A great Red Sox/Patriots/ New England sports bar in downtown Anchorage! This is definitely a dive bar but I felt right at home. The beer is cold, the company is friendly. I can't wait to go back! read more

Maybe it's because I'm from the 'lower 48.' Maybe it's the fact that it was built a long time ago and hasn't been fixed up since. Maybe it's that I'm just not as social as I think I am. Regardless of the reason, I couldn't have struck up a good conversation if my life depended on it. Ronald Trump and I head over to Darwin's theory due to the rave reviews posted on Yelp and were sorely disappointed. Even though no one else was trying to order a drink, it took me 20 minutes to get the bartender's attention to pass up mass quantities of fermented hops. One guy asked me if my 2004 USA Olympic hat was from Beijing and I just cringed. Another guy begged me for a buck so he could "call a taxi" even though the bar will call one for you. Not exactly what I was hoping to find. I ordered my usual, the Captain and Coke followed by an Alaskan Amber. Since I've waited so long, I decided to order them two at a time. Of course, they won't serve me the second one until another friend comes in or I dust the Cuba Libre. It's semi well-lit which doesn't do it any favors. It's dilapidated and has seen more action than a hooker in Saigon during the war. I don't mind dive places, in fact I'm quite partial to them. But the other reviews I've seen don't describe the place I wasted $20 bucks and 2 hours of my life at tonight. If this is what drinking in Anchorage is like, I might quit drinking altogether. If I don't quit, I'll probably at least quit drinking at Darwin's. Sorry locals, I just don't get the hype. read more

We had a few hours to kill in Anchorage before our flight home and spent it walking around town. We tried this place and really enjoyed our time there. Just popped in for a drink, but the locals at the bar and the bartender were very friendly! It was a neat little local dive and I would recommend if you're in the area to drop in and have a drink! read more

++++'s Friendly bartenders Speedy service Fun people-watching Great for groups Jukebox ----'s Some serious drinkers go here Dirty bathroom Always a handful of some extremely strange people hanging out at the bar read more

Local bar in downtown. If you're visiting chances are good you will hear "North to Alaska" play a few times on the jukebox, which has a good selection. if you're there long enough. Kinda "dive-ish" but not not as much a dive as you might think. The locals are friendly and there are a few characters in the mix. The staff is overly friendly and will give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the beer menu but, if you order a second round, know what you want. They will not wait if it's a full bar. There is a popcorn machine and it's help yourself. The restrooms are small and the mens is a tight fit. It's a small place that's fun. Sometimes drunk military guys or pilots make fools of themselves but they are cool. Best time to go is 4:00 - 9:00. After 9:00 it gets packed and full of the younger folks. read more

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What can you save this place is a popular dive bar in Anchorage. When I lived in Ak it was one of my favorite places to grab a beer with coworkers after work. If you find yourself in Alaska go check it out it's an iconic place read more

Ok. I've been to a lot of dive bars and this is no different. The hiccup here is that it is not an eclectic dive bar. If you don't meet a specific demographic then don't expect to feel completely welcome here. There is nothing wrong with the clientele. Just understand that if you don't look like you're part of the crew expect to get the cold shoulder. I'm okay with that. Those from a more "robust" demographic should look elsewhere like the Avenue Bar. read more

Possibly my favorite bar in Anchorage, possibly my favorite dive bar of all place and time. Always crowded with locals and a smattering of tourists. Always a good story from a fishermen just back or heading out. Always someone who's been in Alaska since well before it became a state, with another good story. Come to this place, have a beer, a shot, another shot, salty buttery popcorn, and make some friends! Oh, and an amazing juke box. read more

An air force med group and I came here on a Thurs hoping to experience a low key, local night out. The place had a cool, dive-bar atmosphere. However, we discovered that if you're not one of the locals, you're really not welcome. The brunette cocktail waitress (never gave her name) was encouraging us to tab out as soon as she handed out our first round. She reiterated her hints that we could pay anytime we're ready every 10 minutes, despite our saying that we were going to keep ordering rounds. Despite our being seated, she acted like we were in the way, and huffed as she reached around and over us to get napkins, etc. We weren't 21 year old, rowdy kids, so it was insulting for her to act like we might run off without paying. If you're that mistrusting of servicemen/tourists, simply change your policy to "pay per round" to avoid offending your customers. read more

More than your typical dive bar, with an eclectic cast of characters (both patrons and bartenders). Super narrow, tiny place, and it feels like you're kissing the wall when you use their (surprisingly impeccably clean and remodeled) bathroom. The red hot shots are torture to drink, but are pretty much mandatory when you take someone here who is from out of town. Kinda sucks that there aren't any beers are tap, but they do have a wide range of selections for both beer and hard spirits. Sometimes, they have the "mystery shot" available for a buck. It's the leftovers from a bunch of liquor bottles put into one. You can smell it coming from across the room. read more

