This type of bar isn't my usual fair, but I heard they had great hot dogs so I was down for a visit. The decor is "dive bar chic", but I'm cool with that. The bartender was very nice, attentive and knowledgeable so I was happy about that. She talked me in to ordering a Crispin cider and it was great! A smooth bubbly cider that finished clean. Great choice.On to the food. I knew what I wanted because I've been looking at their menu online for about a year! I ordered the Mayday dog, but substituted the jalapeno pepperjack mett for the regular dog. My wife got the Chicago dog and we just knew I was in for a treat. Our dogs came to the table with a side of wavy chips and they looked great! I couldn't wait to dig in so I picked it up and took a bite. I don't know if I built it up to much or what, but it was just ok. The pretzel bun was hardy and it stood up to the toppings. The homemade ketchup was a letdown. I was expecting a flavor explosion in my mouth and all I got was an "ehhh'. The mett didn't have much heat or flavor and it was the most disappointing part of the whole meal. My wife enjoyed her dog, but I was left wanting much, much more. Â I really wanted to like Mayday's hotdogs, but they just didn't cut the mustard. It's a bar that serves food and not a bar food spot!
Review Source:The BF and I go to Mayday on the second and fourth Mondays of every month for Bombs Away! Open Mic night to enjoy some free local comedy. The bartenders are great with beer recommendations, but the PBR is cheap if you aren't feeling too adventurous. Definitely try the hot dogs too...the goetta dog is definitely my favorite, but there's a wide variety to choose from, and you can build your own. The patio is a great space in the warmer months. It's not fancy, but it has oodles of character. Great service, beer, food...what more can you really ask for?
Review Source:The service was great and I got the best hot dog I've ever had. Â I got the Mayday dog with salad. Â It was AMAZING and the dog came in a pretzel bun! Â Yum! Â After eating we grabbed some drinks we headed outside and upstairs to the pool/ping pong room. Â You can play for free as long as you don't mind the sticks being a bit beat up and improvising a triangle. Â The patio looked great and had several fire pits.
Review Source:Went to Mayday for trivia night recently and was also very excited about their hot dog menu. The trivia was a bit different than what I'm used to... a sort of trivia/gambling situation where you barter a certain amount of points for each question depending on how confident you feel about your answer. It was definitely a cool change of pace, and this bartering system allowed my trivia team to jump from almost last place to second place with one question! Woohoo!
The bartender was very nice and knowledgable and let us taste beers before ordering full pints. The hot dogs were also delicious and a little less expensive than other "gourmet" hot dog joints. The only weird thing about this place is its location; a little off the beaten path. No matter, I will definitely be going back.
A Northside neighborhood gem.
This place rocks with its $7.75 dog-n-draft special Tue-Thurs. from 4pm - 8pm. Not just any hot dog. Build your own hot dogs, including gourmet hot dogs like goetta hot dogs and chorizo hot dogs on homemade pretzel buns. Yum. I favor the El Ricardo - a chorizo dog, with black bean salsa, cheese, topped with a fried egg. I love anything with  a fried egg on top. They've also got plenty of non-dog choices like Mac-n-cheese, and pull pork sandwiches that I recently tried and would highly recommend. As far as drinks, they keep their tap selection interesting carrying seasonal microbrews.
Aside from the food, May Day always has something different going on throughout the week that I have enjoyed partaking in i.e. Tuesday Trivia nights, live music, and dance parties. etc. There's also an outdoor patio on two levels as well to enjoy some brews when the weather is nice.
This place is an unpretentious dive with good food and entertainment that is one of the reasons why I love living in Northside.
So I am a little biased here, because Mayday was awesome enough to host an event for the non-profit group of which I am a part. This was back in January, but they hosted our Rock Notes for College Hopes event and we had a few bands come and we got a portion of the proceeds. Minus their willingness to help us out, it was still a really cool place.
