a cozy pub in downtown middletown. We went for at patrick's day and enjoyed live music, fun drinks and good food. read more

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Wow... what a mess. We came in with friends before a concert, hoping for a relaxed dinner. Arrived at 5:30 pm, placed our order immediately, and after 90 minutes we still had no food. Just as we were ready to walk out, the server finally appeared--only to deliver food to the wrong table. He sat a burger in front of one of our friends - thinking it was the right burger our friend started to munch on the fries and touched the burger. When the server realized that the order wasn't ours, he took the plate that our friend had started eating on and placed it in front of another customer - not even bothered that our friend had touched and eaten some of the food.. At that point we cancelled and left hungry. Absolutely cannot recommend this place. read more

The Swire Inn - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

I love the service when I come to Swire. The friend banana pepper rings were SO good. My husband got the fish and chips and the fish was perfect. My daughter and I both got a burger. They were very dry. My husband said he had previously gotten a burger here and it was not dry like ours. We must have had a a bad day for it. All and all definitely worth another try! read more

The Swire Inn - fried banana peppers - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

Service was very good and it's a nice place with clean facilities, but the food was terrible! We were four diners and none of us were happy with what we had to eat. The bill was over $100 without any alcohol and before the tip. read more

Cold soup, warm beer. The only good thing about this date night was our waitress, Krista. So much potential, yet so disappointing. I came for Bowl Week Middletown wanting the lasagna soup and the soup temperature was like it was pulled out of the fridge. The pot roast sandwich was decent but we have had better. The other waitresses seemed to not want to work (we got here at 6:45pm). I could hear them openly talking about not wanting to take our table. All in all, better management and a kitchen that cared could really make this place stand out. read more

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Drove down from Dayton to our favorite place in Middletown (The Jug) but it was closed. So decided to try this place with Yelp's suggestion for a lunch. Arrived at 1 on a weekday and we were the only patrons in the place. Not a good sign, no locals, but we stuck it out. Was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the chef's offering. Better than average fries, pot roast sandwich, and french onion soup. Wait staff was friendly enough. Ambiance was nice in the old building, but these restaurants always feel cold in the winter. Probably deserves five stars but it's getting four today because next time In Middletown I'm still going to The Jug! read more

The Swire Inn - What's the grass like things in the french onion soup? - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

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A very cozy restaurant in Middletown. We stopped after a long drive and loved the experience. The waitress was super nice and we loved the food. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Interesting time here. Spent just under three hours, and still didn't get all our food. Another party came in after us, got appetizers before us, then left because of their wait. We stayed. For three hours. A couple in our party still hadn't received their food. Checks were wrong. And no explanation was given for the delay until we asked to see the manager. "We're short-staffed" was the reason given, but I'm not sure that quite covers it. First time here, and probably the last. It's a shame, because Middletown needs places like this--but they have to be run well! read more

Absolutely love their outdoor patio. It's so quiet and chill. Cocktails are amazing. Really like their Saratoga chips and bbq sauce. Their flat breads are really good too. read more

While the food is good the service is terrible. My husband and I were dining with friends prior to a show we were attending at Sorg. Had a 5:45 reservation, orders were placed by 6. Three of the meals arrived at 7pm, my flatbread finally arrived at 7:30pm. I asked for it to be boxed to go. Expecting a pizza box? No, it was thrown in a styrofoam. No concessions offered for the inconvenience just a poor waitress apologizing every 10 minutes. First and last time we dine there. read more

The Swire Inn - Chicken bacon ranch flatbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

Six of us had dinner before a concert at the Sorg. Service was great and attentive. The building is charming. Everything we ordered was so good. The chicken chunks were some of the best i have had. The rueben and shepherd's pie were also good. Will definitely come back again. read more

excellent food and attentive service and staff they are always friendly Food is always great, this place is very cool and never disappoints read more

impersonable waitress not trained that wore snoopy t shirt on valentines special pm Feb 2026(actually felt sorry for her so left 20%tip anyway). handed me spoon akwardly with edible side in palm of her hand. terrible service & absolutely terrible food. prime rib was awful borderline inedible overcooked grissle- ridden. no au jus served & could not even request done-ness to staff... ol fashion was quite bitter & diluted as primary bartender prioritizing smoke break. staff on smoke break actually passing around single cigarette taking turns w/puffs. this restaurant will not be in business soon. far greater talent w/chef & staff/bar @ previous Italian restaurant nearby that went out of business 2024/2025. read more

