Bar Wars, India’s only bar competition that puts the spotlight on the unsung heroes of the bar industry, the Servers, concluded recently with an electrifying grand finale in Goa.
INJA Bar from Delhi was crowned the 2024 champion, claimed a cash prize of ?2 lakh, and the coveted opportunity for an international bar takeover with Greater Than gin.
The journey of the competition’s 4th year, organised and sponsored by Nao Spirits, began with over 400 teams submitting creative entries via Instagram reels – the largest participation to date – with the top 72 bartender-server duos competing across eight major cities.
What truly set Bar Wars apart this year was the involvement of more than 100 consumer judges at each event, who tasted the cocktails, evaluated the teams’ pitches, and awarded tokens to the bartenders based on their experience, ultimately deciding which teams delivered the best service.
The annual competition stands out not only for its scale but also for its unique consumer-driven judging process, allowing patrons to cast their votes and decide which teams delivered the best experience.
The grand finale saw India’s top bar teams – Jamming Goat from Hyderabad, Papa’s from Mumbai, Whisky Samba from Gurugram, Mura from Bengaluru, Room One from Goa, Mehico from Kolkata, Steakhouse Bar and Grill from Pune, and INJA from Delhi – battle it out in a thrilling showdown of creativity, service, and cocktail mastery.
Bar Wars by Greater Than gin has travelled across India, highlighting the exceptional teamwork between bartenders and servers that defines the country’s top bars. The finalists brought their finest pitches, cocktails and service to Goa for the ultimate test.
Each team brought their A-game, showcasing their best cocktails and innovative pitches, but INJA’s flawless execution, ingenuity and team chemistry won over the crowd.
The winning restaurant, INJA, said: “All three rounds pushed us to think creatively and work even harder. We can’t wait to take this energy to the international stage and bring to the world what India’s bar scene is all about!”
Anand Virmani, Co-Founder of Nao Spirits, said: “Two things we love about this competition: it shines a light on the incredibly talented servers from our favourite bars, and it lives up to our culture of being a transparent brand that invites consumers in to witness and be a part of the judging process.”
