5 NYC Bars Make Esquire’s List Of Country’s Best

NEW YORK, NY — Five New York City’s bars, forced to close down or limit service since March to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, got some rare good news this week when they were named to Esquire’s annual list of the best bars in the country.

Three establishments in Manhattan and two in Brooklyn made this year’s list of the “27 best bars in America for 2020.”

“It’s a question I get asked a lot, and I tend to dodge it, mainly because it’s so hard to answer in a satisfying and meaningful way. My canned reply is something like: a place that you love so much you can’t wait to experience it all over again,” reads Esquire’s lead-in to its annual ranking.

That sentiment holds especially true for 2020 as states around the country are being forced to lock down to combat recent surges in coronavirus infections. New York City was hit by a devastating outbreak of the virus in March and April, but the city seems to be avoiding the spike since reopening in June. Despite the positive numbers compared to the rest of the nation, city officials delayed a reopening of indoor service at bars and restaurants due to fears of infection.

When it’s finally safe to go back to bars, Esquire’s picks for New York City include: Gowanus’ Public Records, Prospect Lefferts Gardens’ & Sons, the Flatiron District’s Undercote, Times Square’s 701 West and Greenwich Village’s Bar Pisellino.

Check out the full list of Esquire’s 27 best bars here.

This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch