Indianapolis Monthly

Dives

CHATTERBOX JAZZ CLUB

IT’S BEEN called the last real dive on Mass Ave, a graffiti-covered, fluorescent-lit original among the corporations that have swarmed the swanky real estate along that diagonal strip. Opened in 1982 by David Andrichik, the Chatterbox stays true to its community roots, serving old-school cocktails, Patties of Jamaica, and live jazz every night. No wonder it’s a favorite among IU jazz students and Jazz Festival partiers looking to keep the music going a little longer. 435 Massachusetts Ave., 317-636-0584, chatterboxjazz.com

SYD'S FINE FOOD &SPIRITS

WHY NOT get competitive when you’re getting your drink on? After finishing your breaded tenderloin and Wicked Syd (peach whiskey, Malibu rum, and fruit juice), it won’t be hard to find a challenger at the shuffleboard table located smack-dab in the center of the bar. If you need a potty break, duck your head! People were a lot shorter in the late 1800s, when the building was constructed. 808 Logan St., Noblesville, 317-773-6132, sydsfinefood.com

THE BUTLER INN

NAMED AFTER Butler University—which is to say, after Ovid Butler—this bar has been in continuous operation in some form or fashion since 1926. Kids working from the hipper, newer bars begin to push out the old guys as day stretches into night, raising the energy and volume to a midnight frenzy. DJ Django spins most Saturdays to help the $4 Long Islands go down even easier. But until they get their kitchen remodel completed sometime in early 2020, get used to packaged snacks. 5221 E. Washington St., 317-359-6061

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