Bar 1903

Located in a beautifully restored historic building, Bar 1903 delivers an unforgettable cocktail experience that goes well beyond your typical night out. The vibe is cozy and intimate, with thoughtfully crafted drinks that span classic and creative styles — from vintage classics to unique concoctions like the Knickerbocker Zombie you tried. The bartenders are friendly and clearly knowledgeable, making each drink feel like a work of art.  We paired our drinks with small bites like baba ghanoush and rarebit, which hit the spot alongside the cocktails. The snack options are perfect for sharing while sipping, though most of the praise online leans toward the drinks as the real star.  The atmosphere — set inside what once was an old library — adds a unique charm that feels both historic and lively. Seating is quite limited, so it’s worth arriving early to snag a spot. Overall, it’s a must-visit spot for cocktail lovers in Tallahassee looking for quality drinks, great service, and a memorable evening. 

Love this place. Can’t beat the atmosphere. Drink menu seems to have no limits. Pressed Italian was probably the best sandwich I’ve had in Tallahassse and I’ve been here for 26 years. Country bacon and Jalapeño grilled cheese came in a a close second. Definitely coming back. OK

Omg how fantastic. We waited 15 minutes for a place at the bar. We were so lucky because we got to watch all the drinks being made. I had a bloody mary, which wasnt on the menu yet, that had pickle and garlic infused vodka. That was so enjoyable. That was a delicious pickled okra on top. Oooooooooo yum.

The BEST stop in Tally! We come here every December, and there is no better. Stop for amazing, delicious, local crafted food and drinks then bar 1903! Tia and the team are phenomenal hosts, it is a great atmosphere, and wonderful history in this place. Absolutely love it and would recommend 100%. Do not miss out on the opportunity to have a fabulous cocktail, a delicious light bite, or the best caprese sandwich of your life! Y'all let us know if you are ever in Manatee County, we would love to host you! ❤️

An old library building from the 1900’s and with lots of history. It is a historic land mark and you can tell by the outside and some of the indoor atmosphere. It is a place with limited amount of seating, so reserving or going early is advisable. Has so much charm. The food is good, the drinks amazing. Not a place to read a book contrary to the name outdoor on the sign and the amount of books spread around. It gets noisy from the activity. Great place to impress someone or a first date.

Atmospheric and have some absolute wildcard drinks (see below, eggplant syrup!), incredible minds behind that wooden bar

I love to spend time this old library/new bar😍 I think, here is the best elite bar in the town!! There is not much food options. However, they have a quite extensive beverage menu which is amazing. Especially, the organization of the menu! I mean you are able to see what year and the glass type of the drink👌 I ordered TOFU sandwiches. Even though I like Asian cuisine, it was not to my taste. For the first time, I tried PİSCO/Grappa and loved it! 🍸 although it includes egg white 🫨and of course, HURRICANE and BLUE HAWAİİ ✨ 🍹

They don’t staff this place well. I always enjoy my drinks and food, but they have big city prices with small town service. Tables do not get bussed, waters don’t get refreshed, ordering is more like begging because the servers are stretched too thin, drinks take 15 minutes because theres one bartender making intricate drinks for a room of 40 people. Once again great food and drinks but the lack in service quality makes bitter the yummy flavors.

This hole in the wall bar transports you to 1903, literally! The venue is a small, renovated library and the drinks are cleverly broken down by decade of creation. It was interesting to see that part of history and see when those cocktails were created but most noteworthy is the LARGE selection of drink options. It look me so long to order because there were so many unique options to choose from, and the bartenders patiently responded to my questions and provided suggestions. The charcuterie board was tasty but I do think they need a few more selections on their menu for food, we had to go to dinner elsewhere for a full meal. Overall, amazing ambiance and bar and will definitely be back!

Wonderful place! Small and intimate (fits about 36 guests). Lots of drink options- there is a cocktail for everyone's taste. The French 75 and the Bees Knees were delicious. Bar tenders are very helpful and friendly. Loved it! Happy hour 5-7 pm with $9 cocktails.

This is our second visit and is our new fave bar in town! The building is an old converted library so the ambiance is really nice! Drinks are really interesting as they have SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM. They are sorted by the eras they were popular in, so the menu is quite extensive. My fave is the Mundo Perdita. I also had a seasonal drink at Christmas called the Coquito, delish!!

