Well ...I have to say the Ear Bar in NYC ( corner of Spring and Washington ) is the top of my list.Ne'er a tourist in sight and a place where a man can sink a few schooners in peace.
Then there's the Haunch of Venison in Salisbury,Wiltshire,England.700 years old,a small as someone's front room but an excellent pint of Directors.
The Roaring Donkey in Cobh,County Cork,Ireland serves a fantastic pint of Murphys.... with a great diddly music night on Wednesdays.
Bradley's Spanish Bar just off Oxford Street has London’s best vinyl juke (£1 for three spins). It’s hard to argue with a collection of 160 seven-inches that includes The White Stripes and The Who. They rotate seven singles a week.
I suppose any poll like this is subjective... but I'm always keen to try somewhere new !

I like the Bovine Sex Club in Toronto

I definitely like the name - but what's the beer like ?

Minus 5 - I think its the coolest (or coldest) indoor bar out there. :D

Minus 5 - I think its the coolest (or coldest) indoor bar out there. :DSounds like a clone of Uniq in Helsinki, which has an indoor ice bar kept at -5C. The walls, bar and tables are made out of ice, they give you a parka. This never made much sense to me given that there is plenty of cold and ice available outdoors most of the year. I suppose it makes a lot more sense in SYD.

Bar bacca in belfast ^

For me, it depends on my mood and company.

If I'm travelling alone, most nights, I like a place where I can interact with the locals for an evening. I prefer a simple working class bar; cheap draft beer and a couple construction workers downing shots. It's a far cry from the folks I'm with all day at work and I like the contrast. I've made temporary friends in places like this around the US and in the UK. We'll talk sports, politics or philosophy and I'm refreshed and renewed - and usually hungover the next day. Only had a couple bad experiences - the worst was the big ugly welder in Devon, recently released from prison for manslaughter, who tried to hit me up for a job and some cash. I bought him a couple pints and dashed out the door after I figured he was unarmed and slower than me.

Travelling with a group, I'll let someone else select the bar. I like to drink more slowly than the others and watch their foolish behavior. I prefer a place with no music and a tv with closed captioning and no sound so I can follow the conversation or not if I'm bored. These places tend to be attached to decent restaurants or hotels.

With the family, a quiet spot with a little class is best. Mrs BamaVol likes to retire early, so bars are usually afternoon visits. A sidewalk table or view out the front window is nice, and I like a simple menu with bar snacks or sandwiches for when mealtime rolls around.

No specific recommendations and I almost never visit the same place twice. Last time I broke that rule, I met the manslaughtering welder, so never again.

Red Square in Las Vegas (at Mandalay Bay) is definitely one of my favorites. The vodka (dozens of kinds) is very cold, the atmosphere is decadent and gourgeous, the waitresses and clientele are beautiful, and they have the best steak tar-tar I have ever had.

Seacrets, OC MD.

Although as I get older, no doubt my opinion will change. Starting to really like the pool bar at the Delano on South Beach.

Best is the roofdeck bar on top of Sixty Thompson in SoHo. Amazing views of the city and cool, hipster crowd. Nothing like taking a date there and watching the sun set over the city.:)

Only problem is that you need a pass key from the hotel staff or a room at the hotel (tres cher) to get in.

Jayson

I'd have to vote for Distill, in Bangkok (http://www.thedomebkk.com/web/dist_gallery_08main.html) - sixty-odd floors up a skyscraper, with stunning views, a terrace with great big sofas to lounge on, and first-rate cocktails.

I do carry a soft place in my heart for any Viking Crown lounge on a Royal Caribbean ship. It's where I go to sit any time we leave port. The view is fantastic. :cool:

The lounge at Tangerine (http://www.tangerinerestaurant.com/) in Philadelphia.

Unquestionably. In De Wildeman in Amsterdam. 18 taps, 200 bottles. No music, smoke free. It's ALL about the beer (and they have liquor too).
www.Indewildeman.nl

The Beach Ball in Newport Beach, California is tops...right on the beach and the place to be...especially in Summer months.

The Beach Ball in Newport Beach, California is tops...right on the beach and the place to be...especially in Summer months.

Spent many a nights at the Beach Ball but prefer the Balboa Saloon near the Balboa pavillion in Newport Beach.

so weve heard beer mentions..

what about single malts and wine? :p

so weve heard beer mentions..

what about single malts and wine? :p

Not much of a wine drinker, but being from NI I do have a soft spot for Bushmills "Black Bush" (http://www.bushmills.com/en-row/OurRange/BlackBush.htm) or ofcourse the good old reliable JD ^

Casey Moore's Oyster Bar (house?) @ Ninth and Ash in Tempe Arizona sits in a historic neighborhood in a house built in 1910 that is haunted ( I have not seen any ghosts but some beautiful aberrations) . The palce is always very busy on weekends Great Oysters, steaks, burgers. Total cross cutural crowd from couples going to local plays at Gammage theater to young single ASU students having a good time deeper into the night. The place is hard place to find because it is not located near any of the corporate bar/restaurants in town on Mill Ave but it is just 5 min from PHX Sky harbor airport.

the Bedroom, in Rio

For a wine bar, how about the Soho Kitchen in NYC?

