6 of the world's quirkiest bars

We all love our local but prepare to have your jaw drop at these breathtakingly unique bars from all around the world.
"Just nipping out to the shed for a while ...""Just nipping out to the shed for a while ..."
"Just nipping out to the shed for a while ..."

Whether it’s the sacred after-work pint or cocktails with the gals, there’s no more beloved a venue than the humble bar. But what if an establishment could leave you feeling tipsy before the first round’s even been bought in? Check out these weird and wacky gin-joints - some of the quirkiest places to drink in the world.

Madame Claude - Berlin

You know that bizarre feeling the room is spinning when you hit your pillow after a night on the wine? Well, at the illustrious Madame Claude’s (a former brothel) in Berlin that feeling is with you from the moment you step in the door. Located in the Kreuzberg district of the historic city, Madame Claude’s takes topsy-turvy to a whole new level with an inverse bar (complete with furniture) nailed to the ceiling. Cast your eyes up as you sip and you’ll see everything from armchairs to discarded combat boots. Surreal, but hey, at least it means they’re never full.

Yorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideasYorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideas
Yorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideas

Aurora Ice Bar - Alaska

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Your chances of being given a lukewarm beer in Alaska’s Aurora Ice Bar are next to none. Nestled in the breathtaking peaks of Fairbanks Alaska the entire bar is a fully functioning watering hole carved from frozen blocks. If the bartenders are running low on ice they literally chip it off the wall as their patrons sip cocktails under the futuristic glow of fluorescent lights. How do you keep warm, you may ask? Central heating would obviously turn your night out into a puddle so instead all the chairs are dressed with caribou fur to keep you cosy. Would definitely still recommend a coat, though.

Alux Caverna - Mexico

It doesn’t get more underground than this, Quintana Roo’s mystical Mayan Alux Caverna ‘Cave Bar’. Built into a hollowed out rock face created naturally by centuries of erosion the cave bar can accommodate up to 300 people. Inside you’ll find stunning natural stalactites and stalagmites some of which date back over 10,000 years. The cave is primarily lit by candles, creating a cosy and intimate atmosphere as you sip frozen margaritas in the hazy Mexican heat.

Yorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideasYorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideas
Yorkshire is laying claim to one of the quirkiest pub ideas

Blue Lagoon Bar – Iceland

The waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland are said to have restorative powers.

Geothermal water, it originates 2,000 metres below the surface, where fresh and sea water combine at extremely high temperatures. Accessed through drilling, it picks up mineral deposits on the way up, including the silica that renders the waters brilliantly blue. The lagoon itself sits at a lovely 37-40 degrees, and bathers can enjoy drinks brought to them right in the water at the Blue Lagoon Bar. Therapeutic waters and an ice-cold beer? Perfection.

Museum Bar Giger – Switzerland

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Adore Ridley Scott’s Alien? Thrill to the incredible designs of the alien ship and the menacing creature? You can step into the world of the brilliant conceptual artist behind both at the H.R. Giger Museum Bar, designed by Giger himself. A cavernous, biomechanical skeletal structure, with stunning vaulted ceilings criss-crossed with vertebrae arches, the feeling is one of being inside the fossilised remains of an enormous alien creature. As unsettling a place to sink a pint as you could find.

They say everything is better with a drink in your hand, but gardening?! At the Potting Shed (ad ops please link to: https://www.pottingshedbar.com/ in Northallerton, Yorkshire, opening on August 11, your green fingers will be tingling as you clink glasses in a garden shed. The delightfully wacky set up takes full advantage of the crisp English sunshine with a row of colourful wooden sheds framing their picturesque garden.

The sheds are the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of champagne on one of their Fizz Friday events (prosecco from £15 and champagne from £20) or enjoy the weekly live acoustic music sets they put on from Thursday evenings through the weekend. Staying true to their roots the Potting Shed also do a delicious Yorkshire burger made with locally sourced beef and bacon and topped off with Yorkshire puddings if you get peckish. New to Northallerton, they already have sites in Bingley and Beverley.

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