock and roll music venue. It's spacious and contains two large bars along with a stage in the back of the establishment where talented rock bands perform during the weekend.The atmosphere is welcoming and attracts patrons come from all walks of life, literally. I have a good friend who's a commercial airline pilot that's been going there for years and other friends who are just your typical average Joe's. No pretentious BS in sight that you'll see at many of the surrounding bars, everyone there is just looking to have a good time and enjoy some good tunes in a casual setting. Also, if you're looking for something a little different come on a Monday night, it's movie night and they play out of the box old school gory movies, that I've never heard of before but just can't stop watching. This is the only bar of it's kind in the riverfront area it's totally worth checking out. read more

See all

The Poorhouse lives up to it's name. Good selection of beer at inexpensive prices. Most drafts $5. $3 specials on select 16oz cans. LIVE ROCK MUSIC. This bar is most chill compared to others on Himmarassee read more

Ok listen up little girls. If you don't like this place and every single person that works here I will personally fight you. 6pm. Parking lot. Come at me. I didn't know love until the poorhouse. That is all. 6pm read more

This has to be the best bar in all of Fort Lauderdale!!! Bobby, the owner, is there on Wednesdays and Fridays and is such a treasure!!! The drink prices are the best around. Whenever I am in the area, I will make sure to visit Poorhouse!!! read more

Oh Poor House, full of so many fond drunken memories and future ventures. My favorite little bar forever. Tommy is the best bartender in Fort Lauderdale, hands down. read more

Dive, dive, dive! Maybe my rating is colored by the fact that it was here where we watched the last play of the Canes' debacle last night but the crowd I was watching the game with (even with the interspersed UF and FSU fans) was great. It is a decent spot to grab a drink, whether pregaming or in my case a Cuba Libre (Rum and Coke) nightcap. Prices are decent, and the space can get loud from the live band du jour. read more

This was a bit of an impromptu stop on the 954 Pub Crawl. I'm not sure how we ended up at this place after Dicey Riley's, but no matter, it's a cool dive bar with live music. The front man for the band that was playing was a bit too rah-rah I-can't-hear-you for my liking, but at the intermission, Natasha & Yislin owned the jukebox with a little Arcade Fire. It's an Everyman bar. You could find anyone in the crowd - all ages, all walks of life. Completely unpretentious. And they had Left Hand Milk Stout on draft, which of course I was happy to see. An easy, slam-dunk FTL pub crawl pick. I see that they also serve food. I didn't try any, but who knows, this might be the 954 analog to Lost Weekend. read more

The Poor House is pretty much the same as the previous reviewer remembers. It's a great place to hang out in Ft. Lauderdale without the Ft. Lauderdale crowd. Not that I'm that fussy, but you can get that crowd right next door, if you wanted to. Dicey Riley's is just up the block on the corner. So you can take in both worlds... if you really had to. But yes, the bathroom is gross. Stanky and wet...EWWE : / read more

This would have been a 5 star review. I love coming to this bar when I am home. It was the bar with the most character in the Himmarshee area of Ft. Lauderdale. But that changed all in one night in November, 2009 apparently. They totally redid the interior of the place. I suppose it is nicer now than before. But less memorable than before. Dark, dank dive bars are disappearing like dodos and this one is another casualty. But check it out anyways, its still totally worth it. Good selection of tap beer, good live blues, friendly bartenders... and now, clean bathrooms... with lights! read more

Love this place. It's right off the strip. Kind of flies below the radar of the other places. It's a dive, a hole in the wall, and it's freaking GREAT! Awesome prices, really chill spot. If you're not looking to fist pump and rage I recommend this place because you can actually hear what whoever you're with is saying. read more

this is a good ol' fashion dive bar that plays rock music, and plays it loud. We stop in here after shows at Revolution or in between going to the next place. Bartenders are always on their game, and always cool. the crowd is pretty mixed, but over all, pretty great. This is just a good bar to go chill and escape what is Riverwalk. read more

Great dive bar located amongst the clubs of Las Olas. The vibe is great and the beer is plentiful with plenty of options on tap. Saw three killer bands. The space is intimate without feeling claustrophobic. read more

Came for an Ordinary Boys (smiths tribute band) show. Fun crowd, spacious dance floor area by the stage, cheap drinks. Friendly bartenders. Eclectic decor with bloody zombie mannequins hanging from one side. Clean bathrooms for the ladies, but not for the men. Typical dive bar. The outside ambiance was rough. Very rowdy, college town feel, with a sprinkling of unsavory- looking characters . Very diverse groups. Cops everywhere. A fight broke out outside in the street just as we were leaving around 3am. Girls drunkenly stumbling out of neighboring bars with no shoes on (we call that pata sucia around here). All in all would go back, but not bar hopping in the area. read more

If you haven't been there in a while it's time to go back....New and improved! Love the layout and can you believe they serve food now. Not your frozen type of bar food but fresh, and you must try the "Keep it simple" best sandwich in town.. The music is still great as always and the beer selection can't be beat. Forget all you have heard about the bathrooms, hey ladies they even have hooks for your purses, Way to go Poorhouse I love your staff too! Local954 read more

Poor House - New Poorhouse - Bars Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Dive bar epitomized, local hangout, good place just to decompress, however you want to look at it this place has it. Poorhouse is one of those bars that feels out of place to me because it oozes with coolness while the other bars that surround it ooze of douche bags. Located in DT Fort Lauderdale this bar can be easily overlooked by the tan animals that normally roam the steers of downtown lauderdale. Luckily they have a good following and a solid crowd that comes regularly, poorhouse always has good prices and they even bring some pretty decent bands in for shows. However long poorhouse stands I will always come here for a PBR and a few smokes. read more

