Welp it's been two years, the manager still has me band despite the racist experience I had with their bouncers. Coming up on me without telling me they are security. I wouldnt let them hold me cause I didn't know who they were, while I was just telling my friend I was going to the dance floor . It's discussing this city still treats latino men like this. Man I wish these bars would just change for the better and not be so discriminating. read more

The Setback - What setbacks used to be and still is :( - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Cool place to have a beer or a shot. It's what I call a walk in bar. Walk in do a drink and walk out. Still fun to hang with group. The photo is during the SantaCon. It was so packed in there, if anyone would have farted , they would have blown the windows out of the place......... read more

The Setback - Looking in from the outside - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Awesome place! Good specials everyday. Thomas is quick and attentive of guests. Great place to hangout after a fun day. read more

The Setback - Great patio with plenty of space - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Such a great place to get a nice drink especially on the week days They have some solid deals every day of the week and if you enjoy karaoke this is the place to be (on Wednesday and/or Sunday) If you like more of a party vibe this place is definitely a way to go for the weekend but if you're looking for a more chill place then hit this spot up Monday- Thursday The staff is also super awesome, always very friendly; and not bad looking either! 100% one of my favorite places in OTR read more

Another OTR bar is The Drinkery. It looks fancy but it's really not. The bar gets way crowded at nights and on weekends. It's quieter at happy hour. They also have no covers later. It has the same problem as the other bars in the area. It gets very busy the later you go. The place is packed on weekends. It has a line spilling into the street. This is a good bar, but it's not this good though. It's not as hectic for weekday happy hour. There's actually empty seats and tables. I had a vodka and tonic, and it was really good. This is about $3 for happy hour. I like it at the right time. It's better without all the idiots. The worst thing is probably the crowds, so go on a weekday. read more

The Setback - Vodka - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was in a pretty good mood by the time we got here for reasons that should be obvious. The place is interesting enough and the drinks reasonably priced. I only had beer here so I can't speak to anything else but the staff was attentive even as it got crowded. The live music was designed exactly for people my age so I enjoyed that very much. Please pander to me musically! Generally nothing stood out as remarkable but I'd happily come back. read more

Sophia is the best bartender in town! A hometown hero! She is the best! She was so patient when the bar was full and all my drinks were awesome ! read more

The Setback - Sophia is the best bartender in town! She is a hometown hero! Come to find out she actually graduated from colerain! - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Service was very good. Despite how busy it was, the bartender was very attentive and knowledgeable.

This place is just the worst. I was there & some friends were joining. My one pal was not allowed it because he was "wearing a white shirt" & when the bouncer let a girl in with a white shirt, friend asked why and his response was "because she is a girl." Bro what... The bartender was also incredibly rude. read more

At 9:30 with no one in the bar they take your seats in case they get busy. And they are rude about it. Never going back.

Great service from the bartenders, may get crowded but who wants to drink alone? They also have a very attractive staff (tall blonde bartender looks like he'd give you the best 2 minutes of your life) highly recommend read more

My friends and I waited 30 minutes to get in and we're denied entry because I was wearing a white t shirt with khakis. This is a common issue it seems with The Drinkery. The bouncers were very aggressive about it. I won't be back. read more

Always a chill place to grab a drink and hang in OTR. Their happy hour goes till 8 too which is a plus!

this place is in shambles. you have a boss who can barely count to 2 teaching his coworkers how to bartend. truly a terrible establishment, with all respect read more

Updating to say, they are consistently out of almost every drink I try to order. They are not open on Sundays and randomly aren't open at other days/times when their hours say they are. The section of bottled/canned beer is sad. Their bathrooms should be on bar rescue. There is practically no seating. On a final note, the band is always "setting up" but never seems to play. I wish there were music up until then. I continue to make excuses for this place, but there is nothing left to be positive about here. read more

First time visiting. Not impressed with the bar tender. He was rude, short with our order. The place was not busy. This was Valentine's eve. We ended up leaving after our first drink. Won't be back read more

After an dinner, we wanted to go to a bar and just lounge. We stumbled upon this place and I didn't know it existed. I really like the crowd and vibe. It was super busy and the bartenders waited on us right away. Price on top shelf drinks was not bad. They also have live bands on the weekends. If you want to go to a place that is laid back, I would come here. read more

Definitely would avoid this place. A friend was recently DRAGGED out of this bar for using the men's restroom. The unnecessary force felt extreme and the behavior from both the bouncer and management was unacceptable. read more

My friend was dragged out of this bar by a bouncer and was given no explanation. Be careful!

DONT GO. It is never okay to leave bruises on a calm patrons. Disgusting treatment and management gave no apologies.

