The best bars and cafés The United States Of America

An ultra-sympa bar, with an eclectic decoration, a mix of museum dedicated to Elvis and flea market. Locals love this cosy place that has been part of the South End scene for over 50 years and still has very affordable prices. It is true that you can eat well and cheaply there, in addition to having a drink in an almost parallel atmosphere. From its toilets with graffiti-covered walls to its LEDs hanging from the ceiling, Delux Cafe is a real old-fashioned bar, where pretension is not the order of the day. Attention, payment in cash only.

S Bar (Mandalay Bay) welcomes you to a cosy, chic setting. This establishment offers a variety of lounge experiences with copper tones, luxurious drapes, plush seating and a polished black marble bar adorned with iconic artworks by Terry O'Neill, one of the world's most collected photographers. The S Bar offers a few dishes if you're feeling a little hungry, but it's above all the many spirits, cocktails (with a few house specialties) and other wines that will seduce you.

A long table welcomes the colourful crowd of Wicker Park, in a debonair atmosphere. "Bangers" means sausage and "Lace" is the layer of foam that must be obtained on a pint. You have understood the motto: beer and hot dogs. The atmosphere is good-natured. A purely chicagoan evening in perspective under the golden ceiling and between the brick walls of this superb hangar, tastefully and eclectically renovated (just look at the deer heads hanging on the wall).

At Whistler, the people are handsome, the waiters are pleasant, the DJs are talented and the cocktails are evil! Certainly one of the best bars in Chicago, located in a rather quiet area and frequented mainly by locals. Free and good quality live music concerts are organised on a regular basis, and we enjoy attending them in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, with a cheap but tasty beer in our hands. There is an inner courtyard, which can be enjoyed during the summer months. Whistler is definitely our little favorite.

Step back in time and spend the evening in a saloon - that's the proposition of the Rusty Spur, housed in what was the Farmers Bank from 1921 to 1931. Although the bank closed during the Great Depression, the vault remained, and is now filled with bottles. Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Anniston are just some of the celebrities who have set foot on the premises. One of the reasons to come is to enjoy the unique decor and live country music. Although the beer is bottled only, the selection is still very good.

One of the oldest establishments in San Francisco. Opened in 1913, it belongs today to the Plumpjack group of the former mayor Gary Newsom. Old-fashioned brewery decor where young and old alike crowd together for a drink on weekends. Hard to move among the golden boys and girls of the neighborhood, it is nevertheless a good address to drink a beer in a relaxed and noisy atmosphere. Special mention for the salmon tacos and the fried chimichurri, but also for the martini expressos and the bloody marys.

Located in the chic Peninsula Hotel, this bar is one of Chicago's trendiest. It overlooks the famous Michigan Avenue, and its superb rooftop is perfect for sunny days. Inside, the lights are subdued, the decor is uncluttered, and you can enjoy excellent cocktails prepared by real pros, along with stylish tapas and delicious sushi. The clientele is made up of young forty-somethings from Chicago, as well as posh people who stay at the Peninsula, where rooms are priced to the eye... A great place for a drink and a snack!

This tiny, exotic bar, where tiki kitsch reigns - a fashion inspired by Hawaiian style in the 1950s - has been around since 1961. Nothing, or almost nothing, has changed: the cocktails - for which the recipes have always been the same - are fruity and devilishly measured, the glasses are carved from fake totem poles, and smoking was still the order of the fifties until recently. Around the counter, loaded with gurgling fountains and figurines of mermaids and wahines, are many aficionados of the tiki style, looking as if they'd stepped out of an old Hollywood film.

Federales, also present in Dallas and Denver, showcases Mexican cocktails and cuisine. Don't be fooled by its subdued street art ambience, this place will turn up the heat as soon as the DJ takes over the decks. There are plenty of tables to sit around, and a central bar, making for an open, unpretentious space - as evidenced by the humorous phrases about our relationship with alcohol. Self-service fresh water, draught beers... And excellent mango margaritas. The terrace closes around midnight.

It's difficult to pass without notice this huge bar overlooking Ocean Drive and the impressive number of people already attablées, whatever the time of day or night. This is not the ideal place for a romantic evening, but it's the place to be for fun, laugh seeing and be seen and of course drink a drink. A wide choice of beers and cocktails, especially frost, with music running at full volume.

