If you're looking for an upscale bar to go to in Birmingham, this is the place! The ambiance is nice and has a hipster vibe, the sofas are comfortable and the lights are low. This would be a perfect place to take a date, meet up with old friends, or have a girls night. I came on a weekday, so I was able to enjoy the happy hour specials. We decided to sit at the bar. The bartenders were friendly and I would consider them more of mixologists. We had the pleasure of being served by Steven. He was friendly and knowledgeable of all of the drinks. We found out that he has bartender all over the US and overseas. Sitting at the bar is interesting because you can observe them making just about every cocktail you can imagine. They even smoke glasses for certain cocktails. If you're a fan of pretty drinks like I am, they have a plethora of fresh herbs and garnish. I heard this place can become crowded on the weekend. No worries, because they will soon have two full service bars! If I could change one thing, it would be more bar food! They offer chips and nuts (I believe) for purchase. I look forward to coming back. read more

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Just to let you know the cocktail bar that once was Tavern on First is now Paper Dolls, and I used to frequent Tavern on First quite frequently. I loved its laid back atmosphere and cozy booths. In fact it was one of my favorite places. Ok now about Paper Dolls. I had heard so many cool things about this place, but didn't realize that it was the former Tavern on First location until I got there. Honestly I liked Tavern on First so much better. This could be because of my shock and disappointment that they had closed. However I think it is because Paper Dolls was super loud and crowded when we went. The music was good but turned up way to loud and the cocktails were just ok. Also the decor was a lot darker and seemed less friendly and cozy. Because of the amount of people, it seemed claustrophobic. Interesting, because Tavern on First never seemed like a small place to me. The one positive was that we were able to sit on the super, comfy sofa in the front. With all this said, I do want to give it a second chance. I guess I'll need to wait until the newness wears off and the crowds die down. read more

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Atmosphere. This place has it. I first learned about Tavern on First during the Get Down Downtown New Years Event. Thought it had a great relaxed atmosphere that you would want from your local watering hole. If I want to spend a nice evening with the girl I love where it's not too crowded or loud I come here. They serve a wide variety of cocktails with whiskey cocktail specials every night from 4 to 9pm. They also serve a selection of local beer. Check it out and see if this doesn't fit the bill. read more

Paper Doll POP - Cozy guiet atmosphere where I can be with my girl or friends. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

This is a fantastic cocktail bar that is located on 1st Ave., North in downtown Birmingham. We visited one evening when some of the other popular cocktail bars in that area were overcrowded and we had A delightful experience. In fact, we have returned twice since then. On our first trip, we sat at the bar and more served by one of the owners of the establishment. On his recommendation I tried the basil smash, a cocktail similar to a gimlet, with gin, cucumber, lime, and basil. It was delicious and refreshing. My husband went with an old-fashioned, but he had it smoked, which is a technique this bar uses to smoke the inside of the glass with a burning with chip prior to pouring the drink. Parking is a little bit difficult at this location, but it is totally worth a visit! The service is great and the drinks are fantastic! read more

Paper Doll POP - Basil Smash-Amazing - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Went here for a date, space is limited, the chairs inside the bar are kind of iffy but the bartender when I went was extremely professionally and helpful in picking out drinks. If you're just getting off work looking to get some drinks - highly recommend read more

The ambiance in Paper Doll is unmatched-- I love the space for group gatherings as well as intimate dates. Best cocktails in town! read more

Paper Doll POP - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I visited Paper Doll on a Friday around 10pm and it was PACKED. My group was lucky to find a couch right inside the door and we parked it immediately. Around the bar was so crowded and it took a while to order a drink as it seemed you could only order at the bar. The drink menu was not very extensive but what we ordered was very good. I'm used to hearing breaking glass in a bar, but there was a glass dropped every few minutes. One waiter dropped a glass on my foot when cleaning up our table, shattering all around our table but I'm going to chalk that up to the sheer number of people packed into the place. The guy at the front checking IDs was exceedingly nice and really made you feel welcome before coming in. There's so doubt the place is beautifully decorated with chandeliers and lots of black and moody walls and decor. I would definitely go here again, but I would suggest coming earlier in the evening before the crowds set in. read more

Paper Doll POP - Interior of Paper Doll. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Great drinks, food and environment. Great place for a date. The amaretto sour was amazing, I recommend this place for to anyone trying to have a chill night out! read more