I love the atmosphere. It's quaint and really does give off that British pub feel; or at least the feel of what I believe a British pub would be like. Housed in a historic old building, exposed brick and dark wood. Old school dining rooms on one side, separate and apart from the bar seating area. The bar is very well stocked - you'll find Campari and Drambuie, for example. I saw about a dozen varieties of bitters. There are daily cocktail specials. Menu is limited; at some point in the past it was cut back severely from the original. Since we only moved here last year, that was a real disappointment for me - especially with Shepherd's Pie and Bangers & Mash among the deleted items. If you're perusing menu photos, make sure you look for the most recent ones. I did get some good news today that the Shepherd's Pie was expected to return before long, and had a heartfelt discussion with the barmaid on sources for the Irish Bangers to bring that dish back too. I was in earnest and hope she took my plea to heart and discusses it with the owner. This is a dish I would absolutely order. The items we have had here were very good to excellent. My husband was very impressed by the brussels sprouts app - such intensive flavor from the bourbon maple glaze, and nice and crispy - and the waiter suggested some teriyaki sauce on the side for dipping which really kicked it up a notch. I've had the chicken and waffles which were done perfectly. They came with two sauces, one of which was just a little too hot for my liking, but the other had perfect kick on top of the sweet. We've also had the deviled eggs and the soft pretzel apps. We actually tried a lot in only two visits. And....dessert. Bread pudding. Oh. My. Goodness! A hearty portion of eggy, raisiny goodness with a delectable bourbon sauce drizzle and an amazing creamy and custardy mouthfeel. I'm sorry I don't have a picture but we had this to take home at our first visit, and it was devoured very quickly. In fact I am kicking myself now for not ordering another one today. But I'll be back..... read more

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So I stop here unexpectedly and chose it based on pictures of the onion rings on previous reviews. Wow, I would say they we're probably the best onion rings I have had with a light cross between a beer batter and tempura. They were cooked perfectly. I also got the Swire Burger cooked medium well. It was delicious as well. It's a cute quaint place directly across from the Sorg Opera. Stop by and give them a chance. I want to go back and try their Shepherds Pie. They also have patio dining weather permitting. I'm very glad I found them. I'll be back! read more

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Absolutely the most amazing pot roast, tender with darker edges. Would highly recommend! The French onion soup was too hot to eat, had to finish my meal first. However, not enough cheese and it was too salty for my taste. Not sure if it was just tonight (a Tuesday about 8pm) but the patrons were VERY loud, maybe the locals. I was seated in the bar area, so par for the course, I guess. The waitress Katie and the bartender Shelbi were super friendly and took great care of me! read more

Alway fantastic food. Very cool place in a really old house turned business. Great decor that is still period appropriate. Never had an issue with the wait staff, prompt and courteous. read more

The Swire Inn - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

I've been here a few times and each time the food, service, and ambience are always the same...outstanding! The thing that sticks out most is the top notch service. The servers are friendly, knowledgeable, and quick. read more

Dropped by for a meal before a show at the Sorg. Super kind staff! I had a terrific salad with added chicken. Food came out quickly and was delicious. read more

The Swire Inn is located in the historic district of Middletown on Main Street across from the Sorg Opera House. There was plenty of parking available on the street. Upon arriving my guest and I were seated immediately and had our drink and appetizer order taken. I ordered a cup of clam chowder soup which was wonderful and for dinner I had the glazed salmon with vegetables and white rice. The glazed salmon had a good taste and the rice and vegetables was just ok. We had good service and I would consider returning here to eat. read more

The Swire Inn - Glazed Salmon with rice and vegetables - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

Good was great and service was as well! My sister always love this place when she comes up from Florida as she loves the Irish fares.

