The fourth edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, has been revealed. Browse this year’s ranking of exemplary bars across the continent from Montreal to Mexico City.
No.50 Cure
New Orleans
@curenola
curenola.com/
A New Orleans institution that helped rebuild the city’s hospitality scene following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Cure has been a stalwart of Southern cocktail culture for more than 15 years. Expect a seasonal rotation of classic drinks, each shaken and stirred with grace, alongside one of the city’s most extensive spirit collections.
No.49 Bekeb
San Miguel de Allende
@bekeb_sma
bekebsma.com/
Pre-Hispanic ingredients and agave distillates take the limelight at San Miguel de Allende’s premier cocktail bar, Bekeb. The star bar has now moved into its newfound home inside San Miguel’s luxurious Live Aqua hotel, but its showcase of Tzotzil culture, local ingredients and ancestral techniques remains comprehensive and profound.
No.48 Silver Lyan – NEW ENTRY
Washington DC
@silverlyan
silverlyan.com
The first non-European outpost of international bar magnate Ryan ‘Mr Lyan’ Chetiyawardana lies within a former bank vault in the US capital. Within, the bar takes inspiration from the rich mix of cultures that have influenced DC’s history via cuisine-driven cocktails that go big on flavour.
No.47 Café de Nadie
Mexico City
@cafe.denadie
cafedenadie.mx/
This Roma Norte café founded by veterans of lauded restaurant Pujol combines the worlds of music and cocktails into one harmonious package. Sip one of its Latin American-inflected creations against a soundtrack plucked from the more than 1,500 vinyls that line its walls, all played through a killer Hi-Fi system, naturally.
No.46 Dante
New York
@dantenewyorkcity
dante-nyc.com/
Named The World’s Best Bar in 2019, Dante is a bona fide New York institution and a landmark venue in the city’s cocktail history. Credited with re-popularising the negroni in the US, it remains one of the Big Apple’s finest aperitivo hangouts, whether for a juicy garibaldi or crisp gin martini.
No.45 Allegory
Washington DC
@allegory_dc
allegory-dc.com/
Descend down the rabbit hole at this Alice in Wonderland-themed DC speakeasy, where the titular character of the novel makes way for civil rights icon Ruby Bridges paired with a host of cocktails that draw parallels between the two figures’ narratives.
No.44 Mother – RE-ENTRY
Toronto
@mothercocktailbar
motherdrinks.co
Mother takes its name from the formative starter used to create vinegars and builds its fermentation-forward concept around it. Led by ‘thirsty dreamer’ Massimo Zitti, expect a blend of classic concoctions and contemporary creations, all injected with notes of delicious funk.
No.43 Angel's Share
New York
@angelssharenyc
angelssharenyc.com/
This formative New York bar made headlines when it closed its doors for good in 2022. Its revival under Erina Yoshida, the original owner’s daughter, picks up exactly where it left off, serving meticulous Japanese-style libations to the cocktail lovers of the Big Apple.
No.42 Katana Kitten
New York
@katanakitten_nyc
katanakitten.com/
What happens when you cross a dive bar with 1970s Japan? The answer: a fun-fuelled den in the West Village that brings an East Asian angle to American classics. Best evidenced in drinks such as the Hinoki Martini infused with Japanese cypress wood, all cocktails come courtesy of its ‘director of deliciousness’, Masahiro Urushido.
No.41 Yacht Club – RE-ENTRY
Denver
@yachtclubbar
yachtclubbar.com/
Don’t be fooled by this bar’s name – Yacht Club launched in 2021 with a simple ethos of being the ‘anti-club-club’ as a true community space for all of Denver bar-goers. Whether searching for a superb cocktail, glass of wine or a simple beer and hot dog, Yacht Club caters to all tastes.
No.40 Kaito del Valle
Mexico City
@kaitodelvalle
Starting its life as an upstairs bar to an izakaya of the same name before then outgrowing the restaurant to create its own space, Kaito del Valle offers a one-of-a-kind Japanese-inspired cocktail experience in the Mexican capital. Claudia Cabrera, winner of the Roku Industry Icon Award 2024, leads the all-female team here, who its signature serves with immaculate attention to detail.
