Standard Bar Layout Dimensions for DIY Bar Design
See the key dimensions and reach ranges used in professional bar layouts so your DIY bar can function like a commercial workspace.
Read Guide →Guides, tutorials, blueprints, and cost tools to help you design a real commercial bar using the same workflow, equipment planning, clearances, and ergonomics professionals use.
Want to know how to design a bar? Learn the fundamentals of professional bar design — from layout geometry and clearances to equipment placement, workflow, and guest experience. This track pulls together our best guides and videos to help you design a bar that looks beautiful and works hard every night.
If you're new to bar design or want to refine your approach, begin with these foundational guides. They cover the dimensions, layouts, and design principles that make a bar efficient, comfortable, and profitable.
See the key dimensions and reach ranges used in professional bar layouts so your DIY bar can function like a commercial workspace.
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Learn how to make tight bar footprints work with smart circulation, compact equipment planning, and storage strategies that keep bartenders moving.
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A concise overview of the full process — from concept and layout through equipment selection, finishes, and buildout.
Read Guide →Prefer to learn by watching? These videos walk through real-world bar design ideas, finishes, and cost considerations you can apply to your own project.
See how professional bar design principles translate into a DIY-friendly approach you can use for your own bar project.
Watch Video →Explore seven finishing ideas that elevate the look and feel of your bar while still respecting durability and budget.
Watch Video →A pre-COVID cost snapshot that gives you historical context for how bar equipment pricing has evolved.
Watch Video →Foundational guides covering layout, equipment, dimensions, systems, and planning.
A professional overview of the complete bar design and construction process—from early planning and layout strategy to equipment coordination and build execution. This guide explains how successful bars are designed, why sequencing matters, and how experienced bar designers prevent costly mistakes before construction begins.
Read Guide →Industry-standard bar dimensions and circulation clearances that govern comfort, safety, and efficiency behind the bar. This guide covers bartender reach zones, aisle widths, guest clearances, and the physical constraints that determine whether a bar layout will function properly in real-world service conditions.
Read Guide →An in-depth look at common bar shapes—including straight bars, island bars, U-shaped bars, and curved layouts—and how each affects workflow, seating capacity, and equipment placement. This guide helps determine which bar shape fits your space, concept, and operational goals.
Read Guide →A professional breakdown of commercial bar equipment, including required fixtures, bartender stations, and underbar stainless steel systems. This guide explains how bar equipment is sequenced, how manufacturers differ, and why equipment planning must follow layout—not precede it.
Read Guide →A technical guide to draft beer system design, covering system types, line lengths, cooling methods, and layout coordination. Learn how professional draft systems are engineered to protect beer quality, reduce waste, and integrate cleanly with bar layouts and equipment planning.
Read Guide →A focused guide to designing small bars where space is limited and mistakes are expensive. This resource explains how professional bar designers adapt standard rules for tight footprints, optimize equipment placement, and maintain efficiency without sacrificing service quality.
Read Guide →Every bar project starts from a different place. Whether you’re designing a brand-new build, fixing a problem layout, or trying to squeeze a bar into a tight footprint, these curated tracks pull together the most relevant guides and videos so you’re not hunting all over the site.
Working with a shell space or a new construction project? Start here. This track focuses on big-picture layout decisions, clearances, and the mistakes that are hardest (and most expensive) to fix later.
Already have a bar, but it’s slow, cramped, or just not making the money it should? This track is about correcting inefficient layouts, upgrading equipment intelligently, and building a better workflow inside your existing walls.
Short on square footage? Small bars demand smarter geometry, tighter equipment selection, and more strategic circulation planning. This track helps you make every inch work harder without sacrificing speed or guest experience.
Once you understand the core principles and scenarios, these resources help you move from ideas to a working plan — with real dimensions, clearances, and budget ranges.
Learn what it really costs to build a professional bar, including startup ranges, hidden expenses, and ways to reduce overspending. Includes our instant bar design cost estimator.
Open Guide →Discover the layout geometry behind the most efficient bar shapes, working dimensions, aisle widths, and circulation paths used in high-volume hospitality design.