This was such a fun place to get a drink and small bite. The bartender was so knowledgeable and walked me through all of my indecisive choices until I picked a drink I wouldn't have normally ordered but was delish! And the person next to me let me know she ordered the same and liked it. The cheeseboard was great too, best feta I've had in a while.

This place is so cute! The drinks were great and so were the sandwiches. I ordered the Pressed Muffaletta and it was amazing. My friends ordered the Medianoche and the Spicy Capicola Grilled Cheese and they loved it too. The service was pretty good too.

Updating my previous review to add that they have an entire page of Mocktails on their menu! Bravo, because people should be able to go out and enjoy things without having to drink.

Excellent drinks, food and ambience. Great way to end a trip to Tallahassee. Looking forward to ou Very sad that such a nice place is being managed so poorly, with ludicrous rules. We showed up with a party of 10, and were told that the maximum party number was 8. We were then told that we could not break up the party into two groups with less than 8 per group, because we were a party of 10. It still does not make sense. Fortunately, there are many other nice places in Tallahassee that will accommodate large groups. I wish this place luck but I will not be returning, as I usually did during my many trips to Tallahassee.

Really cool concept bar with a really extensive cocktails list with the drinks organized into decades. Their cheese boards are unique, with unexpected items like picked green beans and curried cauliflower. If I had to describe one drawback, I'd say it's a smaller location, so definitely not a place for large parties, but perfect for an intimate date night. It's also a favorite of lawmakers during the legislative session, so be prepared for a packed house and a wait if you go then!

It is a small place, so best to call ahead but it is so worth it. Wide drink menu, fantastic drinks and food. The bread is fresh from The Hawthorne so the sandwiches and combo boards are top tier. The bartenders are great as well, attentive and knowledgeable. I've had every old fashioned on the menu now and the rum is my personal favorite. Our local favorite spot.

I absolutely love a hand crafted cocktail. This is the perfect place to come unwind for a date or a small 2-4 person group outing. The bartenders take their time and craft to perfection. There is a large selection of spirits to choose from abd I love that their menu is setup by decade and the provide a picture of the glass your drink will come in. I have never ordered any of the food as this is usually a pre or post dinner stop for us. I am sure it is great though! My favorites: Champs Elysse

Great cocktails. Creative. Bartenders attentive. Food options very limited. Go for the drinks.

The cocktails here are the bomb! There is a huge selection and of the four we ordered, each was expertly executed, complex, and delicious. The atmosphere is cozy and historic being a former library. The food was delicious too, and staff was very friendly. Highly recommend!!

I love this bar!!! Interior is just breath taking and you can't get bored looking around at this previously library. The upstairs and fireplace are amazing. The drink menu is impressive especially that everything is organized per era. Drinks were delicious as well as the appetizers!!! The mushroom toast was great and filling - plenty for 3 people! Same for the delicious burrata platter. Only thing slacking might be service as sometimes you have to get the attention to place an order and all drinks are so specific, for only 1 bartender it's time consuming when it's a full house

My favorite bar so far in Tallahassee! Great atmosphere and great drinks. I had 'Hurricane', it was sweet and strong enough. They have a BIG menu for drink, and drinks are sorted with respect to the years. I liked the idea and the concept of the bar. There is also sides and sandwiches that you can order with your drink.

To be such a small establishment, Bar 1903 definitely packs an impression. It is very small and quaint so on a busy night, be prepared to wait, outside. Unfortunately due to its small size, they have no waiting area. I love how dim the lights are, it really gives the place an intimate feel. The staff was very nice and attentive. The drinks are delicious and strong. I had THREE Bees Knees (Yaupon Gin, Honey, Lemon) LOL! Remember this is a judgement free zone. I also tried the Carpano Spritz (Carpano Blanco, Champagne, soda). While out for drinks it is always imperative to have a little snack as well. We order the Charcuterie Board. I loved the presentation. Although I can't remember specifically what was featured there was a nice selection of cheeses, pickled vegetables, spreads, fruit and nuts. I will definitely be back to try out some more of their delicious cocktails.

