Orlando, Florida, is a magical place and provides vacationers of all ages with many entertainment opportunities. No one is too old or young to wear Mickey Ears or wave that magic wand. Though Orlando is best known as a family-fun destination, the area is a great town where travelers of all ages can go for adult-based entertainment, including visiting some of the best bars.
Whether you are visiting the I-Drive area, Downtown Orlando, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, or SeaWorld, or are in here on business or for a convention, there are many fantastic bars offering visitors access to exciting happy hours, wine bars, unique drinks, friendly staff, knowledgeable bartenders, bar hopping opportunities, and fabulous food menus. So no matter what you plan to do in Orlando, take a break from the hustle and bustle of your vacation or business trip to grab a bite to eat or a drink before turning in for the night or to party with other travelers and locals.
TL;DR
- Best handcrafted cocktails: Tori Tori
- Best college bar: The Porch Winter Park
- Best craft beer bar: Hourglass Brewing
- Best dive bar: Wally’s
- Best downtown bar: Mathers Social Gathering
- Best gay bar: Savoy Orlando
- Best happy hour: Santiago’s Bodega
Best Bars in Orlando, Florida
1. Tori Tori
Address: 720 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Tori Tori was recently featured in the Florida Michelin Guide 2022 and was voted best cocktail bar by Orlando Weekly readers. This Japanese pub creates fascinating cocktails, including the Oaxaca Flakka Flame, and Coconut Shinobi, as well as easy-sipping highballs.
The food available at Tori Tori makes it the perfect place for date night, an evening out with friends, or enjoying a fantastic meal with terrific cocktails. Popular menu items at Tori Tori include Pork Belly, Fried Pork Gyoza, Garlic Butter Mushrooms, Spicy Shrimp, Scallop Crudo, and Steak + Chimichurri.
From the moment you walk in, you will be amazed and welcomed by the fun, friendly atmosphere, where you feel right at home. However, if you plan to go on a weekend night, plan to arrive early because this is one of the most popular bars in Orlando, and it can get very crowded, especially when there is a convention in town.
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2. Hourglass Brewing
Address: 2500 Curry Ford Rd #4, Orlando, FL 32806
What started as a dream of two friends, Hourglass Brewing has been brewing great brews in Longwood (the first location) since 2012. At the Hourglass District location, you will find 42 rotating Hourglass craft beers on tap, two Hourglass Brewing nitro taps, and a stocked fridge for purchasing packs or bottles of these brews to take home.
This is a great place to source superb beer in the Orlando area, especially if you like all-natural, independently crafted creations. As one of the best places in the Downtown Orlando area for craft brews, Hourglass Brewing believes in creating world-class beer and transforming outlandish ideas into delicious craft brews. Popular beers on tap include Irish Red Ale, Sparkling Ale, Giant Giant Dwarf with coffee, Honey Cherries, and much more.
All beer dogs visiting Central Florida must put this Orlando staple brewery on their to-do lists. Each beer is a winner, the bartenders are friendly, and the staff is knowledgeable and capable of talking about craft brews all night. So grab a seat on the patio where you can enjoy the beautiful Florida weather, or if it starts to rain, head indoors to enjoy the company of others in a comfortable brewpub atmosphere.
Though Hourglass Brewing does not have a kitchen on-site, outside food is available, and several restaurants are located nearby, including Pizza Bruno, Zaza Cuban Comfort Food, and Cilantro’s Taqueria.
3. Cowboys
Address: 1108 S Orange Blossom Trl Suite A, Orlando, FL 32805
Cowboys is the place to go for a good country bar experience and a favorite among locals, complete with line dancing, two-stepping, and fabulous drinks. Don’t know how to line dance? No worries, y’all! The regulars will help you learn the moves and encourage you to enjoy dancing for a night you won’t forget.
There is plenty of seating at Cowboys, where you can sit down and people-watch while sipping on unique cocktails or a draft beer. Then when you are ready, the dance floor (it’s actually Orlando’s largest hardwood floor for dancing), will be waiting for you to do the Boot Scootin’ Boogie.
Because of its slightly raucous nature, Cowboys is one of the best bars in Orlando for young adults, and it’s the best place for line dancing in Orlando, and you will have fun – fun is not optional, it’s mandatory, and it’s in every corner of the joint.
The best nights to visit this country bar are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, where you can enjoy the DJ, light show, nightly contests, and beverage specials. In addition, plenty of pool tables are available to play, and there is outdoor seating where a food truck is located, providing you with food options during your night out at Cowboys.
