Nightlife
Best Cocktail Bars in Queenstown for Rooftops and Hidden Rooms
Guide: Queenstown Cocktails from Hidden Dens to Lake Views
The cocktail route ranges from historic hotel bars and Cow Lane hideaways to rooftops, agave specialists, live-music rooms, panoramic lounges, and a worthwhile Frankton detour.
- Little BlackwoodA lake-facing fireplace, nightly musicians, and an ambitious seasonal list make Little Blackwood equally useful for aperitifs and a full late evening.
- The Bunker Upstairs Cocktail BarHidden above Cow Lane, the Bunker's intimate fireside bar favours classic cocktails, deep spirits, and late-week DJs over high-volume novelty drinks.
- SundeckSundeck's rooftop trades enclosed intimacy for Remarkables views, outdoor heaters, champagne, cocktails, and DJs that build energy after sunset.
- Eichardt's BarEichardt's tiny historic bar handles precise classics, house infusions, champagne, and fireside lunch with polished hotel service and lake views.
- Ferg's BarFerg's Bar extends the local institution into breakfast, wine, and playful cocktails, including a pavlova martini, without losing its easy counter energy.
- Tommy's Margarita BarTommy's keeps the proposition tight: tequila, cold margaritas, Mexican snacks, and DJs in a compact room best approached on weekend nights.
- The Lodge BarRodd & Gunn's lakeside lodge room balances tailored interiors with Central Otago wine, restrained cocktails, and polished food suited to a quieter night.
- Little MezLittle Mez is a focused agave den for neat pours, margaritas, and mezcal-led cocktails, hidden beside the Bunker on Cow Lane.
- Nest Cocktail LoungeNest's lounge uses panoramic lake views, fireplace seating, and a concise cocktail list to reward the uphill trip before or after dinner.
- Pavilion Bar & KitchensPavilion brings house cocktails, craft beer, local wine, fireside seating, and broad social dining to Frankton's Queenstown Central rather than the CBD.
Reviewed by RGuide EditorialVenue details checked