Located in the Rocky Mountains, Bozeman is a popular destination amongst mountaineers and hikers seeking the natural beauty of Montana’s South. And one of the best ways to relax after a day of exploring the region’s beautiful countryside is by exploring the city’s equally vibrant bar scene.
From old historic pubs to new modern designed sports bars, Bozeman features a diverse nightlife with bars that welcome all forms of travelers.
These are the eight best bars in Bozeman, Montana for exploring the city’s historic bar scene and local craft beer culture.
The 8 Best Bars in Bozeman
1. Rocking R Bar
Serving downtown Bozeman since the 1940s, Rocking R Bar has become a hotspot for students, locals, and tourists alike.
After a brief hiatus when a local explosion destroyed the original building in 2009, Rocking R Bar reopened its doors to the public in 2011 with a completely new look.
The new design features 20 High-def TVs covering an array of sporting games and teams, four pool tables, dart boards, and limitless forms of entertainment.
Rocking R Bar hosts weekly events, including Wednesday Night’s Trivia and Cowboy Karaoke. Check out the bar during a Montana State University sporting event, and watch as the community comes alive to celebrate their Bobcat spirit.
What to try
Rocking R Bar serves cold beers, martinis, cocktails, and mules. Enjoy your favorite drinks over dinner and elevated bar foods served out of the Hail Mary’s Kitchen located in the building.
2. Devil’s Toboggan
One of the newest additions to the Bozeman bar scene is the Devil’s Toboggan. Opened in 2018, the bar operates out of the historic Cannery District and offers an elegant speakeasy-inspired environment with drinks that have an international flair.
Specializing in traditional cocktails, The Devil’s Toboggan is the perfect location for a romantic date night or an elegant night out with friends.
Devil’s Toboggan operates its happy hour between 4 pm and 6 pm and offers discounts on their domestic and draft beers, wine selection, and select appetizers.
What to try
Enjoy elegant finger foods over one of the Devil’s Toboggan’s beautifully crafted cocktails. Popular favorites among guests include the French 75, which features Bombay Sapphire Gin, and the vodka cocktail, Bada Bing.
3. Bozeman Tap Room
Bozeman Tap Room embraces its city’s mountain culture. Branding itself as a mountain sports bar, Bozeman Tap Room features all the amenities you could hope to find after a day spent hiking the region’s countryside.
At Bozeman Tap Room, patrons sit back and relax with over 75 drafts on a rotating tap, featuring local, regional, national, and international craft beers.
If beer isn’t your thing, celebrate your night over a drink from the bar’s wide selection of wines and champagnes.
Of course, no sports bar is complete without somewhere to watch your favorite sports teams. And, with several high-def televisions lining the bar and dining areas, Bozeman Tap Room covers an array of sports from the NFL, NHL, MLB, and extreme mountain sports like skiing and snowboarding.
What to try
Bozeman Tap Room features a massive selection of locally brewed and international craft beers. Match your choice of drink with a selection of popular bar foods and enjoy the mountain sports bar atmosphere of the Bozeman Tap Room.
4. Tune Up Basement Bar
Located beneath the streets of downtown Bozeman, the Tune-Up Basement Bar offers a unique experience found nowhere else in the city.
Whiskey and beer are the flavors of choice at this underground destination bar, but specialty cocktails are available on a diverse menu that varies from week to week.
The bar’s fun social atmosphere features several daily, weekly, and special events. Happy hour runs all night from Tuesday to Thursday. Other weekly events include open mic night on Thursdays and live music every Friday and Saturday.
What to try
The Tune-Up Basement Bar features a diverse selection of many local favorite beers. Bring your friends and family and enjoy the flavors of Bozeman while sharing well-matched group plates and bar foods.
5. Bar IX
Opened in 2010, Bar IX features strobe lights, dance floors, and loud music that give the bar a pub club feel, making it one of the most exciting bars in Bozeman.
Book a table on Bar IX’s creekside patio for a slower pace, or sit by the bar and enjoy the venue’s televisions playing a variety of sporting events.
Whatever form of bar entertainment you decide to partake in, Bar IX’s selection of locally crafted beers and barrel-aged cocktails are best enjoyed over a delicious meal served from the kitchens of the Smoke Fire & Coal restaurant.
What to try
Enjoy the tastes of Bozeman with all of your favorite bar foods and locally crafted beers and spirits. Check out the bar’s event schedule for weekly and monthly specials.
One of Bar IX’s best offers includes its Sunday Funday 2-for-1 well drink specials.
6. Bacchus Pub
Bought by Baxter in 1929, the building the Bacchus Pub occupies has served as the Baxter Coffee house and the Baxter Hotel before finally being converted into a bar in the 1960s.
And, in the six decades that have since passed, the Bacchus Pub has served Bozeman as a popular social gathering hot spot. Today the Bacchus Pub features 24 draft beers on a rotating tap and features a range of the many local craft beers and classic cocktails.
With cozy neighborhood vibes, the Bacchus Pub is a fantastic bar for tasting the flavors of Montana while admiring the historical influences of the building.
What to try
Bacchus Pub features a diverse selection of local and international drafts, wines, and classy cocktails.
Happy hour at the bar runs every day from 2 pm to 6 pm, where guests will receive $1 off draft beers and curry fries and $2 off all well drinks and wines.
7. The Molly Brown Bar
The Molly Brown Bar proudly supports the local Montana State University sports teams and provides a vibrant social atmosphere for students, locals, and visitors.
Along with several pool tables, the bar holds nightly entertainment that includes a weekly bingo night, trivia night, and live music on the weekends.
However, for the optimal experience at the Molly Brown Bar, visit during MSU sports games. During these events, the bar hosts large crowds cheering on the Bobcats over cold beers and tasty cocktails.
What to try
While Molly Brown’s is a great place to sample the local brews of Montana, the experienced is heightened during significant sporting events.
So, check out the bar for the next big UFC fight or a Montana State University rivalry matchup.
8. Copper Whiskey Bar and Grill
If whiskey is your drink of choice, then Copper Whiskey Bar and Grill is the destination for you. While they have beer and other liquors on the menu, whiskey is definitely their specialty.
Copper Bar prides itself on collecting a large selection of rare whiskeys from around the world, and bring these international liqueurs to their patrons.
Guests to the Copper Bar can sip these premium whiskeys neat, on the rocks, or in one of the bar’s specialty cocktails perfectly crafted to accentuate the exotic flavors of each drink.
Whatever your consumption method, the Copper bar is a space to sit back and relax with an elegant glass of whiskey.
What to try
The Copper whiskey bar and grill offer all of your favorite bar foods to enjoy with your drinks.
But, to explore the many flavors of the international whiskeys available, be sure to order the bar’s premium whiskey flight that includes five samples of their extensive selection.