Great service and amazing vibes. They made me specific delicious drinks; tequila espresso martini (10/10) and a spicy Paloma (to die for). Will be back! Thanks Al. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Tequila espresso martini - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Stopped in for a quick drink. Got 3 of their Green Tea shots (sour mix and peach schnapps), and ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz. Was aghast that they didn't have heavy cream, and instead they substituted Bailey's! Not only that, but they shook the cocktail for well over 3 minutes! What was served was average at best and undrinkable at worst. A shame. read more

Very disappointed by the level of security and urgency of the bouncer(s). My friend (Female) was harassed all night by these dudes claiming to be from Bolivia. urging her to "come work for them" and to "take a trip to Bolivia to learn Spanish". after pressing these men, and women that were with them, to leave us and my friend alone they continued to harass her all night until we left. The man who was the main perpetrator followed us out the bar and all security did was step in front of him after being made aware of the situation. He proceeded to stare us down through the windows and eventually came outside and watched us walk down the block. absolutely disgusting behavior and a complete under-reaction to a very dire and serious situation. these men were about in their 40s and had multiple women with them who claimed them to be their "boss" and stated that they were their "pimp". If you care for your female friends or are a female yourself, I would recommend you find another place to spend your nights at. read more

Told the bartender which drinks I liked and asked him to choose something with a similar palate profile. He made me a black manhattan. Absolutely excellent!!! read more

Holy Whisky Batman! Wow. Talk about intimidating. Bartenders helpful and mercifully when making a selection. Thank you. Expect to shell out $30 for a Double neat but worth it. Whisky so yummy in the tummy. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Whisky and THC sparkling water. Perfect happy hour on a rainy Friday. - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Place was cool. Service was less than ideal. (Coming from someone in the industry 15yrs btw). Didn't think you could get worse than the often times terrible philadelphian hospitality (I'm from phila)...but I stand corrected. We still tipped them well, 20%+ because we were celebrating a good cause and we were on good vibes that day/weekend, so lucky staff, but it was just disappointing. Hope it's not like that all the time. Had decent hopes for our experience there for being such a whiskey enthusiast; do go for the whiskey options and expect to pay $$$ depending on your palate, I.e., $26/pour Scapa, $21 For Weller SR if I recall correctly, but unless you're a regular or know the "situation there, don't go and expect a whole lot of welcome. An idea for their venue is to update their info online bc what you see online (as an out of towner would likely go to get info) is not what you're getting when you arrive. *Ambiance was cool and looked like they attracted some chill people though read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - a man sleeping on a couch - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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This place is awesome. I was here around 5PM on a Saturday and it wasn't crowded at all. The bartender was amazing. He asked us what we liked and what we didn't like and made each of us our own individual cocktails. They were all great. Outstanding service. Outstanding selection of liquor - they have EVERYTHING - including Pappy. The ambiance was electric. Old school, leather couches, dimly lit, with a pool table around back. Just an awesome place to grab a drink or several. If you don't like crowds, I'd suggest going a little earlier in your night because I was told by the bartender and a couple that walked in that it can get very crowded later at night. What a great spot though - I'll def. be back. read more

spilled a drink 2 seconds after. slippery cup and refused to remake seemed drunk. macklemore vibe. annoying not coming back.

Cool bar that attracks a slightly more mature crowd. Great selection of whisky. Bartenders have always been fast and professional.

This is my go-to stop on a night downtown! The ambiance is so relaxing, with couches and pool tables in the back as well as pin ball machines! The service is always great with polite and timely staff. On weekends they have live music which is a great bonus. read more

Al's is a great spot to stop and hang out when you're in Syracuse. It's just a great old dusty whiskey bar. They have an absolutely massive selection of spirits from all over with their specialty being obviously whiskey. Their prices were all fairly reasonable on most of their pours with the obvious mark ups on some of the more allocated spirits they carry. Their food menu was also very welcomed in the presence of all these wonderful pours. I enjoyed what is probably the best grilled cheese I've had. Three different types of cheese, short rib, onions and mustard smashed into a panini press on delicious bread and served up with a cherry chipotle dipping sauce.... it was soooo tasty! The only reason I gave it 4 stars was that it had a very local/regulars type feel to it. As someone who was visiting from out of town I can see where some people might be put off or feel like they aren't welcomed in the establishment. This could also be attributed to the fact that it was early in he evening and slow when I was there, but if you have a true passion for whiskey... you'll fit in eventually with a little bit of conversation. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Alex was amazing! He made us a twist on a Bourbon Sidecar and a New York Sour. Omg! Best drinks I've had in a while! He even gave me extra cherries. Excellent service and great atmosphere!!! I will definitely be back! read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - New York Sour and a twist on a Bourbon Sidecar - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This is the best bar. I ordered a NY sour. The bar tended didn't like how it came out, so he remade it instead of serving it. It was delicious and frothly made with egg white. Simply marvelous. read more

