The Courtesy

I work in the service industry, and I have a special interest in craft cocktails. I love that they have most old timey ingredients (absinthes, chartreuse, benedictine, etc.) and a limited but quality selection of gin and scotch. Their bourbon is a little more extensive. The real gold in this bar though are the bartenders. I love that they don’t blink when I ask for more classic cocktails (sazeracs, last words, aviations, pisco sours). I’ve been to a ton of craft cocktail bars, never encountered such consistently talented bartenders. Out of the 3 I’ve seen, wish I would have gotten their names, all had perfect stirs and their multi tasking skills were killin it. The alchemy aprons are a nice touch. I love the macabre atmosphere. Also, I have to say, if you got any of their signature cocktails at a bar in Palm Beach you’d be paying easily $ 14-​$ 16 with no complaints. I think the most expensive one was $ 12. Absolute steal. Side note: all the male bartenders are f*cking hot.

Yummy artisanal cocktails, which I hate myself a little bit for saying, but damn it if these kinds of bars aren’t pretty and filled with interesting drinks. Sometimes you just need something new.
This place was cute and small and with none of the riff-​raff you find at clubs. My favorite part was the on-​tap mules. There is nothing more delicious than a mule. Lovely interior, worth the stop.

best bar in Orlando! The mixologists are amazing and can really do so much with what they have. They will even create nonalcoholic craft cocktails for you! Obsessed.

How have I not reviewed The Courtesy, yet? Simply the best craft cocktails downtown and some of the best I have ever had. They also serve beer, wine, and specialty punch. No food (except early on Sundays) so get your eats elsewhere.
Bartenders are very knowledgeable about all the various ingredients and can recommend something based on what flavors you like. Even if you only know you like the base liquor like whiskey or tequila, they can give you and idea of the flavors such as light and fruity, bitter, etc. The menu changes every few months so there is a good variety to come back for, too. I like anything gin based so I go off of that.
The bar itself is a thing of beauty. A long and narrow room, the lighting is low and cozy. Sit at the bar and admire the antique apothecary shelving or sit in the front window booth to people watch. On weekend nights this place will be standing room only so come early if you want more comfort.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Great craft cocktails and a very cozy atmosphere. They change their menu out every season so you always look forward to a fresh selection of drinks. The bartenders are awesome — Arthur and Blake are the best and will take great care of you!

The best bar I have ever been to. Tried three different drinks as well as three drinks my friend got. All were great. They use not so popular liquor to make drinks. Homemade syrups. The two bartenders are really cool. The bar is small, with great atmosphere. Defining gonna go again if revisiting Orlando.

The best sailor mules this side of, well, everywhere. The price may be high, but so is the drink quality. A++

I get what some of the other review are saying about the service. It’s hard to balance «uptight about our booze» and «too laid back to notice you». But somehow they do. I didn’t even mind it. Especially after the first sip of my cocktail (yum!) the space is small and the vibe is a bit overdone, but I forgive all when you can make drinks like that and avoid the über-​pretension of certain other establishments (cough-​hansons– cough).

We were in town for a concert at the Dr. Phillips Preforming Art’s Center. We weren’t quite ready to call it a night after the show so we headed downtown to grab a drink. If you’ve been in Downtown Orlando at night you know there are an array of bars for all different types of people. I was feeling pretty overwhelmed but opened up Unilocal and The Courtesy was #1 on the list and we went for it. It did not disappoint!
The Courtesy has amazing mixology type drinks. They also have Drinks on Tap which I thought was fun. I got the Stars of 45 and my partner go Oso Libre; both were delicious. You will be waiting a minute to get your drink but it is well worth the wait.
You want to stop by here if you’re looking for a quality drink and nice place to chat with your friends.

They have a nice selection of specialty old times cocktails. Pretty small place so I like to go early or its gonna be jam packed.
The bartenders are great and will make you some delicious drinks if you tell them the flavors you’re looking for.

