Lachey’s Bar

My friend watched the reality show and after looking at their menu online, we had to try it! The place has a cool feel to it and there are a ton of TV’s and sports galore, although I don’t watch sports. We went on Monday for lunch so it wasn’t crowded at all. It was a little hard to find parking though, so I can only imagine what it’s like on weekends. The service was great and our food came out crazy fast. We had the bacon and cheese tots and they were like magic! My friend ordered tenders and they were the biggest ones I have ever seen! She loved them. I got the triple slider plate that had a cheese stuffed meatball slider, a pulled pork slider, and a burger with goat cheese, although it normally comes with cheese and fried onions. Pulled pork is not normally something I like but theirs is DELICIOUS!!! There were sweet pickles on it that gave it that added perfection. The burger was juicy and delicious as well. I enjoyed the meatball, but I wouldn’t order it as my main in full size. I cannot wait to go back!
The only down side is that Nick didn’t bring my food to me, shirtless. :(

I will start with the highlight of my trip to Lachey’s. The tater tots. I’m not sure what it is, but something makes the tater tots magical. With that being said, the rest of my experience was just average. The burger was ok, too pricey for what it was, and having to pay separately for a very small portion of a side dish (even if it is yummy tots) seems kind of silly to me, especially for a place that’s angling at being a sports bar.
Our server was really nice, and there were plenty of beer choices, but to me there wasn’t really anything that set it apart from your average sports bar.

Lachey’s is a great spot to grab a drink and catch a game. I visited this location twice on my recent Cincinnati trip and both times I had a good time. They have a decent beer selection and the food that I had a chance to try was better than the average sports bar. The bartenders were friendly and kept the drinks flowing. I really have no complaints about Lachey’s and find it to be a good addition to the Over the Rhine area of Cincy!

Cosmopolitans on Tap!
That’s all you really need to hear to want to stop by and check this place out. I was pleasantly surprised that the drinks were both strong and flavorful. After 2 I was feeling the buzz… wahoo!
The food was ok. They seem to offer a lot of deep fried foods. I ordered a salad that sounded really good but I could barely taste the dressing. I asked for more and the porblem wasn’t that I didn’t have enough dressing the problem was that it honestly tasted like nothing. What a bummer!
I think this is a good place to come and get a drink and hang out and people watch but I wouldn’t come here for the food.

Food and drinks are overpriced, but only bar in OTR with NFL Sunday ticket.
HH is only $ 2 off drinks, so considering that most beers start at $ 6, it makes for a not so cheap HH. However it does go until 8 PM nightly.
Last time I was there (Sunday) our bartender left in the middle of her shift and didn’t even tell me. Wings were undercooked and I didn’t even have a server to send them back to. Chicken tenders are pretty good, but are like $ 10.
I will go here on Sundays for Cleveland Browns games and the occasional HH, but that’s about it.

Let me start by saying that I moved away from Cincinnati 9 months ago and my return to visit family for Christmas resulted in one Christmas wish from me to my family and friends — lunch and football at Lachey’s. Watched the TV show and I love the OTR revitalization so I’m happy to support. Unfortunately Lacheys was a big disappointment.
Arrived at noon on a Sunday and was only the second patron. No joy at all from the redheaded boy who seated me. No smile. No hello. No friendliness. This will repeat itself regardless of who I encountered. Leading to wonder, why are the staff so sour?
Ordered coffee since the place was freezing. Turn up the heat! Coffee poured and I asked for cream. 10 mins go by and no cream, no waitress. I finally walk over to another server and ask for cream. 5 mins later I get my cream. No spoon to stir my now cold coffee. I’m immediately frustrated.
Ordered the spicy garlic tater tots. Not bad. 1pm and the football games start on the many, many screens but no sound from any game. Music is blasting over the speakers. It was weird — is this a sports bar? Looks like it, but sure don’t sound like it. I’ve never been in a sports bar with 20 screens playing football with no football commentary or sounds. The music just ruined the atmosphere.
In the meantime, our server Annie was rarely seen and drinks routinely went dry. I was there from noon until 4pm and the manager sat at the bar the entire time talking to friends. The only time he left his stool was to go to the bathroom. Move around and talk to your patrons. Do SOMETHING. It was annoying.
Ordered the build your burger, which arrived without the bacon and avocado I ordered. Waited 5 mins for that, while my lunch cooled. Just more frustration.
The saving grace — pretty good burger. Not great, but not bad. My wife ordered the chili, which tasted terrible. Beer flavor was overpowering. Annie took it off the bill when she noted my wife ate just one bite.
Will I go back? Nope. There are far too many great dining and drinking options in Cincinnati and OTR specifically. I was so excited to visit Lachey’s and I’m deeply disappointed.

