Where To Grab a Cocktail in Springfield, IL.
Best Places for a Springfield, IL Wedding Guest to Grab a Cocktail
You're in Springfield, Illinois for a wedding. The hotel room is unpacked. Your wedding outfit survived the trip. You've figured out where the venue is. And now you have a little free time.
There is only one reasonable question left:
Where should we go for a cocktail?
Whether you're meeting other wedding guests on Friday night, looking for somewhere to relax after the rehearsal dinner or turning your trip into an entire Springfield wedding weekend, there are plenty of places around town to grab a drink. From sophisticated cocktails and wine to bourbon and casual downtown drinks, here are some great places for wedding guests to start exploring Springfield, Illinois.
1. Curate — For a Sophisticated Cocktail
2930 Plaza Drive, Springfield, IL
If you're dressed up and want somewhere that still feels worthy of the outfit, Curate is a great choice. Located on Springfield's west side in The Gables, Curate specializes in small plates, wine, bourbon and creative cocktails. It's polished without feeling overly formal, which makes it especially good for couples, parents of the wedding couple or groups of friends looking for a more elevated night out.
Curate is also a great choice if your "one cocktail" is likely to turn into appetizers—or dinner. For bourbon fans, there's another reason to visit: Curate participates in Springfield's Capital City Bourbon Journey and offers an extensive selection of bourbons and ryes.
Best for: A sophisticated cocktail, girls' night, date night or drinks with the parents.
Current hours: Tuesday–Thursday evenings; Friday and Saturday lunch and dinner; Sunday brunch. The bar remains open later on Friday and Saturday.
Website: curatespringfield.com
2. VELE — For Cocktails With a Fine-Dining Feel
3241 W. Iles Avenue, Springfield, IL
If your wedding weekend calls for something a little more upscale, VELE is an excellent option. VELE is a modern coastal Italian restaurant with seafood, pasta, steaks, small plates and a serious bar program.
It's especially worth considering for bourbon lovers. The bar is known for an extensive bourbon and rye collection in addition to cocktails, wine and other spirits.
This is the place we'd suggest when you're thinking:
"We're already dressed nicely. Let's go somewhere nice." It can work beautifully for an intimate pre-wedding dinner, drinks with family, date night before the wedding festivities begin or a cocktail before heading back to the hotel.
Best for: Upscale cocktails, bourbon enthusiasts, date night and special-occasion drinks.
Current hours: Dinner Monday through Saturday.
3. Vine & Rind — For Wine, Cocktails and a Girls' Night
3267 Ginger Creek Drive, Springfield, IL
Vine & Rind is one of those places that feels made for a wedding weekend. It's stylish, a little dressier than a neighborhood bar and well suited for sharing drinks and small bites with friends.
While wine is obviously a major part of the experience, Vine & Rind also has a full cocktail bar and non-alcoholic selections. This could be an especially fun Friday stop for bridesmaids, sisters, cousins or a group of friends who arrived in Springfield before the rest of the wedding festivities begin. Order a drink, share something to eat and enjoy having nowhere you need to be for a little while. Tomorrow is the wedding.
Tonight can simply be fun.
Best for: Girls' night, wine lovers, cocktails and a more polished atmosphere.
Current hours: Tuesday through Saturday evenings.
4. Obed & Isaac's — For a True Springfield Experience
500 S. Sixth Street, Springfield, IL
If you're visiting Springfield for the first time and want your cocktail stop to feel a little more like Springfield, head downtown to Obed & Isaac's. The restaurant and microbrewery sits in a distinctive historic setting near the Lincoln Home area and combines craft beer, cocktails, pub food and a large outdoor beer garden.
This is a particularly good recommendation when your wedding group can't agree on what they want. One person wants a cocktail. One wants craft beer. Someone else is hungry. And another person mostly wants to sit outside. Problem solved. Right next door is Obed & Isaac's The Cidery, located inside a historic house and offering locally produced cider, mead and perry along with cocktails. The two together make a fun Springfield stop for out-of-town guests who want something they aren't going to find back home.
Best for: Groups, first-time Springfield visitors, craft beer, cocktails and casual wedding-weekend fun.
Current restaurant hours: Open daily, with later hours Friday and Saturday.
The Cidery: Open Tuesday through Saturday.
5. Vondra Social House — For Cocktails Near the Lincoln Home
724 E. Edwards Street, Springfield, IL
For wedding guests who are already exploring Springfield's historic district, Vondra Social House gives you another reason to stay downtown. Located in a historic building near the Lincoln Home area, Vondra combines cocktails with food in a setting that feels much more like an evening out than a quick stop at a neighborhood bar. This would be a particularly nice choice for guests who spend part of the day visiting Springfield's Abraham Lincoln attractions and want to transition from sightseeing into cocktails or dinner without heading across town.
Best for: Cocktails, small plates, date night and guests exploring historic Springfield.
6. Always After Five — When the Cocktail Is the Main Event
2741 S. Sixth Street, Springfield, IL
Sometimes you don't need dinner. You don't need sightseeing. You don't need an elaborate plan. You just want a cocktail. Always After Five is a cocktail-focused Springfield bar with a reputation for martinis and specialty drinks. It's more of a true bar experience than a restaurant-with-a-great-bar experience, making it a good option for guests who simply want to meet up, order drinks and catch up.
