Cincinnati’s Northside Yacht Club just landed on a prestigious national list of America’s best places to drink, giving locals another reason to defend the city’s wonderfully weird bar scene. The landlocked Northside spot is known for nautical decor, inventive cocktails, live music and food that treats fries like a full-contact sport. If you’re making a first visit, start with the Creature Fries.
The bar was named one of the top 38 places to drink in America in USA Today’s 2026 Bars of the Year list, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. The recognition arrives just before Northside Yacht Club celebrates its 11th anniversary in August, with Stuart Mackenzie now running the business after co-founder Jon Weiner’s departure.
Creature Fries Are The Move
The bar’s signature pile of hand-cut fries comes loaded with three-cheese mornay, Wisconsin sharp cheddar, jalapeño, scallions, pickled red onion and the house NASCAR sauce. According to the Northside Yacht Club menu, diners can add grilled chicken, fried tofu or pulled pork, making the dish less of a side and more of a potentially messy meal plan.
There is plenty more to order once the fries disappear, including house-smoked meats, burgers, wings and vegan and vegetarian options. The drink list leans into tiki and beach-inspired cocktails, seasonal slushies and the bar’s house-made peanut butter tequila, while its nautical theme gives the place a personality far beyond standard neighborhood watering hole.
Even the restroom has a bit to say. A recent Axios Cincinnati report highlighted the hidden disco bathroom, where a giant red button triggers a roughly 20-second light show and song that can be heard from the bar. It is the sort of detail that makes the national recognition feel on-brand rather than random.
Northside Yacht Club was founded in 2015 and has already appeared on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but the new list gives the Northside bar a fresh national spotlight. The Cincinnati Enquirer notes that the bar’s appeal comes from the combination of handcrafted food, creative drinks and a playful atmosphere that refuses to take the usual bar playbook too seriously.
What To Know Before You Go
Northside Yacht Club’s weekly calendar includes trivia, Sunday brunch and karaoke, alongside its regular food and cocktail service. The bar’s official website lists the business at 4231 Spring Grove Ave. and describes its formula simply: food, booze and rock ’n’ roll. For a first order, though, the national buzz has already supplied the answer: get the Creature Fries and let the disco bathroom handle the entertainment.
