Colorado Springs dive bars

Everyone loves a nice, fancy lounge with 15 beers on tap and your favorite spirit or a clean and well-lit sports bar with pretty waitresses and an up-to-code kitchen.

But sometimes it’s nice to sit in the dark on decades-old furniture with a Budweiser in a bottle and do some brooding.

Behold, a few of Colorado Springs’ finest dive bars:

Belle’s Lounge

Sometimes we go to the King Soopers over on Uintah, and we’ll drive by Belle’s and say: We ought to go there someday. Every so often, we’d pull into the little strip of stores and tug on the doors, but they always seemed to be closed. We wondered if maybe Belle’s was out of business. But one glorious day, we pulled up, and the door opened.

Belle’s is a lot larger than it looks from outside. There was even an upstairs, but it looked like it was off-limits to customers. Wonder what’s up there.

Belle's Lounge, a west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs
The stage area at Belle's. We stayed for a little while, but it got too loud for us. We are apparently elderly.
Belle's Lounge, a west-side bar in Colorado Springs
The lady had a Jack and Coke, and I had a Jim Beam.
Belle's Lounge, a great west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs.
Belle's is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. And the whimsical Old West murals are a nice touch.

Diamond Deb’s

Not sure how we ended up here. I think we were just driving around looking for food and/or drink. Like scavengers.

But what a pleasant surprise. Another strip-mally front that looked a little scary at first. All good dive bars look scary. It’s part of their charm.

Diamond Deb's, a west-side bar in Colorado Springs.
It's nice when bars decorate for the holidays.
Diamond Deb's lounge, Colorado Springs
Adrienne is a connoisseur of french fries. She has a very specific type of fry that she likes, and is very particular. Diamond Deb's, apparently, has some of the Springs' best fries.

Red Rock Lounge

Another west-side gem. And this one has a little bit of fun history. Any bar that has space matter crashing through the ceiling is OK in my book.

Red Rock Lounge, a west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs.
Sitting in the dark at a dive bar in midafternoon, and what's on the TV? Ina Garten, of "The Barefoot Contessa." What's "The Barefoot Contessa"? Good question. Some kind of cooking show.
Red Rock Lounge, a west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs.
Adrienne at the bar. She's having a Jack and Coke, I think. That's her go-to drink at dive bars.
Red Rock Lounge, a west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs
Look at this furniture! Come on, that's the best bar furniture ever.
Red Rock Lounge, a west-side dive bar in Colorado Springs
The nachos at Red Rock are delicious and huge.


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