aliveOne

Alive One hmmm. I am torn because I usually love their underground little dance bar area, but they said they keep is closed now for private parties which is lammme-​o because that’s really the only reason we came here.
On a positive note: the bar is beautiful, the DJ’s are always really, really great. I have only been here at night and it has always been a great spot on a Mt. Adams bar crawl. Definitely keep it in mind for dancing, or for a casual date night.

This is a larger bar than it seems. Your first step inside makes you think, «well, isn’t this cool?» It’s comfortable, clean, and as far as dimly lit bars go, a classy place to hang out. Step into the basement and think «did I just step off the plane in another city?» You’ll be in a tight-​spaced secondary bar with some chic seating and space to hang out. We went on a night when there was a DJ actually mixing records (a rarity, I might add) and had a blast dancing with complete strangers. The type of people that go to this bar seem very friendly.

This two floor bar is called aliveOne, but the basement will always be known as the Magic Basement to me. Was it called the Magic Basement at one point in time? I’m not sure, but it sure is magical. When I do go to aliveOne, I typically start and end in the Magic Basement.
On the weekend there is a DJ spinning, drinks flowing, and good conversation occurring. I like the décor, especially this one painting of three hands. Occasionally, the Magic Basement will be rented out to a private party and there will be a light spread at 11 the bar staff will take it away. So if you plan on vulturing some of it make sure you do before it is taken away.

We ended up here on a Saturday night about 11pm. We are a group of early 30-​somethings that do not match the typical Mt. Adams mold. So that is why we were so excited to walk into this bar and find exactly everything we love in a bar.
First, no cover… Hard to find in Mt. Adams. Great jukebox… Which when it plays, it doesn’t play it so loud that you can’t keep talking. One of the best bartenders in the city— Our favorite from Millions– Greg.
Best part— Ambiance. We were able to make it to the bar without having to push through 14 people. We were able to easily find a table to sit at. Everyone was able to talk and hear each other without shouting, but it wasn’t so quiet that we couldn’t get a little rowdy and raunchy (2 things we do best).
Unfortunately, midnight hit and that all changed. Suddenly the line was out the door with early 20-​somethings. In order to make it to the bar, you had to swim through 14 backwards baseball cap popped collars wearing dudes. We exited quickly at that point.
So, if you have bar preferences like mine, hit up this place anytime before midnight…

One of the best bars in Mt Adams because of their beer selection and no cover! During the week, this bar is very chill and offers a relaxing experience. On the weekend it is like a completely different bar. It is much more crowded but still does not charge cover, thankfully. Their beer selection appears to be ever-​changing, in a good way.
There are two floors to aliveOne, each offering a unique experience. Upstairs is more of a typical bar and downstairs feels more like an exclusive nightclub. The DJ’s typically play good music and the staff is friendly. My only complaint is that it can be difficult to get a drink at times because of the crowd. As always, the trick to getting a bartender’s attention… hold out your credit card or cash and make eye contact :)

One of my favorite places to go. I agree that when it gets crowded, it’s a pain to move around, but during the weekdays and early parts of the weekend, sit at a table by the window, enjoy a pint and the breeze! They have the largest selection of live music in the area, too, so you never know what you’ll end up hearing throughout the night.
The basement lounge can be a good place to escape on the weekends. When it gets overly packed, you can slip away down there, or just head out to another local bar.

Mt. Adams… this is the kind of place that as a man, you need to where your resume around your neck if you want to have some of the ladies talk to you… though the Nasty Naty isn’t bling bling in any sense, this is as close as anyone can get to a bar/​social scene with the movers and shakers in this town.
The space is unique and the basement is typically where I’ve spent my time in this establishment.
There are regulars… as in all establishments and these are not any friendlier than another other place… the saving grace is that if you really don’t like the place and/​or the people… just walk out the door and there are 4 bars within steps of this place.

Try as I might, I can’t like this bar. It’s always so crowded and has me wondering WHY. The drinks are relatively expensive for no apparent reason ($ 10 Red Bull vodkas??? Wtf?), there’s one pool table placed next to the one-​stall bathrooms and another on the other side of the bar, and people stand around, blocking any convenient walkways. There’s also a downstairs lounge area, but it usually looks pretty dead. Last time I came here, I selected 2 songs on the jukebox that I never ended up hearing. The only plus is that there’s no cover charge. I think that’s why I keep being dragged here while Longworth’s and Pavilion are much more my speed…

A good friend of mine tends bar here so I end up visiting a lot when I’m in town. Like many have already said, it gets a little douchey on busy nights. When I say «a little douchey,» I really mean, «unofficial coke-​den of future republican congressmen.» Seriously, boat shoes and blazers for miles.
It’s not so bad on most weeknights though. When not forced to play Top 40, their DJ’s are solid. Good drink specials too.

This bar is douche central, granted it’s in Mt Adams so what do you expect?

I could’ve sworn I’ve written a review for this place, as I’ve being going here pretty steadily for years. I give it 4 stars for the beer selection, bartenders/​staff and physical space.
Yeah, by and large most of the clientele can be annoying, especially on weekends and big drinking nights like the night before thanksgiving, but on most weeknights, especially on Tuesday nights for $ 2.50 drafts, aliveone is a great place to get a relaxed drink.
Upstairs, grab a table slide one of the windows open and chill, talk and people-​watch or play a game of pool. Downstairs, which feels like a secret bar somewhere in Paris, sit in one of the booths for a more intimate setting.
Most of the time the jukebox isnt even on, but the mixes they have playing are decent enough with mostly indie rock.

