We have been meaning to get back to Sidebar for months, but with the plethora of new bars & restaurants opening lately Sidebar fell off the radar. When we saw the following Facebook post yesterday we decided Sidebar would be the perfect place close to home where we can explore our love of good beers & food....
"$5 wraps all day today! AND Tonight is $3 Thursday with $3 craft beers and $3 Apps from 9 till close. Comr Party with Scott and Maddie and get the Weekend Started!!!"
Oh how we were mislead! The had a few decent beers on tap, but only 2 of them were $3 and they were not the beers I liked in the line up.
Tater Tots, fries & 1-2 other food items were the advertised $3 and I consider them sides, not apps, and $3 isn't a bargain, but average price for deep fried potatoes. We had the wraps and they were nothing special. The petal sauce on the wrap was the best part, and its just horseradish & mayo.
I have only been here a few times for drinks with friends. Â I've never tried the food. Â With that said, this is a cozy little bar with great prices on their cocktails.
When I'm not bellied up to the bar, I'm upstairs hanging out near the pool table. Â I've always had a lot of fun and have met some really cool people here.
Good times!
First time there, we couldn't find a seat with a good view of the TVs, but it was during a Bengals game. Second time around, during a Cowboys game, there was plenty of room at the bar. We'll be back for the $4 burgers on Sundays. Nice to know some restaurants still serve handmade burgers.
Review Source:Went there for a casual dinner & drinks with friends for my birthday. Â Other than the fact that the bar is in Kentucky & they still allow smoking, my experience there was good. Â Any place who has tots on the menu is a winner in my book! Â Good draft beer selection & wide variety of menu items.
Review Source:Went here on a Saturday around 5ish. Were the only customers I am assuming this s more of a night spot?
Went here for 2 reasons. 1)Was able to use a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fresturant.com&s=c679c8b7c27648b754c74464a6f005dc9a3fe1923b4231a13356be0e1a37d75f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://resturant.com</a> coupon and also include drinks!2)Had somewhat good reviews.
Please do not get dressed up and take a pair of old shoes because the floors are sticky.
I had the BBQ chicken pizza my wife had a burger.
I had to take a discount double check when my pizza arrived it did not have BBQ sauce it had a white ranch sauce? Called the waiter over asked if a mistake was made? H said no that is want the menu said!! So it was good but I asked for side BBQ sauce which made it much better!
My wife liked but did not love here juicy burger. The bun was toasted which is always good.She like the tator totts.
Service was very very good and polite.
Would we go back maybe with a coupon.
Sidebar is great local bar away from a lot of the bozo's and crazy drunken college kids that roam the streets of Mainstrasse. Lots of locals. Cheap drinks and good bands. The inside is a mix of old charm and a hipster update. They have a small outdoor seating area that is on a 1 way street. Perfect for hanging out at on summer night in Cincinnati. It is also just adjacent is Blinkers and The Keystone Bar. Both also respectable bars within eyeshot of one another. It almost feels like they are all on their own little island in Covington. Plenty of parking in the area as well. Â Beware, this bar is 21 and over only so that does mean smoking is allowed. Pull tables are upstairs as well.
Review Source:I've lived a block away from this place since moving up here and figured I should write a review on it before moving downtown next month.
This was my favorite bar when I first got up here. If I had reviewed it in December, I would have been singing its praises. Unfortunately, there is so much turnover it's almost impossible to keep up with the place and the current staff. If I'm going to settle on a neighborhood bar, I want to be able to get to know the bartenders. In the fall, we could count on the same crew almost every time we visited. Now, it's as if they're always training someone new. As a result, there's no loyalty to the regulars because the bartenders genuinely don't know who is a regular and who is not.
Accordingly, Sidebar has turned into a nightcap spot for me. They have a 'hit or miss' band schedule and a cozy upstairs area with a pool table and other games. Whereas I used to camp out here on a weekend night and drink till closing time, I've found myself going to OTR and Hyde Park more often for the bulk of the night. Sidebar is more of an afterthought at this point.
FWIW, the food is surprisingly good. Never tried the pizza, but I've heard positive reviews. The burgers are delicious. The fries are the bomb. And they serve tater tots at all times. Best of all, you can get wings to go at 1:45 AM. Where else can you do that? Their Parmesan garlic wings might actually be my favorite in the Cincinnati area. It's worth a visit if you're in the area, but I no longer feel right recommending that people go out of their way to give it a try.