Yes yes yes. The mixologists here are good at their craft. scratch that. Excellent at their craft. we decided to try this place after leaving the woods. I believe the courtesy is one or 2 dollars more with the same if not better caliber bartenders. i wanted something with a gin i have never tried and was introduced to an old cocktail that i have never heard of. it hit the spot. conversed with some others in there for a drink and shared sips to try as much as we could. The atmosphere is good when it inst busy. Great place that doesn’t require a password and has never steered me wrong. Get the absinthe, its relatively cheap considering the alternatives.

It was always between The Courtesy and Hanson’s when I had to choose a craft cocktail joint in downtown Orlando. I think I spent an equal amount of time in both places.
Get there early for a relaxed environment because the word has spread fast on the place. Be patient and chat with the friendly, knowledgeable bartenders while you wait. It’ll take a few ticks to get your drink but this is a good thing; this is far from being your interchangeable downtown bar.

There is a reason (well a lot of reasons) that Courtesy is consistently rated the top craft cocktail bar in Orlando!
They have a constantly changing cocktail menu using the most creative drinks ingredients and combinations. These are ‘labor-​intensive’ drinks so be prepared to wait, especially on busy downtown nights. They also have a delicious gin and tonic always on tap and an ever changing punch that will knock the one your grandma made for the family picnic out of the park! I love going for their weekday happy hour from 4 – 6 ($ 4 handcrafted punch, $ 4 draft, beers, $ 4 premium wells, $ 4 featured wine). On Sundays they also serve free bbq from the local Yellow Dog Eats. I came by for this once but there were no warmers under the food and it looked a little sad so I didn’t actually have any, but I know YDE is usually pretty yummy!
Service has always been really good, they usually have two bartenders and a barback going on busy nights. There are long velvet benches all along the walls and bar stools but space is limited so be prepared to stand. I love the dark vintage décor, marble counters and exposed brick walls. It’s a great place to have a date or start/​end any night downtown.
They’e also recently started hosting cocktail classes yet, which is definitly on my to do list! They are the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of every month for $ 55. Check out their website and facebook for more info on that.

This is a cute intimate place to grab some drinks on any night. Got a quick craft cocktail with my husband. The Single Star is citrusy and refreshing. My husband got the Old Pal which was good. It gets packed in here quick if a few small groups come in. I loved the apothecary décor and the vintage tin ceiling and hanging lights.

Courtesy is one of my favorite bars, well, ever. It has something to do with the décor and intimate feel of it. It has a speakeasy vibe without making your wait at the door in a crowded loud club (Sorry, Hanson’s, I still have a spot in my heart for you, though!!). I really like sitting at the little round table towards the back with a few friends and I LOVE that this bar is never so loud that you can’t talk to the person next to you without feeling like you’re yelling.
The bartenders know what they’re doing and will mix you up something off menu to suit your needs or particular mood. They’ve always been attentive, warm and make each experience I’ve had there a positive one. I also particularly enjoy the handcrafted drinks on tap as usually they have one with vodka and all of them that I’ve tried have been phenomenal. The drinks are in no way cheap, but they are REAL cocktails and they don’t skimp on their pours. Don’t go here expecting to get a Red Bull vodka, get out of your comfort zone and let the bartenders impress you (also, tip them accordingly!).
This is the perfect place for a laid-​back drink during the week or if you want to experience it a little more lively, check it out on the weekends. Love this place, definitely a must stop if you live here or are visiting!

The Courtesy Bar is definitely the place to go for a fancy, delicious drink before heading downtown to pound garbage rum n cokes all night! Every specialty drink is fabulous. Try the punch! And they still have beer, in case you’re not in a liquor mood.
The only downfall would the wait time. Takes a loooong time to make a fantooobulous drank. So be patient and make new friends while you wait! And look at the boy making your drink. Yum yum. It’s worth it. Freelz.
Seating is scattered throughout the place. There is even outside seating. Overall, it’s a good experience. I just wouldn’t stay all night. Cheap drinks and indie beats are calling out to me

This is a cute place to hang out with friends after work. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, I think from 5pm to 8pm.
The place is quite small and on Friday it can get very packed.
My friends and I checked this place out after an event where they provided the drinks. I have to say their cocktails are very good. I ordered an old fashioned and it was really good. In addition to their signature handcrafted cocktails, they also have a variety of wines and beers.
Did I mention that they also offer cocktail classes? I always wanted to take one and this might be the place I take the class.
In conclusion, I am a fan and I can say that this bar really offers not only high quality drinks but also amazing service. I can see myself going back for happy hour or even Sunday brunch.

