Slim’s Dive Bar

Slim’s Dive Bar sits on South Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh, and by its own count it has been the city’s dive of record for more than 26 years. It calls itself a hidden gem, which is about right: it is the sort of place regulars measure other bars against.

The bar’s own line is ‘Your Downtown Dive Since 1999,’ and the grit is the point. It became a cornerstone of the downtown community early on and has held onto that spot ever since. The bar is a downtown institution at this point.

What to know

• Slim’s opened its doors in April 1999.
• New owners took over the bar in April 2024.
• The current owners set out to preserve the bar’s nostalgic history and its rough edges.