Say the phrase “theme bar,” and what pops into most people’s heads is a loud, obnoxious atmosphere not unlike that of a T.G.I. Friday’s or Chevy’s, where tacky decorations crowd the walls and cloyingly sweet drinks are served in gallon-size bowls. (Not that we mind any of this by the second or third round.) But associating all themed bars with scenes like that does a great disservice to the many fun, innovative watering holes around the world. If you’ve ever wanted to sip a cocktail underwater or drink in a zombie safe house, a trip to one of these spots is definitely in order.
Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Calling itself “a defiant outpost of madness in a world gone sane,” Donny Dirk’s opened in 2009 as both a place of respite from brain-eating fiends (there’s a chainsaw behind glass in the bar with a sign that says, “In Case of Zombie Attack, Break Glass) and a celebration of their culture. (The bar shows zombie-centric horror movies regularly.) When hunger strikes, use the bar’s “Batphone” to order food from its sister restaurant, Psycho Suzy’s.
Museum HR Giger Bar: Gruyères, Switzerland
If you’ve ever seen the movie Alien, you’re already familiar with surrealist artist HR Giger’s work. He created a whole museum in the Swiss town of Gruyères that houses his haunting fusions of man and technology (as well as some alien props from the movie), an aesthetic that also characterizes the museum’s bar. The walls and ceiling form one giant skeletal structure, which makes anyone sitting in the bar feel like she’s inside a foreign, intimidating creature.
Kagaya: Tokyo, Japan
Japan’s famous for its bizarrely themed restaurants and bars, but only one of them (that I know of) has a server, Mark, who asks you to pick a country and then bases your service—meaning, his costumes and performance art—on your choice. The venue itself is small and inconspicuous, so when he jumps out at you in a frog suit and hands you a mug that starts vibrating (they’re battery-operated), you’re more than a little surprised.
The Red Sea Star Bar: Eilat, Israel
Holding a conversation must be tough in this bar, where every window allows patrons to get lost in the fascinating sea creatures and plants thriving mere inches away from them. The Red Sea Star complex, which also holds a restaurant and an observatory, offers an experience unlike any other. What’s more, the Red Sea Star works with marine-life experts to protect the nearby coral reef.
