Buzzed in Paradise: Dania Beach Bar and Gril

The aptly named Dania Beach Bar and Grill has a certain no-frills charm that's hard to find in South Florida. The owners clearly didn't spend a lot of time and money coming up with an elaborate theme, an intricate menu, or a host of "themed" nights in a bid to bring in different crowds. Instead, they put together a bar that feels like you're hanging out in a friend's backyard. The seating is simple: wooden tables, chairs, and benches. The menu features Chicago-style hot dogs, burgers, and boiled peanuts, and the bar serves a handful of bottled and draft beers, wine, and soft drinks. No liquor, no drink-till-you-drop college nights, and most important, no people who make you feel uncomfortable just being yourself. Strike up a conversation with a stranger watching a baseball game on one of the bar's small television sets, or be left alone to watch the waves break over a mostly unpopulated stretch of Dania Beach.