Cincinnati is packed with popular nightlife options, but there are a few local hidden gems that are maybe harder to find. Maybe they’re off the beaten path, not well-marked or literally hidden behind a secret bookcase entrance. From hidden garden patios to a literal underground nightclub, these bars may be playing hard-to-get, but they’re totally worth searching a little longer to find.

Longfellow’s Other Room 109 E. 13th St. and Brackett Alley, Over-the-Rhine Attached to Longfellow, the bar’s Other Room is a separate back drinking spot that has a large list of fluctuating rums. With the vibe of a ’50s basement bar — where Desi Arnaz would perform but was managed by David Lynch — the rum curators and bartenders are more than happy to help you find a favorite new spirit from their global collection. The unassuming entrance is at 109 E. 13th and Brackett Alley along Longfellow’s strip of side doors and windows, but can also be accessed by walking through the bar’s bathroom hallway. Photo: Catie Viox
Ghost Baby 1314 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine You’ll literally need to go underground to visit Ghost Baby. This subterranean nightclub/music venue 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 the bar. Guests can expect an immersive experience with art, design, cocktails and live music. Photo: Aparna Avasarala
Bar Saeso 1208 Sycamore St., Pendleton A glowing red, neon sign reading “BAR” is the only hint you get that you’re about to enter Saeso, which is tucked away in a small, unassuming building in Pendleton. But once you walk in, you’ll know you found something special. Saeso offers an airy, Europen feel as you walk in, greeted by terracotta floor tiles, plants and exposed brick. A marble-topped bar beckons you to sit and chat with a friendly bartender while you browse a cocktail menu that takes the work out of ordering. Walk down a narrow hallway to find another bar space and the entrance to the back patio. Photo: Brian Rineair
Wiseguy Lounge 1211 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; 603 Main St., Covington; 6099 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge Featuring low lighting, dark wood and rich leather sofas, Wiseguy Lounge will pull you back in time to the days of the Roaring ’20s and speakeasies. While inspired by Prohibition, Wiseguy Lounge, found nestled in any Goodfellas pizzeria, doesn’t require a secret password. Instead, just walk up and order one of the more than 800 bourbons, hand-crafted cocktails or wide variety of beers from your knowledgeable bartender. Photo: facebook.com/GoodfellasMainstrasse
Schwartz Point 1901 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Pianist Ed Moss is a Cincinnati Jazz legend for his musical achievements, but he was also beloved for his low-key venue, Schwartz Point, which was written about as one of the area’s “Best Kept Secrets” so often, it really wasn’t a secret anymore, particularly among the city’s Jazz players. When Moss passed away in 2016, his daughter, Zarleen Watts, decided to honor her father by keeping his passion project going. The club reopened in 2017, retaining the eccentric character and regular Jazz performances that were part of Moss’ vision, but modernizing it a bit and adding a new drink menu. Photo: Aidan Mahoney
VII Lounge 7 E. Court St., Downtown Court Street Kitchen’s attached VII Lounge has a dedicated bar, dimmed lighting and a state-of-the-art DJ booth. When designing the restaurant, owner Braheam Shteiwi said he envisioned the lounge as a space to hang out before or after dinner, grab a drink with friends or catch a game. VII Lounge is accessible through the restaurant’s front door, and tableside cocktail service is available upon request. Photo: facebook.com/Court Street Kitchen
The Lounge at Liberty Exhibition Hall 3938 Spring Grove Ave., Northside This watering hole is located in Northside’s historic Liberty Exhibition Hall and offers a “friendly vibe in a throwback scene.” The Lounge itself is part of a larger nonprofit to preserve the building and aims to be a home to artists of all kinds. Specializing in live music and weekly Jazz nights, the bar offers cocktails, wine, beer and non-alcoholic tea concoctions on the menu. Photo: Provided by The Lounge
The Blind Lemon 936 Hatch St., Mt. Adams The Blind Lemon has been Mt. 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. It’s also one of the most romantic drinking destinations in the city, offering a delicious selection of cocktails, beer, wine bourbon and scotch. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Oddfellows Liquor Bar 2014 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Columbus-based watering hole Oddfellows Liquor Bar is an eccentrically themed place to hang out and drink, complete with a wall full of antique finds. It’s attached to its sister operation, pizza joint Mikey’s Late Night Slice, and visitors can access either through “the grotto,” a trippy space featuring a fountain, pink neon signs and ceiling mirrors. On Oddfellows’ menu, you’ll find tons of beers on tap and seasonal cocktails. Photo: Facebook.com/OddfellowsCincinnati
