Harrisburgers soon can toast to a new life for a longtime neighborhood watering hole.
High Dive is slated to open in mid to late December on N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg, bringing a neighborhood dive/cocktail bar hybrid to the area.
“It’s kind of like a dive bar, but goes high on product,” said owner Josh Kesler, who also owns Millworks in Midtown and the Watershed Pub in Camp Hill. “You can get a cheap beer, but you can also get a cocktail that you might find in a major market.”
In July 2021, Kesler bought 1400 N. 3rd St., which most recently housed the Third Street Café, and several other bars before that. According to Kesler, the early 1900s building even once housed the Keystone Trust Company bank, which later moved across the street.
Kesler and Harrisburg contractor Dusty James worked to renovate the bar, while keeping its historic charm, noting that the pandemic delayed the project timeline.
The pair found inspiration for the vibe of the two-story bar and restaurant during a trip to Havana, Cuba, where they grew fond of the old architecture and historic style of the buildings. In High Dive, that style is reflected in the exposed brick walls and original tile flooring, among other features.
“I tried to keep the integrity of the historic vibe in it so you can kind of see the layers of the years. You can see all the layers of the multiple uses that were in there,” Kesler said. “I kind of see it as a little bit of a work of art.”
Kesler said that the menu will include beers and burgers, but also unique offerings and special cocktails by locally known “bartender extraordinaire,” Tom McGrath.
“It feels really comfortable for a neighborhood, daily pop-in, but also could be date night on a Saturday as well,” Kesler said.
The former Third Street Café, in addition to the neighboring bar at 1402 N. 3rd St., were once the target of former Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse who attempted to revoke their business licenses, saying they were “nuisance bars.”
When the bar closed in April 2021 and went up for sale, Kesler saw it as a chance to bring revitalization to the property and make it an asset for the street.
“My primary interest was trying to help lift the neighborhood,” he said. “I felt like it was an important piece on 3rd Street and Midtown in general.”
High Dive will be open Monday through Saturday.
For more information, visit their website, which will be updated soon, or Instagram page.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!












