We’ve gathered eight establishments where cocktails are crafted not just for show, but to impress with flavor, detail, and atmosphere.
Who&Why. Drinkery
Who&Why. Drinkery is a secret speakeasy bar located on Yaroslaviv Val Street. You can only enter after ringing the doorbell at the entrance.
The cocktail menu is divided into five categories: bitter, sweet, sour, gastronomic, and non-alcoholic. Each features original recipes with a carefully balanced mix of ingredients. Among the bitter cocktails, try the Cocovardier — a blend of bourbon, coconut, sweet Italian vermouth, and tonka beans. In the sour section, there’s the Electric J — a cocktail made with Tennessee whiskey, blackcurrant, Sichuan cordial, sour mix, and gum mix.
New additions include Churchill's Cigar with spiced rum, port, orange liqueur, island whiskey, and lemon-caramel foam, and Verde Blush with vodka, tomato water, vermouth, basil, and strawberry tomato.
The bar also has a kitchen, with dishes designed for perfect food pairings with the cocktails. Each pairing enhances the flavor accents of the drinks.
Prices: Churchill's Cigar — 380 UAH, Verde Blush — 385 UAH, Cocovardier — 375 UAH, Electric J — 370 UAH, Peat Father — 375 UAH, Red Velvet — 375 UAH
Address: 21a/20 Yaroslaviv Val St.
“BarmenDictat”
“BarmenDictat” is one of Kyiv’s most iconic cocktail bars, located in a courtyard on Khreshchatyk, on the site of the former art club “44.” The venue has long achieved cult status among locals and tourists alike, and even hosted Stephen Fry as a guest.
One of the visual highlights of the bar is its 13-meter-long counter — the largest in Ukraine. The opposite wall is completely lined with bottles of alcohol from around the world. The cocktail list features over 30 options: classics, signature mixes, and drinks with their own backstories. Among the bestsellers are Kraken — a blend of rum, herbal liqueur, spiced cherry, lemon, and ginger beer, and Jesus Christ — a cocktail with spiced almond liqueur, spiced cherry, lemon, and lime foam.
Besides cocktails, “BarmenDictat” also has a full kitchen offering salads, snacks, and hot dishes, making it suitable not only for evening outings but also for extended hangouts.
Prices: Kraken — 480 UAH, Jesus Christ — 400 UAH, Thanos — 380 UAH, Englishman in NY — 330 UAH
Address: 44B Khreshchatyk St.
HRAM
HRAM is a cocktail bar in the center of Kyiv, located in the basement of the BEEF restaurant. The space was created by the Ukrainian design studio YOD Group and unites four themed bars — “Centrum,” “Hyde,” “Smoke,” and “Vitrazh.” Each has its own concept, individual cocktail menu, and atmosphere, encouraging guests to return and discover something new each time.
HRAM works not only with form but also with deep cultural context. For Kyiv Day, they introduced a new cocktail menu called “Temple Cocktails,” which serves as a gastronomic guide to the city’s iconic religious sites — from the Church of the Tithes to the Zvirynets Monastery.
The team worked on the menu for four months. Head bartender Andrii Fokin developed the recipes, while the Barta brand created unique glasses for each drink. The final selection includes five cocktails. For example, First Church is served in a glass imitating stone and wood — the materials used in the construction of Kyiv’s first stone church. Zvirynets refers to the history of the cave monastery and is served in a glass shaped like a Polovtsian stone statue. Organ is dedicated to the burned organ of St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral — the glass is shaped like an organ, with each “pipe” representing a separate cocktail with its own concept. Golden Dome visually echoes the domes of the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, while The Bell is a drink served in a bell-shaped glass you can ring once you’ve finished your drink.
Prices: Menu available at the bar
Address: 11 Shota Rustaveli St.
Hendrick’s bar
Hendrick’s is a speakeasy-style bar operating within the True Burger Bar restaurant. Its interior and concept are inspired by the Prohibition era and the legendary Hendrick’s gin. This gin became the foundation of the bar’s identity — in the carved wooden décor, you can find symbolic cucumbers and roses, which are key ingredients of the gin and elements of the brand’s signature style.
The cocktail menu is built around five categories: drinks based on gin, rum, whiskey, bourbon, and also tequila and mezcal. The venue focuses on classics crafted by professional bartenders, but the menu also features signature drinks with unique mixes.
Each year, the bar launches a seasonal menu called SEASON REASON — a series of cocktails made with local ingredients gathered in the Kyiv region. The drinks change weekly depending on the availability of fresh herbs and flowers: for example, right now you can try cocktails made with young nettle, mirabelle plum blossoms, apricot flowers, and dandelions.
In addition to cocktails, the menu includes light snacks, salads, toasts, and BBQ ribs — perfect for a casual bite or a full dinner.
