What do you look for in a bar/nightclub?

[BeachSkin]

What do you look for when visiting your favorite bar or nightclub? Live bands? Comedy shows? DJs? Karaoke? Imported beers?

[Jumbo]

Hot babes :D and a fairly diverse clientele. Good music (band or juke box). Great staff. Interesting decor and ambiance. Somewhere neat-o to sit outside and play when the weather's good. Ideally, the occasional special event. I highly recommend one of the best ever--The Brotherhood in Oly WA. :)

[skinfan2k]

quick access to a bar, big dance room, bar games, enough lighting to walk around and not be pitch black

[illone]

Gotta have good food, good service, and good lookin babes.

[No Excuses]

Poorly lit places make me uncomfortable.

[Duckus]

1) Queso. Yes, this is really my #1. If you lived in Texas it would be your #1 too. Really good queso sitting outside with a cold drink . . . welcome to heaven. My wife and I refuse to go to a couple of places because their queso is just not that good.

2) Seats - including outside seats. I hate bars that are so packed you can't sit down. Drinking while standing is not my thing. I love sitting around a table and drinking with friends. I don't mind dancing from time to time, but the place needs to have seats. Outside is a must. I guess I am an old man. :ols:

3) Good music - but not crazy loud. I need to be able to talk to the person next to me. I shouldn't have to yell while standing next to my friends.

4) No cover. I never ever believe in paying to enter a bar unless a live band is playing that I really want to see. I am not going to pay your $10 for the privilege to drink your $10 beers.

[deejaydana]

This is very much an age-driven question I think or at the least the criteria gets re-prioritized as you get older. I still want the eye candy and of course the great tunes (be it jukebox or live band) but more than anything now I want legit food with a solid selection of beers and for it to be an idiot-free zone.

[mbws]

The only thing I go to a bar for is Redskins on the TV.

[abdcskins]

Good tvs, good food/drink selection, good location, good atmosphere/decor, hot chicks, not super loud music.

[Sticksboi05]

For going out at night:

Good looking ladies, good music (aka not too much modern Top 40 crap), areas where you can dance or just sit and talk, drink specials like dollar drafts.

For going during the day:

Plenty of TV's, good enough food.

[GoSkins561]

Hippie music...and good beer on tap. :silly:

[Cheers, Beers and Mountaineers]

I'm more of a bar guy than a club guy, so plenty of seating, a good outdoor area, and music you don't have to scream over.

[No_Pressure]

I don't want to go to places with TV's and pumped in music. Live bands are alright but if I go out drinking I go out for the friendly fun atmosphere. Unfortunately I find this almost nonexistent in America. My trips to Europe have confirmed my fears about our own drinking culture. It is often tasteless, immature, and unrelaxed. My ideal bar would be a beer hall which of course isn't a bar. If someone were opening a place in America I would ask: why all the dim lighting? Why all the bare, unpainted and uninteresting walls? Why the lack of culture, friendliness, and community? In a beer hall you can sit down, order a few liters of beer with your best friends or simply the closest table of friendly people, knock back some drinks and listen to the traditional bands. Heck sometimes you get to sing a drinking song which might be lost on some Americans in Munich but it isn't difficult to learn the words to sing ein prosit and eins zwei g'suffa, etc.

Here's another thing: the mass produced beer in this country is in a lot of cases very sub-par. Like...laughably sub-par. I think a lot of people just don't know any better or want whatever is cheapest. I understand there are differences in taste: I wouldn't call Sam Adams sub-par but most of what they brew isn't my cup of tea. I did however recently find a bar around here which has probably 20 import beers on tap and where I was able to get a few glasses full of Augustiner and Franziskaner which is about as rare for me to find as...well I don't have a good analogy but it is extremely rare for me to find. I recently went to a place which had a nice selection. They offered a number of different kinds of beers, imports, etc. on tap and they refused to carry Miller, Budweiser, and Coors which brought a smile to my face.

I dunno, chances are my opinions account for like .0001% of the drinking population of America but god ****ing damn it I found my kind of culture in Munich and I had to ****ing come home. I found a place where everybody apparently had the same feelings about drinking and having a good time as I did and it was night after night of amazing memories at the local beer halls. Every beer was my kind of beer, every place was perfect, then I had to get back on a plane and fly back to this country which I love aside from the fact that everybody HERE seems to feel completely differently about every single thing. God it was nice to fit in for once, and it is one of the great unfair things in life that I found where I fit in, and it was on another continent.

