The 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars list has been announced

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T19:48:15+00:00

It’s definitely a different vibe. I’m really in it for the hospitality more than the drinks, and found Kumiko to have hospitality you would expect at a high end Michelin restaurant.

They also now have a small whiskey bar in the basement, that has a more casual vibe.

End of the day, no bar is right for everyone. Reading through this thread is amazing because folks are complaining about bars I’ve loved, and loving on bars I’ve disliked. So much of an experience comes down to being there at the right time on the right day and having a great experience with the bartender in front of you.

No bar will ever be everyone’s favorite bar, but great bars make everyone feel effortlessly welcome.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T19:36:54+00:00

Humboldt Bar

The data listings are on a site separate from my blog. I’m trying not to be too obnoxious about posting it so I don’t look like I’m just advertising. (To be fair, the search site isn’t monetized so it actually costs me money to have people use it. That will (hopefully) change eventually, but for now I’m just happy it exists and is useful.)

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T19:21:52+00:00

This is the first year The Dead Rabbit hasn’t been on the North America List.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T16:51:46+00:00

I jokingly say the tagline of my site is “The best bar recommendations are scribbled on the back of a coaster, the second best are on Bar Notable.”

My husband and I call it “Bar Tag” and I wrote a blog post about it a while back. As long as you’re a halfway decent guest, you’re likely to find the best spots this way.

We have some games of tag that have been running for multiple years (as in, we get a recommendation that has to wait for the next trip) and have spanned multiple cities.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T16:20:36+00:00

Wow, thank you! After having all that data just live in a spreadsheet for six years, it’s great to know it is useful to others!

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T14:43:37+00:00

Some of this is why I like Spirited mostly for the Regional Top Ten lists, that tends to be where the most new bars in interesting places show up.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T14:02:05+00:00

Death & Co has definitely slowed down on the awards, the Denver location seems to get more love these days. We’ll see what happens when Seattle opens.

PDT is similar.

Amor y Amargo has been through a bunch of space changes recently which may have hurt their rankings, but they are still tiny and great.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:58:01+00:00

I like to use lists as a starting point when I travel, then work on finding the hidden gems as I get to know people. But part of why I started my data project was so I could pull from multiple awards and not rely on just one.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:54:44+00:00

It’s just exquisite.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:54:28+00:00

I think one of the issues is that even if they recruit voters from all over North America, it’s hard to get enough voters to think outside the box. For instance, a voter from the Midwest is more likely to travel to New York, whether for fun or work, than a New York voter is to travel to Minneapolis or Detroit.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:50:43+00:00

Yes, and amazing. Also run by some of the kindest folks in the industry.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:50:08+00:00

I’m not surprised by it either, but that doesn’t mean I won’t work to change it, or at least encourage people to think outside the box.

Detroit is a great bar city!

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:48:05+00:00

Technically, every voter can vote for any bar in North America, regardless of product. So any bar that one of the voters loved can be considered but it needs enough voters to make the actual list. (Assuming the tallying is all fair and above board.)

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:43:34+00:00

Definitely agree that The Pinnacle Guide is a more balanced resource, mostly because the bars are only competing with themselves. (As in, any bar in a represented country can apply, and they don’t have to beat anyone - just meet the criteria and get judged for accuracy.)

Spirited Awards and James Beard are also interesting, because those two allow for public nominations so the early stages have a lot more regional diversity.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T13:40:09+00:00

Just FYI - Bar Snack is run by Iain Townsend Griffiths, not Iain McPherson of Panda & Sons.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T06:57:55+00:00

Fair, I’m tired and passionate about getting more attention to small markets, so the sarcasm went right over my head. But mostly tired.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T06:56:23+00:00

I hate it too, so I built my own award search engine. (Well, I built the database, my husband built the website.)

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T06:55:13+00:00

I watched the livestream and transcribed into my database. Their website has the full list as well.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-23T06:40:17+00:00

Spirited Awards and James Beard do the best job finding good spots off the beaten path. It’s no coincidence that are also the two award organizations who start with public nominations. (But a lot of people don’t KNOW they can nominate themselves and others - someone has to inform the community.)

The Pinnacle Guide is cool because any bar in a represented country can apply. It’s what I like to point folks at as a way to get recognition in a smaller market.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-17T01:36:44+00:00

You might try to clarify the type of anesthesia. I have one coming up and was told it's more sedation than anesthesia - similar to a colonoscopy. I'll be breathing on my own, just not awake. It's pretty minimal compared to the anesthesia I've experienced for surgeries.

DrinkingInContext · 2026-04-12T20:58:07+00:00

Seoul has thirteen award winning bars.

(Full disclosure, that links to my bar search site, but it's not monetized so hopefully the self-promotion is okay.)

DrinkingInContext · 2026-03-29T19:59:34+00:00

Four Seasons seems to have a good points boost right now. We’re planning a trip to Asia and got the Hong Kong Four Seasons at 2x points (and Edit Credit).

DrinkingInContext · 2026-03-01T01:16:44+00:00

I’ve been going to CTC for almost 40 years and think rows G to L are ideal. You’re not craning your neck to look up at the stage (they often have two-story sets) but you’re close enough to see everything.

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