No.39 Bisous – NEW ENTRY
Chicago
@bisouschicago
bisouschicago.com
This Fulton Market gem brings a taste of 1960s Paris to Chicago under the watchful eye of native bar veteran Peter Vestinos. As one of the only standalone bars in Windy City’s Restaurant Row, it’s the ideal spot for a romantic pre-dinner martini, of which there is an entire dedicated menu to choose from.
No.38 Meadowlark
Chicago
@meadowlarkchicago
meadowlarkchicago.com/
Since opening in 2022, Meadowlark has firmly established itself as one of Chicago’s most compelling cocktail bars. Housed in a historic building in the Logan Square neighbourhood, the intimate space is home to some of the city’s most interesting concoctions, with its current drinks list inspired by ‘childhood activities for grown-ups,’ with recess reimagined as bright highball of tequila, gin, red wine, madeira, lemon and ginger.
No.37 Bar Mordecai
Toronto
@barmordecai
barmordecai.com/
Buzzy, bold and brilliantly fun – Bar Mordecai, affectionately referred to as 'Mordy’, is a true bastion of its local Toronto community. The bar’s interior delivers on Wes Anderson chic, while its cocktails are fun and focused, with the Mordi Vice – a Miami vice made with soft-serve – a fan-favourite.
No.36 Atwater Cocktail Club
Montreal
@atwatercocktailclub
atwatercocktailclub.com
Down a graffiti-lined alleyway under industrial red lights lies the unexpected location of one of Montreal’s most charismatic bars. Led by the inimitable Kate Boushel, winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2024, Atwater Cocktail Club goes big on conviviality, culture and seriously creative concoctions.
No.35 Hanky Panky
Mexico City
@hankypankydf
hankypanky.mx
You’ll find this illustrious speakeasy by travelling through the kitchens of traditional Oaxacan-style fonda in the hip Juárez neighbourhood. Launched in 2017 and now overseen by bar manager Gina Barbachano, Hanky Panky is a showcase of Golden Era mixology and remains a formative figure of Mexico’s bar renaissance.
No.34 Bijou Drinkery Room – NEW ENTRY
Mexico City
@bijou_drinkeryroom
bijoudrinkeryroom.com
Guests to Bijou Drinkery Room are advised that the password to the speakeasy is a simple smile, and joy permeates throughout every fibre of this Piet Modrian-inspired jewel in the Mexican capital. Think menus in the form of Rubik’s Cubes, Golden Age libations and a seriously delicious food offering to match.
No.33 Maison Premiere
New York
@maisonpremiere
maisonpremiere.com/
New York meets New Orleans in this Williamsburg gem. With a surplus of stained wood, ceiling fans and drinks programme of seriously honed classics with a penchant for absinthe, Maison Premiere is a true embodiment of old-world luxury. Order the Old King Cole Martini for a touch of magic served at your table.
No.32 La Factoría
San Juan
@lafactoriapr
Puerto Rico’s premier drinks spot has been leading the charge of the island’s cocktail revolution since it opened its doors in 2013, thanks to its innovative and expansive operation spanning six unique spaces. Gritty, charming and unashamedly Puerto Rican, expect a range of cocktails that make the most of the island’s history, culture and ingredients.
No.31 Cloakroom
Montreal
@thecloakroombar
cloakroombar.squarespace.com
Cloakroom is a unique 25-seat cocktail bar shrouded in the perfect levels of cloak-and-daggery. Head through the concealed entrance within a tailor shop to find the no-reservations, no-menu bar, where each guest is asked to simply supply their spirit of choice before its team conjure up bespoke creations that hammer home the delicious exclusivity.
No.30 Library by the Sea
Grand Cayman
@librarybytheseagc
librarybythesea.com/
Literary themed libations are the order of the day at Library by the Sea, masterminded by beverage director Jim Wrigley and head bartender Max Wolff. Its twists on classics are served against one of the continent’s finest backdrops as the sun sets over the sandy shores and crystal blue waters of Grand Cayman. In 2025, it is named The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Scrappy’s Bitters.