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4. Wally’s
Address: 1001 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Wally’s is a fun and unique bar to visit, and when you enter through the small liquor store, you are met with a huge center bartop around the corner. Another favorite among Orlando’s locals, Wally’s awesome bartenders serve stiff drinks with a jukebox available for background music. Though Wally’s is a bit divey, it is still a classy place to go and enjoy signature cocktails from a full bar or a beer on draft.
Since 1954, this location has been a staple in Orlando, offering great prices and opportunities to grab your favorite beverages back at your hotel. In addition, Wally’s hosts live entertainment and the neighborhood liquor and package store also specializes in stocking hard-to-find and specialty liquors.
Wally’s is the place to go if you are looking for a local spot to chill. When the weather cooperates, the patio area offers outside seating, perfect for hanging out and relaxing, or when inside, you can play darts and enjoy the background music. Overall you will have a great experience visiting Wally’s, an authentic, unpretentious dive bar in town that provides enjoyable experiences for those who visit.
5. Mathers Social Gathering
Address: 3 Phoenix Building, 30 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801
Mathers Social Gathering is one of the best bars in Orlando Downtown, offering amazing vibes, unique decor, and friendly staff. They serve their own signature beverages and craft cocktail drink options, including a frozen rosé mixed with gin and the Frozé, a favorite among locals – and me. Other popular drinks at this location include the blueberry basil gimlet with gin, mulled wine, seasonal Christmas-themed cocktails, and even bathtub gin, served in a mini bathtub!
This hideaway bar is set on the third floor of a historic building, a vintage furniture store from the late 1800s. The idea behind Mathers Social Gathering is a craft cocktail bar to create a sophisticated, comfortable environment for people to gather, promoting group interaction. This idea lives on, offering visitors a unique setting and one of the best Americana speakeasy lounge experiences in the Downtown Orlando area. When visiting the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center or Orlando’s theme parks, you will want to stop for a beverage or small plate at Mathers Social Gathering (which is only steps away from the cultural center) to wrap up your day.
This bar is trendy, upscale, and classy, providing an intimate experience with some great happy hour specials. The best time to visit is Saturday when the party is hopping in the bar, but Thursdays and Fridays also offer the same fantastic experience but are less crowded.
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6. Savoy
Address: 1913 North Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32804
The Savoy is a local gay bar on North Orange Avenue that offers happy hour specials, outdoor seating, and a pool table. This location is perfect for group gatherings or for a few bevs in town if you’re alone for business. Whether it is with friends or alone, you will meet fun new folks, and the friendly bartenders will provide you with decent conversations that’ll make you feel right at home.
Do you love dancing? The Savoy is one of the hottest places for vibrant nightlife and a place to throw shapes and cut grooves on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Or if you’ve got to belt out some feelings, singing at the karaoke bar on Friday and Saturday is always a good time. Food at the Savoy is damned good, too, including truffle parm popcorn, succulent chicken tenders, the signature Savoy chicken meltdown, and pretzel sticks.
7. Santiago’s Bodega
Address: 802 Virginia Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Santiago’s Bodega offers a trendy yet casual setting where you can gather with friends for dinner and happy hour specials from their unique drink menu. They specialize in finely crafted cocktails and have a good stock of wine, craft beer, and some super sangria. Though most come for the fantastic drinks, Santiago’s Bodega has an impressive menu, including beef tenderloin, saganaki, patatas bravas, chicken skewers, smoked salmon carpaccio, sweet and sour cauliflower, and vegan options, all available for dine-in or take out.
The inside of Santiago’s Bodega can get noisy. Still, if it is too loud for you, there is outdoor seating, which is comfortable and a great way to enjoy Central Florida’s fantastic weather, plus it’s dog-friendly.
All in all, Santiago’s Bodega is a super cute setting and restaurant, perfect for a low-key date night, enjoying the nightlife, or gathering with friends for late-night happy hour. The best nights to visit Santiago’s Bodega are Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, and it is the perfect spot for good food during brunch or dinner. The drink prices here are reasonable, the bartenders are friendly, and the atmosphere promotes a fun evening out.
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8. Southern Nights
Address: 375 S Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Southern Nights is a fantastic gay bar, home to lots of Orlando fun, including a nightly drag show and burlesque shows, and Girl Night is the best lesbian party in town! Southern Nights is the perfect place for groups wanting to dance around the jukebox or bounce to live music.
The best nights to visit Southern Nights and be a part of the action are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, when you can get craft drinks made with skill and consistency. The vibe and the energy at this location are so much fun, and you will have trouble sitting down as the music plays, which will lift you to your feet for a night of dancing and fun.
Guests love the unlimited well drink specials and dangerously delicious mimosas, which keep you drinking all night long. Whether you want to dance, sit outside, or have a conversation at the bar, visiting Southern Nights is a fun experience.
