Best Bars in North America List (taxi, expenses, cities)

[JohnGuterson]

This "highly regarded" list of the best bars in North America just came out: https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/northamerica/list/1-50

The highlights are: 11 bars from NYC are on the list, 6 from Mexico City, 4 from Toronto, 3 from Miami, 3 from LA, 2 from the Bay Area, 2 from Montreal, and 1 from Chicago, Portland, Vancouver, San Diego, DC and several others.

Conspicuously absent are Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Minneapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, Nashville, Baltimore, and a number of other large cities. As someone who has been to and drank at bars in all of these cities (that's not something I'm proud of, necessarily), as well as NYC, I can say with confidence that the best bars in these cities are absolutely better than the 11th best bar in NYC. So I find myself annoyed reading this list. Usually, I brush off these types of Forbes-ish type lists, but this one apparently has prestige and has been getting write-ups in major publications.

[jjbradleynyc]

Ehh. I'd take this list with a grain of salt.

I've been to the #1 Atta Boy, and while the cocktails are damn good, the space is small-ish and cozy--but its nothing remarkable or extraordinary for New York.

Atta Boy has opened a spinoff location in Nashville though, interestingly.

I can name a good 10-15 other bars in NYC that are much better in my opinion.

Also, if a bar is on this list, it's already over-run with tourists, making it less than ideal to visit.

[mhays25]

How can you measure something like this?


Even if we could all agree on criteria, which we can't, how would you measure?

[4everMissouri]

JStreet in Perryville is nice. The bar is well-kept, often shows sports, serves pizza, and even has a couch for anyone to use!

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by mhays25

How can you measure something like this?


Even if we could all agree on criteria, which we can't, how would you measure?

Have you ever been on City Data were we debate skylines, friendliness, and all types of immeasurable things?

[mhays25]

Sure. Nothing wrong with a discussion.



That said, a third-party list of unknown criteria is only a starting point, not worthy of angst.

[arr430]

The top ten are all in Wisconsin, but they officially don't qualify because they're in the Yellow Pages under "Taverns". Right above Taxidermists.

[Natnasci]

Originally Posted by mhays25

How can you measure something like this?


Even if we could all agree on criteria, which we can't, how would you measure?

I'll volunteer and visit each bar, expenses paid of course.

[fusion2]

I have to admit to a bit of homerism here seeing my city on this list well represented. I just don't really feel the list - they look a little too 'posh' for me. Like you have to spend too much time and effort deciding what to wear and whether it is good enough.

Quite frankly my best bar is kind of a dive with cheap beer and none of them look to be that way lol.

[PolarSeltzer]

These lists are fun to look at but are pretty worthless in terms of making real comparisons across cities and even across bars within the same cities.