North America’s 50 Best Bars are in. The new ranking was announced at an awards ceremony on April 29 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, naming the top bars across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
For the second year in a row, Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City took the top spot, while Superbueno in New York City placed second. After the top two repeats, there was significant movement among past honorees and lots of new entries on the list, which features 26 bars in the United States, 14 in Mexico, eight in Canada, and two in the Caribbean.
High-ranking U.S. bars include Jewel of the South in New Orleans (fourth) and Sip & Guzzle, a two-concept New York bar that opened in January 2024 and, at number five, was the highest-ranked bar to make the list for the first time.
The top 10 also includes American bars Overstory in New York (sixth) and Kumiko in Chicago (10th).
Clemente Bar, the new, high-end cocktail bar concept from the Eleven Madison Park team, opened in the fall of 2024 and ranked 11th, and Mirate, the Mexican restaurant and agave bar in Los Angeles, climbed 34 spots from last year to rank 12th this year.
New York is the most recognized North American city, with 11 bars making the list. Mexico City is next with nine, and Chicago and Toronto each earned four spots in the top 50.
Superbueno in New York ranks second again after debuting at number two last year. Photo credit: Superbueno
“This year’s list is a powerful testament to the relentless drive, creativity, and world-class talent that define the cocktail industry today,” Emma Sleight, head of content for North America’s 50 Best Bars, said in a statement. “These bars don’t just serve drinks — they set global standards, push boundaries, and shape the future of hospitality.”
Making a list like this is a boon for bars, helping to draw guests and also to shine a light on cities’ hospitality scenes.
“We’ve never hired marketing or P.R. For us, it’s always been organic, just hoping that our relationships would be enough,” said Kevin Diedrich, founder of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco, which ranked 16th. “Making a list is amazing and shows acceptance by your peers and mentors, and it means that what you thought could work is working.”
50 Best is based in London. It first began ranking the world’s top restaurants in 2002 and the world’s top bars in 2009. The North American bars edition launched in 2022, and the organization recently announced that it will launch North America’s 50 Best Restaurants later this year.
New York’s Sip & Guzzle, at number five, is the highest-ranked bar to make the list for the first time. Photo credit: Sip & Guzzle
The voting academy is comprised of more than 300 anonymous members across the U.S. Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The experts are equally split between bartenders and bar owners, drinks writers and educators, and well-traveled cocktail experts, and there’s a 50/50 gender balance.
Voting is confidential, and the only criteria is for voters to cast votes for the bars where they’ve had their “best experience” during the 18 months before the voting deadline.
Here’s the full 2025 North America’s 50 Best Bars list.
1. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
2. Superbueno, New York City
3. Tlecān, Mexico City
4. Jewel of the South, New Orleans
5. Sip & Guzzle, New York City
6. Overstory, New York City
7. Bar Pompette, Toronto
8. El Gallo Altanero, Guadalajara, Mexico
9. Licorería Limantour, Mexico City
10. Kumiko, Chicago
11. Clemente Bar, New York City
12. Mírate, Los Angeles
13. Café La Trova, Miami
14. Bar Mauro, Mexico City
15. Martiny’s, New York City
16. Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco
17. True Laurel, San Francisco
18. Employees Only, New York City
19. Double Chicken Please, New York City
20. Baltra Bar, Mexico City
21. Civil Liberties, Toronto
22. Aruba Day Drink, Tijuana, Mexico
23. Service Bar, Washington, D.C.
24. Thunderbolt, Los Angeles
25. Best Intentions, Chicago
26. Botanist Bar, Vancouver
27. Arca, Tulum, Mexico
28. The Keefer Bar, Vancouver
29. Selva, Oaxaca, Mexico
30. Library by the Sea, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
31. Cloakroom, Montreal
32. La Factoría, San Juan, Puerto Rico
33. Maison Première, New York City
34. Bijou Drinkery Room, Mexico City
35. Hanky Panky, Mexico City
36. Atwater Cocktail Club, Montreal
37. Bar Mordecai, Toronto
38. Meadowlark, Chicago
39. Bisous, Chicago
40. Kaito del Valle, Mexico City
41. Yacht Club, Denver
42. Katana Kitten, New York City
43. Angel’s Share, New York City
44. Mother, Toronto
45. Allegory, Washington, D.C.
46. Dante, New York City
47. Café de Nadie, Mexico City
48. Silver Lyan, Washington D.C.
49. Bekeb, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
50. Cure, New Orleans
