Sip Bar

Went to Sip for a Stanley Kubrick themed party. First problem came up when I walked in at 11:50 pm — not very late for a bar — and was told I had made it just in time for last call.
I ordered my one and only drink, a whiskey-​ginger well. I pulled out a five dollar bill expecting, as with most bars, something in the $ 3.50 to $ 4 range, and was surprised to be told $ 6!
This drink was nothing special, not very strong, just a splash or two of cheap whiskey and some ginger ale. There were apparently special cocktails for the Kubrick theme but they had no menu and I was afraid to even inquire about the price of those.
For a neighborhood full of bars (Wally’s, Paradise, Will’s, Peacock Room, Uncle Lou’s, The Hideaway, and the half dozen or so on Ivanhoe Row) Sip needs to realize they’re not a downtown ultra lounge and mold themselves to fit the neighborhood a bit better.
As for what little of the party I saw, it consisted of Kubrick films on the multiple screens and that was about it.

Okay, I’ll give Sip the benefit of the doubt this time around because the drinks are quite good and the bartender we had seemed to enjoy coming up with unique drinks for those of us that wanted to try something new and different.
When we walked in we expected a crowd considering all the tables outside were full and it was a Saturday night. It turned out to be completely empty inside with the exception of maybe 5 people at the bar, the bartender, and the DJ.
Unfortunately, both of the bathrooms were out of order on the day we went and the bartender (you know, in a place that serves ALCOHOLIC DRINKS), neglected to mention this. Imagine our surprise as the night progressed. Between that and the fact that they were continuing to serve a guy that really should have stopped drinking hours prior, I got tired of the place and decided to move on.

this cute lil spot is located near downtown orlando…
friendly staff, great ambience inside and drinks are decently priced. it was relatively empty when i arrived just at the end of their happy hour and by the time we left it was gtting busier.
I went on a Thursday and there was a «by donation» tarot reading… and i have to say it was the best ive eve rhad… i also like the fact that they had this random activity.
its definately an off the beaten path kinda plce. made me feel at home for the first time since moving to Orlando.
Will definately be back to check out there other events I see my fellow Unilocalers talking about.

Love coming to Sip on Mondays! Earth trivia with DJ Di is a great cure for the Monday blues. Humor, trivia and great drink specials!
The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed. The bartenders are attentive and always remember you and what you drink.
Saturdays are local music night and Sundays is karaōke. I have been to Sundays a few times and they do get some great singers.
The food selections are limited so if you are looking for a huge meal, I would go somewhere else first. Nachos, quesadillas and sandwiches are on the menu.

Well for a Friday night at 11ish this place was just empty. $ 3 Shocktops though. Wish I could say more. The server was excellent!

Sadly, I have to severely downgrade my rating of Sip.
The Trivia Night (no cover) had a trashy, neighbor’s basement feel.
But the real problem came at 9:45p on a Thursday, when I arrived to an unannounced $ 5 cover, for what I can only assume was the tail end of a Hold ‘Em poker night that started at 6:30.
Certainly a «neighborhood lounge» wouldn’t charge ANY cover unless they were hosting a well-​advertised event with special guests? Right? Wrong. I’ll take my neighborhood dollars elsewhere.
This identity crisis needs to be resolved quickly before Sip goes the way of Lava before it.
Tip: Until Sip updates its calendar listings with cover charges, call ahead to see what they want at the door. Unless they’ve got something or someone that truly warrants a cover or donation, find another lounge.

What a cool spot! I did not even know this place existed until our friend suggested we meet there for Sunday night karaōke. They have drink specials on bloody marys, mimosas, and sangria on Sunday. Everyone who sang karaōke was amazing! I have never seen better karaōke singers. There was even a girl who was going to be on American Idol! Great little gem of a bar. I definitely suggest checking it out on a Sunday Night. On Monday nights, they have trivia. It is also right next door to Logan’s Bistro which I heard great things about from you Unilocalers and hope to try soon :)

