2610 Best Bars in USA

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We've compiled the best of the best in USA - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Urban Cowboy Public House

East Nashville

Adjacent to the Urban Cowboy bed-and-breakfast, Urban Cowboy Public House is one of East Nashville's trendiest cocktail bars. Serving up high-end libations and a thoughtfully designed food menu in a cozy backyard setting, Urban Cowboy caters to hip younger crowds. Most seating is outdoors, so plan accordingly.

Urban Mo's Bar and Grill

Hillcrest

Cowboys gather for line dancing and two-stepping on the wooden dance floor—but be forewarned, yee-hawers, it can get pretty wild on Western nights on the first Saturday of each month. There are also Latin, hip-hop, and drag revues but the real allure is in the creative drinks ("Gone Fishing"—served in a fishbowl, for example) and the breezy patio where love (or something like it) is usually in the air.

308 University Ave., San Diego, CA, 92103, USA
619-491–0400

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Urban Putt

It's kid-friendly during the day, but this 14-hole indoor miniature golf course really lights up at night when you can enjoy a quality cocktail or beer and putt through the Transamerica Pyramid and those famous Painted Ladies. It's one of the city's favorite spots for a first or second date.

1096 S. Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA
415-341–1080
Nightlife Details
Closed Mon.

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Recommended Fodor's Video

Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse

Midtown

Two native Northern Californians are behind this microbrewery that makes beers, ales, and a dessert stout. Order brews and barbecue at the counter and choose seating indoors or out front in the spacious beer garden–like setting.

1322 V St., Sacramento, CA, 95818, USA
916-706–3741
Nightlife Details
Closed Mon.

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Urban Wild

Charlestown

This new complex has live music, lit up bowling for $35--$45 per lane, TVs for the big game, and more. Drinks are social, including the four- to six-person cocktail "coolers," which is probably why the entire place is 21 and older after 7 pm. Snacks are fun noshes, such as waffle fries, grilled burgers, nachos, and a giant baked chocolate chip cookie.

Valentine's

Chinatown

One of the more intimate venues in town to catch live rock, alternative, funk, and other edgy performances, bi-level Valentine's is set along a pedestrian-only stretch of Ankeny Street, just down the block from iconic Voodoo Doughnuts. For a break from the inside action, enjoy your drink at one of the picnic tables out front.

232 S.W. Ankeny St., Portland, OR, 97204, USA
503-248–1600

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Van Dyck

One of the best clubs for jazz and blues in the capital region is the Van Dyck, at the entrance to the Stockade District. Sip a martini at the first-floor antique bar before heading upstairs to the intimate, attic-like performance space.

237 Union St., off Erie Blvd., Schenectady, NY, 12305, USA
518-348--7999

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Vango Lounge & Skybar

Rittenhouse Square

Upstairs from sister joint Byblos, this lively club and restaurant conjures up a Tokyo vibe, from its largely Japanese-themed menu to its emphasis on mod design. The real star, however, is the third-floor Skybar, offering panoramic views of the city.

Vaughan's Lounge

Bywater

Legendary Thursday night live music sets are the big draw at this ramshackle place in the Bywater's farthest reaches. At other times, the place is an exceptionally friendly neighborhood dive that is also a great place to watch the Saints' football games.

4229 Dauphine St., New Orleans, LA, 70117, USA
504-947–5562

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Velvet Dog

Warehouse District

Another venue with a view, the Velvet Dog has three options for your entertainment pleasure. The martini bar in the Third Level Lounge is comfortably low-key, DJ-driven house, hip-hop, and Top 40 music thumps on the main floor, and the rooftop outdoor patio (open seasonally) provides a unique look at downtown.

Velvet Lounge

U Street

Squeeze up the narrow stairway, and check out the eclectic local and national bands that play at this unassuming, tiny neighborhood joint. In addition to performers ranging from indie mainstays to critically touted up-and-comers, the venue regularly hosts comedy and variety shows.

Velvet Tango Room

Warehouse District

The Velvet Tango Room serves martinis and cocktails straight out of the post-Prohibition era, amid plush booths at a mahogany bar. The crowd is a bit older, professional, and moneyed.

Venga Venga Cantina and Tequila Bar

A huge patio with warming fire pits makes this casual bar and restaurant a prime après-ski location at the edge of the Snowmass Village Mall and the ski hill. Look for happy-hour specials and dozens of tequilas and mezcals to sample into the night.

105 Daly La., Snowmass Village, CO, 81615, USA
970-923–7777

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Vera's Beach Club

For a taste of the tropics and the South Pacific along St. Leonard's Creek, wet your lips with an umbrella-topped cocktail at. Vera's offers weekly entertainment and no cover charge. With an exotic environment and fantastic location with open-air decks overlooking a deepwater marina and delightful river views—not to mention a swimming pool—it's well worth a visit, despite its difficult-to-find location west off Route 2/4.

1200 White Sands Dr., Lusby, MD, 20657-2049, USA
410-586--1182
Nightlife Details
Closed Nov.–Apr.

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Verdugo Bar

Atwater Village

It’s hard to decide whether the best thing about Verdugo Bar—which is a short distance away from Atwater Village in Glassell Park—is its selection of 20 craft beers on tap, its menu of refreshing and affordable cocktails, or the large beer garden furnished with picnic tables. Be warned: this place can get crowded, but it's the place to be on a hot summer day. 

