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A well-designed website helps you show off your bar’s booze, hospitality, ambiance and ingredients. Whether your bar serves up perfectly mixed signature cocktails, locally brewed beers or exudes a classic diver bar charm—your website will help new visitors discover your spot, while getting to know what sets it apart from local competition.
Ready to get your bar buzzing online? Keep reading to learn how to build a website from scratch using a website builder to support a quality website building process.
We aim to set the bar high, providing you with all the guidance you need. In this complete guide to creating a bar website, we’ll go over:
Why your bar will benefit from a website
Why has having a website become such an integral part of starting a business?
A website is a powerful asset for any business these days, regardless of whether transactions occur online or on-site. Pre-pandemic, bar and restaurant websites were not as widespread, but today there’s an accelerated adoption of websites as a digital marketing tool in the industry. Owners recognize the benefits of a website as a valuable small business tool to grow and stay connected with their customers.
A bar website has the potential to your business the following advantages and more:
More visibility, which leads to more customers
Bars and restaurants mostly rely on physical locations for sales, but their websites can get patrons excited to visit before they even walk through the door. A website serves as a digital storefront for local online searches, allowing potential customers to explore a bar’s menus, events and ambiance before visiting.
A chance to flaunt your bar’s unique vibes
Beyond the drink menu, a bar’s atmosphere is an equally important part of appealing customers. Creating a bar website can entice new visitors by showcasing your bar’s unique qualities, including decor, clientele, staff and drink offerings. If the restaurant website atmosphere of your site authentically conveys the character of your bar, it will help potential customers decide if the vibes are right for them.
Simplify the reservation process
Bar websites can help streamline reservations using integrated scheduling, booking and payment software, like those found in Wix Restaurants websites. These convenient tools allow customers to book reservations and make deposits online, saving both time and effort.
Promote your bar’s events and products
For bars that regularly host events or offer products such as pre-made drink ingredients and merchandise, creating a dedicated website is an effective way to boost sales. Your bar website can serve as a platform to promote upcoming events, providing detailed information and online ticket sales. Down the line, incorporating eCommerce features will allow you to set up an online store and directly sell products.
Features every great bar websites needs
A successful bar depends on great customer service—whether that's an enjoyable drink offering, an attentive bartender or a friendly atmosphere. Similarly, your website is meant to serve and satisfy visitors.
The best bar websites in the food and drink industry successfully cater to their customer’s online needs by prioritizing the following website features:
Strong branding
It’s no surprise that in the food and drink industry, an essential part of success is having a distinctive brand. Whether you’re learning how to start a food business, restaurant or bar, the branding choices you make will shape how customers perceive your business.
Consider the concept of your bar: is it upscale or laid-back? Do you specialize in international wines or locally brewed beers? Is your bar a place to indulge in the latest cocktail trends, or does it focus on classics? Your website branding should reflect all of these elements in a consistent way, helping visitors recognize and remember its unique qualities, which can improve brand awareness.
Your brand identity is made up of a variety of elements, like your bar's name, color scheme, logo and tone of voice. It’s important to keep these consistent throughout your website so customers can easily recognize and remember your business.
PS, If you’re in the early stages of branding, check out our guides on how to create a restaurant logo and how to create a food logo for some design inspiration.
Informative content
When visitors arrive at your website, they'll instantly look for more information about your bar. Whether it's finding opening hours, skimming the drink and food menu, or viewing photos to get a feel for the atmosphere, your website should provide details that help potential customers understand what to expect.
Our step-by-step guide below will go into more detail about web content and where it should sit on your design. For now, as you start brainstorming ideas for your bar website, remember that elements like business details, menu pricing, an About page, contact information and more, are important aspects to cover in the planning process.
Intuitive navigation
Much like building a menu for your bar, building your website’s navigation will help guide customers and enhance their user experience. Only this time, it’s to help them make the most of your bar website. Website navigation includes your website menu, web page organization, internal links and CTAs (calls-to-action). Together, these tools can help facilitate a smooth website journey for your visitors.
Learn more:
How to create a bar website in 10 steps
Ready to learn how to create a professional website for your bar? In this section, we’ll take you through the steps of making your own site—from choosing the right design software to setting up different parts of a website, plus how to optimize your site and get it ready to publish.
01. Get a website builder
In the competitive bar and restaurant industry, many businesses opt to create their own websites using a website builder. These platforms are popular thanks to the benefits they offer small business owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers. Most importantly, they prioritize user-friendly technology, making it easier and a lot less stressful to create a website. They also reduce how much it costs to build a website, so you don’t have to break the bank.
If you’re looking for the best website builder for restaurants, today’s options are cost-effective, and they don’t skimp or compromise on quality. Many website building software, including Wix, prioritize exceptional website infrastructure and web design, making sure websites look great and work well while maintaining affordability for their users.
