Review: Queen City Radio

I was fully expecting to be underwhelmed by Queen City Radio. With that kind of hype and those expectations, it’s easy to be disappointed. I’m happy to report, however, that I really liked the place. It may have been love, even.
Queen City Radio is nestled on 12th and Central, a block away from the southwest corner of Washington Park, which is super convenient for walking and streetcar-ing. Parking is a bit tougher to come by, as there is some street parking nearby and a garage a short walk away. The interior is great and features large couches and a second floor, and the outdoor beer garden is enormous, which is a pretty rare commodity in the city limits. It’s sort of hard to believe that a place like this exists in the urban core, truthfully (this I am not mad about). In fact, I was in Columbus recently and absolutely loved the layout of Standard Hall; wished we had something like it in Cincinnati. With Queen City Radio, we do.

Thanks to happy hour ($4 local drafts, $5 slushies and $4 Weihenstephaner beers from 4–7pm weekdays), a Fifty West Doom Pedal cost me $4. I love that there are slushies, too. Also in the sale department, cans of Hudy Delight, High Life, and PBR are always $2. Service was pretty good at the bar, and there are also cocktail servers who make rounds through the space. I can imagine it’s probably better to go to the bar for service when it’s busy outside.
I really liked this place and can see going here for happy hours in the future. And, while I love the outdoor atmosphere of Queen City Radio, really, I’m most looking forward to trying Queen City Whip, the food truck fixture of the beer garden that serves burgers, falafels, fries, and shakes. Next time!