Imagine a dark bar with faux wood-paneled walls and seating that’s seen better days. There’s a pool table lit by a Tiffany-style lamp declaring “Miller Time.” An old LaserStar CD jukebox lingers in the corner, waiting for quarters.

This bar may sound like something out of the rural American heartland, but it sits at the beating heart of Cambridge’s start-up scene. It’s State Park, and it’s unlike any bar—dive or otherwise—you’ve ever been to.

The idea of a bar with a self-conscious dive aesthetic operated by an acclaimed local restaurant group (which includes Café du Pays and Mamaleh’s) sounds like a risky proposition. However, State Park nails it by presenting a menu that’s not afraid to get creative, but never takes itself too seriously.

Classic cocktails like the Tom Collins or Pimm’s Cup are available by the pitcher. A “Shot & a Beer” section of the menu elevates the divey tradition of the Boilermaker by pairing cheap beers with shot-sized cocktails. (Not all shots are so fancy, though; you can opt for a Budweiser and Fireball sans judgment.)

While the surroundings feel tailor-made for sharing pitchers of ‘Gansett, the cocktail menu stocked with strong, simple drinks deserves attention. The Furlough combines lemon juice, navy-strength gin, and homemade falernum to satisfying, wait-until-it-hits you affect. Rye, walnut liqueur, and Amaro Meletti turn the Green Walnut into a dark, boozy brooder of a whiskey drink.

But nothing captures the essence of State Park quite like its eponymous cocktail, a bottle of Miller High Life spiked with booze: It’s at once familiar, unexpected, and undeniably fun.