No.29 Selva
Oaxaca
@selvaoaxaca
selvaoaxaca.com/
If one were to distil and bottle the essence of Oaxaca, it would taste like a Selva cocktail. Inside this mid-century modern bar located in Mexico’s agave capital, expect a celebration of tequila, mezcal and local fauna in every glass, created under the watchful eye of charismatic bartender Alexandra Purcaru.
No.28 The Keefer Bar
Vancouver
@thekeeferbar
thekeeferbar.com
Located in Vancouver’s Chinatown, The Keefer Bar has been a bastion of the city’s cocktail scene for more than a decade. The bar wholly celebrates the historic neighbourhood, taking its inspiration from old apothecaries where cocktails come in the form of ‘prescriptions’ designed to cure whatever ails.
No.27 Arca
Tulum
@arcatulum
arcatulum.com/ 
Sultry, tropical vibes define this groundbreaking establishment in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Helmed by René Redzepi protégé Jose Luis Hinostroza, Arca blurs the worlds of food and drink to create a unique exploration of the local terroir through bold, native flavours.
No.26 Botanist Bar
Vancouver
@botanistdining
botanistrestaurant.com
Science meets nature at this experimental cocktail bar inside Vancouver's waterfront Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. Its forward-thinking drinks programme is crafted by beverage director Grant Sceney, who creates masterpieces like the Botanist Marine Martini, designed to offer an extra-dry escape from the city’s notorious wet weather.
No.25 Best Intentions
Chicago
@fancycocktailbar
bestintentionschicago.com/
Perhaps perceived as an unassuming dive bar from the outside, Best Intentions is a seminal venue in Chicago’s cocktail scene. Whether hankering for a Wondermint Malted – its take on a grasshopper – or grabbing a cold one from the beer fridge marked by ‘fancy cocktail bar’ signage, Best Intentions is a second home to Chicagoans from all walks of life.
No.24 Thunderbolt
Los Angeles
@thunderboltla
thunderboltla.com/
Thunderbolt’s open patio, light pink highlights, dark green walls and brown leather upholstery embody the bright and breezy SoCal feel. But beyond the aesthetics lies a boundary-pushing beverage programme that weaves community, philanthropy and ecological thinking into a seriously delicious package that has earned it the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2025.
No.23 Service Bar
Washington DC
@servicebardc
servicebardc.com/
Fried chicken, a lively, unpretentious ambience and outstanding cocktails delivered at reasonable prices are just three of the reasons Service Bar has been a staple of DC’s bar scene since 2016. Cocktails offer an option for every mood, be it happy hour daiquiris or Savory Sours, made with pisco, celery juice, lime, aquafaba and za’atar.
No.22 Aruba Day Drink
Tijuana
@arubadaydrinkbar
Tucked away from the crowded tourist strips of Tijuana, Aruba Day Drink offers escapism in abundance via brightly coloured tiles, a joyous soundtrack and a well-curated drinks offering from lead bartender Kevin Tocino. Drinks range from tropical tipples to caffeinated concoctions, all delivered with local laid-back coastal hospitality.
No.21 Civil Liberties
Toronto
@civlibto
civillibertiesbar.com/
Look for the illuminated pineapple sign to find the otherwise unmarked Civil Liberties. The bar forgoes the snooty exclusivity associated with many speakeasies, opting instead for a ‘kind over cool’ mantra that hammers home hallmark friendly Canadian hospitality. There is no set menu, meaning guests must surrender their choice to its seriously knowledgeable team.
No.20 Baltra Bar
Mexico City
@baltrabar
baltra.bar/
On any given night, you’ll likely find a host of some of Mexico City’s best bartenders at Baltra Bar. Opened by the same brilliant mind behind the seminal Licorería Limantour, Baltra Bar perfectly pairs a honed line-up of classic cocktails with an easy-going neighbourhood café setting that makes it easy to stay all night long.
