The Cork Cocktail Bar Bucket List To Sip Your Way Through This Summer

Sarah

Planning a trip to Cork city? Don’t be stressing out over which bars to hit up and where to get your cocktail fix – we’ve got that all sorted for you. We’re sound like that, y’know?

Less time wandering = more time boozing. Happy days!

Swing by these eight cocktail spots (maybe not in one night though, unless you have nerves of steel) and sample the finest tipples that Cork has to offer.

1. Cask, MacCurtain Street

Cask was opened last year in a former antique shop in Cork’s Victorian quarter and it still retains that old world charm.

Old tiles, dimmed lights and a pretty courtyard by an outdoor fountain all add up to make this one of the most popular watering holes in the city. Their cocktail menu changes seasonally every eight weeks and it’s very good.

Order the Man of Aran and the bartender will tell you he loves you. True story. It’s made with Connemara Peated Whiskey, dilisk, smoked wakame, Mancino Bianco and grapefuit oils.

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2. Edison, Washington Street

An uber trendy bar with loud (and we mean LOUD) music on the weekends, Edison stands out with its cool industrial design and all those lightbulbs.

It’s been serving up craft cocktails for years at this stage and shows no sign of slowing down. Word to the wise though, Edison gets mad packed at weekends so if you’ve any qualms about queuing for a drink stick to midweek sessions here.

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3. Barcadia, Sheares Street

The West’s answer to Token, Barcadia is the only retro arcade with a kitchen & full bar in Cork!

With dozens of original machines, lovingly restored by their team, Barcadia brings back the epic 80’s and 90’s retro arcade games in their full glory. You’ve got heaps of themed anime and cartoon cocktails too, if that takes your fancy. And really, it should.

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4. Arthur Mayne’s, Pembroke Street

A 120-year-old chemist turned wine bar, Arthur Mayne’s is a treasure trove of dark alcoves and secrets. Walls are lined with all the original pharmacy stock – old medicines, retro beauty products and other quirky bits lost in time.

A room at the back is filled with hundreds of old cameras and rolls of film – the bar’s way of paying homage to what used to be the dark room for developing photographs. Cocktails are artisan and there’s a hidden speakeasy bar located next door.

Head ‘Upstairs’. It’s well worth seeking out.

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5. The Secret Garden

This hidden gem in Cork is filled with quirky furnishings, a DJ desk in a pimped up campervan and delish drinks. Think Alice in Wonderland meets Narnia and that might give you a clue as to what this grown up playground entails.

The hidden attic section upstairs is the best bit. Grandparent style furniture with boozy youngster cocktails.

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6. The Oyster Tavern

The makeover of the 18th century-founded Oyster Tavern was taken on by renowned restaurateur Alan Clancy who has 37 Dawson St and House in Dublin so you know you’re in for a solid evening of cocktails and craic.

The two storey bar has two vibes: downstairs lends itself towards a more chilled and laid back customer, while the upstairs bar will host a party atmosphere with a DJ, cocktails, and dance areas.

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7. SUAS rooftop bar

SUAS is more of a student-y spot focusing on mega craic rather than craft cocktails. Which, let’s face it, is what you really want at 11pm on a Saturday night.

The covered rooftop lounge is perfect for summer sun and winter chilling under the heaters and there’s live music basically every day of the week.

Also, a rooftop in Cork city? You can’t beat that.

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8. Bar Pigalle

Cathedral views and an entire wood-fired pizza menu named after famous artists? Bar Pigalle is a s tylish little bar on Cork’s historic Barrack St that boasts a beer garden drenched in flowers.

And of course, let’s not forget about the cocktails. Gin cocktails include the painfully honestly named I Didn’t Text You, It Was The Gin (Tanqueray gin, fresh lemongrass & lemon with homemade hibiscus syrup) and the Return Of Martinez – Dingle gin, Antica Formula, Maraschino and orange bitters.