Two bars at The Banks are shedding their usual identities for the holidays. Starting Nov. 19, Killer Queen will transform into Santa Baby, a glamorous vintage-inspired Christmas escape, while across the street The Stretch will become The South Pole, a bar themed around Christmas villains, rebellious elves and a missing Santa.
Two Themes, One Holiday Takeover
Both bars are owned by Four Entertainment Group, known as 4EG, according to a Cincinnati CityBeat report. The pop-ups will share immersive decor, specialty drinks, holiday music and movies, photo opportunities and other seasonal programming, with both venues operating seven days a week. Santa Baby and The South Pole will close at midnight on Sundays and Mondays and stay open until 2:30 a.m. the rest of the week, according to Cincinnati CityBeat.
Santa Baby draws its inspiration from Eartha Kitt's “Santa Baby” and Brenda Lee's “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree,” with a Dolly Parton “A Holly Dolly Christmas” vinyl album on display as part of the decor. The bar's director of marketing, Saijal Ryan, said the 1950s shaped the sound and style of the holidays, inspiring the space's vintage-meets-pop feel.
What's On The Menu At Santa Baby
Santa Baby's menu will feature special holiday-themed food alongside a lineup called the 12 Drinks of Christmas, which includes the Clausmo, Santa's Cookies, a Gingerbread Espresso Martini and a Partridge in a Pear Tree. A menu page for Santa Baby Bar also lists seasonal drinks such as a Spiked Peppermint Cocoa and a Moscow Mule twist. Beyond drinks, the bar is planning a holiday paint and sip and a Sabrina Carpenter-themed Christmas brunch, plus a weekly toy drive benefiting Toys for Tots every Thursday.
The South Pole's Villains And A Naughty List
Across the street, The South Pole leans into a different kind of holiday mischief. The space will be decorated around Jack Skellington, the Grinch and the Elf on the Shelf, with scenes depicting a ski slope, Santa's workshop and Whoville built into the setup. Ryan said The South Pole reimagines holiday scenes with a naughty twist.
The bar will also display an actual naughty list on Fridays, surprising customers who spot their own name on it, and will host regular Christmas movie trivia nights built around films like “The Grinch” and “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.”
Holiday Pop-Ups At The Banks
The Banks had a holiday pop-up in 2025 and is set to host two in 2026. A WLWT report said the Red Leprechaun had already been transformed for the 2025 holiday season, and the station also reported that Overlook Lodge served as Cincinnati's only location for the national Miracle holiday cocktail-bar concept during the 2025 season. Santa Baby and The South Pole are set to welcome their first guests on Nov. 19.