[RANSKINS98]

The most important thing is the female to male raio, second would be good priced booze

[youngchew]

Hard drinks and bad chicks

[Destino]

A bar? I likes lot of different bars. A good crowd and good atmosphere is key.
A club? Great music (mix of hip hop and latin), upscale crowd, not too crowded or empty, and good female to male ratio.

[Sticksboi05]

I don't want to go to places with TV's and pumped in music. Live bands are alright but if I go out drinking I go out for the friendly fun atmosphere. Unfortunately I find this almost nonexistent in America.

AKA every college dive bar on weeknights.

[Special K]

Don't go out a whole lot anymore, not like college but some of the stuff I base my choices on are as follows:

Night:
- I'm definitely over the college bars (not to mention the fact that I feel way to old to be in them). These days I like to go to bars that cater to a bit older of a crowd, like those of us in our late 20's, 30's and up
- I also like a relatively upscale wine or martini bar that's not too crowded, where my friends and I can sit and have good conversations over good wine and/or martinis.
- If I'm only with girlfriends as opposed to a mixed gender group, we typically head to places with a good DJ/dance floor.
- And of course, if my friends and I have a friend who's bartending somewhere, we'll usually hit that place up at some point for free drinks. DUH. :D


Day:
- In the summer, some place with good outdoor patio, deck or even on the water where I can sit outside with friends. I loved bars like this in the summer when I lived in Baltimore.
- In the fall/winter, I typically don't go out to bars to watch sports. I prefer watching football games in the comfort of my home where I invite friends over.

Vegas: I go every summer with my girlfriends and we always hit the trendiest/most popular nightclubs. It's once a year and it's become our tradition. It's fun to buy new dresses for the trip, let loose and dance our butts off at the club :D And of course during the day, we're at our hotel's pool all day sipping drinks and cooling off.

[Bostic Hog]

I'm more of a bar guy than a club guy, so plenty of seating, a good outdoor area, and music you don't have to scream over.

Ditto for me. Nothing worse than going out with friends and not talking because the music is too loud.

[boysetsfire]

Hot hoes and cheap drinks.

[Bostic Hog]

I don't want to go to places with TV's and pumped in music. Live bands are alright but if I go out drinking I go out for the friendly fun atmosphere. Unfortunately I find this almost nonexistent in America. My trips to Europe have confirmed my fears about our own drinking culture. It is often tasteless, immature, and unrelaxed. My ideal bar would be a beer hall which of course isn't a bar. If someone were opening a place in America I would ask: why all the dim lighting? Why all the bare, unpainted and uninteresting walls? Why the lack of culture, friendliness, and community? In a beer hall you can sit down, order a few liters of beer with your best friends or simply the closest table of friendly people, knock back some drinks and listen to the traditional bands. Heck sometimes you get to sing a drinking song which might be lost on some Americans in Munich but it isn't difficult to learn the words to sing ein prosit and eins zwei g'suffa, etc.

Here's another thing: the mass produced beer in this country is in a lot of cases very sub-par. Like...laughably sub-par. I think a lot of people just don't know any better or want whatever is cheapest. I understand there are differences in taste: I wouldn't call Sam Adams sub-par but most of what they brew isn't my cup of tea. I did however recently find a bar around here which has probably 20 import beers on tap and where I was able to get a few glasses full of Augustiner and Franziskaner which is about as rare for me to find as...well I don't have a good analogy but it is extremely rare for me to find. I recently went to a place which had a nice selection. They offered a number of different kinds of beers, imports, etc. on tap and they refused to carry Miller, Budweiser, and Coors which brought a smile to my face.

I dunno, chances are my opinions account for like .0001% of the drinking population of America but god ****ing damn it I found my kind of culture in Munich and I had to ****ing come home. I found a place where everybody apparently had the same feelings about drinking and having a good time as I did and it was night after night of amazing memories at the local beer halls. Every beer was my kind of beer, every place was perfect, then I had to get back on a plane and fly back to this country which I love aside from the fact that everybody HERE seems to feel completely differently about every single thing. God it was nice to fit in for once, and it is one of the great unfair things in life that I found where I fit in, and it was on another continent.