That being said, every website builder is unique. Some prioritize ease-of-use, while others stress customization and business growth. When you choose a tool for your own bar website, consider the following factors:
Cost: Consider your budget and the features you'll need for your website's growth when selecting a plan. Platforms such as Wix offer tiered pricing plans with varying storage and feature options. For instance, each of the Wix Premium plans provides unique benefits, including different amounts of storage and functionality.
User friendliness: One of the greatest benefits of using a website builder is that it puts website development into the hands of the user. When choosing a platform, look for one with an easy-to-use editor that’s powered by a drag-and-drop interface, AI website building or low-code/no-code technology.
Design features: From website templates to customized elements, choose a software that includes the built-in design tools you need. Some software offers simple tools at a lower cost, while others prioritize sophisticated website design features and trends to help customers’ websites stand out.
Business tools: If you want your bar's website to help your business grow, pick a platform that prioritizes marketing and management. Look for a range of solutions, from payment processing and SEO functionality to comprehensive analytics and marketing tools that will empower you to strategize and improve your business.
Website infrastructure: Website infrastructure is the backbone of your site, including the technology that empowers its functionality. At the heart of this lies a reliable content management system (CMS), secure website hosting and top-notch performance. Seek a website builder that proves to have consistent and dependable performance all-around to guarantee a stable and secure experience for your customers.
02. Choose a unique domain name
A domain name is the web address that people use to access your website, made up of a domain and top-level domain (TLD), such as .com or .net. It's important to choose a domain name that’s recognizable, relevant to your brand and easy to remember.
For a bar website, your domain name should include your bar’s name, and maybe even some industry-related keywords like “bar,” “drinks” or “cocktails.” Popular TLDs in the bar and restaurant industry include .com, .bar, .restaurant, .pub, .drink, .bistro, .shop, or .club.
Here’s a pro tip: If you’re unsure whether the domain name you want is available, use a tool like Wix’s domain name search to check its availability or find alternatives.
03. Pick a template to customize
A website template is a pre-made professional design that’s ready for your unique touch. Templates are a small business owner's best friend, coming equipped with essential website features, functionality and layouts you need to start. They’re also easily customizable, allowing you to match your design to your business’s branding and content.
Templates can be used to build the most common types of websites—from eCommerce and online portfolios, to personal blogs and more. When deciding on a template for your bar, consider whether a multi-page vs single page website layout best fits your needs, along with which features are non-negotiable.
You might opt for a simple website template that offers you more control over the design. But without design experience, you’ll find that an industry-specific template—with built-in tools tailored to drive foot traffic and reservations—is the easiest way to create a site that truly serves your business.
04. Pour your bar’s branding into the design
With your template chosen, it’s time to make a bar website that’s unmistakably yours. Start customizing the web design with yout bar’s branding and visual language to give it a distinct feel that resonates with customers. At this stage, you should do the following to craft a memorable look:
Swap the template’s placeholder logo with your own logo.
Add your business name and tagline (if relevant) to the homepage and website titles, using a readable font that reflects your business’s style.
Adjust the website background and color scheme to match your brand’s own palette. Choose a primary color for main content and an accent color for some added flair.
Upload and replace the template’s images with high-quality stock images or photos and videos of your bar, customers and drinks that help define its unique atmosphere.
Pro tip: Still building your branding? Not sure how to name a restaurant? Platforms like Wix include a suite of branding tools to help get your started—from a free logo maker to a business name generator and more.
05. Add the right pages and content
As you build your website, prioritize adding the pages and content that are essential for a good visitor experience. To do this, think about the goals of your website: Do you want more people to know about your bar? Boost reservations? Build an email list? Sell tickets to events? Maybe you want all of these things.
The following pages can help you achieve these goals:
A homepage: Like a friendly bartender, an inviting homepage welcomes new visitors to your business. It should include your bar’s name front and center, along with your logo, captivating imagery and informative written content. Your homepage serves as the gateway to the rest of your website and should include an easy-to-use navigation menu that guides visitors.
An About page: This page is an opportunity to shine a brighter light on your bar and what makes it unique. Here, you can describe your bar’s mission and values, along with the story of how it started. It’s also a great place to introduce your staff of bartenders and servers, so new customers feel like they already know you.
Bar menus: These should be displayed and updated with your latest drink and food offerings, as well as any seasonal or weekly specials. Be sure to make it visually appealing and include clear pricing, with enticing descriptions that highlight unique ingredients.
Hours and location: Your bar’s practical details, like address and opening hours, are important elements to display. Be sure to highlight your bar’s Happy Hour specials and other notable deals that will excite customers. For example, if your bar has special promotions like “Two for Tuesdays,” be sure to draw attention to it.