Great atmosphere, just remeber how you got there because getting back off the hill can be quite difficult if you are not familiar with the area, especially after two for Tuesday’s.

aliveOne is one of my favorite Mt. Adam’s bars and it has continued getting better over the years. The crowd there are more enjoyable people to hang out with than the rest of the crowd usually found at Mt. Adam’s popular destinations. All the music in the jukebox is live music (hence the name) which I really appreciate. Having some pool tables along with unique seating options is a major plus. The basement area is a great place to host a private party as well which doesn’t cost you anything and you get drink specials (as long as you book it far enough in advance and bring enough people with you).
Last but not least, the beer list is great and steadily improving with some new taps just recently put in. Hopefully other bars in Mt. Adams will follow suit and start to focus more on good beer.

Love this bar in Mt. Adams. Its fun and not fussy. No cover charge and great selection of seasonal beers. Downstairs they have a DJ on the weekend. And a Jukebook for your weekday enjoyment that has alot of great songs. Pool tables, arcade games and great tables along huge windows to sit along and people watch on crazy nights on the hill make this a staple of Mt. Adams patrons.

A good bar to go to especially when Pavilion and Longworth’s are too packed. Plus, you don’t have to pay a cover here.

I am very familiar with the Chicago location and was very excited to learn that there was another one in Cincinnati. The bar has a couple of different «rooms» that have slightly different vibes which makes a large bar seem small and intimate. There is a pretty cool raised nook in one of the back corners that has some comfy seats to chill in and act like you’re lord of the bar. The beer selection is pretty good, would like to see a few more taps with more craft brews. I was a little disappointed that the juke box was broken when I was there so no live tunes to listen to. Overall I think this is a really cool bar with good beer, good music, and good atmosphere.

A good friend of mine turned 21 on midnight Saturday. He had originally planned on visiting Pavilion but the rest of the group wasn’t in the mood to pay cover so we met up with them at AliveOne instead.
Like Pavilion, AliveOne is sleek and cool and populated by beautiful people on weekend nights. Unlike Pavilion, it isn’t nearly as crowded, the music is quite a bit more chill, and, as mentioned previously, there is no cover.
We had no problem getting to the bar and getting the attention of the bartender, there were even seats available (which you’d never find at Pavilion at midnight on Saturday!) We bought the birthday boy $ 5 shots of SoCo and Lime and I sipped on a particularly strong $ 7 Long Island for the rest of the night.
I had thought AliveOne would feature live music but when we were there it was purely JukeBox, though good choices!

At aliveOne, its all about the music. I’ve never once been here and felt anything less than psyched about what they were playing. Just take a look around… from the pictures of Dylan, Garcia, Blondie, and more to the well-​selected jukebox CDs… this place has rock and roll in its blood. aliveOne is always jamming, but you won’t have to bring your ear plugs. The music is set to level that’s enjoyable but doesn’t prevent conversation at a normal decibel level.
With two pool tables and a number of seating options on the first floor, the place is set-​up to be a casual place to gather with friends, rather than a swinging singles scene (like Pavilion). Drink specials are comparable to other bars in Mt. Adams, though you’ll pay more for the micro-​brews (duh!).

Living in Mt Adams, we commonly make aLiveOne our finale after a night of debauchery and drinking. It has no cover, it has a great jukebox, it has a dimly lit but warmly/​musically decorated basement, it has a small dance floor for the especially inebriated, and it’s always populated enough. I can’t necessarily specify the appeal while I’m in that state of mind, but it just seems like a nice closer.
If you go earlier in the night or during the week, you’ll find plenty of space and no lack of quality beers. Microbrews from Stoudt’s, Bells, Great Lakes, and Rogue fill their cooler and tap (most $ 3.50-$ 4.50, but $ 2.50 on Tuesdays). Nothing rare, but always something for your taste. Just like the late night appeal, the quality of beer and ambience feels very comfortable, though don’t expect any special effort from the bartenders.
The jukebox is all live shows — with a heavy emphasis on classic rock — but not too loud. It’s background buzz, but every once in awhile you’ll be able to flaunt your musical knowledge by observing your affection for the semi-​obscure song by Dylan/​Pearl Jam/​Hendrix/​Etc that just started playing. On weekends there is often a DJ for the downstairs dance floor tucked into a corner. It’s hardly a nightclub, but you can dance if you want to (you probably won’t hear Men At Work, sorry).
Why go? A great place to chill out with friends in any time or BAC that can be cheap if you wish.
Why don’t go? Based on the typical lopsided male/​female ratio, not a place for a straight man to try to pick up a date. Based on the crowd, probably not a place for a gay man to pick up a date either.

Of all the bars in Mt. Adams, Alive one is my preferred destination.
So the big theme to Alive one is live music– although curiously, I don’t think they have actual live music performed there (or at least never when I’ve been there). Rather, the jukeboxes are full of recorded live performances. Some are apparently bootlegged, but I have no idea. It’s mainly rock and classic rock selections. There are also numerous pictures throughout the bar of various bands on stage.
The bar itself consists of two floors. The top floor has a full-​service bar, a small seating area, and then several pool tables. Honestly, nothing special about the top floor. The bottom level, however, its pretty cool. It has its own bar, and it has more of a lounge feel with long, thin seated areas to one side. It definitely has more atmosphere and character than the top floor.
Its in Mt. Adams, so expect the same type of crowd you get at Pavillion. You can also expect overpriced drinks as well. Still, I think the atmostphere is worth it, especially if you go to the lower level.