Bar > Booth > Table ... Always Bar

[Augie6]

It seems almost every place I go to eat offers a dinning area and bar area. I'm almost always drawn to the bar area by some unknown force of magic. I enjoy having the more personal report with the bar tender / staff ( servers almost always have to mill around the bar for something ) ... It can open up a more "upscale formal" restaurant to become more approachable. Not to mention I tend to order a drink or two before a meal and maybe one after.

However, I am recently finding out that some look at sitting at a bar as cheating thier restaurant experience. (these people includ mother, girlfriend, co-workers, who make up 80% of my eating time)

What are everyones thoughs of the "proper" time for bar eating vs table setting?

[GraydonCarter]

There are times when I plan to have several drinks - drinking alone, yes - before, during, and after dinner, and having the barkeeper close enables the speed of delivery.

[invinotheresverde]

Stronger drinks, too. ;)

[TheHuntress]

I love propping up the bar! For a similar reason being that I enjoy talking to bar staff and it's better for talking to strangers and meeting new people. I do prefer a table for times that I want a more 'intimate' experience with the person/s I am dining with, but generally I'm found at the bar talking to random strangers.

[Will Owen]

We have some friends, mostly older single guys, who always prefer eating at the bar. However, I am uncomfortable trying to wield knife and fork on any table that's above belly-button height; most booths are bad enough about this, but bars tend to have that big fat rim that really gets in my way. And at 6' I am NOT going to ask for a booster seat! Our buddy Jerry, though, who's considerably shorter, has no problem; he just puts his arms up there and brings the utensils in from each side. I think my problem is that if I'd sprawled over a table like that when I was a kid, I'd have been sent to my room. These things will stay with one …

[huiray]

1) When I feel like it.
2) When I want a table but none are available.

[sedimental]

If it's a more informal place I prefer the bar if it's not too crowded- no children or teenagers in there.

I tend to like booth seating in the restaurant part or tables along the wall. I don't like tables in the middle of the room.

[escondido123]

If it is just my husband and myself, I used to prefer the bar...alas the bartenders of late serve the drinks and then are on their cell phone or go and talk to the young ones at the other end of the bar. So, now, a table.

[LeoLioness]

Pretty much always the bar when I'm alone and there's a bar to eat at.

Otherwise, it depends. There are some places I frequent where the bar area is always crowded and a meal there means a steady stream of people leaning over you to order drinks/settle tabs, which can get old. There are other places where the dining room is cold/drab/boring compared to the bar, or I just prefer the service of a particular bartender.

[rochfood]

What's a "personal report" ?

[beevod]

A food diary?

[small h]

I'm going with "rapport."

[LindaWhit]

Alone - prefer bar. Casual - usually prefer bar. Group setting (4 or more people) - prefer a table, as it's usually easier to talk.

[Janet from Richmond]

Ditto :-)