Simply Escape At Overlook Lodge
Written By: The Gnarly Gnome
Photography By: The Gnarly Gnome
I first started hearing about Jacob Trevino when he was throwing pop-ups branded as Gorilla Cinema. These experiences paired movies with food and drinks, and while I never got to go to one, I heard a lot about them. This idea to bring together what you were watching with what you were consuming was only the tip of the iceberg for what he eventually brought to Cincinnati’s bar and restaurant scene.
The Overlook Lodge Idea
Overlook Lodge blends together a couple of ideas that Cincinnati hadn’t seen before it opened. I’m not talking about a Shining-themed bar, either (we’ll get to that). I’m talking about cocktails that clearly take themselves seriously (Trevino spent some time working at bars under Molly Wellmann, he understands a good cocktail), but also show a side of restraint and simplicity (that might be able to be attributed to his time at OTR’s Salazar where he picked up Jose Salazar’s knack for making food simple, but amazing).
The next part of the Overlook puzzle involves the space, which is inspired by the Gorilla Cinema pop-ups and is about immersion and experience.
Leaving The Normal World Behind
When Overlook opened its doors in 2015, it aimed to give people a full experience. The ability to walk into a bar and feel like you’ve left the normal world behind you is a powerful tool in a bar’s arsenal, and it’s one that Overlook (and all the subsequent bars that Gorilla Cinema opened) has absolutely mastered.
Walking in, it certainly has a few nods to the movie The Shining. It’s not over the top, though. As the years have passed since its opening, it’s even more of a “Rustic Gathering Place” than a bar, themed after the movie.
A huge fireplace anchors one side of the room, and a big bar, the other. Everything on the walls draws inspiration from a 70’s ski cabin motif including their signature “shot-ski” which will serve you and three of your friends if you’re feeling fun.
The More The World Changes, The More It Stays The Same
As things have gotten more and more complicated, not just in our lives but also in the world of drinking, we seek comfort in different ways. I firmly believe that’s one of the reasons that so many folks have latched onto craft breweries. They find comfort in the simplicity.
From the very first day – that was what made Overlook work so well. Sure, you can get a great cocktail… but they were still easy to understand. If you walk in and just want a great craft beer, they keep the taps flowing with those, too. To take that a step further, if you just want a cold Budweiser, no one in the place will judge you for it.
Simple, easy… different than most other new places try to do.
The Overlook Lodge is located at 6083 Montgomery Rd in Pleasant Ridge, and you should definitely check it out.