Can anyone give me a definitive answer on what exactly is the difference between a bar, tavern, saloon, pub and a lounge? I’d always assumed these were just different variants on the same terms, but on noticing recently that looking up a bar in the phone book may require a search under numerous different headings, I began to figure maybe there was a real distinction between them, if not now than maybe at some point in the past. Can someone please enlighten?
Legal distinctions among such terms as “bar”, “tavern”, and “saloon” vary by jurisdiction. In Indiana, for example, it’s illegal for a minor (person under 21) to enter a tavern, but the same minor can dine in some restaurants which serve alcohol at the table and/or at a bar. I’m not sure of the legal definition of “tavern”, but you might be able to find it by searching the site of the Indiana State Excise Police.
Here is a discussion of the pub/watering hole/club/etc. issue on a forum devoted to word origins.
Well, it probably depends on what can be done in said establishment.
A tavern, traditionally, is licensed to sell liquor to be consumed on the premises and incorporates an inn.
A saloon, traditionally, is licensed to sell liquor to be consumed on the premises and offers a large central room for public entertainment, events, and receptions.
A pub, which is short for “public house” is equivalent to the American idea of “bar.” It is an establishment licensed to sell liquor to be consumed on the premises and usually served from behind a counter (the bar).
A lounge is a room usually within another establishment, such as a hotel or restaurant, where alcoholic beverages are served.
Then, of course, you have your cabarets, nightclubs, etc., which usually provide live entertainment and a place for dancing, to go along with your liquor.
Most likely, the distinction was of more interest in times past. However, a cabaret or nightclub will probably have the type of license that allows its patrons to dance, whereas the other types of establishments may not have such a license (usually called a cabaret license).
I moved from Indiana to Texas and got laughed at for saying “tavern”. Of course, I laughed at them for saying “club”.
Around here “bar,” “tavern,” “pub,” and “saloon” are more-or-less synonyms. The difference is mainly in the decor/theme. A pub usually has an Irish or English theme, a tavern attempts to look New England-ish, and a saloon goes for that Old West style. A bar is anything else, and is often a “sports bar.”