Portable bars are the stiletto heels of the tailgate party industry.

Portable bars will pretty up your space and make it sexy. And they are practical steps towards removing a lot of hospitality angst from the host. In fact, it was quite fun revising previous lists of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties to come up with the 2017 selection. In this list, I have taken the criteria for Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties and isolated specific bars demonstrate that characteristic ‘best’.

Best portable bars for 2017

It’s all about that booze, ‘bout that booze! How do you put out all those drinks and service it without having to wait on the gang hand and foot at your tailgate party? Hire a barman? Nahhh. The only ones who work cheap are underage or illegal. It’s more practical to lay it all out on

a portable bar you set up easily in the parking lot and then most of the work becomes DIY. And picking one from my list of Best Portable Bars will guarantee a great gathering point at a tailgate party. It’s the Will Call for booze. When you’re trawling through the Best Portable Bars list, don’t forget to check out some of the devices you can use to take the stress off the big day. We have lots of ideas on tailgatepartysite.com that will help you have a great party with the minimum of stress.

After all, the host gets to play a bit of beer pong too, no?

Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties updated for 2017

This is an updated collection of the latest and greatest ideas for actually serving up the booze with some style rather than just layin’ a few cans and bottles out on tailgate or in a cooler. It’s never too early to get yourself organized for the peak sports calendar.  I’ve made the task easier by concentrating on the best portable bars – easily affordable for the most part, though some of you may be attracted to the high end ones.

Some houses come equipped with a bar, especially if they were built in the 1960s. Very ‘Mad Men’. But let’s face it, many people don’t really have space for a permanent full service bar in their homes these days unless they’re an NFL star. Hey, even if they do, they may prefer to have one of these portable bars for setting up in the back yard, by the pool or as part of the outdoor kitchen. There are so many occasions for tailgating or home-gating that you can consider one of these a good investment. Anyway, with the east coast weather being as miserable as it has been, it makes perfect sense to have a portable bar, take it outside in summer or non-snow days, take it tailgating with you and leave it set up in the man cave for the rest of the year. Or fold it up and put it right away when you are not drinking. Ha ha. I see a bar never being folded up.

There are very practical, portable bars on the market. And inexpensive compared with the built-in. Oh, and you can embellish them with your team logo and switch them around for other conferences. Some will even customize your bar wraparound skirts and umbrellas.

Let’s start at the top of the range in portable bars. 

Best Portable Bars: Deluxe Metal

15 L x 39 W x 39 H with 2 shelves, this is the bare bones of your portable bar.  You can add team themed skirts or whatever you want. It’s easily collapsible to store and easy to put together and has its own carrying case so that checks all boxes. Price wise it is very good value.

Now let’s hunt around for something even more down-and-dirty, more practical. Something where a collection of beer-bongs won’t look out of place. You can set up your brews, snacks and vittles on your choice of these bars to make a fine centerpiece for your tailgate party. You can choose generic, emblazoned with your team logo and colors, tiki bar, lightweight or solid state. Cheap or expensive. Me, I prefer to go mid-range somewhere but not so high end that, if a new fad comes on the market, that I can’t ditch the one I purchased and upgrade without pangs of guilt.

Here’s an illustrated check-list of Best Portable Bars pre-requisites

Look for the following features, and I will give examples as we go along.

Is it light enough to carry? You may have to walk a little ways carrying your kit. Some models have wheels on their bags. Portable bars range from around 12 pounds to over 100 pounds.  Best portable bars weigh under 20 pounds.
This one – the Trademark Innovations Portable Bar Table with 2 skirts and a carry case – weighs around 9 pounds. (no umbrella).

Is it so light that it won’t support your alcohol and food?  Many are flimsy but have shelves that could maybe be replaced with something less saggy. A quick trip to Home Depot could deluxe up your el cheapo bar in a couple of minutes by adding a panel of MDF to the shelf as they will cut to size.

Can its appearance be customized? The Best of Times Patio Bar’s Team logos and colored skirts can be interchanged to suit your event, even looking like a tropical bar. Comes in umpteen great colors which are fade-proof. Sports wraparounds are a little extra but are worth it for giving your tailgate party a real focus.

