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Culture

Furtivo Speakeasy in San Juan takes top US speakeasy spot

The Calle Loíza bar ranked first in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 after expert selection and public voting, highlighting Puerto Rico’s Prohibition history.

PuertoRico.com News Desk··2 min read·Checked against 2 sources
A colonial building at San Justo and San Sebastián streets, Old San JuanFile photo
File photo: A colonial building at San Justo and San Sebastián streets, Old San Juan. Photo: P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

The short version

  • WAPA reported that Furtivo Speakeasy in San Juan earned first place in the Best Speakeasy category of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
  • NotiUno stated the bar was chosen among 20 finalists by an expert jury before winning via open public vote
  • Both outlets reported owner Wilfredo Torres said the win carries special meaning for Puerto Ricans and helps tell the island’s Prohibition story
  • The recognition adds to a 1 Pin award from The Pinnacle Guide making Furtivo the only such bar in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

National recognition for Puerto Rican bar

Furtivo Speakeasy, located on Calle Loíza in San Juan, obtained first place in the Best Speakeasy category of the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. WAPA reported the win projects Puerto Rican mixology and hospitality to new audiences while spotlighting the island’s little-known Prohibition history.

According to both NotiUno and WAPA, Furtivo did not self-nominate. An expert jury first selected 20 establishments across the United States. The public then voted openly to choose the top 10 speakeasies, with Furtivo finishing first.

Also on PuertoRico.com: San Juan travel guide

What the sources posted

Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.

Wilfredo Torres Owner of Furtivo Speakeasy
Este primer lugar tiene un significado especial para nosotros como puertorriqueños.

Our translation: This first place has special meaning for us as Puerto Ricans.

The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiUno. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.

Owner cites historical significance

NotiUno reported that Wilfredo Torres, owner of Furtivo Speakeasy, stated the award holds special meaning for Puerto Ricans. He added that the island also has a Prohibition history that deserves to be told in its own voice and that the bar aims to keep that memory alive while showing that local mixology and hospitality belong on the international stage.

WAPA reported that the bar’s concept draws from events beginning in 1918, two years before national Prohibition in the United States. The Jones Act of 1917 led to the ban on manufacturing, importing and selling alcoholic beverages in Puerto Rico, transforming the local rum industry. Furtivo reinterprets that era through cocktails, gastronomy and a narrative featuring a fictional character named Don Sebastián.

Where the sources differ

NotiUno and WAPA largely agree on all key facts including the first-place finish, the expert-jury selection of 20 finalists followed by public voting, the 1918 start of Prohibition in Puerto Rico under the Jones Act, and the 1 Pin award from The Pinnacle Guide. WAPA adds that Furtivo plans to explore guest-shift collaborations in 2027 with other top-10 bars; NotiUno does not mention future plans. Both outlets quote owner Wilfredo Torres using nearly identical language on the award’s significance and the bar’s mission.

What the reports do not say

The reports do not state the exact number of votes Furtivo received, the names or locations of the other nine bars in the top 10, the margin of victory, or any specific revenue or visitor impact the award is expected to generate. They also do not indicate when the public voting period occurred or whether additional Puerto Rican establishments placed in other USA TODAY 10Best categories.

Related on PuertoRico.com

Sources

Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.

  1. Reporting De la calle Loíza al primer lugar nacional en los USA TODAY 10BestNotiUno (NotiUno) · notiuno.com · Spanish · checked Oct 22, 12:43 PM AST
  2. Reporting Furtivo Speakeasy lleva a Puerto Rico al primer lugar como mejor speakeasy en los USA TODAY 10BestWAPA (WAPA) · wapa.tv · Spanish · checked Oct 22, 12:43 PM AST

How we checked this

Both NotiUno and WAPA reported the USA TODAY 10Best win and Torres’ statements. The Pinnacle Guide award is mentioned by both outlets while future collaboration plans rest solely on WAPA’s account.

CultureSpeakeasyAwardsCalle LoízaProhibition

Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.