Worth it. I've gone to my favorite local bar right after work for a beer and a burger. I'll just enjoy the ability to watch ESPN, check my phone, and get fat. Edit: in public. I do that frequently at home.
Oh my god, it's glorious to find a pretty empty bar on a Sunday in the fall in the US. I'll get there like an hour before football starts, order a drink with lunch and not leave until 7PM.
Eh, I've tried reading a book in a bar. I was interrupted every 5-10 minutes by people going "What?! You're reading a book in a bar?! Fascinating! What's it about? Also, why are you reading in a bar?"
Ebooks. Now you can stare at your phone just like everyone else, but maybe actually improve yourself. Or at least have better entertainment than whatever sportsing is occurring on the tvs.
Seriously, I sit in a pub and read on my phone all the damn time. Oddly more relaxing than doing it at home, cause of the variety of beer I have at my disposal, and the fact I "stay on task" reading and chilling more than at home, so to speak.
When I moved to Phoenix for a few months, I'd take my laptop and my dog to the bar around the corner and get work done. Inevitably I'd end up making friends and getting drunk, but I drafted many an email at that place.
Agree with this. Shortly after moving in to my own apartment after living with room mates for years, I went to a local bar and had lunch and a few drinks on a Saturday by myself. Watched some soccer, talked to the people around me and it was super enjoyable. The hardest part is talking yourself into doing it.
I've been doing this since I turned old enough to drink so I don't really think about it anymore. Can't even remember if it was hard the first time or not.
Yup, I love this too. I travel somewhat frequently for work, and I love having the chance to explore a city on my own. Every night I'll go to a new place for dinner (usually a bar or something similar), eat by myself, talk to whoever I meet there, and generally have a great time. It's amazing how much more you can learn about a place when you're open to meeting new people, not just hanging out with your partner/friends/colleagues/whoever.
Do it! As a former bartender, as long as you are nice and polite you will usually get great service. I loved chatting with the regulars who worked downtown and just wanted a slice of pizza and a beer.
I don't do it often, but this is definitely a great way to spend some time
My last birthday,I went to my favourite pub on my own, early in the afternoon. Just sat in a corner by myself, reading a good book, drinking my favourite cider, put a couple of good songs on the jukebox, it was wonderful. Once it got to about 9pm, and the place started filling up,I was quite drunk, tottered home, picked up a pizza on the way, watched one of my favourite films and fell asleep.
Not saying I'd do that every week, but it was definitely one of the best days I've had in a couple of years
I live in Seoul. I eat at a pub alone all the time.
Well, after about the 5th or 6th time, I knew the bartenders and the other regulars and I was no longer eating alone. That was 4 years ago. I'm never alone now.
This is solid advice, and if bringing a book to a restaurant/bar setting makes you uncomfortable, get an e-book on your phone. All the joy of reading without needing to carry a book and no one can tell what you're doing.
Oddly, I got hit on more while sitting at a bar reading and minding my own business than any other time. Something about a book at a bar seems to scream "talk to me!" Apparently. And they don't take the hint.
"What are you reading?"
silently show cover, keep reading
"Oh, is it good?"
"So far" keep reading
"So what do you do here?"
Oh for the love of burgers, I read, okay? I sit here, and I eat my sandwich, and I drink my cider, and I read. Until now. ARGH.
Fair. But still, with one word non-answers you'd think they'd take a hint. Also, I didn't read every time, I would just hang out and chat with the bartenders, but I rarely got hit on then.
Oh, well if you were in NYC I'd take you out for a beer. Have you tried meetups? When I moved to a new city, I found it to be a pretty nice way of meeting new people. They have groups for different interests or activities, which is kind of cool. It can be difficult moving to a new place, but there are lots of people in similar situations looking for new friends. It's just a matter of going out and meeting them.
It is, it's pretty much the only option for dining alone. Because you are facing the TV's and the bartender, you can talk to the bartender or those around you, or do nothing. At a table you're loneliness is on display.
every time I eat at a bar alone I end up sparking up a conversation with the bartender or someone else eating or drinking alone. It's my favorite thing to do...
If I'm eating alone (on a business trip, etc) my go to move is going to eat at a bar. When you sit at the bar you always end up meeting some people around you to talk to, or at least the bartender. And if not there's almost always ESPN on TV. Plus beer.
Eh, this can sometimes backfire. Most people equate a woman sitting at the bar alone means she's interested in company or open to being hit on. Especially hotel bars
Easy way to find new people to talk to, people are a bit buzzed so always more social.
The first thing I always try to do when I moved to a new town is find a bar with awesome bartenders and a good after work crowd. Becoming a regular has its perks for sure. So dont think going to often is a bad thing.
This. Know exactly no one outside of my coworkers (who are 20+ years older than me), so I've been going to the movies alone, shopping alone, etc. Still not eaten at a bar alone though.
TL;DR~ Going to a bar alone on 4th of July kicked ass.
All my friends were busy 4th of July and I had a little extra money to play with for the first time in a while. So since I live in a small town in Texas, maybe a mile from downtown, I took my bike to the main drag to explore and look for hole in the wall places to chill at.
But I left unsatisfied in quantity, like any good American, so, unlike a good American, I went to a burger place across the street and ordered a giant salad. The spicy vinaigrette wasn't all that great, but it was certainly an experience. The place was alright though, and they were showing football games for both the Women's World Cup and Copa America, so that was fun to watch. After having had my fill of salad, I chatted outside with a dude on a smoke break about the penalty kick by Messi that he missed and left for my next destination.
