Best Cocktail Bars in the world
1. Basalt, Berlin
Botanical cocktail bar with green-tiled walls and plants suspended from the ceiling. The seasonal menu focuses on proprietary drinks. Arrive early on weekends to secure a seat.
Botanical cocktail bar with green-tiled walls and plants suspended from the ceiling. The seasonal menu focuses on proprietary drinks. Arrive early on weekends to secure a seat.
Unpretentious bar serving classic cocktails and natural wines with the familiarity of a friend's living room. Free popcorn is a given, and smoking is allowed inside.
Neukölln gastro bar pairing precise cocktails with a kitchen running until midnight. Walk-ins crowd the tables for shared rounds of lamb tacos and crispy potatoes.
Unmarked black doors hide a dark, Art Deco cocktail den. A ring of the bell grants entry to the seated-only room, a quiet spot for conversation and complex drinks.
Boutique hotel balancing Japanese simplicity and Parisian opulence: rooms feature iroko wood, straw walls, and bicolored marble. The bar specializes in cocktails made exclusively from French and Japanese spirits.
Four-story cocktail house occupying a 17th-century building in Saint-Germain. Three bars and a Rizzoli bookshop spread across the levels, topped by a rooftop kiosk for drinks and open-air cinema.
Scruffy, unmarked door on Gerrard Street hides a dark, two-floor den of plush velvet and mirrors. Complex cocktails arrive at low tables in the dim light, while DJs turn the intimate room louder and looser.
Historic Georgian townhouse hotel with quiet, 1920s-inspired rooms and a classic French restaurant. Downstairs, the Champagne Bar channels the building's past with low lighting and a discreet buzz.
Intimate St. James's hotel bar with overstuffed chairs and vintage portraits. White-jacketed staff wheel a trolley tableside to pour frozen spirits into icy glasses for an exceptionally stiff martini.
Intimate Notting Hill bistro serving roast chicken and steak au poivre in a candlelit dining room. Downstairs, a jewel-toned bar pours late cocktails on velvet banquettes.
Moody Italian bar dedicated to the aperitivo tradition–classic cocktails and snacks like anchovy toast. The menu expands to imported pastas, served late in a dimly lit, plant-filled room ideal for a date night.
Eclectic neighborhood bar with the vibe of a hip grandpa's basement: leather booths, exposed brick, and a vintage photo booth. The kitchen serves Yucatan-style rotisserie chicken, plated whole with fresh tortillas and house-made salsa.
Stylish lounge built around a massive brass bar, drawing a global crowd for late-night cocktails. DJs spin a mix of jazz and fusion until the early morning hours.
Plush cocktail parlour tucked on the second floor above the Bus Stop Saloon. The room pairs velvet nooks and a fireplace with cold martinis, wagyu bites, and caviar bumps.
Upstairs cocktail lounge with a separate Melrose entrance, marked by a red neon sign. The cinematic, Art Deco room serves inventive drinks like tom kha-inspired gin cocktails and martinis paired with potato chips.
Minimalist neighborhood bar pouring inventive cocktails – like a smoked tomato mezcal – and classics made with vintage spirits. The warm, layered room serves just a few snacks; think marinated olives and anchovy toast.
Modern Korean pub on Figueroa slinging craft cocktails and the rich drinking food to match. Hip-hop and R&B play over tables full of wagyu corn cheese and pork belly bossam.
Sprawling Arts District back patio with string lights, picnic tables, and a full-length bocce court. The menu is simple and direct – craft cocktails, buttermilk biscuits, and a standout cheeseburger.
Dimly lit cocktail lounge hidden inside the valet office of a functional midcentury parking garage. A circular bar anchors the raw concrete room, where jazz plays on vinyl and reservations are essential for a seat.
Two-room cocktail spot with the feel of a lively house party, complete with vintage couches and a loud soundtrack. The highly technical, culinary-driven drinks are the main draw – expect combinations like strawberry with parmesan or fennel
Dual-concept cocktail bar where a back room serves drinks that taste like food – think Cold Pizza or Key Lime Pie. Its casual front room is for walk-ins, pouring tap cocktails and serving a standout hot honey fried chicken sandwich.
Pioneering Japanese speakeasy where precise cocktails are served under a massive cherub mural. The room is intimate and dimly lit – arrive early to avoid the inevitable wait.
Twenty-seat cocktail bar hidden above Freemans, styled like an early 20th-century explorer's tavern. Thematic drinks are complex and aromatic – a tasting menu pairs low-ABV cocktails with small plates of seafood.
Stylish Lower East Side restaurant focused on creative meat and seafood plates. The wine program is serious – a sommelier is on hand to help navigate the list, and the signature dirty martini is perfectly briny.
Japanese speakeasy hidden behind a hair salon – an intimate room with only a dozen seats. Bartenders pour rare sakes and handcrafted cocktails to a soundtrack of vinyl jazz.
Opulent supper club with leopard-print carpets, red corduroy settees, and Murano glass chandeliers. Live jazz from a baby grand piano fills the room, accompanying classic cocktails and caviar served late.
Intimate cocktail salon from the Eleven Madison Park team, where large murals by Francesco Clemente line the walls. The menu is entirely plant-based: technical cocktails in the lounge and a tasting menu at the nine-seat chef’s counter.
Japanese cocktail bar set across two floors of a historic carriage house. Downstairs is a classic Ginza-style bar; upstairs, a cozier loft for meticulously crafted martinis and small plates.
Maximalist East Village tiki bar channeling a tropical hellscape. Raucous surf punk fills the dark, cave-like room as elaborate cocktails arrive in custom demon mugs.
Caribbean cocktail bar tucked into a quiet alley, pouring creative daiquiris and rum drinks from a rattan-fronted bar. The menu centers on West Indian patties; the soundtrack is high-energy and the custom paintings depict quiet island life.
Intimate cocktail lounge atop an Art Deco skyscraper, wrapped by a terrace with 360-degree skyline views. The menu is spirit-forward and creative – think tequila Old Fashioneds and clarified milk punches with Earl Grey and champagne.
Minimalist bar crafting cocktails from soju infused with Korean botanicals – think white lotus and matcha. The intimate, peach-toned space also pours a full menu of non-alcoholic wellness elixirs.
Sleek Chinatown cocktail bar pouring surprising drinks and strong martinis. Most people come for the spacious backyard patio – the fried taro cake is the essential order.
Sprawling five-floor adult nightclub with resident DJs and live stage performances. The atmosphere is exclusive and luxurious – a high-end club for a demanding crowd.