Favorite bar: the LX Business Class Lounge Bar in ZRH (upstairs) :)

Ghost Bar - Vegas

I'll never forget the New Londoner Pub in Kitzbul Austria

Give me a simple, "popular with the locals" pub in a small town/small city with real people, good food, cheap beer, good conversation and no pretentions of any sort. A good well used jukebox is also a plus. If its the "in place" du jour or "the place to be seen", I don't want any part of it.

I'll take a little hole in the wall like Evelyn's in New Orleans, Heart and Crown in Ottawa, The Lamb in Birkhamsted (UK), Leonardo's in Cedar Rapids, The Spot in Renton (WA), Labemi's in Crystal Lake, (IL) etc. over anything "cool".

Give me a simple, "popular with the locals" pub in a small town/small city with real people, good food, cheap beer, good conversation and no pretentions of any sort. A good well used jukebox is also a plus. If its the "in place" du jour or "the place to be seen", I don't want any part of it.

I'll take a little hole in the wall like Evelyn's in New Orleans, Heart and Crown in Ottawa, The Lamb in Birkhamsted (UK), Leonardo's in Cedar Rapids, The Spot in Renton (WA), Labemi's in Crystal Lake, (IL) etc. over anything "cool".

You would love Henry and Harrys Goat Hill tavern in Costa Mesa CA.

You would love Henry and Harrys Goat Hill tavern in Costa Mesa CA.

Or to borrow part of your username ...Toners Bar on Baggot Street in Dublin.

With a bit of hard work and a strong constitution we could make this the longest-running thread on FT !

Sirkus in Rekjavik is probably the coolestbestestfunnestfunkiest bar this side of the moon.

You would love Henry and Harrys Goat Hill tavern in Costa Mesa CA.


I'll check it out! Definitely.

Evita, Tel Aviv

Give me a simple, "popular with the locals" pub in a small town/small city with real people, good food, cheap beer, good conversation and no pretentions of any sort. A good well used jukebox is also a plus. If its the "in place" du jour or "the place to be seen", I don't want any part of it.

I'll take a little hole in the wall like Evelyn's in New Orleans, Heart and Crown in Ottawa, The Lamb in Birkhamsted (UK), Leonardo's in Cedar Rapids, The Spot in Renton (WA), Labemi's in Crystal Lake, (IL) etc. over anything "cool".

You got it correctly for me as well. While I really do mind shelling out $250+ for a bottle with a store/state value of $20-35, I'll will do it if I am with the right friends. Otherwise, neighborhood "hole in the walls" with no live bands!

When I went to a Baltimore Ravens game, there is a place near the stadium that will sell you a half pint or pint and let's you pour your own drinks and give you all the mixer you need. I forget the name of the place and I 'll have to ask my cousin who took me there, but after the game I don't remember much.

The Newhampton, on the outskirts of Wolverhampton

A place where high court judges sit and drink great beer in the same bar as some people likely to be up in front of them - never any trouble, everyone knows why they're there... The Beer!

The "No Music No Life" Jazz Bar in Gwangju, Korea. The owner is a great person who knows his genre, serves good wines and spirits & snacks and the atmosphere is really extraordniary.

Angel's Share in NYC.

El Chapultepec, or "the 'pec" in Denver. Tiny place, but killer jazz.

El Chapultepec, or "the 'pec" in Denver. Tiny place, but killer jazz.

There's a place across from City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco that fits this description. I forget the name, but it belongs on my list. And for that matter, perhaps so does the Condor Club up the street (although it may be too "famous" to qualify).

It was the Rainbow Room at the top of the GE Building in Manhattan. Great selection of malts and a view of the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and much of the rest of Manhattan. It was especially beautiful pre September 11 :( . Now that they have turned this into a private party room Im going to have to cogitate a bit on it.

The Newhampton, on the outskirts of Wolverhampton

A place where high court judges sit and drink great beer in the same bar as some people likely to be up in front of them - never any trouble, everyone knows why they're there... The Beer!

Now this is interesting.
As a former presenter on BRMB Radio I didn't think there was actually a single pub in Wolverhampton worth drinking in.
Every time I went into one the carpet was furry although not as much as the barmaid's top lip.
And the beer was uniformly lousy.
Apart from the ambience - what made it so good ?

The Sea Lounge Monte Carlo at the Monte Carlo Beach hotel. :) ^

The Buena Vista in San Francisco.

A tourist trap, but a really good tourist trap.

Nothing like a couple of Irish Coffees with a hearty breakfast and a view of the Golden Gate.

It was the Rainbow Room at the top of the GE Building in Manhattan. Great selection of malts and a view of the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and much of the rest of Manhattan. It was especially beautiful pre September 11 :( . Now that they have turned this into a private party room Im going to have to cogitate a bit on it.

You wild old romantic^ A lovely memory was the Rainbow Room where Rosemary Clooney was performing. a couple of years prior to 9/11. A perfect evening.