Event pages: Spotlight any unique happenings at your bar, such as happy hours, live music, sports streaming or trivia nights with informative event pages. If the events require tickets, you can increase sales by setting up online payments, making it convenient for customers to secure their spot.
A reservations page: Using scheduling and bookings software, a reservations page is a great way to let visitors reserve a table ahead of time. This tool enhances the customer’s experience, making it easy to plan their night out.
Contact details: For visitors who have questions, need help finding your location or prefer personal assistance when making a reservation, you should display basic contact information. On top of a phone number and your bar’s business email, you can also consider adding an AI chatbot or contact form to streamline some communication online.
Photo galleries: Visual representation is one of the best ways to get visitors excited about your bar’s atmosphere and entice them to join the fun. Add custom galleries to your site to display quality images of your bar, food and drinks. For guidance on getting Instagram-worthy content, check out these tips on how to design your restaurant for photography.
06. Integrate booking features to simplify online reservations
Make it easy for visitors to book a spot at your bar for their upcoming outing by integrating reservations on your site. Show potential customers real-time availability, letting them pick the perfect time, date and table size for their party.
As the business owner, you'll also benefit from streamlined management of bookings, including the ability to set up automatic notifications and online confirmations. Plus, you can gather valuable customer information online, helping you better understand your guests' preferences and needs—this way, you can serve them even better.
07. Set up a website navigation menu to guide visitors
Your website's navigation is like a roadmap for visitors made up of elements that include the website menu, internal links and CTA buttons. Consistent and intuitive navigation ensures that users don't get lost or annoyed, encouraging them to explore and revisit your site. The key is to make it simple for them to find what they need, whether it's your hours, menu or upcoming events.
There are two things to consider when building a website menu: design and content. While a traditional navigation bar at the header is often included in templates, you have the flexibility to customize the design. You could opt for a condensed hamburger menu or a pop-up menu, for example. Additionally, you can align the menu's fonts and colors with your site's overall branding.
For content, keep it simple. For a good user experience, it's best to display only the most essential pages on your menu, for example: Home, Menu, About Us, Events and Contact. To spotlight specific pages throughout your site, you can use internal links and CTA buttons in different places. While some complex sites add features like pagination or breadcrumbs, you probably won’t need these for a basic website.
08. Incorporate SEO to attract local customers
A smart search engine optimization (SEO) strategy can help drive more people to your bar. SEO is all about raising your site’s ranking on search engines like Google, so more customers can find you. To get your site optimized, add keywords related to your bar’s name, location and specialties (e.g., “craft cocktails,” “wine tastings”) to page titles, headings, alt texts and meta descriptions.
Local SEO is especially important for a bar website, since it targets people in your area who are likely to search for location-specific queries, such as “Queer bars near me” or “craft cocktails in Brooklyn.” Also, sign up for Google My Business to provide information, photo and reviews that will make your bar pop up more often in local search results.
09. Make sure your bar website design is mobile friendly
Most people will access your bar’s website from a mobile device, so it’s important that it’s mobile friendly and works smoothly on any screen size, device or browser. Without this, your bar risks losing potential customers who'll get frustrated with usability issues and leave your site.
The good news is, creating a great mobile experience for your visitors doesn’t require advanced design skills. Most website builders do the heavy lifting to optimize for mobile, using adaptive technology to automatically resize content, rearrange layouts and replace standard navigation with a mobile-friendly hamburger menu.
If you’re using a tool like Wix, you’re in luck–there’s a mobile editor that gives you even more control. With this feature, you can preview your mobile site on different devices, fine-tune the design and adjust the content until you’re satisfied.
10. Review and publish your very own bar website
By now, you’re ready to learn how to launch a new website like a pro. But before you press that publish button, there are a few things on our website launch checklist to review.
First off, share a preview link to your website with trusted friends, family or colleagues. Fresh eyes can catch details you might have missed, from typos and grammar errors to small design tweaks. Ask them for honest feedback on the site’s overall look, feel and ease of use—and while they're at it, have them check for broken links, missing media or anything else that might catch their eye.
Also, make sure your bar website is accessible to everyone by checking for web accessibility issues. Web accessibility addresses issues that might stop people with disabilities from using your site, making it inclusive and legally compliant in many regions. Plus, accessibility widens your audience. By creating a website that’s engaging, functional and accessible, you’ll set your bar up for success and make a great first impression on visitors.
Best practices to keep in mind
To create a strong and memorable experience for visitors, keep the following best practices in mind as you create your bar website:
Keep your site’s content authentic
Make sure your website truly reflects your bar’s personality. From design choices like colors and fonts to the tone of your writing, keep it consistent with the atmosphere of your bar. Whether it’s laid-back, upscale or trendy, let your site’s design and voice convey what visitors can expect in person.
