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!
Not bad, not great just in the middle. Â We had never been here before and was just looking for a new place to have a drink in OTR. Â We went in around 9 on a Thursday night and the place was empty. Â We were the only ones there. Â They do have a nice patio out back. Â We might have to go back on a weekend night to see if it better with more people.
Review Source:I know the last thing you ever thought someone would say is, "you know what OTR needs? Â A casual divey bar" Â Alas. Â How OTR has changed. Â With hippy hipsters and dressy dance girls teetering between trendy eateries and crafty bars, one can find themselves out of place in their most comfortable jeans and hang out and have a real conversation attitude. Â Not to worry, the Drinkery has got your back. Â With it's low key atmosphere but a good range of craft brews both on tap and draft, friendly bartenders will help you find a pearching place while the OTR party swirls on outside the door. Â There's a sega game station, an old pool table, lots of room, and not a lot of pretention. Â
This bar feels like it's up for whatever, but if you just want to hang out, that's cool. Â Just, you know, be cool about it.
This bar is truly terrible. That said I've been there many many times.
The drink selection is minimal and boring, the interior is down right dirty, and the service is slow. HOWEVER, there is exceptional karaoke on Tuesday nights. The people watching is just... priceless.
I don't want to go, but I'll probably wind up there soon.
This place is the place everyone goes when OTR is crowded. It is horrible to say, but it's true. On that point alone I would give it more stars just for always being open! When you are open however I feel like you should rise the the challenge of making OTR patrons say, "Hey let's go to the Drinkery first!" but unfortunately they don't.
The service, atmosphere and everything in between is just lacking identity. You are not really sure what to do when you walk in. Is this a music kind of place? I see a stage? Is this a sports bar? There is a pool table and ping pong table? The answer is it's a little bit of everything and that is the problem.
I wouldn't care if you went full on sports bar or whatever it is you are going for just go all out and do it right. One thing I cannot stand about this place is there is NO MUSIC!! There is a jukebox that costs a fortune and since no one ever puts money in it again you are standing there in the middle of this confusing bar wondering what to do. That's usually about the time when people say okay lets finish this drink and get outta here.
I want to love you Drinkery! But, like the others have been saying there is just something missing :/
I've got to agree with all the other reviewers who say that this is a good spot to go when all the other bars in OTR are full.
I've only ever been in the place when it was crowded twice- during Bockfest, and on Opening Day- even then, there was still space to move around. Don't get me wrong, that's a really good thing.
I think, maybe, that this is their secret plan for longevity- be the place that everybody goes when they get fed up with fighting the crowds. We all do, eventually.
I also think that the lack of drink specials here is more because of necessity than desire, because when you're selling half as many drinks as everybody else, then you've got to charge full price for them!
For some reason, even though it's a perfectly good place to drink, Drinkery just doesn't have the stickiness factor of a place like Neon's or MOTR.
I think for me, it's the nostalgia of the space that keeps me coming back. I remember when Jefferson Hall used to live there, and I had some good times at this place.
I also really happen to like the fleur-de-lis in the logo and the flag hanging up outside. It's got a D on it, whick makes it feel a little like coming home when I walk in.
This place looks nice from the outside... not so much on the inside. I'm all about dives and no frills, but Drinkery just felt dusty and weird - there was a bunch of random crap stored behind the bar, and the outdoor space was super awkward. But it was a nice break from the OTR crowds, although I felt bad about the band playing that had practically no audience (and was still a bit too loud for the almost-empty bar).
Review Source:The Drinkery is the place to go when you want to drink in OTR but don't want to deal with crowds. Last night I discovered the lovely patio out back which was a perfect place to relax and chat with friends - which was difficult to do at other bars with loud music. We were even able to start a fire in the chimenea to warm up. Without this patio the bar might just be 3 stars but having the ability to hear my friends and sit around a fire adds that extra star.
Review Source:I've got nothing against the Drinkery, but at times it seems to be missing something. Â Oh yeah...customers! Â 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. Â 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. Â There are not many other places in OTR where you can do that.
I feel like Drinkery doesn't fit in with all the other bars in OTR. Â Everything else has such attitude and personality. Â 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. Â When Japp's and Neon's are at capacity, you can still talk and move around here. Â This is because it just isn't very popular...
Drinks are about the same as everywhere, nothing special. Â Bartenders are nice, but nothing standout. Â 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.
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.
I was here briefly during Santacon 2011. The place has lots of room and a great stage where a few of the Santas were shaking their groove thing. (Including an elf that had a thong and he was not afraid to show it, ha!) The bartenders were good and I'll have to come back in the future when I haven't been partying for 5 hours and wearing a Santa outfit.
