Restaurant
Unclaimed profileEarl's Restaurant & Bar
Winston-Salem, NC · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Earl's Restaurant & Bar leans into its country-kitchen whiskey-bar identity with a cocktail list that runs from a sweet-potato-laced Porch Light to a tomato-basil Dirt Road Sour. The Two Step, a whiskey shot with a High Life Pony, anchors the beer side at $8. Whisky specials and live country music round out the roadhouse pitch.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Arm Chair Old Fashioned, a bourbon-forward cocktail built on Wild Turkey 101 with brown sugar cinnamon and tobacco-orange bitters. For something brighter, the Dirt Road Sour pairs Old Forester with tomato-basil, agave, and egg whites.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who like a creative cocktail list with a country kick will find familiar ground. The whiskey-bar billing and half-price whisky Wednesdays should draw bourbon fans, while the $5 Fireball Sunday special has a party streak.
- When should I go?
- Wednesday brings half-price whisky, and Sunday offers $5 Fireball, making those days the clear targets for spirits deals.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run around $8, as with the Two Step. Specials like $3 Millers and $8 draft pitchers keep beer cheap, while $5 well drinks and margaritas appear on specific days.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The cocktail menu leans into rustic, almost whimsical ingredients—sweet potato, tomato-basil, caramelized pineapple—alongside a whiskey-bar identity. It's a country kitchen that pours a serious-looking old fashioned without losing its roadhouse sense of humor.
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 Earl's Special Cocktails section lists ten named drinks with detailed, creative builds. The Arm Chair Old Fashioned and Dirt Road Sour show a bar that plays with bourbon, while the Midngiht Wrangler and Island in the Stream bring rum and tropical heat.
Menu strengths
- — The Arm Chair Old Fashioned reworks a classic with Wild Turkey 101 and tobacco-orange bitters, while the Dirt Road Sour leans savory with tomato-basil and egg whites.
Standout selections
- — Arm Chair Old Fashioned — Wild Turkey 101, brown sugar cinnamon, tobacco and orange bitters.
- — Dirt Road Sour — Old Forester, tomato-basil blend, agave, lemon, and egg whites.
- — Midnight Wrangler — Bumbu rum, brown sugar, caramelized pineapple, and Angostura bitters.
Pricing: Cocktails around $8, as with the Two Step.
Wine
The program is minimal and untested beyond its presence.; The drink menu includes a section for Wine.
Menu strengths
- — The drink menu includes a section for Wine.
Standout selections
- — The drink menu includes a section for Wine.
Beer
Beer gets a full menu section plus value specials: $3 Millers, $8 draft pitchers, and a burger-with-beer deal for $10.
Menu strengths
- — The beer list is backed by concrete price specials that make it a budget-friendly option.
- — The Two Step pairs a whiskey shot with a High Life Pony, giving beer a role in the cocktail program.
Standout selections
- — High Life Pony — part of the $8 Two Step, a shot of whiskey and a High Life Pony.
Pricing: $3 Miller specials, $8 draft pitchers, and the $8 Two Step with a High Life Pony.
Spirits
The venue bills itself as a whiskey bar, and whisky specials on Wednesday plus Fireball on Sunday provide concrete spirit anchors.
Menu strengths
- — The whiskey-bar identity and a weekly half-price whisky special establish spirits as a focus.
- — The $5 Fireball Sunday special is a direct, accessible spirits offer.
Standout selections
- — Specials include Half Price Whisky on Wednesdays and $5 Fireball on Sundays.
Pricing: Half-price whisky on Wednesdays; $5 Fireball on Sundays.
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