There are so many awesome bars in Vilnius Lithuania. Whether you are a beer connoisseur, a craft cocktail fiend, or you prefer a wide wine selection, there’s a place for you in Vilnius.
While I prefer a crisp and hoppy beer, I’ve dabbled across the beverage spectrum during my time here in Vilnius and can share with confidence some of the best bars in Vilnius.
This list includes bars in Vilnius at every price point. Whether you want a cheap night out, a baseline place with a nice selection, or a high-end bar with the price tag to match, Vilnius really does have something for everyone.
Thanks to being a university city, one of the best in Europe in fact, there are plenty of budget spots to keep the backpackers happy. However, it’s also a cosmopolitan city with some seriously fantastic drinks being made right here in Lithuania.
Spending some time in Vilnius? Be sure to check out my one-day guide here.
The Best Bars in Vilnius Lithuania
I’ve listed the bars based on the type of bars they are. The first 10 are heavily focused on beer. The rest of the list of bars in Vilnius focus on craft cocktails, wine, or are just great little dive bars where you can have a few drinks in a great atmosphere.
In general, if you’re looking for a large concentration of bars, you should head to the area around where Islandijos gatve and Vilniaus gatve intersect. This area is sort of like bar street and on a Friday or Saturday night (especially in the summertime), people pour out onto the streets all evening long.
I have linked to the Google location beneath all of the bars in Vilnius listed below. This way, you can save them on your phone.
I personally love traveling this way. It means that when you get hungry or thirsty, you can simply open Google Maps on your phone and see which bar or restaurant is closest.
Check out my list of the best restaurants in the city here.
The chalkboard menu at Šnekutis. I have been here twice and both times the menu changes a little bit offering different beers.
1. Šnekutis
Perhaps the most well-known around Vilnius, Šnekutis is something of an institution in the city. They have a few locations, but the one in the old town is best located.
They are open for lunch and then well into the night and serve excellent Lithuania beer at affordable prices. They also have a full menu of cheap Lithuanian food, making it a popular spot for backpackers and students to come for beers and dinner.
The location in the old town has a chalkboard menu with more than a dozen beers on draught. They also have beers by the bottle, ciders on draught and in bottles, and non-alcoholic drinks.
They are proud of their wide selection of Lithuanian farm beer as well as the growing selection of craft beers not only from Lithuania but from nearby countries like Denmark, Estonia, and Latvia, too.
2. Alaus Biblioteka
This is my personal favorite bar in Vilnius. It’s my favorite for a few reasons. One, it is fully invested in it’s theme as being a beer library. They even refer to the bartenders at Librarians.
And they are as knowledgeable as your local librarian. The bartenders know so much not only about the beers that they’re serving but can give you a history lesson on beer in Lithuania (which I have gladly asked for every time I’ve visited).
The selection of beers is huge and if you are not sure which one you’d like to try, simply talk to the librarians. They can offer you some samples based on the type of beer you usually like.
In the summer months, they set up a pop-up bar in the plaza in front of the town hall building. When the temperatures dip, you’ll find them in the beautiful pub-style library-esque bar near bar street.
There is no sensation quite like walking into a bar and seeing a wall full of taps. I know it’s going to be a good bar when that happens.
3. Špunka
There are currently three locations for this bar in Vilnius. My personal favorite is located here, but if you are staying in or near Užupis, that location is the original.
This is a true pub. They do a little bit of food, but mostly just traditional Lithuanian beer snacks like fried bread (kepta duona) and fried pigs ears. The main focus of this place is the beer.
They have a nice selection of beers including lighter lagers, smooth pilsners, hopping IPAs, and the occasional darker beer. Most of the beers come from Lithuania and are available on draught. They sometimes have one cider on draught, but otherwise they have a few bottles to choose from if you don’t like beer.
Location on Google – the Užupis location
The menu at Špunka bar in Vilnius’ old town. The staff are so friendly and helpful when you are choosing the beers.
4. Nisha Craft Capital
There is a Nisha Craft Capital is every major city in Lithuania and I’ve sampled a beer in all three (the others being in Kaunas and Klaipeda).
