The 10 best bars in Saratoga Springs

Most of the drinking in Saratoga Springs happens on one block. Caroline Street, a few steps east of Broadway, holds the city’s oldest bar, its loudest dive, a whiskey bar with about 500 labels and a cocktail room in an 1870s feed store, and in July and August the sidewalk between them is shoulder to shoulder. The rest of the year you can walk into almost all of them.

This list is for anyone planning a night out downtown, from a slow martini to a Monday punk show. It mixes cocktail bars, a wine bar, a jazz club, two brewpubs, an Irish pub and two dives, and every one is inside the city and open year-round.

How we chose

We picked bars inside the city with a consistent local reputation across independent sources, local press coverage and longevity, confirmed each is open as of late September 2026 from its own website or a 2026 news report, and mixed styles so the list is not ten cocktail bars. Seasonal track-season venues were left off, as was any bar whose website is dead and that no 2026 source confirms. Hours come from each bar’s own site and change without notice.

Hours, prices and dates below come from each business or official source and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Hamlet & Ghost

Brendan Dillon and Dennis Kiingati run this cocktail bar at 24 Caroline St in a building that sold feed and grain in the 1870s. Chef Alex Lempka’s kitchen sends out duck fat fries ($10) and a $27 double cheeseburger to go with the drinks. Book for a date or a small group; Resy reservations top out at six people, and the bar closes Sundays. Expect a 4% kitchen administration fee on the check. The Hamlet & Ghost listing has the address and website.

Hours: Bar: Mon–Thu 5–11 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5 p.m.–midnight; closed Sun. Dinner ends 9:30 p.m. Mon–Thu, 10 p.m. Fri–Sat.

Address: 24 Caroline St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The building at 24 Caroline St was a feed and grain store in the 1870s and a hardware store during Prohibition, which the owners say fronted a gambling room.
• Owner Brendan Dillon spent five years behind the bar at Max London’s before opening here.
• Reservations run through Resy for parties up to six; the bar cannot take groups of eight or more.
• A 4% kitchen administration fee goes to back-of-house wages and is added to every check.

See the full directory listing

9 Maple Avenue

Forty seats, green walls and mahogany define this jazz bar a few steps off Broadway. The martini list runs past 250 choices, the single malt scotch shelf runs long, and the bar itself was built by hand in 1990 inside a two-story brick building from about 1880. Live jazz plays Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. with a $2 cover. Come for a slow nightcap, not a crowd. Our 9 Maple Avenue listing has the details.

Hours: Open daily at 4 p.m.; live jazz Fri–Sat 9 p.m.–1 a.m. Check current hours before you go.

Address: 9 Maple Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The bar advertises the largest selection of single malt scotches between Manhattan and Montreal, plus bourbons and Irish whiskies.
• The martini menu lists more than 250 drinks, and the Daily Gazette reported the bar uses fresh juice with no commercial sour mix.
• A Place for Jazz lists shows every Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. through November 2026, including Michael Benedict Jazz Vibes on Sept. 25.
• A porcelain tap head at the bar was thrown by potter Regis Brodie.

See the full directory listing

The Bourbon Room

About 500 whiskey labels fill three sections of dark wooden shelving at 8 Caroline St, where founder Brian Miller opened in 2014 after scrapping plans for a martini bar. Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. daily with select pours at $11, and acoustic acts play every Friday and Saturday. Monthly Flight School tastings with brand reps cost $30. Arrive early on race-season weekends, since the room fills fast. See the The Bourbon Room listing for directions.

Hours: Opens 4 p.m. daily; website lists 4 p.m.–4 a.m. Happy hour 4–6 p.m. daily. Check current closing time before you go.

Address: 8 Caroline St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• Whisky Advocate profiled the bar on July 29, 2026 and counted roughly 500 whiskey labels on the list.
• Founder Brian Miller, a former bartender and liquor store owner, opened the bar in 2014.
• Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. daily with select whiskies at $11 and specialty cocktails cut from $14 to $11.
• Live acoustic music plays every Friday and Saturday, and a monthly Flight School tasting costs $30.

