So much untapped potential here! The Absinthe Room is an upstairs bar space with a very small area to enjoy the bar and a much larger area devoted to lounging but with no discernible motif to tie it together... Old rock and movie posters, a faded billiard table, coin operated shuffle board, beat up (but oh so comfy) furniture, and a fantastic view of Beale Street. They have a handful of Absinthe varieties here, each very different from the next. My girl got the Mata Hari, and I got the Lucid and both of us were pleased with our choices. read more

Absinthe Room - Lounges Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Great spot to shoot some pool in a low key environment. Smoking is permitted which was a major plus as I enjoy cigars Tables are only $1 per game. One drawback is the tables were in some rough shape in certain spots and the cue sticks were 50:50 to be playable at any competitive level. Would recommend and eager to be back tonight. read more

Kendall was amazing. He made the climb up those steep stairs worth every step! It was a quiet night, so he was able to give us undivided attention. We stayed for his company and interesting conversation. One friend had the Absinthe drink, the rest of us had a variety of other drinks. Looking forward to visiting Kendall again! read more

One of the few places on Beale that does not require a cover. Good music, pool tables, small bar, plenty of seating. Give it a try. read more

I smell something... I SMELL UNDERRATED! This place is definitely worth trying. The drinks are very nice. The vibes of the billiard table and the posters are so cool. The place is a bit small but it's okay, I still had fun. The staff is very kind and friendly. "So, I want to try the Absinthe Room, what would you rate i-" 5 STARS, 5 STARS, 5 STARS NO DOUBT. read more

I've had usually good experiences at Absinthe Room. I normally go with my girl friends and we usually go after midnight. The absinthe is cool and there's pool to play. Unfortunately, on my most recent outing I was sexually assaulted/harassed by an older man (who was wearing an absinthe room sweatshirt incidentally). And when I confronted him I was met with one of the female bartenders promptly shoving - and I mean SHOVING - me out of the bar along with one of the bouncers saying to my face "Get outta here with that childish a** sh**" So if you're a girl who wants to go out with your friends, I would not recommend absinthe room unless you want to run the risk of getting sexually assaulted without being able to do anything about it read more

Bartender was very kind and friendly. Bouncer was extremely polite and actually kept an eye on me and my sister even after we left the bar. We felt very comfortable and safe and had a pleasant evening. read more

This place is super unique! If you want to try absinthe, this is your spot. The inside is very "grungy" with a few pool tables, eclectic and historical art on the walls, and old furniture/couches (one of the couches was actually spilling out cotton everywhere with how old it was lol). The bartenders were also nice and answered my questions about absinthe and the drink offerings. read more

A MUST MuST DO!!! Awesome service. Good prices. Open later. Has absinthe which you don't find a lot in the states. Def recommend. Also had pool tables to play. Very cool atmosphere and good music. Has a Jukebox you can select music read more

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Memphis, Tennessee (Beale Street) --- The "Absinthe Room" is a "Run-A-Way Bill" Favorite bar! Bartender "Logan" was very interactive with the customers & very informative on the subject of "Absinthe" liquor. "Experiencing" the preparation of the "Absinthe" pARTy Beverage is a must when visiting the many rooms of the "Absinthe Room" (actually 5+ rooms/drinking areas). A nice view of Beale Street from the 2nd floor too. "Run-A-Way Bill" was here! (& will return) #RunAwayBill #DUSA2018 #Bars #BarsUSA #BAR_RAB #BarsRAB2018 #BealeStreet 05.16.18 read more

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Been sleeping on this review but finally getting around to it. Came here about a year ago during the holidays. I was initially excited to see there was an absinthe bar and I had been wanting to show my parents for a while so we finally decided to check it out. Upon getting there I ask for a corpse reviver #2, one of the most common cocktails that incorporates absinthe. The bartender (male), just looked at me and rudely asked "What the fuck is that?" To which i responded, "an absinthe based cocktail..." he further asked me if it was "some drink from New Orleans," as if that would make a difference? After this rude exchange I asked if he had Jade 1901, a damn fine absinthe. He proceeded to tell me to just look at the menu. Incredibly annoyed at this point I just asked for two beers. It's a shame that the dense cabbage of a bartender ruined my family's experience. read more

There was good music and sound coming from the upstairs bar and I was curious about the absinthe, so we paid the $5 cover. Upstairs, there were two patrons, a 2000's style music machine, gnats swarming the bar, 2000's era video games, ragged pool tables, and stuffing coming out of the handful of seats around the giant, empty space. I ordered canned beer to avoid the gnats. It was cool, not cold. My guess is that the good reviews are old or from people who value cheap prices/drunkeness over quality experiences. This place can exist for no other reason. read more

