Six months after acquiring KC startup, BarGlance expands its AI-powered nightlife app across US

Launching its latest innovation — BarGlance AI — in nightlife hotspots like Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, and Kansas City is only part of the story for a South Carolina-based company that recently augmented its tech by integrating features from a Kansas City startup it acquired.

By providing real-time data on venue popularity, crowd levels, and the overall vibe, BarGlance uses artificial intelligence to remove the guesswork from venturing out at night, said Joshua Lewis — without losing humanity from an experience meant to connect bar goers from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds.

Click here to download the BarGlance app.

Joshua Lewis, BarGlance; photo courtesy of Updown, BarGlance

“Energy, connection, and spontaneity are the secret ingredients of nightlife. Our goal isn’t to replace that with automation — it’s to make it more efficient,” said Lewis, chief marketing officer for BarGlance, which in October 2024 acquired his Kansas City-built platform, UpDown.

ICYMI: BarGlance acquires Updown Nightlife App; founder says deal will scale AI-infused tech even faster than he imagined

“Because in the end, it’s not about the technology — it’s about the people, the memories, and the moments that make nightlife special,” he added.

That means helping people find their ideal scene.

“We call it the three W’s: where are the best bars around me, what’s going on at those bars, and who all is there?” Lewis said. “With AI, we can provide those answers better than ever before.”

New features introduced by BarGlance AI include:

• Live crowd meters: Instantly see how busy a venue is in real time.
• Bar discovery page: Search, filter, and browse venues by category to match your vibe.
• Bar crowd insights: Get a feel for the scene with user check-ins and demographic trends.
• Updated bar profiles: View popular times, average visit durations, and photos to plan ahead.

Click here to explore nightlife with BarGlance.

“We want to be your nightlife companion that fits in your pocket. No more guessing where the popular vibe will be on any given night as BarGlance is your concierge,” Lewis said. “Nightlife activity is dynamic by nature, so capturing that data at scale is both the opportunity and the challenge.”

BarGlance is in the midst of a multi-city expansion fueled by a partnership with Campari Group, which helps the team more easily learn what people in different regions are drinking and better understand why, he added. 

Originally launched in 2019 by co-founders Justin Moss and Jesse Kasser, BarGlance is eager to advance the platform’s effectiveness at helping users “virtually barhop” before heading out.

“As a company, we’ve always leveraged the best technology available to help people find their ideal bar scene,” said Moss. “With recent advancements in AI, we’re now able to build features that weren’t possible even a few years ago.”