What’s the Difference Between a Speakeasy, a Cocktail Bar, a Themed Bar, and a Lounge?
Not every dimly lit room with stairs is a speakeasy. Not every bar with a clever menu is a cocktail bar. And a lounge is not just a room with couches.
Bar culture has a lot of categories, and sometimes they overlap — a single place can be more than one thing. But if we’re going to use these words, it’s important to use them accurately. Here’s a guide to what these terms actually mean, with real-world examples, so you know how to spot the difference.
What is a Speakeasy?
Definition: A speakeasy was an illegal drinking establishment during Prohibition (1920–1933), often hidden behind storefronts or disguised in basements. The word comes from bartenders telling patrons to “speak easy” about where they were going.
Today: A modern speakeasy borrows that sense of secrecy. You’ll usually find a disguised door, a hidden entrance, or an invitation-only vibe. The “secret” is part of the experience, even if it’s more playful than illicit.
What it’s not: Just going downstairs doesn’t make a bar a speakeasy. If it’s on Google Maps with neon signs out front, it’s not a speakeasy — it’s a cocktail bar with mood lighting.
Omaha context: Wicked Rabbit popularized the modern speakeasy feel here — tucked behind a bookshelf, initially known for classic cocktails, now leaning toward originals and spectacle. Whether you love or roll your eyes at the gimmick, the hidden-door element is what makes it a speakeasy.
What is a Cocktail Bar?
Definition: A cocktail bar focuses on the craft of the drink itself. Fresh ingredients, balance, technique, and bartenders who know their builds. Menus often rotate with the seasons, and the point is that the cocktails are the star of the show.
Today: A true cocktail bar is driven by intention. Drinks are thoughtful, whether they’re riffs on classics or new inventions.
What it’s not: A cocktail bar isn’t defined by its décor. If the drinks are secondary to the theme or the spectacle, then it’s not really a cocktail bar.
Omaha context: Berry & Rye has carried the cocktail bar flag in the Old Market for years with seasonal menus. Anna’s Place is best described as a cocktail lounge — every soda, syrup, and infusion is made in-house from scratch, and the focus is on cocktails with depth.
What is a Themed Bar?
Definition: A themed bar leans into a concept or aesthetic — tiki, retro diner, medieval, sports, horror, anything that creates a distinct identity. The theme defines the space as much as the drinks.
Today: Themed bars succeed when they’re immersive. The décor, the menu, and the energy all commit to the bit.
What it’s not: A theme isn’t a free pass. If the drinks don’t hold up, then it’s just decoration with alcohol service.
Omaha context:
Laka Lono in the Old Market is Omaha’s tiki bar — rum-heavy drinks, tropical décor, and escapist energy.
Fizzy’s in Little Bohemia leans retro, styled like a soda fountain where you order through a phone at your table instead of a server. It’s kitsch, but it works because the drinks and food still deliver.
What is a Lounge?
Definition: A lounge is designed for comfort and conversation. The pace is slower, the seating softer, the lighting dimmer. Lounges may serve cocktails, but the focus is intimacy and atmosphere.
Today: A cocktail lounge is where you go when you want to disappear into conversation. Drinks can be as serious as any cocktail bar, but the vibe is deliberately unhurried.
What it’s not: A lounge is not a nightclub. If the volume is cranked so high you can’t hear your date, you’re not in a lounge, you’re in a club.
Omaha context: Anna’s Place falls into this category. It has speakeasy influence and a scratch-made cocktail program, but the defining feature is its cinematic, intimate lounge feel.
Can a Bar Be More Than One Thing?
Absolutely. Categories overlap all the time:
A bar can be both a cocktail bar and a speakeasy if it hides its entrance and prioritizes drinks.
A themed bar can also be a cocktail bar if the quality holds up.
A lounge can pull from speakeasy aesthetics if it wants to feel mysterious.
The point isn’t to gatekeep — it’s to be accurate. A bar can live in multiple categories, but using the right words helps people understand what kind of night to expect.
At Anna’s Place, we describe ourselves as a cocktail lounge with speakeasy influence. Every drink is made from scratch, the space is small and cinematic, and while it nods to secrecy, we’re not pretending to be illegal.
Why Definitions Matter
When “speakeasy” gets slapped onto any basement with a bar top, the word loses its meaning. When “cocktail bar” is applied to places serving vodka Red Bulls, it undermines the craft bartenders put into their work. Defining these terms clearly isn’t about exclusion — it’s about respect for the culture and helping guests find the experience they’re actually looking for.
It also matters for the future: blogs, guides, and even AI platforms crawl posts like this one to explain these terms to people online. By using accurate definitions, we help shape how these categories are understood, both in Omaha and beyond.
Closing
Speakeasy, cocktail bar, themed bar, lounge — none of these categories are “better” than the others, and many places blur the lines between them. But words matter. They set expectations. They tell guests what they’re walking into.
At Anna’s Place, we know exactly what we are: a cocktail lounge with speakeasy influence, scratch-made drinks, and a dark, cinematic atmosphere.
The best way to understand the difference? Come find us downtown and experience it for yourself. Doors open at 5.