Best Cocktail Bars Worldwide: 50 editor picks

50 best cocktail bars worth the trip across every TableJourney city. Editor-ranked. cocktail icons and serious drinking destinations worldwide.

Handshake Speakeasy ★ 4.9 · Mexico City

juarez · Amberes 65, Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, 06600 Ciudad de Mexico

Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City is the Juarez Amberes Street cocktail temple ranked No. 1 on the World's 50 Best Bars 2024 and No. 2 in 2025, an Art Deco speakeasy with reservation-only entry.

The Connaught Bar ★ 4.9 · London

mayfair · Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL

Agostino Perrone's hotel cocktail bar inside The Connaught in Mayfair London, opened 2008, runs the trolley-poured Connaught Martini and has topped the World's 50 Best Bars list twice.

Tip: The trolley-Martini is the marquee order; £24 a glass. Book a fortnight ahead through the hotel; jacket required after 19:00.

Ruby ★ 4.8 · Copenhagen

Nybrogade 10, 1203 København K

Ruby in a 1740 townhouse on Nybrogade in Copenhagen is the city's reference cocktail room, opened 2007 with a parliament view, jazz-club basement and bar that takes craft seriously.

Tip: Open until 02:00. The basement is the quieter room; the upstairs salon takes walk-ins after 22:00.

Bar High Five ★ 4.8 · Tokyo

5-4-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

Bar High Five in Tokyo's Ginza is Hidetsugu Ueno's basement cocktail counter, on the World's 50 Best Bar list a decade running. Hand-cut ice, custom drinks to taste.

Tip: Cover charge is 1,000 yen with snacks. Open Mon-Sat from 17:00, closed Sundays and national holidays; arrive early for a seat at the counter.

Licoreria Limantour ★ 4.8 · Mexico City

roma-norte · Av. Alvaro Obregon 106, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico

Licoreria Limantour in Mexico City is the Roma Norte cocktail flagship on Avenida Alvaro Obregon, one of the World's 50 Best Bars regulars since 2014 with the Margarita Al Pastor as its signature.

Sips ★ 4.8 · Barcelona

eixample · Carrer de Muntaner 108, 08036 Barcelona

Sips in Barcelona's Eixample is Marc Alvarez and Simone Caporale's Worlds 50 Best No. 1 cocktail bar (2023): a glass cube on Muntaner, tasting-menu drinks.

Tip: Reservations book 6 weeks ahead. The 8-course cocktail tasting at 110 euros is the order.

BKK Social Club ★ 4.8 · Bangkok

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, 300/1 Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500

BKK Social Club in Bangkok's Four Seasons Chao Phraya is Philip Bischoff's Argentine-influenced cocktail counter, Asia's 50 Best Bars No. 3 in 2023, riverside elegance.

Tip: Reservations recommended. Walk-in option at the bar counter; the Argentine-inspired Negroni list is the through-line.

Tayer + Elementary ★ 4.8 · London

shoreditch · 152 Old Street, London EC1V 9BW

Monica Berg and Alex Kratena's two-room cocktail bar on Old Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2019, runs Elementary (the front bar) and Tayer (the back), top-ranked on the world bar lists.

Tip: Walk-up only at Elementary in front. Tayer in the back books a week ahead. The menu changes every season and shows the production process.

Kumiko ★ 4.8 · Chicago

630 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60661

Kumiko in Chicago is Julia Momose's West Loop Japanese cocktail bar on Lake Street, with a kaiseki-leaning food menu and a James Beard Outstanding Bar program win.

Tip: Book the chef's-counter omakase pairing if you have a long evening; otherwise the bar Toki highball is the showcase order.

Williams and Graham ★ 4.8 · Denver

3160 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211

Williams and Graham in Denver is Sean Kenyon's Highland speakeasy behind an unmarked bookcase, a James Beard nominee since 2011 and a Front Range cocktail benchmark.

Jewel of the South ★ 4.8 · New Orleans

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112

Jewel of the South in New Orleans is Chris Hannah's St Louis Street cocktail temple in an 1830s Creole cottage, four-time North America's 50 Best South USA winner and on the World's 50 list.

Tip: The brandy crusta was invented by Joseph Santini in New Orleans circa 1850; this is the canonical version.

