Best-of list · Occasion Guide
The best bars for awards season viewing parties across New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Our editors pick 10 spots for red-carpet nights done right.
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
Awards season bars are a distinct category, and most people are doing it wrong. We have spent years tracking down the spots where the screen is large enough to matter, the cocktail menu holds up under scrutiny, and the crowd treats ceremony nights as a serious occasion rather than an excuse to shout over the action. These 10 bars across New York and Los Angeles represent our definitive picks for the best bars for awards season viewing.
New York takes awards ceremonies with the solemnity they deserve. The better hotel bars and cinematic cocktail lounges set up dedicated screens for the Oscars, the BAFTAs, and the Golden Globes, and the crowd tends to dress for the occasion.