No.19 Double Chicken Please
New York
@doublechickenpleasenyc
doublechickenplease.com/
Founded in 2017 by GN Chan and Faye Chen, Double Chicken Please continues to rock the New York bar scene with its highly inventive dual-concept space. Its newly renovated ‘Free Range’ front bar offers a more artsy space with cartoon-inspired cocktails, but head through to ‘The Coop’ for a taste of its ground-breaking food-inspired drinks.
No.18 Employees Only
New York
@employeesonlyny
employeesonlynyc.com/
Employees Only has stood its ground in New York’s everchanging bar scene since 2004, proving its worth as a true institution in the 20-plus years since. Visit for the Art Deco interior, Golden Age cocktails and a delicious food offering; stay for the Sober Up Soup served free at closing time.
No.17 True Laurel
San Francisco
@truelaurelsf
truelaurelsf.com/
Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, True Laurel is one of the city’s buzziest cocktail hangouts. Inside, its two bars deliver cocktails designed by Nicolas Torres that intelligently weave sustainable practices into their every fibre. Think house-fermented field cider, pinecone distillate, redwood tips and California bay tinctures.
No.16 Pacific Cocktail Haven
San Francisco
@pch_sf
pacificcocktailsf.com/
Following a devastating fire that forced the closure of its original location, Pacific Cocktail Haven reopened following the pandemic with a new lease of life. Asian Pacific ingredients lead its extensive drinks programme masterminded by local legend Kevin Diedrich.
No.15 Martiny’s
New York
@martinys_nyc
Japanese-style hospitality drives the experience at this converted carriage house in Gramercy. Helmed by Tokyo-born Takuma Watanabe – who forged his career at Angel’s Share – pair any of its opulent renditions of classic cocktails with equally luxurious bar bites, such as its caviar-topped fried chicken karaage.
No.14 Bar Mauro – NEW ENTRY
Mexico City
@barmauromx
Bar Mauro may be located in the beating heart of Mexico City, but stepping inside is like entering a portal to 1970s Italy. Ricardo and Eduardo Nava’s homage to their Milanese grandfather and namesake of the bar comes via stylish interiors packed with vintage photos, warm hospitality and an unashamedly classic line-up of Italian cocktail staples.
No.13 Café La Trova
Miami
@cafelatrovamiami
cafelatrova.com/
Cuban Cantinero culture lies at the heart of this Miami institution, with former Roku Industry Icon Award winner Julio Cabrera at the fore. A visit guarantees showmanship, slick drinks slinging and leading hospitality while sipping on a daiquiri or mojito, paired with a plate of Cubano-style empanadas.
No.12 Mírate
Los Angeles
@mirate.losangeles
mirate.la/
Expect a mastery of all things agave at this multi-level, skylit and foliage ensconced oasis in the Los Feliz neighbourhood. Beyond merely tequila and mezcal, other pre-Hispanic fermented beverages are given the limelight through its clever beverage programme. Jumping a meteoric 34 places from its 2024 ranking, Mírate earns the Nikka Highest Climber Award and is named The Best Bar in West USA, sponsored by Nikka Whisky.
No.11 Clemente Bar – NEW ENTRY
New York
@theclementebar
clementebar.com
A partnership between Italian artist Francesco Clemente and Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park has resulted in one of New York’s hottest new bars. Inside the jaw-droppingly aesthetic space, cocktails effortlessly toe the line between layered complexity and elegant simplicity. Making a splash already, despite its newbie status, Clemente Bar is named the winner of the Three Cents Best New Opening Award 2025.
No.10 Kumiko
Chicago
@barkumiko
barkumiko.com/
Infused with owner Julia Momosé’s signature elegance and razor-sharp attention to detail, Kumiko is a sophisticated cocktail bar blending Japanese and American cocktail influences with style and finesse. For a fourth consecutive year, it is named The Best Bar in Midwest USA, sponsored by Torres Brandy.