O’Malley’s in the Alley 25 W. Ogden Place, Downtown Opened in 1892, O’Malley’s in the Alley bills itself as the second-oldest bar in Cincinnati, making it the only bar on this list to be around for and survive Prohibition. The pub offers a straightforward imbibing experience, drink specials and homemade dishes that have stood the test of time, like its beer-battered fish sandwich, fish and chips or wings. You’ll find the entrance in a shady alleyway along Ogden Place, not too far of a walk from Great American Ball Park, making it a must-stop spot before or after a game. Photo: Facebook.com/OMalleysInTheAlley1
OTR Stillhouse 2017 Branch St., Over-the-Rhine Want to feel like you’re actually back in the 1920s? Head over to one of the first distilleries to open in Cincinnati proper since prohibition, OTR Stillhouse. Try some of their gin, bourbon and blended whiskies on their own or in a specialty cocktail. The petite facade hides the bar and venue’s true size. The indoor/outdoor space occupies more than a half-acre of real estate and includes a stage. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Skeleton Root 38 W. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine This working winery and event space in Over-the-Rhine pays homage to Cincinnati’s wine history by producing heritage and French- and European-style wines, crushed and aged on-site. Wines are produced in-house with minimal intervention, showcasing the terroir of the fruit in bottles of red, white and even rosé wine. The tasting room, with its beautiful illustration of grape harvesters on a Cincinnati hillside, is the perfect backdrop for happy hour. Photo: Jesse Fox
Mecca OTR 1429 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine This hip OTR hideaway is a welcoming hangout for those interested in no-frills drinking and L.A. vibes. Find the main courtyard entrance tucked away down 15th Street and cross the big 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 and the most creatively decorated — dare we say, “selfie-ready” — bar bathrooms in the city. Photo: Brittany Thornton
Merchants Club 18 Distillery Way, Newport Tucked behind Newport’s Party Source, cocktail bar Merchants Club says it’s the only club in town where everyone is a member. The space evokes the memory of its namesake — a long-gone mob haunt from Newport’s seedier days. The space is both sleek and welcoming, with leather and velvet accents and a menu of strong and delicious drinks. Photo: facebook.com/merchantsclubnky
Prohibition Bourbon Bar 530 Washington Ave., Newport This Newport bourbon bar may not be tough to find geographically, but their hours make them a hard-to-catch destination. Open only on Fridays and Saturdays, Prohibition Bourbon Bar has the look and feel of a speakeasy and offers a selection of thousands of bottles, including the largest collection of bourbon and rye found anywhere in the world, according to the bar. Among its offerings, you’ll also find several of the rarest, well-aged whiskeys, as well as Scotch, Irish, Tennessee and Japanese brands; wines by the glass; and craft beers. Photo: Facebook.com/NewberryBrosCoffee
Lost & Found 22 E. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine Located on a quieter street in Over-the-Rhine, this cocktail bar is a funky, community-driven gathering space with an inventive drink menu and small bites inside of a creative, art-filled environment; it was also once a multi-car garage. Work from local artists fills the walls from room to room. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery 111 W. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine Tucked down a quiet street in Over-the-Rhine, Northern Row’s taproom and patio slings more than a dozen taps of its own beer, and features a full bar and cocktails made with house-distilled spirits, Five Stories. Northern Row embodies the speakeasy spirit, stating it comes from a “long line of hard-headed, free-spirited hustlers who bent the rules and ignored the laws,” and there’s only one rule that matters to them now: you indulging in “The Row.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Second Story 100 W. Sixth St., #2, Covington Covington’s Second Story bar, the latest vision from Lost Co., is an artistic, Southern Gothic oasis for every sort of reveler. Located on the second floor of a former Covington firehouse, the bar’s main space is a large room with stylish and comfortable seating, dazzling chandeliers and hand-painted murals, complemented by large windows. It also brings some garden vibes indoors, featuring a giant artist-created tree “growing” behind the bar that houses bottles of spirits. On the menu, patrons will find cocktails with a variety of bases, not leaning on any one spirit too much. Drinks are made with housemade syrups and housemade tonic and feature amari, which are herbal liqueurs that typically come from Italy and France. There’s even a housemade version of “Fireball” cinnamon whiskey. And like the views through the windows in the main space, the cocktail menu will change seasonally, offering guests fresh experiences with multiple visits. Photo: Courtesy of Second Story
