Readers' Top 100
Based on your ratings and updated regularly Readers’ Top 100 is your selection of the best bars in the world. If a fantastic establishment you’ve been to recently doesn’t feature, post your thoughts on our Facebook page (link) and let mankind share in your discovery!
XS
Las Vegas
1
They don’t do things by halves in Vegas. This really is a stunning venue: dramatic, lavish and impressive on many levels. The main room is gilt-clad and ......Read more
Apotheca in Manchester
Manchester
2
Apotheca is a welcome addition to what was once a slightly seedy street. Now it proliferates with stylish bars of which this is a prime example. This ......Read more
House of Tippler
South East London
3
The evolution of Lordship Lane continues apace. One a nondescript high street this is one of the most stylish roads south of the river. The latest addition to the East Dulwich thoroughfare is the House of Tippler, a cocktail bar with an attractive vintage vibe....Read more
Capital Music Cafe
Johannesburg
4
Located in increasingly upmarket Rosebank the Capitol Music Café is a smart bar that also sells a selection of vinyl, The place is a haven for a new wave ......Read more
Zeta Bar
Sydney
5
Enter the narrow dark opening across a white glass walkway and you find yourself in a chic, streamlined space that's suitable for a scene in a Bond film. ......Read more
French 75 Bar
New Orleans
6
There’s a reason why so many bars revere the Prohibition-era cocktail. These are proper drinks, stiff and sophisticated, and often deceptive in their ......Read more
The Reform
Leeds
7
Leeds boasts smart and stylish bars in abundance, with the area around the north of the city particularly blessed. There’s Mojo and the North Bar and ......Read more
Degree
Auckland
8
Degree is superbly situated on the corner of the main drag of the Viaduct Basin. It’s a lively bar with a huge outside deck and some of the best water-side ......Read more
Pur Pur
Zurich
9
For those of you who've subscribed to all things Moroccan, 'Pur Pur' is a step in a similar direction. Low-level tables, Asian - Mediterranean cooking ......Read more
Kix
Vienna
10
Kix is a pastel-walled bar with an elegant minimalist aesthetic designed by the Austrian artist and architect Oskar Putz. The look of the place has been ......Read more
Lab Academy
Soho and Fitzrovia
11
A slick cocktail bar with a 70s kitsch-inspired interior of leather and formica. It's a compact and low-lit place spread over two floors, with a laid-back ......Read more
Nobilis
Oslo
12
This charming Oslo bar-restaurent is as elegant as it gets. Well-located on near one of the city’s smartest shopping streets, Bogstadveien, Nobilis boasts ......Read more
Rock Bar, Ayana Resort
Bali
13
Overlooking the Indian Ocean, Ayana’s open-topped Rock Bar has the kind of view few other bars on the planet can boast. The interior has a minimalist ......Read more
B21
Zurich
14
Hotel bars can sometimes be a bit stiff, a bit stuffy, all surface, nothing much beneath the veneer. The sprightly B21 at the Sorrell Hotel Zurichberg ......Read more
Andu
Barcelona
15
Despite being co-owned by an Austrian and an Australian, Andu is almost the archetypal Catalan bar. Simple in design and friendly in atmosphere, it’s ......Read more
The Carlton
Melbourne
16
Understatement and minimalism were clearly not the guiding principles behind the re-design of the Carlton Hotel. Clean lines and statement features cut ......Read more
878 in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
17
Behind an unmarked door on a relatively quiet street, you'll find 878 (or ocho7ocho), a former speakeasy, now all above board, with heaps of character. ......Read more
Beaufort Bar
Covent Garden and Holborn
18
One of two bars in the newly renovated Savoy, the Beaufort is the gilded sibling of the more restrained American Bar. The glamour of the latter comes ......Read more
Blue Gin
Monaco
19
Monaco. Monaco. Monaco: tiny and money-stuffed and quite, quite unique. This magical cocktail bar is quintessential Monaco. It’s the terrace that makes ......Read more
Covent Garden Cocktail Club
Soho and Fitzrovia
20
Located underneath the Arts Theatre (now back in business after a recent closure), this basement space has a gentlemen’s club feel, replete with green ......Read more
Le Lion
Hamburg
21
Though comparatively new on the scene, Le Lion’s Bar de Paris is a classic bar in every sense. One of the best bars in town, it’s also one of the stand ......Read more
Helvetica
Perth
22
As well as being everyone’s favourite font, Helvetica is also the name of this Melbourne-esque laneway bar. Hidden away within Perth’s central business ......Read more
Centrale Restaurant and Bar
Beirut
23
It's a dull name but there's nothing dull about the architecture, design and French cuisine at Centrale. From its retractable roof to its long, dark tunnel ......Read more
Mandarina Lounge
Cochabamba
24
