World's 50 North America's Best Bars 2023 Edition

Double Chicken Please is a cocktail bar on Allen Street in New York City's Lower East Side.

Handshake is a speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Mexico City's Juárez neighborhood.

A strong West Village pick when the cocktail bar is the point of the night, especially for pairs or a group of four that can arrive early and stay flexible. Larger groups should have a backup, because the recognition that makes Katana Kitten worth targeting also makes it harder to treat casually.

A smart French Quarter New American pick for diners who have already done the obvious New Orleans classics and want a more current, food-led meal. Dinner is the stronger play for occasion energy; lunch, if offered, is the lower-commitment option. Recognition from Opinionated About Dining in 2026 adds a useful trust signal without making this feel overly formal.

Dante NYC is worth prioritizing if you want a recognized Greenwich Village cocktail address with serious bar-awards credibility. Treat it as a planned early-evening stop rather than a casual late-night fallback, especially if conversation or seating certainty matters.

Overstory is a cocktail bar at 70 Pine Street in New York City.

Kumiko is a Japanese dining bar in Chicago's West Loop.

Cafe La Trova is a restaurant on Southwest Eighth Street in Miami.

Thunderbolt is worth prioritizing for a cocktail-focused night in Los Angeles, especially if awards recognition and a high-demand room matter to the decision. It is less useful as a casual fallback or large-group stop; go when the bar is the point, and have a backup nearby if timing is tight.

Zapote Bar is worth prioritizing for a polished cocktail-focused night in Playa del Carmen, especially for dates or celebrations. Its major bar-list recognition gives it stronger credibility than a standard resort lounge, but guests looking for happy-hour pricing, a food-led dinner, or an easy group hang should compare other local options first.

Civil Liberties is worth targeting for a cocktail-first Toronto night, especially if a lively room matters more than a quiet table or a food-led plan. Go earlier for easier conversation, later for the more social version, and treat food as something to handle before or after.

Attaboy NYC is a cocktail bar on Eldridge Street in New York City.

Employees Only NYC is a cocktail bar on Hudson Street in New York City's West Village.

Bar Pompette is a cocktail bar on College Street in Toronto.

Baltra Bar is the Mexico City pick when cocktails are the point of the night, not a side stop after dinner. It is strongest for dates or small groups in Condesa, but less useful for diners who want a full meal, broad wine options, or an easy last-minute plan.

Rayo is a strong date-night pick in Roma Norte if the plan is a serious cocktail bar rather than a casual walk-in round. The awards profile is the trust signal: World's 50 Best Bars #72, North America's 50 Best Bars #5, Top 500 Bars #229, and a 2026 Pinnacle Guide 1 Pin.

Book Mace when the night calls for a serious cocktail bar rather than a casual fallback. Its World's 50 Best Bars and North America's 50 Best Bars recognition make it a strong date-night choice in New York City, but plan early and do not rely on it for dinner, outdoor seating, or a flexible group hang unless those details are confirmed separately.

Botanist is one of Vancouver's strongest fine-dining cases: a Michelin Plate recipient with a plant-forward Pacific Northwestern tasting menu that changes seven to eight times a year and a 435-selection wine program backed by a cellar of 7,855 bottles. Book dinner for the full experience. Reservations are Hard; plan three to four weeks out for a weekend table.

Hanky Panky is the Mexico City bar to target when cocktails are the occasion and international recognition matters. It is not the right pick for a food-led night, so pair it with dinner elsewhere and treat the bar as the main drinks booking, especially for dates, anniversaries, or client drinks.

A high-conviction Guadalajara cocktail pick for a date, celebration, or visiting drinks fan, especially if the night should revolve around the bar rather than a casual crawl. Recognition from major international bar lists makes it worth planning around, but it is a poor fit for loose groups or anyone prioritising guaranteed outdoor seating.

Sabina Sabe is the Oaxaca Centro pick for agave-minded drinkers who want a recognized cocktail bar rather than a quiet mezcal lesson. It is better for dates and first-time visitors than loose group hangs, and In Situ Mezcalería is the sharper choice if the priority is focused mezcal education.

ARCA is a contemporary Mexican restaurant in Tulum centered on open-fire cooking.

La Factoría is the San Juan bar to choose when the night needs energy, recognition, and a crowd-forward room rather than a quiet drink. It is better for couples or groups who want atmosphere and momentum than for anyone planning a calm conversation or food-led stop.

Should you plan around Café de Nadie? Yes for a small, cocktail-focused night in Roma Norte, especially if external bar recognition matters to the group. For four or more people, make it the main reservation rather than a casual stop, and keep a backup ready if timing is tight.

Compared with easier Mexico City bar plans, Kaito del Valle is the better choice when awards recognition and a polished cocktail setting matter more than spontaneity. Book it for a date or small celebration; skip it for happy-hour hunting, large groups, or a casual first stop.

Prioritize Herbs & Rye when cocktails are the point and the group can plan around a hard booking. It is stronger for dates and small parties than for loose group dinners, with an award signal that makes the effort easier to justify. If food is the main event, cross-shop the nearby restaurant peers first.

Pacific Cocktail Haven is a cocktail bar on Sutter Street in San Francisco.