Paper Doll POP - Photo of the bar. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Paper Doll is a superb niche cocktail bar that has recently opened up in Bham and is a much needed and welcomed addition to the night life scene in this city. The decor and ambiance changes from the old Tavern bar that it has replaced make the space almost unrecognizable - low and intimate table seating with soft lighting and very swanky interior decorations. The craft cocktails that they serve as incredibly fresh and delicious and come in a great variety, as does their wines. Service behind the bar is prompt, friendly and the utmost professional. My only recommendation is to come early, especially if you're coming as a group. There's still going to be a wait on some weekend nights and interior is a little crowded. I suspect it'll stay that way for a while for everyone wanting to check it out. Also - a back room private event area is available to those interested in hosting an event. read more

Paper Doll POP - Beers and wines - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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It is absolutely amazing what they have done with the space. The previous bar that was here was Tavern On 1st. Which was a place I enjoyed the few times I came before. But basically take what was already a great bar, they took and turned it up quite a few notches. The first thing you notice is what they have done aesthetically. It is very well decorated with plenty of great seating. It creates a great ambiance for relaxing for after work drinks. It is still low key enough that you are able to enjoy conversation with people. The bartenders are very knowledgable and make great drinks. They are attentive and really make sure you are well taken care of. There is a private event space in the back if you are interested in hosting a bigger group. Great bar and I will be back. read more

Perfect ambiance and craft cocktails made with love! Amazing bartenders very attentive and prompt. My husband and I should make a effort to come here more often. read more

Paper Doll POP - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Super impressed by Birmingham's latest boutique mixologist bar, Paper Doll! It's located in the old Tavern on 1st building downtown and you can park on the street or take an Uber. The outside is painted black with small lettering and can easily be missed - so keep your eyes peeled. From the moment you walk into Paper Doll, you can tell that this is a place where you'll have a good time. The seating, lighting, vibe and décor are all posh and appeasing to the eye. There's little nooks and cranny's for seating in every corner. I highly recommend getting to Paper Doll early to take advantage of more seating and happy hour. I've heard the place have a line out the door before. Getting there early is key. Happy Hour boasts $5.00 cocktails and lasts from (I think) 5 - 7 PM. They have an extensive drink and wine menu and smaller list of tapas styled food on the back pages. I ordered Pinot Noir and the cheese plate while my friends ordered specialty cocktails. They seemed to enjoy every last drop. I can't wait to return - this time I'll take out of town guests! read more

One of my favorite bars in Bham. The layout is smart; there are places at the bar, plenty of lounge seats, and areas for both small and large groups. The staff are equipped with iPads and come to you so there is no need to hustle to the bar to place your order and leave your group. The whole group can stay seated, chat, and place their drink orders quickly and easily. The drinks are fun and styled well. read more

This place is great. They have small plates as well as drinks. I had an amazing cheese plate with a rat race drink with cachaça and rosemary. The atmosphere is very chill and nice. Definitely a good date place or somewhere to hang with friends. read more

Paper Doll POP - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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I stumbled upon this pace during COVID while driving back home to Knoxville from Miami. What a neat place! Let me set the scene for you though (I've been here three times now, the most recent being last weekend for my partners 30t bday celebration) This place is swanky. That means if you need to "flex" about your job position to the wait staff or you have some ridiculous idea that you should be able to frivolously return a drink you don't enjoy, you should not come. It isn't Wet Willies. That being said the drinks are a little pricey but the very 'Gatsby' type vibes and lounge space available make that make sense. This is a quiet bar that you go to for a girls night, romantic date night, maybe even a fancy little work meet up.... Not the girls bachelor party lol and I like that. The most recent visit I ordered the Absinthe Drip (always one of my favorite) and it was as usual very tasty. I was bummed the sugar wasn't burned though, it does add a depth of flavor that was missing just a bit. We also ordered the Charcutrie board and while it was pretty good it was in fact very very basic. For such a nice place I would have expected something more in depth or creative even if it was a little less food. *The first time I was here they were doing a magazine shoot inside, I would love to know which magazine featured this place so I could try to snag a copy!! read more

Really love this sleek upscale vibe cocktail bar! It definitely has the dark mysterious ambiance going on with some very delicious drink options. The bar has a few different seating areas to choose from- variety is always nice! The front of the bar has a long couch that stretches the entire wall with tables set up around them so it gives off that super comfy yet classy hotel lounge vibe. Will definitely be back to try the absinthe drinks and the food. This place is super cool for any occasion whether it's a date, a night out with friends, or somewhere to sit in at the bar and grab a snack and a drink after work! Check it out bham :) read more

