Looking for the best bars in Little Rock? From craft cocktails and local beer to wine, margaritas and great food, the Little Rock area has plenty of places worth pulling up a seat.
AY Magazine has rounded up 20 standout restaurant bars across the Little Rock area, from longtime local favorites to stylish spots for drinks, dinner and a night out. Whether you’re looking for cocktails with friends, a great happy hour or a place where the food is just as good as the drinks, start here.
Capital Bar and Grill
A Little Rock classic inside the historic Capital Hotel, Capital Bar & Grill pairs Southern-inspired food with a standout bar program. Stop in for cocktails, wine or a meal in one of downtown Little Rock’s most iconic settings.
The Pizzeria
The Pizzeria in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood combines wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza with a serious cocktail-bar experience. Pair one of its creative pizzas with a craft cocktail, then save room for one of the restaurant’s popular desserts.
Raduno Brick Oven & Barroom
Raduno brings together brick-oven pizza, Italian-inspired dishes and a creative bar program in Little Rock’s SoMa neighborhood. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons, while wine and beer round out the drink options, making Raduno an easy choice for everything from drinks with friends to dinner or weekend brunch.
Big Orange Midtown
Known for its burgers and shakes, Big Orange Midtown also delivers a serious cocktail experience. The bar menu features seasonal creations, classic cocktails and zero-proof options, while its boozy shakes offer another way to pair drinks with one of Little Rock’s favorite burger spots.
Brood & Barley
Located in downtown Argenta, Brood & Barley pairs an inventive gastropub menu with an ambitious bar program. Expect signature and seasonal cocktails, an extensive spirits selection, beer and wine, plus creative alcohol-free options. Its thoughtfully curated tequila selection gives cocktail and spirits fans another reason to cross the river to North Little Rock.
The Pantry (West)
The Pantry West combines European-inspired comfort food with one of west Little Rock’s longtime neighborhood bar experiences. The full bar offers craft and signature cocktails, beer and wine, making it an easy choice for happy hour, drinks before dinner or settling in for a full meal.
The Pantry (Crest)
Tucked into Little Rock’s Hillcrest neighborhood, The Pantry Crest offers a cozy setting for dinner and drinks with European-inspired fare and a full bar. Craft cocktails, beer and wine complement the menu, while happy hour makes the bar an especially inviting place to settle in before dinner.
Table 28
Tucked inside The Burgundy Hotel, Table 28 combines an upscale dining experience with a creative cocktail program. House cocktails, an extensive wine selection and craft mocktails complement the modern American menu, making it a standout choice for date night, dinner and drinks or a special occasion.
Flyway Brewing
A staple of North Little Rock’s Argenta district, Flyway Brewing pairs Arkansas-made craft beer with a casual food menu and lively taproom atmosphere. Its lineup ranges from year-round favorites such as the flagship Bluewing Blueberry Wheat to rotating seasonal brews, making Flyway a natural stop for beer lovers exploring the Little Rock area.
Petit & Keet
Petit & Keet pairs polished dining with one of west Little Rock’s standout bar experiences. Specialty cocktails, wine and a lively happy hour make Keet’s Corner Bar a destination of its own, whether you’re stopping in for drinks and small bites or settling in for dinner.
Local Lime
Local Lime brings tacos, margaritas and a lively bar atmosphere together in west Little Rock. The bar puts an emphasis on tequila and mezcal, with margaritas and other agave-based cocktails complementing the restaurant’s tacos, salsas and Mexican-inspired dishes.
Allsopp & Chapple Restaurant + Bar
Set in downtown Little Rock’s historic Rose Building, Allsopp & Chapple pairs an elevated dining experience with a polished cocktail program. Handcrafted cocktails, an extensive wine selection and a daily bar happy hour make it a standout for everything from after-work drinks to date night and dinner downtown.
The Faded Rose
A longtime Little Rock favorite, The Faded Rose brings a taste of New Orleans to the Riverdale area with Creole and Cajun dishes, steaks and a relaxed neighborhood atmosphere. Pull up a seat at the bar for drinks before dinner, then settle in for the restaurant’s signature Louisiana-inspired fare.
Ristorante Capeo
Ristorante Capeo brings fine Italian dining and a full bar to North Little Rock’s Argenta Arts District. Its extensive wine selection is a natural match for the house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas and Italian entrées, while cocktails and spirits make the bar worth a visit whether you’re planning date night or dinner before an evening in Argenta.
Baja Grill (Heights)
Baja Grill brings its Mexi-Cali flavors and margarita-bar atmosphere to Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood. Fresh-made margaritas and a full bar pair with tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas and other Baja favorites, making it an easy choice when you’re looking for both drinks and a casual meal.
The Fold: Botanas & Bar
Set in a colorful former filling station on Old Cantrell Road, The Fold pairs Mexican-inspired fare with one of Little Rock’s most creative drink menus. Fresh-squeezed margaritas, seasonal cocktails and an extensive tequila and mezcal selection make the bar a destination, while tacos, botanas and other favorites give you plenty of reasons to stay for dinner.
SO Restaurant-Bar
A longtime Hillcrest destination, SO Restaurant-Bar combines an upscale dinner experience with a substantial bar program. Classic and creative cocktails, wine, beer and spirits complement the restaurant’s menu, making SO a fitting choice for date night, dinner and drinks or an evening out in one of Little Rock’s most popular neighborhoods.
Cypress Social
Cypress Social combines Southern-Cajun dining with a lively bar experience and a scenic lakeside setting in North Little Rock. Creative cocktails, wine and beer pair with everything from oysters and Gulf-inspired dishes to steaks and Southern favorites, while the bar and patio make it an inviting spot for happy hour or an evening out.
Heights Taco & Tamale Co.
Heights Taco & Tamale Co. puts an Arkansas spin on Tex-Mex with its signature “Ark-Mex” menu and a lively bar atmosphere in the Heights. Margaritas and creative cocktails pair with tacos, tamales, cheese dip and other Southern-influenced favorites, making it a fun stop for drinks, dinner or weekend brunch.
Trio’s
A longtime Little Rock favorite, Trio’s combines seasonal American cooking with a comfortable bar experience. Cocktails, wine and beer complement a menu known for fresh ingredients and changing seasonal selections, making Trio’s a dependable choice for lunch, dinner or drinks with friends.
Readers’ Choices: Diamond Bear Brewing Company, Kemuri, Stickyz Rock N’ Roll Chicken Shack, Crazee’s, Sauced Bar and Oven, Purple Cow, Cache, Cheers (Maumelle), YaYa’s, Pizza D’ Action, White Water Tavern, Prospect Sports Bar, El Mezcal, North Bar, Rock n Roll Sushi, Dugan’s Pub, 42 bar and table, Four Quarter Bar, Brave New Restaurant
Looking for more ways to explore the Natural State? Discover AY Magazine’s guide to things to do in Arkansas, including destinations, outdoor adventures, food, festivals, family activities and weekend getaways.
