26 Best Bars in Providence: Insider Tips from a Native Rhode Island-er

Merry
Last Updated: February 20, 2025

I’ve tried them all—these are the best bars in Providence for friends, dates, and solo time.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent many of the wee hours of the morning between the ages of 21 and 23 prowling the streets of Providence with my gang of misfit acquaintances. I worked in public relations; one guy worked with ex-cons; one girl worked at an Ivy League; one bloke was even a pilot.

It was very Cheers-y of us, and most nights felt like a sepia-toned movie montage—the part in the movie where all the wayward souls start to become friends.

And the mise en scène was always Providence, Rhode Island.

There were many golden memories in these bars. Sometimes there were tears. Maybe even a fight or two. Regrets. Sloppy kisses. Lonely nights. Victorious parades home after feeling like the life of the party, as well as shameful, tragic marches with that awkwardly uttered phrase playing in memory on repeat.

So if you’re searching for downtown bars in Providence, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll show you:

Fun bars in Providence to wear a flashy dress and a flashy smile (Winner: Riffraff Bookstore and Bar)
Best pubs in Providence to take yourself on a solo date (Winner: Wild Colonial Tavern)
Best cocktail lounges in Providence to pretend you’re an elegant lady or gentleman (or at least make someone else think you’re an elegant lady or gentleman) (Winner: Courtland Club)
Best craft beer in Providence to wear plaid and steep yourself in the nostalgia of 2012’s adorkable years (Winner: The Malted Barley)
Best bar food in Providence for when you’re that many drinks in and need a little pick-me-up (Winner: Harry’s Bar & Burger)
Best neighborhood bars in Providence to just have a beer with a friend without having to get all fashionable about it (Winner: Ogie’s Trailer Park)

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Fun Bars in Providence

These are the trendy locales that may be suggested to you by someone the Internet names a “girlie” or a “bro.”

Fun, trendy bars usually turnover fast—but Providence has managed to produce a few mainstays that have been proudly delivering sticky floors and loud music for many a time.

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1. Riffraff Bookstore and Bar

A bookstore AND a bar? Be still my beating heart.

Well, actually, I guess there is one flaw with this jewel of a place. If you want to stand out as the moody, brooding intellectual who brought their high-brow literature to the bar to do some sophisticated reading alone… You’re not going to feel special here. If that’s your MO, you’re better off checking out one of the best pubs in Providence or one of the best neighborhoods in Providence. (More on that later.)

BUT if you want to mix and mingle with other people who love to read (or at least claim to), set your GPS to 60 Valley St #107A, Providence, RI 02909.

2. AS220 Food & Drink

Now this one is a little something special. AS220 is technically a “non-profit community arts organization.” According to their website, they:

“provide all people in Rhode Island affordable access to galleries, performance venues, educational opportunities, residential spaces, and work studios needed to realize their full creative potential.”

You can also eat and drink stuff there.

Seriously, this is one of the more interesting places to check out, other than just for a drink for the night.

If you want to excite your cultural taste buds, check out AS220’s events calendar.

3. The Boombox

“Let’s go sing karaoke,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said.

“They” were two new friends who managed to cajole me to do a thing I never do: sing karaoke after imbibing in a few delirious hours at a wine bar.

“They” also ended up sounding better than Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper when they took on the Hollywood pair’s Shallow duet from A Star Is Born, which I (as the untalented singer I am) was not prepared to hear.

I digress. Whether you want to show off your singing chops or willfully embarrass yourself, this is a mighty fine place to do it.

4. The Eddy

Come to think of it, I think I’ve only been to The Eddy once. I guess I’m not cool enough.

This place is always slammed, so I guess you’ve got to be either a) willing to tolerate shoulder-to-shoulder crowds as you fight to order your basic-ass gin and tonic or b) stop by on an errant Monday night when things are probably slow.

BUT The Eddy isn’t wrong in calling itself a “stylish, dimly lit cocktail bar.” It IS dimly light, and there’s enough polished oak in there to make you feel like you’re inside a jewelry box. So if you want to show off that you’re an intellectual hipster with a little bit of cash, come on down to 95 Eddy St, Providence, RI 02903.

5. The Black Sheep

Calling everyone who wants to have a good time. I sure did the last time I found myself at The Black Sheep 397 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903. I was celebrating a friend’s birthday, and she started the night proclaiming she wanted to end the night here.