I was in town for a conference and honestly didn’t know of much else to see in Cincinnati so decided to check this place out. The space is great — lots of TVs and the tickertape with all of the scores is a nice touch. Bartender was friendly and answered a lot of our questions about what it’s like to work in a new bar while filming a reality TV show (short answer: it’s tough), and drinks were reasonably priced. Was it great? No. Was it bad? No. Just mediocre– kind of like the show.

Overdue review because i kept hoping for a better experience. So, after visiting Lacheys multiple times, including 3 – 4 when food was consumed here it goes 2 stars.
The lack of good food and the crowded space are catalyzing this drop. The food is plain horrible. Have tried at least 4 menu items and all have been bad bad bad. You basically get frozen apps for a high $.
My next visits will never include food consumption and with the expectation of ridiculous crowds.

It’s more hype than anything, but it could be worse. OTR needed a true sports bar, and Lachey’s fills that role. It’s a nice space with a bunch of TV’s. It’s also close enough to the restaurants that it serves as a suitable waiting bar when you’re playing restaurant roulette with Vine St.

Lachey’s is a great and popular place to grab a drink and watch a game with some friends, however be warned that this place gets crowded. I didn’t realize that this is actually owned by Nick and Drew Lachey of the 90’s Pop Band 98 Degrees, it’s also a show on A&E showcasing the two brothers opening their lifelong dream of opening a bar in their hometown. I guess that would explain why the place is so popular!
I arrived early Friday evening to meet up with some friends who were also in town to discover a full house, luckily after a short wait the hostess was able to find us a table. We mostly were here to catch the Card/​Reds game and have a few drinks however we did end up with some light bites. I have to admit that the Tot Bowl which had three unique flavored tot’s from which you could choose from. We opted for the Jerked Rub, however we really couldn’t taste any unique flavor and wonder if the waitress just gave us plain tots. Anyway the tots were served with Rhinegeist beer cheese, malt vinegar aioli, and Lachey’s ketchup.
Overall this was a great place to enjoy a beer, however it does get crowded and very loud at times. The service is pretty good and there are more than enough tv’s to catch whatever event you are interested in.

It’s a decent place. I’m not crazy about the food, but it’s ok — I think there are some other places with just a bit better quality food than this place has to offer. I think the drinks are a little over-​priced.
However, what is really great about this place is sports. There’s a few other sports bars in OTR and downtown, but I feel like this has more to offer — they can actually play all the games with the number of feeds they have coming into the bar, something that many other locations are lacking.
The space is really nice, and the staff is friendly enough.

Was very excited to come here after watching the tv show. It started as a way for me to see Cincinnati since I live in California now, but then I got wrapped up in the story of starting your own bar/​restaurant!
First night I finally came to Lachey’s with a friend and the bar was 3 people deep! So busy I couldn’t even get close enough to order a drink. So we used the bathroom, walked around, and waited a bit to see if we could get a drink. No luck. Every table packed too!
So a few days later I returned to watch a UC football game. This time got there plenty early just in case and it paid off. I scored a perfect table in the party room (garage door was up) and I got to cheer on the Bearcats with other Cinci peeps. So much fun. Food was on-​point. I had the deviled eggs which were awesome! Never seen those at any restaurant before. I also had a great burger with fries. Drew Lachey was in the house doing a radio broadcast so was nice to see a celebrity owner still taking pride in his business.
I would only say a few things need work. The bathroom needed some maintenance/​repairs, and a few of the tables looked worn. The place has a great ambience I just wish they had a little more organization on how to handle all the people. Might be time to open another location guys or add additional seating!