Review Source:Oh Drinkery...it's okay we all have identity crisis' sometimes! The Drinkery is a bar that has not quite figured out who it wants to be yet. Â
Located in OTR near other thriving bars like Neon's, Japp's and MOTR Pub the Drinkery just seems to fall short of these establishments. Some nights The Drinkery seems to have more of a "club" feel with loud remixed pop music and girls in mini-skirts. Other nights it has the ultra hipster dance party feel being the location of many Final Fridays.
The space itself is nice. There are lots of couches to relax on and an outdoor seating area for smokers. The Drinkery very rarely feels super crowded like some of the other more popular bars of OTR. I have stumbled in here a few times when Neon's was just too packed to be at all enjoyable. You never have to wait long at the bar for a drink.
Their prices also aren't too bad. They offer pretty much all of the basics you would expect. I wouldn't go here for a fancy cocktail, but have enjoyed many 'tall boys' during Final Friday dance parties.
I feel kind of bad for The Drinkery...it's trying. It just needs more of a niche and it could potentially be another OTR staple.
The Drinkery is an interesting place. Every time I go there, it seems like there is a different crowd. On a Final Friday when I visited they had a dance party with a DJ and the place was packed! Another time I went there only half a dozen people were sitting there and didn't look like they wanted anything to do with a DJ and dancing. I'm not sure if they have really found there spot in Over-the-Rhine, but it is usually a consistent place to get a decent beer. they have pool tables, couches, and a piano, so it could be just about anything people put their minds to.
Sometimes they have live acts playing on the stage in the corner. You can see the band play from the street since the stage is set up against  glass windows on the corner. The bartenders are really nice. I was talking to one of them with a friend of mine and we ended up walking away with a banner they had hanging up.
Like I said, this is usually a fun place, but you usually don't know what to expect when you go in. They don't do anything "better" than the other bars, but everything they do is above average. I look forward to seeing what this place becomes in the future.
It's interesting trying to categorize The Drinkery. The Drinkery in its current incarnation has been around for less than a year, and in that time they haven't quite figured out what kind of bar they want to be.
Ambience: Hipster? Sometimes. Trendy? Depends on the crowd. Sometimes it attracts the YPs from downtown, other times you'll find hipsters and urbanists drinking beer and listening to indie rock.
Music: DJ, Karaoke, Live...all of the above. The bar frequently hosts indie, reggae and hip hop acts and on Tuesdays you can catch a fairly well attended karaoke night hosted by Bree of WVQC's Queen City Awesome.
Good for Dancing: Again, depends on the day. There's usually at least one raucous dance party a month - it's usually a worthwhile stop on Final Fridays.
While all this variety may seem great for business, sometimes it just makes things awkward. Because the crowds seem so dependent on an event (since the events are so diverse), the bar is frequently dead when it's sans event. Overall though, the space is decent when something is going on. If the bar ever commits to what sort of bar it wants to be (and maybe ditches the plastic cups), it could serve as an alright venue.
I really really really want to give the Drinkery access to my five star list. I really like the place. The red lights, exposed brick, the couches, and the patio out back and to it. The pool table and the live music add a nice variety. The service is friendly, and pretty quick. They've been staffed correctly each time I have been there.
My issue? Plastic cups. It just seems odd. Are we at a sporting event? Where are we? I would get it if the place packed in a crowd during a live show to eliminate some glass breaking and glass washing issues, but why no glasses (preferably frosted) when there's a smaller crowd?
I went with a group of ~10 people to OTR for the first time. When we arrived at the Drinkery, we all thought it seemed like a neat place. There is exposed brick and it has an interesting feel to it. The service was good and the bartenders were nice.
We started to play pool and were having a good time. Midway through our second game, the owner/manager walked over to the table and unscrewed the light bulbs above the table to "dim" the lights in the room. Without saying a word, he walked away. At this point, we didn't realize that that he was the owner/manager, and didn't know what the deal was. We were in the middle of a game, and screwed the bulbs back in to continue playing. Ten minutes later, the manager returned. He completely unscrewed the bulbs and removed them from pool area. He rudely threw a dollar bill on the table and told us that we were done playing pool. This was the first time that he had said a word to any of us.
I'm not sure why the manager/owner was in such a rush to turn the lights off... Â there was certainly not a crowded dance floor to worry about. (The bar was pretty empty for a Saturday night.) There were 8 or 9 of us around the pool table with less than five balls left. We would have happily explained that we were going to finish our game and be done, had he given us the opportunity to talk to him.
I'm not sure what the owner's business strategy was in his rude actions to me and my group of friends. I approached him to talk to him about it... and he continued to be rude and suggested that we take our business to Neon's. We did. (Neon's is a great bar, by the way!)
I have never written a bad review in my life, but I really could not believe the way this man treated us as customers. The service staff was very nice, and I feel bad for them to have to work for such an individual. There are a ton of bars to choose from in the OTR area, and the Drinkery has certainly set itself apart as a bar that I will never return to. Spend your money somewhere else.
