Loved this place. Laid back. Chill. Good service and friendly bartenders. No drama, just good…read moretimes. Two thumbs up.

Amazing dive bar, if you're lucky hottie Alaskan Annie will be bartending. The popcorn is nice and…read moresalty and they have a good selection of local beers. No taps unfortunately is the only downfall of this lovely Alaskan dive. No food so eat before u come or you can bring food in! Try a duck fart shot or ask for a hotshot....also buy one of Annie's calendars!

"True Dive Bar Vibes in Anchorage"…read more October 2023 - Van's Dive Bar really puts the dive in dive bar -- and I mean that in the best (and sometimes worst) way possible. It's small, dark, and a little sketchy, with writing covering nearly every wall and a tiny stage where local bands play -- some decent, some not so much. The drinks are very reasonably priced, and the service is friendly and quick, which goes a long way here. You'll find regulars who clearly know each other, and the atmosphere is exactly what you'd expect from a true neighborhood watering hole. If you're looking for something polished or upscale, this isn't it. But if you want a no-frills local spot in Anchorage with cheap drinks, good service, and a ton of character, Van's Dive Bar is absolutely your place.

Trivia: What brass instrument is unique due to its slide feature?…read more The parking might be the first thing that stumps you. If you don't park in the front, you might wonder, like I did, whether the side of the building is an okay place to park. Then you'll wonder if you should park sideways, angles, or straight on. By then you'll be to the back of the place and down a short hill and trying to figure out where to park or where to turn around. You may even decide to just leave. But don't. Vans is a cozy spot. Due to the hum of the ice machine, and the friendly conversations, you'll not be able to hear any of the street noise so close to the entrance. Five beers on tap, and probably 30-40 cans and bottles in the cooler. Plenty of liquor, though they didn't have any scotch I would want to drink. Maybe four bottles? As advertised, a dive bar. Both in look and smell (which wasn't bad, per se). There was a blue grass group starting to jam a little after I got there. The patron next to me said they were part entertainment, part jam session. Which sounded pretty darn cool to me. Basically everyone in the place was there to hang and/or play. I was asked if I was a musician. Not since high school. When I played it was the answer to the trivia question.

It was a good place to end the night. The mechanical bull was what caught our attention but other…read morethan that, the guests were good, music was alright, but the bartender that helped serve us our drinks was fab! She was extremely nice and courteous. They did not have any food so I would not be able to judge that. Other than that, I'd probably give it a 7/10.

This was my first time to this place and I will be back. I…read morehad a few drinks at the bar and had around 2-3 bowls of popcorn as I spoke to a few of the patrons about their experience in Alaska. There was a crowd of folks having a great time (been there awhile ) and waited anxiously for when the mechanical bull was open to them. The vibe was definitely upbeat and the bartender was super friendly. I was lucky enough to find street parking up front but there is more parking in the back.

Is there such a thing as the quintessential "Dive Bar?" If so, Koots fits the bill. A dark maze…read moreof fun-filled rooms, a sassy bartendress and a brooding crowd. (Chef's kiss )

This place was very interesting. I spent 4 years of my life in Anchorage before visiting koots. I…read morefeel like Koots is somewhat of an institution to the town so I was definitely curious about the bar. I'm glad I went to check it out, but outside of going there for a show I don't see myself going back. Seriously gave me college bar/frat house basement party vibes. Considering I went to a Big 10 school in the middle of Illinois I'm very well versed in that type of establishment/vibe. It's not exactly the kind of place I want to go to as a 30 something year old. I went there for a burlesque show. Shout out to Pulse Dance Company! The show was amazing and tons of fun. The bar itself I don't think has had any updates since like maybe 1995, and that estimate is probably generous. This bar was probably the place to be when it first opened, but now it's kind of just tired and sad. It could probably be better if they took the time & money to renovate it, but they don't really have an incentive since people go there regardless. Koot's kind of just exists, but considering Anchorage is the biggest metropolitan area Alaska has it's a confusing type of establishment to find here. If you're looking to party though it seems to be the spot!

Cool spot. Lots of regulars it looked like. Reasonably priced and had good music on. Bartender was…read morefast

Fun bar with a cute name!…read more Great dive bar for the end of the day when you want a local beer, have some salty popcorn and play a few darts. Our bartender was very nice & we all had a great time here! Highly recommend if you're in the area and looking for a cool hang-out bar. Enjoy!

