On many a night out, a drinker has declared: ‘This is the best pub in the world.’
While most of us have our own favourite spot for a post-work pint, an official ranking has revealed the best global bars.
The data comes from Top 500 Bars, an online ranking website that does exactly what it says on the tin.
It was created ‘by the people, for the people’, and uses a complex algorithm which feeds off ‘thousands of data points – rankings, publications, platforms and others in more than 20 languages’ then calculates exactly how well each bar has been reviewed.
What’s more, the top spot went to a bar in the UK and six of the top 10 are in Europe.
From Hollywood glamour to Korean minimalism, read on to find out which global bars made the top 25.
1. Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)
The top spot went to Scottish cocktail bar Panda & Sons (pictured)
With an average rating of 4.6 stars based on more than 2,400 Google reviews, the top spot went to Scottish cocktail bar Panda & Sons.
According to the ranking, the bar is all about ‘friendly Scottish service in intimate and cosy surroundings’.
Panda & Sons is the brainchild of famed Scottish bartender Iain McPherson.
Their cocktail menu offers exciting drinks using the latest techniques, including their very own called ‘Switching.’
‘Switching’ involves isolating water from spirits and swapping it with another non-alcoholic liquid.
2. Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
With almost 7,000 Google reviews and an average rating of 4.3 stars, in second place, Paradiso in Barcelona, Spain, is a ‘speakeasy-style bar’ located behind a Pastrami Bar you enter through an old refrigerator.
Pictured: Paradiso in Barcelona, Spain. The cocktail menu consists of 25 signature drinks, each one with unique glassware, garnishes and techniques focused on surprising guests
The design is a mix of wooden waves on the ceiling, white Carrara marble on the bar and jungle-palmed walls.
The cocktail menu consists of 25 signature drinks, each one with unique glassware, garnishes and techniques focused on surprising guests.
3. Bar Leone (Hong Kong, China)
Founded by Roman bartender Lorenzo Antinori, Bar Leone is a bar that celebrates community and the love of classic cocktails
In the heart of Hong Kong, Bar Leone is an Italian-inspired spot that pays homage to Roman neighbourhood bars.
Founded by Roman bartender Lorenzo Antinori, Bar Leone is a bar that celebrates community and the love of classic cocktails.
4. Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
The top five global bars wouldn’t be complete without an entry from Mexico.
Handshake Speakeasy has had a reputation as one of the best bars in Mexico City.
Handshake Speakeasy (pictured) has had a reputation as one of the best bars in Mexico City
With more than 1,746 Google reviews and an average rating of 4.4 stars, Handshake has a 1920s feel with an art deco style, including low lighting and elegant furnishings.
5. Jigger & Pony (Singapore City, Singapore)
Pictured: Jigger & Pony in Singapore City, Singapore, took spot five in the Top 500 Bars ranking
In Singapore, Jigger & Pony pays tribute to the 19th century, when cocktail recipes were listed in ‘jiggers’ and ‘ponies’.
They define modern cocktail culture through convivial hospitality, craftsmanship and inventive concepts.
6. HIMKOK (Oslo, Norway)
In sixth place, HIMKOK is a cocktail bar embodying Norwegian culture through its handcrafted cocktails and distilled spirits.
Inspired by traditional techniques, they convey their vision through classic cocktails combined with Scandinavian flavours using modern technology.
7. Tayēr + Elementary (London, UK)
In London’s first appearance on the list, Tayēr + Elementary took seventh place.
Close to Bartholomew Square, the cocktail bar was opened in June 2019 by renowned bartenders Monica Berg and Alex Kretena.
In London’s first appearance on the list, Tayēr + Elementary took seventh place
Tayer+Elementary is split into two different bar concepts. Elementary, situated at the front of the bar, is a light and casual bar focused on providing simple seasonal drinks and snacks. Tayer is a more progressive and experimental bar with a more elevated offering.
8. Alquimico (Cartagena, Colombia)
Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia, is split over three floors, each with a different concept.
It offers cocktails highlighting local ingredients with music provided by DJs playing modern mixes of eclectic sounds.
9. Moebius (Milan, Italy)
In ninth place in the ranking of the Top 500 Bars is Moebius in Milan, Italy
With more than 1,500 Google reviews and an average rating of 4.5 stars, Moebius in Milan takes its spot in the top 10.
The ranking describes Moebius as a ‘space for sharing where cuisine, music and hospitality blend together in an inextricable intertwining’.
10. SIPS (Barcelona, Spain)
In tenth place, SIPS in Barcelona is ‘set to redefine Barcelona’s bar scene’
In tenth place, SIPS in Barcelona is ‘set to redefine Barcelona’s bar scene, blurring the lines between haute couture and pret-a-porter’, according to the Top 500 Bars.
Owned by internationally recognised mixologists Simone Caporale and Marc Alvarez, the bar is known for its innovative approach that combines high-level artistry with accessibility.
The bar is described as a ‘disruptive cocktail experience that evolves with every sip’.
11. Salmon Guru (Madrid, Spain)
Pictured: Salmon Guru (Madrid, Spain) held eleventh place in the ranking of the Top 500 Bars
With an average star rating of 4.6 stars based on 4,670 Google reviews, Salmon Guru in Spain’s capital serves international dishes and classic cocktails.
