Before kids, before mortgages, before “we should probably head home before it gets too late” became our unofficial motto, my husband and I used to go out. Actually out, dressed up a little, no plan except finding somewhere fun to end up. Somewhere along the way, date night quietly turned into dinner and straight home, and I did not even notice until we tried an actual night out again last spring and remembered how much we had missed it.
If your date nights have gotten a little too predictable, here are 28 bar and nightlife date ideas that bring back that going-out feeling, whether you want something dressed up and romantic or loud and a little ridiculous.
Cocktail and Speakeasy Style Dates
1. Track down a hidden speakeasy. Most cities have at least one bar behind an unmarked door or through a phone booth. The novelty alone makes for a fun first stop.
2. Book seats at the bar during a mixologist’s shift. Ask the bartender to build you something based on flavors you like instead of ordering off the menu.
3. Do a cocktail flight at a craft bar. Many spots offer small tasting pours so you can split several drinks instead of committing to one each.
4. Dress up for a rooftop cocktail bar. Golden hour with a skyline view turns an ordinary Tuesday into something worth getting dressed up for.
5. Try a bar with a rotating seasonal menu. Going back every few months to see what is new gives you a built-in reason for a repeat date.
Low-Key Bar Dates
6. Find a wine bar with a good small plates menu. Order a few things to share and let the night stretch out slowly.
7. Try a local brewery’s tasting flight. Rate each one together and pick a favorite to order a full pour of.
8. Post up at a bar with board games on hand. A lot of neighborhood bars keep a shelf of games behind the counter if you ask.
9. Do a happy hour date instead of a dinner date. Earlier, cheaper, and usually a lot less crowded than the evening rush.
10. Find a bar with a fireplace or patio fire pit. Cold weather dates get a lot more romantic with somewhere warm to sit.
Live Music and Entertainment Nightlife Dates
11. Catch a local band at a small venue. Smaller shows tend to be cheaper and far more fun than big arena concerts.
12. Go to a piano bar and request songs together. There is something about a room full of strangers singing along that makes for an instant good night.
13. Try a comedy club date. Nothing bonds two people faster than laughing at the same terrible joke.
14. Find a bar that hosts trivia night. Team up as a duo and see how far your combined useless knowledge gets you.
15. Go dancing somewhere with a live DJ or band. It does not have to be a club. Plenty of bars clear a small floor once the night gets going.
Adventurous and Unique Nightlife Dates
16. Try a bar with an arcade in the back. Old school games plus drinks is an easy way to bring out everyone’s competitive streak.
17. Book a late night food and drink crawl. Pick three spots within walking distance and do one drink and one small bite at each.
18. Visit a bar with a themed or immersive concept. Tiki bars, speakeasies with a whole backstory, anything with atmosphere built in.
19. Try axe throwing followed by drinks next door. Burn off some competitive energy first, then wind down together after.
20. Do a late night dessert and cocktail pairing. Some restaurants run a dessert bar menu after their kitchen closes for dinner.
Dive Bar and Casual Nightlife Dates
21. Find your neighborhood’s best dive bar. Cheap drinks, no pretense, and usually a jukebox worth fighting over.
22. Play a round of pool or darts. Loser buys the next round, obviously.
23. Catch a game at a sports bar, even if you do not care about the sport. The energy of a packed bar is fun even when you are just there for each other.
24. Try karaoke at a genuinely bad, genuinely fun bar. The rougher around the edges, the better the memory.
25. Go to a late night diner after the bars close. Greasy fries and rehashing the whole night is half the fun of going out in the first place.
26. Bar hop with no plan at all. Pick a street with a few options and let the night decide itself.
27. Try a bar’s open mic comedy or music night. Amateur night has a charm that polished shows do not.
28. End the night somewhere with a great view. A parking garage rooftop, a bridge, anywhere quiet enough to talk before heading home.
Make It a Whole Night Out
29. Start with dinner reservations, but pick the bar first. Building the night around drinks instead of the meal changes the whole pace, dinner becomes the middle of the date instead of the main event.
30. Get ready together before you leave the house. Music on, actually getting dressed up instead of throwing on whatever is closest, makes the night feel like an event before you even walk out the door.
31. Take a rideshare instead of driving. It sounds small, but not worrying about who is driving means neither of you has to hold back on ordering that second round.
We still keep a running list on our phones of bars we want to try, and every few weeks we cross one off. It does not need to be a whole production, and it does not need a babysitter booked three weeks in advance either, though sometimes that helps. Sometimes it is just one good drink, one loud room, and remembering that going out together is still one of our favorite things to do, kids or no kids, mortgage or no mortgage. Pick one from this list, get dressed up a little more than you think you need to, and go find out what you have been missing.
