Search results for

The Hungarian outpost of beloved Parisian hotel/restaurant/record label Buddha-Bar may be housed in the neo-baroque Klotild Palace building, in the heart of Váci Street’s pedestrianized shopping district, but the decor is as trendy as you might expect. Influenced by Asian motifs, the lobby and common areas feature dark wood, red patterned wallpaper, and brassy accents; the concept continues into luxurious rooms and suites, the nicest of which have balconies with city views. Of course, the star attraction here is the Buddha-Bar Lounge, where DJs spin global beats every night while chic Budapesters and visitors alike sip on cocktails and snack on sushi. For travelers who would rather find other paths to enlightenment, there’s a spa with sauna, steam baths, hot and cold pools, and a Roman-inspired tepidarium.

The Mandarin Oriental was an early arrival to the Sanya beach boom, and their Sunset Bar is a fantastic place to have drinks in the evening. It has a huge open space with a stunning view of Dadong Bay; it really is the best place in town for sundowners. The cocktails are surprisingly good—try the mojito—though they hit the wallet pretty hard. For non-drinkers, they advertise a full high tea in the afternoons. I just love those little cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

The Hyatt has it in spades when it comes to top views of the city, but while most flock to the Hyatts hidden in the JinMao Tower and World Financial Center (or the “Bottle Opener” as it is affectionally known), it’s the Hyatt on the Bund that claims the ultimate view of the city. Head up the Vue Bar on the 32nd Floor to see the city in a whole new way. You’ll want a seat at the window, so be sure to make a reservation.

It’s easy to imagine this sophisticated watering hole for Madison Avenue swells as a background for a scene from Mad Men. See if you can spot F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald on Ed Sorel’s impressive “who’s who” mural that wraps the room above the red-wine leather banquettes. Though its history means a pricey meal, the carbonara is hearty. Wash it down with a Sloe & Low or Pimm’s Rangoon. In an era where casual restaurants are celebrated, it’s nice to revisit a restaurant-bar where white linen, uniformed wait staff, and polished service still reign.

This is a fantastic high-end restaurant near the Galleria mall, housed in an elegant, modern building with an open but warm atmosphere. Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner, RDG features a menu that is contemporary, with a great deal of international influence.

Overlooking iconic Bondi Beach, Icebergs is arguably Sydney’s most scenic restaurant. The food, from local shrimp to braised beef cheeks, lives up to the setting. 1 Notts Ave., Bondi Beach, 61/(0) 2-9365-9000. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue.

When Charleston’s Blind Tiger opened in the late 1980s—long after Prohibition ended—its name, a phrase synonymous with “speakeasy,” lent the Broad Street bar a delightfully naughty air. Not that the joint needs more atmosphere. The building, which dates back to 1803, has the vibe of an old Irish bar, with big front windows, dark wood, the damp smell of years of spilled beer. But walk through the doors in back and you’ll find a tree-shaded, sun-dappled patio full of architectural ruins and kitted out with a few firepits for cool evenings. That handy backyard bar means you can stay in the fresh air and not venture inside for refills. Alas, the blissful al fresco scene is slightly marred by the inclusion of a television over the bar. (With college football enjoying nearly the same status of religion in the Holy City, only the fanciest cocktail bars can avoid having the game on in these parts).

In its seeming pursuit for consideration as the Platonic ideal of a dive bar, the Rec Room ticks off many boxes: the bar sits in the grimy shadow of a highway overpass, prides itself on selling more cans of PBR than any other bar in the U.S., and is truly dark inside. So dark. The majority of the illumination seems to come from television screens, pinball machines, the fluorescent fixture that hangs low over the pool table, and the light from the street when the front door opens to let in someone who’s been outside smoking. In short, the bar is deliciously down-market without being skeevy. You will find Charleston locals from every walk of life, especially on game days when the televisions—including one playing to the smokers the front patio—are all tuned to football. Come early or late, order a Pabst Blue Ribbon, watch a game, play some foosball or pool, order tater tot nachos, and experience the appeal of a dive bar in a town where propriety and manners rule.

Dream about a Caribbean beach bar and chances are you’ll imagine someplace like MooMba, just south of Palm Beach. Here, you’ll find oversize palapas, tiki torches at night, and a crowd looking for fun with their feet in the sand. From its lounge chairs positioned under swaying palms to its extensive list of tropical cocktails, the watering hole is really what an island vacation is all about. To eat, there’s a buffet, with Sunday’s beach barbecue theme being your best bet. Go at happy hour, which is timed to coincide with the sunset, then stay into the evening for live music and DJs.

For the best views in Gardiner, pop down onto the big patio at the Iron Horse Bar & Grill and gaze out over the river, mountains, and unspoilt terrain of Montana and Yellowstone National Park. Order up a heaping pile of elk nachos, a few craft beers, a hulking bison meatloaf, and perhaps a mulberry margarita or two, and chill on Gardiner’s only real cowboy pation. Keep an eye out for bears on the banks of the river.

Irish bars tend to be a gathering place for local expat communities, and in Istanbul, that role is played by James Joyce—just off Nevizade Street in Beyoğlu. This bar has the typical attributes of a hospitable Irish establishment with its hearty menu, international beers, wooden bar stools and booths, and country-style ambience. James Joyce hosts live music acts every night of the week and telecasts international sporting events on its big screens. Visit here to bump into your fellow countryfolk.

I don’t want to use the word overrated. Many people rave about Coctelería Dickens, but I stopped going there after I paid five euros for a coffee. However, those who are loyal to the bar manage to see past the exorbitant prices to the man behind the bar. Joaquín Fernandez is at the helm, and he is a regular feature in the local press for his cocktail knowledge. He stands definitively in the old-school corner, which means he fits perfectly in this classic San Sebastián bar.

Milan invented the art of bel cafè, the pedicured bar for a delicious morning coffee or afternoon aperitivo. Passerini has a delicious selection of pastries for mornings and afternoons, and is the ideal hideaway for an aperitivo in the city center.

Flickering candles, velvet theater curtains, hushed conversation, and classic cocktails dressed up with slices of dried lemon or lime—the Golden Age Cinema and Bar feels like a secret supper club of yesteryear. Yet, with a geometric light installation, fresh bar snacks and drinks, and a digital film projector, the experience is entirely modern. That’s exactly what owners Barrie, Bob and Chris Barton—who also launched Rooftop Cinema in Melbourne—were after: creating a bar and movie experience that combines the best of today with the best of yesterday. The theater, housed underground in the 1940s Paramount Pictures building, features 60 seats made in the ‘40s and sourced from Switzerland. Shows are both classic and contemporary, with two screenings per night as well as special events such as the monthly Two Thousand Film Club, during which a notable local picks their favorite film and engages in a live Q&A. Before or after the program, enjoy movie-inspired cocktails, including a daily cameo that’s crafted entirely around what’s being shown—think whiskey for the music documentary Muscle Shoals set along the Tennessee River—with herb and parmesan popcorn, maple-bourbon pecans, or the sundae that Gelato Messina reinvents every month. Oh, and on Tuesdays, films are shown at “golden age prices,” which means you could see a 1960s flick for $1 with the purchase of a drink. You’re welcome.

Stroll a rain-forested path—or hire a brightly painted rowboat and guide—to reach this open-air watering hole. It anchors a rudimentary botanical garden up the Indian River, one of the most famous Pirates of the Caribbean film locations. Try the Dynamite Punch, a stiff concoction allegedly containing 44 fruits. “One cup is good, two is better, but for three, we call 9-1-1,” cautions Guide James “Bond” Henry.