Durham, North Carolina is the U.S. Drinking Caital with almost 8 bars per 100K residents

Upgraded Points is uncovering where the spirit of America's cocktail bar scene is. "This study is inspired by those who elevate simple ingredients to something extraordinary," said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points. "We pay tribute to the cities that house the pinnacles of cocktail creativity, the communities that support them, and travelers looking for a great place to grab a cocktail.

Study Methodology

Upgraded Points analyzed thousands of cocktail bar listings on Yelp in the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas, focusing solely on establishments where 'cocktail bars' was the featured function. It averaged the star rating of each city's cocktail bars out of 5 and only analyzed cocktail bars that had at least 10 total reviews.  

Top Shelf Cities

Analyzing average ratings based on a 5-star system, the following cities rose to the top:

1. Cincinnati, Ohio - 4.63 stars
2. Hartford, Connecticut - 4.53 stars
3. Dayton, Ohio,* and Indianapolis, Indiana* - 4.49 stars
4. Springfield, Massachusetts,* and Colorado Springs, Colorado* - 4.43 stars
5. New York, New York - 4.37 stars
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 4.35 stars
7. Sacramento, California - 4.33 stars
8. Grand Rapids, Michigan - 4.32 stars
9. Daytona Beach, Florida - 4.30 stars
10. Honolulu, Hawaii - 4.28 stars

* Indicates a tie

Drinking Capitals

With a national city average of only 1.73 bars per 100,000 residents, each of these cities stands out as true watering holes:

1. Durham, North Carolina - 7.95 bars per 100K residents
2. New Orleans, Louisiana - 5.63 bars per 100K residents
3. Omaha, Nebraska - 4.32 bars per 100K residents 
4. Las Vegas, Nevada - 4.06 bars per 100K residents 
5. San Antonio, Texas - 3.92 bars per 100K residents 
6. El Paso, Texas - 3.90 bars per 100K residents
7. Austin, Texas - 3.78 bars per 100K residents
8. Nashville, Tennessee - 3.73 bars per 100K residents
9. Raleigh, North Carolina - 3.59 bars per 100K residents
10. Charleston, South Carolina - 3.57 bars per 100K residents

For a closer look at the highest-rated cocktail bar in each city, visit the full study.