The Alibi Bourbon & Cocktail Lounge

Nitro ‘Spro and spirit of the sky are 10/10. Staff so kind and nice. Awesome vibes to catch up with friends and have a drink. Very clean bathroom. Awesome happy hour!!! Owner super personal and friendly! Would come here again and again and again!!! Wish I would’ve found this place earlier!!!

The Alibi is one of our favorite cocktail bars in town! The space is super cozy, the drinks are consistently amazing, and the bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable. Plus, their happy hour menu is fantastic — definitely worth checking out!

I love coming here, it’s always a fun treat. They rotate out drinks every so often and I always love seeing how creative and unique their drink creations are. They also have a beautiful selection of whiskey and bourbons. I like to come here when it’s a little slower, since it can get a little overwhelming when it’s packed. The bartenders are always very nice and accommodating, and answer any questions I have. This is one of my go to bars if I’m in the area.

This is a cozy little spot with beautifully crafted cocktails. The cocktails are a bit on the sweeter side, but the flavors balance well. The ambiance was cozy and the patrons more of a higher middle age crew. The play list was impeccable. There was also a nice popcorn machine with fresh popcorn to encourage our stay.

We stopped here after a show for a drink. The bar has a great vibe and the drinks were delicious. We had the specialty margarita and an Old Fashioned. We really enjoyed the drinks. Service was a bit slow.

LOVED IT HERE !!! Small and intimate. Tons of drink choices and the bartender was great. Very knowledgeable. We will be returning when in town.

Really nice cocktail spot in the short north. The space is small but intimate. Really comfortable for parties of 2-4. In terms of drinks, I enjoyed the Mario kart drift and Katy perry’s strawberry remix. The drinks looked nice and were decently strong. As a bonus they were bumping some classics over the speakers. Couldn’t ask for a better vibe on a Tuesday night with the homies.

Great for a quick cocktail. It's small and can get crowded, so it's not great for a long sit, but the cocktails were made beautifully, and the bartenders are amazing. Will definitely be coming back again soon.

So glad I stopped in and found they had a happy hour, even on Sunday! Such a great deal. Their menu makes it easy to find a cocktail you'd like with a chart of characteristics. I loved the Barbenheimer and wished I could have tried more! The bartender was also very nice and the vibe was chill. On my list to come back to!

Service is outstanding! Drinks are delicious! Hayden was absolutely amazing! Well worth stopping in.

Wife and I spent the weekend I. Columbus. We found this very quiet and cozy bar. We absolutely fell in Love with the atmosphere and drinks

If you enjoy bourbon or fresh made cocktails by bartenders whom take their trade seriously, this is a must stop! Smaller place with different seating options that promote a relaxed vibe. Bartenders are friendly and care about your experience. Enjoyed an excellent pour of top shelf bourbon while my wife enjoyed her featured cocktail. The chatter and vibe make for an excellent experience beyond the cocktails. Great selection of bourbon.

Stopped in during happy hour and was pleasantly surprised. We all ordered different drinks, they were all beautifully crafted. I really enjoyed the descriptive menu and creative cocktails! HH prices were amazing, nice service & intimate setting.

A very cozy and fancy spot for a cocktail date in the Short North! Their menu is super helpful in dividing their drinks into categories (tart & spirit forward, tart & approachable, sweet & spirt forward, and sweet & approachable). I think it's helpful for people when narrowing done what craft cocktail they'd like to pick. The Nitro 'Spro was really good. Would highly recommend this spot over the other crazy big bars in the Short North.

So cute and cozy, loved the ambiance! Stopped in on a Saturday evening before heading to dinner and the staff was so nice, it was fun to try a few cocktails, they are all made with several ingredients to give your taste buds a great experience!

Fun cocktail lounge with a large selection of bourbon and other spirits. The menu helps guide your choices as far as choosing something more alcohol forward or something sweet / tart. The bartender was great at explaining different ingredients and made sure we liked our drinks. They do have a happy hour as well!