For 2026 New York cocktail planning, Martiny's is worth targeting if drinks are the point of the night and the group is small enough to handle a harder booking. Do not treat it as a dinner substitute unless the current food offering fits your plan; this is a cocktail-first pick with major bar recognition.

A serious Arts District cocktail choice for first-timers who want spirit-led drinks and a more focused room. Book it for a date or small group that cares about the glass; choose EightyTwo or Wolf & Crane Bar instead if the priority is looser energy or an easier group night.

Selva is the Oaxaca cocktail bar to prioritize when the night needs to feel planned rather than casual. Its recognition from major bar guides makes it a strong date or celebration choice in Centro, especially for travelers choosing between cocktails and a mezcalería. Skip it for loose group crawls or value-first drinking.

Book Atwater Cocktail Club for a polished Montréal cocktail night where the drinks are the point of the evening. Its awards profile makes it a strong date or celebration choice, but it is less useful if the priority is outdoor seating, a full meal, or an easy last-minute walk-in plan.

Service Bar is the Washington, D.C. pick for a serious cocktail round rather than a casual crawl. Recognition from North America's 50 Best Bars 2026, Pinnacle Guide, Tales Spirited Awards, and James Beard makes it worth prioritizing for dates or small celebrations, but the booking difficulty means it is not a low-effort fallback.

Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company is a strong Miami Beach pick when the night is about cocktails and energy, not quiet conversation. Its recognition, including Food & Wine Top 10 US Bars #9 (2026) and World's 50 Best Bars #21 (2018), makes it easier to justify for dates, visiting friends, and cocktail-focused first-timers than for a casual extra round.

Cloakroom is a cocktail bar on Rue de la Montagne in Montréal.

Cure is the New Orleans choice for a cocktail-led night with a more composed room than the city's louder bar options. Prioritize it for dates or small groups that care about drinks; choose Le Bon Temps Roule or The Delachaise Wine Bar instead if the night needs looser energy or a wine-first pace.

Mother is a strong pick for a serious Toronto cocktail night, especially for a date or small group that wants the drink program to be the focus. Its Canada's 100 Best Bars and North America's 50 Best Bars recognition make it more compelling than a casual backup, but it is not the obvious choice if outdoor seating or group flexibility is the main priority.

Maison Premiere is a strong Williamsburg choice when the cocktail program and room are the reason for the night. It is better for dates and celebrations than loose group drinks, and the booking difficulty makes it a plan-ahead venue rather than a casual fallback.

Aruba Day Drink is the Tijuana bar to prioritize when cocktails matter more than a full dinner plan. Its North America's Best Bars recognition makes it a serious drinks booking, but verified menu and pricing details are thin, so treat food as supporting the night rather than driving it.

Bar Leather Apron is the Honolulu pick when the cocktail program is the reason for going. It suits first-timers who want a focused, award-recognized bar experience rather than a resort lounge, beach view, or big group night. Go earlier if conversation matters, and keep the party small.

Yacht Club is the Denver bar to prioritize when the night is built around cocktails rather than a full dinner. National awards attention makes the booking worth the effort for small groups and dates, but food should be treated as supporting cast unless more menu detail matters to your decision.

Bar Mordecai is worth prioritising for a polished Dundas West cocktail night, especially as a date or focused two-person booking. Its bar-award recognition gives it a stronger case than a casual neighbourhood stop, but the smart move is to go early if conversation matters and cross-shop looser Toronto options for groups.

Book The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog when cocktails are the point of the night and the group is small enough to handle a high-demand bar. The awards history is strong, including World's 50 Best Bars #1 in 2016 and a Pinnacle Guide 1 Pin in 2026, but easier alternatives make more sense for loose group plans.

Allegory is worth planning around if the night is cocktail-first and the group is small. For four or more, book only when everyone wants a focused bar experience; otherwise WILD DAYS, Summit at Conrad, or Eighteenth Street Lounge will be easier fits for a looser D.C. evening.

Clover Club is the Brooklyn pick when the night needs a polished cocktail room rather than a quick bar stop. Recognition from Top 500 Bars and World's 50 Best Bars lists gives it real credibility, but the practical case is simpler: book it for dates, small groups, and cocktail-led evenings where the room is part of the value.

Brujas is worth prioritizing for a drink-led date or celebration in Mexico City, especially if external recognition matters: it holds Top 500 Bars Best Bars #90 for 2025 and World's 50 Best North America's Best Bars #45 for 2024. Do not choose it mainly for outdoor seating or easy group logistics; choose it when the bar itself is the point of the night.

Platform 18 is worth the effort if the night is built around serious cocktails and national bar recognition matters to you. It is better for a date or two-person return visit than a larger group, where backup plans in Phoenix make the evening less fragile.

Youngblood is the San Diego cocktail choice for a planned two-person night, not a casual fallback. Book it when the evening is built around drinks and conversation; choose an easier, more flexible bar if the plan depends on walk-in timing, groups, or happy-hour value.

Milady's is worth prioritizing for a Soho drinks night when bar recognition matters more than a fully mapped meal. Its recent Top 500 Bars, North America's Best Bars, and Pinnacle Guide credentials make it stronger for cocktail-focused groups than for diners who need confirmed menu details, pricing, or an easy last-minute plan.