This can be particularly fun when several wedding guests are staying in town and someone sends the inevitable group text:
"We're getting drinks. Who's coming?"
Best for: Martinis, cocktails and casual drinks with friends.
Current hours: Monday through Saturday, with later hours Friday and Saturday.
7. Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant — For the Wine Crowd
2501 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, IL
Not everyone in the wedding group is looking for an Old Fashioned. For the wine drinkers, Cooper's Hawk offers a full restaurant, bar and dedicated wine-tasting experience on Springfield's west side. This can be particularly useful for wedding groups because everyone doesn't have to order the same thing.
Wine lovers can explore the tasting room, while other guests can order cocktails or sit down for lunch or dinner. It's also convenient for guests staying or shopping on Springfield's west side.
Best for: Wine lovers, couples, groups and guests who want drinks with a full meal.
Current hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner, with weekend brunch hours.
Bonus: What If You Don't Drink Alcohol?
A wedding weekend shouldn't require drinking. Springfield has increasingly good zero-proof options, and many restaurants and bars now offer non-alcoholic cocktails alongside their traditional menus.
The Wakery, a Springfield business dedicated specifically to craft non-alcoholic beverages, is also available for events and private bookings. Its drinks are created with non-alcoholic spirits and include sophisticated alternatives to traditional cocktails. So if you're the designated driver, sober, sober-curious, pregnant or simply don't feel like drinking, ask for the zero-proof menu.
A good night out doesn't require alcohol.
Make It Part of Your Springfield Wedding Weekend
One of our favorite things about having out-of-town guests come to Springfield for a wedding is that the celebration doesn't have to begin when the ceremony starts.
Make a weekend of it. Arrive Friday. Check into the hotel. Meet friends for cocktails. Have dinner. Explore Springfield. Attend the wedding Saturday. Sleep in Sunday morning and meet everyone for breakfast before heading home. Those little gatherings surrounding the wedding often become some of the memories guests talk about later.
One Important Reminder Before You Head to the Wedding
If your cocktail outing happens before the wedding itself, plan transportation responsibly. Use a designated driver, rideshare or other safe transportation whenever needed. And once you arrive at the wedding venue, remember that individual venues have their own liquor-license and alcohol policies. At Pole Barn Chic Events, outside alcohol is not permitted. PBC maintains its own liquor license and alcohol served during events must be provided and served according to venue policy. So enjoy Springfield's cocktail scene while you're exploring the city—and when it's time for the wedding, let the wedding venue take it from there.
Springfield Is More Than the Place You're Attending a Wedding
If you're traveling to a Springfield, Illinois wedding, don't spend the entire weekend inside your hotel room waiting for the ceremony. Go explore. Grab coffee in the morning. See some Lincoln history. Have lunch somewhere local. And yes—meet your favorite people for a cocktail. A wedding may be the reason you came to Springfield. It doesn't have to be the only thing you remember about the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can wedding guests get a good cocktail in Springfield, Illinois?
Springfield has options ranging from upscale restaurant bars such as Curate and VELE to downtown destinations like Obed & Isaac's and cocktail-focused neighborhood bars such as Always After Five.
Where should bridesmaids go for drinks in Springfield, IL?
Vine & Rind and Curate are both good choices for groups looking for a stylish atmosphere with cocktails, wine and food options.
Where can bourbon lovers go in Springfield?
Springfield has a surprisingly strong bourbon scene. Curate and VELE both maintain extensive bourbon selections, and the city has an entire Capital City Bourbon Journey highlighting participating establishments.
Is there a good place for wine in Springfield?
Yes. Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant offers a dedicated tasting-room experience, while Vine & Rind combines wine with cocktails, small plates and a stylish evening atmosphere.
Where should out-of-town guests go downtown for drinks?
Obed & Isaac's is a particularly fun choice for visitors because of its historic Springfield setting, brewery, beer garden and neighboring Cidery. Downtown Springfield also has numerous additional pubs, bars and restaurants within a relatively compact area.
Are non-alcoholic cocktails available in Springfield?
Yes. A growing number of Springfield establishments offer zero-proof drinks. The Wakery is a local business dedicated specifically to craft non-alcoholic cocktails and beverages and currently operates primarily for events and private bookings.
Can guests bring alcohol to Pole Barn Chic?
No. Outside alcohol is not permitted at Pole Barn Chic. Alcohol service at the venue is handled according to PBC's liquor-license and bar policies.
Are You or Someone You Know Planning a Central Illinois Wedding?
If you are in the Midwest and looking for a white barn wedding—or just an awesome one—please consider the PBC Venue.
Pole Barn Chic is a locally owned Springfield, Illinois wedding venue, offering both outdoor and indoor ceremonies and receptions.
From garden weddings and spacious outdoor receptions to small, quaint elopements, Pole Barn Chic is the Springfield IL wedding venue that brings it all together.
Pole Barn Chic is a beautiful Illinois hybrid wedding venue that offers the natural beauty of outdoor country life alongside mind-blowing photo opportunities. This country-meets-chic Midwest wedding venue is a must-see for so many reasons!
To learn more about Pole Barn Chic, read our FAQs, schedule a tour, check availability and more, please visit us on any of our social media sites:
Website: www.pbcvenue.com
Instagram: @polebarnchic
Facebook: Pole Barn Chic
TikTok: @illinois.weddings