What are the best bars in the Northeast? See USA TODAY's 2025 Bars of the Year
If you're a cocktail lover, you've also come to the right place: This list is a don't-miss read and includes cool bars you must visit.
These six cocktail bars — the swankiest, most creative, coolest in the nation — are among the selections in our second USA TODAY Bars of the Year list.
The USA TODAY Best Bars in America: The 29 best bars in America in 2025: See USA TODAY's top picks
More: Best Bars in America: How USA TODAY picked the 2025 finalists
Selected by our network of food writers across the nation — from The Arizona Republic to the Palm Beach Post — these bars represent the best neighborhood taverns, the coziest wine bars and the beachiest beach bars.
But for lovers of cocktails, and the bars that serve them, we've created a special sublist here.
Here they are, the USA TODAY Bars of the Year in the Northeast.
See last year's list The best bars in America in 2024: See USA TODAY's 27 favorite spots
The Starboard | Dewey Beach, Delaware
Details: 2009 Coastal Highway; 302-227-4600, thestarboard.com
While Delaware's beaches have plenty of stand-out bars, The Starboard lives in a world of its own. With an old-school hodgepodge layout and must-have pounder Orange Crush drinks paired with beloved longtime bartenders and high-energy bands and DJs, the bar itself is a playground for locals and vacationers alike. The core following helps make the bar the best, a silly crew that likes to dress in costume and let loose like no one's watching. Highlights each year include laugh-out-loud events such as the Running of the Bull, with bargoers chasing two people in a bull costume down the beach (not exactly like they do in Pamplona), and Derby Day, a Kentucky Derby spoof with bar-goers running on broomstick horses around the block. There's a reason why The Starboard has three branded spin-offs in the tiny beach town, serving everything from seafood to pizza. — Ryan Cormier, Delaware News Journal
Read a full review of The Starboard on delawareonline.com
Carrie Nation Cocktail Club | Boston, Massachusetts
Details: 11 Beacon St.; 617-227-3100, carrienationcocktailclub.com
Imagine a badass woman in 1900 who was so opposed to anyone drinking alcohol that she would barge into saloons with a hatchet, smashing liquor bottles and bar fixtures. This historic female figure is no longer alive, but her spirit shines on with her name in lights at Carrie Nation Cocktail Club. Nation's ironic presence is felt throughout the 1920's vibe venue offering two bars under one roof – a main bar and restaurant in the front and a hidden speakeasy in the back. Its interior decor offers an upscale, Victorian boudoir theme with dim, vintage chandelier lighting with beaded fringe trim and deep red tones on textured wallpaper. Hanging draperies, black leather seating, black-and-white checkered flooring and even an antique shoeshine chair complete the setting. The bourbon maple espresso is one of the most popular cocktails, and pan-seared branzini fillet and lamb shank are two of the many hearty entrees to try. — Joanna Tzouvelis, Wicked Local
Read a full review of Carrie Nation Cocktail Club on wickedlocal.com
Georgies | Asbury Park, New Jersey
Details: 810 Fifth Ave.; 732-988-1220, georgiesbarap.com
Since 1999, Georgies Bar – affectionately known as "the gay Cheers" – has been a safe and welcoming place for members of the LGBTQ+ community. It's an atmosphere that honors the bar's founding as a place where people could just be themselves. This is not a pretty, polished Shore bar but a classic neighborhood dive bar where first-time visitors and regulars feel comfortable. Georgies is well-known for its karaoke and trivia nights and drag shows and brunches, and for its contribution to community groups. When the weather is warm, live music fills the patio, and hungry bar-goers dine on soft pretzels, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and fries. "It's a bar for everyone. Everybody takes care of each other," longtime bartender David Hoffman said. "This place is all love from the beginning to the end." — Sarah Griesemer, Asbury Park Press
Read a full review of Georgies on app.com
Cowan's Public | Nutley, New Jersey
Details: 229 Centre St.; 973-542-8151, cowanspublic.com
From the outside, Cowan's Public is just another brick house in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of Nutley. Inside, though, is a celebration of community and libations. This bar and eatery – with a roaring fireplace, Art Deco bar, custom stained glass, Prohibition relics and expert mixologists – opened in 2015, but the building has been a pub since it was erected months after Prohibition ended in 1933. Elevated pub grub, a local craft beer taplist, events (including dinners and trivia) and an adjoining dining room with classic tin roofs and upholstered walls create an experience both lively and cozy. Cocktails are king. Get the velvety Half Lotus with Japanese whiskey and black sesame; the earthy, mezcal-based Pale Blue Dot; or the vibrant green Sea Foam with pisco, coconut and Chartreuse. Pair those with pub grub such as killer tempura-fried chicken lollipops in hot honey, Swedish meatballs with blueberry jam or simply some of the best deviled eggs around. Cowan's is not the 'speakeasy-style' pub so in vogue nowadays; it is a modern bar with boundary-pushing cocktails and an old soul. — Matt Cortina, NorthJersey.com