This place takes me back to my college days. Seriously, they were even playing music from that era. It gets busy, and more fun after 1030pm on a Saturday night. No frills drinks, pretty clubby, but the crowd makes the atmosphere. No cover charge is a bonus. Not super quick or easy to get a drink when crowded. Probably not a place i'd want to see in the daylight. read more

This bar is spacious and filled with comfortable couches, making it feel like you're hanging out at a friend's. The bartenders are friendly and there is usually a decent selection of beer, as well as liquor. The best part about this bar for me is the location. It is conveniently located within walking distance to many other popular OTR bars and there is no cover! Bonus! Maybe we have had bad luck in the nights we choose (mainly fri and sat), but it has unfortunately not been busy at all on most of our visits. I hope that people will give it a chance so that another business can be successful in OTR. read more

Do not come here. I tipped 20% and they rounded it up to 40% without my permission. I didn't realize it until after I left and got the notification from my credit card app. They probably do it all the time because they assume their customers are too drunk to notice. read more

I like The Drinkery. Some people dislike it and I can understand that because like they've said it really isn't an "OTR" bar. And I'm completely fine with that. I'm not saying I don't like OTR bars but when I want to switch it up The Drinkery is where I come. It is one of the larger bars in OTR so that means you won't be shoulder-to-shoulder. There are even couches scattered around for you to just chill in. And like others have said it's never crowded, like literally never crowded. It really is a some kind of phenomenon because while Neons, Japp's, Rhinehaus, MOTR and others are pouring over with patrons, The Drinkery (which is directly in the middle of these) stands fairly full, kinda empty, waiting for customers to come in. We routinely call it the "Overflow Bar" because it's where people go when the other bars are too full. While they don't do anything special or entice you to come there as opposed to other places they do everything just fine. Cheap drinks, karaoke some nights, live music on others, ping pong tournaments, and even a pretty cool patio complete with fire pits. They do offer a lot which is why people consider them to have an identity crisis which is true but I love the light chill feel to break up a night of more intense places like Japp's or The Lackman and others. Very solid bar in my opinion. read more

I see no reason to complain about the Drinkerey. Sure they don't have the best selection of booze, sure it's a little dirty and sure there is no gimmick. What they do have is cheap beer (as long as you aren't picky) and strong well drinks. I would also mention that summer of 12 through November Of 12 I saw some great punk shows. Masked Intruder, Lipstick Homicide, Weak Teeth and local heroes (assholes) the Dopamines, just to name a few. While there has been a music drought as of late, and there is lots and lots of over-flow from Japps, I like the Drinkerey. If they return to being the place in OTR to watch some punk music and get rowdy they will have ALL of my business. P.S. I really dig the lady painted on the back wall behind the bar and the wall paper. Who said it wasn't fancy! read more

The Setback - Weak Teeth - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I've got nothing against the Drinkery, but at times it seems to be missing something. Oh yeah...customers! Seriously, I think maybe the crowd in OTR is too trendy for this bar, which absolutely stinks because the bartenders are probably the nicest and most attentive in the area. Granted, they could stand to maybe class it up a notch, but when I get fed up with the massive wait for drinks or the overwhelming pretension at some of the nearby bars, I pop on over to the Drinkery and imbibe. They have some unique bottles and if you need to check the score on a big game, they'll have it playing on a television. There are not many other places in OTR where you can do that. read more

This is another bar in OTR that is nice, but not as memorable as other places. The best time to go is when they have live music which makes for an experience. There isn't anything wrong with the Drinkery, just nothing special. I'll go again, but unless they have live music that night, its not my first choice. read more

This was the WORST bar experience I have ever endured in my life. I came to Cincinnati for a Xavier basketball game with a couple of buddies and we wanted to grab a drink after the game. We decided on "The Drinkery" based on a recommendation from an old college friend who claimed over the Rhine was fantastic so why not? Well, there are many reason as to why not: -On a Wednesday night it took 30+ minutes to finally get service at the bar. -They had Karaoke but the man working decided to claim he was too "booked" to allow us to sing (it was 12). -Not only was the bar top filthy but the floor was absolutely disgusting. I know bars are obviously not always clean but this place was GROSS. -There was a bearded man that allegedly worked as a manager who made a remark claiming that he "owned" the bartender working when one of my pals asked for her name. He also grabbed my friend by the shirt for trying to jog to the bathroom claiming that there was "no running" in the bar. We were all really excited to go to Cincinnati for a fun time but "The Drinkery" is definitely not the bar you should post your faith in. Please save yourself a waste of a night and go anywhere but here when visiting over the Rhine so you are able to dodge an experience like mine. read more

Classist. I got denied because an old shooter ( from my deceased cousin ) was at the bottom of my purse, which they told me to throw away to deny me again. I don't know these men well enough to comment, but some of the things said to me were classist at best, but bottom line is: don't go here if your parents don't have money. read more

