2629 Best Bars in USA

After a long schlep from the airport—or even just the parking garage—you can duck into this bar, which is right off the resort’s lobby, for a little pick-me-up in the form of a classic cocktail. Booths are cozy, the piano music’s live, and Esquire magazine was sufficiently impressed to name it one of the best bars in the country for 2024. 

DJs spin high-energy tunes as a mostly college-age crowd takes to the dance floor Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 10 pm until close.

The best beer bar in Pioneer Square features 22 rotating taps of Northwest (including Boundary Bay, Chuckanut, and Anacortes) and California beers and a long list of bottles from the region. Its upscale pub menu features local and seasonal ingredients.

With Los Angeles being Los Angeles, a disproportionate number of comedians call the city home, from the would-be to the been-there-done-that. The decades-old Comedy and Magic Club attracts them all. One popular engagement is when 10 up-and-coming comedians perform, one right after the other, in a sort of comic brinksmanship. Other nights might see the occasional magician or an icon of the field like Jay Leno or David Spade, there to keep their timing fresh and try out new material for adoring crowds. Stiff drinks and decent entrées and appetizers reward those who arrive early for the best seats, but try grabbing a meal nearby before arriving 30 to 60 minutes prior to the show (budget a little more time for someone like Leno, who's a regular on Sunday nights but still draws crowds).

Touring comedians—some of whom have made cable TV appearances—make their way to this little comedy club that's inspired belly laughs for 25 years on the north side of town. There's an on-site restaurant serving pizza and burgers.

Every night, laughter fills this exposed-brick space beneath the writer-friendly Olive Tree Café. The bill features a range of comedians, from hilarious up-and-comers to television and movie personalities like Jon Stewart and Amy Schumer.

Comedy City has family-oriented comedy along with food and drinks. Tickets are $10–$13, and shows are Thursday through Saturday nights.

The Comedy Factory is the best local spot to see live standup.

Several nights a week this lounge brings top-flight comedic talent to Hilton Head. There's a light menu of appetizers and sandwiches, plus a full bar. General admission tickets are $44.50 per person. Book ahead online because the shows sell out fairly quickly.

Anything goes during Comedy Sportz's nights of improvisational comedy, formatted as a high-energy competitive sport. The troupe hosts two shows every Saturday at the Adrienne Theater, while a minor-league troupe performs on Sunday. Audience participation is essential to the experience.

Like its sister establishment in Hollywood, this club hosts some of the best national touring and local talent. Cover charges range from nothing (with a two-drink minimum) to $50 or more for national acts. Seating is at bistro-style tables, and all shows are 21 and older.

Denver comics have honed their skills at Comedy Works for more than 30 years, and nationally known performers make it a tour stop. A second location, the Landmark in Greenwood Village, has an upscale lounge and restaurant attached.

The area's premier comedy club serves food and drinks in addition to laughs. Cover charges vary depending on the headliner.

After a day of antiquing, pop into this local watering hole, with its Beatles poster–wrapped walls, for live music and a cold beer. 

This convivial downtown spot with a huge patio is a great microbrewery pick whether you're a serious beer aficionado or you're just seeking a laid-back spot to quaff a pint or two of Tangerine Squeeze IPA or the piney Tunnel 13 Cascadian Dark Ale and enjoy good pizza and elevated pub food.

More than 30 craft beers on tap, elevated pub-style food, and a killer weekday happy hour (3--6 pm) make this Kearny Mesa brewery a magnet for beer aficionados. Depending on the day of the week, last call hits between 10 pm and 1 am, meaning you can curl up in the unique living-room setting and make yourself right at home for the night.

As urban renewal continues Downtown, the one-block stretch of Fremont east of Las Vegas Boulevard (dubbed Fremont East) remains the hottest of the hot spots, and Commonwealth arguably is the epicenter. Inside, wrought-iron railings, chandeliers, and a tin ceiling create a feeling of old-school opulence without being excessive. Drink options range from handcrafted cocktails to microbrews; there's also good live music in the evening. The atmosphere changes as evenings progress, from quiet happy hours conducive to conversation to full-on dance craziness for a younger crowd. Venture upstairs to the rooftop bar, or try to secure an invite to the private Laundry Room speakeasy. Commonwealth is usually only open on Friday and Saturday nights, but always check because that could be extended.

This fun throwback is the brightest sign of a comeback for the faded Commercial Center (especially given what seems like the permanent disappearance of its most famous fixture, Lotus of Siam). This restaurant and club with a stylish retro vibe offers not just one, but two live entertainment venues: the larger showroom and the cozier Tavern Stage lounge. The roster embraces everything from classic-rock and Motown tribute bands to veteran Vegas crooners and jazz ensembles.

Part sports bar, part music venue, the Congress Street Social Club is always jam-packed on weekend nights. Enjoy drinks and street eats right off the grill on the patio, dance to live music or a DJ inside, or play a round of pool in Social's basement. For a more laid-back experience, stop by on a weekend afternoon for nibbles, beer, and dogspotting on the patio.

This spacious, family-owned, tri-level Irish pub often hosts live music including Irish bands, both traditional and with a modern edge. Daily happy hours (11 am--3 pm) cover beer, wine, and well drinks. Full Irish breakfasts are served all day long, for a taste of Dublin just off Times Square. FYI, Connolly's has a second location on East 47th Street near Rockefeller Center.

You might actually hear an Irish accent or two at this laid-back pub, along with live folk, roots, alt-country, bluegrass, and traditional Irish music. There's live music almost every night and great beer (including the obligatory Guinness on tap).

Located about 2 miles from Manayunk along the Schuylkill River Path, the back patio caters to bicyclists and people on the trail, so the brewery is the perfect pit stop before heading back to Manayunk. You can also just drive. Try their Type A, an India Pale Ale, and User Friendly, a blonde ale, or seasonal beers like Island in the Sun, a double IPA. 

Keep an eye out for a subtle door you might otherwise miss on Main Street and follow the stairs up to this speakeasy-style bar and kitchen with some of Connecticut's best cocktails. Deeply padded and winged stools surround a U-shaped bar serving an ever-evolving blend of cocktails with handmade ingredients. A menu of cheese and charcuterie, and plates of varying sizes—like bao, nachos, and noodles—are in line with the creative theme.

A sister of the legendary Austin original (which has been open since the 1950s), this Houston branch brings more loud, live music to an even bigger dance floor.

The Continental Mid-town spreads the cocktail and global small-plates concept across three whimsically appointed floors, including an indoor-outdoor rooftop space. The items on the comprehensive food menu run the gamut from cheesesteak egg rolls to lobster macaroni and cheese.

After touring CooperSmith's brewery (free; by appointment only), you can enjoy a meal from the seasonally rotating menu in the pub, with its gleaming wood floors and exposed brick walls. Or you can chow down on pizza while shooting pool across the alley at CooperSmith's Poolside. Quaff a Punjabi Pale Ale (an IPA) or one of the other 30 to 40 beers on tap.