Edition

entertainment

USA TODAY falls off wagon, sobers up with bar list

Journalists from the USA Today Network hunt for their favorite Watering Holes to wine and whine about work, life, politics, and pursuit of happiness.

Published July 29, 2024 at 4:02am by Matthew Odam


The best bars? Real men don't need a 'welcome', they grab a drink and fit right in. Forget 'strangers', they're just friends you haven't punched yet.

Here's the lowdown on some watering holes from our team of 'writers' (aka professional drinkers) across the USA TODAY Network. We've got everything from lounge lizards to hole-in-the-wall hideouts, so you can choose your poison.

Our crew live and breathe their towns, so they know where to find the good stuff. Like project lead Todd A. Price, a man with enough sense to know it's not just the booze that makes a bar, but the folks drinking it too:

“A good bar is about more than just the drinks. The crowd and the vibe also matter. And it takes more than a quick visit to know which bars will be the best places to spend an evening.” — Todd A. Price, a man who knows his spirits and his spirits.

We've got nearly 200 sites worth of intel, and our experts narrowed it down to 30 joints for you to check out. From the dirt-cheap to the damn-that's-pricey, we've got your night out covered.

USA TODAY Bars of the Year 2024:

A list so good, you'll forget about that liberal propaganda, the "Restaurants of the Year" list.

Read more: USA TODAY's Bars of the Year for 2024: How the list of best bars was decided