The Imperial at Washburn Imports - Sanford

12/10/24.. Sadly they are now permamently closed at this location. One of my favorite spots. A wide variety of drink options to choose from. Erin, the Op Manager, makes really good drinks, is knowledgeable, professional, and welcoming. They started serving food about a week ago now. Currently, there is a handful of options to choose from. They also sell unique furnishings and decor. This place is eclectic with a wide variety of pieces.

Showed up a little sauced so I forgot to take a picture before we started eating. Pub pretzels with the garlic parmesan butter are flawless. Fish and chips are cooked perfectly, and the bar is affixed with an Irish pub as a sister bar, so it makes sense. Cocktails are top notch. I like gin, so I had a Last Word Fizz and a few beers, as well as trying the house Old Fashioned with E.H. Taylor whiskey. Also lied and said I was an influencer so they let me try their fall seasonal cocktail, the Bee's Fists, which is a Bee's Knees-type cocktail with Bourbon and Green Thai Chili simple syrup. Service is also flawless, Linda is the best! Super fun and bubbly, fun to be around, and pays attention, plus is super friendly. She didn't make any of our cocktails, but the bar manager Aaron was awesome too and helped us pick out our drinks. Live music, the beautiful aesthetic, a huge liquor selection and really cool vintage import furniture for sale solidified this as one of our favorite stops in Sanford. I'll be back next time I'm here, and I'll make sure all my friends are, too!!!

After dinner one night in Orlando, my boyfriend and I were walking around and stumbled upon a wonderful surprise. It’s half an import store and half a bar - a hidden gem. The night we went there a band was playing and it was wonderful! I definitely recommend checking this place out if you’re in the area!

We've been meaning to stop in for a while, final did so on a Friday night..surprisingly it wasn't packed. Lots of seating area, but you self order at the bar, maybe there were two bartenders, but for sure the one guy with the exquisite stashe was on it. The lines at the bar seem to clog up the space, giving a feel of ppl hovering over you while you're drinking. Not horrible but again it occurs. Overall really good.

Have never had a bad experience here. Amazing craft cocktail menu that changes all the time. Amazing craft beer and the staff is so friendly and knowledgeable about upcoming new whiskeys and spirits ! The atmosphere is of an antique shop and we love it so much. We will keep coming back !

We went to Winter Park first but since they do not serve liquor at that location, we decided to venture out to Sanford. It is pretty spacious and it has comfortable decor to sit and a bar where you order your drinks. Service was a bit slow for it not being too busy for a Friday night. The bartender seemed to be having a bad night because her attitude said it all. Too bad it did not get better (yes we did tip her). There was a dj and he had the music pretty loud and it seemed that he just played what came to mind. It wasn't bad, just a but too loud. As the night progressed, it became pretty empty and not too busy. Drinks were good and we were shown that they had a limited menu. Not bad since we were there to just have drinks and have a good time. Probably will come back if we are close to town. Pictured the Tomas Collins, Blood Orange Manhattan and a Prosseco/Gin drink.

This is an excellent craft cocktail bar situated within a furniture shop of sorts. In particular, each table and seat is unique and for sale. The cocktails are on point, old fashioned pictured. They have a very limited food menu, essentially charcuterie. Nonetheless, the board was quite good and provides some sustenance bas you enjoy your cocktails.

Great drinks and great service! Erin made our drinks with love and they were very tasty. Imperial has a cozy atmosphere.

I loved this place! They have amazing cocktails, the bartenders definitely know what they are doing. Both drinks I had were delicious. I also love the atmosphere of the place. They have a bunch of thrifted furniture and home decor items around the place for sale. I thought that was a cool concept.

Had the BEST time! Stopped in after having dinner with friends and there was a trio playing live music (saxophone, drums and bass). Loved the entire vibe. Wine was ice cold (yum!) and mixed drinks were strong. Service was great! Love this little gem!

