Cancel

Open app

Search

Esoteric Brewing

4.6 (87 reviews)
ModerateBreweries
Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM

Esoteric Brewing Photos

You might also consider

More like Esoteric Brewing

Recommended Reviews - Esoteric Brewing

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Kim S.

We went to Esoteric for a mid-afternoon drink and snack after my adult daughter had gone recently and wanted us to go with them. The vibe is bright and open and the bar staff was super friendly and helpful! We got flights of beers then went to the food window and got Decibel Chicken as well. Everything was very good. I'm sure we'll be back!

Bacon, egg croissant and Luminati beer

Saturday Bruch is always amazing at Esoteric Brewery. Today had the bacon egg and cheese croissant and spinach and artichoke dip with chips, breakfast burrito, turkey sausage egg bagel, raspberry croissant , Lumanti beer and blueberry lemonade. Great place to meet and hang out with friends. Always friendly and welcoming. Stop by and see their other food offering so amazing and Chef Cam always has something delicious waiting for you!

Drew B.

A huge space with a nice outdoor seating area and a small kitchen with small bites and wings. I tried their Genesis Ginger Saison and it was delicious!

Julie W.

Stopped by on a Sunday early afternoon to try a flight of brews. There are four choices to be made for this and I'll admit it took a little time as the offerings all sounded enticing. The service was friendly and knowledgeable. The ambiance is part urban and part warm wood feeling. Oh, and the brews- all that we sampled were excellent.

Yay loved the board game selections!!
Chrissy F.

Came through to celebrate a friend's birthday party and had the best time at Esoteric! Great use of space with ample seating plus an introvert friendly quiet area and patio outside. I liked how there's an area where folks can perform, we heard an electric violin play which sounded superb. Good beer variety plus the chicken and fries were well made, couldn't stop eating them lol Another highlight were the board games!! My friends and I enjoyed playing a few games! This brewery is great for groups, dates, and everything in-between!!

Jim H.

Ok, parking sucks big hairy sweaty...tennis balls. Sorry I had to get that out of the way and now I can enjoy my beer! Esoteric Brewing is brewery visit #257 for me. Well I did include a couple of distilleries but it's all good. As mentioned parking is tough as of this writing but a sign inside said a parking structure behind the building is under construction. EB has a BIG taproom. Long bar with seating as well as plenty of table seating in a couple of rooms. A flight of five was in order along with some food, which I will get back to in a moment. Paraiso Mexican lager is a nice one. I like a touch more sweetness in mine but this was still quite good. The Oktoberfest was very true to style. I'm used to many places serving up a beer much more in an amber style as a festbier, which isn't a bad thing but just isn't true to style. Very good beer. A Dunkel is one of my favorite beer styles. I was introduced to a good Dunkel at Gordon Biersch many years ago and it has stuck with me. Nice. Malty, low bitterness. Just a good Dunkel. The Dahlia Brown I ordered in honor of SWPFTD as she loves brown and red ales. This fit best as a British brown IMHO and was good. Malty with a bit of sweetness. Last up was Odyessy NE IPA as I had to put at least one IPA on the board. Citrus, grapefruit, smooth hop flavor and aroma. A really nice IPA! The brewery has food in the form of Decibel, a Korean style chicken stand. I went with Bulgogi egg rolls and garlic soy chicken tenders. All were really good. I would have revisited the Dunkel with a pint but I'm only in town until tomorrow and have another brewery I want to visit. EB is solid though! If anyone is a glutton for punishment, please, follow my brewery, and distillery, reviews from across the U.S. and beyond! https://www.yelp.com/collection/-8iscFkpiiCI563-FDfwGg and if anyone is wondering who SWPFTD is you will have to check out my review of Black Market Brewing Co in Temecula, CA to understand. Yes, you will need to read into it a little to get the joke but I have confidence in you! I hope my confidence is not misplaced.

The back patio
Gemma S.

