OTR Cincinnati

Last night I met up with some friends for happy hour after work and as many times as I've been to Over-the-Rhine it's always been a quick park and walk to the bar or restaurant. Yesterday I had some time to kill so I finally got to walk around and check out some of the cute little shops that I typically run past on the way to my destination. I've always gone past and thought "one day I'll come down and check that place out," but one day never came, until now.

The history of OTR is pretty interesting if you get time read up on it before you check it out. You can do that on your own, I'm just here to give my insider details of the places I have been (not all of them were yesterday, I mean it was a weeknight and I'm not THAT crazy to stay out so late, lol).

Kismet is the shop I found this outfit at! I actually wasn't planning on buying anything (definitly didn't plan on changing my outfit) but fell in love with this store and figured if I get hit by a bus tomorrow I don't want to not have worn this. It's located at 1233 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 and has a sister store "Toka Baru" is Clifton (I have not been there but if you shop at Kismet they will give you a 20% coupon for Toka Baru).

Lane & Kate is a truly unique store. If you're a guy downtown you definitely will be glad this place is in your life because it's the one stop shop to please your lady! Very nice jewelry (if you are familiar with the brand "Tippy Taste" it reminds me of their jewelry). On one wall they have all kinds of unique cut flowers so you can arrange your own bouquet to give with the bling you pick out!

Elm and Iron and Elm and Iron Loft (I actually don't know which one I like better because both have very unique items from each other but I LOVE the space at Loft. If every I go missing, I have moved into this store.

(Don't you just want to curl up and live here?! I do!)

Krueger's Tavern has a fun rooftop bar and interesting decor. I highly recommend ordering the meatballs as an appetizer and they always have delicious cocktails. I had the Whiskey Punch (blackberry, whiskey, orange juice, cranberry juice and a splash of soda).

Holtman's Doughnuts, mmmmmm, I wish I could say more than "you just have to go (early) and experience it for yourself." I can't even recommend any one doughnut over another because they are all amazing!

Revel Wine Bar this place is unique because they sell wine from not only their blends but from other local wineries. The owners are wonderful to talk to, not at all snooty wine guys. They want you to enjoy and ask questions and not feel like you have to be a pretentious person to enjoy wine. Mike and I actually discovered a wine maker extremely close to our home (not a winery, he makes it at his home and places like Revel sell it). It was amazing wine and we couldn't believe in the 13 years we've been in the area that we never knew about his wine! Skeleton Root is another really cool wine bar (with an outside seating area, kids and dogs welcome) in OTR but it's not quite walking distance. All of the one's I have listed are within walking distance of each other.

Japps Since 1879 is a swanky bar that has been in countless news articles, every week they have a chalkboard with several specialty cocktails designed by Owner Molly Wellman (usually themed for whatever is going on in Cinci that week). Wednesdays are Tiki Night and there is always something going on. Bartenders are friendly and happy to talk to you.

Goodfellas Pizzaria and Wiseguy Lounge -Pizzaria below, bourbon bar upstairs, what is better than that?! Be warned: Goodfellas Pizza can be ordered by the slice or by the pie and the pieces are HUGE! Very very good pizza, I am getting hungry just thinking about it. The fun thing about this place is you can bring your food upstairs and eat while you sip your bourbon (of which they have a lot of bourbon to choose from). There are a lot of places to sit and sip, you can sit in the main bar, outside, in the loft area. It's great for large groups because there is a ton of space.

16 Bit Barcade is a fantastic place to go to play your favorite throwback video games and drink beer! Games are free to play as long as you have a beer next to you and surprisingly it's never super packed! I have gone a few times and people are generally respectful as not to play one game for too long. It a nice change in atmosphere from just going to the bar and sitting there.

Hope you enjoyed OTR! There are a ton more places that I wish I could have shared, but I would be writing forever if I shared them all. So you'll just have to take a trip and check this place out!

Before you go I want to share some of my favorite finds for Fall!