6 Outdoor Kitchen Bar Ideas to Create Your Ideal Hangout Space

Use these ideas to transform your backyard into your favorite local bar

Men looking in outside kitchen
Photo: Giselleflissak / E+ / Getty Images
Men looking in outside kitchen
Photo: Giselleflissak / E+ / Getty Images
Nick P. Cellucci
Written by Nick P. Cellucci
Contributing Writer
Updated July 24, 2023
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Combining your loves of entertaining guests and spending time outdoors is possible by building an outdoor kitchen bar at your home. Outdoor bars are the ideal space for cooking, serving food and drinks, and gathering together with the people you care about.

When it comes to outdoor bar designs, the possibilities are practically limitless. Even if you know the basics you want to cover, you might be looking for a way to make your upgrade truly special. We created this list of outdoor kitchen bar ideas to help inspire your project.

Cover Your Outdoor Kitchen Bar Area

Open kitchen with empty dining room table and chairs outside
Photo: brizmaker / iStock / Getty Images

When the sun is blazing and the grill is fired up, it can get hot around an outdoor kitchen bar. A little shade is the perfect solution, and covered outdoor kitchen ideas range from attached roofs to pergolas and gazebos. Shade will cool your space and protect kitchen surfaces from harmful UV damage. Plus, a roof blocks rain and wind so the party goes on no matter the weather.

Install Suspended Seating at the Bar

Ordered stools a bar counter
Photo: ERNESTo LopEz / iStock / Getty Images

Seating is a vital part of any bar space. Dining, drinking, and watching the game are all comfier with a place to sit. Outdoors, however, inclement weather can make a mess of furniture. Stools often topple and get damaged when tossed around by the wind. A stylish solution is suspended bar seating. Attached swivel stools can smoothly rotate in place for a bar area that's always tidy.

Create a Hybrid Indoor-Outdoor Bar

Dining area of modern home next to open doors leading to a patio
Photo: Goodboy Picture Company / iStock / Getty Images

A unique take on the outdoor kitchen concept is an indoor-outdoor bar. With a large hinged or accordion-style window, you can have your indoor kitchen transition seamlessly to an outdoor bar space. This lets you conveniently access your full kitchen without leaving the party. If you’re curious about making this style work in your home, talk to an outdoor kitchen builder near you.

Add a Vertical Garden

Green plants in a vertical wall garden in spring
Photo: Rene Notenbomer / iStock / Getty Images

A vertical garden on the wall behind your outdoor kitchen bar offers a variety of benefits. For one, it's a naturally beautiful wall covering that everyone can enjoy. Beyond aesthetics, though, it can also be a source of fresh herbs while you cook. Choose your favorite plants and colors, arrange them artistically, and incorporate self-watering planters to keep maintenance care-free.

Go for a Granite Bar Surface

Outdoor Kitchen countertop
Photo: Ziga Plahutar / iStock / Getty Images

When you're designing your outdoor kitchen, granite is the ideal material for your bar's surface. This sleek, stylish stone is highly resilient. It comes in neutral shades, earth tones, and vibrant colors, and won't lose its hue in direct sunlight. Seal it once a year and it won't crack or break in extreme temperatures or storms. For added luxury, opt for a granite waterfall countertop.

Build an Outdoor Pizza Oven

Pizza coming out of a backyard pizza oven
Photo: Richard Drury / DigitalVision / Getty Images

One surefire way to make every outdoor gathering at your home a memorable one is to have a wood-fired pizza oven churning out homemade pies. Pizza ovens can range from rustic to modern and serve up more than pizza. Use yours to grill, roast, smoke, barbeque, and bake. When you dig into the cost to build an outdoor pizza oven you’ll find options for every budget.

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Learn more about our contributor
Nick P. Cellucci
Written by Nick P. Cellucci
Contributing Writer
Nick has been a copywriter in the home services industry since 2017, marketing for hundreds of flooring and home improvement providers throughout North America.
Nick has been a copywriter in the home services industry since 2017, marketing for hundreds of flooring and home improvement providers throughout North America.
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