2610 Best Bars in USA

Locals mourned when the original location burned down in 2019, but the owners have done a good job recreating the funky, kitschy aesthetic at this new incarnation. With live music or a DJ nightly, the place really hops after dark. Although bartenders are particularly proud of their mimosas and Bloody Marys, the motto here is, "Whatever your fancy we’ll make it, or make it up." If you get hungry, you can order from a short menu featuring such Northwest Florida standards as crab cakes, shrimp, and crawfish. Note, too, that there's no on-site parking; rather, you park at a nearby city lot and take a free shuttle.

Martinis are a specialty at this cosmopolitan bar with an attractive sidewalk seating, but you'll find plenty of other intriguing elixirs.

Referred to as Red Fox Room by those in the know, this dimly lit lounge is loved by locals, and not just the seniors who flock here to sing Sinatra tunes to tickled ivories and the occasional impromptu horn section. The bar opened in its original location in 1959, but much of the bar's features—including its ornately detailed fireplace—date back to 16th- and 17th-century England. Though relocated just across the street in 2022, its charm and potent cocktails came along for the ride.

You wouldn't expect old European charm in the hipster enclave of Silver Lake, but Bavarian style is served right alongside irony at the Red Lion Tavern, just as it has for more than 60 years. Grab a schnitzel and a bratwurst and wander the many rooms chockablock with German memorabilia, or head toward the beer garden for a large selection of German beers on draft.

Check the events lineup before heading to Red Maple: One night could feature belly dancers, another a DJ or International beats, and yet another could be salsa dancing. After you've worked up an appetite, head over to the lounge, where you can treat yourself to a few small plates and hand crafted cocktails. Minimalist decor provides the perfect backdrop for its eclectic offerings.

Skagway was once host to dozens upon dozens of watering holes in its gold-rush days, but the Red Onion is pretty much the sole survivor. The upstairs was Skagway's first bordello, and you'll find a convivial crowd of Skagway locals and visitors among the scantily clad ladies who represent the building's former illustrious tenants. A ragtime pianist tickles the keys in the afternoons, and local musicians strut their stuff on Thursday night. Pizza and nachos are available in the bar. The saloon closes up shop for winter.

This homey pub decorated with license plates and ski memorabilia has been an institution, especially during winter ski season, since the early 1970s, providing a fun and festive venue for après-ski or -hike socializing. Beer is served in Mason jars, the kitchen serves up juicy steaks and comfort fare, and there's live music many evenings.

By day a Berklee College coffee and snack bar, the Cafe by night opens its tidy, scarlet, 200-capacity concert space. Run, booked, and played by students, it's an ideal all-ages venue for aspiring student bands and indies on the rise; everyone from Hozier to Karmin has played here. Music is varied (think rock to jazz, hip-hop to bluegrass) while the refreshments are not (there aren't any). The cover charge also varies based on the event.

If you're looking for a place with potent drinks and a good burger, this kitschy bar fits the bill perfectly. Known today as the "pirate bar" because of its nautical decor, the place dates back to the 1940s, when it was rumored to attract mobsters, politicians, and journalists due to its proximity to city hall, the Hall of Justice, and the original location of the Los Angeles Times. There's nightly live music, though it comes with a cover charge.

Opened in 1933, this high-design lounge at the Clift Hotel is a San Francisco icon. The art-deco bar itself and the wood-paneled room are constructed from a single old redwood tree, giving a distinct only-in-California sense of place. Cocktails are a mix of high-quality classics and slightly creative newcomers.

Located inside Cambridge's Charles Hotel, Regattabar is the go-to spot for jazz and world music in Cambridge, featuring regulars including leading legends (Ron Carter, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz), top guitarists (John Scofield, Mike Stern, Pat Martino), and local favorites. It was even listed in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best jazz bars in the nation. Tickets for shows run about $25–$65. The dimly lit 220-seat club with subtle nautical decor offers tasty fare and drinks.

Since it opened in 1926 as an elite screening room for film stars and moguls, Rendezvous has done time as both a porn theater and a dive bar. Today it's settled down as a multipurpose hub with a small theater, a basement bar, a lounge, and a classic dining room. While maintaining the building's 1920s charm, it's been spruced up just enough to suit the new wave of wealthy locals without alienating everyone else. The Jewelbox Theater (live music, comedy, film, burlesque shows) sets it apart from the neighborhood's string of cookie-cutter trendy spots.

Step through a bookcase at Vitello's restaurant and into a 1930s speakeasy full of intimate curtained booths and leather chairs. It’s a member’s club with pretty laid-back rules about nonmembers joining for Classic Movie Night screenings, holiday gatherings, and live performances by velvet-throated crooners, all of which are bolstered by themed cocktails and five kinds of cake. As long as you're dressed to impress, that is.

