Vienna's bar scene is older than most. Loos American Bar opened in 1908 in an Adolf Loos-designed room that's now a UNESCO-protected interior. Modern Vienna (Kleinod, Krypt) plays at world-class level. The 10 below cover the 1st district and Neubau, with one essential rooftop entry. Most are walkable from St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Part of our 50 Best Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
Read the world list
The 10 best bars in Vienna
01 · Vienna
1st · Innere Stadt
$$
1908 · Adolf Loos-designed
Adolf Loos designed this room in 1908. The mahogany, marble and onyx interior is itself a UNESCO-protected work of architecture.
Order: A martini in the room Loos designed for that purpose
02 · Vienna
1st
$$$
Modern · Counter
Modern Vienna cocktail bar — the technical reference for the new generation. World's 50 Best Bars Asia/Europe fixtures.
Order: Bartender's choice with their seasonal Austrian-spirit feature
03 · Vienna
1st
$$$
Speakeasy · Underground
Underground Vienna cocktail bar. Vaulted ceilings, dim lighting, classics-led menu. The atmosphere is the show.
Order: A Sazerac in the vault
04 · Vienna
1st
$$
Hotel bar · Belle Époque
Belle Époque hotel bar. Marble counters, brass details, classics-driven cocktail program. The Vienna grand-hotel template.
Order: A perfect Manhattan
05 · Vienna
1st
$$$
Apothecary cabinet · Hidden
Behind a cabinet door inside another bar. Tiny, eight-seat, deeply Austrian.
Order: A Schubert Spritz
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
06 · Vienna
4th
$$
Heuriger · Modern
Modern take on the Vienna Heuriger (wine tavern) format. Austrian wine focus, garden seating, modernist food.
Order: A glass of Grüner Veltliner + a brettljause
07 · Vienna
Sofitel · 18th floor
$$$$
Hotel rooftop · 18th floor
On the 18th floor of the Sofitel. Stunning panoramic view of Vienna's skyline, including the Stephansdom. Cocktails are competent.
Order: A spritz at sunset, north-facing
08 · Vienna
1st · Danube Canal
$$
Riverside · All-day
On the Danube Canal. All-day room — café in the morning, restaurant at lunch, cocktail bar after dark. Modernist riverboat aesthetic.
Order: A signature with Austrian-distilled spirits
09 · Vienna
7th · Neubau
$$
Greenery · Modern
Neubau cocktail bar with a botanical theme. Greenery throughout, garden-led drinks, casual but technically rigorous.
Order: A drink built around their house-made botanicals
10 · Vienna
3rd · Landstraße
$$
Wine bar · Austrian focus
Austrian-wine-only bar in Landstraße. Deep by-the-glass program, knowledgeable owners, casual atmosphere.
Order: A glass of Wachau Riesling
More Vienna bars by categoryCocktail, hidden gem, wine bar — the full Vienna index.
See the full list
How Vienna drinks slow
Vienna drinks slowly and seriously. Loos American Bar is the architectural pilgrimage; Kleinod is the modern technical reference. The Heuriger tradition (wine taverns serving young local wine) is essential context — Heuer am Karlsplatz delivers a polished version. Most cocktail bars run until 2 AM weekdays, 4 AM weekends.