We have been here 3 times and each time food was really good. They even have live bands on occasion. read more

This cozy little pub has a decent selection of craft beers and menu of pub foods sure to keep you satisfied. My favorite is the deviled eggs, and make sure to ask what the flavor of the say is. They also offer onion rings that are basically giant donuts with onions inside. One serving is more than enough for 2-3 people. The food is priced about right, the craft beers are a little steep at $13 each, considering the location. If you are looking for a place to have some beers and salty food, this is it! read more

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We love this place. It's a cute little eatery just on the cusp of downtown Middletown. The folks running the place are super nice, the servers are very attentive and gracious. We've never ordered a dish that wasn't incredible. I really can't say enough about this eatery. I've never spent time talking to the managers but I do feel like I'm supporting a very nice family run business when we go her. They have areas for groups so give them a call and see what they can set up for you. read more

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ordered thru Uber hours ago and told when to deliver. At last minute they canceled our order. this place is a joke. customers not important read more

Really enjoyed this restaurant. great service. interesting and eclectic menu. Enjoyed the ambiance and will definitely go again. read more

Disappointed. Tbh, this is the first time we've been there since they've had a new owner. We're not thrilled with the changes. I ordered the Fish & Chips, but with onion rings instead of chips. The fish was ok - a large portion, but if my (poor) memory is correct, it used to be fried in a beer-based batter. This batter was tasteless.. The onion rings used to be great, and the batter (again, beer-based) used to be light and airy. I always looked forward to getting these. Today's onion rings were fried with a thick, doughy, flavorless batter. Obviously from a bag. My friend had the Rueben, which had almost no sauerkraut or 1000 Island dressing - maybe a tablespoon of each spread thinly over the corned beef (which was cooked to the point of being dry). There was no cheese on the sandwich, either. Ok, this wasn't described as being an over-stuffed sandwich, but it was the thinnest Reuben we've ever seen. Also, our salads came out BEFORE the appetizers. Weird. read more

I wanted to take a minute to update my review after moving back years later. The new owner had reached out to message me and apologize for the previous experience. I've been in a few times since with pleasant interactions with the friendly staff. Good food! read more

Food is always great, daily special deviled egg everyday which is one of my favorite parts about this place. Service is excellent, building is beautiful and well maintained. Outdoor seating is very nice and fenced in, great place to see live music or play trivia. read more

Our first visit was last Monday. We were delighted. Got the Brussels app. She had the Reuben, with onion rings. I got the Pot Roast. Both very good. Wines were excellent. Very good, friendly service. We liked the ambience. Folks at the bar were having a good time. Could be a regular spot. Will come again. read more

We were visiting the Sorg Opera House for a show and we saw this little place across the street & decided to stop in for dinner & drinks. Very glad we did! We sat at the bar, the bartender was really nice. I ordered a blueberry basil bourbon sour which was excellent! They have a full bar & lots of bottled beer, and a small amount of craft beer on tap. My husband ordered the burger & I got the hand-breaded chicken tenders & fries. The food was excellent! My chicken was obviously hand- breaded not something frozen out of a bag. My husband said his burger was great too! They had quite a variety on the menu....sandwiches, salads, fish & chips, shepherds pie, flatbreads, etc. When we were leaving we heard music coming from behind the building & we went back to look and there was a large outdoor patio with live music going on. I wished we would've sat out there, but we'll be going back to check it out. Only complaint- the food took quite awhile, but in fairness it was a Saturday night & they were busy. Check this place out!! read more

The Swire Inn - Blueberry basil bourbon sour - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

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I had lunch here yesterday with my daughter and we were completely underwhelmed with the food. We found it bland, under-seasoned and over-priced for the quality of the food. We arrived starving, looking forward to a good meal and were seated right away. We ordered the Deviled Eggs appetizer. They were boring, unfortunately. There was nothing that stood out about them. The eggs tasted fresh and of decent quality but they were (in the words of the server describing them to the table next to us as we were waiting for our bill) just your standard deviled eggs. And 6 standard deviled eggs, or 3 whole eggs total, for $8 is over-priced. My daughter ordered the Chicken Sandwich and I ordered the Pot Roast Melt. I chose the side salad instead of fries with my sandwich. The side salad was just the average side salad. The ingredients tasted fresh and it was pretty good. Underwhelming is the best way to describe both sandwiches. Both were under-seasoned and bland. And it was kind of dry. I did not finish my sandwich. I asked for a box but then decided to not take it with me. I didn't like it enough to carry it home and it would get wasted either way. I picked at it a little more and then left half the sandwich. The food all tasted fresh but it could've been so much better with a little seasoning to add some flavor. Again, I felt it was all over-priced for the quality of the food. It's in a cool old building in the historic downtown area of Middletown and the atmosphere was decent. The server was nice, although slow for the couple of tables she had. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd return. read more