I came here for a bite and a drink the other night with a friend around 9 pm. It was a Saturday night so I expected it to be crowded but we easily found seats at the bar and were immediately given menus and drinks.
The drinks were standard bar drinks, but the food! How can you not like a place that has tater tots? I ordered a burger with tots and my friend ordered cheese sticks and tots. I also love that the burger came with a full size pickle. The burger itself was tasty, but the bun was a little soggy so it fell apart.
Obviously, being a Covington bar, it is a little smoky. But I didn't feel the need to fabreeze everything I was wearing that night, so not that bad.
Hidden Gem! Huge Pickle! Tasty Tots! Â No, not me... SIDEBAR!
these burgers are Delicious! the topping variety is definitely not what I expected, this makes my top 10 burgers in town (list idea!)
This little corner or kentucy is fun with 4 great bars/restaurants to quickly and efficiently get fed and f'ed UP!
give their burgers a try, you can veggie any of them up, but their beef is delicious...
I hit this place on a great night, all the smokers stayed home or maybe they were at the outside tables. Anyway, I was prepared to come home stinky but didn't.
Having read the other reviews our table opted for the loaded tater tots and burgers. Everything came out quickly and just as we ordered it. I highly recommend the European Burger. I could do without the giant pickle and wonder if that's why they seemed a little pricier ($9-$10) than what you get at other places. Â
I didn't order a drink from the bar, but I did get a soda, which came in a red solo cup and made me sing the song :) We left before the band really got going but I imagine it can get pretty loud in there since it isn't a terribly big place and is log and narrow.
I love, love, love this place. Â If only they would go non-smoking, I would call it a hangout... Currently it is just a once in a while type of place.
What drew me here was their <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> coupon. Â I had never heard of the place, but am willing to go anyplace once with a discount. Â Their restaurant.com's include alcohol, which is somewhat unusual! Â There is never a hassle when the bill comes.
Everything I have ever tried here has been amazing. Â I love the Devil's Advocate sub a black bean burger in. Â Counting calories- get no bun and have them put the ranch sauce on the side. Â Their tater tots come seasoned and are to die for! Â Salads are pretty good... try the buffalo chicken salad with grilled chicken. Â
Drinks here are stiff... My last trip we had a tall red stag and diet for $4.50. Â Considering the amount of alcohol it was a great deal.
Prices on food are a little higher than typical bar prices. Â But, the food is better than average bar food.
I recommend visiting here for lunch or dinner on a nice day when you can sit at the picnic tables out front and avoid the smoke!
Went based on the fact Metromix voted it #2 in the area for burgers. Well, not so much. The sweet hard to hold bun did not go with the HUGE burger. I got the mushroom and swiss burger. Lets just say it was more like a swiss burger. The 3 or 4 thinly sliced pieces of portabella mushroom does not make it a shroom & swiss burger. My friend got the Hang Over. Her reaction was "I have had better". I must have went on an "off" night. I was told they get their beer delivery tomorrow. WHAT? No beer. No, just not the selection of beer on tap that they would normally have. I was not happy with the pricing. Two burgers and two beers was over $30.
I did however like the bar its self. Laid back with lots of tvs to watch the game on.
Dont think I will be back for the burgers. I will stick with Zola when Im in Covington.
Ok, went based on making the #2 spot for burgers in the area. Â Burger meat was great with a great charcoal taste. Â But it falls short because they chose a dainty, soft, can't hold the sandwich bun that is useless out of the gate, leaving you trying to figure out how to consume your burger. Â I do not want a bread sandwich either but you have to pair the bun so it all works. Â Food came out hot, seasoned fries did not taste seasoned. Â Giant pickle is a very good one but hard to tackle or utilize. Â Service is very sketchy. Â Folks there (looked like owner and fam) like to chat instead of run a business. Â 2 people of 4 non-kitchen staff were actually really working, the woman behind the bar who also waited on us and a guy who came in around 6:30 on a Saturday. Â Not many tables here to manage, but the table next to us finally went up to the bar to get their check (in adjacent room) and they were very patient. Â
Can't imagine they will be able to maintain being a food destination. Â I know I won't go back and the table beside us said they won't either. Â Â
If service was better, may be a 3 star for food. Â As far as #2 burger? Â I knew something was up when Frisch's made #3.
Ok, any bar that serves up both amazing tater tots and full pickles with your burgers is going to do it for me.
