The Dive

Cave City is small. Like, blink and you’ll miss it small—about 2,500 people nestled next to the longest cave system in the world.

For 75 years, this town was dry. Then, a mother-daughter duo decided it was time for Cave City to have a proper watering hole. They opened The Dive Bar, not because it’s grimy, but because they wanted to lean into the good kind of dive—friendly and unpretentious.

This place has seen it all. Weddings, divorces, even a funeral. One of their patrons had a final wish to become part of the bar—his ashes now rest in Busch Light urn perched on the shelf.

And the bar top? It’s not just for your drinks. It’s a 34-foot slab of storytelling, chronicling the town’s history from the 1800s to today. Photos, artifacts, little newspaper clippings—it’s like a museum, but with shots of Fireball. Scattered across it are golden nameplates of the regulars, each one a badge of honor earned by drinking 500 beers. There are over 200 of them.

On weekends, they’ve got live music that ranges from bluegrass to metal, and on weeknights: themed karaoke.

If you’re ever near Mammoth Cave and want a cold drink with a side of small-town soul, pull up a stool. Who knows? After 500 beers, you just might get your name on the bar, too.