Overlook Lodge: A Rustic Watering Hole

Sooo glad my neighborhood got this amazing bar! The atmosphere is always fun and the drinks are always flowing! The specialty drinks are out of this world. If you want to start the night off right get the twins shots (the one with the pickle juice and vodka). I know, I know, pickle juice? YES. It doesn’t sound too good but it is amazing! If you’re looking for something more «brunchy» get the Blood Rush. It’s their take on a Bloody Mary and it is amazing. Trivia on Tuesdays and usually a band playing on the stage during the weekend. The space does fill up on the weekends but it is one not to miss out on.

I have only great things to say about this bar in Pleasant Ridge. The theme is awesome and all the little details are so fun to find and point out. I started with the snow tracks, and moved to a makers and ginger. The specialty cocktails are so well thought out and surprisingly delicious. The bar was busy, but our group of 5 was able to find seats very easily. The had live music playing in the background. The best part was how hard the owner of the bar was working when we were there. I was highly impressed with his commitment and level of dedication. I would highly suggest making a night of heading out of this part of town to check out this bar and all it has to offer!

I took a group of eight after work last night and we had a terrific experience. We tried three of the trail mixes, jerky, nearly all of the cocktails and the moonshine side-​by-​side shots. My favorite was the Red Rum and the Writer’s Block. Everyone commented on how good the drinks and snacks were. The placed filled up for trivia around seven, but we could all still hear each other. The Shining concept with the décor was amazing. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, the 70’s feel just makes drinking a little more fun and fancy somehow.
I contacted the bar ahead of time on Facebook to get information about bringing so many people to socialize on their trivia night, and got a helpful response right away and an offer to hold a table away from the action. I corral these same 8 – 10 people for happy hour activities weekly and it’s endearingly similar to herding cats, so really any offer of help/​hospitality practically makes me cry tears of joy. We came in during happy hour and were served by the owner, Jacob, who also offered recommendations and was generally just super cool to us the whole time he was there, as were the other bartenders. We’ll be back!

A great beginning! The Shining theme is a great accent, but the drinks are actually quite good. We were here on a Tuesday Trivia night, and it was a blast. My date and I decided to try all of the cocktails, and personal stand outs were the Hatchet-​it has a kick, the Garden Maze– two of these could put you under the table, and surprisingly enough, the alcohol free Frostbite-​it tastes like my childhood.
We tried the Camp Classic and Asian Trail Mixes-​both fine, but nothing to write home about. The jerky offerings are also fine, a few are overly peppery, and none of them stand out as outstanding.
Not listed on the menu, but available, is a «restaurant of the day.» You can order from a nearby food joint and they deliver to the bar. A fun and convenient alternative to the otherwise paltry food offerings.
The Trivia is hosted by one of the owners, Travis, quite possibly the hardest working man on the planet. After the game, he came by and was clearing up glasses and empty bowls from our table, all the while making sure we were having a good time and thanking us for stopping in. They are really working hard and I hope it works out for them.
The Trivia is a great idea, and he has come up with different themes for each trivia night– 80s, Star Wars, Sitcoms, etc. We could very possibly make this our new «spot.»
I look forward to this location’s growth. They have a strong presence, a great pretense, and I want to see them expand into perhaps Shining themed bar food offerings– Twin Dogs, Will You Play With Us Jalapeño Poppers, Bloody Elevator Wings, Naked Lady Caesar Salad, Ski Lodge Fries? I mean, the possibilities.

Overlook Lodge is quite the experience!
This watering hole is designed just like the lodge in the movie The Shining. There is definitely a «movie» theme going on beyond The Shining as they were showing Home Alone followed by Die Hard the night that I was here.
All of the cocktails are themed after The Shining. They have a Red Rum, a Hatchet, and a few other nods toward the movie. They also have a full beer and wine list so there is something here for everyone. There is beef jerky and trail mix on the menu but I do not believe that they have a full food menu.
I really enjoyed coming to this spot. My cocktail was really great and the rustic atmosphere was just plain old fun. Very creative and unique idea for a bar. I hope that Overlook Lodge does well, because it is unlike any other bar I have been to.

I LOVE this place! We have been here twice now, and I can’t wait to go back again. The Hatchet is awesome! Tied for my favorite drink in Cincy (with the Jalisco Spice from Salazar). Ask for your glass rimmed with the spices. My husband had the Writer’s Block which he enjoyed despite the fact that he is not a fan of sweet tea. We also tried the Pig and the Traveler which were fun. We didn’t do any of the shots on our 2^nd visit, because it seems like such a waste compared to the delicious craft cocktails. The shots could easily be recreated at home. We also tried the Asian Trail Mix — Delicious! We thought the beef jerky was not bad either. Both times we were there, the owner was there. He is very personable and you can tell he loves what he is doing and working hard to make it a success. Love this place!!!

