Old Hickory Whiskey Bar

Ok so I have to say, if you ask what I want in my Manhattan, either ‘bourbon’ or ‘whiskey’, then you don’t know what you’re talking about. FYI: bourbon is whiskey, ok? These guys need to train their bartenders better.

Great atmosphere and great drink selection. A bit over priced and expect slow and unresponsive service.

We checked out this place last Friday and I was pleasantly surprised. The amount of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch is quite impressive. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what half of the options were on the list. I opted to try the signature cocktail, the Old Hickory, which was pretty good despite a very strong, smoky flavor. My date had the Moscow Mule, which was great. I like the atmosphere with a comfortable setting and a good selection of music in the background. What put this place over the top, was the outstanding customer service. As soon as we walked in, a bartender asked for our order. After initially placing our order, he realized that he had forgotten our drinks while dealing with other customers. He apologized and the next thing I know, the manager had brought out both our drinks, compliments of the house. Honestly, it was maybe a 5 minute delay but I was very impressed with how they put customers first. I’ll definitely be coming back in the future.

I’ve been to this spot a few times on Gallery Night. Its a great spot to chill on a Friday night and have a few drinks with friends. Awesome selection of whiskey and whatever else you may desire, alcohol wise. Sorta has a SoHo vibe in the way of interior design. Nice sofas to engage in thoughtful drunken conversations with friends or complete strangers. Service at times is hit or miss depending on who’s working, this time it was good.

I love this bar, amazing cocktails with great service. This isn’t a place to get rowdy, this is a place to go and relax a well made classic cocktail with a twist. Can’t wait to go again!
Most people complain that it is a little pricier, but, for a $ 8 cocktail, it goes above and beyond (and is mighty strong in all cases)!

3^rd time I’ve tried… Will not go back! Wait staff doesn’t know bourbon and could not answer questions! Went tonight and was handed menus but nobody ever came back to take our order! Went to blend and got served right away! Do not go!!!

What a great bar. Service was great and the drinks outstanding, had the Manhattan with the smoked glass wow, best ever.

This is a quaint bar with a nice wooden atmosphere and nice staff. Grab a seat at the bar and order this:
THE OLD HICKORY
Buffalo Trace, Dolin Sweet & Dry Vermouths and Bitters. Served in a hickory-​smoked glass. 2014 Winner, Best of the Coast’s «Best Signature Drink.»
What is a hickory-​smoked glass, you ask? The have this plank of hickory (wood), like a spot of it on fire and place the glass upside down on it. I guess this infuses the glass somehow with smokiness. Does it have any tastable bearing on the drink? I’m not sure, but the liquid in the glass was great. I’ve never been to a place that does this hickory glass thing though so that was novel/​cool. All the other drinks looked good too – there will surely be a time when I’ll be back to try them.
Since I am a huge bourbon fan, I am a fan of this bar. They have 23-​year Pappy Van Winkle if you want some of the best stuff on Earth.

Happy hour killed it. Cocktails were phenomenal and couldn’t beat the price. Love the atmosphere. Will definitely be back.

Great bar but the bartenders are the most unfriendly I have ever seen anywhere. Absolutely NO personality!

The atmosphere is awesome – speakeasy-​style place with 400+ whiskeys, along with other liquors, beer, wine, and a great selection of fine cigars to enjoy at the tables outside the bar. The bartenders are experienced and knowledgable mixologists and very attentive and friendly. The bar is clean and organized. The owners, Tony and Katie are very passionate about fine spirits and extremely friendly as well! The whole place is a relaxing, professional establishment to enjoy a great drink and a cigar if you enjoy them.

This was probably our favorite bar that we went to the whole trip. The bartender was very knowledgeable and friendly. The owners happened to be sitting next to us while we were there. They were so nice to talk to and gave us some pretty good recommendations on some local food. I love down to earth places like this. They definitely have our business the next time we make it to Pensacola!

This place is nice inside (decorations) BUT the service is horrible. If you’re an out of Towner don’t bother. Both bartenders ignore you while they just stand there talking to their friends. Don’t make speciality drinks in front of you (so what’s the point in ordering one). Would not recommend this place for anyone.

It does not get much better than this bar in Downtown Pensacola! Every time we go out, we find a way to end or start here.
We love the feel and the staff! Darren and Shelley are the BEST bartenders. It it great every time we go. From the amazing selection of whiskeys, to the seasonal hand crafted cocktails. Old Hickory will keep you coming back, and even craving their next New, Ever Changing Concoctions. Please give this bar a try! It will become your Favorite Go To…, just like ours.

Absolutely love this place. Great bartenders. If you can’t come up with something you want they always have a drink to make you. Never a bad drink here. Love their «Whiskey Seminars» Go to everyone I can. Don’t pass up this place!

Excellent bar with a whiskey selection to even impress this Tennessee boy! Great owners and staff who make you feel right at home. Great cocktails and comfy atmosphere.

Tons of Whiskeys to choose from! My fav cocktail was the Drunken Key Lime with that smokey flavor!

The staff is very friendly and knowledgable about whiskey. Places like this make Pensacola an exciting place to be.
Negative: on gallery nights the bar gets pretty crowded and they serve whiskey in plastic cups. I recommend going on a quieter night and enjoying their seating space and proper drinking vessels ;-)

Do you love whiskey and being a great American? If so, this place is for you.
I call this a real bar with real drinks and real bartenders. It isn’t cheap swill and doesn’t come from a draft tap. Here they make fantastic classic cocktails and new twists on those cocktails using high-​end spirits and fresh ingredients. It will take a moment; be patient. The wait will be worth it. If you want a $ 3 drink right NOW, I’m sure there’s a gas station somewhere close by where you can get it.
Old Hickory has a great ambiance; lots of warm, muted light and a it’s a comfortable place to sit or stand. There’s plenty of room to do both here.
Jim Morrison sang about it and Kyle makes one hell of an Old Fashioned. You have just found the next whiskey bar.

What a fantastic bar for downtown Pensacola. Watching the bartenders make a drink is like watching a four-​star chef prepare a gourmet meal. The signature cocktails are thoughtful and delicious. (Plus, any place that uses the amazing Buffalo Trace Bourbon as their house whiskey is A-​Okay with me! Most bars in town don’t even carry Buffalo Trace, much less call it their house whiskey. It’s a «sleeper» sipping bourbon most folks have never heard of, but it’s won more awards than any American whiskey in history. A definite must-​try.)
I tried several of the signature cocktails and was very impressed. Then, I decided to try one of my favorite drinks that so many people screw up: a simple mint julep. WOW. I was absolutely delighted. Buffalo Trace bourbon house-​infused with fresh mint in a frosty stainless steel cup and real simple syrup. But the showstopper was when the bartender followed Kentucky tradition and poured ice cubes in a waxed canvas bag and crushed it with a wooden mallet. Topped with a huge sprig of fresh mint, it was one of the best mint juleps I’ve ever had that I didn’t make myself! ;-)
I just can’t say enough about this place. Prices were average, if not even perhaps «good», especially for happy hour. For the same price you would pay at another bar in town for someone to slog some mid-​brow bourbon into a glass, you can go here and get a true «craft» cocktail like you would expect in a much larger city for double the price.
Here’s hoping they team up with a cigar shop and offer some nice smokes for the outdoor patio when the nights start to cool off. I’ll certainly be a regular!