Portable Bars transform any place whether a basement or a parking lot into your own pub, man-cave, party site or tailgate party extraordinaire. I am constantly surprised at how cunning designers have been able to devise ways of using sophisticated origami techniques to make tailgate party items fit in a normal car. So many times when I pull up at my spot in the parking lot, I see a neighbor pulling out what unfolds into a complete party rig – canopy, bar, portable restroom, coolers, music source and thumpin’ speakers, games table and the BBQ. Plus food and drink to make it all a sublime experience. Why bother with a bar? Well, if you’ve ever tried to entertain a heap of friends with all the drink mixing, pouring, and cooling, that question is really a moot point. A bar makes it easy. You have a central position for the booze that can contain a keg or two, ice, bottles, red cups and so on and it’s all at a comfortable height. Bending down into the cooler a few hundred times in the day can wreck a perfectly normal spine and, if you’re feeling no pain, you’ll do even more damage without realizing it. Plus opening and closing that cooler to replenish drinks can run into the hundreds and suddenly your cooler is a warmer. You need a portable bar – so read on for a guide to the best portable bars around.
I’m a fan of the bar. Whether plain or embellished with team logos and colors, it’s a practical choice. Plus some are so good you can use them to play games on!
So here’s a selection of my favorite bars that can be transported and put up and packed away easily and I’ve also included some pro style equipment you may like to add to it for complete tailgate party ambiance.
Deluxe Portable Bar by BEST
To start off with, let’s look at the ultimate, best of the best portable bars. These are the deluxe, gold standard… but come with a big price tag to match. Hey, you get what you pay for–but, college students might want to skip below for more wallet-friendly options.
The Deluxe Portable Bars are sold by BEST and named that for a reason! These are top of the range, fully customizable, high end portable bars. Some might say: the portable bar for the connoisseur. If you are setting up a high end tailgate party or an office tailgate party, then check this out. Lots of different color options to choose from, high quality stainless steel, very easy to set up (1 minute set up time!) and they store away a lot more efficiently than the cheaper models.
Best thing is you can add a 3-D holographic light effect system (with remote control) as well as plenty of other options like an integrated sink, ice bin and extra shelves. The design also allows you to join up several Deluxe bars to create a longer section of bars. You could theoretically have infinite portable bars if you wanted!
These are fine both indoors and outdoors as they are rust resistant stainless steel. The legs are adjustable so you can work on uneven surfaces and the interior lights can be dimmed for better working conditions.
Make no mistake: this is a top of the line portable bar–definitely amongst the best portable bars you’ll find. If you homegate a lot then you’ll want to invest in one of these. Definitely portable enough for tailgate parties but only if you know it won’t get stolen or damaged. Insurance is your friend!
Best of Times Patio Bar and Tailgating Center Deluxe Package
Best of Times Patio Bar & Tailgating Center
The embellishment with your team logo is a cinch. Just choose your team in the checking out process. One team selection is included in the price but you can select and pay for as many others as you need to cover all the teams and conferences or all your family’s faves and switch them on the day. There are over a hundred to choose from! The skirt and all the fabric are 500D Polyester, water resistant and UV protected. Even though extremely lightweight (around 25 pounds), it is quite tough and well made and you really have to see it to believe how compact it is when folded away. That’s important.
The bar area is OK for some tailgate party games such as flip cup.
You can also buy each of the components as separate purchases in case you need, say, more bar stools.
Dimensions: 41 x 63 x 44 inches
GoPong Portable High Top Party Bar, Includes 3 Front Skirts and Carrying Case
GoPong Portable High Top Party Bar
The GoBar is a lightweight, easy to erect high-top party bar with three interchangeable front skirts perfect for tailgaters, especially if you follow a heap of different sports. In fact you can order skirts for different teams so you can cover all the options, even a Tiki skirt if that’s your preferred theme. Another contender for one of the best portable bars for tailgate parties.
Sturdily built of high-strength aluminum, the GoBar’s counter top is made from waterproof MDF, there’s a shelf for storage in the back, for holding liquor, bar glasses, extra bags of chips and so on. You can also personalize the top surface with tailgate party appropriate team logos. Taking it down at the end of the day? Easy as pie. GoBar folds up and fits inside a handy carrying case that measures 39 by 15 by 3 inches (W x H x D).
Holds up to 25 pounds on the bar surface and another 25 pounds on the storage shelf. The table weighs 14 pounds by itself.
In summary, this is a lightweight item, slipping open somewhat like a small card-table, but treat it well, store it out of moisture and it will last for years. Nice that there are three Velcro-attachable skirts included for it so that you can change them for different occasions and you can buy optional extras in team colors.
Dimensions: 15 x 39 x 36 inches (Open)
Red Cup Pong Portable Bar Table – Two Skirts and Carrying Case Included
Red Cup Pong Portable Bar Table
The lower shelf has a center brace so that is the sweet spot to place any heavy items. The top is big enough to play flip cup or other tabletop drinking games.
Super easy to set up. It is the perfect height for a bar, sturdy enough to be used outdoors on grass and elegant enough looking to be used indoors yet can be rugged enough to look good in a man-cave. Tailgaters’ perfection: easily one of the best portable bars around when you’re factoring in price.