See the full directory listing

Familiar Creature

The Hamlet & Ghost owners opened this Montreal-inspired wine bar at 42 Phila St in February 2025 with chef Michele Hunter running the kitchen. Charcuterie boards draw from 15 cheeses and cured meats, and roast chicken comes by the quarter, half or whole bird. Fifty seats inside plus a 30-seat patio in warm months keep waits short. Walk in, join the waitlist, or book on Resy; doors open at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Familiar Creature listing has the address and website.

Hours: Tue–Sun 5 p.m.–close; closed Mon.

Address: 42 Phila St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• Co-owners Brendan Dillon and Dennis Kiingati of Hamlet & Ghost opened the bar the first weekend of February 2025, per Saratoga TODAY.
• The name comes from a line in Othello: good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used.
• The Times Union review (April 8, 2025) named skate-wing schnitzel, Manila clams with leeks in Calabrian chile cream, and a white Negroni made with Suze.
• Seating runs 50 inside and about 30 on the patio in warmer months.

See the full directory listing

Henry Street Taproom

Craft beer and cider taps are the point at 86 Henry St, a short walk east of Broadway, with cocktails, wine and a scratch kitchen behind them. Shuffleboard tournaments take over Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m., with $2 off pints of Narragansett and Allagash White for players. Doors open at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at noon on weekends. Beer nerds who also want dinner belong here.

Hours: Tue–Fri 4–10 p.m.; Sat noon–10 p.m.; Sun noon–9 p.m.; closed Mon.

Address: 86 Henry St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The taproom pours craft beers and ciders alongside cocktails and wine, and the kitchen makes its food from scratch.
• Weekly shuffleboard tournaments run Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., with $2 off Narragansett and Allagash White pints for teams.
• The staff produces a podcast called Back On The Table about beer, movies, music and local business.
• Reservations are available online; the bar is closed Mondays.

See the full directory listing

Walt & Whitman Brewing Company

A brewery, a beer hall and a coffee cafe share the old Saratogian newspaper building at 20 Lake Ave, one block off Broadway. House beers pour next to Detroit-style pizza, and Walt Café covers breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, with trivia every other Thursday at 7 p.m. Four rooms suit groups; everything closes Tuesdays. See the Walt & Whitman Brewing Company listing for directions.

Hours: Brewery and taproom: Mon and Wed–Thu 4–10 p.m.; Fri–Sat noon–10 p.m.; Sun noon–9 p.m.; closed Tue. Walt Café: Wed–Mon 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Address: 20 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• Founded in 2019, the family-owned business brands the beer hall as Whitman Brewing Co. and the cafe as Walt Café.
• The building is the historic Old Saratogian Building, and the site describes four distinct dining areas for private events.
• Happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 2 to 6 p.m. Friday; trivia runs every other Thursday at 7 p.m.
• The beer hall menu centers on Detroit-style pizza, and pickup and delivery are available through Toast and DoorDash.

See the full directory listing

Druthers Brewing Company – Saratoga Springs

Druthers built this brewpub in 2012 at 381 Broadway, set about 120 feet back from the sidewalk behind a hand-made iron gate and a beer garden with heaters for the shoulder seasons. A 10-barrel system brews the house list on site, including 80 Shilling, a Scottish-style ale that won silver at the 2016 World Beer Cup. Order food before the kitchen closes an hour ahead of the bar. Groups do well on the patio. The Druthers Brewing Company – Saratoga Springs listing has the address and website.

Hours: Sun–Thu 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri–Sat 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; kitchen closes one hour before close.

Address: 381 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The Saratoga Springs location was the first Druthers brewpub, built in 2012 in the Broadway Historic District.
• A 10-barrel (20-keg) brewing system on site supplies a rotating list of house beers.
• 80 Shilling, a malty Scottish-style ale, took a silver award at the 2016 World Beer Cup.
• The beer garden sits behind an iron gate off Broadway and runs heaters in late spring and early fall.

See the full directory listing

The Parting Glass

This Irish pub at 40-42 Lake Ave keeps Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s and Magners on tap and hosts Celtic music sessions along with regular live bands. The Dub Lin Dart Hall gives the pub a following among league dart players, and the kitchen serves until closing. Hours run to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. St. Patrick’s Day here starts at 11 a.m. with pipers and step dancers, so plan parking. Our The Parting Glass listing has the details.