Open Guide →See real bar design pricing and use our self-serve estimator to get an instant design quote in under two minutes.
Use Cost Guide →Whether you’re ready to hire a designer or still pressure-testing your budget, here’s where to go next. Choose the path that fits where you are today.
FOR OWNERS READY TO HIRE DESIGNER
Get a professional bar design that integrates workflow, equipment, clearances, and guest experience—customized to your concept, budget, and timeline.
Concept-driven bar layouts and elevations
Integrated equipment, plumbing, and power planning
Designed for speed, ergonomics, and profit
STILL RESEARCHING
Not ready for full design yet? Use our self-serve estimator to see real bar design cost ranges in minutes—based on your bar type, size, and scope.
Realistic ranges based on hundreds of projects
Compare different bar configurations
Perfect for early-stage planning and investors
AV + Security Specialist | President,
WinStar Video Security
Sam Winer leads WinStar Video Security with over 20 years of experience designing and installing advanced surveillance, audio, and communications systems for restaurants, bars, and QSR chains. His firm delivers HD, AI-powered security systems, immersive AV experiences, and cellular signal boosting that meets the demands of modern hospitality venues.
From single-unit lounges to high-volume chains, Sam’s work focuses on guest experience, loss prevention, and operational reliability. He’s known for helping operators select the right systems — then install and maintain them for long-term performance.
Sam is a trusted integrator for projects that require technical precision and rock-solid uptime — whether building from scratch, upgrading legacy systems, or opening at scale.
Structural Engineer | Owner,
MC Squared, Inc.
James Farley is a licensed structural engineer with deep experience designing commercial buildings across the U.S. He is the owner and principal at MC Squared, Inc., where he leads structural design for a wide range of mid-rise hospitality, retail, and mixed-use projects.
James specializes in turning complex architectural visions into sound, code-compliant structures. His work spans steel, wood, concrete, and hybrid systems — and he’s known for his speed, clarity, and ability to collaborate closely with design teams to support aesthetics without compromising performance.
Licensed in multiple states, including Washington and Arkansas, James plays a vital role in bar and restaurant projects that demand both technical integrity and visual impact.
Design Consultant | President,
JLR Design Group
Garrett Lennon brings over 20 years of experience across foodservice operations, kitchen design, and consulting. As President and Principal of JLR Design Group, he leads projects in hospitality, healthcare, higher education, and institutional environments — where functionality, compliance, and guest satisfaction must align.
With a background in both management and engineering, Garrett excels at bridging frontline realities with technical performance. His team is known for translating operational needs into layouts that perform day after day, year after year.
Whether supporting a hospital kitchen upgrade, a campus dining overhaul, or a high-volume hospitality venue, Garrett focuses on designs that last — clean, compliant, and centered on the user experience.
Food Hall Specialist | Founder,
Bayard FSD
Dylan Halaszynski launched Bayard Food Service Design with a singular goal: to bring sharp technical fluency to the complex world of nontraditional foodservice models. His work focuses on unique formats like food halls, shared prep kitchens, and market-style dining — where code compliance and creative layouts must coexist.
With a background in construction management and boutique consulting, Dylan’s superpower is translating regulatory code into efficient, scalable spaces. He’s worked closely with Departments of Health across multiple U.S. jurisdictions and is known for identifying and solving challenges that would stall less experienced teams.
As an FCSI professional, Dylan pairs technical credibility with a next-gen mindset. He’s a go-to strategist for clients exploring urban revitalization projects, hospitality incubators, and unconventional culinary concepts — helping them move quickly, stay compliant, and stand out.
Hospitality Advisor | President,
Restaurant Consulting Services
Kevin Moll is a 39-year hospitality veteran, known for his unmatched insight into startup strategy, turnaround planning, and talent acquisition. As President of Restaurant Consulting Services, Inc. and its sister company Restaurant Recruiting Pros, he delivers full-spectrum solutions — from concept to culture.
His operational experience spans World’s Fair-scale foodservice, multi-unit ownership, and high-performance recruiting. He’s been featured on ABC’s Nightline, authored two books, and founded “Mystery Shoppers,” a global brand trusted by operators worldwide.
