The internet suggests that if you’re going to a bar where you “don’t need to dress up”, or is of “poor upkeep”, or is just simply “down the street”, then you’re probably heading to a dive bar. Mumbai boasts of a plethora of bars that match the above definitions, and some of these bars are worth the visit only because of the cheap thrills they provide you. This is a list of some of my chosen dive bars in Mumbai, based on my extremely memorable experiences at each of them. Here goes…
Adarsh Restaurant & Bar
Adarsh is a proud member of the cream of dive bars in Mumbai, if there ever was such a cream. Even on an extremely busy link road in Andheri West, you cannot miss this place. Believed to have been named after the locality it rests in (Adarsh Nagar), we won’t be surprised if the story behind the naming was vice-versa. One of the neater bars in its category, Adarsh has a solid reputation of being the go-to end of the month dive in this part of the suburbs. It recently changed its very identifiable name-board, and while the new ‘Adarsh Restaurant & Bar’ looks classy, we miss the old-world charm of its previous display board.
Where? Link Road, Adarsh Nagar, Lokhandwala, Andheri West
Price: INR 650 for two
Vilas Bar & Restaurant
There’s a story floating around about Vilas that the place turns into a dance bar post a certain hour of the night. Now while I’ve heard this story first hand, albeit from an unverifiable source, I won’t be surprised if it’s true. Don’t know what got into me, but I was extra sweet to ask permission to click a picture of the interiors, from the grumpy dude at the reception. His knee-jerk reaction in denying me a click immediately got me thinking about its dance bar rumours. Anyway, dance bar or not, this place deserves to be visited once, just for its overwhelmingly shady ambiance. The AC room here looks like a place where you can secretly smoke a joint.
Where? Next to Star Bazar, Near R.T.O., Andheri West, Mumbai
Price: INR 500 for two
Surabhi Restaurant & Bar
The reason Surabhi makes the cut in this list was because of the way she beautifully laid out her Chicken Tikka and Paneer Tikka, a sight that resembled plates of starters served at any up-market bar in the city. What’s more, they were delicious and cheap (INR 150 for a plate). However, make no mistake, this place ensures that it keeps its dive bar DNA truly alive and kicking. Don’t be surprised when you see bare-chested individuals walk around a see-through kitchen from your seat, and it will take a great deal of strength to continue ordering food here when your vision encounters this sight.
Where? Near Andheri Subway, Nagardas Cross Road, Andheri (East)
Price: INR 600 for two
Swagat Dining Bar
Swagat Dining Bar is located at a busy junction under the Santacruz flyover of a bustling Western Express Highway. You enter thinking ‘well, what’s different?’. But a whole new world is waiting for you at the first floor because believe it or not, Swagat prides itself on its open-air rooftop seating area. My eyeballs almost popped out when I stepped on the terrace. Downing cheap booze and lip-smacking chakna whilst feeling the Mumbai breeze hit your face is what dive bar dreams are made of. An open-air rooftop for crying out loud!
Where? Near Vakola Police Station, Western Express Highway, Vakola, Santacruz East
Price: INR 800 for two
Ashwin’s Restaurant & Bar
Factors like charm, taste of food, location, and ambiance take a back seat when you end up shelling out peanuts (pun intended) for a full course meal with liquor. Let us paint a picture for you. Boiled Chana, Peanuts, Fryums, Soya Chunk Gravy (can pass off as a starter but is ‘chakna’ for Ashwin), Dal Tadka, Tandoori Roti, an Old Monk quarter and 30 ml Imperial Blue, all for an unbelievable INR 420. This gem of a place is tucked inside the by-lanes of Saki Naka, but is totally worth the visit because of its dirt-cheap rates. Like I said, at the end of the day, the lesser you pay, the better it feels.
Where? Safed Pool, Andheri Kurla Road, Sakinaka
Price: INR 400 for two
Honourable mentions: Shankari, Sagar Restaurant & Bar, Mayur