About Us

North America’s 50 Best Bars was launched in 2022 as a new annual list to celebrate the best of the region’s drinks industry and shine a much-deserved spotlight on North America as a first-class cocktail destination. 

The annual ranking reflects the best bar experiences in the region based on the votes of an Academy made up of 270 gender-balanced anonymous bar industry experts, including bartenders, bar owners, drinks media and well-travelled cocktail connoisseurs from the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

North America's 50 Best Restaurants takes in seven voting regions: USA Northeast; USA Midwest; USA West; USA South; Canada East; Canada West; Mexico; and the Caribbean. Each region has its own panel of members including a chairperson, called the Academy Chair (except for Mexico and the Caribbean, who share an Academy Chair). The Chairs each then select a voting panel, ensuring a balanced selection. Read more about the voting process and the Academy, and consult our FAQs. 

The third edition of North America's 50 Best Bars was unveiled on Tuesday, 23rd April 2024 during an awards ceremony in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The awards programme provided the unique opportunity to unite bartenders, bar owners, cocktail aficionados and drinks journalists in a celebration of the drinks, hospitality and talent of the North American bars sector.

The awards ceremony comprised a live countdown of the list, culminating in the announcement of The Best Bar in North America, sponsored by Perrier, a highly coveted and much-anticipated accolade. The live awards ceremony on was preceded by several special award announcements, and a number of unique accolades for both individuals and establishments were also given out on the evening itself. The ceremony was broadcasted to a global audience through The World’s 50 Best Bars Facebook page and 50 Best Bars TV channel on YouTube.

The list reflects the diversity of the drinking scene in North America. Drawing its strengths from the eclectic tastes of its panel of experts, who possess an undeniable intuition for detecting new trends and talents, North America's 50 Best Bars is the most authorative and prestigious survey of cocktail tastes in the continent.

North America's 50 Best Bars is part of the 50 Best brand, published by William Reed. Read more about 50 Best here.