Drinking a chicory latte with beignets is an old Louisiana tradition and the Cafe du Monde is a true institution. Whether your stay is short or long, it is a must. You could stand there for hours watching the people and the army of employees go by. The Cafe du Monde has been open since 1862, when it was established in the French Market, and it's always a pleasure to sit there. Note that this branch is usually open 24 hours a day, a schedule that should be reinstated soon.

The Rock Bottom Brewery chain has set up shop in Milwaukee just like in Chicago. People come here mainly for the huge outdoor patio overlooking the river and the variety of beers. The location is unbeatable, as it's within walking distance of many of the city's hotels and landmarks. It's a favorite spot for Milwaukeeans to spend some quality time on a sunny patio. The house also serves as a restaurant, and the menu offers fairly decent American specialties.

A slightly chic but pleasant atmosphere for dining to the sound of jazz music, in subdued blue light. If you want to chat, opt for the bar or the mezzanine, where you can see the stage without being too close to the music. In fact, the musicians are so close that a warm, friendly exchange takes place even from the stage. It's all in good spirit, and there's plenty to savor the moment with a glass of wine in hand. On the other hand, the food and cocktails are nothing extraordinary, and somewhat disappointing for the price.

One of the most popular bars on the Lower East Side. All you have to do is see the line to enter the establishment on weekends. Once in the bar, you can drink your beers quietly towards the entrance or walk to the back of the room to attend concerts where DJs and young New York bands, who mainly play alternative rock, perform. If you're single, dress up: an evening at Piano's is an opportunity to meet your soul mate, the place is famous for attracting New York singles!

Fred's Mexican Cafe is a chain that offers specialties at the crossroads of Mexican, Hawaiian and American cuisine (also present in San Diego and Huntington Beach). A good plan with hearty and delicious dishes! Among the classics are quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and tacos with Hawaiian ingredients like Kalua Pork or pulled pork. Another specialty of the chain: margaritas, with more than ten different recipes, but also sangria and cerveza. A refreshing little Latino break.

Conveniently located on the waterfront in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Mai Tai Bar raises its game at sunset. Comfortably seated on the terrace in front of a band of local musicians who play there every night from 6 to 10 pm, order one of their fruity cocktails. Vanilla, pineapple, ginger, champagne or coconut, the drinks have as many flavors as exotic colors. Glass in hand, turn towards the sea to enjoy the orange glow of the sun disappearing behind the horizon. Impeccable service.

A guaranteed atmosphere at the Barefoot Bar, the Duke's bar, a real institution for night trips to Waikiki. Local and international clientele. Live Hawaiian music from 16 am to 18 pm and from 22 pm to midnight. Also a restaurant on the floor.

A small tea room with an old-fashioned charm, where you come to enjoy scones and mini-sandwiches while sipping a good cup of tea. The tea card is as long as your arm. For those who like their drinks a little stronger, the establishment offers tea-based cocktails. If the downstairs room is full, which is often the case, especially on weekends, given the size of the place, there is a second space upstairs, just as cute.

Opened in 2017, this very cozy little vegetarian cafe offers quality natural products from the local market. The atmosphere is peaceful, with a brick and wood interior bathed in light thanks to a large bay window overlooking the street. One feels at home and in harmony in this small haven of peace. Fruit juices, organic tea, coffee, smoothie bowls made with fresh fruit and almonds, quinoa salad and much more to make you feel great and ready to walk the streets of the Mission district.

Just a stone's throw from the Walker Art Center, this café is part of a local chain with more than 70 locations in Minnesota. The Dunn brothers opened their first café in 1987 in St. Paul, and it was an immediate success thanks to the warm atmosphere and excellent coffee. Set up on two floors, this address has a multitude of tables, some armchairs and a terrace for the nice days. The coffee is roasted on the spot, not to spoil anything. A good little address, where you can stop before or after visiting the museum.

This bar has fifteen screens for sports coverage. And just as well, because Las Vegas never ceases to shine with its various teams. The Golden Knights won the championship in 2023, while the Raiders (US soccer) and the Aces (women's basketball) continue to progress. The city is also the world capital of combat sports, from boxing to MMA, not to mention the arrival of a Formula 1 race in 2024... And you'll find it all at Tailgate Social!

