On an episode of "Munchies" by Vice, Bourdain called the Distinguished Wakamba Lounge in his hometown of New York City "one of the last dive bars of its kind."
Inside the bar, you'll find a dark but lively spot with a jukebox playing Latin tunes, a long bar, and tables. Bourdain's drink of choice at Wakamba Lounge was Presidente beer.
When it came to getting drinks in Chicago, few places impressed Bourdain as much as the Old Town Ale House. It ticked many of his boxes for a great dive bar.
In Bourdain's field notes on Chicago, he said, "There is something about the Ale House [...] that serves for me as a happy metaphor for a city I love."
One of the oldest dive bars in Miami Beach, Mac's Club Deuce was a bar Bourdain returned to time after time for its authenticity and welcoming atmosphere.
The Corner Bistro of New York City is an easy-going spot with a comfortable bar, a dining room decked out in warm wood, and a small and approachable food menu.
The bar was one of Bourdain's favorite spots to get his beer and burger fix. When he visited on "A Cook's Tour," he tucked into a classic cheeseburger.
The bar, also known as New Evaristo Club and The Hideaway, has been a Soho institution for over 80 years. Bourdain called it "the Dean Martin of drinking establishments."