What a great little brewery over in East Walnut Hills! Upon entry, the space is incredibly open. There are plenty of tables, and the walls are filled with fun pictures and paintings. My friend and I stopped in during the week, so it was a bit on the quieter side. This was perfect for us however, because we were able to sit and chat and take in the place. Our bartender, Laura, was lovely. She was super knowledgeable and chatted with us for a while. We also met more of the staff outside by the fire pit, and they were all wonderful as well. This is a local business that is Asian-owned and black-owned too, so I'm extra glad we discovered it and were able to stop in. My friend and I tried their new beer, the Azalea, which I thought was great. Laura recommended it to us, and it was delicious! I'm glad we went with her suggestion, as my friend really enjoyed that one too. They have a nice, outdoor patio space in the back, with a little fire pit that we were able to use. This is especially good to keep in mind as summer is almost here; there are plenty of picnic tables, so big parties could come and sit outside as needed. I am really glad I found Esoteric, and will definitely be back!!

2 flights of Esoteric Brews.    The Odyssey NE IPA & the Kalimantan Coffee Cream Ale both are really good.
Chris B.

Always a great spot to stop for some really great beers while in the Clifton Walnut Hills area. Lounge atmosphere. I really enjoy coming in here. Yes they have food --- Decibel. Very good!

Sandra F.

This is the classiest brewery I've been to yet very laid back and welcoming. You walk in and you are greeted by the workers. I told them it's our first time. You can sit anywhere and they will wait on you. Instantly I love the concept. We decided to sit at the bar. The brewery is very spacious! Love the decor, lighting, lounge chairs, and the mood. There is also outdoor seating. Esoteric Brewing does canning, howlers/growlers to go, flights and they have great selection of taps, wine, and cocktails if you are not a beer drinker. There is something for everyone. We decided to do two flights of four: Chrysalis American cream ale Tuesday Night Remix black tea Mystic Celestial juicy pale ale Virtue Belgian double Dahlia Brown 1794 Black IPA Paramount Porter Opulence Stout Wow! Great quality of craft beers! All tasted smooth! It was hard to choose my fave. Loved the black tea finished on the backbone, the caramel taste of the virtue, the rich flavor of the opulence. Our server even let us try samples of the Karma and Lotus. So good! What a great and fun experience! I am so glad we paid them a visit. Great service and beers. We are fans and can't wait to come back!

Sandy H.

One of the many reasons I love Cincinnati are the many many breweries we have in the city! I love that each tells a different story and altogether paints an awesome picture of our Queen City's beer scene. Esoteric I feel represents a lot of Cincinnati, from their founders to the events they put on. It's not just a place to have great beer (which they do have) but it's also a lounge that invites you to stay and enjoy yourself and catch up with friends. One event I definitely have my eye on is their Filipino Kamayan Brunch! If you do not know what that is, head to their IG and check it out! Looks so good!

Whiskey sour

See all

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Thomas W.
0
185
154

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Mark S.
179
688
1850

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Drew B.
4
226
567

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of K L.
0
14
0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Love karaoke brunch! Enjoyed that they had sparkling wine also. I'm not a fan of beer. Nice atmosphere.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Love the best and the service! They do amazing work and they're the best. I am thankful for what they do for the community.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Every time we go here the drinks are incredible, the vibes are great, and the people are amazing! Can't recommend coming here enough

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Leah S.
310
769
1595

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Aww shucks! You just made us blush Julie!

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Introverts unite!! Thank you.

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Jim H.
184
427
1515

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

So glad you had a good time. We're grateful for our friends!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

5 years ago

Helpful 9
Thanks 0
Love this 8
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Karen D.
122
1012
2197

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Glenn C.
1434
1694
5454

5 years ago

Helpful 9
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Tiffany D.
3045
1006
6628

5 years ago

Helpful 10
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Sherry A.
60
52
49

3 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Marvin A.

Marvin A.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 3

Ask the Community - Esoteric Brewing

Does it have other alcohol?

Hi! Yes we do. We offer a selection of cocktails and wine.

Is Taste of Belgium opened the same hours as the brewery?

They close an hour early but generally yes.

Are dogs allowed inside or just outside?

