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What to drink in the United States of America? Top 100 American Cocktails

Last update: Sat Feb 15 2025
Top 100 American Cocktails
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best American Cocktail Types

01

Cocktail

HAWAII, United States of America
4.5
Lava Flow
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Lava Flow is a Hawaiian cocktail with numerous variations. It can be blended or shaken. The blended version is typically made with a combination of coconut rum, light rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, bananas, and frozen strawberries.


In order to prepare it, rums and strawberries are blended separately from other ingredients, but they are later combined in a collins or hurricane glass so that the strawberries swirl in the drink, creating an effect similar to that of lava flow. If shaken, strawberries and a slice of banana should be muddled in the bottom of a glass, then combined with ice and shaken coconut cream, pineapple juice, and rum.


The cocktail is then garnished with a pineapple wedge and a paper parasol, if desired.

02

Cocktail

NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
4.3
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Ramos Gin Fizz is an American cocktail made with a combination of gin, sugar syrup, lime juice, lemon juice, cream, egg whites, orange flower water, vanilla extract, and soda water. All ingredients except soda are poured in a mixing glass and dry shaken without ice for 2 minutes.


Ice is then added to the combination, and the cocktail is hard shaken for an additional minute. The cocktail should be strained into a highball glass without ice, then topped with soda. Due to the fact that vigorous shaking is required to reach the right texture, Ramos Gin Fizz is loathed by many bartenders. 
03

Cocktail

NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
4.2
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A classic cocktail that was created in New York City in the 1940s, Moscow Mule consists of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. Because it contains ginger beer, Moscow Mule is a type of buck (a mixed drink with ginger beer or ale, spirit, and citrus), so it is often referred to as Vodka Buck.


The cocktail is traditionally served in a copper mug, on the rocks, with a lime wheel garnish. Vodka is typically associated with Russia, while mule was supposedly added to the name because ginger beer adds a kick of flavor, hence the name Moscow Mule.

04

Cocktail

NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
4.2
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Known as the specialty drink of New Orleans, where it was invented in 1887 as the first beverage in the fizz family, Gin Fizz is a cocktail made with gin, Gomme syrup or sugar, lemon juice, and soda water. The cocktail is prepared by shaking gin, lemon juice, and sweet syrup with ice.


When strained in a glass, it is topped with sparkling water which provides it with a bubbly effect, hence the fizz in its name. The drink is very similar to Tom Collins, a cocktail that is traditionally made with a slightly sweeter gin called Old Tom
VARIATIONS OF Gin Fizz
05

Cocktail

LOUISIANA, United States of America and  one more region
4.2
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Frozen daiquiri is a variation of a classic shaken daiquiri, which typically incorporates rum, fresh lime juice, and sugar. This frozen version is mostly blended and usually includes pulverized ice and frozen fruit to mix, creating a sweet slurry with a texture similar to a slushie.


Frozen daiquiris probably first appeared at the legendary El Floridita in Havana, sometime around the time of Prohibition. They were initially made with crushed ice and electric blenders, but their popularity skyrocketed in the second half of the 20th century after the invention of commercial machines. 
06

Cocktail

OAKLAND, United States of America
4.1
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Mai Tai is a popular rum-based cocktail originating from Oakland in 1944. Its name means good in Tahitian. In addition to rum, which can be both spiced and coconut flavored, the cocktail contains lime juice, orgeat syrup, and orange liqueur, typically curaçao, but in some versions it can include grapefruit juice, bitters, or grenadine.


All ingredients should be vigorously shaken with ice for a few minutes before the cocktail is strained into an old-fashioned glass. Before serving, Mai Tai is traditionally garnished with fruits such as pineapple, orange, and cherries. It became a trendy cocktail in the 1950s, when Elvis Presley promoted it in his movie, and since then it is heavily associated with Tiki culture and Polynesian-style settings.

07

Cocktail

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
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Whiskey Sour is an American cocktail that originated sometime in the 1870s. This cocktail classic is composed of whiskey or bourbon, sugar or Gomme syrup, lemon juice, and optionally an egg white. It is believed that the original version did not include an egg white, but it was added later to give the drink a smoother texture.


Modern recipes often leave it out or list it as an optional ingredient. If an egg white is added to the mix, the drink is often referred to as Boston Sour, and if red wine is included in the cocktail, it is then called New York Sour. In some versions, sugar syrup can be replaced with grenadine syrup, while other versions add both lemon juice and orange juice. 
08

Cocktail

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
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Fuzzy Navel is a sweet and fruity American cocktail that was invented in the 1980s by bartender Ray Foley. The cocktail consists of equal parts peach schnapps and vodka, which are then topped with orange juice. There are also versions that include lemonade or a splash of vodka in the mix, transforming the drink from Fuzzy navel into Hairy Navel.


