Bar (establishment)

WorldBrand briefing

AI supplement

Original synthesis to sit alongside the encyclopedia article below. Not part of Wikipedia; verify facts on Wikipedia when precision matters.

A bar (also referenced historically as saloon, tavern or a close relative of the pub) is a widespread hospitality retail establishment that primarily serves alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, spirits and cocktails, paired with non-alcoholic drinks and often light snacks, for customer consumption on the premises. Many modern bars also incorporate entertainment offerings ranging from live performances to themed activities.

Key moments

16th centuryThe word "bar" first adopts the formal definition of a dedicated drink service counter within European tavern spaces
Colonial North America periodEarly bar predecessors operate as core community hubs for civic meetings, travel rest stops and casual public gatherings
19th centuryWorking-class focused saloons, a distinct type of bar, become ubiquitous across the expanding United States
1920-1933During U.S. national Prohibition, unlicensed illegal bars widely known as speakeasies operate despite official bans on alcohol sales
Late 20th to 21st centuryA wide array of specialized bar sub-types emerge, including cocktail lounges, sports bars, wine bars, zero-alcohol bars and live music-focused venues

The "third place" social function

Bars occupy a unique niche as low-pressure public spaces separate from home and formal work environments, acting as foundational gathering sites for marginalized or niche subcultures including LGBTQ+ communities, local art scenes, and hobby groups. Their casual, low-entry cost design removes many of the social barriers to spontaneous casual interaction.

Global cultural adaptation

While the core bar concept originated in Western tavern traditions, regional variants have evolved to fully align with local social norms and food culture, from British community pubs that serve full traditional meals, to Japanese izakayas focused on shared small plates and alcoholic drinks, to low-key Chinese 清吧 (qingba) spaces tailored for quiet social meetups.

Modern shifting consumer trends

Growing public attention to moderation in alcohol consumption in recent years has driven significant innovation in bar offerings, with a fast-growing segment of non-alcoholic bars, expansive mocktail menus, and family-friendly adapted bar concepts that retain the classic casual social atmosphere of traditional bars while de-emphasizing alcohol as a core offering.

A bar, also known as a saloon, a tavern or tippling house, or sometimes as a pub or club, is a retail business that serves alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, liquor, cocktails, and other beverages such as mineral water and soft drinks. Bars often also sell snack foods, such as chips (crisps) or peanuts, for consumption on their premises. Some types of bars, such as pubs, may also serve food from a restaurant menu. The term "bar" refers both to the countertop where drinks are prepared and served and also by extension to the entirety of the establishment in which the bar is located.

The term derives from the metal or wooden bar (barrier) that is often located along the length of the "bar".[1]

History

There have been many different names for public drinking spaces throughout history. In the Thirteen Colonies of North America, a tavern was a meeting place. During the 19th century, saloons were very important to the leisure time of the working class.[2]

Types

A bar's owners and managers choose the bar's name, décor, drink menu, lighting, and other elements which they think will attract a certain kind of patron. However, they have only limited influence over who patronizes their establishment. Thus, a bar originally intended for one demographic profile can become popular with another. For example, a gay or lesbian bars with a dance or disco floor might, over time, attract an increasingly heterosexual clientele, or a blues bar may become a biker bar if most its patrons are bikers. Bars can also be an integral part of larger venues. For example, hotels, casinos and nightclubs are usually home to one or several bars. Other types of bar include:

Some persons may designate either a room or an area of a room as a home bar. Arrangements can vary from being simple, with bottles of alcohol, cups, and perhaps basic bar supplies, to full bars.

A cocktail lounge is an upscale bar that is typically located within a hotel, restaurant or airport.

A full bar serves liquor, cocktails, wine, and beer.

A wine bar is a bar that focuses on wine rather than on beer or liquor. Patrons of these bars may taste wines before deciding to buy them. Some wine bars also serve small plates of food or other snacks.

A beer bar focuses on beer, particularly craft beer, rather than on wine or liquor. A brew pub has an on-site brewery and serves craft beers.

"Fern bar" is an American slang term for an upscale or preppy (or yuppie) bar.

A music bar is a bar that presents live music as an attraction, such as a piano bar.

A dive bar, often referred to simply as a "dive", is a very informal bar which may be considered by some to be disreputable.

A non-alcoholic bar is a bar that does not serve alcoholic beverages.

A strip club is a bar with nude entertainers.

A bar and grill is also a restaurant.

Entertainment

Bars categorized by the kind of entertainment they offer:

Arcade bars, in which the bar have video games on cabinets and consoles
Blues bars, specializing in the live blues style of music
Comedy bars, specializing in stand-up comedy entertainment
Dance bars, which have a dance floor where patrons dance to recorded music. Typically, if a venue has a large dance floor, focuses primarily on dancing rather than seated drinking, and hires professional DJs, it is considered to be a nightclub or discothèque rather than a bar.
Karaoke bars, with nightly karaoke as entertainment
Music bars, specializing in live music (i.e. concerts). Piano bars are one example.
Drag bars, which specialize in drag performances as entertainment
Salsa bars, where patrons dance to Latin salsa music
Sports bars, which are furnished with sports-related memorabilia and theming, and typically contain a large number of

Bar (establishment)

WorldBrand briefing

The "third place" social function

Global cultural adaptation

Modern shifting consumer trends

History

Legal restrictions

Types

Entertainment

Bar (counter)

Gallery

In fiction

See also

Bibliography

External links

References