Dimensions: 40″ Tall and Surface 16″x40″
Cambro BAR540401 Cambar Portable Bar
Cambar Portable Bar
OK, so this one really only suits you if you have a Ram truck or something like it and some inactive bucks sitting around waiting for a purpose, but wow, it really has all the features you need in a bar… but definitely not one of the best portable bars for those with smaller vehicles. Cambro are restaurant suppliers so this is pretty pro. Has a draining ice sink, various racks and a speed rail. Strong wheels. Nothing would beat this say, as equipment in the man-cave and rolling right on out to the BBQ region of your mansion. Naturally, if you are the kind of guy who has a regular space in the parking lot for tailgating, you and your buddies may want to chip in and buy this as a co-operative salute to the importance of the bar ambiance and make it a shared centerpiece. Faultless. It is already assembled. It has shelves for various kinds of bottles and a recessed work area for making and serving drinks. Tough enough to support a kegerator or two. Its high density, double wall polyethylene construction is durable and easy to clean.
Overall Dimensions:
Length: 54″ x Width: 24 7/8″ x Height: 46 1/8″
Margarita/Cocktail Glass Rimmer
Margarita/Cocktail Glass Rimmer
Shots and Margaritas play a big part in many tailgate parties and if you like to make even the red cup look the part, then get one of these nifty gadgets for the official salting of the beverage container rim. It is a three-compartment glass rimmer that makes the perfect salt or sugar-rimmed container simple with a convenient system. Clearly labeled trays hold your salt and sugar (or whatever else you may like to attach to the rim) and there’s even a sponge for water to make the grains stick! Easy to use, simple to store, and quick to clean, it folds for easy storage and accommodates containers up to 5.5 inches in diameter.
13 Piece Bartender Kit
Most people won’t be doing too much drinks mixing in the parking lot at the tailgate party. But I do have buddies who swear by the perfectly mixed drinks from their fully-equipped bar and getting all the right tools for your home bar can be a daunting challenge. This smart-looking pro-bartender mixing set includes everything you need to re-enact the Tom Cruise scene from ‘Cocktail’ and impress your guests. It includes: 1 Cocktail Shaker (28 oz.), 1 Short Shaker (15oz.), 1 Strainer (4 prong), 1 “Signature Series Bottles-Up” Speed Opener, 6 Plastic Pour Spouts, 1 Corkscrew, 1 11″ Red Knob Bar Spoon, 1 Jigger. You provide the recipes!
The best thing is that it is so inexpensive that you can throw it in your kit and if anything breaks, replace it at very little cost. Great gift for your drinking buddies.
The Complete Bartender’s Guide
This is a great guide to mixology with a heap you need to know. Well, who is to say that you are not going to get all fancy schmancy out there at the parking lot tailgate party?
10,000 Drinks: How to Turn Your Basement Into the Most Happening Bar in Town!
10,000 Drinks: How to Turn Your Basement Into the Most Happening Bar in Town!
This recipe book takes the drink mixing business to a new and dangerous level, just what is required. If you don’t use it for the tailgate party, give it to your nephew as part of his College orientation package. Well, heck, he may as well get the art right first time!
Buffalo Bills NFL Rally Towel
100% absorbent cotton, this bar towel in your team colors (choose your eam at checkout) is essential. Forget the paper towel, these will pay for themselves in no time. Buy a few for mop-ups and spilled drink absorbing or just flick ‘em at the opposing team fans.
Dimensions: 15″ x 18″
Trudeau Double Wall Reusable Red Party Cups
Trudeau 16-OunceDouble Wall Reusable Red Party Cup
OK, so we all love the Solo red cups but it’s time we stopped throwing our our bar-and-party-ware. The Double Wall Reusable Red Party Cup features durable, double-walled insulation, keeps drinks cold and is equally good for hot drinks (won’t burn your hand). The Reusable Red Party Cup is similar in look, but not feel, to the iconic disposable red cup. It is a 16 oz. cup, completely reusable, sturdy, chip-resistant and has a thicker body and smooth, comfortable drinking lip for easy sipping. Goes in the dishwasher up the top. Eventually pays for itself in replacing the disposables but you may need to educate your guests not to throw them in the trash.
The Manufacturer says: “The Reusable Red Party Cup is made entirely in the USA, where sustainability is no longer a trend, but a lifestyle. There’s no better way to decrease your impact on the earth than by replacing an old habit with an environmentally responsible one. That’s what makes this red cup the new life of the party! With the Reusable Red Party Cup by Trudeau, you can avoid purchasing and destroying disposable cups over and over again…”.
You can play flip cup with these though you may need to practice as they are heavier.
Global Decor 170 Rotating 4 Bottle 1-1/2-Ounce Drink Dispenser
Global Decor 170 Rotating Drink Dispenser
Wow! How impressed would your guests be if you put one of these amazing dispensers on the bar next to the kegorator? It’s a really pro way to serve spirits from 1 liter bottles and looks stunning. Make your tailgate party games involving shots a real cinch with this system which allows you to pump out the shots accurately (1.5 oz shots) and fast. Hey I am thinking ONE of these isn’t enough for some tailgate parties I have attended and maybe three would be better equipped to keep up with the drinking. The base is quite heavy so that the dispenser is stable (doesn’t fall over).
So there you go – one more for the bulging wish-list – the fab BarTender from Global Décor with rotating 4 Bottle 1-1/2 Oz. Drink Dispenser which I am already earmarking for tequila, bourbon, vodka and rum.
In putting this list together I was surprised at how few options there are available. It is a niche ready to tap and can add heaps to any tailgate party on the road. Enjoy the party and happy tailgating!
Hi, very nice article.
I thought you might also be interested in the DELUX portable bar
A more high-end bar for, let’s say for fancier tailgate parties!
Cheers,
Frank
Thanks for the tip Frank – we’ll check it out!
Tailgator, thanks for adding your review of the DELUX to the blog, I really appreciate it.
And great blog by the way!