Sam’s Hideaway

Good service bar mades very nice all beer and drink are no expensive very friendly people you see people from all over the world

Authentic Old Florida establishment, hidden in plain sight at the end of Krome Avenue. The old wooden bar is a clue as to how long this building has been here, said to be the oldest Southernmost tavern on the US mainland. A couple of pool tables, cheap beer on tap, some decent liquor, but not a wide selection. It’s a meeting place for many locals and a few travelers now and then. Five girls, good servers and conversationalists, take shifts at the bar. Sam comes in for a couple of hours in the late afternoon. They have a 24 hour liquor license and they’ve been known to stay open very late for the hard working FPL maintenance crews on 24 hour duty. Bring cash because they have no idea what a credit card is, but there is an ATM in the back. No food. Picnic table out front. Smoking is allowed, cigars outside only.

Some people will read this review and say to themselves, WTF is this girl thinking? She actually LIKES this dive bar and gave them 4 stars? If you’ve read any of my reviews before, you know that I’m a true lover of a dive bar. The dive-​ier the better. The dirtier the better. The more biker boys, the BETTER! Imagine this: a dirt parking lot tucked away off Krome Avenue near the Holiday Inn. The door leads immediately to a small, dark bar packed with leathery locals who look like they have been sitting and nursing their beer for several hours. Scattered about are some bikers messing around with the dated poker machines and a few tourists pumping dollar bills into the fancy touchscreen jukebox (which happens to be the most sophisticated thing in this place). Do not expect to be served cuisine here. They used to have chili dogs for a $ 1, but they did away with that. The best you’ll get are some frozen, from-​a-​box «sliders» that are quickly nuked and served on a flimsy paper plate with a neon pickle chip garnish for your dining pleasure. This past weekend when my plans to go to Key Largo to Jimmy Johnson’s pool were squashed by a 6-​car pile up on US1 that sat for hours, I made an illegal u-​turn and found my way back to Sam’s for a much needed frosty PBR in a bottle for $ 2. Just because I enjoy a good dive bar doesn’t mean I should be mistaken for someone from The People of Walmart Gang you see flaunting their cray cray on the Internet. I appreciate the simplicity of a dive — a good old– fashioned pub with friendly service, no frills, good rocking tunes without the $ 15 – 20 per drink South Beach vibe. I also enjoy all the bathroom graffiti in the ladies room (one spot on the wall simply stated, «my neck, my back, my…») Good advice, Girl. Good advice indeed. PS — CASH ONLY.

Florida Dive bar at its finest. $ 7 for 3 beers and free hotdogs on Sundays can’t beat that. A mix of locals and bikers, everyone is friendly.