Cool bar located in downtown Sanford. I have been to their Ivanhoe location numerous times, but a few weeks ago was my first visit here. The bar is also part of a furniture shop. Be careful where you put your drink, especially without a coaster as there is good chance that table you are setting it on is for sale. You may come for a drink and leave with a new piece of furniture for your house... On this visit I got one of their special drinks of the day. It was a variation on the Manhattan. It was ok, I think the bartender made it well, I was just not a fan of the flavoring. Sounded better than it was. It is a cool spot to hangout for a drink or two and worth a visit next time in Sanford.

It's safe to say the Imperial at Washburn is one of the best bars in downtown Sanford. The vibe is quirky and eclectic, yet comfortable with purchasable antique furniture filling most of the space. You can expect consistent service here as the bartenders are always efficient and still manage to whip up cocktails pretty quickly even when the place is packed. My favorite thing about Washburn is that the cocktails are just like the decor/furniture that's for sale on the inside, ever changing and unique. The menu seems to change pretty regularly, but I can honestly say I've never been disappointed by any drink here! On my most recent visit I tried the Gin Grapefruit Cosmo and the 2020 Daiquiri and both cocktails were exceptional. Whether you're looking for a classic cocktail or a new spin on a traditional one, the Imperial at Washburn in Sanford will keep you coming back for more!

Such a cool place to chill in Sanford! And the food and cocktails were delish...I recommend the curry fries

The WORST MOJITO I've ever had...and Overpriced. They serve it in a small tiny glass with a ton of ice and extremely sour. WILL NOT COME BACK

Great cocktails and nice place to hang out and chill. Definitely will be on our list of regular spots to hit.

Venue***** smartly done, it's different from the areas around it and speckled with interesting wood pieces- some of which are for sale Service*** bar tender was nice enough in the end, but it was a little strange in the beginning. We were there pretty early with only a couple at the bar, sat down 2 feet from them at a table but were ignored the majority of the time and told in the end we'd have to walk the treacherous 2ft to the bar to have our order taken. Like I said strange, but I'll concede once you make the trek it's a pleasant experience. Drinks***** they were pretty solid, were not overdone and nicely balanced

Wife and I went in for a late drink and appetizers. When we went in the DJ was playing great old style vinyl records. The decor was very interesting and nice. There were only a few customers at the tables, most were at the bar. The waiter saw us sit down and didn't come from behind the bar to serve and was not helping with drinks either or ask us for anything. I then went to the bar and had to do my own order. She never came to offer anything else. So to summarize nice place to get a drink , very small menu for appetizers, service was non existing. The bartender maybe the owner was great. Only thing he asked to hold my credit card then I got my credit card bill and was charged twice! I'd still go back but only for drinks at the bar !

Amazing!!! Drinks out of this world combinations, service amazing, ambiance great!! Just be adventurous! I

Best place to get a craft cocktail! I have been a few times and I love sitting at the bar and having a cocktail. They also do charcuterie boards as well! Anything you get, you will not be disappointed as they have all kinds of liquor and you can find a cocktail that fits your liking!

Walked into a packed local where the bar was a solid wall of people clamoring for their drinks. The side where the seats were had nearly every spot taken came up to a wooden booth and were going to sit, but the other gals we were with decided it was best to try sitting outside. We did not realize that the outside was more for eating than chilling out with a drink or two, so we moved out to a different spot.

Fun place. Great decor. Excellent craft cocktails to be had here in a comfortable old time setting. Give it a try!

Such a cute bar. Looks like an antique shop with a bar. I believe some of the furniture is even for sale. Great selection of drinks and cocktails. Friendly bar staff. Definitely can't wait to be in town and go back.

The Imperial is probably one of my favorite spots to grab a drink in downtown Sanford. You're greeted by the sweet smell of the gorgeous wooden furniture and accoutrements they have to sit on and display (im pretty sure these items are for sale, too!) The lighting is soft, but not so soft where you cant see. I was able to play a couple rounds of palace with my friend, partner, and daughter with no problems. We randomly popped up on a saturday night for a lil drinky drink and this amazing band was playing! They ended up letting me get up and sing and catch a lil vibe with them. I typically get a margarita, espresso martini, or anything prickly pear and this particular night i went martini and had the bartender add a little sweetness to it and it was probably the best one I've had in Sanford. I cant wait to go back because the staff and crowd was just a vibe! My 9 year old had a good time also and usually she sits around bored when i want to drink and talk lol we danced the night away together and it ended up being a really beautiful evening.

