Drinks 2026 | Feature

Small Spaces, Big Spirits

Rounding up some of Reno-Tahoe’s coziest little bars.

In a region where flashy cocktail lounges proclaim their names in neon, a handful of small, hidden bars have quietly cultivated their own devoted followings. From dimly lit speakeasies to European-style cafés and cozy, music-filled lounges, these intimate spots prove that good things come in small packages.

Gaviota
Gaviota in Incline Village certainly isn’t a bar you’d expect to see inside a barbecue joint — and that’s one reason for its appeal. John Cheney, owner of Gus’ BBQ and Big Water Grille (also both in Incline Village), opened Gaviota, a “comfortable, bougie cocktail/piano bar” with a speakeasy feel in April 2025.

Originally conceived as a gaming lounge, the intimate hangout morphed into an elevated space after Cheney’s life partner and prominent filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera stepped in to transform the place, inspired by their stay at The Roxy Hotel New York. Adorned with leather couches and coffee tables, the bar’s posters and artwork are from their travels together. Each object is artfully curated, right down to the snake door handle. Cheney says people might accidentally stumble upon the red door looking for Gus’, only to discover something else altogether. There’s also another entrance accessible by a sliding door with heavy drawn curtains.

As for cocktails, Cheney describes them as elevated.

“I would compare our cocktail list to great cocktail bars in San Francisco, New York, Vegas,” he says.

He calls his bar director, Tess McFarland, a “scientist” who concocts “out of the box” drinks. Gaviota will soon roll out an updated menu featuring a cocktail that involves a butternut-squash-rubbed gin. Guests who stop by for live music can enjoy Gaviota’s seasonal pop-up menu, which features items such as Sicilian sashimi, oysters, hand rolls, tacos from Cheney’s food truck, and Gus’ BBQ LATS (legs and thighs).

Community Speakeasy
Ted Kennedy’s Social House at Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe may offer coffee, breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the day and night, but nighttime also brings a layer of secrecy, a bit of “cloak and dagger,” according to floor manager Bot Ribaudo, hidden within the walls. It’s reminiscent of the Prohibition era, with its “if you know, you know” vibe.

Inside the Social House is Community Speakeasy, a cave-like bar with a narrow, secretive, bolted entrance behind the stage, which, on busy nights, is monitored by a host with a keypad, meaning guests may have to wait to be allowed in. By that time, you might think you’re in the wrong place.

Once you’re in, you enter an intimate atmosphere, “traditional to the times,” Ribaudo says. It’s tight, snug, and can seat up to 28, he adds, explaining that the Prohibition-like secrecy was the point, adding to the fun and allure of the place. Guests are asked to remain seated; there’s also a 90-minute time limit, and no flash photography is allowed. During a recent visit, I took a seat on the elongated sofa-like seat cushion, and I could literally rub shoulders with fellow patrons. Tales of bourbon, its stripped-down old-fashioned with grapefruit bitters, is its No. 1 hit, followed by The Velvet Mission, a lime, cucumber, gin drink.

When your 90 minutes are up and you step out of the dimly lit space and into the casual diner, you must readjust to the bright lights as you head on to your next adventure, wherever that may be.

Amari
If you’ve driven by the slim alley on Cheney Street in Midtown Reno, you may have passed by a spot that’s usually packed but blinked and missed it. Right next to Death & Taxes, you’ll find Italian cocktail bar Amari — both are owned by husband-and-wife team Ivan Fontana and Sadie Bonnette. The couple says they’re ready to take guests across the Atlantic with their European-inspired libations and décor.

On a typical day, Amari’s canopied patio gives off distinctly Italian vibes. Fontana says he wanted to create a place where people feel transported, to hang out, relax, and have a good time. When people walk inside, they wouldn’t expect to feel they’ve entered a completely different setting. That’s the point. Fontana describes the dimly lit, cozy, upscale interior designed by Bonnette as “mellow and intimate, perfect for a date night”; the pair work together to develop cocktail formulations.

Their interpretation of the espresso martini is guests’ go-to cocktail; it’s made with cold-brew coffee, Grey Goose vodka, and an amaro, Italian walnut liqueur, a digestif (see “Before and After” story) that adds depth of caramel flavor. Amari, with a name that pays homage to Fontana’s Italian background, is a hidden delight and an ideal spot for after-dinner drinks.

The EP Listening Lounge
Once you step into The EP Listening Lounge on Wells Avenue in Reno, you’re greeted by the sounds of music on vinyl, an Instagram-worthy wall, retro ambience, and a chalkboard menu boasting a list of coffee drinks (sourced locally) and cocktails.

When I walked inside, it felt like a mini jungle, evoking a rainforest feeling, with plants filling almost every corner, almost reminiscent of a tiki bar with a hint of a tropical vibe. I ordered an isla bonita, a nonalcoholic drink (I drove), made from a mix of pineapple, coconut, soda water, apple cider, clove, cinnamon, and ginger, with chili dusted on the cup’s rim — flavors that reminded me of a Mexican mango chili candy. I got there when it opened, so it was still early, which explained one customer working on a laptop. More people began to arrive around 6:30 or 7:30 p.m., and bartender Shelbi Massucci says each bar seat typically gets occupied.

Music-inspired drinks, with names such as purple rain and beast of bourbon, top the list. Music lovers of all ages come to request that their favorite records be played; Mondays are Bring Your Own Vinyl night, for those who’d rather hear their own.

“People come to chill and hang out with music,” says Massucci, who describes the “conversation pit” as “relaxed, warm, inviting, cozy, intimate, and very chill.”

Lounge
Tucked in a strip mall in South Reno is Patti Kuhl’s Lounge, which she opened eight years ago. Kuhl says there wasn’t a similar offering in the community at the time, so she created the “comfortable, adults-only, upscale, but not stuffy” place for people to gather. The space is modern and chic, with plush chairs. Imagine it as a large reception area, not unlike an upscale airport or hotel lounge, but larger — a place to socialize, drink, and munch on light bites.

The cocktail program, led by John Cutts, is inspired by American literary classics; examples include the Gatsby old-fashioned and the Hemingway daiquiri. Lounge also offers an “old-world selection” of wines, Kuhl says.

She also offers complimentary wine tastings in a room the staff has turned into an open wine cellar near the entrance, which has no door.

These are just a sampling of Reno-Tahoe’s coziest bars, confirming that good things do indeed come in small packages. But there always are others, and new ones keep popping up, waiting to be discovered. Keep your eyes open. If you blink, you may miss one.

RESOURCES

Amari
32 Cheney St., Reno · 775-357-8549 · Find Amari on Facebook and Instagram

Gus’ BBQ/Gaviota
930 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village · Gusbbqtahoe.net

Lounge
770 S. Meadows Pkwy., Ste. 110, Reno · 775-360-3082 · Loungereno.com

The EP Listening Lounge
1300 S. Wells Ave., Reno · Theepreno.com

Social House/Community Speakeasy
1001 Heavenly Village Way, South Lake Tahoe · 530-314-8404 · Socialhousetahoe.com