After seeing Lachey’s bar on TV, we are excited to go in and see if it was anything like the show. After asking around, it really wasn’t, except for the way it looked. It definitely did look like the show. But, there’s rarely a Nick and infrequently a Drew.
So, onto the food. We decided to try the pulled pork sandwich. Surprisingly, the pulled pork was extremely tasty. They added a pickle to which even enhance it a little bit more. The coleslaw was just so-​so, but the sandwich was exceptional, so it made up for it. We had draft beer, but did try one of their specialty shots.
Their clientele, all around us, were very fun.
That says something about the kind of bar that it is.
It was extremely busy, especially for a Sunday night.
But most importantly, all of the people who worked there were extremely kind, and provided great service.
I’m really glad we took the time to give it a try.

I feel like Lachey’s is a little lost in a world of OTR hipsters. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy plunking my butt down in a sports bar every once in a while to take in some unhealthy food, cold beer, and football. That being said, I kinda feel like this place just doesn’t fit the OTR vibe.
I met up with a friend this weekend to check the bar out (since I somehow managed to avoid it before then), and I have to say, it’s nice. Lots of tvs, cold beer, friendly staff. I did not actually end up eating (to my disappointment), but I did enjoy myself. I still left though kind of scratching my head. And maybe I can’t even articulate why, but I just don’t think this bar generally belongs in the OTR scene. Regardless, I might go back if I want to watch another game, but if it gets as crowded as I’ve seen it get in the past, I’m going to pass.

Hubby and I went here for our monthly adventure into OTR from the way north burbs. I chose The Eagle last month so it was his turn to choose, and he went with Lachey’s. We usually pick a Monday or Tuesday to avoid most of the crowds and we got here early enough to partake of happy hour pricing. On an early Monday evening, the place was fairly empty. By the time we left an hour-​ish later, there were more tables seated, but still plenty of open space. The server came over quickly, ran down the specials of the evening and went to grab us waters. The appetizer special was the meatballs, ½ off, which ended up being good since that was one of the items he wanted to try. We ordered those, the spicy garlic tot bowl, a couple of beers, the sliders and the turkery burger. Yes, way too much food but we ended up taking some home.
The appetizers came out fairly quickly, the meatballs were a nice change from the typical Italian preparation that seems to be trendy right now. The grilled bread dipped in the sauce was delicious. The tots were covered in what tasted like a mild/​medium buffalo sauce. I probably would go with a different sauce next time. The flavor was good, but it made the tots softer and they fell apart easily, making it hard to get them into the dips. The aioli and beer cheese were my favorite dipping sauces, the ketchup was not really my cup of tea flavor-​wise. There was a bit of a service slip-up…not from the server but from the kitchen. After a couple of bites of the appetizers, they brought out our sandwiches. It meant we didn’t have a lot of room left on the table and we felt like we had to rush to eat the appetizers so our sandwiches didn’t get cold.
The appetizers were definitely the highlight of the meal. The sandwiches weren’t bad in any way, but the tots and meatballs definitely had the stronger, bolder flavors. I think the next time we would probably just order a handful of appetizers and drinks. The turkey burger was big and messy, difficult to eat. I cut it in half and managed to eat one half with the bun. The other half I partially ate with a knife and fork, no bun. The hubby said the sliders were OK and he brought part of them home to finish for lunch the next day.
All-​in-​all, we will definitely be back sometime in the future… he was definitely eyeing the deviled egg appetizer.

Definitely a fan. Many great beers on tap, both local and regional microbrews. Great place to watch sports for sure!
I have been 3 times, so I have a pretty good feel for the place when it’s busy and when it’s slower. Service has always been great, even when the place is hopping on a Saturday night. I’ve always sat at the bar, so I can’t speak to table service. Bartenders have been super attentive and helpful.
The tots are out of this world. The bacon cheddar are super tasty, but the icing on the cake are the dipping sauces. Their house made ketchup is full of comfort spices and I wish I could have bottled it and taken it home.
They do some fun stuff for football Sundays, including having a DJ play before, during commercial breaks, and after the game. Definitely a unique touch!
Can’t wait to get back again!

