5 Bars to Visit Before You Die

It’s that time of week again when most of you head out to your favorite bar for a little R&R. We decided to take a break from usual cognac articles and talk a bit about the bars that are just out of this world.

Picture your favorite bar: the place you escape to for an experience you can’t quite put into words. A great bar could feel like a second home or like another world, but the experience of the entire package makes it a favorite you can rely on any day of the week. The perfect bar provides an experience you never want to forget.

There are certain bars, however, that take experience to an entirely new level—just one visit will stay in your mind for years to come. These are the bars that deliver the wow factor, the places you talk about at parties, saying, “Yeah, I’ve been there. You’ve got to go at least once in your life.” Indeed. These are five bars you simply must visit before you die.

1. Vertigo Grill & Moon Bar, Bangkok

What better way to enjoy a cocktail than while watching the sunset over Thailand and the brilliant Bangkok skyline? At Vertigo’s Moon Bar, you’ll take in that once-in-a-lifetime view at 61 stories high. You can sit down for a sumptuous meal if you’d like, but sharing a drink in the open air will have you feeling on top of the world.

2. The Hemingway Bar, Hotel Ritz, Paris

The bar itself has more history than some countries. Named for its keynote patron, Ernest Hemingway, the room has a certain magic to it that makes its guest feel as though they are sitting among heads of state, renowned artists, and cultural royalty. But beyond the ambiance (and via the impeccable service where everyone is treated like the Who’s Who of Paris) you’ll find a drink that knocks your socks off. The head barman, Colin Field, and his staff will work their wizardry to serve you the best cocktail you will ever have.

3. PDT, New York City

This isn’t the most famous bar in the world, and the name somewhat ironically begs you to keep it that way (PDT stands for Please Don’t Tell). If you lived in the depression era, you’d want to find a speakeasy to drown your sorrows illegally, and PDT recreates the vibe to clever (but impeccably tasteful) perfection. The most memorable part might be the entrance. You head into Crif Dogs, a greasy spoon hole in the wall. Step into the wooden phone booth, pick up the handset, and at the push of a button you get a video monitor once over. If you’re cool enough, the back wall will slide away, welcoming you into a low-key, ultra-cool, intimate bar that you’ll never forget.

4. Bucket of Blood Saloon, Virginia City, Nevada

You can’t claim to be an authority on bars if you’ve never been to a saloon in the old West—and they don’t get much older than the Bucket of Blood, rebuilt in 1876. Snobs and city slickers might dismiss the place as nothing but a tourist trap, but anyone with the good sense to step inside will find that it’s a legitimate bar—you won’t stay for an hour, you’ll stay for more than your fair share of beer, flashbacks, and fun.

5. Der Raum, Melbourne

If the experience for you rests on the quality of the drink, it’s worth traveling around the world to sample the cocktails of Der Raum (German for “the room”). The bar is small, it’s simple, and its chief decoration is the array of libations in limbo hanging above the bar. At Der Raum, it’s the drinks, the drinks, the drinks. Consistently rated among the top 10 bars in the world, no life of bar-hopping is complete until you’ve sampled the best the land down under has to offer.

If you had a chance to pick one bar to visit, which one would it be? Share with us in the comment section.Feel free to add more to this list if you know of any other bars that should have been on this list.

If you are planning on going out to the bars, be sure to take a designated driver with you. Over 400 people have already died due to drunk driving in 2010. Stay safe and enjoy your weekend.

Related posts:

1. 10 Cognac Brands For You To Visit and Try
2. 10 Essentials For Enjoying The Perfect Drink