Frank's Place, South Bend, IN

The Horny Toad, the Bad Apple, the Flying Machine, and the Bamboo Bar in Bangkok.

Frank's Place, South Bend, IN

No. ;)

There's nothing thing as the bestest but there are a few I like:

This one bar in London at a luxury hotel. No, not the Ritz and not the bar at the Park Lane Sheraton but on a quiet street that has a great lunch menu and fabulous dining room. The bartender makes purrfect Black Russians. I know it when I'm walking from Davidoff's.

Raffles in Singapore.

Any pub in Scotland or Ireland, esp. Dublin.

The FishTail in Long Beach, introduced by a fellow Flyertalker. Nice Buffalo wings and good beer selection.

The Anchor Bar in Buffalo.

My local favorite: Dorrien's in downtown Jersey City. Their "regular" food from Bangers and Mash to Colorado Garlic touched Ribeye is very good. I've brought a few Flyertalkers over there and the staff knows me as "CATMAN." ;)

A great bar is one where I can still smoke a cigar, but I know that's becoming rarer and rarer. That makes me nostaglic for the old bar at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers where after the Catman Do 3 a group of us had drinks and smoked cigars. :( The bar is gone and the place completely rebuilt. I was there a few months ago and still could remember that night (and several other times I met with Flyertalkers there.)

There's nothing thing as the bestest but there are a few I like:

This one bar in London at a luxury hotel. No, not the Ritz and not the bar at the Park Lane Sheraton but on a quiet street that has a great lunch menu and fabulous dining room. The bartender makes purrfect Black Russians. I know it when I'm walking from Davidoff's.

Raffles in Singapore.

Any pub in Scotland or Ireland, esp. Dublin.

The FishTail in Long Beach, introduced by a fellow Flyertalker. Nice Buffalo wings and good beer selection.

The Anchor Bar in Buffalo.

My local favorite: Dorrien's in downtown Jersey City. Their "regular" food from Bangers and Mash to Colorado Garlic touched Ribeye is very good. I've brought a few Flyertalkers over there and the staff knows me as "CATMAN." ;)

A great bar is one where I can still smoke a cigar, but I know that's becoming rarer and rarer. That makes me nostaglic for the old bar at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers where after the Catman Do 3 a group of us had drinks and smoked cigars. :( The bar is gone and the place completely rebuilt. I was there a few months ago and still could remember that night (and several other times I met with Flyertalkers there.)

You haven't drank in the Luisitania Bar.
It's full of tattoed,moustachioed roughnecks who fart and spit and swear.
And that's just the women.
Christ,it's rough.

I like the Bovine Sex Club in Toronto

:confused:

Has to be the Opera Bar in Sydney - no view like it:


http://www.operabar.com.au/ftproot/images/operabar_umbrellas1.jpeg

:confused:

Has to be the Opera Bar in Sydney - no view like it:


http://www.operabar.com.au/ftproot/images/operabar_umbrellas1.jpeg

Is that at the Hyatt? Speaking of which, the bars at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku has a wide range of beer, champagne and whisky and stunning views.

My very own Wet Bar at Home! I am so biased. :p Hope private bars count too. ;)

The Buena Vista in San Francisco.

A tourist trap, but a really good tourist trap.

Nothing like a couple of Irish Coffees with a hearty breakfast and a view of the Golden Gate.

.....More of a restaurant, but still worth a stop, just as Scholzgarden's backyard remains an Austin landmark, while the Rainbow Room was hardly a bar, but a classic "night club".

The cocktail lounge at the Warwick, NYC, 1950-1965 and maybe still..

70s, the Cedar Door, Austin

The Moorings, Newport, 1960

50s, Beer only but Kay's on Bissonet.

Harry's, not Venice but Florence for me, early 60s.

WWII - 60s - The Officers's Club at Fort Mason, SFO.

Any one of several, Plaza Garibaldi, Mexico City, 1950s.

Cadillac, Nuevo Laredo, & the Blue Parrot, Villa Acuna, Mexico, 1950s

Any of a half-dozen Singles' Bars/Meatracks along 3rd Avenue, NYC, 1960s

The Bogey Inn, suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, 1990s

My two favorites are the Falling Rock Taphouse in Denver and The Grotto in Rolla MO.

In no particular order.


Bahri Bar, Madinat Jumeirah - Dubai

Ultra Supper Club - Toronto

Gilgamesh - London

You would love Henry and Harrys Goat Hill tavern in Costa Mesa CA.

That was the first bar that came to mind when I saw this thread. Not only do they have a huge selection of brews on tap, but a knowledgeable staff to go with it.

The Pilot Pub, Gravesend Kent. It is a backstreet pub that is very blue collar, the locals that drink in this pub make it amazing. They are all super friendly and all have the same dry sense of humour and like to take the piss. My kind of place.

Where ever I go I like to hang out in the blue collar places, more atmosphere and better conversation.

The W Bar in Woolloomooloo is fantastic.

