44 Best Cocktail Bars in Lexington

“First time trying Agave & Rye...wow! Everything we tried was fresh & exploding with flavor! So delicious! Cannot wait to go again!“

“Everything was amazing the manager Brittany was amazing. We were in from Ohio and had a great time! Too notch service.“

“Rented out the space to host a retirement party for one of our employees. Javier was wonderful and very flexible when I had to reschedule last minute. He made sure we had everything we needed. The food was amazing and the drinks were even better! The bartender was wonderful. Would definitely book this space for an event again, or even just go with some friends!“

“The folks working at Agave and Rye are super friendly and very helpful. The food was fantastic.“

“During our visit to Kentucky’s Bourbon Country, we had the distinct pleasure of dining at what has quickly become our favorite restaurant in the area. From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. The food was nothing short of outstanding—flavorful, expertly prepared, and perfectly paired with a diverse and impressive collection of bourbons. What truly set this restaurant apart, however, was the warm and welcoming atmosphere, which made it feel like more than just a meal out, but rather an experience shared with friends. The staff’s hospitality and dedication to making every guest feel at home contributed to what was undoubtedly a memorable evening. We are already eagerly anticipating our next visit and look forward to enjoying another fantastic meal, discovering more exceptional bourbons, and sharing the experience with some great friends. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the Bourbon Country region—whether you're a bourbon enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates great food and service.“

“Best food, portions, price and service.“

“This new business is amazing! The owner and staff are extremely friendly and attentive. Ryan behind the bar is a great time! This combo relaxed flower shop/bar is a concept with something for everyone, different than other places. If you haven't tried it yet, get there.“

“This is my favorite bar in Lexington. They make the best basil gimlets. I’m not sure what type of magic is involved, but the taste is perfectly balanced and the presentation is always beautiful. Goodfella’s pizza is tasty, but the reason I come back is for the variety and quality of drinks, the service, and the atmosphere, especially in the afternoon. Anna was absolutely wonderful today. Personality, vibes, gimlet-making skills, 10/10. Get a basil gimlet made by Anna.“

“wonderful experience until we got to our car to go home, Despite circling the area several times and finding a parking spot that we thought was good (neither of us could find that this was a paid spot) we had a ticket!! I disputed it to no avail so unfortunately we will go to those restaurants where we can find a parking spot! So unfortunate!“

“Had a couples date night with friends last night Pros: cool atmosphere -good cocktails-festive delish well garnished -pasta pasta pasta -unique ingredients in meals -pretty dinnerware -Candice (perfect service) -creative dessert concepts -lounge area Cons: I think they should stay with their roots even though they believe it’s a misconception they are an Italian restaurant-their pasta is perfection. Wasn’t so much impressed with the pork tenderloin as I was with the pasta.“

“Great place! I hope everyone visits!“

“I had the ribeye with tallow fries, fabulous. Then I shared 2 desserts with friends. Burnt butter cheesecake, oh my heavens, who knew, and the flour less chocolate cake is what a flourless chocolate cake is supposed to be.. ..oh my heaven, a real treat. The lady that assisted with the wine was incredible. Beautiful decor. Well done....“

“Great food with large portions and fast, friendly service. Best Mexican Restaurant we’ve found in Lexington, KY.“

“The chicken and waffles were amazing.“

“The best selection of bourbon in the country right in downtown Lexington.

This iconic bar is where you need to be if your want to try some of the rarest bourbons around.

The sky's the limit here.

The bar tenders are so knowledgeable and are absolute experts so make sure you come ready to learn.

A must stop for everyone on the bourbon trail!“

“We loved it. The tortas are delicious and the margarita was top notch!! The service was great and they are so friendly. Hidden gem in Lexington!“

“The food is so good, no complaints there. But whenever I tried to order online it thought i had a catering order even though it was 7 items?? (Queso, rice, and 5 tacos for 2 people doesn’t seem like a whole lot?) Then when I try to call like the app suggested nobody answered and I called 2-3 times. So, I had to take off the rice in order to place my order.“

“My husband and I having family night with our sons at Blue Sushi Sake Grilled“

“Excellent meal at Blue Heron Steakhouse. It's rare to eat a crabcake outside of the East Coast that lives up to Maryland standards, but this one was outstanding. Love the broccoli with garlic and red pepper, and there was a great wine selection that was perfect without being obnoxiously long. Will be back!“

“We hosted our Beauty Boost Fall Glam + Glow event at Bell’s Cocktail House last night and had such a great experience! The atmosphere is amazing, the space has so much character, and the entire staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating from start to finish.

Hosting an event comes with a lot of moving pieces, and their team made everything so easy for us. One thing that really stood out was the security team, they went above and beyond helping us carry all of our event supplies up and down the stairs during setup and at the end of the night. It was completely unexpected and so appreciated!

Everyone we interacted with was welcoming, helpful, and genuinely wanted to make sure our event went smoothly. Our attendees loved the atmosphere, and it was such a fun setting for Fall Glam + Glow.

So grateful to the entire Belle’s team for taking such great care of us. I would absolutely recommend them for a night out or for hosting an event!“

“Chelsea our server was great and she made great recommendations. We tried the pretzel sticks with beer cheese, these are the best ever. Boone fries, the pimento cheese dog and the spicy chicken sandwich. The blackberry jalapeño sauce is soooo good!! Would definitely eat there again. Everything we had was really good. I don’t think their pricing is higher than anywhere else. Eating out in general is not cheap!!“

“All the staff are Great, Wonderful, Attentive, Professional. I am really impressed by their 'work ethics'. We love coming over there to watch the games.“

“Solid experience and service“

“First timing trying this place. Fill place, feels like a neighborhood spoke with some unique dishes on the menu.

