Little Jumbo
Open Daily: 4pm - 11pm
Categories
- Instrumental
- Jazz
- Music
Little Jumbo
Tucked into a charming 1920s former grocery store at Five Points, Little Jumbo whispers secrets of Asheville's jazz-soaked nights. Named after a legendary New York bar once run by illustrious nineteenth-century barman Harry Johnson, this award-winning neighborhood gem honors cocktail history while crafting its own legacy of national acclaim.
Named one of USA TODAY's 29 Bars of the Year for 2025, honored as one of the Best Cocktail Bars in the South by Garden & Gun Magazine, distinguished by the Mountain Xpress as Asheville's best cocktails, and featured by Eater as "a sweet spot to close out the day with craft cocktails, including some offered with fancy table service", Little Jumbo has earned its place among America's most celebrated watering holes.
Step through the doors where original tin ceiling panels and entryway floor tiles spelling "Jenkins" pay homage to the grocer and the mountain city's history, and you'll find yourself in what feels like a Victorian parlor where time moves slower. The atmosphere buzzes with the warmth of a true neighborhood sanctuary—intimate enough for whispered conversations, yet alive with the energy of live jazz that fills the air Monday and Tuesday nights.
Behind the bar, skilled artisans wield an impressive arsenal of nearly a thousand cocktail recipes, creating both classic libations and adventurous new concoctions. When winter arrives, the space transforms into the "Tropilachia Club" tiki-style pop-up bar, proving that even in the Blue Ridge Mountains, tropical dreams can flourish.
More than just a cocktail destination, Little Jumbo pulses with literary soirees, DJ dance parties, and the kind of authentic community spirit that makes strangers feel like longtime neighbors. It's the bar every neighborhood dreams of having—sophisticated yet unpretentious, creative yet comfortable, where every sip tells a story and every accolade feels genuinely earned.