Little Jumbo

You’ll feel like you walked into a friends place. Wonderful bartenders and clientele. Great music on Monday and Tuesday. Classic and inventive cocktails. And room for gathering with friends. A plus is the delicious taco truck Taco Billy’s parked out back with meat and vegan options. Highly recommend Little Jumbo!

Little Jumbo is my favorite neighborhood bar. With the most lovely and personable staff, a fantastic selection of spirits (and N/A options!), a cozy and inviting atmosphere, and events like jazz nights, readings, and monthly dance parties, this place has it all. I always look forward to seeing these people. <3

Sat at the bar last night with a friend and had the delightful experience of Evan as our bartender! Evan was welcoming, kind, and as gracious of a host as he was in his attention to detail and talent in making our delicious drinks. Not only was Evan wonderful but the entire vibe and decor is welcoming, unique, a little vintage-y and just cool. From the glassware and cute vintage couches to the thoughtful sign in the bathrooms (Iykyk), Little Jumbo is DEFINITELY a go-to if you are in the Asheville area! Thank you again Evan!

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 jerk 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!

Super cozy and happening spot on a Monday night for jazz! Wow!

Delightful all around. Delicious cocktails, cozy space, friendly service and on Mondays they have some amazing jazz musicians playing on stage. Definitely would be back if we lived closer

Super cool laidback bar with awesome staff. Really warm and friendly!

I had my proposal after-party here and the very kind people at Little Jumbo were very accommodating! They reserved a space for us, set out a sign congratulating us, and were very hospitable to make sure we had an excellent time with our friends. The vibes in this place are one-of-a-kind in the area and I highly recommend a visit, special occasion or not!

This is one of the best places to grab a mixed drink in town! With beautiful art-deco style surroundings, this is a wonderful experience. The Whiskey Daisy was incredible!

Little Jumbo is a great spot to drop in and have some great drinks in a comfy spot. Whether you’re there for conversation, quiet reflection, people watching, a first date, or the late night music (which can make that conversation part hard at times - maybe a blessing on a bad first date…), you should be able to enjoy yourself.

The drinks are creative (always check the special board) and delicious. The service is great. There is a limited amount of snacky stuff on the menu, but there’s a food truck out back - get your grub there if you need it.

It can be crowded and loud at night, especially on the weekends. They have music and DJs and such to help get people shaking booties, which is fun if you’re in that mood. If you’re looking for a quiet place to sit and write your novel, go earlier on a weekday.

If you like whisk(e)y, get the Don Lockwood.

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!

Owner was super chill, and they had Natty Bohs!

My friends and I were visiting from out of town (Atlanta and Nashville), and we haven’t had this much fun trying new drinks in a long time. We sat at the bar and picked some drinks from the menu, which were incredible. However, the real fun began when we started letting the bartender (August, who was absolutely great) make us drinks based on flavors we liked. He hit it out of the park every single time. We will most definitely be back next time we’re in town!

Great place to relax with friends over cocktails. Loved our dirty martini for two. Next blue cheese olive.
Eclectic atmosphere & first rate service. Looking forward to many returns here.

Delicious cocktails and great live band The place was packed on an ordinary Monday, I can only only imagine trying to get in on Friday.

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.

My “food” rating is actually for the drinks — Little Jumbo is my favorite cocktail bar in Asheville.

Love the atmosphere and the bartenders are kind and excellent at their craft. I happened to be here when live music was happening on a Tuesday and it was a pleasant surprise. There's a small patio if you need a break from the noise inside and there's plenty of non-alcoholic options as well!

The staff here are incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their craft. You could give them an unanswerable riddle and they could craft a cocktail that would answer it.

What a sweet place! Excellent Martinis and Cocktails make the Monday Jazz all the better. Cozy, laid back atmosphere too!