Read a full review of Cowan's Public on NorthJersey.com
Horsefeathers | Tarrytown, New York
Details: 94 N. Broadway; 914-631-6606, horsefeathersny.com
In business since 1981 – and now owned by the original owner's niece, Julia McCue – Horsefeathers prides itself on its familiarity. Its history is woven into the community: Menus are filled with details about local attractions and the decor is filled with witty touches, including a large mural depicting famous authors. McCue grew up in town so she knows what the neighborhood wants: A casual, burger-and-beer spot where you can always grab a seat at the bar. Her goal when she bought it seven years ago was to keep it the same, yet enhance it. That means more creative cocktails, often in funky glassware. Try the Cosmo – all cocktails are served tableside and often come with an extra sidecar. Burgers, wings and chicken parm are other popular favorites. You'll love the all-out-decor come the holidays. (This being Sleepy Hollow country, Halloween is the craziest.) Still, the old-time charm remains. — Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News
Read a full review of Horsefeathers on lohud.com
Marge's Lakeside Inn | Rochester, New York
Details: 4909 Culver Road; 585-323-1020, margeslakesideinn.com
A city with all-too-brief summers, Rochester has precious few places to head to for a drink in your hand and your toes in the sand. That's why Marge's Lakeside Inn has been a quintessential part of summertime for the past 65 years. Legend has it that Magin's, its predecessor, was a speakeasy until it opened legally after Prohibition. Marge Beth opened her eponymous bar in 1960, and it's been run by family members since then. Now, Francine Beth carries on the legacy in a building with squeaky floors, a vintage jukebox and a swath of beach out back. Marge's isn't about bougie craft cocktails; order a boozy slushy or its own Marge's Tiki Blonde Ale. There are food carts where you can grab a hot dog, burger or a platter of charcuterie, and you'll find live music most summer nights. Bands play early enough that you can catch the sun setting over Lake Ontario. Clouds, after all, make for glorious sunsets. — Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Read a full review of Marge's Lakeside Inn on democratandchronicle.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best bars in the Northeast: Six spots you need to visit in 2025
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lady Gaga leads 2025 MTV Video Music Awards with 12 nominations
NEW YORK — The nominations for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards were announced Tuesday and Lady Gaga leads the pack with a dozen nods. The Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award winner, who kicked off her highly anticipated Mayhem Ball Tour last month, already has 18 VMAs to her credit. This year, she competes in categories including artist of the year, video of the year and best album. This year marks the third time Gaga has led the nominations. Her 'Die with a Smile' collaborator Bruno Mars follows closely behind with 11 nominations. The duo's 2024 soft-rock ballad — which took home the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance earlier this year — also garnered nods for best collaboration and best pop song. 'Apt.,' Mars' collaboration with Blackpink singer Rosé, is also up for a slew of awards, including best direction and best visual effects. The breakout K-pop star netted a total of eight VMA nominations. Other top nominees include Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar (with 10), pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter (eight), 'Wicked' powerhouse Ariana Grande and pop crooner the Weeknd (both with seven). Alongside Gaga and Lamar, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Morgan Wallen and the Weeknd are competing for artist of the year. Online fan voting is now open in 19 categories. Votes are also available for video of the year, artist of the year and best new artist through the comment sections under pinned posts on the VMAs official Instagram account. For the first time ever, the VMAs will air on CBS. The show, set for Sunday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET, will simulcast on MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. For the second consecutive year, the event will be broadcast live from UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'I've always played for me.' Venus Williams returns to Cincinnati Open on her own terms
