Restaurant
Unclaimed profileBlack Cat Tavern
Barnstable, MA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The beverage program at Black Cat Tavern covers a lot of ground. The Shack Drinks menu carries 20 named cocktails from $13 to $15, plus five adult frozen drinks at $15 each with ingredient detail on several. Wine runs from sparkling and rosé through whites and reds, by the glass or bottle. Draft and packaged beer include Cape Cod and Nantucket brands, and non-alcoholic options go beyond soda with two Athletic craft beers.
- What should I order?
- Start with a frozen cocktail such as the Hawaiian Margarita, made with Tres Agaves blanco tequila, strawberries, pineapple juice and sour mix, or the Black Cat Frose. For beer, the Cape Cod Beach Blonde Ale on draft and the Outermost IPA from Orleans are solid local picks.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Anyone looking for a broad, easygoing drink list with cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic options all in one place. Groups with mixed preferences will find something on the menu without compromising.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails are $13-$15, frozen drinks $15, wine by the glass $10-$12 and bottles $34-$39, draft beer $7.50-$9.00, packaged beer $6.00-$10.00, and most non-alcoholic drinks $3.00-$4.00.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The frozen drink section names specific spirits, including Tres Agaves blanco tequila, Pearl vodka, Screwball peanut butter whiskey and Bacardi banana.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
The Shack Drinks menu lists 20 named cocktails priced $13-$15, spanning spritzes, margaritas, mules, tiki-style drinks and frozen cocktails. A separate Frozen Drinks section adds five adult frozen cocktails at $15 each, with ingredient detail for several. The breadth and pricing consistency make this a strong core for the program.
Menu strengths
- — 20 named cocktails plus five frozen options give real choice across styles.
- — Frozen cocktail section includes ingredient-level detail for several drinks.
- — Pricing holds steady at $13-$15 across the cocktail list.
Standout selections
- — Hawaiian Margarita — frozen, with Tres Agaves blanco tequila, strawberries, pineapple juice and sour mix, $15.
- — Black Cat Frose — listed in the Cocktails section at $14.
- — Pain Killer — a tiki-style option at $15.
Pricing: $13-$15
Wine
The wine list covers sparkling, rosé, whites and reds with both glass and bottle pricing. Whites include Proseco La Luca, Rosé LaVielle Ferme, Pinot Grigio Spasso, Riesling Eroica, two Sauvignon Blancs and two Chardonnays. Reds include Red Sangria, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Montepulciano, Malbec and two Cabernets.
Menu strengths
- — Glass and bottle formats available across the list.
- — Sparkling, rosé, white and red categories are all represented.
- — Glass pours $10-$12 and bottles $34-$39 keep pricing straightforward.
Standout selections
- — Riesling, Eroica, Washington — glass $10.50 / bottle $37.
- — Cabernet Sauvignon, Joel Gott, Sonoma — glass $12 / bottle $38.
Pricing: Glass $10-$12 / bottle $34-$39
Beer
The beer program runs from draft through bottles and cans, with Cape Cod and Nantucket brands alongside domestic and craft names. Draft includes Allagash White, Cape Cod Beach Blonde Ale, Cisco IPA and The Cat's Meow IPA. Packaged options include Guinness pub can, Fiddlehead IPA, Grey Lady, Outermost IPA and more.
Menu strengths
- — Draft beers, bottled beers and canned craft beers with prices.
Standout selections
- — Allagash White — draft, $9.; Outermost IPA (Orleans, Cape Cod) — 16oz can, $9.
- — Allagash White — 9.00 — Draft beer.; Cape Cod Beach Blonde Ale — 8.50 — Draft beer.
Pricing: Draft $7.50-$9.00 / packaged $6.00-$10.00
Nonalcoholic
The non-alcoholic range goes well beyond standard soda. A Beverages section lists sodas, lemonade, ginger ale, root beer, water, coffee, teas, milk, chocolate milk and juice. The Harbor Shack adds pink lemonade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, bottled root beer and Honest Iced Tea. Two Athletic non-alcoholic craft beers are listed at $7.
Menu strengths
- — Two Athletic non-alcoholic craft beers at $7.; Broad range including sodas, juices, teas, waters and lemonade.
Standout selections
- — Athletic Upside Dawn Golden Ale (non-alcoholic) — $7.
- — Athletic Run Wild IPA (non-alcoholic) — $7.; Honest Iced Tea — $3.
Pricing: $3.00-$7.50
Spirits
The frozen drink menu names specific spirits used in cocktails: Tres Agaves blanco tequila, Pearl vodka, Screwball peanut butter whiskey, Bacardi banana and Bacardi Coconut Rum. The venue's own review card reads 'THE BLACK CAT FOOD & SPIRITS,' and the Harbor Shack and Shack Out Back each offer a full bar. The spirits category is defined through cocktail applications rather than a standalone bottle list.
Menu strengths
- — Frozen drinks name specific spirits including Tres Agaves blanco tequila and Pearl vodka.
- — The Harbor Shack and Shack Out Back each offer a full bar.
- — The venue's own review card reads 'THE BLACK CAT FOOD & SPIRITS.'
Standout selections
- — Pearl vodka — named in the Oreo Mudslide frozen drink.
- — Screwball peanut butter whiskey — named in the Peanut Butter Mudslide frozen drink.
- — Bacardi Coconut Rum — named in the Coconut Haze frozen drink.
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