Dublin's BAR 1661 makes history as first Irish venue on world's best bars list

The eyes of the global hospitality industry are once again turning to a small corner of Dublin’s Northside, with the announcement that BAR 1661 has been ranked No.98 best bar in the world by the The 50 Best Bars 2026.

It’s the first time any restaurant, hotel or bar in the Republic of Ireland has been named on this prestigious list.

The 50 Best Bars provides a definitive list of the world’s best drinking venues, voted for by an independent academy of more than 800 experts across the world. It is the most anticipated ranking for drinks professionals and cocktail aficionados across the world and the awards are the highlight of the annual bar industry calendar.

The 2026 awards take place in Milan, where BAR 1661 founder Dave Mulligan and the team will attend the ceremony on 7th October to receive their official ranking of The No.98 Best Bar in the World 2026.

“It’s a huge honour for BAR 1661 and an amazing moment for the Irish cocktail and wider hospitality scene” says Mulligan.

“Despite the exceptional standards across Ireland we were yet to see a bar nor restaurant listed by The 50 in their annual rankings of the world’s best bars. To be representing the country from our little corner of Dublin 7 is just incredible. To do it using Irish poitín as the driver and putting it on the global cocktail map is just magic.” 

Bar 1661 exterior.

An independent cocktail bar with a neighbourly spirit, overlooking a small park off Dublin’s Capel Street, since 2019 BAR 1661 has determinedly reshaped the conversation around Ireland's native spirit both at home and abroad. Over half the drinks on their lauded We Call This Power are made with poitín, and the bar’s eagerly awaited new menu will take this vision even further when it launches.

Internationally celebrated award listings like The 50 Best ensures that the poitín makers at Bán, Mad March Hare, Micil, Killowen, Ardara and more, alongside some of Ireland’s smallest artisan producers from Valentia Island Vermouth to Kinsale Mead, are also recognised on this global scale among the best in the world.

 
Since opening its doors in April 2019, with a mission to showcase Ireland’s native spirit poitín, and to lift Irish cocktail culture to new heights internationally, BAR 1661 has consistently brought a staunchly Irish and fiercely independent approach to everything it does.

As well as its new ranking of #XX bar in the world by The 50 Best Bars, they are the only venue in the Republic of Ireland to hold two PINS, denoting ‘Exceptional’ from The Pinnacle Guide and have been named Top 4 and Top 10 Cocktail Menu in the World by the Spirited Awards the last two years running.

At home, they are twice winners of Ireland’s Bar of the Year and seven time winners of Cocktail Bar of the Year at the Bar of the Year Awards, as well as twice winners of Best Cocktail Experience at the Food & Wine Awards, among other awards.

Along with its sister venue The Sackville Lounge off O’Connell Street which won Best Newcomer at the Bar of the Year Awards last month, BAR 1661 is well known for its bar takeovers at home and abroad, cementing Ireland’s reputation for talent and creativity, and as an internationally recognised destination for cocktail enthusiasts.

The bar’s innovative Immersive and Distilled Experiences give locals and visitors to Dublin alike the chance to take a deep dive into the bar’s drinks with the stories, techniques and partnerships behind each serve. Taking place around a shared table, limited to just ten seats, these guided experiences take guests through the menu drink by drink in mini serves over the course of either three hours or 90 minutes.

Tickets are extremely limited and available here.

BAR 1661 is open seven days a week, from 5pm Monday to Thursday, and from 2pm Friday to Sunday. Booking is recommended though walk ins are welcome.

For more information on takeovers and events visit www.bar1661.ie and follow @1661bar on Instagram.