Wiseguy Lounge

We are just starting to explore OTR, and this place was recommended. If you don’t know it’s there, you won’t know it’s there. Accessed by an unmarked door adjacent to the breezeway door of Goodfella’s Pizza, the long staircase to the second level gives you that «gin joint» feel. Only here, it’s bourbon. Great, chill, rustic atmosphere. Wide variety on tap, and a nice selection of bourbon too. Friendly bartenders, well-​made cocktails.
Two things keep it from being 5-​stars: 1. For the price of a cocktail, the glass is mostly ice. More whisky, please. 2. Their craft cocktail menu is adequate, but could use a few additions. Perhaps I’m comparing it to Cooper’s Hawk because we like to go there, and it is much closer to where we live. If I’m gonna drive to OTR, I want it to be worth the drive. That said, we’ll most likely be back to sample a bit more of the drink menu — and maybe some food as well.

After just realizing this place even existed the other night, I have to say that I may have been missing out!
This place is solidly cool. Décor is hip. Staff was friendly. Smells like pizza (Goodfella’s is on the first floor). Good bourbon selection. What more could you want?!
The place gets packed though. There is a small upstairs where we were able to find some space. Does not see to get bused though so there were many empty cups.
This place is pretty bro-​y too. Not terrible, but just FYI if you are looking for something a little less so. I mean, you are going to a bar with a ton of bourbon in OTR, a little bro-​ness is to be expected.

Drinks were great and we were also able to gran some pizza from Goodfella’s! My GF and me got Moscow Mules and they were served in the cliché copper mugs, which I am a huge fan of. The Mules were so good, we ended up ordering a couple rounds. There is a upstairs area where you can view the downstairs bar and people watch which is always fun! We ended the night by ordering a couple slices of pizza from Goodfella’s which is our favorite pizza spot right now!

It was cold outside and the sun was going down, when I stopped in for a beer.
The place was fairly packed. The basketball game was on. And some people were dressed up and celebrating St. Patties Day.
I didn’t mind.
I just put my head down and eased by and took a seat on the leather sofa. And that’s when I saw her.
God she looked amazing. She had a small head on a big body. A body of golden-​brown delight. From where I was, I could tell that every man wanted a taste.
So, I took her in my hand and introduced myself.
She said, «I’m Bell. And my heart belongs to another man.» Then, she pulled away and gave me the cold shoulder.
I called the bartender over. He was a young kid, full of spunk. A beard full of wires.
«What can I do for you?» He said.
I said, «Let me get another.»
He said, «Bell’s Two Hearted IPA?»
I said, «Yes.»
Afterwards, I took the long walk home. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the one that got away.
Bell.

I love this place… one of my favorite bars in OTR I think! Wiseguy is a beautiful cozy bar (dark wood, leather couches), friendly bartenders, lots of whisky, awesome cocktails (and beers too), a patio, and being right upstairs from pizza is awesome. Getting a cocktail here is so fun! They really take the time to get it right… like I literally watched the bartender chip a perfectly square (mas or menos) cube of ice from the ice box to craft a drink! So great. They also really do slide the ladder around and climb it to get to the bottles on the wall. Weekday nights are really nice here and super relaxed… perfect for hanging with some homies and j chillin.
I think they have a special maybe on Tuesday nights? Where you get a couple bucks off a whole page of cocktails… I’d recommend coming on a non-​Friday/​Saturday late night for the full experience!

I love this place! The bartenders are all so nice. It get’s a little crowded on the weekends but that’s just fine. During the week, it feels much more laid back.

I can’t believe I haven’t done a review here yet! I love coming here when I’m in OTR. The atmosphere is a perfect combination of a little chill, but a little high end. There’s a patio that is great for nice weather, and the inside has a bit of a rustic feel to it. There is a loft-​type area you can reserve for groups, too. The beer selection is always great — lots of craft beers, with a nice mix of different styles, as well as local vs national. If you are a bourbon drinker, look no further than Wiseguy — their selection is unbelievable. They also have a great cocktail list, made by some exceptional bartenders, who definitely know what they’re doing. (Sidenote, every have a Kentucky margarita? It’s a margarita made with bourbon rather than tequila. I was beyond skeptical, but it was actually delicious!) Grab a slice of pizza downstairs, and bring it up here to enjoy your drinks and watch the games on the TV or listen to the music coming from Touch Tunes. You can also order a pizza at the bar, and they’ll bring it right up to you. This is a great place to chill, and you’ll be glad you came!

Very chill atmosphere. Rustic feel. Solid tap selection, exceptional whiskey selection. Bartenders know their drinks. Didn’t try the food.

Wisely hidden in the second floor of Goodfella’s Pizzeria, Wiseguy Lounge provides great variety of bourbons and hand crafted cocktails with the feel of a speakeasy. Drinks are exceptionally well made and the vibe is pretty chill. The best part, is that if you’re hungry, there’s always pizza downstairs.

LOVE Wiseguys. Fun atmosphere, can be busy at times but so is every other bar around it. Very nice patio and outdoor area. Goodfellas pizza below it is awesome and you can bring your pizza back up to bar with you.

