This busy road in Andheri West has a host of dive bars. Follow this trail that we have hand-picked for you
Raj Palace
Get busy
ADVERTISEMENT
Start your crawl at a bar that’s right beside a busy main road. There is an indoor AC section that’s cocooned from the noises of an urban jungle. But we suggest that you sit in the al fresco section, since it’s better suited for people-watching. Get a bottle of beer to kick-start things. Make it a mild one, though, since there’s a long evening ahead.
TIME 10.30 am to 12 am
AT Raj Palace, Nand Bhavan, JP Road, Azad Nagar
Food for every mood
House of Food
Hop, skip and jump from Raj Palace to House of Food, which is a few buildings away. This place is deceptively big, since you won’t realise standing outside the bar that it’s three-storey high. True to its name, the place serves delectable, but greasy, fare, and get a plate of kebabs of your choice to accompany the liquor you get.
TIME 11 am to 12 am
AT House of Food, 8, Universal Industrial Estate, Bank Of India, JP Road, Azad Nagar
Feeling blue
Quarterdeck
Get an auto. Travel for five minutes past the DN Nagar Metro station and towards the 4 Bungalows market. Alight there and make your way to Quarterdeck, a dive bar swathed in blue lights. The balcony there is a favourite among the area’s filmy junta. But be warned. Things get increasingly raucous as the night progresses. What else would you expect when people shed inhibitions and get into passionate arguments a few drinks down?
TIME 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT Quarterdeck, Ratan Nagar, near Aziz Boilers, 4 Bungalows.
The weakest link
This one’s convenient because it’s on the way to the last stop on this trail. But frankly, it’s the weakest link on this link. The food is par for the course. The ambience is ho-hum. At least the drinks are reasonable. So get a solitary peg just to shake things up a bit, and make your way past the popular WTF! to a dingy dive where, if you’re a single woman, the management might just refuse you entry.
TIME 12.30 pm to 12.30 am
AT 4, Shivam Shopping Centre, Seven Bunglows, JP Road, 7 Bungalows, Andheri West.
Cult status
Woodcon is one of those places where people start drinking from 11 am. It’s achieved cult status among the alcohol-loving populace of Andheri West, simply because it’s the sort of place that will make you feel comfortable regardless of your social standing. It’s a tiny place, so be prepared to share a table with a random stranger. Both of you could either strike up a conversation, or you could drink in comfortable silence. And that, really, is the whole point of a dive-bar experience – a shared understanding that cheap alcohol and yummy snacks in a non-pretentious environment is what’s brought you together in the first place.
TIME 11 am to 1.30 am
AT Gold Crown Building, Versova, Andheri West
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates