Picking a bar based on cocktail menu or interior design misses half the picture. Where that bar is located–the surrounding neighborhood, its accessibility–defines and shapes the experience of visiting the bar in ways that far exceed the drinks themselves. The location of a bar influences who will be around, what the energy will be like, how the night will unfold, whether getting there and back will be a hassle or seamless. All these location-based considerations allow visitors to choose bars that promote the type of night they want to have. 

Neighborhood Energy 

Neighborhoods have varying characteristics that attract different crowds, even if the bars seem similar on paper. A cocktail lounge in a business district attracts an after-hours professional crowd during the week but is dead on the weekends. The same bar in a residential neighborhood will be filled nightly with locals, but will only have this crowd if the neighborhood has no established nightlife. 

Entertainment districts create their own energy. Entertainment districts built around theatres or music venues attract a different crowd who come in search of ways to make an evening out of their visit to the area rather than just stopping in along the way. This energy permeates through bars, making them busier and more social. 

Tourist areas change the equation completely. Bars in touristy areas tend to be neutralized to appeal to the widest audience possible. They lack a lot of things that make local bars feel unique. The only benefit that tourist areas provide is that they consolidate a number of possibilities into a small area. 

Transportation Options 

How visitors get to a bar influences their experience before they even enter the space. Bars with easy access to public transportation make sense for groups where some party-goers will not be drinking or if no one wants to deal with parking. An easily accessible bar makes it so that everyone is in a good mood before the night even begins and no one has to fight through the negative feelings that parking can provoke. 

Bars in centralized business or entertainment districts work for gathering groups of friends who are coming in from various parts of the city. A centrally located bar also shows consideration toward all guests. For those wanting to take advantage of an area by visiting multiple places, the transportation routes and establishments in these centralized areas enable visitors to stop by a cocktail bar near Covent Garden, for instance. 

Bars in areas without reliable public transportation need parking lots—lots of them. Neighborhood bars in suburban areas without the proper parking availability will have guests coming in with bad attitudes before they even taste their first drinks. 

Alternatives 

Bars exist within communities and not vacuums and this can impact how the rest of the evening progresses. A bar located in an area with different options allows a group to find alternatives if their first choice is too busy or does not provide the experience they desire. If finding one’s way back to the home base is tricky, nearby alternatives prevent groups from getting stuck anywhere that doesn’t fit their vibe. 

Nearby restaurants allow for a more natural progression of an evening. The transition from cocktails to dinner is easier when restaurants are nearby. Grab-and-go food after a late-night bar visit also becomes necessary and certain areas have made this possible while others lack this convenience. 

Bars located near event venues create this pattern for a specific use as well. Bars located near theatres, comedy clubs or concert venues allow guests to combine various activities throughout the evening rather than needing to come with a plan. 

Safety 

Certain neighborhoods feel safer than others, impacting how people feel about the bar. Roads that are well travelled, well lit, and filled with people engaged in legitimate activities create levels of safety that cocktails can never replicate. Any bar experience is terrible if guests are on edge about the neighborhood surrounding it. 

This consideration impacts solo travelers more than anyone else, as well as those on dates rather than with pre-established friendships. 

Location Impacts Pricing 

Location goes hand in hand with price. Bars in high demand areas pay an expensive rent that owners have to pass down to their guests via their cocktails. Neighborhood bars in untrendy locations benefit from lower rent that translates to lower prices for guests while sacrificing this energy, busyness and convenience. 

The pricing level of an entire area also impacts bar prices. Upper crust neighborhoods contain only higher-end prices at their bars. 

Reputations Develop Over Time 

Certain neighbourhoods develop reputations for certain classes of establishments. Arts districts contain different types of bars than business districts and residential areas differ from entertainment districts. Understanding how to match bars with desired outcomes creates more suitable experiences. 

Bars That Fit 

Different occasions require different locations as well. Occasions celebrating a milestone require an expensive destination type bar for commemorating special events. Regularly scheduled meetings need more accessible bars located within untrendy neighborhoods. Dates with potential romantic partners require bars that double as an evening out on the town while also encouraging proper transportation back home after cocktails and intimate conversation. Business acquaintances require a bar located in the business side of town.