NEUBAR
A cocktail symphony in beautiful Ljubljana
Putting forward an innovative hybrid concept - café by day and craft cocktails bar by night – Neubar strives to push forward the cocktail scene in Slovenia. With their focus on quality ingredients, sustainability, seasonal flavors and being approachable for everybody, Neubar is definitely a bar that will make you feel comfortable and where you’ll want to come back.
About the bar
Not just another hotel bar
Neubar is part of the NEU Residences complex, a modern apartments building designed to fulfill the needs of both business and leisure travelers for either a short or an extended stay in Ljubljana. However, Neubar is not your usual fancy hotel bar, hidden “away” on the top floor and “scary” to reach.
The concept behind Neubar is approachability, making everyone feel welcome and comfortable and that starts with the fact that the bar is located on the ground floor, easily accessible even for non-guests. Their concept certainly comes through as the bar is the first thing you see when you enter the building and the atmosphere inside is quite relaxed and cozy.
Café by day, cocktail bar by night
In line with the innovative approach of the entire building, Neubar is a hybrid between a café where you can enjoy your coffee and breakfast in the morning, and a bar where you can sip delicious cocktails in the afternoon and throughout the evening.
The space is decorated in a minimalist, modern way accommodating all the different functions of the place. In addition, the architecture of the bar was done in collaboration with the bartenders, so it is designed with functionality as a priority. Everything is strategically placed enabling the staff to execute an effective service.
Neubar has a clear focus on quality and the team thrives to put forward the best specialty coffee and craft cocktails by using organic ingredients. They aim to be creative with their menu & flavors and always try to move forward by staying open and trying out different methods and techniques.
Seasonal menu with quality ingredients
The menu at Neubar is inspired by the seasons and therefore changes every three months. When creating the cocktails, the team aspires to incorporate flavors that represent the current season and use the seasonally available ingredients. In line with their hybrid concept and to celebrate the release of their season menu, Neubar organizes an event in collaboration with Gourmet Ljubljana where a food pairing is served along with their cocktails.
Rhubarbra Streisand
"Life's too short. Start with dessert!"
With a clever name, and such a powerful flavor profile, our first cocktail, Rhubarbra Streisand, is worthy of being served to any celebrity.
Rhubarbra Streisand has a spirit-forward profile typical for an old fashioned, but the tartness of rhubarb and a subtle bitterness, almost nuttiness, reminiscent of unripe stone fruit is cleverly incorporated into the otherwise classic template.
The cocktail pays tribute to its main spirit, Cognac, and its prominent presence creates a very smooth drinking experience. On the nose, the cocktail brings an amazing scent and aroma that you get to enjoy while sipping and savoring this luxurious cocktail.
Strawberry Fields
"'Cause I'm going to strawberry fields"
When reading the ingredients of Strawberry Fields, the second cocktail we got to try, you really don’t know what to expect as it presents a very surprising combination of ingredients.
Clarified with strawberry yogurt, the cocktail has a rich texture with clear notes of dairy and fresh strawberries coming together in harmony. The initial fruity taste smoothly transitions to an anise aftertaste showcasing how even the most surprising flavor combinations can harmonize when masterfully combined.
The presentation of the cocktail is simple yet captivating due to the beautiful pink color. In addition, Strawberry Fields embraces the zero-waste approach by incorporating an edible garnish made from the leftover strawberry yogurt used in the clarification process.
All in all, the intriguing use of flavors and the skillful techniques result in a delicious cocktail, making Strawberry Fields our favorite from our visit to Neubar.
Paint it Black
"Maybe then, I'll fade away and not have to face the facts"
The third cocktail we tried at Neubar can only be described as an enigmatic drink as it really “tricks” your taste buds. Paint it Black uses a mix of different whiskeys as well as sweet vermouth and Cassis to create a flavor that has an uncanny resemblance to black olives.
This is, perhaps, not by mistake since the cocktail is garnished with a dehydrated olive and the aroma coming from the garnish persists until the end, enhancing the “illusion”. Sipping this cocktail is certainly an intriguing experience, due to the flavor mimicking being so spot-on!
The cocktail has different layers of complexity. Though not very apparent, the smokiness from the whiskey lingers subtly beneath the surface. Similarly, the Cassis brings balance to the composition without overpowering, even though Cassis is known to be a dominant flavor. Last but not least, mild and pleasant bitter undertones round off this mysterious cocktail.
Paint it Black is, without a doubt, a very playful cocktail and yet again a very enjoyable experience!
Beet It
"No one wants to be defeated"
The last cocktail can simply be described as a refreshing drink, perfect for a summer afternoon.
