As one might expect for a sparsely-visited stretch of off-highway road, signage is at a minimum here, a neon sign with green backing reading “Liquor” the sole suggestion that a business of any kind inhabits the white, dust-washed structure the sign is attached to. Testing the door may bring a little trepidation as it is anyone’s guess exactly what the hours are at Lee’s Tavern, but once opened, a quite literal dive bar oasis exists, down to the vintage shuffleboard machine that commands the lion’s share of the single-room Yermo dive bar.
Lee’s Tavern looks like a seldom-frequented dive bar because that’s exactly what it is, a curiosity that has somehow stayed afloat, stocking to-go beer & liquor in addition to on-site pours. Interior features here are predictably scarce, a shingled, sloped ridge ringing the space to provide a divey counterpoint to the vertical wood paneling that circles Lee’s Tavern. Liquor bottles are lined up on a simple shelf behind the bar and under the bar itself, the selection here beyond what can reasonably be expected from a desert outpost watering hole. If a theme could be attached to the décor here, it might involve fishing thanks to a pair of fish and strings of lures dotting the walls.
Even a dive bar in the middle of the Mojave Desert needs a signature drink and Lee’s Tavern proclaims its Bloody Mary as a must-try attraction. Reviews from the few, select souls to have sampled the concoction back up the reputation and throw on the important disclaimer that these are strong drinks in the middle of what is likely a long drive. Bar seating is largely limited to the fixed, rotating seats that line the bar counter, though a table or two look like they could be cleared off if a crowd of any size assembled.