If you live in a major city you’re probably used to paying exorbitant fees for entry to your favourite bar. Especially on Friday night.

But paying $20 to enjoy a few drinks with friends on a weekend pales in comparison to some places. Some venues charge enormous annual or monthly fees to members. This ensures that only the very wealthiest of them all get to rub shoulders with one another. After all, if you’ve got a certain amount of money, you probably don’t want to waste your time with people who aren’t on your level.

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And that’s the reason why private, members-only bars exist: to make sure that those who move in wealthy and powerful circles never have to associate with those ‘beneath’ them.

To be fair, imagine you’re a huge movie star out enjoying some drinks with a close friend. You don’t want to spend all night being dealing with fans asking for selfies, do you? Sometimes a bit of exclusivity is for the best.

Plus, the enormous cover charges these bars make patrons pay can mean higher quality. Better drinks, more knowledgeable bartenders, and a much-improved ambiance could also be by-products of exclusive access.

Of course, not all of these exclusive bars are exclusive by virtue of wealth alone. Others require members to submit an application, or even to receive an application from another member.

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One thing’s for sure, if you really want to get access to some of these bars, you’re going to have to work for the privilege.

Online gambling site Vegas Slots has put together a list of the most exclusive bars in the world and which celebrities patronise them. If someone offers you a membership to one of these, you should probably go ahead and take it.

The 16 most exclusive bars in the world:


View Full Version (via VegasSlots).