Define: Homebar

homebar [hohm – bahr] noun: A bar in which you feel at home.

You’d be surprised how many people I’ve encountered that don’t know this term.  Homebars just don’t happen, here’s an all inclusive Sarah’s Guide to Homebars.

You know you’ve found your homebar when:

• It’s within walking distance from your actual home
• More than half of the barstaff know your name and/or go-to drink order.  In situations where a bar has a ton of bartenders, you should at least know who’s working on which night.
• You can tell which bartender made which drink in a blind taste test (yes, I’ve actually done this… and NAILED it!)
• The barstaff will send you “mistakes” and/or give you a drink “on the house” roughly one out of five drinks consumed.  This number improves with time.
• You feel comfortable there solo because after all, the bartenders know you and so do the other bar neighbors sitting at the bar… they become your extended family.

Rules of the homebar:

• You may under NO circumstances have relations with any member of the barstaff of the opposite sex.  Ever.  (My roommate in The City threw away a solid year of us not having to pay for alcohol for one measly sleepover with the hot bartender there.  I have yet to forgive her)
• Your homebar is not a spot for first dates.  This is sacred ground and should the date go wrong you do not want to be judged by their terrible character, or worse.. have them winning over the hearts of your barstaff!
• If possible, stay off your phone.  A text here and there is fine, but avoid phone calls and stints of Temple Run.
• Tip your homebartenders well… really well.  Not only is this a common courtesy, it also speeds the process of them knowing your name/drink order and improves service time.
• Never never be rude/impatient with the barstaff… sit and stay a while.

You don’t just find a homebar immediately!! It’s a huge investment of time, money, and takes an appropriate balance of consuming copocious amounts of alcohol all the while not becoming an obnoxious drunk.

A homebar is going to be different for everybody… in The City my homebar was a homey family run pub and Uncle John hugged and kissed my cheek every time he saw me.  It doesn’t have to be a homey family run pub though… It can be a sports bar, a bar with great drink specials, or if could just be the only bar within walking distance.  Any bar can become a homebar!

It has likely become obvious how seriously I take finding the right homebar… which leads me to tell you about losing my new homebar.  I am not only devastated, disappointed and all around sad… I’m MORTIFIED and have considered moving cities altogether.  Separate post to follow.