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New York’s cocktail scene isn’t exactly hurting for attention, but we just picked up a fresh round of bragging rights anyway. The extended 2026 list of North America’s 50 Best Bars (ranking spots 51–100) dropped this week and five NYC spots made the cut, reaffirming what most of us already know: this city drinks very, very well.
The annual ranking, which is voted on by more than 300 bartenders, writers and cocktail experts across the continent, serves as a kind of warm-up act ahead of the main 1–50 reveal that will take place later this month. But don’t let the “extended list” label fool you—landing anywhere on it still means you’re among the most influential bars shaping cocktail culture right now.
This year, New York’s lineup spans everything from aperitivo institutions to ultra-modern newcomers (and at least one spot where your martini may come with a side of liquid nitrogen).
Katana Kitten (number 52) continues to blur the line between dive bar and high-concept cocktail den, bringing Japanese precision to an irreverent, boisterous setting. Dante (number 58), meanwhile, is a global icon of aperitivo culture and a reminder that a perfectly executed Negroni still wins the room.
Further down the list, newer entries lean more experimental. Seed Library (number 66), the New York sibling to London’s cult-favorite concept from Ryan Chetiyawardana, focuses on unexpected ingredients and playful flavor combinations. Shinji’s (number 77) goes even further, delivering a theatrical, tech-forward cocktail experience with meticulous drinks that feel closer to lab experiments than happy hour.
The Portrait Bar at number 71 (set in Time Out's favorite New York City hotel, the Fifth Avenue Hotel) anchors things with a more classic, polished approach inside the Fifth Avenue Hotel—velvet, art and cocktails that don’t need gimmicks to impress.
Zooming out, New York’s five entries help the U.S. dominate the extended list overall, with 25 bars across cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston also making appearances. But NYC’s showing feels particularly versatile.
The top 50 will be revealed on April 22 in Vancouver. Until then, consider this your cue to finally book that bar you’ve been meaning to try before it inevitably gets even harder to get in.