9 Great Cocktail Bars in Athens, Greece

This article has partner links that I may receive compensation from at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site by using them!

One of the reasons why I fell in love with Athens, Greece was its excellent cocktail bars. The dense center of Athens is packed with excellent places to eat and drink, boasting several entries on lists of the best bars worldwide. While there are hundreds of options to fit whatever vibe you’re looking for, here are my favorite cocktail bars in Athens.

Barro Negro

Barro Negro is the first tequila & mezcal bar in Athens. It was opened by two friends who love Mexican spirits, George Kavaklis and Stelios Papadopoulos, in 2019. Their collection is quite impressive, with bottles filling towering shelves. The bar is named after the Barro Negro pottery from Oaxaca. Some of the pottery decorates the bar.

While most Athens cocktail bars are only open at night, Barro Negro is open all day. Most of the daytime business is focused on coffee drinks, but you can still get one of their signature cocktails, on tap cocktails, or margaritas at any time. Whether you’re having a coffee or day drinking, I recommend one of the giant cookies from the jar on the counter.

The whole front of the bar opens up, allowing for lots of fresh air, plus an outside patio. It’s a tiny slice of Mexico in Greece.

My first drink was the Cristalino Old Fashioned, made from Volcan Cristalino Tequila, peanut butter, carob, sarsaparilla, and aromatic bitters. The drink included an ice cube stamped with the logo of The World’s 50 Best Bars, since the publication had just honored the bar by putting it at #70 on the 2023 list. I enjoyed the unique take on an old fashioned, particularly the subtle nuttiness of the peanut butter.

For my second drink, I had El Burro Loco, a refreshing cocktail made from Bruxo X Mezcal, O/purist Tsipouro (a Greek spirit), mango, chamomile, aromatic bitters, ginger beer, and lime.

Address: loannou Paparrigopoulou 15, Athina 105 61, Greece (map)
Website

The Bar in Front of the Bar

The Bar in Front of the Bar is an aptly named hotspot on a narrow street in central Athens. If you visit, keep an eye out, as taxis and motorbikes are still passing by.

What does the bar name mean? I won’t tell you just yet. You’ll have to scroll down to the next entry on my list.

The lively street space has standing tables, as well as some seating. Some of the area is covered, but not all of it. There’s a wall of scrolling sayings and quotes, such as “Streets are the new family” and “Something To Talk To Your Therapist About.” It all oozes cool but in a laid-back way. The bar was #98 on the 2023 list of The World’s 50 Best Bars.

The cocktail menu at The Bar In Front Of The Bar changes daily, so you never know what you might find. All of the drinks are inventive & excellent. I had the Mandarin Sour, made from Jack Daniels, carrot, and horseradish. While that initially sounds strange, all the flavors worked well together.

Address: Petraki 1, Athina 105 63, Greece (map)
Website

Rumble in the Jungle

Rumble in the Jungle is a speakeasy-style bar hidden behind The Bar in Front of the Bar. Head through the unmarked door; if space is available, you can head inside to join the fun at one of the best cocktail bars in Athens.

The theme of Rumble in the Jungle is the famous fight between Muhammad Ali & George Foreman in Zaire in 1974. Plant leaf wallpaper, jungle animal statues, and plants decorate the bar. DJs play a good mix of music to set the scene, with lots from the 70s, of course, including soul and African & Latin beats, before also incorporating more modern dance music.

Despite being a hidden bar, there’s zero pretentiousness at Rumble in the Jungle. The bartenders are more than happy to talk about their craft and make recommendations. Spotlights on the bar highlight where each drink is being made so you can watch or take photos & videos.

My first drink was the Polao Pata, made with Jack Daniels, pandan, banana, and cacao butter. It was one of my favorite cocktails in Athens. I enjoyed how it had just a bit of a fizz to it, making it more like a highball with banana and cacao.

Then I went off-menu with a take on a colada, which featured a blend of rums with pecans and burnt orange. It, too, was excellent.