This is one of the coziest addresses in Las Vegas. This cigar bar welcomes you in a luxurious setting with leather sofas and marble tables, as well as a very pleasant patio. Serving excellent whisky and bourbon cocktails, it also boasts a cigar cellar featuring over 150 different models from countries such as Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Honduras... And you can smoke on the premises - a rarity in the USA, as the Eight Lounge boasts the best ventilation system in the country!

This little speakeasy is a bar hidden behind a donut store in the Aria casino, which we recommend you discover at the end of the evening. Imagine a small cabaret room plunged into darkness, hosting intimate jazz concerts. Caviar, wine, champagne, cocktails and smoke shows - a mysterious little box containing a cocktail and chocolates bathed in a cloud of smoke from dry ice - are served late into the night. A typical '20s atmosphere for romantic evenings out!

The Greenwich Village neighborhood has no shortage of bars, but this one is a bit special as it is the first café in Manhattan dedicated to games. A block away from Washington Square Park, The Uncommons is mostly frequented by students from New York University, whose campus is just a stone's throw away. While classic board games like Monopoly are obviously present, the café also offers hundreds of strategy, card and creative games for customers to discover over a good beer or hot chocolate.

Students gather here to study or chat over a good coffee or a vegetarian sandwich. With its (almost) neighbor the Fair Trade Café, it is the best place on the street to drink a decent coffee, not too diluted. On the walls of the first big room, local artists exhibit photos or paintings; if you're interested, talk to the staff, they're there for that. The back room is lined with shelves of books. In short, a nice place, where we support fair trade, to spend a relaxing and studious afternoon.

An independent café with character, where the coffee is ground on the spot. Its smell jumps out at you as soon as you walk through the door. Besides, everything here is homemade, not only the coffee, but also the sandwiches, the pastries, the Mexican salsas, the pizzas... We appreciate the warm atmosphere and the large communal tables, which make the place friendly. An authentic, genuine place to try for one of your lunch breaks.

In a lounge bar in the alternative district of Brady Street, you can expect a rather trendy scene, with cocktails, DJs, deep canapés. Well, that's exactly what the Hi Hat Garage on Brady offers. Super-strong Martinis and gin cocktails, DJ nights without admission at the entrance, a very different atmosphere from the beer bars in the city centre, although just as friendly. You can also eat unpretentious American food there.

If you're looking for ambiances like in good death, maybe you'll be happy with Buck Bradley's: here is the longest bar east of the Mississippi. Only crachoir is missing. Certainly, no one enters the door door, with a cowboy hat screwed on the skull, but the atmosphere is there. A little dark, very friendly, perfect for a drink in the evening. Possibility to eat on the thumb.

The Wicked Hop is housed in the oldest building in the historic Third Ward, a beautifully restored warehouse. With its rough brick walls and high ceilings, it's a Milwaukee favorite, and its happy hours are probably no small part of it. Not a day goes by without at least one discount on the menu! Tacos, fried fish, burgers... The place also serves one of the best Bloody Mary in town. During the nice days, the pleasant terrace is invaded every evening and weekend with their iconic brunch.

Situated at the foot of the hill, this café is popular with the locals all year round and especially in summer, when the terrace opens its parasols. The café occupies the structures of the former Lake Michigan water pumping station, once used to clean the Milwaukee River of its polluting residues. The setting has been redesigned to accommodate the small tables on several levels, and the building can be visited from top to bottom. Free concerts are held regularly during the summer. A very beautiful place.

Hopleaf is known throughout Chicago for its wide selection of beers: nearly seventy varieties of local or international, blond or brown, strong or light beers. Belgian beers are the best represented on the international map, and in particular the famous Chimay in small blue bottles. And for a beer bar, their dishes, especially sandwiches, are excellent, such as the one with duck, or the plate of mussels for two or the steak and chips. On sunny days, the terrace is particularly pleasant.

Cubby Bear is the fan bar for the Chicago Cubs baseball team, which plays at Wrigley Field across the street. A large tableless room on the ground floor has rows of flat screens where all matches are broadcast live. As soon as the crowd screams or roars in the stadium, the sound comes in stereo, from the TV and directly from the stands through the windows. A first and second floor welcome thirsty people before, during and after the match, who share their impressions of the day's possible home runs.

Just as the Michelangelo's a little lower on the street, the Fair Trade Café, as its name indicates, supports fair trade. The small terrace on the bottom is the right place to relax with a day of sightseeing.

