A night out with nothing to explain
Visbar is Monroe’s alcohol-free bar and lounge. No alcohol on the premises, ever. Kava, Vietnamese coffee and botanical teas, open late, five minutes from ULM.
What a sober bar actually is
It’s a bar in every way that matters except the alcohol. There’s a bartender, a menu, a room full of people, and a drink in your hand. You order, you sit, you stay as long as you want, and you drive home clear.
Visbar is not a bar that added mocktails to the back of the menu. There is no alcohol on the premises and there never has been, so nobody at the next table is drinking either. That’s the difference people notice first.
What we do serve is kava, a root drink from the South Pacific that people have used in communal gatherings for hundreds of years. It’s calming and sociable, not intoxicating, and there’s no hangover. Start with the beginner’s guide if it’s new to you.
Zero alcohol on site
Not a dry night, not a section. The whole building, every hour we’re open.
Open late, Tuesday to Saturday
Somewhere to go at 8pm on a Friday that isn’t a bar and isn’t your apartment.
Nobody asks why
No explaining, no substitutions, no holding a soda water all night.
Who’s actually in the room
Not drinking is what we have in common. It isn’t what the place is about. Most nights this room is full of people working on something: a degree, a business, a recovery, a body, a record. Visbar is built for the ones trying to get somewhere.
Sober and in recovery
No alcohol in the room, no cravings to manage, no explaining yourself. A good share of the regulars are here for the same reason you are.
Sober curious
Cutting back without sitting out. You still get a menu, a bartender and something interesting in a real glass.
The designated driver
Bring the group here first, or here instead. Everybody gets a drink and everybody gets home.
Under 21
ULM students who want a night out they can actually get into. All ages during the day, 18+ in the lounge after 6pm.
Creatives and makers
Writers, musicians, designers and photographers who work better out of the house. The room is loud enough to feel alive and quiet enough to think.
Founders and people on a mission
Entrepreneurs, students on a plan, anyone building something. Clear head, no hangover, and a table you can hold for three hours.
What you order instead
Real drinks, real glassware, and enough range that a table of five all find something. Nothing on the menu is a consolation prize.
Traditional kava shells
Earthy, peppery, served the way it’s been served for centuries. Start small.
Kava lattes and flavored drinks
Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, strawberry. Where most first-timers land.
Phin-brewed Vietnamese coffee
Robusta through a traditional phin filter with sweetened condensed milk, hot or iced.
Botanical teas
Herbal teas for the evening, hot or iced.
Health’d Up nutrition
Fuel shakes, energy lemonade and multivitamin shots for the days you need a lift, not a wind-down.
The nutrition line
Not every visit is a wind-down. Health’d Up is our nutrition side of the menu: protein and vitamins for the mornings, the gym days and the long shifts. Same bar, different gear.
Fuel shakes
Protein-forward and thick enough to be a meal. Chocolate, and whatever’s on the board.
Energy lemonade
Clean lift without the crash. The afternoon order for people with a to-do list.
Multivitamin shots
One ounce, in and out. Grab it on the way to class or the gym.
How a first visit goes
Walk in
Walk-in only, no reservation. Sit at the bar if it’s your first time.
Say it’s your first
Your bartender will pour a small one, explain what it does, and check back.
Sit with it
Kava builds over fifteen to thirty minutes. Order the second one after, not before.
Stay
Free WiFi, outlets, games, and nobody putting a clock on your table.
What people say after a first visit
The vibe, the aesthetic, the energy…everything is top-notch.
Google review, ULM referralThis place is nothing but excellence and I 100% recommend Visbar to everybody in the area.
Google review, a Florida kava bar ownerAwesome staff, very warm welcomes to first timers.
Google reviewFor ULM students
If you’re under 21, or just not drinking tonight, this is somewhere you can actually get into. Free WiFi, outlets at most seats, and a room that stays open past the library. Bring a laptop and a study group, or come with nothing and sit at the bar.
Text FIRST to (318) 738-8111
Never had kava? We’ll hold your free first shell and text you when there’s something going on at the bar. One message to start, and you can stop any time by replying STOP.
Kava and sober bar questions
Anything we didn’t cover, ask whoever is behind the bar. Explaining this is our favorite part of the job.
Longer answers live on the blog.
Is there a sober bar in Monroe, Louisiana?
Yes. Visbar at 1100 Sterlington Rd, Suite C is Monroe’s alcohol-free bar and lounge. There is no alcohol on the premises and never has been.
What do you drink at a sober bar?
Traditional kava shells, blended kava lattes and flavored kava drinks, canned zero-proof kava, phin-brewed Vietnamese coffee, botanical teas, and the Health’d Up nutrition line. Everything comes in real glassware, so you have a drink in your hand all night.
Read: how kava is made, traditional vs instantIs Visbar recovery friendly?
Yes. No alcohol on site, nobody asks why you’re not drinking, and a good share of our regulars are sober or in recovery. Kava is not alcohol, but if your program asks you to avoid all mood-altering substances, the coffee, tea and shakes are here for you.