Paper Doll POP - Bar area! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Paper doll was a great new bar that I just recently got to try in my last trip to BHM! This bar is more of a "high class" feel with chandeliers and fancy mirrors. But the main thing that I liked about this place was the large couch bench seat, it was like sitting on a cloud and it was amazing! This is the type of bar that I can sit and get to know someone at. It wasn't super crowded when we went on a Friday night but it was also right after the holidays. The drinks were good but more upscale feeling and Paper doll had a more defined drink list so this is probably for the more experienced drinker. The drinks themselves were very aesthetically pleasing with perfectly square ice cubes or little garlands. Overall really great place and would come back again! read more

I really enjoyed my visit to the Paper Doll! It was easy to find, has great ambiance, beautiful interior decor, plenty of room and seating, and the customer service was good. We enjoyed happy hour seating. I can't remember the name of it, but one of the happy hour cocktails was the best mixed drink I've had in my life. I also enjoyed the house Pinot noir a lot! The food was also reasonably priced. We had the cheese flight and it was fantastic! Delicious! And there was plenty of food to split. The only reason I didn't give five stars was because there was only one waitress to about 40 customers. But she still did a great job. read more

Paper Doll POP - Seating area, in front of the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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Super cool addition to the Northside bar scene. The atmosphere is very artsy and dark. It's much bigger on the inside than you think. They also provide table service if you sit down which is very nice. The cocktail menu is extremely expansive. I had the Gin Lizzy which was very tasty and sweet. I also had the Necromancer which was an absinthe based drink. It was made well but I would not recommend unless you know you love absinthe (which tastes like black licorice). Over all a super cool new place to add to your Northside bar crawl. read more

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My absolute favorite bar in Birmingham. Order a basil smash (so refreshing!) and grab a seat in one of the banquetttes to experience the best people-watching in Birmingham. Amazing cocktails, a great beer selection, gorgeous people, in the hippest, hottest bar in the City. Be warned - it will be busy on weekends, so it may take a hot minute to get in and get a drink, but you will not be disappointed. Once you've found your spot, there's also table service, and don't be shy about making sure you have a full glass on your table. read more

I was super excited to finally give this place a try. Parking is horrible just because it is near every other bar on the street. It would be nice if they had their own designated parking lot other than off the street parking. The service was terrible. They seemed understaffed for the amount of people inside. Very poor guest to worker ratio... It took 30 min. JUST TO GET A DRINK. There was one lady walking around cleaning off tables and offering water. I noticed 3 bartenders at the front making cocktails and 2 for the beer bar in the back. The worst part is, the drinks are actually very good! I had the Slow Motion and my boyfriend enjoyed the basil-gin based cocktail. We ended up having 2 drinks each here and then left because the service was so awful. This place has great potential, but allows way too many people in at once to fully enjoy the experience. I like the fact they have a sofa included in their seating options. read more

In the past year, Birmingham as seen a plethora of niche cocktail bars open up. From underground tequila lairs to Christmas pop ups, we are a lucky city to have so many great options. Luckiest by far, however, that Paper Doll has joined the ranks of fantastic cocktail options in the downtown area. We stopped in Paper Doll early one Friday, in time for Happy Hour. I was blown away by the decor. It was absolutely gorgeous without seeming stuffy or overdone. There seemed to be plenty of seats in the place, but we were there around 5pm so I can't speak to what it is like when it gets packed out. The Happy Hour options were varied, and we ordered one old fashioned and one concoction whose name escapes me - but it was a vodka / strawberry / prosecco situation, it was $5 (as was the old fashioned) and it was delightful. For round two I went with the Madame Figuro, which may have now earned the spot of my favorite cocktail in Birmingham. Sweet but not syrupy with a hint of vanilla - it was perfect for a mild January evening. One huge advantage that Paper Doll has over the others in its league is the small menu of high quality bar snacks - everything from kettle chips to a well done charcuterie board. I like being able to nibble on something, particularly if I am going to stay a while, and many places around town do not offer this option at all. I will absolutely be back to Paper Doll Bar, and I cannot wait to add it to my rotation of places I'm showing off to my friends and family from out of town. read more

Met a close friend and had a few old fashions. Paper doll is probably the best bar in Birmingham to get an old fashion. Ask for Brennan!

