Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileTHE DIRTY OLIVE | Cocktail Lounge
Huntsville, AL · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
The Dirty Olive positions cocktails as the center of the program, with twelve signature drinks served on tap, including a barrel-aged peach old fashioned and a customizable dirty martini. Wine gets real attention through a curated list spanning sparkling to red and quarterly sommelier-guided tastings. Eleven draft beers cover a wide style range, and a small zero-proof section offers a spirit-free mojito and alcohol-removed prosecco. A monthly charity cocktail adds a rotating pour.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Barrel-Aged Peach Old Fashioned, built on Four Roses Small Batch with peach bitters and barrel-aged. The Dirty Martini is a direct order, with the option to make it extra filthy and add a blue cheese olive. For a lighter pour, the Garden Spritz combines Prosecco, St. Germain, and pomegranate liqueur.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Anyone who wants a full cocktail list rather than a short bar menu, wine drinkers who value by-the-glass range and occasional guided tastings, and groups where some guests want a zero-proof option that is more than a afterthought.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour is a practical window for draft beer at $5, house liquor at $5, and $3 off every glass of wine. The quarterly sommelier-guided wine tastings are worth watching for if wine is the priority.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $12 to $18. Wine by the glass is $12 to $14, half bottles $24, and the Veuve Clicquot full bottle $125. Draft beer is $6 to $9. Zero-proof drinks are $5 and $8. Happy hour brings $5 draft beer, $5 house liquor, and $3 off wine by the glass.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- Cocktails are served on tap, and the list includes a barrel-aged peach old fashioned and a build-your-own filthy martini. The monthly Cocktails for a Cause program donates a portion of a limited-edition cocktail's sales to a local non-profit. Quarterly sommelier-guided wine tastings support the wine side.
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
Twelve signature cocktails, served on tap, include a dirty martini with blue cheese olive upgrade, a barrel-aged peach old fashioned, and an espresso martini with optional Bailey's. A monthly charity cocktail rotates a limited-edition pour. Reviewers describe the drinks as consistently well-made.
Menu strengths
- — Twelve named signature cocktails covering martinis, old fashioneds, spritzes, and classics.
- — On-tap service with a barrel-aged old fashioned and a customizable dirty martini.
- — Monthly Cocktails for a Cause program donates a portion of a limited-edition cocktail's sales to a local non-profit.
Standout selections
- — Barrel-Aged Peach Old Fashioned: Four Roses Small Batch and peach bitters, barrel-aged, $18.
- — Dirty Martini: Tito's or Bombay Sapphire, option to make it extra filthy with a blue cheese olive for $2 more.
- — Espresso Martini: Grey Goose, espresso, coffee liqueur, with an optional Bailey's addition.
Pricing: $12 to $18
Wine
A curated list spans Prosecco, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Sparkling Rosé, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Champagne, with producers from Italy, California, and New Zealand. Quarterly sommelier-guided tastings and a $3-off-glass happy hour give the list practical depth.
Menu strengths
- — Nine wines across sparkling, white, rosé, and red categories from multiple regions.
- — Quarterly sommelier-guided wine tastings are part of the program.
- — Happy hour takes $3 off every glass of wine.
Standout selections
- — Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne, France, full bottle $125.
- — Prosecco: Le Contesse, Italy, $14 by the glass.
- — Pinot Noir: J Vineyards, California, half bottle $24.
Pricing: By the glass $12 to $14; half bottles $24; Champagne full bottle $125
Beer
Eleven draft beers cover stout, IPA, double IPA, sours, Belgian white, cider, blonde, and lagers. The range is broad and includes higher-ABV options like Snake Handler at 10% and Space Dust at 8.2%, alongside accessible lagers and a hard Italian soda.
Menu strengths
- — Eleven drafts span eight style categories, from stout to sour to lager.
- — Happy hour prices every draft at $5.; Includes both high-ABV options and sessionable lagers.
Standout selections
- — Guinness: stout, 4.2%, $7.; Snake Handler: double IPA, 10%, $9.
Pricing: $6 to $9; happy hour $5 draft
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Zero-Proof section lists two options: Mionetto Alcohol-Removed Prosecco from Italy and a Fauxjito, a spirit-free mojito. The menu description also references zero-proof pours as part of the broader offering.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated zero-proof menu section rather than a single token option.
- — Both zero-proof drinks are priced accessibly at $5 and $8.
- — N/A Prosecco is a named Italian alcohol-removed producer.
Standout selections
- — N/A Prosecco: Mionetto Alcohol-Removed, Italy, $8.; Fauxjito: spirit-free mojito, $5.
Pricing: $5 to $8
Spirits
The spirits list covers five core categories with Tito's vodka, Maker's Mark bourbon, 1800 Blanco tequila, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Bacardi rum. Happy hour offers $5 house liquor. The selection is functional and covers the bases for the cocktail list rather than reaching into niche or premium tiers.
Menu strengths
- — Spirits list spans vodka, bourbon, tequila, gin, and rum.
- — Happy hour prices house liquor at $5.; Named brands are recognizable and consistent across the cocktail menu.
Standout selections
- — Maker's Mark: bourbon.; Bombay Sapphire: gin, also an option in the Dirty Martini.
Pricing: Happy hour $5 house liquor
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