I have seldom seen such a divided bar, and each part was unique yet connected. The front bar was stocked and the bartenders were friendly. Behind that they have a sit-down spot where they serve some famous hot dogs- I never got one, but I need to. Behind that is a charming little back bar, with seats only at the bar, and behind that still is a patio that looked very nice. It was a bit chilly to venture out there that night, but I imagine it hosts some pretty cool gatherings.
No longer moving back, but to the side, is a stage and an average dance floor. You couldn't have a mega dance party here, but it's a decent venue for an up and coming back and it extends straight back and even raises half-way. Pretty good for a small concert. And then where else does this extend? Why it goes up, of course! You take a set of stairs connected to the dance floor room and go upstairs where there is ping-pong and pool.
I haven't been here on a regular night, so I can't judge it from that, but because of the different offerings, I imagine that it just might, dare I say it, rival my dear Murphy's! GASP!!!!!
You can't ever understand how big of a deal that is.
I got my ass handed to me by their Hellaweiner, but I guess that's what happens when it's topped with habanero salsa. Â The pretzel buns also had me worried at first; I thought I was about to be kicked in the teeth with salt, but they actually worked really well with the rest of the hotdog. Unique toppings and great beers round out a perfect bar meal. What else could you want? The happy hour deals that run during the weekdays is a steal at around $7 for a draft and dog, especially considering the great beers on hand like Brooklyn Ale.
Review Source:I really didn't find out about this place until my friend Shawna told me about it. I literally have passed this place going to to and from nursing school at Cincinnati State. The food is great. This is the first this that I've ever had a sourdough hot dog bun on a brat. Trivia nights are every Tuesday, so bring your A game! Cheers.
-Steve-
Mayday is a hole in the wall bar located in hidden area of Northside. Â I have never been past thefront part of it, but I know it is bigger than it seems, since it has bands there. Â When a band is not playing there most of the people appear to be regulars. Â On Mondays they have agreat price for a dog and a brew. Â The hot dogs are very good and they have a variety of interesting toppings. Â They have a good selection of beers and the beers on tap are good beers (not miller lite). Â This is a great place to have a low key evening hanging out with friends. Â I need to go back when they have their drunk spelling bee.
Review Source:Hipsters and their various other incarnations.
If you're okay with that, you'll fit right in at Mayday. Â It's a spot that I hit up after work fairly often. Â It's a great bar with outdoor seating and decent beer selection (I go for the cheap stuff myself).
They have the usual bar trivia, but what's fun about Mayday is that they also do a drunk spelling bee. Â To which, I'm not so certain how often they do it, but it's quite fun to watch.
Bar food? Hot Dogs! Who doesn't like hot dogs? They do their own gourmet dogs, about six signature versions and then you can make your own. Â It's great, and for about 5 bucks you can't beat it.
There's not flash here, just good vibes and good drinks. Â One of my favorite bars in town.
Mayday! Mayday! We're going down! For me, the saving grace of Mayday was Leah, our bartender. Personable, beer-savvy, and knew her hotdogs in-and-out, she was a pleasure to talk to on our weeknight visit. Other than her, I'm waving the white flag on this bar.
I've been to Mayday a few times on different nights and never had an over-the-top experience. It's definitely a dive bar, and came here knowing such, but it still left more to be desired. The hot dogs were just ok. The bun, while homemade, was too salty for my liking. I also would have liked some more exciting dog suggestions rather than "with kraut" or "spicy." There are tons of toppings to choose from, but I'd like to hear what is recommended... like, what toppings go with Thai peanut sauce, or what goes best on a goetta dog?
Beer by the pint was refreshing, especially the Belgian ale. They also have local beers in the fridge, but I noticed these were a tad more pricey than other bars that serve them. Parking is also a bust here. With all street parking in a residential area, I've walked a couple of blocks from my car on an poorly lit street. Not my favorite thing to do in a desolate industrial part of town.
I've also taken part in their weekend karaoke night. A plus is that there were few people in queue, so we got a lot of turns. The downside was after I had two turns, and although my friend and I put our names in again, we were never called. Some friends of the DJ kept getting called back over and over again. The sound system also needed some help. There was barely any audio coming from the mic, and the music was overbearing. Turn it down and crank up the vocals... or make sure the XLR cable stays plugged in!
