I moved to Cincinnati to produce the morning show at a local tv station - it was a gig that demanded a schedule of 1 am to 9 am. There I'd be, practically alone in a newsroom, silent except for the flurry of typing on the keyboard and the occasional squawk on the police scanner.
Sometimes the calls would issue an order for an ambulance to 7th and Walnut after a shooting at the rough and thuggish Phoenix Cafe.
As one of my former news managers said, "The Phoenix Cafe is the kind of place that makes you check your Glock at the door."
As Downtown Cincinnati evolved, the Phoenix Cafe stuck out like a sore thumb. Amidst the bustling "Backstage District," complete with the Aronoff, McFadden's/BlackFinn, Nicholson's, the Phoenix Cafe was the only establishment where folks picked up the pace as they were walking by.
Thankfully, the space has been renovated, restoring honor to the entire block.
The Righteous Room is swank, offering cozy seating along the wall opposite an expansive bar. Behind the bar, tenders pour a quick cocktail in front of a mirrored wall concealing flatscreen TVs.
A few steps further lead you to a beautiful courtyard with another bar and lots of outdoor seating.
The bar, the newest gem in the Pavilion/AliveOne/The Stand/Keystone family features a list of specialty cocktails. My companion and I did our best to sample some of the favorites - our attentive server suggested the Dragonberry Limonade, which I thought tasted like a pink jelly bean. Made with dragonberry Bacardi rum, 7-Up, a splash of grenadine and lime juice, it was extremely sweet and went down quickly.
We also tried the Crown Sidecar - made with Crown Royal Reserve, a splash of Cointreau, topped with sour mix and served in a glass with a sugared rim and lime wedge. This drink packed a punch.
The Righteous Room is a fantastic place to wind down after work, grab a drink during a night on the town or toast a special occasion.
Welcome to the neighborhood, RR.
My camera man and I spontaneously shot this video - the camera was apparently challenged by the ambient sound and dark lighting - but I think you get the general idea about the space...
Kate's Random Musings by Kate the Great is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
1 comment:
I liked this place until the female bartender gave me attitude when I didn't give her a tip. I ordered the same 3 drinks my friend did ($16 from the male bartender) and she wanted to charge me $20, so I thought $4 was substantial.
Seeing as I couldn't taste any alcohol anyway, I couldn't find much reason for her attitude. What a greedy B!
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