Checked this place out w a pal on a Friday night and WOW, was I impressed! Its definitely something that you wouldn’t know was there above the Goodfellas pizza shop unless you looked, but if you do — you won’t be sorry. The beer selection was great and even the beers they have they can «cocktail-​ize» — I got an Urban Artifact Key Lime Gose w ginger strawberry simple syrup added (suggested by the bartender) and it was LOVELY. My friend got a few different cocktails and they were not only tasty, but beautifully presented. We sat at the bar and watched the bartenders make drinks and were totally mezmerized. Its got a good, laid back atmosphere which is a nice change from some of the other cocktail heavy joints in that area that are a bit pretentious for my liking — there are TV’s and a jukebox and though the bartenders dress the part, they’re super friendly and willing to mix up a drink you love just how you love it. I definitely felt much less intimidated here and more willing to try unfamiliar stuff vs other places were you feel kind of dumb asking questions/​the bartenders are too busy to talk options w you. Price wise, they were on par w other places. The only lament I have was in not asking about if there was a happy hour.
You can walk your pizza slice up from the downstairs food area, and if you order a whole pizza, they will bring it up for you, which to my mind is fabulous. I got there around 7 on a friday and it was kind of quiet, but it was bumping by the time we left around 9. Then again, it was All Star Game weekend, so it could have been an anomaly. There were all sorts of groups there, and all ages — folks on dates, work happy hours and friends meeting up for drinks like I was. The space is pretty big — there’s a large bar, high top tables and even an upstairs loft area — and there are patio spaces that are plenty big as well. Remembering what this space was like when it was the former Courtyard Café, I can definitely say I am blown away by the work that they’ve done on it. I will definitely be back and will certainly be bringing friends!

Stopped in to get a slice of pizza before heading over to make macarons for a Unilocal event. The Wiseguy Lounge is upstairs of Goodfellas. It’s a really nice bar. The bartender, who’s name I forget, made a fine sazerac and during conversation showed he had a good understanding of cocktails and their history. The place was quiet on a weekday so this would easily be a choice for a place to go after work during the week. I will certainly be back.

This is the best bar in Cincinnati. The space is three levels and really has a kickass look. Exposed brick and beautiful wood make it a great a lot to drink. Bartenders are very knowledgeable and willing to make anything. Prices are reasonable. But wait there’s more! A pizza place is on the first floor. A pizza place in a bar. Now this isn’t s new concept but the pizza at Goodfellas is some of the best you’ll ever have. My brother flew into Cincinnati last week and drove straight to goodfellas at 130am. That’s some good pizza.

Seriously awesome bar! It’s small enough to not be super crowded and loud, but large enough that if you come with 5 – 10 people there’s still enough room for everyone. A couple separate areas of couches, tables, chairs, and standing space makes it ideal for grabbing a drink and having a conversation.
The drinks – great! Killer craft cocktails (I need to go back to try them ALL)! If you’re looking for an expertly made cocktail that won’t break the bank (around $ 8 – 9), this is the place. I definitely got the impression that the bartender knew what he was doing – and he was friendly and patient with my group’s indecisiveness.
If you’re in the mood for beer, they have some quality craft beer on tap and almost all are under $ 5, which feels cheap for a good beer. Like, I think they’re selling Rhinegeist for less than you get at Rhinegeist’s tap room!
It was raining when I went so we couldn’t go outside, but they have an outdoor patio that looked amazing. I’m looking forward to going back on a nice evening.
The best part? Goodfella’s Pizza is downstairs so you can walk down and grab a slice of NY style pizza whenever you get hungry.

Been to Wiseguys twice now and have had two very different experiences.
The first was for my birthday where we had reserved the mezzanine above the bar for myself and my guests. It was a pretty awkward setup but we made it work and it was nice to be separated from downstairs where it was super packed and busy. Unfortunately, they do not offer table services for drinks so we had to fight through the crowd to the bar to get our drinks and order our food. The food was at least brought up to us when it was ready which was nice.
The second trip was a Sunday evening. There were a lot less people and we were able to snag a seat outside on the patio. We brought up our pizza and then headed to the bar to order drinks.
I think I waited longer for that drink this time than I did the last time which made no sense since there were less people. Seemed like the bartenders (who were very nice and everything) spent more time goofing off than making drinks. I also must add that none of the drinks were are as good as they were my first time there, everything tasted dramatically different which takes a point for consistency.
Of course I’m sure that I will be back; I love Goodfellas pizza and it’s always nice to have a place to grab a drink with it.

It can get really packed on the weekends but it is a great location. They have all the latest and greatest beers on tap. Right now they have Hopslam on tap and that’s a very popular beer. Their Moscow mule is epic but to drink in their copper mug you have to your ID. They also have TouchTunes so you can play the songs you want! The only downfall is the space but the warmer weather should help that! The staff is fantastic!

Great place to kick back and get to some bourbon! Huge selection of local and regional whiskeys and bourbon. Prohibition style saloon with a ladder on wheels to reach the toppest shelf specialties.
Upper level is perfect for groups and private parties. Bartenders are knowledgeable on craft cocktails and spirits.

Similar to the covington location but not as secret. Great décor and atmosphere. Moscow mule is always a great go-​to at this bar!