Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge — Restaurant in City of Syracuse

My husband and I went here on my birthday because I wanted to try absinthe for the first time (a bucket list item for me). I loved the very relaxed and comfy vibe of the place, which suits my style. I loved that they had multiple brands of absinthe to choose from, including the brand I wanted. The bartender was skilled in terms of preparation and also filled in some of the gaps in my theoretical knowledge when I asked. (I appreciated that he didn't condescend or mansplain.) The drink was delicious and I enjoyed it. (My husband was just there to support my birthday wish and was nursing a diet Coke, but he did try a sip of my drink and liked it, too.) I was also pleasantly surprised by the price. I'd been prepared to pay more, based on... every other drink I've ever ordered anywhere. All in all, it was a perfect, laid-back, but fun birthday experience. As an introvert who mostly likes quiet (until I'm in the mood to rock out), I chose a Monday night specifically hoping to avoid a noisy crowd, and there were a bunch of other folks there, but there was plenty of personal space and I could carry on a conversation with my husband and the bartender...

Al's is one of my favorite locations in Armory square. The lounge atmosphere really sets it apart visually from other spots (red lights and big leather couches). It is narrow throughout the bar area, but opens up in a few spots to relieve the pressure. They have a pool table, dartboard, pinball machines, board games... You likely won't be bored for lack of options.

The selection of wines and spirits is another thing that sets this establishment apart. It's just something you have to see for yourself. They have clean draft lines and ample selection of beer as well. The bartenders are professionals - they take their work very seriously and provide a quality product. Be patient on busy nights. The bar is long and they have about 20 things happening at once. You won't have to wait too long and the result is well worth it.

They have live music a few nights a week that goes pretty late. Good stuff from what I've heard so far.

They also serve food right up until the end of the night, and it's tasty, too.

Get up and get...

Place was cool. Service was less than ideal (coming from someone who had been in the industry for 15years). Didn’t think you could get worse than the often times terrible philadelphian hospitality (I’m from phila)…but I stand corrected. We still tipped them well, 20%+ because we were celebrating a good cause and we were on good vibes that day/weekend, so lucky staff, but it was just disappointing. Hope it’s not like that all the time.

Had decent hopes for our experience there for being such a whiskey enthusiast; do go for the whiskey options and expect to pay $$$ depending on your palate, I.e., $26/pour Scapa, $21 For Weller SR if I recall correctly, but unless you’re a regular or know the “situation there, don’t go and expect a whole lot of welcome. An idea for their venue is to update their info online bc what you see online (as an out of towner would likely go to get info) is not what you’re getting when you arrive.

*Ambiance was cool and looked like they attracted some chill...