Bar Argos

My wife and I stumbled upon this incredible outdoor bar last night, and it completely blew us away. The vibe was effortlessly cool… like stepping into a Moroccan tea room under the stars. Comfy, cozy, and beautifully styled, it was the perfect setting for a relaxing evening with great drinks and even better ambiance. We’ll definitely be back.

Such a good outdoor vibe! Beautiful garden with lights to sit in. Drinks were delicious. I loved the Queen Bee and want to try the Curious George next time. It seemed popular.

Finally, a good cocktail bar in Ithaca! The waiters are considerate and the cocktail menu has some curious gems in it. Drinks are well done. The space gives Art Nouveau. Fireplace, high ceilings, hardwood flooring, beautiful seating. Can't think of a bar in Ithaca that can compete with this.

Highly recommend Jazz Night on Wednesdays! We ordered the nut and olive plate and the cocktails Hot Priest and Flora and Fauna. All were great! Service was very quick and no wait for seating.

Lovely place, drinks, music and people! Went for the first time this week and tried Arson at the Saw Mill and El Catrin which are tied on first place, Golden Fleece which was delicious and soft and the Brooklyn Straight, which I think I’ll order next time I come with a book

We enjoyed drinks out on the patio, great bar to sit outside and relax with the unique craft cocktails. We were welcomed and brought to a table right away, and you order drinks and pay using a QR code on the table. Our drinks came out quickly. Great spot for a date night, would definitely visit again if we're in the area.

Chill vibes, great service, strong drinks, and an incredibly cozy atmosphere inside and out. Bar Argos was one of the best bars we visited in Ithaca, and one we will come back to next time we're in town.

Came here on vacation for Wednesday night jazz trio, and really loved it. Nice classy feeling place to get drinks. Great mocktails and cocktails. Really a wonderful stop.

I really enjoyed Bar Argos. My girlfriend and I wandered in right at 4 pm - opening time lol - and were immediately greeted by a woman who checked our IDs and handed us menus with quiet efficiency. The place was totally empty, which is to expected at that time. Bar Argos is definitely a vibe. Think: antique chic with a touch of eccentric elegance. Ornate chairs, old-school lamps, and fancy mismatched furniture are scattered throughout, making you feel like you've wandered into a vintage movie set where cocktails play a leading role. There are multiple rooms, including one with a long table and huge windows that let the light spill in dramatically. I was lowkey stunned by how pretty it all was. Girlfriend and I shared the Clarified Lassi ($13), which is under the "Delightfully Unusual" section of their cocktail spectrum - right in between "Colloquial" and "What?!" It was fruity, creamy, and weird in a cool, sophisticated way. My Hotelie friend later explained in the car (upon mention of the drink) that clarified cocktails use a process where milk is added to a mixed drink and then curdled on purpose. The curds trap impurities, and when you strain them out, you're left with a crystal-clear drink that still has the creamy mouthfeel. Definitely checks out with the Clarified Lassi that we drank... Overall, the experience felt like stepping into a fancy secret. 10/10 would come back, undoubtedly!!

We came close to closing so only the back outdoor patio was open. The space felt intimate with the string lights. Their menu has a "weirdness" scale, depending how adventurous of a cocktail you want. I got the absolution and my partner got the smoke signals. Both cocktails were delicious and they served quickly. I'm used to city priced cocktails so I'm surprised how cheap it is for the quality. I definitely recommend Bar Argos for a date or group gathering. You can order at the bar or skip the queue and order using the QR code and they'll bring the drink to your table. There's a water station next to the bar. 18% gratuity added to all checks. There's a small parking lot attached to the hotel/bar.

If you're looking for another Level B or Hideaway, this isn't your spot. They've got two bars - one is inside the hotel and closes at 10 PM because of the guests. It's a much more cozy, high-class atmosphere than the bars in Collegetown. There's also an outdoor bar space after the indoor bar closes, but I haven't been to it. I came on a Wednesday night, and there weren't too many people. It was easy to get a seat, and the bartenders were welcoming and kind to us. This is the kind of place you go to in order to relax after getting slammed at work or school. I definitely want to come back on a weekend night when it's more popping!

