This barely two-year-old, dual-concept drinkery has been named No.1.
Sip & Guzzle has achieved more than most in its short lifespan so far. After opening its doors in January 2024, the New York bar rapidly shot to stardom for its innovative, dual concept offering. Just after its first birthday, it made its debut into the ranking of North America's 50 Best Bars 2025 at the No.5 spot and earned the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, before being named one of The World's 50 Best Bars and taking home the Three Cents Best New Opening Award in October of the same year.
Now, Sip & Guzzle has a new reason to celebrate as it is named The Best Bar in North America 2026, sponsored by Perrier. Behind it is a collaboration between two titans of the cocktail world: Shingo Gokan, the international bar magnate behind The SG Group, and Employees Only veteran Steve Schneider. While both of their venues are no stranger to 50 Best rankings, Sip & Guzzle's coronation marks the first time either of the duo's bars have reached the No.1 spot in any 50 Best list.
Steve Schneider and Shingo Gokan opened Sip & Guzzle in 2019 (Image: Andrea Grujic)
"This is the greatest professional experience of my life in all 24 years of doing this," Schneider says. "[Shingo] Gokan and I first had the idea for this bar in 2019 and it took until 2024 to get it open. We believed in the project, stuck with it, and were lucky enough to end up with the best bar team in North America."
Sip & Guzzle also isn't the first joint venture for Gokan and Schneider. In 2018, they joined forces to create The Odd Couple in Shanghai. This outpost played into the pair's seemingly strange collaboration on paper with a split menu concept – with one half overseen by Gokan and the other by Schneider – alongside Blade Runner-type aesthetics and an overarching sense of fun. The bar was an immediate success, landing on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2020 ranking at No.38.
"We've been partners for eight years, and friends for even longer," Schneider says. "We've never experienced anything like this before. We've gotten mighty close, but this is a first."
The bar offers two distinct concepts over different floors
While Sip & Guzzle's concept isn't quite the spiritual successor of The Odd Couple, it masterfully captures the same alchemy of Gokan and Schneider's contrasting energies. Away from the neon hues of Shanghai, Sip & Guzzle offers an experience closer to Gokan's signature, Japanese style of interiors and drinks execution, mirroring Gokan's Tokyo bar The SG Club.
Sip & Guzzle unfolds over two floors, with different concepts and menus overseen by either half of the duo on each storey. On the upper floor, Guzzle stands as Schneider's domain, where regulars come for perfectly carbonated highballs, ice-cold beers and easy going cocktails. In the Saketini, a simple combination of banana vodka, sake and fino sherry are finished with a castelvetrano olive. For the fan-favourite Miami Vice Negroni, the classic three-part drink is supercharged with tropical joy through a strawberry infusion and coconut wash.
The Miami Vice Negroni is a signature serve of the bar (Image: Andrea Grujic)
Downstairs at Sip, the vibe flips closer to a classic Japanese whiskey lounge. Overseen by Gokan and manned daily by former Double Chicken Please head bartender Ben Yabrow, Sip's cocktail style leans into the sophisticated interiors through a selection of quieter, yet more complex creations. Take the fan-favourite Tomato Tree, where each constituent symbolises different parts of a tree: tomato water the fruit, the dill-infused gin and shochu the leaves, the St-Germain the flowers and the mastika the bark.
For head bartender Yabrow, the bar's new title is a bittersweet affair, as the celebrations in Vancouver marked his last event with the bar.
"It's the perfect way to cap everything off. When Shingo first reached out to me, it was the fastest yes I have ever said in my life," Yabrow says. "I am overwhelmed with emotion and joy right now, so I just want to thank the whole team back home, and in particular to Steve and Shingo who have supported me over the last two years."
When it comes to food, bar snacks are anything but an afterthought at Sip & Guzzle. Led by chef Mike Bagale, former head chef of Chicago's Alinea, snacks across both floors offer innovative, moreish and deeply decadent New York spins on Japanese dishes. The inconspicuously named Royale with Cheese, for example, is actually an A5 wagyu sando and arrives tableside in a gold box (and sets you back a cool $150). Simpler bites like the superbly seasoned fried Electric Chicken offer just as much joy, presented to guests with scissors to cut themselves.
Sip & Guzzle has earned it a spot among the cocktail greats of North America and reaffirms New York as the reinstates New York as the drinks capital of the region, with 13 bars represented in the ranking.
The Sip & Guzzle team took to the stage to collect its trophy in Vancouver
"There are so many great bars in New York right now, especially the new ones in the top 10 like Schmuck and Bar Snack," says Schneider. "Every one of these great New York bars could have deservedly stood up here."
Looking forward, where the newfound title could bring challenges, the Sip & Guzzle team are ready to face any new challenges that may arise. "We hope this is the beginning of something, rather than the end."
2026 marked a big year for newcomers, with Mexico City's Bar Mauro jumping to No.2 and named The Best Bar in Mexico 2026, sponsored by Torres Brandy. Back in the Big Apple, Schmuck and Bar Snack stormed in at No.3 and No.4, respectively. Elsewhere in the region, Chicago's Kumiko was recognised with the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award and the title of The Best Bar in Midwest USA 2026.
North of the border, Vancouver mainstay The Keefer Bar rose 21 places to be named The Best Bar in Canada 2026, sponsored by Monkey Shoulder, while Library Bar in Toronto took home the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for its local-first, zero-waste approach to cocktail creation.
The Keefer Bar was named The Best Bar in Canada for the first time
For its remarkable staying power at the top of the list of North America's 50 Best Bars, Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City received the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award 2026.
In the Caribbean, Puerto Rico took home a duo of accolades, with Identidad named winner of the Campari One To Watch Award and La Factoría The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Noam.
In the South, cocktail pioneer Chris Hannah of Jewel of the South fame – The Best Bar in South USA 2026, sponsored by Mr Black – saw his contribution to the craft honoured with Roku Industry Icon Award, while fellow New Orleans bar Cure's 29-spot jump earned it the Nikka Highest Climber Award 2026.
The list of North America's 50 Best Bars 2026 was revealed at a live awards ceremony in Vancouver on Wednesday 22 April.