Is that at the Hyatt? Speaking of which, the bars at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku has a wide range of beer, champagne and whisky and stunning views.

No it is just along from the Opera house. The Hyatt bar across the bay is also a great place for a drink.

There's a place across from City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco that fits this description. I forget the name, but it belongs on my list. And for that matter, perhaps so does the Condor Club up the street (although it may be too "famous" to qualify).

The Condor Club has been closed for a while now.

Is that at the Hyatt? Speaking of which, the bars at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku has a wide range of beer, champagne and whisky and stunning views.

As has the Grand Hyatt Seoul lobby bar ^

Add one from yesteryear, the Hawes Arms, "under the Firth Bridge, Queensferry near Edinburgh

Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas. Especially when Sammy is there

The Irish Bank in San Francisco near the Chinatown Gate has been one of my favorites for years. It's usually crowded, but not by tourists, and it has good food. I also like Top of the Mark despite its high prices and tourist-trap status. What can I say? The view is spectacular.

In the D.C. area, two of my favorites are in Old Town Alexandria: Muphy's and Pat Troy's, both Irish pubs on King Street. Pat Troy's in particular has an odd charm (a shrine to Ronald Reagan) and a proprietor who is best described as unique. Trust me. Ireland's Four Provinces in Cleveland Park is also one of the best. (I like Irish pubs, what can I say?)

And I second whoever recommended El Chapultepec in Denver. My dad took me there for my 21st birthday, and we still go back when I'm in town!

I wondered what I would find here.

The Irish Bank isnt bad and especially crazy over the holiday weekend.

My favorites include Milion in Buenos Aires, Establishment in Sydney and The Old Dublin in Karlsuhe (although it is no more....) and of course the Rambling House in the Bronx or any roof top bar like Ava Lounge just above Broadway in NYC.

Some of my Favorites:

Tequila - Buenos Aires
Raffles Bar - Singapore
Oak Room - New York
Tequila - Punta del Este

www.theroaringdonkey.com

Cobh,County Cork,Ireland.

The bar upstairs at Felix Pen HK.

Mars bar:D

I'd have to vote for Distill, in Bangkok (http://www.thedomebkk.com/web/dist_gallery_08main.html) - sixty-odd floors up a skyscraper, with stunning views, a terrace with great big sofas to lounge on, and first-rate cocktails.

Same here! Much prefer Distill to the other eateries/drinkeries in the State Tower - great (French) DJ too, great (balik) salmon and (for Thailand) a wonderful wine selection. Awesome place.

Brazen Head, O'Neils and Bruxelles in Dublin
Long Bar, Raffles, Singapore
Trinity Hall, Dallas

Elements Bar, Beirut, Lebanon

Apres , Dubai, UAE

Brazen Head, O'Neils and Bruxelles in Dublin

All are good. Which O'Neills? Pearse St or Suffolk St? Both are good, but I prefer the one on Pearse St.

Also good in Dublin are:

Bowes (Fleet St, although it's going down hill after being bought by Doyles)
Mahaffeys (Pearse St, near the back of Trinity)
O'Donoghues (Suffolk St, used to be "Thing Mote")
The Porterhouse (Parliament St)

The bar in River Chapel, Ireland.

I know that one of the coolest (and the longest linear airport bar in the world) is in the Swiss Airlines Lounge at ZRH..... very nice ^

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakedsky/330085609/in/set-72157594433216116/

I know that one of the coolest (and the longest linear airport bar in the world) is in the Swiss Airlines Lounge at ZRH..... very nice ^

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nakedsky/330085609/in/set-72157594433216116/

Oh I'd totally agree with this one.

Loos American Bar (http://www.loosbar.at/) in Vienna (small but GREAT decor) ^

and

in Quebec City, the Bar St-Laurent at the Château Frontenac, especially in the winter, late afternoon, watching the ice in the river go by and the Lévis ferry fighting to cross over. :)

[
in Quebec City, the Bar St-Laurent at the Château Frontenac, especially in the winter, late afternoon, watching the ice in the river go by and the Lévis ferry fighting to cross over. :)

Agree...but what keeps this a notch below "bestest" are the high prices, and the indifferent service. They're not exactly rude here, but I wouldn't descibe them as warm and friendly, either.

My vote goes for the Sunset Beach Bar on Maho Beach, St. Maarten (just off the SXM runway). You can enjoy some drinks while watching a 747 land just a few hundred feet away.

-FlyerBeek

Agree...but what keeps this a notch below "bestest" are the high prices, and the indifferent service. They're not exactly rude here, but I wouldn't descibe them as warm and friendly, either.

My bother-in-law's twin brother works in that bar so I've never had any service issues ! :D ;)

If you're up in YQB, please PM me and I'll buy you a drink there ! :)

Mine favorites are:
Bar della Pace, Roma
Redwood Room, San Francisco
El Divino, Mexico City (not sure it still exists)
Nektar, Munich

Although I have not been there in years, the Buckaroo in Seattle used to be my local. A great place in a fantastic neighborhood: Fremont - center of the universe.


http://www.buckarootavern.com/

a subjective thread indeed, but I would have to go with:

http://www.matterhornbar.com

-Apres ski (means it's great cuz it's snowing!)
-brick oven pizza (means it's great cuz there's food)
-VT beers (great because they are beers from vermont!)

