50 Best Cocktail Bars in Cincinnati

“Anjou is a beautiful cocktail bar in the dainty neighborhood of Walnut Hills. On a warm evening, Anjou props open their windows making the whole place hip and relaxing. I quite enjoyed their light and refreshing ube cocktail. Paid parking can be conveniently on the same street.“

“Chill vibes, great staff.. phenomenal drinks“

“My wife and I went here with my parents who live nearby. We'd been here once before, and I know we'll keep going back when we visit Cincinnati. I had the cortado before, because cortados are delicious. This time I had drip coffee and the overnight oats, which were super good. It was the day after Christmas and very mellow inside. The staff are really nice and friendly. We found a cozy booth to sit in and spent about 30-40 minutes there. Highly recommended!“

“great drinks amazing bartenders good food!!!“

“Tillie’s Lounge is one of our favorite establishments in the city! This bar manages to strike a balance that most can’t... it’s polished and well-decorated enough to avoid the “dive bar” label, yet still feels relaxed, homey, and completely unpretentious.

Drink prices are very reasonable, and the atmosphere invites you to settle in and stay awhile. The bartenders are incredibly warm and kind. Special shoutout to Randy, Vince and Luna for consistently providing excellent service! The establishment is always clean, and the restroom upkeep is especially commendable, considering how tough it can be to maintain single-stall facilities in a busy bar environment.

Tillie’s hosts a variety of fun, themed events that showcase diverse and talented performers. We especially love their brunches and open stage nights—they’re always lively, inclusive, and full of great energy.

There’s a true sense of community and camaraderie among the regulars, yet newcomers are always made to feel welcome. The crowd is friendly but never overbearing, which adds to the overall charm.

Tillie’s is truly a hidden gem. As much as we’d love to keep it to ourselves, it only seems fair to share it with the rest of the city. If you haven’t visited yet, you’re certainly missing out. Stop by and support this lovely little establishment!“

“Great way to spend our anniversary and come back here! The jazz band was fantastic, great energy. Jenn, the hostess was super accommodating and gave us a fabulous fireplace table. Luke was our server, attentive, knowledgeable, friendly added to our great time. Brought friends with us this time…we will all be back soon for the tasty cocktails, the best lattes, decadent cake and good vibes!“

“The bartender was awesome and crafted a lovely mocktail for me. Nice outdoor seating area and casual atmosphere.“

“Wonderful Vibe. Great atmosphere!“

“Fun, intimate little bar with a "Hemingway" vibe. Imaginative themed cocktails named for Hemingway characters & events... really charming bartender and a dark "tropical" environment. (Bring your own snacks) Enjoyed this great "moody" hangout. Pineapple Upside Down Daiquiri was especially good!“

“Awesome, 1st time ❣️………we will definitely be back!!“

“When I arrived the very first time, everyone was nice. Smiles and hi's. I introduced myself and the guy I spoke with was very nice and found out we liked had a lot in common. Found out later he was the owner. U may think he did that for business, but he was genuine. The place is always open, and I made a lot of friends there. I want to move back here just to visit as much as possible. Sincerely, Larry Straub“

“Not open right now but soon!!“

“I don’t go to bars often and don’t drink, however, the experience that I had earlier tonight at their Karaoke night was phenomenal. The environment was welcoming and there were non- alcoholic options to choose from on their menu. Definitely a 10/10 experience!“

“I have been a regular for 6 months and sai and tori have been fantastic bartenders they make me feel like a person and always very kind and in good moods and its not easiest job to be in such a good mood all the time with pressures of dealing with so many people they are fantastic“

“Shareable menu items that are tasty and unique…smelt fries and duck fat fried potatoes. Delicious. Great service and oh yeah - Longfellow charm all the way.“

“The Lackman is hands down one of my favorite bars in the city, and a huge part of that is thanks to Cindy. She’s the kind of bartender who instantly makes you feel welcome, always remembers your drink, and somehow keeps everything running smoothly even when the place is packed. Super friendly, fun to talk to, and just all-around great at what she does.

The vibe at The Lackman is always on point, cool without trying too hard, with a solid drink selection and some really creative cocktails. But honestly, even if the drinks weren’t as good as they are, I’d still keep coming back just to sit at the bar when Cindy’s working. She really makes the place special.“

“Come and enjoy nice people and great food“

“Y’all, Francesca is the best. These are the best croissants I have had in Cincy, and some of the best coffee. I came in to pick up a birthday cake and Francesca spoke with me in Italian and was so, so kind and generous. Definitely go see this place.“

“good food nice area“

“Excellent service and Food. Compliments to the Chef and staff. Had French Pork Chop. Absolutely phenomenal! Fried Green Tomatoes - best I’ve ever had! Martini was also perfect! Very classy place! Highly recommend! Wish there was a location near me!“

“I love this place. The atmosphere is beautiful!! Their patio area just amazing!“

“Outstanding in every way. Stopped in for a much-needed meal on the high route from Nashville to Philly.. could not have been more impressed with both food and service. One of the best meals I’ve had in a while.. everything was superb.“

“I was in town and Agave & Rye was recommended to me. I stopped in on 9/10/22 talked with Emma the hostess and explained I was having a few friends to stop by not sure how many between five and ten. She accommodated me at the high rise table back by the windows which was perfect for my nine guest. Sarah was our excellent server, she continually checked in on us even thou I saw her working outside as well. Our drinks were awesome and our food was really good. Next time I am in town I will definitely return here.“

