Little Jumbo - Asheville

Great bar that's everything it advertises. Properly crafted cocktails with professional presentation. Good selection of non alcoholic choices as well. A great neighborhood

The cocktails are clever and well-crafted, and the bartenders are personable and creative. We make it a priority to stop in when we come to Asheville!

A favorite craft-cocktail bar with a vintage local-vibe (detailed review plus tips on ordering)This is my “regular” spot when I wish to have a gorgeous cocktail with friends in an intimate setting. I have been coming here since they opened, and we even hosted a friend’s anniversary party here.I bump into fellow writers and artists and community activists and teachers and other engaged community folks with great frequency. Most times I come, I am fortunate enough to bump into a friend or colleague. Yet it never feels like the same crowd.Let’s start with tips on ordering:1. A favorite experience there is to have the daiquiri for two (the “Momentary Vacation” service). The presentation is exquisite and you receive a little carafe of daiquiris, just enough to have approximately two daiquiris each. You also receive some mixed assorted snacks that include nuts and a few other crunchy items.2. Your “go local” card provides either free pistachios or a hunters mix. Don’t have a “go local” card? Purchase one; they benefit Asheville City Schools.3. The Malbec is only nine dollars and stands up to any of the other red wines on the list.4. The Smoked trout dip is from Sunburst Farms and it’s excellent. It’s the same one you can find at the actual farm or at a few of our grocery stores. If you are peckish and vacillating between between the hummus and the smoked trout dip… it’s the smoked trout dip all the way.5. Not drink related: they often have live music on Monday nights.In a town full of microbreweries, wine bars, and craft-cocktail establishments, Little Jumbo occupies a special place.Why?Vibe:1. The place never feels touristy, or full of the loud “woo girl” bridal-party types. Yes, it feels vibrant, but it is not so loud that you can’t have a discussion.2. The decor is speakeasy, vintage yet modern stylings. I took a local friend recently, and she said that this was the type of bar that she would own if she had a bar. Quite the compliment!3. The mixologists… amazing.I can be a pain in the butt when it comes to wine and even to other drinks. I know this about myself, and I’m fairly unapologetic about it. I know what I like. I’ve have enough lived experience to be picky without being a j about it. I’m very sweet and an excellent tipper, but I just know my palate. I enjoy bartenders who can craft me something off- menu. And sometimes when I tire of some of my favorites, I will just tell the bartender what my normal palate is. Smoky, usually a Mezcal element, bitters, or Aperol, perhaps Campari, some sort of fresh squeezed citrus and bonus points for some sort of spice element, depending on my mood.My “regular” drink at most cocktail bars is “naked and famous”. Certainly the Jumbo bartenders know how to make that for me, even if it is not on the menu. Here, they also have a very similar drink, the “Spicy Dead Lady” (not crazy about the name). Or they just craft something else based on my palate profile. They take their time with me, figuring out what I enjoy and their interpretation of my palate is always interesting!Kid-friendliness: I’ve never seen kids in here, and I would feel uncomfortable if I were a family and brought children here.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Little Jumbo with some friends. We were all very impressed with the bar. The cocktails were delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was very inviting. We especially enjoyed the live music, which was performed by a talented local band.We will definitely be back to Little Jumbo soon. It is the perfect place to enjoy a drink with friends, listen to some live music, and relax.

Little Jumbo just made me the best lobster roll I’ve had in life, and the green chili condiment on the side is incredible. I’m so glad the bartender at Rhubarb recommended this spot, it didn’t disappoint!