9 rooftop bars around Cincy worth a visit on a warm day

With the unseasonably warm weather we have been getting around the Cincinnati region, we thought about what we want to do (drink outside) and what our readers want to do (drink outside).

So, look no further for some Queen City alfresco locations for warm-weather imbibing. From downtown spots with panoramic river views to breweries with neighborhood scenery, there’s a rooftop bar for everyone.

Have a favorite spot on this list? Vote for your go-to rooftop bar at the bottom of this article.

The Chase Rooftop Bar is located at the top of the Moxy hotel downtown. Some of their craft cocktails include a maple whiskey sour, plus a blood orange margarita.

If you find yourself peckish, The Chase serves up small bites, their menu focusing on Mexican cuisine with tacos, nachos and plenty of salsas. Fun fact: the bar was named after Salmon P. Chase, a former governor, senator and chief justice of the United States, who began his career in the Queen City.

The Braxton Covington location is the brewery’s original location and corporate headquarters. This first floor is kid- and dog-friendly till 9 p.m., and the rooftop bar, with views of Covington, is kid-friendly till 7 p.m.

The bar features 27 rotating beer taps plus signature cocktails and wine. Braxton doesn’t serve food, but they have partnered with the neighboring Dewey’s Pizza location, offering a pizza pickup window on the main floor where you can order and grab a fresh pie to soak up some of the beer.

Vista is located on the 6th floor of The Lytle Park Hotel, with views of downtown and the river. Signature cocktails include the In Season with tequila, grapefruit, lime, coconut purée and club soda, The Conservatory with Cincinnati botanical gin, lime and orange simple syrup.

The food menu features heavy apps ranging from Nashville Chicken Sliders to flatbreads and more. Check out the bar’s calendar for weekly specials and live entertainment.

Located at the top of The Phelps Hotel (not too much of a shock there), Top of the Park offers sweeping views of downtown plus the Ohio River.

Specialty cocktails include a blackberry mule and an espresso martini. There is a rotating menu of craft beers on tap plus a food menu with small bites like kimchi dip, flatbreads and salads.

Sitting at the top of the AC Hotel at The Banks, the AC Upper Deck is located right in the heart of it all. Sweeping views of the river and Northern Kentucky are the star of the show and this spot.

The menu features rotating signature cocktails, mocktails, beer and wine. For bites, they’ve got sliders, sandwiches, pretzel sticks and more. Over the winter, the bar offers heated igloos for rent.

If you know Cincinnati, you know Rhinegeist. But did you know their taproom has a rooftop bar? Currently open for the season, the rooftop offers panoramic views of Over the Rhine.

While you can always get any of the brews offered in the taproom and walk it up, the rooftop offers a more limited menu of beer and ciders, plus an offering of cocktails and wine.

Located on the rooftop of the Homewood Suites Newport, the bar offers panoramic views of downtown Cincinnati and the Ohio River.

Craft cocktails include the Twilight Shimmer with vodka, dragon fruit simple syrup and lemon, the Rooftop Riff with New Riff Bourbon, Aperol, honey, lemon, orange bitters, soda and rosemary smoke and more. They offer three signature old-fashioned plus some mocktails, beer, wine and a small food menu of sharables.

After getting into a fight with your significant other during duckpin bowling (totally not a person experience at all) and/or tiring yourself out on vintage arcade games, head up to the rooftop at Pins for views of Over the Rhine, plus some outdoor games like Giant Jenga.

The menu features a wide array of signature cocktails, beers, shots and more. They even offer shareable drinks like the Happy Punch, which serves up to six people.

If you’re looking for something a little more suburban, the Bishop’s Quarter in Loveland offers a three-level bar, including a rooftop. Themed to the famed French Quarter in New Orleans, the bar and restaurant is located just off the Loveland Bike Trail and right in the heart of the city’s historic downtown district. For drinks, they feature over 40 bourbons plus craft cocktails, wine and beer. The bar’s menu features small, southern-style bites and sharables.