Umbrella or no? At least you need a secure space for it. The holder should be able to be made windproof.

Best of Times Patio Bar and Tailgating Center Deluxe Package

Easy to attach Portable Bar: weights on legs?

You may find that where you set up is windy. I always recommend that there is some anchor. It could be a sandbag, weights or you can just attach to your coolers. Either way, always have some bungee cords in your kit for this.

Appearance – you want your portable bar to look cool.

Easy to set up/take down. You don’t want to be struggling with hinges and skirts. Just flipping open may seem a good idea, but is that sturdy? Note that at setup time you will be sober. Not so much at taking-that-bar-down time.

Dimensions that make sense to your own particular situation. If you can’t haul a big bag, don’t buy a large bar.  If you won’t have the space in your tailgate party setup (ie. Some lots only allow you one 10 foot wide space and that includes your vehicle) then maybe just serve from the tailgate or flat surface of your vehicle or just pop open a card table!

Matchability with your game set up. If you are going all out for team spirit, then the changeable skirt with team logo is a must. Look for one with an industrial strength Velcro.

Cutting to the chase, here’s a short list of Best Portable Bars:

Best Portable Bar: GoPong

Here’s an affordable and versatile portable bar that is ‘high top’ which means it is a good bar to stand at for service. Normal bar height, that is. This one is a perennial, nothing much has changed since it was put on the market quite some years back. But it has many uses from parties to trade shows.  More specifically, it is well suited to tailgating and the rigors of the numberless red Solo cups that will be poured on its counter top and the storage beneath for coolers, food or what you will. That’s why I included it in this current list of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties.  It’s cheap enough to replace should you, in your inebriated state, leave it behind.

Dimensions: 39 x 36 x 15 inches (W x H x D) when open.

There are three front skirts included and you can also get replacement skirts in your team colors and for all the sports you support.

Materials that make it up are tough, easy to clean with a pro-style top and a waterproof MDF surface on the top.

I was surprised to see that this one only weighed 14 pounds including the case. At that rate, you do expect a bit of flimsiness in the shelf area. The frame is aluminum, but the shelf is MDF and it is a little thin. If you intend putting heavy items on that shelf, do what my mate Seth did and go down to home Depot and get a piece of solid MDF cut. Use it as a brace.

At the end of the day, the GoPong Portable Bar folds up and fits inside a handy carrying case that measures 39 by 15 by 3 inches (W x H x D). Very compact and light. (No wheels on the case but not needed as even my Ma can carry this one). The stitching on the case is a bit flimsy and can undo so pay attention to that. A bit of reinforcing would be advised here too, not just the shelf. Your local dry cleaner may have a mending service so keep that as an option should the stitching unravel.

It is easy to erect and take down (they say less that a minute for each process but that’s a bit of a stretch. Still, it is sort of like putting up a card table.

Negatives are that the case is a bit flimsy, the shelf may sag but it has pizzazz and is OK for starters. Maybe use WD-40 to make sure the joints and hinges are easy to open and close. Return to manufacturer if damaged in transit and they will replace it without a fuss. Fulfilled by amazon.com will give you an extra guarantee.

It also has secondary uses – you can use it at markets or trade shows but don’t expect too much solid state. In my book it is OK for the money though and I am all for using bargain-basement items for a tailgate party.  Yes, I have committed that crime of leaving items behind.

Portable bars that are inexpensive

Best Portable Bar: Budweiser Two Shelf with Case

You want your tailgate party to look grown up and not like a corner of the school prom. And serving purely from the tailgate can be restrictive and messy. So go with the sport or beer theme and invest in a great-looking portable bar. Here’s how Budweiser earned and retained its spot on the Best Portable Bars list. It shouts ‘quality beer’ to all who pass it and looks great.  Don’t feel restricted though as you can use any team skirt but hey, that Bud portable bar is cool, don’t you think?

This portable bar has two shelves and that will make sure that you can keep all the drinks and food contained and fit into a small tailgate party space (ie. A standard parking bay). Lay out all your drinks paraphernalia on one and food serving equipment on another. It sets up and breaks down in minutes.

