open bar

American  

noun

1. a bar at a reception that serves drinks whose cost has been borne by the host, an admission charge, a sponsor, etc..

   Before the banquet there will be an open bar from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Etymology

Origin of open bar

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

That included ferry transportation, open bar, food, towels and lounge chairs by the pool and beach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

In an era of increasingly coy, event-specific signature cocktails — and the quiet pressure of an open bar — there’s something deeply charming about a punch bowl.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2026

Guests — mostly in their 30s and 40s tonight and from the heterosexual monogamous community — huddled by the open bar during a welcome reception.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

Some bolted for the door; others made a beeline for the open bar.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2025

On one side of this room was a glass case of curious shells, large and small; and on the opposite side was an open bar presided over by a ruby-nosed Bardolph.

From Under the Southern Cross or Travels in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Samoa, and Other Pacific Islands by Ballou, Maturin Murray