Hours: Sun–Thu 11 a.m.–midnight; Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Address: 40-42 Lake Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• Pub features listed on the website include the Dub Lin Dart Hall, Celtic music sessions, live music, free wifi and a menu served until closing.
• Guinness, Harp, Smithwick’s and Magners are on tap, per the pub’s St. Patrick’s Day 2026 event listing on saratoga.com.
• The pub’s March 17, 2026 celebration opened at 11 a.m. with corned beef and cabbage, Irish step dancers and pipers.
• Bandsintown and Songkick list 2026 concert dates at the pub, and a party planner handles private events by email.

See the full directory listing

Tin & Lint

Open since 1970 at 2 Caroline St, Tin & Lint is the longest-running bar on the street. Bri Collins bought the place from longtime owner Jim Stanley in 2025 and started taking credit cards, ending decades of cash only. Carved names climb the walls to the ceiling, and a plaque marks the booth where Don McLean supposedly started writing American Pie, a claim the Daily Gazette calls disputed. Dogs are welcome; bring yours.

Hours: Website lists daily noon–2 a.m. Check current hours before you go.

Address: 2 Caroline St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The bar opened in 1970 and was one of Caroline Street’s first two bars, per Saratoga Living.
• Jim Stanley started as a doorman in 1970, took over ownership around 1985 to 1990 depending on the source, and sold to Bri Collins in spring 2025.
• WNYT confirmed in 2025 that the bar was sold, not closed, after a sign on the door started rumors.
• Collins added a new jukebox and pool table, updated the bathrooms, and began accepting credit cards, per the Daily Gazette (June 18, 2025).

See the full directory listing

Desperate Annie’s

Marc Travis opened this Caroline Street dive at number 12 in fall 1993 and still runs the room after more than 30 years. Every Monday, Super Dark Collective books original-music shows at 9 p.m. with no cover, $4 Lagunitas cans and a strict 21-plus door. When Travis faced heart surgery in spring 2026, neighbors gave nearly $80,000 to keep the bar open. Expect cheap drinks, loud bands and one rule: only jerks get thrown out. The Desperate Annie’s listing has the address and website.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 12 Caroline St, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Why they made the list

• The bar opened on Caroline Street in fall 1993, and owner Marc Travis has run the business for more than 30 years, per the Times Union (March 27, 2026).
• Super Dark Mondays bring free, 21-plus shows of original music every Monday at 9 p.m., booked by Super Dark Collective rather than the bar.
• A GoFundMe for Travis’s heart surgery raised nearly $80,000 in its first days in March 2026, with the stated goal of keeping the bar open through his recovery.
• The bar’s own motto, posted on its website: we only throw out the jerks.

See the full directory listing

Also worth knowing

Morrissey’s Lounge & Bistro at the Adelphi Hotel, 365 Broadway, pours classic cocktails and local drafts daily with a 3 to 4 p.m. social hour and a 10 to 11 p.m. final round at the main bar. See the listing.

Spa City Tap & Barrel at 13 Caroline St runs live music most Friday and Saturday nights plus pool, darts, trivia and karaoke, with a September 2026 event calendar posted. See the listing.

The Local Pub & Teahouse at 142 Grand Ave, west of downtown, is a neighborhood English and Irish pub with craft drafts, organic teas and weekend brunch. See the listing.

Frequently asked questions

What is Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs known for?

Caroline Street, one block east of Broadway, holds the densest run of bars in the city, from Tin & Lint (open since 1970) and Desperate Annie’s to Hamlet & Ghost and The Bourbon Room. Whisky Advocate called the block Saratoga’s Bourbon Street in a July 2026 profile.

Are there wine bars in Saratoga Springs?

Yes. Familiar Creature at 42 Phila St, opened in February 2025 by the Hamlet & Ghost owners, pours wine with French and Quebecois small plates Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. Thirsty Owl Saratoga at 184 S Broadway serves Finger Lakes wines from its own winery with a bistro menu.

Where can I hear live jazz in Saratoga Springs?

9 Maple Avenue hosts live jazz every Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. with a $2 cover, with a schedule posted through November 2026. The Bourbon Room on Caroline Street books acoustic acts every Friday and Saturday.

Last checked September 25, 2026. See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.