We did. We danced. We sang. And we woke up with a headache that turned into a long-lasting memory we decided to call fun.

The best thing about The Black Sheep? Everyone fits in here. Apparently, The Black Sheep is home to “Rhode Island’s Premiere Drag Show”? And they also have Sunday brunch? (Even I’m just discovering this.) What kind of magical place is this?

6. Tiny Bar

A tiny bar where you can skip tiny cocktails with your tiny (AKA pinky) finger sticking up.

If you head into this tiny joint at 377 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903, make sure you say hi to my old friend Analise … if she still works there. And you better hope she does because she’s one of the best bartenders around these parts.

Warning: Tiny Bar is not tiny. No, really. While they do have a large, twinkly courtyard to enjoy during the summer months (and the winter months, if you dare), this place can really only handle a few tables. So if you want to feel like a VIP (or if you want an excuse to cozy up to your date), this is the place to be.

7. Rooftop at the Providence G

This one’s for you, People Who Just Want to Go to a Bar That’s Popular. I see you. I don’t feel you. But that’s okay—you do you.

The Rooftop is (you guessed it) a rooftop bar above the Providence G, which are luxury apartment buildings in the center of Providence. I’ve spent my fair share of time at the Rooftop, usually leaning against the wall in a leather jacket with a glass of whiskey acting like I’m too hipster to be there.

But if you’re not as much of a pain in the ass as I am and you just want to have a good old time like most people, good on you. You’ll probably enjoy the firepits.

Pro tip: Make sure you make a reservation first for your night at 100 Dorrance St, Providence, RI 02903.

Best Pubs in Providence

You know those nights when you’re bringing together friends from different friend groups? Besides asking yourself what the hell you’re doing and why you’ve decided to create such an anxiety-inducing night where all your diverse personalities may collide, you might wonder where to take everyone.

The answer is: You can’t go wrong with a pub. IMHO, these are the three best pubs in Providence:

8. Wild Colonial Tavern

Wild Colonial Tavern has a quaint, stone facade that’s right out of a picture book. If you want to play pool, play darts, and/or throw back a Guinness, this is a pretty good place to do it. The atmosphere is relaxed and lowkey, so it’s unlikely anyone annoying will bother you.

Plus, 250 S Water St, Providence, RI 02903 is right near the Providence River, so in the warm months you can sip your cold pints outside and enjoy an easy, breezy view.

They offer “bar bites” but not a full menu, so it’s advised to fill up on dinner before heading out for all those whiskey shots…

9. The Point Tavern

If you want dinner AND drinks but can’t be bothered to call an Uber halfway through the night, The Point Tavern can be your one-stop shop for beer, burgers, and booze. Or if you don’t subscribe to the holy trinity, no worries—this pub also maintains a pretty extensive cocktail menu, including seasonal delights like Winter Sangria and more versions of a Moscow Mule than I can be bothered to list here.

It’s on the very famed Wickenden Street (302 Wickenden St #4469, Providence, RI 02903 to be precise) where you can sip your drinks outside and people watch—or duck inside for weekly quiz night.

10. Trinity Brewhouse

Ah, Trinity Brewhouse. The pub I most frequented out of the three best pubs in Providence. I like the fact that they have a very large, varied selection of craft beers. They also have a basement, if that makes you feel cool in any way. Plus, the food ain’t that bad!

At 186 Fountain St, Providence, RI 02903, United States, Trinity Brewhouse stands loud and proud on the corner and takes up plenty of space, so it definitely doesn’t give you those hole-in-the-wall vibes you’ll find at Wild Colonial Tavern. But that also means it’ll be a lot easier to find a table on a crowded Friday night.

You can’t have it all.

Best Cocktail Lounges in Providence

Cue the moody music. If you want an excuse to dress up or perhaps a dimly lit room to flutter your eyelashes in front of your date, then let me be your guide. I’ve sipped dirty martinis and strutted my best shoes in (dare I say) all the cocktail lounges in Providence—and these are the very best.

11. The Walnut Room

One of the newer additions to the nightlife scene in Providence at 245 S Main St, Providence, RI 02903, United States, The Walnut Room is a very respectable establishment. And yes—by respectable establishment I do mean the place to go with your friend to consume an entire bottle of champagne each and touch up your lipstick in the bathroom like you’re posing for the pages of Vogue.