Address: Petraki 1, Athina 105 63, Greece (map)

The Clumsies

The Clumsies is another Athens bar that appears on the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars (#47 in 2023).

There are two main sections to The Clumsies: A darker & more intimate bar area, then other sections with restaurant-style tables. The restaurant has a full food menu, including brunch. If you can choose, I’d recommend sitting in the bar room, as I felt like that area was more of the atmosphere you’d expect from a highly-rated place. For the ultimate experience, The Room is available for small group bookings via their website.

In addition to their quirky, creative regular menu, The Clumsies also has a cocktail degustation menu consisting of 4 half cocktails so you can try various creations. They have some truly off-the-wall inventive drinks. There is a seasonal cocktail menu, but past hits are also available.

I enjoyed the Bee’s Gifts, which contained Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey, mead honey vinegar, hazelnut, and Pedro Ximenez.

Not only are the drinks like nothing you’ll have had elsewhere, but the prices are also a very reasonable 10-12 euros. This is actually the case with many of these cocktail bars. Oftentimes, award-winning or upscale cocktail bars try to charge more, but for the most part, I found cocktails in Athens to be reasonably priced.

Address: Praxitelous 30, Athina 105 61, Greece (map)
Website

Baba Au Rum

Although named after the French pastry also popular in Naples, Baba Au Rum is a lively Athens cocktail bar that brings the Caribbean to Greece.

Rum-focused cocktails plus DJs playing old jazz, Latin, & Caribbean music set the atmosphere. They also serve wine & beer, including a house beer called Baba Au Rum Tropical Fruit Ale, made by Athens brewery Blame The Sun. There are also display cases with bar paraphernalia and books, reminding me of Caribbean Club in Barcelona.

Similarly, the bar was also welcoming. The manager quickly found a spot for us & offered to help with any questions we had about the menu.

I had the Baba Au Rum Cocktail, as I figured I’d go with one of the bar’s classic concoctions. The umami daiquiri included Barcelo Imperial rum from the Dominican Republic, vanilla, sweet sherry, oak, lime, basil, and botanicals.

While the cocktails and atmosphere are excellent, the bar’s service can get a bit spotty the busier it gets. It took us a while to get our check (in fact, we ended up opting against a second drink because it took so long). While plenty of staff members were around, most of the men seemed content to let the one female server do the bulk of the work.

Address: Klitiou 6, Athina 105 60, Greece (map)
Website

Juan Rodriguez Bar •Compañia de Bebida

Juan Rodriguez Bar •Compañia de Bebida is an all-day cocktail bar with different vibes inside and out. Inside, it’s a quirky space, while the outside patio on the steps in the alleyway across the street from the graffitied walls is the place to be on a nice evening. Just watch out for cars!

Their Boogie Nights cocktail list is themed by the day of the week – but don’t worry, you can order any of the drinks on whatever day you want. There is also a spirits list & a wine list, including rose rum sangria. They serve food as well.

I had the Friday, a bright, refreshing, inventive tiki drink made with Havana Club Añejo 7 Year, Amaro Montenegro, pistachio syrup, tangerine, fresh lime juice, & absinthe. I especially liked the pistachio.

Address: Pallados 3, Athina 105 54, Greece (map)
Website

Drunk Sinatra

Drunk Sinatra is a fun Athens cocktail bar with a variety of themes. Yes, Ol’ Blue Eyes is prominent, with a portrait of the singer hanging on the walls and pizzas on the menu named after women he was with or rumored to be with.

But then there’s also Christmas decor hanging from the ceiling, along with a cocktail menu with the theme of “Forbidden Fruit” that leans toward the tropical side.

The first drink I had was the Give it to Me, a take on a Zombie that included Pampero white rum, Pampero dark rum, Zacapa 23 rum, cachaca, fresh mango, passionfruit, lemon, ginger, cinnamon syrup, & orgeat.

