Where is there a good drink bar in Zakopane?

Cocktail Room at Le Scandale, ul. Zaruskiego 5, 300 metres from Krupówki. It is a two-level bar with one of the best stocked back bars in town and bartenders who also make off-menu cocktails. Open on Thursdays and Sundays from 21:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 21:30.

How does a drink bar differ from a club?

In a drink bar the cocktail and the conversation matter most, and the music builds the background rather than dominating. In a club the centre of the evening is the dance floor and the DJ. At Le Scandale both formats sit at one address: Cocktail Room as the bar and Music Loft as the club, so the evening can move smoothly from one to the other.

Is Cocktail Room good for a date?

Yes, it is one of the better places for a date in Zakopane: the two-level layout gives intimate tables, the music lets you talk, and the menu makes an impression without emptying your wallet at the start. A good scenario is a table on the upper level and two cocktails from the menu. At weekends it is worth arriving before 23:00.

What spirits are on the back bar?

Among others Grey Goose and Grey Goose Altius, Hennessy VS, Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, Glenmorangie 12YO, Woodford Reserve, Patrón tequilas including El Cielo, and Bacardí and Planteray rums. All the menu drinks are built on that base. For rarer bottles it is best to ask the bartenders.

Will the bartender make a drink that is not on the menu?

Yes, simply describe what you like: the flavour direction, the base spirit or the mood of the evening. The Cocktail Room bartenders treat off-menu orders as a normal part of the job, not an exception. It is the simplest way to find your drink.

What music plays in Cocktail Room?

Curated club music in a conversation-friendly version, mainly house and related sounds, set at a volume that builds the mood without drowning out the table. It is the warm-up before Music Loft, which plays on Fridays and Saturdays from 21:30. The music is selected, not played from a random playlist.

Is there a dress code at the drink bar?

Yes, door selection applies and there is a dress code: neat, with no sportswear or trekking boots. Women enter from 18 years of age, men from 21, and ID may be required at the door. The rules are the same as in Music Loft.

Do I need to book a table in Cocktail Room?

Not necessarily, there is usually space at the bar, but the tables on the upper level go quickly in high season and at weekends. Booking by phone on +48 530 331 531 guarantees a table for the whole night. For larger groups it is by far the best option.

Drink bar in Zakopane: two levels, club music and bartenders with class

A drink bar on two levels

Cocktail Room is a two-level space in the very centre of Zakopane, at ul. Zaruskiego 5. The lower level lives around the bar: this is where you sit on high stools, watch the bartenders' hands and order the next drink from the menu. The upper level holds tables with a view over the whole room, for those who came to talk among themselves.

That layout makes a difference at less formal meetings: a date, a night out with friends, a relaxed get-together after work. The mood of the evening is there, but without the crush of a club, and the conversation needs no shouting.

Curated music, not random music

In Cocktail Room the music is part of the concept, not wallpaper from a playlist. Curated club music plays in a conversation-friendly version: house and related sounds, at a tempo and volume that build the energy of the evening before anyone thinks about the dance floor. At weekends the natural second step is moving on to Music Loft at the same address, where the DJs play from 21:30.

The back bar that tells you what a bar is worth

The back bar says more about the level of a drink bar than anything else. Cocktail Room holds one of the best stocked back bars in Zakopane: Grey Goose and Grey Goose Altius, Hennessy, Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, Glenmorangie, Woodford Reserve, Patrón tequilas led by El Cielo, Bacardí rums from limited series and Planteray for the tiki menu.

On that base sits a menu of more than a dozen cocktails: from classics like Negroni and Side Car, through signature drinks like Pornstar Scandal with chilli and tabasco or Cherry & Caffe on tequila with cherry soda, to a separate Tiki Prelude menu with the plum brandy based Halny Ritual. Plus five genuine zero per cent cocktails.

Bartenders playing in the first division

The best back bar means nothing without people who know how to use it. The Cocktail Room bartenders work with fresh citrus and their own preparations, know the history of every drink on the menu and, most importantly, make drinks that are not on it. Just say what you like and a cocktail built for you appears on the other side of the bar. It is a level of bartending that is still rare in mountain resorts.

Good news for the undecided: sitting at the bar on the lower level, you can simply ask. A conversation with the bartender is part of the evening here, not an interruption.

When to come

Cocktail Room is open on Thursdays and Sundays from 21:00 to 2:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 21:30 to 4:00. For a calm conversation the best times are Thursdays and Sundays and the early weekend hours. After 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays the energy rises and some guests move to the Music Loft dance floor.

In high season it is worth booking a table on the upper level in advance: by phone on +48 530 331 531.

Practical details

Address: ul. Zaruskiego 5, centre of Zakopane, 300 metres from Krupówki
Hours: Thu and Sun 21:00-2:00, Fri and Sat 21:30-4:00
Dress code and door selection, women from 18 years of age, men from 21
Bookings: +48 530 331 531