The other thing that irked be was the chair incident. My friends and I sat at the bar for a couple of hours. When we arrived, a stool was sitting in the middle of the aisle, and remained there the entire night. Bartenders and other customers walked around it continually, but didn't bother to move it. Â After commenting on it throughout the night, taking bets on who was going to move it, my friend eventually put it back in its place. Odd, I know, but I was surprised how long it went unnoticed. The staff didn't bother to scoot it out of the way, even after one of them almost tripped on it while busing a table. Oh well.
I'll come back to Mayday if my friends insist, and hopefully Leah will be working. If not, I guess I'll see what other antics that ornery barstool is up to...
Price per person: $15.00
Honestly what's not to love about Mayday (formerly the Gypsy Hut)? From the divey atmosphere to the homemade hot dogs this place has A LOT to offer.
Located just off the main drag of Northside, Mayday is indeed a bit of a dive. The lighting is low, the smell of smoke lingers in the air (despite it being non-smoking on the inside) and the patrons are decidedly hipsterish. The actual building itself is HUGE with a giant patio that's awesome in the Spring and Summer. There's a stage area, a bar and a room full of pool and ping pong tables.
Mayday is one of those places I recommend going into and actually talking to your bartender. First off they are all super nice and secondly they can give you the scoop on their beers on tap, specials of the day, and all the goodies that come with their signature hot dogs.
I don't eat red meat, and have yet to try their vegan dog, but I've only heard rave reviews of them all. The majority of their "fixin's" are made in house (I hear their peanut sauce and homemade ketchup are all superb) and their buns are fresh baked every morning. This isn't a bar that just happens to serve food, they have really put a lot of thought and care into their menu.
As a newbie to Northside I have found myself at Mayday many times already. It's chill, the drinks are cheap and the crowd is pretty cool (they even have entertainment most nights). Mayday pretty much covers all the "awesome bar" bases.
OK, the reviews here are fantastic, I think I'm the only one to put it in the yellow category. Here's the thing: I'm not their demo. If you are in your twenties, or even a crazier 30-something, this may be your Mecca. But for grownups it's not all that. But everything wasn't bad--let me explain:
First, the good stuff. I'm not a hot dog fan, but I was starving, so I ordered a brat. It was actually good. It comes on a delicious pretzel bun, which I loved--but I didn't think it was a good bun for a hotdog. Also, "Dark & Stormys" are the specialty of the bar, and they are $5. They were delicious, and not many bars serve them. So that was a big plus. Also, they have a "patio". It's not awesome, but it is outside, and that's another bonus.
I also had the mac & cheese, which was a bit spicy and I didn't like it at all. But you aren't really going to a bar for mac & cheese, are you? I didn't think so.
The main reason I'm not high on Mayday is that it's kind of sparse and dirty...it looks like a clubhouse I had when I was 12. Apparently this is what hipsters like, because there were lots of them. I've got nothing against hipsters, but I could be their mother, and obviously we are going to have different likes. It's not my scene, which you are probably thrilled about, since you were wondering who let that old lady in anyway.
I've only been here once but it was a blast. Â Pretty good beer selection, amazing patio and great food. Â I saw Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears on the night I was there and while the back room was packed very tight, it was still a great place to see a show. Â I'll definitely be hitting up Mayday again.
Oh, and the hot dogs are really good too.
I'll have to admit, the change from Gypsy Hut to Mayday left a sour taste in my mouth. Â I went to Mayday shortly after the transition, not knowing it wasn't Gypsy Hut anymore, and noticed the vibe to have completely changed. Â It seemed as if the place lent itself to the more rockabilly-esque, and that's not really my scene. Â I could be wrong, but that was the impression I got, so I hadn't been back since.
