4544 W 8th Street
Price for a Guinness: $7.00 | Overall Rating: 9.05
When someone thinks of the west side of Cincinnati they don't typically think of good hospitality, but rather the direct opposite. You'll surely find a strong dose of crack along these streets, however, inside the Crow's Nest you'll find the good stuff; the real craic. They opened their doors in 1895 across the street from a scenic cemetery. The original owners, Bill and Mary Crow, are long gone and the place has seen a handful of ownership changes ever since.
If you ask many of the locals, especially anyone born and raised on the west side, they'll tell you that the Crow's Nest is a staple. Surely enough, it was only a matter of time until The Drunken Mallard paid a visit to the joint.
When you walk in you are generally greeted with a warm welcome by either the bartender, the regulars, or both. It's a rather long L shaped bar that holds a mere 20 or so patrons. The demographics are a good mix of blue collar and middle class folks who hold good conversations. A perfect recipe for obtaining the craic.
It's an old building with tall ceilings. The ceiling is actually very charming as somebody at some point had painted the tiles in the colors of the Ireland flag. There is a good portion of Pete Rose decor on the wall (he's from the west side) and the other wall decor is unique and authentic.
There's a Golden Tee for those who are into that sort of thing (The Drunken Mallard for one), a small stage for live music, and a separate room for private events. There are a few TVs for watching the games and word has it that they love to watch the Reds although we've never been here to watch a game ourselves.
Now let's talk about one of the most important assets about a good Irish Pub; the pour of Guinness. Our bartender today was a good one, who not only provided good hospitality but also delivered on a fantastic pour.
A good pour of Guinness can be hard to come by sometimes as bartenders now-days don't seem to care too much about their craft anymore. That's not the case here at the Crow's Nest as they know how to pour the right way. We decided to enjoy a Harp as well.
There are about 8 beers on tap, however, you won't find any Smithwick's. Perhaps one day soon they'll change their minds on that regard. They have a wide variety of Gin and Whiskey and yes; they offer Paddy's for those who were wondering. They do offer food for the hungry travelers and there's a jukebox for the quieter moments. For those who like to gamble; they do have Keno for your money making addictions.
The place is rather clean and the bathrooms aren't disgusting. Any gripes about the place would be the parking, the area (let's be real it's not the best place to park a nice car), the furniture, and behind the bar is a bit cluttered. It isn't the most proper looking pub, although we all know that doesn't mean anything in regards to finding the craic.
If you're the type that likes to party hard while standing like a sardine on St. Paddy's Day then the Crow's Nest might tickle your fancy, as they are apparently a big hot spot for the holiday.
Like many pubs, the place can get a bit rowdy on the weekends and when the sun goes down, but for those in search for the craic should know that the best time to find the craic is when the sun is still shining. We're confident that you'll have no problem killing an afternoon in fantastic fashion at this pub and we couldn't recommend it more. It surely lives up to it's legacy and tradition as we proudly give the Crow's Nest a 9.05; the 2nd best score in Cincinnati (as of today).
Slainte!
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