You may either be making a stop in your hometown and definitely in need of a drink or may be a proud Queen City resident looking to get a cocktail in peace. We made a list of Cincinnati bars where you probably won’t run into anyone you knew from high school, but we can’t guarantee. Half are trendy, half are dives, but all should keep you away from having to remember senior prom.   
Mid-City 40 E. Court St., Downtown Recently opened Mid-City moved into their spot downtown on 40 E. Court in early October. “It’s small, it’s cute and there is delicious food,” says the team behind the operation — the same as popular Over-the-Rhine bar Longfellow. Some of their newly developed dishes include a griddled english muffin with pickle butter, a chicken and artichoke skewer with chili relish and basil as well as the Mid-City Palter with a frankfurt, belly, loin, potato and sauerkraut. Photo: instagram.com/midcitycinti Photo: instagram.com/midcitycinti
Gulow Street 1614 Hoffner St., Northside Gulow Street, a cozy yet sophisticated bar and restaurant located at the corner of Hoffner Street and Gulow Street — the establishment’s namesake — is a family operation, owned by brothers/cousins Jonathan, Danny and Alex Mouch. Gulow Street’s food menu is small but mighty as is the cocktail menu. A favorite drink: the Carrot Moscow Mule, infused with fresh carrot juice. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Anjou 2804 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills Named after Margaret of Anjou, wife of King Henry VI, Anjou has many unique floral and fruity cocktails befitting its namesake. The East Walnut Hills bar opened with the goal of being “different than your average cocktail bar.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Standard 434 Main St., Covington The dynamic duo behind popular Covington dining and drinking destinations Otto’s, Frida and Larry’s opened The Standard, breathing life into a familiar corner in the neighborhood. Co-owner Emily Wolff says that when the opportunity to embark on a new journey to transform the former garage and filling station on the corner of Fifth and Main streets presented itself, they were all in. The Standard’s food menu features bright and playful flavors. The Standard has both indoor and outdoor seating, with plenty of patio space beneath the garage’s canopies and beyond to spread out. Photo: Savana Willhoite
Saeso 1208 Sycamore St., Pendleton If you’re looking for an otherworldly escape without leaving the city, or a cocktail menu that takes the work out of ordering, Saeso might just be your new neighborhood bar. Christy Wulfson and Michael Guilfoil, the duo behind the petite Pendleton bar, created a space where they’d like to sit and enjoy a cocktail and invited you to join. You can linger, say yes to that second drink and bask in the terracotta glow. The bar recently teamed up with local taco pop-up Pata Roja to transform the patio into a taco haven. Photo: Ross Van Pelt
Comfort Station 793 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills Located in a former 105-year-old rest area, Comfort Station is an airy nightlife destination full of hip cocktails and outdoor lounge spots. Enter through the bright blue former women’s restroom door to access main bar space, replete with original skylights, plush blue-velvet seating and a living plant wall. From the bar you can access the back patio, which has multiple seating nooks — including an elevated perch with cushions — as well as a cozy fire pit. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Gypsy’s 641 Main St., Covington Located in the heart of Covington, Gypsy’s is a neighborhood bar that has a back patio, specials on beer and bourbon and over 60 different beer options. If you need a push, they’re dog-friendly. Photo: Facebook.com/GypsysCovington Photo: facebook.com/GypsysCovington
Pearl’s 3227 Riverside Drive, Columbia Tusculum Located in a historic building in the heart of Columbia Tusculum (Cincinnati’s oldest neighborhood), Pearl’s offers a rooftop bar and large outdoor patio for the warmer months and serves classic cocktails, draft beer and small bites. Named after the building’s last resident, Pearl, the entire establishment was designed to maintain a sense of authenticity and honor its former use as a house. The patio includes string lights, ample seating, cozy heaters and even a TV or two. Photo: Facebook.com/PearlsCincy
City View Tavern 403 Oregon St., Mt. Adams A hillside dive and home of one of the best spicy bloody marys and best views in town. The burgers are damn tasty, too. Meet the Big Ted Deluxe: eight ounces of griddle-cooked, handmade beef patty with American cheese, mustard, lettuce, pickles, mayo, onion, ketchup, tomatoes, served in a plastic basket with a bag of chips. Photo: Holden Mathis Photo: Holden Mathis
Ghost Baby 1314 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine This subterranean nightclub/music venue opened beneath the streets of Over-the-Rhine last winter. The venue holds 160 guests and is located several stories below Vine Street in a 170-year-old lagering tunnel formerly used by Champion Brewing (beer was aged and cooled in lagering tunnels before the advent of refrigeration). The historic, dimly-lit space, which has been vacant since the 1850s, features soaring ceilings with stone archways and decor that is adorned with “crushed velvet and unpredictability,” according to a release. Guests can expect an immersive experience with art, design, cocktails and live music. Photo: Aparna Avasarala
