2610 Best Bars in USA

This stalwart of the lower Manhattan bar scene—as about a classic an East Village watering hole as you'll find—is technically called WCOU but everyone refers to it as the \"Tile Bar,\" and you should too.  Bartenders are friendly, yet no-nonsense, and the drinks are potent and cheap—especially at the daily happy hour 'til 8 pm when well drinks are a measly $4. 

With an original location in Brooklyn, NY, the Weather Up has brought its craft cocktails down south. Grace this patio for a fanciful concoction before heading out into the rest of your night. With Brooklyn roots and a hip East Side address, expect plenty of fanfare during SXSW.

You'll find three bars here: Charly's Pub & Grill hosts late-night jazz and blues bands, while, in the basement, the Gopher Hole has a game room and brings a mix of styles to its stage. The third, the Zane Grey Ballroom upstairs, affords a great view of the city you can enjoy with your drink. Good food and historical charm enhance the experience.

This long-running cozy, candlelit bar is a romantic place for a date. It stocks more than 500 bottles of wine (at least 20 are available by the glass) plus ports, sherries, single-malt Scotches, a few microbrews, and a menu of small tasting entrées at reasonable prices. At $20 for 3 pours, the Monday evening self-guided blind tastings are a hit with neighborhood oenophiles.

Beer and bourbon are the name of the game at this upscale pub, which also serves tasty barbecue and burgers. Try to nab a spot on the rooftop deck with mountain views.

After hosting major men’s and women’s tennis WTA and ATP tournaments since 1990, the former Connecticut Tennis Center was converted to the instantaneously popular Westville Music Bowl in 2020. News of the new 5,000-seat, open-air venue spread like fire on a mountain, and crowds have packed the bowl to see acts like Joe Russo's Almost Dead, the Trey Anastasio Band, Umphrey’s McGee, The Disco Biscuits, Eggy, and Goose, a Connecticut-local, now internationally known touring phenomenon.

Opened in 2020, this late-night hot spot is perfect for after-hours après ski activities. It even hosts the Montana Stein Hoisting Championship.

Westy's is a favorite Pinch District watering hole.

Family owned since 1945, this historic watering hole is hopping at night.

Popular with fisherfolk and laborers, this bar is the real Greenport. A fixture from the old days, it's still frequented mainly by local residents and their dogs, and has dartboards, a pool table, and a jukebox. Bar food is available.

Lines form outside early to enter this hard-core metal and rock venue, where Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, the Doors (they were the house band for a short stint), and Frank Zappa have all played. On the Strip for more than five decades, the club books both underground acts and huge names in rock.

One of Belltown's reigning dive bars, this aptly named spot has a jaw-dropping selection of whisky, bourbon, and rye. They also have 24 beers on tap, mostly from West Coast brewers, and a bottle list with beers from around the world. The food menu includes comfort food such as wings, giant pretzels, and burgers. Daily happy hour runs from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.

A top spot for craft cocktails in an intimate atmosphere along East 6th Street, Whisler's consistently draws a see-and-be-seen crowd who not only expect the best cocktail of their choice, but are also willing to pay top-dollar for it. If you take craft cocktails seriously, you won’t regret an evening here. You’ll find an inviting array of seasonal drinks on the menu, but be sure to ask your server about off-the-menu options, too. And their "back bar," a Oaxacan-inspired mezcal bar, Mezcalería Tobalá (open Friday and Saturday), is not to be missed.

Cowtown's best Western-style watering hole may be the White Elephant Saloon, a legendary Wild West bar with live country music seven nights a week.

This 144-year-old tavern got a revamp in spring 2019. The new White Horse has a cleaned-up interior and a much more inspired gastropub menu to boot. Prices went up, too. The burger, now a whopping $28, is still good, though. Poets and history buffs should make a point to have a pint here: according to New York legend, writer Dylan Thomas drank himself to death in this watering hole in 1953. When the weather's nice, try to snag a seat at one of the sidewalk tables for breezy people-watching—just don't overdo it on the whisky like Thomas.