Stumbled in here last weekend after a visit to the Christmas bar. Was looking for somewhere to sit and enjoy a conversation and a nightcap. I have nothing but positive things to say about the drinks and drink options- as well as the space. However. I found that the service was a little off-putting, and I'll explain why. Within the first 5 minutes of us being seated, the server approached us immediately as we were getting our coats off, and then 2 times after. We were pressured to order immediately and given no recommendations or time to view the menu. We were a party of 5 and two of us ordered immediately but some of us were wanting a moment to sit first before ordering. The server approached us after just a couple of minutes and told us "if we don't order something, you have to give up your seat because we are losing business at the door" we explained that two of us were DDs. After we got an annoyed look, we asked if we could order mocktails, which we did. I understand losing business at the door on a busy night is frustrating bc every seat in your venue is full. But if you've got a full venue, and a majority of the party is ordering drinks, it's a bit rude to pressure your guests in this way. We might have stayed longer and ordered more drinks if we hadn't felt this pressure to order immediately. Overall- if you're looking to drink bourbon or a craft cocktail and have a conversation in an upscale venue, this is it. But if you're not sure about cocktails, or it's your first time, I wouldn't venture in bc it's a bit of a high-pressure environment.

Great atmosphere. Small bar feel with high end cocktails. We didn't try the food, not sure if they had any. Service was fast a friendly. Drinks fantastic!

Really nice and chill inside. The guy working was very attentive. I had the wright bros and it was delicious! My partner also loved her barbenheimer. They have happy hour Sunday - Friday, which was a nice surprise when we stopped in. Wish we could've stayed longer! Will definitely come back next time we're in Columbus

Okay friends. If you love a small, cozy, chill grown-folks bar with craft cocktails? This is the spot for you! I took my mom and husband there this past Sunday and we had a great time. From the Bob Ross and Anime on the TVs to the jazz playing through the speakers, this place is classy! And the drinks??? Stellar. Finally another bartender that can make a sazerac!!! And speaking of bartender, we had amazing service. The bartender was attentive without being overbearing and he really knew how to mix some drinks!

My friends and I loved this place! The inside is like an intimate library lounge with couches, conversation spaces and high tops. It's a small place but the bartender was so friendly and accommodating for our girl group of 8. We went before our dinner reservations for cocktails and were not disappointed. The bartender/server asked what each of our preferences were and tried to customize the experience for each person. The cocktail menu changes seasonally but all the offerings were innovative and balanced, covering a variety of tastes and spirits. We all had two drinks each and lived every single one. The single bartender customized and served them all himself in an efficient, artisan manner. We could tell he was creative and loved making cocktails which gave us exactly the experience we were hoping for. The happy hour is a great way to try everything and pick your favorites. There's a cute self-serve water cart and fresh popcorn cart for those with a salty hankering, but no food served. Highly recommend a visit for a delicious craft experience. Can't wait to take more friends!

Loved this hipster-packed craft cocktail place on high street. A nice, quiet respite from the drunken hoarded on game day. Cocktails were really well crafted, thoughtful variations on old classics. Service was very friendly and knowledgeable - will be back!

Great little spot for a bourbon and cocktail bar! It is a smaller place, but their menu and service is great. I'm not much of a drinker, and I appreciated that they had cocktails for everyone's taste with mine being sweet and approachable :).

If you like bourbon or cocktails, this is your place Service is great Ambiance is cool They are helpful if you are unsure

Excellent cocktails, outstanding whiskey list and even better service from Hayden. My wife and I were visiting from out of town and found this place on Yelp. The positive reviews are all correct. We had a couple of cocktails and then tried 1/2 ounce samples of several top shelf bourbons and rye (each 1/3 of the regular 1.5 oz pour price). Our bar tender, Hayden, was knowledgeable and provided great, attentive service. Highly recommended.

After a long work day on Sunday, we popped into Alibi at about 10:20pm. There were two people ahead of us waiting for a table. The place is run by a one man show. He greeted all of us, sat the other table, and let us know it would be a few minutes and suggested we check out the menu. A table left and I was ready to take the table but my party decided to try another spot because Alibi was small and loud. We ended up coming back within minutes and luckily, another table had just left. The bartender came to clear the glasses and greeted us. He went to make some drinks and came right back to take our order and offer suggestions to my friends. One person wanted some kind of bourbon and another wanted a non-alcoholic mocktail. Three of us went with the Larceny Paper Plane and one had a non-alcoholic Mojito. Next, I had Elijah Craig on the rocks and followed by an Old Fashion. Everyone enjoyed their cocktails. I liked the vibe and how the place was decorated. It is definitely loud and quaint, with a few chairs and sofas, high top tables, and bar seats. If the music volume were turned down a bit, people wouldn't have to shout so loudly to hear each other and the place would be a bit calmer and loungier. Some sound absorption treatments might help too.

