USA TODAY Bars of the Year 2024: How we picked the finalists

The best bars are welcoming. They bring friends and strangers together over a drink. The food and entertainment writers of the USA TODAY Network want to invite you to their favorite bars.
We gathered their suggestions, from trendy cocktail lounges to well-worn neighborhood dives, to create the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year, a companion to our Restaurants of the Year list published this winter.
More:What’s the best restaurant near you? Check out USA TODAY’s 2024 Restaurants of the Year.
We realize other “best bars” lists exist. What makes our list different? Our writers are not dropping into a city to check the buzziest bars. They work for our newspapers across the country. They live in these communities. And the bars they recommend are spots where they have spent more than a few late nights.
“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,” said project leader Todd A. Price, a regional reporter in the South and longtime food and drinks writer. “Our writers know the bars that embody their towns.”
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Whether you want to sip bourbon in Kentucky, dance the night away in Austin or try a new cocktail in Portland, Oregon, our writers can show you where to go.
The USA TODAY Network has more than 200 sites in 42 states. We asked our experts at these publications to submit the best bars where they live. We received nearly 80 nominations.
Then a team of experienced editors and writers narrowed that list down to 27 bars, ranging from humble dives to high-end lounges. 
Now, raise a glass and savor our USA TODAY Bars of the Year 2024.