10/10 experience. I got there at 5 and didn't have to fight for a spot at the bar. All the bartenders were incredibly friendly. The cheese board was very good. Lots of different snacks to try. The feta was my favorite. I drank champagne and had such a good time by myself. The menu itself is fun to look at with all the history. There was metered parking out front. I highly recommend coming here to unwind after work.

Wonderful atmosphere and service. Call beforehand to be added to the waitlist as they can allow a small capacity of people at one time. You have 15 minutes to arrive once they call back to notify you there is room for your party. I had the Earl Gray and Lavender Bread Pudding last night and it was amazing.

10/10 would recommend. All of the tapas was delicious- we came with a group of 6 girls and had to wait a bit but they were accommodating. Our waiter was knowledgeable of the menu and able to recommend drinks based on our whims. The Pisco sour was my favorite - definitely a great date night atmosphere and fills a niche previously missing in downtown Tally!

Avoid this business that will judge you for mishearing in a loud ambience. We heard a party of two and we agreed that yes, we are a party of two as my husband signaled with his two fingers. We were directed to the bar to sit down and then approached to be kicked out because we apparently attempted to impersonate another couple that had a reservation and that was turned away because of us and that looks bad on them. Well, guess what? You blamed us unjustly and this is also a terrible reflection of your business. The approach was unprofessional and punitive. I guess everyone there will make no mistakes today or ever because clearly that's unacceptable.

Great drinks and fantastic ambiance. Limited seating, so show up early. Wide selection of Bourbon!

First time and it was amaizing ! My food came out quickly and had me drooling, loved the feel of the inside of the restaurant too. Will definitely be back soon

My partner and I had such a great experience last night. After a long day I finally built up the energy to put on pants and go out. We came in at about 930 and luckily got a table really quickly. It's a very small place with such a cool vibe, romantic but not stuffy. We both tried some old timey drinks (A Saturn and The Lions Tail) and shared the bruschetta. The drinks and food were great. The host was very personable and our server (Bobby) was amazing! We also had another great server assisting who helped me pick my second drink, wine- a yummy red blend, but I didn't catch her name. I wish we would have ordered more food because our second stop didn't turn out as well as this one. We will definitely be back.

Some of the best craft cocktails I've had in awhile, and in a beautiful location right off the downtown park blocks. Definitely worth a visit just to see the impressive "old school" wall of exotic liquors. The charcuterie board that I had was very nice, but I would have liked more substantial food options, so knocked off a star. If you're going just for a cocktail hour with friends before or after dinner elsewhere, this is a 5-star option.

This is mine and my roommates favorite bar of all time. The menu has some drinks that change seasonally and the rest are decade themed. The food is also unbelievable. The only thing is it can only sit about 30 people. On week days it doesn't get crowded but on weekends it's better to get there earlier before it fills up.

Excellent menu selection top-notch service. Bartenders and wait staff knew their stuff. Craft cocktails at their finest. The food selections were interesting, and hearty. I had the mac and cheese, and it was to die for. It's definitely one of the few places in town that is not geared towards the college set, more like politicos and professional people. Classy date night starter.

Great cocktails, great tapas. Friendly staff. Highly recommend for upscale craft cocktails you can't find in most bars.

I was in town for work (I feel like a lot of my reviews start this way nowadays) and a gentleman sitting next to me at my hotel bar recommended this place. He talked about how extensive their bar items were and that they had delicious cocktails. I had to walk over and check it out for myself. I loved the ambience and vibe of the place. It was a weekday evening so it was pretty chill and quite but I imagine they get busy on the weekends. The bar was, in fact, impressive. I wondered how they kept up with where everything was. The cocktails were great! I enjoyed how the menu broke the drinks down into eras/periods of time. I tried 3-4 drinks and not one disappointed. Elio's Secret just might have been my fave. They have a food menu as well and although not bad, it is why they got a 4 star rating. It was just ok. The brushetta was more of like a peach salad over bread. Tasty but not quite a bruschetta and messy to eat. The beef and brie (mislabeled as beef and cheddar) was dry. It was late so that could have played a part in it. I was underwhelmed by the food but very impressed by the cocktails and service. I always complain that I can't find anything good to do in Tallahassee but this place proved me wrong.