Awesome setup. Cool little speak easy. You get to see absinthe made the traditional way with the sugar cube, fire, and drip system. Recommended if you like absinthe. One improvement could be it the bar tender informed the customers about the types of absinthe available so they can make an informed choice instead of just giving them the default. read more

Absinthe Room - Absinthe - Lounges Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

The bar is good but the bartenders are the worst. WARNING: Have multiple people witness the amount of cash you hand them. They will take your cash, put it in the register, lie about how much you gave them, then mock you for protesting. read more

I will be trying it next weekend. I can't wait cause I have heard so many good things about Absinthe Room. I hope my friend Latoya Wilson was right on point with her observation of her surroundings. read more

This was a neat little experience. I had a nice time checking this place out with my friend David. We order only one drink since it was a pretty dead night and we were tired. Watching the technique was interesting and a little drawn out. Nonetheless, it added to the experience and the bartender was really nice and chatty. We were the only people in there and we talked about Beale, the DC political shit show, and naturally, absinthe itself. The space is large and open with lots of standing room and sitting and a couple of pool tables for recreational purposes. We stayed with the bar and took our time drinking our drinks. Note that after we left, only 2 hours later 2 people were shot and injured on Beale. Be mindful when coming down here and be careful. I love this place, but damn, Beale has gone downhill since I lived here a few years ago. That broke my heart. This business probably does well for itself in this location, but I could see it being profitable in Overton also. read more

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When you have had enough of Elvis, Jerry Lee, Johnny Cash, BB King and the excesses of Beale St. head up the steep dark staircase to The Absinthe Room. This place is dark, laid back, and miles away from a typical Memphis joint. I had never had Absinth before, but had always wanted to try. Chico at the bar educated me and I bit the bullet on the $18 experience. It is a 3 step process to make the alcohol palatable, that includes sugar cubes, fire, sorcery and small reptiles. I'm joking about the last 2 but the whole process feels slightly other worldly with the dim lighting, dark wood, trip hop playing on the speakers and knowing that the import of Absinthe has only been legal in the past decade. The drink is bitter but grows smooth after a couple of sips. Chico gave me a slight taste of the pure stuff and WOW - never want to do that again. And after a few more sips it is gone and so are all the worries of wondering if you have lived up to your potential, or did you tip enough at dinner - because everything is right with the world and you are now ready to conquer the remaining quasi juke joints and the rock-a-billy impersonators with gusto and clairvoyance as you head back down the steep dark staircase. read more

Absinthe Room - Chico preparing the ritual - Lounges Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

I found the Absinthe Room after stumbling out of a Grizzlies game on a Wednesday night and I couldn't find it again the next 3 days that we stayed at a hotel off of Beale Street! Is it hard to find? I guess it is, so definitely use Google Maps to point you in the right direction. I really liked the place, as it's located right on Beale Street, but requires that you take a long stair climb up to the second floor of the building. The decor qualifies it as a dive bar and I appreciated the jukebox playing Third Eye Blind. Our bartender was very polite and set up our Absinthe station with all the necessary equipment required to enjoy the experience. It was my first time having Absinthe and I liked it. I've had the stuff again since, but enjoyed it at the Absinthe Room much more, so kudos to another great Beale Street bar! *Tip* Use Google Maps to find the place or ask your friendly Beale Street patrons to point you in the right direction. read more

Loved this bar and I didn't even have any absinthe! Great vibe here. Dark and cozy. Different vibe from the other bars on Beale, much more intimate setting. Pool tables! read more

This place was so dope! From walking up the dark stairs to the dark ambiance of this bar when you get to it to the bartender back to the Absinthe drink! I loved it. The bartender was very personable and extremely friendly. He made me feel extremely welcome and we talked most of the time. The Absinthe drink was cool. I never heard of it before I came here and didn't expect much from it. Now, it has that licorice taste so it wasn't exactly delicious to me, but it did its job for what it is. If you're on Beale Street and want to escape the madness for a few moments, try this place. You won't be disappointed. read more

even though this place is in the heart of Beale, as you climb the black-lit stairs, it is like you are taking a step away from the touristy nature. This bar features TouchTunes (one of my personal faves) and some pool tables. Not much to it, but I have good times here. I can jam out to some good heavy tunes and hit balls into pockets. The drinks are well-made. I recommend this place to anyone who needs a quick escape from the norm on Beale. read more

In Memphis for a #dirtythirty trip and visited the Absinthe Room three times. We loved the laid-back vibe, excellent cocktails, and pool tables. This three story building felt historic, but totally safe and chill. Bathrooms were clean and well-kept. Food from downstairs was decent, but the great part of our visits was the Absinthe cocktail. Yum. read more

