Dicky's, at the corner of Caroline and Meigs streets, is one of those Rochester landmarks that seems to have been around since God was a boy. You can pretty much guarantee someone in Rochester knows somebody who used to hang out at Dicky's back in the day. I certainly do. So I recruited her and a few of the neighborhood folks to check out the recently reopened bar.

When you see the outside of Dicky's it really doesn't look like much; it sort of blends into its surroundings. But you also notice that if you removed this neighborhood watering hole from that spot, a piece would be missing from the puzzle.

Going in I expected your cliché dive bar, a dark, seedy place with drunks slumped on each stool. But when I walked in, it wasn't at all what I visualized based on the rumors I had heard. This joint was nice!

The original Dicky's stayed open for nearly 80 years - highly unusual for any small business. In 2006 the space became the Black Pearl, which kept its doors open for almost two years. In January of this year the bar re-opened with the old "legendary" Dicky's name, but under new management. Neighborhood residents Dan Rosato and Jay Napier, partners in a local skate/snowboard shop, and Philip Wehrheim, who a runs a sailing company, wanted to bring Dicky's back. "We wanted to contrast it a bit, but not go too wild, and make it nicer to show we care about the community," says Rosato.

On the inside you'll find a good mix of the old Dicky's and the new Dicky's. The classic, carved-wood bar looks as if it's been part of the building since its construction in 1860, but it is surrounded by an all-new pine interior along the walls, and topped off with a custom plaster ceiling painted in deep red. The bar area holds a dartboard and digital jukebox that plays whatever your musical taste could fancy. The back rooms are more of hang-out place, where you have your choice to play pool or foosball (I haven't seen one of those in a bar in ages). Dicky's also has a casual seating area in the back, complete with a tricycle for the kids to ride on while you eat some of bar's pub fare.

We sat down at the far end of the bar and our very friendly bartender quickly greeted us. Dicky's has a nice little selection of beers on tap, including Boddington, New Castle, and Scotch Ale. A few of us ordered some drafts (a Stella and Bass) and the man began to pour. Here is what impressed me: the bartender brought me my beer and wasn't satisfied with the pour, so he got me another. In the meantime, instead of wasting the beer, he offered it to one of the guys sitting next us (I'm fairly sure they were regulars; they had certainly been there a while). In one swoop the bartender clinched two returning customers - you won't see that at most of the mainstream bars.

Along with our beers, some of our group ordered food off of Dicky's surprisingly diverse menu. Along with the chicken quesadilla and breaded chicken fingers, which we sampled, the menu carries such items as teriyaki chicken wings, sweet potato fries, and a grilled portobello sandwich. Keeping with the theme of mixing the old and new Dicky's, the owners brought back one of the former Dicky's cooks, Kevin Lawson, to help out in the kitchen to bring back food memories of the old days with a twist.

When asked where Dicky's is headed, it would seem the first-time bar owners all share the same philosophy. "We'd like to keep the same feel as it was before: a comfortable relaxed atmosphere," says Dan Rosato.

Growing up in the bar-and-restaurant business, this is the kind of place I remember: a place where you can't help but feel that, upon entering, you are instantly part of the neighborhood, even if you don't live there. Never having been to Dicky's prior to the new incarnation, I feel like I missed out on something that's one-of-a-kind, and I'm glad I've got a second chance.

Dicky's is located at 791 Meigs St, and is open daily 5 p.m.-2 a.m. For more information call 730-8310.

Bar note

Speaking of "legendary," local bartender Chopsi is retiring after 60 years of serving the masses. Water Street Music Hall will celebrate his career with a party Saturday, February 27, 7 p.m., featuring music by Steve Grills & The Roadmasters, The Million Dollar Trailers, and more. Tickets cost $7-$10. For more information visit waterstreetmusic.com.