It has little velvety chairs and wanna-be marble tables. It has lots of shiny wood. And if I do recall, it even has a luxurious black curtain in front of the bathroom door, which you can use to hide behind and sneak a peek out at your date or fling open Disney-princess style to make a grand entrance. Depends what kind of night you’re having, but having options is always nice.

12. Courtland Club

I really do quite like the Courtland Club, but I’ll express my one grievance right off the bat: On numerous occasions, they served me my dirty martini in a tumbler glass. Not a fan.

With that one demerit out of the way, I can otherwise wholeheartedly recommend the Courtland Club. There’s an exposed brick wall inside (come on, who doesn’t love that?) onto which they often project old-timey movies.

Best of all, it has kind of a hidden entrance on 51 Courtland St, Providence, RI 02909, United States. My roommate-at-the-time and I discovered it while going for an ambling walk one night in what we thought was strictly a residential area until we discovered a few too many people walking into this one door suspiciously not-residential-like door. The rest is history (and a little blurry).

13. Justine’s

My best friend and I discovered Justine’s per her mom’s recommendation—who discovered it per the pages of some RI Monthly magazine. Tucked in the not-exactly-picturesque streets of Olneyville at 11 Olneyville Square, Providence, RI 02909, United States, Justine’s lives up to its self-proclaimed title of “unassuming lounge…with moody lighting & a speakeasy vibe.”

From the street, Justine’s looks like a (very cheap and tacky) lingerie shop. Once you step inside, there’s nothing but a small, empty black room, where a rather undelighted bouncer checks your IDs and then ushers you past the curtain. Inside, I have memories of a glittering delight of cozy booths, accent mirrors, and lots of gold.

10/10, I recommend. This is a great spot to go if you’ve already spent a lot of time in downtown Providence and are looking for a little something different.

14. The Avery

At 18 Luongo Square, Providence, RI 02903, The Avery is not far from my old apartment in Providence, so it was easy for me to wander by from time to time on a random weekday.

Another speakeasy-inspired lounge (though far less dramatically so than Justine’s), The Avery is a dark, moody, jazzy bar that’s ripe for date nights and girl nights. (There’s even a fountain and benches out front, so it’s practically begging to be the pivotal scene in a rom-com.)

I will say that (unless things have changed) I’m taking points off for the music. Save the one time a spontaneous marching band came in and belted out a couple brassy tunes, they typically play house music that’s just not on brand with the jazzy, romantic interior design. Kind of a bummer.

15. The Royal Bobcat

Want to start and end your night out in Providence with elegance? Then I suggest you bookend your evening with The Walnut Room and The Bobcat.

Word on the street is, they’re owned by the same dude. And that tracks. Like The Walnut Room, The Royal Bobcat is a dimly lit bar with a lot of polished wood. Except The Walnut Room is on the East Side and is, appropriately, more elegant, while The Royal Bobcat is on the East Side and is, also appropriately, a little more pub-like.

Can’t really go wrong.

16. Needle and Thread

Another relatively new bar Providence nightlife scene, Needle and Thread has quickly become (as the kids say) hip and happening.

Needle and Threat gives off the same ‘20s- and speakeasy-inspired flair as do The Avery, The Walnut Room, and Courtland Club … but (sorry) with a little less sophistication. Though that’s not necessarily a bad thing! At least not all the time. Needle and Thread is easily three times the size of those other bars, so if you want to get your Great Gatsby mood on but your party is bigger than six people, it’s best to head here to 45 Peck St, Providence, RI 02903, for the night.

TLDR; here’s what you need to know about the best cocktail lounges in Providence:

The Walnut Room and The Royal Bobcat are your basic speakeasy-inspired vibe. (They’re even owned by the same person.) But one is on the East Side (The Walnut Room), and one is on the West Side (The Bobcat).
Courtland Club is your speakeasy-inspired vibe for hipsters.
Justine’s is your most authentic speakeasy-inspired vibe.
The Avery is your speakeasy-inspired vibe, dive bar version.
Needle and Thread is your speaky-inspired vibe, basic club version.

You’re welcome.

Best Craft Beer in Providence

If you don’t care about ambiance, cocktails, or trying to look cool in a dimly-lit room and you just care about the beer, welcome. There’s room for you here in the two bars with the best craft beer in Providence.

17. The Malted Barley

The perfect place to wear a plaid shirt and reminisce about watching Season 2 of New Girl. In other words, in a hip, Gen Z-er’s world, this craft beer joint is a Millennial’s escape.

