2629 Best Bars in USA

San Diego isn't known for offering a lot of late-night libation options, but that changed in 2024 when acclaimed bar directors Beau du Bois and Derek Cram opened this Mexico City-inspired cocktail bar. The menu features dozens of different drinks and a few light bites to accompany them, but make no mistake---cocktails are the star here. Classics like Cosmopolitans and French 75s impress just as much as the painstakingly detailed "Technique Driven" fig leaf Old Fashioned and crystal clear rum and coke. The expertly trained staff can drop knowledge on a dime, so don't be shy about asking questions or getting recommendations.

The elevator at the back of The Matheson restaurant whisks patrons up to Roof 106, Healdsburg's hot spot for craft cocktails enjoyed with or without pizzas, small plates, and desserts. The vibe here is jolly and hip, with luxury patio furniture for lounging, and firepits and overhead heaters that keep the open-air space toasty when there's a chill.

On a given night at Rosa's Lounge, you'll find Tony, the owner, working the crowd. He moved here from Italy out of a pure love for the blues, and what makes his club special is a gritty authenticity that some of the sleeker city center blues establishments lack. Stop by and partake in Rosa's winning mixture of big-name and local talent, stiff drinks, and friendly service—the same since it opened in 1984. Take a rideshare after the show, as this corner of the neighborhood can be a bit rough around the edges at night.

Leather seating and dusky lighting enhance the mood at this sophisticated Waterfront bar. The cocktail menu includes a long list of punches, slings, and juleps, wines and ports by the glass, single malt scotch, and well-balanced mocktails. If you're looking to splurge, try an ounce or two of Louis XIII de Rémy Martin or a San Luis Potosi mezcal. There is a limited menu of small plates and oysters, or you can snack on the complimentary chips, olives, and nuts delivered to your table.

Among the glittering lights of Broadway theaters, the Rum House is a libation destination thanks to its attention to the craft of mixing cocktails. Tucked like a tasty gem inside the Hotel Edison just off Times Square, this bar often has live piano music and always pours both creative and classic cocktails. See if you can figure out where Michael Keaton sat during scenes from the Oscar-winning 2015 film Birdman.

A spot of Caribbean sunshine in the Northwest, Rumba stocks hundreds of rums which they offer in a half-dozen styles of daiquiri, various punches, and other assorted cocktails. Staffed by many of the best bartenders in town, this is a place for serious spirit aficionados to dig deep, but even rum rookies will feel welcome in the bright, friendly space with its turquoise bar stools and banquettes.

Cocktail nerds should reserve ahead for the immersive bar-within-a-bar, Inside Passage, where Kiki, a tentacled sea monster, greets them for drinks served in unique vessels, including a camera lens and a rice cooker.

With tall windows overlooking the Vancouver Waterfront, this convivial small-batch brewery is known for its well-crafted beers, including blackberry-blueberry tart ales, hazy triple IPAs, and oatmeal stouts. The kitchen serves thick-crust Detroit-style pizza with lots of interesting toppings, and there's live music some evenings.

The popular Salty Dog Cafe has been drawing crowds for more than 30 years with its lively atmosphere and outdoor bar and seating area overlooking scenic Braddock Cove at South Beach Marina. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and guests can sit inside or outside and enjoy items such as crab dip, fish sandwiches, fried shrimp, and Jake's hush puppies. Adults can relax with a cocktail from the extensive drink menu, and kids can hop over to the Salty Dog Ice Cream Shop located next door. Don't forget to bring home a T-shirt with the trendy Salty Dog Cafe logo at the nearby store.

Grab your dance partner, or somebody else’s, and hit the floor at Sam’s for some classic Texas two-stepping. Some of the best country, bluegrass, and rock-and-roll acts in town play regular sets at this South Austin institution (established 1981), which attracts nightly crowds at their indoor and outdoor stages.

A classic and classy Old City watering hole, Sassafras is a stately stop for a well-made cocktail; it's a cozy hideaway for grown-ups among the neighborhood’s more boisterous and youthful hangouts. Known for its sophisticated ambience and great service, it also offers light lunch and small bites. In addition to drinks and dinner, it hosts live jazz musicians Sunday to Thursday.

In continuous operation since 1866, the "little beer joint that could" is the oldest operating business not only in Austin, but the entire state. This campus- and downtown-adjacent beer garden is a favorite gathering place for UT football fans, live music lovers, liberal and conservative state workers, and anyone interested in traditional German food (from giant Bavarian pretzels to Jägerschnitzel) and, of course, lots of beer. Check their events calendar for news on special concerts, sporting event celebrations, and SXSW showcases.

This debonair basement space has an elegant marble bar, dark-wood paneling, and a beautiful backlit bar. The specialty here, as the name suggests, is whiskey—in both cocktail and sipping form. And there's superb bar food (steak tartare, softshell-crab sandwiches) to boot. Reservations aren't a bad idea here, especially on weekends.

The epicenter of comedy since 1959, The Second City has launched the careers of countless comedy legends, including Bill Murray, Catherine O’Hara, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, and Keegan-Michael Key. The revues on the company's historic Mainstage and more intimate e.t.c. space are fully realized sketch comedy shows, but the prescripted material is developed through improvisation in front of audiences. There’s always plenty of time in each show devoted to demonstrating the comedy chops of the quick-witted performers. Most nights, a free improv set after the late show features cast members and invited guests (sometimes famous, sometimes not). UP Comedy Club presents award-winning touring shows, comedy festivals, and special guest performances. In Donny's Skybox upstairs, you're likely to see one of Chicago's many fledgling improv comedy troupes debuting fresh material.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is a Vegas-inspired gaming and entertainment complex in a fairly forlorn area of town. Once inside the Hard Rock fortress, you'll feel the excitement immediately. In addition to the AAA Four Diamond hotel, there's a monster casino, and a 7,000-seat performance venue (Hard Rock Live), plus dozens of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.  The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is not to be confused with its neighbor, the Seminole Classic Casino.