Cochabamba is the third biggest town in Bolivia after La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra and the Mandarina Lounge is one of the most stylish bars in Cochabamba. ......Read more
Ozone
Hong Kong
25
The Hong Kong Ritz Carlton is a very lavish affair. This is perhaps not surprising given its status as one of the world’s tallest, grandest hotel; it’s ......Read more
Mosquito
Liverpool
26
Sister to the stylish Living Room franchise, Mosquito is a classy, soft-lit lounge with bamboo-lined walls and plantation-style shutters set around a ......Read more
Bar Cock
Madrid
27
Once you've stopped giggling at the name (and wondering if it's hard to get in etc), you'll find some of the best cocktails in the whole city served in ......Read more
Pix Bar
Covent Garden and Holborn
28
Despite the opening of some seriously good Spanish restaurants in London in the last few years, the city doesn’t have the same tapas culture as Madrid ......Read more
Q Lounge
Antwerp
29
Antwerp is hipper than you think (well, it’s hipper than Brussels at any rate) and, though small in size, the city abounds with smart, stylish cafes and ......Read more
Victoria Cafe
Milan
30
This classic, traditional Milanese café-bar in the throbbing heart of the city’s financial district has become something of a hot destination. Popular ......Read more
Section 8
Melbourne
31
We’re willing to bet that there aren’t many bars around like Melborne’s Section 8. The open-air drinking space is located in a Chinatown car park while ......Read more
Le Zinc
Perpignan
32
Le Zinc is a tiny and charming little bar, one of those atmospheric little places that France does so well. It’s attractively low-lit and cozy in its ......Read more
Iberian Pig
Atlanta
33
Though predominantly a restaurant, the bar at the Iberian Pig is worth a visit in its own right. An air of sophistication is encouraged – brash behaviour, ......Read more
Kuki
Delhi
34
If you like your clubs to drip with glam and glitter, then we think you may well enjoy Kuki. This club in the Greater Kailash area of the city has pink ......Read more
Milion
Buenos Aires
35
This glorious Buenos Aires bar is housed in an incredibly attractive old mansion with French doors. It has balconies, an elegant staircase and at the ......Read more
Albannach
Soho and Fitzrovia
36
The Scots are coming and you can check out the classiest London-Tartan creations at Albannach, a whiskey, cocktail and fine-dining lounge right on Trafalgar ......Read more
Baba au Rhum
Athens
37
Baba au Rhum (which handily abbreviates to B.A.R) is a welcome addition to Athens’ nightlife. Situated south of the parliament square, cocktails are ......Read more
Bond No 9
Edinburgh
38
This chic Leith cocktail and champagne bar is located in Commercial Quay, not far from The Kitchin. A rather anonymous strip of shops and restaurants, ......Read more
Dorsia
South West London
39
Dorsia is the latest venture from the duo behind the South Ken celeb hang out, Boujis. Spread out over three floors of an elegant townhouse, Dorsia has ......Read more
Bond Lounge Bar
Melbourne
40
Named after the street it's in, not the Secret Agent, although the sexy, sophisticated atmosphere in here is licensed to thrill. It's a multi-roomed 600-person ......Read more
Copa d'Oro
Los Angeles
41
You won’t find a cocktail menu at Copa d’Oro, not in the conventional sense – they do things differently there. Instead you’ll be offered bespoke drinks, ......Read more
Ciu
Hamburg
42
With its encyclopedic cocktail list and covetable waterside location this is one of Hamburg’s top bars and it kind of knows it. But you can’t really begrudge ......Read more
Shady Pines Saloon
Sydney
43
There’s an intentional aura of the Old West to the Shady Pines Saloon, the kind of bar where a horse-sore gun-slinger could happily prop up his spurs ......Read more
Kumharas
Ibiza
44
Though it sits within dancing distance of the tourist mecca that is San Antonio, there’s something very appealing about Kumharas. The mellow venue comes ......Read more
The Blind Tiger
South West London
45
The Blind Tiger is, Sybil-like, another face of lively Clapham bar, Lost Society. On weeknights, from Sunday through to Thursday, the venue changes its ......Read more
Garibaldi's in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
46
Garibaldi's is the kind of place that makes a virtue of serving some of the strongest alcoholic drinks in town. Its cocktails are pretty potent - you ......Read more
Blackk
Istanbul
47
Given the name it’s no real surprise that pretty much everything in this elegant Istanbul nightclub is black: floors, curtains, tables, seating (though ......Read more
Aura
Mayfair
48
No bar with this address could be called downmarket, and the street-level rope and bouncer at this basement locale signals its intentions early on. It's ......Read more
VIP Room
St Tropez
49
Jean Roch's famous St Tropez club is, not unsurprisingly given its name, a favourite with the celeb set. Inside, the club is spread over two levels with ......Read more
Del Diego
