Category ranking
Bars & drinking
Weighted toward bar density — Google Maps captures all bar types equally, from rooftop bars and dive bars to cocktail dens and whisky rooms. Quality sources (W50B, Drinks International) provide the prestige ceiling at a combined 40%.
Google Maps 50% 50 Best Bars 30% Time Out 10% Drinks Intl 10%
Google Maps (density)
50 Best Bars (quality)
Time Out
Drinks Intl
W50B 2024 + Google Maps data — updated
Real data applied to top 10. Remaining cities estimated.
Top 3 cities for bars
1
#1
London
United Kingdom · Europe
● Real data
Bars score
91.5
W50B entries
8
Best entry
#4
Overall rank
#2
The most represented city in the W50B 1–100 with 8 entries and the strongest top entry at #4. Leads on both density and quality — an exceptional Google Maps bar density score of 94 reflects a scene that runs from Tayēr+Elementary and Connaught Bar to neighbourhood gems, pub culture and a rapidly growing natural wine bar scene.
2
#2
New York
USA · Americas
● Real data
Bars score
88.5
W50B entries
7
Best entry
#14
Overall rank
#3
7 entries in the W50B 1–100 — second only to London's 8 — and an extraordinary Google Maps density score of 93. In 2024, no New York bar appeared in the global top 10 for the first time in the list's history, with Double Chicken Please leading at #14. Depth across all seven W50B entries keeps it firmly in second place.
3
#3
Tokyo
Japan · Asia
● Real data
Bars score
80.5
W50B entries
4
Best entry
#25
Overall rank
#1
Tokyo rises to #3 under the density-weighted methodology — its Google Maps density score of 92 is the third highest of any city, reflecting one of the world's greatest bar cultures: Golden Gai's 200-seat micro-bars, Shinjuku's whisky bars, Ginza's standing bars, and specialist venues across every category. W50B underrepresents Tokyo; Google Maps does not.
Data insights
W50B depth & quality
London leads on both
London has 8 entries — the most of any city — and the strongest top entry at #4. New York has 7, with its best at #14.
Biggest riser (new method)
Tokyo #6 → #3
Google Maps density of 92 — Golden Gai, whisky bars, Ginza — now properly reflected with density at 50%.
World's #1 bar 2024
Mexico City
Handshake Speakeasy crowned World's Best Bar 2024 — first Mexican bar ever to take the top spot.
Asia's best
Tokyo (80.5)
Overtakes Singapore under density-weighted method. Bar Leone (HK, #2) is the highest ever Asian W50B finish.
Regional leaders
Europe
London
91.5
Americas
New York
88.5
Asia
Tokyo
80.5
Middle East
Dubai
58.3
Full ranking · Top 25
Methodology
Google Maps (≥4.5★ all bar types)
50%
World's 50 Best Bars (+ regional)
30%
Time Out bar coverage
10%
Drinks International Awards
10%
Google Maps is weighted at 50% because it captures all bar types equally — rooftop bars, whisky bars, dive bars, cocktail bars, wine bars — without the cocktail-bar bias inherent in prestige lists. W50B quality scores reflect real 2024 data (1–100) for the top 10 cities. Density scores for cities 11–25 remain estimated. Bangkok's score is confirmed at 77.3 based on real Google Maps data (899 highly-rated bars) and real W50B entries.