Revival 5 E. Eighth St., Covington Revival isn’t a speakeasy, but it sure does look like one. This bottle shop/bar has become a destination for those seeking the finest bourbons and other spirits of yesteryear, offering up tastings and advice from friendly and knowledgeable staff members who know the curated selection of bourbon like the back of their hands. Revival specializes in rare and vintage bourbons, but the selection also includes Scotch, brandy, tequila, rum and gin, with more than 4,000 bottles in inventory and 120 open bottles for tasting. In addition to educated sipping, Revival also has a collection of rare bourbons for sale and can give “dusty” collectors a professional valuation of their bottles. Photo: Catie Viox
Secret Bar 609 Main St., Covington There’s more than just a name hidden in Creative House of Art and Design (CHAD), an arts and craft store that offers art instruction on Mainstrasse in Covington. When you venture a little further into the colorful store — past the coloring books, markers, handmade jewelry and other merchandise — a hidden bar awaits. The bar has been thriving on word of mouth along with the sidewalk chalkboard that features an arrow pointing down the alley, leading to Secret Bar’s ample patio space. Secret Bar offers a quaint and friendly vibe, one that owners Josh Drury and Chad Turner have curated to feel like an artsy cocktail bar or an inconspicuous speakeasy. Photo: Katie Griffith
White Oak Marathon 6050 Cheviot Road, White Oak A White Oak staple and a gas station that’s more than meets the eye. The White Oak Marathon offers one of the area’s widest craft beer and fine wine selections, as well as various theme nights hosted on their spacious back patio. They have a bar with rotating beer taps that are updated almost weekly. Need to make a quick stop? Swing through their drive-thru. Fill up your tank, grab a drink and enjoy great company at this local one-stop shop. Photo: Twitter.com/CheviotMarathon
Twenties 2733 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills This cocktail joint is the quintessential speakeasy with its 1920s vibes and basement decked out with leather couches and booths tucked under stone arches. For those who just want to drink in peace, Twenties offers a laid-back, judgment-free atmosphere with classic and craft cocktails and timeless music. Photo: facebook.com/twentiescincy
Somerset 139 E. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine Somerset offers a lush oasis that brings to mind faraway places. Tucked away in Over-the-Rhine, the bar features a greenhouse bar, outdoor garden, a converted double-decker bus that serves up a globe-trotting menu of street eats and decor from around the world. Indoors, there are two bar spaces, one being the plant-filled conservatory and the other located in their cozy lounge. Outside, you can enter the garden through a set of antique gates from India where you’ll find tropical plants, unique seating nooks and imported pieces from co-founder and creative lead James Fisher’s collection, as well as the collections of his friends and family. Recharge and bask in the almost other-worldly ambiance while enjoying a delicious drink from Somerset’s one-of-a-kind cocktail menu. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Delhi Liquor Store’s Taproom 5193 Delhi Rd., Delhi There’s no just “going on a beer run” at the Delhi Liquor Store. Not only do they have a wide selection of beers, wines and liquors in store, you can also stop in for a drink. Head downstairs to the store’s taproom at the back of the building on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. for a drink and a bite to eat at the visiting food truck. Photo via Delhi Liquor/Facebook.com
The Cellar at Oakley Wines 4011 Allston St., Oakley Oakley Wines is a cozy spot off of Madison Avenue’s main drag. The upper floor wine bar and bottle shop is minimal, bright and full of grab-and-go selections, and an unassuming staircase leads down to The Cellar, a low-lit speakeasy-style space with room for live music. Photo: Hailey Bollinger

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