I went to college in Munich!! And graduated from HS in Stuttgart :)
I love me some Paulaner.

[LadySkinsFan]

Bars: Top shelf drinks and quiet enough to have a conversation without losing my voice in the process.

Club: Great gay boy music that keeps me on the dance floor with pauses for tequila shots with water chaser. And the tequila has to be decent and not rail.

[MissU28]

I hate live bands at a bar. My favorite bars are not cramped and have a large bar area where it is fairly easy to order drinks. I also prefer to go to bars where most of the patrons are my age or older. A good beer selection with good craft beers is important, as well as drink specials and drinks that are not ridiculously overpriced.

[HOF44]

I'm a fan of really good bourbon, unfortunately it is a rare find in any bars. So my bar is usually at home.

[No_Pressure]

I went to college in Munich!! And graduated from HS in Stuttgart :)
I love me some Paulaner.

Nice! Paulaner is easier to find in the US than Augustiner which is my favorite. I've also tried and enjoyed Hacker-Pschoss and Weihenstephaner. Any good Bavarian beer will do for me but if its on tap I really love Augustiner. Also, if you went to college in Munich, I'm sure you've been to plenty of beer halls as well as Oktoberfest. Hell, I spent a few nights in a row going to a beer garden which was on the edge of Theresienwiese...Wirsthaus perhaps? Anyway it was so relaxing and enjoyable unlike bars or pubs. I have been wishing for years that I could find a competently set up and run beer hall or beer garden in the U.S. for a while now but I haven't had any luck finding something. Found some bars which were fun and inviting but it wasn't quite the same.

Also, since you're in Bucks county (I'm in Lehigh) if you know of anything decent in this entire area let me know. There are some nice microbreweries that my cousin (who lives between Souderton and Montgomeryville) has introduced me to in that general area around 309, and of course there are the Allentown/Bethlehem brewworks up here (meh) but I've yet to find something good. I do have high hopes for Bethlehem doing their own little Oktoberfest this year however. I missed it last year.

[zoony]

Shuffleboard and cold beer, I'm good

[PokerPacker]

I prefer a smaller, more intimate venue than one of them packed-to-the-gills places where you can sit at the bar and have a conversation with random folks stopping in for some drinks.

[Dictator]

I look for Dank. It's gotta be dank.

[pjfootballer]

I don't want to go to places with TV's and pumped in music. Live bands are alright but if I go out drinking I go out for the friendly fun atmosphere. Unfortunately I find this almost nonexistent in America. My trips to Europe have confirmed my fears about our own drinking culture. It is often tasteless, immature, and unrelaxed. My ideal bar would be a beer hall which of course isn't a bar. If someone were opening a place in America I would ask: why all the dim lighting? Why all the bare, unpainted and uninteresting walls? Why the lack of culture, friendliness, and community? In a beer hall you can sit down, order a few liters of beer with your best friends or simply the closest table of friendly people, knock back some drinks and listen to the traditional bands. Heck sometimes you get to sing a drinking song which might be lost on some Americans in Munich but it isn't difficult to learn the words to sing ein prosit and eins zwei g'suffa, etc.

I have to agree with you. I went to the Hofbrauhaus in Munich in 1985 when I was 17. Best damn time I ever had. Drinking, singing songs I didn't even know. And Munich is a beautiful city.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

1. Hookers.
2. Good jukebox.
3. Reasonable prices on the bourbon.

PS

I'm of the opinion that anyone who frequents a club with "Bottle Service" should be taken outside and put into a guillotine. I have extremely strong feelings on this.

[hawgboy]

I'm off the opinion that anyone who frequents a club with "Bottle Service" should be taken outside and put into a guillotine. I have extremely strong feelings on this.

I had to look "Bottle Service" up.... I don't think they do that anywhere here, but it sounds pretty freaking stupid.

I actually DJ 1-2 times a month in one of our local watering holes. I mix it up and I'm pretty generous with requests as long as I don't think it has a chance of clearing the place out.... those get played after last call.

[Pick6]

The most important is women. Second is probably the lay out of the bar, i.e. how comfortable is it to walk around and ease of getting a drink.

[Kosher Ham]

A Club, SportsBar, or a Bar are completely different expectations for me, and a Lounge is where I prefer to be most of the time.