One of the best things about Southern Nights is that every night is different. With different live entertainment in the music venue area and themed evenings, you will have different, yet still exciting, experiences if you visit this location more than once during your stay.
9. Tin Roof
Address: 8371 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
Set in Icon Park, one of the best bars in Orlando International Drive, Tin Roof is the place for rip-roaring sessions while enjoying the Orlando nightlife or for some cheeky day drinks. Whether you’ve been enjoying a day of exploring Orlando or looking for a way to end a long day of play at I-Drive, Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld, or Universal Studios, Tin Roof is the place to be.
With great outdoor seating available, Tin Roof is the perfect Downtown Orlando bar for grabbing lunch, craft cocktails, and late-night appetizers. The best nights to stop by Tin Room are Monday, Friday, and Saturday nights, where you can enjoy dancing and happy hour specials.
Tin Roof hosts nightly live music, and is home to a great atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious food. Stop by and try the shrimp and grits, loaded tater tots, Jack cheese quesadilla, and the hoecake pile-up – these are an absolute must when dining at Tin Roof.
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10. The Wellborn
Address: 211 N Lucerne Cir E, Orlando, FL 32801
The Wellborn is a popular spot for travelers to enjoy a sociable night out with friends, whilst sipping a Delaney Park Swizzle, and tucking into some Floribbean small plates. Outdoor seating is spread across a brick pavement on an enchanted patio surrounding you with hanging orchids, low-lying philodendrons, and ferns.
The Wellborn is a hidden gem set in an old house, creating a down-to-earth vibe where you can take a break, relax, and enjoy the moment, especially when looking to bar hop when visiting Orlando.
The covered patio is the most popular area for visitors to sit in, but there is also seating inside when the weather is not cooperating. Among the offerings found on the yummy Floribbean menu (where American and Caribbean flavors meet) you can also find Nashville hot chicken, lamb gyro sliders, a Cuban sandwich, pimento cheese spread, nova lox, crunchy egg rolls, and some sensational vegan options.
If you are looking for a dog-friendly casual setting with hearty happy hours featuring DJs and live music, The Wellborn is the place to go. The service is friendly, and the atmosphere is exceptionally welcoming, offering a place to relax after a long day of business meetings or touring the area.
11. Hanson’s Shoe Repair
Address: 27 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801
Hanson’s Shoe Repair is one of Downtown Orlando’s best bars, providing an authentic speakeasy experience requiring a password to gain entry. But don’t worry about getting your name on some sort of VIP list, you can always find the password on their Twitter account! Here you can enjoy craft cocktails, craft beers, and other prohibition classics.
Once you walk through the door, you are greeted with dimly lit chandeliers and tiny string lights, creating a unique, intimate, and classy vintage vibe. The best nights to visit are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and though these are the busier nights, this bar is still tranquil, but if it gets too loud, you can enjoy the bar’s outdoor seating.
Hanson’s Shoe Repair staff are knowledgeable and friendly, providing a personable and unique experience like no other in Downtown Orlando. This bar is a hidden gem by design, and the secrecy of the speakeasy vibe helps keep the mystery of the setting alive and is a must when wanting to experience the best of the local bar scene.
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12. The Basement
Address: 68 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801
The Basement is one of the best bars in the area, offering drink specials on Friday and Saturday nights, a fantastic brunch, and some of the best live entertainment in town. The Basement is known as “Orlando’s Hometown Bar”, providing after-work specials, casual nights, and a gathering place for visitors to brighten their spirits.
Though this location gives off typical sports pub vibes, it is still among the most popular bars in the area, which is why it can get loud. But once you try the bar’s signature cocktail, the loaded Capri Sun, the noise will not be a problem, because they’re practically lethal!
Saturday night is the best night to visit, offering craft beer specials, crafted cocktails, drink and food specials, trivia, live music, and other special events and activities. Plus, the menu offers the best jerk chicken tacos and teriyaki shrimp bowls in town, which makes visiting this bar a must for foodies.
13. The Downtown Pourhouse
Address: 20 S Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801
The Downtown Pourhouse is the place to visit when wanting to watch sports during your getaway or to enjoy some of the best pub food in town. Menus are available for takeout, but if you want to experience the Central Florida vibe, sit out on the patio for lunch or dinner.
Popular menu items include the black and tan burger, southern chicken sandwich, chicken lettuce wraps, grilled chicken cobb salad, and flavorful queso. As one of the more popular bars in the area, The Downtown Pourhouse provides fantastic drink specials, including domestic beer buckets, perfect for gathering with friends to watch the game.