The drinks are great. We went for happy hour and I got an old fashioned. Unfortunately, there were other customers with full drinks and just served food being asked if they needed anything, while our table sat with empty glasses and waiting to be served again. Nothing against those who served us and I'm sure it was just a bad night. Ordered an old Fashioned from happy Hour drinks and then before happy hour ended got a Manhattan. Didn't realize this mistake until my bill came when one is $8 and the other $16... beware! It's my fault, but a dedicated bartender may have noticed the difference. I like this place a lot, but when you are paying $16 for a drink, it's hard to come back frequently. It's my second time coming here and I love Liberty farms and what they do, but unfortunately this was a miss from

What a delightful experience, you can't go wrong in your choice of drinks which is amazing considering there are dozens of choices to choose from. I also order the charcuterie board which was an interesting experience. I probably only liked half the things on there (didn't like the jams or pickled items) but the presentation was wonderful. What made this experience for me was the customer service, the staff was really nice.

The absolute best place for drinks in Tallahassee! Each drink is made with intentional ingredients that makes each one unique and delicious. The service is always amazing and the servers are very knowledgeable about the menu and all of the different ingredients there are. It is a cute, quaint, charming bar with a cozy and inviting atmosphere! It is rather small and they dont take reservations, but you can call ahead to join the waitlist. I would recommend getting there for happy hour right when they open at 5:00! My favorites are the Bee's Knees, Sidecar, Rarebit, and the cheese board!

I. Love. This. Place. Coming here forces me out of my comfort zone. The way they've set up the menu in a way that encourages you to take a journey through history. I am embarking on my own journey to try all the drinks on their dated menus.

First off, the place just opened so some kinks are to be expected. Service was a little shaky, but polite, and the wait was ridiculous because this town swarms new restaurants like African killer bees. But, I don't see this place doing well when the expense accounts leave town after session is out. The entry way where the host station is located is a great way to get a doorknob colonoscopy. It's not big enough to have this station and guests as when people arrive, the door smacks people just standing there taking to the host. The bar is really great, but the drinks are very overpriced, as is everything. A charcuterie board, three crustinis with crab salad, two mixed drinks, and a slice of pie were absolutely delicious. It was also over $70. We could have gone around the corner and had a full meal instead of "small plates" for about the same bill. The "kitchen" is smaller than the closet cookery at Clusters and Hops, and the speed of service proves it. Would you like to sit on the upper level that rings the open space and have a drink? There's improved railing up there. But, no. The stairs to access it are blocked by the "kitchen" right next to the bar. The atmosphere is nice, but some soft things like tapestries need to be hung to absorb some of the noise that crashes around the room off the hard surfaces when they are at capacity. It's a pretty place with a pretty bar and pretty snacks. But, you're paying for the looks and not the goods. This is purpose built to milk expense accounts craving status and little else. Go to Savour or Il Lusso to get more and better and not get hit by the front door.

This bar is in an old library right downtown, and is very aesthetically pleasing inside, with lots of plants and pretty, old hardwood floors. We showed up around 8pm on Saturday with a party of 6, and were warned there would be a bit of a wait because their space is tiny! We went to a nearby bar in the meantime and they called around 9pm to let us know our table was ready and that they could hold it for about 15 min. When we got there, we were greeted with a warm smile and sat at a high top near the bar. Our server walked us through the menu, which has many pages of unique cocktails from each decade! We settled on a few (pricey!) cocktails and a charcuterie board. The board came out quickly and was very unique and highlighted local specialties - the server explained each item to us. I loved the pickled okra and Serrano pepper jam. The prosciutto was a little funky tasting (I think it was starting to go bad), but the rest of it was delicious. Cocktails took a *long* time to come out - probably around 15-20 minutes for both the first and second round we ordered. Our server pretty much disappeared after the food/first round of drinks came, but we weren't in a huge rush. It was their opening weekend so I think they were probably just working out the kinks, but when I go back, I hope to have a bit quicker drinks/more attentive service! Overall it was a very cute little bar with lots of history & unique cocktails. If you have time to go early and wait for a table, I'd definitely recommend this place for a nice drink!

