I used to love coming here in college. Back then, they were pushy about coming by frequently to ask if you wanted to order anything else. When asked kindly, I would happily oblige as I was grateful to have a place open late enough for me to get my work done. Unfortunately, things have changed for the worse. Now, we were asked to leave if we didn't make another purchase despite the fact that we were not even done with our first drinks. As many other reviews have stated, we were berated by the worker about tipping because he told us he only makes $3 an hour. Having worked as a barista myself and knowing many others, I have never known a place to pay baristas (or bartenders) a server's wage rather than minimum wage. Even still, as of 2026 in Ohio the minimum server wage is $5.50. Most likely the worker was lying, but the owner Shawn Brooks should be ashamed of himself and investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor. Also, the worker added extra charges to our bill which is so slimey. For all the complaining about not being able to stay in business if people don't buy multiple items, you will not be able to stay in business if you scare all your customers away. I will never patronize this business again. read more

Everything was amazing, smog was delicious! Servers was right on time and the wood cabinetry gave a warm homelike vibe! read more

This place is so unique! It's open until way late into the night. Lots of seating and funky tables and chairs, extensive menu and lots of drinks available. Service was minimal, it was very busy when we went around 10pm! read more

See all

Service was horrible! The person literally laughed and said don't come back as a joke to his friends? He barely served us and kept saying how busy he was and how he doesn't have time. Didn't even order anything hard just nachos and a dip and 2 pour drinks. It's crowded and loud and if people are partying there you won't get much space. read more

I haven't been here in a while and I came to enjoy the patio on a Sunday afternoon. We ordered the jasmine ice tea, peanut butter milkshake, and an everything bagel with cream cheese. The bagel was over toasted and hard as a rock when I got it. The milk shake did not have a very strong peanut butter taste. The inside had a strong cigarette smell which was unfortunate. It seems like this place might be going down hill which is sad. The service was slow but there was only one person working so they should've had one more helping. read more

I come here because it's one of only coffee shops open late. It's a great spot to get stuff done if you like that "coffee shop talk white noise" music playing, muffled conversations etc. read more

Highland Coffee House - WiFi password - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place was super busy! My friend and I went around 8pm and the place was packed. We both ordered a white hot chocolate. It was delicious. I would order it again! read more

Highland Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

customer service was very polite the drinks were just mid. But to be fair it was not expensive at all. I tried the pink velvet drink hot and iced. I would recommend it if you like very sweet coffee. I don't think the coffee is that strong. read more

So insanely good. Staff was nice, place was clean, music good. Coffee was 10/10, will be going back!!!

My favorite spot for decades. Cool vibe, urban fun. Good coffee, cocktails, teas. Always nice people. read more

Highland Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

I've been going to this spot for 20 years and it's always been like a second home. Love the staff, the drinks and the company.

Great spot to get some work done or catch up with friends. Friendly staff and friendly patrons.

God do I love the Highland. A friend introduced me to this place a few months ago. Little did I know my mother and aunt used to frequent here all the time when they weee my age! The drinks are impeccable. The vibes are lovely. The bartender I always encounter is nothing but kind. The food is a little overpriced, but why would you be coming here for the food? Just a great experience. Highly recommend it. read more

Highland Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great little coffee shop. My partner used to visit this shop when in college. He would drive 45 mins to come to this shop and hangout. It had been about 25 years since his last visit so we had to stop in. With no smoking indoors, and afternoon customers, it was a different experience but extremely nostalgic. We sat in the front windows and enjoyed our drinks and laughed as he reminisced. I took a look around at the various seating areas and rooms. There was also a patio/deck in the back too. It was fun for me to experience the coffee house and I know he enjoyed it so much. We found street parking pretty easily and he enjoyed a mocha and I had a Chai Latte. It was a nice little unplanned stop while in-town. read more

Highland Coffee House - Window Seat - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The service was rude. Me and my friends got kicked out our table due to it "being reserved for four people" when it was literally before closing. I just needed to charge my phone. Then the server was rude and trying to lecture me about tipping when he was rude the whole time. And we was getting side eyed the whole time we was there. Is that racism?! Mind yall we all black , so what's really tea? read more

Bartender was chill. Atmosphere was energetic, some people having nice drinks and others quietly studying.