Wow we have never been treated with so much disrespect in a bar or restaurant. Foul language because we came in after waiting outside in the rain for 20 minutes? Not worth anyone's time for sure . Server in a ball cap wouldn't give his name.

I was excited to visit Alibi after I saw, online, their extensive list of whiskeys, bourbons, ryes, and scotches. Yet when my party was seated, I don't believe we ever looked at the list again. We were just so interested in the cocktails (and satisfied with them), that it sort of got pushed off the cocktail table. Until it closed its doors permanently in the spring of 2022, one of my favorite cocktail bars in Manhattan had been Pouring Ribbons in Alphabet City. One of the reasons I enjoyed drinks there was the navigational grid/map they provided for you. It had a variety of taste preferences you could cross-reference, and once you found a spot on the grid that pleased your palate, there would be points on it for cocktails you might enjoy I'm sure there are more places like that, but Alibi has been the first one I've found since Pouring Ribbons. I selected a drink that matched my preferences for taste and alcohol, and - pun intended - it was a bull's-eye. If I had been able to stay longer (time constraints), I would have been satisfied to consume nothing but that one drink all evening. Decor is eclectic, and seating is comfortable though limited. There are some seats at the bar if none of the chairs or sofas are available. Drinks come out fairly quickly, and the atmosphere is very social. It does not surprise me that this is one of the most popular cocktail bars in Columbus.

Solid old fashioned. Good environment for a couple of casual cocktails with friends. I would go back.

So glad to have finally gotten the opportunity to stop by this cocktail bar. So many good things to say, where to begin ... The ambiance is so comfortable and cool. Darker light, some high tops and soft seating. The mural on wall is absolutely beautiful. Please be warned the space is SMALL. If memory serves me, there were 4 high tops (2-3 people) 4 bar seats, and two soft seating circles that could accommodate parties of 4. We arrived at 4:01PM (they open at 4) .. two tables were already taken. By 4:30PM they were turning people away. The collection of liquor and bitters and garnishes etc is ASTOUNDING. It looks more crowded on the shelves because of the small space but you can tell its a substantial selection. My husband and I each tried one of their specialty cocktails, and one of their classic cocktails. All four were delicious. I'm personally excited to find a bar in Columbus that knows how to make a proper New York Sour. The menu is cool because they separate it out into flavor profiles so it's easy to find something you'll like. I'd definitely like to return, i just hope i can find a table when we go back, ha!

One of my favorite spots in town and somewhere I take everyone that comes to visit! The atmosphere and service are excellent. They have a great bourbon selection and I love that their cocktail menu is laid out in a way that makes it easy to find something new that matches your taste.

Have to write a 2nd 5 star review. This drink was amazing! (Good Smorening) Well balanced despite being on the sweet side. You can really taste the goat cheese. The smell of the freshly roasted marshmallow brought the whole thing together. Can't wait to try more on the new menu. What an unexpected flavor combo that is so delicious together

Great cocktail bar! No food just cocktails. Very small space but works fine. Lots of cocktail options, all $13. Menu has a scatter plot that displays the flavor profiles of the drinks. Staff is great! Would reccomend and would go back!

Best happy hour in the city!! Always easy to find fun drinks on the wild cocktail menu or go with a classic cocktail, you can't miss here! Highly recommend!

Truly lovely bartenders. Service has always been top notch. Cant speak to the food. Drinks are delightful and spirit-forward. Intimate cozy little spot with very chill vibes. Better for small groups/dates/solo adventures.

Michael, the guy I spoke with here, certainly seems to know and love his craft. Opened last fall, I believe he mentioned it was November. First time in and can't believe I haven't heard of it sooner. The menu is interesting as it isn't simply a list of items by type, but rather groups things by taste and bouquet. Since this was my first time in, Michael took the time to explain to me how the menu worked to select an item that would be interesting and pleasing to my palate. From the vantage point of my table Inwas able to observe passers by on the street and I was intrigued by the numbers of people who stopped to look inside and when they saw what it looked like, immediately wanted to come in to try it out! Alibi is a smaller, cozy space, with intimate areas for good conversation in small groups. Lots of natural wood panels on the wall. It feels to me a little bit like the back room of Harold's Cabin (a restaurant operated by film legend Bill Murray - which is a fantastic little place we discovered near The Citadel in Charleston SC just prior to the pandemic. More on that cozy romantic gem in a different review). I was particularly intrigued by the process of smoking glasses for one of the cocktails and asked Michael to show me how he did it - and have posted a couple photos here. This place is worth a visit and I tremendously enjoyed the experience of watching and listening to purveyors who had a real passion & enjoyment for what they were doing for patrons.