I dunno. I am there always and the music's really good too!
:)MM

Some runners up for me include:

-Refo's, Airlee Beach Australia
-Mr Dooley's Pub, Boston, MA
-whatever bar I one day open
:D

www.theroaringdonkey.com

Cobh,County Cork,Ireland.

Leave a message in the Guestbook - they like to hear from all over the world.
Especially Mick the cranky owner and Johnny Huds the small brown shagging machine.

One that we stumbled across while in NYC:
No Idea (http://www.noideabar.com/)
One cool thing that they have is name night. If your first name matches the name, you drink free. Right near Union Square.

My bother-in-law's twin brother works in that bar so I've never had any service issues ! :D ;)

If you're up in YQB, please PM me and I'll buy you a drink there ! :)

Thanks!

Don't get to YQB as often as years past....especially when my daughter was going to school at Laval in Ste Foy. This was probably "back in the day" before your brother-in-law worked at the Chateau.

(And I'll also grant that the service may well have improved since the change from CP to Fairmont...but I doubt that the drink prices have gotten any lower :D )!

Thanks!

Don't get to YQB as often as years past....especially when my daughter was going to school at Laval in Ste Foy. This was probably "back in the day" before your brother-in-law worked at the Chateau.

(And I'll also grant that the service may well have improved since the change from CP to Fairmont...but I doubt that the drink prices have gotten any lower :D )!

Ste-Foy born and bred....raised in the shadow of the Quebec Bridge on Chemin St-Louis.

Université Laval grad 1988....walked the 25 minutes to school for 3 years.....when and what did your daughter study at UL ?
:)

Brother-in-law's twin has been at the Château Frontenac for over 20 years....

The Ear Inn on the corner of Spring and Washington was the first bar I ever went into in NYC.
Always call in for a quart or two when I'm in town.
Off the beaten track and one of the oldest in Manhatten.

The Yacht Club in P. Williams Chile. Perhaps the most authentically atmospheric bar in the world - everyone there has come a long way.

Any bar that's "the place to be" isn't my kind of bar.

Raffles Bar - Singapore

I thought the bar in the courtyard was very nice; not
so sure about the Long Bar, though - premixed drinks
are not generally my cup of tea.

Université Laval grad 1988....walked the 25 minutes to school for 3 years.....when and what did your daughter study at UL ?
:)

Brother-in-law's twin has been at the Château Frontenac for over 20 years....

Daughter went to Laval in '94 effectively as an exchange student from the University of Iowa. She's fluent in French and was in a program where she could study in and otherwise immerse herself in the language. She absolutely loved the place, and this time of year she still talks about wanting to go back and party with Bonhomme!

Back to the original topic... There was actually a bar in her residence hall, which she says was pretty much ignored by the kids. Then there was another one in the underground passageway connecting the campus to the shopping mall across the road. You know...in case you can't just wait to get to the mall to have a drink!

I forget the name of the area where she and her friends used to hang out. It was just off the main street that connects Laval with Vieux Quebec. She and her friends used to meet lots of hockey players who were in town to play the Nords and have absolutely no idea who any of these guys were!

For me it would be the Soggy Dollar bar on Jost Van Dyke, BVIs.

A couple of Painkillers and a hammock in the warm breeze to snooze away the afternoon.

Perfect.

Murphy's Pub, Urbana, IL. More personal connection as it was my grad school bar. I miss that place (and its cheap booze.)

Failing that, it's Groove NYC in the ?East Village?. Too expensive, too small, no selection, but great music and the clientèle is always interesting. Plus it was my first NYC bar experience.

THe best bar in Tucson, by far, is O'Malleys

One that we stumbled across while in NYC:
No Idea (http://www.noideabar.com/)
One cool thing that they have is name night. If your first name matches the name, you drink free. Right near Union Square.

The other "name night" bar in NYC is Antarctica (www.antarcticabar.com)

"Marimba" in Cadiz, Spain.

An outdoor bar-club-chiringuito on the beach.

http://www.envymags.com/listings/clubs-bars/rice-village/business.2006-06-06.2183769303

the Ginger Man in Houston, and I have not been there in years

just a few good memories from while I was doing my specialty at The Med Center UT:D

These have a goodly number of tourists....
Redwood Room San Francisco and not in its current screwed over remodel.
Foxy's Yost Van Dyke, BWI
Garden of Eden Key West
Darwin's Theory Anchorage

Agree that the bestest bar can be any good local joint....but no more than one television to qualify.

My current favorite is The Bar on a certain cruise line.

The Bull Valley Inn in Port Costa, CA used to be quite nice. Not sure if it is still open.

The other "name night" bar in NYC is Antarctica (www.antarcticabar.com)

I like No Idea better than Antarctica because of near by food choices.

But who can pass up a drink in Antarctica....

