Review: Bay Horse Cafe

I walk to the bus stop at 7th and Main in the Central Business District every day. One day I saw something out of the ordinary in the cityscape I’d grown very familiar with when I noticed a new neon sign hanging above the street. “Bay Horse Cafe,” it read. I immediately went to Google, where a) all of life’s problems are solved, and b) I learned that this Cincinnati institution had originally opened in the 1800s (1817 according to them) and closed in 2005. But there was nothing that mentioned its reopening. Had that sign been there all along?

The following week, it was confirmed that Bay Horse had, in fact, reopened, so I stopped in to check it out on a Friday after work (and as a pit stop on my way to catch the bus). It was crowded with people drinking pints, cocktails, and wine at the end of their workweeks. I even saw a pair playing cards at one of the tables near the front window. Because it was packed, it was slow to pay out after getting my beer and I nearly missed my bus. But aside from that, I really loved the laid back atmosphere and highly recommend this historic bar to anyone looking for a reasonable place to enjoy a beer or four, cocktail, lunch, or wine over Trivial Pursuit. (And probably don’t give yourself 20 minutes to drink a beer in a crowded bar when you’re on a tight schedule.)

Bay Horse, home of the Hudy Schooner, has six beers on tap, including Hudepohl and Hudy Delight pints for $3 and their infamous Schooners (25 oz. chalices, essentially) for $4. Other beers include the likes of Guinness, domestic beers, local crafts, plus cans and bottles, wine, and cocktails. Bay Horse, where it’s “always happy hour,” even serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30am until 2:30pm.

Follow Bay Horse Cafe on Facebook and Twitter.

Location
625 Main Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Hours
Monday through Friday, 11am–11pm (lunch, 11:30am–2:30pm)
Saturday, 4–11pm

Parking
Street and nearby garages

Notes
Located right on the streetcar line, and very close to the Richter Phillips (6/Main) stop; also convenient to a number of bus stops

Featured image: pouring a Hudy Schooner with Hudepohl Amber