Catie and Kyla were very professional and welcoming. I was greeted with two smiles and a couple menus. She recommended the tater tots and, boy they were good.
Not only was the food good but I got to enjoy the ballgame in while sitting at the bar.
This place is great. I can’t wait to come back again.

I’ve been highly skeptical of Lachey’s Bar since it opened. Something in my head said that although the Lachey’s have their hearts in the right place as far as wanting to help revitalize the city, this restaurant/​bar wasn’t going to be the best. I was right, and unfortunately it was for different reasons than I imagined.
Three friends and I arrived around 9PM on a Thursday night. It was decently busy thanks to Thursday Night Football and college. That’s always good; I don’t enjoy empty bars. We were able to snag four seats on the right end of the bar. The bartender was busy and I didn’t want to keep her waiting when she asked me what I wanted to drink. The reason I couldn’t choose is because they have a horrific draft selection, and little to no fall beers. Not one pumpkin ale was on site… we are in the middle of October people! And you’re a bar in OTR to boot! There are craft beer drinkers galore around here! I do not want your Leninkugel Pumpkin Shandy thank you. I stuck with Moerlein OTR ale as you can’t go wrong with a classic.
Our group also ordered their stuffed meatballs and buffalo chicken dip to snack on. We had literally just came from dinner and desserts so we were living the epitome of fatasses. The meatballs were absolutely delicious, although I don’t think they’d pair well with beer. It’s not the type of food I think of when I want a beer. The buffalo chicken dip, served with Ritz, is the kind of dip that you serve at your family’s potlucks. That’s not a bad thing, but looking back I wouldn’t order it again.
The bartenders seemed to have a sort of «I really don’t want to be here» sickness going on. No smiles, no bantering. I understand you’re busy, but it wouldn’t kill you to crack a grin and pretend like you’re enjoying your job! The manager was hovering over the bartender that was with us, so it was obvious it wasn’t just an off night.
I may come here again, simply because the entrée choices look interesting, but if I get the same apathetic service again, it’ll be a hard NO if someone asks me to go to Lachey’s.

Ok I’m split– experience was a roller coaster
Positives–
Waitress service
Wings
Grilled veggie grinder
Negatives–
Got text for a table, showed up and the hostess said «sorry my manager gave your table to his friends, it’s going to be a little bit»
The DJ — it’s a sports bar, I don’t want a DJ
Chicken BLT
No blue cheese or ranch served with the wings?
Minor details I guess for some, but for me the first two negatives are a big deal. May come back, but would aim for earlier in the day.

FYI This is the first and only 1-​star review I have ever written, so you know how much I hated my experience at Lachey’s.
We were here last Saturday to watch the Duke/​UNC game around 9:30 — 11:30pm. When we walked in, it was super crowded but we were able to find a large table in the back for our group of 7.
We sat down, and were a little confused about whether or not we would get waitress service or had to order at the bar. My friend asked a waitress if someone would be coming around to serve us, and she said «yeah»…But 20 minutes later no one had showed up so we gave in and ordered at the bar.
We ordered the bacon cheddar tater tots and a round of beers. The beers were reasonably priced and ok. My friend’s beer was flat, but whatever. We asked if they would bring the tater tots to us, and they said to come up to the bar again in 10 minutes to pick them up… Not an easy task with a place this busy, but ok.
We kept going back up to the bar every 10 minutes for 45 MINUTES asking for our food, which never came. They had to re-​fire it because I guess they gave our food to someone else. But all we got was a «whoops, my bad». They didn’t even care. Talk about bad service!
When our food FINALLY came, we had to pick it up from the bar (another hassle), and there was no bacon! Seriously?
I didn’t even get into the boring décor and horrible DJ, but you get the point…
They ended up not charging us for the food, but that did not make up for the terrible experience we had at Lachey’s. Non-​existent service, overly crowded, followed up by rude employees. The only thing that will make me come back to this place is if Nick Lachey himself sings me an apology song (with dance moves).