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What makes a great whiskey bar? The selection of brown stuff behind the bar, certainly. But there’s a bit more to it than just that. Any whiskey lover will tell you how important it is to truly appreciate what you’re drinking—and everyone has their own drinking rituals. Whether you sip single malt Scotch neat or prefer bourbon or rye shaken up in an ice-cold cocktail, each whiskey needs to be taken on its own terms, and treated with care. A great whiskey bar isn’t defined by how many rare bottles it stocks, but by how expertly it makes its particular whiskeys shine.

These bars vary widely in terms of their atmosphere and specialties. Some are refined cocktail dens, others punk-blaring dives. There are classic bourbon-swilling spots, as well as one exceptional, of-the-moment Japanese whisky-focused establishment, and everything in between. In other words, there’s something for every type of whiskey fan, whatever their budget and wherever they happen to be located across the U.S. (There’s even an option for those who demand delicious pizza with their booze.) The one common ingredient here is that they all share an intense passion for showcasing just how great whiskey can taste.

With the help of whiskey experts, from bartenders to cocktail historians, we’ve selected the best whiskey bars in the country right now, below. But one stands out as the very best of the bunch: Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, DC, which should be on every whiskey drinker’s must-visit bucket list.

I’ve been writing about and editing coverage of spirits, cocktails, and drinking culture for over a decade. I’ve visited beloved bars, both high-end and hardcore dive, from New York City to Miami to Chicago to Portland, Oregon.

To assemble this list of the best whiskey bars, I consulted numerous experts from deep in the world of whiskey, including top bartenders, brand ambassadors, and historians. I researched bars, and relied on my own experiences in some venues to reach my judgments. Variety is the key here. There’s a mix of brand-new bars, long-running joints, places with food (and places for drinking and only drinking), and every major region is represented.

While selecting our top whiskey bars, we (myself and the Men’s Journal editors) and our experts first and foremost judged each bar by how fabulous a straight-up tipple of whiskey can be there. A certain ineffable appreciation for the whiskey being handled is also crucial. That means an astutely curated menu of available whiskeys, if not always a vast one—though a few have that. We also looked for top-notch service from meticulous and caring staff, creativity and execution in cocktails, smart design, and of course, all-important vibes.

If these are cocktail bars, they should be able to brilliantly execute both classic drinks (old fashioned, Manhattan, Sazerac) and devise their own ingenious creations. But whatever the genre, the best whiskey bars must be all about whiskey—tasting it, mixing it, learning about it—and what makes us enjoy it so much.

Jack Rose Dining Saloon/Greg Powers

When discussing their favorite American whiskey spots, it’s not uncommon for aficionados to mention

Jack Rose Dining Saloon. This establishment is often spoken of with high regard, as it won the World’s Best Spirits Selection at

Tales of the Cocktail’s 2022 Spirited Awards. Located in the nation’s capital, Jack Rose Restaurants boasts a spectacular whiskey selection, with their website currently showing an impressive 2,687 bottles.

The expansive venue located in Dupont Circle neighborhood was established in 2011 by owner Bill Thomas. The main dining saloon features a concise, southern-inspired

food menu that complements their whiskey offerings. The diverse spaces in the restaurant like the open-air terrace, the balcony room, the cellar, and even a tiki bar caters to any mood. So whether you’re cozying up in the saloon by the extensive bottle display or opting for the rotating Only at Jack Rose three-whiskey flight, you’re ensured an unforgettable experience.

Courtesy Bourbons Bistro

Any conversation about the premier bourbon bar inevitably begins and concludes within the confines of Kentucky. Louisville, situated a stone’s throw away from Bourbon County, is home to countless excellent bourbon-focused establishments, notable among them is Bourbons Bistro, founded in 2005 alongside the resurgence of America’s modern appreciation for whiskey, is uniquely appealing. This distinguished winner of the 2023 Whisky Magazine Awards boasts a comprehensive list of bottles, ranging from the readily available Evan Williams Black Label to the highly sought-after Pappy Van Winkle 20-year, served alongside superior Southern cuisine like sumptuously spicy fried oysters with Parmesan grits.

