My favorite look, though I don't know if it is too expensive, is zinc for the bar top.
I would not do steel. In addition to being smudgy, it is cold. Some type of highly polished wood might be nice. It would depend on the theme of the bar.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
I like the classics dark wood brass foot rails you don,t see the bar as much as most people think it is the back bar where the money should be put that is where your eyes are focused on and a good lay out helps the bartenders.
Jorge - Here's a picture of my guest bath countertop, which an artist friend made for us out of recycled auto windshields. We think it's very cool, but I don't think it would stand up under the use and abuse the public would inflict upon it
I was in Michigan and went to a bar that was on a roof top, since it was exposed to the weather they used a material that is sprayed in the back of pick up trucks. It was very different and it had a nice texture to it and easy to maintain. I don't know what it called though. Might be interesting to look into.