The bars are usually small, cozy, and busy with beer lovers. There is nothing else on offer here other than craft beer from around Europe. They have IPAs from Denmark (and boy are they strong), ales from England, lagers from Lithuania, and so many more options.
I’ve sampled craft beer from Ukraine, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, and Iceland when I’ve been to Nisha and I’m always excited to go back and “travel Europe” through their beer selection.
5. Dock Craft Beer and Burgers
This bar is everything that the name suggests. They serve up great craft beer, mostly from Lithuania, and solid burgers. It’s also a pretty affordable place, catering to the large student population here.
The burger selection here is the main draw with veggie options, chicken, beef, pork, chorizo, smoked meat, and even spicy burgers on offer.
While they have about a dozen taps to choose from, they also have a decent wine menu and can make a pretty great cocktail, too. If you’re looking for a place to start the night or just a great meal that also serves top-notch drinks, this place is the whole package.
The outdoor seating at Alynas when the weather is warm and you can enjoy a cold beer and sunshine (it’s a brief time period in Lithuania).
6. Alynas
Alynas is a little brew bar away from most of the other bars. Most people actually come here and buy a growler or a few bottles to-go. But there are plenty of seats inside and on a cool autumn evening, I love coming here and having some of their beer.
The biggest draw to this place compared to others on the list is that they make their own beer. All of the beers on draught here are made by Alynas and they are pretty delicious. They have everything from wheaty, almost sweet lagers (a very common option around Lithuania) to Pale Ales and English-style ales.
There’s no food menu here. They only have snacks, the most popular being their selection of cured meats. Grab a pint and a few of the dried sausages and you’ll be drinking just like a Lithuanian.
The side streets in Vilnius have some of my favorite bars.
7. Craft & Draft Brew Pub and Whiskey
Located right along one of the main streets in Vilnius, Gediminas prospektas, this is another great spot for food and delicious drinks.
They’re brewing their own beer right on the premises and it is exactly the sort of craft beer that I love. They have fruity and strong IPAs, APAs, Pale Ales, and Pilsners.
Besides their great bears, they also have a huge selection of single malt scotch and blended scotch whiskeys to choose from. In addition to scotch, they also have an interesting selection of craft whisky that is made in Sweden, Australia, and France.
The food menu is small and I’ve only ever tried the burger, which was ok (I recommend Dock’s more). However, they do have a nice selection of burgers, including a few vegetarian options. They also do pork ribs and fish and chips.
I love the old-fashioned sign at Leičiai.
8. Alinė Leičiai
While most of the craft beer bars on this list lean towards the more modern style of “craft beer,” this place has been brewing beer long before it was cool to do it.
They make a wide selection of their own beers and you can pair them with their seriously outstanding selection of food.
The bar is to the left when you walk into the restaurant. If you just want to have some of their beers, you can sit at the bar or at one of the tables near it. If you want to sit in the restaurant, you can enter the restaurant and wait to be seated for normal service.
Either way, be sure to sample some of their ales made the traditional Lithuanian way, with live yeast.
9. Kas Kas
This is a bar that will please every type of drinker (and non-drinker!).
The selection at this Vilnius bar is exceptional and the bar itself is cool. During the summer months, they have a patio area that is covered, but feels like you’re at a garden party. The interior feels sort of like a prohibition bar.
The cocktails here are rated as some of the best in the city. They have a nice wine list. There are craft beers and ciders on draught and by the bottle. And for those that are driving, they have a small selection of non-alcoholic beers and ciders and can also make up a mocktail based on some of their cocktails.
They have some serious exceptional food to nibble on while you drink. The menu is eclectic with Lithuanian cepelinai and burgers sitting next to beef carpaccio and grilled shrimp. We’ve had a few of their plates to share while we eat and I have not been disappointed by the modern dishes on the menu.
Be sure to book a table a few days in advance if you plan to come on Friday or Saturday night. The place fills up quickly and most people come for a few hours at a time.
There are so many awesome cocktail bars in Vilnius, it’s hard to choose just one or two to visit on a short trip to the city.