Read: kava safety and dosingHow is a kava bar different from a regular bar?
Same shape, different chemistry. You order at a bar from a bartender, the room is social, and the night runs late. What you’re served is a root drink instead of alcohol, so the conversation stays clear and the next morning is normal.
Is this the closest sober bar to ULM?
We’re a five minute walk from the University of Louisiana Monroe campus, with parking on site. Most nights a good part of the room is ULM students.
How late are you open?
Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 9pm. Sunday, 1pm to 6pm. Closed Monday. After 6pm the lounge is 18+.
Can people under 21 come in?
Yes. Because we serve no alcohol, the room is open to all ages during the day and 18+ in the lounge after 6pm. You must be 18+ to consume kava and 21+ for botanical teas.
Do you host groups or events?
The lounge is walk-in. For a larger group or a private event, call (318) 738-8111 and we’ll work it out with you.
Is the first kava really free?
Yes. If you have never had kava, your first shell is on us. Text FIRST to (318) 738-8111 and we’ll hold it.
What is kava?
Kava is a drink made from the root of Piper methysticum, a plant native to the South Pacific islands, where it has been used in communal and ceremonial gatherings for hundreds of years. The active compounds are called kavalactones.
Read: what is kava, the complete beginner’s guideWhat does kava feel like?
Most people describe a calm, loose, sociable feeling: the edge comes off, conversation gets easier, and your head stays clear. It is not intoxicating the way alcohol is and there is no hangover.
Read: is kava safe? dosing and side effectsDoes kava get you drunk?
No. Kava relaxes rather than intoxicates. It can slow your reaction time, so use the same judgment before driving that you would with anything else, but the mental clarity is the whole reason people choose it.
Read: kava vs. alcohol, how they compareIs kava legal in Louisiana?
Yes. Kava is legal to sell and consume in Louisiana and across the United States. We serve it to guests 18 and over.
Read: the beginner’s guideIs kava safe?
Traditional water-extracted kava root, the kind served at a kava bar, has a long history of use. That said, it is not for everyone. If you are pregnant or nursing, take prescription medication, drink heavily, or have any liver concern, talk to your doctor before trying it. We’re a lounge, not a clinic.
Read: kava safety and dosingHow much kava should a first-timer drink?
One small shell, then wait. Kava builds over fifteen to thirty minutes, and the most common first-timer mistake is ordering the second before the first has landed.
Read: what to expect, safety and dosingWhat does kava taste like?
Traditional kava is earthy and peppery, and it numbs your tongue a little. Some people take to it right away and some never do, which is why the chocolate, vanilla, caramel and fruit versions exist. Nobody will judge your order.
Are there kava side effects?
The common ones are mild: sleepiness, a numb mouth, and an upset stomach if you drink it fast on an empty one. Heavy long-term use has been associated with a dry, scaly skin rash. Anything beyond that, ask a doctor rather than a bartender.
Read: safety, dosing and what to expectIs kava addictive?
Kava is not considered physically addictive and does not produce the withdrawal alcohol does. Like anything you enjoy, habits are worth watching, and we’d rather you drink it two nights a week than seven.
Can I drink kava with alcohol or medication?
Don’t mix kava with alcohol, and check with your doctor or pharmacist before mixing it with any medication, particularly anything processed by the liver or anything sedating.
Read: kava safetyWill kava show up on a drug test?
Standard drug panels do not test for kavalactones. If your employer uses a custom panel, ask them directly rather than assuming.
Can kava replace coffee?
Different jobs. Coffee lifts you up, kava settles you down. Plenty of our regulars have a Vietnamese coffee in the afternoon and a kava in the evening.
Read: is kava a legit coffee alternative?How is kava served at Visbar?
As a traditional shell, or blended into lattes and flavored drinks if the earthy taste isn’t for you. Tell your bartender it’s your first visit and they’ll start you small and walk you through it.
Read: how kava is made, traditional vs instantWhat is the Health’d Up line?
It’s the nutrition side of our menu: fuel shakes, energy lemonade and multivitamin shots. Protein and vitamins for the mornings, gym days and long shifts, rather than a wind-down.
Read: wellness habits that actually stickDo I have to drink kava to come in?
Not at all. Plenty of people come for the Vietnamese coffee, a shake, a tea, or just the room. Order whatever you want and stay as long as you like.
Is a shake a meal?
A fuel shake is protein-forward and thick enough to hold you through an afternoon. It isn’t dinner, but it beats what you were going to grab instead.
Read: why affordable wellness worksIs any of this expensive?
No. Most of the menu sits in the same range as a coffee shop, and the first kava is free. Wellness that costs a car payment doesn’t stick.
Read: why wellness doesn’t have to be expensiveKava, start to finish
Everything we get asked at the bar, written out at length.
Hours & directions
On-site parking, and a 5 minute walk from ULM campus.
1100 Sterlington Rd, Suite C
Monroe, LA 71203
(318) 738-8111