Fun place to go at night and the late afternoon. There's pool, darts, and pinball machines and the couches and board games around the bar are a nice touch. Drink selection is great and I would highly recommend this place to whiskey lovers. read more

This is my go to late night going out spot. The bartenders know how to make almost any drink you can think of, and even if they don't they try their best to figure it out. The whole place is dark and cozy yet welcoming any night of the week with endless fun, drink and liquor options and the live music is always on point read more

Being an upperclassman at Syracuse, my friends and I have begun venturing into the city more and Al's is one of our favorite spots! Al's has a great ambiance, with lots of comfy, spread out seating, games and a huge supply a liquor. My friends and I like to come, sit in the back and play pool or just all hang on the couches and talk. Last time we went we had to order food under the NYS Regulation, and we had the nachos which were honestly delicious. Overall, a great, more upscale bar in downtown Syracuse that is great for groups or even to take parents to! read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Enjoying the seating and ambiance of Al's - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

One of my most favorite places. Love Al's. I always come here when I'm in Syracuse. It's a great bar with a lot of options. The ambiance is amazing and so cozy. I love it here! The bartenders are friendly and fast. And they always have events going on here. I'll definitely be back here again soon! read more

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Wow. What a place. I didn't expect such a cool atmosphere couches, plus chairs, and tables all over the front and back of the establishment. A long bar rides up against the left side decorated with hundreds of whiskies: Scotch whisky, Irish Whiskey, blends and oh so much more. They even have a light menu which could hit the spot for any Scotch or Wine enthusiast. I had a great conversation with the bartenders and settled in at the bar drinking an Old Pultney 12 year old Scotch which was the best way I could end a successful day. Even the black golden retriever, Noah, added a touch of home. Live entertainment on Wednesday's Al's is a great place to for anyone to relax and talk with friends over a dram, glass of wine, or a draft beer although i think a dram of scotch is the way to go. Enjoy your time and drink a glass of Highland Scotch and just appreciate the flavor and opportunity to reflect upon your day. read more

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So if you ever decide to come to this bar come during the weekdays, the people there during the week have such a great knowledge of everything behind the bar they're so friendly and welcoming I've been going here for years and weeknight especially when Alex is working has always been great he cares and actually want to talk but weekends is a different story Friday and Saturday night this bar is not a fun seen to walk into, you have to wait 20+ minutes for a drink and the bartenders are actually rude they pass over you if you aren't decent looking or just don't present yourself properly and I'm not saying this out of spite or anything I'm a service worker myself and I've been here so many weekends and it's always the same I get ok service while I watch other people get skipped over because they don't fit what the bartender wants to talk to or see and it's sad to see. I don't know I have very mixed feelings about this place and only hope the best if you ever read this and give this place a chance. read more

Nice atmosphere. Helpful, nice bartender. Awesome drink. Fair prices! Went in for pre dinner drinks with my boyfriend. Since it was still early, there were only a couple other patrons. At first, the bartender honestly seemed annoyed or preoccupied..but, once we ordered with him he was great. We didn't know what we wanted so he said he could make something based on our tastes...some kind of citrusy gin drink (pictured) was awesome!! He also allowed us a generous sample of a certain liquor we requested to try. Didnt try the food nor utilize the pool table/games. Would totally go back and try those out! read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Bartenders creation upon request... - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

My daughter moved to Syracuse a few years ago and loves to take visiting friends and family here for bourbon and darts. It's an eclectic clientele, and I am a huge fan. I should say we tend to go early evening and leave around 8pm when Syracuse sporting events let out and the younger crowd comes in. Don't hesitate to ask Jordan for suggestions if you're looking to try the unusual or expensive. This trip was my entire family and we were celebrating 4 birthdays. After some competitive dart playing we splurged and tried a shot of Pappy Van Winkle. An expensive treat, but when you're a bourbon lovin' family and have the chance to sample Pappy sometimes you just have to go for it. Definitely worth a stop in if you're in town. read more

