2610 Best Bars in USA

Sample raspberry sours and the heady Dippah Double IPA in the cheerful taproom of this downtown brewhouse that also serves tasty pub fare and presents live music many weekends inside or in the outdoor beer garden.

The very definition of a dive bar, the Long Branch in nearby Ennis doesn't disappoint if that's what you're in the mood for. It's busy for a few reasons: friendly servers, consistent hours (open almost every day), funny bumper stickers, big steaks, and an even bigger crowd.

This fun Irish pub has karaoke on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights starting at 9 pm, and the occasional theme party like "Freaky Friday" and "International Night," featuring plentiful drink specials.

If you want to sing karaoke Downtown, this is the place to do it. No longer smoke-filled, it's still a carpeted time warp that will make you feel like you've gone back to the ’70s. With an extensive catalog of songs to sing, Jell-O shots behind the bar, and an always unpredictable and wild crowd, you’re guaranteed to make some kind of memories here. Whether or not you actually remember them is entirely up to you.

This club showcases live stand-up comedy Thursday to Saturday evening. Some of the performers are nationally known.

This well-respected craft brewer on the south edge of Downtown offers tasty pub grub (try the Berliner burger topped with a currywurst beer brat) plus live music many evenings, darts and video games, and a dog-friendly patio. The extensive tap list includes some guest brews and ciders.

One of the Boston area's favorite homegrown beer makers recently opened this large restaurant and taproom in the Seaport, and beer fans can now quaff exclusive Lord Hobo beers and core faves from the last decade from the 16 rotating drafts. The menu includes sandwiches, tacos, and flatbreads, and there's a massive patio that's open in nice weather. Incidentally, this place is just steps from Harpoon Brewery, making it easy to have a hoppy pit-stop twofer.

A larger-than-life mermaid guides you to the kind of place you fantasize about during those long, cold winters up north. It's all about good drinks, tasty pub grub, and beautiful sunsets set to live bands playing island tunes and light rock nightly. Dining is all outdoors, on a deck or under the trees. Service is slow, sometimes even nonexistent.

What was once a vintage denim store called Lost Boy Dry Goods is now a popular hangout with the same name. The convivial, unpretentious vibe draws imbibers for classic cocktails (half-price during the 4 to 8 pm weekday happy hour) and a long list of draft beers and wines. Those looking to soak up their cocktails can create their own charcuterie boards or enjoy homemade sandwiches and snacks.

This bustling microbrewery with surf-tropical decor accents is a good place to relax with a pint of ale or porter. Soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, and light meals are served.

Play pinball, pool, or air hockey; chow down on bar grub; and order a few rounds from the full bar (which includes 150 different beer varieties) at this pool hall–resto–dive bar on quaint Española Way. Mingle with an eclectic crowd, from visiting yuppies to local drag queens to celebs on the down-low. It's so South Beach!

Lovers of T. S. Eliot and vinyl will find themselves instantly at home inside this cozy establishment named after Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” When not pouring drinks, bartenders often act as DJs, playing records (the best of the ’60s through the ’80s) in their entirety. As it’s housed inside the Regent Theater, the cozy nature of the place can be disrupted when there’s a concert scheduled. For those with an appetite, fantastic food can be ordered from the pizza parlor next door—naturally, it’s called Prufrock’s.

Unique cocktails, casual eats, and a fun space with plants and lots of natural light makes this one of the most compelling bars in Uptown Oakland. Cocktails have creative elements, like a spiced grapefruit cordial in the mezcal-based Deadbeat Summer.

Tampa's first bar to combine retro gaming with craft beer is a haven for all things nerdy, hosting events that range from cookie cook-offs to pup-friendly meetups to indie markets.

A handsome spot with leather booths and a long central wooden bar, this Central East Side pub carries an eye-opening 99 ales on draft, from local standards to seasonally changing oddballs that delight beer geeks like the Pfriem barley wine and the Crux nitro stout. Hefty burgers, Austrian-style wood-smoked pork sausages, and chili-cheddar-smothered fries are among the delicious pub-food accompaniments.

The contemporary lounge in the Fairmont Orchid has a large terrace and an impressive water view. Serving signature sushi and classic rolls, the Luana is a favorite of locals too. Bartenders are skilled at mixology, and service is impeccable. The crowd is mellow, so it's a nice place for an early evening cocktail or after-dinner liqueur. Happy hour is from 4 to 5 with all drinks discounted; live music begins at sunset and continues until 9.

With a reputation as an after-work eating and drinking hangout among local Portland chefs and restaurant workers, this always-hopping Vietnamese joint offers well-executed cocktails, such as the Single Knight: Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon, pho syrup, Angostura orange bitters, and a Lapsang souchong tea ice cube. The kitchen turns out delicious eats until 11 each night.

This circular bar's casual, lively atmosphere, comfy couchlike seats, sexy staff, and giant chandelier make it one of the best in town, and worth the trip to the impressive Red Rock Resort complex. What's more, the bar is steps away from Rocks Lounge, another hip spot that features live performers most nights of the week.

College students and twentysomethings line the bar at Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon for live music by local bands Wednesday through Saturday night. Sunday is open-mic night.

This multistory complex has something for everyone. Home to Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co. on the first floor, 150 games of all kinds and a bar and restaurant on the second floor, and 25 pool tables, 12 plasma screens, 16 bowling lanes, and an 800-square-foot video wall on the third floor, it's impossible to be bored.

Going on two-and-a-half decades, this subterranean hangout called the Fort Point neighborhood home well before any other bar, restaurant, or venue. And like Gloria Gaynor, it has survived, although it gives off decidedly more Rat Pack--era vibes than disco. Lucky's is known for its live music and fantastic food without any of the splash. It's a solid bet for an evening out.

Come summer, Ludlow gets top marks for its spacious back patio, and when the weather goes south, it's hard to fathom a cozier spot than one of the high-backed stools that flank the handsome vintage bar. Whatever the season, the drinks here are stiff, and the smash burgers hit the spot. Check the website for the monthly roster of quirky events, like musical bingo nights and tarot readings.  

Even if you're not a surfer, you'll love this place's retro vibe and unobstructed second-floor view of Waikiki Beach. The open-air setting, casual dining menu, and tropical drinks are all you need to help you settle into your vacation. The venue transforms from a nice spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a drink (happy hour is 3 to 5 pm) into a bustling, high-energy club with live music lasting into the wee hours.

The owner of The Royal and his wife transformed the former Vinoteca into Lulu's Winegarden. The drink menu focuses on wine, offering rare finds and keeping them at under $50 a bottle. Named after the owner's daughter, the bar–restaurant has three lush outdoor dining spaces: the 24-seat, ivy-lined front patio; the charming, plant-filled, 40-seat back courtyard; and the 16-seat, terra-cotta-hued "streatery" outfitted with tropical fauna and lounge seating. The menu offers savory dips like whipped feta and smoked whitefish paired with a bottle of wine from the long list.

Sophisticated and blessed with stunning views of the city and waterfront, Luna has plenty to recommend as a spot to grab drinks before or after an evening stroll around the city. Perched atop the Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront, its talented bar staff pour creative cocktails and the kitchen turns out enough filling small plates to snack on or make a dinner out of. (The eclectic menu spotlights petite lobster rolls, tuna tataki, Korean barbecue beef sliders, and desserts like ricotta lavender fritters.)