Argos is such an interesting spot with a great vibe and fantastic drinks. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, making the experience even better. Definitely plan to go back on may next visit to Ithaca!

Relaxing cocktail bar. The drinks are pretty strong, but usually good. An 18% service fee is included. The Aperol Spritz was good. I did not like the Flora & Fauna cocktail. Definitely my favorite bar in Ithaca.

Stopped in for a drink on my birthday and enjoyed the atmosphere! I had the Shark Juice drink and loved every bit of its uniqueness. I expected a little more of a welcoming atmosphere from staff, but we did arrive right when they opened on a Tuesday. We will be back to check out the weekend scene!

Lovely place for a drink. Friendly staff and well-balanced drinks. Live music inside on the night we stopped by and plenty of seating in the outdoor area as well. Love they have a low-abv option on the menu. Recommend!

My husband and I were in town for the weekend as one last weekend away as a married couple before we become a trio. A BabyMoon! Our first night in we decided to do cocktails/mocktails and a dinner. We started here at Bar Argos. It had great reviews on Yelp and was suggested as a cocktail bar. It is attached to the hotel and has its own parking lot along with street parking. There is an indoor lounging area as well as a beautiful outdoor seating area under a tent. We ordered inside then took our drinks outside under the tent. There were QR Codes where you could order from your table and had the drinks brought out to you. Because I wanted a recommendation on a mocktails, we just went in and chatted with the bar tender. All staff were informative and friendly. Our drinks were made quickly and tasted great!

Drinks were good but 18% automatic gratuity is actually criminal. I am sure many customers would tip more if 18% wasn't already added. Sometimes the service is subpar and the tip should not be that high.

Manager, bartender and staff are awesome. Can't say anything but do not miss if visiting and do so take it for granted if you are a local.

After half a year of abstinence from bars due to COVID, I had an itch to sit down at a place with an atmosphere and well crafted cocktails. Bar Argos definitely satisfied that itch WHILE making me feel comfortable despite COVID. How did they do this? They took precautions including... - At your table, you had the option to order via your phone so you could have contactless ordering. If you needed a server, they would have masks on and come by only if you had a mask on too. - They had a spacious and really well decorated outdoor seating area. All the tables 6+ feet apart and 3 different seating sections. - They sanitized seats and tables in between every customer. - There was a drinking water dispenser that used your foot so that neither you nor your server contaminates your water cup. The drinks were also on point! Strong but tasty. Also, the ambience was so cute with their canopy and whimsical decrations. I'd come back to this place in a heartbeat COVID or not.

This seemed like the best cocktail bar around on our short visit to Ithaca from Brooklyn. Knowledgeable staff, excellent decor and atmosphere, excellent drink menu.

High end and very fresh type of joint! Brought my 27 year old daughter here to enjoy with candidly someone age appropriate for this experience. Yes, I'm of the age and not getting any younger. I highly recommend this space for jazzy cocktails, scrumptious snacks, a cool vibe and an intimate experience. She loved it and so did I.

So it's a Friday night in Ithaca and we accidentally napped too long. I woke up to find out RBG died and cried for quite awhile. Then I decided I desperately needed a drink. Due to Covid most businesses close at about 8 it seemed. We stumbled open Bar Argos and practically ran up the steps to get our much needed alcohol. I was insanely impressed with how seriously they're taking Covid. Legit your server is away from you at pretty much all times, tables are bussed by the people sitting at them, spacing was perfect, ordering and paying was done online. Unfortunately we were too late for food. But we each got 2 drinks and tried the table popcorn. I definitely didn't enjoy the popcorn. The only flavor I could taste was burnt popcorn sadly. Our drinks though - so strong!! I will admit to doing the shiver (you know the one. When straight bourbon huts your tongue) but they certainly hit the spot. The house and outside were gorgeous. I wish we could've gone inside but stupid Covid means no one except inn guests can go in. However the atmosphere was gorgeous and quirky and very romantic. My only major complaint- please dear God get some outside heaters. I froze my fanny off!!