Also above. I would agree with the post that the courtyard bar is better than long bar in Raffles SIN.

Any place that has Bar, Pub, or Tavern in it's name is worthy of checking out. Any place that has a bouncer or a limo out front is worthy of passing by.

:D Any place that has a bouncer or a limo out front is worthy of passing by.

I couldn't agree more!

I hate the idea that I have to impress some hired thug before being allowed to drink in a bar.

I recall a few years back Mrs Northants JP and I decided to visit the nearby multiplex cinema one Saturday night. Within the cinema complex there was a fancy bar and we decided to have a drink before watching the movie - we were told by the thug on the door that we couldn't come in because my trousers were made of a denim material :mad: :mad: -

I said, "this is a cinema bar, 90% of your customers are going to the cinema"
The hired thug replied "well if you come back during the week you'll be welcome to come in because we're less fussy about what you can wear to come in"
I laughed and retorted "It's funny that, I have the rule that I'm more fussy about where I drink during the week"

Northants QC Bar Rule Number 23b was then invoked - if you are ever turned away from a bar you Never Ever Ever return under any circumstances.

Obviously enough people follow Northants QC Bar Rule Number 23b and the bar closed within the year:D

Northants QC Bar Rule Number 23b was then invoked - if you are ever turned away from a bar you Never Ever Ever return under any circumstances.



Rule 23c says you can come back, but only after closing time, and with a bottle of gasoline. :D

Agree on a couple already mentioned...Buena Vista and The Long Bar at Raffles (in 1974 a friend of mine used a pay phone to call the bar and have himself paged. If you've been there you know why).

A couple of new ones:

The Wharf in Gibraltar
Marilyn's in Subic City (the squids know why)
The Bottom's Up in Kowloon (before it was in the Bond movie)
Club America in Yokosuka, Japan (best karaoke bar around)
Outdoor pool bar at the old Equator Hotel, Victoria, Seychelles (aahh, Seybrew...)

No has gotten it yet...

The correct answer is:

Nippers on Great Guana Cay, Abacos, Bahamas...


www.nippersbar.com

My personal favorite is the Cock and Bull pub (http://www.sarasotarhythmnbrews.com/the-cock-n-bull/index.htm) in Sarasota. Voted #6 beer bar by beeradvocate.com in 2006. The place has an absolutely unbelievable selection and great ambience. Howie knows more about beer than most of us can ever dream of.

Delaney's in Kowloon, Hong Kong. A nice spot to grab a pint without having to fend off pop tarts.

Geronimo Shot Bar in Roppongi, Tokyo. Small, cramped, cold beer that's cheaper than coffee.

Any yakitori place under the train tracks near Ginza in Tokyo where you can eat & drink beer cheaply while watching the "office ladies" walk by.

Any open air cafe in Prague's Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) where you can drink excellent Czech beer and people watch.

Little bar in basement of building across the street from Laris restaurant in Shanghai. Good live jazz/blues/swing.

Red Square in Las Vegas (at Mandalay Bay) is definitely one of my favorites. The vodka (dozens of kinds) is very cold, the atmosphere is decadent and gourgeous, the waitresses and clientele are beautiful, and they have the best steak tar-tar I have ever had.

I have to agree, this is one of my favorites....

Delaney's in Kowloon, Hong Kong.


Good choice. Went to the Wanchai address in June 1997, every evening at 5pm for a week, to meet up with my sister after work when she was doing the 3 year expat thing in HK.

http://www.delaneys.com.hk/about.html

Another Red Square fan here. Everytime I am in Las Vegas, I stop by for a Chernobyl. (6 different vodkas, cranberry juice, and some other stuff...).
An old bar that I loved (and I don't know if it still exists) is Tap-A-Keg in NYC on Amsterdam Ave. I spent many a weekend night there during my college years. (Early 1980's). Great bar, great music, great people.

Durty Nelly's, Shannon, Ireland at Bunratty Castle

The Coq d Or at the Drake hotel, Chicago.

http://www.thedrakehotel.com/entertainment/coqdor.html

The Sunset Beach Bar in St. Maarten
http://www.sunsetbeachbar.com/
The Brickskeller in Wash. DC.
http://www.thebrickskeller.com/
The Heartland Brewery in Union Sq, NYChttp://www.heartlandbrewery.com/media/heartlandbrewery.html

The Sunset is the best.
Cold beer, live ATC feed and heavies screamng in overhead. Watching yobs on the beach getting blown into the ocean by the jet blast of a departing aircraft...priceless. 12-5 PM is the best

Strange Brew in Kyoto. The owner has one of the best collections of vinyl I have ever seen. Rattle of some obscure song from the 60s or 70s and chances are he will have it on the turntable as soon as the current selection is finished.

Durty Nelly's, Shannon, Ireland at Bunratty Castle

if one flies into dublin for 4 days with a wife and baby, where is that pub, exactly? We may take a short trip in Ire before going onto Holland in May...

