Nutcase Etc.

Tucked away on a quiet lane in South Kolkata, Nutcase Etc. is one of the city’s smallest, most character-packed cocktail bars — just 650 sq ft, with room for around 35 guests. The moment you step in, you leave behind the usual bustle and enter a space that feels more like a private living-room than a bar: green walls, warm wood accents, mood lighting, and a long central bar counter that runs through the heart of the place. Nutcase Etc. isn’t about flashy trends or loud partying. Instead, it embraces a deliberately quirky, intimate, “slightly chaotic but entirely alive” vibe — part art space, part speakeasy-style gathering spot, part experimental cocktail laboratory. Music, when it plays, stays unobtrusive and indie; the lighting is soft; conversations — not loud blasting music — set the mood. Drinks at Nutcase Etc. are where its personality truly shines. The bar is known for bold, un-conventional concoctions that sometimes blur the line between cocktail and culinary experiment. Think savoury, smoky, or spicy cocktails that nod to local flavours — like a “Chilli Chicken” cocktail — rather than the sweet, safe drinks common in many places. For fans of classic cocktails, there are offerings too (like a proper Negroni or Penicillin), but many of Nutcase’s house creations push boundaries — so every night can be a little different. Because of its small size and limited seating, Nutcase Etc. feels personal — like hanging out in a friend’s apartment rather than a bar. The seating is around the long bar and a few cozy corners and “game-room” tables (yes — they even have bespoke tabletops with board-game motifs). It’s easy to strike up conversations, meet new people, or simply settle in with one drink and stay for hours. The food menu is modest but thoughtfully designed to complement the drinks: small plates, snacks, sometimes experimental bites rather than heavy meals. The overall feeling is that this is a bar born out of love — for good drinks, good conversation, and a break from the usual nightlife formula. Nutcase Etc. seems to exist to challenge expectations: a tiny bar in a residential neighbourhood, inspired by the founders’ travels and counter-culture sensibilities, now giving Kolkata a new kind of drinking spot — one where atmosphere, experimentation and intimacy matter more than size or hype.