In October 2018, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed House Bill 263, which permits "the owner of a retail food establishment or food service operation to allow dogs in an outdoor dining area of the establishment or operation."
Basically, it lets you to legally hang out with your dog while you eat brunch/lunch/dinner/etc. outside.
Prior to the passing of the bill, Ohio restaurant patios and other outdoor areas with food service that allowed animals on the premises could have been held in violation of certain health code restrictions.
Well, no more.
House Bill 263 says that the director of the Ohio Department of Health and director of agriculture shall adopt rules which permit dogs in outdoor dining areas, adjusting current handling and sanitation laws as they apply to allowing dogs on site. The ODH is currently drafting those new rules, which should be available for public comment in April.
And this is for outside only. As far as health codes go, animals still aren’t allowed inside restaurants, unless they’re service animals. This ain’t Europe.
Note: This doesn't mean that restaurants have to let your dog on the patio — it’s up to each individual restaurant — but if they do allow dogs, there are still some rules you must to follow:
• You must control your dog while in the outdoor dining area via a leash or other method.
• You can't take your dog through the interior of the restaurant to reach the outdoor part.
• Your dog must be properly vaccinated.
These drinking and dining destinations allow pets in portions or all of their establishments, as long as your pet is well behaved. Regardless, we always recommend calling or checking with the business in advance before you bring your furry friend with you. And, as always, this is not a comprehensive list of every single place you can bring a pet with you.
16-Bit Bar+Arcade
Calling all button smashers and pinball wizards: 16-Bit has more than 50 free arcade games and a tasty selection of celeb-inspired cocktails for you to slurp down as you relive your childhood nerdy nostalgia sans the quarters. If you want to drink like an adult while you act like a kid, try a cocktail like the Lisa Frank (vodka, watermelon Pucker, pineapple rum, fruit punch and an Airhead) or a Patrick Swayze (gin, simple syrup, lime, ginger beer and mint). Dogs get drinks, too, with branded water bowls featuring sayings like, “Buzz, your girlfriend, woof.” Pets are allowed indoors during the day and as long as the bar isn’t crowded. Bonus points if your pooch knows how to do any Mortal Kombat fatalities. 1331 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, 16-bitbar.com/cincy.
13 Below Brewery
Named for its location 13 miles “below” Cincinnati, the space is right on the Ohio River and boasts 13 taps behind a 20-seater bar. With a corner pub-vibe, their small-batch beers can be enjoyed with friends, family and dogs — or in the beer garden when the weather warms. Pups are allowed inside the taproom and out while their owners sample brews like the Fernbank Czech lager. 7391 Forbes Road, Sayler Park, 13belowbrewery.com.
Arlin’s Bar & Restaurant
The Gaslight District’s neighborhood pub for the thinking man or woman. Unwind after a long day and have a pint with your pup in the outdoor patio, which doubles as a live music venue. 307 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, facebook.com/arlinsbar.
A Tavola
Armed with a pizza oven from Naples, Italy, A Tavola strikes a resounding chord of authenticity while redefining the perfect pie. Their playful selection of signature pizzas — such as the Fig + Prosciutto or Sausage + Sage — are a blend of the familiar coupled with the exotic. Whet your appetite with their wagyu meatballs, handmade with wagyu beef, tomato sauce, ricotta and garlic bread, or share a plate of tagliatelle al ragu. Their quaint first-come, first-served patios at both locations permit pets, but only service animals may accompany their owners indoors. 1220 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 7022 Miami Ave., Madeira, atavolapizza.com.
The B List
This Bellevue watering hole is a friendly neighborhood public house that represents a cross-section of the community, serving more than 100 affordable and accessible bourbons, daily $3 craft beer specials, domestics, ciders, rareties and more. With games, pool, TVs, fire pits and even grills for patrons to use, it’s not uncommon for people and their pets to spend the day here. Dogs are welcome until 8 p.m., as long as it’s not crowded. 343 Division St., Bellevue, facebook.com/theblistbvue.
Braxton Brewing Co.