Fast forward to a very recent Groupon offer for Mayday that was actually a pretty good offering (spend $6 to get $12 on food and drinks). So I thought, why the hell not. Â I'd have to say, I had a change of heart. Â The bartender, Leah, was the sweetest coolest bartender chick I've met in a while. Beer was priced just right ($1 PBR pints on draft for happy hour). People around us that we met were great for conversations. And the food, simply amazing. Jacob, the cook, is a master at his craft. I asked him what his favorite dog would be, and he fixed me up an off-the-menu concoction that should definitely BE on the menu (and dubbed The Jacob Special). Â ****if you're ever in there, ask him about it and he will gladly make it for you.
All and all, I will definitely be back time and time again. Â Granted, we showed up on a Friday at 630p, so I cant speak for the late night crowd, but that's okay. I'm too old for that sh*t anyway!
See you at happy hour!
Going to Mayday is a lot like going to a really awesome house party. It has multiple rooms which lends themselves to multiple moods. Want to rock out? Go to the room where the bands are. Want to drown your sorrows while listening to one of the best jukeboxes in the Tri-State? Then belly up to the bar. Hungry? Chow down on the hot dogs in the back room. Feeling competitive? There is free ping pong upstairs. And to top it all off there is a 2 level patio area to enjoy the outdoors.
The bar has you covered no matter who you are going out with. Cheap beers (PBR, Hudy) on draft, Cider, and a wide selection of other suds in bottles or cans. Plus they have a wide assortment of booze and cheap bottles of champagne in case you recently won your company softball league and are looking to celebrate like E 40.
The downside? It can get hipster filled pretty quick, Remember in the beginning of 28 Weeks Later when the Infected totally took over that house? It's like that except no one is drooling blood. Don't worry though no one is going to bug you and this can lead to excellent people watching.
If you go to Mayday, you will have fun and you won't kill your bank account in the process.
I've been trying to explore different areas of Cincinnati and Northside is always fun and interesting. Mayday is such an expansive, neat bar with a trendy crowd. The workers are friendly and helpful. The building is kind of isolated with not much around it.
The building has two great, big outside areas, ping pong table room, and a dance floor. What I like best were the hot dogs with any toppings you want. The hot pepper cheese mettwurst was the perfect ending to the night. The dogs are way pricy though at $6, but it's worth it because they are big and the pretzel buns are delicious and toasted.
This is not your blue haired grandmother's version of Bingo! I hopped over to Mayday the other night and was introduced to "Drunk Bastard Bingo" put on every Wednesday for FREE.99!!! Once I perused over the prizing collection which included a space gun and two humping plastic dinosaurs, I decided this was the game for me!
I have been to Mayday a couple of times before and love what it has to offer. I wish it was not quite so out of the way and hidden, but once I enter the doors I always feel that I have entered the mecca of all good things a bar can offer. Wednesday night I treated myself to a vegan dog and some mac and cheese while I sipped on a Matilda. After a couple of beers and three Bingo lighting rounds later, I realized  just how much I wanted to yell "Bingo" so I could win my very own space gun!
The only reason I am not giving Mayday and Drunk Bastard Bingo 5 stars is out of spite. I love the place. It's jukebox is bumping with an array of songs fit for my little hipster heart, there's a great selection of beer, and food. You can always bet to see great live music on most nights and weekends. However, I never did win my space gun and by the time I yelled "Bingo" the plastic dinosaur was the only option left. I can't hate the bar for that though can I? It's a perfect spot to get away and be quirky with the rest of them! Dare I say it, but it is probably my favorite drinking establishment that this city has to offer.
I had driven by this bar for years, and for some reason always assumed it was some sort of a biker bar. With Yelp's Drinks Week, I finally had a good excuse to stop by, and realized that perhaps this wasn't a biker bar after all. If anything, I'd describe it as a hipster hangout.
So I finally went in instead of just driving by, and my friend and I grabbed a seat at the bar. We considered the drink specials or happy hour deals, but the most appealing option appeared to be a draft and dog combo for $7.75. Excellent, refreshment and dinner! As neither of us had been there before, it took a few minutes to figure out that while our assumption that bartender would pour our drinks was correct, we had to be taught what to do with our food order. There were slips of printed paper on tables, where we circled our food choices and were then instructed to walk those slips of paper of to the kitchen window.
