SIGHTS
Wooden paneling, wall-mounted flat screen TVs over the bar and spaced around the room, a themed décor that often is affiliated with a specific country (Ireland, Scotland, Germany, etc.), décor that represent that culture (pictures, antiques, flags, colors, symbols), heavy wooden tables, bench seats or sturdy chairs, low lighting, windows with stained glass inserts, waitresses dressed in short black skirts and mini pouch aprons holding pens and notepads, a long wooden bar with local craft beer taps and a selection of international beers, a computer for placing orders, stemmed glasses inverted in racks above the bar, a tray holding drink embellishments (straws, stirrers, plastic swords, umbrellas, orange sections, lime and lemon wedges, pineapple chunks, olives, pearl onions), beer drains, full ice trays, sinks with dirty blenders and mixers waiting to be rinsed, bottles of alcohol, a stack of menus, a bartender passing out drinks and placing orders on trays, tables cluttered with drinks (in bottles, mugs, highball and shot glasses), drink coasters and crumpled napkins, plates of pub food and appetizers, a waitress clearing a table and wiping it down with a cloth so new patrons can be seated, tipsy customers weaving their way to the restroom, a dartboard on the wall
SOUNDS
Friends talking and laughing, voices growing louder the more people drink, sports fanatics shouting at the TV or cheering, glasses clinking together, the thump of a beer glass against a wooden table top, forks and knives scraping a plate, chairs dragging over the floor, the sigh of a plastic cushioned seat as someone sits down heavily, the creak of restroom doors opening, a gurgle of foam spitting out of a tap attached to a near-empty keg, the sizzle of hot food (like fajita meat and peppers) brought straight from the kitchen, the crunch of nacho chips, the chime of a text on someone’s phone, a hand banging the table to emphasize what one is saying
SMELLS
Hamburger meat and grilled steak, the deep fryer, spices, yeasty beer, cologne and perfume, cigarette odors wafting off a smoker’s clothing, stale beer breath, sweat, body odor, citrusy coolers, strong licorice-scented or nutty liqueurs, coffee
TASTES
Beer, distinctive alcohol flavors (tequila, rum, whisky, wine, vodka), salty ribs and spicy chicken wings, a burst of vinegar at biting down on a deep fried pickle, cheesy dips and spreads, pop, coffee, flavored lip balm or lipstick, sugary mixed drinks, a sour lemon or lime wedge, a sugar or salt rim
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Cushioned seats, the ridges of a roughhewn table, being crammed into a booth with others, greasy chicken wings turning one’s fingers slick, the weight of someone’s arm across one’s shoulders, wet condensation from a glass against one’s palm, playfully or nervously biting the smooth plastic stir stick or drink spear, a warm plate of food, the smooth texture of a cheesy dip against the tongue, a dry paper napkin, dusting gritty salt from one’s fingers, increased nudges and touches between people as alcohol flows freely, an ache in the lower back from sitting on a stool with no support, the slight spin of a swiveling stool, the burn of a shot doing down one’s throat
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Drunken patrons
Food orders getting mixed up or coming out late
Food poisoning or allergies
Spotting one’s ex with someone new
Drinks that taste too weak or too strong
Arguments or fights over a sports match on the TV
Being hit on by someone who is drunk or otherwise unappealing
A creepy pub patron whose continual staring makes one uncomfortable
Being followed out into the parking lot by a stranger
The temptation to drink and drive because cabs can’t be found
Being ditched by friends while one is in the restroom
Coming for a certain food and finding that it’s not being served
Trying to impress others by treating them to drinks when one can’t afford it
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Bartenders, cooks, customers, delivery people, managers, patrons, police, sales reps from liquor companies
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Pubs and bars are similar, but there are a few notable differences. The emphasis at a pub is more on sitting down for a few drinks, eating fattening or hearty foods, and socializing with friends, while bars tend to be about drinking, picking up dates, or watching the game. When a band is brought in to play at a pub, patrons mostly remain seated and enjoy the show from their tables rather than getting up and dancing.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
I scanned the packed room, hoping to find Josie and the others quickly so I didn’t look like a friendless waif, or worse, attract a half-loaded guy determined to buy me a drink. A curvy server passed me with a platter of nachos roughly the size of the Goodyear blimp and my stomach growled. She went up a half-hidden staircase, and I remembered Lisa saying something about the top floor being quieter. Sure enough, when I crested the second floor landing, a cheer went up. My crew sat at a high table in the corner, hands raised in greeting and an impressive collection of empty beer pitchers and glasses between them. I squeezed into a chair and ordered a coffee, because someone would have to drive this drunken lot of soccer moms home.
Techniques and Devices Used: Hyperbole, multisensory descriptions
Resulting Effects: Characterization, establishing mood