This bar is spacious and filled with comfortable couches, making it feel like you're hanging out at a friend's. Â The bartenders are friendly and there is usually a decent selection of beer, as well as liquor. Â The best part about this bar for me is the location. Â It is conveniently located within walking distance to many other popular OTR bars and there is no cover! Â 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. Â I hope that people will give it a chance so that another business can be successful in OTR.
The service here is fantastic. The bartenders are always really excited that you are there, and they'll talk up their products in a way that really shows how proud they are of what they serve. I always try something new at the Drinkery, because I know the 'tenders will give me solid advice on what I want.
The space is really nice. Very spacious, well laid out, plenty of seating. There's a very large stage too - the largest I've seen in OTR. If it gets too loud, you can go to the back part or outside to the patio. The patio is great! Nice space, heater, fire pit, and some spaces are covered too so that you can still smoke a cigarette if it's raining.
Now, I have to get a little mean here. The last couple of times I have been there to see a band, it has been a horrible experience. Whoever was working the sound booth should be fired, immediately. My friends' band played there, and they sounded terrible... which was not their fault at all. The lead singer can't sound good when the microphone isn't turned up enough. I looked back to see if there even WAS a sound guy there... he was sitting there, bored, scratching his head. Having worked in the audio industry for years, I was furious that they were paying this goon to make my friends' band sound terrible. Apparently, word on the street is he's kind of a jerk too.
Now, back to the reasons I still like this bar, in spite of that roast:
Karaoke on Thursdays with Bree. It's not that popular (yet) so you can sing a lot. She's got a huge selection of music, and runs her own sound, so goonface isn't going to make you sound horrible. (That's your responsibility). I'll definitely recommend a duet, since she has enough gear and the stage is big, and also, make sure you sing "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins. The big midi drums will make you wet yourself with their awesomeness.
By the way, one of the bartenders told me about some potential up and coming news that could really make this bar stand out amongst the other OTR bars. I hope it happens, but I won't spill the beans.
I would have given this a four, but the sound guy killed it for me. If I ever find out he's been replaced, this place could easily nail a four or a five. The service and atmosphere is worth it for me.
Perfectly adequate OTR bar. It doesn't have too much to make it stand out among other bars. They do everything that the other places do, but not better. The space is really nice. It has a home-like feel with the old couches. The patio is a nice touch.
The reason that this average bar gets an above average rating is the service. This is vital in any establishment I've gone to. The bartenders are always fast, friendly, fun and remember your order. Some of the best service I've ever had in an OTR bar. Even during Bockfest they were excellent.
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.
Formerly known was Jack Potts Tavern (and the old Jefferson Hall) The Drinkery is a good addition to the Main Street district in OTR. On one side you have the bar area, which has a solid beer and liquor selection, on the other side you have a stage for bands and a nice relaxed area with couches to hang out with your friends at. Each time I've gone I have enjoyed myself and plan on returning many times.
Review Source:This place has a TON of potential. I love the space - really high ceilings, gorgeous bar, separate room with stage and faux "living room" full of old couches. Sure, they look like the kind of couches you'd see in a frat house, but if I ran a bar and people were going to spill all manner of things on my couches, I'd buy them at Goodwill too.
I've only been here twice, but the staff has always been TREMENDOUSLY friendly, in a way that (let's be honest) you don't always find in the bars in OtR. When we were in early on a Friday night, they'd set up buffalo chicken dip and some chicken noodle soup at the end of the bar, and while we'd just eaten dinner and didn't partake, I definitely appreciated the offer.
I really encourage people to come check this place out. I think it's a great, comfortable place to have a drink by yourself or with friends. It's also conveniently located to MOTR and Neons if you want to do some bar-hopping later.
Admittedly, this place used to just be called Jack Potts Tavern, but it recently reopened under "JP's Drinkery OTR."
I also have to admit to being completely befuddled by the change.
Not much seems different from what it was before and I wasn't that impressed with JP's to begin with. The space itself has a lot of potential and it's got a prime location.
The problem is that JP's isn't sure what it wants to be. It tries to be equal parts chill pub, rock bar and dive. MOTR Pub up the street covers all that in spades.
Don't get me wrong, I think once the owners really settle in on a concept and run with it, it could be a pretty snazzy place.
The layout of the place is very nice and spacious and the exposed brick is beautiful. The bar itself is very long with plenty of seating.
I would suggest that they ditch the music aspect. Maybe bring in some pool tables now that Cue gone and focus on being an activity-based bar.
Take equal bars micro-brews, (I'm thinking something like BrewHaus with dozens of different styles of beers,) a few craft cocktails and some darts/pool tables and we're good to go.
**Update: i was able to make it there now that they're officially open. I'll bump them up one more star but not 2. i still think they need to ditch the music aspect, but everyone else is nice.
the drinks are cheap and plentiful, and they have a decent selection on tap.
However, the music is just too damn loud. (sound like an old man there.) i like a rocking joint, but i dont like to yell when doing small talk, either.
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