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Session Bar

4.7 (38 reviews)
Open 2:00 pm - 7:00 PM

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Yum!
Sara R.

Decided to drop in after a concert at the Amphitheater. The service was great and the cocktails were awesome!! What a cute place with a great vibe. Try it

Espresso martini (left)
Mary B.

Very knowledgeable and nice bartenders. Best espresso martini I've had! Was $12 which I felt was fair for the quality and strength. If you come for happy hour, keep in mind the happy hour special pricing only applies to the specific drinks on the back of the menu.

Blue Hawaii
Kate A.

They were accommodating and polite, with wonderful drinks! At first they weren't going to seat us because our entire party wasn't there, but they sat us shortly and even moved us to a bigger table when an additional guest joined us. Very good customer service. The drinks were fresh, bright, and well crafted. They were timely and exactly as described on the menu. A member of our party dropped their (mostly full) drink and they remade it for no cost. We had a very pleasing experience overall. This is my second visit but I will become a regular!

Rebecca H.

I went to Tuscaloosa to visit my brother, and he brought me here after a sushi night at Chuck's Fish. Session is the perfect place for an "adult" night out. It's a lot more pricey than the surrounding college bars, so you won't find as many rowdy students here. The drinks are more upscale and so unique! I loved being able to try so many different cocktails that you won't find anywhere else. The service was great, the owner was so nice and the drinks were beautiful! The bar is unique in that it resembles a speakeasy, with a "hidden" entrance. I love the ambiance and style inside, and when we were there it was very laid back/a relaxing place to have a few drinks. I cannot wait to come back to Tuscaloosa and spend some more money here because it is so worth it!

a man and a woman at a bar
Brittany B.

This was a great little spot. Service was fantastic our bartender was great. She was very helpful and friendly. The ambiance was really chill reminded me of some my favorite spots in Denver. I would highly recommend dropping in here

a glass of beer and menu

Little pricey ($18 after tip for this cocktail) but it was a great drink and nice folks behind the bar. I'll come back next time through town, but probably just for one haha.

Old Fashioned
Edward P.

"Here's to alcohol, the rose of colored glasses of life." -F. Scott Fitzgerald. Session Cocktail Bar will provide you with the vessels to get those rose colored glasses right on. Hunter and his staff of bartenders/mixologists will fix you right up whatever your heart desires. They know their craft and carry it out exceptionally well. They care about the finer things in life and a finer bar experience than you get at the run of the mill college bar. Definitely check this destination out. Also, the music taste is great and the bathrooms are spotless.

Old Fashioned

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6 years ago

Always the most hand crafted, fresh cocktails! Our fave spot! Great new addition to Tuscaloosa!

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5 years ago

Great place. Great drinks. But I swear we were asked if we are "all good" or "doing okay" every 3 minutes. Got a little annoying

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Review Highlights - Session Bar

Hunter and his staff of bartenders/mixologists will fix you right up whatever your heart desires.

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The Sanctuary on 25th - Korean Pork Belly - Twice Cooked, Tender and Crispy Pork Belly Glazed in a Specialty Korean BBQ Sauce, Topped with Scallion

The Sanctuary on 25th

(110 reviews)

I had been meaning to try this bar for some time. Ran out of the house while some work was…read morehappening at home and I needed a great afternoon stop to kill some time. Made the decision to turn in and try Sanctuary; how fortuitous! First, this isn't just a music venue! It's a classic bar with real cocktails (mocktails, as well), but also a great reincarnation of an old church. And they serve awesome food!! Second, the drinks and food are top notch! Try a Paper Plane! It's my new favorite way to drink bourbon, TBH. You will absolutely feel distinguished while you do. I overheard many professionals around me, too, so it's definitely a place to run elbows with University types. Finally, I love music. This place has different musicians all the time. But my favorite is Dr. Warren Ertle's Corpse Revivers, an old fashioned Jazz band! They play two shows a night, almost every Tuesday! I say "almost" because, well, ...just check the Sanctuary's facebook page before you invite friends to a show. (Ask me how I know!) Overall, it's a great time, try the tacos!!