3408 Verdugo Rd., Los Angeles, CA, 90065, USA
323-257–3408

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Vergina

A mature crowd hits the dance floor for Gloria Gaynor and the Bee Gees. Upscale professionals gather here for daily happy-hour specials and the lighter bar menu. The restaurant serves a full menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Versus

Downtown

Popular arcade games, pinball, and '80s pop culture provide the entertainment at this nightspot, but no one under 21 is allowed after 7 pm. The fun extends to weekly theme nights, including free play and Super Smash Bros. tournaments. The food is decent but nothing special—although there are milk shakes.

Vesper Bar

Center Strip

The Chandelier Bar may be The Cosmopolitan's cocktail-venue claim to fame, but you shouldn't overlook the sleek Vesper Bar, the true mixologist space at the hotel. Name an ingredient, any ingredient, and the talented staff behind the bar can come up with a drink for you. Long-forgotten cocktail recipes are a specialty at this very modern square bar sitting alongside hotel registration.

Vibe Bar Maui

This speakeasy-style bar is smack-dab in the middle of Kihei's nightlife scene, and it stands out for its lineup of specialty cocktails and incredibly friendly staff. It's the size of a living room, but mixology is given more consideration here than at other venues.

1913 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753, USA
808-891–1011

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Victory

Central Business District

Amid the city's drab business district hides another entry in the growing list of craft cocktail bars. Named for Daniel Victory, one of the city's best mixologists (and an owner), it draws a young professional crowd to its dimly lit, vaguely industrial space for drinks that push the boundaries of traditional cocktails. A cozy room in the back is available for private parties and intimate sipping. At Drink Lab (343 Barrone St.), cocktail novices can take mixology classes from Victory's experts.

339 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
504-522–8664

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Videology

Depending on whom you ask, Videology is a bar with a screening room or a screening room with a bar. The laid-back space is divided in two: locals drink craft beer and cocktails—like the Don Draper (a twist on the old-fashioned)—up front, and film screenings, trivia contests, and comedy events unfold in back. The place started as a video rental store and still loans out DVDs, including out-of-print films and new releases.
308 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11211, USA
718-782–3468

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The View Lounge

SoMa

Art-deco-influenced floor-to-ceiling windows frame superb views on the 39th floor of the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. You won't feel out of place here just getting a drink or two rather than dinner, but the small bites are usually delicious. It can get crowded at happy hour on weekdays and all night on weekends.

780 Mission St., San Francisco, CA, 94103, USA
415-442–6003

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Villa Azur

St. Tropez meets South Beach at this sceney, French resto-lounge with prolific alfresco seating in a spacious, tree-lined courtyard and personality-driven relaxation areas indoors (replete with swaying chandeliers, white tufted couches, and whimsically accessorized library shelves). Although Veuve Clicquot is a staple among patrons, the tropical-inspired cocktails and the selection from the in-house wine cellar, La Cave d'Azur, also impress.

The Village Nightclub

Put on your favorite band T-shirt and head to the Village for a high-energy night. Rock, blues, soul, hip-hop, and other wide-ranging acts draw party fans to this funky shingled building in the heart of downtown. Live shows and DJ nights get the crowd dancing on the lit-up floor (à la Saturday Night Fever).

205 N. Christian St., Lancaster, PA, 17602, USA
397–5000
Nightlife Details
Closed Sun. and Mon.

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Village Pub and Beer Garden

East Nashville

East Nashville neighborhood Riverside Village is one of the few remaining stretches in town that has managed to retain a true community feel. Part of the reason is Village Pub, a friendly neighborhood bar serving up craft beer and specialty mule cocktails alongside a menu heavy on soft pretzels and pretzel sandwiches. 

The Villager Tavern

Hillsboro Village

Much of Hillsboro Village is hip and manicured, but not The Villager Tavern, which remains one of the neighborhood's longest-running establishments. A true dive, The Villager, which is wildly popular among locals, serves up a limited menu of cheap beer and occasionally has potato chips for when you need something to munch on. The real draws are the front-room jukebox and the back-room dartboards, the latter of which draw serious competitors on any night of the week.

Vino Vino

Hyde Park

In the hip Hyde Park neighborhood, Vino Vino serves a carefully curated variety of wines, from Alsatian crémant (sparkling wine) to obscure Argentinean reds, on the perpetually evolving menu. The sleek amber wood floors and bar give a warmth to this wine bar and market, where you can peruse the wine wall in search of the perfect bottle. The Hyde Park staple will certainly bring some music to the table during SXSW.

4119 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX, 78751, USA
512-465--9282

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Vintage Lounge

There's a Gilded Age vibe at this swanky but relaxed wine bar set in a long, dimly lit room framed with splashes of gold and a massive marble bar. The carefully selected menu of wines by the glass is accompanied by small plates and fondue.
545 King St., Charleston, SC, 29403, USA
843-818–4282

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Vintage Music of Yosemite

A pianist-singer performs four hours of old-time music at the Wawona Hotel; call for a schedule of performances.

Rte. 41, Wawona, CA, 95389, USA
209-375–6556
Nightlife Details
Free
Shows usually Tues.–Sat. at 5:30

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Vinyl Music Hall

Music now fills the space of this 112-year-old former Masonic lodge. An impressive variety of bands and acts have floated through the 850-person venue, which offers mostly standing room. The box office is open weekdays between noon and 5 pm, as well as before all events (one hour before start time).

2 S. Palafox Pl., Pensacola, FL, USA
850-607–6758

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