Crowded of people but there is always room for one more (who says one, says one whole group!! ) I felt like been in my own leaving room. The bartenders were adorable, very helpful and welcoming. You can see all kind of people there, the guys with their Harleys, the girls with their best dresses, the proud fishermen, the hiking ladies, the lonely pilot... Absolutely all... and that is why it is such a charming and funny place. Local beer $4,5, free popcorn and interesting conversations. If you go to Anchorage, you can't miss it!! read more

Awesome Dive Bar!!! Our kind of place and people!!! Folks make you feel right at home!! LOVE this place!!

I love this bar. It's the quintessential alaskan bar. Aislinn, Emma, and Shannon are amazing. There's few places in town you'll see the locals in their best form. read more

This is a drinkin' bar. It's about the drinks, the pool table in the back, that newsletter you can sign up for (and they actually send out via snail mail, that's an extra star). It's like drinking a bunch of your buddies in your living room, except there's a bartender, and they have more TV's, and bar stools, and it's an 8 hour flight from where I live (wait, it IS my living room!). It's a neighborhood bar. They serve them stiff, they serve them often, and they don't take no crap. read more

I would easily have given this place 4-5 stars The bartenders are fast, pleasant, and gosh darn cute. The beers are cold and you can't beat drinking to Johnny Cash music. Nice mix of local people. I have to take away a star because of the guy in the wheelchair-I believe his name is Simeon. At first he seemed nice and had funny stories. I felt obligated to buy him drinks because he had been shot several times in the war, and I have respect for military. I realize this reads as me not being very nice-however. I guess I didn't enjoy him pulling his pants down a handful of times (no undies) and I guess I didn't enjoy him pretending he was going to throw his colostomy bag at me, which was full by the way, several times and because of the crowd I was cornered. If I did come back again, I would target a few easy escape seats. read more

A classic Alaskan dive. Truly a 3 star spot but a star for tradition. This place is small, packed, and not very clean, but it's the kinda spot that makes you wanna come in and order a drink anyway. The service when we went was kind, and the atmosphere was buzzing. I wouldn't spend all night here for fear of claustrophobia, however I wouldn't let a good night go without stopping here at some point. read more

Absolutely exceptional dive bar. Carolyn, the bartender/manager, told us the special was a shot called a Red Hot: cinnamon schnapps and Tobasco sauce. I was not happy about it, but about an hour later, I actually found myself wanting another. Great place to sit and enjoy a beer and soak up local flavor. This is a local crowd, with a propensity to get a little rowdy on the late-night side of things. And don't go if you're interested in a quiet drink alone--the locals and other patrons are sure to chat you up! read more

My kind of joint. Busy spot but laidback. Would return and recommend. Cheapest beers I was able to find in that area.

We stopped by this hole-in-the-wall local hideout really quick while on our bar hopping expedition. The tiny horseshoe bar only has a handful of seats and there's a few more at small tables along the walls. After squeezing in at the counter we had one Mystery Shot (nothing more than a bottle hidden inside a brown paper bag with the words "Mystery Shot" written in sharpie) at a lowball $1.75 to get things rolling. We ended with a friendly Irish Car Bomb while a few strangers cheered us on. After powering down we snagged some awesome matches and carried on to the next one... read more

People aren't kidding when they describe this as a dive bar. Only bottled beer, jukebox machine older than I am, and free popcorn?! Okay it's actually pretty cool. The bartenders are super nice and the people seem friendly. Very local bar, as the main topic of conversation was the salt:sugar ratio you need when smoking halibut. Can't have a dive bar without some weird stuff. There was a Stephen King looking dude wearing some old jeans and thick suspenders, limping in with a rolling cooler of SOMETHING and was trying to pay off a debt to someone by handing money to the bartender. So come and enjoy some free dive bar popcorn and stay to people watch. It's awesome. read more

Always a good time. Dark, seedy, pee popcorn (you know those guys don't wash their hands), cold beers by the bottle, full bar, rough and hipsters mixing company, all equals a good time. There is a beer list that isn't updated, but don't reach into the cooler to check out the beer bottles, there is a rotund banshee who will shriek at you... read more

Darwin's Theory - Come on in, the beer is fine. - Dive Bars Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

My husband and I like to find dive bars when we travel as it really gives us a chance to go where the locals go. This was definitely the case here. Although this was a much younger crowd then we typically see at most dive bars. There were a few older guys at the bar but most of the patrons were in their 20-30's. We loved the vibe and the jukebox. Our waitress was really great and kept up with us on a regular basis. Only real downside was the drinks and beer are not dive prices. read more