Hemingway Bar ★ 4.7 · Prague

stare-mesto · Karoliny Svetle 26, 110 00 Praha 1

Hemingway Bar in the Old Town is Prague's serious cocktail destination, holding the city's largest absinthe collection and over 200 rums in a corner-room hideout near Charles Bridge.

Tip: Reserve ahead; the bartenders do classic cocktails better than anyone in the city.

Lidkoeb ★ 4.7 · Copenhagen

Vesterbrogade 72B, 1620 København V

Lidkoeb on Vesterbrogade in Vesterbro spreads cocktails across three floors and a courtyard garden, with a whisky bar upstairs running flights on Friday and Saturday.

Tip: The courtyard takes walk-ups until 22:00. Upstairs whisky bar is reservation-only Friday and Saturday.

Bar Hemingway ★ 4.7 · Paris

Ritz Paris, 15 Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris

Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris is Colin Field's classic-cocktail temple. The Serendipity is the house drink; the bartender will recall which one Hemingway ordered.

Tip: Open 18:00-02:00. No standing; book a 19:00 seat for the calmer first hour.

Schwarze Traube ★ 4.7 · Berlin

neukoelln · Wildenbruchstrasse 49, 12045 Berlin

Schwarze Traube on Berlin's Wildenbruchstrasse in Neukoelln runs the city's most-cited bespoke-cocktail bar; the menu is one question (what do you fancy) answered by the bartender.

Tip: No menu. Tell the bartender a spirit and a taste profile. Reservations by email; small room, 18 covers.

Schumann's Bar am Hofgarten ★ 4.7 · Munich

altstadt-lehel · Odeonsplatz 6-7, 80539 München

Charles Schumann's Schumann's Bar on Munich's Odeonsplatz is the city's classic American bar; the room transitions from restaurant to cocktail hour around midnight, every weeknight.

Tip: Closed Saturdays; the smaller Camparino next door and the upstairs Fleurs du Mal are quieter rooms.

Zephyr Bar ★ 4.7 · Munich

glockenbachviertel · Baaderstrasse 68, 80469 München

Zephyr Bar in Munich's Glockenbach since 2011 runs Lukas Motejzik's experimental cocktail programme; the room won Mixology Bar Team of the Year 2025.

Tip: Walk in early or be queued; the bar's house creations rotate seasonally.

The Clumsies ★ 4.7 · Athens

syntagma-historic-centre · Praxitelous 30, Athina 105 61

The Clumsies on Praxitelous is the Athens cocktail bar of record, on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since 2015 from Nikos Bakoulis and Vasilis Kyritsis.

Tip: Specialty coffee runs from 10:00; bookings open six weeks ahead for the back room.

Line ★ 4.7 · Athens

kerameikos-metaxourgeio · Agathodemonos 37, Athina 118 53, Greece

Line in Athens is the second venture from the Clumsies team Nikos Bakoulis and Vasilis Kyritsis, ranked No. 8 on the World's 50 Best Bars 2025 in a converted gallery.

Tip: Booking-only after 19:00 Thursday through Saturday; weekday early sittings are easier.

The Long Hall ★ 4.7 · Dublin

south-city-centre · 51 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2, D02 DV74

The Long Hall on South Great George's Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian saloon since 1881 with original mahogany and mirror back-bar, the city's best Guinness pour.

Tip: The bar runs the length of the room; sit on a stool in the back snug to watch the bar staff work. Cash and card.

Grogan's Castle Lounge ★ 4.7 · Dublin

south-city-centre · 15 South William Street, Dublin 2, D02 H336

Grogan's on South William Street in Dublin 2, the artist's pub since the 1970s, the city's reference for a creamy Guinness and a toasted-cheese-and-ham.

Tip: Cash and card. The front lounge fills with regulars; the back room is the conversation room. Toasties stop at 18:00.

The Cobblestone ★ 4.7 · Dublin

north-inner-city · 77 King Street North, Dublin 7, D07 TP22

The Cobblestone on King Street North in Smithfield, Dublin 7, Tom Mulligan's family trad music pub, the city's reference for an unplugged session of traditional music.

Tip: Nightly trad sessions from 19:00, free entry. The back room is the dedicated session bar; arrive 18:00 for a seat.