A metal frame, four sturdy legs and carrying case are pretty much standard but this Officially Licensed portable bar seems sturdier than comparable models. Bud doesn’t put its logo on just anything.

The Budweiser is tough and bigger all over at 39 x 15 x 36 inches, metal construction with four tough legs bigger than many on the Best Portable Bars list. Even so, it can be put up and taken own without stress (use the provided Allen Key to install the horizontal bars that give it a high degree of stability).

It has a carry case (use that to protect it when not in use).

Weighs around 3 times as much as the GoPong bar and has two shelves. It is easy to assemble (around 5 minutes) and the wrap around skirt is far more solid state.

You can get other branding on the skirt (hey, some printing companies will put your own face on there which makes this a great gift). Small bungees and eyelets in the skirt may just outlast the Velcro IMHO. So consider that if you have a spare or custom skirt made. Order the eyelets and hammer them in yourself if you are a handyperson.  Otherwise, tick that box when you order it.

An adjustable table instead of a portable bar

Lifetime 4-Foot Commercial Adjustable Height Folding Table

Here’s a super versatile and cheap alternative to a bar – this adjustable height table. So how did this get onto the list of Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties?  Well, it’s solid and versatile, you can add your own skirts and put the coolers underneath to double as shelves. You can tart it up with a skirt.  Sets up in seconds. It doesn’t make a statement like a real bar but it is affordable and does the job.

You can secure it at 3 heights – 22-inch children’s height, 29-inch table height and 36-inch counter-top height. Use the latter height as the ‘bar’ setup.  Also, it has a ten-year limited warranty.

The frame is made of rust-resistant powder coated steel and it actually exceeds ANSI/BIFMA standards.

It’s easy to clean and you can use it in between tailgate parties for other purposes, such as for craft fairs or other parties.  Kids’ table at Thanksgiving.

A mobile cart that doubles as a portable bar

Kitchen Cart, Trolley with Wine Storage Rack and Table

OK, so here’s something a bit off the wall. It combines wine with beer and allows for a row of ten bottles of wine (or other 750 ml bottles eg. Bourbon) and you can put the beer on top – and I’m thinking a couple of small kegerators there.

You can switch the bottles out and make more room for coolers, and also use the lower shelf to hold more drinks, food and glasses. The top shelf is perfect for resting full glasses and plates of appies and mac’n’cheese.

It’s a useful piece of wooden furniture for home-gating rather than tailgating as the small wheels will make this a bit of a stretch out in the parking lot. In summary, a good alternative to a bar. Not super heavy duty.  Doesn’t have that tailgate party vibe but in the Man Cave – very useful. It does double duty in the house and that is a good feature especially for condo dwellers who need every item in their houses to be multi-use.  Not good in the rain.  But deserves a place on the Best Portable Bars list as it is a handsome, booze-centered piece of furniture at low cost.

Size: 18.5 x 30 x 33.2 inches – ie. Not bar height. But in the Man Cave, very handy for transporting drinks and food from the kitchen to the comfy seats.

A totally fold-up portable bar

Best Portable Bar: Tailgaterz Tailgating Tavern Table

Wow, wow and more wow! This one is my favorite portable bar. It folds and unfolds just like a camp chair, is really nicely made and worth the extra bucks to get something this well-designed. I timed myself putting this one together – 20 seconds from the get-go. And that was without pressure.

It checks all the boxes for efficiency and I really like that campsite feel about the design.

You can lay out and serve drinks and food on it, it has a tough table top area that you can use for prep and insulated side trays are built in. You just provide the chiller blocks and ice. Shelves are built in to the layout PLUS a hanging organizer section so you can stash the Solo cups and bottles there.   It is so compact and is a whole serving station with the same footprint as a camp chair. . Just slide your cooler into the space beneath and there you have it.

It is very stable when in use (on level ground) and versatile and that’s why I am including something that looks like campsite furniture in a tailgate party Best Portable Bars list.  Tailgaters who have small cars – yes, compact or smaller – will love the fold-away aspect.

You can screamyour team pride by embellishing it with some logos. The color is black which lends itself to dressing up.

No problems with the stitching on the seams  – it appears well-made and the zipper is fine even though Made in China, the designers seem to have kept an eye over the process.

