all depends on the neighborhood.
in my area there are 4 general kinds of bars.
1 - dance clubs/bars - you can't hear shit, but you don't want to hear anything these people have to say. chances are very good you'll get laid unless you're just awful with chicks.
2 - college bars - these are the places where drinks are 3x as expensive as anywhere else, the music sucks and is too loud to speak over, but not enough to bother the more social people, and everyone is convinced that they have life all figured out.
3 - pubs - people here are generally pretty chill, the bars are dark, the music varies and is never anything you struggle to talk over, the bartender is always knowledgeable about at least one thing (beer, whiskey, cocktails, etc.), and they are almost never crowded.
4 - old man bars - they play classic rock and country music, football or baseball on TV, the drinks are cheap, but not much of a selection, and they generally open as soon as you can legally serve (6AM here)
there are prime examples of #3 and 4 within a 2 minute walk of my house, and i love them.