Madrid
50
If Madrid's weighty history is beginning to wear you down, dive into this fun-loving bar for some light refreshment. Bright and breezy inside, it's the ......Read more
Vyne
Amsterdam
51
The name is an anagram of Envy, the restaurant next door to Vyne which is under the same ownership. Here they’ve gone for a smart wine bar vibe. Designed ......Read more
Vegamot
Rekyjavik
52
This little-known gem of a restaurant and bar in the heart of the city turns into the hippest club in town after 10pm. Set over two floors it's an elegant ......Read more
The Round Robin
Washington DC
53
The Round Robin is one of the most renowned hotel bars in America. It was in this plush-carpeted room that Kentucky Statesman Henry Clay mixed the first ......Read more
Vesper
Amsterdam
54
Taking its name from James Bond’s drink of choice – he specifies the recipe in Casino Royale – Vesper is one of the best places in Amsterdam to get a ......Read more
Surreal
Queenstown
55
Downtown restaurant and dance lounge that the Australian and New Zealand style press rave about. And with good reason. You can see why from the food: ......Read more
Antica Caffé Spinnato
Palermo
56
The Italians love ice cream. No summer evening is complete without a promenade, cone in hand, down the star-lit streets. Some of the best ice cream in ......Read more
Mojo
Bucharest
57
Mojo is one of the liveliest bars in Bucharest’s Old Town. This sprawling three-level space has bar on the ground floor, a lounge on the top floor and ......Read more
Mamounia Lounge
Mayfair
58
The Moroccan-themed Mamounia Lounge stands out from the crowd. No faux industrial chic here, no urban minimalism, instead it’s an exotic space that’s ......Read more
Amrta
Tokyo
59
Amrta is in a tucked away spot near Roppongi. Somewhat hidden, it’s an atmospheric after-hours space, a secret you’ll want to keep for yourself. The rather ......Read more
Odeon
Dublin
60
The Odeon offers art deco elegance in spacious and airy surroundings filled with comfy sofas and armchairs and a huge bar that runs almost the entire ......Read more
This is London
Toronto
61
Actually it's not London it's Toronto, but this hot spot for the beautiful people could be mistaken for a model-rich Mayfair playground. It's funky aesthetic ......Read more
Sydney
62
The award winning Pocket is that rare thing: a bar popular both with the style writers and tastemakers and also with public. The compact yet vibrant Darlinghurst ......Read more
Milk and Honey
Soho and Fitzrovia
63
Sister bar of the equally secretive Milk & Honey New York, this speakeasy-style reservations-only bar is an intimate and calming alternative to the usual ......Read more
Riva
Berlin
64
Chic cocktail bar in ultra hip Mitte, cordoned off with thick dark curtains and named, rather oddly, after the 1970s Italian football star Luigi Riva. ......Read more
Pinguin Club
Berlin
65
Schoneberg classic cluttered with 50s American rock'n'roll memorabilia and a glittering mirror ball. Other assorted kitsch will make you feel like you've ......Read more
Duke's Bar
Mayfair
66
This is a cocktail land classic. When I first went there I felt I was slipping into a black and white movie and James Cagney was going to burst in and ......Read more
The Nightjar
City and East London
67
The Nightjar (appropriately named for a nocturnal bird) is the latest arrival to a less than lovely corner of London. Located just off Old Street, the ......Read more
The Hamilton
Washington DC
68
Open 24 hours a day, this stylish, if sprawling Penn Quarter newcomer is both bar, restaurant and a top flight live music venue showcasing the best local ......Read more
Buddha Bar
Beirut
69
Beirut is a late night city: the partying usually doesn’t start until well past midnight. It’s also now home to that long-tentacled international franchise, ......Read more
Le Tres Particulier
Montmartre and the North
70
Hidden in Montmartre, l’Hotel Particulier has an appealingly clandestine feel about it. The Parisian fizz falls away and you enter a serene semi-secret ......Read more
Soif
South West London
71
The third wine bar and restaurant from the team behind Terroirs and Brawn shimmers like an oasis in an otherwise unexciting part of south London. Destination ......Read more
The Arc Bar
Bristol
72
Stone walls, a crackling open fire place and bar staff who look like computer geeks - hardly what you would expect in an edgy, post-modern style bar. ......Read more
The Havanna
Hamburg
73
Havana without the hardship, check out the salsa and style of the latest Hamburg hot spot. Located in the fish market. Expert bar-staff build more than ......Read more
Orchid
Aberdeen
74
A stylish new addition to Aberdeen’s blossoming cocktail bar scene, Orchid is somewhat removed from the Union Street throb. The bar is on the small side ......Read more
La Fira
Barcelona
75
A fairground ride for dedicated revellers, the owner of this bizarre booze boutique brought the rusting scraps of a disused fun fair here piece-by-piece. ......Read more