Braxton prides itself on loving beer and innovation, but their real soft spot is for dogs. Employees dole out treats and lots of belly scratches for any pup that visits the taproom. Cross the river for the Revamp India Pale Ale, stay for the canine haven. Currently undergoing a $5 million expansion, which includes the construction of a rooftop patio, the taproom and brewery serves more than beer and spirits: it’s also a cultural landmark thanks to its widespread success. The taproom opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday-Friday as a public workspace, serving Carabello coffee. And pets are welcome — just make sure they’re out by 9 p.m. on weekends. 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, Ky., braxtonbrewing.com.
BrewRiver Creole Kitchen
Chef Michael Shields, who earned his chops under Emeril Lagasse, opened BrewRiver GastroPub with craft beer and thoughtfully paired New Orleans-leaning cuisine in mind. He recently moved his Big Easy operation to the former Bella Luna location on Eastern Avenue and renamed the restaurant BrewRiver Creole Kitchen, expanding on the pub’s selection of po’boys, brews and swampy singer-songwriters. Well-behaved dogs are welcome visitors on the patio when it’s in operation, typically from April through October. 4632 Eastern Ave., East End, brewrivercreolekitchen.com.
Brink Brewing Co.
Good beer is about the people, the stories and the experience, according to Brink’s co-founders John and Sarah McGarry. The taproom’s communal table sits 20 and a brick wall stands covered in framed photos of the customers and community. There are no policies against pets, so feel free to bring a four-legged friend with you inside and outside. They even hosted a cutest #brinkdog contest on their Instagram this past summer, highlighting their favorite canine customers. 5905 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, brinkbrewing.com.
Darkness Brewing
Friends Eric Bosler and Ron Sanders were avid homebrewers before expanding their passion for creating strange and tasty beers in Darkness Brewing in Bellevue in 2016. The microbrewery focuses on the dark and unusual — like their Man on the Moo milk stout with lactose or Witch Head Nebula red IPA with beets — served in a community-minded taproom. Man’s best friend is allowed indoors and out as long as they are on a leash and off the tables. 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, darknessbrewing.beer.
Fibonacci Brewing Co.
This Mount Healthy nanobrewery has plans to expand into an urban farm and you can find that focus on nature not only in their name — the Fibonacci sequence, while found in math, is also found in horticulture and even the hop plant — but also their beers like the Horapha ale with Thai basil, honey and lemon or Secale red rye. Until they get a farm full of goats and chickens, you can bring your dog inside and outside the taproom — as long as it’s not too busy. 1445 Compton Road, Mount Healthy, fibbrew.com.
Fifty West Brewing and Production Works
Fifty West has turned a stretch of Wooster Pike into its very own playground with the original brewpub location, Fifty West Production Works (home to six sand volleyball courts), Fifty West Canoe & Kayak and Fifty West Cycling. All of the brewery’s brands are geared toward building community through shared experiences, which include drinking craft beer and getting outside: It’s all about an active lifestyle, says brewery co-owner Bobby Slattery. And that includes doggos. The Production Works property is completely dog-friendly inside and on the patio, but across the street at the brewpub, no dogs are allowed due to poisonous grapes which grow on the property. 7668 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township, fiftywestbrew.com.
Fries Café
At more than 90 years old, Fries is a laid-back dive-bar legend near the University of Cincinnati. Appealing to everyone from UC students taking a break from exams to Cliftonites and downtown professionals, the first floor features a draft bar with a focus on craft beer and a popular old-fashioned shuffleboard table. The lower level features two billiards tables and the top floor has more darts and billiards with access to the seasonal patio. The uncharacteristically large outdoor space (at least for Clifton) has a covered portion and deck, live music stage, cornhole sets and plenty of seating. Bring your pooch with you: Dogs are allowed inside and outside as long as they are on a leash (and you clean up after them). 3247 Jefferson Ave., Clifton,friescafeclifton.com.