So I biked back across the street to a bar that had hosted a small rock music festival back in May that makes its own sangria, my favorite drink. Lo and behold, it's happy hour and they're two bucks a pop. So I order and start shooting the shit with the bartender looks like something out of a Sum 41 music video, and it turns out we're both into punk and ska and reeeeaaaaally like Rancid.
So far, I'm having the time of my life getting drunk on my own at four in the afternoon.
So on like my third sangria, the bartender, the other patron at the bar, some really cute girl named Jen, and I all go out to the bar patio to smoke. We're all hanging out drinking, smoking, and listening to the Indestructible album, when I go back inside to get my drink freshened up. Well, when I come back outside there's the guy from the burger place and his friend, so I introduced myself and it turns out burger place guy speaks Spanish as well and suddenly I've made another friend.
And that's how the whole night went. People started trickling in and by the early evening, there were twelve people sitting at like five tables dragged together, including the bartender. That night, I sang Fields of Anthenry at the top of my lungs, got into arguments about Doctor Who and Firefly, flirted, made plans to start a band, and chain smoked four mini cigars.
Simply put, going out to a bar, on my own, in the middle of the afternoon, was the best decision I've ever made.
I ate at a bar one day when i was having a shitty month and just needed a day to myself. Called out of work and spent the day in the city. Went to a bar, sat at the bar, ordered a drink and read. It was nice and exactly what I needed.
I started playing pool when I moved. It was a little less intimidating to go to a pool hall alone because I had something to focus on and once you can play a little it's rare that you haven't started shooting with someone else by the end of a night.
started playing pool when I moved. It was a little less intimidating to go to a pool hall alone because I had something to focus on and once you can play a little it's rare that you haven't started shooting with someone else by the end of a night.
I just moved to a new city two weeks ago, it's not awkward eating alone at all. Though I would rather eat with someone, but that may be because I'm waiting for when my SO moves out here next month.
do it! ...i was in a new town and had a coupon for 2 meals and 2 drinks for 10GBP ....so went and had both meals and drinks to myself ....got a few odd looks but it was a good time.
Eating at a bar alone great, even more so if you're in a city. Talk to the waitstaff and bartenders, tell them you're new to the area and are looking for things to do. As long as you aren't creepy or annoying, people will gladly tell you what they like about the place.
Done this, is tough at first. But go to the bar and get some apps that people see and want some off (basket of fries, nachos, etc)... hang out and look like you are enjoying yourself (have an interesting story of why you are there, etc). You can attract people to talk to doing this. If you are a guy and another guy comes to talk to you, just go with it.... even if you are there to meet girls. That guy will now be your "friend" should the opportunity arise to talk to girls. This makes you WAY more approachable.
Dude it's awesome. I used to live in a city and went out to movies alone all the time, went to the bar and ate alone. Also it was cool because the bar I went to had wifi and I could bring my laptop and sit and browse the internet while I ate my dinner.
I eat at bars alone quite frequently due to work. Not weird in the slightest, seeing as I almost ALWAYS make friends or meet someone anyway because everyone's drinking. Some of the best nights I've had have been with complete strangers. Like at the strip club in Laduc Alberta where I met a felon from Texas just recently released, an Australian who was only 4 hours into his first time in Canada, and a stripper with three nips.
Hey man, I moved to a new city six years ago and started going to bars alone after like 2 years, I should've started immediately. I'm not a bar fly or anything of the sort but on a Friday night after a long shift I go sit my ass in a comfy both, drink some beer and wait for the chill witnesses to bring me food and beverages, it's heavenly to be waited on after you've put in a hard week slumming it with your coworkers.
Sometimes I read, sometimes I reddit, sometimes I bring my laptop and work on my book, sometimes I sit at the bar and chat with all varieties of people.
Going to a bar in a new city and eating alone isn't bad. Get to know your local bartenders. They usually know your city the best and may hook you up with a free drink or two.
It's very fun! As someone else said, you can go when you want, leave when you want, drink however much you want. Most importantly can choose your bar and to try somewhere new! I highly recommend.
Did it for the better part of two years before I found a reliable group of friends. I kind of miss it, ended up having a lot of chats with people I never would have said a word to otherwise.
You're never alone at the bar. Have had some great conversations with barkeeps--any decent bartender is going to be someone who has some stories and knows how to keep a conversation going. Also, they're some of the best sources of local knowledge going.
My boyfriend did this all the time when he spent a summer on the other coast. He got on friendly terms with the bartender and read a lot. Didn't sound so bad :)
We live in California, so the East Coast. I kind of hoped that putting "other coast" would be more helpful, because for all you know he could have gone from Ohio to Virginia, but I'm not sure if it worked.
A bar is the best first step if you want to chat with others. Sit at the bar instead of a table near someone who looks like a regular, looks like they might be alone or looks like they aren't entranced in conversation with the people they are with. The people who talk to the bartender are the best people to sit next to. You'll save the bartender from unnecessary distraction, and you'll have someone easy to talk to who probably has no trouble leading the conversation. Go to a restaurant and/or get a table if you just want some time on your own
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u/burnie_mac Jul 13 '15
Moving to a new city has forced me to deal with this. Not yet ate at a bar alone but it's coming.