For those who desire the combination of indulging in their choice whiskey with the convenience of carrying a bottle to enjoy later, Neat is the place to be. Having made its debut in 2021, Neat presents a sophisticated, modern take on the traditional bourbon bar. The cozy, warmly illuminated establishment features classic red leather stools, wooden-paneled walls, and a pressed-tin ceiling invoking a sense of nostalgia. Their collection of bourbons focuses on the unique and elusive, including offerings from out-of-operation distilleries. Enjoy a coveted pour of the National Distillers 1972 Old Grand Dad Swing, and then swing by the shop to secure a bottle of the Wild Turkey 12 Year for personal consumption or as a keepsake.

John Grondorf, owner of Los Angeles’s buzzy Tiny’s Hi-Dive, calls Johnny’s Saloon in nearby Orange County “a twisted Cheers with hundreds of bottles of whiskey and awesome pizza in a punk-rock-haunted-house environment.” Score a Michter’s Small Batch bourbon, along with the I Wanna Be Sedated pie (pepperoni, sausage, bell pepper, ricotta and pecorino romano cheese, garlic dust), and you will also find bliss.

There’s no shortage of Guinness-pouring taverns dotting the U.S., but if you’re after Ireland’s prime whiskeys, it doesn’t get more tantalizing than Traghaven, nestled in the quiet Hudson Valley town of Tivoli. The unassuming but lively pub happens to have the largest Irish whiskey selection stateside. Choose a pour from the 150-odd bottles, then dig into a “killer cottage pie,” says Cody Goldstein, founder of Muddling Memories, a hospitality group based in Brooklyn. “If that wasn’t enough to entice you to go, they do a live hootenanny on Fridays.”

Japanese whisky is currently in high demand due to its innovative, complex, and exciting flavors. Opened in 2022, Shinji’s is a cozy 26-seat bar adjacent to the Michelin-starred sushi restaurant Noda located in New York’s Flatiron district. If getting a reservation proves tricky, this bar offers the perfect opportunity to sample the city’s largest Japanese whisky selection while savoring a snack from the renowned kitchen. Options include tableside hand roll service, chips with Royal Osetra caviar, or a “sando” consisting of Wagyu beef sandwiched between decadent milk bread slices.

As Gardner Dunn, Suntory’s brand ambassador, notes, “Their commitment to omotenashi, a Japanese concept embodying anticipatory, high level hospitality, is one of the best in the country.” Dunn enjoys savoring the new seasonal offerings and recommends the Jackie Treehorn, a cocktail made with Hibiki Harmony.

The rock ‘n’ roll bar, Delilah’s, has been a beloved mainstay in Chicago since its establishment in 1993, well before whisky arrived on the connoisseurs’ radar. It remains the city’s most cheerfully unassuming location for tasting the prized Highland Park 18-year Scotch. The whiskey menu boasts over 1,000 bottles, and the jukebox often plays tracks from the Clash and the Replacements, perfect to enjoy while playing a game of Godzilla pinball.

The 2018 winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program, CURE has done a lot to put today’s leading-edge New Orleans cocktail scene on the map. This is the place to order an unexpectedly head-spinning contemporary concoction (put yourself in the hands of the next-level bartenders) or an elegant riff on a comforting classic like the Fancy Sazerac (Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye, Peychaud’s bitters, Nouvelle Orleans absinthe, lemon peel) in the handsome, minimalist space.

It doesn’t get much cooler than Canon, the heavily awarded self-described “whiskey and bitter emporium,” which boasts America’s largest spirit collection at 4,000-plus in a tiny, gorgeously appointed space in the Capitol Hill area. You’d do well to honor its design, equal parts colonial and contemporary, with something old and extraordinary like William Heavenhill Small Batch neat (nurse it ever so slowly) or thoughtfully remixed, like one of the house old fashioned riffs (sans ice, as originally intended). Definitely check out the adventurous food menu (e.g. tea-smoked duck breast, confit rabbit taquito) to round out the indulgence.

There’s pretty much no wrong way to enjoy whiskey (except, say, mixed with warm Sprite—please don’t do that). Most whiskey aficionados and bartenders will tell you to taste a whiskey neat in order to get its full flavor profile and complexity, and that’s a good way to start. After sniffing the whiskey in your glass, then taking a sip (a Glencairn glass is preferred but not necessary), you can always add a drop of water or a few cubes as you like. No judgment here.

Ordering an old fashioned will reliably test a bar’s cocktail-making abilities. A bad one is terrible, but an excellent one is sublime, revealing the nuances of the whiskey in it. From there, any amount of experimentation is fair game—this is drinking, after all, not heart surgery—as long as the results do the booze justice.