This was my first time at the Drinkery. The specific reason I went was to see a band in town from Nashville. They had a stage set up with a dance floor. To be honest I have walked by this bar in OTR several times, but most of the times this place is not open. I often wondered what the stage was set up for... Local artists? Open mic night? Traveling bands? When my friends took me inside, I was pleasantly surprised that this was the place I have passed several times on my way to Neons. Glad it was open for the band was awesome. I was able to see the band Magnolia Sons-funk band with soul. Needless to say, it was packed. The music was totally worth it, but the space was pretty small so by the end of the night I was covered in everybody's drinks that they spilt while trying to dance in a crowded spot. My shoes stuck to the floor with all the spilled alcohol, but I'm assuming that is probably normal for a dancing in the bar with an awesome band. Anyway, I will definitely return to hear this band again and was pretty excited that this band returns every month. I would also love to see what else you do with your space. read more

The Setback - Pubs Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place is a nightmare. Bad drinks, truly obnoxious staff especially the creepy raged out door guy. Everything is sticky. These jerks added a$50 tip to my bill after I heft. Realized it the next day. The few times I have had the misfortune of being there even briefly, the staff seems to start a scenes with the patrons. read more

Really fun place to dance!! I've been here twice, both times on a Friday night. No cover and the drinks are pretty inexpensive. Music is a mix of old and new songs. Place fills up around 10-11PM and stays full until 2AM. read more

Great place to go on the weekends if you want to dance, great happy hour deals and honestly very affordable all around. Jell-O shots and their creative cocktail deals are my favorite part. Very quick service for a bar this size. read more

They kick out people who go down the steps outside without any sign or warning. Very unprofessional and rude. Completely ruined a fun night out. read more

My friend received actual hand-shaped bruises after being dragged across the floor by the bouncers for simply trying to use the men's restroom. The manager justified this action for "not following the rules". Avoid at all costs. read more

Great bar and the GM is sexy. OMG

I'm a big fan of the Drinkery. Here, what you see is what you get: no frills, no fancy. It's got cavernous ceilings, which helps it feel open and spacious. There's an outdoor patio space, but I've never used it, as I've only been to the Drinkery in the colder months. My favorite thing about the Drinkery is karaoke. I love me some karaoke. Seriously. LOVE IT. And karaoke at the Drinkery is amazing. The two-room setup is great even for those less in love with the art of public singing. The main bar has a long bar with comfy stools and an extremely friendly bar staff (Jessalynn S. is completely right about that!). The selection is good, and sometimes they have rather clever seasonal mixed drinks, but don't mistake this place for Japp's or Neon's: you come here for the beer, or no-fuss liquor. Nothing fancy! They always have a good selection of Moerlein on tap and cheap Hudy by the bottle. I just wish they had more...or really, ANY beer specials. The other room is very open with little to no seating-- a random couch and chair here or there. But this room is really for standing and watching whatever's happening on the stage. I've never been to the Drinkery when they have a band in, but I bet it's loud and fun. As I say above, I go for the karaoke, and that's when I'm on stage, making a fool of myself and loving every second of it. For those less inclined to stand and listen, there's a pool table in the back of the room as well. Overall, this bar is a great part of OtR. You go to Japps for the cocktails, Neon's for the giant Jenga, Mr. Pitiful's for the live jazz, and the Drinkery for the no-frills beer. Gotta have it all, and this place absolutely delivers. read more

I feel like Drinkery doesn't fit in with all the other bars in OTR. Everything else has such attitude and personality. Drinkery feels like every other sports/dive bar in the world. I have been there on three occasions and what I love about the place is that it is never very busy. When Japp's and Neon's are at capacity, you can still talk and move around here. This is because it just isn't very popular... Drinks are about the same as everywhere, nothing special. Bartenders are nice, but nothing standout. Atmosphere is fine and clean, but no Wow factor. This is a great place to stop on a pub crawl or if every other place is crazy busy, but will never be my favorite bar... or even a memorable bar. read more

JP's Drinkery (formerly Jack Pott's) is an alright local bar. If I'm in the mood for live music on a given night it's a solid choice. The drinks are good, the service is good, the space (including the outdoor patio area in the back) are good. The problem is that it's competing in a neighborhood where other bars are doing these things great. MOTR is generally stronger on the live music while Neon's has a better environment. JPs is a perfectly acceptable bar to go to when the other bars get too crowded. The only actual complaint I've got is that it can get too loud to carry a conversation when the bands are on. The staff and owner are really nice and I'd recommend checking this bar out. But if you're familiar with the OtR bar scene then you'll probably end up spending time at a bar that's more focussed on what you're really looking for. read more

I visited this place recently to checkout their new Motown Mondays theme. I am a huge Classic Soul music fan so I had to check this out! I came in with a group of friends ready to drink and dance our butts off to oldies. All of my drinks ran about $6 which was great. The DJ allowed requests and I made several of them. However, he did seem to get a little fussy and rude toward the end of the night, which threw us off guard. He plays real records from his collection rather than finding them online, so he may not be able to play everything you request. There wasn't much of a crowd but I'm sure that will change as the weather gets consistently warmer. I liked the look and feel of the bar. It wasn't upscale but it was spacious and had the right feel for the theme. read more