I tried Sip for the first time last week and was pleased and disappointed at the same time. The bar is located in a small, multi-​tennant building with a decent amount of parking around the building. The atmosphere is dark and almost cozy with a bar seating for about 10 and then a bunch of high top tables, a few sofas and some outdoor seating up front. Little touches kept the place from feeling really warm and friendly. For example, there were candles on all the tables but none of them were lit. The night I went, there was a very small crowd but clearly those there were regulars yet no effort was given to make me feel welcome. I’m not saying the staff wasn’t friendly but when at one point it was just me and one other person in the bar, you think they could have put some effort into some friendly conversation instead of heading outside for a smoke. Happy hour drink special seemed reasonable…$ 4 for house wines, $ 2 for beers but it’s definitely not the cheapest place to drink. They do serve food and many of the regulars seemed to order it but I didn’t try anything. I don’t think their kitchen is anything more than a frig and microwave so I wouldn’t expect too much. The place was clean and smoke free which is great but had a very strong «Pine-​Sol» smell which wasn’t pleasant. A few scented candles would go a long way there.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad experience, just not great either. I enjoyed my wine and the pour was generous (on the refill) but it wasn’t as welcoming or cozy as it could have been for a neighborhood bar. if you’re looking for a good bar to socialize, meet people and enjoy a lively crowd, this definitely isn’t the place. If you want a nice quiet place to enjoy a glass a wine, give it a try but bring a few friends if you want some company.

I discovered Sip a while back when a friend of mine recommended we meet there for drink. I have been there now about 6 or 7 times and have found it relaxing and gives me the feel of a neighborhood type bar. The bartenders seem to always remember me and ask how I am doing. I like the music they play and the patrons are a nice mix of young and old.
Most of the times I have gone, it is quite and not too busy. I have been there on one occasion where a party was going on and the place was packed!
The drinks are good and they do a good pour. The prices are better if you come for their happy hours. They have weekly specials and guest DJs on certain nights. It’s just a place that makes me feel welcome and at my age, that is a good thing! Many of the other places in town cater to the younger crowd and I feel out of place when I go there… but not here.
Give it a try and hopefully you will see and feel what I feel. Enjoy!

Sip was recommended to me by a friend because I was meeting someone for a date. I have heard about it several times from her, so I thought I’d give it a shot. It was easy to get to since it’s not in all of the downtown mess. Parking behind the building was full, so I circled to wait for a spot. The restaurant in the same plaza was hopping! When I walked up to the bar, a man stopped me (who I assume was an owner) and said there was parking behind the buildings across the street. Guess he saw me circling. Haha
When I went in, the bar was full and the rest was pretty empty. But it was before 8:00 on a Friday. I grabbed a table to wait. Unfortunately, at that time I think there was only one person tending bar, so there was no table service. Later in the evening, more came in and it wasn’t a problem. All of the staff were very friendly.
It was a nice place to be able to have some good wine and talk. A DJ came in later, but we didn’t stay much longer. Prices were on the high side as others have said. But it’s not like you’re going to some regular bar. I’d like to go back again.

I went to Sip once before I become somewhat of a regular. The place is super clean, a bit swanky and really friendly. Amy and Tadpole are the greatest bartenders! I’m now addicted to DJ Di’s Monday trivia. People actually bring baked goods! (I brought red velvet cupcakes last week!) How can you argue with super cheap drinks, free trivia and home-​baked cookies and cupcakes? You can’t. Love, love love this bar!

Love Sip. Great atmosphere.

Fun and Unique drinks are Sip’s specialty.
It’s so nice to have a trendy, smoke-​free bar with a fantastic wine and appetizer list. The clientele and staff are always friendly and spirited. Sip is a couple of years old and is faring well in the downtown area of Mills and Virginia. It has different drink specials every night and different themed events each night. My favorite are Sunday’s Karaōke (the best (and by best, I mean this night draws vocal talent) Karaōke night), Monday’s trivia and Thursday’s 80’s night. The space is clean, airy, trendy and comfortable. There’s a back room full of couches and fun lighting which makes for a perfect comfy evening with a bunch of friends.
The drinks are a bit expensive but well made and the bartenders are extremely friendly.

Went back for some Monday Trivia night, so fun!
Cucumber infused ANYTHING here = AMAZING! Just walk up to the bar and ask for a drink or shot with anything cucumber, let them have rein and you will NOT be disappointed!
The staff is just lovely and always mingling with the crowd, it really is just a fun, relaxed time. Some people have poked fun of the music here but I love it! Old school goodies and new school bootie shakin’ dance beats… love it!
I am thinking we may have to make more appearances here and show them who the trivia challengers can be ;o)
Wish I lived within walking distance of this place so I could stop in more often!

