#6182 - Ghost Baby, Cincinnati, OH - 5/16/2025

Ghost Baby, Cincinnati, OH

Find the purple orb light on Republican Street, descend the stairs down four stories below street level into the lagering caves last used by a Cincinnati brewing company in the 1850s, and you'll find a couple of the more beautiful bars I've been to. This is Ghost Baby, purportedly named for an infant specter that was somehow responsible for the shattering of the first light bulb inserted in the reopening of the caves. 

The first room, reservation not required, is the "Rattle Room," featuring a central bar that is said to have been designed after a baby's rattle. Step past that and behind the velvet curtains -- although you will probably need a reservation, into "The Den," with a bar in the corner and romantically lit tables, with a velvet curtain lined stage on the opposite end hosting various forms of live music performances. The award winning design, the fine craft cocktails, and the overall vibe all make it well worth a reservation (and fifty-some stair steps).

Ghost Baby, Cincinnati, OH

I also had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Heather and Chuck at the bar. They are a couple from Kentucky, she a school teacher, and he with the airline industry for many years. Chuck's job allowed them to fly for free on Delta flights that had available seating at takeoff time. So they would pack up the kids, go to the airport, and ask at the desk about any flights with several open seats; where ever those flights were going, they went. It sounded like a fun family.

Chuck and Heather,
at Ghost Baby, Cincinnati, OH

1314 Republic St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 - (513) 381-5333
Est. Feb 18, 2020 - Building constructed: Pre-1850
Previous bars in this location: None known 
Web site: ghost-baby.com - facebook - instagram 
Reviews: cincinnatidesignawards - esquire - cincinnati.com - 5chw4r7z - yelp - tripadvisor