Hawksmoor Guildhall
City and East London
76
This third branch of the exemplary British steakhouse and cocktail bar contains all the elements that made the first two such destinations. Hawksmoor ......Read more
Seven Grand
Los Angeles
77
Seven Grand are serious about whiskey and if the same can be said about you, you would be wise to look up this cool downtown spot. Located at the intersection ......Read more
Barbarellah
Copenhagen
78
The superbly centrally located Barbarellah is great for late night lounging. Inside it's predictably sleek (this is Copenhagen after all) with cool, eclectic ......Read more
Cloud 9
Shanghai
79
The world's tallest hotel, the ultra-modern Grand Hyatt, also happens to house Shanghai's chicest bars. There's the sleek and intimate Piano Bar on the ......Read more
Baby Jupiter
Leeds
80
A refreshingly unbuttoned basement bar in Leeds’ financial district, Baby Jupiter has a kitschy retro air and at times comes across as something straight ......Read more
Academia da Cachaca
Rio de Janeiro
81
A laid-back yet up-market Leblon classic specialising in North East Brazilian food and great cocktails all built from the traditional Brazilian spirit ......Read more
Priscilla
Berlin
82
On a bitter Berlin evening few things can be more appealing than a slug of rum to warm one’s body and soul. Even if it’s not icy outside, the allure of ......Read more
Donovan Bar
Mayfair
83
Though the Donovan Bar is secreted away behind a fairly generic hotel bar you’ll know it when you get there: this intimate, sophisticated space is lined ......Read more
El Son
Madrid
84
Prepare for a serious rum assault on your senses! There's more to sample than even their potent coffee can combat. Stylish and sleek in a very modern ......Read more
Apres
Mayfair
85
Occupying the location that until recently housed the Moose Bar, Apres London – as the name suggests – has something of the ski-lodge to it. It’s a little ......Read more
Verve
Leeds
86
There’s a relaxed vibe at this popular Merrion Street bar and music venue. During the day they serve up decent American-influenced goodies like Cookies ......Read more
Black Pearl
Melbourne
87
Black Pearl, as its name suggests, is a rare gem in the Fitzroy bar scene. It’s hip yet not aggressively so and you’re unlikely ever to feel out of place ......Read more
Le Comptoir
Marrakesh
88
Le Comptoir is one of the coolest spots in Marrakesh. Excellent food, top notch drinks and abundant atmosphere: what more could one want? Belly dancers ......Read more
BrewDog
North and North West London
89
This is the first London outpost for the small but popular Scottish brewery chain. Well located in the heart of Camden, BrewDog occupies a former pub, ......Read more
Bar 89
Lower West Manhattan
90
Another swanky Sex and the City-style food-bar where the glass-door designer bathrooms are as talked about as the tall drinks. Unisex cubicles on the ......Read more
Circo Bar
Bath
91
Taking its name from the circular bar that dominates the space, Bath's Circo cocktail bar and lounge is chic and elegant. Located next door to the Halycon ......Read more
The Collection
Melbourne
92
Dozens of fresh fruit cocktails mixed by award-winning bartenders make the Collection an essential stop in Melbourne. A small red-walled den with a backlit ......Read more
Nottingham Forest
Milan
93
This teeny little bar is at the forefront of Milan mixology. If you’re interested in innovative, exciting drinks and if the idea of a Long Island Iced ......Read more
London Cocktail Club
Soho and Fitzrovia
94
This third offering from the London Cocktail Club crew steps things up a gear. With a neon-bedecked St Giles location, this new space has a naval theme, ......Read more
Cinco Lounge
Lisbon
95
Fancy a cocktail while lingering in Lisbon? Then you need to head to the Cinco Lounge, one of the city's smartest nightspots, located in Príncipe Real. ......Read more
Anam
North and North West London
96
Close to the Elbow Room near hip Chapel Market, this tiny cocktail bar is big on style and oozes class. The creation of Irishman Niall Donnelly, the name ......Read more
Keko Moku
Manchester
97
Keko Moku, a colourful addition to the bar-saturated Northern Quarter, stands out by virtue of its bright and lively atmosphere. There’s something endearingly ......Read more
Paramount
Soho and Fitzrovia
98
It’s one of London’s most divisive buildings. Many see Centre Point as the apex of urban ugliness, but there’s no denying its iconic status and now the ......Read more
Ruby
Copenhagen
99
A very welcome addition to Copenhagen's bar scene, this glam cocktail joint is housed in a beautiful old apartment building. The unmarked door makes it ......Read more
The Jam Tree
West London
100
The King’s Road can sometimes feel like a bit of a wasteland if you’re looking for exciting food and drinks at non nosebleed inducing prices. The Jam ......Read more
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