The Best Bar Carts to Make Entertaining a Breeze

Oct 26, 2023

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Keeping bottles, drinkware, and cocktail staples organized on a stylish cart makes hosting easier, which frees you to enjoy the party.

Unlike fiddling in your kitchen ahead of a dinner party, guests enjoy mixing their own cocktails. And that’s a desire hosts should encourage. The right bar cart not only functions as a natural gathering spot, but also frees you from customizing drinks for each guest. When it comes to entertaining inside or alfresco, there may be no harder working piece of furniture.

Bar carts come in a range of styles, materials, and sizes, which can make choosing difficult. Start with understanding any space restrictions you have so the cart fits where you want it, yet provides enough clearance for guests to access supplies on all the shelves, which also makes it easier for you to restock mid-soiree. Nearly any material works indoors, but if you plan to entertain outside stick with rot-resistant woods like teak and rust-proof meals like aluminum—though any cart will survive a few hours outside with nice weather.

Stocked with bottles and drinkware along with a handful of versatile spirits, wines, and fixings, a bar cart should require minimal attention aside from refreshing the ice. Don’t forget to keep plenty of water, non-alcoholic beverages, and mixers on hand to keep things simple for guests.

Here, the best bar carts that provide ample storage, no matter your space, so you can steal away some time to enjoy a drink (or two) yourself.

Perfect for the patio, the casual hand-woven wicker tub on top of this stand conceals leakproof, galvanized metal bins below, which can act as an ice-filled cooler for cans and bottles. The powder-coated aluminum frame and thick two-piece teak tops will last for years outside. Closed, there is plenty of room to mix drinks, or with one section of the top removed, you can provide constant access to chilled beverages.

The solid teak and beefy casters here mean this cart will weather just fine outside (though you’ll want to oil the wood if you want to preserve the natural, neutral color). The center houses two tubs to chill bottles, which you can access when you slide open the two teak trays. Open them both, and the cart’s width grows to 72 inches and provides countertop space for mixing cocktails and access to bottles and cans.

The handsome eucalyptus and acacia wood in this West Elm cart takes on a more furniture-like, mid-century feel with rounded legs and a turned handle. The brass rails and casters help warm up the naturally finished wood with large, wide-open shelves, which keep tall bottles from spilling out while inviting guests to help themselves.

Blurring the lines between a bar cart and an outdoor kitchen is this version that packs a full-size drink refrigerator with outdoor-grade cabinetry. Parked near an outlet, the refrigerator stores a party’s worth of cans and wine bottles with dual temperatures. The drawer holds bar supplies so you can restock without going inside while up top a beefy teak work surface provides a knife-friendly area to cut fresh citrus, herbs, and other garnishes.

The dark reeds of rattan that veneer the shelves on this cart have a 70s-era vibe that feels vintage, right down to the small offset caster wheels. The tall sides of the lower shelf help keep bigger bottles or ice buckets in place as you roll the cart around. While not necessarily designed to live outside, it would be perfect for making mai tais and umbrella drinks on the patio.

This vintage Hollywood Regency bar cart will add major glamor into your home, thanks to its beautiful curves, brass accents, and smoked glass.

The top and third cylindrical sections of this glossy, MDF tubular cart pivot, expanding the usable surface area. Set up different stations and, once the party is over, swing everything closed to make tidying up a breeze. The flexible design means it can host everything from cocktail accessories to a self-serve buffet.

The trim and tidy powder-coated tubular steel frame here punches above its weight with the ability to hold 50 pounds. Simple, clean lines marry with smart details like cutouts in the bent plywood top tray to make wiping out crumbs and spills easier. Unlike some carts with dainty casters, the chunky wheels here won’t mind the workout of moving when fully loaded.

When a gathering over cocktails happens near a kitchen, a marble-topped option that mimics the countertops takes the guesswork out of matching styles. The stone’s bright white color and dark veining coordinate with the frame’s powdered coated, textured black paint. The casters are also removable for a more permanent installation.

This beautiful antique gold and maplewood bar cart will add some joie de vivre to your home. Four shelves allow plenty of space for your favorite bottles of wine, cocktail books, glassware, mixers and more.

The clear acrylic plastic frame takes on a more formal shape with squared corners covered in brass accents. The mirrored glass shelves make the contents pop. Filled with cookbooks, this decorative accent works just as well in the kitchen after cocktail entertaining.

While it lacks wheels and mobility, this 23.5-inch-wide cabinet tucks into the smallest of rooms where a cart might not fit. A naturally finished walnut veneer fits with just about any decor, and it features a striking grain pattern. A white marble top and backsplash protect the business side of mixing drinks while a lower cabinet door opens to help with storage.

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