The types of bars vary widely and each one offers a unique experience for guests and a distinct opportunity for business owners. From laid-back dive bars to sleek rooftop lounges, knowing the difference isn’t just helpful; it’s essential if you’re planning to open a bar or decide where to spend your night.
Understanding how each bar style works matters to both business owners and guests. For aspiring bar owners, it helps shape a concept that aligns with their goals and informs everything like branding, bar name ideas, and knowing how much to budget when opening a bar. For patrons, it means finding a place that suits their tastes and offers something worth coming back for.
Inside, you’ll find a breakdown of the most popular bar styles, what defines each one, real-world examples from around the globe with pictures to help you plan, get inspired, or make smarter business decisions.
18 Different Types of Bars
1. Cocktail Bars
Cocktail bars deliver more than just drinks; they offer experiences layered with flavor, story, and spectacle. Menus blend classics like negronis and margaritas with signature creations that showcase house infusions, exotic bitters, and seasonal ingredients. Think hidden speakeasies, rooftop lounges, or sleek downtown hideouts where every detail is curated.
Example: The Royal Cocktail Exchange in London.
2. Wine Bars
Swirling, sipping, and savoring take center stage in spaces designed for people who appreciate the depth and nuance of a good pour. Wine bars specialize in curated selections from vineyards around the world, offering wines by the glass to encourage exploration across varieties and regions. The vibe is often warm and intimate, which is perfect for quiet conversations, solo tastings, or slow evenings with friends.
Example: Vinosofia in Spello, Italy, tucked into an alleyway, where natural wines and local bites come together in effortless harmony.
3. Dive Bars
Dive bars are unapologetically unpolished, serving up cheap drinks, zero pretension, and a strong sense of neighborhood loyalty. The décor ranges from worn-in to downright questionable, but that’s part of the charm. You’ll often find pool tables, darts, or karaoke nights drawing regulars who come more for the vibe than the drink list. There’s rarely a craft cocktail in sight, but if you’re after a cold beer, a shot, and a good story, you’re in the right place.
Example: Toronado in San Francisco, California is packed with personality, overflowing with rare craft brews, and proudly rough around the edges since 1987.
4. Sports Bars
Sports bars are go-to spots for game-day action, lined with oversized screens, team memorabilia, and a loud, electric vibe perfect for friends and superfans alike. The menu leans heavily into comfort food. Think loaded nachos, burgers, and bottomless fries paired with ice-cold beer on tap and the occasional house cocktail.
Example: The Globe Pub in Chicago, a haven for international football fans, where every match gets airtime and the atmosphere rivals the stadium itself.
5. Speakeasy Bars
Speakeasy bars are all about the experience: moody lighting, vintage furnishings, jazz or swing playing softly in the background, and bartenders serving meticulously crafted cocktails with old-school finesse. These bars often embrace a hidden or secretive entrance. Think unmarked doors, back alleys, or entryways disguised as phone booths, adding a sense of intrigue and exclusivity based on history dating back to the Prohibition era. Speakeasies thrive on atmosphere and presentation, making each visit feel like a secret you’re lucky to be in on.
Example: Bathtub Gin in New York City. Tucked behind a coffee shop, this sultry hideaway serves up classic cocktails in an Art Deco setting that feels straight out of the 1920s.
6. Whiskey Bars
Whiskey bars are a haven for those who take their spirits seriously. These bars focus exclusively on the richness and complexity of whiskey, from classic bourbons and peaty Scotches to rare and small-batch selections. The vibe is calm, curated, and often refined, attracting connoisseurs, collectors, and curious drinkers alike. Unlike louder or more fast-paced bar types, these spaces are designed for sipping, learning, and slow appreciation.
Example: The Pot Still in Glasgow, home to over 800 whiskies and a reputation as one of the world’s great whiskey destinations.
7. Live Music Bars
Live music bars combine the social vibe of a bar with the thrill of a live concert, often featuring a dedicated stage, rotating lineup of bands or DJs, and a drink menu designed to fuel the night. These bars attract music lovers looking for more than just background noise. Here, the performance is the main event.
Example: The Vanguard in Sydney, a beloved live music venue that offers an old-world burlesque vibe with a modern soundstage, hosting everything from jazz and rock to indie and electronic music sets.
8. Beer Bars / Brewpubs
Beer bars and brewpubs spotlight local and regional brews, often featuring rotating taps, tasting flights, and seasonal releases. Brewpubs brew their own beer on-site, offering guests a front-row seat to the brewing process.
Example: Mikkeller Brewpub in London, known for its experimental house brews, rotating taps, and laid-back atmosphere that blends Scandinavian minimalism with British beer culture.
9. Rooftop Bars
Rooftop bars serve sky-high views with crafted cocktails, offering open-air or semi-enclosed settings, ambient music, and photo-ready backdrops that are ideal for a stylish night out above the city. They’re especially popular for date nights, after-work drinks, and social gatherings that demand a little extra flair.
Example: Le Toit de la Bellevilloise in Paris, a place where guests can enjoy live music and sunset drinks surrounded by greenery, rooftops, and views stretching over the romantic city skyline.
10. Theme Bars
Step into another world, literally. Theme bars build their entire experience around a bold, immersive concept, transforming a typical night out into something uniquely memorable. From tiki escapes to retro arcades, every detail is designed to transport guests. Themed menus, costumed staff, curated playlists, and décor all align with the chosen concept. These bars attract a crowd looking for more than just a drink; they come for the story, the spectacle, and the selfie-worthy surroundings.
Example: Pachimon Wars in Osaka, a Star Wars–themed bar packed with memorabilia, themed drinks, and galactic details.