Growler House
This craft beer destination is happy with their reputation as a dog-friendly hangout, so even if you don’t have a dog of your own, there’s a chance you can go there and meet (and pet) other people’s pooches. The bar features 30 taps of local, regional and national beers — from favorites to hard-to-find rarities — for you to imbibe onsite while watching sports on several of their TVs or take home in one of the bar’s 32- or 64-ounce growlers. Taps rotate daily. Sample new brews via a pint or 5-ounce “Benchers,” or create your own flight. 1526 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, thegrowlerhouse.com.
Gypsy’s
With a welcoming, dog-friendly atmosphere, Gypsy’s is perhaps most well known for their fully stocked bar and large craft beer selection on draft or in bottles and cans — you can find a drink special for under $4 any day of the week (including $2 Jameson and $3 drafts). Watch your favorite game on one of several TVs or enjoy their back patio equipped with fire pits and giant Jenga. 641 Main St., Covington, facebook.com/gypsyscovington.
Habits Café
This bar and grill located in Oakley Square is famous for a couple of reasons: its potato rags — hash browns covered in bacon, onions, tomatoes, cheese and ranch dressing — and the fact that it might be haunted. Since 1980, they’ve been serving up a steady mix of pub food, tons of beer and a solid bloody mary bar. In warmer weather, the giant patio is a welcome people-watching hang for those with dogs — and those without. 3036 Madison Road, Oakley, habitscafe.com.
Hang Over Easy
Hang Over Easy is Corryville’s perpetual brunch and bar stop that claims to be the place to cure a hangover or keep the party going. Opt for a “morning after” dish like the menage a trois, aka three slices of French toast, and a good, basic bloody mary or mimosa. Dogs are allowed on the patio. 13 W. Charlton, Corryville, hangovereasycincinnati.com.
The Hannaford
This Covington cocktail lounge mixes industrial accents with wood and leather to create a living room feel in the middle of Madison Avenue. Their broad selection of bourbon and rye is rounded out by craft cocktails, rotating drafts, wine and events like trivia. Dogs are welcome to hang with mom and dad while they sip spirits in the historic Mutual Building space. 619 Madison Ave., Covington, thehannaford.com.
Higher Gravity
These guys really want to help you love beer — so much so that they’ve installed iPads around the store to help you browse their inventory and find your perfect brew. Let their friendly “beeristas” pour you a flight, and don’t leave without visiting their growler and crawler station to take a cold one home with you. Higher Gravity is kid- and dog-friendly, as well as B.Y.O.F. (bring your own food), so bring the whole fam and order in something tasty from one of their Northside neighbors. 4106 Hamilton Ave., Northside, highergravitycrafthaus.com.
Hightail Mount Adams
This hillside watering hole, inspired by mid-19th-century whaling clubs in New England, brings a warm welcome to everyone who walks in the door. With an enormous selection of bourbons and beer, this is a perfect place to whet your whistle. But maybe the best thing about Hightail is that they encourage all tails, especially during their Sunday Yappy Hour from 4-7 p.m., where you’ll receive special deals and your pup will receive some yummy treats. It’s a neighborly place where they not only know your name, they know your dog’s name, too. 941 Pavilion St., Mount Adams, hightailmtadams.com.
Keystone Bar & Grill
This neighborhood joint offers a variety of tasty comfort food, like huge plates of pasta, a rockin’ quesadilla menu, build-your-own-burgers (including turkey or veggie options) and weekend brunch. But where it really shines is its macaroni and cheese menu: nine specialty selections of ooey, gooey carbs smothered in tasty dairy and named after famous bands, like the Fleetwood Mac with mozzarella, pesto and tomato. The Covington location allows dog owners to bring their furry friends along, permitting they stay in the ample-sized outdoor dining area.313 Greenup St., Covington, keystonebar.com.
Liberty’s Bar & Bottle
Liberty’s offers the best of both the bar and the bottle with 20 rotating craft beers on tap and 15 wines available by the glass — including half-pours — along with 100 bottles of wine and 40 craft beers via retail.They also offer a mean $6 Liberty’s Mule cocktail (a Best Of Cincinnati staff pick), with housemade ginger beer. Dogs are welcome and you’ll frequently find one or two sleeping under their owners’ stools at the bar. Bring a pet along and they’ll get to slurp up a water bowl while you sip on an IPA and admire their sleek interior. 1427 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, searchable on Facebook.
