Kava Bars in America
242 kava bars across 29 states and 133 cities. Where the scenes actually are, why Florida has most of them, and what to expect when you walk in.
Florida is the kava capital of the United States
This is the clearest pattern in the data and it isn't close. Florida holds 115 of the 242 kava bars we list — about 48% of the total. The next largest state has 20. Whole regions of the country have none at all.
The concentration is regional rather than statewide: the Gulf Coast between Tampa and Fort Myers has more kava bars than most countries. Fort Myers alone has 12, which is more than all but a handful of US states.
Two things explain it. Florida's first kava bars opened in the early 2000s and the scene compounded locally — bars begat suppliers, suppliers begat more bars. And kava fills a specific gap in a state built around late-night socialising: somewhere to go at 11pm that isn't a bar and isn't closed.
Where else there's a real scene
Outside Florida the picture is thinner but not empty. North Carolina is the genuine surprise at 14 — a scene largely centred on college towns. Arizona and Texas both have clusters, and Hawaii's are worth noting for a different reason: kava is ʻawa there, part of the culture the drink actually comes from rather than an import.
Every state we list
| State | Kava bars | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 115 | 48% |
| Colorado | 20 | 8% |
| California | 18 | 7% |
| North Carolina | 14 | 6% |
| Texas | 13 | 5% |
| Arizona | 11 | 5% |
| Ohio | 5 | 2% |
| Oregon | 4 | 2% |
| Tennessee | 4 | 2% |
| Georgia | 4 | 2% |
| Nevada | 4 | 2% |
| Hawaii | 4 | 2% |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | 1% |
| Washington | 3 | 1% |
| Michigan | 3 | 1% |
| New York | 2 | 1% |
| Missouri | 2 | 1% |
| Utah | 2 | 1% |
| Minnesota | 1 | 0% |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 0% |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 0% |
| Maine | 1 | 0% |
| Maryland | 1 | 0% |
| Louisiana | 1 | 0% |
| South Carolina | 1 | 0% |
| Kentucky | 1 | 0% |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 0% |
| New Jersey | 1 | 0% |
| Alaska | 1 | 0% |
Cities with the most
What to expect, and one word on safety
If you've never been to one, kava bars are quieter and considerably less performative than a bar. The drink is earthy and numbs your mouth slightly, the effect is calm rather than intoxicating, and nobody is drunk. Our full guide covers what it's like, including how to order and what the etiquette is.
On safety: kava is not risk-free. It has been associated with liver problems, particularly alongside alcohol or certain medications, and several countries have restricted it at various points. It isn't recommended in pregnancy. If you take regular medication or have any liver condition, that's a question for a doctor rather than a bartender — and nothing here is medical advice.
How we counted
There is no official register of kava bars, so no number is definitive. These are the venues we've found and been able to check — 128 of them have their alcohol policy corroborated against Google's business data, and we publish exactly what each check means. Several venues that call themselves kava bars do also serve beer, which is why we check rather than assume.
Know one we're missing? Send it to us — community submissions are how this list grows.
Common questions
How many kava bars are there in the US?
We currently list 242 across 29 states and 133 cities. There is no official register, so no count is definitive — this is what we've been able to find and check.
Which state has the most kava bars?
Florida, by a very wide margin — 115 of the 242 we list, about 48% of the total. No other state is close.
Do kava bars serve alcohol?
Most serve no alcohol at all, which is why they matter for sober nightlife. Some do also serve beer, and we've found several that describe themselves as kava bars while holding a licence — so it's worth checking rather than assuming.
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