Best dive in Anchorage. Their hooch prices aren't hideous, it's small so you have to get close, and they open at 10AM. I once quit my job and walked one block to Darwin's to celebrate. read more

I like coming back to Darwin's Theory during return trips to Alaska. I've been going there since at least 1996. I remember once reading a plaque in the small bar. Owner Darwin has been knighted as a Kentucky Colonel by the state of Kentucky. It's the same award as Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. It's my favorite place for Jameson and ginger ale in the world. read more

There's some poser dive bars in the world, not this one. Local drunkards basking in the glory of brew, reminiscing of a sunnier day seems to be the common theme. Glorious place if I do say so myself. Amazing bartenders that will put an egotistical patron in his place. Good people. Good people indeed. read more

I was visiting Anchorage and spent hours aimlessly walking the streets of downtown. The people I encountered in shops and on the street all recommended Darwin's Theory, saying "it's the best for people watching," "it's awesome to grab a drink after work," & "It's got a rad juke box with real CDs!" So I came, I drank, I spent about $5 in the jukebox (~30 songs=DEAL) They have Campari, which is the secret to unlocking my cold bitter heart. And also seems to be a weird thing to request. Personally I love Gin + Campari + Soda + Lime I racked up a hefty bar tab but would 100% return again when given the opportunity. read more

ABSOLUTELY the the best bar I've been to in Anchorage! The ladies tending the bar were amazingly nice and welcoming and made me feel right at home. Coming from a local bar town like Portland, it was very nice to have the same type of feel in this place. From the moment I walked in I felt completely comfortable and welcomed. I LOVE THIS BAR. I've heard it can be crowded at times, which is reasonable considering how small the space is, but the service is THE BEST. PLEASE VISIT THIS PLACE! They are amazing! read more

Re-discovered today on my walk home from shopping at the mall. Nobody's a stranger, dog in a seat at the bar, great free popcorn. My kind of place! read more

This is my favorite bar in Anchorage. Cheap stories from locals and interesting beers; wait that's backwards. The bartenders are great, the juke box is perfect and there is free popcorn. What more could you need? read more

Same-Same When you step inside, you'll realize that this is no hipster dive bar. No sir! This has been a dive bar since inception and doesn't appear to have changed. Beer in the bottle, great service, and interesting patrons round out the perfect dive-bar experience. read more

After dinner our last night in town we were wandering around, wanted a cocktail and popped in. We wish we would have gone every day. Reminds us of our favorite bar back home. Staff was so friendly and had a local vibe. If we move to Anchorage, this will be our place. Fireball shots were only about $5 or $6. Their wine was in mini bottles so it's always fresh. I like that. Free popcorn. read more

Dive bar to make other dive bars, dive deeper to compare. Great folks here, good drinks too. Stop in for one and I bet you stay for 3 or 4 like us. read more

Great classic Anchorage dive bar. The staff is friendly and quick with the service. Lisa is great and Allie is a sweetheart too. In fact they're all great. Free popcorn and while it's a bit dated the juke box is great too. One of the last no -internet ones in town. A lot of times the bartender or server or regular will make food and bring it from home an share with everyone. Watch out for the old guy selling pictures though. If you show interest he's relentless. read more

Absolutely awful service, the bartender has red hair with colors in it and a dress on and treated us like garbage the second we walked in. Bad costumer service and a bad attitude. I heard good things about this place but was surprised to see such an awful person representing this place. I guess you have to be a regular to get treated nicely. Do not recommend whatsoever. This place is awful!!!! read more

Good beer/drinks, loud music, crowded the time I walked in... During the day! There's a little shop in front that sells cool Alaskan T-shirts and other gifts/ touristy souvenirs. The staff and service is not bad. TV and sports all here. read more

I always wanted to come to this place! I've always read about it on the back of an airlines magazine. As a local Fairbanksian it's been one of my dreams. Great place. Great people. Great drinks. read more

Solid dive! Definitely one of my favorites! Quirky locals, strong handed bartenders, and tasty local brew! Plus the free popcorn, not that microwave shit. This is quite the place, if you're looking for fancy keep moving. The juke box is loaded with good music, never a dull moment. It's a great place to grab a drink or three anytime of the day. Evenings are always better. :-) personal preference. read more

just a cool place to have a drink, eat some popcorn and catch the game. It has that "Cheers" Vibe for Anchorage. Great location to start your evening or place to go after dinner. read more

Darwin's Theory - Dive Bars Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Great dive bar, juke Box is awesome! Beer selection is good, convenient location, close to everything

Loved this place! My friend and I were visiting for the night and it was a perfect little dive spot. Everyone was super friendly!