Sip is a bar I’d be happy to have in my neighborhood … it just wouldn’t be my first choice if there were other options.
Sip offers a lot to its patrons: a really friendly bar staff, a wide variety of beer and wine, interesting original liquor concoctions, and a well designed interior that is modern yet warm. Lighting is suitably low, a requirement for any good lounge in my book. There’s a very small patio out in front of the strip-​center exterior, as well as a ‘back’ room that offers a bit more privacy in case you want to get to know someone better.
On the debit side, the music is pretty, pretty bad. I would challenge the notion that this is a gay bar, but instead a gay-​friendly lounge as the crowd is pretty mixed. However, if you were blind and you walked through the door, the blasting 90s Euro trance music would lead you to believe you’d just walked into the oldest club in Ibiza or on Fire Island. The first time I visited, I assumed I was there on an off night, but every time I’ve been back it’s been the same story.
Music plays such a huge role in the personality of a bar, so I have to drop Sip down to three stars until they fix this. If you can get past the music, however, Sip is a great spot to grab a drink and hang out.

This place is really incredible comfy! The ambiance is desigend to relax, and unwind you! It is definitely gay friendly, but I am not gay, and went with 2 girlfriends, and had a great time! It is definitely a place to hit up before going to your primary event!

Colleen B. and I went to Sip for Wii Bowling Tournament this Tuesday night (which they now do EVERY WEEK! So fun!) As soon as we walked in, everyone was very friendly and helpful since we had not been there before. We registered for the game, then we sat at the bar and had some wine and dinner.
They have a really great wine selection! I had a yummy Benvolio Pinot Grigio, and Colleen had a nice reisling which she enjoyed. I had the burrito for dinner, which was large and very tasty! Collen had the chicken quesadillas which looked very good also! The food came out super fast, as well.
The décor is modern and relaxed. The bar is a good size with actually comfy stools, and there is a lounge area in both the front and in the back room, which has a kooshy wrap-​around couch! As some others have said, this place is definitely very gay friendly, and so fun! We, of course, interacted with our Wii competitors, and it was so much fun! Everyone was so nice!
They also have Curtis Earth Trivia every Monday night, and huge wine discounts on Wednesdays! I will definitely be back!

First off, Thank you Suzanne for calling out the awesome unique drinks here! These libations really make this place something special.
Some friends and I stopped in last night for an after dinner drink and was really impressed with the selections! I was going to have a cucumber gimlet but went with the flaming mandarin blossom. This was a delicious concoction of hangar one mandarin blossom vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, orange juice, muddled sweet peppers & simple syrup with a sugared rim. Holy SMOKES! That was one perfect drink!
I also sampled the basil sip, it was DeeeeeeLISH!
I am really loving the creative mixology trend where bars creating their own mixers and coming up with some really unique and fantastic combos. Cheers!
Outside of the drink menu, the bar seems pretty cool. A bit sparse in décor, modern and urban. On Sat night, the crowd was mostly gay which is cool, but my single girlfriends wanted to move along where the prospects were better.

Got the invite from a friend to come hang out at this fabulous establishment. Never heard of the place before so I figured okay. My first impression was the convenience of parking as they have their own private lot. They have a wonderful exterior patio for those who like to enjoy their smoking habits or just enjoy an outside atmosphere.
The interior was incredibly comfortable. Not too bright nor dark. They have mood lighting, extremely comfy couches, bar seating, music, flat screens all around playing a movie, and great music.
The bartenders were knowledgeable and whereas I knew not what I felt like drinking, I asked the bartender to surprise me. Not only did I get 5 different styles of martini’s, but she kept me within the happy hour specials without me asking for it. They also have a innumerable selection of other liquors, wines, and beers.
As for food, they order from next door. Next door can provide sandwiches with chips, the one i saw was a pretty big cuban sandwich. Then again, I didn’t come here for the food.
Overall, this place was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, customer service, drink specials, and comfort. If you want a place to go to relax and have drinks with good friends, then I recommend to go to Sip. Especially on happy hour :)
Enjoy!

SIP is a new bar, located downtown off Virginia and Mills. It’s a funky, little place hidden away behind dark green curtains. If you remember Lava Lounge, it is owned and operated by the same people. I love this place. It’s within walking distance from my house and is never very crowded. The drinks are very well made, but I have to admit very pricey for Orlando. My favorite drink is a Mojito and they make a special pineapple flavored one that is the best in town. The bartenders are friendly and attractive. If you prefer to sit down while you drink, there are huge, lush couches everywhere. To top it all off, there’s always a great movie playing on the flat screen T.V.‘s.