The cocktail is prepared by pouring the ingredients on the rocks in a highball glass, without shaking and stirring, and it is typically garnished with an orange slice.

09

Cocktail

SAINT THOMAS, United States of America
4.1
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Although the classic Daiquiri is said to have been invented in 1898 in Cuba, the variation known as Banana Daiquiri was first made around the 1970s at St. Thomas’ Mountaintop bar, located in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The cocktail is made by blending dark rum, sugar, lime juice, banana liqueur, water, and peeled ripe bananas with ice until the combination becomes smooth and thick.


It is then served in tall, chilled glasses, which can be garnished with banana slices, if desired.

10

Cocktail

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.1
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Gin Sour is an American cocktail prepared with a combination of gin, sugar, and lemon juice. To prepare it, all ingredients are shaken with ice, then strained into a cocktail glass. The cocktail can be garnished with lemon peel, if desired.


Although Gin Sour was quite popular during the 1940s, it actually predates Prohibition, and first mentions of the sour can be traced back to the 19th century. The cocktail can be modified by a few dashes of bitters, when it is transformed into a Fitzgerald - a richer and deeper cousin of Gin Sour.

11
Cocktail
KENTUCKY, United States of America
4.0
12
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
4.0
13
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
4.0
14
Cocktail
CHICAGO, United States of America
4.0
15
Cocktail
LOUISVILLE, United States of America
3.9
16
Cocktail
CALIFORNIA, United States of America
3.9
17
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
18
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
19
Cocktail
CALIFORNIA, United States of America
3.9
20
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
21
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.9
22
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.9
23
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
24
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.8
25
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.8
26
Cocktail
SAN FRANCISCO, United States of America
3.8
27
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.8
28
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.8
29
Cocktail
TEXAS, United States of America
3.8
30
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.8
31
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.8
32
Cocktail
LONG ISLAND, United States of America
3.7
33
Cocktail
LOS ANGELES, United States of America
3.7
34
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.7
35
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.7
36
Cocktail
CAPE COD, United States of America
3.7
37
Cocktail
LOS ANGELES, United States of America
3.6
38
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.6
39
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.6
40
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.6
41
Cocktail
ISLAMORADA, United States of America
3.6
42
Cocktail
ALABAMA, United States of America
3.6
43
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.6
44
Cocktail
SAN FRANCISCO, United States of America
3.6
45
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.5
46
Cocktail
HAWAII, United States of America
3.5
47
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.5
48
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.5
49
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.5
50
Cocktail
MIAMI, United States of America
3.5
51
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.4
52
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.3
53
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.3
54
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.3
55
Cocktail
HAWAII, United States of America
3.3
56
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.3
57
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
3.2
58
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.2
59
Cocktail
OCEAN CITY, United States of America
3.2
60
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.1
61
Cocktail
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America
3.1
62
Cocktail
LOS ANGELES, United States of America
3.1
63
Cocktail
WISCONSIN, United States of America
3.1
64
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.1
65
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.0
66
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.0
67
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
68
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
69
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
n/a
70
Cocktail
MILWAUKEE, United States of America
n/a
71
Cocktail
SAVANNAH, United States of America
n/a
72
Cocktail
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America
n/a
73
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
n/a
74
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
75
Cocktail
NEW JERSEY, United States of America
n/a
76
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
77
Cocktail
SAN FRANCISCO, United States of America
n/a
78
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
79
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
80
Cocktail
OMAHA, United States of America
n/a
81
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
82
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
83
Cocktail
SEATTLE, United States of America
n/a
84
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
85
Cocktail
LAWRENCE, United States of America
n/a
86
Cocktail
SAN FRANCISCO, United States of America
n/a
87
Cocktail
ALABAMA, United States of America
n/a
88
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
89
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
90
Cocktail
SAN FRANCISCO, United States of America
n/a
91
Cocktail
MICHIGAN, United States of America
n/a
92
Cocktail
BALTIMORE, United States of America
n/a
93
Cocktail
MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
n/a
94
Cocktail
PHILADELPHIA, United States of America
n/a
95
Cocktail
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
n/a
96
Cocktail
NEW YORK CITY, United States of America
n/a
97
Cocktail
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
n/a
98
Cocktail
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States of America
n/a
99
Cocktail
SEATTLE, United States of America
n/a
100
Cocktail
NEW YORK, United States of America
n/a

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 American Cocktails” list until February 15, 2025, 2,634 ratings were recorded, of which 2,412 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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American Cocktails