Very cool place!!! They have a VERY extensive list of whiskeys and other spirits (very impressive tequila stock!) all at a reasonable price. Comfortable atmosphere I'll definitely return read more

Went here the other weekend. Have been here several times pre-covid. Place is very spacious and they have removed games from the bar to add more seating. Bar has plexiglass to space out parties. Very large selection of pretty much anything you want to try drink wise. They also can pretty much make any cocktail you could imagine, the bartenders are skilled at their trade. The drinks taste good and a made well. Prices also reasonable. They do have some snacks, but we didn't eat during our visit. The only thing about this place that always gets me is the carpet, I bet it has seem somethings in its time but it adds to the Ambience of the establishment. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - shelves of liquor - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Always a great spot to hang out, play some pool and have some delicious whiskeys. It's a long time favorite.

The drinks are good. Huge variety and if someone in your party can't find a drink they like then they're a major drink snob. The food was surprisingly good too. It's kinda dark in there - not a problem but not a bright spot. read more

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I love this place from about 7 PM to 9:45 PM. The selection of whiskeys is amazing. They must have at least 50 types of rye whiskey alone, which is obviously the best kind of whiskey ever made. Most local bars have none. The bartender and bar-back are male, but chill and funny. Nice pool table and mostly comfortable upholstered furniture. Good food so far. I'm working my way through the menu. They could use a better selection of board games, and with the money they pull in they can afford to keep extra plastic chess pieces around to replace the pieces that drunken morons steal as souvenirs. The problem that develops as 10 o'clock approaches is that the old people drift away and the place gradually fills with underage college students. It gets to the point that you need to squeeze your way out the door looking for anyone over the age of 25. I suppose it's good for the bar's bottom line, but we old farts need to unionize or something - claim a dark corner in the back, perhaps. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

This is a cool lounge to stop and grab some drinks, food, and listen to some music! Although it's a "wine and whiskey" lounge they don't have a good selection of sweet/semi-sweet wines. The bartender- who was very nice might I add- poured me the sweetest wine they carried and it was grossssss and super dry. We ate here too, they have a decent menu. Apps, soup, salad, paninis,etc. There's live bands on the weekends. All around chill vibes, nice employees, good food, and cool atmosphere. It's worth checking out if you're ever venturing through the area. P.S. there's not many options for parking on the street outside but there's a parking lot up the road where ya gotta pay $10 to park. read more

my partner has a speech impediment and they refusesd to serve him meanwhile treating him like a drunk. they were disrespectful for no reason. The worst service while discrimimating against him meanwhile there were rude men making inappropriate comments the entire time we were in the establishment. Do not go here if you are a female trying to have a safe place to enjoy your night, read more

great ambiance and good drinks, the pool table in the back is always fun and has many people waiting their turn to play

"Well, me and my lady had our first big fight So I drove around till I saw the neon light The corner bar, it just seemed right so I pulled up Not a soul around but the old bar keep Down at the end lookin' half asleep But he walked up and said, what'll it be? I said the good stuff He didn't reach around for the whiskey He didn't pour me a beer His blue eyes kinda went misty He said you can't find that here 'Cause its the first long kiss on a second date Momma's all worried when you get home late And droppin' the ring in the spaghetti plate 'Cause you're hands are shakin' so much And its the way that she looks with her eyes and her hair Eatin' burnt suppers the whole first year And askin' for seconds to keep her from tearin' up Yeah man, that's the good stuff." -from "The Good Stuff" by Kenny Chesney ******************************* Seems like the times when having a special drink is the most special is when you're with a good friend. At a wedding, that's also really special when you're taking the toast. Here, this place seems like a special setting to sit with a good friend to sit at the shiny wooden bar, on a leather couch, at the darts board, or at the chess table lost in thought and sharing laughs. It's pretty special how the bookshelves are lined with whisky bars and they sparkle. You picture it being in a old movie and an old man climbing the sliding the ladder to pull a bottle down especially for you. When you come into a place from out of town and as soon as you walk in you smile. Now that's when you know a place is beautiful. And that's just what this place is like. This place definitely has "The Good Stuff" even though they drink milk in the song (they would probably serve that for you here if you asked!) and I don't mean all the whiskeys they have here. I mean the special quality that makes for wonderful times with friends. It's something akin to hospitality at its' heart. This place shines! read more

