The Dugout Bar

This place is fucking awesome. Nice bartenders. Cubs games on tv all summer. There’s nothing to not like about this place.

Wow. It’s weird, uneven, and a dive; I love it.
A perfect booze den right on Virginia Avenue that dwells in a super old and oddly shaped brick building. The inside is much bigger than anticipated from the street, and the amount of swilling is surprising as well. Customers appear to be hard core regulars, but willing to make new friends as well. Before I knew it, I was kicking back shots with my new BFFs. The drinks are a generous pour, the beer selection wasn’t that bad, and prices fair. The food looks to be pretty good for a dive and the specials appear to be classics and rotating.
Don’t expect the knuckle tatt’ed condescending hipster bartender or Foo Foo organic cocktails that this neighborhood typically offers. Simply come in for an old fashioned corner bar and get weird.

This is a no frills, neighborhood bar. If you are a repeat visitor, the wait staff will remember you.
I have been here several times and have never been disappointed. My last visit was on a Sunday before a Colts game. It was our last stop before headed to the game. We grabbed some pizza and fried cheese cubes (not to be missed). The pizza was piled high with cheese and toppings. The crust was think and cracker like. The cheese cubes served with ranch were a big hit!
It was our least expensive visit of the day and this one included lots of food. My experience was a good reminder that I need to get here more often because my wallet and stomach will appreciate it.

Never have I so easily given a restaurant a one star review after my experience with The Dugout Bar. Their bland food and horrid service left a lot to be desired upon our visit a month ago. When consulted, management did nothing to solve the problem, not even offering an apology. If you’re looking for a family atmosphere and palatable food, The Dugout Bar is NOT the place to go.

Random find. Good service cold
Beer and NDSU football on the big
Screen. We are definitely coming back to try the shrimp po boy!

One of my favorite hole in the wall bars. There’s always a spot at the bar, but there’s ample room for a group of friends. They recently changed their menu… There’s still the classic choices on there, but the new stuff didn’t seem to fit the style of the bar. But their tenderloin sandwich is awesome!

I have been visiting this place for years. They used to have breakfast on Saturday and not sure if still available. The service is always good and you have to try the fried bologna and cheese sandwich. PBR also is on tap along with your favorite domestics and local craft. Great place to meet friends and chill out.

Local hole in the wall type bar. Not the new hipster trying to make Fountain Square something it’s not kind of place. I usually sit outside and enjoy a few beverages after work. Very decent prices and friendly service. Inside looks to be able to accommodate a decent crowd and it’s clean. I have tried the fries, very good, nice n crispy not too greasy. Special always seem reasonably priced n usually spark my interest but I’m trying to keep the spending down at the moment.

This is the hole in the wall bar that you have always dreamed of. A secret oasis if you will. Nothing spells Americana like a meat lovers pizza crafted. That’s right, crafted. Like a fine artisan. And let us not forget about cocktails. Hmmm delicious naughty water is to be found here a plenty. Ladies, if your man takes you to South Chicago, he’s a trendy b*tch. If he takes you to the Dugout, he’s a man. Now as far as the cats go… it turns out that this place is a bar. It is not a pet sanctuary. The crazy cat ladies never frequented the place and never will. So roll your asses in catnip and enjoy your kitties. The rest of us will be at the Dugout.

This is a neighborhood hole in the wall type place but is very good at being just that.
I have ordered food here multiple times. The wings are solid. The pizza is good. And their burgers are, well burgers. The reason im giving four stars and not three is because this past week my gf and I stoped in for a beer while on a bike ride (its important to stay hydrated) and ordered the special to split. It was a blackened cat fish po’boy. It was so effing good we got a second one.
The kitchen is under new management and I hope the good things keep coming.
A hole in the wall? Yes, but a nice on.

They call this a «dive bar» but it is clean and nice. After walking along Virginia looking for somewhere reasonably priced to eat we stumbled along this place. The price was right and the food was delicious. My husband ordered the grilled bologna and I got the tuna. Both were great but he adored the Bologna.
The bar service was great and drink prices were excellent.

