2629 Best Bars in USA

The famous Chicago bar scene known as Rush Street has faded into the mists of time, although the street has found resurgent energy with the opening of a string of upscale restaurants and outdoor cafés.

Head to this Broadway institution to drink in vintage Midtown Manhattan at the compact bar, surrounded by caricatures of theater, film, music, and TV stars past and present.

Since 1989, this intimate and amiable venue overlooking the Charles River has presented top names–-Harry Connick Jr., Chris Botti, Michael Bublé, and Wynton Marsalis, to name a few–-in jazz, Latin, and contemporary, but also blues, soul, R&B, cabaret, and world music. There are full bar and cocktail menus, as well as food and dessert selections. Performances are Thursday through Saturday 8 and 10 pm; tickets range from $25 to $50 and are discounted if you come for dinner. Advance purchase is recommended.

Sprawling over half a city block at the top of Main Street, and including the historic Franklin Hotel across the street, the Silverado is among Deadwood's largest gaming establishments. Although the wood paneling and brass accents around the bars recall Deadwood's Wild West past, the red carpets, velvet ropes, and bow-tie-clad staff give the place modern polish.

This casual restaurant and bar offers live music, mostly jazz, on Wednesday through Sunday nights. It also has reasonably priced appetizers and cocktails, and excellent views of the sun setting over the red rocks if you're lucky enough to grab a table by the window or on the outside deck.

This popular luau features an outdoor barbecue with colorful South Pacific–style entertainment. Fire jugglers and hula dancers capture the spirit of Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, and Hawaii while regional dishes like Polynesian ribs and roasted chicken and pineapple-coconut guava cake transport your taste buds to the islands.Reservations can be made 180 days in advance.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which now has locations in several other cities, has three cafés on the east side. At the original site (S.E. Division), organic beans are still roasted on a regular basis. At the Tasting Bar (S.E. Salmon)—adjacent to Stumptown headquarters—patrons can participate in "cuppings," or tastings, at 3 pm each day. Stumptown has other locations around town, including a popular branch inside Downtown's Ace Hotel.

The narrow bi-level floor plan might seem a little odd, but friendly service and convivial, colorful crowds transform this renovated warehouse into a welcoming, quirky neighborhood spot. The kitchen's organic menu changes seasonally, but the real action is at the bar, where stiff concoctions are poured near the orange-felt pool table. There are also weekend DJs and monthly local artist shows.

With soft music and the sound of running water in the background, the Tao of Tea serves more than 80 loose-leaf teas as well as vegetarian snacks and sweets. The company also operates the tearoom inside Old Town's Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Hipsters hold court at Telegraph (aka Beeryland), where giant murals and bike wheel rims decorate the largely cement and mostly graffitied outdoor beer garden. Expect great burgers and homemade sausages paired with alcoholic slushies and beers that change daily.

The frontier theme here honors the Corps of Discovery (look overhead for a Lewis and Clark Expedition trail map). Between drinks, check out the surveying equipment, daguerreotypes, parka mittens, maps, and what the lounge claims is a pair of Teddy Roosevelt's boots.

Despite being hidden away underneath the El tracks in a spooky stretch west of downtown, Transit is wildly popular with young clubgoers. Inside, the multiroom space has a crisp design and sumptuous VIP area. Don't miss the glowing black-and-white bar between the oval and chandelier rooms, or the mezzanine with its minimalist furniture and oversize mahogany table.

Browse an eccentric collection of books and magazines at this crowded, pleasant café, then have coffee or tea while you read. This is a nice spot for a meal with a date, solo journal writing or reading at the bar, or surfing the net with free Wi-Fi. The windows facing Newbury Street (not to mention the patio) are great for people-watching. Open daily from 8 am until midnight.

This place next to a jointly owned sake shop has a small but very good sushi menu, as well as a list of more than 100 sakes. The staffers know their stuff—including how to make killer sake-tinis.

The exotic safari theme incorporates leather directors' chairs, native masks, and the gurgling of a stream that flows from the lobby and through the lounge to cascade over rockwork into a small pool at the Boma restaurant below. Before or after dinner, this is a great spot to watch a game, sip South African wines and beers, and enjoy a casual night out with friends and family.Arrive early and check out the zebras, giraffes, and other animals on the lodge's savanna.

An old-school dive bar that claims to have "the coldest beer in town," the Warehouse's River Street location means more tourists than locals. The service is friendly, and lots of different local bands play everything from original rock and country to classic covers. The kitchen serves deep-fried fare like chicken fingers, fried pickles, and gator bites if you get a hankering for something to snack on.

A friendly pool game is always going on at this mellow, slightly out-of-the-way hangout, where all are welcome. Outside is a large deck and one of San Francisco's best bar gardens, where acoustic-guitar sing-alongs are not uncommon. Rumor has it that Janis Joplin was a regular here. Ask the bartender for the scoop.

An old-school style tavern that's a favorite hangout for locals, this Main Street standby offers beer, bands, and a little bit of ruckus. The front porch still looks like a perfect place to ride up and secure a horse, and there is a great patio.