Culver City’s Backstage Bar & Grill is the go-to watering hole for karaoke (go early to put your song selection in) and cheap drinks in the area. With Sony Studios nearby, the bar is sure to be busy, but friendly bartenders keep you coming back. If you’re not on a date, get the garlic fries, and Seahawk fans will have an extra special time during football season.

Barkowski, named after writer Charles Bukowski, showcases an array of poetry to enlighten you upon entering. With perfectly dimmed lighting and a much cleaner atmosphere than most dives, Barkowski is a cool bar to check out. If you’re stuck in on Pico or just need a new place to hang, consider Barkowski for a variety of craft beers, bumper pool, and darts.

Chez Jay was declared a Santa Monica landmark in 2012 and since 1959, not too much has changed. Sure, it’s more like a divey restaurant, but you’ll find a variety of delicious classic seafood and steak dishes in an extremely friendly ambiance. For a local hangout free of pretentious people, travel back in time at Chez Jay for a distinctive Santa Monica experience.

Hinano is a Venice staple and takes the cake on dives, simply thanks to its dark lighting and sawdust-covered floors. Once inside, get a taste of local Venice with affordable beers, well cocktails, and the well-known $6 Hinano burger. Come for the frosty mugs of beer and the delicious burger, and stay for the pool tables, free popcorn machine, rock and roll, and a friendly, casual environment.

Looking for cheap ice-cold domestics, a jukebox full of classics, and a night full of eccentric Santa Monica locals (including Peter Dante from Adam Sandler’s movies)? Look no further and cruise in to JP’s to get your dive bar on. With sports on TV and even a few old arcade games, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and cheap drinks alone or with friends. Pro tip: Go across the street to NY&C and grab some pizza and bring it back to the bar for some late night grub.

It’s no secret that Playa Del Rey has popped out some great restaurants lately. But for a classic dive, Prince O’ Whales (or POW) is a standout in town. With a few different rooms, it doesn’t get overly crowded. And with Ping-Pong, beer pong and flip cup on the patio, it’s perfect for hot summer nights.

The Daily Pint has been a Santa Monica drinking institution for over 25 years. Here, you’ll find the perfect divey atmosphere with over 33 beers on tap, more than 100 different bottled beers and not to mention, a wide selection of whiskeys. And if you’re a connoisseur, spot hard-to-find bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle. So whether you love craft beer or scotch, shuffleboards or foosball, The Daily Pint has you covered.

It would be easy to pass TRiP while driving on Lincoln in Santa Monica. But once you find it, look forward to a dark setting with great music performances and decent bar food. If you’re a local, TRiP has weekly events like trivia on Friday nights, burlesque on Wednesday nights and open mic on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, for all you Chicago Bears fans, you now have somewhere to watch football.