After hearing from various readers about The Boat Club in Tarpon Springs, Florida, we decided to do some research on the place, which proved to be quite a challenge. There is no website, and in true dive bar fashion, no one there bothers to answer the phone very often.
However, as is often the case in pursuing life’s hidden treasures, our persistence paid off. This place truly seems like an iconic dive bar gem.
Located on the Anclote River, finding the bar is the first challenge. Though it sounds easy enough (“it’s behind the animal hospital”), many patrons say it doesn’t seem to have an address that can be easily found by GPS, as it is tucked away on a dark, lonely path in the woods—which may be why many customers prefer to arrive by boat.
Calling this establishment a dive bar may be over-glamorizing the place. By all accounts, The Boat Club could more accurately be described as a “shanty” bar. The building is a crudely built shack that has been there for over 90 years (allegedly). It leans at a 20-degree angle, the roof looks as if it might cave in at any moment, and the deck over the river is partially engineered with duct tape and bungee cords, according to some patrons.
If you’re a germaphobe, this is not the spot for you. Many customers mention how dirty it is, and we encountered many warnings to avoid visiting the bathrooms at all costs. In spite of all that, The Boat Club has a ramshackle kind of charm, which the rickety, old furniture only enhances.
For entertainment, there is a jukebox and a pool table. The place is also known for its open jam sessions on Mondays in the late afternoon. Musicians are encouraged to come by with their instruments to have some fun.
The Boat Club comes through where it really counts; there are friendly customers and welcoming bartenders who offer plenty of cold beer and wine served in plastic cups. They take a simple approach to their drink menu: no hard alcohol is served.
Though we were unable to reach anyone by phone to ask about drink specials, we did see posters advertising a free pulled pork sandwich, Bud and Bud Light bottles for $2.50, and Bud Light on draft for $1.75 during one of the jam sessions. There is often live music on Sunday afternoons, as well, and they sometimes offer BBQ chicken, grilled in the gravel lot next to the bar.
The Boat Club, in all of its decrepit, wacky splendor, could be a setting in a Carl Hiassen novel about old Florida. Untouched by modern conveniences, it has colorful characters, a mysterious location, and offers a rollicking good time. In case you need it spelled out for you, be sure to bring cash. They don’t take credit cards, and we’re told there is no ATM.
Location: Tarpon Springs, FL
Be sure to try: a nice cold bottle of beer (You have no choice but to stick to the classics here.)
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