i stayed at argos inn for a weekend. i ordered a couple drinks each night and took it back to our room. we got the gin martini with a lemon twist and clarified pina colada the first night. second night was the forager and flora & fauna. all drinks were well crafted and balanced in flavor. i would come back here again for drinks the next time i'm in town

Great drinks, friendly staff, and a really cool atmosphere. Love this place either as a quick stop for a drink with friends before a night out, or just to chill for a couple hours.

They have a nice, unique cocktail menu. Bar is well stocked with unique amaros amongst other higher end bar expectations. Bar tenders are nice, knowledgeable about their craft, and attentive. Atmosphere is interesting. Whole bottom floor of the hotel is accessible to drink in along with a decent patio. The only downside I experienced is there seems to be compulsive tipping. I don't really mind for a bar like this, but would prefer if prices were just adjusted accordingly.

This is the cutest bar in Ithaca and perfect for a date night or get together with friends. The outdoor space made me feel like I was in Greece! Great Fancy cocktail menu and friendly service. Drinks are very expensive (overpriced in my opinion), but you're really paying for the ambiance.

I was invited to a gathering for a friend's birthday and was really excited to come based on all of the reviews. I enjoyed the outdoor seating space, but I thought the food was overpriced. I only drank rose' so I can't comment on the quality of the mixed drinks, but I am not sure I would come here again based on my experience.

This is the most beautiful bar I have ever enjoyed! The backyard was so romantic. Strings of soft yellow lights lined the tent. I highly recommend spending an evening here. I had the espresso martini and it was very bad. I'll just have to try something new next time

Had high hopes for Argo's, but was extremely disappointed in the service. It's enough to give it a one star review. This was our second experience with a server who was incredibly rude about questions we had and our orders. She was condescending, harsh, and unkind. We went when it was busy and when it was empty and has the same experience with the same server. I'm genuinely surprised she still has her job. She made us feel uncomfortable and awkward and the entire experience with her was unpleasant. Unfortunately I cannot recommend this bar, although the drinks were decent and the ambiance and environment was fun. We also were served spoiled meat. I would return if I knew I would not have any interaction with this server.

Chill backyard vibes and stellar cocktails. Stopped here on a work trip. We had the Tomboy, French 75, Flora and Fauna. All smooth, refreshing and delicious. Their popcorn is reminiscent of chicken ramen, which sounds weird but strikingly nostalgic and definitely tasty.

So much fun! Great ambiance and fun cocktails! They have a great selection of specialty cocktails, and you can order with your phone from the table or order at the window.

Mobile ordering was convenient, if not a little impersonal. Drinks were excellent and appetizers/snacks were affordable and very tasty. Olives were off the hook.

super cute and good drinks! I loved being able to order and pay on my phone, so much easier

For about 5 years this place had the best cocktails in Ithaca, but when I went with a friend in July 21 the menu had changed and both of our cocktails were bad - way too sweet and completely uninteresting. This used to be a place that rated its cocktails on how challenging they were, made their own bitters etc. I assume it changed management/staff during the pandemic but idk - I'd love some info on what happened.