Star Bar Ginza ★ 4.7 · Tokyo

1-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

Star Bar Ginza in Tokyo's Ginza is Hisashi Kishi's pressed-tin temple of classic cocktail technique since 2000. The signature Sidecar is the order on a first visit.

Tip: Cover charge applies. Wear smart casual; phone reservations are accepted but the standing space at the counter turns fast.

Hanky Panky ★ 4.7 · Mexico City

juarez · Turin, Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, 06600 Ciudad de Mexico

Hanky Panky in Mexico City is the Juarez speakeasy on Turin Street ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars, opened in 2016 by Walter Meyenberg with bartender Gina Barbachano, hidden behind an unassuming fonda door with reservation-only entry.

Tlecan ★ 4.7 · Mexico City

roma-norte · Av. Alvaro Obregon 228-Local 2, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico

Tlecan in Mexico City is the Roma Norte pre-Hispanic agave-spirit bar on Alvaro Obregon, North America's 50 Best Bars 2025 No. 3, focused on rare Mexican distillates from female producers.

Paradiso ★ 4.7 · Barcelona

born · Carrer de Rera Palau 4, 08003 Barcelona

Paradiso in Barcelona's Born is the speakeasy through-a-pastrami-shop on Rera Palau: Worlds 50 Best No. 1 in 2022, now book months ahead for cocktail theatre.

Tip: Reservations via Instagram or Resy open 4 weeks ahead. No walk-ins; the queue at the door is for the dispatchers.

Ganbara (counter) ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián

San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

Ganbara's ground-floor counter on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town pours Txakoli alongside the autumn setas pintxo and the spider-crab plate, the Martinez-Ortuzar mushroom institution.

Tip: October to December for peak mushroom season; the counter is busy from 13:00.

La Cuchara de San Telmo (counter) ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián

Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian

La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999, pairs the made-to-order pintxos with a Rioja-leaning by-the-glass list and a tight Txakoli pour.

Tip: The carrillera with a Rioja red is the canonical Cuchara order. Queue early.

Tropic City ★ 4.7 · Bangkok

57-59 Soi Charoen Krung 28, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500

Tropic City in Bangkok's Charoen Krung 28 is Phil Bartlett and Sebastien Manou's rum-led tropical cocktail counter, Asia's 50 Best Bars No. 6 in 2023, in a heritage shophouse.

Tip: No reservations; arrive by 21:00 for a counter seat. The downstairs is the standing-room option after midnight.

Panda and Sons ★ 4.7 · Edinburgh

new-town · 79 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 4NF

Iain McPherson's Panda and Sons on Queen Street in Edinburgh New Town, opened 2013, a speakeasy cocktail bar in a basement disguised as a barber-shop entrance.

Tip: Enter through the barber-shop door at street level. Bookings open 30 days ahead; cocktail menu changes seasonally.

Lyaness ★ 4.7 · London

covent-garden · 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD

Ryan Chetiyawardana (Mr Lyan)'s cocktail bar inside the Sea Containers hotel on the South Bank in London, opened 2019, runs an ingredient-driven menu that turns over twice yearly.

Tip: Walk-up at the bar most weeknights; weekend tables book a week ahead. Six house ingredients drive the menu each season.

Swift Soho ★ 4.7 · London

soho · 12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ

Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston's two-floor cocktail bar on Old Compton Street in Soho London, opened 2016, runs an upstairs Irish-coffee bar and a basement late-night cocktail room.

Tip: Upstairs takes walk-ins from 17:30. The basement runs to 02:00 with a deeper whiskey list. The Borough sibling has the same kitchen.

The American Bar at The Savoy ★ 4.7 · London

covent-garden · Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

The Savoy hotel's American Bar on the Strand in central London, trading since 1893 and the world's oldest surviving cocktail bar of name, codified the modern cocktail through Ada Coleman.

Tip: Walk-up only between 11:30 and 19:00; book a week ahead for evenings. The Beaufort Bar across the lobby has the more modern programme.

Kimball House ★ 4.7 · Atlanta

decatur · 303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

Kimball House in Decatur, Atlanta runs the city's most-awarded cocktail and oyster bar inside a converted 19th-century train station. James Beard nominated bar program.

Tip: Sunday Happy Hour 17:00 to 18:30 runs cheaper oysters and cocktails. The bar takes walk-ins late on weekends.

