Looking for the perfect spot in the Magic City to sip on a round of creative cocktails with friends? Look no further. From casual hangouts to hidden speakeasies, we’re sharing a local’s guide to the best cocktail bars in Birmingham — listed in alphabetical order. Cheers!
The Collins Bar
2125 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; closed Sunday
Situated in the heart of Downtown Birmingham’s Loft District, The Collins Bar is a charming neighborhood dive with a retro prep school feel. Interior design elements include a periodic table of Birmingham-themed elements and paper airplane installations.
If you are feeling adventurous when it comes to your drink order, let the bartender craft a cocktail as original as you are. Simply tell them you’d like a vodka drink, something tart, or perhaps even a little bitter, and the next thing you know, you’ll find yourself falling in love with your new favorite drink — our favorite is a coupe glass brimming with mango puree, ginger bitters, and a sprig of fresh lemon thyme.
The cocktails at The Collins Bar are wonderfully clever — expect to be surprised! Image: Facebook
Juniper
3811 Clairmont Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Located in Forest Park, Juniper is a gin-focused bar showcasing cocktails with fresh-squeezed juices, homemade tinctures, and syrups. Choose from their specialty gin and tonic menu, featuring high-end gins and choose-your-own tonics. Or, pick from their adventurous cocktail menu. We recommend the “Buzz Word,” which is served with a flowering button of Sichuan peppercorn that causes a tingling sensation when bitten.
The bar’s interior is also not to be missed, with Victorian-era-inspired artwork and floral paintings, an ornate hanging loveseat, and a sprawling courtyard complete with a fountain and bay leaf tree.
Juniper is lovely, gin-focused cocktail bar nestled in the Forest Park historic district. Image: Juniper
Key Circle Commons
2010 Cahaba Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Sunday
Key Circle Commons is Mountain Brook’s newest cocktail bar concept from Chef Mauricio Papapietro, owner of the acclaimed Birmingham eatery, Brick & Tin. Inspired by one of Mauricio’s favorite New York City hotels, Key Circle Commons exudes an elegant, upscale ambiance while providing a dimly lit, eclectic vibe reminiscent of a 1920s speakeasy. The cocktail menu features a carefully curated variety of cocktails, including classics and creative signature drinks, such as the “Village Green,” which features vodka, lemon, and house-made basil syrup.
Though the space is small and intentionally intimate, patrons are likely to pick up on new design details each time they visit. Image: Eric & Jamie Photography
The Louis at The Pizitz Food Hall
1821 2nd Ave N Suite 194, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday
Located inside The Pizitz Food Hall, The Louis offers 12 beers on tap, an impressive wine selection, and an offering of delicious craft cocktails. Their Happy Hour, which takes place Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., is one of the best in town and features specials such as $7 margaritas and $6 Old Fashioneds. Accompany your drink with a convenient bite from one of The Pizitz Food Hall’s many restaurants.
The Louis offers both classic cocktails and fun, seasonal offerings. This tropical-inspired order is perfect for summer! Image: Giani Martin and Kaitlyn Owings
The Lumbar
212 29th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233
Hours: closed Monday; Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.
Located in the heart of beloved Pepper Place, The Lumbar is the brainchild of father-daughter duo Tim and Rylie Hightower. The Lumbar is a science-themed bar, with your first clue being the row of beers on tap. They are situated on what owner Rylie calls the Spinal Tap, and there are 26 of them — the same as the number of vertebrae in a human spine.
The science-centric watering hole uses food and creative drinks to inspire the community to go out and change the world. Cocktails are specially crafted to pay homage to scientific principles and theories, like the “Heisenmarg,” their signature blue margarita.
Enjoy one of The Lumbar’s science-inspired cocktails like the “Heisenmarg” pictured here. Image: The Lumbar
The Marble Ring
430 41st St S suite b, Birmingham, AL 35222
Hours: closed Sunday through Tuesday; Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Glitz and glamour meet macabre and mystery at The Marble Ring in Avondale. Named for one of Zelda Fitzgerald’s most eccentric sayings — “I hope you die in the marble ring” (believed to be a reference to the State Capital’s rotunda in Montgomery) — this speakeasy-style lounge invites visitors to take a step back into the roaring ’20s.