I got the Lumberjack burger. It came out raw, ordered it medium. They took it back I expected a new burger, the simply further cooked the burger. This time it was well done. Not a big deal flavor was still there, juicy and well seasoned. However, I think much of the Beer cheese had cooked off.

We got the salad with orange vinaigrette and it was very good. The squash soup was also nice on a snowy day.

Service was excellent and enjoyed the experience. The only negative was the burger cook and the not getting a new burger. Just kind of pointless to ask for how I’d like it cooked.

Would eat here again though“

“Fast service, quality drinks, nicest bar family you'll find.“

“Great music great vibes. wouldn't mind going back at all.“

“Only been a few times now, but defo worth stopping in for the cozy vibes. Clearly is a place folks come to gather. Several groups were hanging out, and this place caters to those willing to try unique cocktails. Right now, they have a warm wine based drink to fight the chill.

Was a great 2nd stop on my weekend bar crawl 🔥“

“Food is always amazing with excellent service.“

“My mom and her fiancé drove in from Gulf Shores, AL to attend my son’s (her grandson’s) college graduation from UK. I was able to book them 2 night at the Clarion for the event. After Saturday’s commencement, we wanted to celebrate. My mom and her fiancé were so impressed with Sedona Taphouse from the previous evening, that they treated us to an early dinner along with some drinks there. It was amazing from the appetizers to the drinks to the entrees. Our server was a delight, but we also had the pleasure of meeting the GM, Ben as he came over to not only check on us, but to shake my son’s hand and personally congratulate him on his achievement. He really made a big deal about his accomplishment and even went as far to pay for his meal, drinks and dessert. So unexpected! Ben went above & beyond and that food and atmosphere was outstanding. We frequent Lexington often, I’ve found my new spot for lunch or dinner. Thank you Ben!! We can’t thank you enough for making Mason’s special day even more memorable.“

“I don’t even know where to start! The food was amazing. My husband and I stopped in Saturday night for some food and drinks, the staff were amazing! Amelia was so friendly and super knowledgeable about both the cider and the food and even gave us some recommendations on where to go next. She recommended pairing the fried apple chips with the pommeau and it was heaven in a glass! You’ve truly outdone yourself and we hope to share this hidden gem with our friends and family! Thanks to wisebird for a nice end to the weekend!“

“Great Place! Friendly people and terrific bartender!“

“I highly recommend this place! Came here for my first time this evening and we got our food in literally 5 minutes! Friendly and fast service! Food is so good! Try it you won’t be disappointed!!“

“My favorite bar in Lexington. Awesome drinks, bartenders, and atmosphere. It can get packed, but only because it does everything right. (Also, if you like gin, try the Emporer's New Grove. Probably my fav drink in town next to Bar Ona's Corpse Reviver No. 2“

“Great drinks and a rotating restaurant. Staff is super cool, drinks are fast, affordable, and TASTY!
It's a gorgeous place to get a quiet drink sometimes, but there's always something going on, a perfect neighborhood experience.
What's not to love?“

“Incredible views with handcrafted cocktails - what more could you want from your trip to Lexington!? This bar is the best seat in downtown Lex for a view!!“

“Cozy bar inside the Sire Hotel, Lexington, with excellent concoctions by hospitable bartender Natalie, who crafted top-notch drinks for us like Race Thyme and Buck Bramble (check out their menu online). Natalie also mixed a mean sangria. She's a gem. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at this spot.“

“Stopped in The Jockey last night and had a great experience. Drinks prices weren't inflated because of the location. Right in the middle of downtown. Bartender was super friendly and attentive. Got a pizza from Rise Up Pizza kitchen (a separate entity apparently) and it was amazing! Will definitely return asap. I'm a Lexington native and will definitely be a new "regular" Highly recommend“

“Great service and great good. We had the seared Salmon and I had the Apple Blue Cheese salad with Poppyseed dressing…always delicious 😋“

“This was our first time in Lexington. We picked The Tulip Bistro and Bar because it was close to our hotel. The service and food was simply awesome. The braised short ribs were incredibly tender and flavored to perfection. The salmon was a very large piece cooked just right. We then finished dinner off with the creme brulee. I can't recommend this restaurant enough. Dana, our server, was wonderful.“

“visited your place on my way north. friendly people and a great atmosphere. live music at 7 was a treat.“

“The steak, potatoes and broccoli were AMAZING! Compliments to chef Rena!! The bartender/server Tyler was really great too. Overall an awesome experience! Very happy I decided to come here for dinner.“

“I must leave a review for this establishment. I last minute decided to stop here while waiting to board my flight and the service I received from both Dan & Grant made me feel so much better than I did when I walked in. They were very attentive and never hesitated to be sure I was accommodated in the best way possible. I genuinely felt like this was a 5 star experience. They were personable and professional. They guided me through the menu as needed, offering great recommendations. I observed their interactions with the others guest and it was equally as excellent. For me service goes a LONG way. You never know what people are carrying when they take a second to dine in, or simply have a drink at a bar. A smile and great service makes all the difference. I will always come back here.“

“great service. friendly staff“

“One of our team members says "Bronte Bistro is a great spot for bunch, lunch or dinner. Cozy and Quaint. We love everything we have had there!"“