50 Best Cocktail Bars in Raleigh

“Tamasha is nothing short of incredible. A beautifully appointed restaurant that provides first class service and amazing food. This is truly one of Raleigh's finest.“

“This was our first time at Madras. Great food…loved the roasted cauliflower with green goddess dipping sauce. My husband loved the octopus. The outside Wednesday night band was an excellent bonus!!“

“Excellent liquor selection and great bartenders!“

“Awesome!“

“This place was fantastic! We came here for our anniversary and Vidrio took great care of us. The food was spectacular. The drinks were immaculate. And our server, Nick, was absolutely the best and took great care of us. Highly recommend coming here! A hidden jewel on Glenwood. And what a great interior design!“

“Christmas Eve dinner 2025. Everything delicious. Counter seating, so entertaining watching the pace and positive attitudes of those working the line. Roasted oysters, agnolotti divine, NC fish perfect. Staff friendly and, well, just a special evening all together. We have only been twice, but were greeted like regulars.“

“The changing seasonal menu is something to look forward to! Creative Desserts, delicious drinks, you can't go wrong at Bittersweet!“

“Lovely atmosphere. The bartender was amazing and created very lovely little drinks for us. Thank you for the experience. we ❤️ steph“

“its like a hidden gem...great use of space, very personable staff great drink selection & Martini's wished I lived closer“

“Great bartenders and truly unique atmosphere. Very creative cocktail menu.“

“Food and service was excellent 👌“

“Quite the little hidden spot, with an entryway just through the private door. A full stocked bar to elevate your tastebuds with specialty blends of bourbons, whiskey, and gins. The red high back chairs gives it a classy vibe. This isn’t your average cocktail bar. An atmosphere that is by far worth the visit!“

“I always have a fun time at Killjoy - whether it's packed with little room to walk around or it's a small crowd with space at the bar and on the dance floor! The music is great, and the people are there to chill, sing and dance a little - just a nice vibe. Attractive people, nicely dressed, friendly energy!“

“First time eating here had delivered for lunch baby bang taco was so good . Salsa and chips- the chips were so fresh salsa soooo good I will order again .“

“Great new hangout place, Must see And try“

“🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 By far the Best Tacos I have ever had in my life, They where all fresh and the corn is out of this world and the Service is Fantastic ask for Bre this place sir passes 10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“What a great addition to N Raleigh. Possibly the best Indian food in Raleigh. Beautiful presentation, aromatic food, tasty and delicious. Great cocktails and wonderful service. A beautiful restaurant“

“Nothing beats a passionate chef. Tonight was my first experience, and it's only the beginning! The staff was amazing and did not make me feel rushed. 5-star plus. I've never been to a restaurant where all the mussels were open and full of flavor until Northside Bistro. It was impressive and absolutely delicious, and they also serve some of the best cocktails I've ever had!“

“Recently a friend introduced me to the Oak and I was impressed well beyond my expectations. The drinks and the food are all top notch. Lots of places have “good bar food” but that’s not the case here, they have custom eats not “bar food”. There’s nothing we ordered that have us scraping up the crumbs. Justin the bartender is particularly knowledgeable and friendly, he’s a sharp guy who is eager to please and quick to serve, we never had to flag him down or ask for help, he was on the spot the whole time! I’ll be back for client lunches and meet ups for sure!“

“My first time at Wood’s Bar and Lounge loved it…Everyone was welcoming and friendly. Shoutout to the DJ who shouted out PRESSURE~N~STEPPAZ I really appreciate the love as the CEO. I will be back real soon and hopefully have a few of my members with me! Thanks for the love again❣️“

“This place may be a go-to now! I conquered my fear of going out to eat solo in downtown Raleigh. Took a nice walk from the Lincoln to Whiskey Kitchen and they did not disappoint. I had an upscale Mimosa it felt like called the Poinsettia,delish. Then I started with their Smoked Catfish Dip with Cornbread crostinis🫠. It had a bit of heat but it was nice and well balanced with the pickled onions. My entree was the Fried chicken Sammy with a side salad with a super fresh Basil-Rose vinaigrette . Perfect balance of earthy and comforting. It was peaceful and a beautiful location. Will be back!“

“Great vibe! Mixologist Jefferson skillfully guided our craft cocktail selections. Impressive knowledge, real ingredients. At his recommendation we grabbed a couple of slices (authentic NY pizza) from Oakwood Pizza Box next door, that did not disappoint!“

“Cool little place to meet friends at for a quick bite. We had the Bruschetta board which we were able to choose what kind we wanted and mix flavors. We also had the meatballs and they were awesome. So rich and flavorful. The service was great as well. I'd return to try something different.“

“Great experience Food was GREAT. Leona and Hampton are the best.“

“Since moving here a year ago from NYC, this was one of the first places we've been coming to once a weekend when we're in Raleigh. It gives us the NYC lounge feel we initially missed. It's good for my night cap before we go home. Good music, drinks and I enjoy their popcorn 😁!“

“Anthony literally saved the night the other night from a horrible restaurant experience at another restaurant down the street to his prime location in Downtown Raleigh it was a night and day experience, 1000% recommend to anyone who wants a great dining and great food experience.“