MASON, OH − Venus Williams has always lived an unapologetic life, controlling what she can control while passionately committing herself to the sport she loves. That's why it's odd that her illustrious career began with something she had no control of whatsoever. On Halloween Night in 1994, Williams made her professional debut at just 14 years at the Bank of the West Classic in Oakland, California. The toughest part might have been keeping her composure while the Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge World Tour roared next door at the Oakland Coliseum. More: Here are the best first-round ATP matches to watch in the Cincinnati Open Right around "Beast of Burden," or maybe, "Sympathy for the Devil," Williams finished a straight-set victory over Shaun Stafford. "Mick Jagger, this is my message to you: I was playing my first professional match next to you," Williams laughed. "It was a beautiful thing and a great start." Now, the end is near, but Williams won't put a timetable on when she'll hang it up for good. The 45-year-old, who was awarded a wild card to the Cincinnati Open, made another comeback in July following a 16-month absence. Last summer, she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids, which affects up to 80% of women by age 50, according to NYU Langone Health. "This is a super important issue because so many people go through this," Williams said. More: 5 food dishes to try at the Cincinnati Open, from a lobster roll to a wagyu burger Williams never stopped hitting the ball, even when she could hardly walk. Even if it was for a few minutes, at whatever intensity she could manage. "Now, a year later, I'm in a completely different space and I have a clean bill of health, thank God. I'm ready to play and compete.' Despite a three-decade career, Williams still felt time was on her side. Time to recover from surgery, time to ramp up her serve, time to hit the ball with a ferocity worthy enough for the WTA tour. In July, Williams became the oldest player to win a WTA tour event in 21 years when she knocked out Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns in the first round of the DC Open. "Love is the key, right? If you don't love it, then get out of it if you have that luxury," Williams said. "I think a lot of motivation for me is to try to come back and play in the best health that I can. You have to live your life on your own terms. It doesn't matter what anyone else says or thinks, if you get to live life on your own terms, it's a life well-lived." Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion who made a run to the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals in 2019 and semifinals in 2012, knows the questions about her age are coming every time she steps on the court. But her message remains to control what she can control. She can't control her age, or that she needed surgery, but her preparation and mindset take top priority when it involves returning to tennis. "You're never too young or too old to lose. Losing knows no age," Williams said. "All that matters for me is that I'm prepared and ready. I really have to stay focused on me, play it one point at a time and try to win for myself. I've always played for me." Will this be Williams' final Cincinnati appearance? She might live on her own terms, but Williams doesn't ruminate too far down the road. Right now, she's thankful for a clean bill of health and a first-round matchup against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro Aug. 7 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. "I'm very much in the moment," she said. "I don't think you should ever rule me out. That's all I will say." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Venus Williams returns to Cincinnati Open
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt's mom, Jane Etta Pitt, dies at 84
Brad Pitt's mom and occasional red carpet plus-one, Jane Etta Pitt, has died. She was 84. The matriarch, who formerly worked as a school counselor and appeared alongside her husband, William, and their Oscar-winning son at the 2012 Academy Awards, died earlier this week, according to TMZ. Representatives for the 61-year-old Oscar winner — who was also photographed with his parents at the 2014 premiere of ex-wife Angelina Jolie's premiere for 'Unbroken' — did not immediately respond to the Daily News' request for comment. Jane was remembered for having 'the biggest heart' and having 'cared deeply for everyone and everything, no questions asked,' said Sydney Pitt, who People identified as Brad's niece. 'She could keep up with all 14 of us grandkids without missing a beat. There was no limit to the love she gave, and everyone who met her felt it,' Sydney said. 'I don't know how we move forward without her. But I know she's still here in every brushstroke, every kind of gesture, every hummingbird. She was love in its purest form.' Pitt fans got a closer look at three generations of the family during the 'Unbroken' premiere, which he attended with both his mom and three of the six children he shares with 50-year-old Jolie. It's unclear how close Jane was to the A-listers' children in recent years, amid their nasty eight-year divorce and legal battle over their French winery. At least three of the exes' kids — daughters Shiloh and Zahara as well as son Maddox — have filed to drop Pitt from their surname. The movie star said 'hi to my mom' during a mid-June screening for the blockbuster 'F1,' telling 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, 'She watches you every morning.' He then blew a kiss to the camera, adding, 'To Jane Pitt, I love you.'