Great ambiance, cool decor. People were nice. Service was good, they probably could've used an extra bartender for a busy Friday night. No complaints.

Best old fashions in Sanford. Erin was a great and very sociable bartender. Definitely want to try their other drinks next time but I'm so hooked on the old fashion.

The is always a fun bar, because not only do they have super interesting craft cocktails; try the Uranus this month, delightful; and very unique decor, it's also a furniture store! That's right, they have lots of custom pieces that inspire me. They are not inexpensive. They are directly beside the much noisier The Sullivan, an Irish pub.

The Imperial at Washburn Imports is a unique bar concept. In the daytime, it is Washburn Imports, an antique store that sells a variety of furniture and other items. At night, it becomes a full-service bar with speciality cocktails, friendly staff, and great energy. My go-to drink at the time is the Stoner Bashing Thyme cocktail, which is a refreshing and amazing mix of Angostura Rum, stone fruit purée, Falernum, lemongrass-thyme-schizanda syrup, fresh lemon, lime, and orange. The bar is unique and provides a great experience every time you go. If the speciality cocktails aren't your thing, they feature numerous drafts, whiskeys, and wines as well. If you're in Downtown Historic Sanford, give Imperial a try; you wont regret it. The bar is hardly ever busy so expect prompt service from the bartenders, and for your thirst to be satisfied quickly.

We stopped in for a cocktail before heading to west end. The decor is obviously unique, as it seconds as a furniture store for up cycled type of large items (tables china, cabinets, etc) as with most places they do require masks until you are seated. There was only one bar tender, at around 7 pm on a Friday night and with the drinks being made as they should, they did take some time. That also meant we had to go to the bar and order, no big deal, we just weren't sure of the flow until a guy told us. Overall, my old fashioned tasted great, and I would definitely stop in again.

They have excellent drinks, great cheese board, and nice atmosphere. Would be a great venue to host a private party.

What a place! The experience starts outside the bar which is tucked in a row of other restaurants and bars that stretch the length of 1St Ave in the "Historic Downton Sanford". Such a quaint little area with mounds of character and appeal. The Imperial at Washburn is an eclectic location with Indonesian furniture for sale during the day and a whisky bar at night. Weird combo however, the staff know their stuff when it comes to spirits. There's a pretty cool program that allows you to earn a tag with your name which immortalizes you in the eyes of the spirit Gods so long as you try 50 unique spirits. #ChallengeAccepted The one downfall...food. There is a charcuterie menu that allows some nutrition but not much substance. BYOF(ood) seems to be acceptable but there aren't many options while seated. Overall, a great place to try unique spirits that you wouldn't find just anywhere.

This was a great bar with really cool decor. The bartender Ariel was very helpful and polite and was fantastic at her job. Will definitely come back again.

Very unique place! Drinks and shopping amazing at one awesome spot. Specialty cocktails are delicious!

I love this place! It's just like imperial in lake Ivanhoe area plus the courtesy! So they have spirits here in addition to wine/beer. Drink menu is seasonal, always changing. Lots of whiskeys available as well. Takes some time to get your drink, as things are hand made. The old fashioned is my go to drink. Venue is low key, set in a resale furniture store. A lot of the benches and chairs are wood, and can be uncomfortable after awhile. Parking is street parking, but there's a parking lot down the street that isn't too far. Bathroom is clean. Check it out. It's a fun place in sanford.

This place was so great for a couple drinks! Definitely recommend if Hollerbachs has a wait!

This is a pretty cool bar. The furniture you sit on is also furniture you can purchase. It does get busy in the evening sometimes but you can always manage to find a seat. They have a great selection of cocktails. Fair warning, they do not hold back on the alcohol. These cocktails pack a punch. You really do get your moneys worth.

Fun bar with a DJ. Good cocktails. Didn't get a chance to try the charcuterie plate but the items listed sounded good. Interesting atmosphere with furniture for sale.