Due to State of Ohio COVID-19 guidelines dogs are not allowed except service animals

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Breweries 3,950 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Voodoo Brewing

Voodoo Brewing

(97 reviews)

$$

Downtown

Stopped in recently for dinner after a Bengals game and had a great time. If you're leaving the…read morestadium area it's a 20 minute walk with some uphill, but well worth the trek to get ahead of the crowds. The bars near the stadium were mobbed. The seating is family style with long tables. You can order via QR codes (meh) or walk up to the side of the bar for food and drink. The manager came around and introduced himself to everyone and was all over the place. Helping in the kitchen, bar, cleaning up etc.. He's definitely an asset because he didn't disappear as the rush started coming in. The inside is nicely decorated and I was digging their Voodoo/skull theme. We settled in and watched the 4pm NFL game on one of the large TV's while chatting with some disappointed Bengals fans and locals. Beer wise they had a nice selection of classic Voodoo brews (we used to get them a lot in the Philly area several years ago), a balance of styles and some newer brews I'd never heard of. If you enjoy the dark side of beer the Where Our Secrets Go Imperial Stout was delicious and thankfully more along the lines of the traditional style Impy Stout. I had an IPA that I can't remember the name of, but it had a nice Belgian yeast/hop twist to it. My son enjoyed their root beer. Food wise the Jumbo Chicken Wings, roasted in house hit the spot, I highly recommend them. I added their Good Vibes BBQ "Sawce", but you can get them dry rubbed or chose from several other "Sawces". The wings were big with fresh meat and the sauce was great. The Pub pretzel we ordered was huge and the good vibes beer cheese complimented it well. The Mr. Pickles Fried Pickles were also a great choice for an app. They were a big portion. My friend had the Chili Mac and my son ordered the Lil Mashburgers - 2 little smashburgers oozing with cheddar & chippies off the kids menu. We ate, had a couple of beers and enjoyed our dinner at Voodoo before we explored more of downtown Cincy. I'll be honest I wanted to avoid BrewDog and Voodoo and experience home grown Cincinnati breweries, but we were really happy we stopped at Voodoo. Thanks guys you earned a fourth star for great friendly service from the manager and bartenders!!

It wasn't great, it wasn't bad. We got the beer cheese queso, some wings, and fries. The beer…read morecheese wasn't great, the chips were a little stale. We ordered extra hot wings, and the sauce was great but to make it "extra hot" they just added a metric ton of hot pepper or some hot seasoning, and it was nearly inedible. They were extremely over sauced. The fries were okay. My dry rub wings were good. It's basically self serve, you order on the website via QR code. They brought our food all at once due to that, to include the appetizer. Service was quick but we only saw our "waiter" once to deliver our food. If we had needed refills, we wouldn't have gotten them. We didn't even get silverware and only got one appetizer plate. The ambiance was nice, it's a great looking facility. I probably won't be back though, unfortunately. Just not great enough to bother going again. We did have one beer off the draft list that was good. The dragons milk.

BrewDog Cincinnati - The preview of the front of the brewery

BrewDog Cincinnati

(189 reviews)

$$

Over-the-Rhine

After striking out at Braxton down the street (Closed on a football Sunday for an event wtf?) we…read morewent to BrewDog. The layout was pretty typical for them albeit on a smaller scale than their locations in Las Vegas and Columbus. Several bar areas, a gaming mezzanine, couches, art on the walls and a roof deck (wasn't open when we visited). The large L shaped bar was clean and manned by a nice fellow. We headed up to the mezzanine and played some games while watching the 4pm game on their big screens. Food wise - we didn't eat here, but I can tell you from past BrewDog experiences their wings are always on point. Beer wise - They had a good mix on their 24 or so taps - IPA/Pale Ales (8 on tap), ciders (4), stouts & dark beers (3), lagers & pilsner (2), sour & fruit-based (2) and five beers for a community beer festival that was running that weekend. $1 of every pint poured went to charity. I had a Winter Staycation at 7.5% - our seasonal stout that brings rich pecan and sweet toffee flavors right to your glass. Every sip is a warming blend of nostalgia and bold flavors, crafted to remind you of the comforts of the season. If you loved last year's cozy winter release, this one's sure to feel right at home. It was average with sweet pecan flavors, caramel, vanilla, toffee and tasted malts. Drank like a porter. It was OK which is what most of their beers are. Just above average in my humble opinion. From my experiences between BrewDog and Voodoo, it seems the outsiders are better options than the local breweries (except Northern Row they were good) in Cincinnati. Can't go wrong with visiting this BrewDog. Thanks guys!