Prices: Young Nettle (with young nettle) — 358 UAH, Apricot Blossoms (with apricot flowers) — 358 UAH, Mirabelle Plum Blossom (with mirabelle plum flowers) — 358 UAH
Address: 42 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.
Alchemist
One of Kyiv’s legendary bars — Alchemist — recently resumed operations on Shota Rustaveli Street. The venue refreshed its branding and interior, becoming even more intimate and atmospheric. It now truly resembles an underground alchemist's lab, where instead of potions, they craft complex cocktail mixes.
The bar continues to host DJ sets, live performances, and events.
The current cocktail menu features 10 signature drinks and several dozen classic variations. Many of them are reinterpreted with modern techniques and unexpected combinations.
One of the new signature cocktails on the menu is Sub Rosa. It’s a mix based on Beefeater London Dry gin, with Aperol, yogurt liqueur, raspberry syrup, and fresh lemon juice.
In addition to cocktails, the bar offers a wide range of alcohol — from classic spirits to stronger imports. Cold and hot appetizers, soups, salads, and main courses are also available to accompany the drinks.
Prices: Dragonfly — 395 UAH, Hentai Punch — 395 UAH, Sub Rosa — 395 UAH, Gothica — 495 UAH
Address: 12 Shota Rustaveli St.
Saint Bar
In the very center of Kyiv, across from the National Opera, you'll find Saint Bar. It’s located in the same building as the Citronelle restaurant and combines European sophistication with Kyiv’s openness. Jazz music plays here, and dry martinis — the bar’s signature drink — are served.
The cocktail menu includes both classic and signature options, with not only stylish mixes but also drinks that tell stories. One of them is Botticelli — a refined cocktail with gin, Saint-Germain liqueur, and peach liqueur, inspired by the art of the painter of the same name.
Two more cocktails serve as a tribute to culture, freedom, and support for Ukraine.
Improvviso is a cocktail created in collaboration with Italian jazz musician Paolo Fresu, who came to Kyiv for a concert during the full-scale invasion. It features pear, melon, passion fruit, and orange. This cocktail, Fresu said, reminded him of his own music.
Superpower is a tribute to actor and director Sean Penn, who has supported Ukraine since the very first days of the invasion. The drink was inspired by his documentary film “Superpower” — the first full-length film about the full-scale war, giving Ukrainians a voice worldwide. It’s made with passion fruit, citrus, and tequila, and topped with a blue foam referencing the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Prices: check the menu at the bar
Address: 23 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.
Beatnik Bar
An intimate speakeasy bar in the center of Kyiv, inspired by the culture of the American Beat Generation of the 1950s. The venue is hidden behind an unmarked door with no sign — to get inside, guests must ring the bell, after which they are welcomed by the bar team. The atmosphere combines dim lighting, jazz, vintage interior details, and a personalized approach to every visit.
The main feature of Beatnik Bar is the absence of a traditional printed menu. The bartenders talk with guests, learn about their taste preferences, and create cocktails individually, offering both signature interpretations of classic drinks and beverages that are not listed on any regular menu. Thanks to this format, every visit becomes a unique experience.
The bar relocated to Kyiv from Kharkiv and quickly became one of the city's most renowned cocktail bars. Beatnik Bar was also included in the international 50 Best Discovery guide, which recommends venues with outstanding bar and culinary culture.
Prices: cocktails — from UAH 350–450 (depending on the recipe and seasonal offerings).
Address: 23A Velyka Vasylkivska Street.
LoggerHead
A secret speakeasy bar hidden in a courtyard on Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. The venue is easy to miss if you don't know where to look: there are no signs, only a metal door and an industrial switch that serves as the doorbell. Behind it lies an atmospheric underground space with 19th-century brick vaults, warm amber lighting, live jazz, and an interactive bar counter where cocktail preparation becomes a true performance.
The cocktail menu combines signature creations with modern interpretations of classic drinks. The bar's name comes from the historic loggerhead tool — a metal rod that was used in the 18th century to caramelize sugar in alcoholic beverages. One of these original tools is now preserved inside the bar.
Signature appetizers, created in collaboration with Mirali restaurant, are served alongside the cocktails. The menu includes shrimp toast with spicy sauces, a potato pancake topped with beef tartare, katsu sando with kimchi, and other dishes that perfectly complement the cocktail selection.
LoggerHead is featured in the international 50 Best Discovery guide, and its concept, interior, and cocktail culture have made it one of Ukraine's best-known speakeasy bars.
Prices: cocktails — from UAH 350–500.
Address: 1 Taras Shevchenko Boulevard.
After an evening of refined cocktails, we recommend keeping your balance and heading out the next morning in search of the perfect croissant. We’ve already compiled a list of bakeries that make them so good, you’ll want more.
Oleg
Lana
Alex
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Valeriy
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