Hands down the best craft cocktails in Ithaca, NY. Ambience: very speakeasy vibe: Dim lighting, antique furniture, book shelves. A tad loud due those heavy but great drinks. Location: inside Argos Inn's lobby, on the edge of Collegetown and downtown Ithaca. Limited parking. Some buses stop a block and a half away. Drinks: very inventive cocktails. I'm always fond of places that recognize the value of great rum. And Bar Argos has my favorite rum: El Dorado from Guyana. They have a great range of drinks to cover most tastes. Loved their more refreshing drinks with the summer themed names. I like that they make the effort to show you which drinks are more unusual and which are more common on the menu. Overall, great tasting concoctions with the right amount of alcohol. Price: pretty good for a nice cocktail bar but I am used to NYC pricing so maybe it's a bit high for some. I think it's worth it considering the quality of the mixology. I think most cocktails are under $14. Service: the bartenders are very busy and perfectly friendly and efficient. Not a place for younger students or partygoers. More of a place to have a solid cocktail and enjoy great conversation with a friend, colleague, partner.

Nice landscaped outdoor bar with mediocre cocktails and overzealous Covid precautions. I genuinely appreciate keeping everyone safe but asking for a 20% tip while insisting the customers do all the work is simply obnoxious . No one welcomes you at all to the bar nor the hotel ....also self check in. They refused to light the fire pit because they were "too busy" . There is a general vibe that it's a privilege to drink there ....not that they are , at all, thankful to have you We had to seat ourselves, order our own drinks, place a mask on to RECEIVE our drinks from a masked waitress and then we had to bus our own tables....while still being asked to pay full price for our drinks and then tip 20%. !?!? Imagine going to the doctors office for a checkup and having to retrieve your test results for the doctor to review , take your own vital signs, perform your own prostate exam and then pay the provider your copay . Wtf ‍

A beautiful cocktail bar residing on the first floor of the Argos Inn. It's a beautiful space, much resembling a library mixed with a pre-prohibition bar. There's also another room next to it that's floor to ceiling windows with a community table. We sat at the bar and drank cocktails while we chatted the night away. Service was stellar. We sipped the flora and fauna cocktail with gin, lime, flower bitters, and honey. It was a comfortable space, not too crowded on a Friday - we grabbed a spot at the bar. The bar ware is beautiful like traditional dripping mechanisms for absinthe, and our drinks came in gorgeous coup glasses. If you're visiting from out of town, this is a must visit at least for a drink, especially if you love a specialty cocktail.

BEST DRINKS AND BARTENDERS IN ITHACA! Yup, I said it. We had an excellent experience here. The drinks were out of this world and the bartenders were also awesome. The menu is fun, easy to read, and unique. Drinks you have never heard of with alcohol from all around the world. I had the Pink Pony and it is hands down the best drink I have ever had in my entire life. I drink a lot of craft cocktails, this one is a must. The bartender helped us choose a restaurant for dinner, Angola Osteria, which was also a meal to remember. Great tip, thanks! The atmosphere is diverse, folks from all over the globe here for drinks and also guests of the Inn. The chairs are antique and give a warm mellow vibe to the space. Anyways, check it out for yourself.

Favorite bar in Ithaca. Superior cocktails, very friendly staff, and elegant ambiance. Long live Bar Argos, truly a gem in upstate NY

This was a great bar in Ithaca. They had great Covid protocols and even though we were super hesitant to eat or drink indoors at this time, they made us feel safe and also made sure to protect their staff. The social distancing in the bar was really great. The cocktails were really great as well as their excellent selection of local beer, cider and wine. Their zero waste concept is really nice and I applaud their eco efforts!

Very nice ambiance, friendly informative bartenders, and an interesting drink menu. Our drinks were good, but the bourbon pink pony was awesome.

Amazing drinks. Drinks are curated, not made. Ingredients are tip top. Quality abounds. Sipping drinks. But no one will stop you if gulp. No one would blame you either.

I agree that this place has the best cocktails in Ithaca. During Covid, they have a contactless ordering system and lots of spaced out outdoor seating. Recently, they have added some covered rooms in the back. They added warm cocktails to their menu in light of the cooler weather. I am a fan of all their gin cocktails, and can't wait to try their warm cocktails this fall!

