The Best Bars in Cincinnati

Updated October 2026

Cincinnati was built on beer, and a maze of old brewing and lagering tunnels still runs beneath it. The best bars in Cincinnati gather in Over-the-Rhine, the neighborhood German immigrants settled in the 1830s, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with one more in Pleasant Ridge. Ghost Baby sits four stories under Vine Street in tunnels a brewery once used to age its beer; the Rattle Room is first come, first served, live music plays only in The Den, and smart dress is required. Japp's on Main Street began as a wig shop in 1879, stayed in the Japp family until 1985 and reopened as a cocktail bar in 2010, pouring classics from the 1700s to the 1950s. Longfellow on Clay Street hides The Other Room behind it, with Ohio's largest rum selection and proper absinthe service. Lost & Found on East 14th Street fills a former six-car garage, and Overlook Lodge, a rustic neighborhood bar, sits out in Pleasant Ridge. These are the bars we would start with.