The Fried Bologna sandwich is sent from the gods. Literally like a half pound patty of pressed goodness. Get it my belly :) cheap beer, classy people and plenty of street parking. This place cannot be beaten. 2 thumbs up.

What a cute little «hole in the wall» bar. We were due to meet family for an early New Years Eve dinner downtown right next door. We park the car, walk about a block in really freezing temps to find our destination isn’t open yet. The bar next door is! We go in for a drink, what a cute place. Taking a table we were entertained by the patrons at the bar who clearly started New Years Eve a little early– they were all singing along with the juke box. The waitress had command of the bar, the tables, and she was hoppin! Incredible service. What I liked the best was hearing they use a local distributors for some of their alcohol. I’d definitely stop back in if I were nearby.

BEST PIZZA IN TOWN! Even with one of the best rated pizza places right next door to the Dugout, I still go to The Dugout when I want pizza. The bar itself is a typical, no-​frills, neighborhood dive bar that isn’t trying to hard to impress you or cater to the young hipster crowd. 4 times out of 5 I’m just going there for pizza, but 1 time out of 5 I grab the cheapest beer, sit down at the bar and listen to the various walks of life rant about whatever’s on their mind. So glad it’s non-​smoking now. I couldn’t spend more than a minute in there back when it was a smoking bar. I definitely recommend the Dugout as a place to kill time and enjoy pizza.

We were due to meet family for dinner next door and arrived early and they were not yet open. Rather than head back to the car– we decided to grab a drink. This place is a little dive bar– the crowd at the time must have found every old honky tonk song (think Dukes of Hazzard them song and the. Go farther back in your country memories). Those at the bar knew every word and made sure to sing loud and proud.
They use Fountain Square made vodka and it was great in my drinks (one drink turned into 2 because it was good!). Because of take out, and the large crowd at the bar I felt only having one person staffed was a drawback for them.
Oddly enough, we would drop back in for a drink if we were nearby.

like drinking in your dad’s bar. everything is exactly as you remember. small front door that steps right into the L-​shaped bar. maybe 15 – 20 stools. classic bar tip with small rail & box footrest. comfy, broken in (some too much) stools. bar back is simple & disorganized, just shelves & hdtvs. white walls everywhere else with beer signs/​mirrors/​etc. food is your average bar food. nothing to brag about, but very satisfying. other patrons have spent time in a bar and very friendly. easy to talk to others up & down the bar with sports or local news being the primary topics. not a dive bar, just your average neighborhood tavern.

Perfect little neighborhood bar! Food is reliably good, the drinks are sanely priced and the staff is always friendly. Wonderful to sit out front on the patio during the summer and enjoy the ever-​growing activity along the Cultural Trail.

Cheap. Not great but a decent local dive. Pitchers are like $ 6, you can get pretty loaded for cheap. The sliders are pretty good but the cheese balls are a must try, they are like tator tots with creamy pepper jack inside, seriously good. Pass on the wings, they were way too salty and I couldn’t even finish them. Overall a good greasy towny bar.

It’s like coming home, people are welcoming and the liquor is flowing! Not to mention the DELICIOUS pizza! This is the bar where, if you go a couple of times, everybody knows your name (and yes, they are always glad you came). These are the frontiers of the «Fountain Square» area, so take note all of you. This is the place where judgements are checked at the door and everyone wants the same thing: to drink and be merry. Don’t forget to enjoy the patio and do some nice people watching once it warms up!

I met some friends for a pre-​show drink at the dugout. The night was brisk and the seats on the sidewalk were full of people laughing and catching up with friends after a long week.
I had to go inside to get a drink, but the bartender did a great job and was very nice. It’s bright inside with a lot of locals filling the bar stools. No frills, good pub grub.
Hit an ATM before you get there. Theirs charges a $ 5 fee. Walking distance to see a show. Street parking.