50 Best Cocktail Bars in Cincinnati

“I have never fallen in love with a brand more quickly. The vibe was beyond amazing - the colors, the textures, the lighting, the music! The service was 10/10 - top notch. The cocktail menu is laid out like a story, and the writing is cheeky and clever. The cocktail matrix at the beginning of the menu was so helpful - I wish more cocktail bars did this. Oh, and the menu itself? Printed on thick paper with a smooth, matte cover. The cocktails - with alcohol and NA - were innovative and delicious. They’ve thought of all the details and have executed them perfectly. Bravo, King Pigeon! Can’t wait to see you again soon.“

“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.“

“good food nice area“

“What an amazing place to hold birthday party and a night out! Over the weekend we hosted my husband’s birthday party at Ripples event space. They were amazing from the service to the food and they were very accommodating to all of our requests! Trish and Matt did an amazing job with service and then everyone kept going on about the food! Way to go!!! Thank you so much for an amazing night out!“

“Chill vibes, great staff.. phenomenal drinks“

“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.“

“great drinks amazing bartenders good food!!!“

“Experience would have been perfect, but service was terrible. We were visiting Cincy and the hotel told us about Härth. We sat toward the front of the bar & nobody came to take our order after being there for about 10 minutes. My husband went to the bar & tried to order. We were told that a server would be around. Another 10 minutes & we didn’t even see a server milling around. We tried to order at the bar again & bartender said he’d bring the drinks. Finally got them after another 10 minutes. Not one time did a server come by in the hour we were there. Tried to order a second round at bar & we were told the same thing. Waited for a server, who never showed, so we closed our tab of 1 drink a piece after being there for over an hour. I had a coffee drink & it was delicious. The music & the vibe were great. I so wish the service would have been better or even a bit friendlier. I will go back when we visit again. I just hope they have more people working or a new bartender.“

“From someone out of town, based in Chicago, me and my partner had a great night at Tillie's. We went to a couple other gay bars in the area and this was, by far, our favorite. The owner was there and was super friendly. Service was quick and also very nice. The crowd at this bar beat the crowds at the other bars, more inviting and felt welcoming. Overall, five stars for the atmosphere at Tillie's!“

“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!“

“Sai, the bartender does a fantastic job providing great service and interactions with the patrons throughout the night.

Always friendly and treating customers with respect while having a smile on his face even if the bar gets very busy and overwhelming,“

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

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

“Wonderful Vibe. Great atmosphere!“

“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!!“

“A long time, top notch cocktail bar in downtown Cincinnati (in the Over-The-Rhine area). Nice lounge / sofa seating. Karaoke too (check their socials).

They have great specialty cocktails, but can make most anything, including zero proof mocktails (they also have N-A beer).

It's 50 feet from the 12th and Main streetcar stop (also called Hanke Exchange Station).“

“I’ve been passing by The Lackman for so long now and finally gave it a shot. They did NOT disappoint! I was interested in their seasonal drinks and after asking the bartender some questions I started with an espresso martini. It was smooth and what I would consider PERFECT, then I switched to their harvest spritz which was light and delicious especially if you love apple cider like me.

The space was unbelievably clean and the perfect setting for meeting friends or a date. I will for sure be back and recommend you give it a shot when looking for your next cocktail bar!“

“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.“

“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!“

“Come and enjoy nice people and great food“

“Great experience! The food and service were exceptional. Our waitress was cheerful, friendly, enthusiastic, and incredibly knowledgeable. At one point, we unknowingly waited a bit too long for our first round of drinks. The section manager noticed, appeared with them personally, and graciously offered to comp them, apologizing for the delay. Again, we didn't even realize we waited a bit too long for our drinks. A thoughtful and professional touch!“

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

“Was there on 6/21/25 and it was the best and awesome food and probably the best waitress we have ever had (Jala?). Highly recommend and will definitely be back to eat there again.“

“My friends and I picked Voodoo Brewing on a whim while walking downtown Cincinnati and it was such a hit! Not only was the atmosphere perfect, but the owner brought us our food, had great conversations with us and made sure we were comfortable and satisfied! The food was terrific (I recommend the dill pickle pizza!) and the drinks were great! I cannot wait to go back.“

“Transcendental empanadas, arepas bursting with fresh fillings, frosty beverages, and a little shop where you can scarf up South American comfort foods and ingredients. The Arepa Place is amazing. My first bite into the chicken empanada sent me on a long journey to a far away planet named Delicious Prime. I landed, mid chew, in a great battle of shredded chicken, buttery flaky fried crust, and an assortment of salsas. There was purple smoke, the screaming of my teeth, and a salty wave of energy that made me urinate my pants. Moments later my wife and daughter shook me awake and I found myself on the floor moaning like a cow in heat. "Are you okay?" they asked, frantically. My response, "more arepas. And some of that aguapanela." The EMT team, curious, ordered some as well. Then, with my EMT team, I transcended back into the fever dream of flavor. Dedicated gluten free. Cute wall decor.

Vegetarian options: Lots of bean and cheese

Dietary restrictions: All gluten free!

Parking: Front and side parking, dozens of spots.

Kid-friendliness: Good music and color. They have a bar but it's a nice place.“

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

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

“Visited Rosie’s Italian Kitchen. Cannot believe it took us so long to check it out. Our server Austin gave very good suggestions and everything was outstanding ! We had the Arancini and Fried Lasagna bites to start and then the Honey Pie! Perfect blend of sweet heat . We also split the Cannoli Cookie with a scoop of vanilla gelato . Forgot to get a photo as we dug right in. We also met the Manager Alex and Kitchen Manager Victor who were so welcoming and made us feel like family . Already planning when we can go back !“

“We had a lovely Mother’s Day dinner! The restaurant is gorgeous and very welcoming with great music playing. Our server was very friendly and did a great job telling us about Mad Tree and explaining the menu, and the food was delicious! I would highly recommend Alcove!!“

“Great local low key bar with friendly attentive staff“

“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.“

“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.“

“We had an amazing meal at Alara! The service was excellent and the food and beverages were delicious! The pain killer cocktail is a must try (TRUST!). The HOP cakes were delicious and refreshing (like a crab cake sans crab). I also really enjoyed the Iberian pork chops and the scallops. I will be thinking about those pork chops for a while... 😍“

“Love everything about Urban Stead Cheese!“

“It was my first time dining at Safi and I will definitely be back! My server (Cory) was very knowledgable and able to make great recommendations for each course. The restaurant is perfect for a girls night or a date, especially if you're wanting to try something new and indulge.“

“Celebrating our 15th anniversary at The Blind Lemon. Few of our date nights there! My partner Joel
Mellon has been there in 1984! When we met in 2003 we came here often! Our favorite drink is the Grand Mariner warm! The solo guitarist voice was amazing! The magical part of the night was as we were about to leave she sang our song! Norah Jones ‘ come Away With Me’
It was perfect! The night ended well!’
?❤️?“

“Great environment with a friendly wait staff“

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

“Love the food and the Staff!!!“

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

“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!!“

“Absolutely brilliant meal. Lovely fine-dining experience with a chef that nailed every dish.“

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

“This place is just a couple blocks away from the downtown Starbucks and the coffee is heaps better. They freshly grind and press each espresso shot and their coffee comes from local roasters. The space is small but they make the most of it in terms of seating. When the weather is nice there is a nice outdoor area as well.

They sometimes have a selection of pastries, but they are limited so I don't count on the food here. If you're looking for a good cup of coffee or tea, though, this is the perfect spot.“

“10/10, highly recommend. Great music and food“

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

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

“Loved this place! Great atmosphere, music and cocktails ♥️“