Esquire’s version of Best Bars in America

Esquire’s version of Best Bars in America

Esquire is not a consistent read for GPCer’s primarily because of it’s over abundance of advertising which overtakes too many pages which would normally be set aside for gratuitous sexual exploitation (see this months cover tease with Jessica Simpson). This month they have their annual and ridiculous “Best Bars in America” list published.

Yet again it seems the editors have gone with the dart board method in selecting the “best”, especially when it comes to NYC options. There’s no explanation as to criteria for best bar, how they selected them, scored them and meaning to why some bars get full write ups while others a blurb.

“There’s no scientific process for determining if a place is a ‘best bar,’ ” explained Esquire’s Ross McCammon. “It simply has to do its ‘thing’ very, very well.”

For the National list the top bar is Churchill’s Pub in Miami, FL. Miami is not exactly known for it to be a drinking town let alone host to the best British pub in America says Esquire. But when one Yelp reviewer calls this spot the “antithesis of everything that is Miami” it’ll be the first stop on our next trip to SoBe.

The rest of the list is filled out with Beer halls, taverns, hotel bars and pubs from the heart land of Wisconson, Ohio, and Michigan to the coasts of Maine and Washington. The top bar taking 78 points in Esquire’s mystery score board and not a single establishment in their top 7 from New York. The field widens out at the #8 spot with many scoring a 75 including from NY: Angel’s Share (sure it hits all the highs of lounge speakeasy mixologist center with nice decor), Bohemian Beer Garden (guaranteed a fantastic day here), Grassroots Tavern (a generic cave of a dive bar – great in it’s own but not a top American bar), and P.J. Clarke’s (huh? the chain PJ’s?).

Like Angel’s, Bemelman’s, Little Branch and Pegu are mixed cocktail lounges that have great bartenders and $12+ drinks but lack the democratic appeal to be America’s (let alone NY’s) top bars. San Domenico’s is part of a restaurant which I can’t in good conscience call this a bar, however, we hear that the editors of Esquire frequent the spot hence it gets a good nod from them in the mag. Nice to see Minetta Tavern making the list which has been one of my favorite local spots for ages, just in time for them to close down, however, was this addition honorary or an over site because of it’s closing?

The biggest gaff of the list is Spuyten Duyvil, which made their list, however, with an appalling score of 55, despite the note the notion that “There’s no finer beer bar in the city”. Ranked #3 of all bars in NYC by Yelp and a huge following by GPCer’s, this spot is highly undervalued by the Esquire crew. Further proof this list holds no water.

 Angel's Share Bemelmans Bar Best Bars List Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden Churchill's Pub Esquire Magazine Grassroots Tavern Little Branch New York City P.J. Clarke's Pegu Club Spuyten Duyvil