They have a wonderful Happy Hour and make a delicious Old Fashioned! And the very BEST bartenders! We love this beautiful whiskey bar and highly recommend you stop in and check them out!! read more

The Exchange - Classic Old Fashioned! Perfection! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

I've seen this place on social media but did not until recently get the chance to check it out when I was in town. It was packed! However I appreciated the efforts that the bar tenders made to keep everyone served! I had two tasty drinks, a French 75, which if you had not had before is a light and refreshing tasty drink! I love the hint of lemon! For my next drink, I had, well the drink is nameless, I told the bar tender that I am not pickey and to surprise me with a fun drink that came with the glass cover. I ended up with a tasty, coconut cream soda ish drink. This was a great experience and I would recommend checking them out if you are in the area read more

See all

Everyhing !! The Ambiance, Service and Cocktails were amazing. Spending time with family that I don't get to see very often since we live out of town. I'm so glad that they brought us to your establishment read more

Nice spot for drinks particularly if you are meeting a group. Our service was good. Do not go hungry as they are not equipped to assist you there. read more

See all

Excellent drinks and fantastic service. Nice upscale place to relax and enjoy a craft cocktail!

Love the ambiance and staff at The Exchange! The drinks are marvelous as well. Highly recommend.

Beautiful ambience, it exudes class and elegance. But I find it very tacky that you charge $2 for a square ice cube. I have no issue with your pricing, but please elevate this practice to the standard you have set for your bar and don't charge for ice. read more

Nice bar in downtown South Bend. We walked in around 8 pm on a Friday night and no one was to be found. We sat there for about 15 minutes until someone came from wherever they were. I had the gin sour type drink. It was so pretty and really great. No complaints there. The Japanese whiskey flight was a good price and good. I just wish the whiskey wasn't warm but I guess that's how whiskey flight are. Not crowded at all. Kind of weird how the bartenders would just leave the bar and go somewhere for 10-15 minutes at a time. Not great service. The bathroom was clean. Would recommend the drinks, but definitely had an odd experience. read more

See all

I love a good sexy speakeasy and this is it! Delicious drinks and great service with a great atmosphere! Definitely visit!! :) read more

The Exchange - drink with a straw in a glass - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

See all

We love to stop into The Exchange, especially since it changed hands! We always feel beyond welcomed, have amazing conversation with whomever is working, find a new network of friends each time we are there, and enjoy incredible cocktails! Thanks for the experience!! read more

The Exchange - Good Old Fashioned Time! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

Service was great. Yvonne is a great bartender! The charcuterie board is fantastic. The hot onion jelly is house made and delicious. I had the smoked old fashioned. It was top notch. Wife had a holiday bourbon cocktail that was very tasty and then a "Monday Morning", a bourbon coffee concoction that was nice as well. Very nice selection of bourbons. BT is the well brand. Don't miss this spot. Tell Yvonne the tiger paw two dollar bill folks sent y'all. read more

See all

I think this might be the classiest bar I've been to in South Bend! The Exchange Whiskey Bar gave me some 1920s Speakeasy vibes! The drink menu is expansive, unique, and carefully curated all at the same time. We each ordered a different drink, and every one of those drinks were carefully crafted to perfection! I ordered the "I said Good Day" drink, and it tasted phenomenal and just like a wonderful strawberry smoothie. I loved the toasted marshmallow and fresh cut strawberries the mixologist used to garnish the drink. read more

Fantastic cocktails in a relaxing and beautiful setting. Very much enjoyed it. Will come here again. read more

Am I in South Bend? Because this place is big city! I loved the vintage feel... almost 1920's. Meaning, a step back in time to a classy era. The drink menu, especially the whisky/bourbon list, is expansive and impressive. But who needs a menu when you have a creative and cool bartender who can craft you a custom curated beverage compete with fresh herbs?! I mean, I felt like such a VIP. I have been visiting South Bend for 4 years while my daughter has been a student at Notre Dame. Wish I would have found this place sooner as the standard beer bars that over populate the city really aren't my jam. This old bank building has been repurposed in the best way possible! read more

While visiting family in town, we wanted a place to have a drink after dinner. Luckily, we found this great place! The interior was beautiful with holiday decorations. Loved the bar's design and how bottles were displayed on industrial shelves with a rolling ladder access. We enjoyed the service as we sat at the bar. The bartender was great and able to recreate a drink I described from High West whiskey! Perfect way to end the night. read more

The Exchange - Interior with holiday decor - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

Absolutely terrible. Manager Shanda ruined anything close to a good experience. The only saving grace was the rest of the staff.