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So glad that we decided to try this restaurant, the food and service were spot on. The best onion rings and don't miss the sangria Saturday special! read more

Delicious food, fun atmosphere, and reasonably priced! I enjoy my meals there! If you plan to be near Middletown, Ohio, I recommend a visit!

Don't bother going if you don't have a reservation! Absolute cluster ended up walking out !

Good food, service was also good. Always good atmosphere and prompt service, great small town place to support read more

First, Open Door said no tables were available from 4 p.m. but when calling the restaurant directly, we were given the option of a couple of favorable times during the same period. We had to wait a few minutes to be greeted at the hostess station (hey, you can't be everywhere at once). It gave us the opportunity to look the place over. In my opinion, the atmosphere seemed to be more worn down than historic. A sign board listed at least a half-dozen drink specials, all of which were quite appealing, We opted to sit on the patio as the evening was very comfortable. After being seated, we waited nearly 10 minutes to be acknowledged by our server. For this I'm less forgiving as there were 3 to 4 servers working the less than half filled patio. The drinks we ordered were excellent. The food was satisfactory. Two of my choices for entrees, Shepherds Pie & the Pork Chop, were unavailable (supply chain issues or poor inventory management?) I chose the Cajun boneless wings. I've stated it in other reviews: There are bars that happen to serve food and restaurants that happen to serve drinks. One function takes priority over the other. The Swine Inn is a bar so dining expectations should be based accordingly. ______________ Fellow Yelpers! If you have read to this point, help keep me motivated to continue posting reviews by taking a moment to express you're rating of it. Thank you! read more

The hubby and I were in Middletown for business and came upon The Swire Inn. It has a nostalgic comfortable feel. Walking into the inn you have a quiet dining area to the left and the bar with hightops to the right. Looks like the private and/or large party dinning areas are down the hall and upstairs. We choose a hightop in the bar area near the front window. We were greeted by Brandon, our server and given cocktail menus. I was intrigued by the flight of margaritas. Usually I see flights of beer, cider or wine so this was a happy change. Dean and I both opted for a flight of margaritas with brussel sprouts and deviled eggs for appetizer, followed by a Reuben with french fries and roast beef & au jus with onion rings, ending with full size strawberry margaritas. The dining areas were clean and inviting, the food was very good, Brandon was a very attentive server, the prices were reasonable and the restrooms were very clean. Dean was the one that mentioned the cleanliness of the restrooms so I had to go visit the ladies room myself and snap a few pics. We've added The Swire Inn to the list of our favorite gastropubs. read more

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Went for dinner Friday evening with friends. Though we didn't have a reservation, we were seated upstairs in a cute little room surrounded by 3 windows. As it got dark outside, we realized there were no lights in this room except for a small battery operated bulb on our table & a small votive candle. It was cozy & we had enough light to eat our dinner. We started with the deviled eggs (6 halves for $8). The deviled eggs were average & not worth the money in my opinion. My 2 friends ordered shepherd's pie ($14) and I got the bangers & mash ($14). The mashed potatoes were good but I didn't think the sausage was up to par. I tasted the shepherd's pie & it was delicious. The taste of lamb came through & it was nice to have such an authentic shepherd's pie. I ordered a side of brussel sprouts ($4) & they were very good. I would go here again - probably for lunch & slightly cheaper prices. read more

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This was our first visit to The Swire Inn. The fish sandwich and the prime rib sandwich were excellent! In addition, our server, Steven, was amazing! We asked about the history of the house. He shared a great deal of that history and after lunch, he gave us a tour of the home sharing more of that history. We highly recommend this establishment! Thanks Steven!!! read more