The Hi-Mark 3229 Riverside Drive, East End Named in honor of the great flood that washed over Cincinnati in 1937, this bar keeps its patrons afloat with a selection of Vietnamese-inspired dishes. The bar pours a solid variety of beer, wine and spirits and there’s plenty of seating inside and out. If you’re hungry, try their pulled-pork bánh mì made with Eli’s BBQ or chicken wings with gochujang sauce. Fries, salads and Lang Thang Chili, a Vietnamese style beef stew, are some local favorites. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Jerry’s Jug House 414 E. Seventh St., Newport Newport’s Jerry’s Jug House experienced a revamp in 2019 thanks to co-owners Stuart MacKenzie, of the Northside Yacht Club, and Mark Ramler, an award-winning preservationist and the owner of Mansion Hill Properties. The bar is well-known for its craft cocktails and natural wine selection, and recently rolled out a menu of farm-to-table bites ranging from a pimento cheese plate to a pesto chicken salad on Sixteen Bricks bread. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Blind Lemon 936 Hatch St., Mount Adams Mount Adams’ favorite backyard bar since 1963. Walk down a set of stairs to find a secret, little hideaway. Outside, the relaxed garden patio is like a boho blend of Bourbon Street and Paris café life. With live music often on the schedule, it’s one of the most romantic drinking destinations in the city. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Brew House 1047 E. McMillan, Walnut Hills The Brew House has been a Walnut Hills institution since 1978 with funky décor, friendly people, good burgers and cheap drinks. Photo: Liz Davis
HomeMaker’s Bar 39 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati hospitality mavens Julia Petiprin and Catherine Manabat opened Homemakers Bar at the corner of 13th and Walnut streets in Over-the-Rhine. The duo created a space inspired by a retro vibe and the domestic cocktails of the 1950s through the 1970s. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Fill Inn 52 Donnermeyer Drive, Bellevue Surprisingly, there are plenty of cozy spots and corner bars in Northern Kentucky with vintage electro-mechanical coin-op bowling games, but something about Miller’s Fill-Inn makes it one of our favorites. Enjoy live cover bands or a Blues jam over affordable suds and a basket of popcorn, then head to the side room, past the pool tables, and bowl to your heart’s content. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
O’ Malleys in the Alley 25 W. Ogden Place, Downtown O’Malleys in the Alley is a straightforward imbibing experience with homemade dishes that have stood the test of time. Daily drink specials and its proximity to Great American Ball Park make this a must before Red’s games. Photo: Facebook.com/OMalleysInTheAlley1
Milton’s 301 Milton St., Prospect Hill Prospect Hill’s neighborhood joint is chatty, diverse and full of character. A great place to have a beer, relax and chat it up with the regulars, not people you went to high school with. Photo: Holden Mathis Photo: Holden Mathis
The Hannaford 619 Madison Ave., Covington On bustling Madison Avenue in downtown Covington sits The Hannaford. The bar boasts a massive bourbon selection and some classic cocktails including the Hannaford Old Fashioned and Manhattan. If you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket, you could try the $175 Samuel Hannaford made with Pappy 23-year, Grand Marnier Cuvee 1880, and Capano Antica Formula. Photo: Facebook.com/TheHannaford
The Littlefield 3934 Spring Grove Ave., Northside The Littlefield is a bourbon bar and restaurant with a fantastic string-lit patio. Dogs are welcome to visit with their owners on both the upper deck and ground patio, which has a pergola covering parts of it. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Fries Cafe 3245 Jefferson Ave., Clifton Before opening as a bar in the 1930s, Fries Cafe was a Kroger grocery store. It offers a large selection of craft beers on tap. If you’re in the mood for games, Fries offers three floors of shuffleboard, dart boards and pool tables. Head out back and check out the massive patio set-up. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/friescafe Facebook.com/FriesCafe
Overlook Lodge 6083 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge A self-described “rustic watering hole,” this Pleasant Ridge bar offers unique aesthetics harkening to the mysterious hotel in Stephen King’s The Shining and the retro vibes of 1970s. Their menu features cocktails inspired by the horror classic, and during the holidays they transform into a winter wonderland full of tinsel, Christmas lights and boozy hot beverages. Photo: Facebook.com/Overlooklodge
Knockback Nats 10 W. Seventh St., Downtown Wings are king at Knockback Nats, whether they’re dry-drubbed or tossed in one of Knockback Nats 12 sauces — including their award-winning bourbon-pineapple barbecue and spicy garlic ranch. Enjoy dart boards, video golf, video bowling and a jukebox for extra fun. Photo: Liz Davis
Hometown Heroes 517 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky In addition to cheap drinks, this bar is known for its great wings, cheese curds, and ooey-gooey fries covered with goetta and queso, plus an outdoor patio. Photo: facebook.com/Hometownwings
Nomad (CLOSING AT END OF NOVEMBER) 225 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue Bellevue bar and eatery Nomad serves craft cocktails and beer, but the main attraction is their boozy (and virgin) milkshakes, tater tot baskets and tacos. The space is meant to bring together the adventurers in life to relax, connect and reflect on their journeys. The courtyard offers dreamy, string-lit seating (with heaters during the chilly months). Photo: facebook.com/NomadKY