White Sail Inn

Dayton, Ohio

Field Note

Getting to White Sail Inn means traveling through less and less commercially-focused areas of southeast Dayton, ultimately turning onto a residential street that feels like an impossible location for a dive bar. But there sits White Sail Inn, nestled a bit back from the road, a seamless extension of the neighborhood that surrounds it right down to the nondescript front door and all-white paint job. The windows are so small and the building so similar to those around it that determining a bar exists here at all takes prior knowledge

The only real giveaway that White Sail Inn is even a place of business is the presence of two neon beer signs in the tiny windows that sit within the Dayton dive bar’s exterior wall. Two large potted plants flank the bar’s front door that sits underneath a simple metal sign depicting the name of the bar and, you guessed it, a sailboat. A large gravel parking lot sits next to the long, shotgun-style White Sail Inn space, access provided here to a back patio as well.

Because of White Sail Inn’s residential, off-the-beaten-path location, the drinkers here tend to be locals and regulars, meaning any new visitor may get a question or two on how they even found the place. But make no mistake, the vibe at White Sail Inn is a friendly one, the bartender during our visit more than happy to chat through not only White Sail Inn but also some of the other dive bar-friendly options nearby (such as nearby Slyder’s Tavern). Nearby is of course a generous term here as White Sail Inn is the only commercial business for blocks in either direction, adding to its divey appeal.

As one might expect, White Sail Inn is a cash-only establishment inhabiting what feels a bit like a very long shoebox, the space inside one long corridor. The confines are cozy in the best possible way thanks to a ceiling that feels a little snug as well as warm wood paneling that lines the space. The bar can be found along one wall, an aged, wooden structure flanked by a row of padded stools. What looks a bit like a church pew can be found along the opposite wall, seating here provided both in pew form as well as through short tables paired with padded, rolling chairs.

Just inside the front door, the bar’s pool table commands a small alcove, just one of the many bar-friendly amenities that can be found throughout the tight space, including a pair of arcade games and a digital jukebox. Beer sign neon dots the walls, mostly flanked by flat signage, local sports schedules, beer specials and the occasional framed photo. The communal vibe here is accentuated by periodic events that include potlucks and cornhole tournaments.

Out back, an expansive patio includes both covered and uncovered seating. During Ohio’s less favorable weather, the patio area is closed off and ringed with heaters. But during the summer, few drinking spots in Dayton are quite as secluded and laid back as White Sail Inn’s uncovered, fenced patio filled with picnic tables and umbrellas. The covered bit of the patio includes familiar padded, rolling chairs as well as an extension of the dive bar decorations found inside.