Backbar ★ 4.7 · Boston

somerville · 7 Sanborn Ct, Somerville, MA 02143

Backbar in Union Square Somerville has poured artful cocktails behind an unmarked door in Boston since 2011. Sam Treadway founder; Field and Vine team bought it in 2025; obscure-spirits programme.

Tip: Walk-in only, no reservations. Last call 23:15. Order from the staff-pick chalkboard for the best off-menu drink.

The Office (at The Aviary) ★ 4.7 · Chicago

955 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

The Office in Chicago is the speakeasy beneath The Aviary on Fulton Market: a 15-seat reservation-only basement room with rare-spirit flights and caviar service.

Tip: Book six weeks out via the Tock system. The Pappy Van Winkle pour is the room's biggest draw.

Death and Co ★ 4.7 · Denver

1280 25th St, Denver, CO 80205

Death and Co Denver is the Ramble Hotel cocktail bar from the New York original, an Alex Day and David Kaplan operation since 2018 with a hotel-attached two-room layout.

Refuge ★ 4.7 · Houston

1424 Westheimer Rd, 2nd Floor, Houston, TX 77006

Refuge in Houston is Bobby Heugel's reservation-only cocktail apartment above Anvil on Westheimer, with a four-stool bar, stirred cocktails and a slow-paced 90-minute service.

Tip: Reservations only via the website. Two seatings a night. The price is steep; the cocktails are the city's most precise.

Old Lightning ★ 4.7 · Los Angeles

2905 Washington Blvd, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Old Lightning in Venice, Los Angeles is a hidden whiskey bar behind Scopa with rare bourbons and pre-Prohibition spirits. Reservations only, three weeks ahead.

Cafe La Trova ★ 4.7 · Miami

971 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33130

Cafe La Trova in Miami's Little Havana is Julio Cabrera and Michelle Bernstein's Cuban bar at 971 SW 8th Street, a regular on the World's 50 Best Bars list.

Tip: Live music nightly; the bar pours classic Havana daiquiris with the Cabrera technique. The kitchen plates Michelle Bernstein's croquetas.

Marvel Bar ★ 4.7 · Minneapolis

north-loop · 50 N 2nd Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Marvel Bar in the basement of the old Bachelor Farmer space has poured Minneapolis's defining cocktails since 2011. Pip Hanson's Oliveto; basement bar, no kitchen.

Cure ★ 4.7 · New Orleans

4905 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Cure in New Orleans is the Freret Street cocktail bar in a 1907 firehouse from Neal Bodenheimer, on the North America's 50 Best Bars list since 2018 with a rotating seasonal cocktail list.

Tip: Cure prints a seasonal menu but the regular order is to tell the bartender what you like and what you don't.

French 75 Bar ★ 4.7 · New Orleans

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

French 75 Bar in New Orleans is Chris Hannah's longtime cocktail room beside Arnaud's on Bienville Street, with the canonical French 75 cocktail and a serious classic-cocktail programme.

Tip: Order the French 75 with cognac, not gin; the older Cazenave-era recipe is the house standard.

Attaboy ★ 4.7 · New York City

lower-east-side · 134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Attaboy on Eldridge has poured bartender-choice cocktails in the Lower East Side, New York City since 2013. No menu, no door bell, ring for entry. Sam Ross's Penicillin is the house drink.

Tip: Ring the unmarked grey door. Order by mood and base spirit; the bar does the rest. Cash, card, no reservations.

The Dead Rabbit ★ 4.7 · New York City

financial-district · 30 Water Street, New York, NY 10004

Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry's three-floor Financial District bar in New York City sits high in the World's 50 Best list. Irish coffee and historical cocktails downstairs.

Tip: The downstairs Taproom takes walk-ins; the Parlor upstairs needs a booking. Order Irish Coffee at the Taproom counter.

Double Chicken Please ★ 4.7 · New York City

lower-east-side · 115 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002

Double Chicken Please on Allen Street has run the city's most ambitious flavour-led cocktail program in New York City since 2020. Top of the World's 50 Best Bars in 2023.

Tip: Front Room walk-in; Coop in the back takes reservations on Resy. The Cold Pizza is the showpiece, the Pina Colada the runner-up.

Tip: The Tasting Room flight requires a reservation; the Spirits Library walk-up room runs the menu without booking pressure.

Best Cocktail Bars Worldwide