Big Tap Historic Bars Tournament Championship
April 11, 2016

Behold, the Winner of the Big Tap 2016!

The 2016 edition of The Big Tap: Historic Bars Tournament has been one heck of a party. Big wins and upsets litter the bracket, and win or lose, a good time was had by all 32 historic bars that entered the competition for a shot at becoming America's favorite historic watering hole this year.

Now, last call has come and gone and the final results for the championship matchup for this year's tournament are in. Who is slumped under the table and who's dancing atop the bar? Keep reading for details.

Championship Matchup: Club Moderne vs. Sip'n Dip Lounge

This year's championship was a Big Sky-style shootout between Anaconda's Club Moderne and Great Falls' Sip 'n Dip Lounge. And though both bars' home range is the great state of Montana, their styles couldn't have been more different.

The former shot to kill, laying low bars from coast to coast, never winning less than 70% of the vote, and advancing to the finals with relative ease. The latter was more coy and cunning, slipping through each round with no more than 54% of the vote in any one contest.

When it came to the final showdown, both bars were quick on the draw. But when the dust settled and the smoke cleared, Club Moderne was the last bar standing with 58% of the vote.

Exterior of Club Moderne in Anaconda, Montana

photo by: drburtoni/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Congratulations to Club Moderne on its well-deserved victory, and a hearty slap on the back to the Sip 'n Dip for a job well done. You can find a full tournament recap here. And for even more historic bars content, follow our ongoing Historic Bars coverage of candidates for next year's Big Tap.

Thanks again for all your voting, reading, and cheering! The tournament isn't possible without our voters, and we really appreciate your support.

David Weible headshot

David Weible is a former content specialist at the National Trust, previously with Preservation and Outside magazines. His interest in historic preservation is inspired by the ‘20s-era architecture, streetcar neighborhoods, and bars of his hometown of Cleveland.

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