Been coming to this spot for years ..:: the craft cocktails are always on point / and the bartender are hip, knowledgeable and friendly; I would like for the music to be a little louder as when its happening, its loud and the music senZations are lost.

How awesome is this concept. Drinking craft cocktails on unique furniture pieces! I have to say I was not only blown away by how cute The Imperial at Washburn is but I was also impressed by their extensive liquor selection. While I only ordered a blueberry beer, my friend had a Manhattan and told me it had to be one of the tastiest cocktail he had. As I was watching the bartender mixing drinks I noticed the different types of bourbon and whiskeys they carry. I honestly can't wait to go back and try some of their cocktails and sit on fancy furniture.

My type of bar! Unique, good bartenders and great company. Would highly recommend this place .

Love the vibe here. Great bartenders and great mix drinks and draft beers on tap. The decor is so cool in here.

My friend was visiting from Vegas and we were meeting a group for the Mama Mia musical at the Wayne Dench theater. But we had time before the show started so we headed over to this place for some cocktails. Unfortunately, I have searched for the menu and didn't take a picture of it at the time & I have been unable to locate a more recent menu. All the pictures on Yelp of the menus are years old and do not have our drinks on them. Definitely recommend this place to update and put a website up with their drinks, so I have no idea what the name of my drink is. I can remember that it had blood orange in it, bitters and that it was perfect. Not too sweet, not too sour! Our bartender/waitress was also very nice and helpful and efficient. Sad to say I don't remember her name either. Upon walking in, we noticed it wasn't very busy at around 6:15 PM on Monday. That was great for us! There were seats readily available at the bar where we sat right away and started to make our selections. This place has a laid back chill vibe that was just what we wanted. As you may already know, it is a furniture store by day, and a bar with some bites at night. It's right in a plaza on the streets of downtown Sanford and near everything within walking distance that you would be going to downtown Sanford for.

Unprofessional staff... went out for one minute and threw away full drink and refused to refund drink that they through away

This is a nice spot. Even with all of the giant wooden furniture there was still plenty of places to sit on a Saturday night. Service was a bit slow and they didn't have several items for a drink we ordered but the bartender was able to offer an alternative that was tasty.

Great spot for drinks and friends. The staff is some of the best Sanford has to offer with delicious drinks and cozy atmosphere.

Great food, good staff, awesome atmosphere and great food. Highly recommended. The staff is short handed so the service is slow, so expect a delay. Seriously though, great food

Have been here a few times and I love the atmosphere and creative cocktails. The bartenders are very attentive and it's just fun. The only caveat is the bathrooms are a little hard to find, so be careful walking to the back of the shop after you've had a few drinks. The crowd here is pretty mature and low key, not a college kid type of hang out. Feels very refined and sophisticated inside. There is usually good music playing, a relaxed attitude, and interesting rotation of craft cocktails. I usually opt for beer and they also have a wide selection of local craft beer too. If you're in the area definitely stop in, you can even browse the furniture they have for sale.

The drinks were great. The service was horrible. Our bartender was completely miserable and didn't even try to be friendly. We tried having conversations with her since we are new to the neighborhood. Even the dirty look on her face. When you work at a place like this, service is key.Unfortunately, she left a horrible taste in our mouths.

The drinks are really nice, very mixology centered and good flavors. We waited over 15 minute with no one acknowledging us and it wasn't that busy. 3 people bartending. Finally ordered and my boyfriend went to the bathroom and back and sat over 5 minutes before our basic drinks were ready. Sitting here now, empty drinks for over 10 minutes, 6 empty chairs at the bar and no one has checked on us once, nor interacted at all. At $12 a drink, we can get better service elsewhere & decided to leave. Finally, my date yelled over, "Hey, guys!" They then immediately scrambled, told us our total and we cashed out. The 4 people next to us were waiting over 10 minutes, again, even for acknowledgement and my date called attention to it and they finally waited on them. Without asking, we did get two free shots before we left and an apology that one was in training. We are patient with staffing shortages all the time. There was no shortage tonight. Just no desire to work faster to accommodate, nor interact with the patrons.