Above all, this places is versatile. The overall vibe of this location offers a place to be social with chums or get sauced on vodka Red Bulls for a wild night. The bartenders here are efficient, very friendly, and highly competent, plus their bottomless mimosas perfectly pair with your breakfast!
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14. ICEBAR Orlando
Address: 8967 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
The ICEBAR is one of the more memorable venues in Central Florida, offering the largest permanent ice bar setting in the world! This location has more than 70 tons of hand-carved ice, making it a totally unique watering hole you don’t want to miss.
The ICEBAR serves one-of-a-kind cocktails and fun music that will help create an unforgettable night set among exquisite ice carvings, lights, and a feel of the arctic. The frosty 22 degrees inside is the perfect place to cool off after spending a long day in the hot Florida sun. You don’t have to worry about catching a chill, as you will have a parka and fresh gloves provided to keep you warm.
The state-of-the-art sound and lighting system provides this popular location for a refreshing ICEBAR expedition, including a night of dancing and laughing with friends. In addition, this location is close to the airport, convention center, theme parks, and I-Drive making it a convenient spot to grab an ice-cold drink.
15. Aku Aku Tiki Bar
Address: 431 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801
Love yourself some tiki drinks? The Aku Aku Tiki Bar is set in Lake Eola Park, providing a fun, imaginative craft cocktail menu, including the coconut cocktail, mai tai, Monkey Business, and the Tiger Fucker – yup.
This location is one of the best bars in the area that is dog-friendly and very casual, enjoying a lively atmosphere and colorful decorations. On entry, you will be surrounded by surfboards, Hawaiian lights, and tiki-style furniture, which helps amp up the island vibe of the place, transporting you to the tropics.
The staff here are fantastic, providing suggestions for cheeky tiki cocktails, which are sure to become your favorite. It’s also worth noting that the drinks at this tiki bar are more affordable than visiting the tiki bars at the Polynesian Resort at Disney World, plus it’s way less crowded.
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16. The Monkey Bar
Address: 26 Wall St, 2nd floor, Orlando, FL 32801
Want more tiki or island-style drinks but NEED more monkies? It’s a more common request than you might think. If that is the case with you, The Monkey Bar is one of the best Wall Street Plaza Bars and is found on the second floor overlooking Wall Street Plaza and The History Center.
The tucked-away location provides a quiet place to relax and enjoy extraordinary beverages while enjoying the great view from the balcony. The Monkey Bar is very casual, featuring a DJ and live music. They serve a range of bottled beers, a delicious rum punch, and a number of island-inspired dishes, including the trio of tacos – duck, tuna, and fish.
When sitting at the bar or on one of the comfy couches at The Monkey Bar, you will be surrounded by wall-to-wall monkey art. These fun artworks and mirrors create a zany vibe, which may encourage you to release your inner monkey on the dancefloor!
17. The Porch Winter Park
Address: 643 N Orange Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789
The Porch Winter Park is a local pub and grill, a popular place in the Orlando area offering the best Chicken and Waffles and other breakfast items. Other popular menu options include the Buffalo Chicken, Fish Tacos, Giant Cobb Salad, and the Porch TV Dinner.
Visitors can enjoy this sensational late-night pub food while watching one of the ten televisions featuring various sporting events. The Porch Winter Park is the best college bar in the area, so expect to find a lot of young’uns discovering alcohol.
Eat, drink, and stay awhile when visiting The Porch Winter Park, where you will find great people, excellent food, classic cocktails, and fantastic pours. The vibe of this location is very rustic and has tavern-like charm, with a touch of island flare, making it an authentic Florida bar experience.
If you are looking for a place in the Orlando area to enjoy drinks, sports, and opportunities to hang out with the locals, check out The Porch Winter Park. However, it can get loud at night, as the Porch Winter Park is the best college bar in the area, so you can expect to find a lot of young’uns discovering alcohol. If you are looking for a quiet place to grab a bite or bev, it is best to visit The Porch Winter Park earlier in the day or during the week.
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18. Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar
Address: 1560 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Found at the Walt Disney World Resort in Disney Springs, Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar is the perfect theme park drinking experience. The atmosphere takes you back to the Prohibition, where you will feel like you have entered a speakeasy with a cozy, laid-back, intimate atmosphere. When drinking at this bar, you can access a large selection of rums, scotches, whiskeys, bourbons, rye, and cognac.
It’s not a bad shout for food either. In addition to the fantastic cocktails and beverage options, the menu offers fabulous items created by Disney chefs, including the braised short rib ragu, spaghetti, and meatballs, pasta della nonna, the Sunday Supper, gelato, and cannoli.
Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar is perfect for dinner, and dessert and vegan options are available. This fun place is open to everyone of all ages. The best thing about visiting Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar is no expensive Disney ticket is required!
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