Wibby's craft lagers are brewed with German malt, American hops, and Rocky Mountain water. A cult fave is the seasonal Lightshine Radler, a blend of the gold-medal-winning Lightshine Helles and house-made raspberry lemonade. Beyond the brew, the taproom is wunderbar: indoor and outdoor spaces are packed with yard games, a basketball hoop, shuffleboard, and more. Take a tour or ask your beertender to show you around.

Founded in 1984, this brewery produces more beer than any other in Oregon, including a signature Hefeweizen that's one of the top-selling craft beers in the Northwest. Brewery tours ($5) take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons (reservations required). There is also a full lunch and dinner menu.

At this charming wine shop with a tiny bar, you can buy bottles of wine to takeaway or enjoy a glass from a menu that includes one or two varietals made with rare Louisiana-grown grapes. In addition to wine, visitors can snack on a selection of tinned fish options, homemade bread and pizza, pate plates, sandwiches, and more. They also have local books for sale, and the occasional late night event or performance.

East Side gentrification has not touched this (kind of) riverfront bar on South Main Street. Studiedly unpretentious, the Wild Colonial occupies the brick-lined basement of an old warehouse building; strain your eyes, and you might get a glimpse of the Providence River across the parking lot. Food choices are limited to the likes of cheese plates and hummus, but the bartenders take pride in the beer list and in pouring the best Guinness drafts in the city. If you're looking for a place to duck in for a reasonably priced beer or cocktail on Waterfire nights (or any night, really), this is it.

This is the place for infectious live reggae, world-beat music, and Caribbean cuisine Tuesday through Sunday. Take a breather at the bar and sip a signature Famous Wild Hare Rum Punch or a Jamaican Red Stripe beer.

Occupying a block on the edge of downtown, Wild Ride's tasting room and outdoor patio bustle late into the evening thanks to a quartet of food carts serving meals until the bartenders stop pouring. As its name suggests, the brewery takes a cue from the locals' adventurous lifestyles and names its flagship beers for various “wild rides”—from motorcycles to skiing to rock climbing.

Live music, barbecue, and dancing—lessons are offered daily—are what makes the spacious Wildhorse Saloon so popular. All ages (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult) are welcome until midnight. The Wildhorse is undergoing renovations to emerge as a newly rebranded club in partnership with country music star Luke Combs, but they plan to keep the boots scootin' and the beers flowing until the club emerges with a new name.

One of the last dedicated lesbian bars in the entire country, Wildrose draws a mob nearly every night. The crowd at weeknight karaoke is fun and good-natured, cheering for pretty much anyone. Weekends are raucous, so grab a window table early and settle in for perpetual ladies' night.

Combine the cozy atmosphere and frothy pints standard at Irish pubs with a well-heeled West Village crowd and you get Wilfie & Nell, a candlelit bar full of communal tables for making new friends. This perpetually crowded neighborhood go-to, with its low ceilings and locally sourced food, is a popular singles spot as well as a good match for night owls: food and brews are usually served until midnight.

The effusive subtropical decor of this Tiki bar flirts with excess, but the artistry of the murals, carvings, and furnishings elicits respect. Sensibly updated fruity drinks are poured along with more straightforward cocktails and artisanal beers and wines. Hawaii-inflected dishes pair well with the libations, and a deck with Napa River views enhances the overall appeal.

This central three-story entertainment hub tries to be everything for everybody, and mostly succeeds. With a rooftop bar, not-so-secret speakeasy, lively restaurant, and live concert venue, there's always something going on here. Check the online schedule for events like movie nights, DJs, trivia, and dance parties.

Inspired by 18th-century carousel design and an homage to owner Matt Spencer's grandmother Wilma, Wilma's Carousel Bar is an actual, operational rotating bar that makes a full 360-degree turn every 10 minutes or so, which along with its vibrant decorative motif, gives it the feel of an adult indoor amusement park. The spectacle itself is the major attraction, but the menu is no slouch either, offering new interpretations of classic cocktails as well as French-Creole inspired fare like shrimp and grits or fresh beignets dipped in chocolate. Order a glass of bubbly or a Sazerac cocktail and hop on for a few spins. (Reservations to ride strongly encouraged.)

This venerable beach bar hosts live entertainment on its oceanfront patio six nights a week, late June–mid-September. There's also a function room that hosts weddings and other events. Children are welcome until 10 pm; after that patrons must be 21 or older.