New Upscale Cocktail Bar and Distillery Open in Fresno

The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge features house-made spirits and innovative cocktails in a 1920s-inspired setting.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In northeast Fresno, a new upscale cocktail bar called The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge has opened, connected to the city's first craft distillery, Maple & Copper Distilling Co. The 26-seat bar features a 1920s, old Hollywood vibe and serves cocktails made with the distillery's house-made vodka, gin, and soon-to-come white rum and other spirits. The bar aims to provide a unique cocktail experience for Fresno residents, going beyond the typical bar fare.

Why it matters

The opening of The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge and Maple & Copper Distilling Co. represents a shift in Fresno's dining and drinking scene, bringing a more upscale and innovative cocktail culture to the city. As Fresno continues to grow and evolve, the addition of this type of specialty establishment signals the city's appetite for elevated food and beverage experiences.

The details

The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge is a 760-square-foot space that seats 26 people and is designed with a 1920s, old Hollywood aesthetic. It is connected to the adjacent Maple & Copper Distilling Co., where the bar's vodka, gin, and future spirits like white rum are produced in small batches. The cocktail menu features both classic and innovative drinks, with options like a Bananas Foster Old Fashioned and a saffron sour. The bar sources all juices and ingredients in-house, and even makes its own infused olives. Reservations will be available, but the bar will also take walk-ins as long as seating is available.

  • The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge is expected to open around February 14, 2026, give or take a few days.
  • Maple & Copper Distilling Co., the craft distillery next door, is already in operation and producing the spirits used in The Golden Hour's cocktails.

The players

The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge

A new 26-seat upscale cocktail bar in northeast Fresno, featuring a 1920s, old Hollywood-inspired design and serving innovative cocktails made with house-distilled spirits from the adjacent Maple & Copper Distilling Co.

Maple & Copper Distilling Co.

Fresno's first craft distillery, located next door to The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge, producing small-batch vodka, gin, and soon-to-come white rum and other spirits that are used in the bar's cocktails.

Alex Costa

The distilling consultant at Maple & Copper Distilling Co.

Dustin Llanes

The general manager of The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge, with 22 years of bartending experience.

Robby Antoyan

The architect who designed The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge, infusing it with a 1920s, old Hollywood vibe.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I actually think we're the only craft distillery in town.”

— Alex Costa, Distilling Consultant, Maple & Copper Distilling Co. (The Fresno Bee)

“It's really about the customer and how they feel and what they want. We want to make a place normal people want to hang out at.”

— Dustin Llanes, General Manager, The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge (The Fresno Bee)

What’s next

The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge is expected to open to the public in mid-February 2026, with the exact opening date to be announced on the bar's website.

The takeaway

The arrival of The Golden Hour Cocktail Lounge and Maple & Copper Distilling Co. in Fresno signals the city's growing appetite for more elevated and innovative dining and drinking experiences. As Fresno continues to evolve, this new cocktail bar and distillery offer residents a unique opportunity to enjoy craft spirits and creative cocktails in a stylish, 1920s-inspired setting.