I'm so excited that this place opened! Bar 1903 is in the old Tallahassee Library and it makes for a charming setting. We are here on their second night, so they are sill working out the kinks, but it is already a fun local place. We are 40 somethings and there are patrons a couple decades on either side of the timeline. The drinks are great, plenty of seating, average and reasonable prices, and wonderful drinks. The food is good, but the service is slow, most likely due to their micro kitchen. The staff is friendly and welcoming. We will definitely be back!

Long long wait to get in. If you are into that then fine. Plenty of better choices nearby. It does have great drinks.

One of my favorite places when I am in town. Let's be clear I am not exaggerating here- without a doubt one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten is the turkey sandwich at Bar 1903 ----- and two weeks ago I find out you changed it on the menu. Heartbroken and just not feeling it. Can't you bring back the original turkey sandwich? Why mess with such a gastro perfection masterpiece? Change it back please!!!

I'm so surprised to see the 3.5 star rating here! I went last night with a friend and I really loved it! We had heard about it for a while and decided to finally check it out. It is such a cool building. It's a small little stand alone "library" from the outside that is super cute and once you go inside it's, of course, a bar/restaurant. The inside has a very cozy atmosphere and is so beautiful. You can tell a lot of thought went into the design and decor. It was one of my favorite aspects of this place. They had a happy hour from 5 to 7 that we caught the tail end of and we got the Bee's Knees cocktail. Definitely recommend. It was light and refreshing and honestly I could have had 10. I also really loved the menu. They had a spread for the food options and then the next few pages where each dedicated to a time period (pre-1800s, 1880-1919, 1933-1950, etc.) and cocktails that were popular in that time. It was such a cool concept! I have never seen a menu do that before. They mostly focus on small plates so while we ended up with plenty of food, it wasn't somewhere you would go for a full entree type thing. We ended up getting the charcuterie board and the crab toast. Both really great options. I enjoyed that they had an assortment of pickeled veggies on the board and a good sampling of different types of charcuterie and spreads. The crab toast did not hold back on the crab and had a great bread to go with it. We also ended up getting a gin martini, Side Car, and espresso martinis. Everything we got was wonderful. And of course I have to mention the staff. They seem to all rotate and we didn't have one dedicated server but that was just fine. They were all very nice and helpful. I wasn't sure what to get for my second drink and asked the server what he recommended based on my preferences and he quickly picked the Side Car which was a great choice. Overall a great spot to come get a good cocktail and good food. Can't wait to come back!

Had the worst experience at THE BAR 1903 on Monday I went there with a friend. We got seated right away and server came and asked for our order and requested our ID's (mind you my friend just got here ID 6 months ago so is a recent picture) her license is from New York so the server goes are you sure this is you ? She said yes, she asked again and we said yes so she says what's your DOB it took her a few seconds to answer and she said so you don't know your DOB and she goes let me see your INSTAGRAM I said ma'am she is learning English and we don't feel comfortable showing our social media we can show you her debit card but she kept asking for IG and I said you know what that's is ridiculous, I work as a serve too and never heard something like this before, you can ask for another for form of ID NO the costumer social media, she says I don't need the attitude. I told her to called the manager he never apologized about the situation and said the server told me what happened and we still have to see her IG to Make sure that's her, we don't know how New York licenses look like. I got up and left. I WILL NEVER BE BACK.!!TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!

Their cheese board is outstanding. It comes with a selection of local cheeses that change every couple days. My favorite was the feta. Again, the staff was friendly, professional, and made my experience here better than the first; even though I didn't know that was possible!

You guys - if you have a group of over two people, this ain't it. 1.5 hour wait to be seated, 20 minutes before our table being tended to. We weren't even able to get our drinks before needing to head to Il Lusso. We felt very abandoned. If you're coming for a date, sure. I'm sure it's wonderful. But for our group of six, just not the best at all. It's really pretty though.

