The Best Man Cave Bar Ideas
No man cave is complete without a fully stocked bar. Having all your favourite liquors and premium whiskeys ready to pour is the height of luxury. Gone are the days of carrying your glasses through the house after preparing your drinks in the kitchen! But what do you need to store all of your equipment? And where’s the best place to install your bar? Let’s find out.
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If you’re ready to elevate your social space to the next level, we’ve got the best man cave bar ideas to consider. With our advice at The Man Cave Project, you’re in safe hands, from theme ideas to entertainment suggestions and liquor recommendations. No matter the size of your room, we’ve got some incredible tips to guarantee that your bar will impress.
Pick a Theme
Knowing what style you’re working toward will massively help you make bar equipment and drinkware decisions. Depending on whether you appreciate a rustic theme or a modern look, the types of appliances you’ll need will differ.
The theme of your man cave will set the room’s tone, so nailing the aesthetic will ensure that the rest of the space flows. So when you’re deciding, make sure it’s a space you’ll want to spend time in. Pay attention to the seating arrangements and lighting options to achieve the environment you’re looking for, whether entertaining or your private sanctuary.
A Gentlemen’s Club
A gentlemen’s club is the ultimate luxurious yet rustic theme idea. Your whisky collection won’t look out of place in 18th-century décor, and poker games benefit from the classy ambience. Choose your furniture dark and wooden with burgundy accents, and you’re already halfway there! Keep in mind that cheap tumblers won’t look the part when they’re dotted around your poker table, so you need to invest in a dressy set of whisky glasses. And perhaps an old-timey display cabinet to store them in!
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A Cosy Corner Bar
If you’re limited with space in your man cave, a cosy corner bar could be just right for you. The functionality will be more important to you than style when it comes to furniture. Your bar stools and their accompanying table should be adjustable and lowered if you want to set up a poker game. A space-saving mini fridge will be ideal for keeping your beers chilled without getting in the way of activities. At the same time, bottles can be stacked out of the way on high shelves. A mirror on your back wall can open up what seems like a crowded area.
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A Musician’s Escape
Who doesn’t love music? Live gigs and beer are a match made in heaven. You can bring some of that magic home with a musical man cave! Of course, you don’t always need to hire a band to enjoy your favourite songs with friends. All you’ll need is a quality sound system installed in your bar and neon LED sign to replicate the feel of nightlife. Hang back-lit guitars and framed sheet music on your walls for some quick and easy decor. Transform your basement bar into your very own speakeasy.
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Choosing Your Furniture
No matter your man cave interior design theme, investing in some staple furniture items will transform your space. Adding a countertop, fridge, shelving and comfortable seating seems like the bare minimum. Still, they can increase the look and practicality of your man cave bar. Consider suitable drinkware and cutlery options that suit your theme. If you’ve chosen a gentleman’s club, invest in a good quality martini or whiskey glasses. Once you’ve got the basic aesthetic nailed on, consider other pieces like an ice machine or popcorn maker.
When you’ve chosen a theme, try not to defer from its style. For example, dark wood throughout suggests a gentleman’s club vibe, whereas a piano styled shelving unit could hold bottles of your favourite craft beer in your musician’s escape. However, the two couldn’t be swapped and still flow.
Even a colour theme could coordinate your bar equipment to your room decor, so avoid clashing colours where possible.
Remember Your Space
Be realistic with the amount of space that you have. A mini-fridge does the same job as an American double-door, but it’ll take up considerably less of your bar. Your countertop should hold your bottles and your glasses while still being easy to work around! Should your man cave be an unusual shape, you could install a custom-built bar that’s tailored for your room measurements. Stack crates on top of one another and secure them with nails in your desired position. Crate bars look rustic, but they’re easy to add on your own!
Work with the space that you have, don’t overfill your space to the point where you’re uncomfortable. A mini-fridge does the same job as an American double-door, but it’ll take up considerably less of your bar. Your countertop should hold your bottles and your glasses while still being easy to work around! If your man cave is an unusual shape, consider a custom-built bar that’s tailored around your room’s measurements. Tailor-made furniture offers the perfect space-saving solution while adding a little personalisation into your home bar.
Invest in Entertainment
The furniture of your man cave includes more than your seating and your bar equipment. You also need to invest in means of entertainment for your lad’s night in! If you’ve got the space, a football table can be the ideal centrepiece for your room. Table football is an easy enough game, even after a couple of beers, so you can encourage some healthy competition without needing too much focus from your guests!
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Stock Your Bar
Now you’ve chosen your theme and chosen your furniture, it’s time to stock your bar because an empty bar is no good to anyone. The range of different liquors and mixers available can make this step seem difficult, but you don’t need to panic. Depending on the theme of your man cave, different drink styles will suit your setting, and you can choose a staple whisky or pint to offer. Anything else is a bonus! Consider the drinks and glassware pairings you’ve got going on. The last thing you want is to have to serve your IPA’s in champagne flutes.
Select Your Spirits
If a gentlemen’s club is the aesthetic of your choice, you’re not doing it justice if you don’t have a stash of whisky or port. Whether you enjoy your drink neat or on the rocks, selecting your spirits is the most important part of introducing a bar. Firstly, you’ll want to focus on choosing a quality bottle of every spirit to populate your cabinet. You’ve got to establish the backbone of your bar before you can grow and expand your collection!
The perfect first-time whisky is a bottle of Darkness 8 Year Old. At around £50, it isn’t a cheap introduction to the world of whisky, but the quality is worth every penny. This is a beautiful start to your collection with plenty of flavours, including orange peel and amaretto notes. It’s so drinkable that we reckon you’ll repurchase this one for your cabinet permanently!
Your man cave bar ideas mean nothing without an excellent port to pour. A bottle of Croft Vintage Port 1994 will only set you back £60, but James Suckling (or the Wine Spectator) awarded the drink a 96/100. Aromas include black cherry, spice and leather, so you’re guaranteed a punchy start to your port collection. The lads won’t want the bottle, or the night, to end!
Enjoy Your Space!
And there you have it, everything you could need to create the ultimate man cave bar, no matter the theme. The main thing to remember is to have fun with the design and create a space that makes you happy. Research into potential themes and pay attention to the smaller details as they make the space complete. Whether you’re looking to create the most elitist bar in town or searching for your peaceful sanctuary, we can help you create it.
Contact us at The Man Cave Project if you have any further questions about choosing suitable entertainment for guests in your man cave. We’re more than happy to help!