Beet It plays with the mineral/salty notes from tequila, which are nicely complimented by citrus flavors, and brings a refreshing finish due to the carbonation. The addition of beetroot supports the savory undertones of the cocktail and adds a unique twist while a mild and pleasant bitterness lingers on the palate after every sip.
For an easy-to-drink highball, Beet It is a surprisingly complex cocktail that invites you to explore its different layers of flavors as you drink.
Neubar is the type of bar where anybody can feel comfortable, with a relaxed atmosphere and a welcoming and friendly staff. On top of that, their prices are very affordable, compared to other craft cocktail bars.
Behind the scenes is a young but extremely motivated team with a passion for the industry as well as the desire and creativity to push themselves to create quality products while, hopefully, also inspiring others in the Slovenian cocktail scene. Their delicious cocktails are certainly proof of their dedication to quality, and that is something that we certainly value in a cocktail bar.
If you ever find yourself in Ljubljana then make sure you pay Neubar a visit for a freshly brewed quality coffee in the morning and a delicious craft cocktail in the evening!
DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE! Please read!
Coworking/Using Laptops etc. no longer possible!
Spodaj je slovenska različica mojega pregleda.
My experience at Neubar was absolutely appalling. I was threatened, followed, and treated with utter disrespect by the staff here. Words alone cannot describe how upsetting this experience was!
The café was completely empty, yet as of December 1, 2024, they’ve implemented an absurd and hostile policy: you’re no longer allowed to sit at regular tables with a laptop. Instead, you’re forced to crowd around a single, shared “laptop-designated” table, even when the rest of the café is completely vacant.
When I arrived, I was told I could either move to that cramped table or not take out my laptop at all. I made it clear that I would gladly move if the café were full or the table was reserved. However, in an empty café, I proposed a reasonable compromise: I could stay at a regular table, order drinks, and work as usual, or I could leave and go elsewhere. One waiter agreed that I could stay, so I ordered tea and began drinking it.
Shortly afterward, another waiter approached me and insisted I move to the designated table. I explained that I had only ordered after receiving permission to stay at my current seat. I reiterated my offer: I could stay where I was as agreed, or I would leave.
What happened next was deeply troubling. The waiter became hostile, removed my tea, and told me to leave the café. I packed up my belongings to leave and took a few quick photos of the empty café to document how unnecessary and unreasonable the situation was.
At this point, the waiter became aggressive. He followed me outside, insulted me, falsely accused me of photographing him (which I had not), and violently approached me. He came very close to me, threatened me and continued to insult me. This occurred in front of the Neubar/Residencies building and continued as I walked 50 meters down the street. His behavior left me feeling unsafe and deeply shaken. I was already leaving, carrying bags, and there was no justification for it whatsoever.
This was one of the most insane experiences I’ve ever had. I am left wondering why any waiter would treat a guest like this and what I could have done differently—especially since I was already leaving and offered to leave even since before I ordered.
There are countless better cafés, bars, and coworking spaces in Ljubljana. Save yourself the risk, frustration, and potential danger: DO NOT go here. If you’re looking for a welcoming, professional, or functional place to work or relax, this is not it!
+ Aside from my personal experience: No laptops allowed, no sockets, no workplaces.
NE ODHAJAJTE NA TO MESTO: Moja izkušnja v podjetju Neubar je bila grozljiva. Natakar je do mene agresivno pristopil, mi grozil in se do mene obnašal šokantno nespoštljivo.
Kavarna je bila prazna, vendar so uvedli čudno politiko, ki uporabnike prenosnih računalnikov sili, da sedijo za eno samo skupno mizo – tudi če so vse druge mize proste. Sprva so mi dovolili, da sem sedel za običajno mizo in naročil čaj, vendar je drug natakar pozneje vztrajal, da se premaknem. Ko sem to zavrnil in pojasnil, da sem naročil le v dogovoru, da lahko ostanem, so mi odnesli čaj.
Ko sem odhajal, sem prazno kavarno fotografiral, da bi dokumentiral situacijo. Natakar me je žalil, me lažno obtožil, da sem ga fotografiral, mi sledil ven, mi grozil in nadaljeval s svojo agresijo po ulici.
Takšno vedenje je bilo nesramno in nesprejemljivo. V Ljubljani je veliko boljših možnosti. Za vsako ceno se izognite temu kraju – ni niti prijazen niti profesionalen!
Oh I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. That sounds totally unacceptable. When we were there the vibe was completely different. People were sitting all over the place working on their laptops no problem, and the staff were super friendly. We even conducted an interview with the head bartender and one of the waiters, and they both talked about how important hospitability was to them. Seem like something must have changed since then.