The Overlook Lodge is just what PR needed! I came here about a week after it opened on the weekend and it was jam packed! I’m guessing that this was due to the «newness» of the bar, but this was the only negative since it’s a pretty small bar and there wasn’t really anywhere to sit or stand without awkwardly eavesdropping on a conversation.
The décor is nicely done and reminded me of a cozy winter cabin. Even the garland on the center table had cinnamon smelling pine cones that added to the cozy feel!
While there, I had the Snow Tracks, which was very good. The portion sizes were pretty good. Plus it was a deal for a $ 9 craft cocktail!
It’s nice to have a nice bar is in my neighborhood… I will definitely be back!

If you removed the Shining theme, Overlook Lodge would still be a fantastic bar. The staff is super friendly, and clearly care about their business. The theming is just icing on the cake. At first I kind of wished the theme was a little more overt, but after watching the movie again, I realized that there is actually a lot of subtle stuff you don’t get at first. I kind of like the idea that there are hidden references that only people who really know the movie will get.
Anyway, drinks are good, atmosphere is good, overall… there isn’t much to not like about this place. We went to their NYE party, and it was awesome. Like, they had a food spread with full size sandwiches, and various other appetizers. There was a free champagne toast at midnight, and they even had a balloon drop set up. The event was «Gold Room» themed (the bar in the hotel). Everything was just really well done. It was like a party at a place with a pricy cover, but with no cover. They also serve milk and cookies at closing time which is awesome.
I guess what I’m basically saying is that all this stuff shows how much they care about thier patrons, and I think it’s pretty cool.

The Good: Drink selection, décor theme, location
The Bad: Limited seating on busy nights, prices
My wife and I went to check out this bar on a Wednesday night and we were happy with the experience. The décor would make Stanley Kubrick proud as you feel like you are living in the movie The Shining. The drink menu offers many options of signature cocktails. We sampled a few and were very impressed. The drinks were prepared by a friendly bar staff who were very eager to answer any questions you have about the drink menu and popular selections. The Overlook also has a wide variety of craft beers on tap, craft beers in bottles, and an assortment of wine. My wife was very impressed with the heavy pours of wine. The only downside we could see was there was limited seating on the Wednesday evening when we went. But there was also a group of about 15 people together so I’m sure this wouldn’t be an issue most nights. The location is great, especially being so close to the Gaslight and PRC, but the signature cocktails are a bit on the pricey side. We will definitely be back in the near future to try more of the drink selections. Just watch out for the twins in the hallway!

This place has great ambience and friendly staff. My favorite part is the huge fireplace. It’s gorgeous and inviting. Cocktails are pretty standard $ 8 to $ 10 and I really liked the one I got… I think it was called Snow Tracks or something similar. They advertised food for sale, but technically it’s from a food truck and you order on your phone and they deliver it to the bar.

If you are a fan of «The Shining» then you have to check this place out! The décor is amazing and the specialty cocktails have clever names to go with the film. Of course I had to try the Red Rum. It had rum, strawberry-​clove, lime, and cranberry beer and it was delicious! The ambiance was also very nice and it was a fun place to hang out with friends. Make sure to check out the bathroom before you leave.

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Easily one of the coolest bars you have probably ever been to in Cincinnati’s next HOTTEST neighborhood of Pleasant Ridge!
The writers block is super delicious and the atmosphere absolutely brings back what they were going for. A fantastic place to meet up with some good friends and have a great time. They also serve trail Mix and beef jersey which is awesome too. You definitely have to check this place out and get into Pleasant Ridge before it explodes like Oakley!

Pleasant staff. Unique cocktails and nice themed interior «lodge» décor. More scotch selection would be ideal. Small stage for music acts to play and two flat screens currently showing a steaming picture of a fire.

Went on a Friday evening about 7 and it was very busy but it didn’t take too long to get drinks. The staff was very nice and they made great drinks. We tried the snow tracks and the writer’s block. Both were very good. With our second round of drinks we also got a round of shots. They double complimentary shots that they have are really good. The wife had the moonshine and mountain dew and I had the jalapeño and pickle. Really enjoyed both of them.
They did an excellent job on the interior. It was a really cool place to hang out and have a drink. It’s nice to see that area start to come back to life.

We stopped by on a Saturday night. Clearly, they are doing pretty well for themselves because it was packed. They had a jazz duo playing as well. The service was prompt and the server was polite. But the drinks were… underwhelming. I had a sazerac. They put it in a cocktail shaker full of ice (nope) so it was really watered down in taste. We also got the Red-​rum and the writers block. Neither of them were anything to write home about as well. We have a lot of cocktail bars in town now so you need to come out swinging to stand out. I feel like the Overlook has the space and the staff but they have to get better with the drinks.

