What is the name of the main bar in How I Met Your Mother?

The main bar in How I Met Your Mother is MacLaren’s, usually referred to as MacLaren’s Pub.

It is the regular gathering place for Ted Mosby and his friends throughout the series. Many of the show’s major conversations, romantic developments, arguments, celebrations, and elaborate schemes begin around the booth or bar at MacLaren’s. The location functions almost like an additional member of the central ensemble.

MacLaren’s was loosely inspired by several real New York bars associated with the show’s creators and the staff of Late Show with David Letterman. One major influence was McGee’s, a Midtown tavern near the Ed Sullivan Theater. Other inspirations included McHale’s, Chumley’s, and Fez. The name “MacLaren” came from Carter Bays’s assistant, Carl MacLaren; the show’s bartender is also named Carl.

A frequent mix-up is “Puzzles,” another fictional bar mentioned in the series. “Central Perk” belongs to Friends, while “McGee’s” was a real-world inspiration rather than the bar’s name in the show.