Bean & Barley Is The Perfect Spot To Spend The Entire Day
Written By: The Gnarly Gnome
Photography By: The Gnarly Gnome
Bean & Barley isn’t a bar in the traditional sense, which is partially what makes it so freaking awesome. It’s not the spot where you’re going to be until 2 am, knocking back shots of Jaegermeister with your college friends. In fact, they aren’t even open late, lest you get the idea to prove me wrong. The idea behind the spot is a lot more laid back… like a coffee shop. In fact – if you haven’t put it together yet – the “Bean” in “Bean and Barley” refers to a coffee bean because for the first half of every day – it’s very much a coffee shop.
Laid Back, Chill, Neighborhood Vibes
When you walk in the door, you are walking into a coffee shop, which really prevents the spot from getting too out of hand (there are plenty of spots for that around if that’s what you’re looking for). You’re hit with the sweet rolling wave of coffee aroma at all hours of the day, like a warm hug rolling across your face.
If you walk around the coffee bar, you’ll see that as you get to the back side of it, there just so happens to be a bunch of beer taps, and the room transforms into a neighborhood beer bar. The space seamlessly blends in the same way the personality of the business does, depending on what time of day you visit. A downstairs room can be an office for work-from-home folks or a space to gather with a big group of friends after dinner one night. With a deck upstairs and a patio downstairs, there’s also plenty of outdoor space to enjoy either a beautiful morning breeze or a late evening sunset.
The History Will Make It Make A Little More Sense
If we travel back in time to the late 90s a couple of Columbus business owners were realizing that their customers were the same folks. The Grandville Grind, a coffeeshop, was right next door to The Ohio Taproom, a beer bar. Ownership of both spaces quickly realized that their customers would often start out with a cup of coffee, and then wander next door for a craft beer.
When they were approached about a spot here in Cincinnati – the partnership laid itself out perfectly. They would create a space where people could “come for the coffee and stay for the beer”. It was perfect, and the rest is history!
Why I LOVE It So Much.
Here’s the thing: I often talk about this when I write about bars. Sometimes I’m definitely looking for a particular experience. I love great cocktail bars, I like sitting at a bar and watching the bartender spend several minutes crafting something really tasty with syrups and tinctures and all kinds of weird stuff. Other times, I want a neighborhood joint where I can knock back two or three High Life bottles and call it a day.
Other times… I want something that doesn’t really exist in very many spots. I want to grab a cup of coffee, knock out some work on the computer, and then drink a great local craft beer. I can make that happen in only a few places, and Bean & Barley is certainly one of the OG spots in Cincinnati.