I love this place! There's a reason seating can be hard to get, because it's awesome. Jay is great, drinks are great, WiFi is great. Love the business hours as well! read more

The coffee was great, the atmosphere was a vibe and the service was excellent shout out to Allen. I'll be back for sure, definitely worth the stop. read more

Could give it 0 if I could horrible new owner and the workers are rude about tips.... Wouldn't go back

This is truly unique place. I've never been to a coffee bar open this late. As much as I feel it's not what they are intending to promote, this place was awesome for a night where I needed to put some extra work in. It was nice to get out of the apartment and have a warm, Rum Cider while I knocked some things out. The bartender/barista did mention however, that they begin to get very crowded come midterm/finals due to its proximity to campus so work that into your plan. I'd recommend Highland if you're in the mood to burn some midnight oil, do some thinking, or just want to enjoy a late night coffee or alcoholic beverage. read more

Highland Coffee House - Hot Rum Cider - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A great place to do homework at, schedule meetings, or go on dates. I love getting the hot rum cider there, it's not too strong but you can taste the rum. One of the workers is such a unique amazing person, but the other is hostile and slightly rude. There is street parking but it isn't too hard. Sometimes when you come there is no seating. The outdoor place is great, but sometimes people are too loud for me to focus on studying or there are too many cigarettes. A good place for procrastinators or late night students. read more

Highland Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A cozy coffee house, perfect for end of the night hangouts. The ambiance and drinks are top tier. Props to Jay, he is an amazing barista and a gentle soul that makes you feel really welcomed. Would give more than five stars if I could. read more

Highland Coffee House - White chocolate raspberry latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Place has decent vibe but owners and workers are extremely greedy. You will be required to buy something at least once every 45 minutes and the cheapest thing on the menu is like $6 so it starts to add up. If you don't tip enough they will try to publicly shame you into tipping them more as though they didn't just rob you of $12 for a lemon ginger tea packet and some warm water. read more

I'm giving this an updated 5 stars for the delicious coffee and service, but because there are some cupcakes that get angry that this is a business. If you want to chat with your friends, go to a park. This isn't an Internet cafe, it's a business. If you aren't going to buy anything, they have every right to ask you to leave for PAYING customers. read more

A wonderful late night cafe - a neighborhood spot where all are welcome regardless of demographic.. always a corner to hang out in, indulge with strangers in, play cards in.. I only ever get black coffee and the chicken salad sandwich but it's truly incredible/never disappoints.. nothing like typical stale tasteless American cafe food. Claudio is the best bartender hands down. He is always sweet even when the place is packed and entitled rich college kids are breathing down his back.. the workers are constantly running around working their butts off.. I love this historical niche spot!! 10/10 read more

Love it love it love it love it love it. The vibe here is amazing. Try their Iced Thai Coffee. It's so good. The only bad reviews I've seen seem to be related to the workers having an "attitude", but you have to put yourself in their position. The place is packed every night and there's usually only one person working. I have a feeling any reaction you've gotten out of the workers was because you were being impatient or were looking to start an argument. All the workers here are great people. As long as you're patient and not being obnoxious you should have a nice time. On a really busy night the longest I'll wait for my drink is probably about 20 minutes. On average I wait about 3-7 minutes. If you're a night owl it's a nice place to hangout at since they're open till 2:30am. I've been going here for almost 5 years now and I've never had a bad experience. Check it out Edit: If you're only going to come here to study and not order anything then don't go at all unless you plan on paying the study fee. It's a business, not a library. The workers here make money off tips, and a broke college student who can't afford a drink definitely isn't tipping. The place is too busy for you to occupy a whole table for hours with your computer and study materials. If you're going to study then get some drinks. read more

You either love or hate Highland. Either way, it self-selects for negative experiences since you're usually coming here for late-night work sessions precipitated by your own procrastination. On the bright side, it's a decent-enough space to burn the midnight oil if you really must get out of the house and get some mobile work done. read more

I love it here. The workers are so nice. The place has very chill vibes. Seating can be limited depending on when you go. They have games there to play which is a plus! read more

I cannot believe that this beautiful late hour business exists in Cincy. I needed to have a late night friendly space before my train. The staff was stellar. The space had an indoor antique 1970s fern bar coupled with an outdoor patio. The menu includes alcohol and not. When I was there, students studying were common. They have food too. The building is eighteen! 50s-60s, and this business is from the nineteen 80?s, enduring. Perfect calm, low key, late night budget experience! read more

have had good experiences here occasionally but there is consistently one bartender who cannot make my drink correctly and it's very upsetting because i used to really like this place. it was so bad that i could not even drink it, it tasted like he purposely made it taste like shit. although it's very artsy on the inside, it's nearly impossible to find a table and when you do it's about 5 inches away from someone else. i have to say i used to really like this place but my last experience here really made me not want to come back. read more

I absolutely adore Highland Coffee House. It's a wonderful old coffee house, the kind that were common in the 90s before Starbucks became a household name. It's open late. It serves boozy coffee and other winter cocktails, like a rum cider. It has fantastic snacky food, like a hummus and swiss cheese sandwich with onions. It has crumbly walls and peeling paint. I felt so bohemian and literary while I was there. It also has a cool garden with a real fire to warm you in winter months. I'm all for this place and I hope it thrives for a very very long time. read more

