Certain bars are perfect for a night out with girlfriends. But when you’re planning an intimate night with someone extra-special, sometimes your usual haunts just won’t cut it. Before your next date night rolls around, check out these seven cocktail bars around Louisville that offer just the right ambiance for a night to remember.
Darling’s
Neighborhood: Bonnycastle
More info: darlingsbar.com
Take a step back in time at Darling’s, a Bardstown Road gin bar that serves cocktails, beer, and aperitifs. Inspired by the French-influenced Art Nouveau era, the decor in this cozy space includes warm glowing lamps, various antiques, and a zinc counter treated with a patina for an aged aesthetic. Though the spot offers more than 100 gins from around the world, there are many picks for those who lean toward other spirit selections, too. The menu also includes a wide variety of brandy, cognac, whiskey, vodka, rum, tequila, mezcal, and absinthe.
Library Bar
Neighborhood: Downtown
More info: omnihotels.com
As its name suggests, the Library Bar in the Omni Hotel provides a spot where couples can enjoy quiet conversation. The room features floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light to flow during the day and create a direct view of downtown nightlife once the sun goes down. Like any good library, the space also offers information about Louisville, as numerous photos, sculptures, and more pay homage to Derby City’s horse racing history. The full bar also features several house cocktails and mocktails and a selection of bites to enjoy with your drinks. Plus, its convenient location means you can keep the night going by popping into the Pin + Proof — or another Louisville speakeasy.
Lucky Penny
Neighborhood: NuLu
More info: bunkhousehotels.com
Set in the back of Hotel Genevieve, you can only enter Lucky Penny via a secret path in the mini market or through a nondescript exterior door. Comfy seating on plush red sofas and dark blue benches offers an intimate environment to enjoy your date night with minimal distractions. Try the Doctor’s Note, a unique take on an Old Fashioned, or pop by during holidays and events when the bartenders are whipping up limited-time drinks. Just keep in mind that the cozy space only accommodates up to 34 guests, and seating is by reservation only.
Neat Bourbon Bar & Bottle Shop
Neighborhood: Cherokee Triangle
More info: neatbottlebar.com
This vintage bourbon bar offers an old-timey, rustic feel with copper ceilings, a handcrafted wooden bar, and vintage bathroom tile. Naturally, its bourbon offerings are made to match, as guests are encouraged to “experience history by the pour” by sampling various vintage and current-era bourbons. After giving history a whirl in your glass, we suggest ending the night with a sweet treat. Order a scoop of The Old Fashioned-Infused Ice Cream, which boasts oat milk, J.T.S. Brown BiB bourbon, vanilla, bitters, and orange.
Nouvelle
Neighborhood: Phoenix Hill
More info: nouvellewine.com
Created to cultivate taste and foster conversation, this community wine bar and bottle shop offers a carefully curated selection of wine from unique producers, quality craft cocktails, and tasty small plates. Its menu also features a selection of beer and cider and a few dessert offerings with suggested wine pairings. We recommend coupling the pot de crème with Fonseca Bin 27 ruby port or the cookie trio with Brut Prosecco. Keep the conversation going after date night by joining the “Nouvelle Cru,” a wine club with two tiers, for a monthly pickup of two bottles selected by the Nouvelle team’s wine specialists.
Pretty Decent
Neighborhood: Clifton
More info: prettydecentbar.com
This Frankfort Avenue destination serves up more than just delicious beverages. The cocktail bar and plant shop combo boasts a cozy atmosphere that offers the ideal setting to sit down and actually have a conversation (read: no loud music!). Plus, the shop side provides a place to peruse a variety of succulents, hanging plants, and more. And if you plan ahead, you can book two spots in a plant or cocktail workshop for a night of learning — with drinks, of course.
Tartan House
Neighborhood: Butchertown
More info: tartanhousebar.com
Specializing in classic and house cocktails, this Butchertown spot serves guests seven days a week. The space offers many cozy seating options, including a plush sofa, comfy chairs, and outdoor options when the weather allows. Date nights here mean sampling whiskeys from all over the world and more than two dozen kinds of Scotch. If drinking it neat isn’t for you and yours, try the scotch-based Penicillin, a house cocktail made with lemon, honey, ginger syrup, and peated scotch mist. We also like the Bitter Mai Tai, made with Smith & Cross rum, Campari, lime, orgeat, and dry curaçao.
Cheers, Louisville!
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