North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026 named Sip & Guzzle in New York City as the best bar on the continent, unveiling the full 1–50 ranking at a live awards ceremony held at the Vancouver Convention Centre on April 22, 2026 — the second consecutive year the event has touched down in Canada.
The fifth annual edition of the list spans 28 US bars, 11 from Mexico, 8 from Canada, and 3 from the Caribbean, with 15 new entries making their debut. New York and Mexico City dominate the upper reaches of the ranking, while the special awards program recognized outstanding contributions across sustainability, design, hospitality, and industry legacy.
Sip & Guzzle Takes the Top Spot
Sip & Guzzle claims the No.1 position, earning the title of The Best Bar in North America, sponsored by Perrier, as well as The Best Bar in Northeast USA. The New York venue has built a reputation for fusing precision and creativity into a drinks program that connects equally with industry professionals and cocktail enthusiasts. Its ascent to the summit of this list signals not just individual excellence but the continued strength of New York’s bar scene on the world stage.
Bar Mauro from Mexico City follows at No.2, taking home The Best Bar in Mexico (sponsored by Torres Brandy), while Bar Snack, also from New York, lands at No.3 and earns the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award.
Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America’s 50 Best Bars, said: “The bars on this year’s list are exemplary in their ability to push boundaries and influence hospitality not only in North America, but across the globe. From established leaders to exciting new entries, the bars featured continue to push the standard of what a world-class drinks experience can be with their talent, creativity and resilience.”
New York and Mexico City Lead the Rankings
New York’s depth of talent is unmistakable across this year’s list. Beyond the top three, the city claims Schmuck (No.4) — winner of the Three Cents Best New Opening Award — recognized for its irreverent approach to hospitality and genre-defying drinks that balance technical precision with playful creativity. Further down, Superbueno (No.9), Clemente Bar (No.15), Martiny’s (No.23), Angel’s Share (No.31), Overstory (No.33), Double Chicken Please (No.35), Bar Madonna (No.36), Attaboy (No.37), Maison Premiere (No.40), and Employees Only (No.45) round out the city’s formidable showing.
Mexico City is equally dominant. Tlecān enters at No.5, joined by Handshake Speakeasy (No.12) — recipient of the Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award — Form + Matter (No.13), Mecenas (No.18), Licorería Limantour (No.20), Kaito del Valle (No.25), and Baltra Bar (No.48). Mexico City’s bars continue to set global benchmarks, weaving tradition into cutting-edge technique with a confidence few cities can match.
Canada, New Orleans, and the Wider Region
Vancouver’s The Keefer Bar (No.7) is named The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Monkey Shoulder. The host city is well represented across the list with June on Cambie (No.17), Prophecy (No.32), and Botanist Bar (No.38) also featured. Toronto reinforces Canada’s growing global influence through Bar Pompette (No.8), Library Bar (No.19), Mother (No.22), and Civil Works (No.29).
New Orleans delivers once again: Jewel of the South (No.6) claims The Best Bar in South USA (sponsored by Mr Black), while Cure (No.21) takes the Nikka Highest Climber Award. Chicago’s Kumiko (No.11) earns both The Best Bar in Midwest USA and the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award. On the West Coast, San Francisco’s True Laurel (No.14) is awarded The Best Bar in West USA, sponsored by St-Germain.
The Caribbean earns its place on the list through La Factoría (No.26) from San Juan, named The Best Bar in the Caribbean (sponsored by NOAM), alongside Library by the Sea (No.49) from Grand Cayman and Bon Vivants (No.50) from Nassau.
Beyond the major metro hubs, the list celebrates standout venues including El Gallo Altanero (No.10) from Guadalajara — whose Freddy Andreasson wins the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award — Bekeb (No.24) from San Miguel de Allende, and Selva (No.43) from Oaxaca.