Love the atmosphere. This is a great place for study and getting together with friends. The drinks we got were good and came out pretty fast. Saw a few negative reviews about guests being kicked out for not ordering and I initially sympathized. The menu states clearly the terms of staying there for longer than an hour. (It was probably posted elsewhere too but I didn't look) read more

I had an absolutely wonderful time during my first visit here. We called beforehand, and the owner answered quickly was super kind on the phone. When I arrived, I was greeted with delightful, friendly customer service and a very clean table. I ordered the Double Buzz and the chocolate chip cookie and they were to die for - I highly recommend! The atmosphere is relaxing and welcoming. The music was great and a perfect volume for speaking with others. The prices are unbeatable for the quality of food and drink! The menu is huge and has something for everyone (18+). They also have wifi. This place is for sure a new favorite! Be aware that parking can be iffy - you might have to walk a little to get here. Bring a mask to wear inside if not already seated. read more

Highland Coffee House - menu with great prices :-) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Came for after dinner drinks and coffee. Tucked away in the university district it's definitely got some hipster vibes but very unique and cool place. It use to be a bowling alley which is really interesting but the server was nice and very accommodating. I got the soy milk cappuccino which was brewed very unique. The foam was a lot dryer than most which I prefer but perfect place to park and read or hangout. Check them out! read more

One other person and I went at 8:30pm to study. We have things to do that require table space - she has to get out her textbook, computer, and iPad to take notes and I have to get out my computer, iPad, and paper to write an equation sheet. Staff won't let us take up more than one (very very small) two person table without paying a "study fee", which is either a drink worth $6 every hour or flat hour $6 an hour. The logic was there had been no open tables all night, but we walked past four open on the way out. The food and drinks are fabulous and I love this place, I was so sad to have to leave for this reason. read more

If you want to be harassed by employees for not tipping enough or sitting down too long this is the coffee spot for you otherwise stear clear of this sad excuse of an establishment. Drinks are okay priced. Need $5 minimum for card. Employees are downright disrespectful. read more

Ummm only the best place in Cincinnati. A classic!! Good coffee, full bar, and the ice cream with booze is a must! read more

I've been coming here occasionally to meet with friends for about 5 years now. They have a policy, which is written on the menu, that they prefer people to order something every hour or so that they are using the space. Last night I got there early to work on some things before my friends got there. I ordered a bottomless Jasmine tea, which was absolutely delicious, and a bagel. My partner stopped by after work to give me a small bag of rolls from the place he works to give to one of my friends at the end of the night. He sat down for a little while just to see how my day was before my other friends came. The bartender who was working (not Jay, the person who is usually bartending when I've gone in the past). He gave my partner a menu and my partner said he probably wasn't going to get anything and was just visiting me (a paying customer) for a short while. He, very rudely, told him that he can't bring other food there (like I said, we did not intend on eating the rolls there they were to be given to a friend at the end of the night) and said he had to order something. When he came back around for his order, my partner, who was really struggling financially said he literally couldn't even afford the cheapest item on the menu and that his card would decline. The guy was incredibly rude and basically told him that's too damn bad and that this was a place of business. I offered to get him something but he was so upset by the experience that he felt uncomfortable and left. Very shortly after, my friends showed up and all but one bought something, some getting multiple drinks and snacks. The one who didn't buy anything only planned to be there a short while, when he left, the bartender tried to shake him down for a drink he didn't order. It was an alcoholic drink & that friend hadn't drank alcohol in years so knew for a fact he didn't order the drink that the bartender was trying to say he ordered. For the entire time I was there I saw this guy be incredibly rude to anyone who so much as needed time to decide what they wanted to get. I work in retail and have a second job in food service, so I know there can be bad days, but I could not imagine acting this way to people and making them feel so small. If our friend who didn't order anything were kicked out as well we would not have stayed & no one would have gotten anything. I sure hope he was the owner bc if someone is acting like that for the profit of SOMEONE ELSE that's embarrassing. Final note: Jay has always been an incredible host, & while he still enforces the policy of having people order things while they are there, he is very nice and was a big reason why I'd go back and WANT to support the business. We're also just the kind of friend group that will absolutely jump to pay for a drink for a friend, so the policy isn't the issue, it's the borderline harassing people and making them feel like crap for me. read more

This is the kind of eclectic, beatnik joints you always hear about in the '60s. A rare gem that you only hear about by word of mouth, and once you do, it becomes a special place to each and every person it encounters. A second home of sorts. read more

I wish I could give this place 0 stars because of how rude the server was to me. The atmosphere is great but me and my friend sat down and he immediately came to us and said you need to get out if you don't order a drink and continued to badger us to spend money while all we were doing was homework. I told him we would get drinks later since we just sat down and that wasn't acceptable. read more