The writer’s been looking in Park Slope for a bar like High Dive for a long, long time. High Dive, you see, is a ‘dive’ in the best sense of the word – a rarity these days, High Dive is a place to nurse a cold beer and hold a quiet conversation with friends.

High Dive is a throw-back to an era 20 or 30 years ago, before bars became obnoxious theme parks. Now almost every tavern in this city is either a glossy, ‘glam’ and overpriced enterprise, with ear-shattering music piercing the ear drums, and populated by ADD-addled, loud sports fans watching games on ESPN, the network that will eventually dominate the universe.

High Dive, conversely, is a gentle place, with garrulous, affable bartenders, and a choice of fifteen or so beers on tap. Plus, you may serve yourself a helping of free buttered popcorn, a very nice gesture.

A long bar occupies one area of the tavern, with tables in the front and a larger space and tables in the rear. No food is served -- that means you may bring in a sandwich to go with that beer or drink you ordered. In warm weather, there’s a small garden area out back for patrons to sit and sip.

This writer remembers fondly of places like this: a ‘dive’ bar of decades ago was usually a grungy affair, often in disreputable condition, patronized mostly by the town drunks. But, we kids didn’t care: after all, 25-cent glasses of beer could go a long way.

One final item: every day, there is a three-hour ‘happy hour,’ from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Yuengling pints cost $3 during the happy hour, another pleasant surprise in the unpretentious and welcoming High Dive bar.

By Jim Israel

Jim@ParkSlope.com