Jack H.
Yelp
The Hollow Nickel is the quintessential dive bar. The atmosphere is cozy, the drinks are reasonably priced, and the vibes are almost always good.
Located on Atlantic Avenue, the space itself is deceptively large. Upon entry, you are greeted by an L shaped bar, with high tops on the left, a booth in the front, and then several booths and tables in the back. There is a TV, but rather than sports like you'd see at most dive bars, there is usually a movie on. There is also a backyard to the bar, which is lovely in the summertime. As you'd expect, you order everything at the bar, food included, and there is no waiter service aside from the staff running your food to your table.
There is a reasonable collection of draft beers, focusing on somewhat higher end beers rather the standard collection of macro brews. Additionally there are a handful of cocktails, and a few drink specials (I often take advantage of the shot and beer combo). The drink selection is nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
There's also a food menu, including burgers, a hot dog, chicken wings and other bar staples. Overall the food is surprisingly good. I'm quite fond of the spicy smash burger, and the wings are pretty good as well. So far I don't think I've had anything that is poorly made, and they seem to put a bit more effort in to the food than other bars.
What really sets the Hollow Nickel apart to me is the service. The bartenders are friendly, and help foster a community feeling in the bar. If you find yourself a regular, a nod and a smile will have your usual drink prepared quickly. The other patrons are usually pretty friendly, and it's not uncommon for me to find myself chatting with other people at the bar when I come for a drink on my own. I'm not quite sure what they've done, but the Hollow Nickel is just a nice place to be filled with generally nice people.
If you want a drink and maybe some food, the Hollow Nickel won't do you wrong. It's exactly the type of bar you like to know is an option.