I have no idea why I'd never stepping into this bar before I had a lunch here. Granted, I don't spend a lot of time in Covington, but this place seems like it should have been my jam - lots of space, wooden tables, craft beers, TVs for games, friendly staff and a good bar menu, Yep, I can be very happy here.
Kara P's right when it's not quite a dive bar but it's damn close. It's more like a really fun neighborhood bar. There's very little that's flashy about it, but that's a nice break here and there, especially in an area with a ton of flashy bars.
I got the burger and it was a damn solid burger. Well cooked, came out fast, fries were tasty, and yes, a giant whole dill pickle along with it. What! I've never seen that done anywhere in Greater Cincinnati so props to you for surprising me Sidebar. They also have a solid bowl of soup that changes all the time. But it's damn good whatever it is.
And yep, delicious tater tots to boot. Hot, fresh, crispy, win.
I can't talk about this place at night, but I hear it gets a little crazy. What I can say is if you're looking for a solid lunch spot that will come as a surprise, you've got it right here.
Any bar that has somewhat hard to find beers like Magners Cider ($5.50) is gonna make me a happy fella. They had karaoke the night I was there and my group had a good time singing and dancing a bit. The smoke wasn't too bad (it is KY, ha ha) for my Ohio lungs. The other beers and drinks my friends had were low priced and quickly served. Awesome.
Review Source:This is a true neighborhood bar. Â I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to call it a dive, but it's cool. Â Lots of TVs, so a great place to catch a game. Â The menu is great - lots of choices - and their Lodi Dodi Pizza is super spicy and I've been told that it's amazing. Â Prices are a LITTLE high for bar food, just a little.
Overall, it's one of my go-to places for lunch since I work on the same block.
Nice place with a decent beer selection and a friendly staff. The food is the star here though. I've tried the burger, which is a really good deal on Sunday while watching football. Â I also tried the boneless chicken wings with some kind of spicy sauce. Great bar food. If I lived in the area, I'd be here all the time.
Review Source:Sidebar is right around the corner from my house, which makes it a convenient spot to stop, yet I still try to avoid it. Â It's not a terrible place, just not my scene. Â There is usually a loud cover band that plays bad music, and the crowd is usually loud and drunk to match. Â
Sidebar is supposedly a "flare" bar (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail), but I've never seen a bottle flipped or a glass tossed in this place. Â Most of the bartenders are nice, although sometimes it's hard to get service because they know so many of the regulars.
The best thing about Sidebar is that they serve food until they close (around 2-2:30am). Â Most of their menu is so-so, but they do have great pizza. Â Sometimes if you go in right at close, they will only serve the quick fried food though, which is understandable. Â The chicken fingers and cheese sticks are standard bar food, but do the trick at 2am when I'm hungry after a night out.
I try to avoid spending much time hanging out at Sidebar, but I do appreciate being able to stop in and grab a pizza on my way home from the nearby bars that I do love.
Sidebar is one of my favorite bars to visit when I'm looking to be around a few people but tired of the usual places.
Their menu is pretty tasty, standard bar menu. I enjoyed my side salad (much better than I expected for a bar) and BBQ burger very much. Â It came out quick and hot and exactly how I ordered it.
While they may have a slightly limited liquor selection, they've utilized their tap space well with some very tasty beers. I'm a big fan of Bell's brewery.
As many here have said, their prices are quite manageable, I believe my 2 beers, 2 cocktails (for the lady) and two lunch entrees only came to about $35. Â
Yes, they do allow smoking last I checked, but I don't recall it bothering me.
Plenty of TVs in this relatively small space mean that you'll be able to catch whatever big game is on, and maybe a couple of the smaller ones too.
I'll definitely be back again and again.
Looking for a good Sunday brunch? Â Well you won't find it here. Â Nay, Sidebar offers something so incredibly better than overpriced fruits, Bloody Marys, and French Toast: 3.50 burgers on Sundays. Â And this isn't a slider from White Castle either, this is a big and juicy patty that is cooked to perfection. Â To sweeten the deal, Bud Light drafts are 1.50 and most other drafts are 3.50.
Of course with any great deal there is a catch. Â They now charge for extra toppings in addition to the 3.50 burger. Â Unless you want a pound of bacon as a topping you can still get an awesome burger for less than 5 bucks.
