2610 Best Bars in USA

Two of America’s favorite pastimes—drinking and playing classic arcade games—come together here. More is more is the governing M.O.: there are over three dozen arcade games to choose from, along with Skee-Ball, pinball machines, and around two-dozen beers on draft. There are also locations in Logan Square and the West Loop. 

This grungy rock-and-roll dive bar is known for breakout performances by a host of famous bands like The Flaming Lips, The White Stripes, and R.E.M. Located on Elliston Place, in the strip historically known as the Rock Block, this is a small venue with a big reputation. Check out their website for upcoming events.

With an all-night (and most of the morning) dance party starting at 10 pm on Saturday, the EndUp is SF's most popular after-hours place, with possibly the best sound system in the city. Weekends often see day parties that make it so 3 am and 3 pm seem to blur together. It can be a bit of a meat market, but this San Francisco institution doesn't adhere to any particular scene, with DJs playing a variety of music styles. Said sound system is cranked. Even the cool kids wear earplugs.

Part neighborhood watering hole, part energetic nightclub, this welcoming, multilevel venue caters to the LGBTQ+ crowd and their straight allies. Enjoy daily drink specials, as well as great happy hour deals from the time the bar opens until 9 pm. There's something entertaining happening just about every night, too, from drag shows or DJ jams to talent competitions or karaoke.

Inspired by listening bars in Tokyo, this dimly lit, hip little spot serves some equally trendy cocktails. Sip a highball or house cocktail while a DJ spins vinyl nearby (no requests, please). Conversation is not banned, but a mellow mix of chatter and soaking up the sounds goes down best. Close to Hawaii Theatre, the bar is also a great place for a drink before or after a performance or show. Reservations are a good idea. 

People of all ages congregate to hang out and socialize at this kitschy open-air restaurant and bar and to gaze at the Intracoastal Waterway; the mechanical bull is a hit on Saturday. Live music's on tap five to seven nights a week.

Ernst has been operating as a bar since the first years of the 20th century, and the classic interior and upstairs balcony provide a welcome respite for conventioneers, lawyers from nearby firms, and service-industry folks winding down from shifts at area hotels. The classic menu includes local staples like red beans, po'boys, jambalaya, and burgers.

The libations at this downtown hangout include wines and beers the owners make and entries by other producers. With sports on multiple TVs, trivia nights, and a personable staff, the place is often hopping by late afternoon. You can order ice cream from the affiliated shop next door and enjoy it in the bar.

On a quiet street removed from bustling Ballard, Essex boasts craft cocktails, a handful of which are served on tap. The rotating cocktails often include house-made ingredients or are barrel aged, and all have something of a cocktail-nerd bent. A solid wine list and local beer selections are also available, as is a selection of wood-fired dishes that come out of the pizza oven at next-door sibling shop Delancey.

Mexican spirits like mezcal, sotol, and raicilla are the focus at petite Estereo, which has an unusual triangular shape due to its position on an angled corner lot. When the garage-style windows that surround the room are rolled up and the vintage Latin tunes are pumping, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been transported to a city much nearer to the equator.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Iao Valley and offering stunning views, this bar is known for offering tasty snacks and colorful craft cocktails, including signature daiquiris. The use of locally sourced ingredients in the drinks enhances the esterification of fruity flavors, making them even more enjoyable. It's a great place to unwind, with wooden furniture complementing the warm, inviting atmosphere, and colorful floral wallpaper adding a touch of charm.

This racetrack and casino has a performance venue inside its large entertainment facility, typically reserved for bigger ticketed shows---it's an unexpected but exciting place to get your zydeco or Louisiana country fix. Live music is scheduled several times per month. There are also several restaurants spread out across the gaming areas.

A staple in the Downtown social scene for decades, Evangelo's can be loud and pulsing with partiers, which is just how it is meant to be. Adults of all ages enjoy live bands and downstairs pool tables in this shots-and-a-beer kind of place. The staff can be gruff but are beloved by locals.

Hear live music nightly at this popular venue situated in the center of the NoDa Arts District, or wait for "Find Your Muse," its frequent open-mic night.

Head to this stylish downtown brewpub with a back patio overlooking Mt. Hood for seriously impressive beers, with the potent Cryo IPA and roasty and rich Cash Oatmeal Stout leading the way. There's live music many evenings, and tasty pub fare, too.

What began as a humble Portland homebrew operation in 2012 has blossomed into a highly esteemed craft-beer producer with brewpubs in Oregon and New Mexico. You can quaff the company's hops-focused classics and distinctive seasonal one-off beers here at the original location, which also serves quite good bar fare, such as green-chili beer cheese soup and Detroit-style pizza.

