100 Best Bars in the South

Robbie Caponetto

In the South, there are plenty of places to pull up a barstool or sidle up to the counter for a cold one. Here is a list of the South’s best bars. Places like Napoleon House, Branch, and Taste are all places you’ll want to linger over that drink and really get to know the locals. If you choose a bar by its name, visit Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge in Houston, Texas. If you prefer a bar named after where you park your car, you’ll love the Garage Bar in Louisville, Kentucky. Imbibe and bowl at Pinewood Social. What the South’s best bars all have in common is great service, amazing drinks, and that sense of down-home welcome that makes you stay a little longer. You should. You won’t find the South’s best bars anywhere else.

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The Hound, Auburn, Alabama

Photo Courtesy of The Hound

You’re Having: The Cecil, a twist on a classic whiskey sour

124 Tichenor Avenue, thehound-auburn.com

Which of these bars have you visited? Share with us in 100 Places to Drink Now—The Checklist.

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Avondale Brewing Company, Birmingham, Alabama

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: Miss Fancy’s Tripel Belgian gold ale

201 41st Street South; avondalebrewing.com

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Good People Brewing Company, Birmingham, Alabama

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

You’re Having: The Coffee Oatmeal Stout

114 14th Street South; goodpeoplebrewing.com

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The Collins Bar, Birmingham, Alabama

Photo Courtesy of The Collins Bar

You’re Having:

Honeysuckle Rose with Cathead vodka, Aperol, ginger liqueur, and egg white

2125 2nd Avenue North; collinsbirmingham.com

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Carrigan’s Public House, Birmingham, Alabama

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: The Morris Avenue, a mix of single-malt Scotch, Campari, nutty Frangelico, and Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

2430 Morris Avenue; carriganspub.com

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The Garage Cafe, Birmingham, Alabama

Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

You’re Having: A from-scratch bloody Mary with eight different spices

2304 10th Terrace South; garagecafe.us

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Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina, Orange Beach, Alabama

Photo Courtesy of Fisher's at Orange Beach Marina

You’re Having:

The Necessity, a citrusy vodka cocktail with cava and caviar pearls

27075 Marina Road; fishersobm.com

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The Gulf, Orange Beach, Alabama

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: A strawberry mojito

27500 Perdido Beach Boulevard; thegulf.com

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The Hive, Bentonville, Arkansas

Photo: Ball & Albanese

You’re Having:

Arkansawyer with gin and lavender and ginger

200 Northeast A Street;
thehivebentonville.com

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Capital Bar & Grill, Little Rock, Arkansas

Photo Courtesy of Capital Bar & Grill

You’re Having:

The Southern Comfortable with spiced-pear vodka, Yellow Chartreuse, and house-made pecan soda

111 West Markham Street; capitalhotel.com/cbg

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2 birds 1 stone, Washington, D.C.

Photo: Courtesy Scott Suchman/2 birds 1 stone

You’re Having:

The Darkside made with gin, Barolo Chinato fortified wine, and Peychaud’s Bitters

1800 14th Street Northwest; 2birds1stonedc.com

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The Arsenal at Bluejacket, Washington, D.C.

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: The Cashmere—a Belgium quadruple that is rich, malty, and intense, yet silky on the palate

300 Tingey Street Southeast; bluejacketdc.com

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Mockingbird Hill, Washington, D.C.

Photo: Courtesy Scott Suchman/Mockingbird Hill

You’re Having: The Carson—inspired by famed Columbus, Georgia, author Carson McCullers, who loved to drink sherry with tea

1843 7th Street Northwest; drinkmoresherry.com

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The Passenger, Washington, D.C.

Photo: Courtesy Jim Webb/The Passenger

You’re Having:

The Scarlet Ibis with Rittenhouse Rye, Averna, dry vermouth, bitters, and an orange twist

1021 7th Street Northwest; passengerdc.com

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The Rye Bar at Capella Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Photo: Courtesy Robert Reck/The Rye Bar at Capella Hotel

You’re Having:

A barrel-aged Manhattan

1050 31st Street Northwest; thegrillroomdc.com/rye-bar-en.html

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Flora-Bama, Pensacola, Florida

Photo Courtesy of Flora-Bama

You’re Having:

The legendary Bushwacker—milk, rum, Kahlúa, Amaretto, and crème de cacao

17401 Perdido Key Drive; florabama.com

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2nd Street Speakeasy, Gainesville, Florida

Photo Courtesy of 2nd Street Speakeasy

You’re Having: Spaghetti Western—High West Double Rye, Fernet Branca, sherry, local honey, and bitters

21 West 2nd Street; 2ndstreetspeakeasy.com

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Dos Gatos, Jacksonville, Florida

Photo Courtesy of Dos Gatos

You’re Having:

Winter in Jalisco—reposado tequila and house-made spice syrup

123 East Forsyth Street; dosgatosjax.com

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No Name Pub, Big Pine Key, Florida

Photo: Getty Images

You’re Having: Anheuser-Busch’s “No Name Amber” on draft

30813 Watson Boulevard; nonamepub.com

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The Regent Cocktail Club, Miami, Florida

Photo: Diana Zalucky

You’re Having: A classic sidecar

1690 Collins Avenue; galehotel.com/nightlife/regent-cocktail-club

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The Broken Shaker, Miami, Florida