Bar Argos is one of the places I always go when I am in town. It's a cocktail bar. They don't serve food - though there is often a food truck outside. The cocktail menu is always a wonderful mix of classic, adventurous, and exotic drinks and the bartenders are knowledgable and able to make a wide range of things off menu. The menu has a weirdness scale that can help you decide how adventurous to be. I love the range of house bitters and shrubs.

Tried twice and four cocktails total= unique cocktails but not tasty or balanced. Each drink is simply a smorgasborg of liquors mixed by the bartender and poured into a nice glass. Then for $10+ a pop, people somehow think it's amazing and they're living the NYC rooftop bar life or equivalent. To top it off, if you aren't a young woman or someone who looks like they can afford to tip well, you'll be waiting 10min to put in your order, 3min to get your ID checked, and 20min for the bartender to finally get around to making your drink. Unacceptable at any time of day. I don't care to make reviews unless a place absolutely rocks or really blows. This place is the latter. I am only giving two stars for the nice ambiance, decor, and restrooms.

A must stop when in Ithaca if you enjoy cocktails - a bit on the pricey side, but that is to be expected when ordering cocktails. I wish we had something like this in Syracuse - Bar Argos has both a unique cocktail menu, and a really cool vibe and decor. I like that the bartender was helpful and answered my questions without making me feel like i wasn't "hip" enough.

Great bar, awesome bartenders. Drinks are on the expensive side but worth it. You don't have to just get what is on the menu. Also just a comfortable grown up atmosphere.

This place gets all the stars!!! We stayed at the hotel and thought we'd go out to find a nice bar... Sat down at the bar to game plan where we'd go and were pleasantly surprised at the little gem we'd found right inside the hotel!! The crafted drinks are fairly priced, I feel, as it's an experience to sit and watch the bartender make the drinks. I'd say being there on a weekday was a good choice, the bartender said there are nights when it's much busier. Being a guest at the hotel, we were able to sit later at the bar and had some great conversation with other guests and staff. It was a very pleasant experience and staying at the hotel was absolutely amazing.

Came for live music .... the band canceled but they never changed the posted information. I was going to get a drink but they have a few unusual drinks and brands of alcohol I was unfamiliar with. But with only one bartender I never got ask a question or order a drink. People clearly making him work and only tipping $1 a drink. Clearly he is talented but you need more then one bartender. I don't care how great it is there are other bars where I do need to wait 20 minutes to ask for drink

Deciding to check this place out was probably the worst bar related decision I've ever made. I've never been to any bar--or even restaurant--with such poor service. The bartender seemed totally disinterested in his customers, acting blatantly rude and dismissive. It definitely was pretty slow night while I was there, and so the service can't be blamed on stress and a busy rush. My best guess would be that if at first you don't come across as someone who might tip well (as in middle aged, white, and wealthy), you'll probably be dissatisfied with the service. There was a huge tension in the room that made me feel uncomfortable my entire night. The menu was interesting and quirky, but interesting cocktails aren't a hard find in Ithaca. The decor and environment is cool, but when paired with the awful bartenders and pretentious menu, it all felt a bit hollow and kitsch. Great alternatives would be The Watershed or The Loft. Both are within walking distance with cool environments, lovely bartenders, and probably a better selection at a cheaper cost. I've never used yelp but this awful experience made me want to warn others not to try Bar Argos. If I could I'd definitely give this place zero stars, but I'll have to settle for one.

Excellent cocktails. My absolute favorite was the Moonrise Kingdom, which has passion fruit liqueur and their own cherry pepper tincture called "moonrise oil". I also tried the royal tennenbaums, which I found very creative. The ambient is great and Tippy, the bartender is the best! I only wished they served food, or at least anything more than nuts.

