If I'm not drinking, no way I'm sitting at the bar, unless there are no available tables. Bars are for drinking, besides the tall chairs aren't all that comfortable.

I'm in a fraternal org and we recently sold our premises, that did have a nice bar. The floor behind the bar was at a lower level, so the bar chairs were the same as at the tables. I miss that.

(One place I will not sit at is one of those tiny, tall tables that have tall bar stools, hate those.)

I love to sit at the bar, to drink, eat, or both.
Maybe the most preferred as it is much more interesting and can be more social if you want.

If you are ordering food, no they shouldn't get annoyed. If the bar is busy and you're sitting there and only ordering water, that would be a different story.

Had dinner last night at the bar in a restaurant we frequent. It was early as we had skipped lunch and the bar was empty at 4:30. Bartendar told us it was fine and for us it would always be fine (she's served us a few times). We had a $100 meal and tipped $25. She refilled our club soda 1 time. But as the bar got busy and the food came out slower than usual, we did eventually get ignored while they dealt with all the drinkers.

Overall not a bad experience. It's just dry January so this won't be an often recurring thing.

I do it all the time but my bartenders don’t mind because I tip generously. Tipping is what matters, that and being a pleasant customer.

Tony.

If they serve food at the bar, it’s okay to eat at the bar.

Maybe that’s just my legal training kicking in.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Had dinner last night at the bar in a restaurant we frequent. It was early as we had skipped lunch and the bar was empty at 4:30. Bartendar told us it was fine and for us it would always be fine (she's served us a few times). We had a $100 meal and tipped $25. She refilled our club soda 1 time. But as the bar got busy and the food came out slower than usual, we did eventually get ignored while they dealt with all the drinkers.

Overall not a bad experience. It's just dry January so this won't be an often recurring thing.

This is more indicative of the 'bar' being short staffed, or the staff being insufficiently attentive to ALL of the customers rather that the fact that you were eating at the bar.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
If they serve food there then absolutely it is, most places kids are not allowed to sit at the bar so it’s a way to avoid little noise makers.

My wife and I went to a local entertainment park/resort for our anniversary a few months ago. We were staying at the resort and had dinner scheduled that evening.
We decide to stop at the bar for a drink after dinner. This is a bar we have frequented many times in the past and we know several of the bar tenders.
The bar/lounge area is also the waiting area for your dinner reservation.

As we entered the bar it was full however we noticed almost one quarter of the bar seats were taken up by what looked like two family's. It was four adults and six or seven kids all looking under the age of 10 or 11.

I looked at the bartender with the "what's up with that look" and he "just shrugged his shoulders."
Later on we found out there was nothing he could do about it.

Since we could not get in there we decided to see if we could get into the lounge on the 15th floor of the hotel, and we did, and had a drink there instead.

On our last cruise one of the bars/coffee shop we frequented was eighteen and older no exceptions. Not sure if any of the other bars had the same policy because we did not spend to much time at those bars.

^^^^
Were they eating or just taking up space? I’m assuming based on your reply that you frown upon people eating without drinking booze?

I do it all the time. Only thing is at least one person is having a pre dinner cocktail. I never do it when I am alone. Dining out alone is a very rare event at this stage of my life.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
^^^^
Were they eating or just taking up space? I’m assuming based on your reply that you frown upon people eating without drinking booze?

Adults had drinks kids were just taking up seats at the bar not even sodas. It looked like they were waiting for the table to be ready. The adults could have easily got their drinks and moved to the lounge area.

As far as eating at the bar it does not matter to me. Either way the bartenders are making money.

My wife and I will sometimes make reservations for dinner in the restaurant then tell the check in people we will eat at the bar.
Most of the time we will have a drink with dinner however their have been times that we did not.

On this one occasion they had stopped serving the dinner menu at the bar so we kept the restaurant seating other wise we would have eaten at the bar.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
^^^^
Were they eating or just taking up space? I’m assuming based on your reply that you frown upon people eating without drinking booze?

I think he was saying the bar shouldn’t be filled with whole families, including children.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
^^^^
Were they eating or just taking up space? I’m assuming based on your reply that you frown upon people eating without drinking booze?

I think he was saying the bar shouldn’t be filled with whole families, including children.

I agree. Back when my kids were young I would go get a drink and head back to the waiting area with the kids when waiting for a table. I wouldn’t bring them to sit at the bar. I was always under the impression that kids couldn’t sit at the bar. However not too long ago a local chain (Tavern in the Square) had me and my kids sit at the bar for lunch when there were no tables. They were older teens but clearly too young to drink. I didn’t plan on drinking but felt obligated sitting at the bar. So I had 3 beers. One for each of us.