Dwarfs don't socialise or generate happy thoughts from nice surroundings while drinking. When they get thirsty, they simply path to the nearest drink container (possibly making a slight detour if that gets them their preferred booze), grab it and stand rooted in spot for three to four days, before putting the barrel down and carrying on with their business. Thus, drinking spots are generally the booze stockpile or still, and in my experience, the best thing to do is to just put them somewhere central, so dwarfs don't spend inordinate amounts of time getting there (and getting back to work) and so they're not in danger from potential threats while drinking.
There's a simple trick you can use to reduce the ludicrous time consumption of drinking - enroll all civilians apart from miners, woodcutters and hunters in 'no-uniform' squads with no duties and set their provisions to 'carry any drink' and 'carry no food'. They'll pick up and use waterskins/flasks, and a drink happens almost instantaneously, i.e. it takes an in-game minute or two instead of several days. The only downside is that it'll very slightly reduce the happiness they receive from their drinks.
I'd certainly like to see 'beer halls', where dwarfs would drink from their favourite jewel-encrusted goblet, listen to music performers and maybe start a party or brawl (hard to tell apart with dwarfs). I guess that'll have to wait for some future release, though.