Oh, this was the loveliest of finds. We had some time to squander before dinner reservatIons and thought a drink would be a good choice. Having left South Bend years ago, we aren't familiar with current bars or restaurants the way we once were. But we like whiskey and this was near our restaurant. The interior is gorgeous - dark and candle lit, dramatic without being moody. We opted for two couches that formed a group seating area near the front door. There were also high top tables and long community tables with stools. Our sever brought over menus right away and was patient while we browsed our options. They have a robust list of cocktails and an even more impressive list of whiskey and spirits. I opted for the "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor", whose description read as a gussied you Old Fashioned. It was served in an old school medicine bottle with a rocks glass on the side. It was smooth, strong, and had bold flavors of orange and cherry. My mother-in-law's drink was probably the most interesting of the four - a cocktail described as liquefied banana bread garnished with a piece of actual banana bread. Highly recommend this place as a stop in DTSB and I hope we make it back, too. read more

We had drinks here the weekend of the Notre Dame game. They were very busy. Drinks were excellent. Service was reflected in how busy they were. Lovely atmosphere. read more

Great service omg the charcuterie board was perfect to go with my drink. The manager Matt was very welcoming and the bartender Shelby was really attentive. Definitely recommend coming here 10/10 read more

The Exchange - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

Love The Exchange! The staff is great! Every time we come in the staff is beyond kind and friendly. Everything from the amazing cocktails to the people that come in and sit at the bar make the experience that much more enjoyable. It is impossible to not have an amazing time when visiting. Best cocktail bar in South Bend hands down! Side note: in the world of Covid, I am thankful that everyone of the staff members is wearing a mask. They also make sure that everyone that comes in is wearing a mask. If feel very safe when visiting. read more

The Exchange - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

This is a great place to have amazing drinks with your friends. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They are always great with the recommendations. The place has a great atmosphere to have good conversations. read more

The Exchange - A sidecar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

Great selection, knowledgeable staff, very friendly. Mixologist made really balanced and tasty cocktails. Scotch selection was on point. Highly recommend. read more

The Exchange - shelf of liquor bottles and a ladder - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

See all

In the words of Beck, "wow." South Bend you have a fantastic cocktail spot right in your own backyard and I'm assuming most locals don't even know it. I needed a cocktail after a long day of traveling and found this place in the lobby of an older bank building. The bar is dark, leather bound and yet super cozy. The Exchange is known for their huge whiskey selection and decent craft cocktail program, they also have over 150 different styles of booze, literally something for everyone. I went with Four Roses Small Batch neat for my first drink and then let the bartender make me a cocktail that was off the menu. It was a Thursday night, pretty slow, so I think the bartender was bored. Go for it bar keep! I forgot what he called it, but it was a whiskey based mixed with a few other ingredients which included egg whites. Very refreshing, flavorful and good enough for a second order. Nummy! Great place to kick back, vibe on some tunes and enjoy the mellow evening buzz. read more

See all

This is a nice relaxing place after a long day during a work trip. Is very limited on food, but the ambiance service and drink selection is superb. My bartender was Margo. She was an expert in making these whiskey based cocktails. The one downside is when it gets busy, two bartenders had a hard time tending to everyone. It took 20+ mins to get a drink, which is understandable in the fact that they only had two bartenders. read more

Beautiful, cozy space. The Exchange has a mellow speak-easy feel to it. We were fortunate to avoid the crowds on a Friday evening. Our party of 4 grabbed a couch and chair and settled into our nook. Service was prompt and we tried several of their house created cocktails. At $10 each they were worth the price and did not disappoint. The favorites were The Monday (something with coffee) and the Plum Reader. The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star review was the food price vs. quantity was a little ridiculous. $7 for three deviled egg halves and $9 for 6 pieces of bacon. We'll visit again the next time but skip the food. read more

See all

Ally was our server! And she was SO kind. It was my birthday & Ally made my day special. Highly recommend this place for a ladies night or date night. read more

Valerie makes a great bullit old fashion. The bar is classic decor, 70's rock and ambience is cool.