No other establishment has instantly impressed like this place. In recent memory at least. Me: I'm not sure exactly what I want, but I'm thinking along the lines of a unique gin cocktail... Bartender: *proceeds to make a bada** unique gin cocktail New favorite bar. Great crew. Great locals. It's definitely on my short list of great hangout spots.

Perfect place for date night drinks. Every drink I had was flavorful and I definitely recommend the Joanne's Collins. The bartenders are very knowledgeable about cocktails and different liquors. So much to look at as well! Favorite place in Sanford!

If you are looking for a bar with real drinks and an outstanding Bourbon selection. This is the place for you! This is craft cocktails at there best with great decor to match! Always a great experience!

The best place in Sanford for the perfectly crafted classic cocktail. Muddled, mixed with real fruits and juices. They don't serve food, but sometimes they do popcorn, and they're totally okay with bringing in outside food for snacks. I came in one night when they were grilling bacon for their bacon cocktail, and they let us snag a piece. It was fab! It's also part of a furniture store, you can actually buy any of the quirky decor that you see! Grab a seat by the window and watch Sanford at night.

I love this place! They serve beer, wine and craft cocktails all are delicious! The other cool aspect to this place is that it is in a furniture store and you can buy what you're sitting on. It's a one of a kind furniture. The owners fly all over the world looking for unique pieces. I saw a butiful table they made from a door they found somewhere far far away. They also serve a few light bites. This is truly a unique place.

My friends and I were visiting and decided to stop in. This place is awesome. We loved the eclectic vibe. Chris was great and made awesome drinks.

What a funky bar! I went here on a date and was pleasantly surprised. By day, it's a furniture store, and at night, it's a bar where you can sit and use the furniture. They have a set specialty cocktail, and the ones I had were strong and priced normally. Not bad for a place recommended on the fly by the patrons in the street.

Nice atmosphere. They sell the furniture they have there and the cocktails are amazing. Love bartenders who knows how to do their job and these two defitinely did. They were extremely professional. The bar was like a modern speakeasy with music matching the atmosphere. We had 2 beers and 2 cocktails for $30 plus tip. We'll be back.

Anytime I bar hop around Sanford, I like to start of my night with a cocktail from imperial. The selection of liquors (especially whiskeys) is impressive and leads to some really high quality craft cocktails. The mixologists/bartenders are super knowledgeable and can concoct any beverage to fit your tastes and preferences. I usually get some sort of whiskey drink knowing that I'll probably only have one and move on to the next bar, as the drinks are fairly pricey. It's generally worth it for at least one as the cocktails are made with top notch bitters, liquors, and fresh fruits. I've had a few sips of my wife's jalapeño margarita as well and that's also a good choice. The atmosphere is generally quiet and relaxed and since it's a furniture store, the actual seating arrangements are constantly changing. It's definitely worth the stop if you are in Sanford and looking for excellently prepared cocktails.

Really unique place with a throw-back vibe, yet trendy too. The throw-back part is that it's located in the Main Street Downtown district of Sanford, FL, which has been experiencing a full-on revival over the past several years. Thanks to the population's love affair with craft beer, all sorts of pubs and breweries are coming literally out of the woodwork. The Imperial is a bar that has become exactly a part of the woodwork of what is also Washburn Imports; a furniture store of sorts, with the most unique and artisan style furniture imported from all over the world. Sit on a repurposed oil can bench (super cool) and rest your drink on a tree trunk table directly across from a bench/daybed from Bali. The furniture is for use while in the bar or you can take it home if the price is right! We decided to try out their equally unique cocktail creations. I had the Joannes Collins and hubs had the Smokey Negroni. Both were very meticulously crafted like it was art and they were awesome. The Negroni was unlike anything you'll ever be able to get anywhere else. Smokey and definitely a sipper, not to be rushed. Amazing. My drink was refreshing and delightful but I would try something else next time. They had more types of whiskey than the liquor store, and there were flocks of people there ordering whiskey like it was their job. The bartenders were VERY knowledgeable and it was clear this was a craft to them. Great scene, all around. We will definitely be back for round 2.