Capital Brewery is a brewery that has already won numerous national and international awards (over two hundred, after all!). You can come and have a tasting session during the brewery's opening hours. Try the Maibock, the best-known of its beers, and the lightest. Afterwards, you'll have a choice of several seasonal beers, all very aromatic. The Capital Brewery hosts live concerts every Friday evening. Great atmosphere. For beer lovers, the brewery can also be visited from Friday to Sunday.

Every evening, this establishment plays host to rock and reggae bands, attracting locals of all ages. The atmosphere is relaxed, even exhilarating on some nights on the dance floor. The decor is very American, with walls and a long wooden bar serving drinks and burgers for between US$8 and US$10. One of the best places for music lovers. If you're here for the music, there's no need to rush in before 9.30pm, as the bands rarely start on time.

Here, each room is inspired by a theme from the newspaper and the walls are covered with giant articles and editorials. In the Variety Room there is an article with the headline "Lennon in Love". In the sports hall, in addition to articles about the players, there are about ten televisions broadcasting matches. At the entrance, in the centre of the bar, a huge boat symbolises travel. There's even a wine bar at the back of the room. As you will have understood, it is not a particularly romantic place, but the atmosphere is pleasant.

What's nice about Genna's is its eclectic side: throughout the day, the clientele evolves. Around 6pm, you'll find men in suits just off work, then two hours later students come in to spend the evening or just have a drink before going to the club. The cocktails are top-notch, among the best in town. The bar is very small, but size doesn't matter, considering how many people can sit or stand in front of it. Happy Hour on weekdays from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.

The Great Dane, which brews its own beers, is a popular place whose reputation has spread beyond the borders of Madison. Its pub-brewery is spacious, with a high but festive sound volume. The atmosphere is relaxed, the sofas are made of leather and you really don't want to get out once you've settled in. On the catering side, typical brasserie dishes, such as hamburger and chips, but also grilled salmon plates and salads. Six billiard tables are waiting for you, but on some evenings, you have to be patient: the place is known.

Despite what its name suggests, Cafe Brauer is more of a reception hall, which hosts all kinds of events, than a café. Its Prairie-style architecture is something to behold. It was built in 1911 by Dwight Perkins, who was influenced by the work of the master of the genre, Frank Lloyd Wright. Situated on a small lake, it lends itself to walking and photography, facing the Chicago skyline and the dark mass of the Hancock Center in the distance. The outdoor "biergarten" is surrounded by flowers, shaded by tall trees.

We won't lie to you, Butch is the last place where party people meet after all the other bars close. An atmosphere that is frankly degraded, where everyone can breathe the alcohol vapours that emanate from their neighbour. An atmosphere a little late in the century, but a typical address. At least you can say you tested the real American dive bar! The establishment also offers a fairly complete menu, which allows you to settle down before having another small beer. A real local address.

As its name indicates, House of Beers specialises in beer. There are dozens of kinds of beer in there; The right bar, with its beer pump arms, serves only beer. If you want other alcohols, a whisky "on the rocks" for example, you have to go to the left bar. When you sit in the room, you're surrounded by two bars, and it's as hard to choose between Guinness and scotch than to stay sober.

Like any good Irish pub, the Finn McCool's is dark and attractive. It is used to drink (beer and spirits) and to eat (large salads and sandwiches) every day of the week, in the bar or on one of the top round tables. When you enter Finn McCool's, you quickly realize that something is too much. But what? Oh yeah, maybe it's the eleven TV screens and the two giant screens set around the corner. It's sure that if you want to relax your eyes, it's better to avoid. On the other hand, football days are festival!

Rock Bottom Brewery proves that there is not only Budweiser in the United States. Here, we sit down at the bar to taste the multitude of brewed beers offered by the establishment. In summer, you can sip your pint in the "biergarten" on the roof with a view of the skyscrapers. This is where managers and employees meet after the offices close. You can also eat on the spot, but the food is quite ordinary. We'll mainly order food so that we have something in our stomachs other than beer!

Most of their addresses have a wireless connection system. Two addresses: at the crossing of Lake Street and LaSalle Street and at the Clark and Madison crossing in the Loop. Go to www.starbucks.com to find other places of connection. Starbucks is not the place to advise as local coffee because there are all over the planet! The connection is free for one hour if you eat.