“Great espresso, coffee, and other beverages. Always happy to support local.“

“Delicious food, kind people, quick service, and everything is gluten free! We each tried an arepa and shared an empanada. We got both plantain chips and sweet plantains. We had to try a bit of everything for our first time. It was all delicious!“

“Absolutely fabulous experience! Amazing food, drinks, and fun vibes. The roasted eggplant is to die for, and the Sauvignon Blanc blend was fantastic. Great time with friends and wonderful staff made it even better!“

“First visit. Got the special… best French Dip sandwich I’ve had. Baguette was perfection for this dish. Will be back.“

“Great local low key bar with friendly attentive staff“

“Love everything about Urban Stead Cheese!“

“We just had to share a huge thank you to Quarter Bistro for making our son’s night so special! Our 17-year-old son took his girlfriend there for homecoming dinner on Saturday. We had told him to make sure he was ready — check prices, reservations, have enough to tip, the whole parent talk. He chose Quarter Bistro because it’s a place they always drive past, and it felt special to them even though they’d never been. He came home absolutely glowing! He said the food was amazing, the staff was wonderful, and the atmosphere was perfect — even if, in his words, it was “all older people” 😂. The best part? The manager came out, told them how much he loved seeing young couples there, and took care of their bill. That kindness meant the world to him — and to us as parents. Thank you so much to the staff and management for such a thoughtful gesture. It made their night unforgettable. ❤️ We’ll definitely be visiting soon ourselves!“

“What a great find! We were looking for a place to take a bunch of kids after a birthday Zipline adventure. Decided to try this and it was perfect! The upstairs is amazing! So big and spacious with a bar and balcony and party room with games.
I don't think they want to be known as a place for kids parties, but they were accommodating nonetheless and it was a hit with the kids.
They even had pizzas ready for us when we got there (I called about 20 minutes before we arrived).“

“Today we picked Fireside cause we wanted to try some Cincinnati pizza! All I can say is what an amazing place. The gentleman working was amazing!! Helped tell us about other places to go, had us try some different draft beers, they made the best pizza’s even my kids loved all the different types and loved drawing plates to put on the wall. If we were to ever come back this way definitely would be coming back! Recommend 100x!!“

“Was in town for the week on business. We all had a blast!!“

“Love the food and the Staff!!!“

“My aunt had her retirement party here and rented out the whole place. The drinks were amazing and the appetizers served were PHENOMENAL, I couldn’t believe it was brewery food. I definitely recommend renting out for events! Great environment too.“

“Went here to actually get photos for a college project, a jazz themed session, the staff were so welcoming and understanding! This tavern is so cozy and unique. I love this hidden little gem! Would return here as a customer due to how polite the staff were.“

“Very friendly bar staff, delicious food, awesome live music, spacious indoor and outdoor seating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“This establishment is top notch in every way! I recommend the “Kyle” and the “Yolanda Mai Tai” 😊“

“As I’m writing this review I’m still in shock! I’m in Cincinnati on business and I was craving Italian. I can’t believe there’s not a line around the block just for the meatballs! My family owned an Italian seafood restaurant in NJ for 26 years and I can say without hesitation the meatballs here are the best west of Arthur Ave in the Bronx! My NJ mind is blown!“

“We had dinner with 7 people and everyone enjoyed their meal. The Gnocchi was phenomenal. 10/10 highly recommend!!“

“Love this place! Service was great, drinks were unique and you can’t beat the view of Washington park and music hall!“

“Amazing food and the best hospitality! If you haven't been here you're definitely missing out on some wonderful mouth watering food!“

“The food was delicious. Had my husband hollering, lol scared the ppl at first then the other customers joined in. Service was amazing“

“Excellent hand crafted cocktails made by highly skilled and friendly Bartenders. The smoked carrot hummus was devine!“

“Great place for music, coffee, and vegetarian bites!“

“Our drinks were amazing the bar manager was so helpful and great atmosphere can’t wait to go again“

“Had a Blast at Trivia on Tuesday and saw some great live music over the weekend!“

“Seriously so delicious! We enjoyed every single bite! My husband ordered the charred pork belly over rice, my daughter ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl, and I ordered the 3 mix and match skewers! We were all very pleased with our choice. We also ordered the tornado fries and they were incredible! The pricing was reasonable, the staff were friendly, and I can’t even express how amazing the food was! Definitely check it out!“

“This is the best Mexican food in Cincy and NKY. Drinks are phenomenal too. I highly recommend it.“

“My new favorite coffee stop in Cincinnati. The staff was very friendly, the menu had a delightful selection of exciting seasonal drinks and the atmosphere was great. I ordered the iced girl scout latte and was very impressed with the drink I received. I brought my laptop with me to get some homework done and was very happy to find ample outlets and comfortable seating -- not as easy to find in a local cafe as you might think. It was quiet in the late afternoon but definitely started picking up in the evening as people transitioned from ordering coffee to the actual bar. All in all, there's a little bit of everything here. Good quiet vibes for some afternoon work, and a little more excitement rolling in during the evening. I wish I could have stayed and ordered a cocktail“