Birmingham's drinking scene pairs a strong craft-cocktail core with a deep bench of local breweries. Carrigan's Public House downtown leads the cocktail rooms, with Saturn in Avondale doubling as a music venue. Around them sit taprooms from Good People Brewing, Avondale Brewing, TrimTab Brewing, Cahaba Brewing and more, making Avondale and Lakeview the city's two clearest bar districts.
Cocktail bars in Birmingham
13 cocktail bar places in Birmingham we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Birmingham · Cocktail Bar across every city.
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Carrigan's Public House
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
- Downtown Birmingham
Drink Irish whiskey flight
Carrigan's Public House on 3rd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham is an intimate Irish-American pub with craft cocktails and a New American kitchen.
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Paramount
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
- Downtown Birmingham
Drink Craft cocktail
Paramount on 20th Street North downtown Birmingham is the arcade bar with vintage cabinets, a full pub menu and a craft cocktail program all under one roof.
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Saturn
- ★ 4.7
- $$$
- Avondale
Drink Craft beer and shots
Saturn on 41st Street South in Avondale Birmingham is the 2015 Brian Teasley-founded music venue and bar in the former Cory and Faulkner Hardware building.
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Good People Brewing Taproom
- ★ 4.6
- $$$
- Downtown Birmingham
Drink Good People IPA
Good People Brewing Taproom on 14th Street South in the Parkside District is Alabama's 2008 brewing-law pioneer, with rotating beers and rotating food trucks.
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Avondale Brewing Taproom
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
- Avondale
Drink Miss Fancy IPA
Avondale Brewing Taproom on 41st Street South Avondale is the 2011 anchor of the brewery row, with the Upstairs venue, beer garden and rotating food trucks.
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Back Forty Beer Company
- ★ 4.3
- $$$
- Avondale
Drink Naked Pig Pale Ale
Back Forty Beer Company on 1st Avenue North in Birmingham opened summer 2018 next to Sloss Furnaces, with a 1.5-acre beer garden and a full pub kitchen.
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Monday Night Brewing Social Club
- ★ 4.3
- $$$
- Downtown Birmingham
Drink Drafty Kilt scotch ale
Monday Night Brewing Social Club on 12th Street South Birmingham is the Atlanta brewery's Lakeview-adjacent taproom, with rotating beers and a Parkside patio.
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Cahaba Brewing Co.
- ★ 4.2
- $$$
- Avondale
Drink Cahaba Oka Uba IPA
Cahaba Brewing Co.
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TrimTab Brewing Taproom
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
- Lakeview
Drink TrimTab Paradise Now sour
TrimTab Brewing Taproom on 5th Avenue South in Lakeview Birmingham is the 2014 Harris Stewart brewery known for its fruited sours on the Lakeview row.
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Lou's Pub and Package Store
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
- Lakeview
Drink Bourbon
Lou's Pub and Package Store on 29th Street South in Lakeview Birmingham is a long-standing neighborhood pub with a whiskey shelf and adjoining package store.
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Black Market Bar and Grill
- ★ 4.0
- $$$
- Avondale
Drink Craft cocktails
Black Market Bar and Grill on 3rd Avenue South in Avondale Birmingham moved from Five Points South in 2024 with the punk decor and a broad vegan menu.
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Hot and Hot Fish Club Bar
- ★ 4.7
- $$$
- Pepper Place
Drink House classic cocktails alongside the Hastings tasting menu
Hot and Hot Fish Club Bar at Pepper Place Birmingham runs craft cocktails alongside Chris Hastings's Southern menu, with the chef-counter and bar seats.
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Saturn
- ★ 4.3
- $$
- Avondale
Try Bar snacks and venue food
Saturn on 41st Street South Avondale Birmingham runs concerts and bar until 02:00 show nights, with snacks on the venue floor and the front-room cocktail bar.