:)MM

Though I would not call it the best bar in the world, the Sunset Beach Bar in St Maarten is definitely my bar of the moment. Here is a photo http://www.temprx.com/sxm1.jpg of a 747 landing over the beach.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the Worlds Best Bars website. Check it out http://www.worldsbestbars.com/

In the interests of every FTer known to go out on the town, would you like to update our bar thread for '08?

:)

Sydney
Guys, I know many here won't go near the former W post- SPG, but the Water Bar gets good reviews and it's in a great spot at Woolloomooloo. It closes early but midnight's a good time to start the trek to some good spots at the Cross.
[World's Best list] (http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/sydney/water-bar-sydney.htm) [Local reviews] (http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/water_bar.htm)[Local list] (http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/public/top_ten/bars_pubs_drinks.htm)
Anyone been lately?

Two of my favorites...Both are hard to get to but well worth the effort.

McDonnells in Belmullet, Co Mayo where the bartender also serves as the local undertaker. Ask for a 'Special'.

One Shot Charlie's in Harrison, Idaho is best accessed with a boat from Lake Coeur d'Alene. The coolest, and coldest beer cooler I have ever seen.

The Rum House in New York City.

I've never gone here sober and left anywhere remotely near that way.

I'm partial to Huggo's on the Rocks in Kona, for the spectacular sunsets and general Hawaiian bonhomie and the Good World Bar here in NYC. Best burgers in town! Great taps. Lotsa buybacks, if you know the staff...

Does it really matter? As long as they've got brew on tap and a bottle of scotch, I'm good to go. All the rest is just cosmetic.

Does it really matter? As long as they've got brew on tap and a bottle of scotch, I'm good to go. All the rest is just cosmetic.

If you say so, Norm.

If you say so, Norm.

Yes I do say so. None of the posts above convinced me otherwise. If you can't have a good time in any bar that has beer on tap and standard supply of liquor, you're not doing it right.

Johnny Huds the small brown shagging machine.

WHAT???!!! The mind fairly boggles....

Does it really matter? As long as they've got brew on tap and a bottle of scotch, I'm good to go. All the rest is just cosmetic.

I agree 100% and I don't even drink scotch. If you aren't in a bar to have some fun whats the use.

The Derby in Alpharetta GA is a fun place to hang out, lots of friends you haven't met yet

I have several favourites, in fact to many to list:

The Abbey-West Hollywood
Area-West Hollywood
Ghost Bar-Las Vegas
Hulas-Honolulu/Waikiki
Matchbox-Palm Springs
Kaiser Grille-Palm Springs (BEST happy hour w/ martinis ^ )
The Red Coconut-Orlando (BEST martinis ^ )

Always looking for more to add to the list!

Yes I do say so. None of the posts above convinced me otherwise. If you can't have a good time in any bar that has beer on tap and standard supply of liquor, you're not doing it right.

Well I suppose if you're happy in a dump drinking any old suds listening to someone sat at the next stool howling to the moon then all I can say is you're easily pleased.
Meself,I'm choosy about my bars - they don't have to be world-famous;they don't have to have a theme.
But generally if they have no TV in them,are generally well-worn but comfortable and have a decent jukebox that doesn't shake the walls I'm half way there.
Some good ale and a little sippin' whiskey finishes it off perfectly.
Man I'm getting thirsty.

Sirkus in Rekjavik is probably the coolestbestestfunnestfunkiest bar this side of the moon.
Agreed. Big up to Bar Moneda on Avda. de la Constitucion in Sevilla, Espana for fried camembert and 1E canas of cerveza, Puck Fair on Layfayette in NYC for Irish breakfast and a Brooklyn Lager at 4 am, The Publick House in Brookline, Mass. for obscure Belgians.

2 must stops:

The Velvet Tango Room in Cleveland; the best place for the 'classic' cocktails made with care. This is the place for an aviation or negroni

Tiki-Ti on Sunset in LA. the last of the great tiki bars.

Cheers!

Well I suppose if you're happy in a dump drinking any old suds listening to someone sat at the next stool howling to the moon then all I can say is you're easily pleased.
Meself,I'm choosy about my bars - they don't have to be world-famous;they don't have to have a theme.
But generally if they have no TV in them,are generally well-worn but comfortable and have a decent jukebox that doesn't shake the walls I'm half way there.
Some good ale and a little sippin' whiskey finishes it off perfectly.
Man I'm getting thirsty.

Two words: High maintenance. :D

The Railway Club in Vancouver (old school members-only pub) or Milk & Honey (highbrow cocktails) in New York - two completely different but equally exclusive and memorable experiences.

http://www.envymags.com/listings/clubs-bars/rice-village/business.2006-06-06.2183769303

the Ginger Man in Houston, and I have not been there in years

just a few good memories from while I was doing my specialty at The Med Center UT:D

and it's still there! :D

I also like the Freakin' Frog in Las Vegas. Great for lots of beers from around the world (750 different bottles and 15 on tap) plus it has a great Whiskey attic!!

www.freakinfrog.com

Tacos & Tequila in Niagra Falls Canada (encompasses all of North America in one place!)

Drank Dos Equis with some fantastic people wearing sombreros all night

Stars'N'Bars in Monaco.

