Bars and Breweries With Live Music Across the US

Bars, pubs, and brewery taprooms make up the largest share of paid live music stages in North America. Out of 38,223 open venues in the November 2026 No Stairs Please directory, 6,419 are bars and pubs with live music and 2,084 are breweries and taprooms. Together those 8,503 rooms offer 2,215 verified talent-booking contacts and 4,404 stages with dated shows in the 90-day calendar window.

Comparing Bars, Breweries and Dedicated Clubs

The table below compares bars, breweries, wineries, restaurants, and dedicated music venues across the November 2026 catalog.

Room category	Open venues	Under 500 cap	Booking contacts	Active in 90 days	Median capacity
Bars and pubs with live music	6,419	1,508	1,554	3,365	150
Dedicated music venues	3,489	1,731	1,806	2,713	320
Breweries and taprooms	2,084	463	661	1,039	121
Restaurants with live music	1,929	450	440	1,021	140
Wineries and tasting rooms	1,440	289	269	619	125

Twelve Active Bars and Breweries With Live Music

The 12 venues below illustrate the range of neighborhood music pubs and brewery taprooms in the November 2026 catalog.

Venue	Room type	Town	Capacity	90-day show days	Genre focus
The Saxon Pub	Bar & pub	Austin, TX	120	89	Americana, blues, country, rock
The Maple Leaf Bar	Bar & pub	New Orleans, LA	250	82	Funk, jazz, blues, jam
Driftwood Char Bar	Bar & pub	Minneapolis, MN	80	79	Rock, blues, folk, jam
331 Club	Bar & pub	Minneapolis, MN	100	78	Indie, folk, Americana, rock
Laurelthirst Public House	Bar & pub	Portland, OR	100	71	Folk, Americana, bluegrass
Alberta Street Pub	Bar & pub	Portland, OR	150	69	Folk, Americana, jazz, blues
Herb's	Bar & pub	Denver, CO	125	63	Jazz, funk, rock, blues
One World Brewing West	Brewery & taproom	Asheville, NC	150	56	Funk, jam, bluegrass, folk
Silver Moon Brewing	Brewery & taproom	Bend, OR	200	41	Rock, indie, bluegrass, country
Uncommon Ground	Brewery & taproom	Chicago, IL	47	34	Folk, acoustic, songwriter
Prost Biergarten	Brewery & taproom	Denver, CO	175	29	Folk, rock, country, jazz
Pisgah Brewing Company	Brewery & taproom	Black Mountain, NC	300	26	Rock, jam, bluegrass, funk

Pay Rates, Sound Gear and Set Windows at Bars vs. Breweries

Across the 393 reviewed performer pay records in the catalog, bars and breweries operate on distinct financial models:

Brewery taprooms (median capacity 121) pay out of their hospitality and marketing budget rather than a door cover. Solo and duo acts typically earn $150 to $250 flat for a two-hour early evening or weekend patio set, while full bands earn $300 to $500 flat plus a drink tab and tip jar. Most smaller taprooms require the artist to bring a compact vocal PA and keep stage volume conversational.
Neighborhood bars and pubs (median capacity 150) run two models. Music-first pubs such as 331 Club, Laurelthirst Public House, and The Maple Leaf Bar have a dedicated stage and house PA and pay either 70% to 100% of a $5 to $15 door cover or a $200 to $500 guarantee versus a percentage of bar ring during the set.
Lead times at bars and breweries are shorter than at ticketed concert halls. While 250-to-500 capacity clubs book 3 to 6 months ahead, most taprooms and bars lock in their monthly calendar 4 to 8 weeks out.

When you write to a bar or brewery manager, state your set length, whether you bring a vocal PA, how much floor space you need, and the flat fee you charge in the first four lines of your email.

Browse all 6,419 bars with live music and all 2,084 breweries with live music in the No Stairs Please directory.