Im really frustrated with bar 1903 today. My co-doctoral students and I planned to go to happy hour today to celebrate two of our fellow doc students. One brought his wife and sister, who is mobile with a wheelchair. Bar 1903 has stairs leading up to its front door and offers no alternative entry. They had to leave because they had no way to get in. When I spoke with the manager about this, he explained that as a historic building, they do not have to comply with ADA regulations. I suggested they look into portable, temporary options to provide a ramp, without having to make permanent changes to the building. The manager simply "yes'ed" me and I'm unconvinced they'll make any changes. I'm frustrated and upset. I won't be going back, and I want others to know about their inaction. I hope more advocacy for change will encourage them to provide access for all.

This venue has a nice feel to it- very posh. But with the posh comes the posh attitudes. The only problem with putting a bar in an old library - is that it keeps the library feel. The night we were there everyone was very quiet. We had a short wait when we arrived, but that didn't dampen the mood. Once we got inside we ordered the appetizers and some drinks. The drink menu is sorted by era - and it is impressive. It is a great space for date or a night out with some colleagues. My friends that I was with said that it has been at reduced capacity because of COVID 19. If that is the case, and often it is a little bit more lively it could easily become a fun after work spot. But, in it current iteration, it is only the kind of place I might go for a special occasion.

Went only for drinks, and they were amazing!!! Place was so cute and intimate, very small so you definetly need reservations if you want food or going with a group. Staff was so nice and helpful!

Literal drink geniuses. This is the craft bar you bring your friends to and you know that it's all going to be phenomenal. The atmosphere is unbelievable, the drinks are so well curated and everyone who works there is so well-versed in different types of liquor, where it comes from, different combinations. Honestly most great night end with a neck nightcap here at minimum.

My wife & I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Bar 1903. We were greeted by a friendly host who seated us and gave us his recommendations. After perusing the menu we ordered and split the andouille crawfish Mac & Cheese and Hawaiian chicken sandwich which were awesome. We both enjoyed our cocktails while basking in a wonderful holiday scent wafting through the restaurant. We finished our meal with the flourless chocolate cake with raspberry ganache - very tasty. We plan to return and we wholeheartedly recommend this place for an intimate dinner in a historic setting in downtown Tallahassee.

Amazing drinks. Amazing food. I've tried a variety of the beverages and have had the cheese board on many occasion. Be aware that the weekends are busy and most likely there will be a wait, but it's worth it.

The old library feel thrives in this place.There is a buzz of people/servers moving around. It's cozy inside so be sure to make reservations unless you want to wait over an hour for a table. I couldn't recommend a low top table more. Two hours at a high top with no back on the chairs and handful of drinks in my system and I was feeling it. Not sure if it was the drinks or my old lady back pain. I did fail to get photos of the deviled eggs, two sandwiches and plethora of libations we consumed. But- they were all good. They source Hawthorne bread from in town and all of the ingredients tasted fresh and melded really nicely. The drink menu is almost overwhelming with drinks from the early 1900s to today and house concoctions as well. I would honestly recommend all of them because the bartenders are working wizardry back there. I will be back, take more photos and try more drinks. You could come here a dozen times and still not try everything on the drink menu.

Really cool place. A nice change of pace from the usual restaurant/bar experience. Lots of excellent tasting cocktails from different eras. Food menu is a little limited, but the turkey and havarti and beef and cheddar sandwiches were very good. The building is spectacular and the vibe laid back. Service was great! Our waiter was very patient and helpful with drink choices. Definitely give this place a shot!!

Loved this spot! We couldn't get in at first but Austin, the super sweet attentive host, walked us through the menu and took our number for the wait list. After visiting some noisy College Town bars, we were thrilled to hear that a table opened up. We returned to this charming spot and ordered a bunch of delicious craft cocktails (Packs a Punch, Piña Colada, Brandy Punch, Demon Seal, Paloma, and Mojito). The service was out of this world. Everyone, including the amazingly talented bartender, checked on us. Our server was consistently checking on us and imparting super cool cocktail knowledge (apparently the staff has a book club to foster continuing cocktail education). In short, it was a beautiful, lively--yet not overly loud spot--with cool architecture, history, and wonderful service! We'd highly recommend it.

Such a fun place to hang out. The staff were very friendly and really know how to make a great cocktail! I sat at the bar, it was nice to have a conversation with everybody else sitting at the bar even though we all didn't know each other, such a good vibe there! I would DEF go back when I'm passing through again!