New York City's Double Chicken Please Is Named The Best Bar In North America

Naming the best bar in North America might seem like a momentous task, but the North America's 50 Best Bars list proves that it's an effort worth making. Kicking off in 2022, the Perrier-sponsored event highlights bars throughout numerous North American regions, including Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean. The 2023 awards ceremony took place in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where 260 industry professionals conferred on top selections. Coming in at number one is Double Chicken Please, a New York City establishment that's experienced a meteoric rise since its founding in 2020.

Opening a cocktail bar in the midst of a global pandemic might seem impossible, but proprietors GN Chan and Faye Chen were up for the challenge. The pair got their start hosting pop-up events out of a VW minibus, in which Chan and Chen traveled 10,000 miles throughout the United States. Now that their inventive cocktails and food selections have a permanent home, the praise and accolades just keep rolling in.

A May 4 press release revealed North America's 50 Best Bars winners for 2023, with Double Chicken Please securing the coveted top spot. The establishment also secured the title of the Best Bar in Northeast USA, which shows that founders GN Chan and Faye Chen know how to create a dynamic, compelling experience for their patrons. According to 50 Best's Content Director Mark Sansom, Double Chicken Please pushes "the boundaries of flavor in cocktails" and does so "with staggering creativity and precision."

So, what makes Double Chicken Please so widely respected within NYC's cocktail community? The establishment is divided into front and back rooms, with the front room offering a selection of libations and food, including draft cocktails and hot honey chicken sandwiches. However, the back room is where Double Chicken Please truly flexes its creativity. The back room's innovative concept is inspired by dishes that are deconstructed and recreated into one-of-a-kind cocktails. 

For example, the bar's Cold Pizza cocktail features egg whites, basil, and tomatoes with Don Fulano Blanco tequila. Diners can also enjoy the cocktail version of a Waldorf salad recipe, which pairs Dewar's and Laphroaig whiskey with celery, apple, walnut bitters, and ginger ale. Thanks to this innovative approach, Double Chicken Please has established itself as a force to be reckoned with just three years after its founding.