Showcasing cutting-edge blues, rock, heavy metal, and hip-hop bands from the United States and beyond, the Exit/In is the place to be if you want to hear an array of genres in an unpretentious atmosphere.

The well-heeled gather at the Harbor Court Hotel in the Explorer's Lounge, where there are antique elephant-tusk lamps and faux leopard-skin chairs. Enjoy a cigar and pick a single-malt Scotch from one of the largest selections in town. A pianist performs every night, and on Friday and Saturday nights there's a jazz trio.

For college kids and grown-ups reliving their youth, an all-nighter in New Orleans isn't complete until you've danced on top of a pool table at this classic hangout. There's a loud jukebox, a popular photo booth, and a late-night kitchen (it fires up around 7 pm and keeps serving until early morning) that turns out legendary cheese fries. The party really gets going around 1 am, but the tropical-theme patio can actually be peaceful at times. You'll need to get here by car or taxi.

Not a driver? That's OK, you can still go head-to-head with your friends on a simulated Formula One video game experience; participants must be seven years old to race. Play as a team or as single opponents during 30-minute racing sessions, then recover from all the excitement with some tasty food and a champagne cocktail or craft beer; it's 21 and over after 7 pm. Check the website for frequent F1 Grand Prix watch parties with live commentary.

Imported wood, stone, and glass are used to create Fadó's Irish look. The second floor—with a bar brought in from Dublin—feels more like the real thing than the first. Expect expertly drawn Guinness, a fine selection of whiskeys, a menu of traditional dishes, and live music on weekends.

In the land of IPA enthusiasts, Fair Isle bravely brews an assortment of innovative saisons and farmhouse ales, often incorporating local ingredients such as rhubarb and elderberry. Fair Isle lends its kitchen to a wide variety of pop-ups serving everything from Turkish lamb roasts to Taiwanese soups. While the taproom is adults-only, the food is sold from a tent in front, allowing all-ages access (and plenty of nearby breweries will let you bring in food). On Fridays at 5 pm, one of the co-owners guides tours through the brewery that include a tasting of young ales.

Steps away from the Innovation Quarter but a world away in personality, this pretension-free cocktail bar will be happy to mix up something to suit any taste (even nonalcoholic) and make you feel at home in the plant-filled cozy space. Look out for events like themed pop-up dinners, karaoke, and book readings.

Housed in the former 1930s city hall, this family-staffed distillery is a labor of love for owner Patrick Levy. He provides tours by appointment; downstairs, the whiskey ages in a former Fairbanks Police Department holding cell. Visit any night and you'll likely find him behind the hand-built copper bar, radiating Fairbanks pride while pouring drinks made from local Fox Spring water and locally grown potatoes. Try the award-winning E.T. Barnette's Tanana River Naval Strength Golden Rum, made with a touch of birch tree syrup that gives it a dark-amber color, or Kate's Showgirl Gin, crafted with Alaskan juniper.

The star of the show here is the rooftop bar; it's a great place to meet for a drink, specializing in tropical treats like Singapore slings and piña coladas, but its location right next to the ballpark makes it such a sweet spot during baseball season. On the main floor, La Cantina is another bar and dining area that serves fajitas, enchiladas, and plenty of mezcal- and tequila-based cocktails.

This sophisticated bar has live music on weekends. In summer, don't miss the wonderful outdoor deck. In winter, the place to be is around the giant Vermont slate firepit.

The 7,000-square-foot, aviation-theme club—in a tree-lined aerie with an outdoor deck at the Omni Amelia Island Resort—is family-friendly, with games, sports on TV, drinks, and food. Be sure to check out the aviation memorabilia, as many of the items on display have ties to the island.

On the north end of 30th Street is a temple to both beer and punk rock. Fall Brewing's antiestablishment ethos might come across as pretentious, but once inside, the expert beertenders are happy to help find you the perfect pint to enjoy on the large front patio or bar tables inside. A rotating fleet of food trucks often park out front, and there are many nearby restaurants where you can order and bring your own food into the brewery. (Locals know the best smashburger in town is just a few doors down at The Friendly.)

Home to some of Austin’s top comedy and improv performances, the Fallout Theater draws a broad audience who journey into the rather small venue for cheap, free-sketch, stand-up, and improv comedy on most days of the week, often with two performance time-slots a night. The theater also offers eight-week classes on improv or sketch writing. There is a full-service bar, but some shows are BYOB.

Linger over lunch or a beer at this well-worn neighborhood bar and restaurant, a down-to-earth SoHo landmark that's been serving drinks (and good burgers, sandwiches, and old-school pasta dishes) since 1847. The old-timey photos on the walls add to the vintage atmosphere, as do the no-nonsense bartenders.