Special Awards: Icons, Sustainability, and Design
Chris Hannah of Jewel of the South in New Orleans receives the Roku Industry Icon Award, voted on by all 300 members of the voting Academy. Celebrated as a defining figure in modern American bartending, Hannah is recognized for his deep respect for classic cocktail traditions, his role in shaping New Orleans’ contemporary drinks culture, and decades of mentorship across the industry.
Library Bar (No.19) in Toronto wins the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award for integrating seasonal ingredients, thoughtful sourcing, and low-waste practices into its cocktail program — proving that elevated hospitality and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive.
Washington DC’s Allegory (No.57 on the extended 51–100 list) takes the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award, recognized for a menu that weaves literary and cultural narratives into innovative drink design, creating an immersive guest experience that elevates menu storytelling to an art form.
Daydream Rum Bar from Albuquerque earns the SevenRooms Best Bar Design Award for its transportive, escapist aesthetic — a rum-driven retreat that uses tropical influences and intimate design to carve out a distinct sense of place in the American Southwest.
San Juan’s Identidad (No.73) receives the Campari One To Watch Award, recognized for a cocktail experience rooted in Puerto Rican identity, celebrating Caribbean and Latin flavors while championing local producers. It is a bar with the character and conviction to make future lists inevitable.
The Full 1–50 List
For full context on this year’s results and how they fit the broader global picture, see our coverage of the Bartenders’ Choice Awards 2025 results and the Bar World 100 list of global influencers.
| # | Bar | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sip & Guzzle | New York |
| 2 | Bar Mauro | Mexico City |
| 3 | Bar Snack | New York |
| 4 | Schmuck | New York |
| 5 | Tlecān | Mexico City |
| 6 | Jewel of the South | New Orleans |
| 7 | The Keefer Bar | Vancouver |
| 8 | Bar Pompette | Toronto |
| 9 | Superbueno | New York |
| 10 | El Gallo Altanero | Guadalajara |
| 11 | Kumiko | Chicago |
| 12 | Handshake Speakeasy | Mexico City |
| 13 | Form + Matter | Mexico City |
| 14 | True Laurel | San Francisco |
| 15 | Clemente Bar | New York |
| 16 | Best Intentions | Chicago |
| 17 | June on Cambie | Vancouver |
| 18 | Mecenas | Guadalajara |
| 19 | Library Bar | Toronto |
| 20 | Licorería Limantour | Mexico City |
| 21 | Cure | New Orleans |
| 22 | Mother | Toronto |
| 23 | Martiny’s | New York |
| 24 | Bekeb | San Miguel de Allende |
| 25 | Kaito del Valle | Mexico City |
| 26 | La Factoría | San Juan |
| 27 | Gus’ Sip & Dip | Chicago |
| 28 | Mírate | Los Angeles |
| 29 | Civil Works | Toronto |
| 30 | Bisous | Chicago |
| 31 | Angel’s Share | New York |
| 32 | Prophecy | Vancouver |
| 33 | Overstory | New York |
| 34 | Press Club | Washington DC |
| 35 | Double Chicken Please | New York |
| 36 | Bar Madonna | New York |
| 37 | Attaboy | New York |
| 38 | Botanist Bar | Vancouver |
| 39 | Service Bar | Washington DC |
| 40 | Maison Premiere | New York |
| 41 | Pacific Cocktail Haven | San Francisco |
| 42 | Café La Trova | Miami |
| 43 | Selva | Oaxaca |
| 44 | Daisy Margarita Bar | Los Angeles |
| 45 | Employees Only | New York |
| 46 | Viceversa | Miami |
| 47 | Bandista | Houston |
| 48 | Baltra Bar | Mexico City |
| 49 | Library by the Sea | Grand Cayman |
| 50 | Bon Vivants | Nassau |
North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026 arrives at a moment when the continent’s cocktail culture is arguably its most globally competitive. New York and Mexico City continue to set the pace, but the depth running through Canada, New Orleans, Chicago, and the Caribbean signals that the ceiling keeps rising — and the list keeps getting harder to crack. Browse all our awards coverage for ongoing analysis.