Stopped in here around 9:30 on a Friday night and it was standing room only. The place was packed and I wasn't surprised considering it was Thanksgiving weekend and there seems to be only a handful of decent bars in downtown Syracuse. Getting a drink was a challenge, but the selection appears impressive. I'm stuck at 4 stars because, while the selection appears impressive, I left not knowing what they actually had to offer. The bar was too big, too packed, and too dark with ceilings too high to be able to see the options. I don't know how a wine and whiskey lounge could possibly not have a menu. After asking for one, the response was "we have everything." I see at least 3 problems with this answer: 1) That's not possible. 2) The no-menu approach is a fast way to waste a bartender's time and the customer's time when the customer inevitably asks for options. 3) How do I know what you're charging me if you don't have a menu? Aside from that, for a "lounge," there aren't many places to actually lounge, but on a positive note, the decor is very eclectic and the food looked good. read more

Love this comfy space- lots of couch seating multiple spaces to hang with a crowd or date space. Pool tables, darts and live music. Drink selection is excellent with extensive whiskey and wine menu. read more

My favorite bar in Syracuse... Music is always great. People are very friendly. Food is delicious..... And service is good. The bartenders are always willing to help/suggest new things. Always end up meeting someone new when I go. read more

Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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I live a few hours west of Syracuse, but when I visit my Syracuse friends we always go to Al's. They have the best whiskey selection that I've ever seen, and I spent most of my adult life in NYC. They also have an excellent tequila selection (I do appreciate a good tequila), and a very good beer selection. I haven't had much food there, but whatever I've had has been very good. read more

Used to be much better. Great selection of liquor but door staff leaves much to be desired and recently seem to have a hard time dealing with a crowd. Maybe need new bartenders. Not what it was years ago. Definitely not as welcoming. read more

I showed up after hours to pick up a crew of women, as a sober driver. The initial door guy was nice and understood I was there to pick up guests. However, the lead security guy (short, in a suit with curly hair) said I COULD NOT COME IN. He said it was beyond hours to allow new guests in. I understood the rules, and stood outside in the snowy cold waiting for my crew to walk out. The women in the crew begged to let me stay, and even offered money to no avail. What's worse is I noticed at least several times there were choice persons this guy personally let in and locked the door behind. So there was a double standard. Bad employees ruin businesses. read more

An honest disappointment. If you're looking for a casual bar with friendly bartenders then stay far FAR away from Al's. Even though they're understaffed with bartenders and have pre-historic couches, I can't recommend Al's to my worst of enemies. The bar is conveniently located by the front door so when you try to walk in on a Saturday night you cannot pass through to the quieter part of the bar. If you're lucky enough to get a drink on a weekend night I'm sure you won't be lucky enough to get a pleasant bartender. The lonely 1 star this place receives is in regards to their plethora of whiskey available. If the management showed true interest in cultivating a pleasant experience for their customers then I would give this a recommendation. Until then, stay far away from this cry-for-help of a bar. read more

This place has a great whiskey menu. The library wall of bottles is both intimidating and impressive. Live music was great! However, were quick to swipe my money off the bar! Took $10 a few times :( Note to self: don't leave your $$ On the bar read more

Casual atmosphere tasty chacouterie you choose your meats and cheeses and the fresh bread and olive oil with balsamic is very good. Nice relaxing areas and great selection of alcohol. read more

I'm not a local, but I took this recommendation from someone who is. I couldn't have been happier with my Al's experience. The atmosphere is perfect for a quick drink and conversation. Love the decor. The bottle wall is absolutely stunning. I don't normally love couches in bars, because that can get a bit gross, but they have a bunch and they're all super clean looking. There also seems to be a back room with pool tables. Maybe darts? I didn't get a chance to take a good look back there. Wanted to leave myself an excuse to return. Bar staff was friendly. I did not order whiskey or wine, but my gin and tonic was good. Price was very reasonable. I've heard they do live music on occasion. I'll be back to test out their wine list and check out the music situation. I loved this place. I only wish I lived closer. read more