The Courtesy is part of the recent rush/​fad of craft cocktail bars in O-​town. It’s located downtown, near the intersection of Orange Ave and Washington (not far from Independent Bar).
The look of the place is neat. Brick walls on the bar side, banquette/​upholstered seating on the other side with mirrored walls (with flowers artistically drawn on, giving an Art Nouveau vibe). To match, there’s this one brightly-​colored, flowery sofa in front of wood paneling that also houses this interesting art piece made up of large, white horns joined to some metal piping and analog gauges. It’s weirdly steampunkish.
We went on a Thursday. There’s a neat area towards the front and at the side that allows you to see people walking in, so we sat there. It was right next to the DJ booth, where local DJ Nigel does his Slowburn Thursdays (1^st and 3^rd thursday every month — very eclectic/​cool selection of tunes ranging from downtempo to hiphop to underground disco (Sumeria) to prog (Genesis, Joe Satrioni!)
As for the drinks, I had a «Jets to Utah» (can’t remember what was in it, but I liked it) and my wife had a «Corpse Reviver» (she liked it). I admit that I’m not a mixologist or a craft cocktail snob; I just know what I enjoy. Tell the bartender what you typically like (for me, I like a Manhattan as an old standby) and he’ll steer you in the right direction.
Prices are about what you would expect — about 10 bucks for a cocktail. Expensive, but nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to this kind of thing.
My only complaint is the wait time — making cocktails isn’t like pouring beers from a tap. Again, I have yet to go to a cocktail bar where I didn’t wait for what felt like an eternity to get my drink.
In the end, a nice place to chill with a mixed drink in a dimly lit environment, which we all need sometimes. Bonus: their menu seems to rotate enough to keep things interesting.

I think I referred to this place as adorable a few times too many during my visit, but I think that is the perfect word to describe it: adorable. I came in with a friend on a busy Saturday night, and was completely wowed by everything I experienced: an awesome atmosphere, a packed bar that didn’t feel packed, allowing us to talk and not shout, and awesome bartenders who create some amazing drinks.
Even though the place was packed, we were able to order our drinks pretty easily. The bartender (I wish I knew her name because she deserves the world’s biggest shout out) was super attentive, taking care of multiple groups at once, and crafting some amazing concoctions. I am not normally a gin drinker, but my Singapore Sling was so tasty. My friend ordered another drink with gin and rosemary (I don’t remember the name) that tasted amazing as well. We ended up finding seats at the bar and loved watching the bartender at work. She was mixing and shaking and garnishing like a madwoman. It was quite impressive.
This just proves that the Orlando bar scene is moving into a more classy, fun direction. Craft cocktails, good music that is not blaring, no girls in tube tops and stripper heels twerking about. Sure, we still have those kind of bars downtown, but The Courtesy is such a nice breath of fresh air. I am already dreaming of my next visit, and can’t wait to check them out for happy hour!

I love the atmosphere of The Courtesy — small, dark, secluded. It’s a great place to get away from the usual ick that is downtown nightlife.
Here you’ll get a quality drink with a strong pour and amazing flavors. Yeah, it might take five minutes for them to make it, but it’s oh so worth it. I’m a sucker for any gin-​based drink, but my friends all swear by the Sailor Mule, which comes on tap. Honestly, I’ve never had a bad drink here, so it’s a great place to try something new. The prices are on par with any place that serves craft cocktails, so expect to pay $ 9-​$ 14 per drink. But these drinks are meant to be savored, not chugged. It’s worth it to me for some high quality libations.