The Best Cocktail Bars in San Francisco Eater SF

Originally called the New Orleans Gin Fizz before it was renamed for its creator, Henry C. Ramos, the Ramos Gin Fizz takes the classic version and ups the milkshake-like creaminess. After dipping off of the list last year, the boozy and beloved Long Island Iced Tea is back. Bartenders around the world are increasingly showing their love for amari, pushing the category into the mainstream. μπρουσκέτεσ με προσούτο But some of the excitement around niche coffee cocktails might be fading, as it dropped all the way to the bottom of the list in 2025.

NECTA 2 is a delicate, chic take on a colada-style cocktail with nectarine eau de vie and persimmon, while YDM is one for the martini lovers, floral and ethereal with mango skin vermouth, mango brine, yuzu and gin. This is all accompanied by the sight of bartenders stylishly plunging red-hot loggerheads into cocktails, like techno medieval blacksmiths. Spice also enhances The Xinjiang, which features tangy pomegranate granita with vodka, preserved plum and warming structure from ginger and cumin. We’ve always thought that a negroni stands up rather well to spice and the bar’s version, infused with star anise, sichuan pepper and cinnamon is a winner, harmonising with the botanicals in the gin and vermouth. Andrew Wong’s two Michelin starred vision of pan-Chinese cuisine is an unmissable experience but at the end of last year he also opened a standalone bar underneath his restaurant that convincingly makes the case for its own pilgrimage. If you want to continue the evening, don’t leave without trying the famous Irish coffee, a deliciously rich and silky creature that as far as we’re concerned is a miles better than an espresso martini.

• The bar also offers unique creations such as the Nostalgia, a Greek-inspired rum blend with biscuit, hazelnut and mountain tea, and the Mediterranean Gimlet, a play on the Greek salad.
• But a night at this lively but intimate spot is worth ransacking the fun-night-out funds.
• The cocktail menu (which changes roughly annually and had a Yacht Club theme when I first visited) has creative takes on classic drinks.
• The casual, grungy spot is run by industry veteran Juan Yi Jun, who has worked at institutions like Operation Dagger.
• Despite such prestigious winnings, it remains a down-to-earth neighborhood spot.

Sure, the furnishings still look very Lodge-y — complete with antler door handles — but it’s arguably a more laid-back sports bar than its predecessor. With K-pop blasting from the corners and a menu centered on popular Korean bar drinks and bunsik — Korean street food — the whole atmosphere is buzzy and full of fun. It doesn’t take long to see why this Capitol Hill bar has already become such a hotspot either. It’s tough to miss Gol Mok if you’re going by when it’s open — this place gets packed inside and out fast.

Toronto's coolest cocktail bars

Alcotraz may be an immersive experience, but it’s not scary. Your immersive cocktail experience will last 1 hour 45 minutes, and inmates will be provided with their own orange jumpsuit for the duration of their time behind bars. Not just your typical cocktail bar or theatrical immersive experience, Alcotraz London is a totally one-of-a-kind venue that allows you to interact with first-class actors in a realistic jail setting. Smuggle in spirits and become part of the unfolding theatrical experience.

Inspired by the aesthetic of Wes Anderson's films, this whimsical cocktail bar on Dundas West is styled like the hotel lobby bars of yesteryear. Just around the corner from its big sister, this charming cocktail bar opened back in 2021 and graduated from a popup pantry that happened to serve drinks to an acclaimed drinking den that takes a gourmet approach to its beverages. Toronto restaurant maven Jenn Agg is behind this Dundas West spot, which is her take on the classic cocktail bar. From an otherworldly, space-themed hangout to a drinking den tucked behind an art gallery, these are the best cocktail bars in Toronto.

It’s an impressive place with quality drinks and food, attention to design, and a fun 70s and 80s pop, dance, and funk soundtrack. Again, Drink Kong is on the “50 Best Bars” list, and it’s easy to see why. It was a delightful combination of flavors served in this unique bowl. As much as I enjoy sitting at bars to watch bartenders work, at Drink Kong, the lounge area’s tables are the place to go for a swanky night out. The menu following “2×1” was a wheel themed as “Night Out,” with options for any time of the evening.

Simply share your preferred flavor profile and spirits with your bartender, and leave your fate in their hands. Cocktail menu highlights include the bright, gin-based Hunny & Clyde and the boozy Tokyo Drift, which is made with gin, vodka, tequila and rum; however, Bowen House is known for whipping up masterful cocktails made with whatever you like. Offerings rotate regularly, so even the most loyal of visitors can expect surprising sips every other visit. Under the direction of award-winning bartender Gabe Sanchez, the lively and chatty team at this swanky spot knows how to wow with a list of cocktails that defy expectations.

As much as I love inventive cocktails, sometimes it’s nice to visit a cocktail bar mostly focused on classic cocktails served in an impeccably appointed environment. Most of the cocktails are served in glasses designed by the bar’s co-owner Shingo Gokan in collaboration with Yutaro Kimura, one of Japan’s leading glassware designers—and the pieces are so good they’ve landed at other premier cocktail bars across the country as well. Vienna has an endless number of pubs, bars, coffee houses, and cocktail bars.

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This definitely isn’t a party spot, but if you want to have a great drink and pretend you’re the main character in a rom com set in Adalasia, this is the place for you. But it’s the strong drinks that’s the draw here (though the fact that it’s rarely crowded helps). The cash-only spot gets busy late at night, so stopping by around 5pm is probably your best bet if you want a seat at a table. Fishtown’s Four Humors has super friendly bartenders who you end up telling your top five embarrassing moments to.

Once through the secret door beside the Magic Mike entrance of Leicester Square's Hippodrome Casino, a sultry, sophisticated allure takes over in a room enrobed in velvet, vintage furniture, memorabilia from the venue’s times gone by and a nostalgic soul soundtrack. Lyaness is a fresh, modern take on what a hotel bar should be, with yearly changing cocktail menus a product of meticulous research and freewheeling creativity. From the team behind The Sun Tavern, Parasol is a latest addition to the slew of cool cocktail bars in Dalston. Dark, sultry and dimly lit, it’s a great choice for low-key birthday drinks with friends or perhaps one last drink on a night out.