2629 Best Bars in USA

One of the longest-running Latin clubs in D.C., Cafe Citron maintains its relevance with the salsa-dancing set. After 10 pm Wednesday through Saturday, the café becomes a nightclub featuring DJs who play primarily Latin music, spiced with Euro dance and techno. The café also offers daily happy hours from 6 until 8, and dinner is served until 11 pm. Salsa classes run on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 pm. Work up an appetite and indulge in Latin American snacks such as Bolivian salteñas.

This Bourbon Street stalwart claims to be the oldest operating gay bar in the United States, attracting a somewhat older and very casual group of gay men. The second floor has a pool table, pinball machine, and wraparound balcony with a bird's-eye view of the lively street scene below. Sunday afternoon, when the oldies spin and the paper-napkin confetti flies, is especially popular.

Named for Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French pilot and author of The Little Prince, this bi-level bar has two distinct atmospheres. The upstairs brasserie has pressed-tin ceilings and a propeller hanging over the polished wooden bar. Downstairs is the Gate 54 nightclub, designed to resemble an airplane hangar, with dropped corrugated-metal ceilings and backlit aerial photographs. The downstairs DJs draw a fairly young crowd, while the upstairs menu attracts a more subdued clientele for dinner.

Long before Uptown got hot, the late Peter Van Kleef was serving stiff fresh-squeezed Greyhounds and booking live music at this funky café-bar that always crackles with creative energy, along with live music on some nights. The bizarre decor full of all kinds of art objects could be a museum if it wasn't a bar.

Recognized as the country's oldest folk-music venue, Caffè Lena opened in 1960 and hosted Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie early in their careers. The tradition continues at this upstairs coffeehouse, thanks to staff members as well as volunteers who together work the shows, a mix of well-known musicians and newcomers.

After more than 30 years of operation, this popular local game-day haunt for college students and UT alumni had to move a couple blocks over from its original location due to student housing construction. But "Abel's Dos," as it's now known by regulars, is still a West Campus hot spot, where things are always distinctly "fratty" and game days aren't for the faint of heart. There's a big patio, great pub grub, and full bar including a signature selection of boozy Texas teas. Doors open at 9 am on Texas game days.

At this renowned brewery just off Interstate 5 you can sample the signature Hopportunity Knocks IPA, Old Growth Imperial Stout, and an extensive selection of tasty apps, burgers, and pub fare.

Located in a cozy turn-of-the-century wooden building at the foot of Mount Tabor, the candlelit Caldera Public House serves beer, wine, and cocktails over a 100-year-old oak bar, as well as a menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches (and Cajun tater tots!). Its expansive patio out back, strung with glass lights and shaded by a full canopy of trees, is one of the best in the city.

Part cluttered shop, part cozy bar, Chestnut Street’s marquee wine destination is a longtime favorite for grabbing a glass or three. Featured wines come from some of the state’s most highly regarded vintners of all sizes and celebrity standings. The neighborhood has many wine bars, but this is where the locals go when the focus is on the wine itself.

This collegial, cavernous microbrewery is the oldest brewpub in the greater Boston area and has been the happy haunt for MIT techies and craft-brew geeks since its 1989 founding. They push the boundaries of beer, from bourbon barrel-aging an imperial stout to creating the first true solera aging process in the United States for beer. Order CBC's Cambridge Amber, Charles River Porter, and Blunderbuss Barleywine fresh in pints, or go for a "tower" (an 83-ounce glass "yard"). In warm weather, try to nab a coveted patio table, a catbird seat for people-watching across bricky Kendall Square. Cheerful staff serve above-average pub grub, even at weekend "beerunches." 

The well-respected Cantina Mayahuel carries San Diego’s largest collection of agave-based Mexican spirits—with tequila and mezcal flights to boot—and is regularly frequented by local service-industry pros. Happy hour runs from noon to 6 pm, and service switches to 21+ only after 7 pm.