We had a great pre-concert experience at this location! Service was great! Elvis juice is always…read morehittin! Honey adobo wings is straight gas!

MadTree Brewing - 2025 Oakley Taproom Patio - Cincinnati Brewery

MadTree Brewing

(689 reviews)

$$

Oakley

MadTree had my heart, and there's no other way to say it. This is my parents' and my go-to spot…read morewhen they visit to hang out with some good drinks and food. We absolutely love their nachos and, of course, their variety of drinks. Their nachos were perfectly cheesy, and the guac on top adds the nicest flavor and oomph to the massive tray. For drinks, I tried the new 'Cincitucky' trail lager. It was super smooth and a nice, easy drink, definitely recommend if you're into similar drinks like Rhinegeist's Cincy Light. I think the atmosphere and the vibes are what keep me coming back to MadTree again and again. It is so warm, welcoming, and lively in there. The space is big and perfect to chat amongst others or watch whatever game is going on at the time. It is also so perfect for families and fluffy friends.

My partner and I came here for trivia the other night. We both got beers and ordered some wings and…read morea cheese pizza to split. Overall this place is cool. It's got a huge inside with long tables and a large bar, plenty of space for large groups. Outside is even bigger, with plenty of tables of all sizes for any group. We sat outside to hear the trivia better and enjoy the pleasant evening. You order your drinks at the bar and your food through a QR code on the table you're sitting at. This process was nice, as we didn't have to track anyone down or stare at a menu while trying to order with a line behind us. We got our beers from a friendly bartender, sat, and took our time scrolling through the menu. Our food came together, which was strange as we expected the wing appetizer to come first. The pizza was awesome! The cheese blend reminds me a lot of costcos. The wings were just okay. Maybe I am not a buffalo person, but overall they did not have much flavor. Next time we'll try something else. Prices can add up, but it is nothing crazy compared to places around town. If you want a nice evening with good drinks, good atmosphere, and good food, I'd recommend here.

Listermann Brewing - Wine making class

Listermann Brewing

(152 reviews)

$$

We had a really fun evening at Listermann Brewing Company's beer and cheese pairing event. The…read morepairing of four of their beers with Urban Stead Cheese Company had been thoughtfully chosen. A representative from both the Listermann and Urban Stead gave us some background on their businesses and then talked a little about each offering. We enjoyed all of the beers, but Chickow!, a Double Brown Ale with Hazelnut, was definitely our favorite. Hubby even bought some cans to bring home! Their restaurant is closed on Tuesdays, so perhaps we'll go back on another day of the week next time to check them out as well.

One of my favorite activities when traveling with friends of like mind is some beer tourism. This…read morewas our first spot in Cincinnati. We had hoped for food, but the business that does food in the building is another company and they were out for spring break. So sad. ;-) The brewery has a nice vibe to it. There is a small taproom with a much larger Oktoberfest styled hall (meaning large community tables). There are plugs here if you work remote, although I would NEVER do that. :P The beers are not the best I had in Cincy, but they are above the average in Cincy, so it is definitely above average. It is also a well-known, stable brewery. I understand Listermann recently sold the spot, so it will be interesting to see if there are changes going forward. The board is a bit heavy at this point, with quite a few brews over 10%. My feelings on the beers? The IPAs are decent, but they shine brightly with their stouts and pastry sours. The blackberry cobbler sour (12%) and Forbidden Imperial Stout got my top marks. Would love to return and see how the food is here, but spring break worked against me. If you go through my profile, you will find I have a couple of hidden gems we found on our trek.

Esoteric Brewing - breweries - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...