No, you haven't had too many Mai Tais, those are in fact mermaids swimming past your bar stool. That is, if you're at any of these kitsch bars across the United States. If you're wondering where you can go to mingle with folkloric half fish or live out your Disney fantasies, look no further. Of course, if you're seeing tails and you're not at one of these places, you should probably sit out the next round.
The Wreck Bar - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Located
in what is now the B Ocean Hotel, The Wreck Bar has been a staple drinking hole in Fort Lauderdale since the 1950s. The hotel itself has changed hands a
few times over the last half century, but the cruise ship-esque exterior has remained, gaining notoriety among both locals and visitors alike. Just off the lobby you'll find the Wreck Bar, designed after its namesake, a ship
wreck (Spanish Galleon to be exact). If it looks a little familiar, you may remember it from the film, Analyze This. As is usually the case, the
best stuff is kept behind the bar, including a
mermaid frolicking on the other side of the porthole windows in the pool.
Dive Bar - Sacramento, CA
The Dive Bar is relatively new to the mermaid scene, opened just in 2011. Unlike any dive bar you've been to, the bar is part retro, part chic, and a whole lot of fish folk. You'll find strong cocktails, live music, and a few nods to vintage mermaid culture. One thing that makes the Dive Bar unique is that they are equal opportunist, and you'll see mermen swimming right alongside the mermaids. You didn't think they were all women did you?
The Mermaid Lounge - Las Vegas, NV
There's not much you can't find in Vegas, and mermaids are no exception. The Silverton Casino is about five minutes off the Strip, and is home to the aptly named Mermaid Lounge. Here you can catch one of their regularly scheduled swims Thursday - Sunday and, if you time it just right, even see a stingray feeding, daily at 1 and 4:30 p.m. All that swimming can make you hungry, which is why, in addition to the Mermaid Lounge, there is also a full service Mermaid Restaurant. Go ahead and treat yourself to fish and chips, and remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
The Sip-n-Dip - Great Falls, MT
The O'Haire Motor Inn in in Montana is probably the last place you would expect to find mermaids, but it was in fact one of the pioneers of our fine finned friends. Operating since 1962, from the exterior, the building looks like any other unassuming family-owned motel. Step inside The Sip-n-Dip Lounge, though, and this hidden gem was named the "#1 bar on Earth worth flying to" by GQ. The lounge features live mermaids every Monday - Saturday night, but their newest offering is the bi-weekly Mermaid Brunch, featuring "Blue Mermosas."