The actors are often Broadway veterans and the diverse selection surpasses most regional companies at Cape May's best equity theater. Recent productions include God of Carnage, The 39 Steps, and Uncle Jacques Symphony, written and performed by Ovation Award-winner Dominic Hoffman. "Dinner & A Show" deals with some of the best local restaurants make for a full night.

Originally a D.C. institution, made its first move out of the District with this prime spot on the Shirlington promenade. Sip on a signature brew from Amber Waves Ale to Prohibition Porter while noshing on beer-friendly appetizers like black-and-tan onion rings or southwest keg rolls.

This place sets itself apart from the others by hosting soon-to-be-discovered bands from around the country. It has live music inside and out, a dog-friendly area, frozen cocktails, and a suntanned crowd. Disco Monday has been an island tradition for more than two decades. Sunday Funday afternoon shows are family-friendly.

Within an old fire station, Carbon Copy provides an excellent selection of in-house brews accompanied by tasty wood-fired pizzas. The owners/beermakers have come from creating beer in numerous celebrated craft breweries from San Diego (Modern Times) to the Philly area (Tired Hands), and their beers are often defined by richness and depth of flavor.

Walls plastered with Bogart memorabilia remind customers that the classic 1948 Bogart-Bacall flick Key Largo has a connection with this watering hole. Although no food is served, and the floors are bare concrete, this landmark draws boaters, curious visitors, and local barflies to its humble barstools and pool tables. But the real magic is around back, where you can grab a seat on the deck and catch a postcard-perfect sunset. Live music draws revelers Thursday through Sunday.

This high-gloss club presents established names as well as comedians on the edge of stardom. Janeane Garofalo, David Alan Grier, and Colin Quinn have all headlined, and sometimes their sets are recorded here for TV and streaming shows.

Opened in 1963, this north Austin haunt is one of the longest-running, most widely cherished dive bars in the city. Playful murals cover the outside of this gritty hole-in-the-wall, and it's a surreal circus once inside. You'll find no-frills service amid all the surreal accoutrements and decor straight out of a Twin Peaks episode, from pink elephants and clowns to circus tents and fire-breathers. The vibe is wild, the drinks are cheap, and the live music (hosted throughout the week) tends to be honky-tonk.

Venture down Beacon Street past the Massachusetts State House and Boston Common and you'll cross paths with this cocktail bar and restaurant that channels romantic notions of a 1920s speakeasy. Jazz music, a checkerboard floor, antique photo gallery, art deco lighting, and dark leather set the tone. Famous for its Sunday Drag Brunch, an interactive drag show with cocktail specials and a buffet brunch—reserve a ticket online.

This cozy neighborhood bar keeps unfolding the farther back you go—from the front bar to the stage to the backyard. The regular schedule of live music emphasizes local roots, rock, and acoustic acts. On nights without music, there is usually trivia or a comedy show. It's two blocks off the Carrollton streetcar line and close to the Oak Street commercial district.

This 6,000-foot cigar lounge and shop takes its selection seriously, with state-of-the-art humidors and an incredibly knowledgeable staff who are more than happy to walk visitors through the basics. Aficionados may even have luck tracking down elusive and exclusive cigars. The bar's focus is on pours of bourbon, whiskey, and craft beer, and there's live music every Thursday night.

This full-service cigar shop reproduces the decor and atmosphere of El Floridita, Ernest Hemingway's favorite Havana watering hole. Its sophisticated lounge, which obviously specializes in rum drinks, is a great place to enjoy your smoke.

This unique wine bar feels like hanging out at the house of a very cool friend. Browse all the art for sale inside, go on a wine-tasting adventure, or relax outside at one of the umbrella-shaded tables. 

Casanova sometimes brings big acts and electronic dance music DJs from the mainland. Most Friday and Saturday nights attract a hip local scene with live bands and eclectic DJs spinning house, funk, and world music. Wednesday is Ladies Night (i.e., ladies get in free), which can be on the smarmy side. For everyone else, there's a $10 cover.

A laid-back institution where students, hippies, and families come together, Casey Moore's occupies a 1910 house rumored to be haunted by ghosts. Enjoy more than two dozen beers on tap and fresh oysters at this Irish pub–style favorite.