Overlook Lodge is killing it (ha! see what I did there?) with the «Shining» theme… From the wilderness lodge feel to the hotel keys on the wall and «All work and no play» sign on the outside, the theme is there but it’s not too in your face if you’re not a fan of the movie. As far as cool ideas for bars go, this is probably one of my favorites.
I came here last Saturday with my husband and this place was poppin! Everyone in Pleasant Ridge must have been here… probably because it’s one of the only trendy bars int he neighborhood (hopefully more to come soon!). The bar area was crowded, but we had no trouble ordering and finding a small table in a cozy corner to enjoy our drinks. He ordered a Rhinegeist Truth (lots of local favorites on tap here) and I got the Snow Tracks cocktail to start (gin, rosemary-​thyme, limeade). Snow Tracks was light, refreshing, and definitely made with care. The bartenders here know what they’re doing! When I went back for my second drink, I asked for a recommendation and he suggested the Writer’s Block (bourbon and apple-​berry sweet tea). I don’t normally drink bourbon, but this cocktail was by far my favorite… It was sweet but not too sweet and it went down a little too easy, especially considering how strong it was! I loved it.
The only thing keeping me from a 5 star review here is the value… Overlook Lodge is charging OTR prices ($ 6 craft beer, $ 9 cocktails) in a neighborhood that is usually low-​cost. I don’t expect to pay that much when I’m out drinking in Pleasant Ridge… I love the concept, but I would love it more if it was more affordable.
And FYI the average age in this bar last Saturday was probably upper-30’s. So might be a cool place to go if you’re looking to avoid the college-​age crowd.

My friend and I went on opening night. It was extremely busy but was waited on right away. There was no place for us to sit so we stayed standing at the bar. We ordered wines. I got the Pinor Noir and my friend got a white wine. Pricing was reasonable however their credit card system was extremely slow. At the time, there was live music playing. I did like the simple rustic décor and that they offered different types of trail mixes (to purchase).
Since this bar is just down the street from me, I can take an über really cheap. I know when new businesses open up, there are few quirks they need to fix, but I have a great feeling that once they solve that small problem, this place will be a big hit. I am more into open spacious bars like Neons but this bar has great personality and very intimate.
I would come definitely come back.

5 stars for an extremely creative concept, and yet somehow humble new addition to Pleasant Ridge.
Walking in the first thing I notice is that the owner of the bar is ACTUALLY slingin’ drinks behind the bar on a Wednesday night at 9:00pm. When does that happen?
We were greeted by the owner, Travis, who has a twinkle in his eye and a bright wide grin, «Welcome, to the Overlook Lodge!» he says excitedly. His enthusiasm and welcoming nature jumps out at us as he begins to describe the drink list for us. We order up a cocktail and a beer, and I couldn’t help but ask, «Why Pleasant Ridge?» Travis, who also heads up The Gorilla Cinema group, shared that he has done movie screenings all over the city and the community in Pleasant Ridge just seemed different. The people there were welcoming, and they were rallying for something new in a somewhat bleek looking neighborhood — and already having garnered investors for his first concept bar, he thought why not make this home?
And although strikingly gorgeous, the mission remains the same, to create a neighborhood bar where all walks of life are welcome. Anyone can be seen here drinking a bud light, a high life or even an expertly crafted cocktail and there are no judgments. He told us, «the best drink we make, is the one you want to have.» And that humble motto which keeps their feet on the ground is printed on every menu.
Now let’s get to the fun part — THE DRINKS!
The menu is broken down by:
Cocktails
The Twin Shots
Non-​alcoholic libations
The Classic Beers
The Fancy Beers
The Handles
Wine
To start, I had the Snow Tracks: a gin, rosemary-​thyme, limeade concoction with a coconut rim, and I have to say, this was one of the most intriguing cocktails I have ever had. 1) it was delicious and 2) the complexity was fun to experience. It was earthy, it was aromatic, it was dry, it was sweet, it was tart, it was an adventure in your mouth and I highly recommend it!
I could have have had another one, but decided to go with something different. This time The Hatchet: tequila, domaine de canton ginger liquor, lime, spanish spices. Again, an adventure with this drink. The spanish spices on the glass are unusual and warm, paired with the ginger and the tequila this drink wakes up your taste buds in the best way possible. These drinks could not be more different from each other which is why I recommend you stay and have both!
And how could we NOT order a shot of off the Twins Shot list? We ordered THE PICKLE: dill infused vodka, pickled jalapeño and it was everything I wanted it to be. Also beware these go down a little *too easy* SO good!
To sum up, the things that make this place stand out to me: the obvious one being the concept. It’s not kitschy. It’s well thought out, and the space is interesting and beautiful. The cocktails. You will enjoy the variety and the adventure. I haven’t gotten this excited about a cocktail list in a while. When every drink on the menu sounds delicious you have a good problem on your hands. And lastly, the people. Throughout the night we had a few different people taking care of us and each was excited to be there and really believed in the mission behind this place. I cannot tell you how refreshing that was to see. And the people really made our experience memorable.
Do yourself a favor and go visit The Overlook Lodge for a deliciously odd, and uniquely satisfying experience.

I’m very passionate about this one, because it’s the first of many new businesses opening up in Pleasant Ridge. The business district is going through a revitalization, and how courageous of this place to put itself out there as one of the first!
This place is fantastic! From the décor, to the staff, to the drinks! It’s created a lot of buzz around the neighborhood, and for good reason!
The cocktails are super unique and delicious! The mid century modern décor is right up my alley! This is exactly what the neighborhood needed to get momentum going. This is definitely going to be one of my new regular hangouts!