27. Commercial Hotel

A classic dive bar. On any Saturday night one can find a dozen motorcycles parked outside, a journeyman blues band playing inside, and a well-lubricated assortment of bikers, college kids and burn-outs.

The commercial hotel only books blues acts. Some of them are good, which is to say they're genuine. By that I mean, they claim to be from Chicago, or to have played in Chicago recently. Occasionally, though, there's a band on par with Blueshammer (A question: how does a white guy from Ottawa end up with the nickname South-side Steve?)

The other sure sign of a dive bar is that when you ask the waitress what they have on tap, she says "Canadian" and looks at you like you're an idiot. There are no fancy beers. No Guiness, Sleeman's, Newcastle, Kilkenny, what have you. Just our everyman lager Molson Canadian. Your choices are in a pitcher or in a glass.