This was my first time coming in after work and I was able to get a cold PBR, I ate some good…read morepopcorn and the nice bartender allowed me to change the station on the tv I was watching. She even gave me a charging station for my dying iPhone. She was great. Pool tables were being used. The TouchTunes June box played great tunes. I will stop by again.

Food was nice, staff very friendly. Was a nice stopping place before going back to the airport to…read morehead home.

Nice little dive spot in Spenard! I actually really like…read morethis place, free pool on Mondays a great rotation of Karaoke nights, you'll often find a live band playing on the weekend and they have a FREE taco bar on Tuesdays!!! Super friendly bartenders, and quick to get service. Not a huge selection on tap but let's be honest you're not hitting up a dive in Spenard for the craft beer....its for the Spenard "Ambiance" *pro tip* Keep your eye on their socials for great party events!! This year (2025) they served up a free complete Thanksgiving dinner for folks.

Got to love me a nasty bar with carpet that looks like the from the 1980s but in argyle pattern…read more... This place is great love the karaoke Love the small town atmosphere!!!

Hands down one of the best local bars in downtown Anchorage…read more I never feel unsafe here even with the Gaslight down the way (and yes, we all know that place has its issues). The Pio just gives off the best bar energy downtown. The bartenders are absolutely amazing and always take such good care of you, which honestly makes all the difference. They bring in DJs throughout the week with different sets, and if you're there before the DJ starts, they've got a TouchTunes jukebox so you can play your own music. Inside, there's plenty to do: arcade-style games, pool tables, and air hockey, perfect if you're bouncing around downtown and want to actually hang out somewhere. They've done a few facelifts inside over the years, and it's only gotten better. This is easily one of our all-time favorite spots when we're downtown. And the best part? Sometimes on the weekends, if you're lucky, you step outside and there's a little hot dog stand set up right near the front door. Truly elite downtown behavior and one of my favorite things about being down there.

Definitely the best downtown bar. Cheap drinks and good bar tenders. Nice pool tables too. Love…read morethe food truck in the back ally.

Let's talk about the Buckaroo, because this place is a classic Spenard dive bar and honestly one of…read moreAnchorage's old-school gems. We really love this spot. It's a great place to grab a cocktail whether it's 8 PM, midnight, or 2 AM--it just works at any hour. They've got pool tables and a cozy little section with a fireplace, which is such a nice touch for a dive bar and makes it feel way more inviting than you'd expect. The bartenders are always nice, and the drinks are solid every time. What surprises me, though, is that the place is usually pretty dead whenever I'm there--which I genuinely don't understand because the drinks are good and the ambience is actually really nice. All that said, it's still one of the better dive bars in Anchorage and definitely worth stopping into, especially if you're in the Spenard area and want something low-key but reliable.

Daaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmnn rocky was on point tonight... as always. Will be referring to my friends…read moreand family to enjoy the ambiance and good times to be had at the buckaroo

I've been coming here a bit now for the Saturday Blues Jam Session they offer…read more It is very laid back, very personal and not crowded. Music is 8 - 12 I believe... They don't have table service (or at least the few times I've been there) we just ordered from the bar. Very nice atmosphere and friendly bartender. I really enjoy the live music and laid-backness this venue has to offer. Side note, it is attached to the Aviator Hotel

The food gets 5 stars. The service gets 1. Their "barista services" get 2 stars…read more The breakfast I ordered two days in a row was delicious. The first day it came with toast and ketchup and jelly. The second day, I only got the main event, reindeer sausage scrambled with eggs and served with crispy, savory home fries. The menu described the food differently, but it was so tasty that I didn't care. The girls at the counter are a mess, some more than others. They are polite and kind, but I really prefer proficiency (I guess it's a NY thing). The only quick experience was ordering a coffee Saturday night, it was made very well, very quickly, and it was from a third person I hadn't seen. Previously, I'd waited 15 minutes for a hot chocolate, and the second time I ordered one it was made with water, and remade with half a cup of milk, for which I was still charged full price for. Obviously, if you're staying in the hotel it's attached too, you pretty much have this and the vending machines, so you're not going to have many options...but they could do a little more. The space is clean and ample and again, everyone is quite kind but focused on their phones, getting over meth addictions, and maybe one girl has her stuff together. And whoever's in the kitchen makes good food, but isn't consistent on what goes on the plate.