To enter The Marble Ring, you’ll first need to take the staircase to Hot Diggity Dogs. Once upstairs, look for the blue phone booth labeled “Police Phone Call Box.” No need to whisper a password, though. Someone will let you know if there’s enough room for you and your guests.
Every detail of The Marble Ring harkens back to the roaring era of bootleggers and flappers. Image: Sarah Cook
Neon Moon
2316 2nd Ave North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Neon Moon is the second concept from husband and wife duo Larry “Mudd” Townley and Laura Newman, specifically designed to complement the couple’s other bar, Queen’s Park (also on this list!). Neon Moon features a neighborhood vibe and a menu of tasty and “irreverent cocktails,” along with craft beers, wine, and other specialty spirits. There’s also karaoke and live music, a disco ball, a light-up dancefloor, and a private back patio. Try their house PB&J shot with Dickel Rye whiskey, peanut butter, and grape jelly.
Grab a PB&J shot and hit the dance floor! Image: Neon Moon
Mayawell Bar
2900 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233
Hours: closed Sunday and Monday; Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mayawell, located in the Lakeview district, is a bar and cocktail lounge specializing in agave-based spirits. Owner and operator Neill Crook developed the concept after traveling to Mexico and fell in love with everything about the culture — including the drinks.
The name Mayawell is a creative twist on the phonetic spelling of “Mayahuel,” the ancient Aztec goddess of the agave plant, which is the plant that tequila and mezcal are made from. Mayawell offers a curated selection of 80+ agave spirits and creates cocktails that incorporate traditional Mexican ingredients.
The Mayawell space is an earthy mix of warm wooden tones decked out with greenery and Mexican-inspired art. Image: Hannah Patterson
Paper Doll
2320 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: closed Sunday and Monday; Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Enjoy a perfect date night at Birmingham’s luxurious, vintage-inspired bar, Paper Doll. Romantic lighting and unique wall decor set the scene, and velvet drapery separates seating areas for added privacy. The extensive cocktail menu features a wide variety of beverages to satisfy anyone’s palette. It includes seasonal and session cocktails, flights, whiskeys, gins, vodkas, brandies, cognacs, rum, tequila, absinthe, wines, beers, ciders, and more. A little something for everyone!
Velvet drapery separates seating areas for added privacy at Paper Doll. Image: Paper Doll
Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar
2015 1st Ave N #1e, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: closed Sunday and Monday; Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Just around the corner from Birmingham’s booming Morris Avenue is Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar, a hip underground bar that exudes style. The sleek space is known for its distinct vibe and curated cocktail menu specializing in agave spirits, with most of the drinks featuring tequila or mezcal. Pilcrow is located in the cellar of one of the oldest buildings in downtown Birmingham and retains the building’s existing character by utilizing its original concrete flooring and exposed brick.
When outfitting Pilcrow, Joe wanted to retain some of the space’s existing character — allowing the structure to speak for itself. Image: Joe Phelps
Queen’s Park
112 24th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Hours: closed Monday; Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Birmingham’s beloved Queen’s Park, opened by husband and wife duo Larry “Mudd” Townley and Laura Newman, carries on the hospitality and style of its namesake, the grand Queen’s Park Hotel in Trinidad. The hotel was an adored (and highly frequented) spot in the Port of Spain until it closed in 1996. With tropical cocktails galore, the bar carries on the legacy. It energizes the Birmingham nightlife scene with bold prints, neon lights, and, of course, umbrella-festooned libations, such as the “Beachcomber’s Punch” with Spanish-style rum, apricot, grapefruit, and lime.
Queen’s Park is a beloved spot on the Birmingham cocktail scene, known for its vibrant decor and tropical drinks. Image: Laura Newman
Hope you’re thirsty, Birmingham!
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