My partner and I went here for the first time last night after trying to go for weeks. We went around 6:30 and it was busy but we didn't have to wait for a table or bar seating. The decor isn't quite as playful as the other cocktail bars in the area, but it makes up for it with its elegance and dark colors. The service was phenomenal! Our server was super sweet and made great drink recommendations, and we never waited more than a few minutes on drinks. It has one of the largest cocktail menus I've ever seen! We've made a pact to try every one of them while we're in Birmingham! And all of our drinks were perfect! 10/10 would recommend read more

Great drinks and great atmosphere! Had a great time chatting with Jacob at the bar. Would recommend going here for a great craft cocktail experience. If we are ever back in the area we will be back. read more

"Don't judge a book by it's cover" I won't lie, when I was walking up to this location to meet some friends I was skeptical. Dark street lighting, neighboring shops closed down already, and the sign outside looked a little old already. Once I walked in, I was definitely wrong. This place is a wide open room with a spectacular bar and many seating options. There is a shuffle board table in the back that is great to keep you busy although my shuffleboard skills could improve and a plethora of pictures relating to the city throughout the bar. I imagine this place can and will get packed on the weekends after it gets discovered. Minus my group of friends, there were about 5 people in the bar on a Thursday night so give it time. There is a closed off room that appears can be rented out for a private party including it's own tables and tv area. Their slogan is "A Birmingham Original since 2015". read more

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Beautiful room and amazing cocktails. A must visit when in Birmingham! My group had the old fashioned, Provence, Glass of Pinot and cocktail of the day. We all thoroughly enjoyed or drinks! read more

Great drinks and a very helpful staff! I also like that it is a little off "the beaten path" and usually isn't insanely crowded/noisy. It's a nice place to relax and catch up with a friend. read more

Paper Doll POP - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Absolutely awful!! Disgusting drinks and horrible service!!! Literally had a waitress chase us out of the bar and ask us about our tip!!!! AWFUL!!! Would NEVER go back!!!!! read more

Update: Ri is still amazing. Bar is cool. Hell is other people. If you're a empty nester Mountain Brook mom and you need to scream woo with your girlfriends, this is your place. Don't worry about the carefully crafted cocktails, empower yourself by ordering a titos soda splash of cran. Make sure you tell them two limes, because you are unique and special. In short: if you're cocktail nerd and really appreciate passionate bartenders, check it out on a Tuesday. If you're a vapid and basic come out on Saturday. I actually really appreciate a place that can do both well Had cocktails after dinner. Ri the bartender was amazing and made one of the best old fashioned's I've ever had. The Norwegian Wood cocktail was awesome, very aromatic with the rosemary sprig. read more

The atmosphere was very very nice but the customer service was completely awful. Our service Jessica who also said she was the manager was not at all friendly or helpful. When she first came to take our orders she seems like she had an attitude. With this being the first time being here and having to pull up the menu on line she came ask what we were having to drink. We ask for suggestion she just stood there like no one said anything didn't really speak read off what was in drinks just what we asked about and when we started asking for certain drinks or liquor she just stated we don't have that we don't have this like it was a bother after that I stop talking and let the rest of my party speak cause I was feeling a very bad vibe. She bought our drinks and one person in the party asked for a drink it took 22 mins and he asked to speak to the manager she bought the drink and said she was the manager. She said she was training someone and was making so many excuses and when he told her he was part of the Jefferson sheriff department her questioning was like she didn't believe him and was talking about the mayor coming in all the time like the mayor knows all of the sheriff's that work. She starting questioning him when he stated he was from New York and use to do customer service. Her question seem like she thought he was lying and that started to get to me. So when I asked for the check she never told us a total and when another person in my party said that if she was going to make it right she would have taken something off the ticket. Her redponse was she took off the drink that the other guy didn't want which made no sense to me and she took off 15%. How did we suppose to know this when she never told us what the original bill was never showed us or gave us a total. Her customer service was awful. This experience put a very bad taste in my mouth don't know if or when me or any of my associate will revisit this establishment. read more

Paper Doll POP - Bar area - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The bartender and hostess were very nice and had great customer service. Our drinks were delicious! However, if you decide to upgrade the type of bourbon for your old fashioned, ask for the new price so you won't be surprised. I (a grad student) was definitely surprised that the upcharge was $15 in addition to the normal old fashioned price ($10). This may be due to the downtown location, but the bartender even agreed that it was overpriced. It would have been thoughtful to include this on the menu (or maybe I should have asked before ordering $25 for one old fashioned). I was just shocked because I've had the same old fashioned at another restaurant and it was half the price. This place had a nice and calm environment though and great service! read more

Interesting atmosphere with a unique selection, but the server was very rude. I would only recommend this place if you want to feel unwelcome. If you don't want us to be there, please just let us know next time. read more