This rock club retains the rough-timbered feel of the cotton-and-grain warehouse it used to be. The club books touring hip-hop stars and rock bands as well as local acts, and DJs take over the sound system late at night for popular dance parties.

After dinner, the Republic of Texas restaurant—family owned an operated for 45+ years—transforms into a nightclub. On Saturday nights, they play dance music from all the hits from 9 pm to close, for 21 and over, no cover charge.

When it opened in 1978, Resorts was Atlantic City's first casino and, for a time, the world's most profitable. A remnant of the city's grand hotels, Resorts has an understated art-deco style and a bit of an identity crisis. A few unique nightlife venues have planted their flag here, including the city's first gay dance club, a cocktail lounge with a singing bartender, and a new piano bar. Entertainment at its Superstar Theater can range from ballet to cage fights, and there are monthly classic car shows outside the casino's entrance on the Boardwalk.

One of the pioneers of the current generation of Ballard breweries, Reuben's Brews' warehouse-like taproom and outdoor patios often burst at the seams with excited IPA drinkers. The barebones space offers 24 taps serving the brewery's offerings. Close to half the offerings are usually IPAs, like the World Beer Cup Gold Medal-winning Hazelicious IPA and the popular Crikey, but the rest run the gamut from wild farmhouse pale to the aptly named Robust Porter.

Devoted to the Chicago-bred tradition of improv comedy, the Revival features top local talents. The theater relocated from Hyde Park to the South Loop in 2024.

Chicago has evolved one of the country’s best craft-brewing scenes, but back when the pickings were slim, Revolution was here, satisfying drinkers thirsty for something more interesting than watery macro brews. The Milwaukee Avenue location is a good place to work your way through a flight of the house beers---the offerings skew toward classic German styles and hop-forward IPAs---while lining your stomach with unfussy pub grub like burgers and fried cheese curds. (There’s also a taproom in nearby Avondale with a less-polished vibe and a limited menu of nibble-y things.)

Revolver stands out from a row of bars on this crowded block of Capitol Hill with a vinyl-only music policy, classic cocktails, draft beer, and boozy snow cones. Laid-back and welcoming, this is as close to a neighborhood classic as a place with the occasional (analog) DJ on a bustling bar street can get (that's a good thing).

This lounge right off restaurant row at Mandalay Bay is the perfect place for people-watching, as a flood of humanity goes by to dine or to attend a concert or conference at the sprawling Mandalay Bay Convention Center. There’s even more energy thanks to the live music, which is performed from 10 pm to 2 am Thursday through Monday. The lounge is open 24/7, serving a small selection of bar food, drafts, and classic cocktails like mojitos, Negronis, and the current darling of Las Vegas, the Aperol spritz.

Excellent local and national rock and blues artists perform here seven nights a week.

This happening Irish pub has live music Wednesday through Sunday evenings and a pub quiz on Tuesday. For a more mellow experience, settle into a couch at the upstairs bar.

Like the Statue of Liberty, this pub was constructed in Europe, then shipped over piecemeal and reassembled in The Shoppes at Mandalay Place (yes, Lady Liberty is in New York; you know what we mean). Highlights include the music—which regularly comprises Irish sessions—and the menu, which boasts enough sausage rolls and fish-and-chips to make you feel like you've flown to Dublin. Another authentic touch: many of the wait staff are from Ireland. Live music is performed Tuesday through Sunday.

Arguably the most popular nightclub in the area, Rich's rocks Hillcrest until closing time, and even then it's hard to call for some to call it a night. The dancing and music here are some of the best in the city, making Rich's popular not only with gay men but also plenty of lesbians and straight revelers. Come ready to have fun and pick confetti out of your hair for a day or two afterwards.

From the owners of Richter Tavern comes Richter Cork and Keg, an intimate speakeasy-style wine and beer bar tucked below the Richter Tavern. Choose from an extensive menu of wine by the glass or bottle (you can take retail bottles home as well if you wish), craft beers, bar food, and tapas in a chill environment.

An after-work FiDi crowd fills this brick-walled and dimly lit, speakeasy-ish drinking spot, revered for its extensive whiskey menu and curated list of seasonal cocktails.

Every Friday and Saturday night pianists duke it out on the ivories, playing both popular and offbeat tunes—and, of course, they take requests. At this 21-and-older venue, you can enjoy a musically-named cocktail, like the Carole King or Uptown Funk, or a glass of wine or beer, along with bar bites and even a slice of pie, while you watch the show.

Located in an odd old Victorian with a few haunted tables (you have to see them to understand), Rimsky-Korsakoffee serves up coffee, tea, and rather decadent desserts.