I've wanted to check out the Alibi for awhile now, since they opened. During Gallery Hop on Saturday, we stopped in for a cocktail and it is super cute inside. It's small, but there are different seatings, including some sofas. Our server was great. There is self-serve water with little glasses that don't hold a lot. You can just chug and refill. Lots of great cocktail options, as well as wine, beer, and spirits.

Stumble on this place and glad I did! Super chill cozy vibes. It's quite small but we got a table quick for a Friday night. They only have drinks on the menu. I liked how there was a chart to give you a good idea of how sweet and spirit forward the drinks are. Daddy issues was is one of the more sweet and approachable drinks and it for real tastes like a tart juice, so good! Not sure it was very strong, or at least didn't taste like it. All the drinks are $12 as well.

Visited Saturday night. 20 or so customers at the establishment. Extensive cocktail menu and selection of alcohol. The real down side of the night was that the bartender was cocky, arrogant, and cold. He rubbed everyone in our group the wrong way. Also the service was very slow. The drink was good once it got to me much later after I ordered it. This is the hospitality industry. With $13 + cocktails you are selling an experience as well as a drink. Alibi fell short based on lack of hospitality from their weak link. I'd recommend Mouton. Much better experience there. I would give one star, but I feel Alibi has the potential to be better than what we found on Saturday night.

Super cool and intimate cocktail bar in the middle of downtown. Could see myself here at a happy hour after work if I live nearby. Took a friend who is from out of town here and he really enjoyed it. Love the quirky cocktail names as well.

The Alibi Bourbon and Cocktail Lounge may very well be the perfect place to stop in for a drink. Maybe a pregame drink before dinner, or before meeting up with a big group, heck before a game or concert. It is intimate, friendly, unpretentious, and completely approachable. It is hip in not the wanna be hipster way. I have fallen in love with Alibi. Their menu alone is completely helpful. Why hasn't every bar with an extensive drink menu done what Alibi has done. They made a map of their drink menu. Say you know you lean towards a spirit forward drink that is sweet, just pick one of the menu numbers that falls on the spectrum near there on their menu. I personally am an approachable and slightly tart drinker. I literally picked my drink by picking the number on the menu map. #14 it was. Which is called Hooked on a Feeling. And it was exactly what I wanted. The menu map was spot on for me. They had Bob Ross on one of the TV's. I mean who is more approachable than Bob Ross?!? The service was friendly and accommodating. I can not rave about Alibi enough! If you are looking for the perfect pregame drink before any event, or a night cap at the end of the evening, search no further than The Alibi Bourbon and Cocktail Lounge. You will thank me. Cheers.

AMAZING BUSINESS!! I have nothing but great things to say about this bar. The menu is so cool and you pick your themed drink based on where it lays on the board. The menu is board that informs you how sweet or strong a drink is. It's super cool and unique. The bar has the best vibes, tables, couches, and best of all Bob Ross is always playing. The bartenders are always super cool and nice and very informative. The No More Mr. Nice Chai is my personal favorite drink they have and it comes in the cutest tea cup. This bar is also super clean and has the cutest bathroom which is also a great plus.

I came here to check out their V-day special drink menu, and there were a couple of them already ran out. But I still got to try two different drinks from the special menu. The regular menu was well-designed and easy to help customers navigate the type of the drinks they prefer. I really liked the store vibes. There was a great collection of bourbon and whiskey on the shelf. The staff were friendly and chatting with the customers from time to time. A great spot to hang out with friends and I will definitely come back to check out more drinks!

Cuffing season Squirrel Dale Cooper Chasing leches First two drinks were easily some tastiest cocktails I've ever had. Squirrel was definitely my favorite. The second two were decent. The is a cool little bar. Bartenders know what they're doing and very nice and helpful. The menu itself is so cool just how it's laid out. I've never had so many cocktail choices either. Will definitely be back soon. For some reason Yelp won't let me upload a picture of the first two. These are the second batch of drinks.

