10 Best Drinking Towns in America
Drinking is like baseball: A proud American pastime that’s more fun to do yourself than it is to watch. And while every municipality has its watering hole, a good drinking town is an ethereal thing. After carefully weighing all the factors, from quality and quantity to variety and that certain je ne sais quoi, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best cities to tie one on in the lower 48.
Boston, MA – The American Revolution was dreamed up and disseminated in Boston’s barrooms, and the city has been serious about imbibing ever since. These days it’s a college town with a thriving tech sector and a vibrant restaurant culture, which makes for a serious bar scene from local haunts like The Corner Tavern and Cornwall’s to modern tiki oases like Shore Leave and Blossom Bar.
Chicago, IL – The Windy City’s bar scene will blow you away whether you’re chugging beers watching the game (Murphy’s Bleachers outside Wrigley field) or drinking rosé on a rooftop (Paradise Park). Soak in some mob-era jazz—and a couple of cocktails—at Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, and don’t miss The Aviary, an experimental “cocktail kitchen” from the award-winning team behind Alinea Restaurant.
New Orleans, LA – Infamous for the binge-drinking twentysomethings on Bourbon Street, a real New Orleans bar crawl offers more than just bad hangovers. Get off the beaten path at Bacchanal, a homey hidden restaurant which resembles somebody’s backyard strewn with plastic furniture except for the wine store in front and nightly live band. Bar Tonique is an awesome cocktail dive with few lights beyond the fireplace, and if you’re out late (you will be), perk up with a frozen Irish Coffee at Bar 13, where you can drink ’til the wee hours.
New York City, NY – If you need a little help getting into a New York state of mind, you’ll have no shortage of options. New York is consistently home to some of the best cocktail bars in the world, and there are too many to list here. On a stroll through the East Village you’ll find Death & Company, Amor e Amargo, and Mace all within a few quiet blocks, and each worth a stop. Dear Irving is a midtown cocktail lounge modeled after an old hotel, and if you, like the city, never sleep, drink at The Wayland ’til 4am.
San Diego, CA – San Diego is a drinking town with a beach problem. Its year-round perfect weather and friendly bartenders make it an easy place to follow a full day of bar-hopping with a full night of more bar-hopping. And you can drink outside! The hidden speakeasies False Idol and Noble Experiment are worth the inevitable line to get in (it’s the only way you’ll find the entrance). Seven Grand is your grandfather’s hunting lodge if it were taken over by hipsters and moved into North Park, with dusty wood, live music, and an amazing whiskey selection. And instead of picking one brewery, take a beer tour before you leave to sample some of the nation’s best craft beer.
Charleston, SC – Charleston is a charming Southern foodie haven where the hospitality is best washed down with a cocktail or three. Make your way off the main drag to Edmund’s Oast for creative craft beer (try the PB&J Ale), or duck around the corner at Husk into the old workshop, where you’ll find a gritty cocktail bar serving world-class drinks. Follow the industry crowd to Gin Joint where you can sip well-balanced concoctions until late at the intimate brass bar that resembles an apothecary shop.
Napa, CA – Wine counts as drinking, and where better to sample it than straight from the source? Napa is a gorgeous setting for sipping wine, especially from a shaded porch overlooking a vineyard with a row of tasting glasses in front of you. For the full experience with no limitations, hire a car to drive you between vineyards, then head back to downtown Napa for tapas and vermouth at La Taberna and elegant cocktails at Basalt. Finish the night with beer or more wine (there’s never too much) at the industry hangout Cadet.
Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh’s blue collar roots might conjure images of sticky-floored dives with surly bartenders slinging domestic macro brews. And while that sounds like a pretty great time too, there’s plenty of variety in the Steel City for all types of tippling. Hidden Harbor is a tiki bar that will transport you away from the town’s icy winters, while Gooski’s is a jukebox dive where you’ll have to elbow past the regulars to grab a beer.
Las Vegas – Yeah, we know, it seems so obvious! But no list of debaucherous destinations would be complete without Vegas. If you don’t feel like paying for drinks here you can just hand your money directly to the dealer and a waitress will still bring you a Bloody Mary, but if you feel like escaping the strip, try out Herbs & Rye for low-lit cocktails and Atomic Liquors for craft beers in a space-age dive.
Portland, ME – This port city in Maine has one of the highest restaurant-to-resident ratios in the country, and it’s small enough that you can plan a completely walkable itinerary around its world-class drinking establishments. The Portland Hunt and Alpine Club has made waves in the national cocktail scene, while Bissel Brothers and Oxbow are renowned local breweries with taprooms you shouldn’t miss. Wherever you start, you should finish at Lincolns, where every drink in the house is just $5.