Excellent bar. Even for a dive bar it's got great staff, good drinks, friendly atmosphere. ..... if you're drunk enough to want to go to the bathroom there you should be tested for alcohol poisoning :) *edit* Strike that, the bathrooms are fine now. Boo hoo :( This is what you might call a "local's bar". Most of the people come here because they know the staff, they know what drink they want and they know they can just to chill and knock a couple cold ones back or perhaps take in a show. The more tame or trendy might hang out at Fat Cat's across the street, but the poor house is for talking and drinking. Oh, and sometimes fighting. This bar has changed yet again from what it was and now is more of a little dirty sister to America's Back Yard next door, himmarshee's trendy pop princess of a bar/club. Poor House still has nice bartenders, good drinks and good live music but the atmosphere's taken a nose-dive into "average/sports bar" territory. read more

Poor House. You are a great place to get drinks, run into everyone you know, and meet ones that you don't. I love that security is pretty good about getting rid of scalawags, and only on occasion does one slip through. Keep bringing in live music, and keep being the place we can go hangout, because we weren't crazy about the other places around -who wish they were you. read more

Practically everyone I know is going to hate this place, but I totally LOVE it. It's dark, it hosts obscure bands, you meet random strangers who become your best friend for the night and then they disappear forever. It's smoky, it's LOUD, the fun starts late at night. It's EVERYTHING I loved about going out to party in my growing up in the underground clubs in the 80's in Dublin, Ireland, except now as an old doll the bartenders serve me first #respect. read more

I have a soft spot in my heart for dives. I work in a pretty corporate setting, so any place with dark paint, lit only by neon beer signs and the jukebox warms the cuckolds of my little black heart. The bathrooms are pretty frightening but when the time comes to break the seal after your 4th Blue Moon, the copious amounts of graffiti will take your mind off the microbial festival carrying on mere inches beneath your quivering loins. A can of Lysol couldn't hurt. The crowd is bad news in the best way possible, just don't get there before 10 pm unless you want to spend the next hour listening to pop-country because some redneck jackass shoved a $5 into the jukebox. read more

Poor House is a dark & dusty dive bar, but it's delightfully unpretentious as a good dive bar should be. The bartenders are friendly and like to joke around a lot and mess with people. They have a pretty decent selection of rotating craft beers at good prices ($1 or $2 less than many bars in the Himmarshee district). Also they have live rock music in the evenings. All in all, it's a nice change of pace from the often overcrowded and overpriced options around downtown FTL. read more

Knowing how quickly atmosphere and quality can change over time, I can only comment on The Poor House that I knew back from 2000-2002. But that bar? ROCKED! The waitstaff was friendly and funny and fast and I've run out of words that start with 'F'. Shows were fun, the outside seating was packed on weekends without the normal Ft. Lauderdale bleached-fake-boobed-half-dressed-dimwits that are so common in the area. The bathrooms, however... Well, it's a dive bar. What do you expect? read more

I am a big fan of live music and was about to adopt the Poor House as my local live music hangout. Except that for some reason, the Poor House NEVER EVER advertises their upcoming shows. EVER! Not even in free places like Myspace or Facebook, in fact, not even at their own bar! I used to work in a bar similar to the Poor House (with WAY nicer and cleaner bathrooms) and we used to let the press know what was happening at our club. The only way I find out about a show I may want to go see at the Poor House, is if I actively look on-line to see who's playing, and I find out via the bands, not the venue. And sometimes the bands don't promote their own shows so...it's like if you happen to be in downtown Fort Lauderdale and happen to catch a good show at the Poor House, you were lucky. Don't expect to find out about any upcoming shows there. Oh and I'm not totally sure about this but, I don't think this place has an actual sound system. At least there's never a mixing board/or sound man when I've been there. So depending on the band, the sound may be great, or may be terrible. read more

I started going to the Poor House when they opened, patronized the place until I moved and am happy to say that the place has stayed true to its original self for many years. The bartenders are some of the best, and nicest, in S. Florida. The owners rock, and the live music and juke box are great! (there is only one equivalent juke box in my now hometown of San Francisco, and that is at Little Star pizza) I no longer live in Ft. Lauderdale, but love that when I visit, the Poor House is always a cool spot to enjoy a beer. The crowd is generally old school punk rockers, so if you are looking for a trendy scene, this is not the place for you. Renovations were just done which opens up the space and creates a better flow for the bars. Yes, the ladies room is not the greatest, but I've definitely seen worse! read more

lovely local dive I can walk too from my place. THANK YOU for cleaning up and re-doing the bathrooms. i can breathe now.

Ohhh, the Poorhouse is a really cool place. They deserve 4 stars just for having a pool table and the blues masters on the wall looking over at the patrons as they drink and socialize. I usally have a great time here, sometimes it's dead and empty but hey this place isn't perfect it's cool being what it is. lots of beer and liq to choose from and yes it has the $3 PBRs. read more

Fun place with a unique vibe. I was definitely overdressed because this is a slightly-grungy, primarily live-music venue. The crowd seemed to have people of all ages who were all out for the same good time. This bar is definitely on the strip of happening places. I enjoyed a couple of sets and a couple of good, reasonably-priced, locally-brewed beers. Get there early if you want a seat at the bar. It would also be a decent place to pre-game before hitting the other bars along the strip even if you weren't particularly interested in that night's entertainment. read more

The Poor House has been cleaned up a bit since I was last there, but the same great music, awesome bartenders, laid back vibe and no-stiletto dress code remains. If you want to disappear into good blues (check the schedule for who's playing) and want no-fuss, casual rockin good time. Great vibe. Yah - it's not as divey as before, but hey, you can use the bathroom now! MUST check this out if you aren't into the mini-dress martini poser crowd and want to hear great music and get good cheap drinks. My friends kept dragging me out to but I kept coming back and didn't want to leave. read more