And did I mention the tater tots? Â These things are amazing!!!! Â They could just be Oriedas best, but whatever seasoning is put atop these little nuggets is pure ambrosia. Â Also on Sundays they are only a 1.50 extra with your burger.
Aside from the great Sunday specials, Sidebar is truly one of the best spots on the Kentucky side of the river. Â It is located in a beautifully restored building that provides a lot of space and an interesting two story layout. Â During the warmer months they have seating outside on the sidewalk that allows for one of best views in the area, and potentially some amazing sunsets. Â
There is a large selection of bottled beers and a fair amount of taps, and all for a decent price. Â Not to mention that they still do "five for five" night: usually 5 bucks for 5 bottles of domestic swill, but hey for 5 bucks let the good times roll.
Finally, and when White Castle is too far away, the kitchen is open until 2am! Â
The only real downside of course is the whole smoking aspect. Â Despite the great deals and large space, you will come out smelling like smoke. Â Which usually for me would be a turn off, but with all the good things that this place offers, it actually ensures that I will not spend days at a time in this place.
So if you are looking to start the weekend early, or are tired of being the "Where's the Beef Lady" during brunch, then Sidebar is your place. Â Cheap, cheap, cheap and fun, fun, fun.
Sidebar certainly has a lot of character, and I mean that in a good way. It's a nice neighborhood bar with good food (admittedly, I've only ever had their burgers and tater tots, but have never been disappointed) and a decent selection of beer. The food is reasonably priced, especially when they have burger specials; the beer can get a little pricey, but not ridiculously so, especially if you're drinking craft beer. The only mixed drink I've had has been the Bloody Mary but it is fantastic. Service can be a bit spotty and/or slow but most of the experiences I've had here have been very pleasant.
Review Source:Side Bar is a friendly, neighbor bar with character, great food, and great people. They have live music every Friday and Saturday.  You really get to see a large cross section of local bands. The music ranges from jazz to blues to rock. The food is simple but very well done. It is also very reasonably priced. So are the drinks  They have a large variety of themed burgers. The pizza crusts are crispy. Did I mention the kitchen is open until 2am?!  There are plenty of tv's if you are looking to enjoy watching a game with friends. One of the things I most enjoy about Side Bar is the employees. They are happy people, happy to be working, and can talk any subject imaginable at the bar. One of the bartenders, Derrick, can throw, twirl, and juggle bottles of alcohol. It is a real show, especially when the bottles are on fire.
Review Source:I almost went with 3 stars only because I really have problems with smoking inside bars, but then I decided maybe it wasn't fair, since most bars in Covington (or all) allow smoking. So despite the smoking, Sidebar is a really neat little establishment. It's a narrow space, but I love that they kept parts of the wall that must have been windows at some point, the wooden beams, and the stage tucked in the back corner. The drink prices were good, the bartender was juggling rum bottles at one point, and the overall atmosphere was laid back. There's a loft-like upstairs area where you will find another little bar tucked away in the corner, additional seating and a place to shoot some pool. You'll find plenty of TVs around to watch whatever game might be on.
I'm not sure if the night we went was demonstrative of the typical demographic, but it definitely was an older crowd (which was fine). My little group of late 20-somethings was definitely on the young end of the spectrum. Call me crazy, but it was actually nice- everyone was having a great time but it wasn't obnoxious.
We didn't try the food, but perhaps on a repeat visit (which would happen much more quickly if I didn't worry about smelling like smoke). In sum, cool, laid back place to grab some drinks and eat, listen to music, watch tv... pretty good in my book.
WooHoo!!!! for the burgers!!!
Best burger in town and great atmosphere. Â Sidebar is in the cute 'Covington Bar Block' as I like to call it (neighbored by the Down Under and Molly Malones...) and should definitely be one of the first in your line up on the bar tour for the evening or...week. Â Why first? you may ask - because you absolutely MUST have one of their specialty burgers , my favorite the Bacon Blues, assisted by a mound of fries and a fresh massive dill pickles - with a KFC secret recipe mentality, I tried, ohhhh how I tried to get this recipe! ...but alas, failed. Â The owner is the ONLY one that knows how these fresh beef (not from the freezer!), mouth watering burgers are made of.
Easy to get to from Cincy - right across the Queen City bridge which provides you with some nice scenery to start the evening and with great music constantly on the schedule, you may even decide to chill at Sidebar for the whole evening, but no worries if you decide to pop over later - you can still fill up on some food favorites - Sidebar serves late into the night!
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