Simply put, the best bar in Columbus. I've visited Alibi often and am always met with an incredible night. The service is only eclipsed by the beautiful drinks that they serve. The menu changes frequently which keeps me coming back. The drinks would stack up with any in New York or LA. Paired with a vibe and ambiance that allows you to focus on your friends rather than other distractions - this spot is immaculate. Any city in the country would be lucky to have this place.

Great cocktails. They have a cool menu that shows the flavor profiles of the drinks to help you choose. We ordered the illuminaughty or nice, which is a clarified milk punch. So so good, easy to drink, refreshing. And the wolf of high street, this one was definitely more alcohol forward, but still tasty. It's pretty small inside, but wasn't overly crowded, the bartender was quick to serve us once we sat down.

Such a cool spot. We biked here on a Monday after seeing many bars/cocktail places were closed. Was such a great experience. It's an awesome space and the cocktails are GOOD. I had the best mezcal cocktail to date in Columbus called the Legally Questionable. We talked extensively with Kyle our bartender about how they're all either too sweet or some variation on a margarita. This one was perfectly spirit forward and not sweet with mezcal, fernet branca, carpano antica vermouth, and dry curaçao. My husband got the smoking gun and said it was the best bourbon cocktail he's tried. Could spend hours here! So many cool drinks on the menu to fit every flavor profile (sweet, bitter, spirit forward, etc) and their new menu format guides you to your perfect drink.

Love this place for their happy hour cocktails. It is a bit small so plan to get there early if you want to get a seat. It is a very cozy and intimate bar.

Finally visited the Alibi after seeing so many good things about it online. It's easy to miss walking by on High Street! The inside is teeny tiny, with cool hand-painted art on the walls, an L-shaped bar, a few cozier chairs/couches, and a couple of tables. The drink menu is neat because it shows each beverage in a visual chart allowing you to choose sweet/unsweet, and strength of alcohol. I went with a friend so we decided to try both ends of the spectrum! I had the mezcal drink that was supposed to be the strongest and least sweet, and my friend had the Katy Perry drink, which is basically like a strawberry daiquiri. Both were pretty tasty-- mine was very strong, but well-balanced-- it was actually still sort of sweet, though. The Katy Perry was everything you'd expect it to be, with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and you couldn't taste any alcohol. It was around 7pm when we went, and not a lot of people were there. I tried to ask the bartender some questions, but they didn't seem to want to chat much. From an upscale cocktail lounge, I feel like the bartender should be so into spirits that they can engage with customers about it and get folks excited about unique things on the menu. If the experience had been different in that way, we may have stayed for a second drink. I will still definitely be back to bring some of my bourbon-aficionado buddies to try the place out and see what they think.

Great place to have a drink or two before eating in the short north. Fast, friendly service. Unique, strong drinks. Great menu explaining the drinks. We love it here.

The Alibi has the BEST cocktails in the city. I am so impressed with every cocktail that I order. The innovation, creativity, and flavor just astounds me. They change their menu every two months which is cool too! There is a drink for everyone here. From sweet to spicy, to warm and cold and all in between. Environment is cozy and welcoming. I've gone for different cocktails multiple times and will continue to do so.

Tell the bartender what types looking for in flavor profile, and let them surprise you. I love an authentic bourbon bar where creativity is encouraged, with good bourbon at the core. I do think the decor needs to be revamped and a little more purposeful, and perhaps a bit more tidy and clean, but Alibi is truly a great gem in the heart of Columbus.

Great bourbon selection. Reasonable prices. Defiantly if you want to try bottles you have not had then this is the place to go. Small bar. A few stools at bar. And tables around. Quiet place to enjoy a few drinks

I was fortunate to see the stunning mural inside before this lounge was up and running. Now, it's only a few steps from my abode. I take friends, make friends and celebrate in the cozy beautiful sofa's while kicking back to chill vibes, a fabulous and knowledgeable staff. I made a few new friends during Pride weekend but I tried every cocktail on their special list. I can only speak to the deliciousness, tunes and vibe.

Love this spot. Small, dark and quaint. Great for a date night. Drinks where robust and spirited!

Came here for happy hour tonight and the drinks were so unique and great quality! My guest really liked their bourbon selection. I got the peaches and cream for $5 and it was so yummy!

This is a cozy little spot with beautifully crafted cocktails. The cocktails are a bit on the sweeter side, but the flavors balance well. The ambiance was cozy and the patrons more of a higher middle age crew. The play list was impeccable. There was also a nice popcorn machine with fresh popcorn to encourage our stay.