Luckman Coffee Company
This local coffee chain offers small-batch roasted beans with a goal of “romancing” the beans to gain optimum flavor. Head to the original location in Anderson with your pup and sip a cup of joe on the patio (or inside the cafО, depending on how busy it is). If you stop by the second Anderson location, good dogs are allowed inside and out any time. 5200 Beechmont Ave., Anderson; 8298 Clough Pike, Anderson, luckmancoffee.com.
MadTree Brewing
With 32 MadTree-exclusive taps, ambient lighting and an industrial brick faНade leftover from the building’s factory days, there’s more than enough space to accommodate all the beer-drinking, cornhole-playing, dog-loving humans that hang at the 10,000-square-foot outdoor beer garden on the regular. The garden is both tented and heated in winter and allows pets year-round; just remember to enter the garden directly instead of through the main entrance if you plan on bringing a furry friend. There’s also plenty of space to drink and hang indoors if you come without fido. 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, madtreebrewing.com.
Mecca OTR
This hip OTR hideaway is a welcoming hangout for those interested in no-frills drinking, L.A. vibes, vinyl tunes and free popcorn. Find the main courtyard entrance tucked away down 15th Street, and cross the big-ass gravel patio, past colorful street-art murals, a panoply of rainbow lighting and a plethora of communal seating to enter a world of hanging plants (in summer the patio is decked out in greenery as well) and the most creatively decorated — dare we say selfie-ready — bar bathrooms in the city. Dogs are always welcome, as long as it’s not too crowded; nobody wants to see stressed-out doggos. Mecca has water bowls, poop bags and sometimes treats on hands for furry guests. 1429 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/meccaotr.
Milton’s The Prospect Hill Tavern
Prospect Hill’s neighborhood joint is chatty, diverse and full of character. A great place to have beer, relax and mix it up with the regulars. And many of those regulars include dogs; scroll through their social media for proof of several very good boi booze hounds. Dogs are allowed inside any time before 8 p.m. 301 Milton St., Liberty Hill, facebook.com/miltonstheprospecthilltavern.
Northside Yacht Club
A loosely nautically themed and ironically landlocked Rock club from two local music and mixology veterans, the Northside Yacht Club is all fun. The cocktails — served by tattooed bartenders in the vein of Sailor Jerry — are masterful, made with fresh juice, fruit and herbal garnish. The tropically themed and navy-inspired drinks are served in Tiki glasses and deceivingly potent. Lay down a base layer with a bar-food menu that features satisfying items like house-smoked wings, poutine with duck fat gravy and vegan lentil chili fries. If you’re feeling mean, bring your dog to the patio to watch you eat any of the above (except maybe the lentils; dogs probably don’t like lentils) and don’t offer them any. 4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside,northsideyachtclub.com.
Oakley Wines
Oakley Wines started as a boutique bottle shop just off the main drag in Oakley until it became an ever-expanding go-to spot and subterranean bar for Friday night wine tastings and other-night drinking. Recently taken over by the owners of The Rhined cheese shop, there has been a welcome uptick in cheese in general, plus pop-ups, pairings and other events, including nights like the upcoming For the Love of Frenchies on Sunday, Feb. 24 to meet local Insta celeb Vince Cincy and benefit Queen City Bulldog Rescue. And it’s not just that Sunday. When the kitchen is closed at the end of the week, you can bring your leashed dog to enjoy some Sunday evening sips. 4011 Allston St., Oakley, oakleywines.com.
Queen City Radio
The historic Queen City Radio building has been turned into a well-manicured full-service bar and outdoor beer garden. The bar serves rotating taps of local, regional and national beer, canned and bottled brews, wine, a small cocktail program and boozy slushies. Garage doors create indoor/outdoor space, weather permitting, and there’s an onsite food truck. Their expansive patio is the perfect place for a furry friend to keep you company while you enjoy good drinks and good weather. Or bring them inside. 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, qcrbar.com.