On the historic Echegaray Street, Salmon Guru is a dark, retro-style bar designed to look like a 1960s cocktail bar.
12. Connaught Bar (London, UK)
Pictured: Connaught Bar in Mayfair, London, took 12th place in the Top 500 Bars ranking
In London’s prestigious Mayfair, the luxurious Connaught Bar took 12th place.
Known for its martinis, The Connaught Bar serves time-honoured classic cocktails and new concoctions over sparkling glasses and candlelit tables.
13. Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Tres Monos is a bar offering a chilled-out vibe with lights strung around the space and a mixture of classic and innovative cocktails.
Tres Monos, ranked in 13th place, offering a chilled-out vibe in Buenos Aires, Argentina
There is also a studio that educates professionals and consumers through different classes and workshops where they can learn about drinks and cocktails.
14. The Cambridge Public House (Paris, France)
Known for its relaxed environment and screens for sports, The Cambridge combines creative cocktails with classic pub grub
In the City of Light, The Cambridge Public House specialises in cocktails and British food and with a focus on quality products.
Known for its relaxed environment and screens for sports, The Cambridge combines creative cocktails with classic pub grub.
15. Locale Firenze (Florence, Italy)
In Florence, Italy, Locale Firenze is a Tuscan dining experience offering inventive cocktails in a 1500s palazzo with a 13th-century basement.
Pictured: Locale Firenze in Florence, Italy, which ranked at number 15
With an average rating of 4.4 stars based on 1,474 Google reviews, the bar, led by Fabio Fanni, has been recognised as one of the leading cocktail venues in Italy.
Examples of their inventive cocktails include ‘Foglia,’ a Gin sour with mint, basil, and hemp, and ‘Manhattan,’ a twist on the classic made with Marsala, kombucha, and cold-brew coffee.
16. Maybe Sammy (Sydney, Australia)
Pictured: Maybe Sammy in Sydney, Australia
Down Under, Maybe Sammy takes inspiration from the roaring fifties.
Named Sydney’s Best Cocktail Experience, bartenders perform choreographed routines, bubble guns burst mid-service and every cocktail is delivered with flair and personality.
17. Danico (Paris, France)
Danico is a bar located in the oldest Parisian gallery, offering a changing menu of cocktails based on a region of the world.
Danico is housed in the former Jean Paul Gaultier flagship store and is hidden behind a velvet curtain at the back of the Daroco restaurant.
18. Bar Nouveau (Paris, France)
Pictured: Bar Nouveau in Paris, France
In the heart of Paris, Bar Nouveau reflects nature in a post-technological world, blending Parisian heritage with modern design.
The bar has two levels: the upstairs imagines Art Nouveau 130 years ago, while the downstairs reintroduces nature through modern technology.
19. Tan Tan (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Spot 19 goes to Tan Tan, an underground bar in São Paulo, Brazil
Spot 19 goes to Tan Tan in Brazil, an underground bar bringing a touch of Japanese bar culture to São Paulo.
With a 4.5-star average rating based on more than 2,500 Google reviews, Tan Tan is a modern spot known for its exotic cocktails.
20. Baba au Rum (Athens, Greece)
Baba au Rum is a rum and cocktail bar located in the historical centre of Athens.
Opened in March 2009, Baba claims to have brought fine drinking culture to the streets of Athens for the first time.
Baba Au Rum is a rum and cocktail bar located in the historical centre of Athens
Baba Au Rum offers an extended list of classic and contemporary cocktails and an unlimited back bar with more than 350 different rums from around the world.
21. Scarfes (London, UK)
A stone’s throw from London’s Covent Garden, Scarfes serves up creative cocktails with live jazz every day of the week.
Pictured Scarfes near Covent Garden in London
Inspired by the atmosphere of a drawing room and a sophisticated gentleman’s club, the bar has a loyal following with an average rating of 4.6 stars based on 1,434 Google reviews.
22. Satan’s Whiskers (London, UK)
Bethnal Green’s original neighbourhood cocktail bar, Satan’s Whiskers, offers a changing menu of classic cocktails.
Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green is pictured
The bar’s name comes from the gin, vermouth and orange juice-based cocktail of the same name.
Often described as ‘London’s bartender’s bar’ in the cool East London spot, you can sip cocktails while hip hop plays on the stereo.
23. CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
In Palermo, Buenos Aires, CoChinChina took spot 23
In Palermo, Buenos Aires, CoChinChina is known for its cocktails, Franco-Vietnamese cuisine and distinctive design.
Opened in 2021 by renowned bartender Inés De Los Santos, it quickly established itself on the Argentine scene and is now recognised internationally as one of the country’s leading bars.
24. Angelita (Madrid, Spain)
Pictured: Angelita in Madrid, Spain, claimed spot 24
With more than 3,000 Google reviews and an average rating of 4.7 stars, Angelita Madrid is known for its contemporary Spanish cuisine and extensive choice of wines in informal surroundings.
25. Zest (Seoul, Korea)
Finally, in 25th place is Zest in Seoul, South Korea, is a bar that embraces the Korean minimalism philosophy, ‘the beauty of emptiness’.
It describes itself as offering ‘sustainable fine drinking’ with seasonal cocktails and an ‘open lab’ where guests can watch their drinks being prepared.
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