Strangely enough it is the UK (or Ireland) where I think you can still find a social local, and I would be surprised if you couldn't think of examples yourself. Key things I would look for:
1. A wide range of ages that must include twenty year olds, middle aged customers, and elderly people.
2. It should have the vibe of a social friend's living room.
3. It doesn't have a primary goal of profit - would the owner still be there all the time if they won the lottery?
4. It is friendly to women: to quote a good-looking female friend from Shepperton "A bar I can go to by myself without getting hit on".
5. You could take a child there (not necessarily a child-friendly family bar, but neither should it be a booze palace where you wouldn't want to take your young son or daughter).
6. Unlikely to have music events or paid events that crowd out the regulars.
That said, I do get the feeling that this type of bar is harder to find over time in my country - maybe profit driven as younger drinkers do spend more - older drinkers get boozed at home with friends in my experience. I can think of examples I went to when I was younger in NZ, Ireland, and the UK.
1. A wide range of ages that must include twenty year olds, middle aged customers, and elderly people.
2. It should have the vibe of a social friend's living room.
3. It doesn't have a primary goal of profit - would the owner still be there all the time if they won the lottery?
4. It is friendly to women: to quote a good-looking female friend from Shepperton "A bar I can go to by myself without getting hit on".
5. You could take a child there (not necessarily a child-friendly family bar, but neither should it be a booze palace where you wouldn't want to take your young son or daughter).
6. Unlikely to have music events or paid events that crowd out the regulars.
That said, I do get the feeling that this type of bar is harder to find over time in my country - maybe profit driven as younger drinkers do spend more - older drinkers get boozed at home with friends in my experience. I can think of examples I went to when I was younger in NZ, Ireland, and the UK.