Rosedale
When Neons closed in 2016, people were devastated to lose “OTR’s backyard.” Then, 4EG — the entertainment group behind Lackman, Mount Adams Pavilion, Igby’s and more — announced they’d be taking over the space. After some upscale renovations, they reopened as Rosedale in January 2018. It’s a little more classed up than comfy-old Neons but has retained the former’s focus on craft cocktails… and the giant, dog-friendly patio (now with brand new seating). Sip discount drinks from the monthly $3 menu then grab some grub and support your community at the MORTAR Mess Hall, where food entrepreneurs hone their skills in a professional setting. 208 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, rosedaleotr.com.
Roebling Point Books & Coffee
This shop doesn’t skimp on either of its namesakes: Its extensive collection of books is enough to keep caffeinated customers browsing for hours. Owner Richard Hunt hand-picks titles ranging from best-sellers to pieces by local authors. With a bit of a bohemian spirit, its exterior chalkboard wall on Greenup Street boasts constantly rotating quotes from authors and philosophers. Bonus: It’s dog-friendly. 306 Greenup St., Covington, facebook.com/roeblingpointbooksandcoffee.
Streetside Brewery
From their taproom/brewery along Eastern Avenue in Columbia Tusculum, Streetside Brewery blends craft and community. With beers like their milkshake blonde Cereal Milk and a red velvet donut stout collaboration with Holtman’s Donuts, this brewery has developed a niche for having your cake and drinking it, too. The taproom frequently hosts food trucks and programmed events. Well-behaved dogs are allowed inside and on the patio. 4003 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum, streetsidebrewery.com.
Urbana Café
Urbana CafО owners Daniel Noguera and his wife serve high-quality coffee with a purpose and their purpose is helping stray dogs. Urbana shares its resources with dog rescue organizations in order to “find good homes for good dogs.” With storefronts in Pendleton and Walnut Hills and a little blue Vespa Ape in Findlay Market, you can indulge in options ranging from a caffО frizzante — espresso poured into a highball glass and then topped with San Pellegrino carbonated mineral water — and a flat white to an Americano or cold brew. They also offer baked goods, like scones and almond croissants, plus homemade dog treats. 1206 Broadway St., Pendleton; 2714 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills, urbana-cafe.com.
The Video Archive
Named in honor of the video rental store where director Quentin Tarantino once worked, The Video Archive is a video store that doubles as a speakeasy, like a Blockbuster with a back-alley bar. Upon entering, you’d think you’ve arrived at an indie flick shop, until you discover the secret door — opened by selecting a specific VHS movie from the shelves — that leads you to the booze room with Tarantino-themed drinks. Dogs and Reservoir Dogs are allowed inside. 965 E McMillan, Walnut Hills, gorillacinemapresents.com/archive.
West Side Brewing
Overseen by four passionate homebrewers, the taproom offers 20 West Side beer taps, including West Side’s amber ale, common ale, pale ale and more, plus a handful of other local brews, cider, wine and soda. Originally pegged as a craft brewery for the everyman, WSB is inviting enough for the casual beer drinker, spacious enough for groups and families and legit enough to impress the most discerning local brewpub frequent flyers. The bar also offers a ton of TVs and games. Every Wednesday after 4 p.m. is officially dog friendly so if you remember to keep your pooch on a leash, they’re as welcome as you are inside. 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood, westsidebrewing.com.
The Woodburn Brewery
This East Walnut Hills brewery offers a plethora of creative beers, from fruity cream ales brewed with blood oranges grown at Krohn Conservatory to a Wild Things IPA with sweet malt and a Chocolate Cherry Imperial Stout. Armed with this lineup of clever brews, they frequently host fundraisers and other events to benefit local pet rescues and animal welfare organizations. Dogs are always welcome to chill inside the taproom or outside on the patio at Woodburn, where they will receive many pets. 2800 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills, woodburnbrewery.com.
*The Hub OTR was previously incorrectly listed here
