The Silver Stamp

If you're looking for a place to drink beer without one of our great local breweries attached to it, the Silver Stamp might be your joint. Located in the Gateway District (which is increasingly blurring together with the Arts District), the bar is a total throwback with wood paneling, mounted taxidermy, and quirky, vintage decor. Is it a den from the '70s? A basement from the '80s? Hard to say, but the beer selection is exceptional, including occasional one-and-done-kegs that are hard to find elsewhere. At least half the tap list is European. There's always a rauchbier (German smoked beer) and Kolsch served in wheels (pay for 10, get 11) for large groups, an idea inspired by the owners' visit to a Cologne festival. Hot dogs and pickled eggs are on standby if you get hungry.
How to book: Walk on in.

It’s always tricky to call a place a dive bar that hasn’t been around long enough to earn the title. Dive bars are old and crusty, made divey by the unforgiving passage of time. The Silver Stamp is basically brand new, but it has put the work in to make itself look like a charming retro dive: think 1970s basement man cave with wood paneling, old beer cans as wall art, and Christmas lights strung from the drop ceiling. It also has a bloody fantastic craft beer list—the owners have some serious local craft beer pedigree—and the kind of cozy, welcoming “sit and stay awhile” vibe that, well, makes you want to sit and stay awhile.