5 Great Pirate Bars In Honor Of International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Shiver me timbers, it’s that time of year again! Break out your eye patch, dust off the plank and raise the Jolly Roger because September 19 is one of the greatest holidays of the year: International Talk Like a Pirate Day. This swashbuckling celebration started in 1995 when two friends, John Baur (aka Ol’ Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (aka Cap’n Slappy) decided that for 24 hours each year, everyone in the world should talk like a pirate. The holiday has gained popularity primarily due to the rise of social media; Facebook even has a ‘pirate’ language setting.

If there’s one thing pirates and wenches alike love to do, it’s drink. So whether you’re a seadog buccaneer or a city-slicking landlubber, here’s a list of five bars to enjoy some cold grog on the big day.Redwood Bar & Grill – Los Angeles, California (above)
316 W. 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Redwood Bar & Grill is the perfect spot to live out your pirate dreams. Enjoy a drink on the nautical-themed patio outside or step inside and grab a captain’s booth for you and your mateys. On TLAP day, three bands will be rocking out all night long.

Wicked Willys – New York, New York
149 Bleecker St, NY, NY 10012

This Greenwich Village hotspot features live music, DJs, karaoke and beer pong tables – all the essentials for a pirate party. As their motto goes, “Time flies when you’re having rum,” which flows until 4 a.m. nightly. TLAP day festivities include live music starting at 7 p.m. and a DJ from 11 p.m.

Piratz Tavern – Silver Springs, Maryland
8402 Georgia Avenue, Silver Springs, MD 20910

Ditch the DC suit-and-tie types and head to Piratz Tavern in Silver Springs to unleash your inner buccaneer.

The best part about Piratz Tavern? They recently went head-to-head against SpikeTV’s “Bar Rescue.” After being turned into a boring corporate restaurant, the owners and regulars quickly threw out most of the $250,000 SpikeTV spent on renovations, and returned the bar to its original pirate theme. Yo ho ho! The staff includes “Blackjack,” “Boobies,” and “One Eyed Mike.” Yes, “One Eyed Mike” has one eye. Yes, he really did lose his eye while working on a promotion for “Pirates of the Caribbean.” And yes, it is socially acceptable to call him, “One Eyed Mike.”

The Pirate Republic Bar – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
400 SW 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

The Pirate Republic Bar, Seafood & Grill in Fort Lauderdale is the only pirate bar on our list actually located on the water. Offering free docking for your ship, swing by after a day pirating the high seas. Or let the water taxi drop you and your mates off in style. No south Florida pretentiousness here, as locals and tourists are greeted with a hearty “Ahoy matey!”

Smuggler’s Cove – San Francisco
650 Gough Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Pirates and rum: There may be no greater love affair in the world. And if there’s one bar that knows rum, it’s Smuggler’s Cove. With 200 varieties available, you can bet there’s something for every shipmate. The bar offers a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, but with a max capacity of 49, you better get there early if you want to celebrate TLAP day here.