As far as nightclubs...Women and Music, everything else falls into place after that. Drink specials and prices are just a bonus. If you don't pre-game before going to a nightclub...you don't know what you are doing.
Sports Bars...Rarely enjoy them. Drunk obnoxious people, clown fans, always someone talking when I am trying to actually watch the game. Best one I ever went to was in Miami at Planet Hollywood South Beach (No longer there), I prefer to go to one in a Vegas casino instead.
At a Bar, I expect locals, a smaller feel, a comfortable atmosphere, not too pretentious. Great drink specials, silly bar games, places to talk (inside or outside) I hate karaoke during the week (but understand why they do it). Better food than a sports bar.
A Lounge...think cigar bar with comfortable seating, soft music (volume-wise), light fare, hot professional women, adult conversations, no one looking for drama, just laid back and relaxing. Typically expensive and thus they never stick around long.

A good pool hall can be fun though. haha.

[Koolblue13]

No TVs, good music (not a normal jukebox or radio), interesting mix people, DARK, live music (no cover bands), dank and smokey, strong drinks, quality wine and bourbon and good food (bar food to high end french, just good).

[No Excuses]

I have a friend who does promotions for bars and nightclubs and he keeps posting about bottle service offers and what not.

So I just googled Bottle Service to see what the deal is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_service


Preferential treatment for purchasers of bottle service even includes stopping the regular dance music when an especially expensive bottle is purchased and instead playing an invigorating theme song.[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_service#cite_note-criticism-2)

You can't be serious. What the hell is an invigorating theme song and why would you need that? :ols:

[pjfootballer]

The 3 B's:

Booze, Broads and Boogying

[IONTOP]

I go to bars where I don't have to wait for drinks.... Preferably the bartender will get on my rhythm and ask me if I'm ready for another one before I'm empty...

Other than that... What KB said...

[youngchew]

cheap, strong drinks....and big booty chicks with low self-worth

[Koolblue13]

If anybody ever sees me in a dance/night club with that electronic dance crap playing obnoxiously loud, call the police, because something has obviously gone seriously wrong.

[Sticksboi05]

A Club, SportsBar, or a Bar are completely different expectations for me, and a Lounge is where I prefer to be most of the time.

As far as nightclubs...Women and Music, everything else falls into place after that. (Yup) Drink specials and prices are just a bonus. If you don't pre-game before going to a nightclub...you don't know what you are doing. (Yup, who goes to clubs sober? Unless you're rich maybe)
Sports Bars...Rarely enjoy them. Drunk obnoxious people, clown fans, always someone talking when I am trying to actually watch the game. Best one I ever went to was in Miami at Planet Hollywood South Beach (No longer there), I prefer to go to one in a Vegas casino instead. (Yeah, it's only fun if you're a fan of the home team; hate people who start **** when you try to be courteous)
At a Bar, I expect locals, a smaller feel, a comfortable atmosphere, not too pretentious. Great drink specials, silly bar games, places to talk (inside or outside) I hate karaoke during the week (but understand why they do it). Better food than a sports bar. (Yes to all this)
A Lounge...think cigar bar with comfortable seating, soft music (volume-wise), light fare, hot professional women, adult conversations, no one looking for drama, just laid back and relaxing. Typically expensive and thus they never stick around long.

A good pool hall can be fun though. haha.

I approve of this message. You have $80 in your campaign fund. I hate a bar with no dance floor that still has music so loud you can't hear people. It's infuriating.

[Koolblue13]

The 3 B's:

Booze, Broads and Boogying

More booze, more bull**** and more butt****ing.

Yeah, the three b's.

Bad Santa :ols:

[Stadium-Armory]

Golf Channel.:silly:

[Mr Awesome]

I'm a fan of really good bourbon, unfortunately it is a rare find in any bars. So my bar is usually at home.

There are plenty of good bourbon/whiskey bars in DC, in fact, there is even a bar called Bourbon that has all the bourbon you can think of...you just have to know where to look ;)

For me, its all about the crowd....I avoid places that attract the HOT 99.5 people or that are advertised on the radio...it attracts the wrong kind of people from bum****ville. I like going to places where I dont have to scream over the music to have a conversation too.

[Skinsfan1311]

Craft beer on draft
Good food
Good prices
Good service