Our beers were served up fresh and were delicious, and there was a pretty decent selection. The food came out in a reasonable time. Not fast, but it was a bearable wait. I liked that I could choose salad greens to go with my dog instead of chips, and the dressing on it was delicious. But then we get to the dog. The meat itself was good, as were the peppers it was topped with. But I just couldn't get past the bun. I've heard others rave about this pretzel break bun, but for me, it was just too stiff and ungiving to properly accompany a hot dog. I'm not the kind of girl who would eat a hot dog with a fork and a knife. In fact, I think that is a bit ridiculous. However, every time I tried picking up my meal on a bun to take a bite, the meat would just pop out from its breaded holder. I tried smooshing it together, but the bun simply did not have enough padding and just wouldn't give. After my dog popped out for the 6th time, I'd had enough, and resorted to a cutlery approach to this made to be hand held meal.
Overall the atmosphere was cool, and it seemed there would be a lot of live music possibilities there, though I didn't see any myself. I'd come back again, but would have lowered expectations about the ability to dig in to a dog the way it should be eaten.
For the Yelp Cincinnati Drinks week, they really dropped the ball. Food took over an hour to prepare and one just got the feeling that they were not ready for the event. This is of course not the fault of the workers, but of management. I hope that if they make a concerted effort towards improving their service. Tuesday night trivia was fun and the woman running it was funny and spunky.
Review Source:I come in town from time to time, and the past two times I've gone to Mayday at request of friends. Having the option of a vegan hotdog is awesome, and their choices of toppings makes it even more awesome.
Unfortunately, the wait time is absolutely not awesome. Our first visit, we had to wait over an hour for our dogs. We had arrived to Mayday incredibly hungry, so by the time we got our food, we inhaled them. I remember it being pretty tasty, but being famished - everything tastes good.
On our second visit, we were told the wait would be 2 to 3 hours because they had to make more buns. Our second visit was during yelp drinks (by coincidence) - you'd figure that if they were hosting an event they would have more than enough buns on hand. Nope! We weren't even informed of this until we took our order to the window. Complete fail.
The drinks we've had are pretty tasty, and the waitstaff seems to be pretty friendly. If I was in town, I'd probably give them another chance. But I won't risk it again.
I could get used to this place - it is tucked away, has a decent beer list, a wide variety of liquor and fun events. Even more importantly this place does gourmet hot dogs...hot dogs can be a guilty pleasure of mine and this place is definitely provides indulgence. From Vegan and regular hot dogs, to more exotic links like chorizo, goetta and jalapeno metts. The meats are apparently from Avril-Bleh & Sons. The dog toppings are wide ranging from beer cheese to a variety of vegetables. I ordered mine with caramelized onions and siracha - delicious. The husband loves chorizo and got his plain. The system isn't obvious when you first walk in, but once you are in the know - it's easy. Order at the bar and the food is brought out - there is even a sheet of paper to check off what you want. See - easy! They dogs also come with a side of chips or a mixed green salad with two dressing choices (I went with the nice Basil Vinaigrette.) Plus the dogs have pretzel buns - yep, I know...your sold on checking Mayday out now...but wait, there's more.
Now onto the drinks - I had a simple gin and tonic on my visit and it was lovely - the husband also had a gin and sprite and quite enjoyed it too...Eyeing the beers on draft - I think we can have some fun with those next time. Despite it being a Saturday night, we were able to tuck ourselves away at a nice booth. There was live music and while they weren't necessarily my favorite ever, they were a change of pace from your normal local run of the mill cover band.
We will definitely be back, especially after reading about some of their weeknight events. I think someday I'll force the husband to try and relive his superstar spelling bee days during the slurring bee that is held every third Thursday of the month.
It is a great dive...and if you are not a "hipster" don't be scared - they won't bite, though they are plentiful.
