22 Cincinnati Beer Gardens You Should Visit This Summer

Mecklenburg Gardens

302 E. University Ave., Corryville
It's Oktoberfest all year long at this historic German eatery. Wash down your triple goettawurst and spaetzle with a 1-liter glass boot of doppelbock or hefeweizen in the grape-vine-laden outdoor biergarten. Founded in 1865, it was named one of the best biergartens in America by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2017.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Braxton Brewing Co.

27 W. Seventh St., Covington
Braxton Brewing Co. opened their much-anticipated rooftop patio and bar last summer. Guests enjoy an entirely new experience at the brewery with the 5,000 square-foot seasonal patio, which features plenty of seating, shady umbrellas, a full bar, a living wall and some pretty neat views of Covington and downtown Cincinnati.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Queen City Radio

1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
The former auto body shop turned multi-level OTR hang features rotating taps of local, regional and national beer, canned and bottled brews, a small cocktail program and adult-themed treats including boozy slushies. Garage doors create indoor/outdoor space and the patio boasts not only a ton of seating, but also the on-site Queen City Whip food truck.
Photo: Patty Salas

MadTree 2.0

3301 Madison Road, Oakley
With 32 MadTree-exclusive taps, ambient lighting and an industrial brick façade leftover from the building’s factory days, there’s more than enough space in this 10,000-square-foot beer garden to accommodate all the beer-drinking, cornhole-playing, dog-loving humans that hang at MadTree on the regular.
Photo: Phil Heidenreich

Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom

1727 Logan St., Over-the-Rhine
The taproom, which features both indoor and string-lit outdoor space, spans nearly 9,000 feet, offering an array of unique beers brewed both on-site and at the Cincinnati brewery across the street. These include fan favorites like the Queen City-inspired 513 lager, Boston Lager and Summer Ale.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Findlay Market Biergarten

1801 Race St, Over-the-Rhine
Summertime means extended hours at this Over-the-Rhine drinking destination. Grab a bite, sit on the iconic red Findlay Market chairs and sip on something cold while the sun goes down. On Tuesdays, it's Mug Club night: get $1 off all drafts (with an additional $1 off during happy hour from 4-6 p.m.). Open through October.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Mecca OTR

1429 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine
The big-ass gravel patio, colorful street-art murals, rainbow lighting and plethora of communal seating make this a welcoming spot for those interested in no-frills drinking, L.A. vibes, vinyl tunes and free popcorn. The aesthetic is strong with this one, guys, and so are their San Pell Chunker cocktails, with a mini airplane bottle of booze inverted into a can of flavored sparkling water, in addition to a selection of craft beers and wines.
Photo: Brittany Thornton

Fifty West

7668 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township
After opening their doors in November 2012, Fifty West has swiftly gained notoriety in a city saturated with craft breweries not only because of their impressive selection of homemade beer, but also their lively events like the Fifty West Punch Out boxing series and Fifty Fest music fest. Take a seat out on their dreamy string-lit patio at their original brewpub location and enjoy a frosty brew. Or head across the street to the Production Works for picnic-style outdoor seating and sand volleyball.
Photo: Facebook.com/FiftyWest

Hofbräuhaus

200 E. Third St., Newport
Opened in 2003, the Newport Hofbräuhaus was the first Hofbräuhaus brewery and beer hall to open in the United States. Beers are brewed on-site in the original Munich tradition (under the license and supervision of Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München), with a keg tapping of seasonal brews the final Wednesday of each month. Buy a liter of beer and keep the stein for $12.
Photo: Susan Keller

Arnold’s Bar & Grill

210 E. Eighth St., Downtown
Arnold’s is the city’s oldest bar, in operation since the 1830s. The cheap (strong) drinks and almost daily live music — from Bluegrass and Americana to Jazz — complement the awesome interior courtyard, which used to be a stable and carriage house. They claim to have one of the best bourbon lists in Cincinnati with nearly 40 options on the menu as well as a selection of craft beers.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Darkness Brewing

224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue
Longtime friends Eric Bosler and Ron Sanders were homebrewing for years before opening their own taproom in Bellevue. It started with experimenting in their own kitchens, enjoying their strange brews and sharing them with friends. And it was poking and prodding from those friends that led to Darkness Brewing, which opened in July 2016. The microbrewery focuses on the dark and unusual.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Rosedale

208 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine
This historic drinkery — once home to Neons — was taken over by new owners in 2017, who have freshened up the interior with industrial-farmhouse chandeliers, bold floral wallpaper (perfect for an Instagram photoshoot), lounge seating and more. Their spacious shaded patio space offers bocce ball, giant Jenga and a laid-back environment to sip on craft beer and cocktails.
Photo: Ty Wesselkamper

Listermann Brewing

1621 Dana Ave., Evanston
Handcrafted ales, a growler station and contagious enthusiasm for home brewing characterize this owner-operated brewing company. Grab a flight and take a seat out on their cozy patio. The in-house Renegade Grille makes awesome wings.
Photo: Megan Waddel

Wunderbar

1132 Lee St., Covington
Rhineland ambiance with wooden picnic tables and German signage and a beer garden out back. Food options include giant pretzels, sauerkraut, sausage and doner kabobs, one of Germany’s favorite street-food dishes. The beer menu features staples such as Franziskaner and Warsteiner.
Photo: Facebook.com/WunderbarCovington

Rhinegeist

1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
Head upstairs to this Over-the-Rhine brewery's giant upstairs rooftop patio. This chill wooden rooftop deck features an upstairs bar with 15 draft beers and ciders — including Bubbles — plus a selection of wine and draft cocktails.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Narrow Path Brewing

106 Karl Brown Way, Loveland
Located in downtown Loveland, Narrow Path is beer garden meets bike trail. Bike or skate down the Loveland Bike Trail to have a seat at picnic tables in the yard. It’s a location that fosters a sense of community. With ales reflecting the personality of their crafters, the menu has featured brews like tart cherry, Belgian orange and maple bacon porter.
Photo: Narrow Path Brewing Facebook

Arlin’s

307 Ludlow Ave., Clifton
This is the Gaslight District's neighborhood pub for the thinking man or woman. Have a beer on the big back patio and beer garden or enjoy live music and bar food. The no-frills atmosphere includes a pool room, plus 20 taps, sports on TV and a jukebox.
Photo: Facebook.com/ArlinsBar

Fries Cafe

3247 Jefferson Ave., Clifton
Appealing to everyone from UC students taking a break from exams to Cliftonites and downtown professionals, the first floor features a draft bar with a focus on craft beer and a popular old-fashioned shuffleboard table. The lower level features two billiards tables and the top floor has more darts and billiards with access to the spacious seasonal patio and beer garden.
Photo: Facebook.com/FriesCafe

Little Miami Brewing

208 Mill St., Milford
Milford’s Little Miami Brewing Company sits on the banks of its namesake river, pouring 11 beers alongside a selection of brick-oven pizzas. The small-batch brewery offers 16 different brews on tap, from classics to experimentals and seasonals made with real fruit, like their Juicy Fruit IPA made with passion fruit.
Photo: Little Miami Brewing Facebook

Moerlein Lager House

115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown
Moerlein Lager House celebrates Cincinnati’s brewing tradition in a giant restaurant and brewery with sweeping views of downtown and the riverfront, plus a spacious patio, with a large something-for-everyone menu of burgers and pastas and fancier dishes like filet mignon and squash wellington. With 24 beers on tap — house brews and other crafts — plus more than 60 in bottles and cans, there’s a drink for every taste. Tours of the in-house brewery available.
Photo: Facebook.com/MoerleinLagerHouse