No sign needed. No secret password. If you find this quaint place, look for a red pay phone, pick it up, and ask for entrance. The door opens to a dimly lit room, flickering candlelight, and the chink, chink of ice softly sifting through a cocktail shaker. Sister Hen, off North Alcaniz Street, is Pensacola’s only realistic speakeasy, and a phenomenal place to sip craft cocktails.
Behind the bar, patrons in the cool space find warm bartenders with a mix of sophistication and friendly conversation. Described as “cool, fly, tatted, and skilled,” A.J. Galecki the bar manager, is reminiscent of a prohibition-era bar kept with modern edginess. His principal bartender, Chloe Stibolt, is a vision in black silk who adds to the nostalgic 1920s vibe. She finds eclectic antique glasses and teacups to serve drinks in a nod to prohibition days.
Chloe says customers are a blend of locals and visitors. “It really is an intimate space. It offers something different. Sort of a secret. Some people make it their regular spot.” She added that some customers walk over from their homes in the historic Old East Hill neighborhood. Others are visitors staying at Lily Hall, the boutique hotel upstairs.
The space is sister to the highly rated BrotherFox restaurant next door which serves most everything with a live-fire approach, so after a meal of coal-roasted oysters or Carne Asada for two, couples wander over to Sister Hen for a nightcap. The businesses opened in March 2023. Chloe says the speakeasy’s location spread by word of mouth. It was never advertised. Despite the low-key nature of the little hideaway, there’s often a wait because the intimate space only holds twenty people.
The only thing not shrouded in secrecy is Sister Hen’s reputation for outstanding service and exceptional drinks. A.J. knows his way around a bar after eight years in training by masters. “They instilled in me a lot. First, make everybody feel great, and I care about the ingredients.” For example, expresso martinis were not added to the menu until he and his staff found the perfect expresso. “Like coffee, drinks have a theory and are science based.” A.J. adds, “We do scrubs a lot which is equal parts vinegar, sugar, and fruit. It was an old way in the 1800s to preserve fruit on the homestead.”
He used a similar method to come up with a special signature drink just for Pensacola City Lifestyle Magazine called the La Rua Sour. La Rua is the street they are located on in the neighborhood.
A.J. says when he mixes a drink, he pays attention to every detail including how much he shakes or stirs it, and he makes adjustments. Chloe explains, "We don’t change the menu seasonally. We change it based on what people like.”
The menu is extensive and includes selected classics like a Pimm's Cup, Old Fashioned, or Side Car, but it includes house-curated concoctions as well. An A.J. original is the Gingerfication. “That’s a cocktail that always gets ordered a second and a third time." It is a blend of bourbon, Campari, lemon, and locally sourced blackberry-ginger balsamic vinegar. A local patron and fan of the drink simply said, “It is incredibly well-balanced. Complex flavors of bitter and sweet.”
Though many of the drinks sound bougie or avant-garde, A.J. is quick to explain he’s not a “snotty dude” when it comes to pleasing customers. His philosophy is a good bartender is a good bartender whether he’s making a twenty-five-dollar drink, or a simple lemon drop shot.
Sister Hen also serves beer and wine and works at having competitive prices. The speakeasy opens at five Wednesday through Sunday and closes earliest at ten. It is often open until midnight or later. Happy hour is five to six with some $7 dollar drinks.
Sister Hen is easily one of Pensacola’s best-kept secrets. It’s a twist on old times with a fresh new flair.