This has been my home station since I started going to bars in Cincinnati. Regardless of how much I bar-hop in a night, I always end up here.
Even when this place is slammed, it's more comfortable and homey than all of the other bars in Northside. Yes, it's often referred to as a "hipster dive bar", but this place has an atmosphere that I can appreciate Monday-Sunday. Wednesdays call for the infamous Drunk Bastard Bingo, which I will forever recommend. It's always a blast when the lovely Evangeline is calling out numbers and making witty jokes. This bar has a variety of events throughout the entire week for anyone's enjoyment.
Not only do some of the city's best talents play this venue, but they have some of the most awesome gourmet hot dogs ever. After living in Chicago for a year and migrating to Cincinnati, Mayday's dogs, gourmet toppings, and signature beer cheese put my Windy-City experience to shame. Did I mention that they also have a pretty awesome beer selection? And an amazing back patio? And ping pong in a beautiful rooftop room?
I really can't think of anything I hate about this place. Whenever I need to hear some fantastic tunes and talk to some great people, I commute from Kentucky. Mayday is the kind of bar I could go to alone and still always expect to have at least one person to talk to. And it is worth every bit of the drive for me.
I usually try to save a star for a really great place with just one thing wrong with it so I can go full 5 if they ever straighten that one thing out.
My only problem with Mayday, and this is really only a problem if you're in-neighborhood or would like to bar hop, is its toooo farrr awwwayyyyy.
Not like THAT far, I know. But it's a pretty desolate stretch up blue rock and not the best place for a stumbling stroll.
But since there's not much of anything Mayday can do to change that, that fifth stars is all yours.
On to the good things!
Hot dogs. Gourmet hot dogs. And they're like $6 and come with sides and constitute a perfectly filling meal. Try one of theirs or make your own with a selection of meats and toppings (goetta dogs!!).
Also has a stellar beer selection. Not a wide array but there is always something on tap that reminds you why you don't drink busch light.
Also the place is friggin huge. upstairs, side rooms, upstairs side rooms, back rooms, terraces, balconies, and patios. If you're meeting someone there you might want to specify a place exactly. I still haven't seen live music there but know they host regularly, and anyone that will give up space for Ted Clark After Dark is right-o in my book.
Cincinnati has a venue location problem that I think can be remedied by allowing for more entertainment districts.
Mayday (formerly the Gypsy Hut) is one of those places.
I love this bar/music venue. The drinks are cheap, the bands are good, (usually,) the atmosphere is electric and I have a blast every time.
However, the location is horrible. It's too far from the other Northside bars to walk between them, and I get lost every time I try to come here. Not to mention that the parking situation that is full of fail.
When they reopened as Mayday's, I really wish they could have uprooted the building and transplanted it in the heart of Northside.
Otherwise I can't complain. It's a spot you shouldn't miss.
If hipsterdom was a kingdom, Mayday would be its castle.
Dear god, this place is large, dark, crazy, and fantastic. If you are a first-timer I guarantee that you will get lost while walking around, due to the M.C. Escher-like layout of the rooms and stairwells. But, it adds to the eclectic charm of it all.
Live music? Check. Pool and ping pong tables? Check. Outdoor decks? Check. If you want hipster beers like PBR or Hudey, you've got it. If you want a college-kid worthy Bud Light, you're more than welcome to have one, too.
The hot dogs... oh, the hot dogs. They are delicious! If you're vegan, grab a veggie dog! All are welcome at Mayday!
My only warning about Mayday (other than the stairwell labyrinths) is the parking in the area. It's difficult and can be downright annoying... but it's worth it!
Mayday is the old Gypsy Hut but cleaned up. Â The space is rather large but then it always was...the taps are quite good and the food is good. Â Hotdogs - less expensive than the senate. Â
The locals run several events here including the "slurring bee" on Thursday nights that has gotten quite popular and very entertaining. Â If you haven't been to one they make for very good theatre.
Mayday certainly has more staying power than the Gypsy Hut had....I look forward to it being around for awhile.