Not sure why all the high reviews. This place is a glorified dive bar on Beale St. We went in to get away from all the Elvis fans who were in town and all over the street for Elvis' birthday festivities. The bar is big and there are pool tables and other games located in the various rooms. But it is very dark, smells like old beer and has limited seating. There are several choices of Absinthe, but they are more expensive than any other absinthe bar we have been to. Just not our scene. But then the entire Beale Street experience was not for us either. read more

This cool little bar caught our eye as we were walking down the heart of Beale Street. Sat at the bar while the excellent bartender prepared our absinthe. The process is part of the experience. I like this place since it is completely different than anything on Beale Street. You can only take so much marginal blues blaring into the street and drunks walking around with 32 ounce cheep beers. read more

Absinthe Room - Getting ready. - Lounges Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

If you are walking on Beale street enjoying the sights you may mistakenly walk right past this place. It doesn't have any grand lighting or signage so it is easy to miss. This place is actually pretty cool. Very nice pool halls and a small but relaxing bar area. I must say that i really enjoyed watching the absinthe drink making process. It was actually a pretty cool sight to see and without giving it away I would say definitely visit if only just to see how them make the drink. The drink itself wasn't all that good in my opinion but you may like it if you like licorice tasting alcoholic beverages. This is definitely a place to visit to enjoy drinks and pool. read more

Absinthe Room - Lounges Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Never done reviews, I'm more of a reader than anything but, holy cow, i could not resist after this experience. We went to this bar after the iowa state vs Memphis game, very common to have iowa state fans out that night. From Iowa, we were having a great time until we came here. Full disclosure: i was the sober driver and did not order a single drink, so i witnessed these events as they happened. We were four men deep in our group, celebrating the victory. Then one of us was accused of accidentally taking a sip off the wrong drink. A sip. All hell broke loose, the lone bartender spewed sexual harassment and abuse at his direction from the bar. All manner of, you can imagine, hate speech was thrown at him while he held his arms up, absolutely confused. He of course apologized for any misconduct he may have, or may not have conducted yet this bartender insisted on pressing sexual harassment with her speech. There was no point in speaking with her, i even asked the bouncers if they knew what was going on. They gave me an answer. Unnacceptable regardless, no one should ever be treated this way, especially if there waa a misunderstanding. One star because the bouncers were nice and understanding. Worst bartender ever. Please get rid of her. read more

I am so depressed that I didn't visit Absinthe Room sooner. It is magical! Skipping off the hustle and bustle of Beale St to a hole-in-the-wall door, up a flight of stairs, past the door man and into the pool-table, smoky bar vibe of Absinthe Room made me feel like maybe the coolest person of all time. I felt like I was living in a movie. Seeing Beale St out the window felt like we were watching a movie of tourists through the smokiest, diviest, pool table-yist lens. It's dark, divey, dirty and beautiful. The layout of the place is awesome - there are separated rooms with pool tables in them. Couches are lined along the sides of the rooms. My partner, our friends and I walked into a room and just asked the group of folks playing pool in there if we could hang out. Fast forward 2 hours, 3 drinks and lots of shit-talking later, and we're all playing pool together in an Absinthe Room tournament. This is a place that feels so removed from Beale St that I honestly felt like I was in another world for a few hours. I can't recommend this highly enough - if you want a late night trash tryst with friends, this is the place to be. read more

I nice laid-back place to just hang from the noise on Beale. You either like Absinthe of not, me and my wife like the stuff as well as the experience, so we had to try it. It's upstairs and gets you away from the street. The have several choices and the bartender was good with the suggestions and serving. We hung out long enough to have another cocktail and play some pool and watch the crowd from the upstairs windows. Would come here again. read more

If you blink you will miss it... If you haven't experienced Absinthe then this is the place to do it. The front entrance is a single door into a dark stairwell of mystery. It seemingly feels like the perfect place to try it. When you get upstairs you are greeted by an intimate bar with the friendliest bartender that you ever could meet. As you watch your Absinthe being prepared with the ice cubes, fruit, and fire, you will appreciate the bartender's happy vibes. He keeps your spirits positive watching the drink being made. When he finishes, your drink will taste like licorice but will make you feel as happy as he seems. The couch, jukebox, and pool table add to the greatness of this inconspicuous place. Check it out if you are brave enough.... read more

