Underbar and back-bar: two different jobs
The underbar is the working area under the front counter where drinks are built. It holds the ice well, speed rail, garnish trays, mixers and a sink, and it is designed for speed. The back-bar is the wall behind the bartender, which displays bottles, holds glass-door coolers for beer and soft drinks and often houses the cash point. Refrigeration appears in both, but with different priorities.
| Zone | Typical refrigeration | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Underbar station | Undercounter cooler or drawers for mixers, juices and garnishes | Speed of access, compact footprint |
| Ice station | Ice well fed from an ice machine elsewhere | Volume, drainage, hygiene |
| Back-bar | Glass-door coolers for beer, soft drinks and RTDs | Display, capacity, front venting |
| Wine | Wine cooler at service or storage temperature | Stable temperature, correct zones |
| Draught | Keg cooler or remote keg room with cooled lines | Consistent beer temperature to the tap |
Plan by station, not by appliance
Divide the bar into stations, each able to make the full menu or a defined part of it. Every station needs its own access to ice, mixers and garnishes. Place a small undercounter cooler or drawer unit within one step of each station rather than one large cooler at the end of the bar that every bartender must walk to.
Count what each station must hold for a full rush: the number of mixer bottles, juice containers, garnish pans and back-up stock. That sets the size of each underbar unit.
Back-bar coolers
- Choose door styles to suit the aisle: sliding doors where the space behind the bar is narrow, hinged doors where there is room.
- Plan facings so popular brands are at waist height and easy to grab.
- Use front-breathing units if they are built into joinery.
- Leave space for a beer bottle opener and a waste chute without blocking doors.
- Consider separate coolers for beer and soft drinks so frequent openings for one do not warm the other.
Heat and ventilation behind the bar
A bar is a heat trap. Glass washers, ice machines, lighting, crowds and several refrigeration units all add heat to a small enclosed space, and many bars have a lower ceiling and less air conditioning behind the counter than in the seating area. Units built into joinery without ventilation overheat, trip and fail early.
Plan ventilation with the interior designer: front-breathing equipment, vent grilles in the kick-plate, and if possible a route to move hot air away. Place the ice machine and glass washer where their heat and steam do not blow onto refrigeration condensers. Where many units are needed, a remote condensing unit outside the bar can remove heat and noise altogether.
Drainage, power and access
- Ice wells, glass washers and some coolers need drains; plan floor drains and falls before tiling.
- Give each refrigeration unit its own earthed socket, positioned where it can be reached without dismantling the bar.
- Add voltage protection if the supply is poor; bars often run heavy loads in the evening peak.
- Leave removable panels so technicians can reach condensers and compressors.
Glass chilling and frozen items
Chilled or frosted glasses improve beer and cocktail service. A glass chiller or a dedicated shelf in a back-bar cooler keeps glassware cold; a small freezer drawer holds frozen garnishes and ice cream for dessert cocktails. Keep glass chillers separate from food or garnish storage to avoid odours and breakage risk. If space is tight, prioritise ice and mixers over chilled glassware.
Layout checklist
- Every station reaches ice, mixers and garnishes within a step.
- Back-bar coolers are front-venting and their doors clear the aisle.
- Kegs are close to taps, or long lines are insulated and cooled.
- Wine is held at suitable temperature, separate from beer.
- Heat sources are kept away from condensers.
- Drains, sockets and service access are planned before joinery is built.
Frequently asked questions
- Should the underbar use drawers or doors?
- Drawers are faster for garnishes and small items because they pull out to the bartender. Doors suit bottles and larger containers. Many bars mix both along the underbar.
- Can I put back-bar coolers inside wooden joinery?
- Yes, if they are front-breathing and the joinery has the ventilation openings the manufacturer specifies. Rear-venting units boxed into joinery are a common cause of failures.