11. Hotel Bars
Chic, convenient, and often quietly luxurious, hotel bars serve as elegant extensions of the hotels they inhabit. These bars range from sleek lobby lounges perfect for a pre-dinner drink to glamorous rooftop hideaways offering panoramic city views. While guests can enjoy the ease of charging a tab to their room, non-guests are often drawn in by the elevated service, expertly crafted cocktails, and refined ambiance.
Example: The American Bar at The Savoy in London, one of the world’s most iconic hotel bars.
12. Club Bars / Nightclubs
Club bars and nightclubs are the heartbeat of nightlife culture. These venues revolve around music and movement, with resident or guest DJs spinning everything from house and techno to hip-hop and reggaeton. Expect a high-octane vibe, sleek interiors, LED walls, and dance floors packed with partygoers chasing the next drop. Drinks lean toward cocktails, bottle service, and high-end liquor packages, often served in exclusive VIP sections.
Example: Hï Ibiza in Spain, a state-of-the-art superclub known for its cutting-edge sound system, global DJ lineups, and euphoric atmosphere that defines the island’s legendary nightlife.
13. Specialty Bars
Every pour has a purpose at specialty bars, venues that revolve around one particular spirit or drinking experience. Whether it’s a tequila bar showcasing artisanal agave blends, a gin bar experimenting with botanicals, or a cigar bar pairing aged rum with fine smokes, these spots are designed for discovery. The vibe tends to be refined yet inviting, attracting curious newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts alike. Menus are typically tight and expertly crafted, emphasizing quality over variety, often with staff trained to guide guests through tasting notes, origins, and pairings.
Example: Tlecan in Mexico City, a mezcal-centric bar rooted in tradition that offers selections from small artisanal distilleries.
14. Karaoke Bars
These entertainment-driven venues invite guests to sing their hearts out, offering either open-mic stages for bold performers or private booths for more intimate, no-judgment sessions among friends. The vibe is upbeat, playful, and inclusive, often drawing groups out for birthdays, team nights, or spontaneous fun. Drink menus range from casual beer buckets to themed cocktails. Some karaoke bars also offer full food service, adding to their all-in-one appeal.
Example: 99 Family KTV – 9Sing Karaoke Bar in Makati City, Philippines.
15. Piano Bars
These venues center around live piano performances, ranging from classical pieces to modern sing-along favorites, and often foster an intimate, lounge-like atmosphere perfect for relaxed conversation or romantic evenings. The drinks menu typically leans classic, with martinis, wine, and high-end spirits designed to suit the tempo.
Example: Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans, home to the original dueling piano show.
16. Lounge Bars
Smooth beats, plush seating, and dim lighting set the tone in lounge bars. Designed for conversation and connection, these bars attract a more refined crowd looking to unwind without the noise of a nightclub or the grit of a dive. Expect sleek interiors, curated playlists, mood lighting, and a premium drink menu featuring craft cocktails, fine wines, and top-shelf spirits.
Example: Ascent Lounge in New York, perched above Columbus Circle with panoramic city views, elevated cocktails, and a polished, cosmopolitan vibe that’s perfect for date nights, after-work drinks, or VIP gatherings.
17. Pubs
Rooted in centuries-old tradition, pubs (or public houses) are beloved community staples known for their warm, welcoming atmosphere and hearty food-and-drink offerings. Unlike trendier bar types, pubs lean into comfort and familiarity: dark wood interiors, low lighting, and a relaxed vibe perfect for lingering over pints. The menu typically includes classic beers, ales, and ciders, along with British pub fare like fish and chips, pies, and roasts.
Example: Old Shades in London, a historic pub near Trafalgar Square, pouring cask ales and timeless charm since 1898.
18. Taverns
Taverns offer a historic, down-to-earth take on the bar experience by blending the casual comfort of a pub with a stronger emphasis on food and local community. The drink list usually features a mix of beer, wine, and spirits, while the food leans toward filling, comfort-driven fare. These establishments tend to be more laid-back than cocktail bars or lounges, making them ideal for relaxed gatherings, solo diners, or casual business lunches.
Example: Fraunces Tavern in New York City, one of the oldest bars in America, steeped in Revolutionary War history and still serving guests with colonial-era charm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of bars?
There are many different types of bars, each offering a unique atmosphere, drink selection, and experience. Some of the most common bar styles include cocktail bars, dive bars, wine bars, rooftop bars, sports bars, speakeasies, karaoke bars, beer bars and brewpubs, piano bars, lounge bars, theme bars, nightclub bars, and hotel bars. Each type caters to different audiences and occasions, whether you’re after craft cocktails, live music, panoramic views, or a casual pint with friends.
How do you classify bars?
Bars are typically classified based on factors like menu focus, ambiance, entertainment, clientele, and location. For example, a cocktail bar is known for its mixology and creative drinks, while a sports bar prioritizes large TVs and game-day energy. Some bars, like rooftop or hotel bars, are defined by their setting, while others—like whiskey bars or tequila bars—are categorized by the specific type of alcohol they specialize in. Classification helps patrons choose the right venue for the mood or occasion.
What are popular types of bars in/around the world?
Popular bar types vary by culture and region, but globally recognized favorites include speakeasies in New York, karaoke bars in Japan and the Philippines, pubs and taverns in the UK and Ireland, mezcalerías in Mexico, and rooftop bars in urban cities like Bangkok, Paris, and New York. Each reflects local drinking culture, design preferences, and social customs yet they all serve the same purpose: bringing people together over great drinks in great settings.