Located on the very appealing Westminster Street in downtown Providence, you can come during the evening for casual dinner and strolling, and then end the night with a pint and a soft pretzel at The Malted Barley. (The soft pretzels are apparently gourmet?)

For fans of trivia night and other bar-friendly activities, this is the place to be. Plus, they even have foosball, which is never not a good thing.

18. Moniker Brewery

When I was living in Providence, Moniker Brewery was but a dream, i.e., continuously in construction. I never did get to see the opening today, but I recently spent the night hanging at its 432 W Fountain St, Providence, RI 02903 location for a rehearsal dinner.

It did not disappoint.

They don’t serve food themselves, but it seems there’s always a food truck out front, so you can craft-beer and stuff yourself with overpriced finger food to your heart’s content.

If you do want to host a party (be it a rehearsal dinner, a birthday party, or whatever hipster soirée of your choosing), then you can call in advance and book the courtyard for only your special VIPs.

And like any great craft beer bar, dogs are welcome.

Best Bar Food in Providence

Naturally, a good night out spent prowling from one bar to the next must be intersected at some point with bar food. Maybe you want the greasy kind that you tell yourself will keep a hangover at bay. Or perhaps you want the slightly overpriced hipster kind that includes something with the word “deconstructed” on the menu.

I see you and hear you, my friend. IMHO, this is the best bar food in Providence:

19. Harry’s Bar & Burger

Oh, Harry’s Bar & Burger. This might be perhaps one of my most frequented joints in Providence—and I’m not ashamed to say so.

Located on the ever popular 301 Atwells Ave, Providence, RI 02903, Harry’s was just one street away from my apartment. As someone who likes to read, write, and stare off moodily into the distance while drinking a few pints (and inhaling a few cheeseburgers), Harry’s was my neighborhood dream come true.

It became my tradition with myself to go there every Tuesday or Wednesday night for a pint(s), a burger, and a few hours of reading. (These Books for Existential Dread were often on the menu.) It was also a great stop with friends to either start the night out or end it with some bar snacks on the way home.

10/10 forever.

P.S. There’s a second Harry’s Bar & Burger on the East Side at 121 N Main St, Providence, Rhode Island.

Do you take yourself on enough solo dates?

Go on, take yourself out.

20. Xaco Taco

Another beloved stop for snacks in the middle of the night. Perfectly situated at 370 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 in the Jewelry District (AKA on the other side of the city from my apartment), Xaco Taco was the perfect place for a little midnight snack to keep you going.

Best of all, it’s located right next to the aforementioned Tiny Bar and Nick-A-Nee’s (a hint at what’s to come).

21. Troop

Troop calls itself a “chill hangout with funky decor for eclectic street food fare & cheekily named craft cocktails.” How much of that rings true?

I can attest to the fact that they’ve got some funky decor and cheekily named craft cocktails. Don’t know if I’d call the street food “eclectic,” but it sure is tasty. Notably, this is a good place to go if you’re looking for vegan bar food in Providence in the middle of the night.

I’m told they also often host trivia nights and other activities meant to entice?

Beware, though, that Troop is seriously lacking in the fabric department, which means it gets REALLY loud in there. If you want to whisper sweet-nothings in your date’s ear, this is not the place. But if you want to nod along and pretend like you’re listening to that friend of a friend who repeats the same (not funny) story over and over again? Troop’s got you.

Best Neighborhood Bars in Providence

Trends may come and trends may go, but the good, old-fashioned neighborhood bar is a mainstay that we as a people cannot (and should not) ever go without.

While I enjoy a cocktail lounge or a trendy, thematic bar as much as the next person, some nights you just can’t beat the classic neighborhood bar. Luckily, despite the many speakeasy-wannabe bars that continue to pop up all around town, there are still quite a few neighborhood bars for the Providence insiders to sip and imbibe a few libations on a weeknight.

These are the six best neighborhood bars in Providence:

22. Nick-A-Nee’s

Hands down, this is one of my all-time favorite bars in Providence. But you’ve been warned: It’s cash only.

Not to fear, the 75 South St, Providence, RI 02903 location has an ATM inside. It’s also got a pool table, darts, an eclectic assortment of Americana paraphernalia, and (if memory serves me well) a few model planes hanging from the ceiling.

