Agave & Rye is set to open its fourth Greater Cincinnati-area restaurant in Pleasant Ridge this September, transforming the former Catch Me If You Can space at 6112 Montgomery Road into a three-level bar and taco concept anchored by a bourbon speakeasy tucked into the basement. The Covington-based chain has not announced an exact opening date, but parent company Epic Brands says the debut will come with grand-opening festivities sometime next month.
According to FOX19, the new spot sits across Montgomery Road from Café Alma and falls inside Pleasant Ridge's Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, often called DORA, a program that lets patrons carry open drinks between participating businesses. Cincinnati City Council began rolling out DORAs in neighborhood commercial districts starting in late 2021, according to Lohmiller Real Estate. The main level will feature an outdoor patio with bold murals and art, an open kitchen and a wraparound bar, while the second floor holds a dining hall built for large groups and celebratory moments, the station reports.
Bourbon Speakeasy Anchors the Basement
Downstairs, per the same account, Agave & Rye is building an intimate, dimly lit tasting lounge with a curved bar, a private rack room and a dedicated bourbon and tequila list. Epic Brands says the speakeasy will give the Pleasant Ridge location the deepest bourbon collection in Cincinnati, and the company expects the finished space to become a prime entertainment destination in the neighborhood.
Josh Williams described Pleasant Ridge as one of Cincinnati's most vibrant and growing neighborhood destinations, the outlet's report notes, and he called Agave & Rye's arrival a milestone in the continued evolution of the Pleasant Ridge business district.
A Chain Built on 'Epic Tacos' and Deep Bourbon Shelves
Agave & Rye built its identity on what it calls "epic tacos," pairing proteins like butter-poached lobster, duck confit and even kangaroo meat with bar menus stocked with more than 70 tequilas and 70 bourbons, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Locally, the chain is known for loaded tacos, artisanal margaritas and countless bourbons, per FOX19's report.
The concept got its start in Covington, Kentucky, in 2018 under founders Yavonne and Wade Sarber, and parent company Epic Brands has since grown Agave & Rye and its sister concepts to 23 locations across five states, according to VoyageOhio.
From Covington to Rookwood: The Brand's Cincinnati Footprint
Agave & Rye's Greater Cincinnati expansion began with that Covington flagship, followed by a Rookwood Exchange location in September 2020 and a downtown Hamilton restaurant in 2021, Cincinnati CityBeat reported. Pleasant Ridge will mark the brand's fourth Tri-State address, joining its three other locations in Covington, Rookwood and Hamilton.
Epic Brands' broader portfolio also includes Son of a Butcher Steakhouse, Whiskey Yard, BITE ME Cupcakery and Outlaw Sim Racing Bar, per VoyageOhio. Last October, the company opened Tokyo Pie, a Japanese-inspired pizza and craft cocktail pub featuring 72-hour cold-fermented dough, next to its original Covington Agave & Rye on Madison Avenue, Cincinnati CityBeat has reported.
Montgomery Road's Shifting Restaurant Scene
The new restaurant arrives amid real turnover along Montgomery Road. Pleasant Ridge's LaRosa's Pizzeria packed up for Kennedy Heights last month, and neighborhood staple Share Cheesebar closed after nine years around the same time.
The building itself has cycled through several concepts over the past decade. It opened as Casa Figueroa, a Latin-inspired restaurant, in June 2017 before closing in 2021, Cincinnati CityBeat reported. Catch Me If You Can took over next, securing a liquor permit in February 2024, according to property listing site Cityfeet, which also notes the structure dates to 1914 and offers roughly 5,100 square feet across multiple levels within Pleasant Ridge's historic gaslight district.
Not every recent shift on the corridor has been a departure. Local chef Madeline Sheblessy acquired neighborhood favorite Lonely Pine Steakhouse and is preparing to reopen it in mid-2026, after the restaurant had paused operations in October 2025, Hoodline previously reported on the comeback. Between that revival and Epic Brands' plans to turn the old Catch Me If You Can building into what it calls a community hotspot, Pleasant Ridge's dining scene looks set for a busy fall.
