CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dive bar. Neighborhood spot. Watering hole. Corner joint.

The names are interchangeable.

We define these kind of places as much what they aren't as what they are.

Yes, they are informal. But they are not pretentious.

They are authentic and real because they have been around for decades. Not because some new joint has co-opted the terms to jack up the prices.

For ages, people have romanticized the dive bar -- that place where the old man at the end of the bar exchanges stories with the aspiring writer.

These days, bar hounds are thankful these old standbys still exist, amid a sea of progress.

Here are 25. (Check out the photo gallery on all of them.) Yes, there are more; I'm sure you have your own favorites. Luckily, the drinks are cheap -- so you can hit those, too.

B and G Tavern, 4150 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, 216-651-0883; bandgtavern.com: Are you looking to shoot a pool hall scene for your movie? This circa-1980 joint has the vibe in spades, from the glass block windows out front to the moody lighting over the tables. Even if you aren't a location scout and merely a barhound, you will dig it. It has the feel of a place in the city from yesteryear - which goes down very well with the discounted tequila shots every Tuesday.

Becky's Bar and Grill, 1762 East 18th St., Cleveland, 216-621-0055; beckysbar.com: All sorts like to jump into this timeless hole: sports fans, cabbies, CSU students, punks, night owls. As a patron there once told me, "These new places need to spend a lot of money on stuff to attract new people. Becky's has loyal people coming back because nothing has changed in forever."

Clark Bar, 1201 Clark Ave, Cleveland, 216-344-9999; tinyurl.com/nfynwxs: Some say this joint dates back 80 years. One of the patrons said it's from the 1880s. Another claimed he has been sitting in the same chair for decades. Of this we are certain: Owner Scott Sosenko and his pops have had it since 1999 and see themselves as guardians of the vintage vibes and look of this old timer of a bar. We also know that there are a lot of stuffed monkeys on the wall, but that's a long story for another time...

Croatian Tavern, 3244 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, 216-771-4727: The near East Side bar scene took a big hit when Jerman's shut down. Thankfully, Joe Lasic is keeping the spirit of Old Cleveland going at this Old World spot. Check out those red bottle cap bar stools. Those vintage Stroh's beer signs. The woodwork. Oh, and Joe's adorable dog, Elvis. OK, now let's do another shot of plum brandy.

Edgewater Cafe, West 50th St. and Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 440-835-4697; facebook.com/EdgewaterCafe: Owner Frank Spremulli reopened the joint this year after an 18-year hiatus. So call it a time capsule that serves beer because nothing has changed since 1996 - from the faded sign to the decor to the vibe. Even the menu board above the bar is the same -- burgers for $2.50? The only thing that has changed is the flat-screen TV - and don't worry, the alcohol is fresh.

Harbor Inn, 1219 Main Ave., Cleveland, 216-241-3232; tinyurl.com/ml57rzm: Some bars boast a longer list, but this comfy symbol of the Old Flats has had the reputation as a destination for beer adventurers for decades. After all, it's been open since the '90s -- the 1890s, when The Flats attracted sailors with pockets of coin. The vibe is still old school and many of the beers are Old World, with old-timers and young'uns mingling around the bar.

The Hawk, 11217 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, 216-521-5443; tinyurl.com/pbdq8v8: The Hawk is an endangered bird: a corner bar that could be any bar but happens to be a gay bar. If the music were classic rock, you'd think it was some workingman's bar. If there were sports on the TV, you'd swear it was an old-style sports bar. After all, the crowd consists of men, most of whom are casually dressed in jeans and T-shirts. But no, this is a bar where everyone knows you're gay.

Hoopples, 1930 Columbus Road, Cleveland, 216-575-0483; hoopples.com: Located on a bluff overlooking the Cuyahoga River, the blue-collar joint offers a great view of the skyline and an even better feel for old-school Cleveland. Check out the bridges through the windows. Raise a glass to the vintage photos on the walls. This isn't a T-shirt or a postcard - it really is Cleveland.



Hotz Cafe, 2529 West 10th St., Cleveland, 216-771-7004; hotzcafe.com: The bottle-cap stools are straight out of 1919. The shuffleboard game is from 1936. The working-class vibe it had when factory workers drank shots and brews is still the same. Even the ghosts of those who drank there are old - FDR, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Rocky Colavito and, yes, Babe Ruth. If it wasn't so hopping, you'd think it was a museum.

House of Swing, 4490 Mayfield Road, South Euclid, 216-382-2771; tinyurl.com/lysgtyq:

Many bars play jazz; House of Swing exudes it - with jazzy bands and a snazzy vibe that died with the bebop era. Not here. Check out the stacks of vinyl albums, old photos on the walls and the bumper stickers on the ceiling. That vintage-cool "HOUSE OF SWING" marker over the door says all you need to know, Daddy-o.

Lakewood Village, 13437 Madison Ave, Lakewood, 216-521-0301; tinyurl.com/lucac5x: Call Madison Avenue the embassy row of dive bars - there are so many that you could crawl for a weekend (and then proceed to stagger for a week). This circa-1939 spot is a bundle of energy - yes, because it's a good hang, but also because the beer is cheap and the food is pub fare par excellence.

Little Kings, 3009 Payne Ave., Cleveland, 216-621-2888; tinyurl.com/qdrqx7n: Nothing like buying a round for everyone and still having a wad of $1 bills to blow on the jukebox. Yes, but this scruffy joint is a draw for more than just hard-drinking cheapos. It's a magnet for pool sharks, bikers and rock 'n' rollers. C'mon, where else can you find so much Alice Cooper, Rolling Stones, Captain Beefheart AND Frank Zappa on the jukebox? Cheap drinks mean more money for tunes!

