What makes a bar great?
The answer probably depends on why you’re drinking.
Looking to catch up with friends and have a few beers before going home? Head to your local dive bar.
What about sampling new cocktails and nailing a few photo ops? You’re better off at a daring new cocktail lounge.
How about people celebrating a birthday with a big group of friends? Look for the biggest and emptiest bar in sight.
Then there are themed bars.
As someone who tends to avoid bars, a well-executed theme actually goes a long way in getting me through the front door. Themed bars, though not as common as their mixology-focused lounges or homely local counterparts, offer some of the coolest experiences in nightlife.
In Barcelona, we have one of the best in the world. It’s called the Dow Jones Bar. The stock market theme is pretty thorough—every order changes the stock of a drink, which affects its price. I don’t know anything about Wall Street, but after a few drinks at the Dow Jones Bar, I was involved in a lot of inside trading. (I thrived.)
My point is that a great theme—similar to something like a themed picnic or an escape room—is a great way to generate interest. In the case of themed bars, that interest translates directly to people like me buying more drinks.
So if you enjoy bars more for the good time than the booze itself, I recommend penciling down these highly-rated themed bars from across the US. (And even if you’re there to drink more than revel, I still think they’re solid choices.)
Smuggler’s Cove
San Francisco
Ever wondered how the past, present, and future become one through the lens of rum? Me, neither—but I’m excited to learn more!
Smuggler’s Cove is a pirate-themed bar that’s truly dedicated to its rum-based craft. The décor is religiously pirate-themed, including plenty of Tiki fare—and that’s just the start.
Smuggler’s Cove excels in its rum offerings. Guests can choose from rum cocktails that actually date back to the peak of Caribbean piracy. That’s the crux of Smuggler’s Cove’s long-running success—behind all the wild pirate frill are some seriously delicious and well-balanced rum drinks. The bar’s book even nabbed a James Beard award.
BeetleHouse NYC
New York City
Every day is Halloween at BeetleHouse. Based on the cult hit Beetlejuice and all things Halloween, this spot goes above and beyond in terms of memorable, mouthwatering spectacles. There’s also a three-course meal available that’s on-theme, which sounds like a solid option for anyone who enjoys ghostly bites.
It might not be a bad idea if you want to sample all the cocktails available. Like any great themed bar, the drinks are imaginative and reflect the overall emphasis on Halloween. They run a pretty wide range of tastes, too, from the chocolate chocolate martini to the old-fashioned-esque headless horseman.
Miracle
Nationwide
Many themed bars start as pop-ups (that’s the case with BeetleHouse, above). A pop-up is (usually) a temporary bar that’s testing out its business plan, waiting for a permanent home, or taking advantage of a limited rent offer.
Miracle is a moving pop-up bar, meaning that the company is constantly partnering with bars around the world to deliver unique experiences. Miracle’s focus is on Christmas magic. The company transforms bars and lounges into snowy wonderlands.
The over-the-top decoration and drink list (and general experience) has proved so popular that bars around the US are waiting for their chance to host a Miracle pop-up. That means you can find Miracle pop-ups around the country—but you’ll need to wait for the holiday season.
Check out this year’s Miracle-themed bars
Wilson & Wilson Private Detective Agency
San Francisco
A speakeasy within a speakeasy? (What are they putting in the water in San Francisco?)
This theme bar is tucked away inside the highly-rated Bourbon & Branch. And that’s where its leading bartenders usually spend their time. The Wilson & Wilson is renowned for its high-profile spirits—and its murder mystery challenge.
This themed bar offers reservations for up to four and no more. After sitting down, guests embark on a true crime challenge to solve the mysterious 1932 disappearance of a woman named Lorraine Adeline Wilson.
The goal? Find Lorraine before you black out.
Monk’s Pub
Chicago
From the outside looking in, I would have pegged Monk’s Bar as an Oktoberfest-themed spot. On closer inspection, it’s actually a callback to a monastery where the owner, Mike Shaker, once spent a summer.
By 1978, he’d turned that wayward adventure into a bar experience in downtown Chicago with the opening of Monk’s Pub.
The interior is a kitschy callback to Central Europe and its beerhalls—and I mean that in the best way possible. But let’s not forget the core of a great themed bar: its menu.
Monk’s Pub is a beer-drinker’s paradise, with some of the best names in American and European beer represented on its draughts. You’ll have over 200 to choose from.