The carry bag is perfect for stashing it and you can hang it in the garage when not in use.

Weighs 18.6 pounds so will be easily lifted and transported.  Secure as with all bars against the wind.

Sports themed tailgate party portable bars

Best of Times Collegiate Patio Bar and Tailgating Center

We’ve looked at ‘Best of Times’ bars in many forms before but they are such a classic that I can’t ignore them in this 2016 shout out. No Best Portable Bars list would be right without these featured. Though a little more expensive than many others on the market I think that if tailgate parties are your hobby and you fill out the calendar with righteous convivial occasions, then this L-shaped, steel-framed bar is a great investment. It is also such a good-looking bar, that a position around your pool would not be out of place.

Sets up in minutes and no tools are required to set it up. I usually keep some WD-40 in the car to keep the joints nice and easy.

Logos a-plenty available for all codes and conferences. There’s a drop-down list of all the logos and colors you can order and you also can mix and match for other teams or whatever interests you. Yeah, I’m thinking Ms. Rawhide’s Book Club may even rate a mention here. I’m sure the makers can do a pink skirt … The company is more than happy to do custom wraps.

While we are on the subject of the fabric: 500D polyester makes it tough as nails and it’s water resistant. If you want to take that to another level, you can get a spray water repellent and give it a fresh coat every year.

Made in China but USA designed, there are three levels of shelving, a wide umbrella, and built-in shelf-positioned cooler that holds a whole case of drinks and a wheeled carry bag to get it from point A to point Z …. Anyway, the size is: 63 x 19 x 44 inches and it weighs around 75 pounds so do factor that in when you are loading up the trunk of the car. Oh, but you have a Dodge Ram, don’t you? The perfect tailgating vehicle.

But back to the Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties – again, the Best of Times portable bar would benefit from a couple of weights on the legs and anchor that umbrella well in its holder. But it is a roomy and versatile centerpiece for the best tailgate party evahhhhhhhh (hello, Boston). It is highly recommended and versatile and therefore, gets a high rating on our Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Party list.  The range of available skirts and customised decor is impressive.

But now for something entirely different ….

Not a portable bar at all but very portable and carries drinks!

Wyndham HouseTM Dual Tank Double Beverage Dispenser Backpack-7.4 Liters

OK, so you don’t drive a Silverado or equivalent? Impulse-bought that Mini-Cooper? Limited space for your tailgate party furniture? Well, packing the mini-grill is good but ‘portable bar space’? Nada.

Give every fourth guest one of these. Hands free, adjustable shoulder straps and a nifty cup pocket built-in. Play on, dudes and drink at the same time. Never miss a brewski or a margarita.

Does it warrant a spot on the Best Portable Bars for Tailgate Parties list?  Not really, but it is a fun drinks delivery system when space is an issue and drinking is being carried out at Olympic level.  This is a dual backpack drink-dispenser and holds two 3.7 quart clear beverage containers which you can customize to your taste and need. Yeah, you can even put water in one and alternate drinks during the day so that sobriety wins out in time for that long drive home.

OK, we are not talking sold state here and you need to get used to the issues such as spillage, lids popping off mid-game and running out once you have drunk that 1.5 gallons of beer. Not great on hot days as the beer will heat fast so here’s my thought:

Put some of these beers chill sticks in the tubes to retain the chill:

Look at this as a bit of fun and not a permanent solution to how to serve your beers. It’s good for home brew as you can treat it like a growler – fill up at home, transport carefully in a cooler and drink on the run. Keep lines clean and unkinked and that should avoid any leakage and dripping, and make sure that you click on the lids till they snap into place or they will fall off. Don’t be bowing to anyone. The booze will tip out.

In summary, there are many options at all price points in the range of Best Portable Bars. There are some really expensive models and we have not put these in as they are beyond the spirit of tailgate parties.   By the far the most popular tailgate party portable bars in 2016 are the Best of Times range of L-shaped bars with the umbrella. Kind of conservative but they definitely check all the boxes and the initial investment will be repaid over and over again as they are well-made specifically for the tailgate party industry so hey, they have your best interests at heart!

Tailgate Party on!

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