Photo: Diana Zalucky

You’re Having:

A Capirihna de Guayaba with fresh guava, lime juice, herbs, and Leblon Cachaça

2727 Indian Creek Drive; thefreehand.com/venues/the-broken-shaker

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Restaurant Michael Schwartz, Miami, Florida

Photo: Getty Images

You’re Having: The Jack Rudy with Charleston-made Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. tonic, Jack Daniels, and cardamom

1775 Collins Avenue; raleighhotel.com/dining

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Ice Plant, St. Augustine, Florida

Photo Courtesy of Ice Plant

You’re Having: A Lincolnvillan with bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and mole bitters

110 Riberia Street; iceplantbar.com/ice/

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Normal Bar, Athens, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of Normal Bar

You’re Having:

Killer Bee—Bulleit, lavender, honey, lemon juice, and soda

1365 Prince Avenue; 706/548-6186

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The World Famous, Athens, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of The World Famous

You’re Having:

The bright Robert Van Winkle with Prairie hand-crafted gin, Madagascar-vanilla simple syrup, and Prosecco

351 Hull Street; theworldfamousathens.com

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The National, Athens, Georgia

Photo: Ralph Anderson

You’re Having: Cold Weather Mojito—Prichard’s Tennessee rum, Steen’s cane syrup, mint, and ginger beer

232 West Hancock Avenue; thenationalrestaurant.com

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One Flew South, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: A Georgia Brown with rum, toasted anise, and honey syrup, topped with Sweetwater 420 beer

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport/Terminal E; oneflewsouthatl.com

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The St. Regis Bar, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo: Southern Living

You’re Having: The Piedmont with Woodford Reserve St. Regis Atlanta Special Selection bourbon, Bar Keep Baked Apple Bitters, and a Laphroaig wash

88 West Paces Ferry Road; stregisatlanta.com/the-st-regis-bar

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The Bookhouse Pub, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of The Bookhouse Pub

You’re Having:

Audrey Horne with Yerba Mate tea and mint-infused gin

736 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE.; 404/254-1176

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Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having: The bright and spicy Fu Manbrew Belgian-Style Wit

670 Trabert Avenue NW.; mondaynightbrewing.com

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Argosy, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of Argosy

You’re Having:

New Holland Brewing Company’s Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout

470 Flat Shoals Avenue SE.; argosy-east.com

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H. Harper Station, Atlanta, Georgia

Photo: Robbie Caponetto

You’re Having:

A Stinger with Pierre Ferrand cognac and Marie Brizard white mint

904 Memorial Drive SE.; hharperstation.com

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Kimball House, Decatur, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of Kimball House

You’re Having:

Pecan Old Fashioned with Medley Brothers Heritage bourbon and Elliott pecans

303 East Howard Avenue; kimball-house.com

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Paper Plane, Decatur, Georgia

Photo: Rob Culpepper

You’re Having: The Permanent Collection—Fernet-Branca, cognac, Bénédictine herbal liqueur, and bitters

340 Church Street; the-paper-plane.com

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The Sparetime, Savannah, Georgia

Photo: Imke Lass

You’re Having: The Caucasian, a coffee cocktail with vodka, Leopold Bros coffee liqueur, and espresso syrup

36 MLK Jr. Blvd.; sparetimesavannah.com

This bar has since closed.

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Pinkie Master’s Lounge, Savannah, Georgia

Photo Courtesy of Pinkie Master’s Lounge

You’re Having: A PBR

318 Drayton Street; pinkiemasters.net

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Bluegrass Tavern, Lexington, Kentucky

Photo Courtesy of Bluegrass Tavern

You’re Having:

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

115 Cheapside;
thebluegrasstavern.com

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St. Charles Exchange, Louisville, Kentucky

Photo: Ryan Kurtz

You’re Having: A Van Dyke Parks Swizzle with 12-year El Dorado rum, Oloroso sherry, and coconut liqueur

113 South Seventh Street; stcharlesexchange.com

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100 Best Bars in the South

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The Hound, Auburn, Alabama

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Avondale Brewing Company, Birmingham, Alabama

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Good People Brewing Company, Birmingham, Alabama

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The Collins Bar, Birmingham, Alabama

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Carrigan’s Public House, Birmingham, Alabama

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The Garage Cafe, Birmingham, Alabama

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Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina, Orange Beach, Alabama

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The Gulf, Orange Beach, Alabama

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The Hive, Bentonville, Arkansas

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Capital Bar & Grill, Little Rock, Arkansas

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2 birds 1 stone, Washington, D.C.

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The Arsenal at Bluejacket, Washington, D.C.

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Mockingbird Hill, Washington, D.C.

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The Passenger, Washington, D.C.

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The Rye Bar at Capella Hotel, Washington, D.C.

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Flora-Bama, Pensacola, Florida

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2nd Street Speakeasy, Gainesville, Florida

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Dos Gatos, Jacksonville, Florida

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No Name Pub, Big Pine Key, Florida

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The Regent Cocktail Club, Miami, Florida

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The Broken Shaker, Miami, Florida

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Restaurant Michael Schwartz, Miami, Florida

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Ice Plant, St. Augustine, Florida

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Normal Bar, Athens, Georgia

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The World Famous, Athens, Georgia

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The National, Athens, Georgia