“One of my favorite places in town. Ben’s stalwart Gussie’s manages to tick so many seemingly disconnected boxes - great bar, with inventive cocktails. But a comfort food local place. Or maybe a beer geek temple - for those who know good breweries that aren’t trendy but were solid 20 years ago and still frigging are. Someone knows. Yeah Budweiser maybe could be upscaled a little but someone knows Lawson’s and 3 Floyd’s and even tonight’s surprise of Festina Peche from Dogfish Head that’s been awesome for what, 25 years? They regularly find things that I’ve not seen on tap in ages. The food - non beef eaters might need a minute but there’s choices there but the smash burgers are a work of art. Cocktails are inventive and excellent and the staff is awesome. A quibble - it’s a loud room so maybe the music could be a smidge lower so people don’t shout over it and it just gets very loud. But that’s a quibble. It’s comfy, it’s familiar, it’s good. Come here. Except when I want to come here because I want a seat at the bar, ok?“

“Great food! Amazing staff at the location on Spring Forest. We sat at the bar and Hope was very attentive, always making sure we had all we needed.“

“This place is amazing. It’s like a speakeasy with a cool, loung-y area inside, winding hallways, and a torch-and-fire pit outside garden area with dim lit bars and chill cocktails. Great for friends, couples or a date. Highly recommend.“

“I am so glad this place opened in the subdivision! great food! great staff!“

“I honestly don’t know but i live on the same block and it sounds like its happening over there, the parking lot is always packed out and overflowing on pros nights, aka: Thursday and Sunday. A parking lot with huge overflow means a good crowd, and that speaks for its self.
A good crowd on the regular can’t be wrong!“

“I would like to say I really enjoyed my Birthday at Nuvo. The music was lit and the vibe was great. If you looking for a nice place to have a great time on the weekends you should go check them out. Thanks to Randy Jone for the invite and the love he showed while me and my family and friends were there.“

“Very good food. I had the elk burger and it was amazing 😋“

“Food and mocktail- Thyme drink were delish!“

“The AM Party at La Mala was an amazing experience from start to finish! The food was fantastic, the drinks were excellent, and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. The reggaeton music kept the energy going all day and created the perfect vibe for a great time with friends.

What truly made the experience special was the hospitality. A huge thank you to Jesse, for providing us with a complimentary VIP table. Their attention to guests and commitment to creating a memorable experience really stood out and made us feel genuinely welcomed.

La Mala delivers the complete package: amazing food, great drinks, an incredible atmosphere, and exceptional hospitality. I highly recommend it and can't wait to come back!

Muchas Gracias !!“

“Atmosphere: 7/10
Located on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh, Foundation is a basement bar built into the foundation of an old building—exposed brick and stone with wooden beams overhead. The vibe is industrial, casual, and alternative/hipster, with music on the emo-rock side at a good volume. It's the oldest cocktail bar in the city and one of the few open late night in Raleigh. The backbar is nice, with some bar seats and tables. Crowd skews middle-aged to older.

Drinks: 7/10
Recommendation: -
Decent menu of average quality, but a good selection—a whole page of signature drinks. Flavor and balance is decent, though without much depth. No coasters. Glassware is average, garnish very basic, and presentation very simple.

Service: 8/10
Water served on arrival. The team is friendly and attentive, with average professionalism. Prices are average. Reservations not needed.“

“The atmosphere was romantic and the food was absolutely amazing! My husband had one of the best filets that he has ever had and the homemade pasta was as close as I’ve found to true Italian pasta. Highly recommend for a romantic date night ❤️“

“Great bourbon selection including vintage whiskey. The craft cocktails are amazing! Beautiful and masculine decor!“

“Food the service the drinks amazing!“

“For NCSU graduate lunch- Bill and staff treated us as 🐺family from our first reservation request. Communication was clear and totally invested in making our day perfect. From the delicious food to the custom Wolf Tracks ice cream order and of course the epitome of NCSU landscaping- it was beyond expectations.“

“We really enjoyed our food and will definitely return for more!“

“Great food, cocktails & service!“

“Amazing food, friendly customer service... Yuummmmm“

“Live music 🎶, Great 🍺 🍹and the best Wings in Raleigh, hands down!!! You won’t be disappointed at this place! Come in during the week for some music 🎵 bingo or karaoke 🎤.“

“Awesome place! Great staff! Great food! Amazing beer!“

“Great Green Bay packer bar!“

“It's lit. Went to the wonderland event on a thurs they had fire local djs and vendors with sick jewelry and rave stuff. Nice mix of bass music from riddin and trap to more upbeat

Went there another time too on a Friday and it was sick, house music that time“

“What's Understood doesn't have to be explained...If you exemplify Masculinity then this is your spot! If you love to grow mentally then this is your spot! Mike & The Cigar Aficionado's behind the bar are Awesome & really good people.“

“Live music 🎶, Great 🍺 🍹and the best Wings in Raleigh, hands down!!! You won’t be disappointed at this place! Come in during the week for some music 🎵 bingo or karaoke 🎤.“

“The food is amazing! Though I haven’t tried every yet👀 I’m sure it won’t disappoint!“