We may be a little biased, but Cape Cod has some of the best bars this side of Massachusetts. As the summer brings thousands of tourists to the Cape, you might wonder where the locals go to find familiar faces of the year-round crowd. Or, you may be looking for a bar with less expensive food and drinks, a pool table, and some Keno. The answer? A dive bar. And don’t worry, Cape Cod has plenty of them, and they certainly provide a good time. Check out our favorites list throughout Falmouth, Bourne, Mashpee, Sandwich, and Barnstable.
Quahog Republic
97 Spring Bars Road, Falmouth, MA
As a self-described dive bar, Quahog Republic is located in the Falmouth Trade Center, just across the street from the Walmart plaza. Quahog is open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and serves craft beers and strong cocktails. Play some Keno, listen to live music, or grab your drink and enjoy some arcade games located in the back room. The laid-back atmosphere and quirky decor will have you feeling at home in no time. Find a nearby rental home in Falmouth.
Grumpy’s Pub
29 Locust Street, Falmouth, MA
We’ll put it this way: Grumpy’s does not have a website, and they only accept cash. Sound like a dive bar to you? Experiencing Grumpy’s Pub is practically a rite of passage for Falmouth residents. Open from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and until 1:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll find live music, pool tables, and occasionally a cover charge of $5 depending on the band that is playing or the night of the week. Grumpy’s is set back from the road on Locust Street, and if you are staying on Surf Drive or in the downtown Falmouth area, Grumpy’s is a relatively short walk to the end of West Main Street. Find a nearby rental home in Falmouth Heights.
Dino’s Sports Bar
401 MA-151, Mashpee, MA
Located on Route 151 in Mashpee and nestled between a tattoo parlor and Great Wall restaurant is Dino’s Sports Bar. You want to be here for a football season, for sure. While Friday and Saturday nights are dedicated to hosting local bands, Sundays are explicitly for football on the big screen. Dino’s is equipped with too many TVs to count and one large projector screen for the game of the hour. Play some keno, order a pizza and some beer, and watch your favorite sports with your favorite people. During the summer months, you can also enjoy Dino’s On The Deck, an outdoor patio with a gas fireplace, TVs, and a large bar area. Find a nearby rental home in Mashpee.
The Kettle Ho
12 School Street, Cotuit, MA
Known locally as the “K-HO,” this tavern is the heart of Cotuit, a beautiful village in Barnstable. The Kettle Ho is the perfect place to saddle up to the bar and enjoy a burger and some clam chowder while you chat with the bartender and sip craft beer or delightful cocktails. With only a few tables to sit at, the K-HO can only accommodate parties of less than 8. When you’re here, it feels like you’ve found someone else’s living room to kick back, chat, and watch sports.
The Fox Hole
753 Main Street, Osterville, MA
If you are staying in Barnstable, you’ll want to visit Main Street in Osterville. The Fox Hole is located just up the street from Dowses Beach and is in the main shopping area of town, across from Wimpy’s restaurant. It’d be easy to drive right by as there is no sign indicating the entrance to the pub. As part of the Osterville Veteran’s Association, you’ll gain free entry to the Fox Hole as a veteran, and if you are non-military status, simply purchase an “association membership” for a one-time fee of $10. Hang on to that card, as it will earn you entry to the Fox Hole annually. Once inside, play pool, Keno, and old-school arcade games.
Rent a Vacation Home on the Cape
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The Whaleback
1052 South Sandwich Road, Sandwich, MA
This really is the bar where everyone will know your name. With only 28 seats in the entire restaurant and a $9 fish and chips plate, Bob O’Malley’s Whaleback has been in business for decades. It’s known for its affordable beverages and generous portion sizes. The Whaleback is located in Sandwich, just off of Cranberry Highway. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Rumor has it that occasionally if you stay until close, there might be homemade cookies and popcorn. Find a nearby rental home in Sandwich.
Canal Cafe
71 Cranberry Highway, Sagamore, MA
If you’d like to do some dive bar hopping, Canal Cafe is just a short drive away from The Whaleback on Cranberry Highway in Sandwich and is open just a tad later, closing most nights at 11:30 p.m. and at 12:30 a.m. on Sundays. Canal Cafe is conveniently located just off the Sagamore Bridge, is cozy, and serves craft beer and fantastic burgers, making for a great pit stop if you are heading down Cape. Play bar games while you eat, drink, and socialize.
The Trading Post Lounge
12 Trowbridge Road, Bourne, MA
TPL, as it is known by locals, serves a mean bar pizza and some stellar cocktails. Its proximity to the Bourne Bridge also makes it a great place to order some food and drinks while you wait for Cape Cod’s unavoidable summer traffic to ease. In the winter, it’s a perfect place to hunker down and watch a game. The Trading Post Lounge is open 7 days a week from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Find a winter vacation home on the Cape.
The Parrot
368 MA-28A, Cataumet, MA
Next door to an ice cream shop and mini golf course, The Parrot is known for its comfortable atmosphere and live music on the weekends. Like Grumpy’s, the Parrot has not ventured into the age of the internet, lacking a website and allowing Google to report its hours as 24 hours all day, every day. Best to call the restaurant to find out their hours before heading over. If you’re wondering how a bar in this day and age could retain business, know that it operates solely on word of mouth. Impressive. We suggest trying the clam chowder and the pizza.
Plan Your Next Trip to Cape Cod
As a vacation destination, Cape Cod has an overwhelming number of bars and restaurants that will likely delight you, but they may be crowded, have no reservations, and come at an expensive price. If you are looking to stray from the beaten path and pay a little less while sacrificing some of the finer things, take a chance on any one of our suggested dive bars, and we highly doubt you will be disappointed.
Ready to book your vacation to Cape Cod? Contact our local staff at Foley Vacation Rentals and let us help you find a rental home for your next visit to the Cape.