What Makes a Great Bar?

What makes a great bar? Great bars in bad locations are never ideal. Knowing there are other good bars within walking distance is always a bonus.

2. Part of being in a good location also means that it's well connected by public transport. Or, at the very least, that you're an inexpensive and short taxi ride away.

3. Every great bar has a great atmosphere, which means a good number of people but not so many that you can't breathe. Music may be a plus, but only if it's not too loud.

4. Which leads me onto this - you want to be able to hear what your friends are saying without them needing to shout.

5. For many people, this one won't be much of an issue, but for others a great bar has plenty of seating areas. Booths are especially good for small groups of friends.

6. Getting served can be tricky in some bars, so a healthy number of waiting staff are always important.

7. Trained bar staff are even more important. Being able to spot which customer is next is a dying art, but the better bar staff are excellent at it and it reflects positively on the bar itself.

8. When it comes to buying drinks, reasonable prices will always win out. While some people are happy to pay a higher price in better bars, I would argue that part of being a truly great bar is charging fair prices for your drinks.

9. As the drinks being reasonably priced, a top bar will have a wide selection of beverages to choose from.

10. There's nothing more off putting in a bar than if it's too cold or too warm, so a normal room temperature is a must.


What makes a great bar? Every great bar has a great atmosphere, which means a good number of people click here but not so many that you can't breathe. For many people, this one won't be much of an issue, but for others a great bar has plenty of seating areas. Being able to spot which customer is next is a dying art, but the better bar staff are excellent at it and it reflects positively on the bar itself.

While some people are happy to pay a higher price in better bars, I would argue that part of being a truly great bar is charging fair prices for your drinks.