Baba Au Rum
Baba Au Rum is a cocktail bar on Klitiou 6, a narrow street connecting the lower Kolonaki edge to the Psyrri boundary, carrying one of the most cited rum collections in Europe alongside a cocktail program that has earned international recognition. The space is deliberately small: a bar that seats no more than 30 people at full capacity, with dark wood, low lighting, and shelving that holds several hundred rum bottles from every producing region in the world. The cocktail menu focuses on rum-based builds but covers the full classical canon, and the drinks are made with precision. Signature drinks rotate seasonally. Cocktails cost EUR 12-17 for signature builds, EUR 10-14 for classics. No food beyond bar snacks. The crowd is cocktail-aware, mostly 25-40, drawing from across Athens. International bar professionals passing through Athens treat this as a mandatory stop.
Where to stay near Baba Au Rum
Hotels close to Kolonaki, Athens.
What to Expect
A dim room that smells faintly of rum and citrus. The bar dominates the space, with backlit shelving showing the rum collection. Seating is tight. You will likely end up talking to whoever is next to you at the bar.
Intimate, expert, and quietly serious about what it does.
Jazz, funk, and soul at medium-low volume.
Casual to smart casual. Nobody is turned away for dress.
Rum enthusiasts, serious cocktail drinkers, and anyone wanting to experience one of Athens most internationally recognized bars.
Cards and cash accepted.
Price Range
Signature cocktails EUR 12-17, classic cocktails EUR 10-14
Signature cocktails ~$13-18, classics ~$11-15
Hours
Mon-Thu 6 PM to 2 AM, Fri-Sat 6 PM to 3 AM
Insider Tip
Tell the bartenders what spirits you enjoy rather than ordering from the menu. The daiquiri and its variations are benchmarks of the craft; try one to calibrate the quality. Arrive on weekdays before 9 PM to have space at the bar and genuine conversation with the bartenders.
Full Review
Baba Au Rum has been on international best-bar lists since it opened, and spending an evening here clarifies why. The rum collection is genuinely extraordinary: agricultural rums from Martinique, pot-still Jamaicans, aged Barbadians, agricole from Guadeloupe, and older bottles from distilleries that no longer exist.
The cocktail program matches the collection in seriousness. The classics are executed at the level of the best bars in London or New York. The signature menu shows genuine creativity without losing sight of the fact that a cocktail has to taste good, not just be interesting. The daiquiri is made here with fresh lime, balanced sugar, and a rum selection that changes based on what will make the best version that evening.
The space creates intimacy by accident as much as design. When 30 people fill a room this small, you are in each other company whether you planned to be or not. The bar staff manages this energy skillfully.
The practical challenge is the weekends. From 10 PM onward on Fridays and Saturdays, there are no seats. Weeknights from 6-9 PM are the best window: the bar is staffed, the drinks are at peak quality, and there is room to breathe.
The Neighborhood
Klitiou Street sits at the edge of Psyrri influence zone, close to Monastiraki and Syntagma. It is a short walk from The Clumsies and Noel, making Baba Au Rum a natural stop on an Athenian cocktail bar circuit.
Getting There
Syntagma metro (Lines 2 and 3) is a 5-minute walk. Monastiraki station is 6-7 minutes. From Kolonaki, walk downhill via Voukourestiou and turn onto Klitiou. Taxis from Gazi cost EUR 5-7.
Address
Klitiou 6, Athens 105 61
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