This may be the inscription at the entrance to Hell, but it’s also the motto of Pirates Cove Yacht Club, home to the most heavenly cheeseburgers and divine Bushwackers this side of Perdido Bay. Sitting right on the water in Josephine, Alabama on Roberts Bayou, Pirates Cove is the least pretentious, best dive beach bar in the world! As one Louisiana patron says: “There are no uppity pinky-in-the-air people here.”

You can reach this iconic bar by land or by sea, with or without your dog; the only requirements are to arrive with a good thirst, a healthy appetite and be ready to party down. The place also serves a great pizza and a mean hotdog. Enjoy it all while listening to live music, dancing on the bar, or hanging in the water; it’s your choice.  Pirates Cove is an aquatic tailgate where the real specialty is people-watching (oh, and drinking!). The riff-raff — customers for the unenlightened — are a bona fide gumbo of humanity, many with a story to tell and share. According to one bartender, you never really know if you’re getting the truth from any of the raconteurs, but the banter is always entertaining.  

If the food and libations aren’t enough to pique your interest, you can focus on the historical side of things. The building that houses Pirates Cove was built in 1935 as part of the Intracoastal Waterway Project. At its roots are real pirates, Admiral Raphael Seems of the Confederate Navy, a determined widow called Miss Kitty, and a dog named Tiki.

So, whether you’re from one of those Alabama families who’ve been coming to the Cove for generations or you’re new to the tradition, you’re gonna have a great time and a hell of a meal at Pirates Cove. Just keep your pinky out of the air.

Posted 
Jul 20, 2022
 in 
Dive Bars & Music
 category

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