While the Tower Bar has become something of a hipster haven of late, even featuring the occasional live band, this perennial rockabilly rendezvous would have to undergo a complete overhaul if it were ever to betray its dive bar cred. Since 1932, the Tower has served up the likes of Pabst Blue Ribbon, Olympia and Busch amid a slew of vintage beer memorabilia and the sounds of Hank Williams and Patsy Kline on the jukebox. Sign on San Diego August 2005

Tower Bar While the Tower Bar has become something of a hipster haven of late, even featuring the occasional live band, this perennial rockabilly rendezvous would have to undergo a complete overhaul if it were ever to betray its dive bar cred. Since 1932, the Tower has served up the likes of Pabst Blue Ribbon, Olympia and Busch amid a slew of vintage beer memorabilia and the sounds of Hank Williams and Patsy Kline on the jukebox. Sign on San Diego 2006

You'll drive by the Tower a hundred times before you think it might be worthwhile to stop. After all, how would you know how cool it is unless someone told you? Its obscurity is its appeal.

Most well-known for the since-removed 110-foot tower from which it takes its name, the Tower has seen years of varied use. It's gone from a drive-in soda fountain to a beauty shop to many, many restaurants to its present state as neighborhood bar with rockabilly, car club and (occasional) live music appeal.

Some nights, you'll hear local bands like the Golden Hill Ramblers to out-of-towners looking for exposure. And on any given night, the bar will be lined with Lana Turner girls, tattooed greasers and couples looking to get their swing on. (Check out the polished Bel Airs and other classic cars in the parking lot.)

Decorated with old photographs, vintage advertisements and local flavor, this off-the-beaten-path bar has the classics on tap. Order up a pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon or Miller High Life, along with more than 20 other beers, or from a full line of spirits.

Ask the bartenders about the Tower's famous history -- including the time a car crashed through the front of the bar, killing a patron in 1964 -- and enjoy an evening back in time. SignonSanDiego

You'd be hard-pressed to find a local bar stuffed with as much history as City Heights' Tower Bar; since 1932, the unique building has been stopping traffic and turning heads. One of the few remaining examples of the Zigzag Art Deco style, at one time the building sported a 110-foot tower that was a well-known San Diego landmark. The tower is gone, but the vibe remains the same: The crowd is typically a benign mixture of blue-collar types and rockabilly-loving hipsters smart enough to know a cool dive bar when they see one. Beer offerings include Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schaefer, Olympia and Busch, along with 24 other brews. If a cocktail's more your style, you'll also find a full range of spirits for your imbibing pleasure. -- Julene Snyder AOL City Guide

“The place that really deserves your business is The Tower (4757 University Ave.), a joint you’ve probably noticed a million times but never bothered to look into. With a unique junkyard-style interior look and a tower-of-Babel exterior, it’s perfect for local pseudo-celebrity types to expose a really hip place while filming their underground music shows. Bonus: It sports a tattoo parlor on the top floor just in case said celebrities decide to finally get that butterfly tattoo on their ankle after a few too many Jagermeister and Red Bulls.” City Beat: Best of San Diego: City Heights