Booze-Free Bars Are Taking Over the West Coast—Here Are the Best Ones to Visit

Let’s face it: Whenever you go to a bar, there’s always the temptation to indulge in an adult drink. Or, OK, maybe two. And sometimes, whether you’re trying to adapt a healthier lifestyle or simply aren’t in the mood, you might crave a social night sans spirits.

The good news? A handful of booze-free and mocktail-centric bars are sprouting up along the West Coast, offering the best of both worlds.

“For the last several centuries, bars, and distilleries have been largely hostile or uninterested in folks who didn’t drink alcohol,” explains Mark Paschal, co-owner of Rosette, a watering hole in Seattle that focuses on booze-free libations. “Non-alcoholic and ‘sober bars’ recognize the fact that public gathering spaces are essential to the life of communities and that the very responsible decision to not drink alcohol should not disqualify someone from that life.”

It’s no secret that mocktails have become increasingly in-demand, so it only makes sense that there are entire spaces that celebrate them. But while non-alcoholic beverages are having a moment, Paschal says these bars aren’t a fleeting fad. Rather, he calls this movement “a recognition that there are millions of people who don’t consume alcohol but who would also like a nice night out, a seat at the bar, and a well constructed cocktail.”

That said, not every bar can be an excellent, non-alcoholic one. “It does require that bartenders make a balanced cocktail because you can’t rely on alcohol to make things OK,” Paschal adds. “The sustainability of the trend is dependent on bartenders making drinks whose quality as a beverage stands on its own.”

Below, five toast-worthy, mocktail-centric bars.

Rosette

Nola Thury

While the Seattle-based lounge has a sampling of biodynamic wines and select beers, its non-alcohol beverages are the main draw. The menu changes often, but previous sips have included everything from classic, sparkling “negronis” and creative mocktails like If I Must, where spirit-free Dhōs gin is cleverly paired with Wilderton orange, lemon, artichoke, and dijon syrup. “Guests are welcome to keep to themselves, but encouraged to interact with our worker-owners and others they meet at the bar,” Paschal adds. “Food and drink are the fuel for a warm and wonderful evening.”

Ocean Beach Café

Courtesy of Ocean Beach Café

Located just south of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Ocean Beach Café is an all-day destination. Customers can kickstart the day with coffee or non-alcoholic mimosas and plenty of healthy bites. Come happy hour, patrons can buy bottles of spirit-free elixirs or order a not-so-stiff one. Topping the list is Destroyer of Bad Vibes, a best-selling beverage that boasts a hemp-based spirit called The Pathfinder, the non-alcoholic apertif Melati, All the Bitter New Orleans Bitters, aqua faba, cinnamon syrup, and lime juice.

Bar Iris

Courtesy of Bar Iris

San Francisco hotspot Bar Iris doesn’t solely serve mocktails, but they certainly don’t treat them as an afterthought. “We believe every guest deserves the same elevated experience, regardless of what they’re drinking,” explains Timofei Osipenko, the locale’s bar manager. “That philosophy extends fully to our non-alcoholic cocktails, which receive the same level of care, creativity, and research and development as our signature drinks.”

In fact, Osipenko says Bar Iris reimagines many of its sips into a non-alcoholic format. Try Tamara Island, a lively option finished with egg white foam, or Kyoto, a zero-proof take on a dirty martini.

The New Bar

Courtesy of The New Bar

Think of The New Bar, located in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood, as the closest thing you’ll get to a booze-free tasting room in Napa or Sonoma. Here, the non-alcoholic drinkery is packed with a bunch of bottles and cans of mocktail must-haves. Sample some best-selling options—such as Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, Phony Negroni, Prima Pavé Rosé Brut, and Drømme Calm—and bring your favorites home.

Uchi

Shelby Moore

If you’re craving a bite and booze-free sip, head over to Uchi. At its West Hollywood location, you can enjoy over a dozen non-alcoholic drinks with James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole’s Japanese cuisine. So, what’s on the menu? Standout mocktails include the Mitsu Mitsu (made with Ritual Zero Proof gin, rosemary, and yuzu honey), and the fan-favorite Akabanaa, a vibrant blend of Ritual Zero Proof gin, hibiscus-lime agave, and fresh lime. Plus, a curated selection of zero-proof wines and beers from Oddbird, Lyre’s, and BrewDog offer complex flavors to round out the dining experience.