Has a great view of the harbor and skyline. Fantastic food and a great "local" atmosphere!


http://www.starsnbars.com/en/slot/find_us/

=

Two words: High maintenance. :D

Statistically speaking there are nine pages of people recommending bars they really love and only one poster saying who gives a toss.
Go figure - as my American friends are fond of saying :D

Statistically speaking there are nine pages of people recommending bars they really love and only one poster saying who gives a toss.
Go figure - as my American friends are fond of saying :D

Glad you got the joke. To each his/her own.

Under normal conditions, the best bar in the world would have a)many attractive women in it, b)classic rock music playing at a high but not ear shattering volume, and c)allow smoking. :D Getting tough to find these days...

You would love Henry and Harrys Goat Hill tavern in Costa Mesa CA.

Only problem with Goat Hill is that if you choose an obscure label, the beer is often old and the tap has not been cleaned recently. I've had some nasty beer there!

Beach Club in KUL. Not because of any drink in particular, but because the atmosphere is a blast!

The Long Bar in the Felix, Hong Kong Peninsula. Best view and ambiance in town. Drinks are pretty good, too.

Pick apart this list from T+L Australia, which seems okay.
Many of the places described would interest me.

Are they as good as the descriptions? Surely some of these in UK & USA are accessible to some DiningBuzzers.

Would you go, though? ;)

T+L's Favourite Bars of the World (http://www.travelandleisure.com.au/bars/)
(Full and useful descriptions currently at this link; I can supply the full descriptions if the link changes)

Travel + Leisure's Paul Chai has devoted an unhealthy amount of his travel time to the search for the perfect drinking hole. Here's T+L's ultimate top 20 bar fly list, in no particular order, from around the globe.


US: MILK & HONEY - LOWER EAST SIDE NEW YORK
PLEASE DON'T TELL (PDT) - 113 ST MARKS PLACE NEW YORK (E. VILLAGE)
THE DRESDEN ROOM - 1760 N VERMONT AVENUE HOLLYWOOD, CA

MEXICO: EL NIVEL - MONEDA 2, MEXICO CITY
CUBA: BAR GALLERIA - HOTEL NACIONAL DE CUBA, HAVANA

UK: 1. TRADER VIC'S - LONDON HILTON, 22 PARK LANE, LONDON
TOP FLOOR BAR - 30 ST MARY AXE, LONDON
PYRAMID STAGE BAR, GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL, WORTHY FARM, PILTON

FRANCE: HARRY'S NEW YORK BAR - 5 RUE DANOU, PARIS
GERMANY: PINGUIN CLUB - WARTBURGSTRASSE 54, SCHONEBURG, BERLIN
SPAIN: L'ASCENSOR - CALLE BELLA FILLA 3, BARCELONA
SLOVENIA: MAKALONCA - HRIBAJEVO NABREZJE LJUBLJANA
FINLAND: CAFÉ MOCKBA - 11 EERIKINKATU, HELSINKI

AUSTRALIA: ST JEROMES - 7 CALEDONIAN LANE, MELBOURNE
OPERA BAR - SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE FORECOURT, SYDNEY
THE VANGUARD - 42 KING STREET, NEWTOWN, SYDNEY

SOUTH AFRICA: PLANET - MOUNT NELSON HOTEL, CAPE TOWN

SINGAPORE: LOOF BAR - 331 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD
THAILAND: BED SUPPER CLUB - 26 SUKHUMVIT SOI 11, BANGKOK
HONG KONG: FEATHER BOA - 38 STAUNTON STREET, SOHO



Who has had a drink or three at the NYC bars here (or any of the others for that matter)?

;)

Pick apart this list from T+L Australia, which seems okay.
Many of the places described would interest me.

Are they as good as the descriptions? Surely some of these in UK & USA are accessible to some DiningBuzzers.

Would you go, though? ;)





Who has had a drink or three at the NYC bars here (or any of the others for that matter)?

;)

Trader Vic's,London.
Fine if you like drinking with Russian gangsters and their " girlfriends. "

Trader Vic's,London.
Fine if you like drinking with Russian gangsters and their " girlfriends. "

"Niice! How much?"

If this joint prices its drinks for the wallets of said gangsters (I always thought the term was Russian 'Millionaire' or 'Businessman') then I think I'll just pop in to take a look and then go elsewhere.

We have a few nightspots in the Cross that might have a similar atmosphere. ;)

Hula Grill on Ka'anapali Beach can't beat sand between the toes and a Longboard Lager

Castaways, Chicago IL Another beach bar, albeit with a far shorter season

Best lounge on Thur/Fri/Sat

Tillmans
http://www.tillmansnyc.com/
26th and 7th.

It's nice enough to bring a date but why bring fish to the see.

Great Crowd (good looking professional and nice), Good Environment(Decor, Music), and Good Food/Drink selection (they even have Zyr Vodka).

My advice don't bring fish to the sea way too many attractive individuals to bring a date IMO...

I go there weekly if im in town if any FT'ers want to roll through let me know.