I came in on a Wednesday after finding this place on Google. Dakota made me an amazing Old Fashion and gave me a rundown on the history of the building and the city of South Bend. Showed me an old bank vault. Service was great. Cool stuff. Recommend this place for a nice, laid back, speakeasy type of environment. read more

I've been to the Whiskey Bar a few times and absolutely love the ambiance. It was even more special during the holidays with the warm lit trees. My friend and I enjoyed drinks on the couch and was the perfect place to catch up. Drinks were great and service was even better! I'll definitely be back! read more

I absolutely loved this place and the atmosphere. Came here on a Thursday in September. It was a very quiet evening, I sat at the bar (maybe only 5 people hanging out) and read a book on my iPhone next to a couple on a tinder date. This is a great hang out/date spot, very intimate and killer drinks! read more

Enjoyed a spur of the moment trip to The Exchange for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by the quality service and drinks. I tried a few of their signature cocktails and they were AMAZING. You gotta try the Strawber-Rye and Petal to the Metal. We enjoyed sitting on the patio and also sat inside on the couches for a more relaxing vibe and classy ambience. I was really impressed. Thanks for the great experience! read more

Great establishment, beautifully decorated, and wonderful service from an excellent and knowledgeable bartender! We will absolutely be back. read more

Nice atmosphere in the old downtown area. Huge selection of high quality whiskeys and bourbons. Very comfortable seating made for a relaxing after dinner cocktail time. read more

Great spot! Fantastic whiskey selection and craft cocktails. Highly recommended. We went on a Monday night and had the place to ourselves

This is my favorite bar in all of South Bend. The drinks are great, as is the service!

Haley, Chance, and Teira gave exceptional service and gave wonderful recommendations. I enjoyed a Irish flight and a Manhattan, the only thing I would've enjoyed would have been more food options. Over all great experience! read more

I know a guy who is working on his Ph.D. in bourbon/whisky. He directed me here. This place is very classy. The atmosphere is darker and slightly more than casual, and intimate enough for friends or lovers. When I opened up the menu and saw the 25 year Dalmore in the section of latest acquisitions (constantly updated due to changing supply), I thought.."oh yeah!" I ordered the bacon (from Navarre Cafe, who owns this places and others) with the onion strips and the brown sugar. Woah that was good but I got ahead of myself and flipped tastes and ordered the pub chips and the creme fraiche with the fresh onions. They didn't have the Jefferson or the Rock'emSock'em which left me crestfallen, but Becky told me she would put something on fire for me, and VOILA!, a tiki drink appeared on fire. Magick! But still. you need to bring the rockemsockem and the jefferson with the skull head on the drink....BAAAAACK! If you are in South Bend for a Notre Dame game of any kind or even just traveling through, get down here and enjoy a libation. See you next time (with Benton's Bacon) for a side-by-side bacon comparison. read more

See all

Great service! Bartenders were very pleasent and personable. Great choice of old fashion drinks that were beautiful and well made. Had their tasty thick bacon and pimento cheese dip with crackers. Ate and drank at the outside patio area. The weather was nice this past Saturday evening so my husband and I thought we'd try the bar out with family from out of town. Outside area was clean and was surrounded with lights and flowers. Inside is very nice- comfortable seating areas with marble and brass fixtures. Manager checked on us several times to make sure we were happy. We'll definitely be back more frequently. Nice find in South Bend. read more

And we tried again...yes it was First Friday, yes it was after a show at the Morris, but we tried the bar, waited at an empty table and still couldn't a drink or even acknowledged (a hi, be with you shortly goes a long way). Definitely divey, but CJ's down the block took care of us! read more

Classiest bar I've been to in south bend! I would definitely come back if you're looking for a nicer, more chill place to go with friends for a nice drink. I'm not a whiskey person so I did the terrible and got mixed drinks at a whiskey bar, but they were delicious. They had very complex drinks with unique flavors, and were very fairly priced! read more

The Exchange - Inside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - South Bend, Indiana

See all