Scoundrel’s Field Guide is intended as a love letter to the authentic drinking locations around the world, from corner neighborhood pubs to downtown dive bars. The world doesn’t need another travel guide pointing out the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. But we think the world does need a resource that champions institutions like the Tiki Ti in Los Angeles or McSorley’s Old Ale House in New York. 

Every review on this site is written from personal, on-the-ground experience. We are not a content aggregator scooping up bits and pieces of ‘best of’ lists from around the web. And we are not a crowdsourced review site built for people who like to complain about a bartender’s attitude. Every image, every word comes from real life moments spent in these amazing places.

There is no more authentic way to really experience life in a given city than to visit a tiny, neighborhood bar on a Tuesday and see where the night leads. Tourists dine on rooftop terraces and shuffle by the typical attractions in the typically recommended parts of town. Real people create community with friends at a bowling alley bar, a late night gyro cart, a local spot with cold High Life and a pool table.

Scoundrel’s Field Guide is a labor of love of writer, editor and founder, David Shaw. Though you’ll see the word “we” thrown around in our content from time to time to make us sound a little more professional, Dave is the engine behind the content here (all blame rests with him). 

If you would like to get in contact with Dave or provide your suggestions on the best, most authentic places to grab a drink in your city, please fill out the Contact Us form below. We (Dave) would love to hear from you. 

Our mission is to be the travel guide for real people, not tourists. And we’ll do our best to live up to that lofty standard.

Contact Us

Please send in your favorite local dive bar, correction to something you’ve read here or suggestion on how we can do all of this better. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.