Use your site to engage with customers
Encourage interaction and customer retention on your site with features like event sign-ups, email newsletters or ways to gather customer feedback. This level of engagement brings the bar’s social vibe online and keeps visitors coming back to stay updated on what’s new. In this case, tools like landing pages and CTAs can help spotlight special events, promotions and updates to keep customers excited about what’s happening.
Include testimonials and reviews
Good vibes and positive feedback create trust with new visitors. Show off customer testimonials, reviews or user-generated photos on your site that prove your bar is the place to be. A dedicated testimonials section or nice quotes on your bar website’s homepage can help new customers get excited about visiting your bar.
Ideas for choosing the perfect bar or drink website template
Knowing how to choose the right website template for your bar depends on your website goals and business needs. For starters, you can look for industry specific tools. For example, Wix’s collection of templates includes categories that are designed and optimized for a wide range of industries, including bars and restaurants.
Although you can customize your design afterwards, it’s beneficial to find a bar or restaurant template that’s already a good match for your aesthetic vision and includes specific tools and elements, like menus, online reservations or vivid image galleries featuring food and drink.
Maintenance and promotion of your bar website
Your website’s potential grows with time, which means the work doesn’t stop when you hit “publish.” Two important things to keep in mind moving forward include ongoing management and online marketing. By keeping your site sharp and your audience engaged, your business can use its online potential to build its reputation and bring in new patronage.
Website management tips
Website management is the process of maintaining your site after publishing to ensure ongoing security, updated content and full functionality. We know you're busy running a bar, so it's important to prioritize website maintenance at a pace that allows you to be consistent and invested.
These are some of the most important tasks to keep in mind:
Backup your site: This should be done regularly from the time it’s published to avoid losing your content. A back-up can be performed by manually downloading your site’s database, using a backup plug-in or with the backup services provided by your website building platform and CMS.
Monitor speed and performance: Regularly test your site using analytics tools and by browsing it yourself. Make sure everything works smoothly ,loads quickly and addresses any glitches that might disrupt the user experience.
Update your site’s design and content: A well-maintained, current website keeps your visitors informed and engaged and reflects the dynamic spirit of your bar. It’s important to keep your website up-to-date with your latest offerings, whether it's a seasonal cocktail menu, upcoming events or new business hours.
Since digital trends evolve quickly, you can also consider a design update every two to three years, to ensure your site stays modern. Periodically check out current design trends and see how competitors are updating their sites—this can spark ideas for when and how to refresh your own design.
Pro tip: Minor updates, like updating images, tweaking colors or revising content, can be done every 6–12 months to keep things fresh between major overhauls. This also helps you adapt to customer feedback without needing a full redesign.
Check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a Wix website and start building an amazing website today.
Common marketing strategies for a bar website
Similar to restaurant marketing or food marketing, promoting your bar online involves a number of strategies to bring more traffic to your website. Whether you want to learn how to start a blog, or build up your social media presence, here are some marketing ideas to get the word out there about your bar and website:
Start a blog: Highlight new drink trends, share cocktail ideas and offer insights drink enthusiasts will love. Grow your online community by posting engaging content–get started with an easy to use blog maker to connect with your audience. This showcases your expertise and passion and adds SEO potential to your site. If you’re new to blogging, this guide on how to start a food blog may come in handy with tips for a bar and drink blog, too.
Social media marketing: Many eager customers turn to social media outlets to plan their next outing. Whether it's Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or more, restaurant social media marketing has become an effective way of drawing more customers to your bar and website.It’s also excellent motivation for your bar to produce engaging content.
Paid advertising: Sponsored ads on platforms like Google or Facebook are a way to add more precise targeting to your marketing efforts. This can be especially effective when you have a special event, new drink offerings or a seasonal menu to promote. Over time, these advertisements have the potential to indirectly push your SEO rankings, too. When your ads effectively bring more traffic to your site, that’s a sign to Google that it includes useful and valuable content.
Email marketing: This is one of the best ways to keep a direct line of communication with those loyal customers who like to hear from your bar on a regular basis. Your newsletter can highlight business updates, events and new promotions, keeping these customers exclusively in the loop. By adding a signup form to your website, bar and restaurant email marketing can turn first-time visitors into dedicated followers.
How to make a bar website FAQ
How important is a website for your bar?
A website is a crucial part of your bar’s success. Beyond informing visitors of your location, menu and hours, a website serves as a dynamic way to attract new customers, showcase your bar’s personality and engage with your regulars. A website helps expand your reach, aiding with business by helping people discover your bar and giving you a tool for business management, whether that’s marketing, online reservations or the promotion of events.