Kevin blends street-smart practicality with boardroom-level advisory, making him an invaluable partner to entrepreneurs, executives, and investors alike. Whether launching a new brand or revitalizing an underperforming venue, his work bridges hospitality intuition with data-driven execution — unlocking growth where others see obstacles.
FCSI Designer | Founder,
LU S Design Associates
Lu Schildmeyer has shaped more than 2,800 hospitality environments across the U.S. and Canada — including over 700 restaurants and 600 bars. With nearly four decades of experience in foodservice facility design, custom stainless steel millwork, and health code compliance, Lu is a trusted specialist for operators who demand technical precision and operational fluidity.
His work spans every segment of the hospitality industry — from boutique bistros to high-volume entertainment venues — where performance, durability, and code alignment must all coexist. Known for practical layouts and forward-thinking BOH integration, Lu brings peace of mind to architects, developers, and chefs who want their kitchens to run as smoothly as their dining rooms.
As an FCSI member, Lu blends aesthetic coordination with engineer-grade accuracy. His shop drawings are regarded as gold standard in foodservice environments, and his ability to anticipate permitting, clearance, and sanitation requirements has saved clients time, risk, and rework at every stage of the build.
F & B Consultant | Founder,
National Foodservice Consulting
With more than 50 years in the food and beverage industry, Craig Pendleton brings unmatched operational insight to every project he touches. From national brands to independent operators, his advisory work is grounded in deep experience and a no-nonsense approach to profitability, workflow, and guest experience.
Over the past three decades, Craig has helped launch more than 100 successful venues — including restaurants, casinos, and specialty dining concepts across the U.S. His consulting engagements focus on marrying smart design with real-world management, often bridging the gap between creative vision and operational execution.
Craig’s expertise is especially valued in Tribal gaming environments, where sovereignty, cultural fluency, and long-term sustainability must align. He approaches these partnerships with respect, precision, and a commitment to self-determination — creating foodservice strategies that support community goals while optimizing guest satisfaction and fiscal results.
Construction Strategist | Founder,
ADDMORE Services
Colin Addley is a Chartered Builder (MCIOB) with over 40 years of experience leading complex construction projects across six continents. His expertise spans construction management, quantity surveying, and international development strategy — particularly in hospitality, resorts, and commercial spaces.
As the founder of ADDMORE Services, Colin works with a global network of professionals he’s personally vetted — including quantity surveyors, site engineers, project managers, and planners — all of whom operate with the same rigor and high-performance mindset. He’s directed projects in the UK, UAE, South Africa, Germany, and North America, earning a reputation for precise execution on fast-moving, high-stakes initiatives.
Whether it’s developing a new food hall in Johannesburg, overseeing a hospitality rollout in the Gulf States, or helping U.S. brands expand overseas, Colin brings logistical clarity and on-the-ground insight to every venture. His work consistently blends old-school project discipline with contemporary collaboration — making him a powerhouse for any project that spans borders, teams, or time zones.
Bar Design Expert | Founder,
Cabaret Design Group
Rick Uzubell is a recognized authority in commercial bar design — especially in the elusive “Gray Zone” where architecture, code, and performance intersect. As the creator of Integrated Bar Design, he solves complex spatial and system challenges beyond the reach of typical design professionals.
His signature touches — curved bars, modular steel systems, and ADA-first layouts — have shaped elite projects across the U.S., Canada, and offshore markets. With nearly 100 published articles and over 80 YouTube videos, Rick is a prolific voice for smarter, more profitable bar environments.
Rick’s method blends aesthetic flow with compliance-forward spatial logic — resolving the often-overlooked tensions between building codes, bar efficiency, and guest engagement. His modular steel systems have become a calling card for operators who want high-volume throughput without sacrificing service quality or ADA inclusion.
Beyond design, Rick is a thought leader and educator in the hospitality space. His articles and videos have helped thousands of restaurateurs, architects, and consultants rethink the way bars are built — and how they perform.