Not gonna lie, Nick-A-Nee’s tends to attract an older and sometimes biker-esque crowd. But if you want to avoid being hit upon by lame TikTok-influencer wannabes and guys who think giving themselves whiplash to flick their hair out of their eyes is a turn on, then (like me) you’ll welcome the change in scenery.

Plus, a few times a week, it’s bluegrass night. And I think it’s fair to say no one is getting enough bluegrass in their life.

23. Muldowney’s Pub

My wardrobe may have plenty of frills, but sometimes all I want is a no-frills kind of bar. That means going to a tiny, been-there-forever, kind of dumpy bar with a jukebox, a pool table, and a bathroom in which I try to make absolutely no contact with any kind of surface while inside.

That’s Muldowney’s Pub. It’s got a very laid-back atmosphere where absolutely no one is trying to look cool and the drinks are cheap.

Plus, it’s just around the corner from Trinity Brewhouse. So if you start your evening with dinner and drinks at Trinity, you can loop all the way around downtown Providence and make it full circle back to where you started with a chill nightcap at Muldowney’s.

24. Nolan’s Corner Pub

Can there be too many Irish pubs? At least not in New England there can’t be.

At the far end of Atwells Ave (not too far down the road from Harry’s Bar and Burger and The Royal Bobcat), Nolan’s Corner Pub is another dark and quiet room where you can play pool, play darts, or play with your date’s feelings. (Just kidding—don’t do that.)

Like most neighborhood bars, it’s a good place to go if you want to head out for a casual drink without getting caught up in an active, look-at-me bar scene. No one will be wearing fancy clothes. No one will be playing whatever the kids are calling hip music these days. Though someone may card you.

25. Ogie’s Trailer Park

Okay, I take back what I said about most neighborhood bars being a place to go if you don’t want an active bar scene. Because Ogie’s Trailer Park is anything but that.

If you’re a hipster living in the Providence vicinity, then this is certainly the place to go if you want to see and be seen. It has an enormous outdoor seating area with a large firepit around which smokers will congregate once it’s near closing time. It has an indoor food truck where you can buy overpriced fries. And it has a pretty darn groovy disco theme that we all find delightful.

But be warned: If you live in the area, you’re most likely going to run into someone you know here. Tread lightly. (And dress smartly.)

26. Captain Seaweed’s Pub

Last but not least in the round-up of best bars in Providence is good ol’ Captain Seaweed’s Pub. You won’t find this pub mentioned in many “best of” lists since it’s quite far away from the rest of the downtown Providence scene, but I still think it’s worth mentioning, nonetheless.

If you find yourself over the river (through the weeds), past Brown University, and way out by India Point Park, then consider swinging by Captain Seaweed’s Pub. In addition to its amusing name, this pub’s got an equally amusing decor with (you guessed it) lots of nautical-inspired gizmos hanging around, like seahorses, buoys, and (naturally) a pirate.

It’s pretty cute for the summertime, since there’s a lot of outdoor seating with big, straw umbrellas. And for wintertime, you can challenge strangers to a game of pool and hope to score yourself a few free drinks if you win. (This is not Captain Seaweed’s protocol; it’s just something I do sometimes.)

My Top 5 Favorite Bars in Providence

Well that was certainly a walk down memory lane. After living on Atwells Avenue for a few years and circling the city on foot more times than I can count, I daresay I am an expert when it comes to the downtown Providence bar scene.

So here’s my rapid-fire run-down on my all-time favorite bars in Providence:

Bar	My Rating	Perfect for…
Harry’s Burger Bar	4 out of 5	– Nights when you don’t want to go to a bar but you still want to go out – Really good burgers (but they make you pay extra for fries—lame) – Late-night snacks
Ogie’s Trailer Park	5 out of 5	– Sitting outside – Getting cheap drinks – Seeing and being seen
Nick-A-Nee’s	5 out of 5	– Bluegrass music – Escaping the annoying trends of the youth – Really cheap drinks
The Boombox	4 out of 5	– Karaoke – Lasting memories – Hanging with friends if you’re the designated driver
Courland Club	4 out of 5	– Date night – Reading alone and looking mysterious – A calm, peaceful drink

Wrapping Up: You can’t go wrong with any of the 26 best bars in Providence

At pretty much all times of the year, the nightlife in Providence is a-booming.

In general, I’m completely convinced that Providence is a hidden gem and a true jewel in the USA—and its bar scene is no exception.

If you make the journey to The Ocean State’s Big Apple, tell me: Which bar is your new favorite?

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