Hipster cocktail bar with plenty of whiskey and mahogany hues [could anyone really say no to such an establishment] I entered at the end of some holiday so the place was desolate (just how I like it), hold the sweet and talkative Alabamian's to my left who made the night. The old school cocktail tasty, the bartender plenty kind to this Yankee in the south. read more

I enjoyed patronizing this place on a cool and quiet October Wednesday night. I tried 2 of their Old Fashioned. Both were very good. I also had the charcuterie tray which was ample and tasty. Cozy and pleasant. read more

The boyfriend and I decided to check out Paper Doll after another bar some friends of ours wanted to go to was too crowded and cramp. We came to Paper Doll on a Saturday night and it wasn't too crowded, honestly just the right amount of capacity. I was highly impressed the moment I stepped in. The interior as a whole is very aesthetically pleasing. The overall noise volume was also at a perfect level. I tend to hate bars because you have to holler over each other in your group to hear. We were seated at a table along the long sofa that lined the wall. My boyfriend had the Dark & Stormy to drink, while I oped to snack on the Champagne and Prosecco gummy bears. I had a couple sip of my boyfriends drink and was impressed, either the ginger beer was really high quality or they took the extra step to use real ginger. They know what they're doing with their drinks based off quality. The overall vibe and aesthetic of Paper Doll is really my style. Service, depending, can be a little bit pretentious, but that's to be expected. This will definitely be added to my rotation of bars/lounges for when I'm going out. read more

Paper Doll POP - Champagne and Prosecco infused gummy bears! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I'm not sure a bar can get better than Tavern on 1st. After my first several visits (and my 4* review), I've since been back regularly for their weekday specials ($5 Sazeracs, Old Fashioneds or Manhattans depending on the day), solo time at the bar, date nights, and group visits. I've also had the distinct pleasure of using their event room to host a super chic baby shower. Every single visit here is met with professional service, outstanding drinks and a consistently stellar atmosphere. The craft cocktails here are exceptional and, dare I say, some of the absolute best this city has to offer. The bartenders are knowledgeable, personable and total professionals. In my experience, this place is rarely busy even in the midst of popular bar-night times on Friday and Saturday. I will say, Tavern on 1st really, truly won me over by through the process of holding an event here. I waffled on dates while planning in trying to please many (and keeping it a surprise) and the owner with whom I was corresponding by email was patient and kind through that process. The room fee is stupid, insanely cheap for the incredible space.... not to mention they do the clean up and mix all the drinks for you! Further, my event landed on possibly the worst day of the winter. The Saturday evening post Snowpocalypse-2016... many places were closed but I had an email that morning, at 8:30 am no less, from the owner assuring me they'd be open and were happy to have us. I hadn't even had time to panic about the potential for them being closed before he mitigated my worries. That NEVER happens. The night of the event, the room was set up perfectly and the bartender, Patrick, was so kind to all of the guests. He even went so far as to mix mocktails for the very-pregnant guest of honor. Everyone raved about the chic atmosphere and we ended up staying the whole evening and hours longer than I expected the party to last... not once did we feel rushed or unwelcome even though we were the only patrons there. I also spent Valentine's evening with my beau here on a last-minute, unplanned 'date'. To our total shock, we were the only people there until nearly to 8pm that night (B'ham you are missing out!!!!!!!!). Ri kept our Sazeracs full and gave us space to record loved-up StoryCorps interviews with each other. read more

My initial impression of Tavern on 1st was that wow it is really nice. I'm such a huge supporter of what Birmingham is doing with the local food and bar scene. The tavern has been around for about 2 years now and every time I go its typically pretty chill. Its a craft cocktail bar so they have a pretty extensive selection of bourbons and liquors. the venue itself is very spacious and open. They have a bar list of featured drinks you can order or create your own. prices are kind of high as they are craft cocktails so expect to pay around $9 -12 for a drink. They do however on Tues-Thurs have a featured $5 cocktail also Tuesday is $5 sazerac All in all a great venue to have a couple drinks but I wouldn't recommend for an extensive night as the price of drinks will put a dent in the wallet lol. But hey they are catering to a particular crowd so... I'm just not the fancy cocktail guy. read more

Paper Doll POP - Watermelon crawl - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Absolutely beautiful atmosphere, and extensive drink menu. One of my favorite places to get a cocktail in Birmingham! They do have food but it's more snacks rather than a full meal. Perfect place to get a drink before or after dinner! read more

Delicious beverages and very knowledgeable staff. I enjoyed discussing various drinks with the bartenders. Will be back soon. Terrific atmosphere and location. read more