Looking for a place to unwind after a hard day’s work? Or an energizing venue where you can meet up with friends? A cocktail bar provides the perfect atmosphere for socializing and relaxation. And chances are, you’ll find a watering hole near you serving up tasty drinks, whatever your pleasure. According to IBISWorld, 71,634 bars and nightclubs currently operate in the U.S. That number represents an increase of 2.1% from 2021, possibly indicating the bar business is on the road to recovery from the pandemic.
Those bars are spread throughout the country. Yet some stand out over the competition. To determine the best bars in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed articles and rankings on America’s best bars on North America’s 50 Best Bars, Eater, The Daily Meal, Men’s Journal, Mashed, and The Culture Trip, as well as numerous local and regional websites.
Unsurprisingly, populous states host the most bars to satisfy thirsty residents. Vinepair.com counted 3,389 bars in New York State and 3,370 in California. Per capita, North Dakota has the most bars at 49.73 per 100,000 residents. (Also probably unsurprisingly, New York accounts for many of the entries on this list of the best bars in America right now.)
Click here to see the best bar in every state
One thing that separates these bars from the rest – besides their unique personalities – are some very distinctive signature cocktails (and their names). The mixologists at Psycho Suzi’s Waterfront Lounge in Minneapolis conjure up the Paralyzed Politician, a mixture of four rums, hibiscus, grapefruit, and citrus. In Philadelphia, the Tattooed Mom serves up a Mandalorian Punch, no doubt named after the popular TV series. It’s made with boba pearls, rum, raspberry liqueur, peach brandy, pineapple, cranberry, and lemon. These libations, however, probably don’t number among the most iconic drinks in each state.
Alabama: Carrigan’s Public House
> Location: Birmingham (downtown)
> Sample cocktail: Southern Culture (gin, Harvest Roots kombucha, lime, celery bitters
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Alaska: Williwaw Social
> Location: Anchorage
> Sample cocktail: Red Snapper (Crown Royal Canadian whisky, amaretto, cherry)
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Arizona: Bitter & Twisted
> Location: Phoenix
> Sample cocktail: Lemongrass Collins (vodka, lemongrass, vanilla, lemon, ginger beer)
Arkansas: Capital Bar & Grill
> Location: Little Rock
> Sample cocktail: Aviation (Bombay Dry Gin, crème de violette, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, lemon juice)
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California: Thunderbolt
> Location: Los Angeles
> Sample cocktail: Echo Park Trash Can (LO-FI Amaro, cognac, cacao, orange, coconut, vanilla)
Colorado: Death & Co.
> Location: Denver
> Sample cocktail: Monkey’s Fist (Monkey 47 Gin, carrot eau-de-vie, passion fruit, coconut, lemon juice)
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Connecticut: The Port of Call
> Location: Mystic
> Sample cocktail: Cuba Libre No. 2 (The Real McCoy 5-year-old rum, house-made cola syrup, cinnamon, ancho and guajillo chiles, vanilla, clove, Appalachian Fernet, lime)
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Delaware: Hummingbird to Mars
> Location: Wilmington
> Sample cocktail: Not Really a Fall Cocktail (Tito’s Vodka, R&W Crème de Violette Liqueur, R&W Apricot Liqueur, orange flower water, cranberry juice)
Florida: Café La Troya
> Location: Miami
> Sample cocktail: Hotel Nacional (rum, apricot liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, simple syrup)
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Georgia: Parlor
> Location: Atlanta
> Sample cocktail: Smooth Operator (Old Forester Signature 100, passion fruit liqueur, hibiscus-mint, lemon)
Hawaii: Bar Leather Apron
> Location: Honolulu (Oahu)
> Sample cocktail: Yuzu Mojito (Cor Cor Red Okinawan Rum, yuzu, lime, mint, grapefruit soda, kinako soy flour)
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Idaho: Press and Pony
> Location: Boise
> Sample cocktail: Ginger Drop (Beefeater Gin, Velvet Falernum, ginger syrup, lemon, Champagne)
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Illinois: Kumiko
> Location: Chicago
> Sample cocktail: Hanamizake Martini (Rihei Ginger Shōchū, Kitaya Tokubetsu Junmai-shu, Mancino Sakura Vermouth, Hakuto Gin, and Suze Red Bitters)
Indiana: Sundry and Vice
> Location: Indianapolis
> Sample cocktail: Chet Baker (Jamaican rum, vermouth, honey bitters)
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Iowa: Hello, Marjorie
> Location: Des Moines
> Sample cocktail: Lost Luggage (Aperol, Havana Club blanco rum, toasted coconut cream, lime, strawberry nectar, goji berry)
Kansas: The Bourgeois Pig
> Location: Lawrence
> Sample cocktail: Dandy in the Underworld (Neisson rhum agricole, Velvet Falernum, Campari, lime, pineapple)
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Kentucky: Never Say Die Bar
> Location: Louisville
> Sample cocktail: The Hondamatic (vodka, mango sake, elderflower, pineapple, lemon, house sorbet, coconut)
Louisiana: Carousel Bar & Lounge
> Location: New Orleans
> Sample cocktail: Vieux Carré (rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, Peychaud’s bitters
Maine: Vena’s Fizz House
> Location: Portland
> Sample cocktail: Maine Margarita (tequila, blueberry, pine, dry Curaçao, lime, Vena’s Bitter Tyrone)
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Maryland: Rye
> Location: Baltimore
> Sample cocktail: Giselle + Rio (cachaça, coconut cream, pandan, Suze, lemon)
Massachusetts: The Baldwin Bar
> Location: Woburn
> Sample cocktail: Kolkata Collins (mango chutney, Sagamore Rye Whiskey, coconut-washed Bénédictine, Topo Chico sparkling water)
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Michigan: Bad Luck Bar
> Location: Detroit
> Sample cocktail: Cosmic Gift (Clairin Haitian rum, Galliano, Green Chartreuse, carrot, Stakich Michigan raw honey, clove, lemon)
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Minnesota: Psycho Suzi’s Waterfront Lounge
> Location: Minneapolis
> Sample cocktail: Paralyzed Politician (four kinds of rum, hibiscus, grapefruit, citrus)
Mississippi: The Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs
> Location: Jackson
> Sample cocktail: Sgt. Pepper (bell pepper- and jalapeño-infused gin, lemon, pepper jelly, celery bitters)
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Missouri: Sanctuaria
> Location: St. Louis
> Sample cocktail: Peach Be With You (J. Rieger Kansas City Whiskey, peach brandy, cinnamon, ginger beer)
Montana: Devil’s Toboggan
> Location: Bozeman
> Sample cocktail: Satan’s Whiskers (bourbon, sweet and dry French vermouth, dry Curaçao, orange bitters)
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Nebraska: The Green Room
> Location: Omaha
> Sample cocktail: Atomic Pixie (absinthe, melon liqueur, pineapple, lime, simple syrup, citric acid)
Nevada: Herbs & Rye
> Location: Las Vegas
> Sample cocktail: Hemingway Daiquiri (rum, maraschino, lime, grapefruit)
New Hampshire: CodeX B.A.R.
