The Best Drinking Games to Play at the Bar: 5 Fun Icebreakers

Are you ever sitting at the bar with your friends—the drinks are pouring, the music is blasting—but you feel like the night needs a little extra spark? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. When the conversation hits a lull or you just want to crank up the energy, a quick party game is the perfect solution.

Here is our handpicked list of the best, low-prep drinking games you can play right at your bar table.

Quick Answer: The easiest drinking games to play at a bar are Never Have I Ever and Things You Can Say, as they require zero equipment. If you have a deck of cards, you can play Riding the Bus or King’s Cup. For the ultimate convenience without carrying bulky boxes, you can instantly turn your phone into a party starter with the digital MadWish App.

5 Epic Bar Drinking Games to Try Tonight

1. Riding the Bus (Best Card Game)

This famous drinking game is a staple for a reason. It is highly competitive and guarantees a lot of laughs.

• What you need: Just a single deck of cards (if you didn’t bring one, try your luck and ask the bar staff!).
• How it works: The game consists of three fast-paced rounds: guessing the cards, building a card pyramid, and finally, “riding the bus.” By the end of the game, one unlucky player will lose and end up riding the bus—meaning they will probably be the drunkest person in your group that night. Don’t let it be you!

2. The MadWish App (Best Digital/Smartphone Game)

We all love a good board game night at home, but nobody wants to lug a bulky game box into a crowded pub. That is where modern technology comes to the rescue.

• The Setup: While we already offer a compact physical version called MadWish Cards, we have officially brought the madness to your smartphone.
• Why it works at the bar: The MadWish App offers all the wild truth-or-dare craziness of our classic board game in a convenient, pocket-sized format. No loose cards to lose, no board to stain with spilled beer. You can download the MadWish Truth or Dare app right now on the App Store and Google Play Store.

3. Never Have I Ever (Best Classic Icebreaker)

If you want to learn some hilarious (and sometimes shocking) secrets about your friends, this is the definitive go-to game.

• How to play: One player states a random fact starting with “Never have I ever…”. If you have actually done that specific action in real life, you take a sip of your drink.
• Pro-tip: You can easily look up premade question lists online, or invent your own if you’ve been dying to find out something specific about your co-players.

4. King’s Cup (Best Customizable Game)

Also known simply as Kings, this is another legendary card game that turns a regular table into a battlefield of rules.

• How to play: Place a cup in the middle of the table and surround it with a circle of cards. Players take turns drawing a card, and every single card number triggers a specific action or rule (e.g., “Seven is Heaven,” where the last person to point to the sky drinks).
• Why it’s great for bars: There are hundreds of card assignment variations online. You can easily pick a pre-set rule list that suits your vibe or create your own custom meanings before you start.

5. Things You Can Say (Best Game for Big Laughs)

This game doesn’t require cards, apps, or dice—just a lot of dark humor and quick creativity.

The Gameplay: Going in a circle, every player has to quickly shout out a sentence that fits both situations (like: “Thank you for coming!” or “Will there be food afterward?”). The first person to run out of ideas or stutter has to finish their drink. Uncontrollable laughter is 100% guaranteed.

How to play: The group picks a funny, dual-meaning scenario, usually formatted as: “Things you can say during sex and [blank].” For example: “Things you can say during sex and at a funeral.”

Frequently Asked Questions about Bar Drinking Games (FAQ)