This appears to very much be a "YMMV" place. Visited on a Sunday evening. Our bartender Brian provided honest advice to me and my friend as it pertained to our choice of absinthe. We opted for Lucid (him) and Mansinthe (me), enjoyed the preparatory process and nursed our drinks. As previously noted, the costs are a little higher than found elsewhere, but we also understood where we were. Over the course of 4 hours, we had a series of fantastic conversations with Brian and left feeling as though we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We did attempt to return the following day to see if the experience would be consistent, but it was not open. In our opinion, this is one of the standout places on Beale Street now. read more

I am an odd bird, maybe - but this place exactly fits my personality and I loved it. It's on Beale Street, but above it - there's not a big deal made about getting people in there, just a small sandwich sign and a long stairway up to the second floor. It's comfortably lit, has reasonable drink prices, good service, and chill people. There are four areas in the place that are separated either by windows or waist-high walls, but it's nice if you're with a group and want to hang out together. Three of the areas have pool tables, the fourth is the bar area. There are several comfortable pleather couches, and some awesome people-watching from the second-floor windows overlooking Beale. Very relaxed, fun music, and overall right on the mark by my measure. read more

Not being from Memphis it's hard to say if the crowd of college kids were having a costume party or in a hurry to become their obnoxious bourgeois parents overdressed pool hall smoking cigars drinking PBR tall boys. The absinthe was delicious. And then I wrote a collection of poems and short stories, two novels, painted four masterpieces, and chopped off my left ring finger. read more

First time trying Absinthe AND I AM NOW ADDICTED. This place was the perfect atmosphere for trying this euphoric drink. The bartender was attentive and answered all of our questions out this mysterious drink. My wife and I sipped on the powerful green substance and was instantly hooked. We sat by the large windows and people watched the visitors of Beale Street. Defiantly an old timey dark bar room feel that we absolutely enjoyed. read more

I don't play pool but I like hanging out at the Absinthe room anyway. It's comfortable, never crowed, and much quieter than the rest of Beale St. Find the white sign on the sidewalk and follow the arrow to a nondescript looking door. Behind the door is a very poorly lit flight of stairs. Walk up the stairs and you have arrived at the Absinthe Room. The space is divided in to 3 or 4 rooms with the bar located in the first room and pool tables in the others. The rooms on the street side have windows giving a birds eye view of the Beale St crowd. The Absinthe Room doesn't have a kitchen but you can order anything from the Kings Palace menu. read more

Been going here for a few years whenever I can make it to Memphis. I always liked the atmosphere, but i just got back from there and some freak in an employee shirt was basically fingering the short haired female bartender and then started acting like he going to fight me for beating him at pool. Super weird experience, be careful who is working if you come here. Its usually great in my experience, but I guess some employees like to start fights if they're off work? just be ready to leave if one of the employees gets aggressive and you should be fine! read more

Visited tonight for the first time. It was fine, until I was ready to leave. As I was walking down the stairs an employee threw a drink down the stairs and shouted "it's disrespectful to throw drinks on our floor". I'm assuming he was mistaken, as neither me nor my friends threw drinks or cups on the floor. For this reason this place gets a 1 star. I will never be back. Maybe the bar staff should be better trained at how to handle situations read more

Blink and you miss it. A door squeezed between 2 other establishments. We saw the word Absinthe on a small chalkboard and went up the dark staircase not knowing what we would find at the top. An awesome tiny bar actually! Very dark, which was the perfect setting. The bar top itself is small with only room for 4 stools. The bartender was very knowledgeable on absinthe and discussed the 4 that they had there, the taste, quality etc. Used a great little absinthe drip on the bar for the water. $9 and $15 a glass depending on the bottle which for 130 proof liquor is a decent price. They also have a nice cigar cabinet as this is a smoking bar. Pool tables in 2 of the smaller rooms were empty when we were there, Sunday night, but filled up around 10:30pm. Will definitely pop in here every time we visit Beale St. We loved it so much we ended up staying for 4 hours until closing, around midnight. Don't hesitate to try it. read more

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My favorite bar on Beale! This is where my night ended. You walk upstairs to this dark, cozy, all wooden bar. There's a bar tender who will chat with you. It wasn't very busy when I was there and it had a very intimate atmosphere. Of course, I ordered an absinthe, and the bartender set it up for me with fire and a sugar cube and everything. It was very cool and I felt the absinthe hit me quick. There's pool tables too. read more

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Loved the live band that was playing in the courtyard. Had a large green drink that was very good

I absolutely loved the vibe of the Absinthe Room! I went on a Thursday so it wasn't too packed so it was easy to grab a pool table or get to the bar. It provided a nice change of pace from Beale St. The set up also provides the opportunity to break of on your own or to mingle with others in the bar. The only reason why I gave it a 4/5 is because it's also a cigar lounge and I couldn't get the cigar smell out of my hair for two days. read more