So imaging you are standing at the cornor and Blue Rock and Spring Grove and think gosh I could use a beer. Â Mayday would be the only and in fact a excellent choice for a cold beer. Â A Classic dive bar. Â Huge space. Â Be sure to check out the free pool and Ping pong table on the second floor. Â along with the very quiet roof top patio. Â Parking can be a pain but hey the beer is cheap!
Review Source:I see what you did there Mayday. I get it. You want to be cool, hip, "underground". So what you do is put your bar in a part of town that people don't frequent, don't put up any signs on the outside to give the idea that you're a bar, and talk about sticking it to the man.
Well, that seems to be working with you. And even if the man showed up, he probably couldn't even find you. If he was able to locate your establishment, he may get lost in the labyrinth of stairs and hallways. And maybe he will be rocked so hard by the bands playing here, he'll forget his "agenda" and hang with the kids.
Now, to preface my thoughts on the music - I am the most wholly unqualified person to grace the internet to talk about their bands. I could easily go the rest of my life without hearing music (gasp!), and my MP3 player has about 200 songs on it. I found myself not disliking the music at Mayday, which shocked me. I mean literally, that's never happened before. I pretty much hate everything, but I found their stuff tolerable. That's quite an endorsement from my perspective.
Everything else is not particularly standoutish. The drinks are a buck or two more than what they should be, but they were really quick on service. The clientèle is really chill, enough that you can actually hold a conversation in between songs. Nice place. I wouldn't mind going back.
Just to stick it to the man.
Mayday is like the Shangri-La of dives: a paradise for hipsters and music fans, but only if you can find it. Without a GPS or the help of a friend who's already in the know, the bright lights and dark stage will forever remain a tantalizing mystery to you, so happy hunting.
Should you be lucky enough to stumble on this place, shivering from the cold and desperately in need of anything that ends with On The Rocks, you'll discover a spacious, friendly bar with character to spare. The tables are painted over with black-and-white faces; the bartenders sport the requisite surface area of tattoos; the patio is enormous and strung with lights, and a staircase leads up to a roof area, where all those dirty smokers go.
The ground floor hosts weekly music shows performed by bands you would actually want to see, as opposed to the screaming college kids you'll find just about everywhere else. As if that weren't enough, the shows are frequently, if not exclusively, free to watch, unless you like merch. Which you should. Merch is great. Pool and ping pong on the upper level are free, as well.
There's plenty to do, and the circular design ensures that you'll never spend too much time worming your way through perfumes and leather jackets to get back to your group. Drinks are reasonably priced, service is friendly, and they sell cigarettes individually for the compulsive social smoker. It's an isolated place, so don't expect to work it into your on-foot pub crawl, but if you're looking for a happening spot to see some good music and drink away a couple of hours, best bust out those Google Maps.
Mayday is the darkest, diviest, grungiest, hipsterest bar in all of Cincinnati - in the best way possible, of course.
This place, tucked away on some godforsaken side street in Northside, is one of the best bars in the whole city. The drinks are cold, the space is great, the bartenders are all hipsters with tattoos and long beards. It's a spot you don't think you'd find in Cincinnati - especially in Northside, but there it is.
What surprised me is how giant a space it really is. You've got the main bar as soon as you walk in, a side bar around the corner, a room for bands, downstairs, upstairs, a patio outside WITH stairs to a second patio above. You could get lots in a place like this. Â
They also bring in bands to perform, which is awesome because they're usually free (and good, national bands at that). The two times I've seen someone rock out has been phenomenal. The space is narrow but longer than it looks so you can fit a ton of people into it. And the sound if amazing. I'm not sure if it's the room or the equipment or what, but the vocals are clear and the instruments loud. It's a dance party up-in-here.
My only issue with the bar are the drinks are a little more expensive than they should be for a place like this. I ordered two terrible beers and was charged $6 for them. That's not cool Mayday. Just because your clientele are rich idiot twenty-something hipsters living on their parent's money doesn't mean you should jack up the prices ... I mean, it probably does, but it's still wrong.