The hunting lodge vibe makes you feel like you need a whiskey in hand—luckily, this Downtown establishment stocks more than 700 of them. Attracting whiskey novices and connoisseurs, the bartenders here are more than willing to help you make a selection. Live jazz, blues, folk, and other bands play almost every night, so even if you're not a big drinker, there's still some appeal (although you're definitely missing out). For a more intimate setting, try the on-site Bar Jackalope, a bar within a bar, which has a "whiskey tasting library" specializing in Japanese varieties and seats only 18.

It's not just a cute name, this bar is actually home to llamas and donkeys who roam the 35 acres and visit with guests who are seated in the modern-rustic outdoor beer and wine garden. You might not always experience a visit from a llama, but at least you can be guaranteed a beautiful Hill Country view, incredible sunsets, and a fun time with friends playing yard games while sampling craft brews made in Texas.

Lively and contemporary, Shojo puts a shine on its little corner of Chinatown. This family-owned, edgy nightspot serves imaginative Asian-inspired cocktails using ingredients like house ginger beer, sesame-infused rye, and pea sprouts. While this place is a bar, do not overlook the kitchen: chef-focused small plates put a spin on traditional Asian preparations. The bao are incredible, as is the Shojonator (order it to find out what it is!).

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but this bar and small performance venue hosts multiple events each night, with live music ranging from blues, jazz, Latin, Afrobeat, indie, and more, as well as DJs, spoken word, and dance. African masks, vinyl records, and album covers adorn the walls and ceilings, and there’s ample seating with plenty of space to dance, too. These days, there's usually a crush of out-of-towners during showtimes, but the music remains stellar, and the establishment itself is the stuff of legend.

Take a break from the city and step down to Silver Lyan, the award-winning cocktail bar in the basement of the Riggs Hotel. The former bank vault kept many of the brass fixtures, creating a dark and mysterious setting. If you are a martini lover, order the martini that comes with a beautifully plated flight of olives, oysters, and pickled onions.

This classic Andersonville bar telegraphs the neighborhood’s Swedish roots from the moment you walk under the bar's sign: a blue-and-yellow neon herring holding a cocktail glass. Don't miss the chance to sample their signature drink, glögg—mulled Swedish wine, served hot in a mug in winter and in frozen slushie form in summer. The Viking/Midwestern-chic decor is eclectic and divey, but in a very good way. (Ask about the story behind why someone was "cut out" of the decades-old mural on the wall.)

According to GQ magazine, this Polynesian-themed watering hole with human mermaids is the world's number one bar worth traveling for. Sip on a Mai Tai (or another fruity cocktail with a pink plastic umbrella) as you watch the beautiful ladies swim in the pool behind the bar. They're usually in nightly starting at 6 pm and will sometimes stay as late as 2 am. After 8 pm, the crowd is 21 and over only.

A popular Tokyo cocktail bar, Sip&Guzzle's New York City outpost is arguably better than the original. This bi-level bar has a split personality: Guzzle, the ground-floor bar, is for walk-ins and slightly more raucous than Sip, the much more sedate and refined half of the establishment. Whether you're in the G or the S, you're guaranteed to have some expertly mixed and creative cocktails and equally excellent and inventive bar snacks to boot. To experience the downstairs Sip, make a reservation.

Beer fans shouldn't miss Ska Brewing, a homegrown brewery that boasts a large "tasting room" with 20 taps. The decor is bowling-alley inspired, drawing from the two-tone era of ska music, and includes tables crafted with wood from former lanes at a Denver bowling alley. If the weather allows, you can sip your beer on the parklike patio or second-story deck, beneath enormous, metal brew tanks. Pair your beer with a sandwich or artisanal pizza from the Container restaurant, made from two repurposed shipping containers attached to the brewery. Stop by on a Thursday night for live music or 4 pm Monday through Saturday for a brewery tour.

There's history and good times at the successor to a famous 1937 speakeasy named for its founder, Captain Joe Russell. Decorated with Hemingway memorabilia and marine flags, the bar is full and noisy all the time. A Sloppy Joe's T-shirt is a de rigueur Key West souvenir, and the gift shop sells them like crazy. Grab a seat (if you can), and be entertained by the bands—and the parade of people in constant motion.

Spot the red gate at the corner of a faux-fern–wrapped parking garage to access this jewel box of a bar. Climb the spiral staircase to the "hidden," highly acclaimed, second-story speakeasy, outfitted with plush blue banquettes, baroque wallpaper, and a wood-box back bar framed in blue and brown subway tiles. Classic cocktails made with large-format Clinebell ice are the specialty here, and bartenders like to get creative with their trove of vintage recipes. Cheese, charcuterie, and other light fare are served until midnight. Walk-ins are welcome all night, every night, but reservations are recommended for groups of four or more. Arrive early to avoid crowds on weekends.

A host of craft breweries have opened in Nashville over the last few years, and Smith and Lentz ranks among the best of them. Conveniently located to Five Points, they offer a number of house and rotating brews, as well as an array of house-made pizzas, salads, and small plates, with flavors and ingredients far more elevated than your typical brewery fare.