No.9 Licorería Limantour
Mexico City
@limantourmx
limantour.tv/
Often cited as the birthplace of Mexico City’s craft cocktail scene, Licorería Limantour has been proudly waving the flag since 2011 through a menu that celebrates the city’s vibrant culture and ingredients. A stalwart of the scene, it is named the winner of the inaugural Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award 2025.
No.8 El Gallo Altanero
Guadalajara
@elgalloaltanero
galloaltanero.com.mx/
The very spirit of Jalisco feels manifest in El Gallo Altanero, thanks in part to the hundreds of bottles of agave distillates from independent producers that line its back bar. With a charming team boasting an encyclopaedic knowledge of the plant, visit for a truly authentic and unique Mexican bar experience.
No.7 Bar Pompette
Toronto
@barpompette_to
pompette.ca/barpompette
(Image: Jessica Blaine-Smith)
Bar Pompette may have the joy and feel of an unassuming neighbourhood French café, but beneath the surface is a world-leading cocktail programme that is quietly revolutionising Toronto’s buzzy bar scene. Thanks to its superlative service and drinks, Bar Pompette is the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2025 and The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Torres Brandy.
No.6 Overstory
New York
@overstory
overstory-nyc.com/
Up in the Manhattan skyline on the 64th floor of a Jazz Age skyscraper, Overstory pairs stunning views with superb cocktails. Its pink tuxedo-clad team of bartenders apply a deft touch to cocktails that feel fittingly classy for their surrounds, served under the glow of a glittering disco ball overhead.
No.5 Sip & Guzzle – NEW ENTRY
New York
@sipandguzzlenyc
sipandguzzlenyc.com
Bar legends and long-time collaborators Steve Schneider and Shingo Gokan reunited to open Sip & Guzzle in New York: a two-storey, two-bar venue in Greenwich Village. Expect laid-back and lively service at Guzzle upstairs, and formal, Japanese-inflected service at Sip below. With a staggering top five debut, Sip & Guzzle is the winner of the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award 2025.
No.4 Jewel of the South
New Orleans
@jewelnola
jewelnola.com/
Southern hospitality drives the experience at Jewel of the South. Within its 19th century Creole Cottage building in New Orleans’ French Quarter, pioneering bartender Chris Hannah delivers a showcase of historic drinks from the South, such as the Brandy Crusta (cognac triple sec, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice). For a third year, Jewel of the South is named The Best Bar in South USA, sponsored by Amaro Lucano.
No.3 Tlecān
Mexico City
@tlecan
tlecan.com
Tlecān is led by former Pujol beverage director Eli Martínez Bello, recipient of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2025, who scours the country for independent agaverias to stock her brand-less back bar, with a special emphasis on spirits made by women distillers. Paired with its striking interior that joyfully leans into Mexican archetypes, Tlecān is truly one of a kind.
No.2 Superbueno
New York
@SuperBuenoNYC
superbuenonyc.com/
Opened in 2023 as an homage to the Mexican-American experience, Superbueno’s singular exploration of bold flavours tied up in an irresistibly fun package has kept the bar as one of the hottest in town. It’s another super year for Superbueno as it retains its No.2 position following its superlative debut into the ranking in 2024, alongside the title of The Best Bar in Northeast USA, sponsored by Naked Malt.
No.1 Handshake Speakeasy
Mexico City
@handshake_bar
handshake.bar/
Handshake Speakeasy may have shifted spots to a new location inside the NH Hotel in Colonia Juarez, but everything beloved about the bar has successfully made the move to its gilded new premises. In fact, the space affords even more square-footage for Eric van Beek’s team of mixology masters to showcase their world-class cocktail wizardry.
90-minute seatings in its compact 32-seater main bar are magical, with cocktails such as the Once Upon a Time in Oaxaca and fan favourite Mexi-Thai (tequila, makrut lime, coconut basil oil, tomato) exquisitely balanced and delicious, thanks to its on-site flavour lab. With innovation in abundance, Handshake Speakeasy is again named The Best Bar in Mexico and The Best Bar in North America, sponsored by Perrier, for a second consecutive year.
The list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025, sponsored by Perrier, was revealed at a live awards ceremony in Vancouver on 29 April.
