Dive bars aren’t always top food destinations, but we can’t deny that a few pints of beer or a couple of 7 and 7s make us a little snacky. But when it comes to ordering food at a dive bar, there are certain tried-and-true favorites that always hit the spot and a few that can make your night go terribly wrong.

A good dive bar bite is usually something with ample carbohydrates and that’s easy to snack on without too much fuss like the classic finger foods: nachos, french fries, wings. And we can’t deny the appeal of extra cheesy, fried snacks like mozzarella sticks or mac n’ cheese bites to pair with a pony of Miller High Life. Whereas dishes that might be difficult to eat or don’t provide the right amount of sustenance (like, say, a house salad) might be a little more risky.

So which dish can claim the title of the ultimate dive bar food? And which snacks should you definitely avoid? Check out our definitive ranking of dive bar bites to see where your favorites land.

A Definitive Ranking of Dive Bar Bites [Infographic]

20. Dirty Communal Bowl of Nuts

It’s always nice to have a small snack at the bar — and a free one at that — but when it comes to communal food, we’re going to have to pass. We would prefer to know who has touched our nuts before eating them.

19. Required House Salad

You can tell when a bar begrudgingly includes a salad on the menu just to appease the vegetarians. Whether it’s topped with a stale puck of goat cheese or the very same nuts that populate the communal bowl on the bar, it’s not usually something we gravitate toward.

18. Sketchy Calamari

We’re all for fried food at a dive bar, but seafood? Not so much. Odds are you’ll have better luck with almost any other item on the menu. If you’re in the mood for a salty fried fish snack, you can always press your luck, but if you’re met with a lukewarm squid that was just reheated from store- bought freezer bags, you can’t say we didn’t warn you.

17. Legally Mandated Bag of Chips

In certain states it’s required by law for a bar to serve some form of food to accompany the booze. And for many bars that don’t feel like committing to a full menu, the answer is a bag of chips. Is a bag of chips bad? No. But often the thin crisps don’t quite satisfy the hunger that follows drinking a few pints of beer.

16. Random Shrimp Tacos

For some reason dive bars that serve typical fare like burgers and fries also usually sell some form of shrimp or fish taco. These aren’t usually great tacos, especially if they’re fried (see: Sketchy Calamari), but they also aren’t the worst. If it’s something you’re really craving, we’d suggest drinking your fill at the bar, then heading to a dedicated taco spot after.

15. Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño poppers are a truly classic dive bar food. Does that mean they’re good? Not necessarily. While a perfectly executed example can provide a deliciously balanced crispy, greasy, cheesy bite, most of the time we’re left disappointed, and, frankly, unsettled.

14. Guacamole

Chips and guac is an all time bar classic, especially when you don’t feel like consuming something that’s been deep fried. But we can’t always count on dive bars to deliver the best guacamole. Consume at your own risk.

13. Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

These faux buffalo wings are probably the best veggie-forward option at any given dive bar, but they still don’t live up to the classic hot wings we know and love.

12. Quesadilla

What’s not to love about melty cheese wrapped in a warm tortilla hug? This might not be the most common, or the most flavorful, dive bar snack, but it’s always a welcome one.

11. Grilled Cheese

The grilled cheese delivers the same gooey, cheesy goodness of the above quesadilla, but the extra carbs the bread provides give the sandwich a real boost. Bonus points if the bar happens to serve a very good tomato soup.

10. Any Form of Fried Potato

Deciding to order a side of fries for the table is one of the easier decisions you can make at a dive bar. But we’re really open to any form of fried potato. Bring on the loaded fries, tater tots, and all of the dipping sauces.

9. Fancy Popcorn

While most dive bar foods are dressed down, sometimes the popcorn on the menu dresses up. With options like rosemary parmesan or garlic dill, some dive bars really know how to do popcorn right.

8. Free Popcorn

While we love a zhuzhed-up bucket of popcorn, there’s something about free popcorn at a bar that gives it a homey, welcoming vibe. For a long session of drinking with a group of friends, it’s always nice to have something to endlessly munch on, so we appreciate the constant stream of snackage here. Plus, dive bars with an abundance of free popcorn always smell better.

7. Big Pretzel

Potentially the optimal vehicle for carbohydrates, the big pretzel is great for sharing (or eating on your own) and usually comes with top-level accompaniments like beer cheese and mustard. It’s historically served with beer for a good reason.

6. Mac n’ Cheese Bites

Mac n’ Cheese Bites are the pinnacle of dive bar ingenuity. Portable mac n’ cheese pockets, with an extra layer of crispy, fried crust? Yes and yes. There’s no other way to consume mac n’ cheese at a bar.

5. Wings

Sharing a plate of hot wings while watching the big game is something sacred. Plus the flavor options here can be limitless, from the classic buffalo or barbecue wings to garlic parmesan or a sweet chili glaze. The only thing holding wings back from the No. 1 spot is the unavoidable, sticky mess that automatically comes with ordering them.

4. A Burger

A great dive bar burger is a beautiful thing, which is why it places firmly in the top five. But the catch is, there’s a lot of variability between different establishments. For every place that serves a flavorful, juicy patty topped with melty cheese and crisp layer of onion, there’s another spot out there serving up a dried puck of meat on a stale bun.

3. Mozzarella Sticks

While mozz sticks aren’t always our top choice for happy hour, when the clock strikes late-night at the bar, this is where the breaded, cheesy bites shine. To someone who’s had a few drinks, there’s nothing more exciting than a basket of mouth-scorching mozz sticks.

2. Tricked Out Hot Dog

Unlike a burger or quesadilla, there aren’t a lot of places where you can order a hot dog when you’re out to eat. That’s why getting a hot dog at your local dive bar feels so special. Bonus points if the bar goes all out with extra toppings like pickles or crispy onions.

1. Nachos

While we love a good burger or hot dog at a bar, you can’t really split a hot dog among six friends. Nachos, on the other hand, are inherently sharable and perfect for a big crowd, which is what a fun dive bar hang is all about. What’s more is that nachos can be a blank canvas for customization: Pulled pork? Jalapeños? Guacamole? It’s all on the table.

*Image retrieved from smspsy via stock.adobe.com