15 cocktail bar places in Kilkenny we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Kilkenny | Cocktail Bar across every city.
Kilkenny's cocktail culture sits alongside its deep pub tradition, with mixing happening in hotel bars, restaurants and historic inns. Kyteler's Inn, Langton's Bar, Matt The Millers and Billy Byrnes carry the after-dark crowd, while Paris Texas Bar and Restaurant and its Cocktail Bar, Rive Gauche and Louie's Cafe and Wine Bar pour for the dinner trade. The Zuni Hotel Bar, Cleere's Bar and Theatre, Smithwick's Experience Bar, Ristorante Rinuccini Bar, Petronella, The Yard Cafe and Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery widen the options.
Kyteler's Inn ★ 4.2
medieval-mile · St Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
Kyteler's Inn on St Kieran's Street traces brewing roots to 1324 and curates over 90 Irish whiskey expressions, traditional music nightly in high season.
Langton's Bar ★ 4.1
john-street · 67-69 John Street Lower, Kilkenny, R95 XN44
Langton's Bar on John Street is a Kilkenny institution, winner of Best Gastro Pub Kilkenny 2025, with a large whiskey list and live music every night.
Matt The Millers ★ 4.0
john-street · 1 John Street, Kilkenny
Matt The Millers on John Street is a live music pub with good food, the Kilkenny Red Ale beef pie a fitting local signature in a converted mill building.
Paris Texas Bar and Restaurant ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 92 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 V6TE
Paris Texas on High Street is Kilkenny's BBQ and whiskey specialist, a family-run pub since 1996 with National Irish Pub of the Year recognition.
Billy Byrnes ★ 3.9
john-street · 39 John Street Upper, Kilkenny, R95 K091
Billy Byrnes on John Street Upper is a Kilkenny social institution, a no-frills gastro bar with Smithwick's on tap that feels more local than tourist.
Smithwick's Experience Bar ★ 4.3
medieval-mile · 44 Parliament Street, Kilkenny, R95 VK54
The bar at the Smithwick's Experience pours a complimentary Smithwick's Red Ale at the end of every tour on the city's 13th-century brewing site.
Rive Gauche ★ 4.1
medieval-mile · 2 The Parade, Kilkenny
Rive Gauche on The Parade is Kilkenny's closest dedicated wine bar, a handsome room of exposed brick with seasonal Irish plates and a natural wine list.
Louie's Cafe and Wine Bar ★ 4.2
medieval-mile · 3 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Louie's on Patrick Street is a Parisian-inspired cafe bar with natural wines, small plates from Thursday to Saturday, and leather banquettes from noon.
Zuni Hotel Bar ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 26 Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Zuni Bar on Patrick Street runs a better cocktail programme than its hotel-bar status suggests, a solid choice for a pre-dinner drink in the city centre.
Cleere's Bar and Theatre ★ 3.9
medieval-mile · 28 Parliament Street, Kilkenny
Cleere's on Parliament Street has hosted Kilkenny's longest-running trad session every Monday since 1989 alongside a 100-seat theatre for national acts.
Petronella ★ 4.0
butterslip · Butter Slip Lane, Kilkenny, R95 A030
Petronella Bar on Butterslip Lane is a medieval building with seasonal cocktails and natural wines, the most evocative bar in Kilkenny's hidden alleyways.
Paris Texas Cocktail Bar ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · 92 High Street, Kilkenny, R95 V6TE
Paris Texas at 92 High Street pairs American whiskey and local spirits with a smokehouse food menu in one of Kilkenny's most awarded pub bars.
Ristorante Rinuccini Bar ★ 4.1
medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7
Rinuccini's bar at 1 The Parade draws on the family's 12,000-bottle Italian wine cellar, the best Italian wine by the glass in Kilkenny since 1989.
The Yard Cafe ★ 3.7
st-kierans-street · 27 Saint Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
The Yard Cafe on St Kieran's Street serves organic coffee with plant milks, vegan lunch plates, and homemade cakes in a relaxed community-minded setting.
Wildflower Cafe at Butler Gallery ★ 4.0
medieval-mile · Evans Home, John's Quay, Kilkenny, R95 YX3F
Wildflower at Butler Gallery serves plant-based bowls, vegan raw cakes, and botanical teas in a walled gallery garden with genuine dietary inclusivity.