10. Nomads Cocktail Bar
Located in one of the more upmarket areas of town, surrounded by high-end shops and across from the most expensive hotel in Vilnius. This Vilnius bar is one of the best for cocktail lovers.
One of the reasons it’s so great is that the bar are constantly creating new and unique cocktails. The menu changes almost weekly depending on what’s in season, what the weather is like (hot cocktails in winter!), and what the bartenders are loving at the moment.
You can’t visit though, without trying their signature cocktail, the cheesecake martini. Sweet and sour, strong and creamy. It is unlike any cocktail I’ve ever tried and I always take people here to try it when they visit.
11. Alchemikas
This is one of my favorite bars in Vilnius for the atmosphere. It is truly special here and I love coming here for a romantic night cap with Luke after we’ve gone to dinner somewhere.
They have perfectly captured the old-world cocktail bar feeling. The decor makes feel like you’ve stepped back in time and they even have some of those old-world cocktails to match (old-fashioneds, martinis, negronis).
In addition to the traditional cocktails, they also have tons of wonderful concoctions that I’ve never tried before. This is a truly wonderful bar experience in Vilnius that you shouldn’t miss.
I love going to bars that make cocktails with ingredients or alcohol that I don’t usually drink or have in my head that I don’t like. I usually gravitate towards trying totally knew things and at these cocktail bars in Vilnius, there are SO many ingredients that I would never normally have.
12. Distilerija
I absolutely love this cocktail bar in Vilnius. The menu is so creative and fun. The food selection here is outstanding. This is the sort of place you come for dinner with friends and suddenly it’s closing time.
They have aged beef steaks, seared tuna, grilled catfish (a very popular river fish here in Lithuania), and housemade pasta. They have burgers and salads and hearty soups. And if you’re just here for the cocktail menu, they have a snack menu to nibble on while you sip your drinks (highly recommend the pate).
The cocktail menu is several pages long with beautiful, almost story-like descriptions of the drinks. They have draught beer, bottled beer, and their own housemade beer. They have single malt whiskeys and ciders. The menu has wine and champagne and cava. It truly is a bar to please every customer. Especially those with good taste.
Even when I go to a fancy cocktail bar, I usually end up with a craft beer…
13. Amadeus Bar
Amadeus Bar is just one of those places that oozes cool. They have DJs nights, taco Tuesdays, and some of the most perfectly made, not a detail out of place, cocktails that I’ve ever had.
In addition to the craft cocktails on offer, they also make their own kombucha, their own matcha lemonade, and have a huge selection of blended tea.
They have a few bar snacks and sandwiches, but it’s really just about coming here, enjoying a drink with friends, and chilling in their beautiful space. I love meeting friends here during the week for a tea or a matcha. Also, if you happen to come when they have them, their croissants are outstanding.
14. Bix Baras
This is my favorite dive bar in Vilnius. Drinks are cheap, no one cares about craft anything, and they have cheap food as well. When I just want to hang out with friends, have a cold beer, and sit outside in sunshine, this is the bar I go to.
On the weekends, this is an incredibly popular place for students and 20-somethings. They usually have live music or a DJ or are just blasting out the tunes.
Despite feeling mostly like a dive-bar on the weekends, they still have great beers on draught and plenty of ciders and hard alcohol to choose from.
I love sitting on the train platform with a beer on a sunny afternoon. In Lithuania during the summer months it’s light until after 10pm, making this an awesome place to have a beer or two and watching the trains roll through.
15. Peronas
I love bars inside train stations. Even when I’m not traveling somewhere, there is something so beautiful about sitting out on a train platform with a pint and watching people come and go.
One of my all-time favorite bars is actually called the Tap in Sheffield (in the UK). I think that’s why I love this bar in Vilnius so much, it really reminds me of the Tap.
The bar is really only nice when it’s warm outside since the seating is out on the platform. But if you happen to be in Vilnius when it’s warm, or you don’t mind sipping a beer while you’re all bundled up, then be sure to check it out.
They have a really nice selection of beers, including some craft beers on draught. They have wine and champagne. They even have a pretty extensive cocktail menu with all of the classics like margaritas, spritzes, and martinis.