Still, sitting out on the patio when the weather is nice after a show here. Badass way to live, my friend.
I'm writing this review because no one has talked about the happy hour. Â Why this is, I simply do not know. Â
Did you know that you can get one of their delicious hot dogs and a tasty, cool and refreshing bev from the tap for a mere $6? Â The Deluxe Dogs on their own cost $6, so its like getting a free beer. Â And free beer always tastes better. Â Happy Hour starts at 4pm, and goes to 8pm, I believe. Â
They have a a vegan dog if that is your thing, as well as a weekly special dog, which in the past has been a goetta (Cincinnati special--sausage plus oatmeal encased in hot dog glory...It is tasty) turkey dogs, and chorizo. Â
Free Ping Pong upstairs, and a pool table. Â A large upstairs balcony/porch and plenty of outdoor area make for a fine evening this time of year. Â
Seriously worth a trip to Northside. Â Cheap and very delicious, and almost every night has something going on, from the Slurring Bee (group shots between Spelling Bee rounds: Awesome) and Free Drunk Bastard Bingo on Wednesdays, replete with prizes and major awards.
i like my bars 1 of 2 ways, simple shotguns with a bar and a few tables or multi-room affairs with lots of nooks and crannies to explore. Mayday fits the latter description. There are at least 5 different distinct spaces where you can filter around and socialize and have fun.
The best time to go is when the weather is warm so you can enjoy the full extent of the spaces. the outdoor and rooftop patio is a lot of fun, as well as the outdoor hot dog window. occasionally they'll grill burgers out back or even roast a pig, as they did to commemorate this year's May Day.
Overall the place has a dive bar feel with a good (and affordable!) beer selection, but the hot dogs, while tasty and made with gourmet ingredients, are a little overpriced. I guess you pay for the convenience.
parking is a definite pain in the arse. the bar is in an isolated part of northside, so dont expect to be able to bar-hop easily. just hunker down for a night of fun at one of the better bars in town.
Easily the most awesome bar I visited while in Cincinnati!
They have really friendly bartenders; great and inexpensive beer choices both on tap and by the bottle (Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Goose Island 312, etc); a stage area for bands and shows; fantastic patio plus roof area; and table tennis AND a pool table upstairs! Plus it's huge both inside and out and serves food until I believe 1 AM (check on that, though, I could be wrong). You really can't ask for anything more.
Sure it's a little out of the way, but I could not believe MayDay wasn't more crowded on a Saturday night. This is like the perfect bar, people! You should totally go here!
Most folks visit Mayday to enjoy their eclectic lineup of bands and rock-club-meets-bomb-shelter motif.
For me, it's all about the hot dogs.
Until last weekend, I was pretty much convinced that Senate had the best gourmet dogs in town. Â Not by a long shot. Â Mayday offers far more hot dog options, including Chorizo dogs on the evening I was there, served on delicious pretzel buns with your choice of chips or a side salad. Â I ordered a regular hot dog with house ketchup, spicy mustard, beer cheese, onions and green peppers. Â Best dog I've had in years, counting the time I spent living in Chicago. Â Best of all, it was actually $3 cheaper than Senate's "White Trash" dog, which didn't even come with a side.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other reasons to love Mayday. Â Cheap PBR's, smoking hot bartenders, and a tumbler full of Pall Malls you can purchase for $.25 apiece. Â The little touches are what make this one of my newest favorite places, not just in Northside but in all of Cincinnati.
But fair warning, Mayday: Â If you ever stop selling your delicious, world-changing hot dogs, I will turn my back on you. Â My love is fickle.
Great alternative to the other bars in Northside. Downside is the struggle to get a drink at the bar. I've left twice after a long wait at the bar resulted in no service. Hope this improves.
The hot dogs and brats are a great idea. I like the unusual, gourmet garnishes and toppings. Be sure to try the pretzel bun. I believe they come from Findlay Market, so they're top shelf.
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