A really nice place, but be aware they close early at 10:00 to account for the people staying in the inn on the second floor. The bar is immaculate; lots of exceptional, unique and fancy cocktails. They have an exquisite array of whiskeys to choose from, and the service is excellent. I tried the sazarac, a cocktail with whiskey, bitters and supposedly some (fake) absinthe. Service was stellar, and our bartender/mixologist was knowledgeable, friendly and gave great recommendations- and this was on a moderately busy Friday night. They're tough on IDs, but it's a classy bar where you'll certainly never find anyone underage. It's not really a college bar, and your won't find many IC/ Cornell students here despite the proximity. A great, quiet place for conversation. I frequent it as the first stop of the night, or as the centerpiece of an evening of conversation and casual drinking. Would highly recommend, especially in the summer.

High end craft, low key atmosphere, all-out deliciousness The Argos Inn has one of the most wondrous cocktail bars I've ever visited - at least as good as the best places I've been to in New York City (and I'm pretty obsessive about food and drink in general). The bar room is warm and inviting -- relatively quiet with really comfortable antique chairs arranged into intimate groupings (I honestly don't know how they get any turnover in the place). The bar itself is this amazing zinc thing with beautiful wooden details. But the real highlight is the cocktails and the people serving them. Hand-crafted strikes me as a generally ridiculous term for a cocktail, but the drinks at the Argos do actually merit the moniker, both because of the bartenders and because of the drinks themselves. They make their own spectacular collection of fruit and herb extracts, they singed a lemon peel before dropping it into my drink, they choose precisely between probably 10 different amaros for different drinks. For all of the fanciness and the vast array of options, the bartenders are super approachable and low pressure - they seem to be genuinely focused on helping you figure out what you'd enjoy. That said they are also serious craftspeople who are really into their work. You could see this in watching them make the drinks. I also saw it when they were able to answer my questions, like "How do you make the milk punch clear?" Answer: the milk solids curdle and bind to the tannins in the wine, making it easy to strain the bitterness out along with the solids. The current seasonal drinks menu this fall/winter was Twin Peaks themed: One night, I had "Fire at the Sawmill," with blackberry over a virtuosic combination of smokiness and fresh cut wood flavors. Another night, I had "Ask the Log," a delicious and unusually fruity gin drink with apricot and bitters that made it hard to pace my drinking. But, pace myself, I did, with home made "shrubs" -sodas made with slightly vinegary combinations of extracts like strawberry-basil, pear-chai, and honeydew-jalapeno - heaven. To borrow Michelin's phrasing, it's "Worth a journey."

Excellent cocktails in a beautiful setting. Only reason it is not 5 is their COVID is too much. I don't mind ordering online, even though I had to enter all my information to add on a $3 popcorn. I don't mind busing my own table. But having to put on masks to accept our order is a bit much. The only place I have been (in multiple states) to make patrons do this. Please eliminate this requirement. It breaks the flow of conversation. If not, then just leave the drinks 6 feet away. We are doing all the waitstaff work anyway.

Solid 4 stars from a Friday night visit. Cocktails were good, and worth the higher price. Atmosphere was nice and clearly designed to appeal to those older than the college crowd. The staff were very nice to us and very professional. My suggestions for improvement: 1) Strong emphasis on bitter elements in a lot of the drinks (Campari, vinegar-based shrubs, etc.) made a lot of the cocktails unappealing for someone who dislikes bitter flavors. Would be nice to see even 1-2 more drink options that trend away from bitter. 2) The room with the big table was a nice place to sit with just our group (6 people) but as soon as another group joined us it became impossible to hear our conversation without yelling. Maybe some cloth drapes or other means of deadening the reverberating sound in that room? Overall, very solid option for a nice evening out. Will definitely go back again.

Best bar in Ithaca hands down! Amazing cocktails and super friendly bartenders. Hours are limited, they close at 10pm, and there is limited bar seating, which can make it difficult to get a drink. However, the extensive cocktail list and excellent atmosphere make it a must in Ithaca.

Whoa, Toto, I don't think we are in Ithaca anymore! This is an amazing spot for a great cocktail, some good music and gorgeous atmosphere.