Bars & Nightlife

breaking up with your boyfriend while your dad is in town

he will give you a big hug, take you to smoke a ciggy, and then drink a tall boy w u at a random bar.

Bigfoot Lodge

i love a honky tonk. they have free live bluegrass music on tuesday nights.

Bar Suzuki: TOKYO BAR

Don’t interpret location. Would you go to a New York bar on the 11th floor of an office building? Of course not. But in Tokyo that’s completely normal. You walk down a hallway that looks like you’re visiting your accountant and open a door and you’re in a wood-lined bar with 8-seats right out of 1950s. This is good. This is how you’ll find Bar Suzuki. Some of these smaller places have a cover charge and that’s just how things work there. This is a terrific bar in Ginza that you will love.

Harbor Room (est. 1951)

the tiniest bar in Los Angeles County 🐭

C-Boy's Heart & Soul

Admittedly got here rather late after two other bars but had an incredibly surreal evening...in a good way! Including a horse walking into the bar ahead of me, a fantastic live soul band, murals, some elderly dirty dancing...I could go on.

Travis Marina Bar

Bo-Bi

If you hate the smell of cigarettes don’t enter, it’s a smoking bar & almost every single person inside is smoking. This could potentially be a nightmare depending on the night, but it’s a beautiful bar (Opened by a sailor in 1917) and the drinks are inexpensive. The service is bad, but that’s not why you’re there.

Oxbow Brewing

Nice pondside deck to sit on, and a decent Indian food cart parked out front.

Refuge, Brooklyn

By far theeeee best all-around club in NYC right now. No phones, perfect sound, elevated dj booth (so less people “watch” the dj), great outdoor space, goes till morning, serves breakfast, sprung floors so your knees don’t hurt from dancing all night. Hosts many styles, but i’ve never seen a bad dj here. Love it forever <3

The Pint

Gay bingo!

The Continental Club

Here since 1955 and full of energy, live music, vibes and the odd legend. We went late night and then again at 3pm to watch Johnny Cash's keyboardist plink the odd note on the piano after being wheeled onstage by my mildly drunk friends. His elderly roadie positioned with an oxygen tank gleefully filmed them all dancing. A place to make some memories.

The Highlander

Scottish pub in Paris, which is what you'd expect, if you don't expect too much. Ideal place to watch the Vikings lose a playoff game.

Spincoaster Music Bar

This is a vinyl bar in Shinjuku that allows you to request a song with your drink order. It's a fun place to get drinks with friends and talk about why you chose your specific song! As it's in Shinjuku, there are many other bars in the area, which is perfect for bar hopping.

Le Tigre Lounge

David Lynch’s favorite bar. Allegedly. In a strip mall. Actually.

Mac's Club Deuce

Anthony Bourdain's and my favorite dive bar in South Beach. Once you're tipsy, go across the street and get sandwiches from La Sandwicherie (or a tattoo, like my husband once did lol!!)

potato head beach club bali

The pool. The vibe. The beach club.

Ginger's Bar (Brooklyn)

An Irish lesbian bar?? The oldest lesbian bar in Brooklyn?? Ginger’s is a Park Slope institution and personally very important to me. I’ve hosted two Gaza fundraisers here, and they’ve been so lovely. I always feel so safe and comfortable when I walk in, even if I’m in full stress-mode before an event. Can’t believe I hadn’t already recommended it.

Grand Star Jazz Club

god I love that light up dance floor

1-800-LUCKY

Go for some late dumplings, stay for the DJ that starts spinning in the yard 🪩

The Cambridge Public House in Paris

Not England-themed and not a pub, but a spectacular cocktail bar in Paris. The cocktail list is bonkers-good and there are no bad choices. The bartenders are kind, engaging, and happy to help guide you to the right decision without being pushy. A local told me about this place. I was skeptical and am so glad I was wrong.

The End — a dive bar

Dive bars are superior. That’s just a fact and this one is no different. Great little spot, good vibes, not touristy. Highly recommend

Kanazawa Music Bar

Chic little natural wine and listening bar

Dee’s Lounge: Nashville, Tennessee

Dee’s was my absolute favorite place for music when I lived in Nashville. A locals only type hole in the wall away from all the tourists. It never matters who’s playing on that stage, because they’re almost always better than anything you’ll hear on the radio- and the Old Fashioned always had the best bourbon soaked cherries.

Club Plastic

went to recommend plastic, which andy warhol once deemed "one of the best clubs in the world", only to find that it closed in 2025. i'm sad.