After another big Alabama Crimson Tide baseball win--bringing out the brooms and finishing the…read moresweep on Sunday--my wife and I met up with some friends at The Sanctuary on 25th to celebrate. We've eaten here before and have been wanting to make it back, but between their popularity and our schedules, it's felt like trying to line up a dentist appointment during tax season. Tonight, though, everything finally clicked. We got there early and were greeted by two cheerful hostesses who promptly sat us in the corner... felt a little like we were back in kindergarten for talking too much, but we made it work. Oh--and if you're into live music during dinner, this place delivers. There's something about enjoying a good meal with live music in the background that just elevates the whole experience. It's also the kind of setting where local artists get their start, and you never know--you might be listening to someone on their way up. Once our waiter came over, we held off ordering while waiting on our "fashionably late" friends--who, for the record, treat arrival times more like loose suggestions. Eventually, the crew assembled and it was game on. I kept it simple to start: water, no lemon. Let's not contaminate perfectly good H2O--I want it 100 proof. For appetizers, we ordered the Fried Cauliflower and Fried Okra to share. And by "share," I mean I ordered them and then immediately abandoned that concept. Only child tendencies die hard. Both dishes were excellent. The fried okra, paired with their Creole ranch, absolutely stole the show--seriously, that sauce deserves its own fan club. The cauliflower was also very good, and the homemade remoulade held its own... just not quite on the Creole ranch level. Our friends ordered the Street Corn Dip, and while I didn't personally get any (again... sharing isn't my spiritual gift), I can confirm it was outstanding based on the fact that the dish came back cleaner than a whistle. One of the coolest parts of this place is the atmosphere. The building still carries that old church feel--you can almost picture folks sitting in pews listening to a sermon. These days, though, the only preaching happening is coming from the kitchen, and there's a "sinful" bar running along one wall that probably wouldn't have made the original blueprints. For the main course, my wife went with the Lobster Mac and Cheese, and I ordered the Chili Lime Shrimp. The mac and cheese was a solid choice--rich and flavorful--but just a touch on the dry side. A little more cream would take it to the next level... perfect, but not Jesus-walking-on-water perfect. The shrimp, on the other hand, was good but didn't quite live up to expectations. It started strong but didn't finish the game, and I ended up handing off the last few bites like a reliever coming out of the bullpen. All in all, The Sanctuary on 25th is a great addition to the Tuscaloosa food scene. Between the unique setting, strong appetizers, live music, and overall experience, it's definitely worth a visit. Just be prepared--it stays busy, and if you plan on sharing food, make sure you're sitting with better people than I am.

Cocktail Collection

Cocktail Collection

(10 reviews)

A must-visit when staying in or passing through Tuscaloosa! This place is an absolute gem,…read moreespecially if you're a fan of speakeasies. The hidden entrance, disguised as a street-side Pepsi machine with a discrete handle, opens up to an evening of fun. The staff is super friendly and attentive. With two full bars offering a great selection of drinks at fair prices, there's something for everyone. The DJ was spinning great beats while we were there. For sports fans, there are nice TVs and plenty of options for outdoor drinking and dining. I've been to several speakeasies across the globe, and this upstairs gem is one not to miss!

I was not particularly impressed with this place when a friend and I visited on a Friday night…read more The atmosphere is very relaxed and cool, which I did really like. Their decorations give off high-end vibes and make the place feel more up-scale and sophisticated. Because of this, I found the music playing not fitting for the evening. When we walked in, it was club style music that I would rather dance to, not sit, chat, and have a few drinks to. It did not match the vibe and took away from the atmosphere. We ordered a mexican pharmacy at the bar, which my friend had recommended to me. I was not impressed, but that is on me, as I should have paid more attention to the menu. I did appreciate watching the bartender make the drink, as they obviously had great expertise behind the bar. My biggest complaint was that the drink was about 6 oz and cost me $15. My overall impression of this speakeasy was just a feeling of being underwhelmed. It is obviously popular, and I would love to try more from the expert bartenders, but I struggle paying their prices and find the atmosphere in contrast to the point of the bar.

Session Bar - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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