> Location: Nashua
> Sample cocktail: Coffee n’ Cigarettes (house-infused espresso vodka, sugar, fernet, Laphroaig scotch whisky rinse)
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New Jersey: Wonder Bar
> Location: Asbury Park
> Sample cocktail: The Original Blue Hawaii (Cruzan coconut rum, blue Curaçao, lime juice, pineapple juice)
New Mexico: Bar Uno
> Location: Albuquerque
> Sample cocktail: Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (Citrus vodka, absinthe, lemon, simple syrup)
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New York: Attaboy
> Location: New York City
> Sample cocktail: Paper Plane (bourbon, Italian orange bitters, amaro, lemon juice)
North Carolina: Session at CItizen Vinyl
> Location: Asheville
> Sample cocktail: Pineapple Milk Punch (rum, lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, black cardamom, milk, cinnamon bitters)
North Dakota: Thomas & Moriarty’s
> Location: Mandan
> Sample cocktail: Devil in the White City (gin, lime, mezcal, elderflower, squid ink)
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Ohio: The Light of Seven Matchsticks
> Location: Worthington
> Sample cocktail: Strategizing Behind Enemy Lines (olive-oil-washed mezcal, Yellow Chartreuse, poblano liqueur, cryo-condensed grapefruit, lime, rabarbara rhubarb bitters, tarragon-infused agave)
Oklahoma: Valkyrie
> Location: Tulsa
> Sample cocktail: French Tenpenny (scotch whiskey, Drambuie, cassis, cava, lemon, connamon, absinthe, saffron bitters, cayenne)
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Oregon: Teardrop Lounge
> Location: Portland
> Sample cocktail: Bayou City Bandit (rye whiskey, apple brandy, Amaro Montenegro, Cocchi di Torino, Tropical Bitters, lemon oil)
Pennsylvania: Tattooed Mom
> Location: Philadelphia
> Sample cocktail: Mandalorian Punch (mango boba pearls, rum, raspberry liqueur, peach brandy, pineapple, cranberry, lemon)
Rhode Island: Courtland Club
> Location: Providence
> Sample cocktail: Ants on a Log (house-infused peanut rye whiskey, sherry, celery, lemon)
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South Carolina: Last Saint
> Location: Charleston
> Sample cocktail: Commitment Issues (mezcal, El Dorado 12-year-old rum, coffee liqueur, orange bitters)
South Dakota: The Hello Hi
> Location: Sioux Falls
> Sample cocktail: Scorpion Bowl (rum, gin, brandy, orgeat, orange, lime; serves 2-3)
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Tennessee: Brother Wolf
> Location: Knoxville
> Sample cocktail: Oaxacan Negroni (Sombra mezcal, Aperol, Contratto Rosso)
Texas: Julep
> Location: Houston
> Sample cocktail: Bayou City Bandit (rye whiskey, apple brandy, Amaro Montenegro, Cocchi di Torino, Tropical Bitters, lemon oil)
Utah: Copper Common
> Location: Salt Lake City
> Sample cocktail: Cynar Sour (rye whiskey, Cynar, lemon, bitters, egg, sugar)
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Vermont: Drink
> Location: Burlington
> Sample cocktail: Down by the River (Plantation Pineapple Rum, Lairds Apple Brandy, Punt e Mes, Luxardo Maraschino)
Virginia: B Side
> Location: Fairfax
> Sample cocktail: No Church in the Wild (Montenegro Amaro, Old Overholt rye whiskey, cherry)
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Washington: Zig Zag Café
> Location: Seattle
> Sample cocktail: Daddy Got Caught (Armagnac, Byrrh, Bénédictine, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters)
West Virginia: Iron Horse Tavern
> Location: Morgantown
> Sample cocktail: Blueberry Lavender Martini (blueberry vodka, blueberry purée, lavender, sour mix)
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
> Location: Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge
> Sample cocktail: Frank’s Drink (rye whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, orange bitters)
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Wyoming: The Mint Bar
> Location: Sheridan
> Sample cocktail: Huckleberry Mule (vodka, lime juice, ginger beer, huckleberry juice)
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