Then I switched gears and ordered the See You Again, made from mezcal, Roe & Co whiskey, cinnamon syrup, & bitters.

With tasty cocktails, a popcorn machine, and a DJ playing cool funky music (both old and new), Drunk Sinatra is a fun place with a bit of everything.

Address: Thiseos 16, Athina 105 62, Greece (map)

MoMix Bar Kerameikos

MoMix Bar Kerameikos is the first molecular mixology bar in Athens. I first encountered their drinks at a special event they bartended in Kalamata. They also used to have a bar in Santorini, but it is no longer in operation.

The bar is an open & airy space just outside the Metro station. It’s an especially fun place to go with a group or a date. You can do their tasting menu if you are there with two or more people. I was visiting solo, but I was still able to try a couple of interesting & unique cocktails, some of which had Greek specialty drink ingredients.

The menu at MoMix bar is broken up into five sections. First is the Senses, which are “liquid cocktails with applications emulsification, carbonation, use of umami, dehydration as well as foaming.” Then there are the Molecular Highlights, which are “liquid cocktails with solid elements and usage of techniques that will make your palate tingle such as Spherification, foaming, intense carbonation, filtering, dry ice, emulsification, mouth tricks etc.” Next are the MoMix Illusions, “solid cocktails for one or many. Molecular applications change the way you consume alcohol. Be careful though… they can still get you drunk!” Another section is “A” Bubbles, which are delicious tasty cocktail bubbles that pop in the mouth and create an alternating game of flavors and textures.” Finally, there are Tubes, “cocktails shots in test tubes, combined with infusion, dehydration and reverse spherification techniques.” Non-alcoholic drinks are also available.

On my MoMix Athens bar visit, I first had the Greek Delight, as I wanted something especially local. This tasty drink from the Molecular Highlights menu contained Roots Mastic liqueur and rose liqueur enhanced with Absolut Vodka, aromas of cinnamon and plum in balance with lime, bitter almond, and vanilla foam sprinkled with “caviar” made of rose.

Then I had the Black Tuesday, an enjoyable cocktail from the Senses menu made with Jameson Irish Whiskey gently flavored with black tea and vanilla from Madagascar, berry jam, and notes of bitter citrus.

When I was at TBEX in Kalamata, I got to try a few of their other drinks, such as Athens Nightfall, a sweet and sour Cocktail with aged Havana Club Añejo Reserva Rum and Metaxa 7 Stars, along with exotic fruit flavors and handmade ginger syrup, notes of spices and cinnamon, served with a test tube flavored with passion fruit liqueur, Absolut Vodka, and tropical fruit “pearls. I also had Hugo’s Brunch, a Polynesian Cocktail with extracts of aged Havana Club Añejo Reserva Rum, mango flavor, citrus, and vanilla aromas, served with “caviar” from melon liqueur.

If you’re into the concept of molecular mixology and/or looking for something like you’ve never drank before, head to MoMix.

Address: Voutadon 36, Athina 118 54, Greece (map)
Website

Verbasco

While many of the bars on my list of the best cocktail bars in Athens are award-winning bars or themed places, Verbasco is none of those. Instead, it’s a cool neighborhood bar that’s a great hangout.

With neon lights and green plants extending out into the patio space, and with chill music that has just enough life not to be boring, Verbasco is a nice date spot or place to catch up with a friend.

The drinks, which include twisted classic cocktails, signature cocktails, and seasonal inspirations, are all prepared under a spotlight.

I particularly enjoyed The Prophet, an outstanding drink made from rum, spiced rum, Aperol, Mangalore liqueur, and apricot chutney.

Address: Vriaxidos 15, Athina 116 34, Greece (map)

Here are some great Athens tours & activities & other things to see & do in Athens.

If you’re looking for a place to stay in Athens, check out these hotels. I recommend the Moxy Athens City, InnAthens, and Pan Hotel Athens.