Ontario Street Cafe, 2053 Ontario St., Cleveland, 216-861-6446: So many new places talk about being "authentic" and "real." This little-known downtown institution doesn't have to - it is. One of the few old-school joints left standing, it's a nook of a bar you might see in a movie, where bar veterans and locals pull up for an Old Milwaukee. Two bucks and a quarter for a tall boy! Everyone's coming to Cleveland to make a movie - well, this place feels like one.

Pat's in the Flats, 2233 West Third St., Cleveland, 216-621-8044; patsintheflats.com: "The Working Man's Bar" has been a bastion of saloon stability in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood since the 1940s - even as Tremont has changed. These days, there aren't as many working guys coming in and "back in the day" can mean any number of things, like when the White Stripes played their first show outside of Detroit. But owner Pat Hanych makes all kinds feel at home in this homey old joint.

Red Circle Bar and Lanes, 6056 State Rd, Parma, 440-886-0220; redcirclelanes.com: Keno? Check. A wide range of pub grub? Check. Early-and-late hours? Of course. This classic Parma locale has all sorts of neighborhood watering hole amenities. It's also a bowling alley full of vintage vibes. OK, now let's do a shot of that Fireball whiskey and give me a couple of those Lotto tickets over there.

The Rowley Inn, 1104 Rowley Ave, Cleveland, 216-795-5345; therowleyinn.com: In "A Christmas Story," Ralphie and his family end up spending Christmas in a Chinese restaurant. They could've gone here, which is right across from the Christmas Story house in Tremont. And not just because the cast in the 1983 movie drank here in between shoots. It's a comfy spot that's been a home away from home to many for six decades. Oh, and check out that mural made out of bottle caps - snazzy.

Sachsenheim Hall, 7001 Denison Ave., Cleveland; 216-651-0888; facebook.com/sachsenheim.hall: Yes, this deal is el cheapo. But is there a taco night on any side of the border that offers so many varieties? Beef, chicken, fish - but also tacos with Italian sausage, Jamaican jerk chicken, black bean and corn, chorizo and shrimp. There are more than 20 varieties, which means it's almost time for an encore.

Sidetrack Cafe, 13429 Lakewood Heights Blvd, Lakewood, 216-688-1498; tinyurl.com/l69lgxh: The early bird gets the beer - or is it the night owl? Either way, the Sidetrack starts serving at 5:30 a.m. The old school joint is a magnet for both, not to mention chowhounds who go for the breakfast: three eggs, meat, home fries and toast for $3.50 - one of the cheapest deals going. It's also bike friendly, the motorcycle kind.

Smedley's, 17004 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-941-0124: Everyone's going upscale these days. Well, thank God for this place! The bikers are loud, the classic-rockers proud. And everyone likes to pound brews and get rowdy to Dylan, the Stones and Neil Young on the jukebox. Or a live blues band. Or the idea that we were born to be wild.

Spitfire Saloon, 1539 West 117th St., Cleveland, 216-226-7748; punkrockbar.com: The Spitfire opened the same year that the famed CBGB closed - a seamless transition, or, well, close. Punk is alive and well and loud at the Spitfire - so is the $1 beer, which the Spitfire serves during Happy Hour. Can you feel the noise of the jukebox and its mix of punk rock, from Johnny Thunders to GG Allin? Or the punk vibes of the old fliers on the walls? If not, sit down and play a video game, drink your beer and shut up.

Tina's, 5400 Herman Ave., Cleveland, 216-651-8057: Some joints are old-style. This place is just old - a hole in the wall where there are no frills, save one: KARAOKE. It boasts a menagerie of contestants crooning everything from Madonna to Ozzy. Some might find the whole thing bizarre, from the crackling sound system to the performances, cheapjack thrills and rowdy crowd. You know, they're right.

Tombstone Tavern, 2240 Fulton Ave., Cleveland, 216-631-1536; facebook.com/TombstoneTavern: Sounds like a place you'd see Gary Cooper drinking in before the shootout in "High Noon." Nope, just a lively old joint that's located next to a cemetery. "That's why it's called the Tombstone," says owner Mike Madison. "People have been coming to that cemetery for years." I wondered if a lot of people stop here then, too. "No, why would they - they're dead," he says. Yup, these are the kind of conversations you get...

Tucker's Casino, 15532 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland, 216-451-7613: I stopped in on the six-year anniversary of Rudy Ray Moore's passing, which underscored the vintage vibe of this snazz pad. Tucker's, you see, looks like something out of a "Dolemite" movie from the 1970s. The decor is cool and old-school, from the bar tops to the old mini jukeboxes on the counter (whoa, three 45s for a quarter). The back room looks like a movie set. But, you know, the crowd of regulars is just as cool and old-school... Good times.

Ugly Broad, 3908 Denison Ave., Cleveland, 216-351-9826; uglybroad.com: Sometimes you want to go out with an Ugly Broad. She's funny, has a unique personality and - yippee! - she's a cheap date! The Broad, you see, is that dive bar on the West Side, with the old pool table and older pictures of John Wayne on the wall. Man, has she got personality. And when I'm done spending the evening with her, I still have money to blow. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder, baby!

Wolf's Den, 8214 Cedar Ave., Cleveland, 216-391-6414; tinyurl.com/lqlgrjo: No, it ain't the Cotton Club, but this East Side joint recalls the vibe with a smoky mural. It doesn't hurt that the Wolf howls when jazzy bands take the stage on weekends. The bar in front is more laid back, a place where you can sip the afternoon away with a cocktail.